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The purpose of this paper is to use the internal model control to deal with nonlinear stable systems affected by parametric uncertainties.

The dynamics of a considered system are approximated by a Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy model. The parameters of the fuzzy rules premises are determined manually. However, the parameters of the fuzzy rules conclusions are updated using the descent gradient method under inequality constraints in order to ensure the stability of each local model. In fact, without making these constraints the training algorithm can procure one or several unstable local models even if the desired accuracy in the training step is achieved. The considered robust control approach is the internal model. It is synthesized based on the Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy model. Two control strategies are considered. The first one is based on the parallel distribution compensation principle. It consists in associating an internal model control for each local model. However, for the second strategy, the control law is computed based on the global Takagi-Sugeno fuzzy model.

According to the simulation results, the stability of all local models is obtained and the proposed fuzzy internal model control approaches ensure robustness against parametric uncertainties.

This paper introduces a method for the identification of fuzzy model parameters ensuring the stability of all local models. Using the resulting fuzzy model, two fuzzy internal model control designs are presented.

The purpose of this paper is to deal with the stabilization of the continuous-time Takagi-Sugeno (TS) fuzzy models by using their discretized models.

In this case, a discrete model is obtained from the discretization of the continuous TS fuzzy model. The gains obtained from a non-parallel distributed compensation controller ensuring the stabilization of the discrete model are used to check if the discrete control law used in the continuous time without any zero-order hold can stabilize the continuous TS model.

This method is compared to another published method.

Therefore, the originality of this paper consists in the fusion of the two continuous and discrete cases to obtain new stabilization conditions in the continuous case. Simulation examples show the interest of the proposed approach.

The purpose of this paper is to deal with the stabilization of the continuous Takagi Sugeno (TS) fuzzy models using their discretized forms based on the decay rate performance approach.

This approach is structured as follows: first, a discrete model is obtained from the discretization of the continuous TS fuzzy model. The discretized model is obtained from the Euler approximation method which is used for several orders. Second, based on the decay rate stabilization conditions, the gains of a non-PDC control law ensuring the stabilization of the discrete model are determined. Third by keeping the values of the gains, the authors determine the values of the performance criterion and the authors check by simulation the stability of the continuous TS fuzzy models through the zero order hold.

The proposed idea lead to compare the performance continuous stability results with the literature. The comparison is, also, taken between the quadratic and non-quadratic cases.

Therefore, the originality of this paper consists in the improvement of the continuous fuzzy models by using their discretized models. In this case, the effect of the discretization step on the performances of the continuous TS fuzzy models is studied. The usefulness of this approach is shown through two examples.

It is widely agreed that usefulness of new products is one of the most considered factors by innovators to justify the adoption of new devices. However, the fun aspect of the product is rarely considered as a predictor of innovation adoption. The current study intends, therefore, to examine the effect of the fun aspect on consumers' adoption of technological products.

Three competing models mainly derived from the technology adoption model (TAM) were tested in two markets (Canada and France) that present two different maturity stages. A survey of 367 actual users of mobile devices was used and analyzed by a structural equation model.

The results show that fun is an important antecedent of the attitude toward the act (use of mobile devices for surfing the internet). Fun was also found to mediate the effect of usefulness on attitude. This implies that the impact of emotions goes beyond the consumption of hedonic products and extends to the adoption of technological ones.

The small sample size of the current study did not allow deeper statistical analyses. A larger sample could allow testing the model separately in each market. Also, the current study focused only on the use of mobile devices to surf the internet. Further studies might apply the model to other products/services/industries.

The results suggest that product designers should develop interfaces and products that not only satisfy utilitarian needs but also hedonic and enjoyment motivations.

The present study finds its originality at two levels: first, it tests the technology adoption model using a sample from two countries (France and French Canada) which are different in terms of mobile market maturity stage. This may allow further generalisation of the TAM model. Second, in comparison to previous research on the adoption of mobile devices, the present study uses a non student sample. This is important especially when studying innovation adoption because students are thought to lean to the adoption of new habits.

The purpose of this study is to measure the impact of commitment in corporate social responsibility (CSR) in its various forms (CSR philanthropy/ altruism, CSR integration and CSR innovation) on the financial performance as measured by certain ratios.

Thus, on the basis of a theoretically constructed questionnaire administered to 82 responsibles (general managers, human resources managers and CSR responsibles) operating in four business areas, the authors have developed the extent of the overall CSR commitment and the extent of commitment by CSR action type.

The examination of the impact of the CSR commitment on the financial performance has partially approved the social impact assumption. Indeed, only the positive effect of CSR philanthropy is demonstrated. Otherwise, for integrated and innovative actions, the low involvement in these actions in relation to philanthropic ones could explain the lack of significant association. But this result is also important, as it marks the lack of any negative effects. Even if they do not result in a better financial performance, these commitments do not bring harm to the firm. As for the strategic approach predominance on the altruistic approach, this hypothesis is checked only in the case of firms operating in the chemical sector.

The main limitation of the study is the limited size of the total sample and the sample by industry, so the authors expect a larger sample might be able to provide more meaningful results.

Then, the study suggests the importance of implementing real CSR strategies for firms that often find doubt and ambiguity when they decide to undertake social actions. However, these results do not mean that companies must refrain from driving altruistic or philanthropic activities but are encouraged to seek a social performance that suits a certain level of integration and innovation.

The most important of all the above is that the negative impact of social actions is not verified in any way, allowing to state that the social actions do not exert a negative effect on the financial performance. So, participation in social problems do not bring harm to the firm.

The originality of this work comes from: the measure of CSR commitment, and the use of a classification typology of CSR actions in terms of their interaction with the core of the firm’s business as developed by Halme (2009). In fact, based on a theoretically constructed questionnaire, the authors have developed two measures of responsible commitment (level of commitment and intensity of commitment) of some industrial Tunisian firms.

Aims to investigate the extent of the effectiveness of monitoring functions of board of directors, audit committee and concentrated ownership in reducing earnings management among 97 firms listed on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia over the period 2002‐2003.

The current study employs the cross‐sectional modified version of Jones, where abnormal working capital accruals are used as proxy for earnings management.

The study reveals that earnings management is positively related to the size of the board of directors. This supports the view that larger boards appear to be ineffective in their oversight duties relative to smaller boards. A possible explanation for the insignificant relationship between other corporate governance mechanisms (independence of board and audit committee) and earnings management is that the board of directors is seen as ineffective in discharging their monitoring duties due to management dominance over board matters. The apparent reason for this phenomenon is attributed to the board of directors' relative lack of knowledge in company's affairs. The study also found that ethnicity (race) has no effect in mitigating earnings management, possibly due to the more individualistic behaviour of the Bumiputra directors. The modernisation of Malaysia and also the increase in Bumiputra ownership of national wealth may have caused the Malays to be more individualistic, similar to their Chinese counterpart.

Since, there are relatively few studies conducted in this area specifically among Malaysian firms, this study will broaden the scope by providing empirical evidence of the relationship between various corporate governance characteristics, cultural factors and earnings management.

Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF) has produced heterogeneous and domain-specific effects on cognitive function. This study aims to investigate the effect of RIF on verticality perception or estimation of subjective visual vertical (SVV) in young adults. The significance of SVV is that it is essential for spatial orientation, upon which many daily activities depend.

Verticality perception was assessed with a computerized rod and frame test (CRFT) in two visual conditions: without a surrounding frame and with a distracting tilted frame. The tilted frame condition measures level of visual dependence or reliance of visual cues for posture and orientation. In total, 39 young adult men were recruited at different stages of Ramadan fasting: 21 were tested at the end of the first week (Week 1) and 18 others at the end of the third week (Week 3) of Ramadan. Also, 39 participants were recruited to serve as a non-fasting control group. Factorial ANOVA analyses were conducted to identify the main effects of fasting status, time-of-day and the interaction between them on blood glucose levels, nocturnal sleep duration and vertical alignment errors.

The main effect of fasting status on glucose level was significant (p = 0.03). There was a significant time-of-day main effect on glucose levels (p = 0.007) and sleep duration (p = 0.004) only in fasting participants. Neither the main effects of fasting status nor time-of-day were significant for rod alignment errors in both visual conditions. The interaction of fasting status and time-of-day was not significant either. This may indicate that any negative effect of Ramadan fasting on activities that are critically dependent on verticality perception and spatial orientation, such as sports and driving, may not be due to verticality misperception.

The present study was the first to investigate the effect of Ramadan fasting on spatial orientation. It demonstrated robustness of verticality perception to fasting status and the point of fasting during Ramadan. Verticality perception was also unaffected by time-of-day effects in non-fasting and fasting groups at two different points of Ramadan. This study corroborates others reporting heterogeneous effects of Ramadan fasting on cognitive function.

This paper deals with the relationship existing between the emotional aspect and decision‐making processes. More specifically, it examines the links between emotional intelligence, decision biases and effectiveness of the governance mechanisms. The primary purposes of this paper are to: consider emotional intelligence as new research ideas that make important contributions to society; offer suggestions for improving manuscripts submitted to Consortium for Research on Emotional Intelligence in Organizations; and discuss methods for enhancing the validity of inferences made from research.

The paper explains that the main cause of organization's problems is CEO emotional intelligence level. The authors use three models (linear regression and logistic binary regression) to examine this relation: every model treats the relationship between emotional intelligence and one of efficiency criteria of the board. Emotional intelligence has been measured according to Schutte et al.'s Shutte Self Report Emotional Intelligence Scale (SSREI), with a high internal validity level. The four cognitive biases have been measured by means of a questionnaire comprising several items and the selected sample was composed of some180 Tunisian executives (belonging to 60 firms).

The results revealed that the presence of a high emotional intelligence rate is not always positively correlated with the executives' suggestibility with respect to behavioural biases. They have also affirmed the existence of a complementarity relationship between emotional intelligence and the directors' board. Authors need to consider that emotion which minimizes CEO emotional biases and provides director's board effectiveness.

This article has implications for the development of CEO emotional intelligence capacity. Also, some psychological aspects of a theoretical nature could not be wholly approached in a complete empirical way.

The paper pushes organizations to select managers based on their levels of emotional intelligence (apply tests of emotional intelligence in place psychometric tests). Also, it increases the validity of inferences made from research in the field.

This paper incites governments to establish training programs aimed at the development of learning of emotional intelligence. Thus, it has important implications for enhancing the well‐being of individuals, organizations and society as a whole.

Actually, for the sake improving the explanatory power of a legal‐financial approach of governance, the behavioural dimension has been integrated for a more thorough analysis of the directors' board role. The authors' goal consists in highlighting the role played by emotional intelligence as a skill or tool available for the manager or controller to minimize the behavioural biases (bias of loss aversion, optimism, over‐confidence and lack of cognitive flexibility), and achieves an effective control.