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1 – 10 of 133Biju Prasad B., Biju N. and Radhakrishna Panicker M.R.
The purpose of this paper is to design an electromechanical actuator which can inherently tolerate a stuck or loose failure without any need for fault detection isolation and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to design an electromechanical actuator which can inherently tolerate a stuck or loose failure without any need for fault detection isolation and reconfiguration.
Design/methodology/approach
Generalized design methodology for a thrust vector control application is adopted to reduce the design iterations during the initial stages of the design. An optimum ball screw pitch is selected to minimize the motor sizing and maximize the load acceleration.
Findings
A high redundancy electromechanical actuator for thrust vector control has lower self-inertia and higher reliability than a direct drive simplex configuration. This configuration is a feasible solution for thrust vector control application because it offers a more acceptable and graceful degradation than a complete failure.
Research limitations/implications
Future work will include testing on actual hardware to study the transient disturbances caused by a fault and their effect on launch vehicle dynamics.
Practical implications
High redundancy electromechanical actuator concept can be extended to similar applications such as solid motor nozzle in satellite launch vehicles and primary flight control system in aircraft.
Social implications
High redundancy actuators can be useful in safety critical applications involving human beings. It can also reduce the machine downtime in industrial process automation.
Originality/value
The jam tolerant electromechanical actuator proposed for the launch vehicle application has a unique configuration which does not require a complex fault detection isolation and reconfiguration logic in the controller. This enhances the system reliability and allows a simplex controller having a lower cost.
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Kriparaj K.G., Roy V. Paul, Tide P.S. and Biju N.
The purpose of this paper is to conduct an experimental investigation on the shock cell structure of jets emanating from a four-lobed corrugated nozzle using Schlieren imaging…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to conduct an experimental investigation on the shock cell structure of jets emanating from a four-lobed corrugated nozzle using Schlieren imaging technique.
Design/methodology/approach
The Schlieren images were captured for seven different nozzle pressure ratios (NPR = 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8) and compared with the shock cell structure of a round nozzle with an identical exit area. The variation in the length of the shock cell, width of boundary interaction between adjacent shock cells, maximum width of first shock cell, Mach disk position and diameter for different NPR was measured from the Schlieren images and analysed.
Findings
A three-layer shock net observed in the jet emanating from the four-lobed corrugated nozzle is a novel concept in the field of under-expanded jet flows. A shock net represents interconnected layers of shock cells developed because of the interaction between the core and peripheral shock waves in a jet emanating from a corrugated lobed nozzle. Also, the pattern of shock net is different while taking Schlieren images across the groove and lobe sections. Thus, the shock net emerging from a corrugated lobed nozzle varies azimuthally and primarily depends on the nozzle exit cross section. The length of the shock cell, width of boundary interaction between adjacent shock cells, maximum width of first cell, Mach disk position and diameter were found to exhibit increasing trend with NPR.
Originality/value
A novel concept of interconnected layers of shock waves defined as “shock net” developed from a single jet emanating from a four-lobed corrugated nozzle was observed.
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Vladimir Alexeevich Prakht, Vladimir Alexandrovich Dmitrievskii, Fedor Nikitich Sarapulov, Anton Aleksandrovich Dmitrievskii and Nail Ramazanovich Safin
Nowadays, various software is available for simulating physical processes in induction heating. The software is often limited in its ability to simulate the billet movement…
Abstract
Purpose
Nowadays, various software is available for simulating physical processes in induction heating. The software is often limited in its ability to simulate the billet movement, sometimes assuming uniform distribution of voltages on the inductor winding, uniformity of the physical properties of the billet, etc. The mathematical model of moving cylindrical ferromagnetic billets described in this paper takes into account the billet's movement, the billet phase heterogeneity and the nonuniformity of the supply voltage distribution in the inductor turns. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
The research methodology is based on FEM analysis of the coupled problem, including the electromagnetic and thermal boundary problem with additional algebraic equations, using Comsol 3.5a software.
Findings
The electromagnetic and temperature field in the billet and the voltage distribution on the winding turns have been calculated. The phase distribution in the billet has been predicted. Significant interaction of the nonuniformity of the supply voltage distribution, the billet's movement, the billet phase heterogeneity and side effect on the ends of the inductor have been shown.
Practical implications
The results received can be used for designing the induction heating unit for moving cylindrical billets made from ferromagnetic material and improving their characteristics.
Originality/value
Investigation of moving cylindrical ferromagnetic billets induction heating can be done by numerical solving the coupled problem including the electromagnetic and thermal boundary problem with additional algebraic equations for the supply voltage distribution.
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Rong-Rong Lin and Jung-Chieh Lee
Green financial technology (FinTech) has received attention for promoting green finance investment and sustainable development. However, how consumer social responsibility and…
Abstract
Purpose
Green financial technology (FinTech) has received attention for promoting green finance investment and sustainable development. However, how consumer social responsibility and long-term orientation influence the continuance intention of green FinTech users remains unknown in the literature. To fill this gap, consumer social responsibility and long-term orientation are combined with the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology to develop a research model to investigate their moderating effects on the continuance intention of green FinTech users.
Design/methodology/approach
A random probability sampling method was adopted, and 377 valid responses were collected to verify the proposed model. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was employed for the data analysis.
Findings
Performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and facilitating conditions have significant positive impacts on the continuance intentions of green FinTech users. Surprisingly, consumer social responsibility enhances the effects of performance expectancy and social influence on continuance intention but negatively moderates the effect of facilitating conditions on continuance intention. Moreover, a long-term orientation can increase the impact of facilitating conditions on continuance intention but decrease the impact of performance expectancy on continuance intention.
Originality/value
This paper proposes a research model that reveals how consumer social responsibility and long-term orientation moderate the relationship between the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and the continuance intention of green FinTech users to fill a gap in the literature.
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Jasmin Mahadevan and Anja P. Schmitz
This study shows how presumed “HR-trends,” such as the recent promotion of Employee Experience (EX) design, are never value-free ideas of a presumably objective “best practice”…
Abstract
Purpose
This study shows how presumed “HR-trends,” such as the recent promotion of Employee Experience (EX) design, are never value-free ideas of a presumably objective “best practice”, but rather a vehicle for legitimizing HR in the organization, and investigate the implications.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is rooted in critical HRM studies. Our methodology is the critical discourse analysis (CDA) of online job postings concerning “EX-positions.”
Findings
EX is a new vehicle for HR's ongoing struggle for legitimacy. By repositioning HR managers as “EX-designers,” it promises to integrate the previously conflicting roles of HR as advocate of the individual employee and as strategic partner on the organizational level. Yet, it also raises the question of what is at stake for HR and might even decrease the organizational involvement of HR.
Research limitations/implications
This study highlights the relevance of a critical HRM perspective for moving beyond disciplinary blind spots. It shows the value of CDA for gathering insights into the hidden assumptions underlying HRM theory and practice.
Practical implications
EX design has been put forward as a new best-practice HR trend, promoting the relevance of HR in the organization. This paper shows that this trend is associated with potential gains as well as with potential losses. Practitioners need to be aware of these risks in order to increase the likelihood for a positive impact when implementing EX design.
Originality/value
The authors show how HR trends, such as EX, are manifestations of HR's ongoing struggle for legitimacy. Specifically, the authors uncover the legitimization agenda underlying EX, its implications for HR roles and responsibilities and the knowledge claims associated with it.
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Srinivas Talasila, Kirti Rawal and Gaurav Sethi
Extraction of leaf region from the plant leaf images is a prerequisite process for species recognition, disease detection and classification and so on, which are required for crop…
Abstract
Purpose
Extraction of leaf region from the plant leaf images is a prerequisite process for species recognition, disease detection and classification and so on, which are required for crop management. Several approaches were developed to implement the process of leaf region segmentation from the background. However, most of the methods were applied to the images taken under laboratory setups or plain background, but the application of leaf segmentation methods is vital to be used on real-time cultivation field images that contain complex backgrounds. So far, the efficient method that automatically segments leaf region from the complex background exclusively for black gram plant leaf images has not been developed.
Design/methodology/approach
Extracting leaf regions from the complex background is cumbersome, and the proposed PLRSNet (Plant Leaf Region Segmentation Net) is one of the solutions to this problem. In this paper, a customized deep network is designed and applied to extract leaf regions from the images taken from cultivation fields.
Findings
The proposed PLRSNet compared with the state-of-the-art methods and the experimental results evident that proposed PLRSNet yields 96.9% of Similarity Index/Dice, 94.2% of Jaccard/IoU, 98.55% of Correct Detection Ratio, Total Segmentation Error of 0.059 and Average Surface Distance of 3.037, representing a significant improvement over existing methods particularly taking into account of cultivation field images.
Originality/value
In this work, a customized deep learning network is designed for segmenting plant leaf region under complex background and named it as a PLRSNet.
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Ritu Rani, Prihana Vasishta, Anju Singla and Nidhi Tanwar
With growing global emphasis on sustainability, environmental, social and governance (ESG) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a key focus for businesses striving…
Abstract
Purpose
With growing global emphasis on sustainability, environmental, social and governance (ESG) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a key focus for businesses striving to balance profit with social and environmental responsibility. The purpose of this study is to analyze the publication trends, influential sources, authors and countries on ESG literature as well as highlighting future research themes and directions in ESG and CSR domain.
Design/methodology/approach
This study examined 783 documents published between 2008 and 2024 from two major databases including Scopus and Web of Science by using Biblioshiny (R Studio) and VOSviewer for thematic analysis and network cluster analysis, respectively.
Findings
The findings demonstrate significant growth in ESG and CSR research, with an upward publication metrics and citation rates. The highest numbers of publications are from developed countries such as USA, China and UK and key journals include Finance Research Letters and Journal of Sustainable Finance and Investment. The cluster analyses identified five key clusters: Transforming Responsible Investing into ESG Investment, Nexus of ESG Practices, Financial Outcomes and Stakeholder Engagement, Aligning ESG Practices with Technological Innovation, Governance and Ethics in Sustainability: CSR-Driven Reporting Practices and ESG Integration and Financial Sustainability.
Originality/value
This study delineates a comprehensive bibliometric analysis by using a unique diverse keyword search strategy to encompass various aspects of ESG literature and filling gaps in previous studies that relied on limited databases and search query.
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Anamika Sinha, Biju Varkkey and N. Meenakshi
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate applicability of design thinking in creating employee centric HR solutions. This application is studied in the context of a food tech…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate applicability of design thinking in creating employee centric HR solutions. This application is studied in the context of a food tech company. A design thinking process for arriving at an HR solution for employee experience management is proposed.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses a single case study method. The HR professionals of a food tech company were interviewed to relate their narratives with the existing conceptual framework on design thinking.
Findings
It was found that the firm focused on the technological supremacy as well as developed an engaged and motivated team of delivery boys. This provided the required competitive advantage and growth. The first step in implementing the HR solution was to collect primary data for insights into the pain and gain points in employee’s day to day routine. Using the lens of empathy, multiple touch points through incentive policies, rewards, work engagement tools, feedback, inclusive decision making, and technology enabled learning solutions were designed. These signaled a caring and employee centric leadership and built future orientation and engaged the employees.
Practical implications
By demonstrating the applicability of design thinking and linking it to the HR solutions, a conceptual model relevant to the Food Tech industry was proposed. By integrating the process used to reach the solution, a modified model can be developed by other HR professionals working in any other Food tech company, aggregator/ service providers or logistics companies.
Originality/value
The study is among the initial studies to approach design thinking for HR solutions in a food tech industry.
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Syam Narayanan S., Rajalakshmi Pachamuthu, Alex T. Biju and Srilekha Madupu
This study aims to discuss the mathematical modelling of a compliance-assisted flapping mechanism and morphable structures for an UAV.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to discuss the mathematical modelling of a compliance-assisted flapping mechanism and morphable structures for an UAV.
Design/methodology/approach
A compliance-assisted flapping wing was designed and modelled mathematically, and signals for the corresponding curves were calculated. The actual wing tip trace of a hummingbird was taken, and variables a, b, h and k were calculated from the image. This data was given to the mathematical model for plotting the graph, and the curve was compared with the input curve. The wing frame and mechanism for control surfaces using morphing is modelled along with single pivoted spine for centre of gravity augmentation and flight orientation control.
Findings
The model efficiently approximates the 2D path of the wing using line segments using the muscle and compliance mechanism.
Practical implications
Using a compliance-assisted flapping mechanism offers practical advantages. It allows us to synchronize the flapping frequency with the input signal frequency, ensuring efficient operation. Additionally, the authors can enhance the torque output by using multiple muscle strands, resulting in a substantial increase in the system’s torque-to-weight ratio. This approach proves to be more favourable when compared to conventional methods involving motors or servos, ultimately offering a more efficient and robust solution for practical application.
Social implications
This model focuses on creating a flexible and tunable mechanism that can at least trace four types of wing traces from the same design, for shifting from one mode of flight to another.
Originality/value
Conventional ornithopter flapping mechanisms are gear or servo driven and cannot trace a wing tip, but some can trace complicated curves, but only one at a time. This model can trace multiple curves using the same hardware, allowing the user to program the curve based on their needs or bird. The authors may vary the shape of the wing tip trace to switch between forward flight, hovering, backward flying, etc., which is not conceivable with any traditional flapping mechanism.
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Biju Augustine Puthanveettil, Shilpa Vijayan, Anil Raj and Sajan MP
This paper explores and interprets the linkage between total quality management (TQM) practices and organizational performance measures for improving the healthcare firms’…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper explores and interprets the linkage between total quality management (TQM) practices and organizational performance measures for improving the healthcare firms’ performance. Indian healthcare firms are aware of TQM practices and their benefits, but the awareness level varies among the firms and staff. The study looks into the effectiveness of quality awareness to meet quality performance in Indian hospitals.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire based on previous research was circulated among the managers and medical staff. The model linking TQM and organizational performance is analyzed with structural equation modelling and confirmed the hypotheses stated. Interpretations to improve hospital performance are made.
Findings
The study identified ten relevant TQM factors and confirmed their importance towards the improved organizational performance of Indian hospitals. Top management initiative, continuous process improvement and team work are the most contributing TQM factors. Differences in the awareness levels by the management staff and medical staff are attributed. The managers and medical staff are aware of the benefits of TQM towards firm performance, but it is to be improved further.
Research limitations/implications
Cross-validation and interpretation are affected due to the limited sample size. Longitudinal study is recommended to explore the individual hospital as specific cases. Larger sample size is suggested as an extended work to overcome the demographic and infrastructural limitations of the firms included.
Practical implications
The management is more interested in TQM, but there is lack of awareness among the staff. The quality awareness and customer focus by medical staff are the most weakly loaded factors, and the weaknesses can be remedied by the lead role by the hospital management in providing proper training and thereby improving the attitude of the medical staff.
Social implications
Effectiveness of hospital operations is highly dependent on customer focus. Properly communicated, committed and trained staff with good-quality awareness can better implement TQM and thereby improve hospital performance. Lead role by the management is very important, and the paper lists ways to attain these outcomes.
Originality/value
Very little is reported from the Indian healthcare sector linking TQM and outcome performance. The quality awareness, customer focus, communication and learning by the medical staff are to be improved, and the paper suggests ways to link TQM more effectively to improve the performance in hospitals. These findings may be useful to the managers, medical staff and researchers in healthcare to bring better results.
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