Special issue : recent advances in soft computing : theories and applications

Soft Computing is an interdisciplinary area that encompasses a variety of computing paradigms. Examples of some popular soft computing paradigms include fuzzy computing, neural computing, evolutionary computing, and probabilistic computing. Soft computing paradigms, in general, aim to produce computing systems/machines that exhibit some useful properties, e.g. making inference with vague and/or ambiguous information, learning from noisy and/or incomplete data, adapting to changing environments, and reasoning with uncertainties. These properties are important for the systems/machines to be useful in assisting humans in our daily activities. Indeed, soft computing paradigms have been demonstrated to be capable of tackling a wide range of problems, e.g. optimization, decision making, information processing, pattern recognition, and intelligent data analysis. A number of papers pertaining to some recent advances in theoretical development and practical application of different soft computing paradigms are highlighted in this special issue.

Place branding and cross-cultural visual communication : how do the theories and practices of place branding inform our understanding of cross-cultural visual communication design?

In a globalised environment, visual communication designers are now required to understand their audience’s needs, values and unique methods of communication, creating a new focus on the recipient. In a cross-cultural design context, the visual communication also needs to appeal to a broad range of stakeholders and multiple recipients who hold a strong emotional investment in the message being sent. Our understanding of the complexities of designing in this environment can be informed by recent developments in the research of place branding where the focus is on the increased possibility for failure, the strong potential for criticism and the issues associated with a broad range of stakeholders.

The outcomes of this connection are explored further in a case study involving eight countries as diverse as Australia, Brazil, Mexico, South Africa, Turkey, Qatar, United States of America and Zimbabwe. More than 140 student and lecturer participants reviewed a student driven cross-cultural visual communication project that produced over 560 designs. The increased potential for failure and strong, emotional criticism raised questions about the role of images and symbols in cross-cultural visual communication. The impact these have on the reception of the design, challenge our views on the use of stereotypical imagery. This paper will discuss the movement towards designing visual images that are generic and lacking in cultural representation presenting the view that stereotypical imagery is important to the recipient who relies on these cultural references to effectively read the message.

Surface wrinkling of the twinning induced plasticity steel during the tensile and torsion tests

'Heterogeneous twinning' is defined as plastic deformation due to the formation and progress of twins resulting in surface wrinkles on the deforming part when the initial grain size is relatively large compared to the typical size of the part. In the case of a Twinning Induced Plasticity (TWIP) steel with an initial grain size of ~160. m, the heterogeneous twinning generated visible wrinkles, an orange peel effect, under medium uni-axial strains. The heterogeneous twinning did not occur in the material subjected to high shear strains. The complications resulting from this phenomenon on strain hardening characterization of the TWIP steels using two commonly used mechanical tests, tensile and torsion are discussed along with some experimental aspects of heterogeneous twinning. © 2014.

Theories and their uses in social marketing

'This is essential reading for social marketing practitioners, researchers and students. the book describes a comprehensive range of behavior change theories of relevance to social marketing and is complemented with illustrative case ...

A comprehensive method to identify the kinetics of static recrystallization using the hot torsion test results with an inverse solution

Many difficulties exist in directly following the static recrystallization of metals, particularly during hotworking. Indirect measurement of static recrystallization has been extensively performed in the literature where, for example, the recrystallization behavior of austenite in steels has commonly been measured indirectly using the fractional softening method. This method relies on the yield stress changes during recrystallization which are physically simulated by hot torsion or compression tests. However, the inherent heterogeneity of deformation during a mechanical test leads to a non-uniform static recrystallization distribution in the test sample. This, in turn, poses a serious question concerning the reliability of the measurement since the stress calculation techniques during recrystallization are not adequately developed in the existing literature. This paper develops a computer-based method to account for heterogeneous deformation during fractional softening measurements based on the hot torsion test data. The importance of the fractional softening gradient in determining the kinetics is emphasized and deficiencies in our understanding of the basic mechanisms are highlighted. A computer-based method is introduced to generate the experimental and computational components in a cost function. The cost function is then utilized by an inverse solution to calibrate the design parameters in a static recrystallization model.

Theories into practice: understanding and rethinking our work with young children and the EYLF

This book introduces and explores each of the five major groups of theories described in the Early Years Learning Framework that inform practice in the early childhood field. In doing so, it addresses the need of the early childhood educators to better understand how their practice is underpinned by theories of learning and development.Educators draw from a range of perspectives, but it can sometimes be difficult to understand the link between theorists, theories and perspectives and their own practice. This book makes these links clear and easy to understand so educators can talk with more authority to colleagues, families and communities about their work, and reflect constructively on their practice.Each chapter deals with a different group of theories, briefly outlining the major thrust of each group and what it might look like in practice. Some of the major theorists are then focused on in turn. Discussion starter topics follow each theorist to promote discussion on the main topics and threads of the theorist’s thinking. This is followed by questions for reflection that relate more to thinking about the main concepts in relation to practice.

Performing desistance: how might theories of desistance from crime help us understand the possibilities of prison theatre?

Despite the ubiquity of theatre projects in prisons there has been little (published) discussion of the application of theatre to the theories of criminology or rehabilitation of offenders, and scant examination of the potential for criminological theories to inform theatre practice in criminal justice settings. This article seeks to address this deficit and argues that positioning prison theatre within the discipline of positive criminology, specifically contemporary theories of desistance from crime, provides a theoretical framework for understanding the contribution that prison theatre might be making in the correctional setting. Through a review of related literature, the article explores how prison theatre may be motivating offenders toward the construction of a more adaptive narrative identity and toward the acquisition of capabilities that might usefully assist them in the process of desisting from crime.

Applicability of financial theories of capital structure to the Chinese cultural context: a study of privately owned SMEs

Using a new dataset of 1539 Chinese small and medium-sized enterprises this article investigates the firm-level determinants of capital structure and tests them against the predictions of financial theory. Firm size and profitability are both found to be related to leverage as posited by pecking-order theory. In contrast little support is found for the predicted relationship between asset structure and leverage. These findings are discussed in relationship to their Chinese cultural context. The managerial and policy implications of the research are then explored.