Ali Hassanpour, Nematollah Azizi, Abbas Ahmadi, Isa Gholizadeh and Seyedeh Golafrooz Ramezani
Considering the role that students’ diverse identifications play in education, this paper aims to contribute to the developing discourse on multicultural education concerning the…
Abstract
Purpose
Considering the role that students’ diverse identifications play in education, this paper aims to contribute to the developing discourse on multicultural education concerning the status of ethnic, religious and linguistic diversity in Iranian upstream educational documents (UEDs).
Design/methodology/approach
This paper explores the status of ethnic, religious and linguistic diversity in Iranian UEDs through quantitative and qualitative content analysis.
Findings
Findings show that three continuous patterns are repeated throughout the documents. (1) The so-called diversity: although there are promising and positive statements about diversity in the documents, they are indirect, and this level of attention is very superficial and limited. (2) Affirming assimilation: the documents are covered by presenting the Islamic-Iranian identity, and somehow almost all the issues raised in the documents end up in this pattern. (3) Pattern of contradictions: content analysis shows that the content of documents does not have intellectual and logical coherence.
Practical implications
This research paper points to the need for a systematic analysis of ignoring diversity operating in UEDs in Iran.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper broadens the document analysis as one of the first research to critically explore the depiction of diversity in important UEDs in Iran.
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Ali Hassanpour, Sedighe Batmani and Keyvan Bolandhematan
This paper aims to identify and investigate barriers to multicultural education in Iran.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify and investigate barriers to multicultural education in Iran.
Design/methodology/approach
This research is a qualitative research that was done using the phenomenological method. Participants included all experts and key informants in the field of multicultural education in the country who were selected as a statistical sample in different stages of the research using purposeful sampling. The semi-structured interview was used to collect information. Two ways, including member checking and external auditing, were used to validate the information. The thematic analysis method (theme analysis), which is based on open and core coding, was used to analyze the data.
Findings
The interview data revealed that barriers are generally identified in both structural and executive parts. The structural part had two main obstacles, political and scientific-professional, and the executive part had two technical and socio-cultural barriers. Also, barriers to multicultural education in curriculum design are the ideological education system, lack of a clear framework for multicultural education, etc. Furthermore, barriers to multicultural education in the curriculum implementation are hidden curriculum, the inability of teachers to implement multicultural education, etc. Finally, barriers to multicultural education in curriculum evaluation are misconception of evaluation and limited evaluation methods.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first one that presents the experts' viewpoints and experiences on the barriers to multicultural education in Iran.
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Neda Hassanpour, Ali Shaemi Barzoki, Mohammad Hossein Moshref Javadi and Ali Safari
This study aimed at developing and testing a model to evaluate employee performance in Isfahan municipality.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed at developing and testing a model to evaluate employee performance in Isfahan municipality.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed-method design is applied in this study. To extract the model, a semi-structured interview based on the thematic analysis approach was employed. The qualitative data were obtained using a researcher-made questionnaire from a sample of 12 municipal experts selected based on purposive sampling. In the quantitative phase, the sample consisted of 76 managers and interim managers. The validity of the questionnaire was determined by the content validity index, while the structural validity was tested based on structural equation modeling using SmartPLS software. The reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed using Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability indices.
Findings
The factors obtained in the qualitative model included performance evaluation criteria, the desired time interval for performance evaluation, results announcement, performance evaluation approach, performance evaluation method and evaluator-related variables. There should have been an agreement between evaluators and those who were evaluated in all components of the model. In the quantitative section, performance evaluation criteria, evaluators, the evaluation method and time interval were confirmed with coefficients of 0.871, 0.815, 0.646 and 0.615, respectively.
Practical implications
The novelty of this study is that it uses a mixed-method research approach to extract a performance evaluation model that is specific to the Isfahan municipality.
Originality/value
The novelty of this study is that it uses a mixed-method research approach to extract a performance evaluation model that is specific to the Isfahan municipality.
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Irem Kose and Gulden Gumusburun Ayalp
This study aims to outline the transformative impacts of technological developments (TD) on architectural education (AE). The focus is on studying the dynamics of convergence and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to outline the transformative impacts of technological developments (TD) on architectural education (AE). The focus is on studying the dynamics of convergence and erosion, aiming to understand the impact of current digital transformations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, sustainability considerations and technology integration on AE.
Design/methodology/approach
A scientometric analysis and bibliometric search were performed to understand the current knowledge in the field. The Web of Science (WoS) was selected for its comprehensive collection of significant research articles and integrated analytical tools for generating representative data. The study involved an extensive bibliometric analysis of 131 journal articles on TD in AE from 2000 to 2023. Subsequently, the VOSviewer software was employed to illuminate the transformative impacts of technological advancements on AE. Robust methodologies, including citation analysis and co-citation networks, unravel quantitative dimensions such as publication trends, influential authors, prolific journals, geographic distribution and prevalent themes or technological domains within the discourse.
Findings
The findings reveal significant evolution in AE due to TD, with notable shifts influenced by factors such as the COVID-19 pandemic, sustainability concerns and the integration of modern technologies. Key findings include the increasing adoption of online platforms and technologies like Building Information Modeling (BIM), the crucial role of design thinking methodologies and the recognition of innovative modules such as architectural photogrammetry and augmented reality (AR) applications. Furthermore, keyword clusters were classified into six groups: “AE pedagogy and curriculum development,” “Development of architectural design process and studio,” “Educational approaches and digitalization in architectural design,” “Transition to online AE,” “Development/emergence of photogrammetry at architectural education” and “use of AR.”
Originality/value
Although several studies have addressed TD in AE from various perspectives and methods, they have yet to investigate the subject using scientometric analysis from a holistic perspective. A holistic exploration of TD in AE still needs to be improved in the existing literature. In contrast to previous investigations, this study is the first to leverage the quantitative analytical capabilities of VOSviewer. The originality lies in uncovering quantitative dimensions such as publication trends, influential authors and prevalent themes, providing a comprehensive understanding of the nuanced dimensions of this evolving intersection.
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This paper aims to focus on a medical goods distribution problem and pharmacological waste collection by plug-in hybrid vehicles with some real-world restrictions. In this…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to focus on a medical goods distribution problem and pharmacological waste collection by plug-in hybrid vehicles with some real-world restrictions. In this research, considering alternative energy sources and simultaneous pickup and delivery led to a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions and distribution costs, respectively.
Design/methodology/approach
Here, this problem has been modeled as mixed-integer linear programming with the traveling and energy consumption costs objective function. The GAMS was used for model-solving in small-size instances. Because the problem in this research is an NP-hard problem and solving real-size problems in a reasonable time is impossible, in this study, the artificial bee colony algorithm is used.
Findings
Then, the algorithm results are compared with a simulated annealing algorithm that recently was proposed in the literature. Finally, the results obtained from the exact solution and metaheuristic algorithms are compared, analyzed and reported. The results showed that the artificial bee colony algorithm has a good performance.
Originality/value
In this paper, medical goods distribution with pharmacological waste collection is studied. The paper was focused on plug-in hybrid vehicles with simultaneous pickup and delivery. The problem was modeled with environmental criteria. The traveling and energy consumption costs are considered as an objective function.
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Erfan Najaf, Hassan Abbasi and Seyed Mehdi Zahrai
Today, using lightweight structural concrete plays a major role in reducing the damage to concrete structures. On the other hand, lightweight concretes have lower compressive and…
Abstract
Purpose
Today, using lightweight structural concrete plays a major role in reducing the damage to concrete structures. On the other hand, lightweight concretes have lower compressive and flexural strengths with lower impact resistance compared to ordinary concretes. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of simultaneous use of waste glass powder, microsilica and polypropylene fibers to make sustainable lightweight concrete that has high compressive and flexural strengths, ductility and impact resistance.
Design/methodology/approach
In this article, the lightweight structural concrete is studied to compensate for the lower strength of lightweight concrete. Also, considering the environmental aspects, microsilica as a partial replacement for cement, waste glass powder instead of some aggregates and polypropylene fibers are used. Microsilica was used at 8, 10 and 12 wt% of cement. Waste glass powder was added to 20, 25 and 30 wt% of aggregates, while fibers were used at 0.5, 1 and 1.5 wt% of cement.
Findings
After making the experimental specimens, compressive strength, flexural strength and impact resistance tests were performed. Ultimately, it was concluded that the best percentage of used microsilica and glass powder was equal to 10 and 25%, respectively. Furthermore, using 1.5 wt% of fibers could significantly improve the compressive and flexural strengths of lightweight concrete and increase its impact resistance at the same time. For constructing a five-story building, by replacing cement with microsilica by 10 wt%, the amount of used cement is reduced by 5 tons, consequently producing 4,752 kg less CO2 that is a significant value for the environment.
Originality/value
The study provides a basis for making sustainable lightweight concrete with high strength against compressive, flexural and impact loads.
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Istiqomah Nur Latifah, Agus Achmad Suhendra and Ilma Mufidah
This study aimed to discover the factors affecting employee performance by testing the relationship of change management, job satisfaction, organizational commitment and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to discover the factors affecting employee performance by testing the relationship of change management, job satisfaction, organizational commitment and leadership style on employee performance in Indonesian sharia property companies.
Design/methodology/approach
The study population was all members of “Sharia Property Developer” (DPS) across Indonesia with criteria of having subordinates at least one person and is listed as a DPS member. The samples used were 71 people from the 200 members of DPS across Indonesia. The sampling method used was based on R2 value and significance level with an 80% statistical strength. Data analysis was carried out using smartPLS software to test the relationship of change management, job satisfaction, organizational commitment and leadership style on employee performance.
Findings
The utilization of SEM in Smart PLS for change management with the ADKAR method had a negative value of 6.2% in affecting employee performance and 4.6% in affecting job satisfaction. Job satisfaction insignificantly affected employee performance by 7.5%. Leadership style and organizational commitment positively affected performance by 57.9% and 25.6%, respectively.
Research limitations/implications
This study did not limit respondents’ education levels. Twenty percent of respondents were middle and high school graduates. Respondent’s position was mostly the highest leader in the company by 58%. Indicators in the ADKAR model did not implement the construct validity test since the researchers did not find precedent studies that discuss the indicators of the ADKAR model in detail.
Practical implications
Factors that positively and significantly affected employee performance can be used to plan employee performance of DPS member companies.
Social implications
The company must create a program to produce meaning in working, shape leaders to have discipline by putting appropriate employees as leaders.
Originality/value
This study used change management, organizational commitment, job satisfaction and leadership style as exogenous variables, job satisfaction and leadership style as intervening variables. The study model modified the previous study regarding employee performance improvement because it utilized the change management with the ADKAR model. The study objects were sharia property companies, where the researchers did not find previous studies discussing employee performance in sharia property companies.
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Abbas Ali Daryaei, Yasin Fattahi and Ali Aldbs
The purpose of this paper is to focus on exploring the mutual impact of accounting conservatism and corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to focus on exploring the mutual impact of accounting conservatism and corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Design/methodology/approach
To empirically assess the theoretical arguments the authors estimate a simultaneous equations system for accounting conservatism and corporate social responsibility determination by two-stage least squares in a sample of 175 firms listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE) for the period 2009–2019.
Findings
The results of the present study showed that accountability in companies listed on the TSE has led to an increase in the use of conservative practices. Therefore arguably, companies that seek CSR activities are more conservative in preparing and presenting financial reports. Also, companies that engage in conservative practices for the benefit of stakeholders are better able to implement CSR activities to meet stakeholder obligations. These results show a two-way relationship between CSR and accounting conservatism.
Practical implications
According to the results obtained from this study and the elimination of conservatism from the qualitative features of financial reporting in International Accounting Standards, it is recommended for the trustees and authorities of national accounting standards to decide whether this qualitative feature is effective or not.
Originality/value
Furthermore, the findings of this study suggest that the application of corporate social responsibility theories calls for more inquiry.
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Ali Zabihi, Mina Safizadeh and Massoomeh Hedayati Marzbali
Hospital landscape is not a useless space within hospital buildings anymore. It is considered as a supportive area providing mental and physical peace. However, the planting…
Abstract
Purpose
Hospital landscape is not a useless space within hospital buildings anymore. It is considered as a supportive area providing mental and physical peace. However, the planting design of the hospital landscape and the way it should be in order to not disrupt wayfinding performance is neglected. This paper, which is a case study, aims at investigating the effects of planting design in Kerman hospitals’ landscapes on the users’ wayfinding using space syntax techniques.
Design/methodology/approach
This research focuses on the effects of planting design on the users’ wayfinding in hospitals. In so doing, library research, computer simulation and analysis with the University College London (UCL) Depthmap software, and comparison techniques are used. Based on axial maps, the measures of integration, connectivity and intelligibility are considered for analysing the wayfinding process of individuals.
Findings
The findings show that planting configurations in the hospital landscape can affect individuals’ wayfinding. Integrated and regular planting design in addition to combining planted areas with the hospital buildings can pave the way for intelligible space and easier wayfinding.
Originality/value
According to the authors’ knowledge, the current study is the first to use the space syntax techniques in the health-care landscape architecture in terms of planting design and wayfinding. As wayfinding is an important issue in health-care spaces, the study findings can greatly help the health-care building designers and the related organizations to pay attention to the hospital landscape as much as hospital indoors.
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Here, the present paper characteristics flow and heat transfer of non-Newtonian nanofluid over a stretching sheet. Energy expression is modeled subject to slip factor phenomenon…
Abstract
Purpose
Here, the present paper characteristics flow and heat transfer of non-Newtonian nanofluid over a stretching sheet. Energy expression is modeled subject to slip factor phenomenon. Consideration of chemical reaction characterizes the mass transfer mechanism.
Design/methodology/approach
The use of transformation variables reduces the PDEs into non-linear ODEs. The obtained nonlinear complex problems are computed numerically through RKF-45 technique. The effects of the different physical parameters on the temperature and concentration distribution are analyzed.
Findings
The nature of the reduced Nusselt number, reduced Sherwood number and skin friction coefficient also described as a function of different parameters arising in the problem. It is found that the rate of mass transfer enhances for enhancing values Brownian motion parameter and thermophoresis parameter.
Originality/value
The nature of the reduced Nusselt number, reduced Sherwood number and skin friction coefficient also described as a function of different parameters arising in the problem. It is found that, the rate of mass transfer enhances for enhancing values Brownian motion parameter and thermophoresis parameter.