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Article
Publication date: 21 August 2017

Andrés Montaño and Raúl Suárez

This paper aims to present a procedure to change the orientation of a grasped object using dexterous manipulation. The manipulation is controlled by teleoperation in a very simple…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to present a procedure to change the orientation of a grasped object using dexterous manipulation. The manipulation is controlled by teleoperation in a very simple way, with the commands introduced by an operator using a keyboard.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper shows a teleoperation scheme, hand kinematics and a manipulation strategy to manipulate different objects using the Schunk Dexterous Hand (SDH2). A state machine is used to model the teleoperation actions and the system states. A virtual link is used to include the contact point on the hand kinematics of the SDH2.

Findings

Experiments were conducted to evaluate the proposed approach with different objects, varying the initial grasp configuration and the sequence of actions commanded by the operator.

Originality/value

The proposed approach uses a shared telemanipulation schema to perform dexterous manipulation; in this schema, the operator sends high-level commands and a local system uses this information, jointly with tactile measurements and the current status of the system, to generate proper setpoints for the low-level control of the fingers, which may be a commercial close one. The main contribution of this work is the mentioned local system, simple enough for practical applications and robust enough to avoid object falls.

Details

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, vol. 44 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 December 2020

Md. Zillur Rahman Siddique, Goutam Saha and Aminur Rahman Kasem

This paper aims to examine the exogenous effects of experiential attitude toward green (EAG), instrumental attitude toward green (IAG), injunctive norms on green (ING)…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the exogenous effects of experiential attitude toward green (EAG), instrumental attitude toward green (IAG), injunctive norms on green (ING), descriptive norms about green (DNG), green perceived control (GPC) and green self-efficacy (GSE) on green purchase intention (GPI). Moreover, this paper also investigates the causal factors of green purchase behavior (GPB) considering green knowledge (GK), the salience of green behavior (SGB), environmental constraints (ECPG) and green habit (GH).

Design/methodology/approach

The research model was adopted to measure the green behavior of Bangladeshi consumers using an integrated behavior model (IBM). The data were randomly collected from 372 respondents and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach was used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

PLS results imply that all independent variables (EAG; IAG; ING; DNG; GPC and GSE) impact GPI; and SGB, GH and GPI influence GPB. On the other hand, GK and ECPG have no significant effect on GPB.

Research limitations/implications

There may present a gap in the outcomes of the study to signify the generalizability because the survey was conducted in some cities of Bangladesh which may not represent the country as a whole.

Practical implications

This study anticipates the cause-effect relationship between GPI, GPB and their determinants. The results of the study can help marketers understand green consumer behavior and design appropriate strategies and tactics for new marketing challenges.

Originality/value

This research investigates green purchase behavior in a developing country. It empirically confirms the validity of IBM in assessing green behavior, especially for Bangladesh, a booming economy and suitable for investment. Although ample research explored green purchase behavior, green habit and saliency have not been considered in measuring green purchase behavior.

Details

Journal of Asia Business Studies, vol. 15 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1558-7894

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 February 2007

Andre Saito, Katsuhiro Umemoto and Mitsuru Ikeda

The purpose of this paper is to distinguish and describe knowledge management (KM) technologies according to their support for strategy.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to distinguish and describe knowledge management (KM) technologies according to their support for strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed an ontology development method to describe the relations between technology, KM and strategy, and to categorize available KM technologies according to those relations. Ontologies are formal specifications of concepts in a domain and their inter‐relationships, and can be used to facilitate common understanding and knowledge sharing. The study focused particularly on two sub‐domains of the KM field: KM strategies and KM technologies.

Findings

”KM strategy” has three meanings in the literature: approach to KM, knowledge strategy, and KM implementation strategy. Also, KM technologies support strategy via KM initiatives based on particular knowledge strategies and approaches to KM. The study distinguishes three types of KM technologies: component technologies, KM applications, and business applications. They all can be described in terms of ”creation” and ”transfer” knowledge strategies, and ”personalization” and ”codification” approaches to KM.

Research limitations/implications

The resulting framework suggests that KM technologies can be analyzed better in the context of KM initiatives, instead of the usual approach associating them with knowledge processes. KM initiatives provide the background and contextual elements necessary to explain technology adoption and use.

Practical implications

The framework indicates three alternative modes for organizational adoption of KM technologies: custom development of KM systems from available component technologies; purchase of KM‐specific applications; or purchase of business‐driven applications that embed KM functionality. It also lists adequate technologies and provides criteria for selection in any of the cases.

Originality/value

Among the many studies analyzing the role of technology in KM, an association with strategy has been missing. This paper contributes to filling this gap, integrating diverse contributions via a clearer definition of concepts and a visual representation of their relationships. This use of ontologies as a method, instead of an artifact, is also uncommon in the literature.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 11 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 February 2023

Silvia Cachero-Martínez, Nuria García-Rodríguez and Noelia Salido-Andrés

This research analyzes the role of happiness associated with sustainable purchases in social enterprises (SEs) as a key precursor of prosocial behavioral responses through…

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Abstract

Purpose

This research analyzes the role of happiness associated with sustainable purchases in social enterprises (SEs) as a key precursor of prosocial behavioral responses through satisfaction with such purchases.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper studies the relationships between past purchase in a social enterprise, consumer happiness, satisfaction and three indicators of loyalty: repurchase intention, word-of-mouth (WOM) intention and willingness to pay more. In addition, it analyzes the moderating role of altruistic motivation. A survey was designed to collect data from 380 consumers who had bought in a social enterprise.

Findings

Sustainable consumption is a source of happiness for ethical consumers to the extent that they feel that they meet a personal need or desire, and they contribute to achieving a social objective with their purchasing behavior.

Practical implications

SEs must appeal to the happiness of consumers as a strategic line to achieve their satisfaction and loyalty. Social enterprise practitioners and marketers should deploy organizational capabilities and resources in key performing areas such as communication, customer service or shopping experience, with the purpose of maximizing the happiness of ethical consumers with whom the firm is interacting for the first time.

Originality/value

This research highlights the importance of the social enterprise in the commercial setting, since it has been proven that purchases in these companies generate happiness and satisfaction in consumers. In addition, satisfaction has a great impact on their loyalty, which is a direct advantage for this type of company and an indirect one for society as a whole.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 62 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2022

Lina Zhong, J. Andres Coca-Stefaniak, Alastair M. Morrison, Liyu Yang and Baolin Deng

This study aims to investigate the consumer acceptance of robots in hotels before and after COVID-19, with a specific emphasis on whether COVID-19 had a significant effect on the…

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the consumer acceptance of robots in hotels before and after COVID-19, with a specific emphasis on whether COVID-19 had a significant effect on the acceptance of robots by hotel guests and whether guests had higher levels of acceptance of hotel robots since the initial COVID-19 outbreak was brought under control in China.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample for this research included Chinese hotel guests before and after COVID-19, with 247 responses obtained before its outbreak and a further 601 responses gathered after. Several hypotheses were developed and tested in a pseudo-experimental design.

Findings

The results showed that COVID-19 increased hotel guest acceptance of robots. After COVID-19, the perceived importance of the usefulness, social influence, attitude and value of robots increased, while the perceived importance of the ease of use and anthropomorphism of robots decreased. As a contactless service, the usefulness of robots was more valued by customers. This led customers to lower their requirements for the ease of use of robots. In addition, people were more concerned about the social influences on robot use.

Research limitations/implications

Hotel guest attitudes and behavioral intentions toward robots and the services they can provide are changing. However, whether this change is purely ephemeral and motivated by a pragmatic stance triggered by COVID-19 remains to be established.

Practical implications

The hospitality industry is encouraged to create a new profile of guests in terms of their favorable or unfavorable disposition toward being served by robots. Hotels should consider the deployment of robots according to the demographic characteristics of customers (e.g. according to guest age levels).

Originality/value

This research demonstrated that major crises affect customer attitudes and behaviors toward new technologies. COVID-19 resulted in guests paying more attention to the advantages of services offered by hotel robots as a means of reducing the probability of contagion.

疫情前后酒店机器人非接触式服务的技术接受度对比研究

摘要

目的

本研究调查了新冠疫情爆发前后酒店顾客对机器人接受程度的变化, 重点研究了新冠疫情是否对机器人的潜在接受程度有显著影响, 以及自疫情在中国得到控制以来, 顾客对酒店机器人的接受程度是否有所提高。

设计/方法

本研究的样本主要是新冠疫情爆发前后的中国酒店顾客, 在疫情爆发前收集了217份样本, 在疫情爆发后收集了601份样本。研究提出了若干假设, 并采用伪实验设计进行了检验。

结果

结果显示, 新冠疫情的爆发提高了酒店顾客对机器人的潜在接受度。新冠疫情后, 机器人的有用性, 社会影响, 态度和价值的影响增加了, 而机器人的易用性和拟人化的影响降低了。由于机器人的无接触服务, 使得顾客更加关注有用性。这导致顾客对易用性的关注降低。此外, 顾客更加关注使用机器人的社会影响。

研究局限/启示

酒店顾客对机器人服务的态度和行为意图正在发生变化。然而, 这一变化是否是短暂的, 只是由新冠疫情驱动的, 仍有待确定。

实践意义

我们鼓励酒店业根据客人对机器人的接受/不接受程度来创建一个新的客户档案。酒店也可以根据顾客的人口统计学特征(比如年龄)来部署机器人。

创意/价值

这项研究表明, 重大灾难会影响顾客对新技术的态度和行为。 COVID-19的爆发导致客人更加关注酒店机器人的服务优势(降低传染概率)。

Aceptación de la tecnología antes y después de la pandemia del COVID-19: Servicios ofrecidos por robots en hoteles

Resumen

Propósito

Esta investigación analiza la aceptación por parte de clientes del uso de robots en hoteles antes y después del comienzo de la pandemia del COVID-19, prestando una atención especial a si dicha pandemia ha tenido un efecto significativo sobre los niveles de aceptación de robots por parte de clientes en hoteles en China a raíz de la pandemia del COVID-19.

Diseño/metodología/enfoque

La muestra de este estudio incluye clientes de hoteles en China encuestados antes y después del brote de COVID-19, con 247 cuestionarios recogidos antes del brote y otros 601 después del mismo. Este estudio incluye una serie de hipótesis puestas a prueba adoptando un diseño de investigación de carácter pseudo-experimental.

Hallazgos

Los resultados de este estudio apuntan a que el brote de COVID en China conllevó un incremento en la proporción de los clientes de hoteles propensos a aceptar el uso de robots en este contexto. Después de la pandemia, hubo un incremento en la percepción de la importancia de su utilidad, influencia social, actitud y valor de los robots en este contexto, mientras que descendió la percepción de la importancia de la facilidad del use de robots y antropomorfismo descendió. Como servicio sin necesidad de contacto físico, la utilidad de los robots en hoteles fue más valorada por los clientes Esto produjo una disminución en los requisitos de los usuarios en lo referente a la facilidad del uso de robots en hoteles. Además, los participantes en esta encuesta se mostraron más propensos a valorar la influencia sobre la sociedad del uso de robots.

Restricciones e implicaciones del estudio

La actitud de clientes de hoteles y su aceptación del uso de robots en este contexto, así como los servicios que éstos proveen están cambiando rápidamente. No obstante, aún no se sabe con certeza hasta que punto estos cambios son meramente efímeros y motivados por una actitud pragmática hacia la crisis creada por la pandemia del COVID-19.

Implicaciones prácticas

El sector de la hostelería debería intentar desarrollar un perfil de clientes nuevo en lo referente a su grado de aceptación de los robots como parte de los servicios ofrecidos. Los hoteles deberían considerar el uso de robots en los servicios ofrecidos dependiendo de las características demográficas de sus clientes (ejem. Nivel de estudios y formación).

Originalidad del estudio

Este estudio demuestra que las crisis de gran magnitud, como lo es la pandemia actual de COVID-19, pueden afectar las actitudes y comportamientos del consumidor en lo referente al uso de nuevas tecnologías. La pandemia del COVID-19 ha llevado a muchos clientes de hoteles a prestar una mayor atención a las ventajas de los servicios ofrecidos por robots como forma de reducir las posibilidades de contagio.

Article
Publication date: 2 July 2020

Víctor Damián Medina and Andrés Niembro=

Taking as a case study the city of San Carlos de Bariloche – in northern Patagonia, Argentina – this paper aims to compare its urban structure with previous urbanization models…

Abstract

Purpose

Taking as a case study the city of San Carlos de Bariloche – in northern Patagonia, Argentina – this paper aims to compare its urban structure with previous urbanization models and identify some characteristics of this tourist city that could inspire the construction of an adapted urban model for Latin American tourist cities, particularly those based on natural attractions.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on multivariate analysis of population census data and local economic statistics, this paper compares the residential location of different social groups and the location of main economic activities in Bariloche. First, principal component analysis (PCA) is combined with cluster analysis to classify Bariloche’s neighborhoods. Second, different maps are analyzed to study the location of economic activities, in comparison with previous clusters.

Findings

The results of this paper show that Bariloche partially adjusts to previous urbanization models, as the landscape and physical environment determine the characteristics of its urban growth, as well as the development of tourist activities. Therefore, this paper then proposes an adapted urban model for the case of Bariloche, which could be also contrasted with other Latin American tourist cities in the future.

Originality/value

Bearing in mind that there is no model of Latin American tourist cities so far, this paper tries to analyze to what extent the assumptions and patterns of previous urban models could be adapted to Latin American tourist cities, such as Bariloche, which base their attractiveness and economic dynamism on its natural physical environment.

Details

International Journal of Tourism Cities, vol. 6 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-5607

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 September 2019

Antonio Jesús Sánchez-Oliver, Pablo Gálvez-Ruiz, Moisés Grimaldi-Puyana, Jesús Fernández-Gavira and Jerónimo García-Fernández

The purpose of this paper is to present a project called EmprendeSport, whose aim is to increase knowledge in entrepreneurship and sports in students, professors and professionals…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a project called EmprendeSport, whose aim is to increase knowledge in entrepreneurship and sports in students, professors and professionals through seminars carried out from 2015 to 2018. This study summarises the experience and data extracted throughout these seminars with the purpose of helping to design policies that stimulate business activity of the universities that seek to promote entrepreneurial spirit within a higher educational context.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a descriptive paper of the experiences of the seminars done during four years, with a regularly assistance of 200 people. The profile of the assistants was, mainly males, studying a degree on sports or entrepreneurship and working.

Findings

There is a lack of knowledge and interest in entrepreneurship. The realisation of the seminar resulted to be a useful incentive for the public to develop new ideas to innovate in their daily lives, some of them also, because of the seminar through of creating their own business. From the organisation perspective, in order to increase the entrepreneurial culture between the females.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this document could be to help design policies that stimulate business activities of universities and, therefore, stimulate their contribution to the development of the modern knowledge economy.

Details

Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, vol. 8 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2045-2101

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 August 2021

Pedro Mauricio Acosta Castellanos and Araceli Queiruga-Dios

In education concerning environmental issues, there are two predominant currents in the world, environmental education (EE) and education for sustainable development (ESD). ESD is…

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Abstract

Purpose

In education concerning environmental issues, there are two predominant currents in the world, environmental education (EE) and education for sustainable development (ESD). ESD is the formal commitment and therefore promoted by the United Nations, to ensure that countries achieve sustainable development. In contrast, EE was the first educational trend with an environmental protection approach. The purpose of this systematic review that seeks to show whether the migration from EE to ESD is being effective and welcomed by researchers and especially by universities is presented. With the above, a global panorama can be provided, where the regions that choose each model can be identified. In the same sense, it was sought to determine which of the two currents is more accepted within engineering education.

Design/methodology/approach

The review followed the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyzes parameters for systematic reviews. In total, 198 papers indexed in Scopus, Science Direct, ERIC and Scielo were analyzed. With the results, the advancement of ESD and the state of the EE by regions in the world were identified.

Findings

It was possible to categorize the geographical regions that host either of the two EE or ESD currents. It is important to note that ESD has gained more strength from the decade of ESD proposed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. For its part, EE has greater historical roots in some regions of the planet. In turn, there is evidence of a limited number of publications on the design and revision of study plans in engineering.

Originality/value

Through this systematic literature review, the regions of the world that are clinging to EE and those that have taken the path of ESD could be distinguished. Moreover, specific cases in engineering where ESD has been involved were noted.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 23 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

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