Tax Competition and Double Tax Treaties with Mergers and Acquisitions

OpenAIRE

Siggelkow, Benjamin Florian

2013-01-01

In a two-period tax competition model with provision of local public goods, we analyze efficiency properties of double taxation reliefs incorporating either the exemption method, the tax credit system or the full taxation after deduction system. Foreign direct investments are presumed to be one-way and characterized by long-term mergers and acquisitions. We find that in case of (i) tax revenue maximization the exemption method implies inefficiently low tax rates, whereas the fu...

National Ignition Facility project acquisition plan revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clobes, A.R.

1996-01-01

The purpose of this National Ignition Facility Acquisition Plan is to describe the overall procurement strategy planned for the National Ignition Facility M Project. It was prepared for the NIP Prood Office by the NIF Procurement Manager

Evaluating mergers and acquisitions with a purchase investigation.

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, E A; Giniat, E J

1988-04-01

Mergers and acquisitions are risk transactions. Therefore, a well-planned and executed purchase investigation that considers financial, personnel, legal and risk management, third-party payer, and medical staff issues is imperative. Organizations that can successfully complete a purchase investigation will be able to make better informed, lower risk, financial decisions, and will have a competitive advantage in achieving strategic goals. This article is the third in a series on mergers and acquisitions. Other articles will include legal issues and capital planning.

The Third Competition on Knowledge Engineering for Planning and Scheduling

OpenAIRE

Bartak, Roman; Fratini, Simone; McCluskey, Lee

2010-01-01

We report on the staging of the third competition on knowledge engineering for AI planning and scheduling systems, held during ICAPS-09 at Thessaloniki, Greece in September 2009. We give an overview of how the competition has developed since its first run in 2005, and its relationship with the AI planning field. This run of the competition focused on translators that when input with some formal description in an application-area-specific language, output solver-ready domain models. Despite a ...

Business Plan Competition open for CERN technologies

CERN Multimedia

TT Helpdesk

2005-01-01

Helping researchers turn great research into great business - that's the aim of the UK Research Council's Business Plan Competition. Every good business starts with two things: a good idea and a robust business plan. You supply the idea, and we'll give you the skills, knowledge and support you need to develop a first-rate business plan! This will be provided through expert trainers, coaches and mentors. Plus - the opportunity to win funds to help with the development of your business idea. The competition is open to researchers at CERN, promoted and supported by PPARC, together with the whole spectrum of academic research supported by the eight UK Research Councils - from the arts and biosciences, to environmental physical and social sciences to technology. Postgraduates, postdocs and academic staff who have a business idea arising from research and want to develop this further are encouraged to participate. Taking part is easy - just contact the TT group (TT Helpdesk) for details and support before 16 D...

105-N Basin sediment removal subcontract acquisition strategy plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilsey, D.J.

1997-01-01

The 105-N Basin Sediment Removal Subcontract Acquisition Strategy Plan provides a detailed set of actions to specify and procure services and equipment for removal of approximately 400 ft 3 (wet) of radioactive sediment. The plan outlines a cost-effective approach to remove this sediment safely and within an aggressive schedule. This 105-N Basin Sediment Removal Strategy Plan includes the following key elements: a current vendor survey of capabilities and interest in this type of work, confirming that qualified, competitive sources are available, and in the time frame required; a systematic review of the various options for sediment disposal in enough detail to exhaustively uncover pros and cons of each approach; use of a workshop approach to assess different ways to accomplish the work and ensure the disposal options considered are cost and schedule effective; integration of the complicated sampling and characterization process, which is essential to successful execution of the procurement scheme; review of the various subcontracting options to maximize the use of existing technology, existing equipment, and specialized expertise; detailed early planning and strategizing for early identification of problems that can be solved early before they become restraints or potential added costs; tailored design schedule to cover three alternate approaches so that sample characterization will not delay engineering preparation for disposal; support required from various organizations onsite as well as subcontractors, well in advance of the need for that support, improving availability of the proper personnel to support schedule and cost objectives; and provides the possible opportunity to process the sediment in the valve pit and pump pit through this same subcontractor's process

Grid planning in a competitive environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quinto, J. de

2007-01-01

One principle that the electricity sector must fulfil is to simultaneously guarantee generation free entrance, new and old demand supply and a harmonic network development. This development is contained in the grid planning, a process assumed by a neutral institution apart from the grid or the interests of the market agents: In the case of Spain the ministry. The development of such planning, the investment to be built, are limited by the physical network and formal structure and by how the retribution is designed. In this article there is an evaluation of the problems related to develop the network planning in a competitive environment and also some proposals are suggested. (Author)

Predictive Control, Competitive Model Business Planning, and Innovation ERP

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nourani, Cyrus F.; Lauth, Codrina

2015-01-01

is not viewed as the sum of its component elements, but the product of their interactions. The paper starts with introducing a systems approach to business modeling. A competitive business modeling technique, based on the author's planning techniques is applied. Systemic decisions are based on common......New optimality principles are put forth based on competitive model business planning. A Generalized MinMax local optimum dynamic programming algorithm is presented and applied to business model computing where predictive techniques can determine local optima. Based on a systems model an enterprise...... organizational goals, and as such business planning and resource assignments should strive to satisfy higher organizational goals. It is critical to understand how different decisions affect and influence one another. Here, a business planning example is presented where systems thinking technique, using Causal...

Customer acquisition plan for a small-size entrepreneur

OpenAIRE

Puotiniemi, Tiia

2014-01-01

The aim of this thesis was to draw a customer acquisition plan and improve the marketing planning in the company. Therefore, the final result was the market research summary. Development of the marketing strategy planning was based on internal and external situation analyses. This thesis is concentrated on a small-size operator’s business and therefore the internet marketing was brought up with its profitable benefits and advantages. The thesis was written as an auxiliary guide to build u...

Plan competitions reveal entrepreneurial talent

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Madison, Alison L.

2011-05-15

Monthly economic diversity column for Tri-City Herald business section. Excerpt below: There’s something to be said for gaining valuable real-world experience in a structured, nurturing environment. Take for instance learning to scuba dive in the comfort of my resort pool rather than immediately hanging out with sharks while I figure out little things like oxygen tanks and avoiding underwater panic attacks. Likewise, graduate students are getting some excellent, supportive real-world training through university business plan competitions. These competitions are places where smart minds, new technologies, months of preparation and coaching, and some healthy pre-presentation jitters collide to reveal not only solid new business ideas, but also some promising entrepreneurial talent. In fact, professionals from around our region descend upon college campuses every spring to judge these events, which help to bridge the gap between academics and the real technology and business-driven economy.

Competitive bidding in Medicare Advantage: effect of benchmark changes on plan bids.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Zirui; Landrum, Mary Beth; Chernew, Michael E

2013-12-01

Bidding has been proposed to replace or complement the administered prices that Medicare pays to hospitals and health plans. In 2006, the Medicare Advantage program implemented a competitive bidding system to determine plan payments. In perfectly competitive models, plans bid their costs and thus bids are insensitive to the benchmark. Under many other models of competition, bids respond to changes in the benchmark. We conceptualize the bidding system and use an instrumental variable approach to study the effect of benchmark changes on bids. We use 2006-2010 plan payment data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, published county benchmarks, actual realized fee-for-service costs, and Medicare Advantage enrollment. We find that a $1 increase in the benchmark leads to about a $0.53 increase in bids, suggesting that plans in the Medicare Advantage market have meaningful market power. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

COMPETITIVE BIDDING IN MEDICARE ADVANTAGE: EFFECT OF BENCHMARK CHANGES ON PLAN BIDS

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Zirui; Landrum, Mary Beth; Chernew, Michael E.

2013-01-01

Bidding has been proposed to replace or complement the administered prices in Medicare pays to hospitals and health plans. In 2006, the Medicare Advantage program implemented a competitive bidding system to determine plan payments. In perfectly competitive models, plans bid their costs and thus bids are insensitive to the benchmark. Under many other models of competition, bids respond to changes in the benchmark. We conceptualize the bidding system and use an instrumental variable approach to study the effect of benchmark changes on bids. We use 2006–2010 plan payment data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, published county benchmarks, actual realized fee-for-service costs, and Medicare Advantage enrollment. We find that a $1 increase in the benchmark leads to about a $0.53 increase in bids, suggesting that plans in the Medicare Advantage market have meaningful market power. PMID:24308881

AZ-101 Mixer Pump Demonstration Data Acquisition System and Gamma Cart Data Acquisition Control System Software Configuration Management Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

WHITE, D.A.

1999-01-01

This Software Configuration Management Plan (SCMP) provides the instructions for change control of the AZ1101 Mixer Pump Demonstration Data Acquisition System (DAS) and the Sludge Mobilization Cart (Gamma Cart) Data Acquisition and Control System (DACS)

Leveraging Effectual Means through Business Plan Competition Participation

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, Kayleigh; McGowan, Pauric; Smith, Paul

2015-01-01

This paper explores whether the business plan competition (BPC), as a classically causational mechanism for extracurricular entrepreneurship education, can facilitate the development of the means that underpin an effectual approach to new venture creation. In-depth, open-ended qualitative interviews were conducted with participants in a regional…

41 CFR 102-73.100 - Is the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984, as amended (CICA), applicable to lease acquisition?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Is the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984, as amended (CICA), applicable to lease acquisition? 102-73.100 Section 102-73.100... Contracting Act of 1984 § 102-73.100 Is the Competition in Contracting Act of 1984, as amended (CICA...

Equipment acquisition plans for the SSCL magnet excitation power system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Winje, R.

1993-05-01

This report gives a brief description of the major electrical technical equipment used in the Superconducting Super Collider accelerators systems and the present laboratory plans for the acquisition of the equipment

The uranium industry: long term planning for short term competition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vottero, X.

2000-01-01

Today, uranium producers face new challenges in terms of both production (new regulatory, environmental and social constraints) and market conditions (new sources of uranium supply, very low prices and tough competition). In such a context, long-term planning is not just a prerequisite to survive in the nuclear fuel cycle industry. In fact, it also contributes to sustaining nuclear electricity generation facing fierce competition from other energy sources in increasingly deregulated markets. (authors)

An Assessment of Early Competitive Prototyping for Major Defense Acquisition Programs

Science.gov (United States)

2016-04-30

Executive ( CAE ). The MDA determines when programs move from one acquisition phase to the next by reviewing program accomplishments at the various...the M113 family of vehicles. The AMPV will come in five variants: general purpose, medical evacuation, medical treatment , mortar carrier and...System (EPS) Program Control and Planning Segment (CAPS). EPS will provide extremely high frequency, jam-resistant, and secure satellite communications

Business Plan Competitions in Tertiary Institutions: Encouraging Entrepreneurship Education

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, Roslyn; Atchison, Mary; Brooks, Robert

2008-01-01

The development of entrepreneurial skills and knowledge is a priority for governments that want to encourage an innovative and enterprising society. Furthermore, education institutions are becoming increasingly required by employers to produce graduates that have practical, real-world skills. Business plan competitions, although primarily aimed at…

Strategic Enterprise Resource Planning for Global Supply Chain Competitiveness

Science.gov (United States)

Nageswararao, A. V.; Sahu, Dasarathi; Mohan, V. Krishna

2011-01-01

Strategic Enterprise Resource planning (SERP) systems are networked and integrated information mechanisms which are developed to achieve competitive advantage for organizations operating in global scale. It plays a vital role in Integrating various stake holders and channel partners involved in day to day operations. In the present Globalized…

The uranium industry: long-term planning for short-term competition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vottero, X.; Georges Capus, G.

2001-01-01

Long term planning for short term competition Today, uranium producers face new challenges in terms of both production (new regulatory, environmental and social constraints) and market conditions (new sources of uranium supply, very low prices and tough competition). In such a context, long-term planning is not just a prerequisite to survive in the nuclear fuel cycle industry. In fact, it also contributes to sustaining nuclear electricity generation facing fierce competition from other energy sources in increasingly deregulated markets. Firstly, the risk of investing in new mining projects in western countries is growing because, on the one hand, of very erratic market conditions and, on the other hand, of increasingly lengthy, complex and unpredictable regulatory conditions. Secondly, the supply of other sources of uranium (uranium derived from nuclear weapons, uranium produced in CIS countries, ...) involve other risks, mainly related to politics and commercial restrictions. Consequently, competitive uranium supply requires not only technical competence but also financial strength and good marketing capabilities in order to anticipate long-term market trends, in terms of both demand and supply. It also requires taking into account new parameters such as politics, environment, regulations, etc. Today, a supplier dedicated to the sustainable production of nuclear electricity must manage a broad range of long-term risks inherent to the procurement of uranium. Taking into account all these parameters in a context of short-term, fast-changing market is a great challenge for the future generation. World Uranium Civilian Supply and Demand. (authors)

Competitive bidding in Medicare: who benefits from competition?

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Zirui; Landrum, Mary Beth; Chernew, Michael E

2012-09-01

To conduct the first empirical study of competitive bidding in Medicare. We analyzed 2006-2010 Medicare Advantage data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services using longitudinal models adjusted for market and plan characteristics. A $1 increase in Medicare's payment to health maintenance organization (HMO) plans led to a $0.49 (P service plans included, higher Medicare payments increased bids less ($0.33 per dollar), suggesting more competition among these latter plans. As a market-based alternative to cost control through administrative pricing, competitive bidding relies on private insurance plans proposing prices they are willing to accept for insuring a beneficiary. However, competition is imperfect in the Medicare bidding market. As much as half of every dollar in increased plan payment went to higher bids rather than to beneficiaries. While having more insurers in a market lowered bids, the design of any bidding system for Medicare should recognize this shortcoming of competition.

MARKETING PLANNING AS KEY FACTOR OF ENTERPRISE STRUCTURE COMPETITIVENESS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. V. Omelchenko

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Market planning in businesses dealing both with goods and services plays an important coordinating role, since it helps an enterprise to attain its inner consent, to determine development directions, to stimulate inner cooperation, to coordinate distribution of its resources and to formulate ways to solve tasks on the basis of which the company intends to reach its marketing aims. Specified in the article are market planning stages to be followed by a company engaged in the sphere of design services, compliance with the stages making it easier to develop the final marketing plan, to create new advantages both to stand competition at the chosen market and even to take leading positions there.

Technology decision making. A constructive approach to planning and acquisition will require a paradigm shift.

Science.gov (United States)

Berkowitz, D A; Swan, M M

1993-01-01

Technology should be viewed as an integrating rather than a divisive element in hospital planning. In the past, technology decision-making responsibility has often been diffused throughout hospitals, but providers are beginning to take a more considered and coherent approach. The process of making decisions about technology has four key elements: assessment, planning, acquisition, and management. The most important aspect of the assessment phase is the formation of a technology advisory committee to review and evaluate requests for new and emerging technology; review capital budget requests for new and replacement technology; and set mission-based and strategic priorities for new, emerging, and replacement technologies. Technology planning allows hospitals to set long-term goals for technology acquisition. The process involves an audit of existing technologies, evaluation of other hospitals' technologies, and review of technology trends. A well-defined technology plan will, in turn, facilitate the acquisition and management process, allowing hospitals greater flexibility in negotiating costs and budgeting for training, spare parts, service, upgrades, and support. By pooling resources with other providers in their region, hospitals can further enhance the effectiveness of their use and acquisition of technology. Collaboration allows providers to share the risks of technologically volatile and intensive services and avoid costly duplication of equipment and facilities.

75 FR 54524 - Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Acquisition Strategies To Ensure Competition...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-08

...., because the changes are to internal Government organization and operating procedures only. The rule... 48 CFR Part 207 Government procurement. Ynette R. Shelkin, Editor, Defense Acquisition Regulations... Life Cycle of Major Defense Acquisition Programs (DFARS Case 2009-D014) AGENCY: Defense Acquisition...

Tank farm instrumentation and data acquisition/management upgrade plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scaief, C.C. III.

1994-01-01

This plan provides the strategy, implementation, and schedule for upgrading tank farm instrumentation, data acquisition and data management. The focus is on surveillance parameters to verify and maintain tank safety. The criteria do not necessarily constitute mandatory requirements but are based upon engineering judgement and best available information. Schedules reflect preliminary funding for FY95. For out years they are best engineering judgment

Social housing in Belgrade: Practice in architecture and urban planning competitions (2003 - 2014

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bajić Tanja

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Despite the absence of a defined social housing system, several programs of social housing, mainly including the organization of public architecture and urban planning competitions, have been implemented over the last decade in Serbia. This paper presents the competition practice in the field of social and non-profit housing, realized by the City of Belgrade and through Association of Belgrade Architects (DAB in the period from 2003 to 2014, with special emphasis on the best placed and realized designs. The analysis of the results and the quality of the current design and construction practice aims to improve the knowledge about the complex issue of social housing, identifying local specificities and limitations, as well as the potentials and applicability of the winning designs. The importance of the institution of public architecture and urban planning competition in promoting sustainable and innovative social housing is pointed out in the concluding considerations.

Mergers and Acquisitions

OpenAIRE

Frasch, Manfred; Leptin, Maria

2000-01-01

Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) are booming a strategy of choice for organizations attempting to maintain a competitive advantage. Previous research on mergers and acquisitions declares that acquirers do not normally benefit from acquisitions. Targets, on the other hand, have a tendency of gaining positive returns in the few days surrounding merger announcements due to several characteristic on the acquisitions deal. The announcement period wealth effect on acquiring firms, however, is as cle...

Enhancement of faba bean competitive ability by arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi is highly correlated with dynamic nutrient acquisition by competing wheat.

Science.gov (United States)

Qiao, Xu; Bei, Shuikuan; Li, Chunjie; Dong, Yan; Li, Haigang; Christie, Peter; Zhang, Fusuo; Zhang, Junling

2015-01-29

The mechanistic understanding of the dynamic processes linking nutrient acquisition and biomass production of competing individuals can be instructive in optimizing intercropping systems. Here, we examine the effect of inoculation with Funneliformis mosseae on competitive dynamics between wheat and faba bean. Wheat is less responsive to mycorrhizal inoculation. Both inoculated and uninoculated wheat attained the maximum instantaneous N and P capture approximately five days before it attained the maximum instantaneous biomass production, indicating that wheat detected the competitor and responded physiologically to resource limitation prior to the biomass response. By contrast, the instantaneous N and P capture by uninoculated faba bean remained low throughout the growth period, and plant growth was not significantly affected by competing wheat. However, inoculation substantially enhanced biomass production and N and P acquisition of faba bean. The exudation of citrate and malate acids and acid phosphatase activity were greater in mycorrhizal than in uninoculated faba bean, and rhizosphere pH tended to decrease. We conclude that under N and P limiting conditions, temporal separation of N and P acquisition by competing plant species and enhancement of complementary resource use in the presence of AMF might be attributable to the competitive co-existence of faba bean and wheat.

Analysing the external supply chain risk driver competitiveness: a risk mitigation framework and business continuity plan.

Science.gov (United States)

Blos, Mauricio F; Wee, Hui-Ming; Yang, Joshua

2010-11-01

Innovation challenges for handling supply chain risks have become one of the most important drivers in business competitiveness and differentiation. This study analyses competitiveness at the external supply chain level as a driver of risks and provides a framework for mitigating these risks. The mitigation framework, also called the supply chain continuity framework, provides insight into six stages of the business continuity planning (BCP) process life cycle (risk mitigation management, business impact analysis, supply continuity strategy development, supply continuity plan development, supply continuity plan testing and supply continuity plan maintenance), together with the operational constructs: customer service, inventory management, flexibility, time to market, ordering cycle time and quality. The purpose of the BCP process life cycle and operational constructs working together is to emphasise the way in which a supply chain can deal with disruption risks and, consequently, bring competitive advantage. Future research will consider the new risk scenarios and analyse the consequences to promote the improvement of supply chain resilience.

Federal employees health program experiences lack of competition in some areas, raising cost concerns for exchange plans.

Science.gov (United States)

McBride, Timothy D; Barker, Abigail R; Pollack, Lisa M; Kemper, Leah M; Mueller, Keith J

2012-06-01

The Affordable Care Act calls for creation of health insurance exchanges designed to provide private health insurance plan choices. The Federal Employees Health Benefits Program is a national model that to some extent resembles the planned exchanges. Both offer plans at the state level but are also overseen by the federal government. We examined the availability of plans and enrollment levels in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program throughout the United States in 2010. We found that although plans were widely available, enrollment was concentrated in plans owned by just a few organizations, typically Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans. Enrollment was more concentrated in rural areas, which may reflect historical patterns of enrollment or lack of provider networks. Average biweekly premiums for an individual were lowest ($58.48) in counties where competition was extremely high, rising to $65.13 where competition was extremely low. To make certain that coverage sold through exchanges is affordable, policy makers may need to pay attention to areas where there is little plan competition and take steps through risk-adjustment policies or other measures to narrow differences in premiums and out-of-pocket expenses for consumers.

INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN MARKETING PLANNING: IN SEARCH FOR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniela Motta Romeiro Khauaja

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Information is an important input to perform the different activities of marketing administration. This paper presents a study that investigated the opinion of 116 MBA students of Universidade Anhembi-Morumbi, who used to work for Brazilian and multinational organizations from several sectors, in order to discuss the importance of formal, integrated and continuous marketing information systems (MIS to the process of marketing planning in these organizations. The results of the empirical study state the importance of the MIS to marketing planning, as well as the possibility of obtaining competitive edge through the use of the information system.

TMI-2 accident evaluation program sample acquisition and examination plan. Executive summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russell, M.L.; McCardell, R.K.; Broughton, J.M.

1985-12-01

The purpose of the TMI-2 Accident Evaluation Program Sample Acquisition and Examination (TMI-2 AEP SA and E) program is to develop and implement a test and inspection plan that completes the current-condition characterization of (a) the TMI-2 equipment that may have been damaged by the core damage events and (b) the TMI-2 core fission product inventory. The characterization program includes both sample acquisitions and examinations and in-situ measurements. Fission product characterization involves locating the fission products as well as determining their chemical form and determining material association

75 FR 8272 - Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Acquisition Strategies To Ensure Competition...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-02-24

... limited to, cost-effective measures intended to achieve the following: (i) Competitive prototyping. (ii... subsystems. (v) Use of modular, open architectures to enable competition for upgrades. (vi) Use of build-to...

48 CFR 307.104-70 - Acquisition strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Acquisition strategy. 307... AND ACQUISITION PLANNING ACQUISITION PLANNING Acquisition Planning 307.104-70 Acquisition strategy... designated by the HHS CIO, DASFMP, the CAO, or the cognizant HCA) shall prepare an acquisition strategy using...

Entries for the UK Business Plan Competition 2003

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

PPARC is supporting the Research Councils' Business Plan Competition 2003, for which outline (one page) entries should be submitted by 31.1.03. The competition is open to CERN staff and visiting academics from UK establishments. The main condition on entry for CERN staff is that there should be intent to commercialise the technology in the UK. Postgraduates, postdocs and academic staff who have a business idea arising from their research and want to develop this further are encouraged to participate. There is a £25,000 first prize and advice and training along the way. The first step is simple - just prepare a one page summary of your business idea - without giving away any potential business secrets and fill in your details on the short application form. The training element will provide a comprehensive coverage on the issues you need to know about with case studies and special sessions on specific issues of relevance to different research areas. Staff from CERN EP division submitted an entry last year, w...

[Municipal planning of care services between competition neutrality and demand planning. An example of care structure planning in Rhineland-Palatinate].

Science.gov (United States)

Klie, T; Pfundstein, T

2010-04-01

In times of demographic and social change, it is increasingly important to ensure the availability of care services to cover the growing demand. With the implementation of the German long-term insurance act in 1994, the responsibility of states and municipalities was maintained; however, given the long-term care legislation's market orientation and competition neutrality, the classic instruments for demand planning and supervision of infrastructure developments were lost. This leads to new challenges for states and municipalities: their conventional objective-oriented planning lacks professional and juridical legitimization. Calculations of requirements must relate to methodology and professional expertise. In order to exercise their influence on infrastructure development, instruments of demand planning other than subsidization are required. Using the example of Rheinland-Pfalz (Rhineland-Palatinate) and the newly implemented care structure planning, the concept of care monitoring is introduced, and instruments to influence infrastructure development are outlined.

Business planning for license renewal and plant acquisitions. Panel Discussion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quinn, Edward L.; Grimes, Chris; Walters, Doug; Doroshuk, Barth; Gasper, Joe; Salmon, Harry; Bier, Vicki M.; Hagen, Ronald; Richardson, Charles J.

2001-01-01

Full text of publication follows: Subsequent to Calvert Cliffs and Oconee license renewals in 2000, many plants have not applied for license renewal. Industry is moving to standardize and streamline the process to make it as efficient and effective as possible. At the same time, it is focusing on business practices and competitiveness of nuclear plants in the long-term market-both under regulated and deregulated state formats. In addition, new acquisitions and consolidation in the nuclear market have created several large owner-operators that have specialized business needs. Speakers with experience in the foregoing facets have been selected from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Nuclear Energy Institute, and utilities to address the business challenges facing them now and in the future. (authors)

48 CFR 245.7302 - Competitive sales.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Competitive sales. 245..., DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT GOVERNMENT PROPERTY Sale of Surplus Contractor Inventory 245.7302 Competitive sales. ...

Threshold values in acquisitions in the power market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

This report discusses weather the authorities should define threshold values for the market concentration in the power market for reasons of future competition. It is shown that special circumstances in the power market dictate that the competition authorities may have good reasons to adopt a precautionary attitude to acquisitions in that market. The assessment must consider the fact that it is the competition in individual hours that is relevant for the market. Thus the competition authorities should use threshold values based on the producers' share of the power capacity in all relevant market areas that are affected by the acquisition. The threshold values may still be used only as a first filtering out procedure. A final decision about intervention must be founded on a closer assessment of all the socioeconomic consequences of the acquisition in each case

Serobactins-mediated iron acquisition systems optimize competitive fitness of Herbaspirillum seropedicae inside rice plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosconi, Federico; Trovero, María F; de Souza, Emanuel M; Fabiano, Elena

2016-09-01

Herbaspirillum seropedicae Z67 is a diazotrophic endophyte able to colonize the interior of many economically relevant crops such as rice, wheat, corn and sorghum. Under iron-deficient conditions, this organism secretes serobactins, a suite of lipopetide siderophores. The role of siderophores in the interaction between endophytes and their plant hosts are not well understood. In this work, we aimed to determine the importance of serobactins-mediated iron acquisition systems in the interaction of H. seropedicae with rice plants. First we provide evidence, by using a combination of genome analysis, proteomic and genetic studies, that the Hsero_2345 gene encodes a TonB-dependent receptor involved in iron-serobactin complex internalization when iron bioavailability is low. Our results show that survival of the Hsero_2345 mutant inside rice plants was not significantly different from that of the wild-type strain. However, when plants were co-inoculated at equal ratios with the wild-type strain and with a double mutant defective in serobactins synthesis and internalization, recovery of mutant was significantly impaired after 8 days post-inoculation. These results demonstrate that serobactins-mediated iron acquisition contributes to competitive fitness of H. seropedicae inside host plants. © 2015 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Processes Asunder: Acquisition & Planning Misfits

Science.gov (United States)

2009-03-26

Establishing six Business Enterprise Priorities ( BEPs ) to focus the Department’s business transformation efforts, which now guide DoD investment decisions...three phases which look very much like Milestone A, B, and C of the previously existing Life Cycle Management Framework . With this obvious redundancy...February 2002). 30 6 Defense Acquisition University, “Integrated Defense Acquisition, Technology, & Logistics Life Cycle Management Framework , version 5.2

FLEXIBLE BUDGET OF SPORT COMPETITIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dragan Vukasović

2009-11-01

Full Text Available Manager of sport competition has right to decide and also to take responsibility for costs, income and financial results. From economic point of wiev flexible budget and planning cost calculations is top management base for analyzing success level of sport competition. Flexible budget is made before sport competition with few output level, where one is always from static plan-master plan. At the end of competition when we have results, we make report of plan executing and we also analyzing plan variances. Results of comparation between achieved and planning level of static budget can be acceptable if achieved level is approximate to budget level or if we analyzing results from gross or net income. Flexible budget become very important in case of world eco- nomic crises

EU Competition Policy Since 1990

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bartalevich, Dzmitry

2013-01-01

in anticartel enforcement policies, antimonopoly regulation, and the regulation of mergers and acquisitions. The purpose of this article is to fill the gap by attempting to link EU competition policy with U.S. antitrust, provide a critical overview of the most important elements of European competition policy......, and merger control....

48 CFR 813.106 - Soliciting competition, evaluation of quotations or offers, award and documentation.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Soliciting competition, evaluation of quotations or offers, award and documentation. 813.106 Section 813.106 Federal Acquisition... ACQUISITION PROCEDURES Procedures 813.106 Soliciting competition, evaluation of quotations or offers, award...

48 CFR 245.7307 - Non-competitive sales.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Non-competitive sales. 245..., DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CONTRACT MANAGEMENT GOVERNMENT PROPERTY Sale of Surplus Contractor Inventory 245.7307 Non-competitive sales. ...

Apples and Oranges Mean a New Fruit Crop: New Business Plan Competition Model Integrates Economic and Community Development

Science.gov (United States)

Feldman, Jacqueline; Oden, Lisa Derby

2007-01-01

Mount Wachusett Community College Entrepreneurial Resource Center Business Plan Competition brings together stakeholders across all economic sectors to bolster the regional economy. It also highlights entrepreneurs as a viable career choice. The competition disintegrates existing silos, provides education to all entrants, and gives business…

48 CFR 13.106 - Soliciting competition, evaluation of quotations or offers, award and documentation.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Soliciting competition, evaluation of quotations or offers, award and documentation. 13.106 Section 13.106 Federal Acquisition... ACQUISITION PROCEDURES Procedures 13.106 Soliciting competition, evaluation of quotations or offers, award and...

Strategic competition: the application of business planning techniques to the hospital marketplace.

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, D E; Rau, S E

1985-01-01

Survival in the increasingly turbulent and uncertain health care environment should raise the application of business planning and corporate strategy to the highest levels of institutional consciousness. With hospital mergers and networking arrangements expected to account for over 60% of the hospital beds in the nation by 1990, and with government and business cost containment efforts squeezing hospital margins, the survivors are going to be those institutions able to develop and maintain a sustainable economic advantage over the competition in the programs and services that comprise the major portion of their business. The successful players will be those that allow the institution to identify and exploit new opportunities and concentrate management and financial resources in those segments of the market where competitive advantages are real and attainable.

2017 NAIP Acquisition Map

Data.gov (United States)

Farm Service Agency, Department of Agriculture — Planned States for 2017 NAIP acquisition and acquisition status layer (updated daily). Updates to the acquisition seasons may be made during the season to...

THE STRATEGIC RELEVANCE OF TECHNOLOGY-RELATED VARIABLES TO THE COMPETITIVENESS OF SMALL - TO MEDIUM-SIZED FURNITURE MANUFACTURERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lourens, A. S.

2012-11-01

Full Text Available SMMEs can make a critical and positive economic contribution to South Africa, and small- to medium-sized furniture manufacturers (SM/FMs have the potential to contribute to economic growth, job creation, and GDP. However, the furniture industry has not stayed abreast of technological advances. To survive in an environment of increasing competition and imports, competitive strategies must be devised. One such strategy is for technology adoption and implementation that can provide solutions for the furniture industry to improve speed, quality, variety, flexibility, and productivity, resulting in improved competitiveness. However, the adoption of technology means that its acquisition and application must be managed strategically, as the use of technology involves far more than simply taking it into account during the business-plan

The dynamic relationship between plant architecture and competition.

Science.gov (United States)

Ford, E David

2014-01-01

In this review, structural and functional changes are described in single-species, even-aged, stands undergoing competition for light. Theories of the competition process as interactions between whole plants have been advanced but have not been successful in explaining these changes and how they vary between species or growing conditions. This task now falls to researchers in plant architecture. Research in plant architecture has defined three important functions of individual plants that determine the process of canopy development and competition: (i) resource acquisition plasticity; (ii) morphogenetic plasticity; (iii) architectural variation in efficiency of interception and utilization of light. In this review, this research is synthesized into a theory for competition based on five groups of postulates about the functioning of plants in stands. Group 1: competition for light takes place at the level of component foliage and branches. Group 2: the outcome of competition is determined by the dynamic interaction between processes that exert dominance and processes that react to suppression. Group 3: species differences may affect both exertion of dominance and reaction to suppression. Group 4: individual plants may simultaneously exhibit, in different component parts, resource acquisition and morphogenetic plasticity. Group 5: mortality is a time-delayed response to suppression. Development of architectural models when combined with field investigations is identifying research needed to develop a theory of architectural influences on the competition process. These include analyses of the integration of foliage and branch components into whole-plant growth and precise definitions of environmental control of morphogenetic plasticity and its interaction with acquisition of carbon for plant growth.

The NASA competitive placement plan for positions GS-15 and below (including trades and labor positions)

Science.gov (United States)

1993-01-01

This plan provides the framework for selection based on merit from among the best qualified candidates available. Selections will be made without regard to political, religious, or labor organization affiliation or nonaffiliation, marital status, race, color, sex, national origin, nondisqualifying disability, or age. This plan does not guarantee promotion but rather ensures that all qualified available candidates receive fair and equitable consideration for positions filled under these competitive procedures. Announcing a vacancy under this plan is only one method of locating applicants for a position and can be used in conjunction with other methods. Subject to applicable law and regulation, selection of an individual to fill a position is the decision of management, as is the decision as to the method(s) to be used in identifying candidates. This plan is applicable to all NASA Installations. It covers all positions in the competitive service at (and below) the GS/GM-15 level (including all trades and labor positions), except positions in the Office of the Inspector General. The requirements herein are not intended to, nor should they be construed to limit in any way, the independent personnel authority of the Inspector General under the Inspector General Act, as Amended.

48 CFR 207.401 - Acquisition considerations.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ACQUISITION PLANNING ACQUISITION PLANNING Equipment Lease or Purchase 207.401... prepare and provide the contracting officer with the justification supporting the decision to lease or purchase. ...

Electric Motors Maintenance Planning From Its Operating Variables

Science.gov (United States)

Rodrigues, Francisco; Fonseca, Inácio; Farinha, José Torres; Ferreira, Luís; Galar, Diego

2017-09-01

The maintenance planning corresponds to an approach that seeks to maximize the availability of equipment and, consequently, increase the levels of competitiveness of companies by increasing production times. This paper presents a maintenance planning based on operating variables (number of hours worked, duty cycles, number of revolutions) to maximizing the availability of operation of electrical motors. The reading of the operating variables and its sampling is done based on predetermined sampling cycles and subsequently is made the data analysis through time series algorithms aiming to launch work orders before reaching the variables limit values. This approach is supported by tools and technologies such as logical applications that enable a graphical user interface for access to relevant information about their Physical Asset HMI (Human Machine Interface), including the control and supervision by acquisition through SCADA (Supervisory Control And data acquisition) data, also including the communication protocols among different logical applications.

48 CFR 1313.106 - Soliciting competition, evaluation of quotations or offers, award and documentation.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Soliciting competition, evaluation of quotations or offers, award and documentation. 1313.106 Section 1313.106 Federal Acquisition... PROCEDURES Procedures 1313.106 Soliciting competition, evaluation of quotations or offers, award and...

48 CFR 52.216-30 - Time-and-Materials/Labor-Hour Proposal Requirements-Non-Commercial Item Acquisition without...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

...-Hour Proposal Requirements-Non-Commercial Item Acquisition without Adequate Price Competition. 52.216... Price Competition. As prescribed in 16.601(e)(2), insert the following provision: Time-and-Materials/Labor-Hour Proposal Requirements—Non-Commercial Item Acquisition Without Adequate Price Competition (FEB...

Project Delivery Acquisition and Contracting Plan for the Tank Farm Contractor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MERCADO, L.C.

2000-01-01

This document is a plan presenting the process, strategies and approaches for vendor contracting by the Tank Farm Contractor. The plan focuses on contracting structures, practices, methods, and desired approaches in contracting. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of River Protection (ORP) has contracted with the CH2M HILL Hanford Group, Inc. (CHG), as the Tank Farm Contractor (TFC), to support vitrification of Hanford Site tank waste by the Privatization Contractor. During Waste Feed Delivery Phase 1, waste will be retrieved from certain double-shell tanks and delivered to the Privatization Contractor to meet contract feed delivery requirements. Near-term project goals include upgrading infrastructure systems; retrieving and delivering the waste; and accepting the waste packages for interim onsite storage and disposal. Project Delivery includes individual projects assigned to provide the infrastructure and systems responsible to provide engineering, design, procurement, installation/construction, and testing/turnover of systems for retrieval of waste from Hanford double-shell tanks. This plan sets the requirements for projects work scope, contracting practices, structures, methods, and performance measurements. The plan is designed to integrate Life-Cycle Projects acquisitions and provide a consistent contracting approach. This effort will serve as a step improvement in contract reform implementing commercial practices into DOE projects

Mergers, Acquisitions and Export Competitiveness: Experience of Indian Manufacturing Sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mishra Pulak

2012-03-01

Full Text Available In the context of economic reforms in general and subsequent wave of M&A in particular, this paper attempts to examine the impact of M&A on the export competitiveness of firms in the Indian manufacturing sector. By using a panel dataset of 33 industries from the period of 2000-01 to 2007-08, it is found that, the wave of M&A has enhanced the export competitiveness of firms. The industries with larger number of M&A have greater penetration in the international market. The other factors that have significantly contributed to export competitiveness include the presence of MNCs and import of foreign technology. Export competiveness is higher in the industries that have larger presence of MNCs and greater foreign technology purchase intensity. On the other hand, industries with higher capital intensity or greater selling efforts by firms have limited penetration in the international market. However, this paper did not find any significant influence of market concentration, competition from imports, in-house efforts, or profitability on export competitiveness of firms. Therefore, the findings from this paper have important policy implications in relation to the regulation of M&A and entry of MNCs as well as the import of capital goods.

48 CFR 252.216-7002 - Alternate A, Time-and-Materials/Labor-Hour Proposal Requirements-Non-Commercial Item Acquisition...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

...-Materials/Labor-Hour Proposal Requirements-Non-Commercial Item Acquisition With Adequate Price Competition... Requirements—Non-Commercial Item Acquisition With Adequate Price Competition. As prescribed in 216.601(e...-and-Materials/Labor-Hour Proposal Requirements—Non-Commercial Item Acquisition With Adequate Price...

Exploring an Age Difference in Preschool Children's Competitiveness Following a Competition.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Yu; Zhu, Yi

2018-01-01

Literature suggests that resource acquisition compels competition in young children. However, little is still known about the development of preschool children's competitiveness. In this preliminary study, 166 children (aged 2-4 and 5-6 years) engaged in a dyadic competition which resulted in a winning and a losing group (in a control/non-competition group, participants engaged in a similar task which did not lead to winning/losing outcome), and then experimenters tracked their decisions to compete again with a rival (i.e., an individual they interacted in the previous competition task) and a non-rival competitor (i.e., an anonymous classmate they did not interact in the previous competition task) for a reward, respectively. As expected, results showed an age-related decreasing trend in the percentage of choices to compete with a competitor. However, this age difference was only significant in the control group when participants played with the partner with whom they interacted in the previous game and in the losing group when participants competed with a non-rival competitor. This study contributes to our knowledge of how competitiveness develop in preschool childhood, and calls for further research on the roles of motivation and cognitive control in children's competitiveness.

Speed in Acquisitions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Meglio, Olimpia; King, David R.; Risberg, Annette

2017-01-01

The advantage of speed is often invoked by academics and practitioners as an essential condition during post-acquisition integration, frequently without consideration of the impact earlier decisions have on acquisition speed. In this article, we examine the role speed plays in acquisitions across...... the acquisition process using research organized around characteristics that display complexity with respect to acquisition speed. We incorporate existing research with a process perspective of acquisitions in order to present trade-offs, and consider the influence of both stakeholders and the pre......-deal-completion context on acquisition speed, as well as the organization’s capabilities to facilitating that speed. Observed trade-offs suggest both that acquisition speed often requires longer planning time before an acquisition and that associated decisions require managerial judgement. A framework for improving...

Canada’s Tax Competitiveness After a Decade of Reforms: Still an Unfinished Plan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Duanjie Chen

2010-05-01

Full Text Available In the past decade, Canada has undertaken extensive business tax reform, with sharply lower corporate income tax rates, better capital cost allowances, sales tax harmonization, and the virtual elimination of capital tax on non-financial businesses. Further changes are in store by 2012 that will put Canada in the middle of the pack of a broad group of 80 countries. Over the past several years, however, Canada has lost some standing. In 2005, it was the fourth-highest-taxed country, and by 2007 it had improved to thirteenth highest; by 2009, though, it had worsened to tenth highest. Still, in that year, taking into account the reforms that had taken place, Canada’s business tax structure was better than that of the United States. Canada’s tax competitiveness among the Group-of-7 major industrialized countries has also improved, but still lags that of most other members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD. Additional reductions of business taxes by 2013 — particularly sales tax harmonization in Ontario and British Columbia and planned federal and provincial corporate tax rate reductions — will further improve Canada’s business tax competitiveness, crucially with respect to the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India, and China. Yet federal opposition parties are urging an end to further planned reductions of federal and provincial corporate income tax rates. Such a move would be seriously misguided. Not only would it put Canada’s tax competitiveness at a disadvantage among OECD countries, impairing productivity; it would also harm government revenues as businesses shifted their profits out of high-tax jurisdictions and into lower-tax one abroad.

48 CFR 52.216-29 - Time-and-Materials/Labor-Hour Proposal Requirements-Non-Commercial Item Acquisition With Adequate...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

...-Hour Proposal Requirements-Non-Commercial Item Acquisition With Adequate Price Competition. 52.216-29... Proposal Requirements—Non-Commercial Item Acquisition With Adequate Price Competition (FEB 2007) (a) The... Time-and-Materials/Labor-Hour Proposal Requirements—Non-Commercial Item Acquisition With Adequate Price...

Crowdsourcing as a Tool for Knowledge Acquisition in Spatial Planning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chrysaida-Aliki Papadopoulou

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The term “crowdsourcing” was initially introduced by Howe in his article “The Rise of Crowdsourcing” [1]. During the last few years, crowdsourcing has become popular among companies, institutions and universities, as a crowd-centered modern “tool” for problem solving. Crowdsourcing is mainly based on the idea of an open-call publication of a problem, requesting the response of the crowd for reaching the most appropriate solution. The focus of this paper is on the role of crowdsourcing in knowledge acquisition for planning applications. The first part provides an introduction to the origins of crowdsourcing in knowledge generation. The second part elaborates on the concept of crowdsourcing, while some indicative platforms supporting the development of crowdsourcing applications are also described. The third part focuses on the integration of crowdsourcing with certain web technologies and GIS (Geographic Information Systems, for spatial planning applications, while in the fourth part, a general framework of the rationale behind crowdsourcing applications is presented. Finally, the fifth part focuses on a range of case studies that adopted several crowdsourcing techniques.

ELECTRIC MOTORS MAINTENANCE PLANNING FROM ITS OPERATING VARIABLES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco RODRIGUES

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The maintenance planning corresponds to an approach that seeks to maximize the availability of equipment and, conse-quently, increase the levels of competitiveness of companies by increasing production times. This paper presents a maintenance planning based on operating variables (number of hours worked, duty cycles, number of revolutions to maximizing the availability of operation of electrical motors. The reading of the operating variables and its sampling is done based on predetermined sampling cycles and subsequently is made the data analysis through time series algo-rithms aiming to launch work orders before reaching the variables limit values. This approach is supported by tools and technologies such as logical applications that enable a graphical user interface for access to relevant information about their Physical Asset HMI (Human Machine Interface, including the control and supervision by acquisition through SCADA (Supervisory Control And data acquisition data, also including the communication protocols among different logical applications.

The problems of assessing the value of mergers and acquisitions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Borovikov A.D.

2017-04-01

Full Text Available the article discusses some questions concerning mergers and acquisitions of companies. The essential foundation of any mergers and acquisitions is always the competitive environment, more precisely, its constant changes.

Participation acquisitions at and between redistributors; Beteiligungserwerbe an und zwischen kommunalen Weiterverteilern

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Klaue, S. [Freie Univ. Berlin (Germany). Inst. fuer Publizistik- und Kommunikationswissenschaften

2007-10-15

In the contribution under consideration the author reports on participation acquisitions at and between redistributors. The imperfect treatment of the acquisition of minority participations at public utilities by cartel authorities and courts did not bring satisfying results for the structure to the power economy. The preconditions for more competition became worse due to the changes in the structure of power economy which were not prevented by the cartel authorities. The competitive order loses at clarity, if the previous practice of the cartel authorities is continued. It is undecided whether the development of a dominating market system by a multiplicity of minority acquisitions can be described as an improper use of a market dominating position according to paragraph 19 of the law against restraints of competition.

Exploring an Age Difference in Preschool Children’s Competitiveness Following a Competition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Hu

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Literature suggests that resource acquisition compels competition in young children. However, little is still known about the development of preschool children’s competitiveness. In this preliminary study, 166 children (aged 2–4 and 5–6 years engaged in a dyadic competition which resulted in a winning and a losing group (in a control/non-competition group, participants engaged in a similar task which did not lead to winning/losing outcome, and then experimenters tracked their decisions to compete again with a rival (i.e., an individual they interacted in the previous competition task and a non-rival competitor (i.e., an anonymous classmate they did not interact in the previous competition task for a reward, respectively. As expected, results showed an age-related decreasing trend in the percentage of choices to compete with a competitor. However, this age difference was only significant in the control group when participants played with the partner with whom they interacted in the previous game and in the losing group when participants competed with a non-rival competitor. This study contributes to our knowledge of how competitiveness develop in preschool childhood, and calls for further research on the roles of motivation and cognitive control in children’s competitiveness.

Exploring an Age Difference in Preschool Children’s Competitiveness Following a Competition

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Yu; Zhu, Yi

2018-01-01

Literature suggests that resource acquisition compels competition in young children. However, little is still known about the development of preschool children’s competitiveness. In this preliminary study, 166 children (aged 2–4 and 5–6 years) engaged in a dyadic competition which resulted in a winning and a losing group (in a control/non-competition group, participants engaged in a similar task which did not lead to winning/losing outcome), and then experimenters tracked their decisions to compete again with a rival (i.e., an individual they interacted in the previous competition task) and a non-rival competitor (i.e., an anonymous classmate they did not interact in the previous competition task) for a reward, respectively. As expected, results showed an age-related decreasing trend in the percentage of choices to compete with a competitor. However, this age difference was only significant in the control group when participants played with the partner with whom they interacted in the previous game and in the losing group when participants competed with a non-rival competitor. This study contributes to our knowledge of how competitiveness develop in preschool childhood, and calls for further research on the roles of motivation and cognitive control in children’s competitiveness. PMID:29593610

Improving Strategic Planning and Implementation in Universities through Competitive Intelligence Tools: A Means to Gaining Relevance

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Stephanie; White, Rebecca J.

2005-01-01

Institutions of higher education can use competitive intelligence (CI) techniques to become more relevant to their communities. In Stepping Forward as Stewards of Place the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) provides a model for public engagement that emphasizes internal strategic planning, implementation, and…

Does competition improve health care quality?

Science.gov (United States)

Scanlon, Dennis P; Swaminathan, Shailender; Lee, Woolton; Chernew, Michael

2008-12-01

To identify the effect of competition on health maintenance organizations' (HMOs) quality measures. Longitudinal analysis of a 5-year panel of the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) and Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Survey(R) (CAHPS) data (calendar years 1998-2002). All plans submitting data to the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) were included regardless of their decision to allow NCQA to disclose their results publicly. NCQA, Interstudy, the Area Resource File, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Fixed-effects models were estimated that relate HMO competition to HMO quality controlling for an unmeasured, time-invariant plan, and market traits. Results are compared with estimates from models reliant on cross-sectional variation. Estimates suggest that plan quality does not improve with increased levels of HMO competition (as measured by either the Herfindahl index or the number of HMOs). Similarly, increased HMO penetration is generally not associated with improved quality. Cross-sectional models tend to suggest an inverse relationship between competition and quality. The strategies that promote competition among HMOs in the current market setting may not lead to improved HMO quality. It is possible that price competition dominates, with purchasers and consumers preferring lower premiums at the expense of improved quality, as measured by HEDIS and CAHPS. It is also possible that the fragmentation associated with competition hinders quality improvement.

Sustainability and Competitiveness in Australian Cities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard Hu

2015-02-01

Full Text Available This study injects sustainability into competitiveness to inform policy making and planning for contemporary urban development. This is built upon the recent advancement in the scholarship on urban competitiveness that demonstrates a clear deviation from an economic-centric approach to incorporate multiple dimensions of a city’s progress. This study has an explicit concern for environmental sustainability and its relationship with urban competitiveness and their conceptual and methodological articulations. Empirically, this study measures the sustainability and competitiveness in Australian cities and reveals that Australia’s urban progress is clearly associated with an environmental cost. The findings are useful to inform policy making and planning for building sustainable and competitive cities. Apart from the conventional solutions that focus on urban form change and transport infrastructure improvement, this study suggests a need to explore the opportunities deriving from the emerging smart city planning and practice.

Competition for cores in remanufacturing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bulmus, Serra Caner; Zhu, Stuart X.; Teunter, Ruud

2014-01-01

We study competition between an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and an independently operating remanufacturer (IO). Different from the existing literature, the OEM and IO compete not only for selling their products but also for collecting returned products (cores) through their acquisition

ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS IN CORPORATE INTEGRATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucia P. BLĂJUȚ

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This paper highlights the role of international mergers and acquisitions in corporate integration. The factors that stimulate mergers and acquisitions activities bring real changes in the world economy. Mergers and acquisitions are a form of expansion: mergers can take place either as a statutory merger or consolidation and minority, majority or full acquisitions dominate the international market. It is very important to not confuse the meaning of the two terms. Multinational companies are forced by the competitive environment to adopt new strategies to penetrate a particular market and decrease the position of competition on global market or to counteract competitor action on the other market. Cross-border M and A is functionally classified in horizontal, vertical, concentric and conglomerate. The balance between these types of M and A has been changing over time and the distinction among these four categories is not always clear-cut.

Competition in the health system: good news and bad news.

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, R H

1996-01-01

Competition among health plans, hospitals, and physicians has taken place in fifteen health care markets primarily on the basis of price and secondarily on network breadth and style of care. In most markets, competition resulted in lower (or slowly growing) premium prices. Within a type of plan product, competition was leading to similar prices and networks and was reducing product differentiation among health plans. Competition was not taking place on the basis of measured and reported quality of care, which limited the capacity of employers and enrollees to make informed health plan choices. As a result, there was a substantial gap between competition as envisioned by the architects of the managed competition model and competition as it is evolving today.

Marketing Plan for the Helsinki Cocktail Competition 2017

OpenAIRE

Järvinen, Sonja

2017-01-01

The Helsinki Cocktail Competition (HCC) is an event in search of a signature cocktail for the city of Helsinki. It was first organized in 2016 by the creative bartending agency the Son of a Punch. The objective is to organize the event on an annual basis. The HCC is a collaboration between the bars, bartenders and Finland’s major alcohol importers, that operate as the sponsors of the competition. The competition invites all the best cocktail bars of the capital to create a cocktail, that...

Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge 2014

OpenAIRE

2014-01-01

Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge 2014, which is produced under the Action Plan for Jobs 2014, outlines the National Competitiveness Council’s view of the main competitiveness issues confronting the business sector in Ireland over the medium term, and sets out a series of policy responses required to address these challenges. Building on their earlier benchmarking of Irish competitiveness, the Council focus on six major themes in the 2014 report: addressing cost competitiveness; broadening ...

Cooperation in energy acquisition; Kooperation in der Energiebeschaffung

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahnis, Erik; Holzinger, Sebastian [Becker Buettner Held, Berlin (Germany)

2011-09-15

Increasing competition in the power industry has brought many utilities to reconsider their competitive standing. Long-term cooperations in electricity and gas acquisition are getting more important against this background as they will reduce the administrative expenditure, help develop new sources, and give more weight in business negotiations. Increasingly, cooperations are entered across national borders.

STRATEGIC ALLIANCE AND STRATEGIC PLANNING EFFECT TO COMPANY PERFORMANCE IN CREATING COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE (STUDY CASE AT INDOFOOD CBP SUKSES MAKMUR COMPANY - FOOD SEASONING DIVISION )

OpenAIRE

Ardiyanto, Yan

2016-01-01

This research head for analyze the effect of inter variable to answered set problems how is strategic alliance and strategic planning to improve company performance for create competitive advantage. This research gives theoritic and managerial implication concern pace which have to take by PT. Indofood CBP Sukses Makmur Food Seasoning Division to improve their company performance for create competitive advantage which got from product strategic alliance and strategic planning. Population in t...

Making Acquisition Measurable

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-30

Corporation. All rights reserved End Users Administrator/ Maintainer (A/M) Subject Matter Expert ( SME ) Trainer/ Instructor Manager, Evaluator, Supervisor... CMMI ) - Acquisition (AQ) © 2011 The MITRE Corporation. All rights reserved 13 CMMI -Development Incremental iterative development (planning & execution...objectives Constructing games highlighting particular aspects of proposed CCOD® acquisition, and conducting exercises with Subject Matter Experts ( SMEs

Mergers and Acquisitions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Risberg, Annette

Introduction to the study of mergers and acquisitions. This book provides an understanding of the mergers and acquisitions process, how and why they occur, and also the broader implications for organizations. It presents issues including motives and planning, partner selection, integration......, employee experiences and communication. Mergers and acquisitions remain one of the most common forms of growth, yet they present considerable challenges for the companies and management involved. The effects on stakeholders, including shareholders, managers and employees, must be considered as well...... by editorial commentaries and reflects the important organizational and behavioural aspects which have often been ignored in the past. By providing this in-depth understanding of the mergers and acquisitions process, the reader understands not only how and why mergers and acquisitions occur, but also...

Large-scale demonstration test plan for digface data acquisition system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roybal, L.G.; Svoboda, J.M.

1994-11-01

Digface characterization promotes the use of online site characterization and monitoring during waste retrieval efforts, a need that arises from safety and efficiency considerations during the cleanup of a complex waste site. Information concerning conditions at the active digface can be used by operators as a basis for adjusting retrieval activities to reduce safety risks and to promote an efficient transition between retrieval and downstream operations. Most importantly, workers are given advance warning of upcoming dangerous conditions. In addition, detailed knowledge of digface conditions provides a basis for selecting tools and methods that avoid contamination spread and work stoppages. In FY-94, work began in support of a largescale demonstration coordinating the various facets of a prototype digface remediation operation including characterization, contaminant suppression, and cold waste retrieval. This test plan describes the activities that will be performed during the winter of FY-95 that are necessary to assess the performance of the data acquisition and display system in its initial integration with hardware developed in the Cooperative Telerobotic Retrieval (CTR) program. The six specific objectives of the test are determining system electrical noise, establishing a dynamic background signature of the gantry crane and associated equipment, determining the resolution of the overall system by scanning over known objects, reporting the general functionality of the overall data acquisition system, evaluating the laser topographic functionality, and monitoring the temperature control features of the electronic package

Continuous table acquisition MRI for radiotherapy treatment planning: Distortion assessment with a new extended 3D volumetric phantom

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Walker, Amy, E-mail: aw554@uowmail.edu.au; Metcalfe, Peter [Centre for Medical Radiation Physics, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia and Liverpool and Macarthur Cancer Therapy Centres and Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW 2170 (Australia); Liney, Gary [Centre for Medical Radiation Physics, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 (Australia); Liverpool and Macarthur Cancer Therapy Centres and Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW 2170 (Australia); South West Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2170 (Australia); Holloway, Lois [Centre for Medical Radiation Physics, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522 (Australia); Liverpool and Macarthur Cancer Therapy Centres and Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool, NSW 2170 (Australia); South West Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2170 (Australia); Institute of Medical Physics, School of Physics, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006 (Australia); Dowling, Jason; Rivest-Henault, David [Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian E-Health Research Centre, Herston, QLD 4029 (Australia)

2015-04-15

Purpose: Accurate geometry is required for radiotherapy treatment planning (RTP). When considering the use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for RTP, geometric distortions observed in the acquired images should be considered. While scanner technology and vendor supplied correction algorithms provide some correction, large distortions are still present in images, even when considering considerably smaller scan lengths than those typically acquired with CT in conventional RTP. This study investigates MRI acquisition with a moving table compared with static scans for potential geometric benefits for RTP. Methods: A full field of view (FOV) phantom (diameter 500 mm; length 513 mm) was developed for measuring geometric distortions in MR images over volumes pertinent to RTP. The phantom consisted of layers of refined plastic within which vitamin E capsules were inserted. The phantom was scanned on CT to provide the geometric gold standard and on MRI, with differences in capsule location determining the distortion. MRI images were acquired with two techniques. For the first method, standard static table acquisitions were considered. Both 2D and 3D acquisition techniques were investigated. With the second technique, images were acquired with a moving table. The same sequence was acquired with a static table and then with table speeds of 1.1 mm/s and 2 mm/s. All of the MR images acquired were registered to the CT dataset using a deformable B-spline registration with the resulting deformation fields providing the distortion information for each acquisition. Results: MR images acquired with the moving table enabled imaging of the whole phantom length while images acquired with a static table were only able to image 50%–70% of the phantom length of 513 mm. Maximum distortion values were reduced across a larger volume when imaging with a moving table. Increased table speed resulted in a larger contribution of distortion from gradient nonlinearities in the through

32 CFR 644.7 - Acquisition lines.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... HANDBOOK Project Planning Civil Works § 644.7 Acquisition lines. (a) Tentative acquisition lines. As..., in accordance with sound real estate practices. Accordingly, fringe tracts will not be acquired until...

Building the competitive intelligence knowledge: processes and activities in a corporate organisation

OpenAIRE

Sreenivasulu, V.

1999-01-01

This paper discusses the process of building and developing comprehensive tools, techniques, support systems, and better methods of harnessing the competitive intelligence knowledge processes. The author stresses the need for building sophisticated methodological competitive intelligence knowledge acquisition, systematic collection of competitive intelligence knowledge from various sources for critical analysis, process, organization, synthesis, assessment, screening, filtering and interpreta...

Procurement of Systems Acquisition and Support Services Software

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Gimble, Thomas

1995-01-01

The objectives of the audit were to determine whether DIA's contract for software acquisition support was awarded through full and open competition and whether the contract provides the best overall...

48 CFR 47.202 - Presolicitation planning.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Presolicitation planning. 47.202 Section 47.202 Federal Acquisition Regulations System FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION CONTRACT... Presolicitation planning. Contracting officers shall inform activities that plan to acquire transportation or...

48 CFR 207.171-3 - Policy.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Policy. 207.171-3 Section... DEFENSE ACQUISITION PLANNING ACQUISITION PLANNING Acquisition Plans 207.171-3 Policy. DoD policy is to... it is anticipated that a prime contract will be awarded without adequate price competition, and the...

Grid planning in a competitive environment; La planificacion de la red de transporte electrico en un entorno competitivo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Quinto, J. de

2007-07-01

One principle that the electricity sector must fulfil is to simultaneously guarantee generation free entrance, new and old demand supply and a harmonic network development. This development is contained in the grid planning, a process assumed by a neutral institution apart from the grid or the interests of the market agents: In the case of Spain the ministry. The development of such planning, the investment to be built, are limited by the physical network and formal structure and by how the retribution is designed. In this article there is an evaluation of the problems related to develop the network planning in a competitive environment and also some proposals are suggested. (Author)

Workforce Competitiveness Collection. "LINCS" Resource Collection News

Science.gov (United States)

Literacy Information and Communication System, 2011

2011-01-01

This edition of "'LINCS' Resource Collection News" features the Workforce Competitiveness Collection, covering the topics of workforce education, English language acquisition, and technology. Each month Collections News features one of the three "LINCS" (Literacy Information and Communication System) Resource Collections--Basic…

13 CFR 313.8 - Competitive process.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 13 Business Credit and Assistance 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Competitive process. 313.8 Section... § 313.8 Competitive process. (a) Applications for assistance to develop a Strategic Plan or for an implementation grant shall be reviewed by EDA in accord with a competitive process as set forth in the applicable...

COMPETITIVENESS OF DEFENSE INDUSTRY IN TURKEY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hakki BILGEN

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Turkey has created some opportunities for the organisations in the defense industry to generate a suitable business and to ensure its sustainability. The domestic coverage ratio of defense system need in 2010 is aimed as 50%. To achieve this target depends on the defense industry competitiveness. In this study, the development plans, strategies and foreign trade are examined. Its contribution which has an important place in the research and development investment, is not at the level expected in Turkey’s economy. Turkey occupies 47th position in World Competitiveness Scoreboard, and 61st position in Global Competitiveness Index in 2009. The index factors are investigated to understand the competitiveness according to the Porter’s diamond model, applied in Turkey for the first time. As a result, the competitiveness analysis of Turkish defense industry is carried out and its global place and competitive advantage are exposed. Therefore, a framework is made to introduce a guide for decision-making by using a widely-accepted model, and to contribute to the plans and strategies

48 CFR 7.105 - Contents of written acquisition plans.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

..., business, management, and other significant considerations that will control the acquisition. The specific... conditions affecting the acquisition, such as (i) requirements for compatibility with existing or future... appropriate, discuss the cost model used to develop life-cycle-cost estimates. (ii) Design-to-cost. Describe...

75 FR 82567 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Repeal of the Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-30

... Competitiveness Demonstration Program AGENCY: Department of Defense (DoD), General Services Administration (GSA... of the Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program, to meet the requirements of section 1335... (15 U.S.C. 644 note), the Small Business Competitiveness Demonstration Program. In accordance with the...

48 CFR 606.302-6 - National security.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false National security. 606.302... ACQUISITION PLANNING COMPETITION REQUIREMENTS Other Than Full and Open Competition 606.302-6 National security. (b) This subsection applies to all acquisitions involving national security information, regardless...

Sustainable Acquisition Process Improvement for Naval Facilities Engineering Command

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Sanders, Erin

2003-01-01

.... While this guidance is intended to create an open and competitive process to achieve lowest cost or best value, conflicts among traditional acquisition processes and new law requirements are emerging...

Competition for nitrogen between Fagus sylvatica and Acer pseudoplatanus seedlings depends on soil nitrogen availability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiuyuan eLi

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Competition for nitrogen (N, particularly in resource-limited habitats, might be avoided by different N acquisition strategies of plants. In our study, we investigated whether slow-growing European beech and fast-growing sycamore maple seedlings avoid competition for growth-limiting N by different N uptake patterns and the potential alteration by soil N availability in a microcosm experiment. We quantified growth and biomass indices, 15N uptake capacity and N pools in the fine roots. Overall, growth indices, N acquisition and N pools in the fine roots were influenced by species-specific competition depending on soil N availability. With interspecific competition, growth of sycamore maple reduced regardless of soil N supply, whereas beech only showed reduced growth when N was limited. Both species responded to interspecific competition by alteration of N pools in the fine roots; however, sycamore maple showed a stronger response compared to beech for almost all N pools in roots, except for structural N at low soil N availability. Beech generally preferred organic N acquisition while sycamore maple took up more inorganic N. Furthermore, with interspecific competition, beech had an enhanced organic N uptake capacity, while in sycamore maple inorganic N uptake capacity was impaired by the presence of beech. Although sycamore maple could tolerate the suboptimal conditions at the cost of reduced growth, our study indicates its reduced competitive ability for N compared to beech.

Competition in the electric industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, Mel

1998-01-01

Deregulation of the electric power industry is changing the 'personality' of utilities and the way they operate in order to survive in a more competitive marketplace. This paper will identify and discuss key issues NAC International believes will arise as the nuclear industry responds to deregulation. The regulatory treatment of such issues as retail wheeling, recovery of stranded costs, divestiture of assets and securitization will have a significant impact on how utilities, particularly those with nuclear assets, proceed into the new marketplace. While some will survive as a result of innovative thinking, cost control, and entrance into new niche markets, others will be forced to reassess their viability altogether. Increased mergers and acquisitions and early plant closures are potential consequences of these struggles. Meanwhile, innovative companies will develop and enter into new nuclear markets including most notably the acquisition of generating assets. Other key drivers that will significantly impact the competitiveness of nuclear versus other fuels will be the resolution of the nuclear waste issue, the reduction of O and M and decisions regarding whether to make expensive capital additions. Additionally, this paper will present an overview of key regulatory and legislative initiatives impacting electricity. Finally, this paper will examine the roles of regulating bodies such as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and state utility commissions, and will provide an outlook for further legislative and regulatory actions in this competitive environment. (author)

Optimization Model and Algorithm Design for Airline Fleet Planning in a Multiairline Competitive Environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Wang

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a multiobjective mathematical programming model to optimize airline fleet size and structure with consideration of several critical factors severely affecting the fleet planning process. The main purpose of this paper is to reveal how multiairline competitive behaviors impact airline fleet size and structure by enhancing the existing route-based fleet planning model with consideration of the interaction between market share and flight frequency and also by applying the concept of equilibrium optimum to design heuristic algorithm for solving the model. Through case study and comparison, the heuristic algorithm is proved to be effective. By using the algorithm presented in this paper, the fleet operational profit is significantly increased compared with the use of the existing route-based model. Sensitivity analysis suggests that the fleet size and structure are more sensitive to the increase of fare price than to the increase of passenger demand.

COMPETITIVENESS AND COMPETITIVE ORIENTATIONS: EVALUATION OF STUDENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Z. Efimova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. Education of a competitive student is a strategically significant problem of the system of higher education in modern social and economic conditions. Personal competitiveness and competitive orientations – priority quality of future expert for successful future professional experience.The aim of the present research is to study factors of competitive orientations formation and criteria for evaluation of competitiveness of student’s youth in the Russian society.Methodology and research methods. Results of theoretical researches of Russian and foreign researchers are generalized; secondary analysis of data based on results of sociological researches and analysis of official statistical data are carried out. The results of the sociological survey undertaken in 2017 on the basis of statistical methods were processed and studied by the instrumentality of IBM SPSS Statistics 23 program; 1196 students of institutions of higher and secondary vocational education of the Tyumen region took part.Results and scientific novelty. It is stated that senior students feel themselves more competitive. It is revealed that a quarter of students who took part in the survey, generally men, count themselves competitive. A continuous distance of goal-setting is recorded among these respondents; in every third case they have plans of professional growth for five and more years that allows them to build attractive competitive strategy.The level of the competitiveness is directly connected with such indicators as “social stratum”, “overall life satisfaction”, “self-esteem of health”, “tendency to lead a healthy lifestyle” and “the level of trust in the surrounding people”. Mostly the students oriented on competition look into the future with confidence and optimism.Respondents focused on the competitiveness were more tend to demonstrate their abilities and cause admiration, have a creative approach towards work, be ready for surprises

Acquisition Pricing and Inventory Decisions on Dual-Source Spare-Part System with Final Production and Remanufacturing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yancong Zhou

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The life spans of durable goods are longer than their warranty periods. To satisfy the service demand of spare parts and keep the market competition advantage, enterprises have to maintain the longer inventory planning of spare parts. However, how to obtain a valid number of spare parts is difficult for those enterprises. In this paper, we consider a spare-part inventory problem, where the inventory can be replenished by two ways including the final production order and the remanufacturing way. Especially for the remanufacturing way, we consider the acquisition management problem of used products concerning an acquisition pricing decision. In a multiperiod setting, we formulate the problem into a dynamic optimization problem, where the system decisions include the final production order and acquisition price of used products at each period. By stochastic dynamic programming, we obtain the optimal policy of the acquisition pricing at each period and give the optimal policy structure of the optimization problem at the first period. Then, a recursion algorithm is designed to calculate the optimal decisions and the critical points in the policy. Finally, the numerical analyses show the effects of demand information and customer’s sensitive degree on the related decisions and the optimal cost.

Planning the amount of construction work by modelling the industry competitive field

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Panteleeva Margarita

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The article gives the author’s interpretation of concepts such as the model of competitive field and competitive market conditions in the field, and shows how to quantify the competitive field provided adequate statistical base for the operation of enterprises in market competition. The authors offer a competitively construction company with a model of the competitive field, which gives the following definition: a model of a competitive field is a graph crossing function of the life cycle of concrete products construction companies. However, the model cannot afford to manage the process, it only helps to visualize the situation. To control you need to select a specific element of the model, which can be quantified. The authors make it through the competitive field, which is defined as a closed path created by the intersection of functions depending on the market price of the construction product by product positioning in the market of the time. For a quantitative analysis of the competitive field size must use the main economic-mathematical methods and types of statistical analysis of competition.

Animal spirits, competitive markets, and endogenous growth

Science.gov (United States)

Miyazaki, Kenji

2013-10-01

This paper uses a simple model with an endogenous discount rate and linear technology to investigate whether a competitive equilibrium has a higher balanced growth path (BGP) than the social planning solution and whether the BGP is determinate or indeterminate. The implications are as follows. To start with, people with an instinct to compare themselves with others possess an endogenous discount rate. In turn, this instinct affects the economic growth rate in a competitive market economy. The competitive market economy also sometimes achieves higher economic growth than a social planning economy. However, the outcomes of market economy occasionally fluctuate because of the presence of the self-fulfilling prophecy or animal spirits.

Competitive intelligence in UK firms: A typology.

OpenAIRE

Wright, Sheila; Pickton, David W.; Callow, Joanne

2002-01-01

There is a danger of allowing competitive analysis to receive less than adequate attention in the marketing planning process as it is subordinated to a customer driven focus. Clearly important though customers are, they should not dominate marketing strategy and planning to the exclusion of other influential groups, one of these being competitors. With this in mind, a pilot research project was undertaken to gain a better understanding of how UK companies conduct competitive intelligence. ...

Merger mania: mergers and acquisitions in the generic drug sector from 1995 to 2016.

Science.gov (United States)

Gagnon, Marc-André; Volesky, Karena D

2017-08-22

Drug shortages and increasing generic drug prices are associated with low levels of competition. Mergers and acquisitions impact the level of competition. Record merger and acquisition activity was reported for the pharmaceutical sector in 2014/15, yet information on mergers and acquisitions in the generic drug sector are absent from the literature. This information is necessary to understand if and how such mergers and acquisitions can be a factor in drug shortages and increasing prices. Data on completed merger and acquisition deals that had a generic drug company being taken over (i.e. 'target') were extracted from Bloomberg Finance L.P. The number and announced value of deals are presented globally, for the United States, and globally excluding the United States annually from 1995 to 2016 in United States dollars. Generic drug companies comprised 9.3% of the value of all deals with pharmaceutical targets occurring from 1995 to 2016. Globally, in 1995 there were no deals, in 2014 there were 22 deals worth $1.86 billion, in 2015 there were 34 deals totalling $33.56 billion, and in 2016 there were 42 deals worth in excess of $44 billion. This substantial increase was partially attributed to Teva's 2016 acquisition of Allergan's generic drug business. The surge in mergers and acquisitions for 2015/16 was driven by deals in the United States, where they represented 89.7% of the dollar value of deals in those years. The recent blitz in mergers and acquisitions signals that the generic drug industry is undergoing a transformation, especially in the United States. This restructuring can negatively affect the level of competition that might impact prices and shortages for some products, emphasizing the importance of updating regulations and procurement policies.

Small and medium-sized firms top management teams’ decision making in global acquisitions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timothy Kiessling

2009-07-01

Full Text Available The new global marketplace has caused changes in some organizations’/industries’ forms and execution of strategy and reliance on international personnel. Entry and success through the accumulation of knowledge in the global marketplace have become the impetus for sustainable competitive/developmental advantage for many corporations. Many organizations choose a strategy focusing on international acquisitions in foreign markets to compete effectively in the current ever-changing dynamic competitive landscape. After acquisition, the monitoring of the operations of the new international subsidiary by US firms typically is an ethnocentric example of applying home-country standards and controls. We suggest that the top management team (TMT of a firm is a valuable resource, needs to be retained and that ethnocentric monitoring must be reconsidered. This research focuses on the TMT and their value to the firm to help explain the variation in acquisition success. Thus post-acquisition integration and monitoring must account for this valuable asset.

Analysis of the JSF Engine Competition

Science.gov (United States)

2012-09-01

development and planned production relative to the F136, the differences were not significant enough to saddle the F136 with a competitive disadvantage ... disadvantage of the F136 at the first competitive lot to be smaller than those calculated for earlier successful competition programs. Once we...SDD contracts by evaluating F135 and F136 schedule projections  Focused on Initial Flight Release ( IFR ) and Initial Service Release (ISR

48 CFR 7.402 - Acquisition methods.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... ACQUISITION PLANNING Equipment Lease or Purchase 7.402 Acquisition methods. (a) Purchase method. (1) Generally, the purchase method is appropriate if the equipment will be used beyond the point in time when cumulative leasing costs exceed the purchase costs. (2) Agencies should not rule out the purchase method of...

The interventional radiology business plan.

Science.gov (United States)

Beheshti, Michael V; Meek, Mary E; Kaufman, John A

2012-09-01

Strategic planning and business planning are processes commonly employed by organizations that exist in competitive environments. Although it is difficult to prove a causal relationship between formal strategic/business planning and positive organizational performance, there is broad agreement that formal strategic and business plans are components of successful organizations. The various elements of strategic plans and business plans are not common in the vernacular of practicing physicians. As health care becomes more competitive, familiarity with these tools may grow in importance. Herein we provide an overview of formal strategic and business planning, and offer a roadmap for an interventional radiology-specific plan that may be useful for organizations confronting competitive and financial threats. Copyright © 2012 SIR. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

War games: using MRP (material requirements planning) audits to pinpoint problems and keep the competitive edge.

Science.gov (United States)

Porter, S H; Yocus, T E

1994-05-01

In today's world, it is a challenge just to stay in business, let alone remain competitive in a specific industry. We will show you how to pinpoint MRP II problems and attack them through self-assessment audits. You will discover the secrets of breaking down barriers between Master Schedulers, Material Planners, Production Control Planners, and the Manufacturing Line. Self-assessment audits are one way to take care of your planning functions before outside auditors take care of them for you.

Procedure for image acquisition and dose planning of prostate cancer with 3D-CRT in the MIRS 3.0

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez Velasquez, Reytel; Alvarez Zaldivar, Junior; Gonzalez Lopez, Nadia

2009-01-01

For over 30 years in the department of Radiotherapy of the Lenin Hospital has been making conventional radiotherapy. In the present work is presented the procedure for dosimetric planning of patients with prostate cancer with 3D-CRT in the MIRS RTPS 3.0. The work ranges from image acquisition in the TAC, its including quality control, the definition of organs at risk by medical radiation therapists to the data to be transferred to the treatment machine. With this procedure has been possible to establish guidelines for planning 3D-CRT treatments for other locations. (author)

Planning competitiveness on the energy sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hennicke, P.

1991-01-01

The book reviews the concept of least cost planning which can be applied in all stages of energy management. It is a system-analytical concept of planning, cost optimisation, and application of investment alternatives in energy supply and energy conversion. In particular, the authors discuss inhowfar the positive results achieved in the USA with cost saving programmes based on least-cost planning can be applied to the situation of the Federal Republic of Germany. It is shown that least-cost planning could make a key contribution to operations scheduling of public utilities, in the establishment and implementation of local and regional energy concepts, and especially in the theory and practice of state supervision of the energy sector. The 14 contributions can be found as separate records in this database. (orig./HP) With 31 figs [de

Plant Size and Competitive Dynamics along Nutrient Gradients.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldberg, Deborah E; Martina, Jason P; Elgersma, Kenneth J; Currie, William S

2017-08-01

Resource competition theory in plants has focused largely on resource acquisition traits that are independent of size, such as traits of individual leaves or roots or proportional allocation to different functions. However, plants also differ in maximum potential size, which could outweigh differences in module-level traits. We used a community ecosystem model called mondrian to investigate whether larger size inevitably increases competitive ability and how size interacts with nitrogen supply. Contrary to the conventional wisdom that bigger is better, we found that invader success and competitive ability are unimodal functions of maximum potential size, such that plants that are too large (or too small) are disproportionately suppressed by competition. Optimal size increases with nitrogen supply, even when plants compete for nitrogen only in a size-symmetric manner, although adding size-asymmetric competition for light does substantially increase the advantage of larger size at high nitrogen. These complex interactions of plant size and nitrogen supply lead to strong nonlinearities such that small differences in nitrogen can result in large differences in plant invasion success and the influence of competition along productivity gradients.

Validating Acquisition IS Integration Readiness with Drills

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wynne, Peter J.

2017-01-01

To companies, mergers and acquisitions are important strategic tools, yet they often fail to deliver their expected value. Studies have shown the integration of information systems is a significant roadblock to the realisation of acquisition benefits, and for an IT department to be ready......), to understand how an IT department can use them to validate their integration plans. The paper presents a case study of two drills used to validate an IT department’s readiness to carry out acquisition IS integration, and suggests seven acquisition IS integration drill characteristics others could utilise when...

Using Sustainable Development as a Competitive Strategy

Science.gov (United States)

Spearman, Pat

Sustainable development reduces construction waste by 43%, generating 50% cost savings. Residential construction executives lacking adequate knowledge regarding the benefits of sustainable development practices are at a competitive disadvantage. Drawing from the diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore knowledge acquisition within the bounds of sustainable residential construction. The purposive sample size of 11 executive decision makers fulfilled the sample size requirements and enabled the extraction of meaningful data. Participants were members of the National Home Builders Association and had experience of a minimum of 5 years in residential construction. The research question addressed how to improve knowledge acquisition relating to the cost benefits of building green homes and increase the adoption rate of sustainable development among residential builders. Data were collected via semistructured telephone interviews, field observation, and document analysis. Transcribed data were validated via respondent validation, coded into 5 initial categories aligned to the focus of the research, then reduced to 3 interlocking themes of environment, competitive advantage, and marketing. Recommendations include developing comprehensive public policies, horizontal and vertical communications networks, and green banks to capitalize sustainable development programs to improve the diffusion of green innovation as a competitive advantage strategy. Business leaders could benefit from this data by integrating sustainable development practices into their business processes. Sustainable development reduces operational costs, increases competitive advantage for builders, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Implications for social change increase energy independence through conservation and developing a legislative policy template for comprehensive energy strategies. A comprehensive energy strategy promotes economic development

Acquisition Management for System of Systems: Requirement Evolution and Acquisition Strategy Planning

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-29

of modern portfolio and control theory . The reformulation allows for possible changes in estimated quantities (e.g., due to market shifts in... Portfolio Theory (MPT). Final Report: NPS award N00244-11-1-0003 5 Extending CEM and Markov: Agent-Based Modeling Approach Research conducted in the...integration and acquisition from a robust portfolio theory standpoint. Robust portfolio management methodologies have been widely used by financial

AN OVERVIEW ON THE DETERMINANTS OF MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS WAVES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vancea Mariana

2012-12-01

Full Text Available This paper concentrates on the presentation of the economic dimension of the mergers and acquisitions from a macroeconomic perspective. Thus, the objective of this paper is to reveal the main drivers of merger and acquisition activity. These operations take place in waves, which enters the context of changing the competition game marked by economic changes, technological evolutions, changes generated by the phenomenon of globalization, and by regulating changes. On the other side, a series of studies in the literature argue the existence of a connection between evaluating the securities and the merger and acquisition activity. This research is based on a systematic, logical and comparative analysis of scientific literature regarding the macroeconomic determinants of mergers and acquisitions.

Competitive Strategy in Continuing Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Baden, Clifford

1987-01-01

Reviews strategic variables available to those planning continuing education marketing programs. Discusses generic competitive strategies: (1) overall cost leadership, (2) differentiation, and (3) specialization. Mentions several potential problems. (CH)

The importance of partnerships, mergers and acquisitions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trabandt, C.A. [Merrill Lynch, New York, NY (United States)

1998-09-01

An overview of the electric utility industry was presented. The main factors driving mergers and acquisitions in the industry were identified as being consolidation, disaggregation, convergence and international expansion. To prove the point, statistics from recent merger and acquisition transactions in the U.S. were presented. The importance of disaggregation of the utility business and convergence as the major themes of the electricity and natural gas industries were demonstrated. They are driven by a new competitive marketplace and fewer regulations. The driving forces behind them were explained, buttressing the arguments with recent statistics reflecting an upsurge in convergence transactions. Significant opportunities abroad and recent foreign acquisitions by U. S. utilities were also reviewed. With regard to convergence, it was shown to be occurring in both the generation/wholesale and distribution/retail marketing segment of the electric power industry. 3 figs.

A New capitalism in Brazil? Fusions & acquisitions on Lula government

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Carlos Martines Belieiro Junior

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This paper aims analyze the phenomenon of fusions and acquisitions of companies in Brazil during the government of ex-president Luis Ignacio Lula da Silva, from 2003 to 2010. The adopted point of view is the one of relations between the State an d the economy trying to investigate what the new role of the private capital in the contemporary Brazil. The basic hypothesis that guide this work is to explain the fusions and acquisitions in a broader context of State support to the process of fusions and acquisitions as a new way of global insertion of Brazilian capitalism in a moment of international competitiveness.

Strategic service-line planning. Building competitive advantage.

Science.gov (United States)

Greenspan, Elizabeth; Krentz, Susanna E; O'Neill, Molly K

2003-12-01

Service-line planning requires a healthcare organization to develop a business plan for each of its service lines. Successful service-line planning requires top leadership support, a willingness to allocate resources, the development of support mechanisms, the active support and involvement of physicians, and management commitment and accountability during implementation.

Business Ideas Competition

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

Business Ideas Competition "The Rainbow Seed Fund is a UK fund, which provides finance to support the commercialization of good ideas founded on scientific research; it is for the benefit of the UK industry in particular. To encourage ideas from CERN the Rainbow Seed Fund is running a business ideas competition.The winner of this competition will receive an immediate cash prize of GBP £1,000. In addition the Rainbow Seed Fund may well provide finance for market research, for protection of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and for prototyping to take the idea forward. Further awards of GBP £750 will be made for ideas which gain investment from the Fund.Candidates will only be required to prepare a 2-4-page summary of their business idea, and not a full business plan. Full details and an entry form are available at www.rainbowseedfund.com ." ALL Members of the Personnel seeking participation in the business ideas competition are asked to submit their ideas via the CERN TT Unit (Jean-Marie.Le Goff@cern.ch) th...

An economic analysis of health plan conversions: are they in the public interest?

Science.gov (United States)

Beaulieu, Nancy Dean

2004-01-01

Over the last decade, managed-care companies have been consolidating on both a regional and national scale. More recently, nonprofit health plans have been converting to for-profit status, and this conversion has frequently occurred as a step to facilitate merger or acquisition with a for-profit company. Some industry observers attribute these managed-care marketplace trends to an industry shakeout resulting from increased competition in the sector. At the same time, these perceived competitive pressures have led to questions about the long-run viability of nonprofit health plans. Furthermore, some industry and government leaders believe that some nonprofits are already conducting themselves like for-profit health plans and question the state premium tax exemption ordinarily accorded to such plans. This paper examines related health policy issues through the lens of a case study of the proposed conversion of the CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield company to a for-profit public-stock company and its merger with the Wellpoint Corporation. Company executives and board members argued that CareFirst lacked access to sufficient capital and faced serious threats to its viability as a financially healthy nonprofit health care company. They also argued that CareFirst and its beneficiaries would benefit from merger through enhanced economies of scale and product-line extensions. Critics of the proposed conversion and merger raised concerns about the adverse impacts on access to care, coverage availability, quality of care, safety-net providers, and the cost of health insurance. Analyses demonstrate that CareFirst wields substantial market power in its local market, that it is unlikely to realize cost savings through expanded economies of scale, and that access to capital concerns are largely driven by the perceived need for further expansion through merger and acquisition. Although it is impossible to predict future changes in quality of care for CareFirst, analyses suggest

Competition is not necessarily a barrier to community mobilisation among sex workers: an intervention planning assessment from Zimbabwe.

Science.gov (United States)

Mtetwa, Sibongile; Busza, Joanna; Davey, Calum; Wong-Gruenwald, Ramona; Cowan, Frances

2015-08-16

with Victoria Falls and Hwange where fewer agreed there was competition between SWs (70.5 % and 78.0 %), but also fewer reported that SWs support each other at work (55.2 % and 51.2 %). Women reported being most likely to support each other when confronted with serious danger but maintained high levels of competition for clients, suggesting competition at work does not represent a barrier to support. Examples of practical assistance between SWs provide entry points for our planned community mobilization activities, which aim to broaden trust and support among SWs while acknowledging their professional competition.

Meeting the Northwest's Energy Needs Through Competitive Bidding.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McCoy, Gilbert A.; Bloomquist, R. Gordon

1990-07-01

Utilities have traditionally met load growth requirements through building projects (self-build), purchasing power from other utilities, or from running conservation programs. During the 1980s, alternative capacity expansion approaches were developed. Resources are now also obtained through PURPA-based or competitive bidding acquisition programs. Self-build programs typically involve large-scale hydropower; coal-, natural gas-, and oil-fired projects; and nuclear thermal electric generating projects. Characteristics of these projects, in addition to size, include long lead times, capital intensiveness, substantial environmental impacts, and a significant risk of cost overruns. The risk element became immediately apparent to those investor-owned utilities that, because of decreased load growth, had thermal project investments disallowed in rate cases or were forced to terminate projects. Phrases such as prudent investment,'' used and useful,'' and least-cost planning'' became familiar to the utility industry. Many utilities, once burned, subsequently adopted a policy of never again constructing a base-loaded generating plant. 2 figs.

Does personality influence job acquisition and tenure in people with severe mental illness enrolled in supported employment programs?

Science.gov (United States)

Fortin, Guillaume; Lecomte, Tania; Corbière, Marc

2017-06-01

When employment difficulties in people with severe mental illness (SMI) occur, it could be partly linked to issues not specific to SMI, such as personality traits or problems. Despite the fact that personality has a marked influence on almost every aspect of work behavior, it has scarcely been investigated in the context of employment for people with SMI. We aimed to evaluate if personality was more predictive than clinical variables of different competitive work outcomes, namely acquisition of competitive employment, delay to acquisition and job tenure. A sample of 82 people with a SMI enrolled in supported employment programs (SEP) was recruited and asked to complete various questionnaires and interviews. Statistical analyses included logistic regressions and survival analyses (Cox regressions). Prior employment, personality problems and negative symptoms are significantly related to acquisition of a competitive employment and to delay to acquisition whereas the conscientiousness personality trait was predictive of job tenure. Our results point out the relevance of personality traits and problems as predictors of work outcomes in people with SMI registered in SEP. Future studies should recruit larger samples and also investigate these links with other factors related to work outcomes.

Mergers and acquisitions: new arrangements in health care. Part 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Grant, E A

1988-02-01

Mergers and acquisitions are assuming a more important role in the healthcare industry today. These transactions require various issues be considered, such as valuation, capital planning, and so forth. In this article, the first in a five-part series on mergers and acquisitions, the fundamental methods and techniques of valuation are discussed. Some of these valuation methods, including comparative market transactions and free cash flow, are explained and examples are used to help potential purchasers and sellers to determine an organization's true value. Other articles in this series will include legal issues, tax implications, purchase investigations, and capital planning for mergers and acquisitions.

Forming of Sustainable City Competitiveness in the PRC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shvydanenko Oleg

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The article describes theoretical principles of international competitiveness of cities. The main methodological grounds of modern models of countries sustainable competitive development are studied. Taking into account the key trends in globalization, the main determinants of forming high competitive status of cities are comprehensively described. Benchmarking of sustainable competitiveness of PRC cities and provinces has been performed, and up-to-date priorities of balanced development of the People's Republic of China PRC have been analyzed. Chinese competitive development strategies has been investigated, and the benchmarking of sustainable competitiveness of Chinese cities has been accomplished. The nature and scale of urbanization processes in China are revealed. The main priorities in the structure of contemporary urbanization strategy of the PRC are defined, being focused on such areas as demographic planning, land management, financial security, residential construction in cities, ecology and environmental protection. The essence of smart cities in the context of their role in formation of local competitive development systems is determined. On the basis of qualitative indicators, the balanced competitiveness of cities of the PRC and the development of smart cities in Chinese provinces has been analyzed. The principles of government influence on the growth of sustainable competitiveness of Chinese megacities is investigated. The supporting evidence is provided for that the main objectives of Chinese megacities development for the next 5 years are to maintain sustainable rates of economic development, to increase the living standards of a specific city population, and to modernize the industrial sector. The strategic priorities for developing individual plans of competitive development for certain cities of the PRC and forming the sustainable competitiveness thereof, are specified.

77 FR 39125 - Defense Acquisition Regulations System; Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Only...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-29

... market research/industry communication. In 2008, the Office of Management and Budget and Office of... unique or brand name specifications, and enhancing acquisition planning. In 2010, the Government... strategic defense capabilities, because of a shift to ``lowest price possible.'' Further, according to this...

Greening the Department of Energy through waste prevention, recycling, and Federal acquisition. Strategic plan to implement Executive Order 13101

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2000-11-01

This Plan provides strategies and milestones to implement Executive Order 13101, Greening the Government Through Waste Prevention, Recycling, and Federal Acquisition, and to achieve the new Secretarial goals for 2005 and 2010. It serves as the principal Secretarial guidance to Department of Energy (DOE) Headquarters, Field Offices, and laboratory and contractor staff to improve sanitary waste prevention, recycling, and the purchase and use of recycled content and environmentally preferable products and services in the DOE.

Acquisition Path Analysis as a Collaborative Activity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakao, A.; Grundule, R.; Gushchyn, K.; El Gebaly, A.; Higgy, R.; Tsvetkov, I.; Mandl, W.

2015-01-01

In the International Atomic Energy Agency, acquisition path analysis (APA) is indispensable to safeguards implementation. It is an integral part of both State evaluation process and the development of State level safeguards approaches, all performed through ongoing collaborative analysis of all available safeguards relevant information by State evaluation groups (SEG) with participation of other contributors, as required. To perform comprehensive State evaluation, to develop and revise State-level safeguards approaches, and to prepare annual implementation plans, the SEG in its collaborative analysis follows accepted safeguards methodology and guidance. In particular, the guide ''Performing Acquisition Path Analysis for the Development of a State-level Safeguards Approach for a State with a CSA'' is used. This guide identifies four major steps of the APA process: 1. Consolidating information about the State's past, present and planned nuclear fuel cycle-related capabilities and infrastructure; 2. Identifying and visually presenting technically plausible acquisition paths for the State; 3. Assessing acquisition path steps (State's technical capabilities and possible actions) along the identified acquisition paths; and 4. Assessing the time needed to accomplish each identified technically plausible acquisition path for the State. The paper reports on SEG members' and other contributors' experience with APA when following the above steps, including the identification of plausible acquisition pathways, estimation of time frames for all identified steps and determination of the time needed to accomplish each acquisition path. The difficulties that the SEG encountered during the process of performing the APA are also addressed. Feedback in the form of practical suggestions for improving the clarity of the acquisition path step assessment forms and a proposal for software support are also included. (author)

76 FR 59623 - Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Only One Offer (DFARS Case 2011-D013)

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-27

..., 215, 216, and 252 RIN 0750-AH11 Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement; Only One Offer... Supplement (DFARS) to address acquisitions using competitive procedures in which only one offer is received... days, if the solicitation allowed fewer than 30 days for receipt of proposals and only one offer is...

Post-acquisition integration of employees : a case study of Norsk Hydro

OpenAIRE

Winsjansen, Elisabeth; Wright, Harriet

2013-01-01

This study explores and investigates the integration of employees after a cross-border acquisition has been signed and closed. An exploratory study of Norsk Hydro has been conducted using a qualitative research design, with five in-depth interviews of employees from Norsk Hydro and from the organization’s divisions in Germany and Brazil. The number of cross-border acquisitions have increased in the past decades as a way of companies to renew their competitive positions in the g...

Competition policies on the electricity markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dubois, U.

2008-01-01

This article puts forward a critical analysis of European competition instruments and practices in terms of market power on the electricity wholesale markets. Due to the speck nature of electrical activities, competition policies come up against difficulties of market power identification at first, since there is no model for detecting perfectly the potential or real exertion of market power in this sector. What is more, since competition authorities rely on specific intervention methods, their ability to limit the exertion of market power is relatively low. For a large number of their interventions involves controlling concentrations. In the light of this double phenomenon, this article discusses some recent developments of European competition policies on the electricity wholesale markets. The sector inquiry of 2007 seems to mark the start of a new competition policy practice in the electricity sector. The initiative and decision-making power now seem to be nesting mainly at a European level where action is not only to be found in terms of controlling mergers and acquisitions, but also stretches to involve an in-depth evaluation of the way the different markets work. This action is manifested in decisions to investigate some companies as well as legislative proposals in the framework of the third package. Thus we are moving towards a greater monitoring of electricity markets using more formal supervision instruments and on a more continuous basis. (author)

Competitiveness measurement system in the advertising sector.

Science.gov (United States)

Poveda-Bautista, Rocío; García-Melón, Mónica; Baptista, Doris C

2013-01-01

In this paper a new approach to find indicators that can be used to measure companies' competitiveness and performance in an efficient and reliable way is presented. The aim is to assist managers of companies within a specific industrial sector by providing information about their relative position in the market so as to define better action plans that may improve the company's performance. The approach combines the use of the Analytic Network Process, a multicriteria decision method, with the Balanced Scorecard. It allows the definition of a number of competitiveness indicators based on the performance and setting of the advertising sector. In this way it is possible to obtain a Competitiveness Index that allows a company to know its relative position with respect to other companies in the sector, and establish a ranking of the companies ordered by their competitiveness level. A case study in the advertising industry of Venezuela is provided. Results show that improvement plans for the agencies analyzed should promote creativity, innovation and the use of new technologies, as a particular form of innovation. These factors were considered to be the most relevant indicators in the advertising sector. The participating experts agreed that the methodology is useful and an improvement over current competitiveness assessment methods.

Real time data acquisition and processing system software supported by RDOS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Huimin; Chou Gongchun; Hao Shuxiang

1982-01-01

The paper describes a system software supported by RDOS operating system for management and supervision a multiuser nuclear spectrum data acquisition and processing system to be made of NOVA/840 computer. The system has manifold functions including four direct address data acquisition channels. One multi-dimension nuclear data acquisition channel, four scalers and four automatic control entrances. Every channel is used competitively by each user. The system's management and all processing functions are performed by system software. The architecture of the system can renew according to users' requirement with support of the system software.This article explains the logical structure of the system software and discusses some technical keys

Current situation and discussion of acquisition work in professional libraries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Yan; Xin Pingping

2010-01-01

The acquisition work in professional libraries is an important part of library work, and faces enormous challenges at this stage. For the status quo of the acquisition work in professional libraries, we should develop effective acquisition principles to ensure the integrity of our professional library's collection and systematic literature, and to provide more effective protection for relevant research work. We need reasonable arrangements for the procurement of books with limited funding to avoid the waste of funds. We should use the network, to actively develop the procurement channels, and to establish accurate and reliable systematic network of information resources for the reader. We need to consciously cultivate and improve the professional competence of acquisition staff, to meet the requirement of the acquisition staff in the new situation. We should carry out knowledge management in professional library, to form a competitive 'knowledge resources'. For information research, technical personnel, and scientific researchers, we provide effective information services in time, and carry out personalized services. (authors)

Boundaries between Fair and Harmful Tax Competition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paweł Szwajdler

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to show boundaries between fair and harmful tax competition. The author analyses OECD’s reports and literature related to the tax competition. In the beginning, the author presents the notion of tax competition and its division into fair and unfair tax competition. Differences between tax heaven and preferential tax regime are also discussed. In the summary, the author highlights that boundaries between fair and harmful tax competition are not obvious, but there are well-known guidelines, which let distinguish above-mentioned issues. The author considers that there are real tax burden, effective exchange of tax information and transparency in the fair tax regime. The author states that taxpayer can do justified tax planning in such tax system.

Competitive strategy for providers.

Science.gov (United States)

Hackett, M C

1996-01-01

National Health Service (NHS) Trusts are struggling to determine a long-term strategic direction for their organizations in response to the competitive pressures generated by the NHS reforms. The development of long-term strategic direction and the methods to implement this are presenting real challenges to the Trusts which have inherited service configurations based on bureaucratic planning frameworks rather than service configurations suited to a more competitive environment. Examines the strategic choices available to these organizations; explores the importance of identifying positive strategic choices; and discusses the advantages and disadvantages in the context of the NHS internal market.

48 CFR 1602.170-9 - Health benefits plan.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... EMPLOYEES HEALTH BENEFITS ACQUISITION REGULATION GENERAL DEFINITIONS OF WORDS AND TERMS Definitions of FEHBP Terms 1602.170-9 Health benefits plan. Health benefits plan means a group insurance policy, contract... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 true Health benefits plan. 1602...

Defense Acquisition Research Journal. Volume 21, Number 3, Issue 70

Science.gov (United States)

2014-07-01

affecting the behavioral change beyond issuing a memorandum. Exhortations are no way to develop a sound business process ( Deming , 1982, pp. 65–70), much...Acquisition University Press. Deming , W. E. (1982). Out of the crisis: Quality, productivity and competitive position. New York, NY: Cambridge University

Information technology as a key enabler in preparing for competition: ComEd's Kincaid Generating Station, a work in progress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borth, F.C. III; Thompson, J.W.; Mishaga, J.M.

1996-01-01

Through ComEd Fossil (Generating) Division's Competitive Action Plan (CAP) evaluation changes have been identified which are necessary to improve generating station performance. These changes are intended to improve both station reliability and financial margins, and are essential for stations to be successful in a competitive marketplace. Plant upgrades, advanced equipment stewardship, and personnel reductions have been identified as necessary steps in achieving industry leadership and competitive advantage. To deal effectively with plant systems and contend in the competitive marketplace Information Technology (IT) solutions to business problems are being developed. Data acquisition, storage, and retrieval are being automated through use of state-of-the-art Data Historians. Total plant, high resolution, long term process information will be accessed through Local/Wide Area Networks (LAN/WAN) connections from desktop PC's. Generating unit Thermal Performance Monitors accessing the Data Historian will analyze plant and system performance enabling reductions in operating costs, and improvements in process control. As inputs to proactive maintenance toolsets this data allows anticipation of equipment service needs, advanced service scheduling, and cost/benefit analysis. The ultimate goal is to optimize repair needs with revenue generation. Advanced applications building upon these foundations will bring knowledge of the costs associated with all the products a generating station offers its customer(s). An overall design philosophy along with preliminary results is presented; these results include shortfalls, lessons learned, and future options

48 CFR 908.7101 - Motor vehicles.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Motor vehicles. 908.7101 Section 908.7101 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY COMPETITION ACQUISITION PLANNING REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Acquisition of Special Items 908.7101 Motor vehicles. ...

The Influence of Information Acquisition on the Complex Dynamics of Market Competition

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Zhanbing; Ma, Junhai

In this paper, we build a dynamical game model with three bounded rational players (firms) to study the influence of information on the complex dynamics of market competition, where useful information is about rival’s real decision. In this dynamical game model, one information-sharing team is composed of two firms, they acquire and share the information about their common competitor, however, they make their own decisions separately, where the amount of information acquired by this information-sharing team will determine the estimation accuracy about the rival’s real decision. Based on this dynamical game model and some creative 3D diagrams, the influence of the amount of information on the complex dynamics of market competition such as local dynamics, global dynamics and profits is studied. These results have significant theoretical and practical values to realize the influence of information.

48 CFR 909.406 - Debarment.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Debarment. 909.406 Section 909.406 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY COMPETITION ACQUISITION PLANNING CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS Debarment, Suspension, and Ineligibility 909.406 Debarment. ...

Ppr - Puma: a successful acquisition?

OpenAIRE

M. Buongiorno; B. Rovetta

2010-01-01

The PPR-Puma case explores the issue of evaluating the acquisition of Puma by the PPR group. Starting from the assessment of the business strategy and the analysis of the competitive scenario and firm-specific positioning, the case moves to a sound financial analysis and company valuation to be carried out with the objective to assess the actual value of the target company and the potential synergies to be achieved by the bidder. PPR is a very well-known player in the retail and luxury busine...

Price competition in procurement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keisler, J.M.; Buehring, W.A.

1996-07-01

When creating a private market to provide a public good, government agencies can influence the market's competitive characteristics. Markets have predictable, but often counterintuitive, behaviors. To succeed in applying available controls, and thereby reduce future costs, agencies must understand the behavior of the market. A model has been constructed to examine some issues in establishing competition for a structure in which there are economies of scale and government is obligated to purchase a fixed total quantity of a good. This model is used to demonstrate a way to estimate the cost savings from several alternative plans for a buyer exploring competitive procurement. The results are not and cannot be accurate for budgeting purposes; rather, they indicate the approximate magnitude of changes in cost that would be associated with changes in the market structure within which procurement occurs

Success and Failures of Acquisitions: A Case Study for a Chemical Company

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shainaaz MOOSA MUSTAFFA

2017-05-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to perform a universal inspection of the processes adopted in acquisitions by concentrating on attributes which are speedily implemented in the industry. The approach to this research study was based on literature reviews to gain knowledge on the causes of failure and the factors attributed to the success of acquisitions in the case study concerning a chemical company. This method was applied to identify if the failures and successes researched are shown in the case study. The research study firstly looked at various approaches to acquisitions, namely, the pre-acquisition, post-acquisition and integration phases together with the motives for acquisitions. The study delves further into factors influencing the failures and successes of acquisitions. A notable body of research was consulted to focus on these factors. The research study highlights a framework incorporating the management of post-integration strategy concurrently with the people and the organisational goals. The key findings showed that the company lacked a formal integration plan, cultural integration, ad proper communication plans. This resulted in staff unrest and high attrition of staff from deal announcement date up to post integration, leading to high resistance from staff and poor people integration. The company did however achieve financial success through synergy realisation. This positive outcome could have been achieved quicker with the proper integration plans within the different phases of the acquisition. The knowledge attained from this study will hopefully add to the body of knowledge on acquisitions.

48 CFR 1309.406 - Debarment.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Debarment. 1309.406 Section 1309.406 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE COMPETITION AND ACQUISITION PLANNING CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS Debarment, Suspension, and Ineligibility 1309.406 Debarment. ...

Planning documents: a business planning strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaehrle, P A

2000-06-01

Strategic planning and business plan development are essential nursing management skills in today's competitive, fast paced, continually changing health care environment. Even in times of great uncertainty, nurse managers need to plan and forecast for the future. A well-written business plan allows nurse managers to communicate their expertise and proactively contribute to the programmatic decisions and changes occurring within their patient population or service area. This article presents the use of planning documents as a practical, strategic business planning strategy. Although the model addresses orthopedic services specifically, nurse managers can gain an understanding and working knowledge of planning concepts that can be applied to all patient populations.

The renewal of hydroelectric concessions in competitive call

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

This document discusses various issues associated with the planned competitive call on the French hydraulic power plants. The principles of this competitive call for hydroelectric concessions are first addressed: administrative regime of concessions, competitive call process, criteria of selection of the concession holder, case of 'concession of valleys', potential competitors. It outlines and discusses the difficulties of this competitive call: France is the single country to implement this procedure; it concerns a national asset; it questions the guarantee of a future use of equipment at best for the energy benefits of French consumers; the competitive call is a nice idea indeed but extremely complex. A note discusses the profitability aspects of Plants for Transfer of Energy by Pumping

Competitive Intelligence in Malaysia Pharmaceutical Industry : Effectiveness of Implementation

OpenAIRE

Ooi, Hooi Min

2004-01-01

Competitive Intelligence is increasingly being considered an important, if not mandatory, piece of every business’ overall strategy and functioning, including tactical and strategic planning. The level of Competitive Intelligence activities differ by industries, and at different stage of product life cycle. It is closely linked to Knowledge Management – another major field on the way company handling information. Competitive Intelligence has often been related to industrial espionage where so...

48 CFR 809.406 - Debarment.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Debarment. 809.406 Section 809.406 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS COMPETITION AND ACQUISITION PLANNING CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS Debarment, Suspension, and Ineligibility 809.406 Debarment. ...

48 CFR 1409.406 - Debarment.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Debarment. 1409.406 Section 1409.406 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR COMPETITION AND ACQUISITION PLANNING CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS Debarment, Suspension, and Ineligibility 1409.406 Debarment. ...

Preparing the U.S. nuclear industry for a competitive future

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tipton, T.E.

1996-01-01

To prepare for the transition from a regulated environment to a more competitive environment, the U.S. commercial nuclear industry prepared and issue a 'Strategy Plan for Improvement Economic Performance' in 1993. This plan has three major areas of activity: Actions to Improve Operational cost Competitiveness; Actions to Improve Industry Interaction with External Groups; and Actions to Improve Regulations and Regulatory Processes. This paper addresses the actions taken to improve the regulations and regulatory processes. (authors)

REGIONAL COMPETITIVENESS VERSUS TERRITORIAL COMPETITIVENESS: PROJECT TAONABA CASE STUDY - TOWN OF ABYMES, GUADELOUPE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neffati Houda

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Territorial intelligence can be defined as the ability of a territory to anticipate socio-economic changes and the resulting knowledge management as well as to generate policies, know-how and innovations that will ultimately create a polycentric area of expertise and service capabilities to enhance the competitiveness of companies located there. It is created by setting up a sustainable development process to review business competitiveness with all the inherent consequences in managing, making, planning and implementing decisions. Territorial competitiveness is an integrated and proactive approach to shaping the future of territories, regions and larger geographies – . to some degree it can also be referred to as spatial planning. It goes beyond traditional regional policy as it brings together economic, social and environment opportunities and in addition to other factors which influence where activities takes place, concerns how different places function and are connected, and what social and business conditions are available Territorial competitiveness strategies can help in exploring the potential for economic growth and job creation and at the same time support an enhanced quality of life by helping to meet the challenge of sustainable development. The article reports on an action research to support the urban community of Cap Excellence in Guadeloupe in its local sustainable development project. After summarizing the terms of the debate surrounding sustainable development and presenting the region, the research is placed back in the context of a more general approach of territorial intelligence.. The limits of developing a local Agenda 21 in the form of a "programmed action plan" give the opportunity to improve territorial intelligence with the concept of agency arising from Foucault's 'dispositif' or apparatus, Deleuze's theory of agency and the actor-network. A discussion on this ontology social will be initiated. We will give

An Analysis of the Army Service Acquisition Review Requirements and the Perceived Effectiveness on Intended Improvements

Science.gov (United States)

2016-06-01

Selection Evaluation Market Research Metrics Competition Acquisition Schedule Consolidation Recommendation As detailed in the Chapter IIB, OSD Policy...REQUIREMENTS AND THE PERCEIVED EFFECTIVENESS ON INTENDED IMPROVEMENTS June 2016 By: Roxanne Moss Michael Vukovich Megan Weidner Advisors...ANALYSIS OF THE ARMY SERVICE ACQUISITION REVIEW REQUIREMENTS AND THE PERCEIVED EFFECTIVENESS ON INTENDED IMPROVEMENTS 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S

Competition policy and market leaders

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Maci, I.; Žigić, Krešimir

-, č. 375 (2008), s. 1-29 ISSN 1211-3298 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LC542 Institutional research plan: CEZ:MSM0021620846 Keywords : competition policy * market leaders * innovation Subject RIV: AH - Economics http://www.cerge-ei.cz/pdf/wp/Wp375.pdf

Competition policy and market leaders

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Žigić, Krešimir; Maci, Ilir

2011-01-01

Roč. 28, č. 3 (2011), s. 1042-1049 ISSN 0264-9993 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LC542 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z70850503 Keywords : competition policy * innovation Subject RIV: AH - Economics Impact factor: 0.701, year: 2011

Nonprice competition and quality of care in managed care: the New York SCHIP market.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Hangsheng; Phelps, Charles E

2008-06-01

To examine the effect of nonprice competition among managed care plans on the quality of care in the New York SCHIP market. U.S. Census 2000; 2002 New York State Managed Care Plan Performance Report; and 2001 New York State Managed Care Annual Enrollment Report. Each market is defined as a county, and competition is measured as the number of plans in a market. Quality of care is measured in percentages using three Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Survey and three Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set scores. Two-stage least squares is applied to address the endogeneity between competition and the quality of care, using population as an instrument. We find a negative association between competition and quality of care. An additional managed care plan is significantly associated with a decrease of 0.40-2.31 percentage points in four out of six quality measures. After adjusting for production cost, a positive correlation is observed between price and quality measures across different pricing regions. It seems likely that pricing policy is a constraint on quality production, although it may not be interpreted as a causal relationship and further study is needed.

Development of a Web Marketing Plan for an e-Book – Challenges and Opportunities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexandru CAPATINA

2011-06-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we emphasize the benefits of e-books for the customers who are looking for international availability, acquisitions in real time, competitive prices and social responsibility from the part of the publishers; our most important contribution characterized by originality is the design of a web marketing plan model for e-books selling process, structured in the following sections: search of the specialized websites, characterized by a high traffic, where the potential customers of the e-books (the readers can be found, targeting the websites which sell e-books, design of the website dedicated to the e-book selling process, attraction of the potential customers using a free trial version of the e-book; implementation of the on-line media plan, promotion of the e-book within social networks and specialized forums and analysis of the indicators associated to the on-line media plan in order to assess the web marketing strategy.

Monopolization Through Acquisitions in Multimarket Oligopolies (Replaced by TILEC DP 2011-047)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ray Chaudhuri, A.

2010-01-01

This paper shows that, under Cournot competition, monopolization through acquisitions is more likely to occur in industries where firms serve multiple segmented markets rather than a single integrated market, given that cost functions are strictly convex. Under segmented markets, within a

17 CFR 230.145 - Reclassification of securities, mergers, consolidations and acquisitions of assets.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

..., mergers, consolidations and acquisitions of assets. 230.145 Section 230.145 Commodity and Securities... § 230.145 Reclassification of securities, mergers, consolidations and acquisitions of assets.... A statutory merger or consolidation or similar plan or acquisition in which securities of such...

Virginia Power's capacity acquisition program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carney, R.W.

1991-01-01

Virginia Power is a utility with a growing demand for electricity. To meet that growth it has embarked on an aggressive program to encourage the construction of privately-owned generating plants. In 1988 it conducted the largest competitive acquisition program by any utility to date. Virginia Power has retained the option to build plants if the bids it receives are too costly or do not meet the needs of its customers. This paper describes the situation at Virginia Power, the program it has implemented, and the capacity additions which are scheduled between 1989 and 1995

Performance Confirmation Data Acquisition System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D.W. Markman

2000-01-01

The purpose of this analysis is to identify and analyze concepts for the acquisition of data in support of the Performance Confirmation (PC) program at the potential subsurface nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain. The scope and primary objectives of this analysis are to: (1) Review the criteria for design as presented in the Performance Confirmation Data Acquisition/Monitoring System Description Document, by way of the Input Transmittal, Performance Confirmation Input Criteria (CRWMS M and O 1999c). (2) Identify and describe existing and potential new trends in data acquisition system software and hardware that would support the PC plan. The data acquisition software and hardware will support the field instruments and equipment that will be installed for the observation and perimeter drift borehole monitoring, and in-situ monitoring within the emplacement drifts. The exhaust air monitoring requirements will be supported by a data communication network interface with the ventilation monitoring system database. (3) Identify the concepts and features that a data acquisition system should have in order to support the PC process and its activities. (4) Based on PC monitoring needs and available technologies, further develop concepts of a potential data acquisition system network in support of the PC program and the Site Recommendation and License Application

Ecological interactions and the fitness effect of water-use efficiency: Competition and drought alter the impact of natural MPK12 alleles in Arabidopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Campitelli, Brandon E; Des Marais, David L; Juenger, Thomas E

2016-04-01

The presence of substantial genetic variation for water-use efficiency (WUE) suggests that natural selection plays a role in maintaining alleles that affect WUE. Soil water deficit can reduce plant survival, and is likely to impose selection to increase WUE, whereas competition for resources may select for decreased WUE to ensure water acquisition. We tested the fitness consequences of natural allelic variation in a single gene (MPK12) that influences WUE in Arabidopsis, using transgenic lines contrasting in MPK12 alleles, under four treatments; drought/competition, drought/no competition, well-watered/competition, well-watered/no competition. Results revealed an allele × environment interaction: Low WUE plants performed better in competition, resulting from increased resource consumption. Contrastingly, high WUE individuals performed better in no competition, irrespective of water availability, presumably from enhanced water conservation and nitrogen acquisition. Our findings suggest that selection can influence MPK12 evolution, and represents the first assessment of plant fitness resulting from natural allelic variation at a single locus affecting WUE. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Competition effects of mergers: An event study of the German electricity market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keller, Andreas

2010-01-01

This paper investigates the competition effects of the entry of Vattenfall into the German electricity market. While the competition authorities supported the entry by approving Vattenfall's acquisition of three regional utilities, other market participants raised concerns over the emergence of an upcoming oligopoly in the German market for power generation. We contrast the efficiency hypothesis postulating pro-competitive effects of mergers with the market power hypothesis postulating anti-competitive effects. For the analysis of the two opposing hypotheses, we use an event study approach to the stock prices of Vattenfall's competitors in the German market. While we find no empirical evidence for increased market power in the German electricity market due to Vattenfall's mergers, there is some indication for efficiency increases. We therefore cannot oppose the view of the competition authorities predicting an overall positive effect for consumers as a result of Vattenfall's entry into the German electricity market.

Energy performance assessment in urban planning competitions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eicker, Ursula; Monien, Dirk; Duminil, Éric; Nouvel, Romain

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Quantification of energy efficiency in urban planning. • Analysis based on 3D (city) model. • Impact evaluation of urban form on energy demand, supply and building costs. • Primary energy balance with and without inclusion of shadowing effects. - Abstract: Many cities today are committed to increase the energy efficiency of buildings and the fraction of renewables especially in new urban developments. However, quantitative data on building energy performance as a function of urban density, building compactness and orientation, building use and supply options are rarely available during the design of new cities or early scenario analysis for existing city quarters, making it difficult for cities to effectively evaluate which concepts work today and in the future. The paper proposes a methodology to assess the energy demand and supply options as a function of the availability of geometry, building standard and use data. An automated procedure was implemented to identify each building’s geometry and volume and transfer the information to a simulation tool, which then calculates heating demand and solar energy generation on roofs and facades. The simulation includes shading calculations for each segment of the façades and roofs and thus allows a very detailed quantification of the building energy demand. By applying the methodology to a case study city quarter designed in an urban competition in Munich, it could be shown how the urban design influences the energy demand of the quarter and which fractions of renewable energy can be integrated into the roofs. While the building insulation standard and use are the is most important criteria for building energy efficiency (with an impact of more than a factor 2), the exact geometrical form, compactness and urban shading effects influences the energy demand by 10–20%. On the other hand, the detailed roof geometry and orientation influences the possible solar coverage of electricity or thermal

48 CFR 605.502 - Authority.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Authority. 605.502 Section 605.502 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF STATE COMPETITION AND ACQUISITION PLANNING PUBLICIZING CONTRACT ACTIONS Paid Advertisements 605.502 Authority. (a) For paid advertisements in...

48 CFR 410.002 - Procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Procedures. 410.002 Section 410.002 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMPETITION AND ACQUISITION PLANNING MARKET RESEARCH 410.002 Procedures. Market research must include obtaining information on...

48 CFR 305.502 - Authority.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Authority. 305.502 Section 305.502 Federal Acquisition Regulations System HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMPETITION AND ACQUISITION PLANNING PUBLICIZING CONTRACT ACTIONS Paid Advertisements 305.502 Authority. The Contracting Officer may...

48 CFR 1305.502 - Authority.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Authority. 1305.502 Section 1305.502 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE COMPETITION AND ACQUISITION PLANNING PUBLICIZING CONTRACT ACTIONS Paid Advertisements 1305.502 Authority. The designee authorized to...

48 CFR 810.002 - Market research procedures.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Market research procedures. 810.002 Section 810.002 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS COMPETITION AND ACQUISITION PLANNING MARKET RESEARCH 810.002 Market research procedures. Contracting officers...

48 CFR 811.204 - Contract clause.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Contract clause. 811.204 Section 811.204 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS COMPETITION AND ACQUISITION PLANNING DESCRIBING AGENCY NEEDS Using and Maintaining Requirements Documents 811.204 Contract...

Competition policy and market leaders

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Maci, Ilir; Žigić, K.

-, č. 375 (2008), s. 1-29 ISSN 1211-3298 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LC542 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z70850503 Keywords : competition policy * market leaders * innovation Subject RIV: AH - Economics http://www.cerge-ei.cz/pdf/wp/Wp375.pdf

Work plan for upgrade of SY-101 Hydrogen Mitigation Test Project Data Acquisition and Control Systemm (DACS-1)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Truitt, R.W.

1994-08-01

The purpose of this effort is to upgrade the existing DACS-1 used for control and data acquisition in support of the hydrogen mitigation program for tank 101-SY. The planned upgrades will enhance the system capabilities to support additional mitigation projects and improve the system operability by implementing changes identified during operation of the system to date. Once the upgrades have been implemented, the DACS-1 system should operate as it did prior to the upgrade, but with greatly increased speed and capability. No retraining of Test Engineers will be required; the upgrade is designed to be transparent to those who operate it, with only a noticeable increase in the speed of the system. This work plan defines the tasks required for implementing the upgrade. It identifies deliverables, responsible organizations and individuals, interfaces, and schedule. This upgrade effort employs system engineering principles wherever applicable

An Analysis of the Competitive Strategy in the Industry Providing a Defense System of Systems

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Melone, James

2000-01-01

.... Both the 1996 Defense Science Board Report on Vertical Integration and DoD's 1999 report on Price Based Acquisition recommend that DoD take steps to further understanding of competitive conditions...

48 CFR 2009.570 - NRC organizational conflicts of interest.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... conflicts of interest. 2009.570 Section 2009.570 Federal Acquisition Regulations System NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION COMPETITION AND ACQUISITION PLANNING CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS Organizational Conflicts of Interest 2009.570 NRC organizational conflicts of interest. ...

A higher level language data acquisition system (III) - the user data acquisition program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Finn, J.M.; Gulbranson, R.L.; Huang, T.L.

1983-01-01

The nuclear physics group at the University of Illinois has implemented a data acquisition system using modified versions of the Concurrent Pascal and Sequential Pascal languages. The user, a physicist, develops a data acquisition ''operating system'', written in these higher level languages, which is tailored to the planned experiment. The user must include only those system functions which are essential to the task, thus improving efficiency. The user program is constructed from simple modules, mainly consisting of Concurrent Pascal PROCESSes, MONITORs, and CLASSes together with appropriate data type definitions. Entire programs can be put together using ''cut and paste'' techniques. Planned enhancements include the automating of this process. Systems written for the Perkin-Elmer 3220 using this approach can easily exceed 2 kHz data rates for event by event handling; 20 kHz data rates have been achieved by the addition of buffers in the interrupt handling software. These rates have been achieved without the use of special-purpose hardware such as micro-programmed branch drivers. With the addition of such devices even higher data rates should be possible

Business plan in brief. Draft

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-06-01

Competition is revolutionizing the electricity industry, and utilities may never be the same. In the past two decades, government deregulation has transformed the airline, cable television, natural gas, and telecommunications industries. Now, with the passage of new laws which have spurred the growth of independent power and opened up transmission access, the electric utility industry has become the laboratory for change. Here in the Northwest, dramatic changes in the electric industry mean that the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) is facing real competition. Our customers have more choices than they had in the past. BPA's draft Business Plan is a direct response to this changing environment. The plan presents how we propose to adapt to the new competitive marketplace. This is a summary of the plan and some of the important issues it raises for regional discussion. The draft plan contains much more detail on all the topics mentioned here. Business Plan is BPA's first attempt to integrate the long-term strategic plans of the various parts of the agency with a strategic financial plan. Change is evident throughout the plan--change in our operating environment, in our strategic direction, in our customer and constituent relationships, and in BPA itself as an organization

An explorative study of municipal developer competitions in Helsinki

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leif Östman

2014-03-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the central features of so-called ‘site allocation competitions’, as organized by the City of Helsinki Real Estate Department (Kiinteistövirasto in Finnish. Site allocation competitions are developer competitions where the municipality sells or leases plots of land to developers or contractors, but where the ‘bidding’ is based on competing on the basis of architectural and urban quality factors. The focus in this paper is on the Finnish context, but as its legal framework is constituted by European competition law. In these competitions the proprietor expects the contractor or developer to create a design team and in turn the proprietor receives multiple proposals for a site without really paying for them. It seems important to examine this rather new type of architectural competition, as it is often an integral part of important large projects in terms of both financial investments and architectural design. It also constitutes a new tool in the practices of urban planning. The present study is explorative, based mainly on a close study and analysis of written material, such as reports, as well as three interviews with experienced organizers. The aim of the paper is to clarify the concept of developer competition, and discuss its possible benefits and problems. The core issue in the study is how architectural quality is produced within the legal framework, as well as to discuss the relation of the developer competition to the aims of urban planning and professional agents.

48 CFR 908.1104 - Contract clauses.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Contract clauses. 908.1104 Section 908.1104 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY COMPETITION ACQUISITION PLANNING REQUIRED SOURCES OF SUPPLIES AND SERVICES Leasing of Motor Vehicles 908.1104 Contract clauses. (f...

Value Creation through ICT Integration in Merger & Acquisition Processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holm Larsen, Michael

2005-01-01

As deals are becoming more complex, and as technology, and the people supporting it, are becoming key drivers of merger and acquisition processes, planning of information and communication technologies in early stages of the integration process is vital to the realization of benefits of an Merger...... & Acquisition process. This statement is substantiated through review of literature from academics as well as practitioners, and case exemplifications of the financial service organization, the Nordea Group. Keywords: ICT Integration, Mergers & Acquisitions, Nordea Group....

77 FR 12913 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Program

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-02

... 2010-015; Item I; Docket 2010-0015, Sequence 1] RIN 9000-AL97 Federal Acquisition Regulation; Women... Regulation (FAR) to implement the Small Business Administration's regulations establishing the Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB) Program. This rule authorizes the restriction of competition for Federal contracts...

Competition along productivity gradients: news from heathlands.

Science.gov (United States)

Delerue, Florian; Gonzalez, Maya; Achat, David L; Puzos, Luc; Augusto, Laurent

2018-05-01

The importance of competition in low productive habitats is still debated. Studies which simultaneously evaluate preemption of resources and consequences for population dynamics are needed for a comprehensive view of competitive outcomes. We cultivated two emblematic species of European heathlands (Calluna vulgaris and Molinia caerulea) in a nursery for 2 years at two fertility levels, reproducing the productivity gradient found in phosphorus (P)-depleted heathlands in southwest France. The second year, we planted Ulex europaeus seedlings, a ubiquitous heathland species, under the cover of the two species to evaluate its ability to regenerate. Half of the seedlings were placed in tubes for exclusion of competitor roots. We measured the development of the competitors aboveground and belowground and their interception of resources (light, water, inorganic P). Ulex seedlings' growth and survival were also measured. Our results on resources interception were consistent with species distribution in heathlands. Molinia, which dominates rich heathlands, was the strongest competitor for light and water in the rich soil. Calluna, which dominates poor heathlands, increased its root allocation in the poor soil, decreasing water and inorganic P availability. However, the impact of total competition and root competition on Ulex seedlings decreased in the poor soil. Other mechanisms, especially decrease of water stress under neighbouring plant cover, appeared to have more influence on the seedlings' response. We found no formal contradiction between Tilman and Grime's theories. Root competition has a primary role in acquisition of soil resources in poor habitats. However, the importance of competition decreases with decreasing fertility.

Summary of DOD Acquisition Program Audit Coverage

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

2001-01-01

This report will provide the DoD audit community with information to support their planning efforts and provide management with information on the extent of audit coverage of DoD acquisition programs...

Radioisotope thermoelectric generator transportation system subsystem 143 software development plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

King, D.A.

1994-01-01

This plan describes the activities to be performed and the controls to be applied to the process of specifying, developing, and qualifying the data acquisition software for the Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (RTG) Transportation System Subsystem 143 Instrumentation and Data Acquisition System (IDAS). This plan will serve as a software quality assurance plan, a verification and validation (V and V) plan, and a configuration management plan

Monopolization Through Acquisitions in Multimarket Oligopolies (Replaced by CentER DP 2011-112)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ray Chaudhuri, A.

2010-01-01

This paper shows that, under Cournot competition, monopolization through acquisitions is more likely to occur in industries where firms serve multiple segmented markets rather than a single integrated market, given that cost functions are strictly convex. Under segmented markets, within a

Changing competition in health care marketing: a method for analysis and strategic planning.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellis, B; Brockman, B K

1993-01-01

As the cost and importance of healthcare continue to increase, competition in the medical industry is taking new forms and becoming more intense. The driving trends behind this competition are analyzed in the framework of Porter's Five Forces of Competition Model. The authors then discuss how the widely accepted strategies of cost, differentiation, focus, and domestication can be utilized to counter the implications of these trends and how to capitalize on opportunities in medical practice in the 1990's.

Modeling the Impact of Mergers and Acquisitions of Companies on their Capitalization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kolodiazhna Tatiana V.

2017-07-01

Full Text Available In the context of economic globalization, the most common approaches to creating powerful companies that have high market value are those that use mergers and acquisitions. In Ukraine, such processes also have been considerably intensified in recent years. However, in the national economic science, the problems of evaluating the impact of mergers and acquisitions of companies on their capitalization, as well as on the concentration and competitiveness of the country’s economy, have not been solved to date. The article is aimed at analyzing the market capitalization of the world’s largest companies and modeling the impact of their mergers and acquisitions on the capitalization of their economies. As a result of the study, it has been determined that modeling the impact of the mergers and acquisitions of the world’s companies on the level of capitalization of their economies has proved the hypothesis that the countries of the world, where mergers and acquisitions of companies are more extensive, also have larger capitalization level.

Multistate Health Plans

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert E. Moffit PhD

2015-09-01

Full Text Available We discuss and evaluate the Multi-State Plan (MSP Program, a provision of the Affordable Care Act that has not been the subject of much debate as yet. The MSP Program provides the Office of Personnel Management with new authority to negotiate and implement multistate insurance plans on all health insurance exchanges within the United States. We raise the concern that the MSP Program may lead to further consolidation of the health insurance industry despite the program’s stated goal of increasing competition by means of health insurance exchanges. The MSP Program arguably gives a competitive advantage to large insurers, which already dominate health insurance markets. We also contend that the MSP Program’s failure to produce increased competition may motivate a new effort for a public health insurance option.

Work plan for transition of SY-101 hydrogen mitigation test project data acquisition and control system (DACS-1)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McClees, J.; Truitt, R.W.

1994-01-01

The purpose of this effort is to transfer operating and maintenance responsibility for the 241-SY-101 data acquisition and control system (DACS-1) from Los Alamos National Laboratory to Westinghouse Hanford Company. This work plan defines the tasks required for a successful turnover. It identifies DACS-1 transition, deliverables, responsible organizations and individuals, interfaces, cost, and schedule. The transition plan will discuss all required hardware, software, documentation, maintenance, operations, and training for use at Hanford Waste Tank 241-SY-101. The transfer of responsibilities for DACS-1 to WHC is contingent on final approval of applicable Acceptance for Beneficial Use documentation by Waste Tank Operations. The DACS-1 was designed to provide data monitoring, display, and storage for Tank 241-SY-101. The DACS-1 also provides alarm and control of all the hydrogen mitigation testing systems, as well as ancillary systems and equipment (HVAC, UPS, etc.) required to achieve safe and reliable operation of the testing systems in the tank

Introducing the competitive dimension to corporate foresight

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schwartz, Jan Oliver; Rohrbeck, René

While the competitive dimension plays an important role in strategy, the aspect of competitors seems to be rather neglected in corporate foresight. In this paper we want to shed some more light on this underexplored field of corporate foresight. The literature review discusses approaches in corpo......While the competitive dimension plays an important role in strategy, the aspect of competitors seems to be rather neglected in corporate foresight. In this paper we want to shed some more light on this underexplored field of corporate foresight. The literature review discusses approaches...... in corporate foresight, in particular scenario planning and business wargaming, which address competitive dynamics. Further, literature on competitive strategy is discussed to assess approaches towards the identification of new rivals. One can conclude that there is an absence of structured approaches...

NNSA?s Computing Strategy, Acquisition Plan, and Basis for Computing Time Allocation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nikkel, D J

2009-07-21

This report is in response to the Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009 (H.R. 1105; Public Law 111-8) in its funding of the National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) Advanced Simulation and Computing (ASC) Program. This bill called for a report on ASC's plans for computing and platform acquisition strategy in support of stockpile stewardship. Computer simulation is essential to the stewardship of the nation's nuclear stockpile. Annual certification of the country's stockpile systems, Significant Finding Investigations (SFIs), and execution of Life Extension Programs (LEPs) are dependent on simulations employing the advanced ASC tools developed over the past decade plus; indeed, without these tools, certification would not be possible without a return to nuclear testing. ASC is an integrated program involving investments in computer hardware (platforms and computing centers), software environments, integrated design codes and physical models for these codes, and validation methodologies. The significant progress ASC has made in the past derives from its focus on mission and from its strategy of balancing support across the key investment areas necessary for success. All these investment areas must be sustained for ASC to adequately support current stockpile stewardship mission needs and to meet ever more difficult challenges as the weapons continue to age or undergo refurbishment. The appropriations bill called for this report to address three specific issues, which are responded to briefly here but are expanded upon in the subsequent document: (1) Identify how computing capability at each of the labs will specifically contribute to stockpile stewardship goals, and on what basis computing time will be allocated to achieve the goal of a balanced program among the labs. (2) Explain the NNSA's acquisition strategy for capacity and capability of machines at each of the labs and how it will fit within the existing budget constraints. (3

Spermatozoal Competition in Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio): What Is The Primary Determinant of Competition Success?

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Linhart, Otomar; Rodina, Marek; Gela, David; Kocour, Martin; Vandeputte, M.

2005-01-01

Roč. 130, - (2005), s. 705-711 ISSN 1470-1626 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA524/03/0178; GA AV ČR IBS5045314 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50450515 Keywords : spermatozoal competition Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 3.136, year: 2005

48 CFR 3410.701 - Policy of the Department of Education with respect to use of the metric system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... of Education with respect to use of the metric system. 3410.701 Section 3410.701 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION ACQUISITION REGULATION COMPETITION AND ACQUISITION PLANNING... of Education with respect to use of the metric system. It is the policy of the Department of...

48 CFR 310.001 - Policy.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Policy. 310.001 Section 310.001 Federal Acquisition Regulations System HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMPETITION AND ACQUISITION PLANNING MARKET RESEARCH § 310.001 Policy. (a) OPDIVs are encouraged to conduct market research, to the...

Success Factors of the Companies Mergers and Acquisitions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Sierpińska

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Mergers and acquisitions (MA are one of the most important phenomenons influencing dynamics of the world economy growth. At the same time, big number of acquisitions turns out to be unsuccessful which induces one to examine reasons for failures and factors having influence on success of MA. In the article an attempt to systematize researchers and specialists-practitioners opinions on factors that play a key role in acquisition success was made, as complexity of MA processes causes that only actions resulting from reliable analysis, that are afterwards well planned and carried out may bring results expected by the entities.

Electric power's new competitive marketplace

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hornick, R.; Zeppieri, J.; Rudden, K.

1993-01-01

Currently, competition is limited primarily to power generation, the sale of wholesale bulk power, and fuel substitution at the point of end use. However, within the next several years, the rivalry will focus on large, energy-intensive industrial and large commercial customers. Driven by the disparity in rates among neighboring and regional utilities, large users are expected to lobby aggressively for retail wheeling and access to new supplies. New competitors will provide customers with additional supply options, forcing traditional utilities to offer better prices and or service. Competition at the point of end use also will increase as the natural gas industry develops new end-use technologies, gas utilities compete more aggressively, and some state regulatory commissions promote fuel switching as part of integrated resource planning (IRP) and demand-side management (DSM). However, as long as electric utilities are subject to cost-based rate of return regulation within price-sensitive markets, they will be a competitive disadvantage. The paper discusses the following: competitive risks by market segment, wholesale markets, industrial markets, commercial markets, residential markets, and franchise markets

Electricity competition and clean air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gibbons, J.; Bjorkquist, S.

1998-04-01

The government of Ontario plans to establish a competitive market for the generation and sale of electricity by the year 2000, at which time Ontario Hydro will lose its monopoly. The government's rationale for moving to a competitive electricity market and the details of why this move could lead to a significant increase in air pollution was discussed. An overview of the health and environmental effects of electricity related air pollution was presented and the current national and provincial air quality objectives were outlined. The government of Ontario has promised that in implementing a competitive electricity market it will ensure that the province's environmental protection record is maintained and improved. It was suggested that in order to fulfill this commitment, new environmental regulations should be established to ensure that Ontario's total electricity-related emissions will decline when competition begins. Currently, air pollution from coal-fired power generating stations causes some of Ontario's most challenging health and environmental problems. Coal-fired generation stations are also major contributors to the build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. 74 refs., 2 tabs., 2 figs

ACA Marketplace premiums and competition among hospitals and physician practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Polyakova, Maria; Bundorf, M Kate; Kessler, Daniel P; Baker, Laurence C

2018-02-01

To examine the association between annual premiums for health plans available in Federally Facilitated Marketplaces (FFMs) and the extent of competition and integration among physicians and hospitals, as well as the number of insurers. We used observational data from the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight on the annual premiums and other characteristics of plans, matched to measures of physician, hospital, and insurer market competitiveness and other characteristics of 411 rating areas in the 37 FFMs. We estimated multivariate models of the relationship between annual premiums and Herfindahl-Hirschman indices of hospitals and physician practices, controlling for the number of insurers, the extent of physician-hospital integration, and other plan and rating area characteristics. Premiums for Marketplace plans were higher in rating areas in which physician, hospital, and insurance markets were less competitive. An increase from the 10th to the 90th percentile of physician concentration and hospital concentration was associated with increases of $393 and $189, respectively, in annual premiums for the Silver plan with the second lowest cost. A similar increase in the number of insurers was associated with a $421 decrease in premiums. Physician-hospital integration was not significantly associated with premiums. Premiums for FFM plans were higher in markets with greater concentrations of hospitals and physicians but fewer insurers. Higher premiums make health insurance less affordable for people purchasing unsubsidized coverage and raise the cost of Marketplace premium tax credits to the government.

CONCEPTUAL APPROACH OF COMPETITIVENESS AND INTERDEPENDENCE BETWEEN COMPETITION AND COMPETITIVENESS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tatiana GUTIUM

2017-11-01

Full Text Available This article is devoted to analysis of interdependence and correlation between competition and competitiveness, and competition’s consequences. The author analysed some authors’ visions on competitiveness, and common features between theories of competition and competitiveness. Using the synthetic indicator elaborated by author has been evaluated the competitiveness of domestic goods on the internal and external market. At the end of this article, the author has developed proposals to increase competitiveness.

Competitive coexistence caused by adaptive predators

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Křivan, Vlastimil

2003-01-01

Roč. 5, - (2003), s. 1163-1182 ISSN 1522-0613 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA201/03/0091 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z5007907 Keywords : adaptive foraging -competition Subject RIV: EH - Ecology, Behaviour Impact factor: 1.587, year: 2003

Shark scavenging behavior in the presence of competition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shannon P. GERRY, Andrea J. SCOTT

2010-02-01

Full Text Available The distribution of organisms within a community can often be determined by the degree of plasticity or degree of specialization of resource acquisition. Resource acquisition is often based on the morphology of an organism, behavior, or a combination of both. Performance tests of feeding can identify the possible interactions that allow one species to better exploit a prey item. Scavenging behaviors in the presence or absence of a competitor were investigated by quantifying prey selection in a trophic generalist, spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias, and a trophic specialist, smooth-hounds Mustelus canis, in order to determine if each shark scavenged according to its jaw morphology. The diet of dogfish consists of small fishes, squid, ctenophores, and bivalves; they are expected to be nonselective predators. Smooth-hounds primarily feed on crustaceans; therefore, they are predicted to select crabs over other prey types. Prey selection was quantified by ranking each prey item according to the order it was consumed. Dietary shifts were analyzed by comparing the percentage of each prey item selected during solitary versus competitive scavenging. When scavenging alone, dogfish prefer herring and squid, which are easily handled by the cutting dentition of dogfish. Dogfish shift their diet to include a greater number of prey types when scavenging with a competitor. Smooth-hounds scavenge on squid, herring, and shrimp when alone, but increase the number of crabs in the diet when scavenging competitively. Competition causes smooth-hounds to scavenge according to their jaw morphology and locomotor abilities, which enables them to feed on a specialized resource [Current Zoology 56 (1: 100–108 2010].

Evaluating the Competitiveness of the Northern and Southern Macro-Regions of Italy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucia Aquilino

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This study uses the Crouch and Ritchie (1999 model of competitiveness to investigate/measure the competitiveness of northern and southern Italian macro-regions. Researching competitive advantages along with identifying strengths/weaknesses represent the objectives of this study. 156 responses were analysed, and findings show that northern regions tend to be more competitive than southern regions. While naturally endowed and created resources represent strengths in both regions, the competitiveness of all the determinant factors included in the tourism development, planning and policy of both tourist destinations are found to be quite inadequate. Moreover, the findings revealed that these mature destinations are experiencing the effects unleashed by a number of trends such as the development of new forms of tourism, the increasing number of tourist arrivals, the growth of the global economy and the sophistication of tourists’ tastes, representing both opportunities and threats that Italian destinations need to consider when planning/developing new strategies.

Data Acquisition and Mass Storage

Science.gov (United States)

Vande Vyvre, P.

2004-08-01

The experiments performed at supercolliders will constitute a new challenge in several disciplines of High Energy Physics and Information Technology. This will definitely be the case for data acquisition and mass storage. The microelectronics, communication, and computing industries are maintaining an exponential increase of the performance of their products. The market of commodity products remains the largest and the most competitive market of technology products. This constitutes a strong incentive to use these commodity products extensively as components to build the data acquisition and computing infrastructures of the future generation of experiments. The present generation of experiments in Europe and in the US already constitutes an important step in this direction. The experience acquired in the design and the construction of the present experiments has to be complemented by a large R&D effort executed with good awareness of industry developments. The future experiments will also be expected to follow major trends of our present world: deliver physics results faster and become more and more visible and accessible. The present evolution of the technologies and the burgeoning of GRID projects indicate that these trends will be made possible. This paper includes a brief overview of the technologies currently used for the different tasks of the experimental data chain: data acquisition, selection, storage, processing, and analysis. The major trends of the computing and networking technologies are then indicated with particular attention paid to their influence on the future experiments. Finally, the vision of future data acquisition and processing systems and their promise for future supercolliders is presented.

48 CFR 212.504 - Applicability of certain laws to subcontracts for the acquisition of commercial items.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... laws to subcontracts for the acquisition of commercial items. 212.504 Section 212.504 Federal... PLANNING ACQUISITION OF COMMERCIAL ITEMS Applicability of Certain Laws to the Acquisition of Commercial Items 212.504 Applicability of certain laws to subcontracts for the acquisition of commercial items. (a...

76 FR 39630 - Applications for New Awards; Promise Neighborhoods Program-Planning Grant Competition

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-06

..., four competitive preference priorities, and one invitational priority that are explained in the... 200.19(b)(1)(iv), and obtain credential. postsecondary degrees, vocational certificates, or other... one or more Indian tribes (as defined in this notice). Competitive Preference Priorities: For FY 2011...

[The significance of student competitions for the development of motivation for education and the acquisition of professional competences in the students the Department of Forensic Medical Expertise of the Sechenovsky University].

Science.gov (United States)

Pigolkin, Yu I; Lomakin, Yu V; Leonova, E N

2018-01-01

Russia joined the Bologna process in 2003 and since that time has become integrated into the unified European educational space. The key element of the new form of the higher education process is the self-guided unsupervised work of the students. Motivation is needed to promote the involvement of the students in the educational process which implies the necessity of the goal-oriented initiative for the acquisition of professional knowledge and practical experience in the field of forensic medicine. To achieve this goal, the Department of Forensic Medicine of I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University places special emphasis on the experience with carrying out student competitions. Each such competition consists of several contests focused on the solution of a specific problem, e.g. the inspection of the place of occurrence under investigation with a gunshot or punctured-and-incised wound, forensic medical autopsy, problem studies, and intelligence tests. All the contests and problem studies are held in the form of an interactive game. The experience gained in the course of the student competitions gives practical evidence that the interdepartmental intelligence contests contribute to raising the interest of students in forensic medicine. The open competition provides a highly efficient tool for the popularization of scientific knowledge and the promotion of interest in the participation in the forensic medical research activities. Moreover, the student competitions facilitate formation of the earlier professional skills indispensable for team working and the development of abilities for making decisions under the extreme conditions. In addition, the contests teach the participants the art of public appearance. They improve the quality of vocational training in forensic medicine and help to establish the first professional contacts at the interinstitutional (including international) level.

Regulation and competition issues in Thai electricity sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wisuttisak, Pornchai

2012-01-01

This paper explores the issues related to regulatory reform and liberalisation leading toward competition in the Thai electricity sector, which is still under the monopoly control of state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Following an overview of the current market structure of the Thai electricity sector, the process of liberalisation and deregulation that contributes to the uncompetitive market structure under SOEs’ control is examined. The author asserts that there are problems within the Energy Commission and the Energy Industry Act BE 2550 (2007) that contribute to the continuance of an uncompetitive electricity supply. Possible reforms to the Thai electricity regulation are proposed with the aim of creating market competition and efficiency in the Thai electricity sector. - Highlights: ► Author studies on the regulatory reform and a development of liberalisation plans on Thai electricity sector. ► The paper presents that the liberalisation plan was affected by the government implementation on electricity corporatisation. ► The paper asserts that the current energy regulation will not lead to market reform and competition in electricity. ► The paper also discusses on the current monopoly structure of Thai electricity sector under state owned enterprises. ► The paper concludes that Thailand needs an appropriate regulatory reform for building competition in electricity sector.

Using Options to Manage Dynamic Uncertainty in Acquisition Projects

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Ceylan, B. K; Ford, David N

2002-01-01

Uncertainty in acquisition projects and environments can degrade performance. Traditional project planning, management tools, and methods can effectively deal with uncertainties in relatively stable environments...

48 CFR 212.570 - Applicability of certain laws to contracts and subcontracts for the acquisition of commercially...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

..., DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ACQUISITION PLANNING ACQUISITION OF COMMERCIAL ITEMS Applicability of Certain Laws to the Acquisition of Commercial Items 212.570 Applicability of certain laws to contracts and... laws to contracts and subcontracts for the acquisition of commercially available off-the-shelf items...

Scandal and Tragedy Or Acquisition Lessons Relearned by the F-35 Program

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-01

Extend decontamination tests O — GAO 05—Establish an executable program consistent with best practices and DoD poli - cy regarding knowledge-based...Crawley, E. F. (2012). Relieving joint pain : Planning government acquisition of complex common systems. Defense Acquisition Research Journal, 19

A Golden Opportunity for Currency Competition.

Science.gov (United States)

Cobb, Joe

1983-01-01

The Federal Reserve makes mistakes in monetary policy and causes business cycles. A free market solution to the failure of central economic planning is competition in money and banking. A second currency, the "Gold Eagle," should be issued and allowed to compete with the dollar. (SR)

48 CFR 212.503 - Applicability of certain laws to executive agency contracts for the acquisition of commercial items.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... laws to executive agency contracts for the acquisition of commercial items. 212.503 Section 212.503... ACQUISITION PLANNING ACQUISITION OF COMMERCIAL ITEMS Applicability of Certain Laws to the Acquisition of Commercial Items 212.503 Applicability of certain laws to executive agency contracts for the acquisition of...

Implications of mergers and acquisitions in gas and electric markets: The role of yardstick competition in merger analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reiter, H.L.

1999-01-01

There has been no shortage of proposed and consummated mergers of regulated utilities in the electric, natural gas, and telecommunication industries over the last decade. For example, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association states that there have been thirty electric utility mergers since 1992 and dozens of so-called convergence mergers between electric and gas utilities during that period. Yardstick competition or the competition that occurs when the regulator can compare the relative performances of utilities it regulates with other utilities it regulates or with neighboring utilities in other jurisdictions, places pressure on the regulated utilities to perform better for fear of coming up short in the comparison process. There are three important questions regulators may ask about the importance of yardstick competition as regulatory tool and the weight regulators should give to diminution of yardstick competition in the merger context. First, does it make that much difference? In the electric industry, for example, distribution costs typically comprise less than ten percent of the delivered price of electricity. Second, to preserve theoretical yardstick competition, are regulators then going to block mergers that bring other efficiencies? And finally, are there sound tools at the regulators' disposal should they be inclined to take yardstick competition seriously as a factor in regulation of utilities?

Implications of mergers and acquisitions in gas and electric markets: The role of yardstick competition in merger analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reiter, H.L.

1999-06-30

There has been no shortage of proposed and consummated mergers of regulated utilities in the electric, natural gas, and telecommunication industries over the last decade. For example, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association states that there have been thirty electric utility mergers since 1992 and dozens of so-called convergence mergers between electric and gas utilities during that period. Yardstick competition or the competition that occurs when the regulator can compare the relative performances of utilities it regulates with other utilities it regulates or with neighboring utilities in other jurisdictions, places pressure on the regulated utilities to perform better for fear of coming up short in the comparison process. There are three important questions regulators may ask about the importance of yardstick competition as regulatory tool and the weight regulators should give to diminution of yardstick competition in the merger context. First, does it make that much difference? In the electric industry, for example, distribution costs typically comprise less than ten percent of the delivered price of electricity. Second, to preserve theoretical yardstick competition, are regulators then going to block mergers that bring other efficiencies? And finally, are there sound tools at the regulators' disposal should they be inclined to take yardstick competition seriously as a factor in regulation of utilities?

E802 data acquisition complex

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LeVine, M.J.

1985-01-01

The data acquisition architecture planned for experiment E802 is described. A VAX 11/785 will be front-ended by a VME-based array of 68000-family microprocessors, which will be used as intelligent CAMAC crate controllers, event builders, and to augment the computing power of the VAX for on-line analysis of the data. 4 refs

Plant competitive interactions and invasiveness: searching for the effects of phylogenetic relatedness and origin on competition intensity

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Dostál, Petr

2011-01-01

Roč. 177, č. 5 (2011), s. 655-667 ISSN 0003-0147 R&D Projects: GA ČR GAP504/10/0132 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : competitive equivalence * invasive plants * phylogenetic similarity Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 4.725, year: 2011

Yakima Habitat Improvement Project Master Plan, Technical Report 2003.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Golder Associates, Inc.

2003-04-22

The Yakima Urban Growth Area (UGA) is a developing and growing urban area in south-central Washington. Despite increased development, the Yakima River and its tributaries within the UGA continue to support threatened populations of summer steelhead and bull trout as well as a variety of non-listed salmonid species. In order to provide for the maintenance and recovery of these species, while successfully planning for the continued growth and development within the UGA, the City of Yakima has undertaken the Yakima Habitat Improvement Project. The overall goal of the project is to maintain, preserve, and restore functioning fish and wildlife habitat within and immediately surrounding the Yakima UGA over the long term. Acquisition and protection of the fish and wildlife habitat associated with key properties in the UGA will prevent future subdivision along riparian corridors, reduce further degradation or removal of riparian habitat, and maintain or enhance the long term condition of aquatic habitat. By placing these properties in long-term protection, the threat of development from continued growth in the urban area will be removed. To most effectively implement the multi-year habitat acquisition and protection effort, the City has developed this Master Plan. The Master Plan provides the structure and guidance for future habitat acquisition and restoration activities to be performed within the Yakima Urban Area. The development of this Master Plan also supports several Reasonable and Prudent Alternatives (RPAs) of the NOAA Fisheries 2000 Biological Opinion (BiOp), as well as the Water Investment Action Agenda for the Yakima Basin, local planning efforts, and the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Authority's 2000 Fish and Wildlife Program. This Master Plan also provides the framework for coordination of the Yakima Habitat Improvement Project with other fish and wildlife habitat acquisition and protection activities currently being implemented in the area. As a

A competitive solution for cooperative truckload delivery

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hezarkhani, B.; Slikker, M.; Woensel, van T.

2016-01-01

This paper introduces a solution for gain sharing in consortia of logistic providers where joint planning of truckload deliveries enables the reduction of empty kilometers. The highly competitive nature of freight transport markets necessitates solutions that distinguish among the logistics

Competitiveness in organizational integrated computer system project management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zenovic GHERASIM

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The organizational integrated computer system project management aims at achieving competitiveness by unitary, connected and personalised treatment of the requirements for this type of projects, along with the adequate application of all the basic management, administration and project planning principles, as well as of the basic concepts of the organisational information management development. The paper presents some aspects of organizational computer systems project management competitiveness with the specific reference to some Romanian companies’ projects.

Technology support for military capability based acquisition

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Thaba, Mphahlela

2017-05-01

Full Text Available gap between capability planning and acquisition of product systems in the SANDF. (Thaba J et al, 2015). The need for decision support tools and technologies to assist capability planners to close this gap and make sound decisions has become more...

Medicare and state health care programs: fraud and abuse, civil money penalties and intermediate sanctions for certain violations by health maintenance organizations and competitive medical plans--HHS. Final rule.

Science.gov (United States)

1994-07-15

This final rule implements sections 9312(c)(2), 9312(f), and 9434(b) of Public Law 99-509, section 7 of Public Law 100-93, section 4014 of Public Law 100-203, sections 224 and 411(k)(12) of Public Law 100-360, and section 6411(d)(3) of Public Law 101-239. These provisions broaden the Secretary's authority to impose intermediate sanctions and civil money penalties on health maintenance organizations (HMOs), competitive medical plans, and other prepaid health plans contracting under Medicare or Medicaid that (1) substantially fail to provide an enrolled individual with required medically necessary items and services; (2) engage in certain marketing, enrollment, reporting, or claims payment abuses; or (3) in the case of Medicare risk-contracting plans, employ or contract with, either directly or indirectly, an individual or entity excluded from participation in Medicare. The provisions also condition Federal financial participation in certain State payments on the State's exclusion of certain prohibited entities from participation in HMO contracts and waiver programs. This final rule is intended to significantly enhance the protections for Medicare beneficiaries and Medicaid recipients enrolled in a HMO, competitive medical plan, or other contracting organization under titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act.

Prospects of competitive process innovation business in Brazil: critical factors for competitiveness, productivity and growth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kátia Keiko Kitaguti

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The economic conditions of recent times require a structural changing and, mainly, behavioral ones of Brazilian business. The scenario created by big economic powers shows the difference between Brazilian industries and service sectors when it is compared business issues, for example, competitiveness, productivity and innovation, with others countries. The technological innovation consists in a critical factor for competitiveness and for the global economic development; moreover, it can be found in industrial sectors (responsible for materialization and organization of operational system of production process and in service sectors (which make planning of the contracted activity. Innovation should not be included only in these two economic sectors; however, it has to be included in the economic thought of countries. It has to be highlighted the fact that innovation is not the unique factor of competitiveness, but, productivity and knowledge make the same impact in competitiveness as innovation does. Besides, external and internal demands predict trends in terms of searching products, process an strategies, which can promote a better interaction between market and productivity control. In a global context, Brazil, specially, has a lot of techniques to learn in terms of how to use its resources in a adequate way, independently if they are natural or not. That is why studies about critical factors for competitiveness are determined for the Brazil's sustainable growth.

Modern tools in the management of competitiveness of innovative entrepreneurship

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Reshetov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this paper is to study the role of planning and forecasting in management of economic systems, including the management of innovative business structures. Methods. Methodological basis of this paper is generalization of literary sources.Results. The article shows the importance and feasibility of using modern tools in the management of competitiveness of innovative entrepreneurship, in particular the need to apply foresight design and road mapping. This article substantiates the practical necessity of using modern innovative business structures in order to achieve high competitiveness planning tools and forecasting of its activities (and in particular, foresight design and road mapping.

An Overview of Advanced Data Acquisition System (ADAS)

Science.gov (United States)

Mata, Carlos T.; Steinrock, T. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The paper discusses the following: 1. Historical background. 2. What is ADAS? 3. R and D status. 4. Reliability/cost examples (1, 2, and 3). 5. What's new? 6. Technical advantages. 7. NASA relevance. 8. NASA plans/options. 9. Remaining R and D. 10. Applications. 11. Product benefits. 11. Commercial advantages. 12. intellectual property. Aerospace industry requires highly reliable data acquisition systems. Traditional Acquisition systems employ end-to-end hardware and software redundancy. Typically, redundancy adds weight, cost, power consumption, and complexity.

Switching gains and health plan price elasticities: 20 years of managed competition reforms in The Netherlands.

Science.gov (United States)

Douven, Rudy; Katona, Katalin; T Schut, Frederik; Shestalova, Victoria

2017-11-01

In this paper we estimate health plan price elasticities and financial switching gains for consumers over a 20-year period in which managed competition was introduced in the Dutch health insurance market. The period is characterized by a major health insurance reform in 2006 to provide health insurers with more incentives and tools to compete, and to provide consumers with a more differentiated choice of products. Prior to the reform, in the period 1995-2005, we find a low number of switchers, between 2 and 4% a year, modest average total switching gains of 2 million euros per year and short-term health plan price elasticities ranging from -0.1 to -0.4. The major reform in 2006 resulted in an all-time high switching rate of 18%, total switching gains of 130 million euros, and a high short-term price elasticity of -5.7. During 2007-2015 switching rates returned to lower levels, between 4 and 8% per year, with total switching gains in the order of 40 million euros per year on average. Total switching gains could have been 10 times higher if all consumers had switched to one of the cheapest plans. We find short-term price elasticities ranging between -0.9 and -2.2. Our estimations suggest substantial consumer inertia throughout the entire period, as we find degrees of choice persistence ranging from about 0.8 to 0.9.

Optimizing Federal Fleet Vehicle Acquisitions: An Eleven-Agency FY 2012 Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singer, M. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Daley, R. [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2015-02-01

This report focuses on the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's (NREL) fiscal year (FY) 2012 effort that used the NREL Optimal Vehicle Acquisition (NOVA) analysis to identify optimal vehicle acquisition recommendations for eleven diverse federal agencies. Results of the study show that by following a vehicle acquisition plan that maximizes the reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, significant progress is also made toward the mandated complementary goals of acquiring alternative fuel vehicles, petroleum use reduction, and alternative fuel use increase.

LAMPF nuclear chemistry data acquisition system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giesler, G.C.

1983-01-01

The LAMPF Nuclear Chemistry Data Acquisition System (DAS) is designed to provide both real-time control of data acquisition and facilities for data processing for a large variety of users. It consists of a PDP-11/44 connected to a parallel CAMAC branch highway as well as to a large number of peripherals. The various types of radiation counters and spectrometers and their connections to the system will be described. Also discussed will be the various methods of connection considered and their advantages and disadvantages. The operation of the system from the standpoint of both hardware and software will be described as well as plans for the future

The data acquisition system for SLD

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sherden, D.J.

1986-10-01

This paper describes the data acquisition system planned for the SLD detector, which is being constructed for use with the SLAC Linear Collider (SLC). Analog electronics, heavily incorporating hybrid and custom VLSI circuitry, is mounted on the detector itself. Extensive use is made of multiplexing through optical fibers to a FASTBUS readout system. The low repetition rate of the SLC allows a relatively simple software-based trigger. Hardware and software processors within the acquisition modules are used to reduce the large volume of data per event and to calibrate the electronics. A farm of microprocessors is used for full reconstruction of a sample of events prior to transmission to the host

Integrating dynamic acquisition pricing and remanufacturing decisions under random price-sensitive returns

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sun, X.; Li, Y.; Govindan, Kannan

2013-01-01

As uncertainties increase in both the acquisition of used products and the demand of remanufactured products, balancing supply and demand has become more important for a remanufacturing firm. Therefore, the remanufacturing firm needs to combine acquisition management with remanufacturing planning...... level and acquisition price of each period, which holds a lower computational complexity. Finally, numerical examples are provided to show the effectiveness of the algorithm and to conduct managerial insights of main parameters....

Oligopolistic price competition with informed and uninformed buyers

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Ostatnický, Michal

-, č. 413 (2010), s. 1-34 ISSN 1211-3298 Institutional research plan: CEZ:MSM0021620846 Keywords : oligopoly * price competition * price dispersion Subject RIV: AH - Economic s http://www.cerge-ei.cz/pdf/wp/Wp413.pdf

Analyzing the Impacts of Implementation of Human Resource Information System in Mergers and Acquisitions

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

QIN; YIWEN

2016-01-01

Mergers&Acquisitions(M&A)have become very popular throughout the world in the recent years,due to globalization,liberalization,technological developments and intensely competitive business environment.Inchoately,it suggests that strategic or financial terms are the main issues result in the failure of M&A.In this paper,it analyses the challenges of mergers and acquisitions and the implementation of HRIS from the perspective of timing,data entry,staff training,and security.Through the analysis,it is clear how to make sure the post-merger organization development successfully.

Article 27 of Competition Law and What Lies Beneath

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Perdana A. Saputro

2011-09-01

Full Text Available This article discuss about Article 27 of Law No. 5 Year 1999 on the Restriction of Monopoly Practices and Unfair Business Practices (“Competition Law”. One may wonder the rigorousness to the application of Article 27 which arguably could ban any merger which meets market test without conducting any competitive assessment. For this, the law has been presumed that the acquisition or controlling of large market share from merger is per se illegality. Further, the effects of Article 27 would be discussed in this paper. A merger review itself is not an easy task and tends to bring complex issues that one needs to be dealt with. Things get more complicated when one deals with the merger application in developing countries since there are various aspects that need to be taken account by the respective antitrust authority (including Indonesia Obviously, every country needs to set up its competition law in accordance with its own economic characteristics and conditions. Many have argued as to point out the severe condition in market as a result of high concentration of competition. But more of them argued otherwise, as it could positively pushed on the market. This article would also include best practices from US and EU competition law practices regarding the issue at hand, as well as the relationship of merger control and practices in developing countries. The article offers suggestion with regard to the current approach to Article 27 of the Competition Law and from EU and US best practice which could be used for the benefit of Indonesia’s competition law especially to the application of Article 27.

Strategic Planning and Management in Defense Systems Acquisition

Science.gov (United States)

2014-04-30

Program analysis /assessment  Needs assessment  Mission/strategy mapping  SWOT analyses  Root cause analyses  Balanced Scorecard  Stakeholder...Strategic planning, according to Dr. John Bryson (2010), offers many benefits to public-sector organizations:  Promotes strategic thinking, acting, and...and  Benefits people directly involved. Bryson (2010), a strategic planning researcher from the University of Minnesota, states, “Evidence

Competition in hospital and health insurance markets: a review and research agenda.

Science.gov (United States)

Morrisey, M A

2001-04-01

To review the empirical literature on the effects of selective contracting and hospital competition on hospital prices, travel distance, services, and quality; to review the effects of managed care penetration and competition on health insurance premiums; and to identify areas for further research. Selective contracting has allowed managed care plans to obtain lower prices from hospitals. This finding is generalizable beyond California and is stronger when there is more competition in the hospital market. Travel distances to hospitals of admission have not increased as a result of managed care. Evidence on the diffusion of technology in hospitals and the extent to which hospitals have specialized as a result of managed care is mixed. Little research on the effects on quality has been undertaken, but preliminary evidence suggests that hospital quality has not declined and may have improved. Actual mergers in the hospital market have not affected hospital prices. Much less research has been focused on managed care markets. Greater market penetration and greater competition among managed care plans are associated with lower managed care premiums. Greater HMO penetration appears to be much more effective than PPO penetration in leading to lower premiums. While workers are willing to change plans when faced with higher out-of-pocket premiums, there is little evidence of the willingness of employers to switch plan offerings. Preliminary evidence suggests that greater managed care penetration has led to lower overall employer premiums, but the results differ substantially between employers with and without a self-insured plan. Much more research is needed to examine all aspects of managed care markets. In hospital markets, particular attention should be focused on the effects on quality and technology diffusion.

Defense Contract Management Command Support to System Acquisition Program Managers

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

1999-01-01

.... This report discusses the planning of contract administration office support to system acquisition program managers through the program integration process and the customer support outreach program...

Trait-abundance relation in response to nutrient addition in a Tibetan alpine meadow: The importance of species trade-off in resource conservation and acquisition.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Huiying; Li, Ying; Ren, Fei; Lin, Li; Zhu, Wenyan; He, Jin-Sheng; Niu, Kechang

2017-12-01

In competition-dominated communities, traits promoting resource conservation and competitive ability are expected to have an important influence on species relative abundance (SRA). Yet, few studies have tested the trait-abundance relations in the line of species trade-off in resource conservation versus acquisition, indicating by multiple traits coordination. We measured SRA and key functional traits involving leaf economic spectrum (SLA, specific leaf area; LDMC, leaf dry matter content; LCC, leaf carbon concentration; LNC, leaf nitrogen concentration; LPC, leaf phosphorus concentration; Hs, mature height) for ten common species in all plots subjected to addition of nitrogen fertilizer (N), phosphorus fertilizer (P), or both of them (NP) in a Tibetan alpine meadow. We test whether SRA is positively related with traits promoting plant resource conservation, while negatively correlated with traits promoting plant growth and resource acquisition. We found that species were primarily differentiated along a trade-off axis involving traits promoting nutrient acquisition and fast growth (e.g., LPC and SLA) versus traits promoting resource conservation and competition ability (e.g., large LDMC). We further found that SRA was positively correlated with plant height, LDMC, and LCC, but negatively associated with SLA and leaf nutrient concentration irrespective of fertilization. A stronger positive height-SRA was found in NP-fertilized plots than in other plots, while negative correlations between SRA and SLA and LPC were found in N or P fertilized plots. The results indicate that species trade-off in nutrient acquisition and resource conservation was a key driver of SRA in competition-dominated communities following fertilization, with the linkage between SRA and traits depending on plant competition for specific soil nutrient and/or light availability. The results highlight the importance of competitive exclusion in plant community assembly following fertilization and

COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE ANALYSIS - SCENARIOS METHOD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivan Valeriu

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Keeping a company in the top performing players in the relevant market depends not only on its ability to develop continually, sustainably and balanced, to the standards set by the customer and competition, but also on the ability to protect its strategic information and to know in advance the strategic information of the competition. In addition, given that economic markets, regardless of their profile, enable interconnection not only among domestic companies, but also between domestic companies and foreign companies, the issue of economic competition moves from the national economies to the field of interest of regional and international economic organizations. The stakes for each economic player is to keep ahead of the competition and to be always prepared to face market challenges. Therefore, it needs to know as early as possible, how to react to others’ strategy in terms of research, production and sales. If a competitor is planning to produce more and cheaper, then it must be prepared to counteract quickly this movement. Competitive intelligence helps to evaluate the capabilities of competitors in the market, legally and ethically, and to develop response strategies. One of the main goals of the competitive intelligence is to acknowledge the role of early warning and prevention of surprises that could have a major impact on the market share, reputation, turnover and profitability in the medium and long term of a company. This paper presents some aspects of competitive intelligence, mainly in terms of information analysis and intelligence generation. Presentation is theoretical and addresses a structured method of information analysis - scenarios method – in a version that combines several types of analysis in order to reveal some interconnecting aspects of the factors governing the activity of a company.

Mission Planning System Increment 5 (MPS Inc 5)

Science.gov (United States)

2016-03-01

2016 Major Automated Information System Annual Report Mission Planning System Increment 5 (MPS Inc 5) Defense Acquisition Management Information...President’s Budget RDT&E - Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation SAE - Service Acquisition Executive TBD - To Be Determined TY - Then Year...Phone: 845-9625 DSN Fax: Date Assigned: May 19, 2014 Program Information Program Name Mission Planning System Increment 5 (MPS Inc 5) DoD

Mergers and acquisitions involving equine veterinary practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Jackman, Brad R; McCafferty, Owen E

2009-12-01

This article discusses mergers and acquisitions involving equine veterinary practices. Combining practices can be professionally and economically advantageous but requires a great deal of thought, planning, and implementation. If due diligence is performed and true business teamwork is undertaken, the benefits can be enormous and rewarding.

Concentration and Competition in Turkish Banking Industry: The Evidence from 2000 to 2012

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Serpil Kuzucu

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Banking industry worldwide has been transformed due to globalization, financial liberalization, technological developments, government policies, deregulation of financial services, financial crises and increase in mergers and acquisitions since 1980. With these changes, there is a trend towards decrease in the number of banks and increase in banking concentration. Increase in banking concentration might affect competition conditions in banking industry. The decrease in the number of banks and the increase in banking concentration dominate the Turkish banking industry after the banking crises in 2000 and 2001. This paper examines the relationship between concentration and competition in Turkish banking industry. I measure the size of banking concentration by concentration ratios and Herfindahl-Hirschman index with the data of commercial deposit banks in Turkey from 2000 to 2012. Competition degree is measured by using Panzar Rosse model. The results of the study suggest that there is no permanent relation between banking concentration and competition in Turkish banks.

48 CFR 2009.570-5 - Contract clauses.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... COMPETITION AND ACQUISITION PLANNING CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS Organizational Conflicts of Interest 2009.570-5 Contract clauses. (a) General contract clause. All contracts and simplified acquisitions of the types set forth in 2009.570-4(b) must include the clause entitled, “Contractor Organizational Conflicts of...

48 CFR 509.308-1 - Testing performed by the contractor.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Testing performed by the... ADMINISTRATION COMPETITION AND ACQUISITION PLANNING CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS First Article Testing and Approval 509.308-1 Testing performed by the contractor. In FSS solicitations and contracts that will require...

Impact of Merger and Acquisition on University Performance.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamadi Bolbanabad, Amjad; Mosadeghrad, Ali Mohammad; Arab, Mohammad; Majdzadeh, Reza

2017-08-01

Merger and acquisitions (M&A) widen access to higher education, improve quality of teaching and research, and increase efficiency of higher education institutions. Three big medical universities in Iran merged in 2010. The purpose of this study was to highlight the impact of this acquisition on the performance of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. This qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured in-depth interviews with 60 participants from April 2015 to November 2015. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit participants. Data analysis was performed using MAXQDA software (V. 10). The reasons for acquisition of IUMS by TUMS were to enhance the position of TUMS worldwide, and to increase its efficiency. The acquisition improved the organization and management of the newly formed TUMS, enhanced its academic position and market recognition. However, the achieved benefits did not come without shortcomings and unanticipated consequences. The merger and acquisition in higher education has some advantages and disadvantages. A well planned and carefully implemented M&A gives cutting edge to the higher education institutes.

Defense Acquisition Policy and Defense Industrial Base Reinforcement Strategy - Enhancing the International Competitiveness of the Korean National Defense Industry

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Lee, Dae O

2008-01-01

...) through competitiveness analysis is required. Thus, it is necessary to develop appropriate models for analyzing the Korean NDI and to conduct competitiveness analysis by using the developed model...

Seeking the competitive advantage: it's more than cost reduction.

Science.gov (United States)

South, S F

1999-01-01

Most organizations focus considerable time and energy on reducing operating costs as a way to attain marketplace advantage. This strategy was not inappropriate in the past. To be competitive in the future, however, focus must be placed on other issues, not just cost reduction. The near future will be dominated by service industries, knowledge management, and virtual partnerships, with production optimization and flexibility, innovation, and strong partnerships defining those organizations that attain competitive advantage. Competitive advantage will reside in clarifying the vision and strategic plan, reviewing and redesigning work processes to optimize resources and value-added work, and creating change-ready environments and empowered workforces.

Hanford Site Development Plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rinne, C.A.; Curry, R.H.; Hagan, J.W.; Seiler, S.W.; Sommer, D.J.; Yancey, E.F.

1990-01-01

The Hanford Site Development Plan (Site Development Plan) is intended to guide the short- and long-range development and use of the Hanford Site. All acquisition, development, and permanent facility use at the Hanford Site will conform to the approved plan. The Site Development Plan also serves as the base document for all subsequent studies that involve use of facilities at the Site. This revision is an update of a previous plan. The executive summary presents the highlights of the five major topics covered in the Site Development Plan: general site information, existing conditions, planning analysis, Master Plan, and Five-Year Plan. 56 refs., 67 figs., 31 tabs

Hanford Site Development Plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rinne, C.A.; Curry, R.H.; Hagan, J.W.; Seiler, S.W.; Sommer, D.J. (Westinghouse Hanford Co., Richland, WA (USA)); Yancey, E.F. (Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (USA))

1990-01-01

The Hanford Site Development Plan (Site Development Plan) is intended to guide the short- and long-range development and use of the Hanford Site. All acquisition, development, and permanent facility use at the Hanford Site will conform to the approved plan. The Site Development Plan also serves as the base document for all subsequent studies that involve use of facilities at the Site. This revision is an update of a previous plan. The executive summary presents the highlights of the five major topics covered in the Site Development Plan: general site information, existing conditions, planning analysis, Master Plan, and Five-Year Plan. 56 refs., 67 figs., 31 tabs.

Establishment and application of Competitive Intelligence System in Mobile Devices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anass El Haddadi

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The strategy concept has changed dramatically: from a long range planning to strategic planning then to strategic responsiveness. This response implies moving from a concept of change to a concept of continuous evolution. In our context, the competitive intelligence system presented aims to improve decision‐making in all aspects of business life, particularly for offensive and innovative decisions. In the paper we present XPlor EveryWhere, our competitive intelligence system based on a multidimensional analysis model for mobile devices. The objective of this system is to capture the information environment in all dimensions of a decision problem, with the exploitation of information by analyzing the evolution of their interactions

An agile acquisition decision-support workbench for evaluating ISR effectiveness

Science.gov (United States)

Stouch, Daniel W.; Champagne, Valerie; Mow, Christopher; Rosenberg, Brad; Serrin, Joshua

2011-06-01

The U.S. Air Force is consistently evolving to support current and future operations through the planning and execution of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. However, it is a challenge to maintain a precise awareness of current and emerging ISR capabilities to properly prepare for future conflicts. We present a decisionsupport tool for acquisition managers to empirically compare ISR capabilities and approaches to employing them, thereby enabling the DoD to acquire ISR platforms and sensors that provide the greatest return on investment. We have developed an analysis environment to perform modeling and simulation-based experiments to objectively compare alternatives. First, the analyst specifies an operational scenario for an area of operations by providing terrain and threat information; a set of nominated collections; sensor and platform capabilities; and processing, exploitation, and dissemination (PED) capacities. Next, the analyst selects and configures ISR collection strategies to generate collection plans. The analyst then defines customizable measures of effectiveness or performance to compute during the experiment. Finally, the analyst empirically compares the efficacy of each solution and generates concise reports to document their conclusions, providing traceable evidence for acquisition decisions. Our capability demonstrates the utility of using a workbench environment for analysts to design and run experiments. Crafting impartial metrics enables the acquisition manager to focus on evaluating solutions based on specific military needs. Finally, the metric and collection plan visualizations provide an intuitive understanding of the suitability of particular solutions. This facilitates a more agile acquisition strategy that handles rapidly changing technology in response to current military needs.

On the reproducibility of expert-operated and robotic ultrasound acquisitions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kojcev, Risto; Khakzar, Ashkan; Fuerst, Bernhard; Zettinig, Oliver; Fahkry, Carole; DeJong, Robert; Richmon, Jeremy; Taylor, Russell; Sinibaldi, Edoardo; Navab, Nassir

2017-06-01

We present the evaluation of the reproducibility of measurements performed using robotic ultrasound imaging in comparison with expert-operated sonography. Robotic imaging for interventional procedures may be a valuable contribution, but requires reproducibility for its acceptance in clinical routine. We study this by comparing repeated measurements based on robotic and expert-operated ultrasound imaging. Robotic ultrasound acquisition is performed in three steps under user guidance: First, the patient is observed using a 3D camera on the robot end effector, and the user selects the region of interest. This allows for automatic planning of the robot trajectory. Next, the robot executes a sweeping motion following the planned trajectory, during which the ultrasound images and tracking data are recorded. As the robot is compliant, deviations from the path are possible, for instance due to patient motion. Finally, the ultrasound slices are compounded to create a volume. Repeated acquisitions can be performed automatically by comparing the previous and current patient surface. After repeated image acquisitions, the measurements based on acquisitions performed by the robotic system and expert are compared. Within our case series, the expert measured the anterior-posterior, longitudinal, transversal lengths of both of the left and right thyroid lobes on each of the 4 healthy volunteers 3 times, providing 72 measurements. Subsequently, the same procedure was performed using the robotic system resulting in a cumulative total of 144 clinically relevant measurements. Our results clearly indicated that robotic ultrasound enables more repeatable measurements. A robotic ultrasound platform leads to more reproducible data, which is of crucial importance for planning and executing interventions.

48 CFR 1052.219-71 - Subcontracting Plan.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Subcontracting Plan. 1052... Subcontracting Plan. As prescribed in DTAR 1019.708-70(b), insert the following provision: Subcontracting Plan (MAR 2002) As part of its initial proposal, each large business offeror must submit a contracting plan...

Revised article: Business Ideas Competition

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

THIS ARTICLE REPLACES THAT PUBLISHED IN BULLETIN 27/2003, PAGE 8. "The Rainbow Seed Fund is a UK fund, which provides finance to support the commercialization of good ideas founded on scientific research; it is for the benefit of the UK industry in particular. To encourage ideas from CERN the Rainbow Seed Fund is running a business ideas competition. The winner of this competition will receive an immediate cash prize of GBP £1,000. In addition the Rainbow Seed Fund may well provide finance for market research, for protection of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) and for prototyping to take the idea forward. Further awards of GBP £750 will be made for ideas which gain investment from the Fund. Candidates will only be required to prepare a 2-4-page summary of their business idea, and not a full business plan. Full details and an entry form are available at http://www.rainbowseedfund.com." ALL Members of the Personnel seeking participation in the business ideas competition are asked to submit their ideas via ...

A Lossless Network for Data Acquisition

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(SzGeCERN)698154; The ATLAS collaboration; Lehmann Miotto, Giovanna

2016-01-01

The planned upgrades of the experiments at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN will require higher bandwidth networks for their data acquisition systems. The network congestion problem arising from the bursty many-to-one communication pattern, typical for these systems, will become more demanding. It is questionable whether commodity TCP/IP and Ethernet technologies in their current form will be still able to effectively adapt to the bursty traffic without losing packets due to the scarcity of buffers in the networking hardware. We continue our study of the idea of lossless switching in software running on commercial-off-the-shelf servers for data acquisition systems, using the ATLAS experiment as a case study. The flexibility of design in software, performance of modern computer platforms, and buffering capabilities constrained solely by the amount of DRAM memory are a strong basis for building a network dedicated to data acquisition with commodity hardware, which can provide reliable transport in congested co...

Acquisition Information Management system telecommunication site survey results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hake, K.A. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States); Key, B.G. [COR, Inc., Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

1993-09-01

The Army acquisition community currently uses a dedicated, point-to-point secure computer network for the Army Material Plan Modernization (AMPMOD). It must transition to the DOD supplied Defense Secure Network 1 (DSNET1). This is one of the first networks of this size to begin the transition. The type and amount of computing resources available at individual sites may or may not meet the new network requirements. This task surveys these existing telecommunications resources available in the Army acquisition community. It documents existing communication equipment, computer hardware, associated software, and recommends appropriate changes.

NL-Netherlands: No permit required for Fox Entertainment Group’s Acquisition of Dutch Soccer Broadcasting Rights

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Breemen, K.

2013-01-01

On 29 November 2012, the Raad van Bestuur (Board of Directors) of the Nederlandse Mededingingsautoriteit (Competition Authority - NMa) decided that the acquisition of Eredivisie Media & Marketing (EMM), exploiter of the Dutch premier league soccer broadcasting rights on behalf of the top league

29 CFR 2550.407a-2 - Limitation with respect to the acquisition of qualifying employer securities and qualifying...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... exceeds 10 percent of the fair market value of the assets of the plan. (b) Acquisition. For pusposes of... dividend or stock split. (c) Fair market value—Indebtedness incurred in connection with the acquisition of... value of total plan assets shall be the fair market value of such assets less the unpaid amount of: (1...

Inhibition in movement plan competition: reach trajectories curve away from remembered and task-irrelevant present but not from task-irrelevant past visual stimuli.

Science.gov (United States)

Moehler, Tobias; Fiehler, Katja

2017-11-01

The current study investigated the role of automatic encoding and maintenance of remembered, past, and present visual distractors for reach movement planning. The previous research on eye movements showed that saccades curve away from locations actively kept in working memory and also from task-irrelevant perceptually present visual distractors, but not from task-irrelevant past distractors. Curvature away has been associated with an inhibitory mechanism resolving the competition between multiple active movement plans. Here, we examined whether reach movements underlie a similar inhibitory mechanism and thus show systematic modulation of reach trajectories when the location of a previously presented distractor has to be (a) maintained in working memory or (b) ignored, or (c) when the distractor is perceptually present. Participants performed vertical reach movements on a computer monitor from a home to a target location. Distractors appeared laterally and near or far from the target (equidistant from central fixation). We found that reaches curved away from the distractors located close to the target when the distractor location had to be memorized and when it was perceptually present, but not when the past distractor had to be ignored. Our findings suggest that automatically encoding present distractors and actively maintaining the location of past distractors in working memory evoke a similar response competition resolved by inhibition, as has been previously shown for saccadic eye movements.

Evolution Of The Operational Energy Strategy And Its Consideration In The Defense Acquisition Process

Science.gov (United States)

2016-09-01

Figure 12. PPBE Process Flowchart . Source: AcqNotes (2016). We comment above that once a program manager has completed his major Defense...acquisition system: 1) acquisition, 2) requirements and 3) planning, programming , budgeting, and execution (PPBE). We looked at the evolution of...to gain traction or improve promulgation of key guidance and documentation for new-starts and/or upgrades to weapon system acquisition programs

Wireless Competition in Canada: An Assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeffrey Church

2013-08-01

Full Text Available If there’s one thing Canadians agree on, it’s that Canada’s wireless industry can and should be more competitive. The federal government is on side with the policy objective of having four carriers in every region and has responded with policies that provide commercial advantages to entrants. But, the rub is that there has not been a study that actually assesses the state of competition in wireless services in Canada, until now. Those in favour of policies that will promote and sustain entry point to Canada’s high average revenue per user and low wireless penetration rate (mobile connections per capita as evidence that there is insufficient competition. The difficulty is that the facts are not consistent with this simplistic analysis. Measurements of wireless penetration are skewed toward countries that maintain the Calling Party Pays Protocol and favour pay-as-you-go plans, both of which encourage inflated user counts. Canada’s participation per capita on monthly plans and minutes of voice per capita are not outliers. Moreover, in terms of smartphone adoption and smartphone data usage, Canada is a global leader, contributing to high average revenue per user. Consistent with being world leaders in the rollout of high speed wireless networks, Canada lead its peer group in capital expenditures per subscriber in 2012: the competition of importance to Canadians is not just over price, but also over the quality of wireless networks. In any event, none of the measures typically used in international comparisons are relevant to assessing the competitiveness of Canadian wireless services. The appropriate competitive analysis recognizes two relevant features of the technology of wireless services: (i high fixed and sunk capital costs; and (ii economies of scale and scope. The implications of these are that profitability requires mark ups over short run measures of cost — high gross margins — and that there will be a natural, upper limit on

A new theory of plant-microbe nutrient competition resolves inconsistencies between observations and model predictions.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Qing; Riley, William J; Tang, Jinyun

2017-04-01

Terrestrial plants assimilate anthropogenic CO 2 through photosynthesis and synthesizing new tissues. However, sustaining these processes requires plants to compete with microbes for soil nutrients, which therefore calls for an appropriate understanding and modeling of nutrient competition mechanisms in Earth System Models (ESMs). Here, we survey existing plant-microbe competition theories and their implementations in ESMs. We found no consensus regarding the representation of nutrient competition and that observational and theoretical support for current implementations are weak. To reconcile this situation, we applied the Equilibrium Chemistry Approximation (ECA) theory to plant-microbe nitrogen competition in a detailed grassland 15 N tracer study and found that competition theories in current ESMs fail to capture observed patterns and the ECA prediction simplifies the complex nature of nutrient competition and quantitatively matches the 15 N observations. Since plant carbon dynamics are strongly modulated by soil nutrient acquisition, we conclude that (1) predicted nutrient limitation effects on terrestrial carbon accumulation by existing ESMs may be biased and (2) our ECA-based approach may improve predictions by mechanistically representing plant-microbe nutrient competition. © 2016 by the Ecological Society of America.

48 CFR 509.308-2 - Testing performed by the Government.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Testing performed by the... ADMINISTRATION COMPETITION AND ACQUISITION PLANNING CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS First Article Testing and Approval 509.308-2 Testing performed by the Government. In FSS solicitations and contracts that will have the...

48 CFR 509.306 - Solicitation requirements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Solicitation requirements... COMPETITION AND ACQUISITION PLANNING CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS First Article Testing and Approval 509.306... contracting officer must address the requirements in FAR 9.306(d) and (f) through (j) in the solicitation's...

Demolishing the competition: the longitudinal link between competitive video games, competitive gambling, and aggression.

Science.gov (United States)

Adachi, Paul J C; Willoughby, Teena

2013-07-01

The majority of research on the link between video games and aggression has focused on the violent content in games. In contrast, recent experimental research suggests that it is video game competition, not violence, that has the greatest effect on aggression in the short-term. However, no researchers have examined the long-term relationship between video game competition and aggression. In addition, if competition in video games is a significant reason for the link between video game play and aggression, then other competitive activities, such as competitive gambling, also may predict aggression over time. In the current study, we directly assessed the socialization (competitive video game play and competitive gambling predicts aggression over time) versus selection hypotheses (aggression predicts competitive video game play and competitive gambling over time). Adolescents (N = 1,492, 50.8 % female) were surveyed annually from Grade 9 to Grade 12 about their video game play, gambling, and aggressive behaviors. Greater competitive video game play and competitive gambling predicted higher levels of aggression over time, after controlling for previous levels of aggression, supporting the socialization hypothesis. The selection hypothesis also was supported, as aggression predicted greater competitive video game play and competitive gambling over time, after controlling for previous competitive video game play and competitive gambling. Our findings, taken together with the fact that millions of adolescents play competitive video games every day and that competitive gambling may increase as adolescents transition into adulthood, highlight the need for a greater understanding of the relationship between competition and aggression.

Security-Constrained Resource Planning in Electricity Market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roh, Jae Hyung; Shahidehpour, Mohammad; Yong Fu

2007-06-01

We propose a market-based competitive generation resource planning model in electricity markets. The objective of the model is to introduce the impact of transmission security in a multi-GENCO generation resource planning. The proposed approach is based on effective decomposition and coordination strategies. Lagrangian relaxation and Benders decomposition like structure are applied to the model. Locational price signal and capacity signal are defined for the simulation of competition among GENCOs and the coordination of security between GENCOs and the regulatory body (ISO). The numerical examples exhibit the effectiveness of the proposed generation planning model in electricity markets.

Plasticity in carbon acquisition of the heterophyllous Luronium natans: an endangered freshwater species in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hyldgaard, Benita; Brix, Hans

2011-01-01

Luronium natans (L.) Raf. (Floating Water-plantain) is an endangered amphibious freshwater species endemic to Europe. We examined the plasticity in carbon acquisition and photosynthesis in L. natans to assess if lack of plasticity could contribute to explain the low competitive ability...... rates of photosynthesis in water. The study did not support the hypothesis that the low competitive ability of L. natans is caused by inefficient photosynthesis or a lack of plasticity in photosynthesis. However, the somewhat low photosynthetic performance of the submerged leaves may be a contributing...

[Policies encouraging price competition in the generic drug market: Lessons from the European experience].

Science.gov (United States)

Puig-Junoy, Jaume

2010-01-01

To describe alternative policies aimed at encouraging price competition in generic drug markets in countries with strict price regulation, and to present some case studies drawn from the European experience. Systematic literature review of articles and technical reports published after 1999. The shortcomings in consumer price competition observed in some European generic markets, including Spain, may be reduced through three types of public reimbursement or financing reforms: policies aimed at improving the design of current maximum reimbursement level policies; policies aimed at monitoring competitive prices in order to reimburse real acquisition cost to pharmacies; and, more radical and market-oriented policies such as competitive tendering of public drug purchases. The experience of recent reforms adopted in Germany, Belgium, Holland, Norway, and Sweden offers a useful guide for highly price-regulated European countries, such as Spain, currently characterized by limited consumer price competition and the high discounts offered to pharmacy purchases. Direct price regulation and/or the generic reference pricing systems used to reduce generic drug prices in many European countries can be successfully reformed by adopting measures more closely aimed at encouraging consumer price competition in generic drug markets. Copyright 2009 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

An Examination of Regional Competitiveness: Early Findings from Banten, Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Holis, Y. M.; Syabri, I.; Prabatmojo, H.

2018-05-01

Over time, the regional development planning paradigm continues to change procedural, substantive, actor and institutional aspects. The increasing globalization and decentralized governance systems will continue to determine how a country or region can compete and even be able to take advantage of the positive value of economic globalization. This certainly provides challenges and opportunities for the renewal of regional development concepts, in particular, the concept of regional competitiveness. This concept still lacks a scientific basis and its interpretation is still in debate. To date, the clear scientific basis is the concepts of corporate and national competitiveness. Whereas, the concept of competitiveness at the meso-level, namely the competitiveness of the region, becomes very important. Regional competitiveness prepares a region and to survive in response to the more open dynamics of economic globalization and the system of decentralization of authority in Indonesia. The objective of this research is to complement the concept of competitiveness which is still at the level of microeconomics (business theory) and macroeconomy (theory of growth) with the concept of competitiveness at the regional level that focuses on (i) finding determinant factors at the regional level in Indonesia; (ii) profiling regional competitiveness in several regions; and (iii) assessing the role of local government (institutional and actor) on determinants of regional competitiveness. This research is carried out by using a mixed-methods approach with a concurrent triangulation strategy model. The research follows the stages of literature study to identify the determinant factors of regional competitiveness relevant to the purpose of research, followed by descriptive analysis of the variables and selected by statistics through Analytical Network Process (ANP) to become the determinant factor of competitiveness. In accordance with the concept and definition of regional

48 CFR 5706.302-70 - Impairment of foreign aid programs.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... FOUNDATION ACQUISITION PLANNING COMPETITION REQUIREMENTS Other Than Full and Open Competition 5706.302-70... African Development Foundation Act involving a personal service contractor serving abroad; (2) An award of $100,000 or less for audit, evaluation or program support services to be provided abroad; (3) An award...

Building an Information Resource Center for Competitive Intelligence.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, J. Sperling

1992-01-01

Outlines considerations in the design of a Competitive Intelligence Information Resource Center (CIIRC), which is needed by business organizations for effective strategic decision making. Discussed are user needs, user participation, information sources, technology and interface design, operational characteristics, and planning for implementation.…

Integrating competition and planning: A mixed institutional model of the Brazilian electric power sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bajay, S.V.

2006-01-01

During the past decade, the Brazilian electric power sector went through similar institutional changes taken place in both developing and developed countries. The main goals for such changes were to inject competition into the generation and supply links of the sector's production chain and to reduce public debt via privatization of state-owned utilities that dominated the pre-reform sector. This paper discusses why these changes took place in Brazil and explains why the results of the reform model implemented by the previous federal administration were unsatisfactory. The current federal administration has substantially altered the prior model, aiming to remedy insufficient private investment in new power stations that caused a serious power shortage in 2001. The paper addresses the main characteristics of the new model, which implements (a) public biddings of new power plants for all distribution utilities in the country, and (b) forward planning of optimal commissioning times and capacity of new plants. The paper ends with a discussion of the potential benefits and drawbacks of the new scheme and the role of the regulator in the early stage of the ongoing transition in the Brazilian electrical power industry. (author)

PAN-DA and beyond: Data acquisition for the next generation experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pordes, R.; Anderson, J.; Berg, D.; Berman, E.; Brown, D.; Dorries, T.; Mackinnon, B.; Meadows, J.; Moore, C.; Nicinski, T.; Oleynik, G.; Petravick, D.; Rechenmacher, R.; Sergey, G.; Slimmer, D.; Streets, J.; Vittone, M.; Votava, M.; Wilcer, N.; White, V.

1991-06-01

We report on the status of the PAN-DA data acquisition system presented at the last Real Time Conference. Since that time, PAN-DA has been successfully used in the fixed target program at Fermilab. We also report on the plans and strategies for development of a new data acquisition system for the next generation of fixed target experiments at Fermilab. 10 refs., 3 figs

48 CFR 970.5226-1 - Diversity plan.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Diversity plan. 970.5226-1... and Operating Contracts 970.5226-1 Diversity plan. As prescribed in 48 CFR 970.2671-2, insert the following clause: Diversity Plan (DEC 2000) The Contractor shall submit a Diversity Plan to the contracting...

Urban competitiveness in the knowledge economy: universities as new planning animators

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hospers, Gerrit J.; Benneworth, Paul Stephen

2007-01-01

Contemporary economic activity is increasingly dominated by ‘knowledge-based’ activities. Increasingly internationalisation of competition has increased pressures on firms in all advanced economies to compete primarily in terms of product differentiation (Porter, 1990). This has changed the nature

[Competition between hospitals--from a legal perspective].

Science.gov (United States)

Bohle, Thomas

2009-01-01

Competition between hospitals exists in many different fields. In legal terms this competition is shaped by disputes over the status of "hospitals forming part of the Hospital Plan" (Plankrankenhaus). The German Federal Constitutional Court's ruling of January 14, 2004 granted hospital authorities the right of action for unfair competition. According to the Federal Administrative Court's ruling of September 25, 2008, however, third-party protection is limited to cases where the hospital filing the suit has itself unsuccessfully applied for inclusion in the state-level hospitals plan for the market segment served by the accepted hospital. In contrast, action that merely challenges an unfair preference of a competitor will remain inadmissible. Third-party protection between hospitals is also under way in the field of "Integrated Healthcare" (Integrierte Versorgung) (Sect. 140a et seqq. Book V of the German Social Security Code-SGB V): in the case of ECJ C-300/07 on December 16, 2008 (Oymanns/AOK Rheinland & Hamburg) the Advocate General in his final submissions not only expressed the opinion that the statutory health insurance funds are contract-placing authorities, but also argued that integration contracts are public orders. If the European Court of Justice (ECJ) takes the Advocate General's view, future integration contracts will become subject to the regulations governing public orders and thus also subject to the relevant verification procedure.

Liberalizaiton of Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions in Korea: Economic Impacts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunjong Wang

1997-12-01

Full Text Available Most OECD Member countries have made the main part of the world's direct investment - international mergers and acquisitions (M & A completely liberalized, on the contrary, South Korea still has several limitations to this. Investment agreement is expected to take effect in the multi-January 1999, South Korea's liberalization of the international merger and acquisition system will grow significantly. Especially with the securities and investment liberalization, hostile of M&A transactions (which is also called male-fide merger and acquiring will be liberalized. It is expected that the liberalization of international mergers and acquisitions will make foreign direct investment increase substantially. Upon the foreign superior enterprises penetration into the Korean market, there will positive effects which likely improve market competition, the domestic industrial restructuring accelerated, advanced technology and advanced management concept allows the transfer of advanced technology companies in Korea. In addition, in response to the liberalization of hostile international acquisitions, and in order to make the business more efficient and reasonable way to gain a firm foothold, we should develop ideal model for company controlling that takes into account the specifics of Korea as the country in whole and economy apart.

Executing on Integration: The Key to Success in Mergers and Acquisitions.

Science.gov (United States)

Bradley, Carol

2016-01-01

Health care mergers and acquisitions require a clearly stated vision and exquisite planning of integration activities to provide the best possible conditions for a successful transaction. During the due diligence process, key steps can be taken to create a shared vision and a plan to inspire confidence and build enthusiasm for all stakeholders. Integration planning should include a defined structure, roles and responsibilities, as well as a method for evaluation.

Effects of the energy and mining industry on management of national competitiveness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Madzík

2016-04-01

influence of energy and mining industry on competitiveness over the last 40 years has increased, particularly in the case of countries with low or medium economic development, and it has decreased in developed countries. The resulting information about the intensity of the mutual relations might be useful for management of competitiveness and planning of strategic economic tools.

A Study on Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions and Their Implications to Market Contestability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunjong Wang

1998-06-01

Full Text Available In order to motivate the industry and market to transfer from old to new one, we should activate enterprise's going in and out of the market. Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A is an important method for their going in & out to be more flexible and for the whole market to improve its competitiveness. But if the purpose of M&A is to exclude competitiveness, we have to work out some control measures from the prospect of competition policy in order to make sure the M&A does not stand in the way of the competitiveness of the whole market. On the other side, it is predictable that after the financial crisis, multi-national M&A will not only be the channel for foreign investment preparation, but also will help transfer the monopolistic and closed market structure in Korea to be an more competitive and open one, thus make positive effects to the Korean market. Especially in terms of International market competitiveness, it is expected that the liberalization of multi-national M&A is more and more important as the motive power for leading world's economy to unite together.

48 CFR 810.001 - Market research policy.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Market research policy... COMPETITION AND ACQUISITION PLANNING MARKET RESEARCH 810.001 Market research policy. When conducting market research, VA contracting teams shall use the VIP database, at http://www.VetBiz.gov, in addition to other...

Measuring the competitiveness benefits of a transmission investment policy: The case of the Alberta electricity market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolak, Frank A.

2015-01-01

Transmission expansions can increase the extent of competition faced by wholesale electricity suppliers with the ability to exercise unilateral market power. This can cause them to submit offer curves closer to their marginal cost curves, which sets market-clearing prices closer to competitive benchmark price levels. These lower wholesale market-clearing prices are the competitiveness benefit consumers realize from the transmission expansion. This paper quantifies empirically the competitiveness benefits of a transmission expansion policy that causes strategic suppliers to expect no transmission congestion. Using hourly generation-unit level offer, output, market-clearing price and congestion data from the Alberta wholesale electricity market from January 1, 2009 to July 31, 2013, an upper and lower bound on the hourly consumer competitiveness benefits of this transmission policy is computed. Both of these competitiveness benefits measures are economically significant, which argues for including them in transmission planning processes for wholesale electricity markets to ensure that all transmission expansions with positive net benefits to electricity consumers are undertaken. -- Highlights: •Define competitiveness benefits to consumers from transmission expansions in wholesale market. •Compute upper and lower bounds on competitiveness benefits for Alberta market. •Compare no-perceived congestion prices to actual prices to measure competitiveness benefits. •Economically substantial competitiveness benefits found for sample period studied. •To ensure adequate transmission, planning processes should account for these benefits

48 CFR 811.104-75 - Procedure for negotiated procurements.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... AFFAIRS COMPETITION AND ACQUISITION PLANNING DESCRIBING AGENCY NEEDS Selecting and Developing Requirements... in all material respects to the products referenced. The contracting officer must place decisions...

Capturing the real value in high-tech acquisitions.

Science.gov (United States)

Chaudhuri, S; Tabrizi, B

1999-01-01

Eager to stay ahead of fast-changing markets, more and more high-tech companies are going outside for competitive advantage. Last year in the United States alone, there were 5,000 high-tech acquisitions, but many of them yielded disappointing results. The reason, the authors contend, is that most managers have a shortsighted view of strategic acquisitions--they focus on the specific products or market share. That focus might make sense in some industries, where those assets can confer substantial advantages, but in high tech, full-fledged technological capabilities--tied to skilled people--are the key to long-term success. Instead of simply following the "buzz," successful acquires systematically assess their own capability needs. They create product road maps to identify holes in their product line. While the business group determines if it can do the work in-house, the business development office scouts for opportunities to buy it. Once business development locates a candidate, it conducts an expanded due diligence, which goes beyond strategic, financial, and legal checks. Successful acquires are focused on long-term capabilities, so they make sure that the target's products reflect a real expertise. They also look to see if key people would be comfortable in the new environment and if they have incentives to stay on board. The final stage of a successful acquisition focuses on retaining the new people--making sure their transition goes smoothly and their energies stay focused. Acquisitions can cause great uncertainty, and skilled people can always go elsewhere. In short, the authors argue, high-tech acquisitions need a new orientation around people, not products.

Regional Competition for Confidence: Features of Formation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irina Svyatoslavovna Vazhenina

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The increase in economic independence of the regions inevitably leads to an increase in the quality requirements of the regional economic policy. The key to successful regional policy, both during its development and implementation, is the understanding of the necessity of gaining confidence (at all levels, and the inevitable participation in the competition for confidence. The importance of confidence in the region is determined by its value as a competitive advantage in the struggle for partners, resources and tourists, and attracting investments. In today’s environment the focus of governments, regions and companies on long-term cooperation is clearly expressed, which is impossible without a high level of confidence between partners. Therefore, the most important competitive advantages of territories are intangible assets such as an attractive image and a good reputation, which builds up confidence of the population and partners. The higher the confidence in the region is, the broader is the range of potential partners, the larger is the planning horizon of long-term concerted action, the better are the chances of acquiring investment, the higher is the level of competitive immunity of the territories. The article defines competition for confidence as purposeful behavior of a market participant in economic environment, aimed at acquiring specific intangible competitive advantage – the confidence of the largest possible number of other market actors. The article also highlights the specifics of confidence as a competitive goal, presents factors contributing to the destruction of confidence, proposes a strategy to fight for confidence as a program of four steps, considers the factors which integrate regional confidence and offers several recommendations for the establishment of effective regional competition for confidence

Issues affecting the electricity transmission system in Mexico under a competitive integrated model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Avila Rosales, M.A.; Gonzalez Flores, J. [Federal Electricity Commission, Mexico City (Mexico)

2008-07-01

The electricity sector in Mexico is undergoing a process of significant structural change. The traditional industry framework has been exposed to new market structures and greater competition, both of which are being introduced by changing regulations regarding who can generate, transmit, distribute and sell electricity. Mexico's power industry is changing to a competitive integrated model. Electricity industry restructuring is partly based on the assumption that transmission systems should be flexible, reliable, and open to all exchanges no matter where the suppliers and consumers of energy are located and who they are. However, neither the existing transmission systems nor its management infrastructure can fully support this open exchange. This paper described the primary issues affecting the transmission system in Mexico under a competitive environment and a transmission expansion planning approach that took the uncertainties associated with the location and size of new generating power stations into consideration in order to produce least-cost and robust transmission plans. The paper described the planning process, including a rigorous analysis of the economics of the resulting transmission plans. Specifically, the paper described the current regulatory framework and supply adequacy as well as current procedures and methodologies for transmission management and expansion planning. The transmission planning methodology was also presented. This included a minimum cost analysis; profit analysis; and least-cost transmission plan. It was concluded that the transmission expansion planning approach stressed that a horizon year viewpoint was important because transmission additions have long-term use. The transmission expansion planning approach, further defined the process of selecting transmission projects as one of comparing and optimizing attributes such as near-term needs; long-term utilization; contribution to overall reliability; and favorable or least

The Role of Overconfidence in Romantic Desirability and Competition.

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Sean C; von Hippel, William; Dubbs, Shelli L; Angilletta, Michael J; Wilson, Robbie S; Trivers, Robert; Barlow, Fiona Kate

2015-08-01

Four studies and a computer simulation tested the hypothesis that people who are overconfident in their self-assessments may be more successful in attracting mates. In Study 1, overconfident people were perceived as more confident in their dating profiles, and this perceived confidence predicted increased romantic desirability. Study 2 revealed that overconfident people also tend to be perceived as arrogant, which counteracts the positive effects of perceived confidence. However, Study 3 revealed that overconfidence might confer an advantage in intrasexual competition, as people were less likely to compete with overconfident individuals by virtue of their perceived confidence and arrogance. Study 4 showed that overconfident raters were also more likely to choose to compete for romantic partners. In Study 5, agent-based modeling incorporating the coefficients from these studies suggested that overconfidence facilitates mate acquisition in the presence of intrasexual competition. © 2015 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

Competition for nitrogen between European beech and sycamore maple shifts in favour of beech with decreasing light availability.

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Judy; Li, Xiuyuan; Rennenberg, Heinz

2014-01-01

Plant species use different strategies for maximizing growth and fitness under changing environmental conditions. At the ecosystem level, seedlings in particular compete with other vegetation components for light and nitrogen (N), which often constitute growth-limiting resources. In this study, we investigated the effect of light availability on the competition for N between seedlings of European beech and sycamore maple and analysed the consequences of this competition for the composition of N metabolites in fine roots. Our results show different strategies in N acquisition between beech and sycamore maple. Both species responded to reduced light availability by adapting their morphological and physiological traits with a decrease in biomass and net assimilation rate and an increase in specific leaf area and leaf area ratio. For beech seedlings, competition with sycamore maple led to a reduction in organic N uptake capacity. Reduced light availability led to a decrease in ammonium, but an increase in glutamine-N uptake capacity in sycamore maple. However, this response was stronger compared with that of beech and was accompanied by reduced growth. Thus, our results suggest better adaptation of N acquisition to reduced light availability in beech compared with sycamore maple seedlings.

Continuous improvement for the firm's competitiveness: implementation of a new management model

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rabia Azzemou

2018-01-01

Full Text Available To get ready for the hard international competition, firms have to convince themselves of the pressing necessity of optimizing its competitiveness factors. In this perspective, this article proposes a general model of management system of firms through the implementation of tools of Lean Manu-facturing. This method establishes an approach to introduce an action plan to improve the perfor-mance of a firm. Knowing that the Algerian firms do not escape the constraints of competitiveness, the adopted model is applied to two strategic firms of the Algerian industry and the final result gives a series of measures to improve their competitiveness and their performances, simultaneously.

Inductive acquisition of expert knowledge

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muggleton, S.H.

1986-01-01

Expert systems divide neatly into two categories: those in which (1) the expert decisions result in changes to some external environment (control systems), and (2) the expert decisions merely seek to describe the environment (classification systems). Both the explanation of computer-based reasoning and the bottleneck (Feigenbaum, 1979) of knowledge acquisition are major issues in expert-systems research. The author contributed to these areas of research in two ways: 1. He implemented an expert-system shell, the Mugol environment, which facilitates knowledge acquisition by inductive inference and provides automatic explanation of run-time reasoning on demand. RuleMaster, a commercial version of this environment, was used to advantage industrially in the construction and testing of two large classification systems. 2. He investigated a new techniques called 'sequence induction' that can be used in construction of control systems. Sequence induction is based on theoretical work in grammatical learning. He improved existing grammatical learning algorithms as well as suggesting and theoretically characterizing new ones. These algorithms were successfully applied to acquisition of knowledge for a diverse set of control systems, including inductive construction of robot plans and chess end-gam strategies.

48 CFR 1426.7102 - Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA-91) Plan and Reports.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... Reports 1426.7102 Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA-91) Plan and Reports. ... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA-91) Plan and Reports. 1426.7102 Section 1426.7102 Federal Acquisition Regulations...

The Acquisition of Functional Planning- and Programming Knowledge: Diagnosis, Modeling, and User-Adapted Help

OpenAIRE

Möbus, Claus; Schröder, Olaf

1993-01-01

The topic of our project has been to empirically investigate and to model processes of the acquisition, utilization, and optimization of knowledge while working with the ABSYNT Problem Solving Monitor (PSM ). The ABSYNT PSM is designed to support the acquisition of basic functional programming concepts by supplying learners with individualized, adaptive online help and proposals. ABSYNT ("Abstract Syntax Trees") is a functional visual programming language developed in the project. The ABSYNT ...

Intelligence analysis – the royal discipline of Competitive Intelligence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

František Bartes

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is to propose work methodology for Competitive Intelligence teams in one of the intelligence cycle’s specific area, in the so-called “Intelligence Analysis”. Intelligence Analysis is one of the stages of the Intelligence Cycle in which data from both the primary and secondary research are analyzed. The main result of the effort is the creation of added value for the information collected. Company Competiitve Intelligence, correctly understood and implemented in business practice, is the “forecasting of the future”. That is forecasting about the future, which forms the basis for strategic decisions made by the company’s top management. To implement that requirement in corporate practice, the author perceives Competitive Intelligence as a systemic application discipline. This approach allows him to propose a “Work Plan” for Competitive Intelligence as a fundamental standardized document to steer Competitive Intelligence team activities. The author divides the Competitive Intelligence team work plan into five basic parts. Those parts are derived from the five-stage model of the intelligence cycle, which, in the author’s opinion, is more appropriate for complicated cases of Competitive Intelligence.

Gender gap in admission performance under competitive pressure

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Jurajda, Štěpán; Münich, Daniel

-, č. 371 (2008), s. 1-22 ISSN 1211-3298 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LC542 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z70850503 Keywords : gender gap in performance * test anxiety * competition Subject RIV: AH - Economics http://www.cerge-ei.cz/pdf/wp/Wp371.pdf

Marketing planning by learning: "Plearning" approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilić Milovan M.

2006-01-01

Full Text Available This work emphasizes that the final outcome of planning is not only the benefit of having the ready plan but showing that the very process of planning through which a business goes through, is important. Here we consider the process of learning in order to get a complete picture of current and future business processes. Three stages of learning are included. The first stage describes the current position of the business; the second stage describes the position of the business in the future and the last stage shows how the business will achieve these objectives. The focus of planning should be deciding on internal communication which form the basis for gaining the competitive advantage. One of the ways for carrying out this analysis is creating the matrix based on gaining competitive advantage through using resources.

The System of Public Acquisitions by Means of Electronic Bids in the Light of European Regulations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Costantin Roman

2007-01-01

Full Text Available E-commerce can lead in many different ways to cost reduction in case of a supplier and can subsequently increase the competition potential of a company. As for the competition mechanism, such changes produce significant modifications within a market economy. The Internet renders the possibility of creating business contacts in a rapid and geographically independent manner, as well as possibilities of obtaining data and realizing transactions within the world’s economy. Public acquisitions by means of dynamic systems and electronic bids are currently one of the significant areas of electronic commerce.

Are sick individuals weak competitors? Competitive ability of snails parasitized by a gigantism-inducing trematode.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Otto Seppälä

Full Text Available Parasitized individuals are often expected to be poor competitors because they are weakened by infections. Many trematode species, however, although extensively exploiting their mollusc hosts, also induce gigantism (increased host size by diverting host resources towards growth instead of reproduction. In such systems, alternatively to reduced competitive ability due to negative effects of parasitism on host performance, larger size could allow more efficient resource acquisition and thus increase the relative competitive ability of host individuals. We addressed this hypothesis by testing the effect of a trematode parasite Diplostomum pseudospathaceum on the competitive ability of its snail host Lymnaea stagnalis. We experimentally examined the growth of snails kept in pairs in relation to their infection status and intensity of resource competition (i.e. food availability. We found that parasitized snails grew faster and their reproduction was reduced compared to unparasitized individuals indicating parasite-induced gigantism. However, growth of the snails was faster when competing with parasitized individuals compared to unparasitized snails indicating reduced competitive ability due to parasitism. The latter effect, however, was relatively weak suggesting that the effects of the parasite on snail physiology may partly override each other in determining competitive ability.

48 CFR 5152.208-9001 - Industrial preparedness planning.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... planning. 5152.208-9001 Section 5152.208-9001 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY... planning. As prescribed at 5108-070(g)(4) insert the following clause in full text in contracts where the contractor is designated a Limited Fee Planned Producer. Industrial Preparedness Planning (XXX 1989) (DEV) (a...

Contemporary large-scale international design competitions1 in China. A case study of Baietan, Guangzhou

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zheng Liang

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The importance of contemporary design competitions has been increasingly recognized in fast-growing China in the course of World Trade Organization (WTO integration and globalization. However, scientific and systematic analysis is rare on how international design competitions are introduced, and how they interact and transplant in the Chinese context. The well-known Chinese-Western culture gap and complicated social and political background make this topic more challenging. Herein, the authors focus on how the international design competitions were “translated” into both international and local perspectives with a compara­tive analysis on development of international design competitions between the Chinese and the Finnish model. To fully exemplify the design-completion procedure and the different roles of Chinese stakeholders and their perspectives on design competitions, the authors study the Baietan case, which was chosen due to its specific relationship with the city’s strategic plan, its representativeness in using international design competitions in connection to large-scale urban projects in China and its public access to the relevant documentation. The preliminary findings suggest that Chinese-style design competitions, acting as ‘designed trading zones’, with less-defined competition rules compared to the Finnish model, may foster the settings of local transformation in adopting international urban planning and design knowledge. However, an integrated approach is required to address subsequent implementation.

SSCL computer planning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Price, L.E.

1990-01-01

The SSC Laboratory is in the process of planning the acquisition of a substantial computing system to support the design of detectors. Advice has been sought from users and computer experts in several stages. This paper discuss this process

Tax Implication of Structuring and Financing Mergers and Acquisitions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristian Ianca

2008-09-01

Full Text Available The structuring and financing of mergers and acquisitions has substantial tax consequences. The decision to acquire the assets or the shares of the target company should take into consideration, on one hand, the capital gains taxation at the transaction time and, on the other hand, the tax planning opportunities for the future. The tax burden can also be minimized by an optimum selection of the acquisition vehicle. The choice of a financing alternative should take into account the interest deductibility and the specific tax regulations of each jurisdiction concerned.

Labor market flexibility, international competitiveness and patterns of trade

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Uzagalieva, Ainura; Cukrowski, J.

2006-01-01

Roč. 59, č. 2 (2006), s. 225-246 ISSN 0012-981X R&D Projects: GA MŠk LC542 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z70850503 Keywords : labor market regulations * competitiveness * international trade Subject RIV: AH - Economics

The competitiveness of nuclear energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewiner, C.

1993-01-01

A detailed review of cost factors affecting the final production cost of nuclear KWh is made in comparison with coal, oil, and natural gas. Investment costs are higher for nuclear plants because they require higher quality (design and engineering). Additionaly thereis a 15% of provision cost for spare equipments (e.g. steam generators) with an impact of 5% in KWh cost. Fuel acquisition is a very fluctuant term. Reprocessing would be essential for cost saving. It is estimated for the french case a 30% of use of MOx type fuel. The studies performed taking into account investment, O+M and fuel show a clear competitiveness of nuclear energy. Fuel represents a relatively low part of the total cost, being the initial investment the most important percentage of cost

A night on the town: when the importance of mate acquisition overrides intrasexual competition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Buunk Abraham P.

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract: It is argued that, while men may be intrasexually more competitive than women, to attract potential mates, men will, more than women, associate with same-sex friends who are attractive to the opposite sex. Therefore, more than women, men will choose more physically attractive and dominant companions in a mating context than in a neutral context.

Social Network Mixing Patterns In Mergers & Acquisitions - A Simulation Experiment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert Fabac

2011-01-01

Full Text Available In the contemporary world of global business and continuously growing competition, organizations tend to use mergers and acquisitions to enforce their position on the market. The future organization’s design is a critical success factor in such undertakings. The field of social network analysis can enhance our uderstanding of these processes as it lets us reason about the development of networks, regardless of their origin. The analysis of mixing patterns is particularly useful as it provides an insight into how nodes in a network connect with each other. We hypothesize that organizational networks with compatible mixing patterns will be integrated more successfully. After conducting a simulation experiment, we suggest an integration model based on the analysis of network assortativity. The model can be a guideline for organizational integration, such as occurs in mergers and acquisitions.

Nutritional planning to run an Ultra-marathon, the Transvulcania: Case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Antonio López-Gómez

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The Transvulcania is an individual mountain competition with 74,6km. The event has provisioning areas to meet the needs of nutrition and hydration of the participants. The importance of dietarynutritional preparation is in preventing or reducing gastrointestinal problems, dehydration, hyponatremia, fatigue, among others. The aim is to describe the dietary and nutritional planning an athlete in this event. Eating habits, supplement intake and body composition were evaluated in a 37 years old male with 10 years of sports experience. Dietary and nutritional recommendations for athletes in competition, test time, refreshment areas and possible food intake/supplements were taken into account for dietary planning during the competition. The dietary and nutritional planning in ultra-endurance events is important to successfully perform the competition, tolerating and taking foods/supplements properly, and avoiding nutritional risk and dehydration, fatigue, gastrointestinal disturbances, etc.

48 CFR 31.205-12 - Economic planning costs.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Economic planning costs... GENERAL CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS CONTRACT COST PRINCIPLES AND PROCEDURES Contracts With Commercial Organizations 31.205-12 Economic planning costs. Economic planning costs are the costs of general long-range...

Data acquisition system for nuclear reactor environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tiwari, Akash; Tiwari, Railesha; Tiwari, S.S.; Panday, Lokesh; Suri, Nitin; Chouksey, Abhsek; Singh, Sarvesh Kumar; Dwivedi, Tarun; Agrawal, Ashish; Pandey, Pranav Kumar; Sharma, Brijnandan; Bhatia, Chirag

2004-01-01

We have designed an online real time data acquisition system for nuclear reactor environment monitoring. Data acquisition system has eight channels of analog signals and one channel of pulsed input signal from detectors like GM Tube, or any other similar input. Connectivity between the data acquisition system and environmental parameters monitoring computer is made through a wireless data communication link of 151 MHz/100 mW RF power and 10 km maximum communication range for remote data telemetry. Sensors used are gamma ionizing radiation sensor made from CsI:Tl scintillator, atmospheric pressure sensor with +/-0.1 mbar precision, temperature sensor with +/-l milli degree Celsius precision, relative humidity with +/-0.1RH precision, pulse counts with +/-1 count in 0-10000 Hz count rate measurement precision and +/-1 count is accumulated count measurement precision. The entire data acquisition system and wireless telemetry system is 9 V battery powered and the device is to be fitted on a wireless controlled mobile robot for scanning the nuclear reactor zone from remote. Wireless video camera has been planned for integration into the existing system on a later date for moving the robotics environmental data acquisition system beyond human vision reach. System development cost is Rs.25 Lacs and has been developed for Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India and Indian Defense use. (author)

48 CFR 1852.236-73 - Hurricane plan.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 true Hurricane plan. 1852.236-73... Hurricane plan. As prescribed in 1836.570(c), insert the following clause: Hurricane Plan (DEC 1988) In the event of a hurricane warning, the Contractor shall— (a) Inspect the area and place all materials...

Competitive energy markets and nuclear power. Can we have both, do we want either?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, Steve

2010-01-01

In 1987, the UK Conservative Party was re-elected promising to transform the electricity industry into a privatised competitive industry and to promote an expansion of nuclear power. Fulfilling both objectives was not possible. The nuclear plants were withdrawn from the sale and plans to build new plants were abandoned, but privatisation proceeded. In 2007, the Labour government began a new attempt to build nuclear plants to operate in the competitive electricity market, promising that no subsidies would be offered to them. By 2010, the utilities that were planning to build nuclear plants were beginning to suggest that 'support' in some form would be needed if they were to build new plants. More surprisingly, the energy regulator, Ofgem, cast doubt on whether a competitive wholesale electricity market would provide security of supply. In 1990, the UK government opted for a competitive electricity market over expanding nuclear power. Now, the option of opting for a competitive electricity market may not exist. However, this might not leave the way open for new nuclear plants. The expected cost of power from new nuclear plants is now so high that no more than one or two heavily subsidised plants will be built. (author)

Quality assurance plan for the data acquisition and management system for monitoring the fuel oil spill at the Sandia National Laboratories installation in Livermore, California

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peerenboom, J.P.; Leser, C.C.; Ramsey, G.M.; Widing, M.A.

1995-04-01

In February 1975, the accidental puncture of an underground transfer line buried about 4 ft below the ground surface at the SNL installation in Livermore, California, resulted in the release of approximately 225.5 m 3 of No. 2 diesel fuel. This report describes the formal quality assurance plan that will be used for the data acquisition and management system developed to monitor a bioremediation pilot study by Argonne National Laboratory in association with Sandia National Laboratories. The data acquisition and management system will record the site data during the bioremediation effort and assist users in site analysis. The designs of the three major subsystems of this system are described in this report. Quality assurance criteria are defined for the management, performance, and assessment of the system. Finally, the roles and responsibilities for configuration management of this system are defined for the entire life cycle of the project

Business Plans For Dummies

CERN Document Server

Tiffany, Paul; Barrow, Colin

2011-01-01

A full updated and extended second edition of an established UK bestseller Business Plans For Dummies 2nd Edition features new and updated information on formulating a solid business plan to build a secure business - even in an economic downturn. Complete with a brand new business plan template to get you started this expert guide offers fresh advice on reading the competitive marketplace and assessing your business in the current economic climate. It walks you step-by-step through every aspect of planning achievable business goals and diversification strategies, identifying trends, exploring

Bahasa Indonesia: Policy, Implementation, and Planning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Risa R. Simanjuntak

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Language policy or language planning is still in the surge for familiarity and importance. However, this paper argues that in the case of Bahasa Indonesia current implementations should be evaluated based on its relevance and future plan. The historical perspectives will reveal the roots of the current policy and therefore make foundations for further discussions. From the study of literature, this paper is arguing that new paradigm for nationalism, roles in the global competition, as well as regional languages as competitive advantage could be well adopted to nurture a more inclusive and progressive Bahasa Indonesia.  

48 CFR 3052.216-72 - Performance evaluation plan.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Performance evaluation... CONTRACT CLAUSES Text of Provisions and Clauses 3052.216-72 Performance evaluation plan. As prescribed in... Evaluation Plan (DEC 2003) (a) A Performance Evaluation Plan shall be unilaterally established by the...

48 CFR 2452.216-73 - Performance evaluation plan.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 true Performance evaluation plan... 2452.216-73 Performance evaluation plan. As prescribed in 2416.406(e)(3), insert the following clause in all award fee contracts: Performance Evaluation Plan (AUG 1987) (a) The Government shall...

48 CFR 1252.216-72 - Performance evaluation plan.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Performance evaluation....216-72 Performance evaluation plan. As prescribed in (TAR) 48 CFR 1216.406(b), insert the following clause: Performance Evaluation Plan (OCT 1994) (a) A Performance Evaluation Plan shall be unilaterally...

Development of a Naval Supply Systems Command Acquisition Supplement - A Business Practice Improvement

Science.gov (United States)

2015-09-01

Applicable to NAVSUP NFCS (after NLL, 2015) ...................21 Table 3. DON SAP Policy Letters (after NLL, 2015...and Acquisition Policy ERP Enterprise Resource Planning FAR Federal Acquisition Regulation FLC Fleet Logistic Center GLS Global Logistics...DON SAP Policy Letters (after NLL, 2015) Policy Letter # Subject Date Issued Current? Y/N Comments SA12- 03R1 NAVSUP ENTERPRISE POLICY FOR

Planning and scheduling - A schedule's performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whitman, N.M.

1993-01-01

Planning and scheduling is a process whose time has come to PSI Energy. With an awareness of the challenges ahead, individuals must look for ways to enhance the corporate competitiveness. Working toward this goal means that each individual has to dedicate themselves to this more competitive corporate environment. Being competitive may be defined as the ability of each employee to add value to the corporation's economic well being. The timely and successful implementation of projects greatly enhances competitiveness. Those projects that do not do well often suffer from lack of proper execution - not for lack of talent or strategic vision. Projects are consumers of resources such as cash and people. They produce a return when completed and will generate a better return when properly completed utilizing proven project management techniques. Completing projects on time, within budget and meeting customer expectations is the way a corporation builds it's future. This paper offers suggestions on implementing planning and scheduling and provides a review of results in the form of management reports

Data-acquisition systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cyborski, D.R.; Teh, K.M.

1995-01-01

Up to now, DAPHNE, the data-acquisition system developed for ATLAS, was used routinely for experiments at ATLAS and the Dynamitron. More recently, the Division implemented 2 MSU/DAPHNE systems. The MSU/DAPHNE system is a hybrid data-acquisition system which combines the front-end of the Michigan State University (MSU) DA system with the traditional DAPHNE back-end. The MSU front-end is based on commercially available modules. This alleviates the problems encountered with the DAPHNE front-end which is based on custom designed electronics. The first MSU system was obtained for the APEX experiment and was used there successfully. A second MSU front-end, purchased as a backup for the APEX experiment, was installed as a fully-independent second MSU/DAPHNE system with the procurement of a DEC 3000 Alpha host computer, and was used successfully for data-taking in an experiment at ATLAS. Additional hardware for a third system was bought and will be installed. With the availability of 2 MSU/DAPHNE systems in addition to the existing APEX setup, it is planned that the existing DAPHNE front-end will be decommissioned

EDITORIAL: Physics competitions Physics competitions

Science.gov (United States)

Jordens, H.; Mathelitsch, L.

2009-11-01

1. Physics competitions: aims and realizations One aim of physics competitions is to increase the interest of young students, primarily at upper secondary level, to physics and natural sciences in general. A competition has motivational aspects known usually from sports events or games—comparing one's own ability with others, of course with the desire to be better and to win. If competitions reach nationwide and even international levels, additional stimulation is created. Competitions provide greatest attraction to possible winners, to the group of gifted people in a particular field. This implies that science contests are excellent tools for the promotion of talented students. Traditional teaching has been shown to have problems in supporting this group of students. Very often teachers are overstretched with the demands of teaching both low- and high-level students. Extracurricular activities are therefore a good chance to relieve the teacher, and to give talented students the opportunity for appropriate training and challenge. The competitions, however, have a broader impact and address more young people than one might guess from the statements above. Training courses and selection at school level give a larger group of students extra and, to some extent, complimentary education in physics. The degree of complexity of the tasks corresponds very often to the standards of the next level of education in the school system. Interestingly, many physics competitions have their origin in countries beyond the former Iron Curtain. They started as regional and national tournaments, were joined by neighbouring countries and have grown, in some cases, to events with participants from more than 80 countries. Although the features mentioned above are common to the different competitions, there are distinct differences between them [1]. The International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) is the oldest international physics competition for students at upper secondary level [2]. It dates

THE EFFECT OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP ORIENTATION, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, STRATEGIC PLANNING TO COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES WITH BUSINESS PERFORMANCE AS INTERVENING VARIABLES: EMPIRICAL STUDY FOOD PROCESSING SMES IN NORTH SULAWESI.

OpenAIRE

Billy Josef Anis; Budiman Christiananta; Lena Ellitan.

2018-01-01

This study aims to examine the influence of Entrepreneurship Orientation, Information Technology, Strategic Planning, to Business Performance and Competitive Advantage of micro and small entrepreneurs of food processing industry in North Sulawesi. In the case of the existence of micro and small entrepreneurs in this area, especially the processed food processing industry being studied, micro and small entrepreneurs are expected to build their ability to compete more and give quality value to ...

The competitive environment of the North American energy marketing industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tonkin, S.L.

1999-01-01

Various issues regarding U.S. wholesale energy marketing were discussed with particular emphasis on how energy marketing is changing industries in North America. In 1998, the energy industry reported a growth in revenue of 26 per cent despite declining natural gas prices. It was emphasized that several major competitive issues need to be addressed by industry competitors in order to operate in this unpredictable market. These issues include profitability, market volatility and mergers and acquisitions. This paper presented a list of the top 10 North American Energy marketers in 1998. Although the number of marketers in the energy sector continues to grow, it is expected that the numbers will decline significantly within three years. This will be due mostly to the continuation of major mergers and acquisitions. It was concluded that in general, energy marketing may become an even more attractive industry because of increasing operating margins. 5 tabs., 2 figs

Do institutions, ownership, exporting and competition explain firm performance?

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Commander, S.; Švejnar, Jan

-, č. 65 (2008), s. 1-73 ISSN N Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z70850503 Keywords : firm performance * ownership * competition * export Subject RIV: AH - Economics http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/60636/4/IPC-working%20paper-065-CommanderSvejnar.pdf

75 FR 33497 - Competitive and Noncompetitive Nonformula Federal Assistance Programs-Administrative Provisions...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-14

... vegetable oils and animal fat; (5) Biogas (including landfill gas and sewage waste treatment gas) produced... used for the planning, repair, rehabilitation, acquisition, or construction of a building or facility...

"Hello Jumbo!” The spatio-temporal rollout and traffic to a new grocery chain after acquisition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Lin, Arjen; Gijsbrechts, Els

Grocery retailers increasingly use acquisitions to expand their presence. Such acquisitions are risky, especially when retailers decide to subsume the acquired stores under their own banner, which can take years and demands careful planning. We show how the dynamics of consumer valuations of the old

Scandia Plan: Collecting Cooperation in the Nordic Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Sanner, L. E.

This report describes the Scandiaplan, a plan for coordinating the acquisition of materials among several special and research libraries in Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden. Elements covered include prerequisites for developing a cooperative acquisition program, the history of the Scandiaplan, technical and economic problems, goals of the…

The behaviour of Pacific metallurgical coal markets: the impact of Japan's acquisition strategy on market price

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koerner, R J [Queensland University, St. Lucia, Qld. (Australia). Graduate School of Management, Faculty of Commerce and Economics

1993-03-01

This paper examines whether some elements of Japan's resource acquisition strategies might have caused price and other distortions of market behaviour in the Pacific metallurgical coal trade. The industry chosen for investigation is that of steel manufacture, and the traded resources commodity examined is coking coal, which is the primary energy input for blast furnace iron making. Regression modelling studies to determine historic acquisition value and quality relationships for US, Australian and Canadian coals sold into the Japanese coking coal market are described. Departures from normal demand response behaviour to price competitiveness are also investigated. 3 figs., 3 tabs.

Competitive intelligence as an important contributor to the growth of banks: A Zimbabwean perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Maune

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This paper explores how competitive intelligence has been an important contributor of growth in banks in Zimbabwe and how the banks are making use of competitive intelligence for such growth. The paper used a descriptive cross-sectional research methodology. Data was collected through questionnaires and interviews. Purposive and stratified sampling methods were used. The paper found that most Zimbabwean banks have undertaken competitive intelligence in one way or another for strategic planning and better understanding the competitive business environment and competitors. The findings from this research will assist the entire banking sector and will be of great academic value

26 CFR 1.401(m)-4 - Special rules for mergers, acquisitions and similar events. [Reserved

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 5 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Special rules for mergers, acquisitions and similar events. [Reserved] 1.401(m)-4 Section 1.401(m)-4 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE... Bonus Plans, Etc. § 1.401(m)-4 Special rules for mergers, acquisitions and similar events. [Reserved] ...

A smart-pixel holographic competitive learning network

Science.gov (United States)

Slagle, Timothy Michael

-multiplexed PCM readout, and gains of up to 60 were observed when a time-sequential read-out technique was used. Finally, the optical competitive learning laboratory system is described, including some necessary modifications to the previous architectures, and the data acquisition and control system developed for the system. Experimental results showing phase conjugation of the WTA outputs, holographic interconnect storage, associative storage between input images and WTA neuron outputs, and WTA array switching are presented, demonstrating the functions necessary for the operation of the optical learning system.

Postimplementation Planning and Organizational Structure of Enterprise Resource Planning Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Charmaine V.

2012-01-01

Globalization, rapid technological changes, and competitive pressures have resulted in company leaders' worldwide adopting of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to improve productivity and business operations and reduce costs in the post-implementation phase. The research addressed organizational leaders' inability to optimize…

Living the Plan: Strategic Planning Aligned with Practice and Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Sullivan, Timothy M.; Richardson, Emily C.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this article is to provide leaders of continuing education enterprises with an integrated model for sustaining strategic planning initiatives. Global economic conditions, shifting competitive forces, continuing calls for accountability, and dramatic changes in institutional funding streams contribute to an environment characterized…

Mergers and Acquisitions-1998 M&A: The Year in Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Defendeifer, Linda

1999-01-01

Discusses mergers and acquisitions in the publishing industry, including alliances among the largest publishers and printers; planned and abandoned deals; issues in academia, including rising scholarly journal prices and electronic journals; smaller firm alliances; magazine publishing; and newspaper consolidations. (LRW)

Ship Acquisition of Shipping Companies by Sale & Purchase Activities for Sustainable Growth: Exploratory Fuzzy-AHP Application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keun-Sik Park

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Strengthening sale and purchase (S&P capacity has become a fundamental requirement for sustainable growth and corporate competitiveness in the modern shipping market. However, there is a lack of research related to S&P and its priority when shipping companies attempt to implement ship acquisition through S&P activities. To fill this gap, this paper conducts an empirical analysis to analyze priority factors during the acquisition of second-hand ships from the perspective of shipping companies. Business criteria are considered to be the most important factors in the analysis of the priority of ship acquisition and investment in shipping companies. To the best of our knowledge, this research is the first exploration covering Korean shipping companies’ ship acquisition through S&P activities. This study is expected to contribute to the better understanding of the role of S&P in ensuring the sustainability of shipping companies and to provide stakeholders with valuable insights.

An introduction to LAMPF data acquisition system introduce

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu Saihong

1993-01-01

LAMPF Data Acquisition Systems are divided into general DAQ system and advanced MEGA DAQ system. The construct and future plan of general system are described. The second stage trigger has been implemented at LAMPF using a commercially available workstation and VME interface. The implementation is described and measurements of data transfer speeds are presented

A new DoD initiative: the Computational Research and Engineering Acquisition Tools and Environments (CREATE) program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arevalo, S; Atwood, C; Bell, P; Blacker, T D; Dey, S; Fisher, D; Fisher, D A; Genalis, P; Gorski, J; Harris, A; Hill, K; Hurwitz, M; Kendall, R P; Meakin, R L; Morton, S; Moyer, E T; Post, D E; Strawn, R; Veldhuizen, D v; Votta, L G

2008-01-01

In FY2008, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) initiated the Computational Research and Engineering Acquisition Tools and Environments (CREATE) program, a $360M program with a two-year planning phase and a ten-year execution phase. CREATE will develop and deploy three computational engineering tool sets for DoD acquisition programs to use to design aircraft, ships and radio-frequency antennas. The planning and execution of CREATE are based on the 'lessons learned' from case studies of large-scale computational science and engineering projects. The case studies stress the importance of a stable, close-knit development team; a focus on customer needs and requirements; verification and validation; flexible and agile planning, management, and development processes; risk management; realistic schedules and resource levels; balanced short- and long-term goals and deliverables; and stable, long-term support by the program sponsor. Since it began in FY2008, the CREATE program has built a team and project structure, developed requirements and begun validating them, identified candidate products, established initial connections with the acquisition programs, begun detailed project planning and development, and generated the initial collaboration infrastructure necessary for success by its multi-institutional, multidisciplinary teams

Strategic planning for pain practice growth.

Science.gov (United States)

Van Horn, L M

2000-01-01

Strategy formation involves understanding the environment and strengths and weaknesses of a practice to develop a game plan to achieve goals. It starts with the creation of a mission statement that defines a long-term vision of what the practice seeks to be and the markets it seeks to serve. Once the mission of the practice is understood, the target markets and competition must be analyzed prior to defining the goals. Once a strategic plan is developed, communication with all employees is crucial. Everything that the practice does should be in support of the strategic plan and in pursuit of obtaining the goals contained within. Once created, the strategic plan is the foundation of the practice and should only be changed for compelling reasons such as a competitive threat, environmental changes, or trends in purchasing behavior. Reviewing the strategic plan once a year, making periodic reappraisals and fine-tuning adjustments as the environment changes is crucial. This helps ensure that the practice avoids complacency and affirms that it is in the right business and achieving the desired results.

A small Unix-based data acquisition system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Engberg, D.; Glanzman, T.

1993-06-01

The proposed SLAC B Factory detector plans to use Unix-based machines for all aspects of computing, including real-time data acquisition and experimental control. An R ampersand D program has been established to investigate the use of Unix in the various aspects of experimental computation. Earlier R ampersand D work investigated the basic real-time aspects of the IBM RS/6000 workstation running AIX. The next step in this R ampersand D is the construction of prototype data acquisition system which attempts to exercise many of the features needed in the final on-line system in a realistic situation. For this project, we have combined efforts with a team studying the use of novel cell designs and gas mixtures in a new prototype drift chamber

Financial Intermediation, Competition, and Risk : A General Equilibrium Exposition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Di Nicolo, G.; Lucchetta, M.

2010-01-01

We study a simple general equilibrium model in which investment in a risky technology is subject to moral hazard and banks can extract market power rents. We show that more bank competition results in lower economy-wide risk, lower bank capital ratios, more efficient production plans and

26 CFR 1.401(k)-5 - Special rules for mergers, acquisitions and similar events. [Reserved

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 26 Internal Revenue 5 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Special rules for mergers, acquisitions and similar events. [Reserved] 1.401(k)-5 Section 1.401(k)-5 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE... Bonus Plans, Etc. § 1.401(k)-5 Special rules for mergers, acquisitions and similar events. [Reserved] [T...

Achieving the next level of Growth through Competitive Intelligence Practices: An Exploratory Study of Romanian

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mukta SAMTANI

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The paper explores the tool of Competitive Intelligence (CI as an effective method of building one’s capability and focus and illustrates the benefits of gathering competitive intelligence by applying it on the top technology services firms in India. These results are then analysed in the light of the responses to the questionnaire administered to the selected three Romanian Offshore technology services providers. The study revolves around the key assumption that there is a set of factors common to all industry players whether in India or Romania, so it would be vital to collect information about how do these global competitors perceive their external environment and what strategies are they planning to adopt in order to grow in these competitive scenario. Given the growth targets set by these Romanian firms over the next five years and given the fact that there is no formal practice of gathering CI, the study recommends strategies for these Romanian players and builds a case for developing a Competitive Intelligence Plan by these firms in order to make the most of their capabilities and stay competitive.

Individual competitiveness within the labour market: essence and classification of its elements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. V. Sabetova

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The article researches the phenomenon of competitiveness in the labor market. It is noted that this phenomenon receives considerable attention in the fields of psychology, sociology, and pedagogy, but the economic researches of it are insufficient which proves the relevance of the suggested topic. The competitiveness of any subject means its ability to resist rivalry with similar subjects within certain environment. It implies the necessity to study employee competitiveness in the labor market on the basis of rivalry research. The term ‘competition’ has various definitions and the author demonstrates that the one most suitable for the labor market is the one provided by the conduct-based approach. The author also suggests that all features of the competitiveness in general and in the labor market should be studied and interpreted taking into account the specific pair of competitiveness bearer and consumer of his product or service, in case of labor market meaning labor service. Besides, the author agrees in this article with the opinion that competitiveness of an individual comprises of the total of his abilities, competencies and motives, which brings about the possibility that the elements forming individual’s competitiveness may be applied or disused at the moment of research or within a period of any duration. Considerable part of the article is devoted to the ways and methods of competency acquisitions. All this makes the author suggest a complex, multi-bases classification of characteristics included in the idea of an employee’s competitiveness in the target segment of the labor market. It is stated, that despite the impossibility of making the complete list of qualities useful for some professional activity, their classifications in terms of sources, effort input, and period of formation; methods and areas of application; inclusion in the various personality sub-systems may be successfully applied for various research or practical

Trade, Foreign Direct Investment or Acquisition: Optimal Entry Modes for Multinationals

OpenAIRE

Theo Eicher; Jong Woo Kang

2004-01-01

We examine multinationals’ optimal entry modes into foreign markets as a function of market size, FDI fixed costs, tariffs and transport costs. Our results highlight why large countries are more likely to attract acquisition investment, while intermediate-sized countries may be served predominantly through trade, even in the presence of high tariffs. Small countries are most likely to experience either FDI or no entry. We also show how these results vary with the competition intensity in th...

Wind power planning and operational benefits and issues in evolving competitive markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milligan, M.R.

2000-01-01

The paper discusses the advantages of wind energy generators for both short periods (hours to days) and for longer periods. The value of wind power in the light of the increasing level of risk that owners of generators will face in the new electricity market is also discussed. It is claimed that only now are we beginning to understand the issues associated with the use of large-scale wind power plants in regulated markets and this is coming about through a combination of both experience and computer modelling. As the electric power market becomes increasingly competitive, it is necessary to adapt our knowledge base to cope with the new market structure and to appreciate the associated risks and how they can be mitigated by, say, good siting. The importance of power transmission from wind power generators is emphasised: only if transmission access is afforded to all technologies will the competition succeed

Strategic Audit and Marketing Plan

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Lianna S.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this audit was to revise the marketing plan for ADSum Professional Development School and give the owner a long-term vision of the school to operate competitively in the crowded field of for-profit schools. It is fairly simple to create a strategic plan but harder to implement and execute. Execution requires weeks and months of…

Foundation for the Future. 2013-2015 Strategic Plan. FY13 Organizational Performance Plan

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats ( SWOT ) Analysis 192013–2015 Strategic Plan tr t ic l The Planning, Policy, and Leadership Support (PPLS...and public cloud mix Conduct government/private market survey to determine future cloud strategy Implement future cloud strategy  Thin Client...Systems Acquisition Reform Act of 2009, National Security Strategy , and the Digital Government Strategy • Department of Defense, as set forth in the

Using Business Plans for Teaching Entrepreneurship

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmerman, John

2012-01-01

Many educators use the preparation of a Business Plan as a culminating assignment in entrepreneurship courses. Additionally, a number of institutions and organizations conduct business plan competitions to further entrepreneurship education. The objective for both of these exercises is to prepare student entrepreneurs for the challenging task of…

ATLAS Trigger and Data Acquisition Upgrades for High Luminosity LHC

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(INSPIRE)INSPIRE-00439268; The ATLAS collaboration

2016-01-01

The ATLAS experiment at CERN is planning a second phase of upgrades to prepare for the "High Luminosity LHC", a 4th major run due to start in 2026. In order to deliver an order of magnitude more data than previous runs, 14 TeV protons will collide with an instantaneous luminosity of 7.5 × 1034 cm−2s−1, resulting in much higher pileup and data rates than the current experiment was designed to handle. While this extreme scenario is essential to realise the physics programme, it is a huge challenge for the detector, trigger, data acquisition and computing. The detector upgrades themselves also present new requirements and opportunities for the trigger and data acquisition system. Initial upgrade designs for the trigger and data acquisition system are shown, including the real time low latency hardware trigger, hardware-based tracking, the high throughput data acquisition system and the commodity hardware and software-based data handling and event filtering. The motivation, overall architecture and expected ...

ATLAS Trigger and Data Acquisition Upgrades for High Luminosity LHC

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(INSPIRE)INSPIRE-00421104; The ATLAS collaboration

2016-01-01

The ATLAS experiment at CERN is planning a second phase of upgrades to prepare for the "High Luminosity LHC", a 4th major run due to start in 2026. In order to deliver an order of magnitude more data than previous runs, 14 TeV protons will collide with an instantaneous luminosity of $7.5 \\times 10^{34} cm^{-2}s^{-1}$, resulting in much higher pileup and data rates than the current experiment was designed to handle. While this extreme scenario is essential to realise the physics programme, it is a huge challenge for the detector, trigger, data acquisition and computing. The detector upgrades themselves also present new requirements and opportunities for the trigger and data acquisition system. Initial upgrade designs for the trigger and data acquisition system are shown, including the real time low latency hardware trigger, hardware-based tracking, the high throughput data acquisition system and the commodity hardware and software-based data handling and event filtering. The motivation, overall architecture an...

ATLAS Trigger and Data Acquisition Upgrades for High Luminosity LHC

CERN Document Server

George, Simon; The ATLAS collaboration

2016-01-01

The ATLAS experiment at CERN is planning a second phase of upgrades to prepare for the "High Luminosity LHC", a 4th major run due to start in 2026. In order to deliver an order of magnitude more data than previous runs, 14 TeV protons will collide with an instantaneous luminosity of 7.5 × 10^{34} cm^{−2}s^{−1}, resulting in much higher pileup and data rates than the current experiment was designed to handle. While this extreme scenario is essential to realise the physics programme, it is a huge challenge for the detector, trigger, data acquisition and computing. The detector upgrades themselves also present new requirements and opportunities for the trigger and data acquisition system. Initial upgrade designs for the trigger and data acquisition system are shown, including the real time low latency hardware trigger, hardware-based tracking, the high throughput data acquisition system and the commodity hardware and software-based data handling and event filtering. The motivation, overall architecture and ...

ATLAS Trigger and Data Acquisition Upgrades for High Luminosity LHC

CERN Document Server

Balunas, William Keaton; The ATLAS collaboration

2016-01-01

The ATLAS experiment at CERN is planning a second phase of upgrades to prepare for the "High Luminosity LHC", a 4th major run due to start in 2026. In order to deliver an order of magnitude more data than previous runs, 14 TeV protons will collide with an instantaneous luminosity of $7.5 × 10^{34}$ cm$^{−2}$s$^{−1}$, resulting in much higher pileup and data rates than the current experiment was designed to handle. While this extreme scenario is essential to realise the physics programme, it is a huge challenge for the detector, trigger, data acquisition and computing. The detector upgrades themselves also present new requirements and opportunities for the trigger and data acquisition system. Initial upgrade designs for the trigger and data acquisition system are shown, including the real time low latency hardware trigger, hardware-based tracking, the high throughput data acquisition system and the commodity hardware and software-based data handling and event filtering. The motivation, overall architectur...

1994 Electricity plan: An introduction to BC Hydro's integrated resource plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-01-01

A summary is provided of British Columbia Hydro's 1994 electricity plan. The plan provides up-to-date information on the options available to meet the 20-year forecast of domestic electricity requirements as well as an evaluation of alternative resource acquisitions to assess how to best minimize social cost, fulfill corporate objectives, and meet economic development initiatives of the corporation and the provincial government. The resource evaluations also incorporate the most recent information available on energy capabilities, construction, operation, and fuel supply costs, and environmental and socio-economic impacts. The 1994 plan includes updated estimates of the costs and expected contributions from currently committed resource acquisitions, including the Power Smart and Resource Smart programs and the Burrard Upgrade Project. The continuing uncertainty concerning the return of the Canadian Entitlement to the Columbia River Treaty downstream benefits, the purchase of power from the Kemano Completion Project, and the impact of customer self-generation are also considered in the plan. Considering the forecast net energy load and the existing and committed supply, a deficit in supply is forecast by 2003/04 if the treaty entitlement is not returned and by 2008/09 if it is returned. A dependable capacity balance is forecast to be in a negative position only by 2013/14 with a full sale of the treaty entitlement. A glossary is included. 9 figs., 8 tabs

Competitive energy markets and nuclear power. Can we have both, do we want either?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomas, Steve [Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU), Business School, University of Greenwich, 30 Park Row, London SE10 9LS (United Kingdom)

2010-09-15

In 1987, the UK Conservative Party was re-elected promising to transform the electricity industry into a privatised competitive industry and to promote an expansion of nuclear power. Fulfilling both objectives was not possible. The nuclear plants were withdrawn from the sale and plans to build new plants were abandoned, but privatisation proceeded. In 2007, the Labour government began a new attempt to build nuclear plants to operate in the competitive electricity market, promising that no subsidies would be offered to them. By 2010, the utilities that were planning to build nuclear plants were beginning to suggest that 'support' in some form would be needed if they were to build new plants. More surprisingly, the energy regulator, Ofgem, cast doubt on whether a competitive wholesale electricity market would provide security of supply. In 1990, the UK government opted for a competitive electricity market over expanding nuclear power. Now, the option of opting for a competitive electricity market may not exist. However, this might not leave the way open for new nuclear plants. The expected cost of power from new nuclear plants is now so high that no more than one or two heavily subsidised plants will be built. (author)

Competitive energy markets and nuclear power: Can we have both, do we want either?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomas, Steve, E-mail: Stephen.thomas@gre.ac.u [Public Services International Research Unit (PSIRU), Business School, University of Greenwich, 30 Park Row, London SE10 9LS (United Kingdom)

2010-09-15

In 1987, the UK Conservative Party was re-elected promising to transform the electricity industry into a privatised competitive industry and to promote an expansion of nuclear power. Fulfilling both objectives was not possible. The nuclear plants were withdrawn from the sale and plans to build new plants were abandoned, but privatisation proceeded. In 2007, the Labour government began a new attempt to build nuclear plants to operate in the competitive electricity market, promising that no subsidies would be offered to them. By 2010, the utilities that were planning to build nuclear plants were beginning to suggest that 'support' in some form would be needed if they were to build new plants. More surprisingly, the energy regulator, Ofgem, cast doubt on whether a competitive wholesale electricity market would provide security of supply. In 1990, the UK government opted for a competitive electricity market over expanding nuclear power. Now, the option of opting for a competitive electricity market may not exist. However, this might not leave the way open for new nuclear plants. The expected cost of power from new nuclear plants is now so high that no more than one or two heavily subsidised plants will be built.

Competitive balance in national European soccer competitions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haan, M.A.; Koning, R.H.; van Witteloostuijn, A.; Albert, Jim; Koning, Ruud H.

2007-01-01

According to popular belief, competitive balance in national soccer competitions in Europe has decreased due to the Bosman ruling and the introduction of the Champions League. We test this hypothesis using data from 7 national competitions, for a host of indicators. We find some evidence for

Reaching goals of managed competition? The challenge of free health plan choice.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bes, R.; Crufs, E.; Groenewegen, P.; Jong, J. de

2015-01-01

Introduction: In the last decades, several countries have implemented a health care system based on managed competition. In such a system, health insurers are supposed to be prudent buyers of care on behalf of their enrolees. Selective contracting and channelling patients to contracted care

Evaluation of Acquisition Strategies for Image-Based Construction Site Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Tuttas, S.; Braun, A.; Borrmann, A.; Stilla, U.

2016-06-01

Construction site monitoring is an essential task for keeping track of the ongoing construction work and providing up-to-date information for a Building Information Model (BIM). The BIM contains the as-planned states (geometry, schedule, costs, ...) of a construction project. For updating, the as-built state has to be acquired repeatedly and compared to the as-planned state. In the approach presented here, a 3D representation of the as-built state is calculated from photogrammetric images using multi-view stereo reconstruction. On construction sites one has to cope with several difficulties like security aspects, limited accessibility, occlusions or construction activity. Different acquisition strategies and techniques, namely (i) terrestrial acquisition with a hand-held camera, (ii) aerial acquisition using a Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and (iii) acquisition using a fixed stereo camera pair at the boom of the crane, are tested on three test sites. They are assessed considering the special needs for the monitoring tasks and limitations on construction sites. The three scenarios are evaluated based on the ability of automation, the required effort for acquisition, the necessary equipment and its maintaining, disturbance of the construction works, and on the accuracy and completeness of the resulting point clouds. Based on the experiences during the test cases the following conclusions can be drawn: Terrestrial acquisition has the lowest requirements on the device setup but lacks on automation and coverage. The crane camera shows the lowest flexibility but the highest grade of automation. The UAV approach can provide the best coverage by combining nadir and oblique views, but can be limited by obstacles and security aspects. The accuracy of the point clouds is evaluated based on plane fitting of selected building parts. The RMS errors of the fitted parts range from 1 to a few cm for the UAV and the hand-held scenario. First results show that the crane camera

EVALUATION OF ACQUISITION STRATEGIES FOR IMAGE-BASED CONSTRUCTION SITE MONITORING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Tuttas

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Construction site monitoring is an essential task for keeping track of the ongoing construction work and providing up-to-date information for a Building Information Model (BIM. The BIM contains the as-planned states (geometry, schedule, costs, ... of a construction project. For updating, the as-built state has to be acquired repeatedly and compared to the as-planned state. In the approach presented here, a 3D representation of the as-built state is calculated from photogrammetric images using multi-view stereo reconstruction. On construction sites one has to cope with several difficulties like security aspects, limited accessibility, occlusions or construction activity. Different acquisition strategies and techniques, namely (i terrestrial acquisition with a hand-held camera, (ii aerial acquisition using a Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV and (iii acquisition using a fixed stereo camera pair at the boom of the crane, are tested on three test sites. They are assessed considering the special needs for the monitoring tasks and limitations on construction sites. The three scenarios are evaluated based on the ability of automation, the required effort for acquisition, the necessary equipment and its maintaining, disturbance of the construction works, and on the accuracy and completeness of the resulting point clouds. Based on the experiences during the test cases the following conclusions can be drawn: Terrestrial acquisition has the lowest requirements on the device setup but lacks on automation and coverage. The crane camera shows the lowest flexibility but the highest grade of automation. The UAV approach can provide the best coverage by combining nadir and oblique views, but can be limited by obstacles and security aspects. The accuracy of the point clouds is evaluated based on plane fitting of selected building parts. The RMS errors of the fitted parts range from 1 to a few cm for the UAV and the hand-held scenario. First results show that the crane

Improving the design of competitive bidding in Medicare Advantage.

Science.gov (United States)

Cawley, John H; Whitford, Andrew B

2007-04-01

In 2003, Congress passed the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act, which required that in 2006 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implement a system of competitive bids to set payments for the Medicare Advantage program. Managed care plans now bid for the right to enroll Medicare beneficiaries. Data from the first year of bidding suggest that imperfect competition is limiting the success of the bidding system. This article offers suggestions to improve this system based on findings from auction theory and previous government-run auctions. In particular, CMS can benefit by adjusting its system of competitive bids in four ways: credibly committing to regulations governing bidding; limiting the scope for collusion, entry deterrence, and predatory behavior among bidders; adjusting how benchmark reimbursement rates are set; and accounting for asymmetric information among bidders.

The planning of training process in triathlon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Volodymyr Vodlozerov

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Purpose: is the working out of base variant of training process as the base for planning of individual training of triathlete. Material & Methods: studying and generalization of special literature of basis training process for endurance in cyclic kinds of sports, the analysis of training of famous triathletes to competitions. Results: mane stages of training process formation in triathlon and features of distribution of sportsman’s training load in depending on period of training were considered. Conclusions: comprehensive planning of training process in different kinds of triathlon is lying down in basis of improving of competition form of triathlete.

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) startup plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-03-01

To allow the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) to transition from a Major System Acquisition to an operating demonstration facility, the Acquisition Executive and the Energy System Acquisition Advisory Board (ESAAB) must concur in the facility's readiness to receive waste. This action, designated in DOE Order 4700.1 as Key Decision Four, concludes with the Chairman of the ESAAB issuing a Record of Decision. Since the meeting leading to the Record of Decision is scheduled for August 1988, plans must be made to ensure all activities contributing to that decision are completed in a clear and well-coordinated process. To support that effort, this Start-Up Plan was prepared to identify and track key events necessary to verify WIPP's readiness to receive waste; this provides a management/scheduling/tracking tool for the DOE WIPP Project Office (WPO) and a tracking mechanism for the DOE Albuquerque Operations Office (DOE-AL) and for DOE Headquarters (DOE-HQ); and describe the process to ensure readiness is documented by providing relevant data and reports to the cognizant decision makers. The methods by which these two purposes are achieved are discussed in further detail in the remainder of this plan

Perspective information in the cockpit as a target acquisition aid

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Breda, L. van; Veltman, H.A.

1998-01-01

In a simulator experiment, the potential benefits of perspective radar displays for situation awareness support were investigated. A target acquisition task was used in which fighter pilots were required to locate and intercept a target. The pilots were supported by a conventional plan-view radar

Workforce Planning in Complex Organizations

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

2004-01-01

...) civilian acquisition workforces. The greater need for workforce planning is expected to arise from an unusually heavy workforce turnover, itself due to a large number of expected retirements among older employees in a workforce...

Simulation Based Acquisition for NASA's Office of Exploration Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Hale, Joe

2004-01-01

In January 2004, President George W. Bush unveiled his vision for NASA to advance U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests through a robust space exploration program. This vision includes the goal to extend human presence across the solar system, starting with a human return to the Moon no later than 2020, in preparation for human exploration of Mars and other destinations. In response to this vision, NASA has created the Office of Exploration Systems (OExS) to develop the innovative technologies, knowledge, and infrastructures to explore and support decisions about human exploration destinations, including the development of a new Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV). Within the OExS organization, NASA is implementing Simulation Based Acquisition (SBA), a robust Modeling & Simulation (M&S) environment integrated across all acquisition phases and programs/teams, to make the realization of the President s vision more certain. Executed properly, SBA will foster better informed, timelier, and more defensible decisions throughout the acquisition life cycle. By doing so, SBA will improve the quality of NASA systems and speed their development, at less cost and risk than would otherwise be the case. SBA is a comprehensive, Enterprise-wide endeavor that necessitates an evolved culture, a revised spiral acquisition process, and an infrastructure of advanced Information Technology (IT) capabilities. SBA encompasses all project phases (from requirements analysis and concept formulation through design, manufacture, training, and operations), professional disciplines, and activities that can benefit from employing SBA capabilities. SBA capabilities include: developing and assessing system concepts and designs; planning manufacturing, assembly, transport, and launch; training crews, maintainers, launch personnel, and controllers; planning and monitoring missions; responding to emergencies by evaluating effects and exploring solutions; and communicating across the OEx

Reflections on Competition, Competition Regulation and the Current Crises

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Buch-Hansen, Hubert; Wigger, Angela

2013-01-01

competition came to enjoy such an exalted status in Europe and then challenges conventional wisdom by bringing into focus the downsides of competition. It argues that excessive competition and neoliberal competition regulation have contributed to intensify the economic, political, social and environmental...

Do higher-priced generic medicines enjoy a competitive advantage under reference pricing?

Science.gov (United States)

Puig-Junoy, Jaume

2012-11-01

In many countries with generic reference pricing, generic producers and distributors compete by means of undisclosed discounts offered to pharmacies in order to reduce acquisition costs and to induce them to dispense their generic to patients in preference over others. The objective of this article is to test the hypothesis that under prevailing reference pricing systems for generic medicines, those medicines sold at a higher consumer price may enjoy a competitive advantage. Real transaction prices for 179 generic medicines acquired by pharmacies in Spain have been used to calculate the discount rate on acquisition versus reimbursed costs to pharmacies. Two empirical hypotheses are tested: the discount rate at which pharmacies acquire generic medicines is higher for those pharmaceutical presentations for which there are more generic competitors; and, the discount rate at which pharmacies acquire generic medicines is higher for those pharmaceutical forms for which the consumer price has declined less in relation to the consumer price of the brand drug before generic entry (higher-priced generic medicines). An average discount rate of 39.3% on acquisition versus reimbursed costs to pharmacies has been observed. The magnitude of the discount positively depends on the number of competitors in the market. The higher the ratio of the consumer price of the generic to that of the brand drug prior to generic entry (i.e. the smaller the price reduction of the generic in relation to the brand drug), the larger the discount rate. Under reference pricing there is intense price competition among generic firms in the form of unusually high discounts to pharmacies on official ex-factory prices reimbursed to pharmacies. However, this effect is highly distorting because it favours those medicines with a higher relative price in relation to the brand price before generic entry.

Competition of Scleroconidioma sphagnicola with fungi decomposing spruce litter needles

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Koukol, Ondřej; Mrnka, Libor; Kulhánková, A.; Vosátka, Miroslav

2006-01-01

Roč. 84, - (2006), s. 469-476 ISSN 0008-4026 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA206/05/0269 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : litter needles * competition * agar pairing Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 1.193, year: 2006

Root plasticity buffers competition among plants: theory meets experimental data.

Science.gov (United States)

Schiffers, Katja; Tielbörger, Katja; Tietjen, Britta; Jeltsch, Florian

2011-03-01

Morphological plasticity is a striking characteristic of plants in natural communities. In the context of foraging behavior particularly, root plasticity has been documented for numerous species. Root plasticity is known to mitigate competitive interactions by reducing the overlap of the individuals' rhizospheres. But despite its obvious effect on resource acquisition, plasticity has been generally neglected in previous empirical and theoretical studies estimating interaction intensity among plants. In this study, we developed a semi-mechanistic model that addresses this shortcoming by introducing the idea of compensatory growth into the classical-zone-of influence (ZOI) and field-of-neighborhood (FON) approaches. The model parameters describing the belowground plastic sphere of influence (PSI) were parameterized using data from an accompanying field experiment. Measurements of the uptake of a stable nutrient analogue at distinct distances to the neighboring plants showed that the study species responded plastically to belowground competition by avoiding overlap of individuals' rhizospheres. An unexpected finding was that the sphere of influence of the study species Bromus hordeaceus could be best described by a unimodal function of distance to the plant's center and not with a continuously decreasing function as commonly assumed. We employed the parameterized model to investigate the interplay between plasticity and two other important factors determining the intensity of competitive interactions: overall plant density and the distribution of individuals in space. The simulation results confirm that the reduction of competition intensity due to morphological plasticity strongly depends on the spatial structure of the competitive environment. We advocate the use of semi-mechanistic simulations that explicitly consider morphological plasticity to improve our mechanistic understanding of plant interactions.

Management in achieving competitive advantage in Nigerian public organisations under the global economy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chijioke Hope Ukanwah

2015-09-01

Full Text Available This paper explores the strategic role of human resources management in achieving competitive advantage in a global economy. Human resource management remains indispensable in engendering competitive advantage for businesses in this era of tense global competition. Productivity and competitiveness of organisations is now dependent on their employees’ ability to generate, process, and apply knowledge. Scholars and practitioners of human resources management agree that a workforce that is properly trained and managed is a source of competitive advantage. The article recognised the fact that public organisations have not really given importance to human resource management and this is responsible for their underwhelming performance. The paper recommends some HR strategies that managers can adopt to improve the quality and value of their workforce, and these range from effective talent management, continuous workplace learning, safe and healthy work environment, ICT adoption, competitive benefit system, HR planning to proper deployment of skills and expertise.

Competitive Liner Shipping Network Design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karsten, Christian Vad; Brouer, Berit Dangaard; Pisinger, David

2017-01-01

We present a solution method for the liner shipping network design problem which is a core strategic planning problem faced by container carriers. We propose the first practical algorithm which explicitly handles transshipment time limits for all demands. Individual sailing speeds at each service...... leg are used to balance sailing speed against operational costs, hence ensuring that the found network is competitive on both transit time and cost. We present a matheuristic for the problem where a MIP is used to select which ports should be inserted or removed on a route. Computational results...

Competitive Liner Shipping Network Design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karsten, Christian Vad; Brouer, Berit Dangaard; Pisinger, David

We present a solution method for the liner shipping network design problem which is a core strategic planning problem faced by container carriers. We propose the first practical algorithm which explicitly handles transshipment time limits for all demands. Individual sailing speeds at each service...... leg are used to balance sailings speed against operational costs, hence ensuring that the found network is competitive on both transit time and cost. We present a matheuristic for the problem where a MIP is used to select which ports should be inserted or removed on a route. Computational results...

Environmental structure and competitive scoring advantages in team competitions

Science.gov (United States)

Merritt, Sears; Clauset, Aaron

2013-10-01

In most professional sports, playing field structure is kept neutral so that scoring imbalances may be attributed to differences in team skill. It thus remains unknown what impact environmental heterogeneities can have on scoring dynamics or competitive advantages. Applying a novel generative model of scoring dynamics to roughly 10 million team competitions drawn from an online game, we quantify the relationship between the structure within a competition and its scoring dynamics, while controlling the impact of chance. Despite wide structural variations, we observe a common three-phase pattern in the tempo of events. Tempo and balance are highly predictable from a competition's structural features alone and teams exploit environmental heterogeneities for sustained competitive advantage. Surprisingly, the most balanced competitions are associated with specific environmental heterogeneities, not from equally skilled teams. These results shed new light on the design principles of balanced competition, and illustrate the potential of online game data for investigating social dynamics and competition.

Strategic planning in Brazilian protected areas: Uses and adjustments.

Science.gov (United States)

Barreto, Cristiane Gomes; Drummond, José Augusto L

2017-09-15

Management plans for protected areas commonly use strategic planning tools in their drafting. It is proposed that the adequate use of the instruments of planning and management of protected areas can improve their strategic competitiveness, providing greater financial and administrative independence, enabling them to be economically sustainable organizations. This study evaluated the application of concepts and strategy formulation, strategy principles and competitiveness, organizational diagnosis, strategic maps, scenarios, and other strategic planning instruments used for conservation management in Brazil. 25 management plans of 25 different protected areas were selected and studied, with special attention to the indicators used in each plan. Results indicate that there is a high suitability for the application of SP tools to the universe of protected areas, although management plans did not take full advantage of these tools. We also found that the broader use of these tools did not guarantee greater managerial effectiveness. We suggest that other governance variables beyond planning strategies must be improved, to ensure a better performance of protected areas. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

CREATING COMPETITIVE ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY USING THE FUNNEL METHOD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lidija Stefanovska

2015-11-01

Full Text Available In the highly competitive environment of the 21st century, organizations must be able to effectively change through the application of effective strategies, quickly and in a way that the competitors will be unable to imitate. Therefore, the essential question in any organization is how to achieve and maintain competitive advantage. In this regard, strategic leaders should first logically consider what will bring a substantial advantage to the organization in a long-term, and then start with the process of creating the strategy. To achieve this, researchers in the field of managerial issues offer a concept of continuous process that begins by looking at the customers pattern, through defining the competitive environment and the place of business in it and finally categorizing several strategic business conditions, as a precondition for election and creation of a competitive strategy. This process can be presented as the “funnel for selection of competitive strategy”, in whose widest part we can put the customer matrix, in the middle part we can place definitions of the business outlook of the business and the position of the organization in those perspectives. In order to implement the "Funnel method" of strategic planning teams we need accurate, timely and relevant information based on which we can bring appropriate organizational strategy. The subject of this paper is displaying the Funnel method for selection of the competitive strategy, and presentation of the situation in some of the organizations in the Pelagonija region, related to the way and the information used to create organizational strategies through the Funnel method.

The competitive ability of pea–barley intercrops against weeds and the interactions with crop productivity and soil N availability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Corre-Hellou, G.; Dibet, A.; Hauggaard-Nielsen, Henrik

2011-01-01

high levels of weed suppression, even with a low percentage of barley in the total biomass. Despite a reduced leaf area in the case of a low soil N availability, the barley sole crops and intercrops displayed high weed suppression, probably because of their strong competitive capability to absorb soil...... (2003–2005). The weed biomass was three times higher under the pea sole crops than under both the intercrops and barley sole crops at maturity. The inclusion of joint experiments in several countries and various growing conditions showed that intercrops maintain a highly asymmetric competition over...... N. Higher soil N availabilities entailed increased leaf areas and competitive ability for light, which contributed to the overall competitive ability against weeds for all of the treatments. The contribution of the weeds in the total dry matter and soil N acquisition was higher in the pea sole crop...

Strategic Long Range Planning for Universities. AIR Forum 1980 Paper.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Michael E.

The use of strategic long-range planning at Carnegie-Mellon University (CMU) is discussed. A structure for strategic planning analysis that integrates existing techniques is presented, and examples of planning activities at CMU are included. The key concept in strategic planning is competitive advantage: if a university has a competitive…

Unification of the methodology of competitiveness evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ivanova Marina

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The purpose of the study is the comparison of the modern methods of competitiveness evaluation and testing the results in practice at a production plant in order to unify the methodology. Analysis of the publications shows that the existing diversity in methods of the competitiveness evaluation complicates the choice of a method and interpretation of the results, which confirms the need to classify and unify the methods available today. The authors suggest that the standardized method of competitiveness evaluation should combine matrix and graphical methods. In our study, we have shown that SWOT-analysis should be carried out in two stages: firstly, it is necessary to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the company, taking into account the following factors: marketing, production, economic and financial situation, technology, the administration and personnel; secondly, it is essential to assess the opportunities and threats with the allowance for the political, legal, and economic situation, the impact of market as well as social, cultural and natural environmental factors. The proposed methodology of competitiveness evaluation has been tested at the industrial enterprise "Olvita ltd", which is dynamically developing and successfully operates on the food market of Ukraine; it specializes in processing, logistics and distribution of fresh and frozen vegetables, fruits and berries, as well as ready-to cook meat products. The results have shown that the competitiveness evaluation remains a pressing issue that requires simple and fairly demonstrative methods, one of which is a method that combines both graphical and matrix approaches. The advantage of the proposed method is its sufficiently high visualizations and record of personal approaches in evaluating the scores for strengths and weaknesses as well as opportunities and threats. In the future, the authors are planning to examine and systemize the indicators used in the competitiveness

Retail competition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

Retail competition as the cornerstone of a competitive electricity marketplace was the subject of the seventh in the series of policy discussion papers developed at the Market Design Conference. Concern was expressed that because of the complexities involved in market design and technical implementation, the retail competition may lag behind other elements of the implementation of the new market design. A variety of key issues were debated, including the role of physical versus financial contracts, the form of retail competition and financial settlement systems in the short term, the requirement to separate 'competitive' (metering, billing, maintenance, consumer education) from non-competitive' (the transmission wires) services and the role of municipal electric utilities. It was agreed that the IMO should play an important role in defining and enforcing the separation of services, and that as a general rule, the development of policy in this area should be guided by the principle of maximizing the potential for competition

Daybreak - a corporation plan of development and capacitation; Amanecer - un plan corporativo de desarollo y capacitacion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pellegrini, Enzo [REPSOL Yacimientos Petroliferos Fiscales S.A. (Argentina)

2000-07-01

The current growth in production investments is motivating a war for talent which demands from companies a serious compromise to the recruiting of personnel as well as development and training policies that will build: technical competencies related to teamwork; high tech tools and knowledge; general training that will nourish employability in an increasingly competitive environment. Repsol YPF Group, within its Corporate Plan for Development and Training, implemented Plan Amanecer. Following is a general outline of the Plan. (author)

Competitive intelligence as an enabler for firm competitiveness: An overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Maune

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to provide an overview, from literature, about how competitive intelligence can be an enabler towards a firm’s competitiveness. This overview is done under the background of intense global competition that firms are currently experiencing. This paper used a qualitative content analysis as a data collection methodology on all identified journal articles on competitive intelligence and firm competitiveness. To identify relevant literature, academic databases and search engines were used. Moreover, a review of references in related studies led to more relevant sources, the references of which were further reviewed and analysed. To ensure reliability and trustworthiness, peer-reviewed journal articles and triangulation were used. The paper found that competitive intelligence is an important enabler of firm competitiveness. The findings from this paper will assist business managers to understand and improve their outlook of competitive intelligence as an enabler of firm competitiveness and will be of great academic value.

49 CFR 1106.4 - The Safety Integration Plan process.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 8 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false The Safety Integration Plan process. 1106.4 Section 1106.4 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) SURFACE... CONSIDERATION OF SAFETY INTEGRATION PLANS IN CASES INVOLVING RAILROAD CONSOLIDATIONS, MERGERS, AND ACQUISITIONS...

The acquisition system for Tore Supra 1000 s discharges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guillerminet, B.; How, J.

2000-01-01

Long duration discharges are planned for Tore Supra in the near future. A study has been made to detect and correct all the possible limitations of the data acquisition system. Results and analysis of a few 1000 s 'dry-run' test pulses are presented in this paper as well as the solutions foreseen for Tore Supra

Planning applications in image analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Boddy, Mark; White, Jim; Goldman, Robert; Short, Nick, Jr.

1994-01-01

We describe two interim results from an ongoing effort to automate the acquisition, analysis, archiving, and distribution of satellite earth science data. Both results are applications of Artificial Intelligence planning research to the automatic generation of processing steps for image analysis tasks. First, we have constructed a linear conditional planner (CPed), used to generate conditional processing plans. Second, we have extended an existing hierarchical planning system to make use of durations, resources, and deadlines, thus supporting the automatic generation of processing steps in time and resource-constrained environments.

Online marketing plan proposal : Promotion of Microfinance Software Application to Nigeria

OpenAIRE

Boldosova, Valeriia

2012-01-01

Every company faces a time when there is a need to develop a marketing plan, which consists of determined goals and objectives, analysis of current situation, forecast planning and other relevant elements. In order to stay competitive and gain competitive advantage, companies seek for other marketing opportunities aside from traditional marketing. The era of technology has facilitated internet marketing development and opened the door of marketing opportunities. The main objective of this...

Defense Resource Management Studies: Introduction to Capability and Acquisition Planning Processes

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-01

Evaluation Plans ( BEPs ) Establishes how the MoD approved, procurement action will proceed – Dates for requesting and receiving bids – Evaluation period...Proposed Bid and Evaluation Plan ( BEP ) Next chart highlights the intended process and products Flag Button BLOCK 6 8 Intended Process and Products...Funding Level and Source  Circular of Requirements (COR) with Key Performance Parameters (KPPs)  Bid and Evaluation Plan ( BEP ) A B C D E D1 D2 D3

Competitiveness of nuclear power generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sumi, Yoshihiko

1998-01-01

In view of the various merits of nuclear power generation, Japanese electric utilities will continue to promote nuclear power generation. At the same time, however, it is essential to further enhance cost performance. Japanese electric utilities plan to reduce the cost of nuclear power generation, such as increasing the capacity factor, reducing operation and maintenance costs, and reducing construction costs. In Asia, nuclear power will also play an important role as a stable source of energy in the future. For those countries planning to newly introduce nuclear power, safety is the highest priority, and cost competitiveness is important. Moreover, financing will be an essential issue to be resolved. Japan is willing to support the establishment of nuclear power generation in Asia, through its experience and achievements. In doing this, support should not only be bilateral, but should include all nuclear nations around the Pacific rim in a multilateral support network. (author)

Merger, Akusisi dan Konsolidasi dalam Perspektif Hukum Persaingan Usaha

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulus Aluk Fajar Dwi Santo

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Mergers, acquisitions and consolidation is a business strategy that is commonly used in the business world to be able to build competitive advantage company, which in time can enhance shareholder value while maximizing the prosperity of the company owners or shareholders. To achieve the above objective normative, policy-makers need a plan and steps of strategic and accurate information to avoid the risk of failure. However, the strategy of merger, acquisition and consolidation of certain potentially inhibit fair competition conditions, thus becoming one of the objects that need to be regulated in Law no. 5 Year 1999 concerning Prohibition of Monopolistic Practices and Unfair Business Competition. Market impact of mergers, acquisitions and consolidation is important for analysis because it can have significant legal consequences for businesses, so that the research method used is the juridical normative and empirical approaches. In practice of mergers, acquisitions and consolidation intersect with regulation in other sectors, especially banking and capital markets. That is, there should be equality of perception and interpretation among the institutions that issued the policy.

Competition and quality in health care markets: a differential-game approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Brekke, Kurt R; Cellini, Roberto; Siciliani, Luigi; Straume, Odd Rune

2010-07-01

We investigate the effect of competition on quality in health care markets with regulated prices taking a differential game approach, in which quality is a stock variable. Using a Hotelling framework, we derive the open-loop solution (health care providers set the optimal investment plan at the initial period) and the feedback closed-loop solution (providers move investments in response to the dynamics of the states). Under the closed-loop solution competition is more intense in the sense that providers observe quality in each period and base their investment on this information. If the marginal provision cost is constant, the open-loop and closed-loop solutions coincide, and the results are similar to the ones obtained by static models. If the marginal provision cost is increasing, investment and quality are lower in the closed-loop solution (when competition is more intense). In this case, static models tend to exaggerate the positive effect of competition on quality.

Deregulation and competitive power markets -- Its impact on developing economies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saran, K.

1998-01-01

The aim of privatization in developed countries is to encourage competition in generation and supply of power whereas the focus of developing economies is to bridge the demand supply gap by addition of capacity. However, there needs to be a reconciliation between these two apparently having conflicting objectives even in case of developing economies. In competitive power markets it is necessary that rules of the game are identified in advance and followed uniformly by all players. Existence of a ''referee'' would be necessary to regulate the game so as to ensure fair play. The regulatory institution would serve this purpose and work as a stimulator to development of privatization and competitive power markets in developing economies. Consumer interests should be of upper-most priority in the mind while establishing power markets and regulatory institutions, particularly as market forces are unfavorable to consumer interests in power shortage conditions. As competition fosters, gradually market forces take over and the ''harsh'' regulator would convert itself to a ''silent vigil referee'' so as to ensure genuine competition. The debate of deregulation vs. regulation will continue but the show must go on for building of an increasingly sound, competitive and vibrant power sector in the interest of end use consumers. The planned and phased restructuring though a delayed process is a preferred process and India is fully determined to achieve this

Competition between roots and microorganisms for nitrogen: mechanisms and ecological relevance

Science.gov (United States)

Kuzyakov, Yakov; Xu, Xingliang

2014-05-01

Demand of all living organisms on the same nutrients forms the basis for interspecific competition between plants and microorganisms in soils. This competition is especially strong in the rhizosphere. To evaluate competitive and mutualistic interactions between plants and microorganisms and to analyse ecological consequences of these interactions, we analysed 424 data pairs from 41 15N-labelling studies that investigated 15N redistribution between roots and microorganisms. Calculated Michaelis-Menten kinetics based on Km (Michaelis constant) and Vmax (maximum uptake capacity) values from 77 studies on the uptake of nitrate, ammonia, and amino acids by roots and microorganisms clearly showed that, shortly after nitrogen (N) mobilization from soil organic matter and litter, microorganisms take up most N. Lower Km values of microorganisms suggest that they are especially efficient at low N concentrations, but can also acquire more N at higher N concentrations (Vmax) compared with roots. Because of the unidirectional flow of nutrients from soil to roots, plants are the winners for N acquisition in the long run. Therefore, despite strong competition between roots and microorganisms for N, a temporal niche differentiation reflecting their generation times leads to mutualistic relationships in the rhizosphere. This temporal niche differentiation is highly relevant ecologically because it: protects ecosystems from N losses by leaching during periods of slow or no root uptake; continuously provides roots with available N according to plant demand; and contributes to the evolutionary development of mutualistic interactions between roots and microorganisms.

Project safety as a sustainable competitive advantage.

Science.gov (United States)

Rechenthin, David

2004-01-01

To be consistently profitable, a construction company must complete projects in scope, on schedule, and on budget. At the same time, the nature of the often high-risk work performed by construction companies can result in high accident rates. Clients and other stakeholders are placing increasing pressure on companies to decrease those accident rates. Clients routinely demand copies of safety plans and evidence of past results at the "pre-qualification" or "request for proposal" stages of the procurement process. Are high accident rates and the associated costs just a part of business? Companies that deliver on scope, schedule, and budget have a competitive advantage. Is it possible for projects with low accident rates to use it as a competitive advantage? Is the value added by safety just a temporary or parity issue, or does a successful safety program offer significant advantage to the company and the client? This article concludes that in the case of a high-risk industry, such as the construction industry, an organization with a successful safety program can promote safety performance as a sustainable competitive advantage. It is a choice the company can make.

JAL/JAS Integration: Toward a New Era of Competition

Science.gov (United States)

Kanenari, Hideyuki

2003-01-01

On October 2, 2002, JAL and JAS established a new holding company after obtaining the necessary approval from the government bodies. Full integration is planned to take place in April 2004. This paper will primarily explain how JAL/JAS integration will enable JAL to compete effectively with ANA, the giant in the domestic market, and how it will reinforce JAL's competitiveness through further cost reduction and revenue enhancement. In addition, the paper will explain how the keener domestic competition brought about by this integration could resolve the following two issues for the first time in the Japanese aviation history. Those two issues are: (1) providing better service to domestic customers, and (2) making Japanese airlines more competitive against foreign airlines in the international market. As a result, the paper will argue that such an integration, a logical outcome of the post-war civil aviation history of Japan, will significantly benefit customers, Japanese aviation industry and Japanese society as a whole.

DoD Use of Commercial Acquisition Practices When They Apply and When They Do Not

Science.gov (United States)

2015-10-01

Defense AT&L: September–October 2015 2 From the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology , and Logistics DoD Use of...that an item is offered as a commercial product; next, the need to access cutting-edge commercial technologies ; and, finally, those cases where we...For purely commercial items widely and competitively sold on the open market, this is easy. For thousands of items, from office furniture to cleaning

Three-dimensional seismic survey planning based on the newest data acquisition design technique; Saishin no data shutoku design ni motozuku sanjigen jishin tansa keikaku

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Minehara, M; Nakagami, K; Tanaka, H [Japan National Oil Corp., Tokyo (Japan). Technology Research Center

1996-10-01

Theory of parameter setting for data acquisition is arranged, mainly as to the seismic generating and receiving geometry. This paper also introduces an example of survey planning for three-dimensional land seismic exploration in progress. For the design of data acquisition, fundamental parameters are firstly determined on the basis of the characteristics of reflection records at a given district, and then, the layout of survey is determined. In this study, information through modeling based on the existing interpretation of geologic structures is also utilized, to reflect them for survey specifications. Land three-dimensional seismic survey was designed. Ground surface of the surveyed area consists of rice fields and hilly regions. The target was a nose-shaped structure in the depth about 2,500 m underground. A survey area of 4km{times}5km was set. Records in the shallow layers could not obtained when near offset was not ensured. Quality control of this distribution was important for grasping the shallow structure required. In this survey, the seismic generating point could be ensured more certainly than initially expected, which resulted in the sufficient security of near offset. 2 refs., 2 figs.

Modelling inter-supply chain competition with resource limitation and demand disruption

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhaobo; Teng, Chunxian; Zhang, Ding; Sun, Jiayi

2016-05-01

This paper proposes a comprehensive model for studying supply chain versus supply chain competition with resource limitation and demand disruption. We assume that there are supply chains with heterogeneous supply network structures that compete at multiple demand markets. Each supply chain is comprised of internal and external firms. The internal firms are coordinated in production and distribution and share some common but limited resources within the supply chain, whereas the external firms are independent and do not share the internal resources. The supply chain managers strive to develop optimal strategies in terms of production level and resource allocation in maximising their profit while facing competition at the end market. The Cournot-Nash equilibrium of this inter-supply chain competition is formulated as a variational inequality problem. We further study the case when there is demand disruption in the plan-execution phase. In such a case, the managers need to revise their planned strategy in order to maximise their profit with the new demand under disruption and minimise the cost of change. We present a bi-criteria decision-making model for supply chain managers and develop the optimal conditions in equilibrium, which again can be formulated by another variational inequality problem. Numerical examples are presented for illustrative purpose.

Competitive Intelligence.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergeron, Pierrette; Hiller, Christine A.

2002-01-01

Reviews the evolution of competitive intelligence since 1994, including terminology and definitions and analytical techniques. Addresses the issue of ethics; explores how information technology supports the competitive intelligence process; and discusses education and training opportunities for competitive intelligence, including core competencies…

Making operational sense of mergers and acquisitions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, J.E.

1999-09-01

Mergers and acquisitions place a new requirement on many utilities. Not only must they be operationally efficient, but they must also be able to effectively manage internal change projects that results in the integration of new and acquired businesses. Evidence from US industry suggests that this is not an easy feat. However, careful planning of integration strategy, as well as taking the proper steps to design, develop, and implement integrated overhead functions, contribute significantly to successful M and A. Fundamentally, this means choosing the right integration organizational structure, picking the right overhead functions for integration, developing complete plans for integration, and thoroughly executing those plans. For the many utilities that are attempting to develop shared services operations, a number of specific steps can be taken to avoid common pitfalls. Key among these is to develop plans in a manner very similar to the establishment of new ventures. Communicating these efforts to the affected staff and garnering executive buy-in are key aspects of the change effort. Ultimately, utilities must track the impacts of these change efforts in cost savings and service quality improvements.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF LEADING PORTS OF LATVIA: COMPETITIVENESS OF LIEPAJA PORT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diāna Līduma

2015-06-01

Full Text Available There are 10 operating ports in Latvia and 3 of them – Liepaja, Ventspils and Riga ports are regarded as the leading commercial ports. Role of port operation in the economics of region and country is essential from the point of view of employment and entrepreneurship. This is based with data on investment of operation of Latvian ports in GDP, on average it is assessed to be 5-7% annually. In the context of employment, Liepaja Port gives work to 6.9% of human resources of the city. However, concern about the competitiveness of Liepaja Port influenced by the proximity of more developed competitive ports, technical possibilities of the port and dynamics of freight turnover has occurred in recent years. Therewith in framework of this article in the context of such criteria as location of ports and their technical parameters, volumes of freight, specialization and costs of ports, the operation of leading ports of Latvia is intercompared and analyzed by clarifying whether Liepaja Port is competitive among other ports of Latvia. Opinions of port experts on perspectives of port development and statistical data of ports from 2011-2013 are analyzed within the framework of the article. The aim of the research is to clarify the comparative advantages of ports of Latvia. The research revealed that the provision of competitiveness of Liepaja Port is to be related with application of the available free territories, advantages of location in relation to the Scandinavian market, and the necessity to develop the cooperation among ports of Latvia to offer joint freight acquisition, distributions and unified logistics solution and strengthen the position of ports in the circumstances of international competition.

Early root overproduction not triggered by nutrients decisive for competitive success belowground.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisco M Padilla

Full Text Available Theory predicts that plant species win competition for a shared resource by more quickly preempting the resource in hotspots and by depleting resource levels to lower concentrations than its competitors. Competition in natural grasslands largely occurs belowground, but information regarding root interactions is limited, as molecular methods quantifying species abundance belowground have only recently become available.In monoculture, the grass Festuca rubra had higher root densities and a faster rate of soil nitrate depletion than Plantago lanceolata, projecting the first as a better competitor for nutrients. However, Festuca lost in competition with Plantago. Plantago not only replaced the lower root mass of its competitor, but strongly overproduced roots: with only half of the plants in mixture than in monoculture, Plantago root densities in mixture were similar or higher than those in its monocultures. These responses occurred equally in a nutrient-rich and nutrient-poor soil layer, and commenced immediately at the start of the experiment when root densities were still low and soil nutrient concentrations high.Our results suggest that species may achieve competitive superiority for nutrients by root growth stimulation prior to nutrient depletion, induced by the presence of a competitor species, rather than by a better ability to compete for nutrients per se. The root overproduction by which interspecific neighbors are suppressed independent of nutrient acquisition is consistent with predictions from game theory. Our results emphasize that root competition may be driven by other mechanisms than is currently assumed. The long-term consequences of these mechanisms for community dynamics are discussed.

Healthy Competition and Unsound Comparison: Reforming Educational Competition in Singapore

Science.gov (United States)

Christensen, Søren

2015-01-01

It is frequently claimed that the "competition state" responds to external competition by making competition increasingly central to its internal processes as well. This article discusses education reform in Singapore as departing from the opposite position. In Singapore "excessive" competition in education is now targeted by…

Final report for fuel acquisition and design of a fast subcritical blanket facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clikeman, F.M.; Ott, K.O.

1976-01-01

A summary is presented of work leading to the design of a subcritical facility for the study of fast reactor blankets. Included are activities related to fuel acquisition, design of the facility, and experiment planning

Expansion planning of the electric systems in a competitive environment context; O planejamento da expansao dos sistemas eletricos no contexto de um ambiente competitivo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Haffner, Sergio Luis

2000-07-01

An integrated dynamic expansion planning model of electric energy systems model is proposed. Such model can be used by an independent structure of planning, compatible with the current competitive environment of the electric industry. The investments in generation and transmission are obtained simultaneously, taking into account a long term planning horizon that is split in multiple stages. In the proposed model, the entity responsible for the expansion planning, the Independent Expansion Planner, divulges the indicative expansion plan and other information that will be used by the sector agents to guide its investments in that area. Three network models are used (transport, DC load flow and hybrid transport-DC) in an hierarchical algorithm that uses the Benders decomposition to solve the problem of capacity expansion, considering the investment and operation costs. The original problem is separated in a master subproblem (investment) and several slave subproblems (operation). Each stage is represented by an operation subproblem and the master subproblem is solved by an specialized branch-and-bound algorithm. The operation subproblems (LP problems) are solved through the MINOS package. Strategies to improve the performance of the described algorithm are discussed and presented. The efficiency of those strategies is shown through tests using theoretical and realistic electric systems. The developed branch-and-bound algorithm and the selection techniques employed are described in details and illustrated through examples. It is presented, also, the Independent Planner role and its relevance in the current context of the national electric industry is pointed out. (author)

The role of nuclear power in the new competitive era

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pryor, C.W.

1998-01-01

As power generators around the world grapple with the challenges of deregulation and competition, there are those who suggest that ownership of an operating nuclear power plant may prove to be a liability. This is not the case for most plants. On the contrary, nuclear facilities that perform well will be important assets in competitive markets, whether as sources of competitively priced electricity, or as strategic factors in mergers and acquisitions. And, as the world focuses renewed attention on global climate change and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, nuclear power's significant environmental benefits further enhances its continued viability. The emergence of competitive markets will create a period of tremendous opportunity and enhanced value for nuclear plants. Nuclear plants, large coal plants, and hydro are the only types that can produce power at the bus bar with production costs close to one cent per kilowatt-hour. The challenge for all nuclear plants is to reduce costs and improve performance in order to improve their net earnings stream. Prospects for dramatic reductions are very high. In recent years, average nuclear plant performance figures worldwide have improved rapidly and substantially, and average costs are dropping. How will nuclear plants compare with alternative energy sources in an era of heightened competition? To evaluate nuclear plants in a competitive environment, this paper will look at three key areas: capital costs; operation and maintenance costs; and fuel costs, including spent fuel issues. The paper will examine innovative strategies to deal with capital or 'sunk costs' such as write-downs through securitization and regional operating companies, and will also focus on best practices in O and M and fuel where all nuclear plants have the potential to move to 'best in class'. The lessons that every nuclear plant can learn from other plants can contribute significantly to the performance improvement process. What has been

The convergence of electric power and natural gas industries. Mergers and acquisitions in the United States; La convergence des industries de l'electricite et du gaz naturel: les fusions-acquisitions aux Etats-Unis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meritet, S

2000-07-01

Deep transformations have taken place in the US electric power industry, in terms of organisation and competition. The reforms of the regulation of this sector have changed the operation rules and, as an answer, the companies have adapted their behaviour. The reorganization is characterized by the combination between new competitive markets with new occupations. The deregulation and the technical progress accelerate the reconfiguration of the industry with the convergence of the natural gas and electric power activities. Since 1996, the numerous mergers-acquisitions between companies are representative of the tight links existing between the two energy sources. In this work, the convergence of the natural gas and power industries in the US is examined. The study of the reconciliation between power and gas companies (mainly the utilities) stresses on the improvement of the combined companies efficiency. The first part deals with the reconfiguration of the US power industry. The second part analyzes the consequences of the gas-electricity mergers and acquisitions. It includes the exploitation of financial data and a classical econometric test about the 'size-scale-spread' relation. The re-composition of the value chain is at the center of the industrial economy problem: it gives the opportunity for new forms of markets and firms. (J.S.)

Implementing the Affordable Care Act: Promoting Competition in the Individual Marketplaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Cusano, David; Lucia, Kevin

2016-02-01

A main goal of the Affordable Care Act is to provide Americans with access to affordable coverage in the individual market, achieved in part by pro­moting competition among insurers on premium price and value. One primary mechanism for meeting that goal is the establishment of new individual health insurance marketplaces where consumers can shop for, compare, and purchase plans, with subsidies if they are eligible. In this issue brief, we explore how the Affordable Care Act is influencing competition in the individual marketplaces in four states--Kansas, Nevada, Rhode Island, and Washington. Strategies include: educating consumers and providing coverage information in one place to ease decision-making; promoting competition among insurers; and ensuring a level playing field for premium rate development through the rate review process.

Commissioning and quality assurances of the CMS XIO radiotherapy treatment planning system for external beam photons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muralidhar, K.R.; Anurupa; Soubhagya; Sudhakar; Shiva; Krishnam Raju, A.; Narayana Murthy, P.

2008-01-01

The commissioning of XIO treatment planning system (TPS) was carried out by Computerized Medical Devices, USA for Siemens and Elekta linear accelerators. The Commissioning and quality assurance of the CMS XIO radiotherapy treatment planning system involves many steps, beginning from beam data acquisition and entry into the computerized TPS, through patient data acquisition, to treatment plan generation and the final transfer of data to the treatment machine and quality assurance of TPS

Experience from Tore Supra acquisition system and evolutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guillerminet, B.; Buravand, Y.; Chatelier, E.; Leroux, F.

2004-01-01

The Tore Supra tokamak has been upgraded to explore long duration plasma discharges up to 1000s. Since summer 2001, the acquisition system operates in continuous mode apart of the data processing which is still done after the pulse. In the first part, we explore a few solutions to process continuously the data during the pulse, based on parallel processing on a Linux farm and then on a CONDOR system. The second part is devoted to the Web service exposing the Tore Supra operation. In the last part, the VME acquisition system has been redesigned to keep up with the high data rates required by a few diagnostics. The workflow is now distributed among a few computers. At the end, we give the current status of the realisation and the future planning

Planning oral narrative tasks: optimizing strategic planning condition through strategy instruction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André Luís Specht

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This article presents the results of a master thesis, which aimed at investigating the impact of strategic planning instruction on the speech performance of 6 L2 Brazilian learners. The participants, Letras-Inglês students, performed three now-and-there picture-cued narrative tasks under three different conditions: (1 no planning, (2 planning before instruction, and (3 planning after instruction. In addition, the participants filled in post-task questionnaires after the performance of each task, aiming at understanding their opinion on the conditions and tasks. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted in order to examine participants’ oral production and perception, respectively. In general, there was no statistical evidence supporting the impact of instruction on participants’ oral planned performance; however, some statistical results approached significance, which may suggest some positive effects. Qualitative analyses provided positive evidence of the impact of strategic planning instruction on participant perception and their use of strategies during planning time. Moreover, the results of this study can contribute to the fields of Second Language Acquisition and Language Pegadogy.

EDITORIAL: Physics competitions Physics competitions

Science.gov (United States)

Jordens, H.; Mathelitsch, L.

2010-07-01

This editorial opens the second special section on physics competitions in European Journal of Physics. In the first section last year, we asked for feedback on the idea of such a section and on the content of the articles. We received no answer whatsoever, which can be interpreted in two ways: the section is not interesting enough to raise motivation for feedback, or the reader is satisfied. Having no indication which scenario is the correct one, we are optimistic and favour the second. The section at hand contains three articles. Again, as last year, the organizer of the annual Olympiad reports on tasks and outcomes of this competition. The Olympiad took place in Merida, Mexico, and was by far the largest event with 316 contestants from 68 countries. Again, the predominance of Asian/Chinese students was manifest, showing how serious the training is taken by both their authorities and students. Unfortunately, the winners of the last International Young Physicists' Tournament (IYPT), the team from Korea, did not accept the offer to report on their prize-winning contribution. We are thankful that two students from Austria, who achieved second place with their team, took over and reported on the task which they presented in the finals of the competition. It connects the fields of sport and physics and explains a special move in skateboarding. The third contribution introduces a different competition, 'International Conference of Young Scientists'. On one hand, as in the Olympiad, it addresses individuals, not teams. On the other, as in the IYPT, students have several months to prepare and also the quality of the presentation is an important element of the judgment. In fact, this competition comes closer to real scientific research compared to the other events. Finally and again, we hope that this section will serve several purposes: To show the competitions as a very important tool in the support of gifted students. To raise awareness amongst university teachers, and

GLOBAL LOGISTICS , COMPETITIVENESS AND THE NEW INCOTERMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Popa Ioan

2013-07-01

The category of global firms should not include just the large transnational corporations, but also the medium and small enterprises that operate exclusively or mainly on the global market. Within this plan there can be created and developed competitive advantages which are primarily based on the reaction speed to the changes in progress, the capacity to adapt to new things and the availability for intercultural communication. These last conditions represent characteristics of the Romanian business approach.

Examining the role of export competitive advantages on export performance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yeganeh Alimohammadi

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates the role of export competitive advantage on export performance in food industry. The proposed study designs a questionnaire in Likert scale and distributes it among 280 randomly selected experts in food industry and Cronbach alpha has been calculated as 0.827. The study has applied factor analysis to find important factors influencing export performance. Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy and Bartlett's Test of Sphericity have been performed to validate the results and they both validated the questionnaire. The results of the survey have determined six effective groups including product development, e-commerce, marketing planning, organizational performance, competitiveness and supply chain management.

Power market competition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelly, J.

1998-01-01

In the Unites States the prospect of greater competition in wholesale power market was immediately eclipsed by talk of retail competition. Attempts to move to retail competition have been costly and complex. Prudent public policy and economic analyses suggest that retail competition not be implemented until it can first be demonstrated that effective competition exists in wholesale power markets [it

Lunabotics Mining Competition

Science.gov (United States)

Mueller, Rob; Murphy, Gloria

2010-01-01

This slide presentation describes a competition to design a lunar robot (lunabot) that can be controlled either remotely or autonomously, isolated from the operator, and is designed to mine a lunar aggregate simulant. The competition is part of a systems engineering curriculum. The 2010 competition winners in five areas of the competition were acknowledged, and the 2011 competition was announced.

A Competitive Strategic Position Analysis of Major Container Ports in Southeast Asia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viet Linh Dang

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The importance of planning strategies to achieve higher competitiveness has become more apparent in the context of seaports since seaports have been encountering quickly changing and highly competitive business environments. Therefore, the strategic competitive position of seaports needs to be investigated using strategic positioning methods. The purpose of this study was to analyze the competitive positions of the top 20 container ports of five countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN-5 in six years from 2009 to 2014 using dynamic portfolio analysis. This study aims to fill the gap in research on the competitive strategic position and analysis of Southeast Asian container ports in order to allow seaport operators to visualize the position and progress of selected ports as well as to predict the future development possibilities of seaports. The findings revealed effective operations at the following ports that retained their dominant positions during the duration of the study: Port Klang, Tanjung Pelepas (Malaysia, Manila (the Philippines, Laem Chabang (Thailand, and Tan Cang Sai Gon (Vietnam. However, findings revealed a common deterioration at other ports studied.

Gender gap in performance under competitive pressure: admissions to Czech universities

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Jurajda, Štěpán; Münich, Daniel

2011-01-01

Roč. 101, č. 3 (2011), s. 514-518 ISSN 0002-8282 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LC542 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z70850503 Keywords : gender gap in performance * competition * universities & colleges Subject RIV: AH - Economics Impact factor: 2.693, year: 2011

Physiological integration affects growth form and competitive ability in clonal plants

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Herben, Tomáš

2004-01-01

Roč. 18, - (2004), s. 493-520 ISSN 0269-7653 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA206/02/0953 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z6005908 Keywords : competitive ability * Physiological integration * clonal plants Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 3.215, year: 2004

Disentangling Contributions of Reproductive Tract Infections to HIV Acquisition in African Women

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Wijgert, Janneke H. H. M.; Morrison, Charles S.; Brown, Joelle; Kwok, Cynthia; van der Pol, Barbara; Chipato, Tsungai; Byamugisha, Josaphat K.; Padian, Nancy; Salata, Robert A.

2009-01-01

Objective: To estimate the effects of reproductive tract infections (RTIs) on HIV acquisition among Zimbabwean and Ugandan women. Methods: A multicenter prospective observational cohort study enrolled 4439 HIV-uninfected women aged 18 to 35 attending family planning clinics in Zimbabwe and Uganda.

The Influences of Effectiveness, Competitive Advantages and Market Accessibility on SME Performance in Malaysia

OpenAIRE

Razali Razleena; Saraih Ummi Naiemah; Shaari Mohd Shahidan; Abd Rani Mohd Juraij; Abashah Aidanazima

2018-01-01

The advent of online business has changed the pattern of doing business recently. This circumstance puts more pressure on SMEs to sustain their position in the fiercely competitive market. Unlike multinational companies, SMEs have several inevitable weaknesses in terms of planning strategy, technology exposure as well as resources that serve as a stumbling block to their better and competitive performance. Thus, online business appears to be a new medium to enhance the performance. Therefore,...

Holistic Performance Measurement to Achieve Sustainable Competitive Advantage

OpenAIRE

Keni Keni

2013-01-01

In the past, companies used balanced scorecard to measure its performance. Now, balanced scorecard as a performance measurement tool is no longer sufficient because business has been affected by changes to the natural environment and developing social expectations. In order to achieve sustainable competitive advantage, companies are beginning to address the risks and opportunities associated with these changes in their longer-term business planning. To turn risks into opportunities, companies...

National Waste Terminal Storage Program: information management plan. Volume II. Plan description

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-05-01

A comprehensive information management plan to provide for the systematic processing of large amounts of internally prepared and externally acquired documentation that will accrue to the Office of Waste Isolation (OWI) during the next decade is outlined. The Information Management Plan of the National Waste Terminal Storage (NWTS) Program is based on time proven procedures developed by government and industry for the requirements determination, acquisition, and the administration of documentation. The NWTS Information Management Plan is designed to establish the basis for the planning, development, implemenation, operation and maintenance of the NWTS Information Management System. This plan will help assure that documentation meets required quality standards and that each organization's needs are reflected when soliciting documentation from subcontractors. An example would be the Quality Assurance documentation requirement necessary to comply with eventual NRC licensing regulations. The provisions of the NWTS Information Management Plan will apply to all documentation from OWI contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers, and to OWI organizations for documentation prepared periodically for external dissemination

Smart acquisition EELS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sader, Kasim; Schaffer, Bernhard; Vaughan, Gareth; Brydson, Rik; Brown, Andy; Bleloch, Andrew

2010-01-01

We have developed a novel acquisition methodology for the recording of electron energy loss spectra (EELS) using a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM): 'Smart Acquisition'. Smart Acquisition allows the independent control of probe scanning procedures and the simultaneous acquisition of analytical signals such as EELS. The original motivation for this work arose from the need to control the electron dose experienced by beam-sensitive specimens whilst maintaining a sufficiently high signal-to-noise ratio in the EEL signal for the extraction of useful analytical information (such as energy loss near edge spectral features) from relatively undamaged areas. We have developed a flexible acquisition framework which separates beam position data input, beam positioning, and EELS acquisition. In this paper we demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique on beam-sensitive thin films of amorphous aluminium trifluoride. Smart Acquisition has been used to expose lines to the electron beam, followed by analysis of the structures created by line-integrating EELS acquisitions, and the results are compared to those derived from a standard EELS linescan. High angle annular dark-field images show clear reductions in damage for the Smart Acquisition areas compared to the conventional linescan, and the Smart Acquisition low loss EEL spectra are more representative of the undamaged material than those derived using a conventional linescan. Atomically resolved EELS of all four elements of CaNdTiO show the high resolution capabilities of Smart Acquisition.

Smart acquisition EELS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sader, Kasim, E-mail: k.sader@leeds.ac.uk [SuperSTEM, J block, Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington, Cheshire, WA4 4AD (United Kingdom); Institute for Materials Research, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT (United Kingdom); Schaffer, Bernhard [SuperSTEM, J block, Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington, Cheshire, WA4 4AD (United Kingdom); Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow (United Kingdom); Vaughan, Gareth [Institute for Materials Research, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT (United Kingdom); Brydson, Rik [SuperSTEM, J block, Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington, Cheshire, WA4 4AD (United Kingdom); Institute for Materials Research, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT (United Kingdom); Brown, Andy [Institute for Materials Research, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT (United Kingdom); Bleloch, Andrew [SuperSTEM, J block, Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington, Cheshire, WA4 4AD (United Kingdom); Department of Engineering, University of Liverpool, Liverpool (United Kingdom)

2010-07-15

We have developed a novel acquisition methodology for the recording of electron energy loss spectra (EELS) using a scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM): 'Smart Acquisition'. Smart Acquisition allows the independent control of probe scanning procedures and the simultaneous acquisition of analytical signals such as EELS. The original motivation for this work arose from the need to control the electron dose experienced by beam-sensitive specimens whilst maintaining a sufficiently high signal-to-noise ratio in the EEL signal for the extraction of useful analytical information (such as energy loss near edge spectral features) from relatively undamaged areas. We have developed a flexible acquisition framework which separates beam position data input, beam positioning, and EELS acquisition. In this paper we demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique on beam-sensitive thin films of amorphous aluminium trifluoride. Smart Acquisition has been used to expose lines to the electron beam, followed by analysis of the structures created by line-integrating EELS acquisitions, and the results are compared to those derived from a standard EELS linescan. High angle annular dark-field images show clear reductions in damage for the Smart Acquisition areas compared to the conventional linescan, and the Smart Acquisition low loss EEL spectra are more representative of the undamaged material than those derived using a conventional linescan. Atomically resolved EELS of all four elements of CaNdTiO show the high resolution capabilities of Smart Acquisition.

Science and technology and global competition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lanzavecchia, G.

1992-01-01

The impacts of R ampersand D and technological innovation on economic development are discussed with reference to the current and probable future status of various industrialized countries in highly competitive marketing areas such as micro- electronics. An assessment is made of international trends in approaches towards: corporate planning, organizing, sizing, on-the-job training and the modelling of employee attitudes; methods for dealing with risk and uncertainty in non-linear and complex global economic markets; research and development orientation and investment; and government policy making regarding education, economic growth and technological innovation

Joint industry planning platforms for coal export supply chains

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bridges, R.; Buckley, N.; Goodall, J.; Seeley, D. [InterDynamics Pty. Ltd. (Australia)

1998-12-31

Improving the performance and reducing the costs associated with export logistics chain is critical to the competitiveness of export coal mines. The fundamental practices associated with the use of export logistics chains made up of mine, trucking, rail and port operations are being challenged by the advent of third party operators on rail systems and the use of the Internet. Whilst individual mines can improve their processes to drive down their mining costs, they face major challenges in their endeavour to improve the performance of export logistics chains and reduce the significant logistics costs of moving coal from the mine to export ships, via the shared infrastructure of rail systems and ports. There is an increasing realisation that global competition is not only between mines but between coal export regions that are defined by their rail system and ports infrastructure. The development and use of a joint industry planning platform for the export logistics chains of the Western Australian Grain Industry has demonstrated that an industry facing significant restructuring and increased competitiveness can achieve major throughput and cost reduction gains when stakeholders in export logistics chains share key planning information using the Internet and state of the art planning tools. Joint industry planning platforms for export logistics chains are being considered or are at initial stages of development for a number of Australasian coal export logistics chains. This paper addresses the key components of joint industry planning platforms, the key information that should be shared, the use of the internet and information servers, and the contractual structures required to enable stakeholders of an export logistics chain, who are competitors or potential competitors, to work together to improve the competitiveness of a coal export region. 4 refs., 6 figs.

Approval plans issues and innovations

CERN Document Server

Katz, Linda S

2013-01-01

How can you, as an acquisition librarians, keep current on the output of hundreds of publishers? The answer, of course, is that you cannot. For over 30 years, approval plans have been used by librarians to acquire current titles, save staff time, and build core collections. Even today, these reasons seem appropriate, as libraries try to maintain up-to-date collections and control personnel and operating budgets. However, as shown in Approval Plans: Issues and Innovations, the use of approval plans is not so simple and straightforward; their use is subject to complex procedures and policies--an

The Marketing Plan: An Integrative Device for Teaching Marketing Management.

Science.gov (United States)

Berdine, W. R.; Petersen, James C.

1980-01-01

The importance of the marketing plan is stressed as an integrative device for teaching marketing management, and a structure is presented to assist students in designing a marketing plan. Components of this plan include marketing objectives, targeting market and buying motives, external environment and competition, product, price, and promotion.…

Authority planning in public transport

OpenAIRE

Toivanen, Olli-Matti

2016-01-01

The theme of this thesis was authority planning in public transport in Finland, Sweden and Denmark. The thesis was commissioned by INIT GmbH. The primary aim of this thesis was to figure out what kind of possibilities and challenges public transport authorities face in competitive tendering, contracting and cooperation with operators. An additional aim was to survey and compare authority planning in above mentioned countries, look for similarities and differences between these three countries...

Risk and prevention mergers and acquisitions financial%企业并购中的财务风险与防范

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

车莹

2015-01-01

Mergers and acquisitions market economy develops to a certain stage, the competition fierce, full of the inevitable manifestation of the current mergers and acquisitions is widespread, some companies through mergers and acquisitions to achieve the effective integration of the production, management, marketing, competition, and other factors achieve the effect of business development and growth, but there are a lot of mergers and acquisitions in the financial risk, the study from the perspective of merger control financial risk to start thinking, describes the different types of financial risks arising from mergers and acquisitions, corporate mergers and acquisitions process to produce the main causes of the financial risk of a profound analysis and anatomy, provides an entry point to the merger process for financial risk control measures.%企业并购是市场经济发展到一定阶段，竞争激烈化、全面化的必然表现形式，当前我国企业并购十分普遍，一些企业通过并购实现了生产、经营、市场、竞争等各项要素的有效整合，达到了企业发展和壮大的效果，但是企业并购中存在着大量的财务风险，本研究从企业并购财务风险的控制角度展开了思考，阐述了企业并购所产生的不同种类的财务风险，对企业并购过程中产生财务风险的主要成因进行了深刻的分析与解剖，提供了以企业并购过程为切入点的财务风险控制措施。

Promoting Technology-Based Enterprise in Higher Education: The Role of Business Plan Competitions

Science.gov (United States)

McGowan, Pauric; Cooper, Sarah

2008-01-01

The research discussed in this paper explores the impact of a higher education initiative targeted at developing entrepreneurial capability and encouraging student technology venturing activity in Northern Ireland. The initiative in question is the 25,000 British Pounds enterprise competition run by the Northern Ireland Centre for Entrepreneurship…

Competition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bridoux, F.; Vodosek, M.; Den Hartog, D.N.; McNett, J.M.

2014-01-01

Competition traditionally refers to the actions that firms take in a product market to outperform rivals in attracting customers and generating revenues. Yet, competition extends beyond product markets to other arenas such as factor markets, where firms compete for resources, and the political

Language Acquisition without an Acquisition Device

Science.gov (United States)

O'Grady, William

2012-01-01

Most explanatory work on first and second language learning assumes the primacy of the acquisition phenomenon itself, and a good deal of work has been devoted to the search for an "acquisition device" that is specific to humans, and perhaps even to language. I will consider the possibility that this strategy is misguided and that language…

The effect of credit rationing on the shape of the competition-innovation relationship

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bena, Jan

-, č. 377 (2008), s. 1-48 ISSN 1211-3298 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z70850503 Keywords : competition * research and development * innovation Subject RIV: AH - Economics http://www.cerge-ei.cz/pdf/wp/Wp377.pdf

Material requirements planning using uncertain data

OpenAIRE

Ramonas, Martynas

2007-01-01

Last decennials in many companies information like strategical reservoir bursted into preponderant positions. Strategical information systems which withstand competition hold information place like this and help to survive for companies. First integrated IS which upstarted to computerize the planning of companies activities, are material recourse planning systems (MRP). It helps for company to solve the serious problems. Strategical information systems change the aims, processes of business, ...

Competition in Japan

OpenAIRE

Michael E. Porter; Mariko Sakakibara

2004-01-01

This article examines competition in Japan and its link to postwar economic prosperity. While Japan's industrial structure and competition policy seem to indicate that competition in Japan has been less intense, the empirical evidence does not support this conclusion. The sectors in which competition was restricted prove to be those where Japan was not internationally successful. In the internationally successful sectors, internal competition in Japan was invariably fierce. While the level of...

Post-Acquisition IT Integration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henningsson, Stefan; Yetton, Philip

2013-01-01

The extant research on post-acquisition IT integration analyzes how acquirers realize IT-based value in individual acquisitions. However, serial acquirers make 60% of acquisitions. These acquisitions are not isolated events, but are components in growth-by-acquisition programs. To explain how...... serial acquirers realize IT-based value, we develop three propositions on the sequential effects on post-acquisition IT integration in acquisition programs. Their combined explanation is that serial acquirers must have a growth-by-acquisition strategy that includes the capability to improve...... IT integration capabilities, to sustain high alignment across acquisitions and to maintain a scalable IT infrastructure with a flat or decreasing cost structure. We begin the process of validating the three propositions by investigating a longitudinal case study of a growth-by-acquisition program....

Competitive Priorities and Competitive Advantage in Jordanian Manufacturing

OpenAIRE

Awwad, Abdulkareem S.; Al Khattab, Adel A.; Anchor, J.R

2013-01-01

The purpose of this research was to explore and predict the relationship between the competitive priorities (quality, cost, flexibility and delivery) and the competitive advantage of firms in the Jordanian Industrial Sector. A population of 88 Jordanian manufacturing firms, registered on the Amman Stock Exchange, was targeted using a cross-sectional survey employing a questionnaire method of data collection. The results of the data analysis indicate a significant relationship between competit...

Compliance with federal and state regulations regarding the emergency response plan and physical security plan at the Oregon State TRIGA reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, A.G.; Ringle, J.C.; Anderson, T.V.

1976-01-01

Recent legislative actions within the State of Oregon have had a significant impact upon the OSU TRIGA Emergency Response Plan, and to a lesser extent upon the Physical Security Plan. These state imposed changes will be reviewed in light of existing federal requirements. With the upcoming acquisition of FLIP fuel in August 1976, NRC required several major changes to the existing Physical Security Plan. Within the limitations of public disclosure, these changes will be contrasted to the present plan. (author)

48 CFR 809.507-1 - Solicitation provisions.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... COMPETITION AND ACQUISITION PLANNING CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS Organizational and Consultant Conflicts of Interest 809.507-1 Solicitation provisions. (a) While conflicts of interest may not presently exist, award of certain types of contracts may create potential future organizational conflicts of interest (see...

Electric-utility DSM programs in a competitive market

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hirst, E.

1994-04-01

During the past few years, the costs and effects of utility demand-side management (DSM) programs have grown sharply. In 1989, US electric utilities spent 0.5% of revenues on such programs and cut total electricity consumption by 0.6%. By 1992, these numbers had increased to 1.3% and 1.2%, respectively. Utility projections, as of early 1993, of DSM expenditures and energy savings for 1997 were 1.7% and 2.5%, respectively. Whether this projected growth comes to pass may depend on current debates about deregulation of, and increased competition in, the electric-utility industry. This report examines the factors likely to affect utility DSM programs in a more competitive environment. The electric-utility industry faces two forces that may conflict with each other. One is the pressure to open up both wholesale and retail markets for competition. The net effect of such competition, especially at the retail level, would have much greater emphasis on electricity prices and less emphasis on energy services. Such an outcome would force a sharp reduction in the scale of DSM programs that are funded by customers in general. The second force is increased concern about environmental quality and global warming. Because utilities are major contributors to US carbon dioxide emissions, the Administration`s Climate Change Action Plan calls on utilities to reduce such emissions. DSM programs are one key way to do that and, in the process, to cut customer electric bills and improve economic productivity. This report discusses the forms of competition and how they might affect DSM programs. It examines the important roles that state regulatory commissions could play to affect retail competition and utility DSM programs. The report also considers the effects of DSM programs on retail electricity prices.

77 FR 183 - Federal Acquisition Regulation; Preventing Abuse of Interagency Contracts

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-03

... ensure a level playing field in the acquisition planning process, the FAR should be amended to require a... the ability of the Government to leverage its purchasing power, e.g., will it have a negative effect... Act also provides authority for placement of orders between major organizational units within an...

Assessing and Increasing the Competitiveness of Republic of Moldova Wine Sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liudmila ANTOHI

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Competitiveness is the capacity of countries to create an enabling environment for indigenous business development; using low-cost strategies, differentiation, substitution, leading to increased productivity; creating opportunities to penetrate foreign markets and added value through their form; citizens by providing jobs with high pay, increasing the purchasing power; contributing to economic growth and to establish a balanced social environment. Enhancing competitiveness of national economy is one of five strategic priorities of the Republic of Moldova, stated in the draft National Development Plan. The wine industry is one of the most important branches of national economy in Moldova. But for Moldova's wine production to be competitive on the world market, wine industry itself should become a branch of modern, efficient, with high economic efficiency, which will not be achieved without investment and without attracting high quality production.

Strategic planning in hospitals in two Australian states: an exploratory study of its practice using planning documentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Jayasuriya, R; Sim, A B

1998-01-01

Hospitals are under pressure to respond to new challenges and competition. Many hospitals have used strategic planning to respond to these environmental changes. This exploratory study examines the extent of strategic planning in hospitals in two Australian States, New South Wales and Victoria, using a sample survey. Based on planning documentation, the study indicated that 47% of the hospitals surveyed did not have a strategic or business plan. A significant difference was found in the comprehensiveness of the plans between the two States. Plans from Victorian hospitals had more documented evidence of external/internal analysis, competitor orientation and customer orientation compared with plans from New South Wales hospitals. The paper discusses the limitations of the study and directions for future research.

B2B Models for DoD Acquisition

Science.gov (United States)

2007-07-30

product design, demand forecasting, asset management, and sales and marketing plans 35 Proctor & Gamble’s Private Industrial Network SOURCE: Laudon... B2B Models for DoD Acquisition 30 July 2007 by Magdi N. Kamel, Associate Professor Graduate School of Operational & Information Sciences...number. 1. REPORT DATE 30 JUL 2007 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 00-00-2007 to 00-00-2007 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE B2B Models for DoD

Work plan for SY Farm Integrated Data Acquisition and Control System (DACS-2a)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conner, R.P.; Katz, R.S.

1994-01-01

The SY Farm currently has a temporary Data Acquisition ampersand Control System (DACS) housed in a mobile trailer. The system is currently referred to as DACS-1. It was designed and configured to support engineers and scientists conducting the special performance evaluation and testing program for the safety mitigation test equipment located in waste tank 241-SY-101 (101-SY). It is currently being maintained and utilized by engineering personnel to monitor and control the 101-SY mitigation pump activities. Based upon the results of the mitigation testing program, some of the temporary test mitigation equipment (such as mixing pump) will be replaced with longer-term ''operational'' mitigation equipment. This is resulting in new requirements for the Data Acquisition and Control System which will be full-filled by a newer control facility referred to as the DACS-2. A teaming between Westinghouse Hanford Company (WHC) and Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) has been established for the SY farm mitigation program in order to develop and implement the ''next generation'' of the data acquisition and control system for the mitigation pump operations. The new system will be configured for use by the tank farm operational personnel. It will support the routine operations necessary for safety mitigation and the future waste retrieval of Project W-211. It is intended to replace the existing DACS-1 and provide the necessary control room space for future integration of W-211

The Literature Review of a New Form of Competitiveness Called City Competitiveness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Osman EROĞLU

2014-06-01

Full Text Available With globalization, the rapid development of information technologies and the rapid changes in the economic structure, the country’s borders at a time increasingly depreciate and the importance of city competitiveness reveals. Although it is an ongoing debate around the world whether cities compete with each other, city competitiveness is a new form of competitiveness. Cities compete with each other to increase their competitiveness. City competitiveness is defined as having better values compared to other cities. In this study, a new form of competitiveness called city competitiveness is examined.

Do acquisitions by electric utility companies create value? Evidence from deregulated markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kishimoto, Jo; Goto, Mika; Inoue, Kotaro

2017-01-01

In the early 1990s, the United Kingdom (the UK) initiated widespread reforms in the electricity industry through a series of market liberalization policies. Several other countries have subsequently followed the lead and restructured their electricity industry. A major outcome of the deregulation effort is the spate of takeovers, both domestic and global, by electric utility companies. With the entry of new players and increasing competition, the business environment of the electricity industry has changed dramatically. This study analyzes the economic impact of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in the electric utility industry after deregulation. We have examined acquisitions that took place between 1998 and 2013 in the United States, Canada, the UK, Germany, and France. Although previous studies showed no evidence of a positive effect on acquiring firms through M&As, we find that acquisitions by electric utility companies increased the acquiring firms’ share value and improved their operating performance, primarily through efficiency gains after the deregulation. These results are consistent with the empirical evidence and implications presented by Andrade et al. (2001) that M&A created value for the shareholders of the acquiring and target combined firms. - Highlights: • This study examined mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in electric utility industry. • The sample covered M&A between 1998 and 2013 in North America and Europe. • We found M&A significantly increased acquiring firms’ share value and operating performance. • Deregulation policy realized gains for shareholders without incurring costs for consumers.

1990: Twenty-Second Annual National Council on Family Relations Media Awards Competition.

Science.gov (United States)

Anson, Julie; And Others

1991-01-01

Describes winning videotapes and films of Media Competition in 12 categories: Human Development across the Life Span; Parenting Issues; Nontraditional Family Systems; Marital and Family Issues and Communication; Sexuality and Sex Role Development; Substance Abuse/Addiction; Human Reproduction and Family Planning; Stress, Transition, and Crisis…

Competition between roots and microorganisms for nitrogen: mechanisms and ecological relevance.