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The progressive aging of the population is suggesting that public pension plans should be increasingly supplemented by private savings schemes. Accordingly, this supposes the appearance of a wide range of innovative savings products to meet the varying needs of savers and financial institutions. In practice, most contracted savings operations are nonrandom, that is to say, all amounts involved in the transaction are sure as well as their respective maturities. Consequently, the purpose of this paper is to propose a savings operation which includes the randomness derived from the contingencies which suppose the eventual but unpredictable death of the saver and a person designated by him to receive the final agreed amount.

The methodology used in this paper is financial mathematics where the risk has been introduced as an element which defines the main characteristics of this novel saving operation.

The proposed model extends the range of savings products by describing an actual innovation with new practical applications with respect to the traditional models of saving. In this paper, the authors have proposed a new type of saving based on the contingency derived from the life expectancy of the saver, by raising an operation in which the commencement and conclusion of the savings period are random. These savings operations represent, undoubtedly, a novelty from a financial point of view.

The main added value of this paper is that these contingencies affect the periodic deposits in each period from the first to the last maturities of installments. Moreover, the different parameters of such random transactions are defined.

The purpose of this paper is to quantify the possible interactions among the three European objectives in the horizon of 2020: the reduction of 20 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG); the saving of 20 per cent of the European energy consumption; and a share of 20 per cent of renewable energies in the overall energy consumption. Particular focus is, however, placed on the influence of the CO₂ emission reduction targets and on their consequences on the carbon price in 2020.

In order to explore the interactions among the three European objectives and their induced effects, a number of scenarios are tested within a combination of two modeling tools: the POLES world energy model and ASPEN, an auxiliary model dedicated to the analysis of quota trading systems. With reasonable assumptions for the burden sharing among the member states, the energy efficiency objectives and the renewable energy targets are achieved using national quota systems in each European country (white and green certificate systems and their implicit prices), while the CO₂ emission reduction is carried out within the European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in line with the objective of 20 per cent emission reduction.

The paper shows, in particular, that the two quota policies (white certificates and green certificates) decrease significantly the European marginal emission reduction cost and consequently, the compliance costs for ETS participants. The high‐renewable target compliance cost could be reduced significantly if carbon price signal and energy saving policies are in place. The paper also shows that the sole carbon price signal has a limited influence for stimulating renewable energies and energy savings and thus concludes on the need for specific policies targeting these two areas.

This paper is a first attempt to comprehensively deal with the economic fundamentals of the 3D regulatory system proposed by the Commission for Energy and Climate and is of value in proposing a comprehensive approach of the economics of the “20/20/20” European policy.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature of students' library‐research difficulties, especially difficulties rooted in technology, to describe how the BiblioBouts information literacy game helps students overcome these difficulties, and to discuss how BiblioBouts has evolved in order to reduce students' difficulties with the technology of the library‐research process.

Data collection was multi‐modal involving quantitative instruments such as questionnaires and logs of students' game‐play activity and qualitative involving game diaries that students voluntarily completed after time they played the game, focus group interviews with students who played and did not play the game, and personal interviews with instructors before and after their students played the game.

The technology underlying the library research process is difficult to use. BiblioBouts helps students overcome their difficulties. BiblioBouts continues to evolve to enable students to reduce their difficulties with this technology.

Playing BiblioBouts gives students exposure to searching library databases but game play per se does not focus on searching.

Students benefit from playing BiblioBouts. They gain first‐hand experience and practice with library‐research technologies such as the library portal for database selection, library databases for quality information, and Zotero for citation management. They are exposed to more sources than they would have found on their own and a logical, methodical process for evaluating the sources they find.

Online social gaming has been enlisted to transform library research from a solitary activity into a collaborative activity where students document their research activities and share in the research trail that individual game players leave behind.

The research underlines gaming's effectiveness for teaching incoming undergraduate students information literacy skills and concepts.

This paper explores how conflicting institutional logics shape the behaviors of macro- and micro-level actors in their use of a calculative practice. Thereby, this paper explains how quantification can undermine the intended purpose of a governance system based on a single number.

The study draws upon the literature on calculative practices and institutional logics to present the case of how a single number—specifically the conversion factor for Atlantic Cod, established by macro-level actors for the purposes of governance within the Norwegian fishing industry—is interpreted and used by micro-level actors in the industry. The study is based on documents, field observations and interviews with fishers, landing facilities, and control authorities.

The use of the conversion factor, while intended to protect fish stock and govern industry actions, does not always align with the institutional logics of micro-level actors. Especially during the winter season, these actors may seek to serve their interests, leading to potential system gaming. The reliance on a single number that overlooks seasonal nuances can motivate unintended behaviors, undermining the governance system’s intentions.

Integrating the literature on calculative practices with an institutional logics perspective, this study offers novel insights into the challenges of using quantification for the governance of complex industries. In particular, the paper reveals that when the logics of macro- and micro-level actors conflict in a single-number governance system, unintended outcomes arise due to a domination of the macro-level logics.

We consider a domestic monopolist who is protected by an import quota on the product he produces. He faces a domestic demand curve which is characterized by a constant price elasticity. He is unable to export and has an upward sloping marginal cost curve. We demonstrate that in this case his employment of labor rises with the import quota until imports rise to a fraction lie of domestic output where e is the elasticity of domestic demand. Thus, the employment maximizing quota sets permissible imports at a fraction of domestic output which is at least as high as the reciprocal of the elasticity of demand. We also make a case for liberalizing all the way right away, "cold turkey liberalization. "

In its economic transformation and microeconomic reform, China is using two‐tiered price systems. These combine an administrative and a free market element and can achieve Paretian optimality in supplies of products relative to resources allocated to enterprises. But complete allocative efficiency is not achieved because of poor resource allocation. The attainment of economic efficiency is particularly hampered by the absence of adequate capital markets. Furthermore the two‐tiered price system may distort the relative availability of capital to industries and thereby distort their comparative growth, and add to inflationary pressures. But the system has economic advantages in relation to monopolies.

The value of the DeLone & McLean model for planning actions before IS design and implementation can guarantee its success.The value of the DeLone & McLean model for IS auditing in critical dimensions of project success, including both hard and soft elements.Information and information systems are essential organizational resources that must be viewed in an interconnected way with the rest of the organization's resources and capabilities that systemically guarantee the achievement of the export objectives.The role of management commitment in the success of voluntary Information Systems.

The case deals with Luis's decision to continue a Competitive Information System project. For his PhD research project, Luis designed and implemented an information system to support the export goals of the business school for which he worked. Three months later, the System obtained positive feedback and user satisfaction but deficient System usage levels. Luis does not know whether to continue with the project or not. If he decides to continue, further steps are needed to increase the System's use for contributing to the export goals.

The case is suitable for use with MBA students and executive education short courses.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 5: International Business.

This study aims to investigate whether female directors have an effect on company financial performance in a patriarchal emerging country that has a collectivistic culture with a substantial gender equality gap and is characterized with a paternalistic management culture. In addition, it aims to investigate whether the affiliations of female directors matter performance-wise in a setting where the majority of the companies are ultimately controlled by large business groups including families.

The current study uses a unique hand-collected data set that covers all non-financial public companies quoted at the Borsa Istanbul between the years 2009 and 2017. To investigate the relationships between the presence and ratio of female directors and company financial performance, the current study uses the pooled ordinary least squares method, as well as the firm-fixed effects method to overcome potential omitted variables problems and various generalized method of moments methods to overcome potential reverse causality problems.

The findings of the current study demonstrate that the presence and percentage of female directors both have a positive effect on company financial performance in a cultural setting where the opposite might be expected. They also present evidence suggesting that the effect becomes larger as the level of the independence of female directors becomes greater.

The current study demonstrates that the presence of female directors on boards has a positive effect on company financial performance, even in a cultural setting that is very different from those of countries where the majority of previous studies on female directors are conducted on. In addition, it demonstrates how company financial performance varies with the level of the affiliation of female directors.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze emission trading applications in the European Union (EU) and to benefit from its experiences; also to discuss different types of energy financing mechanisms for Turkey, an emerging market which faces a fast growth of energy demand.

The Kyoto Protocol and its market‐based flexible mechanisms to reduce emissions worldwide are explained. The logic and development phases of an emission trading scheme (ETS) started in 2005 in the EU are given in response to this protocol's targets. With lessons learned from the ETS, the position of Turkey in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and its strategy to find solutions for a low carbon economy are underlined, as it can be assumed to be a reference point for other emerging markets.

This ETS became the main vehicle for EU member states to enforce themselves, to be in line with their Kyoto's emission reduction targets via some mechanisms and it has the potential to be leader in the formation of a global emission trading program. It made possible the transfer of technology and experience to emerging countries. Turkey should be aware and well prepared, for the post‐Kyoto period, to benefit from similar mechanisms to finance its energy investments.

The paper is a useful source of information for ETS.

This paper gives information on emission reduction mechanisms used worldwide by countries which aim to be a low carbon economy.

This paper fulfils a resource need for the structure of ETS and the position of Turkey as an emerging market with Kyoto's Protocol.

There is a misconception that Hajj and Umarah is just a worship matter and the consequences of suspending these religious gathering due to the pandemic is only limited to delay of going Saudi Arabia to perform it. However, the purpose of this paper is to focus on the impact of the pandemic in Hajj and Umrah by exploring its impact on different stakeholders affecting its disruption due to the pandemic.

This is a library-based study that uses qualitative method to explore the impact of COVID-19 on Hajj and Umrah. Thus, provisions of Quran and hadith on Hajj and Umrah were examined as primary data for the research to establish the importance of the rituals in Islam. Guidelines set by Hajj regulators and instruments enabling them in that behalf were examined likewise. In addition, content analyses were made of relevant secondary data from published sources including articles, books, newspapers and web resources that embody scholarly, scientific and religious views on the issue being studied.

It is realised that in the first year of the pandemic, while Umrah is entirely suspended, Hajj was scaled back and performed by 10,000 people altogether, a tiny segment of the over two and half million that partook in the ritual previously. Hajj and Umrah have been greatly inhibited and jeopardised by the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in religious, social, economic, psychological effects on the eligible but affected Muslims and Muslims countries. Along these lines, recommendations were accordingly proffered on the way forward to better Hajj and Umrah management.

It is anticipated that the findings of the research would assist policy makers to comprehend the impact of the pandemic on Hajj and Umrah to ensure that the policies they make in this regard would adequately cover every aspect affecting the stakeholders which is deliberated in this research. It is also expected that the recommendations provided in this paper will assist stakeholders of Hajj and Umrah to grasp the importance of taking precautions for any crisis similar to COVID-19 when it happens.