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Article
Publication date: 1 February 2001

Rolf Dieter Schraft, Birgit Graf, Andreas Traub and Dirk John

Based on the successful hardware and software architecture of Care‐O‐bot, a new generation of mobile robots has recently been designed at Fraunhofer Institute of Manufacturing…

Abstract

Based on the successful hardware and software architecture of Care‐O‐bot, a new generation of mobile robots has recently been designed at Fraunhofer Institute of Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA). The robots have been created to communicate with and to entertain visitors in a museum. Their tasks include welcoming visitors, leading a guided tour through the museum or playing with a ball. In this article the hardware platform of the robots and their features such as navigation and communication skills, their safety concept and handling are outlined. Further, the underlying control software of the robots is described. Finally, the application of the robots at the Museum für Kommunikation in Berlin is presented. The robots have been running in this museum daily since 25 March 2000 without noteworthy problems.

Details

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, vol. 28 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 March 2011

Dustin C. Derby, Andrea Haan and Kurt Wood

Patient satisfaction is paramount to maintaining high clinical quality assurance. This study seeks to compare response rates, response bias, and the completeness of data between…

957

Abstract

Purpose

Patient satisfaction is paramount to maintaining high clinical quality assurance. This study seeks to compare response rates, response bias, and the completeness of data between paper and electronic collection modes of a chiropractic patient satisfaction survey.

Design/methodology/approach

A convenience sample of 206 patients presenting to a chiropractic college clinic were surveyed concerning satisfaction with their chiropractic care. Paper (in‐clinic and postal) and electronic modes of survey administration were compared for response rates and non‐response bias.

Findings

The online data collection mode resulted in fewer non‐responses and a higher response rate, and did not evince response bias when compared to paper modes. The postal paper mode predicted non‐response rates over the in‐clinic paper and online modalities and exhibited a gender bias.

Research limitations/implications

This current study was a single clinic study; future studies should consider multi‐clinic data collections. Busy clinic operations and available staff resources restricted the ability to conduct a random sampling of patients or to invite all eligible patients, therefore limiting the generalizability of collected survey data.

Practical implications

Results of this study will provide data to aid development of survey protocols that efficiently, account for available human resources, and are convenient for patients while allowing for the most complete and accurate data collection possible in an educational clinic setting.

Originality/value

Understanding patient responses across survey modes is critical for the cultivation of quality business intelligence within college teaching clinic settings. This study bridges measurement evidence from three popular data collection modalities and offers support for higher levels of quality for web‐based data collection.

Details

International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, vol. 24 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0952-6862

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 8 March 2022

Andrea Venturelli, Andrea Caputo, Simone Pizzi and Giuseppe Valenza

This study aims to take a holistic perspective to investigate how open innovation supports sustainability and the contribution to the Unite Nations (UN) Sustainable Development…

4013

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to take a holistic perspective to investigate how open innovation supports sustainability and the contribution to the Unite Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on an in-depth single case study of Andriani SpA, a leading Italian company in the food industry. The case is built by triangulating data from direct observations, documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews.

Findings

The findings show an organization that has developed its competitive advantage by adopting open innovation to embed sustainability in its strategy and business model. The case study complements the understanding of how open innovation can effectively drive strategic renewal and innovation activities to address sustainability objectives in the food industry.

Originality/value

This study contributes to theoretical development by offering new and insightful explanations of firms' strategic behaviour and coevolution toward sustainability via open innovation. It provides practitioners, policymakers, researchers and students with reflections and inspiration about how open innovation may be deployed to support a holistic strategic renewal aimed at sustainability objectives, such as the SDGs, in the food industry.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 124 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 20 December 2021

Andrea Celone, Antonello Cammarano, Mauro Caputo and Francesca Michelino

The purpose of this paper is to investigate possible improvements in the pursuit of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by multinational enterprises (MNEs) through an…

4257

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate possible improvements in the pursuit of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by multinational enterprises (MNEs) through an analysis of the literature.

Design/methodology/approach

A critical framework based on Gleicher’s formula for change is provided after conducting a systematic literature review.

Findings

The best way to pursue the SDGs is through an integrated approach that recognises the importance of MNEs in terms of possibilities and power of action. Working towards the SDGs appears to be largely limited by three aspects of the problem: its complexity and wickedness, the genuine interest in reaching some SDGs, at the expense of profit and low foresight.

Research limitations/implications

A fundamental limitation of the study concerns, as in most of the literature on the matter, the impossibility of providing an optimal solution to the problem of meeting the SDGs, given their nature. However, formulating the best definition of the problem and its characteristics can contribute to making its management better.

Social implications

This study has social implications due to the extreme importance that many SDGs have with regard to democracy and social equity, beyond their environmental and economic aspects.

Originality/value

The claimed contribution is the value brought by the synthesis of several points of view, through the interdisciplinary analysis of the research question. The novelty consists in organising the literature according to the formula for change.

Details

critical perspectives on international business, vol. 18 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1742-2043

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 April 2016

Michail Nerantzidis

The purpose of this paper is to look inside the “black box” in corporate governance (CG) measurement, and shed some light on how to construct a transparent, reliable and valid…

1002

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to look inside the “black box” in corporate governance (CG) measurement, and shed some light on how to construct a transparent, reliable and valid index, considering equally both the academics and practitioners’ perspectives.

Design/methodology/approach

A synthesized literature review is presented and a CG index is developed combining the strengths of three different methodologies: the Delphi method, the classical test theory (CTT) and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). This approach helps authors to break the process into separate steps and to select the appropriate techniques to support their decision regarding the norms, the criteria, the variables and the weights that someone should use to construct a CG index.

Findings

The authors’ analysis indicates that a well-designed CG index requires a combination of research methods to identify the best options to solve several methodological issues in index construction. For the application of this multi-methodology in Greece, the authors used two equal and independent samples to explore the different perspectives regarding the importance of the index criteria and sub-criteria. This process provides evidence that the opinion of academics and practitioners in Greece tend to converge. Moreover, it is found that this multi-methodology produces the highest variation in CG scores and ranking orders, as opposed to a traditional approach, in measuring CG disclosure, an important issue with econometric implications.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations of this study are associated with the methods used.

Practical implications

This paper provides practical implications for investors and commercial vendors. For the former, it highlights the need to be more cautious and/or suspicious when they use CG ratings, meaning that they should comprehend the base of the ratings models, and for the latter, it demonstrates the importance of enhancing the transparency in CG indices construction.

Originality/value

The value of the paper lies in improved understanding of the methodological issues in constructing CG indices. This is quite interesting because this approach could serve as a roadmap for other researchers.

Details

Corporate Governance, vol. 16 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1472-0701

Keywords

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