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17 USC 105 interim-entered record; under temporary embargo. ; U.S. Government affiliation is unstated in article text.

The application of machine learning and Artificial Intelligence system in the food industry is not more profound than the other sectors. Those available systems do not fully answer the expectations of customers, lacks user personalization's. This paper presents the recommendation system for restaurants and food using a hybrid filtering mechanism. Multiple filtering mechanisms were applied on datasets to recommend food and restaurants for customers. The dataset was collected from recognized machine learning repositories of the U.S.A. government. Feature extraction and sampling are done on the datasets to test the performance of the system. This paper will try to answer user personalization preferences by applying Hybrid mechanisms. The recommendation was based on different customer preference like ratings, top sale, discount, weather condition etc. This paper combines content-based and collaborative based filtering mechanisms to provide the user with full functionalities of the recommender systems. It will adopt a hybrid system from the two mechanisms for effective implementation of the recommendation. For the development of this paper, data collection was done from known repositories, and feature extraction was done to filter out the unnecessary data. Sampling techniques were also applied to the dataset to distinguish between train and test data. 70% of the total dataset were allocated for training the system and 30% for test purpose. Sampling was also conducted in the model test stage by assigning 30% for evaluation purpose. To evaluate the performance of the proposed system, machine learning algorithms such as random forest, gradient boosting, decision tree, linear regression and K-Nearest neighbor were applied. The final performance of the model is so promising that it achieved an 83.5% success rate. Model loss and accuracy were also conducted, and the best fitting algorithms were selected. Based on the final result, the random forest algorithm shows significant performance with 0.859 accuracies and 0.1193 ...

The article of record may be found at https://doi.org/10.1080/10242694.2018.1557974 ; The goal of any procurement process is to obtain 'value for money.' Bid protest systems are intended to help. The U.S. Department of Defense, NATO, the EU, UN, OECD, and WTO, all authorize losing bidders to protest public procurements. The threat of a protest is meant to increase government accountability, and encourage vendor participation. An extensive legal and regulatory literature discusses intended benefits of protests, but is surprisingly silent about the costs. The goal of this study is to examine both costs and benefits. Military acquisition offers an illustration. The dual objective is to minimize corruption, and maximize competition. Sadly, protest systems can inadvertently discourage both. Moreover, past protests by defense companies have generated signifi- cant costs, and triggered dangerous delays of critical defense equipment, materiel, services, and supplies required for national security. The static, probabilistic, micro-economic, partial equilibrium, representative bidder model presented in this paper offers a cautionary tale for defense organizations, government agencies, countries, and international institu- tions that authorize bid protests. The model reveals multiple potential deficiencies of protest systems, and recommends analysis of portfolios of alternatives to eliminate fraud and favoritism, and increase competition, to improve procurement outcomes.

The main objective of this paper is to collect and analyze oral songs in the Cultural resistance of Salaale Oromoo. In the history of written literature of a given society, poetic compositions constitute one of the most important elements of the literature. One of the ways in which these poetic compositions are expressed is through songs by individuals or bands. In one way or another, the songs by individual vocalists or bands express the life situation of the society. The contents of the songs might be political, economic or social. In line with this, through oral songs, the Salaale Oromo expressed how much their incorporation with Ethiopian empire brought about significant socio-economic and political changes with far reaching consequences. The researcher found that the lives of slaves were better than that of Salaale gabbar under the four distinct political systems namely: Menilik II, the imperial, the Derg and Tplf. Besides commenting on the military regime, oral songs also advised the Oromo to have patience if they wanted to use their language for public purposes. The Salaale internal migration to Arssi and Baale has been repeatedly described in their songs. In Salaale, heroes are celebrated and their deeds retold as a role model through songs and folklore. The purpose of these oral songs is to portray the extent and form of the economic subjugation of peasants. They also show the peasant protest and social critique about local official?s confiscation of land, corruption and policy change. In dealing with the paper, qualitative research methods (narrative and descriptive research methods) have been used. The necessary data for this study were collected from primary and secondary sources. The data from primary sources were collected during field work. On the other hand, secondary sources relied on documents that used before and after fieldwork. As a result, the study is the product of two types of works; library and fieldwork. The main purpose of this study, hence, is to produce academic research in the ...

The study was carried out in Ofa Woreda, Wolaita Zone with the main objective of assessing the factors affecting diffusion of Cassava root. Specifically, it was intended to assess the effect of upstream value chain, market information, infrastructure, extension service, credit service, and demographic factors on diffusion of cassava root in the study area. The study employed explanatory research design with mixed research approach of both qualitative and quantitative methods. Multistage sampling technique was used. The study was employed both primary and secondary sources of data and the data collected through questionnaire, key informant interview and focused group discussion. Data were cleared, coded, entered and analyzed using SPSS software version 21, while descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were employed. Descriptive statistics such as percentage, frequency, mean, and standared deviation were used to summarize the data collected through questionnaire. Furthermore, inferential statistics such as correlation and multiple Linear Regression analysis were used to identify determinants of honey market supply in the study area. In addition, the results of key informant and focus group discussion were used to triangulate the quantitative findings. The study found out that among different variables identified to determine the diffusion of cassava root, the regressions model analysis result revealed that total household size, upstream value chain, access to market information, access to infrastructure, access to extension service, and availability of credit service were the major factors that affect the quantity of cassava root supplied in the study area. The study recommended that Zonal and Woreda cooperative office, Woreda agricultural office and Woreda administration office should organize cassava root producers in a cooperatives, provide modern technologies and follow cassava them for their proper usage. Micro-finance institutions should address the availability of credit for cassava root farmers. The government should also facilitate appropriate infrastructure for cassava root producers.

Most countries allow disappointed bidders1 to protest public procurements. The dual goal is to reduce favoritism, reduce fraud and errors, and increase competition. The legal literature that underpins protest systems for the U.S. Federal Government and European Union generally reflects these two goals. The hypothesis is that allowing disappointed bidders to protest public procurements serves as a decentralized oversight mechanism that increases transparency and accountability, which encourages vendor participation. This study offers a cautionary tale for any government agency, country, or international institution that relies on, and/or promotes, bid protests to improve public procurement outcomes. The goal is to explore costs and benefits of bid protests for governments and taxpayers. As a first step, a probabilistic, micro-economic, partial equilibrium, representative bidder model is developed to help evaluate protest systems. The model reveals multiple unintended consequences of protest systems and suggests alternative approaches to improve public procurement outcomes.2 ; Naval Postgraduate School Acquisition Research Program

Reducing poverty, unemployment, and inequality is a primary concern of development efforts of the world in general and developing countries in particular. In search of such a viable strategy to realize this goal, the promotion of micro and small enterprises (MSEs) is taken to be an important priority area of intervention, particularly since the 1980s. This article aims to contribute to and inform the ongoing debate on the MSEs approach to development by analyzing data relating to the role of promoting MSEs to employment generation and poverty reduction in Bahir Dar City, Ethiopia. To the fulfillment of this objective, a survey of 136 enterprises using a structured questionnaire and in‐depth interview methods along with the analysis of documentary sources were used to generate empirical data. The impact of the MSEs development program is examined in terms of employment creation and income generation for target beneficiaries. The findings reveal that the MSEs program had led to positive outcomes on the income and livelihood conditions of target beneficiaries. Given the importance of the MSEs sector in national development policy and practice, there is particularly little systematic analysis of the subject, however. This article thus provides an exploratory insight into the issue and contributes to the limited academic literature in the area by generating information pertaining to the role of MSEs in employment generation and poverty reduction, hence adding to the broader theoretical debate relating to the role of MSEs in development.

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) have been adopted by 143 countries around the world. The goals of the IFRS is to develop, in the public interest, a single set of high-quality, understandable, enforceable and globally accepted financial reporting standards based upon clearly articulated principles. However, its adoption and implementation bring opportunities and create challenges to the adopter. The main objective of this study was to assess the adoption, challenges and impact of international financial reporting standards (IFRS) on the quality of financial reporting of financial institution in Addis Ababa to provide an input for financial institution, governmental and policy makers and serve as for future researches on this field of study. Both primary and secondary sources of data have been used for the study from 32 financial institutions. Primary data were collected through pre designed questioners whereas secondary data were collected from different governmental organization reports, scientific papers and proceedings relevant to the study using document and regression analysis techniques, and proclamations and regulations that deal with financial reporting issues in Ethiopia. The study found that some financial institutions in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia have started using IFRS voluntarily for the preparation of their financial statements without making necessary awareness but nationally; IFRS is adopted officially in December 5, 2014 through enactment of Proclamation. And from the analysis of survey that in the dependent and independent variables there is significant correlation. Among those the IFRS on the quality of financial reporting has significant correlation with the transparency, accountability and economic efficiency. The result of the study will provide a good lesson for other Financial Institution, Governmental and Policy Makers for the implementation of IFRS network. Key Words: IFRS, Adoption; Benefits; Challenge; Quality; Transparency, Financial institutions

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) have been adopted by 143 countries around the world. The goals of the IFRS is to develop, in the public interest, a single set of high-quality, understandable, enforceable and globally accepted financial reporting standards based upon clearly articulated principles. However, its adoption and implementation bring opportunities and create challenges to the adopter. The main objective of this study was to assess the adoption, challenges and impact of international financial reporting standards (IFRS) on the quality of financial reporting of financial institution in Addis Ababa to provide an input for financial institution, governmental and policy makers and serve as for future researches on this field of study. Both primary and secondary sources of data have been used for the study from 32 financial institutions. Primary data were collected through pre designed questioners whereas secondary data were collected from different governmental organization reports, scientific papers and proceedings relevant to the study using document and regression analysis techniques, and proclamations and regulations that deal with financial reporting issues in Ethiopia. The study found that some financial institutions in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia have started using IFRS voluntarily for the preparation of their financial statements without making necessary awareness but nationally; IFRS is adopted officially in December 5, 2014 through enactment of Proclamation. And from the analysis of survey that in the dependent and independent variables there is significant correlation. Among those the IFRS on the quality of financial reporting has significant correlation with the transparency, accountability and economic efficiency. The result of the study will provide a good lesson for other Financial Institution, Governmental and Policy Makers for the implementation of IFRS network. Key Words: IFRS, Adoption; Benefits; Challenge; Quality; Transparency, Financial institutions

Ethiopia is currently ranked 169 out of 177 countries on the 2007- 2008 Human Development Index and is chronically suffers from food insecurity. Food shortages in Ethiopia aggravate the already poor health of children and adults. Millions of households in rural areas of Ethiopia suffer from chronic food insecurity and receive food aid on an annual basis. Objective:-This study was conducted to determine prevalence of household food insecurity and its associated factors in rural communities of Gondar City Administration, North West Ethiopia. Methods:-Community based cross-sectional study design was employed. Data were collected through house to house interview using household food insecurity access scale (HFIAS) which is structured and universally applicable household food insecurity 9 item measurement tools. Descriptive statistics and logistic regressions were used to determine prevalence of household food insecurity and its associated factors. Result: - 60.8% of the rural households were found to be food insecure in the study area. Out of the total eleven variables included in the logistic regression analysis model only 6 variables namely; livestock ownership (AOR= 2.05, 95%CI = 1.039- 4.022), use of fertilizer (AOR = 4.23, 95% CI = 1.741-10.275), source of potable water (AOR = 4.00, 95% CI = 2.060-7.764), off-farm income (A0R = 2.90, 95% CI = 1.249-6.712), annual farm income (AOR = 3.98, 95% CI = 2.514-6.303) and total annual income (AOR = 3.93, 95% CI = 2.471-6.258) were found to be statistically significant. Conclusion and recommendation: - The majority (60.8%) of households in rural communities of Gondar City Administration is food insecure and factors like livestock ownership, use of fertilizers, source of potable water, off-farm income, farm income and total annual income are found to be significantly associated with household food insecurity in the study area. Thus, Government bodies, NGOs and the community at large should work cooperatively in areas that enable rural households to minimize the problem of food insecurity by overcoming factors associated with it.

The study focuses on investigating the environmental taxation practices and their revenue performance in Ethiopia. It adopts a mixed methods research approach to address the broad objective through answering research questions and specifically, it uses quantitative (surveys of structured review of documents), in-depth interview together with documentary analysis. The study statistically analyzes the data elicited from documents. It also supports the result from survey by the results from in-depth interviews and document studies. The results of this study reveal that there is no explicit environmental tax in Ethiopia but there exist environmental tax bases which categorise these taxes as environmental tax. The result also identifies that these tax has revenue contribution for the country also it identifies the percentage of these taxes to the total revenue as well as tax revenue is high. And that there are various activities in Ethiopia in which this taxes could be introduced. Moreover, the result identifies the tax can be used as a source of fund for environmentally beneficiary projects. As a whole, the study suggests that laws need further guiding principle and manuals; strict implementation of prior laws like environmental impact assessment is needed also a series of measures which could be taken by the government policy makers and regulators