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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the inverse problem of determining a time-dependent heat source in a parabolic equation with nonlocal boundary and integral overdetermination conditions.

The variational iteration method (VIM) is employed as a numerical technique to develop numerical solution. A numerical example is presented to illustrate the advantages of the method.

Using this method, we obtain the exact solution of this problem. Whether or not there is a noisy overdetermination data, our numerical results are stable. Thus the VIM is suitable for finding the approximation solution of the problem.

This method is based on the use of Lagrange multipliers for the identification of optimal values of parameters in a functional and gives rapidly convergent successive approximations of the exact solution if such a solution exists.

The purpose of this paper is to present a general framework of Homotopy perturbation method (HPM) for analytic inverse heat source problems.

The proposed numerical technique is based on HPM to determine a heat source in the parabolic heat equation using the usual conditions. Then this shows the pertinent features of the technique in inverse problems.

Using this HPM, a rapid convergent sequence which tends to the exact solution of the problem can be obtained. And the HPM does not require the discretization of the inverse problems. So HPM is a powerful and efficient technique in finding exact and approximate solutions without dispersing the inverse problems.

The essential idea of this method is to introduce a homotopy parameter p which takes values from 0 to 1. When p=0, the system of equations usually reduces to a sufficiently simplified form, which normally admits a rather simple solution. As p is gradually increased to 1, the system goes through a sequence of deformations, the solution for each of which is close to that at the previous stage of deformation.

If we are to help diminish some of the negative schooling experiences and behaviour often manifested in Black boys, such as frequent displays of anger, defiance to authority, low self-esteem, and their deployment of coping strategies, which further contributes to their disengagement or expulsion from school, we have to ensure that their health and emotional well-being in schools is optimised. Black boys in the UK comprise the largest proportion of young people who have been excluded from secondary schools, and they are often among one of the lowest groups of underachievers in the UK. It is against these bleak backgrounds of underachievement and disengagement from the mainstream education system that this present study posits the argument for increased targeted intervention, not only to improve academic performance but also to improve the emotional well-being in Black boys. Drawing upon case studies of targeted intervention strategies employed in schools and the community over a period of nearly two decades, by the education charity called Excell3, this chapter argues that greater levels of targeted interventions can result in higher levels of social aspiration, educational attainment, self-esteem and emotional well-being among Black boys.

Preventing and tackling bullying effectively are important agenda for schools to safeguard all children’s well-being, engagement and sense of belongingness. Children perceived to be different from their peers tend to have a higher risk of being bullied at school, in particular, children with disabilities. It can be challenging for teachers to stop bullying that targets children with disabilities. This chapter considers bullying as a barrier to ensuring inclusive and quality education for everyone. It draws on findings from an ethnographic study concerning the status of inclusion of children identified as having learning difficulties in mainstream schools in China, by listening to what children and teachers have to say (Wang, 2016). The study found that the child participants were subject to forms of bullying. They found it useful to gain support from others when bullying happened, and they showed empathy towards peers’ well-being. The teacher participants reflected on the dilemmas and challenges of dealing with bullying and were keen to share experiences about what they found helpful in addressing the issue. The chapter discusses how insights about bullying learned from children and teachers can be used to inform the enactment of inclusive pedagogy. It is concluded that an inclusive pedagogical response that recognizes every child’s voice is necessary for tackling bullying and co-creating an inclusive environment.

The purpose of this paper is to examine public opinions about the timing of adolescents' adulthood entrance and sexual debut in four Nordic countries. The research questions concern the appropriate ages when young people become adults and when young people are old enough to engage in sexual activities.

The data utilised are derived from the Danish, Swedish, Norwegian and Finnish sections of the third European Social Survey (n = 7,078) conducted in 2006. By comparing the ages reported for boys and girls, the paper focuses on the disparities of responses between population groups.

The results reveal that there are notable differences in the appropriate ages reported for girls and boys. There is also variation in the responses by country. However, socio‐demographic information can predict respondents' opinions only partially.

The analysis is based on cross‐sectional data. Subjective measures are used as the dependent and independent variables.

The results reveal interesting tensions in the Nordic welfare societies regarding people's perceptions of adulthood entrance. It is discussed to what degree the observations regarding the appropriate timing of adulthood entry and coital initiation may underline culturally defined stereotypes between sexes.

Old boy networks are exclusive elite networks of white males that afford inside information, facilitate advancement, and provide support to each other. Understanding old boy networks is important because it represents a culturally specific form of cronyism that has significant negative consequences for international business. As a corrective to more optimistic scholarship on the benefits of social networks in organizations – and in line with critical assessments of other network phenomena, such as guanxi – we explore the generic social processes that give rise to old boy networks in society using Social Closure Theory and consider the consequences of old boy networks in organizations through the lens of Relational Inequality Theory. Specifically, we highlight research on network membership and gender, race, and class inequality in hiring, socialization, and assessment. We conclude by discussing the implications of old boy networks for international business.

The purpose of this paper is to discover user-generated visual merchandising (VM) directives that could guide VM in physical stores as well as shed light on future development of customizable virtual stores for online retailing.

Applying a facet theory approach, our research involved consumers (n=145) in co-designing VM directives in a 3D virtual store in collaboration with target corporation. In total, 67 virtual shops in three product categories, i.e., women’s ready-to-wear, boy’s Cherokee, and men’s swim wear, were content analysed, along with written reports.

The research findings focused on the three facets of VM: merchandising presentation (fixturing, product density, manner of presentation, and product adjacency), in-store environment (layout and interior), and in-store promotion (signage). The research revealed the elements that these facets contain and the relationships between the elements. The findings suggest that retailers should design an ecological instead of a merely utilitarian environment; clear section identity helps shoppers find a sense of ownership and boundaries; and stores should also present a lifestyle solution instead of a merchandise selection.

The research contributes both original creations of VM directives and a methodical framework that moves the subject of VM from the physical to the virtual environment and shifts the traditional in-house function of VM to an open innovation in which consumers participate.

Black boys report experiencing more school-based racial discrimination than any other group (Butler-Barnes et al., 2019). Additionally, Black boys are viewed as older and less innocent than their peers beginning as early as 10 years old (Goff et al., 2014). Black boys are also suspended and expelled at much higher rates than other students (Graves & Wang, 2022). As such, there needs to be an investment in asset-based research designed to understand the factors that can help Black boys cope with these perceptions. Consequently, this chapter will discuss strengths based protective factors that will aid in the promotion of positive outcomes in Black boys.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the writing development of Hong Kong kindergarten students over 12 months. They attended 18 kindergartens territory-wide and were followed from June 2002 to June 2003 for the collection of three waves of teacher-rated data at six-month intervals.

First, the construct validity of the translated and culturally adapted version of Morrow’s (2012) checklist which assesses writing development was confirmed, considering that the students attended Hong Kong kindergartens who wrote in the Chinese language. The multilevel analysis, which employed corrected measures captured through Wolfe and Chiu’s (1999a, 1999b) five-step Rasch scaling method for a common frame of reference, estimated the effects of the factors, namely, student age, gender, class level and schools.

The children’s progress over the second six months was also apparently much smaller than the first SIX months for this cohort. The dramatic slow-down in the second six-month period for both cohorts might be partly attributed to the peculiar arrangement of schooling at that time.

The recommendation from this study is that random sampling and student test scores on writing need to be taken for the identification of the general trend of young children’s writing development in Hong Kong, as well as other Chinese communities alike.

The profile of the student’s emergent writing development at each six-month follow-up and over the 12 months was explored. Differences between the groups based on age, gender, class level and school in terms of student writing development on average were statistically significant.

This research is interested in how dynamics in negotiating cultural meanings in the globalizing market place in China become visible in one particular aspect of culture: colour culture. The purpose of this paper is to explore the provenance of some of the many potential meanings invested in colours in contemporary China, and how and why these influence international business, communication, design and marketing management in particular.

A qualitative empirical study with ambition for an emic cultural approach to Chinese colour culture. Narrative analysis of accounts by Chinese colour professionals participating in a focus group interview, and by individually interviewed managers with extensive experience in Sino‐Finnish business are reported in narrative format.

The findings support the proposed existence of a phenomenon which the author has named “Colour culture” – a cultural set of meanings that are invested in colours. Unexpectedly, the empirical study proposes a strong tendency towards these meanings being value based in China. Visual manifestations of cultural values appear to be dynamic and dependent on context.

The current study does not offer generalizable prescriptions for contextual colour usages. The explorative, qualitative nature of this study serves as a basis for contextual and quantifiable future research on the phenomenon.

Since, for the Chinese, colours manifest cultural values and are highly emotional, not only linguistic, but also visual translation of communication is needed. For international communication, design and marketing managers, this further implies a need for contextual understanding of local colour culture.

Recognizing the existence of colour culture and its value‐based proposition in China opens up new research avenues and practical considerations for cross‐cultural studies.