Jaroslaw Krzywanski, Marta Wesolowska, Artur Blaszczuk, Anna Majchrzak, Maciej Komorowski and Wojciech Nowak
The purpose of this paper is to first present the key features of the fuzzy logic (FL) approach as a cost-effective technique in simulations of complex systems and then…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to first present the key features of the fuzzy logic (FL) approach as a cost-effective technique in simulations of complex systems and then demonstrate the formulation and application of the method.
Design/methodology/approach
The FL approach is used as an alternative method of data handling, considering the complexity of analytical and numerical procedures and high costs of empirical experiments. The distance from gas distributor, the temperature and the voidage of the bed, flue gas velocity and the load of the boiler are the input parameters, whereas the overall heat transfer coefficient for the membrane walls constitutes the output. Five overlapping sigmoid and constant linguistic terms are used to describe the input and the output data, respectively. The Takagi–Sugeno inference engine and the weighted average defuzzification methods are applied to determine the fuzzy and crisp output value, respectively.
Findings
The performed FL model allows predicting the bed-to-wall heat transfer coefficient in a large-scale 670 t/h circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boiler. The local heat transfer coefficients evaluated using the developed model are in very good agreement with the data obtained in complementary investigations.
Originality/value
The performed model constitutes an easy-to-use and functional tool. The new approach can be helpful for further research on the bed-to-wall heat transfer coefficient in the CFB units.
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K.S. Nivedhitha and A.K. Sheik Manzoor
While the sizable body of research focusses on various psychological effects of enterprise social media (ESM), research connecting the link between ESM and cyberslacking is still…
Abstract
Purpose
While the sizable body of research focusses on various psychological effects of enterprise social media (ESM), research connecting the link between ESM and cyberslacking is still very sparse. Drawing inspiration from the social bonding theory, the authors have proposed a moderated mediation model to explain how ESM affordances reduce cyberslacking, mediated significantly by workplace social bonding when the perceived co-worker involvement is high.
Design/methodology/approach
Utilising a sample of 384 respondents, the study tested the model fit and hypothesised relationships with AMOS and PROCESS MACRO.
Findings
The findings show that workplace social bonding mediates the relationship between ESM affordances and cyberslacking. The results are also consistent with the moderated mediation model as the mediation is significant when the perceived co-worker involvement is high, and the mediation is insignificant when the moderator is low/moderate.
Research limitations/implications
Considering the potential behavioural dynamics of ESM artefacts, the authors have introduced self-expression (via microblogging), recognition (from paralinguistic digital affordances) and network externality as ESM affordances. Alongside the existing measures to reduce employee deviance, the proposed model with the above-mentioned affordances can be investigated in detail by the future research community.
Practical implications
In light of the findings, the study demonstrates that ESM can be treated as a mechanism to keep cyberslacking at bay. The results offer significant implications for managers, who lookout for innovative and soft strategies to reduce cyberslacking in the workplace.
Originality/value
Instead of implementing strict policies to kerb cyberslacking, this study proposes an alternative and an interesting model by introducing ESM as a strategic tool in reducing cyberslacking. The paper argues that ESM, being a potential tool for employee engagement and bonding, may offset the employees' tendency to involve in cyberslacking.
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Anna Ivanova, Stanislaw Migorski, Rafal Wyczolkowski and Dmitry Ivanov
This paper aims to considered the problem of identification of temperature-dependent thermal conductivity in the nonstationary, nonlinear heat equation. To describe the heat…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to considered the problem of identification of temperature-dependent thermal conductivity in the nonstationary, nonlinear heat equation. To describe the heat transfer in the furnace charge occupied by a homogeneous porous material, the heat equation is formulated. The inverse problem consists in finding the heat conductivity parameter, which depends on the temperature, from the measurements of the temperature in fixed points of the material.
Design/methodology/approach
A numerical method based on the finite-difference scheme and the least squares approach for numerical solution of the direct and inverse problems has been recently developed.
Findings
The influence of different numerical scheme parameters on the accuracy of the identified conductivity coefficient is studied. The results of the experiment carried out on real measurements are presented. Their results confirm the ones obtained earlier by using other methods.
Originality/value
Novelty is in a new, easy way to identify thermal conductivity by known temperature measurements. This method is based on special finite-difference scheme, which gives a resolvable system of algebraic equations. The results sensitivity on changes in the method parameters was studies. The algorithms of identification in the case of a purely mathematical experiment and in the case of real measurements, their differences and the practical details are presented.
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Diletta Vianello, Anna Marrucci, Cristiano Ciappei and Claudio Becagli
The objective of the research is to explore the importance of online reputation management through some core concepts: technologies and entrepreneurship. Specifically, the…
Abstract
The objective of the research is to explore the importance of online reputation management through some core concepts: technologies and entrepreneurship. Specifically, the research will explore how in a tourism ecosystem context, it is strategically relevant through the use of Big Data Analytics (BDA) to manage and improve online reputation management. An emphasis will also be placed on the concept of entrepreneurship and dynamic capabilities. Finally, the research also explores empowerment issue to shed some considerations on the development of tourists' online reviews.
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Anna Maria Al Zubaidi-Polli and Nervo Verdezoto
Public participation is an important – if not the most important – pillar of democracy. When designing new e-participation environments, it is advisable to consider previous…
Abstract
Purpose
Public participation is an important – if not the most important – pillar of democracy. When designing new e-participation environments, it is advisable to consider previous appropriation practices of deliberative community networks to encourage broad participation. This can be achieved by sharing appropriation practices and by supporting the situated development of use, which may not only increase user participation but also decrease user frustration.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper addresses previously analyzed e-participation appropriation practices and technological limitations that participants faced when using the e-participation environment from the Aarhus’s Artwork design experiment. The lessons learned from these limitations and the appropriation practices identified help us in designing the next generation of e-participation environments and in counteracting their unsuccessful appropriation.
Findings
Potential design improvements for future collaborative writing e-environments that facilitate location-agnostic participation, and improvements that enable successful technology appropriation are presented.
Originality/value
These improvements are important to future research to inform a hybrid of in situ and ex situ technologies that enable collaborative writing to increase public participation in leisure spaces, engage a broader range of citizens and thus also encourage less motivated people.
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Sofie Pilemalm, Anna Follin and Erik Prytz
Volunteers play an increasingly important role in emergency response logistics. However, to make most use of their capabilities, they need to be dispatched to the emergency site…
Abstract
Purpose
Volunteers play an increasingly important role in emergency response logistics. However, to make most use of their capabilities, they need to be dispatched to the emergency site in an effective manner and coordinated on-site. The purpose of this study is to present a requirements specification and initial design proposal for ICT-enabled dispatch of volunteers as first responders as part of emergency response digitalized co-production initiatives.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses a case study approach inspired by action research and the theoretical lens of digitalized co-production. It includes a variety of methods for data collection, including interviews with volunteers, document analysis and participation in workshops.
Findings
The major themes identified are geofencing, dispatch coordination, dynamic resource allocation and communication and collaboration. First priority requirements include geofencing alert and positioning, a joint application programming interface, receipt of alert, receipt if arrival at incident site, withdrawal of resources, chat functionality and the ability to alert in descending order within the geofenced areas to avoid alarm fatigue. As to coordination and dynamic resource allocation, e.g. built-in alert restrictions, ability to pre-select profiles and to dispatch based on competence/training, capacity and equipment would enable a more optimized response.
Originality/value
While previous research on digital volunteerism mainly embraces spontaneous volunteers and social media, this study addresses long-time collaboration with professional response organizations – digitalized co-production – with a focus on the dispatch, coordination and task allocation of volunteers that are central to their integration with emergency response logistics.
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Paula Ungureanu, Carlotta Cochis, Fabiola Bertolotti, Elisa Mattarelli and Anna Chiara Scapolan
This study investigates the role of collaborative spaces as organizational support for internal innovation through cross-functional teams and for open innovation with external…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the role of collaborative spaces as organizational support for internal innovation through cross-functional teams and for open innovation with external stakeholders. In particular, the study focuses on collaborative spaces as tools for multiplex (i.e., simultaneous internal and external boundary management in innovation projects).
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted a qualitative study in a multi-divisional organization that set up in its headquarters a collaborative space for collaborative product development. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and participant observations.
Findings
Findings highlight that the relation between expectations and experiences about the collaborative space impact on employees' ability to perform boundary work inside and outside the organization. In addition to the collaborative space's affording role for expectations about hands-on collaborative innovation (space as laboratory), the study also highlights a set of collaboration constraints. These latter are generated by perceived boundary configurations (i.e. degree of boundary permeability and infrastructure in internal and external collaborations) and by discrepancies between expectations (space as laboratory) and actual collaboration experiences in the space (i.e. space as maze, cloister, showcase and silo). We show that space-generated constraints slow down internal and external boundary work for innovation and generate a trade-off between them.
Originality/value
Using the process-based perspective of boundary work, the paper connects studies on cross-functional teaming and open innovation through the concept of “multiplex boundary work.” It also contributes to the literature on boundary work by showing the challenges of using collaborative spaces as organizational support tools for multiplex boundary spanning.
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Monica Eriksen and Kinga Anna Gajda
An ever-increasing emphasis is being placed on the concept of cross-institutional educational initiatives. Among these are university–school partnerships, seen as possessing…
Abstract
An ever-increasing emphasis is being placed on the concept of cross-institutional educational initiatives. Among these are university–school partnerships, seen as possessing immense multidimensional potential. The model of university–school partnership espouses distinctive advantages: it promotes close collaboration on an array of pedagogical elements, a manifold of opportunities for inter-professional learning, a unique course delivery, and the development of innovative curriculum materials. There is a consensus that effective teaching calls for more than possession of craft skills and knowledge, but should go beyond traditional pedagogical bounds, in which the innovation in new educational models is embedded in a nexus of relationships involving close multi-faceted, cross-institutional collaborations, incorporating elements of informal education. The proposed chapter aims to address the theoretical discourse and practical application of such partnerships, guided by the conviction that an effective partnership constructs new enabling structures that span the boundaries of school/university, placing an increased focus on learning for all stakeholders. It aims to supplement the existing theoretical discourse by presenting an implemented cross-institutional partnership as a case-study – a university class of intercultural competence – undertaken in cooperation among the Institute of European Studies, Jagiellonian University, and High School No. 8 in Kraków. The case study aims to illustrate how a cross-institutional partnership contributed to the development and implementation of innovative and active teaching methods, placing a particular emphasis on elements of informal education. Through a variety of methods, such as outgoing seminars, peer-mediation, and city games, the outlined partnership model serves as an effective example of innovative practices in higher education.
Aline Fernandes, Martin Spring and Monideepa Tarafdar
The purpose of this paper is to explore intra-firm coordination in temporary organizations (TOs). Specifically, it identifies and explains how operational coordination evolves…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore intra-firm coordination in temporary organizations (TOs). Specifically, it identifies and explains how operational coordination evolves over time in a particular TO: the 2016 Olympic Games Organizing Committee.
Design/methodology/approach
This is an immersive case study based on qualitative analysis and longitudinal fieldwork, which allowed the observation of operational coordination in real time. The main sources of data are participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and internal documents of the TO.
Findings
The findings suggest that operational coordination in TOs dealing with multiple and decentralized operations takes place through the combination of both formal and informal coordination mechanisms. Further analysis indicates a contingency logic in using these mechanisms, shaped by the presence of specific coordination challenges in different phases of work. Three main aspects influencing coordination are explored. First, it is suggested that TOs are inherently “hybrid.” That is, they comprise enduring as well as temporary and centralized as well as decentralized elements. These elements change over time. Second, a formal transition phase is explored: “venueization” – a phase between planning and operation in which centralized structural elements and processes are translated to operational units. Third, since TOs present emergence and dynamism, and related challenges across various phases of work, coordination is arguably contingent on the phase of the project.
Research limitations/implications
Although the findings are limited to a particular empirical context, this paper offers theoretically new insights concerning the hybrid nature of processes in TOs, the contingent use of complementary coordination mechanisms, and the importance of the venueization phase, and provides a basis for future research into operational coordination in TOs.
Practical implications
The findings can help practitioners understand and identify the challenges embedded in temporary contexts and develop coordination strategies accordingly.
Originality/value
This study explains how operational coordination takes place in TOs enabled by formal and informal mechanisms, which are contingently combined over time through particular coordination strategies.
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Aya Rizk, Anna Ståhlbröst and Ahmed Elragal
Within digital innovation, there are two significant consequences of the pervasiveness of digital technology: (1) the increasing connectivity is enabling a wider reach and scope…
Abstract
Purpose
Within digital innovation, there are two significant consequences of the pervasiveness of digital technology: (1) the increasing connectivity is enabling a wider reach and scope of innovation structures, such as innovation networks and (2) the unprecedented availability of digital data is creating new opportunities for innovation. Accordingly, there is a growing domain for studying data-driven innovation (DDI), especially in contemporary contexts of innovation networks. The purpose of this study is to explore how DDI processes take form in a specific type of innovation networks, namely federated networks.
Design/methodology/approach
A multiple case study design is applied in this paper. We draw our analysis from data collected over six months from four cases of DDI. The within-analysis is aimed at constructing the DDI process instance in each case, while the crosscase analysis focuses on pattern matching and cross-case synthesis of common and unique characteristics in the constructed processes.
Findings
Evidence from the crosscase analysis suggests that the widely accepted four-phase digital innovation process (including discovery, development, diffusion and post-diffusion) does not account for the explorative nature of data analytics and DDI. We propose an extended process comprising an explicit exploration phase before development, where refinement of the innovation concept and exploring social relationships are essential. Our analysis also suggests two modes of DDI: (1) asynchronous, i.e. data acquired before development and (2) synchronous, i.e. data acquired after (or during) development. We discuss the implications of these modes on the DDI process and the participants in the innovation network.
Originality/value
The paper proposes an extended version of the digital innovation process that is more specifically suited for DDI. We also provide an early explanation to the variation in DDI process complexities by highlighting the different modes of DDI processes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first empirical investigation of DDI following the process from early stages of discovery till postdiffusion.