The Relationship Between Stock Market Development and Macroeconomic Fundamentals in the Visegrad Group

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pražák Tomáš

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This study examines the effect of specific macroeconomic factors on the stock prices of selected financial sector companies listed on the Central European Exchanges (Budapest Stock Exchange, Prague Stock Exchange, Bratislava Stock Exchange, or Warsaw Stock Exchange. We investigate the nature of the causal relationships between macroeconomic factors and stock prices. The long‑term causality, tested using the Johansen cointegration test, and the short‑run dynamics between the variables, examined using the VECM model, are explored using quarterly data from the 2005-2014 period. The short‑term causality shows the possibility of time series fluctuations; however a steady state should be achieved in the long‑term. In general, we confirmed that macroeconomic fundamentals had a negative impact on stock prices. The interest rate, which also has a negative impact, is the most prominent predictor of the long‑run developments. We also found very rare examples of macroeconomic variables that explain changes in stock prices within the VECM framework.

Macroeconomic influences on optimal asset allocation

OpenAIRE

Flavin, Thomas; Wickens, M.R.

2003-01-01

We develop a tactical asset allocation strategy that incorporates the effects of macroeconomic variables. The joint distribution of financial asset returns and the macroeconomic variables is modelled using a VAR with a multivariate GARCH (M-GARCH) error structure. As a result, the portfolio frontier is time varying and subject to contagion from the macroeconomic variable. Optimal asset allocation requires that this be taken into account. We illustrate how to do this using three ri...

A survey of strategic market games

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Levando Dmitry

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The Strategic Market Game (SMG is the general equilibrium mechanism of strategic reallocation of resources. It was suggested by Shapley and Shubik in a series of papers in the 70s and it is one of the fundamentals of contemporary monetary macroeconomics with endogenous demand for money. This survey highlights features of the SMG and some of the most important current applications of SMGs, especially for monetary macroeconomic analysis.

Macroeconomic stability

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jespersen, Jesper

2004-01-01

It is demonstrated that full employment and sustainable development not necessarily are conflicting goals. On the other hand macroeconomic stability cannot be obtained without a deliberate labour sharing policy and a shift in the composition of private consumption away from traditional material...

Macroeconomic Proportions and Corellations

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Constantin Mitrut

2006-04-01

Full Text Available The work is focusing on the main proportions and correlations which are being set up between the major macroeconomic indicators. This is the general frame for the analysis of the relations between the Gross Domestic Product growth rate and the unemployment rate; the interaction between the inflation rate and the unemployment rate; the connection between the GDP growth rate and the inflation rate. Within the analysis being performed, a particular attention is paid to “the basic relationship of the economic growth” by emphasizing the possibilities as to a factorial analysis of the macroeconomic development, mainly as far as the Gross Domestic Product is concerned. At this point, the authors are introducing the mathematical relations, which are used for modeling the macroeconomic correlations, hence the strictness of the analysis being performed.

Environmental Prosperity Game. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berman, M.; Boyack, K.; VanDevender, J.P.

1995-12-01

Prosperity Games are an outgrowth and adaptation of move/countermove and seminar War Games. Prosperity Games are simulations that explore complex issues in a variety of areas including economics, politics, sociology, environment, education and research. These issues can be examined from a variety of perspectives ranging from a global, macroeconomic and geopolitical viewpoint down to the details of customer/supplier/market interactions in specific industries. All Prosperity Games are unique in that both the game format and the player contributions vary from game to game. This report documents the Environmental Prosperity Game conducted under the sponsorship of the Silicon Valley Environmental Partnership. Players were drawn from all stakeholders involved in environmental technologies including small and large companies, government, national laboratories, universities, environmentalists, the legal profession, finance, and the media. The primary objectives of this game were to: investigate strategies for developing a multi-agency (national/state/regional), one-step regulatory approval process for certifying and implementing environmental technologies and evaluating the simulated results; identify the regulatory hurdles and requirements, and the best approaches for surmounting them; identify technical problems and potential resources (environmental consultants, labs, universities) for solving them. The deliberations and recommendations of these players provided valuable insights as to the views of this diverse group of decision makers concerning environmental issues, including the development, licensing, and commercialization of new technologies.

The Relationship between Macroeconomic Variables and ISE Industry Index

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Ahmet Ozcan

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In this study, the relationship between macroeconomic variables and Istanbul Stock Exchange (ISE industry index is examined. Over the past years, numerous studies have analyzed these relationships and the different results obtained from these studies have motivated further research. The relationship between stock exchange index and macroeconomic variables has been well documented for the developed markets. However, there are few studies regarding the relationship between macroeconomic variables and stock exchange index for the developing markets. Thus, this paper seeks to address the question of whether macroeconomic variables have a significant relationship with ISE industry index using monthly data for the period from 2003 to 2010. The selected macroeconomic variables for the study include interest rates, consumer price index, money supply, exchange rate, gold prices, oil prices, current account deficit and export volume. The Johansen’s cointegration test is utilized to determine the impact of selected macroeconomic variables on ISE industry index. The result of the Johansen’s cointegration shows that macroeconomic variables exhibit a long run equilibrium relationship with the ISE industry index.

Macroeconomic Proportions and Corellations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Constantin Anghelache

2006-02-01

Full Text Available The work is focusing on the main proportions and correlations which are being set up between the major macroeconomic indicators. This is the general frame for the analysis of the relations between the Gross Domestic Product growth rate and the unemployment rate; the interaction between the inflation rate and the unemployment rate; the connection between the GDP growth rate and the inflation rate. Within the analysis being performed, a particular attention is paid to �the basic relationship of the economic growth� by emphasizing the possibilities as to a factorial analysis of the macroeconomic development, mainly as far as the Gross Domestic Product is concerned. At this point, the authors are introducing the mathematical relations, which are used for modeling the macroeconomic correlations, hence the strictness of the analysis being performed.

Identification of Macroeconomic Factors in Large Panels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bork, Lasse; Dewachter, Hans; Houssa, Romain

standard practices in the SVAR literature. Estimators based on the EM algorithm are developped. We apply this framework to a large panel of US monthly macroeconomic series. In particular, we identify nine macroeconomic factors and discuss the economic impact of monetary policy stocks. The results...

Game development tool essentials

CERN Document Server

Berinstein, Paula; Ardolino, Alessandro; Franco, Simon; Herubel, Adrien; McCutchan, John; Nedelcu, Nicusor; Nitschke, Benjamin; Olmstead, Don; Robinet, Fabrice; Ronchi, Christian; Turkowski, Rita; Walter, Robert; Samour, Gustavo

2014-01-01

Offers game developers new techniques for streamlining the critical game tools pipeline. Inspires game developers to share their secrets and improve the productivity of the entire industry. Helps game industry practitioners compete in a hyper-competitive environment.

Macroeconomic context of the trade branch development and position in Czech Republic

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Marek Záboj

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with analysis of the macroeconomic associations of trade development and its position in Czech Republic as one of the national economy branch. The development of main macroeconomic indicators for period of 1998–2004 is completed and then it follows up with progress of the trade structures and trade chains. In that frame the given indicators (number of registered and active business units in trade, turnover and number of employees are monitoring according to Economic Subjects Register (provided by Czech Statistical Office and Classification of Economic Activities in the European Union. On the basis of research of consulting and research institutions the overview and turnover comparison for TOP 10 trade firms for period of 2000–2004 is carried out. Inseparable part of the paper is analysis of the Czech Republic foreign trade results. In this field the export, import and trade balance are discussing on the one hand in general and on the other hand in territorial and commodity structures.

ABOUT MACROECONOMIC PURPOSE OF THE STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT OF EFFECTIVE BALANCED MACROECONOMIC SYSTEMS

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Sergey A. Vladimirov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is a theoretical substantiation of the possibility of DOS reaches the maximum possible public efficiencies of government spending, investments and taxes in perfect condition coordination bath open economic system. The proposed model can always bring in the ideal case («zero-loss" public effectively scope of public expenditure and investment to the maximum possible rate of economic growth, that allows you to substantiate the main directions of the relevant macroeconomic (fiscal, tax and budget policy.

Biomedical technology prosperity game{trademark}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berman, M.; Boyack, K.W.; Wesenberg, D.L.

1996-07-01

Prosperity Games{trademark} are an outgrowth and adaptation of move/countermove and seminar War Games. Prosperity Games{trademark} are simulations that explore complex issues in a variety of areas including economics, politics, sociology, environment, education and research. These issues can be examined from a variety of perspectives ranging from a global, macroeconomic and geopolitical viewpoint down to the details of customer/supplier/market interactions in specific industries. All Prosperity Games{trademark} are unique in that both the game format and the player contributions vary from game to game. This report documents the Biomedical Technology Prosperity Game{trademark} conducted under the sponsorship of Sandia National Laboratories, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and the Koop Foundation, Inc. Players were drawn from all stakeholders involved in biomedical technologies including patients, hospitals, doctors, insurance companies, legislators, suppliers/manufacturers, regulators, funding organizations, universities/laboratories, and the legal profession. The primary objectives of this game were to: (1) Identify advanced/critical technology issues that affect the cost and quality of health care. (2) Explore the development, patenting, manufacturing and licensing of needed technologies that would decrease costs while maintaining or improving quality. (3) Identify policy and regulatory changes that would reduce costs and improve quality and timeliness of health care delivery. (4) Identify and apply existing resources and facilities to develop and implement improved technologies and policies. (5) Begin to develop Biomedical Technology Roadmaps for industry and government cooperation. The deliberations and recommendations of these players provided valuable insights as to the views of this diverse group of decision makers concerning biomedical issues. Significant progress was made in the roadmapping of key areas in the biomedical technology field.

Demand, credit and macroeconomic dynamics: A microsimulation model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijers, H.H.M.; Nomaler, Z.O.; Verspagen, B.

2014-01-01

We develop a microsimulation model for the macroeconomic business cycle. Our model is based on three main ideas: (i) we want to specify how macroeconomic coordination is achieved without a dominating influence of price mechanisms, (ii) we want to incorporate the stock-flow-consistent approach that

Ecological macroeconomics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Røpke, Inge

2013-01-01

by a more theoretical debate and increased interaction between the heterodox schools of ecological economics and post-Keynesian economics. In addition, both the degrowth community and the research community organized around sustainable transitions of socio-technical systems have contributed to discussions...... on how to reconcile environmental and social concerns. Based on this broad variety of pieces in a jigsaw puzzle, a new ecological macroeconomics is emerging, but the contours are still vague. This chapter seeks to outline some of this topography and to add a few pieces of its own by highlighting the need...... to shift resources from consumption to investment and describing the role of consumer-citizens in such a change. The chapter starts by identifying the problems and challenges for an ecological macroeconomics. The next section outlines some of the shortcomings of traditional macroeconomics...

A Simple Model to Teach Business Cycle Macroeconomics for Emerging Market and Developing Economies

Science.gov (United States)

Duncan, Roberto

2015-01-01

The canonical neoclassical model is insufficient to understand business cycle fluctuations in emerging market and developing economies. The author reformulates the model proposed by Aguiar and Gopinath (2007) in a simple setting that can be used to teach business cycle macroeconomics for emerging market and developing economies at the…

Interactive Macroeconomics

Science.gov (United States)

Di Guilmi, Corrado; Gallegati, Mauro; Landini, Simone

2017-04-01

Preface; List of tables; List of figures, 1. Introduction; Part I. Methodological Notes and Tools: 2. The state space notion; 3. The master equation; Part II. Applications to HIA Based Models: 4. Financial fragility and macroeconomic dynamics I: heterogeneity and interaction; 5. Financial fragility and macroeconomic Dynamics II: learning; Part III. Conclusions: 6. Conclusive remarks; Part IV. Appendices and Complements: Appendix A: Complements to Chapter 3; Appendix B: Solving the ME to solve the ABM; Appendix C: Specifying transition rates; Index.

Macroeconomic Adjustment in Armenia: The Role of External Factors

OpenAIRE

Van Aarle, Bas

2011-01-01

This paper develops a small macroeconomic model of the Armenian economy. After setting up the model and its estimation, a number of macroeconomic scenarios is analyzed in the form of out-of-sample simulations. We analyze the transmissions in the model of a number of macroeconomic shocks and policy scenarios to obtain a better understanding of their possible effects on the internal and external balance of the Armenian economy. A special focus is put on the role of exchange rate and monetary ma...

Prosperity Game: Advanced Manufacturing Day, May 17, 1994

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berman, M.

1994-12-01

Prosperity Games are an outgrowth and adaptation of move/countermove and seminar War Games. Prosperity Games are simulations that explore complex issues in a variety of areas including economics, politics, sociology, environment, education and research. These issues can be examined from a variety of perspectives ranging from a global, macroeconomic and geopolitical viewpoint down to the details of customer/supplier/market interactions in specific industries. All Prosperity Games are unique in that both the game format and the player contributions vary from game to game. This report documents a 90-minute Prosperity Game conducted as part of Advanced Manufacturing Day on May 17, 1994. This was the fourth game conducted under the direction of the Center for National Industrial Alliances at Sandia. Although previous games lasted from one to two days, this abbreviated game produced interesting and important results. Most of the strategies proposed in previous games were reiterated here. These included policy changes in international trade, tax laws, the legal system, and the educational system. Government support of new technologies was encouraged as well as government-industry partnerships. The importance of language in international trade was an original contribution of this game. The deliberations and recommendations of these teams provide valuable insights as to the views of this diverse group of decision makers concerning policy changes, foreign competition, and the development, delivery and commercialization of new technologies.

University Prosperity Game. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boyack, K.W.; Berman, M.

1996-03-01

Prosperity Games are an outgrowth and adaptation of move/countermove and seminar War Games. Prosperity Games are simulations that explore complex issues in a variety of areas including economics, politics, sociology, environment, education and research. These issues can be examined from a variety of perspectives ranging from a global, macroeconomic and geopolitical viewpoint down to the details of customer/supplier/market interactions in specific industries. All Prosperity Games are unique in that both the game format and the player contributions vary from game to game. This report documents the University Prosperity Game conducted under the sponsorship of the Anderson Schools of Management at the University of New Mexico. This Prosperity Game was initially designed for the roadmap making effort of the National Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (NEMI) of the Electronics Subcommittee of the Civilian Industrial Technology Committee under the aegis of the National Science and Technology Council. The game was modified to support course material in MGT 508, Ethical, Political, and Social Environment of Business. Thirty-five students participated as role players. In this educational context the game`s main objectives were to: (1) introduce and teach global competitiveness and business cultures in an experiential classroom setting; (2) explore ethical, political, and social issues and address them in the context of global markets and competition; and (3) obtain non-government views regarding the technical and non-technical (i.e., policy) issues developed in the NEMI roadmap-making endeavor. The negotiations and agreements made during the game, along with the student journals detailing the players feelings and reactions to the gaming experience, provide valuable insight into the benefits of simulation as an advanced learning tool in higher education.

Complementary system perspectives in ecological macroeconomics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Røpke, Inge

2016-01-01

Globally, societies are facing a number of interrelated environmental, economic and social crises. This paper is intended to contribute to the development of an ecological macroeconomics that addresses these multiple crises in combination. Insights from different research communities will be incl......Globally, societies are facing a number of interrelated environmental, economic and social crises. This paper is intended to contribute to the development of an ecological macroeconomics that addresses these multiple crises in combination. Insights from different research communities...... will be included in this effort. Taking an ecological economic understanding of sustainability as the point of departure, and inspired by systems thinking, it is discussed which economic sub-systems should be in focus for sustainability transitions, and whether relevant guides for sustainability can be formulated...... for these systems. In particular, the focus is on systems that are decisive for resource consumption and pollution although their influence on these is indirect. A simple typology of sub-systems is suggested and applied in relation to an example that highlights the importance of the interplay between macroeconomic...

Market versus agriculture in Poland – macroeconomic relations of incomes, prices and productivity in terms of the sustainable development paradigm

OpenAIRE

CZYŻEWSKI, Bazyli; MAJCHRZAK, Adam

2017-01-01

In the article macroeconomic relations of prices, productivity and incomes in Polish agriculture in the context of changes in the EU Common Agricultural Policy were studied. The authors have developed a macroeconomic model which explains these relations and confirms the occurrence of market failures in agriculture in Poland. The developed model proves the existence of a puzzling exchangeable relation between the real productivity of production factors in agriculture, and agricultural incomes,...

The intermediate performance of territories of priority socio-economic development in Russia in conditions of macroeconomic instability

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Beliakov Sergey

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The Russian economy in recent years has faced the influence of a number of negative factors due to macroeconomic instability and increased foreign policy tensions. In these conditions the considerable constraints faced processes of socio-economic development of regions of the Russian Federation. In this article the authors attempt to analyze the key indicators of socio-economic development of the regions in which it was created and operate in the territories of priority socio-economic development. These territories are concentrated in the Far Eastern Federal District. The article identified, processed, and interpreted indicators, allowing to produce a conclusion on the interim effectiveness of the territories of priority socio-economic development in Russia in conditions of macroeconomic instability.

Macroeconomic Adjustment in Armenia: The Role of External Factors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bas van AARLE

2010-05-01

Full Text Available This paper develops a small macroeconomic model of the Armenian economy. After setting up the model and its estimation, a number of macroeconomic scenarios is analyzed in the form of out-of-sample simulations. We analyze the transmissions in the model of a number of macroeconomic shocks and policy scenarios to obtain a better understanding of their possible effects on the internal and external balance of the Armenian economy. A special focus is put on the role of exchange rate and monetary management and the inflow of remittances in the Armenian economy

The Macroeconomics of Aid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Addison, Tony; Morrissey, Oliver; Tarp, Finn

2017-01-01

This Special Issue explores macroeconomic effects of aid from various perspectives through a blend of studies, both conceptual and empirical in nature. The overall aim is to enhance the understanding of the macroeconomic dimensions of aid in the policy and research communities, and to inspire...

Relationship between macroeconomic aggregates and bank performance

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Mitrović Ranka

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of the paper is relations between some macroeconomic aggregates and performance of banks. This paper show analysis of trends in gross domestic product, exchange rates, interest rates, inflation load, developments in the balance of payments. On the business side, performance is achieved insight into the liquidity, capital adequacy, and the amount of non-performable loans. The aim of the research is to refute or confirm the interconnectedness of movement values of macroeconomic aggregates and bank performance. The analysis confirmed the association of two set variables. The negative value movements of macroeconomic aggregates directly or indirectly have an impact on the quality of performance of the banking sector. Therefore, it is necessary to define an adequate strategy of the economy, would not it safer to carry out the process of adapting to new developments in the market, such as the global financial crisis, the rise in unproductive enterprises, distrust customers etc.

Macroeconomic Issues in Foreign Aid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjertholm, Peter; Laursen, Jytte; White, Howard

foreign aid, macroeconomics of aid, gap models, aid fungibility, fiscal response models, foreign debt,......foreign aid, macroeconomics of aid, gap models, aid fungibility, fiscal response models, foreign debt,...

The Czech Equity Market - Its Effectiveness and Macroeconomic Consequences

OpenAIRE

Helena Horská

2005-01-01

This paper examines features of the Czech stock market’s development from 1997 to 2003 and attempts to unveil the macroeconomic consequences of stock-price development. The analysis of the stock market’s behavior supports a cautionary stance on the hypothesis of the efficient-market theory, even in its weak form. Another finding, as regards the macroeconomic consequences of stock-price development, undermined the assumption of the positive wealth effect of rising stocks. In relation to GDP gr...

The Social Form of Wealth as a Dominant in the Development Potential of Modern Macroeconomic Systems

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Silantiev Oleh I.

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The publication is aimed at researching the role of the social form of wealth and its constituents in the development potential of modern macroeconomic systems. The essence of social wealth has been disclosed and the concept of «social form of wealth» has been defined. The ability of social capital to promote materialization of the potential reserves of development of society is characterized, that is caused by its productive value when it develops itself and develops possibilities of increase of other forms of wealth in certain combinations. The ability of social capital to be integrated into a reproduced process at almost any stage of the latter has been determined. Presence of a controversy between the traditional capitalist way of production of wealth (with a focus on the growth of private wealth corporations and post-industrial (which in practice is manifested in the asymmetry of information has been proved. It has been determined that the social capital is considered as an individual property of everyone, which, however, can become a public (collective resource in whole or in part. The importance of the carried out research is an improvement of theoretical approaches to understanding how the volume of social wealth, accumulated by macroeconomic systems, impacts economic-social development. Prospects for further research are an in-depth study of the relationship between the social wealth of macroeconomic systems and the volume of their wealth.

Research in the service of modern macroeconomic analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pantelić Svetlana

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Thomas Sargent and Christopher Sims, American professors, conducted independent scientific researches back in the 1970s and 1980s, yet the explanation of the 2011 Nobel Prize Committee of the Royal Swedish Academy states that the methods they developed are among the crucial tools in today's macroeconomic analysis. More precisely, they were awarded for their empirical research on cause and effect in macroeconomics.

Structuralist macroeconomics and the new developmentalism

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Luiz Carlos Bresser-Pereira

2012-09-01

Full Text Available This paper first presents some basic ideas and models of a structuralist development macroeconomics that complements and actualizes the ideas of the structuralist development economics that was dominant between the 1940s and the 1960s. A system of three models focusing on the exchange rate (the tendency to the cyclical overvaluation of the exchange rate, a critique of growth with foreign savings, and new a model of the Dutch disease shows that it is not just volatile but chronically overvalued, and for that reason it is not just a macroeconomic problem; as a long term disequilibrium, it is in the core of development economics. Second, it summarizes "new developmentalism" - a sum of growth policies based on these models and on the experience of fast-growing Asian countries.

Development assistance for health: should policy-makers worry about its macroeconomic impact?

Science.gov (United States)

Cavagnero, Eleonora; Lane, Christopher; Evans, David B; Carrin, Guy

2008-11-01

Many low-income countries need to substantially increase expenditure to meet universal coverage goals for essential health services but, because they have very low-incomes, most will be unable to raise adequate funds exclusively from domestic sources in the short to medium term. Increased aid for health will be required. However, there has long been a concern that the rapid arrival of large amounts of foreign exchange in a country could lead to an increase in inflation and loss of international competitiveness, with an adverse impact on exports and economic growth, an economic phenomenon termed 'Dutch disease'. We review cross-country and country-level empirical studies and propose a simple framework to gauge the extent of macroeconomic risks. Of the 15 low-income countries that are increasing aid-financed health spending, 7 have high macroeconomic risks that may constrain the sustained expansion of spending. These conditions also apply in one-quarter of the 42 countries not presently increasing spending. Health authorities should be aware of the multiple risk factors at play, including factors that are health-sector specific and others that generally are not. They should also realize that there are effective means for mitigating the risk of Dutch disease associated with increasing development assistance for health. International partners also have an important role to play since more sustainable and predictable flows of donor funding will allow more productivity enhancing investment in physical and human capital, which will also contribute to ensuring there are few harmful macroeconomic effects of increases in aid.

Macroeconomic Determinants of Economic Growth: A Review of International Literature

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Chirwa Themba G.

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The paper conducts a qualitative narrative appraisal of the existing empirical literature on the key macroeconomic determinants of economic growth in developing and developed countries. Much as other empirical studies have investigated the determinants of economic growth using various econometric methods, the majority of these studies have not distinguished what drives or hinders economic growth in developing or developed countries. The study finds that the determinants of economic growth are different when this distinction is used. It reveals that in developing countries the key macroeconomic determinants of economic growth include foreign aid, foreign direct investment, fiscal policy, investment, trade, human capital development, demographics, monetary policy, natural resources, reforms and geographic, regional, political and financial factors. In developed countries, the study reveals that the key macroeconomic determinants that are associated with economic growth include physical capital, fiscal policy, human capital, trade, demographics, monetary policy and financial and technological factors.

Simulation System for Making Political and Macroeconomical Decisions and Its Development

Science.gov (United States)

Vnukov, A. A.; Blinov, A. E.

2018-01-01

Object of this research are macroeconomic indicators, which are important to descript economic situation in a country. Purpose of this work is to identify these indicators and to analyze how the state can affect these figures with available instruments. Here was constructed a model where the targets can be calculated from raw data - tools in the field of economic policy. Software code that implements all relations among the indicators and allows to analyze with high accuracy, sufficiently successful economic policies and with the help of some tools, you can achieve better results. This model can be used to forecast macroeconomic scenarios. The corresponding values of the objective (outcome) variables are set as a consequence of the configuration data of the previous period, subject to external influences and depend on the instrumental variables. The results may be useful in economical predictions. The results were successfully checked on real scenarios of Russian, European and Chinese economics. Moreover, the results can be applied in the field of education. Program is available to use as “economical game” the educational process of the University, in which you can virtually implement various macroeconomic scenarios, draw conclusions about their success.

Managing Macroeconomic Risks by Using Statistical Simulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Merkaš Zvonko

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The paper analyzes the possibilities of using statistical simulation in the macroeconomic risks measurement. At the level of the whole world, macroeconomic risks are, due to the excessive imbalance, significantly increased. Using analytical statistical methods and Monte Carlo simulation, the authors interpret the collected data sets, compare and analyze them in order to mitigate potential risks. The empirical part of the study is a qualitative case study that uses statistical methods and Monte Carlo simulation for managing macroeconomic risks, which is the central theme of this work. Application of statistical simulation is necessary because the system, for which it is necessary to specify the model, is too complex for an analytical approach. The objective of the paper is to point out the previous need for consideration of significant macroeconomic risks, particularly in terms of the number of the unemployed in the society, the movement of gross domestic product and the country’s credit rating, and the use of data previously processed by statistical methods, through statistical simulation, to analyze the existing model of managing the macroeconomic risks and suggest elements for a management model development that will allow, with the lowest possible probability and consequences, the emergence of the recent macroeconomic risks. The stochastic characteristics of the system, defined by random variables as input values defined by probability distributions, require the performance of a large number of iterations on which to record the output of the model and calculate the mathematical expectations. The paper expounds the basic procedures and techniques of discrete statistical simulation applied to systems that can be characterized by a number of events which represent a set of circumstances that have caused a change in the system’s state and the possibility of its application in the field of assessment of macroeconomic risks. The method has no

The macroeconomic consequences of downsizing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Groot, H.L.F.; van Schaik, A.B.T.M.

2002-01-01

The recession in the 1980s followed by the worldwide decrease in transportation and communication costs has triggered a process of downsizing. The macroeconomic consequences of this process are only weakly understood. The model developed in this paper associates downsizing with trade between

Beginning iPhone Games Development

CERN Document Server

Cabera, P; Marsh, Ian; Smith, Ben; Wing, Eric

2010-01-01

iPhone games are hot! Just look at the numbers. Games make up over 25 percent of total apps and over 70 percent of the most popular apps. Surprised? Of course not! Most of us have filled our iPhone or iPod touch with games, and many of us hope to develop the next best-selling, most talked-about game. You've probably already read and mastered Beginning iPhone 3 Development; Exploring the iPhone SDK, the best-selling, the second edition of Apress's highly acclaimed introduction to the iPhone and iPod touch by developers Dave Mark and Jeff LaMarche. This book is the game-specific equivalent, prov

Austin Community College Video Game Development Certificate

Science.gov (United States)

McGoldrick, Robert

2008-01-01

The Video Game Development program is designed and developed by leaders in the Austin video game development industry, under the direction of the ACC Video Game Advisory Board. Courses are taught by industry video game developers for those who want to become video game developers. The program offers a comprehensive approach towards learning what's…

Macroeconomic Determinants of Migrants’ Remittances: Evidence from a Panel of Developing Countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Safaa Tabit

2016-07-01

Full Text Available This work aims to assess the various macroeconomic determinants of migrants’ remittances for a panel of 22 developing countries highly dependent observed over the period 1990 to 2014. The results underline the importance of the origin country’s GDP, the host country’s GDP, inflation, financial development and institutional quality as major determinants of personal remittances. However, the migrant stock, the official exchange rate and the real interest rate in the country of origin do not have a significant influence on remittances received by the panel considered.

Learn C++ for game development

CERN Document Server

Sutherland, Bruce

2014-01-01

An Apress entry on C++ skills accumulation book for Game developers. Retail/Trade sales potential exists in addition to the more likely sales to come from books as database engines as both C++ and Game Development are relevant terms. Charles River Media book out of print or no longer supported directly by the Publisher/sold direct by Publisher on Amazon anymore. This Apress book takes its place at least. Author is an expert game developer/programmer. C++ is still the primary programming language that the majority of game applications/apps rely upon in today's market.

Healthy public policy in poor countries: tackling macro-economic policies.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohindra, K S

2007-06-01

Large segments of the population in poor countries continue to suffer from a high level of unmet health needs, requiring macro-level, broad-based interventions. Healthy public policy, a key health promotion strategy, aims to put health on the agenda of policy makers across sectors and levels of government. Macro-economic policy in developing countries has thus far not adequately captured the attention of health promotion researchers. This paper argues that healthy public policy should not only be an objective in rich countries, but also in poor countries. This paper takes up this issue by reviewing the main macro-economic aid programs offered by international financial institutions as a response to economic crises and unmanageable debt burdens. Although health promotion researchers were largely absent during a key debate on structural adjustment programs and health during the 1980s and 1990s, the international macro-economic policy tool currently in play offers a new opportunity to participate in assessing these policies, ensuring new forms of macro-economic policy interventions do not simply reproduce patterns of (neoliberal) economics-dominated development policy.

Is macroeconomic announcement news priced?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Goeij, Peter; Hu, Jiehui; Werker, Bas

2016-01-01

We test whether news contained in macroeconomic announcements (MEAs) is priced in the cross-section of stock returns. When including news on a set of widely followed individual macroeconomic fundamentals in the cross-section of stock returns, estimates of their prices of risk are consistent with the

Essays in Education and Macroeconomics

Science.gov (United States)

Herrington, Christopher M.

2013-01-01

This dissertation consists of three essays on education and macroeconomics. The first chapter analyzes whether public education financing systems can account for large differences among developed countries in earnings inequality and intergenerational earnings persistence. I first document facts about public education in the U.S. and Norway, which…

Learn Unity for 2D game development

CERN Document Server

Thorn, Alan

2013-01-01

The only Unity book specifically covering 2D game development Written by Alan Thorn, experience game developer and author of seven books on game programming Hands-on examples of all major aspects of 2D game development using Unity

Influence of Macroeconomic Factors on Residential Property ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Sultan

exerted by macroeconomic factors on residential property returns in Abuja. The backward .... explanatory power and positive influence of employment and ...... Project. Management In Property Development: the Nigeria experience. Ibadan:.

Macroeconomic impact of HIV: the need for better modelling.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamontagne, Erik; Haacker, Markus; Ventelou, Bruno; Greener, Robert

2010-05-01

To critically evaluate the recent literature on macroeconomic repercussions of the HIV pandemic and the response to it. The review focuses on the impacts of HIV through both its health consequences and its impact on the accumulation of human capital. So far, most studies have found a moderate impact of the HIV epidemic on macroeconomic growth. However, recent studies tend to emphasize the fact that HIV undermines human capital and implies a long-term detriment for economic development. Availability of data from Demographic and Health Surveys offers opportunities for better understanding the relationship between the HIV epidemic and economic growth through pathways linking its microeconomic and macroeconomic impacts. The macroeconomic impact of HIV observed so far appears moderate. Our analysis of recent literature, however, points out three important issues that may have been previously underestimated. First, the most important effects may occur in the longer run, through changes in the accumulation of human capital. Second, aggregate impact often masks an unequal impact among different economic groups. Third, the empirical evidence on which current macroeconomic models are based remains weak, in particular in the way it takes into account responses to HIV at the households' level. Microsimulation models and the recently increasing availability of robust datasets at households' level offer promising opportunities to address these issues.

Open-Economy Macroeconomics, Developments in Theory and Policy

OpenAIRE

Maurice Obstfeld

1999-01-01

This paper surveys recent research in open-economy macroeconomics, using questions raised by European economic and monetary unification to guide the topics discussed. A striking empirical regularity is the tendency for changes in the nominal exchange rate regime systematically to affect the variability of nominal and real exchange rates alike. This regularity (which disappears in high-inflation conditions) can be explained by sticky-price theories or by models of asset-market liquidity effect...

The RAGE Game Software Components Repository for Supporting Applied Game Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krassen Stefanov

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the architecture of the RAGE repository, which is a unique and dedicated infrastructure that provides access to a wide variety of advanced technology components for applied game development. The RAGE project, which is the principal Horizon2020 research and innovation project on applied gaming, develops up to three dozens of software components (RAGE software assets that are reusable across a wide diversity of game engines, game platforms and programming languages. The RAGE repository provides storage space for assets and their artefacts and is designed as an asset life-cycle management system for defining, publishing, updating, searching and packaging for distribution of these assets. It will be embedded in a social platform for asset developers and other users. A dedicated Asset Repository Manager provides the main functionality of the repository and its integration with other systems. Tools supporting the Asset Manager are presented and discussed. When the RAGE repository is in full operation, applied game developers will be able to easily enhance the quality of their games by including selected advanced game software assets. Making available the RAGE repository system and its variety of software assets aims to enhance the coherence and decisiveness of the applied game industry.

MACROECONOMIC IMPACT OF DECENTRALIZATION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emilia Cornelia STOICA

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The concept of decentralization has a variety of expressions, but the meaning generally accepted refers to the transfer of authority and responsibility of the public functions from central government to sub-national public entities or even to the private sector. Decentralization process is complex, affecting many aspects of social and economic life and public management, and its design and implementation cover several stages, depending on the cyclical and structural developments of the country. From an economic perspective, decentralization is seen as a means of primary importance in terms of improving the effectiveness and efficiency of public services and macroeconomic stability due to the redistribution of public finances while in a much closer logic of the government policy objectives. But the decentralization process behaves as well some risks, because it involves the implementation of appropriate mechanisms for the establishment of income and expenditure programming at the subnational level, which, if is not correlated with macroeconomic policy imperatives can lead to major imbalances, both financially as in termes of economic and social life. Equally, ensuring the balance of the budget at the local level is imperative to fulfill, this goal imposing a legal framework and specific procedures to size transfers of public funds, targeted or untargeted. Also, public and local authorities have to adopt appropriate laws and regulations such that sub-national public entities can access loans - such as bank loans or debentures from domestic or external market - in terms of a strict monitoring national financial stability. In all aspects of decentralization - political, administrative, financial -, public authorities should develop and implement the most effective mechanisms to coordinate macroeconomic objectives and both sectoral and local interests and establish clear responsibilities - exclusive or shared - for all parties involved in the

Interactive macroeconomics stochastic aggregate dynamics with heterogeneous and interacting agents

CERN Document Server

Di Guilmi, Corrado

2017-01-01

One of the major problems of macroeconomic theory is the way in which the people exchange goods in decentralized market economies. There are major disagreements among macroeconomists regarding tools to influence required outcomes. Since the mainstream efficient market theory fails to provide an internal coherent framework, there is a need for an alternative theory. The book provides an innovative approach for the analysis of agent based models, populated by the heterogeneous and interacting agents in the field of financial fragility. The text is divided in two parts; the first presents analytical developments of stochastic aggregation and macro-dynamics inference methods. The second part introduces macroeconomic models of financial fragility for complex systems populated by heterogeneous and interacting agents. The concepts of financial fragility and macroeconomic dynamics are explained in detail in separate chapters. The statistical physics approach is applied to explain theories of macroeconomic modelling a...

Market Development of Video Games : Video game markets and marketing

OpenAIRE

Pu, Jun

2010-01-01

This diploma work focus on analysing the markets and marketing of video game industry. After the research of this study, I found out that console game markets are growing dramatically in the recent years. On the other hand, PC game markets (excluding online game markets) are growing slowly due to the problem of illegal copies. So my study will then focus on the development of console game markets and marketing. A new concept called Three Parties is introduced in chapter 5 to help ...

Developing games with Magic Playground: a gesture-based game engine

OpenAIRE

Dehanov, Juana; Dias, José Miguel Salles; Bastos, Rafael; Cabral, Carolina

2005-01-01

ACE 134 This paper presents Magic Playground, a game engine that enables the development of entertainment applications with realtime gesture-based Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). We describe the main architectural elements of our system and provide a guideline on how to program the engine in order to create games. Finally, we present usability evaluation results of a game, which emulates the known Tetris game1.

Why Models Matter: The Making and Unmaking of Governability in Macroeconomic Discourse

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin Braun

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Like other branches of economic theory, macroeconomics has the potential not only to represent but also to perform the economy. This performative potential is greatest when a ‘governability paradigm’ is established within macroeconomic discourse – that is, when theory has produced both a sense of understanding and practical control over the economy. In such periods, macroeconomic models become embedded in the ideational infrastructure of the economy, making possible both the interpretation of past data and the formation of expectations regarding the future. Viewing macroeconomics as a quest for governability, this article traces the formation of two distinct governability paradigms: the neoclassical synthesis paradigm of the post-war era, and the new neoclassical synthesis paradigm of the 1990s and 2000s. It shows how in both cases macroeconomic discourse went through three phases: first, the formulation of a basic vision of the economy; second, the formalisation and operationalisation of this vision; and third, the development of methods to measure, estimate, and predict associated variables. These shifts in macroeconomics and its models matter because the establishment of a governability paradigm tends to produce overconfidence not only among economists and policymakers, but also among market actors. Macroeconomic discourse itself therefore contributes to the cycles of boom and bust in modern capitalist economies.

Sources of Macroeconomic Fluctuations in MENA Countries

OpenAIRE

Balcilar, Mehmet; Bagzibagli, Kemal

2010-01-01

A close examination of the MENA region economies reveals a number of fundamental sources of macroeconomic fluctuations. These include economic factors such as exchange rate instability, large public debt, current account deficits, and escalation of inflation. The political factors such as government instability, corruption, bureaucracy, and internal conflicts also are major sources of macroeconomic instability. Thus, the sources of macroeconomic fluctuations in these countri...

Game development with Swift

CERN Document Server

Haney, Stephen

2015-01-01

If you wish to create and publish fun iOS games using Swift, then this book is for you. You should be familiar with basic programming concepts. However, no prior game development or Apple ecosystem experience is required.

[New Developments in Video Games for Psychotherapy].

Science.gov (United States)

Brezinka, Veronika

2016-01-01

A literature survey on new developments in the area of video games and psychotherapy of children and adolescents was conducted. Despite the omnipresence of computers and the internet, development of therapeutic games seems rather slow. The video game Treasure Hunt was introduced in 2008 to support treatment of children with internalizing and externalizing disorders. Camp Cope-A-Lot was developed for treatment of anxious children, whereas the self-help game SPARX is directed at depressed adolescents. Rage-Control is a biofeedback game for children with anger problems. The game Zoo U aims to assess and train social skills of primary school children. Ricky and the Spider for young children with obsessive compulsive disorder is meant to support the cognitive-behavioural treatment of these patients. Clash- Back is a French game for adolescents with externalizing problems. Possible reasons for the relatively slow development of therapeutic games are the high methodological demands concerning an evaluation as well as the high costs of game development. Nonetheless, computers and the internet are bound to influence psychotherapy with children and adolescents in the long run.

Aid Policy and the Macroeconomic Management of Aid

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Addison, Tony; Tarp, Finn

2015-01-01

This is an introduction to the UNU-WIDER special issue of World Development on aid policy and the macroeconomic management of aid. We provide an overview of the 10 studies, grouping them under three sub-themes: the aid–growth relationship; the supply-side of aid (including its level, volatility......, and coordination of donors); and the macroeconomic framework around aid. The studies in the special issue demonstrate the centrality of research methodology, the importance of disaggregation, and the need to account for country-specific situations and problems. This introduction concludes that the sometimes “over...

Understanding the null‐to‐small association between increased macroeconomic growth and reducing child undernutrition in India: role of development expenditures and poverty alleviation

Science.gov (United States)

Joe, William; Rajaram, Ramaprasad

2016-01-01

Abstract Empirical evidence suggests that macroeconomic growth in India is not correlated with any substantial reductions in the prevalence of child undernutrition over time. This study investigates the two commonly hypothesized pathways through which macroeconomic growth is expected to reduce child undernutrition: (1) an increase in public developmental expenditure and (2) a reduction in aggregate income‐poverty levels. For the anthropometric data on children, we draw on the data from two cross‐sectional waves of National Family Health Survey conducted in 1992–1993 and 2005–2006, while the data for per capita net state domestic product and per capita public spending on developmental expenditure and headcount ratio of poverty were obtained from the Reserve Bank of India and the Government of India expert committee reports. We find that between 1992–1993 and 2005–2006, state‐level macroeconomic growth was not associated with any substantial increases in public development expenditure or substantial reductions in poverty at the aggregate level. Furthermore, the association between changes in public development expenditure or aggregate poverty and changes in undernutrition was small. In summary, it appears that the inability of macroeconomic growth to translate into reductions in child undernutrition in India is likely a consequence of the macroeconomic growth not translating into substantial investments in development expenditure that could matter for children's nutritional status and neither did it substantially improve incomes of the poor, a group where undernutrition is also the highest. The findings here build a case to advocate a ‘support‐led’ strategy for reducing undernutrition rather than simply relying on a ‘growth‐mediated’ strategy. Key messages Increases in macroeconomic growth have not been accompanied by substantial increases in public developmental spending or reduction in aggregate poverty headcount ratio in India

Software Components for Serious Game Development

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Westera, Wim; Van der Vegt, Wim; Bahreini, Kiavash; Dascalu, Mihai; Van Lankveld, Giel

2016-01-01

The large upfront investments required for game development pose a severe barrier for the wider uptake of serious games in education and training. Also, there is a lack of well-established methods and tools that support game developers at preserving and enhancing the games’ pedagogical

Beginning Swift games development for iOS

CERN Document Server

Goodwill, James

2015-01-01

Game apps are one of the most popular categories in the Apple iTunes App Store. Well, the introduction of the new Swift programming language will make game development even more appealing and easier to existing and future iOS app developers. In response, James Goodwill, Wesley Matlock and Apress introduce you to this book, Beginning Swift Games Development for iOS. In this book, you'll learn the fundamental elements of the new Swift language as applied to game development for iOS. In part 1, you'll start with a basic 2D game idea and build the game throughout the book introducing each Sprit

Future{at}Labs.Prosperity Game{trademark}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beck, D.F.; Boyack, K.W.; Berman, M. [Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (United States). Innovative Alliances Dept.

1996-10-01

Prosperity Games{trademark} are an outgrowth and adaptation of move/countermove and seminar War Games, Prosperity Games{trademark} are simulations that explore complex issues in a variety of areas including economics, politics, sociology, environment, education, and research. These issues can be examined from a variety of perspectives ranging from global, macroeconomic and geopolitical viewpoint down to the details of customer/supplier/market interactions specific industries. All Prosperity Games{trademark} are unique in that both the game format and the player contributions vary from game to game. This report documents the Future{at}Labs.Prosperity Game{trademark} conducted under the sponsorship of the Industry Advisory Boards of the national labs, the national labs, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and the University of California. Players were drawn from all stakeholders involved including government, industry, labs, and academia. The primary objectives of this game were to: (1) explore ways to optimize the role of the multidisciplinary labs in serving national missions and needs; (2) explore ways to increase collaboration and partnerships among government, laboratories, universities, and industry; and (3) create a network of partnership champions to promote findings and policy options. The deliberations and recommendations of these players provided valuable insights as to the views of this diverse group of decision makers concerning the future of the labs.

Comparison of the most used game development tools

OpenAIRE

Soukup, Martin

2017-01-01

This thesis deals with comparison of most used game development tools. Author places game development tools in context of today´s game industry, analyses state of the market and the latest trends in the field of game development tools. The largest part of this thesis is aimed at comparing game development tools, where five tools are selected, overviewed and compared by specified criteria. Author demonstrates several basic features of chosen game development tool on development of a simple And...

Architecturally Reconfigurable Development of Mobile Games

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Weishan

2005-01-01

. Mobile game domain variants could be handled uniformly and traced across all kinds of software assets. The architecture and configuration mechanism in our approach make optimizations that built into meta-components propagated to all product line members. We show this approach with an industrial Role-Playing-Game......Mobile game development must face the problem of multiple hardware and software platforms, which will bring large number of variants. To cut the development and maintenance efforts, in this paper, we present an architecturally reconfigurable software product line approach to develop mobile games...

Measuring Impact of Uncertainty in a Stylized Macro-Economic Climate Model within a Dynamic Game Perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stienen, V.F.; Engwerda, Jacob

2018-01-01

In this paper we try to quantify/measure the main factors that influence the equilibrium outcome and pursued strategies in a simplistic model for the use of fossil versus green energy over time. The model is derived using the standard Solow macro-economic growth model in a two-country setting within

GPS-Based AR Games Development Potential

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gregorius Alvin Raditya Santoso

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The application of new technologies in a game is not a new thing. One example is the application of Augmented Reality (AR technology in game. Many people do not know the application of AR technology in game, although the application of this technology is able to produce a game with unique gameplay. In addition, since AR game is GPS-based, it offers new gaming experience, that is, playing outdoors in which the real world becomes the game arena. This advantage gives the AR technology a huge potential to be developed into a game

Development of mobile application in game industry

OpenAIRE

Horňák, Miroslav

2016-01-01

This thesis describes process of design and development of multiplayer online mobile game. Including ways of monetisation, setting a game goals and design of user interface and game environment. It also shows potential problems which can occur while developing this kind of a game. All this is demonstrated on real mobile game project targeting all major mobile operating systems. Inseparable part of this thesis is also summary of mobile operating systems and tools currently used in mobile game ...

Practical Android 4 Games Development

CERN Document Server

DiMarzio, J F

2011-01-01

Practical Android 4 Games Development continues your journey to becoming a hands-on Android game apps developer. This title guides you through the process of designing and developing game apps that work on both smartphones and tablets, thanks to the new Android SDK 4.0 which merges the User Interface and Experience APIs and more. The author, J.F. DiMarzio, has written eight books, including Android: A Programmer's Guide - the first Android book approved by Google - recently updated and translated for sale in Japan. He has an easy-to-read, concise, and logical writing style that is well suited

Gaming and the Commodities Market: An Economic-Based Game for Developing Reasoning Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Witschonke, Christopher; Herrera, Jose Maria

2013-01-01

The authors describe an economics-based game they have developed to instruct student teachers in the value of games and gaming for developing reasoning and decision-making skills in economics in K-12 students (5-18-year-olds). The game is designed to progress through each grade level so that by high school students have a thorough appreciation and…

Gaming the System: Developing an Educational Game for Securing Principles of Arterial Blood Gases.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyd, Cory Ann; Warren, Jonah; Glendon, Mary Ann

2016-01-01

This article describes the development process for creating a digital educational mini game prototype designed to provide practice opportunities for learning fundamental principles of arterial blood gases. Mini games generally take less than an hour to play and focus on specific subject matter. An interdisciplinary team of faculty from two universities mentored student game developers to design a digital educational mini game prototype. Sixteen accelerated bachelor of science in nursing students collaborated with game development students and playtested the game prototype during the last semester of their senior year in nursing school. Playtesting is a form of feedback that supports an iterative design process that is critical to game development. A 10-question survey was coupled with group discussions addressing five broad themes of an archetypical digital educational mini game to yield feedback on game design, play, and content. Four rounds of playtesting and incorporating feedback supported the iterative process. Accelerated bachelor of science in nursing student playtester feedback suggests that the digital educational mini game prototype has potential for offering an engaging, playful game experience that will support securing the fundamental principles of arterial blood gases. Next steps are to test the digital educational mini game for teaching and learning effectiveness. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Serious simulation game development for energy transition education using integrated framework game design

Science.gov (United States)

Destyanto, A. R.; Putri, O. A.; Hidayatno, A.

2017-11-01

Due to the advantages that serious simulation game offered, many areas of studies, including energy, have used serious simulation games as their instruments. However, serious simulation games in the field of energy transition still have few attentions. In this study, serious simulation game is developed and tested as the activity of public education about energy transition which is a conversion from oil to natural gas program. The aim of the game development is to create understanding and awareness about the importance of energy transition for society in accelerating the process of energy transition in Indonesia since 1987 the energy transition program has not achieved the conversion target yet due to the lack of education about energy transition for society. Developed as a digital serious simulation game following the framework of integrated game design, the Transergy game has been tested to 15 users and then analysed. The result of verification and validation of the game shows that Transergy gives significance to the users for understanding and triggering the needs of oil to natural gas conversion.

Differential model of macroeconomic growth with endogenic cyclicity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mikhail I. Geraskin

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Objective to elaborate a mathematical model of economic growth taking into account the cyclical nature of macroeconomic dynamics with the model parameters based on the Russian economy statistics. Methods economic and mathematical modeling system analysis regression factor analysis econometric time series analysis. Results the article states that under unstable economic growth in Russia forecasting of strategic prospects of the Russian economy is one of the topical directions of scientific studies. Furthermore construction of predictive models should be based on multiple factors taking into account such basic concepts as the neoKeynesian HarrodDomar model Ramsey ndash Cass ndash Koopmans model S. V. Dubovskiyrsquos concept as well as the neoclassical growth model by R. Solow. They served as the basis for developing a multifactor differential economic growth model which is a modification of the neoclassical growth model by R. Solow taking into account the laborsaving and capitalsaving forms of scientifictechnical progress and the Keynesian concept of investment. The model parameters are determined based on the dynamics of actual GDP employment fixed assets and investments in fixed assets for 19652016 in Russia on the basis of official statistics. The generalized model showed the presence of longwave fluctuations that are not detected during the individual periods modeling. The cyclical nature of macroeconomic dynamics with a period of 54 years was found which corresponds to the parameters of long waves by N. D. Kondratiev. Basing on the model the macroeconomic growth forecast was generated which shows that after 2020 the increase of scientifictechnical progress will be negative. Scientific novelty a model is proposed of the scientifictechnical progress indicator showing the growth rate of the capital productivity ratio to the saving rate a differential model of macroeconomic growth is obtained which endogenously takes cyclicity into account

Microeconomic Uncertainty and Macroeconomic Indeterminacy

OpenAIRE

Fagnart, Jean-François; Pierrard, Olivier; Sneessens, Henri

2005-01-01

The paper proposes a stylized intertemporal macroeconomic model wherein the combination of decentralized trading and microeconomic uncertainty (taking the form of privately observed and uninsured idiosyncratic shocks) creates an information problem between agents and generates indeterminacy of the macroeconomic equilibrium. For a given value of the economic fundamentals, the economy admits a continuum of equilibria that can be indexed by the sales expectations of firms at the time of investme...

(Serious) Games Development: The State of the Art

OpenAIRE

Qi, Wen

2014-01-01

In this report, we give an overview of research and development of serious video games. Firstly, we briefly look at the history of (digital) video game. We discuss different types of video game and introduce the concept of serious game. In the following, we review the important aspects of technology development for general video games and serious games. We further discuss the critical elements of the game design. In the end, we summarize the components that form a successful serious game. Thi...

Understanding the null-to-small association between increased macroeconomic growth and reducing child undernutrition in India: role of development expenditures and poverty alleviation.

Science.gov (United States)

Joe, William; Rajaram, Ramaprasad; Subramanian, S V

2016-05-01

Empirical evidence suggests that macroeconomic growth in India is not correlated with any substantial reductions in the prevalence of child undernutrition over time. This study investigates the two commonly hypothesized pathways through which macroeconomic growth is expected to reduce child undernutrition: (1) an increase in public developmental expenditure and (2) a reduction in aggregate income-poverty levels. For the anthropometric data on children, we draw on the data from two cross-sectional waves of National Family Health Survey conducted in 1992-1993 and 2005-2006, while the data for per capita net state domestic product and per capita public spending on developmental expenditure and headcount ratio of poverty were obtained from the Reserve Bank of India and the Government of India expert committee reports. We find that between 1992-1993 and 2005-2006, state-level macroeconomic growth was not associated with any substantial increases in public development expenditure or substantial reductions in poverty at the aggregate level. Furthermore, the association between changes in public development expenditure or aggregate poverty and changes in undernutrition was small. In summary, it appears that the inability of macroeconomic growth to translate into reductions in child undernutrition in India is likely a consequence of the macroeconomic growth not translating into substantial investments in development expenditure that could matter for children's nutritional status and neither did it substantially improve incomes of the poor, a group where undernutrition is also the highest. The findings here build a case to advocate a 'support-led' strategy for reducing undernutrition rather than simply relying on a 'growth-mediated' strategy. Key messages Increases in macroeconomic growth have not been accompanied by substantial increases in public developmental spending or reduction in aggregate poverty headcount ratio in India. Association between increases in public

Computer Game-based Learning: Applied Game Development Made Simpler

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nyamsuren, Enkhbold

2018-01-01

The RAGE project (Realising an Applied Gaming Ecosystem, http://rageproject.eu/) is an ongoing initiative that aims to offer an ecosystem to support serious games’ development and use. Its two main objectives are to provide technologies for computer game-based pedagogy and learning and to establish

Developing e-Bug web games to teach microbiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Farrell, David; Kostkova, Patty; Lazareck, Lisa; Weerasinghe, Dasun; Weinberg, Julius; Lecky, Donna M; Adriaenssens, Niels; Koprivová Herotová, Tereza; Holt, Jette; Touboul, Pia; Merakou, Kyriakoula; Koncan, Raffaella; Olczak-Pienkowska, Anna; Avô, António Brito; Campos, José; McNulty, Cliodna A M

2011-06-01

As a complement to the e-Bug teaching pack, two e-Bug games were developed to provide content that aimed to entertain as well as to educate. A set of agreed learning outcomes (LOs) were provided by the scientific partners of the e-Bug Project and the games were developed using user-centred design techniques (the needs, wants and limitations of the potential game players were assessed at each stage of the design process). The e-Bug games were designed for two age groups: Junior (9-12 year olds); and Senior (13-15 year olds). A study using focus groups was done to gain an understanding as to the types of games enjoyed by the target users. According to the preliminary study, the Junior Game was developed as a platform game and the Senior Game was developed as a story-based detective game. The Junior Game consists of five levels, each associated with a set of LOs. Similarly, the Senior Game consists of four missions, each comprising five stages using problem-based learning techniques and LOs. In this paper, the process of development for each game is described in detail and an illustration is provided of how each game level or mission addresses the target LOs. Development of the games used feedback acquired from children in four schools across the UK (Glasgow, London and two in Gloucester). The children were selected according to their willingness to participate. European Partners of the e-Bug Project also provided further support, translation and requests for modifications. The knowledge gained of LOs and further evaluation of the games is continuing, and preliminary results are in press. The final versions of the games, translated into 11 European languages, are available online via www.e-bug.eu.

Multiplayer game development with HTML5

CERN Document Server

Silveira, Rodrigo

2015-01-01

If you are a HTML5 game developer who can make basic single-player games and you are now ready to incorporate multiplayer functionality in your games as quickly as possible, then this book is ideal for you.

Macro-economic environmental models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wier, M.

1993-01-01

In the present report, an introduction to macro-economic environmental models is given. The role of the models as a tool for policy analysis is discussed. Future applications, as well as the limitations given by the data, are brought into focus. The economic-ecological system is described. A set of guidelines for implementation of the system in a traditional economic macro-model is proposed. The characteristics of empirical national and international environmental macro-economic models so far are highlighted. Special attention is paid to main economic causalities and their consequences for the environmental policy recommendations sat by the models. (au) (41 refs.)

Realized Bond-Stock Correlation: Macroeconomic Announcement Effects

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Charlotte; Ranaldo, Angelo

2005-01-01

We investigate the effects of macroeconomic announcements on the realized correlation between bond and stock returns. Our results deliver insights into the dominating drivers of bond-stock comovements. We find that it is not so much the surprise component of the announcement, but the mere fact...... that an announcement occurs that influences the realized bond-stock correlation. The impact of macroeconomic announcements varies across the business cycle. Announcement effects are highly dependent on the sign of the realized bond-stock correlation which has recently gone from positive to negative. Macroeconomic...

Macroeconomic Sources of FOREX Risk

OpenAIRE

Smith, Peter N; Wickens, Michael R.

2002-01-01

This Paper is an exploration into the links between macroeconomics and finance as they affect the FOREX risk premium. SDF theory is used in which the factors are observable macroeconomic variables. Three SDF theories are compared: a benchmark model based on traditional tests of FOREX efficiency; consumption-based CAPM; and the monetary model of the exchange rate. The theory takes account of both domestic and foreign investors. The joint distribution of the excess return to FOREX and the macro...

Macroeconomic Conditions and Capital Raising

OpenAIRE

Isil Erel; Brandon Julio; Woojin Kim; Michael S. Weisbach

2011-01-01

Do macroeconomic conditions affect firms' abilities to raise capital? If so, how do they affect the manner in which the capital is raised? We address these questions using a large sample of publicly-traded debt issues, seasoned equity offers, bank loans and private placements of equity and debt. Our results suggest that a borrower's credit quality significantly affects its ability to raise capital during macroeconomic downturns. For noninvestment-grade borrowers, capital raising tends to be p...

Asymmetric information and macroeconomic dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Hawkins, Raymond J.; Aoki, Masanao; Roy Frieden, B.

2010-09-01

We show how macroeconomic dynamics can be derived from asymmetric information. As an illustration of the utility of this approach we derive the equilibrium density, non-equilibrium densities and the equation of motion for the response to a demand shock for productivity in a simple economy. Novel consequences of this approach include a natural incorporation of time dependence into macroeconomics and a common information-theoretic basis for economics and other fields seeking to link micro-dynamics and macro-observables.

Development of offensive individual game skills and offensive game combinations in ice hockey

OpenAIRE

Janek, Michael

2015-01-01

Title: Development of offensive individual game skills and offensive game combinations in ice hockey Goals: The main aim of this thesis is to gather theoretical information about development and improvement of offensive individual game skills and offensive game combinations in ice hockey and suggest essential and key exercises of this issue. Methods: The thesis was primarily written with the use of searching method based on information from available expert literature, electronic sources and ...

Macroeconomic impacts of bioenergy production on surplus agricultural land: a case study of Argentina

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wicke, B.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/306645955; Smeets, E.M.W.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/311445217; Tabeau, A.; Hilbert, J.; Faaij, A.P.C.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/10685903X

2009-01-01

This paper assesses the macroeconomic impacts in terms of GDP, trade balance and employment of large-scale bioenergy production on surplus agricultural land. An input–output model is developed with which the direct, indirect and induced macroeconomic impacts of bioenergy production and agricultural

Macroeconomic impacts of bioenergy production on surplus agricultural land—A case study of Argentina

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wicke, Birka; Smeets, E.; Tabeau, Andrzej; Hilbert, Jorge; Faaij, André

2009-01-01

This paper assesses the macroeconomic impacts in terms of GDP, trade balance and employment of large-scale bioenergy production on surplus agricultural land. An input–output model is developed with which the direct, indirect and induced macroeconomic impacts of bioenergy production and agricultural

Analysis of a monetary union enlargement in the framework of linear-quadratic differential games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Plasmans, J.E.J.; Engwerda, J.C.; van Aarle, B.; Michalak, T.

2009-01-01

"This paper studies the effects of a monetary union enlargement using the techniques and outcomes from an extensive research project on macroeconomic policy coordination in the EMU. Our approach is characterized by two main pillars: (i) linear-quadratic differential games to capture externalities,

The development of video game enjoyment in a role playing game.

Science.gov (United States)

Wirth, Werner; Ryffel, Fabian; von Pape, Thilo; Karnowski, Veronika

2013-04-01

This study examines the development of video game enjoyment over time. The results of a longitudinal study (N=62) show that enjoyment increases over several sessions. Moreover, results of a multilevel regression model indicate a causal link between the dependent variable video game enjoyment and the predictor variables exploratory behavior, spatial presence, competence, suspense and solution, and simulated experiences of life. These findings are important for video game research because they reveal the antecedents of video game enjoyment in a real-world longitudinal setting. Results are discussed in terms of the dynamics of video game enjoyment under real-world conditions.

Factors driving and influencing the development of serious games

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Louise Møller

2016-03-01

Full Text Available There are a large variety of serious games aimed at infusing knowledge into both teams and organizations. Some games aims at supporting the team in a given project or development process, whereas others aim at widening the knowledge, skills and competences in an organization on a more general level. In the serious game literature most focus and attention is given to the design and development of digital games. However in Denmark, at least, there has been a growing industry of analogue serious games and serious game facilitation, which give evidence to the fact that not all development in the area of serious games happens in terms of the digital versions. This paper investigate these new analog serious games and learning tools in the Danish market with focus on the drivers and influencing factors during their development and the effort of making a business out of the serious games. Empirically, the paper is based on close interaction and semi-structured interviews with some of the key serious game developers in Denmark (plus one in the US, some of them with a portfolio of up to ten serious games. Besides from uncovering some of the basic motivations to design and develop serious games, the paper will show, how the game developers’ interaction with the end-users and their different business strategies, influences the way the game is developed.

Optimal Investment Control of Macroeconomic Systems

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

ZHAO Ke-jie; LIU Chuan-zhe

2006-01-01

Economic growth is always accompanied by economic fluctuation. The target of macroeconomic control is to keep a basic balance of economic growth, accelerate the optimization of economic structures and to lead a rapid, sustainable and healthy development of national economies, in order to propel society forward. In order to realize the above goal, investment control must be regarded as the most important policy for economic stability. Readjustment and control of investment includes not only control of aggregate investment, but also structural control which depends on economic-technology relationships between various industries of a national economy. On the basis of the theory of a generalized system, an optimal investment control model for government has been developed. In order to provide a scientific basis for government to formulate a macroeconomic control policy, the model investigates the balance of total supply and aggregate demand through an adjustment in investment decisions realizes a sustainable and stable growth of the national economy. The optimal investment decision function proposed by this study has a unique and specific expression, high regulating precision and computable characteristics.

Capital mobility and macroeconomic volatility: evidence from Greece

OpenAIRE

Anastasios, Pappas

2010-01-01

This paper focuses on the impact of full capital account liberalization on macroeconomic volatility in Greece. According to the standard neoclassical model, such liberalization is to be desired because, among other advantages, it may reduce macroeconomic volatility. The link between macroeconomic volatility and capital account openness in the Greek economy is investigated by applying a simple three-month rolling standard deviation of real GDP growth and real final (total) consumption growth c...

Learning iOS 8 game development using Swift

CERN Document Server

Shekar, Siddharth

2015-01-01

This book is for novices as well as proficient game developers who want to learn more about game development using Swift. If you are from a 2D game development background and would like to learn the basics of 3D game development, this book is for you. Additionally, if you want to learn the basics of graphics programming and shaders, this book will be a good starting point.

News shocks in the data: Olympic Games and their macroeconomic effects - Reply

OpenAIRE

Langer, Viktoria C. E.; Maennig, Wolfgang; Richter, Felix J.

2015-01-01

Recent analyses relate increases in the growth rate of countries to anticipation effects caused by bidding for the Olympic Games, so called news shocks. We argue that these findings should be interpreted cautiously. First, these analyses may suffer from an omitted variable bias because they neglect key determinants of economic growth. Second, these analyses compare the bidders for the Olympic Games to all other countries in the world, which constitutes a comparison between groups that show la...

Macroeconomic policy, growth, and biodiversity conservation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lawn, Philip

2008-12-01

To successfully achieve biodiversity conservation, the amount of ecosystem structure available for economic production must be determined by, and subject to, conservation needs. As such, the scale of economic systems must remain within the limits imposed by the need to preserve critical ecosystems and the regenerative and waste assimilative capacities of the ecosphere. These limits are determined by biophysical criteria, yet macroeconomics involves the use of economic instruments designed to meet economic criteria that have no capacity to achieve biophysically based targets. Macroeconomic policy cannot, therefore, directly solve the biodiversity erosion crisis. Nevertheless, good macroeconomic policy is still important given that bad macroeconomy policy is likely to reduce human well-being and increase the likelihood of social upheaval that could undermine conservation efforts.

MACROECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT AND GREENFIELD FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT OF HOTEL BRANDS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jože Perić

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The powerful attraction of foreign direct investment (FDI is particularly important for further development of tourism. The strategically focused attraction of FDI in tourism has a much higher significance because of the multiple effects in relation to other segments of the economy. In this context, it is necessary to highlight the investment engagement and the presence of globally branded luxury hotels. The purpose of the study is to assess the macroeconomic environment, the effects of greenfield FDI in tourism and, consequently, the presence of global hotel brands using the comparative analysis of the selected countries as the methodological basis of this study. The research results indicate that a favorable macroeconomic environment plays an important role in attracting foreign capital. Countries that have a more favorable macroeconomic environment attract more greenfield FDI, and provide a greater presence of global hotel brands, and thus greater competitiveness. Also, the political stability, the encouraging macroeconomic business conditions, the elimination of administrative and legislative barriers, the elimination of the country's image as a corrupt destination and tourism staff education at all levels are particularly important for FDI in tourism.

Macroeconomics after Two Decades of Rational Expectations.

Science.gov (United States)

McCallum, Bennett T.

1994-01-01

Discusses real business cycle analysis, growth theory, and other economic concepts in the context of the rational expectations revolution in macroeconomics. Focuses on post-1982 research. Concludes that the rejuvenation of growth analysis is an encouraging development because it could lead to changes in welfare policy. (CFR)

A Comparison of Microeconomic and Macroeconomic Approaches to Deforestation Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeff Felardo

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The economics of deforestation has been explored in detail. Generally, the frame of analysis takes either a microeconomics or macroeconomics approach. The microeconomics approach assumes that individual decision makers are responsible for deforestation as a result of utility maximizing behavior and imperfect property right regimes. The macroeconomics approach explores nationwide trends thought to be associated with forest conversion. This paper investigates the relationship between these two approaches by empirically testing the determinants of deforestation using the same data set from Thailand. The theory for both the microeconomics-based and macroeconomics-based approaches are developed and then tested statistically. The models were constructed using established theoretical frames developed in the literature. The results from both models show statistical significance consistent with prior results in the tropical deforestation literature. A comparison of the two approaches demonstrates that the macro approach is useful in identifying relevant aggregate trends in the deforestation process; the micro approach provides the opportunity to isolate factors of those trends which are necessary for effective policy decisions.

Building HTML5 games with ImpactJS an introduction on HTML5 game development

CERN Document Server

Freeman, Jesse

2012-01-01

Create a real 2D game from start to finish with ImpactJS, the JavaScript game framework that works with the HTML5's Canvas element. Making video games is hard work that requires technical skills, a lot of planning, and-most critically-a commitment to completing the project. With this hands-on guide, you'll learn how to use Impact with other technologies step-by-step. You'll pick up important tips about game design, and discover how to publish Impact games to the Web, desktop, and mobile-including a method to package your game as a native iOS app. Packed with screen shots and sample code, this book is ideal for game developers of all levels. Set up your development environment and discover Impact's advantagesBuild a complete game with core logic, collision detection, and player and monster behaviorLearn why a game design document is critical before you start buildingDisplay and animate game artwork with sprite sheetsAdd sound effects, background music, and textCreate screens to display stats and in-game statu...

Fractional-order in a macroeconomic dynamic model

Science.gov (United States)

David, S. A.; Quintino, D. D.; Soliani, J.

2013-10-01

In this paper, we applied the Riemann-Liouville approach in order to realize the numerical simulations to a set of equations that represent a fractional-order macroeconomic dynamic model. It is a generalization of a dynamic model recently reported in the literature. The aforementioned equations have been simulated for several cases involving integer and non-integer order analysis, with some different values to fractional order. The time histories and the phase diagrams have been plotted to visualize the effect of fractional order approach. The new contribution of this work arises from the fact that the macroeconomic dynamic model proposed here involves the public sector deficit equation, which renders the model more realistic and complete when compared with the ones encountered in the literature. The results reveal that the fractional-order macroeconomic model can exhibit a real reasonable behavior to macroeconomics systems and might offer greater insights towards the understanding of these complex dynamic systems.

Macro-economic Impact Study for Bio-based Malaysia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meijl, van H.; Smeets, E.M.W.; Dijk, van M.; Powell, J.P.; Tabeau, A.A.

2012-01-01

This Macro-economic Impact Study (MES) provides quantitative insights into the macro-economic effects of introducing green, palmbased alternatives for electricity, fuels, chemicals and materials industries in Malaysia between now and 2030.

The macroeconomic effects of ambitious energy efficiency policy in Germany – Combining bottom-up energy modelling with a non-equilibrium macroeconomic model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartwig, Johannes; Kockat, Judit; Schade, Wolfgang; Braungardt, Sibylle

2017-01-01

Energy efficiency is one of the fastest and most cost-effective contributions to a sustainable, secure and affordable energy system. Furthermore, the so-called “non-energy benefits”, “co-benefits” or “multiple benefits” of energy efficiency are receiving increased interest from policy makers and the scientific community. Among the various non-energy benefits of energy efficiency initiatives, the macroeconomic benefits play an important role. Our study presents a detailed analysis of the long-term macroeconomic effects of German energy efficiency policy including the industry and service sectors as well as residential energy demand. We quantify the macroeconomic effects of an ambitious energy efficiency scenario by combining bottom-up models with an extended dynamic input-output model. We study sectoral shifts within the economy regarding value added and employment compared to the baseline scenario. We provide an in-depth analysis of the effects of energy efficiency policy on consumers, individual industry sectors, and the economy as a whole. We find significant positive macroeconomic effects resulting from energy efficiency initiatives, with growth effects for both GDP and employment ranging between 0.88% and 3.38%. Differences in sectoral gains lead to a shift in the economy. Our methodological approach provides a comprehensive framework for analyzing the macroeconomic benefits of energy efficiency. - Highlights: • Integration of detailed sectoral models for energy demand with macroeconomic model. • Detailed assessment of effects of ambitious energy efficiency targets for Germany. • Positive macroeconomic effects can support policymaking and reduce uncertainty.

Private consumption-savings behavior and macroeconomic imbalances

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Castro Campos, M.

2016-01-01

Between the signing of the Maastricht Treaty in 1991 and 2007 many of the existing macroeconomic theories were applied to support the claim that the euro area was an optimal currency union and to argue that increasing macroeconomic imbalances were a logical part of the financial integration process.

Development of Active Learning with Simulations and Games

Science.gov (United States)

Zapalska, Alina; Brozik, Dallas; Rudd, Denis

2012-01-01

Educational games and simulations are excellent active learning tools that offer students hands-on experience. Little research is available on developing games and simulations and how teachers can be assisted in making their own games and simulations. In this context, the paper presents a multi-step process of how to develop games and simulations…

What Should be Taught in Intermediate Macroeconomics?

Science.gov (United States)

de Araujo, Pedro; O'Sullivan, Roisin; Simpson, Nicole B.

2013-01-01

A lack of consensus remains on what should form the theoretical core of the undergraduate intermediate macroeconomic course. In determining how to deal with the Keynesian/classical divide, instructors must decide whether to follow the modern approach of building macroeconomic relationships from micro foundations, or to use the traditional approach…

IFRS 9 implementation in banks and macroeconomic scenarios: Some methodological aspects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brković Milan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The International Financial Reporting Standard 9 - IFRS is another one in the series of global level initiatives undertaken with a view to fixing the consequences of the global economic and financial crisis, and preventing the future negative developments caused by inadequate recognition and presentation of credit losses on the part of banks. The IFRS 9 also represents a significant shift in relation to traditional accounting, given that it introduced the concept of expected credit losses to replace the concept of occurred credit losses. This task cannot be fulfilled by the traditional and conservative accounting without involving the macroeconomic assessment models, i.e. macroeconomic scenarios. This paper aims to highlight some specific methodological rudiments in macroeconomic analyses and forecasts as inputs for the accounting recognition and presentation of expected credit losses.

Impact of the macroeconomic factors on university budgeting the US and Russia

Science.gov (United States)

Bogomolova, Arina; Balk, Igor; Ivachenko, Natalya; Temkin, Anatoly

2017-10-01

This paper discuses impact of macroeconomics factor on the university budgeting. Modern developments in the area of data science and machine learning made it possible to utilise automated techniques to address several problems of humankind ranging from genetic engineering and particle physics to sociology and economics. This paper is the first step to create a robust toolkit which will help universities sustain macroeconomic challenges utilising modern predictive analytics techniques.

Introducing Game Development into the University Curriculum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Peer*

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Integrating computer games development into computer science curriculum is gaining acceptance. However, the question is how this should be done. In our course on computer game development we present all necessary steps that a game project has to address, from design to publication and marketing, from the theoretical to the practical point of view. The goal is that each student makes a casual game for Apple iOS platform and possibly publishes it. The games are built on our xni framework for iOS, which is a subset of Microsoft’s xna. We take an iterative incremental approach to teaching game development, where we discuss a number of selected topics from various categories, such as gameplay design, graphics and artificial intelligence, each week. Thereafter the students receive mandatory and non-mandatory assignments that force them to add functionality to their game and, thus, steadily progress towards their goal. At the end of the course more than 20 % of all projects were ready for the Apple App Store, which, together with student pools saying that the course was one of the best executed courses they attended, confirms the viability of the suggested scheme.

Development and Validation of Kid Tsu Chu Futbol Games for Character Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sulistiyono

2017-08-01

Full Text Available This research aims to develop and validation games to develop character in the students Football School under 12 years age group. This study was conducted using R and D. This study produced a product in the form of games related to the process of training, but can be used to develop the student’s character. Games that resulted from this research given the name “Tsu Chu Kid Futbol Games For Character Development”. Games have the flexible nature can be placed at the warm-up, core, and cooling at a football training process. The game must have at least two training purposes with the provisions of the first objective should be able to develop the character, and the second objective can develop one component among the components of the physical, technical, or tactics.

High-Level Development of Multiserver Online Games

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frank Glinka

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Multiplayer online games with support for high user numbers must provide mechanisms to support an increasing amount of players by using additional resources. This paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the practically proven multiserver distribution mechanisms, zoning, instancing, and replication, and the tasks for the game developer implied by them. We propose a novel, high-level development approach which integrates the three distribution mechanisms seamlessly in today's online games. As a possible base for this high-level approach, we describe the real-time framework (RTF middleware system which liberates the developer from low-level tasks and allows him to stay at high level of design abstraction. We explain how RTF supports the implementation of single-server online games and how RTF allows to incorporate the three multiserver distribution mechanisms during the development process. Finally, we describe briefly how RTF provides manageability and maintenance functionality for online games in a grid context with dynamic resource allocation scenarios.

Some Thoughts on Teaching Principles of Macroeconomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Boskin, Michael J.

1986-01-01

This article shares the author's personal views about current macroeconomic policy and what ought to be taught at senior high school or freshman college levels. Concludes that Keynesian economics is not dead, but that modern eclectic macroeconomics must focus on basic data about the economy and what is at stake in making decisions based on…

Macroeconomic predictions – Three essays on analysts' forecast quality

OpenAIRE

Orbe, Sebastian

2013-01-01

Macroeconomic expectation data are of great interest to different agents due to their importance as central input factors in various applications. To name but a few, politicians, capital market participants, as well as academics, incorporate these forecast data into their decision processes. Consequently, a sound understanding of the quality properties of macroeconomic forecast data, their quality determinants, as well as potential ways to improve macroeconomic predictions is desirable. ...

Understanding Financial Fluctuations and Their Relation to Macroeconomic Stability

OpenAIRE

Nora Guarata; Carolina Pagliacci

2017-01-01

This paper examines how financial fluctuations and macroeconomic stability interact in the case of Venezuela, acknowledging that financial conditions deteriorating the macroeconomic environment can arise with both good and bad macroeconomic performance. An empirical methodology is provided that constructs two indexes, which are fully interpretable and are constructed with a minimum set of assumptions applied to a large number of financial time series. Structural interpretation of indexes is p...

Game Programming Course - Creative Design and Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaak Henno

2008-10-01

Full Text Available Rapid developments of the Electronic Entertainment - computer and video games, virtual environments, the "Games 3.0" revolution - influences also courses about Games and Virtual Environments. In the following is discussed the course “Games and Virtual Environments” presented in the fall 2007 term in Tallinn University of Technology; the main emphasis of the course was not on programming technology, but on understanding games as a special form of communication and exploring specific features of this form.

Sustainability transitions in the perspective of ecological macroeconomics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Røpke, Inge

2013-01-01

Globally, societies are facing a number of serious environmental, economic and social crises. Although the multiple crises are interrelated, research communities tend to be organised around specific complexes of problems. This paper is intended to contribute to the development of an ecological...... macroeconomics that addresses multiple crises by including insights from different, partly overlapping research communities. The main idea is to explore the usefulness of combining three different system perspectives in the study of sustainability transitions: socio-technical provision systems, distributional...... systems and macroeconomic systems. First, the theoretical concept of sustainability and the different system perspectives are outlined, and then the perspectives are brought together in the discussion of a specific topic that is key to sustainable transition: the need for considerable resources to invest...

Dual Monetary System and Macroeconomic Performance in Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sri Herianingrum

2016-02-01

Full Text Available This research aims to evaluate the impact of dual monetary policyshock on macroeconomic indicators of Indonesia: growth and inflation. Inaddition, this study will also examine whether conventional monetary policy hasa particular impact upon Islamic banking sector. This research apply VAR (vectorauto regressive method on monthly data from Bank Of Indonesia during theperiod of January 2010 to December 2013. The result of IRF explain that theinterest rate channel find the hard way to accomplished the macroeconomic goalswhile the Islamic monetary instrument indicates the potential growth of outputand hold the inflation low. The result of VDC describes that the Islamic instrumentstill affected by conventional monetary policy because of slow development inIslamic monetary systemDOI: 10.15408/aiq.v8i1.2509

Families in the context of macroeconomic crises: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Fonseca, Gabriela; Cunha, Diana; Crespo, Carla; Relvas, Ana Paula

2016-09-01

The present study is a systematic review of empirical literature from the last 35 years on families' responses to economic distress in the context of macroeconomic crises. Thirty-nine studies published between 1983 and 2015 in 12 countries were identified, resulting in 3 main findings. First, economic distress was associated with negative changes in family dynamics, specifically couple relationships and parenting. Second, protective factors were found to buffer the adverse effects of economic distress on family and individual outcomes. Third, the results suggest that individual responses to macroeconomic crises may be moderated by sex. Implications for future research encompass using validated assessment instruments, including participants beyond 2-parent families with adolescent children and conducting both longitudinal and qualitative studies that focus on the processes and meanings of adaptation within this risk context. Conclusions highlighted the need to assist families dealing with macroeconomic crises' demands, encouraging the development and validation of macrosystemic intervention programs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

The dynamic relationship between Bursa Malaysia composite index and macroeconomic variables

Science.gov (United States)

Ismail, Mohd Tahir; Rose, Farid Zamani Che; Rahman, Rosmanjawati Abd.

2017-08-01

This study investigates and analyzes the long run and short run relationships between Bursa Malaysia Composite index (KLCI) and nine macroeconomic variables in a VAR/VECM framework. After regression analysis seven out the nine macroeconomic variables are chosen for further analysis. The use of Johansen-Juselius Cointegration and Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) technique indicate that there are long run relationships between the seven macroeconomic variables and KLCI. Meanwhile, Granger causality test shows that bidirectional relationship between KLCI and oil price. Furthermore, after 12 months the shock on KLCI are explained by innovations of the seven macroeconomic variables. This indicate the close relationship between macroeconomic variables and KLCI.

Macroeconomic policies and increasing social-health inequality in Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaboli, Rouhollah; Seyedin, Seyed Hesam; Malmoon, Zainab

2014-08-01

Health is a complex phenomenon that can be studied from different approaches. Despite a growing research in the areas of Social Determinants of Health (SDH) and health equity, effects of macroeconomic policies on the social aspect of health are unknown in developing countries. This study aimed to determine the effect of macroeconomic policies on increasing of the social-health inequality in Iran. This study was a mixed method research. The study population consisted of experts dealing with social determinants of health. A purposive, stratified and non-random sampling method was used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect the data along with a multiple attribute decision-making method for the quantitative phase of the research in which the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) was employed for prioritization. The NVivo and MATLAB softwares were used for data analysis. Seven main themes for the effect of macroeconomic policies on increasing the social-health inequality were identified. The result of TOPSIS approved that the inflation and economic instability exert the greatest impact on social-health inequality, with an index of 0.710 and the government policy in paying the subsidies with a 0.291 index has the lowest impact on social-health inequality in the country. It is required to invest on the social determinants of health as a priority to reduce health inequality. Also, evaluating the extent to which the future macroeconomic policies impact the health of population is necessary.

Effects of macroeconomic conditions on health in Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacinto, Paulo de Andrade; Tejada, César Augusto Oviedo; Sousa, Tanara Rosângela Vieira de

2010-04-01

To analyze the relationship between macroeconomic conditions and health in Brazil. The analysis of the impact of employment and income on mortality in Brazil was based on panel data from Brazilian states between 1981 and 2002. Mortality rates obtained from the national mortality database was used as a proxy for health status, whereas the variables employment, income, and illiteracy rates were used as proxies for macroeconomic and socioeconomic conditions. Static and dynamic models were applied for the analysis of two hypotheses: a) there is a positive relationship between mortality rates and income and employment, as suggested by Ruhm; b) there is a negative relationship between mortality rates and income and employment, as suggested by Brenner. There was found a negative relationship between mortality rates (proxy for health) and macroeconomic conditions (measured by employment rate). The estimates indicated that the overall mortality rate was higher during economic recession, suggesting that as macroeconomic conditions improved, increasing employment rates, there was a decrease in the mortality rate. The estimate for the relationship between illiteracy (proxy for education level) and mortality rate showed that higher levels of education can improve health. The results from the static and dynamic models support Brenner's hypothesis that there is a negative relationship between mortality rates and macroeconomic conditions.

Mobile Game Development: Object-Orientation or Not

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Weishan; Han, Dong; Kunz, Thomas

2007-01-01

technology is the prevalent programming paradigm, most of the current mobile games are developed with object-orientation (OO) technologies. Intuitively OO is not a perfect paradigm for embedded software. Questions remain such as how OO and to what degree OO will affect the performance, executable file size......Mobile games are one of the primary entertainment applications at present. Limited by scarce resources, such as memory, CPU, input and output, etc, mobile game development is more difficult than desktop application development, with performance as one of the top critical requirements. As object-oriented...... for the development of mobile device applications (but normal for usual desktop applications). We then apply some optimization strategies along the way of structural programming. The experiment shows that the total jar file size of these five optimized games decreases 71%, the lines of codes decreases 59...

Work for Play: Careers in Video Game Development

Science.gov (United States)

Liming, Drew; Vilorio, Dennis

2011-01-01

Video games are not only for play; they also provide work. Making video games is a serious--and big--business. Creating these games is complex and requires the collaboration of many developers, who perform a variety of tasks, from production to programming. They work for both small and large game studios to create games that can be played on many…

DUAL MONETARY SYSTEM AND MACROECONOMIC PERFORMANCE IN INDONESIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sri Herianingrum

2016-02-01

Full Text Available This research aims to evaluate the impact of dual monetary policy shock on macroeconomic indicators of Indonesia: growth and inflation. In addition, this study will also examine whether conventional monetary policy has a particular impact upon Islamic banking sector. This research apply VAR (vector auto regressive method on monthly data from Bank Of Indonesia during the period of January 2010 to December 2013. The result of IRF explain that the interest rate channel find the hard way to accomplished the macroeconomic goals while the Islamic monetary instrument indicates the potential growth of output and hold the inflation low. The result of VDC describes that the Islamic instrument still affected by conventional monetary policy because of slow development in Islamic monetary systemDOI: 10.15408/aiq.v8i1.1990

Mobile Game Development for Multiple Devices in Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baltasar Fernández-Manjón

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Mobile learning and educational gaming are two trends that are rapidly having an increasing impact in Technology-Enhanced Learning. However, both approaches present significant technological challenges. Mobile technologies are very diverse and the market pressure pushes the continuous development of new technologies and features. On the other hand, game-based learning needs to deal with enormous development costs and the problem of allowing instructors and experts to actively participate in the game development process. Moreover, there are numerous situations where bringing both approaches together could be very useful, but this combination magnifies the technological barriers previously described. In this work we present , an authoring environment for educational adventure games that supports the production of both desktop and mobile games. This framework provides a graphical environment that allows instructors to create their own educational games with a low cost. Then, the games can be exported to multiple formats, including support for diverse types of mobile platforms. This is achieved through a modular semi-automated exportation process, which is based on mobile device profiles.

Effects of Macroeconomic Policies on Rural Nonfarm Enterprises

OpenAIRE

Librero, Aida R.

1994-01-01

With the excessive labor supply and the persistence of urban-rural migration, the development of nonfarm enterprises is imperative from the government. This paper develops an analytical framework to determine the impact of macroeconomic policies on rural nonfarm enterprises (RNEs). It also analyzes the trends in RNEs growth, the changes in the government policies towards sector and the markets for its output. sexmovie

Methods Used in Game Development to Foster FLOW

Science.gov (United States)

Jeppsen, Isaac Ben

2010-01-01

Games designed for entertainment have a rich history of providing compelling experiences. From consoles to PCs, games have managed to present intuitive and effective interfaces for a wide range of game styles to successfully allow users to "walk-up-and-play". Once a user is hooked, successful games artfully present challenging experiences just within reach of a user's ability, weaving each task and achievement into a compelling and engaging experience. In this paper, engagement is discussed in terms of the psychological theory of Flow. I argue that engagement should be one of the primary goals when developing a serious game and I discuss the best practices and techniques that have emerged from traditional video game development which help foster the creation of engaging, high Flow experiences.

(Serious) Games Development: The State of the Art

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Qi, Wen

2014-01-01

In this report, we give an overview of research and development of serious video games. Firstly, we briefly look at the history of (digital) video game. We discuss different types of video game and introduce the concept of serious game. In the following, we review the important aspects of

PHENOMENA AND BASIC MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS FOR MEASUREMENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

PAULINA CATANA

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Macroeconomics is a separate discipline of the Economy that studies and analyzes the behaviour of economic aggregates and significant average, such as price level, national income, national income potential, the gap GDP, employment and unemployment of labour, investment and export of the whole economy. We can accuse to Macroeconomics that it deals also with the average price of all goods and services, not the prices of certain products. These aggregates result from economic behaviour of certain groups (governments, companies, consumers in the course of their activities on different markets. But why does it need Macroeconomics? Experts say that we need this separate discipline because there are certain forces that affect the broader economy globally, which can not be understood only by analyzing individual economic phenomena, individual products or markets.

An Application of a Game Development Framework in Higher Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alf Inge Wang

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This paper describes how a game development framework was used as a learning aid in a software engineering. Games can be used within higher education in various ways to promote student participation, enable variation in how lectures are taught, and improve student interest. In this paper, we describe a case study at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU where a game development framework was applied to make students learn software architecture by developing a computer game. We provide a model for how game development frameworks can be integrated with a software engineering or computer science course. We describe important requirements to consider when choosing a game development framework for a course and an evaluation of four frameworks based on these requirements. Further, we describe some extensions we made to the existing game development framework to let the students focus more on software architectural issues than the technical implementation issues. Finally, we describe a case study of how a game development framework was integrated in a software architecture course and the experiences from doing so.

Perancangan PC Game First Person Shooter Menggunakan Unreal Development Kit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rizka Lukmana Afif

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The development of hardware increasing rapidly has made game developers take advantage of a variety of new resources that can improve their games. Epic games is a mature game developer who managed to make thousands game and delivered to the hands of gamers . A game engine called Unreal Engine is a big secret behind the success of Epic Games . The game engine is free if you just want to learn or just want to create a personal project and the game is not to be in comercial purposes . It is unfortunate that many students don’t even know of the existence of unreal engine , most of them make use of simpler game engine like game maker , rpg maker , fps creator , and so on. Though unreal engine is superior in any aspect other than the game engine , be it graphics , tools , mechanisms of development , flexible in export-import assets , etc . Based on this information , the author had the idea to make a first person shooter game using the unreal engine as the engine game. Before doing the develpment process, the next step is studying the literature of unreal engine and other supporting software such as 3d studio max to create 3D assets , adobe flash to create the menus , adobe photoshop to create a 2D texture and speedtree assets to create the foliage elements . The next thing is to go into the design phase of scenarios , maps, missions , characters and items that will be placed in the game. The next stage is the development and testing phase to test the game that has finished .The results of the design of this game is the realization of a first person shooter game application using unreal engine with features that can support the player 's interest in playing the game . It’s also introducing unreal engine to students who are interested in designing games.

Development of Mobile Educational Game of Economics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Indah Rahayu Kurniasari

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Along the rapid development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT, learning media are required to undergo renewal. Innovation of learning media that combines modern technology is needed to improve the effectiveness of learning. The research is a Research and Development (R&D. The product result of this research is mobile educational game of economics. This research aims to determine the feasibility of mobile educational game of economics. Media feasibility was assessed based on the results of media-use response questionnaires that given to experts and students. Expert validation result showed that mobile educational game of economics achieved very good judgment. The assessment questionnaires result from the student also stated that the quality and effectiveness of mobile educational game of economics were very good. So, the research concluded that mobile educational game of economics worthy to be used as a media of economics learning.

Criticism of the Classical Theory of Macroeconomic Modeling

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Konstantin K. Kumehov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Current approaches and methods of modeling of macroeconomic systems do not allow to generate research ideas that could be used in applications. This is largely due to the fact that the dominant economic schools and research directions are building their theories on misconceptions about the economic system as object modeling, and have no common methodological approaches in the design of macroeconomic models. All of them are focused on building a model aimed at establishing equilibrium parameters of supply and demand, production and consumption. At the same time as the underlying factors are not considered resource potential and the needs of society in material and other benefits. In addition, there is no unity in the choice of elements and mechanisms of interaction between them. Not installed, what are the criteria to determine the elements of the model: whether it is the institutions, whether the industry is whether the population, or banks, or classes, etc. From the methodological point of view, the design of the model all the most well-known authors extrapolated to the new models of the past state or past events. As a result, every time the model is ready by the time the situation changes, the last parameters underlying the model are losing relevance, so at best, the researcher may have to interpret the events and parameters that are not feasible in the future. In this paper, based on analysis of the works of famous authors, belonging to different schools and areas revealed weaknesses of their proposed macroeconomic models that do not allow you to use them to solve applied problems of economic development. A fundamentally new approaches and methods by which it is possible the construction of macroeconomic models that take into account the theoretical and applied aspects of modeling, as well as formulated the basic methodological requirements.

Macroeconomic Dimensions in the Clusterization Processes: Lithuanian Biomass Cluster Case

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Navickas Valentinas

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The Future production systems’ increasing significance will impose work, which maintains not a competitive, but a collaboration basis, with concentrated resources and expertise, which can help to reach the general purpose. One form of collaboration among medium-size business organizations is work in clusters. Clusterization as a phenomenon has been known from quite a long time, but it offers simple benefits to researches at micro and medium levels. The clusterization process evaluation in macroeconomic dimensions has been comparatively little investigated. Thereby, in this article, the clusterization processes is analysed by concentrating our attention on macroeconomic factor researches. The authors analyse clusterization’s influence on country’s macroeconomic growth; they apply a structure research methodology for clusterization’s macroeconomic influence evaluation and propose that clusterization processes benefit macroeconomic analysis. The theoretical model of clusterization processes was validated by referring to a biomass cluster case. Because biomass cluster case is a new phenomenon, currently there are no other scientific approaches to them. The authors’ accomplished researches show that clusterization allows the achievement of a large positive slip in macroeconomics, which proves to lead to a high value added to creation, a faster country economic growth, and social situation amelioration.

Developing Professional “Game Teacher” Repertoires

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lieberoth, Andreas; Hanghøj, Thorkild

2017-01-01

for in their professional careers. We expand and explain these findings using embedded mixed methods analysis, and conclude that games are a good practical case for training various teaching competences, but that building flexible professional repertoires requires more varied experiences than a single course can muster.......The first Danish Game-Based Learning course offered by a teachers college enrolled 42 students with a variety of backgrounds and interests in games. We characterize the students who enrolled in the course in terms of gaming literacies and preferences, and gauge the impact of the course in terms...... of building actionable skill sets. Following Schön (1986) we use these data to frame students’ transition from gamers or game curious teachers to developing professional repertoires.Interviews and statistical comparison to other students indicate that while student’s existing preferences for the “heavier...

Model developer`s appendix to the model documentation report: NEMS macroeconomic activity module

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1994-07-15

The NEMS Macroeconomic Activity Module (MAM) tested here was used to generate the Annual Energy Outlook 1994 (AEO94). MAM is a response surface model, not a structural model, composed of three submodules: the National Submodule, the Interindustry Submodule, and the Regional Submodule. Contents of this report are as follows: properties of the mathematical solution; NEMS MAM empirical basis; and scenario analysis. Scenario analysis covers: expectations for scenario analysis; historical world oil price scenario; AEO94 high world oil price scenario; AEO94 low world oil price scenario; and immediate increase world oil price scenario.

Macroeconomic conditions and opioid abuse.

Science.gov (United States)

Hollingsworth, Alex; Ruhm, Christopher J; Simon, Kosali

2017-12-01

We examine how deaths and emergency department (ED) visits related to use of opioid analgesics (opioids) and other drugs vary with macroeconomic conditions. As the county unemployment rate increases by one percentage point, the opioid death rate per 100,000 rises by 0.19 (3.6%) and the opioid overdose ED visit rate per 100,000 increases by 0.95 (7.0%). Macroeconomic shocks also increase the overall drug death rate, but this increase is driven by rising opioid deaths. Our findings hold when performing a state-level analysis, rather than county-level; are primarily driven by adverse events among whites; and are stable across time periods. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Entropy, recycling and macroeconomics of water resources

Science.gov (United States)

Karakatsanis, Georgios; Mamassis, Nikos; Koutsoyiannis, Demetris

2014-05-01

We propose a macroeconomic model for water quantity and quality supply multipliers derived by water recycling (Karakatsanis et al. 2013). Macroeconomic models that incorporate natural resource conservation have become increasingly important (European Commission et al. 2012). In addition, as an estimated 80% of globally used freshwater is not reused (United Nations 2012), under increasing population trends, water recycling becomes a solution of high priority. Recycling of water resources creates two major conservation effects: (1) conservation of water in reservoirs and aquifers and (2) conservation of ecosystem carrying capacity due to wastewater flux reduction. Statistical distribution properties of the recycling efficiencies -on both water quantity and quality- for each sector are of vital economic importance. Uncertainty and complexity of water reuse in sectors are statistically quantified by entropy. High entropy of recycling efficiency values signifies greater efficiency dispersion; which -in turn- may indicate the need for additional infrastructure for the statistical distribution's both shifting and concentration towards higher efficiencies that lead to higher supply multipliers. Keywords: Entropy, water recycling, water supply multipliers, conservation, recycling efficiencies, macroeconomics References 1. European Commission (EC), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), United Nations (UN) and World Bank (2012), System of Environmental and Economic Accounting (SEEA) Central Framework (White cover publication), United Nations Statistics Division 2. Karakatsanis, G., N. Mamassis, D. Koutsoyiannis and A. Efstratiades (2013), Entropy and reliability of water use via a statistical approach of scarcity, 5th EGU Leonardo Conference - Hydrofractals 2013 - STAHY '13, Kos Island, Greece, European Geosciences Union, International Association of Hydrological Sciences

The macroeconomics of banking

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Kwaak, C.G.F.

2017-01-01

This thesis studies the macroeconomic effectiveness of monetary and fiscal policy in an environment where commercial banks are undercapitalized after a financial crisis and have large holdings of (risky) government bonds on their balance sheets. An undercapitalized banking system cannot perfectly

Video games and mobile learning: A Spanish developers approach

OpenAIRE

Fernández Gómez, Carlos; Martí Parreño, José

2016-01-01

This research presents a work in progress aiming to map Spanish video games developers’ production in the area of mobile educational video games. A sample of 30 Spanish video games developers was analyzed in order to explore the weight that educational video games for mobile devices represents in their product portfolio. Primary findings suggest that Spanish video games developers’ production of educational video games for mobile devices is very scarce. While 23,3% of the analyzed video games...

MACROECONOMIC CLIMATE AND THE SMALL AND MEDIUM SIZE COMPANIES IN ROMANIA

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Andrei Rădulescu

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Small and medium size companies (SMEs represent the engine of the economy in the member states of the European Union. In Romania, SMEs entered the post-crisis cycle in 2013 after a severe adjustment process under the impact of the Great Recession. The economic performance of SMEs is strongly influenced by the macroeconomic climate. The important role of SMEs in the economy has determined the Romanian government to implement several measures in order to support their activity. The present paper highlights the mid-term macroeconomic outlook for Romania, as well as the recent developments related to SMEs, along with the main measures implemented by the Government over the past years in order to support the development of these companies.

Game Development as a Pathway to Information Technology Literacy

Science.gov (United States)

Frydenberg, Mark

2016-01-01

Teaching game development has become an accepted methodology for introducing programming concepts and capturing the interest of beginning computer science and information technology (IT) students. This study, conducted over three consecutive semesters, explores game development using a gaming engine, rather than a traditional programming language,…

Exit, voice, and loyalty in the Italian public health service: macroeconomic and corporate implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Ippolito, Adelaide; Impagliazzo, Cira; Zoccoli, Paola

2013-01-01

The paper analyses how customers of public health organizations can express their dissatisfaction for the services offered to them. The main aim is to evaluate the effects that possible dissatisfaction of Italian public health service customers can have on public health organizations. We adopted the methodological scheme developed by Hirschman with exit, voice, and loyalty, considering the macroeconomic and corporate implications that it causes for Italian public health organizations. The study investigated the effects developed by exit of the patients on the system of financing of local health authorities considering both the corporate level of analysis and the macroeconomic level. As a result, local health authority management is encouraged to pay greater attention to the exit phenomena through the adoption of tools that promote loyalty, such as the promotion of voice, even if exit is not promoting, at a macroeconomic level, considerable attention to this phenomenon.

Exit, Voice, and Loyalty in the Italian Public Health Service: Macroeconomic and Corporate Implications

Science.gov (United States)

Impagliazzo, Cira; Zoccoli, Paola

2013-01-01

The paper analyses how customers of public health organizations can express their dissatisfaction for the services offered to them. The main aim is to evaluate the effects that possible dissatisfaction of Italian public health service customers can have on public health organizations. We adopted the methodological scheme developed by Hirschman with exit, voice, and loyalty, considering the macroeconomic and corporate implications that it causes for Italian public health organizations. The study investigated the effects developed by exit of the patients on the system of financing of local health authorities considering both the corporate level of analysis and the macroeconomic level. As a result, local health authority management is encouraged to pay greater attention to the exit phenomena through the adoption of tools that promote loyalty, such as the promotion of voice, even if exit is not promoting, at a macroeconomic level, considerable attention to this phenomenon. PMID:24348148

Emergent Macroeconomics An Agent-Based Approach to Business Fluctuations

CERN Document Server

Delli Gatti, Domenico; Gallegati, Mauro; Giulioni, Gianfranco; Palestrini, Antonio

2008-01-01

This book contributes substantively to the current state-of-the-art of macroeconomics by providing a method for building models in which business cycles and economic growth emerge from the interactions of a large number of heterogeneous agents. Drawing from recent advances in agent-based computational modeling, the authors show how insights from dispersed fields like the microeconomics of capital market imperfections, industrial dynamics and the theory of stochastic processes can be fruitfully combined to improve our understanding of macroeconomic dynamics. This book should be a valuable resource for all researchers interested in analyzing macroeconomic issues without recurring to a fictitious representative agent.

Using Game Development to Engage Students in Science and Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Wiacek, John

2011-01-01

Game design workshops, camps and activities engage K-12 students In STEM disciplines that use game engine and development tools. Game development will have students create games and simulations that Will inspire them to love technology while learning math, physics, and,logic. By using tools such as Gamemaker, Alice, Unity, Gamesalad and others, students will get a sense of confidence and accomplishment creating games and simulations.

Automating Commercial Video Game Development using Computational Intelligence

OpenAIRE

Tse G. Tan; Jason Teo; Patricia Anthony

2011-01-01

Problem statement: The retail sales of computer and video games have grown enormously during the last few years, not just in United States (US), but also all over the world. This is the reason a lot of game developers and academic researchers have focused on game related technologies, such as graphics, audio, physics and Artificial Intelligence (AI) with the goal of creating newer and more fun games. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in game AI for pro...

Independent game development – Developers’ reflections in postmortems

OpenAIRE

Suorsa, Noora

2017-01-01

Independent computer games have gained a lot of popularity in the past few years. Digital distribution methods and networks have made it possible for indie games to find more players, and get an easier access to markets, and get noticed by the consumers, than it was during the traditional brick and mortar shop based retail and console game dominant era. The increased popularity and number of indie games and developers has made indie games an interesting research area. Research of independent ...

The macro-economic rebound effect and the UK economy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barker, Terry; Ekins, Paul; Foxon, Tim

2007-01-01

This paper examines the macroeconomic rebound effect for the UK economy arising from energy efficiency policies 2000-2010 using the macroeconomic model, MDM-E3. The literature distinguishes between three types of rebound effect: direct, indirect and economy-wide. The macroeconomic rebound effect considered here is the combination of the indirect and economy-wide effects. Policies for the domestic, business, commercial and public, and transport sectors of the economy are analysed for 2000-2010. Overall, the policies lead to a saving of about 8% of the energy, which would otherwise have been used and a reduction in CO 2 emissions of 10% (or 14 mtC) by 2010. There are also favourable macroeconomic effects: lower inflation and higher growth. We find that the macroeconomic rebound effect arising from UK energy efficiency policies for the period 2000-2010 is around 11% by 2010, averaged across sectors of the economy. When this is added to the (assumed) direct rebound effect of around 15%, this gives a total rebound effect of around 26% arising from these policies. Thus, the findings of the study support the argument that energy efficiency improvements for both consumers and producers, stimulated by policy incentives, will lead to significant reductions in energy demand and hence in greenhouse gas emissions

The Game as the Way of Personal Identity Development

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L. A. Belyayeva

2012-01-01

Full Text Available  The paper suggests the game interpretation as the universal and phenomenal way of developing personal identity by a relaxed participation in game activity. Unlike the extended definitions of game as a culturalogical and pedagogical phenomenon, the authors suggest the game analysis in philosophical perspective revealing its existential status. Being the active form of personal existence, the game facilitates self-awareness by means of self-understanding and self-determination in the course of game activity developing the attitude of «I am another one», and giving a chance to experiment with personal identity, taking and playing various social and cultural roles. The existential significance of games activating self-understanding and meaning of self-existence is growing nowadays, given pluralism and reassessment of values. 

Developing an ASD Macroeconomic Model of the Stock Approach - With Emphasis on Bank Lending and Interest Rates -

OpenAIRE

Yamaguchi, Yokei

2017-01-01

The financial crisis in 2008 evidenced an over-simplification of the role of banks made in the majority of macroeconomic models. Based on Accounting System Dynamics (ASD) modeling approach, the current research presents a model that incorporates banks as creators of deposits when making loans as opposed to the conventional view of banks as intermediaries of existing money. The generic model thus developed consists of five sectors; production, household, banking, government and central bank to...

Effectiveness of Macroeconomic Policies in the Context of Closed and Open Economies

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N. Kubendran

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Monetary policy and fiscal policy are the two important macroeconomic policies which are used to achieve certain major macroeconomic goals like economic growth, unemployment reduction, counteract inflation and overall economic development of the nation. The effect of macroeconomic variables may differ in terms of degree, duration, different economic systems and under different exchange rate regimes. This study analyses the effectiveness of monetary policy and fiscal policy on the economy in terms of economic integration and different exchange rate regimes. Regression analysis in this study found that the fiscal policy is more effective in a closed economy and monetary policy is more effective in an open economy. Also the study finds that the fiscal policy is more effective under managed float exchange rate regime and monetary policy is more effective under perfectly flexible exchange rate. So this study also validated Mundell- Fleming model.

Developing user-centered concepts for language learning video games

OpenAIRE

Poels, Yorick; Annema, Jan Henk; Zaman, Bieke; Cornillie, Frederik

2012-01-01

This paper will report on an ongoing project which aims to develop video games for language learning through a user-centered and evidence-based approach. Therefore, codesign sessions were held with adolescents between 14 and 16 years old, in order to gain insight into their preferences for educational games for language learning. During these sessions, 11 concepts for video games were developed. We noticed a divide between the concepts for games that were oriented towa...

Game on! Lessons learned from joint development and production of health games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leupen, Harro; Willems, Rob; Onyango, George; Odongo, Peter

2015-01-01

In September 2010, Hanze University of Applied Sciences in Groningen (the Netherlands) started a 20-week international program titled GameOn! The object of this program is for students to develop serious games, that aim to help the youth become aware of social and/or health related issues. Since the

Game development and simulation with unreal technology

CERN Document Server

Tavakkoli, Alireza

2015-01-01

Game Development and Simulation with Unreal Technology explores the use of Unreal Engine 4 (UE4) for the development of real-time digital interactive contents to be used in computerized games or simulations. The engine is considered in three main iterations: from the basic use of the engine to build games and simulation content out of the box, to intermediate design of interactive content by building on the pre-supplied contents from the base engine, and through advanced implementations geared toward a comprehensive understanding of the power of the Unreal Engine. This is one of the first book

Psychological preconditions of game activity development in the early childhood

OpenAIRE

Valeriya Spitsyna; Ekaterina Saraykina

2013-01-01

The article is devoted for detection the psychological preconditions of game activity development at early age and interrelation of game formation with the development of subject actions, informative activity and procedural game.

A kinetic approach to some quasi-linear laws of macroeconomics

Science.gov (United States)

Gligor, M.; Ignat, M.

2002-11-01

Some previous works have presented the data on wealth and income distributions in developed countries and have found that the great majority of population is described by an exponential distribution, which results in idea that the kinetic approach could be adequate to describe this empirical evidence. The aim of our paper is to extend this framework by developing a systematic kinetic approach of the socio-economic systems and to explain how linear laws, modelling correlations between macroeconomic variables, may arise in this context. Firstly we construct the Boltzmann kinetic equation for an idealised system composed by many individuals (workers, officers, business men, etc.), each of them getting a certain income and spending money for their needs. To each individual a certain time variable amount of money is associated this meaning him/her phase space coordinate. In this way the exponential distribution of money in a closed economy is explicitly found. The extension of this result, including states near the equilibrium, give us the possibility to take into account the regular increase of the total amount of money, according to the modern economic theories. The Kubo-Green-Onsager linear response theory leads us to a set of linear equations between some macroeconomic variables. Finally, the validity of such laws is discussed in relation with the time reversal symmetry and is tested empirically using some macroeconomic time series.

The Macroeconomic Framework of Support Analysis for Sustainable Businesses Development

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Constantin Mitrut

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The state of satisfaction of an economy results from the quality of the economic products it produces and consumes, in agreement with assuring environment protection, as a source of producing present and future economic goods, and with intensive utilising of human capital, as a source of innovation growth. Knowledge transfer happens in a sustainable economy, whose principles are rational use of resources, limiting of waste, protection, for enabling future generations to have also access to resources. The present research is based on a multifactorial liniar regression model which outlines the direct correlation between the dependent variable welfare and the independent variable of concentration measured by the Gini coefficient of wealth concentration, on the one hand, and by the GDP level, on the other hand, at the level of year 2012. The aim of this research is to identify the correlation between the indicator of quality of life satisfaction or of the welfare function at the level of EU 2012, and the assurance of a macroeconomic framework for sustainable business development.

Essays in political economy and resource economic : A macroeconomic approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rodriguez Acosta, Mauricio

2016-01-01

This dissertation consists of four chapters in Political Economy and Resource Economics from a macroeconomic perspective. This collection of works emphasizes the endogenous nature of institutions and their importance for economic development. The four chapters revolve around two central questions:

125 Brain Games for Babies: Simple Games To Promote Early Brain Development.

Science.gov (United States)

Silberg, Jackie

Scientists believe that the stimulation that infants and young children receive determines which synapses form in the brain. This book presents 125 games for infants from birth to 12 months and is designed to nurture brain development. The book is organized chronologically in 3-month increments. Each game description includes information from…

Importance of the macroeconomic variables for variance prediction: A GARCH-MIDAS approach

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Asgharian, Hossein; Hou, Ai Jun; Javed, Farrukh

2013-01-01

This paper aims to examine the role of macroeconomic variables in forecasting the return volatility of the US stock market. We apply the GARCH-MIDAS (Mixed Data Sampling) model to examine whether information contained in macroeconomic variables can help to predict short-term and long-term compone......This paper aims to examine the role of macroeconomic variables in forecasting the return volatility of the US stock market. We apply the GARCH-MIDAS (Mixed Data Sampling) model to examine whether information contained in macroeconomic variables can help to predict short-term and long...

Developments in Business Gaming: A Review of the Past 40 Years

Science.gov (United States)

Faria, A. J.; Hutchinson, David; Wellington, William J.; Gold, Steven

2009-01-01

This article examines developments in business simulation gaming during the past 40 years. Covered in this article are a brief history of business games, the changing technology employed in the development and use of business games, changes in why business games are adopted and used, changes in how business games are administered, and the current…

Exchange rate formation in Ukraine and its impact on macroeconomic indicators

OpenAIRE

Koroliuk Tatiana Aleksandrovna

2014-01-01

The factors of exchange rate formation in Ukraine are analyzes in this paper, the influence of exchange rate on macroeconomic indicators of development and the main priorities of the exchange rate policy are determined exchange.

Environmental macroeconomics : Environmental policy, business cycles, and directed technical change

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fischer, Carolyn; Heutel, Garth

Environmental economics has traditionally fallen in the domain of microeconomics, but approaches from macroeconomics have recently been applied to studying environmental policy. We focus on two macroeconomic tools and their application to environmental economics. First, real-business-cycle models

A Development Architecture for Serious Games Using BCI (Brain Computer Interface Sensors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kyhyun Um

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Games that use brainwaves via brain–computer interface (BCI devices, to improve brain functions are known as BCI serious games. Due to the difficulty of developing BCI serious games, various BCI engines and authoring tools are required, and these reduce the development time and cost. However, it is desirable to reduce the amount of technical knowledge of brain functions and BCI devices needed by game developers. Moreover, a systematic BCI serious game development process is required. In this paper, we present a methodology for the development of BCI serious games. We describe an architecture, authoring tools, and development process of the proposed methodology, and apply it to a game development approach for patients with mild cognitive impairment as an example. This application demonstrates that BCI serious games can be developed on the basis of expert-verified theories.

A development architecture for serious games using BCI (brain computer interface) sensors.

Science.gov (United States)

Sung, Yunsick; Cho, Kyungeun; Um, Kyhyun

2012-11-12

Games that use brainwaves via brain-computer interface (BCI) devices, to improve brain functions are known as BCI serious games. Due to the difficulty of developing BCI serious games, various BCI engines and authoring tools are required, and these reduce the development time and cost. However, it is desirable to reduce the amount of technical knowledge of brain functions and BCI devices needed by game developers. Moreover, a systematic BCI serious game development process is required. In this paper, we present a methodology for the development of BCI serious games. We describe an architecture, authoring tools, and development process of the proposed methodology, and apply it to a game development approach for patients with mild cognitive impairment as an example. This application demonstrates that BCI serious games can be developed on the basis of expert-verified theories.

A Development Architecture for Serious Games Using BCI (Brain Computer Interface) Sensors

Science.gov (United States)

Sung, Yunsick; Cho, Kyungeun; Um, Kyhyun

2012-01-01

Games that use brainwaves via brain–computer interface (BCI) devices, to improve brain functions are known as BCI serious games. Due to the difficulty of developing BCI serious games, various BCI engines and authoring tools are required, and these reduce the development time and cost. However, it is desirable to reduce the amount of technical knowledge of brain functions and BCI devices needed by game developers. Moreover, a systematic BCI serious game development process is required. In this paper, we present a methodology for the development of BCI serious games. We describe an architecture, authoring tools, and development process of the proposed methodology, and apply it to a game development approach for patients with mild cognitive impairment as an example. This application demonstrates that BCI serious games can be developed on the basis of expert-verified theories. PMID:23202227

Reconstructing Macroeconomics Based on Statistical Physics

Science.gov (United States)

Aoki, Masanao; Yoshikawa, Hiroshi

We believe that time has come to integrate the new approach based on statistical physics or econophysics into macroeconomics. Toward this goal, there must be more dialogues between physicists and economists. In this paper, we argue that there is no reason why the methods of statistical physics so successful in many fields of natural sciences cannot be usefully applied to macroeconomics that is meant to analyze the macroeconomy comprising a large number of economic agents. It is, in fact, weird to regard the macroeconomy as a homothetic enlargement of the representative micro agent. We trust the bright future of the new approach to macroeconomies based on statistical physics.

A New Methodology of Design and Development of Serious Games

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André F. S. Barbosa

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The development of a serious game requires perfect knowledge of the learning domain to obtain the desired results. But it is also true that this may not be enough to develop a successful serious game. First of all, the player has to feel that he is playing a game where the learning is only a consequence of the playing actions. Otherwise, the game is viewed as boring and not as a fun activity and engaging. For example, the player can catch some items in the scenario and then separate them according to its type (i.e., recycle them. Thus, the main action for player is catching the items in the scenario where the recycle action is a second action, which is viewed as a consequence of the first action. Sometimes, the game design relies on a detailed approach based on the ideas of the developers because some educational content are difficult to integrate in the games, while maintaining the fun factor in the first place. In this paper we propose a new methodology of design and development of serious games that facilitates the integration of educational contents in the games. Furthermore, we present a serious game, called “Clean World”, created using this new methodology.

The Effect of Macroeconomic Variables on Market Risk Premium : Study of Sweden, Germany and Canada

OpenAIRE

Tahmidi, Arad; Sheludchenko, Dmytro; Allahyari Westlund, Samira

2011-01-01

ABSTRACT Title The Effect of Macroeconomic Variables on Market Premium. Study of Sweden, Germany and Canada Authors Samira Allahyari Westlund Arad Tahmidi Dmytro Sheludchenko Supervisor Christos Papahristodoulou Key words Macroeconomic, market risk premium, GDP, inflation, money supply, primary net lending and net borrowing, regression analysis. Institution Mälardalen University School of Sustainable Development of Society and Technology Box 883, SE-721 23 Västerås Sweden Course Bachelor The...

Macroeconomic and industry-specific determinants of Greek bank profitability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zampara, K.

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the external factors that influence the profitability of a typical Greek systemic bank over the period 2001 – 2014. Design/Methodology/Approach: A conceptual framework incorporating two fundamental groups of const ructs, namely, macroeconomic forces and industry related factors, was developed. Two constructs were examined in the former: GDP growth rate and unemployment rate, whilst two attributes were explored in the latter; the bank's market share, both in terms of deposits and in terms of assets, and the banking market growth, also both in terms of the market's total assets and total deposits. In order to isolate the effects of the ongoing financial crisis, the research was undertaken for two periods, firstly 2001 to 2014 and secondly, the period 2001 - 2011, which excluded the deep recession. Consequently, multiple regression analysis was conducted and linear models were specified by means of OLS. Findings: The empirical analysis revealed that both macroeconomic forces and industry-related factors affect bank profitability. As far as the macroeconomic factors are concerned, unemployment rate has a negative impact, whereas the GDP growth rate has a positive impact on bank profitability. The industry -related factors, rate of growth of the industry's deposits and bank's assets market share have a positive impact on the financial performance of the bank. Finally, the rate of growth of the industry's assets and the bank's deposits market share have a negative effect on bank profitability. Originality/Value: This study reveals the mechanism determining bank profitability over a recent period that includes the financial crisis. Moreover, understanding the impact of macroeconomic forces as well as industry related attributes on bank profitability may enable banks to focus on the most critical factors in their decision process.

Tools and approaches for simplifying serious games development in educational settings

OpenAIRE

Calvo, Antonio; Rotaru, Dan C.; Freire, Manuel; Fernandez-Manjon, Baltasar

2016-01-01

Serious Games can benefit from the commercial video games industry by taking advantage of current development tools. However, the economics and requirements of serious games and commercial games are very different. In this paper, we describe the factors that impact the total cost of ownership of serious games used in educational settings, review the specific requirements of games used as learning material, and analyze the different development tools available in the industry highlighting thei...

Macroeconomic and social change and popular demand for redistribution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jæger, Mads Meier

This paper tests the self-interest hypothesis arguing that changes in macroeconomic and social conditions affect popular demand for redistribution. I analyze data from four waves of the European Social Survey and use a synthetic cohort design to generate pseudo panel data for socio......-demographic groups that are matched over time. I estimate fixed effect models and find that (1) changes in macroeconomic and social conditions affect the demand for redistribution; (2) results are mostly consistent with the self-interest hypothesis claiming that agents demand more redistribution in economically hard...... times (and vice versa in good times); and (3) the effect of macroeconomic and social conditions on the demand for redistribution are highly non-linear....

Macroeconomic sources of foreign exchange risk in new EU members

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kocenda, Evzen; Poghosyan, Tigran

2009-01-01

We address the issue of foreign exchange risk and its macroeconomic determinants in several new EU members. We derive the observable macroeconomic factors-consumption and inflation-using the Stochastic discount factor (SDF) approach. The joint distribution of excess returns in the foreign exchange

Macroeconomic narratives in a world of crises

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Urhammer, Emil; Røpke, Inge

2013-01-01

Since the financial crisis in 2008, a series of publications on macroeconomic responses to the compound crises of the economy and the environment have emerged. Under labels such as green new deal, green growth and the great transition, attempts at offering coherent responses to the crises have been...... discourse theory and narrative analysis and investigates discourses by studying the narratives they produce. The study thus contributes to the long line of analyses on discourses on sustainable economy: empirically, by investigating and analysing a number of macroeconomic proposals for solving the system...

Macroeconomic Forces and Stock Returns in Vietnam

OpenAIRE

Phan, Van Hang

2008-01-01

Capital market development, especially the appearance of Vietnamese equity market recently has a strategic importance in the economic growth and structural reform process of Vietnam (Chun et al, 2003). This dissertation focuses on the impacts of macroeconomic forces on stock market returns in Vietnamese stock market which has not been investigated in detail before, and thereby to contribute further literature on this new emerging stock market. Specifically, the research will intensively inves...

Serious games: design and development

OpenAIRE

Barbosa, André Filipe Santos

2011-01-01

With the growth of the video game industry, interest in video game research has increased, leading to the study of Serious Games. Serious Games are generally perceived as games that use the video games’ capabilities to emerge players, for other purposes besides entertainment. These purposes include education and training, among others. By using Serious Games for education, teachers could capture the students’ attention in the same way that video games often do, thus the learning proc...

Financial Regulation in an Agent Based Macroeconomic Model

OpenAIRE

Riccetti, Luca; Russo, Alberto; Mauro, Gallegati

2013-01-01

Starting from the agent-based decentralized matching macroeconomic model proposed in Riccetti et al. (2012), we explore the effects of banking regulation on macroeconomic dynamics. In particular, we study the overall credit exposure and the lending concentration towards a single counterparty, finding that the portfolio composition seems to be more relevant than the overall exposure for banking stability, even if both features are very important. We show that a too tight regulation is dangerou...

Macroeconomic instability: its causes and consequences for the economy of Ukraine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalia SKOROBOGATOVA

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the concepts of appearance and elimination of macroeconomic instability, and the Keynesian approach for overcoming issues in Ukraine’s macroeconomic instability. Based on the Ukraine Statistics Service and World Bank data, Ukraine's economy tendencies have been defined: the country has not reached the pre-crisis economic level. The article identifies the reasons of negative balance payments and budget deficit: a decrease in production value, negative trade balance, growth of foreign creditor’s debt, currency instability, an increase in budget spending. The dynamics of income and expenditure within Ukraine budget has been analyzed, and also the destructiveness of existing approaches for the main financial documents has been grounded. Considering Ukraine’s economic and political situation, the main causes of macroeconomic instability are systematized. Government-implemented approaches for overcoming the macroeconomic instability have been suggested. The article introduces an approach for minimizing the negative effects on businesses, based on the timely identification of macroeconomic risks in terms of internal and external management. The possible negative impacts in case the timely decisions are not implemented have been assessed.

iOS game development : Mobile game development with Swift programming language and SceneKit framework

OpenAIRE

Koskenseppä, Juuso

2016-01-01

The purpose of the thesis was to create an iOS game that could be deemed complete enough, so it could be published in Apple’s App Store. This meant fulfilling different guide-lines specified by Apple. The project was carried out by using Apple’s new Swift programming language and SceneKit framework, with an intention to see how they work for iOS game development. The immaturity of Swift programming language led to several code rewrites, every time a newer Swift version was released. T...

Science games and the development of scientific possible selves

Science.gov (United States)

Beier, Margaret E.; Miller, Leslie M.; Wang, Shu

2012-12-01

Serious scientific games, especially those that include a virtual apprenticeship component, provide players with realistic experiences in science. This article discusses how science games can influence learning about science and the development of science-oriented possible selves through repeated practice in professional play and through social influences (e.g., peer groups). We first review the theory of possible selves (Markus and Nurius 1986) and discuss the potential of serious scientific games for influencing the development of scientific possible selves. As part of our review, we present a forensic game that inspired our work. Next we present a measure of scientific possible selves and assess its reliability and validity with a sample of middle-school students ( N = 374). We conclude by discussing the promise of science games and the development of scientific possible selves on both the individual and group levels as a means of inspiring STEM careers among adolescents.

From macroeconomics of energy-climate policies to the convergence between climate and development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mathy, Sandrine

2016-01-01

After a brief presentation of her research curriculum, an indication of her various publications and contributions to conferences, the author presents her expertise works and her participation to national and international projects such as: Fairness in the post-2030 climatic regime, Towards an energetic autonomy in island and isolated territories, scenarios under a carbon constraint, comparative analysis of tools of implementation of multilateral agreements on the environment, mechanism for a clean development and domestic measures, Deep De-carbonation Pathway Project or DDPP, EncilowCarb engaging civil society in low carbon scenarios, climate and development or how to re-conciliate environmental constraints and national development policies, Developmental additionnality of the Clean Development Mechanism and public aid to development. In the next part, she proposes an overview of her research works by distinguishing two directions: a macro-economic analysis of climate policies integrating second raw elements (Imaclim-R France), and strategies of struggle against climate change integrated into development policies. In a third part, she discusses research perspectives regarding energy transition and natural resources, mankind in the energy transition, and the citizen (scenarios, democracy and energy transition) [fr

The Impact of Macroeconomic News on the Euro-Dollar Exchange Rate

OpenAIRE

Caruso, Alberto

2016-01-01

This paper studies the effect of macroeconomic "news" (market now-cast errors related to the flow of data releases on macroeconomic fundamentals) on the daily USD/EUR exchange rate. I consider a large number of real-time macroeconomic announcements from both the US and the euro-zone, and the related market expectations as reported by Bloomberg. For the euro-zone I also study country level announcements for the four biggest economies (Germany, France, Italy, Spain). The results for the whole s...

Macroeconomic models and energy transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Douillard, Pierre; Le Hir, Boris; Epaulard, Anne

2016-02-01

As a new policy for energy transition has just been adopted, several questions emerge about the best way to reduce CO 2 emissions, about policies which enable this reduction, and about their costs and opportunities. This note discusses the contribution macro-economic models may have in this respect, notably in the definition of policies which trigger behaviour changes, and those which support energy transition. The authors first discuss the stakes of the assessment of energy transition, and then describe macro-economic models which can be used for such an assessment, give and comment some results of simulations performed for France by using four of these models (Mesange, Numesis, ThreeME, and Imaclim-R France). The authors finally draw lessons about the way to use these models and to interpret their results within the frame of energy transition

Assessing Determinants of Macroeconomic Policy on Real Convergence and Growth: A Comparative Study of the Eurozone and ASEAN

OpenAIRE

ZaenalMutaqin; Masaru Ichihashi

2012-01-01

This study mainly examines the role of macroeconomic policy variables associated with Maastricht Convergence Criteria (MC), using various approaches to analyze comparatively differences in growth and convergence in income, productivity, and unemployment between a developed, economically integrated area (Eurozone) and a developing one (ASEAN), a decade before and after the euro was introduced. The most interesting issue is whether macroeconomic policy coordination in the Eurozone has had an in...

Inflows and their Macroeconomic Impact in India a VAR Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Narayan Sethi

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The present study attempts to examine the effects of private foreign capital inflows (FINV on macroeconomic variables in India. The study also examines the trends and composition of capital inflows into India. Using the Vector Autoregression (VAR method, this paper specifically examines effects of private foreign capital inflows (FINV on macroeconomic variables in India. This study is based on the monthly data from 1995:04 to 2011:07 and incorporating the macroeconomic variables such as exchange rate (EXR, inflation, money supply (M3, export (EXPO, import (IMP, foreign exchange reserve (FOREX and economic growth (IIP as proxy of GDP. The important observations emerge from the VAR analysis which shows there is dynamic short and long equilibrium relationship between few macroeconomic variables like exchange rate (EXR, foreign exchange reserve (FOREX, index of industrial production (IIP and money supply (M3 with private foreign capital inflows (FINV during the study period from 1995:04 to 2011:07

Educational Game Development Approach to a particular case: the donor's evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Borro Escribano, B; del Blanco, A; Torrente, J; Borro Mate, J M; Fernandez Manjon, B

2015-01-01

Serious games are a current trend nowadays. Almost every sector has used serious games in recent years for different educational purposes. The eLearning research team of the Complutense University of Madrid main focus of research is the development of low-cost serious games. During the past 10 years, we have been working with and developing serious games, paying special attention to those related to healthcare. From all these studies, a methodology was defined-the Educational Game Development Approach (EGDA)-to design, develop, and evaluate game-like simulations or serious games in healthcare. We present the application of the EGDA to a particular case, the development of a serious game representing the donor's evaluation in an intensive care unit from the point of view of a hospital coordinator following the EGDA methodology. In this simulation, we changed the strategy of selection of teaching cases by exponentially increasing the number of teaching cases. This kind of educational content provides several benefits to students as they learn while playing; they receive immediate feedback of mistakes and correct moves and an objective assessment. These simulations allow the students to practice in a risk-free environment. Moreover, the addition of game elements increases engagement and promotes the retention of important information. A game-like simulation has been developed through the use of this methodology. This simulation represents a complex medical procedure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Digital-Gaming Trajectories and Second Language Development

Science.gov (United States)

Scholz, Kyle W.; Schulze, Mathias

2017-01-01

Recent research in digital game-based language learning has been encouraging, yet it would benefit from research methods that focus on the gaming processes and second-language development (Larsen-Freeman, 2015) rather than learner/player reflection or individuals' beliefs about the validity of gameplay. This has proven challenging as research…

Entropy, pricing and macroeconomics of pumped-storage systems

Science.gov (United States)

Karakatsanis, Georgios; Mamassis, Nikos; Koutsoyiannis, Demetris; Efstratiadis, Andreas

2014-05-01

We propose a pricing scheme for the enhancement of macroeconomic performance of pumped-storage systems, based on the statistical properties of both geophysical and economic variables. The main argument consists in the need of a context of economic values concerning the hub energy resource; defined as the resource that comprises the reference energy currency for all involved renewable energy sources (RES) and discounts all related uncertainty. In the case of pumped-storage systems the hub resource is the reservoir's water, as a benchmark for all connected intermittent RES. The uncertainty of all involved natural and economic processes is statistically quantifiable by entropy. It is the relation between the entropies of all involved RES that shapes the macroeconomic state of the integrated pumped-storage system. Consequently, there must be consideration on the entropy of wind, solar and precipitation patterns, as well as on the entropy of economic processes -such as demand preferences on either current energy use or storage for future availability. For pumped-storage macroeconomics, a price on the reservoir's capacity scarcity should also be imposed in order to shape a pricing field with upper and lower limits for the long-term stability of the pricing range and positive net energy benefits, which is the primary issue of the generalized deployment of pumped-storage technology. Keywords: Entropy, uncertainty, pricing, hub energy resource, RES, energy storage, capacity scarcity, macroeconomics

The development of indonesian online game addiction questionnaire.

Science.gov (United States)

Jap, Tjibeng; Tiatri, Sri; Jaya, Edo Sebastian; Suteja, Mekar Sari

2013-01-01

Online game is an increasingly popular source of entertainment for all ages, with relatively prevalent negative consequences. Addiction is a problem that has received much attention. This research aims to develop a measure of online game addiction for Indonesian children and adolescents. The Indonesian Online Game Addiction Questionnaire draws from earlier theories and research on the internet and game addiction. Its construction is further enriched by including findings from qualitative interviews and field observation to ensure appropriate expression of the items. The measure consists of 7 items with a 5-point Likert Scale. It is validated by testing 1,477 Indonesian junior and senior high school students from several schools in Manado, Medan, Pontianak, and Yogyakarta. The validation evidence is shown by item-total correlation and criterion validity. The Indonesian Online Game Addiction Questionnaire has good item-total correlation (ranging from 0.29 to 0.55) and acceptable reliability (α = 0.73). It is also moderately correlated with the participant's longest time record to play online games (r = 0.39; ponline games (ρ = 0.43; ponline games (ρ = 0.41; ponline games (ρ = 0.30; ponline game addiction, and the score of 22 and above may indicate online game addiction. Overall, the result shows that Indonesian Online Game Addiction Questionnaire has sufficient psychometric property for research use, as well as limited clinical application.

Macroeconomic Stabilization When the Natural Real Interest Rate Is Falling

Science.gov (United States)

Buttet, Sebastien; Roy, Udayan

2015-01-01

The authors modify the Dynamic Aggregate Demand-Dynamic Aggregate Supply model in Mankiw's widely used intermediate macroeconomics textbook to discuss monetary policy when the natural real interest rate is falling over time. Their results highlight a new role for the central bank's inflation target as a tool of macroeconomic stabilization. They…

Game on! : Evaluation malaria games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rob Willems

2014-01-01

The goal of GameOn! is to develop a serious video game. The object: to develop a serious game that aims to change behavior through awareness. The setup A multidisciplinary group which unites expertise from didactic and game production backgrounds produces an educational game for an international

Games and Simulations in Online Learning: Research and Development Frameworks

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, David; Aldrich, Clark; Prensky, Marc

2007-01-01

Games and Simulations in Online Learning: Research and Development Frameworks examines the potential of games and simulations in online learning, and how the future could look as developers learn to use the emerging capabilities of the Semantic Web. It presents a general understanding of how the Semantic Web will impact education and how games and…

The Development and Validation of the Game User Experience Satisfaction Scale (GUESS).

Science.gov (United States)

Phan, Mikki H; Keebler, Joseph R; Chaparro, Barbara S

2016-12-01

The aim of this study was to develop and psychometrically validate a new instrument that comprehensively measures video game satisfaction based on key factors. Playtesting is often conducted in the video game industry to help game developers build better games by providing insight into the players' attitudes and preferences. However, quality feedback is difficult to obtain from playtesting sessions without a quality gaming assessment tool. There is a need for a psychometrically validated and comprehensive gaming scale that is appropriate for playtesting and game evaluation purposes. The process of developing and validating this new scale followed current best practices of scale development and validation. As a result, a mixed-method design that consisted of item pool generation, expert review, questionnaire pilot study, exploratory factor analysis (N = 629), and confirmatory factor analysis (N = 729) was implemented. A new instrument measuring video game satisfaction, called the Game User Experience Satisfaction Scale (GUESS), with nine subscales emerged. The GUESS was demonstrated to have content validity, internal consistency, and convergent and discriminant validity. The GUESS was developed and validated based on the assessments of over 450 unique video game titles across many popular genres. Thus, it can be applied across many types of video games in the industry both as a way to assess what aspects of a game contribute to user satisfaction and as a tool to aid in debriefing users on their gaming experience. The GUESS can be administered to evaluate user satisfaction of different types of video games by a variety of users. © 2016, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Integrating Usability Evaluation into Model-Driven Video Game Development

OpenAIRE

Fernandez , Adrian; Insfran , Emilio; Abrahão , Silvia; Carsí , José ,; Montero , Emanuel

2012-01-01

Part 3: Short Papers; International audience; The increasing complexity of video game development highlights the need of design and evaluation methods for enhancing quality and reducing time and cost. In this context, Model-Driven Development approaches seem to be very promising since a video game can be obtained by transforming platform-independent models into platform-specific models that can be in turn transformed into code. Although this approach is started to being used for video game de...

Learn OpenGL ES for mobile game and graphics development

CERN Document Server

Mehta, Prateek

2013-01-01

One of the first OpenGL ES version 3 books for game app developers doing mobile. Covers Android code and may be useful to iOS game developers too. OpenGL ES 3 is a new significant tech update to OpenGL ES graphics API engine that fuels game apps in both iOS and Android.

IMPACT OF MACROECONOMIC POLICIES ON POVERTY ALLEVIATION IN PAKISTAN

OpenAIRE

Israr Fahad; Ali Rehmat

2013-01-01

This paper provides strategy to explain the macroeconomic determinants for eradicating poverty in Pakistan. An empirical analysis of macroeconomic indicators are based on the data for the year 1994 to 2005. Ordinary least square estimation was used to estimate the parameters of multiple variable regression model. Gini coefficient is used to measure the inequality in income distribution. The results suggest that per capita income, and remittances, are highly significant, developmental expendit...

The Model of Games to Develop Fundamental Movement of Kindergarten Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristanto Adi Nugroho

2018-05-01

Full Text Available The study aimed for developing a game model to optimize the achievement of the fundamental movement of kindergarten students. The results of the research were expected to be a credible and standardized reference for teachers in teaching. The research was conducted using research and development method which was divided into two stages, namely pre-development stage and development stage. The pre-development stage consisted of literature review, relevant research and preliminary studies. The development stage consisted of drafting, expert validation, limited-scale trials, large-scale trials, and operational trials. Expert validation involved two experts using focus group discussion (FGD techniques. The limited scale and extensive test were conducted to see the aspects of substantive content, and the implementation of the model has been qualitatively suitable for the use in the kindergarten. There were 10 children as research subjects were tested on a limited-scale test and there were 24 children on a large-scale test. In operational test using experimental method, there were 47 children. The Instruments used in data collection process at the pre-development stage were interview guides and field notes while in the development stage the researcher used questionnaires and Fundamental Motor Pattern Assessment Instrument to measure the level of motion skills of the children. The data analysis techniques used were qualitative and quantitative analysis (statistics. Result studied of the development of the game model consisted of ten game models, namely: 1 the flying bird game; 2 the ball relay game; 3 The ball kicking game; 4 the balloon tapping game; 5 the seeking and jumping game; 6 the arranging letter game; 7 the sticking picture game; 8 the composing names game; 9 the frog counting game, and 10 the numbers adventure games. Based on the content validator’s assessment, the content of materials was 86 points (82% which was in very good category, the

Evolutionary modelling of the macro-economic impacts of catastrophic flood events

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Safarzynska, K.E.; Brouwer, R.; Hofkes, M.

2013-01-01

This paper examines the possible contribution of evolutionary economics to macro-economic modelling of flood impacts to provide guidance for future economic risk modelling. Most macro-economic models start from a neoclassical economic perspective and focus on equilibrium outcomes, either in a static

Teaching introductory game development with unreal engine: Challenges, strategies, and experiences

Science.gov (United States)

Head, Nicholas A.

From the days of Pong to 100 million dollar projects such as the Grand Theft Auto franchise, video games have evolved significantly over the years. This evolution has also changed the way game development is viewed as a career. Today, video games are one of the most profitable forms of entertainment, and game development courses are appearing at universities around the world. Even with this growth, a degree from a university has yet to be an important factor in finding a job in game development (Owen, 2013). This thesis examines a method of creating and implementing an introductory gaming course and recommends ways to improve the curriculum. The main focus of the course was to introduce game development to the students. Each week, they were given an exercise that covered a different topic. Students also took part in a team project in which they were tasked with creating a complete game. The goal of the team projects was to expand the student's basic knowledge given to them from the exercises. Data was gathered on the students' subjective experiences with the class. This data and the class's overall performance were compared with past iterations of the course. New to the course was the Unreal Engine. Students used the latest version of the engine, Unreal Engine 4, to complete exercises. Not all students chose to use this engine for the team project. Instructor and students experiences with the engine were also recorded. While there were some problems implementing the engine within our lab environment, we were still able to execute the overall lesson plan. Even with the engine issues, the course had overall good performance. CGT 241, Introduction to 3D Animation, was shown to help the students to complete the course while CGT 215, Computer Graphics Programming I, did not provide enough information on game programming. Exercises were found to be helpful but students wanted a better understanding of how these skills can be applied to game development. Team projects

ANALYSIS AND COMPARISONS OF THE BUSINESS SECTOR IN ROMANIA IN REGIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF MACROECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

DOBROTĂ GABRIELA

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The analysis of the response capacity of business environment in the manifestation of some risks of a large amplitude can be achieved by identifying the evolution of fundamental macroeconomic indicators, both in good periods from economically point of view as well as in the difficult phases. This article reflects the evolution of the most important macroeconomic indicators in Romania, before and after the crisis triggered in 2008, at the global and regional level. Also, it represent an radiography of the business environment, from point of view of the evolution of the active entreprises and of their results, which was obtained in the context of the macroeconomics politics promoted by the different gouvernment. The overall conclusion that can be drawn is that the objective of achieving economic growth by all means can have undesirable effects, represented by overheating of the economy and instability.

MACROECONOMIC ASPECTS OF COMPETITIVENESS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oleg Hooke

2017-09-01

Full Text Available In the process of globalization of world economic processes, the role of individual national economies increases, comparative advantages of the development of a country are formed, and their competitiveness is ensured. That is why it is worth emphasizing the importance of increasing the competitiveness of each individual country, based on its internal capacity. In a broad aspect, the competitiveness of the national economy is perceived as the ability of the country to ensure the balance of its external proportions and to avoid those constraints imposed by the foreign economic sphere, to self-organizing the improvement of their world economic ties. The competitiveness of the economy at the macro level is associated with the duration of the cycle of reproduction of the main productive assets and, accordingly, the jobs, productive forces of society and determined by the overall economic efficiency of investment. The criteria of competitiveness of the national economy are the growth of social productivity of labor, increase of social and economic efficiency of production and standard of living of the population. The competitiveness of the national economy determines sustainable socio-economic development of the country, as well as sustainable development predetermines the competitiveness of not only the country, but also all its levels. Scientific results are obtained using special methods of research of economic objects and phenomena, that is, based on the correlation and regressive, comparative analysis (establishing the relationship between the indicator factor, as well as economic modeling. Findings. Generalizing analysis and the importance of the macroeconomic aspect of competitiveness were used in the research paper, which will allow to better respond to the economic situation, in accordance with the trends of the “green” transformation of the economy; which in turn will solve important problems of the development and implementation of its

Teaching introductory game development with unreal engine: Challenges, strategies, and experiences

OpenAIRE

Head, Nicholas A

2015-01-01

From the days of Pong to 100 million dollar projects such as the Grand Theft Auto franchise, video games have evolved significantly over the years. This evolution has also changed the way game development is viewed as a career. Today, video games are one of the most profitable forms of entertainment, and game development courses are appearing at universities around the world. Even with this growth, a degree from a university has yet to be an important factor in finding a job in game developme...

The structuralist tradition in economics: methodological and macroeconomics aspects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

FABRÍCIO MISSIO

2015-06-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the structuralist tradition in economics, emphasizing the role that structures play in the economic growth of developing countries. Since the subject at hand is evidently too large to cover in a single article, an emphasis has been brought to bear upon the macroeconomic elements of such a tradition, while also exploring its methodological aspects. It begins by analysing some general aspects of structuralism in economics (its evolution and origins associated with ECLAC thought, in this instance focusing on the dynamics of the center-periphery relationship. Thereafter, the macroeconomic structuralism derived from the works of Taylor (1983, 1991 is presented, followed by a presentation of neo-structuralism. Centred on the concept of systemic competitiveness, this approach defines a strategy to achieve the high road of globalization, understood here as an inevitable process in spite of its engagement being dependent on the policies adopted. The conclusions show the genuine contributions of this tradition to economic theory.

Developing and Assessing Teachers' Knowledge of Game-Based Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Shah, Mamta; Foster, Aroutis

2015-01-01

Research focusing on the development and assessment of teacher knowledge in game-based learning is in its infancy. A mixed-methods study was undertaken to educate pre-service teachers in game-based learning using the Game Network Analysis (GaNA) framework. Fourteen pre-service teachers completed a methods course, which prepared them in game…

Optimal Extraction and Taxation of Strategic Natural Resources: A Differential Game Approach

OpenAIRE

Pemy, Moustapha

2016-01-01

This paper studies the optimal extraction and taxation of nonrenewable natural resources. It is well known the market values of the main strategic resources such as oil, natural gas, uranium, copper,...,etc, fluctuate randomly following global and seasonal macro-economic parameters, these values are modeled using Markov switching L\\'evy processes. We formulate this problem as a differential game where the two players are the mining company whose aim is to maximize the revenues generated from ...

The effect of traditional games and ordinary games on manipulative skills development in educable mental retarded boys

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

hamid reza Gheiji

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Background : Manipulative skills are one of the fundamental skills subtitles which is used in most of daily and sports activities. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of traditional games and ordinary games on manipulative skills development in 8-10 years old Gorgan boys with educable mental retardation. Materials and Methods: Personal information was evaluated by the researcher made questionnaire and children's intelligence by the Wechsler test. Also, manipulative skills were assessed by the Test of Gross Motor Development- edition 2 (TGMD-2 in pre-test. Then, participants were distributed into two groups traditional games (n=15 and ordinary games (n=15 randomly. Post-test of TGMD-2 were done from two groups after 8 weeks training (3 sessions per week and 45 min for each session. Data analyzes was done by independent t-test, paired t-test and variance analysis with repeated measurement in a significant rate (α= 0.05. Results: The two groups showed significant improvements in manipulation skills, but the improvement of traditional games group was significantly more than ordinary games group in all of measured manipulating skills (throwing, catching, kicking, striking, dribbling , rolling a ball (p<0.05. Conclusion: It can be said, selected traditional games could be an appropriate program for the manipulative skills development of children.

Memory development in preschool children with disabilities in the game

OpenAIRE

Viktoriya Shypikova

2013-01-01

The scientific article "Development of memory in preschool children with disabilities in the game" reveals the relevance of the application of the game as the leading activity during the preschool years to optimize the development of the mental process of memory in children with disabilities. Work on the development of children's memory in the form of a game as the most effective form, aimed at attracting the attention of professionals working with preschool children with disabilities, a...

Modelling Exchange Rate Volatility by Macroeconomic Fundamentals in Pakistan

OpenAIRE

Munazza Jabeen; Saud Ahmad Khan

2014-01-01

What drives volatility in foreign exchange market in Pakistan? This paper undertakes an analysis of modelling exchange rate volatility in Pakistan by potential macroeconomic fundamentals well-known in the economic literature. For this, monthly data on Pak Rupee exchange rates in the terms of major currencies (US Dollar, British Pound, Canadian Dollar and Japanese Yen) and macroeconomics fundamentals is taken from April, 1982 to November, 2011. The results show thatthe PKR-USD exchange rate vo...

International Trade and Macroeconomic Dynamics with Heteroegenous Firms

OpenAIRE

Ghironi, Fabio; Melitz, Marc J

2004-01-01

We develop a stochastic, general equilibrium, two-country model of trade and macroeconomic dynamics. Productivity differs across individual, monopolistically competitive firms in each country. Firms face a sunk entry cost in the domestic market and both fixed and per-unit export costs. Only relatively more productive firms export. Exogenous shocks to aggregate productivity and entry or trade costs induce firms to enter and exit both their domestic and export markets, thus altering the composi...

iOS Game Development using SpriteKit Framework with Swift Programming Language

OpenAIRE

Gurung, Lal

2016-01-01

iOS is a mobile operating system for Apple manufactured phones and tablets. Mobile Gaming Industries are growing very fast, and compatibility with iOS is becoming very popular among game developers. The aim of this Bachelor’s thesis was to find the best available game development tools for iOS platform. The 2D game named Lapland was developed using Apple’s own native framework, SpriteKit. The game was written with the SpriteKit programming language. The combination of SpriteKit and Swift...

Granger Causality Between The Stock Market Index and Macroeconomic Variables. A Study of Malaysia and Singapore

OpenAIRE

Sircar, Shadee Mosaddek

2009-01-01

This paper investigates the causal relationships that may be present between the stock market index of developing countries and their macroeconomic variables based on the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) framework. The countries Malaysia and Singapore are chosen for the purpose of this paper, where FTSE KLCI index and the FTSE STI index are used to represent the stock market performances respectively for each country. The four macroeconomic variables analyzed and used in this paper are Co...

Tutorial : service-oriented architecture (SOA) development for serious games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Carvalho, M.B.; Hu, J.; Bellotti, F.; de Gloria, A.; Rauterberg, G.W.M.; Chorianopoulos, K.; Divitini, M.; Hauge, J.; Jaccheri, L.; Malaka, R.

2015-01-01

This tutorial aims to introduce the benefits of applying a service-oriented architecture (SOA) approach to serious games developers. For that end, we propose a hands-on session in which we will provide information on state-of-the-art services for serious games and guide developers in rethinking one

Pro Unity game development with C#

CERN Document Server

Thorn, Alan

2014-01-01

The only professional-level book on Unity development with C# Covers in-depth aspects of C# development using Unity Readers will create a full-featured first person shooter and gain the knowledge to build their own professional-quality games.

Development and validation of a game addiction scale

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lemmens, J.S.; Valkenburg, P.M.; Peter, J.

2008-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop and validate a scale to measure computer and videogame addiction. Inspired by earlier theories and research on game and internet addiction, we created 21 items to measure seven criteria for game addiction (i.e., salience, tolerance, mood modification, relapse,

[Macroeconomic costs of eye diseases].

Science.gov (United States)

Hirneiß, C; Kampik, A; Neubauer, A S

2014-05-01

Eye diseases that are relevant regarding their macroeconomic costs and their impact on society include cataract, diabetic retinopathy, age-related maculopathy, glaucoma and refractive errors. The aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive overview of direct and indirect costs for major eye disease categories for Germany, based on existing literature and data sources. A semi-structured literature search was performed in the databases Medline and Embase and in the search machine Google for relevant original papers and reviews on costs of eye diseases with relevance for or transferability to Germany (last research date October 2013). In addition, manual searching was performed in important national databases and information sources, such as the Federal Office of Statistics and scientific societies. The direct costs for these diseases add up to approximately 2.6 billion Euros yearly for the Federal Republic of Germany, including out of the pocket payments from patients but excluding optical aids (e.g. glasses). In addition to those direct costs there are also indirect costs which are caused e.g. by loss of employment or productivity or by a reduction in health-related quality of life. These indirect costs can only be roughly estimated. Including the indirect costs for the eye diseases investigated, a total yearly macroeconomic cost ranging between 4 and 12 billion Euros is estimated for Germany. The costs for the eye diseases cataract, diabetic retinopathy, age-related maculopathy, glaucoma and refractive errors have a macroeconomic relevant dimension. Based on the predicted demographic changes with an ageing society an increase of the prevalence and thus also an increase of costs for eye diseases is expected in the future.

'Time is costly': modelling the macroeconomic impact of scaling-up antiretroviral treatment in sub-Saharan Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Ventelou, Bruno; Moatti, Jean-Paul; Videau, Yann; Kazatchkine, Michel

2008-01-02

Macroeconomic policy requirements may limit the capacity of national and international policy-makers to allocate sufficient resources for scaling-up access to HIV care and treatment in developing countries. An endogenous growth model, which takes into account the evolution of society's human capital, was used to assess the macroeconomic impact of policies aimed at scaling-up access to HIV/AIDS treatment in six African countries (Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Ivory Coast and Zimbabwe). The model results showed that scaling-up access to treatment in the affected population would limit gross domestic product losses due to AIDS although differently from country to country. In our simulated scenarios of access to antiretroviral therapy, only 10.3% of the AIDS shock is counterbalanced in Zimbabwe, against 85.2% in Angola and even 100.0% in Benin (a total recovery). For four out of the six countries (Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Ivory Coast), the macro-economic gains of scaling-up would become potentially superior to its associated costs in 2010. Despite the variability of HIV prevalence rates between countries, macro-economic estimates strongly suggest that a massive investment in scaling-up access to HIV treatment may efficiently counteract the detrimental long-term impact of the HIV pandemic on economic growth, to the extent that the AIDS shock has not already driven the economy beyond an irreversible 'no-development epidemiological trap'.

The development of indonesian online game addiction questionnaire.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tjibeng Jap

Full Text Available Online game is an increasingly popular source of entertainment for all ages, with relatively prevalent negative consequences. Addiction is a problem that has received much attention. This research aims to develop a measure of online game addiction for Indonesian children and adolescents. The Indonesian Online Game Addiction Questionnaire draws from earlier theories and research on the internet and game addiction. Its construction is further enriched by including findings from qualitative interviews and field observation to ensure appropriate expression of the items. The measure consists of 7 items with a 5-point Likert Scale. It is validated by testing 1,477 Indonesian junior and senior high school students from several schools in Manado, Medan, Pontianak, and Yogyakarta. The validation evidence is shown by item-total correlation and criterion validity. The Indonesian Online Game Addiction Questionnaire has good item-total correlation (ranging from 0.29 to 0.55 and acceptable reliability (α = 0.73. It is also moderately correlated with the participant's longest time record to play online games (r = 0.39; p<0.01, average days per week in playing online games (ρ = 0.43; p<0.01, average hours per days in playing online games (ρ = 0.41; p<0.01, and monthly expenditure for online games (ρ = 0.30; p<0.01. Furthermore, we created a clinical cut-off estimate by combining criteria and population norm. The clinical cut-off estimate showed that the score of 14 to 21 may indicate mild online game addiction, and the score of 22 and above may indicate online game addiction. Overall, the result shows that Indonesian Online Game Addiction Questionnaire has sufficient psychometric property for research use, as well as limited clinical application.

The everyday lives of video game developers: Experimentally understanding underlying systems/structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Casey O'Donnell

2009-03-01

Full Text Available This essay examines how tensions between work and play for video game developers shape the worlds they create. The worlds of game developers, whose daily activity is linked to larger systems of experimentation and technoscientific practice, provide insights that transcend video game development work. The essay draws on ethnographic material from over 3 years of fieldwork with video game developers in the United States and India. It develops the notion of creative collaborative practice based on work in the fields of science and technology studies, game studies, and media studies. The importance of, the desire for, or the drive to understand underlying systems and structures has become fundamental to creative collaborative practice. I argue that the daily activity of game development embodies skills fundamental to creative collaborative practice and that these capabilities represent fundamental aspects of critical thought. Simultaneously, numerous interests have begun to intervene in ways that endanger these foundations of creative collaborative practice.

Racial Diversity and Macroeconomic Productivity across US States and Cities

OpenAIRE

Sparber, Chad

2007-01-01

The United States is growing increasingly diverse, so it is important that economists understand the macroeconomic consequences of diversity within the US economy. International analyses often argue that heterogeneity reduces macroeconomic productivity by engendering corruption, political instability, and social turmoil. However, other studies claim that diversity improves creative decision making and augments productivity. This paper exploits differences in diversity across regions of the Un...

Development, Validation and Summative Evaluation of Card Pairing Games for Selected Math 8 Topics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ronald O. Ocampo

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Traditional classroom situation where students are taught predominantly of lecture-discussion method put the classroom in a mathophobic atmosphere. Oftentimes, students exposed to this classroom atmosphere lead to math anxiety and eventually hate the subject and the teacher. Addressing this, varied interactive strategies to create an atmosphere of discourse has been developed and promoted. The use of instructional games has been viewed as one strategy that promotes active learning inside the classroom. Instructional games support constructivist learning and social learning. This study is aimed at developing, validating and evaluating card pairing games for specific topics in Math 8. The Research and Development model ( R& D was used. The card pairing games was validated by subject experts and experts in developing games. In evaluating the card pairing games, the Quasi-Experimental Pretest-Posttest design was used. There are six card pairing games developed for specific topics in Math 8; the card pairing game is highly valid based on the result of the validation; Students exposed to card pairing game become more intact (homogeneous; Students exposed to card games enhance academic performance. It is recommended to test the effectiveness of card pairing games to other group of students; Encourage math teachers to use the developed math card pairing games for classroom instruction; Develop other card pairing game for specific topics in math.

Fostering 21st Century Skills through Game Design and Development

Science.gov (United States)

Garvey, Gregory P.

2015-01-01

This reflection paper argues that the design and development of digital games teach essential 21st century skills. Intrinsic to application and game development is design thinking. Design thinking requires iterative development, which demands creativity, critical thinking and problem solving. Students are engaged through learning by doing in both…

Modern Paradigm in Macroeconomic Monetary Theories

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Lipară

2016-01-01

We appreciated that in order to achieve macroeconomic stability a mix between monetary andfiscal policies is needed, fixed rules should be applied in interdependence with discretionarygovernment measures and acting upon incomes is the best way to fight against inflation.

Game of Thrones: Accommodating Monetary Policies in a Monetary Union

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dmitri Blueschke

2018-02-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we present an application of the dynamic tracking games framework to a monetary union. We use a small stylized nonlinear three-country macroeconomic model of a monetary union to analyze the interactions between fiscal (governments and monetary (common central bank policy makers, assuming different objective functions of these decision makers. Using the OPTGAME algorithm, we calculate solutions for several games: a noncooperative solution where each government and the central bank play against each other (a feedback Nash equilibrium solution, a fully-cooperative solution with all players following a joint course of action (a Pareto optimal solution and three solutions where various coalitions (subsets of the players play against coalitions of the other players in a noncooperative way. It turns out that the fully-cooperative solution yields the best results, the noncooperative solution fares worst and the coalition games lie in between, with a broad coalition of the fiscally more responsible countries and the central bank against the less thrifty countries coming closest to the Pareto optimum.

Modeling the impact of forecast-based regime switches on macroeconomic time series

NARCIS (Netherlands)

K. Bel (Koen); R. Paap (Richard)

2013-01-01

textabstractForecasts of key macroeconomic variables may lead to policy changes of governments, central banks and other economic agents. Policy changes in turn lead to structural changes in macroeconomic time series models. To describe this phenomenon we introduce a logistic smooth transition

The impact of macroeconomic variables on SMEs in Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Halim, F. A.; Malim, M. R.; Derasit, Z.; Rani, R. M.; Rashid, S. S.

2017-09-01

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia have gained a prominent role as the significant contributor to the economic growth. However, the world nowadays is heading towards economic downturn. The stability of macroeconomic variables promotes profitability of SMEs which propels them to a stage where they can access financing for sustaining growth. Therefore, it is apparent that the behaviour of the macroeconomic variables plays a major part in determining the nation’s backbone in surviving the economic downturn. The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of macroeconomic variables on the profitability of SMEs in Malaysia using multiple regression analysis. The findings revealed that the exchange rate has a small positive impact on SME GDP growth rate (10.81%), the interest rate has a strong positive impact (60.74%), while the inflation rate has a strong negative impact (-53.89%). Therefore, it can be concluded that the interest rate and inflation rate have significant impacts on the profitability of SMEs in Malaysia.

Granger Causality between Stock Market and Macroeconomic Indicators: Evidence from Germany

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomáš Plíhal

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to investigate informational efficiency of the stock market in Germany. Granger causality between the stock market and the selected macroeconomic variables is investigated by bivariate analysis using Toda-Yamamoto (1995 approach. This study focuses on monthly data from January 1999 to September 2015, and the stock market is represented by blue chip stock market index DAX. Investigated macroeconomic indicators include industrial production, inflation, money supply, interest rate, trade balance and exchange rate. Stock market Granger-causes industrial production and interest rate, and is therefore leading indicator of these variables. Between money supply and stock prices is Granger causality in both directions. Other variables seem to be independent on development of the stock market. We do not find any violation of Efficient market hypothesis which indicates that the stock market in Germany is informational efficient.

Engendering macroeconomic policies | IDRC - International ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

2011-01-28

Jan 28, 2011 ... But conventional thinking is being challenged. ... In macroeconomics, there is an idealized notion of a “rational economic human being” — a “rational economic man,” actually. ... We promote pro-poor fiscal policy as well as gender-sensitive ... efforts to learn, to earn, and to take part in local decision-making.

Review of Selected Macroeconomic Factors Impacting Building ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Ethiopian Journal of Environmental Studies and Management ... This study therefore investigates the impact of macro-economic indicators on the prices of ... factors, Construction projects, Procurement, prices, Building Materials, Delivery ...

Learning Objective-C by developing iPhone games

CERN Document Server

Walters, Joseph

2014-01-01

Written as a practical and engaging tutorial, this book guides you through the development of your own exciting, fully featured, games.If you are a beginner and an enthusiast who dreams about creating games and is in need of some additional inspiration and knowledge, then this book is for you. No programming experience is expected.

Achieving Digital Literacy through Game Development: An Authentic Learning Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Frydenberg, Mark

2015-01-01

Purpose: This paper aims to argue that the process of making an original game develops digital literacy skills and provides an authentic learning experience as students create, publish and deploy interactive games. Teaching students to create computer games has become common in both K-12 and tertiary education to introducing programming concepts,…

What does Europe pay for clean energy?-Review of macroeconomic simulation studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dannenberg, Astrid; Mennel, Tim; Moslener, Ulf

2008-01-01

This paper analyses the macroeconomic costs of environmental regulation in European energy markets on the basis of existing macroeconomic simulation studies. The analysis comprises the European emssions trading scheme, energy taxes, measures in the transport sector and the promotion of renewable energy sources. We find that these instruments affect the European economy, in particular the energy-intensive industries and the industries that produce internationally tradeable goods. From a macroeconomic point of view, however, the costs of environmental regulation appear to be modest. The underlying environmental targets and the efficient design of regulation are key determinants for the cost burden

Energy policies in a macroeconomic model: an analysis of energy taxes when oil prices decline

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Capros, P.; Karadeloglou, P.; Mentzas, G.

1992-01-01

This paper attempts an analysis of energy and macroeconomic policy issues in oil-importing countries within the context of decreasing oil prices and macroeconomic modelling. A medium-term perspective is retained and the assumption is made that the economy experiences unemployment and excess capacity when the price declines. The analysis excludes any response elements that refer to long-term equilibria, optimum allocation of resources or welfare characterization of results which should be dealt with within the context of price adjusted equilibrium models. This paper adopts the approach of quantity adjusted neo-Keynesian macroeconomic models. The paper also inquires into the macroeconomic models currently used by the Commission of the European Communities. The analysis is carried out using the HGRV model which is a large-scale neo-Keynesian multisectoral macroeconomic model of the Greek economy. (UK)

Productive Gaming

OpenAIRE

Brandstätter , Ulrich; Sommerer , Christa

2016-01-01

Part 4: Short Papers; International audience; Video games can be appropriated for productive purposes. Commercial games and game engines are often used for video productions, and game development companies provide development kits and modding environments to gaming communities and independent developers. With gamification, game principles are deployed in non-game contexts for benefits beyond pure entertainment. Most approaches are more focused on using games and their design elements rather t...

Population aging, macroeconomic changes, and global diabetes prevalence, 1990-2008.

Science.gov (United States)

Sudharsanan, Nikkil; Ali, Mohammed K; Mehta, Neil K; Narayan, K M Venkat

2015-01-01

Diabetes is an important contributor to global morbidity and mortality. The contributions of population aging and macroeconomic changes to the growth in diabetes prevalence over the past 20 years are unclear. We used cross-sectional data on age- and sex-specific counts of people with diabetes by country, national population estimates, and country-specific macroeconomic variables for the years 1990, 2000, and 2008. Decomposition analysis was performed to quantify the contribution of population aging to the change in global diabetes prevalence between 1990 and 2008. Next, age-standardization was used to estimate the contribution of age composition to differences in diabetes prevalence between high-income (HIC) and low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs). Finally, we used non-parametric correlation and multivariate first-difference regression estimates to examine the relationship between macroeconomic changes and the change in diabetes prevalence between 1990 and 2008. Globally, diabetes prevalence grew by two percentage points between 1990 (7.4 %) and 2008 (9.4 %). Population aging was responsible for 19 % of the growth, with 81 % attributable to increases in the age-specific prevalences. In both LMICs and HICs, about half the growth in age-specific prevalences was from increasing levels of diabetes between ages 45-65 (51 % in HICs and 46 % in LMICs). After age-standardization, the difference in the prevalence of diabetes between LMICs and HICs was larger (1.9 % point difference in 1990; 1.5 % point difference in 2008). We found no evidence that macroeconomic changes were associated with the growth in diabetes prevalence. Population aging explains a minority of the recent growth in global diabetes prevalence. The increase in global diabetes between 1990 and 2008 was primarily due to an increase in the prevalence of diabetes at ages 45-65. We do not find evidence that basic indicators of economic growth, development, globalization, or urbanization were related

Deregulation and Macroeconomic Drivers Of Foreign Direct ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Deregulation and Macroeconomic Drivers Of Foreign Direct Investment In Nigerian Agriculture (1970 -2009): An Econometric Analysis. ... The study showed that foreign exchange and the economic deregulation policy of Nigerian government ...

Unreal Interactive Puppet Game Development Using Leap Motion

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, An-Pin; Huang, Fay; Jhu, Jing-Siang

2018-04-01

This paper proposed a novel puppet play method utilizing recent technology. An interactive puppet game has been developed based on the theme of a famous Chinese classical novel. This project was implemented using Unreal Engine, which is a leading software of integrated tools for developers to design and build games. On the other hand, Leap Motion Controller is a sensor device for recognizing hand movements and gestures. It is commonly used in systems which require close-range finger-based user interaction. In order to manipulate puppets’ movements, the developed program employs the Leap Motion SDK, which provides a friendly way to add motion-controlled 3D hands to an Unreal game. The novelty of our project is to replace 3D model of rigged hands by two 3D humanoid rigged characters. The challenges of this task are two folds. First, the skeleton structure of a human hand and a humanoid character (i.e., puppets) are totally different. Making the puppets to follow the hand poses of the user and yet ensuring reasonable puppets’ movements has not been discussed in the literatures nor in the developer forums. Second, there are only a limited number of built-in recognizable hand gestures. More recognizable hand gestures need to be created for the interactive game. This paper reports the proposed solutions to these challenges.

The influence of playing computer games on pupil's development

OpenAIRE

Pospíšilová, Lenka

2008-01-01

This thesis is about the effects of playing computer games on pupils and students behavior. It is divided into a theoretical and an investigative part. The theoretical part is dedicated to historical development of technologies and principals of game systems in relationship to technical progress. It adverts to psychological, social and biological effects of long time, intensive playing of games. It shows positive and negative effects ofthis activity. The work analyses typical pathological eve...

Macroeconomic and household-level impacts of HIV/AIDS in Botswana.

Science.gov (United States)

Jefferis, Keith; Kinghorn, Anthony; Siphambe, Happy; Thurlow, James

2008-07-01

To measure the impact of HIV/AIDS on economic growth and poverty in Botswana and estimate how providing treatment can mitigate its effects. Demographic and financial projections were combined with economic simulation models, including a macroeconomic growth model and a macro-microeconomic computable general equilibrium and microsimulation model. HIV/AIDS significantly reduces economic growth and increases household poverty. The impact is now severe enough to be affecting the economy as a whole, and threatens to pull some of the uninfected population into poverty. Providing antiretroviral therapy can partly offset this negative effect. Treatment increases health's share of government expenditure only marginally, because it increases economic growth and because withholding treatment raises the cost of other health services. Botswana's treatment programme is appropriate from a macroeconomic perspective. Conducting macroeconomic impact assessments is important in countries where prevalence rates are particularly high.

Beginning Android 3D game development

CERN Document Server

Chin, Robert

2014-01-01

1. This Apress book aims to be first or unique English language book to market on Android 3D Game Programming (there is however a Chinese lang book.). 1. Given sell like, there may be some potential for retail, trade sales. 2. Otherwise, most revenue should come from the high relevancy of Android in books as a service database engines like Safari where Android meme is nearly at the top. 3. Android has the most user market share worldwide and is second best apps eco although game specific development seems more popular on Android than iOS.

Improving Video Game Development: Facilitating Heterogeneous Team Collaboration through Flexible Software Processes

Science.gov (United States)

Musil, Juergen; Schweda, Angelika; Winkler, Dietmar; Biffl, Stefan

Based on our observations of Austrian video game software development (VGSD) practices we identified a lack of systematic processes/method support and inefficient collaboration between various involved disciplines, i.e. engineers and artists. VGSD includes heterogeneous disciplines, e.g. creative arts, game/content design, and software. Nevertheless, improving team collaboration and process support is an ongoing challenge to enable a comprehensive view on game development projects. Lessons learned from software engineering practices can help game developers to increase game development processes within a heterogeneous environment. Based on a state of the practice survey in the Austrian games industry, this paper presents (a) first results with focus on process/method support and (b) suggests a candidate flexible process approach based on Scrum to improve VGSD and team collaboration. Results showed (a) a trend to highly flexible software processes involving various disciplines and (b) identified the suggested flexible process approach as feasible and useful for project application.

The Role of Macroeconomic Fundamentals in Malaysian Post Recession Growth

OpenAIRE

Lee, Chin

2013-01-01

This study aims to find out the role of macroeconomic fundamentals in Malaysian post recession growth. The selected macroeconomic variables are exports, imports, price level, money supply, interest rate, exchange rate and government expenditure. The technique of cointegration was employed to assess the long run equilibrium relationships among the variables. Then, this study performs the Granger causality tests based on VECM to establish the short run causality among the variables. The long-ru...

Turn on the Lights: Macroeconomic Factors Affecting Renewable in Pakistan

OpenAIRE

Ihtisham Abdul Malik; Ghamz-e-Ali Siyal; Alias Bin Abdullah; Arif Alam; Khalid Zaman

2014-01-01

The objective of the study is to examine the relationship between macroeconomic factors (i.e., population growth; urbanization, industrialization, exchange rate, price level, food production index and live stock production index) and renewable energy in Pakistan over a period of 1975-2012. In addition, this study uses oil rent as an intervening variable to overcome the biasness of the single equation model. The results indicate that macroeconomic factors positively contributed to renewable en...

The Metacognitions about Online Gaming Scale: Development and psychometric properties.

Science.gov (United States)

Spada, Marcantonio M; Caselli, Gabriele

2017-01-01

Recent research has suggested that metacognitions may play a role across the spectrum of addictive behaviours. The goal of our studies was to develop the first self-report scale of metacognitions about online gaming. We conducted two studies with samples of online gamers (n=225, n=348) to test the structure and psychometric properties of the Metacognitions about Online Gaming Scale and examined its capacity to predict weekly online gaming hours and Internet addiction. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a three-factor solution: positive metacognitions about online gaming, negative metacognitions about the uncontrollability of online gaming, and negative metacognitions about the dangers of online gaming. Internal consistency, predictive and divergent validity were acceptable. All the factors of the Metacognitions about Online Gaming Scale correlated positively with weekly online gaming hours and Internet addiction. Regression analyses showed that negative metacognitions about the uncontrollability of online gaming and levels of Internet addiction were the only significant predictors of weekly online gaming hours, and that positive metacognitions about online gaming and negative metacognitions about the uncontrollability of online gaming were the only significant predictors of Internet addiction. The Metacognitions about Online Gaming Scale was shown to possess good psychometric properties, as well as predictive and divergent validity within the populations that were tested. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Resource price turbulence and macroeconomic adjustment for a resource exporter. A conceptual framework for policy analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cox, Grant M.; Harvie, Charles

2010-01-01

Increased global demand for energy and other resources, particularly from the rapidly developing economies of China and India and the opening up of global resource markets to global investors and speculative activity, has resulted in considerable recent turbulence in resource prices. The recent magnitude of change in resource prices, both positive and negative, and their macroeconomic implications is of considerable contemporary importance to both resource importing and exporting economies. For a resource exporting economy, such as that of Australia, the recent resource price boom has resulted in: increased government taxation revenue, increased employment and wages in the resource and resource related sectors, increased spending in the domestic economy that contributed to buoyant economic growth, increased resource exports to the booming economies of China and India and contributed to a stronger domestic currency with beneficial effects upon inflation. On the other hand these developments have had adverse effects on the non-resource sector by: subjecting it to more intense competition for limited resources, contributing to a loss of international competitiveness and reduced exports arising from a stronger exchange rate, reducing employment in the relatively more labour intensive non-resource sector, and contributing to an eventual slow down in the overall economy. These positive and negative effects, and the overall impact of a resource price boom, require a fundamentally closer analysis of the structure of the economy under scrutiny. In this context the policy response by government is likely to be pivotal in determining the overall macroeconomic outcomes from a resource price boom. The aim of this paper is to develop a generic analytical framework to appraise economic outcomes in the wake of a resource price boom for a resource producing and exporting economy. To this end a dynamic long run macroeconomic model is developed, emphasising the important role and

Markov Trends in Macroeconomic Time Series

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R. Paap (Richard)

1997-01-01

textabstractMany macroeconomic time series are characterised by long periods of positive growth, expansion periods, and short periods of negative growth, recessions. A popular model to describe this phenomenon is the Markov trend, which is a stochastic segmented trend where the slope depends on the

Macroeconomic Variables Affecting Bist30 Index Value in Turkey

OpenAIRE

Özge KORKMAZ; Eşref Savas BASCI; Süleyman Serdar KARACA

2016-01-01

In finance literature, main financial stock indices are important to determine country’s financial development and it’s behavior against the effect of macro-economic conditions. These conditions can listed as interest rate, inflation rate, money supply, exchange rate, industrial production index, and etc.  In changing world economy, macro economic conditions can affect to the financial stability and capital markets. Some economies have a financial vulnerability, and it is important to measure...

The individual life cycle and economic growth : An essay on demographic macroeconomics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heijdra, B.J.; Mierau, J.O.

We develop a demographic macroeconomic model that captures the salient life-cycle features at the individual level and, at the same time, allows us to pinpoint the main mechanisms at play at the aggregate level. At the individual level the model features both age-dependent mortality and productivity

Assessing the Macroeconomic Importance of Gasoline and Vehicle Spending

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santini, Danilo J. [Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States); Poyer, David A. [Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA (United States)

2016-05-01

Vector error correction (VEC) was used to test the importance of a theoretical causal chain from transportation fuel cost to vehicle sales to macroeconomic activity. Real transportation fuel cost was broken into two cost components: real gasoline price (rpgas) and real personal consumption of gasoline and other goods (gas). Real personal consumption expenditure on vehicles (RMVE) represented vehicle sales. Real gross domestic product (rGDP) was used as the measure of macroeconomic activity. The VEC estimates used quarterly data from the third quarter of 1952 to the first quarter of 2014. Controlling for the financial causes of the recent Great Recession, real homeowners’ equity (equity) and real credit market instruments liability (real consumer debt, rcmdebt) were included. Results supported the primary hypothesis of the research, but also introduced evidence that another financial path through equity is important, and that use of the existing fleet of vehicles (not just sales of vehicles) is an important transport-related contributor to macroeconomic activity. Consumer debt reduction is estimated to be a powerful short-run force reducing vehicle sales. Findings are interpreted in the context of the recent Greene, Lee, and Hopson (2012) (hereafter GLH) estimation of the magnitude of three distinct macroeconomic damage effects that result from dependence on imported oil, the price of which is manipulated by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The three negative macroeconomic impacts are due to (1) dislocation (positive oil price shock), (2) high oil price levels, and (3) a high value of the quantity of oil imports times an oil price delta (cartel price less competitive price). The third of these is the wealth effect. The VEC model addresses the first two, but the software output from the model (impulse response plots) does not isolate them. Nearly all prior statistical tests in the literature have used vector autoregression (VAR) and

Establishing a Set of Macroeconomic Factors Explaining Variation Over Time of Performance in Business Sectors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Audrius Dzikevičius

2016-06-01

Full Text Available With increasing competitiveness of companies and business sectors in the domestic markets of Lithuania, economic units are frequently confronted with the lack of methods for more detailed analysis of external factors explaining the variation over time of corporate financial indicators. The analysis or forecasting of financial indicators is usually linked with the development of a stock market or undertaken to estimate the probability of bankruptcy. However, there is a lack of studies aimed at identifying links between macroeconomic factors and financial performance indicators and explaining their variation over time. To serve that purpose, the factors of the macroeconomic environment that are most significant for certain economic activities have been identified and analysed to enable explaining the variation over time patterns of corporate financial indicators. The analysis covers economic performance, i.e. financial performance indicators and their links with macroeconomic factors, in 89 business sectors of Lithuania at a three-digit level of NACE 2 ed. The findings of the research indicate that the unemployment level in the country, the volume of export and import and the GDP are the most important macroeconomic factors that can be used to forecast different profitability, financial leverage, liquidity and other financial performance indicators of individual business sectors or companies. The research has not unfolded any significant differences between business sectors therefore the above factors are considered generic macroeconomic factors enabling to explain financial performance indicators of the 89 business sectors. Hence, special attention has to be paid to identifying and analysing specific factors and assessing the causal link. When established, the set of such factors provides a framework for building of a model to forecast business sector financial indicators.

The Effects of Modified Games on the Development of Gross Motor Skill in Preschoolers

Science.gov (United States)

Lestari, Indah; Ratnaningsih, Tri

2016-01-01

Gross motor skills on children must be optimized much earlier since it plays important role not only on their interaction process but also in supporting other multiple developments. One of the means in developing child's motor skill is by providing innovative games i.e. modified games including game format, game timing, and game sequence. The…

Macroeconomic Analysis and Graphical Interpretation of Azerbaijan Economy in 1991-2012

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khatai ALIYEV

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The aim of this research is to analyze macroeconomic performance and discuss transition indicators in Azerbaijan economy for 1991-2012. After regaining independence in 1991, Azerbaijan implemented economic transition process toward market economy. In the first years of independence, serious economic recession was observed. However, after 1995, the restructuring of the economy started. In this sense, signing the “Contract of the Century” was a turning point toward oil based high speed economic growth or oil boom period. Thus, by opening “Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan” pipeline in 2005, Azerbaijan’s macroeconomic indicators experienced considerable growth for the following years. On the other hand, Azerbaijan officially declared the end of economic transition process in its economy in 2009. In this paper, the authors discuss the political-economic and economic process in the whole period as well as analyze the macroeconomic performance with and without oil & gas contribution. In addition, the authors question what would happen if economic transition period ended in Azerbaijan’s economy. It is concluded that oil & gas production has a serious impact over macroeconomic indicators and transition indicators, and for Azerbaijan it implies only a partly end of economic transition, though not completely.

Stock market volatility and macroeconomic uncertainty

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Arnold, I.J.M.; Vrugt, E.B.

2006-01-01

This paper provides empirical evidence on the link between stock market volatility and macroeconomic uncertainty. We show that US stock market volatility is significantly related to the dispersion in economic forecasts from SPF survey participants over the period from 1969 to 1996. This link is much

The Relevance of Using Mathematical Models in Macroeconomic Policies Theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nora Mihail

2006-11-01

Full Text Available The article presents a look of the principal’s mathematical models – starting with Theil, Hansen and Tinbergen work – and their results used to analysis and design macroeconomic policies. In modeling field changes are very fast in theoretical aspects of modeling the many problems of macroeconomic policies and in using in practice the different political models elaboration. The article points out the problems of static and dynamic theory used in macro-policies modeling.

The Relevance of Using Mathematical Models in Macroeconomic Policies Theory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nora Mihail

2006-09-01

Full Text Available The article presents a look of the principal’s mathematical models – starting with Theil, Hansen and Tinbergen work – and their results used to analysis and design macroeconomic policies. In modeling field changes are very fast in theoretical aspects of modeling the many problems of macroeconomic policies and in using in practice the different political models elaboration. The article points out the problems of static and dynamic theory used in macro-policies modeling.

Impact of inflation on the macroeconomic indicators in transition economies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ranković Marko

2012-06-01

Full Text Available This paper is dealing with treats of inflation in times of world financial turmoil. It examines how inflation is impacting macroeconomic factors. Is there relationship and how strong it is between inflation and economic growth, unemployment rate and other selected economic indicators? Motivated by these questions, this paper examines the relationship between inflation and selected macroeconomic indicators: real GDP annual growth rate, privatization revenues, as part of the GDP, level of investments, unemployment rate and share of assets of foreign banks in domestic bank system by using data for 13 transition economies over the period 1993-2008. The evidence strongly supports the view that the relationship between inflation and selected macroeconomic indicators is significantly and strongly negative, observed for the region. However, for small number countries in transition there is no direct significant relationship between inflation, but indirect relationship has been showed.

PROGame: A process framework for serious game development for motor rehabilitation therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Amengual Alcover, Esperança; Jaume-I-Capó, Antoni; Moyà-Alcover, Biel

2018-01-01

Serious game development for rehabilitation therapy is becoming increasingly popular because of the motivational advantages that these types of applications provide. Consequently, the need for a common process framework for this category of software development has become increasingly evident. The goal is to guarantee that products are developed and validated by following a coherent and systematic method that leads to high-quality serious games. This paper introduces a new process framework for the development of serious games for motor rehabilitation therapy. We introduce the new model and demonstrate its application for the development of a serious game for the improvement of the balance and postural control of adults with cerebral palsy. The development of this application has been facilitated by two technological transfer contracts and is being exploited by two different organizations. According to clinical measurements, patients using the application improved from high fall risk to moderate fall risk. We believe that our development strategy can be useful not only for motor rehabilitation therapy, but also for the development of serious games in many other rehabilitation areas.

Effects of macroeconomic trends on social security spending due to sickness and disability.

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, Jahangir; Gerdtham, Ulf-G; Jansson, Bjarne

2004-11-01

We analyzed the relationship between macroeconomic conditions, measured as unemployment rate and social security spending, from 4 social security schemes and total spending due to sickness and disability. We obtained aggregated panel data from 13 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development member countries for 1980-1996. We used regression analysis and fixed effect models to examine spending on sickness benefits, disability pensions, occupational-injury benefits, survivor's pensions, and total spending. A decline in unemployment increased sickness benefits spending and reduced disability pension spending. These effects reversed direction after 4 years of unemployment. Inclusion of mortality rate as an additional variable in the analysis did not affect the findings. Macroeconomic conditions influence some reimbursements from social security schemes but not total spending.

SIMULATION GAMING FOR MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT.

Science.gov (United States)

MCKENNEY, JAMES L.

THE PRESENT HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL MANAGEMENT SIMULATION GAME WAS DEVELOPED AS A TEACHING DEVICE FOR CLASSES OF 20 OR MORE STUDENTS GROUPED INTO FOUR- AND FIVE-MAN TEAMS CALLED "FIRMS." EACH FIRM COMPETES WITH OTHERS IN AN "INDUSTRY," AN ECONOMIC ABSTRACTION OF A CONSUMER GOODS MARKET PROGRAMED TO BE SIMULATED ON AN ELECTRONIC…

Development and Evaluation of MOOSES games in Flash/Macromedia

OpenAIRE

Ekse, Magnus Førland

2010-01-01

Video games are very popular today and the electronic entertainment industry is in many areas equal to the more mature entertainment industries like film and music in terms of usage and revenues. The MOOSES (Multiplayer On One Screen Entertainment System) allows players to play on one big screen together with the use of their mobile phone as a game controller. The framework was designed for easy development of multiplayer games in Java and C++.Flash is a very popular technology on the Interne...

Developing Decision-Making Skill: Experiential Learning in Computer Games

OpenAIRE

Kurt A. April; Katja M. J. Goebel; Eddie Blass; Jonathan Foster-Pedley

2012-01-01

This paper explores the value that computer and video games bring to learning and leadership and explores how games work as learning environments and the impact they have on personal development. The study looks at decisiveness, decision-making ability and styles, and on how this leadership-related skill is learnt through different paradigms. The paper compares the learning from a lecture to the learning from a designed computer game, both of which have the same content through the use of a s...

The RAGE Advanced Game Technologies Repository for Supporting Applied Game Development

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Georgiev, Atanas; Grigorov, Alexander; Bontchev, Boyan; Boytchev, Pavel; Stefanov, Krassen; Westera, Wim; Prada, Rui; Hollins, Paul; Moreno Ger, Pablo

2016-01-01

This paper describes the structural architecture of the RAGE repository, which is a unique and dedicated infrastructure that provides access to a wide variety of advanced technologies (RAGE software assets) for applied game development. These software assets are reusable across a wide diversity of

Macroeconomic factors and foreign portfolio investment volatility: A case of South Asian countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yahya Waqas

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Macroeconomic factors play a pivotal role in attracting foreign investment in the country. This study investigates the relationship between macroeconomic factors and foreign portfolio investment volatility in South Asian countries. The monthly data is collected for the period ranging from 2000 to 2012 for four Asian countries i.e. China, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka because monthly data is ideal for measuring portfolio investment volatility. For measuring volatility in foreign portfolio investment, GARCH (1,1 is used because shocks are responded quickly by this model. The results reveal that there exists significant relationship between macroeconomic factors and foreign portfolio investment volatility. Thus, less volatility in international portfolio flows is associated with high interest rate, currency depreciation, foreign direct investment, lower inflation, and higher GDP growth rate of the host country. Thus findings of this study suggest that foreign portfolio investors focus on stable macroeconomic environment of country.

Exploiting Textured 3D Models for Developing Serious Games

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Kontogianni

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Digital technologies have affected significantly many fields of computer graphics such as Games and especially the field of the Serious Games. These games are usually used for educational proposes in many fields such as Health Care, Military applications, Education, Government etc. Especially Digital Cultural Heritage is a scientific area that Serious Games are applied and lately many applications appear in the related literature. Realistic 3D textured models which have been produced using different photogrammetric methods could be a useful tool for the creation of Serious Game applications in order to make the final result more realistic and close to the reality. The basic goal of this paper is how 3D textured models which are produced by photogrammetric methods can be useful for developing a more realistic environment of a Serious Game. The application of this project aims at the creation of an educational game for the Ancient Agora of Athens. The 3D models used vary not only as far as their production methods (i.e. Time of Flight laser scanner, Structure from Motion, Virtual historical reconstruction etc. is concerned, but also as far as their era as some of them illustrated according to their existing situation and some others according to how these monuments looked like in the past. The Unity 3D® game developing environment was used for creating this application, in which all these models were inserted in the same file format. For the application two diachronic virtual tours of the Athenian Agora were produced. The first one illustrates the Agora as it is today and the second one at the 2nd century A.D. Finally the future perspective for the evolution of this game is presented which includes the addition of some questions that the user will be able to answer. Finally an evaluation is scheduled to be performed at the end of the project.

Exploiting Textured 3D Models for Developing Serious Games

Science.gov (United States)

Kontogianni, G.; Georgopoulos, A.

2015-08-01

Digital technologies have affected significantly many fields of computer graphics such as Games and especially the field of the Serious Games. These games are usually used for educational proposes in many fields such as Health Care, Military applications, Education, Government etc. Especially Digital Cultural Heritage is a scientific area that Serious Games are applied and lately many applications appear in the related literature. Realistic 3D textured models which have been produced using different photogrammetric methods could be a useful tool for the creation of Serious Game applications in order to make the final result more realistic and close to the reality. The basic goal of this paper is how 3D textured models which are produced by photogrammetric methods can be useful for developing a more realistic environment of a Serious Game. The application of this project aims at the creation of an educational game for the Ancient Agora of Athens. The 3D models used vary not only as far as their production methods (i.e. Time of Flight laser scanner, Structure from Motion, Virtual historical reconstruction etc.) is concerned, but also as far as their era as some of them illustrated according to their existing situation and some others according to how these monuments looked like in the past. The Unity 3D® game developing environment was used for creating this application, in which all these models were inserted in the same file format. For the application two diachronic virtual tours of the Athenian Agora were produced. The first one illustrates the Agora as it is today and the second one at the 2nd century A.D. Finally the future perspective for the evolution of this game is presented which includes the addition of some questions that the user will be able to answer. Finally an evaluation is scheduled to be performed at the end of the project.

Involving lay People in Research and Professional Development Through Gaming

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Magnussen, Rikke

2017-01-01

a systematic mapping review methodology, the focus was to map and examine research in these types of games or game environments, and to identify potentials and gaps in the field to inform future research. 89 studies were identified through iterative searching and identification processes applying keywords......Due to the increasing significance of games where lay people are involved in generating knowledge for research or development, the current paper presents a mapping review of status and trends in research of games designed for citizen science, crowdsourcing or community driven research. Using...... they were involved and studies where participants develop knowledge for professional use. The 32 studies were selected for a grounded theory inspired qualitative review and six themes were identified: 1. Motivation; 2. Quality of participant contribution; 3. Learning/education; 4. System/task analysis; 5...

Nonlinearities in Behavioral Macroeconomics.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomes, Orlando

2017-07-01

This article undertakes a journey across the literature on behavioral macroeconomics, with attention concentrated on the nonlinearities that the behavioral approach typically suggests or implies. The emphasis is placed on thinking the macro economy as a living organism, composed of many interacting parts, each one having a will of its own, which is in sharp contrast with the mechanism of the orthodox view (well represented by the neoclassical or new Keynesian dynamic stochastic general equilibrium - DSGE - model). The paper advocates that a thorough understanding of individual behavior in collective contexts is the only possible avenue to further explore macroeconomic phenomena and the often observed 'anomalies' that the benchmark DSGE macro framework is unable to explain or justify. After a reflection on the role of behavioral traits as a fundamental component of a new way of thinking the economy, the article proceeds with a debate on some of the most relevant frameworks in the literature that somehow link macro behavior and nonlinearities; covered subjects include macro models with disequilibrium rules, agent-based models that highlight interaction and complexity, evolutionary switching frameworks, and inattention based decision problems. These subjects have, as a fundamental point in common, the use of behavioral elements to transform existing interpretations of the economic reality, making it more evident how irregular fluctuations emerge and unfold on the aggregate.

The role of expectations in the FRB/US macroeconomic model

OpenAIRE

Flint Brayton; Eileen Mauskopf; David L. Reifschneider; Peter A. Tinsley; John Williams

1997-01-01

In the past year, the staff of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System began using a new macroeconomic model of the U.S. economy referred to as the FRB/US model. This system of mathematical equations, describing interactions among economic measures such as inflation, interest rates, and gross domestic product, is one of the tools used in economic forecasting and the analysis of macroeconomic policy issues at the Board. The FRB/US model replaces the MPS model, which, with periodic...

Loss given default models incorporating macroeconomic variables for credit cards

OpenAIRE

Crook, J.; Bellotti, T.

2012-01-01

Based on UK data for major retail credit cards, we build several models of Loss Given Default based on account level data, including Tobit, a decision tree model, a Beta and fractional logit transformation. We find that Ordinary Least Squares models with macroeconomic variables perform best for forecasting Loss Given Default at the account and portfolio levels on independent hold-out data sets. The inclusion of macroeconomic conditions in the model is important, since it provides a means to m...

Three Essays on Macroeconomics

Science.gov (United States)

Doda, Lider Baran

This dissertation consists of three independent essays in macroeconomics. The first essay studies the transition to a low carbon economy using an extension of the neoclassical growth model featuring endogenous energy efficiency, exhaustible energy and explicit climate-economy interaction. I derive the properties of the laissez faire equilibrium and compare them to the optimal allocations of a social planner who internalizes the climate change externality. Three main results emerge. First, the exhaustibility of energy generates strong market based incentives to improve energy efficiency and reduce CO 2 emissions without any government intervention. Second, the market and optimal allocations are substantially different suggesting a role for the government. Third, high and persistent taxes are required to implement the optimal allocations as a competitive equilibrium with taxes. The second essay focuses on coal fired power plants (CFPP) - one of the largest sources of CO2 emissions globally - and their generation efficiency using a macroeconomic model with an embedded CFPP sector. A key feature of the model is the endogenous choice of production technologies which differ in their energy efficiency. After establishing four empirical facts about the CFPP sector, I analyze the long run quantitative effects of energy taxes. Using the calibrated model, I find that sector-specific coal taxes have large effects on generation efficiency by inducing the use of more efficient technologies. Moreover, such taxes achieve large CO2 emissions reductions with relatively small effects on consumption and output. The final essay studies the procyclicality of fiscal policy in developing countries, which is a well-documented empirical observation seemingly at odds with Neoclassical and Keynesian policy prescriptions. I examine this issue by solving the optimal fiscal policy problem of a small open economy government when the interest rates on external debt are endogenous. Given an

A game is a game is a game

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Ida Kathrine Hammeleff

2017-01-01

Recently self-referentiality have occurred as a trend among game designers and have also enjoyed sporadic attention in academia. However, in academia, discussions of self-referential games often rest on proceduralist arguments and a too exclusive focus on the game object. This paper draws...... on the typology of meta-pictures developed by art historian J.W.T. Mitchell. Based on this typology, this paper discusses the notion of meta-games and suggest a broad conception of such games that includes not only the game object, but also the player and the discourse in which it is interpreted....

Oil price assumptions in macroeconomic forecasts: should we follow future market expectations?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coimbra, C.; Esteves, P.S.

2004-01-01

In macroeconomic forecasting, in spite of its important role in price and activity developments, oil prices are usually taken as an exogenous variable, for which assumptions have to be made. This paper evaluates the forecasting performance of futures market prices against the other popular technical procedure, the carry-over assumption. The results suggest that there is almost no difference between opting for futures market prices or using the carry-over assumption for short-term forecasting horizons (up to 12 months), while, for longer-term horizons, they favour the use of futures market prices. However, as futures market prices reflect market expectations for world economic activity, futures oil prices should be adjusted whenever market expectations for world economic growth are different to the values underlying the macroeconomic scenarios, in order to fully ensure the internal consistency of those scenarios. (Author)

Game Development with The Frozenbyte Engine for the Game Consoles of the Eighth Generation

OpenAIRE

Kiesiläinen, Tia

2014-01-01

This thesis was commissioned by Frozenbyte Ltd, who have a history of publishing games on multiple platforms. The subject was decided when the author worked on Trine Enchanted Edition during their internship. The decision was supported by the upcoming launch of the game for multiple platforms and the opportunities it allowed for learning. The goal of the thesis is to further the author's knowledge and skills regarding development for multiple platforms. The practical goal is to...

Amplifying applied game development and uptake

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hollins, Paul; Westera, Wim; Manero, Borja

2015-01-01

The established (digital) leisure game industry is historically one dominated by large international hardware vendors (e.g. Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo), major publishers and supported by a complex network of development studios, distributors and retailers. New modes of digital distribution and

Resource Limitations, the Demand for Education and Economic Growth--A Macroeconomic View.

Science.gov (United States)

Stam, Jerome M.

To develop a theoretical framework for explaining the observed change in demand for human skill and knowledge that occurs with economic growth, a macroeconomic analysis was made of economic variables which are influenced by political, social, and cultural factors. In the three-dimensional framework, total output (Y) of all final goods and services…

DEVELOPMENT MONOPOLY: A Simulation Game on Poverty and Inequality

Science.gov (United States)

Ansoms, An; Geenen, Sara

2012-01-01

DEVELOPMENT MONOPOLY is a simulation game that allows players to experience how power relations influence the agency of different socioeconomic groups, and how this can induce poverty and inequality. Players alter the original rules of the MONOPOLY board game so that they more accurately reflect social stratification and inequalities in the…

The effect of macroeconomic variables on suicide.

Science.gov (United States)

Berk, Michael; Dodd, Seetal; Henry, Margaret

2006-02-01

There are a large number of factors mediating suicide. Many studies have searched for a direct causal relationship between economic hardship and suicide, however, findings have been varied. Suicide data was obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics for the period between January 1968 and August 2002. These were correlated with a suite of macroeconomic data including housing loan interest rates, unemployment rates, days lost to industrial disputes, Consumer Price Index, gross domestic product, and the Consumer Sentiment Index. A total of 51845 males and 16327 females committed suicide between these dates. There were significant associations between suicide rates and eleven macroeconomic indicators for both genders in at least one age range. Data was divided into male and female and five age ranges and pooled ages. Analyses were conducted on these 132 datasets resulting in 80 significant findings. The data was generally stronger for indices measuring economic performance than indices measuring consumers' perceptions of the state of the economy. A striking difference between male and female trends was seen. Generally, male suicide rates increased with markers of economic adversity, while the opposite pattern was seen in females. There were significantly different patterns in age-stratified data, with for example higher housing loan interest rates having a positive association with suicide in younger people and a negative association in older age groups. Macroeconomic trends are significantly associated with suicide. The patterns in males and females are very different, and there are further substantial age-related differences.

Evaluation of Continuation Desire as an Iterative Game Development Method

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schoenau-Fog, Henrik; Birke, Alexander; Reng, Lars

2012-01-01

When developing a game it is always valuable to use feedback from players in each iteration, in order to plan the design of the next iteration. However, it can be challenging to devise a simple approach to acquiring information about a player's engagement while playing. In this paper we will thus...... concerning a crowd game which is controlled by smartphones and is intended to be played by audiences in cinemas and at venues with large screens. The case study demonstrates how the approach can be used to help improve the desire to continue when developing a game....

USE OF THE SIMPLE LINEAR REGRESSION MODEL IN MACRO-ECONOMICAL ANALYSES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Constantin ANGHELACHE

2011-10-01

Full Text Available The article presents the fundamental aspects of the linear regression, as a toolbox which can be used in macroeconomic analyses. The article describes the estimation of the parameters, the statistical tests used, the homoscesasticity and heteroskedasticity. The use of econometrics instrument in macroeconomics is an important factor that guarantees the quality of the models, analyses, results and possible interpretation that can be drawn at this level.

Oil production, oil prices, and macroeconomic adjustment under different wage assumptions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harvie, C.; Maleka, P.T.

1992-01-01

In a previous paper one of the authors developed a simple model to try to identify the possible macroeconomic adjustment processes arising in an economy experiencing a temporary period of oil production, under alternative wage adjustment assumptions, namely nominal and real wage rigidity. Certain assumptions were made regarding the characteristics of actual production, the permanent revenues generated from that oil production, and the net exports/imports of oil. The role of the price of oil, and possible changes in that price was essentially ignored. Here we attempt to incorporate the price of oil, as well as changes in that price, in conjunction with the production of oil, the objective being to identify the contribution which the price of oil, and changes in it, make to the adjustment process itself. The emphasis in this paper is not given to a mathematical derivation and analysis of the model's dynamics of adjustment or its comparative statics, but rather to the derivation of simulation results from the model, for a specific assumed case, using a numerical algorithm program, conducive to the type of theoretical framework utilized here. The results presented suggest that although the adjustment profiles of the macroeconomic variables of interest, for either wage adjustment assumption, remain fundamentally the same, the magnitude of these adjustments is increased. Hence to derive a more accurate picture of the dimensions of adjustment of these macroeconomic variables, it is essential to include the price of oil as well as changes in that price. (Author)

Learning lean with lego: developing and evaluating the efficacy of a serious game

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fabiano Leal

Full Text Available Abstract This study presents the use of a serious game developed to teach Lean philosophy. The structure of this game was built from theoretical elements and predefined learning events. Learning outcomes and student motivation were considered in the evaluation of the efficacy of the game. This serious game was applied to four groups of students with different profiles. The evaluation results were compared among these groups of students. It can be concluded that the serious game developed showed positive results in learning and motivation demonstrated by the students, regardless of the group analyzed. The main contributions to the literature presented in this article were the serious game (named 3L that was developed and the efficacy evaluation method, considering the learning and motivation demonstrated in different profiles of students.

Macroeconomic Conditions, Health and Mortality

OpenAIRE

Christopher J. Ruhm

2004-01-01

Although health is conventionally believed to deteriorate during macroeconomic downturns, the empirical evidence supporting this view is quite weak and comes from studies containing methodological shortcomings that are difficult to remedy. Recent research that better controls for many sources of omitted variables bias instead suggests that mortality decreases and physical health improves when the economy temporarily weakens. This partially reflects reductions in external sources of death, suc...

Development and User Satisfaction of "Plan-It Commander," a Serious Game for Children with ADHD.

Science.gov (United States)

Bul, Kim C M; Franken, Ingmar H A; Van der Oord, Saskia; Kato, Pamela M; Danckaerts, Marina; Vreeke, Leonie J; Willems, Annik; van Oers, Helga J J; van den Heuvel, Ria; van Slagmaat, Rens; Maras, Athanasios

2015-12-01

The need for engaging treatment approaches within mental health care has led to the application of gaming approaches to existing behavioral training programs (i.e., gamification). Because children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) tend to have fewer problems with concentration and engagement when playing digital games, applying game technologies and design approaches to complement treatment may be a useful means to engage this population in their treatment. Unfortunately, gamified training programs currently available for ADHD have been limited in their ability to demonstrate in-game behavior skills that generalize to daily life situations. Therefore, we developed a new serious game (called "Plan-It Commander") that was specifically designed to promote behavioral learning and promotes strategy use in domains of daily life functioning such as time management, planning/organizing, and prosocial skills that are known to be problematic for children with ADHD. An interdisciplinary team contributed to the development of the game. The game's content and approach are based on psychological principles from the Self-Regulation Model, Social Cognitive Theory, and Learning Theory. In this article, game development and the scientific background of the behavioral approach are described, as well as results of a survey (n = 42) to gather user feedback on the first prototype of the game. The findings suggest that participants were satisfied with this game and provided the basis for further development and research to the game. Implications for developing serious games and applying user feedback in game development are discussed.

Ratings of Sovereign Risk and the Macroeconomics Fundamentals of the countries: a Study Using Artificial Neural Networks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Osvaldo Cândido da Silva Filho

2009-05-01

Full Text Available To minimize the consequences of asymmetric information, the sovereign risk ratings are instruments that constitute a key piece in the determination of credit market conditions, essential to the growth of developing countries like Brazil. In the present work we studied based on macroeconomics foundations, a classification to sovereign risk ratings realized by the ratings agencies finding the classification using Artificial Neural Networks. We observed homogeneity degree between the attributions of agencies and macroeconomics foundations in the countries of sample which four of foundations seem to be more directly connected with these attributions. After, in a comparative static exercise, we use the model to make simulations of scenarios of the credit external conditions for the Brazilian economy, changing the macroeconomics foundations which we noted that agencies expected for more per capita income increasing and decrease of public debt. (Full article in Portuguese only

The Effect of Macroeconomic Factors on Stock Prices of Swiss Real Estate Companies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marie Ligocká

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Stock values of companies listed on stock exchanges could be influenced by many factors. The aim of this article is to examine existence and character of relationship between stock prices of selected Swiss real estate companies and macroeconomic fundamentals (GDP, interest rate, price level. The existence of long-run equilibrium relationship between stock prices and macroeconomic fundamentals is tested with the Johansen cointegration. The short run dynamics between the variables is examined by Vector Error Correction modelling and the Granger causality test. During the period 2005 – 2014 we revealed a long‑run equilibrium for five of the six analyzed stocks. We also confirmed that macroeconomic variables and the interest rate in particular, can explain a long-run behavior of stock prices. By contrast, macroeconomic variables are usually short in explanation of short‑run dynamics of stock prices. However, the results differ substantially among the stocks and, hence, they prevent us from drawing any general conclusion for the entire real estate sector in Switzerland.

The impact of macroeconomic and conventional stock market variables on Islamic index returns under regime switching

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Slah Bahloul

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The objective of this paper is to study the impact of conventional stock market return and volatility and various macroeconomic variables (including inflation rate, short-term interest rate, the slope of the yield curve and money supply on Islamic stock markets returns for twenty developed and emerging markets using Markov switching regression models. The empirical results for the period 2002–2014 show that both developed and emerging Islamic stock indices are influenced by conventional stock indices returns and money supply for both the low and high volatility regimes. However, the other macroeconomic variables fail to explain the dynamics of Islamic stock indices especially in the high volatility regime. Similar conclusions are obtained by using the MS-VAR model.

Modeling of Macroeconomics by a Novel Discrete Nonlinear Fractional Dynamical System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhenhua Hu

2013-01-01

Full Text Available We propose a new nonlinear economic system with fractional derivative. According to the Jumarie’s definition of fractional derivative, we obtain a discrete fractional nonlinear economic system. Three variables, the gross domestic production, inflation, and unemployment rate, are considered by this nonlinear system. Based on the concrete macroeconomic data of USA, the coefficients of this nonlinear system are estimated by the method of least squares. The application of discrete fractional economic model with linear and nonlinear structure is shown to illustrate the efficiency of modeling the macroeconomic data with discrete fractional dynamical system. The empirical study suggests that the nonlinear discrete fractional dynamical system can describe the actual economic data accurately and predict the future behavior more reasonably than the linear dynamic system. The method proposed in this paper can be applied to investigate other macroeconomic variables of more states.

Experiments on Expectations in Macroeconomics and Finance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Assenza, Tiziana; Bao, Te; Hommes, Cars; Massaro, Domenico; Duffy, John

Expectations play a crucial role in finance, macroeconomics, monetary economics, and fiscal policy. In the last decade a rapidly increasing number of laboratory experiments have been performed to study individual expectation formation, the interactions of individual forecasting rules, and the

Essays on financial structure and macroeconomic performance

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhu, D.

2006-01-01

In addressing the matter, two essays study the effects of the debt vs. equity dimension of the financial structure on international consumption smoothing and macroeconomic volatility (in particular, economic downturns). Another essay evaluates the role of informal financial institution by looking

The magic lens box: Simplifying the development of mixed reality games

OpenAIRE

Wetzel, R.; Lindt, I.; Waern, A.; Johnson, S.

2008-01-01

Mixed Reality games are becoming more and more popular these days and offer unique experiences to the players. However, development of such games typically still requires expert knowledge and access to Mixed Reality toolkits or frameworks. In this paper, we present the so-called Magic Lens Box that follows a different approach. Based on standard hardware The Magic Lens Box enables game designers with little technological background to create their own Mixed Reality games in a simple yet power...

Serious game development as a strategy for health promotion and tackling childhood obesity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jéssica David Dias

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objectives: to develop and assess a serious game on healthy eating and physical activity to promote health and tackle childhood obesity. Method: a descriptive, applied and methodological study.For the development of the game, the following steps were taken: conceptualization, pre-production with the development of the game documentation, prototyping, production and assessment of thecomputer and health experts. Results: a prototype has been developed up to beta version. The game was positively assessed both in terms of gameplay and mechanics, and in relation to the content presented, standing out as a powerful strategy for health promotion. The information from the assessment phase contributed to the settings in the software in order to make it available in the future for the target population of this research. The greatest advantage of the proposed game is the fact that it is an open educational resource. Conclusions: the expert assessments showed that the game has great educational potential and it is considered suitable for future application to the target audience.The serious game can become a technological teaching resource available for use in schools and health facilities, and can also be reused for the production of other educational games by accessing its source code.

Macroeconomic Determinants of IPO Activity in Poland between 1993 and 2013

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sylvia Kovandová

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Purpose of the article: This study deals with recent primary stock market developments in Poland and aims to indicate the influence of local macroeconomic indicators on IPO numbers over the period of 1993 to 2012. Methodology/methods: Descriptive statistics are used to analyse capital market and IPO developments and the Spearman correlation analysis identifies the relations between macroeconomic determinants and the IPO numbers. The data were evaluated at the significance level of α=5%. The entire statistical evaluation was performed by Statistica.CZ, Version 12. Scientific aim: The scientific aim of this article is to explore external factors that may influence the decision of enterprises to go public in the Polish capital market and thus to enlarge the current IPO literature with an analysis the following issue: What are the key local macroeconomic determinants of going public on the market in question? The number of variables used in this paper is greater than those considered in previous Polish IPO studies. Moreover, we focus on IPO activities between 1993 and 2012 and thus extend the existing time-series. Findings: The results of the correlation analysis can be summarized as follows. First of all, the hypothesis that the business cycle and stock index returns have explanatory power for the number of IPOs could not be supported by empirical evidence. On the other hand, we found empirical support that the reference interest rate affected the IPO numbers. Conclusions: The hypothesis that the reference interest rate has explanatory power for IPO numbers in the Polish capital market could be supported by empirical evidence. On the other hand we could not confirm any significant lagged effects concerning the relationship between other explanatory variables and the dependent variable. Therefore, our results suggest only a partial consistency with the theory and findings of previous Polish IPO studies.

Visibility graph analysis on quarterly macroeconomic series of China based on complex network theory

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Na; Li, Dong; Wang, Qiwen

2012-12-01

The visibility graph approach and complex network theory provide a new insight into time series analysis. The inheritance of the visibility graph from the original time series was further explored in the paper. We found that degree distributions of visibility graphs extracted from Pseudo Brownian Motion series obtained by the Frequency Domain algorithm exhibit exponential behaviors, in which the exponential exponent is a binomial function of the Hurst index inherited in the time series. Our simulations presented that the quantitative relations between the Hurst indexes and the exponents of degree distribution function are different for different series and the visibility graph inherits some important features of the original time series. Further, we convert some quarterly macroeconomic series including the growth rates of value-added of three industry series and the growth rates of Gross Domestic Product series of China to graphs by the visibility algorithm and explore the topological properties of graphs associated from the four macroeconomic series, namely, the degree distribution and correlations, the clustering coefficient, the average path length, and community structure. Based on complex network analysis we find degree distributions of associated networks from the growth rates of value-added of three industry series are almost exponential and the degree distributions of associated networks from the growth rates of GDP series are scale free. We also discussed the assortativity and disassortativity of the four associated networks as they are related to the evolutionary process of the original macroeconomic series. All the constructed networks have “small-world” features. The community structures of associated networks suggest dynamic changes of the original macroeconomic series. We also detected the relationship among government policy changes, community structures of associated networks and macroeconomic dynamics. We find great influences of government

Methodological Bases for Ranking the European Union Countries in Terms of Macroeconomic Security

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tymoshenko Olena V.

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The fundamental contradictions of existing methodical approaches to assessing the level of the state economic security have been substantiated and proposals on the introduction of a unified methodology for its assessment, which would be acceptable for use at the international level or for a specific cluster of countries, have been developed. Based on the conducted researches it has been found that the there are no unified signs for such classification of countries. To determine the most significant coefficients and critical values of the indicators of economic security, it is appropriate that the countries should be grouped in terms of the level of the economic development proposed by the UN Commission and the IMF. Analysis of the economic security level has been conducted for the countries-members of the European Union as a separate cluster of countries on the example of macroeconomic security indicators. Based on the evaluation it has been found that the proposed list of indicators and their critical values is economically sound and built on the principle of adequacy, representativeness and comprehensiveness. In 2004 the most secure countries of the EU corresponding to the macroeconomic security standards were Austria, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and as in 2014 the percentage of absolutely secure countries decreased from 14.3 to 7.1%, only Denmark and Sweden remained in the ranking. During the analyzed period Bulgaria and Croatia got into the risk zone, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Romania were in a danger zone. In 2014 Ukraine in terms of its macroeconomic security was in a critical state, which testified about serious structural and system imbalances in its development.

Impact of Macroeconomic Policies on Poverty and Unemployment Rates in Nigeria, Implications for Attaining Inclusive Growth

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Philip Nwosa

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This paper examined the effect of macroeconomic policies on unemployment and poverty rates in Nigeria from 1980 to 2013 with implication to achieving inclusive growth. The inability of macroeconomic policies in addressing the rising issues unemployment and poverty rates in Nigeria despite the impressive economic growth experience over the last decades has increasingly called for the need for the pursuance of inclusive growth to address the social issues of unemployment and poverty rate. Previous studies have not considered the extent to which macroeconomic policies affects unemployment and poverty rate in Nigeria, and the implication of this relationship to the attainment of inclusive growth in Nigeria. The study adopts the Ordinary Least Square (OLS technique. The study observed that among macroeconomic policy variables only exchange rate significantly influenced unemployment rate while only fiscal policy significantly influenced and poverty rate. This implies that present macroeconomic policies in Nigeria do not guarantee the attainment of inclusive growth in Nigeria. The contribution of the paper is that to achieve inclusive growth that guarantees high employment and reduced poverty rate, there is the need for a re-examination of macroeconomic policy management in Nigeria.

Establishing an Educational Game Development Model: From the Experience of Teaching Search Engine Optimization

Science.gov (United States)

Lui, Richard W. C.; Au, Cheuk Hang

2018-01-01

This article describes how different literatures have suggested the positive role of educational games in students' learning, but it can be hard to find an existing game for student learning. Some lecturers may try to develop a game for their courses, but there were not many effective models for educational board game development. The authors have…

Macroeconomic Policies and Agent Heterogeneity

OpenAIRE

GOTTLIEB, Charles

2012-01-01

Defence date: 24 February 2012 Examining Board: Giancarlo Corsetti, Arpad Abraham, Juan Carlos Conesa, Jonathan Heathcote. This thesis contributes to the understanding of macroeconomic policies’ impact on the distribution of wealth. It belongs to the strand of literature that departs from the representative agent assumption and perceives agent heterogeneity and the induced disparities in wealth accumulation, as an important dimension of economic policy-making. Within such economic envir...

Macroeconomic impact of the Solar Thermal Electricity Industry in Spain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2011-10-15

In the last three years, Solar Thermal Electricity (STE) in Spain has grown significantly. Its weight within the renewables mix is becoming relevant, and even more so, its impact on economics, society, the environment, and reducing energy dependence. This report was carried out by Deloitte for Protermosolar to quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate the main macroeconomic variables derived from the development of this technology in Spain from 2008 to 2010, and forecast its possible future impact.

Macroeconomic effects of petroleum supply disruptions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamilton, J.D.

1983-01-01

Seven of the eight US recessions since World War II have been preceded, typically with a lag of around 3/4 of a year, by a dramatic increase in the price of crude petroleum. That this correlation is more than just a coincidence is supported by parametric and nonparametric statistical tests on a variety of US time series and sample periods. Moreover, both the institutional structure of the petroleum industry and the historical timing of key economic events indicate that the oil shocks represented largely exogenous shocks to the US economy. Thus, the data support the proposition that oil shocks were a contributing factor in at least some of the US recessions prior to 1972. By extension, energy price increases may account for much of post-OPEC macroeconomic performance. Illustrative calculations establish that adjustments of planned investment to historical changes in energy prices, together with Keynesian-multiplier effects associated with unintended inventory accumulation, were of sufficient magnitude to have exerted a major impact on macroeconomic activity throughout the postwar period.

Macroeconomic Effects of Export Demand in Nigeria

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Bolaji Adesola Adesoye

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This study examines the macroeconomic effects of aggregate export demand in Nigeria using annual time series data between 1970 and 2013. The paper made use of the ordinary least square method to analyse the long-run relationship for the period under study. The empirical results confirm that there exists a unique and significant long-run equilibrium relationship among export volume, world income, crude oil price, domestic output, exchange rate and cost of doing business. The estimated results show that domestic income has the highest elasticity, followed by world’s output and cost of doing business, which all report positive relations. Other macroeconomic factors reported negative relationship with aggregate export volume. Thus, an important policy implication of our findings is that stabilizing Nigeria’s export earnings potential by counteracting the external factors that influence adversely the Nigerian exports such as crude oil price and cost of doing business.

The Macroeconomic Impact of Ebola Virus Disease (Evd: A Contribution to the Empirics of Growth

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Obukohwo Oba Efayena

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The paper addressed the formulation of a macro model to capture the macroeconomic impact of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD. Previous studies has adopted various models such as the dynamic computable general equilibrium (CGE model, endogenous model and the LINKAGE model, but there is dire need to generate a step-by-step model which will comprehensively capture how the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD impacts on macroeconomic variables. Adopting the traditional neoclassical growth model, the model aggregated the various macroeconomic variables as well as captured the epidemic’s strain on each of these variables. The paper also empirically shows that the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD has direct, indirect and deferred indirect cost implications for the economy. Using case studies of countries in Africa, the study evaluated how the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD has affected the macroeconomic status of selected economies. The findings imply that there is dire need to control the spread of the deadly plague. The paper contribute immensely to empirical studies in the field of macroeconomics.

Developing a health education game for preschoolers: What should we consider?

Science.gov (United States)

Arbianingsih; Rustina, Yeni; Krianto, Tri; Ayubi, Dian

2018-02-01

To provide a comprehensive picture of what preschoolers prefer in computer game so that such game may be developed as a medium in health education. This is an important step to attract the children's attention so that the learning objectives from the educational game can be achieved. This study used descriptive qualitative approach and involved seven children aged from three to six years. Purposive sampling was used to choose participants in accordance with the inclusion criteria. Participants were also chosen on the basis of whether they had good communication skills based on evaluation by their teachers. Data were collected through interviews and observation of types and models preferred by preschoolers followed by the analysis process using the Colaizzi method. Research showed there were three characteristic features of games preferred by preschoolers: 1) main character was preferred to be a moving creature, contain elements of fantasy, and have an attractive appearance; 2) game model was favored when it involved activities and rewards, and 3) the use of bright colors, particularly primary and secondary colors. To develop an appealing game for preschoolers, features such as the main character, activities in the games, and bright colors should be considered. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Impact of Macro-economic Factors on Deposit Formation by Ukrainian Population

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Shevaldina Valentyna H.

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The goal of the article is detection of interconnections between the common economic processes and formation of bank deposits by population. The article builds a correlation and regression model of complex assessment of interconnection between macro-economic factors, savings behaviour of population and level of deposits of population in banks for two hour horizons: short-term, which is characterised with deployment of crisis phenomena both in global economy and in Ukrainian economy and the medium-term one. The article characterises the most significant common macro-economic factors. In the result of the study the article establishes that Ukrainian population is oriented at short-term horizon when forming savings due to the uncertainty in future. In the medium-term prospective, savings of the population are formed basically under influence of macro-economic factors, while formation of deposits by Ukrainian population is mostly influenced by socio-psychological factors.

The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and Its Effects on American Indian Economic Development

OpenAIRE

Randall K. Q. Akee; Katherine A. Spilde; Jonathan B. Taylor

2015-01-01

The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), passed by the US Congress in 1988, was a watershed in the history of policymaking directed toward reservation-resident American Indians. IGRA set the stage for tribal government-owned gaming facilities. It also shaped how this new industry would develop and how tribal governments would invest gaming revenues. Since then, Indian gaming has approached commercial, state-licensed gaming in total revenues. Gaming operations have had a far-reaching and trans...

Game dynamic model for yeast development.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Yuanyuan; Wu, Zhijun

2012-07-01

Game theoretic models, along with replicator equations, have been applied successfully to the study of evolution of populations of competing species, including the growth of a population, the reaching of the population to an equilibrium state, and the evolutionary stability of the state. In this paper, we analyze a game model proposed by Gore et al. (Nature 456:253-256, 2009) in their recent study on the co-development of two mixed yeast strains. We examine the mathematical properties of this model with varying experimental parameters. We simulate the growths of the yeast strains and compare them with the experimental results. We also compute and analyze the equilibrium state of the system and prove that it is asymptotically and evolutionarily stable.

Platform development supportedby gaming

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mikkola, Juliana Hsuan; Hansen, Poul H. Kyvsgård

2007-01-01

The challenge of implementing industrial platforms in practice can be described as a configuration problem caused by high number of variables, which often have contradictory influences on the total performance of the firm. Consequently, the specific platform decisions become extremely complex......, possibly increasing the strategic risks for the firm. This paper reports preliminary findings on platform management process at LEGO, a Danish toy company.  Specifically, we report the process of applying games combined with simulations and workshops in the platform development. We also propose a framework...

The Art of Gamification; Teaching Sustainability and System Thinking by Pervasive Game Development

Science.gov (United States)

Nordby, Anders; Øygardslia, Kristine; Sverdrup, Ulrik; Sverdrup, Harald

2016-01-01

In 2013 Hedmark University College conducted a research project where students from a game development project/study program developed and tested a Pervasive Game for learning as part of a class in System Thinking. The overall game goal was to teach Sustainability through System Thinking, and to give the students a real world experience with their…

The Development of Educational and/or Training Computer Games for Students with Disabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Kwon, Jungmin

2012-01-01

Computer and video games have much in common with the strategies used in special education. Free resources for game development are becoming more widely available, so lay computer users, such as teachers and other practitioners, now have the capacity to develop games using a low budget and a little self-teaching. This article provides a guideline…

Demographic structure and macroeconomic trends

OpenAIRE

Aksoy, Yunus; Basso, H.S.; Smith, Ronald; Grasl, Tobias

2018-01-01

We estimate the effect of changes in demographic structure on long term\\ud trends of key macroeconomic variables using a Panel VAR for 21 OECD economies from 1970-2014. The panel data variation assists the identification of demographic effects, while the dynamic structure,\\ud incorporating multiple channels of influence, uncovers long-term effects.\\ud We propose a theoretical model, relating demographics, innovation and\\ud growth, whose simulations match our empirical findings. The current\\ud...

Game playbooks: tools to guide multidisciplinary teams in developing videogame-based behavior change interventions.

Science.gov (United States)

Duncan, Lindsay R; Hieftje, Kimberly D; Culyba, Sabrina; Fiellin, Lynn E

2014-03-01

As mobile technologies and videogaming platforms are becoming increasingly prevalent in the realm of health and healthcare, so are the opportunities to use these resources to conduct behavioral interventions. The creation and empirical testing of game style interventions, however, is challenged by the requisite collaboration of multidisciplinary teams, including researchers and game developers who have different cultures, terminologies, and standards of evidence. Thus, traditional intervention development tools such as logic models and intervention manuals may need to be augmented by creating what we have termed "Game Playbooks" which are intervention guidebooks that are created by, understood by, and acceptable to all members of the multidisciplinary game development team. The purpose of this paper is to describe the importance and content of a Game Playbook created to aide in the development of a videogame intervention designed specifically for health behavior change in young teens as well as the process for creating such a tool. We draw on the experience of our research and game design team to describe the critical components of the Game Playbook and the necessity of creating such a tool.

The credit counterparts of broad money : a structural base for macroeconomic policy

OpenAIRE

Steele, Gerald

2014-01-01

Tautological structures bring clarity to arguments in macroeconomics: familiar structures relate to the circulation of money, the circular flow of real income, and the balance of international payments. Less familiar is a structure incorporating all aspects of macroeconomic policy interventions. The origins and use of the credit counterparts of broad money are examined in the context of the application of UK monetary policy in the period since 1945.

Comparison between Famous Game Engines and Eminent Games

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prerna Mishra

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Nowadays game engines are imperative for building 3D applications and games. This is for the reason that the engines appreciably reduce resources for employing obligatory but intricate utilities. This paper elucidates about a game engine, popular games developed by these engines and its foremost elements. It portrays a number of special kinds of contemporary game developed by engines in the way of their aspects, procedure and deliberates their stipulations with comparison.

ANALYSIS OF MACROECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF EXCHANGE RATE VOLATILITY IN INDIA

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Anita Mirchandani

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The Foreign Exchange Market in India has undergone substantial changes over last decade. It is imperative by the excessive volatility of Indian Rupee causing its depreciation against major dominating currencies in international market. This research has been carried out in order to investigate various macroeconomic variables leading to acute variations in the exchange rate of a currency. An attempt has been made to review the probable reasons for the depreciation of the Rupee and analyse different macroeconomic determinants that have impact on the volatility of exchange rate and their extent of correlation with the same.

Design and development of the mobile game based on the J2ME technology

Science.gov (United States)

He, JunHua

2012-01-01

With the continuous improvement of mobile performance, mobile entertainment applications market trend has been increasingly clear, mobile entertainment applications will be after the PC entertainment applications is another important business growth. Through the full analysis of the current mobile entertainment applications market demand and trends, the author has accumulated a lot of theoretical knowledge and practical experience. Rational, using of some new technology for a mobile entertainment games design, and described the development of key technologies required for mobile game an analysis and design of the game, and to achieve a complete game development. Light of the specific mobile game project - "Battle City", detailed the development of a mobile game based on the J2ME platform, the basic steps and the various key elements, focusing on how to use object-oriented thinking on the role of mobile phones in the abstract and Game Animation package, the source code with specific instructions.

Development of a Car Racing Simulator Game Using Artificial Intelligence Techniques

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Marvin T. Chan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a car racing simulator game called Racer, in which the human player races a car against three game-controlled cars in a three-dimensional environment. The objective of the game is not to defeat the human player, but to provide the player with a challenging and enjoyable experience. To ensure that this objective can be accomplished, the game incorporates artificial intelligence (AI techniques, which enable the cars to be controlled in a manner that mimics natural driving. The paper provides a brief history of AI techniques in games, presents the use of AI techniques in contemporary video games, and discusses the AI techniques that were implemented in the development of Racer. A comparison of the AI techniques implemented in the Unity platform with traditional AI search techniques is also included in the discussion.

A Course on Serious Game Design and Development Using an Online Problem-Based Learning Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Kapralos, Bill; Fisher, Stephanie; Clarkson, Jessica; van Oostveen, Roland

2015-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe a novel undergraduate course on serious game design and development that integrates both game and instructional design, thus providing an effective approach to teaching serious game design and development. Very little effort has been dedicated to the teaching of proper serious game design and…

Development of Game-Like Simulations for Procedural Knowledge in Healthcare Education

Science.gov (United States)

Torrente, Javier; Borro-Escribano, Blanca; Freire, Manuel; del Blanco, Ángel; Marchiori, Eugenio J.; Martinez-Ortiz, Iván; Moreno-Ger, Pablo; Fernández-Manjón, Baltasar

2014-01-01

We present EGDA, an educational game development approach focused on the teaching of procedural knowledge using a cost-effective approach. EGDA proposes four tasks: analysis, design, implementation, and quality assurance that are subdivided in a total of 12 subtasks. One of the benefits of EGDA is that anyone can apply it to develop a game since…

a review of selected macroeconomic factors impacting building

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Osondu

2011-09-27

Sep 27, 2011 ... This study therefore investigates the impact of macro-economic indicators on the prices of building ... should maintain stable inflationary trend. Keywords: .... instability in the naira will lead to instability in material prices and ...

Web-Based Quiz-Game-Like Formative Assessment: Development and Evaluation

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Tzu-Hua

2008-01-01

This research aims to develop a multiple-choice Web-based quiz-game-like formative assessment system, named GAM-WATA. The unique design of "Ask-Hint Strategy" turns the Web-based formative assessment into an online quiz game. "Ask-Hint Strategy" is composed of "Prune Strategy" and "Call-in Strategy".…

Serious Games Development and Applications: Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Serious Games Development and Applications (SGDA 2011)

OpenAIRE

2011-01-01

The recent re-emergence of serious games as a branch of video games has introduced the concept of games designed for a serious purpose other than pure entertainment. To date the major applications of serious games include education and training, engineering, medicine and healthcare, military applications, city planning, production, crisis response, just to name a few. If utilised alongside, or combined with conventional approaches serious games could provide a more powerful means of knowledge...

MACBETH: Development of a Training Game for the Mitigation of Cognitive Bias

Science.gov (United States)

Dunbar, Norah E.; Wilson, Scott N.; Adame, Bradley J.; Elizondo, Javier; Jensen, Matthew L.; Miller, Claude H.; Kauffman, Abigail Allums; Seltsam, Toby; Bessarabova, Elena; Vincent, Cindy; Straub, Sara K.; Ralston, Ryan; Dulawan, Christopher L.; Ramirez, Dennis; Squire, Kurt; Valacich, Joseph S.; Burgoon, Judee K.

2013-01-01

This paper describes the process of rapid iterative prototyping used by a research team developing a training video game for the Sirius program funded by the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA). Described are three stages of development, including a paper prototype, and builds for alpha and beta testing. Game development is…

The development of a differential game related to terrorism: Min-Max differential game

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abd El-Monem A. Megahed

2017-07-01

Full Text Available In this work, we study a differential game related to terrorism: Min-Max differential game taking into account the governmental activities such as the education quality, increasing the chances of labor, social justice, religious awareness and security arrangements. A Min-Max differential game between government and terrorist organizations is considered in this study. To obtain the optimal strategy of solving this problem, we study the analytic form of a Min-Max differential game and the governmental activities. Furthermore, a saddle point of a Min-Max differential game is studied.

Serious game development as a strategy for health promotion and tackling childhood obesity 1

Science.gov (United States)

Dias, Jéssica David; Mekaro, Marcelo Shinyu; Cheng Lu, Jennifer Kaon; Otsuka, Joice Lee; Fonseca, Luciana Mara Monti; Zem-Mascarenhas, Silvia Helena

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Objectives: to develop and assess a serious game on healthy eating and physical activity to promote health and tackle childhood obesity. Method: a descriptive, applied and methodological study.For the development of the game, the following steps were taken: conceptualization, pre-production with the development of the game documentation, prototyping, production and assessment of thecomputer and health experts. Results: a prototype has been developed up to beta version. The game was positively assessed both in terms of gameplay and mechanics, and in relation to the content presented, standing out as a powerful strategy for health promotion. The information from the assessment phase contributed to the settings in the software in order to make it available in the future for the target population of this research. The greatest advantage of the proposed game is the fact that it is an open educational resource. Conclusions: the expert assessments showed that the game has great educational potential and it is considered suitable for future application to the target audience.The serious game can become a technological teaching resource available for use in schools and health facilities, and can also be reused for the production of other educational games by accessing its source code. PMID:27533268

Reflections on modern macroeconomics: Can we travel along a safer road?

Science.gov (United States)

Gaffeo, E.; Catalano, M.; Clementi, F.; Delli Gatti, D.; Gallegati, M.; Russo, A.

2007-08-01

In this paper we sketch some reflections on the pitfalls and inconsistencies of the research program-currently dominant among the profession-aimed at providing microfoundations to macroeconomics along a Walrasian perspective. We argue that such a methodological approach constitutes an unsatisfactory answer to a well-posed research question, and that alternative promising routes have been long mapped out but only recently explored. In particular, we discuss a recent agent-based, truly non-Walrasian macroeconomic model, and we use it to envisage new challenges for future research.

Designing the user experience of game development tools

CERN Document Server

Lightbown, David

2015-01-01

The Big Green Button My Story Who Should Read this Book? Companion Website and Twitter Account Before we BeginWelcome to Designing the User Experience of Game Development ToolsWhat Will We Learn in This Chapter?What Is This Book About?Defining User ExperienceThe Value of Improving the User Experience of Our ToolsParallels Between User Experience and Game DesignHow Do People Benefit From an Improved User Experience?Finding the Right BalanceWrapping UpThe User-Centered Design ProcessWhat Will We

Serious Games: Video Games for Good?

Science.gov (United States)

Sanford, Kathy; Starr, Lisa J.; Merkel, Liz; Bonsor Kurki, Sarah

2015-01-01

As video games become a ubiquitous part of today's culture internationally, as educators and parents we need to turn our attention to how video games are being understood and used in informal and formal settings. Serious games have developed as a genre of video games marketed for educating youth about a range of world issues. At face value this…

How gaming may become a problem: a qualitative analysis of the role of gaming related experiences and cognitions in the development of problematic game behavior

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haagsma, M.C.; Pieterse, Marcel E.; Peters, O.; King, Daniel L.

2013-01-01

This study focuses on the role of gaming expectancies, motives and the experiences of gamers in the development of video game behavior, from normal to problematic behavior. Qualitative interviews were conducted among 21 male gamers between 17 and 28 years of age, to get more of an insight into their

Innovative design with learning reflexiveness for developing the Hamiltonian circuit learning games

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meng-Chien Yang

2018-02-01

Full Text Available In this study, we use a new proposed framework to develop the Hamiltonian circuit learning games for college students. The framework is for enhancing learners’ activities with learning reflexiveness. The design of these games is based on this framework to achieve the targeted learning outcomes. In recent years, the game-based learning is a very popular research topic. The Hamiltonian circuit is an important concepts for learning many computer science and electric engineering topics, such as IC design routing algorithm. The developed games use guiding rules to enable students to learn the Hamiltonian circuit in complicate graph problem. After the game, the learners are given a reviewing test which using the animation film for explaining the knowledge. This design concept is different from the previous studies. Through this new design, the outcome gets the better learning results under the effect of reflection. The students will have a deeper impression on the subject, and through self-learning and active thinking, in the game will have a deeper experience.

Development of Trivia Game for speech understanding in background noise.

Science.gov (United States)

Schwartz, Kathryn; Ringleb, Stacie I; Sandberg, Hilary; Raymer, Anastasia; Watson, Ginger S

2015-01-01

Listening in noise is an everyday activity and poses a challenge for many people. To improve the ability to understand speech in noise, a computerized auditory rehabilitation game was developed. In Trivia Game players are challenged to answer trivia questions spoken aloud. As players progress through the game, the level of background noise increases. A study using Trivia Game was conducted as a proof-of-concept investigation in healthy participants. College students with normal hearing were randomly assigned to a control (n = 13) or a treatment (n = 14) group. Treatment participants played Trivia Game 12 times over a 4-week period. All participants completed objective (auditory-only and audiovisual formats) and subjective listening in noise measures at baseline and 4 weeks later. There were no statistical differences between the groups at baseline. At post-test, the treatment group significantly improved their overall speech understanding in noise in the audiovisual condition and reported significant benefits in their functional listening abilities. Playing Trivia Game improved speech understanding in noise in healthy listeners. Significant findings for the audiovisual condition suggest that participants improved face-reading abilities. Trivia Game may be a platform for investigating changes in speech understanding in individuals with sensory, linguistic and cognitive impairments.

The Readability of Principles of Macroeconomics Textbooks

Science.gov (United States)

Tinkler, Sarah; Woods, James

2013-01-01

The authors evaluated principles of macroeconomics textbooks for readability using Coh-Metrix, a computational linguistics tool. Additionally, they conducted an experiment on Amazon's Mechanical Turk Web site in which participants ranked the readability of text samples. There was a wide range of scores on readability indexes both among…

Essays on Technology and Forecasting in Macroeconomics

Science.gov (United States)

Samuels, Jon Devin

2012-01-01

The three chapters in this dissertation use disaggregated models and data to provide new insights on well-established questions in macroeconomics. In the first chapter, to analyze how productivity impacts the business cycle, I model aggregate production with a production possibility frontier that accommodates sector-and factor-biased productivity.…

Tax Revenue and Macroeconomic Growth in Nigeria: A Contextual Analysis

OpenAIRE

Miftahu Idris; Tunku Salhabinti Tunku Ahmad

2017-01-01

This paper aims at evaluating the influence of tax revenue on the macroeconomic management of the Nigerian economy using a conceptual approach. By so doing, a comprehensive review of the literature as well as in-depth analysis of tax structure are critically conducted. Undeniably, an insight that shows a precise influence or relationship between tax revenue and the nation’s growth can be regarded as a working tool for policymakers particularly in developing countries. In view of that, this pa...

Game Development as Didactic Strategy for Biochemistry Teaching

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G.G. Hornink

2010-05-01

Full Text Available It is well known that students and teachers have difficulties in learning and teaching Biochemistry due to its abstract and interconnected contents. This work proposes a didactic strategy in order to facilitate teaching and learning process in Biochemistry. The strategy was implemented with biological science undergraduate students. At first, the students were divided into groups with a specific topic to develop a game. During the semester, problem based learning cases, online activities like crossword puzzle, essay questions and educational softwares were used to present the content of each topic. The groups were oriented in classroom and online, to choose and organize contents and create ways to approach them in games. At the end of the course the groups played each other games, which were evaluated by teacher and students following some criteria like: creativity, content organization, interdisciplinarity, proposal coherence, instructions clarity, specific content. The game elaboration contributed to the development of social and cognitive functions, such as teamwork and troubleshooting, providing an interesting perspective to the student about knowledge construction process. The strategy showed up students' creativity and ability to reorganize their knowledge to a different education level. In an overview, the results indicate that the proposed didactic strategy is an effective way to enhance learning and to motivate students into Biochemistry topics.

The concepts of developing mobile games for the operating system Android

OpenAIRE

Hartman, Jernej

2011-01-01

The diploma thesis describes the concepts behind developing mobile games for the Android operating system. The thesis first covers mobile games and everything related to them, from mobile operating systems to mobile devices. It also describes how mobile games work and compares different concepts regarding their implementation. It then presents and covers the target mobile operating system of this thesis – the Android – describing its architecture and the operation of applications using this o...

The Impact of Macroeconomic Fundamentals on Stock Prices Revisited: Evidence from Indian Data

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Pramod Kumar NAIK

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The study investigates the relationships between the Indian stock market index (BSE Sensex and five macroeconomic variables, namely, industrial production index, wholesale price index, money supply, treasury bills rates and exchange rates over the period 1994:04–2011:06. Johansen’s co-integration and vector error correction model have been applied to explore the long-run equilibrium relationship between stock market index and macroeconomic variables. The analysis reveals that macroeconomic variables and the stock market index are co-integrated and, hence, a long-run equilibrium relationship exists between them. It is observed that the stock prices positively relate to the money supply and industrial production but negatively relate to inflation. The exchange rate and the short-term interest rate are found to be insignificant in determining stock prices. In the Granger causality sense, macroeconomic variable causes the stock prices in the long-run but not in the short-run. There is bidirectional causality exists between industrial production and stock prices whereas, unidirectional causality from money supply to stock price, stock price to inflation and interest rates to stock prices are found.

DEVELOPMENT OF TIGHT OIL RESOURCES IN USA: PROFITABILITY OF EXPLOITATION AND EFFECT OF MACROECONOMIC INDICATORS IN VOLATILE OIL PRICE ENVIRONMENT

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Kristina Strpić

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Large scale development of tight oil resources in US started after 2010. with following five-year period of favorable steady increase in crude oil price. During this relatively short expansion cycle, operating and capital expenses changed drastically for main tight oil plays due to technological improvements in both well drilling and completion, expansion of service sector as well as loose government monetary policy which allowed favorable financing. This paper analyzed trends in costs during expansion period, as well as correlation of oil price to number of operating rigs and production quotas. After 2008/2009. world financial crisis economy recovery in US was somewhat sluggish and it caused extreme volatile environment in both equity and commodity markets. In such volatile environment intra-day crude oil prices, as well as other commodities and equities, show significant reaction to monthly published macroeconomic indicator reports, which give better overviews of trends in economic recovery. Prior to announcement, these reports always have forecasted value determined by consensus among market analysts. Therefore, any positive or negative surprise in real value tends to influence price of oil. This paper investigated influence of such macroeconomic reports to closing intraday oil price, as well as effect of other important daily market indices. Analysis showed that only Producer Price Index (PPI, among other indicators, has statistical significance of affecting intraday closing oil price.

The Relationship between Housing Finance and Macroeconomics Variables in Malaysia

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Binti Mohd Shukor Nur Baizura

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Housing finance is one of the factors that contribute in the overall economy growth of the country. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the relationship of housing finance variable and the macroeconomic variables in Malaysia. By adopting time series technique of Vector Auto regression (VAR and Impulse Response to determine the dynamic relationship between the macroeconomic and housing finance variable. The cointegration result shows that there exists a long run relationship between the macroeconomic variable and housing finance variable. The finding from impulse response function indicates that Gross Domestic Product (GDP response positively to the Primary Mortgage Market (PMM, which shows that during the good economy there are more housing loan extends by the banking institution. Meanwhile, interest rate response negatively to Secondary Mortgage Market (SMM, which implies that during the financial crisis, more housing loan sold to the Secondary Mortgage Market as one of the measure by the government to increase liquidity in banking institutions. As a conclusion, there is presence of relationship between the variable which change in one variable will affect the other variable in the long run.

Introduction: digital games as a context for cognitive development, learning, and developmental research.

Science.gov (United States)

Blumberg, Fran C; Fisch, Shalom M

2013-01-01

The authors present reasons why developmental psychologists should care about children's and adolescents' digital game play. These reasons may be identified as: a) digital game play is an integral aspect of children's and adolescents' lives; b) digital game play contributes to learning and cognitive development; and c) developmental research has the potential to contribute to effective educational game design. The authors expand on these reasons with the goal of introducing or reintroducing to developmental psychologists a rich and very relevant context in which to examine children's and adolescents' applied cognitive development. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

Online Games

OpenAIRE

Kerr, Aphra; Ivory, James D.

2015-01-01

When we agreed to edit the theme on online games for this Encyclopedia our first question was, “What is meant by online games?” Scholars of games distinguish between nondigital games (such as board games) and digital games, rather than between online and offline games. With networked consoles and smartphones it is becoming harder and harder to find players in the wealthy industrialized countries who play “offline” digital games. Most games developers now include ...

How Student Game Designers Design Learning into Games

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Weitze, Charlotte Lærke

2017-01-01

This investigation examined how to support students in creating learning designs for specific learning goals in analogue and digital games as a means of learning. The study also explored the learning trajectories that emerged in the digital games created by the student learning-game designers....... The DBR study was developed through three iterations over two years, involving teachers and students in co-design processes. Together with the teachers, an overall learning design supported the learning process for students by inviting them to be their own learning designers as they designed digital...... learning games for specific learning goals in cross-disciplinary subject matters. The findings were that the students succeeded in developing and implementing specific learning goals in their games. The students also developed learning trajectories through the games by designing various learning...

Macroeconomic Stability and Its Impact on the Economic Growth of the Country

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Tatiana Vasylieva

2018-03-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of this research is to study the role and impact force of macroeconomic stability on economic growth in the period from 2000 to 2016, using the modified Cobb–Douglas production function. The results of Global Competitiveness Report, published by World Economic Forum, demonstrated that at the existing level of economic growth in Ukraine the basic drivers for improvement of the country's competitiveness are necessary to be considered for building of the production function. Basing on the analysis performed, the author created odified Cobb–Douglas production function where Macroeconomic stability, openness of the economy and foreign direct investments are used as additional explanatory variables of Cobb–Douglas production function. Obtained findings indicate the high level of compliance of the built model with the initial data. Herewith, the assessment of the elasticity of macroeconomic stability is positive and statistically significant.

Forecasting Macroeconomic Labour Market Flows

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wilke, Ralf

2017-01-01

Forecasting labour market flows is important for budgeting and decision-making in government departments and public administration. Macroeconomic forecasts are normally obtained from time series data. In this article, we follow another approach that uses individual-level statistical analysis...... to predict the number of exits out of unemployment insurance claims. We present a comparative study of econometric, actuarial and statistical methodologies that base on different data structures. The results with records of the German unemployment insurance suggest that prediction based on individual-level...

The Motivational Power of Game Communities - Engaged through Game Jamming

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reng, Lars; Schoenau-Fog, Henrik; Kofoed, Lise B.

2013-01-01

to develop games and to meet new people. We believe that the community building as well as the motivation and engagement due to social aspects and the desire to learn more about game development among participants at such events might have beneficial ripple effects, which are valuable to investigate more......Game jams have become a rapid growing phenomenon. Every year brings new and larger game jams. In this study, we closely followed the world’s largest single location game jam in order to explore the engagement among participants. The authors joined the organizing group of the Nordic Game Jam 2013......, and gained a favorable opportunity to observe the 470 game developers efforts during the 48 hours of non-stop development. The paper presents the results of two surveys conducted just before and after the event as well as observations during the game jam. The main motivational factors among participants were...

Understanding Computational Thinking before Programming: Developing Guidelines for the Design of Games to Learn Introductory Programming through Game-Play

Science.gov (United States)

Kazimoglu, Cagin; Kiernan, Mary; Bacon, Liz; MacKinnon, Lachlan

2011-01-01

This paper outlines an innovative game-based approach to learning introductory programming that is grounded in the development of computational thinking at an abstract conceptual level, but also provides a direct contextual relationship between game-play and learning traditional introductory programming. The paper proposes a possible model for,…

Assembling a game development scene? Uncovering Finland’s largest demo party

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Heikki Tyni

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The study takes look at Assembly, a large-scale LAN and demo party founded in 1992 and organized annually in Helsinki, Finland. Assembly is used as a case study to explore the relationship between computer hobbyism – including gaming, demoscene and other related activities – and professional game development. Drawing from expert interviews, a visitor query and news coverage we ask what kind of functions Assembly has played for the scene in general, and on the formation and fostering of the Finnish game industry in particular. The conceptual contribution of the paper is constructed around the interrelated concepts of scene, technicity and gaming capital.

Prototype prosperity-diversity game for the Laboratory Development Division of Sandia National Laboratories

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

VanDevender, P.; Berman, M.; Savage, K.

1996-02-01

The Prosperity Game conducted for the Laboratory Development Division of National Laboratories on May 24--25, 1995, focused on the individual and organizational autonomy plaguing the Department of Energy (DOE)-Congress-Laboratories` ability to manage the wrenching change of declining budgets. Prosperity Games are an outgrowth and adaptation of move/countermove and seminar War Games. Each Prosperity Game is unique in that both the game format and the player contributions vary from game to game. This particular Prosperity Game was played by volunteers from Sandia National Laboratories, Eastman Kodak, IBM, and AT&T. Since the participants fully control the content of the games, the specific outcomes will be different when the team for each laboratory, Congress, DOE, and the Laboratory Operating Board (now Laboratory Operations Board) is composed of executives from those respective organizations. Nevertheless, the strategies and implementing agreements suggest that the Prosperity Games stimulate cooperative behaviors and may permit the executives of the institutions to safely explore the consequences of a family of DOE concert.

Asymmetric impacts of international energy shocks on macroeconomic activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yeh, Fang-Yu; Hu, Jin-Li; Lin, Cheng-Hsun

2012-01-01

While limited by its scarcity of natural resources, the impacts of energy price changes on Taiwan's economic activities have been an important issue for social public and government authorities. This study applies the multivariate threshold model to investigate the effects of various international energy price shocks on Taiwan's macroeconomic activity. By separating energy price changes into the so-called decrease and increase regimes, we can realize different impacts of energy price changes and their shocks on economic output. The results confirm that there is an asymmetric threshold effect for the energy-output nexus. The optimal threshold levels are exactly where the oil price change is at 2.48%, the natural gas price change is at 0.66%, and the coal price change is at 0.25%. The impulse response analysis suggests that oil price and natural gas shocks have a delayed negative impact on macroeconomic activities. - Highlights: ► This study applies multivariate threshold model to investigate the effects of various international energy price shocks on Taiwan's macroeconomic activity. ► The results confirm that there is an asymmetric threshold effect for energy-output nexus. ► The optimal threshold levels are exactly found where oil price change is at 2.48%, natural gas price change is at 0.66%, and coal price change is at 0.25%.

The influence of game genre on Internet gaming disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Na, Euihyeon; Choi, Inyoung; Lee, Taek-Ho; Lee, Hyeseon; Rho, Mi Jung; Cho, Hyun; Jung, Dong Jin; Kim, Dai-Jin

2017-06-29

Background and aims Although Internet gaming disorder (IGD) has been investigated in detail, minimal research has been conducted regarding the influence of different game genres on IGD. The aim of this study is to compare the characteristics of members of game genre-specific groups with IGD and to identify factors associated with IGD status in each group in a large sample of adults. Methods Internet games were categorized into four genres: real-time strategy games, massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG), sport games, and first-person shooter (FPS) games. Participants (n = 2,923) who usually played one of these games completed an anonymous online survey that collected sociodemographic, game usage pattern, and psychopathological assessment data. Results MMORPG and FPS game players more frequently met the criteria for IGD than participants in the other two groups. Differences between the IGD-suspected gamers within the genre-specific groups were observed for a few items, such as average game-playing time and the subscales of the behavioral activation system; however, the factors that contributed to the development of IGD within each game genre-specific group were found to be considerably different. Discussion and conclusions The findings of this study suggest that IGD is a stable psychiatric diagnosis encompassing users of a broad range of game genres. In addition, the development of strategies for the prevention of and early intervention on individuals at high risk for developing IGD may require consideration of the distinct characteristics identified as effective predictors of IGD in users of each game genre.

Differential games

CERN Document Server

Friedman, Avner

2006-01-01

This volume lays the mathematical foundations for the theory of differential games, developing a rigorous mathematical framework with existence theorems. It begins with a precise definition of a differential game and advances to considerations of games of fixed duration, games of pursuit and evasion, the computation of saddle points, games of survival, and games with restricted phase coordinates. Final chapters cover selected topics (including capturability and games with delayed information) and N-person games.Geared toward graduate students, Differential Games will be of particular interest

A model for developing and evaluating games and simulations in business and economic education

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Dallas Brozik

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The use of games and simulations in the classroom has prompted research concerning their pervasiveness and pedagogical benefits, but little research has focused on how teachers can develop their own games and simulations. This paper presents an outline of how to develop games and simulation for classroom use. This framework can lead to further research and its findings can help assess whether games and simulations contribute to decision-making skills and to what extent they contribute to numerous cognitive benefits in learners.

MACROECONOMIC FORECASTING USING BAYESIAN VECTOR AUTOREGRESSIVE APPROACH

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D. Tutberidze

2017-04-01

Full Text Available There are many arguments that can be advanced to support the forecasting activities of business entities. The underlying argument in favor of forecasting is that managerial decisions are significantly dependent on proper evaluation of future trends as market conditions are constantly changing and require a detailed analysis of future dynamics. The article discusses the importance of using reasonable macro-econometric tool by suggesting the idea of conditional forecasting through a Vector Autoregressive (VAR modeling framework. Under this framework, a macroeconomic model for Georgian economy is constructed with the few variables believed to be shaping business environment. Based on the model, forecasts of macroeconomic variables are produced, and three types of scenarios are analyzed - a baseline and two alternative ones. The results of the study provide confirmatory evidence that suggested methodology is adequately addressing the research phenomenon and can be used widely by business entities in responding their strategic and operational planning challenges. Given this set-up, it is shown empirically that Bayesian Vector Autoregressive approach provides reasonable forecasts for the variables of interest.

The Influence of Global Macroeconomic Factors on Stock Values: A Sector Level Analysis

OpenAIRE

Şerife Özlen

2014-01-01

Investors and policy makers should carefully analyze stock returns and their possible relationships with microeconomic and macroeconomic factors in both local and global arena. Since the markets are increasingly becoming global, the outcomes may be more important for international factors. Therefore, this study aims to identify the relationship between selected international macroeconomic variables (FTSE-100 England market index, GDAX Germany market index, NYSE Composite market index, Gold pr...

Game Design and Development as Mathematical Activities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Erik Ottar; Hanghøj, Thorkild; Misfeldt, Morten

2016-01-01

education which have mostly been tied to students making learning games involving specific mathematical content. Game design activities are reported to have a motivational pull for students. A challenge seems to be that the students are mostly motivated by the game design or the programming activities...... between user and goal through the computational artifacts being used. The framework serves as a lens for making sense of computer game design as a context for learning mathematics....

A Panel Data Analysis of the Impact of Macroeconomic Indicators on Firms’ Shares Performance in Nigeria

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Michael S. Ogunmuyiwa

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This paper contributes to the ongoing debate on whether the impact of macroeconomic indicators on the stock market is positive or negative or of no effect by analyzing the relationship between macroeconomic fundamentals and performance of quoted firms on the Nigeria Stock Exchange market. A sample of fifty (50 quoted firms across eight (8 major sectors of the market was selected for the study. The static panel regression technique was employed on monthly data sourced from the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN between 2007:1 and 2013:12. Results from empirical findings reveal that varying impacts exist between the macroeconomic indicators and firm share returns in Nigeria. It goes further to affirm that inflation rate, interest rate and exchange rate are the major significant macroeconomic indicators driving firm share returns in Nigeria.

Three essays in agent-based macroeconomics

OpenAIRE

Canzian, Giulia

2009-01-01

The dissertation is aimed at offering an insight into the agent-based methodology and its possible application to the macroeconomic analysis. Relying on this methodology, I deal with three different issues concerning heterogeneity of economic agents, bounded rationality and interaction. Specifically, the first chapter is devoted to describe the distinctive characteristics of agent-based economics and its advantages-disadvantages. In the second chapter I propose a credit market framework c...

Macroeconomics with Financial Frictions: A Survey

OpenAIRE

Markus K. Brunnermeier; Thomas M. Eisenbach; Yuliy Sannikov

2012-01-01

This article surveys the macroeconomic implications of financial frictions. Financial frictions lead to persistence and when combined with illiquidity to non-linear amplification effects. Risk is endogenous and liquidity spirals cause financial instability. Increasing margins further restrict leverage and exacerbate downturns. A demand for liquid assets and a role for money emerges. The market outcome is generically not even constrained efficient and the issuance of government debt can lead t...

Video game use in boys with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, or typical development.

Science.gov (United States)

Mazurek, Micah O; Engelhardt, Christopher R

2013-08-01

The study objectives were to examine video game use in boys with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared with those with ADHD or typical development (TD) and to examine how specific symptoms and game features relate to problematic video game use across groups. Participants included parents of boys (aged 8-18) with ASD (n = 56), ADHD (n = 44), or TD (n = 41). Questionnaires assessed daily hours of video game use, in-room video game access, video game genres, problematic video game use, ASD symptoms, and ADHD symptoms. Boys with ASD spent more time than did boys with TD playing video games (2.1 vs 1.2 h/d). Both the ASD and ADHD groups had greater in-room video game access and greater problematic video game use than the TD group. Multivariate models showed that inattentive symptoms predicted problematic game use for both the ASD and ADHD groups; and preferences for role-playing games predicted problematic game use in the ASD group only. Boys with ASD spend much more time playing video games than do boys with TD, and boys with ASD and ADHD are at greater risk for problematic video game use than are boys with TD. Inattentive symptoms, in particular, were strongly associated with problematic video game use for both groups, and role-playing game preferences may be an additional risk factor for problematic video game use among children with ASD. These findings suggest a need for longitudinal research to better understand predictors and outcomes of video game use in children with ASD and ADHD.

Macroeconomics in an open economy.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooper, R N

1986-09-12

The customary treatment of national economies as closed and self-contained must be substantially modified to allow for those economies that typically trade goods, services, and securities with other countries in increasing volume. Open economy macroeconomics is essential to understanding the major events of the U.S. economy over the past half dozen years. Both the sharp rise in the dollar and the unprecedentedly large U.S. trade deficit are linked to the U.S. budget deficit, as is the drop in the rate of inflation.

Test of arbitrage pricing theory using macroeconomic variables

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Eyerusalem

variables; namely, exchange rate, an index of industrial production, nominal money supply ... Key Words: Arbitrage Pricing, Macroeconomic variables, Stock Market ... or theoretical market indices, where sensitivity to changes in each factor is represented ... Ethiopian Journal of Economics, Volume XXI, No 1, April 2012. 3.

Financial Structure and Macroeconomic Volatility : Theory and Evidence

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huizinga, H.P.; Zhu, D.

2006-01-01

This paper presents a simple model capturing differences between debt and equity finance to examine how financial structure matters for macroeconomic volatility. Debt finance is relatively cheap in the sense that debt holders need to verify relatively few profitability states, but debt finance may

Environmental Satellite Models for a Macroeconomic Model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moeller, F.; Grinderslev, D.; Werner, M.

2003-01-01

To support national environmental policy, it is desirable to forecast and analyse environmental indicators consistently with economic variables. However, environmental indicators are physical measures linked to physical activities that are not specified in economic models. One way to deal with this is to develop environmental satellite models linked to economic models. The system of models presented gives a frame of reference where emissions of greenhouse gases, acid gases, and leaching of nutrients to the aquatic environment are analysed in line with - and consistently with - macroeconomic variables. This paper gives an overview of the data and the satellite models. Finally, the results of applying the model system to calculate the impacts on emissions and the economy are reviewed in a few illustrative examples. The models have been developed for Denmark; however, most of the environmental data used are from the CORINAIR system implemented in numerous countries

Climate change and macro-economic cycles in pre-industrial europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Pei, Qing; Zhang, David D; Lee, Harry F; Li, Guodong

2014-01-01

Climate change has been proven to be the ultimate cause of social crisis in pre-industrial Europe at a large scale. However, detailed analyses on climate change and macro-economic cycles in the pre-industrial era remain lacking, especially within different temporal scales. Therefore, fine-grained, paleo-climate, and economic data were employed with statistical methods to quantitatively assess the relations between climate change and agrarian economy in Europe during AD 1500 to 1800. In the study, the Butterworth filter was adopted to filter the data series into a long-term trend (low-frequency) and short-term fluctuations (high-frequency). Granger Causality Analysis was conducted to scrutinize the associations between climate change and macro-economic cycle at different frequency bands. Based on quantitative results, climate change can only show significant effects on the macro-economic cycle within the long-term. In terms of the short-term effects, society can relieve the influences from climate variations by social adaptation methods and self-adjustment mechanism. On a large spatial scale, temperature holds higher importance for the European agrarian economy than precipitation. By examining the supply-demand mechanism in the grain market, population during the study period acted as the producer in the long term, whereas as the consumer in the short term. These findings merely reflect the general interactions between climate change and macro-economic cycles at the large spatial region with a long-term study period. The findings neither illustrate individual incidents that can temporarily distort the agrarian economy nor explain some specific cases. In the study, the scale thinking in the analysis is raised as an essential methodological issue for the first time to interpret the associations between climatic impact and macro-economy in the past agrarian society within different temporal scales.

Media and human capital development: Can video game playing make you smarter?

Science.gov (United States)

Suziedelyte, Agne

2015-04-01

According to the literature, video game playing can improve such cognitive skills as problem solving, abstract reasoning, and spatial logic. I test this hypothesis using The Child Development Supplement to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. The endogeneity of video game playing is addressed by using panel data methods and controlling for an extensive list of child and family characteristics. To address the measurement error in video game playing, I instrument children's weekday time use with their weekend time use. After taking into account the endogeneity and measurement error, video game playing is found to positively affect children's problem solving ability. The effect of video game playing on problem solving ability is comparable to the effect of educational activities.

Decomposing Brazilian manufacturing industry dynamics in the mid-2000s: Macroeconomic factors and their sectoral impacts

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Edson Paulo Domingues

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The manufacturing industry's loss in participation, phenomena called “deindustrialization”, has been observed for the Brazilian economy for a while and seems to have intensified from mid-2000s. However, the literature has not developed a consistent or integrated analysis of this process. We have used a detailed simulation model to identify how macroeconomic factors (such as exchange rate, labor costs, and household consumption have contributed to manufacturing dynamics. Our results indicate that the macroeconomic scenario explains a large portion of the manufacturing industry's participation loss. The rise in households consumption and investment, important factors in this period, were responsible for dampening of the pressures coming from the currency appreciation and the workforce costs, benefiting some industrial sectors, but not avoiding the manufacturings participation loss. Keywords: Manufacturing, Growth, Development, Simulations, JEL classification: O14, C68, D58

The macroeconomic consequences of controlling greenhouse gases: a survey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boero, Gianna; Clarke, Rosemary; Winters, L.A.

1991-01-01

This is the summary of a major report which provides a survey of existing estimates of the macroeconomic consequences of controlling greenhouse gas emissions, particularly carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). There are broadly speaking two main questions. What are the consequences of global warming for economic activity and welfare? What, if any, are the economic consequences of reducing the levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions? This survey covers only those studies which quantify the overall (macroeconomic) costs of abating greenhouse gas emissions. It is not concerned with whether any particular degree of abatement is sufficient to reduce global warming, nor whether it is worth undertaking in the light of its benefits. These are topics for other researchers and other papers. Here we are concerned only to map the relationship between economic welfare and GHG abatement. (author)

A tale of trade-offs: the impact of macroeconomic factors on environmental concern.

Science.gov (United States)

Conroy, Stephen J; Emerson, Tisha L N

2014-12-01

We test whether macroeconomic conditions affect individuals' willingness to pay for environmental quality improvements. Improvements in environmental quality, like everything, come at a cost. Individuals facing difficult economic times may be less willing to make trade-offs required for improvements in environmental quality. Using somewhat different methodologies and shorter time frames, prior investigations have generally found a direct relationship between willingness to pay for environmental improvements and macroeconomic conditions. We use a nearly 40-year span (27 periods) of the General Social Survey (1974-2012) to estimate attitudes toward environmental spending while controlling for U.S. macroeconomic conditions and respondent-specific factors such as age, gender, marital status, number of children, residential location, educational attainment, personal financial condition, political party affiliation and ideology. Macroeconomic conditions include one-year lagged controls for the unemployment rate, the rate of economic growth (percentage change in real GDP), and an indicator for whether the U.S. economy was experiencing a recession. We find that, in general, when economic conditions are unfavorable (i.e., during a recession, or with higher unemployment, or lower GDP growth), respondents are more likely to believe the U.S. is spending too much on "improving and protecting the environment". Interacting lagged macroeconomic controls with respondent's income, we find that these views are at least partially offset by the respondent's own economic condition (i.e., their own real income). Our findings are consistent with the notion that environmental quality is a normal, or procyclical good, i.e., that environmental spending should rise when the economy is expanding and fall during economic contractions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The challenges of developing a contrast-based video game for treatment of amblyopia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hussain, Zahra; Astle, Andrew T; Webb, Ben S; McGraw, Paul V

2014-01-01

Perceptual learning of visual tasks is emerging as a promising treatment for amblyopia, a developmental disorder of vision characterized by poor monocular visual acuity. The tasks tested thus far span the gamut from basic psychophysical discriminations to visually complex video games. One end of the spectrum offers precise control over stimulus parameters, whilst the other delivers the benefits of motivation and reward that sustain practice over long periods. Here, we combined the advantages of both approaches by developing a video game that trains contrast sensitivity, which in psychophysical experiments, is associated with significant improvements in visual acuity in amblyopia. Target contrast was varied adaptively in the game to derive a contrast threshold for each session. We tested the game on 20 amblyopic subjects (10 children and 10 adults), who played at home using their amblyopic eye for an average of 37 sessions (approximately 11 h). Contrast thresholds from the game improved reliably for adults but not for children. However, logMAR acuity improved for both groups (mean = 1.3 lines; range = 0-3.6 lines). We present the rationale leading to the development of the game and describe the challenges of incorporating psychophysical methods into game-like settings.

Methods of Strength Development in Boys of Primary School Age Using Active Games

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

С. І. Марченко

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The research objective is to analyze the effect of games on the dynamics of strength development in boys of the second-fourth grades. Research methods: theoretical analysis and collation of scientific and methodological literature, method of control testing, pedagogical experiment, methods of mathematical statistics. Research results. The paper addresses the feasibility of further scientific substantiation for the effect of the number of games, the number of repetitions, the intervals of rest and their interrelation on the change in the strength indicators for boys of primary school age. The study has revealed that strength development requires that the pupils of the second and the third grades perform four games, while the pupils of the fourth grade — five games. The number of repetitions for the pupils of the second grade is one and two, for the pupils of the third grade — two, and for the boys of the fourth grade — three, with 40-second intervals for rest. The most effective development manifests in the second and the fourth grades during 20 classes, and in the third grade —during 30 classes. After that, it is advisable to use other means. The game duration varies from two to five minutes. Conclusions. The results obtained during the experiment give reason to recommend that primary school teachers, coaches and parents use active games in physical education, sports training and individual motor activity of boys of primary school age. These games should aim at developing strength abilities, both purposefully and in complex with regard to the duration and pace (intensity of their performance.

Using serious gaming to transfer knowledge and develop soft skills in postgraduate education

Science.gov (United States)

Craven, Joanne; Corzo Perez, Gerald Augusto; Karimi, Poolad; Dastgheib, Ali

2017-04-01

"Serious gaming" is gaming designed for a purpose other than entertainment and involves using board games, computer games and role-plays or a combination of all, for serious purposes, such as education, outreach, training, or decision support. It is argued that this approach provides a safe environment which facilitates group learning, allows for "learning by experience" in fields where long timescales or high risks make real experience impossible, motivates learners and stimulates players from different disciplines to share knowledge with each other. UNESCO-IHE offers education to water sector professionals from around the globe. All the courses at UNESCO-IHE involve serious games in one way or another. A varied range of games is developed and/or used: the group sizes for the games range from 5 students to over 100. Sometimes they are used as simulations to illustrate feedbacks, tradeoffs, variability, uncertainty and other phenomena, create an awareness of multidimensional water related issues, and sometimes they are used to train and develop soft skills, such as interdisciplinary collaboration, creative problem identification and problem solving, teamwork and robust decision-making under uncertainty. Often, they are able to do both, which is a key strength of serious games as an education tool. These games are also been used in research and advisory projects as well to communicate research outputs to stakeholders and the public and together with them reach an optimum technical decision which is socially viable. This session will discuss the experience with these games and what lessons can be learned for the future.

Business failures, macroeconomic risk and the effect of recessions on long-run growth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Santoro, Emiliano; Gaffeo, Edoardo

2009-01-01

relationship between transitory disturbances and productivity growth. Panel ECM estimates suggest that macroeconomic risk factors impinge on business failures on the same direction both in the short and in the long-run, and that the adjustment to the steady-state relationship is quite slow. Thus, our findings...... lend support to the risk-aversion theory of productivity growth and indicate that bankruptcy risks play a significant role in the propagation of macroeconomic shocks....

Demographics and macroeconomic effects in aesthetic surgery in the UK.

Science.gov (United States)

Duncan, C O; Ho-Asjoe, M; Hittinger, R; Nishikawa, H; Waterhouse, N; Coghlan, B; Jones, B

2004-09-01

Media interest in aesthetic surgery is substantial and suggestions of demographic changes such as reductions in age or an increase in the number of male patients are common. In spite of this, there is no peer reviewed literature reporting demographics of a contemporary large patient cohort or of the effect of macroeconomic indicators on aesthetic surgery in the UK. In this study, computer records 13006 patients presenting between 1998 and the first quarter of 2003 at a significant aesthetic surgery centre were analysed for procedures undergone, patient age and sex. Male to female ratios for each procedure were calculated and a comparison was made between unit activity and macroeconomic indicators. The results showed that there has been no significant demographic change in the procedures studied with patient age and male to female ratio remaining constant throughout the period studied for each procedure. Comparison with macroeconomic indicators suggested increasing demand for aesthetic surgery in spite of a global recession. In conclusion, media reports of large scale demographic shifts in aesthetic surgery patients are exaggerated. The stability of unit activity in spite of falling national economic indicators suggested that some units in the UK might be relatively immune to economic vagaries. The implications for training are discussed.

Disaster risk from a macroeconomic perspective: a metric for fiscal vulnerability evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Cardona, Omar D; Ordaz, Mario G; Marulanda, Mabel C; Carreño, Martha L; Barbat, Alex H

2010-10-01

The Disaster Deficit Index (DDI) measures macroeconomic and financial risk in a country according to possible catastrophic scenario events. Extreme disasters can generate financial deficit due to sudden and elevated need of resources to restore affected inventories. The DDI captures the relationship between the economic loss that a country could experience when a catastrophic event occurs and the availability of funds to address the situation. The proposed model utilises the procedures of the insurance industry in establishing probable losses, based on critical impacts during a given period of exposure; for economic resilience, the model allows one to calculate the country's financial ability to cope with a critical impact. There are limitations and costs associated with access to resources that one must consider as feasible values according to the country's macroeconomic and financial conditions. This paper presents the DDI model and the results of its application to 19 countries of the Americas and aims to guide governmental decision-making in disaster risk reduction. © 2010 The Author(s). Journal compilation © Overseas Development Institute, 2010.

Developing games for health behavior change: Getting started

Science.gov (United States)

Many investigators are considering developing video games for health (video-G4Hs) but have questions about how to get started. This report provides guidance for investigators considering a G4H as a behavioral intervention procedure from a team of experienced G4H developers. Thirteen commonly asked q...

Macroeconomic conditions and health: Inspecting the transmission mechanism.

Science.gov (United States)

Colombo, Emilio; Rotondi, Valentina; Stanca, Luca

2018-02-01

We study the relationship between macroeconomic conditions and self-reported health in a large sample of Italian individuals, focusing on the mediating role played by health behaviors (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity, eating habits) and economic stress. Our findings indicate that, overall, higher local unemployment is negatively related to individuals' health conditions. A one percentage point increase in the province-level unemployment rate is associated with a significant increase in the probability of experiencing diabetes (0.03 percentage points), infarction (0.01), ulcer (0.06), cirrhosis (0.01) and nervous disorders (0.07), with a time lag that differs across individual health conditions. Employment status and educational level play a significant role as moderators of these relationships. Eating habits, in addition to economic stress, play a key role as mediators, by enhancing the negative relationship between macroeconomic conditions and health outcomes, while physical exercise is found to play a dampening role. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Macroeconomic impacts of natural gas introduction in Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caloghirou, Y.D.; Mourelatos, A.G.; Roboli, A.

1996-01-01

Input-output analysis has been applied to assess macroeconomic impacts of investment expenditures required for introduction of natural gas (NG) into the Greek energy system. The final demand vector was assembled from figures estimated in a prefeasibility study. A 12 x 12 input-output table was used to calculate relative changes in gross domestic product (GDP) for the entire economy, sectoral production and value-added, employment and wages. We show that construction of the national gas grid will significantly affect all five macroeconomic indicators during a period of eight years. Taking into account direct and indirect impacts, GDP will rise by 2.0% whereas employment and wages will increase by 1.6%. If imports are fully replaced by local produce, GDP will rise by 3.0% whereas employment and wages will increase by 2.4 and 2.3%, respectively. The relative change of production for five specified sectors is greater than 24% during the period 1993-2000. (Author)

Macroeconomic policies and economic democracy in neoliberal Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Bin

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract The objective of this paper is to investigate some of the forms of conduct of macroeconomic policies related to a substantive concept of democracy, characterized by popular participation - direct or through representatives - in decisions that unevenly affect the material well-being of the entire Brazilian population. Special attention is given to decisions about the country's public indebtedness in the years following the launching of the RealPlan. Empirical evidences show a limited democracy, revealed by the material inequality, which in turn reproduces political inequality and restricts real freedom. This is combined with the selective bureaucratic insulation of economic policy decisions, and the parliament's failure to deal with the macroeconomic agenda. The latter is thus left to the control of the executive branch's economic apparatus, which on one hand submits itself to substantial political influence from finance and, on the other hand, restricts popular participation in decisions on both fiscal and monetary policies.

Developing a New Computer Game Attitude Scale for Taiwanese Early Adolescents

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Eric Zhi-Feng; Lee, Chun-Yi; Chen, Jen-Huang

2013-01-01

With ever increasing exposure to computer games, gaining an understanding of the attitudes held by young adolescents toward such activities is crucial; however, few studies have provided scales with which to accomplish this. This study revisited the Computer Game Attitude Scale developed by Chappell and Taylor in 1997, reworking the overall…

Conceptualizing Cognitive Skills Developed during Video Game Play: A Case Study in Teaching Composition

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Sandra Wilson

2008-01-01

While video games have been much maligned in the popular press, a number of scholars have begun to explore the positive side of these games, especially in terms of learning. Some critics have analyzed video games and the act of game play as complex, cultural texts. In college courses, such as composition, in which one goal is the development of…

What's Your Game Plan?: Developing Library Games Can Help Students Master Information Skills

Science.gov (United States)

Siderius, Jennifer A.

2011-01-01

Stepping into a school library today reveals the dramatic changes in educational games since the author's elementary school days. Many current school libraries now boast computer- and video-based games, as well as geocaching, big games, or large-scale scavenger hunts that pit teams against each other in timed races to find clues about a…

Macroeconomic Factors Affecting Budget Deficit in Pakistan: A Time Series Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ayesha Mushtaq

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The objective of the study is to empirically investigate the relationship between budget deficit and macroeconomic factors i.e., financial development indicator, economic growth, changes in price level and real exchange rate, by using data from1980-2011 for Pakistan. The results reveal that there is a positive and significant relationship between real effective exchange rate and budget deficit on one hand, while economic growth and financial development indicator with reference to budget deficit on the other hand. Changes in price level have a significant and negative relationship with the budget deficit in Pakistan.

Development of a Coding Instrument to Assess the Quality and Content of Anti-Tobacco Video Games

Science.gov (United States)

Alber, Julia M.; Watson, Anna M.; Barnett, Tracey E.; Mercado, Rebeccah

2015-01-01

Abstract Previous research has shown the use of electronic video games as an effective method for increasing content knowledge about the risks of drugs and alcohol use for adolescents. Although best practice suggests that theory, health communication strategies, and game appeal are important characteristics for developing games, no instruments are currently available to examine the quality and content of tobacco prevention and cessation electronic games. This study presents the systematic development of a coding instrument to measure the quality, use of theory, and health communication strategies of tobacco cessation and prevention electronic games. Using previous research and expert review, a content analysis coding instrument measuring 67 characteristics was developed with three overarching categories: type and quality of games, theory and approach, and type and format of messages. Two trained coders applied the instrument to 88 games on four platforms (personal computer, Nintendo DS, iPhone, and Android phone) to field test the instrument. Cohen's kappa for each item ranged from 0.66 to 1.00, with an average kappa value of 0.97. Future research can adapt this coding instrument to games addressing other health issues. In addition, the instrument questions can serve as a useful guide for evidence-based game development. PMID:26167842

Development of a Coding Instrument to Assess the Quality and Content of Anti-Tobacco Video Games.

Science.gov (United States)

Alber, Julia M; Watson, Anna M; Barnett, Tracey E; Mercado, Rebeccah; Bernhardt, Jay M

2015-07-01

Previous research has shown the use of electronic video games as an effective method for increasing content knowledge about the risks of drugs and alcohol use for adolescents. Although best practice suggests that theory, health communication strategies, and game appeal are important characteristics for developing games, no instruments are currently available to examine the quality and content of tobacco prevention and cessation electronic games. This study presents the systematic development of a coding instrument to measure the quality, use of theory, and health communication strategies of tobacco cessation and prevention electronic games. Using previous research and expert review, a content analysis coding instrument measuring 67 characteristics was developed with three overarching categories: type and quality of games, theory and approach, and type and format of messages. Two trained coders applied the instrument to 88 games on four platforms (personal computer, Nintendo DS, iPhone, and Android phone) to field test the instrument. Cohen's kappa for each item ranged from 0.66 to 1.00, with an average kappa value of 0.97. Future research can adapt this coding instrument to games addressing other health issues. In addition, the instrument questions can serve as a useful guide for evidence-based game development.

Developing a Big Game for Financial Education Using Service Design Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Myunghee; Yoon, Seonghye; Kang, Minjeng; Jang, JeeEun; Lee, Yujung

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to design and develop an educational game which facilitates building adolescents' knowledge and attitudes in financial principles of a daily life. To achieve this purpose, the authors designed a learner-centered big game for financial education by applying an experience-based triple-diamond instructional design model…

Game Coaching System Design and Development: A Retrospective Case Study of FPS Trainer

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Wee Hoe

2013-01-01

This paper is a retrospective case study of a game-based learning (GBL) researcher who cooperated with a professional gamer and a team of game developers to design and develop a coaching system for First-Person Shooter (FPS) players. The GBL researcher intended to verify the ecological validity of a model of cooperation; the developers wanted to…

Developing a policy game intervention to enhance collaboration in public health policymaking in three European countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Spitters, H P E M; van Oers, J A M; Sandu, P; Lau, C J; Quanjel, M; Dulf, D; Chereches, R; van de Goor, L A M

2017-12-19

One of the key elements to enhance the uptake of evidence in public health policies is stimulating cross-sector collaboration. An intervention stimulating collaboration is a policy game. The aim of this study was to describe the design and methods of the development process of the policy game ‘In2Action’ within a real-life setting of public health policymaking networks in the Netherlands, Denmark and Romania. The development of the policy game intervention consisted of three phases, pre intervention, designing the game intervention and tailoring the intervention. In2Action was developed as a role-play game of one day, with main focus to develop in collaboration a cross-sector implementation plan based on the approved strategic local public health policy. This study introduced an innovative intervention for public health policymaking. It described the design and development of the generic frame of the In2Action game focusing on enhancing collaboration in local public health policymaking networks. By keeping the game generic, it became suitable for each of the three country cases with only minor changes. The generic frame of the game is expected to be generalizable for other European countries to stimulate interaction and collaboration in the policy process.

Autogenerator-based modelling framework for development of strategic games simulations: rational pigs game extended.

Science.gov (United States)

Fabac, Robert; Radošević, Danijel; Magdalenić, Ivan

2014-01-01

When considering strategic games from the conceptual perspective that focuses on the questions of participants' decision-making rationality, the very issues of modelling and simulation are rarely discussed. The well-known Rational Pigs matrix game has been relatively intensively analyzed in terms of reassessment of the logic of two players involved in asymmetric situations as gluttons that differ significantly by their attributes. This paper presents a successful attempt of using autogenerator for creating the framework of the game, including the predefined scenarios and corresponding payoffs. Autogenerator offers flexibility concerning the specification of game parameters, which consist of variations in the number of simultaneous players and their features and game objects and their attributes as well as some general game characteristics. In the proposed approach the model of autogenerator was upgraded so as to enable program specification updates. For the purpose of treatment of more complex strategic scenarios, we created the Rational Pigs Game Extended (RPGE), in which the introduction of a third glutton entails significant structural changes. In addition, due to the existence of particular attributes of the new player, "the tramp," one equilibrium point from the original game is destabilized which has an influence on the decision-making of rational players.

Do Video Games Promote Positive Youth Development?

Science.gov (United States)

Adachi, Paul J. C.; Willoughby, Teena

2013-01-01

We argue that video game play may meet Larson's (2000) criteria for fostering initiative in youth, and thus, may be related to positive outcomes such as flow, cooperation, problem solving, and reduced in-group bias. However, developmental and social psychologists examining adolescent video game use have focused heavily on how video games are…

The Fiscal and Macroeconomic Impacts of Reforming Energy Subsidy Policy in Malaysia

OpenAIRE

Nora Yusma Bte Mohamed Yusoff; Hussain Ali Bekhet

2017-01-01

The rationalization of a gradual subsidies reforms plan has been set out by the Malaysian government to achieve the high-income nation target. This paper attempts to analyze the impacts of energy subsidy reform policy on fiscal deficit and macroeconomics variables in Malaysia. The Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) Model is employed. Three simulations based on different groups of scenarios have been developed. Importantly, the overall results indicate that removal of fuel subsidy has signif...

Learn Unity 4 for iOS game development

CERN Document Server

Chu, Philip

2013-01-01

The only book on Unity 4 game development The only up-to-date book on Unity for iOS Philip Chu is the author of a very popular online Unity tutorial, frequently recommended on sites like StackOverflow

Game Development as Students’ Engagement Project in High School Mathematics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ryan V. Dio

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The general expectancies of the enhanced basic education curriculum in the Philippines focuses on the performance standards which can be expressed when students are able to produce products as evidence that they can transfer or use their learning in real-life situations. One way to assess students achievement is through an engaging activities that would require them apply the knowledge and skills acquired in the subject as the outcome of their learning. This descriptive method of research employed content analysis procedures and survey in describing and assessing the significant feature of the mathematical games as potential learning devices developed by the high school students through an engaging task assignment. It utilized purposive sampling techniques in the selection of the respondents and the submitted write-ups of mathematical games for analysis as typical sample in this study. The study revealed that the high school students developed mathematical board games with different objectives and mechanics as inspired by their learning, experiences, hobbies, and interest. Mathematical concepts and processes along numbers and number sense, measurements, algebra, geometry, and probability and statistics were integrated in the game through question card and mechanics of the game itself. The groups of students and teachers have high level of agreement as to the workmanship and usability, mechanics and organization, relevance to instruction/learning, and fun and enjoyment of the game as revealed by their assessment from very satisfactory to excellent level. Results implied that teachers in any subject area may use students’ engagement project as teaching strategy to produce products and performance that would provide evidence of students’ learning. The school curriculum makers may consider the students’ output as subjects of research for further improvements, exhibits, and classroom utilization.

The challenges of developing a contrast-based video game for treatment of amblyopia

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Zahra eHussain

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Perceptual learning of visual tasks is emerging as a promising treatment for amblyopia, a developmental disorder of vision characterized by poor monocular visual acuity. The tasks tested thus far span the gamut from basic psychophysical discriminations to visually complex video games. One end of the spectrum offers precise control over stimulus parameters, whilst the other delivers the benefits of motivation and reward that sustain practice over long periods. Here, we combined the advantages of both approaches by developing a video game that trains contrast sensitivity, which in psychophysical experiments, is associated with significant improvements in visual acuity in amblyopia. Target contrast was varied adaptively in the game to derive a contrast threshold for each session. We tested the game on twenty amblyopic subjects (ten children and ten adults, who played at home using their amblyopic eye for an average of 37 sessions (approximately 11 hours. Contrast thresholds from the game improved reliably for adults but not for children. However, LogMAR acuity improved for both groups (mean: 1.3 lines; range: 0-3.6 lines. We present the rationale leading to the development of the game and describe the challenges of incorporating psychophysical methods into game-like settings.

MOL: Developing a European-Style Board Game to Teach Organic Chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Triboni, Eduardo; Weber, Gabriel

2018-01-01

Recently there has been a renewed interest in the development and use of pedagogical games, as they provide an interesting approach to the appropriation of knowledge in the context of active learning. However, most didactic games fail to completely implement a cycle of reflection and action, thereby fostering mostly lower-order thinking skills and…

Positional games

CERN Document Server

Hefetz, Dan; Stojaković, Miloš; Szabó, Tibor

2014-01-01

This text serves as a thorough introduction to the rapidly developing field of positional games. This area constitutes an important branch of combinatorics, whose aim it is to systematically develop an extensive mathematical basis for a variety of two-player perfect information games. These range from such popular games as Tic-Tac-Toe and Hex to purely abstract games played on graphs and hypergraphs. The subject of positional games is strongly related to several other branches of combinatorics such as Ramsey theory, extremal graph and set theory, and the probabilistic method. These notes cover a variety of topics in positional games, including both classical results and recent important developments. They are presented in an accessible way and are accompanied by exercises of varying difficulty, helping the reader to better understand the theory. The text will benefit both researchers and graduate students in combinatorics and adjacent fields.

Aspectos macroeconómicos del plan nacional de desarrollo cambio para construir la paz Macroeconomic aspects of the development plan change to reach peace

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Rhenals M. Remberto

1999-06-01

Full Text Available En el Plan Nacional de Desarrollo "Cambio para construir la Paz" se presenta una plitica de estabilizacion que pretende establecer los equlibrios macroeconomicos y elevar el ritmo de crecimiento de la economia colombiana. Este articulo analiza la propuesta de politica economica del plan, incluida en la seccion "Macroeconomia, crecimiento y empleo". En particular se estudia la estrategia de estabilizacion y crecmiento de la economia. Las principales conclusiones de nuestro analisis son: a el ajuste fiscal propuesto es poco efectivo porque no reduce de forma importante el gasto corriente. Esto puede afectar el crecimiento normal de la economia porque se reduce la inversion publica y no se reasignan fondos hacia areas prioritarias como la formacion de capital humano y la investigacion en ciencia y tecnologia; y b el programa macroecnomico tiene problemas de consistencia. Segun nuestras estimaciones, el lento crecimiento del ahorro domestico seria insuficiente para mantener un crecimiento sostenido del Pib.The economic and social planning project in Colombia, 'Change to reach peace' presents mainly a stabilization policy that intends to restore macroeconomic equilibrium and also pretends to increase the economic growth in the presidential period of 1998-2002. This article analyses the economic policy proposal included in the section "Macroeconomics,growth and employment". More precisely it is concerned in the stabilization and growth strategy. Ourmain conclusions are: a fiscal adjustment is not effective, becauseit does not reduce government consumption. This situation can affect potential economic growth due to a decrease in public investment and there will not be a reallocation of resources for human capital and investment in research and development; b macroeconomic plan is not consistent. Based on our estimations, slow growth of domestic saving could not be enough to maintain a sustainable process of economic growth.

SMEs Growth in the Czech Republic: Some Macroeconomic Perspectives

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Christian Nedu Osakwe

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Small and medium enterprises (SMEs are seen as a vehicle for employment generation, wealth creation, economic growth and development in countries that have a sound investment climate. SMEs, account for approximately one-third of GDP, over 50% of the value added, 99% of the share of total registered enterprises, and represent 60% of total employment in the Czech Republic. In the light of this background, the paper explores the influence of some macroeconomic variables on SMEs growth in the Czech Republic for the period 1995–2013. In order to assess the impacts of these critical macroeconomic variables (e.g., rate of unemployment, economic growth, credit provided by the financial sector on SMEs growth, we employed an econometric technique. Our findings suggest a concave relationship between unemployment and SMEs growth in the Czech Republic. More precisely, it signifies that beyond a turning point, unemployment is likely to slow down SMEs growth in the country. Our results further hint at a positive relationship between economic growth and SMEs growth. However, our empirical estimates showed an insignificant relationship between domestic credit provided by the financial sector and SMEs growth in the country. The government of the Czech Republic should continue to provide an enabling investment climate and support for bolstering a sustainable SMEs development within the country. Similar to the extant literature, we have also implored the Czech government to do more with regard to the provision of easier access and affordable credits/loans to SMEs. We have also called for the reduction of bureaucratic bottlenecks that might have to do with SMEs legislations in the country.

Testing Non-Stationarity in Selected Macroeconomic Series from ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The study tested stationarity in a selected set of macroeconomic variables (some constructed) from Sudan over the period 1969 to 1998. Augmented Dickey Fuller tests were employed to test for presence of unit roots. The study found that unit roots existed in most variables, namely, private investment, public investment, real ...

Do financial variables help predict the macroeconomic environment?

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Havránek, T.; Horváth, R.; Matějů, Jakub

2011-01-01

Roč. 9, č. 2 (2011), s. 14-17 ISSN 1803-7089 Institutional research plan: CEZ:MSM0021620846 Keywords : macroeconomic environment * monetary restriction * financial system Subject RIV: AH - Economics http://www.cnb.cz/miranda2/export/sites/www.cnb.cz/en/research/research_publications/erb/download/ERB_No2_2011.pdf

Introduction to game theory

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2003-01-01

The basic ideas of game theory were originated from the problems of maximum and minimum given by J.Yon Neumann in 1928. Later, wars accelerated the study of game theory, there are many developments that contributed to the advancement of game theory, many problems of optimum appeared in economic development process. Scientists applied mathematic methods to studying game theory to make the theory more profound and perfect. The axiomatic structure of game theory was nearly complete in 1944. The path of the development of game theory started from finite to infinite, from two players to many players, from expressing gains with quantity to showing the ending of game theory with abstract result, and from certainty problems to random problems. Thus development of game theory is closely related to the economic development. In recent years, the research on the non-differentiability of Shapley value posed by Belgian Mertens is one of the advanced studies in game theory.

Interest rate rules and macroeconomic stability under heterogeneous expectations

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Anufriev, M.; Assenza, T.; Hommes, C.; Massaro, D.

2009-01-01

The recent macroeconomic literature stresses the importance of managing heterogeneous expectations in the formulation of monetary policy. We use a stylized macro model of Howitt (1992) to investigate inflation dynamics under alternative interest rate rules when agents have heterogeneous expectations

Connected Gaming: An Inclusive Perspective for Serious Gaming

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Yasmin Kafai

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Serious games should focus on connected gaming, which is combining the instructionist approach on having students play educational games for learning with the constructionist approach on having students make their own games for learning. Constructionist activities have always been part of the larger gaming ecology but have traditionally received far less attention than their instructionist counterparts. Future developments in serious gaming ought to promote this more inclusive perspective to better realize the full potential of gaming as a means for learning and for connecting children to technology and to each other. This potential for more meaningful connectivity can also address the persistent access and diversity issues long facing gaming cultures. 

Why do you play? The development of the motives for online gaming questionnaire (MOGQ).

Science.gov (United States)

Demetrovics, Zsolt; Urbán, Róbert; Nagygyörgy, Katalin; Farkas, Judit; Zilahy, Dalma; Mervó, Barbara; Reindl, Antónia; Ágoston, Csilla; Kertész, Andrea; Harmath, Eszter

2011-09-01

Although the majority of research focuses on the risks and disadvantages of online gaming, the present authors suggest that online games also represent new ways of satisfying basic human needs within the conditions of modern society. The aim of our present study was to reveal and operationalize the components of the motivational basis of online gaming. A total 3,818 persons (90.6% males; mean age 20.9 years, SD = 5.81) were recruited through websites providing online games. A combined method of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was applied. The results confirmed our preliminary model as we identified seven motivational factors (social, escape, competition, coping, skill development, fantasy, and recreation), which were used to develop the 27-item Motives for Online Gaming Questionnaire (MOGQ). The seven dimensions identified seem to cover the full range of possible motives for gaming, and the MOGQ proved to be an adequate measurement tool to assess these motives.

A Guideline for Game Development-Based Learning: A Literature Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bian Wu

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This study aims at reviewing the published scientific literature on the topics of a game development-based learning (GDBL method using game development frameworks (GDFs with the perspective of (a summarizing a guideline for using GDBL in a curriculum, (b identifying relevant features of GDFs, and (c presenting a synthesis of impact factors with empirical evidence on the educational effectiveness of the GDBL method. After systematically going through the available literature on the topic, 34 relevant articles were selected for the final study. We analyzed the articles from three perspectives: (1 pedagogical context and teaching process, (2 selection of GDFs, and (3 evaluation of the GDBL method. The findings from the 34 articles suggest that GDFs have many potential benefits as an aid to teach computer science, software engineering, art design, and other fields and that such GDFs combined with the motivation from games can improve the students’ knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors in contrast to the traditional classroom teaching. Furthermore, based on the results of the literature review, we extract a guideline of how to apply the GDBL method in education. The empirical evidence of current findings gives a positive overall picture and can provide a useful reference to educators, practitioners, and researchers in the area of game-based learning.

Game Development in Python with Pygame - 2D Platformgame for Raspberry Pi 3 driven arcademachine

OpenAIRE

Bryndum, Leonora; Hastrup, Jakob Scheunemann; Holm, Kevin Martin Lindemark; Kjær, Alberte Jeberg

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study, is to explore how to develop a 2D-arcade platform game for a Raspberry Pi 3 computer. This will be done with the programming language Python 3 and the game development framework Pygame. To do this, we investigate and learn about the Python 3 language and how this is structured. We investigate what an arcade game usually contains in the terms of programmatic content, and choose the focus points: Game Loop, Collisions, Physics, Animation, Level Design, Camera, Heads U...

StreetWise: developing a serious game to support forensic mental health service users' preparation for discharge: a feasibility study.

Science.gov (United States)

Reynolds, L M; Davies, J P; Mann, B; Tulloch, S; Nidsjo, A; Hodge, P; Maiden, N; Simpson, A

2017-05-01

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Serious gaming can support learning and development. The use of serious games for skills development and the rehearsal of the management of events that cannot be replicated in real life is well established. Few serious games have been used in mental health services, and none in forensic mental health care. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: How a serious game may be coproduced by forensic mental health service users and game developers The acceptability of the therapeutic use of serious gaming by forensic mental health service users and providers. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: Computer games may be used by practitioners in their therapeutic work with forensic mental health service users. Mental health nurses to use serious games to creatively and safely bridge the gap for service users between receiving care in controlled environments and living more independent in the community. Introduction Assessment of users' skills and confidence to safely respond to risky community-based situations underpins discharge planning. Serious games have been used for skills development, and this study trialled their use in forensic mental health services. Aim The aim was to develop and test the acceptability and usability of an innovative serious game to support forensic mental health service users' preparation for discharge. Method A prototype serious game was developed by service users and researchers. Acceptability and usability testing was undertaken and service providers interviewed about the acceptability of serious gaming for forensic mental health services. Result A prototype game was produced and successfully trialled by service users. However, both service users and providers identified that work needed to be done to develop and test a game with greater complexity. Discussion The acceptability and usability of using serious games to support service users to develop skills needed for successful discharge was demonstrated

Media and human capital development: Can video game playing make you smarter?

OpenAIRE

Suziedelyte, A.

2015-01-01

According to the literature, video game playing can improve such cognitive skills as problem solving, abstract reasoning, and spatial logic. I test this hypothesis using the data from the Child Development Supplement to the Panel Study of Income Dynamics. The endogeneity of video game playing is addressed by using panel data methods and controlling for an extensive list of child and family characteristics. To address the measurement error in video game playing, I instrument children's weekday...

La absorción de la macroeconomía por la microeconomía

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Ghislain Deleplace

2008-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is to analyze the dominant tendency in the history of macroeconomics. It attempts to identify the two routes that research on the microeconomic foundations of macroeconomics has followed. On the one hand, the relation between employment, wages and inflation (the route indicated by Friedman; on the other hand, the existence of rigidities or a monetary restriction (the route indicated by Clower.

The effect of macroeconomic conditions on the care decisions of the employed.

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Danny R; Khaliq, Amir A

2014-02-01

Medical care utilization has been found to be affected indirectly by changes in economic conditions through associated changes in employment or insurance status. However, if individuals interpret external macroeconomic conditions as employment risk, they may alter decisions to seek care even if they remain both employed and insured. To examine the relationship between macroeconomic fluctuations and the medical care usage of Americans who are both employed and insured. Restricting the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey from 1995 to 2008 to respondents whose employment status and insurance status did not change, we employed a fixed-effect Poisson model to examine the association between state average annual unemployment rates and the utilization of 12 medical services. The average annual state unemployment rate was found to be a significant factor in hospital outpatient visits (P macroeconomic conditions are an important factor in the medical decisions of employed and insured individuals. Thus, policy changes that increase access among the unemployed or uninsured may mitigate this employment risk effect and create incentives that potentially alter the utilization decisions among those currently both employed and insured.

Learning C# by developing games with Unity 3D

CERN Document Server

Norton, Terry

2013-01-01

This book uses the learning-by-example approach. It takes simple examples from games to introduce all the main concepts of programming in an easy-to-digest and immediately recognizable way.This book is for the total beginner to any type of programming, focusing on the writing of C# code and scripts only. There are many parts that make up the Unity game engine. It is assumed that the reader already knows their way around Unity's user interface. The code editor used in this book is the MonoDevelop editor supplied by Unity.

Flash Learning Games Wow Students and Instructors: Moving Toward An Academic Gaming Portal

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Dan H Lim

2003-02-01

Full Text Available This paper describes and discusses the rationale, background, design, and implementation of Flash learning games. The paper explains why Macromedia Flash has been selected as the authoring tool in the development of highly interactive learning games for online learning. The background evolutionary process of developing the learning games points out why it has been a daunting task to create compelling learning games that impact learning. Designing learning game objects that allow other educators to customize game content is the core of this paper. The author envisions this academic gaming project will evolve into an academic gaming portal, developed in conjunction with other major institutional partners.

A review of brain-computer interface games and an opinion survey from researchers, developers and users.

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Ahn, Minkyu; Lee, Mijin; Choi, Jinyoung; Jun, Sung Chan

2014-08-11

In recent years, research on Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology for healthy users has attracted considerable interest, and BCI games are especially popular. This study reviews the current status of, and describes future directions, in the field of BCI games. To this end, we conducted a literature search and found that BCI control paradigms using electroencephalographic signals (motor imagery, P300, steady state visual evoked potential and passive approach reading mental state) have been the primary focus of research. We also conducted a survey of nearly three hundred participants that included researchers, game developers and users around the world. From this survey, we found that all three groups (researchers, developers and users) agreed on the significant influence and applicability of BCI and BCI games, and they all selected prostheses, rehabilitation and games as the most promising BCI applications. User and developer groups tended to give low priority to passive BCI and the whole head sensor array. Developers gave higher priorities to "the easiness of playing" and the "development platform" as important elements for BCI games and the market. Based on our assessment, we discuss the critical point at which BCI games will be able to progress from their current stage to widespread marketing to consumers. In conclusion, we propose three critical elements important for expansion of the BCI game market: standards, gameplay and appropriate integration.

A Review of Brain-Computer Interface Games and an Opinion Survey from Researchers, Developers and Users

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Minkyu Ahn

2014-08-01

Full Text Available In recent years, research on Brain-Computer Interface (BCI technology for healthy users has attracted considerable interest, and BCI games are especially popular. This study reviews the current status of, and describes future directions, in the field of BCI games. To this end, we conducted a literature search and found that BCI control paradigms using electroencephalographic signals (motor imagery, P300, steady state visual evoked potential and passive approach reading mental state have been the primary focus of research. We also conducted a survey of nearly three hundred participants that included researchers, game developers and users around the world. From this survey, we found that all three groups (researchers, developers and users agreed on the significant influence and applicability of BCI and BCI games, and they all selected prostheses, rehabilitation and games as the most promising BCI applications. User and developer groups tended to give low priority to passive BCI and the whole head sensor array. Developers gave higher priorities to “the easiness of playing” and the “development platform” as important elements for BCI games and the market. Based on our assessment, we discuss the critical point at which BCI games will be able to progress from their current stage to widespread marketing to consumers. In conclusion, we propose three critical elements important for expansion of the BCI game market: standards, gameplay and appropriate integration.

Video game addiction, ADHD symptomatology, and video game reinforcement.

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Mathews, Christine L; Morrell, Holly E R; Molle, Jon E

2018-06-06

Up to 23% of people who play video games report symptoms of addiction. Individuals with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) may be at increased risk for video game addiction, especially when playing games with more reinforcing properties. The current study tested whether level of video game reinforcement (type of game) places individuals with greater ADHD symptom severity at higher risk for developing video game addiction. Adult video game players (N = 2,801; Mean age = 22.43, SD = 4.70; 93.30% male; 82.80% Caucasian) completed an online survey. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses were used to test type of game, ADHD symptom severity, and the interaction between type of game and ADHD symptomatology as predictors of video game addiction severity, after controlling for age, gender, and weekly time spent playing video games. ADHD symptom severity was positively associated with increased addiction severity (b = .73 and .68, ps .05. The relationship between ADHD symptom severity and addiction severity did not depend on the type of video game played or preferred most, ps > .05. Gamers who have greater ADHD symptom severity may be at greater risk for developing symptoms of video game addiction and its negative consequences, regardless of type of video game played or preferred most. Individuals who report ADHD symptomatology and also identify as gamers may benefit from psychoeducation about the potential risk for problematic play.

Game-Aided Education for Transportation Engineering: Design, Development, and Assessment

OpenAIRE

Wang, Qichao

2017-01-01

Transportation engineering is a wide area that covers different topics including traffic planning, highway design, pavement design, traffic safety, and traffic control. Certain concepts in those topics are challenging and are hard to understand based on textbooks and lectures. In this work, we developed five web games targeting the five topics in transportation engineering education to improve students’ understanding of those hard concepts. The games are hosted in a website server. Students c...

Gender and computer games / video games : girls’ perspective orientation

OpenAIRE

Yan, Jingjing

2010-01-01

The topic of this thesis is “Gender Differences in Computer games/ Video games Industry”. Due to rapid development in technology and popularization of computers all around the world, computer games have already become a kind of common entertainment. Because computer games were designed especially for boys at the very beginning, there are still some remaining barriers when training female game designers and expanding game markets among female players.This thesis is mainly based on two studies ...

An Alternative Macro-economic Model for the Classroom

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Holmes, Bryan

1976-01-01

Presents Michal Kalecki's macro-economic model and two-sector version of the model by Robinson and Eatwell as circular flow diagrams. Advantages of using this approach in first-year undergraduate economics programs are discussed. Available from: General Secretary, Economics Association, Room 340, Hamilton House, Mabledon Place, London WC1H 9BH,…

Teaching Macroeconomics after the Crisis: A Survey among Undergraduate Instructors in Europe and the United States

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Gärtner, Manfred; Griesbach, Björn; Jung, Florian

2013-01-01

The Great Recession raised questions of what and how macroeconomists teach at academic institutions around the globe, and what changes in the macroeconomics curriculum should be made. The authors conducted a survey of undergraduate macroeconomics instructors affiliated with colleges and universities in Europe and the United States at the end of…

The Influence of Macroeconomic Factors on the Financial Expenditures and Development of the Marketing Research

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Piotr Tarka

2015-10-01

Full Text Available This article diagnoses the selected macroeconomic factors, such as: rate of unemployment, inflation, GDP, spending power of the households, and characterizes their indirect impact on the enterprises' market research expenditures and research industry turnovers. The problems of financial expenditures, i.e., their allocation on the marketing researches (depending on the supply and demand market situational perspective in a given market are also discussed. Moreover, as indicated in the article, enterprises are forced not only to cut their financial sources on the marketing research projects in unfavorable economic situation, but they choose different methods of the research.

Carbon futures and macroeconomic risk factors. A view from the EU ETS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chevallier, Julien

2009-01-01

This article examines the empirical relationship between the returns on carbon futures - a new class of commodity assets traded since 2005 on the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) - and changes in macroeconomic conditions. By using variables which possess forecast power for equity and commodity returns, we document that carbon futures returns may be weakly forecast on the basis of two variables from the stock and bond markets, i.e. equity dividend yields and the 'junk bond' premium. Our results also suggest that the forecast abilities of two variables related to interest rates variation and economic trends on global commodity markets, respectively the U.S. Treasury bill yields and the excess return on the Reuters/CRB Index, are not robust on the carbon market. This latter result reinforces the belief that the EU ETS is currently operating as a very specific commodity market, with distinct fundamentals linked to allowance supply and power demand. The sensitivity of carbon futures to macroeconomic influences is carefully identified following a sub-sample decomposition before and after August 2007, which attempts to take into account the potential impact of the 'credit crunch' crisis. Collectively, these results challenge the market observers' viewpoint that carbon futures prices are immediately correlated with changes in the macroeconomic environment, and rather suggest that the carbon market is only remotely connected to macroeconomic variables. The economic logic behind these results may be related to the fuel-switching behavior of power producers in influencing primarily carbon futures price changes. (author)

Game programming gems

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DeLoura, Mark

2000-01-01

For the countless tasks involved in creating a game engine there are an equal number of possible solutions. But instead of spending hours and hours trying to develop your own answers, now you can find out how the pros do it! Game Programming Gems is a hands-on, comprehensive resource packed with a variety of game programming algorithms written by experts from the game industry and edited by Mark DeLoura, former software engineering lead for Nintendo of America, Inc. and now the newly appointed editor-in-chief of Game Developer magazine. From animation and artificial intelligence to Z-buffering, lighting calculations, weather effects, curved surfaces, mutliple layer Internet gaming, to music and sound effects, all of the major techniques needed to develop a competitive game engine are covered. Game Programming Gems is written in a style accessible to individuals with a range of expertise levels. All of the source code for each algorithm is included and can be used by advanced programmers immediately. For aspir...

Sport Education as a Curriculum Approach to Student Learning of Invasion Games: Effects on Game Performance and Game Involvement

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Farias, Cláudio; Valério, Carla; Mesquita, Isabel

2018-01-01

The teaching and learning of games and sport-based activities has historically been the dominant form of the physical education curricula. With an interest in providing to students meaningful and culturally situated sporting experiences, Sport Education is probably the most implemented and researched pedagogical model worldwide. However, although there is considerable evidence that the model as a curriculum approach can benefit the development of social goals and healthy sport behaviors, not a single study as to date examined students’ game-play development beyond participation in single and isolated teaching units. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine students’ development of Game Performance and Game Involvement during participation in three consecutive Sport Education seasons of invasion games. The participants were an experienced physical education teacher and one seventh-grade class totaling 26 students (10 girls and 16 boys). Using the Game Performance Assessment Instrument (Oslin et al., 1998), pre-test to post-tests measures of students’ Game Performance and Game Involvement were collected during their participation in basketball (20 lessons), handball (16 lessons), and football (18 lessons) units. Inter-group differences and pre-test to post-test improvements within each season were analyzed through 2 (time) x group (sport) repeated measures ANOVA tests. There were found significant pre-test to post-test improvements in Game Performance and Game Involvement in the second (handball) and third (football) seasons, but not in the first season (basketball). Students’ Game Performance and Involvement scores of handball and football were significantly higher than their scores while playing basketball. The opportunity for an extended engagement in game-play activities and prolonged membership of students in the same teams throughout three consecutive seasons of Sport Education were key to the outcomes found. The specific configurations of

Development and Assessment of a Chemistry-Based Computer Video Game as a Learning Tool

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Martinez-Hernandez, Kermin Joel

2010-01-01

The chemistry-based computer video game is a multidisciplinary collaboration between chemistry and computer graphics and technology fields developed to explore the use of video games as a possible learning tool. This innovative approach aims to integrate elements of commercial video game and authentic chemistry context environments into a learning…

Gaming the System: Video Games as a Theoretical Framework for Instructional Design

OpenAIRE

Beatty, Ian D.

2014-01-01

In order to facilitate analyzing video games as learning systems and instructional designs as games, we present a theoretical framework that integrates ideas from a broad range of literature. The framework describes games in terms of four layers, all sharing similar structural elements and dynamics: a micro-level game focused on immediate problem-solving and skill development, a macro-level game focused on the experience of the game world and story and identity development, and two meta-level...

Development of fundamental movement skills through games and PA in preschool chldren

OpenAIRE

Kašparová, Alena

2014-01-01

Characterization work: Fundamental locomotor skills are: walking, running, jumping, crawling and throwing. Their development is influenced primarily by games and movement activities. Control over those skills guarantees proper physical development of children and also make important prerequisites for an adoption of heavier and more complex skills. The levels of fundamental locomotor skills are evaluated by the diagnostic resources. Goal and purpose:I created inspiromat of games and movement a...

Defining and Leveraging Game Qualities for Serious Games

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Martin, Michael W.; Shen, Yuzhong

2011-01-01

Serious games can and should leverage the unique qualities of video games to effectively deliver educational experiences for the learners. However, leveraging these qualities is incumbent upon understanding what these unique 'game' qualities are , and how they can facilitate the learning process. This paper presents an examination of the meaning of the term 'game' . as it applies to both serious games and digital entertainment games. Through the examination of counter examples, we derive three game characteristics; games are self contained, provide a variety of meaningful choices, and are intrinsically compelling. We also discuss the theoretical educational foundations which support the application of these 'game qualities' to educational endeavors. This paper concludes with a presentation of results achieved through the application of these qualities and the applicable educational theories to teach learners about the periodic table of elements via a serious game developed by the authors.