The purpose of this paper is to analyse the current rhetoric of predictability in investment theory. After making the case for unpredictability, a new rhetoric for investment…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyse the current rhetoric of predictability in investment theory. After making the case for unpredictability, a new rhetoric for investment theory is proposed.
Design/methodology/approach
McCloskey's project of the rhetoric of economics provides the background and approach for the author's investigation. In particular the author will use the notions of metaphor, prediction, discourse analysis, and virtue ethics.
Findings
The current rhetoric equals the original rhetoric in the seminal work of Markowitz. The current rhetoric is based on predictability and rational behaviour. The proposed new rhetoric for investment theory denies predictability. The new rhetoric aims to cope with statistics by stressing that statistics is supportive but not decisive: handling investment theory is about judgements, combining virtues with historical and theoretical insights.
Practical implications
The investigation of the rhetoric of investment theory has practical relevance because the theory constitutes investment practice, and can put financial wealth at risk. The new rhetoric for investment theory invites practitioners and researchers to reflect on the epistemology of investment theory, and its consequences for the field.
Originality/value
The rhetoric of investment theory is to the author's knowledge not yet analysed in the literature. The rhetorical analysis of the current rhetoric and the proposal of a new rhetoric aim to contribute to the literature on the rhetoric of investment theory.
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Carol A. Ireland and Siona Huxley
Clinical professionals working with psychologically traumatised children in the care system can experience potential challenges maintaining their own positive psychological…
Abstract
Purpose
Clinical professionals working with psychologically traumatised children in the care system can experience potential challenges maintaining their own positive psychological health, and when repeatedly being exposed to the traumatic histories of those in their care. The purpose of this paper is to increase the understanding of vicarious trauma and provide a guide for focussing on future research.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a systematic literature review, considering 13 articles that met the criteria and identified five main themes linked to secondary traumatic stress/vicarious trauma in staff.
Findings
Five main themes were noted. These are: lack of organisational support; lack of health work-life balance; lack of appropriate training; failure to use self-care techniques; and staff failure to share when they are experiencing symptoms.
Practical implications
Various implications are noted from this review. These include: the importance of education and support for staff, to be mindful that newer staff may be considered an “at risk” group for the negative impact of such trauma, and to encourage staff in achieving an effective work-life balance.
Originality/value
This is a focussed systematic review on secondary and vicarious trauma on staff working with children exposed to psychological trauma, such as sexual and physical abuse.
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The author explores the variety of ways in which sports brands have risen to prominence and how the development of particular activities and relationships, with athletes, fans…
Abstract
The author explores the variety of ways in which sports brands have risen to prominence and how the development of particular activities and relationships, with athletes, fans, media and regulators, are designed to present them as authentic. This status is crucial given the cultural and emotional significance of sport alongside its ability to underpin forms of collective belonging. A range of examples, including Red Bull, Nike, Patagonia, Olympic skateboarding and Manchester United Football Club, are used to highlight these processes as well as the complexity of the contemporary social, cultural and political landscapes that such brands now operate in.
Yuan Hu, Wenxue Zheng, Weizhong Zeng and Hongxing Lan
Forestry carbon sink (FCS) is not only an important measure to deal with the current global climate change but also an effective way to build an ecological civilization. As an…
Abstract
Purpose
Forestry carbon sink (FCS) is not only an important measure to deal with the current global climate change but also an effective way to build an ecological civilization. As an important form of implementation of FCS, the afforestation and reforestation projects under the clean development mechanism (CDM A/R) have important functions such as ecological protection and economic growth. This paper aims to evaluate the short-term and long-term impact of CDM on the county economy and its impact mechanism.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper first uses propensity score matching to match the county (treatment group). Second, this paper uses difference in difference to estimate the net effect of CDM A/R project on county economic development to reduce estimation error. Finally, the impact mechanism of implementing CDM A/R project on county economic development was tested.
Findings
The CDM A/R project has significantly promoted the development of real gross domestic product (GDP) and per capita real GDP in the region. Because of the long project cycle, this promotion is not immediate in the short term and has an obvious hysteresis effect. The longer the implementation time, the greater the promotion of the local economy will develop. The results are robust after the robustness test that uses the single-difference method. The CDM A/R project has promoted local economic growth by optimizing the local industrial structure, increasing the regional capital stock and raising the regional government’s fiscal revenue and expenditure.
Originality/value
This paper provides a critical overview of the relationship between clean development mechanism and local economic development.
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In recent years, school districts have faced numerous questions surrounding accommodations of transgender students. Strong objections to accommodations have been voiced in public…
Abstract
In recent years, school districts have faced numerous questions surrounding accommodations of transgender students. Strong objections to accommodations have been voiced in public argument and litigation, primarily in the areas of athletics, bathrooms, and dress codes. As younger transgender students express their gender identity at school, however, the existing objections are weakened by considering the context of elementary rather than high school students. Greater numbers of young transgender students will likely encourage accommodation of trans students of all ages, as well as challenge the gender binary unconsciously taught in school.
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Md Tanweer Ahmad, Mohammad Firouz and Nishit Kumar Srivastava
Increasing scarcity of natural resources and the adverse effects of unsustainable practices call for more and more efficient management strategies in the energy industry. The…
Abstract
Purpose
Increasing scarcity of natural resources and the adverse effects of unsustainable practices call for more and more efficient management strategies in the energy industry. The quality of the coke plays a significant role in the quality and durability of the output steel which is produced using the energy from the coal. This paper aims to investigate the dynamic coal blending problem under overall cost and coke quality constraints in the steel industry within a periodic cycle of operations.
Design/methodology/approach
Considering the variability of the natural properties over a periodic cycle, this study proposes a multi-period mixed-integer non-linear programming formulation to optimize the total blending costs while taking various coke quality constraints into account. Besides, this study applies factorial design to investigate about the significant effect of coal proportions as well as improvement into the overall cost of blending.
Findings
In this case study, utilizing real data from a coal blending facility in India, through a factorial design, the authors obtain optimal desirable levels of coal proportions and their criticality levels towards the total cost of blending (TCB) or objective function. This analysis reflects the role of the coke quality constraints in the objective function value while characterizing the price of sustainability for the case study among other critical insights.
Originality/value
Objective function (or TCB) includes basic coal cost, movement cost and environmental costs during the coal and coke processing at a coke-oven and blast furnace of steel industry. The price of sustainability provides managerial insights on that sacrifices the industry has to make in order to become more “sustainable”.
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Fan Yi, Wang Qingfeng and Yang Wenxiu
The purpose of this study is to study the pitting caused by Ca-Al-O-S composite inclusions of low-alloy steel in 3 Wt.% NaCl solution and 0.01M NaHSO3 solution.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to study the pitting caused by Ca-Al-O-S composite inclusions of low-alloy steel in 3 Wt.% NaCl solution and 0.01M NaHSO3 solution.
Design/methodology/approach
The corrosion in 0.01M NaHSO3 was much weaker than in 3 Wt.% NaCl 3D display of the pitting formation and development process that has been calculated using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM). In addition, a corrosion mechanism of pitting formation by galvanic interaction of composite inclusion and base metal has been proposed.
Findings
Results show that in immersion test, metal base around inclusions was dissolved due to corrosion. Corrosion on the metal base closer to inclusions was more severe.
Originality/value
A corrosion mechanism of pitting formation by galvanic interaction of composite inclusion and base metal has been proposed.