M.M.I. Hammouda and I.G. El‐Batanony
The purpose of this paper is to estimate the number of cycles for fatigue crack initiation in notched plates.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to estimate the number of cycles for fatigue crack initiation in notched plates.
Design/methodology/approach
Previously published experimental results for tests with initially uncracked U‐shaped notches of different sizes and geometries are utilized. The present work defines the fatigue initiation period, Ni, as number of loading cycles required for the formation of a through‐thickness Mode I crack at the notch root macroscopically propagating along the plate width. Thus, backward extrapolation of the observed early decreasing fatigue growth rates of the initiated crack at the notch root on the specimen surface to zero surface crack size enables the estimation of Ni.
Findings
A parameter based on the normal strain range and the maximum normal stress acting at the notch root best fitted Ni.
Research limitations/implications
This paper provides an estimation of Ni in 3 mm thick mild steel plates subjected to constant amplitude uniaxial cyclic stresses. Initiated‐but‐non‐propagating cracks possibly found at the notch surface and at the notch root along the plate width are distinguished.
Originality/value
Based on the present analysis, a threshold stress is devised to represent the minimum stress level required for the appearance of a through‐thickness crack at the notch root running along the specimen width. Notched plates simulate many engineering applications particularly in aerospace industry.
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Hazwan Haini, Pang Wei Loon and Lukman Raimi
This study aims to examine whether diversified economies enhance the growth benefits from foreign direct investment (FDI). Diversified economies benefit from stable export…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine whether diversified economies enhance the growth benefits from foreign direct investment (FDI). Diversified economies benefit from stable export earnings, stable investment composition and greater factor endowments through forward and backward linkages that can leverage superior foreign technology embedded in FDI. This is crucial as many African economies suffer from dependency while FDI is concentrated in the primary sector.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use a dataset of 15 Economic Community of West African States from 1995 to 2020 and compile variables from various sources, including an export diversification index measured using the Herfindahl–Hirschman index of product concentration. The authors use a growth regression model estimated using dynamic panel estimators to control for endogeneity and simultaneity issues.
Findings
The results show that the effects of direct FDI are insignificant to growth considering diversification and controlling for other confounding factors. Meanwhile, diversification is associated with growth, which highlights the importance of industrial policy. More importantly, the authors find that the marginal effects of FDI are positively and significantly associated with growth when diversification levels are low, implying that production structure matters for the FDI–growth nexus in developing economies.
Originality/value
Previous studies have overlooked the role of export production structure on the FDI–growth nexus. Many developing economies are dependent on primary exports and suffer from dependency, which implies lower levels of factor endowments. As such, this reduces the growth gains from FDI. The authors provide new empirical evidence on the importance of export production structure on the FDI–growth nexus.
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Jean-Michel Sahut, Léopold Djoutsa Wamba and Lubica Hikkerova
In the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis, this article aims to analyze the resilience of family businesses in a developing country like Cameroon. As such…
Abstract
Purpose
In the context of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis, this article aims to analyze the resilience of family businesses in a developing country like Cameroon. As such, this study seeks to fill two gaps in the literature: first, by comparing the financial and social performance of family companies with those of non-family companies not listed on the stock exchange, and second, by comparing performance across family-run companies, according to the companies' mode of leadership in Cameroon, a developing country affected by COVID-19 like the rest of the world.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the literature review, the authors developed empirical models to identify the variables which influence the financial and social dimensions of business performance. These models were tested with multilinear regressions, using data collected from questionnaires distributed to 466 firms, of which 212 were family firms and 254 non-family firms. The authors completed our analyses with mean comparison tests to demonstrate whether our results are significantly different between family and non-family firms.
Findings
The authors' multiple regressions and tests produced two main results – the financial and social performance of all Cameroonian firms declined sharply during the crisis, and with the firms' financial performance hit hardest, family firms have been more resilient to the crisis in terms of financial and social performance than non-family firms. The weak governance and social protection system, as well as an inefficient legal system, do not seem to negatively affect the performance of these Cameroonian firms – the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performance of family firms were better managed in firms where family members are actively involved in management or control through family members' strong representation on the board of directors (BD).
Research limitations/implications
The two main limitations of this study concern the governance of these companies included and the failure to take the characteristics of the manager into account. Investigating other governance variables, such as the composition of the BD or the participation of employees in the capital, would enable us to refine the authors' interpretations of the companies' financial and social performance. Another limitation is the fact that the characteristics of the manager were not considered, especially when the manager is a family member. Exploring this variable would make studying the generational aspect of family businesses possible.
Practical implications
Family companies are more resilient to crisis because of the companies' long-term focus, which also encourages the companies to maintain the companies' social policy and to avoid redundancies as far as possible. Weak systems of governance and social protection, as well as an ineffective legal system, do not negatively affect the performance of Cameroonian family companies. The results also suggest that family shareholders should become more involved in the management and control of family's firms to make the firms financially and socially resilient and in so doing drastically reduce the impact of crises.
Social implications
This study shows, in particular, how family firms are more socially resilient than other firms in times of crisis (by resorting less often to redundancies). Family firms should, therefore, arguably benefit the most from public support during crises.
Originality/value
The authors' research makes two main contributions to the literature on family businesses. The results first of all show that Cameroonian family firms have thus far performed better financially and socially during the COVID-19 period than non-family firms. Second, this research focuses on differences in performance based on family business management types during this specific crisis period. The results suggest that the most resilient family firms, in terms of performance, are those in which the family is involved in the management or control of the BD.
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Nitin Upadhyay, Shalini Upadhyay, Mutaz M. Al-Debei, Abdullah M. Baabdullah and Yogesh K. Dwivedi
This study aims to investigate the adoption intention of artificial intelligence (AI) in family businesses through the perspectives of digital entrepreneurship and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the adoption intention of artificial intelligence (AI) in family businesses through the perspectives of digital entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship orientation.
Design/methodology/approach
The study examines contributing factors explaining the adoption intention of AI in the context of family businesses. The developed research model is examined and validated using structural equation modelling based on 631 respondents' data. Purposeful sampling is used to collect the respondents' data.
Findings
The proposed model included two endogenous (i.e. business innovativeness and adoption intention) and six exogenous variables (i.e. affordances, culture and flexible design, entrepreneurial orientation, generativity, openness and technology orientation) through ten direct paths and three indirect paths. The results depicted the significant influence of all the exogenous variables on the endogenous variable reflecting support of all the hypotheses. The business innovativeness partially mediates the relationships of culture and flexible design, entrepreneurial orientation and technology orientation with adoption intention. Further, the results demonstrated a model variance of 24.6% for business innovativeness and 64.2% for adoption intention of artificial intelligence in the family business.
Research limitations/implications
The study contributes to theoretical developments in entrepreneurship and family business research and AI's theoretical progress, especially to digital entrepreneurship.
Originality/value
Theoretically, it contributes to the literature of entrepreneurship, particularly digital entrepreneurship. Additionally, the research model adds to the role of entrepreneurial orientation and digital entrepreneurship in the emerging family entrepreneurship literature. Considering the scarcity of research in this field, the empirically validated model explaining critical antecedents of AI adoption intention in the family business is a foundation for discussion, critique and future research.
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Alessandra Costa, Angelo Presenza and Tindara Abbate
This work aims to offer a better understanding of the inevitable challenges related to the digital transformation in the family-owned low-tech SMEs, examining the role assumed by…
Abstract
Purpose
This work aims to offer a better understanding of the inevitable challenges related to the digital transformation in the family-owned low-tech SMEs, examining the role assumed by familiness in this specific context. To this end, it examines the main factors that influence the adoption and implementation of digital technologies in the family-owned low-tech SMEs.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses a multiple case studies approach, by investigating the case of family-owned low-tech SMEs operating in the winery sector and located in the South-Italy area.
Findings
Based on the empirical evidence, findings show how familiness influence the digital transformation of family-owned SMEs and highlight three main factors – individual, process and organization – relevant for the introduction and use of digital technologies in the productive and innovative activities of these organizations.
Originality/value
This paper fills the research gap existing in the literature on the family business. Firstly, it focuses on the digital transformation phenomenon and underlines how familiness, within family-owned low-tech SMEs, can differently influence the firm's innovation processes primarly based on the use of digital technologies oriented to enable business improvements. Then, it identifies diverse dimensions that can act as “barriers” or “facilitators” for adopting advanced digital technologies within the organizations here examined.
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Hatem Gaffer, Hamada Mashaly, Shaymaa Hassan Abdel-Rhman and Mamdouh Hammouda
The study reported in this paper aims to synthesize some new curcumin containing sulphadiazine and sulphathiazole dyestuffs and study their application in dyeing silk fabrics…
Abstract
Purpose
The study reported in this paper aims to synthesize some new curcumin containing sulphadiazine and sulphathiazole dyestuffs and study their application in dyeing silk fabrics rendering the dyed fabric antibacterial.
Design/methodology/approach
Simultaneous dyeing and antibacterial finishing for silk fabric using a new antibacterial acid dye having a modified chemical structure to curcumin were conducted. This modification of curcumin dye was carried out by introducing sulphonamide containing heterocyclic rings sulphadiazine and sulfathiazole through coupling with curcumin. All newly synthesized dyes were characterized by elemental analyses and spectral data (IR, 1H-NMR and MS). The dyeing characteristics of these dyestuffs were evaluated at optimum conditions. Antibacterial activities of the dyed samples at different concentrations of both dyes were studied against gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram-negative (Salmonella typhimurium) bacteria.
Findings
The synthesized curcumin-containing sulphonamide dyes were applied on silk fabrics. The modified dyes exhibited good fastness properties compared to curcumin dye at optimum conditions. It was found that synthesized dyes exhibit good fastness and antibacterial properties efficient against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. The dyed silk fabrics showed higher antibacterial efficacy after many times of washing.
Originality/value
Curcumin, a common natural dye used for fabric and food colouration, was used as an antimicrobial finish due to its bactericidal properties on dyed textiles. A common dyeing process could provide textiles with colour as well as antimicrobial properties. Novel antibacterial dyestuff containing curcumin moieties with sulphonamide coupler components were shown to be an interesting natural colorant for silk with high antimicrobial ability of the dyed silk fabrics. This work has afforded a new acid dye that can be used in medical textile.
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M.T. Cunningham and M.A.A. Hammouda
Presents some preliminary findings emerging from a research study discussing some of the factors affecting the adoption of planning in various large engineering groups. Chronicles…
Abstract
Presents some preliminary findings emerging from a research study discussing some of the factors affecting the adoption of planning in various large engineering groups. Chronicles that product planning embraces both the planning of changes in the product range by adding new products, discontinuing or modifying unprofitable or obsolete products, and also the evolution of a strategy for marketing the ever‐changing range of products. Sums up that the companies who have introduced product planning still face considerable difficulties in restructuring their organisation to accommodate the product planning function.
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S. Vivier, M. Hecquet, A. Ait‐Hammouda and P. Brochet
The aim of this paper is to use an analytical multi‐physical model – electromagnetic, mechanic and acoustic – in order to predict the electromagnetic noise of a permanent magnet…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to use an analytical multi‐physical model – electromagnetic, mechanic and acoustic – in order to predict the electromagnetic noise of a permanent magnet synchronous machine.
Design/methodology/approach
The aim of this work is to develop and use an analytical multi‐physical model – electromagnetic, mechanic and acoustic – of a synchronous machine with permanent magnets. The complete model is coded in order to predict acoustic noise. A study of sensitivity is presented in order to deduce the influential – or significant – factors on the noise. For that, the technique of the experimental designs is used. More particularly, the modeling of the noise will be achieved due to the new “trellis” designs.
Findings
Three models are presented: electromagnetic, mechanical of vibration and acoustic. For each of them, comparisons with finite element method and experiments have been made. Several response surfaces are given; they represent the noise according to influential factors, with respect to different speeds of the machine. These surfaces are useful to deduce the parts of the design space to avoid.
Originality/value
Different multi‐physical aspects are considered: electromagnetic, mechanic and acoustic phenomena are taken into account due to a single analytical model. The experimental design method is the privileged tool used to make the complex relationships between the main variables appear.