Andrew Ennis, Liming Chen, Chris D. Nugent, George Ioannidis and Alexandru Stan
Improvements and portability of technologies and smart devices have enabled a rapid growth in the amount of user-generated media such as photographs and videos. Whilst various…
Abstract
Purpose
Improvements and portability of technologies and smart devices have enabled a rapid growth in the amount of user-generated media such as photographs and videos. Whilst various media generation and management systems exist, it still remains a challenge to discover the right information, for the right purpose. This paper aims to propose an approach to reverse geocoding by cross-referencing multiple geospatial data sources to enable the enrichment of media and therefore enable better organisation and searching of the media to create an overall picture about places.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper presents a system architecture that incorporates the proposed approach to aggregate several geospatial databases to enrich geo-tagged media with human readable information, which will further enable the goal of creating an overall picture about places. The approach enables the semantic information relating to point of interest.
Findings
Implementation of the proposed approach shows that a single geospatial data source does not contain enough information to accurately describe the high-level geospatial information for geocoded multimedia. However, fusing several geospatial data sources together enables richer, more accurate high-level geospatial information to be tagged to the geocoded multimedia.
Originality/value
The contribution in this paper shows that high-level geospatial information can be retrieved from many data sources and fused together to enrich geocoded multimedia which can facilitate better searching and retrieval of the multimedia.
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This study examined dossiers of informative pursual (DIPs), a particular type of secret police files, before and after the fall of Communism in Romania. These DIPs were often…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examined dossiers of informative pursual (DIPs), a particular type of secret police files, before and after the fall of Communism in Romania. These DIPs were often weaponized against citizens perceived to be anti-government.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on Buckland's (2017) concept of a document as an object with physical, mental and social parts, the study used thematic analysis to examine volumes of DIPs from 1945 to 1989 Communist Romania as well as several recorded reactions to the DIPs by the victims who were targeted by the Communist secret police.
Findings
Four themes were revealed by the study's findings and discussed within the manuscript: DIPs as unreliable epistemic tools, DIPs as tools to construct the identity of the “People's Enemy,” DIPs as weapons to fight the “People's Enemy” and DIPs as tools that could be used in counterattacks during post-Communism, including in political-economic blackmailing.
Research limitations/implications
There are two major limitations to research of DIPs. First, since many DIPs have been stolen, copied illicitly or even destroyed, it is difficult to articulate precisely their actual or potential social and political effects. Researchers may often detect these effects only indirectly, based on information leaks in the news. Second, many victims of surveillance practices during the Communist period have chosen not to leave records of their reactions to reading the DIPs that targeted them.
Social implications
Current and future comprehensive studies of DIPs can reveal possible parallels between surveillance by the Communist regime and the massive data-collection that occurs in democratic societies, particularly given the increased technical capabilities for processing data in these democratic societies.
Originality/value
Within documentation studies, secret police files and document weaponization have been particularly under-researched, therefore this study contributes to a small body of literature.
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Adela Moise, Alexandru Mărghitaş Liviu, Daniel Dezmirean and Otilia Bobis
The main purpose of this study is to create a complete physico‐chemical characterisation of Romanian heather honey.
Abstract
Purpose
The main purpose of this study is to create a complete physico‐chemical characterisation of Romanian heather honey.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 30 samples of heather honey were harvested from three different geographical areas (Fântânele, Călăţele, Mărişel) from Transylvania region (Romania). This study contains a complete characterization of heather honey regarding its physico‐chemical composition, total phenols content, flavonoids content, antioxidant activity (expressed as radical scavenging activity – RSA) and micro‐ and macroelements content.
Findings
The results obtained for the total phenols content and total flavonoids demonstrate that honey samples have good bioactive properties and the antioxidant activities are similar to those of dark honeys. Heather honeys normally have a high content of minerals, having their origin in soil. All quantified minerals in heather honey presented values higher that those reported for other types of honey.
Practical implications
Heather honey is a very important type of honey for consumers, which due to its features has a high price on the local market. This study provides the main analytical methods for honey quality determination, which is very important for the students.
Originality/value
For the first time in Romania a complete study of heather honey was done.
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Madalina-Elena Stratone and Elena-Madalina Vatamanescu
The study seeks to investigate the impact of intellectual capital (IC) management on the performance and agility of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Romania, with a…
Abstract
Purpose
The study seeks to investigate the impact of intellectual capital (IC) management on the performance and agility of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Romania, with a particular focus on the post-COVID-19 recovery period. By examining the roles of human, structural and relational capital, the study sets out to provide insights into how SMEs can build resilience against future socioeconomic disruptions and achieve a sustainable competitive advantage.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative research method was employed, utilizing a questionnaire distributed to 121 managers from Romanian SMEs. The collected data was analyzed using SmartPLS 4 software to test hypotheses regarding the role of intellectual capital management in enhancing organizational agility and performance.
Findings
IC, especially human capital, substantially influences organizational agility and performance in SMEs. Findings confirm that adapting to a dynamic work environment requires that SMEs invest in employee development, foster strong internal and external relationships, and embrace new technologies. Furthermore, building an adaptive organizational culture open to change and learning is essential for sustaining long-term competitive advantage in an unpredictable market.
Research limitations/implications
The study advances theoretical and practical recommendations for academics, managers and policymakers on leveraging IC to enhance organizational agility and performance, offering a roadmap for organizations navigating systemic crises. The main limitation is the context-driven focus of the research on Romanian SMEs.
Practical implications
Switching to the practical implications, this research offers managers of small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in Romania insightful knowledge about how to strategically manage IC to improve organizational agility and performance and illustrates the need for the SMEs to invest in the human capital, to adapt quickly to the market changes and to invest their resources in integrating new technologies, alongside with building strong relationships (both inside and outside the organization) and to cultivate an adaptive organizational culture that is open to change and to learn.
Social implications
This study provides guidance to the Romanian managers in finding the key to success, by ensuring competitiveness in the nowadays dynamic market, foster innovation and boost the agility and the performance of the organization.
Originality/value
The research is the first one to address the strategic importance of IC management in Romanian SMEs with a view to attaining agility and performance in turbulent times.
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Alessandro Gaetano Naclerio and Pietro De Giovanni
This research investigates the effects that blockchain exerts on omnichannel solutions and logistics strategies with the aim of solving the last mile issues and improving…
Abstract
Purpose
This research investigates the effects that blockchain exerts on omnichannel solutions and logistics strategies with the aim of solving the last mile issues and improving performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Research hypotheses are developed according to the literature review and the related gaps. Then, the hypotheses are tested using structural equation modelling and adopting a partial least squares – path modelling technique on a dataset composed of 157 firms.
Findings
Blockchain technology alone is not an effective driver in solving last mile issues and improving performance. Rather, it exerts a positive contribution to both omnichannel and logistics. However, omnichannel is not effective in managing last mile problems and increasing performance without the support of other practices. Firms need to implement a strong logistics system to manage the last mile and get high performance, which can be then reinforced through blockchain and omnichannel solutions.
Originality/value
This research investigates the novel wave of research on blockchain and its impact on logistics management and omnichannel. It combines these ingredients to address the issues of last mile and improve the economic performance. The research provides an empirical verification of a new research stream that currently lacks empirical support.