This study evaluates existing methods for developing price indices for defense products, proposes an alternative method based on hedonic analysis, and develops price indices for U.S . Army vehicles using the proposed method. Prices indices are estimated for combat vehicles, and trucks and trailers. The period covered is 1981 through 1985. The estimated hedonic price indices show that for trucks and trailers existing historical price indices significantly understate inflation. The estimated hedonic index is 4 to 6 times higher than comparable indices in all years except 1985. In 1985, the index reflected significant deflation which placed it well below comparable indices. The deflation experienced during this period may have, in part, been due to the enactment of the Competition in Contracting Act in 1984. This Act dramatically increased competition for Government contracts. It was not possible to estimate price indices for combat vehicles due to the paucity of data. However, should additional price and attribute data become available it is believed that price indices can be developed using the hedonic approach. Based on the results of this study it is obvious that existing methods for developing price indices are not optimum and hedonic analysis is a viable method for constructing price indices for selected applications. / M.A.

Three milk, fat yield and final score type records were simulated for each cow in 20 herds of 200 cows over 13 years. At completion of the simulation, cows were ranked by different selection methods and the top 2% were chosen to be bull dams. Preferential treatment was simulated by increasing milk and fat yields by 8, 16, 32, and 48% in separate copies of the simulation. Preferential treatment was given to a limited number of cows in copies of the original herds based on 8 strategies. Cows were chosen to receive preferential treatment for 2nd and 3rd records based on phenotypic records and ETA’s alone and in combination with a phenotypic minimum for final score type. Cows were also chosen to be biased in all records based on phenotypic records of dam, parent average ETA, maternal line and final score type. Bull dam selection methods compared used 2:2:1 milk:fat:type indexes of cow Predicted Transmitting Abilities (PTA), first lactation PTA, (PTA-F), PTA after requiring phenotypic minimums, (PTA-P), 3-generation Pedigree Index (PI-3) and PTA after preselection on 3-generation Pedigree Index (PI-3/PTA). Comparison criterion was average merit on a 2:.2:.1 weighting of true transmitting abilities for milk, fat and type for cows selected in each of 3 replicates of the cow population that were started with different random number seeds. Selection methods PTA and PTA-F gave the highest average true breeding values when no bias was present, and both methods were robust to bias levels of 8 and 16% mean response, and continued to give the best results at these levels for all bias patterns studied. In general, selection on PI-3 and PTA-P gave poor results and should not be considered viable selection methods. Selection ability of PTA was greatly decreased at the 32 and 48% bias levels. Selection on PTA-F continued to be effective when bias did not occur in the first lactation or when bias was based on type score, while selection on PI-3PTA was unaffected by bias at any level. Requiring a high level of 3-generation Pedigree Index before selection on PTA appears useful for selecting bull dams when very high levels of bias are present. / Master of Science

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / This thesis presents a study on : (1) The construction of the SADC All Stock Market Indices, namely the SADIX (SADC Index Including South Africa) and the SADEX (SADC Index Excluding South Africa), which will serve as performance benchmarks for the region, and as indices for tracking the performance of the region excluding the JSE (2) Comparative analysis of the SADC bourses returns (3) Correlation Analysis between the SADC countries The SADC All Stock Market Indices, SADIX & SAD EX are market value, capitalization-weighted indices in which all components are weighted according to the total market value of their outstanding shares. They comprise all equity securities listed on the SADC region excluding Tanzania. Both series are calculated in local currencies and converted to US dollar terms, using end-af-week data with a base value of 1,000 as at 3rd September 1999. The dissertation presents a discussion on the regionalization of the African stock exchanges and how they this will impact the low liquidity levels which is endemic to most of the African Stock Exchanges. The results obtained indicate a significantly high correlation between the individual country indices with the SADe All Stock market Indices. Furthermore, observations are that the SADe stock exchanges show similar reactions to news flow and economic shocks. However, there are negative correlations, which will offer investors a fundamental basis for a diversification strategy in the region. Finally, the thesis concludes that despite the perception that African stock markets are in chaos, there are lucrative SADe markets, smaller in terms of size and market capitalization that will provide good returns.

by Lee Chi Kau. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-119). / Abstract also in Chinese. / ACKNOWLEDGMENTS --- p.iii / LIST OF TABLES --- p.iv / LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS --- p.vi / CHAPTER / Chapter ONE --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter TWO --- THE LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.6 / Parametric Models / Nonparametric Estimation Techniques / Chapter THREE --- ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORKS --- p.21 / Parametric Models / Nonparametric Models / Chapter FOUR --- EMPIRICAL FINDINGS --- p.36 / Data / Estimation Results / Evaluation of Model Performance / Out-of-Sample Forecast and Evaluation / Chapter FIVE --- CONCLUSION --- p.54 / TABLES --- p.58 / ILLUSTRATIONS --- p.76 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.115

published_or_final_version / Statistics / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Magistro darbe yra išanalizuoti ir susiteminti įvairių Lietuvos ir užsienio autorių teoriniai pelno sampratos ekonomikoje ir apskaitoje aspektai. Pateiktos pelno ir pelningumo rodiklių apskaičiavimo problemos ir analizės metodikos, akcentuojant pagrindinių priežasčių, įtakojančių gautus rezultatus, ištyrimą. Aptarti finansinių prognozių metodai. Atlikta kelių tiesimo ir remonto įmonės pelno ir pelningumo rodiklių struktūros bei dinamikos analizė. Pateiktas gautų rezultatų įvertinimas pagrindinių konkurentų rinkoje bei pramonės šakos atžvilgiu. Atliktas įmonės paklausos sezoniškumo tyrimas. Apibendrinti vidiniai bei išoriniai veiksniai, lėmę įmonės veiklos ekonominius rezultatus. Atliktas įmonės veiklos modeliavimas ieškant pelningiausių sprendimų. Remiantis gautais rezultatais prognozuoti tolimesni veiklos rodikliai. Veiklos rezultatai įvertinti pritaikant ekonominius svertus. Remiantis gautais duomenimis suformuluotos išsamios išvados ir pateikti pasiūlymai įmonės veiklos pelningumo didinimui. / Theoretical aspects of profit concept in economics and accounting of various Lithuanian and foreign authors are analysed and systematized. Profit and profitability index calculation problems and analytical methods are given, stressing research of the main reasons influencing the results obtained. Financial prognostication methods are discussed. Profit and profitability index structures and dynamics analysis are performed for road laying and repair company. Evaluation of the results obtained is given in relation with the main competitors’ market as well as with the industry. Seasonal changes in the demand are analysed for the company. Internal and external factors are summarized, which played a role in the economic results of the company’s performance. Activity modelling is performed for the company, seeking for the most profitable solutions. Basing upon the results obtained, further performance indices are forecasted. Performance results are evaluated using the economic leverage. Basing upon the results obtained, thorough conclusions are formulated, suggestions to improve performance profitability are given.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Surveillance videos are recorded continually and the retrieval of such videos currently still relies on human operators. Automatic retrieval has not reached a satisfactory accuracy. As an intermediate representation, this work develops multiple original temporal profiles of video to convey accurate temporal information in the video while keeping certain spatial characteristics. These are effective methods to visualizes surveillance video contents efficiently in a 2D temporal image, suitable for indexing and retrieving a large video database. We are aiming to provide a compact index that is intuitive and preserves most of the information in the video in order to avoid browsing extensive video clips frame by frame. By considering some of the properties of static surveillance videos, we aim at accentuating the temporal dimension in our visualization. We have introduced our framework as three unique methods that visualize different aspects of a surveillance video, plus an extension to non-static surveillance videos. In our first method "Localized Temporal Profile", by knowing that most surveillance videos are monitoring specific locations, we try to emphasize the other dimension, time, in our solution. we focus on describing all the events only in critical locations of the video. In our next method "Multi-Position Temporal Profile", we generate an all-inclusive profile that covers all the events in the video field of view. In our last method "Motion Temporal Profile" we perform in-depth analysis of scene motion and try to handle targets with non-uniform, non-translational motion in our temporal profile. We then further extend our framework by loosening the constraint that the video is static and including cameras with smooth panning motion as such videos are widely used in practice. By performing motion analysis on the camera, we stabilize the camera to create a panorama-like effect for the video, allowing us to utilize all of the aforementioned methods. The resulting profiles allows temporal indexing to each video frame, and contains all spatial information in a continuous manner. It also shows the actions and progress of events in the temporal profile. Flexible browsing and effective manipulation of videos can be achieved using the resulting video profiles.

In this work it is address the question of how certain climatic variables may be significant related to alterations of avian biodiversity in a semi-agricultural Natura wetland side in Northern Greece. Particularly, the current research highlights the effects of climate and land cover intensity on the Thermaikos gulf bird biodiversity and its importance for healthy ecosystem functioning. Also, the maintenance of a good state of conservation in the Thermaikos gulf has direct impacts on a larger scale since it benefits the rest of the Natura wetlands network considering the connectivity related to migratory birds. Furthermore, the methodology which is used is essential to help inform the science-based management of environments that support threatened and endangered wildlife and can be further applied to other wetlands in the Mediterranean with similar weather conditions and agricultural land use. The alteration in compositional diversity of bird abundances has been studied at the species level from 2012 to 2017 in one of the most important wetland Natura sites in Northern Greece and by using different biodiversity indices. Shannon Entropy was lower during 2012 (DH = 1.509) albeit remained in similar levels from 2013 and afterwards. The highest values of Shannon Entropy were recorded in 2014 (DH = 2.927) and 2016 (DH = 2.888) suggesting that there is a higher diversity compared to the other observation years and especially 2012. The yearly trends of the Simpson dominance index and the Gini-Simpson Index had quite similar patterns. The Berger-Parker index, DD, which represents the maximum proportion of any species estimated in the sample assemblage, had its highest values in 2012 (DD = 0.58) and 2017 (DD = 0.39) and its lowest in 2014 (DD = 0.13) and 2016 (DD = 0.15). A complete characterization of diversity was possible through the projection of Hill numbers and the Rényi entropy, parameterized by the order q in terms of an empirical curve. According to the Hills numbers pooled over the years, the mean species abundance (q = 0) was estimated at 31 species, the mean biodiversity (q = 1) was 13 species and the most dominant species (q = 2) were 8 species. The quantification of bird biodiversity in the particular research area patterns is a fundamental task to evaluate current management actions, improve conservation and design future management strategies. Moreover, the interplay between temperature, relative humidity and three different bird biodiversity indexes, including Shannon Entropy, Simpson’s dominance (evenness) index and the Berger-Parker index has been also examined. By using different modeling approaches, parametric and non- parametric multivariate models, we make effort to get a consensus on the interrelationships between climate and avian biodiversity. In particular, it is been shown that in most cases nonlinear models and surface-plot analysis methodology, are able to capture the relation of a considerable increase in the estimated biodiversity indexes with increased temperatures and rain levels. Thus, biodiversity is to a significant extent affected by the aforementioned climate factors at a proximate level involving synergies between the different climate factors. Finally, the combined effect of climate variables and remote sensing land cover indicators on bird richness has been also explored to detect any influence on bird diversity due to agricultural intensification. In particular the association between bird richness and environmental drivers, as well as remote sensed land cover indices was explored for seven successive seasons using correlation analysis and a Cox-Box transformed multivariate linear model. Three climate variables were tested: mean temperature, rain level and mean relative humidity and three land cover indices: the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), the Atmospheric Resistance Vegetation Index (ARVI) and an Agricultural Band Combination Index (ABCI). Among the environmental drivers explored, temperature, rain levels and ABCI were significantly correlated to bird richness in contrast to NDVI and ARVI which showed a lower correlation, while relative humidity displayed the poorest correlation. Additionally, the multivariable linear model indicates that temperature, rain levels and ABCI have a statistically significant effect (p<0.05) on bird species richness accounting for 73,02% of data variability. Based on the overall model results and the related 3D contour plot model simulations, we conclude that bird species richness increases with an increase in temperature and rain levels, as well as with a decrease in agricultural intensity (ABCI). Concluding, in most cases temperature, rain levels and agricultural intensity significantly influenced bird richness in a combined manner. Furthermore, agricultural intensification has resulted in most cases in the loss of bird richness. Understanding the factors that can affect the biodiversity is of great importance for rational land use planning and conservation management of semi-Natural areas. Agriculture is the main driving force that influences the topographic and biological diversity of Europe, shaping the natural landscape of the European countryside for thousands of years. Revealing potential interrelationship between biodiversity, climate drivers and landscape indicators, although is a complex—even though challenging—task, contributing to our understanding of the mechanisms connecting climate change with ecosystem functioning. Moreover, a better understanding of biodiversity functioning in relation to human activities in natural protected areas as well as climate is essential for biodiversity awareness and the design of effective biodiversity-related conservation management policies.

The subject of thesis "Evaluation of the financial situation in the firm and proposals to its improvement" is an analysis of the performance of ABC Company, Ltd., through financial analysis. Based on the collected information and data analysis I'm presenting the following proposals to improve the current financial situation of the corporation including the analysis of contribution of such improvements to the company.

This Master´s thesis is engaged on evulation of the financial situation in the firm NERA DISPLAYS s. r. o. through financial analysis. On the basis of acquired information suggests solutions, which can lead to improvements of financial situation in firm and appraciates the contribution of these solutions.