Search results

This paper aims to systematically demonstrate a methodology to determine the relative and absolute encapsulation efficiencies (α_Re and α_Ab) for thermally- and chemically-robust inorganic pigments, typically like ZrSiO₄-based pigments, thereby enhancing their coloring performance.

The authors designed a route, surplus alkali-decomposition and subsequently strong-acid dissolution (SAD2) to completely decompose three classic zircon pigments (Pr–ZrSiO₄, Fe₂O₃@ZrSiO₄ and CdS@ZrSiO₄) into clear solutions and preferably used inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) to determine the concentrations of host elements and chromophores, thereby deriving the numeric data and interrelation of α_Re and α_Ab.

Zircon pigments can be thoroughly decomposed into some dissoluble zirconate–silicate resultants by SAD2 at a ratio of the fluxing agent to pigment over 6. ICP-OES is proved more suitable than some other quantification techniques in deriving the compositional concentrations, thereby the values of α_Re and α_Ab, and their transformation coefficient K_RA, which maintains stably within 0.8–0.9 in Fe₂O₃@ZrSiO₄ and CdS@ZrSiO₄ and is slightly reduced to 0.67–0.85 in Pr–ZrSiO₄.

The SAD2 method and encapsulation efficiencies are well applicable for both zircon pigments and the other pigmental or non-pigmental inhomogeneous systems in characterizing their accurate composition.

The authors herein first proposed strict definitions for the relative and absolute encapsulation efficiencies for inorganic pigments, developed a relatively stringent methodology to determine their accurate values and interrelation.

Economists usually try to avoid making moral judgements, at least in their professional capacity. Positive economics is seen as a way of analysing economic problems, in as scientific a manner as is possible in human sciences. Economists are often reluctant to be prescriptive, most seeing their task as presenting information on the various options, but leaving the final choice, to the political decision taker. The view of many economists is that politicians can be held responsible for the morality of their actions when making decisions on economic matters, unlike unelected economic advisors, and therefore the latter should limit their role.

This article uses a Value‐at‐Risk approach to derive an estimator of the failure probability of a financial institution. The proposed approach can be applied to any profit/loss distribution, although Extreme Value (EV) theory also tells us that the most appropriate distributions are EV. The estimator suggested here is superior to the “Z” indicator of failure risk, which is sometimes used in the literature. Illustrative results confirm that the distribution selected makes a considerable difference to the results, and that estimates of failure probabilities based on the assumption of normality are too low to be valid.

The PMI Risk Framework (PRF) is introduced as a guide to classifying and identifying risks which can be the source of post-merger integration (PMI) failure — commonly referred to as “culture clash.” To provide managers with actionably insight, PRF dissects PMI risk into specific relationship-oriented phenomena, critical to outcomes and which should be addressed during PMI. This framework is a conceptual and theory-grounded integration of numerous perspectives, such as organizational psychology, group dynamics, social networks, transformational change, and nonlinear dynamics. These concepts are unified and can be acted upon by integration managers. Literary resources for further exploration into the underlying aspects of the framework are provided. The PRF places emphasis on critical facets of PMI, particularly those which are relational in nature, pose an exceptionally high degree of risk, and are recurrent sources of PMI failure. The chapter delves into relationship-oriented points of failure that managers face when overseeing PMI by introducing a relationship-based, PMI risk framework. Managers are often not fully cognizant of these risks, thus fail to manage them judiciously. These risks do not naturally abide by common scholarly classifications and cross disciplinary boundaries; they do not go unrecognized by scholars, but until the introduction of PRF the risks have not been assimilated into a unifying framework. This chapter presents a model of PMI risk by differentiating and specifying numerous types of underlying human-relationship-oriented risks, rather than considering PMI cultural conflict as a monolithic construct.

Criticizes previous research on price/earnings ratios (PER) for neglecting their historical links with interest rates and analyses the causal links between interest ratres and the PERs of the Toronto Stock Exchange 300 Index (TSE300) and of seven major Canadian industries 1965‐1997. Explains the methodology and identifies three “distinct PER regimes”: 1965‐1974 (average PER 17.17), 1975‐1982 (average PER 8.92) and 1983‐1997 (average PER 17.2 with a higher standard deviation). Looks at the economic conditions for each period and suggests that current PERs “may not be too high”. Finds a negative correlation between PERs and treasury bill rates, differing between industries; and that the bill rate explains 95 per cent of PER variation for the TSE300, although it is not significant for the gold and silver industry. Adds that divided payout ratios and lower investor risk aversion are positively related to PERs, but that growth rate has a more variable influence. Summarizes the findings and their implications for PER forecasters.

Aim of the present monograph is the economic analysis of the role of MNEs regarding globalisation and digital economy and in parallel there is a reference and examination of some legal aspects concerning MNEs, cyberspace and e‐commerce as the means of expression of the digital economy. The whole effort of the author is focused on the examination of various aspects of MNEs and their impact upon globalisation and vice versa and how and if we are moving towards a global digital economy.

We present, in this study, a method for comparing the relative effectiveness of different non-profit institutions with similar objectives. In addition, we show how this measure of relative effectiveness is related theoretically to their relative efficiency. Relative effectiveness is shown to be a product of the efficacy with which potentially utilizable resources can be converted into usable inputs, and the efficiency with which the inputs are converted to outputs or outcomes. Finally, drawing on developments in data envelopment analysis, we illustrate the new methodology using data from 109 institutions of higher education.