Daniel Barbosa Cabral, Milton Cordeiro Farias Filho and Carlos André Corrêa de Mattos
The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence the facilities management (FM) in construction sites in the Brazilian Amazon.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence the facilities management (FM) in construction sites in the Brazilian Amazon.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used structured questionnaires, with the participation of 136 facilities professionals in construction sites in the Brazilian Amazon. These sites were selected with help of 17 facilities managers. The survey achieved a total response rate of 76.5 per cent. The factorial analysis was performed after checking the adequacy of the sample to the technique. The results allowed the continuation of data processing and the use of exploratory factorial analysis to summarize the variables and identify the influencing factors.
Findings
The results indicated five factors that influence the FM on construction sites in the Brazilian Amazon, namely: negotiation with local entities; weather; local suppliers; manpower; and logistical infrastructure. With the proper understanding of these factors, facilities professionals could plan actions to minimize negative impacts over the FM on construction sites.
Research limitations/implications
The influence of factors on FM was studied from the professionals’ viewpoint. It is possible that there are other perspectives or other influencing factors. However, this work is limited to the analysis of the variables that make up the five dimensions presented.
Practical implications
Organizations and FM professionals might be interested in the results of this research to enhance the FM performance on the construction sites existed and to plan the implementation of the FM on upcoming construction sites.
Originality/value
This paper is the first large research about FM in construction sites conducted in the Brazilian Amazon and serve as a basis to other research works that promote the development of FM in Brazil.
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Ignacio Cepeda-Carrión, David Alarcon-Rubio, Carlos Correa-Rodriguez and Gabriel Cepeda-Carrion
This article aims to open the black box of the relationship between customer experience and customer satisfaction. The authors also take a fine-grained approach to the concept of…
Abstract
Purpose
This article aims to open the black box of the relationship between customer experience and customer satisfaction. The authors also take a fine-grained approach to the concept of customer experience analysis in terms of four dimensions: basic service experience (BSE), moments of truth (MT), focus on results (FR) and peace of mind (PM).
Design/methodology/approach
A total sample of 185 industrial customers in Spain was collected via an online platform from March to April 2020. The data were analysed using partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).
Findings
The results indicated that the four dimensions of customer experience are the foundation of commercial success (i.e. customer satisfaction) for express parcel companies in the business-to-business (B2B) environment. Therefore, the most innovative express parcel companies should not only pay attention to providing services in accordance with the customer agreement but also go beyond that; hence, these companies must understand customer needs to be able to offer a unique experience. Therefore, these companies must design experiences that go beyond pure technical delivery services.
Originality/value
Although previous work has linked customer experience to customer satisfaction, there is little work that does so specifically in an industry as in vogue as express parcels and less so in the B2B environment. In addition, this work analyses fine-grained customer experience in terms of grain's four dimensions, and therefore, the authors analyse how each dimension (e.g. more rational or more subjective dimensions) impacts customer satisfaction. Few studies have focussed on this type of analysis for express parcel companies in the B2B environment.
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Silas Costa Ferreira Junior and Afonso Carlos Corrêa Fleury
Multinational companies have manufacturing operations in various countries; however, there is scarce evidence on how they assess performance of the network-based operations of…
Abstract
Purpose
Multinational companies have manufacturing operations in various countries; however, there is scarce evidence on how they assess performance of the network-based operations of their factories, called international manufacturing networks (IMN). The purpose of this paper is to propose a process model for the performance assessment of IMNs.
Design/methodology/approach
The IMN performance assessment process model was developed from the extant literature and was empirically verified in its congruency and usefulness via a multiple case research. For that, in each case the general process model was derived into a specific application that fit the type of IMN on focus. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from the case companies’ reports, profiling forms and interviews, followed by within-case and cross-case analyses.
Findings
Evidence suggest that the process model, along with its derivations, is a valuable tool to describe and explain how IMN performance assessment unfolds in real organizational environments. Additionally, three propositions emerged: IMN performance assessment has distinct characteristics depending on the type of IMN adopted, which in turn depends on the company’s internationalization strategy; IMN performance assessment has more strategic value and importance for companies that are globally coordinated and adopt “rooted” manufacturing strategies; and companies design their IMN performance assessment on a trial-and-error basis.
Research limitations/implications
As all case-based research, this paper has generalizability limitations. Thus, next steps may include a large-scale survey and an action research that will develop and implement a full-fledged IMN performance assessment.
Practical implications
The process model and descriptive insights provide a diagnostic tool and subsidies that may encourage managers to review and improve their current IMN performance assessment.
Originality/value
The process model contributes to addressing a 20-year gap concerning how to approach IMN performance assessment in a holistic and systematic manner.
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After a turbulent term, President Lenin Moreno is not running again. The candidate of his Alianza Pais (Proud and Sovereign Homeland; AP), Ximena Pena, will be an outsider in a…
Miguel Morales, Carlos Correa, Juan Antonio Porro, Carlos Molpeceres and José Luis Ocaña
Laser shock peening (LSP) is mainly a mechanical process, but in some cases, it is performed without a protective coating and thermal effects are present near the surface. The…
Abstract
Purpose
Laser shock peening (LSP) is mainly a mechanical process, but in some cases, it is performed without a protective coating and thermal effects are present near the surface. The numerical study of thermo‐mechanical effects and process parameter influence in realistic conditions can be used to better understand the process.
Design/methodology/approach
A physically comprehensive numerical model (SHOCKLAS) has been developed to systematically study LSP processes with or without coatings starting from laser‐plasma interaction and coupled thermo‐mechanical target behavior. Several typical results of the developed SHOCKLAS numerical system are presented. In particular, the application of the model to the realistic simulation (full 3D dependence, non‐linear material behavior, thermal and mechanical effects, treatment over extended surfaces) of LSP treatments in the experimental conditions of the irradiation facility used by the authors is presented.
Findings
Target clamping has some influence on the results and needs to be properly simulated. An increase in laser spot radius and an increase in pressure produces an increase of the maximum compressive residual stress and also the depth of the compressive residual stress region. By increasing the pulse overlapping density, no major improvements are obtained if the pressure is high enough. The relative influence of thermal/mechanical effects shows that each effect has a different temporal scale and thermal effects are limited to a small region near the surface and compressive residual stresses very close to the surface level can be induced even without any protective coating through the application of adjacent pulses.
Originality/value
The paper presents numerical thermo‐mechanical study for LSP treatments without coating and a study of the influence of several process parameters on residual stress distribution with consideration of pulse overlapping.
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José L. Ocaña, Carlos Correa, Juan A Porro, Marcos Díaz, Leonardo Ruiz de Lara and David Peral
With the aid of the calculational system developed by the authors, the analysis of the problem of laser shock processing (LSP) treatment for induction of residual stress (RS…
Abstract
Purpose
With the aid of the calculational system developed by the authors, the analysis of the problem of laser shock processing (LSP) treatment for induction of residual stress (RS) fields for fatigue life enhancement in relatively thin sheets in a way compatible with reduced overall workpiece deformation due to spring-back self-equilibration has been envisaged. Numerical results directly tested against experimental results have been obtained confirming the critical influence of the laser energy and irradiation geometry parameters. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
Plane rectangular specimens (160 mm×100 mm×2 mm) of Al-cladded (∼80 μm) Al2024-T351 were considered both for LSP experimental treatment and for corresponding numerical simulation. The test piece is fixed on a holder and is driven along X and Y directions by means of an anthropomorphic robot. The predefined pulse overlapping strategy is used for the irradiation of extended areas of material. From the geometrical point of view, a full 3D configuration for the real geometry and for the sequential overlapping strategy of pulses has been considered. The FEM elements used for the simulation are an eight-node brick reduced integration with hourglass control in the treated area, namely C3D8RT, and a six-node trainer prism in the rest of the geometry, where there is no applied load, namely C3D6T, that ease meshing complex partitions. The element size in the nearest of the treated surface is 100×100×25 µm, being the maximum element size which allows to maintain calculation convergence.
Findings
Numerical results directly tested against experimental results have been obtained confirming: first, the critical influence of the laser energy and irradiation geometry parameters on the possible thin sheets deformation, both at local and global scales. Second, the possibility of finding LSP treatment parameter regimes that, maintaining the requirements relative to in-depth RSs fields, are able to reduce the relative importance of sheet deformation. Third, the possibility of finding LSP treatment parameter regimes able to provide through-thickness compressive RSs fields at levels compatible with an effective fatigue life enhancement. Fourth, the possibility of improving this through-thickness compressive RSs fields by double-side treatments. Fifth, the capability of the experimental LSP treatment system at the authors site (CLUPM) of practically achieve the referred through-thickness compressive RSs fields in excellent agreement with the predictive assessment obtained by the used numerical code (SHOCKLAS®).
Practical implications
The referred results provide a firm basis for the design of LSP treatments able to confer a broad range of RSs fields to thin components aiming the extension of their fatigue life, an enormously relevant field in which the authors are currently working.
Originality/value
The LSP treatment of relatively thin specimens brings, as an additional consequence, the possible bending in a process of laser shock forming. This effect poses a new class of problems regarding the attainment of specified RS’s depth profiles in the mentioned type of sheets, and, what can be more critical, an overall deformation of the treated component. The analysis of the problem of LSP treatment for induction of tentatively through-thickness RS’s fields for fatigue life enhancement in relatively thin sheets in a way compatible with reduced overall workpiece deformation due to spring-back self-equilibration is envisaged in this paper for the first time to the authors knowledge. The coupled theoretical-experimental predictive approach developed by the authors has been applied to the specification of LSP treatments for achievement of RS’s fields tentatively able to retard crack propagation on normalized specimens.
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This paper attempts to explain the phenomenon that Macau has a parliament (Legislative Assembly) and mass suffrage but no political parties.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper attempts to explain the phenomenon that Macau has a parliament (Legislative Assembly) and mass suffrage but no political parties.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reviews the development process of “parliament – mass suffrage – political party” in Hong Kong and Macau and tries to explain why Macau does not have a party using comparative research methods.
Findings
The political party development of Hong Kong and Macau was influenced by both the (former) colonial power and China, and whether there were political parties in these two regions was the result of the game between China and the (former) colonial power. China hoped to limit the development of party politics in the two regions. Since Britain felt reluctant to cooperate with China, political parties in Hong Kong developed. At the same time, Portugal chose to defer to China, which led Macau not to have a political party.
Originality/value
Existing studies have yet to explain why there are no political parties in Macau, and this paper is the first attempt to do so.
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Jun-Hwa Cheah, Wolfgang Kersten, Christian M. Ringle and Carl Wallenburg
– The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which developing countries could build national initiatives of compulsory licences.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which developing countries could build national initiatives of compulsory licences.
Design/methodology/approach
The focus of this article is only on developing countries. The author reflects on the Indian patent jurisprudence regarding the operational relationship between the general principles applicable to working of patented inventions locally and the grant of compulsory licences. The discussion that follows is based on a review of the case: Bayer Corporation versus Natco Pharma with a view to presenting a model for developing countries to maintain that the public interest principle of patent law is well-founded in their domestic patent regimes.
Findings
The analysis confirms that failure to work locally continues to be abusive of the patent right under the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement, and remains a valid condition on which to grant a compulsory licence. Thus, this reverses the often-contrary misconception that has become almost a unanimous assumption that failure to work basis for granting compulsory licensing would violate Article 27(1) of TRIPS and its enforcement provisions on patent.
Originality/value
The author argues that as no member state has challenged the legality of Indian’s decision in the World Trade Organisation, under the dispute settlement understanding (DSU) system is more supportive of the contention that failure to work locally continues to be permissible under TRIPS and remains valid conditions on which member states can grant compulsory licences. This further adds weight to the understanding that nothing in the light of TRIPS would, in fact, preclude any possibility of developing countries amending their patent laws accordingly to maintain that the public interest principle underlining patent law is well-founded in their domestic patent regimes.