J. Jacob, J.A. Colin, H. Montemayor, D. Sepac, H.D. Trinh, S.F. Voorderhake, P. Zidkova, J.J.H. Paulides, A. Borisaljevic and E.A. Lomonova
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that using advanced powertrain technologies can help outperform the state of the art in F1 and LeMans motor racing. By a careful choice…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that using advanced powertrain technologies can help outperform the state of the art in F1 and LeMans motor racing. By a careful choice and sizing of powertrain components coupled with an optimal energy management strategy, the conflicting requirements of high-performance and high-energy savings can be achieved.
Design/methodology/approach
Five main steps were performed. First, definition of requirements: basic performance requirements were defined based on research on the capabilities of Formula 1 race cars. Second, drive cycle generation: a drive cycle was created using these performance requirements as well as other necessary inputs such as the track layout of Circuit de la Sarthe, the drag coefficient, the tire specifications, and the mass of the vehicle. Third, selection of technology: the drive cycle was used to model the power requirements from the powertrain components of the series-hybrid topology. Fourth, lap time sensitivity analysis: the impact of certain design decisions on lap time was determined by the lap time sensitivity analysis. Fifth, modeling and optimization: the design involved building the optimal energy management strategy and comparing the performance of different powertrain component sizings.
Findings
Five different powertrain configurations were presented, and several tradeoffs between lap time and different parameters were discussed. The results showed that the fastest achievable lap time using the proposed configurations was 3 min 9 s. It was concluded that several car and component parameters have to be improved to decrease this lap time to the required 2 min 45 s, which is required to outperform F1 on LeMans.
Originality/value
This research shows the capabilities of advanced hybrid powertrain components and energy management strategies in motorsports, both in terms of performance and energy savings. The important factors affecting the performance of such a hybrid race car have been highlighted.
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Mike Simpson, Nick Taylor and Joanne Padmore
Supported employment enterprises (SEEs) are commercial enterprises that provide meaningful, gainful employment, training and development opportunities for people with a…
Abstract
Supported employment enterprises (SEEs) are commercial enterprises that provide meaningful, gainful employment, training and development opportunities for people with a disability. Hence, SEEs are run specifically to provide employment. SEEs, with the exception of Remploy, represent a unique sector of SMEs owned and run by local authorities and charities. The Supported Employment Procurement and Consultancy Service (SEPACS) provides SEEs with per capita funding for disabled employees, capital grants for premises and equipment, grants for marketing research, business advice and performance monitoring. SEPACS is part of the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE). This paper presents some case studies of SEEs in the Yorkshire area. The work explains the complex dificulties facing these organisations and illustrates the different approaches used to cope with these situations. Many SEEs are under threat of closure or radical change in their function as employers of disabled people. This work investigates these issues through selected illustrative case studies. The general weakness of marketing strategies and plans in these organisations is highlighted and related to the impact of SEPACS and local authority policies and practices. This work establishes the important role that marketing strategies and plans could have in ensuring the future survival and growth of these companies.
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Mike Simpson, Joanne Padmore and Nick Taylor
Supported Employment Enterprises (SEEs) are a unique sector of small and medium‐sized enterprises that provide meaningful, gainful employment, training and development…
Abstract
Supported Employment Enterprises (SEEs) are a unique sector of small and medium‐sized enterprises that provide meaningful, gainful employment, training and development opportunities for people with a disability. SEEs are run specifically to provide employment but are also commercial enterprises trading with other businesses. Many of these SEEs are not profitable and work under severe financial and operational constraints despite help from local authorities and the Supported Employment Procurement and Consultancy Service (SEPACS). This paper examines the effectiveness of the marketing strategies, plans and tactics of SEEs. The methodology used a national survey questionnaire sent to 96 SEEs listed in a directory of products and services produced by the Employment Service. The response rate was 45 per cent. The results showed that there is a general weakness of marketing strategies and plans in these organisations and highlighted the dysfunctional impact of local authority policies and practices. Marketing mix techniques were generally well understood by most SEEs managers.
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Amirreza Ghadiridehkordi, Jia Shao, Roshan Boojihawon, Qianxi Wang and Hui Li
This study examines the role of online customer reviews through text mining and sentiment analysis to improve customer satisfaction across various services within the UK banking…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines the role of online customer reviews through text mining and sentiment analysis to improve customer satisfaction across various services within the UK banking sector. Additionally, the study analyses sentiment trends over a five-year period.
Design/methodology/approach
Using DistilBERT and Support Vector Machine algorithms, customer sentiments were assessed through an analysis of 20,137 Trustpilot reviews of HSBC, Santander, and Tesco Bank from 2018 to 2023. Data pre-processing steps were implemented to ensure data integrity and minimize noise.
Findings
Both positive and negative sentiments provide valuable insights. The results indicate a high prevalence of negative sentiments related to customer service and communication, with HSBC and Santander receiving 90.8% and 89.7% negative feedback, respectively, compared to Tesco Bank’s 66.8%. Key areas for improvement include HSBC’s credit card services and call center efficiency, which experienced increased negative feedback during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings also demonstrate that DistilBERT excelled in categorizing reviews, while the SVM model, when combined with customer ratings, achieved 96% accuracy in sentiment analysis.
Research limitations/implications
This study focuses on UK bank consumers of HSBC, Santander, and Tesco Bank. A multi-country or cross-cultural study may further enhance our understanding of the approaches and findings.
Practical implications
Online customer reviews become more informative when categorised by service sector. To enhance customer satisfaction, bank managers should pay attention to both positive and negative reviews, and track trends over time.
Originality/value
The uniqueness of this study lies in its exploration of the importance of categorisation in text-mining-based sentiment analysis, its focus on the influence of both positive and negative sentiments, and its emphasis on tracking sentiment trends over time.
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Purpose – This chapter examines the foundations of community among youth with disabilities.Methodology – Qualitative data on 52 youth with disabilities were analyzed, based on…
Abstract
Purpose – This chapter examines the foundations of community among youth with disabilities.
Methodology – Qualitative data on 52 youth with disabilities were analyzed, based on interviews with the youth and their parents. The sample included youth with intellectual, hidden, physical, and sensory disabilities. Data analysis was guided by grounded theory.
Findings – Four foundations of community were identified: geographic, disability-based, religious, and virtual. Disability-based contexts provided much of the basis of friendship for youth with disabilities. Just under half of youth had community connections within their home towns.
Research limitations – These analyses rely on the self-reported and parent-reported experiences of 52 youth with disabilities in Massachusetts and are not representative of youth with disabilities nationwide. Only youth who were still in high school just before graduation are represented; those who dropped out earlier were not included.
Practical implications – Community connections create opportunities for friendship and for sharing information. Youth enjoyed their connections, whether they were formal (designed and created by adults) or informal (just hanging out with other local youth).
Social implications – Youth's connections with other youth with disabilities may result in bonding social capital, creating friendships, but there are fewer opportunities for bridging social capital, creating connections with typically developing youth.
Originality – This chapter provides an overview of youth's perceptions of their participation in various social and recreational activities and explores and conceptualizes the contexts in which youth with disabilities experience community connections with other youth.
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Thuso Mphela and John P.W. Shunda
The paper aims to investigate challenges facing small-, medium- and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) in public procurement in Botswana from the view of a buyer.
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to investigate challenges facing small-, medium- and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) in public procurement in Botswana from the view of a buyer.
Design/methodology/approach
The researchers conducted consultative workshops, succeeded by focus groups and follow-up telephone interviews, to collect and validate data. A total of 75 procurement officers from central government ministries and local governments participated in the study.
Findings
Results indicate that SMMEs find it difficult to deal with public procurement because of lack of capacity, unfair bias against SMMEs, inefficient government payment systems, unfair competition from their larger and established counterparts and centralized public procurement. The paper recommends a comprehensive integrated framework, improvement of SMME capacity and adopting policies to ensure greater public procurement market access.
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Stephen M. Mutula and P. Van Brakel
The paper aims to present the findings of an empirical study carried out as part of an ICT (Information and Communications Technology) data‐gathering exercise that would culminate…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to present the findings of an empirical study carried out as part of an ICT (Information and Communications Technology) data‐gathering exercise that would culminate in the promulgation of a national ICT policy for Botswana. The purpose of the study is to characterize the ICT sector in terms of, among other things, the skills needs in the sector for the purpose of powering the emerging digital economy. Moreover, the study – through review of literature – extends, to cover the status of ICT skills for the digital economy both in developed and developing countries.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used qualitative design. Focus group discussions were used to collect data from key stakeholders in the ICT sector. The stakeholders included: ICT enterprises, Citizen Owned IT companies lobby group (CORBIT), Botswana Telecommunication Corporation, Botswana Power Corporation, business community, academia, and legal experts. Data collected were analyzed using thematic categorization. Results were presented using descriptive and narrative form.
Findings
The findings generally suggest that there is an acute global shortage of high skilled and hands‐on personnel necessary for steering the emerging digital economy in both developed and developing countries including Botswana. In addition, there is a serious skills gap for certified specialists to help develop the sophisticated applications necessary to power the digital economy and more so the applications that depend on it.
Research limitations/implications
The empirical part of the study was limited to the ICT sector of the economy in Botswana. A similar study covering all sectors of the national economy will provide a complete picture of ICT skills needs for the nation and its preparedness to partake in the emerging digital economy.
Practical implications
ICT, particularly the internet, is having a significant impact on the operations of business enterprises and is claimed to be essential for the survival and growth of nations' economies. Botswana Government has realized the folly of depending largely on diamond mining for long‐term economic development. Consequently, it is encouraging the development of the ICT sector as a way to diversify its economy and position itself to play a leading role in the global emerging digital economy.
Originality/value
This study provides a framework for ICT skills development strategies that can enable countries to participate competitively in the emerging digital economy.
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The purpose of this paper is to focus on the developing circular economy (CE) policy within China and its relationship to China's information technology (IT) and IT products…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to focus on the developing circular economy (CE) policy within China and its relationship to China's information technology (IT) and IT products industry. It provides a framework to understand the role CE plays in sustainability at many levels within China.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper provides a review of the literature and practice in China various information sources including Chinese publications are used to further develop the framework and provide exemplary activities fitting within this framework.
Findings
If The CE program for IT, is to work, these needs to be co‐operation at multiple levels of analysis. A proposed governmental policy can greatly influence sustainability in the IT industry.
Research limitations/implications
This review is based on various sources which may become dated as the CE and regulatory policy that influence IT advance. Understanding the historical perspective and potential future directions can help researchers identify important areas of investigation for future development in this field.
Practical implications
Practically, the framework can help policy makers understand how to structure a previously unstructured and broad policy. Managers at various organizational levels can become more clear on their organizational's IT role in a CE‐like program.
Originality/value
This is the first comprehensive paper that seeks to integrate IT sustainability issues in China. It is one of the first to utilize the CE policy implications on any functional, industrial, and technological group.
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The learning outcomes are designing an empresarial strategy and considering different business strategies and environment variables.
Abstract
Learning outcomes
The learning outcomes are designing an empresarial strategy and considering different business strategies and environment variables.
Case overview/synopsis
On November of 2015, Eduardo Castillo, General Manager of Late! (B Corporation) programed a directory reunion in which he had to pose a proposal of strategic expansion and growth for the company for future years. A fine of October 2015 publicly revealed the collusion of the two large conglomerates of tissue paper in the Chilean market, with this situation Eduardo took advantage of the discomfort of the consumers and looked alternative brands, he evaluates the launching of a new product: toilet paper Late!. Eduardo had to present at the board meeting the backgrounds to decide the expansion and the strategic growth of the company, taking advantage of the collusion case of the toilet paper or continue their successful project of bottled water.
Complexity academic level
This case focuses primarily on the processes of social enterprise for undergraduate or graduate courses in social entrepreneurship, business model innovation, sustainability, strategic management, emerging markets and business in Chile. Also, this case is also ideal to teach the “business model canvas” and “B Corp.”
Supplementary materials
Teaching Notes are available for educators only.
Subject code
CSS 11: Entrepreneurship.
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Bo Xu, Qie Sun, Ronald Wennersten and Nils Brandt
This paper aims to analyse Chinese policy instruments for climate change mitigation.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to analyse Chinese policy instruments for climate change mitigation.
Design/methodology/approach
First, the paper reviews Chinese energy consumption per unit of GDP (EC/GDP) in order to determine the overall effects of the combined policy instruments. Second, the different policy instruments are compared in terms of their effects. Third, the actual trends of EC/GDP in two provinces and the instruments adopted by them are analysed on the provincial level.
Findings
The decline in EC/GDP can indirectly reflect the Chinese contribution to mitigation of CO2 emissions since fossil fuels dominate Chinese energy consumption. The national EC/GDP values have shown a declining trend from 2005 to date, indicating that the policy instruments are very important to mitigate climate change as regards reducing EC/GDP. The technological improvement regulations have made the greatest contribution to date to reduce EC/GDP values. The experiences from the Beijing and Shandong province indicate that their final targets in 2010 will be most likely achieved because the different provinces are not only following the national policy instruments but have also developed quite a few new instruments to assist in reaching the these reductions.
Research limitations/implications
There are three limitations regarding Chinese policy instruments analysis. First, the paper does not go far to determine the other factors which can affect EC/GDP apart from policy instruments. Second, some data were lacking and there may be inaccuracies in the existing data that could affect the analysis results. Third, EC/GDP cannot reflect the Chinese contribution to mitigation of CO2 emissions if the composition of Chinese energy consumption changes significantly.
Originality/value
The paper addresses the importance of various policy instruments in reducing EC/GDP. The results can be referenced by Chinese policy makers on both the national and provincial level.