Does it pay to be socially responsible? Evidence from spanish retail banking sector

This paper presents a theoretical and empirical analysis of strategic competition in retail banking when some of the financial firms are non-profit organisations that invest in social activities. Banking literature about competition is fairly large, but the strategic interaction between profit maximizing and non profit maximizers has not been extensively analysed except for Purroy and Salas (1999). In this paper, a completely different approach is taken. An adaptation of Hotelling’s two stage model of spatial competition is developed to take into account consumer perceptions respect to the two different types of financial institutions. The empirical analysis confirms that consumers take into account other features different from the price, such as social contribution or closer service to make a deposit or mortgage decision. These conclusions are of interest in the debate about a firm’s social or ethical activities. It is shown that if consumers value social activities, firms can improv

gvSIG Mobile. Cliente GIS/IDE móvil

En la actualidad el proyecto gvSIG se encuentra en una etapa bastante avanzada. La aplicación ya posee múltiples funcionalidades que la convierten en una herramienta de referencia dentro del mundo de SIG, especialmente en ambientes opensource. En este momento, en que gvSIG es una aplicación consolidada sobre equipos de sobremesa, surge la necesidad de ampliar las plataformas de ejecución de gvSIG a una gama de dispositivos móviles, para dar respuesta a las necesidades de un creciente número de usuarios de soluciones móviles que desean hacer uso de un SIG en diferentes tipos de dispositivos. De esta manera el universo de gvSIG se verá ampliado al dotarlo de todas las ventajas de utilización en una amplia gama de dispositivos. Se va a describir el alcance previsto del proyecto gvSIG Mobile, la situación actual y una introducción tecnológica a las características del desarrollo de la aplicación sobre la plataforma J2ME

libLocation: acceso a dispositivos de localización para gvSIG Desktop y Mobile

Inicialmente integrada en el piloto de gvSIG Mobile, la librería libLocation tiene como objetivo dotar a los proyectos gvSIG Desktop y gvSIG Mobile un acceso transparente a fuentes de localización. La librería se fundamenta en las especificaciones JSR-179 -API de localización para J2ME- y JSR-293 -API de localización para J2ME v2.0-, proporcionando una interfaz uniforme a diferentes fuentes de localización, mediante funciones de alto nivel. Asimismo, se extiende la funcionalidad de estas APIs para permitir la gestión de datos específicos del tipo de fuente de localización y el ajuste de parámetros de bajo nivel, además de incorporar métodos de localización adicionales, como la aplicación de correcciones vía protocolo NTRIP. La librería libLocation está actualmente en proceso de desarrollo y será publicada y liberada junto con la versión definitiva de gvSIG Mobile. Junto con libLocation se están desarrollando extensiones que permiten el acceso a esta librería desde gvSIG Desktop y gvSIG Mobile

gvSIG Mobile: nuevas funcionalidades del SIG Libre para PDA

gvSIG Mobile, la versión de gvSIG para dispositivos móviles presenta su nueva versión que incluye las esperadas funcionalidades de creación de nuevas entidades geográficas y utilización de formularios personalizados para edición de datos, además de nuevos formatos de datos vectoriales (GML, KML, GPX) y sistemas de referencia. Funcionalidades que se suman a las capacidades de visor de cartografía (ECW, SHP, WMS) y sistema de localización mediante GPS que ya posee. gvSIG Mobile está siendo desarrollado por Prodevelop, la Universitat de València e Iver para la Conselleria d’Infraestructures i Transport de la Generalitat Valenciana y se distribuye con una licencia GPL

Differential epipolar constraint in mobile robot egomotion estimation

The estimation of camera egomotion is a well established problem in computer vision. Many approaches have been proposed based on both the discrete and the differential epipolar constraint. The discrete case is mainly used in self-calibrated stereoscopic systems, whereas the differential case deals with a unique moving camera. The article surveys several methods for mobile robot egomotion estimation covering more than 0.5 million samples using synthetic data. Results from real data are also given

Experimental Modeling and Control Strategies on an Open Mobile Robot Platform PRIM

This research work deals with the problem of modeling and design of low level speed controller for the mobile robot PRIM. The main objective is to develop an effective educational tool. On one hand, the interests in using the open mobile platform PRIM consist in integrating several highly related subjects to the automatic control theory in an educational context, by embracing the subjects of communications, signal processing, sensor fusion and hardware design, amongst others. On the other hand, the idea is to implement useful navigation strategies such that the robot can be served as a mobile multimedia information point. It is in this context, when navigation strategies are oriented to goal achievement, that a local model predictive control is attained. Hence, such studies are presented as a very interesting control strategy in order to develop the future capabilities of the system

PRIM an Open Mobile Robot Platform. Motivation, Present and Future Trends

This paper is focused on the robot mobile platform PRIM (platform robot information multimedia). This robot has been made in order to cover two main needs of our group, on one hand the need for a full open mobile robotic platform that is very useful in fulfilling the teaching and research activity of our school community, and on the other hand with the idea of introducing an ethical product which would be useful as mobile multimedia information point as a service tool. This paper introduces exactly how the system is made up and explains just what the philosophy is behind this work. The navigation strategies and sensor fusion, where machine vision system is the most important one, are oriented towards goal achievement and are the key to the behaviour of the robot

Knowledge integration within an applied mobile robot summer course

This paper presents the use of a mobile robot platform as an innovative educational tool in order to promote and integrate different curriculum knowledge. Hence, it is presented the acquired experience within a summer course named ldquoapplied mobile roboticsrdquo. The main aim of the course is to integrate different subjects as electronics, programming, architecture, perception systems, communications, control and trajectory planning by using the educational open mobile robot platform PRIM. The summer course is addressed to a wide range of student profiles. However, it is of special interests to the students of electrical and computer engineering around their final academic year. The summer course consists of the theoretical and laboratory sessions, related to the following topics: design & programming of electronic devices, modelling and control systems, trajectory planning and control, and computer vision systems. Therefore, the clues for achieving a renewed path of progress in robotics are the integration of several knowledgeable fields, such as computing, communications, and control sciences, in order to perform a higher level reasoning and use decision tools with strong theoretical base

Local model predictive control experiences with differential driven wheeled mobile robots

This work extends a previously developed research concerning about the use of local model predictive control in differential driven mobile robots. Hence, experimental results are presented as a way to improve the methodology by considering aspects as trajectory accuracy and time performance. In this sense, the cost function and the prediction horizon are important aspects to be considered. The aim of the present work is to test the control method by measuring trajectory tracking accuracy and time performance. Moreover, strategies for the integration with perception system and path planning are briefly introduced. In this sense, monocular image data can be used to plan safety trajectories by using goal attraction potential fields

Predictive motion control of a mirosot mobile robot

This paper discusses predictive motion control of a MiRoSoT robot. The dynamic model of the robot is deduced by taking into account the whole process - robot, vision, control and transmission systems. Based on the obtained dynamic model, an integrated predictive control algorithm is proposed to position precisely with either stationary or moving obstacle avoidance. This objective is achieved automatically by introducing distant constraints into the open-loop optimization of control inputs. Simulation results demonstrate the feasibility of such control strategy for the deduced dynamic model

Nuevas funcionalidades en gvSIG Mobile 1.0

Se resalta que la arquitectura actual de gvSIG Mobile 1.0 es común a la de gvSIG Desktop, lo que permite mejorar el proceso de posibles migraciones de nuevas extensiones entre ambas aplicaciones. Se explica la nueva arquitectura de gvSIG Mobile y se muestran las nuevas funcionalidades desarrolladas

Glob3 Mobile: hacia un SIG 3D para entornos Apple-iOS, Android y WebGL

El trabajo describe el proyecto de desarrollo de un SIG 3D de código abierto para dispositivos móviles (Apple-iOS y Android) y para navegadores web con tecnología WebGL. En la fase actual, nos centraremos en el diseño e implementación del globo virtual, como elemento esencial que da soporte al SIG 3D y de una IDE que permite la programación de nuevas funcionalidades al globo. Dentro de los objetivos de diseño del globo virtual tenemos (i) simplicidad, con código estructurado que facilita la portabilidad y con una API de código abierto sencilla, (ii) eficiencia, tomando en cuenta los recursos hardware de los dispositivos móviles más extendidos en el mercado, (ii) usabilidad, implementando una navegación intuitiva mediante gestos para la interacción en pantalla y (iv) escalabilidad, gracias a una API desarrollada, se permite aumentar de las prestaciones mediante el desarrollo de scripts y podrán ser ejecutados tanto dentro del navegador web como de forma nativa en las plataformas móviles. Ante un panorama de clara proliferación de aplicaciones para móviles, Glob3 Mobile pretende ser una apuesta fuerte que llegue a convertirse en un SIG 3D de código abierto que abarque variadas aplicaciones sectoriales, algunas ya en marcha

The effects of information and communication technologies on the banking sector and the payments system

This dissertation studies the effects of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on the banking sector and the payments system. It provides insight into how technology-induced changes occur, by exploring both the nature and scope of main technology innovations and evidencing their economic implications for banks and payment systems. Some parts in the dissertation are descriptive. They summarise the main technological developments in the field of finance and link them to economic policies. These parts are complemented with sections of the study that focus on assessing the extent of technology application to banking and payment activities. Finally, it includes also some work which borrows from the economic literature on banking. The need for an interdisciplinary approach arises from the complexity of the topic and the rapid path of change to which it is subject. The first chapter provides an overview of the influence of developments in ICT on the evolution of financial services and international capital flows. We include main indicators and discuss innovation in the financial sector, exchange rates and international capital flows. The chapter concludes with impact analysis and policy options regarding the international financial architecture, some monetary policy issues and the role of international institutions. The second chapter is a technology assessment study that focuses on the relationship between technology and money. The application of technology to payments systems is transforming the way we use money and, in some instances, is blurring the definition of what constitutes money. This chapter surveys the developments in electronic forms of payment and their relationship to the banking system. It also analyses the challenges posed by electronic money for regulators and policy makers, and in particular the opportunities created by two simultaneous processes: the Economic and Monetary Union and the increasing use of electronic payment instruments. The third chapter deals with the implications of developments in ICT on relationship banking. The financial intermediation literature explains relationship banking as a type of financial intermediation characterised by proprietary information and multiple interactions with customers. This form of banking is important for the financing of small and medium-sized enterprises. We discuss the effects of ICT on the banking sector as a whole and then apply these developments to the case of relationship banking. The fourth chapter is an empirical study of the effects of technology on the banking business, using a sample of data from the Spanish banking industry. The design of the study is based on some of the events described in the previous chapters, and also draws from the economic literature on banking. The study shows that developments in information management have differential effects on wholesale and retail banking activities. Finally, the last chapter is a technology assessment study on electronic payments systems in Spain and the European Union. It contains an analysis of existing payment systems and ongoing or planned initiatives in Spain. It forms part of a broader project comprising a series of country-specific analyses covering ten European countries. The main issues raised across the countries serve as the starting point to discuss implications of the development of electronic money for regulation and policies, and in particular, for monetary-policy making.

Customer satisfaction in the banking industry: a comparative study of Ghana and Spain

La satisfacció és una preocupació crucial pels clients i per les organitzacions, incloent els bancs. L'estudi examina la satisfacció global dels clients dels bancs a Ghana i Espanya. Així s'analitzen aspectes com la relació entre satisfacció global i les dimensions de qualitat dels serveis bancari, així com les pròpies dimensions principals de la qualitat d'aquests serveis. Finalment, les percepcions sobre aquestes dimensions son comparades entre els bancs de Ghana i Espanya. S'han analitzat els clients de 819 bancs de Ghana i Espanya, els resultats van mostrar que els clients espanyols estaven més descontents respecte les dimensions tangibles i empatia metre que els clients de Ghana puntuaven pitjar la dimensió conveniència. En general, els clients de Ghana estaven força més descontents amb els serveis bancaris que els d'Espanya. La fiabilitat, l'empatia i la conveniència son els predictors de satisfacció global en Ghana, mentres que la fiabilitat és la única dimensió que explica la satisfacció global a Espanya.

Local model predictive control for navigation of a wheeled mobile robot using monocular information

Aquesta tesi està inspirada en els agents naturals per tal de planificar de manera dinàmica la navegació d'un robot diferencial de dues rodes. Les dades dels sistemes de percepció són integrades dins una graella d'ocupació de l'entorn local del robot. La planificació de les trajectòries es fa considerant la configuració desitjada del robot, així com els vértexs més significatius dels obstacles més propers. En el seguiment de les trajectòries s'utilitzen tècniques locals de control predictiu basades en el model, amb horitzons de predicció inferiors a un segon. La metodologia emprada és validada mitjançant nombrosos experiments.