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1 – 4 of 4Sho Yokota, Yasuhiro Ohyama, Hiroshi Hashimoto, Jin‐Hua She, Kuniaki Kawabata, Hisato Kobayashi and Pierre Blazevic
The purpose of this paper is to propose a sensor system and its measuring strategy. The proposed system is regarded as a total system of a robot and a sensor. It can make full use…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a sensor system and its measuring strategy. The proposed system is regarded as a total system of a robot and a sensor. It can make full use of a robot's degrees of freedom (DOF) for not only locomotion but also sensing.
Design/methodology/approach
The sensor system is composed of a connected crawler robot and a simple sensor unit. The connected crawler robot consists of five connected flat crawler stages; each stage has motor‐driven crawlers on its left and right side. The left and right crawlers are driven by motors independently. The five stages are connected by motor‐driven joints, which can be arbitrarily controlled. The sensor unit is made up of a position sensitive detector and two active joints. Generally, all sensors have a measurable range limit. If the object is bigger than the measurable range, it is impossible to recognize the object's shape. However, this sensor system compensates for this problem due to a combination of sensor unit's motion and robot's motion. The robot's DOF are ordinarily used for going forward. In this moving, if the sensor detects a bigger object than its measurable range, the robot's DOF are used for lifting up sensor unit. Therefore, the robot's DOF are exploited for both locomotion and scanning.
Findings
The experiment was done by using proposed measurement strategies. Through this experiment, the maximum distance error was 0.037 m, that fulfils the required sensor's accuracy. This experiment confirmed that the measurable range was expanded by making full use of the robot's DOF and sensor's DOF. The robot's DOF which is ordinarily used for moving is applicable to expand measurable range. Therefore, it was possible to expand measurable range by making full use of the robot's DOF without mounting extra equipments or mechanism on the robot. Hence, it was enable to exert enough sensing function even if the sensor's structures and robot's structure are also simple, by using both the robot and the sensor's functions effectively and simultaneously.
Originality/value
General existing mobile robot systems have both mobile function and sensing function, they are completely separate. However, this sensor system is regarded as a total system of robot and sensor. It can make full use of a robot's DOF for not only locomotion but also sensing. This sensor system makes full use of a robot's DOF. Hence, it is enable to exert enough sensing function even if the sensor's structure and robot's structure are also simple. There is originality on this point.
Ying-Wen Liang, Chih-Hung Wang, Sheng-Hshiung Tsaur, Chang-Hua Yen and Jin-Hua Tu
The purpose of this paper is to identify the impact indicators of the 2010 Taipei International Flora Exposition from the perspective of residents and to investigate the effects…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify the impact indicators of the 2010 Taipei International Flora Exposition from the perspective of residents and to investigate the effects of these impacts on the urban sustainability through the perceptions of Taipei residents after the exposition.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted a literature review and consulted experts to identify the impact indicators of the exposition. This process resulted in 17 indicators of economic impact, 12 indicators of environmental impact, and 13 indicators of social impact, and the authors developed a 12-dimension/42-indicator mega-event impact measurement scale. Using a survey of 1,628 host residents after the exposition, the authors performed regression analysis to investigate the effects of these impacts on the urban sustainability.
Findings
The results indicated that economic, environmental, and social impacts exerted significant positive effects on urban sustainability. All positive dimensions of economic, environmental, and social impact exerted significant positive effects on urban sustainability, and all negative dimensions exerted nonsignificant effects on urban sustainability.
Originality/value
This study identified the impact indicators of the 2010 Taipei International Flora Exposition and investigated the effects of these impacts on the urban sustainability. The findings of this study indicated that economic, environmental, and social impacts of the exposition exerted significant positive effects on urban sustainability.
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Keywords
Chih-Hsing Liu, Sheng-Fang Chou, Bernard Gan and Jin-Hua Tu
– The purpose of this paper is to develop a research framework to explain the relationship between overall restaurant quality and customer satisfaction.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a research framework to explain the relationship between overall restaurant quality and customer satisfaction.
Design/methodology/approach
To test this model, the authors deploy 48 mystery shoppers to evaluate 496 Taiwanese restaurants. Further, the authors performed two different regression models and performing the Baron and Kenny (1986) procedure to test the hypotheses.
Findings
This study investigates whether restaurants are susceptible to the quality and level of restaurant service, and the restaurant’s physical atmosphere. Further, this study investigates whether these two constructs are likely to improve customers’ perception of restaurant quality, and whether such a strategy may also lead to customers’ satisfaction and facilities word-of-mouth recommendations.
Practical implications
The evidence suggests that the construct of “restaurant service” and “physical atmosphere” are strong determinant of improving customers’ perception of overall quality of restaurant. That is, there is a tendency to innovate when restaurant managers prioritize customers’ satisfaction. Further, managers who believe that service and physical atmosphere issues are top priorities will also improve the overall quality in their restaurants.
Originality/value
Measuring the relationships between Michelin star evaluation criteria via a large observation sample is rare in the present literature. As far as the authors know, this is the first paper to exam the relationships between Michelin star evaluation criteria.
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Keywords
Teerapun Chaimongkonrojna and Peter Steane
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of the Full Range Leadership Development Program (FR-LDP) of middle managers of a furniture company in Thailand and explore how…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of the Full Range Leadership Development Program (FR-LDP) of middle managers of a furniture company in Thailand and explore how they experience the leadership development phenomenon. It addresses the fundamental question of how effective leadership behaviors occur and are sustained.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 31 middle managers completed a six-month multi-methods development program of three alternating training sessions and on-the-job practice. A 360-degree feedback survey of the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire 5X Short, comprising 284 questionnaires of “leaders” and “raters,” was used to measure the change in effective leadership behaviors and the overall leadership outcome. A sub-sample of 20 participants from these managers was selected for in-depth interviews at the end of the intervention. Semi-structured interviews and critical incident analysis was applied to understand the leadership experience of these managers.
Findings
The study revealed that leadership behavior and overall outcome performance had improved over the course of the FR-LDP. The program did contribute positively to individual learning. Sustained effectiveness was not due solely to the development or intervention process, but also on individual objectives and action, together with supervisor interest and support.
Research limitations/implications
The study provides a valid, in-depth insight into leadership in Thailand, which has practical application. However, the size of the sample may not be sufficient for broad generalizations in other cultural contexts or environments.
Originality/value
The study extends the understanding of how middle managers develop transformational leadership in Thailand. The study contributes to how middle managers learn what they need to know, how they get to know it and factors that influence their practice of transformational leadership in their workplace. The findings provide to organizations options on resources, talent retention and sustaining organizational performance.
Details