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This paper investigates the use of graphs, selection of variables to graph and construction of graphs in prospectuses issued by Australian companies making their initial public offering (IPO) of shares to the Australian capital market. The paper formulates and tests hypotheses concerning selectivity in the use of graphs and distortion in the construction of graphs presented in IPO prospectuses, as well as providing descriptive evidence about the use of graphs in such prospectuses. Results show that firms enjoying improving profit performance are significantly more likely to include graphs of key financial variables in their prospectuses than firms suffering deteriorating profit performance. Thus, similar to studies of graphs in annual reports, evidence of selectivity in the inclusion of graphs is found. No significant relationship is found between performance on the variable being graphed and distortion in the construction of the graph. When the graphs are split between those covering key financial variables and other variables, a significant relationship is found in both categories. For graphs of other variables, a significant positive association is found between performance and distortion. However, the relationship for key financial variables is in the opposite direction to that suggested by impression management. Further analysis identifies significant sub‐period differences in selectivity and distortion which are consistent with the view that the major regulatory and institutional changes outlined in the paper, reduced the extent of selectivity and graphical distortion in the post‐1991 period. As far as we are aware, this is the first study reported in the literature to investigate the use of graphs in prospectuses. The results also have policy implications for the regulatory authority in Australia.

The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the effect of part thickness and build orientation upon the type and magnitude of distortion in material jetting processes.

Specimens with high (10:1) aspect ratio were printed in two orientations (XY and YX) and three thickness values (1, 3 and 6 mm) and scanned with a white-light profilometer to quantify distortion.

The results of this paper indicate that 1-mm thick specimens always distorted following a wavy edge type, while thicker specimens (3- and 6-mm) always distorted following a reverse coil set. The factor thickness, when measured with the indices height of the highest peak (H) and profile radius (R), was shown to be statistically significant, with 3-mm specimens experiencing distortions of 57 and 51 per cent, respectively, more severe than those in 6-mm specimens. The thickness effect is attributed to the percentage of build layers that receive maximum energy exposure (61-72 per cent in 1-mm, 87-91 per cent in 3-mm and 93-95 per cent in 6-mm specimens). With respect to the thinner 1-mm specimens, the factor orientation was found to be statistically significant with distortion 114 per cent less severe in the YX orientation when measured by the H index.

This paper provides the first known description of build orientation and part thickness effects on dimensional distortion as a pervasive consequence of the curing process in photopolymerization and explores one of the most common defects encountered in additive manufacturing. In addition to the characterization of the type and magnitude of distortion, the contributions of this paper also include establishing the foundation for design guidelines aiming at minimizing distortion in material jetting.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a method to reduce the non-linear distortion of a transistor to its input and output ports to aid distortion contribution analysis (DCA). This is especially needed when the internal structure of a device model is complex.

The non-linear distortion generated by all non-linear sources inside a device model are reduced to transistor i/o ports by LMSE fitting techniques. Simulations of an LDMOS power transistor are used to compare the reduced distortion results with the actual non-linear sources.

It is shown, that device models where the current sources are split by intermediate nodes cause superficial results, when distortion contributions are calculated as a superposition of contributions from individual non-linear sources. The proposed iterative fitting technique works.

Some non-quasistatic effects and the transfer functions from external terminals to internal controlling nodes are not covered.

The analysis is a step toward a generic non-linear distortion contribution simulation tool that would aid the designers to develop more linear analog circuits.

The concept of DCA itself is fairly new. This paper makes a step to represent the distortion sources in a canonical way.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of layer thickness, aspect ratio, part thickness and build orientation on distortion to have a better understanding of its behavior in material jetting technology.

Specimens with two layer thicknesses (14 and 28 µm) were printed in two aspect ratios (2:1) and (10:1), four thickness values (1, 2, 3 and 4 mm) and three build orientations (45d, XY and YX) and scanned with a wide-area 3D surface scanner to quantify distortion. The material used to build the test specimens was a commercially available resin, VeroWhitePlus RGD835.

The results of this study showed that all printed specimens by material jetting 3D printers had some level of distortion. The 1-mm thickness specimens, for both layer thicknesses of 14 µm and 28 µm, showed a wide range of anomalies including reverse coil set (RCS), reverse cross bow (RCB), cross bow (CB), wavy edge (WE) and some moderate twisting (T). Similar occurrences were observed for the 2-mm thickness specimens as there were RCS, WE, RCB and T anomalies that show the difference between the thinner specimens (1- and 2-mm) with the thicker ones (3- and 4-mm). In both 3- and 4-mm thickness specimens, there was more consistency in terms of distortion with mainly RCS and RCB anomalies. In total, six different types of flatness anomalies were found to occur with the following incidences: reverse coil set (91 specimens, 63.19%), reverse cross bow (50 specimens, 34.72%), wavy edge (23 specimens, 15.97%), twist (19 specimens, 12.50%), coil set (11 specimens, 7.64%) and cross bow (7 specimens, 4.86%).

This study expands the research on how the preprocess parameters such as layer thickness and build orientation and the geometrical parameters such as part thickness and aspect ratio cause dimensional distortion. Distortion is a pervasive consequence of the curing process in photopolymerization and explores one of the most common defects that come across in polymeric-based additive manufacturing. In addition to the characterization of the type and magnitude of distortion, the contributions of this work also include establishing the foundation for design guidelines aiming at minimizing distortion in material jetting.

Recent performance appraisal (PA) literature suggests that alongside cognitive biases, rating distortions may stem from rater disposition and PA context. The study investigated the role of social value orientation (rater disposition), PA purposes and rater accountability (PA context) toward rating distortions at both performance levels, i.e. good and poor.

The authors designed an experimental study and elicited data from N = 110 undergraduate students about two video-taped performances of good and poor performers. In these videos, two managers conducted assessment interviews of two different employees for the job of a sales representative at an information technology organization. To ensure the validity of performance ratings, the authors invited 10 senior managers to provide benchmark ratings of the video-taped performances. While being placed in two separate groups, the study participants gave performance ratings on both the video-taped performances. The authors used repeated-measures analysis to analyze data.

The results revealed that rating distortions took place not because of rater social value orientation, but the PA context. Different rating distortion patterns emerged for different levels of ratees' performance.

This study’s findings furnish new insights for assessing rating distortions for poor as well as good performers. Moreover, the results support previous findings that for good performers, accountable raters are tempted toward accurate ratings and refrained from deflation. Similarly, for poor performers, accountable raters do not inflate ratings. The findings will open research avenues to examine the role of PA purposes in rating distortions for different performance levels.

Residual thermal stresses and distortion are frequently present in the parts built using a layer‐by‐layer solid freeform fabrication techniques assisted with a moving laser source. This study uses finite element analysis to investigate the effect of laser scanning patterns on residual thermal stresses and distortion. It is shown that the out‐of‐plane distortion of a layer, processed by a moving laser beam can be minimized with a proper selection of the laser scanning pattern. A scanning pattern having changes in its scanning direction frequently by 90° at every turn can lead to the cancellation of concave upward and downward distortions. As a result of this cancellation, very small distortion is present in the laser processed plate. It is also found that distortion is mainly caused by transient thermal stresses rather than residual thermal stresses.

DEVELOPMENT efforts in both the B‐70 and F‐111 programmes have demonstrated that steady‐state pressure distortion considerations are no longer sufficient to determine if the inlet/engine components of the propulsion system are compatible and operate in a stable manner for all flight conditions. Modern high speed aircraft operate in modes where the effects of shocks and boundary layers produce an inlet distortion environment which has considerable temporal variation. Early in a programme, the engine manufacturer must determine design requirements to enable operation with combined steady and unsteady flow distortions.

Information distortion affects the perception of quality, which, in turn, influences investment decisions and determines the pledge results of fundraising. This study combines signalling theory with persuasion theory to empirically study the effects of linguistic information distortion from fraudulent cues on a crowdfunding campaign's fundraising outcomes using text analytics, with implications for entrepreneurs, platforms and investors.

This study empirically analyzes 328,974 crowdfunding projects from the Kickstarter platform. Information distortion is detected using four indicators, based on text mining analytics. An econometric model is built to estimate the impact of information distortion, while the predictive power of the information distortion is detected through machine learning.

The results inform that distortion in the blurb, detailed description and reward statement dampen a campaign's success, but embellishing the entrepreneur's biography enhances the success of financing. Furthermore, information distortion exhibits a significant inverted U-shaped influence. The effect of the interaction terms suggests that campaigns with high pledge goals are more sensitive to information distortion, and that native-speaking entrepreneurs are adept at applying linguistic skills to promote the campaign.

This study provides a linguistic method to detect the influence of information distortion on crowdfunding campaigns. Further, the study offers some practical suggestions for entrepreneurs on how to generate attractive narratives, and contributes to the investor's decision-making and informs the platform's promotion strategy.

Graphs in corporate annual reports are a double‐edged sword. While they offer the potential for improved communication of accounting information to users, the preparers of the annual reports can easily manipulate the graphs for their own interests. For over a decade, the empirical financial graphics literature has focused on examining company reporting practices. A particular concern has been measurement distortion, which violates a fundamental principle of graph construction. Unfortunately, it is not yet known whether observed levels of measurement distortion are likely to affect users’ perceptions of financial performance. This study uses an experimental approach to address this issue. Pairs of graphs are shown to establish the level of difference that is just noticeable to graph readers. Six levels of “distortion” are investigated (5 per cent, 10 per cent, 20 per cent, 30 per cent, 40 per cent and 50 per cent). Results indicate that if financial graphs are to avoid distorting the perceptions of users, then no measurement distortions in excess of 10 per cent should be allowed. Users with lower levels of financial understanding appear to be most at risk of being misled by distorted graphs. Further research will be necessary to investigate whether this impact upon perceptions subsequently affects users’ decisions in specific contexts.

Destructive changes in body shape can happen slowly over a long period of time and may affect any person who has difficulty moving efficiently, irrespective of diagnosis or age. Supporting the body in symmetrical supine lying has been found to protect and restore body shape, muscle tone and quality of life for people who would otherwise be left to become static in destructive lying postures. Those described as having complex and continuing health care needs or profound and multiple learning disabilities are likely to be at risk of developing changes in body shape. This article will consider predictable patterns of chest distortion and reduction of internal capacity of the abdomen and thorax with key characteristics for those supporting individuals at risk, non‐invasive measurement of body symmetry as a relevant outcome measure in the effort to protect body shape, the consequences for individuals, their families and service providers, positive feedback from families about the benefits of night positioning, the preventable nature of changes in body shape and the practical steps that may be taken to ensure the safety of the individual. Case studies will be presented which demonstrate that the body is a mobile structure which is vulnerable to distortion but also susceptible to restoration as long as the correct biomechanical forces are applied. It is proposed that therapeutic night positioning is an effective intervention which should be made available to those at risk of body shape distortion from an early age, or as a matter of urgency for those with late onset or temporary immobility.