Enhancing public participation in the integrated development planning process: a case of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality

The aim of the study is to investigate effective strategies and processes for public participation in the IDP process in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality. A qualitative study was undertaken and literature review on public participation in terms of the Integrated Development Planning was conducted. Relevant secondary data was sourced and structured interviews were conducted with three (3) ward councillors in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipal. Focus group interviews were also conducted with ward committee members from three (3) wards in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality. The findings of this research indicate that ward councilors have limited information on administrative processes. This could lead to ward councillors not be able to provide feedback on various service delivery issues and the progress of the municipal projects. Also ward councillors may not be able to influence public participation if they do not understand their role in administrative processes such as monitoring implementation of council decisions and policies. Ward councillors have no influence on the Integrated Development Planning especially the cost and budget estimates for municipal projects which are intended to benefit the members of the community. On the basis of the key findings, recommendations were made that ward committees should be empowered to deal with the complex developments in the Integrated Development Planning process and ward councillors should play a leading role in the Integrated Development Planning process

Enhancing public participation in the integrated development planning process: a case of Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality

The aim of the study is to investigate effective strategies and processes for public participation in the IDP process in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality. A qualitative study was undertaken and literature review on public participation in terms of the Integrated Development Planning was conducted. Relevant secondary data was sourced and structured interviews were conducted with three (3) ward councillors in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipal. Focus group interviews were also conducted with ward committee members from three (3) wards in the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality. The findings of this research indicate that ward councilors have limited information on administrative processes. This could lead to ward councillors not be able to provide feedback on various service delivery issues and the progress of the municipal projects. Also ward councillors may not be able to influence public participation if they do not understand their role in administrative processes such as monitoring implementation of council decisions and policies. Ward councillors have no influence on the Integrated Development Planning especially the cost and budget estimates for municipal projects which are intended to benefit the members of the community. On the basis of the key findings, recommendations were made that ward committees should be empowered to deal with the complex developments in the Integrated Development Planning process and ward councillors should play a leading role in the Integrated Development Planning process

A Comparison of Parametric and Sampling Approaches to Portfolio Investment Selection using FTSE100 Stocks

In this paper we assess the effectiveness of two approaches to portfolio selection: the more customary parametric approach and a sampling approach using a sample of two years of daily data for the top 100 UK stocks for a period from the beginning of 2006 to the end of 2007. The portfolios are selected on a variance, VaR and CVaR basis: with the latter approach dominating. The sampling approach; involving repeated random one-month return sampling from the data set, un-encumbered by distributional assumptions, applying CVaR is optimal; possibly because it considers only one tail of a potentially non-symmetric PDF.Portfolio selection, Variance, VaR, CVaR, Random sampling

Numerical study of a hybrid optical DMT/DFT-S QAM modulation

A hybrid modulation offers the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) robustness of discrete Fourier transform spread (DFT-S) QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation) with the bit rate optimization of discrete multi-tone (DMT) modulation. We examine via simulation under what circumstances this hybrid can increase achievable bit rate. Hybrid PAPR reduction allows us to increase the peak-to-peak voltage at the modulator electrical input to increase the signal mean power at the modulator output. We propose a methodology to identify the optimal driving strategy. We optimize the bit rate for the available spectrum, i.e., the spectral efficiency, taking into account the bandwidth limited nature of the transmitter. The final optimization we propose is the partition of the available spectrum into a lower frequency band for DFT-S QAM and a higher frequency band for DMT. The modulation level of the DFT-S QAM is also optimized. We compare the optimal hybrid performance versus DMT performance for a range of bit rates for a given modulation bandwidth. Improved performance comes at the cost of greater DSP complexity for the hybrid solution. We compare the number of complex multipliers required to implement hybrid versus DMT for both dispersive and non-dispersive systems

Familial Feeling

This open access book discusses British literature as part of a network of global entangled modernities and shared aesthetic concerns, departing from the retrospective model of a postcolonial “writing back” to the centre. Accordingly, the narrative strategies in the texts of early Black Atlantic authors, like Equiano, Sancho, Wedderburn, and Seacole, and British canonical novelists, such as Defoe, Sterne, Austen, and Dickens, are framed as entangled tonalities. Via their engagement with discourses on slavery, abolition, and imperialism, these texts shaped an understanding of national belonging as a form of familial feeling. This study thus complicates the “rise of the novel” framework and British middle-class identity formation from a transnational perspective combining approaches in narrative studies with postcolonial and queer theory

Analytical study of optical SSB-DMT with IMDD

We theoretically study the performance of single sideband discrete multitone (SSB-DMT) in the C -band with intensity modulation and direct detection. Our analysis allows us to quantify the impact of different noise sources such as signal-to-signal beating interference, phase-to-amplitude noise, attenuation, and receiver sensitivity on SSB-DMT. Our analytical tools also allow us to optimize the signal-to-carrier power ratio to maximize SSB-DMT throughput. We provide equations to calculate bit error rate of bit allocated SSB-DMT. Finally, we examine various system parameters (laser linewidth, system bandwidth, and fiber length) to determine their impact on the performance of zero guard band SSB-DMT

Discrete multi-tone transmission with optimized QAM constellations for Short-reach optical communications

We investigate performance of optimized M-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (M-QAM) constellations in short-reach single-polarization (SP) and dual-polarization (DP) discrete multitone (DMT) with direct detection. The constellations are obtained by using an iterative gradient-search algorithm. For the nonsquare constellations, we find bit-to-symbol mappings with a blind search method. Our experiments show that the data rate can be improved in both SP and DP DMT systems by using optimized constellations instead of square M-QAM. Net data transmission rates of 165 and 152 Gb/s are respectively achieved for back-to-back and 2.2 km in a direct-detection DP DMT system assuming forward error correction threshold of 3.8×10-3

Tehran’s Mobility Pathology: An Urban Transportation View

Tehran city grows as a metropolitan, but unfortunately not well- planned and even unplanned and haphazardly; as frequently migration to the city causes congestion, lack of accessibility, huge densities, harmful air pollution and mobility difficulties. A part of mobility and transportation problems in Tehran is rooted in numerous inappropriate urban design and urban planning actions and measures. For example, the sidewalk pavements and their design are not safe and suitable, pedestrian ways are not well defined and are confronting with offenses by the vehicles and motor cycles, small metal bridges on the streets water drainage canals (Joobs) are not standard, specifically for disabled and adolescences and children; many of the street and alley curbs are uneven and causes obstacles for passing ; traffic lights situation aren’t appropriate and in some places are unnecessary installed and causes mobility to be halted .Therefore problems such as terrible traffic jams, unnecessary waiting time behind traffic lights, traffic nodes, lack of walkability, Cycling, and even mobility difficulties for disabled and pedestrian with special needs and even without disability people could be seen. Therefore this paper aim to explain clearly these deficiencies and their likely reasons pathologically and suggest proper remedies for that deficiencies in order to decrease accidents and casualties to make a livable city to preserve quality of life for their residences physically and mentally

Assessing performance of silicon photonic modulators for pulse amplitude modulation

Silicon photonic (SiP) electro-optic modulators are a key component in cost-efficient and integrated optical transmitters. Modulator design traditionally uses figure of merits (FOMs) that characterize modulation efficiency and propagation loss of light, which underestimate the modulator-induced power penalty due to intersymbol interference, as they do not consider the electro-optic bandwidth limitation. We show that in the presence of limited electro-optic bandwidth of the SiP modulator, the conventional FOMs, such as VπL and V παL, are unable to predict the minimum transmitter power penalty (TPP). Normalized optical modulation amplitude (OMAN) is proved through simulation to be a reliable tool to predict the minimal TPP point. Then, we introduce a new FOM that includes not only the efficiency of the modulator, but also the bandwidth limitation from the SiP electro-optic modulator. The new FOM that is derived from OMAN translates the system-level requirements of a PAM-M optical link to the device-level design parameters. This FOM can be hired to optimize driving voltage swing, bias voltage, and phase-shifter length or to simply choose a SiP modulator with minimal imposed TPP

An evaluation of Iran architecture during first Pahlavi Era: A transition from tradition to modernity

How to move from tradition to modernity and how to combine or control them in a society has a direct relationship with the culture and the culture, as the main tool of architecture, needs a transition. This transition was started to be appeared in Iran during first Pahlavi era, while the government was planning to develop this process. This research is a qualitative-descriptive one and it has a deductive style and the significance and aim of this research is to study the tradition and modernity in architecture and to see how the contemporary architecture of Iran tried to transit from tradition to modernity during first Pahlavi Era. In this paper, first we will have a quick review on Iran during first Pahlavi era and its contemporary social and political history and tradition and modernity in its architecture and then by studying the architecture of two famous foreign architects, Nikolai Markov and Andre Godard who were invited to the country by the government for reformation and modernization of architecture of the country, their modern architectural styles facing with traditional and national needs of the country and their solutions will be studied