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Article
Publication date: 18 January 2019

Farhad Shamsfakhr, Bahram Sadeghi Bigham and Amirreza Mohammadi

Robot localization in dynamic, cluttered environments is a challenging problem because it is impractical to have enough knowledge to be able to accurately model the robot’s…

396

Abstract

Purpose

Robot localization in dynamic, cluttered environments is a challenging problem because it is impractical to have enough knowledge to be able to accurately model the robot’s environment in such a manner. This study aims to develop a novel probabilistic method equipped with function approximation techniques which is able to appropriately model the data distribution in Markov localization by using the maximum statistical power, thereby making a sensibly accurate estimation of robot’s pose in extremely dynamic, cluttered indoors environments.

Design/methodology/approach

The parameter vector of the statistical model is in the form of positions of easily detectable artificial landmarks in omnidirectional images. First, using probabilistic principal component analysis, the most likely set of parameters of the environmental model are extracted from the sensor data set consisting of missing values. Next, we use these parameters to approximate a probability density function, using support vector regression that is able to calculate the robot’s pose vector in each state of the Markov localization. At the end, using this density function, a good approximation of conditional density associated with the observation model is made which leads to a sensibly accurate estimation of robot’s pose in extremely dynamic, cluttered indoors environment.

Findings

The authors validate their method in an indoor office environment with 34 unique artificial landmarks. Further, they show that the accuracy remains high, even when they significantly increase the dynamics of the environment. They also show that compared to those appearance-based localization methods that rely on image pixels, the proposed localization strategy is superior in terms of accuracy and speed of convergence to a global minima.

Originality/value

By using easily detectable, and rotation, scale invariant artificial landmarks and the maximum statistical power which is provided through the concept of missing data, the authors have succeeded in determining precise pose updates without requiring too many computational resources to analyze the omnidirectional images. In addition, the proposed approach significantly reduces the risk of getting stuck in a local minimum by eliminating the possibility of having similar states.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 36 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 1 February 2022

Antonella Francesca Francesca Cicchiello and Amirreza Kazemikhasragh

Belonging to the financial technologies’ companies, equity-based crowdfunding platforms offer investors the opportunity to become shareholders through the purchase of small equity…

2918

Abstract

Purpose

Belonging to the financial technologies’ companies, equity-based crowdfunding platforms offer investors the opportunity to become shareholders through the purchase of small equity stakes of new innovative ventures. This paper aims to investigate gender-related differences in the behaviour of investors in firms seeking equity financing in Latin America.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a unique database, with combined information from different equity crowdfunding platforms in Brazil, Chile and Mexico, the authors study the population of 492 projects between 2013 and 2017. To analyse the relationship between investors’ gender-related differences and equity crowdfunding investment, this paper applies Poisson regression.

Findings

Results suggest that the probability that an investor finances a firm is based on gender bias. Investors prefer firms led by entrepreneurs that are similar to them in terms of gender. Furthermore, the authors find evidence that both female and male investors are risk-averse and are more likely to invest in the equity of firms that are older and offer a higher percentage of equity. However, female investors are associated with firms that are on average older and offer 0.02% more equity.

Practical implications

These findings have implications for crowdfunding platforms managers when selecting their target companies and policymakers when defining political actions to promote greater use of equity crowdfunding among female entrepreneurs and decrease barriers hindering women’s access to investment.

Originality/value

Unique in its proposition and data usage, this study sheds light on the relationship between investors and entrepreneurs in the Latin American equity crowdfunding market.

Details

European Business Review, vol. 34 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0955-534X

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 4 September 2024

Alireza Nazarian, Ehsan Zaeri, Pantea Foroudi, Amirreza Afrouzi and Peter Atkinson

This study explores the impact of ethical and authentic leadership on employees' workplace perceptions, focusing on organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB), trust in leader…

272

Abstract

Purpose

This study explores the impact of ethical and authentic leadership on employees' workplace perceptions, focusing on organisational citizenship behaviour (OCB), trust in leader, commitment, employee voice and empowerment in independent hotels across two contrasting Global Leadership and Organizational Behaviour Effectiveness (GLOBE) clusters: Germanic and Middle-Eastern clusters. It examines how national culture influences these relationships in the hospitality industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 1,678 employees in independent hotels in the Germanic European cluster (Germany and the Netherlands) and the Middle-Eastern cluster (Qatar and Turkey) using selective and snowball sampling techniques. Hypotheses were tested using two-stage structural equation modelling.

Findings

Ethical leadership significantly affects employee voice in Germany and the Netherlands but not in Qatar and Turkey. Authentic leadership positively influences employee voice in Qatar, Turkey and Germany but does not significantly impact trust in leader in any of the four countries. The study underscores the role of cultural dimensions, particularly power distance, in shaping these relationships.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the literature by investigating the effects of ethical and authentic leadership on key organisational variables in culturally diverse contexts within the hospitality industry. The findings highlight the necessity of considering national culture in leadership practices and suggest practical implications for independent hotels to adapt their leadership approaches to enhance employee outcomes. Future research should explore cultural dimensions as moderators in organisational relationships.

Details

International Hospitality Review, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2516-8142

Keywords

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Article
Publication date: 7 January 2025

Hoda Alsadat Vaghefi-Rezaee, Setareh Khademi-Adel, Hadi Sarvari, David J. Edwards and Amirreza Rashidi

Given the expansion of cities and urbanization, developing efficient and reliable transportation infrastructure, especially urban tunnels, is essential. Failure to maintain such…

15

Abstract

Purpose

Given the expansion of cities and urbanization, developing efficient and reliable transportation infrastructure, especially urban tunnels, is essential. Failure to maintain such complex construction facilities with intelligent equipment systems could result in human losses and impose huge costs on governments. Therefore, it is necessary to have practical maintenance plans and operational safety monitoring for urban tunnels, which leads to their long lifespan, increases users’ safety and reduces operation risks.

Design/methodology/approach

Hence, this research aims to evaluate the maintenance risks of urban tunnel lighting systems (UTLS) using a hybrid risk-based maintenance (RBM) approach. In this vein, three rounds of a fuzzy Delphi survey were conducted to consolidate the specific operation criteria and maintenance risk factors to the circumstances of Iran and UTLS. Furthermore, the fuzzy DEMATEL method was applied to determine the cause-and-effect relationships among the identified critical operation criteria. The identified risks associated with maintenance in UTLS were then analyzed and ranked using a combination of fuzzy ANP-VIKOR techniques.

Findings

The ranking of the various risks revealed that the “poor performance of switchboards in power supply due to faults in switchboard equipment” risk was ranked first, followed by the “poor performance of panels in the power supply due to unfavorable environmental conditions,” “The poor performance of panels in the power supply due to problems with switches (key failure)” and “The poor performance of panels in power supply due to burning fuses due to unauthorized current” risks. The findings of this study indicate that this hybrid maintenance method, developed as a risk-based network, provides reliability for maintaining urban tunnel lighting systems (UTLS).

Originality/value

It is anticipated that the findings of this research will considerably contribute to improving UTLS maintenance management while enhancing different stakeholders’ understanding of the most critical risks in maintenance, particularly toward the UTLS in Iran. An RBM management program can result in preparing and formulating policies, comprehensive guidelines or regulations for the maintenance of urban tunnels that are recommended for future research.

Details

Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2511

Keywords

Available. Open Access. Open Access
Article
Publication date: 5 July 2021

Antonella Francesca Cicchiello, Amirreza Kazemikhasragh and Stefano Monferra

Women’s entrepreneurial activity can significantly impact economic and social development globally, particularly in developing countries. The significant challenges…

3052

Abstract

Purpose

Women’s entrepreneurial activity can significantly impact economic and social development globally, particularly in developing countries. The significant challenges entrepreneurial women face draw the attention of researchers and policymakers. This paper aims to analyse the impact of gender disparity on the likelihood of obtaining equity financing through crowdfunding. The equity crowdfunding industry was selected because it is a non-traditional financial market where gender bias may act differently for women.

Design/methodology/approach

To investigate the relationship between gender and equity financing through crowdfunding, this paper applies ordinary least squares regression. The analysis is based on a unique data set of 492 equity crowdfunding campaigns launched between 2013 and 2017 on all existing platforms in Brazil, Chile and Mexico.

Findings

The analysis reveals that the involvement of at least one woman on the board of firms seeking equity financing increases campaign success rates in terms of the investors’ average pledge, the target amount reached at the end of the campaign and the percentage raised at the end of the campaign exceeding the initial fundraising goal. Altogether, this suggests that equity crowdfunding campaigns should be based on gender equality in the firms’ boards. The research finds evidence that there is no gender disparity in the likelihood of a campaign being financed by a greater number of investors.

Practical implications

These findings have implications for Latin American female entrepreneurs when selecting funding sources and policymakers when defining political actions to remove the barriers at the root of this historic inequality in female entrepreneurs’ access to finance.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this document analyses the gender disparity in the Latin American equity crowdfunding market, shedding light on women’s access to crowdfunding financing for the first time.

Details

Gender in Management: An International Journal , vol. 36 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2413

Keywords

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