In this chapter a particular image processing problem existing in quality assurance for steel industry is addressed. Since the quality standards in steel industry are ever increasing, even steel industry starts to use machine vision systems to monitor their product quality. In case of steel coils a particular figure of merit in quality is the roundness (ellipticity) or lack thereof of the coil....

This paper considers non-economic factors involved in the occurrence and sustainability of collusion. Group development among executives of incumbent firms created during the evolution of an industry can stimulate collusion, even in the uncertain introduction stage of a new industry. Certain social conditions and social characteristics of executives related to the industry characteristics of en...

This paper examines how an industry’s productivity is changed by inward FDI occurring in affiliated downstream industries those buying from the focal industry. While controlling for FDI into the focal industry, I find that FDI in downstream industries has a significant negative influence on U.S. manufacturing industries in 1987-1991. Downstream FDI reduces productivity by lowering the demand fo...

This article develops a real options model to study the interaction of industry structure and takeovers. In an asymmetric industry equilibrium, firms have an endogenous incentive to merge when restructuring decisions are motivated by operating and strategic benefits. The model predicts that (i) merger activities are more likely in more concentrated industries or in industries that are more expo...

background: noise is one of the most important hazardous physical factors in industrial environments. this study aimed to determine the effects of noise exposure on serum cortisol level and some blood parameters among male workers of a steel production company. methods: this cross-sectional study was conducted on 50 male workers in a steel production company. in order to assess the changes in b...

furnace division is one of the most polluted divisions ever known in the steel industry associated with several environmental pollutions. this study attempted to choose optimally, a pollution control system for dust emission from steel furnaces with the green and environmentally friendly approach. three electric smelting furnaces with 3, 6 and 12-ton output capacity were selected. the level of ...

This paper identifies a flaw in the infant industry argument that previous literature has ignored. A simple model first replicates the infant industry logic but subsequently shows that, in the presence of a ‘traditional technology’ with poor growth potential, the infant-industry logic is likely to fail. Under protectionism domestic producers substitute advanced technologies with the low-growth ...

According to the “smooth adjustment hypothesis”, the labour-market adjustment costs entailed by trade liberalisation are lower if trade expansion is intra-industry rather than interindustry in nature. In this paper, we study the link between trade and labour market changes in UK manufacturing industries during the 1980s. We use industry-level measures of unemployment duration and wage variabili...

The Patentatlas by Greif and Schmiedl (2002) represents an important source for patent data in Germany. Its use for industry-specific studies is however problematic because the correct assignment of patent data classified by technological fields to commonly used industry classifications is unclear. This paper presents an application-oriented approach to this issue. In using industryspecific R&D...

Informality as a Stepping Stone: Entrepreneurial Entry in a Developing Economy We model decisions with respect to formality or informality for entrepreneurs in a new industry for a developing economy. We show that informality allows a leader to explore, without significant sunk costs, the potential profitability of the industry; that is, informality may be a stepping stone, enabling an entrepre...