The effects of managerial and employee attributions for corporate social responsibility initiatives

Although corporate social responsibility (CSR) can affect employees, we know little about how it affects them. Employees' interpretation of CSR is important because of the paradoxical nature of CSR. When firms operate in ways that seem counter to their nature (i.e., pursuit of social good rather than profit), the causal attributions of affected employees are crucial to understanding their work‐related behavior, as is the role of contextual factors such as leadership processes in shaping these attributions. Drawing from attribution and social learning theories, we develop a multilevel social influence theory of how CSR affects employees. We integrate managers as second observers in the baseline actor (i.e., firm)—observer (i.e., employee) dyad, whereas most attribution theory research has focused on single actor–observer dyads. Multisource field data collected from 427 employees and 45 managers were analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling. Managers' genuine (self‐serving) CSR attributions are positively related to employees' genuine (self‐serving) CSR attributions; and the strength of the relationship between managers' and employees' genuine CSR attributions depends on managers' organizational tenure. Employees' genuine CSR attributions also are positively related to employee advocacy, whereas—interestingly—employees' self‐serving CSR attributions do not appear to harm employee advocacy. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于SEM的双车道公路超车行为安全评价

为提高驾驶人在双车道公路上超车的安全性,基于tau理论适应性分析,提出超车过程中驾驶人不仅根据tau线索估计避碰时间,也利用距离、速度、加速度等判断超车是否安全的试验假设。招募12名受试者,应用驾驶模拟系统试验平台,依据试验假设采集12个与超车行为有关的驾驶行为数据,对其进行无量纲化处理,并利用Bootstrap法对数据进行扩增。结合驾驶行为问卷得分,利用AMOS软件,建立超车行为安全评价的结构方程模型。通过对初始假设模型进行多次修正与评价,得到影响超车行为安全的3个驾驶行为参数。结果表明,超车车辆在超车并道后的速度、与前导车之间的避碰时间及与对向车辆之间的避碰时间这3个驾驶行为参数可作为超车行为安全评价的有效指标。     

Safety effectiveness and crash cost benefit of red light cameras in Missouri

Objective: Red light cameras (RLCs) have generated heated discussions over issues of safety effectiveness, revenue generation, and procedural due process. This study focuses on the safety evaluation of RLCs in Missouri, including the economic valuation of safety benefits. The publication of the national Highway Safety Manual (HSM; American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) in 2010 produced statistical safety models for intersections and spurred the calibration of these models to local conditions.

Methods: This study adds to existing knowledge by applying the latest statistical methodology presented in the HSM and more current data. Driver behavior constantly changes due in part to driving conditions and the use of technology. The safety and economic benefit evaluation was performed using the empirical Bayes method, which accounts for regression to the mean bias. For the economic benefit evaluation, the KABCO crash severity scale and crash cost estimates were used. A total of 24 4-leg urban intersections were randomly selected from a master list of RLCs in Missouri from 2006 to 2011. Additionally, 35 comparable nontreated intersections were selected for the analysis.

Results and Conclusions: The implementation of RLCs reduced overall angle crashes by 11.6%, whereas rear-end crashes increased by 16.5%. The net economic crash cost benefit of the implementation of RLCs was $35,269 per site per year in 2001 dollars (approximately $47,000 in 2015 dollars). Thus, RLCs produced a sizable net positive safety benefit that is consistent with previous statistical studies.     

Impact of Climate and Land Use Change on Streamflow and Sediment Yield in a Snow‐Dominated Semiarid Mountainous Watershed

This study investigates the impact of climate and land use change on the magnitude and timing of streamflow and sediment yield in a snow‐dominated mountainous watershed in Salt Lake County, Utah using a scenario approach and the Hydrological Simulation Program — FORTRAN model for the 2040s (year 2035–2044) and 2090s (year 2085–2094). The climate scenarios were statistically and dynamically downscaled from global climate models. Land use and land cover (LULC) changes were estimated in two ways — from a regional planning scenario and from a deterministic model. Results indicate the mean daily streamflow in the Jordan River watershed will increase by an amount ranging from 11.2% to 14.5% in the 2040s and from 6.8% to 15.3% in the 2090s. The respective increases in sediment load in the 2040s and 2090s is projected to be 6.7% and 39.7% in the canyons and about 7.4% to 14.2% in the Jordan valley. The historical 50th percentile timing of streamflow and sediment load is projected to be shifted earlier by three to four weeks by mid‐century and four to eight weeks by late‐century. The projected streamflow and sediment load results establish a nonlinear relationship with each other and are highly sensitive to projected climate change. The predicted changes in streamflow and sediment yield will have implications for water supply, flood control and stormwater management.     

Comparison study and parameter identification of three battery models for an off-grid photovoltaic system

There is growing interest in solar batteries, especially for photovoltaic (PV) applications. Therefore, an accurate battery model is required for the PV system because of its influence on system efficiency. Several mathematical models of batteries have been described in the scientific literature. However, this paper reviews three electrochemical models most commonly used for PV systems, such as Shepherd, Manegon and Coppetti, in order to define the most appropriate model for PV systems. This paper discusses an application of the pattern search optimization technique to extract the parameters of three battery models derived from experimental test results obtained from sealed gelled lead acid batteries for both charge and discharge modes. A comparative case and regression analysis based on statistical tests and a quantitative method were conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness and accuracy of the updated model from the three aforementioned. The simulation results and tests performed on the battery charge and discharge modes lead us as well to approve the algorithm’s accuracy regarding the updated model.     

Dynamic temperature model for proton exchange membrane fuel cell using online variations in load current and ambient temperature

This paper presents a dynamic temperature model for a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) system. The proposed model overcomes the complexity of conventional models using first-order expressions consisting of load current and ambient temperature. The proposed model also incorporates a PEMFC cooling system, which depends upon the temperature difference between events. A dynamic algorithm is developed to detect load changing events and calculate instantaneous PEMFC temperature variations. The parameters of the model are extracted by employing the lightning search algorithm (LSA). The temperature characteristics of the NEXA 1.2 kW PEMFC system are experimentally studied to validate model performance. The results show that the proposed model output and the temperature data obtained from experiments for linear and abrupt changes in PEMFC load current are in agreement. The root-mean-square error between the model output and experimental results is less than 0.9. Moreover, the proposed model outperforms the conventional models and provides advantages such as simplicity and adaptability for low and high sampling data rates of input variables, namely, load current and ambient temperature. The model is not only helpful for simulations but also suitable for dynamic real-time controllers and emulators.     

Hydrodynamic Modeling Improves Green River Reconnection with Floodplain Wetlands for Endangered Fish Species Recovery

We performed two‐dimensional (2D) hydrodynamic modeling to aid recovery of the endangered razorback sucker (Xyrauchen texanus) by reconnecting the Green River with its historic bottomland floodplain wetlands at Ouray National Wildlife Refuge, Utah. Reconnection allows spring flood flows to overtop the river levee every two to three years, and passively transport razorback sucker larvae to the wetlands to grow in critical habitat. This study includes (1) river hydrologic analysis, (2) simulation of a levee breach/weir, overtopping of river flood flows, and 2D flow through the wetlands using Hydrologic Engineering Center River Analysis System 2D, and (3) modeling flow and restoration scenarios. Indicators of hydrologic alteration were used to evaluate river flow metrics, in particular flood magnitudes, frequency, and duration. Results showed a target spring flow of 16,000 cfs (453 m³/s) and a levee breach elevation of 4,663 ft (1,421 m) amsl would result in a median flow >6,000 acre‐feet (7.4 million m³) over five days into the wetlands, which is adequate for razorback sucker larvae transport and rearing. Modeling of flow/restoration scenarios showed using gated water control structures and passive low‐water crossings between wetland units can provide adequate control of flow movement into and storage in multiple units. Levee breaching can be a relatively simple, cost‐effective method to reconnect rivers and historic floodplains, and hydrodynamic modeling is an important tool for analyzing and designing wetland reconnection.     

汉江生态经济带水生态环境问题及对策

汉江生态经济带是国家战略水资源保障区、内河流域保护开发示范区、中西部联动发展试验区、长江流域绿色发展先行区,加快区域经济社会发展对于全国地区协调发展具有重要意义.多年的高强度开发和剧烈的人类活动造成汉江生态经济带水生态环境问题严峻,已成为制约汉江生态经济带迈向高质量发展的瓶颈.通过系统剖析发现,汉江生态经济带存在的主要水生态环境问题包括重要水源地丹江口水库水安全保障不足、汉江中下游水生态受损、汉江部分支流水污染严重等.丹江口水库总体水质良好,但水质保障工作存在部分入库支流污染形势依然严峻、支流库湾水华发生风险加剧、库周及上游面源污染未得到有效控制和消落带管理薄弱等不足.汉江中下游存在硅藻水华频发和鱼类资源量大幅减少等水生态问题,同时中下游部分支流水质不达标,严重影响汉江水质.在此基础上,提出相应对策建议,主要包括切实做好丹江口水库水质安全保障、科学开展基于生态流量保障的生态调度、建立生态环境协同保护机制、完善南水北调中线水源地生态补偿机制、加强生态环境保护科技支撑等.      

飞机典型液压管路系统减振优化计算方法研究

目的研究管道走向和卡箍位置对管道应力的影响。方法以飞机典型液压管路系统为优化对象,对管路系统及支持结构进行动力学参数化建模,使用MATLAB和MSC.NASTRAN构筑基于遗传算法的自动减振优化计算平台,以管壁结构和飞机支持结构的动态应力响应最小为优化目标,对管路走向(包括拐折位置、曲率半径)、卡箍位置进行优化计算,从而建立一种飞机管路系统设计中的自动减振优化计算方法。结果使用建立的减振优化计算平台优化计算设计后,飞机典型液压管路系统最大动态应力值降低了50%。结论提供的优化方法能够有效地通过优化管道布置参数降低应力水平。