Exact and approximate algorithms for the loop layout problem

Control parameters, such as order frequency, safety stock and safety time, are important tools to improve the logistic performance in material planning. In practice, the adjustment of control parameters appears to be very difficult. One of the reasons is the lack of relevant tactical control information: a simple, periodical and per-commodity integrated feedback of performance and process information often is not available to the logistic operator. Therefore, the material planner is offered a fairly limited overview and insight of the processes to be controlled. This problem has been investigated in several plants in the Netherlands. A solution to this problem is first to measure the performance, the frequency of process disturbances and the effect of the parameters on performance for all commodities involved. And second, to integrate this information and provide feedback to the responsible material planner. In this article a design for decision support is presented to integrate and give feedback of relevant tactical control information. Prototype information systems are now being tested in practice and in the laboratory. The expectation is that this type of decision support will help the operator to make more systematic and effective diagnoses.     

试论新时期前十年的维吾尔文学理论批评

十年维吾尔文学理论批评所取得的主要成就有:强调文学的独特性、结束了文学依附于政治的局面;对文艺的审美本质、情感在文艺中的地位和作用及其他一些基本理论问题进行了较为深刻而全面的探讨;强调了文学的以审美作用为中心的多种作用;首次对西方现代派文学进行了研究;主张文学批评的标准应该是美学批评与历史批评的完美统一;出版并发表了有关维吾尔诗歌创作的理论专著及部分理论文章。存在的问题有:论题和内容重复多,缺乏创新精神。在这10年中,理论批评总体上一直存在着一种不平衡现象,基本上处于一种封闭状态。     

试论新时期后12年的维吾尔文学理论批评

12年维吾尔文学理论批评所取得的主要成就有:较全面地研究了有关诗歌美学方面的理论问题;重点分析和研究了有关文学创作及艺术欣赏心理学的一系列问题;对西方现代主义文学的研究进一步深入,对20世纪西方文学理论和文学批评的研究初步展开;提倡更新对"现实主义"、"现实"等概念的认识,对"审美价值"概念的含义进行了探索;进一步开展了文学批评实践与理论的研究。     

CLIMBING TO THE TOP? FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT AND PROPERTY RIGHTS

This article operates at the interface of the literature on the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on host countries and the literature on the determinants of institutional quality. We argue that FDI contributes to economic development by improving institutional quality in the host country. This proposition is tested within a large panel data set of 70 developing countries for the period 1981–2005. We show that FDI inflows have a positive and highly significant impact on property rights. Results are very robust and not affected by model specification, different control variables, or estimation technique. To our knowledge this is the first article to empirically test the FDI—property rights linkage. (JEL F23, O43, P48)     

意识形态、非正式制度与凉山彝区精准扶贫

意识形态作为非正式制度的核心,以及其具有的“地方性知识”特征,对精准扶贫的推行和取得的绩效产生了极大的影 响。从意识形态是否与现行的正式制度取得内在一致性,继而对社会经济活动产生正面或负面影响的思路出发,基于交易费 用的视角分析了意识形态如何对精准扶贫产生影响,并进一步揭示了意识形态在凉山彝区精准扶贫中产生消极作用的机理。 认为加强教育事业的发展,提高民众的认知能力和培养正确的价值观;以包容性发展的理念对当地元素进行取舍,形成大格局 信念共享的氛围,是减小意识形态与扶贫政策制度“摩擦力”的最好的途径。     

THE DEMAND FOR CASINO GAMING WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO A SMOKING BAN

This study adds to the limited literature on the demand for casino gaming. The major focus is on the effect of a statewide smoking ban. A system of slot machine demand equations, one each for the three Delaware racinos (racetrack casinos), was developed. The number of slot machines at a racino, at competing in-state racinos, and income were significant demand determinants. Competing out-of-state gaming venues had insignificant effects on gaming demand over the study period. The smoking ban had a significant negative impact on demand, which was not significantly different across the three racinos. The smoking ban reduced gaming demand 15.9%. ( JEL L83)     

STABILIZATION POLICY, UNCERTAINTY AND INSTRUMENT PROLIFERATION

William Brainard's (1969, 1967) adaptation of the Markowitz-Tobin portfolio selection model shows that under uncertainty regarding structural parameters the optimizing policymaker will employ all available instruments in pursuit of any given number of targets. Although Brainard assumes that instruments are used without cost, Henderson-Turnovsky (1972) obtain the same result while recognizing selected instrument costs. The present paper generalizes the treatment of instrument costs and shows the earlier findings to be special case results. In general, the policymaker will employ a sub-set of available or potential instruments. Dynamic implications of the generalized instrument cost function also are considered.     

Tardiness heuristic for scheduling Flexible Manufacturing Systems

Abstract

This paper evaluates the tardiness performance of a sampling-based adaptive heuristic in a dynamic manufacturing environment. A test bed, following a real world manufacturing system, has been developed. The proposed algorithm has been implemented in this simulated environment. After fine tuning the algorithm, it has been tested in various shop conditions. The results of these simulation studies are summarized.     

深度贫困地区农业产业扶贫效应研究 — —以凉山州为例

近年来产业扶贫具有的造血功能以及对减贫的可持续性,在精准扶贫中受到极大关注。但贫困人口主要分布于农村的 特点和各区际异质性,不同产业或同一产业在不同地区的减贫效果都不同。基于产业梯度转移理论和可行能力理论,阐释了 深度贫困地区发展农业产业更能助推农户减贫的机理,并以凉山州为例对三次产业的减贫效应进行计量分析。研究发现,凉 山地区发展农业产业能够提高农户的主体性和参与性,对缓解贫困的作用比其他部门更加显著,并提出如何高质量发展农业 产业从而促进农户减贫的思路。