Chia-Hui Shih, Han-Lin Li, Chih-Chien Hu and Bertrand M.T. Lin
TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design, www.ted.com/) Talks has been one of the most popular video systems. However, the current TED Talks system expressed its inquired videos as…
Abstract
Purpose
TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design, www.ted.com/) Talks has been one of the most popular video systems. However, the current TED Talks system expressed its inquired videos as in a two-dimensional (2D) table, which is inconvenient for searching the relationships among videos and tags. This study converts the TED Talks table into a sphere by using optimization techniques to help users search for preferred videos.
Design/methodology/approach
There are five phases in this study as follows. Phase 1: Reorganize data of 36 tags and 108 videos; Phase 2: Allocate tags on the TED sphere; Phase 3: Allocate videos on the TED sphere; Phase 4: Develop an online interactive TED retrieval system; and Phase 5: Perform survey and evaluation.
Findings
One survey demonstrated that the TED Talks sphere is more convenient for searching videos, as it is more user-friendly because of its graphical user interface, more convenient to use, more useful for retrieving information and can facilitate a more responsive search for users’ preferred videos.
Research limitations/implications
The numbers of tags and videos able to be displayed on a sphere is limited by the capacity of an optimization software and hardware.
Practical implications
The proposed sphere system can be used by a large number of users of TED Talks groups.
Social implications
This sphere systems can also be applied to other fields which use 2D forms to display the relationships among objects.
Originality/value
This study uses an optimization method to convert a 2D form into a 3D sphere to highlight the relationships among numerous objects.
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Yeu‐Shiang Huang and Bertrand M.T. Lin
Not long ago, the Asia Pacific area suffered economic decline due to financial crises. By contrast, Taiwan, stood apart from its regional competitors and was able to manage and…
Abstract
Not long ago, the Asia Pacific area suffered economic decline due to financial crises. By contrast, Taiwan, stood apart from its regional competitors and was able to manage and turn the crises into opportunities. Besides the financial factors discussed by economists, quality management should also be considered as a major factor in this development. Investigates how industry in Taiwan implemented quality issues, especially total quality management, within the last decade. Questionnaires were generated and distributed to the largest corporations in Taiwan to gather information. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the quality implementation status in Taiwan. The results can be used to study the comparative impacts of quality management in the area of the Asia Pacific.
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Yi Lin and Yonghao Ma
A new approach of general systems theory is used to study the feasibility of the definition of the theory so‐called the science of science. General scientific theory is studied as…
Abstract
A new approach of general systems theory is used to study the feasibility of the definition of the theory so‐called the science of science. General scientific theory is studied as a system. The technique, well used by Bertrand Russell in his famous Russell paradox, is applied to show that the theory of science of science cannot exist. A new definition of the theory of science of science is given, so that paradoxes similar to Russell's paradox will not occur in the new theory of science of science developed on the new definition.
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Hassaan Tariq, Faisal Shahzad, Asim Anwar and Ijaz Ur Rehman
This study investigates the impact of insider-ownership of publicly traded firms on their performance, cost of debt (COD) and cost of equity. We use a sample of 104 non-finance…
Abstract
This study investigates the impact of insider-ownership of publicly traded firms on their performance, cost of debt (COD) and cost of equity. We use a sample of 104 non-finance listed companies of Pakistan for the period from 2006 to 2016. Our study is conducted in Pakistan as a developing country in which insider-ownership is dominant, and a weak external corporate governance mechanism increases the payoffs from insider-ownership. We use feasible generalized least square (FGLS) regression methods to examine these hypotheses. Based on agency theory, we find that insider-ownership enhances firm performance. Furthermore, our results show that insider-ownership reduced the COD and equity. Higher ownership decreases the opportunistic behavior of insiders. It also reduces the creditor’s perception of the likelihood of default on loan payments and reduces agency issues among shareholders. The insider will invest in positive NPV projects which will help maximize shareholders’ wealth and minimize the COD. Similarly, the relationship between insider-ownership and cost of equity is significant but negative. Supporting the convergence of interest increase in ownership helps in aligning the goals of managers and stakeholders whereby the insider will focus on value creation by minimizing equity cost.
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The authors examine how the major board reforms recently implemented by countries around the world affect firms' choice of debt.
Abstract
Purpose
The authors examine how the major board reforms recently implemented by countries around the world affect firms' choice of debt.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a quasi-experimental setting of major board reforms around the world that aim to improve board-related governance practices in various areas, this study investigates the impact of effective board monitoring on corporate debt choice. The authors employ difference-in-differences-type quasi-natural experiment method and path analysis for hypotheses testing.
Findings
The authors find that the implementation of board reforms is positively associated with firms' preference for public debt financing over bank debt. However, this effect tends to weaken after the fourth year following the implementation of board reforms. In additional analyses, the authors find that “rule-based” reforms have a more pronounced effect on firms' choice of debt than do “comply-or-explain” reforms. Both (1) strengthened firm-level internal governance practices that address concerns about the agency cost of debt and (2) reduced information asymmetries play important roles in facilitating firms' debt choice, but the evidence suggests that the former is the economic mechanism through which country-level reforms affect corporate debt choice.
Research limitations/implications
The study extends the literature examining the heterogeneity of corporate debt choices in a global setting and the literature on the consequences of corporate governance reforms.
Practical implications
The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the corporate board reforms implemented in countries around the world, addressing concerns from critics about their potential harm or ineffectiveness.
Originality/value
The results indicate that country-level board reforms reduce the extent to which shareholder–creditor conflicts harm shareholders.
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Van Son Lai, Duc Khuong Nguyen, William Sodjahin and Issouf Soumaré
We identify a novel concept of discretionary idiosyncratic volatility proxied by the idiosyncratic volatility component not related to the non-systematic industry volatility as a…
Abstract
We identify a novel concept of discretionary idiosyncratic volatility proxied by the idiosyncratic volatility component not related to the non-systematic industry volatility as a source of agency problems that have implications for firms’ cash holdings and their investment decisions. We find that firms with low discretionary idiosyncratic volatility, which likely captures discretionary effort and risk-taking by managers, have smaller cash reserves. Moreover, while high discretionary idiosyncratic volatility firms spend cash internally (internal capital building), low discretionary idiosyncratic volatility firms use it for external acquisitions, consistent with the “quiet life” hypothesis. Our findings thus indicate a need for reinforcement of existing regulations and corporate laws to control for agency costs, which could in turn reduce firm risk and the probability of financial meltdown at the aggregate level.
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Yi Lin, Wujia Zhu, Ningsheng Gong and Guoping Du
The paper aims to show the existence of the systemic yoyo structure in human thoughts so that the human way of thinking is proven to have the same structure as that of the…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to show the existence of the systemic yoyo structure in human thoughts so that the human way of thinking is proven to have the same structure as that of the material world.
Design/methodology/approach
Parallel comparison is used to reveal the underlying structure existing in human thoughts.
Findings
After highlighting all the relevant ideas and concepts, which are behind each and every crisis in the foundations of mathematics, it becomes clear that some difficulties in the authors' understanding of nature are originated from confusing actual infinities with potential infinities, and vice versa. By pointing out the similarities and differences between these two kinds of infinities, then some hidden contradictions existing in the system of modern mathematics are handily picked out. Then, theoretically, using the authors' yoyo model, it is predicted that the fourth crisis in the foundations of mathematics has appeared. And, a plan of resolution of this new crisis is provided.
Originality/value
This paper shows the first time in history that human thought, the material world, and each economic entity, share a common structure – the systemic yoyo structure. And it proves the arrival of the fourth crisis in mathematics by using systems modeling and listing several; contradictions hidden deeply in the foundations of mathematics.
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Rim Chtourou, Nicolas Leconte, Bassem Zouari, Fahmi Chaari, Eric Markiewicz and Bertrand Langrand
This paper aims to propose a macro modeling approach to simulate the mechanical behavior and the failure of spot welded joints in structural crashworthiness computations.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to propose a macro modeling approach to simulate the mechanical behavior and the failure of spot welded joints in structural crashworthiness computations.
Design/methodology/approach
A connector element is proposed to simulate the behavior and failure of spot weld joints. An elastic-plastic damageable model is used to describe the non-linear response and rupture. The connector model involves several parameters that have to be defined. Some are directly identified based on mechanical interpretations and experimental tests characteristics. The remaining parameters are identified through a finite element model updating approach using Arcan tests. Resulting from a sensitivity analysis, an original two steps optimization methodology, using the Modes I and II Arcan tests results sequentially, has been implemented to identify the remaining model parameters.
Findings
The numerical results for Arcan tests in mixed Modes I/II are in a good agreement with the experimental ones. The model is also validated on tensile pull-out, single lap shear and coach-peel tests.
Originality/value
By comparison with previous published results, the proposed model brings a significant improvement. The main innovative aspects of this work are as follows: the proposed formulation, a reduced number of parameters to optimize, an original sequential optimization methodology based on physical and mechanical analyses and a mesh size independent connector element.
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Man has been seeking an ideal existence for a very long time. In this existence, justice, love, and peace are no longer words, but actual experiences. How ever, with the American…
Abstract
Man has been seeking an ideal existence for a very long time. In this existence, justice, love, and peace are no longer words, but actual experiences. How ever, with the American preemptive invasion and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq and the subsequent prisoner abuse, such an existence seems to be farther and farther away from reality. The purpose of this work is to stop this dangerous trend by promoting justice, love, and peace through a change of the paradigm that is inconsistent with justice, love, and peace. The strong paradigm that created the strong nation like the U.S. and the strong man like George W. Bush have been the culprit, rather than the contributor, of the above three universal ideals. Thus, rather than justice, love, and peace, the strong paradigm resulted in in justice, hatred, and violence. In order to remove these three and related evils, what the world needs in the beginning of the third millenium is the weak paradigm. Through the acceptance of the latter paradigm, the golden mean or middle paradigm can be formulated, which is a synergy of the weak and the strong paradigm. In order to understand properly the meaning of these paradigms, however, some digression appears necessary.
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Kannikar Namwong, Tatre Jantarakolica, Thanomsak Suwannoi and Jutamas Wongkantarakorn
This study investigates the relation of executive cash compensation and gender characteristics of senior executives of Thai listed companies using 1,660 firm-years observations…
Abstract
This study investigates the relation of executive cash compensation and gender characteristics of senior executives of Thai listed companies using 1,660 firm-years observations from 2009 to 2013. The findings show that male executives earn more cash compensation than do their female counterparts and that compensation is higher for male CEOs whose educational qualifications were Master’s degree or above. Companies with a higher proportion of male executives and with better firm performance (measured by ROA, ROE, and Tobin’s q) pay higher cash compensation. The results conform with the Expectancy theory that male executives receive more compensation than do female executives because of their (expected) abilities to make higher returns to the firm’s assets. Other significant determinants are that older and larger firms pay more cash compensation to the executives (Life cycle theory) and that companies with a higher proportion of independent directors (Agency Theory) and higher ownership concentrations (Stewardship theory) offer less compensation.