beSMART

CONSPICUOUS CONSUMPTION PATTERNS OF PREMIUM BEER BRANDS AMONG BLACK UNIVERSITY OF KWAZULU NATAL (UKZN) STUDENTS IN PIETERMARITZBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

This study examines the conspicuous consumption of premium beer brands among black University of KwaZulu Natal students.  The premium brands discussed in this study are Amstel, Heineken and Castle Lite. The aim of this research is to investigate whether conspicuous consumption leads to the consumption of these brands based on O’Cass and McEwen’s definition of conspicuous consumption.
Primary data was collected around the UKZN Pietermaritzburg campus. A convenience sample of 95 respondents was used to complete the survey questionnaire.
The findings of this study indicate that Heineken is the only brand that is consumed conspicuously since it was the only brand that fully met all the requirements of O’Cass and McEwen’s definition of conspicuous consumption. It is the egoistic need that is being satisfied when brands are consumed conspicuously. Premium beer brand companies promote their beer as being better than that of local indigenous beer brands which encourage consumers to pay above average prices.

A REVIEW OF GENERIC COST ESTIMATION TECHNIQUES FOR INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS

Khulumani Sibanda

There has been a plethora of research works related to cost modelling techniques some of which have helped to transform the economic landscape of communication infrastructure deployment. In this paper we make a review of some of the cost modelling techniques applied for Information Technology projects and discuss their various constituencies and dependences among those constituencies. The cost estimating techniques discussed in this paper are Expert Judgement, Analogy, Neural Networks and Fuzzy Logic. This paper discusses four techniques which are expert judgement, Analogy estimation, Fuzzy Analogy and Artificial Neural Network cost estimating techniques. Because expert judgement depends on individual opinion, it is subjective and is void of mathematical estimating relationships, hence the level of uncertainty in estimates provided by it is very high. The paper further reveals that analogy estimation techniques require considerable expertise and experience. To overcome that requirement, estimation by analogy has now roped in the concept of analogy by fuzzy. Estimation by fuzzy is discussed and the paper reveals that it is not without limitations. Some of them are addressed by Artificial Neural Network techniques which the paper discusses complexity surrounding the choosing and training the network structure to a desired mapping for function approximation.

Cost estimation techniques, Expert judgement, Fuzzy, Neural Networks.

MODEL OF OUTSOURCING POLICY INSTITUTIONAL  INTEGRATION  IN  INDUSTRIAL RELATION  PERSPECTIVE  USING SOFT SYSTEM METHODOLOGY: CASE STUDY IN BEKASI REGENCY – INDONESIA

Agus Riyanto, Eriyatno, Bomer Pasaribu, Agus Maulana

The objective of this research was to design outsourcing policy model in industrial relation perspective using Soft System Methodology(SSM) to create harmonious condition of socio-cultural, economic, and legal that can increase worker welfare, give benefit for industry development and government. The research was initiated with field observation to analyze the present empirical practice of outsourcing which involves industry, government, worker and worker union in the perspective of industrial relation. System analysis was conducted to identify the issues based on previous identification. This stage was carried out to build the outsourcing institutional policy integration model for harmonious industrial relation. The research used Soft Systems Methodology (SSM) to build the system design. Data was collected through FGD, IDI and expert survey. Analysis was carried out by employing CATWOE, Analytical Network Process (ANP), Strategic Assumption Surfacing and Testing (SAST). This research also employed SSM Learning Model to design purposeful activity model (PAM). Verification of outsourcing policy institutional integration model was carried out through face validation. The implication of this model is to enhancing industrial relation trilogy i.e. worker welfare, security and enterprise sustainability, conducive business climate and increase local government revenue.

The Role of Green Market focused Learning in achieving Sustained Competitiveness: Empirical Evidence from Hotel Industry in sri lanka

 G. D. Samarsinghe, F. J Ahsan

Eco friendly business strategies are on rise all over the world. Eco-friendly or green business initiatives have been well known as a strategic business orientation for winning and sustaining competitive advantage in a turbulent business environment. An empirically observed phenomenon in the Sri Lanka hotel sector paved the way to undertake the present study. The major purpose of the study was to explain as to how green market focused learning practices of the hotels as a source of distinctive capabilities can influence achieving sustained competitiveness. A conceptual model and hypotheses were developed based on literature review. A random sample consisting of 100 hotels were chosen for the survey. A structured questionnaire was developed on priori-basis to measure the predefined variables of green market focused learning and sustained competitiveness and administered to the senior management of the hotels. Data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The findings revealed that green market focused learning processes had a positive influence on achieving sustained competitiveness of the hotels in Sri Lanka. The study had implications for mangers as well as academia and suggested directions for future research.

A SURVEY OF CONSTRUCTION 3D MODELS USING FRACTAL GEOMETRY

Dr. Yusra Faisal Al-Irhaim, Marah Mohamed Taha

This research provides specific methods to design three dimensional Compound models based on principles of fractal geometry. These models consist of (cubes or spheres or spheres with cubes together) and depend on specific algorithms, meaning that each model have a specific additive shapes to the basic model with a specific number of iterations to design 3D compound model.

THE STATE OF INTERNAL AUDIT PRACTICE IN SELECTED PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES:
BASIS FOR POLICY ADVOCACY

The Philippine initiatives against corruption have taken the form of law and anti-graft bodies created by the Constitution, Law and Executive Orders. In addition to the State, other institutions have been in the fight against graft and corruption.
The accountability of public officials is enshrined in the Constitution of 1987, as it has been in the Malolos Constitution of 1898, the Commonwealth Constitution of 1935 and then the Constitution of 1973, the Martial Law period. Article XI of the 1987 Constitution, entitled “Accountability of Public Officers,” states the fundamental principle of public office, as public trust. It requires full accountability and integrity among public office, as public trust. It further requires full accountability and integrity among public officers and employees. The President, Vice President, members of the Supreme Court, members of the Constitutional Commissions and the Ombudsman may be impeached for violations of the Constitution, treason, bribery, graft and corruption, other high crimes, and for betrayal of public trust. Other public officials committing such acts can be investigated and prosecuted through the regular judicial process provided by law.

POVERTY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF KENYA

Haradhan Kumar Mohajan

The economy of Kenya has been continued to be the largest in the East African region and third largest in Sub-Saharan Africa after South Africa and Nigeria respectively.  At present Kenya is one of the most highly literate countries in sub-Saharan Africa. But more than 60% people of Kenya live below the poverty line. Rapid increases in inflation could reduce economic growth and worsen the poverty levels of the citizens of Kenya. In Kenya economic development is dependent on agricultural improvement. Kenya is the largest food and agricultural products importer in east Africa. About 82% of the total land in Kenya is classified as arid and semi-arid. Agricultural products depend on proper rainfall. Staple food of Kenya is maize, which accounted about 65% of total staple food caloric intake and 36% of total food caloric intake. The cash income of the rural people of Kenya comes from the selling of agricultural products. At present the government of the country is trying to reduce poverty. An attempt has been taken here to discuss the food and economic situation and the development of these sectors of the country.

The Web 2.0 as a mechanism to improve communication and collaboration in an aerospace manufacturing enterprise in Mexico

Mtro. Carlos Robles Álvarez, Dr. Miguel Ángel Corona Jiménez, Dra. Yesica Mayett Moreno, Dr. José Luis Martínez Flores

As human beings we have the need to connect with other people. Organizations who improve internal communication and collaboration will become more competitive. The evolution of Internet has resulted in the web 2.0 whose most common tools are the social networks. Through this networks, the web 2.0 has changed the way we establish relationships and communicate nowadays. This evolution does not only affect personal aspects but our professional life as well. We aimed to identify the strategical, cultural and structural variables, as well as the nature and profile of users which influence the adoption of web 2.0 tools and their potential to be applied, in order to improve communication and collaboration within an organization. We found that the factors influencing the perception of collaboration and communication within the organization using web 2.0 tools are seniority, user profile and geographical location. The web 2.0 tools are perceived as potential promoters and enablers of both corporate communication as well as team collaboration for most of the employees. People thought there might be a competitive advantage by having information and knowledge from previous success cases. Organizations perceive web tools as a risk for security and intellectual property. There are some challenges: one is the fact that every user has a different way of understanding and using the tools influenced by their background and work environment. And secondly, every organization has a different maturity level towards adoption of new technologies.

ITERATIVE OPERATIONS IN CONSTRUCTION CIRCULAR AND SQUARE FRACTAL CARPETS

Dr. Yusra Faisal Al-Irhaim,  Marah Mohamed Taha

Carpet designing is not only a fascinating activity in computer graphics, but it has real applications in carpets industry as well. In this research, we design 2D models using fractal geometry, which is about  apply of certain additions to a basic model (square or circle), enter in a certain number of iterations, which produces different patterns of fractal carpets.

Anoud I Bani-Hani, Chris Hinde, Thomas W Jackson

Knowledge Validation is a challenge in Small to Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs), as most of the available information is held in people’s minds as tacit knowledge, or saved on each employees PC without sharing or common validation. This case study is based on a company in Leicester who installed an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system after two previous failed trials with different type of software. The underlying reasons for the problems were due to the distributed and tacitly held knowledge where the assumptions in one part of the company were inconsistent with other parts. The research goes through three years of ERP implementation and analyses the main problem of validating knowledge in more detail and identifies the consequences of failing to do this. It also describes the potential economic benefits for installing enterprise resource planning system in SMEs and investigates the claim of ERP vendors that their ERP solutions increase the performance of their customers, increase profitability and efficiency of work processes. It discusses the effects of ERP on the company’s overall performance, what the benefits are, and where there could be an enhancement to SMEs from the ERP system. The major benefits accrue from the more accurate estimates the system is able to provide and the resulting improvement in quotes. Challenges are discussed and highlighted in the paper, which concludes at the end the importance of Knowledge Validation and identifies benefits of doing it.

Knowledge Validation, ERP, SME

CULTURAL CONSTRUCTION OF LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS IN KENYAN SECONDARY SCHOOLS: AN INVESTIGATION

Felicita Wanjiru Njuguna

Implicit theories are constructions by people that are formed in a socio-cultural and historical context. Every group or culture has its own view of what constitutes effective leadership which is unique to that culture. There is therefore no universal theory of conceptualizing leadership because there are as many theories as there are different cultures. This study was conducted with a view to exploring what teachers think are the characteristics of an effective Principal (leader) in Kenyan Secondary Schools in Muranga and Nairobi Districts. These schools are in rural and urban regions respectively. The study was conducted in two Phases.  In Phase one, Secondary school teachers (N= 100) in Nairobi and Muranga districts were asked to list the ideal characteristics of an effective educational leader. They were also asked to identify one educational leader who they thought was effective and explain why they thought so. On the basis of the characteristics, a checklist of effective leaders was prepared. In Phase two, Principals in the two Districts were rated by a sample of 349 teachers using the checklist of effective leaders. Teachers were asked to respond to the statements about effective leaders on a seven point Likert scale ranging from strongly agree to strongly disagree. The data were coded and factor analyzed.  Factor analysis of these ratings yielded six factors which were labeled as “nurturing orientation”, “decision-making”, “conventional personality”, “ethical leadership”, “empowerment” and “communication”. This set of factors was unique to the Kenyan schools as they had not been combined like this else where in research. This clearly showed that assessment of leadership effectiveness cannot be meaningful and accurate if the assessment tool is constructed in another culture. It also implies that there are as many tools of assessment of leadership effectiveness as there are cultures. 

FUZZY ARTIFICIAL IMMUNE RECOGNITION SYSTEM FOR WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORK-BASED INTRUSION DETECTION SYSTEMS

HananAnas  Aldabagh, MaanYouns Abdullah

Modern infrastructure significantly depends on large computerized techniques for their trusted operation. A recent trend is to integrate Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) to sense and collect data. Though, due to the broadcast nature of the network and inherent restrictions in the sensor nodes themselves, they are vulnerable to different types of security attacks. Given the critical aspects of the underlying infrastructure it is an extremely crucial research challenge to provide effective solutions to identify malicious activities on these networks. This paper proposes a robust and scalable mechanism that aims to detect malicious anomalies precisely and efficiently applying distributed in-network processing in a hierarchical framework. In this paper, a multi agent system inspired by the Artificial Immune System (AIS)are embedded to Wireless Intrusion Detection System(WIDS), where agents coordinate one another to calculate the abnormality of sensor behavior in terms of context antigen value (CAV) and update activation threshold for security response. In such a multi-node situation, the security mechanism used fuzzy rule base to find antigens from trace file through making the labeling method. It is implemented in the Low Energy Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy (LEACH) protocol and simulated in NS-2 to validate its performance. Artificial Immune Recognition System (AIRS) model utilized the WEKA immune system toolbox by using training and testing strategy to detect type of attack. It is found that the proposed Fuzzy based AIS (FAIS) scheme improves the performance of accurately detecting attacks compared to the existing empirical soft computing methods. It shows better performance in terms of its successful detect rates.