Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How managers construe risk in business acquisitions

Business acquisitions are among the most important strategic investment decisions. Within a management control framework, there is a need for analysis techniques that reflect on experience and utilise organisational learning in future decisions. This paper provides an insight into managers' perceptions of the risk involved in acquisitions, as part of the learning process in building expertise in an organisation embarking on an acquisitions strategy. The paper reports on the results of a case study which elicited managers' risk constructs, in order to assess the risk profile of proposed business acquisitions. It uses personal construct theory with a group of managers to map the risks involved in acquisitions as an aid to future decision making.
Estimation of fragile ground by foot pressure sensor of legged robot

This paper reports several results from estimation experiments by using our new foot sensor, which is composed of a sole sensor and a rubbing mechanism for rubble walking robot. The sensor can measure every ground point's reactive force by pressing robot's legs against the ground in a given angle. There is not only stable ground but klunky ground or transformable ground or breakable ground in rubble space. Some results of our experiment shows that subtle differences are expressed by using COF (center of force) and pressure changes.
Upper Gila, Salt, and Verde Rivers: Arid Land Rivers in a Changing Climate

The major tributary of the Lower Colorado River, the Gila River, is a critical source of water for human and natural environments in the Southwestern US. Warmer and drier than the Upper Colorado River basin (UCRB), with less snow, and a bi-modal precipitation regime, the Gila River is controlled by a set of climatic conditions that is different from the controls on Upper Colorado River flow. Unlike the Colorado River at Lees Ferry, the Upper Gila River and major Gila River tributaries, the Salt and Verde Rivers, do not yet reflect significant declines in annual streamflow, in spite of warming trends. Annual streamflow is dominated by cool season precipitation, but the monsoon influence is discernable as well, variable across the basin and complicated by an inverse relationship with cool season precipitation in the Salt and Verde River basins. Major multi-year streamflow droughts in these two basins have frequently been accompanied by wet monsoons, suggesting that monsoon precipitation may partially offset the impacts of a dry cool season. While statistically significant trends in annual streamflow are not evident, decreases in fall and spring streamflow reflect warming temperatures and some decreases in spring precipitation. Because climatic controls vary with topography and the influence of the monsoon, the impacts of warming on streamflow in the three sub-basins is somewhat variable. However, given relationships between climate and streamflow, current trends in hydroclimate, and projections for the future, it would be prudent to expect declines in Gila River water supplies in the coming decades.
Entrepreneurship among university students in Bindura, Zimbabwe

Abstract The study interrogated the reasons that underlie student entrepreneurship, the nature of student entrepreneurship, and the outcomes of student entrepreneurship, the challenges encountered and how the students cope with the challenges. Theoretically, the study is informed by the human agency theory that views entrepreneurship as an intentional goal by students to satisfy their varied goals. The study was qualitative since the study sought to capture the voices of student entrepreneurs. Consequently, data were gathered using in-depth interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGD). Emerging themes were presented thematically. It was discovered that there are a preponderance of reasons that underline student entrepreneurship that include, future career prospects, family background, poverty, the influence of the curriculum and the desire to satisfy conspicuous consumption patterns. Student entrepreneurship is characterised by both male and female students running varied businesses. Student entrepreneurs face a quantum of challenges that interferes with their businesses including lack of capital, bureaucratic impediments and the need for the delicate balancing act of studies and running a business. The study recommends the establishment of universities sovereign funds to support students to start and grow their businesses as well as the removal of bureaucratic impediments that deter student entrepreneurship on campus.
Organizational Knowledge in the Making: How Firms Create, Use, and Institutionalize Knowledge

PART ONE: EPISTEMOLOGICAL FOUNDATIONS 1. Introduction 2. Knowing and Organizing 3. Studying Organizational Knowledge PART TWO: ORGANIZATIONAL KNOWLEDGE IN ACTION 4. Tradition and Innovation at Fiat Auto 5. Knowledge-in-the-Making: The 'Construction' of Fiat Melfi's Factory 6. Breakdowns and Bottlenecks: Capturing the Learning Dynamics on the Assembly Line 7. Sense Making on the Shop Floor: The Narrative Dimension of Organizational Knowledge PART THREE: BUILDING A THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE IN ORGANIZATIONS 8. Action, Content, and Time: A Processual Model of Knowing and Organizing 9. Re-thinking Knowledge in Organizations
Speech Enhancement Using Principal Component Analysis and Variance of the Reconstruction Error Model Identification A thesis Presented for the Master's Degree of Telecommunications

In recent years, Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) systems designed to work in controlled environments using clean speech have reached very high levels of performance. However, the accuracy of speech recognition degrades severely when the systems are operated in noisy environments. In this thesis we address the problem of single-channel speech enhancement. Starting with a study of the state-of-the-art enhancement methods, a comprehensive study of different categories of speech enhancement is presented. As an important class of speech enhancement methods, subspace-based speech enhancement is presented in chapter 2. After a careful study of all forces and drawbacks of this technique, a generalized form of Principal Component Analysis-based (PCA-based) speech enhancement is provided next. As a vital issue in PCA-based enhancement methods, identification of the clean speech signal's model is investigated in chapter 3. Some recent techniques to define the rank of a clean speech signal are presented in this chapter. In the rest of the thesis, a novel technique for rank estimation is developed. We introduce therefore a novel approach for the optimal subspace partitioning using the Variance of the Reconstruction Error (VRE) criterion. This criterion provides consistent parameter estimates and allows us to implement an automatic noise reduction algorithm that can be simply applied to the observed data. This choice also overcomes many limitations encountered with other selection criteria, like overestimation of the signal subspace or the need for empirical parameters. We have also extended our subspace algorithm to take into account the case of colored and babble noise. Informal listening tests and illustrations have confirmed the method to be numerically noise robust regardless of the type of the noise. ii Acknowledgements
Cycle of reproduction, oocyte atresia, and maturation size of the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum on a pebble beach in Mutsu Bay, Northern Japan

ABSTRACT This study investigated the seasonal cycle of reproduction and oocyte atresia (i.e. cell death and degeneration), and size at maturity of the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum (Mollusca: Bivalvia) in Mutsu Bay, Northern Japan. Monthly changes in condition factor and reproductive stage of gonads indicated that females and males spawned during July–September and June–October in 2014, respectively. The volume fraction of atretic oocytes reached a small peak at 9.3% in August (i.e. cell death of oocytes during their development in the spawning period) and the largest peak in October at 25.0% (i.e. residual oocytes in the recovery period). The atretic oocytes under resorption by macrophage-like cells comprised 2.5–14.3% and 100% of total atretic oocytes in the spawning and recovery/early gametogenesis periods, respectively. The shell length at 50% maturity was estimated to be 21.1 mm in females and 18.5 mm in males.
Plant community associations with morpho-topographic, geological and land use attributes in a semi-deciduous tropical forest of the Dominican Republic

ABSTRACT Despite being increasingly threatened by human-induced disturbances, dry forests remain the least studied and protected forest types in the Caribbean region. In contrast to many other forest systems in the world, we have little knowledge of the site-specific variation in vegetation communities within these forests nor understand how plant species distribution is determined by environmental variables, including geological attributes. Here, we aimed to provide evidence of the relationship between biodiversity and geodiversity, by assessing the associations between plant communities and habitat types in a semi-deciduous forest of the Dominican Republic. We collected vegetation data from 23 sites within the Ocoa river basin, which we classified into six groups with a Random Forest algorithm, using lithology, geomorphology, topography, and last decade history of forest loss as predictor variables. We established three main clusters: one group, which encompassed sites with forest over a limestone substrate, four groups of sites with forests over a marlstone substrate with varying degrees of steepness and forest loss history, and one group that gathered all sites with forest over an alluvial substrate. In order to measure the associations of plant communities with groups of sites, we used the indicator value index (IndVal), which indicates whether a plant species is found in one or multiple-habitat types and the phi coefficient of association, which measures species preferences for habitats. We found that 16 species of woody plants are significantly associated with groups of sites by means of their indices. Our findings suggest that the detection of plant species associations with our selection of environmental variables is possible using a combination of indices. We show that there is considerable variation in plant community composition within the semi-deciduous forest studied and suggest that conservation planning should focus on protection of this variation, while considering the significance and variability of geodiversity as well. In addition, we propose that our indicator groups facilitate vegetation mapping in nearby dry forests, where it is difficult to conduct thorough vegetation or environmental surveys. In short, our analyses hold potential for the development of site-specific management and protection measures for threatened semi-deciduous forests in the Caribbean.
Aspects of Animal Health Economics in the finisher pig production

Abstract: The implementation of an effective control strategy against dis-ease in a ﬁnisher herd requires knowledge regarding the disease level in the herd.A Bayesian network was constructed that can estimate risk indexes for 3 cause-categories of leg disorders in a ﬁnisher herd. The cause-categories of leg disorderswere divided into physical causes (e.g. fracture and claw lesions), infectious causes(arthritis caused by infectious pathogens) and inherited causes (osteochondrosis). Information about the herd (e.g. the herd size, ﬂoor type and number of suppliers)and information about individual pigs (e.g. results from diagnostic tests) were usedto estimate the most likely cause of leg disorders at herd level. As information tothe model originated from 2 different levels, we used an object-oriented structurein order to ease the speciﬁcation of the Bayesian network. Hence, a Herd classand a Pig class comprised the basic components of the object-oriented structure.The causal structure of the model was based on evidence from published litera-ture. The conditional probabilities used in the model were elicited from experts
Research of Fault Diagnosis of Coalmine Motor Bearings Based on Scale Adaptive Lifting Wavelet Transform

For Rolling of the mine key equipment is damaged easily the problem which is machinery fault diagnosis,through the failure mechanism of the reload / variable load conditions and the weak fault signal characteristics of coal mine electrical equipment bearing are analyzed, a more refined analysis of the vibration signal and achieve coal mining equipment online monitoring and Intelligent Fault Diagnosis system is constructed directly by scale adaptive lifting wavelet transform
Modern rotary converters for railway applications

Electrically-powered railway traction in many countries of the world use single-phase, low-frequency systems. In the United States it is 25 Hz, whereas in Europe 16.67 Hz is applied. Supplying this single-phase energy is done by different means. Dedicated generators driven by hydraulic, steam and gas turbines are applied on the networks. Frequency converters are also applied to transfer energy from the three-phase public grid to the single-phase railway system. Static frequency-converter technology has emerged in recent years as an alternative to rotary equipment for exchanging energy between the railway and public grids. At the same time, rotating equipment technology has advanced. So far, the rotating equipment appears to retain sufficient advantages over the static options that most railway system owners, at least in Europe, continue to install rotary converters. This paper highlights some of the salient issues involved in choosing between rotary and static power frequency converters, with an emphasis on the most recent designs applied in Europe and their potential application in the United States.
Dealing with High Talent Turnover through Talent Engagement Strategies: A Study of the Hotel Sector in Thailand

The hotel sector faces high team member turnover, incredibly talented workers who can contribute to outstanding performance and levelling world-class standards. Hotels need strategies to engage their talent effectively to maintain competitiveness. This paper used qualitative research, of which (38) semi-structured interviews were accompanied by key informants at the management level and supplemented by documentation and observation. The research revealed that effective talent engagement is linked directly to the well-known theory of effective talent management. Thus, the national culture influences talent engagement strategies. Within Thai culture, managers act as ‘parents’ and build strong interpersonal relationships.
RESILIENCE OF ROAD TRANSPORTATION LIFELINES FOR PORIRUA DISTRICT

Road networks provide a vital lifelines function to society, and their availability is critical for emergency response and recovery after major hazard events. The resilience of the primary road network in the Porirua district to a large magnitude earthquake has been assessed and mapped onto a GIS platform. Slip volumes that could be potentially generated were also assessed, to help response planning. The study highlighted the vulnerability of the network, where the road network could be cut off by major landslides on road through rugged terrain, as well as liquefaction and lateral spreading at low lying areas. The assessment enables the Council to manage the risks to the road network to provide the levels of service to fulfil the Council’s social and statutory responsibilities. Together with the needs from future growth in population, industry and traffic and safety improvement needs, the assessment will enable the Council to effectively manage future capital and asset maintenance expenditure for the road network. The study also enables asset managers and emergency management staff to consider the whole inter-connected network in local and regional emergency response planning, as well as assisting the Council in developing initiatives to enhance resilience.
Does knowledge structure matter? Key factors influencing formal and informal knowledge sharing in manufacturing

Purpose This study aims to investigate the factors from four dimensions that have an effect both on formal and informal knowledge sharing (FKS and IKS) and the relationship between knowledge sharing (KS) and task performance in Chinese manufacturing. Design/methodology/approach The structural equation modeling approach was applied to hypothesis testing according to the data collected from employees of manufacturing companies through the online questionnaire. A total of 530 valid responses were obtained. Findings The results indicate that level of knowledge structure, self-efficacy, leadership support and KS culture all have a significant positive effect on both FKS and IKS while trust only positively affects FKS and information technology support positively affects IKS. Both FKS and IKS positively contribute to the task performance of manufacturing companies. Research limitations/implications This study merely considered the impact of six factors on KS from four perspectives. Consequently, the relationship between some important other factors and KS is not revealed. In addition, the results of this study indicate that there might be a more complicated relationship between these factors and KS than the model constructed by this study. Therefore, in future research, more influencing factors could be considered in the research framework, and a multilevel model, such as a model considering the mediation effect, could be further explored. Practical implications According to the results, both FKS and IKS play a significant role in promoting organizational task performance, which is worthy of attention by the managers of manufacturing companies. In addition, the relationship between the different factors and the FKS and IKS found in this study provides specific guidance for improving the organizational KS practice. Originality/value First, previous studies considered the construction of explicit KS and tacit KS models based on the content of KS while this study considered FKS and IKS from the perspective of the process and approach of KS. Second, this research has clearly defined the level of knowledge structure from the perspective of knowledge ontology and verifies the positive effect of this factor on KS, providing a new theoretical perspective for exploring KS factors.
Global Wave Persistence Study for Offshore Operation and Planning

This paper describes the guidelines for preliminary workability analysis for offshore operation and planning using global wave persistence study. In offshore engineering, the weather information has to be studied to select the appropriate path for the project during the concept design, the detail design and the operation plan. The workability analysis is part of the weather study for various offshore operations and this study is used as a guide for the operation schedule, the selection of the operation method, the design of the equipment and the supporting structures. The detailed workability analysis is based on response based simulations which are only available after or during detail system design. On the other hand, preliminary workability can be calculated based on hindcast data with statistical methods before the detail design and this study can lead the project on the appropriate path at the beginning stages. The wave persistence analysis with thresholds on time and wave heights is used for the preliminary workability calculation and can also be used for route planning during offshore transportation. The objective of this paper is to provide global wave persistence analysis data to guide offshore operation and planning and makes the transition to workability with the required working wave period easier. For the global wave persistence analysis, the National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Climate Forecast System Reanalysis Reforecast (CFSRR) system data was used which has 35-year numerical wave hindcast. Data resolution is 0.5°×0.5° grid size with a temporal resolution of 3 hours for the period from 1979 to 2013, and this database covers most offshore locations except the Caspian Sea, and the North and South Pole areas. The persistence analysis was calculated with 0.5m, 1.0m, 1.5m and 2m wave thresholds, and each wave threshold is categorized as 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours persistency.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Automatisierte EKG-Auswertung mit Hilfe der EKG-Signaldatenbank CARDIODAT der PTB

Einleitung: Bei der Entwicklung von neuen Auswerteverfahren für EKG-Signale gewinnt die Überprüfung von Algorithmen an einer großen Zahl realer EKG mit bekannten diagnostischen Informationen immer mehr an Bedeutung. Um diese Untersuchungen mit vertretbarem Zeitund Personalaufwand durchzuführen, sind computergestützte Methoden in Verbindung mit entsprechenden EKG-Datenbanken eine erfolgversprechende Lösung.
Computer-aided measurement method for determination of torque-speed characteristics of electrical motors used in practical education

Traditional characteristics tests of three phase induction motors use load changing in defined steps. At the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering a new measurement method was worked out to determine the torque-speed characteristics of a motor. In this method only one run-up of the motor is necessary to register this characteristic. This idea was implemented into the educational and industrial practice. This paper summarizes the measurement method, results of the experiments and educational experiences.
Structural relationships between learning persistence in mobile learning and other influencing factors at a cyber university

The purpose of this study is to analyze the mobile learning satisfaction of cyber university students and use structural analysis to determine how continued use of the factors affect the degree of relationship, and improve them to be present in the room. This research examined the significant variables affecting learners' learning persistence in a mobile learning environment linked with e-learning. The research results will provide useful suggestions for the design of e-learning and mobile learning.
CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF THE CAREER PATH BETWEEN CAREER PERFORMANCE ATTRIBUTES AND EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE IN PUBLIC SECTOR IN OMAN

The aim of the present study is to review and develop a conceptual model of the relationship between career performance attributes, career path, and employee performance of the public sector in Oman. The study used online empirical recourses by the name of career performance attributes, career path, and employee performance in different online database sources such as Google Scholars, Springer Link, Wiley, Science Direct, JSTOR, Emerald full text, Scopus, and EBSCO HOST, etc. The review study summarized that Job satisfaction is the positive emotion result from the appraisal of job experience and fulfillment of employee needs. The study also found that job satisfaction can gain high performance whereas the dissatisfied performance of employees yields low employee performance. Moreover, the study also observed that career development and life changes have become very challenging for working women and there are numerous studies targeted towards gaining a better understanding of this issue, its consequences and the significance of these challenges. Finally, the research develops a conceptual framework that is to be followed in order to analyze the various elements and aspects. The framework has been designed by considering the various variables and their intricacies in particular relation to the subject matter of the research work in Oman and the regions.