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1 – 7 of 7Saad Dahlawi and Mahmoud F. El Sharkawy
Municipal solid waste (MSW) consists mainly of several recyclable materials such as paper and cardboard. Inside the educational institutes, especially universities, MSW is…
Abstract
Purpose
Municipal solid waste (MSW) consists mainly of several recyclable materials such as paper and cardboard. Inside the educational institutes, especially universities, MSW is generated from several facilities including offices and cafeterias. Without an effective management program, solid waste can have detrimental impacts on the environment. This paper aims to assess the solid waste management practices followed at the main campus of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), Dammam – Saudi Arabia.
Design/methodology/approach
The MSW samples were collected from different sources inside the IAU campus such as the college buildings (such as the teaching rooms and staff offices), the administrative buildings and services buildings (e.g. the main library, the photocopying center, the restaurant and cafeteria) at least one time per week during a full academic term (January–May) of the academic year 2017–2018. The collected MSW samples were segregated into seven categories, and the net amount of each category and the overall weight of the MSW were determined once every week. The MSW samples were characterized for physical and chemical properties including moisture, carbon and ash contents. Food product waste (FPW) of the main university restaurant was studied separately.
Findings
Data on the composition of MSW samples revealed that 80% of wastes were recyclable, 19% as compostable materials, while only 1% of the materials were a non-recyclable waste. More than 73% of the recyclable materials include paper and plastic warranting dire need of an effective solid waste management program. The highest value of FPW was recorded for the breakfast meal.
Originality/value
Most of the waste generated from the university campus was recyclable type that needs to be handled carefully to avoid its mixing with other types of the waste stream. Waste characterization is an important tool that helps in understanding the amount and pattern of waste generation. It can be used as a decision-making tool for implementing sustainable waste management programs for universities.
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The purpose of the paper is to showcase the significant achievements of Egypt's scientists in the 20th century across various fields of study such as medicine, physics, chemistry…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the paper is to showcase the significant achievements of Egypt's scientists in the 20th century across various fields of study such as medicine, physics, chemistry, biology, math, geology, astronomy and engineering. The paper highlights the struggles and successes of these scientists, as well as the cultural, social and political factors that influenced their lives and work. The aim is to inspire young people to pursue careers in science and make their own contributions to society by presenting these scientists as role models for hard work and dedication. Ultimately, the paper seeks to promote the importance of science and its impact on society.
Design/methodology/approach
The purpose of this review is to present the scientific biographies of Egypt's most distinguished scientists, primarily in the field of Natural Sciences, in a balanced and comprehensive manner. The work is objective, honest and abstract, avoiding any bias or exaggeration. The author provides a clear and concise methodology, including a brief introduction to the scientist and their field of study, an explanation of their major contributions, the impact of their work on society, any challenges or obstacles faced during their career and their lasting legacy. The aim is to showcase the important achievements of these scientists, their impact on their respective fields and to inspire future generations to pursue scientific careers.
Findings
The group of outstanding scientists in 20th century Egypt were shaped by various factors, including familial upbringing, education, society, political and cultural atmosphere and state support for scientific research. These scientists made significant contributions to various academic disciplines, including medicine, physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics and engineering. Their impact on their communities and cultures has received international acclaim, making them role models for future generations of scientists and researchers. The history of these scientists highlights the importance of educational investments and supporting scientific research to foster innovation and social progress. The encyclopedia serves as a useful tool for students, instructors and education professionals, preserving Egypt's scientific heritage and honouring the scientists' outstanding accomplishments.
Research limitations/implications
The encyclopedia preserves Egypt's scientific heritage, which has been overlooked for political or other reasons. It is a useful tool for a variety of readers, including students, instructors and education professionals, and it offers insights into universally relevant scientific success factors as well as scientific research methodologies. The encyclopedia honours the outstanding scientific accomplishments of Egyptian researchers and their contributions to the world's scientific community.
Practical implications
The practical implications of this paper are several. First, it highlights the importance of education, family upbringing and societal support for scientific research in fostering innovation and social progress. Second, it underscores the need for continued funding and support for scientific research to maintain and build upon the accomplishments of past generations of scientists. Third, it encourages young people to pursue scientific careers and make their own contributions to society. Fourth, it preserves the scientific heritage of Egypt and honors the contributions of its outstanding scientists. Finally, it serves as a useful tool for students, instructors and education professionals seeking to understand the factors underlying scientific success and research methodologies.
Social implications
The social implications of the paper include promoting national pride and cultural identity, raising awareness of the importance of education and scientific research in driving social progress, inspiring future generations of scientists and researchers, reducing socioeconomic disparities and emphasizing the role of society, politics and culture in shaping scientific researchers' personalities and interests.
Originality/value
The paper's originality/value lies in its comprehensive documentation of the scientific biographies of Egypt's most prominent scientists in the 20th century, providing unique insights into the factors that contributed to their development and their impact across various academic disciplines. It preserves Egypt's scientific heritage and inspires future generations of scientists and researchers through the promotion of educational investments and scientific research. The encyclopedia serves as a useful tool for education professionals seeking to understand scientific success factors and research methodologies, emphasizing the importance of supportive and inclusive environments for scientific development.
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Naglaa M. Abdo, Wafaa S. Hamza and Mariam A. Al-Fadhli
The purpose of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of Kuwait Infection Control Directorate educational program in improving knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess the effectiveness of Kuwait Infection Control Directorate educational program in improving knowledge, attitude and practices (KAP) of environmental service workers (ESWs) regarding the management of infectious and sharps waste.
Design/methodology/approach
An interventional educational pre-test/post-test study was conducted over seven months, on a sample of 102 ESWs in Farwaniya General Government Hospital, Kuwait. Educational sessions and practical training using the KAP approach were applied during the intervention phase. The KAP of the participants were assessed using a questionnaire and observation checklist in the pre- and post-intervention phases.
Findings
Improvement in all aspects of the KAP regarding infectious and sharps waste management was observed among the participants after implementation of the intervention, with a statistically significant difference between pre- and post-test results (p<0.01).
Originality/value
The applied multi-component educational program in the current study can be successfully implemented for ESWs in all government hospitals in Kuwait and other countries with similar settings.
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Zakka Hammadi Ghifari and Ririn Diar Astanti
This study proposes a new framework for business process improvement (BPI) by identifying areas of improvement based on customer complaints.
Abstract
Purpose
This study proposes a new framework for business process improvement (BPI) by identifying areas of improvement based on customer complaints.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed framework comprises several stages. The first stage captures the voice of customer (VoC) in the form of customer complaints. The complaints are processed using text mining and sentiment analysis. Negative sentiments indicate areas for improvement by matching words with SERVQUAL dimensions. The FMEA method is used to identify business processes that need to be improved.
Findings
The opposing quality dimensions of SERVQUAL can be incorporated into a database for later identifying consumer complaints. FMEA can be used to identify potential failures in aspects that correspond to consumer complaints; therefore, improvement areas can be identified. The proposed framework, applied to a garment manufacturer, shows that the SERVQUAL dimensions, which were originally intended for service companies, can be adapted to manage customer complaints to support BPI in manufacturing companies.
Practical implications
The framework can be used by either the manufacturing or service industries to handle customer complaints and use the complaint analysis results to identify improvement areas to avoid the same complaints occurring in the future.
Originality/value
In this study, the construction of a database based on the SERVQUAL dimension to match sentiment results, where negative sentiment indicates improvement, and the use of FMEA to indicate specific business processes that should be improved is novel and has not yet been proposed by previous studies.
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Sehrish Huma and Danish Ahmed Siddiqui
The purpose of this study is to investigate the roles of potential absorptive capacity (PACAP) and realized absorptive capacity (RACAP) in driving different types of innovation…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the roles of potential absorptive capacity (PACAP) and realized absorptive capacity (RACAP) in driving different types of innovation practices, including process, product, marketing and organizational innovation with in the supply chain (SC). Furthermore, this study also seeks to examine the previously unexplored relationship between these SC innovation practices and supply chain risk management (SCRM).
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 267 SC professionals working in the export manufacturing industry for hypotheses testing via structural equation modeling.
Findings
The results have found that both PACAP and RACAP positively and significantly impact on each practice of SC innovation. The results also show that each SC innovation practices such as product innovation, process innovation and marketing innovation have a positive and significant impact on SCRM except organizational innovation.
Originality/value
This study makes a notable contribution to the broader SC management literature, with a specific focus on absorptive capacity, innovation management and SCRM, areas where empirical research is still emerging. This study reveals that organizations trying to manage SC risk must implement sufficient SC innovation practices by enhancing their PACAP and RACAP for quick response and recovery from SC disruptions.
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This paper aims to enhance the stability and control of twin rotor multi-input multi-output system (TRMS) helicopters by introducing a novel approach that utilizes a…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to enhance the stability and control of twin rotor multi-input multi-output system (TRMS) helicopters by introducing a novel approach that utilizes a multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) for optimizing proportional, integral, derivative (PID) controllers in simultaneous pitch and yaw motions.
Design/methodology/approach
The TRMS, a common prototype for helicopter motion studies, is introduced, and a PID controller is designed for pitch and yaw stabilization. The gains of the PID controller are optimized using a MOGA, a technique not previously proposed for TRMS in the literature.
Findings
While various controllers have been explored in literature for TRMS stabilization, a MOGA-optimized PID controller for TRMS has not been proposed before. Simultaneous optimization of both pitch and yaw motions using two PID controllers is expected to yield improved robustness.
Research limitations/implications
The study focuses on simulations, and experimental validation is not conducted. The MOGA is introduced as an optimization technique, and future studies may explore its application in experimental settings.
Originality/value
This study introduces a novel approach by utilizing a MOGA to optimize PID controller gains for TRMS. Simultaneous optimization of pitch and yaw motions aims to enhance robustness, providing a unique contribution to the field of helicopter control.
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Ahmad Alrazni Alshammari, Othman Altwijry and Andul-Hamid Abdul-Wahab
From 1979 to 2023, the takaful structure has been adopted in many jurisdictions, making the documenting of its early days of establishment relatively difficult and somewhat…
Abstract
Purpose
From 1979 to 2023, the takaful structure has been adopted in many jurisdictions, making the documenting of its early days of establishment relatively difficult and somewhat unreliable. This is unlike conventional insurance, where the history and legislation are well documented and archived in various research (Hellwege, 2016; Marano and Siri, 2017). The purpose of this paper is to provide a chronology for the establishment and development of takaful via the takaful establishment in each jurisdiction, documenting its first takaful operator and first takaful regulation.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper has used a qualitative method in the form of reviewing literature and available data such as journals, books and official resources. The data is thoroughly analysed in order to build the chronology for takaful. It adopted an exploratory research design, which is deemed suitable in situations where few works of literature have examined the subject (Neuman, 2014). The paper explores the establishment and non-establishment of takaful in 57 countries. The paper categorises the countries into seven regions starting with the GCC, Levant, Asia, Central Asia, Africa, Europe and Others.
Findings
The takaful chronology presented in this paper shows that takaful operations exist in 47 jurisdictions, starting from Sudan and the UAE in 1979, with the most recent adopters being Morocco and Iran in December 2021. It is found that 22 jurisdictions do not have takaful regulations, and the Takaful Act 1984, issued in Malaysia, is considered the first takaful regulation that sets the basis for other regulations that follow.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the literature by providing a comprehensive chronology of takaful, especially as the few existing timelines have been found to be incomplete and consist of contradictory information.
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