Marketing dynamics and management excellence. The sources of successful internationalization of food processing company from transition economy (Case: MASPEX - Poland)

The paper presents a case story of the fall and rise of the food industry in Poland's transition economy, illustrated with the example of one of its most successful companies. The author distinguishes three stages of the economic transition of Poland: · stage one, in which the Polish food processing industry collapsed, faced with fierce foreign competition after the implementation of a strategy of liberalization and privatization; · stage two (since late 1990s) when young, dynamic and relatively well- educated Polish entrepreneurs and managers not only started to regain the local market but also begun international expansion, intensifying exports, primarily to EU markets, · stage three, during which the internationalization took the form of FDI in the former neighboring socialist/communist countries. The MASPEX Group provides an excellent example of successful revival and expansion achieved thanks to the company's: · dynamic marketing strategy executed by · a young, dynamic and highly professional management team.Poland, food processing industry, internationalization, transition economy., Agribusiness,

Network traffic behaviour near phase transition point

We explore packet traffic dynamics in a data network model near phase transition point from free flow to congestion. The model of data network is an abstraction of the Network Layer of the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) Reference Model of packet switching networks. The Network Layer is responsible for routing packets across the network from their sources to their destinations and for control of congestion in data networks. Using the model we investigate spatio-temporal packets traffic dynamics near the phase transition point for various network connection topologies, and static and adaptive routing algorithms. We present selected simulation results and analyze them

Individual-based lattice model for spatial spread of epidemics

We present a lattice gas cellular automaton (LGCA) to study spatial and temporal dynamics of an epidemic of SIR (susceptible-infected-removed) type. The automaton is fully discrete, i.e. space, time and number of individuals are discrete variables. The automaton can be applied to study spread of epidemics in both human and animal populations. We investigate effects of spatial inhomogeneities in initial distribution of infected and vaccinated populations on the dynamics of epidemic of SIR type. We discuss vaccination strategies which differ only in spatial distribution of vaccinated individuals. Also, we derive an approximate, mean-field type description of the automaton, and discuss differences between the mean-field dynamics and the results of LGCA simulation.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figure

Effects of population mixing on the spread of SIR epidemics

We study dynamics of spread of epidemics of SIR type in a realistic spatially-explicit geographical region, Southern and Central Ontario, using census data obtained from Statistics Canada, and examine the role of population mixing in epidemic processes. Our model incorporates the random nature of disease transmission, the discreteness and heterogeneity of distribution of host population. We find that introduction of a long-range interaction destroys spatial correlations very easily if neighbourhood sizes are homogeneous. For inhomogeneous neighbourhoods, very strong long-range coupling is required to achieve a similar effect. Our work applies to the spread of in influenza during a single season and our model is applicable to other geographic regions, if suitable data is available

Crimewarps: The Future of Crime in America

A Review of Crimewarps: The Future of Crime in America by Georgette Bennet

Analysis and Design of a Hybrid Dickson Switched Capacitor Converter for Intermediate Bus Converter Applications

By 2020 it is predicted that 1/3 of all data will pass through the cloud. With society\u27s growing dependency on data, it is vital that data centers, the cloud\u27s physical house of content, operate with optimal energy performance to reduce operating costs.Unfortunately, today\u27s data centers are inefficient, both economically and environmentally. This has led to an increase in demand for energy-efficient servers. One opportunity for improved efficiency is in the power delivery architecture which delivers power from the grid to the motherboard. In this dissertation, the main focus is the intermediate bus converter (IBC), used for the intermediate conversion, typically 48-12V/5V, in server power supplies. The IBC requires compact design so that it can be placed as close to the load as possible to enable more space for computing power and high efficiency to reduce the need for external cooling. Most commonly used converter topologies today include expensive bulky magnetics hindering the converter\u27s power density. Furthermore, high output current of an IBC makes the efficiency very sensitive to any resistance, such as magnetic parasitic resistance or PCB trace resistance. In this work, analytical loss models are used to review the advantages and disadvantages of frequently used IBC topologies such as the phase-shifted full bridge and LLC. The Hybrid Dickson Switched Capacitor (HDSC) topology is also analyzed. The HDSC\u27s high step-down conversion ratio and low dependence on magnetics due to the reduced applied volt-seconds, provides a new opportunity for applications such as the intermediate bus converter. The HDSC designs the on-time of devices in order to achieve soft-charging between flying capacitors. Other advantages of the HDSC include low switch stress, small magnetics and adjustable duty cycle for voltage regulation. Challenges, such as minimizing parasitic inductance and resistance between flying capacitors, are addressed and recommendations for PCB layout are provided. In this paper, a 4:1 24-5V and 8:1 48-5V, 100W GaN-based HDSC is designed and tested. The influences of capacitor mismatch and limitations placed on soft-charging operation for the HDSC is also modeled. This analysis can be used as a tool for designers when selecting flying capacitors

Substantiating Competitive Disadvantage Claims: A Broad Reading of \u3cem\u3eTruitt\u3c/em\u3e

This Note argues that the broad reading of Truitt is correct. It advocates a broad rule which would require an employer to disclose substantiating financial information to its employees\u27 union whenever it claims that meeting a proposed wage demand would place the firm at a competitive disadvantage. Because the appropriateness of substantiating financial information is factually dependent, this Note will not focus on the type or amount of information that should be disclosed. Instead, it will focus on the legal and policy justifications for a broad disclosure rule. Part I reviews Truitt and discusses the various interpretations given to it by lower courts and the NLRB. Part II examines some economic concepts and demonstrates that full disclosure of financial information is crucial when evaluating employer bargaining claims made in response to union wage demands. Part III argues that the concept of good faith bargaining as espoused by the Supreme Court and the relevancy test support a broad disclosure obligation. Part IV discusses the advantages of a broad disclosure rule that would inure to the benefit of employers, employees, the NLRB, the judiciary, and society