Trung Thanh Nguyen and John Tenhunen
The authors aim to provide here an opinion on the state‐of‐the‐art of integrated ecological‐economic assessments of bioenergy under climate change, as well as the challenges along…
Abstract
Purpose
The authors aim to provide here an opinion on the state‐of‐the‐art of integrated ecological‐economic assessments of bioenergy under climate change, as well as the challenges along with their implications faced in planning adaptation at local scale.
Design/methodology/approach
Investments to reduce emissions must be made in the coming decades to avoid the risks posed by climate change. If these investments are made wisely, then costs will be manageable, stability in markets as well as energy security will be achieved, and even rural development and economic growth may be stimulated. The authors call attention to the need for modeling of climate change impacts by combining the outputs from appropriately designed crop simulation models with economic analyses. Combining natural science and economics in a compatible fashion at local scale will play an essential role in advancing communication and information exchange.
Findings
There are key differences in drivers or determinants of mitigation and adaptation potential and decisions at different scales, which means that different actors, different timescales and different spatial scales of decision making must be specifically considered. Understanding of the potential impacts of climate change requires disaggregation of the agricultural sector with appropriate detail. A critical trade‐off exists between area‐wide spatial coverage and an explicit consideration of local peculiarities.
Originality/value
The authors suggest that a much stronger effort must be made to meld natural science crop modeling approaches with economic analyses, to include spatially explicit consideration of conventional crop production along with 1st and 2nd generation bioenergy crops, and the evaluation not only of “best guess” scenarios of change, but also potential system impacts of extreme scenarios.
Details
Keywords
Collins Udanor, Stephen Aneke and Blessing Ogechi Ogbuokiri
The purpose of this paper is to use the Twitter Search Network of the Apache NodeXL data discovery tool to extract over 5,000 data from Twitter accounts that twitted, re-twitted…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to use the Twitter Search Network of the Apache NodeXL data discovery tool to extract over 5,000 data from Twitter accounts that twitted, re-twitted or commented on the hashtag, #NigeriaDecides, to gain insight into the impact of the social media on the politics and administration of developing countries.
Design/methodology/approach
Several algorithms like the Fruchterman-Reingold algorithm, Harel-Koren Fast Multiscale algorithm and the Clauset-Newman-Moore algorithms are used to analyse the social media metrics like betweenness, closeness centralities, etc., and visualize the sociograms.
Findings
Results from a typical application of this tool, on the Nigeria general election of 2015, show the social media as the major influencer and the contribution of the social media data analytics in predicting trends that may influence developing economies.
Practical implications
With this type of work, stakeholders can make informed decisions based on predictions that can yield high degree of accuracy as this case. It is also important to stress that this work can be reproduced for any other part of the world, as it is not limited to developing countries or Nigeria in particular or it is limited to the field of politics.
Social implications
Increasingly, during the 2015 general election, citizens have taken over the blogosphere by writing, commenting and reporting about different issues from politics, society, human rights, disasters, contestants, attacks and other community-related issues. One of such instances is the #NigeriaDecides network on Twitter. The effect of these showed in the opinion polls organized by the various interest groups and media houses which were all in favour of GMB.
Originality/value
The case study the authors took on the Nigeria’s general election of 2015 further strengthens the fact that the developing countries have joined the social media race. The major contributions of this work are that policy makers, politicians, business managers, etc. can use the methods shown in this work to harness and gain insights from Big Data, like the social media data.
Details
Keywords
Sanna Pekkola, Minna Saunila and Hannu Rantanen
The purpose of this paper is to examine how a performance measurement system (PMS) can be designed for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in a turbulent…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how a performance measurement system (PMS) can be designed for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in a turbulent environment. The current models and frameworks for the design and implementation of a PMS are for large companies; these traditional design and implementation processes are too multi-stage and long term for SMEs operating in a rapidly changing environment.
Design/methodology/approach
The study constructs a conceptual framework based on the performance measurement and management literature and empirical evidence from a longitudinal case study. Interviews, an analysis of strategic documents and documentation of the prevailing measurement system were conducted.
Findings
The study results reveal the framework for a flexible PMS design. In the framework, the PMS consists of core permanent measures that control the profitability of the company and supportive measures of the realisation of strategic targets. The supportive measures change and develop along with the strategy.
Originality/value
The study provides new understanding about the performance measurement design process in SMEs operating in a turbulent environment. The existing literature presents performance measurement design and implementation process models for large organisations, but these frameworks are too multi-stage and long term for SMEs.
Details
Keywords
Sebastiano Salleo and Andrea Nardini
Drought stress can be considered as a dominant factor contributing to degradation of Mediterranean drylands. Therefore, there is a strong need to monitoring the level of water…
Abstract
Drought stress can be considered as a dominant factor contributing to degradation of Mediterranean drylands. Therefore, there is a strong need to monitoring the level of water stress suffered by vegetation in the view of relating it to desertification risk of selected areas. In the present paper, some techniques for measuring and quantifying plant water stress are briefly reviewed and the advantages of using the pressure chamber technique to measure leaf water potential (ΨL) are highlighted. A new index (water stress impact on vegetation (WSIV)), based on the integral of the diurnal changes of ΨL, is proposed and its effectiveness for quantifying the amount of water stress suffered by vegetation is discussed on the basis of measurements performed in degraded areas of Turkey and Lebanon. The usefulness of WSIV as an ecophysiological tool for assessing the desertification risk of Mediterranean drylands is also discussed.
Details
Keywords
Massoud Moslehpour, Aviral Kumar Tiwari and Sahand Ebrahimi Pourfaez
This study examines the effect of social media marketing on voting intention applying a combination of fuzzy logic methodology and a multidimensional panel data model.
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines the effect of social media marketing on voting intention applying a combination of fuzzy logic methodology and a multidimensional panel data model.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopts a multidimensional panel data method that includes several fixed effects. The dependent variable is a multifaceted construct that measures the participants’ intention to vote. The independent variables are electronic word of mouth (eWOM), customisation (CUS), entertainment (ENT), interaction (INT), trendiness (TRD), candidate’s perceived image (CPI), religious beliefs (RB), gender and age. The grouping variables that signify fixed effects are employment status, level of education, mostly used social media and religion. First, the significance of said fixed effects was tested through an ANOVA process. Then, the main model was estimated, including the significant grouping variables as fixed effects.
Findings
Employment status and level of education were significant fixed effects. Also, eWOM, ENT, INT, CPI, RB and gender significantly affected participants’ voting intention.
Research limitations/implications
Being based on a questionnaire that asked participants about how they perceive different aspects of social media, the present study is limited to their perceptions. Therefore, further studies covering the voters’ behaviour in action could be efficient complements to the present study.
Practical implications
The findings could guide the political parties into prioritizing the aspects of social media in forming an effective campaign resulting in being elected.
Social implications
The findings have the potential to help the public in making better informed decisions when voting. Furthermore, the results of this study indicate applications for social media which are beyond leisure time fillers.
Originality/value
Fuzzy logic and multidimensional panel data estimates are this study’s novelty and originality. Structural equation modelling and crisp linguistic values have been used in previous studies on social media’s effect on voting intent. The former refines the data gathered from a questionnaire, and the latter considers the possibility of including different grouping factors to achieve a more efficient and less biased estimation.
Details
Keywords
Samaneh Matindoust, Majid Baghaei-Nejad, Mohammad Hadi Shahrokh Abadi, Zhuo Zou and Li-Rong Zheng
This paper aims to study different possibilities for implementing easy-to-use and cost-effective micro-systems to detect and trace expelled gases from rotten food. The paper…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to study different possibilities for implementing easy-to-use and cost-effective micro-systems to detect and trace expelled gases from rotten food. The paper covers various radio-frequency identification (RFID) technologies and gas sensors as the two promoting feasibilities for the tracing of packaged food. Monitoring and maintaining quality and safety of food in transport and storage from producer to consumer are the most important concerns in food industry. Many toxin gases, even in parts per billion ranges, are produced from corrupted and rotten food and can endanger the consumers’ health. To overcome the issues, intelligent traceability of food products, specifically the packaged ones, in terms of temperature, humidity, atmospheric conditions, etc., has been paid attention to by many researchers.
Design/methodology/approach
Food poisoning is a serious problem that affects thousands of people every year. Poisoning food must be recognized early to prevent a serious health problem.
Contaminated food is usually detectable by odor. A small gas sensors and low-cost tailored to the type of food packaging and a communication device for transmitting alarm output to the consumer are key factors in achieving intelligent packaging.
Findings
Conducting polymer composite, intrinsically conducting polymer and metal oxide conductivity gas sensors, metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) gas sensors offer excellent discrimination and lead the way for a new generation of “smart sensors” which will mould the future commercial markets for gas sensors.
Originality/value
Small size, low power consumption, short response time, wide operating temperature, high efficiency and small area are most important features of introduced system for using in package food.
Details
Keywords
S. Vamsee Krishna, P. Sudhakara Reddy and S. Chandra Mohan Reddy
This paper attempted a novel approach for system-level modeling and simulation of sigma-delta modulator for low-frequency CMOS integrated analog to digital interfaces. Comparative…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper attempted a novel approach for system-level modeling and simulation of sigma-delta modulator for low-frequency CMOS integrated analog to digital interfaces. Comparative analysis of various architectures topologies, circuit implementation techniques are described with analytical procedure for effective selection of topologies for targeted specifications.
Design/methodology/approach
Virtual instruments are presented in labview environment to analyze the correlation of circuit-level non-ideal effects with key design parameters over sampling ratio, coarse quantizer bits and loop filter order. A fourth-order single-loop sigma-delta modulator is designed and verified in MATLAB simulink environment with careful selection of integrator weights to meet stable desired performance.
Findings
The proposed designed achieved SNDR of 122 dB and 20 bit resolution satisfying high-resolution requirements of low-frequency biomedical signal processing applications. Even though the simulation performed at behavioral level, the results obtained are considered as accurate, by including all non-ideal and non-linear circuit errors in simulation process.
Originality/value
Virtual instruments using labview environment used to analyze the correlation of circuit-level non-ideal effects with key design parameters over sampling ratio, coarse quantizer bits and loop filter order for accurate design.
Details
Keywords
Minna Saunila, Sanna Pekkola and Juhani Ukko
– The purpose of this paper is to discuss whether performance measurement moderates the relationship between innovation capability and firm performance.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discuss whether performance measurement moderates the relationship between innovation capability and firm performance.
Design/methodology/approach
The study was conducted through a web-based survey in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). A total of 311 responses were received from a sample of 2,400 randomly selected SMEs.
Findings
Consistent with predictions, the link between innovation capability and firm performance is significant in the presence of performance measurement. Performance measurement can thus be used as a tool for improving the performance of SMEs through innovation capability.
Practical implications
Using the results of this study, practitioners can improve their innovation capability through performance measurement by taking better account of various aspects.
Originality/value
Previous research has studied the effects of performance measurement, but not in the area of innovation management. Previous research has also showed that measurement has positive effects on innovation capability. The present study goes one step further by investigating the impacts of measurement on the relationship of multiple aspects of innovation capability and firm performance.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to present a framework for improving innovation capability through performance measurement in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a framework for improving innovation capability through performance measurement in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The development of an organisation’s innovation capability is considered increasingly important in the current literature. Developing such capability is essential, as innovation plays a key role in the survival and growth of organisations. A review of current literature highlights the need for a framework on the development of innovation capability, especially in SMEs.
Design/methodology/approach
A literature review was used to form an understanding of previous work in the research area. Previous literature was used to define the key concepts and further to build the conceptual framework.
Findings
As a result of the study, a framework for improving innovation capability through performance measurement in SMEs is presented. Key issues that must be addressed are highlighted and discussed.
Practical/implications
The paper contains suggestions for improving innovation capability through performance measurement. Using the results of this study, practitioners can enhance their innovation capability by measurement and by taking better account of different situations regarding the development of innovation capability. The framework clarifies the issue of how innovation capability and its determinants can be managed through measurement, and therefore it assists especially SMEs in their attempts to cope with the increasing need for innovation as an asset of their business performance.
Originality/value
There are very few examples in the current literature of frameworks for the issue, especially for SMEs. The role of performance measurement in developing innovation capability is also ignored in the current literature. The paper is relevant for academics, as it clarifies the existing body of knowledge and provides a platform for future research.