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To solve the transmission correlation issue arising from traditional named data networking (NDN) caching during segmenting contents, where users must obtain data blocks related to the requested file blocks to recover the source data, in this paper, we propose an NDN-based coded caching strategy for low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks, using coding operations to remove the transmission correlation of data. To achieve efficient content distribution, the satellite node's coded package is strategically placed with the objectives of minimizing the backhaul link load and content acquisition latency. The optimization problem is solved by using a multi-colony ant colony algorithm, enabling fast content retrieval. We designed a cluster cooperative distribution mechanism to simplify the satellite network's management and reduce the load of satellite links for content distribution when covered by multiple satellite nodes. Finally, we compare the multi-objective coded caching (CCMO) introduced in this paper with the most popular (MP) strategy and the random-based coded caching (CCR) strategy; the average cache hit ratio, backhaul link load, and content acquisition delay are compared and analyzed. The results show that CCMO performs better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore more spectrum resources to support sensors and their related applications, cognitive wireless sensor networks (CWSNs) have emerged to identify available channels being underutilized by the primary user (PU). To improve the detection accuracy of the PU signal, cooperative spectrum sensing (CSS) among sensor paradigms is proposed to make a global decision about the PU status for CWSNs. However, CSS is susceptible to Byzantine attacks from malicious sensor nodes due to its open nature, resulting in wastage of spectrum resources or causing harmful interference to PUs. To suppress the negative impact of Byzantine attacks, this paper proposes a beta distribution function (BDF) for CSS among multiple sensors, which includes a sequential process, beta reputation model, and weight evaluation. Based on the sequential probability ratio test (SPRT), we integrate the proposed beta reputation model into SPRT, while improving and reducing the positive and negative impacts of reliable and unreliable sensor nodes on the global decision, respectively. The numerical simulation results demonstrate that, compared to SPRT and weighted sequential probability ratio test (WSPRT), the proposed BDF has outstanding effects in terms of the error probability and average number of samples under various attack ratios and probabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the efficiency of logistics task allocation, the rationality and algorithm of the logistics cloud task scheduling model based on genetic algorithm are proposed in this paper. Firstly, the basic principle of genetic algorithm is introduced, the logistics cooperative distribution model is constructed, and the judgment mathematical model of the transfer point of the logistics distribution demand point is constructed. Genetic algorithm is used to solve the logistics distribution path planning model, and the model is simplified. The complex multiobjective optimization problem is transformed into a single-objective optimization problem through preference vector. The genetic algorithm and open-source algorithm on Python are used to simulate the model proposed in this paper. From the change curve of the objective function, after 100 generations of iteration, the value of objective function increases rapidly from 30 to 130 and slowly from generation 5 to generations 40 to 130. Subsequently, the 40th generation to 60th generation were rapidly upgraded to 160. Finally, the 60th to 100th generations are basically stable at about 170. The cost in the scheduling process decreases gradually with the increase of the number of iterations of the algorithm, from the initial unit cost of nearly 200 to 120. Then it gradually decreases to about 80. Genetic algorithm shows the ability of efficient and accurate solution in this 100-generation iteration. The genetic algorithm is used to solve the problem. The algorithm parameters are as follows: population size pop size = 300, maximum number of iterations max gen = 200, crossover probability PC = 0.8, and mutation probability PM = 0.1. Using the data in this paper and substituting it into the model established in this paper, the following distribution scheme is obtained: p the minimum distribution cost is 601.58 yuan, the distribution vehicle is 5, and the total mileage is 477.41. After using the algorithm to optimize the path, the path interleaving is greatly reduced, and the vehicles do not take the repeated route, which can greatly save the cost. After calculation, the total mileage after optimization is 74.8% lower than that before optimization, and the cost is significantly reduced by 72.8%. To sum up, the last kilometer distribution algorithm proposed in this paper can greatly reduce the cost of logistics resource scheduling, which has obvious research significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comments on Kai Blomqvist's paper on cooperatives and consumer research. Applicability of the paper to cooperatives and consumer researchers; Difference between the goals of consumer researchers and those of cooperative members and managers; Policy implications of the research.

This paper describes the personal experiences of an Italian professor who attended conferences in the US and his interaction with the American academic community through becoming a member of an American consumer organization. The author stresses the benefit he gained by remaining in contact with colleagues from the US and at the same time he provides his perspective on the American academic system. The author s encourages colleagues, especially young scholars, who live and work outside the US to enlarge their network and to remain in contact with American colleagues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comments on the article by Michael Shanks about the stakeholder concept and its implications for consumer organizations in Great Britain, published in the 1983 issue of the periodical 'Journal of Consumer Policy.' Argument on the influence of corporate state on consumer-choice possibilities; Promotion of consumer interest through negotiation between producer and consumer; Drawbacks of government-elected consumer bodies.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to find supplier's role in brand co-creation. This paper also discusses the perspective of suppliers on the role and benefits of other stakeholders like consumers and the sponsoring organization in brand co-creation and to come up with some concepts and constructs related to these. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative approach has been used to identify supplier roles. Depth interviews were conducted on 15 selected suppliers from India already participated in brand co-creation. Grounded theory method was used to code and analyze the data and come up with important themes. Findings: The grounded theory findings showed that suppliers need to have certain features like professionalism, willingness to invest in research and development (R&D) and flexible attitude in order to participate in brand co-creation. In turn, suppliers are benefited from participating in such an event as it improves their performance, growth and offerings. The depth interview findings also showed the reasons for successful and failed brand co-creation and the informant suppliers' view on the roles consumers and organization play in band co-creation and the benefits they receive. Originality/value: This is one of the first academic studies of identifying supplier's role in brand co-creation looking beyond consumers and organization. There is no qualitative and quantitative study that was conducted to find out supplier's role. The paper conceptualizes important concepts related to supplier's features, roles and benefits in brand co-creation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivating active participation in e-commerce logistics alliances to enhance delivery efficiency and customer satisfaction has long been a societal interest. Leveraging the quantum game theory, this paper develops a model for incentivizing collaboration within these alliances. This model enables theoretical and numerical analysis of members' strategies and entanglement levels. The findings show that quantum strategies increase members' profits, achieving Nash equilibriums and Pareto optimal outcomes, outperforming the classical game theory. In addition, the size of quantum entanglement emerges as a critical determinant influencing members' active participation in collaborative distribution. Strengthening information sharing and aligning interests can enhance entanglement levels among members, making them more inclined to adopt strategies promoting active involvement in collaborative distribution. Moreover, members can adapt their strategies based on the initial entanglement in collaborative distribution, thereby incentivizing participation and reducing ethical risks. In conclusion, through numerical analysis, we present relevant strategies and recommendations for incentivizing collaborative distribution within e-commerce logistics alliances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the conflicts associated with the so-called 'Dieselgate' affair. It explains the interaction of civil society, law firms and political actors which reshapes the legal systems in Europe. Once the federal government in Germany had decided that European car owners should not get any kind of financial compensation, a transnational coalition of consumer organizations and law firms successfully initiated a legal mobilization campaign to counteract the political decision. As a consequence, collective litigation rights were strengthened in Germany and at the European level. Theoretically, the paper refers to the literature on adversarial legalism. Whether this judicialized style of conflict resolution is spreading to Europe ('Eurolegalism') has been a hotly debated topic in political science. Our main argument is that the Dieselgate case is a catalyst event to foster the transformation process towards 'Eurolegalism'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comments on the article by Michael Shanks about the stakeholder concept and its implications for consumer organizations in Great Britain, published in the 1983 issue of the periodical 'Journal of Consumer Policy.' Loss of independence of the movement; Performance of governments in their attempts to regulate business activity; Factors that consumer movements should consider in the prospect of powersharing.

Alternative Food Networks (AFNs) have grown globally since the late 1990s to promote responsible consumption and production in the agri-food sector, although their expansion varies across countries and socio-economic contexts. Initially, the Fair Trade movement and development organizations established AFNs to address socio-environmental challenges faced by producers in the Global South. However, as cooperation and development agendas evolve, more Fair Trade and development actors are forming North-North AFNs (N-N AFNs) to tackle socio-economic imbalances in agri-food systems of the Global North, especially in the EU. Despite their prevalence, these initiatives and their structures lack extensive academic study. Drawing on Le Velly's framework for the analysis of AFNs, this paper conducts an in-depth qualitative analysis of three N-N AFN initiatives in Belgium, Italy, and Greece. The analysis demonstrates that while these initiatives share common objectives in terms of fairness and shortness of the agri-food system, variations arise in terms of its accessibility and environmental sustainability. Furthermore, the findings emphasize that there is no one-size-fits-all model for N-N AFNs across Europe, as different organizational arrangements – such as farmers' cooperatives, consumers' cooperatives, and business partnerships – emerge in response to specific project goals within each national context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to empirically explore the linkage between the cooperative sector and economic growth in Italian provinces (NUTS‐3), through a panel analysis covering the period between 2013 and 2019. We hypothesize that the cooperative sector can contribute to economic growth through its ability to generate social capital, thereby helping to mitigate market failures. The empirical analysis does not provide us with robust evidence of the positive connection between the cooperative sector as a whole and local economic growth. However, when we disaggregate the cooperative sector into ordinary and social cooperatives, we find intriguing results. Indeed, there is robust evidence of a negative relationship between the territorial distribution of ordinary cooperatives and economic growth, while for social cooperatives we find a positive relationship. We interpret these results as showing that the pursuit of general interest objectives, which allows the principle of mutuality to be extended to indirect forms of reciprocity, could make cooperative firms more effective in promoting the economic performance of territories. This is because they are more likely to generate bridging social capital that encourages the spread of generalized trust, a key factor in the advancement of modern market economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the integration of distributed renewable energy to the distribution network and the development of multiterminal flexible DC transmission technology, multiterminal flexible DC distribution network has broad application prospects. At the same time, with the rapid development of new energy vehicles, the echelon utilization of power battery has become a research hotspot. By analyzing the characteristics of flexible DC distribution network and echelon utilization battery, the structure and control strategy of modular multilevel converter (MMC), DC solid-state transformer, photovoltaic power generation, wind power generation, and echelon utilization battery energy storage system are established, respectively, in this paper. To achieve a DC network connection of various types of power supply and load, this paper proposes a starting method of multiterminal flexible DC distribution network and a cooperative control strategy of the wind-solar-storage system. A six-terminal ring-shape DC distribution network model is built in real-time digital simulation (RTDS) platform. The simulation results show that the modeling methods and control strategies of each component in the real-time simulation model meet the operation requirements of the multiterminal flexible DC distribution network, which provides a reference for the construction and research of the flexible DC distribution network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, with the advancement of the automotive industry and the innovation of electronic technology, issues related to the field of Internet of Vehicles (IoV for short) have received increasing attention. Existing communication technologies can no longer meet the demands of high mobility, low latency, high reliability, and massive streaming data distribution faced by IoV in the future. As one of the key technologies of 5G, D2D communication technology can effectively alleviate the above challenges faced by IoV. This technology not only allows terminals to perform point-to-point direct communication within a certain range but also allows data forwarding between receiving terminals, thereby improving the data distribution efficiency of the IoV, which injects new impetus into the development of the IoV business in the future. However, existing cooperative distribution algorithms between terminals do not fully consider the differences in D2D links, making it difficult to achieve efficient use of spectrum resources. To address this problem, this paper proposes a cooperative data distribution algorithm based on multihop relay in the IoV environment where D2D is used to realize flexible terminal communication between vehicles, including both multicast and unicast modes. The algorithm adaptively selects the optimal relay, route, and number of transmission hops based on the D2D link quality to find the optimal cooperative distribution scheme to achieve the goal of optimizing the energy efficiency of the requesting vehicle. Simulation results show that, compared with the existing one-hop unicast and one-hop multicast forwarding algorithms, the multihop relay data cooperative distribution algorithm proposed in this paper exhibits strong global optimization ability and can significantly improve D2D forwarding resource utilization and data transmission rate and improve the throughput of data distribution services, thereby effectively improving the energy efficiency of the requesting vehicle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to reasonably distribute the final payoffs to each enterprise alliance participating in cooperation is one of the hottest issues in cooperative game problems. Notably, existing scholarly investigations addressing such problems often overlook the disparate contributions made by individual players to the alliance, opting instead to assign same distribution weights to all participants. Obviously, it is inconsistent with the realistic cooperative game scenario and may cause inequitable payoffs distribution in the cooperative game. In this paper, we proposed a novel combination approach aimed at obtaining the value of payoffs distribution that aligns more closely with actual circumstances. Firstly, we obtain the initial Shapley values of cooperative game alliances and construct the weighted normalized aggregated q-rung interval-valued orthopair fuzzy decision matrix. Subsequently, the Borda-MULTIMOORA method is employed to calculate correction coefficients that can reflect the enterprises' contributions to the alliance within the cooperative game, thereby enhancing the fairness of the allocation process. Ultimately, the availability and superiority of proposed payoffs distribution model is verified by a numerical example of three new energy sharing electric vehicle companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a comprehensive discussion of Tugan-Baranovsky's (1916) seminal study about the working of cooperatives in a capitalist environment, which, due to historical and linguistic circumstances, has left only a limited trace in the subsequent economic literature in the Western world. He claimed to have provided the then only full analytical and historical account of economic cooperation in its several forms, especially producer and consumer cooperatives, and their impact on their members' welfare. It was not until the 1950s and 1960s that cooperative organisations gradually occupied again the research agenda of economists under the guise of 'labor-managed firms'. Tugan's treatise on cooperation has been mentioned in that literature to a limited extent only, in connection with the issue of the life-cycle of producer cooperatives. Tugan's economic treatment of cooperatives is discussed here as part of his broader social and political views of capitalism and socialism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cooperative game with coalition structure generally involves two levels of cooperation: in which the players first form a small coalition, and then participate in the cooperation of the big coalition as a whole. In the One Belt, One Road Initiative, small sized alliance groups often have a weak voice in participating in cooperation projects, so they are easily at the disadvantages of profit distribution and their cooperative enthusiasm are affected. Therefore, it is necessary to further study the cooperative game with coalition structure and its solution. Based on this, a new solution method (i.e., weighted Owen value) is proposed in this paper, which can consider the impact of small coalition size on the cooperation. Then, based on the cooperative game with coalition structure and weighted Owen value, we describe the multi-level and complex cooperation relationship in the One Belt, One Road Initiative. The possible range of profit distribution are gotten for the player in the cross-border cooperation projects. Thus, the proposed weighted Owen value can be used to get a possible profit distribution range for each participant in cross border cooperation projects, which may provide a theoretical decision basis for the cross border largescale projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies reveal the limited effectiveness of benefit-based and hedonic-based product recommendations provided by online recommenders, and recommender anthropomorphism is considered a remedy. This paper aims to investigate the positive effect of anthropomorphism by involving the online recommender's perceived ability to learn as a mediator. Based on schema congruity theory, perceived benefit/hedonic appeals appropriateness is considered a dependent variable. In Study 1, subtle anthropomorphic cues within an online recommender had a positive effect on perceived benefit-appeals appropriateness through the perceived ability to learn. Study 2 demonstrated the positive relationship between perceived anthropomorphism and perceived hedonic-appeal appropriateness, with the mediating role of the perceived ability to learn. The results advance the knowledge about consumer response to online recommenders from the perspective of anthropomorphism and schema congruity theory. Marketers and consumer organizations are advised on how to deal with online recommender systems providing benefit and hedonic appeals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to offer an account of the role of user-led organisations in a radically different approach to delivering local authority adult social care management functions. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on the evaluation of a two-year project funded by the Office for Disability Issues as part of the Independent Living Strategy, this paper highlights some of the key learning points from this project. Findings – The central finding is that user-led organisations are capable of delivering this radically different way of working with quality (and possibly cost) gains. However, there are potentially significant barriers to overcome in order to achieve this. Originality/value – The Government is exploring a greater role for the voluntary and community sector including user-led organisations. It is widely acknowledged that "peer" support activity should play a key part in delivering the "personalisation agenda". This paper highlights the fact that delivering this will require leadership, partnership and trust. A strategic vision is needed – but so is an eye for detail on operational delivery issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This study aims to explore consumers’ motivations in the adoption of either print or digital forms of media, given the fluctuation of trends and attitudes in magazine consumption in the USA. This paper utilizes cognitive lock-in and the power law of practice to further the understanding of digital adoption through an interdisciplinary lens.Design/methodology/approach In this study, initially, five focus group sessions, including 53 qualifying non-student participants randomly placed into groups of 10 or 11, were held. Next, a 2 × 2 between-subjects quasi-experiment, using 163 undergraduate students at a large public university, was conducted.Findings The findings show that although the digital medium is considered less expensive, more convenient and more environmentally friendly, the print medium is regarded as more familiar, personal and visual. Further, whether the media type is a book or a magazine, consumers report higher perceived value, hedonic value and attitude toward print versus digital media.Practical implications The potential to digitally attract and lock-in consumers in the media industry has immense implications. Individuals consume media because of fashion marketing, personal space and advertisements, among other reasons.Originality/value This paper contributes to existing research by uncovering qualitative and quantitative insights into media consumption through a multilayered analysis of focus group participants and a quantitative experiment. The findings indicate that both the power law of practice theory and cognitive lock-in are plausible explanations for the choice of print over digital media format. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the literature of cooperative game theory, it is often assumed that there is only one coalition composed of all the players other than the dummies in a cooperative game of complete information, although the coalition formation is examined and the equilibrium process of coalition formation (EPCF) was defined in a repeated cooperative game of incomplete information. On the other hand, the blocking approach only provided several possible ranges of the distribution scheme of the cooperative payoff of a coalition in a cooperative game with agreements implemented by a third party, and the single point solutions provided are usually collectivistic. This paper examines the coalition formation in a cooperative game with agreements implemented by a third party, and provides the existence proof and an algorithm of the coalition equilibrium; moreover, this paper analyzes the equilibrium of the bargaining game on the distribution of the cooperative payoff of a coalition under the coalition equilibrium, and examines the distribution scheme of cooperative payoff of a coalition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper examines the profit distribution of engineering projects in the integrated project delivery (IPD) mode. IPD is a new delivery method that can ameliorate many of the disadvantages of traditional delivery methods and improve project results. In the implementation of IPD, the profit distribution is key for ensuring the success of IPD projects. Design/methodology/approach: This paper described a new method for characterizing profit distribution in the IPD mode. The payment function and Shapley value of the cooperative fuzzy game of fuzzy alliance were defined by considering the Choquet integral of the fuzzy measure. The participation of each player was considered, and the influence of participation on the profit distribution was discussed. Lastly, changes in the profit distribution of core participants under different alliance combinations were studied. Findings: A case from a report of The American Institute of Architects (AIA) was used to verify the fuzzy alliance model. There was a significant correlation between the degree of participation of the owner, architect and builder and the profit distribution among these three participants. Research limitations/implications: The theoretical research in this paper has some limitations. Initially, this paper selects a case with only three key participants in order to simplify the research. When there are many core participants, how to establish the alliance in the IPD mode and how to establish the corresponding profit distribution model, further work is certainly required to disentangle these complexities in models. Second, in this case, BIM technology has little impact on the income of the whole project. Therefore, this paper does not consider the impact of BIM technology on the marginal effect of the IPD project. Third, the contract type in the case is a custom tri-party based on IFOA. There is no classified discussion of the impact of different contracts on the profit distribute in the paper. Practical implications: Based on the in-depth study of cooperative game with alliance structure, this paper promotes the classic cooperative game with alliance structure. The authors define the payoff function of fuzzy cooperative games by Choquet integral of fuzzy measure, and introduce the idea into the field of IPD. It aims at extending the solution to a cooperative game without a core. It can be obtained through a simple calculation. In the IPD alliance, the fuzziness and uncertainty of the participation degree of each participant will affect the profit of the whole project. The authors find that the higher the participation rate of players, the more profit each participant has. The greater the influence weight of the designer on the alliance, the lower the influence weight of the contractor on the alliance, the lower the participation of the contractor and the designer, and the lower the income distribution value of the three core participants. It shows a monotonous decline status. Social implications: For any construction enterprise, it can make more profits if it joins the grand alliance. In the IPD alliance, each participant can maximize their own interests, which can also promote the enthusiasm of construction enterprises to participate in the alliance and increase the application of IPD mode in AEC industry. This research method provides a new fast, effective, and more realistic solution method for cooperative countermeasures. It can be further extended to other cooperative game fields and advance a new research perspective and solution for the distribution of cooperative interests. Originality/value: The contribution of this paper is the development of a fuzzy alliance model that provides a tool for measuring the profit distribution in IPD. This is the first quantitative model to connect the degree of participation with the profit distribution in IPD using fuzzy alliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is the first step in the process of transferring data ownership back to the customers. This regulation brings major changes for any organization working with consumers and their data, or processing data about individuals in the context of selling goods or services to the citizens. This paper considers the case of a media company offering online content and discusses what are the implications of the data ownership by the customers for the media company's business model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the career development process of women in postwar Japan who belonged to the Shufuren (the Association of Consumer Organization), the homemakers' federation, and who became experts in everyday life through studying and researching to improve their lives. It analyzes the organizational chart, hours and fundings for activities, details of activities, formation of the cooperative relationships, and career development of the leaders. The women who gathered at the Shufuren studied and researched the issues that arose in daily lives. By accumulating survey and research data and presenting scientific evidence, they made requests and proposals for improvements to the Diet, governments, and industries. Through these activities, they contributed to establish laws and systems protecting consumer rights. The women also developed partnerships with other civic groups in sharing current social issues. They expanded the circle of the movement and asserted their demands to the Diet, government agencies, industries, and the public. The members grew as experts in everyday life by steadily building their careers with passion for daily activities. Their activities were not limited to the Shufuren; some women went beyond the Shufuren to become leaders of organizations. Conventionally, homemakers are viewed as not having career development aspirations. When discussing women's career development in Japan, attention has focused on career development through work and balancing work and family life. However, the activities and steps taken by the female members of the Shufuren to improve their lives should also be considered a form of career development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The aim of this paper is to present a critical analysis of the current issues about support planning within personal budgets (PBs) for disabled and older people. Design/methodology/approach -- The paper is based on data from a round of professional workshops in five local authorities, which represented the first stage of a research study about support planning. Focus group discussions were held with participants from voluntary sector organisations (VSOs), as well as social services participants, and the paper is based on a thematic analysis of those discussions. Findings While there was considerable agreement about the desired outcomes for personal budget users, and the ingredients of good support planning, some major concerns were voiced about current constraints. Budgetary cuts were felt to impinge negatively on support planning, and conflicts were identified for social services between the facilitation of PB users' choices, and the need to keep budgets limited. Support planning was often being re-colonised by social services, and VSOs felt that their own role was being curtailed. Some suggestions were made about equalising the power relationships between social services, VSOs and PB users themselves. Originality/value -- These workshops represent five local authority areas which volunteered to take part in research, building on existing good practices in support for PB users. The obstacles they identified are likely to be very general ones, and need to be addressed by strategic solutions at national and local level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data dissemination is one of the applications used to provide infotainment to the end-users in vehicular ad hoc networks (VANET). During this process, the vehicles receive the data broadcast by the RoadSide Unit (RSU). However, it is difficult for vehicles to collect the complete content within the communication range of one RSU when the vehicle moves at a high speed and the amount of broadcast data is large. To solve this problem, a multi-RSU cooperative data distribution scheme based on fountain code (MRFC) is proposed in this paper. The source data are encoded by fountain code and poured into the VANET by multiple cooperative RSUs, then the vehicles in the area share data packets through the V2V resource compensation method, so that all vehicles can obtain enough encoded packets to reconstruct the source data. To improve channel resource utilization and reduce delivery delays, the RSUs use fuzzy logic to determine the number of fountain code packets according to their locations, the speed and density of surrounding vehicles. The experimental results show that on the premise of ensuring the delivery rate, the proposed scheme can reduce the delivery delay by 30–50%, and achieve a significant improvement in performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a dual-hop mixed radio frequency-free-space optical (RF-FSO) cooperative system with amplify-and-forward (AF) relaying. The RF link is subject to Rayleigh fading and the FSO link is assumed to follow F -distributed fading with pointing error. The different types of detection, including intensity modulation with direct detection (IM/DD) and coherent heterodyne detection (HD), are considered. The closed-form expressions for the cumulative distribution function (CDF), the moment generating function (MGF), and the moments of end-to-end signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) are derived. Furthermore, closed-form expressions for the outage probability, average bit error rate (BER), and ergodic capacity are presented. Asymptotic outage probability expressions are derived to obtain additional insights into the system performance. It is shown that the HD technique exhibits better performance than an IM/DD technique. The system performance is deteriorated by atmospheric turbulence and pointing error. Finally, analytical results are confirmed by Monte Carlo simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Purpose -- It is generally recognized that consumer cooperatives are at a disadvantage when raising capital as compared to conventional capitalist firms. The purpose of this paper is to explore a method for consumer cooperatives to issue transferable membership shares as financial securities and raise non-redeemable equity. The author examines if such a method can strengthen the financial viability of consumer cooperatives in the market economy. Design/methodology/approach -- The author first explain the mechanism by using diagrams of the circular flow of factors of production and the product. The author then developed a simple formal model and compare the amount of equity capital raised by a capitalist firm and a consumer cooperative. Findings -- The author found that the amount of equity that a consumer cooperative can raise by issuing shares of membership is greater than the amount of equity that a capitalist firm can raise by issuing shares of stock. Research limitations/implications -- More research effort is required to apply the theory discussed in this paper for practical use. Social implications -- Consumer cooperatives have many good features that conventional capitalist firms do not have. However, the scale and scope of consumer cooperatives have been quite limited partly because of the problem of finance. The method presented in this paper is expected to improve the financial viability of consumer cooperatives and promotes their activities in the market economy. Originality/value -- This paper regards the membership of a consumer cooperative as a kind of financial security and as a tool for procuring capital for investment. As far as the author knows, the present paper is the first one that presents such a concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there is general consensus regarding the urgent need for sustainability transitions in food and agriculture, tensions exist regarding how to best stimulate and manage them. Generally, there are two competing agrifood governance models for advancing sustainability: technocratic and deliberative democratic procedures. Taking up Fischer's (Citizens, experts, and the environment: The politics of local knowledge, Duke University Press, Durham, 2000) call to develop new ways of bringing citizens and experts together in governance, this paper examines an integrative sustainability governance system that uses both technocratic and deliberative procedures. Drawing on a case study of a Japanese consumer cooperative, Seikatsu Club Consumer Cooperative, this paper analyzes the ways that technocratic and deliberative governance procedures use different forms of knowledge, measure and assess sustainability differently, and produce different outcomes. The analysis finds that whereas technocratic forms of governance are most effective at monitoring, verification, and compliance assurance, deliberative processes facilitate relationships, mutual understanding, and commitment among stakeholders. For sustainability governance to address not only the technical but also social dimensions of sustainability, the findings on Seikatsu Club Consumer Cooperative's integrative governance system support the need for deliberative procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social movement organizations use consumer activism to mobilize public pressure and cause economic or reputational damage to their target. However, current frameworks fail to explain why organizations would use indirect consumer activism: targeting one firm to elicit change from a third party. This paper aims to explain this choice, drawing upon theories of opportunity structures to explain why groups choose to use indirect strategies. I examine three campaigns using indirect strategies: US-based Grab Your Wallet and Sleeping Giants, and UK-based Stop Funding Hate. Groups use indirect strategies to reach inaccessible targets and to mobilize the public; these strategies help social movement organizations to raise public awareness at the beginning of a campaign. I conclude with some expectations for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Computer networks covered the entire world and a serious and new development has not formed for many years. But companies and consumer organizations complain about the failure to add new features to their networks and according to their need, like much of the works to be done automatically and they also like to develop and expand their networks on the software side so they don't need new expensive hardware for many of the activities and needs of their network. Analysis of the control layers and writing data in Software-Defined Network (SDN) facilitate network management and accelerate innovation in network. In order to develop broad networks of SDN, often a large number controller is needed and located position of controllers in the SDN networks and can be raised as an important and basic issue in the field of SDN network and have impact on reliability of SDN networks. This paper focused on latency and reliability in SDN networks. The latency here means the delay in response to the request of data path that has a significant impact on network latency. In this paper it is shown that the number of controllers and their position can be effective on two measures; reliability and latency in SDN networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Comments on J. Koopman's (1986) study concerning developments in government consumer policy and its impact on consumer organizations, featured in September 1986 issue of the 'Journal of Consumer Policy.' Problems concerning the definition of consumers; Agreement on the description of developments within the Organization for Economic Cooperation Development countries Committee on Consumer Policy.

Within the specialized literature, there is a relative consensus in defining self-production as the main means of access to habitat for low-income social groups in Latin America. It is possible to define these individual or collective processes as decom-modified forms of habitat production, that is, productive forms that do not aim to obtain profit and that prioritize housing as a use value. This paper seeks to analyze some of the causes of a collective experience, paying particular attention to those organizational technologies that made the construction of housing solutions viable. In this sense, the research problem is restricted to the following questions. What are the dynamics of co-construction between social actors, organizational technologies, and artefactual housing solutions in a process of decom-modified production of habitat? How do these dynamics generate (or inhibit) inclusive development processes? To answer this question, the case of the Quilmes Consumer and Housing Cooperative Ltda. (Quilmes, GBA) will be analyzed from the Socio-Technical Analysis (AST). The information collection strategy was focused on the survey of secondary sources of information, an in-depth interview with the president of the Cooperative and field visits carried out in 2015. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the large-scale participation of renewable energy in market trading, this paper designs a cooperation mode of new energy power stations (NEPSs) and shared energy storage (SES) to participate in the power-green certificate market, which divides SES into physical energy storage and virtual energy storage. Secondly, combining the advantages of scenario generation and robust optimization (RO), a two-stage RO model with improved uncertainty interval is proposed to determine the optimal trading strategy. Then, to better align the distribution results of cooperative benefits with the actual contributions of NEPSs and SES, an entropy weight modified Shapley value benefit allocation strategy is constructed. Finally, the new energy base in Qinghai Province, China is chosen for simulation. The results show: (1) Adding energy storage and using two-stage RO are able to effectively improve the ability of NEPSs to resist uncertainty, which increases the revenue of the alliance by 22.8%. (2) The application of SES has better economic benefits than each member equipped with energy storage separately. Compared with the latter, the deviation penalty cost of the former is reduced by 66.4%, and the revenue is increased by 3.4%. (3) The proposed entropy weight modified Shapley value method embodies the important auxiliary role of SES more obviously. Based on this method, the overall satisfaction of the alliance increases by 12.6%. Generally speaking, the optimization model and benefit allocation strategy proposed in this paper can provide guidance for NEPSs and SES participating in power trading, and promote the low-carbon transformation of the power sector. [Display omitted] • Design a cooperation mode of new energy power stations and shared energy storage. • Divid the shared energy storage into physical energy storage and virtual energy storage. • Propose a two-stage robust optimization model with improved uncertainty interval. • Construct an entropy weight modified Shapley value-based benefit allocation strategy. • Select a new energy base as the simulation system for verifying the effectiveness and applicability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Industrial Revolution that started in the late 18th century dramatically increased our standard of living by making high quality, low-cost manufactured goods available to the masses. Today, the global economy faces a similar turning point, but now in the service sector. Technologies have rapidly become smarter and more powerful, and at the same time, they are getting smaller, lighter, and cheaper. This service revolution has important implications for service organizations and consumers alike. This paper identifies the opportunities and challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research background: The study examines the degree of the utilization of the idea of co-creating value by companies, taking into account the forms of remuneration of consumers. Purpose: The paper presents the issue of co-creating value with consumers from the perspective of the motivation and rewarding of clients. The article discusses factors determining the collaboration between the business and the virtual community as well as issues related to the remuneration of consumers. Research Methodology: The study covered managers who received questionnaires, developed after previous verification in a pilot study. The survey was conducted from August to October 2016. The questionnaire was prepared in a Polish and English version. The questionnaire in the Polish version was completed by 157 participants, while the questionnaire in the English version was completed by 42 managers. In total, 199 questionnaires were registered, including 134 with complete answers, which were subjected to further statistical analysis. The calculations were carried out using the SPSS v. 21/24 package and Statistica v. 7.1. Results: Enterprises with a high rate of positive answers to questions about the benefits of value creation believe that consumers should work together without remuneration. However, one should remember about the limited value of the interpretation due to the relatively small sample size. Novelty: This paper focuses on the results of analyses taking into account the relationship between the attitudes of entrepreneurs towards rewarding consumers for their contribution to value creation and the attitudes of entrepreneurs towards the issue of cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving a successful resolution to a nation's food problem is largely dependent on the development of cooperation. As an organizational-legal form of business in the agro-industrial complex, cooperation is represented by agricultural production cooperatives. Most of the world is currently dominated by consumer cooperatives, while Russia - by production ones. Over the last ten years, the number of production cooperatives in Russia has declined. The primary reason behind this is their low investment attractiveness. The paper examines the role of cooperation in driving sustainable development in rural areas, makes a case for the efficiency of production cooperatives as opposed to other forms of business, and reiterates the need for further development of cooperation in the country. A cooperative is not just a for-profit organization but a socio-labor form of business as well. The current level of profitability of agricultural production in cooperatives does not allow them to implement reproduction on an enlarged scale at this time. The authors explore a set of primary areas for the development of agricultural production cooperation in the country and examine a set of key measures of government support for it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comments on J. Koopman's (1986) study regarding developments in government consumer policy and its impact on consumer organizations, featured in September 1986 issue of the 'Journal of Consumer Policy.' Three levels of consumer protection; Agreement on the proposals regarding the organization of consumer policy within the European Community.

ABSTRACT The capital structure of co-operatives can differ from that of IOB (Investor-Owned Businesses) since the two organizations differ in their aims, governance structures and decision-making principles. This paper examines whether the determinants verified in IOB affect the leverage ratio of consumer co-operatives. Consumer co-operatives in South Korea have been rapidly growing during the last decade. There are two leading theories in finance that explain capital structure: the trade-off and pecking order theories. Focusing on consumer co-operatives in South Korea, the paper aims to analyze empirically what determinants have effect on the capital structure of consumer co-operatives and which of the two theories is more plausible. This study reveals that profitability and firm size have a significantly negative effect on leverage while tangibility and growth have a significantly positive effect on it. In conclusion, it seems that neither of the theories above perfectly accounts for the capital structure of consumer co-operatives because of the differences in governance characteristics between consumer co-operatives and IOB as well as in the costs of bankruptcy, agency, informational asymmetry and securities issuance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The separation of C2H2/C2H4 is a challenging task, and adsorptive separation based on porous materials offers a promising energy-efficient alternative. Porous coordination polymers (PCPs) have been advocated as potential adsorbents with high separation performance (adsorption capacity and selectivity) by precisely tuning their pore size and chemistry. However, to achieve the goal of green chemistry and pioneer PCPs for practical applications, not only the separation performance but also low regeneration energy and synthetic cost are crucial factors. We herein prepared a novel PCP TJE-1 with rational distribution of cooperative supramolecular interaction sites, exhibiting a very high C2H2 uptake of 5.27 mmol g−1, and a C2H2 selective adsorption over C2H4 under 1 bar, at 298 K. Theoretical calculations indicate that the selectivity originates from the difference in hydrogen bonding and π interactions, resulting in a low isosteric heat of adsorption for C2H2 (35.5 kJ mol−1). Moreover, TJE-1 also remains stable in aqueous acid/base solutions and can be synthesized with scaling up using economical precursors (about $1.45 per g and $0.13 per g for two ligands). This strategy offers guidance on the development of next-generation PCPs with integrated performance that is highly beneficial for industrial gas separations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses the problem of optimal ordering and collaborative inventory management in a distribution network as a two-stage decision problem. In the first stage, when demand is uncertain, the retailers (sellers) order the products from a warehouse. Then, when demand becomes known with certainty, retailers may exchange their products to better match local demands. Sellers should determine their optimal order quantities for the first stage, and quantities and prices of products exchanged in the second stage. This paper proposes to build sellers’ coalitions and solve the two-stage decision problem as a cooperative game. Stability of a sellers’ coalition can be achieved only if the benefits resulting from collaboration are maximised and distributed according to an allocation policy that is both efficient and rational. The profit maximisation problem is formulated as a stochastic optimisation problem with recourse. Using the scenario method, this problem is approximated by a deterministic linear problem for which the existence of a solution is guaranteed. The proposed pricing policy guarantees the rational allocation of benefits under the scenario approximation. An industrial example supports the modelling approach and is used to evaluate the profitability of the exchange practice in the case of real data. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper investigates stochastic games on finite tree graphs. A given n-player normal-form game is defined at each node of a tree. Transition to a next node of the tree is random and depends on the strategy profile realized in a current game. We construct a cooperative solution of the game by maximizing the total expected payoff of the players. The core is used as the solution concept of the cooperative game. We introduce the definition of a strongly subgame-consistent (strongly time-consistent) core. Finally, we suggest a method for designing a cooperative distribution procedure of an imputation from the core that guarantees its strong subgame consistency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Virtual enterprise is a dynamic alliance of businesses, in which multiple members undertake joint research, development, manufacturing, operation, etc. The complexity of the relationship between business members, coupled with many new technologies or methods applied in the alliance operation, leads to more uncertain factors and difficulties in the operation and risk management of the virtual enterprise. The distributed decision-making model is a fast and effective decision-making model, in which dispersed intellectual resources and information resources are dynamically integrated through virtual organization forms and operating mechanisms, and the dynamic reorganization, result evaluation, and synthesis of the decision-making system are realized by certain control rules. On the basis of summarizing and analyzing previous research works, this paper expounded the research status and significance of the risk control of virtual enterprise; elaborated the development background, current status, and future challenges of distributed decision-making model; introduced the related works of decision-making variable calculation and constraint determination; constructed a risk control model for virtual enterprise based on distributed decision-making model; analyzed the multiobjective model and interval programming model of risk control; established a risk control approach for virtual enterprise based on distributed decision-making model; performed the optimal allocation of risk control funds and the selective optimization of backup allies; and finally conducted a case analysis. The study results show that, in view of the diversity of relationships between alliance businesses and the complexity of the distribution of cooperative areas, the distributed decision-making model can more reasonably describe the relationship between alliance members and accurately control the risks of virtual enterprise from multiple angles, which can effectively manage the risks of virtual enterprise. The study results of this paper provide a reference for further research on the risk control of virtual enterprise based on distributed decision-making model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate delineation of various forms of business organization requires a comparative analysis of their objectives, functions, and organizational structures. In particular, this paper highlights differences in managerial work between business firms and non-profits exemplified by the charitable organization. It adopts as its template the theory of the marketing firm, a depiction of the modern corporation as it responds to the imperatives of customer-oriented management, namely consumer discretion and consumer sophistication. It describes in §2 the essentials of the theory and its basis in consumer behavior analysis, and outlines its unique position as the organization responsible for marketing transactions, based on objective exchange, competitive markets and prices, and the deployment of the entire marketing mix. §3 deals in greater depth with the objective, strategic functions, and organization of the marketing firm in terms of the concepts of metacontingency and bilateral contingency. §4 discusses how the marketing firm differs from charities in terms of goal separation, market-based pricing and competition, the entrepreneurial (strategic) process, the pursuit of customer-oriented management, and organizational structure. Particular attention is accorded the organizational differences between marketing firms and charities, which arise as a direct consequence of the distinct patterns of contingency they entail. §5 discusses the implications of the foregoing analysis and draws appropriate conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper aims to report on an exploratory study exploring the provision of dementia advocacy, Design/methodology/approach - The study adopted a qualitative approach. Data is based on 17 semi-structured interviews with a range of key stakeholders, and observations of the practice of advocates working in third sector organisations. The study was conducted in five localities across the UK. Findings - The study draws attention to the benefits of advocacy as a means of supporting older people with dementia and illuminates internal and external challenges encountered by third sector organisations providing this type of support. Research limitations/implications - The study captures the additional dimension that austerity brings to third sector organisations working in this field and the ways in which financial constraints are shaping the field of dementia advocacy, Originality/value- This paper contributes to ongoing debates in relation to a contradiction between the current coalition government's Big Society ideas and the reality as it unfolds in a specific part of the third sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to describe the application of empowerment and the role that it plays in fostering community participation, community integration and in enabling a healthy re-settlement of culturally and linguistically diverse migrants who have recently arrived in Australia from Sub Saharan Africa. Design/methodology/approach -- The paper's approach is a discussion expressing the views of authors supported by the relevant literature drawn from a wide range of sources on migration, settlement, health, social, environment, cultural and public health issues. The African community and its peak organisation, the African Communities Council of South Australia is presented and various empowerment strategies used by the council are discussed as a healthy model for empowering new settlers in the new environment. Findings -- The first part of the paper describes the migration of African migrants in South Australia and sets the scenario describing the current state of these migrants including opportunities and challenges they face in the new environment. The second part describes theories and contexts of community empowerment, relationship between community empowerment and a healthy settlement; and the relevance and implications of community empowerment. The third part draws the above context and the empowerment strategy is specifically related to the African Community in South Australia. The empowerment strategy in this case represents a wide range of interventions aimed to equip new African migrants to a successful and a healthy resettlement and integration in South Australia. By addressing a wide range of settlement challenges and issues, the strategy employs concepts of empowerment that have been used in public health in general, health promotion, health education, communications, community engagement and community development. Originality/value -- The paper highlights challenges and opportunities for new migrants in the new environment and argues that community empowerment is an important enabling tool for a healthy settlement, particularly for people with refugee backgrounds. The paper also acknowledges that the community development approach has assisted the target group and has improved their ability to overcome challenges associated with settlement through capacity building, social capital and community connectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates cooperative search strategies for agents engaged in costly search in a complex environment. Searching cooperatively, several search goals can be satisfied within a single search effort. Given the searchers’ preferences, the goal is to conduct a search in a way that the expected overall utility out of the set of opportunities found (e.g., products when operating in a market) minus the costs associated with finding that set is maximized. This search scheme, given in the context of a group search, applies also to scenarios where a single agent has to search for a set of items for satisfying several different goals. The uniqueness of the proposed mechanism is in the ability to partition the group of agents/goals into sub-groups where the search continues for each group autonomously. As we show throughout the paper, this strategy is favorable as it weakly dominates (i.e., can improve but never worsen) cooperative and autonomous search techniques. The paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the new search method and highlights the specific characteristics of the optimal search strategy. Furthermore, we introduce innovative algorithms for extracting the optimal search strategy in a range of common environments, that eliminates the computational overhead associated with the use of the partitioning technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]