T. Arai and N. Kinoshita
In this research paper the authors argue that it is difficult to design compliance into the insertion tool of an assembly device.They suggest the use of a worktable with…
Abstract
In this research paper the authors argue that it is difficult to design compliance into the insertion tool of an assembly device.They suggest the use of a worktable with compliance and analyse the part mating forces that arise.
Steffen Roth, Lars Clausen and Sören Möller
This study aims to highlight the critical role case fatality rates (CFR) have played in the emergence and the management of particularly the early phases of the current…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to highlight the critical role case fatality rates (CFR) have played in the emergence and the management of particularly the early phases of the current coronavirus crisis.
Design/methodology/approach
The study presents a contrastive map of CFR for the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and influenza (H1N1 and H2N2).
Findings
The mapped data shows that current CFR of SARS-CoV-2 are considerably lower than, or similar to those, of hospitalised patients in the UK, Spain, Germany or international samples. The authors therefore infer a possible risk that the virulence of the coronavirus is considerably overestimated because of sampling biases, and that increased testing might reduce the general CFR of SARS-CoV-2 to rates similar to, or lower than, of the common seasonal influenza.
Originality/value
This study concludes that governments, health corporations and health researchers must prepare for scenarios in which the affected populations cease to believe in the statistical foundations of the current coronavirus crisis and interventions.
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The last financial crisis opens the question of the level of debt sustainability in the developed countries. The majority of the EU member states faced the growing trend of public…
Abstract
The last financial crisis opens the question of the level of debt sustainability in the developed countries. The majority of the EU member states faced the growing trend of public debt (while some countries are unable to service it on time, i.e. Greece) and some of the new members face the problem of external debt. Regarding there is no standard tool for measurement of public debt sustainability this analysis provides the statistical and econometric approach to find out bi-directional impact of public debt on GDP growth rate, unemployment, current account and interest rate spread. The research is performed on the five different groups of EU member states: EU28, Eurozone, new member states, GIIPS and EU-10-core countries. Results indicate the necessity to keep the public debt stable regarding the very slow post crisis recovery and low growth rates to avoid unintended consequences of debt burden on the EU economies.
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A numerical formulation for solving homogeneous anisotropic heat conduction problems based on the use of an isotropic fundamental solution is presented in detail. The analysis is…
Abstract
A numerical formulation for solving homogeneous anisotropic heat conduction problems based on the use of an isotropic fundamental solution is presented in detail. The analysis is carried out assuming a generic position of the coordinate axes, which may not coincide with the principal directions of orthotropy of the material. The two primary integral equations of the method are derived from the governing differential equation of the problem. Then, the numerical procedure is developed by rewriting the internal degrees of freedom that arise from the domain discretization in terms of the boundary nodes and solving the resulting system of linear equations for the boundary unknowns only. Special attention is given to the differentiation of singular integrals which yields additional terms as well as to the evaluation of the resulting Cauchy principal value integral. The main feature of the proposed formulation is its generality, which makes possible its direct extension to solve the problem of three‐dimensional heat conduction in anisotropic media and, foremost, to three‐dimensional orthotropic and anisotropic elasticity or elastoplasticity.
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This study intends to explore the relationship between digital finance and the vertical specialization of firms. The following questions are discussed: (1) As a representative new…
Abstract
Purpose
This study intends to explore the relationship between digital finance and the vertical specialization of firms. The following questions are discussed: (1) As a representative new financial development model, what is the role of digital finance in the vertical specialization of firms? (2) If digital finance improves the level of vertical specialization of firms, what is the mechanism behind such improvement? (3) How does digital finance impact the vertical specialization of firms in different regions, industries, and firms?
Design/methodology/approach
A two-way fixed-effect model of panel data is proposed to verify the relationship between digital finance and the vertical specialization of firms. This model is constructed by matching the city-level data of digital finance with the data of China's A-share listed companies from 2011 to 2018. Meanwhile, the instrumental variable (IV) method and difference-in-difference (DID) method are adopted to deal with the endogeneity problem of the model.
Findings
The authors' study finds that digital finance has significantly improved the level of vertical specialization of firms. The result is robust under the endogeneity consideration and a series of robustness tests. After the dimensionality of the index is reduced, the depth of digital finance usage is more conducive to the improvement of the vertical specialization of firms compared with the width of digital finance coverage and the level of financial digitization. Digital finance mainly improves the level of vertical specialization of firms by reducing transaction costs and increasing the market thickness of the intermediate products. Moreover, digital finance has certain heterogeneity in promoting the vertical specialization of firms, an effect that is more significant in the eastern region, manufacturing industry and state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
Research limitations/implications
The first limitation is the mechanism test. This research only analyzes the mechanism from transaction cost and the market thickness of the intermediate products. With the rapid development of information technology, digital finance will be further integrated into people's production and life. There will then be more mechanisms that should be explored between digital finance and the vertical specialization of firms. Another limitation is the data sample of this paper. The conclusions of this research are based only on the data of listed companies. However, in the authors' opinion, the specialization level of small and medium-sized enterprise (SMEs) should be higher. Therefore, the conclusions of this work are underestimated, which can be considered as the lower limit of digital finance for enterprise specialization.
Social implications
As a favorable financing channel to supplement traditional financial service functions, digital finance plays a critical role in the operating efficiency of enterprises and the effective allocation of macro resources. The authors' research shows that digital finance has significantly improved the vertical specialization of firms. This conclusion provides guides to improve the production efficiency of enterprises and the quality of economic development.
Originality/value
This paper has three main contributions. (1) The relationship between financial development and the vertical specialization of firms is innovatively discussed from the perspective of digital finance, which implies that digital finance can effectively promote the level of vertical specialization of firms. (2) This paper provides new perspectives and ideas to reveal the impact mechanism of digital finance on the real economy by systematically analyzing the mechanism of digital finance on the vertical specialization of firms from the perspectives of transaction costs and financing constraints. (3) The regional differences in the development of digital finance, industry differences in the vertical specialization of firms and differences in the nature of enterprise property rights are all under consideration, which improves the effectiveness and pertinence of digital finance in promoting the vertical specialization of firms.
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Introduction: The possible role of foreign direct investments (FDIs) in the insurance services industry has not received much research compared to the banking industry. The FDI…
Abstract
Introduction: The possible role of foreign direct investments (FDIs) in the insurance services industry has not received much research compared to the banking industry. The FDI inflows are seen as crucial to the general economic growth of these emerging European transition countries because the insurance sector is still growing and integrating.
Purpose: This chapter explores whether the increase in FDI inflows leads to higher life and non-life insurance penetration in different groups of European transition countries and European post-transition countries.
Methodology: The study employs annual data between 1995 and 2021 using dynamic ordinary squares (DOLS) estimator and Dumitrescu and Hurlin (2012) panel causality methods.
Findings: The study found evidence about the link between FDI and life and non-life insurance penetration, where their gains are marginal and very weak when controlling the effect of Gross Domestic Product per capita (GDPPC) in the long run. More specifically, the effect of FDI on insurance development is greater in the European post-transition countries with higher GDPPC and FDI inflows than in the European transition countries.
These discrepancies may be attributed to the various stages at which their development policies have advanced as well as the overall execution of reforms within the insurance industry. The findings suggest affirmative action programs should be put in place to attract FDI inflows in general and insurance in particular.
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Rui Vicente Martins, Eulália Santos, Teresa Eugénio and Ana Morais
Business politics and social and economic policies in the past decades brought us to the inevitability of change. Foreign direct investment (FDI) plays a vital role in this change…
Abstract
Purpose
Business politics and social and economic policies in the past decades brought us to the inevitability of change. Foreign direct investment (FDI) plays a vital role in this change as it is a tool for international business management in a global world. The relationship between FDI and sustainability in sub-Saharan countries with lower incomes has not yet been sufficiently studied, so this study aims to bring some more conclusions to the discussion. Thus, the main objective is to understand if FDI effectively influences the so-called triple bottom line (TBL) pillars of sustainability.
Design/methodology/approach
With data from the World Bank regarding 20 sub-Saharan countries gathered between 2010 and 2018, this study analysed 34 indicators composing 11 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Afterwards, the authors grouped them by the TBL pillars and evaluated the influence of FDI inflows on their scores using panel data models.
Findings
The results show a positive and significant correlation between the TBL pillars, with the highest correlation being between the environmental and economic pillars. On the other hand, FDI has no significant influence on the TBL pillars.
Practical implications
This study could improve foreign investment legislation/regulation in sub-Saharan African countries, potentially impacting the sustainability these investments should generate.
Social implications
This study contributes to understanding how FDI implies sustainability. The results suggest that governments, non-governmental organisations and other competent entities need to adjust their actions in these countries so that foreign companies sustainably exploit the resources.
Originality/value
This study brings to the current arena an emerging theme: FDI and sustainability in African countries, particularly in sub-Saharan countries. This subject in developing countries is still under-researched.
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Katherine Whale, Kathleen Green and Kevin Browne
The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between attachment style, sub-clinical symptoms of psychosis and aggression in a general population sample.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between attachment style, sub-clinical symptoms of psychosis and aggression in a general population sample.
Design/methodology/approach
Using both convenience and snowball sampling, participants in the community (n=213) completed an online questionnaire including previously validated measures of adult attachment, aggression and psychotic experiences.
Findings
Results suggested that there were statistically significant correlations between all study variables. Multiple linear regression demonstrated that total psychotic-like experiences and attachment scores significantly predicted variance in total aggression. Moderation approaches revealed that the relationship between psychotic-like events and aggression was stronger in individuals with more insecure attachment styles.
Research limitations/implications
This generalisability of the results is compromised by the sampling methodology and the use of self-report tools. However, the significant results would support larger scale replications investigating similar variables.
Originality/value
This study suggests there is a relationship between psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) and facets of aggression in the general population. These results suggest that attachment is a contributing factor to aggression associated with PLEs, and highlight the need for similar investigations within clinical samples. The results imply that attachment may be a useful construct for explanatory models of the relationship between adverse childhood experiences, psychotic experiences and aggression.
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Diwesh Babruwan Meshram, Vikas Gohil, Yogesh Madan Puri and Sachin Ambade
Machining of curved channels using electrical discharge machining (EDM) is a novel approach. In this study, an experimental setup was designed, developed and mounted on…
Abstract
Purpose
Machining of curved channels using electrical discharge machining (EDM) is a novel approach. In this study, an experimental setup was designed, developed and mounted on die-sinking EDM to manufacture curve channels in AISI P20 mold steel.
Design/methodology/approach
The effect of specific machining parameters such as peak current, pulse on time, duty factor and lift over material removal rate (MRR) and tool wear rate (TWR) were studied. Multi-objective optimization was performed using Taguchi technique and Jaya algorithm.
Findings
The experimental results revealed current and pulse on time to have the predominant effect over material removal and tool wear diagnostic parameters with contributions of 39.67, 32.04% and 43.05, 36.52%, respectively. The improvements in material removal and tool wear as per the various optimization techniques were 35.48 and 10.91%, respectively.
Originality/value
Thus, Taguchi method was used for effective optimization of the machining parameters. Further, nature-based Jaya algorithm was implemented for obtaining the optimum values of TWR and MRR.