Search results
1 – 10 of over 1000Lean Yu, Ling Li, Ling Tang, Wei Dai and Chihab Hanachi
The purpose of this paper is to develop a multi-agent-based simulation model for the online opinion dissemination during hazardous chemical leakage emergencies into rivers in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a multi-agent-based simulation model for the online opinion dissemination during hazardous chemical leakage emergencies into rivers in China, to explore an appropriate crisis information release policy of China’s government for controlling public panic.
Design/methodology/approach
In the proposed model, two fundamental attributes of crisis information, i.e., truthfulness (for true or false news) and attitude (for positive, neutral or negative opinion), are considered. Four major agents in the online community system, i.e., citizens, the government, media and opinion leaders, are included. Using four typical accidents of hazardous chemical leakage into rivers in China as case studies, insightful policy implications can be obtained for crisis management and panic control.
Findings
The news about the terrible potential damages from such a type of accidents will instantly arise wide-ranging public panic; therefore, the corresponding crisis information release policy should be carefully designed. It is strongly advised against publishing false news to temporarily conceal the accidents, which will seriously hurt the government’s reputation and agitate much larger-scale public panic in terms of degree and duration. To mitigate public panic, the true news especially about treatment measurements should be published immediately. If the government does nothing and releases no crisis information, the public panic will go out of control.
Research limitations/implications
This paper only focuses on the crisis information release policies from the perspectives of the government. Furthermore, this study especially focuses on the cases in China, and extending the proposed model study for general contexts is an important direction to improve this study. Finally, the proposed model should be extended to other types of emergencies to further justify its generalization and universality, especially various natural catastrophes like storms, floods, tsunamis, etc.
Originality/value
This paper develops a multi-agent-based model for online public opinion dissemination in emergency to explore an appropriate crisis information release policy for controlling public panic stemming from hazardous chemicals leakage accidents into rivers. The proposed model makes major contributions to the literature from two perspectives. First, the crisis information about emergency accidents are divided into true and false news based on the truthfulness attribute, and into neutral, positive and negative emotions based on the attitude attribute. Second, the proposed model covers the main agents in the online virtual community.
Details
Keywords
Meng Zhang, Weifang Zhang, Xiaobei Liang, Yan Zhao and Wei Dai
Crack damage detection for aluminum alloy materials using fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensor is a kind of structure health monitoring. In this paper, the damage index of full width…
Abstract
Purpose
Crack damage detection for aluminum alloy materials using fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensor is a kind of structure health monitoring. In this paper, the damage index of full width at half maximum (FWHM) was extracted from the distorted reflection spectra caused by the crack-tip inhomogeneous strain field, so as to explain the crack propagation behaviors.
Design/methodology/approach
The FWHM variations were also investigated through combining the theoretical calculations with simulation and experimental analyses. The transfer matrix algorithm was developed to explore the mechanism by which FWHM changed with the linear and quadratic strain. Moreover, the crack-tip inhomogeneous strain field on the specimen surface was computed according to the digital image correlation measurement during the experiments.
Findings
The experimental results demonstrated that the saltation points in FWHM curve accorded with the moments of crack propagation to FBG sensors.
Originality/value
The interpretation of reflected spectrum deformation mechanism with crack propagation was analyzed based on both simulations and experiments, and then the performance of potential damage features – FWHM were proposed and evaluated. According to the correlation between the damage characteristic and the crack-tip location, the crack-tip of the specimen could be measured rapidly and accurately with this technique.
Details
Keywords
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to introduce a novel design of the biomimetic quadruped robot, including its body structure, three structural modes and respective workspace.
Design/methodology/approach
By taking a metamorphic 8-bar linkage as the body of a quadruped robot, the authors propose a reconfigurable walking robot that can imitate three kinds of animals: mammals (e.g. dog), arthropods (e.g. stick insect) and reptiles (e.g. lizard). Furthermore, to analyze the three structural modes of this quadruped robot, the workspace is calculated and studied.
Findings
Based on experimental data analyses, it is revealed that the metamorphic quadruped robot can walk in all its three structural modes and adapt to different terrains.
Research limitations/implications
Because the body of the quadruped robot is deformable and reconfigurable, the location of payload is not considered in the current stage.
Practical implications
The relative positions and postures of legs of the metamorphic robot can be rearranged during its body reconfiguration in such a way to combine all the features of locomotion of the three kinds of animals into one robot. So, the metamorphic quadruped robot is capable of maintaining wider stability margins than conventional rigid-body quadruped robots and conducting operations in different environments, particularly the extreme and restricted occasions due to the changeable and adaptable trunk.
Originality/value
The main contribution is the development of a reconfigurable biomimetic quadruped robot, which uses the metamorphic 8-bar linkage. This robot can easily reshape to three different structural modes and mimic the walking patterns of all mammals, arthropods and reptiles.
Details
Keywords
Enrique Bonsón and Michaela Bednárová
Technological developments such as blockchain seem to be the next step in a digital era and might reshape the way we do business. They are expected to have an impact on both…
Abstract
Purpose
Technological developments such as blockchain seem to be the next step in a digital era and might reshape the way we do business. They are expected to have an impact on both business and society in the next few decades. This paper aims to provide general insights into blockchain technology and the extent to which it might transform the accounting system.
Design/methodology/approach
Analysing the previous literature, the paper provides a general overview of this phenomenon, identifying pending technical as well as non-technical issues that will have to be addressed for the full potential of blockchain technology to be embraced. The paper also proposes ways in which the information quality dimension might be improved.
Findings
The paper identifies the pending challenges for blockchain, such as scalability, flexibility, a suitable architecture and cybersecurity. Additionally, to integrate blockchain technology fully into a real accounting ecosystem, a consensus between regulators, auditors and other parties is needed.
Originality/value
A general overview of this new phenomenon, as well as a summary of how the quality of accounting information might be improved, is provided. Given that it features elements such as decentralization and transparency, blockchain certainly has the potential to improve information and accounting quality.
Details
Keywords
Cong Yin, Yujing Zhou, Peiyu He and Meng Tu
This research takes the transfer behavior of users from Tencent QQ to WeChat as an example to discuss the wider transfer behavior of social media users on the Internet.
Abstract
Purpose
This research takes the transfer behavior of users from Tencent QQ to WeChat as an example to discuss the wider transfer behavior of social media users on the Internet.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper collects data through a combination of offline interviews and online questionnaire surveys, and utilizes data analysis tools to construct structural equation modeling (SEM). Using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) Statistics 22.0 and Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) 22.0 software with SEM, this study was carried out to provide reasonable statistical support for relevant proposed hypotheses based on 368 effective samples acquired through the questionnaire.
Findings
The findings of this study show that subjective norm, transfer experience, social communication, and knowledge acquisition all have significant associations with transfer intention and switching behavior. To be specific, transfer intention exerts a positive association on switching behavior; function setting, privacy protection and personal innovation have a favorable association with transfer intention; transfer cost has a significantly negative relationship with transfer intention and switching behavior; function setting has no important relationship on switching behavior.
Originality/value
The research results provide a reference for improving the viscosity and loyalty of social media users in the new era and resolving the problem of user churn.
Details
Keywords
Liang Zhang, Song‐bai Xue, Li‐li Gao, Zhong Sheng, Wei Dai, Feng Ji, Huan Ye, Yan Chen and Sheng‐lin Yu
The purpose of this paper is to explore the formation and growth mechanism of bulk Cu6Sn5 intermetallic compounds, selecting Sn‐Ag‐Cu‐Ce solders as specimens.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the formation and growth mechanism of bulk Cu6Sn5 intermetallic compounds, selecting Sn‐Ag‐Cu‐Ce solders as specimens.
Design/methodology/approach
In order to further enhance the properties of SnAgCu solder, trace amount of rare earth Ce was selected as alloying addition into the alloy; in previous investigations, the enhancements include better wettability, physical properties, creep strength and tensile strength. In this paper, the microstructure of Sn‐Ag‐Cu‐Ce soldered joints and its interfacial intermetallic compounds were investigated. Moreover, different morphologies of Cu6Sn5 IMCs were enumerated and described, and Ostwald ripening theory was employed to interpret the formation mechanism of bulk Cu6Sn5 IMCs.
Findings
In addition, based on finite element simulation, it is found that the von Mises stress concentrate around the bulk Cu6Sn5 IMCs inside the Sn‐Ag‐Cu‐Ce soldered joints after three thermal cycling loading (−55‐125°C). From the stress distribution, the failure site was predicted to fracture near the bulk Cu6Sn5 IMCs interface. This coincides with the experimental findings significantly.
Originality/value
The results presented in this paper may provide a theory guide for developing novel lead‐free solders as well as reliability investigation of lead‐free soldered joints.
Details
Keywords
Shibin Chen, Dichen Li, Xiaoyong Tian, Minjie Wang and Wei Dai
The purpose of this paper is to present a novel and effective fabricating method of 3D ceramic photonic crystals with diamond structure.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a novel and effective fabricating method of 3D ceramic photonic crystals with diamond structure.
Design/methodology/approach
The reverse diamond‐structure resin molds are fabricated by stereolithography (SL), then ceramic slurry is prepared and injected into the molds under vacuum condition. Subsequently, ceramic photonic crystals are obtained after vacuum freeze‐drying and sintering.
Findings
The combination of SL, gel‐casting and freeze‐drying could be used to fabricate the 3D ceramic photonic crystals with diamond structure which have intact structure and minimal shrinkage. The samples have been tested and the experimental results indicate that their band gap is in the range of 10.14‐12.20 GHz, consistent with the simulation results.
Research limitations/implications
The influence of fabrication process on the photonic band gap needs further study.
Originality/value
This paper presents a novel fabricating method of 3D diamond‐structure ceramic photonic crystals based on SL, gel‐casting and freeze‐drying. The method fabricates complex ceramic photonic crystals with high accuracy and helps further research in this field.
Details
Keywords
Yanmei Huang, Changrui Deng, Xiaoyuan Zhang and Yukun Bao
Despite the widespread use of univariate empirical mode decomposition (EMD) in financial market forecasting, the application of multivariate empirical mode decomposition (MEMD…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the widespread use of univariate empirical mode decomposition (EMD) in financial market forecasting, the application of multivariate empirical mode decomposition (MEMD) has not been fully investigated. The purpose of this study is to forecast the stock price index more accurately, relying on the capability of MEMD in modeling the dependency between relevant variables.
Design/methodology/approach
Quantitative and comprehensive assessments were carried out to compare the performance of some selected models. Data for the assessments were collected from three major stock exchanges, namely, the standard and poor 500 index from the USA, the Hang Seng index from Hong Kong and the Shanghai Stock Exchange composite index from China. MEMD-based support vector regression (SVR) was used as the modeling framework, where MEMD was first introduced to simultaneously decompose the relevant covariates, including the opening price, the highest price, the lowest price, the closing price and the trading volume of a stock price index. Then, SVR was used to set up forecasting models for each component decomposed and another SVR model was used to generate the final forecast based on the forecasts of each component. This paper named this the MEMD-SVR-SVR model.
Findings
The results show that the MEMD-based modeling framework outperforms other selected competing models. As per the models using MEMD, the MEMD-SVR-SVR model excels in terms of prediction accuracy across the various data sets.
Originality/value
This research extends the literature of EMD-based univariate models by considering the scenario of multiple variables for improving forecasting accuracy and simplifying computability, which contributes to the analytics pool for the financial analysis community.
Details
Keywords
Hicham Sadok and Mohammed El Hadi El Maknouzi
This paper aims to situate virtual currencies (VCs) in a landscape of regulatory questions that help orient the direction and purpose of a possible legal approach, vis-à-vis this…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to situate virtual currencies (VCs) in a landscape of regulatory questions that help orient the direction and purpose of a possible legal approach, vis-à-vis this relatively recent technological and financial phenomenon.
Design/methodology/approach
The triangulation of historical overview and comparative examination of regulatory interventions allows to situate VCs in relation to a range of regulatory topics: from monetary policy, to fundraising and money laundering. First, the paper charts the emergence of VCs in time, and situates this innovation on a continuum with historically observed forms of private money. Second, it provides an overview of different regulatory approaches that can be observed on a comparative landscape.
Findings
At present, several features of VC schemes (particularly their deflationary character and fixed supply) prevent them from working as private money, competitive with sovereign currency. Instead, three specific kinds of uses – as security tokens, utility tokens and currency tokens – offer a more realistic picture of the risks and potentials associated with different forms of use.
Originality/value
The paper puts forth an integrated framework for devising a more sensitive regulatory approach towards VCs.
Details