Effect of Firm Size on Risk and Return: Evidences from Sultanate of Oman

The size of the firms is one of the important factors that determine the firm performance. This study covers the listed firms in MSM. These firms were classified into finance sector, industrial sector and services sectors. The information of the study was collected for a period of 10 years starting from 2008. MSM 30 Index is considered as the benchmark index in Sultanate of Oman. Out of 30 components firms in MSM 30 Index, the required data was available for 24 firms only. Therefore, the study was undertaken with the sample size of 24 firms. The descriptive statistics show that the larger firms risk and return is less while the smaller firms risk and return is high. The result of analysis shows that there is enough evidence to conclude that the firm size has no significant effect on return during the study period. However, the firm size has significant effect with market risk of firms. Keywords: Firm Size, Risk, Return, MSM, Effect of Firm Size, MSM-30 Index DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/12-9-08 Publication date:March 31st 202

Efficient Design of Triplet Based Spike-Timing Dependent Plasticity

Spike-Timing Dependent Plasticity (STDP) is believed to play an important role in learning and the formation of computational function in the brain. The classical model of STDP which considers the timing between pairs of pre-synaptic and post-synaptic spikes (p-STDP) is incapable of reproducing synaptic weight changes similar to those seen in biological experiments which investigate the effect of either higher order spike trains (e.g. triplet and quadruplet of spikes), or, simultaneous effect of the rate and timing of spike pairs on synaptic plasticity. In this paper, we firstly investigate synaptic weight changes using a p-STDP circuit and show how it fails to reproduce the mentioned complex biological experiments. We then present a new STDP VLSI circuit which acts based on the timing among triplets of spikes (t-STDP) that is able to reproduce all the mentioned experimental results. We believe that our new STDP VLSI circuit improves upon previous circuits, whose learning capacity exceeds current designs due to its capability of mimicking the outcomes of biological experiments more closely; thus plays a significant role in future VLSI implementation of neuromorphic systems

Modelling of fines migration mechanisms in high permeability sands: impact on reservoir performance.

Today the oil and gas industry suffers significant production losses due to fines migrations in high permeability sandstone formations or sand packs. During drilling, production or injection, fines migration continues to cause formation impairment resulting in oil and gas inflow reductions or injectivity resistance. The problem is further enhanced in mature reservoirs where increased water ingress and multiphase production aggravate the fines mobilisation. Proper fines management can optimise productivity, injectivity, safeguard facilities and reduce well maintenance cost. Todays core flood tests as part of risk assessment limit tests to single phase or at best two-phase oil/water flow. Meanwhile existing reservoir simulators have no facilities to analyse solid particles impact on productivity and injectivity. This research work presents the unique technique adopted to analyse fines migration mechanisms in a true multiphase environment. The methodologies adopted include studies of fines particle impacts on pressure drawdowns in several sensitivities of rock permeability, water cut, multiphase flow, liquid flow, porosity, fines grain size, and the rest of relevant rock and fluid properties performed using an appropriate Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulator. The resultant drawdown pressures were then used to back-calculate corresponding particle-damaged permeabilities using a conventional field approach. From the results obtained, detailed mapping of prevailing pore blocking mechanisms and corresponding permeability impairment profiles are presented as functions of operating conditions. The technique integrates the CFD and 3-D reservoir simulation concepts to define and quantify the effects of different operating conditions on discretised reservoir blocks. Among the major research outcomes are two developed particle-damaged absolute permeability models for multiphase and liquid flow conditions involving fines migration in porous media. The models were tested and validated using ten examples of field data with acceptable error margins in the majority of the cases. Contributions to knowledge include: i) new analysis of particle impact in multiphase and liquid flows, ii) integration of CFD with 3-dimensional reservoir simulator and iii) the developed particle-damaged models. Areas where more study is required include: a) dry gas CFD simulation, b) use of real rock (thin-section) pore structure scans as the computational mesh and c) adapting the application to EOR (enhanced oil recovery) operations such as steam injection, miscible fluid injection and others. These are highlighted as suggestions for further work to improve effectiveness of the developed advances towards better fines migration management. The research work is concluded with recommendations (supported by flow efficiency case studies) on contemporary innovations in fines management

Design and Implementation of BCM Rule Based on Spike-Timing Dependent Plasticity

The Bienenstock-Cooper-Munro (BCM) and Spike Timing-Dependent Plasticity (STDP) rules are two experimentally verified form of synaptic plasticity where the alteration of synaptic weight depends upon the rate and the timing of pre- and post-synaptic firing of action potentials, respectively. Previous studies have reported that under specific conditions, i.e. when a random train of Poissonian distributed spikes are used as inputs, and weight changes occur according to STDP, it has been shown that the BCM rule is an emergent property. Here, the applied STDP rule can be either classical pair-based STDP rule, or the more powerful triplet-based STDP rule. In this paper, we demonstrate the use of two distinct VLSI circuit implementations of STDP to examine whether BCM learning is an emergent property of STDP. These circuits are stimulated with random Poissonian spike trains. The first circuit implements the classical pair-based STDP, while the second circuit realizes a previously described triplet-based STDP rule. These two circuits are simulated using 0.35 um CMOS standard model in HSpice simulator. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed triplet-based STDP circuit significantly produces the threshold-based behaviour of the BCM. Also, the results testify to similar behaviour for the VLSI circuit for pair-based STDP in generating the BCM

Manajemen pembelajaran tahfizh al-Qur’an di SMP Islam Terpadu Al Binaa Bekasi

This study aims to examine the management of tahfizh al-Qur'an learning at Al Binaa Integrated Islamic Junior High School Bekasi. The research method used is qualitative. Data were obtained from interviews, observations, documentation, and a literature review. The main subjects of information in writing this research are the general chairman of the tahfizh al-Qur'an program, the administrative staff of the tahfizh al-Qur'an program, the halaqah (group) supervisor, and the student. The results of this study can be said that the management of tahfizh al-Qur'an learning at Al Binaa Integrated Islamic Junior High School Bekasi starts from the basic stage, students are to learn to read the al-Qur'an well. Furthermore, the memorization stage is a continuation of the basic stage after students have mastered the reading of al-Qur'an well and tested. In addition to regular halaqah, there is also a special accelerated halaqah, namely halaqah which is prepared to provide facilities for students who have above-average memorization abilities and strong will. Evaluation of learning with the Juz Ascension Exam (UKJ) system which starts from ziyadah (new memorization) and tasmi 'kamil (perfect deposit) deposits to their respective halaqah supervisors. AbstrakPenelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji manajemen pembelajaran tahfizh al-Qur’an di SMP Islam Terpadu Al Binaa Bekasi. Metode penelitian yang digunakan adalah kualitatif. Data diperoleh dari hasil wawancara, observasi, dokumentasi, dan kajian pustaka. Subyek utama informasi dalam penulisan penelitian ini ialah ketua umum program tahfizh al-Qur’an, staf administrasi program tahfizh al-Qur’an, pembimbing halaqah (kelompok), dan peserta didik. Hasil dari penelitian ini dapat disimpulkan bahwa manajemen pembelajaran tahfizh al-Qur’an di SMP Islam Terpadu Al Binaa Bekasi dimulai dari tahap dasar, peserta didik difokuskan agar menguasai bacaan al-Qur’an dengan baik. Selanjutnya tahap menghafal yaitu lanjutan dari tahap dasar setelah peserta didik benar-benar sudah menguasai bacaan al-Qur’an dengan baik dan teruji. Selain halaqah reguler, ada juga halaqah khusus percepatan yaitu halaqah yang dipersiapkan untuk memberikan fasilitas kepada para peserta didik yang mempunyai kemampuan menghafal di atas rata-rata dan kemauan kuat. Evaluasi pembelajaran dengan sistem Ujian Kenaikan Juz (UKJ) yang dimulai dari setoran ziyadah (hafalan baru) dan tasmi’ kamil (setoran sempurna) kepada pembimbing halaqah masing-masing

The Nature of the Relationships between Social Networks, Interpersonal Trust, Management Support, and Knowledge Sharing

Purpose – Past research has shown that, by implementing knowledge sharing, an organisation can maintain its long-term competitive advantage. Hence, this research will explore the nature of the relationships between social networks, interpersonal trust, management support, and knowledge sharing. Methodology/approach – In order to achieve the above purpose, semi-structured interviews were used to gather qualitative data. Interviewee participants included top and middle managers and frontline employees. The total number of participants included in the research was 25, equally representing five companies. The core business of all the companies was large-scale manufacturing. A grounded theory approach was used to analyse the data, augmented by the computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software, Nvivo. Findings – The results reveal that social networks facilitate knowledge sharing in diverse ways. These ways are: the use of multiple communication styles, brainstorming and problem solving, learning and teaching, training, employee rotation, and consultation. In addition, the data from the interviews suggests that, through various factors, the level of interpersonal trust, influences the extent to which employees are willing to share knowledge. These factors are organisational, relational, and individual factors. Furthermore, this study shows that both middle and top managers can play significant roles in facilitating knowledge sharing between employees. These roles are: encouragement of participation in decision-making, provision of recognition, breaking down of barriers, building up of teams, providing training or assigning others to do training, encouragement of training, communication, learning, putting knowledge into practice in the form of processes, and movement of employees. Research contributions – Six models were developed from the qualitative analysis of the field data. The brainstorming and problem solving model identifies various steps for brainstorming and problem solving which influence social networks and knowledge sharing. The model of learning and teaching explains how social networks can be built based on the receivers’ levels of knowledge, namely, the novice, competent, expert, and proficient levels. The model of factors influencing social networks and knowledge sharing illustrates various factors. These are: using multiple communication strategies, brainstorming and problem solving, learning and teaching, training, employee rotation, and consultation. The model of factors influencing interpersonal trust describes three factors for achieving such trust: organisational, relational, and individual factors. This model also elaborates on three factors that negatively influence interpersonal trust. These are division between departments, team conflict, and a sense of vulnerability. The model of the role of management teams in encouraging participation in decision-making elaborates on levels of decision-making among employees and the way in which knowledge flows between top and middle management and frontline employees. The integrative model deciphers the relationships between social networks, interpersonal trust, management support, openness, and knowledge sharing. In addition, the relationships between each area of emphasis and knowledge sharing are included in the model. Based on this model, a survey questionnaire was developed. These models provide new insights into the relationships between social networks, interpersonal trust, management support, and knowledge sharing. By applying these models to appropriate field situations, both practitioners and academics may be able to improve current practices relating to how knowledge is shared and evolves within organisations