A.A. Shaltout, M.A. Qabazard, M. Al Khawari, R. Bushnaq, N.A. Abdella, R. Abdul Salam and H. Mughal
Presents the results of a medical audit of the records of 199children diagnosed as diabetic and admitted to Al‐Amiri Hospital,Kuwait. Uses the measurement of glycosylated…
Abstract
Presents the results of a medical audit of the records of 199 children diagnosed as diabetic and admitted to Al‐Amiri Hospital, Kuwait. Uses the measurement of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1) to indicate the levels of control achieved. Finds that the degree of glycaemic control compares favourably with studies done in other hospitals, but unfavourably with specialized diabetic clinics. Proposes that glycaemic control could be improved by provision of the services of specialized support staff such as dietitian, educator, psychologist and health visitor.
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Shepherd Dhliwayo and Abdella Kosa Chebo
This study aims to examine the dimensions of technological innovation capability (TIC) and associated factors from the perspectives of sustainability.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the dimensions of technological innovation capability (TIC) and associated factors from the perspectives of sustainability.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors have systematically reviewed publications by synthesizing and comparing the findings and arguments from previous studies.
Findings
The study locates a wide-ranging advance of sustainable TIC as a construct by demonstrating the leading dimensions and key factors interrelated to the sustainable TIC. The foremost IC that has been addressed includes process, product, marketing, R&D and knowledge ICs.
Research limitations/implications
Future research should test the extent of the contribution of TIC in intensifying the determining factors toward enhancing performance and sustainability. Besides, the undermined external aspects such as social responsibility and the natural environment should be addressed by future researchers to develop a comprehensive sustainable TIC.
Originality/value
This study reviews the various researches in the subject matter of sustainable TIC to show the developments as well as to provide comprehensive understandings in the subject.
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Tesfaye Hailu and Abdella Kosa Chebo
To examine the development of research into the relationship between business process outsourcing (BPO) and innovation, a bibliometric methodology utilizing quantitative…
Abstract
Purpose
To examine the development of research into the relationship between business process outsourcing (BPO) and innovation, a bibliometric methodology utilizing quantitative analytical methodologies was used. With the aid of a visualization analysis of scientific publications, this study also assessed the state of BPO and innovation practices.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the Web of Science database, articles on BPO and innovation that published between 1992 and 2022 were retrieved. Records that had been extracted were examined in terms of publication year, nation, journal, subject area, authors and affiliations with organizations. The research on acupuncture for pain relief was visualized using the VOSviewer application.
Findings
An analysis of 219 original and review papers found that during the past 30 years, the overall number of publications has fluctuated constantly. The London University, the Copenhagen Business School and the London School of Economics were the institutions that produced the most articles in this topic. The three main categories of research that emerged from a network analysis based on the co-occurrence of keywords are innovation, outsourcing and performance.
Practical implications
A BP-innovation model must be created, and BPO must go beyond operational duties to incorporate management-wide shared strategic decisions in order to ensure improved performance of the firms. BPO enables a company's management to share knowledge and expertise about the strategic difficulties of outsourcing. A variety of technological and non-technological resources must also be considered when integrating an information technology (IT) infrastructure into BPO decisions in order to achieve greater performance.
Originality/value
Validity of the paper can be justified by it contribution to the existing knowledge. First, linking BPO and innovation – by integrating the arguments of various academics, the study unifies the disparate components and contentious discussions in the relationship between BPO and innovation. Second, this study highlights a research trend, significant studies, relevant terms and concepts in the real world. Third, the study provides future researchers with a tip for statistically analyzing BPO, particularly in light of innovation.
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Amin Mojoodi, Saeed Jalalian and Tafazal Kumail
This research aims to determine the ideal fare for various aircraft itineraries by modeling prices using a neural network method. Dynamic pricing has been studied from the…
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to determine the ideal fare for various aircraft itineraries by modeling prices using a neural network method. Dynamic pricing has been studied from the airline’s point of view, with a focus on demand forecasting and price differentiation. Early demand forecasting on a specific route can assist an airline in strategically planning flights and determining optimal pricing strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
A feedforward neural network was employed in the current study. Two hidden layers, consisting of 18 and 12 neurons, were incorporated to enhance the network’s capabilities. The activation function employed for these layers was tanh. Additionally, it was considered that the output layer’s functions were linear. The neural network inputs considered in this study were flight path, month of flight, flight date (week/day), flight time, aircraft type (Boeing, Airbus, other), and flight class (economy, business). The neural network output, on the other hand, was the ticket price. The dataset comprises 16,585 records, specifically flight data for Iranian airlines for 2022.
Findings
The findings indicate that the model achieved a high level of accuracy in approximating the actual data. Additionally, it demonstrated the ability to predict the optimal ticket price for various flight routes with minimal error.
Practical implications
Based on the significant alignment observed between the actual data and the tested data utilizing the algorithmic model, airlines can proactively anticipate ticket prices across all routes, optimizing the revenue generated by each flight. The neural network algorithm utilized in this study offers a valuable opportunity for companies to enhance their decision-making processes. By leveraging the algorithm’s features, companies can analyze past data effectively and predict future prices. This enables them to make informed and timely decisions based on reliable information.
Originality/value
The present study represents a pioneering research endeavor that investigates using a neural network algorithm to predict the most suitable pricing for various flight routes. This study aims to provide valuable insights into dynamic pricing for marketing researchers and practitioners.
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Dereje Mekonnen Bekele, Melkamu Teshome Ayana, Abdella Kemal Mohammed, Tarun Kumar Lohani and Mohammad Shabaz
To assess the impacts of climate change on stream flow and evaluation of reservoir performances, reliability, resilience and vulnerability (RRV) indices are contemplated…
Abstract
Purpose
To assess the impacts of climate change on stream flow and evaluation of reservoir performances, reliability, resilience and vulnerability (RRV) indices are contemplated. Precipitation, temperature (Tmax, Tmin), relative humidity and solar radiation are the hydrological and meteorological data which have been used extensively. Climate data like RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 were evaluated for the base period 1976–2005 and future climate scenario for 2021–2050 and 2051–2080 as per the convenience.
Design/methodology/approach
The hydrologic engineering center hydrologic modeling system (HEC-HMS) model was used to simulate the current and future inflow volume into the reservoir. The model performance resulted as 0.76 Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), 0.78 R2 and −3.17 D and during calibration the results obtained were 0.8 NSE, 0.82 R2 and 2.1 D. The projected climate scenario illustrates an increasing trend for both maximum and minimum temperature though a decreasing trend was documented for precipitation. The average time base reliability of the reservoirs was less than 50% without reservoir condition and greater than 50% for other conditions but volumetric reliability and resilience varies between 50% and 100% for all conditions. The vulnerability result of reservoirs may face shortage of flow ranging from 5.7% to 33.8%.
Findings
Evaluating reservoir simulation and hydropower generation for different climate scenarios by HEC-ResSim model, the energy generated for upper dam ranges from 349.4 MWhr to 331.2 MWhr and 4045.82 MWhr and 3946.74 MWhr for short and long-term future scenario, respectively. RCP for Tmax and Tmin goes on increasing whereas precipitation and inflow to reservoir decreases owing to increase in evapotranspiration. Under diverse climatic conditions power production goes on varying simultaneously.
Originality/value
This paper is original and all the references are properly cited.
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Muneza Kagzi, Sayantan Khanra and Sanjoy Kumar Paul
From a technological determinist perspective, machine learning (ML) may significantly contribute towards sustainable development. The purpose of this study is to synthesize prior…
Abstract
Purpose
From a technological determinist perspective, machine learning (ML) may significantly contribute towards sustainable development. The purpose of this study is to synthesize prior literature on the role of ML in promoting sustainability and to encourage future inquiries.
Design/methodology/approach
This study conducts a systematic review of 110 papers that demonstrate the utilization of ML in the context of sustainable development.
Findings
ML techniques may play a vital role in enabling sustainable development by leveraging data to uncover patterns and facilitate the prediction of various variables, thereby aiding in decision-making processes. Through the synthesis of findings from prior research, it is evident that ML may help in achieving many of the United Nations’ sustainable development goals.
Originality/value
This study represents one of the initial investigations that conducted a comprehensive examination of the literature concerning ML’s contribution to sustainability. The analysis revealed that the research domain is still in its early stages, indicating a need for further exploration.
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Dhammika Manjula Dolawattha, H.K. Salinda Premadasa and Prasad M. Jayaweera
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the sustainability of the proposed mobile learning framework for higher education. Most sustainability evaluation studies use quantitative…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the sustainability of the proposed mobile learning framework for higher education. Most sustainability evaluation studies use quantitative and qualitative methods with statistical approaches. Sometimes, in previous studies, machine learning models were utilized conventionally.
Design/methodology/approach
In the proposed method, the authors use a novel machine learning-based ensemble approach with severity indexes to evaluate the sustainability of the proposed mobile learning system. In this severity indexes, consider the cause-and-effect relationship to identify the hidden correlation among sustainability factors. Also, the proposed novel sustainability evaluation algorithm helps to evaluate and improve sustainability iteratively to have an optimal sustainable mobile learning system. In total, 150 learners and 150 teachers in the university community engaged in the study by taking the sustainability questionnaire. The questionnaire consists of 20 questions that represent 20 sustainable factors in five sustainability dimensions, i.e. economic, social, political, technological and pedagogical.
Findings
The results reveal that the proposed system has achieved its economic and pedagogical sustainability. However, the results further reveal that the proposed system needs to be improved on technological, social and political sustainability.
Originality/value
The study focused novel machine learning approach and technique for evaluating sustainability of the proposed mobile learning framework.
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Karim Atashgar and Leila Abbassi
Different real cases indicate that the quality of a process is better monitored by a functional relationship rather than the traditional statistical process control (SPC) methods…
Abstract
Purpose
Different real cases indicate that the quality of a process is better monitored by a functional relationship rather than the traditional statistical process control (SPC) methods. This approach is referred to as profile monitoring. A serious objective in profile monitoring is the sensitivity of a model to very small changes of the process. The rapid progress of the precision manufacturing also indicates the importance of identifying very small shift types of a process/product profile curve. This sensitivity allows one to identify the fault of a process sooner compared to the case of lack of the capability.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper proposed a new method to monitor very small shift types of a polynomial profile for phase II of the SPC. The proposed method was named as MGWMA-PF. The performance capability of the proposed approach was evaluated through several numerical examples. A real case study was also used to investigate the capability of the proposed model.
Findings
The results addressed that the proposed method was capable of detecting very small shift types effectively. The numerical report based on the average run length (ARL) term revealed the more sensitivity of the proposed model compared to other existing methods of the literature.
Originality/value
This paper proposes a new method to monitor very small shift types of a polynomial profile for phase II of the SPC. The proposed method provides detecting a very small change manifested itself to the process.
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Tarun Kumar Lohani, Melkamu Teshome Ayana, Abdella Kemal Mohammed, Mohammad Shabaz, Gaurav Dhiman and Vishal Jagota
Gaya, the holy city of Hindus, Buddhists and Jains, is facing an acute shortage of potable water. Although the city is blessed with some static and dynamic water bodies all around…
Abstract
Purpose
Gaya, the holy city of Hindus, Buddhists and Jains, is facing an acute shortage of potable water. Although the city is blessed with some static and dynamic water bodies all around the region, they do not fulfill the requirement of millions of public either inhabitants of the area or tourists or pilgrims flocking every day. Countless crowds, congested roads, swarming pedestrians, innumerable vehicles moving throughout the day and night have made the city into a non-livable one. The present status of surface water is a mere nightmare to the requirements of the people. Due to which, massive ground water pumping mostly illegally has added a grid in addition to the other socio-economic issues.
Design/methodology/approach
To focus on such problem, the ground water of the region was studied thoroughly by calculating the depth of water level, discharge, pre-and post-monsoon water table and specifically the storativity in ten different locations. Some data were acquired, others were assessed, and few are calculated to provide an overall view of the ground water scenario.
Findings
After a long and tedious field study, it was finally established from that static water level ranges from 2.45 to 26.59 m, below ground level (bgl), discharge varies from 3.21 m3/day to 109.32 m3/day. Post pumping drawdown falls between 0.93 m and 16.59 m, whereas the specific capacity lies in between 0.96 and 7.78 m3/hr/m. Transmissivity, which is a key objective to assess ground water potential ranges from 109.8 to 168.86 m2/day.
Originality/value
This research work is original.
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Reshmini Maharajh, Shepherd Dhliwayo and Abdella Kosa Chebo
Family businesses have a dual objective of profit making and providing opportunities for family members. This duality leads to a conflict that may bring poor team work and…
Abstract
Purpose
Family businesses have a dual objective of profit making and providing opportunities for family members. This duality leads to a conflict that may bring poor team work and communication, which is difficult to reconcile. Thus, the study looked into how the performance of family enterprises is affected by family dynamics. Additionally, it examines the relationship's ability to be mediated by effective leadership.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted a quantitative, explanatory research approach. The study population was family-owned enterprises in KwaZulu-Natal's South Durban Basin, of which 236 were chosen using a snowball and convenience sampling technique. Data was analysed using various descriptive and inferential statistical techniques, namely, multiple regression and the standard deviation.
Findings
The finding of the study shows that family dynamics significantly influenced business performance both directly and indirectly through effective leadership. Besides, the family firms with larger employee sizes have better effective leadership that positively contributes to the business performance.
Research limitations/implications
The study recommends that family businesses should train their members to ensure leadership effectiveness.
Originality/value
This study is unique in that it was conducted in Black Townships and focusses mainly on businesses owned by families of Indian descent that need to prepare for leadership/ownership. It also contributes to academic literature on family dynamics and will encourage families to recognise the importance of strong leadership in controlling family dynamics to improve business success.