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Intelligent pneumatic actuator (IPA) is a new generation of actuator developed for Research and Development (R&D) purposes in the academic and industrial fields. The purpose of this paper is to show the application of optical encoder and pressure sensor in IPA, to develop a real-time model similar to the existing devices, and to assess the position control performance using a proportional-integrative (PI) controller and a bang-bang controller in real-time.

A micro optical encoder chip is used to detect cylinder rod position by reading constructed laser stripes on a guide rod, whereas a pressure sensor is used to detect the chamber pressure reading. To control the cylinder movements by manipulating pulse-width modulation (PWM) cycles, two unit valves of two ports and two positions were used. A PI controller and a bang-bang controller are used with suitable gain value to drive the valve using PWM to achieve the target actuator position.

The results show the experimental results of the closed-loop position tracking performance of the system using a data acquisition (DAQ) card over MATLAB software.

This paper presents a real-time model used to replace the microcontroller-based system from previous IPA design. The paper proposes two control strategies, PI and bang-bang, to control position using encoder and pressure reading.

This interview with author Paul Nunes discusses his theory that “Big Bang Disruption” is a new and critical threat to established businesses driven by large-scale, fast-paced innovation that can redraw global markets often before established players can react.

The interview reviews the four phases of Big Bang Disruption. Nunes and his co-author Larry Downes believe that each phase has its own set of rules leaders need to learn to respond effectively.

To defend against Big Bang Disruption, companies must strive to be the lowest-cost provider of all the elements of value the customer seeks, and be able to provide that value in a customer-intimate way.

Marketing’s main function has shifted from selling to creating social consensus about what is “the best” value.

Nunes’s startling conclusion: Every industry is now at risk. No industry will be left unscathed, no supply chain left unscrambled, no strategic plan left unraveled.

The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it aims to contribute to the theoretical discussion on shared service centres (SSCs) for public sector accounting by putting forth a novel typology of different SSCs and their creation modes, and outlining the challenges these specific models are likely to face. Second, it uses the Estonian case study to test the theoretical conjectures.

Since in the Estonian central government different reform models for creating SSCs for public sector accounting have been tried out, the Estonian case offers an opportunity for exploring what the motives behind the creation of different forms of SSCs can be and what kind of challenges reform actors can face when opting for different reform models. The sources of data for the qualitative case study included official documents, media articles and interviews.

The Estonian case study demonstrates that the distinct reform models for creating SSCs in public sector accounting can indeed have different motives and also face various challenges to different degrees. Some challenges, however, are present in all reform models (e.g. difficulties in achieving customer orientation and reduced input to managerial decision making).

This paper puts forth a novel typology of public sector SSC reform models and analyses the challenges these different reform models are likely to face. The theoretical contribution and the Estonian case study are valuable for both academics and practitioners analysing or considering the creation of SSCs.

‘Japan's amazing ability to disappoint.’ This was the title on the front cover of the Economist, 26th September, 1998 issue. Although this referred to Japan's government's inability to solve its huge financial problems, the same may be said about its ability to materialise its much‐heralded and ambitious programme of so‐called ‘Big Bang’ financial deregulation if the reform lacks substance such as proper protective measures for consumers as well as a transparent and accountable regulatory process. ‘Free, Fair and Global’ — the three basic principles put forward by the former prime minister Ryutaro Hashimoto upon unveiling his plan to launch Big Bang on 11th November, 1996 — rings hollow to the car of those who suffered a huge financial loss due to mis‐selling of high‐risk financial products.

In this paper the design of a controller for a relay‐controlled second‐order non‐linear stable plant with third‐order nonlinearity is considered. The task of the controller is the simultaneous reduction of output and output derivative to zero with the input being at zero. It will be shown that for all initial values of output and output derivative it would be possible to bring them to zero, simultaneously and with at most one switching reversal of the relay. It will also be shown that, through simple transformation of error and error derivative, the equation of the switching curve can be made independent of any constant gain of the plant and also of the coefficient of the non‐linear term.

The purpose of this systematic literature review is to catalog, explore and disseminate knowledge developed related to the affordances, constraints and collaborative practices of e-mentoring in order to offer recommendations for mentoring programs.

After identifying studies utilizing inclusion and exclusion criteria and a variety of relevant databases, chosen studies were organized into three categories based on e-mentoring practices.

Results reflect chat-room-based e-mentoring and e-mentoring with a video component both to have various affordances and collaborative features. These forms of e-mentoring can potentially be relevant to new teachers’ needs, may promote community and are disconnected from mentees’ school systems. A third form of e-mentoring, virtual reality e-mentoring, however, has the potential for accessibility issues and lack of relevancy to the mentoring process.

Chat-room-based e-mentoring and e-mentoring with a video component may benefit new teachers who do not have access to in-person mentors. However, these forms of e-mentoring may necessitate a component that ensures mentors and mentees alike remain consistently engaged in the e-mentoring process.

In this paper the design of a controller for a relay controlled second order nonlinear unstable plant with fourth order nonlinearity is considered. The task of the controller is the simultaneous reduction of output and output derivative to zero with the input being at zero. It is established that, if the initial values of error and error derivative fall in a “controllable region”, it is possible to reduce error and error derivative to zero simultaneously and in the shortest possible time with at most one switching reversal of the relay. It is also shown that, through simple transformation of error and error derivative, the equation of the switching curve can be made independent of the constant gain of the plant, as well as the coefficient of the nonlinear term.

In this paper, it is established that the error and error derivative can be reduced to zero simultaneously and in the shortest possible time with at most one switching reversal of the relay, provided the initial values of error and error derivative fall in a controllable region.

The purpose of this paper is to set up and analyze a formal model for maintenance scheduling for local government purpose buildings.

The authors formulate the maintenance scheduling decision as a dynamic optimization problem, subject to an accelerating decay. This approach offers a formal, yet intuitive, weighting of an important trade-off when deciding a maintenance schedule.

The optimal maintenance schedule reflects a trade-off between the interest rate and the rate at which the decay accelerates. The prior reflects the alternative cost, since the money spent on maintenance could be saved and earn interests, while the latter reflects the cost of postponing maintenance. Importantly, it turns out that it is sub-optimal to have a cyclical maintenance schedule where the building is allowed to decay and then be intensively maintained before decaying again. Rather, local governments should focus the maintenance either early in the building’s life-span and eventually let it decay toward replacement/abandonment or first let it decay to a target level and then keep it there until replacement/abandonment. Which of the two is optimal depends on the trade-off between the alternative cost and the cost of postponing maintenance.

The paper provides a first formal inquiry into important trade-offs that are important for maintenance scheduling of local public purpose buildings.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of blockchain technology on firms’ operational efficiency in the context of China.

The authors use panel data for blockchain-based companies listed on stock exchanges in China (Shanghai, Shenzhen and Hong Kong) between 2014 and 2018. The operational efficiency of firms that deploy blockchain technology is evaluated using ordinary least squares and system generalized method of moments estimation.

Results suggest that companies’ current year performance exceeds the previous year performance because of blockchain deployment in firms’ operations. Firms with higher financial leverage and return on assets reap more benefits from blockchain. Larger and older firms benefit less from blockchain implementation. Stochastic frontier estimation suggests that, on average, firms attain a 57.76 per cent technical efficiency level, or, put differently, they operate 42.24 per cent below their maximum level of potential output.

Blockchain can benefit firms in terms of consensus, security and trust, spurring the evolution of a new form of organizational dynamics. This study explores the theory of transactional cost analysis under blockchain technology. In addition, this study hypothesizes and empirically demonstrates the significant impacts of blockchain technology on corporations’ operational efficiency, using audited, externally reported financial data. Industry professionals can reap benefits from this research by noticing the magnitude of changes in firms’ financial parameters attributable to blockchain adoption.