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In this paper the relative efficiency of the forest sector of 28 EU/EFTA countries during the period 2010–2015 is assessed using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Three non-discretionary inputs (persons employed, forest available for wood supply and initial growing stock) are considered. The outputs are roundwood production, gross value added and final growing stock. The proposed DEA model not only computes efficiency scores but also improvement targets. The countries with the lowest efficiency scores during the period under study are Greece, Bulgaria and Italy. In the second stage, a fractional regression model is fitted and the factors that have an influence on the estimated efficiency are identified. The factors that have an influence are GDP and belonging to the NORTH Europe and CENTRAL-WEST Europe regions. Quantitative estimates of the partial effects of these factors are provided. The results can contribute in providing guidance towards the best practice in roundwood production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the findings of a study of the decision-making process which precedes the choice of a university in Greece. Specifically, the degree of rationality exhibited by prospective students is assessed in an attempt to provide a test for the economic approach to the explanation of human behaviour. Information search is used as an indication of rationality and measured through a survey conducted among 220 university students in the academic year 2003/2004. The findings provide weak support for the rationality postulate in that they indicate that more than 40% of respondents could not be classified as information seekers. Logistic regression analysis was used in order to identify characteristics associated with the propensity to engage in information search: high socioeconomic status students, students who perceived the decision as important, and students who had acquired information prior to the choice of a university were found to be more likely to engage in information search. The paper draws attention to the limitations of the economic rational man model of human behaviour and discusses the implications of the findings for the promotional strategy of universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new regression-based model to predict the secondary compression index from parameters such as primary consolidation index, liquid limit, plastic limit and water content. Experiments were undertaken using 13 different soil types from the Thessaloniki area of Greece and a nonlinear regression analysis was undertaken. The predictions of the developed model were compared with the calculated values and found to have a satisfactorily accuracy particularly for preliminary assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shear wave velocity is an important input parameter for dynamic ground analysis. Standard penetration test blow counts, static cone penetration tip resistance and shear wave velocity (V) obtained by the cross-hole technique have been collected from a large number of projects in Greece over the last 10 years and regression analysis used to develop empirical relationships. The paper discusses the factors which influence the derived equations, in particular the relevance of the soil type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper evaluates the liquefaction potential of the subsoil layers at the town of Larissa (Thessaly Plain, Central Greece). Using data from 53 borings with SPT measurements, the liquefaction potential was evaluated based on simplified procedures and by applying the methodology of the liquefaction potential index to the parameters of the soil columns. Maps were developed indicating the quantitative characteristics of the liquefiable layers and the area where there was a probability of surface evidence of liquefaction. The study indicated that the urban area of Larissa should be considered as a low liquefaction area, with the exception of a few sites close to the River Pinios where the liquefaction potential was characterized as medium to high. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, 28 aftershock sequences are selected, which are distributed in different areas including north China, southwest of China, northwest of China, Taiwan area, Turkey and Greece. In order to investigate the characteristics of these sequences along with different temporal and spatial coordinates, each sequence has been divided into dozens of segments called ``sub-sequences''. The ETAS (Epidemic Type Aftershock Sequences) model is applied to each ``sub-sequence'', and therefore the vectors of parameters of ETAS could be evaluated. Another model named LR (Logistic Regression) model is used to seek the correlate relation between the parameters of ETAS applied to every earthquake ``sub-sequence'' and seismicity. All the analyses and estimations imply that the characteristic of decay of aftershock sequences in different temporal and spatial domains seems to be characterized by the parameters of the ETAS model applied to some aftershock sequences or ``sub-sequences'', and there are some proportional correlate relations between the evaluation of LR model and the occurrence probability of the succeeding strong seismic energy release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]