Description:
This study investigates how intermarket influences can be used to help the prediction of the direction (up or down) of the next day's close price of the Australian All Ordinary Index (AORD). First, intermarket influences from the potential influential markets on the AORD are quantified by assigning weights for all influential markets. The weights were defined as a solution to an optimization problem which aims to maximise rank correlation between the current day's relative return of the AORD and the weighted sum of lagged relative returns of the potential influential markets. Then, the next day's relative return of the AORD is predicted by applying the neural networks as a classifier. Two different scenarios were compared: 1) using the current day's relative returns of different sets of influential markets as separate inputs; and, 2) using only the weighted sum of these relative returns as a "combined market". The results revealed that the second approach provides better predictions in all cases. This shows the effectiveness of the proposed approach for quantifying intermarket influences and the potential of using the "weighted combined markets" for the prediction
Description:
The objective of this project was to investigate the potential of electrokinetic treatment techniques to stabilise volume change characteristics of expansive soils. The investigations were carried out in the laboratory using locally collected expansive soils from three locations in central Victoria, Australia. A layer of soil was placed in glass tanks (900 mm x 350mm plan area) and compacted to a known density and water content typical of field conditions. Using electrodes inserted into the soil, a direct current was passed across the soil under different voltage gradients of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 V/cm for periods of 3, 5, 7, 10 and 14 days. After electrokinetic processing, soil were tested for volume change properties using soil reactivity indicators such as consistency limits, linear shrinkage, free swell index and shrink-swell index. The test results show that with electrokinetic treatments, the volume change potentials of the experimental soils reduced to a greater or lesser degree depending on the magnitude of the voltage gradient and processing time. Under certain voltage gradients and treatment durations, some experimental soils transformed from extremely reactive status to a slightly or almost non-reactive status. The experimental results suggest the potential of developing electrokinetic treatment technique to stabilise volume change properties of expansive soils effectively and efficiently.
Description:
The objective of this project was to investigate the potential of electrokinetic treatment techniques to stabilise volume change characteristics of expansive soils. The investigations were carried out in the laboratory using locally collected expansive soils from three locations in central Victoria, Australia. A layer of soil was placed in glass tanks (900 mm x 350mm plan area) and compacted to a known density and water content typical of field conditions. Using electrodes inserted into the soil, a direct current was passed across the soil under different voltage gradients of 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 V/cm for periods of 3, 5, 7, 10 and 14 days. After electrokinetic processing, soil were tested for volume change properties using soil reactivity indicators such as consistency limits, linear shrinkage, free swell index and shrink-swell index. The test results show that with electrokinetic treatments, the volume change potentials of the experimental soils reduced to a greater or lesser degree depending on the magnitude of the voltage gradient and processing time. Under certain voltage gradients and treatment durations, some experimental soils transformed from extremely reactive status to a slightly or almost non-reactive status. The experimental results suggest the potential of developing electrokinetic treatment technique to stabilise volume change properties of expansive soils effectively and efficiently.
Description:
Improvements of vehicle fuel economy are being considered using a mechanically driven flywheel to reduce the amount of mechanical energy produced by the thermal engine recovering the vehicle kinetic energy during braking. A mechanical system having an overall efficiency over a full regenerative cycle of about 70%, about twice the efficiency of battery-based hybrids, is coupled to a naturally aspirated gasoline engine powering a full size sedan. Results of chassis dynamometer experiments and engine and vehicle simulations are used to evaluate the fuel benefits introducing a kinetic energy recovery system and downsizing of the engine. Preliminary results running the new European driving cycle (NEDC) show KERS may reduce fuel consumption by 25% without downsizing, and 33% with downsizing of the 4 litre engine to 3.3 litres.
Description:
Improvements of vehicle fuel economy are being considered using a mechanically driven flywheel to reduce the amount of mechanical energy produced by the thermal engine recovering the vehicle kinetic energy during braking. A mechanical system having an overall efficiency over a full regenerative cycle of about 70%, about twice the efficiency of battery-based hybrids, is coupled to a naturally aspirated gasoline engine powering a full size sedan. Results of chassis dynamometer experiments and engine and vehicle simulations are used to evaluate the fuel benefits introducing a kinetic energy recovery system and downsizing of the engine. Preliminary results running the new European driving cycle (NEDC) show KERS may reduce fuel consumption by 25% without downsizing, and 33% with downsizing of the 4 litre engine to 3.3 litres.
Description:
The field of constrained non-linear optimization is one of the most practically applicable areas of mathematics. It has been used successfully to solve problems in a wide range of areas including economics, communications and computational chemistry. In recent years some problem reformulation techniques have been suggested for dealing with non-convex problems. However most of this study has been of a theoretical nature and very little is known about its effect on the practical impact of these techniques. In this seminar we will outline some of the reformulation techniques which have been suggested and present numerical results which show their relative efficiencies in solving some test problems. We will ultimately suggest that a reformulation scheme which combines a logarithmic reformulation of the objective function and an exponential reformulation of the constraint function provides many desirable outcomes.
Description:
The field of constrained non-linear optimization is one of the most practically applicable areas of mathematics. It has been used successfully to solve problems in a wide range of areas including economics, communications and computational chemistry. In recent years some problem reformulation techniques have been suggested for dealing with non-convex problems. However most of this study has been of a theoretical nature and very little is known about its effect on the practical impact of these techniques. In this seminar we will outline some of the reformulation techniques which have been suggested and present numerical results which show their relative efficiencies in solving some test problems. We will ultimately suggest that a reformulation scheme which combines a logarithmic reformulation of the objective function and an exponential reformulation of the constraint function provides many desirable outcomes.
Description:
The Department of Victorian Communities funded a study to evaluate the policies and practices of State sporting associations (SSA) in Victoria. The study was conducted in 5 phases which were (1) invite all SSAs to submit their sports injury risk management (SIRM) policies which were content analysed; (2) interview key informants from 12 selected sports; (3) develop a survey instrument for clubs and local associations; (4) survey approximately 720 clubs and local associations and (5) do observations of practices at competition and training for the 12 selected sports. The objectives of the project were to investigate the effectiveness of SIRM policies in sport and to identify barriers and facilitators to SIRM implementation. The overall aim of the project was to develop a framework for the development of sports activity standards for SIRM in Victoria.
Description:
This paper presents the results of a research investigating the attitudes of businesses towards Corporate Social responsibility (CSR) and the CSR practices in businesses. The paper is based on data collected through in-depth interviews of senior level managers of 11 large businesses operating in Bangaladesh. The findings demonstrates that although businesses are, to a different degree, aware of the concept of CSR and that they have a positive attitude to engage in CSR with an intention to contribute to addressing wider social and community needs; the CSR practices are seldom integrated into business strategies. The findings of the paper have some important implications for businesses and organizations working to promote CSR among businesses in developing countries.
Description:
This paper presents the results of a research investigating the attitudes of businesses towards Corporate Social responsibility (CSR) and the CSR practices in businesses. The paper is based on data collected through in-depth interviews of senior level managers of 11 large businesses operating in Bangaladesh. The findings demonstrates that although businesses are, to a different degree, aware of the concept of CSR and that they have a positive attitude to engage in CSR with an intention to contribute to addressing wider social and community needs; the CSR practices are seldom integrated into business strategies. The findings of the paper have some important implications for businesses and organizations working to promote CSR among businesses in developing countries.
Description:
The notion of the ‘state of exception’ (i.e. the sovereign decision to suspend some or all of the suite of rights, freedoms and obligations associated with the social contract) understands that such rights and obligations normally exist and function as protections. Giorgio Agamben’s work figures the contract suite’s institutionalised presence in terms of this conceptualisation, and then contemplates a permanent state of exception. However, in Foucault’s work on ‘governmentality’, the contract suite functions as a conceptual veneer, in the service of the state’s self-preservation rather than as protection for citizens. This perspective has implications for the usefulness of the notion of the exception as a way of understanding modern political obligation and authority. It is in this context that antifoundationalist synergies between Foucault, Hume and others will be considered, particularly with regard to the role of convention in a governmentalist understanding of the relation between citizens and the state.
Description:
The notion of the ‘state of exception’ (i.e. the sovereign decision to suspend some or all of the suite of rights, freedoms and obligations associated with the social contract) understands that such rights and obligations normally exist and function as protections. Giorgio Agamben’s work figures the contract suite’s institutionalised presence in terms of this conceptualisation, and then contemplates a permanent state of exception. However, in Foucault’s work on ‘governmentality’, the contract suite functions as a conceptual veneer, in the service of the state’s self-preservation rather than as protection for citizens. This perspective has implications for the usefulness of the notion of the exception as a way of understanding modern political obligation and authority. It is in this context that antifoundationalist synergies between Foucault, Hume and others will be considered, particularly with regard to the role of convention in a governmentalist understanding of the relation between citizens and the state.
Description:
Phishing and related cybercrime is responsible for billions of dollars in losses annually. Gartner reported more than 5 million U.S. consumers lost money to phishing attacks in the 12 months ending in September 2008 (Gartner 2009). This paper asks whether the majority of organised phishing and related cybercrime originates in Eastern Europe rather than elsewhere such as China or the USA. The Russian “Mafiya” in particular has been popularised by the media and entertainment industries to the point where it can be hard to separate fact from fiction but we have endeavoured to look critically at the information available on this area to produce a survey. We take a particular focus on cybercrime from an Australian perspective, as Australia was one of the first places where Phishing attacks against Internet banks were seen. It is suspected these attacks came from Ukrainian spammers. The survey is built from case studies both where individuals from Eastern Europe have been charged with related crimes or unsolved cases where there is some nexus to Eastern Europe. It also uses some earlier work done looking at those early Phishing attacks, archival analysis of Phishing attacks in July 2006 and new work looking at correlation between the Corruption Perception Index, Internet penetration and tertiary education in Russia and the Ukraine. The value of this work is to inform and educate those charged with responding to cybercrime where a large part of the problem originates and try to understand why.
Description:
High levels of student engagement have been linked with better student learning outcomes, such as the quality of their output. Marketing has traditionally been delivered in a teacher-centric model, as opposed to a student-centric model which better encourages independent learning. Important aspects of the latter model are interactivity, active and collaborative learning, and enriching educational experiences. The author has experimented with various aspects of his marketing classes and combined student feedback with findings from focus groups conducted with business students to derive a preliminary model of student engagement. The model was tested via quantitative research and initial analysis reveals tentative support for directly linking elements in the Lecturer’s Approach and Learning Support to the level of student engagement.
Description:
High levels of student engagement have been linked with better student learning outcomes, such as the quality of their output. Marketing has traditionally been delivered in a teacher-centric model, as opposed to a student-centric model which better encourages independent learning. Important aspects of the latter model are interactivity, active and collaborative learning, and enriching educational experiences. The author has experimented with various aspects of his marketing classes and combined student feedback with findings from focus groups conducted with business students to derive a preliminary model of student engagement. The model was tested via quantitative research and initial analysis reveals tentative support for directly linking elements in the Lecturer’s Approach and Learning Support to the level of student engagement.