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Article
Publication date: 1 February 2001

Rolf Dieter Schraft, Birgit Graf, Andreas Traub and Dirk John

Based on the successful hardware and software architecture of Care‐O‐bot, a new generation of mobile robots has recently been designed at Fraunhofer Institute of Manufacturing…

Abstract

Based on the successful hardware and software architecture of Care‐O‐bot, a new generation of mobile robots has recently been designed at Fraunhofer Institute of Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA). The robots have been created to communicate with and to entertain visitors in a museum. Their tasks include welcoming visitors, leading a guided tour through the museum or playing with a ball. In this article the hardware platform of the robots and their features such as navigation and communication skills, their safety concept and handling are outlined. Further, the underlying control software of the robots is described. Finally, the application of the robots at the Museum für Kommunikation in Berlin is presented. The robots have been running in this museum daily since 25 March 2000 without noteworthy problems.

Details

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, vol. 28 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to numerical and experimental analysis on substrate deformation and plastic strain induced by wire arc additive manufacturing.

Design/methodology/approach

The component has the form of a hollow, rectangular thin wall consisting of 25 deposition layers of SS316L on an SS304 substrate plate. Thermo-mechanical finite element analysis was applied with Goldak’s double-ellipsoidal heat-source model and a non-linear isotropic hardening rule based on von Mises’ yield criterion. The layer deposition was modelled using simplified geometry to minimize overall pre-processing work and computational time.

Findings

A new material modelling of SS316L was obtained from the chemical composition of the evolved component characterized by scanning electron microscope/energy dispersive X-ray and further generated by an advanced material-modelling software JMatPro. In defining heat-transfer coefficients, transient thermometric analysis was first performed in the bead and on the substrate, which was followed by an adjustment of the heat-transfer coefficients to reflect the actual temperature distribution. Based on the adjusted model and boundary conditions, sensitivity analysis was conducted prior to the ultimate simulation of substrate deformation and equivalent plastic strain. Furthermore, this simulation was verified by conducting a series of automated wire + arc additive manufacturing tests using robotic gas Metal arc welding with distortion measured by coordinate-measurement machine and equivalent plastic strain measured by optical three-dimensional-metrology measurements (Gesellschaft für Optische Messtechnik).

Originality/value

It can be concluded that a proper numerical computation using the adjusted model and property-evolved material exhibits a similar trend with acceptable agreement compared to the experiment by yielding an error percentage up to 30% for deformation and up to 21% for equivalent plastic strain at each individual measurement point.

Details

Rapid Prototyping Journal, vol. 28 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2546

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 2006

Birgit Weyer

The purpose of this study is to determine if observed ratings on a multi‐source feedback (MSF) instrument reflect the same cognitive constructs of leadership across multiple…

2247

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to determine if observed ratings on a multi‐source feedback (MSF) instrument reflect the same cognitive constructs of leadership across multiple rating pairs based on rater and ratee gender.

Design/methodology/approach

The independent variables of this quantitative research study are MSF rater and ratee gender. The dependent variables are leadership constructs reflected by MSF ratings. During phase I of the data analysis, five models of leadership constructs are built. During phase II of the data analysis, the five models are compared against each other to discover if the same factors determine the cognitive constructs of leadership comprising each model.

Findings

Findings from this study indicate that constructs of leadership across multiple rating pairs reflect the same cognitive constructs of leadership. Measurement equivalence for the MSF instrument under investigation has been established.

Practical implications

It is concluded that the MSF instrument is free of bias, thus not contributing to the existence of a “glass ceiling” keeping women from entering top‐level leadership positions. The potential for a “social epidemic” in the near future whereby the glass ceiling will be shattered and many women will enter into top leadership positions is confirmed.

Originality/value

Findings are contrary to the conclusions drawn from the literature review of social role theory, expectation states theory, and leadership categorization theory. This study fills a gap in the empirical body of knowledge, by including a large number of female managers.

Details

Women in Management Review, vol. 21 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0964-9425

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 26 July 2018

Anna-Sophie Oertzen, Gaby Odekerken-Schröder, Saara A. Brax and Birgit Mager

The purpose of this paper is to assess, clarify and consolidate the terminology around the co-creation of services, establish its forms and identify its outcomes, to resolve the…

19803

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess, clarify and consolidate the terminology around the co-creation of services, establish its forms and identify its outcomes, to resolve the conceptual pluralism in service co-creation literature.

Design/methodology/approach

A focused literature review screened the articles published in five major service research journals to determine relevant contributions on the concept of co-creation of services. Then, a thematic analysis identifies the forms, themes and outcomes of co-creating services in the set of 80 qualifying articles.

Findings

The study reduces conceptual pluralism by establishing different forms of co-creating services and developing an explicit definition of co-creation in services. The authors develop an integrative framework that recognizes involvement, engagement and participation as prerequisites for co-creation. Relating to the different phases of the service process, the specific co-creation forms of co-ideation, co-valuation, co-design, co-testing and co-launching are classified as regenerative co-creation, while the specific co-creation forms of co-production and co-consumption are recognized as operative co-creation. Both beneficial and counterproductive outcomes of co-creation are identified and arranged into a typology.

Research limitations/implications

The integrative framework illustrates that service providers and customers are involved, engaged and participate in co-creating services, which manifests in specific forms of co-creation; they attain beneficial and counterproductive outcomes (personal, social, hedonic, cognitive, economic and pragmatic); and are influenced by a contextual multi-actor network.

Practical implications

Co-creation in services is actionable; the typology of outcomes suggests service managers ways to motivate customers and employees to participate in co-creating services.

Originality/value

This paper defines and establishes the conceptual forms of co-creating services and the identified outcomes, and develops an integrative framework of co-creation in services.

Details

Journal of Service Management, vol. 29 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1757-5818

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 May 2023

Mustafa Nasiri, Birgit Gassler and Ramona Teuber

This study analyses consumers’ perception of meat quality and safety in Afghanistan at the pre-harvest, harvest and post-harvest stages.

Abstract

Purpose

This study analyses consumers’ perception of meat quality and safety in Afghanistan at the pre-harvest, harvest and post-harvest stages.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative data were collected through seven focus group discussions with 52 participants in Kabul and Bamyan, Afghanistan, between September and December 2020. A qualitative content analysis was undertaken using the Total Food Quality Model and the MAXQDA software.

Findings

At the pre-harvest stage, both sedentary and nomadic ruminants’ meat was perceived as high in quality and safety, with lower food safety hazards, unlike urban-raised ruminants’ meat. At the harvest stage, supermarket meat was perceived as better in hygiene, but not in freshness. Additionally, there were doubts about the Halal-slaughtering of this meat. Conversely, butchery meat was perceived as fresh, natural and trustworthy, but unhygienic. At the post-harvest stage, the most important quality attributes before purchase were color, freshness, place-of-origin, safety and Halal-slaughtering, and after purchase were taste and tenderness. Lack of consumer trust was also noticed for the formal institution, i.e. supermarket meat.

Research limitations/implications

This study provides valuable new results from Afghanistan that could be transferred to other Islamic-developing countries given the similarities in their meat industry, i.e. availability of both formal and informal institutions, and the sensitivity of Muslim consumers to Halal-slaughtering. Nonetheless, the qualitative nature of the study design demands further research, employing, e.g. a quantitative approach. Future studies conducted in other countries with similar context could validate the results of this paper.

Originality/value

Knowledge on consumer behavior in Afghanistan is scarce. The present study is one among a few that provides empirical evidence on Afghan consumers. Additionally, it is the first study to compare consumers’ perceptions of traditional butchery meat and supermarket meat.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 125 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 October 2007

Birgit Schyns, Nicole Torka and Tobias Gössling

“Turnover intention” is defined as an employee's intention to voluntarily change jobs or companies. The purpose of this paper is to set “turnover intention” in relation to…

8103

Abstract

Purpose

“Turnover intention” is defined as an employee's intention to voluntarily change jobs or companies. The purpose of this paper is to set “turnover intention” in relation to “preparedness for change”. The former relates to the change of jobs or companies, the latter to employees' willingness to change their current workplace. Both phenomena relate to employability, i.e. an employee's adaptability to changing internal (i.e. the current employer) and external labour market demands. The main aim of this paper is to compare both phenomena and identify antecedents of employability, namely, leader‐member exchange (LMX) and occupational self‐efficacy.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire study was conducted in two samples of German and Dutch employees.

Findings

Results indicate that the two concepts (turnover intention, preparedness for change) are, to some extent, related and show, to some extent, similar relationships to the antecedents.

Research limitations/implications

In both samples, self‐reported data were used as well as a cross‐sectional design.

Practical implications

The results highlight that the direct supervisor of employees may serve as an organization's agent, with a determining influence on the employees' attitudes and behaviours towards the respective organization.

Originality/value

For the first time, turnover intention and “preparedness for change” are considered in one study and the mutual relationship is investigated.

Details

Career Development International, vol. 12 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1362-0436

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 September 2017

Daniela Christen and Andreas Balthasar

Health monitoring of the migrant population in most European countries shows that migrants have a lower standard of health conditions than the resident population. One of the…

Abstract

Purpose

Health monitoring of the migrant population in most European countries shows that migrants have a lower standard of health conditions than the resident population. One of the problems is that the interaction between migrants and general practitioners (GPs) is not optimal. Most of the migrants are not able to fully understand the GP’s advice or instructions. GPs report that they are not adequately supported by health institutions, and they are asking for new solutions. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to conduct a systematic review to find existing international approaches to improve the interaction between GPs and their migrant patients.

Design/methodology/approach

The literature search identified 2,387 articles, 36 of which met the full inclusion criteria. In total, 12 of the included studies referenced approaches for improving GPs’ communication skills. Seven articles described solutions for a better understanding of cultural differences, and six articles listed approaches to health education for GPs. One article highlighted how health information can improve the interaction between GPs and migrants, and four articles detailed new technologies that could improve and enhance quality of care. The last six articles included good practice strategies described by GPs.

Findings

This paper provides an overview of international approaches from the viewpoint of GPs. It concludes that there is no single instrument or method that works in all situations. There are, however, a wide range of approaches available that could lead to substantial improvements in the quality of care for the migrant population.

Research limitations/implications

Different health systems in the reviewed countries and changing roles of GPs must be taken into consideration when making statements about successful approaches. Migrants have different backgrounds and cannot all be categorized as one and the same group of patients. Another limitation of the review concerns the evidence level of the articles included, since most of the studies do not reach high level of evidence. In addition, there is a need to analyze aspects of the relationship between GPs and the migrant population that have been neglected up to now, such as financial issues, patients’ expectations, or lack of trust.

Originality/value

This paper provides an overview of international approaches from the viewpoint of GPs.

Details

International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, vol. 13 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-9894

Keywords

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