Minibus taxis in Kampala's paratransit system: Operations, economics and efficiency

Most cities in sub-Saharan Africa rely for their public transport on paratransit in the form of fourteen- to twenty-seater privately owned and mostly old minibus taxis. The system is often seen as disorganized, unregulated and inefficient. To assess the accuracy of this picture, we analyzed the operations and economics of Kampala's minibus taxi system and its efficiency from the passengers' and the drivers' perspectives, using `floating car data'. We found that the picture is largely accurate. Our findings suggest the need for moderate transformation: adequate enforcement of regulations, reorganization of ownership, renewal of fleets, and integration of ICT systems to facilitate scheduling, booking and fare collection. This will help to make the system safer, cleaner and more efficient for Kampalan commuters and more stable, secure and profitable for the minibus taxi drivers and the mini industries that depend on them.

Usage pattern of e-resources among management students in Nagpur, Maharashtra (India)

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the usage pattern of electronic resources (e-resources) among management graduates. The respondents were asked about the types of e-resources they used, who their influencers were, their preferred place for surfing, the frequency of use, purpose for which they used e-resources, its benefits and the problems they faced while using e-resources. The findings of the study will help in enhancing the usage of e-resources among students who opt for management courses. Design/methodology/approach This descriptive research was conducted in Nagpur, Maharashtra (India). Data collected from 150 management students through purposive sampling were analyzed through descriptive statistics, and the responses were presented in tabular form. Findings The investigation reveals that students are well aware of e-resources and consider them to be very useful for their academic performance. Interestingly, students are found to be using non-paid resources more than paid ones because of a lack of search skills. Discipline-wise investigation reveals that students from the disciplines of information technology, economics and finance use e-resources more frequently than those studying subjects like marketing, operations and human resource management. Faculty and training have emerged as strong influencers that have persuaded students to use e-resources. Research limitations/implications The present study is limited to students studying management courses in Nagpur, Maharashtra (India). Originality/value This research will help institutions, librarians and publishers in gaining insight on the utilization patterns of e-resources. The uniqueness of this study lies in the fact that it has analyzed and presented the responses of management students belonging to different disciplines in management studies such as, marketing, finance, human resource management operations, economics and information technology regarding their usage patterns of e-resources.

Impact Assessment of V2G on the Power Loss of Unbalanced Radial Distribution Network

Electric distribution feeders are inherently unbalanced and therefore have potential for severe power loss. The penetration of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) into the distribution feeders is expected to impact the power losses in the system. This is a pressing issue since power loss affects the operations, economics, and quality of service for the electric power systems. In this article, the impact of V2G parking lots on power losses of a radial distribution network is investigated. Two test networks were used in the study, namely: IEEE 13 and IEEE 123 Node test feeder networks. The test feeders and the V2G facilities were modeled in Radial Distribution Analysis Package (RDAP). Load flow results provided information on the power losses of the network. Results show that for a given penetration level, the impact of 3-phase and system-wide V2G integration on the power loss results in less power losses than 1-phase V2G integration. Results also indicate that operating the entire system such that V2G facilities will not compromise “near-balanced” state of operation and will have an improved impact on the power loss than highly unbalanced operation. The results obtained will be a useful tool for studying the impact of V2G on the power loss of a distribution network.

Competences Gap in European Railways Education

This paper addresses the gap between the competences offered by educational institutions and those required by railway firms. The competences gap has long been recognized as contributing to low job satisfaction and productivity. The term refers to the mismatch between the competences required for accomplishing a task and the actual competences of the employee. The research had two purposes: to develop a framework for analysis of the competences gap between firms and educational institutions and to assess the gap between competences required by the European Union railway market and those offered by higher education. The key competences of a railway employee were identified as the following: rolling stock and traction; systems engineering; civil engineering; control systems; operations; economics, business, and regulation; and environment. Railway firms were surveyed to identify the current demand for competences. The curricula of railway courses were reviewed to assess the competences being offered by educational institutions. Comparison of the competences demanded with those being offered indicated the existence of gaps with regard to several competences.