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This paper investigates, theoretically and empirically, differences between blacks and whites in the United States concerning the intergenerational transmission of occupational skills and the effects on sons’ earnings. The father–son skill correlation is measured by the correlation coefficient (or cosine of the angle) between the father’s skill vector and the son’s skill vector. The skill vector comprises an individual’s occupational characteristics from the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT). According to data from the U.S. National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79), white sons earn higher wages in occupations that require skills similar to those of their fathers, whereas black sons in such circumstances incur a wage loss. A large portion of the racial wage gap is explained by the father–son skill correlation. However, a significant unexplained racial wage gap remains at the lower tail of the wage distribution.

Packaging design has the power to convey persuasive and functional benefits, thereby inducing the brand preference as per empirical studies, but not much has been studied in detail about aesthetic aspects of packaging. This study is a careful attempt to understanding the influence of aesthetic elements—colour, illustrations/images/pictures and information representation’s influence on consumer brand preference for ready-to-eat (RTE) product category of pav bhaji.

The data for this study have been collected in two phases; phase 1 was a quantitative research where structure Google form was used while in order to elite consumer responses regarding their preferences structured interview was conducted in phase 2. Twenty-five respondents were selected using snowball sampling, who were approached for understanding how aesthetic element influenced their brand preference.

This research could help in identifying various underlying subthemes within the three major themes of aesthetic element in packaging. By utilising these, packaging modifications could be made to increase brand preference.

In case of RTE segment, in-store decisions are mostly take in spurn of minutes, hence making it one of essential topics of research. The findings of this research can contribute in placement of correct element in appropriate position to grab consumers’ interest leading to brand preference.

The acousto-ultrasonic approach is used for propagating stress waves through different configurations of CORTEN steel specimens. The propagated waves are recorded and analysed by piezoelectric sensors. The purpose of the study is to study the characteristics of the CORTEN steel by analysing the propagated waves.

To investigate the attenuation in acoustic wave propagation due to the corrosion formation in CORTEN steel specimens and to train a neural network model to classify the attenuated acoustic waves automatically.

Due to the corrosion formation in CORTEN steel specimens, attenuation is observed in amplitude, energy, counts and duration of the propagated waves. When the waves are analysed in their time-frequency characteristics, attenuation is observed in their frequency and spectral energy.

The corrosion formation in CORTEN steel can automatically be analysed by using the acousto-ultrasonic approach and the trained deep learning neural network.

Your company may find itself traveling down several different paths at once to reach its goals. The secret of success lies in making sure the roads are compatible. At one time, selecting the right options was a matter of chance. Today, finding the winning combination is almost a science.

Water soluble epoxy resins were prepared from male‐opimaric acid, linseed fatty acids and epoxy resin. The methylated urea formaldehyde resin and melamine formaldehyde resin were also prepared for curing purposes. The pigmented coating compositions were prepared from water soluble epoxy resins, red oxide and iron and zinc phosphate. These coating compositions showed good water resistance, acid resistance, alkali resistance and lubricating oil resistance.

This paper seeks first to build up a game‐theoretic model of the interactions of two agents ‐ a husband and a wife ‐ in a short story about sincere selection of a strategy of self‐sacrifice, and then to find out a solution of the model. This formal model as well as informal analysis is employed to argue that the conventional virtue of everybody's choice of a strategy of sacrifice for others in a group, especially when these strategies are uncoordinated, may ultimately lead to social vice, i.e. irrational behaviour and attempts at rationalization of it by all.

This paper concentrates on the visual information within a product description block in an online auction page, which is the only place a seller can manipulate to influence bidders. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of photograph use, model use, and the physical attractiveness of the model on bidding behavior.

A mock online auction website was built to manipulate picture use, model use, and the physical attractiveness of the model. The experiment recruited volunteers and randomly assigned each participant into one of four treatments. After experiencing the stimulus for two minutes, the researchers asked participants to evaluate their bidding intention and write down the highest price they would bid.

The results show that using a photograph to introduce the product acquires a higher bidding intention and bidding amount than not using a photograph. In addition, a web page using physically attractive models in photographs acquires a higher bidding intention and bidding price than a web page using physically unattractive models in photographs.

This study is unique in discussing the effect of the visual content of the product description block on online bidding behavior. The results of this study provide suggestions and a product information presentation strategy for online auction sellers.

This paper aims to investigate the predicted temperature behaviour of the protected cellular steel beam (CSB) with circular web openings at elevated temperature through finite element simulation.

Temperature development along the CSB were analysed and used for parametric investigation. In addition, this research paper investigates the novelty application of various intumescent coating thicknesses covering the whole CSB to cut down the temperature development along the beam section.

From the simulation outcomes, it shows that intumescent coating has a significant effect in reducing the temperature development along the CSB section. Thicker intumescent coating contributes to a higher temperature drop at the bottom tee section than the upper tee section.

The use of structural CSB has gained popularity among engineers and architects. This type of beam allows serviceability ducts and pipes to pass through the main steel web section under the flooring system, thus providing larger headroom for designers. Nevertheless, in any structural steel building, it is highly risky for CSB to be exposed to fire hazard if it were triggered accidentally. To mitigate and reduce fire exposure risk which might compromise the strength and stiffness of CSB, a passive fire protection is proposed to minimise the risk. One of the common passive fire protection materials used for steel beam section is intumescent coating. Intumescent coating is by far the cheapest solution to protect CSB as compared to other passive fire protection system. Intumescent coating can absorb some portion of heat exposure which subsequently translates a lower temperature development along the CSB section.

The purpose of this paper is to focus on corporate communication issues that arise when a company offshores language-sensitive services to a country which does not have a workforce with the required language skills. It explores the consequences of adopting a total immersion policy and annual testing regime to build and maintain linguistic competence among the workforce, with regard to motivation, challenges and coping strategies.

The approach adopted was semi-structured interviews with management and employee representatives, interviewed separately. The interviews were transcribed and submitted to content analysis, supported by relevant company information.

The company’s language policy has generated a user environment where language proficiency is developed in corporate interaction, and where the workforce is motivated by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Strategic decisions relating to language policy need to take the workforce’s input into account to discuss the testing regime with a view to test content and relevance.

The findings relate to a limited material of 6 interviews with 14 interviewees in total.

The paper focusses on how to strike a balance between developing the skills needed to perform job tasks and preparing for new more complex tasks without demotivating the workforce. The conclusion sets out managerial implications.

The paper contributes to understanding the dynamics of working in a multilingual context.

To the authors’ knowledge the specificities of offshoring of language-sensitive services with regard to motivation and coping strategies have not been explored previously. The fact that the services in question have to be carried out in a minor language and that a total immersion strategy has been adopted also represents something new.

The paper aims to analyse the application of a pedagogy-based approach to designing online language learning courses. It aims to evaluate course efficiency from three perspectives – provider, recipient and wider community perspective and define the extent to which the target course could be applied for developing tourism and hospitality industry students’ and employees’ language competences in Europe.

In line with pragmatism paradigm, a summative/outcome evaluation research in provider, recipient and wider community perspective was conducted in Latvia, Croatia, Slovenia, Romania and Italy. It comprised a focus group interview of 8 language teachers (the provider perspective), a survey of 505 students (the recipient perspective) and a survey of 106 language teachers and 161 industry representatives and 10 expert interviews (the wider community perspective).

The results highlight the main strengths of online learning environments and emphasise the efficiency of the pedagogy-based approach applied in designing an online course. The created courses are beneficial and may be used to foster the development of tourism and hospitality industry students’ and employees’ language competences.

The research sample is composed of language learners from five countries, but it is not proportionally distributed. Another limitation refers to the languages piloted. Further in-depth study concerning less widely used languages is required.

The research results enable understanding certain aspects of designing online language learning courses, provide evaluators’ feedback, suggest the course application for language learning and reveal the European value added.

The research explores the specifics for designing online language learning courses for Languages for Special Purposes for the application in tourism and hospitality industry. The course efficiency and quality are evaluated from provider, recipient and wider community perspective.