Archives-June 2012

In recent years, increased water use and decreased precipitation have led to increased pressure to groundwater resources, this its quality decrease. Therefore, the main reasons for studying groundwater are potential hazards for groundwater contamination and protect it (ground water) from contamination: te main purpose of this research is the assessment of spatial and temporal trends in ground water quality in Shahr-e-Babak plain to besides of measurement of variation trends, by identifying contaminated regions (for agricultural purposes) issues and problems raised due to contaminates water usage could be prevented for this reason, data related to qualitative parameters of ground water such as EC, SAR, TDS during inventory period 2002-2009 were used. After fitting the best variogram model to empirical model of each of qualitative parameters of Ground water, by Arc GIS 9.3 software and by using Kriging interpolation method. Zoning maps of the region were prepared. Also the water of the region in the view point of agricultural use, was assessed using Wilcox and FAO method results obtained from this research showed that from comparison between Kriging interpolation and inverse distance weighted, Kriging method have the higher precision (based on low RMSE and MAE) than IDW. Also result from water classification based on Wilcox show the increased contamination trend especially in southern parts, and generally in this period the water of the region is classified as moderate-quality water, and also in FAO method contamination trend of waters in this region is increasing and in this method southern parts of this region are classified as the most contaminated parts (water classed with high salinity) of the region. The reasons of contamination of southern parts of the region are the type of Geological of the region and also high agricultural activities.

Over time, the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has gained popularity, with people accepting the fact that companies have a responsibility to help the community in which they do business. Gone are the days when the sole objective of business was profit maximization. Companies are said to possess stakeholders whose interests they have to understand and try to satisfy. Stakeholder theory is thus closely linked with CSR. An interesting question is how companies are supposed to satisfy these needs. This paper attempted to evaluate the CSR best practices of America’s richest companies of 2010 as determined by Fortune Magazine: Wal-Mart, Chevron and Bank of America. This evaluation was done using a CSR best practices guide obtained from the CSR activities of the top 3 most socially responsible companies of 2010. Content analysis was utilized to explore the CSR reports of these companies, focusing on activities related to 4 key stakeholders, 1) Employees, 2) Customers, 3) Community and 4) Environment. Results of the analysis revealed that Wal-Mart, Chevron and Bank of America performed very well in discharging their responsibilities towards the community and the environment, but did quite poorly towards employees in particular. These companies were advised to focus more on the welfare of their employees, given their vital importance to the success of each company. Companies were also advised to provide customers with forums and mechanisms for feedback and comments. These would provide valuable information to the companies on how to improve their services so as to maintain existing customers and garner new ones.

The study aimed at examining the perception of organizational commitment of women working on leadership positions in Saudi Arabia, The three dimensions of organizational commitment including affective, continuance and normative commitment were looked at. The influence of demographic factors including age, experience, qualification, level of income and marital status on the organizational commitment was studied. It was a descriptive correlational study in which organizational commitment Questionnaire-OCQ was used to collect data. The study found that the level of women leaders’ organizational commitment was high with continuance commitment as the strongest form. Demographic variables of age, experience and income significantly influenced the organizational commitment of women leaders. This study is significant because of the insights it provides for the management to better understand the nature of organizational commitment of women leaders and develops an understanding of the commitment process to promote it among them in Saudi Arabia

The organizations are interacting with suppliers, customers and even competitors in order to achieve the customer satisfaction as well as the greater success and profitability in the new commercial environment. Supply chain management is the most important part of the company’s strategy to optimize the planning and implementation of the processes to respond to the market changes and it will not be possible without the efficient and effective internal process. Certainly, to ensure effectiveness of the integrated processes, they should be periodically evaluated by some indicators. Therefore, this study has discussed the effectiveness of supply chain management using the balanced scorecard methodology, to do which a goal programming model is presented to minimize sum of deviations. In this study, first, the indices affecting the four perspectives (financial, customer, internal process and learning and growth) of balanced scorecard in ISACO Corporation are identified. Then, the weight and prioritization of the indices affecting the four perspectives of balanced scorecard are calculated, and then, the distance of performance of each one of the perspectives of balanced scorecard from the goals of the studied company has been measured. In addition, the goal programming model is presented to evaluate the effectiveness of supply chain in order to minimize sum of absolute deviations using the goal programming model.

Graham and Sloane [7] introduced the harmonious graphs and Singh & Varkey [11] introduced the odd sequential graphs. Gayathri and Hemalatha ( [2], [1]) introduced even sequential harmonious labeling of graphs. In [3], we extend this notion to k-even sequential harmonious labeling of graphs and further studied in [4-5]. Also we have introduced k-odd sequential harmonious labeling of graphs in [6]. Here, we investigate some results on k-even sequential harmonious labeling of graphs.

This study assessed the surface water quality of Qua Iboe River system in the coastal Niger Delta, Nigeria. A total of 7 sampling stations were selected for the study and results obtained using FAAS revealed the following mean trace element concentrations (molar): 3.65x10^–7 for Cd, 1.50x10^–7 for Pb, 3.89x10^–7 for Cr, 1.10x10^–6 for Cu, 2.50x10^–6 for Zn, 1.06x10^–6 for Ni and 9.34x10^–7 for Co. The ion association model based on Debye-Hückel theory using the llnl.dat database of the PHREEQCI computer program as well as the thermodynamic data was used for the chemical speciation studies. The distribution of solution species for the trace elements using the PHREEQCI model revealed that the predominant species in the river system was the free ions of Ni²⁺(97.6%), Co²⁺(97.7%), Zn²⁺(92.6%), Cu²⁺(70.2%), Cu⁺(81.2%) and Pb²⁺(62.0%) as well as the hydroxy species, CrOH₂⁺(58.7%) and chloride species, CdCl₂⁺(82.3%). From the model calculations, atacamite, CdCr₂O₇, CuCr₂O₇, PbHPO₄, ternorite and pyromorphite solubility showed positive values of the saturation indices (SI), indicating supersaturation which led to mineral precipitation condition of water.

There is an optimum time for implementing field operation of various crops in each region. If the operation is accomplished sooner or later, it will cause a reduction in yield quantity and quality. The cost of this reduction is named “timeliness cost”. Annual timeliness cost is estimated by an equation reported in ASAE standards. MF285 tractors have low reliability in Iran. Generally, low tractor reliability has an uncertainty in implementation of farm operation which it is not considered in ASAE equation for calculating of timelines cost. This uncertainty causes a cost being a part of timeliness cost and is produced due to tractor failure within farm operation. The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability function of MF285 tractors operated in Debal Khazaei Agro-Industry Co. in Khuzestan province of Iran. Thus, in this study a function-fit model for reliability of farm tractors was determined. Afterwards, tractors working times to a failure (hours) in tenth year of tractor life were fitted with normal, exponential, lognormal, poisson and weibull age distribution functions using moment estimation. Depending on Chi square test, the best reliability function for this given situation was exponential distribution function with ? = 0.025.

This paper empirically examines the existence of casual relation between insurance sector development and economic growth in Iran for the period 1960-2010. In this investigation we apply the Augmented Dickey-Fuller Unit Root test, the Johansen’s Cointegration test and the Granger Causality Wald test based on Vector Autoregression (VAR) model. According to the obtained results, there is a unidirectional causality relation from insurance development to economic growth. Therefore, we conclude that insurance development is an important prerequisite for stimulating economic growth in Iran. These results confirm the supply-leading theory.

This study aimed at researching and investigating the translation of interjections from English into Persian in drama from a skopos-based view. To carry out this study, ten dramas were chosen. Five out of these ten dramas have not been performed on any stages in Iran, but the remaining five dramas were performed at least once. Twenty most commonly used interjections in current English were elicited from Merriam Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (2009) with their meanings. These interjections were searched in the dramas by the aid of computer softwares (AntConc© And adobe acrobat reader™). Then, the obtained interjections were analyzed through the strategies proposed by Cuenca (2002b). The statistical calculations showed that there is a significant difference between the literal translation and other strategies. This significant difference proved the main hypothesis of the study which was that the most common strategy used for translating interjections by the Persian translators is literal translation. The second hypothesis was proven too in that many interjections used in the Current Persian are the results of interference from English language.

This study appraised the current approach, methodology and reporting standards of real estate valuation in Nigeria. Primary data were sourced through structured questionnaires administered to practitioners in Lagos metropolis, while secondary data were mainly from valuation reports prepared by valuers (appraisers) operating within the study area and documents from the regulatory bodies. Using the yardstick of transparency, rationality and consistency - the universal hallmarks of reliable asset pricing; and the International Valuation Standards Committee’s as well as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors’ recommended “minimum content of valuation report”, the study revealed that the real estate valuation practice in the country presently falls short of international standards and best practices. While acknowledging remedial steps that were recently put in place, the study recommended other measures that will revolutionize the local practice. These include formation of bigger firms, a more proactive regulatory framework and a comprehensive review of training curricular. Substantial amendments to the present national valuation standards and guidance notes to reflect and accommodate the peculiarity and the particular needs of the local market place with adequate measures for enforcement/sanctions should also be considered. Above all, practitioners must be willing to embrace necessary changes in practice.