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Increased Competitiveness (increased + competitiveness)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Humanities and Social Sciences	50%

Selected Abstracts

Increased competitiveness through component technology for element management systems

BELL LABS TECHNICAL JOURNAL, Issue 3 2003
Alan J. McBride
Element management represents a necessary cost associated with all network devices. Isolated development of element management systems (EMSs) for diverse network device products results in replication of effort on common low-level aspects. This effort spent re-inventing the wheel affects cost-effectiveness and drains resources from features that reduce customer cost of ownership and operation. Reduced cost of EMS development and reduced operations expenditure for the customer can significantly contribute to competitiveness of the managed device itself. The Navis® element management framework (EMF) program addresses the cost-effectiveness of EMS development through a platform approach utilizing a components architecture and Bell Labs software tools together with high-productivity technologies such as J2EE*/EJB,* XML, Java,* and CORBA.* Use of a platform for aspects common across EMSs allows each development to focus on product-specific value-added features, while also facilitating common look-and-feel and integration of EMS products with current and next-generation operations support systems (OSSs) for seamless end-to-end network and service management. The benefits to service providers include faster time-to-market for new services and reduced training and integration costs. © 2003 Lucent Technologies Inc. [source]

Mega-projects in New York, London and Amsterdam

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF URBAN AND REGIONAL RESEARCH, Issue 4 2008
SUSAN S. FAINSTEIN
Abstract Recently we have witnessed the mounting of very large development projects (mega-projects) in European and American cities. There is a striking physical similarity among the schemes and also a convergence embodied in private-sector involvement and market orientation. They differ, however, as to whether they provide affordable units and tie together physical and social goals. This article investigates new mega-projects in New York, London, and Amsterdam. The dissimilarities among them indicate the extent of variability in contemporary property capitalism. The comparison shows that public-private partnerships can provide public benefits, but also shows that these large projects are risky for both public and private participants, must primarily be oriented toward profitability, and produce a landscape that does not encourage urbanity. Whether the gains from increased competitiveness are spread throughout the society depends on the size of the direct governmental commitment to public benefits. This is greatest in the Netherlands, where the welfare state, albeit shrunken, lives on; it is least in the United States, where the small size of national expenditures on housing and social welfare means that low-income people must depend almost wholly on trickle-down effects to gain from new development. Résumé Les très grands projets d'aménagement (mégaprojets) se multiplient dernièrement dans les villes d'Europe et d'Amérique. On est frappé par une similarité physique entre les programmes, mais aussi par une convergence observable dans l'implication du secteur privé et dans une orientation-marché. Ils diffèrent pourtant par leur capacité ou non à procurer des unités accessibles financièrement et à associer des objectifs physiques et sociaux. L'article étudie de nouveaux mégaprojets à New-York, Londres et Amsterdam. Les divergences entre eux indiquent l'étendue de la variabilité du capitalisme immobilier contemporain. La comparaison établit que les partenariats public-privé peuvent produire des bénéfices publics, et montre aussi que ces grands projets sont risqués pour les participants publics et privés, qu'ils doivent surtout rechercher la rentabilité et qu'ils génèrent un paysage peu favorable à l'urbanité. La répartition, sur toute la société, des gains tirés d'une compétitivité accrue dépend de l'ampleur de l'engagement direct des gouvernements à l'égard des bénéfices publics. Le cas le plus flagrant est celui des Pays-Bas, où l'État-providence subsiste, bien que diminué; le plus limité est celui des États-Unis, où la faible ampleur des dépenses nationales de logement et de protection sociale signifie que les populations à bas revenu dépendent presque totalement des effets de propagation pour bénéficier d'un nouvel aménagement. [source]

Increased early growth rates decrease longevities of conifers in subalpine forests

OIKOS, Issue 8 2009
Christof Bigler
For trees, fast growth rates and large size seem to be a fitness benefit because of increased competitiveness, attainment of reproductive size earlier, reduction of generation times, and increased short-term survival chances. However, fast growth rates and large size entail reduced investment in defenses, lower wood density and mechanical strength, increased hydraulic resistance as well as problems with down-regulation of growth during periods of stress, all of which may decrease tree longevity. In this study, we investigated the relationship between longevity and growth rates of trees and quantified effects of spatial environmental variation (elevation, slope steepness, aspect, soil depth) on tree longevity. Radial growth rates and longevities were determined from tree-ring samples of 161 dead trees from three conifer species in subalpine forests of the Colorado Rocky Mountains (Abies lasiocarpa, Picea engelmannii) and the Swiss Alps (Picea abies). For all three species, we found an apparent tradeoff between growth rate to the age of 50 years and longevity (i.e. fast early growth is associated with decreased longevity). This association was particularly pronounced for larger P. engelmannii and P. abies, which attained canopy size, however, there were also significant effects for smaller P. engelmannii and P. abies. For the more shade-tolerant A. lasiocarpa, tree size did not have any effect. Among the abiotic variables tested only northerly aspect significantly favored longevity of A. lasiocarpa and P. engelmannii. Trees growing on south-facing aspects probably experience greater water deficits leading to premature tree death, and/or shorter life spans may reflect shorter fire intervals on these more xeric aspects. Empirical evidence from other studies has shown that global warming affects growth rates of trees over large spatial and temporal scales. For moist-cool subalpine forests, we hypothesize that the higher growth rates associated with global warming may in turn result in reduced tree longevity and more rapid turnover rates. [source]

PARTISAN COMPETITIVENESS IN POST-1990 U.S. HOUSE DISTRICTS

POLITICS & POLICY, Issue 4 2000
John W. Swain
This research looks at redistricting in terms of the partisan competitiveness of U.S. House election districts by creating a measure of partisan competitiveness based on the 1988 presidential election results for the two major parties. Nationwide, regional, and state means of district partisan competitiveness are computed for pre- and post-1990 congressional districts, and changes in those means are analyzed. This method holds constant all other factors besides redistricting. Post-1990 districts are less competitive between the two major parties than pre-1990 districts, despite predictions to the contrary. A regression model, predicting states' change in mean district partisan competitiveness, shows that states required to preclear their election districts under the Voting Rights Act and states gaining from reapportionment decline in mean district partisan competitiveness to a statistically significant degree. Surprisingly, one-party control of redistricting is associated with increased competitiveness to a statistically significant degree. [source]