The use of graphs in Malaysian companies’ corporate reports: A longitudinal study

The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature and extent of voluntary disclosure of graphical information in the annual reports of 54 non-financial public listed companies in Malaysia using a longitudinal approach.The results show that the disclosure of graphical information in Malaysian companies’ annual reports has increased at an ‘average level’ over the thirty-year period. The majority of Malaysian companies prefer to use the bar graphs and the most frequently graphed variables are profit, turnover, earnings per share, and shareholders’ fund.The implications of this study are that: a) companies should be aware of the usefulness and advantages of providing graphical information for the benefit of various user groups; b) it may timely for the accounting regulatory bodies to propose a minimum/adequate level of graphical information using selected items of high importance to users of annual reports; and to formulate suitable guidelines in order to standardise the presentation of graphical information in annual reports of companies

Hybrid social force-fuzzy logic evacuation simulation model for multiple exits

One of the most important aspect of evacuation management system, when it comes to organizing a safer large- scale gathering is crowd dynamics. Utilizing evacuation simulation of crowd dynamics during egress, for planning efficient crowd control can minimize crowd disaster to a great extent. Most of the previous studies on evacuation models have been done over a discrete space which have neglected the uncertainty aspect of an agent’s decision making, especially when it comes to panic situations. This study proposes a model for evacuation simulation under uncertainty conditions in a continuous space via computer simulations. It will focus on developing an intelligent simulation model utilizing one of the artificial intelligence techniques which is fuzzy logic. Social Force Model will be taken as the base for basic agent motion. Membership functions such as distance from the exit, familiarity and visibility of the exit, density of crowd around the exit are incorporated in the fuzzy logic system to model the system. From our findings, it can be deduced that factors such as density, distance, and familiarity all considerably affect the time of evacuation of agents from the threat place. Indeed, uncertainty aspect influences agents’ decision making, thus affecting the result of evacuation time

Game Theoretic Spatial Evacuation Simulation Models To Predict Crowd Disaster

Crowd dynamics play an important role in evacuation management systems relevant to organizing safer large scale gatherings. Planning crowd control tasks via evacuation simulation of the movement and behaviours of crowd during egress could mitigate the possibility of crowd disasters that may happen. Previous studies on evacuation models do not describe the uncertainly faced by the agents in in making decisions when conflicts among agent occur. Beside, most of the studies have proposed evacuation models over a discrete space and have assumed that the agent's cost function that describe how the agents view the importance of evacuation scenario to be constant

Multibody Dynamics Models of Railway Vehicle Using Adams/Rail

This research is focusing on multibody dynamics modeling data and parameter comparison. The comfort and stability of railway vehicle suspension can be measured by using Ride Index Machine and other sensors. Complete model of EMU82 from KTMB is adapted to multibody software, ADAMS/Rail. With ADAMS/Rail, the behavior and characteristic of each suspension element can be determined. The accuracy of the simulation model is verified by comparing the result of body roll angle in Adams/Rail and the actual test. As for the experiment, certain test track will be chosen and simulated in ADAMS/Rail. The selection of track is based on the design and curvature characteristic. In experiment, data of roll angle and lateral acceleration are necessary. For that purpose selected sensors such as tri-axis accelerometer and gyro will be used. The running performance of the KTMB EMU82 suspension will be gathered from the simulation

Measuring the voluntary disclosure of graphical information in annual reports using a new disclosure index

The use of graphs in disclosing financial information in corporate annual reports represents a significant dimension of management’s disclosure strategy.This study extends previous research into financial graphs by documenting the nature and extent of graphs use among the 2003 corporate annual reports of the top 50 and bottom 50 listed Malaysian companies ranked by net profit before tax.A disclosure index known as Graphical Information Disclosure Index (GIDI) is developed to measure the level of graphical disclosure.Additionally, the research examines whether companies with ‘good’ and ‘poor’ performance disclose graphs differently; and whether the voluntary disclosure of graphical information can be explained by signalling theory.Drawing on signalling theory, six hypotheses are developed and tested.Sixty-four per cent of companies use graphs; the mean number is 5.3, with plantation companies using the most graphs.The most commonly graphed financial variables are sales, profit, EPS and shareholders’ fund. Evidence is found that graph use is contingent upon favourable performance.Using a wider industry classification, this study also finds a significant difference in the level of disclosure by different industry sectors.Comparison with prior single-country studies reveals that graphs are used less extensively in Malaysia than in the U.S.A., Canada, U.K. and Australia; but more extensively than Hong Kong.The implications of these findings are considered and areas of further research discussed

Robust logistic regression to static geometric representation of ratios

Problem statement: Some methodological problems concerning financial ratios such as non-proportionality, non-asymetricity, non-salacity were solved in this study and we presented a complementary technique for empirical analysis of financial ratios and bankruptcy risk. This new method would be a general methodological guideline associated with financial data and bankruptcy risk. Approach: We proposed the use of a new measure of risk, the Share Risk (SR) measure. We provided evidence of the extent to which changes in values of this index are associated with changes in each axis values and how this may alter our economic interpretation of changes in the patterns and directions. Our simple methodology provided a geometric illustration of the new proposed risk measure and transformation behavior. This study also employed Robust logit method, which extends the logit model by considering outlier. Results: Results showed new SR method obtained better numerical results in compare to common ratios approach. With respect to accuracy results, Logistic and Robust Logistic Regression Analysis illustrated that this new transformation (SR) produced more accurate prediction statistically and can be used as an alternative for common ratios. Additionally, robust logit model outperforms logit model in both approaches and was substantially superior to the logit method in predictions to assess sample forecast performances and regressions. Conclusion/Recommendations: This study presented a new perspective on the study of firm financial statement and bankruptcy. In this study, a new dimension to risk measurement and data representation with the advent of the Share Risk method (SR) was proposed. With respect to forecast results, robust loigt method was substantially superior to the logit method. It was strongly suggested the use of SR methodology for ratio analysis, which provided a conceptual and complimentary methodological solution to many problems associated with the use of ratios. Respectively, robust logit regression can be employed as a tool of regression in providing regression for studies associated with financial data

Corporate governance in Malaysian tourism small and medium-sized enterprises: review of research issues

Background: Tourism small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) currently emerge as one of the world’s major enterprises with significant changes in its structure and operation. As for Malaysia, the continuous efforts to stimulate the tourism industry by the Malaysian government have created a positive effect on the business activities of SMEs.However, many studies emphasize the problems in managing SMEs in terms of corporate governance for instance lack of awareness on corporate governance structure, lack of awareness on corporate governance operation, size of the board, lack of industry expertise and strategic vision. Objective: This paper presents a general review of the research issues regarding the matter as the first step to enhance further research. Results: The review from related articles indicated that there are three major research issues on corporate governance in SMEs which can also be discussed in the tourism industry.These issues were identified as the roles of corporate governance, the challenges of corporate governance and the significance of corporate governance to SMEs. Conclusion: These three issues should be given serious attention by scholars in determining specific area to be investigated within the context of tourism SMEs.Further, the issues also contribute in terms of practicing corporate governance toward managing tourism SMEs effectively

A new dynamic geometric approach for empirical analysis of financial ratios and bankruptcy.

This paper presents a complementary technique for the empirical analysis of nancial ratios and bankruptcy risk using nancial ratios. Within this new framework, we propose the use of a new measure of risk, the Dynamic Risk Space (DRS) measure. We provide evidence of the extent to which changes in values for this index are associated with changes in each axis's values and how this may alter our economic interpretation of changes in patterns and directions. In addition, this model tends to be generally useful for predicting nancial distress and bankruptcy. This method would be a general methodological guideline associated with nancial data, solving some methodological problems concerning nancial ratios such as non-proportionality, nonasymmetry and non-scaled. To test the procedure, Multiple Discriminant Analysis (MDA), Logistic Analysis (LA) and Genetic Programming (GP) are employed to compare results by common and modied ratios for bankruptcy prediction. Classication methods outperformed using the DRS approach

Kriteria pemilihan Lembaga Tabung Haji sebagai institusi kewangan dan perbankan: Perspektif pelanggan & ekonomi Islam

Hasrat Malaysia untuk muncul sebagai pusat perkhidmatan kewangan Islam bagi Asia Tenggara akan tercapai sekiranya setiap komponen yang terlibat terutamanya institusi institusi kewangan dan perbankan memainkan peranan mereka dengan berkesan dan memberikan komitmen yang tinggi. Lembaga Tabung Haji yang juga merupakan salah satu komponen institusi kewangan dan perbankan juga perlu menunjukkan prestasi yang baik dan berkesan. Oleh itu, satu penyelidikan mengenai Lembaga Tabung Haji telah dibuat dengan tujuan utamanya adalah untuk mengenalpasti kriteria-kriteria yang mempengaruhi pelanggan dalam memilih Lembaga Tabung Haji sebagai institusi kewangan dan perbankan mereka. Penyelidikan ini juga telah dibuat dengan mengambilkira keputusan-keputusan dan pandangan serta pendapat penyelidik-penyelidik yang terdahulu dan dapat dirumuskan bahawa hasil penyelidikan oleh penyelidik-penyelidik terdahulu telah menunjukkan bahawa terdapat 13 kriteria yang mempengaruhi pemilihan pelanggan terhadap sesebuah bank. Penyelidikan ini melibatkan kajian ke atas 16 orang responden yang terdiri daripada kakitangan Lembaga Tabung Haji itu sendiri dan pelanggan-pelanggan yang dipilih secara rawak di mana data-data yang diperolehi melalui temuduga tertumpu. Keputusan analisa data-data tersebut telah dapat mengenalpasti kriteria yang mempengaruhi pelanggan dalam membuat keputusa memilih Lembaga tabung Haji sebagai institusi kewangan dan perbankan mereka. Kajian ini juga telah mengenalpasti kelemahan-kelemahan yang perlu diberi perhatian, oleh Lembaga Tabung haji untuk muncul sebagai sebuah institusi kewangan dan perbankan Islam yang utama berapa cadangan telah dikemukakan untuk memperbaiki kelemahan-kelemahan tersebut. Cadangan-cadangan tersebut dikelaskan kepada dua iaitu dalam aspek polisi dan pengurusan

Strength parameters of some brittle dental materials: Weibull statistics

PhD ThesisThere are many factors affecting the mechanical strength of a material. The effects of specimen size and strain rate (crosshead speed of testing) on the compressive, diametral tensile and flexural strengths some of the brittle dental materials are the main factors investigated in this study. The study was composed of two parts. The first part was to study the effect of specimen size and strain rate (crosshead speed of testing) on the compressive, diametral tensile and flexural strengths of a material tested. Weibull and Normal statistics were used to analyse the data. The analysis showed that specimen size and strain rate (crosshead speed of testing) affect the strength of a brittle materials. The optimum specimen size and crosshead speed of testing were determined for the compressive, diametral tensile and flexural tests. These specimen size and crosshead speed of testing are the 'test parameters'. The analysis also showed that the Weibull statistics was more adaptable method used in assessing the strength of a brittle materials. Therefore the value of Weibull modulus, characteristic strength and a stress at an arbitrary failure probability of 0.01 percent are the 'strength parameters' concluded from the analysis. In addition the relationship between Weibull modulus and deviation coefficient(%) and the relationship between deviation coefficient(%), mean strength and characteristic strength were established from the results of this investigation. A good correlation coefficient were obtained for these relationships. In the second parts of the study, 'strength parameters' some of brittle dental materials were determined by using the I test parameters If ound in the first -part' of the study. In addition the relationships found -in''the 'first part of the study were used, as -a model to estimate the 'strength parameter', from a-mean strength and and standard deviation of a small sample (a sample of 5 specimens). The results of this study showed --that a stress' at an arbitrary failure probability of 0.01 percent for' the small sample was not significantly varied from the stress at the same arbitrary failure probability of the large sample size