The results from 17 new experiments and 19 previously reported experiments are compared in an investigation of call and continuous auctions. The call auction used is the computerized PLATO sealed bid/offer (SBO), uniform price auction. The continuous auction used is the PLATO double auction (DA), a computerized version of the "open outcry" double auction. The SBO call auction has temporal consolidation of market orders and has limited information about trading activity. The continuous DA auction is characterized by sequential bilateral trades, and trading information (bids, offers, and prices) is publicly displayed. The paper first explores the effect of multiple crossings per trading period in the SBO call auction. Next, a comparison of SBO and DA is made, based on market experiments using flow supply and demand schedules. The institutional comparison is then extended to experimental asset markets. The results imply the following. First, multiple calls per period increase the efficiency of the SBO call auction, relative to one call per period, but they also induce greater misrepresentation of costs and values in the first crossing each period. Buyers and sellers also withhold units from the first crossing in a further attempt to gain strategic advantage. However, neither the withholding nor the misrepresentation appears to have any substantial influence on price. Second, the SBO auction with two calls per period is as efficient as the DA auction. In markets with a random competitive equilibrium (CE) each period, the SBO auction does a better job than DA at tracking the random CE price. Thus the SBO auction is equally as efficient as the DA, and has the further attributes of lower price volatility and greater privacy. Third, in laboratory asset markets, the SBO auction exhibits price bubbles similar to those observed in DA markets. Price dynamics in the two institutions are comparable, despite the stark differences in order flow and information dissemination.

Abstract also in Chinese. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong. / Bibliography: leaf 99.

Thesis (MTech (Tourism and Hospitality Management))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2016. / Electronic commerce, popularly referred to as e-commerce, is the latest catchphrase surrounding the Internet and its many functions. In the past, the Internet was solely used for information seeking, but the 21st century has brought a new global economy to the fore – one that is conducted online. Tourism is seen as a driver of economic growth, contributing both to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of South Africa (SA) and creating jobs in the hospitality sector. E-commerce does not only provide a platform for business to be conducted online but also an opportunity for consumers to interact directly with industry. Many studies have been done previously about the perceived benefits of e-commerce in the retail sector, yet none in Cape Town and at five-star hotels in particular. It is well known that holidaymakers conduct an online search prior to booking accommodation; some of those potential guests in turn choose to finalise their bookings online. The purpose of the study was to investigate the role of e-commerce in five-star hotels in the Cape Town Metropole. The main objective of this study was to define what e-commerce is for five-star hotels in the Cape Town Metropole and determine if the hotels are using e-commerce as a booking method. Online questionnaires were used to gather primary data and a literature review was presented as secondary data. The findings of this study showed that all the hotels surveyed use online bookings and half of the respondents believe Online Travel Agents (OTAs) generate more revenue than traditional methods of room reservation. When asked to rank methods of room’s reservations, there was a slight difference between telephone bookings and e-commerce as number one. This could mean that while electronic methods are popular, they have not completely replaced traditional methods. The researcher recommends that five-star hotel managers train the rooms’ division staff to respond to negative reviews on social media, as this was one of the findings. The hotels should also learn how to effectively use their social media presence to increase room sales.

This paper examines the effects of the exchange rate on bilateral industry trade in Sweden's trade with the Euro area. This is done by examining whether the J-curve effect exists using quarterly data from 1995 until 2022. Since becoming floating in the 1990s, the Swedish Krona has weakened significantly and recently, the discussion about the weakness of the Swedish Krona has gained renewed attention. Since Sweden is a small and open economy highly dependent on international trade, changes in the exchange rate may have large effects on the Swedish economy. The J-curve effect implies that the trade balance following a depreciation may initially worsen before later improving. The ARDL-approach is employed to obtain both short- and long-run effects of a depreciation on Swedish trade balance. In the 66 industries studied, little support can be found for a J-curve effect in Sweden's trade with the Euro area. Although 27 industries present short-run effects of a depreciation only five lasts until the long-run. Similarly, the results indicate that industries with a lower share of foreign inputs in their exports are affected more favourable than those with a higher share in the short run. No such results are found in the long run.

The purpose of this research was to identify the expertise of CAD graphics operators/managers in the design and marketing phases of textile/apparel product development. Additionally, the purposes were to determine the effect of CAD graphics on product development in the textile/apparel industry, and to identify future needs and uses of CAD graphics in the industry. A questionnaire was sent to 117 CAD graphics operators/managers. The results from the questionnaire were obtained through frequency and percentage distributions. The major findings of this study concluded that textile design and/or colorations and coloration of sketches were the major uses for CAD graphics systems. The shortening of response time of development of idea in design cycle was the major benefit of using a CAD graphics system. Future needs and wants were found to be mainly in the areas of better color control, matching and selection, better resolution in printing, and faster, larger printout capabilities. / Master of Science

Der Beitrag befasst sich mit einem Überblick über das Forschungsprojekt SiPro, im Rahmen der Förderung des Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft und Klimapolitik. Ziel des Projektes ist es, einen Durchbruch in der horizontalen Datenintegration entlang der Prozesskette Gießen, Schmieden, Wärmebehandlung und den nachfolgenden Prozessen, wie Walzen, Gesenkschmieden und Ziehen zu erreichen. Ausgehend davon ist eine Optimierung der Prozesse möglich, was letztendlich zur Einsparung des Energieeinsatzes und damit zu einer verbesserten Wettbewerbsfähigkeit verbunden mit einer Reduzierung des CO2-Ausstoßes führt.