http://pdfcast.org/rss/user/shinta en-us Currently, many companies recognize the growing importance of their human resources, but few are conceptualizing them in strategic terms-in ways to gain a competitive advantage. As a result, many companies forego the opportunity to seize competitive advantage through human resource practice initiatives. However, there are a few companies that do not forego the opportunity. We use them as examples to show how to systematically
develop such advantages via a "target/thrust matrix." The end results of this matrix have significant implications for both corporate strategy and personnel and human resource management.
]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/gaining-competitive-advantage-through-human-resource-management-practices Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/gaining-competitive-advantage-through-human-resource-management-practices view (RBV) of the firm defines a strategic asset as one that is rare, valuable, imperfectly imitable and non-substitutable. Knowledge is seen as a strategic asset with the potential to be a source of competitive advantage for an organization. In this paper, we provide a model that examines how and why knowledge management (KM) can be used to create competitive advantage from the RBV of the
firm.]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/resource-based-view-of-knowledge-management-for-competitive-advantage Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/resource-based-view-of-knowledge-management-for-competitive-advantage it generates daily into actionable
knowledge? This is a question that
increasingly frustrates executives at a time
when their company’s store of data may be growing
by millions of gigabytes per year. Realising the vast
potential of the knowledge they hold—but often
can’t harness—firms place knowledge management
and business intelligence solutions top of their list of
technologies for achieving their strategic goals over
the next three years, according to a new survey by the
Economist Intelligence Unit sponsored by Tata
Consultancy Services (TCS).]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/know-how-managing-knowledge-for-competitive-advantage Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/know-how-managing-knowledge-for-competitive-advantage of sustainable competitive advantage (hereafter SCA) as well as its sources and different types of strategies that may be
used to achieve it. The purpose of this paper is to trace the origins of SCA and discuss how it has been applied to
marketing strategy. It is organized as follows: First, early contributors are cited and potential sources of SCA are
presented. A formal conceptual definition of the construct is given, followed by a discussion of how SCA is linked to
other concepts in the strategy field. A theoretical model of how an SCA is achieved in a network setting is offered, and
future research opportunities are suggested. ]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/an-examination-of-the-sustainable-competitive-advantage-concept-past-present-and-future Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/an-examination-of-the-sustainable-competitive-advantage-concept-past-present-and-future New York headquarters, the view is
revealing. But it’s not just the outside
world—the bridges and buildings of
Manhattan—that catches the eye. Within, there
is a world that’s changing, too. On first glance, it
wouldn’t seem for the better. As part of a renova-
tion last year, Milbank’s library space was cut from
10,000 square feet to 3,200. Many, many books are
gone—enough, perhaps, to start a small law school.
Even now, on what is otherwise a bustling summer
morning, the silence seems a bit eerie. There is no
one looking at the books that remain; just a few
people standing around computer terminals.]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/competitive-advantage Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/competitive-advantage connection of 160 MW wind farm to transmission network using VSC-HVDC link. The
160 MW wind farm includes 80 individual 2 MW permanent magnet synchronous
generators which are divided into 4 groups with 40 MW nominal powers. The voltage at
the transmission network terminal should be re-established with minimized power losses
during wind speed fluctuations and after the clearance of grid side faults. It is also
important for the voltage of transmission network side to be supported by the VSC-HVDC
during short circuit faults in main grid which is named fault ride-through capability
improvement. This paper emphasizes on variable speed operation and fault ride-through
capability improvement in wind farm network and transmission network respectively.
Simulation is performed in PSCAD/EMTDC software to study behavior of wind farm,
transmission voltage and dc voltage for different changes in wind speed and three-phase
short circuit fault. The simulation results validate the connection method performance and
the fault ride- through capability improvement. ]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/improvement-of-fault-ride-through-capability-in-wind-farms-using-vsc-hvdc Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/improvement-of-fault-ride-through-capability-in-wind-farms-using-vsc-hvdc important calibration technique for ground-based microwave ra-
diometers that measure atmospheric emission at low optical depth.
The method calibrates a radiometer system using data taken by
the radiometer at two or more viewing angles in the atmosphere.
In this method, the relationship between atmospheric opacity and
viewing angle is used as a constraint for deriving the system cali-
bration response. Because this method couples the system with ra-
diative transfer theory and atmospheric conditions, evaluations of
its performance have been difficult. In this paper, first a data-sim-
ulation approach is taken to isolate and analyze those influential
factors in the calibration process and effective techniques are de-
veloped to reduce calibration uncertainties. Then, these techniques
are applied to experimental data.
The influential factors include radiometer antenna beam width,
radiometer pointing error, mean radiating temperature error, and
horizontal inhomogeneity in the atmosphere, as well as some other
factors of minor importance. It is demonstrated that calibration
uncertainties from these error sources can be large and unaccept-
able. Fortunately, it was found that by using the techniques re-
ported here, the calibration uncertainties can be largely reduced
or avoided. With the suggested corrections, the tipping calibration
method can provide absolute accuracy of about or better than 0.5
K.]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/analysis-and-improvement-of-tipping-calibration-for-ground-based-microwave-radiometers Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/analysis-and-improvement-of-tipping-calibration-for-ground-based-microwave-radiometers mays L.) using standard binary vectors is advantageous for
functional genomics and other genetic engineering studies.
Recent advances in Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated
transformation of maize have made it possible for the
public to transform maize using standard binary vectors
without a need of the superbinary vector. While maize Hi-
II has been a preferred maize genotype to use in various
maize transformation efforts, there is still potential and
need in further improving its transformation frequency.
Here we report the enhanced Agrobacterium-mediated
transformation of immature zygotic embryos of maize Hi-
II using standard binary vectors. This improved transfor-
mation process employs low-salt media in combined use
with antioxidant L-cysteine alone or L-cysteine and dithi-
othreitol (DTT) during the Agrobacterium infection stage.
Three levels of N6 medium salts, 10, 50, and 100%, were
tested. Both 10 and 50% salts were found to enhance the
T-DNA transfer in Hi-II. Addition of DTT to the coculti-
vation medium also improves the T-DNA transformation.
About 12% overall and the highest average of 18%
transformation frequencies were achieved from a large
number of experiments using immature embryos grown in
various seasons. The enhanced transformation protocol
established here will be advantageous for maize genetic
engineering studies including transformation-based func-
tional genomics.]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/improvement-of-agrobacterium-mediated-transformation-in-hi-ii-maize-zea-mays-using-standard-binary-v Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/improvement-of-agrobacterium-mediated-transformation-in-hi-ii-maize-zea-mays-using-standard-binary-v expected to provide so many candidates of features that can be
selected for pattern recognition. More candidates of the feature can
be extracted using simple manipulation through a specific
mathematical function prior to the HOS analysis. Feature extraction
method using HOS analysis combined with Difference to the Nth-
Power manipulation has been examined in application for Automatic
Modulation Recognition (AMR) to perform scheme recognition of
three digital modulation signal, i.e. QPSK-16QAM-64QAM in the
AWGN transmission channel. The simulation results is reported
when the analysis of HOS up to order-12 and the manipulation of
Difference to the Nth-Power up to N = 4. The obtained accuracy rate
of AMR using the method of Simple Decision obtained 90% in SNR
> 10 dB in its classifier, while using the method of Voted Decision is
96% in SNR > 2 dB.
]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/the-performance-improvement-of-automatic-modulation-recognition-using-simple-feature-manipulation-an Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/the-performance-improvement-of-automatic-modulation-recognition-using-simple-feature-manipulation-an 100 mm was selected from field survey to evaluate and improve
its performance. It was tested at three different static suction lifts
(1, 2, and 3 m) and at seven rotational speeds (1700, 1800,
1900, 2000, 2100 rpm, 2200, and 2250 rpm). The original
impeller was improved to increase performance of the pump by
modifying the geometry of the impeller. The improved pump was
tested with the experimental setup same as of the original pump.
The results showed that the discharge increased from 28.4% (at
static suction of 1 m and speed of 2250 rpm) to 58.6% (at static
suction lift of 3 m and speed of 1900 rpm). The efficiency increased
from 13% (at static suction lift of 1 m and speed of 2250 rpm) to
50.7% (at static suction lift of 3 m and speed of 1800 rpm). The
total head of improved pump and original pump were not
significantly different.]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/improvement-of-a-locally-made-centrifugal-pump-by-modifying-the-geometry-of-the-impeller Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/improvement-of-a-locally-made-centrifugal-pump-by-modifying-the-geometry-of-the-impeller interest in utilizing laptops as an instructional tool to improve student learning. There
is substantial evidence that using technology as an instructional tool enhances student
learning and educational outcomes. Past research suggests that compared to their non-
laptop counterparts, students in classrooms that provide all students with their own lap-
tops spend more time involved in collaborative work, participate in more project-based
instruction, produce writing of higher quality and greater length, gain increased access to
information, improve research analysis skills, and spend more time doing homework on
computers. Research has also shown that these students direct their own learning, report
a greater reliance on active learning strategies, readily engage in problem solving and
critical thinking, and consistently show deeper and more flexible uses of technology than
students without individual laptops. The study presented here examined the impact of
participation in a laptop program on student achievement. A total of 259 middle school
students were followed via cohorts. The data collection measures included students’ over-
all cumulative grade point averages (GPAs), end-of-course grades, writing test scores, and
state-mandated norm- and criterion-referenced standardized test scores. The baseline
data for all measures showed that there was no statistically significant difference in Eng-
lish language arts, mathematics, writing, and overall grade point average achievement
between laptop and non-laptop students prior to enrollment in the program. However,
laptop students showed significantly higher achievement in nearly all measures after one
year in the program. Cross-sectional analyses in Year 2 and Year 3 concurred with the
results from the Year 1. Longitudinal analysis also proved to be an independent verifica-
tion of the substantial impact of laptop use on student learning outcomes.]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/learning-with-technology-the-impact-of-laptop-use-on-student-achievement Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/learning-with-technology-the-impact-of-laptop-use-on-student-achievement Nevertheless, within this general framework, non-contributory policies have often been neglected.
This is due both to the conceptual residualism with which industrialised societies look at poverty,
and, in some local contexts, to the resistance of political actors who have focused the attention on
contributing workers (trade unions) or who have traditionally claimed the monopoly of assistance
to poor people (churches). However, policies against exclusion are crucial in the contemporary
debate on the welfare state, both because they are at the cross-roads of other social policies, and
because they are strictly linked to the issue of social citizenship.]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/the-condition-of-women-in-european-social-assistance-policies-italy-and-great-britain-compared Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/the-condition-of-women-in-european-social-assistance-policies-italy-and-great-britain-compared processes of most native ecosystems. Suppression of wildland fire over the past 60 to 100
years, along with widespread livestock grazing and logging, has altered the
characteristics of most ecosystems in Oregon. When fires occur following long-term fire
suppression and other habitat modifying practices, fire behavior can be more intense with
more severe ecosystem effects.
Ecosystem changes resulting from alterations in natural fire regimes affect habitat
conditions for plants and animals. While changes in habitat suitability for an individual
species is certainly nothing out of the ordinary, for native species and ecological systems
that are already in decline due to other land use pressures, changes from fire suppression
or alternatively unnaturally severe fires may add one more nail to the coffin. Eighty-four
percent of places identified by scientists as important for global conservation are
estimated to be at risk from changes that have created too much, too little or the wrong
kind of fire (The Nature Conservancy 2005). ]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/the-condition-of-oregon-s-forests-and-woodlands-implications-for-the-effective-conservation-of-biodi Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/the-condition-of-oregon-s-forests-and-woodlands-implications-for-the-effective-conservation-of-biodi Ostrowski-like method for the simultaneous inclusion of multiple com-
plex zeros in circular complex arithmetic is established. Computationally
verifiable initial condition that guarantees the convergence of this parallel
inclusion method is significantly relaxed compared with the classical the-
orem stated in [Z. Angew. Math. Mech. 62 (1982), 627–630].]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/improvement-of-convergence-condition-of-the-square-root-interval-method-for-multiple-zeros Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/improvement-of-convergence-condition-of-the-square-root-interval-method-for-multiple-zeros is a critical part of the nation’s
infrastructure. To facilitate the
safety and efficiency of this system,
the Coast Guard maintains aids-to-
navigation (ATON), such as buoys
and beacons, and conducts
domestic icebreaking in the Great
Lakes, St. Lawrence Seaway, and
northeast coast. To conduct these
missions, the Coast Guard has a
fleet of more than 200 vessels,
ranging from 225-foot seagoing
buoy tenders and 140-foot domestic
icebreakers to 21-foot boats. After
the terrorist attacks of September
11, 2001, many of these assets took
on additional responsibilities for
security patrols and other
homeland security duties. Although
some assets have been recently
acquired, many others are reaching
or have exceeded their design
service lives, raising concerns
about how well and for how much
longer these older assets may be
able to carry out their missions. In
response, GAO examined
(1) recent trends in the amount of
time these assets have spent
performing missions; (2) asset
condition and its effect on mission
performance; and (3) the actions
taken by the Coast Guard to
continue to achieve the missions of
these assets.]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/condition-of-some-aids-to-navigation-and-domestic-icebreaking-vessels-has-declined-effect-on-mission Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/condition-of-some-aids-to-navigation-and-domestic-icebreaking-vessels-has-declined-effect-on-mission necessary in small to medium-sized ungauged basins. Different models are used in
practice for these purposes, depending on the type of problem, the available data and
the prevailing runoff mechanisms in the study basin. This paper discusses the
applicability of the curve number procedure developed by the US Soil Conservation
Service (SCS) to estimate direct runoff in basins characterized by small to gentle
undulating slopes mainly covered with natural grasslands. Rainfall and runoff data
measured in the Canada de Los Chanchos basin in Uruguay is used to fit the curve
numbers and to analyse the antecedent soil moisture condition proposed by the SCS.]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/the-antecedent-soil-moisture-condition-of-the-curve-number-procedure Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/the-antecedent-soil-moisture-condition-of-the-curve-number-procedure coastal ecosystem with relatively different characteristics. The whole ecosystem,
which is called Greater Jakarta Bay Ecosystem (GJBE) stretches from 106o 20’ and
107o 03’ east longitude, and from 5o 10’ to 6o 10’ south latitude, and is
administratively within three provinces, i.e., Banten Province, the Capital City Special
Region of Jakarta, and West Java province (Fig. 1). The Jakarta bay bound by the
capes of Tanjung Pasir to the west and Tanjung Karawang to the east is mainly
influenced by land-based activities. The bay is exposed to high pollution load
transported in from up-land region by 13 rivers i.e., Angke, Bekasi, Cakung, Cidurian,
Ciliwung, Cikarang, Cimancuri, Ciranjang, Cisadane, Citarum, Karawang Krukut and
Sunter. On the other hand, Kepulauan Seribu that forms a chain stretching some 80
km in a northwest to southeast line is a coastal ecosystem dominated by 110 small
islands. The total land area of the islands is estimated 864,59 ha, with 45% of the
islands has an area lest than 5 ha, 25% of them has size 5 – 10 ha, and 30% of the
islands has size larger than 10 ha (BAPEKAB Kepulauan Seribu, 2002).]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/local-millenium-ecosystem-assessment-condition-and-trend-of-the-greater-jakarta-bay-ecosystem Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/local-millenium-ecosystem-assessment-condition-and-trend-of-the-greater-jakarta-bay-ecosystem evidence, as well as relevant British research, on the social impacts of
gambling and casinos. It also analysed fresh data from the 1999 Prevalence
Survey of gambling in Great Britain to investigate patterns of gambling
behaviour in Scotland. ]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/research-on-the-social-impacts-of-gambling Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/research-on-the-social-impacts-of-gambling NJ, and interviewed New Jersey, Atlantic City, and Atlantic County
personnel involved in economic, social, law enforcement, and regulatory
areas, as well as officials representing nonprofit social agencies, unions,
and casino gambling. We also analyzed economic and social data provided
by federal, New Jersey, Atlantic City, and Atlantic County agencies. The
approach we used focused on Atlantic City and did not measure the
economic and social effects associated with or related to people who
gamble in Atlantic City but do not live in the area. According to a New
Jersey official, about two-thirds of Atlantic City’s gamblers live outside of
New Jersey. Also, data for some of the social indicators we studied were
not readily available for Atlantic City, and we used Atlantic County data.]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/impact-of-gambling-economic-effects-more-measurable-than-social-effects Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/impact-of-gambling-economic-effects-more-measurable-than-social-effects resulting from antenna sites and towers inside residential areas in Germany. A statistical evaluation of over 200
representative high frequency field measurements is presented for the years 2001 and 2002. Measurements were
conducted at different distances and directions using a frequency selective spectrum analysis to obtain only GSM
power densities following the Swiss guideline for GSM cellular phone radiation measurements. Derived from
this data, GSM cellular phone tower radiation is dominant in comparison to FM radio or TV emissions. The
median power density was found to be in the range of 200 ĩW/m2 with the maximum level exceeding 100,000
ĩW/m2. A total of 25 percent of the power densities exceeds 1,000 ĩW/m2, which has been suggested to be the
average threshold value for non-thermal biological effects. Two of the most important factors are the distance
and the direct line of sight to the antenna site. At the typical residential cell tower distance of about 250 m in
cities, with direct line of sight, the observed levels are in the range of 200 ĩW/m2. The results show that,
especially for future cellular UMTS (Universal Mobile Telecommunications System) applications, there are
several options to minimize additional HF radiation exposures for the population and reduce the potential risk for
harmful exposures.
]]> http://pdfcast.org/pdf/hf-radiation-levels-of-gsm-cellular-phone-towers-in-residential-areas Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 -0600 http://pdfcast.org/pdf/hf-radiation-levels-of-gsm-cellular-phone-towers-in-residential-areas