Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tracking in the context of interaction

Detection, tracking and event analysis are areas of video analysis which have great importance in robotics applications and automated surveillance. Although they have been greatly studied individually, there has been little work on performing them jointly where they mutually influence and improve each other. In this thesis we present a novel approach for jointly estimating the track of a moving object and recognising the events in which it participates. The contributions are divided into three main chapters. In the first, we will introduce our geometric carried object detector which allows to detect a generic class of objects. This detector primarily uses geometric shape models instead of using pre-trained object class models and does not solely rely on protrusion regions. The second main chapter presents our spatial consistency tracker which incorporates events at a detection level within a tracklet building process. This tracker enforces spatial consistency between objects and other pre-tracked entities in the scene. Finally, in the third main chapter we present our joint tracking and event analysis framework posed as maximisation of a posterior probability defined over event sequences and temporally-disjoint subsets of tracklets. In this framework events are incorporated at a tracking level, where tracking and event analysis mutually influence and improve each other. We evaluate the aforementioned framework using three datasets. We compare our detector and spatial consistency tracker against a state-of-the-art detector by providing detection and tracking results. We evaluate the tracking performance of our joint tracking and event analysis framework using tracklets from two state of the art trackers, and additionally our own from our spatial consistency tracker; we demonstrate improved tracking performance in each case due to jointly incorporating events within the tracking process, while also subsequently improving event recognition.
Corporate Taxation and Capital Structure: Evidence from Russia

The study aims to empirically analyse whether corporate taxation has an impact on firm capital structure decisions. The results based on a panel data of Russian private (non-listed), non-financial and non-state owned firms show that taxation has significant impact on firm financial leverage (negative in terms of long-term debt and positive in terms of equity). The smallest and largest firms of the sample respond more to effective tax rates. The results are robust according to the tests applied. Moreover additional empirical results are obtained for the standard capital structure determinants (size, profitability, tangibility and liquidity of assets) that contribute to the capital structure theories.
Do Migrants Think Differently? Evidence from Eastern European and Post-Soviet States

This research investigates migrant self-selection on values, beliefs, and attitudes using data from Eastern European and former Soviet countries. We find that individuals who intend to emigrate are more politically active, more critical of governance and institutions, more tolerant toward other cultures, less tolerant of cheating, more optimistic, and less risk averse. With the exception of risk aversion, all selection patterns are heterogeneous across regions of origin. On the other hand, no self-selection pattern is detected on education, willingness to pay for public goods, and economic liberalism. These findings provide new insights into the determinants of international migration and reveal some of its less known consequences, such as a possible reduction of domestic pressure for political improvements in post-Soviet states due to politically active citizens’ higher propensity to emigrate.
Employees’ retention in Nigeria’s hospitality industry: The role of transformational leadership style and job satisfaction

Abstract Studies have shown the benefits and importance of leadership styles in service producing industries, to promote employees’ overall well-being. This study was designed to examine interaction among the transformational style of leadership and job satisfaction, life satisfaction and turnover intention of employees. A total of 324 questionnaires were administered to the employees of six functioning universities’ guesthouses in South-West, Nigeria. Structural Equation Modeling was used for assessing the fit of the model. Findings indicated that idealized influence, inspirational motivation, intellectual stimulation, and individualized consideration improved job satisfaction, and inversely affected turnover intention. In addition, life satisfaction was enhanced by idealized influence and individualized consideration, while inspirational motivation and intellectual stimulation had no positive effect on life satisfaction. Life satisfaction was positively associated with job satisfaction, and negatively associated with turnover intention. Recommendations were made for the hospitality organizations to embrace transformational leadership style to improve employees’ work attitudes and behaviors. The managerial implications, study limitation and suggestion for further study were also discussed.
Does Finance – Led Growth Hypothesis Hold in Jordanian Economy? An Empirical Analysis

The current study investigates whether Finance–Led Growth Hypothesis Holds in Jordanian Economy for the period of 1992Q1 to 2016Q4, by implying ARDL bound test. The current study used four financial development indicators namely: Economics Volatility variable (EV) measured by the ratio of bank credit to the private sector to nominal gross domestic product (NGDP),Monetization variable (BMV) measured by the ratio of broad money supply to nominal gross domestic product (NGDP),Board Money Velocity variable(MSD), measured by the ratio of deposit demand to narrow money supply, and finally, Stock Market development (MC) measured as the ratio of market capitalization value to nominal gross domestic product (NGDP). These indicators were used to capture the effect of financial development on economic growth. Empirical results revealed that financial development indicators have a positive and statistically significant impact on economic growth in Jordan, which in confirms the existence of finance –led growth hypothesis in the Jordanian economy.
Evaluating Public Transit Criticism: Systematic Analysis of Political Attacks on High Quality Transit, and How Transportation Professionals Can Effectively Respond

High quality public transit, such as urban rail and Bus Rapid Transit, and Transit Oriented Development (TOD), can provide many benefits, including direct benefits to users and indirect benefits to other members of society. There is evidence of growing consumer demand for these options. As a result, many communities are investing significant resources to improve transit services and encourage TOD. A small but vocal group of critics attack these efforts. Critics argue that transit service improvements attract few riders, provide few benefits, are not cost effective, are unfair to low-income residents and motorists, and will soon be replaced by self-driving cars. This report systematically evaluates these claims. Many of the critics’ arguments are based on inaccurate, incomplete or biased information. This report describes appropriate responses to inaccurate criticisms. This should be of interest to transportation professionals, public transit advocates, and anybody interested in determining optimal investments in transit service improvements and TOD. A shorter version of this report was published as: “Evaluating Rail Transit Benefits: A Comment,” Transport Policy, Vol. 14, No. 1 (www.elsevier.com/locate/tranpol), January 2007, pp. 94-97. Evaluating Public Transit Criticism Victoria Transport Policy Institute
Talent management for the proactive behavior of tour guides

Purpose In an increasingly competitive market, tourism managers are aware of the importance of talent management. Because tour guide behavior has an important influence on tourists’ experience in the process of group touring, how to motivate a tour guide’s proactive behavior becomes an important issue. Based on social exchange and cognitive theory, the purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of particular human resource management practices on proactive behavior. Design/methodology/approach This research takes the tour guide as the research object. The questionnaire survey method was used to obtain data. At last, 351 valid questionnaires were obtained. Finally, the hypotheses of this research are tested using structural equation modeling and percentile (bias-corrected percentile) bootstrapping method. Findings The results show that human resource management practices positively influenced proactive behavior of tour guides. Moreover, both perceived organizational support and self-efficacy were found to mediate the relationship between human resource management practice and proactive behavior. Originality/value This study contributes to the tourism literature by finding that both perceived organizational support and self-efficacy can foster the effect of human resource management practice, resulting in proactive behavior of tour guides.
Research data supporting "Idea representation and elaboration in design inspiration and fixation experiments"

Data from three separate small-scale experiments (N = 55; 30; 58) conducted with students from the University of Cambridge (Engineering Department) and from Delft University of Technology (Industrial Design Engineering). The data consists of participants ideas (scans) and the assessment done by judges (spreadsheets).
Trusted sorghum: simulating interactions in the sorghum value chain in Kenya using games and agent-based modelling

ABSTRACT Development programmes are increasingly supporting inclusive value chains (VC), in which resource-poor farmers are included in commercially viable VC opportunities. Strengthening social capital elements between VC actors is key to improve the farmers’ livelihood. This article presents a novel impact evaluation method called the VC-Lab to assess the effectiveness of such development programmes, including long-term effects. The method is based on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) in the sorghum VC in Kenya. It consists of different components: (1) a VC analysis; (2) games to assess risk attitude and trust relationships between VC actors; and (3) an agent-based model (ABM) to assess the long-term impact. ABM parameter settings are based on the outcomes of the VC analysis and game results. The level of trust of participating farmers delivering to the participating trader is significantly higher than the level of trust of non-participating farmers in their trader. ABM simulations indicate that in the long run the PPP will lead to higher levels of trust and increased income, whereby training is the key intervention mechanisms. The VC-lab proves to be a valuable evaluation tool. Application of the VC-lab to other VCs, to other commodities and in other countries is needed to test wider applicability of the methodology.
Sovereign Credit_Rating Disclose and Bond Liquidity under Sovereign Debt Crisis

This study examines the effect of the informational content of local credit rating announcements in emerging markets on the liquidity of their bond markets. We analyze the bond liquidity markets across five countries such as Poland, Greece, Spain, Hungary and Turkey. The sample includes daily data about sovereign bonds over the period ranging from July 2009 to January 2014.We mainly focus on the period before and after the sovereign debt crisis. We note that the bond liquidity is affected due to the sign of the rating granted by the rating agencies for each country.
Extracting Relevant Points of Interest from Open Street Map to Support E-Mobility Infrastructure Models

Neben kommerziell bereitgestellten Geodaten nehmen freiwillig erhobene geographische Daten (VGI, volunteered geographic information) in der Forschung einen wachsenden Stellenwert ein. Plattformen wie OpenStreetMap (OSM) bieten inzwischen eine enorme Menge an Geodaten, deren Qualitat und deren Mehrwert fur die Forschung zunehmend kritisch betrachtet werden. Besonders dann, wenn es um raumliche Planung geht, mussen die Daten vor der Anwendung angemessen validiert und bereinigt werden. In diesem Artikel wird ein Datenverarbeitungsmodell vorgestellt, mit dem OSM-Daten so aufbereitet werden konnen, dass der Bedarf an Ladeinfrastruktur fur Elektroautos uber von Nutzern eingetragene Point of Interests (POI) raumlich moglichst genau erfasst und abgebildet werden kann. Zunachst erfolgt eine Selektion relevanter Datensets durch eine Pravalidierung. Im zweiten Schritt werden die wichtigsten POI selektiert und spezifiziert. In einem dritten Schritt werden alle OSM-immanenten Schwierigkeiten beseitigt. Das hier vorgestellte Datenverarbeitungsmodell ist auf das Thema Elektromobilitat zugeschnitten, fur welches POIs in die vier Zeitkategorien Arbeit, Leben, Einkaufen und Freizeit eingeteilt werden, um so den Bedarf an Ladeinfrastruktur zu erheben. Durch dieses Modell der Datenverarbeitung soll die Energienachfrage fur Elektroautos raumlich moglichst realistisch dargestellt werden und Rohdaten mit ihren bekannten Fehlern durch den OSM-Datensammlungsprozess bereinigt aufbereitet werden. Anhand einer Fallstudie, die im bayerisch-tschechischen Grenzraum durchgefuhrt wurde, wird gezeigt, dass die Fehlerrate durch die Implementierung validierter Daten um ca 10% reduziert werden kann.
Ticks and Tax: The Joint Effects of Price Discreteness and Taxation on Ex Dividend Day Returns

We examine ex-dividend day stock price behavior before and after the NYSE converted from discrete (1/16ths) to decimal pricing systems in early 2001, as well as the effect of equalizing the federal income tax rates on dividend and long-term capital gain income in May 2003. Prior literature reports a robust empirical result that share prices decrease on the ex-dividend day by less than the amount of the dividend, but there is little agreement about whether this incomplete price adjustment is caused by share price discreteness, differential taxation of dividend income relative to capital gains, or other factors. Two recent studies, Graham, Michaely and Roberts (2003) and Jakob and Ma (2004), report that declining price discreteness (e.g. from 1/16ths to decimal pricing) had no material effect on the cum- to ex-day price-drop-to-dividend ratio. Although we report similar findings for the price-drop ratio, we find that ex-day abnormal returns declined significantly as a result of decimalization in 2001, and declined further in response to tax rate equalization in May 2003. Thus, our findings support the view that both price discreteness and differential taxation affect ex-dividend day stock price behavior.
Ernst Freund as precursor of the rational study of corporate law

Abstract The rise of large business corporations in the late 19th century compelled many American observers to admit that the nature of the corporation had yet to be understood. Published in this context, Ernst Freund's little-known The Legal Nature of Corporations (1897) was an original attempt to come to terms with a new legal and economic reality. But it can also be described, to paraphrase Oliver Wendell Holmes, as the earliest example of the rational study of corporate law. The paper shows that Freund had the intuitions of an institutional economist, and engaged in what today would be called comparative institutional analysis. Remarkably, his argument that the corporate form secures property against insider defection and against outsiders anticipated recent work on entity shielding and capital lock-in, and can be read as an early contribution to what today would be called the theory of the firm.
Testing the Effect of Business-level Strategy on Performance of Hotels

Abstract This study examines the effect of business-level strategy on performance. Past literature indicates that few studies were done to examine the effect of business-level strategy in the hotel industry. Specifically, numerous previous researches focused on banking and manufacturing industries in developed countries. For that reason, to explore our understanding in this area, the present study was conducted in the Nigerian hotel industry. The data were collected using a survey designed from 83 owners/managers of hotels in Kano, Northwest of Nigeria, using appropriate sampling techniques. The data were analysed with 58 valid responses using SPSS and partial least square (PLS) techniques. The findings indicate a surprising result that cost leadership is not statistically significant on performance. Moreover, the differentiation strategy is significantly related to hotels’ performance. Based on these findings, theoretical and practical implications and future research suggestions were discussed.
Topics and Geographical Diffusion of Knowledge in Top Economic Journals

We study the evolution of topics in economics and their geographical specialization by analyzing 13,233 papers from seven top journals between 1985 and 2012 and their forward citations. The share of U.S. publications declines from 75% to 64% with a corresponding increase of the European share from 12% to 24%. We use topic modeling and document the evolution of the discipline over 27&#8201;years. We estimate, with a quasi&#8208;structural model, the citation lag distribution for 18 different topics and three large geographical areas. The modal citation lag is about 6.7&#160;years in the entire sample and 4.8&#160;years for citations from the top 100 journals. We quantify (1) the home bias effect in citations, (2) how it fades away over time, (3) the long lasting impact of U.S. publications vis&#8208;&#224;&#8208;vis other geographical areas, and (4) the higher speed of diffusion and faster obsolescence in the United States.
The role of timing in shaping information processing in neural systems

The Role of Timing in Shaping Information Processing in Neural Systems Ovidiu Dan Iancu, B.S., M.S. Doctor of Philosophy Division of Biomedical Engineering within The Department of Science & Engineering and the Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine September 2008 Thesis Advisor: Patrick Roberts In many biological systems, information about the environment is detected by a large array of sensory receptors; it reaches more central regions of the nervous system as parallel streams of spike trains. How this ow of information is processed and which features are most salient to the organism is a central problem in neuroscience. A comprehensive and systematic approach to the analysis of the relationships between stimuli and their neural representations is illustrated. This approach is complementary to the hypothesis driven research paradigm, where the investigator states a hypothesis and then performs experiments in order to validate or invalidate the stated hypothesis. This alternative methodology enlarges the possible relationships between stimuli and their representations beyond one speci c hypothesis and aims to evaluate all possible relationships between neural stimuli and their neural representations. For a speci c set of data, both the set of stimuli and the set of neural response are characterized either by membership in discrete categories or as a continuous space with a similarity measure. In order to quantify these input-output relationships, existing methods of analysis are adapted or new ones developed where necessary. In the speci c data sets analyzed here, timing emerges as a critical parameter for the description of neural stimuli and their representations.
Investor Attention and Stock Market Activities: New Evidence from Panel Data

Using the panel vector autoregression (VAR) method, this paper documents relationships between investor attention and stock market activities; i.e., return, volatility, and trading volume, respectively. In sum, bidirectional dynamic interdependence of the SVI–stock market activities relationship exists, in which the SVI–trading volume relationship shows the strongest evidence. This is consistent with prior literature using trading volume as a proxy of investor attention. However, the relationships in the developed and developing markets are statistically significantly different. The stock markets in the developed markets over-react more to the search volume than those in the developing markets. We postulate that investor attention is one of the key elements in asset pricing in stock markets.
It is not power, but how you use it: Experimental evidence on altruism from households in Pakistan

ABSTRACT We investigate altruism among household members in the presence of information asymmetry using artefactual experiments in Pakistan. Having a family member who does not respect one’s control over earned property makes generosity less likely within the experiment. Women, who display greater entitlement over own earnings, are less generous when they can conceal their allocation decisions, showing that self-regarding behaviors are driven by pent-up demand for household members to respect their control over resources. Our findings reveal that understanding household dynamics can be critical for policy makers wanting to maximize welfare outcomes in social protection programs.
Taking Stock of Trade Policy Uncertainty: Evidence from China's Pre-Wto Accession

We study the effects on trade from the annual tariff uncertainty about China’s MFN status renewal prior to joining the WTO. We have three main findings. First, counter to the evidence elsewhere, trade increases strongly in anticipation of uncertain future increases in tariffs. Second, even though the trade response can be quite large, the probability of a tariff increase was perceived to be relatively small, with an average annual probability of non-renewal of about 5.5 percent. And third, what matters more is the expected future tariff rather than the uncertainty around it. We identify these effects using within-year variation in the risk of trade policy changes around the renewal vote and trade flows. We show that an (s,s) inventory model generates this behavior and that variation in the strength of the stockpiling in advance of the vote is increasing in the storability of goods. The model is also consistent with a sizeable fraction of the cross-industry variation in annual trade flows documented elsewhere. Our results explain why trade may hold up well in advance of a prospective policy change such as Brexit or the US escalating tariff war of 2018-19, but may fall off sharply even if expected tariff increases do not materialize.