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This paper aims to propose a new ten-transistor (10T) SRAM bit-cell with differential read and write operations. The cell structure has read buffer on each side of the cell to improve read performance and comprises six main body transistors’ connections similar to the commercial 6T SRAM cell to improve write performance. The proposed bit-cell is designed with tri-gated FinFET technology and implemented on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrate. 3D TCAD simulations are performed to characterize the efficacy of the proposed bit-cell. Performance characteristics of the proposed bit-cell are compared with the recently reported 8T bit-cell as well as the commercial 6T cell. The proposed bit-cell achieves 26.50 per cent and 35.10 per cent higher read static noise margin (RSNM) as compared with that of 8T and 6T bit-cells, respectively, at a VDD of 0.9 V. The proposed bit-cell also offers 54.78 per cent and 21.18 per cent smaller read delay compared with 8T SRAM-NEW and 6T bit-cells, respectively. The static power dissipation of the proposed bit-cell is comparable with that of the 6T bit-cell and 24.5 per cent lesser compared with that of the 8T bit- cell. The overall electrical quality of the SRAM circuit with the proposed bit-cell is enhanced up to 1.673 times and 1.22 times as compared with the 8T SRAM-NEW and 6T bit-cells, respectively.

A new 10T SRAM bit-cell with differential read and write operations is proposed. The proposed bit-cell is designed with tri-gated FinFET technology and implemented on an SOI substrate. 3D TCAD simulations are performed to characterize the efficacy of the proposed bit-cell. Performance characteristics of the proposed bit-cell are compared with the recently reported 8T bit-cell as well as the commercial 6T cell.

The proposed bit-cell achieves 26.50 per cent and 35.10 per cent higher RSNM as compared with that of the 8T and 6T bit-cells, respectively, at a VDD of 0.9V. The proposed bit-cell also offers 54.78 per cent and 21.18 per cent smaller read delay compared with the 8T SRAM-NEW and 6T bit-cells, respectively. The static power dissipation of the proposed bit-cell is comparable with that of the 6T bit-cell and 24.5 per cent lesser compared with that of the 8T bit-cell.

The proposed bit-cell is novel compared with existing bit-cells.

This study was conducted with the objective of conducting a primary validation of a newly developed climate strategy proactivity questionnaire (CSPQ) scale for evaluating the relationship of climate strategy proactivity displayed by Indian companies with competitive advantage which it intends to attain and sustain through sources of sustained competitive advantage.

Research design includes an exploratory factor analysis, conducted with a diverse sample of stakeholders of Indian companies, resulting into four internally consistent factors. This was followed by a confirmatory factor analysis with strong model fit estimates which confirmed the initial factor structure and resulted into a new final CSPQ scale. The scale without substituting any existing scale facilitated testing of all but criterion validity.

Findings mainly comprise the primary validation of the CSPQ scale as psychometrically strong confirming acceptability of all major fit indices.

CSPQ scale designed in the context of Indian companies is expected to make corporations and managers more aware in developing countries to help them draw an extensively enhanced scope of proactive climate strategy while making efforts to attain and sustain competitive advantage. However, the self-reported information collected through a common survey questionnaire might be affected by self-bias. Further, cross-sectional data to validate a new non-substituting scale prevented the researcher from conducting criterion validity test.

Basing the development and validation of the CSPQ scale on the data collected from diverse stakeholders of Indian companies in as diverse a country as India, the scale can demonstrate significant robustness and implicative potential. The scale, by virtue of possessing significant attributes, can add remarkable value to strategic management applicable under any major theoretical perspective. It can serve the requirements of the empirical research and competitive management practices simultaneously.

This paper highlights how biological waste materials can be used for generating the much needed energy and obtaining nutrient-rich compost for agriculture through anaerobic digestion (AD). The paper further highlights the importance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in using AD for converting waste to energy (WTE), leading to many environmental benefits as well as clean energy generation. It would help to reduce pollution, water acidification and carbon emissions that eventually lead to climate change.

The researchers undertook an in-depth study to highlight the role played by an SME in converting WTE and helping towards achieving circularity. An exploratory case-based approach was used to understand value leakage for an AD plant operating on WTE principles in the UK. The plant is still currently active, and it is located in the Midlands, England. Fifteen semi-structured interviews were undertaken with different stakeholders.

This paper reveals the importance of WTE and the significant role played by AD in converting food waste into useful matter. It reports further into the value leakage issue faced in the AD plants. It demonstrates the importance of technological innovation in SME to capture value leakages in a circular model. Most importantly, it demonstrates how SMEs gain competitive advantage and generate value proposition, while they aim for zero waste to landfill objective.

The research involves a case study based on an SME, operating on a circular business model. It will be worth investigating how other businesses could gain competitive advantage. For SMEs interested in AD for WTE, this paper introduces further technological innovation to the AD process to leverage further potential for reuse of waste liquid. Any SMEs entering WTE market ought to take into consideration such design implications.

The paper reveals how the use of waste by SMEs would lead to many environmental benefits as well as clean energy generation. It would help to reduce pollution, water acidification and carbon emissions that eventually lead to climate change. It is useful for addressing the needs of waste food producers and is a cheap raw material for generating energy. The benefits to the public are that it reduces the need for landfill and increases recycling.

The WTE is an effective way of making use of last-stage waste.

Despite SMEs being the powerhouse of the European economies, there is limited research investigating how circular economy (CE) could unlock their potential. Moreover, development of AD in the UK has lagged behind other EU countries. We highlight value leakages and argue how technological innovation should be used to close the value chain loop in the WTE production process. This paper, therefore, demonstrates the important role of an AD process, which involves decomposition of biodegradable materials. It shows that AD is an economically viable and environmentally friendly process of obtaining clean energy at low cost.

This study aims to examine a large, non-disclosed production contract awarded to Lockheed Corp. in the context of a trade-off between a contractually required non-disclosure clause and the need (as a publicly traded firm) to disclose material information to its shareholders. This production contract generated significant cash flows to the firm as evidenced by growth in its earnings. However, the existence of the production contract and its contribution to Lockheed’s earnings, was not disclosed by the firm to shareholders and potential investors while the production contract was being executed.

The authors examine the market reaction to several key contract events which were not disclosed at the time they occurred, in compliance with the contractually required non-disclosure clause.

A statistically significant stock price reaction around the time of the award of this non-public contract, indicative of trading by some capital market participants using non-public information was documented.

Because similar large non-public contracts funded by the government are common in the industrial economy, we conclude by discussing implications for organizational structure, firm’s cost of capital, equity-based compensation and market efficiency.

Understanding customers' revisiting behavior is highlighted in the field of service industry and the emergence of online communities has enabled customers to express their prior experience. Thus, purpose of this study is to investigate customers' reviews on an online hotel reservation platform, and explores their postbehaviors from their reviews.

The authors employ two different approaches and compare the accuracy of predicting customers' post behavior: (1) using several machine learning classifiers based on sentimental dimensions of customers' reviews and (2) conducting the experiment consisted of two subsections. In the experiment, the first subsection is designed for participants to predict whether customers who wrote reviews would visit the hotel again (referred to as Prediction), while the second subsection examines whether participants want to visit one of the particular hotels when they read other customers' reviews (dubbed as Decision).

The accuracy of the machine learning approaches (73.23%) is higher than that of the experimental approach (Prediction: 58.96% and Decision: 64.79%). The key reasons of users' predictions and decisions are identified through qualitative analyses.

The findings reveal that using machine learning approaches show the higher accuracy of predicting customers' repeat visits only based on employed sentimental features. With the novel approach of integrating customers' decision processes and machine learning classifiers, the authors provide valuable insights for researchers and providers of hospitality services.