The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission （TRMM） Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis （TMPA） and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration （NOAA） Climate Prediction Center （CPC） morphing technique （CMO...The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission （TRMM） Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis （TMPA） and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration （NOAA） Climate Prediction Center （CPC） morphing technique （CMORPH） are two important multi-satellite precipitation products in TRMM-era and perform important functions in GPM-era. Both TMPA and CMORPH systems simultaneously upgraded their retrieval algorithms and released their latest version of precipitation data in 2013. In this study, the latest TMPA and CMORPH products （i.e., Version-7 real-time TMPA （T-rt） and gauge-adjusted TMPA （T-adj）, and Version- 1.0 real-time CMORPH （C-rt） and Version-l.0 gauge-adjusted CMORPH （C-adj）） are evaluated and intercompared by using independent rain gauge observations for a 12-year （2000--2011） period over two typical basins in China with different geographical and climate conditions. Results indicate that all TMPA and CMORPH products tend to overestimate precipitation for the high-latitude semiarid Laoha River Basin and underestimate it for the low-latitude humid Mishui Basin. Overall, the satellite precipitation products exhibit superior performance over Mishui Basin than that over Laoha River Basin. The C-adj presents the best performance over the high-latitude Laoha River Basin, whereas T-adj showed the best performance over the low-latitude Mishui Basin. The two gauge-adjusted products demonstrate potential in water resource management. However, the accuracy of two real-time satellite precipitation products demonstrates large variability in the two validation basins. The C-rt reaches a similar accuracy level with the gauge-adjusted satellite precipitation products in the high-latitude Laoha River Basin, and T-rt performs well in the low-latitude Mishui Basin. The study also reveals that all satellite precipitation products obviously overestimate light rain amounts and events over Laoha River Basin, whereas they underestimate the amount and events over Mishui Basin. The findings of the precision characteristics associated with the latest TMPA and CMORPH precipitation products at different basins will offer satellite pre- cipitation users an enhanced understanding of the applicability of the latest TMPA and CMORPH for water resource management, hydrologic process simulation, and hydrometeorological disaster prediction in other similar regions in China. The findings will also be useful for IMERG algorithm development and update in GPM-era.展开更多
As enterprises expand globally, the social value of their operations is assessed on the full range of their contribution to society. Enterprises must be profitable to succeed, but they also should strategically align ...As enterprises expand globally, the social value of their operations is assessed on the full range of their contribution to society. Enterprises must be profitable to succeed, but they also should strategically align their operations so far as feasible and sustainable in order to address related social needs. This alignment includes not only the beneficial design and quality of goods and services an enterprise produces, but also enhancing the beneficial effects that its full range of business processes, systems, and practices have on society. A comprehensive enterprise corporate social responsibility （CSR） audit is based on two comprehensive social systems models---one of society as a whole and another of the corporate organization. By juxtaposing these two models--which are mirror images of each other--an enterprise can identify various points where its activities intersect with relevant social needs and can configure its operations so far as feasible to alleviate pressing social issues. Using a comparative cost-benefit analysis, the enterprise determines which systems, processes, and activities need to configure or adapt in order to better address the societal needs that are most critical for its success. They may require the enterprise to re-design products or services, develop new activities or desist in others, or reconfigure processes or systems. Thus, enterprises must decide which options are most feasible in light of the societal benefit they are likely to produce. As creatures of society, enterprises have much to gain by strengthening civil society and addressing its most pressing needs whenever possible within the limits of its commercial mission. What action to take depends upon the firm＇s cost-benefit analysis.展开更多
Intangible assets are parts of the companies＇ balance sheet, but given their intangible nature, they cannot be qualified as financial assets as other incomes can be. Therefore, the valuation, even if reflected in acc...Intangible assets are parts of the companies＇ balance sheet, but given their intangible nature, they cannot be qualified as financial assets as other incomes can be. Therefore, the valuation, even if reflected in accounting reports, is far from objective, and each company considers it in accordance with their sectors or auditors. Auditors, consultants, and business schools are developing alternative tools for measuring these assets, but there is not a consensus formula that quantifies the business value of intangibles. In recent years, communication analysts and consultants have developed brand valuation and reputation methodologies, which are starting to have a relative weight in business management. The proposed research work is a review of the current methodologies of reputation valuation as a starting point for creating a reference model formula for the valuation of intangibles that provide professionals and experts in the field with a worldwide recognized tool.展开更多
As an active trader in international crude oil and petroleum product markets, Australia＇s human welfare is affected by oil crisis and contagion from the perspectives of economic growth, income inequality, and environ...As an active trader in international crude oil and petroleum product markets, Australia＇s human welfare is affected by oil crisis and contagion from the perspectives of economic growth, income inequality, and environmental sustainability. This paper investigates the impacts of oil price shocks upon Australia＇s gross domestic product （GDP） growth, Gini coefficients, and carbon dioxide emissions per capita from 1970 to 2012 with yearly frequency. Hypotheses concerning whether Australia＇s economic immunity against oil crisis is affected after the deregulation of oil market and whether endogenous oil price shocks account for more variations in human welfare than exogenous oil price shocks are tested. The methodologies include a theoretic model and a series of econometric tests. For the short-run dynamics, oil price is integrated into the model both linearly and non-linearly. Oil price shocks are categorized into exogenous and endogenous shocks. The conclusions are that inflated oil prices exert mainly non-linear negative impacts upon human welfare indicators and exogenous shocks induce endogenous shocks through labor price, Consumer Price Index （CPI）, interest rate, and exchange rate. For the long-run equilibrium, non-linear shocks＇ effects decay more slowly than linear shocks and the impacts of endogenous shocks last longer than that of exogenous shocks. Finally, oil market policies are evaluated and proposed.展开更多
In the last two decades, the global interest on farmland grew at a remarkable pace. As a consequence, million hectares of land exchanged hands. The ways the transfers happened combined with their geographic concentrat...In the last two decades, the global interest on farmland grew at a remarkable pace. As a consequence, million hectares of land exchanged hands. The ways the transfers happened combined with their geographic concentration in Sub-Saharian Africa, have earned the phenomenon the name of ＂land grab＂. The agricultural sector considered a ＂sunset industry＂ when commodities prices were declining, is now attractive to financial investors. These foreign investments may be good as they may improve agricultural productivity or instead bad as they may benefit only financial investors. Some results in terms of environmental and local communities＇ worsening conditions have already emerged. This paper aims to investigate what drives the big size transfers of land, to empirically estimate their effects in terms of local employment and to assess the environmental effects produced by the rapid transformation in the use of vast amount of land in terms of CO2 emissions. It is also proposed to use the estimation in terms of local employment impact as a way of distinguishing between foreign direct investment and land grabbing.展开更多
Reliable service life data of building products are of great importance when completing environmental LCA （life cycle assessment） reviews, for LCC （life cycle costing） and for maintenance planning tasks. A researc...Reliable service life data of building products are of great importance when completing environmental LCA （life cycle assessment） reviews, for LCC （life cycle costing） and for maintenance planning tasks. A research project was set up to answer the following research questions： （1） what are reliable service life data of current used building products; and （2） how can generic data about the service lives of building products be tailored to specific project circumstances using the ＂factor method＂ described in the ISO （International Standard Organization） 15686 Series： ＂Buildings and Constructed Assets-Service-Life Planning＂. Experts of industry organisations for building materials and products made a final judgement of the new established reference service lives. Reference service lives of building products may show a large unknown bandwidth around the average. That will make the bandwidth of estimated service lives, taking the project situation of building components into account, very big. Experts have raised objections to the use the factor method for deriving mathematically a bandwidth of estimated service lives of a building product from the reference service life of the product. A practical analytical application of the factor method has been made by describing all factors and underlying criteria and a reference situation.展开更多
基金Under the auspices of Programme of Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities by Ministry of Education and the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, China (the 111 Project, No. B08048)National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41501017)Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (No. BK20150815)
文摘The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission （TRMM） Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis （TMPA） and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration （NOAA） Climate Prediction Center （CPC） morphing technique （CMORPH） are two important multi-satellite precipitation products in TRMM-era and perform important functions in GPM-era. Both TMPA and CMORPH systems simultaneously upgraded their retrieval algorithms and released their latest version of precipitation data in 2013. In this study, the latest TMPA and CMORPH products （i.e., Version-7 real-time TMPA （T-rt） and gauge-adjusted TMPA （T-adj）, and Version- 1.0 real-time CMORPH （C-rt） and Version-l.0 gauge-adjusted CMORPH （C-adj）） are evaluated and intercompared by using independent rain gauge observations for a 12-year （2000--2011） period over two typical basins in China with different geographical and climate conditions. Results indicate that all TMPA and CMORPH products tend to overestimate precipitation for the high-latitude semiarid Laoha River Basin and underestimate it for the low-latitude humid Mishui Basin. Overall, the satellite precipitation products exhibit superior performance over Mishui Basin than that over Laoha River Basin. The C-adj presents the best performance over the high-latitude Laoha River Basin, whereas T-adj showed the best performance over the low-latitude Mishui Basin. The two gauge-adjusted products demonstrate potential in water resource management. However, the accuracy of two real-time satellite precipitation products demonstrates large variability in the two validation basins. The C-rt reaches a similar accuracy level with the gauge-adjusted satellite precipitation products in the high-latitude Laoha River Basin, and T-rt performs well in the low-latitude Mishui Basin. The study also reveals that all satellite precipitation products obviously overestimate light rain amounts and events over Laoha River Basin, whereas they underestimate the amount and events over Mishui Basin. The findings of the precision characteristics associated with the latest TMPA and CMORPH precipitation products at different basins will offer satellite pre- cipitation users an enhanced understanding of the applicability of the latest TMPA and CMORPH for water resource management, hydrologic process simulation, and hydrometeorological disaster prediction in other similar regions in China. The findings will also be useful for IMERG algorithm development and update in GPM-era.
文摘As enterprises expand globally, the social value of their operations is assessed on the full range of their contribution to society. Enterprises must be profitable to succeed, but they also should strategically align their operations so far as feasible and sustainable in order to address related social needs. This alignment includes not only the beneficial design and quality of goods and services an enterprise produces, but also enhancing the beneficial effects that its full range of business processes, systems, and practices have on society. A comprehensive enterprise corporate social responsibility （CSR） audit is based on two comprehensive social systems models---one of society as a whole and another of the corporate organization. By juxtaposing these two models--which are mirror images of each other--an enterprise can identify various points where its activities intersect with relevant social needs and can configure its operations so far as feasible to alleviate pressing social issues. Using a comparative cost-benefit analysis, the enterprise determines which systems, processes, and activities need to configure or adapt in order to better address the societal needs that are most critical for its success. They may require the enterprise to re-design products or services, develop new activities or desist in others, or reconfigure processes or systems. Thus, enterprises must decide which options are most feasible in light of the societal benefit they are likely to produce. As creatures of society, enterprises have much to gain by strengthening civil society and addressing its most pressing needs whenever possible within the limits of its commercial mission. What action to take depends upon the firm＇s cost-benefit analysis.
文摘Intangible assets are parts of the companies＇ balance sheet, but given their intangible nature, they cannot be qualified as financial assets as other incomes can be. Therefore, the valuation, even if reflected in accounting reports, is far from objective, and each company considers it in accordance with their sectors or auditors. Auditors, consultants, and business schools are developing alternative tools for measuring these assets, but there is not a consensus formula that quantifies the business value of intangibles. In recent years, communication analysts and consultants have developed brand valuation and reputation methodologies, which are starting to have a relative weight in business management. The proposed research work is a review of the current methodologies of reputation valuation as a starting point for creating a reference model formula for the valuation of intangibles that provide professionals and experts in the field with a worldwide recognized tool.
文摘As an active trader in international crude oil and petroleum product markets, Australia＇s human welfare is affected by oil crisis and contagion from the perspectives of economic growth, income inequality, and environmental sustainability. This paper investigates the impacts of oil price shocks upon Australia＇s gross domestic product （GDP） growth, Gini coefficients, and carbon dioxide emissions per capita from 1970 to 2012 with yearly frequency. Hypotheses concerning whether Australia＇s economic immunity against oil crisis is affected after the deregulation of oil market and whether endogenous oil price shocks account for more variations in human welfare than exogenous oil price shocks are tested. The methodologies include a theoretic model and a series of econometric tests. For the short-run dynamics, oil price is integrated into the model both linearly and non-linearly. Oil price shocks are categorized into exogenous and endogenous shocks. The conclusions are that inflated oil prices exert mainly non-linear negative impacts upon human welfare indicators and exogenous shocks induce endogenous shocks through labor price, Consumer Price Index （CPI）, interest rate, and exchange rate. For the long-run equilibrium, non-linear shocks＇ effects decay more slowly than linear shocks and the impacts of endogenous shocks last longer than that of exogenous shocks. Finally, oil market policies are evaluated and proposed.
文摘In the last two decades, the global interest on farmland grew at a remarkable pace. As a consequence, million hectares of land exchanged hands. The ways the transfers happened combined with their geographic concentration in Sub-Saharian Africa, have earned the phenomenon the name of ＂land grab＂. The agricultural sector considered a ＂sunset industry＂ when commodities prices were declining, is now attractive to financial investors. These foreign investments may be good as they may improve agricultural productivity or instead bad as they may benefit only financial investors. Some results in terms of environmental and local communities＇ worsening conditions have already emerged. This paper aims to investigate what drives the big size transfers of land, to empirically estimate their effects in terms of local employment and to assess the environmental effects produced by the rapid transformation in the use of vast amount of land in terms of CO2 emissions. It is also proposed to use the estimation in terms of local employment impact as a way of distinguishing between foreign direct investment and land grabbing.
文摘Reliable service life data of building products are of great importance when completing environmental LCA （life cycle assessment） reviews, for LCC （life cycle costing） and for maintenance planning tasks. A research project was set up to answer the following research questions： （1） what are reliable service life data of current used building products; and （2） how can generic data about the service lives of building products be tailored to specific project circumstances using the ＂factor method＂ described in the ISO （International Standard Organization） 15686 Series： ＂Buildings and Constructed Assets-Service-Life Planning＂. Experts of industry organisations for building materials and products made a final judgement of the new established reference service lives. Reference service lives of building products may show a large unknown bandwidth around the average. That will make the bandwidth of estimated service lives, taking the project situation of building components into account, very big. Experts have raised objections to the use the factor method for deriving mathematically a bandwidth of estimated service lives of a building product from the reference service life of the product. A practical analytical application of the factor method has been made by describing all factors and underlying criteria and a reference situation.
