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The use of fragrance chemicals is known to have begun thousands of years ago. During the early years, the fragrant chemicals were used only in perfumery notes. This scenario was changed in the 20th century by the modernization in lifestyle. Today, the fragrant chemicals are dovetailed into our daily lives not only in perfumery, but also in food, beverages, cosmetics, soaps, detergents, and household items, etc. The global market for fragrance chemicals, including perfumes, in 2012 was around US$ 23 billion and forecast to be US$ 33 billion by 2015. The sources of these chemicals are largely plant-based. Traditionally, they are extracted from plants and are used as such, but sometime require conversion to other chemical substances (synthetic) to produce different aromas. In recent years, most are synthesized in laboratories given the lack of the right kind of plant material. The chemical transformations involved in these reactions and some of them practiced in the industries (which are largely closely guarded) involve catalysis that encompasses homogeneous, heterogeneous, and bio-catalysis. Most of the homogeneous catalytic routes often encounter environmentally unfriendly materials, such as corrosive alkali or acids, or soluble forms of toxic metals that generate large waste which are often disposed of improperly, causing a concern to the environment, while bio-catalytic routes are very specific and expensive. New methods/approaches are being developed using heterogeneous catalysts for the synthesis of perfumery molecules, with an eye on atom economy and E-factor as prime movers, thanks to their inherent advantages, including cost competitiveness. In this chapter, we cover a broad industrial outlook on fragrance chemicals, including the intellectual property scenario, approaches made through homogeneous and bio-catalytic routes, and address in detail heterogeneous catalytic methods for the synthesis of diverse perfumery molecules, through different classes of reactions, including our own contribution that comprises isomerization. We conclude by giving opportunities and future directions in the field of perfumery chemicals, where heterogeneous catalysis is ordained to play an important role in the years to come.

This note focuses on two issues concerning industrial policy in Italy. The first relates to the question of which kind of industrial policy is better suited to meet the development needs of an economic system at an intermediate level of development focusing, in particular, on the Italian southern regions. The second issue concerns the labor market institutions that are more consistent with an industrial policy aimed at reversing the present Italian decline. We underline the incompatibility of a labor market set-up that encourages continuous turnover and cost competitiveness strategies—based on labor cost reduction—with an industrial policy aimed at strengthening and upgrading the industrial structure.

This paper assesses the relationship between government and manufacturing wages. We find that the long-run relation between the two wages is stronger when the government is a large employer. Manufacturing wages are better aligned with productivity and unemployment when public wages, to which they respond, are set through bargaining. Finally, manufacturing wages react in the same way whether public wages are increased or cut, a relation that seems to hold also under fiscal consolidation provided the public sector is a large employer.

Typically, the catching-up process between rich Northern Europe and poor Southern Europe and the diverging cost competitiveness between the two regions are considered alternative explanations for the widening current account imbalances in the euro area. This paper proposes a new explanation for the imbalances which led to the 2009 euro crisis i.e. large interest rate differentials among the EMU-12 countries which prevailed before the adoption of the euro. This finding suggests that the euro crisis was, at least to some extent, a consequence of the initial convergence shock.

While India has become a fairly significant manufacturing hub due to its industryfriendly policies, cost competitiveness and vast pool of human resources, some of the key challenges remain unaddressed. As a consequence, the full potential remains unrealised which manifests as a structural problem in the Indian economy (Indian industry has a low share in GDP). In response, the policy makers are constantly renewing their focus on expanding manufacturing and service sectors while various stakeholders feel that India faces an even bigger challenge with respect to vocational skills. Surveys and studies point out that the skill demand-supply gap is extremely wide.

Supply Chain is now at the forefront of business, satisfying customer needs and delivering top line growth. Cost competitiveness and elimination of waste in the supply chain remain as important as ever. WCOM™ techniques applied to the end to end supply chain allow an organization with their trading partners, to maximize value-added and execute excellently. It also helps build new skills, competencies and leadership behaviors that supply chain managers need if they are to succeed in the future.

Aksel is the CEO of UCo and he is becoming more and more concerned about the company’s competitiveness in a challenging global market. He has recently brought in Gary as the company’s operations director, a new executive position, on the strength of his performance at a world-class manufacturing company in Canada. Gary’s role is essentially to ensure safety and productivity performance across UCo and his first assignment is to assess what he feels is required to improve both the company’s safety performance and its cost competitiveness. Based on his discussions with Aksel, Gary knows that there is a need to streamline operations and bring consistent standards to a range of sites working under very different conditions.

This paper assesses the relationship between government and manufacturing wages. We find that the long-run relation between the two wages is stronger when the government is a large employer. Manufacturing wages are better aligned with productivity and unemployment when public wages, to which they respond, are set through bargaining. Finally, manufacturing wages react in the same way whether public wages are increased or cut, a relation that seems to hold also under fiscal consolidation provided the public sector is a large employer.

Cost has a significant impact on shipbuilding competitiveness. In China, low costs have created favourable conditions for domestic shipyards competing in the international market. However, China's shipbuilders have faced rising cost pressures in recent years, which may affect their industrial competitiveness. In this article, we assess shipbuilding costs and their impacts on the competitiveness of China's shipbuilding industry. We compare developments with China's two primary competitors, South Korea and Japan, from 2000 to 2009. First, we analyse primary factors that affect shipbuilding costs. Second, we examine how the shipbuilding costs in China have changed over time. Finally, we use shipbuilding costs and market share to evaluate the competitiveness of China's shipbuilding industry. The results reveal sources and constraints of China's cost advantage, as well as changes in its shipbuilding costs and competitiveness. This article has broad implications for shipbuilding bids, ship production and policy-making.

The main purpose of this study is to verify whether previous low level of labor costs being one of competitive edges of CEE countries is a factor that may determine competitiveness of this region in the long run. In the study a regression analysis has been carried out on the sample of all EU countries in order to verify the dependence between internationalization degree measured by OFDI stock per capita on labor costs in manufacturing sector and on GNP per capita. The results of the regression analysis clearly show the occurrence of such dependence. This means that gradual increase in labor costs in CEE countries will result in not only reduced inflow of investments from developed countries to this region but also transfer of production to more cost competitive countries. In order to exemplify the above econometric model I carried out empirical analysis of the companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange, identifying the companies for which efficiency-seeking is the main internationalization motive. The analysis of internationalization of 26 companies during the years 1990-2010 clearly shows that a significant part of investments is located outside the territory of Poland, in the countries with lower labor costs. This fact confirms that CEE countries will gradually become less and less attractive in terms of costs not only for MNEs from developed countries but also for the companies originating from transition economies. Głównym celem artykułu jest weryfikacja, czy niski poziom kosztów pracy w Europie Środkowej i Wschodniej będący do tej pory jednym z czynników wpływających na konkurencyjność tego regionu pozostanie nim w dłuższej perspektywie czasowej. W pracy na podstawie próby wszystkich państw UE zbadano zależność pomiędzy poziomem internacjonalizacji (stan odpływu BIZ per capita) a kosztami pracy w sektorze przedsiębiorstw i GNP per capita. Analiza regresji potwierdziła istnienie zależności pomiędzy wyżej wymienionymi czynnikami. Oznacza to, że stopniowy wzrost kosztów pracy w państwach Europy Środkowej i Wschodniej prowadził będzie do stopniowego odpływu BIZ z tego regionu do państw bardziej konkurencyjnych kosztowo. W celu egzemplifikacji powyższych zależności w pracy dodatkowo przedstawiono analizę inwestycji zagranicznych polskich spółek notowanych na GPW, z których to 26 dokonało inwwestycji zagranicznych o wyraźnych motywach związanych z obniżeniem kosztów produkcji. Fakt ten potwierdza powolny spadek konkurencyjności kosztowej polskiej gospodarki, tym samym zmusza do poszukiwania nowych rozwiązań instytucjonalnych mogących utrzymać konkurencyjność polskiej gospodarki w długim okresie.

Though the market demand of solar cell was depressed due to the global economic crisis, the continuous interests of leading country in the regenerable energy are vitalizing the solar cell market. Despite the rapid increase in demand for non-silicon solar cells, which represent the next generation of solar cell technology, silicon solar cells still dominate the market. It goes without saying that nonsilicon type thin-film solar cells are the next generation solar cells and will increase their market share in the solar cell market. Silicon solar cells are helping to expand the solar cell market by enhancing efficiency and cost competitiveness, while non-silicon thin-film solar cells are rising in demand following the widening of its applications. In this study, we studied patents of silicon and non-silicon type solar cells in order to analyze research trends regarding solar cells, along with the characteristics and level of patents by country and main research institute. We would like this study to help the work of researchers and R&D planners, and to suggest various forms of competitive intelligence information that can be provided through patent analysis.

Unit cost is undoubtedly the most critical factor for the competitiveness of a product. Therefore, evaluating the competitiveness of a product according to its unit cost is a reasonable idea. The current practice assesses the competitiveness at a number of check points in the product life cycle, and then averages the results. This approach is computationally simple but theoretically doubtful. This study evaluates the long-term cost competitiveness of a semiconductor product based on its cost learning model from a new viewpoint – the trend in the mid-term competitiveness. Using a fuzzy value to express the long-term cost competitiveness, the flexibility in the interpretation and implementation of the evaluation result is increased. A practical example is used to illustrate the proposed methodology.

This paper summarizes the key points of a report titled Nuclear Energy Outlook, published in 2008 by the Nuclear Energy Agency of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which has 30 member nations. The report discusses the commitment of many nations to increase nuclear power generating capacity and the potential rate of building new electricity-generating nuclear plants by 2030 to 2050. The resulting decrease in carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion resulting from an increase in nuclear power sources is described. Other topics that are discussed include the need to develop non-proliferative nuclear fuels, the importance of developing geological disposal facilities or reprocessing capabilities for spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste materials, and the requirements for a larger nuclear workforce and greater cost competitiveness for nuclear power generation.

Panel data is used to model the cost of a set European and US regional air carriers between 1991 and 2002 to see the extent to which they are affected by Public Service Obligations or the US's Essential Air Service Program. Pooling the data set indicates that the Public Service Obligations in Europe do affect the economic performance of carriers, but this is not the case for the US's Essential Air Service Program.

This article combines the analysis of regional economics, the constant-market-share analysis and the input-output analysis in order to assess the impact of export growth on the main economic variables of a regional economy. The model is first tested for a regional economy by breaking up export growth rates for manufactured products into its various effects. The dynamism of the trade zone to which the regional economy belongs, the production biases on the pattern of trade flows and the cost competitiveness of the economy are then estimated. It is assumed that these estimates reflect the relative importance of the structural and exogenous factors relative to the cyclical and endogenous factors on export performance. The general equilibrium implications of the estimates in terms of direct and indirect employment effects are thus spelled out by the use of available input-output data. The results indicate that Quebec's export performance is not hindered by the geographical pattern of export flows nor by the product-mix of its exports. However, the indicator of cost competitiveness indicates a slight deterioration on foreign markets.

Studies have shown that companies with university links usually have higher productivity rates than comparable companies that do not have such links. They are also better off in terms of market share, quality of products and services and cost competitiveness. Thus the link between firms and universities is considered fundamental to the concept of science parks. Science park firms are generally known to conduct more R&D than off-park firms apparently because of the close interaction with local universities. This gives firms the leverage to exploit the knowledge spill-over generated by universities. This paper is an attempt to examine the effectiveness of science parks as a strategy to promote university–industry collaboration in Malaysia. Its findings show a reasonably high level of interactions between the science park (on-park) and off-park firms, and local universities. Overall, science park firms have more links with universities than off-park firms, although the difference is not shown to be statistic...

Global energy demand is expected to increase steeply, creating an urgent need to evolve a judicious global energy policy, exploiting the potential of all available energy resources, including nuclear energy. With increasing awareness of environmental issues, nuclear energy is expected to play an important role on the energy scenario in the coming decades. The immediate thrust in the science and technology of nuclear materials is to realize a robust reactor technology with associated fuel cycle and ensure the cost competitiveness of nuclear power and to extend the service life of reactors to 100 years. Accordingly, the present-generation materials need to be modified to meet the demands of prolonged exposure to irradiation and extended service life for the reactor. Emerging nuclear systems incorporate features to ensure environmental friendliness, effective waste management, enhanced safety, and proliferation resistance and require development of high-temperature materials and the associated technologies. Fusion, on a longer horizon of about fve decades, also requires the development of a new spectrum of materials. The development of next-generation materials technology is expected to occur in short times and is likely to be further accelerated by strong international collaborations.

PVC remains the material of choice for the construction industry and pipe producers. However, environmental concern and regulations will lead to the elimination of lead based heat stabilizers over the next five years. This move to lead free stabilizers will cause pipe producers to re-evaluate their stabilizer options as they strive to keep the cost competitiveness of their PVC formulations. Thus, the challenge for stabilizer manufacturers is to propose new lead-free stabilizers for pipes with good performance and attractive costs. Rohm and Haas Company has developed a new stabilization system that is based on a derivative of the mercaptan chemistry which has been used for decades with conventional tin stabilizers. The patented technology includes organic based, heavy metal free compositions that contain blocked thiols, which under vinyl processing conditions, generate highly active stabilizing components. These innovative systems offer wide processing windows, give excellent early color, and can be adjusted to meet the various technical requirements of the pipe market. The stabilizing systems are odor free, and are compatible with all standard stabilizer systems. Additional benefits include reduced cross-linking leading to easier recycling. This new stabilizing systems are non toxic, contain no heavy metals, and are available as stabilizer system additives or as one-packs, offering excellent price/performance ratio. Here we present information detailing the stabilization mechanism and performance attributes (stabilization, rheology, and recycling data) on laboratory and industrial equipment.

This paper presents a concept that describes how companies can manage their international operations so as to facilitate the coordination of their manufacturing networks. The research presented originates from a model that was developed at the Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson in the mid-1990s, but has since then been further elaborated. More specifically, the purpose of this paper is to show how Ericsson Radio Systems incorporated the recent research on manufacturing networks found in literature in their global operations strategy, and to present the conceptual model that was the result of these efforts. The conceptual model described in this paper focuses on the blending of cost competitiveness, flexibility, and innovativeness; a combination termed the “transnational solution” in the literature. In addition to a literature review on manufacturing networks and global operations and the proposed conceptual model, the paper also contains a case illustration showing how Ericsson has implemented a version of the conceptual model so that their global operations strategy realizes the transnational solution.

This paper considers a two-period model of market entry with horizontally differentiated products and switching costs. Conditions that are conducive to a competitive environment in the second period are shown to yield a less competitive outcome in the first period. That is, when the marginal cost of a foreign entrant is relatively low, the first-period output of a domestic monopolist is relatively low as well.

OSAKA Titanium technologies Co., Ltd. recently increased its annual production capacity for titanium sponge by 6,000 tons, from 18,000 to 24,000 tons per annum. Behind this expansion is robust demand from the aircraft industry, where about half of our titanium sponge product is utilized, combined with steady requirements on the part of the electric power and chemical industries, the other major users of our product.This report provides a general overview of our titanium manufacturing system by the Kroll method and the corresponding expansion of production capacity that was recently implemented. It also describes quality improvement measures that have been taken in regard to high-purity titanium for semiconductor use.At present, titanium sponge is in short supply and each and every supplier worldwide is attempting to cope with the situation by increasing capacity. As a swift response to this global trend, OSAKA Titanium technologies Co., Ltd. has proactively worked to resolve this capacity issue and, at the same time, is prepared to further improve our product quality and cost competitiveness, the most likely arenas of competition once the imbalance in supply and demand is eliminated.

Until recently, most natural gas trade has been limited to the regional scale due to the challenges of transporting gas over long distances. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) — an option that reduces the volume of gas about 600 times allowing for transportation by ship — has created an opportunity for expansion of the international market for natural gas. Pipeline option shows cost competitiveness for short to medium distances and for inland destinations, but it suffers from geological and political constraints. LNG provides an option to diversify supplies and we here we assess the LNG prospects for the next decade. The LNG trading volumes are projected to increase from about 240 Mt LNG in 2013 to about 340–360 Mt LNG in 2020. Longer-term projections show a potential for a substantial growth of LNG, but the challenges exist due to a potentially weaker demand from Asia. On the other side, geopolitical tensions might increase LNG flows to Europe.

In recent years many efforts have been expended by companies in the search for technological improvement of its products by adding features such as light weight, reduced size and high levels of performance at the lowest cost, to meet a worldwide demand inthis regard. This article aimed to conduct an analysis of the quality and reliability of the Reflow soldering process of component of BGA technology. The methods and techniques used were the qualitative-quantitative approach, conducted by the case study technicin the welding process of the BGA component by collecting (cross section and X-ray) and data analysis (alignment, cracks and voids) within the process. The achieved results showed that the Reflow welding process of BGA component meets the criteria for acceptance of international standards IPC -A - 610E and IPC 7095B. This fact leads to the inference that the quality of the process in question may reflect in better conditions and cost competitiveness for the investigated organization.

Solar cooling technology is currently facing a very exciting challenge. Air conditioning is a large and growing energy consumer, especially in sunny and developing countries. Worldwide efforts to develop renewable energy solutions must address this critical cooling application. A new Generation of Solar Cooling systems including the coupling between Photovoltaic modules and a reversible heat pump is very promising and able to represent a cost competitive solution both reliable and efficient. To address this new generation of solar cooling, a new IEA Solar Heating and Cooling Program Task, called Task 53 has just started for 3.5 years and will be described. This paper will first concentrate on the description of Task 53 with its objectives and work plan then it will show the first results such as the state of the art of the new generation solar cooling systems. Then, a virtual case study on the cost competitiveness of a PV reversible heat pump installed in Madrid for cooling and heating will be presented, underlining that such a solution already would present a payback time of less than 10 years in the Spanish economical today's conditions

In response to the call for more research on impactful green IS, this paper examines one country-level environmental information disclosure system (EIDs), the U.S. Toxic Release Inventory (TRI), as a strategic tool or infrastructure of green IS and empirically tests the impact of environmental performance on financial performance in the chemical industry using both real financial and forward-looking measures. In particular, the study explores EDIs-inspired environmental managerial efforts and their influence on firms' financial performance. The study's finding that firms with better environmental performance also show greater cost competitiveness challenges the view that environmental managerial activities constitute an additional burden irrespective of firms' business operations. Instead, it suggests, these can be innovative activities that improve a firm's production efficiency, material resource management, and financial performance and sustainability.

Developments in process modifiers are improving output and cost competitiveness, as well as helping maintain product appearance. Jennifer Markarian reports.

Factors such as limitations in water quality and quantity, cost of land, limitations on water discharges, environmental impacts and diseases, are driving the aquaculture industry toward more intensive practices. This will force producers to adopt environmentally friendlier technologies. Recirculating systems, with a biofilter as the most prominent characteristic, treat internally the water contaminated with dissolved organics and ammonia and reduce the amount of water use and discharge from aquaculture operations. This paper reviews the implications of the changing use of recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) on biofiltration research for freshwater and marine operations. Demand for cost effective biofilters will increase with the expansion of recirculating systems, both as a complement and replacement of traditional ponds. For freshwater aquaculture, emphasis should be placed in cost competitiveness, low head operations, intensification of ponds with RAS biofiltration and the evaluation of suspended growth systems. In the marine systems, an increase in demand of oligotrophic and ultraoligotrophic systems is expected, particularly in the nursery systems. Sizing and cost efficiency of biofilters for nursery operations should be addressed. Problems in marine biofilter acclimation appear to justify the development of new acclimation procedures. Biosecurity concerns, land cost and storm threats will drive nursery systems inland, where saltwater supply and disposal will force an increased water reuse. Denitrification strategies will need to be redefined and optimized for the marine nursery environment.

This article explores the effects of regulatory reforms on logistics and analyzes logistics outsourcing (LO) as one form of logistics innovation. The analysis of the effects of regulatory reforms focuses on the trucking industry, which has the highest share of domestic freight transport in Japan. The results show that, compared with other transport industries and the industry as a whole, total factor productivity (TFP) for the trucking industry increased noticeably following regulatory reforms. The results of the analysis of LO reveal that outsourcing success depends on the outsourcee's management involvement in LO, the establishment of information-sharing relationships, and the retention of core logistics-related operational capabilities (logistics competence). Further, efficient LO has a positive direct impact on cost competitiveness, while indirect LO contributions, which work through changes in the company's internal business structure, have a positive impact on inventory reductions. Future research m...

The paper examines the Japanese steel industry in the 1950s and 1960s to evaluate the role of export subsidy policies. Export subsidies can be instrumental in increasing an industry's cost competitiveness in the presence of learning by doing, a characteristic of production in the steel industry. The proposed approach addresses identification issues found in the literature. Using a dynamic estimation model, this paper identifies a significant learning rate of above 20%. It also finds little intra-industry knowledge spillover, an observation consistent with the nature of the Japanese employment system at that time. Simulations made with the model indicate that the subsidy policy had an insignificant impact on industry growth. The paper provides underlying economic reasons for the simulation results.

This paper addresses the question of how South African manufacturing exporters respond to exchange rate changes. The results indicate that exporters absorb 71 per cent of a given exchange rate change in their profit margin on export sales. This implies a pass-through exchange rate coefficient of 29 per cent to destination-currency prices, which suggests that profit margins are squeezed during currency appreciations and increased during currency depreciations. This has important implications for cost competitiveness. The challenge remains to ensure that export competitiveness does not become dependent on a weak currency. The study also highlights the need for more research on the influence of exchange rate movements on the competitiveness of exporters, particularly at the sub-sector or industry level.

The new South African government has embraced globalization, with mixed results to date. Controversies center on South Africa's international cost competitiveness and whether South African exports respond to changes in competitiveness. We measure competitiveness by relative unit labor costs. We find that South African relative unit labor costs declined in the 1990s, but are still high relative to other developing countries. Econometric analysis reveals a strong effect of relative unit labor costs on exports.

In the next twenty years in Finland, annual cuttings on peatland forests are foreseen to increase by up to 30 % of the total cuttings. Cost effective harvesting methods on low yield peatland forests coupled with low ground bearing capacity are required. One solution to improve the feasibility of harvesting could be excavators tailored for forestry use and equipped with a harvesting head. In the study, cost competitiveness and productivity of the excavator-based harvester were investigated. The cost analysis focused on operating hours of harvester use, shift arrangements and purchase prices for the base machine and harvesting equipment when the base machine was used partly as a harvester and an excavator. Results were compared to conventional wheeled harvesters. If the base machine is used more than 3 working months as a harvester in addition to normal (6-8 months) excavator work, the harvesting method would be cost competitive compared to purpose-built harvesters (if 1½ and 2 shift arrangements were used). The 25 % increase of the base machine's and harvester equipments' purchasing costs did not eliminate the cost competitiveness of harvesting, when harvesting was carried out in 1 ½ shifts for at least 4 months. It would be feasible and profitable to invest in harvesting equipment for the excavator and therefore diminish the winter lay-days of the base machine by utilizing it in logging operations. Conditions on peatland sites mean that during the winter time the use of the excavator-based harvester is ideal, when the utilisation of all logging machines is at its highest.

The establishment of low-cost and multi-functional automation technologies are still indispensable to the industry today to keep up cost competitiveness. This study sheds light on the human advantages in production environment : dexterity and flexibility with which the human performs most complicated and difficult tasks. This gives a clue to a new approach to automation. Especially, this paper focuses on the human task learning characteristics in parts supplying operation for assembling task, the area where automation is not full-fledged yet. In this paper, first, the three remarkable human characteristics concerning searching and gripping of a part are extracted. Next, based on these characteristics, a low-cost automation system and the development theme are newly proposed.

Coal is the most plentiful fossil fuel in the USA but its continued competitiveness with other energy resources will depend on the development of innovative technologies that enable the design of near-zero emission coal-based power plants. The US Department of Energy’s clean coal research, development, and demonstration programs address near-, mid-, and long-term technologies for improving the environmental performance, efficiency, reliability, and cost competitiveness of coal-based electricity generation. Vision 21, the long-term initiative to eliminate environmental concerns associated with coal use, focuses on technologies, including gasification, gas purification and separation, combustion turbines, fuel cells, and advanced steam cycles, that are likely to play key roles in the design of near-zero emission plants. These key technologies have in common the characteristic that they require advanced materials capable of withstanding aggressive environmental conditions and performing specialized f...

Although a relatively small producer, Australia exports more than 90 per cent of its cotton production, making it the world’s third largest cotton exporter in recent years. This means that export performance plays a major role in determining the profitability of the Australian cotton industry. The primary aim of this study was to determine the competitive position of Australian cotton in the Japanese market, based on the original non-linear Almost Ideal Demand System model using data from 1972 to 1998. The main findings are that the USA had a relatively strong market position and that Australia needs to improve its cost competitiveness and quality image to advance its market standing.

This paper applies panel vector autoregression (VAR) techniques to analyse the pricing to market (PTM) behaviour of India's exporting firms during the 2002 to 2016 period. Quarterly data by sector and region, drawn from CII surveys, are employed to study the dynamic relationship between pricing policies of exporting firms, their cost competitiveness and demand conditions. A partial equilibrium imperfect competition model provides the structure according to which the orthogonality of structural shocks is derived. Impulse-response analysis helps assessing the reaction of export-domestic price margins to unanticipated changes in cost competitiveness and demand levels. These factors appear to exert non-negligible effects even though they turn to be very low persistent. For the period 2014 to 2016, a typical PTM behaviour emerges, while during the most recent years favourable foreign demand conditions allowed exporting India's firms to increase their export-domestic price margin in face of a strong deterioration of their cost competitiveness.

Driving Method on the panel is getting more important in LCD technology, because it can reduce the cost of source driver ICs and the number of module processes. Decrement of source driver IC can make cost competitiveness higher. In this paper, we have proposed a new driving method of advanced triple rate driving (Advanced TRD) which reduces the number of source driver ICs in notebook panel with HD (1366 X RGB X 768) resolution, with the same image quality compared to conventional data line sharing method (Conventional DLS) [1∼4]. In the Advanced TRD Structure, three neighboring pixels share one data line and become vertical stripe structure. By using this technology, we can reduce the number of source driver ICs by two thirds, compare to the conventional DLS. And it will be a technique to overcome the legibility problem of horizontal stripe TRD by simple changing the pixel rendering. We fabricated 13.3-inch HD notebook panel which can be driven with two source driver ICs by using advanced TRD method.

In recent years, the concept of a fiscal devaluation has been advocated as fiscal policy alternative to nominal exchange rate devaluations for peripheral deficit countries in the euro area to regain competitiveness. This paper investigates if countries in the euro area implemented fiscal devaluations in the aftermath of the economic and financial crisis and if so, how these reforms are expected to affect their competitiveness positions. Despite much discussion, no country has yet undertaken a substantial fiscal devaluation. Some (targeted) reductions in social security contributions were introduced, mainly to create job incentives, while consumption taxes (VAT) were increased – in some cases substantially – mainly for consolidation purposes. Although countries could benefit from a fiscal devaluation, their feasibility is politically constraint and effects are likely to be small in magnitude relative to the size of economic problems. Overall, fiscal devaluations cannot be a substitute for deep structural reforms that are urgently needed to address the underlying weaknesses of European economies.

The distinguishing characteristics of a tied-arch bridge have long been regarded as an elegant solution for the long-span crossing. The successfully completed 47.9 m (157 ft) long and 24.4 m (80 ft) wide parabolically shaped Halsted Street Bridge over the Chicago River North Branch Canal demonstrates that a short-span tied-arch bridge can be done economically with attention to the steel details that accommodates both constructability and durability. The thoughtful steel detailing also ensures sufficient design redundancy and improves cost competitiveness.

Notwithstanding the plentiful published work on the production of ethanol from lignocellulosic materials this comprehensive review relates how the basic research of a commercially viable industrial production strategy is still lacking. The objective of this review is to compile information on the different strategies and to consolidate the biologically mediated events involved in the conversion of pre-treated lignocellulose to ethanol and associated expenses so that some generalized information can be developed that could help policy makers and other stakeholders in designing a policy framework to promote second generation biofuels. The review also discusses the potential of process integration, its cost competitiveness and role in establishing commercial facilities for the production of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass.

У статті запропонована модель визначення ціни об’єктів інтелектуальної власності залежно від рівня їх правової охорони. Недостатня правова охорона призводить до вироблення контрафактної продукції і завдання збитків правовласникам. Такі моделі рекомендується використовувати при формуванні конкурентних переваг та ціни інтелектуальних товарів, а також при проведенні кон'юнктурних досліджень та процесів комерціалізації об’єктів інтелектуальної власності. In the article the model definition for intellectual property, regardless of their legal protection. The lack of legal protection leads to the production of counterfeit goods and damage to owners. Such models are recommended for the formation of competitive advantage and intellectual goods prices, as well as during short-term research and process commercialization of intellectual property. This article was first asked about the fact that the pricing of intellectual property rights should take into account the level of legal protection, the possibility of the technology market of counterfeit products made from exclusive rights violations. This production process leads to imbalance the market in significant losses holders to reduce the competitiveness of original products by counterfeit products. Suggestions recommended for use in the implementation process of technology transfer and commercialization of intellectual property.

During the second half of the 1970s there was massive government interference in wage and price formation in Norway. Income policies changed during the first half of the 1980s — the hey days of ‘dynamic tax policies’ in Norway — and during the second half of the 1980s new direct interventions in wage formation were implemented. These episodes of income policies have been discussed and their empirical importance assessed in the econometric price and wage equations of a large-scale macroeconometric model of the Norwegian economy. Model simulations have shown that, while price regulations have generally led to an expansion of output and the loss of cost competitiveness, wage regulations have produced both output expansion and a gain in competitiveness. The dynamic tax policy implemented in Norway was less successful and led to both higher prices and wages as well as lower output.

Ireland has been the economic success story of the 1990s. Growth in GNP and in employment has far exceeded those seen elsewhere. We ask first whether this is simply a delayed catching-up process. Even if this turns out to be so, the question remains as to what the key differences in policy were between the unsuccessful phase, from 1950 to 1988, and the phenomenally successful phase since then. We present a brief overview of the key differences in terms familiar from conventional growth theory, and go on to look more carefully at the constellation of factors explaining the precise timing of the turnaround in economic fortunes.

A nonparametric method of measuring cost competitiveness is empirically applied over international airlines data and a comparison made of the two subsets: competitively efficient and the nonefficient.

This paper describes, 1) the vertical type continuous casting machine followed by two walking beam type reheat furnaces, 2) in-line press installation ahead of cogging mill, 3) performance of "Bar TEKISUN" with precise tolerance, free-size rolling and four cycle rolling, 4) a unique rolling process for various shapes and sizes, named "H-V shifting reverse mill coupled with standby stand set" 5) newly developed "Rod TEKISUN" and "Reducing and sizing mill" which have been employed widely, 6) improved cost competitiveness of free forging process by energy savings and near-net-shape technique.

In recent years, Australia and New Zealand have pursued two different routes of labour market reform. New Zealand opted for a radical experiment in the deregulation of industrial relations and other areas. Australia pursued a co-operative and co-ordinated approach to reform within the centralized arbitral system. Both reform initiatives were designed to stimulate improvements in organizational performance and cost competitiveness. In this paper, we argue that there are three main types of strategies that management can use to reduce labour cost and improve performance: productivity-enhancement, costminimization and work-intensification strategies. We argue that the former is a long-term sustainable strategy whereas the latter two are negative short-term strategies that may have deleterious longer-term effects. This paper reports the results of a cross-national survey in New Zealand and Australia into the extent of adoption of these management strategies. The results are presented by industry, employment s...