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This study examines the relationships among those who have experienced burnout, supervisory support and work outcomes (job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and intension to leave) within the framework of the Arabic culture. Supervisory support is proposed to moderate the relationships between experienced burnout and work outcomes. Data from 308 Arab employees from 7 Kuwait business organizations indicate that: (1) experienced burnout is negatively related to job satisfaction, and organizational commitment, (2) experienced burnout is positively related to intention to leave and, (3) supervisory support moderate the relationships between experienced burnout and work outcomes.

This study focuses on the factors that determine the readiness of hotels to implement customer relationship management (CRM) in hotels within the context of Ghana. The sample consisted of 292 employees (restaurant managers, customer service officers, customer relations' officers, and marketing managers) from 3- to 5-star hotels. The study adopted a quantitative deductive approach to collected data using cross-sectional survey, which was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings revealed that management change initiatives and culture have significant impact on organizational readiness to implement CRM in hotels, specifically Ghana. Also, the organizational culture partly mediates management change initiatives and organizational readiness to implement CRM activities. On the other hand, use of technology proved not to mediate management change initiatives and organizational readiness as the relationship proved not to be significant. Also, culture and use of technology have not mediated management change initiatives and organizational readiness as the indirect path proved not to be significant. The outcomes have useful implications for CRM adoption by hotel managers.

The chemical treatment of cotton fabric with bioallethrin to impart a toxic effect against mosquitoes is thoroughly investigated. The treatment is carried out either by an impregnation method or surface coating method. These fabrics are washed and stored, then tested against mosquitoes. A bioassay investigation, scanning electron microscopy examination, and testing for physico mechanical properties of the bioallethrin ∓ treated fabrics are performed. Additionally, we evaluate treated cotton fabrics with a polymer coating process designed to increase the wash durability and time of storage of bioallethrin ∓ treated fabrics.

This chapter investigates the effect of customer orientation and CRM organization on hotel financial performance. A model of enhancing hotel financial performance through customer satisfaction practices was tested. Customer satisfaction was hypothesized to be a mediator in the relationships between customer orientation and CRM organization and the result being financial performance. The sample consisted of 54 hotels that was made up of three 5-star, fifteen 4-star, and thirty-six 3-star hotels in Ghana. A quantitative deductive approach was employed to gather data using cross-sectional survey, which was analyzed using PLS-SEM to check the validity, reliability and factor loading of the data. The findings revealed that, CRM organization enhances customer satisfaction and financial performance of hotels. Also, customer orientation showed significant positively related to customer satisfaction in the hotels. Surprisingly, the effects of CRM organization and customer orientation on financial performance through customer satisfaction were insignificant. Thus, customer satisfaction failed to mediate the effect of CRM organization and customer orientation on the financial performance of hotels. This suggests that though an effective CRM organization enhances customer satisfaction, it directly affects the financial performance of hotels. The outcomes have useful implications for CRM implementation on hotel financial performance in Ghana.

As artificial intelligence (AI), big data, and the diverse interconnected systems transform the operations of industries worldwide, a significant mismatch between the skills taught by educational institutions and those demanded by the labour market emerges. In view of the urgency to close the gap resulted from digital transformation, this chapter thus delves into the challenges faced by industries in Malaysia. Particularly, it looks at how local institutions can bridge such gaps on one hand; while it also discusses how industries in Malaysia can remain competitive before discussing the skills new graduates and the existing workforce need to acquire on the other hand. The discussion will thus emphasize on technical skills, such as AI, data science, and cybersecurity, alongside employability skills, such as critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving. The chapter then examines the role of government interventions, including Malaysia’s Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programmes and other global skill-development initiatives in addressing the skills gap. The role of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which often struggle to provide adequate training opportunities, is also accounted for. It focusses on government programmes which are aimed at supporting workforce development. To foster a future-proof workforce, this chapter then calls for a stronger alignment between educational curricula, industry needs, and government policies. By promoting digital competencies and lifelong learning, nations can be assured that their economies are being well-protected so that they can all thrive in the evolving global landscape driven by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (IR 4.0) technologies.

The objective of the research is to evaluate the carbon footprint of the green asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.) supply chain, encompassing the agricultural production to the packaging stage in Italy, as it is the sixth largest producer and the second largest in Europe. It provides an assessment in the province of Foggia and highlights the global perspective of the carbon footprint application in agro-food systems.

The carbon footprint (ISO 14067:2018) considers 1 t of packaged fresh asparagus as a functional unit in the agricultural production and packaging stage and is based on primary data collected in one of the leading companies of asparagus production in the province of Foggia, which markets about 0.21 kt of asparagus per year produced in about 31 ha. Data were integrated with face-to-face in-depth interviews and pre-filled checklists.

Findings show that the carbon footprint of 1 t of packaged fresh asparagus is equivalent to 335.31 kgCO2eq, of which 61% in the agricultural stage and 39% in the packaging one. The majority of the emissions are associated with the fertigation and the diesel consumption for the transportation of workers. Farmers should adopt green electricity so as to reduce the emissions associated with the electric pump for the extraction of water from artesian wells. Moreover, it would be desirable to replace mineral urea phosphate with organic fertilizers.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, scholars have not yet investigated the environmental impacts of the green asparagus supply chain, even if it represents one of the most cultivated vegetables worldwide, with a global production that amounts to 8.5 Mt per year.

This paper aims to examine the frequency of co-movements and asymmetric dependencies between bitcoin (BTC), gold, Brent crude oil and the US economic policy uncertainty (EPU) index.

The authors use a wavelet approach and a quantile-on-quantile regression (QQR) method.

The results show a positive interdependence between BTC and commodity price returns at both medium and low frequencies over the sample period. In contrast, the dependence is negative between BTC and EPU index at both medium and low frequencies. Furthermore, the co-movements between markets are more pronounced during crises. The results show that strategic commodities and EPU index have the ability to predict BTC price returns at both medium- and long-terms. The QQR method reveals that higher gold returns tend to predict higher/lower BTC returns when the market is in a bullish/bearish state. Moreover, lower gold returns tend to predict lower (higher) BTC returns when the market is in a bearish (bullish) state (positive (negative) relationship). The lower Brent returns tend to predict higher/lower BTC returns when the market is in a bullish/bearish state. High Brent quantiles tend to predict the lower BTC returns in its extremely bearish states. Finally, higher and lower EPU changes tend to predict lower and higher BTC returns when the market is in a bearish/bullish state (negative relationship).

There is generally a lack of understanding of the linkages between BTC, gold, oil and uncertainty index across multiple frequencies. This is, as far as the authors know, the first attempt to apply both the wavelet approach and a QQR method to examine the multiscale linkages among markets under study. The findings should encourage the relevant policymakers to consider these co-movements which vary over time and in duration when setting up regulations that deem to enhance the market efficiency.

The aim was to prepare antibacterial microcapsules and transferred to denim and non-denim (canvas) trousers.

For this purpose, lavender and sweet almond oil as active agents were encapsulated with ethylcellulose shell with a spray dryer method and carried out capsule optimization studies.

The particle diameter of the capsules ranged between 0.61 and 8.76 µm, SPAN value was 1.608 and the mean particle size was 4 µm. The mass yields of capsules ranged between 35.0 and 75.4 %w/w. Denim fabrics were treated with prepared capsules by exhaustion and spraying methods. It was seen that microcapsules provided a reduction of bacteria by over 97% against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli and the fabrics still showed an antibacterial effect after five washing cycles.

When application methods were compared, the spraying method was found to be more sustainable process than exhaustion and could be used as an alternative for reducing energy consumption and capsules could provide antibacterial properties to the fabrics.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) individuals face an elevated level of prejudice in various social settings like sports. These biases can relate to internalized stigma, which might prompt LGBTQ+ athletes to implement numerous identity coping strategies. Muslim LGBTQ+ athletes are likely to experience these dynamics more than others. However, there remains a dearth of scholarship on understanding how Muslim LGBTQ+ athletes employ different identity development coping strategies to tackle the prevalent stigma against them and use their visible identity development process as a means of social activism. Hence, in this book chapter, the authors explore the development of Muslim LGBTQ+ sportspersons' visible identity by defining the forces that shape their identity. The first author of the book chapter sheds light on his experiences while working with the LGBTQ+ community in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and his recent interactions with the Muslim LGBTQ+ community in North America. The authors then highlight how Muslim LGBTQ+ athletes might use different identity coping strategies to show personal agency against the heteronormative system. Furthermore, the authors elucidate how sexual orientation intersects with religion within the sociocultural domain in shaping the identity and present global Muslim LGBTQ+ identity typology. Finally, the authors argue that Muslim LGBTQ+ athletes' visible identity depends upon two factors: religious negative/positive self-beliefs about religion Islam's openness toward LGBTQ+ rights and social acceptance, bounded by time and space.

This paper aims to deal with direct torque controller when the five-phase induction motor drive in faulty operation. Precisely, open-phase fault condition is contemplated. Also, the DTC is combined with a speed-adaptive variable-structure observer based on sliding mode observer.

Two novel features are presented. First, the concept of the virtual voltage vector is presented, which eliminates low-frequency harmonic currents and simplifies analysis. Second, speed information is introduced into the selection of the inverter states.

Direct torque control (DTC) is largely used in traditional three-phase drives as a backup to rotor-stator flux-oriented methods. The classic DTC strategy was primarily designed on the base of hysteresis controllers to control two independent variables (speed, torque and flux). Due to the additional degrees of freedom offered by multiphase machine, extensive works have been extended on the ensemble five-phase drives in healthy operation. In addition, the ability to continue the operation in faulty conditions is considering one of the main advantages of multiphase machines. One can find in the literature different approaches treating this subject. The applicability of DTC after the appearing of a fault has not been enclosed in the literature.

Theoretical development is presented in details followed by simulation results using Matlab/Simulink to analyze the performance of the drive, comparing with the behavior during healthy situation.