In the past decades asset intensive companies have witnessed a number of regulatory changes and especially industry is facing ever increasing competitiveness. To overcome these challenges different asset management methods have been developed aimed to improve the asset life cycle. Especially the design phase and operation and maintenance phase have seen a rise in tools and methods. Smarter design can lead to improved operation. Likewise, improved operation and maintenance leads to lower replacement costs and may provide the basis for better design. This book brings together and coherently presents the current state of the art in asset management research and practice in Europe from a life cycle perspective. Each chapter focuses on specific parts of this life cycle and explains how the methods and techniques described are connected and how they improve the asset life cycle, thus treating this important subject from a unique perspective.

In order to create value, companies must allocate their resources effectively and evaluate investment alternatives. This book examines, from a theoretical and empirical point of view, how managerial flexibility can be integrated into investment decisions through the optional approach. Unlike the traditional net present value method, the actual options take into account indeterminate elements. These lead to unpredictable cash flows at the time of the investment decision, especially in the context of complex and risky projects. The book puts into perspective the use of optional models and their interactions. The different categories of options are the subject of practical applications, through analysis of investment decisions where uncertainty is growing. Therefore, studies make it possible to consider the flexible nature of investment choices by integrating new information and risk over time.

This book highlights the key role of green infrastructure (GI) in providing natural and ecosystem solutions, helping alleviate many of the environmental, social, and economic problems caused by rapid urbanization. The book gathers the emerging technologies and applications in various disciplines involving geotechnics, civil engineering, and structures, which are presented in numerous high-quality papers by worldwide researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and entrepreneurs at the 6th CIGOS event, 2021. Moreover, by sharing knowledge and experiences around emerging GI technologies and policy issues, the book aims at encouraging adoption of GI technologies as well as building capacity for implementing GI practices at all scales. This book is useful for researchers and professionals in designing, building, and managing sustainable buildings and infrastructure.

New Orleans attorney Jonathan Brooks is desperate to rebuild his law firm after Hurricane Katrina. Short on clients, he takes the only work he can find: a murky business deal in Ukraine. But after he lands in Kyiv, his client’s executive vanishes. Suspecting foul play, Jonathan enlists the help of a U.S. diplomat. But the next day they are brutally ambushed. Injured and racing against the clock, Jonathan embarks on a frantic search for clues through the back alleys of Kyiv to an abandoned town near Chernobyl. Meanwhile, Jonathan’s ex-wife Linda, a journalist, lands in North Korea to report on historic nuclear disarmament talks. She begins probing local officials, not realizing that she and Jonathan are both on a collision course with a deadly web of hackers, spies and assassins. To uncover the truth and save them both, Jonathan may have only one option: to go to Pyongyang with as much leverage as possible and try to make it out alive. Praise for THE PYONGYANG OPTION: “A.C. Frieden writes settings better than any thriller writer I know. From North Korea to Chernobyl to the Ukraine and post-Katrina New Orleans, Frieden’s ability to add the most telling details to a scene cast a spell that kept me glued to the page. Set in the recent past, The Pyongyang Option is not just a compelling espionage thriller, but one that neatly foreshadows the shifting, murky alliances intelligence officers are grappling with today. Don’t miss it.” —Libby Fischer Hellmann, author of the Jump Cut and War, Spies & Bobby Sox espionage thrillers “Jonathan Brooks returns in a masterfully-crafted, action-packed thriller that plunges readers into the intriguing depths of international espionage and a secretive regime.” —Francis Gary Powers, Jr., Founder and Chairman Emeritus, The Cold War Museum and author of Spy Pilot: Francis Gary Powers, the U-2 Incident, and a Controversial Cold War Legacy “Jonathan Brooks is the kind of character you’d follow anywhere. And A.C. Frieden serves up another delicious tangle of multi-layered suspense, international intrigue, regional flair, and heart-pounding action. A top-notch thriller.” —Lisa Towles, award-winning author of Choke and other books

This book contains the proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Financial Innovation, FinTech and Information Technology (FFIT 2023) held in Chongqing, China from July 7th to 9th, 2023. FFIT 2023 focuses on Economic statistics under big data, Financial risk control, Economic Modeling and Software Engineering, Accounting and Financial Information Systems, Innovative Supply Chain Financial Services and other fields. The aim of the conference is to provide a platform for experts, scholars, engineers, technicians and technical R&D personnel to share scientific research achievements and cutting-edge technologies, understand academic development trends, expand research ideas, strengthen academic research and discussion, and promote the industrialization cooperation of academic achievements. We hope that this conference will continue to be held in the coming years, making it an ideal platform for people to share views and experiences in financial innovation and economic development and related areas. We would also like to thank the invited speakers for their valuable contributions and for sharing their perspectives during their speeches.

A comprehensive guide to the world's largest financial market Foreign exchange is the world's largest financial market and continues to grow at a rapid pace. As economies intertwine and currencies fluctuate there is hardly a corporate entity that doesn't need to use options on foreign exchange to hedge risk or increase returns. Moreover, currency options, both vanilla and exotic, are part of standard toolkit of professional portfolio managers and hedge funds. Written by a practitioner with real-world experience in this field, the Third Edition of Options on Foreign Exchange opens with a substantive discussion of the spot and forward foreign exchange market and the mechanics of trading currency options. The Black-Scholes-Merton option-pricing model as applied to currency options is also covered, along with an examination of currency futures options. Throughout the book, author David DeRosa addresses the essential elements of this discipline and prepares you for the various challenges you could face. Updates new developments in the foreign exchange markets, particularly regarding the volatility surface Includes expanded coverage of the currency crises and capital controls, electronic trading, forward contracts, exotic options, and more Employs real-world terminology so you can a firm understanding of this dynamic marketplace The only way to truly succeed in today's foreign exchange market is by becoming more familiar with currency options. The Third Edition of Options on Foreign Exchange will help you achieve this goal and put you in better position to make more profitable decisions in this arena.

Featuring a team of over thirty STEM education professionals from across the United States, the updated and revised edition of this landmark book provides an integrated STEM curriculum encompassing the entire K-12 spectrum, with complete grade-level learning based on a spiraled approach to building conceptual understanding. Taking into account the last five years of evolution in STEM education, the second edition includes an increased focus on computer science, computational thinking, mathematics, and the arts, as well as cultural relevance and addressing the needs of diverse learners and underrepresented students. Divided into three main parts – Conceptualizing STEM, STEM Curriculum Maps, and Building Capacity for STEM – each section is designed to build common understandings of integrated STEM, provide rich curriculum maps for implementing integrated STEM at the classroom level, and offer supports to enable systemic transformation to an integrated STEM approach. Written for teachers, policymakers, and administrators, this second edition is fully updated to account for the needs of K-12 learners in the innovation age. STEM Road Map 2.0 enables educators to implement integrated STEM learning into their classroom without the need for extensive resources, empowering educators and supporting students.