Fikri Serdar Gokhan and Gunes Yilmaz
The aim of the paper is to demonstrate a fast numerical solution for Raman fiber amplifier equations using proposed guess functions and MATLAB intrinsic properties. MATLAB BVP…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of the paper is to demonstrate a fast numerical solution for Raman fiber amplifier equations using proposed guess functions and MATLAB intrinsic properties. MATLAB BVP solvers are addressed for the solution.
Design/methodology/approach
The guess functions proposed for the solution of RFA equations using MATLAB BVP solvers are derived from Taylor expansion of pump and signal wave near the boundary to specifically obtain convergence for the initial mesh point. The guess functions increase simulation speed significantly. In order to improve the simulation speed further, vectorization and analytical Jacobians are introduced. Comparisons among bvp4c and bvp5c have been made with respect to total pump power, number of signals, vectorization with/without analytical Jacobians, fiber length, relative tolerance and continuation method. The simulations are performed to determine the effect of the run time on the choice of the number of equally spaced mesh points (N) in the initial guess, and thus optimal N values are found.
Findings
MATLAB BVP solvers have been proven to be effective for the numerical solution of RFAs with the proposed guess functions. In particular, with vectorizing, run time reduction is between 2.1 and 5.4 times for bvp4c and between 1.6 and 2.1 times for bvp5c and in addition to vectorizing, with the introduction of the analytical Jacobians, the reduction is between 2.4 and 6.2 times for bvp4c and 1.7 and 2.2 times for bvp5c, respectively, depending on the total pump power between 1,000 mW and 2,000 mW and the number of signals. Also, simulation results show that the efficiency of the solution with proposed guess functions is improved more than six times compared with those of previously reported continuation methods. Results show that the proposed guess functions with the vectorization and analytical Jacobians can be used for the performance evaluation of RFAs for the high power systems/long gain fiber span.
Practical implications
The robust improvement of the solution proposed in this paper lies in the fact that the derived guess functions for the RFAs are highly effective in the sense that they assist the solver to converge to the solution for any total pump power value in a wide range from 1 to 3,000 mW and for any fiber lengths ranging 1 to 200 km which are used in practical applications. Hence, it is practicable for the performance evaluation of the existing RFA networks.
Originality/value
The novelty of this method is that, starting with the co‐propagating single pump and signal RFA schema, the authors derived the guess function specifically for the initial mesh points rather than using its analytical approximations. Moreover, the solution is generalized for co‐/counter propagating pumps/signals with the curve fitted coefficient(s).
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Fikri Serdar Gokhan and Gunes Yilmaz
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate an effective and robust numerical solution for Raman fiber amplifier (RFA) equations which have no explicit solution. MATLAB BVP…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate an effective and robust numerical solution for Raman fiber amplifier (RFA) equations which have no explicit solution. MATLAB BVP solvers are addressed for the solution.
Design/methodology/approach
The continuation method proposed for the solution of RFA equations using MATLAB BVP solvers is explained. Scripts for improving the power values at the boundaries with continuation, extending fiber length with continuation and calculation of the analytical partial derivatives using the MATLAB Symbolic toolbox are introduced. Comparisons among the different MATLAB BVP solvers have been made. Using the continuation method, signal evolutions for different kinds of RFA amplifier configurations are plotted.
Findings
The paper finds that MATLAB BVP solver with the continuation method can be used in the design of various kinds of RFAs for high powers/long gain fiber spans.
Research limitations/implications
The paper will assist the fiber optic research community who suffer from two or more point boundary‐value problems. Moreover, the stiffness of the signal evolution which is faced with high pump powers and/or long fiber lengths can be solved with continuation. This superiority of the solver can be used to overcome any stiff changes of the signals for future studies.
Practical implications
The increased research interests and practical demands for RFAs have been calling for reasonable and efficient means for the performance evaluation of RFAs before the real amplifiers are fabricated. The solution method presented in this paper will be an efficient means for the solution of this issue.
Originality/value
MATLAB BVP solvers have been proven to be effective for the numerical solution of RFAs with multiple pumps and signal waves. Using the continuation method, in a distributed RFA with ten pump sources, 2,400 mW total input pump power is achieved. The improvement of the total power is about 1.4 times compared with those of the previously reported methods. Using the MATLAB BVP solvers, total power/fiber span can be improved further using the continuation process with the cost of computational time. This is a notable and promising improvement from a RFA designer's point of view.
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Fikri Serdar Gokhan and Gunes Yilmaz
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate an effective and faster numerical solution for nonlinear‐coupled differential equations describing fiber amplifiers which have no…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate an effective and faster numerical solution for nonlinear‐coupled differential equations describing fiber amplifiers which have no explicit solution. MATLAB boundary value problem (BVP) solver of bvp6c function is addressed for the solution.
Design/methodology/approach
Coding method with the bvp6c is introduced, signal evolution, threshold calculation method is introduced, gain and noise figure are plotted and superiority of the bvp6c solver is compared with the Newton‐Raphson method.
Findings
bvp6c function appears to be an effective tool for the solution fiber amplifier equations and can be used for different pump configurations of BFAs and RFAs. The excellent agreement between the proposed and reported results shows the reliability of the proposed threshold power calculation method.
Research limitations/implications
The paper eases the work of the fiber optic research community, who suffer from two point BVPs. Moreover, the stiffness of the signal evolution which is faced with high pump powers and/or long fiber lengths can be solved with continuation. This superiority of the solver can be used to overcome any stiff changes of the signals for the future studies.
Practical implications
The main outcome of this paper is the numerically calculation of the threshold values of fiber amplifiers without the necessity of the experiment. The robustness improvement of the solution is that the solver is able to solve the equations even with the poor guess values and the solution can be obtained without the necessity of analytical Jacobian matrix.
Originality/value
MATLAB bvp6c solver has proven to be effective for the numerical solution of nonlinear‐coupled intensity differential equations describing fiber amplifiers with two‐point boundary values. Beside the signal evolution, thresholds of Brillouin and Raman fiber amplifiers can also be calculated by using the proposed solver. This is a notable and promising improvement of the paper, at least from a fiber optic amplifier designer point of view.
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Fekri Ali Shawtari, Milad Abdelnabi Salem and Izzeldin Bakhit
The purpose of this paper is to examine empirically the efficiency types of Islamic and conventional banks. It seeks to show whether the efficiency level of conventional and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine empirically the efficiency types of Islamic and conventional banks. It seeks to show whether the efficiency level of conventional and Islamic banks significantly differs from each other. In addition, it investigates the influential factors on each type of efficiency.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper utilises the data envelopment analysis in its windows version to estimate the efficiency scores reflecting the time variance and compares between banking models. The paper uses pure technical efficiency (TE) and scale efficiency to achieve the objective of the study. In addition, the panel data technique is adopted to assess the determinants of the efficiency of the banks econometrically.
Findings
The findings of panel regression initially indicate that the pure TE is higher for conventional banks compared to Islamic banks. However, the Islamic banks are more scale efficient than their conventional counterpart. Macro and micro indicators have different impacts on the both types of efficiency. However, the unique factors that show consistent influence on the efficiency types were loans/finance, non-interest income/finance/liquidity and GDP. Furthermore, the determinants are shaped differently for Islamic and conventional banks when the banking model is controlled for.
Originality/value
This paper examines the efficiency types using a unique window analysis approach to examine the types of efficiency with a longitudinal set of data from 1996 to 2011.
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Kemal Yıldırım, Elif Güneş and Gülcan Pervan Yilmaz
The purpose of this paper is to determine the effects of environmental factors in open-plan offices with the same characteristics but with different workstation partition heights…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to determine the effects of environmental factors in open-plan offices with the same characteristics but with different workstation partition heights (1.10, 1.40 and 1.65 m) on perceptual evaluations of office employees.
Design/methodology/approach
In this research, the effects of environmental factors on employees’ perceptual evaluations in open-plan offices at the Gölbaşı Region of Ankara were measured with a detailed questionnaire. The research data were obtained from 81 employees who agreed to fill out the questionnaire and who use open-plan offices.
Findings
It was found that the office environments with 1.65 m workstation partition heights were more favorably assessed for each of the items of planning and of privacy that form the dependent variables compared to the office environments with 1.10 and 1.40 m partition heights. On the other hand, the office environments with the 1.10 and 1.40 m partition heights were more favorable for lighting items than the 1.65 m partition height office environments. In addition, young employees had a more positive tendency toward the perceptions of environmental factors, including different workstation partition heights in open-plan offices, compared to older employees.
Research limitations/implications
Results of this research provide a fundamental contribution for the impact of various partition heights that have substantial implications on the perceptions of open-plan office environments. At this point, as open-plan offices have important effects on the quality of employees’ work experiences, the influence of various partition heights on the performance of employees should be emphasized in future studies. The diversity of performance (reading comprehension, calculation, design, drawing, etc.) will be an important decision.
Originality/value
The significant contribution of this research is that it provides valid data and makes a valuable contribution to the body of knowledge in open-plan office design.
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Kemal Yıldırım, Mehmet Lutfi Hidayetoglu and Sinem Serap Unuvar
This paper aims to focus on determining the effects of location of closed offices on the front facade, rear facade and side facade plans and the indoor layout (left and right…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to focus on determining the effects of location of closed offices on the front facade, rear facade and side facade plans and the indoor layout (left and right users’ cabinets) on perceptual evaluations of users of physical environmental factors.
Design/methodology/approach
For this purpose, the responses of 54 academic users who use the Gazi University Technology Faculty Taskent Building offices were taken with the help of a survey.
Findings
As a result, it was determined that office users on the front and side facades generally perceived more positively the offices’ environmental factors than office users on the back facade. In addition, it was determined that offices with storage cabinets located to the right of users (Type A) were perceived more positively than storage cabinets located to the left of users (Type B). On the other hand, it was determined that users between the ages of 25–45 who used closed offices generally perceived the physical environmental factors of offices more positively than users between the ages of 46 and 65.
Originality/value
Especially the location of the building, the landscaping, the plan of the rooms and the landscape to which they are directed are major design decisions that cannot be controlled by employees. Therefore, it is necessary to know the positive/negative effects that may occur during use before making design decisions.
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Suleyman Karaman and Furkan Yigit
This paper is intended to investigate the economic, organizational and social factors affecting the receipt of advance payment by greenhouse vegetable producers from commission…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper is intended to investigate the economic, organizational and social factors affecting the receipt of advance payment by greenhouse vegetable producers from commission agents operating in the wholesale market.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were gathered through questionnaire forms developed for this specific purpose through face-to-face interviews with 180 producers growing greenhouse vegetables in the central district and Serik, Antalya in the Western Mediterranean Region of Turkey. A logistic regression model was employed to analyse the factors affecting the likelihood of greenhouse vegetable growers getting advance from commission agents.
Findings
A good financial status of enterprises producing greenhouse vegetables and the fact that their production input needs are met by cooperatives reduce their dependence on commission agents, thereby increasing their bargaining power when selling their products. Since producers can readily meet their need for the capital required for the vegetable production process from commission agents, they do not prefer to borrow from lending institutions making agricultural loans with requirements such as collateral. The fact that greenhouse vegetable farmers receive technical and market information and advice from commission agents strengthens their relationship with them.
Originality/value
It is the first study that evaluates in detail the financial aspect of the relationships between producers and commission agents in the greenhouse vegetables wholesale market. It contributes significantly to agricultural policymakers regarding the functioning of the greenhouse vegetable market, and in particular, the regulations on agricultural loans for production processes.
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Vincenza Capone and Giovanna Petrillo
The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the validation of the Organizational Justice Index (OJI) by Hoy and Tarter (2004), a self-report questionnaire for teachers’…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the validation of the Organizational Justice Index (OJI) by Hoy and Tarter (2004), a self-report questionnaire for teachers’ perceptions of fairness in the operation and administration of schools.
Design/methodology/approach
In two studies the authors validated the Italian version of the OJI. Study 1 included 164 Italian high school teachers (76.8 percent were female) to test structure and construct validity. Study 2 involved 200 teachers (permanent and temporary teachers) to confirm the structure of the scale, test the construct and criterion validity, and invariance.
Findings
Confirmatory factor analyses confirmed the one-factor solution and that the structure of the scale was the same across teachers. Results revealed high internal reliability. The OJI correlated positively with equity, school climate, and job satisfaction, and negatively with depression and burnout.
Research limitations/implications
Since the research approach could lead to common method variance issues, it will be important to determine the associations of OJI with non-self-report assessments.
Practical implications
The OJI can be applied optimally to: assess potential organizational problems prior to conducting major interventions; investigate school dynamic problems; target interventions designed to enhance perception of organizational justice; incorporate evaluation of organizational justice as part of regular employee assessments.
Originality/value
Overall findings fill the need of standardized measures of organizational justice for specific context. The OJI is a valid instrument to measure organizational justice in school, involving different type of teachers.
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Seda Tan and Gulden Gumusburun Ayalp
Despite several advantages of Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology, BIM has not been adopted and implemented extensively in developing countries. Consequently BIM…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite several advantages of Building Information Modelling (BIM) technology, BIM has not been adopted and implemented extensively in developing countries. Consequently BIM remains at a beginner level in developing countries. To increase the level of BIM implementation, first, knowing the root factors that resist BIM implementation is necessary to know. Therefore, the objective of this study was to identify the factors that limit BIM implementation in developing countries, specifically in the Turkish Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire was designed with 46 influencing causes (ICs) identified through a systematic literature review. In total, 141 survey results were returned from architects and engineers, and reliability analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted. Furthermore, a structural equation model (SEM) was developed to identify the root factors of BIM implementation.
Findings
Eight root factors affecting the prevalent use of BIM technology in the Turkish construction industry were determined and grouped into three categories based on BIM implementation level. Problems with the BIM transition process and a lack of management support are the most influential root factors limiting BIM implementation. Lack of incentives, lack of BIM education, bias regarding BIM technology and BIM-based software problems form the second group of root factors that have a significant effect. Awareness and lack of communication amongst stakeholders were identified as root factors that had a moderate effect.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes to the knowledge body by revealing eight root factors limiting BIM implementation in the Turkish AEC industry which can be generalised to most developing countries. Therefore, the outcomes of this study may be used as a practical reference for future research aimed at improving BIM adoption in developing countries through governmental, educational, and managerial solutions.
Originality/value
Several studies have identified the challenges and barriers of BIM implementation in the construction industry using qualitative and quantitative analyses and projected the current state. Unlike previous studies, this study comprehensively and quantitatively determined the root factors that constrain the use of BIM in Turkey using exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modelling to present a structural model.
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Zeynep Caferoglu Akin, Gizem Aytekin-Sahin, Busra Aslan Gonul, Didem Gunes Kaya and Yavuz Tokgoz
This study aims to examine the dietary compliance of children and adolescents with celiac disease (CD) and their diet quality (DQ) and dietary acid load (DAL) and to determine the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the dietary compliance of children and adolescents with celiac disease (CD) and their diet quality (DQ) and dietary acid load (DAL) and to determine the relationship of these dietary parameters with health-related quality of life (HRQoL).
Design/methodology/approach
Ninety-one children and adolescents with CD and 144 healthy peers were included in this cross-sectional study. Anthropometric measurements were conducted by researchers. DQ and DAL were calculated from participants’ 24-h dietary recall records. HRQoL was assessed using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory, and compliance with a gluten-free diet (GFD) was obtained using the GFD score. Data was collected through a face-to-face questionnaire.
Findings
Of celiac patients, 53.1% were strictly compatible with the GFD, and 35.8% were non-compliant with the diet. The DQ scores of participants with CD were higher than their healthy peers, and the DAL scores were lower (p < 0.01). Finally, no relationship was found between the DQ and DAL with HRQoL scores in celiac patients (p > 0.05). However, better dietary compliance with the GFD was associated with improved HRQoL (p < 0.05).
Practical implications
While DQ and DAL had no association with HRQoL, better dietary compliance improved the HRQoL of celiac patients. This may help develop solutions to the problems experienced by celiac patients, thereby improving the management of CD.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the association of DQ and DAL with HRQoL in children with CD.