Competitiveness of Arabian gulf ports from shipping lines’ perspectives: Case of Sohar port in Oman

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to investigate the factors that encourage shipping lines to use port of Sohar, in Oman. Some selected factors were used to assess to what extent it affects the port choice from shipping lines companies’ perspective. These factors include infrastructure, hinterland, connectivity and port’s dues. Design/methodology/approach: for this study both quantitative and qualitative methodologies were used. Self-administered questionnaire used for collecting quantitative data while interviews were used to collect qualitative data. Secondary data was collected by reviewing academic literature and recent relevant articles and reports. Findings: Port of Sohar has a better opportunity to be the gateway of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States and all Cargo could have dropped in the port and transferred to other GCC States by road, rail and other transportation modes. This opportunity is gained by the strategic location of Sohar Port outside of the Strait of Hormuz. It can be concluded that port competitiveness can be improved through strategic location, improved hinterland conditions, port facilities, services cost, volume of cargo, connectivity to other ports and dwell time factor. Research limitations: The research was limited mainly by conducting it only at the port of Sohar because surrounding ports are too far away and it should involve more ports to gain comparative results. Limited number of stakeholders as Port Authority, Oman International Container Terminal (OICT) and shipping lines companies and agents is another limitation. Practical implications: The port can improve its competitive advantages and focus on the investigated factors. The government can also continue in working in the three big infrastructural projects; the new express roads, Sohar Airport and rail network connections with other GCC networks. Originality/value: the study used specific factors that expected to contribute to the shipping lines companies’ selection of ports in the gulf region. This could help the port to identify their competitive advantage and how they can use these competencies to improve their competitiveness in relation to other ports in the region.Peer Reviewe

Simulation of ship motion and deck-wetting due to steep random seas

The extreme motion and load of ships have been assessed using a linear frequency domain method or a linear energy spectral method and RAOs, which may be too approximate to be used for estimation of ship motion in severest seas. The new technology uses simulation in the time domain to deal with the non-linear responses to the random seas. However, the current simulation technique has been successful only up to the sea state of 7 (high seas), defined by the significant wave height of 9 meters. The above cannot provide the extreme wave loads and motions for seas higher than the sea state 7. The ultimate goal of this work would be to develop a new technique that can simulate responses to the seas of states 8 and 9. The objective of the present study is to simulate the vertical relative motion and wave topping of a moored ship in the time domain by varying the significant wave heights. The analysis was able to predict with a fair accuracy the relative motion characteristics of a freely floating body in the head and beam sea conditions. The resonance aspects and its significance in the overall response are also analyzed

Adverse selection and moral hazards reduction in corporate financing: A mechanism design model for PLS contracts

In this paper , we apply game theory to corporate financing using profit and loss sharing (PLS) contracts. We employ mechanism design theory using two agents, a bank and a corporation which seeks financing through PLS mode. We seek to find the usefulness of mechanism design in helping the bank separating low type from high type corporations by designing two bundles of contract with each contract directed in a compatible way towards the appropriate type of corporation. We found theoretical as well as simulation evidence that our model helps in minimizing asymmetric information in the form of adverse selection by forcing the corporation to reveal its type. The model also helps in reducing asymmetric information in the form of moral hazards. This is achieved by having the selected high type corporation select a high type contract using a moral hazard premium as an incentive

Profit ratio Negotiability model in Entrepreneurial Financing Using Game Theory and Agent Based Simulation as an Aid to Decision Making

Profit and Loss (PLS) sharing contracts in Islamic finance are considered to be fair economic practices as they focus on sharing profits and losses between the project’s participants. This mode, however, suffers from asymmetric information in the form of moral hazards and adverse selection. The purpose of this paper is to reduce moral hazards by developing an equilibrium profit sharing ratio’s span of negotiation in a PLS contract involving a financier and a entrepreneur. We aim to establish an agent based model that will help the financier decide whether to accept financing a contract. We make use of game theory techniques and we test our results using an agent based simulation tool (Netlogo). We found theoretical evidence that a Nash equilibrium span of negotiation, for both profit sharing ratios, can be developed which is both rational and incentive compatible to both participants. However, the simulation tool suggests that despite the existence of an average positive span of negotiaton , financial contracts might not be extendes if the number of void contracts in a simulation exceeds a specefied threshold. The usefulness of the agent based simulation tool has added value to our theoretical finding by suggesting when PLS contracts can or con’t be signed

1.45GHz-1.55GHz Tunable RF Band-pass Filter

RF signals are used in the communication field in general. It has special band called microwave band which is the focus of this project. The idea of filtering comes from the need to transmit certain frequency of ranges of interest and block others. In this project the focus is on tunable filters using MEMS idea to solve the problem of complexity and price of the conventional tunable filters. The project focuses on L band to get the range from 1.45GHz to 1.55 GHz. The project starts by designing the low pass prototype and convert it to comb-line filter to find the capacitance range for the design of the tuneable capacitor using CMOS-MEMS technology. The tunable capacitor has to be modelled and designed. Theoretical modelling and ADS simulation determined the tuning range required for the capacitor is from 1.72pF to 1.84pF. A CMOS-MEMS fixed and tuneable capacitors were designed and simulated to achieve this range of capacitance and requires a voltage of 20V for tuning. Thus the objectives of the study have been achieved successfully and recommendations are made to achieve a wider frequency range for the filter and for integration of the filter with the tunable capacitor

Social factors and the natural history of breast cancer: 1. year of diagnosis and tumour location; 2. socio-economic status and prognosis

Breast cancer is the most common form of malignancy in Scottish women and its incidence appears to be increasing with time. It is therefore important to identify factors associated with risk and outcome. In this thesis two separate but interrelated social aspects of the natural history of breast cancer have been examined - (i) the location of the primary tumour within the breast in two groups of patients diagnosed 40 years apart and (ii) the effects of socioeconomic status on prognostic factors and outcome of patients with breast cancer. Whilst breast cancer occurs equally in right and left breasts, tumours most commonly affect the upper outer quadrant (UOQ) of the breast. However, there is no information as to whether the incidence has changed over time. To address this, the present study investigated two groups of women diagnosed with breast cancer in the south-east of Scotland between either 1957-1959 or 1997-1999 (ie 40years apart). The earlier group represent 1158 of 1207 women referred to radiation oncologists in the region and the later group comprised 1477 of about 1600 women referred to the Edinburgh Breast Unit. Whilst the age, menopausal status and laterality of the patients were similar in both groups, the tumour size and tumour location within the breast were significantly different in the two groups. Thus, there was significant reduction in T stage with year of diagnosis (p<0.0001), the incidence of Tl, T2, and T3/4 being 15.6%, 51.9% and 25.6% in the earlier cohort compared with 49.3%, 36.8% and 13.7% in the later group. The overall simple reflection of decreased size between the two time groups. The underlying reason(s) for this change in distribution with time requires further study. Affluent women have a higher incidence of breast cancer than socially deprived women but may have a better outcome from the disease. The aims of the study in this thesis were to (i) quantify and investigate differences in survival and recurrence from breast cancer between women differing in socioeconomic status from the south-east of Scotland and (ii) define the contribution of underlying factors to this variation. To do this, 502 patients with non-metastatic invasive breast cancer referred to the Edinburgh Breast Unit between 1985 and 1993 were stratified according to Carstairs Index. This subdivides individuals into deprivation categories (DEPCAT) according to postal address. The most affluent have DEPCAT 1 and 2 and the most deprived areas are DEPCAT 6 and 7. The majority of women fell into DETCAT status 3 and 4 (25.1 and 27.1 respectively) whilst 10.4 and 16.3 % were placed in the most affluent DEPCAT 1 and 2 groups and 15.1, 2.6 and 3.4% in the most deprived DEPCAT 5, 6 and 7 groups respectively. To increase numbers in small groups and have approximately equal numbers, analyses were also performed combining DEPCAT scoresl and 2 to provide Zone A and DEPCAT scores 5,6 and 7 to provide Zone D (DEPCAT 3 was zone B and DEPCAT 4 was zone C). In terms of recurrence, there were trends for more affluent DEPCAT categories to have a better outcome but these did not reach statistical significance. However women from the most affluent zone had significantly better DFI than the socially deprived (p= 0.0 by Kaplan Meier).More affluent women (on the basis of either DEPCAT groups or zones) had a better survival compared to the most deprived. Based on single follow up time of 5 years, survival difference were statistically significant by chi-square analysis (p=0.026 for DEPCAT and 0.011 for zones). Furthermore, using the total follow-up until 2002, Kaplan Meier analysis of SES zones showed that affluent women had a significantly better survival (p=0.02). SES was not related to menopausal status or established prognostic factors such as lymph node status, tumour size and ER status, although lymph node status and tumour size were highly significantly associated with patient survival (p<0.0001 and 0.0006 respectively by Kaplan Meier). Given that these established factors do not relate to SES and that the patients were treated by defined distribution within the breast was significantly different by chi-squared analysis (p<0.0001). In terms of individual quadrants 469 of 1158 (40.5%) tumours were located in the upper outer quadrant (UOQ), whereas in the more recent cohort it was 788 of 1477 (53.4%), this increase in proportion being statistically significant (p<0.0001). Occurrence in the lower outer quadrant (LOQ) also significantly increased (p<0.028) but was significantly reduced in the upper inner quadrant (UIQ) and centrally (both p<0.0001). Analysing data on location for each T stage separately showed that the increased incidence in the UOQ with time was apparent for each subgroup. The increased incidence in UOQ tumours over time is therefore not a protocols irrespective of SES, the factors underlying the differences in outcome between affluent and deprived women in Edinburgh remain undefined. Further research is required to identify other reasons for poorer outcomes in deprived women, with a view to reducing these survival differences. These 2 studies provide further evidence for social factors influence the natural history of breast cancer

PLS ratios negotiability: A repeated game incentive mechanism approach

PLS contracts in Islamic finance are fair economic practices as they focus on sharing profits and loss between the project’s participants. Despite its ethical dimension, moral hazards and adverse selection are the paramount risks in this type of contracts. In this paper we seek reducing moral hazards in the form of the entrepreneur’s effort shirking and if a project optimum lifetime can be identified. To answer these questions, we use a game theory approach in one stage and in a repeated framework. Under each scenario, the participants either fix the capital contributions or negotiate over the sharing ratio or vice-versa. We found theoretical evidence that cooperation can be sustained over a one period game. Cooperation can be sustained in a repeated game only if an appropriate monetary incentive is introduced. However, this incentive can only be given for a specific period before the project’s NPV starts to drop. Indeed, we managed to find that period, called duration, for which the financier NPV is maximized. This duration can be proposed to be used as the optimum lifetime of the contract

Profit and loss Sharing Negotiations involving a VC and an entrepreneur: A Game Theoretic Approach with Agent Based Simulation [abstract only]

Profit and Loss Sharing contracts (PLS) are forms of financing where profits are shared according to a predetermined ratio and losses are shared according to each participant’s ratio in the project’s capital. We try to reduce moral hazards by solving for an optimal profit sharing ratio that inhibits the entrepreneur from exerting a lower managerial effort. We follow a game theoretical approach under observable and unobservable entrepreneurial effort. We found theoretical evidence, on one hand, that a specific profit sharing ratio can be developed under observable effort. On the other hand, due to asymmetric information under the unobservable efforts case, a profit sharing span of negotiation was developed. This span of negotiation satisfies the participation and the incentive constraints of the game participants. Within this span of negotiation, we propose a model that helps in identifying an optimum profit sharing ratio based on the participants’ bargaining power. Due to the stochastic nature of the model parameters, we develop a simulation of the game in an agent based platform using Netlogo. Besides serving as a quick tool for numerical calculations and analysis, this platform serves as a decision tool for the VC to decide whether or not to extend the funding contract to the entrepreneur

Electronic accounting Applications using Cloud Computing technology

Todays’ electronic accounting have become dependent on the information technologies and communication (IcTs) to support processes, business, functions and financial activities technology acts as a major requisite.One of these technologies is acloud computing which has changed the ways we exchange financial information and presentation of this interpreted and analyzed financial data to the end user or the client. cloud computing has a great role in mounting the heights on which e_accounting, cloud computing has helped the facades of business functions particularly e_accounting in achieving flexibility and efficiency like never before. The electronic accounting has again played its role in giving new dimensions to these business functions via the Cloud Computing. E_accounting applications going to move from the desktop into the cloud computing, wheree_accounting applications and accounting books are hosted on a “cloud” consisting of thousands of computers and servers this can gain many benefits for e_accounting application also faces many problems

Escaping patents using generative machine learning

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