Absorption Of Shocks Research Articles

3D CAD Model of Multifunctional Seat Used in Military Vehicle

Abstract: The primary postural strain experienced by the human body on extended off-road journeys is caused by the vibrations transmitted to the undercarriage and vehicle structure through the seat, as well as by the seating posture impacting the spine. The absorption of shocks and vibrations that happen during travel, linked to changes in speed and manoeuvres like braking, is crucial to minimizing vibrations. The effectiveness of vibration reduction relies heavily on the overall suspension system of the vehicle, particularly the design of the seats.

Determinants of further development and management of modern global maritime containerization (Redefinition after Covid-19 and War in Ukraine)

Maritime containerized shipping has recently suffered from various problems and challenges caused by stochastic shocks such as the Covid -19 pandemic or the war in Ukraine. The pandemic and recent war have clearly indicated shortfalls and weaknesses of maritime containerization and have triggered various attempts at identifying the potential for its further development determined by the new reality (after global shocks and with the consideration of new ones). The paper presents a holistic analysis of factors that globally affect the potential for further development of containerized maritime transport. The entire research design comes as an attempt made at identifying and updating the determinants and predictions of prospects for development of containerization in the current geopolitical situation and global trade conditions in the post-pandemic era, also taking the aspects of the ongoing Russian invasion in Ukraine and the post-war recovery into consideration. The results of the research are presented as a matrix of the eight main determinants Det 1-8 (each supported by two key factors F1, F2) that have been originally identified. Each factor is described by an originally developed calculation methodology (as an Index). The indexes are calculated for the period of 2018-2020 and subsequently discussed. Moreover, there is a potential for further utilization of the presented matrix as a universal tool that will define the future aspects of management in the field of the expected architecture of global supply chains and maritime transport of containerized cargo after the absorption of global shocks.

Cинтез підвіски автотранспортних засобів

Abstract. In order to create progressive structures of car shock absorbers that would provide increased driving comfort and safety due to the absorption of shocks and vibrations that occur while driving on the road, we carried out their structural-schematic synthesis by the method of hierarchical groups with the help of morphological analysis. For this, the method of hierarchical grouping using morphological analysis was used and six basic types of suspension with original types of shock absorbers (hydraulic, hydropneumatic, pneumatic, magnetofluid, hydrovacuum and pneumovacuum type) were obtained. At the same time, the following basic morphological design features and elements were highlighted: a) depreciation principle, which includes the following features: type of depreciation principle; type of cushioning substance; hydraulic fluid flow holes in the piston (their area and number); number of cameras; location of cameras; the number of electromagnetic coils; b) a type of elastic element consisting of two main features, namely a spring, the structural features of which include the following features: construction; geometric section; rigidity; directionality; number; Location; and a pneumatic cylinder, the structural features of which include the following: geometric parameters; manageability (adaptability); construction; filling; rigidity; c) damping element, which includes the following features: location; number; material; combination; structural parameters. The total number of basic generated vehicle suspension options will be 167 options, and the number of base options depending on the type of damping principle will range from 96 to 148 options. Thus, when generating the constructions of individual types of suspension of a motor vehicle with the main types of designed shock absorbers, the design features and elements from the morphological table were divided according to each type of shock absorbers, which made it possible to generate the corresponding number of their basic variants. In particular, the number of basic variants of the hydraulic type car suspension is 130 units, hydropneumatic type - 148 units, pneumatic type - 96 units, magnetofluid type - 133 units, hydrovacuum type - 130 units and pneumovacuum type - 96 units. USING this synthesis method, we developed and researched structures of hydropneumatic shock absorbers with an active pneumatic cylinder and damping elements, which, compared to traditional racks, had high adaptability and vibration resistance. It was experimentally proven that the developed shock absorbers with an active pneumatic cylinder and damping elements act as vibration dampers to a large extent.

ON THE METHODOLOGY OF THE COMPLEMENTARY CURRENCIES PROJECT ANALYSIS

The paper is devoted to some methodological aspects of interdisciplinary analysis of Projects for Complementary Currencies (CC-Projects) have been sometime realized both in domestic and foreign economic practice. The analysis is focused mostly on the revealing both of the CC-projects’ basic characteristics and conditions necessary for the effective CCs emission and their circulation. An emphasis is also paid to sampling of possible methodological approaches to an elaboration of successful projects and relevant payment systems. Among the main missions carried out by the projects (especially based on the local currencies, LCs) the authors have highlighted the revival of the local economies, mitigation or even complete absorption of external shocks (due to the countercyclical nature of the action of complementary currency acting as a buffer, countercyclical buffer) and, in addition, the supporting of social trust. It might be suggested that in some sense CCs are focused on turning the target territories for them into reliable islands of socio-economic stability. The paper contains its authors’ effort to reveal why some observed projects with a multifunctional load relevant to them do not always manage to serve as an effective tool for strengthening market relations on the ground. This is one of the important components of the undertaken empirical analysis of different CCs which one time were implemented in various areas of many countries of the world.

Woodpeckers minimize cranial absorption of shocks

The skull of a woodpecker is hypothesized to serve as a shock absorber that minimizes the harmful deceleration of its brain upon impact into trees1-11 and has inspired the engineering of shock-absorbing materials12-15 and tools, such as helmets.16 However, this hypothesis remains paradoxical since any absorption or dissipation of the head's kinetic energy by the skull would likely impair the bird's hammering performance4 and is therefore unlikely to have evolved by natural selection. Invivo quantification of impact decelerations during pecking in three woodpecker species and biomechanical models now show that their cranial skeleton is used as a stiff hammer to enhance pecking performance, and not as a shock-absorbing system to protect the brain. Numerical simulations of the effect of braincase size and shape on intracranial pressure indicate that the woodpeckers' brains are still safe below the threshold of concussions known for primate brains. These results contradict the currently prevailing conception of the adaptive evolution of cranial function in one of nature's most spectacular behaviors. VIDEO ABSTRACT.

The impact of COVID-19 on bank stability: Do bank size and ownership matter?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, bank stability became a priority for the Indonesian Financial Services Authority and the government. Economic activity is expected to be restored by muffling the shocks caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. This paper investigates the influence of COVID-19 on banking stability by differentiating bank core capital size and ownership. Using data from 108 commercial banks in Indonesia for the period March 2020 and March 2021, the paper analyzes data using fixed effects regression. The results show that COVID-19 has a detrimental and significant effect on bank stability in Indonesia. Regardless of the size and ownership of a bank’s core capital, it was found that no bank is immune for a year to the severe implications of COVID-19. This condition was experienced by both state banks and private banks, large and small. To assist in the absorption of COVID-19 shocks, this paper proposes policies for regulators that include stimulus packages and countercyclical roles in the banking system via government-owned banks.

Effective European monetary union in the light of the optimum currency area; model countries: Germany and Poland

PurposeThis study aims to research the effects of unemployment wages current account and consumer price index (CPI) on the real gross domestic product (RGDP), which, in the optimum currency area (OCA) theory, supposes that countries with higher factor mobility can significantly profit from the currency area. However, in this study, it is shown that the considered optimum currency crisis (OCC) model is affected by mobility factors, as the defined theory has not been perfectly realised in the Eurozone.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, Breusch–Pagan–Godfrey and Lagrange multiplier (LM) tests are used for supporting the survey for better estimation of the panel cointegration tests, where Pedroni's (1995, 1997) technique is used. The unit root tests are employed, of which the Phillip–Perron and augmented Dickey–Fuller tests (unit root test, Dickey, D. and W. Fuller, 1979) are considered.FindingsIt can be concluded that demand shocks will tend to be more asymmetric instead of being symmetric, even though they are in the customs union (CU). However, Polish workers in a given scenario may move to Germany, but because of the rigidity of the labour market and qualification differences between workers, the interregional integration of member countries is reduced, and this reduces the absorption of asymmetric shocks. In Germany, where strong employment protection and rigidity are observed in comparison to Poland, although there has been historical migration and economical collaboration, unfortunately, the integration of the two countries’ economies has not been realised.Research limitations/implicationsQuantitative research on fiscal union and the estimation of its effects is not possible because there is no practical experience of fiscal union throughout the European Union (EU). However, quantitative research is used for estimating the effects of OCA in the Eurozone. Quantitative investigation is particularly focused on the monetary union and single currency and its impact on growth rate. In this study, the ordinary least squares (OLS) method and panel cointegration test are employed for estimating the effects of the considered variables.Practical implicationsThe Eurozone and the application of a single currency throughout the EU was a considerably difficult task. In addition, the adoption of a single currency was not easy for those member countries that fulfilled the “convergence criteria” (or “Maastricht criteria”) and who joined the Eurozone, because only adoption is not enough; maintenance of those criteria is also required. This study analysed the application of the Eurozone in the light of the OCA of Mundel's theory.Social implicationsThe OCA is important for member countries’ economic relations. However, the application of a single currency is not easy and needs to be controlled and regulated to ensure best practises throughout the Eurozone. Monetary integration is not a simple process, and Eurozone countries’ financial difficulties affect each other’s markets’ indifferent aspects. Particularly in any market recession, demand shocks tend to have different effects. Furthermore, in comparison to the monetary union, the CU has a considerable impact on trade enlargement.Originality/valueIn this study, the effects of the independent variables “wages, unemployment, CPI and capital flow” on the dependent variable “RGDP” is considered, which, in the OCA theory, supposes that countries with higher factor mobility can significantly profit from the currency area. In application, it was turned into crisis because of inadequate monetary and fiscal application. In this paper OCA is questioned in the light of the Eurozone for bringing better understanding to these difficulties. The considered model and estimations are used for evaluating to create sustainable monetary integration for economic growth.

When solidarity fails: Heterogeneous effects on children from adult deaths in Senegalese households

Abstract The consequences of orphanhood have been an important topic on the research agenda in recent years, particularly against the backdrop of the AIDS epidemic in Sub-Saharan Africa. Previous literature has highlighted negative effects on children from prime-age adult deaths in the household. Some authors have however pointed out that the effects are small, possibly as a result of well-functioning coping mechanisms prevailing in the region. Furthermore, previous literature has not focused on the role of household living and budgetary arrangements. In this article, we investigate the links between deaths in the household and subsequent economic outcomes of children. Exploiting an unusually rich dataset from Senegal that permits us to precisely identify the main caregiver of a given child in the household, we test whether impacts on children differ according to their relationship with the deceased. We find robust evidence that this is the case: deaths in the household are not associated with diminished school presence for those children who are not under the direct responsibility of the deceased. They however have a strong significant negative effect for those children who are. On the basis of our results, which include effects on child labor, we argue that in large and complex households, intra-household inequality in access to resources are an essential part of the story that may well lead to a heterogeneous absorption of shocks among family members. As such, there may be important limits to African informal safety nets.

Implications of EMU for the European Community

Monetary integration has both costs and benefits. Europeans have a strong aversion to exchange rate instability. From this perspective, the EMS has shown its limits and full monetary union involving a single currency appears to be a necessity. This is the goal of the EMU project contained in the Maastricht Treaty. This paper examines the pertinent choices: independence of the Central Bank, budgetary discipline and economic policy coordination. Therefore, the implications of EMU for the economic policy of France will be examined. If the external force disappears, the public sector still cannot circumvent its solvency constraint. The instrument of national monetary policy will not be available so the absorption of asymmetric shocks will require greater wage flexibility and fiscal policy will play a greater role. The paper includes three parts. The first concerns the economic foundations of monetary union and the costs it entails. The second is devoted to the institutional arrangements under the Treaty of Maastricht. The third examines the consequences of monetary union for the economy and the economic policy of France.

Inflationary shocks and real output growth in nine Muslim-majority countries: Implications for Islamic banking and finance

Low and stable inflation is important for maintaining the viability of Islamic banking and finance within a dual banking system. Inflationary shocks when transmitted to real output growth cause a shift of investment to fixed return products as a hedge against the uncertainty of returns on equity investment under Islamic profit-loss sharing contracts. This study examines the transmission of inflationary shocks to the real economy for nine Muslim-majority countries (Bahrain, Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey) that have introduced Islamic banking, all except Iran within dual-banking systems. A structural vector autoregressive (SVAR) framework is deployed to understand macroeconomic relationships using annual data from the late 1970s to 2014. The key finding is that inflationary shocks affect real interest and exchange rates which in turn impact real output growth. The paper argues that the absorption of inflationary shocks in real interest and exchange rates is the outcome of rigidities in nominal interest and exchange rates within repressed financial systems. Policy regimes that allow for greater adjustment in nominal interest and exchange rates under a deregulated financial system would offer better shock absorption capacity which would lead to less volatility in inflation, real interest and exchange rates, and real output growth. The resulting more stable macroeconomic environment would be more conducive to the development of an Islamic financial sector that would promote economic growth.

Exchange rate as a shock absorber in Poland and Slovakia: Evidence from Bayesian SVAR models with common serial correlation

The paper examines whether exchange rates in Poland and Slovakia acted as shock absorbers or shock-propagating mechanisms. A set of Bayesian structural VAR models is built for each country that enables us to identify supply, demand, monetary and financial shocks. Identifying restrictions are derived from the extended stochastic macroeconomic model of an open economy. Sample covers quarterly data 1998–2013. Three main conclusions are as follows. First, it is demonstrated that overly parsimonious VAR models result in an imperfect identification of shocks that distorts the results. Second, empirical evidence is found that the higher exchange rate flexibility in Poland than in Slovakia contributed to the absorption of real shocks. Third, though financial shocks were important source of exchange rate changes in Poland, especially in the run-up to the crisis, their impact on output remained similar to that in Slovakia.

Stock market recovery from the 2008 financial crisis: The differences across Europe

This study investigates the influence of the 2008 financial crisis on a number of European stock markets. The sample includes EU benchmark indices as well as European markets with slowed or hampered recovery over a period of ten years (2004–2014) thus allowing a comparison on their development before, during and after the crisis. We utilize a novel approach based on a combination of stochastic modeling and continuous wavelet transform. It enables a robust distinction between expected and unexpected spillover effects as well as assessment of the expected speed of European stock markets recovery. It further quantifies the temporal boundaries of absorption of negative and positive shocks coming from the US stock market and explains the observed asymmetry. The studied European markets are divided into several groups and expectations are built on the speed of their recovery. We find that the major reasons for the discrepancies observed between actual and expected recovery for some of the markets are due to structural breaks in the co-movement with US market as well as to weak domestic fundamentals.

The Jackson Queueing Network Model Built Using Poisson Measures. Application To A Bank Model

Abstract In this paper we will build a bank model using Poisson measures and Jackson queueing networks. We take into account the relationship between the Poisson and the exponential distributions, and we consider for each credit/deposit type a node where shocks are modeled as the compound Poisson processes. The transmissions of the shocks are modeled as moving between nodes in Jackson queueing networks, the external shocks are modeled as external arrivals, and the absorption of shocks as departures from the network.

Non-linear adjustments to intranational PPP

We study the intranational purchasing power parity (PPP) between 17 pairs of Canadian cities for the period 1984–2010, using multivariate tests of threshold cointegration in a threshold vector error correction model. Our results confirm the existence of cointegration with threshold symmetric and asymmetric adjustment processes toward PPP equilibrium. We also estimate the unconditional half-lives for non-linear PPP deviations to measure PPP persistence. We find that the speed of non-linear mean reversion may be faster than previously thought when allowing non-linear adjustments. In addition, we measure the absorption of shocks and suggest that different types of shocks are absorbed at different rates by different variables in the system. The evidence reveals that there are complex non-linearities in the price data and these justify the use of non-linear methods to study adjustments to intranational PPP.

Unemployment Rate Hysteresis and the Great Recession: Exploring the Metropolitan Evidence

This paper explores the mean-reverting behavior of the unemployment rate using monthly geographically disaggregated data for the period 1991:01 through 2012:02. We apply both standard unit-root tests and tests that allow for one and two structural breaks in the mean. We find evidence that favors both unit-root and stationary processes. No series exhibits stationarity around a constant mean, which does not support the traditional natural-rate hypothesis, but about half of the series exhibit stationarity around a shifting mean. For these series, we find that the break occurs at the Great Recession. To complement the unit-root analysis, we also examine the behavior of the series using the Bai and Perron methods to detect multiple regimes at unknown points of time. We find that the Great Recession also altered the persistence of the unemployment rate series over the identified regimes. In general, the values of the estimated persistence within regimes decrease between those regimes, implying faster absorption of shocks later in the sample period.

The Riemann problem of the Burgers equation with a discontinuous source term

In this paper we are concerned with the Riemann problem of the Burgers equation with a discontinuous source term, motivated by studying the propagation of singular waves in radiation hydrodynamics. By calculating the representation of solutions, we construct the global entropy solution to this Riemann problem, in which one needs to pay attention to the effects of the discontinuous source term on the propagation of the Riemann waves. It turns out that the discontinuity of the source term has clear influences on the shock or rarefaction waves generated by the initial Riemann data, and produces some new and interesting phenomena such as the appearance of weak discontinuities, the appearance and absorption of new shocks, artificial “vacuums”, and different types of asymptotic behavior of shocks. These new waves and phenomena shall be analyzed in this paper.

Absorption of shocks in nonlinear autoregressive models

It generally is difficult, if not impossible, to fully understand and interpret nonlinear time series models by considering the estimated values of the model parameters only. To shed light on the characteristics and implications of a nonlinear model it can then be useful to consider the effects of shocks on the future patterns of the time series variable. Most interest in such impulse response analysis has concentrated on measuring the persistence of shocks, or the magnitude of their (ultimate) effect. A framework is developed and implemented that is useful for measuring the rate at which this final effect is attained, or the rate of absorption of shocks. It is shown that the absorption rate can be used to examine whether the propagation of different types of shocks, such as positive and negative shocks or large and small shocks follows different patterns. The nonlinear floor-and-ceiling model for US output growth is used to illustrate the various concepts. The presence of substantial asymmetries in both persistence and absorption of shocks is documented, with interesting differences arising across magnitudes of shocks and across regimes in the model. Furthermore, it appears that asymmetry became much less pronounced due to a large decline in output volatility in the 1980s.

The Impact of Institutions on the Employment Performance in European Labour Markets

This paper investigates the role of institutions for labour market performance across European countries. As participation rates have been rather stable over the past, the unemployment problem is mainly caused by shortages in labour demand. Labour demand is expressed by its structural parameters, such as the elasticities of employment to output and factor prices. Institutional variables include employment protection legislation, the structure of wage bargaining, measures describing the tax and transfer system and active labour market policies. As cointegration between employment, output and factor prices is detected, labour demand equations are fitted in levels by efficient estimation techniques. To account for possible structural change, time varying parameter models and aysmmetries due to the business cycle situation are considered. Then, labour demand elasticities are explained by institutions using panel fixed effects regressions. The results suggest that higher flexibility and incentives of households to work appear to be appropriate strategies to improve the employment record. The employment response to economic conditions is stronger in a more deregulated environment, and the absorption of shocks can be relieved. However, the institutional database should be improved in order to arrive at more definite policy conclusions.

Regional Disparities and Migration: Linear and Switching Model Estimations for Poland

Mainardi S. (2004) Regional disparities and migration: linear and switching model estimations for Poland, Regional Studies38, 767-781. Along with capital mobility and fiscal instruments as local poverty alleviation targeting, internal migration can contribute to a partial absorption of external shocks, with improved allocation efficiency and budget savings. In transition economies in Central Europe, the need for adjustment is further motivated by the severe post-Communist transition shocks, and the envisaged asymmetric impact across regions of the process of economic integration with the European Union. This paper first reviews the main hypotheses and estimation problems concerning internal migration models. Specific attention is addressed to unobserved heterogeneity and latent migration demand, with implications for welfare equilibrium at a regional level, particularly in a transition economy setting. Single and multiple equation methods are then applied to linear and switching model specifications on 19...

Are Spillovers Changing During Crises? Evidence from the Threshold VAR Models

In this paper, we investigated changes in the linkages between capital markets by applying the threshold vector autoregressive (TVAR) models to the stock returns of the US and of four East-South Asian markets. We employed the estimating and testing procedures proposed by Tsay (1998) and Hansen and Seo (2002). Linkages of the Asian markets with the US counterpart are shown to follow a two regime model. This result is highly significant and is in line with the theoretical and empirical literature pointing out to a difference in the nature of cross-border return spillovers in tranquil and crisis periods. Also consistent with previous findings, we find returns to be highly negative and variance to be high in the crisis periods, with the US returns being the best indicator for the regime change. The impulse response analysis shows an asymmetric absorption of external shocks given a high value of the shock, due to the regime change induced by the shock's arrival.