Mansour Jalali and Asgarali Bouyer
The purpose of this paper is to explore relationships among the university students’ educational variables and their educational variables concerning educational, cultural and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore relationships among the university students’ educational variables and their educational variables concerning educational, cultural and social dimensions.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire was developed and validated for analyzing the relationship between the amount of time spent for using social networks and different dimensions of educational quality. The sample participants in this study included 400 students who were selected from a total of 3,500 students in Eastern and Western Azerbaijan provinces at north-west of Iran in 2017. Finally, 342 of 400 questionnaires were considered for analyzing. The Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients and multiple regression were used to analyze data.
Findings
The results proved that the highest correlation coefficient was related to social networks and education quality and the lowest correlation was related to social networks and cultural quality. The result of applying multiple regression proved that there is a linear relationship between the roles of using social networks in predicting students’ educational quality.
Originality/value
The role of academic and general social media in studying students’ educational quality at universities is still under researched. This situation provides a significant potential to explore on the effect of academic and general virtual social media in creating educational and cultural awareness among university’s students. The findings of the current study add to the existing literature by contributing to a better awareness of university student and applying appropriate strategies to conduct the education of students.
Details
Keywords
Rakesh Belwal, Maryam Al Fazari and Shwaky Mansour
This study examines the condition of working women within Oman’s socioeconomic framework, emphasizing their underrepresentation in senior management, the effects of workplace…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines the condition of working women within Oman’s socioeconomic framework, emphasizing their underrepresentation in senior management, the effects of workplace constraints on career progression and solutions to enhance opportunities for women in leadership roles.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used a mixed-methods approach, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative analyses. The quantitative phase involved a survey of 215 Omani professionals − 87 male and 128 female, with data analysed using IBM SPSS 28 and SmartPLS 4. Analyses included measures of central tendency and deviation as well as PLS SEM-based path analysis and multigroup analyses.
Findings
The inclusion of women positively influences their career advancement, while harassment and gender discrimination hinder progress. Gender discrimination has a more substantial effect at lower and middle levels but is less impactful at the top level. Harassment affects women over 40 more significantly, with little impact on younger women. Additionally, domestic gender roles particularly hinder the career advancement of women in the 31–40 age group.
Practical implications
The practical consequences encompass the establishment of mentorship programmes, the provision of networking opportunities and the promotion of gender equity awareness. These programmes promote an inclusive workplace, facilitating women’s professional growth. Mentorship and networking offer crucial assistance and connections, whereas growing awareness of gender biases fosters equity and equal treatment for all employees. These initiatives jointly foster a more equal work environment.
Social implications
By implementing sustainable measures and fostering a culture of equity and inclusivity, Oman can prevent gender discrimination and further solidify its commitment to gender equality. This will create an environment where everyone, regardless of gender, has equal opportunities to succeed and thrive.
Originality/value
This research is distinctive within the Omani setting, as no previous studies have explicitly examined women’s career progression from a socioeconomic perspective.
Details
Keywords
Walid Chaouali, Mohamed Yacine Haddoud, Mohamed Mousa, Ahmed Mohamed Elbaz, Narjess Aloui and Fawzi Dekhil
This study aims to investigate the impact of perceived subtle and overt discrimination on employees’ emotional exhaustion, along with potential mitigating factors such as social…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the impact of perceived subtle and overt discrimination on employees’ emotional exhaustion, along with potential mitigating factors such as social support, organizational inclusion and religiosity.
Design/methodology/approach
The research is based on a sample of 359 Muslim employees working in US restaurants. The data are analyzed using fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Techniques.
Findings
The results reveal that high/low emotional exhaustion in tourism and hospitality sector is triggered by multiple combinations of high/low levels of subtle and overt discrimination, family and friends support and religiosity. Such findings hold important implications to both theory and practice.
Research limitations/implications
By using fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis, this research stands out from studies on discrimination that use conventional statistical methods. It proposes several solutions leading to a single outcome (high/low emotional exhaustion). This new approach contributes to the advancement of theory in this context.
Practical implications
This study shows that there is no single best solution for high/low emotional exhaustion. Stated differently, multiple solutions provide several ways for firms to mitigate employees’ emotional exhaustion.
Originality/value
Religious discrimination in workplaces is increasing at an alarming rate, particularly in customer facing roles, such as the tourism and hospitality industry. This is having detrimental effects on employees from minority groups, often leading to excessive levels of emotional exhaustion. Nonetheless, the extant literature has somewhat understated the consequences of this issue, creating a void that needs to be fulfilled. This study addresses this gap.
Details
Keywords
Fatima Shaukat, Muhammad Shafiq and Atif Hussain
As a little research has been conducted to understand the factors influencing users’ intentions to adopt blockchain-based telemedicine (BBT), it is important to investigate BBT…
Abstract
Purpose
As a little research has been conducted to understand the factors influencing users’ intentions to adopt blockchain-based telemedicine (BBT), it is important to investigate BBT acceptance as incorporation of blockchain technology can solve telemedicine-related issues. Accordingly, this study aims to investigate the factors influencing behavioral intentions (BI) to adopt BBT.
Design/methodology/approach
An integrated model comprising the constructs taken from technology–organization–environment framework, technology acceptance model, unified theory of acceptance and use of technology and theory of planned behavior based on their relevance to the context and the objectives of the study has been used for this research. A quantitative approach has been used to test the hypotheses, for which the data was collected from 324 respondents through a self-administered questionnaire. Partial least squares structural equation modeling has been used to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The results of the study show that relative advantage, perceived usefulness, trust and perceived ease of use have a significant impact on BI to adopt BBT, whereas regulatory support, subjective norms and facilitating conditions do not have any significant impact on the same.
Research limitations/implications
As the concept of BCT in Pakistan is at its nascent stage and literature regarding this technology’s adoption is also limited, researchers and scholars can apply it to several other fields in Pakistan. For example, this study can be extended to explore the factors influencing blockchain adoption in areas such as education, logistics, transportation, finances and management. This research only considers the direct effects of constructs on BI to adopt BBT and does not consider any mediation and moderations constructs. Future researchers can also study the influence of mediation and moderation constructs on BI to adopt BCT.
Originality/value
Although studies on the acceptance of telemedicine exist, there is a gap concerning the acceptance of BBT, which the current study helps to bridge. From a practical standpoint, the current study makes a highly valuable contribution toward understanding acceptance factors for BBT projects, leading to help policymakers devise policies to promote telemedicine.
Details
Keywords
Taher Armaghani, A. Kasaeipoor, Mohsen Izadi and Ioan Pop
The purpose of this paper is to numerically study MHD natural convection and entropy generation of Al2O3-water alumina nanofluid inside of T-shaped baffled cavity which is…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to numerically study MHD natural convection and entropy generation of Al2O3-water alumina nanofluid inside of T-shaped baffled cavity which is subjected to a magnetic field.
Design/methodology/approach
Effect of various geometrical, fluid and flow factors such as aspect ratio of enclosure and baffle length, Rayleigh and Hartmann number of nanofluid have been considered in detail. The hydrodynamics and thermal indexes of nanofluid have been described using streamlines, isotherms and isentropic lines.
Findings
It is found that by enhancing Hartmann number, symmetrical streamlines gradually lose symmetry and their values decline. It is found that by enhancing Hartmann number, symmetrical streamlines gradually lose symmetry and their values decline. The interesting finding is an increase in the impact of Hartmann number on heat transfer indexes with augmenting Rayleigh number. However, with augmenting Rayleigh number and, thus, strengthening the buoyant forces, the efficacy of Hartmann number one, an index indicating the simultaneous impact of natural heat transfer to entropy generation increases. It is clearly seen that the efficacy of nanofluid on increased Nusselt number enhances with increasing aspect ratio of the enclosure. Based on the results, the Nusselt number generally enhances with the larger baffle length in the enclosure. Finally, with larger Hartmann number and lesser Nusselt one, entropy production is reduced.
Originality/value
The authors believe that all the results, both numerical and asymptotic, are original and have not been published elsewhere.
Details
Keywords
Shicheng Chen, Daniel Roy Eyers, Jonathan Gosling and Yuan Huang
Whilst there has been much research examining risk management in construction supply chains, there is a relative dearth of knowledge concerning small and medium-sized enterprises…
Abstract
Purpose
Whilst there has been much research examining risk management in construction supply chains, there is a relative dearth of knowledge concerning small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in this context. SMEs are considered vulnerable economic agents due to their financial constraints and reduced viability compared to large firms. This study aims to fill this gap by providing a comprehensive review, identifying key challenges in the research and generating a future research agenda.
Design/methodology/approach
A structured literature review was conducted in this study, resulting in the identification of 106 articles that relate to construction SME risks. Thematic analysis was then employed to determine the supply chain risk themes. Additionally, VOSviewer was employed to depict content frequency and, most recently, trends based on the timeline.
Findings
This paper uncovers eight distinct supply chain risks pertinent to construction SMEs, arranging these into three themes from the standpoint of supply chain risk management. Moreover, it identifies six gaps in the existing body of research on construction SMEs and puts forth prospective research directions and questions to address each of these identified gaps.
Originality/value
The practical significance of this study is to provide SMEs in the construction industry with a comprehensive framework for identifying and categorizing risks related to management and strategy, operations and processes and sustainability. With this framework, SMEs can systematically assess potential risks at all stages of a project.
Details
Keywords
Mohsen Izadi, Rasul Mohebbi, A. Chamkha and Ioan Pop
The purpose of this paper is to consider natural convection of a nanofluid inside of a C-shaped cavity using Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to consider natural convection of a nanofluid inside of a C-shaped cavity using Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM).
Design/methodology/approach
Effects of some geometry and flow parameters consisting of the aspect ratio of the cavity, aspect ratio of the heat source; Rayleigh number (Ra = 103 − 106) have been investigated. The validity of the method is checked by comparing the present results with ones from the previously published work.
Findings
The results demonstrate that for Ra = 103, the aspect ratio of the heat source has more influence on the average Nusselt number in contrast to the case of Ra = 106. Contrary to the fact that the average Nusselt number increases non-linearly more than twice because of the increase of the aspect ratio of the enclosure at Ra = 103, the average Nusselt number has a linear relation with the aspect ratio for of Ra = 106. Therefore, upon increasing the Rayleigh number, the efficiency of the aspect ratio of the cavity on the thermal convection, gradually diminishes.
Originality/value
The authors believe that all the results, both numerical and asymptotic, are original and have not been published elsewhere.
Details
Keywords
Mohsen Izadi, Nemat M. Maleki, Ioan Pop and S.A.M. Mehryan
This paper aims to numerically investigate the natural convection heat transfer of a hybrid nanofluid into a porous cavity exposed to a variable magnetic field.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to numerically investigate the natural convection heat transfer of a hybrid nanofluid into a porous cavity exposed to a variable magnetic field.
Design/methodology/approach
The non-linear elliptical governing equations have been solved numerically using control volume based finite element method. The effects of different governing parameters including Rayleigh number (Ra = 103 − 106), Hartman number (Ha = 0 − 50), volume fraction of nanoparticles (φ = 0 − 0.02), curvature of horizontal isolated wall (a = 0.85 − 1.15), porosity coefficient (ε = 0.1 − 0.9) and Darcy number (Da = 10−5 − 10−1) have been studied.
Findings
The results indicate that at low Darcy numbers close to 0, the average Nusselt number Nua enhances as porosity coefficient increases. For a = 1 and a = 1.15 in comparison with a = 0.85, the stretching of the isothermal lines is maintained from the left side to the right side and vice versa, which indicates increased natural convection heat transfer for this configuration of the top and bottom walls. In addition, at higher Rayleigh numbers, by increasing the Hartmann number, a significant decrease is observed in the Nusselt number, which can be attributed to the decreased power of the flow.
Originality/value
The authors believe that all the results, both numerical and asymptotic, are original and have not been published elsewhere.
Details
Keywords
Hoda Alsadat Vaghefi-Rezaee, Setareh Khademi-Adel, Hadi Sarvari, David J. Edwards and Amirreza Rashidi
Given the expansion of cities and urbanization, developing efficient and reliable transportation infrastructure, especially urban tunnels, is essential. Failure to maintain such…
Abstract
Purpose
Given the expansion of cities and urbanization, developing efficient and reliable transportation infrastructure, especially urban tunnels, is essential. Failure to maintain such complex construction facilities with intelligent equipment systems could result in human losses and impose huge costs on governments. Therefore, it is necessary to have practical maintenance plans and operational safety monitoring for urban tunnels, which leads to their long lifespan, increases users’ safety and reduces operation risks.
Design/methodology/approach
Hence, this research aims to evaluate the maintenance risks of urban tunnel lighting systems (UTLS) using a hybrid risk-based maintenance (RBM) approach. In this vein, three rounds of a fuzzy Delphi survey were conducted to consolidate the specific operation criteria and maintenance risk factors to the circumstances of Iran and UTLS. Furthermore, the fuzzy DEMATEL method was applied to determine the cause-and-effect relationships among the identified critical operation criteria. The identified risks associated with maintenance in UTLS were then analyzed and ranked using a combination of fuzzy ANP-VIKOR techniques.
Findings
The ranking of the various risks revealed that the “poor performance of switchboards in power supply due to faults in switchboard equipment” risk was ranked first, followed by the “poor performance of panels in the power supply due to unfavorable environmental conditions,” “The poor performance of panels in the power supply due to problems with switches (key failure)” and “The poor performance of panels in power supply due to burning fuses due to unauthorized current” risks. The findings of this study indicate that this hybrid maintenance method, developed as a risk-based network, provides reliability for maintaining urban tunnel lighting systems (UTLS).
Originality/value
It is anticipated that the findings of this research will considerably contribute to improving UTLS maintenance management while enhancing different stakeholders’ understanding of the most critical risks in maintenance, particularly toward the UTLS in Iran. An RBM management program can result in preparing and formulating policies, comprehensive guidelines or regulations for the maintenance of urban tunnels that are recommended for future research.
Details
Keywords
Rasul Mohebbi, Mohsen Izadi, Nor Azwadi Che Sidik and Gholamhassan Najafi
This paper aims to study the natural convection of a nanofluid inside a cavity which contains obstacles using lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). The results have focused mainly on…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to study the natural convection of a nanofluid inside a cavity which contains obstacles using lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). The results have focused mainly on various parameters such as number and aspect ratio of roughness elements and different nanoparticle volume fraction. The isotherms and streamlines are presented to describe the hydrodynamics and thermal behaviors of the nanofluid flow throughout the enclosure.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology of this paper consists of mathematical model, statement of the problem, nanofluid thermophysical properties, lattice Boltzmann method, LBM for fluid flow, LBM for heat transfer, numerical strategy, boundary conditions, Nusselt (Nu) number calculation, code validation and grid independence.
Findings
Natural convection heat transfers of a nanofluid inside cavities with and without rough elements have been studied. Lattice Boltzmann technique has been used as numerical approach. The results showed that at higher Rayleigh number (Ra = 106), there are denser streamlines near the left (source) and right wall (sink) which results in better cooling and enhances convective heat rejection to the heat sink. After a distinctive aspect ratio of rough elements (A =0.1), change in streamline pattern which arises from increasing of aspect ratio does not have an important effect on isotherms. Results indicate that for lower Rayleigh number (Ra =103), no variation in average Nu is observed with increasing in number of roughness, while for higher one (Ra = 106) average Nu decreases from N = 0 (smooth cavity) up to N = 4 and then remains constant (N = 6).
Originality/value
Currently, no argumentative and comprehensive extraction can be concluded without fully understanding the role of different arrangement of roughness. Some geometrical parameters such as aspect ratio, number and position of rough elements have been considered. Also, the effect of nanoparticle concentration was studied at different Ra number. Briefly, using LBM, this paper aims to investigate the natural convection of a nanofluid flow on the thermal and hydrodynamics parameters in the presence of rough element with various arrangements.