This study aims to investigate the cross-sectional reshaping in transitioning/starting rectangular jets of aspect ratio 2 under various inlet perturbation conditions at the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the cross-sectional reshaping in transitioning/starting rectangular jets of aspect ratio 2 under various inlet perturbation conditions at the Reynolds number of Re = UDh/v = 17,750.
Design/methodology/approach
Large eddy simulation results compared with the phase-locked particle image velocimetry data exhibit the cross-sectional jet deformations from rectangular to rounder shapes. Inflow velocity oscillations are introduced at the fundamental frequency associated with the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability characterized by the spectral analysis of the hotwire data and the linear stability predictions.
Findings
The initially rectangular cross-section of the jet reshapes into the rounder geometries with increased downstream distance while the edges of the jet become distorted due to the shear layer instability more significantly observed near the high curvature corners. The different expansion rates in the longer and shorter edges of the jet and the consequent cross-sectional reshaping are found to be sensitive to small levels of random inlet perturbations. In addition, introducing controlled sinusoidal oscillations results in the formation of more organized trailing shear layer where the stronger vortex rings go through the curvature-induced deformations.
Originality/value
Spatio-temporal study of vortex dynamics in transitioning rectangular jets reveals important information about the effect of the controlled jet forcing on local entrainment. Dynamics of the leading vortex dominates the entrainment in transitioning jets which are commonly used in practical applications. Near-field entrainment is also promoted proportional to the amplitude of the controlled inlet oscillations within the trailing vortex rings.
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Innocent Senyo Kwasi Acquah, Judith Quaicoe and Michael Arhin
Consumer expectations of quality have grown in recent years, forcing organisations, both service and manufacturing, to adopt total quality management (TQM) principles to satisfy…
Abstract
Purpose
Consumer expectations of quality have grown in recent years, forcing organisations, both service and manufacturing, to adopt total quality management (TQM) principles to satisfy customer demands efficiently. However, previous studies on the performance impacts of total quality management practices have mainly focused on the financial performance of firms in the manufacturing sector. This study focusses on the research questions: (1) What is the effect of TQM practices on operational performance? and (2) How do TQM practices combine to influence the operational performance of healthcare facilities?
Design/methodology/approach
Using a sample of 154 health facilities (i.e. private hospitals, pharmacies, maternity clinics, and diagnostic centres), the authors applied symmetric (PLS-SEM) and asymmetric (fsQCA) data analysis approaches to examine how TQM practices influence the operational performance of health facilities in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
Findings
The PLS-SEM results revealed that five out of the seven TQM practices investigated influenced operational performance. However, the fsQCA results identify five different complex combinations of TQM practices that lead to operational performance.
Research limitations/implications
Longitudinal studies can be conducted in the future to assess changes in the variables over time. A control variable, such as firm size, should be considered to assess the level of implementation of TQM practices based on firm size. A different performance measure, for instance, sustainability indicators or the balance score card, could be used to examine performance.
Practical implications
A proper and coordinated integration of the TQM practices is required for firms to be able to achieve operational performance. TQM practices vary in their sufficiency for operational outcomes; therefore, management needs to carefully consider their implementation as part of the organisation's strategy.
Originality/value
This research, by focussing on TQM practices from both symmetrical and asymmetrical perspectives, contributes to the understanding of the literature on TQM, thereby providing actionable insight on how to invest in the various TQM practices for improved operational performance.
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Shima Moradi, Delbar Tayefeh Bagher and Zohreh Mirhosseini
This study aims to investigate the application of Web 2.0 technologies in the libraries of the top 100 universities in the world to provide a model for Web 2.0 application in…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the application of Web 2.0 technologies in the libraries of the top 100 universities in the world to provide a model for Web 2.0 application in academic library websites.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from the universities’ library websites for three months based on a Web 2.0 checklist. The list of universities was extracted from Webometrics Ranking of World Universities in 2015.
Findings
The research shows the priorities of these universities in their use of Web 2.0 tools include social networks and mashups at the most (94.5 per cent), followed by RSS (91.2 per cent) and social tagging (82.4 per cent) and other tools with lower priorities. Moreover, it revealed the most common applications of these tools in the mentioned websites followed by their objective evidences in different libraries. The results indicate that the total Web 2.0 application in the libraries of the top 100 universities was below average (40.23 per cent). Finally, the model for Web 2.0 application in academic library websites was designed.
Originality/value
The focus of this study is on the value and application of each tool in the websites and demonstrate a clear model to apply in other library websites. The model for Web 2.0 technologies application in academic library websites has not been designed and pictured before.
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Alireza Rahimi, Ali Dehghan Saee, Abbas Kasaeipoor and Emad Hasani Malekshah
The purpose of this paper is to carry out a comprehensive review of some latest studies devoted to natural convection phenomenon in the enclosures because of its significant…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to carry out a comprehensive review of some latest studies devoted to natural convection phenomenon in the enclosures because of its significant industrial applications.
Design/methodology/approach
Geometries of the enclosures have considerable influences on the heat transfer which will be important in energy consumption. The most useful geometries in engineering fields are treated in this literature, and their effects on the fluid flow and heat transfer are presented.
Findings
A great variety of geometries included with different physical and thermal boundary conditions, heat sources and fluid/nanofluid media are analyzed. Moreover, the results of different types of methods including experimental, analytical and numerical are obtained. Different natures of natural convection phenomenon including laminar, steady-state and transient, turbulent are covered. Overall, the present review enhances the insight of researchers into choosing the best geometry for thermal process.
Originality/value
A comprehensive review on the most practical geometries in the industrial application is performed.
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Henry Adobor and Enyonam Canice Kudonoo
This paper presents a unique approach to exploring how organizations can be designed to cope with uncertainty and benefit from unexpected events. Our focus is on antifragility, a…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper presents a unique approach to exploring how organizations can be designed to cope with uncertainty and benefit from unexpected events. Our focus is on antifragility, a concept gaining traction in organizational design.
Design/methodology/approach
We adopt a design perspective based on a socio-technical and complex adaptive systems perspective to explore the physical and social elements necessary for creating the landscape and pathways for antifragility. We present a framework that includes human systems and design elements and how these foster self-organization and adaptation.
Findings
Self-organization depends on the context in which it develops. Therefore, designing complex adaptive systems requires developing the landscape and pathways to generate self-organization. The interaction of the social and organizational elements promotes self-organization and antifragility. The design elements of redundancy, loose coupling, modularity and scalability influence the context within which self-organization emerges. Individual and organizational mindfulness, self-management and continuous learning allow for rapid reconfiguration under uncertainty, creating the landscape and pathways for organizations to benefit from unexpected events.
Research limitations/implications
Creating organizations with a focus on deriving benefits, rather than striving to return to the previous state, especially in the face of unforeseen disruptions, represents a fundamental shift in perspective. This contribution is important given the predictions of a world that will increasingly face black swan events. Therefore, preparing organizations for thriving under stress has important implications for theory.
Practical implications
An organization’s ability to create value from stressors is a key advantage. As the goal of any organization is long-term sustainability, those with antifragile capabilities are better positioned for success. Organizations can move beyond mere recovery by using design to create conditions that promote antifragility, as is the case with robustness and resilience. This paper provides a roadmap for organizations to thrive amidst disruptions, offering practical strategies for implementation and equipping the reader with actionable steps to enhance their organization’s adaptability.
Originality/value
Designing organizations to benefit from disruptions represents a significant paradigm shift. The nascent field of understanding how organizations can embody antifragility is of great value. This paper is among the first to offer a design-oriented approach to this concept, adding significant value to the existing body of knowledge. The perspective and insights presented in this research will engage scholars and practitioners in organizational design and management.
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Priyakrushna Mohanty, Anukrati Sharma, James Kennell and Azizul Hassan
Abdollah Ghasemi Pirbalouti, Arian Asadpoor, Behzad Hamedi and Ahmad Reza Golparvar
Plant materials continue to play a major role in primary health care as therapeutic remedies in many developing countries. Medicinal herbs contain physiologically active…
Abstract
Purpose
Plant materials continue to play a major role in primary health care as therapeutic remedies in many developing countries. Medicinal herbs contain physiologically active principles that over the years have been exploited in traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments as they contain antimicrobial properties. This paper aims to determine the antibacterial activity of Iranian endemic plants.
Design/methodology/approach
Antibacterial activities of ethanol extract and essential oil of ten Iranian folklore herbs including Heracleum lasiopetalum Boiss., Hypericum scabrum L., Thymus daenensis Celak., Ziziphora teniur L., Echiophora platyloba L., Dracocephalum multicaule Benth., Kelussia odoratissima Mozff., Mentha longifolia Hudson., Achillea kellalensis Boiss. and Arnebia euchroma (Royle.) Johnston. were investigated against Yersinia enterocolitica PTCC 1151 by agar disc diffusion and serial dilution assays.
Findings
Most of the extracts and essential oils showed some antibacterial activity against the tested bacteria with the diameter of inhibition zone ranging between 9 and 16 mm. Of the plants studied, the most active extracts were those obtained from essential oil of H. lasiopetalum fruits and ethanol extract of A. euchroma roots. The MIC values for active extract and essential oil ranged between 0.039 and 0.156 mg/ml.
Practical implications
The results obtained appeared to confirm the antibacterial potential of the plants investigated.
Originality/value
The essential oil <0.039 mg/ml of H. lasiopetalum fruits could be used as natural antibacterial agent Y. enterocolitica in the food preservation and human health.
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Samah Mohammed Hassis, Mohammed Azzam Othman and Yahya Saleh
This study aims at investigating the impact of total quality management (TQM) on corporate sustainability (CS) by mediating the role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims at investigating the impact of total quality management (TQM) on corporate sustainability (CS) by mediating the role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in developing countries.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed research approach was adopted by conducting interviews and a survey. A survey was used as a quantitative tool for data collection from 67 respondents at different managerial levels. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used for analysis.
Findings
The findings demonstrate that customer focus and human resource management (HRM) were the most effective practices. Structural analysis revealed that TQM had a significant impact on CSR and CS. Furthermore, CSR partially mediates the relationship between TQM and CS.
Research limitations/implications
The study has developed a conceptual framework to provide policymakers with guidelines on integrating TQM practices and CSR activities into their strategy.
Originality/value
This research bridges the gap between TQM and the three pillars of CS, especially in manufacturing enterprises in a developing country context. This research also supports the TQM advocate's argument that effective TQM deployment can dramatically improve organizational performance. Additionally, this study verifies the CS model based on the triple bottom line (TBL) theory and stakeholder theory by assessing the conceptual model's robustness using a mixed-method research methodology, which has never been done before from a Palestinian perspective.
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Children have the ability to contribute to sustainable tourism research. A great deal of research on nature holiday has been conducted. However, it is unclear how this travel…
Abstract
Children have the ability to contribute to sustainable tourism research. A great deal of research on nature holiday has been conducted. However, it is unclear how this travel might serve as a good motivator for children to engage in environmentally responsible behaviour. To address this research gap, 72 drawings of children aged nine to 12 from Tehran, Iran, accompanied with the stories of their holiday were collected. Thematic analysis was done to assess their experience in nature and their cognitive state of environmental responsible behaviour. According to the finding, children are significantly concerned about nature, and they mostly perceived their best holidays in the natural environment. Children displayed a profound awareness of environmental responsible behaviour themes through their encounters with nature. Their experiences are classified into five levels: sensory, emotive, cognitive, behavioural and relationship. Each of these stages of experience may be used as a guideline for encouraging and training youngsters to be responsible.
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Shahrokh Shakerin, Seyed Nematollah Moosavi and Abbas Aminifard
The present study aims at quantifying the likely impacts of an environmental tax on macroeconomic variables and pollution in Iran.
Abstract
Purpose
The present study aims at quantifying the likely impacts of an environmental tax on macroeconomic variables and pollution in Iran.
Design/methodology/approach
The computable general equilibrium model, which allows the prediction of the economy-wide effects of any change in policy instruments, is applied.
Findings
The main findings reveal that gross domestic product, private consumption and income in both urban and rural areas will follow a declining trend as a result of environmental tax imposition. In a scenario with the highest level of tax, the predicted percentage change to the gross domestic product and private consumption is estimated at −21.32 and −40.96, respectively. In the same scenario, pollution emissions would decrease by 12.4–22.6% for CO2, CH4 and N2O.
Originality/value
This study uses a general equilibrium model to examine the effects of the carbon tax on environmental issues and household welfare, considering the unique conditions and regulations of Iran. While the related literature examines the CO2 tax, the current study covers more pollutants, including CO2, CH4, N2O, CO, SO2 and NOx. In addition, a distinguishing feature of the current study is that it applies a modified version of the social accounting matrix (SAM) database, which includes the heavy subsidies of energy products. Another significant feature of the current study is that it examines tax policy while tax rates are exerted endogenously (compared to previous studies).