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The purpose of this paper is to improve the performance of the genetic algorithm-based compliant robot path planning (GACRPP) in complex dynamic environment by proposing an improved bidirectional rapidly exploring random tree (Bi-RRT)-based population initialization method.

To achieve GACRPP in complex dynamic environment with high performance, an improved Bi-RRT-based population initialization method is proposed. First, the grid model is adopted to preprocess the working space of mobile robot. Second, an improved Bi-RRT is proposed to create multi-cluster connections between the starting point and the goal point. Third, the backtracking method is used to generate the initial population based on the multi-cluster connections generated by the improved Bi-RRT. Subsequently, some comparative experiments are implemented where the performances of the improved Bi-RRT-based population initialization method are compared with other population initialization methods, and the comparison results of the improved genetic algorithm (IGA) combining with the different population initialization methods are shown. Finally, the optimal path is further smoothed with the help of the technique of quadratic B-spline curves.

It is shown in the experiment results that the improved Bi-RRT-based population initialization method is capable of deriving a more diversified initial population with less execution time and the IGA combining with the proposed population initialization method outperforms the one with other population initialization methods in terms of the length of optimal path and the execution time.

In this paper, the Bi-RRT is introduced as a population initialization method into the GACRPP problem. An improved Bi-RRT is proposed for the purpose of increasing the diversity of initial population. To characterize the diversity of initial population, a new notion of breadth is defined in terms of Hausdorff distance between different paths.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the direct and indirect relationship between board gender diversity and corporate tax avoidance using corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a mediating variable.

This study uses a panel dataset of 200 French firms listed during 2007–2018 period. The direct and indirect effects between board gender diversity (BGD) and tax avoidance were tested by using structural equation model analysis.

The results indicate that the presence of women on corporate boardrooms negatively affects tax avoidance. The greater the proportion of women in boards, the lower the likelihood of tax avoidance practice. In the mediation test, CSR appears to partially mediate the link between women on boards and corporate tax avoidance. Additional analysis shows that the social dimension of CSR produces this mediating effect.

The results have practical implications for companies in regulating the composition of their boards. To benefit from diversity, firms have to increase women‘s percentage in their boards of directors. Also, investors are encouraged to pay attention to the percentage of female directors when investing and purchasing shares.

This study proved empirically that the higher proportion of female directors significantly reduces the possibility of tax avoidance either directly or indirectly through enhancing CSR performance. The findings show that firms with gender diversified boards are more likely to get involved in CSR for hedging against the potential consequences of aggressive tax avoidance practices. In light of the above results, firms are well-advised to strongly apply the policy encouraging or mandating women as board members to take advantage of their expected benefits.

The originality of this paper consists in proposing the establishment of both direct and indirect relationships between BGD and corporate tax avoidance through CSR. Unlike prior studies that have been examining the direct relationship between corporate governance mechanisms and corporate tax avoidance, this study went further to investigate the indirect relationship between these two constructs. This study also differs from prior studies as it examines the effect of BGD on each of constituting pillars of CSR, namely, environmental, social and governance. To date, an extensive part of CSR research has used the combined score of CSR, but the effects on different CSR pillars remain little investigated.

The present work explores the influence of Hall and Ohmic heating effects on the convective peristaltic flow of a conducting Jeffrey nanofluid in an inclined porous asymmetric channel with slip. Also, the authors investigated the impact of viscous dissipation, thermal radiation, heat generation/absorption and cross diffusion effects on the flow. Peristaltic flow has many industrial and physiological applications and most of the biofluids show the non-Newtonian fluid behaviour. Further, in a living body, several biofluids flow through different kinds of systems that are not symmetric, horizontal or vertical. The purpose of this paper is to address these issues.

The authors considered the flow of Jeffrey fluid which is generated by a sinusoidal wave propagating on the walls of an inclined asymmetric channel. The flow model is developed from the fixed frame to the wave frame. Finally, yield the nonlinear governing equations by applying the non-dimensional quantities with the assumptions of lengthy wave and negligible Reynolds number. The exact solution has been computed for the velocity and pressure gradient. The solutions for temperature and concentration are obtained by the regular perturbation technique.

Graphical analysis is made for the present results for different values of emerging parameters and explained clearly. It is noticed that the magnetic field enriches the temperature where it drops the fluid velocity. This work describes that the temperature field is decreasing due to the radiation but it is a rising function of temperature slip parameter. The temperature profile declines for growing values of the Hall parameter. The flow velocity diminishes for boosting values of the Darcy parameter. Further, the authors perceived that the concentration field reduces for large values of the chemical reaction parameter.

The authors validated and compared the results with the existing literature. This investigation will help to study some physiological systems, and heat transfer in peristaltic transport plays key role in medical treatments, so we ensure that these results are applicable in medical treatments like cancer therapy, drug delivery, etc.