Souraj Salah, Abdur Rahim and Juan A. Carretero
Lean and Six Sigma are the two most important continuous improvement (CI) methodologies for achieving operational and service excellence in any organization. The purpose of this…
Abstract
Purpose
Lean and Six Sigma are the two most important continuous improvement (CI) methodologies for achieving operational and service excellence in any organization. The purpose of this paper is to explain how lean compares to the Six Sigma and outline the benefits for integrating them. Also, this paper discusses the existing models that describe how Six Sigma and lean fit together. A new detailed description for integrating Six Sigma and lean is developed to provide an improved approach for CI.
Design/methodology/approach
The following research included proposals and discussion, which were mainly based on the authors' own findings and experience, in addition to a literature‐based review of some of the most common and traditional lean and Six Sigma models.
Findings
The paper proposes a new lean Six Sigma (LSS) approach and provides a detailed description of its phases. The paper also presents the views on the integration benefits as well as on how Six Sigma compares to lean. Six Sigma and lean are related and share common grounds in terms of striving to achieve customer satisfaction. Their integration is concluded to be possible and beneficial.
Research limitations/implications
The paper discusses the existing models that describe how Six Sigma and lean fit together. Finally, a new detailed description for integrating Six Sigma and lean is developed to provide an improved approach for CI.
Originality/value
The paper extends previous works on LSS and proposes a novel approach to LSS. The proposed structure is built upon the existing define, measure, analyze, improve and control structure which is well renowned in the literature.
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Óscar Lahuerta, José Ortega, Claudio Carretero, Juan Pablo Martínez and Jesús Acero
The purpose of this paper is the identification of the magnetic characteristics of the induction load by means of the B–H curve proposed by Fröhlich.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is the identification of the magnetic characteristics of the induction load by means of the B–H curve proposed by Fröhlich.
Design/methodology/approach
An electromagnetic description of the inductor system is performed to substitute the effects of the induction load, for a mathematical condition, the so-called impedance boundary condition (IBC).
Findings
A significant reduction in the computational cost of electromagnetic simulation has been achieved through the use of the IBC, resulting in a computation time approximately 400 times faster than time domain simulation. Moreover, an alternative method has been developed to experimentally identify the parameters that determine the magnetic behavior of the induction load. Finally, further research has been conducted to understand the relationship between the equivalent impedance of an induction load and the excitation current level.
Practical implications
This work is performed to achieve a better understanding of the fundamentals involved in the electromagnetic modeling of an induction heating system.
Originality/value
This paper introduces the dependence on the excitation level based on a first harmonic approximation and extends the IBC to nonlinear magnetic materials which allows the identification of the magnetic characteristics of the induction load.
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José Ortega, Óscar Lahuerta, Claudio Carretero, Juan Pablo Martínez and Jesús Acero
This paper aims to apply the non-linear impedance boundary condition (IBC) for a linear piecewise B–H curve in frequency domain simulations to find the equivalent impedance of a…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to apply the non-linear impedance boundary condition (IBC) for a linear piecewise B–H curve in frequency domain simulations to find the equivalent impedance of a simple induction heating system model.
Design/methodology/approach
An electromagnetic description of the inductor system is performed to substitute the effects of the induction load, for a mathematical condition, the so-called IBC. This is suitable to be used in electromagnetic systems involving high conductive materials at medium frequencies, as it occurs in an induction heating system.
Findings
A reduction of the computational cost of electromagnetic simulation through the application of the IBC. The model based on linear piecewise B–H curve simplifies the electromagnetic description, and it can facilitate the identification of the induction load characteristics from experimental measurements.
Practical implications
This work is performed to assess the feasibility of using the non-linear boundary impedance condition of materials with linear piecewise B–H curve to simulate in the frequency domain with a reduced computational cost compared to time domain simulations.
Originality/value
In this paper, the use of the non-linear boundary impedance condition to describe materials with B–H curve by segments, which can approximate any dependence without hysteresis, has been studied. The results are compared with computationally more expensive time domain simulations.
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Alejandro Forero-Cuéllar and Iñaki Rivera-Beiras
The struggle against torture and institutional violence has to be practiced in numerous scenarios: in the very places of deprivation of liberty, against workers, administrations…
Abstract
The struggle against torture and institutional violence has to be practiced in numerous scenarios: in the very places of deprivation of liberty, against workers, administrations and judges who try to hide it or justify it, but also, it’s a struggle against an academy that, too often, has decided to look the other way. In order to be activist, criminology must leave the classroom and enter the places of deprivation of liberty. It must engage with victims and survivors and it has to make political and social denunciations, organising itself and weaving networks with other social organisations that fight for the same goal. Unfortunately, it also has to fight against the very obstacles that the criminal justice system institutions pose; the denunciations and persecution of these same institutions and some police and prison workers groups and unions; the dirty war against terrorism and political dissent; and the criminalisation of some mass media and also of the academic world, where activism against this phenomenon is a minority and marginalised. These two sides of the same coin, involvement in anti-torture activist movements, as well as persecution and criminalisation when challenging state power, is what the authors of this chapter have experienced in Catalonia and Spain. While we fight against torture outside the classroom, we also carry out activism inside the classroom, teaching what other academics do not want to engage with, and pointing out the political elements of criminology and the action of the penal system. In this chapter, the authors highlight the use of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in custody and prison, and in the context of police activity in Spain. Then, the authors explain the structures of denial (political, judicial and academic) that allow its perpetuation and impunity. The text ends with a journey through the configuration of activist criminology in Spain that unites critical analysis from a legal sociology perspective with collective and activist intervention.
Abstract
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Pedro Arturo Flores-Gómez and Héctor Hugo Pérez-Villarreal
This paper aims to focus on the evolution of nonprofit cultural institutions in Mexico and their relationship with Spain, regarding the four traditional elements of a marketing…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to focus on the evolution of nonprofit cultural institutions in Mexico and their relationship with Spain, regarding the four traditional elements of a marketing mix. Specifically, this paper examines marketing advancements in the digital environment, placing emphasis on the virtual exhibition Códices de México: Memorias y Saberes, as well as the marketing activities related to prehispanic and novohispanic codices between 2010 and 2022.
Design/methodology/approach
The first part of the present study provides a chronological framework based on the four components of a marketing mix, illustrating the transition of Mexican and Spanish public cultural institutions from their foundations to current times. It particularly provides insight into their recent accomplishments in the digital environment, underscoring potential networking areas. The second part offers an in-depth examination of the exhibition Códices de México: Memorias y Saberes (INAH 2015) and a review of digital sources from Mexican government entities to investigate marketing activities related to prehispanic and novohispanic codices.
Findings
Due to the historical approach used to document the transition of nonprofit cultural institutions in Mexico and Spain to the digital era, this article sheds lights on co-joint efforts in the digital marketing domain around prehispanic and novohispanic codices. Additionally, it illustrates the activities used by Mexican cultural institutions during the past two decades to disseminate knowledge on codices.
Research limitations/implications
Regarding the methodological aspects of using historical resources through digital archives, this study solely comprised marketing activities reported in the records available on the official portal of cultural institutions.
Originality/value
This study argues for the utility of the four components rooted in a traditional marketing mix as a tool to illustrate the evolution of marketing practices within the cultural heritage domain. It also highlights the role played by cultural institutions in Mexico and Spain in the digital environment to strategically network around cultural heritage. Additionally, it sheds light on the implementation of methods for presenting Mexican codices grounded in virtual terrain.
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Juan Oliva, Luz María Peña Longobardo, Leticia García-Mochón, José María Abellán-Perpìñan and María del Mar García-Calvente
This paper aims to study the value of informal care (IC) time from the perspective of caregivers using two alternative contingent valuation tools – willingness to pay (WTP) and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to study the value of informal care (IC) time from the perspective of caregivers using two alternative contingent valuation tools – willingness to pay (WTP) and willingness to accept (WTA) – and to identify the variables that affect the stated values.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors used data from a multi-centre study of 610 adult caregivers conducted in two Spanish regions in 2013. The existence of “protest zeros” and “economic zeros” because of the severe budgetary constraints of the households was also considered. Two-part multivariate models were used to analyse the main factors that explained the declared values of WTA and WTP.
Findings
The average WTP and WTA were €3.12 and €5.98 per hour of care, respectively (€3.2 and €6.3 when estimated values for “protest zeros” and “economic zeros” were considered). Some explanatory variables of WTA and WTP are coincident (place of residence and intensity of care time), whereas other variables only help to explain WTP values (household and negative coping with caregiving) or WTA values (age and burden of care). Some nuances are also identified when comparing the results obtained without protest and economic zeros with the estimated values of these special zeros.
Originality/value
Studies analysing the determinants of WTP and WTA in IC settings are very scarce. This paper seeks to provide information to fill this gap. The results indicate that the variables that explain the value of IC from one perspective may differ from the variables that explain it from an alternative perspective. Given the relevance of contextual factors, studies on the topic should be expanded, and care should be taken with the extrapolation of results across countries and settings.
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Luz del Carmen Díaz-Peña, Anselmo Salvador Chavez-Capo, Miguel Angel Tinoco-Castrejón, Genoveva Rosano-Ortega and Beatriz Pérez-Armendariz
– This paper aims to assess the biodiesel value chain produced by the State of Chiapas and, through a financial model, determines its profitability and feasibility as a business.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to assess the biodiesel value chain produced by the State of Chiapas and, through a financial model, determines its profitability and feasibility as a business.
Design/methodology/approach
The literature review was based on searching in journal databases and in official web sites. To quantify value chain activities, a questionnaire was used to interview project leader. Besley's methodology was used to create the financial model and determine the net present value (NPV). Finally, the SWOT model summarized the analysis based on the results obtained.
Findings
All the costs of the value chain were calculated and the results show that the greatest cost corresponds to the “internal logistical activity,” with 74 percent of the total cost/liter. The NPV of the project was positive and the project was thus considered financially feasible.
Practical implications
Biodiesel production plants must know the real costs of raw material (sewing and harvesting the seed) as well as extraction by farmers and regional producers in order to calculate their real profit margin and set competitive prices.
Originality/value
The research responds to a specific demand by the State of Chiapas to assess the feasibility of its value chain by identifying the activities that do not create value.
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Mohammad Soliman, Naayama Al-Ghafri, Alicia Orea-Giner, Hafidh Al Riyami and Musallam S. Hawas Al-Aamri
This study examines how street food affects urban culture, economics and sustainable tourism. It examines how street food stands, as a cultural and economic phenomenon, influence…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines how street food affects urban culture, economics and sustainable tourism. It examines how street food stands, as a cultural and economic phenomenon, influence consumer behaviour and local traditions, particularly in Oman’s evolving street food scene.
Design/methodology/approach
Adopting a quantitative research design, this study utilises an integrated model combining the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) and Attitude-Social-Influence-Efficacy (ASE) models. This approach facilitates a comprehensive analysis of the factors influencing consumer behaviour towards street food consumption. The methodology includes surveys and structured interviews with consumers and vendors to assess perceptions, attitudes and behaviours linked to street food in Oman.
Findings
The research identifies key sociocultural, economic and marketing factors that significantly influence consumer engagement with street food. It highlights how traditional elements, such as local customs and societal norms, interplay with contemporary marketing strategies to shape consumer preferences and experiences. The findings suggest that street food not only enhances the culinary experience for travellers but also plays a crucial role in the sustainable development of local tourism economies.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the existing literature by providing a novel empirical exploration of street food consumption in Oman, a relatively underexplored area within tourism research. It offers valuable insights into how street food can be leveraged to bolster local economies and enrich the tourist experience through sustainable practices. By integrating the S-O-R and ASE models, this research provides a unique framework for understanding the dynamic relationship between street food culture and consumer behaviour in a Middle Eastern context.
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Diego León Peña Orozco, Jesus Gonzalez-Feliu, Leonardo Rivera and Camilo Andres Mejía Ramirez
The purpose of this research is to determine the convenience of using a contract model as an integration mechanism for decision-making in a decentralized supply chain of small…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to determine the convenience of using a contract model as an integration mechanism for decision-making in a decentralized supply chain of small agricultural producers in a developing country, taking as hypothesis coordinated chain achieves better management. The analysis is based on information obtained by direct inquiry to 99 small producers in the region, about planning, production, marketing and distribution in the chain, supplemented with secondary information sources.
Design/methodology/approach
As a methodology an analysis of maturity in the chain based on the Capability Maturity Model Integration is done, whose evaluation is later analyzed as a fuzzy logic model, with the support of the fuzzy logic of the MATLAB toolbox, to study the convenience of the use of the contract against the other mechanisms, and to establish an approximation to the level of readiness of the chain toward integration.
Findings
Results obtained show that the small farmer supply chain studied, from a maturity perspective, has a strong disposition for the use of contracts as an integration mechanism.
Research limitations/implications
The supply chain for small producers presents a high dispersion, little consolidated offer capacity and lack of coordination. Limitations in terms of information and criteria unification are a challenge for future research. Results have socioeconomic implications for small producers and can serve as a guide to formulate policies by the governments in Latin American countries.
Practical implications
As practical implications, it can be stated that the use of supply contracts is a real mechanism that can be implemented in this type of chain, to break the mistrust between the echelons and improve the supply chain performance. This research will allow to establish support programs from local governments for the sustainability and improving income of small producers. In addition, contracts will allow to formalize the linkage of small producers to a sustainable commercial network.
Social implications
Small agricultural producers in developing countries live in unfavorable conditions, with socioeconomic limitations. This work offers an alternative for their productive activity development that will allow them access to marketing chains in a safe way and improve their living conditions.
Originality/value
Previous studies related to the maturity toward the chain integration and fuzzy logic as a hybrid methodology, were not found in the literature, and less even applied to a chain of small agricultural products.