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1 – 10 of over 1000Conducting mixed methods (MM) research is one of many ways to study a research topic in the hospitality and tourism domain. This paper aims to offer a synopsis and guidelines on…
Abstract
Purpose
Conducting mixed methods (MM) research is one of many ways to study a research topic in the hospitality and tourism domain. This paper aims to offer a synopsis and guidelines on the application of MM research design within hospitality and tourism.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper summarizes the pivotal information on how to write high-quality MM research papers. In doing so, the paper draws on common practices and advice from previous books and articles as well as advice from the editor-in-chief and one of the associate editors of the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management.
Findings
This study provides explanations, guidelines and examples of MM research design.
Research limitations/implications
It offers specific recommendations and examples of MM research design in the hospitality and tourism field. This study concludes with a discussion of common mistakes, useful tips and a framework for the self-assessment of MM research.
Originality/value
This is one of the few studies providing specific guidance and recommendations on designing MM research papers in hospitality and tourism studies.
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Pouyan Mahdavi-Roshan and Seyed Meysam Mousavi
Most projects are facing delays, and accelerating the pace of project progress is a necessity. Project managers are responsible for completing the project on time with minimum…
Abstract
Purpose
Most projects are facing delays, and accelerating the pace of project progress is a necessity. Project managers are responsible for completing the project on time with minimum cost and with maximum quality. This study provides a trade-off between time, cost, and quality objectives to optimize project scheduling.
Design/methodology/approach
The current paper presents a new resource-constrained multi-mode time–cost–quality trade-off project scheduling model with lags under finish-to-start relations. To be more realistic, crashing and overlapping techniques are utilized. To handle uncertainty, which is a source of project complexity, interval-valued fuzzy sets are adopted on several parameters. In addition, a new hybrid solution approach is developed to cope with interval-valued fuzzy mathematical model that is based on different alpha-levels and compensatory methods. To find the compatible solution among conflicting objectives, an arithmetical average method is provided as a compensatory approach.
Findings
The interval-valued fuzzy sets approach proposed in this paper is denoted to be scalable, efficient, generalizable and practical in project environments. The results demonstrated that the crashing and overlapping techniques improve time–cost–quality trade-off project scheduling model. Also, interval-valued fuzzy sets can properly manage expressions of the uncertainty of projects which are realistic and practical. The proposed mathematical model is validated by solving a medium-sized dataset an adopted case study. In addition, with a sensitivity analysis approach, the solutions are compared and the model performance is confirmed.
Originality/value
This paper introduces a new continuous-based, resource-constrained, and multi-mode model with crashing and overlapping techniques simultaneously. In addition, a new hybrid compensatory solution approach is extended based on different alpha-levels to handle interval-valued fuzzy multi-objective mathematical model of project scheduling with influential uncertain parameters.
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Sayyid Ali Banihashemi and Mohammad Khalilzadeh
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate project activities' efficiency in different execution modes for the optimization of time–cost-quality and environmental impacts trade-off…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate project activities' efficiency in different execution modes for the optimization of time–cost-quality and environmental impacts trade-off problem.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents a parallel Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method for evaluation of project activities with different execution modes to select the best execution mode and find a trade-off between objectives. Also, according to the nature of the project activities, outputs are categorized into desirable (quality) and undesirable (time, cost and environmental impacts) and analyzed based on the DEA model. In order to rank efficient execution modes, the ideal and anti-ideal virtual units method is used. The proposed model is implemented on a real case of a rural water supply construction project to demonstrate its validity.
Findings
The findings show that the use of the efficient execution mode in each activity leads to an optimal trade-off between the four project objectives (time, cost, quality and environmental impacts).
Practical implications
This study help project managers and practitioners with choosing the most efficient execution modes of project activities taking time–cost-quality-environmental impacts into account.
Originality/value
In this paper, in addition to time and cost optimization of construction projects, quality factors and environmental impacts are considered. Further to the authors' knowledge, there is no method for evaluating project activities' efficiency. The efficiency of different activity modes is also evaluated for the first time to select the most efficient modes. This research can assist project managers with choosing the most appropriate execution modes for the activities to ultimately accomplish the project with the lowest time, cost and environmental impacts along with the highest quality.
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Shiba Hessami, Hamed Davari-Ardakani, Youness Javid and Mariam Ameli
This study aims to deal with the multi-mode resource-constrained project scheduling problem (MRCPSP) with the ability to transport resources among multiple sites, aiming to…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to deal with the multi-mode resource-constrained project scheduling problem (MRCPSP) with the ability to transport resources among multiple sites, aiming to minimize the total completion time and the total cost of the project simultaneously.
Design/methodology/approach
To deal with the problem under consideration, a bi-objective optimization model is developed. All activities are interconnected by finish-start precedence relations, and pre-emption is not allowed. Then, the ɛ-constraint optimization method is used to solve 24 different-sized instances, ranging from 5 to 120 activities, and report the makespan, total cost and CPU time. A set of Pareto-optimal solutions are determined for some instances, and sensitivity analyses are performed to find the impact of changing parameters on objective values.
Findings
Results highlight the importance of resource transportability assumption on project completion time and cost, providing useful insights for decision makers and practitioners.
Originality/value
A novel bi-objective optimization model is proposed to deal with the multi-site MRCPSP, considering both the cost and time of resource transportation between multiple sites. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, none of the studies in the project scheduling area has yet addressed this problem.
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Marimuthu Kannimuthu, Benny Raphael, Ekambaram Palaneeswaran and Ananthanarayanan Kuppuswamy
The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework to optimize time, cost and quality in a multi-mode resource-constrained project scheduling environment.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework to optimize time, cost and quality in a multi-mode resource-constrained project scheduling environment.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study approach identified the activity execution modes in building construction projects in India to support multi-mode resource-constrained project scheduling. The data required to compute time, cost and quality of each activity are compiled from real construction projects. A binary integer-programming model has been developed to perform multi-objective optimization and identify Pareto optimal solutions. The RR-PARETO3 algorithm was used to identify the best compromise trade-off solutions. The effectiveness of the proposed framework is demonstrated through sample case study projects.
Findings
Results show that good compromise solutions are obtained through multi-objective optimization of time, cost and quality.
Research limitations/implications
Case study data sets were collected only from eight building construction projects in India.
Practical implications
It is feasible to adopt multi-objective optimization in practical construction projects using time, cost and quality as the objectives; Pareto surfaces help to quantify relationships among time, cost and quality. It is shown that cost can be reduced by increasing the duration, and quality can be improved only by increasing the cost.
Originality/value
The use of different activity execution modes compiled from multiple projects in optimization is illustrated, and good compromise solutions for the multi-mode resource-constrained project scheduling problems using multi-objective optimization are identified.
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S. Mostafa Rasoolimanesh, Christian M. Ringle, Marko Sarstedt and Hossein Olya
This study aims to propose guidelines for the joint use of partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to propose guidelines for the joint use of partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to combine symmetric and asymmetric perspectives in model evaluation, in the hospitality and tourism field.
Design/methodology/approach
This study discusses PLS-SEM as a symmetric approach and fsQCA as an asymmetric approach to analyze structural and configurational models. It presents guidelines to conduct an fsQCA based on latent construct scores drawn from PLS-SEM, to assess how configurations of exogenous constructs produce a specific outcome in an endogenous construct.
Findings
This research highlights the advantages of combining PLS-SEM and fsQCA to analyze the causal effects of antecedents (i.e., exogenous constructs) on outcomes (i.e., endogenous constructs). The construct scores extracted from the PLS-SEM analysis of a nomological network of constructs provide accurate input for performing fsQCA to identify the sufficient configurations required to predict the outcome(s). Complementing the assessment of the model’s explanatory and predictive power, the fsQCA generates more fine-grained insights into variable relationships, thereby offering the means to reach better managerial conclusions.
Originality/value
The application of PLS-SEM and fsQCA as separate prediction-oriented methods has increased notably in recent years. However, in the absence of clear guidelines, studies applied the methods inconsistently, giving researchers little direction on how to best apply PLS-SEM and fsQCA in tandem. To address this concern, this study provides guidelines for the joint use of PLS-SEM and fsQCA.
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Amin Mahmoudi and Saad Ahmed Javed
The study aims to introduce two new models of project scheduling by incorporating potential quality loss cost (PQLC) in time–cost tradeoff problems by overcoming the drawbacks of…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to introduce two new models of project scheduling by incorporating potential quality loss cost (PQLC) in time–cost tradeoff problems by overcoming the drawbacks of the existing Kim, Khang and Hwang (KKH) model. The proposed methods are named the Revised KKH-I (RKKH-I) and Revised KKH-II (RKKH-II) models for project scheduling.
Design/methodology/approach
The performance of the existing KKH model has been tested using a numerical example followed by the identification of the main shortcomings of the KKH method. Later, a concrete effort has been made to address its shortcomings while improving its performance significantly. The comparative analysis of the Revised KKH models with the original model has also been presented along with sensitivity analyses.
Findings
The study recognizes that the construct on which the original KKH method was built is important; however, certain drawbacks make it unable to consider PQLC in projects, thus making its practical use questionable. The comparative analysis of the proposed methodology with the original method demonstrated that the new models (RKHH-I and II) are more comprehensive and intelligent than the existing KKH model.
Originality/value
The comparative analysis of the original KKH model and its improved version reveals that the revised model is far more suitable for project scheduling. The study is important for project managers who recognize project scheduling being one of the key parameters associated with project management process, crucial to control every day during the management of projects.
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This paper endeavors to critically examine the trade‐offs among project objectives and their underlying assumptions.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper endeavors to critically examine the trade‐offs among project objectives and their underlying assumptions.
Design/methodology/approach
Effect‐cause‐effect (ECE) methodology of theory of constraints (TOC) has been applied to examine the assumptions behind successfully managing business projects.
Findings
The essence of discussion in this paper leads towards the realization that a possibility exists for time, cost and quality objectives to be pursued collectively in a project management environment.
Research limitations/implications
This paper evaluates to what extent trade‐offs among project objectives actually exist and explores the possibility of their co‐existence in a project management environment. This realization can significantly impact the project trade‐off models in existing literature.
Originality/value
Time, cost and quality have been recognized to be important objectives to successfully complete a project and several studies have acknowledged the necessity to address their trade‐offs. However, most of these studies have taken the trade‐offs for granted without critically examining the assumptions behind such trade‐offs. The present paper fills that gap by applying ECE approach of TOC to examine project management trade‐off assumptions. There‐in lies the value of the current paper.
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Mohsen Javanmard, Mohammad Hasan Taheri, Nematollah Askari, Hakan F. Öztop and Nidal Abu-Hamdeh
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the hydromagnetic third-grade non-Newtonian fluid flow and heat transfer between two coaxial pipes with a variable radius ratio.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the hydromagnetic third-grade non-Newtonian fluid flow and heat transfer between two coaxial pipes with a variable radius ratio.
Design/methodology/approach
To solve the approximate nonlinear and linear problems with variable coefficients, a trial function was applied. Methods include collocation, least square and Galerkin that can be applied for obtaining these coefficients.
Findings
It is revealed that an increase of the non-Newtonian parameter, Hartmann number, and radius ratio leads to an augmentation of the absolute value of the dimensionless velocity, temperature, velocity gradient, and temperature gradient of about 10-60%. Further, the augmentation of Bi1 reduces the absolute value of the dimensionless temperature profile and dimensionless temperature gradient about three to four times; hence, the dimensionless heat transfer rate reduces. However, the growth of Bi2 has a contrary impact. Besides, the increase of Pr and Ec leads to an increase in the dimensionless temperature profile and dimensionless temperature gradient; therefore, the dimensionless heat transfer rate increases.
Originality/value
The convection heat transfer on the walls of the pipes is considered, and the nonlinear coupled momentum and energy equations are solved using the least squared method and collocation methods, respectively.
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