Caitlin Brandenburg, Paulina Stehlik, Christy Noble, Rachel Wenke, Kristen Jones, Laetitia Hattingh, Kelly Dungey, Grace Branjerdporn, Ciara Spillane, Sharmin Kalantari, Shane George, Gerben Keijzers and Sharon Mickan
Clinician engagement in research has positive impacts for healthcare, but is often difficult for healthcare organisations to support in light of limited resources. This scoping…
Abstract
Purpose
Clinician engagement in research has positive impacts for healthcare, but is often difficult for healthcare organisations to support in light of limited resources. This scoping review aimed to describe the literature on health service-administered strategies for increasing research engagement by medical practitioners.
Design/methodology/approach
Medline, EMBASE and Web of Science databases were searched from 2000 to 2021 and two independent reviewers screened each record for inclusion. Inclusion criteria were that studies sampled medically qualified clinicians; reported empirical data; investigated effectiveness of an intervention in improving research engagement and addressed interventions implemented by an individual health service/hospital.
Findings
Of the 11,084 unique records, 257 studies were included. Most (78.2%) studies were conducted in the USA, and were targeted at residents (63.0%). Outcomes were measured in a variety of ways, most commonly publication-related outcomes (77.4%), though many studies used more than one outcome measure (70.4%). Pre-post (38.8%) and post-only (28.7%) study designs were the most common, while those using a contemporaneous control group were uncommon (11.5%). The most commonly reported interventions included Resident Research Programs (RRPs), protected time, mentorship and education programs. Many articles did not report key information needed for data extraction (e.g. sample size).
Originality/value
This scoping review demonstrated that, despite a large volume of research, issues like poor reporting, infrequent use of robust study designs and heterogeneous outcome measures limited application. The most compelling available evidence pointed to RRPs, protected time and mentorship as effective interventions. Further high-quality evidence is needed to guide healthcare organisations on increasing medical research engagement.
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J. Boran, L. Houdkova, V. Ucekaj and P. Stehlik
The purpose of this paper is to compare well‐known technologies of sludge utilization on the basis of energy and economical balances of real processes. The calculations are based…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to compare well‐known technologies of sludge utilization on the basis of energy and economical balances of real processes. The calculations are based on pilot tests in the Central Waste Water Treatment Plant (CWWTP) in Prague, the biggest waste water treatment plant in the Czech Republic.
Design/methodology/approach
A key issue for the comparison of mass and energy flow of sludge management is the attainable level of sludge dewaterability. Results of dewatering of anaerobic digested sludge are available from real applications since most sewage plants use digesters. The existing limited knowledge about mixed raw sludge (MRS) dewaterability have driven authors to make pilot tests targeted to establishment of an attainable level of MRS dewaterability. To get as close results as possible even anaerobic stabilized sludge was dewatered and various other data were collected to obtain a comprehensive data set for energy balance of the sludge management calculation. The pilot tests took place at CWWTP in 2005. Measured data were used to calculate energy balance of a number of different sludge managements.
Findings
To produce self‐reliant combusting sludge, a dry matter content of 35‐45 per cent for MRS and 45‐55 per cent for digested sludge has to be achieved by means of dewatering and potentially drying. In recent measurements at CWWTP a dry matter content of about 33 per cent was achieved by dewatering of MRS. This value is very close to the range of the dry matter content at which a self reliant combustion can be expected.
Practical implications
This comparison together with investment cost analysis should be one of the most important parameters in case of design a new or revamp an old waste water treatment plant.
Originality/value
The paper provides results from pilot tests at CWWTP together with three different energy balances comparison.
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Xianzhi Mei, Yaping Chen, Jiafeng Wu and Xiaoyu Zhou
Conventional electric heaters mostly use U-shaped electric heating tubes and the hollow tube electric heaters are new type ones that rely on the heat transfer tubes as heating…
Abstract
Purpose
Conventional electric heaters mostly use U-shaped electric heating tubes and the hollow tube electric heaters are new type ones that rely on the heat transfer tubes as heating elements. However, in the original design, the fluid flows through the annular gaps between the shell wall and the supporting plates, the chambers between supporting plates are generally stagnant zones. The purpose of study is to overcome these deficiencies.
Design/methodology/approach
A modified approach is proposed in which the heating tubes are surrounded by holes on the supporting plates, thus the stagnant flow zone can be eliminated and the heating surfaces of both inside and outside the tube can be fully used. Numerical simulations were carried out on four schemes of hollow tube electric heaters, i.e. plate blocked, countercurrent, parallel and split. The results show that the two schemes of parallel and split can reduce the temperature difference between the two sides of the fixed tube plate, and thus reduce thermal stress and prolong the service life.
Findings
The split scheme of electric heater has the highest comprehensive index, moderate heat transfer coefficient and minimum pressure drop on the shell side. Its average heat transfer coefficient and comprehensive index are, respectively, 15.7% and 52.9% higher and its average pressure drop and tube wall temperature are, respectively, 57.6% and 19 K lower than those of the original plate blocked scheme, thus it can be recommended as the best scheme of the hollow tube electric heaters.
Originality/value
Based on the original design of hollow tube electric heater with plate blocked scheme, three plate perforated schemes were proposed and investigated. The thermal and flow features of the four schemes were compared in terms of heat transfer coefficient, pressure drop and comprehensive index ho·Δpo−1/3. The split scheme can reduce the temperature difference between two sides of the fixed tube plate with reduced thermal stress. It has moderate tube wall temperature and heat transfer coefficient, the smallest shell side pressure drop and the highest comprehensive index ho·Δpo−1/3, and it can be recommended as the optimal scheme.
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Karsten E. Zegwaard, Matthew Campbell and T. Judene Pretti
Much rhetoric around the construct of a work-ready graduate has focused on the technical abilities of students to fulfill the expectations of the future workplace. Efforts have…
Abstract
Much rhetoric around the construct of a work-ready graduate has focused on the technical abilities of students to fulfill the expectations of the future workplace. Efforts have been made to extend from the technical skills (e.g., skills in calculation for engineers) to include soft or behavioral skills (e.g., communication). However, within previous models of understanding of the work-ready graduate there has been little done to explore them as critical moral agents within the workplace. That is, whilst the focus has been on being work-ready, it is argued here that in current and future workplaces it is more important for university graduates to be profession-ready. Our understanding of the profession-ready graduate is characterized by the ability to demonstrate capacities in critical thinking and reflection, and to have an ability to navigate the ethical challenges and shape the organizational culture of the future workplace.
This chapter aims to explore a movement of thinking away from simply aspiring to develop work-ready graduates, expanding this understanding to argue for the development of profession-ready graduates. The chapter begins with an exploration of the debates around the characteristics of being work-ready, and through a consideration of two professional elements: professional identity and critical moral agency, argues for a reframing of work-readiness towards professional-readiness. The chapter then considers the role of work-integrated learning (WIL) in being able to support the development of the profession-ready graduate.
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Michal Plaček, Martin Schmidt, František Ochrana, Gabriela Vaceková and Jana Soukopová
The paper aims to deal with the analysis of the factor leading to the repeated selection of the specific supplier and the effect of this recurrent selection on overpricing of…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to deal with the analysis of the factor leading to the repeated selection of the specific supplier and the effect of this recurrent selection on overpricing of public contracts.
Design/methodology/approach
A mix of quantitative and qualitative methods is used to achieve this goal. To analyze the chances of obtaining repeated contracts, the logistic regression method is used. To analyze the factor of overpriced contracts, the classic ordinary least squares regression model is used. The focus group method is then used to explain the factors acting on the part of the contracting authorities.
Findings
The results show that the prior procurement of a given contracting authority, or work for the public sector in general, has a statistically significant effect on the conclusion of contracts. The use of less-transparent forms of input has a strong impact. The non-transparent selection of suppliers rather than repetition of contracts generally results in the over-pricing of contracts. The IT sector is an exception.
Social implications
This research is also essential for real public policy. Given the amount of GDP allocated to the public procurement market, it makes sense to continually seek room for improvement. Here is an attempt to find this by examining the contracting authorities’ behavior when awarding repeated contracts.
Originality/value
This research is original because it looks at the problem of the contracting authority in the wider context and optics of the path dependency theory, which has not yet been applied to the public procurement environment. The focus is also on IT procurement, which according to this study has not been empirically investigated in this way, is also innovative.
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The purpose of this paper is twofold. The first is to examine in detail energy efficiency performance of German and Colombian food industries. The second is to explain the factors…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is twofold. The first is to examine in detail energy efficiency performance of German and Colombian food industries. The second is to explain the factors that have influenced energy efficiency.
Design/methodology/approach
Using data at the three‐digit level of aggregation, the paper compares energy efficiency across sectors of the food industry for the period 1998‐2005. Energy efficiency is analysed using the energy intensity (EI) indicator as well as a decomposition analysis. To determine the factors that have influenced energy efficiency performance, the concept of the production function is used.
Findings
The results show that both countries' food industries improved energy efficiency. During the period of study, energy consumption in the German food industry increased by an average of 1.3 per cent per year and the EI decreased 7 per cent, whereas the Colombian food industry decreased its energy consumption by an average of 1.9 per cent per the year and the EI decreased 11 per cent. However, the Colombian food industry needs 2.2 times more energy than the German food industry to produce a unit of gross production. A decomposition analysis indicated that economic and technical factors have played an important role in the energy efficiency performance because increases in economic growth and technology improvements increase the industrial sector's ability to improve energy efficiency. A second‐stage empirical analysis reveals that capital, material, investments and value‐added variables had a positive influence on energy efficiency performance in both countries. Energy prices are shown to have a positive influence on energy efficiency in the German food industry, whereas the sizes of enterprises and concentration processes played an important role on energy efficiency performance in the Colombian food industry.
Originality/value
The literature indicates the relative lack of attention paid to the analysis of energy use across sectors of food industry as well as the lack of studies determining the factors that have affected energy consumption and energy efficiency performance using cross‐country and cross‐sectoral comparisons.
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Carlos Alberto Schuch Bork, Janaina Fracaro Souza Gonçalves and Jefferson Oliveira Gomes
This article aims to collect data on the aluminum alloy 7050-T7451 machinability used in the manufacturing of aeronautical structures, using the combination of the jatropha…
Abstract
Purpose
This article aims to collect data on the aluminum alloy 7050-T7451 machinability used in the manufacturing of aeronautical structures, using the combination of the jatropha vegetable-base soluble cutting oil in relation to the canola vegetal and semisynthetic mineral oils and the technique to apply cutting fluid by flood in relation to the Minimum Quantity Lubrication (MQL) in the milling process (HSM – high-speed machining).
Design/methodology/approach
It was observed that the jatropha vegetal cutting oil presented the best results in relation to requirements for lubrication, superficial mean roughness (index Ra) and shape errors in relation to the other oils in both the techniques to apply fluid which were tested. Comparing the application techniques, the jatropha vegetal oil offered an increase in the life span of the cutting tool, using the flood technique, exceeding in almost six times the machined length of the cutting tool in relation to the MQL technique in the same process conditions.
Findings
The Jatropha vegetable-base cutting oil, besides being produced from a renewable source, has inherent characteristics that can help attain a sustainable manufacturing, mainly with the use of the flood technique to apply cutting fluid in the aluminum alloy 7050-T7451 machining.
Originality/value
The Jatropha (vegetable) oil, in relation to its physicochemical properties, appeared to be the best one fit for being used in the machining of aluminum alloys 7050-T7451 because it did not interfere with any of the elements involved in the formation of intergranular corrosion and/or pitting, which are not allowed in the aeronautical production of parts. Jatropha (vegetable) cutting oil, besides being produced from a clean and renewable source, has the inherent characteristics that can help attain a sustainable manufacturing.
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Habib Karimi, Hossein Ahmadi Danesh Ashtiani and Cyrus Aghanajafi
This paper aims to examine total annual cost from economic view mixed materials heat exchangers based on three optimization algorithms. This study compares the use of three…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine total annual cost from economic view mixed materials heat exchangers based on three optimization algorithms. This study compares the use of three optimization algorithms in the design of economic optimization shell and tube mixed material heat exchangers.
Design/methodology/approach
A shell and tube mixed materials heat exchanger optimization design approach is expanded based on the total annual cost measured by dividing the costs of the heat exchanger to area of surface and power consumption. In this study, optimization and minimization of the total annual cost is considered as the objective function. There are three types of exchangers: cheap, expensive and mixed. Mixed materials are used in corrosive flows in the heat exchanger network. The present study explores the use of three optimization techniques, namely, hybrid genetic-particle swarm optimization, shuffled frog leaping algorithm techniques and ant colony optimization.
Findings
There are three parameters as decision variables such as tube outer diameter, shell diameter and central baffle spacing considered for optimization. Results have been compared with the findings of previous studies to demonstrate the accuracy of algorithms.
Originality/value
The present study explores the use of three optimization techniques, namely, hybrid genetic-particle swarm optimization, shuffled frog leaping algorithm techniques and ant colony optimization. This study has demonstrated successful application of each technique for the optimal design of a mixed material shell and tube heat exchanger from the economic view point.
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Ali Akbar Abbasian Arani, Ali Arefmanesh and Hamidreza Ehteram
The purpose of this paper is to recommend a validated numerical model for simulation the flue gases heat recovery recuperators. Due to fulfill of this demand, the influences of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to recommend a validated numerical model for simulation the flue gases heat recovery recuperators. Due to fulfill of this demand, the influences of ash fouling characteristics during the transient/steady-state simulation and optimization of a 3D complex heat exchanger equipped with inner plain fins and side plate fins are studied.
Design/methodology/approach
For the particle dispersion modeling, the discrete phase model is applied and the flow field has been solved using SIMPLE algorithm.
Findings
According to obtained results, for the recuperator equipped with combine inner plain and side plate fins, determination of ash fouling characteristics is really important, effective and determinative. It is clear that by underestimating the ash fouling characteristics, the achieved results are wrong and different with reality.
Originality/value
Finally, the configuration with inner plain fins with characteristics of: di =5 mm, do = 6 mm, dg = 2 mm, dk = 3 mm and NIPFT = 9 and side plate fins with characteristics of: TF = 3 mm, PF = 19 mm, NSPF = 17·2 = 34, WF = 10 mm, HF = 25 mm, LF = 24 mm and ß = 0° is introduced as the optimum model with the best performance among all studied configurations.
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Sheila Namagembe and Shamim Nantumbwe
Environmental emissions are increasing in the urban areas. Much of the emissions arise from public procurement activities given that public sector firms are major customers to…
Abstract
Purpose
Environmental emissions are increasing in the urban areas. Much of the emissions arise from public procurement activities given that public sector firms are major customers to many supplying firms. Given the tremendous contribution, this study aims to examine the adoption of environmentally friendly urban freight logistics practices among public sector firms through assessing the impact of urban environmental governance, government environmental communication and organizational environmental governance.
Design/methodology/approach
Data for the study were collected in a single time period from central procuring and disposing entities (public sector firms) in the urban areas. A sample of 105 public sector firms in were used. One procurement officer and one member of the contracts committee were the key informants in the study. AMOS SPSS version 26 was used to obtain the results for the structural model and measurement model, respectively.
Findings
The findings indicate that the adoption of environmentally friendly urban freight logistics practices among public sector firms is significantly influenced by government environmental communication, organizational environmental governance and urban environmental governance. Urban environmental governance significantly influences organizational environmental governance. Urban environmental governance fully mediates the relationship between government environmental communication and public sector firms’ adoption of environmentally friendly urban freight logistics practices. Also, urban environmental governance and organizational environmental governance mediate the relationship between government environmental communication and adoption of environmentally friendly urban freight logistics practices.
Research limitations/implications
This study examined the adoption of environmentally friendly urban freight logistics practices among public sector firms. However, the study was conducted in a public procurement setting rather than a private sector procurement setting. Also, the study examined the impact of government environmental communication on public sector firms’ adoption of environmentally friendly urban freight logistics practices ignoring the impact of internal communications made within the public sector firms on environmental issues.
Originality/value
This study examined the adoption of environmentally friendly urban freight logistics practices among public sector firms. Freight logistics in public sector procurement has not been given significant attention in earlier research. Emphasis is placed on sustainable public sector procurement ignoring other aspects that would help curb environmental emissions that may arise during and after the delivery of public procurement requirements.