Murtuza Mehdi, Alidad Chandio, Maaz Akhtar, Zaibullah Khan, Ahsan Zaman and Adeel Muhammad
Polymer substrates with micron size roughness features have been found to play an important role in the mechanical performance of thin functional films which are used extensively…
Abstract
Purpose
Polymer substrates with micron size roughness features have been found to play an important role in the mechanical performance of thin functional films which are used extensively in stretchable and flexible micro electromechanical systems. The purpose of this study is to report the stretchability and flexibility limits of micro size silver nano platelet films on a soft polymer substrate having two different orientations of micro grating with respect to the applied load.
Design/methodology/approach
Parallel and perpendicular micro gratings on the surface of a soft polymer substrate polydimethylsiloxane were patterned using a carefully machined master aluminum block and thin aluminum foils. Silver nano platelet-based films were rod coated on the substrate surface containing the micro gratings. These films were dried in ambient air and were tested for their stretchability and flexibility limits using homemade tools. Finite element modeling has also been performed and was found to support the experimental observations.
Findings
Experiments indicate that stretchability of silver nano platelet-based thin films tends to increase when the grating orientation remains parallel to the axis of the applied load, while its flexibility improves when the orientation becomes perpendicular to the loading axis.
Originality/value
The effect of grating orientation with respect to the applied load was investigated. The experiments show that micro grating roughness features are capable of enhancing the mechanical performance of nano platelet-based silver films on a soft polymer substrate and can be used in various stretchable and flexible micro electro mechanical device applications.
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The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) laid the foundations of the Islamic state in Medina in 622 A.D. The state expanded gradually during the 10‐year rule of the Prophet (pbuh). The Arabian…
Abstract
The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) laid the foundations of the Islamic state in Medina in 622 A.D. The state expanded gradually during the 10‐year rule of the Prophet (pbuh). The Arabian Peninsula and Southern Palestine were conquered during that period. The state expanded enormously during the reign of Umar (RA). Many countries of the Roman and Persian empires comprising an area of more than 2.2 million were annexed. Historians have noted that this framework played a vital role in integrating these people which in turn strengthened the state.
Mohd Abdul Muqeet Maaz and Rais Ahmad
The aim of this study is to empirically test the relationship between supply chain performance and organizational performance mediated by customer satisfaction.
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to empirically test the relationship between supply chain performance and organizational performance mediated by customer satisfaction.
Design/methodology/approach
Respondents of this study include all the supply chain stakeholders, managers working in the dairy industry, bulk milk chillers/coolers (BMCs), farmer producers, wholesalers, transporters, retailers and consumers. The final sample has 67 firms and their forward and backward linkages, taking the total sample size to 1,139. Mediation analysis was performed using SPSS AMOS v26 to analyze the impact of supply chain performance on organizational performance mediated by customer satisfaction.
Findings
The findings of this study reveal that supply chain performance positively impacts organizational performance, and customer satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between them.
Research limitations/implications
This study provides an opportunity for future researchers to test this model in different locations and different industries, incorporating other mediating variables, such as risk, coordination, supply chain orientation etc., as antecedents and operational, economic and marketing performance as consequences.
Practical implications
The study suggests that enhanced organizational performance requires supply chain management to be treated as a strategic function. Managers working at the processing/manufacturing level must focus on improving supply chain performance indicators through collaboration with supply chain stakeholders.
Originality/value
The present study adds to the existing literature by adopting a new supply chain performance measurement approach. The current literature has focused primarily on supply chain practices to study their impact on customer satisfaction and organizational performance. In contrast, the present study demonstrates how improvement in supply chain performance can enhance organizational performance through customer satisfaction.
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Sanjeev Yadav, Sunil Luthra, Anil Kumar, Rohit Agrawal and Guilherme F. Frederico
This study aims to explore the mediating role of digital technologies-based supply chain integrating (SCI) strategies on the agri-supply chain performance (SCP) and firm…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the mediating role of digital technologies-based supply chain integrating (SCI) strategies on the agri-supply chain performance (SCP) and firm performance (FP). This research has introduced recently emerged digital technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT). Further, based on theoretical support and an extensive literature review, this research has proposed some hypotheses, which have been quantitatively validated for their significance.
Design/methodology/approach
A conceptual model was formulated based on an extensive literature review. Data for this research were gathered from a survey completed by 119 respondents from different departments of agri-firms. Further, partial least square (PLS)-based structured equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the proposed hypothetical model.
Findings
The results confirm that IoT-based digital technologies and supply chain processes (organization integration [OI], information sharing and customer integration [CI]) have a significant positive correlation. Furthermore, supply chain practices are positively associated with SCP. Finally, it has been found that FP is positively impacted by SCP.
Research limitations/implications
This research is used to analyse the mediating impacts of digital supply chain processes as a linking strategy for SCP and FP. For practical purposes, this research provides investment decisions for implementing digital technologies in SC strategies. The findings have proposed implications for managers and practitioners in agri-firms based on existing theories: contingency theory (CT) and relational view theory. Also, this study suggests the deployment of smarter electronically based tags and readers, which improve the data analytics capabilities based on auto-captured data. Thus, the availability of quality information improves the data-driven decisional capabilities of managers at company level.
Originality/value
This is a unique and original study exploring the relationship between digitalization, resilient agri-food supply chain (AFSC) management practices and firm performance. This research may be extended to other industries in view of the results from SCP and impact of digitalization.
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Ziad Alkalha, Benjamin Dehe, Iain Reid and Zu’bi M.F. Al-Zu’bi
The study aims to investigate the mediating impact of supplier quality integration on the operational performance of the pharmaceutical supply chain (PSCs) by comparing mature and…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to investigate the mediating impact of supplier quality integration on the operational performance of the pharmaceutical supply chain (PSCs) by comparing mature and evolving PSCs.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted a quantitative method where data were gathered through a survey instrument to identify the differentiators of dynamic capabilities and establish the extent of quality integration in PSCs. Thus, 310 questionnaires were collected from mature and evolving PSCs, where the PROCESS technique was used to analyse the data.
Findings
The results demonstrate the significant paths that enable companies to create, extend and modify the resources to develop their dynamic capabilities. The results reveal significant differences in internal and supplier quality implementation and their impact on operational performance between mature and evolving PSCs.
Originality/value
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine dynamic capabilities aspects of the pharmaceutical supply chain quality integration in mature and evolving PSCs, which extends the body of knowledge and makes a practical contribution.
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Danish Hussain, Arham Adnan and Maaz Hasan Khan
The study attempted to gauge the relative effectiveness of celebrity and product image match-up in comparison to non-celebrity attractive endorsers for two distinct high…
Abstract
Purpose
The study attempted to gauge the relative effectiveness of celebrity and product image match-up in comparison to non-celebrity attractive endorsers for two distinct high involvement situations. Also, due to the expected demographic diversity among target consumers, the study aimed at assessing the impact of respondent's age and gender on the effectiveness of image match-up.
Design/methodology/approach
Building on the three-order hierarchy model, two experiments were conducted (utilising celebrity and non-celebrity endorsers) for two high involvement hierarchies, i.e. standard learning and dissonance/attribution. Through fictitious print advertisement, the experiments assessed the effectiveness of the match-up in terms of consumer attitudes towards advertisement and brand and intentions to purchase.
Findings
The match-up consistently and significantly outperformed non-celebrity attractive endorser in case of standard learning hierarchy. The same conclusion was not established for dissonance/attribution hierarchy due to the lack of significant results. The findings also suggest that the match-up subdues the impact of consumer's gender and age on consumer attitudes only in case of standard learning hierarchy.
Research limitations/implications
The study provides interesting theoretical implication by challenging a widely held postulation about the applicability of celebrity and product match-up under high involvement.
Practical implications
The research provides the practitioners with a better understanding of important issues, mainly, whether to use a celebrity endorser and selecting the right celebrity, especially if high involvement is expected.
Originality/value
Previous research concerning celebrity endorsements has largely considered consumer involvement as unitary, i.e. either high or low. However, the multifaceted aspect of consumer involvement is well established in the field of consumer psychology. The present research, therefore, is a pioneering attempt as it studies the effectiveness of match-up for two distinct high involvement situations. Moreover, unlike the majority of previous studies that have focused on the performance of “celebrity match” versus “celebrity mismatch”, the impact of match-up was studied in comparison to a non-celebrity attractive endorser.
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Ephrem Negash Shebeshe and Dhiraj Sharma
The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices on both competitive advantage (CA) and organizational performance (OP…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices on both competitive advantage (CA) and organizational performance (OP) in the manufacturing sector in Ethiopia.
Design/methodology/approach
Data for the study were collected from a sample of 221 manufacturing companies operating in the four manufacturing groups/sectors in Ethiopia. In addition, data analysis was performed using the partial least squares method, which is a variance-based Structural Equation Modeling approach in the Smart-PLS software version (SmartPLS 4.0).
Findings
Based on the statistical analysis of the collected data, it demonstrates that SSCM has a significant and positive impact on both competitive advantage and organizational performance. Furthermore, statistical findings offer proof of the clear connection between competitive advantage and organizational performance. Moreover, competitive advantage indirectly mediates the relationship between SSCM and OP.
Research limitations/implications
The primary limitation of this research is its reliance on a cross-sectional design. The generalizability of the findings obtained from the present study may be hindered. The variable under investigation in this research assessed organizational performance, a concept that is widely acknowledged to be extremely dynamic.
Practical implications
The study provides managers and researchers with valuable information on Sustainable Supply Chain Management strategies and how they influence competitive advantage and organizational performance in commercial and industrial environments.
Originality/value
This paper adds to the body of knowledge by providing new data and empirical insights into the relationship between SSCM practices and the performance of manufacturing companies in Ethiopia.
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Ernest Kissi, Clinton Aigbavboa and Ewald Kuoribo
The momentous contribution of innovative technologies has made a significant impact in several sectors globally. However, the construction industry is undoubtedly lagging when it…
Abstract
Purpose
The momentous contribution of innovative technologies has made a significant impact in several sectors globally. However, the construction industry is undoubtedly lagging when it comes to technology usage. Thus, this study aims to explore the various emerging technologies in the construction industry while noticing stakeholders’ challenges and strategies in its use.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used a pragmatism research philosophy together with a quantitative research strategy in determining emerging technologies in the construction industry while noticing stakeholder challenges and strategies. Data were obtained from a total of 80 construction stakeholders through a structured questionnaire survey. The analysis was done with descriptive statistics using mean score ranking and a one-sample t-test.
Findings
Each emerging technology challenge was analysed and compared to see how pressing the challenges were as well as the aligned strategies. A key indication of this study is that the familiarity of the various emerging technologies was based on how many occasions one had an encounter with the technology.
Practical implications
The discussion’s findings contribute to a better knowledge to construction stakeholders on the challenges and strategies for rising technology adoption and implementation competencies.
Originality/value
The study reckoned stakeholders’ challenges on the emerging technologies in the construction industry context and recommended strategies to balloon the adoption of these emerging technologies in a developing country setting.
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Ayodotun Stephen Ibidunni, Oyebisi M. Ibidunni, Olufemi A. Akinbola, Maxwell A. Olokundun and Olaleke O. Ogunnaike
This research investigated the influence of the dimensions of the SECI theory, LMX theory and a newly developed teacher–student knowledge exchanges (TSKE) on preparedness of…
Abstract
Purpose
This research investigated the influence of the dimensions of the SECI theory, LMX theory and a newly developed teacher–student knowledge exchanges (TSKE) on preparedness of students for the workplace.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a sample size of 214 business education students drawn from six programmes, structural equation modelling using AMOS was adopted to show relationships between dimensions of SECI, LMX and TSKE.
Findings
The statistical analysis revealed that dimensions of the SECI theory, especially socialization and externalization; dimensions of the LMX theory, especially professional respect; and dimensions of the newly developed TSKE perspective, especially the SECI-dominated knowledge exchange were significant influencers of students' workplace preparedness.
Originality/value
Existing literature that focussed on the knowledge management theme in education industry scarcely examined the processes that are critical to knowledge creation and exchange in HEIs. Therefore, the present study adopts a synthesis of SECI and LMX theories to explain how knowledge creation can occur in HEIs and prepare students for the workplace.