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The purpose of this study is to investigate the behaviour of M40 grade of self-compacting concrete (SCC) with high volume of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) (50%) and recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) content up to 100% to assess the mechanical properties of SCC. As per guidelines of IS: 383 – 2016, the RCA can be replaced up to 20% of natural coarse aggregate up to M25 grade of concrete. This study assesses the mechanical properties of SCC beyond 20% of RCA content. Based on the experimental investigations, the compressive strength of mixes decreases as the content of RCA increases. It is found that concrete mixes with 20% RCA and shows the maximum compressive strength at 56 days.

The fresh properties as per EFNARC and IS: 10262–2019 guidelines, ultrasonic pulse velocity testing, mechanical properties and microstructure analysis have been conducted to evaluate the performance of SCC with RCA for practical applications.

From the experimental investigations, it is found that up to 50% of recycled coarse aggregate can be used for structural applications.

The environmental pollution and dumping of waste on green land can be reduced by effective utilization of recycled coarse aggregate and GGBS in the production of SCC.

In smart cities striving for innovation, development, and prosperity, hydrogen offers a promising path for decarbonization. However, its effective integration into the evolving energy landscape requires understanding regional intricacies and identifying areas for improvement. This chapter examines hydrogen transport from production to utilization, evaluating technologies’ pros, cons, and process equations and using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) as a Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) tool to assess these technologies based on multiple criteria. It also explores barriers and opportunities in hydrogen transport within the 21st-century energy transition, providing insights for overcoming challenges. Evaluation criteria for hydrogen transport technologies were ranked by relative importance, with energy efficiency topping the list, followed by energy density, infrastructure requirements, cost, range, and flexibility. Safety, technological maturity, scalability, and compatibility with existing infrastructure received lower weights. Hydrogen transport technologies were categorized into three performance levels: low, medium, and high. Hydrogen tube trailers ranked lowest, while chemical hydrides, hydrail, liquid organic hydrogen carriers, hydrogen pipelines, and hydrogen blending exhibited moderate performance. Compressed hydrogen gas, liquid hydrogen, ammonia carriers, and hydrogen fueling stations demonstrated the highest performance. The proposed framework is crucial for next-gen smart cities, cutting emissions, boosting growth, and speeding up development with a strong hydrogen infrastructure. This makes the region a sustainable tech leader, improving air quality and well-being. Aligned with Gulf Region goals, it is key for smart cities. Policymakers, industries, and researchers can use these insights to overcome barriers and seize hydrogen transport tech opportunities.

This study investigates the impact of staff training on university performance (UP), focusing particularly on the mediating role of ISO 9001 implementation in the higher education (HE) sector.

Employing a quantitative research design, data were collected via online surveys using purposive sampling techniques from academic and administrative staff affiliated with ISO 9001-certified universities. Subsequent analysis utilized SmartPLS-4 software.

The findings indicate that staff training significantly influences both ISO 9001 standard implementation and UP. Additionally, the mediating effect of ISO 9001 in the relationship between staff training and UP was found to be positive and significant.

Limitations of the study include its cross-sectional design, reliance on purposive sampling and exclusive focus on academic and administrative staff from seven ISO-certified universities in Pakistan, potentially limiting generalizability. Nonetheless, the study enriches the discourse on quality management in HE by emphasizing the role of staff training in fostering knowledge creation and enhancing staff competencies within organizational learning theory (OLT), and by integrating ISO 9001 into the dynamic capability theory (DCT) framework.

The study provides practical insights for policymakers, administrators and quality managers, emphasizing the importance of staff training, resource allocation for compliance and continuous improvement efforts to effectively implement ISO 9001 requirements and enhance overall UP.

This study contributes by introducing ISO 9001 adoption as a mediator between staff training and UP while integrating OLT and DCT theories within the university context.

Over the next decade, humanity is going to face big environmental problems, and considering these serious issues, businesses are adopting environmentally responsible practices. To put forward specific measures to achieve a more prosperous environmental future, this study aims to develop an environment-based perspective framework by integrating the Internet of Things (IoT) technology into a sustainable automotive supply chain (SASC).

The study presents a conceptual environmental framework – based on 29 factors constituting four stakeholders' rectifications – that holistically assess the SASC operations as part of the ReSOLVE model utilizing IoT. Then, experts from the SASC, IoT and sustainability areas participated in two rigorous rounds of a Delphi study to validate the framework.

The results indicate that the conceptual environmental framework proposed would help companies enhance the connectivity between major IoT tools in SASC, which would help develop congruent strategies for inducing sustainable growth.

This study adds value to existing knowledge on SASC sustainability and digitalization in the context where the SASC is under enormous pressure, competitiveness and increased variability.

The purpose of this paper is to present an up-to-date survey on the non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) technique with co-operative strategy, a fast-evolving fifth-generation (5 G) technology. NOMA is used for serving many mobile users, both in power and code domains. This paper considers the power-domain NOMA, which is now discussed as NOMA.

The first part of the paper discusses NOMA-based cooperative relay systems using different relay strategies over different channel models. In various research works, the analytical expressions of many performance metrics were derived, measured and simulated for better performance of the NOMA systems. In the second part, a brief introduction to diversity techniques is discussed. The multiple input and multiple output system merged with cooperative NOMA technology, and its future challenges were also presented in this part. In the third part, the paper surveys some new conceptions such as cognitive radio, index modulation multiple access, space-shift keying and reconfigurable intelligent surface that can be combined with NOMA systems for better performance.

The paper presents a brief survey of diverse research projects being carried out in the field of NOMA. The paper also surveyed two different relaying strategies that were implemented in cooperative NOMA over different channels and compared several performance parameters that were evaluated and derived in these implementations.

The paper provides a scope for recognizable future work and presents a brief idea of the new techniques that can be united with NOMA for better performance in wireless systems.

This study aims to investigate the connection between the circular economy and sustainable operations management to identify the challenges and opportunities in platform organizations. The study looks at how the stated circular economy strategies (Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Refurbish, Repurpose and Recycle) are integrated across different industries, emphasizing how they align with the e-business model. The research evaluates their contribution to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 12, which focuses on responsible consumption and production.

A literature review has analyzed CE frameworks, business models and the role of sustainable operations management practices. This study utilized secondary data analysis of platform organizations and insights from case studies to identify patterns, strategies and outcomes. The study also involved practical examinations within organizations, specifically focusing on innovative start-ups.

The analysis uses the 6R framework (Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Refurbish, Repurpose and Recycle) to uncover valuable insights into organizational practices and highlight the role of platform organizations in promoting and achieving circular economy objectives. The research findings focus on the central importance of data regulation and governance while showcasing sustainable business practices through platform organizations.

This research is significant as it connects circular economy with platform organizations’ business models, emphasizing data regulation, resource efficiency, waste reduction and aligning business practices with Sustainable Development Goal 12.

The current investigation is concerned with the Soret effect along with chemical reaction and radiation on flow of an electrically conductive, viscous fluid through a perpendicular plate, which is porous with oscillatory suction. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of first-order temperature and chemical reaction and the transverse magnetic field characteristics. The closed form of solutions are obtained using the governing equations for concentration, energy and momentum. The perturbation technique was applied to find the result for the velocity field, temperature profiles and concentration distributions. Furthermore, the impact of various nondimensional parameters on fluid flow variables on the temperature field, velocity field and concentration dispersal was analyzed and the results were depicted graphically. Moreover, the skin friction and the rate of mass transfer (local Sherwood number) were analyzed using tables. In this work, an unsteady 2D flow of a laminar, viscid (Newtonian), electrically conducting fluid across a semi-infinite perpendicular permeable plate under motion in its plane (x-axis) embedded in a constant permeable structure was investigated.

In this work, an unstable 2D flow of a laminar, viscid (Newtonian), electrically conducting fluid across a semi-limitless perpendicular permeable plate under motion in its plane (x-axis) embedded in a constant permeable structure was investigated. The medium is considered to be under a transverse magnetic field with concentrated buoyancy effects. Furthermore, it is considered that no voltage is supplied, which indicates that there is no electrical field. The fluid properties are considered to be uniform. The concentration of the imparting species is considered as C′w at the plate; the concentration of the specimens away from the wall, C′8, is considered to be limitlessly less. The first-order chemical reaction is considered to be seen in the flow. Due to the semi-limitless plane surface considerations, the flow parameters are the functions of y′ and the time t′ only. The oscillatory suction velocity of the fluid at the plate normal to it is v′; initially, the plate relocates with the oscillatory velocity u′, in the direction of x that is in its plane. The pressure gradient is toward the x-axis.

The analytical solutions were obtained using the above analytical method for a few values of the governing parameters, such as the magnetic parameter (M), the permeability parameter (K), Schmidt number (Sc), chemical reaction parameter (Kr), Grashoff number for the concentration (Gm), Radiation parameter (N), Prandtl number (Pr), Chemical reaction parameter (Kr), Grashof number for heat transfer (Gr) and Heat source parameter (s). The influence of M, K, Sc, Kr, Gm, N, Pr, Kr, Gr and s on the fluid velocity, temperature and the concentration over the semi-infinite porous plate was obtained. Furthermore, the numerical computation was carried out using MATLAB.

In this chapter, the analysis of a free convective flow of a viscid compact, electrically conductive fluid was discussed during its flow through a plate in permeable condition with oscillatory suction with first-order temperature and chemical reaction and the transverse magnetic field. The problem formulation and the results were discussed. The following chapter explain the Soret effect of mass transfer and radiation with heat source on magnetohydrodynamics oscillatory viscoelastic fluid in a channel filled with porous medium.

Engineering graduates are expected to have certain attributes in addition to technical expertise that includes development in personal and interpersonal skills with societal concern. Pedagogical strategies have been continuously evolving to improve the graduate attributes. An efficient framework for blended learning that improves the graduate attributes is the need of the hour now.

A blended course model based on TPACK is proposed and the same is evaluated with Kirkpatrick evaluation method to assess the attainment of the attributes. A mapping strategy is developed for the relation between course outcomes and graduate attributes. The proposed model is tested with “Microcontroller” course in undergraduate program with students of three consecutive years in three different learning environments: offline, online and blended. The performance of the students in assessments, students’ feedback and their interest towards additional learning, project skills and job recruitment are the different elements taken for analysis.

The results obtained show that the impact of the proposed blended learning framework in improving the graduate attributes is greater than the offline environments. The analysis is done based on Kirkpatrick evaluation, which demonstrates the improvement in graduate attributes in blended learning by 18% compared to offline mode.

It is seen that blended learning shall be implemented using TPACK model effectively and the proposed model results in improvement of graduate attributes. Though the findings are good enough, the case study is limited to a particular organization and so, the various underlying parameters may vary for different institutions.

The methodology proposed is viable in any institution and may be tested for any program. The effectiveness of the blended learning is known and in this case study, the analysis from the course to the level of program is done.

The research work highlights the integration of technology, pedagogy and content knowledge to enhance engineering students' skills. Hence, it explores a new required norms of education, potentially shaping future teaching learning methodologies. By employing the Kirkpatrick evaluation, it offers insights into the model's effectiveness and influences educational practices in the need of the hour.

The proposed method and results signifies an innovative endeavor that combines technological expertise, pedagogical methods and subject matter knowledge to enhance the attributes of engineering graduates. Kirkpatrick evaluation adds a distinct dimension by objectively assessing the model's impact. The results are analyzed from the original data obtained from a particular institution.

Environmental dynamics affect all sectors, and retailing is no exception. Scholarships reveal that, in such turbulent times, entrepreneurial characteristics are essential for business. In academic research, entrepreneurial characteristics like entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and entrepreneurial competence (EC) are seldom evaluated for retailers. This study aims to decode the impact of small retailers’ EO and EC on firm business performance (BP). It also traces the mediation effect of EC in the relationship between EO and BP.

The study executed among 740 small retailers is a pioneering work to trace EO’s efficacy via EC on the retailer’s BP. The present research is a primal work in the Indian context. This work redesigns the EC scale to suit the retail context and evaluate its mediation role in the EO and BP relationship.

Examining the mediation model through structural equation modelling (SEM) adds empirical evidence to entrepreneurial value creation (EVC) theory and throws light on the indispensable qualities required for small business retailers. The outcomes of the SEM model portray that there is an association between the EO, EC and BP.

This study, though carried out methodically, it is constrained by the ensuing intricacies. The investigation was limited to the small- and medium-retailers engaged in retailing with a floor space from 500 to 5,000 square feet. All three constructs used in the study are measured using the self-reported perceptual scale, which infuses the subjectivity in the data. Exploring the EO and EC of widely dispersed retailers, examining the entrepreneurial character of large-format independent retailers and evaluating financial performance measures through retailers will add value to the study in future.

The study verified the central role of EC in the intangible resource-reward relationship. Among the five pillars of EVC theory, the role of intention and external finance are not considered in this work. The present work explored the EO and EC of existing retailers, and hence intention is excluded. The study concentrates on small retailers, and the role of external financing is not explored. Mishra and Zachary (2014b) opined that the EVC process should be studied in different context and listed out several prepositions. Considering the role of intention and external financing and studying several prepositions spelt out in the theory in varying contexts will throw more lights on the EVC process.

Although women have been represented in advertising since WWII, the themes were laden with stereotypes – from working roles in the 1940s to superwomen in the 1970 and 1980s, second-wave feminism. Contemporary women-centric advertising (or femvertising) strives towards women empowerment and gender equality by stripping down stereotypes. However, through closer inspection, this study examines if this femvertising by brands nowadays is a gimmick to sell their products and further the neoliberal, postfeminist perspective.

Semiotic content analysis (SCA) explored the post-feminist discourses, as categorised by Windels et al. (2020) – in the internationally awarded 80 advertisements produced from 2013 to 2023 in the global West and South. Codes generated from SCA were then quantitatively analysed using chi-square and p-values, comparing the three themes: post-feminist elements and discourses, the form of self-surveillance and product ads and measuring the changes in post-feminist discourses in recent years.

After 2018, advertisements used more post-feminist discourse, especially commodity feminism, self-surveillance and love-your-body parameters. Brands reacted in their campaigns, conforming to gender stereotypes under empowerment and modifying feminist values.

The study lacked a phenomenological understanding of the perspective of the consumers, the advertisers and the panel judges of these awards through a qualitative study on the post-feminist aspects of the femvertisements, the importance of depoliticising the women’s struggle or the feminist movement in communicating with the audience and how such a strategy has helped in empowering (or disempowering) real women.

The study highlights the need for inclusive marketing communication and also outlines implications for the brand owners, advertisers and the creative team. The research emphasises determining the fit between brands and the social issue, eventually leading to positive brand attitude and purchase intention among consumers.

The research helps inform the young consumers about gender equity, the role played by the social, cultural, political, environmental and structural elements in shaping women’s empowerment and how their identity and experiences affect their empowerment. An inclusive communication approach would enable projects with real people with whom consumers, irrespective of gender, can resonate.

The study highlighted the femvertising issue from an inclusive marketing communication spectrum, implying its importance for brands’ attempts to connect with feminist and women consumers authentically.