Towards Compact Modeling of Noisy Quantum Computers: A Molecular-Spin-Qubit Case of Study

Classical simulation of Noisy Intermediate Scale Quantum computers is a crucial task for testing the expected performance of real hardware. The standard approach, based on solving Schrödinger and Lindblad equations, is demanding when scaling the number of qubits in terms of both execution time and memory. In this article, attempts in defining compact models for the simulation of quantum hardware are proposed, ensuring results close to those obtained with standard formalism. Molecular Nuclear Magnetic Resonance quantum hardware is the target technology, where three non-ideality phenomena—common to other quantum technologies—are taken into account: decoherence, off-resonance qubit evolution, and undesired qubit-qubit residual interaction. A model for each non-ideality phenomenon is embedded into a MATLAB simulation infrastructure of noisy quantum computers. The accuracy of the models is tested on a benchmark of quantum circuits, in the expected operating ranges of quantum hardware. The corresponding outcomes are compared with those obtained via numeric integration of the Schrödinger equation and the Qiskit’s QASMSimulator. The achieved results give evidence that this work is a step forward towards the definition of compact models able to provide fast results close to those obtained with the traditional physical simulation strategies, thus paving the way for their integration into a classical simulator of quantum computers.

Exploratory Study on Digital transformation: Capabilities and Expected Performances

Nowadays many firms encounter the macro-level changes called digital transformation and research on it has drastically increased since 2014. In response to this emerging phenomenon, this study explores how firms prepare for digital transformation and what do they expect from it. More specially, based on the survey from 439 Korean scaleup firm (high-growth firm), we suggest the concepts to necessary capabilities for and expected performance improvement through digital transformation. Our study illustrates that how a firm’s perceptions on those concepts varies upon firm size and industry type. Additionally, our study offers a clue for ‘digital divide’ that can potentially threaten the survival of numerous firms.

DEVELOPING A COMPETITIVE MODEL FOR HEALTH AND WELL-BEING TOURISM DESTINATIONS IN THAILAND: CONFIRMATORY FACTOR ANALYSIS APPROACH

This study assesses the consistency of the structural components of a model for developing a competitive health and well-being destination as viewed by health and well-being tourism entrepreneurs in an emerging Thai market. The sample consisted of 216 health and well-being tourism entrepreneurs recruited by purposive sampling. A questionnaire formatted using a five-point Likert scale was used. The questionnaire’s Index of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC) varied from 0.60 to 1.00, and its reliability ranged from 0.711 to 0.938. Statistical analysis, frequencies, percentages, means, standard deviations, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were utilised. The findings revealed the following seven model components: 1) health and well-being tourism resources and attractions, 2) infrastructure and facilities, 3) service design and development, 4) policy, planning and destination management, 5) knowledge management and learning organisation, 6) destination management and 7) innovative capacity. Governors, entrepreneurs, destination managers and stakeholders can use the discovered variables to evaluate a competitive health and well-being destination’s expected performance, strengths, weaknesses and development opportunities. Further, this research should enable continuing support through the critical variable factors.

Identification of the Gaps between Actual Performance and Expected Performance of English Teachers at Elementary Level

Teachers hold central figure in the propagation of effective education in educational milieu. The present study attempted to explore the key performance indicators (KPIs) of English teachers working in government schools at elementary level of education. The KPIs were identified and determined by examining the gap between their existing performance and their expected level of proficiency. The study focused its attention to evaluate the gap in English teaching domain only. The data was collected and analyzed quantitatively in this survey oriented descriptive research. A total number of 200 students and 40 teachers were restricted as the sample of the study taken from 04 tehsils of district Bahawalpur. Furthermore, data was collected by developing and administering 02 instruments i.e. questionnaire and classroom observation. The data taken from observation checklist was quantified to obtain empirical results of the investigation. The findings of the study revealed significantly huge gap between the existing and desired level of teachers’ proficiency. This gap was relatively apparent in teachers’ language proficiencies as well as instructional capabilities. Majority of the teachers couldn’t demonstrate the optimal standards of English teaching due to multifaceted factors. Furthermore, study revealed that there is dire need of target oriented instructional workshops and teacher trainings to be arranged for teachers to get the maximum outcomes.

Determinants of stadium attendance in Italian Serie A: New evidence based on fan expectations

This article aims to analyse the impact of the main determinants of match-day stadium attendance for seven seasons—2012–13 to 2018–19—of the Italian football Serie A. The main element of novelty is that the dataset is split into three sub-categories based on the pre-season fans’ expectations to verify whether the impact of attendance determinants varies depending on teams’ expected performance. Our results—based on Tobit model regressions—identify some significant differences across the three subsets. However, the difference that seems to be the most significant revealed a common preference of Italian fans towards higher quality opponents.

Team Learning, Work Behaviors, and Performance: A Qualitative Case Study of a Technical University in Ghana

Higher education institutions in Ghana have a lot of expectations but appear to be facing contemporary challenges. Using five focus groups, this study explores individual learning, team learning, organizational citizenship behaviors, leader–member exchanges, innovative work behaviors, and performance in a Ghanaian technical university. Interactive exchanges suggest that individual social behaviors and leadership exchanges are important to higher educational institutions (HEIs). Both stakeholders and managers should activate these behaviors and leadership qualities to enhance performance. The inherent benefits help both faculty and HEIs fulfill their core mandates of teaching, research, and community service. With these, they remain globally competitive given challenges, dynamism, and expected performance from both faculty and HEIs as agents of socio-economic development. This study informs on underlying mechanisms that affect engagement in some of these behaviors, including the effect of culture as an inhibitor of women’s innovative behaviors. Next to that, it provides both theoretical and practical evidence for stakeholders, especially HEI managers, regarding how to increase faculty members’ efficiencies and performance. Finally, the study offers both recommendations and directions for future research.

An anti-slip control strategy with modifying target and torque reallocation for heavy in-wheel motor vehicle

In-wheel motors are used in heavy vehicles such as buses and trucks to improve efficiency and compactness, the safety of which is particularly important. Anti-slip control is applied to road vehicles to improve the active safety performance, and it is necessary for heavy in-wheel motor vehicles. However, the experiment results in this study show that the response delay of motors on the heavy vehicle is larger than that of the passenger car, and the vehicle mass often changes, which brings drawbacks to the rapidity and stability of its dynamics control. For these problems, an improved Proportional-Derivative Control with a modifying desired wheel rotational speed is proposed for the slip regulation. The modifying control target is intended to mitigate steady tracking error, the role of which is similar to the traditional Integral Control. The desired wheel rotational speed is modified through the response in the current period, and then is set as the new target in the next period. Because the anti-slip control of driving wheels on each side is independent, the torque reallocation strategy is introduced to coordinate with the yaw control and take the yaw dynamics into account, which therefore improves the lateral stability. To avoid the excessive driving torque increment causing the slipping phenomenon again, after the anti-slip control finishing, a transition process is applied. Finally, simulations and real vehicle experiments are conducted to verify the effectiveness and flexibility of the control algorithm, and the results indicate that the control strategy has an expected performance.

INVESTIGATION OF BEHAVIOR OF INTERIOR STEEL CONNECTIONS WITH OPENINGS IN BEAM WEB AND FLANGE UNDER MONOTONIC LOADING

Connections are considered to be one of the most prominent components of steel moment frames and have received studious attention in recent years. The core problem of welded connections is premature brittle fracture of weld in the critical beam-to-column connection region. Within the framework of this issue, various approaches have been proposed to solve the mentioned problem. Intentional weakening of the beam web or flange is in line with the purpose of leading the plastic hinge away from the column face, hence, increasing the ductility. The aim of this research is to investigate the behavior of interior connections subjected to monotonic lateral loading in case of presence of openings in beam web or flange. To do so, an ordinary fully welded rigid connection, reduced beam section, reduced web section, and drilled flange connection models are simulated numerically, utilizing finite element software, ANSYS. The results indicate that scrupulous selection of opening sizes are of great importance to fulfill the desired outcome which is avoiding the brittle failure of connections. Furthermore, the use of drilled flange, reduced beam section, or reduced web section connections satisfy the expected performance and it is proposed to use them according to practicability, architectural and economic considerations as well as site conditions. Shear deformation and local buckling is observed in reduced web section connections while in drilled flange connections, stress concentration around the opening is critical.