bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Developing intuitionistic fuzzy seasonality regression with particle swarm optimization for air pollution forecasting
Authors: Ho Chung-Han , Chang Ping-Teng , Hung Kuo-Chen , Lin Kuo-Ping 
Published: October 2018

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a novel intuitionistic fuzzy seasonality regression (IFSR) with particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithms to accurately forecast air pollutions, which are typical seasonal time series data. Seasonal time series prediction is a critical topic, and some time series data contain uncertain or unpredictable factors. To handle such seasonal factors and uncertain forecasting seasonal time series data, the proposed IFSR with the PSO method effectively extends the intuitionistic fuzzy linear regression (IFLR).Design/methodology/approachThe prediction model sets up IFLR with spreads unrestricted so as to correctly approach the trend of seasonal time series data when the decomposition method is used. PSO algorithms were simultaneously employed to select the parameters of the IFSR model. In this study, IFSR with the PSO method was first compared with fuzzy seasonality regression, providing evidence that the concept of the intuitionistic fuzzy set can improve performance in forecasting the daily concentration of carbon monoxide (CO). Furthermore, the risk management system also implemented is based on the forecasting results for decision-maker.FindingsSeasonal autoregressive integrated moving average and deep belief network were then employed as comparative models for forecasting the daily concentration of CO. The empirical results of the proposed IFSR with PSO model revealed improved performance regarding forecasting accuracy, compared with the other methods.Originality/valueThis study presents IFSR with PSO to accurately forecast air pollutions. The proposed IFSR with PSO model can efficiently provide credible values of prediction for seasonal time series data in uncertain environments.
Structural applicability of steel fibre-recycled aggregate concrete in construction
Authors: Senaratne Sepani , Mirza Olivia , Lambrousis Gregory , Fernandez-Soncini Alessandro 
Published: October 2018

PurposeThe use of recycled aggregates (RA) has been explored to lead to a more sustainable future. The paper investigates on a sustainable concrete mix incorporating steel fibres (SF) and RA to provide an alternative to traditional natural aggregate concrete for structural applications. This paper aims to explore the feasibility of combining RA and SF in structural applications in terms of strength, cost and industry perspectives.Design/methodology/approachA mixed research approach is established with two phases. Phase 1 aims to identify an optimum material combination that satisfies the structural strength requirements and to identify the costs in its optimum combination. Phase 2 involves qualitative interviews with key industry parties to explore their perspective and identify various enablers and barriers for this material.FindingsThe optimum combination of 30 per cent RA replacement and 0.3 SF volume content has been identified through laboratory testing. It was noted that there would be a direct additional cost because of SF addition. However, when other benefits such as reduction in transportation costs and landfill dumping fees were considered, an overall cost saving could be achieved. Consequently, the key industry practitioners’ perspectives for this material have been gathered through qualitative interviews. Several enablers and barriers were identified through these interviews.Originality/valueEven though, there are various research attempts on improving RA for structural purpose by adding different additives, a holistic study that incorporate cost effects and the industry perspectives was lacking and is addressed in this current study. In particular, industry perspectives lead to refocus research directions and get closer to the realisation of a sustainable construction industry.
Leadership style required for the transition to servitization in Japan
Authors: Kim Soyeon , Toya Keiko 
Published: October 2018

PurposeGiven the emergence of servitization as a viable strategy for manufacturers to gain a competitive advantage, determining what factors influence effective servitization is imperative. Drawing on organizational change and leadership theories, the purpose of this paper is to identify the leadership styles required for successfully implementing servitization in Japan.Design/methodology/approachVia stratified sampling method, 5,000 Japanese manufacturers registered in the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry were selected for participation in a mail survey. Survey data from 187 responding CEOs were matched with firm-level archival data, after which the matched data were analyzed.FindingsThe findings indicated that industry type is important in implementing servitization, but firm size and performance are not. The results also revealed that charismatic leadership style is especially critical in implementing and elevating servitization, whereas autocratic and autonomous leadership styles impede this process.Research limitations/implicationsThe study fills a gap in the literature by identifying a notable relationship between leadership style and servitization. Because the study was conducted in an Asian economic context, which has received less attention in servitization research, it advances the existing body of research on servitization by breaking the former geographical constraints in this field of studies.Practical implicationsThis study presents practical implications for Japanese manufacturers who wish to devise a strategic leadership plan in the servitization process. CEOs of the firms can initiate the transition to servitization by employing charismatic leadership skills and convincing employees of the benefits of the change.Originality/valueThe research is distinguished from existing studies in that it provides the first empirical evidence on effective CEO leadership styles for servitization in Japanese manufacturing firms.
SEC chief accountant shines spotlight on audit committees
Authors: Stroup Stephen G. 
Published: October 2018

Purpose
To explain and analyze remarks concerning the importance and responsibility of corporate audit committees made by US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chief Accountant Wesley Bricker before the Baruch College Financial Reporting Conference on May 3, 2018.

Design/methodology/approach
Discusses Mr Bricker’s remarks in three principal areas: the role of audit committees in clearly understanding non-GAAP measures presented to the public, the attentiveness of audit committees to disclosures regarding changes in market risks, and the importance of independent, diverse thinking on corporate boards, and particularly, audit committee, brought by independent directors as an element of strong corporate governance.

Findings
The coming months may offer a better indication whether Mr Bricker’s speech is simply a specific point of emphasis from the Office of the Chief Accountant or is perhaps intended to foreshadow a contemplated or ongoing enforcement initiative.

Originality/value
Expert guidance from experienced lawyer with specialties in SEC investigative and enforcement actions, securities litigation, accountants’ defense, white collar criminal defense and corporate investigations
Lifestyle behaviors and mental health in medical students
Authors: Ben Ayed Houda , Yaich Sourour , Ben Jemaa Maissa , Ben Hmida Mariem , Trigui Maroua , Jedidi Jihene , Karray Raouf , Mejdoub Yosra , Feki Habib , Kassis Mondher , Damak Jamel 
Published: October 2018

Purpose
Recently, there has been a renewed interest in medical students’ mental health. The purpose of this paper is to determine factors associated with psychological distress in medical students and to assess the correlation between major lifestyle behaviours and mental health.

Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted a cross-sectional questionnaire survey among 530 medical students randomized from a faculty of medicine in 2017. The authors used the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the Simple Lifestyle Indicator Questionnaire (SLIQ) to assess mental health and lifestyle, respectively.

Findings
The mean value of GHQ-12 and SLIQ were 4.1±2.8 and 6.2±1.4, respectively. Bivariate correlation analysis showed that SLIQ was significantly correlated to GHQ-12 (r=−0.26; p<0.001). The prevalence of psychological distress (GHQ-12=4) was 50.1%. The authors found that low/middle financial situation of the family (OR=1.5; CI 95%=[1.1–2.3]), internship level, (OR=1.8; CI 95%=[1.1–3.3]), medium/poor perceived academic performance (OR=2.2; CI 95%=[1.5–3.2]) and medium/poor perceived health status (OR=2.3; CI 95%=[1.5–3.6]) were significantly associated with psychological distress. Multivariate analysis performing logistic regression showed that average and unhealthy lifestyle were independently associated with psychological distress, with an adjusted OR of 3.7 (CI 95%=[1.7–7.7]) and 5.8 (CI 95%=[2.4–14.8]), respectively.

Originality/value
The study highlighted the magnitude and the risk factors of psychological distress in medical students. Unhealthy lifestyle was a potential predictive of mental disorders. These findings provide fundamental information for future researches.
The auditor’s opinion modifications around domestic and global financial crises
Authors: Sultanoglu Banu , Mugan Can Simga , Sekerdag Umut , Oran Adil 
Published: October 2018

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of company characteristics such as the level of financial distress, client size and type of auditor on the propensity to issue modified audit opinions and to assess comparative differences in audit opinions during two significant economic crises in Turkey.Design/methodology/approachLogistic regression model is used to test the incremental contribution of each company characteristic on issuing the type of audit opinion for crisis periods. Additionally, to understand the reasons for differences in audit opinions between two types of crisis periods, the authors adopt Francis and Krishnan’s (2002) approach in which an auditor’s propensity to issue modified opinion may be jointly based on changes in client characteristics and auditor reporting strategies in that period.FindingsThe results indicate that there is a positive relationship between financial distress and the likelihood of receiving modified opinions in both crisis periods. Additionally, client size affects audit opinions negatively in both periods significantly. Auditors show higher propensity to issue a modified opinion during the domestic than the global financial crisis period, which could be explained by the changes in client characteristics more than their reporting strategy.Practical implicationsThis study provides supportive evidence that the company characteristics including the financial distress can be very useful predictors for the auditors’ decisions while issuing their opinions.Originality/valueThe findings of different auditor behaviors during crises periods and possible reasons are the main contributions of this study for international and domestic regulators, investors, audit firms, academics and standard setters in emerging economies.
Cross-sectional variation in revenue-expense relation and cost of equity
Authors: Kim Sangwan 
Published: October 2018

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate whether revenue-expense matching is inversely associated with cost of capital and information asymmetry, respectively, in the equity markets.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses a firm-specific measure of revenue-expense matching consistent with Dichev and Tang (2008). To obtain a proxy for cost of equity, this paper uses the averageex anteimplied cost of capital estimate calculated from analysts’ forecast data, which are based on the Feltham–Ohlson residual income valuation framework. In additional tests, this paper uses the probability of informed trades (PIN) as a proxy for information asymmetry among equity investors. This paper employs both OLS and fractional logit regression models to test main predictions.FindingsThis paper documents that firms with high revenue-expense matching enjoy a lower cost of capital, supporting the direct impact of high matching on cost of capital by increasing the precision of public information signals. Further, matching of contemporaneous revenues and expenses is inversely associated with information asymmetry, suggesting that the indirect impact of high matching on cost of capital through its impact on information asymmetry is also plausible.Originality/valueAlthough an extensive body of literature has established a link between various disclosure/earnings properties and cost of capital, this research is the first to establish a link between matching and cost of capital. This paper fills the void in the literature by showing that revenue-expense matching – a fundamental property of accounting earnings – affects equity investors’ required rate of returns.
The cash flow sensitivity of cash in family firms: does the board of directors matter?
Authors: Guizani Assil , Lakhal Faten , Lakhal Nadia 
Published: October 2018

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to shed light on the effect of French family control on the cash flow sensitivity of cash (CFSC). It also investigates the moderating effect of board of directors’ features on this relation.Design/methodology/approachBased on a sample of French-listed companies from 2012 to 2014, the authors use GLS regression models on panel data estimated with robust standard errors, clustered at the firm level.FindingsThe results show that family control is positively associated with the CFSC. This finding suggests that families are likely to hold more cash out of their cash flows for entrenchment and expropriation purposes. A further analysis shows that board size, independence and the two-tier board structure negatively affect the CFSC in family firms. Board efficiency is then a guarantee of minority shareholders’ interests against family expropriation risks in France.Research limitations/implicationsThese findings suggest that French family firms are likely to expropriate minority interests by extracting rents through their cash holding behavior. However, in the presence of high-quality board features, the relation turns negative, suggesting that the quality of the board is an efficient corporate governance device that is likely to monitor family corporate decisions.Originality/valueThis paper extends previous research by investigating the moderating effect of board features on the relation between family control and the CFSC. The research provides a metric for agency problems that is the sensitivity of cash to cash flows and offers theoretical support for the agency argument of hoarding cash.
The bounded incentive effect of informal institutions
Authors: Zhang Yilin , Cai Dongling , Jia Fansheng , Li Guangzhong 
Published: October 2018

Purpose
This paper aims to mainly investigate the role of trust, which is an important informal system, in executive compensation incentives.

Design/methodology/approach
Using the data of Chinese A-share private enterprises from 2003 to 2014, the paper estimates the effect that trust has on executive compensation incentives.

Findings
Results indicate that trust can significantly enhance the effectiveness of executive compensation incentives. Furthermore, the better the regional trust environment in which companies are located, the more pronounced the effect is. In particular, the effect of trust on executive compensation incentives is only significant when the formal legal system is immature. As companies continue to grow and develop and the formal system becomes perfect, the role of trust weakens. The formal system, including the corporate governance mechanism and perfect legislation, then becomes the key to promoting executive compensation incentives.

Practical implications
This paper provides evidence of the significance of both informal and formal systems. It not only emphasises the important role that the informal system has played in “the mystery of China’s economic growth” but also supports the “ruling the country by law” strategy for the sustainable development of China’s economy.

Originality/value
This paper reveals the relationship between the formal and informal systems, which provides a new perspective on and empirical evidence for the determinants of executive compensation incentives, and it also finds an explanation for the rapid growth of China’s economic development.
Effects of unexpected financial slack on SMEs’ diversification and growth: evidence from China
Authors: Liu Xing , Jin Zhanming 
Published: October 2018

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between unexpected financial slack and small- and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) diversification and growth performance.Design/methodology/approachUsing the phenomenon of IPO over-financed in China as the empirical context, the authors constructed a firm-level measure of unexpected financial slack based on over-financed capital resources and extended the nascent inquiry on unexpected slack.FindingsThe authors proposed and tested that, with unexpected slack obtained from IPO over-financed, SMEs did not engage in diversification until slack was extraordinarily high (a curvilinear relationship). And in such cases, SMEs preferred geographic diversification rather than industry diversification. Moreover, SMEs were able to sustain growth performance both in the short term and in the long term.Practical implicationsThis study had important implications for regulators and managers. The findings of this study suggested that proper regulations on usage of over-financed capital helped SMEs’ sustain their growth performance. Regulatory policies could curb managers from cognitive biases to behave more prudently and deploy the resources more consciously. However, with sufficient resources, managers should also consider more explorative growth drivers such as diversification.Originality/valueThis study joined the efforts of extending the antecedents of slack formation from internal managerial behaviors to external uncertain factors. As the first study to explore the role of unexpected slack at firm level, the results of this study shed more light on the effects of unexpected slack resources.
Hitting (or missing) the mark
Authors: Donner Christopher M. , Popovich Nicole 
Published: October 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine police shooting accuracy and the factors that influence whether officers hit, or miss, their intended target.

Design/methodology/approach
Descriptive statistics explore both incident-level and hit rate shooting accuracy in single officer/single suspect shooting incidents in the Dallas Police Department between 2003 and 2017. Multiple regression models analyze the predictive utility of officer, suspect and situational factors on the two accuracy outcomes.

Findings
Consistent with prior research, the results demonstrate that officers are often inaccurate in officer-involved shooting (OIS) incidents. Additionally, several factors emerged as significant predictors of shooting accuracy.

Practical implications
The results are discussed in terms of the practical implications for training and accountability.

Originality/value
It has been more than a decade since the last academic study investigated this important topic using actual OIS data. Acknowledging the general dearth of this literature, this study explores what factors contribute to shooting accuracy.
Availability of private credit – does culture matter?
Authors: Dority Bree , Tenkorang Frank , Ujah Nacasius U. 
Published: October 2018

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the impact of national culture on private credit availability. The authors particularly focus on the masculinity dimension, as previous studies have not been able to reconcile this dimension in terms of results aligning with expectations.Design/methodology/approachLeast-squares regression with country-cluster standard errors is used to estimate the impact of a nation’s cultural dimensions. Culture is assessed using Hofstede’s six cultural dimensions: masculinity, power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism, long-term orientation and indulgence. Estimation controls for country-level measures of economic growth and development, inflation, financial market development and the institutional, legal and bank environments. Data on more than 70 countries were collected from 2005 to 2014.FindingsThe authors find the masculinity dimension of culture has a significant negative impact on private credit access. Moreover, this result is driven by middle-income versus high-income countries. Interestingly, the authors also find the power distance dimension has a significant negative impact; however, this result is driven by high-income versus middle-income countries. Overall, these results are consistent with the authors’ argument that masculinity may be capturing traditionally defined gender roles, that masculinity (as the authors define it) is different from what power distance is capturing and that the impact of masculinity is influenced by a country’s economic stage.Originality/valueThe authors’ interpretation of masculinity, coupled with their results, presents researchers with an alternative perspective of a cultural dimension that previous studies have not been able to reconcile in terms of results aligning with expectations. Moreover, the authors show that the impact of the cultural dimensions on private credit differs for high- and middle-income countries, and thus has important implications.
Store brand adoption and penetration explained by trust
Authors: Sarantidou Paraskevi P. 
Published: October 2018

Purpose
This paper aims to explain variations in store brand penetration using trust. It aims to help both retailers and manufacturers predict store brand purchases through an improved understanding of the impact of trust in store brands across 10 different store brand product categories and among nine different grocery retailers.

Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected through a telephone survey of 904 participants responsible for the household grocery shopping with a quota of 100 respondents from each of the nine leading grocery retailers in Greece.

Findings
The findings provide empirical support that store brand purchases are positively influenced by the consumers’ perceived level of trust toward the retailer’s store brands. Results also confirmed variations in store brand penetration across the ten product categories that were tested, variations among the retailers and variations in the level of trust.

Originality/value
This paper is adding to the store brand literature from a quantitative perspective and is contributing to the theory, as there is no clear theoretical view on the effect of trust on store brand purchases.