At the beginning of 1987, it was decided to integrate the activities of the Library and Information Group at the Thornton Research Centre of Shell Research Ltd with those of the…
Abstract
At the beginning of 1987, it was decided to integrate the activities of the Library and Information Group at the Thornton Research Centre of Shell Research Ltd with those of the Office Systems and Report Production Group and to rehouse them under one roof. Gradually the idea of a forward‐looking Information Centre began to take shape, and the opportunity to create a high‐profile activity was seized with enthusiasm. A modern information service relies very heavily on computer and communications systems. The systems used in Thornton's Information Centre are based on an IBM network and use SUN workstations and Apple Macintosh II computers.
The stimulus of the successful semiconductor device miniaturisation programmes coupled to recent progress in synthetic chemistry and molecular engineering has led to the emergence…
Abstract
The stimulus of the successful semiconductor device miniaturisation programmes coupled to recent progress in synthetic chemistry and molecular engineering has led to the emergence of a new inter‐disciplinary activity—molecular electronics—which holds long‐term promise for a new range of electronic materials and devices. From very speculative origins the field has begun to generate important applications based on photoresists, Langmuir‐Blodgett films, electroactive polymers and photochromic materials. A selection of topics ranging from molecular switches, memories, sensors, and the biological interface to prospects for a molecular computer are discussed with special emphasis on features such as stability, self‐organisation and self‐assembly which are unique to molecular systems.
Pallavi Chaturvedi, Kushagra Kulshreshtha, Vikas Tripathi and Durgesh Agnihotri
This study aims at analyzing the impact of green restaurants' sustainable practices (food safety, food sustainability practices, food quality, and environmental sensitivity) on…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims at analyzing the impact of green restaurants' sustainable practices (food safety, food sustainability practices, food quality, and environmental sensitivity) on consumer satisfaction and revisit intention.
Design/methodology/approach
A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 417 participants who had recently experienced the services of leading green restaurants. The study draws upon the prevailing literature to test a series of research hypotheses through structural equation modeling.
Findings
The findings of the study have confirmed that sustainable practices such as food safety, food sustainability practices, environmental sensitivity, and food quality significantly influence consumers' satisfaction and revisit intentions. The willingness to pay has been found as a sensitive issue as it moderates the relationship between consumer satisfaction and revisit intention.
Practical implications
This study provides important insights for the businesses operating in foodservice industry. The study suggests important strategies to the restaurant business owners for improving their consumers' satisfaction and revisit intentions. These strategies may help foodservice businesses in building strong brand reputation and a competitive edge over others.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the food service literature by examining the restaurants' environmental legitimacy (food safety, food sustainability practices, food quality, and environmental sensitivity) from consumers' perspective. Moreover, the current study also fills the gap in literature by expanding the knowledge of consumers' pro-environmental behavior in the context of developing nations. Besides, to the best of the authors' knowledge, this is among very few studies, which have emphasized on analyzing consumer satisfaction and revisit intention based on their experience in a green restaurant on particular sustainable parameters.
Details
Keywords
Subhadip Roy and Priyanka Singh
Measurement scales for sensory experience in retailing exist for sight, touch and sound. In the present study, the authors aim to develop the olfactory experience (OEX) scale in…
Abstract
Purpose
Measurement scales for sensory experience in retailing exist for sight, touch and sound. In the present study, the authors aim to develop the olfactory experience (OEX) scale in the context of retailing.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on literature review and six studies that follow standard scale development protocols (combined n = 1,203), the authors develop and validate a three-dimensional OEX scale. The scale is further validated in the final study in a different market set-up than the first five.
Findings
The authors found the three dimensions of OEX as (scent) company, congeniality and congruity. The OEX scale is found to be generalizable and valid across different cultural and market set-ups. In addition, the OEX (i.e. the scale) was found to effect psychological and behavioral outcomes of the consumer in a significant manner.
Research limitations/implications
The present study contributes to the domain of sensory experience in retailing with the OEX scale and provides three new dimensions of OEX for the academicians to further explore.
Practical implications
The OEX scale provides a ready to use tool for the retailer to gauge the level of OEX in the store and to predict consumer attitudes and behavior.
Originality/value
The study is the first to develop a scale for OEX in retailing or for that matter in consumer behavior.
Details
Keywords
Simonidis D. Vartholomaios and Efstathios E. Theotokoglou
In this study composite and sandwich beams with homogeneous core and homogeneous or Functional Graded Materials (FGM) faces under three point bending have been confronted. The…
Abstract
Purpose
In this study composite and sandwich beams with homogeneous core and homogeneous or Functional Graded Materials (FGM) faces under three point bending have been confronted. The purpose of this paper is to study numerically sandwich beams with homogeneous core and homogeneous or FGM faces under three point bending and to compare the results for the stress and displacement fields with those resulted of coating – substrate and homogeneous beams. Considering a crack in the lower face sheet to study the influence of the material gradation on the stress intensity factors.
Design/methodology/approach
At first a static finite element analysis is performed throughout the composite and sandwich beams, which is taking into account the graded character or not of the faces. For this reason five plane models are considered in order to have a comparable study for the stress and displacement fields of composite beams, which are subjected to three point bending. Second a crack in the lower face is considered parallel to the axis of gradation. When subjected to three point bending, this crack will propagate slowly perpendicular to the lower face.
Findings
Computed distributions of the stress fields across the core material and near the interfaces are given for different materials gradation of the faces; and possible crack-initiation positions have been identified. Stress intensity factors are calculated using finite element method, and assuming linear fracture mechanics and plane strain conditions.
Originality/value
The originality of the proposed analysis is to investigate for the first time numerically the influence of the FGMs or homogeneous faces in the core material of sandwich beams under three point bending relative to the coating – substrate and to the homogeneous beams. Second to study the influence of a crack in the lower graded face sheet on the overall behavior of the composite beam and to investigate the influence of the material gradation on the values of stress intensity factors.
Details
Keywords
Beth C. Muñoz, Gregory Steinthal and Steven Sunshine
Polymer‐carbon black composites are a new class of chemical detecting sensors used in electronic noses. These composites are prepared by mixing carbon black and polymer in an…
Abstract
Polymer‐carbon black composites are a new class of chemical detecting sensors used in electronic noses. These composites are prepared by mixing carbon black and polymer in an appropriate solvent. The mixture is deposited on a substrate between two metal electrodes, whereby the solvent evaporates leaving a composite film. Arrays of these chemiresistors, made from a chemically diverse number of polymers and carbon black, swell reversibly, inducing a resistance change on exposure to chemical vapors. These arrays generate a pattern that is a unique fingerprint for the vapor being detected. With the aid of algorithms these patterns are processed and recognized. These arrays can detect and discriminate between a large number of chemical vapors.
Details
Keywords
Md. Maruf Hossan Chowdhury, A.K.M. Shakil Mahmud, Eijaz Khan, Mohammad Hossain and Zapan Barua
Grounded in dynamic capability view, this research develops a decision support model, which enables determining consistent and sufficient configurations of resilience strategies…
Abstract
Purpose
Grounded in dynamic capability view, this research develops a decision support model, which enables determining consistent and sufficient configurations of resilience strategies to mitigate vaccine operations and distributions (O&D) challenges and thus improve O&D performance (i.e. O&DP).
Design/methodology/approach
Through qualitative in-depth interviews, the authors first identified challenges and resilience strategies related to vaccine O&D. Next, using the quality function deployment technique, three quantitative case studies were performed to determine the most important challenges and resilience strategies. Finally, utilising fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis, the authors determine sufficient conditions of challenges and strategies leading to improve vaccine O&DP.
Findings
The findings reveal that strategies alone are not effective instead a combination of strategies and nullification of challenges is needed to enhance vaccine O&DP. Further, the findings revealed that not only the presence of challenges, but also the lack of strategies reduces the vaccine O&DP.
Practical implications
The authors' findings will assist the health service decision-makers for strategizing an effective and efficient vaccination program by selecting the right combination of challenges and resilience strategies.
Originality/value
The authors' study develops a novel decision support model and offers significant learning for the future vaccine O&DP.
Details
Keywords
Bin Chen, Song Cen, Andrew R. Barron, D.R.J. Owen and Chenfeng Li
The purpose of this paper is to systematically investigate the fluid lag phenomena and its influence in the hydraulic fracturing process, including all stages of fluid-lag…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to systematically investigate the fluid lag phenomena and its influence in the hydraulic fracturing process, including all stages of fluid-lag evolution, the transition between different stages and their coupling with dynamic fracture propagation under common conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
A plane 2D model is developed to simulate the complex evolution of fluid lag during the propagation of a hydraulic fracture driven by an impressible Newtonian fluid. Based on the finite element method, a fully implicit solution scheme is proposed to solve the strongly coupled rock deformation, fluid flow and fracture propagation. Using the proposed model, comprehensive parametric studies are performed to examine the evolution of fluid lag in various geological and operational conditions.
Findings
The numerical simulations predict that the lag ratio is around 5% or even lower at the beginning stage of hydraulic fracture under practical geological conditions. With the fracture propagation, the lag ratio keeps decreasing and can be ignored in the late stage of hydraulic fracturing for typical parameter combinations. On the numerical aspect, whether the fluid lag can be ignored depends not only on the lag ratio but also on the minimum mesh size used for fluid flow. In addition, an overall mixed-mode fracture propagation factor is proposed to describe the relationship between diverse parameters and fracture curvature.
Research limitations/implications
In this study, relatively simple physical models such as linear elasticity for solid, Newtonian model for fluid and linear elasticity fracture mechanics for fracture are used. The current model does not account for such effects like leak off, poroelasticity and softening of rock formations, which may also visibly affect the fluid lag depending on specific reservoir conditions.
Originality/value
This study helps to understand the effect of fluid lag during hydraulic fracturing processes and provides numerical experience in dealing with the fluid lag with finite element simulation.
Details
Keywords
Marisa Anne D'Angeli, Joe B. Baker, Douglas R. Call, Margaret A. Davis, Kelly J. Kauber, Uma Malhotra, Gregory T. Matsuura, Dale A. Moore, Chris Porter, Paul Pottinger, Virginia Stockwell, Carol Wagner, Ron Wohrle, Jonathan Yoder, Leah Hampson Yoke and Peter Rabinowitz
Antibiotic resistance (AR) is a global health crisis that is attracting focussed attention from healthcare, public health, governmental agencies, the public, and food producers…
Abstract
Purpose
Antibiotic resistance (AR) is a global health crisis that is attracting focussed attention from healthcare, public health, governmental agencies, the public, and food producers. The purpose of this paper is to describe the work in Washington State to combat resistance and promote antimicrobial stewardship from a one health perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
In 2014, the Washington State Department of Health convened a One Health Steering Committee and two workgroups to focus on AR, the One Health Antimicrobial Stewardship work group and the One Health Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance work group. The group organized educational sessions to establish a basic understanding of epidemiological factors that contribute to resistance, including antibiotic use, transmission of resistant bacteria, and environmental contamination with resistant bacteria and antibiotic residues.
Findings
The authors describe the varied uses of antibiotics; efforts to promote stewardship in human, and animal health, including examples from the USA and Europe; economic factors that promote use of antibiotics in animal agriculture; and efforts, products and next steps of the workgroups.
Originality/value
In Washington, human, animal and environmental health experts are working collaboratively to address resistance from a one health perspective. The authors are establishing a multi-species resistance database that will allow tracking resistance trends in the region. Gaps include measurement of antibiotic use in humans and animals; integrated resistance surveillance information; and funding for AR and animal health research.