C.J. Huber, W. Rieger, A. Buchau and W.M. Rucker
A boundary element method in terms of the field variables is applied to three‐dimensional electromagnetic scattering problems. Especially, the influence of a dipole excited field…
Abstract
A boundary element method in terms of the field variables is applied to three‐dimensional electromagnetic scattering problems. Especially, the influence of a dipole excited field on low conducting materials situated very close to the antenna will be discussed. We use higher order edge elements of quadilateral shape for the field approximation on curved surfaces. The tangential components of the unknown field variables are interpolated by vector element functions. The Galerkin method is implemented to obtain a set of linear equations. The applicability of the proposed edge element is investigated by the comparison of different BEM‐formulations and FEM‐results.
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Abstract
This paper deals with the inverse scattering problem of reconstructing the material properties of perfectly conducting or dielectric cylindrical objects. The material properties are reconstructed from measured far‐field scattering data provided by the Electromagnetics Technology Division, AFRL/SNH, 31 Grenier Street, Hanscom AFB, MA 01731‐3010. The measured data have to be calibrated for use in our reconstruction algorithm. The inverse scattering problem formulated as unconstrained nonlinear optimization problem is numerically solved using an iterative scheme with a variable calibration factor which will be determined during the optimization process. Numerical examples show the successful application of the method to the measured data.
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Food during manned space missions is part of the life support system. In the earliest American short duration space flights of a few earth orbits the food system was the least of…
Abstract
Food during manned space missions is part of the life support system. In the earliest American short duration space flights of a few earth orbits the food system was the least of the technical problems which had to be tackled. However, as space flights lengthen from days to months and possibly in the next half‐century , to years, then all the earth‐bound socio‐psychological factors associated with food become important.
Prince Kumar Maurya, Rohit Bansal and Anand Kumar Mishra
This paper aims to investigate the dynamic volatility connectedness among 13 G20 countries by using the volatility indices.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the dynamic volatility connectedness among 13 G20 countries by using the volatility indices.
Design/methodology/approach
The connectedness approach based on the time-varying parameter vector autoregression model has been used to investigate the linkage. The period of study is from 1 January 2014 to 20 April 2023.
Findings
This analysis revealed that volatility connectedness among the countries during COVID-19 and Russia–Ukraine conflict had increased significantly. Furthermore, analysis has indicated that investors had not anticipated the World Health Organization announcement of COVID-19 as a global pandemic. Contrarily, investors had anticipated the Russian invasion of Ukraine, evident in a significant rise in volatility before and after the invasion. In addition, the transmission of volatility is from developed to developing countries. Developed countries are NET volatility transmitters, whereas developing countries are NET volatility receivers. Finally, the ordinary least square regression result suggests that the volatility connectedness index is informative of stock market dynamics.
Originality/value
The connectedness approach has been widely used to estimate the dynamic connectedness among market indices, cryptocurrencies, sectoral indices, enegy commodities and metals. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, none of the previous studies have directly used the volatility indices to measure the volatility connectedness. Hence, this study is the first of its kind that has used volatility indices to measure the volatility connectedness among the countries.
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Jochen Wirtz and John E.G. Bateson
Many service firms measure satisfaction or quality on an attributelevel. Halo effects between attributes have been shown to exist in manycontexts mainly in social psychology and…
Abstract
Many service firms measure satisfaction or quality on an attribute level. Halo effects between attributes have been shown to exist in many contexts mainly in social psychology and human resource management. In marketing, halo effects have been examined nearly exclusively in consumer decision making. Examines for the first time the existence of halo effects in consumer satisfaction. Employs a true experimental design. Expectations and performance of a single service attribute were manipulated and all other attribute levels were held constant. Finds the existence of strong halo effects which could have led to wrong conclusions and managerial actions in an applied context.
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Many firms measure customer satisfaction on an attribute‐by‐attribute level. Past research has shown that halo errors can pose a serious threat to the interpretability of such…
Abstract
Many firms measure customer satisfaction on an attribute‐by‐attribute level. Past research has shown that halo errors can pose a serious threat to the interpretability of such data. Examines three factors that potentially reduce halo, using a combination of an experimental and quasi‐experimental research design. Three conclusions were drawn. First, measurement after consumption showed less halo than delayed measurement. Second, relative rating scales contained less halo than standard satisfaction scales. Third, an interaction effect was found between the number of attributes to be evaluated and the rating scale used. The evaluation of many attributes reduced halo in comparison to an evaluation of few attributes when a standard satisfaction rating scale was used. However, when the more complex relative rating scale was used, halo was not reduced when subjects had to evaluate a large number of attributes, perhaps due to the increased complexity of the task.
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Agnessa Shpakova, Viktor Dörfler and Jill MacBryde
This exploratory paper investigates gamification as a medium for knowledge workers to interact with each other. The purpose of this paper is to open the discussion around the…
Abstract
Purpose
This exploratory paper investigates gamification as a medium for knowledge workers to interact with each other. The purpose of this paper is to open the discussion around the sustaining impact that gamification might have on knowledge management (KM).
Design/methodology/approach
The paper employs an exploratory literature review investigating the current state of the art in relation to KM and gamification; this literature review serves as the starting point of subsequent theorizing.
Findings
Based on the literature review the authors theorize that the use of gamification in KM can go far beyond the motivational aspects. To name just a few uses of gamification, it can help in: supporting flexibility, facilitating transparency and therefore improving trust, visualizing skills and competences as well as generating requirements for new competences and promoting a collaborative environment among the knowledge workers.
Research limitations/implications
This paper opens the discussion around KM and gamification and suggests a wide range of areas for further research.
Practical implications
In this paper the authors argue that by looking at gamification as more than just a set of tools for improving motivation and engagement a company can address some pitfalls of a particular type of knowledge workers.
Originality/value
Gamification is a new, but increasingly popular approach, which has been shown to be powerful in many areas. This paper is novel in that it initiates a dialogue around the impact that gamification might have on KM.
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Shagufta Parveen, Zoya Wajid Satti, Qazi Abdul Subhan, Nishat Riaz, Samreen Fahim Baber and Taqadus Bashir
This study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on investors' sentiments, behavioral biases and investment decisions in the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on investors' sentiments, behavioral biases and investment decisions in the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX).
Design/methodology/approach
The authors have assessed investors' behaviors and sentiments and the stock market overreaction during COVID-19 using a questionnaire and collected data from 401 investors trading in the PSX.
Findings
Results of structural equation modeling revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic affected investors' behaviors, investment decisions and trade volume. It created feelings of fear and uncertainty among market participants. Evidence suggests that behavioral heuristics and biases, including representative heuristic, anchoring heuristic, overconfidence bias and disposition effect, negatively influenced investors' decisions at the PSX.
Research limitations/implications
This study will contribute to behavioral finance literature in the context of developing countries as it has revealed the impact of COVID-19 on the emerging stock market, and its results are generalizable to other emerging stock markets.
Practical implications
The findings of this study will help academicians, researchers and policymakers of developing countries. Academicians can formulate new behavioral models that can depict the solutions of dealing with an uncertain situation like COVID-19. Policymakers like the Securities Exchange Commission and the PSX can formulate crisis management strategies based on behavioral finance concepts to cope with situations like COVID-19 in the future and help lessen investors' losses in the stock markets. The role of the Securities Exchange Commission is crucial as it regulates the financial markets. It can arrange workshops to educate investors to manage their decisions during crisis time and focus on the best use of irrational and rational decision-making at the same time using Lo (2004) adaptive market hypothesis.
Originality/value
The novelty of the paper is that the authors have introduced overconfidence and disposition effect as mediators that create a connection between representative and anchoring heuristics and investment decisions using primary data collected from investors (institutional and retail) to demonstrate the presence of psychological biases during COVID-19, and it has been done for the first time according to authors' knowledge. It is a contribution and addition to the behavioral finance literature in the context of developing countries' stock markets and their efficiency.
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Francesca Battaglia, Enrico Maria Cervellati, Dario Salerno, Gian Paolo Stella and Valeria Vannoni
This research aims to investigate the impact of exogenous shocks on individuals' risk tolerance, particularly when originating outside the economic or financial sphere. Focusing…
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to investigate the impact of exogenous shocks on individuals' risk tolerance, particularly when originating outside the economic or financial sphere. Focusing on Italy as the first Western country affected by COVID-19, this paper explores whether the pandemic led to a decrease in Italians' financial risk tolerance (FRT).
Design/methodology/approach
This study used a two-stage approach for data analysis. Initial examination of key variables used linear regression (ordinary least square [OLS]) with robust errors. Subsequently, a system of structural equations (structural equation model [SEM]) was used for a more nuanced exploration of hypothetical relationships between constructs and their observed indicators. SEM addressed reliability issues inherent in OLS, offering a robust analysis of structural models based on specified hypotheses. To assess the impact of COVID-19 on Italians' FRT, the Grable and Lytton Risk Tolerance Scale was used, measuring changes through a scored questionnaire with values ranging from 1 (greater risk aversion) to 4 (greater risk propensity).
Findings
This study used three distinct OLS regression models to analyze the impact of COVID-19 on Italians' FRT, considering mortality, infection and stringency rates. Findings revealed that older individuals exhibited lower risk tolerance across FRT dimensions, consistent with previous research. Men were more risk-prone, aligning with gender-related financial literacy disparities. Married respondents tended to be less risk-tolerant, supporting the idea that marital status influences risk attitude. Education level showed a slightly negative impact on investment risk. Professional instability, lower income and stock market inexperience were associated with lower risk tolerance. Notably, the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant positive effect, making respondents more risk-averse. SEM methodology was used to examine the moderating effects of COVID-19 proxies on FRT changes.
Originality/value
This research brings a novel perspective to the ongoing debate on exogenous shocks' impact on individuals' risk tolerance, particularly when originating outside the economic or financial domain. Focusing on Italy, the first Western country hit by COVID-19, this study uniquely investigates the pandemic's effect on Italians' FRT. With a large and representative sample, the findings contribute significantly to the literature on risk attitude, shedding light on the pandemic's impact. This study's originality lies in providing reliable evidence with policy implications, emphasizing the imperative for government intervention in addressing both health and economic issues in the wake of such external shocks.
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Nursing students encounter a combination of academic rigor, clinical demands and emotional hurdles. Juggling coursework, practical training and patient interaction can be…
Abstract
Purpose
Nursing students encounter a combination of academic rigor, clinical demands and emotional hurdles. Juggling coursework, practical training and patient interaction can be stressful, and exposure to such situations may impact their psychological well-being. This study aims to highlight the top strengths among nursing students and identify the strengths associated with well-being.
Design/methodology/approach
Convenience sampling was used to select a sample of 150 nursing students studying in first, second and third year from colleges of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Students were administered the Values In Action character strengths inventory, the satisfaction with life scale and scale of positive and negative experience. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlation.
Findings
Results show that among nursing students, kindness emerged as the foremost strength with the highest mean, followed by honesty, creativity, spirituality and teamwork, and the strengths of curiosity, gratitude, perseverance, self-regulation, social intelligence, and zest were positively associated with life satisfaction and positive emotions and negatively related to negative emotions.
Research limitations/implications
The small sample size was a limitation; however, this study has been conducted at different locations to improve generalizability.
Practical implications
This study has profound implications for nursing students, both in their personal development and their future roles as health-care professionals, as fostering these attributes can contribute to the students’ growth, well-being and effectiveness as compassionate and competent caregivers. Working on strengths is associated with well-being; therefore, using strengths identified by this study will have a beneficial effect on the students’ well-being.
Social implications
Curiosity and social intelligence, for instance, can help nurses better understand patient needs and emotions, developing strengths like perseverance and self-regulation can equip nursing students with tools to cope effectively with the challenges inherent in health-care settings. Traits such as gratitude and social intelligence can enhance communication and empathy which are vital skills for establishing rapport with patients and their families. Emphasizing teamwork as a strength aligns with the collaborative nature of health care. By embodying values like kindness and spirituality, nursing students can create a more compassionate and meaningful experience for patients, as well as themselves.
Originality/value
The research paper identifies and emphasizes the five character strengths that are most commonly observed in a sample of Indian nursing students. In addition, this study delves deeper into these identified strengths to understand how they relate to the overall well-being of nursing students within this specific population. The existing literature has not explored it exhaustively.