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R. Rathinamoorthy and S. Raja Balasaraswathi
Synthetic textile materials are noted as one of the major contributors to microfiber pollution through laundry. Though many research works evaluated microfiber pollution, the…
Abstract
Purpose
Synthetic textile materials are noted as one of the major contributors to microfiber pollution through laundry. Though many research works evaluated microfiber pollution, the solutions provided to control microfiber shedding are meager. The existing products collect or filter the microfiber from laundry effluent and restrict the direct leaching. However, no methods were proposed to effectively reduce the shedding from the textile itself.
Design/methodology/approach
This research is aimed to analyze the influence of surface modification of polyester knitted textiles by sodium hydroxide, on microfiber shedding. Response surface methodology was adapted to optimize different treatment parameters (alkali concentration, treatment time and temperature).
Findings
The results show that the sodium hydroxide concentration and treatment time had a negative correlation with microfiber shedding reduction. Whereas, treatment temperature had a positive correlation with microfiber shedding reduction. The statistical analysis revealed that 0.4 M concentration, 90°C temperature and 24 min of treatment time was the best process condition for minimum microfiber release. The same was confirmed with a practical experiment and a significant reduction of 80.63% in microfiber shedding after alkali treatment was found.
Originality/value
Alkali treatment of different knitted polyester fabrics with various knit structures and mass per square meter showed a significant reduction in microfiber shedding. The repeated laundry performed for 20 washes with surface-modified samples showed a significant reduction in microfiber release at every wash cycle and ensured the longevity of the effect.
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R. Rathinamoorthy and S. Raja Balasaraswathi
Microfiber is one of the major sources of microplastic emission into the environment. In recent times, research on microfiber has gained momentum, and research across different…
Abstract
Purpose
Microfiber is one of the major sources of microplastic emission into the environment. In recent times, research on microfiber has gained momentum, and research across different disciplines was performed. However, no complete study was performed from the viewpoint of textiles to analyse the microfiber shedding behaviour by relating the properties textiles. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the microfiber shedding behaviour in textiles.
Design/methodology/approach
Articles on the microfiber shedding across different disciplines were collected and analysed systematically to identify the influencing factor. The influence of laundry parameters is found to be majorly discussed section, yet very few research data is found on the effect of yarn and fabric properties on the microfiber shedding.
Findings
Most of the articles listed laundry detergent addition, higher temperature, use of softeners, type of washing machines used and amount of liquid used as the major factors influencing the fiber shedding. Concerning the fiber and yarn characteristics, yarn twist, fiber type (staple/filament), method of production, fabric structure and specific density are reported as influencing factors. Some articles highlighted the influence of ageing of textiles on the fiber shedding.
Originality/value
The review identified the research gap in the textile sector and reports that so far, no research performed on microfiber shedding with the textile parameters. The review further urges the importance of research works to be performed in the textile by considering the fabric and yarn properties.
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Pia Polsa, Wei Fuxiang, Maria Sääksjärvi and Pei Shuyuan
Several service quality studies show how cultural features may influence the way service quality is perceived. However, few studies specifically describe culture's influence on…
Abstract
Purpose
Several service quality studies show how cultural features may influence the way service quality is perceived. However, few studies specifically describe culture's influence on health service quality. Also, there are few studies that take into account patients' health service quality perceptions. This article seeks to present a first step to fill these gaps by examining patients' cultural values and their health service quality assessments.
Design/methodology/approach
The study draws on published work and applies its ideas to Chinese healthcare settings. Data consist of hospital service perceptions in the People's Republic of China (PRC), a society that is socially, economically and culturally undergoing major changes. In total, 96 patients were surveyed. Data relationships were tested using partial least square (PLS) analysis.
Findings
Findings show that Chinese patients' cultural values and their health service assessments are related and that the cultural values themselves seem to be changing. Additionally, further analyses provided interesting results pointing to which cultural values influenced service quality perceptions. The strongest service quality predictor was power distance.
Research limitations/implications
The sample is relatively small and collected from only one major hospital in China. Therefore, future research should extend the sample size and scope. Follow‐up research could also include cross‐cultural investigations of perceived health service quality to substantiate cultural influences on health service quality perceptions.
Practical implications
In line with similar research in other contexts, the study confirms that power distance has a significant relationship with service quality perceptions.
Originality/value
The study contributes to existing health service literature by offering patients' views on health service quality and by describing relationships between health service perceptions and cultural values ‐ the study's main contribution.
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Nishadi Egodage, Fathima Nishara Abdeen and Pournima Sridarran
The incidence of disability is increasing globally over the past decades. Despite the increased proportion of disabled individuals, established fire emergency evacuation…
Abstract
Purpose
The incidence of disability is increasing globally over the past decades. Despite the increased proportion of disabled individuals, established fire emergency evacuation procedures for disabled in high-rise buildings are lacking attention. Hence, this paper aims to focus on investigating fire emergency evacuation procedures for differently-abled people in high-rise buildings.
Design/methodology/approach
To address the gap, the case study strategy under the qualitative research approach was deployed by focussing 10 high-rise buildings. Data collected through semi-structured interviews and document reviews were analysed using content analysis.
Findings
The study findings revealed that even though a fire disaster is a major area to be considered, there is a noticeable gap in legal requirements related to differently-abled fire evacuation in Sri Lanka compared to the global context. Moreover, it was identified that importance given to differently enabled fire evacuations procedures varied based on the type of high-rise facilities in which hospitals and hotels provided more importance compared to office buildings, apartments and shopping complexes. Further, the study has highlighted the main gaps in the evacuation procedures and improvements required. Lack of imposed regulations for disabled evacuation was identified as a major barrier hindering the development of effective fire evacuation procedures for disabled, which creates a cascading effect. Further, the consideration given to legal, organisational, individual and technological factors would assist in straightening the identified issues.
Originality/value
This research provides a clear insight into the necessity of focussing at disabled individuals when developing fire emergency procedures. Most importantly, this study had exposed the current gaps in fire emergency evacuation procedures for the disabled community. Understanding these gaps is of high value for industry practitioners to ensure disabled safety during a fire emergency.
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This paper attempts to develop a metaphor to explain knowledge and perhaps the basic construct of knowledge management, in a way that might add to the practical understanding of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper attempts to develop a metaphor to explain knowledge and perhaps the basic construct of knowledge management, in a way that might add to the practical understanding of organisational knowledge.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper explores the notion of knowledge, fact and memory in relation to Parmenidian and Heraclitean approaches to stasis and flux.
Findings
That remembering and imagining can be the same basic process, such that knowledge is created in the present not necessarily retrieved from our technology.
Research limitations/implications
To consider cybernetic approaches to knowledge management based on learning and self‐organisation as well as “knowledge based” technology.
Practical implications
Whilst in information systems we collect, store and retrieve information, in knowledge systems we create, recreate and recreate the recreating. Here, knowledge management relies more on individual and collective learning than the power of the technology.
Originality/value
The paper attempts to consider knowledge as a process of engagement rather than a resource to be “utilised”.
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Siri Wilder, Christina L. Scott and Micaela A. Chavarin
For many emerging adults, committed romantic relationships are perceived as offering the ideal context for sexual exploration and companionship. However, these relationships are…
Abstract
For many emerging adults, committed romantic relationships are perceived as offering the ideal context for sexual exploration and companionship. However, these relationships are often short-term and breakups between committed partners can be emotionally intense and create a significant amount of distress. While casual sex relationships appear to be an increasingly popular alternative, providing many of the same benefits of committed relationships without the emotional involvement, they are also consistently associated with sexual regret. Previous research indicates that both emotional reactions are reported at higher levels by women, but the extent to which breakup distress and sexual regret differ by relationship type remains unclear. The current study examined differences in breakup distress and sexual regret as a function of sex and type of sexual relationship (committed vs casual) among a sample of 230 undergraduate college students. As expected, women reported more breakup distress and sexual regret as compared to men, and men and women in committed relationships reported more breakup distress than those in casual relationships. Contrary to previous findings, there was no significant difference in sexual regret between committed and casual relationships, and this was consistent for both men and women. In addition, participants reported relatively low levels of both breakup distress and sexual regret overall. The results suggest that, in general, breakups may not pose a severe emotional threat to young adults, who seem to be confident in their sexual decision making regardless of relationship type.
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As emerging adults on college campuses, undergraduates are at a key stage of developing their identities and deciding the role that intimacy and sexuality will play in…
Abstract
As emerging adults on college campuses, undergraduates are at a key stage of developing their identities and deciding the role that intimacy and sexuality will play in relationships for the rest of their lives. Experimentation through casual sex, which modern researchers have dubbed the hookup culture, plays a part in this development. While hooking up has been linked with sexual gratification and value clarification, there are negative aspects of the culture as well, including a lack of communication leading to regret, shame, and sexual assault. This chapter proposes looking to the bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism (BDSM) community as experts in the field of sexual communication and consent, and utilizing skills developed by this community to fill in the gaps where hookup culture has failed emerging adults. Through the use of a novel intervention called the Hookup Card, emerging adults could be empowered to increase their communication skills and see more positive outcomes as they navigate their sexual and identity development.
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Zhang Jiale and Farzana Quoquab
The adverse effect of plastic pollution on the tourism industry is one of the emerging research areas in the field of sustainable tourism over the past years. However, there is a…
Abstract
The adverse effect of plastic pollution on the tourism industry is one of the emerging research areas in the field of sustainable tourism over the past years. However, there is a lack of discussion on this issue in the academic platforms. Considering this, in this chapter, a scientometric analysis of 110 academic publications from the Web of Science (WoS) between 1999 and 2021 related to plastic pollution and tourism is presented. A bibliometric analysis using CiteSpace was utilised to analyse the data to present the keyword timezone, collaboration network and co-citation network. The analysis shows that the publications in this field have increased rapidly, and it has become an emerging and interdisciplinary research topic. Scholars from Australia, Spain, Brazil and China have published most on the topic. The Chinese Academy of Science with four articles is the largest contributor in this field among other institutions. Moreover, citizen science is found to be a new keyword coming up in recent years, and human health is one of the major concerns. The findings from this study provide valuable insights for the academicians and policy makers in understanding the issue.
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After considering the most important variables on which various forms of colloidal instability can depend, some important principal aspects of this phenomenon should be discussed.