Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MOTIVATIONS FOR THE ADOPTION OF ERP AND CRM SYSTEMS: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

The technologies and information systems are crucial elements for the competitiveness of organizations. In this context ERP and CRM systems play a major role. ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) are management systems that have been implemented for various types of enterprises aiming to optimize its operation. In adopting these systems, stand out as reasons: to reduce costs, to improve the information quality, to improve customer services, reduce inventories, among others. The CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a set of processes, strategies, and technologies that allow the implementation of relationships between organizations and customers, making their relationship stronger, lasting, and satisfactory to both parts. In this paper it is presented a review and comparison of the motivations inherent in the adoption of these systems.
Temporal trends in the internationalization of British retailing

International retailing is widely recognized as a risky venture. The literature suggests that initial moves into foreign markets reflect attempts to minimize a range of perceived risks. Over time, as perceptions of risk change and experience curve factors come into play, one might expect a change of approach to foreign market investment. This paper examines the trends observed in British retail internationalization over the 1960–90 period and examines changes in the volume, nature and direction of investment. The relationship of these trends to risk reduction strategies and how they may change over time are considered. Geographical and cultural proximity, the use of specific entry mechanisms and the nature of the sector concerned are seen to be important considerations in understanding the patterns seen over time.
An analysis for compounded functions of categorical data.

One area of application which has become increasingly important to statisticians and other researchers is the analysis of categorical data. Often the principal objective in such investigations is either the testing of appropriate hypotheses or the fitting of simplified models to the multi-dimensional contingency tables which arise when frequency counts are obtained for the respective cross-classifications of specific qualitative variables. Grizzle, Starmer, and Koch [1969] (subsequently abbreviated GSK) have described how linear regression models and weighted least squares can be used for this purpose. The resulting test statistics belong to the class of minimum modified chi-square due to Neyman [1949] which is equivalent to the general quadratic form criteria of Wald [1943]. As such, they have central x2-distributions when the corresponding null hypotheses are true. Two alternative approaches to this methodology are that based on maximum likelihood as formulated by Bishop [1969; 1971] and Goodman [1970; 1971a, b] and that based on minimum discrimination information as formulated by Ku et al. [1971]. In each of the previously mentioned papers, primary emphasis was given to the formulation of models and the problems of analysis under various conditions of "no interaction" (see Roy and Kastenbaum [1956] or Bhapkar
A comparison of classification methods for analysis of remotely sensed hyperpectral data

This paper examines the utility of hyperspectral imagery for remote sensing data analysis. The acquired data volumes are very important, often reaching hundreds or thousands of channels for a single scene observed. Certainly, the large quantity contained in the hyperspectral database is accompanied by a complex physical content and consequently a considerable time computing which can affect the quality of treatment. These channels come from a very fine spectral sampling, allow discriminating and differentiating constituents that are spectrally close. Furthermore, hyperspectral imaging is a technique that is as strong potential initiating new research in the development of mathematical morphology. This theory, mainly inspired by the image processing problems, extends to a new more complex scope of which is hyperspectral mathematical morphology. Applied to hyperspectral data in hyperdimensional features spaces, we compare two proposed classification approaches. The first method is based on centralized segmentation methodology which exploits the information complementarities. The second method is based on hierarchical clustering which consists on combining a divisive clustering approach applied at a high-level and an agglomerative clustering operating at a low-level.
Perspectives and practices of CSR in the hospitality industry: analyzing a case study.

This paper aims to offer a preliminary case study of CSR issues being addressed in the hospitality sector in order to disseminate best practice. By employing a qualitative research findings reveal that Melia Hotels International has its own approach to CSR by incorporating a new cultural dimension to this notion. Moreover, findings illustrate how MHI define its CSR policy according to the stakeholder approach, being the main beneficiaries from these activities consumers and local communities. This study also provides evidence that strength of CSR commitment varies by topic, and that value creation for MHI can be uncertain since many CSR initiatives do not cause a reduction in costs.
The Social, Psychological, and Political Causes of Racial Disparities in the American Criminal Justice System

Imprisonment rates for black Americans have long been five to seven times higher than those for whites. The immediate causes are well known: high levels of black imprisonment resulting in part from higher black than white arrest rates for violent crime and vastly higher black drug arrest rates. Drug arrest disparities result from police decisions to concentrate attention on drugs blacks sell and places where they sell them. Prison disparities are aggravated by laws prescribing sentences of unprecedented severity for offenses for which blacks are disproportionately arrested. Those practices and policies were shaped by distinctive sociological, psychological, and political features of American race relations. Work on the psychology of American race relations shows that many white Americans resent efforts made to help black Americans overcome the legacy of racism; that stereotypes of black criminality support whites’ attitudes toward drug and crime control policy; and that statistical discrimination, colorism, Afro‐American feature bias, and implicit bias cause black offenders to be treated especially severely. Sociological work on racial stratification shows that whites support policies that maintain traditional racial hierarchies. Contemporary drug and crime control policies are components of the Republican Southern Strategy, shaped by and exacerbating those phenomena, to use crime as a “wedge issue” to appeal to whites’ racial anxieties and resentments.
臺灣上市與上櫃公司除息日至發放日間隔週期之研究(Comparing TWSE and OTC Firms on the Period between the Ex-date and the Payment Dates)

Chinese Abstract: 本研究應用行為經濟學觀點，說明公司除息日至發放日間隔週期決策是根據某個參考點延續或適度修正而來。 對於首次發放股息之公司，參考點是同業或同集團之其他公司；再度發放股息時，參考點是公司過去之經驗，形成所謂的維持現狀偏好。 本研究透過分析台灣上市櫃公司之發放股息資料 (2009至2012年)，證明：雖然經濟面因素導致上市公司發放股息傾向高於上櫃公司，但間隔週期決策導因於行為面因素，因此上市與上櫃公司形成相同之分佈特徵。 本研究說明：一個月左右之間隔週期是公司依據經驗法則決策產生。 雖然，一個月左右之間隔週期普遍被投資人認為是公平且正常之現象，卻未必是合理或最佳化之決策結果。 就投資人與股東權益角度，合理之間隔週期應在28天之內。 English Abstract: This study examines the corporate decision of the periods between the ex-dividend date and the payment date from the perspective of behavioral economics. We find that the decision is based on a reference point from which an adaption is made to the market. The reference point for a firm initiating dividend payments is derived from that firm's past experience and other firms' past behavior, resulting in a status quo bias. By analyzing the payout policy by TWSE and OTC firms over the period 2009 to 2012, we find that TWSE firms are more likely to pay dividends based on financial factors, whereas the pattern of the periods between the two dates is consistent across the two markets. This similarity can be justified by behavioral reasoning. Although periods between the ex-dividend date and the payment date of one month are widely recognized as fair among market participants, it is not necessarily a just or optimal outcome. We demonstrate that decisions about periods between the ex-dividend date and the payment date are based on heuristics and argue that a just period should be less than 28 days.
The Economics of Inter-City Competition in Financial and Distribution Markets

We introduce a model of inter-city competition within a multidimensional framework. More specifically, we extend a single-sector model to one comprising two sectors, namely, a financial sector and a distribution sector in a three-stage sequential-game framework. There are two types of infrastructure, with one for each sector. The government of each city can build the infrastructure necessary to increase the competitiveness of the relevant sector. However, given that resources are limited, each city has to decide on which type of infrastructure to build, as well as on which elements of that type they wish to invest in. Under this framework, we show that the relative abundance of resources, the initial costs of providing services, and the relative effectiveness of the infrastructure determine the amount of infrastructure the government decides to build, and thus the outcome of the game.
Placental mesenchymal dysplasia: case report with gross and histological findings

Placental mesenchymal dysplasia (PMD) is a rare placental disorder characterized by placental enlargement and areas of abnormal, enlarged, grape-like villi. This condition may resemble a partial hydatidiform mole and may occur associated with Beckwith–Wiedemann syndrome (BWS) or in phenotypically normal fetuses. There were 110 cases reported so far. We describe one case with typical gross and microscopic placental lesions.
Instrumental Variable Analysis in Epidemiologic Studies: An Overview of the Estimation Methods

Instrumental variables (IV)analysis seems an attractive method to control for unmeasured confounding in observational epidemiological studies. Here, we provide an overview of the estimation methods of IVanalysis and indicate their possible advantages and limitations.We found that two-stage least squares is the method of first choice if exposure and outcome are both continuous and show a linear relation. In case of a nonlinear relation, two-stage residual inclusion may be a suitable alternative. In settings with binary outcomes as well as nonlinear relations between exposure and outcome, generalized method of moments (GMM), structural mean models (SMM), and bivariate probit models perform well, yet GMM and SMM are generally more robust. The standard errors of the IVestimate can be estimated using a robust or bootstrap method. All estimation methods are prone to bias when the IVassumptions are violated. Researchers should be aware of the underlying assumptions of the estimation methods as well as the key assumptions of the IVwhen interpreting the exposure effects estimated through IV analysis.
Using Financial Instruments to Transfer the Information Security Risks

For many individuals and organizations, cyber-insurance is the most practical and only way of handling a major financial impact of an information security event. However, the cyber-insurance market suffers from the problem of information asymmetry, lack of product diversity, illiquidity, high transaction cost, and so on. On the other hand, in theory, capital market-based financial instruments can provide a risk transfer mechanism with the ability to absorb the adverse impact of an information security event. Thus, this article addresses the limitations in the cyber-(re)insurance markets with a set of capital market-based financial instruments. This article presents a set of information security derivatives, namely options, vanilla options, swap, and futures that can be traded at an information security prediction market. Furthermore, this article demonstrates the usefulness of information security derivatives in a given scenario and presents an evaluation of the same in comparison with cyber-insurance. In our analysis, we found that the information security derivatives can at least be a partial solution to the problems in the cyber-insurance markets. The information security derivatives can be used as an effective tool for information elicitation and aggregation, cyber risk pricing, risk hedging, and strategic decision making for information security risk management.
Meiotic cell cycle arrest in mammalian oocytes

Meiotic cell cycle in mammalian oocytes is a dynamic process that involves several stop/go channels. The cell cycle arrest in oocyte occurs at various stages such as diplotene, metaphase‐I (M‐I), metaphase‐II (M‐II), and so called metaphase‐like arrest (M‐III). Leutinizing hormone surge induces meiotic resumption from diplotene arrest in follicular microenvironment by overriding several factors responsible for the maintenance of meiotic arrest. The inhibitory factors are synthesized in oocyte or in the associated follicular somatic cells and transferred to the oocyte. The major factors include hypoxanthine, cyclic adenosine 3′, 5′‐monophosphate, cyclic guanosine 3′, 5′‐monophosphate, reactive oxygen species, protein kinase A, and protein kinase C. In the presence of active protein kinases, epidermal‐like growth factors are produced that activate mitogen‐activated protein kinase in cumulus granulosa cells. The maturation promoting factor, cytostatic factors, and spindle assembly checkpoint proteins are also involved in that maintenance of arrest at various stages of meiotic cell cycle in mammalian oocytes. In this review, we briefly summarize the role of these factors in the maintenance of meiotic cell cycle arrest in mammalian oocytes. J. Cell. Physiol. 223:592–600, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
An Unlikely Recruiting and Retention Tool: Financial Education

We currently live in an era where universities report higher dropout rates due to debt burdens than fromacademic failure (Prah 2006; United College Marketing Service 2006). Higher education institutionsroutinely provide tutoring and other support services for students with academic concerns; however,most universities are not adequately addressing the alarming levels of student credit card debt.Universities have an underutilized opportunity to provide a credit education course for incomingstudents. The class is a winning proposition for students, parents, and universities. Lending institutionsalso stand to benefit from decreased loan default and bankruptcy rates.
Perspectives on Comparative Corporate Governance

We seek to bring to the core of the study of comparative corporate governance analysis the idea that within countries and industries, there exist multiple configurations of firm level characteristics and governance practices leading to effective corproate governance. In particular, we propose that configurations composed of different bundles of corporate governance practices are a useful tool to examine corporate governance models across and within countries (as well as potentially to analyze over time changes). While comparative research, identifying stylized national models of corporate governance, has been fruitful to help us think about the key institutional and shareholder rights determining governance differences and similarities across countries, we believe that given the financialization of the corporate economy, current globalization trends of investment, and rapid information technology advances, it is important to shift our conceptualization of governance models beyond the dichotomous world of common-law/outsider/shareholder-oriented system vs. civil law/insider/stakeholder oriented system. Our claim is based on the empirical observation that there exists a wide range of firms that either (1) fall in the "wrong" corporate governance category; (2) are a hybrid of these two categories; or (3) should be placed into an entirely new category such as firms in emerging markets or state-owned firms. In addition, as Aguilera and Jackson (2003) argue, firms, regardless of their legal family constraints, their labor and product markets, and the development of the financial markets from which they can draw, have significant degrees of freedom to chose whether to implement different levels of a given corporate governance practice. That is, firms might chose to fully endorse a practice or simply seek to comply with the minimum requirements without truly internalizing the governance practice. An illustrative example of the different degrees of internalization of governance practices is the existing variation in firms’ definition of director independence or disclosure of compensation systems.We first discuss the conceptual idea of configurations or bundles of corporate governance practices underscoring the concpet of equifinal paths to given firm outcomes as well as the complementarity and substitution in governance practices. We then move to the practice level of analysis to show how three governance characteristics (legal systems, ownership and boards of directors) cannot be conceptualized independently, as each of them is contingent on the strength and prevalence of other governance practices. In the last section, we illustrate how different configurations are likely to playout across industries and countries, taking as the departing practice, corporate ownership.
Resource Based View (RBV): Concepts and Practices

This book focuses on various perspectives of Resource-Based View (RBV) and highlights the importance of RBV approach in an era of globalized economy. According to RBV, the accumulation and use of resources and capabilities that build unique, inimitable and non-substitutable competencies, provide competitive advantage. The RBV approach focuses on the internal resources and capabilities of organizations. According to the RBV, market success of a firm is not primarily a function of the external environment it operates in, but the specific tangible and intangible resources and capabilities that firms possess. The RBV perspective explores the role of key resources, viz., tangible and intangible assets and capabilities, in creating competitive advantage and superior performance. These assets and capabilities determine how efficiently and effectively organizations perform their activities. A firm will be positioned to succeed if it has the most appropriate stock of resources for its business and strategy. The book is presented in two sections and includes nine articles. The first section “Concepts” includes articles on an overview of Resource Based View (RBV), making sense of the Resource Based View, the Linkage between LIS and RBV, and A Critique of Resource Based View of Information Systems. The second section “Practices” contains articles on A Resource Based View of Indian software industry, A Resource Based View of Indian clinical and contract research sector, A Resource-Based View of organizational changes in Chinese companies, A Resource-Based View of the Port of Sines and the Resource-Based View of the agricultural industry.
Antidepressant advertising effects on drug knowledge and drug seeking

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the extent to which exposure to a television commercial for an antidepressant drug (Cymbalta®) compared to another commercial (Weight Watchers®) influenced participants' knowledge of the drug (including side effects and indications) and self‐reported likelihood of seeking an antidepressant medication.Design/methodology/approach – A randomized‐group design with two conditions was used with a sample of an ethnically diverse group of college students (n=498). Scores assessing drug knowledge and self‐reported likelihood of drug seeking and scores from the Beck Depression Inventory‐II (BDI‐II) were analyzed.Findings – The Cymbalta® group had higher drug‐knowledge scores than did the control group. Differences in drug‐seeking scores across conditions were not significant; however, drug‐knowledge scores and drug‐seeking scores were negatively related. Across groups, BDI‐II scores were positively related to drug seeking.Research limitations/implications – These .
Auditor Reputation, Audit Opinion, and Eamings Management： Evidence From French Banking Industry

The aim of this research is to study the impact of auditor reputation and audit opinion on earnings management in French banks. This article used a sample of 162 French banks over the period from 2005 to 2012. By using three different tests (loss-avoidance, just-meeting-or-beating prior year’s earnings, and abnormal loan loss provision), the findings of this paper show that both high auditor reputation and qualified audit opinion constrain earnings management to avoid loss or to just meet or beat prior year’s earnings in banks. In separate tests related to earnings management through abnormal loan loss provisions, the paper also finds that high auditor reputation constrains earnings management. Qualified audit opinion has a negative but non-significant effect on abnormal loan loss provisions.
Traitement de la polyphonie pour l'analyse informatique de partitions musicales. (Handling polyphony in computer analysis of music scores)

Music can be eithermonophonic (a single note sounds at each time) or polyphonic (several notes sound simultaneously, building harmonies). Understanding polyphonic music can be very complex. The goal of this thesis in computer music is to ease the analysis of polyphonic scores by splitting them in either monophonic voices or streams (coherent sets of notes). Research in this thesis first consists in comparing three voices separation algorithms and three streams separation algorithms. I propose an evaluation method to fairly compare these two approaches. This study shows the qualities of the Chew and Wu algorithm. The first step of this algorithm, which segments the score into “contigs” having a constant number of voices, is particularly robust. Further work of this thesis focuses on the second stage of the Chew and Wu algorithm that defines what contigs to connect and how to connect them. I improve these connections by using musical parameters such as the average pitch difference between neighbor contigs. The thesis concludes by evaluating simultaneously voice separation and pattern matching for the music analysis of fugues.
The Earnings Persistence and the Market Pricing of Cash Flows, Normal and Abnormal Accruals: Thailand's Capital Markets

This study empirically investigates the earnings pe rsistence of and the market pricing of the persistence of three earnings components: ca sh flows from operations, normal (nondiscretionary) accruals, and abnormal (discreti onary) accruals in Thailand during 19992009. Results on the earnings persistence reveal t hat, of all three earnings components, cash flows from operations are the most persistence and abnormal accruals are the least persistence with respect to one-year-ahead earnings . The market pricing results from the Mishkin (1983) test suggest that Thai stock market does not rationally price the persistence of all three earnings components. Specifically, Thai stock markets overprice the abnormal accruals persistence while underprice the persisten ce of cash flows and normal accruals. Moreover, the market pricing results from the OLS t est of future stock returns on three earnings components, suggested by Kraft et al. (200 7), are identical to those from the Mishkin test.