833 resultados para Credit unions, efficiency, impaired loans and investments


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Mathematical models of straight-grate pellet induration processes have been developed and carefully validated by a number of workers over the past two decades. However, the subsequent exploitation of these models in process optimization is less clear, but obviously requires a sound understanding of how the key factors control the operation. In this article, we show how a thermokinetic model of pellet induration, validated against operating data from one of the Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOCC) lines in Canada, can be exploited in process optimization from the perspective of fuel efficiency, production rate, and product quality. Most existing processes are restricted in the options available for process optimization. Here, we review the role of each of the drying (D), preheating (PH), firing (F), after-firing (AF), and cooling (C) phases of the induration process. We then use the induration process model to evaluate whether the first drying zone is best to use on the up- or down-draft gas-flow stream, and we optimize the on-gas temperature profile in the hood of the PH, F, and AF zones, to reduce the burner fuel by at least 10 pct over the long term. Finally, we consider how efficient and flexible the process could be if some of the structural constraints were removed (i.e., addressed at the design stage). The analysis suggests it should be possible to reduce the burner fuel lead by 35 pct, easily increase production by 5+ pct, and improve pellet quality.

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A zone based systems design framework is described and utilised in the implementation of a message authentication code (MAC) algorithm based on symmetric key block ciphers. The resulting block cipher based MAC algorithm may be used to provide assurance of the authenticity and, hence, the integrity of binary data. Using software simulation to benchmark against the de facto cipher block chaining MAC (CBC-MAC) variant used in the TinySec security protocol for wireless sensor networks and the NIST cipher block chaining MAC standard, CMAC; we show that our zone based systems design framework can lead to block cipher based MAC constructs that point to improvements in message processing efficiency, processing throughput and processing latency.

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This Second Wave presentation focused on 'Creative Leadership and Communities of Practice', with particular reference to issues of trust affecting young people, unemployment and wider uncertainties in an economic recession when people were facing job cuts and in a social environment characterised by cynicism and a downturn in trust. Young people who join Second Wave are brought into a community of practice (CoP) (Lave and Wenger, 1991; Wenger, 1999) involving a dynamic, fluid process which is distinctive in its transformative power to change people's lives. The philosophy behind this involves Dewey's notion of the 'active self' (Dewey, 1916) and the theories of 'social constructivism' (Vygotsky, 1978). The process fosters trust, confidence and social learning (Bandura, 1977; Vygotsky, 1978) in which young people join in with a dialogue involving participation in the youth-centred creative space. The 'border zone' (Heath, 1994) in that creative space enables young people to connect with each other in the specialist field of youth arts. The youth-centred partnerships involved lead to greater confidence and development in a range of important artistic, social, cognitive and emotional skills and opportunities. Ultimately, the young person may become engaged in multi-agency working with Second Wave's external partners. Throughout all of these processes, young people are encouraged progressively to develop a more 'active self' to engage proactively with many different beneficial opportunities relating to the performing arts. In an era in which there has been a loss of trust in public life this is particularly important. If trust is defined in part as a belief in the honesty, competence and benevolence of others, it tends to act like 'social glue', cushioning difficult situations and enabling actions to take place easily that otherwise would not be permissible. The Edelman Trust Barometer for 2009 has recorded a marked diminution of trust in corporations, businesses and government, as a result of the credit crunch. While the US and parts of Europe were showing recovery from a generalised loss of trust by mid-year 2009, the UK had not. Social attitudes in Britain may be hardening - from being a nation of sceptics we may be becoming a nation of cynics: for example, only 13% of the population surveyed by Edelman trust politicians to tell the truth. In this situation, there is a need to promote positive measures to build trust. The presentation aims described key aspects of Second Wave's approach to identify and disseminate its model of good practice to make this more explicit and accessible to others. It is with awareness of the profoundly challenging circumstances facing young people, particularly but not exclusively in inner city urban areas such as Deptford, and the valuable contribution youth arts work can make to their well-being and development, that the presentation was carried out. In an era of generalised mistrust, the work done at Second Wave is crucial in empowering and supporting young people to find a positive and creative direction as part of the community.

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The main sources of financing for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are equity (internally generated cash), trade credit paid on time, long and short term bank credits, delayed payment on trade credit and other debt. The marginal costs of each financing instrument are driven by asymmetric information (cost of gathering and analysing information) and transactions costs associated with non-payment (costs of collecting and selling collateral). According to the Pecking Order Theory, firms will choose the cheapest source in terms of cost. In the case of the static trade-off theory, firms choose finance so that the marginal costs across financing sources are all equal, thus an additional Euro of financing is obtained from all the sources whereas under the Pecking Order Theory the source is determined by how far down the Pecking Order the firm is presently located. In this paper, we argue that both of these theories miss the point that the marginal costs are dependent of the use of the funds, and the asset side of the balance sheet primarily determines the financing source for an additional Euro. An empirical analysis on a unique dataset of Portuguese SME's confirms that the composition of the asset side of the balance sheet has an impact of the type of financing used and the Pecking Order Theory and the traditional Static Trade-off theory are rejected.

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Digital learning games are useful educational tools with high motivational potential. With the application of games for instruction there comes the need of acknowledging learning game experiences also in the context of educational assessment. Learning analytics provides new opportunities for supporting assessment in and of educational games. We give an overview of current learning analytics methods in this field and reflect on existing challenges. An approach of providing reusable software assets for interaction assessment and evaluation in games is presented. This is part of a broader initiative of making available advanced methodologies and tools for supporting applied game development.

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Görzig, H., Engel, F., Brocks, H., Vogel, T. & Hemmje, M. (2015, August). Towards Data Management Planning Support for Research Data. Paper presented at the ASE International Conference on Data Science, Stanford, United States of America.

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Digital games constitute a major emerging technology that is expected to enter mainstream educational use within a few years. The highly engaging and motivating character of such games bears great potential to support immersive, meaningful, and situated learning experiences. To seize this potential, meaningful quality and impact measurements are indispensible. Although there is a growing body of evidence on the efficacy of games for learning, evaluation is often poorly designed, incomplete, biased, if not entirely absent. Well-designed evaluations demonstrating the educational effect as well as the return on investment of serious games may foster broader adoption by educational institutions and training providers, and support the development of the serious game industry. The European project RAGE introduces a comprehensive and multi-perspective framework for serious game evaluation, which is presented in this paper.

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Paper presented at the Cloud Forward Conference 2015, October 6th-8th, Pisa

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Dascalu, M., Stavarache, L.L., Dessus, P., Trausan-Matu, S., McNamara, D.S., & Bianco, M. (2015). ReaderBench: An Integrated Cohesion-Centered Framework. In G. Conole, T. Klobucar, C. Rensing, J. Konert & É. Lavoué (Eds.), 10th European Conf. on Technology Enhanced Learning (pp. 505–508). Toledo, Spain: Springer.

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This Dissemination Plan aims to guide and support the efforts of each and all RAGE partners in convincing Applied Games stakeholders to use the outputs of the Project. This is a live document as it will be periodically updated, enhanced and completed along the entire RAGE project lifecycle.

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This deliverable comprises the general description of the RAGE project public website – referred also as the RAGE website, accessible at http://www.rageproject.eu. The RAGE website main objectives are to raise awareness about the project activities as well as to incentivise engagement from targeted stakeholder communities. It integrates social media networks such as Twitter, Google+ and LinkedIn and has been developed using Wordpress as Content Management System (CMS). The RAGE website is constantly monitored for content management and technical support purposes.

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The purpose of this Quality Assurance Handbook (QAH) is to present and describe quality standards and procedures to be applied in the internal management and execution of the Research and Innovation Action 644187 RAGE (Realising and Applied Gaming Eco-system). This document is based on the terms and conditions established in the Grant Agreement (nº 644187) signed by the European Commission and the project coordinator, and its Annexes as well as the RAGE Consortium Agreement specifications and requirements

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This document is the first out of three iterations of the DMP that will be formally delivered during the project. Version 2 is due in month 24 and version 3 towards the end of the project. The DMP thus is not a fixed document; it evolves and gains more precision and substance during the lifespan of the project. In this first version we describe the planned research data sets related to the RAGE evaluation and validation activities, and the fifteen principles that will guide data management in RAGE. The former are described in the format of the EU data management template, and the latter in terms of their guiding principle, how we propose to implement them, and when they will be implemented. This document is thus first of all relevant to WP5 and WP8 members.

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Although many scholars recognise the great potential of games for teaching and learning, the EU-based industry for such “serious” games” is highly fragmented and its growth figures remain well behind those of the leisure game market. Serious gaming has been designated as a priority area by the European Commission in its Horizon 2020 Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. The RAGE project, which is funded as part of the Horizon 2020 Programme, is a technology-driven research and innovation project that will make available a series of self-contained gaming software modules that support game studios in the development of serious games. As game studios are a critical factor in the uptake of serious games, the RAGE projects will base its work on their views and needs as to achieve maximum impact. This paper presents the results of a survey among European game studios about their development related needs and expectations. The survey is aimed at identifying a baseline reference for successfully supporting game studios with advanced ICTs for serious games.