Behavioural economics and retirement savings: improving Kiwisaver

More than a decade after the inception of the KiwiSaver scheme, 431,779 members remain in the default conservative fund into which they were automatically enrolled. These default members are in funds not consciously chosen and which may not be the most financially appropriate for them. A number of common human behavioural biases have likely contributed to why so many default members remain in the default funds. Although the fees charged by default funds are among the lowest in the market, such funds offer substantially lower returns than more growth-oriented funds. These lower returns are likely to lead to a significant shortfall in retirement savings and retirement standards of living for default members. This article summarises the main findings of a research project into these issues and presents policy options and recommendations

Innovation and the Path Not Traveled

William Townsend, Ph.D., is a visiting assistant professor of management in the Davis College of Business, Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, Florida 32211

Analytic Hierarchy Process Case Study Solution Source Selection

The analytic hierarchy process has been used to evaluate and prioritize decision criteria for over 25 years. This case examines an application of the process to a source selection problem in an environment with several stakeholder organizations with disparate assessments of the relative weighting of various decision criteria. The process served as an effective way to establish consensus and produce a supportable decision model

An Application Of The Rational Unified Process For Requirements Analysis

The Rational Unified Process® (RUP)[1] is an effective implementation technique for object oriented systems development.  The RUP® approach allows for flexible process modification and a customization of artifacts to meet the needs of the particular situation.  Marriott International developed a variation of this process as its standard for its SDLC.  This process was implemented in the requirements analysis and design phases of a software project for the Ritz-Carlton subsidiary.  A context-level treatment of the RUP® metamodel produced use cases and a supplementary specification that lead to the systems analysis model development by an external vendor. [1] Rational Unified Process®, Version 2003 Copyright © 1987 – 2003. Rational Software Corporation

Force reflecting hand controller

A universal input device for interfacing a human operator with a slave machine such as a robot or the like includes a plurality of serially connected mechanical links extending from a base. A handgrip is connected to the mechanical links distal from the base such that a human operator may grasp the handgrip and control the position thereof relative to the base through the mechanical links. A plurality of rotary joints is arranged to connect the mechanical links together to provide at least three translational degrees of freedom and at least three rotational degrees of freedom of motion of the handgrip relative to the base. A cable and pulley assembly for each joint is connected to a corresponding motor for transmitting forces from the slave machine to the handgrip to provide kinesthetic feedback to the operator and for producing control signals that may be transmitted from the handgrip to the slave machine. The device gives excellent kinesthetic feedback, high-fidelity force/torque feedback, a kinematically simple structure, mechanically decoupled motion in all six degrees of freedom, and zero backlash. The device also has a much larger work envelope, greater stiffness and responsiveness, smaller stowage volume, and better overlap of the human operator's range of motion than previous designs

A storytelling-based curriculum for use in porviding small group support to hurting parents

https://place.asburyseminary.edu/ecommonsatsdissertations/1083/thumbnail.jp

The organization of the Church, musically.

Thesis (M.A.)--Boston UniversityChurch music has held a very important position in the service of worship ever since the very earliest days of the Christian Church. And, for this reason, music owes much to the church because it actually grew up inside its walls and under its guidance. During the first thousand years of the Christian era, the music of the church consisted entirely of unaccompanied unison melodies. Harmony did not make its appearance until about the year 1100. It continued to grow up through the centuries, always moved forward by the accomplishments of the great musicians of the church. About the beginning of the Sixteenth Century, the Reformation, the invention of music printing, and the development of the Protestant Church had far-reaching effects on the religious music. Martin Luther and his associates took the radical step of introducing their hymns into public worship. This accounts for the rapid spread of the new faith. These hymns served as models, and through the 16th and 17th centuries a vast flood of hymns continued to be written and published. The contributions of John and Charles Wesley to the field of church music and congregational worship have been the foundation of the Methodist Church from its very beginning to the present time. It is a fact that the music in our churches today is not what it could and should be. With a wealth of great religious music at our fingertips, for some reason or other the music of our churches has failed to attain its full value both as an aid to worship and as a means of worship. The only way to solve this problem is by developing a well-organized and properly-functioning music department. A poor department of music does more harm than good, and the sooner this is realized the better it will be for the church as a whole. The Ministry of Music plays a very important part in the life of the church. And for this reason the director should be a co-worker with the minister, rather than a musician who must do what he is told. Worship is honor paid to God; and, therefore, nothing less than the best is fit to offer. This should always be the standard on which our churches are based