Sergio Amat, Hedi Cherif and J. Carlos Trillo
To provide several comparisons between linear and nonlinear approaches in denoising applications.
Abstract
Purpose
To provide several comparisons between linear and nonlinear approaches in denoising applications.
Design/methodology/approach
The comparison is based on the peak signal noise ratio (PSNR) image quality measure. Which one of the algorithms gives higher PSNR and then denoises more the original picture is studied.
Findings
Nonlinear reconstruction operators can improve the accuracy of the prediction in the vicinity of isolated singularities. A better treatment of the singularities corresponding to the image edges and, therefore, an improvement on the sparsity of the multiresolution representation of images are then expected.
Research limitations/implications
In this paper the point‐value framework is considered. Other frameworks, as the cell‐average discretization, are more suitable for image processing where noise and texture appear. But, the point value schemes can be adapted to the cell‐average discretization using primitive function.
Practical implications
People can use the new denoising algorithm presented in the paper.
Originality/value
In this paper nonlinear schemes in the Harten's multiresolution framework that improve the results of the classical linear schemes are presented.
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Sergio Amat, Juan Ruiz and J. Carlos Trillo
Multiresolution representations of data are classical tools in image processing applications. The purpose of this paper is to discuss a particular problem, obtaining good…
Abstract
Purpose
Multiresolution representations of data are classical tools in image processing applications. The purpose of this paper is to discuss a particular problem, obtaining good reconstructions of noise images.
Design/methodology/approach
A nonlinear multiresolution scheme within Harten's framework corresponding to a nonlinear cell‐average technique is used for color image denoising.
Findings
This paper finds it is possible, for example, to apply the theoretical framework to case studies in internationally operating companies delivering a mix of goods and services.
Research limitations/implications
The present study provides a starting point for further research in the denoising problems using nonlinear techniques.
Originality/value
Moreover, the proposed framework has proven to be useful in improving the classical linear multiresolution approaches.
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Nicolás Marín Ruiz, María Martínez-Rojas, Carlos Molina Fernández, José Manuel Soto-Hidalgo, Juan Carlos Rubio-Romero and María Amparo Vila Miranda
The construction sector has significantly evolved in recent decades, in parallel with a huge increase in the amount of data generated and exchanged in any construction project…
Abstract
The construction sector has significantly evolved in recent decades, in parallel with a huge increase in the amount of data generated and exchanged in any construction project. These data need to be managed in order to complete a successful project in terms of quality, cost and schedule in the the context of a safe project environment while appropriately organising many construction documents.
However, the origin of these data is very diverse, mainly due to the sector’s characteristics. Moreover, these data are affected by uncertainty, complexity and diversity due to the imprecise nature of the many factors involved in construction projects. As a result, construction project data are associated with large, irregular and scattered datasets.
The objective of this chapter is to introduce an approach based on a fuzzy multi-dimensional model and on line analytical processing (OLAP) operations in order to manage construction data and support the decision-making process based on previous experiences. On one hand, the proposal allows for the integration of data in a common repository which is accessible to users along the whole project’s life cycle. On the other hand, it allows for the establishment of more flexible structures for representing the data of the main tasks in the construction project management domain. The incorporation of this fuzzy framework allows for the management of imprecision in construction data and provides easy and intuitive access to users so that they can make more reliable decisions.
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The object of this research is the reconstruction of the existing legal response by European Union states to the phenomenon of immigration. It seeks to analyse the process of…
Abstract
Purpose
The object of this research is the reconstruction of the existing legal response by European Union states to the phenomenon of immigration. It seeks to analyse the process of conferral of protection.
Design/methodology/approach
One main dimension is selected and discussed: the case law of the national courts. The study focuses on the legal status of immigrants resulting from the intervention of these national courts.
Findings
The research shows that although the courts have conferred an increasing protection on immigrants, this has not challenged the fundamental principle of the sovereignty of the states to decide, according to their discretionary prerogatives, which immigrants are allowed to enter and stay in their territories. Notwithstanding the differences in the general constitutional and legal structures, the research also shows that the courts of the three countries considered – France, Germany and Spain – have progressively moved towards converging solutions in protecting immigrants.
Originality/value
The research contributes to a better understanding of the different legal orders analysed.
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Sergio Morales and Oswaldo Morales
The contribution of the present case lies in the critical view that every business actor should exercise – be it general manager, middle management, supervisor or executive – when…
Abstract
Learning outcomes
The contribution of the present case lies in the critical view that every business actor should exercise – be it general manager, middle management, supervisor or executive – when building a strong organizational culture in corrupt political environments.
Case overview/synopsis
The purpose of this case study is to explore the dilemma in which Marcelo Odebrecht, once CEO of Odebrecht, found/determined whether to continue with the business model established by the founders of Odebrecht or take a new path for the organization. After exploring the corrupt acts of Odebrecht and the scope of Operation Lava Jato, the reader can reflect on the importance of organizational culture (according to the three levels proposed by Schein) in the face of the emergence of corruption. By generating discussions about organizational culture, business ethics, political culture and corruption, the organizational culture of Odebrecht is problematized in relation to its real behavior.
Complexity academic level
Students of administration, business and international business undergraduates and graduates, as well as members of senior management in companies in the infrastructure sector. Also, given the plurality of possible readings, it is recommended that the case also be used in courses or specializations in organizational psychology, organizational sociology or organizational anthropology.
Supplementary materials
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Subject code
CSS 5: International Business.
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Cristina Faba Pérez and Isabel María Sanz Caballero
The purpose of the present work was to design a comprehensive weighted features model for the specific evaluation of archival websites, and to apply it in practice to the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the present work was to design a comprehensive weighted features model for the specific evaluation of archival websites, and to apply it in practice to the particular population of Spain's web archives, ranking them in terms of quality based on the features they include.
Design/methodology/approach
The design of the weighted features model is based on two parameters: the weight assigned to each feature according to its relevance for information retrieval from archival websites, and the archival website's degree of compliance with that feature.
Findings
The results of the practical application of the model to the case of Spanish web archives showed that, contrary to prior expectation, factors which are intrinsic to the geographical region of Spain that the archive belongs to, such as economic level or degree of commitment to specific archival legislation, do not directly influence its website's quality ranking. Instead, the authors conclude that the population of archival websites presents its own particular behaviour.
Originality/value
There has been a general lack of research specific to the analysis of the features of archival websites. The present work represents a certain advance in this regard in its proposal of a comprehensive weighted model of indicators for the specific evaluation of archival websites.
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María-Ángeles Chaparro-Domínguez, Victoria Moreno-Gil and Ruth Rodríguez-Martínez
Given the considerable challenges posed by disinformation to both society and journalism, how do news media outlets in Hispanic America and Spain address this pervasive global…
Abstract
Purpose
Given the considerable challenges posed by disinformation to both society and journalism, how do news media outlets in Hispanic America and Spain address this pervasive global phenomenon? The purpose of this study is to evaluate the extent to which these outlets embrace recommendations from academic, professional and institutional spheres for countering false contents.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative content analysis was used using variables linked to transparency, verification and potential errors incurred. This study comprehensively analyses the ethical codes of 34 digital native outlets spanning 12 Hispanic American countries (Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela), as well as Spain.
Findings
The key findings reveal significant variations in adherence to the recommended guidelines. Particularly striking is the disparity between compliance with transparency and verification compared to notably higher adherence to measure aimed at rectifying errors. This exploratory study paves the way for further research on additional countries.
Originality/value
Ethical codes are a fundamental instrument of media accountability. Nevertheless, their utility in the fight against misinformation has barely been addressed. This study is pioneering in the field of disinformation and ethical codes within digital native media outlets in Hispanic America and Spain.
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Carlos Lopezosa, Dimitrios Giomelakis, Leyberson Pedrosa and Lluís Codina
This paper constitutes the first academic study to be made of Google Discover as applied to online journalism.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper constitutes the first academic study to be made of Google Discover as applied to online journalism.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper constitutes the first academic study to be made of Google Discover as applied to online journalism. The study involved conducting 61 semi-structured interviews with experts that are representative of a range of different professional profiles within the fields of journalism and search engine positioning (SEO) in Brazil, Spain and Greece. Based on the data collected, the authors created five semantic categories and compared the experts' perceptions in order to detect common response patterns.
Findings
This study results confirm the existence of different degrees of convergence and divergence in the opinions expressed in these three countries regarding the main dimensions of Google Discover, including specific strategies using the feed, its impact on web traffic, its impact on both quality and sensationalist content and on the degree of responsibility shown by the digital media in its use. The authors are also able to propose a set of best practices that journalists and digital media in-house web visibility teams should take into account to increase their probability of appearing in Google Discover. To this end, the authors consider strategies in the following areas of application: topics, different aspects of publication, elements of user experience, strategic analysis and diffusion and marketing.
Originality/value
Although research exists on the application of SEO to different areas, there have not, to date, been any studies examining Google Discover.
Peer review
The peer-review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-10-2022-0574
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The aim of this article is to apply a re‐worked definition of ideology in order to account for cultural and political dimensions of contemporary armed conflicts.
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this article is to apply a re‐worked definition of ideology in order to account for cultural and political dimensions of contemporary armed conflicts.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper analyzes communiqués, press releases, magazines, pamphlets, speeches, interviews and other communicational media produced by insurgent organizations in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Colombia, particularly in the post‐Cold War, in order to assess the characteristics of their ideological platforms. The extensive use of these primary sources aims at revealing the way the organizations see themselves, and how important ideological warfare is in their overall strategy.
Findings
In the post‐Cold War, and even in the early twenty‐first century, armed guerrillas persisted in linking their armed struggle to ideological platforms, though in more flexible versions. Nationalism, fundamentalism and socialism are functional to their tactics and strategies, and have tangible effects at strategic and tactical levels.
Research limitations/implications
Three sample cases have been revised exhaustively, but that methodology impedes the examination of a wider spectrum of post‐Cold War insurgent organizations, which may balance the results here presented. However, the high relevance of the ideological component in contemporary armed conflicts, as shown in the Afghan, Congolese and Colombian cases, demonstrates the need for further academic works on this topic.
Practical implications
Re‐defining ideology, as the paper proposes, turns it into a powerful conceptual tool to be used in academic research, given that precisely the absence of comprehensive categories of analysis has prevented scholars from providing a full picture of the political and cultural dimensions of contemporary armed conflicts.
Originality/value
As economic‐focused researches on armed conflicts have dominated the field since the 1990s, the paper underlines the need for scholars to approach a broader scope in peace studies.
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Marcus Vinicius Rosário da Silva, Marcelo Jasmim Meiriño, Julio Vieira Neto Vieira Neto and Sheila Walbe Ornstein
An interaction between emerging technologies (ETs) for facility management (FM) activities and stakeholder skills is necessary to promote the optimization of FM performance…
Abstract
Purpose
An interaction between emerging technologies (ETs) for facility management (FM) activities and stakeholder skills is necessary to promote the optimization of FM performance. Previous studies do not show strategies for the selection of ETs in FM considering the technological competencies of stakeholders. Thus, this study analyzes the interactions between ETs and FM from the perceptions of Brazilian professionals, identifying the most appropriate and effective technological solutions, based on a broad literature review.
Design/methodology/approach
The steps of the methodology are as follows: systematic literature review (SLR); detailing the ETs for FM; online questionnaire based on SLR findings; sample of Brazilian FM professionals; statistical treatment; and discussion.
Findings
Results indicate wireless sensor network, Internet of Thing, building information modeling and Big Data as ETs in FM with greater potential for optimization in the performance of FM activities, from survey respondents.
Research limitations/implications
The scope of possible findings may have been biased, considering the small number of research participants and current transformations resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g. changes to standard operating procedures).
Practical implications
The results ensure greater security to facility managers in the effective implementation of ETs in FM activities.
Originality/value
The research explores the published studies and the consultation with Brazilian FM professionals in the selection of ETs.