Garrison Stevens, Sez Atamturktur, Ricardo Lebensohn and George Kaschner
Highly anisotropic zirconium is a material used in the cladding of nuclear fuel rods, ensuring containment of the radioactive material within. The complex material structure of…
Abstract
Purpose
Highly anisotropic zirconium is a material used in the cladding of nuclear fuel rods, ensuring containment of the radioactive material within. The complex material structure of anisotropic zirconium requires model developers to replicate not only the macro-scale stresses but also the meso-scale material behavior as the crystal structure evolves; leading to strongly coupled multi-scale plasticity models. Such strongly coupled models can be achieved through partitioned analysis techniques, which couple independently developed constituent models through an iterative exchange of inputs and outputs. Throughout this iterative process, biases, and uncertainties inherent within constituent model predictions are inevitably transferred between constituents either compensating for each other or accumulating during iterations. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
A finite element model at the macro-scale is coupled in an iterative manner with a meso-scale viscoplastic self-consistent model, where the former supplies the stress input and latter represents the changing material properties. The authors present a systematic framework for experiment-based validation taking advantage of both separate-effect experiments conducted within each constituent’s domain to calibrate the constituents in their respective scales and integral-effect experiments executed within the coupled domain to test the validity of the coupled system.
Findings
This framework developed is shown to improve predictive capability of a multi-scale plasticity model of highly anisotropic zirconium.
Originality/value
For multi-scale models to be implemented to support high-consequence decisions, such as the containment of radioactive material, this transfer of biases and uncertainties must be evaluated to ensure accuracy of the predictions of the coupled model. This framework takes advantage of the transparency of partitioned analysis to reduce the accumulation of errors and uncertainties.
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Keywords
Sarah Holtzen, Sinéad G. Ruane, Aimee Williamson, Megan Douglas and Kimberly Sherman
The case was written using publicly available information from library databases, news articles and other print and video sources. Where possible, direct quotes were obtained from…
Abstract
Research methodology
The case was written using publicly available information from library databases, news articles and other print and video sources. Where possible, direct quotes were obtained from recorded interviews, official announcements and other primary sources of data.
Case overview/synopsis
The case follows Fran Drescher (she), president of the actors’ union Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Radio and Television Artists, as she navigates the historic labor strike that brought Hollywood to a standstill over the summer and fall of 2023. As film and TV productions continued to be delayed and actors remained out of work, Drescher’s leadership style faced criticism, not only from the opposing side in the negotiation process but from her own constituents as well. Through the case, students explore the interplay between gender, leadership and power in the labor negotiation context.
Complexity academic level
The case is designed for a course in organizational behavior and may be taught to either an upper-level undergraduate and/or graduate audience. The instructor’s manual has been thoughtfully designed to guide instructors through the available options in terms of learning objectives, discussion questions and suggested teaching activities. Broadly speaking, the case may be integrated into any course after the topics of power and/or women in leadership have been taught.
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Ruxin Zhang, Jun Lin, Suicheng Li and Ying Cai
This study aims to explore how to overcome and address the loss of exploratory innovation, thereby achieving greater success in exploratory innovation. This phenomenon of loss…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore how to overcome and address the loss of exploratory innovation, thereby achieving greater success in exploratory innovation. This phenomenon of loss occurs when enterprises decrease their investment in and engagement with exploratory innovation, ultimately leading to an insufficient amount of such innovation efforts. Drawing on dynamic capabilities, this study investigates the relationship between organizational foresight and exploratory innovation and examines the moderating role of breakthrough orientation/financial orientation.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used survey data collected from 296 Chinese high-tech companies in multiple industries and sectors.
Findings
The evidence produced by this study reveals that three elements of organizational foresight (i.e. environmental scanning capabilities, strategic selection capabilities and integrating capabilities) positively influence exploratory innovation. Furthermore, this positive effect is strengthened in the context of a high-breakthrough orientation. Moreover, the relationships among environmental scanning capabilities, strategic selection capabilities and exploratory innovation become weaker as an enterprise’s financial orientation increases, whereas a strong financial orientation does not affect the relationship between integrating capabilities and exploratory innovation.
Research limitations/implications
Ambidexterity is key to successful enterprise innovation. Compared with exploitative innovation, it is by no means easy to engage in exploratory innovation, which is especially important in high-tech companies. While the loss of exploratory innovation has been observed, few empirical studies have explored ways to promote exploratory innovation more effectively. A key research implication of this study pertains to the role of organizational foresight in the improvement of exploratory innovation in the context of high-tech companies.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the broader literature on exploratory innovation and organizational foresight and provides practical guidance for high-tech companies regarding ways of avoiding the loss of exploratory innovation and becoming more successful at exploratory innovation.
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Yingying Zhang-Zhang and Sylvia Rohlfer
The rapidly changing international business landscape, driven by dynamic factors such as technology, emerging markets, and unpredictable crises, demands that organizations…
Abstract
Purpose
The rapidly changing international business landscape, driven by dynamic factors such as technology, emerging markets, and unpredictable crises, demands that organizations innovate to survive while gaining and sustaining competitive advantages. Culture, an intricate multilevel construct, presents challenges for transnational enterprises and international business as a key “soft” element of organizational strategy.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper employs a triangulated method combining a systematic literature search, machine learning, and qualitative thematic content analysis to explore the relationship between culture and innovation within the context of international business. The analysis involved scrutinizing 697 journal articles indexed in the Web of Science database.
Findings
Using k-means, which is an unsupervised machine-learning tool in Python, and hypertext preprocessor language scripting, we identified seven topic clusters and 94 keywords. Qualitative thematic content analysis facilitated the recognition of prevailing patterns in researchers' conceptualizations of the interplay between innovation and culture. We identified influential relationships between cultural configurations and innovation.
Research limitations/implications
Our analysis contributes to developing a comprehensive research field map encompassing international business, innovation, and culture.
Originality/value
This study significantly enhances our knowledge of culture and international innovation. Future research that recognizes culture as a dynamic configuration at multiple levels (e.g. national, organizational, professional, and individual) and employs more comprehensive measures of innovation and culture could substantially advance our understanding of the intersection of culture and innovation in international business.