Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Race Matters: Whether We Know It, Or Like It, Or Not: Implicit Racial Attitudes And Their Effect On Accounting-Based, Balanced Scorecard Performance Evaluations, David R. Upton, Cecil E. Arrington

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

One of the dominant themes in critical accounting theory over the past two decades has to do with the relation between the construction of human identities and accounting discourse and practices. Though with strong antecedents in Marxist –inspired critique of ideology, genealogical studies (e.g., Miller & O’Leary, 19XX), deconstructive studies (e.g., Shearer & Arrington, 19XX), and critical-rational studies (e.g., Power & Laughlin, 19XX) are examples of different theoretical and methodological ways to probe the constructive force of accounting over human identity and subjectivity. This paper offers a fourth approach grounded in social-cognitive concerns with ways in which implicit attitudes, or …

A Novel Bath Lily-Like Graphene Sheet-Wrapped Nano-Si Composite As A High Performance Anode Material For Li-Ion Batteries, Jun Chen, Jun Yang, Zi-Feng Ma, Pengfei Gao, Yu-Shi He, Xiao Zhen Liao, Xiaowei Yang

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

"A novel bath lily-like graphene sheet-wrapped nano-Si composite synthesized via a simple spray drying process exhibits a high reversible capacity of 1525 mAh g(-1) and superior cycling stability, which could be attributed to a synergistic effect between highly conductive graphene sheets and active nanoparticles in the open nano/micro-structure."

Performance Analysis Of Numerical Integration Methods In The Trajectory Tracking Application Of Redundant Robot Manipulators, Emre Sariyildiz, Hakan Temeltas

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Differential kinematic is one of the most important solution methods in robot kinematics. The main advantage of the differential kinematic method is that it can be easily implemented any kind of mechanisms. Also, an accurate and efficient kinematic based trajectory tracking application can be easily implemented by using this method. In differential kinematic method, we use Jacobian as a mapping operator in the velocity space. Inversion of Jacobian matrix transforms the desired trajectory velocities, which are the linear and angular velocities of the end effector, into the joint velocities. The joint velocities are required to be integrated to obtain the …

Evaluating Mediated Perception Of Narrative Health Messages: The Perception Of Narrative Performance Scale, Jeong Kyu Lee, Michael L. Hecht, Michelle Miller-Day, Elvira Elek

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Narrative media health messages have proven effective in preventing adolescents' substance use but as yet few measures exist to assess perceptions of them. Without such a measure it is difficult to evaluate the role these messages play in health promotion or to differentiate them from other message forms. In response to this need, a study was conducted to evaluate the Perception of Narrative Performance Scale that assesses perceptions of narrative health messages. A sample of 1185 fifth graders in public schools at Phoenix, Arizona completed a questionnaire rating of two videos presenting narrative substance use prevention messages. Confirmatory factor analyses …

Robust And Intelligent Control Methods To Improve The Performance Of A Unified Power Flow Controller, C Benachaiba, Ahmed M. Haidar, M L. Doumbia

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

The important factor disturbing the modern power systems today is load flow control. The Unified Power Flow Controller (UPFC) is an effective way for controlling the power flow and can provide damping capability during transient conditions. The UPFC is controlled conventionally using PI controller. This paper presents two robust controllers to improve the performance of the UPFC. The first is a RST controller based on the principle of pole placement and the second is an intelligent controller based on the principle of fuzzy logic optimized by Genetic Algorithm (GA).

Effects Of 2g And 3g Mobile Phones On Performance And Electrophysiology In Adolescents, Young Adults And Older Adults, Shuk Man Sumie Leung, Rodney Croft, Raymond J. Mckenzie, Steve Iskra, Beata Silber, Nick Cooper, Barry O'Neill, Vanessa Cropley, Arnulfo Diaz-Trujillo, Denise Hamblin, David Simpson

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

No abstract provided.

Disproportional Ownership Structure And Pay–Performance Relationship: Evidence From China's Listed Firms, Jerry Cao, Xiaofei Pan, Gary Tian

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper examines the impact of ownership structure on executive compensation in China's listed firms. We find that the cash flow rights of ultimate controlling shareholders have a positive effect on the pay–performance relationship, while a divergence between control rights and cash flow rights has a significantly negative effect on the pay–performance relationship. We divide our sample based on ultimate controlling shareholders' type into state owned enterprises (SOE), state assets management bureaus (SAMB), and privately controlled firms. We find that in SOE controlled firms cash flow rights have a significant impact on accounting based pay–performance relationship. In privately controlled firms, …

The Performance Wheel And The Small Business Pyramid: The Next Generation Of Performance Scorecards, Carol J. Mcnair, Edmund W. Watts

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

A common shortcoming with respect to performance scorecards within today's businessenvironment is the misconception that one size fits all. This paper considers the historicaldevelopment, as well as the increasing variety and poorly integrated status of one of business management's most important tools - the performance scorecard.This paper traces the development of performance management systems from itshistorical inception to the present examining ways that some approaches do not addressthe specific decision making needs of many enterprises. Performance scorecards aregenerally developed with a specific type of enterprise in mind, but few have integratedthe different emphases of the different approaches.With the focus on …

Disproportional Ownership Structure And Pay-Performance Relationship: Evidence From China's Listed Firms, Jerry Cao, Xiaofei Pan, Gary G. Tian

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper examines the impact of disproportional ownership structure on the pay-performance relationship in China’s listed firms. We find that the cash flow rights of the ultimate controlling shareholder have a positive effect on this relationship while a divergence between the control rights and cash flow rights has a significantly negative effect. By dividing our sample into state owned enterprises (SOE), state assets management bureaus (SAMB), and privately controlled firms, we find that cash flow rights in SOE controlled firms have a significant impact on accounting based pay performance and cash flow rights in privately controlled firms also affect the …

How Does The Separation Of Ownership And Control Affect Corporate Performance: The Impact Of Earnings Management In China, Yuqing Zhu, Gary G. Tian, Shan Zhao

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper examines the impact of disproportional ownership on true firm performance when firm performance is adjusted for the effect of earnings management. Results from regression analysis indicate that the separation between control and cash flow rights of family/or individual-controlled listed firms in China decreases firm performance when firm performance is adjusted for the effect of earnings management than when firm performance is measured as reported performance. The results also show that separation is significantly positively related with true firm performance in firms with low cash flow rights concentration. The main disproportional ownership mechanism, pyramidal structures is also investigated in …

Influence Of Muscle Fitness Test Performance On Metabolic Risk Factors Among Adolescent Girls, Jorge Mota, Susana Vale, Clarice Martins, Anelise Gaya, Carla Moreira, Rute Santos, Jose Ribeiro

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

Background The purpose of this study was to examine the association between muscular fitness (MF), assessed by 2 components of Fitnessgram test battery, the Curl-Up and Push-Ups tests and the metabolic risk score among adolescent girls. Methods A total of 229 girls (aged 12-15 years old) comprised the sample of this study. Anthropometric data (height, body mass, waist circumference) were collected. Body mass index (BMI) was also calculated. Muscular strength was assessed taking into account the tests that comprised the FITNESSGRAM test battery, i.e. the curl-up and the push-up. Participants were then categorized in one of 3 categories according the …

Pre-School Experience And Key Stage 2 Performance In English And Mathematics, Edward Melhuish, Louise Quinn, Kathy Sylva, Pam Sammons, Iram Siraj-Blatchford, Brenda Taggart

Faculty of Social Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This report considers children's educational attainment in English and mathematics at the end of primary school (age 11). Children's educational attainment in English and mathematics was derived from their national Key Stage 2 assessments. The analyses have considered the child's level of Key Stage 2 attainment in terms of the effects of child, family, home environment and preschool experience variables as well as the child's ability at the start of primary school.

The Impact Of Strategy And Maturity On Business Analytics And Firm Performance: A Review And Research Agenda, Graeme Shanks, Rajeev Sharma, Peter Seddon, Peter Reynolds

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Business analytics involves interpreting organizational data to improve decision-making and to optimise business processes. It has the potential to improve firm performance and increase competitive advantage. Although many case studies have been reponed that describe business analytics applications and speculate about how they might contribute to firm performance, there is no clearly articulated and theoretically grounded model in the literature. This paper proposes a theoretical framework jor understanding how and why business analytics technology and capabilities can lead to value-creating actions that lead to improved form performance and competitive advantage. We jocus particularly on how strategy and maturity impact business …

Performance Audit: A Case Of Indian R&D Unit, Parulian Silaen, Shyam S. Bhati

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

The purpose of this paper is to study the outcome of performance audit of anIndian research and development organisation, NIB and explore the utility of performanceaudit tools in determining the causes which lead to the failure of this particular organisation.A set of control tools developed by Silaen and Williams (2009) for the study of Research andDevelopment organisation are applied in this case. The elements of the tools developed bySilaen and Williams (2009) consist of dimensions and value of representation. Fourdimensions of control tools are given as directional, bureaucratic, scientific and financial.Three values of representation are given as external, internal and …

Citrate Synthase Activity Does Not Account For Age-Related Differences In Maximum Aerobic Performance In House Sparrows (Passer Domesticus), William A. Buttemer, C Bech, Mark A. Chappell

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

We measured basal (BMR) and peak metabolic rates (PMR) in juvenile and adult House Sparrows. Juvenile birds had significantly higher BMR, but lower PMR than adult birds, despite having statistically indistinguishable body masses. We then evaluated the relation between PMR and masses of central and peripheral organs and found that pectoral muscle mass best correlated with PMR in both groups, accounting for about 35% of the variation in PMR. Because citrate synthase (CS) has such major importance in affecting the first committed step in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, we characterized CS activity levels In extracted muscles to see if this …

Performance Implication Of Ownership Structure And Ownership Concentration: Evidence From Sri Lankan Firms, Athula S. Manawaduge, Anura De Zoysa, Kathleen M. Rudkin

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Purpose - This paper seeks to examine the impact of ownership concentration and ownership structure on firms’ performance of a sample of public listed companies in Sri Lanka in the premise of an agency theory framework.

Design/methodology/approach - The paper first investigates the nature of ownership structure and concentration and then examines whether there is strong evidence to support the observation that the variations of ownership structure across firms result in systematic variations in firm performance. This hypothesis is tested by assessing the impact of ownership structure and concentration on firm performance measured in terms of accounting profitability and market …

Executive Compensation, Board Characteristics And Firm Performance In China: The Impact Of Compensation Committee, Yuqing Zhu, Gary G. Tian, Shiguang Ma

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

The independent directors of a board can impact CEO payperformancemore effectively if a compensation committeeprovides information and assist them in designing relevantexecutive pay schemes. On the basis of this idea, we developed andtested the hypotheses that Chinese firms with a compensationcommittee have a closer CEO pay link with performance when alarger proportion of independent directors serves on the board. Wefocused primarily on the effect of a compensation committee onCEO pay-performance relation as a consequence of its help for theboard and found that board independence produces a strongerrelationship between executive compensation and firmperformance in Chinese listed firms. This association is more …

Performance Of Body Mass Index In Predicting Diabetes And Hypertension In The Eastern Province Of Saudi Arabia, Ali M. Almajwal, Nadira A. Al-Baghli, Marijka J. Batterham, Peter G. Williams, Khalid A. Al-Turki, Aqeel J. Al-Ghamdi

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: BMI is the most widely used measure to diagnose obesity but its accuracy and usefulness in Saudi subjects is unknown. This study aimed to assess the validity of standard BMI cut-point values in the Saudi population. SUBJECTS/ METHODS: 197,681 adults participated in a cross-sectional study to detect diabetes and hypertension in the Saudi Eastern province in 2004/5, with blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, height and weight measurements taken. Sensitivities, specificities, areas under the curves, predictive values, likelihood ratios, false positive, false negatives and total misclassification ratios were calculated for various BMI values determined from receiver operating characteristic …

Board Composition, Board Activity And Ownership Concentration, The Impact On Firm Performance, Shiguang Ma, Gary Tian

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper provides a parallel investigation on the impact of board composition, board activity and ownership concentration on the performance of listed Chinese firms. We find that independent directors enhance firm performance effectively than other board factors. The frequency of shareholder meetings, rather than board meetings, is positively associated with firm value. Tradable share ownership concentration has a positive and linear relationship with firm value, while state and total share ownership concentration represent U(V) shapes. Importantly, companies with the highest levels of both total share and tradable share ownership concentration have a greater firm values than companies with the highest …

Ranking And Clustering Of The Faculties Of Commerce Research Performance In Australia, Simon Ville, Abbas Valadkhani

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

There is a growing policy focus in Australian higher education on quantitative research performance assessment. However, most of the analysis has addressed aggregate performance at the institutional level, an approach inconsistent with recent policy emphasis on diversity among universities and one that ignores performance variations across disciplines. Using averaged and all available data for 2000-2004, cluster analysis is used to classify Australian Commerce Faculties into groups that exhibit similar research performance, measured by publication, PhD completion and secured competitive research grant funding. We also use factor analysis to generate full-multidimensional rankings within the resulting two or three clusters. It is …

Leadership Styles And Company Performance: The Experience Of Owner-Managers Of Smes, Palli Mulla K A Chandrakumara, Anura De Zoysa, Athula S. Manawaduge

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Leadership styles of owner-managers were explored in the context of a developingcountry in South Asia with a view to examining their impact on financial performanceof SMEs. It was justified that the study has both theoretical and contextualsignificance. Data were collected from 204 companies in Sri Lanka by adopting mixedmethodologies that consisted of both qualitative and qualitative approaches.Descriptive statistics and correlation coefficient were used in the analysis. The findingsrevealed that the existence of three main leadership styles in the sample, namely;entrepreneurial, managerial, and mix of both entrepreneurial and managerialleaderships. The analysis indicated that 60 percent of firms had increased financialperformance, while …

Ceo Pay-Performance And Board Independence: The Impact Of Earnings Management In China, Yuqing Zhu, Gary G. Tian

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper examines the impact of board characteristics and CEO compensation on firm performance when firm performance is adjusted for the effect of earnings management. Results from regression analysis indicates that the CEO pay-performance relation is substantially lower when firm performance is adjusted for the effect of earnings management than when firm performance is measured as reported performance. That is, the positive effect of executive compensation on firm performance disappears when firm performance is measured as adjusted firm performance excluding earnings management in Chinese listed firms, and as a result, we can identify that the evident executive pay-performance relation is …

Improved Performance Of Porphyrin-Based Dye Sensitised Solar Cells By Phosphinic Acid Surface Treatment, K Sunahara, Alessandra Allegrucci, S Mori, Naomi A. Lewcenko, Leone Spiccia, Attila J. Mozer, Lynn Dennany, Pawel W. Wagner, David L. Officer

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Chemical surface treatment of porphyrin-sensitised titania films using bis-(4-methoxyphenyl)phosphinic acid after dye adsorption, results in large improvements in DSSC efficiencies which originate primarily from higher short circuit currents. The result was attributed to a positive shift in the TiO2 quasi-Fermi level with simultaneous retardation of charge recombination. High device performances have been achieved even using simplified electrolyte matrices devoid of the common additives, LiI and t-butylpyridine.

Adoption Of Dynamic Simulation For Energy Performance Rating Tool For Korean Residential Buildings: Edem-Samsung, Saeeta Ghauri, Cameron Johnstone, Jaemin Kim, Georgios Kokogiannakis, Paul Tuohy, Kyung-Hun Woo

Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences - Papers: Part A

Currently, there is a high emphasis on reducing the energy consumption and carbon emissions of buildings worldwide. Korea is facing an emerging issue of energy savings in buildings in perspective of new green economic policy. In this context, various policy measures including the energy efficiency ratings for buildings are being implemented for domestic and non-domestic buildings. In practice, design teams tend to prefer easy to use assessment tools to optimise energy performance and carbon ratings while they are concerned about calculation accuracy and the accurate representation of the dynamics involved associated with the characteristics of Korean residential buildings. This paper …

Managerial Compensation, Ownership Structure And Firm Performance In China's Listed Firms, Xiaofei Pan, Gary G. Tian, Shiguang Ma, Aelee Jun, Qingliang Tang

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

This paper investigates managerial compensation and its relationship with firm performance in China's listed firms. In China, the largest shareholder dominates other shareholders, controls the firm and therefore exercises substantial impacts on manager compensation. After controlling for other firm and industry characteristics, we find that manager remuneration is greater and pay-performance relation is stronger for privately-controlled firms than for state-controlled firms. We also document that state-controlled firms exercise performance-based manager incentive schemes, which is contrary to evidence found in some earlier studies. Our results also indicate that top executives in firms with a foreign ownership are more highly compensated, relative …

The Relationship Between Driving Anxiety And Driving Skill: A Review Of Human Factors And Anxiety-Performance Theories To Clarify Future Research Needs, Joanne Taylor, Frank P. Deane, John Podd

Faculty of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Papers (Archive)

This article examines theory and identifies gaps in research related to the role of driving skills in driving anxiety. Increasingly, investigators have examined the clinical features of driving anxiety and the more severe situation of driving fear and phobia, but the possible involvement of driving skills has been neglected. This is surprising given the potential implications for skills training and remediation in the assessment and treatment of some of those who experience driving anxiety, fear, and phobia. The largest body of relevant research comes from the driving and human factors literature on the relationship between anxiety and driving performance. The …

Social Capital Renewal And The Academic Performance Of International Students In Australia, Frank V. Neri, Simon Ville

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

Many believe that social capital fosters the accumulation of human capital. Yet international university students arrive in their host country generally denuded of social capital and confronted by unfamiliar cultural and educational institutions. This study investigates how, and to what extent, international students renew their social networks, and whether such investments are positively associated with academic performance. We adopt a social capital framework and conduct a survey of international students at a typical Australian university in order to categorise and measure investments in social capital renewal, and test a multivariate model of academic performance that includes social capital variables, amongst …

A Model Of Predictors Of Managers Performance, Peter Hosie, Zeenobiyah N. Hannif

Faculty of Commerce - Papers (Archive)

The 'happy-productive worker' thesis is a commonsense theory that has recently evolved into the 'performing-managers' proposition. This paper summarises the research that was conducted to develop a Partial Model of Managers' Affective Wellbeing, Intrinsic Job Satisfaction and Performance. This lays the groundwork for developing a more comprehensive Model of Predictors of Managers' Performance. This represents a far more complete and sophisticated conceptualisation of the predictors of managers' performance than what is currently available in the literature. Job characteristics, role conflict, role overload, role ambiguity, organisational commitment and extrinsic job satisfaction are introduced as logical extensions to the Partial Model, and …

Enhanced Performance Of Dye Sensitized Solar Cells Utilizing Platinum Electrodeposit Counter Electrodes, Attila J. Mozer, George Tsekouras, Gordon G. Wallace

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

Enhanced performance was observed for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) utilizing counter electrodes based on Pt electrodeposits compared to counter electrodes based on sputtered Pt. Scanning electron microscopy of Pt electrodeposits revealed that the use of an initial cathodic overpotential pulse followed by steady electrodeposition at a mild cathodic potential yielded ∼40nm particles, compared to ∼600nm particles when no such pulse was used. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of electrode materials suggested that Pt electrodeposits would give enhanced performance as DSSC counter electrodes compared to sputtered Pt, and this was confirmed by device testing. EIS characterization of DSSCs under …

Testosterone Effects On Avian Basal Metabolic Rate And Aerobic Performance: Facts And Artefacts, W A. Buttemer, S Warne, C Bech, Lee Astheimer

Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive)

We examined the effects of cage size and testosterone (T) levels on basal and peak metabolic rates (BMR and PMR, respectively) and on pectoral and leg muscle masses of male house sparrows (Passer domesticus). Birds were housed either in small birdcages or in flight aviaries for at least 2 weeks prior to the initial metabolic evaluations. They were then implanted with either empty or T-filled silastic capsules and remeasured 5-6 weeks later. Birds treated with single T implants achieved breeding levels (4-6 ng/mL) and one group given double implants reached 10 ng/mL. There was no effect of T on BMR …