Anna‐Lena Ljung, T. Staffan Lundström and Kent Tano
The purpose of this paper is to numerically model convective drying of a two‐dimensional iron ore pellet subjected to turbulent flow.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to numerically model convective drying of a two‐dimensional iron ore pellet subjected to turbulent flow.
Design/methodology/approach
Simulations of the iron ore pellet drying process are carried out with commercial computational fluid dynamics software. The moisture distribution inside the pellet is calculated from a diffusion equation and drying due to evaporation at the surface is taken into account.
Findings
The results show an initial warm up phase with a succeeding constant rate drying period. Constant drying rate will only be achieved if the surface temperature is constant. The falling rate period will subsequently start at the forward stagnation point when the minimum moisture content is reached, while other parts of the surface still provide enough moisture to allow surface evaporation. The phases will thus coexist for a period of time.
Research limitations/implications
Owing to the complex physical processes involved in iron ore pellet drying, some parameters in the model are based on estimations. The effective diffusivity should, for example, in the future be investigated more thoroughly. It is also important to extend the model so that the falling rate drying period is also included. The model is at present undergoing further validation.
Practical implications
The simulations can provide detailed information on some key fluid dynamics and physical processes that an iron ore pellet undergoes during drying.
Originality/value
The simulations enhance the understanding of iron ore pellet drying and the model provides a complement to experimental investigations when optimizing the drying process.
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Yahaya Yusuf, Angappa Gunasekaran, Thanos Papadopoulos, Wendy Auchterlounie, Delphine Hollomah and Masha Menhat
The purpose of this paper is to develop a performance measurement model for the entire supply chain that includes balanced set of performance measures.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop a performance measurement model for the entire supply chain that includes balanced set of performance measures.
Design/methodology/approach
The conceptual model was validated empirically in case companies through semi-structured interviews and content analysis of documents.
Findings
Performance measures are important to companies in the natural gas (NG) supply chain to assess performance against set objectives in order to identify loopholes in performance. This is important in order to remain competitive. The research found that both financial and non-financial performance measures are employed by companies to measure performance. The results also indicate that six performance criteria of the conceptual model are vital to the NG supply chain. In addition, all identified measures under each of criteria impact on performance of the supply chain with customer service and financial criteria considered as most important.
Research limitations/implications
The empirical data collected from the NG supply chain in Ghana were relatively small; however, additional information was obtained from company data and relevant magazines. Also, getting through to specific target participant was a challenge due to busy work schedule but, in case companies where it proved impossible, other staff who were also involved in supply chain were interviewed instead.
Practical implications
This research provides a useful source of information on performance measures for practitioners in the NG industry who wish to measure performance of their supply chain. It also provides areas from which further and additional research can be carried out.
Originality/value
This research provides performance measures for the NG supply chain of Ghana. Typically, performance measures have been evaluated in discrete manufacturing supply chain, petroleum industry supply chain and oil industry supply chain. This research expanded on ideas from these studies and applied them in the NG industry.
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Shalva Tabatadze and Natia Gorgadze
This study aims to explore gender equality in school textbooks in Georgia.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore gender equality in school textbooks in Georgia.
Design/methodology/approach
The research had the following questions: To what extent are women and men visible and represented equally in school textbooks? How do school textbooks promote gender socialization of boys and girls to be treated equally in terms of power and privileges, superiority and inferiority? Do school textbooks promote critical thinking and analysis of gender issues and problems? The content analysis of the qualitative research method was used to answer the research questions.
Findings
The research revealed that males remain more visible in school textbooks; however, the authors mainly attempt to balance the gender representation in textbooks quantitatively. The textbooks do not socialize girls and boys as equals in power, privileges, superiority and inferiority. The textbooks do not provide room for discussing gender and social justice issues.
Originality/value
The study is an original work. The study contributes to the development of the field of multicultural education, as it develops the three levels model of gender socialization based on the empirical research data. The first, detection level, implies the visibility of both boys and girls equally in school textbooks. The second, the recognition level of gender socialization, acknowledges gender equality in occupations, activities and power and privileges. The third, the affirmation level, develops a critical understanding of gender issues and gender equality in society.
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Social entrepreneurship has played a significant role in reducing unemployment and poverty, fixing other social issues and environmental concerns. Although there is an increasing…
Abstract
Social entrepreneurship has played a significant role in reducing unemployment and poverty, fixing other social issues and environmental concerns. Although there is an increasing concern on social entrepreneurship by the public sector, practitioner and scholars, there are still limited studies on predicting the intention to become a social entrepreneur. Thus, investigating social entrepreneurship intention using a systematic literature review (SLR) approach is crucial due to the lack of systematisation and categorisation in this field. Therefore, this study aims to conduct a SLR to identify the antecedents of social entrepreneurial intention (SEI) used by the previous research. In this sense, this chapter carries out a systematic review of the literature on social entrepreneurship intentions. The review is guided by the PRISMA Statement (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses). After the identification and screening process, only 56 articles were qualified for further analysis. This SLR focused on articles that are using quantitative research and in the English language published in Scopus. Although there is no limitation in the timeline, the search string results found that the related articles were published between 2010 and 2020. From the thematic analysis, nine main themes were found. The themes are categorised based on the antecedents of SEI used by previous research. There are nine antecedents found: (1) perceived desirability and feasibility, (2) attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control, (3) prior experience, (4) emotional factors, (5) self-efficacy, (6) personality, (7) support systems, (8) skills and competencies and (9) motivational factors. Further analysis of the themes has resulted in ten sub-themes. This chapter's contribution includes offering a clearer picture of the antecedents of social entrepreneurial intention that is still at its infancy stage. Additionally, this chapter managed to identify the research gaps and proposed future research agenda.
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Francisco J. García-Rodríguez, Desiderio Gutiérrez-Taño and Inés Ruiz-Rosa
The purpose of this paper is to present an explanatory model of the factors that determine parental support for possible entrepreneurial initiatives of the parents' children. This…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present an explanatory model of the factors that determine parental support for possible entrepreneurial initiatives of the parents' children. This is one of the most important challenges to promote the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Design/methodology/approach
A perspective based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) is adopted, and the model is extended to integrate the antecedents of personal attitude toward children's entrepreneurship. The model is tested on a sample of 400 parents.
Findings
Perceived behavioral control (PBC), namely the perception that parents have about the readiness of the children to be entrepreneurs plays the greatest effect on the intention of supporting children's entrepreneurial behavior. In addition, parents' perceptions of how people from the immediate surroundings value the children's possible entrepreneurial behavior are the second most influential variable in the parents' intention to support such behavior. Finally, a parent's personal attitude toward the parent's children's entrepreneurship is the third most relevant variable to explain intention to support, practically with the same weight as subjective norms (SNs).
Practical implications
The results seem to confirm the importance of entrepreneurship development policies that focus on family characteristics and mindsets rather than on more traditional formal institutional support, such as business advice or financial resources. Family emerges as a key mediator to transfer the rules of normative and cultural-cognitive dimensions. Moreover, the results indicate the important role of entrepreneurship education in enhancing entrepreneurship not only due to the positive direct impact on students' entrepreneurial intentions, but also by changing parents' perceptions regarding the children's capabilities and, therefore, influencing the support for entrepreneurial behavior.
Originality/value
Previous studies have analyzed the influence of support from the immediate environment, especially the family, on young people's entrepreneurial behavior and have defined the types of support the family environment can provide. However, there is a missing link in the literature regarding the determinants of family support, despite the determinants' importance in configuring the normative and cultural-cognitive dimensions and the determinants' impact on society, promoting entrepreneurship.
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Kwadwo Twumasi-Ampofo, Rexford Assasie Oppong and Victor K. Quagraine
This study focuses on historic buildings and site preservation (HBSP), which forms part of cultural heritage amidst rampant demolishing and seeming neglect of such heritage in…
Abstract
Purpose
This study focuses on historic buildings and site preservation (HBSP), which forms part of cultural heritage amidst rampant demolishing and seeming neglect of such heritage in Ghana. The purpose of this study is to assess public awareness of the importance of HBSP in Kumasi.
Design/methodology/approach
The study combines qualitative and quantitative research methods. Primary data were collected through questionnaires and interviews based on a purposive sampling technique. Respondents were residents of Kumasi.
Findings
The study revealed that awareness of the importance of HBSP is dependent on the demographic variables. The young generation below 30 years seems more aware of the importance of HBSP.
Research limitations/implications
The study is limited by the fact that respondents were not willing to reveal income levels. Laws governing cultural heritage, including HBSP at the MMDAs, was not studied in detail and could be an area for further research.
Practical implications
This study brings out the need to be aware of the importance of HBSP and train staff to enforce laws governing HBSP in six metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) as part of Ghana's urban regeneration. This study further raises awareness among residents for sustainable architectural heritage preservation in Ghana.
Originality/value
The concept of HBSP is not popular in Ghana. This academic paper apparently assesses the level of awareness of the importance of HBSP among residents in Kumasi with an aim to identify and train staff of MMDAs on laws governing HBSP.
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Shahab Pourfakhimi, Tara Duncan and Willem Coetzee
The purpose of this study is to evaluate eTourism technology acceptance literature to illustrate current gaps in the field and suggest two alternative perspectives that could be…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to evaluate eTourism technology acceptance literature to illustrate current gaps in the field and suggest two alternative perspectives that could be adopted.
Design/methodology/approach
A review of academic literature in the field of eTourism technology acceptance was undertaken combining a systematic keyword-based search and snowballing techniques leading to the identification of relevant academic journal articles published since the year 2000.
Findings
While the field of eTourism technology acceptance research has grown substantially over the past few decades, this study highlights that the majority of this research seems to have been conducted within a narrow theoretical scope. The study suggests that this has led to contemporary theoretical and philosophical advancements in understanding the psychological, sociological and neuroscientific aspects of consumer behaviour not yet being mirrored in the eTourism technology acceptance research.
Research limitations/implications
This study invites researchers to adapt alternative theoretical perspectives to create a more in-depth understanding of aspects of technology acceptance behaviour that have yet to be understood. Two distinct alternative perspectives, NeuroIS and interpretivism, are suggested.
Practical implications
This study assists researchers in developing alternative research agendas and diversifying the theoretical foundations of eTourism technology acceptance research.
Originality/value
eTourism technology acceptance research risks being left behind if it does not begin to think beyond current theoretical conceptions of consumer behaviour research. This study contributes to the wider literature by highlighting how eTourism literature is falling behind and by suggesting two innovative alternatives that allow eTourism research an exciting way forward.
研究目的
本论文旨在审视eTourism技术接受研究文献, 以指出当前文献的不足, 并且提出两个未来可能研究方向。
研究设计/方法/途径
研究样本为关于eTourism技术接受研究的文献, 文献搜集方法采用系统关键词搜索和雪球搜索技术, 共74篇相关研究文献, 发表年代为2000年至今。
研究结果
eTourism技术接受研究自过去几十年的发展, 其研究成果已经显著增长。本论文强调这方面研究大多数局限在一个狭小理论领域中。本论文建议此方面的研究可以扩展到心理学 社会学 神经科学等消费者行为的领域,提高eTourism技术接受研究的现代理论和哲学进步,而这些方面在eTourism技术接受研究领域中, 还未涉足。
研究理论限制/意义
本论文邀请学者采用其他理论角度来增强技术接受行为的深入理解。两个显著研究方向包括NeuroIS和解释主义。
研究实际意义
本论文启示学者在eTourism技术接受研究方面的开发新的研究征程, 以及丰富其相关理论基础。
研究原创性/价值
eTourism技术接受研究将被落下, 如果学者不扩展当前关于消费者行为方面的理论基础。本论文拓宽了对eTourism文献的论述, 并且就其如何可能研究落后以及建议两个创新性方向, 使得eTourism研究将有一个崭新前进。
关键词
技术接受、电子旅游、技术接受模型(TAM)、神经资讯系统(NeuroIS)、 神经科学旅游(Neurotourism)、解释主义
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Maria Romero-Charneco, Ana-María Casado-Molina, Pilar Alarcón-Urbistondo and Juan Pedro Cabrera Sánchez
Given the importance of chatbots in customer service in tourism, this paper aims to understand the drivers that predispose regular consumers of restaurant recommendation chatbots…
Abstract
Purpose
Given the importance of chatbots in customer service in tourism, this paper aims to understand the drivers that predispose regular consumers of restaurant recommendation chatbots to continue using them.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 386 regular consumers of a chatbot via WhatsApp restaurant recommender responded to an online questionnaire (inspired by scales found in the literature on technology adoption). Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses.
Findings
Significant predictors of intention to continue using these chatbots included “effort expectancy (EE),” “hedonic motivation (HM),” “price value (PV)” and “habit (HT).” Specifically, HT still has a long way to go in terms of its performance, and it will be possible to work on it. Furthermore, two variables, EE and HM, act as a bottleneck when it comes to explaining this recurrent usage intention. Factors such as “performance expectancy (PE),” “facilitating conditions (FC)” and “social influence (SI)” did not influence “behavioral intention (BI).” Likewise, the moderating variables, age and gender, are not significant. Finally, the predictive capability of the model is demonstrated. The study findings will enable the development of effective strategies to foster consumer loyalty to this new technology in the restaurant industry.
Originality/value
This study contributes, building on the suitability of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 model, to explain users’ intention to continue using chatbot tourism services in the context of an information search for an unplanned and varied purchase decision, namely, restaurant recommendation services. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first analysis of tourist’s intention to reuse a real and fully functional chatbot via mobile instant messaging.
研究目的
鉴于聊天机器人在旅游客户服务中的重要性, 本研究旨在了解驱动消费者持续使用WhatsApp餐厅推荐聊天机器人的因素。
研究方法
共收集386名WhatsApp餐厅推荐聊天机器人的常规用户在线问卷数据(问卷设计参考技术采纳相关文献中的量表)。研究采用结构方程模型(SEM)验证假设。
研究发现
影响用户持续使用意图的显著预测因素包括“努力期望(EE)”、“享乐动机(HM)”、“价格价值(PV)”和“习惯(HT)”。其中, “习惯(HT)”表现仍有提升空间, 而“努力期望(EE)”和“享乐动机(HM)”是解释持续使用意图的瓶颈因素。此外, “绩效期望(PE)”、“促进条件(FC)”和“社会影响(SI)”对“行为意图(BI)”无显著影响。性别和年龄等调节变量同样不显著。研究结果验证了模型的预测能力, 能够为餐厅行业制定有效策略以增强消费者对这一新技术的忠诚度提供指导。
研究创新
本研究基于UTAUT2模型, 首次分析了消费者在餐厅推荐服务中持续使用移动即时通讯(MIM)聊天机器人的意图, 为探索非计划性和多样化购买决策背景下的信息搜索服务提供了新见解。
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Rajasshrie Pillai, Yamini Ghanghorkar, Brijesh Sivathanu, Raed Algharabat and Nripendra P. Rana
AI-based chatbots are revamping employee communication in organizations. This paper examines the adoption of AI-based employee experience chatbots by employees.
Abstract
Purpose
AI-based chatbots are revamping employee communication in organizations. This paper examines the adoption of AI-based employee experience chatbots by employees.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed model is developed using behavioral reasoning theory and empirically validated by surveying 1,130 employees and data was analyzed with PLS-SEM.
Findings
This research presents the “reasons for” and “reasons against” for the acceptance of AI-based employee experience chatbots. The “reasons for” are – personalization, interactivity, perceived intelligence and perceived anthropomorphism and the “reasons against” are perceived risk, language barrier and technological anxiety. It is found that “reasons for” have a positive association with attitude and adoption intention and “reasons against” have a negative association. Employees' values for openness to change are positively associated with “reasons for” and do not affect attitude and “reasons against”.
Originality/value
This is the first study exploring employees' attitude and adoption intention toward AI-based EEX chatbots using behavioral reasoning theory.