K. Pandiarajan and C.K. Babulal
The electric power system is a complex system, whose operating condition may not remain at a constant value. The various contingencies like outage of lines, transformers…
Abstract
Purpose
The electric power system is a complex system, whose operating condition may not remain at a constant value. The various contingencies like outage of lines, transformers, generators and sudden increase of load demand or failure of equipments are more common. This causes overloads and system parameters to exceed the limits thus resulting in an insecure system. The purpose of this paper is to enhance the power system security by alleviating overloads on the transmission lines.
Design/methodology/approach
Fuzzy logic system (FLS) with particle swarm optimization based optimal power flow approach is used for overload alleviation on the transmission lines. FLS is modeled to find the changes in inertia weight by which new weights are determined and their values are applied to particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm for velocity and position updation.
Findings
The proposed method is tested and examined on the standard IEEE-30 bus system under base case and increased load conditions at different contingency. This method gives better results in terms of optimum fuel cost and fast convergence under base case and could alleviate the line overloads at different contingency with optimum generation cost, when compared to adaptive particle swarm optimization (APSO) and PSO.
Originality/value
FLS is modeled in MATLAB environment. The effectiveness of the proposed method is tested and examined on the standard IEEE-30 bus system and their results are compared with APSO and PSO under MATPOWER environment. The results show that the proposed algorithm is capable of improving the transmission security with optimum generation cost.
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Souhil Mouassa and Tarek Bouktir
In the vast majority of published papers, the optimal reactive power dispatch (ORPD) problem is dealt as a single-objective optimization; however, optimization with a single…
Abstract
Purpose
In the vast majority of published papers, the optimal reactive power dispatch (ORPD) problem is dealt as a single-objective optimization; however, optimization with a single objective is insufficient to achieve better operation performance of power systems. Multi-objective ORPD (MOORPD) aims to minimize simultaneously either the active power losses and voltage stability index, or the active power losses and the voltage deviation. The purpose of this paper is to propose multi-objective ant lion optimization (MOALO) algorithm to solve multi-objective ORPD problem considering large-scale power system in an effort to achieve a good performance with stable and secure operation of electric power systems.
Design/methodology/approach
A MOALO algorithm is presented and applied to solve the MOORPD problem. Fuzzy set theory was implemented to identify the best compromise solution from the set of the non-dominated solutions. A comparison with enhanced version of multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOEPSO) algorithm and original (MOPSO) algorithm confirms the solutions. An in-depth analysis on the findings was conducted and the feasibility of solutions were fully verified and discussed.
Findings
Three test systems – the IEEE 30-bus, IEEE 57-bus and large-scale IEEE 300-bus – were used to examine the efficiency of the proposed algorithm. The findings obtained amply confirmed the superiority of the proposed approach over the multi-objective enhanced PSO and basic version of MOPSO. In addition to that, the algorithm is benefitted from good distributions of the non-dominated solutions and also guarantees the feasibility of solutions.
Originality/value
The proposed algorithm is applied to solve three versions of ORPD problem, active power losses, voltage deviation and voltage stability index, considering large -scale power system IEEE 300 bus.
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Babulal Yadav and Abhinandan K. Jain
Trouble was brewing for Nestle in India with a lab test finding MSG in Maggi noodles, a product brand which had been adjudged ‘most powerful’ and ‘most trusted’ in India;it was…
Abstract
Trouble was brewing for Nestle in India with a lab test finding MSG in Maggi noodles, a product brand which had been adjudged ‘most powerful’ and ‘most trusted’ in India;it was being banned in different parts of the country. Paul Bulcke, CEO of Nestle SA, arrived in New Delhi to face the heat and take necessary damage control measures. The case challenges the participants to review the events leading to a total ban on all the nine variants of Maggi noodles imposed by FSSAI, the Indian Regulator, by Nestle India. It also challenges them to suggest ways of taking care of the business in future in India as well as its effects in other countries.
Details
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Keywords
John Lee Candelaria and Fernan Talamayan
The analyses of civil–military relations during public health emergencies are traditionally confined to applications in international and humanitarian action related to conflict…
Abstract
The analyses of civil–military relations during public health emergencies are traditionally confined to applications in international and humanitarian action related to conflict and disaster. The expansive global response to the COVID-19 pandemic fused health and national security issues, and such a response involved extensive collaboration between the military and civil sectors. The expanded scope and centrality of the military in government pandemic response have been noted globally, and Southeast Asia presented interesting developments. This study investigates how the pandemic affected civil–military relations in the region by looking at the cases of the Philippines and Malaysia. First, it assesses the extent to which the pandemic has been framed within the security language through war analogies that rationalised military response. Second, it investigates the roles of the military in the respective governments’ public health emergency response, providing clues on how the increased military intervention affected people’s trust and confidence in public institutions during the pandemic. The study finds that securitising the pandemic correlated to expanding the military’s power and scope in the government response, but notes that civil–military relations remained dependent on the historical roles of the armed forces in politics and society. The two countries have similarly framed the pandemic as a security threat, but the military’s participation in Malaysia’s response shows development opportunities, while the case of the Philippines reveals how a military-centric pandemic response could lead to deleterious effects.
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Rebecca Stroud and Shamiga Arumuhathas
The international education sector has seen significant growth, offering K-12 schooling options beyond national borders. However, this expansion presents equity challenges, with…
Abstract
The international education sector has seen significant growth, offering K-12 schooling options beyond national borders. However, this expansion presents equity challenges, with limited data available to assess their extent. International schools, predominantly English-medium K-12 institutions following externally set curricula, play a central role in this landscape. Our study examines unintended consequences of policy and practice within international schools, particularly regarding student well-being. Despite efforts to promote global citizenship by transnational organizational actors, oversight and gaps in inclusion can create adverse conditions for vulnerable students, identified by their mental or emotional fragility or concerns of neglect or abuse. As an acculturation study, participants were delimited to expatriate teachers counselors, and school leaders in international schools, who are known as sojourners, and who encounter diverse policies and pedagogies, forming a complex “policyscape” environment. While this offers opportunities for innovation, it also poses challenges, especially in supporting students’ cultural and mental health needs. This study identifies four policyscape manifestations, including challenges in supporting students with mental health issues and special needs. Teachers faced greater stress and limited agency compared to school leaders, who benefited from structural support and resources. Policyscape implications on student well-being underscore the urgency of addressing these challenges in line with global education goals for inclusivity and quality education for all.
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Norafidah Ismail, Farah Haziqah Adnan and Ratnaria Wahid
At the age of 92, Mahathir Mohamad served his country as the Prime Minister for the second time. But unlike his first stint as the head of the government, which lasted 22 years…
Abstract
At the age of 92, Mahathir Mohamad served his country as the Prime Minister for the second time. But unlike his first stint as the head of the government, which lasted 22 years, this time, his tenure was less than two years. His resignation, which was linked to some internal issues within the Pakatan Harapan (PH) allied parties, came at a time when many countries in the world were in the early stages of the coronavirus outbreak. Mahathir was aware of the power struggle that was adversely affecting the government's response to combat the virus transmission and reduce the rising number of COVID-19 infection cases. With his long experience in governance and as a former medical officer, Mahathir offered some advice and recommendations to the existing government on ways to address the public health crisis. Since the coronavirus outbreak, the domestic political and economic developments also drew his direct criticism and critical commentaries.
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Wee Chan Au, Mina Beigi and Melika Shirmohammadi
Considerable research has been conducted to highlight women's career decisions to opt-out of corporate positions, but little is said about those who leave to become entrepreneurs…
Abstract
Purpose
Considerable research has been conducted to highlight women's career decisions to opt-out of corporate positions, but little is said about those who leave to become entrepreneurs. The purpose of this paper is to theorize kaleidoscope career parameters in relation to entrepreneurship stages and demonstrate the role of macro-national context (i.e. government initiatives and cultural practices) in women entrepreneurs' career choices.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors interviewed 34 Malaysian women entrepreneurs (MWEs) who were established in their careers and explored the following two research questions: (1) what career parameters are prioritized at different entrepreneurship stages? and (2) how does macro-national context influence women entrepreneurs' careers?
Findings
Adopting a kaleidoscope career lens, the authors show that authenticity was prioritized during the initial entrepreneurship stage, while balance and challenge were prioritized during the establishment and business advancement stages, respectively. The authors demonstrate that government support was conducive to women's decision to opt-in and stay in the entrepreneurship path. The findings also denote that cultural practices facilitated women's pursuit of entrepreneurship by encouraging family members to support women entrepreneurs in their career choices and actions.
Originality/value
The qualitative approach enabled us to specify the context-specific meaning women entrepreneurs in our study associated with authenticity, balance, and challenge. In doing so, this research extends the kaleidoscope career model to better understand women's career patterns at different entrepreneurship stages.
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Ezra Kassa Hailemariam, Leule Mebratie Hailemariam, Ermias Adane Amede and Denamo Addissie Nuramo
Bamboo is still a traditional material that requires additional development before it can be considered as a modern and reliable alternative to steel, wood, and concrete. When…
Abstract
Purpose
Bamboo is still a traditional material that requires additional development before it can be considered as a modern and reliable alternative to steel, wood, and concrete. When compared to the huge volumes of information available on timber and concrete, bamboo has a little quantity of information. When it comes to estimating bamboo structures, there are not many options. As a result, pinpointing the key qualities and events that aid or impede bamboo's integration into the construction sector is vital.
Design/methodology/approach
Factor analysis (FA) was used for summarizing and reducing data to significant ones in identifying barriers, benefits and potentials of using bamboo materials for construction. In this method, small number of factors was aimed at to explain most of the variances observed in a much larger number of variables. The goal was to identify not-directly-observable barriers and opportunities based on a larger set of observable or measurable indicators identified from literature. It attempted to identify underlying challenges and potentials that lay the patterns of bamboo material usage in the construction sector.
Findings
From the results of FA, six specific components with loadings greater than 0.5 were kept for both the barrier and the advantages of using bamboo Lack of awareness on bamboo material, Unorganized supply chain, Exclusion from standards, Outperformance of industrial products, Lack of innovation and institutional support and Bamboo's mechanistic limitation was considered to be the root causes of all barriers. On the other end, structural suitability of bamboo, viable timber alternative, meeting sustainability's demand, attractive economic model, cost effective material, positive social implications were labeled as benefits of bamboo. Finally, major recommendation regarding research, facility, institutionalizing and resource management were forwarded.
Originality/value
Ethiopia is a major bamboo producer in Africa. The bamboo sector, on the other hand, remains a part of the undeveloped and informal rural economy, preventing it from reaching its full potential. Despite technological advancements, bamboo is not commonly used in construction. As a result, using bamboo as a building material is frowned upon. In order to take effective action to accommodate bamboo as an alternative building material, significant challenges, benefits, and potential of the material must be stated with this purpose in mind.
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Noor Hazilah Abd Manaf, Mohd Azahadi Omar and Fatin Husna Suib
The World Health Organization identified vaccine hesitancy as one of the ten threats to global health in 2019. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the implications and…
Abstract
Purpose
The World Health Organization identified vaccine hesitancy as one of the ten threats to global health in 2019. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the implications and factors affecting parental decision on childhood immunisation in Malaysia.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reviews literature on vaccine hesitancy and evaluation of factors affecting parental decision on childhood immunisation in Malaysia.
Findings
Vaccine hesitancy is a growing public health concern in Malaysia with factors such as influence of Internet and social media, personal choice and individual right, conspiracy theory, religious reasons and alternative medicine as among the influencing dynamics. An urban, educated demography operating within a postmodern medical paradigm compounds the diminishing value of vaccines.
Originality/value
This paper provides a comprehensive examination of vaccine hesitancy in Malaysia. Critical appraisal on personal choice over societal responsibility within an Asian/Muslim collectivist society has not been discussed in previous studies. The acceptance of homeopathy as an Islamic medicine alternative is peculiar to multi-ethnic, multi-cultural Malaysia.
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This paper aims to examine issues of bribery, cronyism and nepotism in one of the most corrupt countries in Africa.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine issues of bribery, cronyism and nepotism in one of the most corrupt countries in Africa.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a single-country case study, drawing on material dating from the mid-1970s, including court cases.
Findings
The corruption is pervasive and systemic, showing severe problems with governance in general, in the sector and against corruption. Nonetheless, two operators, one South African and one Nigerian, have delivered extensive access to mobile networks.
Practical implications
The system of governance requires significant structural reforms, if the burden of corruption is to be reduced.
Originality/value
This paper sheds new and explicit light on the complex history of telecommunications in Nigeria. It adds to the small base of material on corruption in the telecommunications sector. It identifies issues that could usefully be taken up by institutions in Nigeria.