A pseudo steady‐state model is developed to study heat transfer, fluidflow, and the interface shape in the liquid encapsulated vertical Bridgmancrystal growth. The model, which is…
Abstract
A pseudo steady‐state model is developed to study heat transfer, fluid flow, and the interface shape in the liquid encapsulated vertical Bridgman crystal growth. The model, which is governed by momentum, heat, and overall mass balances in the system, is solved by a finite‐volume/Newton method. Flow and temperature fields, as well as unknown melt/crystal and melt/encapsulant interfaces, are calculated simultaneously. Sample calculations are mainly conducted for the GaAs/B2O3/PBN system. Calculated results for the Germanium/graphite system are compared with finite element calculations by Adornato and Brown, and they are in good agreement. The effects of some process parameters, including the growth speed, ambient temperature profile and heat transfer conditions, on flow patterns, temperature fields and the interface shape are illustrated through calculated results. Interface inversion from concave to convex, by modifying the ambient temperature profile, is also demonstrated through computer simulation. Particularly, through an inverse problem approach, a flat interface can be easily obtained for various operation conditions.
Details
Keywords
Qian Long Kweh, Irene Wei Kiong Ting, Jawad Asif and Wen-Min Lu
This study analyses the way various components of intellectual capital (IC), namely, human capital (HC), structural capital (SC), relational capital (RC) and innovation capital…
Abstract
Purpose
This study analyses the way various components of intellectual capital (IC), namely, human capital (HC), structural capital (SC), relational capital (RC) and innovation capital (INNC), act as mediators in the relationship between managerial ability (MA) and a firm’s ability to achieve growth.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employs data envelopment analysis to quantify the MA of 825 Taiwanese listed electronics companies from 2017 to 2022. The proxies of firm growth are return on asset growth, operating income growth and total asset growth. This study then utilises a three-step mediation analysis methodology to examine the relationships between MA, IC and firm growth.
Findings
Findings indicate that HC, SC, RC and INNC mediate the link between MA and firm growth. This suggests that competent managers can capitalise on the potential benefits of these investments to achieve firm growth.
Practical implications
Competent managers can utilise different IC investments to grow the financial performance and strength of their businesses. Managers should continually scan, secure opportunities and adjust their investments in knowledge assets in accordance with the dynamic capabilities view. That is, managers, in general, and operations managers, in particular, can implement guidelines that prioritise IC investments in the future to expedite firms’ development.
Originality/value
This study extends the existing frameworks that study investment variables as mediators between MA and firm outcomes. Most particularly, this study adopts four components of IC for measurement. Moreover, firm performance is measured using dynamic growth indicators rather than static measures.
Details
Keywords
Abstract
A stochastic process with repulsive correlation is proposed to simulate the nonequilibrium electronic transport through microstructures under finite bias voltage. Since an electron needs to stay a finite time τ0 on a channel state while traversing the constriction structure, within τ0 other electrons can not follow up through the same channel state because of the Pauli exclusion. This quantum effect induces a time correlation and suppresses the shot noise. The Monte Carlo results fairly compare with experimental measurements.
An-Na Li, You-De Dai, Tsungpo Tsai, Giun-Ting Yeh and Yuan-Chiu Chen
This study examines the relationship between food experience, emotion, place attachment, and tourists' revisit behavioral intention. A survey questionnaire is conducted on-site in…
Abstract
This study examines the relationship between food experience, emotion, place attachment, and tourists' revisit behavioral intention. A survey questionnaire is conducted on-site in Lukang and distributed to 408 tourists. The dimensions of food experience are established through factor analysis, and a hypothesized model of the relationships between the constructs is tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results indicate that tourists' food experiences included local flavor, media recommendation, local learning, life transfer, and interpersonal sharing. In addition, food experience has a significant impact on emotion and place attachment, and emotion has a substantial effect on place attachment. Finally, place attachment significantly impacts tourists' revisit behavioral intention. The study makes a significant theoretical contribution by identifying food experience, emotion, and place attachment as the salient predictors of heritage tourists' revisit intention. Furthermore, the study suggests that food experiences enhance effective bonding at tourism destinations.
Details
Keywords
Bruno S. Sergi, Elena G. Popkova, Aleksei V. Bogoviz and Tatiana N. Litvinova
Nguyen Huu Thien, Jawad Asif, Qian Long Kweh and Irene Wei Kiong Ting
This study analyses the effects of firm efficiency on firm performance and how controlling shareholders moderate the link between the two variables.
Abstract
Purpose
This study analyses the effects of firm efficiency on firm performance and how controlling shareholders moderate the link between the two variables.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employs data envelopment analysis to estimate firm efficiency and the panel regression method to assess the hypothesised relationships among 1,295 firm-year observations of publicly listed firms in Malaysia from 2015 to 2019.
Findings
The results indicate that firm efficiency (technical efficiency, pure technical efficiency and scale efficiency) has mixed relationships with firm performance (return on assets, market-to-book ratio and operating cash flows), all of which are being moderated by controlling shareholdings.
Practical implications
This study highlights the importance of assessing firm efficiency as the key success factor for improving firm performance. Industrial managers should manage efficiently their resources or operating costs in achieving their corporate financial goals. Moreover, this study notes the presence of controlling shareholders, who can be either self-interested or company goal aligned.
Originality/value
This study suggests becoming efficient in transforming inputs into outputs is a prerequisite before investigating accrual-based and cash-based firm performance measures, and the presence of controlling shareholders matters in these regards.
Details
Keywords
There is significant amount of literature tackling different issues related to the port industry. The present chapter focuses on a single business unit of seaports aiming at the…
Abstract
There is significant amount of literature tackling different issues related to the port industry. The present chapter focuses on a single business unit of seaports aiming at the documentation of works related to container terminals.
An effort to review, collect and present the majority of the works present in the last 30 years, between 1980 and 2010, has been made in order to picture the problems dealt and methods used by the authors in the specific research field. To facilitate the reader, studies have been grouped under five categories of addressed problems (productivity and competitiveness, yard and equipment utilization, equipment scheduling, berth planning, loading/unloading) and four modelling methodologies (mathematics and operations research, management and economics, simulation, stochastic modelling).
The analysis shows that most works focus on productivity and competitiveness issues followed by yard and equipment utilisation and equipment scheduling. In reference to the methodologies used managerial and economic approaches lead, followed by mathematics and operations research.
In reference to future research, two fields have been identified where there is scope of significant contribution by the academic community: container terminal security and container terminal supply chain integration.
The present chapter provides the framework for researchers in the field of port container terminals to picture the so far works in this research area and enables the identification of gaps at both research question and methodology level for further research.
Details
Keywords
Fatimah De’nan, Nor Salwani Hashim and Ngo Siew Ting
Recently, this steel section has found increasing popularity in residential, industrial and commercial buildings with their high load-carrying capacity due to the nature of high…
Abstract
Purpose
Recently, this steel section has found increasing popularity in residential, industrial and commercial buildings with their high load-carrying capacity due to the nature of high strength to weight ratio properties. However, the rise on the price of steel section should be more emphasized; therefore, the optimization in steel section design is needed to overcome the issue of material cost. As such, tapered steel sections save on material use, while the introduction of web openings allows the placement of mechanical and electrical services, plumbing and also aesthetic design considerations.
Design/methodology/approach
The purpose of this study is to investigate the lateral torsional buckling behavior of a tapered steel section with an ellipse-shaped opening by analyzing its structural parameters. To achieve this, the finite element analysis (FEA) of the section is modeled using LUSAS software, which allows for a detailed analysis of the section's behavior under varying loads and conditions. It involves the variation in web opening size, opening layout, opening rotation angle and the tapering ratio. Eigenvalue buckling analysis is adopted to know the parametric effects of each 108 model. The size of opening varies from 0.2 to 0.5 d of the total depth where the opening located. There are three type of layouts applied in this study, which are the layouts A, B and C. There are three types of rotation angles for the ellipse-shaped opening, including the non-rotated vertical opening and two additional types formed by rotating the opening 45 degrees clockwise and counterclockwise around the center-point of the ellipse. A fixed-free boundary condition was applied, resulting in a simulation of a cantilever beam. The models are fixed at one end with a larger depth, and free at the other end with a smaller depth. Loading condition is an application of 10 kN/m uniform distributed load in the direction of gravity along the mid-span of the top flange.
Findings
It is observed that the model 82 with Layout A, tapering ratio 0.3, opening size 0.5 d and opening rotated in 45 degree anti-clockwise direction results in the highest structural efficiency among the 108 models. Therefore, the buckling moment of model 82 is 1,013.08 kNm with structural efficiency of 481.26, which shows an increase of 3.17% compared to the controlled model.
Originality/value
The FEA results shows a significant increase in ductility and stiffness of the tapered steel section with elipse shape opening and consequently changes in the behaviour of yield point.
Details
Keywords
Qian Long Kweh, Irene Wei Kiong Ting, Chunya Ren and Jawad Asif
This study investigates how the initiatives and controversies related to environmental, social and governance (ESG) explain firm efficiency.
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates how the initiatives and controversies related to environmental, social and governance (ESG) explain firm efficiency.
Design/methodology/approach
Firstly, this study applies data envelopment analysis with the epsilon-based measure to estimate the firm efficiency of 80 companies in the Chinese energy sector in 2022. This approach accounts for the diversity and relative importance of inputs and outputs from a multidimensional perspective. Secondly, this study regresses the variables of ESG initiatives and controversies on the estimated firm efficiency scores through a generalised additive model, which can capture nonlinear patterns.
Findings
This study finds that a) the samples have i) about 49% room for improvement in efficiently optimising their resources and business outcomes and ii) the highest scores in governance initiatives, followed by social initiative. b) 69% of them have controversy scores that are greater than the average value. c) A cluster analysis indicates that companies with higher social initiatives have higher firm efficiency than their counterparts. d) ESG initiatives and controversies are nonlinearly related to firm efficiency.
Research limitations/implications
The findings have practical implications for policy makers and managers who prioritise ESG, particularly regarding (i) the need to examine firm performance from a multidimensional perspective, that is, to measure multiple inputs and outputs simultaneously, (ii) the nonlinearity of the nexus between ESG and efficiency in graphical forms, and (iii) the need to balance ESG initiatives and address ESG controversies.
Originality/value
This study integrates statistical approaches in examining and ensuring sustainable growth and efficiency within the Chinese energy sector and beyond.
Details
Keywords
Chinho Lin, Shu-Fang Ting, Leslie Lee and Sheng-Tun Lin
This study proposes an objective assessment model to evaluate the performance of internal and external capabilities of firms. It facilitates firms to invest appropriate resources…
Abstract
Purpose
This study proposes an objective assessment model to evaluate the performance of internal and external capabilities of firms. It facilitates firms to invest appropriate resources to cultivate the organizational capability necessary to meet the requirements of the performance indicators.
Design/methodology/approach
This study integrates the concepts of resource-based theory, the organizational capability concept, and conduct a performance analysis to the four perspectives of the BSC by implementing the fuzzy set theory and data employment analysis.
Findings
The findings show that the appropriate strategies help allocate available resources and capabilities during the different product life cycle, which provides practical guidelines for firms to achieve sustaining competitive advantage.
Research limitations/implications
The selected factors were focused on four resources and capabilities rather than all possible factors.
Originality/value
An objective assessment model was created based on internal and external competitive performance efficiency in this research field. This model facilitates the ability of the top management to make decisions for resource allocation that will enhance firm's performance.