Examining the influence of firm performance on business risk-taking and the mediation effect of scale of operations in the container terminal industry

Container shipping and its related service sectors help accelerate globalization of the world economy. This industry has been experiencing rapid growth, prompting container terminal operators to increase their handling capacity in response. Providing container terminal services requires substantial capital investment in physical assets such as cargo handling facilities and information systems. On the other hand, operating container terminals is a long-term investment that typically spans several business cycles. Hence prudent asset management using appropriate tools is critical for container terminal operators to sustain their businesses. Generally, due to risk-adverseness, investors are unwilling to take more risk in their investment unless they can reap a higher return. Contrary to this argument, this study finds no direct influence of better firm performance as a proxy of higher return on business risk-taking by container terminal operators. Instead, scale of operations is positively associated with business risk-taking, suggesting that container terminal operators with a larger scale of operations are willing to take more business risk.     

A new composite decision support framework for strategic and sustainable transport appraisals

This paper concerns the development of a new decision support framework for the appraisal of transport infrastructure projects. In such appraisals there will often be a need for including both conventional transport impacts as well as criteria of a more strategic and/or sustainable character. The proposed framework is based on the use of cost-benefit analysis featuring feasibility risk assessment in combination with multi-criteria decision analysis and is supported by the concept of decision conferencing. The framework is applied for a transport related case study dealing with the complex decision problem of determining the most attractive alternative for a new fixed link between Denmark and Sweden – the so-called HH-connection. Applying the framework to the case study made it possible to address the decision problem from an economic, a strategic, and a sustainable point of view simultaneously. The outcome of the case study demonstrates the decision making framework as a valuable decision support system (DSS), and it is concluded that appraisals of transport projects can be effectively supported by the use of the DSS. Finally, perspectives of the future modelling work are given.     

Estimating economic and resilience consequences of potential navigation infrastructure failures: A case study of the Monongahela River

The paper examines the potential effects of failure of heavily used, outdated locks and dams on the Monongahela River in southwestern Pennsylvania. Catastrophic failure would result in lengthy outage of barge traffic. The displaced volume of coal shipments from mines to power plants is estimated using Energy Information Administration survey data. The resilience of the impacted facilities, the viability of their shipping alternatives, and their ability to re-organize into new markets is assessed. Lost revenues are estimated for facilities that close due to an inability to adapt, as well as the replacement cost of towboats and barges trapped by a catastrophic and sudden failure. The aggregate costs to these facilities as a result of a year-long closure are estimated at $0.56-1.7 billion.     

铁路电务专业系统绩效考核机制建设的探索与实践

从分析传统考核机制存在的问题入手,探索建立一套以月度专项检查考核、季度综合管理评价考核、半年度管理诊断评价考核、年度安全评估为主线的绩效考核机制;通过与传统的电务绩效考核机制进行对比,阐述新时期电务绩效考核机制建设的主要特点,并对其实施效果和体会进行了分析。     

农村公路资金渠道配置评价的相对标度法

为评判农村公路资金渠道配置的相对合理性,在分析中国农村公路建设和养护资金渠道基础上,提出资金渠道配置评价的相对标度法。利用相对标度计算各资金渠道的重要度(权重),定义一个"标准"地区,确定标志值,估计反映各渠道配置相对合理性的匹配系数并求和,给出中国农村公路建设和养护资金主要渠道的权重参考值。实例计算结果表明:该方法简单、实用,且具有很强的灵活性,可用来优化农村公路资金渠道配置。     

重庆水下立交隧道施工期风险分析

隧道及地下工程建设面临着大而多的风险,尤其是越江隧道的建设更为突出。因此隧道工程项目风险管理也越来越受到工程建设领域的关注。以规划中的重庆两江隧道为依托,采用风险分析方法中常用的专家打分法,对该工程采用钻爆法可能遇到的风险因素实施风险分析与评估,并给出了相应的处置措施。希望能对该工程以及类似工程的实施提供一些参考。     

高速公路项目投资风险量化分析

结合高速公路项目投资的特点和一般规律，运用量化分析方法对高速公路项目风险及其敏感性进行估测。项目投资风险量化分析的方法包括盈亏平衡分析法、敏感性分析法等，研究了高速公路项目量化分析的数据因素和量化分析过程，利用上述方法对案例项目进行了实际分析，并据以判断投资项目的风险大小并做出决策。     

存在车辆干扰的车道线识别

为避免道路上行驶的其它车辆对车道线识别的干扰,提出了一种结合车辆识别的车道线识别方法。融合雷达数据,车辆识别模块首先在图像中识别出车辆占据的区域;对于每一个车道线识别模块挑出的车道线候选点进行判断,去除处于车辆区域的车道线点;如果有效车道线点数目不足,则利用卡尔曼滤波的跟踪结果,确定符合最小风险函数的车道线位置。经过多种工况下的试验验证,该方法能够稳定地对车道线进行识别,准确地提取车道线参数,并且算法对车辆干扰有良好的抵抗能力。     

桥梁风险评估方法与发展研究

桥梁在其生命过程的每时每刻都面临着风险,为了解并正确评价这些风险,该文对目前桥梁风险评价的方法和发展作了简要的总结。首先列举了桥梁发生的灾害事故及桥梁在各个生命阶段可能遇到的各类风险;介绍了目前国内外桥梁风险评价的发展状况;总结了目前对桥梁进行风险评价的方法;最后对桥梁风险评价的发展方向进行了展望。     

含缺陷压力管道安全评定方法研究的现状与发展

含缺陷压力管道安全评定的方法较多,主要有极限载荷控制的塑性失效准则、断裂力学J积分的评定方法、英国R6双判据准则评定方法、美国ASME规范评定方法、参数不确定性缺陷的安全评定方法等.文章对这些方法加以简要的概括和评述,并分析了有些方法之间的区别与联系,同时指出工程化、可靠性和智能化是当前含缺陷压力管道安全评定方法的发展趋向.