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1 – 10 of 26Davood Javanmardi and Mohammad Ali Rezvani
Bearings are critical components used to support loads and facilitate motion for rotating and sliding parts of the machinery. Bearing malfunctions can cause catastrophic failures…
Abstract
Purpose
Bearings are critical components used to support loads and facilitate motion for rotating and sliding parts of the machinery. Bearing malfunctions can cause catastrophic failures. Hence, failure analysis and endeavors to improve bearing performance are essential discussions for worldwide designers, manufacturers and end users of vital machinery. This study aims to investigate a type of roller bearing from the railway industry with premature failures. The task arises because locomotives’ maintenance and service life quality are vital to railway operations while providing transportation services for the nation. To assist in maintaining the designated locomotives, the present study scrutinizes the causes of failure of heavy-duty roller bearings from locomotive bogie axleboxes.
Design/methodology/approach
It is intended to inspect this bearing service life and statistically scrutinize its design parameters to reveal the failures’ shortcomings and origins. The significant measures include examinations of their failures’ primary and vital factors by comparing them with a real-life service history of 16 roller bearings of the same type. The bearings come from the axleboxes of a locomotive bogie with an axle load of 20 tons. The bearing loads are estimated using the EN13104 standard document and confirmed by the finite element method using ABAQUS engineering software. To validate the finite element modeling results, the bearings’ stress analysis is performed using the Hertzian contact theory that demonstrated perfect conformity. The said methods are also used to search for the areas susceptible to failures in these bearings. With the inclusion and exploitation of the bearing maintenance conditions and the logbook recordings of the locomotives for the past seven years, the critical cause for this type of bearing’s failures is surveyed and discussed.
Findings
With the inclusion and exploitation of the bearing maintenance conditions and the logbook recordings of the locomotives for the past seven years, the critical cause for this type of bearing’s failures is surveyed and discussed. As a crucial result, it is found that deprived maintenance and inadequate lubrication are the root causes of the loss of the selected bearings.
Originality/value
For the designated locomotives, the origins of the heavy-duty roller bearing failures and its design shortcomings are revealed by examining and comparing them with a real-life service history of many of the same types of bearings. The novelty of the research is in using the combination of the methods mentioned above and its decent outcome.
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Mohammad Olfat, Azadeh Rezvani, Pouria Khosravi, Sajjad Shokouhyar and Atieh Sedaghat
Although online social networks (SNs) (e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram) have been used by employees for various work- or non-work-related motives, there has been lack of…
Abstract
Purpose
Although online social networks (SNs) (e.g. Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram) have been used by employees for various work- or non-work-related motives, there has been lack of research on the use of such networks in the workplace. The purpose of this paper is to draw on commitment theory and the tricomponent attitude model to explain the role organisational commitment plays in predicting the work-related use of online SNs and the mediating role a constructive employee voice may have in this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
The research was conducted among the employees of seven different companies within seven different industries. The validity of the measures and structural models was evaluated using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).
Findings
The results indicated that organisational commitment promotes employees’ work-related use of online SNs directly and also indirectly via the mediating role of a constructive voice.
Originality/value
This study is among the few studies which have used the tricomponent attitude model to investigate employees’ behaviour in the workplace, in particular work-related use of online SNs. In terms of theory, this study contributes to expanding the boundaries of knowledge as SNs are considered a challenge in contemporary organisations. Organisations can convert this challenge from a potential threat to an actual opportunity by reinforcing “organisational commitment”.
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Ali Mohammad Mirzaee and Igor Martek
Project claim performance is often poor with negative consequences for project-based organizations (PBOs). Conflict and emotion are reported to impact organizational claim…
Abstract
Purpose
Project claim performance is often poor with negative consequences for project-based organizations (PBOs). Conflict and emotion are reported to impact organizational claim performance outcomes, yet remains unexplored. This study investigates the multiple intelligence (MI) context from the viewpoint of the claim management office (CMO), with the intent of identifying pathways to improving the emotion-based claim performance of PBOs.
Design/methodology/approach
The study utilizes an autoethnographic case study involving a PBO-based general contractor (GC). Multiple intelligence theory (MIT) is applied as the theoretical lens. Method of framework analysis is used in analyzing the data, with reference to claim management office (RFCMO) theory as a main source in making “analytic generalization”.
Findings
Multifaceted complexities of MIs are identified, including ambidexterity, actions and relations, stress and conflict, cultural differences and universals, meta-strategic thinking and team diversity. The holistic emotion-based strategies model identifies how PBOs can improve claim performance, specifically by adopting theories confection remedy and controlling emotion outcomes strategies in a closed-loop process. Further, the coherent emotions governance (CEG) framework enables CMOs' to upgrade maturity levels, by integrating the strategies, general and specific measures for improving emotion-based organizational claim performance.
Originality/value
This is a pioneering study in unveiling the complexities of organizational emotions engagement and the application of confection remedy, specifically in a project management context. The antecedents of RFCMO theory are here enriched with MIT and the pool of the supporting people-centered theories, augmented by an autoethnographic case study, in which the linkage between emotion and conflict complexity is laid bare. Further, this study identifies how conflicts in construction industry can be mitigated by way of a discrete three-category theories confection remedy.
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Mohammad Olfat, Sajjad Shokouhyar, Sadra Ahmadi, Gholam Ali Tabarsa and Atiye Sedaghat
This study, based on the cognitive dissonance and commitment theories, aims to show that employees with high organizational commitment take more advantage of enterprise social…
Abstract
Purpose
This study, based on the cognitive dissonance and commitment theories, aims to show that employees with high organizational commitment take more advantage of enterprise social networks (ESNs) due to work-related motivations. Furthermore, this study used the tricomponent attitude model to show that the employees' organizational concern and prosocial values mediate the impact of the organizational commitment on the work-related use of an ESN.
Design/methodology/approach
In all, 361 employees from seven Iranian companies using different ESN software packages were surveyed. The validity of the hypotheses was evaluated using partial least square–structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).
Findings
The results of this study confirm that the employees' organizational commitment has a positive impact on their work-related use of the relevant ESN directly and through the mediating roles of their organizational concern and prosocial values.
Originality/value
Previous studies have carefully addressed the role of organizational commitment in the implementation of conventional information systems. However, this is among the few studies addressing the role of commitment in the work-related implementation of ESNs. The results of this study shed light on how employees with a high level of commitment toward the organizations for which they work take advantage of ESNs due to a work-related motivation for the accomplishment of their duties, for bringing benefits into the organization and for helping their coworkers.
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Percy Caruajulca and Mohammad Khalilzadeh
The construction of infrastructure projects for extracting natural resources is vital to the economies of countries and the strategies of mining companies. Project performance…
Abstract
Purpose
The construction of infrastructure projects for extracting natural resources is vital to the economies of countries and the strategies of mining companies. Project performance success (PJPF) means achieving the planned scope, cost, schedule and quality. This study aims to analyze if PJPF is influenced by the team’s psychological empowerment (PEMP) and structural empowerment (SEMP), the project manager’s transformational leadership (TLD) and shared leadership (SLD) styles and the cultural power distance (CPDT). The study also examined the mediating roles of TLD and CPDT.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper tested its hypotheses through confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling in AMOS. Data were collected using the online survey platform SurveyMonkey. Owners, contractors and consultants from 24 countries across the Americas, Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia contributed a total of 222 responses. All participants were involved in construction projects owned by a mining company listed in the S&P 500.
Findings
PEMP has a positive impact on PJPF, SEMP and CPDT. PEMP fosters engaged and autonomous employees with agility and problem-solving skills. TLD mediates the relationship between PEMP and SLD. The results indicated that SEMP, TLD and SLD, on their own, do not directly contribute to project success. In contrast to prior studies, CPDT does not mediate the effects of PEMP on PJPF.
Originality/value
Although construction projects remain labor-intensive, research on measuring PEMP, SEMP, TLD, SLD and CPDT in this field is limited. This document is notable for incorporating the perspectives of owners, EPC contractors and consultants.
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Muhammad Mumtaz Khan, Muhammad Shujaat Mubarik and Tahir Islam
The purpose of the study is to ascertain the role of servant leadership in causing innovative work behavior. The study also examines the mediating role of job crafting and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to ascertain the role of servant leadership in causing innovative work behavior. The study also examines the mediating role of job crafting and sequential mediating role of trust and job crafting between servant leadership and innovative work behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected from 258 knowledge workers employed in software houses in Pakistan through survey design. The data analysis was done through structural equation modeling.
Findings
The results of the analysis of 258 respondents show that servant leadership is related with trust, job crafting and innovative work behavior. The mediation analysis revealed that job crafting mediates the relation between servant leadership and innovative work behavior. Finally, the relation between servant leadership and innovative work behavior was found to be sequentially mediated by trust and job crafting.
Originality/value
The current study contributes to delineating the linking mechanism between servant leadership and innovative work behavior. The main contributions of the study are exploring the mediating role of job crafting along with the sequential mediating role of trust and job crafting.
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Maria Bourezg, Osama Khassawneh, Satwinder Singh, Tamara Mohammad, Muntaser J. Melhem and Tamer K. Darwish
This study aims to explore the factors that influence job satisfaction among women in Jordan and contribute to the growing interest in women’s workplace happiness in the context…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the factors that influence job satisfaction among women in Jordan and contribute to the growing interest in women’s workplace happiness in the context of the Middle East.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors used an explanatory sequential mixed-method approach. During the first phase, 250 female respondents were surveyed from the private sector in Jordan. The authors analyzed the impact of various employment-related attributes and other variables, including educational level, position, work experience, daily work hours, income level, relationships with colleagues and supervisors and internal career opportunities on job satisfaction. During the second stage, the authors interviewed 23 supervisor female respondents and conducted a thematic analysis to explore in more depth the determinants of job satisfaction of females working in the private sector in Jordan.
Findings
The quantitative findings of this study indicate that job satisfaction is positively influenced by education level and income, while notably, it was negatively impacted by work experience and daily work hours. Relationships with colleagues and supervisors, as well as internal career opportunities, positively affect job satisfaction. The qualitative findings of the study indicate that positive corporate culture, developing subordinates, financial independence, self-worthiness, work-life balance, internal career opportunities and factors that spillover from the personal life domain contributed highly to job satisfaction.
Practical implications
The findings of this study can help employers in gaining a deeper understanding of the needs and behaviors of female workers in the Middle East, potentially resulting in decreased job turnover and heightened productivity.
Originality/value
This study offers valuable insights into the cultural dynamics at play and sheds light on the psychology of the Arab female workforce. Given the limited research on job satisfaction among women in the Middle East and the Arab world, this study holds significant importance for practitioners.
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Ali Mohammad Mirzaee, Towhid Pourrostam, Javad Majrouhi Sardroud, M. Reza Hosseini, Payam Rahnamayiezekavat and David Edwards
Public–private partnerships (PPPs) are notoriously prone to disputes among stakeholders, some of which may unduly jeopardize contract performance. Contract disputes arising in…
Abstract
Purpose
Public–private partnerships (PPPs) are notoriously prone to disputes among stakeholders, some of which may unduly jeopardize contract performance. Contract disputes arising in Iran are often due to inefficiency of PPP concession agreements and practice. This study presents a causal-predictive model of the root causes and preventive measures for inter-organization disputes to enhance the likelihood of achieving desirable performance in PPP projects.
Design/methodology/approach
A theoretical “causal-predictive” model was developed with fourteen hypotheses based on extant literature and contractual agency theory, which resulted in the creation of a pool of 110 published items. Data were obtained from a questionnaire survey with 75 valid responses, completed by 4 stratified groups of Iranian PPP experts. Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used for validating the proposed model via a case study.
Findings
Results reveal that the main three factors of PPP desirable performance are as follows: on-time project completion, high quality of activities/products and services for public satisfaction. Further, the most influential factors of the lifecycle problems, construction stage, and preferred risk allocation included risk misallocation, improper payment mechanism and failure to facilitate a timely approval process.
Originality/value
For researchers, the findings contribute to the theory of contractual agency; specifically, how different influences among the model's elements lead to better PPP performance. In practical terms, proposed outcome-based strategies will inform PPP stakeholders to avoid dispute occurrence and thus improve the time, quality and services of projects.
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Razatulshima Ghazali, Mohammad Nazir Ahmad, Darshana Sedera and Nor Hidayati Zakaria
The purpose of this paper is to empirically demonstrate how knowledge management, particularly knowledge integration (KI), acts as a mediator in enterprise systems (ES…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to empirically demonstrate how knowledge management, particularly knowledge integration (KI), acts as a mediator in enterprise systems (ES) post-implementation stage and how transactional and transformational leadership styles are impacted toward ES success.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on the insights of 508 valid respondents from various business backgrounds that used ES in Malaysia, structural equation modeling was employed and the path modeling approach was used to investigate the underlying relationships between variables. The mediating effects were tested using the bootstrapping procedures presented by Preacher and Hayes.
Findings
The results support the mediating effects of KI mechanisms and both leadership styles toward ES success. The analysis revealed the importance of KI in an organization, especially by the leaders who manage the complexity of the ES in the post-implementation stage.
Research limitations/implications
The study can be extended by analyzing other leadership styles in-detail.
Practical implications
This paper is useful for practitioners as it acts as a guide to conduct management practice for business managers.
Originality/value
The results demonstrate the importance of leaders’ adoption of KI mechanisms in various business domains. This study approach can be used to investigate which sub-items of the leadership styles are more likely to promote KI mechanisms.
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Behzad Foroughi, Mohammad Iranmanesh and Sunghyup Sean Hyun
The quality of people life and efficiency of banks can be improved by mobile banking (m-banking). The long-term success of m-banking depends on its constant use. The purpose of…
Abstract
Purpose
The quality of people life and efficiency of banks can be improved by mobile banking (m-banking). The long-term success of m-banking depends on its constant use. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the determinants of m-banking continuance intention to use, using the technology continuance theory (TCT) by including the self-efficacy and channel preference.
Design/methodology/approach
Empirical data from 369 Malaysian users who had prior experience with mobile banking were analysed, using partial least squares technique.
Findings
The results confirmed that the TCT model had a high exploratory power in explaining users’ perceived usefulness (PU), satisfaction, attitude and intentions to continue to use m-banking. Furthermore, self-efficacy and channel importance were important drivers of continuance intention in the context of m-banking. According to the results, perceived ease of use has no effect on PU and attitude in the post-adoption stage.
Practical implications
The findings help bank managers to understand the importance of meeting customers’ needs and expectations as a prerequisite in enhancing their satisfaction and favourable attitude towards m-banking and consequently their continuance intention.
Originality/value
Based on the TCT model, this study contributes to the limited body of research on continuance intention to use m-banking. Furthermore, self-efficacy and channel preferences were added to the TCT model and the results confirmed the importance of enriching the TCT model to explain continuance intention to use information systems by adding contextual factors.
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