bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Towards Context‐ Dependent Interpolation of Digital Elevation Models
Authors: Dixon A.R. , Kirby G.H. , Wills D.P.M. 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThe fractional Brownian motion (fBm) model has become increasingly popular in recent years as a mechanism for the synthesis of many natural phenomena. Unfortunately, the required interdependence of neighbouring points over an unbounded area (context dependence) renders valid approximations to fBm extremely inefficient. This paper describes a technique for the interpolation of digital elevation models to an arbitrarily high spatial resolution. This is achieved using an efficient recursive subdivision algorithm which has the ability to permit some degree of context dependence within, and across the boundaries of interpolation areas. The application of this technique to flight simulation is described and the technique is evaluated based on its ability to reduce run‐time storage requirements.
Adaptive mesh generation for progressive radiosity: A ray‐tracing based algorithm.
Authors: PAULIN Mathias , JESSEL Jean‐Pierre 
Published: March 2003

Abstract:The radiosity method is one of the most popular rendering algorithms. It allows to simulate interreflections of light accurately between surfaces as energy transfers are well designed. However, this algorithm and its derivatives need to break scenes into a relatively large number of small elements to approximate the illumination function. Even with a very large number of elements, not all the illumination effects can be simulated. In fact, there are always artefacts when modelling sharp shadows, besides shadows falling between mesh vertices can be missed entirely. To reduce the computational cost of such methods and to increase the accuracy of the radiosity solution, adaptive mesh generation is well suited. In this paper, we present a ray‐tracing based algorithm for adaptive mesh generation which resolves all the illumination problems without lengthening computation time too much. This method allows a small number of initial elements and increases element density in critical locations while solving the illumination problem.
Cross Scan Buffer and its Applications
Authors: Tanaka Toshimitsu , Takahashi Tokiichiro 
Published: March 2003

AbstractWe propose the Cross Scanline Buffer which preserves the result of hidden surface removal as performed by the Cross Scanline Algorithm. The Cross Scan Buffer reduces image re‐generation time and eliminates aliasing artifacts even if the image is arbitrarily scaled. Perfect anti‐aliasing is achieved because the Cross Scanline Algorithm analytically determines visible polygonal surfaces and divides them into sets of triangles and trapezia. The Cross Scan Buffer supports the various applications that currently use the conventional buffering methods for anti‐aliasing. This paper introduces and tests three applications: image scaling, shadow creation, and texture mapping. Experimental results verify that the Cross Scan Buffer is very powerful yet efficient.
Output‐SensitiveVisibility Algorithms for Dynamic Scenes with Applications to Virtual Reality
Authors: Sudarsky Oded , Gotsman Craig 
Published: March 2003

AbstractAn output‐sensitive visibility algorithm is one whose runtime is proportional to the number of visible graphic primitives in a scene model—not to the total number of primitives, which can be much greater. The known practical output‐sensitive visibility algorithms are suitable only for static scenes, because they include a heavy preprocessing stage that constructs a spatial data structure which relies on the model objects’ positions. Any changes to the scene geometry might cause significant modifications to this data structure. We show how these algorithms may be adapted to dynamic scenes. Two main ideas are used: first, update the spatial data structure to reflect the dynamic objects’ current positions; make this update efficient by restricting it to a small part of the data structure. Second, use temporal bounding volumes (TBVs) to avoid having to consider every dynamic object in each frame. The combination of these techniques yields efficient, output‐sensitive visibility algorithms for scenes with multiple dynamic objects. The performance of our methods is shown to be significantly better than previous output‐sensitive algorithms, intended for static scenes.TBVs can be adapted to applications where no prior knowledge of the objects’ trajectories is available, such as virtual reality (VR), simulations etc. Furthermore, they save updates of the scene model itself; notjust of the auxiliary data structure used by the visibility algorithm. They can therefore be used to greatly reduce the communications overhead in client‐server VR systems, as well as in general distributed virtual environments.
Modelling Megalithic Sites
Authors: POULET Francois , LUCAS Michel 
Published: March 2003

AbstractIn this paper, we present the MégaFormes project which deals with the modelling of megalithic sites. The goal is to enable virtual visits of megalithic sites and to help archaeologists in picturing the evolution of a monument. A megalithic site is made of a set of elements that can be: fogous, dolmens, chamber tombs, stone alignments or circles. The description of such a site is done in two stages: during the first stage, a draft of the site is drawn, each stone being represented by its bounding box. The second stage allows the user to describe the content of the boxes (the stones).To describe fogous and chamber tombs, basic models of these monuments are used. These basic types are simplified representations of the monuments (walls only). The models can be modified by changing the dimensions and locations of the walls and by cutting the initial walls into individual stones. The definition of stone alignments or circles calls for the use of a one‐dimensional position vocabulary (along simple geometric primitives or curves). The different elements (alignments, circles, fogous, and chamber tombs) are then combined to obtain the draft of the site. A two‐dimensional vocabulary allowing to position the elements in the site is used. The paper is illustrated with examples obtained with the developed software.
Generation of 3D Texture Using Multiple 2D Models Analysis
Authors: GHAZANFARPOUR Djamchid , DISCHLER Jean‐Michel 
Published: March 2003

AbstractSolid (30) texturing is commonly used in computer graphics for producing more realistic images. It is often more attractive than the conventional 20 texture mapping but remains more complex on some points. Its major difficulty concerns the generation of 30 texture in a general and efficient way. The well‐known traditional procedural methods use generally a simplified mathematical model of a natural texture. No reliable way for the choice of the mathematical model parameters, which characterise directly the produced 30 texture, is given. Therefore, 30 texture generation becomes a more or less experimental process with these methods.Our recently published methodfor an automatic 30 texture generation avoids this problem by the use of the spectral analysis of one 2D model texture. The resulting 30 texture is of good quality but one open problem remains: the aspect of the produced texture cannot be fully controlled over the entire 30 space by only one 20 spectral analysis. This may be considered as a serious limitation for some kinds of textures representing important variations in any direction.In this paper we present a new and more powerful analytical approach for an automatic 30 texture generation. Contrarily to our previous method, this new approach is not exclusively based on the spectral analysis of only one 20 model. It uses two or three 2D models corresponding to different slices of a 30 texture block, so, the aspect of the produced 3D texture can be controlled more efficiently over the entire 30 space. In addition, a more efficient 30 texture antialiasing, well adapted to this new method is presented.
The Enforcement of Social Accountability – Turner and Newall and the Asbestos Crisis
Authors: Warren Richard C. 
Published: March 2003

It is widely acknowledged that the impetus for the setting up of the CadburyCommittee on corporate governance was the series of scandals that became public in the late 1980's. And whilst hard cases do not always help in making good laws, they can sometimes prompt us into reflective action to consider what arrangements might prevent these problems from occurring in the future. This paper seeks to describe and examine a hard case that poses corporate governance questions regarding distributive justice and the appropriate form of procedure that might satisfy its demands. The hard case in question is that of Turner and Newall (T&N) and its handling of its asbestos liabilities. This case raises many ethical issues (secrecy, duties of care, distributive justice, informed consent, corporate responsibility) which can only be touched upon in this brief examination which is mainly focused upon the issue of corporate responsibility arising from this firm’s predicament.The case will be discussed as follows: first, the facts as they are known will be described concerning the asbestos risks and damage liabilities of T&; secondly, the policy and practice of T&N in dealing with this issue will be outlined; thirdly, the moral inadequacies of their response will be highlighted; then a contrast will be drawn with the strategy adopted in the USA by the Johns‐Manville Corporation; and finally, one possible alternative solution will be proposed and its wider lessons for corporate governance considered.
The Authority to Propose Issues for Formal Decision in Business Consortia
Authors: Herriott Scott 
Published: March 2003

One aspect of organizational governance is the power to propose issues for consideration in the formal decision process. Consortia composed of autonomous business organizations appear to be a good context for investigating this “proposal authority,” because when a consortium is not too large it tends to be governed by a board of directors on which all the members are represented. This makes it possible to test hypotheses about the effects of the consortium’s internal structure on the rules that govern who may propose issues for decision and how they may do so.We study here the formal rules, given in organizational charters and by‐laws, for initiating specific types of decision in 53 consortia in the electric power industry in the USA. Hypotheses are developed from numerous theoretical perspectives, including the institutional, ecological, developmental, structuralist, resource‐dependence, economic, and political‐economic. We find a fair degree of heterogeneity in the practices of initiative control among these organizations, yet only the familiar structuralist theory is able to predict significantly the variation in these decision rules. This weak result poses interesting problems for future research.
Capital Structure and Investment Behaviour of Malaysian Firms in the 1990s: a study of corporate governance before the crisis
Authors: Suto Megumi 
Published: March 2003

This is an empirical study analysing the corporate finance and governance structure in Malaysia before and after the financial crisis of 1997, utilising the agency cost approach. The contribution of this paper is to link the corporate governance mechanism with the role of banks and corporate ownership structure peculiar to Malaysia, taking into account the institutional framework and historical background of the Malaysian financial system, such as government protection for the banking sector and the social dispersion of corporate ownership related to the Malay First policy.Based on data for 375 non–financial KLSE (Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange) listed companies during fiscal years 1995–99, our analysis is organised into three parts. Characteristics of corporate finance in Malaysia in the 1990s using aggregated time–series data are outlined, followed by an examination of the determinants of capital structure via cross–sectional regressions in terms of dependency on banks and ethnic ownership structure, controlling ownership concentration, availability of internal funds, corporate size, industry effects, etc. We then estimate simple investment functions with panel data in order to examine the effects of debt financing on corporate investments before the crisis.Empirical results show the following. Firstly, the commitment of banks to finance corporate debt as well as lending obviously increased debt ratios. Secondly, increasing ownership by native Malays, both the direct and indirect holding of corporate shares, played no significant role in disciplining corporate management. However, ownership concentration mitigated conflict between managers and owners. Foreign ownership also contributed to a reduction in the agency cost of equity financing in financial liberalisation. Finally, high dependency on debt led to excessive corporate investment before the crisis. These results imply that the concentration of risks on the banking sector and social policy advocating the dispersion of corporate ownership weakened the corporate governance mechanism, thereby exacerbating the distress of Malaysia's corporate sector during the financial crisis.
The Need for Innovation: a Case History from the Water Industry
Authors: Matthews Peter 
Published: March 2003

Anglian Water is a global water company with Anglo Scandinavian origins. It provides utility services and is a leader in water and wastewater technology and vocational learning through Aqua Universitas the University of Water. It employs over 5,000 people and operates through exclusive subsidiaries or in partnerships. The turnover is almost £800M per year—of which 20% is international.The changing nature of water management has provided a case example of innovation in practice. The case is described with particular reference to Anglian Water. A more formal model framework for innovation is prescribed.
Review article: Lighten our darkness — Biblical style in early medieval Britain and Ireland
Authors: Hood Alan B.E. 
Published: March 2003

Books reviewed in this article:D.R. Howlett.The Celtic Latin Tradition of Biblical StyleD.R. Howlett. The English Origins of Old French LiteratureD.R. Howlett. British Books in Biblical StyleD.R. Howlett. Cambro‐Latin Compositions: Their Competence and Craftsmanship
Team performance and managerial change in the English Football League
Authors: Audas Richard , Dobson Stephen , Goddard John 
Published: March 2003

This paper investigates the relationship between team performance and managerial change in English football using a data set containing information on all match results and managerial job changes in the English Football League between 1972 and 1993. We find that poor recent form drives many managerial terminations, while managerial turnover is more rapid in the lower divisions.Significantly, managerial change appears to have a harmful effect on team performance immediately following a managerial termination.
Private Income Transfers and Market Incentives
Authors: Chami Ralph 
Published: March 2003

The paper introduces labour supply considerations and labour earnings uncertainty into a parent–child framework in the presence of ‘merit goods’. I investigate the implications of various parental bequest rules on the effort decisions of the offspring, where the parent cannot perfectly observe her child’s market activities. The asymmetry in information and preferences gives rise to a moral hazard problem, and as a result the parent may not fully insure her child because the source of risk is not entirely exogenous. In this case, optimal parental transfers are shown to be state‐contingent. Moreover, the child’s effort is higher in the case with a merit good and parental transfers than in the case without a merit good.Goods are not only economic commodities but vehicles and instruments for realities of another order: influence, power, sympathy, status, emotion; and the skillful game of exchange consists of a complex totality of maneuvers, conscious or unconscious, in order to gain security and to fortify one’s self against risks incurred through alliances and rivalry.Levi‐Strauss, The Principle of Reciprocity
Can Growth Ease Class Conflict?
Authors: Somanathan E. 
Published: March 2003

This paper proposes a theory that links labor supply to wage growth and economic growth, and the conflict of interest between capital and labor. During the early stages of industrialization of a country, “surplus” labor drawn from the traditional sector of the economy is available to the modern capitalist sector at a constant or only slowly rising wage. As industrialization proceeds, this labor surplus vanishes, leading to wages rising in tandem with the growth of output. As long as there is surplus labor, workers in the modern capitalist sector, who are organized, have little interest in growth as it does not raise wages. The effect of growth is external to them, simply drawing more workers into the capitalist sector and enabling the entrants to receive rents. So capitalist‐sector workers would like to redistribute income regardless of the adverse effect on growth. Once the economy grows enough for the subsistence sector to vanish, further growth raises wages. Hence, this change in the structure of the economy leads to a reduction in the intensity of the labor–capital conflict.The dual economy model implies that growth rates rise over time and fall after the exhaustion of the labor surplus which is consistent with the stylized fact of economic growth.
The early stages of reform in Polish manufacturing
Authors: Barbone Luca , Marchetti Domenico J. , Paternostro Stefano 
Published: March 2003

This paper argues that a significant adjustment process has taken place in Polish industry in the early stages of the market‐oriented reforms. We analyse comprehensive data on two‐digit and three‐digit manufacturing industries, disaggregated by firm ownership and size. By focusing on a decomposition of labour productivity growth, we obtain results which suggest that structural determinants of the recovery have outweighed cyclical ones. With regard to firm ownership and economic performance, we find that the productive response of state enterprises has been markedly different from that of private firms, with the latter outperforming the former. Finally, our results indicate that size matters, at least among private firms, and our results provide mild evidence of increasing returns.JEL classification: D21, E63, P21.
Research Note: The slow growth of foreign direct investment in the Soviet Union successor states
Authors: Meyer Klaus E. , Pind Christina 
Published: March 2003

This note reviews the statistical evidence on foreign direct investment (FDI) in the countries of the former Soviet Union taking into account data from both host countries and countries of origin. The main characteristics of this FDI and its variation among the successor states of the Soviet Union are established. The contribution of FDI to economic transition is so far limited to some sectors and regions, and unlikely to accelerate in the near future.JEL classification: F21, F23, P31.
New forms of labour contract and labour flexibility in Russia
Authors: Clarke Simon , Borisov Vadim 
Published: March 2003

This paper assesses the claims that employment in the new Russian private sector relies heavily on informal and unregistered labour agreements and that the violation of existing labour law by new private employers is driven by their need for more flexible working arrangements.The paper shows that these claims are unsupported on every count. The new private sector does not rely heavily on informal or illegal forms of employment and there is no evidence that it uses labour more flexibly, in any of the usual senses of the term, than the traditional sectors of the economy. The conclusion is that there is no economic justification for the systematic violation of the existing labour legislation. It is suggested, therefore, that enforcement of the existing law is a precondition for its effective reform in those areas in which it might be a barrier to restructuring.
Distributive implications of member level income aggregation within the household: An approximation through mobility indices
Authors: Ruiz‐Castillo Javier , Sastre Mercedes 
Published: March 2003

This paper adapts the ethical index of income mobility first suggested by Chakravarty, Dutta and Weymark (1985) to assess the contribution of wives, husbands, and other adults' member level income to husband‐wife households' income mobility according to two of the criteria discussed in the literature. For any partition of the population, a source's contribution is seen to be decomposable into within‐group and between‐group income mobility indices plus a term capturing sub‐group differences in income shares. The approach is applied to a sample of husband‐wife households where both spouses are present, extracted from the 1990–91 Encuesta de Presupuestos Familiares, the Spanish household budget survey. While the husbands' income contribution is large and positive, the contribution of wives and other adults is practically equal to zero. When mean income differences are eliminated, all member contributions to husband‐wife households' income mobility are substantially reduced.JEL classification: D31, D33.
The distributional impact of unification and the 1992–93 recession on West German households
Authors: Bishop John A. , Formby John P. , Zeager Lester A. 
Published: March 2003

The 1992–93 recession in the western states of Germany has been attributed, in substantial measure, to the macroeconomic consequences of policies to finance unification. Studies of the costs of unification have not attempted to measure the burden of the recession. We estimate a dynamic, panel model of household incomes using data from the German Socio‐Economic Panel (GSOEP) and use it to forecast what these incomes would have been in 1992–94 without a recession. Using a ratio of actual to forecast incomes, we compare the relative burden of the recession across households. Our findings suggest that western households below the median income bore the brunt of the combined impact of unification and the recession of 1992–93.JEL classification: P3, D3, E3.
Efficiency and market share in the Hungarian corporate sector
Authors: Halpern László , Körösi Gábor 
Published: March 2003

This paper investigates the link between competition and efficiency for the Hungarian corporate sector during various phases of the transition process. We employ frontier production functions to explore differences among groups of firms, and to identify the typical adjustment process of each group separately throughout the transition period until 1997. The estimated production functions indicate a gradual improvement in efficiency and a shift from decreasing to increasing returns to scale due to the growing share of small firms. Market share can be explained by domestic and foreign competition and by the efficiency of the firm.JEL classification: C23, D21, D24.
Integration and transition: Scenarios for the location of production and trade in Europe
Authors: Forslid Rikard , Haaland Jan I. , Knarvik Karen Helene M. , Maestad Ottar 
Published: March 2003

Applying a newly developed CGE‐model, we present scenarios for the future economic geography of Europe. The model divides the world into ten regions, five of which are European, and 14 industries, of which 12 are imperfectly competitive. With a complete input‐output structure, the model captures comparative advantage mechanisms as well as intra‐industry trade and ‘new economic geography’ agglomeration forces. The simulations focus on the consequences of successful transformation in Eastern Europe. The results indicate that transformation and European integration are of great importance for Eastern Europe, while the overall effects for other European regions are small. Individual sectors in the EU, such as Textiles and Transport Equipment, are, however, in some cases strongly affected.JEL classification: C68, F12, F17, R11.