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1 – 10 of 764Jeffrey S. Pai and Milton S. Boyd
In the USA, private insurance companies serve as an integral part of the delivery and risk sharing of the federal crop insurance program. Governed by the Standard Reinsurance…
Abstract
Purpose
In the USA, private insurance companies serve as an integral part of the delivery and risk sharing of the federal crop insurance program. Governed by the Standard Reinsurance Agreement (SRA), private crop insurance companies must designate an eligible crop insurance contract to the assigned risk, developmental, or commercial funds. While the SRA restricts the private sector delivery system in a number of ways, the assignment of contracts to crop insurance funds, however, is left solely to the discretion of individual crop insurance companies. Thus, as to the companies' profitability viewpoint, the optimal selection of the crop insurance funds is the most important task. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to provide a decision framework for crop insurance companies to make optimal decisions regarding the purchases of crop reinsurance. This information and framework may also be useful for crop insurance firms in China when considering crop reinsurance decisions.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper studied three commonly used parametric loss distributions and presented a general guideline to choose the most profitable fund within the company's risk bearing level.
Findings
The paper finds many important features in the commonly used loss distributions, which are useful to maximize the company's underwriting returns.
Originality/value
The paper provides a general decision framework for optimally ceding risks to reinsurance. While this paper focused on agricultural insurance decisions by firms, the concept could be applied to general reinsurance decisions.
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Zakir Hossain and M. Ishaq Bhatti
This paper briefly introduces the concept of model selection, reviews recent development in the area of econometric analysis of model selection and addresses some of the crucial…
Abstract
This paper briefly introduces the concept of model selection, reviews recent development in the area of econometric analysis of model selection and addresses some of the crucial issues that are being faced by researchers in their routine research problems. The paper emphasizes on the importance of model selection, particularly the information criteria and penalty functions based model selection procedures which are useful for economists and finance researchers.
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Jeffrey Wang, Prakash J. Singh, Danny Samson and Damien Power
This paper aims to investigate the motivations of Australian manufacturing companies for sourcing products and services from China, the results achieved and whether these lived up…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the motivations of Australian manufacturing companies for sourcing products and services from China, the results achieved and whether these lived up to expectations, related barriers and problems, and how these problems were dealt with.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on a survey of 35 Australian manufacturing firms, which have moved to import some goods or components from Chinese sources.
Findings
Most firms that source components or products from China do so because of the cost reductions that were expected. In actuality, significant cost reductions were achieved, however these reductions were on average less than expected. Along with these cost reductions, importing goods or components from China had some quality problems and delivery delays. Control procedures, improved communications and relationship‐building strategies were employed to overcome and deal with such problems, and most firms reported remaining committed to their China sourcing strategies.
Originality/value
This study demonstrates and measures the motivation, degree of success, performance outcomes, and challenges that can be anticipated by firms wishing to source products or components from China.
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Benaliza Kuang‐Ying Loo and Chris Hackley
The purpose of this paper is to explore the success factors behind four globally recognised Malaysian high fashion brands. The three main sub‐objectives are: to map the process of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the success factors behind four globally recognised Malaysian high fashion brands. The three main sub‐objectives are: to map the process of high fashion internationalisation onto the general retail internationalisation literature; to engage fashion within the more general marketing and branding literature; to open up a qualitative line of inquiry in internationalisation research, from an Asian business perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
The research design is qualitative, using a case study approach. The paper reports part of a wider study that entailed 32 depth interviews with leading practitioners in four countries, in addition to secondary and informal data sources.
Findings
The chosen case studies achieved their international success through a high degree of cultural assimilation obtained within locations of intense industrial concentration. Knowledge of education, location, language, networks and management systems were important to sustain world class standards of creative design, branding, quality management and marketing communication. For many Asian fashion brands, recognition in key European and American markets enhances the domestic prestige of the brand.
Research limitations/implications
The research generates contextualised insights that are not statistically generalisable.
Practical implications
The study offers first hand insights into high fashion branding and retail internationalisation from four of the most celebrated Asian designers.
Originality/value
The study responds to a need, highlighted in the literature, for more research into the internationalisation strategies of high fashion retail brands.
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Yan Bao, Ping Han, Shudi Liao and Jianqiao Liao
Based on the social exchange theory, this study explores the mechanism of leader–subordinate power distance orientation (PDO) congruence with employees' taking charge behavior…
Abstract
Purpose
Based on the social exchange theory, this study explores the mechanism of leader–subordinate power distance orientation (PDO) congruence with employees' taking charge behavior (TCB) and also verifies the moderated mediation effect of employees' promotion regulatory focus (PROM-F) on leader–subordinate PDO congruence and on employees' TCB through trust in the leader (which is the mediator).
Design/methodology/approach
Based on 296 questionnaires from 46 teams of Chinese enterprises, the authors use cross-level polynomial regressions and response surface techniques to analyze the effect of leader–subordinate PDO congruence on employees' TCB and use the block variable technique to test the mediating effect of trust in the leader.
Findings
(1) When leader–subordinates' PDO is congruent, the leader–subordinate low-low PDO matching pattern leads to more employees' TCB than the leader–subordinate high-high PDO matching pattern. (2) When leader–subordinate PDO is incongruent, the leader–subordinate low–high PDO matching pattern will lead to more TCB than the high-low PDO pattern.
Practical implications
(1) Encourage and promote the development of diverse cultures in enterprises. (2) Respect the power and status of employees and encourage a low-PDO leadership style. (3) Increase credibility by developing and establishing a good corporate leader image.
Originality/value
(1) The unique background of this survey offers important cross-cultural information on the effects of leader–subordinate PDO congruence. (2) The results of this research enrich the theoretical understanding of the factors that influence TCB. (3) Reveal the internal mechanisms of CPD congruence with TCB and demonstrate an indirect effect of trust in leader. (4) The discussion of the moderating role of employee's PROM-F will also deepen the understanding of the exchange relationship between leaders and subordinates.
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A.M. Abd-Alla, S.M. Abo-Dahab and Abdullah Alsharif
The purpose of this paper is to study the peristaltic flow of a Jeffrey fluid in an asymmetric channel, subjected to gravity field and rotation in the presence of a magnetic…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study the peristaltic flow of a Jeffrey fluid in an asymmetric channel, subjected to gravity field and rotation in the presence of a magnetic field. The channel asymmetry is produced by choosing the peristaltic wave train on the walls to have different amplitude and phase. The flow is investigated in a wave frame of reference moving with the velocity of the wave. Involved problems are analyzed through long wavelength and low Reynolds number.
Design/methodology/approach
The analytical expressions for the pressure gradient, pressure rise, stream function, axial velocity and shear stress have been obtained. The effects of Hartmann number, the ratio of relaxation to retardation times, time-mean flow, rotation, the phase angle and the gravity field on the pressure gradient, pressure rise, streamline, axial velocity and shear stress are very pronounced and physically interpreted through graphical illustrations. Comparison was made with the results obtained in the asymmetric and symmetric channels.
Findings
The results indicate that the effect of the Hartmann number, the ratio of relaxation to retardation times, time-mean flow, rotation, the phase angle and the gravitational field are very pronounced in the phenomena.
Originality/value
In the present work, the authors investigate gravity field, and rotation through an asymmetric channel in the presence of a magnetic field has been analyzed. It also deals with the effect of the magnetic field and gravity field of peristaltic transport of a Jeffrey fluid in an asymmetric rotating channel.
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Jeffrey Boon Hui Yap, Karen Pei Han Lee and Chen Wang
High rate of accidents continue to plague the construction industry. The advancements in safety technologies can ameliorate construction health and safety (H&S). This paper aims…
Abstract
Purpose
High rate of accidents continue to plague the construction industry. The advancements in safety technologies can ameliorate construction health and safety (H&S). This paper aims to explore the use of emerging technologies as an effective solution for improving safety in construction projects.
Design/methodology/approach
Following a detailed literature review, a questionnaire survey was developed encompassing ten technologies for safety management and ten safety enablers using technologies in construction. A total of 133 responses were gathered from Malaysian construction practitioners. The collected quantitative data were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistical analyses to determine the meaningful relationships between the variables.
Findings
Findings revealed that the most effective emerging technologies for safety management are: building information modelling (BIM), wearable safety technologies and robotics and automation (R&A). The leading safety enablers are related to improve hazard identification, reinforce safety planning, enhance safety inspection, enhance safety monitoring and supervision and raise safety awareness.
Practical implications
Safety is immensely essential in transforming the construction industry into a robustly developed industry with high safety and quality standards. The adoption of safety technologies in construction projects can drive the industry towards the path of Construction 4.0.
Originality/value
The construction industry has historically been slow to adopt new technology. This study contributes to advancing the body of knowledge in the area of incorporating emerging technologies to further construction safety science and management in the context of the developing world. By taking cognisance of the pertinent emerging technologies for safety management and the safety enablers involved, construction safety can be enhanced using integrated technological solutions.
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Changhai Lin, Zhengyu Song, Sifeng Liu, Yingjie Yang and Jeffrey Forrest
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the mechanism and filter efficacy of accumulation generation operator (AGO)/inverse accumulation generation operator (IAGO) in the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the mechanism and filter efficacy of accumulation generation operator (AGO)/inverse accumulation generation operator (IAGO) in the frequency domain.
Design/methodology/approach
The AGO/IAGO in time domain will be transferred to the frequency domain by the Fourier transform. Based on the consistency of the mathematical expressions of the AGO/IAGO in the gray system and the digital filter in digital signal processing, the equivalent filter model of the AGO/IAGO is established. The unique methods in digital signal processing systems “spectrum analysis” of AGO/IAGO are carried out in the frequency domain.
Findings
Through the theoretical study and practical example, benefit of spectrum analysis is explained, and the mechanism and filter efficacy of AGO/IAGO are quantitatively analyzed. The study indicated that the AGO is particularly suitable to act on the system's behavior time series in which the long period parts is the main factor. The acted sequence has good effect of noise immunity.
Practical implications
The AGO/IAGO has a wonderful effect on the processing of some statistical data, e.g. most of the statistical data related to economic growth, crop production, climate and atmospheric changes are mainly affected by long period factors (i.e. low-frequency data), and most of the disturbances are short-period factors (high-frequency data). After processing by the 1-AGO, its high frequency content is suppressed, and its low frequency content is amplified. In terms of information theory, this two-way effect improves the signal-to-noise ratio greatly and reduces the proportion of noise/interference in the new sequence. Based on 1-AGO acting, the information mining and extrapolation prediction will have a good effect.
Originality/value
The authors find that 1-AGO has a wonderful effect on the processing of data sequence. When the 1-AGO acts on a data sequence X, its low-pass filtering effect will benefit the information fluctuations removing and high-frequency noise/interference reduction, so the data shows a clear exponential change trends. However, it is not suitable for excessive use because its equivalent filter has poles at the non-periodic content. But, because of pol effect at zero frequency, the 1-AGO will greatly amplify the low-frequency information parts and suppress the high-frequency parts in the information at the same time.
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Jeffrey Boon Hui Yap, Pak Lian Low and Chen Wang
Rework is detrimental to project outcomes. However, there is still a lack of attention about rework within the Malaysian construction industry. The purpose of this paper is to…
Abstract
Purpose
Rework is detrimental to project outcomes. However, there is still a lack of attention about rework within the Malaysian construction industry. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of rework on schedule and cost performance, to explore the causes of rework and to propose effective measures to minimise the occurrence of rework in building construction projects in Malaysia.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a sample of 114 construction stakeholders consisting of 39 clients, 36 consultants and 39 contractors from the Klang Valley region, the authors investigated the variables on rework through a questionnaire survey. The level of importance of the causes and the potential solutions was ranked and correlated.
Findings
From the primary data analysis, the study on Malaysian building projects unveiled the cost of rework to range from 3.1 to 6.0 per cent of the project value and the schedule growth due to rework to range from 5.1 to 10.0 per cent. The significant causes of rework were identified and prioritised. The 18 causes were further categorised into five underlying dimensions by using a factor analysis. Effective rework reduction measures were also given. Finally, the relationships between the causes of rework and the potential solutions were identified using correlation tests.
Research limitations/implications
While this study is limited to rework in Malaysian building construction, rework in infrastructure projects is a potential area to discover new causes and possible solutions.
Practical implications
This paper provides insights into the effects of rework to project outcomes, causes of rework and feasible solutions in reducing rework in building construction projects.
Originality/value
Rework has been the focal point of research; however, empirical studies on rework have been under-represented in the Malaysian construction industry. This paper seeks to fill the gap by conducting an in-depth investigation on rework in the context of Malaysia.
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