The research reported here offers a solution to the communications resource allocation problem. Unlike earlier approaches to this problem, we employ a time-sliced event model where messages are sent and received in a single time slice called an epoch. In addition, we also consider networks that contain relay nodes capable of only transferring messages. Consequently, network topologies can be considered where a given node is not directly connected to every other node and must use one or more relay nodes in order to get a message to some destination. The resulting architectures broaden the networks to be considered and enable the capability of constructing more realistic communication scenarios. In this paper we modify the standard MCNF model by turning our focus to feasibility instead of optimality in an effort to provide adequate and accurate decision support to communication network planners. Given a network configuration and message requirements, our goal is to determine if the proposed scenario is feasible in terms of the communication resources available. To meet this goal, three algorithms are presented that each solve the extended MCNF problem with varying degrees of accuracy and run-time requirements. Experimental results show that a large number of multi-variable interactions among input parameters play a key role in determining feasibility and predicting expected execution time. Several heuristics are presented that reduce run-time dramatically, in some cases by a factor of 37. Each algorithm is tested on a range of inputs and compared to the others. Preliminary results gathered indicate that the second algorithm of the three (APEA) offers the best balance of accuracy vs. execution time. In summary, the solutions presented here solve the resource allocation problem for message delivery in a way that enables evaluation of real world communication scenarios. / Master of Science

The Tendertips Company (TTC) is an asparagus growing a packing business which has a problem. Not enough New Zealanders are willing to manually harvest asparagus. Samoan workers are being employed through the recognised seasonal employer (RSE) scheme which incurs a large cost to TTC. This scheme is also susceptible to a change in government policy at any time. Automated asparagus harvesters have been designed in the past however they inflict too much damage to asparagus plants and the paddocks in which they grow. Several research projects have also been undertaken to minimise this damage while robotically harvesting asparagus however no solutions currently exist. In this project a low-cost system was designed and constructed to determine the feasibility of selectively harvesting asparagus without inflicting damage to asparagus plants or the paddock. The most technical component in this system was identified, accurately identifying and locating asparagus spears to be harvested. A camera and lighting system, along with an asparagus data logging system was designed and tested, with the assumption that if this system succeeded, the development of an automated asparagus harvester would have a very high chance of success. The system proved that individual asparagus spears can be located accurately enough so as not to inflict damage on other spears during the harvesting process: • 96.8% of asparagus spears were located. • Average location error of 3.0mm. The measurement of the size and height of asparagus spears was not very accurate due to the lighting system, however this is expected to be fixed with a design change. A global positioning system (GPS) successfully saved the calculated size of the asparagus spear with its global location to allow for analysis of the asparagus paddocks using the Google Earth application. The cost of robotically harvesting asparagus is forecast to be much less than manual harvesting: • Manual harvesting cost $1.40 per kilogram • Forecast robotic harvesting cost $0.41 per kilogram. If one other investor was obtained to create a new business, which developed an automated asparagus harvester before harvesting asparagus in New Zealand and California, the forecast financials are: • Net present value (NPV) of $1.613 million after ten years. • Internal rate of return (IRR) of 33% after ten years. • Maximum accumulated investment from TTC of $449,000 four years after development first begins. The forecast income is through harvesting asparagus only as selling the machines or leasing the intellectual property is not viable. A guiding document was created to guide TTC with the development of an automated asparagus harvester if it aligns with their business model. The development of an automated harvester: • Is technically viable. • Will lower harvesting costs. • Will ensure all of TTC’s asparagus is harvested when required. • Will return sustainable profits to the child business that TTC should create. The project management techniques adopted in this project ensured the project was completed on the planned day of completion, while remaining on budget: • Budgeted cost of work scheduled $24,478.21 • Budgeted cost of work performed $24,027.54

Orientador: Pablo Forlán Vargas / Resumo: A expansão no número de unidades produtoras que utilizam o sistema hidropônico, bem como, a evolução da sua participação no montante de hortaliças produzidas, incentivam novos produtores como forma alternativa de cultivo no oeste e noroeste paulista. Assim, objetivou com este estudo avaliar o nível tecnológico e os investimentos necessários para a produção hidropônica de hortaliças na região extremo oeste e noroeste do estado de São Paulo, através de dados obtidos via pesquisa do tipo descritiva e exploratória por meio de entrevistas com os produtores comerciais dessas regiões. O referencial teórico baseou-se em revisão de literatura a respeito da importância desse método de cultivo para a integração e a proximidade de áreas produtivas para o interior de cidades e a viabilidade embutida nesse método. A metodologia empregada baseia-se na construção de índices tecnológicos que classificam e os avaliam em padrões (A, B, C e D) os produtores de acordo com a produção segmentada em três principais componentes: Pré-plantio; Plantio e manejo; Pós-colheita e gestão e identificar alguns comportamentos e desafios enfrentados pelos produtores ao utilizar o cultivo sem o uso de solo. Também foi realizada uma análise econômica de uma empresa tomada como exemplo, da cidade de Ilha Solteira/SP, na qual foram obtidos coeficientes técnicos relativos à demanda de fatores de produção de materiais permanentes. Foram calculados os custos de produção e fez-se a avaliação da viabilidade econômica do... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The expansion in the number of units that use the hydroponic system, as well as the evolution of their share in the amount of vegetables produced, encourage new producers as an alternative form of cultivation in the western and northwestern paulista, thus, it objectified with this study was to evaluate the technological level and investments required for the hydroponic production of vegetables in the western and northwestern region of the state of São Paulo, through data obtained through descriptive and exploratory research through interviews with the commercial producers of these regions. The consulted literature based on a review about the importance of this method of cultivation for the integration and proximity of productive areas to the interior of cities and the viability built into this method. The methodology used is based on the construction of technological indexes that classify and evaluate them in the (A, B, C and D) the producers according to the segmented production in three main components: Pre-planting; Planting and management; Post-harvest and management and to identify some behaviors and challenges faced by the producers when using the cultivation without the use of soil. Also, an economic analysis of a company is taken as an example, of the city of Ilha Solteira / SP, were obtained technical coefficients related to the demand for factors of production of permanent materials. The production costs were calculated, and the economic feasibility of the project w... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

The finance of our government that the remaining situation beginning changes into the budget deficit since 1990 . So introduced solved financial predicament experience from foreign. Britain promoted ¡§Private Finance Initiative (PFI)¡¨since 1992, it is deep and wide to influence to the development of Britain's politics, economy and society. Our country makes ¡§The Reward Non-governmental to Participate in Traffic Build Regulations ¡§on November 1994, take the way of ¡§Build-operate-transfer¡¨ to promote non-governmental circles participate in the investment. It is combine three parts of the government's power ,non-governmental fund and enterprise's administration efficiency to together, in order to finish the advance mode of the public works and moving up service quality, which create third of the win for government , people and enterprise's. BOT special project usually has such characteristics as long payoff period , investment amount is huge , risks involved are many and complicated, and BOT benefit which have more high uncertainty , market requirement that forecasting difficult question, so BOT is planning at the beginning, must consider when BOT plans to running , should pay attention to those can influence original financial revenue and expenditure parameter of planning, and austerely control on tolerate range, or the situation is not well how to do financial operation. This research just do the Financial Feasibility Analysis, and take Garden of Culture and Sports of Taipei (The Taipei Dome Complex of Song Shan Tobacco Factory) as a study case. This research approach is as following: 1. Documents retrospect 2. Case study 3. Make Financial Analysis with the Net Present Value Method 4. Every chapter is arranged as follows: Chapter two probe into documents and case preview Chapter three Financial assessment model and parameter setting Chapter four Financial cost and income Chapter five Cash-Flow Analysis Chapter six Self-Liquidating Ratio Analysis Chapter seven Benefit analysis of investment Chapter eight Financing feasibility analysis Chapter nine Sensitiveness analysis Chapter ten Conclusion and suggestion The limited of this research is: 1. On case study, there are not more clear materials of type for operation, so the type of operation is supposing in order to rent out. So as to ensure the stability of incomes, it is easy to do the feasible assessment of the financial. 2. The space of this case is not to make a verdict yet, so all assumptions of this research are in order to use the government of Taipei to announce while the meeting for leasing that the materials are quoted , consulted in the general quotations of market and the similar case for financial materials of The Kaohsjung Dome . So on practical working in this case , should calculate on agreement materials of the three sides - ' government unit , financing unit , folk unit '.

Concrete pavements are facing rapid deterioration due to the increasing high traffic volumes. Maintenance, rehabilitation and reconstruction (MRR) have become major activities for all the state highway agencies. Due to shortage of available funding and continuous aging of pavements, many state highway agencies are now seeking cost-effective MRR strategies. This has led a need to develop a systematic and comprehensive decision process for selecting the optimum MRR strategy that considers pavement, traffic and construction issues. This research is an effort to help the state highway agencies select the maintenance, rehabilitation and reconstruction strategy for concrete pavements. The research identifies feasibility, suitability and acceptability criteria that every MRR strategy should meet. The rehabilitation strategies satisfying these criteria are then weighed in decision process to determine the optimum rehabilitation strategy. Research also focuses on developing recommendations for statewide methods for rehabilitating jointed concrete pavements so as to minimize reflective cracking. Data was collected from relevant project case studies to assess and improve the framework for decision process. Further research will be required to enhance the selection process.

This report discusses the feasibility of multifamily development through the use of undeveloped or underutilized parcels of land in the central east core of downtown Austin. Included in the discussion is the history of the market area, tools the City of Austin is using to promote infill development, the housing development process, financing of infill housing projects in Austin, a supply and demand analysis of the current market, and site selection theory and application. The author found that there is significant quantitative demand for a multifamily product in this market area and this report may act as a general guide to the process of bringing a multifamily product to market. / text

Green Procurement is defined as taking into account environmental criteria for goods and services to be purchased in order to ensure that the related environmental impact is minimized (Incite Sustainability, 2008: vii).An inherent feature of green procurement is the integration of environmental considerations into purchasing policies, programmes and actions (Stigson & Russell, 1998:9). The European Commission states that green public procurement should ideally cover areas such as the purchase of energy-efficient computers and buildings, office equipment made out of environmentally sustainable timber, recyclable paper, environmentally-friendly public transport, organic food in the cafeteria, electricity stemming from renewable energy sources and air conditioning systems complying with environmental solutions(European Commission, 2004:5). The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) recommends the inclusion of the construction of new buildings, restoration and renovation as well as the purchase of building material as one of the areas that have to be addressed when developing green procurement policies. The City of Tshwane Municipality (CoT) intends to move towards a green procurement practice. The City plans to attain the latter without deviating from the intentions and parameters of the South African Government’s procurement legislation and further more within the limits of its current budget constraints. The intention of the study was to investigate the feasibility of a green procurement practice in the CoT and to give special attention to low cost housing. The results of the study suggest that it is feasible to implement the practice. The City of Tshwane was found to have relevant and progressive policies in place and what was found lacking was the application and integration of the policies into existing programmes. Green procurement barriers that the CoT will have to overcome were identified as awareness, motivation, economic, legal, institutional, information and technical barriers. The study concludes with recommendations to the CoT with regard to potential opportunities the City can take advantage of when implementing a green procurement practice. / Thesis (M. Environmental Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Green Procurement is defined as taking into account environmental criteria for goods and services to be purchased in order to ensure that the related environmental impact is minimized (Incite Sustainability, 2008: vii).An inherent feature of green procurement is the integration of environmental considerations into purchasing policies, programmes and actions (Stigson & Russell, 1998:9). The European Commission states that green public procurement should ideally cover areas such as the purchase of energy-efficient computers and buildings, office equipment made out of environmentally sustainable timber, recyclable paper, environmentally-friendly public transport, organic food in the cafeteria, electricity stemming from renewable energy sources and air conditioning systems complying with environmental solutions(European Commission, 2004:5). The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) recommends the inclusion of the construction of new buildings, restoration and renovation as well as the purchase of building material as one of the areas that have to be addressed when developing green procurement policies. The City of Tshwane Municipality (CoT) intends to move towards a green procurement practice. The City plans to attain the latter without deviating from the intentions and parameters of the South African Government’s procurement legislation and further more within the limits of its current budget constraints. The intention of the study was to investigate the feasibility of a green procurement practice in the CoT and to give special attention to low cost housing. The results of the study suggest that it is feasible to implement the practice. The City of Tshwane was found to have relevant and progressive policies in place and what was found lacking was the application and integration of the policies into existing programmes. Green procurement barriers that the CoT will have to overcome were identified as awareness, motivation, economic, legal, institutional, information and technical barriers. The study concludes with recommendations to the CoT with regard to potential opportunities the City can take advantage of when implementing a green procurement practice. / Thesis (M. Environmental Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1964.

Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references.