Quantifying entrepreneurship and its impact on local economic performance: A spatial assessment in rural Switzerland

Regional and rural development policies in Europe increasingly emphasize entrepreneurship to mobilize the endogenous economic potential of rural territories. This study develops a concept to quantify entrepreneurship as place-dependent local potential to examine its impact on the local economic performance of rural territories in Switzerland. The short-to-medium-term impact of entrepreneurship on the economic performance of 1706 rural municipalities in Switzerland is assessed by applying three spatial random effects models. Results suggest a generally positive relationship between entrepreneurship and local development: rural municipalities with higher entrepreneurial potential generally show higher business tax revenues per capita and a lower share of social welfare cases among the population, although the impact on local employment is less clear. The explanatory power of entrepreneurship in all three models, however, was only moderate. This finding suggests that political expectations of fostering entrepreneurship to boost endogenous rural development in the short-to-medium term should be damped.

Enterprise software adoption and perceived business performance — an empirical investigation in Germany and the U.S.

This work contributes to the ongoing debate on the productivity paradox by considering CIOs’ perceptions of IT business value. Applying regression analysis to data from an international survey, we study how the adoption of certain types of enterprise software affects the CIOs’ perception of the impact of IT on the firm’s business activities and vice versa. Other potentially important factors such as country, sector and size of the firms are also taken into account. Our results indicate a more significant support for the impact of perceived IT benefits on adoption of enterprise software than vice versa. CIOs based in the US perceive IT benefits more strongly than their German counterparts. Furthermore, certain types of enterprise software seem to be more prevalent in the US.

The Swiss Neonatal Quality Cycle, a monitor for clinical performance and tool for quality improvement

BACKGROUND We describe the setup of a neonatal quality improvement tool and list which peer-reviewed requirements it fulfils and which it does not. We report on the so-far observed effects, how the units can identify quality improvement potential, and how they can measure the effect of changes made to improve quality. METHODS Application of a prospective longitudinal national cohort data collection that uses algorithms to ensure high data quality (i.e. checks for completeness, plausibility and reliability), and to perform data imaging (Plsek's p-charts and standardized mortality or morbidity ratio SMR charts). The collected data allows monitoring a study collective of very low birth-weight infants born from 2009 to 2011 by applying a quality cycle following the steps 'guideline - perform - falsify - reform'. RESULTS 2025 VLBW live-births from 2009 to 2011 representing 96.1% of all VLBW live-births in Switzerland display a similar mortality rate but better morbidity rates when compared to other networks. Data quality in general is high but subject to improvement in some units. Seven measurements display quality improvement potential in individual units. The methods used fulfil several international recommendations. CONCLUSIONS The Quality Cycle of the Swiss Neonatal Network is a helpful instrument to monitor and gradually help improve the quality of care in a region with high quality standards and low statistical discrimination capacity.

The prospect of applying chemical elicitors and plant strengtheners to enhance the biological control of crop pests

An imminent food crisis reinforces the need for novel strategies to increase crop yields worldwide. Effective control of pest insects should be part of such strategies, preferentially with reduced negative impact on the environment and optimal protection and utilization of existing biodiversity. Enhancing the presence and efficacy of native biological control agents could be one such strategy. Plant strengthener is a generic term for several commercially available compounds or mixtures of compounds that can be applied to cultivated plants in order to ‘boost their vigour, resilience and performance’. Studies into the consequences of boosting plant resistance against pests and diseases on plant volatiles have found a surprising and dramatic increase in the plants' attractiveness to parasitic wasps. Here, we summarize the results from these studies and present new results from assays that illustrate the great potential of two commercially available resistance elicitors. We argue that plant strengtheners may currently be the best option to enhance the attractiveness of cultivated plants to biological control agents. Other options, such as the genetic manipulation of the release of specific volatiles may offer future solutions, but in most systems, we still miss fundamental knowledge on which key attractants should be targeted for this approach.

The influence of ego depletion on sprint start performance in athletes without track and field experience

We tested the assumption that ego depletion would affect the sprint start in a sample of N = 38 athletes without track and field experience in an experiment by applying a mixed between- (depletion vs. non-depletion) within- (T1: before manipulation of ego depletion vs. T2: after manipulation of ego depletion) subjects design. We assumed that ego depletion would increase the possibility for a false start, as regulating the impulse to initiate the sprinting movement too soon before the starting signal requires self-control. In line with our assumption, we found a significant interaction as there was only a significant increase in the number of false starts from T1 to T2 for the depletion group while this was not the case for the non-depletion group. We conclude that ego depletion has a detrimental influence on the sprint start in athletes without track and field experience.

Design of a generalized tool for the performance assessment under sail based on analytical, numerical and empirical results : a global sailing yacht meta-model

La evaluación de las prestaciones de las embarcaciones a vela ha constituido un objetivo para ingenieros navales y marinos desde los principios de la historia de la navegación. El conocimiento acerca de estas prestaciones, ha crecido desde la identificación de los factores clave relacionados con ellas(eslora, estabilidad, desplazamiento y superficie vélica), a una comprensión más completa de las complejas fuerzas y acoplamientos involucrados en el equilibrio. Junto con este conocimiento, la aparición de los ordenadores ha hecho posible llevar a cabo estas tareas de una forma sistemática. Esto incluye el cálculo detallado de fuerzas, pero también, el uso de estas fuerzas junto con la descripción de una embarcación a vela para la predicción de su comportamiento y, finalmente, sus prestaciones. Esta investigación tiene como objetivo proporcionar una definición global y abierta de un conjunto de modelos y reglas para describir y analizar este comportamiento. Esto se lleva a cabo sin aplicar restricciones en cuanto al tipo de barco o cálculo, sino de una forma generalizada, de modo que sea posible resolver cualquier situación, tanto estacionaria como en el dominio del tiempo. Para ello se comienza con una definición básica de los factores que condicionan el comportamiento de una embarcación a vela. A continuación se proporciona una metodología para gestionar el uso de datos de diferentes orígenes para el cálculo de fuerzas, siempre con el la solución del problema como objetivo. Esta última parte se plasma en un programa de ordenador, PASim, cuyo propósito es evaluar las prestaciones de diferentes ti pos de embarcaciones a vela en un amplio rango de condiciones. Varios ejemplos presentan diferentes usos de PASim con el objetivo de ilustrar algunos de los aspectos discutidos a lo largo de la definición del problema y su solución . Finalmente, se presenta una estructura global de cara a proporcionar una representación virtual de la embarcación real, en la cual, no solo e l comportamiento sino también su manejo, son cercanos a la experiencia de los navegantes en el mundo real. Esta estructura global se propone como el núcleo (un motor de software) de un simulador físico para el que se proporciona una especificación básica. ABSTRACT The assessment of the performance of sailing yachts, and ships in general, has been an objective for naval architects and sailors since the beginning of the history of navigation. The knowledge has grown from identifying the key factors that influence performance(length, stability, displacement and sail area), to a much more complete understanding of the complex forces and couplings involved in the equilibrium. Along with this knowledge, the advent of computers has made it possible to perform the associated tasks in a systematic way. This includes the detailed calculation of forces, but also the use of those forces, along with the description of a sailing yacht, to predict its behavior, and ultimately, its performance. The aim of this investigation is to provide a global and open definition of a set of models and rules to describe and analyze the behavior of a sailing yacht. This is done without applying any restriction to the type of yacht or calculation, but rather in a generalized way, capable of solving any possible situation, whether it is in a steady state or in the time domain. First, the basic definition of the factors that condition the behavior of a sailing yacht is given. Then, a methodology is provided to assist with the use of data from different origins for the calculation of forces, always aiming towards the solution of the problem. This last part is implemented as a computational tool, PASim, intended to assess the performance of different types of sailing yachts in a wide range of conditions. Several examples then present different uses of PASim, as a way to illustrate some of the aspects discussed throughout the definition of the problem and its solution. Finally, a global structure is presented to provide a general virtual representation of the real yacht, in which not only the behavior, but also its handling is close to the experience of the sailors in the real world. This global structure is proposed as the core (a software engine) of a physical yacht simulator, for which a basic specification is provided.

Applying semantic knowledge to the automatic processing of temporal expressions and events in natural language

This paper addresses the problem of the automatic recognition and classification of temporal expressions and events in human language. Efficacy in these tasks is crucial if the broader task of temporal information processing is to be successfully performed. We analyze whether the application of semantic knowledge to these tasks improves the performance of current approaches. We therefore present and evaluate a data-driven approach as part of a system: TIPSem. Our approach uses lexical semantics and semantic roles as additional information to extend classical approaches which are principally based on morphosyntax. The results obtained for English show that semantic knowledge aids in temporal expression and event recognition, achieving an error reduction of 59% and 21%, while in classification the contribution is limited. From the analysis of the results it may be concluded that the application of semantic knowledge leads to more general models and aids in the recognition of temporal entities that are ambiguous at shallower language analysis levels. We also discovered that lexical semantics and semantic roles have complementary advantages, and that it is useful to combine them. Finally, we carried out the same analysis for Spanish. The results obtained show comparable advantages. This supports the hypothesis that applying the proposed semantic knowledge may be useful for different languages.

Projectile Combustion Effects on Ram Accelerator Performance

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-06

A Way of Doing Things: Exploring and Applying the Alexander Technique for Choral Conductors

Thesis (D.M.A.)--University of Washington, 2016-06

Applying machine learning to catalogue matching in astrophysics

We present the results of applying automated machine learning techniques to the problem of matching different object catalogues in astrophysics. In this study, we take two partially matched catalogues where one of the two catalogues has a large positional uncertainty. The two catalogues we used here were taken from the H I Parkes All Sky Survey (HIPASS) and SuperCOSMOS optical survey. Previous work had matched 44 per cent (1887 objects) of HIPASS to the SuperCOSMOS catalogue. A supervised learning algorithm was then applied to construct a model of the matched portion of our catalogue. Validation of the model shows that we achieved a good classification performance (99.12 per cent correct). Applying this model to the unmatched portion of the catalogue found 1209 new matches. This increases the catalogue size from 1887 matched objects to 3096. The combination of these procedures yields a catalogue that is 72 per cent matched.

ADSL transceivers applying DSM and their nonstationary noise robustness

Dynamic spectrum management (DSM) comprises a new set of techniques for multiuser power allocation and/or detection in digital subscriber line (DSL) networks. At the Alcatel Research and Innovation Labs, we have recently developed a DSM test bed, which allows the performance of DSM algorithms to be evaluated in practice. With this test bed, we have evaluated the performance of a DSM level-1 algorithm known as iterative water-filling in an ADSL scenario. This paper describes the results of, on the one hand, the performance gains achieved with iterative water-filling, and, on the other hand, the nonstationary noise robustness of DSM-enabled ADSL modems. It will be shown that DSM trades off nonstationary noise robustness for performance improvements. A new bit swap procedure is then introduced to increase the noise robustness when applying DSM.

Revising the theoretical structure of personality and applying it to the world of work

Most modern models of personality are hierarchical, perhaps as a result of their development by means of exploratory factor analysis. Based on new ideas about the structure of personality and how it divides into biologically based and sociocognitively based components (as proposed by Carver, Cloninger, EUiot and Thrash, and ReveUe), I develop a series of rules that show how scales of personality may be linked from those that are most distal to those which are most proximal. I use SEM to confirm the proposed structure in scales of the Temperament Character Inventory (TCI) and the Eysenck Personality Profiler. Good fit is achieved and all proposed paths are significant. The model is then used to predict work performance, deviance and job satisfacdon.

The impact of supply chain performance measurement systems on dynamic behaviour in supply chains

The amplification of demand variation up a supply chain widely termed ‘the Bullwhip Effect’ is disruptive, costly and something that supply chain management generally seeks to minimise. Originally attributed to poor system design; deficiencies in policies, organisation structure and delays in material and information flow all lead to sub-optimal reorder point calculation. It has since been attributed to exogenous random factors such as: uncertainties in demand, supply and distribution lead time but these causes are not exclusive as academic and operational studies since have shown that orders and/or inventories can exhibit significant variability even if customer demand and lead time are deterministic. This increase in the range of possible causes of dynamic behaviour indicates that our understanding of the phenomenon is far from complete. One possible, yet previously unexplored, factor that may influence dynamic behaviour in supply chains is the application and operation of supply chain performance measures. Organisations monitoring and responding to their adopted key performance metrics will make operational changes and this action may influence the level of dynamics within the supply chain, possibly degrading the performance of the very system they were intended to measure. In order to explore this a plausible abstraction of the operational responses to the Supply Chain Council’s SCOR® (Supply Chain Operations Reference) model was incorporated into a classic Beer Game distribution representation, using the dynamic discrete event simulation software Simul8. During the simulation the five SCOR Supply Chain Performance Attributes: Reliability, Responsiveness, Flexibility, Cost and Utilisation were continuously monitored and compared to established targets. Operational adjustments to the; reorder point, transportation modes and production capacity (where appropriate) for three independent supply chain roles were made and the degree of dynamic behaviour in the Supply Chain measured, using the ratio of the standard deviation of upstream demand relative to the standard deviation of the downstream demand. Factors employed to build the detailed model include: variable retail demand, order transmission, transportation delays, production delays, capacity constraints demand multipliers and demand averaging periods. Five dimensions of supply chain performance were monitored independently in three autonomous supply chain roles and operational settings adjusted accordingly. Uniqueness of this research stems from the application of the five SCOR performance attributes with modelled operational responses in a dynamic discrete event simulation model. This project makes its primary contribution to knowledge by measuring the impact, on supply chain dynamics, of applying a representative performance measurement system.

Improving performance? The adoption and implementation of quality systems in U.K. nonprofits

There are increasing and multiple pressures on nonprofit organizations to demonstrate excellence in performance. Although there is a growing literature on the various approaches to performance improvement taken by nonprofits, little is known about the processes involved in the adoption and implementation of specific approaches. This article is about the adoption and use of one approach to performance improvement, quality systems, in the U.K. nonprofit sector. We report findings about factors that encourage nonprofits to adopt quality systems. We also analyze the distinctive challenges of implementing quality approaches in a nonprofit sector context and suggest critical success factors. The article concludes with a discussion of the organizational and policy implications of applying the management concepts of quality and performance to the nonprofit sector.

Raman amplification and performance altering effects

This thesis presents an experimental investigation into several applications of the Raman scattering effect in communication optical fibres as well as how some of these applications can be modified to enhance the resulting performance. The majority of the work contained within is based on laboratory results using many commercially available components. The results can be divided into and presented in three main parts: Firstly, a novel application of a known effect is used to broaden Raman pump light in order to achieve a more continuous distribution of gain with respect to wavelength. Multiple experimental results are presented, all based around the prior spreading of the pump spectrum before being used in the desired transmission fibre. Gathered results show that a notable improvement can be obtained from applying such a technique along with the scope for further optimisation work. Secondly, an investigation into the interaction between the well known effect of Four Wave Mixing (FWM) and Raman scattering is provided. The work provides an introduction to the effect as well commenting on previous literature regarding the effect and its mitigation. In response to existing research experimental results are provided detailing some limitations of proposed schemes along with concepts of how further alleviation from the deleterious effects maybe obtained. Lastly, the distributed nature of the Raman gain process is explored. A novel technique on how a near constant distribution of gain can be employed is implemented practically. The application of distributed gain is then applied to the generation of optical pulses with special mathematical properties within a laboratory setting and finally the effect of pump noise upon distributed gain techniques is acknowledged.