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1 – 10 of 52Narimene Dakiche, Karima Benatchba, Fatima Benbouzid-Si Tayeb, Yahya Slimani and Mehdi Anis Brahmi
This paper aims to introduce a novel modularity-based framework, Com_Tracker, designed to detect and track community structures in dynamic social networks without recomputing them…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to introduce a novel modularity-based framework, Com_Tracker, designed to detect and track community structures in dynamic social networks without recomputing them from scratch at each snapshot. Despite extensive research in this area, existing approaches either require repetitive computations or fail to capture key community behavioral events, both of which limit the ability to generate timely and actionable insights. Efficiently tracking community structures is crucial for real-time decision-making in rapidly evolving networks, while capturing behavioral events is necessary for understanding deeper community dynamics. This study addresses these limitations by proposing a more efficient and adaptive solution. It aims to answer the following questions: How can we efficiently track community structures without recomputation? How can we detect significant community events over time?
Design/methodology/approach
Com_Tracker models dynamic social networks as a sequence of snapshots. First, it detects the community structure of the initial snapshot using a static community detection algorithm. Then, for each subsequent time step, Com_Tracker updates the community structure based on the previous snapshot, allowing it to track communities and detect their changes over time. The locus-based adjacency encoding scheme is adopted, and Pearson’s correlation guides the construction of neighboring solutions.
Findings
Experiments conducted on various networks demonstrate that Com_Tracker effectively detects community structures and tracks their evolution in dynamic social networks. The results highlight its potential for real-time tracking and provide promising performance outcomes.
Practical implications
Com_Tracker offers valuable insights into community evolution, helping practitioners across fields such as resource management, public security, marketing and public health. By understanding how communities evolve, decision-makers can better allocate resources, enhance targeted strategies and predict future community behaviors, improving overall responsiveness to changes in network dynamics.
Originality/value
Com_Tracker addresses critical gaps in existing research by combining the strengths of modularity maximization with efficient tracking of community changes. Unlike previous methods that either recompute structures or fail to capture behavioral events, Com_Tracker provides an incremental, adaptive framework capable of detecting both community evolution and behavioral changes, enhancing real-world applicability in dynamic environments.
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Haidar Abbas, Paikar Fatima, Abdul-Aziz Mustahil Ahmed Ali Akaak, Guilherme F. Frederico and Vikas Kumar
This research aims to ascertain the various operational maturity challenges faced by the online food ordering and delivery enterprises (OFODE), their nature and their interactive…
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to ascertain the various operational maturity challenges faced by the online food ordering and delivery enterprises (OFODE), their nature and their interactive relationships. In particular, this paper aims to (a) identify the most relevant operational maturity challenges faced by the OFODE during the COVID-19 lockdown in Oman, (b) explore and establish any likely structural relationship among these challenges and (c) put them into logical clusters.
Design/methodology/approach
Experts helped to reduce the 18 initially identified maturity challenges to 13 most pressing ones. Mutual relationships, dominance of interactions and their classifications were explored using fuzzy interpretive structural modeling (FISM) and fuzzy MICMAC analysis.
Findings
The study of situation-specific operational maturity challenges convinced the authors to propose a distinct FISM model that depicts the relationship among these challenges. Keeping commissions and fees reasonable emerges as the challenge which all other challenges seemingly culminate into. One of the most important situation-specific challenges (i.e. customer confidence about infection free delivery) emerges as a linkage challenge which aggravates as well as is aggravated by certain challenges.
Research limitations/implications
Besides enriching literature, the proposed model has implications for practitioners particularly when the similar lethal waves are experienced anywhere. The number of respondents, subjective approach, specific context as well as the geographical area coverage are the key limitations.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first known scientific effort which attempts to model the operational maturity challenges faced by the OFODE during COVID-19 lockdown period. The authors used the FISM modeling approach to forge these interrelated challenges into a structural model.
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Assunta Di Vaio, Anum Zaffar and Meghna Chhabra
The aim of this study is to review the literature on how intellectual capital (IC) contributes to the decarbonization efforts of firms. It explores how carbon accounting can…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to review the literature on how intellectual capital (IC) contributes to the decarbonization efforts of firms. It explores how carbon accounting can measure the components of IC in decarbonization efforts to balance profitability with environmental and social goals, particularly in promoting decent work and economic growth (Sustainable Development Goal [SDG] 8 and its targets [2, 5, 6, 8]). Moreover, it emphasises the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships for sharing knowledge, expertise, technology, and financial resources (SDG17-Target 17.G) to meet SDG8.
Design/methodology/approach
As a consolidated methodological approach, a systematic literature review (SLR) was used in this study to fill the existing research gaps in sustainability accounting. To consolidate and clarify scholarly research on IC towards decarbonization, 149 English articles published in the Scopus database and Google Scholar between 1990 and 2024 were reviewed.
Findings
The results highlight that the current research does not sufficiently cover the intersection of carbon accounting and IC in the analysis of decarbonization practices. Stakeholders and regulatory bodies are increasingly pressuring firms to implement development-focused policies in line with SDG8 and its targets, requiring the integration of IC and its measures in decarbonization processes, supported by SDG17-Target 17.G. This integration is useful for creating business models that balance profitability and social and environmental responsibilities.
Originality/value
The integration of social dimension to design sustainable business models for emission reduction and provide a decent work environment by focusing on SDG17-Target 17.G has rarely been investigated in terms of theory and practice. Through carbon accounting, IC can be a key source of SDG8-Targets 8.[2, 5, 6, 8] and SDG17-Target 17.G. Historically, these major issues are not easily aligned with accounting research or decarbonization processes.
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Maryam Fatima, Peter S. Kim, Youming Lei, A.M. Siddiqui and Ayesha Sohail
This paper aims to reduce the cost of experiments required to test the efficiency of materials suitable for artificial tissue ablation by increasing efficiency and accurately…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to reduce the cost of experiments required to test the efficiency of materials suitable for artificial tissue ablation by increasing efficiency and accurately forecasting heating properties.
Design/methodology/approach
A two-step numerical analysis is used to develop and simulate a bioheat model using improved finite element method and deep learning algorithms, systematically regulating temperature distributions within the hydrogel artificial tissue during radiofrequency ablation (RFA). The model connects supervised learning and finite element analysis data to optimize electrode configurations, ensuring precise heat application while protecting surrounding hydrogel integrity.
Findings
The model accurately predicts a range of thermal changes critical for optimizing RFA, thereby enhancing treatment precision and minimizing impact on surrounding hydrogel materials. This computational approach not only advances the understanding of thermal dynamics but also provides a robust framework for improving therapeutic outcomes.
Originality/value
A computational predictive bioheat model, incorporating deep learning to optimize electrode configurations and minimize collateral tissue damage, represents a pioneering approach in interventional research. This method offers efficient evaluation of thermal strategies with reduced computational overhead compared to traditional numerical methods.
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Over the past decade, the popularity of authoritarian governments and/or authoritarian leaning leaders has steadily grown. Much of the acceptance of and/or allegiance to such…
Abstract
Over the past decade, the popularity of authoritarian governments and/or authoritarian leaning leaders has steadily grown. Much of the acceptance of and/or allegiance to such forms of leadership and governance structures stems from a rightward shift among voting blocs, who are increasingly comfortable with nationalist, nativist, and insular arguments in an effort to ensure a sense of stability and safety. In scholarly circles, there has been a parallel rise with scholars increasingly using decolonial theories, research, and practices in an effort to destabilize norms of colonial, Western, and patriarchal knowledge creation and dissemination. These two movements might, on the outside, appear to be disconnected but are in fact coupled together in ways that can constrain progressive movements around human rights, education and justice. The paper frames a selection of political battles in education to highlight the emergence, journey, and outcomes that have led to the successful rise of right-wing ideologies in education as well as offer a critique on the ambiguity inherent in decolonial theories that impede current decolonizing ways of knowing. These ambiguities exacerbate the emergence of a neo-decolonial perspective. This exploration of a neo-decolonial narrative is predicated on the evolution and co-option of the public space, or argued by Habermas, the “bourgeois public sphere.” This shift often leaves the liberal, progressive, and human rights-orientated individuals out of the dialogue on the future of education, in part, readying a public willing to engage in new forms of decolonial thinking, resulting in more sophisticated right-wing intersections in policy and practice that directly affect educational equity and access.
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Assunta Di Vaio, Anum Zaffar and Meghna Chhabra
Although intellectual capital (IC) and human dynamic capabilities (HDCs) play a significant role in decarbonization processes, their measurement and reporting is under-researched…
Abstract
Purpose
Although intellectual capital (IC) and human dynamic capabilities (HDCs) play a significant role in decarbonization processes, their measurement and reporting is under-researched. Hence, this study aims to identify the link between HDCs, carbon accounting and integrated reporting (IR) in the transition processes, investigating IC and HDCs in decarbonization processes to achieve net-zero business models (n-ZBMs).
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic literature review with a concise bibliometric analysis is conducted on 229 articles, published from 1990 to 2023 in Scopus database and Google Scholar. Reviewing data on publications, journals, authors and citations and analysing the article content, this study identifies the main search trends, providing a new conceptual model and future research propositions.
Findings
The results reveal that the literature has rarely focussed on carbon accounting in terms of IC and HDCs. Additionally, firms face pressure from institutions and stakeholders regarding legitimacy and transparency, necessitating a response considering IR and requiring n-ZBMs to be developed through IC and HDCs to meet social and environmental requirements.
Originality/value
Not only does this study link IC with HDCs to address carbon emissions through decarbonization practices, which has never been addressed in the literature to date, but also provides novel recommendations and propositions through which firms can sustainably transition to being net-zero emission firms, thereby gaining competitive advantage and contributing to the nation’s sustainability goals.
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After the COVID-19 epidemic, educational paradigms experienced radical changes, especially in the way that architecture was taught. This chapter explores how architecture…
Abstract
After the COVID-19 epidemic, educational paradigms experienced radical changes, especially in the way that architecture was taught. This chapter explores how architecture education evolved because of the current economic crisis, and how COVID-19 has affected instructional approaches. The main goal is to expose emerging educational strategies and their consequences for encouraging flexibility and resilience in architectural instructors and students. The study used a mixed-methods research methodology to gather information from stakeholders, educators, and students of architecture by combining document analysis of academic theses and publications with semi-structured interviews. Data analysis techniques such as thematic coding and pattern recognition revealed distinct categories of influencing factors, such as technological advancements, pedagogical modifications, student engagement and support, curriculum changes, faculty development, resource allocation, assessment and evaluation, as well as global and cultural considerations. The results highlight the varied and dynamic character of the pandemic’s effect. The crisis sparked a faster adoption of digital technologies, bringing forth blended learning and novel pedagogical approaches. As a significant result, resilience helped instructors and students overcome uncertainty by enhancing flexibility and using transdisciplinary methods. It also demonstrates how architectural education has persevered in the face of the COVID-19 epidemic and has the potential to spur larger changes in education. The possibility of sample bias and the crisis’s dynamic character are limits, though. Future research might examine the long-term effects of these emerging methods beyond crisis situations to expand the study’s results and influence the ongoing development of architectural pedagogy in a continuously changing global environment.
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Achraf Chahbi, Meriem Korchi, Yassine Ezaier, Rachida Moultif, Ahmed Hader, Ilias Tarras, Rachid Et-Touizi, Fatima Zahra Krimech and Mohammed Tanasehte
The model incorporates key factors of membrane such as permeability and resistance, feed concentration, fluid viscosity and pressure differentials. Special emphasis is placed on…
Abstract
Purpose
The model incorporates key factors of membrane such as permeability and resistance, feed concentration, fluid viscosity and pressure differentials. Special emphasis is placed on the fouling mechanisms, including pore blockage and cake layer formation, which significantly impact the efficiency of the filtration process.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, we present a numerical analysis of permeate flux through a membrane, focusing on the intricate dynamics of fouling phenomena. Utilizing the Langevin model, we simulate the permeation process to understand how various operational parameters affect the flux rates.
Findings
Our results demonstrate that fouling not only reduces the permeate flux but also alters the membrane’s hydraulic resistance over time. The results show that the increasing of the diffusion process on membrane reduces the clogging phenomenon. Hence, the increases of the transmembrane pressure reduce exponentially blocking pore process.
Originality/value
By analyzing these changes, we provide insights into optimizing membrane performance and developing strategies to mitigate clogging membrane. This research contributes to the field of membrane technology by enhancing our understanding of permeate flux behavior under fouling conditions and offering potential pathways for improving long-term operational sustainability.
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Palaniappan Sellappan and Kavitha Shanmugam
Environmental dynamics affect all sectors, and retailing is no exception. Scholarships reveal that, in such turbulent times, entrepreneurial characteristics are essential for…
Abstract
Purpose
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.
Design/methodology/approach
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.
Findings
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.
Research limitations/implications
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.
Originality/value
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.
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S. Asieh H. Tabaghdehi, Nikos Ioannis Kois, Leila Hosseini Tabaghdehi and Hossein Kalatian
The appearance of social media in small and medium enterprise (SME) business operations seems to be increasing in recent years. SME owners have started to understand that digital…
Abstract
The appearance of social media in small and medium enterprise (SME) business operations seems to be increasing in recent years. SME owners have started to understand that digital marketing tools can benefit their businesses significantly. Hence, in this study, we explore further the relationship between organisations and customers, and how SMEs use social media as an opportunity to develop their enterprises. We report the results by relying on qualitative methods to explore the insights from a wider stakeholder perspective. The findings contribute to the existing literature in agreement with the latest theories that SMEs in Greece are aware of the hidden opportunities and try to apply branding with the combination of social media. This study explores further the role of electronic word of mouth (eWOM) in a business transition, customers' experience and competitive business advantage.
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