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This study aims to identify the political alignment and political activity of the 11 Presidents of Britain’s most important scientific organisation, the Royal Society of London, in its early years 1662–1703, to determine whether or not the institution was politically aligned.

There is almost no information addressing the political alignment of the Royal Society or its Presidents available in the institution’s archives, or in the writings of historians specialising in its administration. Even reliable biographical sources, such as the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography provide very limited information. However, as 10 Presidents were elected Member of Parliament (MP), The History of Parliament: British Political, Social and Local History provides a wealth of accurate, in-depth data, revealing the alignment of both.

All Presidents held senior government offices, the first was a Royalist aristocrat; of the remaining 10, 8 were Royalist or Tory MPs, 2 of whom were falsely imprisoned by the House of Commons, 2 were Whig MPs, while 4 were elevated to the Lords. The institution was Royalist aligned 1662–1680, Tory aligned 1680–1695 and Whig aligned 1695–1703, which reflects changes in Parliament and State.

This study establishes that the early Royal Society was not an apolitical institution and that the political alignment of Presidents and institution continued in later eras. Furthermore, it demonstrates how the election or appointment of an organisation’s most senior officer can be used to signal its political alignment with government and other organisations to serve various ends.

This study seeks to assess how a humane leadership style affects customer service orientation among casual employees of financial service institutions in Ghana. Using job satisfaction as a moderator, this study predicts that a humane leadership style influences casual employees’ customer service orientation.

Survey data were obtained from 328 frontline casual employees of financial service firms. The structural equation modelling technique of partial least squares was used to test the hypothesised relationships.

The study found that a humane leadership style positively and significantly drives customer service behaviour. Job satisfaction also had a positive effect on customer service orientation among casual employees.

The study appears to be the first of its kind to explore the moderating role of job satisfaction in the connection between humane leadership and customer service orientation from the perspective of casual employees. The study highlights insightful practical implications for corporate managers, HR practitioners and marketing academics.

The chapter provides an overview of the book and addresses the rationale for the selection of cases reflecting teaching and research in major areas of SDG14. For example, the impact of increasing global sea temperature, ocean acidification, and pollution on aquatic life and biosciences. Fisheries and aquaculture for seafood and marine ingredients and marine protected areas (MPAs) that favour the assemblage of fish, crustaceans, alga, coral, and mussels to enhance and stimulate biodiversity. New products derived from marine biotechnology are viewed to conserve and sustainably use the seas and oceans whilst promoting wealth creation and employment. Marine parks allow scientists to better study the marine environment and explore sustainable balances between tourism, work, and recreation in harmony with the Life Below Water – SDG14 mandate. Finally, the aspects of governance and roles of stakeholders and societal involvement are advocated in achieving the safe and effective use of marine resources. Throughout, the role of higher education in providing educated scientists and multidisciplinary specialists for future generations to come is highlighted.

For additive manufacturing (AM) through laser-based powder bed fusion of polymers (PBF-LB/P), accurate characterization of powder flowability is vital for achieving high-quality parts. However, accurately characterizing feedstock flowability presents challenges because of a lack of consensus on which tests to perform and the diverse forces and mechanisms involved. This study aims to undertake a thorough investigation into the flowability of eight feedstock materials for PBF-LB/P at different temperatures using various techniques.

For ambient temperature assessments, established metrics such as avalanche angle and Hausner ratio, along with the approximated flow function coefficient (FFC_app), are used. The study then focuses on the influence of elevated temperatures representative of in-process conditions. FFC_app and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) are performed and analyzed, followed by a correlation analysis as a holistic approach to identify key aspects for flowability. Furthermore, two feedstock materials are compared with a previous study to connect the present findings to PBF-LB/P processing.

The study revealed intrinsic material properties such as mechanical softening near the melting point to become significant. This partially explains why certain powders with poor ambient temperature flowability are consistently demonstrated to produce high-quality parts. FFC_app and thermal characterization through DSC are identified as critical metrics for optimizing feedstock material characteristics across temperature ranges.

Previous studies emphasized specific characterizations of feedstock material at ambient temperature, presented a limited materials selection or focused on metrics such as shape factors. In contrast, this study addresses a partially understood aspect by examining the critical role of temperature in governing feedstock material flowability. It advocates for the inclusion of temperature variables in flowability analyses to closely resemble the PBF-LB/P process, which can be applied to material design, selection and process optimization.

Metaphor is the foundation upon which all scientific disciplines, from basic to applied, construct the mental models used in theory development and organizing research phenomena. The authors posit that a navigational science metaphor might provide a useful framework, or at least an additional “waypoint,” with which to evaluate extant accounting theory and further discourse in accounting research and practice. This study aims to critically examine the base metaphors of accounting theory and practice through the lens of navigational science.

The supreme dominance of the Positive Accounting Theory paradigm (Watts and Zimmerman, 1986) is critically evaluated using a navigational metaphor as a literary device for cognitive estrangement.

The authors suggest that accounting, as both a practical and academic field, might benefit from the multifarious approach of navigational science in the computation of longitude, particularly with regards to the use of external (societal) referents, moving toward a more “heteroglossic” model of accounting (vid. Macintosh and Baker, 2002) as a means of “situating” accounting research and practice with regards to said external referents (cf. Bayou et al., 2011).

This work brings together existing streams of literary theory and epistemology in accounting, and views them through the lens of a navigational science metaphor. Cognitive estrangement, a well-established device for reorganizing perplexing problems in any science, is used to reimagine an accounting science as navigational situating.

This research paper aims to investigate reinforced concrete (RC) walls' behaviour under fire and identify the thermal and mechanical factors that affect their performance.

A three-dimensional (3D) finite element (FE) model is developed to predict the response of RC walls under fire and is validated through experimental tests on RC wall specimens subjected to fire conditions. The numerical model incorporates temperature-dependent properties of the constituent materials. Moreover, the validated model was used in a parametric study to inspect the effect of the fire scenario, reinforcement concrete cover, reinforcement ratio and configuration, and wall thickness on the thermal and structural behaviour of the walls subjected to fire.

The developed 3D FE model successfully predicted the response of experimentally tested RC walls under fire conditions. Results showed that the fire resistance of the walls was highly compromised under hydrocarbon fire. In addition, the minimum wall thickness specified by EC2 may not be sufficient to achieve the desired fire resistance under considered fire scenarios.

There is limited research on the performance of RC walls exposed to fire scenarios. The study contributed to the current state-of-the-art research on the behaviour of RC walls of different concrete types exposed to fire loading, and it also identified the factors affecting the fire resistance of RC walls. This guides the consideration and optimisation of design parameters to improve RC walls performance in the event of a fire.

The primary purpose is to empower financial institutions in AI integration decisions. By combining QSFS and the Golden Cut technique, the study establishes a robust foundation for assessing AI progress effects, aligning implementation with performance goals, and promoting technical innovation. Dimensions explored include AI-related workforce competency, technological adaption, and ethical AI practices, crucial components within the BSC framework for technological innovation.

This study employs a distinctive approach, integrating the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) framework with Quantum Spherical Fuzzy Sets (QSFS) and the Golden Cut approach to explore the dynamic landscape of AI deployment. The integration addresses uncertainties, enhancing impact assessment accuracy amid ambiguity associated with AI outcomes. QSFS and the Golden Cut technique together facilitate precise identification of thresholds and crucial values.

The research delves into the intricate relationship between enduring financial stability and AI progress, recognizing technology's crucial influence on financial decision-making. Findings underscore technology's significant impact on financial institutions' AI integration decisions. This novel approach provides a strong quantitative basis, offering insights into workforce competency, technological adaption, and ethical AI practices.

Despite valuable contributions, the study acknowledges limitations, such as potential biases and generalizability concerns, emphasizing the need for cautious interpretation and suggesting future research directions. Recognizing the research's boundaries and complexities in studying AI deployment in financial institutions underscores the need for ongoing exploration.

The research's originality lies in presenting an innovative methodology, integrating BSC, QSFS, and the Golden Cut, providing a unique perspective for decision-making. Contributions extend beyond academia, offering practical insights to enhance AI strategic implementation in the financial industry. This novel approach enriches the technology and finance discourse, fostering theoretical and practical advancements.

This paper is a proposal to provide for the poor – those earning insufficient incomes to satisfy their needs and the unemployed – by enabling them to acquire dividend-paying (and voting) shares in the companies that produce the goods and services consumed in society. It will be accomplished by: (1) establishing a mortgage loan at birth for every newborn child; (2) the loans will be taken out by each of the major producing companies (plus start-ups) in the names of the children as firms do their annual planning; (3) the amount of the loan will be increased annually when the companies plan for succeeding years; (4) a portfolio of new assets – stocks and bonds – in the companies will be purchased with the funds from the mortgage loan; (5) the loan will be repaid over a period of years from the dividends paid by the companies. Once redeemed, the assets, and their future earnings, will belong to the person in whose name the mortgage loan was established. Should the program include all newborns, rich and poor in the name of fairness, when today's cohort reaches maturity, every member of society will be a shareholder in a variety of wealth producing companies that pay regular dividends. The proposal will not require funds from the government and no additional taxes will have to be raised.

The text introduces the theory of integrating territorial identity into the discourse on sustainability. It stresses the importance of considering for each place the complex interaction among social, cultural, political, historical, architectural, biophysical, geological, and hydrographic factors in shaping sustainable development trajectories. Sustainable development must certainly involve environmental, social, and economic aspects in an integrated manner, but it must be “territorially desirable” in the meantime. This vision represents a fundamental paradigm for a new way of approaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the path to sustainability. The proposed approach acknowledges that the way of achieving SDGs cannot be implemented without any differences worldwide. Instead, it must account for the specificities of each area and territory and the compatibility of actions with the identity of places.