Bindia Daroch, Gitika Nagrath and Ashutosh Gupta
This study aims to investigate consumer behaviour towards online shopping, which further examines various factors limiting consumers for online shopping behaviour. The purpose of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate consumer behaviour towards online shopping, which further examines various factors limiting consumers for online shopping behaviour. The purpose of the research was to find out the problems that consumers face during their shopping through online stores.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative research method was adopted for this research in which a survey was conducted among the users of online shopping sites.
Findings
As per the results total six factors came out from the study that restrains consumers to buy from online sites – fear of bank transaction and faith, traditional shopping more convenient than online shopping, reputation and services provided, experience, insecurity and insufficient product information and lack of trust.
Research limitations/implications
This study is beneficial for e-tailers involved in e-commerce activities that may be customer-to-customer or customer-to-the business. Managerial implications are suggested for improving marketing strategies for generating consumer trust in online shopping.
Originality/value
In contrast to previous research, this study aims to focus on identifying those factors that restrict consumers from online shopping.
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Ravi Pratap Singh, Narendra Kumar, Ashutosh Kumar Gupta and Madhusudan Painuly
The purpose of this paper is to investigate experimentally the effect of several input process factors, namely, feed rate, spindle speed, ultrasonic power and coolant pressure, on…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate experimentally the effect of several input process factors, namely, feed rate, spindle speed, ultrasonic power and coolant pressure, on hole quality measures (penetration rate [PR] and chipping diameter [CD]) in rotary mode ultrasonic drilling of macor bioceramic material.
Design/methodology/approach
The main experiments were planned using the response surface methodology (RSM). Scanning electron microscopy was also used to examine and study the microstructure of machined samples. This study revealed the existence of dominant brittle fracture and little plastic flow that resulted in a material loss from the base work surface. Experiment findings have shown the dependability and adequacy of the proposed mathematical model.
Findings
The percentage of brittle mode deformation rises as the penetration depth of abrasives increases (at increasing levels of feed rate). This was due to the fact that at greater depths of indentation, material loss begins in the form of bigger chunks and develops inter-granular fractures. These stated causes have provided an additional advantage to increasing the CD over the machined rod of bioceramic. The desirability method was also used to optimize multi-response measured responses (PR and CD). The mathematical model created using the RSM method will be very useful in industrial revelation. Furthermore, the investigated answers’ particle swarm optimization (PSO) and teacher-learner-based optimization (TLBO) make the parametric analysis more relevant and productive for real-life industrial practices.
Originality/value
Macor bioceramic has been widely recognized as one of the most highly demanded innovative dental ceramics, receiving expanded industry approval because of its outstanding and superior characteristics. However, effective and efficient processing remains a problem. Among the available contemporary machining methods introduced for processing typical and advanced materials, rotary mode ultrasonic machining has been identified as one of the best suitable candidates for precise processing of macor bioceramics, as this process produces thermal damage-free profiles, as well as high accuracy and an increased material removal rate. The optimized combined setting obtained using PSO is feed rate = 0.16 mm/s, spindle speed = 4,500 rpm, ultrasonic power = 60% and coolant pressure = 280 kPa with the value of fitness function is 0.0508. The optimized combined setting obtained using TLBO is feed rate = 0.06 mm/s, spindle speed = 2,500 rpm, ultrasonic power = 60% and coolant pressure = 280 kPa with the value of fitness function is 0.1703.
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Ganesan Muruganantham and B. Dinesh Kumar
Metaverse is an immersive technology that has transformed the way we connect, interact, and work, providing massive opportunities for different sectors. The prevailing trends in…
Abstract
Metaverse is an immersive technology that has transformed the way we connect, interact, and work, providing massive opportunities for different sectors. The prevailing trends in the metaverse encompass various aspects such as multi-user virtual environments facilitating real-time interaction between users and digital objects, the utilization of virtual and augmented reality (AR) technology to generate immersive and captivating experiences, social and gaming encounters, virtual currencies, data, and analytics for personalization and targeting of experiences, live streaming, e-commerce, and other related developments. AR is a key component of the metaverse. Because of its increased accessibility and interactivity, AR has the potential to operate as a bridge between the present and the future. AR superimposes the virtual objects in the real environment, enabling mixed-reality experiences that enable users to have immersive experiences.
This chapter examines the role of AR in metaverse platforms. It navigates through the multifaceted platforms within the metaverse and underscores its transformative potential in various sectors, fueled by the demand for remote working tools and the growing embrace of Web 3.0 technologies. It also explores the technical elements of integrating AR, providing a comprehensive explanation of how AR-enabled devices like glasses, headsets, and smartphones are used to generate immersive user experiences.
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Jaydip Kanango, Ashutosh Bhatnagar, Ravikant Gupta and Vikas Kashyap
This research has been taken up by the human resource center of organization X, for designing a curriculum for a training course named “Basic Computer Application”, by optimizing…
Abstract
Purpose
This research has been taken up by the human resource center of organization X, for designing a curriculum for a training course named “Basic Computer Application”, by optimizing topics and finalizing teaching strategies, based on needs and expectations collected from past and prospective training participants from different ranks of employees of X. The study aims to discuss this issue.
Design/methodology/approach
The research strategy adopted is based on a survey conducted using a specially designed questionnaire. The questionnaire was circulated to 256 personnel selected randomly having computer backgrounds as well as non-computer backgrounds, who had either attended past batches of the same training course or attended different training courses. The data thus collected was processed using VOC Table and the affinity diagram and subsequently fed into the house of quality (HOQ) for obtaining desired output.
Findings
The study has identified and optimized topics for the course, based on employee needs/wants, using the two-stage QFD approach. After delivering the course with an optimized curriculum and teaching strategy, it is observed that the overall participant satisfaction performance of the course has increased from 3 to 4.6, which is higher than the goal set at 4. This indicates an overall enhancement in the satisfaction of participants with the delivery of the new improved course curriculum.
Research limitations/implications
As indicated by the survey findings, the competence level of personnel with computer backgrounds is higher than that of personnel without computer backgrounds, which would result in different design considerations while constructing QFDs for these two entirely different groups of participants. This study has been limited to the course curriculum design for personnel with non-computer backgrounds only. The curriculum design for personnel with computer backgrounds will be addressed separately, in a future study.
Originality/value
This is an original study conducted on randomly selected employees across the country from among personnel working for different establishments of organization X. The approach taken in this study for optimizing a course curriculum is unique in the way that it uses a two-stage QFD, which is traditionally used for the design of a product, its components, and the subsequent manufacturing process. This study has employed a planning matrix that incorporated participant-given ratings for each individual need and also participant-decided benchmarking ratings of other similar courses. Estimation of final target has been done by factoring in participants' competence ratings for each individual topic, for a more truthful representation of participant opinion on the final output. This study has also adopted a unique approach of considering only top 80% (in terms of frequency of occurrence) of total responses while calculating weighted averages, instead of calculating the mean value of all data points. In this way, only the significant contributors have been considered while analyzing data.
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Ashutosh Shankhdhar, Pawan Kumar Verma, Prateek Agrawal, Vishu Madaan and Charu Gupta
The aim of this paper is to explore the brain–computer interface (BCI) as a methodology for generating awareness and increasing reliable use cases of the same so that an…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to explore the brain–computer interface (BCI) as a methodology for generating awareness and increasing reliable use cases of the same so that an individual's quality of life can be enhanced via neuroscience and neural networks, and risk evaluation of certain experiments of BCI can be conducted in a proactive manner.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper puts forward an efficient approach for an existing BCI device, which can enhance the performance of an electroencephalography (EEG) signal classifier in a composite multiclass problem and investigates the effects of sampling rate on feature extraction and multiple channels on the accuracy of a complex multiclass EEG signal. A one-dimensional convolutional neural network architecture is used to further classify and improve the quality of the EEG signals, and other algorithms are applied to test their variability. The paper further also dwells upon the combination of internet of things multimedia technology to be integrated with a customized design BCI network based on a conventionally used system known as the message query telemetry transport.
Findings
At the end of our implementation stage, 98% accuracy was achieved in a binary classification problem of classifying digit and non-digit stimuli, and 36% accuracy was observed in the classification of signals resulting from stimuli of digits 0 to 9.
Originality/value
BCI, also known as the neural-control interface, is a device that helps a user reliably interact with a computer using only his/her brain activity, which is measured usually via EEG. An EEG machine is a quality device used for observing the neural activity and electric signals generated in certain parts of the human brain, which in turn can help us in studying the different core components of the human brain and how it functions to improve the quality of human life in general.
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Ashutosh Samadhiya and Rajat Agrawal
Sustainability performances (SPs) are the most crucial performances for an organisation in today's world, and they can be measured by economic, social, and environmental metrics…
Abstract
Purpose
Sustainability performances (SPs) are the most crucial performances for an organisation in today's world, and they can be measured by economic, social, and environmental metrics. Previous research has not been clear on the role of total productive maintenance (TPM) in the context of sustainability, which motivates the authors to investigate the relationship between TPM and various SPs of the manufacturing firm. Therefore, current research investigates the relationship between TPM and the overall sustainability of the manufacturing firm from the perspective of resource-based view (RBV) theory.
Design/methodology/approach
The current study proposed, tested and validated a conceptual framework using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). A total of 326 responses were received to validate the conceptual framework in smartsPLS 3.0 software.
Findings
The research outcomes indicate that TPM considerably impacts a manufacturing firm's economic, environmental and social performance.
Research limitations/implications
This research demonstrates that outstanding shop floor behaviour, such as TPM, can become an important asset to offer competitive advantages in a manufacturing firm. Similarly, TPM might serve as a roadmap for leveraging overall sustainability for manufacturing companies. The study indicates the establishment of a sustainability-oriented training protocol while practising TPM.
Originality/value
No past investigation indicates that a shop floor activity like TPM could be used as an input to offer sustainability in a single index for a manufacturing firm from the perception of RBV theory.
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Sunil Kumar Maheshwari and Prantika Ray
The Chairman of the 60-year old company Texica, Ashutosh Verma approached Dr. Asim Vakil who had wide experience in consulting turnaround activities in declining organizations…
Abstract
The Chairman of the 60-year old company Texica, Ashutosh Verma approached Dr. Asim Vakil who had wide experience in consulting turnaround activities in declining organizations. The organization had undergone a few rounds of downsizing and was also reporting about 15–20% attrition in the organization. Vakil was requested to redesign the job description and the appraisal system of the employees. He found several gaps in the existing process. The human resource processes were not well-structured and the key performance indicators of the employees were not communicated to them properly. So, the team decided to deep-dive into the activity based job allocation to different employees and found interesting results. They decided to discuss their results with the Chairman. The Chairman asked the team to discuss the results with the top management of the organization. The meeting was aimed at identifying not only the operational issues in the organization but also the attitudinal problems in the organization.
Details
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Keywords
Deepak Jaiswal, Vikrant Kaushal, Ashutosh Mohan and Park Thaichon
The main objectives of this study are (1) to identify the determinants of pre- and post-adoption dynamics of mobile wallets (m-wallets) usage; (2) to propose and test the linkage…
Abstract
Purpose
The main objectives of this study are (1) to identify the determinants of pre- and post-adoption dynamics of mobile wallets (m-wallets) usage; (2) to propose and test the linkage framework of pre-adoption and post-adoption dynamics to understand consumers' psyche of m-wallets usage and (3) to examine the moderation of select demographic variables in the path of consumers' continued usage of m-wallets.
Design/methodology/approach
The study considered a cross-sectional approach using a questionnaire survey method. The research model encapsulating pre- and post-adoption dynamics of the m-wallet was examined using a sample of 574 users. The analysis also comprised mediation, moderation and multi-group analysis (MGA).
Findings
The results identified key antecedents of confirmation, such as performance expectancy, effort expectancy, facilitating conditions and individual mobility. Findings also confirmed the partial mediation effects of satisfaction between confirmation and continuance intentions. Results also confirmed the moderating effects of age and education on the relationship between confirmation and satisfaction.
Originality/value
The key contribution of the study is in the form of research progression related to m-wallet usage to test the extended expectation-confirmation model (EECM) in the Indian context by linking the pre-adoption paradigm of extended (unified theory of acceptance and use of technology) UTAUT with individual mobility and post-adoption dynamics of the ECM. The considered framework study also draws support for the role of select demographic variables.
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Ashutosh Samadhiya, Rajat Agrawal and Jose Arturo Garza-Reyes
Key success factors (KSFs) of total productive maintenance (TPM) have historically played a vital role in attaining economic and ecological sustainability but have overlooked…
Abstract
Purpose
Key success factors (KSFs) of total productive maintenance (TPM) have historically played a vital role in attaining economic and ecological sustainability but have overlooked social sustainability. Hence, this study analyses and ranks the most significant TPM KSFs for attaining social sustainability in manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
Design/methodology/approach
The research employs a deductive methodology to identify the relevant TPM KSFs and social sustainability indicators and then uses Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to rank the TPM KSFs in order to achieve social sustainability, followed by a sensitivity analysis to assess the methodological robustness.
Findings
The findings indicate that the top five TPM KSFs influencing social sustainability are employee health and safety, organizational culture, top management commitment, employee engagement and effective communication and effective workplace management. In addition, the results indicate that effective equipment utilization is the least significant TPM key factor affecting social sustainability.
Research limitations/implications
SME manufacturing managers do not need to worry about all of the TPM KSFs if they only concentrate on the ones that will have the most impact. If managers use the top 5 TPM KSFs as a starting point, they may create customized TPM training programs for their companies. As a result, this will facilitate the efforts of their personnel toward social sustainability.
Originality/value
In the existing literature, little emphasis has been paid to social sustainability and how SMEs may implement these practices. This research adds to the current theory of TPM and social sustainability and sheds light on how SMEs might use TPM to advance toward more socially sustainable operations.
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Amit Chandra, Anjan Bhowmick and Ashutosh Bagchi
The study investigates the performance of a three-story unprotected steel moment-resisting frame (SMRF) designed for high seismic demand in the fire-only (FO) and post-earthquake…
Abstract
Purpose
The study investigates the performance of a three-story unprotected steel moment-resisting frame (SMRF) designed for high seismic demand in the fire-only (FO) and post-earthquake uniform and traveling fires (PEF). The primary objective is to investigate the effects of seismic residual deformation on the structure's performance in horizontally traveling fires. The traveling fire methodology, unlike conventional fire models, considers a spatially varying temperature environment.
Design/methodology/approach
Multi-step finite element simulations were carried out on undamaged and damaged frames to provide insight into the effects of the earthquake-initiated fires on the local and global behavior of SMRF. The earthquake simulations were conducted using nonlinear time history analysis, whereas the structure in the fire was investigated by sequential thermal-structural analysis procedure in ABAQUS. The frame was subjected to a suite of seven ground motions. In total, four horizontal traveling fire sizes were considered along with the Eurocode (EC) parametric fire for a comparison. The deformation history, axial force and moment variation in the critical beams and columns of affected compartments in the fire heating and cooling regimes were examined. The global structural performance in terms of inter-story drifts in FO and PEF scenarios was investigated.
Findings
It was observed that the larger traveling fires (25 and 48%) are more detrimental to the case study frame than the uniform EC parametric fire. Besides, no appreciable difference was observed in time and modes of failure of the structure in FO and PEF scenarios within the study's parameters.
Originality/value
The present study considers improved traveling fire methodology as an alternate design fire for the first time for the PEF performance of SMRF. The analysis results add to the much needed database on structures' performance in a wide range of fire scenarios.