Michael Krapp, Johannes Nebel and Ramin Sahamie
The purpose of this paper is to provide a generic forecasting approach for predicting product returns in closed‐loop supply chains.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a generic forecasting approach for predicting product returns in closed‐loop supply chains.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach is based on Bayesian estimation techniques. It permits to forecast product returns on the basis of fewer restrictions than existing approaches in CLSC literature. A numerical example demonstrates the application of the proposed approach using return times drawn from a Poisson distribution.
Findings
The Bayesian estimation approach provides at least 50 percent higher accuracy in terms of error measures compared to traditional methods in all scenarios examined in the empirical part. Hence, more precise results can be obtained when predicting product returns.
Research limitations/implications
The flexibility of the proposed approach allows for numerous applications in the field of CLSC research. Areas that depend on the results from a forecasting system, such as inventory management, can embed our estimation procedure in order to reduce safety stocks. Further research should address the incorporation of the quality of returned products and its impact on the actual utilizable amount of product returns.
Originality/value
The generic character of the proposed forecasting approach leaves degrees of freedom to the user when adapting it to a specific problem. This adaptability is enabled by the following features: first, an arbitrary function is allowed for capturing the customers' demand. Second, the stochastic timeframe between sale and product return may follow an arbitrary distribution. Third, by adjusting two parameters finite as well as infinite planning horizons can be incorporated. Fourth, no assumptions regarding the joint distribution of product returns are necessary.
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Matthew Pointon, Geoff Walton, Martin Turner, Michael Lackenby, Jamie Barker and Andrew Wilkinson
This paper intends to explore the relationship between participants' eye fixations (a measure of attention) and durations (a measure of concentration) on areas of interest within…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper intends to explore the relationship between participants' eye fixations (a measure of attention) and durations (a measure of concentration) on areas of interest within a range of online articles and their levels of information discernment (a sub-process of information literacy characterising how participants make judgements about information).
Design/methodology/approach
Eye-tracking equipment was used as a proxy measure for reading behaviour by recording eye-fixations, dwell times and regressions in males aged 18–24 (n = 48). Participants' level of information discernment was determined using a quantitative questionnaire.
Findings
Data indicates a relationship between participants' level of information discernment and their viewing behaviours within the articles' area of interest. Those who score highly on an information discernment questionnaire tended to interrogate the online article in a structured and linear way. Those with high-level information discernment are more likely to pay attention to an article's textual and graphical information than those exhibiting low-level information discernment. Conversely, participants with low-level information discernment indicated a lack of curiosity by not interrogating the entire article. They were unsystematic in their saccadic movements spending significantly longer viewing irrelevant areas.
Social implications
The most profound consequence is that those with low-level information discernment, through a lack of curiosity in particular, could base their health, workplace, political or everyday decisions on sub-optimal engagement with and comprehension of information or misinformation (such as fake news).
Originality/value
Ground-breaking analysis of the relationship between a persons' self-reported level of information literacy (information discernment specifically) and objective measures of reading behaviour.
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Florian Schüßler, Michael Rösch, Johannes Hörber and Klaus Feldmann
This paper aims to detail the qualification of alternative substrate materials and reliability aspects for quad flat no lead (QFN) packages for highly stressed electronic devices…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to detail the qualification of alternative substrate materials and reliability aspects for quad flat no lead (QFN) packages for highly stressed electronic devices, e.g. for use in automotive applications.
Design/methodology/approach
Detailed information is given on the advanced climatic and mechanical requirements that electronic devices have to withstand during life cycle testing to qualify for the automotive industry. Studies on the suitability of high‐temperature thermoplastics as substrate materials for printed circuit boards and the qualification of QFN packages for advanced requirements are described. In addition, information on cause‐effect relationships between thermal and vibration testing are given.
Findings
With respect to adhesion of metallization on high‐temperature thermoplastics and the long‐term stability of the solder joints, these substrate materials offer potential for use in electronic devices for advanced requirements. In addition, the long‐term stability of the solder joints of QFN packages depends on the design of the landings on the PCB and the separation process of the components during manufacturing.
Research limitations/implications
The paper covers only a selection of possible high‐temperature thermoplastic materials that can be used in electronics production. Also, this paper has a focus on the new packaging type, QFN, in the context of qualification and automotive standards.
Originality/value
The paper details the requirements electronic devices have to meet to be qualified for the automotive industry. Therefore, this contribution has its value in giving information on possible substrate alternatives and the suitability for the usage of QFN components for highly stressed electronic devices.
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Noel Scott, Brent Moyle, Ana Cláudia Campos, Liubov Skavronskaya and Biqiang Liu
Defines the purpose of a brand as the profitable continuity of the organization that owns it, and the priority of the brand owner as the determination of the exact group of people…
Abstract
Defines the purpose of a brand as the profitable continuity of the organization that owns it, and the priority of the brand owner as the determination of the exact group of people for whom it caters and then to establish, maintain and strengthen the growth of the brand. Discusses the issues of brand compatibility, brand personality, brand naming and exploitation of a brand.
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The following is an annotated list of materials dealing with orientation to library facilities and services, instruction in the use of information resources, and research and…
Abstract
The following is an annotated list of materials dealing with orientation to library facilities and services, instruction in the use of information resources, and research and computer skills related to retrieving, using, and evaluating information. This review, the fifteenth to be published in Reference Services Review, includes items in English published in 1988. A few are not annotated because the compiler could not obtain copies of them for this review.
Nina Steinhauer, Michael Gros, Martin Ebner, Markus Ebner, Anneliese Huppertz, Mike Cormann, Susanne Biermeier, Lena Burk, Konstanze Edtstadler, Sonja Gabriel, Martina Wintschnig, Christian Aspalter and Susanne Martich
Due to the important role of orthography in society, the project called IDeRBlog presented in this paper created a web-based tool to motivate pupils to write text as well as to…
Abstract
Purpose
Due to the important role of orthography in society, the project called IDeRBlog presented in this paper created a web-based tool to motivate pupils to write text as well as to read and to comment on texts written by fellow students. In addition, IDeRBlog aims to improve student’s German orthography skills and supports teachers and parents with training materials for their students. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
With the aid of learning analytics, the submitted text is analyzed and special feedback is given to the students so that they can try to correct the misspelled words themselves. The teachers as well as the parents are benefiting from the analysis and exercises suggested by the system.
Findings
A recent study showed the efficiency of the system in form of an improvement of the students’ orthographic skills. Over a period of four months 70 percent of the students achieved a significant reduction of their spelling mistakes.
Originality/value
IDeRBlog is an innovative approach to improving orthography skills combining blogging and new media with writing and practice.
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Enrico Bracci, Mouhcine Tallaki, Riccardo Ievoli and Sonia Diplotti
The paper aims to understand the possible determinants of knowledge of, and interest in using, blockchain, with a particular focus in the future intention to apply this…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to understand the possible determinants of knowledge of, and interest in using, blockchain, with a particular focus in the future intention to apply this technology. Blockchain technology is deemed to radically change business models and processes. Using this technology in small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is still a novel idea. Moreover, not much is known about the diffusion and level of interest towards blockchain in SMEs. This research adopts a knowledge management perspective, drawing on technology acceptance model to highlight the level of blockchain technology diffusion, and to explore which factors lead SMEs’ to adopt blockchain.
Design/methodology/approach
This study distributed a questionnaire to a sample of 300 SMEs in Italy. This study received 96 responses (32% response rate). This study calculated descriptive statistics and undertook a reliability analysis. Finally, this study performed a logistic regression to analyse the determinants of further intention to use blockchain technology.
Findings
Results show that blockchain technology is quite well known, but the level of knowledge is limited. Moreover, the research reveals that the rate of adoption is very low. Interest in the future adoption of blockchain is associated with knowledge, perception of usefulness and ease of use of blockchain.
Originality/value
This paper is one of the first explorative studies showing which factors lead SMEs to adopt blockchain technologies and shedding some light on the interaction between knowledge management and blockchain adoption and diffusion in SMEs. It highlights how blockchain knowledge could determine future interest in blockchain innovation. This paper is relevant for public and private institutions that aim to promote, through knowledge management, the adoption of blockchain in SMEs.
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The purpose of this paper is to break down south-north migration along both the skill and the occupational dimension and thus to distinguish and compare several types of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to break down south-north migration along both the skill and the occupational dimension and thus to distinguish and compare several types of south-north migration and brain drain.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents south-north migration rates by occupational category at two distinct levels of disaggregation according to International Standard Classification of Occupations 1988 (ISCO-88). The data sets combine information about the labor market outcomes of immigrants in Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) countries around the year 2000 provided by the Database on Immigrants in OECD Countries by the OECD with employment data for the developing migrant-sending countries from the International Labour Organization.
Findings
The incidence of south-north migration was highest among Professionals, one of the two occupational categories generally requiring tertiary education, and among clerks and legislators, senior officials and managers. At the more disaggregated level, physical, mathematical and engineering science (associate) professionals, life science and health (associate) professionals, as well as other (associate) professionals exhibited significantly larger brain drain rates than teaching (associate) professionals. The data also suggest non-negligible occupation-education mismatches due to the imperfect transferability of skills acquired through formal education because south-north migrants with a university degree worked more often in occupational categories requiring less than tertiary education compared to OECD natives. The employment shares of most types of professionals and technicians and associate professionals, as well as of clerks and corporate managers were significantly smaller in the migrant-sending countries compared to the receiving countries.
Originality/value
The constructed data sets constitute the first comprehensive data sets on south-north migration by ISCO-88 major and sub-major occupational category for cross-sections of, respectively, 91 and 17 developing countries of emigration.