Manufacturing Export Performance: A Trend Analysis Approach

The study examined the export performance using a trend analysis approach. A graphical demonstration showing the trend of export performance in Nigeria over time was displayed. It also identifies the major determinants of manufacture exports in Nigeria using ordinary least square approach which shows that an increase in the average tariff rate would lead to a decline in the manufacturing exports and its statistically significant at the 5% level of significance. Capacity utilization has a negative and insignificant with manufactured exports. Also, there is a positive and significant relationship between exchange rate and trade openness at 1 and 5% level of significance respectively.

Poly Encrypted Text Based on Dynamic Selection and Chaotic Behavior

Indeed, the current cryptography suffers from the rise of the computing power of computers and the advent of quantum computers could be the death knell of these algorithms. Therefore, with this paper, we present a new encryption approach based on chaotic outputs to insure more protection. This approach combines two encryption techniques in addition to random permutation. The first one consists to put in disorder binary data and the second technique is based on conditional logical function. The choice between those two techniques is perfectly random and generated from chaotic outputs. Each process has her own keys which make the encryption more complicated.

Stability Test of Networked Systems with Multiple Delays

In this paper, we propose a sufficient stability condition for networked systems with multiple delays based on the 2-D polynomials and 2-D Hurwitz-Schur stability. The main advantage of the new stability condition is that it is applicable to the general case of networked systems with multiple, incommensurate delays yet numerically tractable. The characteristic polynomials of networked systems are mapping into 2-D hybrid polynomials, then to test the Hurwitz-Schur stability can. determine the networked systems, examples including system simulations verify the validity of the proposed test algorithms.

Image Enhancement Using Weighted Bi-Histogram Equalization

Image enhancement is one of using in various digital signal processing areas. Advances in microcontrollers, microcomputers and computers have developed traditional algorithms in order to improve the quality of the resulting image and have implied many avenues to the design of new innovations using various techniques. This paper proposes contrast enhancement using weighted bi-histogram equalization based on distributed area ratio. Moreover, this technique must use a weighted factor which is calculated by the ratio of the histogram distribution. Likewise, an original image will be equalized by the modification of the probability density function of the gray levels. As result of the experiment, the contrast of resulting image is improved for implement and human perception – as well as also reduces the absolute mean brightness error (AMBE) than the traditional technique of image enhancement.

An Introduction to the HLanData Project: a Step Forward in the Harmonization of Spatial Information Throughout Europe

Nowadays spatial information is becoming more and more accessible for various purposes due to local, national and European initiatives. This paper is addressed to one such initiative Hlandata, whose purpose is to make a significant step forward in the harmonization and use of land cover (LC) and land use (LU) geographic data and its related data bases over Europe. The project was developed using the best experiences from previous geographic data harmonization activities with the goal of demonstrating the feasibility of European level harmonization of land information related datasets. The three pilot projects “LU-LC Data Analysis System for intermediatelevel users”, “Harmonized and Interoperable Land Information Systems” and “Stratification of Waste Dumps” were developed and tested within the project and demonstrated advantages from user oriented value-added services emphasizing data search, exploration and analysis.

Identification of Effective Leadership Indicators in Ghanaian Retail Banks Using AMOS Based Confirmatory Factor Analysis

In the light of the importance of banks to the economic growth process in Ghana, this study sought to identify the determinants of effective leadership style that is appreciated by employees in retail banking firms in Ghana, towards providing practitioners with crucial information that could enable them make informed decisions towards improving the workplace. Using data collected from employees in eleven firms which were analyzed using the AMOS programme, minimum was achieved for the leadership measurement model and the goodness of fit statistics showed that the overall model fit quite well to the data. Based on the findings from both factor analysis and Confirmatory factor analysis, the study established that managers of retail banks in Ghana could be perceived by their employees as good leaders if they give employees full credit for the work that they do. Handling employee issues very well and taking care of their complaints as well as putting in place systems for enhancing employees’ career advancement into specialist departments or management positions are also perceived as good determinant of leadership. It is therefore hypothesized that managers of retail banks in Ghana could be perceived as good leaders by employees if they are seen as giving employees full credit for the work that they employees do at the workplace, handling employee issues very well and taking care of complaints brought up by employees, as well as putting in place systems for enhancing employees’ career advancement into specialist departments or management positions are also perceived as good leaders.

Compression and Visualization Interactive of 3D Mesh

The combination of compression and visualization is mentioned as perspective, very few articles treat with this problem. Indeed, in this paper, we proposed a new approach to multiresolution visualization based on a combination of segmentation and multiresolution mesh compression. For this, we proposed a new segmentation method that benefits the organization of faces of the mesh followed by a progressive local compression of regions of mesh to ensure the refinement local of the three-dimensional object. Thus, the quantization precision is adapted to each vertex during the encoding /decoding process to optimize the rate-distortion compromise. The optimization of the treated mesh geometry improves the approximation quality and the compression ratio at each level of resolution. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm gives competitive results compared to the previous works dealing with the rate-distortion compromise and very satisfactory visual results.

Information System for Corporate Performance Assessment and Reporting

There are discussed current trends of corporate performance assessment (measurement of economic/financial, environmental, social and governance key performance indicators) and corporate reporting in this paper. In corporate performance assessment we focus particularly on food and agricultural sector. The core of the paper is the proposal of the prototype of information system for small and medium enterprises, which would enable various enterprises to introduce sustainable reporting. We propose a relational data model with several abstract entities to represent various differences in various reporting frameworks. Our goal is to design a generic information system which may be used by small and medium enterprises to start with their corporate performance assessment and reporting. The overall structure of the information system is described in the paper, along with the core data model and possible extensions into XBRL based reporting and business intelligence.

Antecedents Factors Affecting Alignment and Its Impact to Organizational Performance in Universities

Business and Information Technology (IT) alignment involves applying IT in an appropriate and timely way, in harmony with business strategies, goals and needs. Prior research argues that achieving alignment contributes immensely to ensuring that IT investments improve organisational performance. One important issue in business–IT alignment study is the absence of alignment. Findings indicate that there are many factors/variables that consistently enhance business-IT alignment. By identifying factors to achieve business-IT alignment, the problem on the absence of alignment could be addressed. Due to the complexity of business-IT alignment, there is possibility that successful alignment focuses on managing specific alignment dimension by investigating factors that encourage particular dimension. Past studies have shown the relationship between business-IT alignment and organizational performance. However, only few researchers tried to relate between the factors with organizational performance. Literature on alignment discovered that there seems to be confusion in clarifying the business-IT alignment concept. Based on this gap, this paper examines problem and issues on alignment, identify, analyze and discuss factors affecting alignment, then categorize the constructs identified into dimensions and propose a model for alignment in universities. The study contributes to the formation of a theoretical model influencing alignment dimension that has impact on organizational performance. The model is important to provide empirical evidence that confirms the importance of categorizing factors into dimensions in achieving business-IT alignment and their influence on universities’ performance.

My First Phone: Smartphones Android for Kids

Anybody can question the advantages of a kid having and starting to use a mobile phone. Nevertheless, from a certain age parents consider the use of mobile phones by kids quite useful. The mobile phone allows an easy communication between parents and children and permits child control. Furthermore, nowadays some Android smartphones have affordable prices that can bring new technologies and other opportunities to this domain. In this paper we present a system, that includes several new easy to use applications but with a set of advanced parent control features, to adapt the phone for child use and to minimize the risks.