Energy Conversion Alternatives Study (ECAS), General Electric Phase 1. Volume 3: Energy conversion subsystems and components. Part 1: Bottoming cycles and materials of construction

Energy conversion subsystems and components were evaluated in terms of advanced energy conversion systems. Results of the bottoming cycles and materials of construction studies are presented and discussed

Microfinance and Entrepreneurship: The Enabling Role of Social Capital Among Female Entrepreneurs

Purpose This paper examines mechanisms through which social capital strengthens microfinance impact on fostering female entrepreneurial success. Specifically, the study focuses on how, and to what extent, resources embedded in social networks determine MF impact on entrepreneurial success. Design/methodology/approach Survey data were collected from 276 female micro-institutions entrepreneurs using multi-stage stratified random sampling across 80 MF institutions in three South-Western Nigerian states. Hypotheses were tested using ordinal regression analysis. Findings The study found that relational and network social capital had a positive and significant influence on female entrepreneurial success. Specifically, intra-group trust and productive network ties amongst female entrepreneurs in poor communities predicated the positive impact of MF on entrepreneurial success. Also, resources embedded in networks are more positively correlated to education level and marital status. Furthermore, MF could have more positive impact for borrowers with sustainable relationships with loan officers who organise MF provisions and understand the entrepreneurs’ context. Originality/value The research provides empirical evidence for the relationship dynamics between female entrepreneurs and MF institutions, by emphasising the importance of deploying different forms of social capital in sustaining MF impact on female entrepreneurial success

Direct Foreign Investment in the Caribbean: A Legal and Policy Analysis

The purpose of this Article is to delineate the central issues facing countries which seek to encourage direct foreign investment in their local economies, and to suggest which approaches to these issues appear most likely to facilitate the attraction of foreign capital, technology and expertise, while preserving local control over the potentially detrimental effects of such investment

Untenured Professors\u27 Rights to Reappointment

We are now in a period during which present tenure systems are undergoing close scrutiny by the public and the legislatures. Some of those now criticizing universities would like to see these institutions of higher learning placed under greater accountability to the public. It is especially during this period that university boards and administrators must exercise extreme care to eliminate abuses of tenure and pre- vent any new abuses from occurring, in order to avoid unnecessary criticism from those who wish to embarrass the supporters of that academic freedom under which our universities have flourished. To further complicate this controversy on the retention of academic tenure, a new movement has arisen in universities supported by public funds, for tenure rights to be granted to non-tenured faculty, thus nullifying the distinction between tenured and non-tenured personnel

A net-present value analysis for a wind turbine purchase at a small US college

Wind power is becoming an increasingly attractive method of electric power generation due to concerns with global climate change, increasing uncertainty of future oil supplies, and energy security. While most large-scale wind turbines are part of wind farms, which help states meet state renewable energy standards, several colleges and universities in the United States have purchased wind turbines for financial and educational purposes. This paper gives details of a cost-benefit analysis completed for a small liberal arts college in Illinois, Principia College, which is considering buying a single large-scale turbine. The process set forth here can easily be adapted to any college, university, or school. It is found that the project has a positive net present value for both a 20-year scenario and a 30-year scenario. Assuming the project did not receive any grants, Principia College would need to have an annual real return rate of about 6% on its initial investment to gain the same economic benefits

Direct Foreign Investment in the Caribbean: A Legal and Policy Analysis

The purpose of this Article is to delineate the central issues facing countries which seek to encourage direct foreign investment in their local economies, and to suggest which approaches to these issues appear most likely to facilitate the attraction of foreign capital, technology and expertise, while preserving local control over the potentially detrimental effects of such investment

Cluster Dynamics for Randomly Frustrated Systems with Finite Connectivity

In simulations of some infinite range spin glass systems with finite connectivity, it is found that for any resonable computational time, the saturatedenergy per spin that is achieved by a cluster algorithm is lowered in comparison to that achieved by Metropolis dynamics.The gap between the average energies obtained from these two dynamics is robust with respect to variations of the annealing schedule. For some probability distribution of the interactions the ground state energy is calculated analytically within the replica symmetry assumptionand is found to be saturated by a cluster algorithm.Comment: Revtex, 4 pages with 3 figure

Martian surface physical properties to be derived by radar altimeter on the Mars observer spacecraft

The potential is described of a candidate Mars Observer altimeter for determining dielectric properties of Mars regolith. It is pointed out that it is straightforward to use the time between altimeter pulse trains for passive radiometry (hence dielectric properties) and roughness can be derived. Given the mission plan the whole surface can be mapped at least three times, yielding data on seasonal variability

Microfinance and Entrepreneurship: The Enabling Role of Social Capital

Although scholars highlight the importance of social capital for accessing various resources embedded in social networks, little is known about the mechanisms through which social capital strengthens the impact of micro-finance on fostering entrepreneurship. Drawing on forms of social capital, this paper seeks to examine how, and to what extent resources embedded in social networks determine the impact of micro-finance on entrepreneurial success