Impacts of Rainfall Variability on Streamflow in the Drylands of Northern Kenya: Assessing Water Availability under a Changing Climate

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Water availability is a function of climatic and land surface conditions, which determine the amount and distribution of atmospheric water as it reaches the surface. This largely depends on rainfall, whose variability affects water, food and livelihood security. This paper sought to quantify the effects of rainfall variability on water availability in an effort to support effective water resources management. Coefficient of Variation (CV), Standardized Anomaly Index (SAI) and Mann-Kendall trend test approaches were used to assess variability and trends, while correlation and regression analysis were employed to determine effects of rainfall variability on streamflow. A hydrological model, Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), was used to simulate streamflow with a view to assessing water availability under two climate change scenarios; Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) 4.5 and 8.5. Results show that the area experiences moderate to extreme rainfall variability, as indicated by CV and SAI values that ranged from 20 to 99% and -2.5 to +3 respectively, resulting in moderate to extreme floods and droughts that often disrupt livelihoods. Current streamflow simulations (1981 – 2020) indicated increasing trends. Near and far future streamflow volumes will decrease by 15% during the April-May-June season while during October-November-December season they will increase by 13%, compared to the present. Increasing trends of rainfall and streamflow indicate that the area has opportunities for rainwater harvesting while the high variability indicates a need for early warning systems to cushion communities from climatic shocks evidenced by the impacts of climate extremes experienced in the area.

 

Non-destructive Near-infrared Hyperspectral Imaging in Food Technologies with a Focus on Monitoring Seed Viability

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Seed qualities including viability and germination significantly influence the quantity and the quality of harvest. Technological means to assess seed qualities and attributes of seed-derived food products are varied. This paper highlights the use of infrared hyperspectral imaging (NIR- HSI) in food quality control, authentication, safety, process monitoring, shelf-life prediction, ingredients analysis, allergens detection and food sorting and grading. It also shows a particular application of NIR-HSI for the monitoring of nutrient content of sprouts and germinated seeds for industrial processing of foods with high nutritional values. The paper further reviews the applications of NIR-HSI to predict seed viability and germination. The non-destructive, rapid, and high-throughput capability of NIR-HSI were demonstrated through research works combining the NIR-HSI technology with chemometrics tools to reach more than 90% prediction rate. These relatively high rates may depend on the storage conditions or the stringency of the artificial aging conditions applied to parts of the seeds. However, the NIR-HSI has also proven efficient using naturally aged seeds with the prediction rates up to 90% correct classification, demonstrating the high capability of the technology. In combination with advanced chemometrics tools, some components of emerging technologies such as traditional machine learning and deep learning models have been added to increase the efficiency of NIR_HSI. Overall, the research works reviewed in this paper and which cover several food crops and food products showed that NIR-HSI is set to reach new heights in monitoring seed viability for improved seed stock management, crop production and innovation in the food industry.

Marketing Strategy Using new wave Marketing Approach to Increase Customer Loyalty in Cement Industry (Dynamix Case)

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Cement Industry is becoming more dynamic; a decade ago, market conditions were still very ideal, with demand and production in balance, but the presence of new entrants tightened competition, forcing Dynamix to survive in the face of an attack from low-cost cement products This study was conducted to determine what can be done to preserve and boost sales through effective marketing strategy and a focus on customers. The investigation began by examining the market’s dynamic competition and evaluating Dynamix’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as potential risks posed by competitors or emerging market segments in Indonesia. The presentation is carried out in a systematic and detailed manner to offer recommendations that meet the needs of facing against competitors. To gain a comprehensive understanding, a study approach was used that included both quantitative and qualitative analysis to investigate the stages of the customer’s decision-making process when choosing which product to use.

The study also examines literature on marketing strategy, using the most recent techniques as a reference, where the theory has been applied by various companies. Having the right theoretical framework will be one of the main base foundations in providing insight and perspectives to build the most effective marketing plan. With this research, it is hopes to contribute Dynamix journey to meeting future challenges by implementing the explained strategy of focusing on target customers through recommended activities in terms of communication material selection and marketing activities. Hopefully, this study will be able to make Dynamix the leading cement brand in Indonesia.

The Influence of the Goods and Services Procurement Process on Budget Performance with Budget Politics as a moderator (study of Regional Government OPD in Aceh)

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This research aims to examine the influence of the goods and services procurement process on budget performance with budget politics as a moderator. The population in this study were all government officials in the Regional Government OPD in Aceh. The sampling technique uses probability sampling. The data used is primary data. The data collection technique was carried out by distributing questionnaires to 267 respondents, namely budget users, heads of program and budget sub-divisions and program department staff. The data analysis method used is Simple Linear Regression Analysis and Moderated Regression Analysis (MRA) with the help of the SPSS 25 application. The results of the research show that the process of procurement of goods and services partially influences the Budget Performance of Regional Government OPDs in Aceh. Then budget politics moderate the influence of the goods and services procurement process on Budget Performance in Regional Government OPDs in Aceh.

The Effects of Capital Intensity, Financial Distress, Leverage, Analyst Coverage and Investment Opportunity Set on Accounting Conservatism in Politically Connected Companies Listed on Indonesia Stock Exchange

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This study aims to examine the effect of capital intensity, financial distress, leverage, analyst coverage and investment opportunity set on accounting conservatism in politically connected companies listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. This research was conducted on 16 state-owned companies (BUMN) listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange for the 2017-2021 period using a proposive sampling method. This research uses multiple regression method. The results of the study show that partially analyst coverage has a positive effect on accounting conservatism. Financial distress, leverage and investment opportunity sets have a negative effect on accounting conservatism. Capital intensity has no effect on accounting conservatism.

Assessing Knowledge Management Readiness to Improve Data Quality by Prevent Incorrect Data Input on ERP System in Component Rebuild Center PT Kalcoal

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To fulfil the demand of availability component for supporting the mining operation at PT Kalcoal. Recondition component daily activity of recondition is entanglement from one process to another until the end of process. For transform digitalization, recondition component activity will using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) in every process.

The purpose of this study is to understand the level of knowledge management readiness in the component rebuild center in the Implementation of the ERP work system, to understand the strengths and areas for improvement for Knowledge Management, and to find tools that can be used to implement Knowledge Management in the component rebuild center.

This research using quantitative method, collected through a questionnaire. Furthermore, qualitative data was used to enrich the primary data collected through focus group discussions. By using APO as tools of knowledge management readiness, the results showed that the component rebuild center is still in the expansion phase, where knowledge management efforts are present in the core activity process and the company sees the benefits of knowledge sharing. The component rebuild center can further develop itself by using people as its accelerator. Having committed change groups and leaders will create a culture of knowledge sharing that can be followed by all lines of business in the company. In order for employees to have a single source of knowledge, it is important to create a knowledge management tool that can be done by building a new portal that can be accessed by all employee users. For the source of knowledge to always align the needs and developments of the company, it is necessary to have the ability to grow and store information safely and freely for employees so that information is always updated and well-maintained.

The Influence of Service Quality and Product Quality of Livin Mandiri through Satisfaction Customers and its Impact on Customer Loyalty of Bank Mandiri KCP Tanjung Balai, North Sumatra Province

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The aim of this research is to determine the quality of service and product quality of Livin Mandiri on customer loyalty through customer satisfaction at Bank Mandiri KCP Tanjung Balai North Sumatera Province.

This research is quantitative empirical research using hypothesis research that examines the significant influence and direction of the direct and indirect relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable through the intervening variable. Data in the research is primary data obtained from 100 sample people obtained using the Slovin formula from a 20.088 population.

Based on statistical test results, it was found that livin mandiri service quality have a positive effect on customer loyalty but not significant. Product quality have a positive and significant effect on customer loyalty. Customer satisfaction is able to mediate the relationship between livin mandiri product quality and customer loyalty. Meanwhile, the relationship between Livin Mandiri’s service quality and customer loyalty cannot be mediated by customer satisfaction at Bank Mandiri KCP Tanjung Balai North Sumatera Province.

The Effects of Air Quality on Mental Health, and A Comparative Study of Teenagers Aged 12-18 During January and February in Lampang, Phranakhon Si Ayutthaya, and Bangkok

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Nowadays, populations around the world are suffering from mental health issues, especially depression, and the number is estimated to increase every year. Not only depression issues but also air pollution that is surging. Air pollution has been shown to affect people’s respiratory systems and may even have an impact on mental health, leading to various diseases, for instance depression and Alzheimer’s disease. These disorders tend to occur in people of all age groups and in all countries and regions. Interestingly, each area has different air qualities, which raises concern of its impact on mental health. To investigate this issue, a cross-sectional survey was performed focusing on teenagers aged 12-18 in three different provinces in Thailand to compare the effect of air quality on mental health. This survey used a questionnaire consisting of 34 questions to collect data from 629 individuals participating in this research. The data analysis was performed using the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) program. Our results display the mean score of mental health and air quality as 2.62 and 3.02, respectively, which states that there is an average rate of these 2 variables. Furthermore, the one-way ANOVA test comparing mental health levels in 3 residents shows no significant difference (p-value = 0.225), however, one-way ANOVA comparing the air quality shows a significant difference between the 3 provinces (p-value less than 0.001). We also conducted a t-test to compare the 2 variables between pupils who have underlying medical conditions and pupils who don’t have them. Unfortunately, we found no significant difference for mental health in pupils with and without medical conditions (p-value = 0.75) and for air quality in pupils with and without medical conditions (p-value = 0.52). Nevertheless, the correlation analysis obtained an r-value of 0.30, which indicates that the survey produced a weak positive correlation between mental health and air quality. This type of study is rarely conducted in Thailand, which means there will need to be more studies in this field. Regarding this research, it is apparent that air quality has an effect on mental health, so an open mind of caring for ourselves and others about this issue would be practical.

Understanding Gender Ideology on Attitudes towards Violence against Women in Rural Bangladesh

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Gender ideology in the context of attitudes and views concerning violence against women (VAW) is a crucial global issue, particularly in Bangladesh. This study explores gender ideology toward violence against women in rural Bangladesh. This study followed a mixed-methods research technique, conducting two focus group discussions (FGDs) and interviewing 400 rural people (200 men and 200 women, aged 18 to 50) from eight cluster villages in Paba Upazila of Rajshahi District, Bangladesh. The findings indicate that people were traditional in their attitudes toward women’s empowerment and violence, victim-blaming, men’s power over women, and acceptance of male dominance but liberal in their views on the relationship between hijab/veil and violence against women. This study argues that patriarchal adherence is represented among people’s gender ideology in rural Bangladesh. The findings of this study imply that improving awareness about gender and violence could help to promote liberal thinking among individuals in rural Bangladesh, hence preventing widespread attitudes toward violence against women.

Examining How Semantics Influences Communication in the Classroom

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This study explored how students’ cognition is shaped by their cultural background and the function of semantics in classroom communication. To examine open-ended questions, the researcher employed a qualitative technique called thematic analysis.  Fifty participants from level 4, English Language Unit, Preparatory Studies Centre, the University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Salalah, the Sultanate of Oman involved in the study. Some important conclusions emerged from the analysis. Students first stressed the need for semantics in maintaining comprehension and preventing misconceptions. Second, students’ interpretations of meaning were impacted by their cultural origins, underscoring the importance of culturally sensitive instruction. Third, when it came to understanding semantic ideas, students favored interactive learning techniques like role-plays and conversations. Fourth, teaching semantics was not like teaching other language issues; to close the theory-practice gap, additional real-world examples were needed. Lastly, students thought that adding exercises to enhance semantic awareness would help them communicate more effectively.  These results imply that using participatory, culturally aware teaching strategies might enhance students’ communication and semantic awareness in heterogeneous classrooms.