The problem of designing an interface between the continuous-state and the discrete-state domains of intelligent control architectures is addressed in this paper, focusing on the case of a hierarchical navigation, guidance and control architecture for unmanned underwater vehicles. The proposed interface represents the underlying continuous-state execution level as a discrete event system using ...

The article analyzes network effects on the German GSM mobile telephony market. The authors use an ACE-approach to examine how a new competitor can successfully gain ground in the market with a discount-pricing strategy. In particular they study the impact of several elements of a mobile phone contract like on-net-, landlineor off-net-fees on the competitor’s market share. It turns out that it ...

The net effects of switching from consumption taxation to inflation taxation on resource allocation and welfare crucially depend on production externalities. With elastic labor supply, raising inflation taxation decreases leisure, but increases the levels of real consumption, capital, and output. Moreover, this tax switch has two opposing effects on the level of real money balances: A positive ...

The conditions of heat source and heat sink in a geothermal ORC system may frequently vary due to variations in geological conditions, ambient temperature and actual operation. In this study, an off-design performance prediction model for geothermal ORC systems is developed according to special designs of critical components, and an optimal control strategy which regards the turbine guide vane ...

Purpose: This paper addresses whether and how the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002(SOX) affects shareholder wealth (firm value) by focusing on the trade-off between improved corporate governance leading to a lower cost of capital and increased managerial compliance costs of regulations. Design/Methodology: We use an analytical model of solving the management utility maximization function and the cha...

Background: Cell and gene therapies have the potential to provide therapeutic breakthroughs, but the high costs of researching, developing, manufacturing and delivering them translate into prices that may challenge healthcare budgets. Various measures exist that aim to address the affordability challenge, including reducing price, limiting patient numbers and/or linking remuneration to product ...

Net-Controller is a user-friendly network visualization and management tool developed at EPFL in order to easily retrieve and display in real time network statistics, such as link throughput and queue occupancy from a large testbed composed of wireless routers. Additionally, Net-Controller allows to control and modify the parameters of a complete network from a central point, and to easily gene...