Miguel Castilho, Barbara Gouveia, Inês Pires, Jorge Rodrigues and Manuel Pereira
This paper aims to study the influence of the binder saturation level on the accuracy and on the mechanical properties of three-dimensional (3D)-printed scaffolds for bone tissue…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to study the influence of the binder saturation level on the accuracy and on the mechanical properties of three-dimensional (3D)-printed scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.
Design/methodology/approach
To study the influence of the liquid binder volume on the models accuracy, two quality test plates with different macropore sizes were designed and produced. For the mechanical and physical characterisation, cylindrical specimens were used. The models were printed using a calcium phosphate powder, which was characterised in terms of composition, particle size and morphology, by X-ray diffraction (XRD), laser diffraction and Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. The sample’s physical characterisation was made using the Archimedes method (porosity), SEM, micro-computer tomography (CT) and digital scan techniques, while the mechanical characterisation was performed by means of uniaxial compressive tests. Strength distribution was analysed using a statistical Weibull approach, and the dependence of the compressive strength on the porosity was discussed.
Findings
The saturation level is determinant for the structural characteristics, accuracy and strength the models produced by three-dimensional printing (3DP). Samples printed with the highest saturation showed higher compressive strengths (24 MPa), which are over the human trabecular bone. The models printed with lower saturations presented the highest accuracy and pore interconnectivity.
Originality/value
This study allowed to acquire important knowledge concerning the effects of shell/core saturation on the overall performance of the 3DP. With this information it is possible to devise scaffolds with the required properties for bone scaffold engineering.
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Miguel Pina e Cunha, Daniel Veiga Vieira, Arménio Rego and Stewart Clegg
The purpose of this paper is to ask why poor performance management practices persist in Portugal, in the middle of claims to increase productivity.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to ask why poor performance management practices persist in Portugal, in the middle of claims to increase productivity.
Design/methodology/approach
An inductive micro-practice analysis is used to understand barriers to management practice that do not require massive institutional changes.
Findings
The practice of performance management in Portugal typically displays three weaknesses: (1) insufficient planning (2) process and integrity issues, and (3) a non-meritocratic logic.
Research limitations/implications
The paper discusses the important topic of persistence of bad practices, showing how institutionalized patterns might be difficult to eradicate even they are suboptimal.
Practical implications
The authors identity key issues in the functioning of performance management, therefore helping managers in developing remedies to improve the quality of their practice.
Originality/value
The paper explains the persistence of bad management practice whose continuity hinders not only organizations’ effectiveness but also that of their members.
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Marina Bouzon, Paulo Augusto Cauchick Miguel and Carlos Manuel Taboada Rodriguez
The environmental consciousness of customers and the emergence of stricter environmental regulations has pushed industries to think about environmental management by means of…
Abstract
Purpose
The environmental consciousness of customers and the emergence of stricter environmental regulations has pushed industries to think about environmental management by means of reverse logistics (RL) implementation. The purpose of this paper is to provide a current panorama of RL in Brazil and a comparison to international RL body of literature as well. It also seeks to provide a systematic literature review procedure and a conceptual framework for RL literature categorization.
Design/methodology/approach
A descriptive and content analysis approach was adopted. First, a topic delimitation phase was aimed at defining the main research areas and related keywords. Second, a material collection phase focussed on a selection of peer-reviewed Brazilian and international journals. Third, a total of 34 papers were assessed by quantitative indicators, and a conceptual RL framework was employed to classify them. Finally, papers were evaluated using content analysis.
Findings
The RL research gaps in Brazil are in information technology, facility location, inventory control, outsourcing, and performance measurement. It is also reported that, In Brazil, RL is predominantly linked to recycling activities, and the practice of RL is driven by social conditions and economics in some specific industrial sectors.
Research limitations/implications
The focus is restricted to RL applications in Brazil and the corresponding articles published by Brazilian researchers.
Originality/value
Practitioners and academics might find this review useful, as it outlines gaps and limitations of existing research in the largest Latin America economy. This work is built on the recent research in RL. No systematic literature review of this kind has previously been undertaken.
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Marco Antonio Pacheco Junior, Tiago F.A.C. Sigahi, Izabela Simon Rampasso, Lucas Gabriel Zanon, Walter Leal Filho and Rosley Anholon
This paper proposes an evaluation approach for analyzing excellence management practices at a regional level based on experts’ assessment.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper proposes an evaluation approach for analyzing excellence management practices at a regional level based on experts’ assessment.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the National Quality Foundation’s Management Excellence Model (MEG), 19 management excellence practices were identified and tailored for small- and medium-sized industries (SMIs). Data were collected through a survey with 25 experts who assessed these practices in the context of Brazilian manufacturing SMIs. The analysis utilized Fuzzy TOPSIS Class (FTC), and a sensitivity analysis was also conducted.
Findings
The proposed evaluation approach integrates a reference model for management excellence (MEG), an analysis method incorporating uncertainty (FTC), and results that enable decision-makers to make well-informed choices. Of the 19 practices assessed, 15 were classified as “unacceptable,” while four were rated as “regular,” and none as “expected.” Key challenges relate to practices in information security, knowledge, innovation and change management.
Research limitations/implications
The study’s primary limitation is the use of non-probabilistic sampling and its focus on the Brazilian context. However, the extensive knowledge and experience of the experts in manufacturing SMIs and the need for studies addressing specific regional contexts should be noted.
Practical implications
The findings reveal a significant gap between ideal management practices and the actual state of SMIs, especially in emerging markets.
Originality/value
This research introduces a novel approach that combines a reference model tailored for SMIs with a multicriteria decision-making method, offering valuable insights for decision-makers and guiding future research.
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Francisca Letícia Ferreira de Lima, Rafael Barros Barbosa, Alesandra Benevides and Fernando Daniel de Oliveira Mayorga
This paper examines the impact of extreme rainfall shocks on the performance in test scores of students living near at-risk urban areas in Brazil.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper examines the impact of extreme rainfall shocks on the performance in test scores of students living near at-risk urban areas in Brazil.
Design/methodology/approach
To identify the causal effect, we consider the exogenous variation of rainfall at the municipal level conditioned on the distance from the school to risk areas and the rainfall intensity in the school months.
Findings
The results suggest that extreme precipitation shocks, defined as a shock of at least three months of high-intensity rainfall, have an adverse impact on both math and language performance. Through a heterogeneous effects analysis, we find that the impact varies by student gender, with girls being more affected. In addition, among students who study near at-risk areas, those with better previous school performance and higher socioeconomic status are more negatively affected.
Originality/value
Our results suggest that extreme weather events can increase the differences in human capital accumulation between the population living near risk areas and those living more distant from these areas.
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Suzana Rodrigues Resende, Kamilla Soares Silva, André Luiz Borges Machado, Daiane Sousa Peres, Nayana Ribeiro Soares, Lismaíra Gonçalves Caixeta Garcia, Letícia Fleury Viana and Priscila Alonso dos Santos
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the yield, physico-chemical and microbiological parameters during the shelf life of the Minas Frescal cheese hand-manufactured by family…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the yield, physico-chemical and microbiological parameters during the shelf life of the Minas Frescal cheese hand-manufactured by family farms.
Design/methodology/approach
In the milk, analyses of total bacterial counts, somatic cell counts and centesimal composition were performed. The milk coagulation was analyzed, with different curd times (40, 80 and 120 min), with respect to the proximate composition, pH, titratable acidity, yield and microbiological counts. The means were compared using the Tukey test with a significance level of 5 per cent. The most probable number of microorganisms were also determined in water.
Findings
The results for milk quality were within the requirements established in Normative Instruction 62, except for total dry extract. It was found that curd time did not influence the protein and fat in dry matter contents; however, the ash content in cheese of 40 min of curd time (2.8 g/100g) is significantly higher (p = 0.02) than the values found for the other curd times. The same behavior was observed for moisture content (p = 0.04). The parameters determining the cheese quality were outside the standards for human consumption, but this result is directly related to the water conditions, which were outside of potability levels. To meet the requirements established in the legislation, dairy products must follow strict standards of quality hygiene, both the raw material (water, milk) and their employees who act directly in the process.
Originality/value
For the preparation of the Minas Frescal cheese, it takes several steps, from obtaining the milk to the product ready to be consumed, so the importance of doing this monitoring and evaluating its quality.
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Nabiira Nantongo, Matthew Kalubanga, Joseph Ntayi, Bonny Bagenda and Beatrice Nyakeishiki
This study aims to examine the relationship between institutional logics and specifications quality, and how this relationship is mediated by the legitimacy of the procurement…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the relationship between institutional logics and specifications quality, and how this relationship is mediated by the legitimacy of the procurement process and stewardship behaviour.
Design/methodology/approach
This study draws on insights from institutional logics theory, and legitimacy and stewardship behaviour literature. We conducted an extended literature review to gain a comprehensive understanding of “institutional logics” and their manifestations in organizational contexts, utilizing the 2000–2024 data collected from the EBSCO, Scopus and Web of Science databases, complemented with Google Scholar. We gather that institutional logics manifest in several forms, and that while some organizations may thrive on a single logic, in certain contexts institutional logics can manifest in combinations – “multiple logics or hybrids”. Based on this understanding, we developed testable research hypotheses, predicting the influences of institutional logics – professional logic, efficient service logic and delivery (market) logic, on legitimacy, stewardship behaviour and specifications quality. We then carried out an empirical study, adopting a quantitative cross-sectional survey design with a self-administered questionnaire to test the hypothesized relationships. The empirical data were obtained from 162 procuring and disposing entities in Uganda and analyzed using the partial least squares structural equation modelling technique.
Findings
The study findings reveal that institutional logics exert a strong positive effect on the legitimacy of the procurement process and on stewardship behaviour, which, in turn, both positively influence specifications quality.
Research limitations/implications
The study findings have implications for theory and practice. The study findings provide useful insights that support the conceptual and theoretical development of institutional logics theory and applications in procurement literature. In addition, the study findings enhance procurement managers’ understanding of the mechanisms through which institutional logics can foster specifications quality. However, considering the fact that the study was conducted in a single country context, and focused on the public sector only, the findings of the study might not be generalizable globally.
Originality/value
This study contributes to established knowledge about quality management and procurement by examining the legitimacy of the procurement process and stewardship behaviour of those involved in procurement processes as mechanisms through which procuring entities are able to use institutional logics to enhance specifications quality. In addition, the study highlights areas for future research that may be explored to increase understanding of the value of institutional logics in ensuring specifications quality, and the link between specifications quality and the general performance of procuring entities.