Information disclosure with endogenous channel structure

This article investigates the firms' optimal quality information disclosure strategies in a supply chain, wherein the supplier may encroach into the retail channel to sell products directly to end consumers. We consider two disclosure formats, namely, retailer disclosure (R-C) and supplier disclosure (S-C), and examine the optimal disclosure format from each firm's perspective. We show that either firm prefers to delegate the disclosure option to its partner when the supplier cannot encroach. However, the threat of supplier encroachment dramatically alters the firm's preference of disclosure. The supplier may prefer the S-C format to the R-C format when the entry cost is low and the disclosure cost is high to achieve a higher quality information transparency. Meanwhile, the retailer may prefer the R-C format to the S-C format when the entry cost is intermediate to deter the possible encroachment of the supplier. In this sense, the firms' preferences of disclosure format can be aligned due to the threat of supplier encroachment. The consumer surplus is always higher under the S-C format while either disclosure format can lead to a higher social welfare. We also consider an alternative scenario under which the supplier encroaches after the product quality information is disclosed. An interesting observation appears that the supplier may encroach when the product quality is low but foregoes encroachment when the product quality gets higher.     

Inventory financing under Risk-Adjusted-Return-On-Capital criterion

Risk-Adjusted-Return-On-Capital (RAROC) is a loan-pricing criterion under which a bank sets the loan term such that a certain rate of return is achieved on the regulatory capital required by the Basel regulation. Some banks calculate the amount of regulatory capital for each loan under the standardized approach (“standardized banks,” the regulatory capital is proportional to the loan amount), and others under the internal rating-based (IRB) approach (“IRB banks,” the regulatory capital is related to the Value-at-Risk of the loan). This article examines the impact of the RAROC criterion on the bank's loan-pricing decision and the retailer's inventory decision. We find that among the loan terms that satisfy the bank's RAROC criterion, the one that benefits the retailer the most requires the bank to specify an inventory advance rate in addition to the interest rate. Under this loan term, the retailer's inventory level is more sensitive to his asset level when facing an IRB bank compared to a standardized bank. An IRB (standardized) loan leads to higher profit and inventory level for retailers with high (low) asset. For retailers with medium asset, an IRB loan results in a higher retailer profit but a lower consumer welfare. Calibrated numerical study reveals that the benefit of choosing standardized banks (relative to IRB banks) can be as high as 30% for industries with severe capital constraints, volatile demands, and low profit margins, highlighting the importance for retailers to carefully choose the type of banks to borrow from. When the interest rate is capped by regulation, retailers borrowing from a standardized bank are more likely to be influenced by the interest rate cap than those borrowing from an IRB bank. Under strong empire-building incentives (the bank will offer loan terms to maximize the size of the loan), retailers with medium initial asset level shift their preference from IRB banks to standardized banks.     

排液槽对折板捕雾器性能影响数值模拟

为研究气液分离器内使用的折板式捕雾器的流场特性及排液槽对其性能的影响,利用流体动力学计算软件Fluent,采用Low-Re Stress-Omega模型和DPM两相流模型,对捕雾器气液两相流流场进行了数值模拟。通过对比安装排液槽前后捕雾器内流场,分析了排液槽对捕雾器流场速度、液滴运动轨迹的影响;发现排液槽能大幅提高捕雾器的除雾效率,10μm以上液滴基本能够全部去除,但是也会使除雾器压降急剧增大。最后研究了排液槽主要结构参数——折弯直径和长度对捕雾器性能的影响,发现增大排液槽折弯直径和长度均能增加除雾效率,但同时也会增大进出口压降。     

交流杂散电流对埋地钢质管道腐蚀危害实验

为探究交流杂散电流的影响因素及其对阴极保护系统的影响,搭建交流干扰腐蚀实验平台研究了土壤电阻率、干扰电压大小、涂层电阻率和通断时间比对交流杂散电流密度的影响;采用腐蚀试片失重法研究了交流杂散电流密度对腐蚀速率的影响以及阴极保护电位分别为-850 mV和-1 000 mV时对阴极保护系统的影响。实验结果表明:土壤电阻率、干扰电压大小、涂层电阻率和通断时间比对交流杂散电流密度具有较为显著的影响;阴极保护电位为-1 000 mV时,即使交流电流密度为20 mA/cm2,腐蚀试片也能得到有效保护。因此,埋地管道应采用绝缘性能好的防腐涂层,规划合理的铺设路线,并在运行过程中采取强制电流阴极保护系统,设置合理的阴极保护电位。     

分布式态势感知一致性分析与度量方法研究

一致的态势感知,是现代武器、火力系统以及部队紧耦合协同作战的基础。本文以分布式态势感知理论为依据,从系统的角度,构建了团队达成一致态势感知过程的动力学模型;以系统内部一致性、外部一致性和一致所需最短时间为指标,给出了团队态势感知一致性的度量方法。仿真结果表明,适当地提高团队内沟通的广泛度和相互作用强度,选择合适的沟通网络,对提高一致性能力有积极的作用。     

Some implications of pricing bundles

In this article, we consider a problem in which two suppliers can sell their respective products both individually and together as a bundle, and study the impact of bundle pricing. Four pricing models (centralized, decentralized, coop–comp, and comp–coop) are analyzed with regard to the competition formats and sequences. As one would expect, the firms are always better off when pricing decisions are centralized. However, rather surprisingly, we find that firms may be worse off if the bundle prices are set in a cooperative way; we provide analytical characterization of those instances. Numerical studies show that these insights also hold for some nonlinear demand. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2013     

基于脉冲串信号的无源定位系统频差估计误差CRLB分析

频差估计是无源定位系统中的关键部分,其估计精度直接决定了无源定位系统的性能。本文对单频脉冲信号频差估计误差方差的Cramer-Rao下限(CRLB)进行了理论分析研究。在建立数学模型的基础上,定量分析了频差估计误差CRLB与接收信号参数的数学关系。通过直接公式推导和数值仿真归纳,分别得出了相参/非相参单频脉冲信号频差估计误差CRLB的解析表达式,该结论可用于指导基于频差估计的无源定位系统设计。     

基于Ansofl的PMLS发电机纵向边端效应仿真

永磁直线同步发电机特殊的结构使其存在一种特殊现象——纵向边端效应,从而严重影响了永磁直线同步发电机的性能。利用有限元电磁场分析软件Ansoft建立了永磁直线同步发电机的二维模型,分析了纵向边端效应产生的原因,以及纵向边端效应对永磁直线同步发电机初级磁场的影响。利用磁阻相等的原理,通过增加发电机端部齿宽度和极数两种方法来改善永磁直线发电机性能。经Ansoft软件仿真,结果表明增加端部齿宽度和极数可以有效抑制纵向边端效应,提高永磁直线同步发电机的性能。     

未知环境下飞行器视觉/惯导组合测速测高方法

针对未知环境下飞行器导航问题,提出一种基于视觉/惯导组合的测速测高方法。该方法构建包含前若干个成像时刻飞行器位置的惯导扩展状态方程,并采用一种基于摄像机两视图对极几何约束的线性视觉量测方程,通过卡尔曼滤波进行惯导速度修正,在此基础上利用多帧成像的立体视觉交会估计地面特征点坐标,进而得到飞行器相对高度。以飞行器典型巡航轨迹进行的仿真实验表明,该方法能够有效修正飞行器速度和相对高度误差,给出不随时间漂移的速度和相对高度测量结果,并很好地抑制飞行器位置误差的发散。     

弹性地基上的压杆横向振动频率方程的一般表达式

推导出弹性地基上的等截面受压直杆横向振动频率方程的一般表达式。在杆的各种端点条件下进行了分析和讨论