A Characterisation of Consumer Empowerment Drawn from Three Views of Power

This paper develops a general model of consumer empowerment based on three different but overlapping views of power and empowerment. Theories from psychology, economics and social relations suggested that four key factors described the complex concept of consumer empowerment. These factors are: ability to customize and personalise a product/service; ability to tailor price and pre and post purchase services; extent and ease of communication relevant to the purchase decision; and degree of regulation and trust in the purchase environment. The first two factors have to do with the consumers’ ability to control the environment to produce outcomes that they desire, while the last two factors have to do with interrelationships

Devyani Khobragade Incident : A Legal Analysis in the Light of International Law

Devyani Khobragade is serving as an officer in the Indian Foreign Service. She joined the Indian Foreign Service in 1999.[1]She has been also posted in Germany, Italy and Pakistan.[2] In 2012, she was posted as Deputy Consul General to the Consulate General of India in New York . She handled women's affairs as well as political and economic issues. While she was serving as an Indian Deputy Consul General in New York, she was arrested by US law enforcement agencies for making false statements on a visa application for her housekeeper. The question that led to a major diplomatic standoff between India and the United States whether according to international law especially Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relation of 1961, she should have got the immunities from the judicial proceedings or not that was brought against her. [3] After a long Diplomatic battle between India and Us government on January 20, 2014 she was taken back to India and posted to New Delhi as director of the Development Partnership Administration (DPA), an agency formed in 2013 at the Ministry of External Affairs to handle India’s projects overseas.[4] [1] Gowen, Annie (20 December 2013). "Who is Devyani Khobragade, the Indian diplomat at the center of the firestorm?". The Washington Post. Retrieved 7 January 2014. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/indias-devyani-khobragade-advocated-for-womens-rights-but-underpaid-her-nanny/2013/12/20/13e23688-69a2-11e3-8b5b-a77187b716a3_story.html [2] "10 things about IFS officer Devyani Khobragade: Her family, passion and favourite Hollywood actor". babus of india. December 14, 2013. Retrieved 7 January 2014. http://www.babusofindia.com/2013/12/10-things-about-ifs-officer-devyani.html [3] http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Who-is-Devyani-Khobragade/articleshow/27659238.cms?referral=PM,Last  accessed on 29.06.2014 [4] Roy, Shubhajit (January 20, 2014). "Devyani likely to head MEA’s overseas projects department". Indian Express. Retrieved January 20, 2014. http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/devyani-likely-to-head-meas-overseas-projects-department

Qui a le plus profité de l’adoption des IFRS en France ?

CAHIER DE RECHERCHE n°2014-05 E2Les études des effets de l’adoption obligatoires des IFRS sont nombreuses. Elles ne montrent pastoutes une amélioration significative de la qualité de l’information comptable. En revanche, elless’accordent à reconnaître les bienfaits de cette adoption pour les investisseurs (meilleure liquiditédes titres et réduction de l’asymétrie informationnelle) et pour les entreprises (réduction du coût deleur capital). Les effets mis en évidence par ces études ne sont toutefois que des effets moyens,aucune étude n’ayant considéré les caractéristiques de l’entreprise. L’étude que nous proposons viseà combler cette lacune. Elle montre que toutes les entreprises n’ont pas identiquement bénéficié del’adoption des IFRS. Se focalisant sur l’asymétrie d’information qui caractérise l’entreprise, variableclé puisque les IFRS visent à accroître la transparence des firmes et par conséquent réduire leurdéficit informationnel, l’étude montre que les entreprises qui ont bénéficié des IFRS sont celles quidivulguent le plus sur une base volontaire et celles qui sont le plus activement suivies par lesanalystes financiers. Les firmes peu suivies et celles qui divulguent peu ont été pénalisées parl’adoption des nouvelles normes. Les entreprises présentant les actifs et les activités les pluscomplexes, et donc les plus difficiles à décrire au moyen de l’information comptable, ont égalementtiré avantage de l’adoption des IFRS. Enfin, les entreprises qui souffraient du plus fort déficitinformationnel ont vu ce déficit s’accroître suite à cette adoption. En revanche, et paradoxalement,les entreprises qui avaient le moins à gagner de l’adoption des IFRS du fait d’un faible déficitinformationnel ont vu ce déficit se réduire un peu plus

Formulation Method of Gain Calculation at Marginal Stability of a Linear Invariant Control Systems

The stability analysis of a linear invariant control system is based mainly on its characteristic equation. There are various methods to examine, to do analysis, and to design a control system. Those methods become less effective and more complicated for use when those methods are used for a high order of an open loop transfer function that has several poles and several zeros. In this research work a new method was developed to find the gains at marginal stability and the intersection points with the imaginary axis of a single-input and single-output of a linear invariant control system by using two new formulas. First formula is used to construct a new polynomial where its roots are the intersection points with the imaginary axis of the s-plane, and a second formula is used to calculate the gains at the marginal stability of the system. The coefficients of the characteristic equation’s polynomial of the control system are substituted in the first formula to obtain a new polynomial. The roots of the obtained polynomial are substituted in the second formula to obtain the gains at marginal stability. In this research work the derivation of the polynomial’s construction formula, its mathematical proof, and the derivation of the gains formula at marginal stability are presented. The proposed Formulization method is compared with another three common methods in the solution of three examples. The used methods are the proposed method, Routh-Hurwitz criterion, Root Locus technique, and the complex variable s on the imaginary axis. The chosen examples are three control systems where their transfer functions are different in order and in complexity, going from low to high. The comparison shows that the Formulization method is accurate and needs less mathematical operations by the user. It is applicable for any order of a single-input and single-output of invariant control systems. It is an effective method especially for a higher order and for more complicated transfer functions of the control systems

Qui a le plus profité de l’adoption des IFRS en France ?

CAHIER DE RECHERCHE n°2014-05 E2Les études des effets de l’adoption obligatoires des IFRS sont nombreuses. Elles ne montrent pastoutes une amélioration significative de la qualité de l’information comptable. En revanche, elless’accordent à reconnaître les bienfaits de cette adoption pour les investisseurs (meilleure liquiditédes titres et réduction de l’asymétrie informationnelle) et pour les entreprises (réduction du coût deleur capital). Les effets mis en évidence par ces études ne sont toutefois que des effets moyens,aucune étude n’ayant considéré les caractéristiques de l’entreprise. L’étude que nous proposons viseà combler cette lacune. Elle montre que toutes les entreprises n’ont pas identiquement bénéficié del’adoption des IFRS. Se focalisant sur l’asymétrie d’information qui caractérise l’entreprise, variableclé puisque les IFRS visent à accroître la transparence des firmes et par conséquent réduire leurdéficit informationnel, l’étude montre que les entreprises qui ont bénéficié des IFRS sont celles quidivulguent le plus sur une base volontaire et celles qui sont le plus activement suivies par lesanalystes financiers. Les firmes peu suivies et celles qui divulguent peu ont été pénalisées parl’adoption des nouvelles normes. Les entreprises présentant les actifs et les activités les pluscomplexes, et donc les plus difficiles à décrire au moyen de l’information comptable, ont égalementtiré avantage de l’adoption des IFRS. Enfin, les entreprises qui souffraient du plus fort déficitinformationnel ont vu ce déficit s’accroître suite à cette adoption. En revanche, et paradoxalement,les entreprises qui avaient le moins à gagner de l’adoption des IFRS du fait d’un faible déficitinformationnel ont vu ce déficit se réduire un peu plus

Human Resource Development and Economic Growth in Bangladesh: An Econometric Analysis

This study empirically verifies the contributions of human resource development (HRD) efforts in the growth process of Bangladesh. In order to conduct the empirical analysis, a hypothetical growth model is constructed in light of two prominent endogenous growth models, ie, Lucas (1988) and Romer (1986, 1990), and a couple of econometric tests, ie, Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) unit root test and Engle-Granger cointegration are done. In this research, the Engle-Granger cointegration tests have suggested a positive correlation between HRD activities and economic growth process of Bangladesh. Among the HRD activities, investments in education have played a stimulating role and R&D expenditures have made a weak but positive contribution in growth. Besides HRD, there is also evidence that ‘exports’ have played an important role in Bangladesh’s growth. Keywords: Growth theory, HR development, Bangladesh, Unit root test, Cointegration tes

Development of an expert system to conduct automated HAZOP studies

Process hazard analysis is an important step to identify risk in a process facility. Automation of hazard identification requires efficient search techniques with the aid of a knowledge base. It also requires an easy menu driven interface so that an ordinary user can interact with the system with minimal intervention from an expert. One of the models to implement automation of hazard analysis is HAZOP (hazard and operability) study. Fault propagation, an aspect of HAZOP analysis, defines the propagation of deviation among equipment in a process facility. To identify all the possible hazards and their faster access, it is necessary to develop an efficient fault propagation algorithm with a knowledge-base. The existing tools performing automated HAZOP analysis does not provide any means to identify the propagation of deviation to all downstream equipment. Also some of the developed tools are slower in data extraction, require an expert to interpret the analyzed result, focuses more on causes of deviation in a process facility than the consequences, and is specific to process facility structure. -- This thesis focuses on development of an expert system to perform automated HAZOP analysis with a unique fault propagation algorithm that will identify propagation of deviation to all downstream equipment in a process facility. Furthermore, the expert system has a knowledge base that identifies all general causes and consequences of equipment failure in a process facility and enables effective and efficient decision making tool for the user of the system

L'Hospitalin sääntö

Tässä tutkielmassa esitetään ja todistetaan L’Hospitalin sääntö tapauksissa 0/0 ja ∞/∞. Ensin tutustutaan L’Hospitalin säännön historiaan, minkä jälkeen syvennytään tarkemmin raja-arvon määräämättömään muotoon sekä itse L’Hospitalin sääntöön. Luvussa 2 perehdytään Guillaume de L’Hôpitalin historiaan sekä siihen, kuinka L’Hospitalin sääntö sai alkunsa. Samalla kerrotaan myös lyhyesti L’Hôpitalin opettajasta, Johann Bernoullista, ja siitä, miksi hän on tärkeä osa L’Hospitalin säännön historiaa. Luvussa 3 esitetään valmistelevia raja-arvojen tuloksia. Jotta L’Hospitalin säännön voi todistaa, on siihen käytettävä muun muassa Cauchyn väliarvolausetta sekä Rollen lausetta. Lisäksi esitetään osamääräfunktion raja-arvotulos, jota hyödynnetään väliarvolauseiden lisäksi luvussa 4. L’Hospitalin sääntöön syvennytään tarkemmin luvussa 4. Aluksi tarkastellaan määräämätöntä muotoa, ja perehdytään siihen, mitä se käytännössä tarkoittaa, keskittymällä tarkemmin määräämättömään muotoon 0/0. Alaluvussa 4.1 esitetään myös muita mahdollisia määräämättömiä muotoja. Ensiksi todistetaan, kuinka kahden samalla välillä määritellyn funktion osamäärän raja-arvo on olemassa, mikäli molemmat funktiot ovat derivoituvia. Seuraavassa alaluvussa todistetaan L’Hospitalin sääntö määräämättömälle muodolle 0/0. Tätä lausetta hyödynnetään alaluvun esimerkeissä. Seuraavassa alaluvussa, 4.3, todistetaan L’Hospitalin sääntö määräämättömälle muodolle ∞/∞. Tässä hyödynnetään jälleen Cauchyn väliarvolausetta. Todistuksen jälkeen käydään vielä läpi kaksi esimerkkiä, joista toisessa raja-arvo tuottaa määrämättömän muodon ∞/∞ ja toisessa määräämättömän muodon 0/0

Impact of service quality on customer satisfaction: special reference to Amana bank PLC in Eastern province in Sri Lanka

The banking industry like many other financial service industries is facing a rapidly changing market, new technologies, economic uncertainties, fierce competition, and especially more demanding customers; and the changing climate has presented an unprecedented set of challenges. Amid intense competition and the dynamic business environment, surviving in the market has become a key challenge for many service organizations. Service quality has become one of the key tools for surviving and gaining competitive advantage in the banking industry, since its offering comprised mainly with intangible elements. The objective study is to examine service quality of Amana bank and its impact on customer satisfaction in Sri Lanka through the SERVQUAL model this was established by Zeithaml, Parasuramn and Berry. Service quality dimensions such as Tangibility, Reliability, Assurance, Responsiveness, Empathy and Shariah Compliance were considered as independent variables and customer satisfaction is considered as dependent variable. Customer satisfaction is appraised by Service facilities and Accessories, Convenience and Supporting service, Total customer value, and Total customer cost. This study is initiated the impact of the service quality on customer satisfaction with the convenience Sampling procedure was used to obtain 200 respondents from Amana bank customers in Eastern province. The primary data was collected through structured questionnaire. SPSS 20.0 and MS Excel was used to analyze the data. And also descriptive statistic, correlation, and regression analysis were used to analyze the data methodology. The results indicate that the higher the service quality, the more the costumer‟s satisfaction. The Dimensions of service quality plays an important role in this study. To conclude, the findings indicate that these six factors have positively association between the customer satisfactions. This study also identifies that the service quality is an appropriate tool to measure the quality of service in the banking sector in the Amana bank. Therefore, the banking sector practitioners regard this instrument a very important tool to evaluate, support, and improve the quality of their services