Models of Relative Nearness Incidence Based on Standard Distance Entropy

The model of grey nearness incidence cannot reflect the nearness degree of sequences correctly. Therefore, the model of relative nearness incidence of sequences, curves, and surfaces is suggested based on standard distance entropy to remove the current bottlenecks and its properties are studied. At last, three cases are exemplified to demonstrate the validity and practicability of relative nearness incidence. The proposed models have enriched the theory of grey nearness incidence, filled the defects of grey nearness incidence

Strategy Map Development for the Central Bank of Nepal Using Balanced Scorecard

This paper focuses on how the development of the strategy map for the Central Bank of Nepal is done by linking the key measures with the four perspectives of Balanced Scorecard perspectives (finance, customer, internal process, and learning and growth). The central bank is a vital part of an economy, and therefore it should not limit its strategy implementation and performance measurement within the financial perspectives only. So, this paper serves the purposes of creating a road map for discovering the key indicators to create the strategy map and to support future research in the Nepalese banking field. In the absence of a previous strategy map, the strategic goals of the bank were derived from the relevant literature, the bank’s vision, mission, goals, and mandates followed by the expert’s selection. A list of the bank’s strategic goals was derived from the survey questionnaire corresponding to the four perspectives of Balanced Scorecard. The measures of perspective were studied by factor analysis. The research therefore uses a descriptive-exploratory method. Finally, the strategy map was developed and the result consisted of the strategic goals and measures in financial, customer, internal process, and learning and growth

Adaptability of the Logistics System in National Economic Mobilization Based on Blocking Flow Theory

In the process of national economic mobilization, the logistics system usually suffers from negative impact and/or threats of such emergency events as wars and accidents, which implies that adaptability of the logistics system directly determines realization of economic mobilization. And where the real-time rescue operation is concerned, heavy traffic congestion is likely to cause a great loss of or damage to human beings and their properties. To deal with this situation, this article constructs a blocking-resistance optimum model and an optimum restructuring model based on blocking flow theories, of which both are illustrated by numerical cases and compared in characteristics and application. The design of these two models is expected to eliminate or alleviate the congestion situation occurring in the logistics system, thus effectively enhancing its adaptability in the national economic mobilization process

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Study on Urban Efficiency Measurement and Spatiotemporal Evolution of Cities in Northwest China Based on the DEA–Malmquist Model

Urban efficiency can effectively measure the management and allocation level of urban factor inputs. Based on the data of 30 prefecture-level cities in Northwest China from 2006 to 2015, urban efficiency is measured by data envelopment analysis (DEA). Then the spatiotemporal evolution rule is identified by Malmquist model. The results illustrate that the overall average urban efficiency of cities in Northwest China each year from 2006 to 2015 was at the low level. Only Jiayuguan, Yulin, Yan’an, and Karamay reached the high average urban efficiency, while Dingxi, Pingliang, Guyuan, Shangluo, Tianshui, Longnan, and Baiyin were at the inefficient level. Most cities in Northwest China were still in the “growing” stage of increasing returns to scale. The scale of urban investment was relatively insufficient, and economies of scale had not yet formed. Cities with decreasing returns to scale were mainly distributed in the capital cities and the central and sub-central cities of Guanzhong-Tianshui Economic Zone with relatively abundant urban resources and capital. Cities with constant returns to scale were mainly distributed in four cities including Yan’an, Yulin, Jiayuguan, and Karamay with high efficiency. The overall comprehensive efficiency, technical efficiency, and scale efficiency of cities in Northwest China were not only low, but also showing a downward trend. The overall progress of urban technology had failed to make up for the shortfall caused by low efficiency, resulting in total factor productivity (TFP) decreasing by 0.5%. Therefore, the cities in Northwest China should continuously improve their technical efficiency and scale efficiency, and ultimately enhance the comprehensive efficiency

Cultural values, economic growth, and international IPO underpricing: evidence from Chinese companies

Listing markets have different cultural backgrounds and experience different economic development. This study examines the impact of cultural values and the moderating effect of economic growth on IPO underpricing issued by Chinese companies in different stock markets. Using a sample of 2429 IPOs issuing in four different stock markets for the 2000–2018 period, the results suggest that in markets with higher power distance or longer-term orientation, IPOs experience higher underpricing; in markets with higher uncertainty avoidance scores, masculinity, individualism, or indulgence, IPOs experience lower underpricing. The greater the multidimensional cultural distance is to the Chinese A-share market, the less underpricing IPOs experience. Economic growth has a significant moderating effect, thereby intensifying or restraining the relationship between culture and IPO underpricing. The additional analysis considering cross-listing companies, and the robustness tests considering alternative measures of culture further support the above conclusions. This study highlights the cultural and economic factors motivating IPO underpricing, can help managers select listing markets from cultural and economic perspective

Vehicle scheduling schemes for commercial and emergency logistics integration.

In modern logistics operations, large-scale logistics companies, besides active participation in profit-seeking commercial business, also play an essential role during an emergency relief process by dispatching urgently-required materials to disaster-affected areas. Therefore, an issue has been widely addressed by logistics practitioners and caught researchers' more attention as to how the logistics companies achieve maximum commercial profit on condition that emergency tasks are effectively and performed satisfactorily. In this paper, two vehicle scheduling models are proposed to solve the problem. One is a prediction-related scheme, which predicts the amounts of disaster-relief materials and commercial business and then accepts the business that will generate maximum profits; the other is a priority-directed scheme, which, firstly groups commercial and emergency business according to priority grades and then schedules both types of business jointly and simultaneously by arriving at the maximum priority in total. Moreover, computer-based simulations are carried out to evaluate the performance of these two models by comparing them with two traditional disaster-relief tactics in China. The results testify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed models

Corruption and Technological Innovation in Private Small-Medium Scale Companies: Does Female Top Management Play a Role?

Common acts of corruption such as bribery and informal payments are virtually illegal everywhere and prevalent in every corner of the world. This paper aims to contribute to the literature by considering the influences of corruption and female top management on the likelihood of technological innovation by using a nationwide survey and a sample of private small-medium sized companies (SMCs) in China. Interestingly, we find that female top managers have less enthusiasm for innovation than their male counterparts. Corruption, when measured by informal payments, poses a positive effect on the possibility of innovation after controlling for firm-level characteristics. However, female executives may weaken the positive innovation effects caused by corruption. Furthermore, one of our implied findings is that a firm with a female top manager is less likely to engage in corruption because this may raise the costs of doing business without any benefits for innovation. The results collectively illustrate the role that female top management and corrupt actions have in shaping innovative activities of private SMCs, and suggest that bribe-combating actions in firms are necessary, such as a framework for rationalizing the proportion of female executives involved in management

The commercial profits in scheme 2.

<p>The commercial profits in scheme 2.</p

The selection of wind power project location in the Southeastern Corridor of Pakistan: A factor analysis, AHP, and fuzzy-TOPSIS application

Pakistan has sufficient wind energy potential across various locations of the country. However, so far, wind energy development has not attained sufficient momentum matching its potential. Amongst various other challenges, the site selection for wind power development has always been a primary concern of the decision-makers. Principally, wind project site selection decisions are driven by various multifaceted criteria. As such, in this study, a robust research framework comprising of factor analysis (FA) of techno-economic and socio-political factors, and a hybrid analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (FTOPSIS) have been used for the prioritization of sites in the southeastern region of Pakistan. The results of this study reveal economic and land acquisition as the most significant criteria and sub-criteria, respectively. From the eight different sites considered, Jamshoro has been prioritized as the most suitable location for wind project development followed by Hyderabad, Nooriabad, Gharo, Keti Bandar, Shahbandar, Sajawal, and Talhar. This study provides a comprehensive decision support framework comprising of FA and a hybrid AHP and Fuzzy TOPSIS for the systematic analysis to prioritize suitable sites for the wind project development in Pakistan