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This paper gives a review of the finite element techniques (FE) applied in the area of material processing. The latest trends in metal forming, non‐metal forming, powder metallurgy and composite material processing are briefly discussed. The range of applications of finite elements on these subjects is extremely wide and cannot be presented in a single paper; therefore the aim of the paper is to give FE researchers/users only an encyclopaedic view of the different possibilities that exist today in the various fields mentioned above. An appendix included at the end of the paper presents a bibliography on finite element applications in material processing for 1994‐1996, where 1,370 references are listed. This bibliography is an updating of the paper written by Brannberg and Mackerle which has been published in Engineering Computations, Vol. 11 No. 5, 1994, pp. 413‐55.

To introduce the concept of cultural equity and provide a theoretical framework for managing cultural equity in multi-cultural markets.

Recent research on the social psychology of globalization, cross-cultural consumer behavior, consumer culture, and global branding is reviewed to develop a theoretical framework for building, leveraging, and protecting cultural equity.

Provides an actionable definition for a brand’s cultural equity, discusses consumer responses to brands that relate to cultural equity, identifies the building blocks of cultural equity, and develops a framework for managing cultural equity.

Research conducted mainly in large cities in North and South America, Europe, the Middle East, and East Asia. Generalizations to less developed parts of the world might be limited.

A very useful theoretical framework for managers interested in building cultural equity into their brands and for leveraging this equity via new products and the development of new markets.

The paper integrates past findings across a variety of domains to develop a parsimonious framework for managing cultural equity in globalized markets.

Fluctuations in the tender price index have an adverse effect on the construction sector and the economy at large. This is largely due to the positive relationship that exists between the construction industry and economic growth. The consequences of these variations include cost overruns and schedule delays, among others. An accurate forecast of the tender price index is good for controlling the uncertainty associated with its variation. In the present study, the efficacy of using an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) for tender price forecasting is investigated. In addition, the Box–Jenkins model, which is considered a benchmark technique, was used to evaluate the performance of the ANFIS model. The results demonstrate that the ANFIS model is superior to the Box–Jenkins model in terms of the accuracy and reliability of the forecast. The ANFIS could provide an accurate and reliable forecast of the tender price index in the medium term (i.e. over a three-year period). This chapter provides evidence of the advantages of applying nonlinear modelling techniques (such as the ANFIS) to tender price index forecasting. Although the proposed ANFIS model is applied to the tender price index in this study, it can also be applied to a wider range of problems in the field of construction engineering and management.

This study aims to establish a dynamic process model of an electromagnetic thermotherapy system (ETS) to predict the temperature of a thermotherapy needle.

The model is used for real-time predicting the static and dynamic responses of temperature and can therefore provide a valuable analysis for system monitoring.

The electromagnetic thermotherapy process is a nonlinear problem in which the system identification is implemented by a neural network identifier. It can simulate the input/output relationship of a real system with an excellent approximation ability to uncertain nonlinear system. A system identifier for an ETS is analyzed and selected with recurrent neural networks models to deal with various treatment processes.

The Elman neural network (ENN) prediction model on ETS proposed in this study is an easy and feasible method. Comparing two situations of inputs with more and fewer data, both are trained to present low mean squared error, and the temperature response error appears within 15 per cent. The ENN, with the advantages of simple design and stable efficacy, is useful for establishing the temperature prediction model to ensure the security in the thermotherapy.

This paper aims to present a simplified solution method for the elasto-plastic consolidation problem under different stress paths.

First, a double-yield-surface model is introduced as the constitutive model framework, and a partial derivative coefficient sequence is obtained by using numerical approximation using Gauss nuclear function to construct a discretization constitutive model which can reflect the influence of different stress paths. Then, the model is introduced to Biot’s consolidation theory. Volumetric strain of each step as the right-hand term, the continuity equation is simplified as a Poisson equation and the fundamental solution is derived by the variable separation method. Based on it, a semi-analytical and semi-numerical method is presented and implemented in a finite element program.

The method is a simplified solution that is more convenient than traditional coupling stiffness matrix method. Moreover, the consolidation of the semi-infinite foundation model is analyzed. It is shown that the numerical method is sufficiently stable and can reflect the influence of stress path, loading distribution width and some other factors on the deformation of soil skeleton and pore water pressure.

Original features of this research include semi-numerical semi-analytical consolidation method; pore water pressure and settlements of different stress paths are different; maximum surface uplift at 3.5a; and stress path is the main influence factor for settlement when loading width a > 10 m.

Multicultural individuals are those who identify with two or more cultures, such as Chinese-Canadians, Turkish-Germans, or Arab-Americans. They are more likely to see multiple sides of an ethical dilemma than monocultural individuals, who identify with one culture. This tendency toward ethical relativism – where ethics are seen to be relative to the context – could help multicultural individuals excel as ethical global leaders. Global leaders must manage the ethical tensions inherent in their multinational operations by understanding multiple ethical perspectives. Multiculturals’ inclination toward relativism may be driven by the structure or content of their cultural identities. The identity structure argument is based on the patterns in which individuals mentally organize their cultural identities, while the identity content argument is based on the degree to which individuals endorse relativism as a result of having internalized cultural schemas with relativist norms. We offer an exploratory test of these dual hypotheses, and find evidence to support the identity structure, but not the identity content argument. Specifically, multicultural individuals who separate their cultures are more likely to exhibit relativism in decision-making than those who integrate them. This indicates that identity patterns can drive relativism. In contrast, individuals who identify with high relativism cultures are not more likely to endorse relativism than those who identify with low relativism cultures, indicating a lack of evidence for identity content driving relativism. These findings have implications for hiring or placement managers who seek global leaders who are likely to see more than one side of an ethical issue.

Aims to develop the conception and theory of school‐based management and map its characteristics of school functioning for facilitating the ongoing discussion and effort for school management reforms in local or international contexts. School‐based management employs theories of “equifinality” and “decentralization”, assumes that “school is a self‐managing system” and regards “initiative of human factor” and “improvement of internal process” as important. When compared with externally‐controlled schools, the characteristics of school‐based managing schools are very different in school functioning. They should have clear school mission and strong organizational culture. In these schools, managing strategies should encourage participation and give full play to members′ initiative; there should also be considerable autonomy of procuring and using resources to solve problems in time; the role of people concerned should be active and developmental; human relationship is open, co‐operative with mutual commitment; administrators should be high quality and always learning; and evaluation of school effectiveness should include multilevel and multi‐facet indicators of input, process and output in order to help the school learn to improve.

This issue is a selected bibliography covering the subject of leadership.

The purpose of this paper is to study the effects of Soret and Dufour effects on convective heat and mass transfer flow through a porous medium in a rectangular duct in the presence of inclined magnetic field.

Using the non-dimensional variables, the governing equations have been transformed into a set of differential equations, which are non-linear and cannot be solved analytically, therefore finite element method has been used for solving the governing equations.

The influence of thermo-diffusion, diffusion thermo, radiation, dissipation, heat sources and the inclined magnetic field on all the flow, heat and mass transfer characteristics has been found to be significant.

The problem is relatively original as it combines many effects as Soret and Dufour effects and chemical reaction under inclined magnetic field.