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Robotic friction stir welding (RFSW) is an innovative process which enables solid-state welding of aluminum parts using robots. A major drawback of this process is that the robot joints undergo elastic deformation during the welding, because of the high forces induced by the process. This leads to tool deviation and incorrect orientation. There is currently no computer-aided manufacturing/computer-aided design (CAD) software for generating off-line paths which integrates robot deflections, and the main purpose of this study is to propose an off-line methodology to plan a path for RFSW with the integration of the deflections.

The approach is divided into two steps. The first step consists of extracting position and orientation data from CAD models of the workpieces and adding the deflections calculated with a deflection model to generate a suitable path for performing RFSW. The second step consists of the smooth fitting of the suitable path using Bézier curves.

The method is experimentally validated by welding a curved workpiece using a Kuka KR500-2MT robot. A suitable tool position and orientation were calculated to perform this welding, an experimental procedure was set up, a defect-free weld was performed and a high accuracy was achieved in terms of position and orientation.

This method can help manufacturers to easily perform RFSW for three-dimensional workpieces regardless of the lateral tool deviation, loss of the right orientation and control force stability.

The originality of this method lies in compensating for robot deflections without using expensive sensors, which is the most commonly used method for compensating for robot deflection. This off-line method can lead to a reduction in programming time in comparison with teach programming method and leads to reduced investment costs in comparison with commercial off-line programming packages.

Based on the sharp decline in the quantity and quality of natural resources, many organizations are shifting their operations to an eco-friendly system. However, this objective cannot be achieved without capitalizing on green knowledge and innovation. The purpose of this study is to examine whether green knowledge management (GKM) strengthens organizational green innovation capabilities, leading to green performance. Moreover, considering culture as the buffering condition, the authors took it as the conditional boundary between GKM and green innovation and investigated if it impacts their relationship.

The authors focused on the manufacturing and services firms’ managerial and non-managerial staff and collected data following the non-probability convenience sampling technique. The collected data were examined through structural equation modeling.

It is found that GKM is a significant positive predictor of organizational green innovation and green performance and strengthens their abilities in these areas. However, green innovation partially mediates between GKM and corporate green performance. It is also found that green culture strengthens the relationship between GKM and organizational green innovation.

This study’s findings provide confidence to organizational managers and related stakeholders to achieve sustainability goals by capitalizing on GKM and promoting green culture in their setup. This study is also among the pioneer studies investigating GKM as a unified system and linking it with environmental performance domains.

This paper aims to shed light on how children's literature in Africa deserves to be studied because African writers “decolonize” the minds of African children and children and adults around the world.

This paper defines children's literature from an African perspective and the “decolonization of the mind.” This is done to examine how two African writers provide narratives for children inspired by their cultures. They deal with themes, characters and symbols that interest children and adults.

Achebe and Youssef crossed many borders: the world of children and adults, animals and humans, vice and virtue, supernatural and real. Their stories take the reader on journeys that involve enriching, engaging and inspiring adventures.

Youssef and Achebe are prolific writers. Providing a survey of what is available in Arabic and Nigerian literature for children, is beyond the scope of this paper.

This paper sends a message to those in charge of the curriculum in schools in Egypt, the Arab countries, Africa and the world at large: decolonize the syllabi in schools because the world is not black and white. Literature for children that encourages critical thinking is available by African writers in Egypt, Nigeria and elsewhere.

The works discussed show that African writers are creative, and their works inspire the African child with pride in his/her identity, culture and heritage.

To the best of the author’s knowledge, no one has compared Egyptian and Nigerian literature for children before. Youssef and Achebe provide evidence that “Good literature gives the child a place in the world … and the world a place in the child.” – Astrid Lindgren.

This study aims to explore the role of sustainable fashion knowledge in shaping individual sustainable responsibility within the dynamic landscape of the fashion industry from a novel perspective, by exploring the intricate interplay between sustainable fashion knowledge, emotional and spiritual sustainable capacities.

A quantitative study was used, and a causal model with partial least squares structural equation modeling was developed. A total of 211 valid responses were obtained, and data were analysed to confirm the proposed hypotheses.

The findings confirm the positive impact of sustainable fashion knowledge on individual sustainable responsibility, mediated by both spiritual and emotional sustainable capacities. This study underscores the significance of individuals in influencing societal norms, prompting fashion companies to adopt sustainable practices.

The proposed conceptual framework integrates insights from the emotional and spiritual knowledge dynamics. This study uncovers the pathways through which individuals contribute to a more sustainable society.

The study not only advances the understanding of sustainable fashion practices but also provides actionable insights for policymakers, businesses and individuals seeking to foster a culture of sustainability in the fashion ecosystem.

This paper aims to fill this gap (infra, originality) by providing a conceptual framework for discussing “technologies of the self and other,” by showing that, in most cases, self-tracking also involves other-tracking.

In so doing, we draw upon Foucault’s “technologies of the self” and present-day literature on self-tracking technologies. We elaborate on two cases and practical domains to illustrate and discuss this mutual process: first, the quantified workplace; and second, quantification by wearables in a non-clinical and self-initiated context.

The main conclusion is that these shapings are never (morally) neutral and have ethical implications, such as regarding “quantified otherness,” a notion we propose to point at the risk that the other could become an object of examination and competition.

Although there is ample literature on the quantified self, considerably less attention is given to how the relation with the other is being shaped by self-tracking technologies that allow data sharing (e.g. wearables or apps such as Strava or RunKeeper).

The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between citizen participation and the level of trust in government’s decisions and policies; as well as examining the impact of disclosure of information on the level of citizens’ engagement with governments’ projects. In addition, testing the real motives behind Egyptian citizens’ participation in financing national projects. The study is applied to the “New Suez Canal,” which was finished in only one year opposing the three years implementation period suggested by some studies.

The researcher depended on secondary and primary data as well in working on this paper. She used secondary data gathered from scholars and from domestic and international institutions. Then, she conducted a field study and collected data through distributing 384 Likert Scale questionnaires containing 34 self-administered among respondents to test the following: 1. Citizens perceptions regarding the level of trust in government’s decisions and policies. 2. The impact of citizens’ trust on their willingness to participate in governments’ projects. 3. Is ‘public service motivation’ (PSM) behind citizens’ willingness of participating in national projects. 4. Is the ‘high expected profit of Suez Canal Investment Certificates’ behind citizens participation in national projects.

H1 and H2 have been accepted as trust, transparency and citizen participation proved to be important pillars of building a participatory government. Moreover, citizens’ participation in national projects encouraged national and international enterprises to invest in the canal provision. H3 and H4 are accepted and the statistical study revealed dual contradicting results regarding the motive of citizens’ financial participation in the New Suez Canal project. The justification for the contradiction is that right after the 2011 up-rise, Egyptian citizens were overwhelmed with patriot emotions and feelings pushing them to participate in national projects. At the same time this patriot drive was moderated by the “performance-based rewards and citizens” self-interests’ pushed by the Egyptian government (offering a high-interest rate for Suez Canal Certificates at that time). Citizens might be motivated to participate in national projects triggered by many factors: public service drive – patriotism or self-interest.

The study needs further deeper investigation and empirical pieces of evidence to answer the following questions: would different participatory actions result differently in other circumstances? Do individuals’ levels of PSM vary over time? Besides, the researcher needs to find ways to test PSM against various motives such as self-interest, which needs to be confirmed empirically.

The author came up with important recommendations for central government and decision-makers in Egypt and is based upon the study’s statistical results. The most important recommendations were: central government and decision-makers should frame a policy designed to promote citizens’ participation in decision-making drawing on the guidelines for civil participation in political decision-making. Decision-makers in the central government should work local and regional authorities to update and improve local and regional regulations concerning the participation of citizens in local public life and promote a culture of democratic participation shared by communities and local authorities. Performance-based rewards (high-interest rate) are moderating the citizens’ public service motivation (PSM – patriot sense) and citizens may be motivated by different factors such as public service drive – patriotism or self-interest.

The study is tackling an important issue, which is civil participation in political decision-making. It is also discussing promoting cultural awareness regarding the importance of democratic participation shared by communities and local authorities. The study came up with certain findings proving Egyptian civil society’s willingness in participating with the government in national projects; believing in its socio-economic benefits.

Finally, the study is of value, as it could be considered a pilot study representing the outcomes of citizen participation in national projects; in addition, it can be considered as a road map to policymakers. Moreover, the findings provide a set of recommendations and policies for governments and decision-makers to undertake tangible actions to accelerate citizen participation in further projects and decisions and be able to establish a democratic system in developing countries.

This paper aims to assess how digital knowledge management affects technostress in workers and how that influences the organization’s sustainability. The study applied an in-depth literature review of the following concepts and dimensions, digital knowledge management (acquisition, sharing and application), technostress (techno overload, invasion, complexity, insecurity and uncertainty) and sustainability (economic, social and environmental).

After completing the literature review, an online questionnaire was developed and disseminated through social networks. The questionnaire had four sections: classification of the respondent, questions related to knowledge management, technostress and sustainability. The final sample comprises 454 responses. First, a descriptive analysis of the sample was carried out, and second, a structural equation model by the partial least squares–structural equation modeling method was conducted.

The results show that there is a direct and positive relationship between knowledge management and technostress. This finding means that a higher level of knowledge management of firms causes a greater level of technostress among employees. The close relationship between knowledge management and the firms’ sustainability has also been confirmed. The study results have shown that gender does not have a moderating effect on the relationships reported, as there are no significant differences.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to look at digital knowledge management, assessing both the levels of employee technostress and the sustainability achieved by their organizations. Thus, this study could serve as a basis for future research. In addition, it contributes to the scarce academic literature on technostress and digital knowledge management levels.

This study investigates the effect of government domestic payment arrears on private investment. The authors argue that an increase in government domestic arrears can reduce private sector investment owing to the competition for credit.

The prediction is empirically tested using data for 33 Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries for the period 2007–2018 using a panel general methods of moment estimation technique. This is also complemented with impulse responses derived from the standard vector autoregressive model.

The results show that an increase in government domestic arrears adversely affects private investment in SSA and most subregional communities within SSA. It also revealed that private investment negatively responds to shocks in government domestic arrears.

This is the first study that attempts to investigate the effect of government domestic borrowing arrears on private investment. It seeks to serve as a guide to governments in their domestic borrowing decisions to ensure timely servicing.

The main goal of this work was the CFD analysis of air and oxy-coal combustion, in order to develop a validated with experimental measurements model of the combustion chamber. Moreover, the purpose of this paper is to provide information about limitations of the sub-models implemented in commercial CFD code ANSYS Fluent version 13.0 for the oxy-coal combustion simulations. The influence of implementation of the weighted sum of gray gas model (WSGGM) with coefficients updated to oxy-coal combustion environment has been investigated.

The sub-models validated with experimental measurements model for the air combustion has been used to predict the oxy-coal combustion case and subsequently the numerical solutions have been compared with the experimental data, which enclose the surface incident radiation (SIR) and the flue gas temperature. To improve the numerical prediction of the oxy-coal combustion process the own routine for calculating properties of the oxy-combustion product has been implemented.

The results of numerical simulation of combustion in the air environment fitted within the experimental measurements accuracy. However, the air combustion sub-models implemented for the oxy-coal combustion simulations does not predict the SIR within the experimental data accuracy. The implementation of own routine, which uses the coefficients calculated for oxy-coal combustion environment shows improvement in numerical prediction of oxy-coal combustion.

The radiative properties of gases in the combustion chamber during oxy-coal combustion calculated using the WSGGM implemented in ANSYS Fluent 13.0 do not predict the SIR within experimental measurement accuracy, however, implementation of WSGGM with updated coefficients provide a reasonable improvement in numerical prediction of SIR in the oxy-coal combustion.

The primary goal of this research is to examine how corporate social responsibility (CSR) affects customer engagement (CE) and how corporate reputation (CR) serves as a mediator of this relationship.

The data for this paper were gathered from the customers who were actively engaging with the banks. A total of 445 questionnaires were circulated among the respondents, 397 were selected after removing the faulty ones, which estimates around 90% of the total questionnaire distributed. Customers were asked to record their perceptions regarding CSR, CR and CE. The data were collected from both the regions of Jammu and Kashmir simultaneously.

The findings reinforced the hypothesized associations, indicating that CR successfully and positively mediates the association between CSR and CE.

The outcomes of this study will assist top managers in the organization in understanding the significant impact of CSR and CR, as well as how they both positively impact the CE.

This research introduces a fresh dimension by exploring the influence of cognitive biases in shaping the relationship between CSR efforts, reputation-building and customer engagement. Through this innovative approach, the study establishes a more intricate and comprehensive link between theories, shedding light on the underlying mechanisms that drive these dynamics within the realm of corporate behavior and consumer perceptions.