Traveling Wave Solutions of a Reaction-Diffusion Equation with State-Dependent Delay

This paper is concerned with the traveling wave solutions of a reaction-diffusion equation with state-dependent delay. When the birth function is monotone, the existence and nonexistence of monotone traveling wave solutions are established. When the birth function is not monotone, the minimal wave speed of nontrivial traveling wave solutions is obtained. The results are proved by the construction of upper and lower solutions and application of the fixed point theorem

On the α\alpha-spectral radius of hypergraphs

For real $\alpha\in [0,1)$ and a hypergraph $G$, the $\alpha$-spectral radius of $G$ is the largest eigenvalue of the matrix $A_{\alpha}(G)=\alpha D(G)+(1-\alpha)A(G)$, where $A(G)$ is the adjacency matrix of $G$, which is a symmetric matrix with zero diagonal such that for distinct vertices $u,v$ of $G$, the $(u,v)$-entry of $A(G)$ is exactly the number of edges containing both $u$ and $v$, and $D(G)$ is the diagonal matrix of row sums of $A(G)$. We study the $\alpha$-spectral radius of a hypergraph that is uniform or not necessarily uniform. We propose some local grafting operations that increase or decrease the $\alpha$-spectral radius of a hypergraph. We determine the unique hypergraphs with maximum $\alpha$-spectral radius among $k$-uniform hypertrees, among $k$-uniform unicyclic hypergraphs, and among $k$-uniform hypergraphs with fixed number of pendant edges. We also determine the unique hypertrees with maximum $\alpha$-spectral radius among hypertrees with given number of vertices and edges, the unique hypertrees with the first three largest (two smallest, respectively) $\alpha$-spectral radii among hypertrees with given number of vertices, the unique hypertrees with minimum $\alpha$-spectral radius among the hypertrees that are not $2$-uniform, the unique hypergraphs with the first two largest (smallest, respectively) $\alpha$-spectral radii among unicyclic hypergraphs with given number of vertices, and the unique hypergraphs with maximum $\alpha$-spectral radius among hypergraphs with fixed number of pendant edges

The Power of Unrequited Love: The Parasocial Relationship, Trust, and Organizational Identification Between Middle-Level Managers and CEOs

Previous studies have found that CEOs manage their firms through traditional methods such as leadership and management practices. In this study, we investigate how the parasocial relationship (PSR) between middle-level managers and CEOs affects the organizational trust and the organizational identification (OI) of middle managers. We find that the PSR between middle managers and CEOs has a positive effect on the OI of middle managers, which is mediated by the organizational trust of middle managers. Purpose: Middle managers and CEOs are the key components of a firm and are crucial to firm strategies and control systems. Middle managers play a vital role in information transmission like in the organizational hierarchy while CEOs influence low-level employees through middle managers. In this study, we investigate how the PSR between middle managers and CEOs affects organizational trust and OI. Design/Methodology: In this study, the data concerning OI, integrity perception, and organizational trust are derived from a survey conducted by the internal control research group of the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC). The research group began the survey on September 5, 2014, for the firms listed in the A-share market, accounting firms with securities and future practice qualifications, and institutional investors through the accounting department of the CSRC, the Shanghai Stock Exchange, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, and the Asset Management Association of China. The research group members surveyed 2,536 A-share firms listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Shenzhen Stock Exchange. As of October 31, 2014, 2,154 sets of questionnaires with a total of 12,551 questionnaires were received, with a response rate of 84.95%. The financial and accounting data are from the China Stock Market and Accounting Research (CSMAR) database. Findings: We find that the PSR between middle managers and CEOs has a positive effect on the OI of middle managers, which is mediated by the organizational trust of middle managers. This study extends the application of the parasocial interaction (PSI) theory, organizational trust theory, and social identity theory in listed firms. Practical Implication: There are practical implications for internal relationship management, corporate governance, and performance management. CEOs should value the influence of organizational trust and improve his/her own social and work abilities on middle-level managers as the organizational trust of middle-level managers has a significant positive impact on their sense of responsibility, ethical behavior, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and performance. CEOs should adopt various methods to influence different managers because organizational trust mediates the relationship between the PSR and OI. Originality/Value: Our study is one of the first attempts to apply the PSI theory to the corporate world. Given the dynamics of present-day markets and changing stakeholder demands, there is little insight into how this relationship affects organizational health and functioning. Much less what a PSR between CEO and middle management looks like in practice. Our study attempts to fill the gap by investigating how CEOs might come to affect middle managers through their practices and behaviors

Why do employees commit fraud? Theory, measurement, and validation

Previous research on corporate governance has extensively explored the motives of corporate fraud. However, this research has paid little attention to employees, the real executors of fraud, resulting in the psychological and behavioral decision-making process of employees who commit fraud in enterprises becoming a black box that has not yet been opened. Based on the theory of planned behavior, our study integrates the existing research findings on driving factors of employee fraud and anti-fraud practical experience, extracts the key factors of employee fraud motive, and develops a multidimensional scale of employee fraud motive. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) generates three subscales, comprising 14 items, measuring attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control of employee fraud motive. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supports the reliability, discriminant validity and convergent validity of the new scale. The multiple regression results show that the score of employee fraud motive is positively correlated with the amount of employee fraud occurrence, indicating that the predictive validity of the scale holds. Overall, the scale developed in our study displays good reliability and validity, and is worth spreading

Stability and Linearization of Multi-valued Nonlinear Feedback Shift Registers

In this paper, we study stability and linearization of multi- valued nonlinear feedback shift registers which are considered as logic networks. First, the linearization of multi-valued nonlinear feedback shift registers (NFSRs) is discussed, which is to nd their state transition ma- trices by considering it as a logical network via a semi-tensor product ap- proach. For a multi-valued NFSR, the new state transition matrix which can be simply computed from the truth table of its feedback function is more explicit. Second, based on the linearization theory of multi-valued NFSRs, we investigate the stability of multi-valued NFSRs, and some suf- cient and necessary conditions are provided for globally (locally) stable multi-valued NFSRs. Finally, some examples are presented to show the eectiveness of the proposed results

An Assessment of Prospect Theory in Tourism Decision-Making Research

Prospect theory has been an essential theoretical foundation for behavioral economics, as recognized with the Nobel Prize in economic sciences in 2002. The growing interest in behavioral economics among tourism researchers necessitates a systematic assessment of prospect theory and its application in tourism research to critically examine the current status of tourism decision-making studies. This study therefore clarifies the theoretical background of prospect theory and analyzes 93 published studies to examine how prospect theory has performed in explaining tourism decision-making. The study also evaluates the application of prospect theory in tourism research and provides future research directions with respect to under-researched dimensions, reference points, dynamic decision-making processes, and the logical continuity and systemization of prospect theory