A. Tekaya, R. Bouzerar, V. Bourny and I. Tekaya
We study numerically and theoretically the electrical behavior of individual steel beads and the contact between 2 adjacent beads within a granular system. Due to the thin…
Abstract
We study numerically and theoretically the electrical behavior of individual steel beads and the contact between 2 adjacent beads within a granular system. Due to the thin insulating oxide layer present at the surface of the beads, the coupling between neighboring beads is likely to occur through electron tunneling. The quantum tunneling dominates at low current where it generates a high resistance in the upwards characteristic. Retaining only fundamental ingredients such as modeling the tunneling contact as a parallel RC circuit, we show how our model agrees qualitatively and quantitatively with experimental results as the observed hysteretic features and the slow relaxation of the electrical properties of a large assembly of beads.
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Dinesh Ramkrushna Rotake, Anand Darji and Nitin S. Kale
This paper aims to report an insightful portable microfluidic system for rapid and selective sensing of Hg2+ in the picomolar (pM) concentration using microcantilever-based…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to report an insightful portable microfluidic system for rapid and selective sensing of Hg2+ in the picomolar (pM) concentration using microcantilever-based piezoresistive sensor. The detection time for various laboratory-based techniques is generally 12–24 h. The majority of modules used in the proposed platform are battery oriented; therefore, they are portable and handy to carry-out on-field investigations.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, the authors have incorporated the benefit of three technologies, i.e. thin-film, nanoparticles (NPs) and micro-electro-mechanical systems, to selectively capture the Hg2+ at the pM concentration. The morphology and topography of the proposed sensor are characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy and verification of the experimental results using energy dispersive X-ray.
Findings
The proposed portable microfluidic system is able to perform the detection in 5 min with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.163 ng (0.81 pM/mL) for Hg2+, which perfectly describes its excellent performance over other reported techniques.
Research limitations/implications
A microcantilever-based technology is perfect for on-site detection, and a LOD of 0.163 ng (0.81 pM/mL) is outstanding compared to other techniques, but the fabrication of microcantilever sensor is complex.
Originality/value
Many researchers used NPs for heavy metal ions sensing, but the excess usage and industrialization of NPs are rapidly expanding harmful consequences on the human life and nature. Also, the LOD of the NPs-based method is limited to nanomolar concentration. The suggested microfluidic system used the benefit of thin-film and microcantilever devices to provide advancement over the NPs-based approach and it has a selective sensing in pM concentration.
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Vineet Tambe, Gaurav Bansod, Soumya Khurana and Shardul Khandekar
The purpose of this study is to test the Internet of things (IoT) devices with respect to reliability and quality.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to test the Internet of things (IoT) devices with respect to reliability and quality.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, the authors have presented the analysis on design metrics such as perception, communication and computation layers for a constrained environment. In this paper, based on their literature survey, the authors have also presented a study that shows multipath routing is more efficient than single-path, and the retransmission mechanism is not preferable in an IoT environment.
Findings
This paper discusses the reliability of various layers of IoT subject methodologies used in those layers. The authors ran performance tests on Arduino nano and raspberry pi using the AES-128 algorithm. It was empirically determined that the time required to process a message increases exponentially and is more than what benchmark time estimates as the message size is increased. From these results, the authors can accurately determine the optimal size of the message that can be processed by an IoT system employing controllers, which are running 8-bit or 64-bit architectures.
Originality/value
The authors have tested the performance of standard security algorithms on different computational architectures and discuss the implications of the results. Empirical results demonstrate that encryption and decryption times increase nonlinearly rather than linearly as message size increases.
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Sung Gyun Mun, Linda Woo and Kwanglim Seo
This paper aims to understand the effect of food and beverage (F&B) services on the operating performance of luxury hotels and to identify the heterogeneous effects of the luxury…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to understand the effect of food and beverage (F&B) services on the operating performance of luxury hotels and to identify the heterogeneous effects of the luxury hotels’ F&B operation on the business performance between Asia and the USA.
Design/methodology/approach
Operating performance of luxury hotels in Asia (37 hotels), including Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Hong Kong and in the USA (72 hotels), including New York, California, Florida, Illinois and Texas was collected from STR reports. This study applied generalized estimating equations models to reach the conclusions.
Findings
The emphasis on F&B services exhibits a significant positive effect on the operating performance of luxury hotels in Asia. The occupancy rate and gross operating profit per available room of luxury hotels in Asia have improved with the investment in F&B offerings. Therefore, a distinctive F&B offering should be considered as one of the main products and services rather than a supplementary service in Asia. While devotion to F&B services lacks a significant positive effect on luxury hotels in the USA.
Originality/value
This study is the first effort to identify the importance of luxury hotels’ F&B operation for the overall hotel performance in Asia and the USA by focusing on the entire industry’s operating information.
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David W. Brannon and Ralf Burbach
Purpose: We generally ascribe hospitality industry talent shortages to organisations competing for dwindling talent rather than their inability to sustain industry talent pools…
Abstract
Purpose: We generally ascribe hospitality industry talent shortages to organisations competing for dwindling talent rather than their inability to sustain industry talent pools. This chapter suggests that developing sustainable talent management and development (STMD) initiatives can address the talent attraction and retention issues the industry is facing. Following Ostrom’s (2002) design principles, we advocate for sustainable common pool resource networks as a solution for developing durable STMD initiatives to address talent shortages within the hospitality industry.
Methodology: A conceptual chapter synthesising disparate theories in a new context.
Findings: Despite hospitality organisations’ continued investment in talent management, talent shortages remain systematically embedded within the industry. These are the result of a perennial competition among hospitality firms for talent, when, instead, these firms should engage in collective efforts to sustain industry talent pools. The adoption of a more sustainable approach by incorporating Ostrom’s (2002) design principles to establish long-lasting common talent pool resource in the form of industry rather than firm-level talent pools may halt the decline in available talent.
Research Limitation/Implications: While hospitality organisations have a vested interest in sustainably managing talent, limited attention has been paid to creating sustainable industry talent pools. We propose several design principles for developing durable STMD initiatives, which require empirical testing.
Practical/Social Implications: We address talent shortages for hospitality organisations by offering the blueprint for developing sustainable industry talent pools for a collection of firms, which, on their own, would lack the experience and resources to securing a steady supply of talent. In addition, industry talent pools also have the potential to improve the general working conditions for employees in this industry pool.
Originality/Value of Chapter: This chapter addresses hospitality industry talent shortages by proposing the creation of sustainable regional industry talent pools rather than focussing on firm-level talent management practices.
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Samir Sayadi, Yamna Erraach and Carlos Parra-López
The purpose of this paper is to translate consumer requirements regarding olive-oil quality attributes into specific olive-growing practices that most contribute to satisfy these…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to translate consumer requirements regarding olive-oil quality attributes into specific olive-growing practices that most contribute to satisfy these attributes.
Design/methodology/approach
After identifying consumer requirements or needs regarding different attributes of olive-oil quality, through a survey of 439 olive-oil consumers, the authors determine the olive-growing practices that optimally satisfy consumer needs through expert opinions. Finally, the use of expert knowledge to construct the House of Quality or the first matrix of quality function deployment allow the authors to define the relative contribution of the various olive-farming practices to the satisfaction of consumer requirements.
Findings
The findings have shown that the olive-oil quality attributes most requested by consumers incorporate organoleptic (e.g. acidity, flavour, colour), sociocultural (e.g. creating employment in rural areas, maintenance of the rural population) and environmental ones (environmental externalities). The “separation of olives collected from ground and trees” (separation), “timing of harvesting” (according to a fruit-ripeness index), the “method of the ground harvest” (no picking from the ground), and the “method of tree harvest” (handpicking) were some of the most commonly identified olive-farming practices that contribute the most to meeting consumers’ needs with regard to olive-oil quality.
Research limitations/implications
The study suggests detailed analyses of the relationships between customer requirements and other agents practices involved in the olive sector (processing industries: mills, distribution, and marketing management, etc.) to more fully investigate the impact of all these practices on consumers’ perceived olive-oil quality attributes. This is the most reliable way to guarantee that the most sought-after quality characteristics are taken into account, not only in the farming stage but also in the various different stages of the olive agri-food chain.
Practical implications
Findings represent an opportunity in the market value chain to develop a quality olive oil which is more oriented towards the consumer and able to face future segmentations in the market. This is one of the main innovative features of this study, as it offers “good practice” guidelines to agents of the olive-oil sector from the consumer perspective.
Social implications
This study provides positive implications to consumers, providing them important tools to make an informed choice, and producers and marketers helping the design of production strategies to optimally satisfy the consumer preference with regard to olive-oil quality, and attain a competitive advantage by adding value to the product.
Originality/value
This paper is regarded as the pioneer in the literature translating the “consumer voice” regarding olive-oil quality into specific olive-growing practices “good-practices guidelines”. Thus, the relevant required quality olive-oil attributes should be clearly described on the label, to enable consumers to identify the quality features and make an informed choice. Furthermore, to meet consumers’ needs, the olive-oil sector should focus on the olive-growing practices that optimally satisfy consumer requirements concerning olive-oil quality attributes. This would help to improve legitimacy and boost public support for the Common Agricultural Policy subsidies for the agricultural sector in general, and the olive sector in particular. The findings are particularly valuable in helping policy makers to design marketing strategies to improve the sustainability and competitiveness of Spanish olive oil.
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Ruggero Sainaghi, Rodolfo Baggio, Paul Phillips and Aurelio G. Mauri
This paper aims to provide a review of hotel performance within the hospitality and tourism research domain. The authors use network analysis to examine two research questions…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide a review of hotel performance within the hospitality and tourism research domain. The authors use network analysis to examine two research questions. The first relates to ascertaining general trends within the hotel performance literature, and the second focuses on identifying the salient streams and sub-topics.
Design/methodology/approach
Articles were selected according to three criteria: keywords, journals and year of publication. The analysis embraces 20 years (1996-2015). These choices assure a wide coverage of the literature. Using these three criteria, the sample includes 1,155 papers. For the analysis, the authors created a network of papers designated as nodes, and the citations among the papers as links. A network approach recognizes the internal structure of the network by identifying groups of nodes (papers) that are more densely connected between themselves than to other nodes within the network (modules, clusters or communities).
Findings
The authors found 761 papers that were “connected” studies within the network. By contrast, 34 per cent of the sample (394 papers) consists of “unconnected” studies. Excluding outliers, the net sample was 734 articles. The authors identify 14 clusters, which they break down into several sub-topics. The authors conclude by providing some conclusions regarding trends and future research directions. With regards to salient topics, cross-citation and network analysis provide a detailed picture of where the literature comes from and where it currently stands. Conclusions are articulated at the theoretical and empirical levels.
Originality/value
Compared with previous hotel performance reviews, the approach followed by this study enables the discovery of an analytical research map, which is able to identify both clusters and sub-topics populating each segment. Researchers are able to position their work and identify issues that are in growth and decline.
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Levent Altinay, You-De Dai, Janet Chang, Chun-Han Lee, Wen-Long Zhuang and Ying-Chan Liu
This study aims to explore the mediating effects of role overload and job security on the relationship between leader–member exchange and work engagement and simultaneously…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the mediating effects of role overload and job security on the relationship between leader–member exchange and work engagement and simultaneously examines the impact of role overload on employees’ job security.
Design/methodology/approach
By means of telephone and email, the study inquired eight international tourist hotels’ willingness, and questionnaires were distributed to employees of these hotels in 2014. The hotel employees were asked to participate, and they have the right to agree or not. After discarding unusable responses, 310 individual surveys ratings were collected from a total of 500 self-administrated questionnaires were distributed (a 62.0 per cent response rate).
Findings
The result indicates that role overload and job security have mediating effects on the relationship between leader–member exchange and work engagement. Also, role overload can positively influence job security.
Originality/value
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the mediating roles of role overload and job security between LMX and work engagement, as well as the influence of role overload on job security. This study attempts to make contributions to human resource management literatures of hospitality and tourism.
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The paper aligns two lines of research that tend to develop separately in tourism studies: new institutional economics (NIE) and theory of experience production. The purpose of…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aligns two lines of research that tend to develop separately in tourism studies: new institutional economics (NIE) and theory of experience production. The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the institutional restraints on tourism growth in developing and transit countries.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on a qualitative research methodology. A summary of key literature is presented alongside an in-depth analysis of the possibilities for NIE application in tourism research.
Findings
The notion of institutional structure of experience production is defined as an institutional arrangement supporting or inhibiting experience production. It is proposed as a promising framework for a more intensive NIE methodology application to tourism research. This framework is applied to tourist experience production stages, and some specific institutions accounting for positive experience creation are revealed for key experience production stages.
Research limitations/implications
This paper is limited in that it offers a conceptual analysis, though directions for further empirical research are proposed.
Originality/value
The paper is a first attempt at emphasizing impacts of some specific institutions on positive tourist experience production and it stresses their importance to the international tourism industry as it expands in developing and transit countries.
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The impact of specific investments to performance has mixed arguments. This paper aims to clarify how and under what conditions specific investments made by manufacturer tailored…
Abstract
Purpose
The impact of specific investments to performance has mixed arguments. This paper aims to clarify how and under what conditions specific investments made by manufacturer tailored to supplier affect the new product development (NPD) performance of the manufacturer itself.
Design/methodology/approach
This study develops a moderated mediation model, testing the roles of supplier involvement and information technology (IT) implementation by regression and bootstrap analyses from 378 NPD projects.
Findings
The results show both physical and human specific investments positively affect NPD performance. IT implementation strengthens the mediated role of supplier involvement, i.e. the mediator role of supplier involvement between specific investments and NPD performance link is significantly weaker while IT implementation is lower.
Originality/value
The findings contribute to identify IT implementation and supplier involvement as two important constructs, together demonstrating how and when specific investments affect NPD performance.