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1 – 10 of 42Jayalakshmy Ramachandran, Yezen H. Kannan and Samuel Jebaraj Benjamin
This paper aims to investigate auditors’ pricing of excess cash holdings and the variation in their pricing decisions in light of the precautionary motives of cash holdings and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate auditors’ pricing of excess cash holdings and the variation in their pricing decisions in light of the precautionary motives of cash holdings and certain firm-specific conditions and during periods of crisis.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conduct the two-stage-least-squares multivariate analysis using a sample of publicly listed non-financial US firms for the period 2003 to 2021 (42,413 firm-year observations).
Findings
The findings show a significant positive relationship between excess cash and audit fee. Next, the authors find that audit pricing of excess cash is significantly higher for firms with lower financial constraints. However, the authors do not find evidence to suggest that auditors price excess cash significantly higher for firms with lower hedging needs. In additional analysis, the authors find evidence to suggest that auditors charge significantly less for excess cash in firms that report financial loss and firms operating in industries with high litigation risk. The additional analysis also reveals excess cash is not positively and significantly priced by auditors as a result of the global financial crisis and Covid-19 pandemic.
Originality/value
Most researchers have analyzed excess cash holding from the perspective of managers, i.e. agency conflict or managerial prudence, while somewhat neglecting auditors’ perception of the embedded risk of excess cash holdings. The authors provide new insights on auditors’ perspective of excess cash holding and identify certain factors/situation/conditions that cause variation in the audit fee premium. The findings offer useful insights for managers and shareholders who are interested in assessing the effects of excess cash holdings policies on the audit fee premium.
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Kaizheng Zhang, Jian Di, Jiulong Wang, Xinghu Wang and Haibo Ji
Many existing trajectory optimization algorithms use parameters like maximum velocity or acceleration to formulate constraints. Due to the ignoring of the quadrotor actual…
Abstract
Purpose
Many existing trajectory optimization algorithms use parameters like maximum velocity or acceleration to formulate constraints. Due to the ignoring of the quadrotor actual tracking capability, the generated trajectories may not be suitable for tracking control. The purpose of this paper is to design an online adjustment algorithm to improve the overall quadrotor trajectory tracking performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors propose a reference trajectory resampling layer (RTRL) to dynamically adjust the reference signals according to the current tracking status and future tracking risks. First, the authors design a risk-aware tracking monitor that uses the Frenét tracking errors and the curvature and torsion of the reference trajectory to evaluate tracking risks. Then, the authors propose an online adjusting algorithm by using the time scaling method.
Findings
The proposed RTRL is shown to be effective in improving the quadrotor trajectory tracking accuracy by both simulation and experiment results.
Originality/value
Infeasible reference trajectories may cause serious accidents for autonomous quadrotors. The results of this paper can improve the safety of autonomous quadrotor in application.
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Florian Rupp, Benjamin Schnabel and Kai Eckert
The purpose of this work is to explore the new possibilities enabled by the recent introduction of RDF-star, an extension that allows for statements about statements within the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this work is to explore the new possibilities enabled by the recent introduction of RDF-star, an extension that allows for statements about statements within the Resource Description Framework (RDF). Alongside Named Graphs, this approach offers opportunities to leverage a meta-level for data modeling and data applications.
Design/methodology/approach
In this extended paper, the authors build onto three modeling use cases published in a previous paper: (1) provide provenance information, (2) maintain backwards compatibility for existing models, and (3) reduce the complexity of a data model. The authors present two scenarios where they implement the use of the meta-level to extend a data model with meta-information.
Findings
The authors present three abstract patterns for actively using the meta-level in data modeling. The authors showcase the implementation of the meta-level through two scenarios from our research project: (1) the authors introduce a workflow for triple annotation that uses the meta-level to enable users to comment on individual statements, such as for reporting errors or adding supplementary information. (2) The authors demonstrate how adding meta-information to a data model can accommodate highly specialized data while maintaining the simplicity of the underlying model.
Practical implications
Through the formulation of data modeling patterns with RDF-star and the demonstration of their application in two scenarios, the authors advocate for data modelers to embrace the meta-level.
Originality/value
With RDF-star being a very new extension to RDF, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, they are among the first to relate it to other meta-level approaches and demonstrate its application in real-world scenarios.
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Hillal M. Elshehabey, Andaç Batur Çolak and Abdelraheem Aly
The purpose of this study is to adapt the incompressible smoothed particle hydrodynamics (ISPH) method with artificial intelligence to manage the physical problem of double…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to adapt the incompressible smoothed particle hydrodynamics (ISPH) method with artificial intelligence to manage the physical problem of double diffusion inside a porous L-shaped cavity including two fins.
Design/methodology/approach
The ISPH method solves the nondimensional governing equations of a physical model. The ISPH simulations are attained at different Frank–Kamenetskii number, Darcy number, coupled Soret/Dufour numbers, coupled Cattaneo–Christov heat/mass fluxes, thermal radiation parameter and nanoparticle parameter. An artificial neural network (ANN) is developed using a total of 243 data sets. The data set is optimized as 171 of the data sets were used for training the model, 36 for validation and 36 for the testing phase. The network model was trained using the Levenberg–Marquardt training algorithm.
Findings
The resulting simulations show how thermal radiation declines the temperature distribution and changes the contour of a heat capacity ratio. The temperature distribution is improved, and the velocity field is decreased by 36.77% when the coupled heat Cattaneo–Christov heat/mass fluxes are increased from 0 to 0.8. The temperature distribution is supported, and the concentration distribution is declined by an increase in Soret–Dufour numbers. A rise in Soret–Dufour numbers corresponds to a decreasing velocity field. The Frank–Kamenetskii number is useful for enhancing the velocity field and temperature distribution. A reduction in Darcy number causes a high porous struggle, which reduces nanofluid velocity and improves temperature and concentration distribution. An increase in nanoparticle concentration causes a high fluid suspension viscosity, which reduces the suspension’s velocity. With the help of the ANN, the obtained model accurately predicts the values of the Nusselt and Sherwood numbers.
Originality/value
A novel integration between the ISPH method and the ANN is adapted to handle the heat and mass transfer within a new L-shaped geometry with fins in the presence of several physical effects.
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James Tarver, Kieran Nar and Candice Majewski
The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the extent to which the mechanisms of polymer melt viscous flow and finish layer powder particle adhesion influence the top surface…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the extent to which the mechanisms of polymer melt viscous flow and finish layer powder particle adhesion influence the top surface topographies of laser sintered polyamide (PA12) components.
Design/methodology/approach
Laser sintered specimens were manufactured at varying laser parameters in accordance with a full factorial design of experiments. Focus variation microscopy was used to ascertain insight into their top surface heights and peak/valley distributions. Subsequently, regression expressions were generated to model the former with respect to applied laser parameters. Auxiliary experimental analysis was also performed to validate the proposed mechanisms and statistical models.
Findings
Within the parameter range tested, this work found the root mean square (Sq) and skewness (Ssk) roughness responses of laser sintered PA12 top surfaces to be inversely related to one another, and both also principally influenced by beam spacing. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that using optimised laser parameters (to promote polymer melt dispersion) and building without finish layers (to avert subsequent powder particle adhesion) reduced the mean Sq roughness of resultant topographies by 30.8% and 47.9% relative to standard laser sintered PA12 top surfaces, respectively.
Practical implications
The scope to which laser sintered PA12 top surfaces can be modified was highlighted.
Originality/value
This research demonstrated the impact the mechanisms of polymer melt viscous flow and finish layer powder particle adhesion have on laser sintered PA12 top surfaces.
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Samuel Jebaraj Benjamin, Pallab Kumar Biswas, Nirosha Hewa Wellalage and Yimei Man
This paper aims to examine the association between environmental disclosure and waste performance.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the association between environmental disclosure and waste performance.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is based on a sample of S&P 500 firms over a nine-year period from 2010 to 2018. The pooled ordinary least squares (OLS), logistic, propensity score matching (PSM) and instrumental variable-generalized method of moments regressions analyses have been used to examine the data.
Findings
The findings show a significant positive relationship between waste performance and environmental disclosure, suggesting that firms with superior waste performance tend to disclose more environmental information. Further, the authors distinguish between “hard” and “soft” environmental disclosures and find that the effect of waste performance is consistently positive and significant for each type. The observed positive and significant association of waste performance with environmental disclosure remains unchanged, regardless of the industry affiliation of firms, although firms from industries that are less environmentally sensitive provide a slightly higher level of environmental disclosure. The authors also explore possible channels that may explain the association between waste performance and environmental disclosure and find that litigation risk and cash holdings positively moderate the association. The finding remains robust to a number of alternative estimation approaches.
Originality/value
Overall, the authors present important evidence that waste performance is an important indicator of environmental disclosure. The findings are useful for corporations and stakeholders and have important implications around the globe as the authors continue to grapple with the ongoing issue of waste.
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Junjie Niu, Weimin Sang, Qilei Guo, Aoxiang Qiu and Dazhi Shi
This paper aims to propose a method of the safety boundary protection for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the icing conditions.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to propose a method of the safety boundary protection for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in the icing conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
Forty icing conditions were sampled in the continuous maximum icing conditions in the Appendix C of the Federal Aviation Regulation Part 25. Icing numerical simulations were carried out for the 40 samples and the anti-icing thermal load distribution in full evaporation mode were obtained. Based on the obtained anti-icing thermal load distribution, the surrogated model of the anti-icing thermal load distribution was established with proper orthogonal decomposition and Kriging interpolation. The weather research and forecasting (WRF) model was used for meteorological simulations to obtain the icing meteorological conditions in the target area. With the obtained icing conditions and surrogated model, the anti-icing thermal load distribution in the target area and the variation with time can be determined. According to the energy supply of the UAVs, the graded safety boundaries can be obtained.
Findings
The surrogated model can predict the effects of five factors, such as temperature, velocity, pressure, median volume diameter (MVD) and liquid water content (LWC), on the anti-icing thermal load quickly and accurately. The simulated results of the WRF mode agree well with the observed results. The method can obtain the graded safety boundaries.
Originality/value
The method has a reference significant for the safety of the UAVs with the limited energy supply in the icing conditions.
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Sulochana Dissanayake, Roshan Ajward and Dilini Dissanayake
This study examines whether managers adopt corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures to suppress earnings management practices and whether corporate governance mechanisms…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines whether managers adopt corporate social responsibility (CSR) disclosures to suppress earnings management practices and whether corporate governance mechanisms could limit such practices.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative approach was followed, in which secondary data from listed firms from 2014 to 2019 were gathered. Descriptive statistics and inferential techniques were performed, which included correlation, ordered logistic regression and 2SLS panel regression analyses.
Findings
The findings indicate that firms use CSR disclosure to conceal managers' opportunistic behaviour via earnings management as an entrenchment strategy and that corporate governance mechanisms could significantly constrain such behaviour.
Research limitations/implications
This study goes beyond the conventional agency theory by incorporating additional theoretical perspectives from stakeholder and legitimacy theories, resulting in a multi-theoretical perspective in conceptualizing the study.
Practical implications
The findings are expected to have significant policy implications, especially in limiting the opportunistic use of CSR disclosures and reducing earnings management practices to safeguard stakeholders' interests and ensure the sustainability of business entities.
Originality/value
The levels of CSR and board governance practices are captured using comprehensive indices. Moreover, earnings management was operationalized using both accrual-based and real earnings management proxies. Furthermore, while addressing an empirical dearth noted, the findings provide significant policy implications for limiting managers' opportunistic and unethical use of CSR disclosures with corporate governance mechanisms.
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Rongen Yan, Depeng Dang, Hu Gao, Yan Wu and Wenhui Yu
Question answering (QA) answers the questions asked by people in the form of natural language. In the QA, due to the subjectivity of users, the questions they query have different…
Abstract
Purpose
Question answering (QA) answers the questions asked by people in the form of natural language. In the QA, due to the subjectivity of users, the questions they query have different expressions, which increases the difficulty of text retrieval. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore new query rewriting method for QA that integrates multiple related questions (RQs) to form an optimal question. Moreover, it is important to generate a new dataset of the original query (OQ) with multiple RQs.
Design/methodology/approach
This study collects a new dataset SQuAD_extend by crawling the QA community and uses word-graph to model the collected OQs. Next, Beam search finds the best path to get the best question. To deeply represent the features of the question, pretrained model BERT is used to model sentences.
Findings
The experimental results show three outstanding findings. (1) The quality of the answers is better after adding the RQs of the OQs. (2) The word-graph that is used to model the problem and choose the optimal path is conducive to finding the best question. (3) Finally, BERT can deeply characterize the semantics of the exact problem.
Originality/value
The proposed method can use word-graph to construct multiple questions and select the optimal path for rewriting the question, and the quality of answers is better than the baseline. In practice, the research results can help guide users to clarify their query intentions and finally achieve the best answer.
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Jianping Zhang, Leilei Wang and Guodong Wang
With the rapid advancement in the automotive industry, the friction coefficient (FC), wear rate (WR) and weight loss (WL) have emerged as crucial parameters to measure the…
Abstract
Purpose
With the rapid advancement in the automotive industry, the friction coefficient (FC), wear rate (WR) and weight loss (WL) have emerged as crucial parameters to measure the performance of automotive braking systems, so the FC, WR and WL of friction material are predicted and analyzed in this work, with an aim of achieving accurate prediction of friction material properties.
Design/methodology/approach
Genetic algorithm support vector machine (GA-SVM) model is obtained by applying GA to optimize the SVM in this work, thus establishing a prediction model for friction material properties and achieving the predictive and comparative analysis of friction material properties. The process parameters are analyzed by using response surface methodology (RSM) and GA-RSM to determine them for optimal friction performance.
Findings
The results indicate that the GA-SVM prediction model has the smallest error for FC, WR and WL, showing that it owns excellent prediction accuracy. The predicted values obtained by response surface analysis are closed to those of GA-SVM model, providing further evidence of the validity and the rationality of the established prediction model.
Originality/value
The relevant results can serve as a valuable theoretical foundation for the preparation of friction material in engineering practice.
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