bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does board independence enhance firm value of state-owned enterprises? Evidence from India and China
Authors: M. Thenmozhi , Sasidharan Aghila
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effectiveness of governance in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and explores if board independence enhances the firm value of SOEs in India and China. The study further explores the moderation impact of promoter ownership in enhancing firm value.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is confined to government-owned enterprises in India and China and is based on a sample of 53 central government-owned firms listed in National Stock Exchange of India and 110 state-owned firms listed in Shanghai Stock Exchange of China for the period 2010–2017. A fixed-effect panel regression analysis has been used to examine the effect of board independence on firm value.

Findings

The study found that board independence adds value to the SOEs in India and China and the presence of independent directors (IDs) in the board of SOEs act as better monitors of performance to protect the interest of minority shareholders. Probably, they minimize agency conflict and provide resources to the firm and management. The greater the government shareholdings, the board independence further enhances value of SOEs in India and China.

Practical implications

Compliance with guidelines on IDs in SOEs serves as an effective corporate governance mechanism and the presence of IDs can signal better firm performance. The government promoters align with the IDs in better monitoring of SOE performance.

Originality/value

The study is unique and contributes to the literature by examining the impact of board independence on firm value in the context of SOEs in India and China and also provides insight on the effect of promoter ownership on the effectiveness on board independence.
Developing optimal scaffolding erection through the integration of lean and work posture analysis
Authors: Wang Peng , Wu Peng , Wang Xiangyu , Chen Xin , Zhou Tao
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Facility structures in liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants require tremendous amounts of scaffolding to facilitate relevant industrial operation and maintenance. As such, the productivity of scaffolding operations in turnaround maintenance (TAM) has attracted much attention in recent years. In addition, health and safety issues have been recognised as a key contributor along with productivity improvement in the LNG industry. This study aims to integrate work posture analysis into value stream mapping to achieve an optimised and balanced improvement in both productivity and health and safety.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study approach is adopted to integrate lean and work posture analysis in a TAM site. The lean improvement is conducted through value stream mapping, and the work posture analysis is conducted through the Ovako Working Posture Analysis System method. A three-step optimisation strategy is then developed for achieving optimised performance in waste reduction and work posture improvement.

Findings

It is found that the implementation of value stream mapping can help eliminate waste in the installation process, therefore eliminating potential health and safety risks. However, health and safety of onsite workers does not always improve as lean implementation intensifies. There is an optimised erection schedule that has the lowest health and safety risk within a waste reduction target.

Originality/value

In contradiction to previous studies, which rely on qualitative assessment to identify the a positive correlation between lean and health and safety, this study reveals the distinct difference between lean attributes and health and safety attributes through a quantitative assessment and is more readily to be implemented at the site level for simultaneous improvement in lean and health and safety.
A centralised cost management system: exploiting EVM and ABC within IPD
Authors: Elghaish Faris , Abrishami Sepehr
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Integrated project delivery (IPD) is highly recommended to be utilised with building information management (BIM), specifically with BIM level-3 implementation process. Extant literature highlights the financial management challenges facing the proposed integration. These challenges are mainly related to the IPD compensation and the conventional cost control approaches that are not consistent with IPD principles. As such, this paper presents an integration of several methods to support automating risk/reward sharing amongst project parties thus enhancing IPD core team members’ relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The literature review was used to highlight the challenges that face the IPD-based cost management practices such as the risk sharing/reward sharing amongst IPD core team members and potential methods to bridge the revealed IPD gap. A framework was developed by integrating the activity-based costing (ABC) – as a method to analyse the cost structure – and earned value management (EVM) to develop mathematical models that can determine the three main IPD financial transactions (i.e. …) fairly. To demonstrate the applicability of the developed system, a real-life case study was used, in which, promising results were collected in regard to visualising the cost control data and understanding of the accumulative status of the project cost and schedule for team members.

Findings

A centralised cost management system (CCMS) for IPD is developed to enable the IPD cost structure as well as automating the risk-sharing/reward-sharing calculations. This system is linked with a web-based management system to display the output of proposed risk-sharing/reward-sharing models. Moreover, a novel grid is developed to show the project status graphically and to respect the diversity in core team members backgrounds. In addition, the case study showed that the proposed integration of different methods (ABC, EVM, BIM and web-based management system) is interoperable and applicable.

Originality/value

This research presents a comprehensive solution to the most revealed challenges in cost management practices in IPD implementation. The outcome of this research contributes to the body of knowledge through presenting new extensions of the EVM to be used with the IPD approach to calculate risk/reward. Moreover, the implementation of the proposed tools such as centralised cost management system (CCMS) and CCMS for IPD web system will enhance/foster the implementation of the IPD in conjunction with BIM process.
A novel model for risk management of outsourced construction projects using decision-making methods: a case study
Authors: Mahmoudi Amin , Abbasi Mehdi , Deng Xiaopeng , Ikram Muhammad , Yeganeh Salman
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Selecting a suitable contract to outsource construction projects is an ongoing concern for project managers and organizational directors. This study aims to propose a comprehensive model to manage the risks of outsourced construction project contracts.

Design/methodology/approach

To employ the proposed model, firstly, the types of contracts and risks in the organization should be identified, then, to prioritize the contracts, the identified risks are considered as criteria. After receiving the experts' opinions, the best–worst method (BWM) integrated with grey relation analysis (GRA) method was used to prioritize the contracts. BWM and GRA are multi-criteria decision-making methods with different approaches and applications. In the current study, BWM has been employed to calculate the weights of criteria because it has better performance than other methods such as the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). After calculating the weights of criteria, the GRA method has been utilized for ranking the alternatives.

Findings

According to the results obtained from the case study, the cost plus award fee contract is the most suitable alternative for outsourcing construction projects. The proposed methodology can be practically applied through different types of the projects such as construction or “engineering, procurement and construction”.

Originality/value

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time a conceptual model has been proposed to select an appropriate contract for construction projects. Also, for the first time, the BWM integrated with GRA method has been used to prioritize project contracts based on the potential risks. The proposed model can contribute to project managers for selecting a suitable contract with the least risk in construction projects.
Hybrid nanofluid flow towards a stagnation point on an exponentially stretching/shrinking vertical sheet with buoyancy effects
Authors: Waini Iskandar , Ishak Anuar , Pop Ioan
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the hybrid nanofluid flow towards a stagnation point on an exponentially stretching/shrinking vertical sheet with buoyancy effects.

Design/methodology/approach

Here, the authors consider copper (Cu) and alumina (Al2O3) as hybrid nanoparticles while water as the base fluid. The governing equations are reduced to the similarity equations using similarity transformations. The resulting equations are programmed in Matlab software through the bvp4c solver to obtain their solutions.

Findings

The authors found that the heat transfer rate is greater for Al2O3-Cu/water hybrid nanofluid if compared to Cu/water nanofluid. Besides, the non-uniqueness of the solutions is observed for certain physical parameters. The authors also notice that the bifurcation of the solutions occurs in the downward buoyant force and the shrinking regions. In addition, the first solution of the skin friction and heat transfer coefficients increase with the added hybrid nanoparticles and the mixed convection parameter. The temporal stability analysis shows that one of the solutions is stable as time evolves.

Originality/value

The present work is dealing with the problem of a mixed convection flow of a hybrid nanofluid towards a stagnation point on an exponentially stretching/shrinking vertical sheet, with the buoyancy effects is taken into consideration. The authors show that two solutions are obtained for a single value of parameter for both stretching and shrinking cases, as well as for both buoyancy aiding and opposing flows. A temporal stability analysis then shows that only one of the solutions is stable and physically reliable as time evolves.
The boundary knot method for the solution of two-dimensional advection reaction-diffusion and Brusselator equations
Authors: Dehghan Mehdi , Mohammadi Vahid
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This study aims to apply a numerical meshless method, namely, the boundary knot method (BKM) combined with the meshless analog equation method (MAEM) in space and use a semi-implicit scheme in time for finding a new numerical solution of the advection–reaction–diffusion and reaction–diffusion systems in two-dimensional spaces, which arise in biology.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the BKM is applied to approximate the spatial variables of the studied mathematical models. Then, this study derives fully discrete scheme of the studied models using a semi-implicit scheme based on Crank–Nicolson idea, which gives a linear system of algebraic equations with a non-square matrix per time step that is solved by the singular value decomposition. The proposed approach approximates the solution of a given partial differential equation using particular and homogeneous solutions and without considering the fundamental solutions of the proposed equations.

Findings

This study reports some numerical simulations for showing the ability of the presented technique in solving the studied mathematical models arising in biology. The obtained results by the developed numerical scheme are in good agreement with the results reported in the literature. Besides, a simulation of the proposed model is done on buttery shape domain in two-dimensional space.

Originality/value

This study develops the BKM combined with MAEM for solving the coupled systems of (advection) reaction–diffusion equations in two-dimensional spaces. Besides, it does not need the fundamental solution of the mathematical models studied here, which omits any difficulties.
A novel equipment for making nanocomposites for investigating the antimicrobial properties of nanotextiles
Authors: Bereznenko Sergey , Bereznenko Natalia , Skyba Mykola , Yakymchuk Dmytro , Artemenko Tetiana , Prybeha Dmytro , Synyuk Oleg , Kalinsky Eugen
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this article is the development of up-to-date equipment for making nanocomposites for investigation of the antimicrobial properties of nanotextiles and the creation of a scientific base to choose materials of clothing with a special purpose.

Design/methodology/approach

Investigations are focussed on modifying the surface of textile materials by metal ions nanoparticles (AgJ, CuJ). The work of the equipment is based on the creation of metal nanocomposites in polyethyleneglycol (PEG). It is heated up to a temperature of not more than 130ºС, followed by adding the dispersion of metal in small portions to water. Nanoparticles are uniformly distributed on material surface that provides the improvement of its characteristics.

Findings

It has been found that modifying natural fibrous materials by nanoparticles of metal ions (AgJ, CuJ) promotes increasing their bactericidal and fungicidal properties with a comparison with traditional cotton materials. Microbiological investigations of antimicrobial properties of the cotton fabric have been conducted according to their effects on staphylococcus bacteria, E. coli and fungi.

Research limitations/implications

This research is limited to cotton fabrics. Therefore, other fabric types can be investigated to expand the data basis in the future.

Practical implications

The main practical point of developed equipment is that it can be used for obtaining bactericidal and fungicidal properties of natural and fibrous materials modified by nanoparticles of metal ions (AgJ, CuJ). That provides new characteristics of textile materials that can be used in the future for special clothing tailoring.

Social implications

The use of engineering equipment will allow in perspective to produce clothes with bactericidal and fungicidal properties, which can improve people’s lives through the prism of health and finished product quality.

Originality/value

Special equipment for investigation of antimicrobial properties of nanomodified textile materials of different kinds has been engineered, and there is an opportunity to create materials with antibacterial and antifungal properties. The application of this equipment provides the receiving of new characteristics for textile materials with silver ions nanoparticles. Such properties of nanomodified materials are useful for human health and can be used in the production of various textile products.
A review of UV radiation protection on humans by textiles and clothing
Authors: Khan Asfandyar , Nazir Ahsan , Rehman Abdur , Naveed Maryam , Ashraf Munir , Iqbal Kashif , Basit Abdul , Maqsood Hafiz Shahzad
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This review deals with the pros and cons of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on human beings and the role of textile clothing and the chemicals used for textiles to protect from their harmful effects.

Design/methodology/approach

UV radiation (UVR) which has further divided into UVA, UVB, and UVC. Almost 100% of UVC and major portion of UVB are bounced back to stratosphere by ozone layer while UVA enters the earth atmosphere. Excessive exposure of solar or artificial UVR exhibit potential risks to human health. UVR is a major carcinogen and excessive exposure of solar radiation in sunlight can cause cancer in the lip, skin squamous cell, basal cell and cutaneous melanoma, particularly in people with the fair skin.

Findings

This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the harmful effects of UVR on human skin, factors affecting UV irradiance and factors affecting UV protection offered by textile clothing.

Originality/value

Effect of fiber properties, yarn properties, fabric construction, fabric treatments and laundering has been reviewed along with the identification of gaps in the reported research. A comparison of inorganic and organic UV absorbers has also been given along with different testing and evaluation methods for UV protective clothing.
Unfolding irrationality: how do meaningful coincidences influence management decisions?
Authors: Cristofaro Matteo
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This study aims to answer the following research question: “How do meaningful coincidences influence management decisions?” This question has gained relevance mainly because of the increasing attention of scholars in explaining the irrational pressures that shape management decisions, which should be inevitably taken into account to discover the causative factors of firms’ performances.

Design/methodology/approach

A multiparadigm approach to theory building has been adopted, known as “metatriangulation.” This study consisted of exploring the interplay between the synchronicity concept of Jung and cognitive studies. As a result, this work proposes a conceptual framework that refers to both sensemaking and cognitive decision-making literature.

Findings

The framework proposes that the perceived certainty (or not) about the potential outcome for the well-being, coming from the occurrence of meaningful coincidences, elicits a set of positive (or negative) affective states. These states activate a series of cognitive errors that drive the assignment of a symbolic content to the coincidences, bringing different risk-oriented management decisions.

Research limitations/implications

The provided model is purely conceptual and based on the current pool of knowledge available. As much as empirical evidence will be produced, this model may need revision. This framework proposes the interpretation of meaningful coincidences not only as the output of a number of information processing biases, but also as inputs, through the elicited affect heuristic, for the occurrence of other cognitive errors that drive management decisions.

Practical implications

The explained influence of irrational forces on management decisions, also considering luck and chance, can be fruitful to avoid these behaviors or to intentionally adopt them in selected cases, e.g. when looking for attractive unexploited opportunities within markets.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first work that attempts to unveil the impact of meaningful coincidences and, more in general, of irrational forces on management decisions. Moreover, the provided framework explains how superstitious events are sometimes looked for to guide decision-making.
A comparative study of economic growth as a key determinant of sovereign credit ratings in Africa
Authors: Mutize Misheck , Nkhalamba McBride Peter
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This study is a comparative analysis of the magnitude of economic growth as a key determinant of long-term foreign currency sovereign credit ratings in 30 countries in Africa, Europe, Asia and Latin America from 2010 to 2018.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis applies the fixed effects (FE) and random effects (RE) panel least squares (PLS) models.

Findings

The authors find that the magnitude economic coefficients are marginally small for African countries compared to other developing countries in Asia, Europe and Latin America. Results of the probit and logit binary estimation models show positive coefficients for economic growth sub-factors for non-African countries (developing and developed) compared to negative coefficients for African countries.

Practical implications

These findings mean that, an increase in economic growth in Africa does not significantly increase the likelihood that sovereign credit ratings will be upgraded. This implies that there is lack of uniformity in the application of the economic growth determinant despite the claims of a consistent framework by rating agencies. Thus, macroeconomic factors are relatively less important in determining country's risk profile in Africa than in other developing and developed countries.

Originality/value

First, studies that investigate the accuracy of sovereign credit rating indicators and risk factors in Africa are rare. This study is a key literature at the time when the majority of African countries are exploring the window of sovereign bonds as an alternative funding model to the traditional concessionary borrowings from multilateral institutions. On the other hand, the persistent poor rating is driving the cost of sovereign bonds to unreasonably high levels, invariably threatening their hopes of diversifying funding options. Second, there is criticism that the rating assessments of the credit rating agencies are biased in favour of developed countries and there is a gap in literature on studies that explore the whether the credit rating agencies are biased against African countries. This paper thus explores the rationale behind the African Union Decision Assembly/AU/Dec.631 (XXVIII) adopted by the 28th Ordinary Session of the African Union held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in January 2017 (African Union, 2017), directing its specialized governance agency, the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), to provide support to its Member States in the field of international credit rating agencies. The Assembly of African Heads of State and Government highlight that African countries are facing the challenges of credit downgrades despite an average positive economic growth. Lastly, the paper makes contribution to the argument that the majority of African countries are unfairly rated by international credit rating agencies, raising a discussion of the possibility of establishing a Pan-African credit rating institution.
Changes in communication patterns when implementing lean
Authors: Colazo Jorge
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This paper explores the changes in communication patterns when companies implement lean, and how those changes relate to implementation success.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a multiple-site case study involving four business units of a manufacturing company in South America, including two repeated measurement instances separating 24 months for approximately 600 direct workers and 65 supervisors. The analytical models include social network analysis measures and Ordinary Least Squares regression.

Findings

When companies implement lean, (1) teams have a higher frequency of communication among members; (2) teams become more decentralized; (3) teams communicate more with supervisors and (4) supervisors communicate more amongst themselves and collaborate more. Also, (5) better performing teams change more pronouncedly.

Research limitations/implications

The study contains data for four business units but within only one company, limiting the external validity of the conclusions. The sample was predominantly male. Participant attrition and other potential covariates not included in the study can be additional limitations.

Practical implications

Lean implementations could be practically helped by managers by embracing and supporting the more intense communication patterns associated with lean success, and alternatively, they could proactively detect barriers in communication by measuring how these patterns change or fail to change and try to unlock communication by working on those barriers and supply communications infrastructure and opportunities for collaboration to try to boost the chances of success.

Originality/value

This is to our knowledge the first study measuring communication networks from the point of view of team members and low-level supervisors in lean implementations. This is also the first study showing that communication patterns change more rapidly in more successful teams, and also that communication pattern changes when implementing lean can be an indicator of success.
Impact of O2O platform multihoming and vertical integration on performance of local service firms – a quantile regression approach
Authors: Wan Xing , Wang Nianxin , Liu Ben Shaw-Ching
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This study takes the cinema industry as the research context and investigates the impact of online to offline (O2O) platforms on cinemas' performance. Specifically, the purposes of this paper are threefold: first, to study the influence of platform multihoming on cinemas' performance; second, to examine the interaction impact of platform multihoming and vertical integration; third, to investigate how the influence of platform multihoming varies with cinemas' performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This study collects data from 1918 cinemas in China, employs quantile regressions to estimate the model and test the proposed hypotheses and adopts an instrumental variable method to examine the robustness of our results.

Findings

The findings confirm the positive role of platform multihoming for cinemas' performance. However, when a cinema has low-degree platform multihoming, the cinema's vertical integration is positively associated with its performance; when a cinema has high-degree platform multihoming, the cinema's vertical integration is negatively associated with its performance. Furthermore, results from quantile regressions indicate that low-performance cinemas benefit more than high-performance cinemas from employing platform multihoming strategy.

Research limitations/implications

This paper extends previous research by investigating the impact of platform multihoming on heterogeneous firms and the impact of interaction between platform multihoming and vertical integration. The findings imply that the impact of platform multihoming on firms' performance depends on firms' performance attributes and their vertical relationships.

Practical implications

Platform multihoming can be a double-edged sword for local service firms. When multihoming platforms, a local service firm should think about the fit between platforms and its own attributes, and identify the potential conflict between platform relationships and traditional relationships of industrial organization.

Originality/value

There is a growing interest in understanding platforms' role in the digital economy. The impact of platform participation on local service firms' performance is not sufficiently investigated. Previous research rarely addressed the impact by incorporating local service firms' performance attributes and the existing relationships of industrial organization.
Who says what?: exploring the impacts of content type and blog type on brand credibility, brand similarity and eWOM intention
Authors: Kim Jiyoung , Melton Rebecca , Min Jihye Ellie , Kim Bu Yong
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to conduct an exploratory study to discover if presenting consumers with a certain content type (i.e. product-focused content with informational appeal, institution-focused content with emotional appeal, experience-focused content with emotional appeal,) and blog type (i.e. a corporate, sponsored or a personal blog) persuade consumers to form perceptions of credibility and similarity toward the fashion brand, which leads them to further engage with the brand through Electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM).

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs a 3(content type: product-focused, institution-focused, experience-focused) x 3(blog type: corporate, sponsored and personal) between-subjects design. Mock fashion blogs and content were developed in order to provide a realistic blogging experience for the participants. With 511 usable data collected, ANOVA was employed to test the relationships.

Findings

Findings reveal that content type, specifically product-focused content and experiential content, is an important consideration for illustrating similarities between the brand and consumers compared to institutional content. Product-focused content is found to be effective in encouraging consumer eWOM for the brand as well. Further, the interaction effect of blog type and content type was significant in establishing brand credibility. However, blog type did not influence any of the dependent variable.

Originality/value

This study brings meaningful suggestions to fashion brands on effective blog campaign, which eventually provide insights on how brands can influence female consumers to shape positive evaluation toward the brand.
Of BI research: a tale of two communities
Authors: Talaoui Yassine , Kohtamäki Marko
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The business intelligence (BI) literature is in a flux, yet the knowledge about its varying theoretical roots remains elusive. This state of affairs draws from two different scientific communities (informatics and business) that have generated multiple research streams, which duplicate research, neglect each other’s contributions and overlook important research gaps. In response, the authors structure the BI scientific landscape and map its evolution to offer scholars a clear view of where research on BI stands and the way forward. For this endeavor, the authors systematically review articles published in top-tier ABS journals and identify 120 articles covering 35 years of scientific research on BI. The authors then run a co-citation analysis of selected articles and their reference lists. This yields the structuring of BI scholarly community around six research clusters: environmental scanning (ES), competitive intelligence (CI), market intelligence (MI), decision support (DS), analytical technologies (AT) and analytical capabilities (AC). The co-citation network exposed overlapping and divergent theoretical roots across the six clusters and permitted mapping the evolution of BI research following two pendulum swings. This study aims to contribute by structuring the theoretical landscape of BI research, deciphering the theoretical roots of BI literature, mapping the evolution of BI scholarly community and suggesting an agenda for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper follows a systematic methodology to isolate peer-reviewed papers on BI published in top-tier ABS journals.

Findings

The authors present the structuring of BI scholarly community around six research clusters: ES, CI, MI, DS, AT and AC. The authors also expose overlapping and divergent theoretical roots across the six clusters and map the evolution of BI following two pendulum swings. In light of the structure and evolution of the BI research, the authors offer a future research agenda for BI research.

Originality/value

This study contributes by elucidating the theoretical underpinnings of the BI literature and shedding light upon the evolution, the contributions, and the research gaps for each of the six clusters composing the BI body of knowledge.
Law enforcement manpower analysis: an enhanced calculation model
Authors: Vose Brenda , Miller J. Mitchell , Koskinen Stephanie
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This study aims to advance the existing analytic model to include staff allocation information at the district level. Maintaining adequate size of staff is essential to law enforcement agencies' ability to ensure social order, fight crime and, increasingly, deliver a widening range of social services. Review of the scientific literature on police size of force and staffing calculation models indicates that this line of inquiry (i.e. manpower analysis) is attentive to population size and workload demands but generally inattentive to how service demands are affected by community-level variables. Current staffing calculation models specify number of staff needed for a jurisdiction but do not inform the allocation of personnel across districts within the jurisdiction.

Design/methodology/approach

To address this problem, the current study illustrates an enhanced analytic model to provide law enforcement staffing recommendations for a southern coastal county. An integrated per capita-workload manpower analysis model first factors the minimum number of law enforcement deputies needed per population size served and recent history workload demands and then executes the six-step workload model process. This study enhances staffing analysis by adding an additional seventh arithmetical step indicating the staffing needs by districts across a jurisdiction.

Findings

The results from the integrated per capita-workload analysis indicate the need to hire additional deputies to meet current and future demands.

Originality/value

Discussion centers on the need to include drivers of police services identified but not measured in this study's application of the hybrid manpower analysis model and its replication potential.
Audit firm tenure and perceived audit quality: evidence from CEO incentive contracts
Authors: Akono Henri
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to examine how compensation committees perceive audit quality as indicated by audit firm tenure. Using the contracting weight attached to earnings and cash flows in chief executive officer (CEO) compensation as proxy for the compensation committee’s perception of audit quality, the study examines whether compensation committees perceive performance metric informativeness as being affected by auditor tenure.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper regresses CEO cash compensation on accounting-based performance metrics and on interactions between auditor tenure and accounting-based performance metrics while controlling for other factors previously shown to affect CEO pay. Auditor tenure is measured using continuous and dichotomous variables.

Findings

Auditor tenure is associated with a reduced (positive) weight on earnings (operating cash flows), which suggests lower perceived audit quality as tenure lengthens consistent with the auditor closeness argument. This relation is asymmetric, i.e. the negative effect of longer auditor tenure on incentive contracting is more pronounced for positive earnings. The results are robust to using CEO total compensation as the compensation measure, as well as using level and change specifications.

Research limitations/implications

The inability to control for audit partner tenure in assessing the effect of audit firm tenure on incentive contracting and the potential endogeneity between auditor tenure choice and incentive contracting are the main limitations of this study. Given the lack of information on US audit partner tenure, the study could not control for the audit partner tenure issue. However, the study has attempted to mitigate the endogeneity issue by using a Heckman selection model that includes in the first-stage a regression of auditor tenure on various firm, performance measure and CEO-related governance characteristics, based on existing models (Liet al., 2010).

Practical implications

Compensation committees view auditor tenure as an indicator of accounting quality in setting CEO pay. Further, long auditor tenure is perceived as detrimental to financial reporting integrity, particularly when earnings numbers suggest positive managerial performance and innovations.

Originality/value

This study provides empirical evidence that auditor tenure matters in setting executive pay. Further, this study shows evidence on the link between auditor tenure and audit quality from an internal user’s perspective. Prior studies have focused either on external users (investors, creditors) or on the preparer (using measures such as discretionary accruals or meet/beat analysts’ forecasts or forecast guidance).
The contribution of digitalisation to business longevity from a competitiveness perspective
Authors: Rossato Chiara , Castellani Paola
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to examine how long-lived firms can further develop through digitalisation in terms of actions, conditions and effects from a competitiveness perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

This exploratory study follows an inductive approach based on a survey conducted via interviews undertaken with nine long-lived Italian firms. The dimensions of the model (command, continuity, community, connection), elaborated by Miller and Le Breton-Miller (2005) in relation to longevity factors, were chosen to analyse digitalisation’s contribution to these long-lived firms’ development.

Findings

The digitalisation implemented by the analysed firms contributed in a variety of ways: (1) improved the efficiency and effectiveness of their business processes, (2) enhanced the understanding of customer experience, (3) supported their craftsmanship and the transmission of the knowledge included in the entrepreneurial path, (4) increased the awareness of the cultural value of the firms’ heritage and (5) allowed for the development of cutting-edge design skills by experimenting with content on different digital platforms and devices.

Practical implications

This study suggests managers of long-lived firms develop digital skills that allow them to interact with the rapid evolution of this context and understand how to effectively implement digitalisation in their specific firm. From this perspective, it is strategic to establish or strengthen collaborative network relationships to acquire such necessary skills.

Originality/value

This study provides novel empirical evidence on how long-lived firms are facing the challenge of digitalisation in terms of actions, conditions and effects to improve their competitiveness and ensure their survival.
An Overview of 3D Printing in Forensic Science: The Tangible Third‐Dimension
Authors: Carew Rachael M. , Errickson David
Published: May 2020

There has been a rapid development and utilization of three‐dimensional (3D) printing technologies in engineering, health care, and dentistry. Like many technologies in overlapping disciplines, these techniques have proved to be useful and hence incorporated into the forensic sciences. Therefore, this paper describes how the potential of using 3D printing is being recognized within the various sub‐disciplines of forensic science and suggests areas for future applications. For instance, the application can create a permanent record of an object or scene that can be used as demonstrative evidence, preserving the integrity of the actual object or scene. Likewise, 3D printing can help with the visualization of evidential spatial relationships within a scene and increase the understanding of complex terminology within a courtroom. However, while the application of 3D printing to forensic science is beneficial, currently there is limited research demonstrated in the literature and a lack of reporting skewing the visibility of the applications. Therefore, this article highlights the need to create good practice for 3D printing across the forensic science process, the need to develop accurate and admissible 3D printed models while exploring the techniques, accuracy and bias within the courtroom, and calls for the alignment of future research and agendas perhaps in the form of a specialist working group.
Emergency department resuscitative thoracotomy at an adult major trauma centre: Outcomes following a training programme with standardised indications
Authors: Fitzgerald Mark C , Yong Matthew S , Martin Katherine , Zimmet Adam , Marasco Silvana F , Mathew Joseph , Smit De Villiers , Yeung Meei , Tan Gim A , Marquez Marc , Cheung Zoe , Boo Ellaine , Mitra Biswadev
Published: May 2020

Objective

The objective of this study was to report the procedural incidence and patient outcomes after the 2009 introduction of an institutional resuscitative thoracotomy (RT) programme. Emergency physicians, general surgeons and emergency nursing trauma team members were trained to perform RT on thoracic trauma patients with an unresponsive systolic blood pressure (SBP) <70 mmHg within 30 min of arrival, prior to cardiothoracic team back‐up.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients who underwent RT from 2009 to 2017. The primary outcome measures were the incidence of the procedure and patients' survival to hospital discharge. Variables associated with survival were assessed using univariable logistic regression analyses.

Results

There were 12 399 major trauma patients, including 7657 with major thoracic trauma and 315 presenting with SBP <70 mmHg. There were 32 RTs performed (incidence of 0.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.3–0.6) among patients with major thoracic trauma and 10.2% (99% CI 7.3–13.4) among patients with major thoracic trauma and SBP <70 mmHg. There were eight (25%; 95% CI 13.2–42.1) survivors to hospital discharge and no late mortality (mean follow‐up 2.8 years). Survival was significantly associated with the procedure performed within 30 min of arrival (odds ratio 0.09; 95% CI 0.01–0.67) while mortality was associated with the procedure being performed in the setting of traumatic cardiac arrest (odds ratio 18.3; 95% CI 2.4–140.4).

Conclusions

A formal training and credentialing programme was associated with a low incidence of the procedure, yet achieved a survival rate of 25%, which is comparable to other reported literature.
Follow the Crowd: How Social Information and Social Identity Influence Investing Decisions
Authors: Kuselias Stephen
Published: May 2020

Increasingly, jurisdictions around the world have been enacting standards that formally allow organizations to offer equity using the crowdfunding model. Using the Internet, the crowdfunding model raises capital by soliciting from a large number of people (i.e., the crowd). A key feature of crowdfunding that has been embraced by regulators is the use of social information to inform investors as a safeguard for this type of investing. However, research has not yet explored how investors utilize this information. In this study, I investigate whether social information can shift investors away from financial maximization goals. Social identity theory predicts that people can be provoked to act as representatives of their group, setting aside individual interests. I predict, and find, that positive social information focused on an equity crowdfunding organization can activate the social identity of investors who share an identity with that organization, causing them to invest more in a relatively weak organization. In a moderated mediation analysis, I find that positive social information provokes investors who share an identity with an organization to feel a stronger connection to that organization, leading them to increase investment. In addition, I explore whether investors’ perceptions of negative social information are moderated by their social identity. I find that investors who are deeply committed to an identity shared with an organization experiencing negative social information will defensively invest in that organization. The findings of this study will be of interest to investors, regulators, and crowdfunding organizations.
Discovery of selection‐driven genetic differences of Duroc, Landrace, and Yorkshire pig breeds by EigenGWAS and Fst analyses
Authors: Tang Z. , Fu Y. , Xu J. , Zhu M. , Li X. , Yu M. , Zhao S. , Liu X.
Published: May 2020

Pigs are one of the earliest domesticated animals and multiple breeds have been developed to meet the various demands of consumers. EigenGWAS is a novel strategy to identify candidate genes that underlying population genetic differences and to infer candidate regions under selection as well. In this study, EigenGWAS and Fst analyses were performed using the public re‐sequencing data of three typical commercial pig breeds, Duroc, Landrace and Yorkshire. The intersection of genome‐wide significant SNPs detected by EigenGWAS and top‐ranked 1% SNPs of Fst results were treated as signals under selection. Using the data of all three breeds, 3062 signals under selection were detected and the nearby genomic regions within 300 kb upstream and downstream covered 6.54% of whole genome. Pairs of breeds were analysed along with the pathway analysis. The gene function enrichment results indicated that many candidate genes located in the genomic regions of the signals under selection were associated with biological processes related to growth, metabolism, reproduction, sensory perception, etc. Among the candidate genes, the FSHB, AHR, PTHLH, KDR and FST genes were reported to be associated with reproductive performance; the KIT, KITLG, MITF, MC1R and EDNRB genes were previously identified to affect coat colour; the RETREG1, TXNIP, BMP5, PPARD and RBP4 genes were reported to be associated with lipid metabolism and growth traits. The identified genetic differences across the three commercial breeds will advance understanding of the artificial selection history of pigs and the signals under selection will suggest potential uses in pig genomic breeding programmes.
APPEAL‐1: A multiple‐country European survey assessing the psychosocial impact of peanut allergy
Authors: DunnGalvin Audrey , Blumchen Katharina , Timmermans Frans , Regent Lynne , Schnadt Sabine , Podestà Marcia , Sánchez Angel , Couratier Pascale , Feeney Mary , Hjorth Betina , Patel Ram , Lush Tessa , Ryan Robert , Vereda Andrea , Fernández‐Rivas Montserrat , Fisher Helen R.
Published: May 2020

Background

Peanut allergy (PA) is a common, potentially life‐threatening and typically lifelong condition with a significant burden of illness. However, information is lacking on how persons with PA (PwPA) and their caregivers perceive the psychosocial impact of living with PA. The Allergy to Peanuts imPacting Emotions And Life 1 (APPEAL‐1) survey, conducted across Europe, investigated the experience and impact of living with PA. Here, we report data evaluating the psychosocial impact of PA on PwPA and their caregivers.

Methods

Allergy to Peanuts imPacting Emotions And Life study 1 was an online survey conducted in eight European countries. Representatives of eight patient advocacy groups and five healthcare‐research specialists developed the survey. Eligible respondent groups included the following: adults diagnosed with PA (self‐report); parent/nonparent caregivers (proxy‐report for a child with PA); and parent/nonparent caregivers (self‐report of PA impact on themselves).

Results

Of 1846 total study respondents, 419 were adults with PA (self‐report); 546 were parents/caregivers (proxy‐report); and 881 were parents/caregivers (self‐report). Most respondents reported lifestyle restrictions regarding food (84%‐93%) and additional domains including parties and socializing, holiday activities and destinations, and taking public transport (53%‐89%). Approximately 40% rated themselves as “very” frustrated and “very” stressed. Two‐thirds (65%) felt socially isolated; 43% were bullied. Less than half felt confident in knowing when to use an adrenaline autoinjector. Several intercountry differences were observed such as high levels of uncertainty and stress in respondents from Ireland, highest rates of anxiety in respondents from Germany, and social exclusion and isolation most common in respondents from France.

Conclusions

Peanut allergy imposes an adverse psychosocial impact on patients and caregivers, leading to frustration, stress and isolation. Attention to the impact of PA is needed in research and clinical practice to improve PA healthcare and public education programmes.