cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
Challenges and Prospects of Solar Home System Dissemination in Rural Parts of Ethiopia The Case of Solar Energy Foundation
Creators: name: Mekuria, Engida
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2016

description: The Ethiopian government aspires to reach middle income status by 2025 through its Growth and Transformation Plan. The Growth and Transformation Plan is a development plan of the government of Ethiopia. Its objective is to bring transformative social and economic changes in Ethiopia that will enable it to become a middle income country by 2025 (FDRE, 2011). Only 2% of the rural population of Ethiopian has access to Grid Electricity, solar technology provides the Ethiopian government with the opportunity to address energy challenges without the need to implement expensive power generation projects, transmission and distribution networks. The objectives of this study is to assess the Challenges in Solar Home System dissemination in rural Ethiopia, to propose the possible solutions to overcome the challenges, to highlight the extent to which Policy makers, Business people and financial institutions can support companies like SEF in the SHS dissemination in rural Ethiopia. Qualitative data analysis was undertaken in the study and interviews were conducted to collect the required data. A sample of four stakeholders which are directly related to solar power business were studied. Although the case company is Solar Energy foundation, the other three stakeholders were involved in the interviews to gain more input in to understanding the challenges and possible solutions towards solar home system dissemination. The findings of this study indicate that there are major challenges that hinder the dissemination of solar home systems in rural parts of Ethiopia and possible solutions to overcome these challenges are highlighted. The output of this study can be useful to the Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Electricity and in particular to the Ethiopian Electric Power company. Key Words: Ethiopia, Solar Home Systems, Challenges in SHS dissemination and possible solutions
A Nondeterministic Model for Abstract Geometrical Computation
Creators: name: Harifi, Rakhshan
name: Goliaei, Sama
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Emerging Technologies (cs.ET)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: A signal machine is an abstract geometrical model for computation, proposed as an extension to the one-dimensional cellular automata, in which discrete time and space of cellular automata is replaced with continuous time and space in signal machine. A signal machine is defined as a set of meta-signals and a set of rules. A signal machine starts from an initial configuration which is a set of moving signals. Signals are moving in space freely until a collision. Rules of signal machine specify what happens after a collision, or in other words, specify out-coming signals for each set of colliding signals. Originally signal machine is defined by its rule as a deterministic machine. In this paper, we introduce the concept of non-deterministic signal machine, which may contain more than one defined rule for each set of colliding signals. We show that for a specific class of nondeterministic signal machines, called k-restricted nondeterministic signal machine, there is a deterministic signal machine computing the same result as the nondeterministic one, on any given initial configuration. k-restricted nondeterministic signal machine is a nondeterministic signal machine which accepts an input iff produces a special accepting signal, which have at most two nondeterministic rule for each collision, and at most k collisions before any acceptance.
Signature change in 2-dimensional black-hole models of loop quantum gravity
Creators: name: Bojowald, Martin
name: Brahma, Suddhasattwa
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc)
subject: High Energy Physics - Theory (hep-th)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: Signature change has been identified as a generic consequence of holonomy modifications in spherically symmetric models of loop quantum gravity with real connections, which includes modified Schwarzschild solutions. Here, this result is extended to 2-dimensional dilaton models and to different choices of canonical variables, including in particular the Callan-Giddings-Harvey-Strominger (CGHS) solution. New obstructions are found to coupling matter and to including operator-ordering effects in an anomaly-free manner.
description: 18 pages
Interpretation of measurements of the number of muons in extensive air shower experiments
Creators: name: Prado, Raul Ribeiro
name: Conceição, Ruben
name: Pimenta, Mário
name: de Souza, Vitor
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: In this paper we analyze the energy evolution of the muon content of air showers between $10^{18.4}$ and $10^{19.6}$ eV to be able to determine the most likely mass composition scenario from future number of muons measurements. The energy and primary mass evolution of the number of muons is studied based on the Heitler-Matthews model and Monte Carlo simulation of the air shower. A simple model to describe the evolution of the first and second moments of number of muons distributions is proposed and validated. An analysis approach based on the comparison between this model's predictions and data to discriminate among a set of composition scenarios is presented and tested with simulations. It is shown that the composition scenarios can be potentially discriminated under the conditions imposed by the method. The discrimination power of the proposed analysis is stable under systematic changes of the absolute number of muons from model predictions and on the scale of the reconstructed energy.
title: Social licence to operate in the applied geo- and engineering projects
Creators: name:  Rudolph , Tobias
name:  Benndorf , Jörg
name:  Goerke-Mallet , Peter
Publisher: name: Deutsche Geologische Gesellschaft - Geologische Vereinigung e.V. (DGGV)
Year: 2021

description: The social license to operate of projects in applied geosciences and engineering has been an issue since the days of Georg Agricola. Its importance for the reputation of companies has increased in recent years. This is due to the public's increased environmental awareness, the desire for more transparency regarding commodity supply chains (circular economy), and especially the perception of catastrophic events such as dam breaches at tailings ponds. The institutionalized and private public's demand for more information introduces new challenges for operators. Most conflicts between stakeholders and companies occur during periods of change in projects. However, from the operational point of view, only securing and strengthening the social licence to operate leads to the creation of a positive atmosphere. For this purpose, modern geomonitoring concepts are necessary. A modern geomonitoring integrates a variety of geospatial and engineering measurement techniques and sensors, from space, air, ground and subsurface. This fusion creates a transparent, spatial and temporal understanding of processes that must be communicated to stakeholders. Geomonitoring therefore represents an important tool and supports open and transparent communication and transfer. Stakeholders see the integration of geomonitoring, risk management and communication into operational practice as evidence that the company is pursuing sustainable development. In this way, the basis for social acceptance of current but also future projects in applied geosciences and engineering is created.
Professional Employees Turnover and Retention Practices of Ethiopian Public Sector Organizations of Ministry of Finance and Economic Development (MoFED)
Creators: name: Argeta, Asmamaw
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2011

description: The quality of service delivery of any organization depends on the presence of committed and talented employees. Employees are main sources for organizations in meeting objectives in both public and private sector organizations. Therefore, giving emphasis for employees become a big issue particularly in public sector organizations. Professional employees' turnover in public sector organizations is more common than other organizations. Having this in mind, the present study is aimed to explore the professional employees' turnover and retention practice focusing on MoFED. Theoretical framework and models of other scholars was used by modifying in our country context to know the real causes of turnover Both qualitative and quantitative method are employed the present study. In order to collect primary data, a self-completed questionnaire is designed and administered to both current and ex-employees of the organization. In addition, interview was conducted with management of the organization and HRPO department. The SPSS version 17.00 for windows is used to process the primary data which is collected through questionnaire. The findings show that professional employees turnover is caused by uncontrollable and controllable variables including demographic factors. Therefore, Public sector organizations should employ different strategies to retain their employees as the whole and MoFED in particular.. Key words: Professional, Employees, Turnover, Retention, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development
Comparison based controlled partial replication in an E-business environment
Creators: name: Topol, Avishai.
Publisher: name: Monash University
Year: 2022

description: This thesis was scanned from the print manuscript for digital preservation and is copyright the author.
 Researchers can access this thesis by asking their local university, institution or public library to
 make a request on their behalf. Monash staff and postgraduate students can use the link in the References field.
Kernelization and Parameterized Algorithms for 3-Path Vertex Cover
Creators: name: Xiao, Mingyu
name: Kou, Shaowei
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Data Structures and Algorithms (cs.DS)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: A 3-path vertex cover in a graph is a vertex subset $C$ such that every path of three vertices contains at least one vertex from $C$. The parameterized 3-path vertex cover problem asks whether a graph has a 3-path vertex cover of size at most $k$. In this paper, we give a kernel of $5k$ vertices and an $O^*(1.7485^k)$-time and polynomial-space algorithm for this problem, both new results improve previous known bounds.
description: in TAMC 2016, LNCS 9796, 2016
Chiral Effective Theory Methods and their Application to the Structure of Hadrons from Lattice QCD
Creators: name: Shanahan, P. E.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: High Energy Physics - Lattice (hep-lat)
subject: High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: For many years chiral effective theory (ChEFT) has enabled and supported lattice QCD calculations of hadron observables by allowing systematic effects from unphysical lattice parameters to be controlled. In the modern era of precision lattice simulations approaching the physical point, ChEFT techniques remain valuable tools. In this review we discuss the modern uses of ChEFT applied to lattice studies of hadron structure in the context of recent determinations of important and topical quantities. We consider muon g-2, strangeness in the nucleon, the proton radius, nucleon polarizabilities, and sigma terms relevant to the prediction of dark-matter-hadron interaction cross-sections, among others.
description: Journal of Physics G: Nuclear and Particle Physics focus issue on Lattice QCD
Graph-Theoretic Approaches to Two-Sender Index Coding
Creators: name: Thapa, Chandra
name: Ong, Lawrence
name: Johnson, Sarah J.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Information Theory (cs.IT)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: Consider a communication scenario over a noiseless channel where a sender is required to broadcast messages to multiple receivers, each having side information about some messages. In this scenario, the sender can leverage the receivers' side information during the encoding of messages in order to reduce the required transmissions. This type of encoding is called index coding. In this paper, we study index coding with two cooperative senders, each with some subset of messages, and multiple receivers, each requesting one unique message. The index coding in this setup is called two-sender unicast index coding (TSUIC). The main aim of TSUIC is to minimize the total number of transmissions required by the two senders. Based on graph-theoretic approaches, we prove that TSUIC is equivalent to single-sender unicast index coding (SSUIC) for some special cases. Moreover, we extend the existing schemes for SSUIC, viz., the cycle-cover scheme, the clique-cover scheme, and the local-chromatic scheme to the corresponding schemes for TSUIC.
description: To be presented at 2016 IEEE Global Communications Conference (GLOBECOM 2016) Workshop on Network Coding and Applications (NetCod), Washington, USA, 2016
Leadership Style and Employees' Organizational Commitment
Creators: name: Tadesse, Mekonen
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2014

description: The purpose of this research was to investigate the relationship between employees' perceptions of their immediate supervisors' leadership styles and their Organizational Commitments. Bass & Avolio's (1995) Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ Form 5X) was used to measure leadership styles of supervisors. And Allen& Meyer's (1997) Organizational Commitment Questionnaire (OCQ) was used to measure employees' organizational commitments. Participants of the study were 106middle and top level managers working for various private, governmental, non-governmental and international organizations in Addis Ababa who are also attending the Executive- MBA program at Addis Ababa University. The result showed that the level of Affective Commitment is generally low and that it is unaffected by most of the leadership styles. The only correlations found regarding Affective commitment were very weak and negative correlation with Attributed Idealized Influence and very weak but positive correlation with Intellectual Stimulation. All of the transformational leadership and Contingent Reward styles showed the existence of weak but positive relationship with Normative Organizational Commitment. Idealized Influence (Attributed) showed weak and negative relationship with Continuance Commitment while Managementby- exception (Active) and Laissez-faire showed weak but positive relationship. Keywords:- Leadership style, Employee commitment
Evidence from stable isotopes and Be-10 for solar system formation triggered by a low-mass supernova
Creators: name: Banerjee, Projjwal
name: Qian, Yong-Zhong
name: Heger, Alexander
name: Haxton, W. C.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR)
subject: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: About 4.6 billion years ago, some event disturbed a cloud of gas and dust, triggering the gravitational collapse that led to the formation of the solar system. A core-collapse supernova, whose shock wave is capable of compressing such a cloud, is an obvious candidate for the initiating event. This hypothesis can be tested because supernovae also produce telltale patterns of short-lived radionuclides, which would be preserved today as isotopic anomalies. Previous studies of the forensic evidence have been inconclusive, finding a pattern of isotopes differing from that produced in conventional supernova models. Here we argue that these difficulties either do not arise or are mitigated if the initiating supernova was a special type, low in mass and explosion energy. Key to our conclusion is the demonstration that short-lived Be-10 can be readily synthesized in such supernovae by neutrino interactions, while anomalies in stable isotopes are suppressed.
description: 32 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Nature Communications
Relative performance of private higher education institutes: St. Mary University College and Unity University
Creators: name: Eneyew, Ashenafi
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2010

description: The intention of the study is to know the similarities and differences of operations and competitive advantages of two private universities and colleges in Addis Ababa. Institutes which perform similar activities have a tendency to engage in competition by making one or more variables better than others. Customers also have a wider chance to shift from one institutes to the other which serves better. Under such conditions, institutes strive to develop competitive positions to provide unique or better products than competitors. Comparative study is used to compare the competitive advantages of the two institutes. Purposive sampling technique is to select the three categories of respondents, students, instructors, and administrative staffs; from both institutes and also simple random sampling technique is used to select sample students and instructors through lottery method. Purposive sampling technique is used to select sample administrative staffs that have a link to academic issues. Quantitative and qualitative methods are used to analyze the data through percentages, weighted mean and statements. Average respondents response and weighted mean are also considered to make inferences. A total of 125 sample respondents who comprised of 60 students, 45 instructors, and 20 administrative staffs are taken as sample respondents from both institutes. The findings show that both institutes have developed similar statuses on some variables and vary in other variables. Employees in UU has better advantages in salary earnings than SMUC, assisting economically poor students to learn by covering all subsistence costs etc. and also SMUC has competitive advantages through forming partnership agreements from international institutes and with wide coverage of geographical areas in distance education etc.The findings imply that by working more on those variables which created them similar statuses, either of the institutes can create additional competitive advantage
Data replication : a practical solution for data security, productivity & recovery
Creators: name: Gonsalvez, William Joseph.
Publisher: name: Monash University
Year: 2022

description: This thesis was scanned from the print manuscript for digital preservation and is copyright the author.
 Researchers can access this thesis by asking their local university, institution or public library to
 make a request on their behalf. Monash staff and postgraduate students can use the link in the References field.
Dependence of Kinematics on the Age of Stars in the Solar Neighborhood
Creators: name: Gontcharov, George
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Solar and Stellar Astrophysics (astro-ph.SR)
subject: Astrophysics of Galaxies (astro-ph.GA)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: The variations of kinematic parameters with age are considered for a sample of 15 402 thin-disk O--F stars with accurate $α$, $δ$, $μ$, and $π>3$ mas from the Hipparcos catalogue and radial velocities from the PCRV catalogue. The ages have been calculated from the positions of the stars on the Hertzsprung--Russell diagram relative to the isochrones from the Padova database by taking into account the extinction from the previously constructed 3D analytical model and extinction coefficient $R_V$ from the 3D map of its variations. Smooth, mutually reconciled variations of the velocity dispersions $σ(U)$, $σ(V)$, $σ(W)$, solar motion components $U_{\odot}$, $V_{\odot}$, $W_{\odot}$, Ogorodnikov--Milne model parameters, Oort constants, and vertex deviation $lxy$ consistent with all of the extraneous results for which the stellar ages were determined have been found. The velocity dispersion variations are well fitted by power laws the deviations from which are explained by the influence of predominantly radial stellar streams: Sirius, Hyades, $α$~Cet/Wolf~630, and Hercules. The accuracy of determining the solar motion relative to the local standard of rest is shown to be fundamentally limited due to these variations of stellar kinematics. The deviations of our results from those of Dehnen and Binney (1998), the Geneva--Copenhagen survey of dwarfs, and the Besancon model of the Galaxy are explained by the use of PCRV radial velocities with corrected systematic errors.
description: 8 figures
AstroSat/LAXPC reveals the high energy variability of GRS 1915+105 in the chi class
Creators: name: Yadav, J S
name: Misra, Ranjeev
name: Chauhan, Jai Verdhan
name: Agrawal, P C
name: Antia, H M
name: Pahari, Mayukh
name: Dedhia, Dhiraj
name: Katoch, Tilak
name: Madhwani, P.
name: Manchanda, R K
name: Paul, B
name: Shah, Parag
name: Ishwara-Chandra, C H
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We present the first quick look analysis of data from nine {\it AstroSat}'s LAXPC observations of GRS 1915+105 during March 2016 when the source had the characteristics of being in Radio-quiet $χ$ class. We find that a simple empirical model of a disk blackbody emission, with Comptonization and a broad Gaussian Iron line can fit the time averaged 3--80 keV spectrum with a systematic uncertainty of 1.5\% and a background flux uncertainty of 4\%. A simple deadtime-corrected Poisson noise level spectrum matches well with the observed high frequency power spectra till 50 kHz and as expected the data show no significant high frequency ($> 20$ Hz) features. Energy dependent power spectra reveal a strong low frequency (2 - 8 Hz) Quasi-periodic oscillation (LFQPO) and its harmonic along with broad band noise. The QPO frequency changes rapidly with flux (nearly 4 Hz in ~ 5 hours). With increasing QPO frequency, an excess noise component appears significantly in the high energy regime (> 8 keV). At the QPO frequencies, the time-lag as a function of energy has a non-monotonic behavior such that the lags decrease with energy till about 15 -20 keV and then increase for higher energies. These first look results benchmark the performance of LAXPC at high energies and confirms that its data can be used for more sophisticated analysis such as flux or frequency-resolved spectro-timing studies.
description: 9 pages, 11 figures
A Study on the Determinants of Customer Retention in Small Scale Private Commercial Banks in Addis Ababa
Creators: name: Negesu, Mulugeta
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2015

description: Today, banking is regarded as a consumer-oriented services industry and banks have started realizing that their business increasingly depends on the quality of the consumer service provided and overall satisfaction of the customer. This study examined determinants of customer retention in Small scale commercial banks in Addis Ababa. Six specific objectives were developed related to independent variables: quality of the products provided by banks, information technology, and corporate image, pricing of bank products as well as services and customer satisfaction. The variables' relationships were established through explanatory studies under positivism paradigm. The study adopted convenience sampling technique to select a sample of 350 banks' customers. Primary data were collected using questionnaires and 309 bank customers responded timely. The data is analyzed with the help of the multiple regression analysis. The significance of all hypotheses was tested by comparing their standardized beta and p-value. Out of seven variables tested it is found that tangibility, responsiveness, Information technology and customer satisfaction has significant effect on customer retention. As the finding shows that majority of customers are comfortable with the banks to remain the future customer and customer satisfaction has significant effect on customer retention. Therefore, the researcher recommend banks should have to work hard to satisfy their customers to sustain their strength and try to improve it to delight customers.
Will My Tests Tell Me If I Break This Code?
Creators: name: Niedermayr, Rainer
name: Juergens, Elmar
name: Wagner, Stefan
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Software Engineering (cs.SE)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: Automated tests play an important role in software evolution because they can rapidly detect faults introduced during changes. In practice, code-coverage metrics are often used as criteria to evaluate the effectiveness of test suites with focus on regression faults. However, code coverage only expresses which portion of a system has been executed by tests, but not how effective the tests actually are in detecting regression faults. Our goal was to evaluate the validity of code coverage as a measure for test effectiveness. To do so, we conducted an empirical study in which we applied an extreme mutation testing approach to analyze the tests of open-source projects written in Java. We assessed the ratio of pseudo-tested methods (those tested in a way such that faults would not be detected) to all covered methods and judged their impact on the software project. The results show that the ratio of pseudo-tested methods is acceptable for unit tests but not for system tests (that execute large portions of the whole system). Therefore, we conclude that the coverage metric is only a valid effectiveness indicator for unit tests.
description: 7 pages, 3 figures
2 °C and SDGs: united they stand, divided they fall?
Creators: name: Von Stechow, Christoph
name: Minx, Jan C
name: Riahi, Keywan
name: Jewell, Jessica
name: McCollum, David L
name: Callaghan, Max W
name: Bertram, Christoph
name: Luderer, Gunnar
name: Baiocchi, Giovanni
Publisher: name: Technische Universität Berlin
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: 330 Wirtschaft
subject: climate change mitigation
subject: climate policy
subject: co-benefits
subject: risk management
subject: energy efficiency
subject: sustainable development
subject: mitigation risks

description: The adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the new international climate treaty could put 2015 into the history books as a defining year for setting human development on a more sustainable pathway. The global climate policy and SDG agendas are highly interconnected: the way that the climate problem is addressed strongly affects the prospects of meeting numerous other SDGs and vice versa. Drawing on existing scenario results from a recent energy-economy-climate model inter-comparison project, this letter analyses these synergies and (risk) trade-offs of alternative 2 °C pathways across indicators relevant for energy-related SDGs and sustainable energy objectives. We find that limiting the availability of key mitigation technologies yields some co-benefits and decreases risks specific to these technologies but greatly increases many others. Fewer synergies and substantial trade-offs across SDGs are locked into the system for weak short-term climate policies that are broadly in line with current Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), particularly when combined with constraints on technologies. Lowering energy demand growth is key to managing these trade-offs and creating synergies across multiple energy-related SD dimensions. We argue that SD considerations are central for choosing socially acceptable 2 °C pathways: the prospects of meeting other SDGs need not dwindle and can even be enhanced for some goals if appropriate climate policy choices are made. Progress on the climate policy and SDG agendas should therefore be tracked within a unified framework.
QED shifts in multivalent heavy ions
Creators: name: Tupitsyn, I. I.
name: Kozlov, M. G.
name: Safronova, M. S.
name: Shabaev, V. M.
name: Dzuba, V. A.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Atomic Physics (physics.atom-ph)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: The quantum electrodynamics (QED) corrections are directly incorporated into the most accurate treatment of the correlation corrections for ions with complex electronic structure of interest to metrology and tests of fundamental physics. We compared the performance of four different QED potentials for various systems to access the accuracy of QED calculations and to make prediction of highly charged ion properties urgently needed for planning future experiments. We find that all four potentials give consistent and reliable results for ions of interest. For the strongly bound electrons the nonlocal potentials are more accurate than the local potential.
description: 6 pages
A Comparative Study of Trade Performance between Intergovernmental Authority on Development And Other African Union Recognized Economic Communities
Creators: name: Shumiye, Alem
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2014

description: IGADD was established in 1986 and transformed into IGAD in 1996 with expanded mandate to include economic cooperation and integration agenda and to achieve plans set in Abuja Treaty (1991). Considering the eight regional economic communities that are officially recognized by the African Union, the objective of this study was to compare trade performance between IGAD and other African Union recognized economic communities. The study relied on secondary sources of data and employed judgmental sampling techniques. Analyses were made both at regional and country levels. Findings from descriptive analysis of aggregate and disaggregate level panel data covering 1996-2012 indicated that intra-bloc and extra-bloc trade performance of IGAD region was low compared to other African Union recognized economic communities. In addition, there existed no significant sectoral variation of exports between IGAD and other African Union recognized economic blocs. The casual analysis done using gravity model revealed that IGAD did not contribute to the creation of trade in the sense of Viner (1950). IGAD failed to meet its trade related objectives set both in the Agreement Establishing IGAD (1996) and the plans set in Abuja Treaty (1991). Internal reliability of gravity model variables was within acceptable limit. Overlapping membership, under developed trade logistics, fear of customs revenue loss, lack of political commitment and leadership, lack of trust among the member states were the major factors constraining integration process. The study suggests that real political will and leadership, being strategically selective and sequencing, improving trade logistics, strengthening implementation capacity of IGAD secretariat, encouraging and promoting the involvement of private sectors, and people-to-peoples interaction will help realize economic integration plans. Key words: IGAD, economic integration, RECs, trade creation, Gravity model, Abuja Treaty
Preference Between Allocentric and Egocentric 3D Manipulation in a Locally Coupled Configuration
Creators: name: Issartel, Paul
name: Besançon, Lonni
name: Guéniat, Florimond
name: Isenberg, Tobias
name: Ammi, Mehdi
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Human-Computer Interaction (cs.HC)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: We study user preference between allocentric and egocentric 3D manipulation on mobile devices, in a configuration where the motion of the device is applied to an object displayed on the device itself. We first evaluate this preference for translations and for rotations alone, then for full 6-DOF manipulation. We also investigate the role of contextual cues by performing this experiment in different 3D scenes. Finally, we look at the specific influence of each manipulation axis. Our results provide guidelines to help interface designers select an appropriate default mapping in this locally coupled configuration.
Labor-Management Relation in Small Business: in The Absence of Union Representation in Addis Ababa
Creators: name: Redwan, Jemal
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2011

description: This research work is designed to critically evaluate the nature of labormanagement relations in Small Businesses in the absence of union representation. 22 sample small businesses are selected randomly for study and totally 44 questionnaires are distributed both to the management and employees. In this research with the objective of evaluating the nature of small businesses labormanagement relations when managing conflicts the following questions are raised: the causes of labor-management conflict in small businesses, How the employees respond to a givable events when facing labor-management conflict, Effectiveness, grievance procedure, and outcomes of the labor-management grievance process. To gather information for the study the researcher uses Questionnaires of closed ended type to have the information with the little difficulty. The respondents are from Bakery, Cafe and Restaurants, Textile/Garment, Retail Trade, Furniture and Metal works, Secretarial Services, and from Construction Materials. The data collected were analyzed using SPSS software. On the basis of the data obtained from the respondents, the study identified: Employees of small business are not willing to work with their current worker and work. Because, they want to open their own business and learn and upgrade themselves; the major cause for labor-management in small businesses is the lower wages and benefit they receive; most employees in these businesses prefer to express their case formally; "open door" policy as the major alternative Dispute Resolution technique to solve conflicts; there is open communication and cooperation between the management and employees but, their major source of conflict is employee voice problem identified and their relationship need to be investigated further.
Do Firms' Size, Owned Capital And Change in Retained Earnings Affect Performance? Evidence from Ethiopian Private Companies
Creators: name: Haile, Fesseha
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2016

description: This research studies the effect of firm size and owned capital structure such as equity to total assets, cash to current liabilities, change in the retained earnings, asset turnover and GDP on the business' performance of 10 selected manufacturing companies in Addis Ababa region, Ethiopia during the years 2011 to 2015. The study used Return on Equity (ROE) as dependant performance variable whereas, change in the retained earnings, firm size, equity to total assets, cash to current liabilities, asset turnover ratio and GDP are used as independent variables. The panel data random effect estimation model was applied for the data analysis through EViews 8.1 statistical package. In this study it was observed that that R-squared= 48.4% of the firms' performance that is ROE in the period under study was explained by these explanatory variables while the rest 51.6 % of the dependant variable is explained by other factors.Change in the retained earnings has strong significant relationship as (p-value= 0.0020) and had positive relation with the performance-ROE because its p-value is less than 5%. Firm size had insignificant relationship with (p-value =0.1671), had positive relation with performance- ROE; since it's P-value is greater than 5%. As a result the Null hypothesis: Ceteris paribus, there is no significant association between firm size and firm performance in Ethiopia is to be accepted. Equity as described owned capital in this study shows a strong relationship with the firm's performance when it is measured as equity to total assets ratio since the (p-value= 0.0074) that is less than 5% as the result the null hypothesis was rejected but it is positively related to ROE. Key Words: (Performance-ROE, Owned Capital, Change in the Retained Earnings, Firm Size, Panel Data).
Cosmological dynamics of spatially flat Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet models in various dimensions: Low-dimensional $Λ$-term case
Creators: name: Pavluchenko, Sergey A.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: High Energy Physics - Theory (hep-th)
subject: Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics (astro-ph.CO)
subject: General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: In this paper we perform a systematic study of spatially flat [(3+D)+1]-dimensional Einstein-Gauss-Bonnet cosmological models with $Λ$-term. We consider models that topologically are the product of two flat isotropic subspaces with different scale factors. One of these subspaces is three-dimensional and represents our space and the other is D-dimensional and represents extra dimensions. We consider no {\it Ansatz} on the scale factors, which makes our results quite general. With both Einstein-Hilbert and Gauss-Bonnet contributions in play, the cases with $D=1$ and $D=2$ have different dynamics due to the different structure of the equations of motion. We analytically study equations of motion in both cases and describe all possible regimes. It is demonstrated that $D=1$ case does not have physically viable regimes while $D=2$ has smooth transition from high-energy Kasner to anisotropic exponential regime. This transition occurs for two ranges of $α$ and $Λ$: $α> 0$, $Λ> 0$ with $αΛ\leqslant 1/2$ and $α< 0$, $Λ> 0$ with $αΛ< -3/2$. For the latter case if $αΛ= -3/2$, extra dimensional part has $h\to 0$ and so the size of extra dimensions (in the sense of the scale factor) is reaching constant value. We report substantial differences between $D=1$ and $D=2$ cases and between these cases and their vacuum counterparts, describe features of the cases under study and discuss the origin of the differences.
description: 38 pages, 11 figures, 5 tables
Piecewise quantile autoregressive modeling for nonstationary time series
Creators: name: Aue, Alexander
name: Cheung, Rex C. Y.
name: Lee, Thomas C. M.
name: Zhong, Ming
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Statistics Theory (math.ST)
subject: FOS: Mathematics

description: We develop a new methodology for the fitting of nonstationary time series that exhibit nonlinearity, asymmetry, local persistence and changes in location scale and shape of the underlying distribution. In order to achieve this goal, we perform model selection in the class of piecewise stationary quantile autoregressive processes. The best model is defined in terms of minimizing a minimum description length criterion derived from an asymmetric Laplace likelihood. Its practical minimization is done with the use of genetic algorithms. If the data generating process follows indeed a piecewise quantile autoregression structure, we show that our method is consistent for estimating the break points and the autoregressive parameters. Empirical work suggests that the proposed method performs well in finite samples.
description: Published at http://dx.doi.org/10.3150/14-BEJ671 in the Bernoulli (http://isi.cbs.nl/bernoulli/) by the International Statistical Institute/Bernoulli Society (http://isi.cbs.nl/BS/bshome.htm)
Opportunities and challenges of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Implementation in the case of Commercial Banks in Ethiopia
Creators: name: Jote, Kenate
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2019

description: The aim of the study is to identify the opportunities and challenges of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) Implementation in the case of Commercial Banks in Ethiopia. The study focuses on assessing the opportunities and challenges of IFRS including the factors that could influence its adoption and post implementation challenges. To achieve these objectives, both primary and secondary data were collected from Accountants, Auditors and IFRS implementation who are working in the commercial Banks in Ethiopia who were selected purposively based on their role and involvement in the implementation Process. Primary data were collected through questionnaire and interview whereas secondary based were collected through documentary evidence and analyzed by using descriptive analysis. The findings suggest that IFRS has cumbersome requirements, difficult to understand apparent technical complexities in IFRS, lack of implementation guidance, difficulty in determining fair value of assets and liabilities, lack of personnel with necessary knowledge and expertise of IFRS, scarcity of experts for consulting, limited access to IFRS education and training program, limited experiences in applying IFRS, lack of top management's commitment and support, lack of trained Auditors to audit under IFRS environment, lack of cooperation among departments , resistance to change, lack of IFRS compatible software packages, difficulty of integrating IFRS with the current accounting system, and IFRS, limited time for preparation and transition before full convergence , high cost of IFRS consulting and auditing, insufficient Availability of Internal data for IFRS conversion are the clearly outstanding challenges encountered by firms upon the mandatory adoption and compliance with IFRS. The finding of open ended questionnaires also suggest that there are weak post IFRS implementation follow up, IFRS is not incorporated in day to day activities since the last reporting date, IFRS-9 not yet implemented by Commercial Banks in Ethiopia except CBE, NBE and Ministry of Revenue were not yet revised its laws in line with the requirement of IFRS
Undecidable Cases of Model Checking Probabilistic Temporal-Epistemic Logic (Extended Abstract)
Creators: name: van der Meyden, R
name: Patra, M K
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Logic in Computer Science (cs.LO)
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences

description: We investigate the decidability of model-checking logics of time, knowledge and probability, with respect to two epistemic semantics: the clock and synchronous perfect recall semantics in partially observed discrete-time Markov chains. Decidability results are known for certain restricted logics with respect to these semantics, subject to a variety of restrictions that are either unexplained or involve a longstanding unsolved mathematical problem. We show that mild generalizations of the known decidable cases suffice to render the model checking problem definitively undecidable. In particular, for a synchronous perfect recall, a generalization from temporal operators with finite reach to operators with infinite reach renders model checking undecidable. The case of the clock semantics is closely related to a monadic second order logic of time and probability that is known to be decidable, except on a set of measure zero. We show that two distinct extensions of this logic make model checking undecidable. One of these involves polynomial combinations of probability terms, the other involves monadic second order quantification into the scope of probability operators. These results explain some of the restrictions in previous work.
description: In Proceedings TARK 2015, arXiv:1606.07295
Calibration of force measuring devices : Guideline DKD-R 3-3, Revision 1
Creators: name: Müller, Heiko
name: Rehefeld, Jörg
name: Röske, Dirk
name: Schwind, Daniel
name: Stenner, Lioba
Publisher: name: Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB)
Year: 2025
Subjects: DKD Guideline
force measuring device
calibration
DIN EN ISO 376
EURAMET cg-4

description: This guideline applies to static loading processes. In addition to the usual calibration sequences with three mounting positions, it does also describes simplified sequences which from a metrological point of view reduce the efforts to an acceptable minimum and thus help to reduce costs. For this purpose, certain prerequisites – such as the requirements of international rules for determining the measurement uncertainty – must be met. The user may go beyond the efforts described in this guideline but must not go below it. This guideline allows the realisation of practical calibration sequences and evaluations. In principle, simplified calibration sequences cannot lead to smaller measurement uncertainties than corresponding calibrations of the same calibration item according to more complex procedures (e.g. DIN EN ISO 376). When using reduced calibration sequences, it should be noted that in the case of high-quality force measuring devices it may not be possible to reach conformity with (manufacturer) specifications due to the increased measurement uncertainty. This guideline does no longer contain descriptions of classifications. This guideline applies to all force measuring devices determining force through elastic deformation of a body. It can also be used for force transducers alone. This guideline may only be used for force measuring devices that can be calibrated with increasing and decreasing loads, and with at least 3 force steps in each direction.
Understanding the role of surface plasmon polaritons in two-dimensional achiral nanohole arrays for polarization conversion
Creators: name: Cao, Z. L.
name: Yiu, L. Y.
name: Zhang, Z. Q.
name: Chan, C. T.
name: Ong, H. C.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2016
Subjects: subject: Optics (physics.optics)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We have studied the dependence of the rotation angle and ellipticity on the sample orientation and incident polarization from metallic nanohole arrays. The arrays have four-fold symmetry and thus do not possess any intrinsic chirality. We elucidate the role of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) in determining the extrinsic chirality and we verify the results by using finite-difference time-domain simulation. Our results have indicated the outgoing reflection arises from the interference between the nonresonant background, which preserves the input polarization, and the SPP radiation damping, which is linearly polarized but carries a different polarization defined by the vectorial field of SPPs. More importantly, the interference manifests various polarization states ranging from linear to elliptical across the SPP resonance. We analytically formulate the outgoing waves based on temporal coupled mode theory (CMT) and the results agree well with the experiment and simulation. From CMT, we find the polarization conversion depends on the interplay between the absorption and radiative decay rates of SPPs and the sample orientation.
Building effective COVID-19 Education Response Plans: Insights from Africa and Asia
Creators: name: Kimenyi, Eric
name: Otieno, Jennifer
name: Kaye, Tom
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020

description: This topic brief examines national COVID-19 response plans to identify effective practices emerging in response to COVID-19. To inform the brief, we conducted a rapid review of education response plans from low- and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) across Africa and Asia. However, the recommendations highlighted within are relevant to countries of all income levels around the world. We do not formally rate educational response plan quality, nor does inclusion in this brief constitute endorsement of any of the response plans reviewed.
An Investigation of the Nature of Academic staff Turnover: The Case of Addis Ababa University
Creators: name: Mitiku, Meskerem
Publisher: name: National Academic Digital Repository of Ethiopia
Year: 2010

description: The issue of employee turnover is among the basic managerial decision area, as employees constitute the cornerstone of an organization. Thus, the theme of this project is to investigate the nature and extent of employee turnover in case of academic staff of Addis Ababa University, considering the department, professional rank, gender, and seniority of an employee. To collect data for the study, questionnaire was designed and distributed to department heads, and secondary data source for the period covering 2005/6- 2008/9 GC was reviewed, and analyzed using descriptive statistics. The result indicates that in Addis Ababa University, academic staff with a rank of lecturers and female academic staff left the university more frequently during the past five years. Thus the responsible body may find these findings worthwhile for corrective action.