Ziel der volkswirtschaftlichen Analyse des Precision Farming ist es, quantitativ untermauerte Aussagen bzgl. einer staatlichen Förderung der Precision Farming-Technologie zu treffen. So sind über die Methode der Nutzen-Kosten-Analyse alle relevanten Projektwirkungen identifiziert worden. Die Quantifizierung der direkten Wirkungen erfolgte am Beispiel der „Wulfen-Studie“ (Region Köthen, Sachsen-Anhalt). Für die indirekten Umweltwirkungen ist in einem ersten Schritt eine naturschutzfachliche Bewertung von Umweltgütern auf der Basis von Experteneinschätzungen erfolgt. Im zweiten Schritt wurden den einzelnen indirekten Umweltwirkungen monetäre Studienwerte aus der Literatur zugeordnet (benefit transfer). Nach Prüfen der Sensitivität und Erfassung der Intangibles zeigt die Gegenüberstellung der Nutzen und Kosten des Precision Farming, dass der Nettonutzen im Durchschnitt über die Untersuchungsjahre von +24,91 €/ha bis zu +244,80 €/ha variiert. Der Entwurf eines Heterogenitätsindikators zur Beschreibung der Beziehung zwischen Nettonutzen und Heterogenität eines Schlages führte zur Darstellung einer Heterogenitätsverteilung in Ostdeutschland. Unter der Annahme, dass die Ergebnisse der Fallstudie Wulfen auch repräsentativ für andere Regionen in Deutschland seien, erfolgte eine aussagekräftige Hochrechnung des Netto-nutzen/ha für Ostdeutschland mit einem durchschnittlichen Nettonutzen einer Einführung von Precision Farming von 45,6 Mio. €. Aufgrund der vielfältigen positiven Umweltwirkungen des Precision Farming kann eine staatliche Förderung des Precision Farming durchaus als legitim erachtet werden, besonders unter Berücksichtigung der hohen Investitionskosten für die Technik. Da unsere Aussagen aber auf vielen Annahmen beruhen, kann von dieser Stelle aus eine staatliche Förderung des Precision Farming nicht empfohlen werden. Dazu bedürfe es weiterer Forschungsarbeit. / The nationwide introduction of precision farming in Germany as a new technology in agriculture depends crucially on the incentives set by the government. Therefore, the economical analysis (cost benefit analysis) of the effects of precision farming is chosen to promote precision farming in Germany. One of the core elements of cost benefit analysis is the identification and quantification of the effects of precision farming in Germany. The direct quantification was carried out by the example of the "Wulfen study" (region Koethen, Saxonia-Anhalt). For the indirect environmental effects an experts estimation combined with a benefit analysis of those goods took place in a first step. In a second step monetary study values from literature were assigned to the individual indirect environmental effects (benefit transfer). After examining the sensitivity and the collection of the Intangibles, the net benefit of precision agriculture/ha was calculated. It varies from +24, 91 €/ha up to +244, 80 €/ha (average value over 3 years and two precision farming strategies). The regionalisation of the net benefit, calculated for the “Wulfen” region, was possible through the development of a heterogeneity indicator (HEI). This indicator describes the relationship between net benefit and site-specific heterogeneity. On the assumption that the results of the Wulfen case study are representative for other regions in Germany, the net benefit/ha was calculated to Eastern Germany. Thus does a net benefit of an introduction of precision farming on winter wheat in East Germany result of average 45,6 Mio €. Various positive environmental effects of precision agriculture appear, but with the high capital investment costs for the precision agriculture technology farmers won’t introduce this technology on their fields. Since our statements are based on many assumptions and restrictions, we cannot recommend however a national promotion of precision agriculture.

Rural development by means of providing uninterruptible power supply has become a priority among developing countries. Nigeria especially has on its top agenda the mandate to provide clean and cost-effective means of energy to the rural communities, hardest hit by wave of incessant outages of electricity supply. Renewable Energy (RE), a clean form of energy that can be derived from natural sources is widely available throughout Nigeria but is not harnessed. In this dissertation a Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) framework is proposed for renewable energy towards rural community development in Nigeria as indicated in the 18-point recommendations of Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN). Moreover, a cost-benefit analysis tool is formulated and developed from the CBA framework in order to analyze comparatively the costs and intangible benefits of renewable energy projects for rural application. A case study demonstrating the working methodology of the proposed framework is presented in order to establish the cost-benefit components by assessing the comparative cost-benefit analysis of RE at a rural site of Nigeria. Erinjiyan Ekiti rural area is located for CBA assessment with three RE resources (solar, wind and small hydro) selected for consideration. Through the application of Contingent Valuation Method (CVM), the respondents' willingness to pay for RE supply is obtained and RE benefits in monetary terms computed. Using three economic decision criteria namely: Net Present Value (NPV), Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR); the three RE resources are ranked according to their economic viability. The result of the analysis provides useful insight to investors and decision makers into how RE projects in rural community should be conducted. Foremost, it is revealed that all three RE options will be economically viable if implemented, though adequate caution must be taken when making a decision. Based on the CBA assessment, the Small-Hydro Power (SHP) option is ranked as the most viable option. However, this is swiftly negated if RE social impact, such as the spiritual belief of the rural dwellers, who rely on the only potential river as a medium of communication with their ancestors, are taken into consideration. Furthermore, a sensitivity assessment of the three RE options revealed that only solar photovoltaic (PV) option is marginally viable, thus turns negative upon an assumed increase in discount rate of only 17%. Herein, the proposed CBA framework provides a useful insight into an efficient method of appraising RE projects in rural communities. A CBA simulation tool is formulated and adapted from the CBA framework to enable quicker, reliable and automated means of assessing RE projects with a view to making wise investment decision. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Development and Management Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

Rural development by means of providing uninterruptible power supply has become a priority among developing countries. Nigeria especially has on its top agenda the mandate to provide clean and cost-effective means of energy to the rural communities, hardest hit by wave of incessant outages of electricity supply. Renewable Energy (RE), a clean form of energy that can be derived from natural sources is widely available throughout Nigeria but is not harnessed. In this dissertation a Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) framework is proposed for renewable energy towards rural community development in Nigeria as indicated in the 18-point recommendations of Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN). Moreover, a cost-benefit analysis tool is formulated and developed from the CBA framework in order to analyze comparatively the costs and intangible benefits of renewable energy projects for rural application. A case study demonstrating the working methodology of the proposed framework is presented in order to establish the cost-benefit components by assessing the comparative cost-benefit analysis of RE at a rural site of Nigeria. Erinjiyan Ekiti rural area is located for CBA assessment with three RE resources (solar, wind and small hydro) selected for consideration. Through the application of Contingent Valuation Method (CVM), the respondents' willingness to pay for RE supply is obtained and RE benefits in monetary terms computed. Using three economic decision criteria namely: Net Present Value (NPV), Benefit-Cost Ratio (BCR) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR); the three RE resources are ranked according to their economic viability. The result of the analysis provides useful insight to investors and decision makers into how RE projects in rural community should be conducted. Foremost, it is revealed that all three RE options will be economically viable if implemented, though adequate caution must be taken when making a decision. Based on the CBA assessment, the Small-Hydro Power (SHP) option is ranked as the most viable option. However, this is swiftly negated if RE social impact, such as the spiritual belief of the rural dwellers, who rely on the only potential river as a medium of communication with their ancestors, are taken into consideration. Furthermore, a sensitivity assessment of the three RE options revealed that only solar photovoltaic (PV) option is marginally viable, thus turns negative upon an assumed increase in discount rate of only 17%. Herein, the proposed CBA framework provides a useful insight into an efficient method of appraising RE projects in rural communities. A CBA simulation tool is formulated and adapted from the CBA framework to enable quicker, reliable and automated means of assessing RE projects with a view to making wise investment decision. / Thesis (M.Ing. (Development and Management Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

This thesis is focused on the analysis of state social support benefits in various districts of the Czech Republic during the period 2006-2014. During this time many legislative changes took place. The main objective of this work is to evaluate these changes in terms of their impact on costs of state social support benefits and find the impact of unemployment on the state social support benefits. The first part of the thesis focuses on the definition of theoretical terms while the second part is dedicated to data analysis.

Many cities across the globe are working to facilitate cycling as a sustainable transportation mode through changes to public policy and investments in infrastructure. Examining the costs and benefits of both driving and cycling using the cost benefit analysis (CBA) framework developed in Copenhagen provides an opportunity to identify private and social costs associated with these modes of transport with respect to environmental, social, and economic impacts. This paper outlines the methods used to calculate the per-kilometre costs of driving and cycling in Calgary, Canada, utilizing real-world data and methods from Canadian and global best-practice with the Copenhagen CBA framework as a guide. Transportation costs were calculated for travel time, vehicle ownership, health, collisions, air pollution, climate change, noise, roadway degradation, congestion, and winter maintenance for both driving and cycling. When the costs borne by both individuals and society are calculated for Calgary (in 2015 Canadian dollars) driving costs $0.83 per kilometre and cycling costs $0.08 per kilometre. When the social costs of transport are isolated, the cost of driving one kilometre is $0.10, while cycling one kilometre generates a net social benefit of $0.35. The results of this research show that the Copenhagen CBA framework can be applied in jurisdictions outside Denmark to calculate environmental, social, and economic costs of driving and cycling.

The Health and Safety Executive estimated the annual cost to British employers and other duty holders failing to comply with health and safety requirements to be up to £18 billion. It is estimated that the construction industry contributed £2billion of these appalling statistics. To date, health and safety management is still perceived as being costly and counterproductive in the construction industry. This research investigated the net benefit of accident prevention and explored the relationship between preventative costs and these benefits, with a view to drawing attention to the economic consequences of effective/ineffective management of health and safety by contractors in the UK construction industry. The need to investigate the cost of accident prevention in relation to overall benefits of accident prevention is therefore deemed necessary. A quantitative research methodology was employed in investigating these costs and benefits within the UK construction industry. From the ratio analysis small contractors spend relatively higher proportions of their turnover in total on accident prevention than medium and large contractors, and medium contractors spend a higher proportion of their turnover in total on accident prevention than large contractors. The results also show that medium and small contractors gain relatively higher proportions of their turnover in total as benefits of accident prevention than large contractors. The benefits of accident prevention far outweigh the costs of accident prevention by a ratio approximately 3:1. The relationships between these costs and benefits were examined. The costs of accident prevention were found to be positively and significantly (P < 0.005) associated with benefits of accident prevention. These associations were modelled using simple linear regression, and from these models it can be inferred from the results that the more contractors spend on accident prevention the more they derive benefits of accident prevention, which would improve health and safety performance on construction sites. ii The developed model was subsequently validated using experts and practitioners opinion from the UK construction industry. This developed model should provide good guidance to assist contractors in developing effective and efficient health and safety management for UK construction industry.

This dissertation examined the relationship between attachment insecurity and complicated grief by testing a path model of variables that were hypothesized to mediate this relationship. Three meaning-making variables were tested as potential mediators: benefit-finding, sense-making, and positive reappraisal. First, a series of principal components analyses were performed to determine the factor structure of these meaning-making variables. After these constructs were identified, a series of hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to determine the unique contribution of each of the primary variables in predicting either complicated grief or one of the meaning-making variables. As hypothesized, some of the attachment and meaning-making variables were highly associated with complicated grief. Attachment insecurity variables were also associated with some of the meaning-making variables suggesting that attachment may have some influence on how individuals use meaning-making strategies in the midst of a loss. These variables were then entered into a path analysis that accounted for other relevant risk factors. It was found that, contrary to the main hypothesis, the meaning-making variables did not appear to mediate the relationship between attachment insecurity and complicated grief. Multiple regression was used to determine the relative impact of meaning-making and attachment variables on complicated grief because these variables have not been previously included in one statistical model. The results suggested that both meaning-making and attachment insecurity variables can play an important role as risk factors for complicated grief and that these relationships are still present after accounting for the closeness that an individual reported towards the deceased. It was concluded that both sets of variables, attachment and meaning-making, should be included in models of the development of complicated grief and that both may have clinical implications in terms of how to approach counseling for individuals struggling with complicated grief. More research on this topic is needed to look at similar research questions within specific populations. It was also suggested that in the future, researchers need to find better ways to measure meaning-making constructs because the current findings suggest that meaning-making may be even more multifaceted than has been suggested in previous literature. / text

摘要 本文於確定給付退休金計劃下，探討基金經理人於最差基金財務短絀情境發生前極大化管理目標之最適投資組合，基金比值過程定義為基金現值與負債指標之比例，管理人將於指定最差基金比值發生前極大化達成既定經營目標之機率，隨時間改變之基金投資集合包括無風險之現金、債券與股票。本研究建構隨機控制模型描述此最適化問題，並以動態規劃方法求解，由結果歸納，經理人之最適策略包含極小化基金比值變異之避險因素，風險偏好及跨期投資集合相關之避險因素與模型狀態變數相關之避險因素。本研究利用馬可夫練逼近法逼近隨機控制的數值解，結果顯示基金經理人須握有很大部位的債券，且不同的投資期間對於最適投資決策有很大的影響。 關鍵字: 短絀、確定給付、負債指標、隨機控制、動態規劃。 / Abstract This paper analyzes the portfolio problem that is a pension fund manager has to maximize the possibility of reaching his managerial goal before the worst scenario shortfall occurs in a defined benefit pension scheme. The fund ratio process defined as the ratio between the fund level and its accrued liability benchmark is attained to maximize the probability that the predetermined target is achieved before it falls below an intolerable boundary. The time-varying opportunity set in our study includes risk-free cash, bonds and stock index. The problems are formulated as a stochastic control framework and are solved through dynamics programming. In this study, the optimal portfolio are characterized by three components, the liability hedging component, the intertemporal hedging component against changes in the opportunity set, and the temporal hedging component minimizing the variation in fund ratio growth. The Markov chain approximation methods are employed to approximate the stochastic control solutions numerically. The result shows that fund managers should hold large proportions of bonds and time horizon plays a crucial role in constructing the optimal portfolio. Keywords: shortfall; defined benefit; liability benchmark; stochastic control; dynamic programming.

"Die Hälfte unserer Werbeausgaben ist umsonst, aber wir wissen nicht welche." Diese in der Werbebranche häufig strapazierte Aussage ist heute glücklicherweise nicht mehr gültig. Werbungtreibende Unternehmen möchten zunehmend wissen, was die Werbung bewirkt, die sie bei Agenturen in Auftrag geben. Für die Agenturen ihrerseits wird der Nachweis effizienter Werbung zunehmend zum Erfolgsfaktor. Natürlich wird es immer diejenigen Kritiker der Effizienzprüfung von Werbung geben, die da sagen, daß bei zunehmender Orientierung der Werbegestaltung an der Effizienz die Kreativität auf der Strecke bliebe. Dazu ist mindestens zweierlei zu sagen : Erstens ist zu bezweifeln, daß die Kreativität durch zunehmende Effizienz der Werbung in den Hintergrund rückt. Märkte, auf denen Informationen und Emotionen gehandelt werden, zeigen eher, daß durch schärferen Wettbewerb und damit zunehmende Effizienzanforderungen mehr Kreativität gefordert wird. Wohlgemerkt: gefordert und vielleicht nicht gefördert. Aber es scheint hier wie in vielen anderen Bereichen unserer Wirtschaft: Zum einen wünschen wir uns den harten Wettbewerb lieber für die anderen und zum zweiten wünschen sich eher die Starken eine Leistungsorientierung als die Schwachen. Zweitens muß man sagen: Selbst wenn die Kreativität nicht mehr der Hauptmaßstab für gelungene Werbung ist - so what? Sollen denn die Konsumenten und Werbung treibende Unternehmen Kreativität bezahlen, die ihnen nicht nützt? Der Trend ist klar: Die Effizienzmessung der Werbung wird zunehmend zum Erfolgsfaktor für die Agenturen. Man kann das ja nicht wollen, aber man kann nicht verhindern, daß es andere tun. Deshalb lohnt es, sich damit zu befassen.

The aim of the study was to integrate economics, forage agronomy and livestock production data to determine the economic costs and benefits of management techniques that can extend the grazing season for beef production in Atlantic Canada. The results of the study show that extending the grazing season is financially and economically beneficial for both an Atlantic beef farmer and the whole Atlantic community. Extending the grazing season could be thus an alternative solution to enhance beef farm viability in Atlantic Canada. It can also contribute to the sustainable development of beef cattle production through its benefits for environmental protection. The results of this study reflect the necessity of supporting and promoting the adoption of extended grazing season practices in Atlantic beef production. This support and this promotion could involve increasing awareness, training on grazing management skills, diffusion at workshops and participatory research.