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The purpose of this paper is to study the effects of positive and negative bias stressing on switching performance of power VDMOSFETs used in communication systems.

A positive and a negative high‐field stress are applied on the gate oxide of MOS devices and electrical characterization is performed after each period of stress, a comparison is presented.

Compared results between the two types of stress show that certain doses of stress can increase the device speed. The underlying changes of the threshold voltage under these two types of stress are referred to as the variation of the gate oxide‐trapped charge and interface trap densities.

This paper presents new and original experiments run over a number of metal‐oxide semiconductor field effect transistor devices to compare the effects of the direction of the applied field on the degradation and the reliability of these structures.

This work aims to investigate the modifications in a transistor behavior after hot carrier injection processes from the integrated junction.

A high voltage is applied across the drain‐source contacts, so a reverse current is induced through the integrated junction and defects are then created.

The results point out to a dependence of the VDMOSFET reliability on the operating conditions which could induce parasitic effects on the structure. Induced defects alter the form of several MOSFET characteristics.

A new method of degradation is presented along with a series of characterization techniques‐based electrical parameters variations.

This paper presents measurements of device switching parameters performed on a commercial power MOSFET under high temperature conditions, along with the inverse and direct source‐drain current.

Device temperature was linearly increased from 20 to 300°C. Switching times were measured by monitoring the current waveforms when the device was turned off and on. The gate was biased by a 10 V square signal while a 50 V DC bias was applied between the drain and source. The inverse current was measured under Vg=0V.

The device response to being turned off becomes faster at high temperatures. The inverse leakage current is insignificant under 300°C but it increases rapidly after this limit. The direct saturation current increases with temperature for the same gate tension. These phenomena were associated to the thermal activation of defects.

This paper offers information about switching performance of low cost commercial MOS devices in high temperature conditions. This information is essential in the microelectronic industry of harsh environments.

The purpose of this paper is to review the reasons underlying the slow rate of progress towards developing a comprehensive policy underpinning for adult safeguarding in England and proposes long-term solutions.

This paper uses a model of policy change to argue that adult safeguarding has been over-reliant on case histories to define its policy problems and influence its politics, while making insufficient progress on data collection and analysis. It uses examples from the parallel discipline of public health to explore four challenges, or “problems”, relevant to the further development of the knowledge base underpinning adult safeguarding policy.

Four recommendations emerge for closing the adult safeguarding “knowledge gap”, including the development of a national research strategy for adult safeguarding. In a fifth recommendation the paper also proposes a clearer recognition of the contribution that local public health professionals can make to local adult safeguarding policy making and programme development.

The first four recommendations of this paper would serve as the basis for developing a national research strategy for adult safeguarding. The fifth would strengthen the contribution of local public health departments to safeguarding adults boards.

The author is unaware of the existence of any other review of the limitations of the adult safeguarding knowledge base as a foundation for policy making, or which proposes strategic solutions. The work is valuable for its practical proposals.

The purpose of the paper is to review the issues involved in determining the appropriate speed of adjustment and the sequencing of economic reforms, and to develop a checklist of key guidelines for policymakers as a basis for their decision‐making process.

The paper develops a conceptual framework based on a survey of the theoretical and empirical literature, and the practical experience of the authors in this area.

The analysis in the paper shows that the optimal speed and sequence of reforms is country‐specific. But key policy considerations can help guide policymakers in the design of their reform strategy.

The arguments favoring a shock approach or a gradual approach are not absolute. Each country has to choose the proper speed of adjustment and sequencing of reforms by examining country‐specific factors. A thorough case‐by‐case analysis is needed before a decision on the appropriate timing and sequencing of reforms can be made.

The analysis in the paper leads to key reform guidelines for policymakers – covering areas such as prerequisites and resource constraints, political economy considerations, credibility and sustainability of reforms – that are instrumental in developing a well‐sequenced strategy.

With US$ 320 bn spent on luxury fashion in the Middle East and a growing digital consumer presence, local start-ups must form an integrated online relationship with millennials in order to recruit and retain a viable customer base. Nonetheless, these elements are yet to be extensively and properly researched as the literature is still scarce vis-à-vis this area.

A mixed qualitative approach was adopted using both in-depth interviews and focus groups. Two qualitative studies were conducted, with a total of 13 elite respondents and 28 consumer respondents from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) using semi-structured interviews. Four focus groups were also conducted in both countries with six participants each group for triangulation of the findings.

The findings enhance current understanding pertaining to Gen Ys' motivations when selecting and engaging online with a luxury fashion start-up brand. The study suggests a detailed strategic framework that can be used in an integrated omni-channel approach. It also discusses the different touchpoints that play a role in influencing luxury consumption across different motivation stages.

The literature relating to digital strategies for luxury fashion start-up brands in the Middle East is still nascent. This study fills a considerable gap in the literature related to such brands that are aiming to stay relevant amidst the growing impact of the digital landscape on luxury fashion brand shoppers in the Middle East.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the special issue which considers some of the contemporary debates in managing people in Africa.

The papers that constitute this special issue were selected from submissions to various events hosted by the Africa Research Group, a community of scholars committed to researching Africa, and from a more general call for submissions.

The papers highlight the changing picture of the African organisational landscape and provide both theoretical and empirical insights about the opportunities and challenges of managing people in a culturally complex continent.

Taken together, the papers make an important contribution by engaging current debates and demonstrating potential new areas for further research.

This paper aims to assess the direct effects of antecedents of initial trust, the mediating effect of trust and the moderating effect of demographic variables on non-adopters’ behavioral intention to use mobile banking.

The study tested the models of theory of reasoned action and theory of planned behavior to evaluate potential antecedents of trust (diffusion of trust, infrastructure quality, perceived costs, privacy and security) moderators (demographic variables) and mediators (initial trust) that will influence behavioral intention to use mobile banking. The Hayes’ Process Macro developed by Andrew F. Hayes (2013) was used as a statistical analysis in SPSS to estimates the path coefficients using multiple regression. The tool provides insights on the direct and indirect effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable through the existence of moderating variables and mediation variables.

The results show that the non-adopters of mobile banking asserted that the antecedents of initial trust played a significant influence on behavioral intention to use online banking services.

There is a dearth of literature addressing mobile banking in the Philippines. The first initial trust formation in internet banking using computer workstations and laptops in the Philippines was conducted by Chiu et al. (2016). This research fills in the gap by expanding and formulating a deeper understanding of the antecedents of initial trust that influence consumer behavioral intention that might be responsible for the slow diffusion of mobile banking services in the country. The results from this study will help financial institutions create a beneficial connection with consumers while alleviating the fears of non-adopters and enhancing their understanding of the benefits of mobile banking.

The main purpose of the present research is to analyze the relationship between technological development, financial development and economic growth in India in a non-linear and asymmetric framework.

The study employs the nonlinear autoregressive distributed lags model (NARDL) and Hetemi J asymmetric causality tests to explore nonlinearities in the dynamic interaction among the variables. The stationarity properties of data are checked by using Ng–Perron and ADF structural break unit root tests. The unit root test confirms that the variables are non-stationarity in level and are differenced stationary.

The study finds that there is a cointegrating relationship between technological development, financial development and economic growth in the long run. The findings suggest that a positive shock in technological development increases economic growth (coefficient value 1.497 at 1% significance level) and a negative shock will harm economic performance (coefficient value −0.519 at 1% significance level). A long-term positives shock in financial development boosts the economy (coefficient value 1.08 at 5% significance level) and negative shock hampers the economic performance (coefficient value −1.09 at 5% significance level). The asymmetric causality test result confirms bi-directional causality between technological development and economic growth and unidirectional causality from negative economic growth to negative technological development and bi-directional causality between economic growth and financial development, unidirectional negative financial development to economic growth.

The results of this research can significantly facilitate stakeholders and policymakers in devising short-term as well as long-term policies for financial development and technological innovation to achieve sustainable long-run economic growth in India.

This paper is the first of its kind to empirically examine the cointegrating and causal relationship between technology, financial development and economic growth in India using non-linear asymmetric cointegration and causality tests.