Phillip Baumann and Kevin Sturm
The goal of this paper is to give a comprehensive and short review on how to compute the first- and second-order topological derivatives and potentially higher-order topological…
Abstract
Purpose
The goal of this paper is to give a comprehensive and short review on how to compute the first- and second-order topological derivatives and potentially higher-order topological derivatives for partial differential equation (PDE) constrained shape functionals.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors employ the adjoint and averaged adjoint variable within the Lagrangian framework and compare three different adjoint-based methods to compute higher-order topological derivatives. To illustrate the methodology proposed in this paper, the authors then apply the methods to a linear elasticity model.
Findings
The authors compute the first- and second-order topological derivatives of the linear elasticity model for various shape functionals in dimension two and three using Amstutz' method, the averaged adjoint method and Delfour's method.
Originality/value
In contrast to other contributions regarding this subject, the authors not only compute the first- and second-order topological derivatives, but additionally give some insight on various methods and compare their applicability and efficiency with respect to the underlying problem formulation.
Details
Keywords
Quentin Kevin Gautier, Thomas G. Garrison, Ferrill Rushton, Nicholas Bouck, Eric Lo, Peter Tueller, Curt Schurgers and Ryan Kastner
Digital documentation techniques of tunneling excavations at archaeological sites are becoming more common. These methods, such as photogrammetry and LiDAR (Light Detection and…
Abstract
Purpose
Digital documentation techniques of tunneling excavations at archaeological sites are becoming more common. These methods, such as photogrammetry and LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), are able to create precise three-dimensional models of excavations to complement traditional forms of documentation with millimeter to centimeter accuracy. However, these techniques require either expensive pieces of equipment or a long processing time that can be prohibitive during short field seasons in remote areas. This article aims to determine the effectiveness of various low-cost sensors and real-time algorithms to create digital scans of archaeological excavations.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors used a class of algorithms called SLAM (Simultaneous Localization and Mapping) along with depth-sensing cameras. While these algorithms have largely improved over recent years, the accuracy of the results still depends on the scanning conditions. The authors developed a prototype of a scanning device and collected 3D data at a Maya archaeological site and refined the instrument in a system of natural caves. This article presents an analysis of the resulting 3D models to determine the effectiveness of the various sensors and algorithms employed.
Findings
While not as accurate as commercial LiDAR systems, the prototype presented, employing a time-of-flight depth sensor and using a feature-based SLAM algorithm, is a rapid and effective way to document archaeological contexts at a fraction of the cost.
Practical implications
The proposed system is easy to deploy, provides real-time results and would be particularly useful in salvage operations as well as in high-risk areas where cultural heritage is threatened.
Originality/value
This article compares many different low-cost scanning solutions for underground excavations, along with presenting a prototype that can be easily replicated for documentation purposes.
Details
Keywords
Much of the discussion surrounding the antivaccine movement focuses on the decision of parents to not vaccinate their children and the resulting danger posed to others. However…
Abstract
Much of the discussion surrounding the antivaccine movement focuses on the decision of parents to not vaccinate their children and the resulting danger posed to others. However, the primary risk is borne by the child left unvaccinated. Although living in a developed country with high vaccination rates provides a certain amount of protection through population immunity, the unvaccinated child is still exposed to a considerably greater risk of preventable diseases than one who is vaccinated. I explore the tension between parental choice and the child’s right to be free of preventable diseases. The chapter’s goal is twofold: to advocate for moving from a dyadic framework – considering the interests of the parents against those of the state – to a triadic one, in which the interests of the child are given as much weight as those of the parent and the state; and to discuss which protections are available, and how they can be improved. Specific legal tools available to protect that child are examined, including tort liability of the parents to the child, whether and to what degree criminal law has a role, under what circumstances parental choice should be overridden, and the role of school immunization requirements in protecting the individual child.
Details
Keywords
Eric T. Anderson and Elizabeth Anderson
From 2002 to 2011, coffee-machine manufacturer Keurig Incorporated had grown from a privately held company with just over $20 million in revenues and a plan to enter the single…
Abstract
From 2002 to 2011, coffee-machine manufacturer Keurig Incorporated had grown from a privately held company with just over $20 million in revenues and a plan to enter the single serve coffee arena for home consumers, to a wholly owned subsidiary of Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc., a publicly traded company with net revenues of $1.36 billion and a market capitalization of between $8 and $9 billion. In 2003 Keurig had introduced its first At Home brewer. Now, approximately 25 percent of all coffee makers sold in the United States were Keurig-branded machines, and Keurig was recognized as among the leaders in the marketplace. The company had just concluded agreements with both Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks that would make these retailers' coffee available for use with Keurig's specialized brewing system. The company faced far different challenges than when it was a small, unknown marketplace entrant. John Whoriskey, vice president and general manager of Keurig's At Home division, had to consider the impact that impending expiration of key technology patents and the perceived environmental impact of the K-Cup® portion packs would have on the company's growth. Whoriskey also wondered what Keurig's growth potential was, and how the new arrangements with Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts could be leveraged to achieve it.
Details

Keywords
Given the rise of sport non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and sponsorships from cryptocurrency companies in the sport industry during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic…
Abstract
Purpose
Given the rise of sport non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and sponsorships from cryptocurrency companies in the sport industry during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, this paper aims to critically frame the partnerships between cryptocurrency and sport by exploring the reception of fan tokens amongst supporters of three English Premier League clubs: Manchester City, Everton and Crystal Palace.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing upon the emerging critical scholarship on cryptocurrency and the political economy of professional football, this study uses digital ethnography in an attempt to understand the major themes emanating from the online forum discussions amongst fans in response to the issuance of fan tokens by the aforementioned three clubs, among other types of partnerships with crypto companies.
Findings
The supporters’ critical deliberations revolved around the contradictions of fan tokens (as a means for supposed “fan engagement” or for financial speculation) and the utility of cryptocurrency for the public. These reactions in turn showcase a larger tension underlying the financially unstable professional football industry: the contest between the owners and the fan bases over the exchange value (for profit) and use value (for community) of the clubs.
Originality/value
This paper is one of the first studies to adopt a critical framework to examine the emerging partnerships between sports and cryptocurrency companies during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also provides one of the first in-depth analyses of the critical receptions of sport NFTs amongst sport fans. While contributing to the literature on fan activism/protest in the context of the commercialization and commodification of sport, the paper also raises new questions on the responsible use of cryptocurrency/NFT in sport.
Details
Keywords
Lopin Kuo, Shihping Kevin Huang and Yen‐Chun Jim Wu
The purpose of this study is to explore whether a connection exists between business operational efficiency and environmental responsibility.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore whether a connection exists between business operational efficiency and environmental responsibility.
Design/methodology/approach
This research adopts the DEA method through a four‐step analysis to examine inter‐industry differences in terms of operational efficiency with environmental consideration. The sample comprises 32 Japanese firms from three different industries listed in the Tokyo Stock Exchange between 2001 and 2006.
Findings
The results indicate a positive correlation with statistical significance in terms of a firm's environmental conservation cost, net income and economic benefit of environmental conservation for the three Japanese industries. In addition, the relationship among a firm's environmental conservation cost, CO2 emission reduction and total CO2 emission are positively correlated but without significance. In particular, business operational efficiency integrating social responsibility for anti‐global warming initiatives ( = total CO2 emission level) could be applied to distinguish differences in terms of operational efficiency among industries.
Research limitations/implications
Japanese firms adopt a voluntary environmental disclosure; therefore this study is constrained by the availability of long‐term data.
Social implications
This study enables environmentally conscious investors and fund managers to distinguish the operationally efficient industries when taking environmental performance into account.
Originality/value
The study is a novel attempt to analyze inter‐industry differences in terms of operational efficiency when considering environmental conservation through the DEA method using a four‐step analysis.
Details
Keywords
The title of this review may be slightly misleading because Lannion is really a few kilometres from Finisterre, but it certainly seemed as if we were getting to the end of the…
Abstract
The title of this review may be slightly misleading because Lannion is really a few kilometres from Finisterre, but it certainly seemed as if we were getting to the end of the world travelling there in a fierce equinoctial tempest, one of the worst for several years! Fortunately, the weather cleared up for the opening of the conference the following day and revealed the beauty of the Britanny landscape. Nevertheless, the remark must be made that Lannion was a peculiar choice for an International Conference in view of the fact that it is 500 km from the nearest international airport. A number of participants complained of the difficulty of communications and it is known that others abstained from participating purely because of the difficulties of reaching such an isolated spot. However, some 210 delegates arrived by all possible means. Let it nevertheless be said that the organisation was impeccable — one of the best conferences I have ever attended from that point of view. As just one example, Lannion is essentially a small, mediaeval market town that has outgrown its clothes by the advent of modern technology and the enterprises that surround it. The result is a severe lack of modern hostelries capable of lodging an influx of a couple of hundred or more persons. However, there are an adequate number a few kilometres away, in Perros‐Guirec, a small town situated over three picturesque coves on the Pink Granite Coast. The organisers had the forethought to ensure coaches were always available to shuttle the delegates between their hotels and the various events. They also engaged the services of a caterer to produce lunch and dinner each day, probably otherwise impossible if the delegates had to make their own arrangements.
Gregory R. Thrasher, Kevin Wynne, Boris Baltes and Reed Bramble
Although there is a small body of empirical research on the working lives of managers, both the popular media and the academic literature tend to ignore the distinct ways that…
Abstract
Purpose
Although there is a small body of empirical research on the working lives of managers, both the popular media and the academic literature tend to ignore the distinct ways that role identities such as age and gender intersect to create a complex work–life interface for diverse managers. This gap is especially surprising considering that managerial roles are defined by unique demands and expectations that likely intersect with the differential life course shifts experienced by men and women, which has the potential to create specific challenges across the work and life domains of managers. The current study aims to address this gap through an intersectional examination of the non-linear effects of age and gender on the work–life balance of managers.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a sample of 421 managers, the authors apply statistical tests of the incremental validity of non-linear interaction terms to examine the complex relationship between age, gender and work–life balance.
Findings
Results support a non-linear U-shaped main effect of age on leader work–life balance. This effect is moderated by gender, however, with a non-linear U-shaped effect of age on work–life balance being supported for male managers – with female managers displaying no effect of age on work–life balance.
Practical implications
Based on these findings, the authors highlight the need for increased availability of flexible schedules and employee empowerment for managers as well as general employees.
Originality/value
The current study offers one of the first tests of the intersection of age and gender on the work–family interface of managers.
Details
Keywords
Peter BeomCheol Kim and Kevin D. Carlson
The purpose of this paper is to examine whether agreement between frontline employee self-ratings and supervisory ratings of service performance functions as an indicator of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine whether agreement between frontline employee self-ratings and supervisory ratings of service performance functions as an indicator of healthy supervisor-subordination relationships above and beyond what might be indicated simply by either supervisory ratings or self-ratings.
Design/methodology/approach
Research hypotheses were tested using a sample of 220 matched pairs of frontline service workers and their immediate supervisors from nine full service hotels in the USA.
Findings
The results show that higher levels of agreement in service performance ratings between employees and supervisors is associated with higher levels of leader-member exchange (LMX) and organizational commitment.
Practical implications
Senior managers can refer to the level of performance rating agreement between customer service employees and their supervisors in assessing supervisors’ competency to manage their work relationship with their subordinates.
Originality/value
This study examined rating agreement in a service performance context and found rating agreement between subordinates and their supervisor may have a unique effect on service worker effectiveness, producing a unique incremental effect on LMX and organizational commitment. This is important given that few attempts have been made to examine service performance from both subordinates’ and supervisors’ perspectives and the implication that rating agreement may have for improving employee service performance.
Details
Keywords
Alinda Kokkinou, Albert Mandemakers and Ondrej Mitas
Modern supply chains have become increasingly vulnerable to disruptions, as evidenced by the recent COVID-19 crisis, the Suez Canal blockage and the war in Ukraine. The purpose of…
Abstract
Purpose
Modern supply chains have become increasingly vulnerable to disruptions, as evidenced by the recent COVID-19 crisis, the Suez Canal blockage and the war in Ukraine. The purpose of the study was to examine the impact of disruptions on organizations and their supply chains, and to examine which resilience principles and corresponding strategies were effective at maintaining and/or creating competitive advantage.
Design/methodology/approach
Anchored in contingent resource-based view theory and organizational information processing theory, the study uses an explanatory mixed-methods explanatory research design consisting of two surveys followed by semi-structured interviews to elaborate on the quantitative results.
Findings
The quantitative findings showed that data analytic capability combined with a data driven culture had a positive impact on competitive advantage through improved supply chain robustness. No similar effect for supply chain resilience on competitive advantage was found. This was explained by the qualitative findings which showed that insights enabled data analytic capability led to increased supply chain robustness by encouraging proactive measures such as safety stock and redundancies in the supply chain. However, supply chain resilience required these measures to be in place. Without them, supply chain managers were unable to act upon the insights enabled by visibility.
Originality/value
The empirical findings show that data analytic capability impacts supply chain robustness and resilience in different ways, especially in the context of unprecedented disruptions.