Economists usually try to avoid making moral judgements, at least in their professional capacity. Positive economics is seen as a way of analysing economic problems, in as…
Abstract
Economists usually try to avoid making moral judgements, at least in their professional capacity. Positive economics is seen as a way of analysing economic problems, in as scientific a manner as is possible in human sciences. Economists are often reluctant to be prescriptive, most seeing their task as presenting information on the various options, but leaving the final choice, to the political decision taker. The view of many economists is that politicians can be held responsible for the morality of their actions when making decisions on economic matters, unlike unelected economic advisors, and therefore the latter should limit their role.
Discusses the concept of “relational goods”, defined as intangible capital assets that inhere in enduring interpersonal relationships and provide both intrinsic and instrumental…
Abstract
Discusses the concept of “relational goods”, defined as intangible capital assets that inhere in enduring interpersonal relationships and provide both intrinsic and instrumental benefits. They are local public goods that are formed or maintained through non‐contractible, co‐ordinated actions. Presents a simple model of investment in exogenously formed two‐person relationships and discusses the model under different assumptions as to agents’ homogeneity, pair formation and type observability. Discusses the possibility of endogenous type change and interprets it in terms of the evolution of cultural attitudes towards such a peculiar and fragile asset, as are relationships.
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Juan Jose Barrios and Mieke Meurs
Literature on nontraditional firms has focused on behavioral differences with for-profit firms. Less attention has been given to the variations in behavior among nontraditional…
Abstract
Literature on nontraditional firms has focused on behavioral differences with for-profit firms. Less attention has been given to the variations in behavior among nontraditional firms. This chapter examines differences across three types of Uruguayan nonprofit health care organizations.
This chapter draws on a unique dataset of Uruguayan health care organizations during the period 1982–1990, as well as interviews with doctors working in the three types of nonprofits during spring 2010. We use a simple OLS regression to identify differences in average behavior, and differences in reaction to a regulatory change.
The chapter shows that structure of stake holding and governance significantly affect behavior, even where many behaviors are highly regulated.
These findings highlight the importance of specifying governance structure when predicting behavior of nontraditional firms. Empirical tests of behavioral differences between traditional and nontraditional firms will be more meaningful if the governance structure of nontraditional firms is common and specified. A limitation of our study is our inability to control for the timing of degeneration of producer cooperatives. This would be one element of governance structure to consider in future data collection.
These findings highlight the need to avoid drawing broad policy conclusions from the behavior of a specific subset of nontraditional firms.
This chapter highlights the importance of carefully specifying stakeholder and governance structure when predicting behavior of nontraditional firms. It is of interest to anyone using a sample of nontraditional firms to test general hypotheses about their behavior.
– The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of health-care governance and ownership structure on the performance of hospitals in Ghana.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of health-care governance and ownership structure on the performance of hospitals in Ghana.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses multiple regression models based on a sample of 132 hospitals in Ghana.
Findings
The results of the study indicate that hospitals with a governing board perform better than those without a governing board. The results of this study also suggest that board characteristics and ownership structure are important in explaining the performance of hospitals in Ghana. The results further indicate that mission-based and private hospitals with effective board governance structures exhibit better performance than public hospitals.
Originality/value
This study makes a number of new and meaningful contributions to the extant literature and the findings support managerialism, stakeholder and resource dependency theories. The findings also have important implications for the effective governance of hospitals.
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Giovanna Alloro and Donatella Ugolini
This paper starts with a description of a project to introduce automation in the libraries of the National Institute for Cancer Research and the Clinical and Experimental Oncology…
Abstract
This paper starts with a description of a project to introduce automation in the libraries of the National Institute for Cancer Research and the Clinical and Experimental Oncology Institute of the University of Genoa. It then describes the information retrieval software chosen to manage various library functions, in particular the book catalogue. Use of this system led to new working methods for library staff and for the users. The users' interest in the new system has been evaluated by attendance of specific training courses and by the number of accesses to the online catalogue. Preliminary results show that this interest exists, and that adequate information can improve the library user's approach to the automated catalogue and make it a part of the user's routine work.
Recent work on advertising acculturation suggests that ad agencies have changed their messages in order to appeal to immigrants. The following inquiry turns the tables and looks…
Abstract
Recent work on advertising acculturation suggests that ad agencies have changed their messages in order to appeal to immigrants. The following inquiry turns the tables and looks at how the role of foreign actors has been adapted in a country with a relatively homogeneous population. Specifically, how adaptive is the Japanese advertising industry? Has the behaviour of foreign actors been adapted to reflect Japanese culture? Using Duncan’s categories of the non verbal communication, the mannerisms of foreign actors are examined. The results suggest that acculturation is occurring at some level; however, the inclusion of stereo typical materials suggests some retention of foreign identity.
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Zhongcheng Gui, Xinran Zhong, Yuchen Wang, Tangjie Xiao, Yongjun Deng, Hui Yang and Rui Yang
This paper aims to present a novel robotic system for airport pavement inspection tasks.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present a novel robotic system for airport pavement inspection tasks.
Design/methodology/approach
The cloud-edge-terminal-based distributed architecture is designed for the proposed robotic system. Then, the following three major parts are designed and deployed, respectively: Terminal: the wheeled-robot-based data collection system. Edge: remote monitoring and data analysis system. Cloud: shared database center of the inspection data and knowledge.
Findings
Validation and application results show that the proposed system satisfies the demands of automated airport pavement inspection tasks and saves the cost of manpower and time.
Originality/value
The proposed system provides a novel solution for the full process of airport pavement inspection. Compared with the traditional manual method, the robotic system can guarantee complete coverage and provide high-precision pavement inspection results with less time and labor costs.
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Mohsen Mohammadi, Ghiwa Assaf and Rayan H. Assaad
By harnessing technology developments such as Internet-of-Things (IoT)-enabled intelligent sensors and immersive virtual reality (VR) experiences, facility managers can access…
Abstract
Purpose
By harnessing technology developments such as Internet-of-Things (IoT)-enabled intelligent sensors and immersive virtual reality (VR) experiences, facility managers can access real-time, precise information on thermal comfort-related indicators through virtual facility models. While prior research studies have developed key technologies for improving the understanding of thermal comfort and its impact on the occupants’ well-being and productivity, there remain areas yet to be explored, especially in relation to integrating both real-time data from multimodal IoT-enabled smart sensors and VR technologies. Hence, this study demonstrates the potential of integrating IoT and VR technologies for real-time thermal comfort assessment and visualization as well as user interaction with HVAC systems to enhance thermal comfort.
Design/methodology/approach
To develop the proposed integrated analytical framework in this paper, various steps were implemented. First, four multimodal IoT-enabled sensing stations were created and installed to collect real-time thermal comfort-related data (i.e. temperature and relative humidity). Second, a VR environment was developed using the Unity engine to offer an immersive experience. Third, the real-time data from the IoT-enabled sensing stations was integrated into the VR environment by transmitting it to the cloud via the MQTT protocol server, and various programming scripts were developed to provide multiple functionalities to the users, including visualizing the thermal comfort along the entire indoor space as well as interacting with and controlling the cooling and heating HVAC systems. Fourth, the applicability and effectiveness of the developed framework was validated and evaluated by 92 participants using a survey questionnaire.
Findings
The obtained survey results validated the importance and effectiveness of the developed framework on various aspects including graphical satisfaction, spatial presence, involvement, experienced realism, low-to-no cybersickness and overall application satisfaction, among others. More specifically, the findings reflected that the participants’ average scores for graphical satisfaction, sense of spatial presence, involvement and experienced realism were 4.69, 4.61, 4.71 and 4.53 out of 5, respectively. Hence, the results showed that the visualization capabilities of the developed framework serve as a powerful feature that enables a comprehensive visualization of thermal comfort variations across the entire room/office space. Also, the results showed that there were no statistically significant differences between the responses of participants with prior VR experience with those from participants with limited-to-no prior VR experience, thus further highlighting the usefulness of the proposed technology not only for experienced users but also for users from different skills and background.
Originality/value
This research has the potential to revolutionize the way built environments are managed and interacted with, where facility managers can monitor, assess and visualize thermal comfort in real-time as well as interact with the HVAC systems and control multimodal IoT devices in the real-world from a distance through virtual facility models. The proposed framework’s ability to provide dynamic and continuously updated assessments of thermal conditions in real-time positions it as a valuable tool for prompt adjustments to optimize occupants’ comfort levels. Ultimately, the proposed framework provides an intuitive and immersive platform to manage thermal comfort, thus promoting healthier, more productive and eco-friendly indoor environments.
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Ali Ausaf, Haixia Yuan and Saba Ali Nasir
Developed countries control pandemics using smart decisions and processes based on medical standards and modern technologies. Studies on risk-reduction and humantechnology…
Abstract
Purpose
Developed countries control pandemics using smart decisions and processes based on medical standards and modern technologies. Studies on risk-reduction and humantechnology interaction are scarce. This study developed a model to examine the relationship between citizens, pandemic-related technology and official safety practices.
Design/methodology/approach
This study investigated the mediating role of new health regulations and moderating role of safety incentives due to COVID-19 case reduction in pandemic severity control. This study included 407 operations managers, nursing staff conducting pandemic testing and reporting, doctors and security personnel in China. An artificial neural network (ANN) was used to check nonlinear regressions and model predictability.
Findings
The results demonstrated the impact of the introduction of new technology protocols on the implementation of new health regulations and aided pandemic severity control. The safety incentive of case reductions moderated the relationship between new health regulations and pandemic severity control. New health regulations mediated the relationship between the introduction of new technology protocols and pandemic severity control.
Research limitations/implications
Further research should be conducted on pandemic severity in diversely populated cities, particularly those that require safety measures and controls. Future studies should focus on cloud computing for nurses, busy campuses and communal living spaces.
Social implications
Authorities should involve citizens in pandemic-related technical advances to reduce local viral transmission and infection. New health regulations improved people's interactions with new technological protocols and understanding of pandemic severity. Pandemic management authorities should work with medical and security employees.
Originality/value
This study is the first to demonstrate that a safety framework with technology-oriented techniques could reduce future pandemics using managerial initiatives.
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Christos Chrysanthopoulos, Ioannis Drivas, Dimitrios Kouis and Georgios Giannakopoulos
University archives (UA) are the bridge between the past and the present and serve as a beacon for highlighting the contribution of academic institutions to society. Although the…
Abstract
Purpose
University archives (UA) are the bridge between the past and the present and serve as a beacon for highlighting the contribution of academic institutions to society. Although the UA topic was introduced and formalized in the 1950s, the scientific research interest has increased significantly in the past two decades. This paper aims to provide insights into the UA research topic during the previous 15 years.
Design/methodology/approach
The combination of two well-established methods for performing literature review was deployed, aiming to identify, select and assess the research documents. Based on the selection criteria, 49 documents presenting research efforts around the UA topic were finally examined from the Scopus citation index. The selected studies have been classified into three main topics: strategic management of UA and the derived challenges, the educational contribution of UA and the strategic information systems for UA.
Findings
Some of the main findings are the lack of well-defined administrative policies, the low level of awareness and archival consciousness within the universities, the inadequacy of university archivists’ educational and training background, the need to use UA for building relationships with alumni and society, and finally, the need for metadata standardization by the UA management systems.
Originality/value
As a literature review around UA has not been conducted before, the reader will gain insights into the methods and research designs that other scholars had already applied to designate useful findings and results.