To review the history behind and steps taken to inventory and build search/edit modules for a database containing the Iowa State University Library's extensive collection of…
Abstract
Purpose
To review the history behind and steps taken to inventory and build search/edit modules for a database containing the Iowa State University Library's extensive collection of American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards. Design/methodology/approach – Iowa State University built a database inventory of the ANSI collection of standards through the use of Microsoft Excel and Oracle production software. The collection was inventoried and input into an Excel database, then converted into a web‐based search engine using Oracle software. Edit modules were developed to allow for adding to the database, and updating and correcting existing records.
Findings
With the addition of this search engine and edit module, the task of keeping records up to date and keeping patrons informed as to the availability of standards within the ISU collection has been greatly improved.
Practical implications
The implications for this form of database suggest it could be introduced into other major research libraries with large collections of uncatalogued literature utilizing similar software and expertise. This was a local concern that could have a broad impact on the way ANSI standards are inventoried and searched in libraries.
Originality/value
The library that possesses a large collection of work under a single call number that is not inventoried and is looking for solutions for improved patron access will find this information valuable.
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Carlos Eduardo de Almeida Ramoa, Luiz Carlos da Silva Flores and Felix Bernhard Herle
In a systemic approach, a ship is a system in which people and organizations interact directly and indirectly in all processes from construction, during the route and at the…
Abstract
Purpose
In a systemic approach, a ship is a system in which people and organizations interact directly and indirectly in all processes from construction, during the route and at the destination, throughout its useful life, until eventual scrapping or disposal process. The purpose of this paper is to take on the UN 2030 Agenda ‒ Goal 14 to propose a management model that meets environmental guidelines for assessing impacts caused by the cruise ships.
Design/methodology/approach
To verify the proposed model, a quantitative survey using non-probability purposive sampling was conducted among ports, environmental sustainability experts and ocean cruise companies. The empirical data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling.
Findings
Findings have confirmed five environmental requirements that shipping companies must manage on their cruise ships to meet Goal 14: input management, waste management, air quality, energy management and water management. Adopting and disseminating sustainable development models provides transparent information about actions taken and results of environmental management, and it may change the perception of the organization’s image, which is relevant to win and maintain environment-friendly customers, adding intangible value to the tourism product.
Research limitations/implications
One of the limitations of the study is the research sample, especially ocean cruise companies, which can have biased results, as they are potential sources of environmental impacts. However, this was not the case, since the answers were similar to those of the other two groups surveyed.
Originality/value
The originality of the study is justified by researchers who argue that information provided by shipping companies on sustainability is very limited, as according to previous research, the convergence between strategy formulation model and environmental sustainability as a principle to be incorporated into the management of oceangoing vessels has not been studied.
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Francesca Conte and Alfonso Siano
Previous research assumes that technologies 4.0, particularly big data, may be highly relevant for organizations to increase human resources (HR) communication strategies, but the…
Abstract
Purpose
Previous research assumes that technologies 4.0, particularly big data, may be highly relevant for organizations to increase human resources (HR) communication strategies, but the research provides little or no evidence on whether and how these tools are applied in employees and labor market relations. This study intends to offer a first insight on the adoption of data-driven HR/talent management approach, contributing to the ongoing debate on the Industry 4.0. This study aims to investigate the use of 4.0 technologies in HR and talent management functions, focusing also on the adoption of big data analytics for internal and recruitment communication.
Design/methodology/approach
The analysis of the literature enables to define the research questions and an exploratory web survey was carried out through a structured questionnaire. The analysis unit of the empirical survey includes the communication and marketing managers of 90 organizations in Italy, examined in the Mediobanca Report on the “Main Italian Companies.”
Findings
Findings highlight a lack of the use of 4.0 technologies and big data analytics in employee and labor market relations and reveal some sectoral differences in the adoption of 4.0 technologies. Moreover, the study points out that the development of HR analytics is hampered by short-term perspective, data quality problems and the lack of analytics skills.
Research limitations/implications
Due to the exploratory research design and the circumscribed sample from a single country (Italy), further cross-national evidence is needed. This study provides digital communication managers with useful insights to improve the data-driven HR/talent management approach, which is a strategic asset for ensuring a sustainable competitive advantage and optimizing business performance.
Originality/value
The study offers an overview about the use of big data analytics in internal and recruitment communications. Considering the alignment between Italian and European trends in the use of big data and in the adoption of HR analytics, the study can provide insights also for other European organization.
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Asael Islas-Moreno, Manrrubio Muñoz-Rodríguez, Vinicio Horacio Santoyo-Cortés, Norman Aguilar-Gallegos, Enrique Genaro Martínez-González and Wyn Morris
This study analyses the sequence of actions carried out by successful enterprises in the agricultural sector and aims to understand the logic followed with such actions and the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study analyses the sequence of actions carried out by successful enterprises in the agricultural sector and aims to understand the logic followed with such actions and the differences related to the types of families that develop them.
Design/methodology/approach
Through a multiple case study approach, the business and family trajectories of 14 successful agricultural enterprises in Mexico were analysed. The actions carried out by enterprises are conceptualized as strategic movements and are classified into seven categories: (1) growth and intensification, (2) reconversion, (3) diversification, (4) integration, (5) differentiation, (6) outsourcing and (7) digitization. Depending on their relationship with agriculture, entrepreneurial families are classified into three categories: (1) continuing families, (2) returning families and (3) incoming families.
Findings
The entrepreneurship logic follows three stages: evaluation, expansion and consolidation, through which different activities are tested, then the one that produces the best results is expanded and adopted as the main activity, and finally the expansion of the main activity and its evaluation are combined by comparing and complementing it with other agricultural activities. The difference is that continuing families adhere more to the traditional productivist model based on growth in scale and improved productivity of primary production. On the other hand, actions that imply a distinction in the quality of production such as integration and differentiation and that require links with other organizations such as outsourcing are more frequently carried out by returning and incoming families.
Research limitations/implications
The findings obtained through case studies cannot be statistically generalized to a specific population, however, our perspective can be transferred to other cases to obtain analogous findings.
Originality/value
The study is a unique piece in terms of the analysis of how families with different degrees of proximity to agriculture develop successful enterprises.
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Carlos L. Moreno and Ana M. Sarmento
The paper aims to present an experimental testing program regarding reinforced concrete slabs, with and without shear reinforcement, submitted to punching under both symmetric and…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to present an experimental testing program regarding reinforced concrete slabs, with and without shear reinforcement, submitted to punching under both symmetric and eccentric loading. Comparisons between numerical simulations and experimental behaviour results are carried on. The capabilities and limitations of the numerical model to reproduce the brittle punching‐shear failure are discussed.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper opted for a performance assessment of a numerical model, comparing FEM results with known experimental tests properly instrumented. Capability of DIANA software to simulate the punching behaviour of slabs is discussed.
Findings
The paper demonstrates that the mechanical properties assigned to the element layer containing the bending reinforcement impose the load deflection stiffness behaviour. Good agreement was found between the predicted and the observed deformation behaviour. Nevertheless, the reproduction of the punching ultimate capacity is strongly dependent on the adopted value for the shear retention factor, which appears to be the major decisive parameter.
Originality/value
This paper demonstrates that the smeared crack model based on both the concept of strain decomposition (SD) and total strain with fixed orthogonal cracks approach (TSF) can correctly be used for the analysis of the behaviour of slabs submitted to punching shear.