This study examines the factors that affect the performance of foreign acquiring firms in Chinese M&As (mergers and acquisitions) market. Comparing between overseas Sino-Group and Anglo-Group, this study found that...This study examines the factors that affect the performance of foreign acquiring firms in Chinese M&As (mergers and acquisitions) market. Comparing between overseas Sino-Group and Anglo-Group, this study found that familiarity and location were the most important factors influencing performance of M&A transactions in China. It also found that unrelated M&A deals should be merged with familiarity for gaining positive acquisition performance. The total sample used in this study was 3,442 cases from October 1980 to March 2005. Because this period included all deals of M&As after the opening of Chinese market in China. The authors' finding provided a more universal explanation in the cross-border M&As in China.展开更多
Purpose: To summarize the approach-avoidance achievement goal and performance in the sport psychology literature.Methods: A total of 17 published studies, two of which provided two samples, were located. Accepted me...Purpose: To summarize the approach-avoidance achievement goal and performance in the sport psychology literature.Methods: A total of 17 published studies, two of which provided two samples, were located. Accepted meta-analytic procedures were used with Hedges g as the effect size metric. From the 17 studies, 73 effect sizes were calculated.Results: Results based on a random effects model indicated that the performance goal contrast had the largest facilitative impact on performance followed by the mastery and performance approach goals. Both of the avoidance goals performance and mastery had small non-significant and detrimental effects on performance. The homogeneity statistics revealed significant heterogeneity for the approach and avoidance performance goals. Categorical moderator variables were examined for study sex composition(male, female, or mixed), mean age of sample(〈18 years or 18 years), study setting(lab or naturalistic), and nature of performance variable(objective or subjective).Conclusion: The performance goal contrast holds value for sport performance research. Contrary to approach-avoidance predictions, the mastery-approach goal and performance effect size was significant and of equal magnitude as the performance approach goal and performance effect size. Thus, future research should closely test the efficacy of both the mastery- and performance contrasts in impacting performance of sport tasks. Last, the significant effect sizes reported in this review are in stark contrast to contemporary meta-analytic findings in education.Differences in the approach-avoidance goals in sport and education relative to performance should be researched further.展开更多
To solve the fundamental problem of insufficient heat available during defrosting while ensuring the efficient and safe system operation for air-source heat pumps (ASHPs). A novel reverse-cycle defrosting (NRCD) metho...To solve the fundamental problem of insufficient heat available during defrosting while ensuring the efficient and safe system operation for air-source heat pumps (ASHPs). A novel reverse-cycle defrosting (NRCD) method based on thermal energy storage to eliminate frost off the outdoor coil surface was developed. Comparative experiments using both the stand reverse cycle defrosting (SRCD) method and the NRCD method were carried out on an experimental ASHP unit with a nominal 2.5 kW heating capacity. The results indicate that during defrosting operation, using the NRCD method improves discharge and suction pressures by 0.24 MPa and 0.19 MPa, respectively, shortens defrosting duration by 60%, and reduces the defrosting energy consumption by 48.1% in the experimental environment, compared with those by the use of SRCD method. Therefore, using the NRCD method can shorten the defrosting duration, improve the indoor thermal comfort, and reduce the defrosting energy consumption in defrosting.展开更多
A novel data acquisition system was successfully integrated on-board the Massey Ferguson 3,000 series agricultural tractors for measuring tractor-implement performance. A commercial load cell was incorporated into the...A novel data acquisition system was successfully integrated on-board the Massey Ferguson 3,000 series agricultural tractors for measuring tractor-implement performance. A commercial load cell was incorporated into the existing system for the needed tractor-implement performance, measurements. This system is capable of measuring, displaying and recording, in real-time, the tractor's theoretical travel speed, the actual travel speed, the engine speed, the fuel consumption rate, and the drawbar pull. Static calibration tests on various associated sensors for the required measurements show excellent linearity with correlation coefficients that are close to 1. The developed system was extensively and successfully field demonstrated for tractor-implement performance with offset disc harrows on dry, undisturbed loamy soils. Under these conditions, a ratio of tractor power to implement width is suggested. The data also show the existence of a linear relationship between fuel consumption per hectare and specific draught, for the 4 to 9 kN m^-1 range, which suggests the possibility of extending the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers model of draught prediction to forecast fuel consumption. The configuration of the tractor-harrow combination, based on the measurement of the draught required under operational conditions, provides the manufacturers with a reliable indication of the recommended power required for each harrow model. With this type of information farmers can make decisions regarding selection of a suitable tractor-implement combination for their farms. As a consequence, there is improved tractor-harrow productivity and field efficiency.展开更多
Drainage layers provide permanent relief of hydrostatic water pressure, while the waterproof liner prevents any ingress of water into the tunnel. The durability and aging resistance of drainage membranes are of primar...Drainage layers provide permanent relief of hydrostatic water pressure, while the waterproof liner prevents any ingress of water into the tunnel. The durability and aging resistance of drainage membranes are of primary concern. This paper describes advantages and concerns related to the usage of, and the design with, polymeric drainboards in tunnel construction. Common degradation mechanisms associated with HDPE (high density polyethylene) sheets are described. The stringent requirements for the Gotthard Alpine Railway Tunnel through the Swiss Alps, e.g., high ambient temperatures of up to 45 ℃ and an expected service life of up to 100 years require outstanding aging resistance of polymeric drainage materials. The paper describes the methods deployed to investigate the long-term performance of HDPE drainboards, focusing on aging mechanisms. Details associated with the test procedures developed to reflect the specific properties of drainboards, as well as the results obtained, are presented. A summary table shows recommended product specifications needed to confine the aging properties of drainboards and to design a system performing adequately during the entire lifetime of the structure.展开更多
In this paper,we proposed a framework for evaluating the performance of ecosystem strategies prepared for enhancing vulnerability reduction in the face of hazards due to climate change.The framework highlights the pos...In this paper,we proposed a framework for evaluating the performance of ecosystem strategies prepared for enhancing vulnerability reduction in the face of hazards due to climate change.The framework highlights the positive effects of human activities in the coupled human and natural system(CHANS) by introducing adaptive capacity as an evaluation criterion.A built-in regional vulnerability to a certain hazard was generated based upon interaction of three dimensions of vulnerability:exposure,sensitivity and adaptive capacity.We illustrated the application of this framework in the temperate farming-grazing transitional zone in the middle Inner Mongolia of the northern China,where drought hazard is the key threat to the CHANS.Specific indices were produced to translate such climate variance and social-economic differences into specific indicators.The results showed that the most exposed regions are the inner land areas,while counties located in the eastern part are potentially the most adaptive ones.Ordos City and Bayannur City are most frequently influenced by multiple climate variances,showing highest sensitivity.Analysis also indicated that differences in the ability to adapt to changes are the main causes of spatial differences.After depiction of the spatial differentiations and analysis of the reasons,climate zones were divided to depict the differences in facing to the drought threats.The climate zones were shown to be similar to vulnerability zones based on the quantitative structure of indexes drafted by a triangular map.Further analysis of the composition of the vulnerability index showed that the evaluation criteria were effective in validating the spatial differentiation but potentially ineffective because of their limited time scope.This research will be a demonstration of how to combine the three dimensions by quantitative methods and will thus provide a guide for government to vulnerability reduction management.展开更多
In the last years, there has been a big development of European policies and regulations on energy saving topics. This is due to the will to reach the targets of 20-20-20. Buildings consume a lot of energy, so the leg...In the last years, there has been a big development of European policies and regulations on energy saving topics. This is due to the will to reach the targets of 20-20-20. Buildings consume a lot of energy, so the legal framework related to the reduction of energy consumption in this sector has had a huge evolution. The "NZEB (nearly zero energy building)" concept was introduced in 2010, eight years after the release of the original EPBD (energy performance of buildings directive). By 2020, all new buildings and buildings that are subject to renovation should have very low energy consumption, covered for the major part by renewable sources. Designing and realizing this kind of building is a very ambitious task, which needs to be supported by appropriate tools and software. This paper presents a new tool for assessing building performance, named BENIMPACT Suite (building's environmental impact evaluator and optimizer), which is developed by EnginSoft (Italy). The suite is organized in different core modules that allow to verify how the building performance level is influenced by different design choices, such as envelope shape and materials, plant systems, renewable sources use, etc.. One of the test cases used to validate the BENIMPACT Suite energy performance is the evaluation of an interesting Italian ZEB, finished in 2010 and called CasaZeroEnergy. It is located in Felettano (Udine), a small town in northeastern Italy. This building is an experimental house designed and monitored by the Laboratory of Building Design of the University of Trento (Italy) and built by Polo Le Ville Plus Group (Cassacco-ltaly). The energy performance of this building was modelled and evaluated using BENIMPACT Suite, and simulation results were compared with monitored data.展开更多
Mueller said: "The environment has reflection on accounting; different cultural, economic, legal and political backgrounds produce different accounting systems." It's no exception with government accounting. Since...Mueller said: "The environment has reflection on accounting; different cultural, economic, legal and political backgrounds produce different accounting systems." It's no exception with government accounting. Since 1998, China's current budget accounting system has been acting as government accounting. Basically, it fulfilled the needs of relevant government accounting. The government accounting integrated with budget accounting. As time passes by, the current budget accounting can not meet the deepening globalization of the market economy nor the developing economic and political environment in terms of the definition of objectives, choices of basic accounting, offering of accounting information. In recent years, public finance reform, transformation of government functions, the public consciousness and other factors call for higher needs for the new government accounting. The current budget fails to provide enough government accounting information that the public need. In 2011, China started a pilot of performance management and performance budgeting in the country. The efficient use of public funds, the profits, and the effectiveness of public information draw more users' attention. It becomes more important for the govemrnent accounting larovidin~ information of performance evaluation.展开更多
There are two opposing views over the necessity of privatization for SOEs. While some believe that privatization is the only solution to SOE inefficiency, others contend that privatization will lead to serious loss of...There are two opposing views over the necessity of privatization for SOEs. While some believe that privatization is the only solution to SOE inefficiency, others contend that privatization will lead to serious loss of state assets without resolving the problem. This paper examined how performance evaluation system contributed to the innovation and profitability of central SOEs after the implementation of the revised Interim Measures for Assessment of the Operational Performance of Persons in Charge of Central Enterprises in 2009. Using this revision as a natural experiment, this paper conducted a difference-indifference analysis and discovered a significant improvement in the innovation of central SOEs after the implementation of the new policy as compared with private firms not affected by this system. Moreover, the revised performance evaluation system significantly improved the marginal contribution of innovation to corporate value. The above test result indicates that SOEs may become more efficient solely by altering executive incentives without privatization. In this sense, privatization may not be the only solution to SOE inefficiency. This paper offers theoretical insights on the controversies regarding SOE privatization and helps enrich relevant literature on corporate incentives and innovation.展开更多
Accurate performance prediction of Grid workflow activities can help Grid schedulers map activitiesto appropriate Grid sites.This paper describes an approach based on features-ranked RBF neural networkto predict the p...Accurate performance prediction of Grid workflow activities can help Grid schedulers map activitiesto appropriate Grid sites.This paper describes an approach based on features-ranked RBF neural networkto predict the performance of Grid workflow activities.Experimental results for two kinds of real worldGrid workflow activities are presented to show effectiveness of our approach.展开更多
文摘This study examines the factors that affect the performance of foreign acquiring firms in Chinese M&As (mergers and acquisitions) market. Comparing between overseas Sino-Group and Anglo-Group, this study found that familiarity and location were the most important factors influencing performance of M&A transactions in China. It also found that unrelated M&A deals should be merged with familiarity for gaining positive acquisition performance. The total sample used in this study was 3,442 cases from October 1980 to March 2005. Because this period included all deals of M&As after the opening of Chinese market in China. The authors' finding provided a more universal explanation in the cross-border M&As in China.
文摘Purpose: To summarize the approach-avoidance achievement goal and performance in the sport psychology literature.Methods: A total of 17 published studies, two of which provided two samples, were located. Accepted meta-analytic procedures were used with Hedges g as the effect size metric. From the 17 studies, 73 effect sizes were calculated.Results: Results based on a random effects model indicated that the performance goal contrast had the largest facilitative impact on performance followed by the mastery and performance approach goals. Both of the avoidance goals performance and mastery had small non-significant and detrimental effects on performance. The homogeneity statistics revealed significant heterogeneity for the approach and avoidance performance goals. Categorical moderator variables were examined for study sex composition(male, female, or mixed), mean age of sample(〈18 years or 18 years), study setting(lab or naturalistic), and nature of performance variable(objective or subjective).Conclusion: The performance goal contrast holds value for sport performance research. Contrary to approach-avoidance predictions, the mastery-approach goal and performance effect size was significant and of equal magnitude as the performance approach goal and performance effect size. Thus, future research should closely test the efficacy of both the mastery- and performance contrasts in impacting performance of sport tasks. Last, the significant effect sizes reported in this review are in stark contrast to contemporary meta-analytic findings in education.Differences in the approach-avoidance goals in sport and education relative to performance should be researched further.
基金Project(50606007) supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China
文摘To solve the fundamental problem of insufficient heat available during defrosting while ensuring the efficient and safe system operation for air-source heat pumps (ASHPs). A novel reverse-cycle defrosting (NRCD) method based on thermal energy storage to eliminate frost off the outdoor coil surface was developed. Comparative experiments using both the stand reverse cycle defrosting (SRCD) method and the NRCD method were carried out on an experimental ASHP unit with a nominal 2.5 kW heating capacity. The results indicate that during defrosting operation, using the NRCD method improves discharge and suction pressures by 0.24 MPa and 0.19 MPa, respectively, shortens defrosting duration by 60%, and reduces the defrosting energy consumption by 48.1% in the experimental environment, compared with those by the use of SRCD method. Therefore, using the NRCD method can shorten the defrosting duration, improve the indoor thermal comfort, and reduce the defrosting energy consumption in defrosting.
文摘A novel data acquisition system was successfully integrated on-board the Massey Ferguson 3,000 series agricultural tractors for measuring tractor-implement performance. A commercial load cell was incorporated into the existing system for the needed tractor-implement performance, measurements. This system is capable of measuring, displaying and recording, in real-time, the tractor's theoretical travel speed, the actual travel speed, the engine speed, the fuel consumption rate, and the drawbar pull. Static calibration tests on various associated sensors for the required measurements show excellent linearity with correlation coefficients that are close to 1. The developed system was extensively and successfully field demonstrated for tractor-implement performance with offset disc harrows on dry, undisturbed loamy soils. Under these conditions, a ratio of tractor power to implement width is suggested. The data also show the existence of a linear relationship between fuel consumption per hectare and specific draught, for the 4 to 9 kN m^-1 range, which suggests the possibility of extending the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers model of draught prediction to forecast fuel consumption. The configuration of the tractor-harrow combination, based on the measurement of the draught required under operational conditions, provides the manufacturers with a reliable indication of the recommended power required for each harrow model. With this type of information farmers can make decisions regarding selection of a suitable tractor-implement combination for their farms. As a consequence, there is improved tractor-harrow productivity and field efficiency.
文摘Drainage layers provide permanent relief of hydrostatic water pressure, while the waterproof liner prevents any ingress of water into the tunnel. The durability and aging resistance of drainage membranes are of primary concern. This paper describes advantages and concerns related to the usage of, and the design with, polymeric drainboards in tunnel construction. Common degradation mechanisms associated with HDPE (high density polyethylene) sheets are described. The stringent requirements for the Gotthard Alpine Railway Tunnel through the Swiss Alps, e.g., high ambient temperatures of up to 45 ℃ and an expected service life of up to 100 years require outstanding aging resistance of polymeric drainage materials. The paper describes the methods deployed to investigate the long-term performance of HDPE drainboards, focusing on aging mechanisms. Details associated with the test procedures developed to reflect the specific properties of drainboards, as well as the results obtained, are presented. A summary table shows recommended product specifications needed to confine the aging properties of drainboards and to design a system performing adequately during the entire lifetime of the structure.
基金Under the auspices of Public Welfare Scientific Research Project of Chinese Ministry of Land and Resource (No. 200911015-2)
文摘In this paper,we proposed a framework for evaluating the performance of ecosystem strategies prepared for enhancing vulnerability reduction in the face of hazards due to climate change.The framework highlights the positive effects of human activities in the coupled human and natural system(CHANS) by introducing adaptive capacity as an evaluation criterion.A built-in regional vulnerability to a certain hazard was generated based upon interaction of three dimensions of vulnerability:exposure,sensitivity and adaptive capacity.We illustrated the application of this framework in the temperate farming-grazing transitional zone in the middle Inner Mongolia of the northern China,where drought hazard is the key threat to the CHANS.Specific indices were produced to translate such climate variance and social-economic differences into specific indicators.The results showed that the most exposed regions are the inner land areas,while counties located in the eastern part are potentially the most adaptive ones.Ordos City and Bayannur City are most frequently influenced by multiple climate variances,showing highest sensitivity.Analysis also indicated that differences in the ability to adapt to changes are the main causes of spatial differences.After depiction of the spatial differentiations and analysis of the reasons,climate zones were divided to depict the differences in facing to the drought threats.The climate zones were shown to be similar to vulnerability zones based on the quantitative structure of indexes drafted by a triangular map.Further analysis of the composition of the vulnerability index showed that the evaluation criteria were effective in validating the spatial differentiation but potentially ineffective because of their limited time scope.This research will be a demonstration of how to combine the three dimensions by quantitative methods and will thus provide a guide for government to vulnerability reduction management.
文摘In the last years, there has been a big development of European policies and regulations on energy saving topics. This is due to the will to reach the targets of 20-20-20. Buildings consume a lot of energy, so the legal framework related to the reduction of energy consumption in this sector has had a huge evolution. The "NZEB (nearly zero energy building)" concept was introduced in 2010, eight years after the release of the original EPBD (energy performance of buildings directive). By 2020, all new buildings and buildings that are subject to renovation should have very low energy consumption, covered for the major part by renewable sources. Designing and realizing this kind of building is a very ambitious task, which needs to be supported by appropriate tools and software. This paper presents a new tool for assessing building performance, named BENIMPACT Suite (building's environmental impact evaluator and optimizer), which is developed by EnginSoft (Italy). The suite is organized in different core modules that allow to verify how the building performance level is influenced by different design choices, such as envelope shape and materials, plant systems, renewable sources use, etc.. One of the test cases used to validate the BENIMPACT Suite energy performance is the evaluation of an interesting Italian ZEB, finished in 2010 and called CasaZeroEnergy. It is located in Felettano (Udine), a small town in northeastern Italy. This building is an experimental house designed and monitored by the Laboratory of Building Design of the University of Trento (Italy) and built by Polo Le Ville Plus Group (Cassacco-ltaly). The energy performance of this building was modelled and evaluated using BENIMPACT Suite, and simulation results were compared with monitored data.
文摘Mueller said: "The environment has reflection on accounting; different cultural, economic, legal and political backgrounds produce different accounting systems." It's no exception with government accounting. Since 1998, China's current budget accounting system has been acting as government accounting. Basically, it fulfilled the needs of relevant government accounting. The government accounting integrated with budget accounting. As time passes by, the current budget accounting can not meet the deepening globalization of the market economy nor the developing economic and political environment in terms of the definition of objectives, choices of basic accounting, offering of accounting information. In recent years, public finance reform, transformation of government functions, the public consciousness and other factors call for higher needs for the new government accounting. The current budget fails to provide enough government accounting information that the public need. In 2011, China started a pilot of performance management and performance budgeting in the country. The efficient use of public funds, the profits, and the effectiveness of public information draw more users' attention. It becomes more important for the govemrnent accounting larovidin~ information of performance evaluation.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.:71172205,71372126,71502161,71572133 and 71672134)the Humanities and Social Science Project of the Ministry of Education(Grant No.:15YJA630057)
文摘There are two opposing views over the necessity of privatization for SOEs. While some believe that privatization is the only solution to SOE inefficiency, others contend that privatization will lead to serious loss of state assets without resolving the problem. This paper examined how performance evaluation system contributed to the innovation and profitability of central SOEs after the implementation of the revised Interim Measures for Assessment of the Operational Performance of Persons in Charge of Central Enterprises in 2009. Using this revision as a natural experiment, this paper conducted a difference-indifference analysis and discovered a significant improvement in the innovation of central SOEs after the implementation of the new policy as compared with private firms not affected by this system. Moreover, the revised performance evaluation system significantly improved the marginal contribution of innovation to corporate value. The above test result indicates that SOEs may become more efficient solely by altering executive incentives without privatization. In this sense, privatization may not be the only solution to SOE inefficiency. This paper offers theoretical insights on the controversies regarding SOE privatization and helps enrich relevant literature on corporate incentives and innovation.
基金Supported by the European Union through the IST-034601 edutain@grid project
文摘Accurate performance prediction of Grid workflow activities can help Grid schedulers map activitiesto appropriate Grid sites.This paper describes an approach based on features-ranked RBF neural networkto predict the performance of Grid workflow activities.Experimental results for two kinds of real worldGrid workflow activities are presented to show effectiveness of our approach.