M. Khoshnevisan, F. Kaymarm, H.P. Singh, R. Singh and F. Smarandache
This paper proposes a class of estimators for population correlation coefficient when information about the population mean and population variance of one of the variables is not…
Abstract
This paper proposes a class of estimators for population correlation coefficient when information about the population mean and population variance of one of the variables is not available but information about these parameters of another variable (auxiliary) is available, in two phase sampling and analyzes its properties. Optimum estimator in the class is identified with its variance formula. The estimators of the class involve unknown constants whose optimum values depend on unknown population parameters. In earlier research it has been shown that when these population parameters are replaced by their consistent estimates the resulting class of estimators has the same asymptotic variance as that of optimum estimator. An empirical study is carried out to demonstrate the performance of the constructed estimators.
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Hariram Venkatesan, Godwin John J. and Seralathan Sivamani
Vast areas have been studied toward combustion and emission analysis in vegetable oil methyl esters and quite a few in algal oil biodiesel. To analyze the better alternate source…
Abstract
Purpose
Vast areas have been studied toward combustion and emission analysis in vegetable oil methyl esters and quite a few in algal oil biodiesel. To analyze the better alternate source for diesel engine, this study aims to investigate the combustion behavior and emission characteristics between cottonseed biodiesel and algal oil biodiesel on comparison with mineral diesel in a compression ignition engine.
Design/methodology/approach
The fuel properties like density, kinematic viscosity, calorific value and Cetane number have met the biodiesel standards for both algal and cottonseed biodiesel. At rated power, engine was operated on all three test fuels, where combustion analysis describing in-cylinder pressure, peak pressure, rate of pressure rise and rate of heat release and emission characteristics including hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and smoke for both biodiesel comparing mineral diesel.
Findings
Algal and cottonseed biodiesel showed up to 2-3°CA delayed start of combustion comparing mineral diesel curve. The in-cylinder pressure of algal biodiesel was found to be 68 bar, whereas cottonseed biodiesel exhibited 65 bar at full load condition. Similarly, the rate of pressure rise and rate of heat release of algal biodiesel depicted 7.9 and 10.7 per cent rise than cottonseed biodiesel, respectively. As the load increased, ignition delay showed decreasing trend, while combustion duration showed an increasing trend. HC, CO and smoke emissions were seen to be lower than mineral diesel with noticeable increase in NOx emission.
Originality/value
In this present investigation, biodiesel from Stoechospermum Marginatum, a marine marco algae, was used to fuel the compression ignition engine. Its combustion behavior and emission characteristics are compared with cottonseed biodiesel, a vegetable oil-based biodiesel having similar physio-chemical characteristics to understand the suitability of algal biodiesel in compression ignition engine. This study involves the assessment of straight biodiesel from macro algae and cottonseed oil on standard operating conditions.
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Abigail A. Allen and Kristina N. Randall
Empirical validation of educational technology is critical for best practice, particularly when courses are delivered online. This study aims to investigate the predictive…
Abstract
Purpose
Empirical validation of educational technology is critical for best practice, particularly when courses are delivered online. This study aims to investigate the predictive relationship of usage behaviors on perceptions of 30 preservice special education teachers while reading in an online social annotation reading tool.
Design/methodology/approach
In this single-group quasi-experimental study, participants completed two readings in Perusall, once individually and once in small groups, then took a researcher-created survey after each reading. Descriptive data and paired sample t-tests were calculated. Predictive relationships between usage behaviors and survey results were analyzed with linear regression models.
Findings
Participants thought Perusall was useful for their learning and easier to use in small groups and that guided reading prompts were helpful. Usage behaviors did not significantly account for participant beliefs about Perusall. Instructors may wish to use guided reading prompts and small groups to maximize student learning and engagement.
Originality/value
This study addresses gaps in the literature (Suhre et al., 2019; Sun et al., 2023) by following one group of students over two semesters, using a commercially available tool, measuring actual usage behaviors and not solely student perceptions and analyzing instructor perceptions of the tool. The authors contribute further evidence that group-constructed knowledge is valuable for undergraduate learning (Kalir et al., 2020b). The authors also provide data-based suggestions for the use of social annotation tools that maximize student learning and engagement.
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Osama Sam Al-Kwifi, Hamid Mahmood Hamid Gelaidan and Abdulla Hamad M. A. Fetais
Halal markets are rapidly growing in terms of market size and global coverage; therefore, there is a critical demand to have a deeper understanding of the consumption behavior of…
Abstract
Purpose
Halal markets are rapidly growing in terms of market size and global coverage; therefore, there is a critical demand to have a deeper understanding of the consumption behavior of Muslim consumers. This study aims to explore the influence of using the Halal logo on Muslim consumers’ attitudes toward food products using the neuroscience technology of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
Design/methodology/approach
The theory of planned behavior represents the foundation of this research, where consumer attitudes during an fMRI experiment were evaluated based on two different groups of images: images of just the Halal logo and images of meat labeled with the Halal logo. The study used the blocked design approach to track brain responses produced from displaying the two groups of images to study participants, where brain activity represents participants’ attitudes toward selecting the products.
Findings
There were no significant variations in brain activity when participants viewed Halal and non-Halal logos; in contrast, there were significant brain changes in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex region when meat images were labeled with Halal and non-Halal logos. This suggests that the Halal logo only has an influence on perception when it co-occurs with a product.
Research limitations/implications
Tracking Muslim consumption patterns is important for managers to be able to establish strategies to target Muslim consumers. This study uses a unique technique to study the behavioral attitude of a rapidly growing market segment, which can help marketing managers tailor their advertisement strategies to be more effective.
Originality/value
Previous research on the consumption of Halal products uses conventional approaches to study the influence of the Halal logo; however, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to explore the influence of the Halal logo on Muslim consumers’ attitudes using fMRI technology.
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Masoud Parsi, Vahid Baradaran and Amir Hossein Hosseinian
The purpose of this study is to develop an integrated model for the stochastic multiproject scheduling and material ordering problems, where some of the prominent features of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to develop an integrated model for the stochastic multiproject scheduling and material ordering problems, where some of the prominent features of offshore projects and their environmental-degrading effects have been embraced as well. The durations of activities are uncertain in this model. The developed formulation is tri-objective that seeks to minimize the expected time, total cost and CO2 emission of all projects.
Design/methodology/approach
A new version of the multiobjective multiagent optimization (MOMAO) algorithm has been proposed to solve the amalgamated model. To empower the MOMAO, various procedures of this algorithm have been modified based on the multiattribute utility theory (MAUT) technique. Along with the MOMAO, this study has employed four other meta-heuristic methodologies to solve the model as well.
Findings
The outputs of the MOMAO have been put to test against four other optimizers in terms of convergence, diversity, uniformity and computation times. The results of the Mean Ideal Distance (MID) metric have revealed that the MOMAO has strongly prevailed its rival optimizers. In terms of diversity of the acquired solutions, the MOMAO has ranked the first among all employed optimizers since this algorithm has offered the best solutions in 56.66 and 63.33% of the test problems regarding the diversification metric and hyper-volume metrics. Regarding the uniformity of results, which is measured through the spacing metric (SP), the MOMAO has presented the best SP values in more than 96% of the test problems. The MOMAO has needed more computation times in comparison to its rivals.
Practical implications
A real case study comprising two concurrent offshore projects has been offered. The proposed formulation and the MOMAO have been implemented for this case study, and their effectiveness has been appraised.
Originality/value
Very few studies have focused on presenting an integrated formulation for the stochastic multiproject scheduling and material ordering problems. The model embraces some of the characteristics of the offshore projects which have not been adequately studied in the literature. Limited capacities of the offshore platforms and cargo vessels have been embedded in the proposed model. The offshore platforms have spatial limitations in storing the required materials. The vessels are also capacitated and they also have limited shipment capacities. Some of the required materials need to be transported from the base to the offshore platform via a fleet of cargo vessels. The workforces and equipment can become idle on the offshore platform due to material shortage. Various offshore-related costs have been integrated as a minimization objective function in the model. The cargo vessels release CO2 detrimental emissions to the environment which are sought to be minimized in the developed formulation. To the best of the authors' knowledge, the MOMAO has not been sufficiently employed as a solution methodology for the stochastic multiproject scheduling and material ordering problems.
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Paola De Bernardi, Alberto Bertello and Canio Forliano
The purpose of this paper is to appraise and evaluate empirical research on circular economy in food systems, consolidating the existing knowledge and identifying shortcomings in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to appraise and evaluate empirical research on circular economy in food systems, consolidating the existing knowledge and identifying shortcomings in this emerging body of research.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted a systematic literature review of 136 studies from the electronic databases Scopus and Web of Science. The authors also developed a thematic analysis and summarized the results in a framework.
Findings
The authors identified seven critical issues for the transition to circular food systems: consumer behavior, multistakeholder coordination, business models, digital technologies, barriers, transition processes and performance and measurement systems. Moreover, the authors provide an agenda for future research on these topics.
Originality/value
While reviews on the circular economy are spreading rapidly, no reviews have comprehensively addressed the critical issues for the transition to circular food systems in the business, management, and organization domains.
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Renato Araujo, June Marques Fernandes, Luciana Paula Reis and Martin Beaulieu
This study aims to identify supply chain (SC) management practices applied to purchasing capable of improving the resilience of the health-care SC and mitigating the effects of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to identify supply chain (SC) management practices applied to purchasing capable of improving the resilience of the health-care SC and mitigating the effects of material and service disruption during pandemics.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach adopted is qualitative and is based on a systematic literature review from the ScienceDirect, Emerald, Wiley and Web of Science databases. After selecting 705 documents, filters are applied, and 52 articles present problems faced by purchasing the health-care SC during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Findings
This article suggests five propositions of resilient practices that can increase purchasing resilience in the face of pandemics such as COVID-19. The proposed practices are collaboration, flexibility, visibility, agility and information sharing, which suggest a sequence for the adoption of management practices based on the number of occurrences and importance found in the analysed studies.
Research limitations/implications
This study does not find robust empirical evidence that could categorically state that the results can be replicated in organisations in general. Thus, as a continuation of research, more studies should use an empirical methodology and case analysis to organise different branches. As the human factor was decisive for the results observed in the literature, future research should dedicate part of the studies to the psychological area of professionals. Actions to combat the pandemic were implemented, impacting positively and negatively on the results obtained. Future research on combat actions could indicate which ones should be avoided.
Practical implications
As a result, disruptions are expected to be reduced, and consequently, the resilience of the SC will increase. Accordingly, purchasing processes and procedures can be redefined to positively influence the resilience of the health-care SC. Resilience is related to maintaining the flow of supply, as well as systems and actions aimed at mitigating the effects of disruptions in the hospital’s core business.
Social implications
Health systems need to respond to society’s needs even in the face of global crises, such as the one faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The overload in hospitals and the exponential demand for specific medicines and services in the fight against the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic require enormous coordination in procurement by the purchasing sector. This planning aims to ensure that the care provided by health services maintains the flow of value that serves hospitalised patients.
Originality/value
This study introduces a new approach to the recurrent problem of disruption of the health-care SC during a pandemic using a combination of five important management practices. This proves useful for mitigating disruptions and their effects on the health-care SC.
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Saeid Sharifi and Fatemeh Khoshnevisan
The present study aimed recognition sociocultural competencies in social entrepreneurship of higher education.
Abstract
Purpose
The present study aimed recognition sociocultural competencies in social entrepreneurship of higher education.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employed a qualitative content analysis technique. In order to identify and select information-rich cases, a semi-structured interview was conducted with 22 experts among the social activists in Iran’s public and private universities based on the criterion-dependent targeted sampling method. Four credibility, transferability, dependability and conformability criteria were used to increase the accuracy of qualitative data the findings were analyzed using thematic analysis through open, axial and selective coding.
Findings
Sociocultural competencies in social entrepreneurship of higher education are categorized into three cognitive (cognitive requirements of entrepreneurship, sociocultural values) emotional (emotional integration, positive emotions) and behavioral (interactive communication, professional life, entrepreneurial social traits) levels at 34 subcomponents.
Originality/value
Higher education with the growing trend of the challenge of cultural diversity and fusion caused by intercultural communication requires competencies that prepare social entrepreneurs for the future of higher education with the lens of socio-cultural capabilities. The neglected gap in the higher education system has empirical value for executive managers. The approach of preparing future higher education leaders for social and human benefits beyond political boundaries and cultural and social tensions, sociocultural competencies have an exclusive appeal.
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Bakhtiar Piroozi, Farman Zahir Abdullah, Amjad Mohamadi-Bolbanabad, Hossein Safari, Mohammad Amerzadeh, Satar Rezaei, Ghobad Moradi, Masoumeh Ansari, Abdorrahim Afkhamzadeh and Jamshid Gholami
The purpose of this study is to investigate the status of perceived need, seeking behavior and utilization of health services in the elderly population of Sanandaj (west of Iran).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the status of perceived need, seeking behavior and utilization of health services in the elderly population of Sanandaj (west of Iran).
Design/methodology/approach
This is a cross-sectional study conducted on 800 elderly people in Sanandaj. Subjects were selected using multistage sampling and data were collected using self-report questionnaires. A multivariate logistic model with odds ratios (ORs) was used to determine the relationship of independent variables with seeking perceived need. Also, the concentration index was used to measure the inequality in using health services.
Findings
The perceived need for outpatient (during the last 30 days) and inpatient health-care services (during the past 12 months) was 69.7% and 29.7%, respectively. Among them, the unmet need for outpatient and inpatient health-care services was 46.6% and 17%, respectively. Having health insurance (adjusted OR 12.08; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04–140.11), middle economic status (adjusted OR 5.18; 95% CI 1.30–20.51) and being in an age group of 65–70 years (adjusted OR 7.60; CI 1.42–40.61) increased the chance of seeking inpatient care. Also, being in an age group of 60–65 years (adjusted OR 0.41; 95% CI 0.18–0.95) reduced the chance of seeking outpatient care. There was also a pro-rich inequality in using outpatient health services.
Originality/value
The elderly population suffers from unmet health-care needs, especially in outpatient services. The most important reason for not seeking outpatient and inpatient services was financial barriers and self-medication, respectively. So, designing targeted policies and interventions to address barriers in the conversion of need to demand in the elderly population is essential.
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Andrés Muñoz-Villamizar, Javier Santos, Paloma Grau and Elisabeth Viles
The purpose of this paper is to analyze gaps and trends, as well suggest approaches and methodologies that should be addressed by future studies for implementing the lean and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze gaps and trends, as well suggest approaches and methodologies that should be addressed by future studies for implementing the lean and green management in the agri-food sector.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a sample with 117 papers, this paper presents a systematic review on the integration of lean and green in the agri-food sector.
Findings
Key findings indicate that research on lean and green topics has increased in recent years, an important gap in the integration of lean and green in the agri-food sector has been identified. Two paths that remain open for further research are detected: the lack of theoretical, prescriptive and quantitative research and the possibility of integrating the two most used tools of lean (i.e. value stream mapping) and green (i.e. life-cycle assessment).
Practical implications
This study does not only advance the theoretical knowledge of the lean and green field, but it is also beneficial for agri-food companies who aim to effectively deploy lean and green in their processes in order to improve both operational and environmental performances.
Social implications
No other industry matches in such a complete way the agri-food industry’s challenge of sustainability that is due to the amount of resources it consumes and its interrelatedness with the well-being of humanity.
Originality/value
There are separate streams of established research on lean and green management in the agri-food sector, yet very few authors have addressed the intersection of these strategic initiatives.