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A relational database management system is presented that is tailored for engineering applications. A wide variety of engineering data types is supported and the data definition language (DDL) and data manipulation language (DML) are extended to handle engineering operations. The system can be used either in the stand‐alone mode or through a FORTRAN or PASCAL application program. The query language is of the relational calculus type and allows the user to store, retrieve, update and delete tuples from relations. The relational operations including union, intersect and differ facilitate creation of temporary relations that can be used for manipulating information in a powerful manner. Sample applications are shown to illustrate the creation of data through a FORTRAN program and data manipulation using the TEQUEL DML.

Internal control mechanisms are fundamental to organizational governance; particularly, to the agency relationship associated with decentralization of decision rights. Management accounting and organizational literatures provide conflicting predictions on the association between decentralization and internal controls, with some research arguing that internal controls be tightened to mitigate the risks associated with greater decentralization of decision rights while other work avers that tighter internal controls defeat the purposes of decentralization. In this chapter, we argue that managers choose these two organizational design variables jointly. Capitalizing on a unique database of control practices in the purchasing and payment process within the procurement function, this chapter examines the relationship between control tightness – a critical characteristic of internal controls – and decentralization. Using a simultaneous equation model, the study finds that decentralization and internal control design are endogenously determined. Tight control is negatively associated with the level of decentralization, while decentralization has a positive effect on the tightness of control. These results reconcile the apparently contradictory results relating these two variables. The chapter also finds that decentralization and tight control mechanisms operate both independently and synergistically to improve performance.

Application of the engineering design optimization methods and tools to the design of automotive body‐in‐white (BIW) structural components made of polymer metal hybrid (PMH) materials is considered. Specifically, the use of topology optimization in identifying the optimal initial designs and the use of size and shape optimization techniques in defining the final designs is discussed. The optimization analyses employed were required to account for the fact that the BIW structural PMH component in question may be subjected to different in‐service loads be designed for stiffness, strength or buckling resistance and that it must be manufacturable using conventional injection over‐molding. The paper demonstrates the use of various engineering tools, i.e. a CAD program to create the solid model of the PMH component, a meshing program to ensure mesh matching across the polymer/metal interfaces, a linear‐static analysis based topology optimization tool to generate an initial design, a nonlinear statics‐based size and shape optimization program to obtained the final design and a mold‐filling simulation tool to validate manufacturability of the PMH component.

Few studies only focus on halal cosmetics, although several previous studies have examined halal food and beverages. This study aims to explore the relationship between knowledge, emotional attachment and religiosity on purchase intention, mediated by satisfaction and brand trust. This study stems from the theory of reasoned action (TRA), which merges the knowledge, emotional attachment, religiosity and purchase intention of halal cosmetics.

The researchers distributed online questionnaires to respondents via Google Form using social media (Instagram)/messaging application (WhatsApp). The respondents were Indonesian and Malaysian millennial Muslims. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling. A total of 528 respondents were involved, consisting of 335 Indonesians and 193 Malaysians. However, data for 381 respondents were successfully screened for normality, outliers and multicollinearity. Furthermore, the data was used for examining the hypotheses proposed.

The results for Indonesian and Malaysian samples showed that there is a significant positive effect of knowledge, emotional attachments and religiosity on satisfaction and brand trust. But the Indonesia sample showed that there is no significant effect of religiosity on satisfaction. For Indonesia, there is a positive significant mediating role of satisfaction on purchasing intention. For Malaysia, there is no significant mediating role of satisfaction on purchasing intention. For Indonesia and Malaysia, there are positive significant mediating role of brand trust on purchasing intention.

The study compared consumers of the millennial generation in Indonesia and Malaysia with limited samples. For future research, it is suggested to exploring and combining non-Muslims and Muslims in the millennial generation and testing it in more than two countries.

The study provides an accurate understanding of the relationships proposed, such as knowledge, emotional attachment and religiosity, on satisfaction, brand trust and purchasing intention of millennial Muslim woman consumers in Indonesia and Malaysia, because the millennial Muslim woman consumers in Indonesia and Malaysia had the same behavioral characteristics: Muslim consumers and product characteristics.

The study of halal cosmetics can provide a spiritual commitment for Muslims, who consciously prefer socio-religious values in choosing cosmetic products. Therefore, the halal label of the product is also a reason for social and religious values to increase the social awareness of the Muslim millennial generation in Malaysia and Indonesia.

This research discusses the antecedents and consequences of satisfaction and brand trust on the purchasing intention of halal cosmetics. The response of Muslim consumers to halal cosmetics has not been widely studied in Indonesia and Malaysia. Meanwhile, in Indonesia, the halal label on all products has recently been made mandatory by the Indonesian Ulema Council. Therefore, this research offers insights into the attitudes of Muslim consumers towards halal cosmetics products.

The purpose of this paper is to predict the response and perforation of fibre metal laminates (FMLs) subjected to impact by projectiles at different velocities.

A finite element (FE) model is constructed in which recently proposed dynamic constitutive models for fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) laminates and metals are used. Moreover, a recently developed dynamic cohesive element constitutive model is also used to simulate the debonding between FRP laminates and metal sheets. The FE model is first validated against the test data for glass laminate aluminum reinforced epoxy (GLARE) both under dropped object loading and ballistic impact, then used to perform a parametric study on the influence of projectile nose shape on the perforation of FMLs.

It is found that the present model predicts well the response and perforation of GLARE subjected to impact loading in terms of load-time history, load-displacement curve, residual velocity and failure pattern. It is also found that projectile nose shape has a considerable effect on the perforation of GLARE FMLs and that the ballistic limit is the highest for a flat-ended projectile whilst for a conical-nosed missile the resistance to perforation is the least.

Recently developed constitutive models for FRPs and metals, together with cohesive element model which considers strain rate effect, are used in the FE model to predict the behaviour of FMLs struck by projectiles in a wider range of impact velocities; the present model is advantageous over such existing models as Johnson-Cook (JC) + Chang-Chang and JC (+BW) + MAT162 in terms of failure pattern though they produce similar results for residual velocity.

The purpose of this paper is to implement an optimization approach for the tilting‐pad journal bearing using the genetic algorithm (GA), and compare the results with the method of feasible design (MFD).

The optimum design of a five‐pad tilting‐pad bearing is studied for the optimal performance, considering system minimum power loss along with design criteria such as: fluid film thickness, film temperature, and film pressure with respect to design variables consisting of pad axial length to journal diameter ratio, pad arc length, bearing radial clearance, pad offset factor, and pad preload factor.

The algorithms are repeated until no search direction can be found that will improve objective function without violating the constraints. Thus, the algorithms are performed for complete search to get the best possible solution of the design. The comparison mainly focuses on the empirical solutions. The GA obtained reasonably good results for the objective function and comparable to the MFD.

The availability of the GA is certainly of value because it allows the exploration of many different configurations of design variables and therefore also contributes to the better knowledge of the rotor‐bearing system behavior in general.

Layout optimization of structures aims to find the optimal topology and member sizes in an integrated manner. For this purpose, the most successful attempts have addressed the outstanding features of the genetic algorithms.

This paper utilizes a direct index coding (DIC) in a way that the optimization algorithm can simultaneously integrate topology and size in a minimal length chromosome in order to seek the true optimum in an efficient and reasonable manner. Proper genetic operators are adopted for this special kind of encoding together with some modifications in the topological mutation aiming to improve the convergence of the algorithm.

The present DIC, has the following features: enforcing one‐to‐one correspondence between discrete genotype space and the problems' phenotype space; avoiding any out‐of‐bound parameter addressing and limiting the GA search only to necessary genotypes; reduction in the size of genotype search space to increase the algorithm convergence and the possibility of leading to the global optimum; dealing with direct genetic operators so that the GA parameters can be purely controlled to tune the desired balance between convergence and escaping from local optima.

Employing direct index chromosome makes it possible to eliminate the additional topological bits in treated examples.

This paper demonstrates the use of genetic algorithms (GAs) for size optimization of trusses. The concept of rebirthing is shown to be considerably effective for problems involving continuous design variables. Some benchmark examples are studied involving 4‐bar, 10‐bar, 64‐bar, 200‐bar and 940‐bar two‐dimensional trusses. Both continuous and discrete variables are considered.

The substance of the present study lies in analysing the extent to which intrinsic factors like emotional intelligence and resilient character traits impact the psychological well-being of school teachers. It prominences the mediating role of resilient character traits in the relationship between emotional intelligence and psychological well-being of teachers.

This cross-sectional survey study recruits a sample of 200 school teachers across the state of Haryana, India, with the help of a convenience sampling technique.

The findings from parallel multiple mediation indicate perseverance as a significant mediator and predictor of psychological well-being among factors of resilient traits, and self-reliance emerges as an inconsistent, yet significant mediator in the relationship between emotional intelligence and well-being of teachers. The direct effect of emotional intelligence on psychological well-being also emerged as statistically significant. Additionally, the female school teachers show higher emotional intelligence and resilience as compared to the male school teachers.

The research is not an unmitigated work in the exploration of a causal relationship between the study variables. However, the study draws practical suggestions for improving the perseverant and emotionally intelligent behaviour of teachers for better emotional and psychological adjustment at work. It acknowledges the role of school administration and education policymakers in furthering the betterment of teachers' psychological state for improved performance and effectiveness. Also, teamwork, stress reduction and leadership building appeared to be helpful contributors to enhance the perseverance and emotional intelligence among teachers.

Studies in the field of school administration rarely address the psychological well-being of school teachers as their concern. This study accentuates the impact of intrinsic antecedents of psychological well-being, which is neither well conceptualised in Indian studies nor is causally related to any psychological constructs. Therefore, it remarkably contributes to the literature in the field of educational management and leadership, providing an insight into the psyche of teachers from “the Orient”.