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This study examines the effect of dividend policy on the ex ante probability of stock price crash and the ex ante probability stock price jump.

We use the data of publicly listed non-financial firms from France and the ex ante measures of crash and jump probabilities (based on the Flexible Quadrants Copulas) to test our hypothesis during the period between 1997 and 2019.

Our results show that dividend payments are negatively associated with the ex ante probability of crash and positively associated with the ex ante probability of jump. Our results are robust across various sub-samples and across different proxies of dividend policy. Our findings also hold when we use ex-post measures of crash and jump probabilities.

Unlike prior literature, we use ex ante measures of crash and jump probabilities. The main advantage of this forward looking measure is that it allows for more flexibility by modeling the dependence between market returns and stock returns as functions of their actual state. Our measure is also consistent with the behavior of investors and market participants in a way that the market participants do not know the future outcome with certainty, but rather they are anticipating the future.

This paper aims to present an analytical approach for the determination of helical gear tooth geometry and introduces the necessary parameters. Tooth geometry including tooth chamfer, involute curve, root fillet, helix as well as tooth microgeometry can be obtained using the presented approach.

The presented analytical approach involves deriving the equivalent equations at the transverse plane rather than the normal plane. Moreover, numerical evaluation of microgeometry modifications is presented for tooth profile, tooth lead and flank twist.

An analytical approach is presented and equations are derived and explained in detail for helical gear tooth geometry calculation, including tooth microgeometry. Method 1, which was presented by Lopez and Wheway (1986) for obtaining the root fillet, is examined and it is proven that it does not work accurately for helical gears, but rather it works perfectly in the case of spur gears. Changing the normal plane parameters in Method 1 to the transverse plane ones does not give correct results. Two alternative methods, namely, Methods 2 and 3, are developed in the current research for the calculation of the tooth root fillet of helical gears. The presented methods and also the numerical evaluation presented for microgeometry modification are examined against the geometry obtained from Windows LDP software. The results show very good agreement, and it is feasible to apply the approach using the presented equations.

In the gear design process, it is important to model the correct gear tooth geometry and deliver all related dimensions and calculations accurately. However, the determination of helical gear tooth geometry has not been presented adequately by equations to facilitate gear modelling. The detailed helical gear tooth root has been enveloped using software tools that can simulate the cutter motion. Deriving those equations, presented in this article, provides gear design engineers and researchers with the possibility to model helical gears and perform design calculations in a structured, applicable and accurate method.

The complex interaction between the gut flora and central nervous systems made probiotics one promising natural candidate for the management and treatment of depression. Hence, the purpose of this paper was to assess the knowledge, patterns of consumption and attitudes of patients with depression toward probiotics.

In this cross-sectional study, and through simple random sampling, 200 adults who were diagnosed with various depressive symptoms were selected. A link to a self-reported survey was sent to them with the aim of collecting sociodemographic data, assessing participants’ attitudes and knowledge toward probiotic consumption, and measuring their depression status via the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9).

A total of 164 participants (82%) provided usable responses. Approximately 55% of participants had moderate depression (PHQ-9). Participants (22.6%) tend to comply with their psychiatrists’ advice regarding probiotics more than other health specialists’ advice (p = 0.04). Only 59 (36%) had knowledge about probiotics and believed that probiotics should be consumed regularly and not only after an antibiotic course. However, many tended to follow marketing tricks and were willing to buy the most expensive and advertised probiotic products. Participants showed some differences in their attitude and knowledge toward probiotics according to symptoms severity; however, the differences were insignificant (p = 0.88).

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is believed to be the first investigation assessing the probiotics’ knowledge, patterns of consumption and attitude of patients with various depression symptoms in Bahrain. The findings of this study may help improve the well-being of depressive patients by addressing the probiotic knowledge gap among them, expand the market of probiotics and enrich nutritional psychiatry literature.

This study aims to examine the factors that could increase the investment in the Bitcoin market among Malaysian Muslim communities.

The study used a survey questionnaire to collect data for a sample of 200 Muslim respondents in Malaysia. Subsequently, the collected data was analysed using structural equation modelling, as well as basic descriptive statistics and one sample test.

The findings showed that compatibility, awareness and facilitating conditions have a significant impact on Malaysian Muslim communities’ investment in the Bitcoin market.

It is worth emphasizing that this is one of the earliest studies that examine the Muslim communities’ perception and willingness to invest in the Bitcoin market. Hence, it is expected to be one of the foundations for future studies in this area.

This paper aims to investigate the relationship between gender diversity and the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) score/index. Specifically, the study describes extant research on theoretical perspectives, and the impact of women on corporate boards (WOBs) on carbon emission issues in the global perspective.

This study uses the carbon disclosure scores of the CDP from 2011 to 2013 (inclusive). A total observation for the three-year periods is 1,175 companies. However, based on data availability for the model, the sample size totals 331 companies in 33 countries with firms in 12 geographical locations. The authors used a model which is estimated using the fixed-effects estimator.

The outcomes of the study reveal that there is a positive relationship between gender diversity (WOB) and carbon disclosure information. In addition to establishing a relationship between CDP score and other control variables, this study also found a relationship with Board size, asset size, energy consumption and Tobin’s Q, which is common in the existing literature.

The limitations of the study mostly revolve around samples and the time period. To further test the generalizability and cross-sectional validity of the outcomes, it is suggested that the proposed framework be tested in more socially responsible firms.

There are increasing pressures for WOBs from diverse stakeholders, such as the European Commission, national governments, politicians, employer lobby groups, shareholders, Fortune and Financial Times Stock Exchange (FTSE) rankings and best places for women to work lists. The study offers insights to policy makers implementing gender quota legislation.

The study has important implications for putting into practice good corporate governance and, in particular, gender diversity. The outcomes of the analyses advocate that companies that included women directors and had a smaller board size may expect to achieve a higher level of carbon emission performance and to voluntarily disclose the level of carbon information assessment requested by the CDP.

The ability to produce a uniform composition, high corrosion resistance with a hard coating layer during the electroless coating techniques are mainly based on the plating bath composition. The complexing agent is one of the most important components that control the coating layer properties. This paper aims to investigate the effect of the glycine as a complex agent on the surface and corrosion properties of Ni-P and Ni-P/Al₂O₃ electroless coating.

In this study, the effect of glycine as a complexing agent on the final surface and corrosion properties of the Ni-P and Ni-P/Al₂O₃ coatings has been investigated. The surface morphology and composition of the coated samples were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) imaging and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis. Linear polarization scan and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy techniques were used to investigate the corrosion properties of the coating layer.

The results clarify that, glycine has a remarkable effect on the porosity content of Ni-P and Ni-P/Al₂O₃. It was found that increasing of glycine concentration results in higher porosity content in the coating layers. Also, the porosity in the coating layers minimizes the protectability of the coating against corrosion. The results also show that adding nano-alumina (Al₂O₃) to the coating path has improved the corrosion properties by decreasing the porosity in the coating layer. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) images showed that the concentration of glycine affects the content and distribution of alumina nanoparticles embedded in the coating layer. Also, it was observed that using a high concentration of glycine (0.4 M glycine), the alumina tends to agglomerate and the final alumina content in the coating was decreased.

The present study reveals that the quality of the final coating plays a major role in the corrosion performance of the steel substrate. The coating quality can by improve remarkably by optimization of the complexing agent used in the plating bath, to minimize the porosity involve in the coating layer.

Quality 4.0 (Q4.0) leverages new emerging technologies to achieve operational excellence and enhance performance. Implementing Q4.0 in digital manufacturing can bring about reliable, flexible and decentralized manufacturing. Emerging technologies such as Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), Blockchain and Interplanetary File Storage (IPFS) can all be utilized to realize Q4.0 in digital manufacturing. NFTs, for instance, can provide traceability and property ownership management and protection. Blockchain provides secure and verifiable transactions in a manner that is trusted, immutable and tamper-proof. This research paper aims to explore the concept of Q4.0 within digital manufacturing systems and provide a novel solution based on Blockchain and NFTs for implementing Q4.0 in digital manufacturing.

This study reviews the relevant literature and presents a detailed system architecture, along with a sequence diagram that demonstrates the interactions between the various participants. To implement a prototype of the authors' system, the authors next develop multiple Ethereum smart contracts and test the algorithms designed. Then, the efficacy of the proposed system is validated through an evaluation of its cost-effectiveness and security parameters. Finally, this research provides other potential applications and scenarios across diverse industries.

The proposed solution's smart contracts governing the transactions among the participants were implemented successfully. Furthermore, the authors' analysis indicates that the authors' solution is cost-effective and resilient against commonly known security attacks.

This study represents a pioneering endeavor in the exploration of the potential applications of NFTs and blockchain in the attainment of a comprehensive quality framework (Q4.0) in digital manufacturing. Presently, the body of research on quality control or assurance in digital manufacturing is limited in scope, primarily focusing on the products and production processes themselves. However, this study examines the other vital elements, including management, leadership and intra- and inter-organizational relationships, which are essential for manufacturers to achieve superior performance and optimal manufacturing outcomes.

To facilitate the achievement of Q4.0 and empower manufacturers to attain outstanding quality and gain significant competitive advantages, the authors propose the integration of Blockchain and NFTs into the digital manufacturing framework, with all related processes aligned with an organization's strategic and leadership objectives.

This study represents a pioneering endeavor in the exploration of the potential applications of NFTs and blockchain in the attainment of a comprehensive quality framework (Quality 4.0) in digital manufacturing. Presently, the body of research on quality control or assurance in digital manufacturing is limited in scope, primarily focusing on the products and production processes themselves. However, this study examines the other vital elements, including management, leadership and intra- and inter-organizational relationships, which are essential for manufacturers to achieve superior performance and optimal manufacturing outcomes.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the results of implementing the Kaizen approach in a caravan repairing project near the Jordanian–Syrian border in the Zaatari camp.

The study is based on the exploratory qualitative research approach. The data were collected through interviews and on-site observation with employees who were involved with the caravan maintenance project and have adequate knowledge and information about this project. In this process, a fishbone diagram, a quality control tool, is used to recognize and explain a causal-effect relationship under the selected Kaizen theme.

The findings suggest that the Kaizen approach was economical in terms of both money and time. Also, waste elimination can be achieved through a variety of tools and easily combined with the Kaizen approach. Implementing the Kaizen approach is an effective and reliable system that allows for the tackling of all types of inefficiencies in the caravan repairing project.

The findings of this study will help policy makers and managers put together suitable and effective policies that will assist those firms in overcoming the demands of customers and competitors to deliver high quality, inexpensive products in less time through the application of the Kaizen approach. This, in turn, will lead to improved quality, efficiency and productivity in the most cost-effective way. However, these results should not be generalized since they are only confined to the context of caravan repairing project.

Very little research has been done that takes into account the contexts of developing countries. Additionally, most literature presents the use of Kaizen applications only in the manufacturing or production sectors. This study is the first to implement Kaizen as a continuous improvement technique in a caravan repairing project – a job shop industry different from the repetitive batch work environment that is usually associated with implementation of Kaizen. The current research should be of great interest to researchers, managers and professionals who wish to apply Kaizen approach as it is sustainable over time in similar projects.

This paper aims to inquire about the opinions and recommendations of various experts on the crowdfunding waqf model (CWM), particularly in terms of its suitability, applicability and prospect in the market.

This paper used primary data which are collected from semi-structured interviews conducted with several experts from various backgrounds. For examining the data, this paper has used thematic analysis.

The experts support the suitability of CWM in providing financing resource to develop waqf lands. They highlight the importance of establishing, managing and operating CWM under the aegis of the State Islamic Religious Council in Malaysia and supervising by the Wakaf, Zakat or Hajj Department (JAWHAR). They further point out that the donors or crowdfunders, interesting project, promotion and regulation are key factors that influence the sustainability of CWM.

This paper adds to the literature on waqf land and crowdfunding, especially from the Malaysian context. This paper validates the CWM in terms of its suitability, applicability and prospect in the market by interviewing experts from various backgrounds.