African Journal of Estate and Property Management

African Journal of Estate and Property Management ISSN 9671-8498 Vol. 3 (12), pp. 001-009, December, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Technology forecasting of new clean energy: The example of hydrogen energy and fuel cell

Yu-Heng Chen*, Chia-Yon Chen and Shun-Chung Lee

Department of Resources Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan City, Taiwan (R. O. C.).

Accepted 13 May, 2016

Abstract

Due to energy shortage, global warming and climate change, balanced development of energy security, economic growth, and environmental protection (3Es) has become a major energy policy issue and prompted the development of low-carbon economies. The goals of exploiting new clean energies, improving the efficiency of conventional energy sources, and improving renewable energy technologies have gathered considerable attention of governments worldwide. Among the many clean energies, hydrogen energy plays an important part in new clean energy fields nowadays. However, little has been done in discussing the technology forecasting for the hydrogen energy development. Therefore, this study predicts the technological S-curves for hydrogen energy and fuel cell technologies by integrating bibliometric and patent analysis into the logistic growth curve model, which includes generation, storage, proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and direct methanol fuel cell/direct alcohol fuel cell (DMFC/DAFC). Empirical analysis is via an expert survey and co-word analysis using the USPTO database to obtain useful data. The results demonstrate that technologies for generating and storing hydrogen have not yet reached technological maturity, and the fuel cell technology is either in the mature stage or approaching maturity.

Key words: Hydrogen energy, technology forecasting, S-curves, bibliometric analysis, fuel cell.

African Journal of Estate and Property Management ISSN 9671-8498 Vol. 3 (9), pp. 001-005, September, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The role of knowledge management in the achievement of competitive advantage: A case study of Iran Alborze Insurance Company in Western Mazandaran

Hamidreza Alipour*¹, Karim Davabi², Zahra Mehrabi³ and Masoumeh Moshtaghi⁴

^1,2Islamic Azad University, Rash Branch, Rasht, Iran

³Islamic Azad University, Tonkabon Branch, Iran

⁴Islamic Azad University, Ghaemshahr Branch, Iran

Accepted 15 May, 2016

Abstract

Competitive scope shows that organizations have been faced with high level of dynamism and maturity in recent years. To survive in such condition, stability and continuity in competitive privilege through development of individual and organizational capacity is necessary. In this regard, some scholars and experts state that knowledge is the major source for gaining stable competitive privilege, and for organization acquiring such privilege, knowledge management process could be considered as a strategic opportunity. The objective of this research is to investigate knowledge management role in acquiring competitive privilege in Alborze Insurance Company in Western Mazandaran. Based on this, a comprehensive revision on thematic literature similar to the relationship between knowledge management and acquiring competitive privilege was carried out. Also, of 75 members selected from the statistical population, 63 members’ comments were used as sample. Collection of required data was done by using reference tools for documentation and vouchers. Questionnaire with terminal coefficient of 95% was used to specify the relationship between knowledge management and competitive privilege using statistical test, Pierson correlation and regression with SPSS software. The results of the research show six independent variables related to knowledge management including knowledge creation, knowledge gaining, organizational learning, knowledge transmission, knowledge applying and knowledge saving. They all have meaningful relation with and affect the dependant variables of competitive privilege. At the end of the research, the variables were collected and deductions are made while discussion and proposals are offered.

Key words: Knowledge management, competitive privilege, Insurance industry.

African Journal of Estate and Property Management ISSN 9671-8498 Vol. 3 (10), pp. 001-006, October, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Explaining the long-term real equilibrium exchange rates through purchasing power parity (PPP): An empirical investigation on Egypt, Jordan and Turkey

Naser I. Abumustafa¹ and Mete Feridun²*

¹Department of Finance and Economics, Gulf University for Science and Technology, Kuwait.

²Department of Banking and Finance, Faculty of Business and Economics, Eastern Mediterranean University, Gazi Magosa, Mersin 10, Turkey.

Accepted 29 April, 2016

Abstract

This study aims at testing the validity of PPP as a long-term equilibrium condition for bilateral exchange rates in three emerging economies of the Middle East, namely Egypt, Jordan and Turkey through the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF), Phillips-Perron (PP), and the Kwiatkowski, Phillips, Schmidt, and Shin (KPSS) unit root tests. Results of the ADF and PP unit root tests indicate that the null hypothesis of non-stationary real exchange rate can not be rejected in all cases implying that PPP fails to hold in all three countries. Using the KPSS test, the null hypothesis of trend stationary real exchange rate can not be rejected in all cases indicating that the real exchange rate in the three countries is stationary when a trend is included. Therefore, PPP in these countries is not sensitive to the choice of the base country but can be influenced by the type of test employed.

Key words: PPP, unit root tests, ADF test, KPSS test, PP test.

African Journal of Estate and Property Management ISSN 9671-8498 Vol. 3 (8), pp. 001-010, August, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Demographic variables and levels of life satisfaction: The case of students enrolled in apprenticeship training

Hasan Bozgeyikli¹*, Abdullah I   iklar¹ and Susran Erkan Eroğlu²

¹Faculty of Education, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey.

²Faculty of Education, Selçuk University, Konya, Turkey.

Accepted 13 March, 2016

Abstract

The aim of this research is to observe apprenticeship students’ life satisfaction levels related to several environments (friend, school, environment, family and self) according to some variables (parents’ educational situation, parents’ profession, pleasure from job and pleasure of working conditions. The scope of the study was 548 apprenticeship students. “Multidimensional life satisfaction questionnaire” was used as data collecting medium. There is a significant difference according to parents’ educational levels at students’ friend, school, family, environment and self dimensions. There are significant differences at all dimensions except self dimension according to income level. According to pleasure from job variable there are significant differences at the all dimensions of life satisfaction of the students who were pleased from their professions chosen compared to the students who were not pleased from their professions. The results of this study were discussed according to related literature and recommendations were made for future researches.

Key words: Life satisfaction, well-being, apprenticeship, apprenticeship training.

African Journal of Estate and Property Management ISSN 9671-8498 Vol. 3 (8), pp. 001-007, August, 2016. © International Scholars Journals 

Full Length Research Paper

The analysis of some factors on feed compound production: A case study focused on the Turkish feed industry

Erdogan Gunes*, Ahmet Ozcelik, O. Orkan Ozer and Mevhibe Albayrak

Ankara University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics, 06110 Diskapi, Ankara, Turkey.

Accepted 13 March, 2016

Abstract

Turkey witnesses development in the feed industry, one of the most important inputs of animal husbandry, which is largely dependent on private sector mixed feed manufactories. However, basic problems in animal husbandry, on the one hand, and the decrease of producers on the other hand, negatively affect mixed feed production. The number of animals suggests that Turkey needs more than the 7 million tons of mixed feed that is produced today. In this study, a long term equilibrium relationship is found between mixed feed production, feed price, number of manufactories and end (red meat, milk, broiler and egg) for each type of mixed feed production using four different models based on the Johansen method.

Key words: Turkey, feed compound, management, marketing, stationary test, Johansen model.