Design and investigation of EWMA and double EWMA with quadratic process model in R2R controllers

In the last few years, “Run-to-Run” (R2R) control techniques have been developed and used to control various processes in industries. These techniques combine control engineering and statistical process control techniques. The R2R controller is basically consists of a linear regression model that relates the input variables to the output variables using Exponentially Weighted Moving Average (EWMA) or double EWMA (dEWMA) scheme. In this paper, we have developed a quadratic R2R controller model as an extension of Box, Luceno and Del Castillo models. The validity and performance of the developed models were tested in the magnetic ceramic process. By this study we have found that the quadratic model improves capability of process and applying dEWMA procedure decreases variance of the response variables. The results of the study shows that the quadratic R2R control models outperform linear R2R controls in the certain manufacturing process.     

The influence of financial participation and participation in decision-making on employee job attitudes

This study investigates the direct and indirect effects of financial participation (FP) and participation in decision-making (PDM) on employee job attitudes. The central premise is that both financial participation and participation in decision-making have effects on job attitudes, such as integration, involvement and commitment, perceived pay equity, performance-reward contingencies, satisfaction and motivation. After reviewing the theoretical and empirical literature and testing two theoretical frameworks, developed by Long (1978a) and Florkowski (1989), a new model was constructed to consider a combined effects of both FP and PDM, herein referred to as employee participation (EP). The underpinning of the model is based on the assumption that both (a) the combination of financial participation and participation in decision-making (‘employee participation’), and (b) participation in decision-making produce favourable effects on employee job attitudes. The test of the new model showed that employee participation does not produce more favourable effects on employee job attitudes, than does participation in decision-making on its own. The data were gathered from a questionnaire study administered in a large British retail organization that operates two types of ownership schemes – profit-sharing and SAYE schemes.     

Stability of international climate coalitions — A comparison of transfer schemes

This paper studies the impact of pragmatic and optimal transfer schemes on the incentives for regions to join international climate agreements. With an applied model that comprises twelve world regions we investigate: (i) a benchmark without transfers, (ii) scenarios with allocation-based rules where coalition members receive tradable emission permits proportional to initial or future emissions, (iii) scenarios with outcome-based rules where the coalition surplus is distributed proportional to emissions, and (iv) a scenario based on an optimal sharing rule where the coalition surplus is distributed proportional to outside option payoffs.We find that well-designed transfer schemes can stabilise larger coalitions and increase global abatement levels. In our applied setting we find that for allocation-based and outcome-based rules only small coalitions are stable, and, in the case of grandfathered emission permits, there is no stable coalition at all. Some obstacles associated with grandfathered emission permits can be overcome by incorporating the expected growth of emissions in developing countries in the distribution of emission permits. For the optimal transfer scheme we find that larger coalitions, which include key players such as the United States and China, can be stable, but no transfer scheme is capable of stabilising the Grand Coalition.     

Expanding the solution set: Organizational economics and agri-environmental policy

The market failure paradigm dominates agri-environmental research and policy. Organizational economics provides an alternative framework for analyzing agri-environmental problems and points to alternative solutions. In this paper, the traditional approach of creating markets for environmental goods and services is critiqued and set aside to provide space for an organizational analysis. From an organizational perspective, the relationship between the state and agricultural agents is viewed as grounded in an over-arching exchange relationship including elements of cooperation and trust. Such a collaborative exchange relationship may prove useful in supporting exchange between agricultural agents and the state leading to the provision of ecological goods and services. Highlighting the potential of organizational economics, the analysis suggests that agri-environmental research and policy go further in accounting for, and investigating, the unique organizational modes of exchange governing the production of food, fiber, and ecological goods and services.     

股权分置改革中的统一对价研究

针对股权分置问题,股改公司提出的对价类型各有千秋,这就为评价股改方案的优劣和股改成败的分析带来了问题。不同的对价方案对比分析应该建立在相同的比较基础上,因而必须构建一个新的可比指标。为此,结合目前已经完成股改的上市公司对价方案类型,选取了主要采用的几类形式,在不改变股票内在价值和流通市值的条件约束下,论证提出了一个统一的对价分析基础原则。     

Agri-environmental schemes: Adverse selection, information structure and delegation

This work analyzes alternative designs of agri-environmental schemes and how different incentive mechanisms impact on their overall efficiency. It focuses on spatial targeting and delegation in an asymmetric information context. First, the optimal contract under adverse selection is modeled. This model underlines the trade-off between information rents and allocative efficiency. The impact of spatial targeting is then addressed. Disaggregated information structures increase the optimal efforts asked of the farmers. It may also involve higher information rents and may reduce the net contributions of some farmers. Finally, the consequences of delegating authority within the principal-agent relationship are investigated. The results illustrate that spatial targeting and delegation, when combined, have asymmetric impacts on farmers' payoffs.     

Factors Determining Citizen’s Attitudes Towards Agri-Environmental Property Rights

The purpose of this paper is to contribute further insights into individuals’ agri-environmental attitudes. In particular, the empirical analysis focuses on how citizens think agri-environmental property rights should be assigned. This has been done by surveying how individuals consider the environmental policy should promote the implementation of a group of agri-environmental measures, allowing us to examine the determinants of individuals’ opinions about this matter. Results indicate that higher level of income and education support the implementation of obligatory agri-environmental measures with no financial support (property rights should rest on society) except for measures to improve public access to land for leisure activities and ecological farming which are seen more of the voluntary kind (property rights should rest on farmers). Additionally, rural residency has strong significant effect on agri-environmental attitudes as rural residents are more likely to support the implementation of voluntary (with/without financial support) agri-environmental measures. On the whole, this research proves to be a valuable tool to identify factors determining individuals’ attitudes towards agri-environmental property rights which can certainly help policymakers to provide customized, better response to social demands on this matter.     

高职“数学技术”课程模块建设的思考

高等职业教育类型的确立,使高职数学课程改革成为历史的必然。通过分析我国高职高专教育的现状和国际高等教育的分类标准,认识了高等职业教育的概念和缩短学制的必要性,并紧扣人才培养目标,提出＂数学技术＂课程模块建设方案,说明方案的可行性。     

Probing the grounds: Developing a payment-by-results agri-environment scheme in Finland

Results-oriented approaches are widely regarded as an effective means to improving cost-effectiveness of agri-climate-environment schemes. We designed a hypothetical payment-by-results scheme for biodiversity conservation on environmental grasslands in Finland. The scheme would pay farmers a premium if the site contains a set number of indicator species, which were selected based on vascular plant surveys of the target habitat type. We presented the hypothetical scheme to 20 farmers and six experts (researchers, officials and advisors) in agricultural policy for their opinions on the payment-by-result approach generally and the hypothetical scheme specifically. The indicator species list proved suitable for identifying sites with high total species richness of vascular plants and also appeared feasible in the eyes of the farmers. Farmers were mostly positive about the approach and, mainly, thought their peers and society at large would receive it positively. The main concerns were about implementation, especially verifying the biodiversity results. People working for the national control body were the most critical and could not see how the hypothetical scheme could fit into the current institutionalised programme. Experience in other countries may provide solutions for overcoming such obstacles. The results are highly relevant for a discourse on social experimentation and cost-efficient delivery of public goods for public money.     

The contribution of UK farm assurance schemes towards desirable environmental policy outcomes

This study sought to evaluate the content of a range of UK primary production assurance schemes and their potential to support selected desirable agri-environmental policy outcomes. The schemes reviewed included those that fall under the Assured Food Standards umbrella plus eligible UK equivalents and examples of retailer and supplementary schemes. The assessment was based on scheme documentation (2008/2009), associated published literature and historical comment. The analysis showed that assurance schemes, generally, do not meet all the desired policy outcomes but this should not necessarily be expected or sought. However, such schemes are ideally placed to help the industry respond to changing demands, by changing or raising the scheme standards.