Challenges and measures faced by commercial banks under interest rate liberalization

the maturity of interest rate marketization marks the transformation of China's interest rate system from the traditional interest rate model to the new one.As an important participant in the reform of interest rate marketization, commercial banks are faced with many challenges, such as the decline of profit level, the substantial increase of operational risk, the increase of financial market instability, and the increase of liquidity risk.They should actively explore new business and management concepts, adopt measures to improve the prices of financial products and derivatives, introduce risk management and control mechanism, develop bank's intermediate business, and promote the development of bank's intermediate business In order to ensure the healthy and stable development of commercial banks, we should take positive measures such as strengthening the ability of debt management, reasonably dealing with the challenge of interest rate marketization.

Corporate Cash Holdings and National Culture: Evidence from the Middle East and North Africa Region

This paper investigates to what extent cultural dimensions, based on Hofstede’s model, can clarify differences in cash holding levels. The sample includes 395 banks across 19 countries in the Middle East and North Africa region over a period of 16 years (1999–2014). The findings indicate that when uncertainty avoidance and masculinity decrease, cash holdings increase, whereas when power distance, long-term orientation, and individualism increase, the cash holdings increase correspondingly. Based on robustness analysis, the results remain unaffected even after controlling corporate and macroeconomic characteristics related to inflation, corruption, and the exchange rate system. Further analysis shows insignificant differences between Islamic and non-Islamic banks regarding the influence of culture over cash holdings. This study contributes to the literature regarding the impact of culture on corporate cash holdings based on a unique and different context, through examining this relationship in financial institutions located in the Middle East and North Africa region.

Revenue augmentation through improved water supply services: a case study of the SMART-WASA team of Faisalabad, Pakistan

The Water and Sanitation Agency of Faisalabad has tried to increase its revenue by increasing both its water demands and total number of customers. To this end, a pilot activity was implemented. Two selected pilot areas were hydraulically separated to increase water pressures within the areas. The results showed that the durations of water supply increased from 3.5 to 12 hours and from 6 to 18 hours per day in the pilot areas. The water pressure in each pilot area increased from 2 to 10 m and from 3 to 18 m, respectively. Wastewater contamination was also eliminated after increasing the water pressure. Customers were informed of these achievements through workshops, flyers, and banners on streets, which encouraged them to shift from a flat rate system to a metering system. Consequently, the total billed amounts for two pilot areas in March 2019 increased by 65.0% and 97.0%, compared with those from November 2016. The bill collection ratios also increased from 48.2% to 56.9% and from 48.1% to 60.6% during pilot activities. Improving services of water supply utilities through the formation of a water distribution area with an increase in water pressure is recommended as an effective method for revenue augmentation.

MANAGEMENT OF LABOR SYSTEM BASED ON STATISTICAL MODELS AND SIMULATION

The article considers the problem of the development of decision-making systems in relation to the system of remuneration of labor (LRS) at enterprises. For the introduction of new, more modern and effective types of LRS, decision-makers currently do not have adequate tools. Thus, there is a problem of developing decision support systems (DSS). The key element of the DSS is the LRS models, which provide predictive analytics. However, the compilation of a LRS model is a difficult task due to the factor of randomness and multivariance of LRS. To solve the problem, two approaches to the creation of LRS models are proposed: developing the statistical analytical models and creating the simulation models. In the study, the first approach is considered, namely, an analytical statistical model of one of the piece-rate system is proposed. Formulas are obtained for the probability densities of the resulting indicators of the piece-rate LRS, the statistical characteristics of the indicators and the assessment of the risk of ineffective LRS use are calculated. This will allow significant progress in the development of DSS in the field of labor economics and personnel management

Multi-Rate Discrete-Time Signal Processing

Chapter 17 presents the multi-rate signal process, starting with explanations of the up-sampling and down-sampling procedures on a discrete signal in the time domain. The operations of a down-sampler (decimator) and an up-sampler (interpolator) are analysed in the frequency domain, emphasizing the problem of possible aliasing. Complex systems that include both up-sampling and down-sampling are analysed and the problem of complexity reduction is mentioned. The operation of systems that combine an interpolator and an interpolation filter, and a decimator and a decimation lowpass filter, is presented in the time and frequency domains. In particular, the problem of reducing the complexity of a multi-rate system is addressed, and a polyphase decomposition for both finite impulse response filters and infinite impulse response filters is offered as an efficient solution.