While economy or budget hotels have been popular in western countries since the end of the Second World War, they have only emerged as a sector in their own right in China since the mid-1990s. Indeed, as a new service industry sector, economy hotels in China demonstrate important characteristics which can be used to illustrate and help explain China’s current economic progress more generally.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of the economy hotel sector in China. It covers macro-level social-cultural, economic, environmental, geographic and development issues, alongside micro-level consideration of the budget hotel companies’ innovative management and marketing procedures, business expansion strategies, general hotel management and operation issues, as well as an analysis of some leading entrepreneurs in the sector, and in-depth case studies examining the most successful economy hotel companies in China. Huang and Sun argue that the rapid development of budget hotels in China demonstrates how, under the influence of globalisation, Chinese businesses have become more innovative as they apply successful western business models to China. In turn, they show that the China model is fundamentally different in terms of its driving force, which lies purely in its domestic travel market, fuelled by China's continued economic growth. There is therefore much to explore about both China’s market situation and business practices in the economy hotel sector and this book makes an important contribution to our understanding of China’s new business environment.

Based on extensive fieldwork and investigation, Economy Hotels in China will be welcomed by students and scholars of tourism, hospitality, business studies and Chinese studies, but it will also appeal to practitioners of business management in these sectors who are interested in China’s development and business opportunities in China.

This book constitutes the proceedings of the First Asia Pacific Conference on Business Process Management held in Beijing, China, in August 2013.

In all, 19 contributions from seven countries were submitted. Following an extensive review process by an international Program Committee, seven full papers and one short paper were accepted for publication in this book and presentation at the conference. In addition, a keynote by Wil van der Aalst is also included.

Unifying Electrical Engineering and Electronics Engineering is based on the Proceedings of the 2012 International Conference on Electrical and Electronics Engineering (ICEE 2012). This book collects the peer reviewed papers presented at the conference. The aim of the conference is to unify the two areas of Electrical and Electronics Engineering. The book examines trends and techniques in the field as well as theories and applications. The editors have chosen to include the following topics; biotechnology, power engineering, superconductivity circuits, antennas technology, system architectures and telecommunication.

The development of oil and gas fields offshore requires specialized pipeline equipment. The structures must be strong enough to with stand the harshest environments, and ensure that production is not interrupted and remains economically feasible. However, recent events in the Gulf of Mexico have placed a new importance on maintenance and reliability. This new section; Condition Based Maintenance (CBM), introduces the subject of maintenance to Offshore Pipelines: Design, Installation, Commissioning, 2nd Edition.

Two of the main objectives of CBM is maximizing reliability while preventing major or minor equipment malfunction and minimizing maintenance costs. In this new section, the authors deal with the multi-objective condition based maintenance optimization problem. CBM provides two major advantages: (1) an efficient approach for weighting maintenance objectives, and (2) a method for specifying physical methods for achieving those objectives. Maintenance cost and reliability objectives are calculated based on proportional hazards model and a control limit CBM replacement policy.

Written primarily for engineers and management personnel working on offshore and deepwater oil and gas pipelines, this book covers the fundamentals needed to design, Install, and commission pipeline projects. This new section along with a thorough update of the existing chapters represents a 30% increase in information over the previous edition.

• Covers offshore maintenance and maintenance support system
• Provides the fundamentals needed to design, Install, and commission pipeline project
• Methods and tools to deliver cost effective maintenance cost and system reliability

Nonlinear dynamics is still a hot and challenging topic. In this edited book, we focus on fractional dynamics, infinite dimensional dynamics defined by the partial differential equation, network dynamics, fractal dynamics, and their numerical analysis and simulation.Fractional dynamics is a new topic in the research field of nonlinear dynamics which has attracted increasing interest due to its potential applications in the real world, such as modeling memory processes and materials. In this part, basic theory for fractional differential equations and numerical simulations for these equations will be introduced and discussed.In the infinite dimensional dynamics part, we emphasize on numerical calculation and theoretical analysis, including constructing various numerical methods and computing the corresponding limit sets, etc.In the last part, we show interest in network dynamics and fractal dynamics together with numerical simulations as well as their applications.

Toward a Geopolitics of Hope purports a theory of a ‘second world’ which includes China and Russia amongst others, as a possible counter-weight to the first world up till now dominated by the United States of America. The authors argue that capitalism provides the common ideological context where the rivalry between the two ‘worlds’ is taking shape. In this sense, globalization and capitalism are no longer the steadfast allies of democracy as they have often claimed to be. They contend that this rivalry between the first and second world would soon engulf the third world, offering it two developmental options: the neo-liberal first way or the neo-authoritarian second way.

This book constitutes the thoroughly refereed post-conference proceedings of the 6th International ICST Conference on Wireless Internet (WICON 2011) held in Xi’an, Shaanxi, China in October 2011. The 55 revised full papers were carefully selected from numerous submissions and focus on research in telecommunication and networking and development in information and communication technologies. The papers are presented in 10 technical sessions and cover topics as video streaming over OFDMA downlink systems, cognitive radio networks, distributed antenna systems, joint source channel coding, multiuser MIMO systems, signal detection, frequency synchronization in 3GPP LTE systems, visual cognitive radio, wireless relay networks, and network flow identifying methods.

The Family in Flux in Southeast Asia addresses the need to understand new trends affecting basic family structures in the region: decreases in fertility rates, aging populations, rising divorce rates, increases in female-headed households, smaller families, and increasing mobility of migrant workers. Leading scholars from disciplines including history, political science, economics, sociology, literary studies, and anthropology address topics including legal institutionalization, polygamy, national identity, gender roles, migration, and transnational marriage. They present cases of complementary, alternative, or parallel developments form Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The authors provide a critical look at how notions of the family are negotiated amidst worries over the family's disintegration in the face of globalizing trends and increasing mobility, and how it is affected by increasing flows in the globalizing world.

Yoko Hayami and Junko Koizumi are professors at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University. Chalidaporn Songsamphan is associate professor of political science and Ratana Tosakul is a senior lecturer of anthropology, both at Thommasat University, Bangkok.

Written from the physicist's perspective, this book introduces computational neuroscience with in-depth contributions by system neuroscientists. The authors set forth a conceptual model for complex networks of neurons that incorporates important features of the brain. The computational implementation on supercomputers, discussed in detail, enables you to adapt the algorithm for your own research. Worked-out examples of applications are provided.

Information Systems Development (ISD) progresses rapidly, continually creating new challenges for the professionals involved. New concepts, approaches and techniques of systems development emerge constantly in this field. Progress in ISD comes from research as well as from practice. This conference will discuss issues pertaining to information systems development (ISD) in the inter-networked digital economy. Participants will include researchers, both experienced and novice, from industry and academia, as well as students and practitioners. Themes will include methods and approaches for ISD; ISD education; philosophical, ethical, and sociological aspects of ISD; as well as specialized tracks such as: distributed software development, ISD and knowledge management, ISD and electronic business / electronic government, ISD in public sector organizations, IOS.

The fully comprehensive text covers most of the theoretical foundations and mathematical derivations that will be used in higher-level related subjects such as signal processing, communication, and control, minimizing the mathematical difficulty and computational burden.Complying actively with the requirement by ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology) on integrating computer tools, it illustrates the usage of MATLAB and Simulink for signal and system analysis and design.The ideas are developed gradually with continual reference to the practical situations where they would be applicable. Many worked examples have been included in order to help develop the idea and to illustrate the material as it is presented. Throughout the book continuous-time and discrete-time signals/systems have been developed in parallel to save the time/space for explaining the two similar ones as far as there is no concern over confusion. This has the advantage of being able to contrast and compare the two ones so that ideas, insights, and intuition acquired in one can help understanding the other one and the differences between them are exploited to sharpen an understanding of the distinctive properties of each. That approach is also expected to make the readers become exposed to and interested in the relationship between continuous-time and discrete-time signals/systems above understanding each one of them individually.

The story of Olmsted who designed some of North America's most famous public spaces

When the great cities of North America were being built, little thought was given to the idea of creating “green spaces.” But these oases from the dirt, gravel, and noise of the crowded city streets were exactly what were needed. One of the few people to recognize this fact was Frederick Law Olmsted, North America's first landscape architect.

Combining his love of nature with his admiration for the structured beauty found in the great public parks of London and Paris, Olmsted turned neglected, swampy acres on the edge of New York City into one of the most acclaimed parks in the world: Central Park. But Olmsted's success was not earned overnight. He spent many years wandering from job to job, searching for the perfect career. And when he finally discovered his passion, few people were confident in his abilities. But Olmsted fought for the preservation of areas like Yosemite in the USA, and his perseverance would be rewarded: he went on to design some of the most famous public spaces in North America.

Stricter regulations in many countries are increasing interest in sludge management processes which promote sustainability. Engineers and scientists are looking for viable options for resource management through the creation of value added-products from wastewater sludge.
The ASCE's Technical Committee on Hazardous, Toxic, and Radioactive Waste Management identified the need to collect and present the latest information on recent trends in the bioconversion of sludge to value-added products like biopesticides, biosurfactants, enzymes, bioplastics, and biofertilizers/bioflocculants. The committee envisioned an easy-to-read book to serve as a reference for practicing professionals and as a textbook in undergraduate or graduate courses. Sustainable Sludge Management: Production of Value-Added Products offers an examination of wastewater sludge characteristics; a road to sustainability by converting sludge into value-added products; and detailed information on the various types of value-added products being created from sludge.
This book will be valuable to undergraduate and graduate students in environmental engineering, educators, researchers, practicing engineers and scientists.

Zhang (computer science, Hong Kong Polytechnic U.), Song (applied mathematics, New Star Research Institute of Applied Technology), Xu (pattern recognition and intelligence systems, Harbin Institute of Technology) and Liang (automation, Shanghai Jiao Tong U.) have written this textbook on the use of biometric technologies for security, identification and forensics, noting how these techniques are highly reliable and becoming more widely used. Written for advanced students and researchers in the fields of computer science and information technology, this volume covers both biometric data discrimination and multi- biometrics. Tensor-based biometric data discrimination technologies are also discussed in depth. Medical Information Science Reference is an imprint of IGI Global. Annotation ©2009 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

In ancient times, the Chinese saw the dragon as both a protector and a threat, able to bring on rain or cause droughts. To honor this powerful creature, people created long narrow boats that they raced in an annual rainmaking festival.

From the wearing of fragrant pouches, to the consumption of rice dumplings, to thrilling boat races, the dragon boat festival of today is a celebration of Chinese traditions all over the world.

Arlene Chan, a respected librarian and an experienced dragon boat racer, explores the origins of the festival, it's customs, and the races themselves. Beautifully detailed illustrations by Song Nan Zhang let you experience the beauty and energy of this ancient festival.


From the Hardcover edition.

Through the ages, the dragon has been an important symbol for the Chinese. A time of Golden Dragons is the most auspicious possible. In fascinating text and beautiful paintings, Song Nan and Hao Yu Zhang trace the dragon's history. Perhaps inspired by giant crocodiles, the image of the dragon affects every aspect of life in China, including the marking of dragon years, the flying of dragon kites, and the eating of dragon cakes at dragon boat races.

A splendid introduction to the richness of Chinese culture, this is a book to cherish this special year and for years to come.


From the Hardcover edition.

With films such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), The Motorcycle Diaries (2004), Oldboy (2003) and Good Bye Lenin! (2003), the state and popularity of world cinema has rarely been healthier. Remapping World Cinema explores many of the key critical and theoretical approaches and debates, including race, stardom, post-colonialism as well as national cinemas' relationship with Hollywood. Covering a broad scope, the book examines the cinemas of Africa, East Asia, India, Latin, Central and South America as well as the various territories of Europe.

When Emma sets out to make a cookie family with her Grandma, the happy afternoon suddenly turns sad. The cookies are meant to look like her family, but hers is the only one with licorice hair and eyes. She doesn't look like the others; does that mean she doesn't belong?

In gentle text, Deborah Hodge tells the story of one small girl's adoption: the hopes and prayers of her Canadian parents, their trip to the other side of the world, their meeting with the new baby, and the very long ride home to the new family waiting for Emma

Thousands of baby girls from China have been adopted by North American families. Although this lovely book tells the story of one such little girl, it is about much more than the logistics of adoption. It is about the many ways in which we can come together to form a family.

Since September 11, 2001, we are intensely aware of the need for political wisdom. Can Scripture help us in this respect? Yes, but not simplistically. In an exhilarating dialogue with Oliver O'Donovan, a team of international scholars look in detail in this book at biblical interpretation as we make the journey from what God said to Abraham, as it were, to how to respond to the political challenges of today. Such exploration is essential if the church is to become 'a royal priesthood' today.Craig BartholomewContributors include:Oliver O'Donovan (respondent to 14 chapters)Gilbert MeilaenderChristopher RowlandBernd WannenwetschN. T. WrightA Royal Priesthood? is the third volume from the Scripture and Hermeneutics Seminar. This annual gathering of Christian scholars from various disciplines was established in 1998 and aims to reassess the discipline of biblical studies from the foundations up and forge creative new ways for reopening the Bible in our cultures.Any attempt to open the Book in new and fresh ways for our cultures at the start of the third millennium must explore how to read the Bible ethically and politically. This volume looks at the obstacles to such a process and in dialogue with Oliver O'Donovan's creative work in this regard, looks in detail at how to read different parts of the Bible for ethics and politics. A unique element of the book is Oliver O'Donovan's 14 responses to individual chapters.Volume 1, Renewing Biblical Interpretation and Volume 2, After Pentecost, are also published by Paternoster Press and Zondervan.

Before coming to Canada, while he was still an art teacher in Beijing, Song Nan Zhang traveled from Inner Mongolia east, south, and north to find and paint unusual scenes of Chinese family life.

Here are the children who grow up in the saddle with their nomadic parents or become as agile as the mountain goats they tend. A boy plays chess on the ground with his shepherd grandfather. A teenager tends her father's pottery shop. At festivals a child plays hide-and-seek, behind yellow parasols, and stilt dancers wait to compete.

Before coming to Canada, while he was still an art teacher in Beijing, Song Nan Zhang traveled from Inner Mongolia east, south, and north to find and paint unusual scenes of Chinese family life.

Here are the children who grow up in the saddle with their nomadic parents or become as agile as the mountain goats they tend. A boy plays chess on the ground with his shepherd grandfather. A teenager tends her father's pottery shop. At festivals a child plays hide-and-seek, behind yellow parasols, and stilt dancers wait to compete.