The study examines whether audit committee (AC) characteristics influence firm performance, and whether this relationship is moderated by board of director’s (BOD) ownership. The sample is listed manufacturing firms in Jordan. AC characteristics, as an indicator of corporate governance mechanism, include its size, meeting frequency, independence, and experience. Firm performance is proxied by return on assets (ROA). Thirty firms are included in the sample. Data are collected from 2015 to 2021 for a total of 210 observations. The first model indicates that AC meetings and independence positively and significantly influence firm performance. On the other hand, AC size is not a significant predictor of firm performance. The second model shows that the interaction effects (AC size, AC independence, and AC experience) are significant and positive on firm performance. The results provide insights on how to improve AC effectiveness so as to improve the performance of listed manufacturing firms in Jordan. They also suggest the significance of BOD ownership in enhancing internal corporate governance mechanisms, particularly the AC. Jordanian policy makers must therefore ensure the effectiveness of these mechanisms, especially AC, through relevant regulations and recommendations.

The research objective is to investigate the effect of brand equity on Thai cosmetic purchasing decisions. The study involved 500 individuals aged 20-59 who had purchased and used Thai cosmetic products within the past year. A multistage sampling method was employed to select the participants. Data collection was carried out using questionnaires, and both descriptive and multivariate statistical analyses were conducted, explicitly utilizing Second-order Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling. The research results showed four factors influencing the purchasing decisions of Thai brand cosmetic products: Brand Equity, Buying Behavior, Consumer Satisfaction, and Perceived Value. The Second-order Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Model demonstrated that these factors met the assessment criteria when applied to the empirical data. Consequently, if a brand can establish brand equity that surpasses its competitors in the eyes of consumers, it will contribute to long-term profitability and sustained growth.

This research examines the synergistic influence of inventory competition, artificial intelligence (AI) adoption, and digital marketing intensity on quality improvement decisions within contemporary supply chains. With a focus on enhancing product and service quality, we investigate the intricate relationships among these variables. A quantitative approach involving 380 supply chain professionals reveals that heightened inventory competition, increased AI adoption, and robust digital marketing significantly contribute to quality enhancement initiatives. The study builds upon prior research by empirically validating these connections and offers practical insights for supply chain practitioners. The findings underscore the strategic imperative of organizations to strategically balance these factors to optimize their quality management strategies, fostering customer satisfaction and competitiveness. While offering valuable contributions, the study acknowledges limitations in terms of self-reported data and a specific respondent group. Future research could extend this investigation to diverse industries and geographical contexts. In the end, this study sheds light on the complex interplay that exists between inventory competition, the use of AI, digital marketing, and judgments about quality improvement. As a result, a road map has been provided for efficient quality management of supply chains in the digital age.

Polyester fibers are the most used in the manufacture of ropes for mooring systems and offshore operation, thus being constantly subjected to different situations. Such requests are implicated in a variety of load conditions, and their effects must be studied. This work presents data referring to an experimental study on the behavior of the quasi-static and dynamic stiffness of polyester yarns considering different mechanical levels of degradation and use. The study is performed with five different types of multifilament samples, these were extracted from a virgin spool and sub-ropes tested for tension and fatigue. The experimental procedure is carried out through an initial characterization where the linear density, the Yarn Break Load - YBL and the linear tenacity of the samples are determined. Continuing with the experimental tests, a procedure standardized by ISO 18962-2 is then carried out, consisting of three quasi-static stages and three dynamic stages, where the data acquired in the tests allow the determination of a dimensionless stiffness value. The results showed an increase in the quasi-static stiffness, tending to a plateau, and a linear increase in the dynamic stiffness, but with somewhat similar behavior between the samples. The results related to the total quasi-static stiffness also show that the specimens extracted from sub-ropes that underwent fatigue present greater total non-dimensionalized stiffness, this is indicative of the mechanical fatigue procedure as an improvement of the specimens, giving them greater stiffness, and consequently greater stresses rupture, a behavior that should be explored in future studies.

The article analyzes the stress-strain state in the zone of plastic deformation during special caliber rolling. The principle of caliber rolling technology is described, which makes it possible to combine shear and compression deformations in the cross-section of metals, alloys, and metal-matrix composites. The analysis results of stresses and strains during shear rolling in a diamond pass, which included compressive strains that had not been considered in previous studies, revealed that localization or point inversion of stresses and strains is observed in the plastic deformation zone. Stress and strain are localized along the minor and major diagonals of the diamond pass.

Additive manufacturing has been one of the most used techniques in the recent years because of its capabilities to fabricate complex structures as required by customer and industrial need from a 3D computer-aided design model without the usage of any tooling, dies and heavy machinery makes it a step ahead in the present manufacturing techniques. In the current study the author’s focus on the welding or joining of additive manufactured Polylactic acid (PLA) parts made by Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM). There are several techniques for welding these additive manufactured parts. This study mainly focuses on the joining of 3D printed PLA parts using a 3D pen and investigations on its mechanical properties experimentally. It is a very cheap and effective technique when compared to the other welding methods. This could overcome the drawback of small bed size in most 3D printers by joining smaller parts and it can also be used for repairing the defects caused during the 3D printing. Moreover the experimental testing of the mechanical properties also confirmed that the tensile, flexural and impact strength of 3D pen welded specimens retrieved above 70% of the strength to the original PLA specimen proving it to be a very effective method.

There is no rationalization for a certainty that harder wheels or rails will result in an increase in wear of the opposite side of the wheel/rail interface. This research investigated how the wear of wheel material changes when the hardness of the opposing pair is varied. Three Rail/wheel material matches; normalized UIC50 kg/m and S1002 wheel profile (Rail/wheel material 1), normalized UIC60 kg/m and whole heat treated S1002 wheel profile (Rail/wheel material 2) and rim heat treated UIC60 kg/m and whole heat treated S1002 wheel profile (Rail/wheel material 3) has been investigated using multi-body simulation software (SIMPACK) and MATLAB programming. For validation, as an experimental advantage, the wear depths measured on the wheel tread wear of the end vehicle of LRT for mileage of 50,000 km are compared to the results of numerical simulation performed. As a result, the estimated total tread wear amount after a mileage of 50,000 km is 4% larger than the experimental one. That is indeed a very good result considering that either component of the wheel wear prediction model used is neither adjustment nor calibration. From the three rail/wheel matches, Rail/wheel material 3 found to be the better material match that could resist wear significantly considering material hardness as important criteria for comparison. The study could remark that, despite the fact both wheel and rail material hardness could affect the wear performance in respected positive ways, most significant improvements are attained by improving the rail material hardness ahead of wheel material.

Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) is a polymer composite material used in lightweight structures. This study provides insight into achieving robust GFRP H-section short-column spliced connections using bonded, bolted, and hybrid connections. The design specifications for steel splicing connections are based on BS EN 1990 and BS EN 1991 guidelines. Based on the samples subjected to axial loading, factors such as compressive strength, bonding and bearing resistance, compression behavior of the connection, and failure modes of the structure are investigated. The study includes the behavioral characteristics and results of 25 GFRP H-section Spliced connections, with each H-section measuring 152 x 72 x 6.4 mm and standing 350 mm in height. This study also examines the behavior of a composite splice joint made up of steel cover plates and steel bolts that are used to create an ideal non-bearing spliced connection. This model is used to compare to the other models to understand the behavior of spliced joints designed with GFRP cover plates. This paper holds design specifications of connections that have displayed compressive strengths of 82.35 %, 89.82 %, and 92.83 % compared to that of an un-cut GFRP H-section subjected to axial loading.

The present work investigates Rotary Friction Welding (RFW) of AA2024 similar joints, where the welding operations were carried out using an adapted device to a column-drilling machine (SUPEMEC J320). This work aims to determine the optimal RFW parameters from an experimental study based on mechanical tests and microscopic observations of weld joints. The best compromise, which offers the highest tensile strength value (499 MPa) corresponds to the joint obtained by using a rotational speed of 2000 rpm, a friction pressure of 12 MPa, and a forging pressure of 17 MPa. The EDX results indicate the presence of the intermetallic compounds (IMCs) in each zone of the weld joints, with varying sizes and a random distribution. This study focuses also on the microscopic analyses of the interface of weld joints and the fracture surfaces that indicates a dominant ductile fracture mode.

This work is interested with a thermoelastic response in a micro-stretch half-space submerged in an unlimited non-viscous fluid under rotation, the medium is studied using the theory of Green-Naghdi (G-N III) and the model of three-phase-lag (3PHL). The governing equations are formulated in the context of G-N theory and the 3PHL model. Analytical solution to the problem is acquired by utilizing the normal mode method. The magnesium crystal element is utilized as an application to compare the predictions induced by rotation on microstretch thermoelastic immersed in an infinite fluid of G–N theory with those for the 3PHL model. Rotation has been noticed to have a major effect on all physical quantities. Comparisons were also made for three values of wave number b and three values of the real part frequency ω0.