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This paper aims to design an active shock absorber scheme for use in conjunction with a passive shock absorber to suppress the horizontal vibration of elevator cars in a smaller range and shorter time. The developed active shock absorber will also improve the safety and comfort of passengers driving in ultra-high-speed elevators.

A six-degree of freedom dynamic model is established according to the position and condition of the car. Then the active shock absorber and disturbance compensation-based adaptive control scheme are designed and simulated in MATLAB/Simulink. The results are analysed and compared with the traditional shock absorber.

The results show that, compared with traditional spring-based passive damping systems, the designed active shock absorber can reduce vibration displacement by 60%, peak acceleration by 50% and oscillation time by 2/3 and is more robust to different spring stiffness, damping coefficient and load.

The developed active shock absorber and its control algorithm can significantly reduce vibration amplitude and converged time. It can also adjust the damping strength according to the actual load of the elevator car, which is more suitable for high-speed elevators.

This paper aims to investigate the reciprocal nonlinear relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and firm performance (FP).

The authors used a sample of 814 European firms over the period 2008–2017. The Panel Smooth Transition Regression (PSTR) model was performed as an econometric approach.

Firstly, results show a threshold effect in the CSR–FP relationships within the two directions. More specifically, the authors found that firms are more likely to engage in CSR by surpassing a threshold of 1.231% for return on assets (ROA) and 0.821% for Tobin’s Q ratio. Secondly, the authors also found that the impact of CSR on FP is positive and significant only if the environment, social and governance score surpasses the threshold of 56.780% when the dependent variable is ROA and 41.02% when Tobin’s Q ratio measures performance.

A significant part of the literature supports the linear relationship between CSR and FP from the unique direction (CSR → FP). This study comes to fill this gap by assessing the possible nonlinear relationship. In addition, this nonlinear relationship is tested under the two directions. Therefore, defining the threshold of FP that allows companies to engage in CSR, on the one hand, and the threshold of engagement in CSR that improves FP, on the other hand, could be an exciting topic.

To get the full benefit from CSR effects, firms should be with better financial performance to be socially responsible.

To the best of our knowledge, few studies have explored the nonlinear relationship between CSR and FP. In addition, this study raises the question of whether this relation is causal. The authors assess the two nonlinear relationships between CSR ? FP and FP ? CSR by determining the optimal thresholds.

本文旨在探究企業社會責任 (以下簡稱企社責) 與公司業績之間的相互非線 性關係。

研究所採用的樣本為814間歐洲公司, 涵蓋期為2008年至2017年。研究人 員使用縱橫平滑轉換模型、作為經濟計量方法和工具去進行研究。

研究結果顯示、在有關的兩個方向內, 企社責與公司業績之間的關聯上是 存在著閾值效應的。更具體地說, 研究人員發現, 若企業的資產報酬率超過1.231%的 水平, 以及托賓的Q比率 (Tobin’s Q Ratio) 0.821%的水平的話, 它們會更願意承擔企 社責。其次, 研究結果亦顯示, 企社責對企業的業績會產生積極的影響; 另外, 只有 當資產報酬率是因變數、而環境、社會和公司治理的分數 (ESGS) 超過56.780%, 以 及當托賓的Q比率用來測量績效、而數值為41.02%時, 企社責對企業的業績所產生的 影響會較為顯著。

過去的學術文獻、大部份都是以唯一的方向 (企社責 ->公司業績) 去確認 企社責與企業業績之間的線性關係。本研究評估了兩者之間可能存在的非線性關係; 而且, 這非線性關係是在有關的兩個方向下而進行測試的; 因此, 本研究一方面給可 讓公司以企社責的精神和理念去營運的企業業績的閾值下了定義; 另一方面, 又給參 與企社責為公司帶來業績的改善的閾值下了定義。這均為令人興奮的課題。

企業若想取得因參與企社責而帶來的完全好處, 它們必須擁有更佳 的財務績效、以能盡其社會責任。

盡我們所知, 探究企社責與企業業績之間的非線性關係的研究實在不 多; 而且, 本研究對這兩者的關係是否是因果關係提出了質疑; 就此, 我們藉著釐定 最佳的相對閾值、來評估企社責 ->企業業績與企業業績 ->企社責之間的兩個非線性的 關係。

Cloud computing originated in central data centers that are connected to the backbone of the Internet. The network transport to and from a distant data center incurs long latencies that hinder modern low-latency applications. In order to flexibly support the computing demands of users, cloud computing is evolving toward a continuum of cloud computing resources that are distributed between the end users and a distant data center. The purpose of this review paper is to concisely summarize the state-of-the-art in the evolving cloud computing field and to outline research imperatives.

The authors identify two main dimensions (or axes) of development of cloud computing: the trend toward flexibility of scaling computing resources, which the authors denote as Flex-Cloud, and the trend toward ubiquitous cloud computing, which the authors denote as Ubi-Cloud. Along these two axes of Flex-Cloud and Ubi-Cloud, the authors review the existing research and development and identify pressing open problems.

The authors find that extensive research and development efforts have addressed some Ubi-Cloud and Flex-Cloud challenges resulting in exciting advances to date. However, a wide array of research challenges remains open, thus providing a fertile field for future research and development.

This review paper is the first to define the concept of the Ubi-Flex-Cloud as the two-dimensional research and design space for cloud computing research and development. The Ubi-Flex-Cloud concept can serve as a foundation and reference framework for planning and positioning future cloud computing research and development efforts.

The authors designed a science and engineering curricular program that includes design features that promote student interest and motivation and examined teachers' and students' views on meaningfulness, motivation and interest.

The research approach consisted of mixed methods, including content analyses and descriptive statistics.

The curricular program successfully included all four of the US National Academies of Sciences' design features for promoting interest and motivation through scientific investigation and engineering design. During interviews, teachers and students expressed evidence of design features associated with interest and motivation. After experiencing the program, more than 60% of all students scored high on all four science and engineering meaningfulness and interest survey items.

A curricular program that extends science learning through the engineered design of solutions is an innovative approach to foster both conceptual knowledge development and interest and motivation in science and engineering.

Understanding China's carbon dioxide (CO2) emission status is crucial for getting Carbon Neutrality status. The purpose of the paper is to calculate two possible scenarios for CO2 emission distribution and calculated input-output flows of CO2 emissions for every 31 China provinces for 2012, 2015 and 2017 years.

In this study using the input and output (IO) table's data for the selected years, the authors found the volume of CO2 emissions per one Yuan of revenue for the industry in 2012 and the coefficient of emission reduction compared to 2012.

Results show that in the industries with a huge volume of CO2 emissions, such as “Mining and washing of coal”, the authors cannot observe the reduction processes for years. Industries where emissions are being reduced are “Processing of petroleum, coking, nuclear fuel”, “Production and distribution of electric power and heat power”, “Agriculture, Forestry, Animal Husbandry and Fishery”. For the “construction” industry the situation with emissions did not change.

“Transport, storage, and postal services” and “Smelting and processing of metals” industries in China has the second place concerning emissions, but over the past period, emissions have been sufficiently reduced. “Construction” industry produces a lot of emissions, but this industry does not carry products characterized by large emissions from other industries. Authors can observe that Jiangsu produces a lot of CO2 emissions, but they do not take products characterized by significant emissions from other provinces. Shandong produces a lot of emissions and consumes many of products characterized by large emissions from other provinces. However, Shandong showed a reduction in CO2 emissions from 2012 to 2017.

In this article, we highlight ways in which disability critical race theory (DisCrit) (Annamma et al., 2013), inclusive education and community-based participatory research (CBPR) can be used within professional development schools (PDS) to provide students with disabilities with more access to inclusive classrooms. At a grade 4–6 elementary school, we developed a model of a critical PDS to promote inclusive education and facilitate the transition of students of color with disabilities from self-contained to inclusive classrooms. We conducted semi-structured interviews and used action plan meetings with school administrators, teachers, professionals and students with disabilities and their parents to assess the impact of our critical PDS model. Findings suggest this model had a positive impact on administrators’ and teachers’ critical consciousness, ideological and instructional practices, students of color with disabilities’ social, academic and personal outcomes, as well as a schoolwide culture of inclusion and social justice. This study can inform tailored professional development efforts to improve educators’ inclusive practices.

We conducted semi-structured interviews and used action plan meetings with school administrators, teachers, professionals and students with disabilities and their parents to assess the impact of our critical PDS model.

The findings of this study suggest this model had a positive impact on administrators’ and teachers’ critical consciousness, ideological and instructional practices, students of color with disabilities’ social, academic and personal outcomes, as well as a schoolwide culture of inclusion and social justice.

This study can inform tailored professional development efforts aiming to improve educators’ inclusive practices.

We developed a model of a critical PDS to promote inclusive education and facilitate the transition of students of color with disabilities from self-contained to inclusive classrooms.

There are many factors that contribute to a person's career choice. The decision of whether or not to join the family business is certainly most influenced by parents. The aim of this research is to determine how much of an impact parents have on their next-generation family members' (NGFMs) decision to join the family business.

Following a positivistic paradigm, a cross-sectional design was followed using a quantitative, self-administered questionnaire through a judgemental sampling technique. A structured questionnaire was distributed to South African respondents who have parents who own a family business. The data were analysed using Statistica.

The results indicate that parental style, culture, self-efficacy and parental identification were found to influence the NGFMs' intention to join the family business significantly. Their decisions can be influenced by several factors, and parents can better manage these aspects by being aware of these influencing factors.

Given the imminent ageing of a large cohort of senior leaders, this research adds to the body of knowledge by highlighting the necessity for committed, willing and ready next-generation family members (NGFMs) to ensure efficient succession in family businesses. Therefore, effective management is required for succession-planning, particularly from the perspective of the successor.

This study, therefore, responds to calls for more in-depth quantitative studies on family businesses in general and on Black-owned family businesses in South Africa in particular. This study will evaluate the significance of parent influence on NGFMs to join Black family-owned businesses in South Africa. This research will assist family business owners and their families in understanding their children's intentions, designing and evolving an appropriate system to instill necessary traits, skills and attitudes in the children, preparing them for upcoming challenges, adding new perspectives to the family business and ensuring its profitability and long-term growth.

This study aims to explore aesthetic atmospheres and their affordances in urban squares to advance knowledge on the research and design of attractive living environments.

Descriptions of pleasant and unpleasant experiences of urban squares were collected using qualitative questionnaires with open-ended questions. The theoretical framework and the lens of aesthetic affordances were applied to pinpoint and understand the connections between the place attributes and experiences.

This study found four distinct aesthetic atmospheres formed by perceived synergies of both the material and immaterial aspects of the environment. It was also found that the atmospheres may shift. A model that shows the aesthetic atmospheres and their potential affordances as layered and emerging is presented.

Everyday aesthetics considered as affordances open new research perspectives for the understanding of what generates attractive living environments – or not.

Aesthetics affordances may provide the design professionals and alike means on how to design places that engender specific aesthetic atmosphere.

Gathering and discussing commonplace aesthetic experiences in everyday life may enhance democratic participation in place development among people with different levels of design expertise.

This study combines theories of place with a novel concept of aesthetic affordances to identify distinct aesthetic atmospheres. A holistic overview structure of how the various constituents of aesthetic atmospheres relate to each other provides new ways of studying and understanding urban aesthetic atmospheres.

The main purpose of this paper is to examine the adoption of big data analytics (BDA) in the Tanzania banking industry by investigating the influence of technological, environmental and organizational (TOE) factors while exploring the moderating role of perceived risk (PR).

The study employed a qualitative research design, and the research instrument was developed using per-defined measurement items adopted from prior studies; the items were slightly adjusted to fit the current context. The questionnaires were distributed to top and middle managers in selected banks in Tanzania using the snowball sampling technique. Out of 360 received responses, 302 were considered complete and valid for data analysis. The study employed partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to examine the developed conceptual framework.

Top management support and financial resources emerged as influential organizational factors, as did competition intensity for the environmental factors. Notably, bank size and perceived trends showed no significant impacts on BDA adoption. The study's novelty lies in revealing PR as a moderating factor, weakening the link between technological readiness, perceived usefulness and the intent to adopt BDA.

This study extends literature by extending the TOE model, through examining the moderating roles of PR on technological factors. Furthermore, the study provides useful managerial support for the adoption of BDA in banking in emerging economies.

The subject of this paper is the phenomenon of social media aesthetics, which can be perceived as a tool for promoting and building the image of libraries, especially in terms of merchandising. The aim of this paper is to analyse the potential of the dark academia social media trend in the promotion of academic libraries.

The article is based on a review of the social networking sites YouTube and Instagram and an analysis of network resources using the Brand24 tool.

Resources that are described by Internet users as “dark academia” are popular in social media. Dark academia as an aesthetic concept creates potential for the promotion of academic libraries, especially those that are more traditional in terms of their architecture, décor or how they offer their services.

The paper concerns a phenomenon which, although popular socially, has not yet been scientifically analysed in the literature on the subject. Since the topic is new and there is no scientific literature on it, the author had to base the paper on less standard sources of information (e.g. analysis of the content of social media). The article is a review, an introduction, as well as an invitation to further discussion. The author's aim is not to comprehensively cover this topic but only to draw attention to an interesting and rarely discussed issue that has great potential for practical activities.

The topic has great potential for the practical improvement of the promotional activities of libraries, especially older, more traditional libraries, to create a strong and positive image on the basis of characteristics often perceived as weaknesses.

Social media services are powerful social impact tools. Showing the potential role of social media aesthetics for cultural institutions could serve to make the public more aware of the role of the proper use of social media for promotion and image building.

The use of social media aesthetics is very rarely discussed in the subject literature.