Month: June 2013

Funda YIRMIBESOGLU

Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Architecture

funday@itu.edu.tr

Nilgun ERGUN

Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Architecture

ergunn@itu.edu.tr

Abstract

Beyoglu, which is one of two most important historical centers in the 17 million Istanbul, and where a gentrification process is being implemented since the 1980’s. This research is based on the differences in physical, demographical and economical characteristics of Istanbul’s districts, which show a rise in ratios of crime, especially in the city center such as the Beyoglu and Eminonu districts. In the Beyoglu central district which is economically better developed and with mixed land usage, differentiation in day/night population will be analyzed in order to determine how this could affect increase in crime.

The crime survey is conducted in the Beyoglu district between 2006 and 2008. The questionnaire results provide an insight into the mapping of crime in Beyoglu streets. The purpose of the study with this questionnaire is also to analyze fear from crime in the Beyoglu streets. At the end of the research, crime prevention strategies are going to be improved and new suggestions will be presented for the streets where crime rates are high.
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Dr. Hiroshi SAKAMOTO

Research Associate Professor, The International Centre for the Study of East Asian Development (ICSEAD)

e-mail: sakamoto@icsead.or.jp

Abstract:

This study develops a simple forecasting model using Japanese prefectural data. The Markov chain, known as a stochastic model, corresponds to a first-order vector auto-regressive (VAR) model. If the transition probability matrix can be appropriately estimated, a forecasting model using the Markov chain can be constructed. This study introduces a methodology for estimating the transition probability matrix of the Markov chain using least-squares optimization. The model is used first to analyze economy-wide changes encompassing all Japanese prefectures up to 2020. Second, a shock emanating from one prefecture is inserted into the transition probability matrix to investigate its influence on the other prefectures. Finally, a Monte Carlo experiment is conducted to refine the model’s predicted outcomes. Although this study’s model is simple, we provide more sophisticated forecasting information for prefectural economies in Japan through the complicated extension.

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Rashid Nikzad

Industry Canada

50 Victoria st., Gatineau, QC, Canada

Rashid.Nikzad@ic.gc.ca and Rashid.Nikzad@uottawa.ca

Abstract

This paper discusses the role of government and government labs in the innovation system by looking at the content and context in which this role changed in industrialized countries in the past 40 years. The paper concludes that even though we observe a decreasing trend in the share of government performed R&D in all industrial countries, there is still a substantial role for government labs to play. Also, better measurement mechanisms should be designed to evaluate the effectiveness of science and technology (S&T) in government and higher education as main public S&T institutions.

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