This paper addresses the equilibrium traffic assignment problem involving battery electric vehicles (BEVs) with flow-dependent electricity consumption. Due to the limited driving range and the costly/time-consuming recharging process required by current BEVs, as well as the scarce availability of battery charging/swapping stations, BEV drivers usually experience fear that their batteries may run out of power en route. Therefore, when choosing routes, BEV drivers not only try to minimize their travel costs, but also have to consider the feasibility of their routes. Moreover, considering the potential impact of traffic congestion on the electricity consumption of BEVs, the feasibility of routes may be determined endogenously rather than exogenously.
A set of user equilibrium (UE) conditions from the literature is first presented to describe the route choice behaviors of BEV drivers considering flow-dependent electricity consumption. The UE conditions are then formulated as a nonlinear complementarity model. The model is further formulated as a variational inequality (VI) model and is solved using an iterative solution procedure. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the proposed models and solution algorithms. Discussions of how to evaluate and improve the system performance with non-unique link flow distribution are offered. A robust congestion pricing model is formulated to obtain a pricing scheme that minimizes the system travel cost under the worst-case tolled flow distribution. Finally, a further extension of the mathematical formulation for the UE conditions is provided.

This study investigated the life cycle greenhouse gases (GHG) mitigation effect of railway infrastructure through the application of an eco-concrete, using ground granulated blast furnace (GGBF) slag and electric arc furnace (EAF) slag as alternative materials in railway sleeper, and a concrete surface protection agent in railway track. A simplified life cycle assessment method was applied to compare GHG emissions and an instrumental analysis as well as a physical performance test were carried out to identify the protection mechanism between the agent and concrete along with field tests. From this study, it was found that two different approaches might contribute substantially to mitigate emissions from railway infrastructure. The surface protection agent with an anti-deterioration function showed high possibility of increasing lifespan of the concrete structure and the use of alternative materials, such as furnace slag, reduced the concrete consumption by more than 20% (w/w). It was estimated that the potential GHG mitigation effects from the surface protection agent and eco-concrete technology applied to a railway concrete track were at least 27 ton CO₂ eq. per km a year and 11.1 kg of CO₂ eq. per 1 sleeper, respectively.

We examine whether firms respond to settlements of their uncertain tax benefits (UTBs) by adjusting the related UTB reserve. A reported UTB settlement indicates that the tax authority challenged at least one of the firm’s uncertain tax positions, thereby providing information to managers regarding the sustainability of similar tax strategies and outstanding UTBs. Consistent with expectations, our results suggest that UTB settlements are negatively related to the accrual for new uncertain tax positions. Further, we demonstrate that managers make less downward adjustments to the UTB reserve related to existing uncertain tax positions following settlements with tax authorities. Finally, additional analysis suggests that the valuation of UTBs is lower in the year subsequent to a UTB settlement. Collectively, our results suggest that the information gathered from tax audit outcomes influences firms to be more conservative in their tax reporting, and possibly their future tax planning as well.

We study scheduling on multiple two-stage flowshops in which each job has to pass through an R-operation and a T-operation. Motivated by the current research in data centers, we consider two restricted versions of the problem in which the jobs are inclined: one restricts that for each job, the R-operation consumes no less time than the T-operation, while the other assumes that the T-operation consumes no less time than the R-operation for each job. For the first case, we present an online 2-competitive algorithm and an offline 11/6-approximation algorithm. For the second case, we give an online 5/2-competitive algorithm, and prove, for the offline setting, that the problem can be reduced to the problem in the first case.

How can family firms unlock their innovation potential? Despite the recent growth in research on family business innovation, existing literature has yielded controversial findings. Family firms are recognized as more conservative and steadfast to their tradition, however many of the most innovative firms worldwide are family businesses. This points to an apparent willingness-ability paradox in family business innovation. Drawing on family business innovation and family systems literature, we argue that family characteristics are an important yet overlooked driver of this paradoxical tension. We develop the construct of family business innovation posture, and identify a typology of four ideal types: Seasoner, Re-enactor, Digger, and Adventurer. Furthermore, we explore and illustrate with empirical data the necessary fit between the family business innovation posture and family-related dimensions to resolve the willingness-ability paradox. The article examines the implications of the typology for family business innovation research by exploring the effects of intra-family succession, outlining important directions for future research aimed at advancing current understanding of the role of the family in family business innovation, and providing practical insights for family business owners, managers, and consultants.

To mitigate climate change, low-carbon economy is introduced as a sustainable development strategy. Natural gas, as an alternative to pollutant fuels such as coal, which is now widely used, could facilitate global transition to the age of renewable energy. Iran is one of the major emitters of CO₂ in the world, and it is thus, crucial to move toward low-carbon economy in order to accomplish its commitment in reducing GHG emissions. This study evaluates Iran’s natural gas industry development by reviewing reserves, production and consumption, infrastructures as well as natural gas agreements. The total proven natural gas reserves of Iran is estimated 33500 bcm by the end of 2015, where more than 60% of them are offshore. There exists 23 active fields in Iran and the largest of which is South Pars gas reservoirs in the Persian Gulf. The gross production of natural gas was 257623 million cubic meters in 2015 of which 80% was marketed. The current state of Iran’s natural gas industry is assessed as an acceptable level due to massive reserves, high production capacity, wide transmission and distribution network and high penetration of natural gas in cities and villages. That is why natural gas has the highest contribution in the national energy mix, resulting in replacing petroleum fuels with natural gas to decrease CO₂ emissions. However, in recent years, delays in implementing development projects of the natural gas industry made supplying domestic demand difficult during cold seasons. Furthermore, it negatively influenced the nation’s gas export potential. Iran’s natural gas industry faces some challenges including growing domestic demand, high energy loses in residential and commercial sectors and low efficiency of energy systems in industrial and power generation sectors. If challenges are solved, natural gas could serve as a bridge for transition toward the low-carbon future of Iran.

The present study tested the impact of jury experience on citizens’ perceptions of the criminal prosecution system. Based on deliberative democratic theory which predicts the beneficial impact of jury experience on citizen-jurors’ confidence and knowledge in law and the justice system, it was hypothesized that jury experience would be associated with favorable impression of the criminal prosecution system and that jury experience would have a positive impact on citizens’ perceived knowledge of the criminal prosecution system. The present study through analyzing data collected by the American Prosecutors Research Institute (APRI), examined the effect of jury experience (versus no jury experience) on perceptions of the criminal prosecution system. Results show that jury experience positively influences citizen-jurors’ impression and perceived knowledge of the criminal prosecution, supporting an attitudinal and educational impact of jury experience. Potential limitations of the study and policy implications are discussed.

We study an enforcement model in which, as soon as a Legislator grants an amnesty to low-rank criminals cooperating with the justice, top criminals react by bribing public officials in order to avoid being sanctioned. We show that, to prevent this form of subversion of law, the optimal policy must grant leniency not only to low-rank criminals but also to officials who plead guilty and report bribe-givers. By doing so, the policy increases the conviction risk not only for top criminals but also for their soldiers. This higher risk increases the reservation wage that top criminals must pay in order to recruit soldiers and therefore reduces the crime profitability (the bright side of subversion of law).