The ambitious objectives of future road mobility, i.e. fuel efficiency, reduced emissions, and zero accidents, imply a paradigm shift in the concept of the car regarding its architecture, materials, and propulsion technology, and require an intelligent integration into the systems of transportation and power. ICT, components and smart systems have been essential for a multitude of recent innovations, and are expected to be key enabling technologies for the changes ahead, both inside the vehicle and at its interfaces for the exchange of data and power with the outside world. It has been the objective of the International Forum on Advanced Microsystems for Automotive Applications (AMAA) for almost two decades to detect novel trends and to discuss technological implications and innovation potential from day one on. In 2012, the topic of the AMAA conference is “Smart Systems for Safe, Sustainable and Networked Vehicles”. The conference papers selected for this book address current research, developments and innovations in the field of ICT, components and systems and other key enabling technologies leading to the automobile and road transport of the future. The book focuses on application fields such as electrification, power train and vehicle efficiency, safety and driver assistance, networked vehicles, as well as components and systems. Additional information is available at www.amaa.de

For a growing number of countries in Africa the discovery and exploitation of natural resources is a great opportunity, but one accompanied by considerable risks. This book presents research on how to better manage the revenues and opportunities associated with natural resources.

China's rapid rise is doubtless the most significant economic and geopolitical event in the 21st century. What has led to its rise? What does it mean for the rest of the world? When will China overtake the US? Will the conflict between the two superpowers derail its further rise? Can China's development experience be emulated by other countries? These are some of the important questions addressed in this jargon-free, yet rigorous book. It debunks many popular explanations of China's rapid economic growth ranging from abundance of cheap labor, export promotion, demographic dividend, strong government, to mercantilist policies and IP theft. Taking a global comparative approach, this book demonstrates convincingly that the true differentiating factor making China grow faster than other developing countries over the past four decades is the Confucian culture of savings and education. This cultural perspective yields powerful new insights into many questions regarding China's rise.

This book compares the experiences of the Philippines and Vietnam to gain insight into how openness to trade and financing can increase prosperity. In contrast, theoretical and empirical work in the 20th and early 21st centuries have returned mixed results regarding this assertion. The book also demonstrates the impracticality of any attempt to pursue prosperity in isolation. Chapter 1 discusses recent data and research on international trade and capital mobility. Chapter 2 describes the economy of Vietnam that has grown rapidly since beginning to open in 1994. Chapter 3 relates the stagnation of the Philippines as it remained closed from 1960 to 1994 and examines the recent rapid growth in spite of the continued relative restrictiveness of Philippine policy. Chapter 4 compares the two experiences and then conjectures about the feasibility of a prosperous autarky.

This comprehensive text aims to give readers an overall idea of the structural changes in Indian Economy in the Post-Independence era with greater focus on the period since reforms of the 1990s. Besides giving an overview of the broad trends of the economy, an attempt has been made to define various important concepts that may be useful for any average student learning the subject. Comprehensive coverage of contemporary issues such as sectoral reforms, various welfare schemes of the government, employment generation schemes, etc. are dealt with in great detail and the book is up-to-date with latest data from Economic Survey 2020–21. Primarily designed for General Studies paper of the Civil Services Examination (IAS and PCS) and the optional paper on Economics in the main examination, the book will be handy for other competitive examinations. Undergraduate and postgraduate students of commerce, economics and management will also immensely benefit by reading the book. KEY FEATURES • Up-to-date with latest data from Economic Survey 2020–21 • Short-answer and long-answer questions based on exam pattern are the highlight of the book • Previous years' examination questions• Important issues/developments highlighted TARGET AUDIENCE • Civil Services and other competitive Examinations aspirants • Undergraduate/Postgraduate students of Economics/Commerce/ Management

"Socialism is the concentration of the most progressive ideas and achievements of humankind. It is not a preconceived scheme and most definitely not egalitarianism, but emerges from the multifaceted life and struggle of the masses. It is the next necessary social step forward, in which the revolutionary progress of the productive forces is used for the benefit of society as a whole in unity with nature."

International Symposium on Engineering under Uncertainty: Safety Assessment and Management (ISEUSAM - 2012) is organized by Bengal Engineering and Science University, India during the first week of January 2012 at Kolkata. The primary aim of ISEUSAM 2012 is to provide a platform to facilitate the discussion for a better understanding and management of uncertainty and risk, encompassing various aspects of safety and reliability of engineering systems. The conference received an overwhelming response from national as well as international scholars, experts and delegates from different parts of the world. Papers received from authors of several countries including Australia, Canada, China, Germany, Italy, UAE, UK and USA, besides India. More than two hundred authors have shown their interest in the symposium. The Proceedings presents ninety two high quality papers which address issues of uncertainty encompassing various fields of engineering, i.e. uncertainty analysis and modelling, structural reliability, geotechnical engineering, vibration control, earthquake engineering, environmental engineering, stochastic dynamics, transportation system, system identification and damage assessment, and infrastructure engineering.