Hybrid game evolutionary algorithm for mission path planning of aerial survey tasks

The aim of this paper is to implement a Game-Theory based offline mission path planner for aerial inspection tasks of large linear infrastructures. Like most real-world optimisation problems, mission path planning involves a number of objectives which ideally should be minimised simultaneously. The goal of this work is then to develop a Multi-Objective (MO) optimisation tool able to provide a set of optimal solutions for the inspection task, given the environment data, the mission requirements and the definition of the objectives to minimise. Results indicate the robustness and capability of the method to find the trade-off between the Pareto-optimal solutions.

The International regulation of persons displaced by climate change

It is certain that there will be changes in environmental conditions across the globe as a result of climate change. Such changes will require the building of biological, human and infrastructure resilience. In some instances the building of such resilience will be insufficient to deal with extreme changes in environmental conditions and legal frameworks will be required to provide recognition and support for people dislocated because of environmental change. Such dislocation may occur internally within the country of original origin or externally into another State’s territory. International and national legal frameworks do not currently recognise or assist people displaced as a result of environmental factors including displacement occurring as a result of climate change. Legal frameworks developed to deal with this issue will need to consider the legal rights of those people displaced and the legal responsibilities of those countries required to respond to such displacement. The objective of this article is to identify the most suitable international institution to host a program addressing climate displacement. There are a number of areas of international law that are relevant to climate displacement, including refugee law, human rights law and international environmental law. These regimes, however, were not designed to protect people relocating as a result of environmental change. As such, while they indirectly may be of relevance to climate displacement, they currently do nothing to directly address this complex issue. In order to determine the most appropriate institution to address and regulate climate displacement, it is imperative to consider issues of governance. This paper seeks to examine this issue and determine whether it is preferable to place climate displacement programs into existing international legal frameworks or whether it is necessary to regulate this area in an entirely new institution specifically designed to deal with the complex and cross-cutting issues surrounding the topic. Commentators in this area have proposed three different regulatory models for addressing climate displacement. These models include: (a) Expand the definition of refugee under the Refugee Convention to encompass persons displaced by climate change; (b) Implement a new stand alone Climate Displacement Convention; and (c) Implement a Climate Displacement Protocol to the UNFCCC. This article will examine each of these proposed models against a number of criteria to determine the model that is most likely to address the needs and requirements of people displaced by climate change. It will also identify the model that is likely to be most politically acceptable and realistic for those countries likely to attract responsibilities by its implementation. In order to assess whether the rights and needs of the people to be displaced are to be met, theories of procedural, distributive and remedial justice will be used to consider the equity of the proposed schemes. In order to consider the most politically palatable and realistic scheme, reference will be made to previous state practice and compliance with existing obligations in the area. It is suggested that the criteria identified by this article should underpin any future climate displacement instrument.

An entry mode decision-making model for the international expansion of construction enterprises

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a new type of entry mode decision-making model for construction enterprises involved in international business. Design/methodology/approach – A hybrid method combining analytic hierarchy process (AHP) with preference ranking organization method for enrichment evaluations (PROMETHEE) is used to aid entry mode decisions. The AHP is used to decompose the entry mode problem into several dimensions and determine the weight of each criterion. In addition, PROMETHEE method is used to rank candidate entry modes and carry out sensitivity analyses. Findings – The proposed decision-making method is demonstrated to be a suitable approach to resolve the entry mode selection decision problem. Practical implications – The research provides practitioners with a more systematic decision framework and a more precise decision method. Originality/value – The paper sheds light on the further development of entry strategies for international construction markets. It not only introduces a new decision-making model for entry mode decision making, but also provides a conceptual framework with five determinants for a construction company entry mode selection based on the unique properties of the construction industry.

Robust aerodynamic design optimisation of morphing aerofoil/wing using distributed moga

In this paper, the shape design optimisation using morphing aerofoil/wing techniques, namely the leading and/or trailing edge deformation of a natural laminar flow RAE 5243 aerofoil is investigated to reduce transonic drag without taking into account of the piezo actuator mechanism. Two applications using a Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA)coupled with Euler and boundary analyser (MSES) are considered: the first example minimises the total drag with a lift constraint by optimising both the trailing edge actuator position and trailing edge deformation angle at a constant transonic Mach number (M! = 0.75)and boundary layer transition position (xtr = 45%c). The second example consists of finding reliable designs that produce lower mean total drag (μCd) and drag sensitivity ("Cd) at different uncertainty flight conditions based on statistical information. Numerical results illustrate how the solution quality in terms of mean drag and its sensitivity can be improved using MOGA software coupled with a robust design approach taking account of uncertainties (lift and boundary transition positions) and also how transonic flow over aerofoil/wing can be controlled to the best advantage using morphing techniques.

L’internationalisation des jeunes entreprises de hautes technologies : Le rôle des compétences internationales des fondateurs [The internationalization of new technology based firms : the role of the international skills of founding teams]

Extending recent research on the importance of specific resources and skills for the internationalization of start-ups, this article tests a negative binomial model on a sample of 520 recently created high technology firms from the UK and Germany. The results show that previous international experience of entrepreneurs facilitates the rapid penetration of foreign markets, especially when the company features a clear and deliberate strategic intent of internationalization from the outset. This research provides one of the first empirical studies linking the influence of entrepreneurial teams to a high probability of success in the internationalization of high-technology ventures.

Monster factory : International dynamics of the Australian horror movie industry

From the early-to-mid 2000s, the Australian horror film production sector has achieved growth and prosperity of a kind not seen since its heyday of the 1980s. Australian horror films can be traced back to the early 1970s, when they experienced a measure of commercial success. However, throughout the twenty-first-century Australian horror gained levels of international recognition that have surpassed the cult status enjoyed by some of the films in the 1970s and 1980s. In recent years, Australia has emerged as a significant producer of breakout, cult, and solid B-grade horror films, which have circulated in markets worldwide. Australian horror’s recent successes have been driven by one of its distinguishing features: its international dimensions. As this chapter argues, the Australian horror film production sector is an export-oriented industry that relies heavily on international partnerships and presales (the sale of distribution rights prior to a film’s completion), and on its relationships with overseas distributors. Yet, these traits vary from film to film as the sector is comprised of several distinct domains of production activity, from guerrilla films destined for niche video markets like specialist cult video stores and online mail-order websites to high(er)-end pictures made for theatrical markets. Furthermore, the content and style of Australian horror movies has often been tailored for export. While some horror filmmakers have sought to play up the Australianness of their product, others have attempted to pass off their films as faux-American or as placeless films effaced of national reference points.

Double tax agreements and the international allocation of business income in Australia

Increasingly, the effectiveness of the present system of taxation of international businesses is being questioned. The problem associated with the taxation of such businesses is twofold. A system of international taxation must be a fair and equitable system, distributing profits between the relevant jurisdictions and, in doing so, avoiding double taxation. At the same time, the prevention of fiscal evasion must be secured. In an attempt to achieve a fair and equitable system Australia adopts unilateral, bilateral and multilateral measures to avoid double taxation and restrict the avoidance of tax. The first step in ascertaining the international allocation of business income is to consider the taxation of business income according to domestic law, that is, the unilateral measures. The treatment of international business income under the Australian domestic law, that is, the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (Cth) and Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cth), will depend on two concepts, first, whether the taxpayer is a resident of Australia and secondly, whether the income is sourced in Australia. After the taxation of business profits has been determined according to domestic law it is necessary to consider the applicability of the bilateral measures, that is, the Double Tax Agreements (DTAs) to which Australia is a party, as the DTAs will override the domestic law where there is any conflict. Australia is a party to 40 DTAs with another seven presently being negotiated. The preamble to Australia's DTAs provides that the purpose of such agreements is 'to conclude an Agreement for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income'. Both purposes, for different reasons, are equally important. It has been said that: The taxpayer hopes the treaty will prevent the double taxation of his income; the tax gatherer hopes the treaty will prevent fiscal evasion; and the politician just hopes. The first purpose, the avoidance of double taxation, is achieved through the provision of rules whereby the Contracting States agree to the classification of income and the allocation of that income to a particular State. In this sense DTAs do not allocate jurisdiction to tax but rather provide an arrangement whereby the States agree to restrict their substantive law. The restriction is either through the non-taxing of the income or via the provision of a tax credit.