Do financial reforms improve the performance of financial holding companies? The case of Taiwan

We examine the performance of financial holding companies (FHCs) in Taiwan after the financial reform that removes the separation of banking, securities, insurance, and other financial services. Using data envelopment analysis, we find that FHCs fail to improve technical efficiencies in the post-reform era. They also do not outperform independent commercial banks after the financial reform. Lower technical efficiency caused by excess operating expenses appears to be the primary source of inefficiency. While scale efficiency may improve as FHCs grow larger, the benefits are marginal and insufficient to offset the potential costs of organizational diseconomies. Our findings suggest that increasing the size and scope of financial activities alone do not necessarily improve the performance of financial firms.

The study of ethical perceptions of construction managers

Ethics is important for business, individual career and image of industry. However, construction companies do not show high ethical standards. Studying ethical perception of manages is a popular topic at generic level, in particular professions and on construction-related professionals, but there is lack of research on studying ethical perceptions of construction managers. The aim of this research is to study the ethical perceptions of construction managers and how do demographic factors influence it. The method for conducting this study is through questionnaire survey among the UK construction managers. Three hundred and seven questionnaires were distributed and ninety-three completed questionnaires are completed and returned. The construction managers who appear to pay most concern on ethics are male, at middle age, at middle position in their organisations, having more than 21 years experience and are educated up to at least at degree level. The results show that the construction managers found ‘producing falsifying reports,’ ‘over-claiming expenses’ and ‘having low level of personal honesty’ as the most unethical perceptions. The findings also show that the ethical perceptions of construction managers are different from other construction-related professionals such as surveyors and engineers.

Integration of resident's energy costs in short stay accommodation billing system

This paper presents an energy management software package and the supporting energy information automation system to enable the short stay accommodation industry to determine actual residents' energy consumption. The proposed energy management system is used to develop a 'novel deal' method in short stay accommodation based on integration of the room level energy costs into the billing system. This system has the potential to increase energy efficiency in the short stay accommodation industry by actively engaging the residents in the energy saving process. The system is economically and environmentally sustainable and can achieve a high level of energy efficiency with low expenses. The proposed model is also effective for carbon mitigation, and offers a value proposition for all the parties in the short stay accommodation industry, including owners and residents. The paper presents a software system to capture room level energy consumption information and to present the detail of consumed energy information in the resident's accommodation bill. The presented information includes energy consumption profile, the greenhouse gas emission profile, and the cost associated to the energy related services.

Patient costs during tuberculosis treatment in Bangladesh and Tanzania: the potential of shorter regimens

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the costs incurred by patients during the intensive and continuation phases of the current 6-month tuberculosis (TB) regimen in Bangladesh and Tanzania, and thus identify potential benefits to patients of a shorter, 4-month treatment regimen. DESIGN: The validated Stop TB patient cost questionnaire was adapted and used in interviews with 190 patients in the continuation phase of treatment with current regimens. RESULTS: In both countries, overall patient costs were lower during 2 months of the continuation phase (US$74 in Tanzania and US$56 in Bangladesh) than during the 2 months of the intensive phase of treatment (US$150 and US$111, respectively). However, continuation phase patient costs still represented 89% and 77% of the 2-month average national income in the respective countries. Direct travel costs in some settings were kept low by local delivery system features such as community treatment observation. Lost productivity and costs for supplementary foods remained significant. CONCLUSIONS: Although it is not a straightforward exercise to determine the exact magnitude of likely savings, a shorter regimen would reduce out-of-pocket expenses incurred by patients in the most recent 2 months of the continuation phase and allow an earlier return to productive activities. © 2014 The Union.

101 Ways to save money on your tax - legally! 2014-2015

Stop giving your money away!You work hard for your money, and you work even harder to set and keep a budget that makes the most of it. But when tax time arrives, do you feel shorted on your return? Nearly everyone has to pay taxes, but the government is only entitled to so much of your money. You might be letting them keep hundreds or even thousands of dollars that rightfully belong to you. No matter what your accounting habits have been so far, you can still claim what's yours.101 Ways to Save Money on Your Tax—Legally! 2014 – 2015 is your ultimate guide to maximising your return. Author Adrian Raftery, a.k.a. Mr. Taxman, is Australia's leading personal taxation expert. In the book, Raftery provides the information you need to get back every single dollar you're entitled to, plus tips and tricks that help you get the most out of deductions related to:•You, your family, and your property•Education, employment, and small business•Investment property, shares, and superannuation•Special circumstances, including medical expenses and leviesThe book also contains advice on related matters, including tax-effective investments, tax planning, and how to find a great accountant. All information has been updated to reflect tax law changes wrought by the May 2014 budget. If you're tired of paying too much tax and seeing too little return, 101 Ways to Save Money on Your Tax—Legally! 2014 – 2015 is your comprehensive guide to putting things right, starting now.

A new perspective of storm bite on sandy beaches using unmanned aerial vehicles

Aerial imagery collected before and after major storm events is ideal for the assessment of coastal landscape change driven by individual high-magnitude events. Using traditional satellite sensors and manned aerial systems can be challenging due to issues related to cloud cover, mobilization expenses and resolution. Rapid advances in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology allow for the cost-effective collection of aerial imagery and topography at centimetre resolution suitable for assessing change in coastal ecosystems. In this study we demonstrate the utility of UAV-based photogrammetry to quantify storm-driven sediment dynamics on a sandy beach on the open-coast shoreline of Victoria, Australia. UAV-based aerial photography was collected before and after a major storm event. High-resolution (< 5 cm) aerial imagery and digital surface models were acquired and change-detection techniques were applied to quantify changes in the beachface. An average beach erosion of 12.24 m3/m with a maximum of 28.05 m3/m was observed, and the volume of sand cut from the beachface and retreat of the foredune are clearly illustrated. Following the storm event, erosion was estimated at 7259.94 ± 503.69 m3 along 550 m of beach. By combining the aerial imagery and derived topographic datasets we demonstrate the advantage of UAV-based photogrammetry techniques for rapid high-resolution data collection in semi-remote locations. Its utility in setting unlimited virtual vantage points is also illustrated and the valuable perspective it provides for tracking landscape change discussed.

Improving load forecast accuracy by clustering consumers using smart meter data

Utility companies provide electricity to a large number of consumers. These companies need to have an accurate forecast of the next day electricity demand. Any forecast errors will result in either reliability issues or increased costs for the company. Because of the widespread roll-out of smart meters, a large amount of high resolution consumption data is now accessible which was not available in the past. This new data can be used to improve the load forecast and as a result increase the reliability and decrease the expenses of electricity providers. In this paper, a number of methods for improving load forecast using smart meter data are discussed. In these methods, consumers are first divided into a number of clusters. Then a neural network is trained for each cluster and forecasts of these networks are added together in order to form the prediction for the aggregated load. In this paper, it is demonstrated that clustering increases the forecast accuracy significantly. Criteria used for grouping consumers play an important role in this process. In this work, three different feature selection methods for clustering consumers are explained and the effect of feature extraction methods on forecast error is investigated.

Statement of the Declaration of Istanbul Custodian Group regarding payments to families of deceased organ donors

Governmental and private programs that pay next of kin who give permission for the removal of their deceased relative's organs for transplantation exist in a number of countries. Such payments, which may be given to the relatives or paid directly for funeral expenses or hospital bills unrelated to being a donor, aim to increase the rate of donation. The Declaration of Istanbul Custodian Group-in alignment with the World Health Organization Guiding Principles and the Council of Europe Convention Against Trafficking in Human Organs-has adopted a new policy statement opposing such practices.Payment programs are unwise because they produce a lower rate of donations than in countries with voluntary, unpaid programs; associate deceased donation with being poor and marginal in society; undermine public trust in the determination of death; and raise doubts about fair allocation of organs. Most important, allowing families to receive money for donation from a deceased person, who is at no risk of harm, will make it impossible to sustain prohibitions on paying living donors, who are at risk.Payment programs are also unethical. Tying coverage for funeral expenses or healthcare costs to a family allowing organs to be procured is exploitative, not "charitable." Using payment to overcome reluctance to donate based on cultural or religious beliefs especially offends principles of liberty and dignity. Finally, while it is appropriate to make donation "financially neutral"-by reimbursing the added medical costs of evaluating and maintaining a patient as a potential donor-such reimbursement may never be conditioned on a family agreeing to donate.

101 ways to save money on your tax - legally! : 2016-2017 edition

101 Ways to Save Money on Your Tax – Legally! is the Australian taxpayer's essential guide to maximising returns. Comprehensively updated for 2016-2017, this indispensable resource explains all of the changes to the May 2016 budget to help you pay what you owe and not a penny more. You'll find answers to common questions, tax traps to avoid and plenty of tips from Mr. Taxman himself that can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars! Leverage your business, education, family, property, medical expenses, levies, shares and superannuation to get the tax return you deserve – and are fully entitled to under Australian law. You'll also find expert advice for tax-effective investments, tax planning and how to find a great accountant, so you can position yourself for an even bigger return next year!

101 ways to save money on your tax legally! : updated for 2015-2016

101 Ways to Save Money on Your Tax–Legally! 2015–2016 sheds light on how you can increase your tax return by maximising your deductions. This practical guide explores how individual, family, property, education, employment, small business, investment property, shares, superannuation, medical expenses, levies, and other deductions can be leveraged to ensure that you receive the tax return you deserve—and that you do not overpay the government. You'll also get advice regarding tax-effective investments, tax planning, and the best way to go about finding a great accountant.Every year, you give a portion of your income to the government. While this money funds essentials like infrastructure, you certainly do not want to give more than you need to. This insightful guide provides you with the information necessary to ensure that you receive as much money back as possible on your tax return.Discover how you can maximise your deductions to increase your tax return—and get what you are entitled to back from the government each yearUnderstand the tax law changes from the May 2015 budgetAccess tips that assist you in planning and filing your taxes with your best interests in mindIdentify tax traps, and get answers to frequently asked questions101 Ways to Save Money on Your Tax–Legally! 2015–2016 is an essential resource for every Australian who pays taxes.