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1 – 10 of 774N. Gouvianakis, M. Loupis and B. Dimitriadis
Vision‐based intelligent automation systems have been slow in finding a way to the food industry, mainly due to the conservative nature of the food processing industrial sector…
Abstract
Vision‐based intelligent automation systems have been slow in finding a way to the food industry, mainly due to the conservative nature of the food processing industrial sector, and the unproven maturity of the required vision and automation technologies. Vision‐based systems should be convincingly robust, and fulfil the set performance requirements at a reasonable economic investment.
The aim of this study is to achieve a better understanding of how small business develops personalised business‐to‐business services.
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to achieve a better understanding of how small business develops personalised business‐to‐business services.
Design/methodology/approach
In‐depth interviews are conducted with representatives of 11 small Swedish companies in the service sector. Qualitative data from the interviews are coded and sorted according to themes.
Findings
Service development in the firms studied is an unstructured, incremental, and relatively informal process that proceeds as part of the firms' day‐to‐day interactions with their customers. It is essentially an iterative learning process by which individuals develop new knowledge and competencies to enhance the capacity of their firms to solve the specific problems of customers.
Originality/value
In contrast to the highly structured and sequenced models that have characterised most of the existing research on service development, this study provides an alternative view of new service development as a relatively informal learning process.
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Henning Droege, Dagmar Hildebrand and Miguel A. Heras Forcada
The purpose of this paper is, firstly, to review existing schools of thought and to identify present research fields in new service development (NSD) and service innovation…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is, firstly, to review existing schools of thought and to identify present research fields in new service development (NSD) and service innovation research, and, secondly, to discuss future research opportunities.
Design/methodology/approach
The literature review is based on a search for “service innovation” and “NSD” in titles, abstracts and keywords of articles. As a result of looking at the references, as well as through analysis of papers which cite the articles identified, additional publications are included in this study.
Findings
Four schools of thought and five distinct research fields are presented. Herein, the authors show that there is a lack of studies of organisational innovations, and that differences in the drivers for radical or incremental innovations may be of degree rather than of kind. Further, contradictory results in the research field on differences versus similarities of new product and NSD are identified. In addition, the authors propose possible pathways for future research for each research field and school of thought.
Research limitations/implications
The scope of publications included in this review may be subject to criticism as book‐publications may be under‐represented in this review. Also, the keywords used for the initial search could include additional words.
Originality/value
The paper groups previously scattered research activities from various backgrounds such as marketing and operations into distinct research fields, and presents both the status quo and a discussion of possible directions for future research.
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Laura Cruz and Justine Lindemann
Making a classroom a space that can become a place of lively discussion and interaction is a goal of many instructors, but it can be challenging to assess the extent to which…
Abstract
Making a classroom a space that can become a place of lively discussion and interaction is a goal of many instructors, but it can be challenging to assess the extent to which classroom engagement is resulting in meaningful participation. The use of an assessment tool called classroom mapping provides a way to trace and analyze students’ interaction, performance, and involvement in a class. It maps discussions and shows feedback on what is going on; including who is talking, for how long, what subjects and instructional strategies engage which students, and what kinds of connections are being made with the students and the instructors. This chapter considers the broader implications of using technology to elevate classroom mapping from formative assessment to potential learning analytic, with particular attention to the practical, pedagogical and ethical implications of recording and mapping how students engage in their classes.
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Cory Hallam, Gianluca Zanella, Carlos Alberto Dorantes Dosamantes and Cesar Cardenas
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of temporal construal theory on entrepreneurial intention models using a three-country study. Inclusion of temporal…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of temporal construal theory on entrepreneurial intention models using a three-country study. Inclusion of temporal construal theory in intent models would suggest path dependent influence on intent, and more specifically, that intent may be subdivided into temporally based categories, broadly codified as short-term and long-term intent.
Design/methodology/approach
A quasi-experimental study of 1,046 university students in business and engineering from the USA, Mexico, and Spain was conducted. A temporal construal model of intent is proposed, including measures of short-term and long-term intent. Entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE), part of the perceived behavioral control in the theory of planned behavior, is utilized to structure the model antecedents.
Findings
The results suggest the existence of differences in individual entrepreneurial intent measures depending on the individual’s perception of when the entrepreneurial event is anticipated to occur in their lives. Utilizing an ESE construct, the authors demonstrated that short-term entrepreneurial intent significantly mediates the effect of ESE on long-term entrepreneurial intent. Furthermore, the results identify a mediating model that does not depend on regional country differences, thus supporting the generalizability of the findings.
Originality/value
The paper bridges temporal construal theory and entrepreneurial intentions to qualify the path dependent effects of this psychological phenomena and its impact on identifying nascent entrepreneurs. The multi-country results indicate the ability to generalize the findings into a more complete theoretical model of entrepreneurial intention and suggests potential improvements in predictive models that currently use single or averaged measures of entrepreneurial intent.
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The purpose of this paper is to develop a physics-based model for UAV propellers that is capable of predicting all aerodynamic forces and moments in any general forward flight…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a physics-based model for UAV propellers that is capable of predicting all aerodynamic forces and moments in any general forward flight condition such as no flow, pure axial flow and pure side flow etc.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology adopted in this paper is the widely used Blade Element Momentum Theory (BEMT) for propeller model development. The difficulty arising from the variation of induced flow with blade’s angular position is overcome by supplementing the BEMT with the inflow model developed by Pitt and Peters. More so, high angle of attack aerodynamics is embedded in the simulation as it is likely for the blades to stall in general forward flight, for example during extreme aerobatics/maneuvers.
Findings
The validity of the model is demonstrated via comparison with experiments as well as with other existing models. It is found that one of the secondary forces is negligible while the other is one order of magnitude less than the primary static thrust, and as such may be neglected depending on the level of accuracy required. On the other hand, both secondary moments must be considered as they are of similar order of magnitude as the primary static torque.
Research limitations/implications
The paper does not consider the swirl component of the induced flow under the assumption that it is negligible compared to the axial component.
Originality/value
This paper fulfills the identified need of a propeller model for general forward flight conditions, and aims to fill this void in the existing literature pertaining to UAVs.
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Barry Haynes, Louise Suckley and Nick Nunnington
Open-plan office environments are considered to offer workplace productivity benefits because of the opportunities that they create for interaction and knowledge exchange, but…
Abstract
Purpose
Open-plan office environments are considered to offer workplace productivity benefits because of the opportunities that they create for interaction and knowledge exchange, but more recent research has highlighted noise, distraction and loss of privacy as significant productivity penalties with this office layout. This study aims to investigate if the purported productivity benefits of open plan outweigh the potential productivity penalties.
Design/methodology/approach
Previous research suggests that office environments are experienced differently according to the gender and age of the occupier across both open-plan and enclosed configurations. Empirical research undertaken with office occupiers in the Middle East (N = 220) led to evaluations to establish the impact different offices had on perceived productivity. Factor analysis was used to establish five underlying components of office productivity. The five factors are subsequently used as the basis for comparison between office occupiers based on age, gender and office type.
Findings
This research shows that benefits and penalties to workplace productivity are experienced equally across open-plan and enclosed office environments. The greatest impact on perceived workplace productivity however was availability of a variety of physical layouts, control over interaction and the “downtime” offered by social interaction points. Male occupiers and those from younger generations were also found to consider the office environment to have more of a negative impact on their perceived workplace productivity compared to female and older occupiers.
Originality/value
The originality of this paper is that it develops the concept of profiling office occupiers with the aim of better matching office provision. This paper aims to establish different occupier profiles based on age, gender and office type. Data analysis techniques such as factor analysis and t-test analysis identify the need for different spaces so that occupiers can choose the most appropriate space to best undertake a particular work task. In addition, it emphasises the value that occupiers place on “downtime” leading to the need for appropriate social space.
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Any consensus about the effects of dihedral angle on hover rigidity of rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (RW-UAVs) does not exist in the literature. There are researchers who…
Abstract
Purpose
Any consensus about the effects of dihedral angle on hover rigidity of rotary-wing unmanned aerial vehicles (RW-UAVs) does not exist in the literature. There are researchers who state that the dihedral angle has an effect on flight stability and researchers who claim the opposite. The discord stems from the different approaches of these groups to the concept of “stability,” the fact that they conduct experiments whose measurements are largely influenced by environmental conditions, and the physical assumptions are not similar. On the other hand, there is no study examining the effect of dihedral angle on the maneuverability of drones either. This study aims to analytically reveal the consequences of dihedral angles in RW-UAVs in terms of flight agility and maneuverability.
Design/methodology/approach
Dihedral angle examinations on both hover rigidity and maneuverability are carried out analytically. Equations of motions for a multicopter’s rigid body with a dihedral angle under two different conditions (zero and nonzero dihedral angles) are derived. Numerical simulations are conducted by defining the simulation parameters, and then displacement graphics for the center of mass are interpreted.
Findings
The presence of a dihedral angle makes the multicopter platforms behave like a pendulum, and this pendulum motion affects the disturbance rejection and the planar maneuver capabilities of multicopters. Since deflections can be spread to the orthonormal axes thanks to rotation about a pivot, net deflections of the geometric center may be diminished. Besides, pendulum motion eases the maneuvers with yaw rotations since the required rotation might occur without rotors’ revolution per minute changes.
Practical implications
Proposed dihedral angle implementation may enhance the hover stiffness and maneuverability capabilities of multicopters which, in turn, raise the performance of the drones.
Originality/value
This paper presents the analytical basis for the dihedral angle's effects on flight stability and agility.
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Jonan Phillip Donaldson, Ahreum Han, Shulong Yan, Seiyon Lee and Sean Kao
Design-based research (DBR) involves multiple iterations, and innovations are needed in analytical methods for understanding how learners experience a learning experience in ways…
Abstract
Purpose
Design-based research (DBR) involves multiple iterations, and innovations are needed in analytical methods for understanding how learners experience a learning experience in ways that both embrace the complexity of learning and allow for data-driven changes to the design of the learning experience between iterations. The purpose of this paper is to propose a method of crafting design moves in DBR using network analysis.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper introduces learning experience network analysis (LENA) to allow researchers to investigate the multiple interdependencies between aspects of learner experiences, and to craft design moves that leverage the relationships between struggles, what worked and experiences aligned with principles from theory.
Findings
The use of network analysis is a promising method of crafting data-driven design changes between iterations in DBR. The LENA process developed by the authors may serve as inspiration for other researchers to develop even more powerful methodological innovations.
Research limitations/implications
LENA may provide design-based researchers with a new approach to analyzing learner experiences and crafting data-driven design moves in a way that honors the complexity of learning.
Practical implications
LENA may provide novice design-based researchers with a structured and easy-to-use method of crafting design moves informed by patterns emergent in the data.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to propose a method for using network analysis of qualitative learning experience data for DBR.
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Ikhlaq ur Rehman, Uzma Majeed and Shabir Ahmad Ganaie
Continuous professional development (CPD) plays a crucial role in the library workplace by equipping library and information science (LIS) professionals with the skills and…
Abstract
Purpose
Continuous professional development (CPD) plays a crucial role in the library workplace by equipping library and information science (LIS) professionals with the skills and technical knowledge to bridge the theory-praxis gap, assuring that library practitioners and their organisations continue to innovate and stay successful and tailored to the requirement of their users. The aim of the study was to investigate the channels of CPD for LIS professionals working in the university libraries of Northern India. Also, it explored the motivations and barriers related to the LIS professionals’ CPD.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted a quantitative research design followed by the survey research method. The study population included LIS professionals working in the university libraries of Northern India. Data was gathered from 177 respondents via the census sampling method.
Findings
LIS professionals engaged in CPD activities through multiple channels. Intrinsic factors primarily governed the motivation for CPD. Similarly, time and finance were significant challenges for LIS CPD. Lastly, most libraries were headed by in-charge librarians (non-professionals). De-professionalisation, or the deliberate de-skilling of professional roles, threatens the basis upon which librarians establish their credibility as professionals.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the study is the first of its kind from the perspective of a developing country, adding to the CPD literature in academic libraries.
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