Penalties For Failure Research Articles

Optimal component activation in multi-attempt missions with common shock process

Abundant research efforts were devoted to modeling and optimizing mission systems operating in random shock environments. The existing models assumed that different components are exposed to independent shock processes. However, in many real-world applications (e.g., virtual machines in cloud computing, drones deployed in the same mission), multiple operating components may be simultaneously impacted by common shock processes during the mission, causing them to deteriorate and even crash. This paper contributes by modeling a multi-attempt mission system with heterogeneous components characterized by different performance, shock resistance and cost. Each component may start performing the mission at different times and a common shock process can negatively affect all operating components. Different activation schedules of system components may lead to dramatically different mission success probabilities and expected component losses, contributing to the expected mission losses (EML). We formulate and solve a new optimal component activation schedule (CAS) problem to minimize the EML. The proposed model is demonstrated through a case study of an aerial vehicles delivery mission system. Influences of several key model parameters (shock rate, mission failure penalty, allowed mission time, and component performance) on the mission performance metrics and the optimal CAS solutions are also investigated using the case study.

Multi-attempt missions with multiple rescue options

In spite of intensive works on modeling and optimizing diverse mission aborting systems from the reliability community, none of the existing models have considered multiple rescue options. This paper pioneers the study of a multi-attempt mission system with different types of rescue procedures characterized by dissimilar system performance, shock rates, and costs. A new optimization problem is formulated, which determines the aborting rule and rescue option choice for each attempt to minimize the expected mission losses (EML) encompassing the mission failure penalty, system loss cost and rescue cost. A new numerical algorithm is then put forward to assess the EML of the considered multi-attempt mission system under any given mission abort and rescue policy (MARP). The genetic algorithm is further implemented to solve the MARP optimization problem. The proposed model is demonstrated through an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) performing a payload delivery mission with four possible rescue options. The UAV case study also investigates the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed numerical EML evaluation algorithm and reveals the impacts of several key parameters (mission failure penalty, system loss cost, the allowed number of attempts, shock resistance deterioration factor) on the EML and the optimal MARP solutions.

Relationship between Solvent Polarity and Reaction Rate in Organic Synthesis

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between solvent polarity and reaction rate in organic synthesis. Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: Polar solvents tend to enhance reaction rates for polar reactions due to their ability to stabilize charged intermediates and transition states. Conversely, nonpolar solvents often accelerate nonpolar reactions by minimizing solvation effects and promoting favorable interactions between reactants. However, there are exceptions to these trends, as solvent effects can also be influenced by factors such as hydrogen bonding, solute-solvent interactions, and solvent viscosity. Additionally, the choice of solvent can impact the selectivity and yield of the desired product. Thus, understanding the interplay between solvent polarity and reaction kinetics is crucial for optimizing organic synthesis processes. Experimental studies and computational modeling techniques play key roles in elucidating these relationships and guiding solvent selection for specific reactions. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Transition state theory, solvent-solute interactions and microscopic solvation models may be used to anchor future studies on assessing the relationship between solvent polarity and reaction rate in organic synthesis. Audit firms should invest in ongoing training and professional development programs to enhance the skills and knowledge of auditors. This includes staying updated on industry-specific issues, emerging risks, and advanced audit methodologies. Regulatory authorities should continue to strengthen their oversight of the audit profession. This includes periodically reviewing and updating auditing standards, enforcing compliance with auditing regulations, and imposing penalties for audit failures.

Effect of Audit Quality on Earnings Management Practices

Purpose: The aim of the study was to assess the effect of audit quality on earnings management practices.
 Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries.
 Findings: Research indicates that higher audit quality is associated with reduced earnings management practices. High-quality audits lead to improved financial reporting, fraud detection, and lower costs of capital. Market reactions are positive when reputable audit firms are involved. However, outcomes may vary by industry and country, depending on regulatory and institutional factors.
 Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Agency theory, signaling theory and information risk and auditor reputation theory may be use to anchor future studies on assessing the effect of audit quality on earnings management practices. Audit firms should invest in ongoing training and professional development programs to enhance the skills and knowledge of auditors. Regulatory authorities should continue to strengthen their oversight of the audit profession. This includes periodically reviewing and updating auditing standards, enforcing compliance with auditing regulations, and imposing penalties for audit failures.

Risks to the Public

Where to begin? Things seem to be getting wildly out of control. I make a comment in the arti cial intelligence subsection here, relating to risks of autonomous robotic airplane pilots (Pibot, Wingman). That comment is also applicable to self-driving vehicles, hospital AI, and other life-critical or mission-critical automated and semi-automated systems: We desperately need evidence-based assurance rather than over-hyped assertions that we should simply trust the developers and operating managers. Oth- erwise, the integrity and credibility of our rampantly increasing overdependence on untrustworthy technol- ogy may cause a collapse of trust in our technology. Undoubtedly, avoiding such a systemic failure may require radical changes in how computer science and system engineering should be taught and practiced, along with corresponding oversight, and serious penalties for failures. I once again invoke the Einstein Principle that Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler. It is just one of many important principles that are needed to make our system development into a solid discipline. However, beware of simplistic legislation, charlatans, frauds, and other recurring risks.

Optimal Maintenance of a System With Multiple Deteriorating Components Served by Dedicated Teams

To maintain a multi-component system, different dedicated service teams with different skill sets and tools are often involved. Such a relationship constitutes maintenance team coalition. In most cases, it may not be the best to plan each team's maintenance activities independently as such independent decisions may not achieve the required system-level reliability performance (RP). To balance the reliability and costs of components in achieving a high level of system RP, an efficient method is to assign a failure penalty cost to each maintenance team and then develop their optimal maintenance policy. In this article, the Shapley value is utilized for fair penalty costs allocation to avoid any interest for teams to secede the coalition, whose actual role is to evaluate the criticality level of each component in the context of coalition. Moreover, imperfect inspection and imperfect repair are quite common in practice because of limited resources, technologies and time. To address these practical concerns, a new reliability-centered hybrid preventive maintenance policy is proposed. The optimal inspection interval and age-based replacement interval are determined for each team to minimize the cost rate over an infinite time horizon. Several numerical examples illustrate that the proposed decision-making method is effective in handling such complex maintenance problems involving a coalition of dedicated maintenance teams.

FEATURES OF THE CALCULATION AND STUDY BY EXPERT ECONOMISTS OF DEBT UNDER LOAN AGREEMENTS THAT AROSE DURING A SPECIAL PERIOD AND THE PERIOD OF MARTIAL LAW IN UKRAINE

The article examines the legislative aspects, in accordance with which the circumstances are determined under which it is impossible to fulfil obligations under loan agreements (agreements) and the circumstances under which it is possible to exempt from the performance of certain obligations under loan agreements in a special period (introduced on March 18, 2014) and the period of martial law in Ukraine (introduced on February 24, 2022) for the following categories of borrowers: legal entities, military personnel, ATO/JFO participants. In connection with the fullscale invasion of the russian federation on the territory of Ukraine, many borrowers (both legal entities and individuals) lost their outpost property, and assets, income decreased, many borrowers take part in hostilities, etc., which in turn affected the ability to repay their obligations under loan agreements. The study found that there are separate special approaches for the implementation of different contracts. In particular, regarding the fulfilment of loan, mortgage, and loan agreements, the only requirement for releasing a person from liability for the inability to fulfil his obligations under the agreement is the introduction of martial law. But at the same time, in order to exempt military personnel and participants in the ATO/JFO from the accrual of penalties for failure to fulfil their obligations and interest on using a loan, it is necessary to notify the bank (or other financial institution in which the loan was issued) in writing about military service and provide supporting documents. In relation to legal entities, the legislator requires to prove the fact that it is impossible to fulfil the contract due to the onset of force majeure circumstances, the occurrence of which is confirmed by the Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in a legislative manner.

Provision of Hospital Price Information After Increases in Financial Penalties for Failure to Comply With a US Federal Hospital Price Transparency Rule

Price transparency regulations aim to help patients make informed decisions about medical care, but enforcing these rules is a policy challenge. There may be an association between financial penalties and hospital compliance for enforcing price transparency regulations. To evaluate the association between financial penalties and acute care hospital compliance with the 2021 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Price Transparency Rule. This cohort study uses an instrumental variable design to evaluate the responses of 4377 acute care hospitals in the US operating in 2021 and 2022 to changes in financial penalties in the context of a federal rule requiring hospitals to disclose privately negotiated prices. Changes in noncompliance penalties between 2021 and 2022 based on a nonlinear function of bed counts. Whether hospitals publicly posted a machine-readable file with private, payer-specific negotiated prices at the service-code level. Negative controls were used to address confounding. The final sample included 4377 hospitals. Compliance increased from 70.4% (n = 3082) in 2021 to 87.7% (n = 3841) in 2022, with 90.2% of hospitals (n = 3948) reporting prices in at least 1 year. Noncompliance penalties increased from $109 500/y in 2021 to a mean (SD) of $510 976 ($534 149)/y in 2022. Penalties in 2022 were substantial, averaging 0.49% of total hospital revenue, 0.53% of total hospital costs, and 1.3% of total employee wages. Compliance increases were significantly positively correlated with penalty increases: a $500 000 increase in penalty was associated with a 2.9-percentage point (95% CI, 1.7-4.2 percentage points; P < .001) increase in compliance. Results were robust to controlling for observable hospital characteristics. No associations were found for preperiod (2021) compliance or ranges of bed counts where penalties do not vary. In this cohort study of 4377 hospitals, compliance with the CMS Price Transparency Rule was associated with increased financial penalties. These findings are relevant for the enforcement of other regulations designed to promote transparency in health care.

Frequency Control Strategy of Energy Storage and Thermal Power Unit Considering Cost and Performance

Considering differentiated frequency regulation(FR) characteristics between energy storages and thermal power units, a frequency control strategy considering cost and performance is proposed to realize the complementary advantages of them. A joint objective of minimizing total cost and minimizing the penalty for failure of energy storage to track a given signal is proposed. The technical characteristics of FR resources, such as power and creep rate, are adopted as constraints. The comparison results demonstrate that the suggested approach improves the FR regional grid’s performance and reduces the regulation cost.

The supervision game of economically motivated adulteration behavior of fresh agricultural product suppliers

&lt;p style='text-indent:20px;'&gt;Economically motivated adulteration (EMA) of fresh agricultural product suppliers is a serious threat to public health. In this paper, considering the deliberate and concealed nature of EMA, the social benefits brought by the effective supervision and the "free riding" behavior of suppliers, we build a three-party regulatory game model composed of local governments, dealers, and suppliers to study how to reduce the EMA behavior of fresh agricultural product suppliers. The results show that (a) Since local governments cannot effectively reduce EMA of suppliers only by increasing the incentives, it is necessary to establish a complete reward and punishment mechanism. (b) The government and dealers can increase the cost of EMA by increasing adulteration penalties and improving detection methods so that reduce suppliers' EMA. (c) Compared with the inspection cost, the local governments' penalties for inspection failures are a decisive factor affecting dealers' inspection methods. When the local governments' penalties are strong, even if the cost of improving inspection is higher, the dealers will actively improve the inspection level. Our study shows that the tripartite coordinated supervision mechanism can effectively curb the EMA behavior of suppliers, thereby ensuring the quality safety of the fresh agricultural product supply chain.&lt;/p&gt;

Effective management strategies for construction contract disputes

PurposeContract risk management has become a critical mission, as contract issues may lead to a loss of vast amounts of money to parties involved or cause project failure. This study sought to identify effective management strategies to mitigate construction contract issues that might emerge during construction.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative research approach was adopted for the study. Structured questionnaires made up of close-ended questions were distributed to construction professionals in South Africa via the SurveyMonkey platform. The data were then analysed using descriptive statistics.FindingsThe findings indicate that the critical sources of contract-related disputes are ambiguous definitions of the contract parties' scope of their rights and obligations, lack of precise arrangements regarding the calculation of contractual penalties for failure to meet the deadline, lack of detailed specification of the works and specific milestones, lack of provisions regulating changes to the project documentation during the construction stage, an excessive amount of contractual penalties on contractor's side and lack of provisions regarding the rules of performing additional and replacement works and their settlement. However, for these disputes to be effectively managed, strategies such as reduction uncertainties in project's phases, setting up contingency plans, construction guarantee, extension of time claims, payment guarantee, retention and escalation clause should be implemented by the parties involved.Research limitations/implicationsEven though the empirical study focused on construction professionals in South Africa, the findings could be applied to other countries outside of South Africa.Practical implicationsTo effectively manage and prevent contract disputes from averting project failures and losses to parties involved in the contract, construction professionals need to be aware of strategies that must be implemented before and during the project execution. If well implemented, these strategies will help a construction project be successful and experience fewer contractual disputes.Originality/valueThe study has identified the knowledge gap concerning suitable contract risk management strategies available for implementation to effectively prevent any contract parties from losing money, time and project failure.

Advocates call for expanded authority at US Labor Department to enforce parity

Seeing insufficient protection for consumers against insurer violations of the federal mental health parity law, mental health advocates are calling on Congress to strengthen the U.S. Department of Labor's authority to impose penalties for failure to comply.

Wyrok Wielkiej Izby Europejskiego Trybunału Praw Człowieka z 8 kwietnia 2021 r. w sprawie Vavřička przeciwko Czechom, skarga nr 47621/13

Judgment of the Grand Chamber of the European Court Human Rights of April 8, 2021 in the case Vavřička v. The Czech Republic, application no. 47621/13 Vavrick’s judgment against the Czech Republic, issued by the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights, raises the issue of the obligation to vaccinate children imposed by the law of the Czech Republic. The Court simultaneously examined five complaints concerning the refusal to admit children to kindergarten due to their non-vaccinations and one concerning a father of two children who was fined an administrative penalty for failure to comply with a statutory obligation. The applicants alleged violation of the right to respect private and family life (Article 8 of the ECHR) and of the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion (Article 9 of the ECHR). The Court therefore examined whether the interference in the form of an infringement of physical integrity was justified, examining whether it was lawful, justified by a legitimate aim and whether it was necessary in a democratic state ruled by law. Ultimately, the Tribunal supported the position that there had been no violation of the provisions of the Convention, explaining that it was a response to an urgent social need, and the choice of the measure chosen by the Czech legislator was supported by appropriate arguments. Moreover, the judges stated that despite the existence of a legal obligation, vaccination was not compulsory.

Simulation of interaction of production systems of industrial enterprises and business groups

The article considers the system of industrial enterprises constituting a business group, jointly producing some final product, supplying it with their private products. Since, in general, the capacities of enterprises are different, their products are not produced in proportional volumes, which simultaneously leads to both overstocking and the formation of a shortage of individual components of the final product. This leads to a decrease in the overall efficiency of the business group and to the instability of its individual enterprises. In the study, the task has been set to develop a mathematical model and a mechanism for a coordinated and fairly evaluated activity of enterprises using the basic concepts of the theory of active systems. The proposed model design is based on the requirements: private products must be supplied by enterprises in the required proportions, and penalties for failure to complete tasks must be characterized by a single penalty coefficient. In particular, in the development of well-known approaches to reconcile the conflicting interests of two different economic entities, it is proposed:– to clarify the area of agreed decisions by expanding it, taking into account not only the possibility of exceeding the optimal task for the enterprise, but also its underestimation;– to form a criterion for assigning penalty coefficients, as the equality of the lower value of the region of feasible solutions of a stronger enterprise and the upper value of the region of feasible solutions of a weaker enterprise.The solution of the problem is generalized to the case of an arbitrary number of enterprises. A general algorithm for solving the problem has been developed, including determining two critical enterprises, calculating the allowable (agreed) volume of product output for them, calculating the corresponding penalty coefficient and the values of output of individual products for each enterprise. An illustrative example has been given.

APA Files Another Amicus Brief in Ongoing Texas Case on Banning Trans Care for Youth

APA Files Another Amicus Brief in Ongoing Texas Case on Banning Trans Care for Youth

Caught in an Expectations Trap: Risks of Giving Securities Analysts What They Expect

Although recent research shows that there is mounting pressure on firms to achieve earnings expectations of securities analysts, firms are far from being passive conformers; many firms proactively manage such pressure, particularly with earnings management tools. Yet why does the pressure to meet analyst expectations persist despite firms’ efforts to reduce it? To address the question, we develop an intertemporal model of the mutually reinforcing relationships between analyst expectations and firms’ strategic response, combining the behavioral theory of the firm and the concept of expectations trap. We argue that firms’ efforts to meet analyst expectations strengthen their salience as a predominant performance benchmark and, in doing so, ironically put them under greater pressure from analysts in three sequentially related steps—escalating future earnings expectations, imposing more severe penalties for failure to meet heightened expectations, and generating compensatory action for missed expectations. Our analysis, using data on more than 700 of the largest listed U.S. firms between 1986 and 2015, supports our arguments. Our study expands the scope of the behavioral theory of the firm, by demonstrating the increasing importance of performance feedback based on analyst expectations. Our study also contributes to the research on earnings pressure, by illuminating why the pressure persists despite firms’ efforts to reduce or evade it, and finally to the literature on strategic management of external expectations, by elaborating its unintended, long-term consequences. Supplemental Material: The e-companion is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2021.1569 .

Food safety vs health and safety

Food safety vs health and safety

Minimum cost replacement and maintenance scheduling in dual-dissimilar-unit standby systems

Recent studies have shown that reusing standby elements during the mission may improve the mission success probability significantly. However, such a benefit cannot be effectively achieved without a careful design of the replacement and maintenance schedule (RMS), which determines work period durations of operating elements and types of maintenance performed for idle elements. This paper makes contributions by modeling and optimizing the RMS for a heterogeneous dual-unit warm standby system with the aim to minimize the total expected mission cost, covering operation, standby and maintenance costs as well as mission failure penalty cost. The two system elements are dissimilar, characterized by different performance, failure time distribution and cost parameters. For a successful mission, a specified amount of work must be accomplished before both elements become failed or unavailable. We propose a new probabilistic model-based methodology for assessing the mission success probability and expected mission cost (EMC) of the considered system. An optimization problem is further formulated and solved to find the optimal RMS minimizing the EMC. A case study of a two-pump oil transfer system is conducted to demonstrate the proposed model and effects of different cost parameters on the optimal RMS solution and corresponding mission success probability and EMC.

Legal Aspects of the Imposition and Enforcement of an Administrative Penalty for Failure to Register a Vehicle Imported from the Territory of a European Union Member State

&lt;p class="Akapitzlist1"&gt;The amendment to the Act on Road Traffic Law introduced a new legal institution related to failure to register a vehicle consisting of an administrative fine in the amount of PLN 200 to 1,000. The penalty is imposed by means of an administrative decision issued by a competent starost. With the introduction of the above-mentioned institution in legal circulation, new problems will arise in connection with conducting administrative proceedings to impose a penalty, as well as determining its amount. In addition, a starost, as a creditor, is obliged to initiate enforcement proceedings in the absence of voluntary execution of the decision imposing the penalty. The established body aims to ensure the implementation of Directive 2000/53/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 September 2000 on end-of-life vehicles, concerning, i.a., the absence of sanctions for not registering an imported vehicle and not registering an end-of-life vehicle. The following article discusses the main problems related to the application of the institution introduced with regard to the administrative procedure, the nature of the penalty imposed, as well as its enforcement. The considerations were carried out on the basis of a dogmatic method.&lt;/p&gt;

Gain-Loss Incentives and Physical Activity: The Role of Choice and Wearable Health Tools

Economic incentives are a promising approach for improving health behavior but have been limited by their short-lived benefits. In this manuscript, we examine whether coupling economic incentives with motivational tools provided by health wearables can address this limitation and drive longer-term changes in health behavior. We focus on “gain-loss” incentive schemes that offer both an economic reward for goal attainment and a penalty for failure to meet a goal. In an experiment conducted on individuals wearing Fitbit wearables, we find that gain-loss incentives can drive increases in physical activity but are limited by the element of choice. Specifically, we find modest and short-lived increases in physical activity for those provided the choice of gain-loss incentives. The subpar benefits for this group seem to emerge because those who benefit most from these schemes do not opt into them when they are voluntary. In contrast, we find significant and persistent increases in physical activity for those assigned (oftentimes against their preference) to the same gain-loss incentives. These individuals recorded ∼2,000 additional steps daily during the incentive period, and benefits persisted for six months after incentives ended. Critically, the persistent gains to this group were driven by individuals who also utilized the wearable’s goal-setting tool. Our results suggest that a novel approach toward motivating sustained changes in health behavior couples aggressive incentive schemes that jolt individuals out of their comfort zone in the short term with motivational tools built into health wearables that help individuals sustain healthy behavior after economic incentives end. This paper was accepted by Kartik Hosanagar, information systems.