Search

Finite cloud method (FCM) employs the fixed kernel reproducing technique to construct the interpolation function and point collocation approach is adopted for the discretization. In this study, an improved FCM is proposed such that a node of interest is approximated with its nearest cloud. This feature enables a set of uniformly distributed clouds of various densities such that all the information in the problem domain is captured and stored in the clouds. Additionally, the instability of FCM near the boundaries is treated by having the boundary nodes also satisfy the governing differential equation. Besides, a splitting mechanism is suggested for the node refinement to improve the accuracy of solution. Parameters are introduced to control the density of clouds and the singularity of the moment matrices associated with the clouds. Thus, a more controllable numerical simulation is developed. Numerical examples are presented and the results have shown that the improved FCM produces a stable and better accuracy of solution.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has exerted a wide range of effects on electronic (e)-commerce and technology and even forced some retail stores to cease operations. The e-commerce and online retail application use increased significantly during the pandemic. This trend prompted social media, which is an effective marketing channel, to communicate brand-related information by stimulating brand engagement and brand knowledge among consumers. In this case study, a traditional Chinese pastry shop faced the issues of low brand awareness and brand image due to limited social media interaction. Before a comprehensive social marketing plan was designed for the shop, the general factors that influenced the brand awareness and brand image of pastry shops were examined. A quantitative method was used where surveys were distributed via Google Forms. Purposive sampling was performed, and data were collected from respondents who used social media platforms to interact with others in Malaysia to buy pastry products. The total usable data for the study was 169. The findings demonstrated that there were positive significant relationships between social media interaction, customer brand engagement, brand awareness, and brand image. The marketing strategies implemented on the Facebook page of the traditional Chinese pastry shop for two months successfully and effectively increased its brand awareness and brand image, which indicated that social media interaction was the best strategy to develop brand awareness and brand image for the pastry shop. This study provided deeper insight into social media interactions for the retail industry to enhance brand awareness and brand image during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]