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Audit firm diversification can take many forms. Strategic management theory suggests that if the diversification has a narrow focus, it can have a positive effect on performance through knowledge spillover. However, if the diversification is too wide, the lack of economies of scope may cause an even negative impact on performance. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of an audit firm’s diversification strategy on audit quality.

Specifically, the authors test whether auditors can benefit from knowledge spillover in their area of specialization.

The authors find that the magnitude of discretionary accruals and the balance of below-the-line item are significant lower for clients from narrowly diversified area than those from a widely diversified area, suggesting a higher audit quality due to possible knowledge spillover. In addition, the authors find such benefits are more pronounced with clients with high earnings volatility.

This study extends the studies on auditor industry specialization by examining the effect of audit firms’ diversification on audit quality and assessing potential differences on audit quality between narrow and wide diversification.

The extensive increase in power demand has challenged the ability of power systems to deal with small-signal oscillations such as inter-area oscillations, which occur under unseen operating conditions. A wide-area measurement system with a phasor measurement unit (PMU) in the power network enhances the observability of the power grid under a wide range of operating conditions. This paper aims to propose a wide-area power system stabilizer (WAPSS) based on Gaussian quantum particle swarm optimization (GQPSO) using the wide-area signals from a PMU to handle the inter-area oscillations in the system with a higher degree of controllability.

In the design of the wide-area stabilizer, a dead band is introduced to mitigate the influence of ambient signal frequency fluctuations. The location and the input signal of the wide-area stabilizer are selected using the participation factor and controllability index calculations. An improved particle swarm optimization (PSO) technique, namely, GQPSO, is used to optimize the variables of the WAPSS to move the unstable inter-area modes to a stable region in the s-plane, thereby improving the overall system stability.

The proposed GQPSO-based WAPSS is compared with the PSO-based WAPSS, genetic algorithm-based WAPSS and power system stabilizer. Eigenvalue analysis, time-domain simulation responses and performance index analysis are used to assess performance. The various evaluation techniques show that GQPSO WAPSS has a consistently good performance, with a higher damping ratio, faster convergence with fewer oscillations and a minimum error in the performance index analysis, indicating a more stable system with effective oscillation damping.

This paper proposes an optimally tuned design for the WAPSS with a wide-area input along with a dead-band structure for damping the inter-area oscillations. Tie line power is used as the input to the WAPSS and optimal tuning of the WAPSS is performed using an improved PSO algorithm, known as Gaussian quantum PSO.

The purpose of this paper is to develop an adaptive fuzzy controller for STATCOM to damp low-frequency inter-area oscillation over wide operating range using wide area signals in multimachine power system.

In this paper tuneable fuzzy model is proposed where the parameters of the fuzzy inference system are tuned by using the adaptive characteristic of the artificial neural network. Based on back propagation algorithm and method of least square estimation, the fuzzy inference rule base is tweaked according to the data from which they are modelled. The wide area control signals, for the proposed controller, available in the power system are selected on the basis of eigenvalue sensitivity defined in terms of participation factor.

The effectiveness of the proposed controller with wide area signals is tested on two test cases, namely, two area network and IEEE 12 bus benchmark system. The comparative analysis of the proposed adaptive fuzzy controller is carried out with conventional STATCOM controller along with fuzzy-and neural-based supplementary controller all using selected wide area signals. The results show that neural network tuned fuzzy controller leads to better system identification and have enhanced damping characteristics over wide operating range.

In the available literature, numerous researchers have indicated the use of fuzzy logic controller and neural controller along with their hybrid schemes as STATCOM controller for improving the dynamics of the multimachine power system using local signals. The main contribution of the paper is in using the hybrid intelligent control scheme for STATCOM using wide area signals. The advantage of proposed scheme is that the performance of well-designed fuzzy system can be enhanced with the same training data that are used for designing a neural controller thus giving enhanced performance in comparison to individual intelligent control scheme.

The Howard Shuttering Contractors case throws considerable light on the importance which the tribunals attach to warnings before dismissing an employee. In this case the tribunal took great pains to interpret the intention of the parties to the different site agreements, and it came to the conclusion that the agreed procedure was not followed. One other matter, which must be particularly noted by employers, is that where a final warning is required, this final warning must be “a warning”, and not the actual dismissal. So that where, for example, three warnings are to be given, the third must be a “warning”. It is after the employee has misconducted himself thereafter that the employer may dismiss.

Consumers, be they individuals or companies, rely on professional advice supplied by surveyors. With specific commentary often required on individual local markets, it is imperative that we understand the limits to our knowledge and understanding of different areas. This paper examines the issues relating to the transportability and dissemination of knowledge. It considers how knowledge is disseminated, if local knowledge is transportable, and how these issues impact on practice.

Mobile data traffic globally is increasing rapidly in both enterprise and consumer segments. The purpose of this paper is to identify a new network architecture and opportunity that support ubiquitous mobile work for higher-education institutions.

It reviews existing literature and enabling technologies and proposes integrating both wide-area Long Term Evolution-Advanced (LTE-Advanced) and local-area IEEE 802.11ac networks for seamless, gigabit-speed services. A decision framework for moving toward such architecture and a cost/benefit analysis are also presented.

Integrating both LTE-Advanced and IEEE 802.11ac networks for seamless connectivity is technically and organizationally feasible, provided that a higher-education institution has faculty and staff that require locational and interactional mobility. The cost/benefit analysis also shows that moving to the new architecture has potential benefits that can accrue to the higher-education institution.

With the coming availability of these wide-area and local-area gigabit networks, a new architecture that can ubiquitously supports mobile workers may be advantageous to universities and colleges.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is one of the first that proposes such integrated architecture in the context of higher-education institutions. In addition to the examination of technological issues and proposed architecture, the decision framework, and cost/benefit analysis should be valuable for institutions contemplating the move toward the new architecture and for guiding further research in this area.

The present work provides an integrated view of rural entrepreneurship and sets the agenda for future research in the area. Rurality defines a territorially specific entrepreneurial milieu with distinct physical, social and economic characteristics. Location, natural resources and the landscape, social capital, rural governance, business and social networks, as well as information and communication technologies, exert dynamic and complex influences on entrepreneurial activity in rural areas. Rurality is viewed as a dynamic entrepreneurial resource that shapes both opportunities and constraints. Rural entrepreneurship is depicted as a three‐stage sequential process highly influenced by specific territorial characteristics. The proposed research agenda addresses issues related to theoretical studies concerning entrepreneurial processes in rural areas and more applied issues concerning the formulation of integrated and competent policies supporting entrepreneurship in such areas.

To analyze the Jiles and Atherton hysteresis model used for hysteresis losses estimation in soft magnetic composite (SMC) material.

The Jiles and Atherton hysteresis model parameters are optimized with genetic algorithms (GAs) according to measured symmetric hysteresis loop of soft magnetic composite material. To overcome the uncertainty, finding the best‐optimized parameters in a wide predefined searching area is done with the proposed new approach. These parameters are then used to calculate the hysteresis losses for the modeled hysteresis. The asymmetric hysteresis loops are also investigated.

The classical GAs are good optimization methods when a pre‐defined possible set of solutions is known. If no assumption on solutions is present and a wide searching area range for parameter estimation is selected then the use of the new approach with nested GAs gives good results for symmetric hysteresis loops and further for the estimation of hysteresis losses.

The use of the Jiles and Atherton hysteresis model for asymmetric hysteresis must be explored further. Only one set of optimized Jiles and Atherton hysteresis model parameters used for estimation of hysteresis losses gives good results for only symmetric hysteresis loops. These parameters have limitations for asymmetric hysteresis loops.

Nested GAs are a useful method for optimization when a wide searching area is used.

The originality of the paper is in the establishment of nested GAs and their application in Jiles and Atherton hysteresis model parameters optimization. Also, original is the use of the Jiles and Atherton hysteresis model for hysteresis loop description of soft‐magnetic composite material.