Rules of Origin and Local Content in East Asia

Rules of Origin (RoO) are an integral part of all trade rules. In order to be eligible for Common Effective Preferential Tariffs (CEPT) under AFTA and similar arrangements under the ASEAN-China FTA, a product must satisfy the conditions relative to local content. The paper tries to calculate local content as well as cumulative local content in East Asian economies, with use of the Asian International Input-Output Tables; it also investigates factors of change in local content by applying decomposition analysis. The paper finds that the cumulation rule increased local content of the electronics industry more significantly than local content of the automotive industry, and the contribution of the cumulation rule increased in the period 1990-2000, due to rising dependency on neighboring ASEAN countries and China.

FTA utilization : certificate of origin data versus customs data

This paper empirically examines what kinds of elements affect the gap in free trade agreement (FTA) utilization with regard to customs data and certificates of origin (CoOs) data. We focus on Thai exports to Korea under the ASEAN-Korea FTA in 2011. As a result, we found that the products with the higher demand volatility or those with a larger number of tariff-line products within the same harmonized system (HS) six-digit code have the larger gap. Another important finding is that the difference between the HS version at the time of the FTA negotiation and the current HS version does not have significant association with the gap. These findings have important implications.

Impacts of common rules of origin on FTA utilization

This paper examines empirically the impacts of sharing rules of origin (RoOs) with other ASEAN+1 free trade agreements (FTAs) on ASEAN-Korea FTA/ASEAN-China FTA utilization in Thai exports in 2011. Our careful empirical analysis suggests that the harmonization of RoOs across FTAs play some role in reducing the costs yielded through the spaghetti bowl phenomenon. In particular, the harmonization to "change-in-tariff classification (CTC) or real value-added content (RVC)" will play a relatively positive role in not seriously discouraging firms’ use of multiple FTA schemes. On the other hand, the harmonization to CTC or CTC&RVC hinders firms from using those schemes.

Leadership in executive women from the viewpoint of project management competences: a study in the region of Madrid / Liderazgo de la mujer directiva desde las competencias para la dirección de proyectos: estudio en la región de Madrid

Today's knowledge society is creating increasingly competitive environments in which cognitive factors, creativity, knowledge and information determine the success of organizations. In this context the exercise of management and leadership is essential to achieve objectives, goals and relationships. Both concepts have been historically associated with the male domain because of the underrepresentation of women in managerial positions. However, the increasing participation of women in the workplace has led to the development of an extensive literature on the possible existence of differences between the styles of male and female leadership, although it has not been addressed from the analysis of competences associated with each sex. Through a participatory process the abilities and skills associated with women managers are analyzed, the differences in leadership styles and the barriers that still exist for the promotion of women into management positions. The results indicate that women particularly value the skills associated with human relationships, the female leadership style tends to be transformational and that there are still barriers to their advancement to management positions.

E-CRM in SMEs: an exploratory study in Sangammer region of Maharashtra in India

Although there are many definitions of SME's there is no globally accepted definition of a small or medium-sized enterprise. Small Medium Enterprises (SME) the catalyst in economic growth & development of the country, are facing tough competition in market place and in establishing themselves as credible supplier of quality product and services. In India they are producing more than 8000 different products. The common perception is that small to medium businesses have very little options in terms of CRM solutions. This is clearly not the case. SME's now have a lot of options and can exercise same. Businesses are shifting from product centric to customer centric. Long before the advent of technology, businesses have always recognized that the customer is the soul of every business. Businesses try to have personal relationship with their customers. Moving towards customer centric approach is a multi prolonged efforts that requires transformation of process, culture and strategy from top level to every individual employee. Technology has a crucial role in providing tools and infrastructure to support this. CRM supports SMEs in their business customer loyalty.

Propagation mechanism modelling in the near region of circular tunnels

Artículo sobre comunicaciones ferroviarias. Abstract: Along with the increase in operating frequencies in advanced radio communication systems utilised inside tunnels, the location of the break point is further and further away from the transmitter. This means that the near region lengthens considerably and even occupies the whole propagation cell or the entire length of some short tunnels. To begin with, this study analyses the propagation loss resulting from the free-space mechanism and the multi-mode waveguide mechanism in the near region of circular tunnels, respectively. Then, by conjunctive employing the propagation theory and the three-dimensional solid geometry, a general analytical model of the dividing point between two propagation mechanisms is presented for the first time. Moreover, the model is validated by a wide range of measurement campaigns in different tunnels at different frequencies. Finally, discussions on the simplified formulae of the dividing point in some application situations are made. The results in this study can be helpful to grasp the essence of the propagation mechanism inside tunnels.

Propagation Mechanism modeling in the Near-Region of Arbitrary Cross-Sectional Tunnels.

Along with the increase of the use of working frequencies in advanced radio communication systems, the near-region inside tunnels lengthens considerably and even occupies the whole propagation cell or the entire length of some short tunnels. This paper analytically models the propagation mechanisms and their dividing point in the near-region of arbitrary cross-sectional tunnels for the first time. To begin with, the propagation losses owing to the free space mechanism and the multimode waveguide mechanism are modeled, respectively. Then, by conjunctively employing the propagation theory and the three-dimensional solid geometry, the paper presents a general model for the dividing point between two propagation mechanisms. It is worthy to mention that this model can be applied in arbitrary cross-sectional tunnels. Furthermore, the general dividing point model is specified in rectangular, circular, and arched tunnels, respectively. Five groups of measurements are used to justify the model in different tunnels at different frequencies. Finally, in order to facilitate the use of the model, simplified analytical solutions for the dividing point in five specific application situations are derived. The results in this paper could help deepen the insight into the propagation mechanisms in tunnels.

Valence photoionization of the N2 molecule in the region of the N 1s→Rydberg excitations

The intensities of the X and A valence photoelectron lines of N2 have been found to display Fano line shapes as a function of photon energy around the N 1s→ Rydberg excitations. The vibrational intensity distributions of these photoelectron lines change at the N 1s→3sσ and 3pπ resonances. These effects indicate interference between direct and resonant photoionization channels. Our numerical simulations reproduce quite well the experimental results.

Study of packing lines for stone fruits and citrus using two instrumented spheres in some cooperatives in the region of Murcia (Spain).

Two instrumented spheres IS 100 were used to evaluate the quality of post-harvest operations. Results obtained from measurements made with both IS (8.8 cm 0 and 6.2 cm 0) show significant differences. Both IS measure the same values of the same variables for soft materials, but not for hard surfaces. Four packing lines belonging to different cooperatives of the region of Murcia (two for stone fruits and two for citrus) were tested. IS values obtained in transfers belonging to the tested lines lay well above 50 g's in most of them Much higher impact intensities are registered in citrus lines than in stone fruit packing lines. To study the incidence of a certain packing line on different products an interaction fruit-packing line test was perf01med. In all cases, more than 50% of fruits belonging to the post-handling sample showed some kind of damage. Bruises evolve after 48 hours storage at room temperature.

Mapping the firmographic mobility: a case study in a region of Madrid

Understanding the location patterns of firms within a region has proved to be an important factor to study the development of urban form. Moreover, the study of firms location patterns allows the implementation of the adequate policy strategies to increase firms location rate in certain areas, for example when practitioners are dealing with deprived zones. The aim of this paper is to map firmographic data as a function of its location over a certain period of time, and its employment weight in order to discuss which factors have a direct impact on the results and to highlight which specific areas need the adequate measures to promote employment and public transportation. As a case study, it is proposed to analyze the southwest region of Madrid. Spatial statistic methods were used for this study, which were found to be very efficient in order to evaluate which areas need special attention.

Influence of origin of the beans on protein quality and nutritive value of commercial soybean meals.

Chemical composition and correlations between chemical analyses and protein quality of 454 batches of SBM of 3 different origins (USA, n=168; Brazil (BRA), n=139, and Argentine (ARG), n=147) were studied. Samples were collected during a 6-yr period. SBM from USA had more CP, sucrose and stachyose and less NDF (P<0.001) than SBM from ARG and BRA. CP content was negatively related (P<0.001) with sucrose for USA meals and with NDF for ARG and BRA meals. Also, P content was positively related (P<0.01) with CP content of the meals. PDI and KOH solubility were higher (P<0.001) for USA than for ARG or BRA SBM, values that were positively related (P<0.001) with trypsin inhibitor activity of the meals. In addition, USA meals had more lys, met+cys, thr, and trp than BRA and ARG meals (P < 0.001). Per unit of CP, lys content was negatively related (P<0.001) with CP content for USA, positively for BRA, and no relations was found for ARG meals. It is concluded that nutritive values and protein quality of the meals varied widely among soybean origins. Consequently, the origin of the beans should be considered in the evaluation of the nutritive value of commercial SBM for non-ruminant animals.

Influence of origin of the beans on protein quality and nutritive value of commercial soybean meals

Estudio sobre la influencia del origen de los granos en la calidad de proteínas y el valor nutritivo de las harinas de soja comerciales

Exact solution for the conjugate fluid-fluid problem in the thermal entrance region of laminar counterflow heat exchangers

A generalized Lévêque solution is presented for the conjugate fluid–fluid problem that arises in the thermal entrance region of laminar counterflow heat exchangers. The analysis, carried out for constant property fluids, assumes that the Prandtl and Peclet numbers are both large compared to unity, and neglects axial conduction both in the fluids and in the plate, assumed to be thermally thin. Under these conditions, the thermal entrance region admits an asymptotic self-similar description where the temperature varies as a power ϳ of the axial distance, with the particularity that the self-similarity exponent must be determined as an eigenvalue by solving a transcendental equation arising from the requirement of continuity of heat fluxes at the heat conducting wall. Specifically, the analysis reveals that j depends only on the lumped parameter ƙ = (A2/A1)1/3 (α1/α2)1/3(k2/k1), defined in terms of the ratios of the wall velocity gradients, A, thermal diffusivities, α i, and thermal conductivities,k i, of the fluids entering, 1, and exiting, 2, the heat exchanger. Moreover, it is shown that for large (small) values of K solution reduces to the classical first (second) Lévêque solution. Closed-form analytical expressions for the asymptotic temperature distributions and local heat-transfer rate in the thermal entrance region are given and compared with numerical results in the counterflow parallel-plate configuration, showing very good agreement in all cases.