Pankaj, Mohammed Arif and Surendra K. Kaushik
Two anisotropic yield criteria, that employ quadratic stress functions and have been extensively used for the elastoplastic analysis of composite materials, are considered…
Abstract
Two anisotropic yield criteria, that employ quadratic stress functions and have been extensively used for the elastoplastic analysis of composite materials, are considered. Proposed by Hoffman and by Sun, both these criteria have been formulated using nine parameters. With appropriate choice of parameters they reduce to the well‐known isotropic von Mises criterion and the anisotropic Hill criterion. This paper investigates the convexity, which is an essential condition for any plasticity model, for these criteria in the principal stress space. In each case two orthogonal sections ‐ deviatoric and volumetric ‐ are used to study the shapes of the ensuing curves. Illustrative three‐dimensional plots are included. It is concluded that, while simple interrelationships between the parameters ensure convexity of the Hoffman criterion, conditions for the Sun criterion are quite stringent.
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Armand Gilinsky, Raymond H. Lopez, James S. Gould and Robert R. Cangemi
The Beringer Wine Estates Company has been expanding its market share in the premium segment of the wine industry in the 1990's. After operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of…
Abstract
The Beringer Wine Estates Company has been expanding its market share in the premium segment of the wine industry in the 1990's. After operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of the giant Nestlé food company for almost a quarter of a century, the firm was sold in 1996 to new owners, in a leveraged buyout. For the next year and a half, management and the new owners restructured the firm and expanded through internal growth and strategic acquisitions. With a heavy debt load from the LBO, it seemed prudent for management to consider a significant rebalancing of its capital structure. By paying off a portion of its debt and enhancing the equity account, the firm would achieve greater financial flexibility which could enhance its growth rate and business options. Finally, a publicly held common stock would provide management with another “currency” to be used for enhancing its growth rate and overall corporate valuation. With the equity markets in turmoil, significant strategic decisions had to be made quickly. Should the IPO be completed, with the district possibility of a less than successful after market price performance and these implications for pursuing external growth initiatives? A variety of alternative courses of action and their implications for the financial health of the Beringer Company and the financial wealth of Beringer stockholders are integral components of this case.
Aasif Mohammad Khan, Umer Yousuf Parray, Fayaz Ahmad Loan and Shahid Rashid Parray
This study has aimed to thoroughly assess user sentiments and perceptions regarding the National Library of India (NLI). It has attempted to provide significant insights into user…
Abstract
Purpose
This study has aimed to thoroughly assess user sentiments and perceptions regarding the National Library of India (NLI). It has attempted to provide significant insights into user satisfaction by examining its strengths and shortcomings across key categories including collection, environment, facilities, location, management and staff. The study has contributed to the understanding of the factors influencing the attributes of libraries, facilitating improvements in services and enhancing the overall user experience.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employed a mixed-methods approach combining quantitative and qualitative analysis to assess user sentiments towards the NLI. Using Google Maps reviews, the study utilized web scraping, content analysis and sentiment analysis to categorize reviews as positive, negative or neutral, providing insights into user experiences and an in-depth analysis of the views and opinions of the NLI.
Findings
The study involved sentiment analysis and content analysis of 818 Google Maps reviews to assess user satisfaction with the NLI. The results demonstrate 624 reviews as positive sentiments, 70 instances pinpointed specific negative concerns, primarily related to staff behavior and certain facilities, and 124 neutral reviews suggested mixed viewpoints among users. This analysis highlights the critical role of attributes such as collection quality, environment and facilities in shaping user perceptions, emphasizing the need for focused improvements based on user feedback. The study revealed six attributes, namely collection, environment, facilities, location, management and staff that influence the user perception.
Research limitations/implications
This study is focused solely on Google Maps reviews. Hence, the results cannot be generalized to all online platforms. Reliance on online reviews may not fully capture the views of all the library users. Additionally, the scope of the study is limited to English-language comments, potentially overlooking valuable insights from non-English-language reviews.
Practical implications
This study provides valuable insights for the NLI to enhance user satisfaction by addressing the specific concerns raised in online reviews. The findings offer actionable guidance for library management to refine services and maintain favorable public perceptions.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the field by providing a comprehensive analysis of user sentiment through sentiment and content analysis of online reviews, offering unique insights into the NLI’s public perception. The identification of key strengths and weaknesses adds practical value to library management for refining services. The originality of this study lies in its unique approach to evaluating user experiences, which guides future research and improvement efforts in library services.
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Swati Sucharita Pradhan, Raseswari Pradhan and Bidyadhar Subudhi
The dynamics of the PV microgrid (PVMG) system are highly nonlinear and uncertain in nature. It is encountered with parametric uncertainties and disturbances. This system cannot…
Abstract
Purpose
The dynamics of the PV microgrid (PVMG) system are highly nonlinear and uncertain in nature. It is encountered with parametric uncertainties and disturbances. This system cannot be controlled properly by conventional linear controllers. H− controller and sliding mode controller (SMC) may capable of controlling it with ease. Due to its inherent dynamics, SMC introduces unwanted chattering into the system output waveforms. This paper aims to propose a controller to reduce this chattering.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents redesign of the SMC by modifying its sliding surface and tuning its parameters by employing water-evaporation-optimization (WEO) based metaheuristic algorithm.
Findings
By using this proposed water-evaporation-optimization algorithm-double integral sliding mode controller (WEOA-DISMC), the chattering magnitude is diminished greatly. Further, to examine which controller between H8 controller and proposed WEOA-DISMC performs better in both normal and uncertain situations, a comparative analysis has been made in this paper. The considered comparison parameters are reference tracking, disturbance rejection and robust stability.
Originality/value
WEO tuned DISMC for PVMG system is the contribution.
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Neelam Rani, Surendra S Yadav and P K Jain
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of mergers and acquisitions (M & A) on corporate performance. It addresses the major question related to the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of mergers and acquisitions (M & A) on corporate performance. It addresses the major question related to the long-term performance of the acquiring firm.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses the long-term pre- and post-merger financial data to investigate the long-term performance. It compares performance of the acquiring firms before and after M & A. The present work conducts a comprehensive ratio analysis of 14 major ratios related to profitability, efficiency, leverage and liquidity. To ascertain the sources of the better long-term post-M & A returns, the present work decomposes the measure of operating performance into its constituents in terms of Du Pont analysis.
Findings
Taking a sample of 305 M & As during the period of January 2003 to December 2008, it has been observed that there is significant improvement in the profitability of the acquiring companies involved in M & A. The results pertaining to profitability, efficiency (in terms of utilization of fixed assets), expense and liquidity ratios show that there is an improvement in performance of the acquiring firms in the post-M & A period. The analysis in terms of Du Pont shows improvement in the long-term operating profit margin of the acquiring firms. This means higher profit is generated per unit net sales by the acquiring firms after the M & A. The higher profits (profit before interest and taxes and non-operating income) are generated primarily due to the better operating margins. The improved operating cash flows are on account of the improvement in the post-M & A operating margins of the acquirers, not due to the efficient utilization of the assets turnover to generate higher sales.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the existing literature by comparing operating performance and profitability of acquirers before and after M & A using a comprehensive set of 14 ratios for a substantially large sample.
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Avani Shah, Balakrishnan Unny and Samik Shome
This paper aims to conduct a systematic literature review of Socially Conscious Investment (SCI) articles published in premier journals. Its objective is to shed light on the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to conduct a systematic literature review of Socially Conscious Investment (SCI) articles published in premier journals. Its objective is to shed light on the publication trend, leading authors, journals, countries and themes in contemporary SCI research. The article also provides a conceptual model of SCI to enhance understanding of the knowledge structure and the future research direction.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic review followed the PRISMA guidelines and encompasses 264 full-text articles indexed in A* and A category journals listed in ABDC is reviewed. The literature synthesis adopts the theories, contexts, characteristics and methodology (TCCM) framework.
Findings
The article has identified the research trends related to author impact, journal impact, article impact and the outcomes derived from the TCCM framework. Additionally, it highlights three key themes: Performance of SCI, Behavioural issues and SCI development literature.
Originality/value
The insight on various aspects of SCI was explored for a comprehensive understanding. The authors also developed a conceptual model for socially conscious investment.