bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Going Global and Taking Charge: The Road Ahead for the Indian Manager
Authors: Raghavan Achal
Published: January 2017

Till a few years back, the term “MNC” (Multinational Corporation) in India meant an organization with its headquarters located outside of India, and having a presence in India as a part of its global network. In other words, in Indian eyes, “MNC” meant a “foreign” company which has come into India.

In recent times, however, the business world has seen the emergence of a new breed of companies which is beginning to be referred to as “Indian MNCs.” The Indian MNC is a company which is Indian in origin, now spreading its wings to set up operations in various markets around the world. Increasingly, Indian MNCs have resorted to mergers and acquisitions (M&As) as a favourite method for jump-starting their global expansion. Tata Steel, Hindalco, Suzlon, Bharat Forge, and Sundram Fasteners are typical examples of such Indian companies.

As more Indian companies push ahead with their aggressive global growth strategies, many middle and senior management personnel in these organizations are faced with significant challenges. They have to “go global and take charge” in a very short time, and learn how to manage complex businesses on a global scale. They need to acquire the managerial skills needed to deal with varied customer needs and diverse competitive forces; learn to work with team members from different cultural backgrounds; and also learn how to manage the companies that have been acquired through the M&A route.

In this article, we take a look at these new challenges the Indian manager has to face in this era of globalisation of emerging Indian MNCs, and suggest some strategies to cope with them. We examine the elements of the “global mindset” that is becoming essential for the Indian manager's success, and explain the key dimensions of three research-based models that will help him understand cultural differences that prevail across the globe. We also examine some real-life examples of the strategies that Indian MNCs have begun to adopt, as they pursue their vision of becoming global leaders in their industries.
Economic Slowdown and Indian Firms: An Overview
Authors: Jacob Joshy , Chander Prem
Published: January 2017

Joshy Jacob and Prem Chander examine the nature and extent of the impact of economic slowdown on the financial performance, investments, and valuation of selected Indian firms. Findings indicate decline of the growth of revenues, profits, and investments. However, in some sectors the decline started much ahead of the crisis period, implying that the domestic demand fall is primarily the cause. It appears that the initial adverse impact that firms with more share of international revenues had is substantially offset by rupee depreciation. Capital investments by financially constrained firms appear to have declined more drastically. Leverage did not have much adverse impact on valuation, except for the firms with greater dependence on short-term and foreign currency debt.
A Balanced Approach towards Market Orientation
Authors: Kaur Gurjeet , Sharma R D , Seli Nitasha
Published: January 2017

There has been a lot of research on implementation of the concept and examination of the link between market orientation and business performance. In these offerings, scales such as MARKOR, introduced by Kohli, Jaworski, and Kumar (1993), and MKTOR, introduced by Narver and Slater (1990) have been frequently employed without further investigation. Analogous to this academic endeavour, few marketing researchers have raised doubts regarding the reliability and validity of the extant scales and have also shown concern towards the definition of the concept.

Apropos, the present study has been planned to examine the degree of market orientation from management perspective and also to develop a scale for measuring market orientation in the selected public and private sector banks, viz., State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB), and The Jammu and Kashmir Bank Pvt. Ltd. (JKB). The study finds: Significant difference between the responses of management with respect to Internal Market Orientation (IMO) and External Market Orientation (EMO). The management of all the three major banks, viz., PNB, SBI, and JKB is more optimistic with regard to the three dimensions of EMO than that of IMO. Significant impact of internal market orientation on the overall market orientation as compared to external market orientation. Positive and significant relationship between internal customers' and external customers' satisfaction; internal customers' satisfaction and business performance, and external customers' satisfaction and business performance.

For improving market orientation in the banking sector, managers are suggested to take the following initiatives: Initiate crucial steps towards developing a healthy work environment — delineating employee expectations; discussing goal achievement, tracking performance and feedback; and devising an appropriate mechanism for follow-up and employee appraisal. Employees should be made the root cause identifiers and solvers whereas managers must be problem eradicators. Ensure parallel inter- and intra-departmental communication. An open door policy can be encouraged to communicate through various formal and informal channels so that inter-departmental work teams can perform efficiently. Conduct internal market research once a year to generate information pertaining to the job requirements of internal customers. Retain its employees through the successful implementation of internal marketing strategies which in turn demands proper understanding of employees' work-related needs, feelings, emotions and intellect, proper treatment as an individual, open and free communication with the management, and establishing and managing effective long-term employee-management relationships.
Measurement of International Currency Crises: A Panel Data Approach using Composite Indices
Authors: Murthy K V Bhanu , Kalsie Anjala
Published: January 2017

The literature on crisis has often developed indices for measurement of crisis. The indices that have been developed in the earlier studies suffer from three problems: Conceptually, they include only exchange related variables and not other relevant variables that are crucial for international trade and international finance. The extant studies do not use a causal framework as a methodology for the selection of variable. Empirically, they do not use more evolved statistical tools such as Principal Component Analysis for constructing a composite index.

This paper seeks to measure the international currency crisis of 1997 in Asia. It has taken the case of the A5 countries in 1997 and has developed a methodology meant to measure and explain currency crisis. The study has constructed composite indices for capturing the causes — macro-economic and financial — as well as an index of crisis. It uses Jha & Murthy's (2006) approach for constructing composite indices. It combines continuous and discrete approaches for defining and measuring crises and uses India as a ‘control’ which enables international and inter-temporal comparisons during crisis.

An attempt to explain a widespread and complex phenomenon in terms of a single dependent variable would be incomplete and partial, where the dependent variables which represents the crisis are themselves a conglomerate of many factors. Since it is a complex phenomenon, it cannot be represented by one single variable. Moreover, these variables tend to be correlated.

With the help of two composite indices — one for financial variables and another for macro variables, a fixed effects panel regression model is developed for explaining the crisis. The paper measures the decomposition effects of causal financial and macro variables on the crises.

It has been found that Index of crises consists of exports, exchange rate, and interest rate. The financial index contains risk rating, domestic financing, and stock traded. The index of macro variables is based on GDP, capital formation, and budget balance. Macro index negatively influences crisis while financial index influences crisis positively.

India as the base country clearly brings out the contrast between crises affected countries and neutral countries with the help of this methodology. The crisis window shows up very clearly, as it combines a discrete and continuous definition.

Finally, the differences amongst the five Asian countries during crises are also brought out by this methodology.
Marketing “Value” to Price-Sensitive Customers during the Tendering Process
Authors: Singh Abhishek Kumar , Nayak Mandar , Seshadri D V R
Published: January 2017

Given the importance of tendering for procurement in B2B markets in India, this paper explores how value may be showcased in tendering situations. It analyses the various perceptions surrounding the tendering process and recommends possible mechanisms to capture customer value from two perspectives — marketing techniques to be employed by suppliers to ensure commensurate and fair return for value delivered and potential design changes in the price-discovery mechanism in tendering.

This paper discusses the tendering process from structural, supplier, and buyer perspectives. It explores mechanisms through which superior value delivered by the supplier firm can be captured in the tendering process. For this, 26 supplier and customer firm managers from 10 government and private organizations were interviewed to understand the current practices for value capture in tendering. Several case studies drawn from these discussions are presented to illustrate the ideas developed in the paper.

The study finds that suppliers can extract returns for the value of their offerings in a tendering situation by early engagement with buyers before the specifications are frozen by leveraging relationships with the buyer organization and at pre-bid meetings, and by exploiting opportunities provided through technical loading after the specifications are decided. Additionally, it is suggested that the buyer organization should leverage the opportunities inherently available to further improve price-discovery via structural changes to the tendering process by using a tiered adjusted-price bid mechanism.

The alternate pricing method discussed in the paper could be used to aid the decisionmaking process in tendering and enable a robust value capturing mechanism.
Post-Enron Reflections on Comparative Corporate Governance
Authors: Blair Margaret M.
Published: January 2017

In the heated debate of the last fifteen years over which of the world’s many different corporate governance systems are best, the shareholder primacy advocates thought they had won at the turn of the century. Now, in 2002, the helium has come out of the formerly high-flying technology and information infrastructure sectors that were leading the U.S. economic expansion in the 1990s, and the Enron fiasco and accounting scandals at numerous other U.S. corporations have exposed deep flaws in the system that had been held up as the model for all the world to follow. Many possible lessons can be drawn. At least one is that the high-powered incentives provided by stock option compensation may produce perverse behavior that can, in turn, undermine institutional arrangements that support and foster mutual trust and cooperation. The study of corporate governance must focus on more than just how to get management to maximize value for shareholders. It must also be about the human institutions that bind people together in cooperative relationship over long periods of time.
Transformation of Corporate Control in Korean Business Groups
Authors: Kim Yun Tae
Published: January 2017

The internal power of the large Korean business groups (chaebol) had been determined by the interests of the founding families and the hierarchical relations within their organizational structure. Since the 1980s, the family-dominated business groups have been challenged and the power of professional managers has gradually increased. Nevertheless, the dominant coalition of corporate owners and managers has been formed on the basis of shared interests and coordinated strategic management. It is reinforced through a complex set of social ties based on school, regional and marriage networks. This structure of embedded social relations within a class provides a social basis for a class’ internal integration and common action. Accordingly, our analysis of corporate control reveals the institutional dynamics of power relations that is not fully captured by the extent of interlocking directorships.
Is Sir Karl Raimund Popper a Precursor of Public Choice?
Authors: Wirl Franz
Published: January 2017

This paper compares the philosopher Sir Karl Raimund Popper with the Nobel prize winner of economics, James M. Buchanan. Popper is known for his ‘demarcation criterion’ an attempt to separate science from metaphysics. Buchanan is one of the founding fathers of modern political economy, called ‘Public Choice’. The central thesis of this essay is that both owe their fame to a similar trick: to turn prevailing questions upside down. Furthermore, Popper’s views on social and political decisions and on institutions are similar to the arguments of the Public Choice school.
Ecological-Economics of Biodiversity and Tropical Rainforest Deforestation
Authors: Thompson Herb , Kennedy Deborah
Published: January 2017

That circumambient region of the world between the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer is presently the domain of most of the world’s poor people, as well as the site of an unprecedented, human-activated extinction of life. This crucible of environmental destruction and developmental exigency provides the centre of attention in this paper. Accepting Alfred Marshall’s dictum that the alleviation of poverty is the primary responsibility of the economist, the authors of this paper argue that the foundation of all life is being lost at a non-sustainable rate. Therefore, a precautionary principle has become essential in the pursuit of development and the reduction of poverty. Clearly, the burden of this principle must be borne by those most able to afford it.
On the Combined Use of Economic and Physical Concepts
Authors: Kåberger Tomas
Published: January 2017

Interdisciplinary co-operation on economic issues related to resource depletion and environmental degradation is made difficult by the differences in terminology between economics and the natural sciences. This short article is intended to make the reader aware of this type of problems by describing aspects of some important examples.

In particular we discuss the differences in meaning of the terms “production”, “consumption” and “growth” in different disciplinary contexts. Often, correctly specifying what it is that is produced, consumed or growing is sufficient to avoid problems of miss-interpretations in interdisciplinary dialogues.
Displaced Diffusion Option Pricing with Two Risky Assets
Authors: Guo Chen , Ryan Peter
Published: January 2017

Firms usually hold several assets and liabilities that are not tradable separately, but tradable in aggregation as the firm’s equity, as first modeled by Rubinstein (1983) in his well-known displaced diffusion option pricing model with one risky and one riskless asset. When the Rubinstein model is extended to a firm with two risky assets, the standard riskless hedge argument cannot justify that the options on the firm’s equity can be priced by the risk-neutral valuation, because the two assets are not separately tradable. However, this paper shows that the aggregate tradability is likely to be sufficient for supporting the risk neutral option valuation.
Book Review: China: The Big Tiger
Authors: Ritchie John
Published: January 2017

Dick Wilson, China: The Big Tiger, 1996; 547 pages. ISBN 0 316 90714 6. £20 hardback. Little, Brown & Company, Boston and London.
Book Review: Socialism and Marginalism in Economics 1870–1930
Authors: Cameron Samuel
Published: January 2017

Ian Steedman (ed.), Socialism and Marginalism in Economics 1870–1930. Routledge and Kegan Paul. London and New York 1995. ISBN 0-415-13-079-4. viii 266.
Consequences of a High Interest Rate Policy in the Process of Disinflation. The Case of Poland
Authors: Nowak Alojzy Z. , Ryć Kazimierz , Żyżński Jerzy
Published: January 2017

The aim of the article is to analyse the consequences of a high interest rate policy pursued in Poland since 1990 in the process of disinflation. The interest rate was the main instrument of monetary policy in a situation when the economy lacked a money market on which the money supply could be influenced directly by open market operations. The application of a high interest rate had many unfavourable consequences both in the real sphere and in the financial sphere. The most important of these consequences in the real sphere was that it forced self-financing on the part of enterprises, the ineffective allocation of resources, delays in carrying out investments, the cyclicity of demand; the effects in the financial sphere mainly concern the banking sector, where the assets of the banking system become distorted, while for enterprises the most important consequences result from the high cost of credit, which increases costs and reduced the competitiveness of enterprises dependent on credit. The authors analyse these consequences and formulate hypotheses and a research programme for testing them.
Corporate Strategy in the UK Defence Industry
Authors: Bishop Paul , Williams Tim
Published: January 2017

This paper presents an empirical analysis of the strategic responses of defence companies to the recent downturn in the wave-cycle of defence demand based upon a questionnaire survey of defence firms in South West England. The findings suggest that both diversifying into civilian markets and focusing upon existing defence markets have been popular strategies. Moreover, mergers/takeovers are strongly associated with certain types of strategic change. It is also shown that company size, contractor status, degree of defence dependency, research intensity and involvement in export markets have an important influence on strategic choice.
Applying Rawlsian Principles of Justice to Decide how to Rank Disaggregated General Measures of Social Welfare and Poverty
Authors: Martina Alan
Published: January 2017

There is a standard set of information problems associated with comparing levels of social welfare and levels of poverty—even when it is assumed that households derive their well-being from only a limited range of relevant variables. A number of comparatively general results set out, or are alluded to, in the relevant literature indicate how these information problems may be circumvented with varying degree success. To motivate the present discussion extended forms of some, but by no means all, of these results are derived. These derivations raise two central issues. First, some strong assumptions need to be applied in the process of manipulating household information. This matter is considered comparatively briefly. The more important issue, however, is that of determining which of these results employs the most socially acceptable system of interpersonal comparisons. In investigating this issue it is argued that (an interpretation of) the central components of the Rawlsian theory of distributive justice—in particular Rawls’s first principle of justice in distribution and the priority rule—should be applied in order to decide this matter. Relevant empirical evidence is employed in support of this line of argument. It turns out that only one of the previously-derived results provides a satisfactory criterion for the social ranking of levels of poverty. (It also turns out that, given reasonable assumptions, the rank order of levels of social welfare must be the same as that for the ranking of levels of poverty.) The discussion is then extended to allow for practical considerations associated with assessing poverty-alleviation policies. This discussion draws on Rawls’s second principle of justice and the requirement that individuals are treated as being anonymous.
Searching for General Principles to Guide the Design of Effective Disaster Mitigation Policy in Developing Countries: Part 2
Authors: Martina Alan
Published: January 2017

The attempts it made to determine policies that effectively mitigate disasters and the averse consequences of disasters in developing countries. In this, the second part of this discussion, attention concentrates on considering a range of policies recommendations directed at mitigating the consequences of disasters. The initial section of the discussion concentrates on providing a brief discussion of long-term policies directed at stimulating certain types of real economic growth. Attention then turns to considering a range of shorter-term policy recommendations directed, essentially, at mitigating various types of failures in private market systems. Both efficiency and equity issues are taken into account in this discussion. Assistance-for-work programs are identified as a central component of any efficient and equitable disaster-mitigation policy. It is emphasised, however, that this policy tool wll need to be modified, and/or combined with other relevant policy tools, to make the overall policy program as effective as seems reasonably possible.
Acoustic Ranging Technique for Assessing Low-Frequency Acoustic Noise from Wind Turbines
Authors: Kelley N.
Published: January 2017

An acoustic source ranging procedure is obviously a research tool and would not normally be attempted by an individual wind turbine owner. The minimum equipment necessary for the analysis includes three microphone systems preferably with very low-frequency response, an FFT dual-channel signal analyzer with hard copy or data output capability, and the necessary cabling. There is no requirement to record the acoustic data although it is certainly easier to post-process the data when all three microphone pairings can be analyzed from the same time record. If this is done, a suitable FM tape recorder with at least three tracks is required.

Assessment of the degree of concentration of source region within a swept area is necessarily somewhat subjective. The time signal itself from one microphone should also be examined for periodic impulsiveness which would indicate a localization of source region. This can be analyzed in parallel with blade position (abiding acoustic transport delays) to corroborate a source ranging location.
A Classification of Environmental “Hums” and Low Frequency Tinnitus
Authors: Walford R.E.
Published: January 2017

Two thousand people in the United Kingdom have complained of hearing a continuous hum, audible to themselves alone. Some of these “hummers” were given acoustic tests comprising hum-matching, normal and low-frequency audiometry, and a tinnitus versus real-airborne-noise distinguishing test. Results were compared with those from seventy-three control subjects (audiometry alone) and with fifty-five hospital out-patients known to have low-frequency tinnitus.

It is shown that the frequency distributions of “hummers” hums and throbs correlate closely with those of patients' low-frequency tinnitus, although no causal link is established.

A general classification of hum types is proposed and means for distinguishing them are described. Applied to 48 “hummers” these show that ten have low-frequency tinnitus and four are hearing a real airborne noise. The remaining, 4 cannot be classified, mainly because they did not take all the tests. It is not claimed that these figures apply to “hummers” in general since the 48 tested were not a true sample of the “hummer” population.
Body Sensation of Low Frequency Noise of Ordinary Persons and Profoundly Deaf Persons
Authors: Yamada S. , Ikuji M. , Fujikata S. , Watanabe T. , Kosaka T.
Published: January 2017

Comparison of the thresholds of body sensation of profoundly deaf subjects and those of normal hearing, when exposed to intense low frequency noise, showed similar trends. Since the deaf subjects were judged to have normal balance mechanisms, it was concluded that the semicircular canals are not sensitive to low frequency noise at its normal levels in the environment.
Effect of Infrasound and Low Frequency Sound Exposure at Intensities below 100 dB(SPL) on the Rota-Rod Treadmill Performance of Guinea Pigs
Authors: Maehara Naoki , Kishi Reiko , Sadamoto Terukazu , Harabuchi Izumi , Yamamura Kohtaroh
Published: January 2017

A preliminary study to investigate whether or not long-term exposure to very low frequency sound at a moderate intensity below 100 dB(SPL) affects the vestibular function and/or motor coordination in guinea pigs was carried out. At first, optimal conditions of Rota-Rod Treadmill performance for guinea pigs were determined. Then, 20 and 40 Hz-low frequency sound at 80–90 dB(SPL) exposure was used for 150 minutes and measurement of the endurance time on the Rota-Rod Treadmill was carried out at rotation speeds of 8 rpm or 10 rpm. At 10 rpm rotation speed, and 20 Hz, 90 dB(SPL) stimulus, the endurance time was significantly reduced at 150 minutes, compared with that of the control, whereas no significant reduction in endurance time was obtained at 85 dB(SPL).
A Study of Vibration White Finger Disease Rock Drillers
Authors: Brubaker Robert L. , Mackenzie C.J.G. , Hutton Stanley G.
Published: January 2017

Based on a professionally administered medical questionnaire, 50% of 95, rock drillers using hand-held pneumatic drills from two large British Columbia underground mines reported symptoms of Vibration White Finger Disease (VWFD). Prevalence of this disease was 45% among a subgroup of 58 drillers without a medical or occupational history of possible predisposing factors other than drill vibration. Symptoms appeared to be dose-related with blanching attacks reported among 25% of subgroup drillers exposed for 1 −5 years, and in 80% of those exposed for 16 years or more. 9% of subgroup drillers had severe stage 3 symptoms (Taylor-Pelmear Classification). The median latent period for onset of blanching symptoms was 7.5 years. Prevalence of VWFD among 58 control miners from the two sites without a history of intense prolonged hand-arm vibration or other pre-disposing factors was 4%. There was objective evidence of vascular abnormality (based on delayed finger rewarming after combined digital cooling and ischemia) in 76% of subgroup drillers with blanching symptoms and in 18% of controls without symptoms. Comparison is made between the latent period for onset of blanching symptoms among drillers in this study and the predicted latent period based on suggested International Standards Organization guidelines for vibration exposure.
Effects of Infrasound on Respiratory Function of Man
Authors: Okai Osamu
Published: January 2017

It is reported elsewhere that a high-level of infrasound can keep a dog alive without respiratory movement. An investigation was made into the effect of infrasound on the respiratory function of 8 human subjects with ages 21 to 25 years, 2 males and 6 females. After 30 seconds breath holding the oxygen-saturation content measured at the ear exhibited a flat latent prerecovery phase which was followed by a recovery phase. When the subjects were exposed to 100 dB-infrasound at 10 and 20 Hz, the latent time of the flat phase and the total recovery time (from the onset to the end of the recovery phase) were both decreased. At the same time the initial rise of the recovery curve was increased, compared with the control data. The result suggests that a high-level of infrasound can enhance the ventilation function of the respiratory system without any change in the respiratory period on the part of the subject.
Detection and Analysis of the Infrasonic Waves Attached to the Tragic Explosion of U.S. Space Shuttle “Challenger”
Authors: Xun-Ren Yang , Jin-Lai Xie
Published: January 2017

Thirteen hours after the tragic explosion of the U.S. space shuttle “Challenger” at an altitude of 15km on 29th January 1986, a sequence of strong infrasonic waves was received by a set of sensitive microbarographs on the ground level about 14300km distant. These waves, with periods 400–700 seconds, amplitude about 30Pa and propagation velocity about 300m/s are very similar in character to those from nuclear explosions.

Based on the analysis of the power spectrum, the main period of the signal can be determined as 537 sec and over 90 per cent of the energy concentrates within the range of 300–1000 sec.

According to the theoretical formula for nuclear explosions, the equivalence of this explosion can be estimated from the wave characters as 140 Mt of TNT. This estimation is on the high side, owing to the fact that, compared with nuclear explosions, the altitude at which the explosion has taken place is much higher and the mechanisms of these two explosions are quite different.
A Multidimensional Evaluation Method for the Psychological Effects of Pure Tones at Low and Infrasonic Frequencies
Authors: Inukai Yukio , Taya Hideto , Miyano Hisao , Kuriyama Hiroshi
Published: January 2017

Subjective ratings of pure tones at low and infrasonic (3–40 Hz) were obtained on a set of semantic-differential-type scales and were analysed by factor analysis.

From the results, it was concluded that there are three main factors in the human response to the stimulus sound, these are 1) sound pressure, 2) vibration, and 3) loudness. In order to predict the human responses from the physical variables of the sound stimuli, prediction equations were derived for each of the three factors. Also, equal sensation contours for the factors were obtained. From these results, a new evaluation method for the psychological effects is proposed, which considers the multidimensional aspects of human perception at loww and infrasonic frequencies.
Absorption of Mechanical Energy in the Skin of the Human Hand While Exposed to Vibrations
Authors: Lundström Ronnie
Published: January 2017

When using a vibratory hand-held tool, all mechanical energy entering the hand and arm has to be transmitted through, or absorbed by, the glabrous skin in contact with the handle. Early signs of an incipient vibration injury are often neurological and/or vascular disturbances located in the skin of the palm, such as a reduction in tactile sensibility or episodes of finger blanching.

The aim of this investigation was to study the absorption of mechanical energy in the glabrous skin of the human hand while exposed to vibations from five different types of hand-held tools (die grinder, chipping hammer, wrench, nibbler, angle grinder). The influence of various experimental factors such as static load (1–3 N/cm2), five test points, type of tools were studied on five subjects. The frequency weighted value of the acceleration level, according to the guidelines given in the International Standard ISO 5349, was however held constant througout the study, ca 3.1 m/s2rms.

The results show that the static load and the type of tool have a great influence on the quantity of energy absorbed. The highest and lowest quantity of energy absorbed was found for the die and angle grinder, respectively. Futhermore, it was found that, the higher the static load the higher the absorption of vibration energy. In contrast, small and insignificant differences were found between different testpoints and between subjects.
Laboratory and Field Studies on Infrasound and its Effects on Humans
Authors: Landström Ulf
Published: January 2017

In many working environments the total noise energy is dominated by infrasonic frequencies. Exposure to this type of low frequency noise has, by several authors, been correlated to different effects on human subjects. Recent laboratory experiments have thus indicated correlations between noise, perception and other effects on humans. Exposure to infrasound therefore appears to become a hygienic problem when the pressure level exceeds the threshold of perception.

The present paper is a description of various laboratory experiments on perception and the physiological effects of infrasound. Subjects were exposed to pure tones and broad-band noise within the infrasonic range. Changes in perception, and physiological reactions, during different types of exposure are described. The paper also includes levels and frequency analyses of noise emanating from some of the most common infrasonic sources: buses, lorries, trains, railbuses, ships, helicopters, manoeuvre rooms and mills. The characteristics of the noise spectra are compared and related to the threshold of perception. Finally, field studies on physiological changes correlated to wakefulness in typical and authentic infrasonic noise environments are described.
Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome and Hearing Loss in Hard Rock Miners
Authors: Pelmear P.L. , Leong D. , Wong L. , Roos J. , Pike M.
Published: January 2017

The audiometric data of hard-rock miners exposed to hand-arm vibration from jack-leg hammers obtained in surveys two years apart has been analyzed. Both air condition and impedance audiometry was used. The workers were also examined to determine the presence and severity of vibration white finger. (VWF). The hearing levels for both ears were combined, and by multiple regression analysis it is shown that there is a significant association between hearing level (at 4kHz) and stage of VWF; hearing loss and age; and hearing loss and vibration exposure years. The hearing loss was significantly greater in miners with VWF who had less than 11 years vibration exposure.
Experiences with Flow-Induced Vibration and Low Frequency Noise Due to Rotating Stall of Centrifugal Fan
Authors: Okada Ken
Published: January 2017

In recently constructed electric power plants, the forced draft fan (FDF), induced draft fan (IDF) and boost up fan (BUF) centrifugal fans and duct-systems have become larger in capacity and limited in space every year. As a centrifugal fan is enlarged, the diameter of the impeller is enlarged and its rotating speed is lowered. Therefore, there is an increasing tendency to generate a low frequency noise.5 In the case of an IDF or BUF, the rotating stall of the centrifugal fan frequently causes low frequency noise, since the inlet flow is often throttled during operation. If the hydrodynamic and acoustical characteristics are insufficient, a strong flow-induced vibration with low frequency noise is generated in the fan-duct system, and not only are problems caused in terms of structural strength, but also physical and physiological problems are induced due to low frequency noise.
An Evaluation Method of Combined Effects of Infrasound and Audible Noise
Authors: Inukai Yukio , Taya Hideto , Nagamura Neiichi , Kuriyama Hiroshi
Published: January 2017

A psychophysical experiment was conducted to investigate an evaluation method for the combined effects of infrasound and audible noise. In the experiment, subjective rating of 80 mixed noise stimuli were obtained from 15 subjects on 22 semantic-differential-type scales. The stimulus noise conditions were mixtures of one of eight pure tones at 5, 10, 20, and 40 Hz and one of eight 1/3 octave band noises with centre frequencies 63, 125, 250, and 500 Hz. The rating data were subjected to a principal component analysis and yielded two principal components, these were interpreted as the perceptual components of infrasound and audible noise respectively. On the basis of this result, a psychophysical model was proposed to make two-dimensional predictions of subjective ratings from the physical variables of the noise stimuli. Following this model, a best weighting curve, in combination with the A-weighting curve and their regression weights, were estimated. The results showed that the psychological model successfully described the rating data.
Subjective Assessment of the Vibration Discomfort Produced by Different Hand Held Machines
Authors: Broyde M. , Donati P. , Bitsch J.
Published: January 2017

A subjective method of paired comparisons was developed to compare the discomfort caused by the vibration from hand-held power tools with the predictions obtained using the procedures recommended by standards for the evaluation of human exposure to hand-transmitted vibration. Fiteen trained subjects were exposed in the laboratory to seven different vibration exposures produced by five hand-held tools (one of the tools was used in two positions) and an electrodynamic vibrator.

The good agreement observed between and within subjects shows that they can reliably rank vibration dicomfort produced by different hand-held tools. For five vibration exposures out of seven, the rank deduced from the subjective assessments was in accord with the rank of the predicted evaluations derived from the frequency-weighted acceleration values measured. An exposure with highly impulsive vibration was rated as being much more annoying than it was foreseen by the current procedures of evaluation. The operator's position proved to be an important factor in the perception of the discomfort.
Low Frequency Hearing Thresholds in Pressure Field and in Free Field
Authors: Watanabe Toshio , Møller Henrik
Published: January 2017

Thresholds of hearing Were determined in pressure field at frequencies from 4 Hz to 125 Hz. At the frequencies 4–25 Hz hearing thresholds were found that are in the lower middle of the range already reported by other investigators.

At frequencies from 25 Hz to 1 kHz thresholds have already been determined in free field by the same method and using the same subjects. The two investigations overlap at frequencies from 25 Hz to 125 Hz, and in this range the results were almost identical. The differences were below 1 dB, except at 63 Hz where the difference was 2.5 dB. None of the differences was significant in a t-test.
The Differential – Piezoelectric Accelerometers Used for Environmental Vibration and Human Vibration Measurements
Authors: Zhi-Chang Shao
Published: January 2017

A prototype of a low frequency differential-piezoelectric accelerometer is described. It has the function that the vibration signals can be transformed to a pair of push-pull signals which are out of phase. But for the non-vibration signals, such as the environmental temperature transient sensitivity, the out-puts are all in phase. Owing to the difference in phase, the non-vibration signals can be separated out and thus can be compensated directly. The experimental results show that the temperature transient sensitivity can be reduced to 6.4 times and 9.3 times when the lower limiting frequencies are 0.3 Hz and 0.08 Hz respectively. Combining with other measures, the temperature transient sensitivity of the accelerometer is quite low and therefore it can be neglected in most low frequency vibration measurement applications. After analyzing the compensation of the transverse sensitivity and acoustic sensitivity, it is concluded that these effects are not significant in practical use. Meanwhile, a predicting method for calculating the natural frequency is described. Some experimental products of this structure have been used effectively in the measurements of human vibration and environmental vibration.
The Effects of Broadband, Tonal and Masked Ventilation Noise on Performance, Wakefulness and Annoyance
Authors: Landström Ulf , Kjellberg Anders , Söderberg Lena , Nordström Bertil
Published: January 2017

A laboratory study was designed in order to investigate the effects of ventilation noise on performance, fatigue and annoyance. The study was also designed in order to compare the effects of broadband noise 40 dB(A), tonal noise, 40 dB(A), and tonal noise masked by means of low frequency pink noise, 41 dB(A). The study of performance was based on a figure identification test. The annoyance and fatigue were tested by means of rating scales. The analyses of fatigue also included EEG-recordings. The acceptability of the different types of ventilation noise was also analysed through matching tests. The differences in performance between broadband and tonal ventilation noise were significant and did not show any unambiguous tendency. An insignificant tendency of worse performance during broadband exposure and that the tonal ventilation noise should be more tiring could be observed. The tonal exposure was described as less annoying during work. On the other hand, in the matching tests, the subjects tolerated an insignificantly lower level of the tonal ventilation noise compared to the broadband noise. Comparisons between the tonal ventilation noise and the tonal ventilation noise masked by means of a pink noise, showed that the masked ventilation noise was correlated to ambiguous tendencies towards higher performance, lower fatigue but higher annoyance. In the matching tests, the subjects tolerated a lower level of masked ventilation noise compared to the unmasked ventilation noise. Except for the ratings of fatigue, all differences were below the level of significance p 0.05.
Resonance of the Pregnant Sheep Uterus
Authors: Peters Aemil J. M. , Abrams Robert M. , Gerhardt Kenneth J. , Burchfield David J. , Wasserman Donald E.
Published: January 2017

Low frequency mechanical vibrations introduced on the skin are known to pass through tissues with relative ease. How these vibrations affect the foetus in utero is a question of current concern since more and more women of reproductive age are in the workplace. In the present study we mechanically vibrated the abdomen of four term pregnant sheep, antepartum and immediately postpartum, at frequencies between 2–1000 Hz and at a constant dynamic force of 0.5 newtons. Sound pressure levels (SPL) were measured intraabdominally with a miniature hydrophone fixed loosely to one side of the foetal head. Thereafter, ewes and foetuses were sacrificed, foetuses were delivered and the hydrophone replaced in the abdominal cavity in its former position. SPL showed a peak amplitude between 6 and 18 Hz in both the antepartum and postpartum conditions (p <0.01) suggesting a resonance phenomenon of the abdomen in this frequency range.
The Susceptability of Computers to Vibration
Authors: Buijs J.H.N.
Published: January 2017

The computer is now used in many kinds of building. When building contractors are constructing nearby, the vibration sensitivity of disk drives can be a problem.

If computers are of vital importance in a production process, the consequences of a possible break-down and information loss because of vibrations cannot be neglected or underestimated.

In this paper the information needed to judge the possible risks of damage in practice is discussed The information given by computer manufacturers is, in general, neither complete nor unequivocal.

Furthermore, results of vibration measurements in buildings are presented and discussed. Exposure to low frequency vibrations caused by different building activities such as demolition by means of pneumatic drills, driving in sheet piles and last, but not least, driving in piles made of concrete or steel using impact driving techniques are considered.

The most sensitive parts of a computer mainframe, the disk drives, in general produce more vibration themselves during read or write operations than that permitted by the computer manufacturer.

Although the vibrations caused by building activities are in most cases significantly lower than the computer limits, several cases of breakdown or information loss have occurred.

Who is responsible for computer damage?
Finite Element Simulation of a Flexible Manipulator Part 1: Sequential Processing Techniques
Authors: Tokhi M. O. , Shaheed M. H. , Ramos-Hernandez D. N. , Poerwanto H.
Published: January 2017

The performance demands in modern signal processing and control applications have motivated a trend towards utilisation of complex algorithms. This, in turn, has resulted in a resurgence in the development of high performance systems to make the real-time realisation of such algorithms feasible in practice. This paper presents an investigation into the performance of sequential architectures/uni-processor based systems in the real-time implementation of finite element algorithm of a flexible manipulator. The algorithm is implemented on a number of high-performance processors. A comparative assessment of the performance of the processors in implementing the algorithm, revealing the capabilities of the processors in relation to the nature of the algorithm, is presented in terms of execution time and speedup. The effect of compiler optimisation facilities on the execution time in implementing the algorithm is also demonstrated.
Study of synthesis parameters of MIL-53(Al) using experimental design methodology for CO2/CH4 separation
Authors: Taheri Armin , Babakhani Ensieh Ganji , Towfighi Jafar
Published: January 2017

In this study hydrothermal method was used to synthesize MIL-53(Al) (MIL stands for Materials Institute of Lavoisier). Plackett–Burman (P–B) as an experimental design method was applied to investigate the effect of synthesis and activation conditions on specific surface area, relative crystallinity, and production yield of MIL-53(Al) synthesis. Some parameters such as ligand-to-metal molar ratio, synthesis time, synthesis temperature, calcination temperature, and calcination time were selected as the variables. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) technique was used in order to estimate the specific surface area of samples while the relative crystallinity of the samples was estimated by comparing their X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) pattern. The morphology of the samples was investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy. The yield of final products was determined based on organic ligands. The results revealed the significant effect of synthesis temperature on BET surface area, particle size, yield, and crystallinity. The calcination temperature has significant positive effect on BET and crystallinity. Also, the negative significant effect of molar ratio on yield was concluded from the results. However, negligible effect of synthesis and calcination time on the properties of prepared materials were observed. Furthermore, separation capability of a selected sample for carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) was measured. Pure gas adsorption data were successfully fitted to Langmuir, Sips, and Toth models. The selected sample provided high adsorption capacity for both gases. The binary adsorption of gases was also investigated based on extended Langmuir equations and the ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST) models. Comparing the experimental and models data indicated good agreement between the IAST model and experiments. Finally, high CO2/CH4 selectivity of 7.6 was obtained experimentally for the CO2/CH4 molar ratio of 0.2/0.8.
Adsorption/Desorption of H2 and O2 at a p-Cr2O3 Surface: Electrical Conductivity Studies
Authors: Khader Mahmoud M. , Saleh Mahmoud M. , Mohammad Ahmad M.
Published: January 2017

The behaviour of H2 and O2 flows over a porous p-Cr2O3 pellet have been studied by means of an in situ electrical conductivity technique. Changes in the electrical conductivity associated with such gas flows were attributed to changes in the concentration of positively charged holes in the material studied. In the presence of an H2 flow, the electrical conductivity of the p-Cr2O3 surface first increased and then decreased sharply. The initial increase was attributed to the chemisorption of H2 leading to surface hydroxylation. The formation of O–H bonds during this process resulted in a decrease in the electron density at the surface and thereby increased the contribution of positively charged holes towards the total conductivity. In contrast, the subsequent sharp decrease in conductivity was explained by the elimination of chemisorbed oxygen which had originally been adsorbed dissociatively at the surface. During this process, elimination of chemisorbed oxygen atoms led to the presence of electrons in the chromia lattice which generated a sharp decrease in the hole concentration via an electron–hole recombination process. In an O2 atmosphere, the conductivity of the deoxygenated chromia increased exponentially to a maximum value and then decreased until it reached a value similar to that for stoichiometric chromia. The increase in conductivity observed in this case was assigned to the adsorption of oxygen on the chromia surface while the subsequent decrease was attributed to hydrogen desorption.

The kinetics of the four processes observed, i.e. hydrogen adsorption, oxygen desorption, oxygen adsorption and hydrogen desorption, have been analyzed.