Itohan Esther Aigwi, Amarachukwu Nnadozie Nwadike, An Thi Hoan Le, Funmilayo Ebun Rotimi, Tanya Sorrell, Reza Jafarzadeh and James Rotimi
Currently trending as a practical approach to promote urban and seismic resilience, the adaptive reuse of historical buildings relies on expertise from various professional…
Abstract
Purpose
Currently trending as a practical approach to promote urban and seismic resilience, the adaptive reuse of historical buildings relies on expertise from various professional backgrounds ranging from conservation, urban planning, construction management, architecture, engineering to interior design. This paper explores the applicability of a performance-based multiple criteria decision assessment (MCDA) framework to prioritise underutilised historical buildings for adaptive reuse in Auckland, New Zealand while balancing the diverse interest of all relevant stakeholders.
Design/methodology/approach
A focus group workshop was conducted for relevant adaptive stakeholders in Auckland, New Zealand, to test the applicability of the performance-based MCDA framework developed by Aigwi et al. (2020) and prioritise four underutilised historical building alternatives for adaptive reuse interventions in Auckland, New Zealand.
Findings
Findings from this study revealed the significant potentials of the performance-based MCDA framework, both as an evidence-based measurement tool to prioritise underutilised earthquake-prone historical buildings in Auckland's central business district and as an effective decision-making strategy. Also, the framework allowed the inclusion of diverse stakeholders through the integration of collaborative rationality, ensuring consistency and transparency in the decision-making process.
Originality/value
The successful validation of the existing performance-based MCDA framework in Auckland, New Zealand, using multiple historical building alternatives, further strengthens its preceding validation by Aigwi et al. (2019) using only two historical buildings in Whanganui, New Zealand. The findings provide a theoretical platform for urban planning researchers to advance performance-based planning for adaptive reuse to other locations and fields. There are also interesting implications for local councils, heritage agencies, architects, urban planners, policymakers, building owners and developers in Auckland, New Zealand, as a guide to improving their understandings of: (1) the intangible values of optimal historical buildings perceived by the community as worthy of protection through adaptive reuse; and (2) the targeted needs of communities in the new functions of an optimal alternative from a group of representative historical building alternatives.
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Kevin Quinn Walsh, Reza Jafarzadeh, Nicola M. Short and Jason M. Ingham
The purpose of this article is to assist facilities asset managers who are dealing with regulatory environments pertaining to earthquakes and buildings. These professionals can…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to assist facilities asset managers who are dealing with regulatory environments pertaining to earthquakes and buildings. These professionals can learn a great deal from the successes and short-comings of a case study programme from the Auckland Council Property Department (ACPD), which manages the public facilities portfolio for the largest local administrative region in New Zealand in both population and landmass.
Design/methodology/approach
ACPD has initiated its response to New Zealand’s earthquake mitigation mandates by identifying buildings most at risk to an earthquake in its large and varied portfolio through the use of a rapid building evaluation programme strategically targeted to vulnerable building types with consequential attributes, including service type, number of occupants, floor area and geographic location.
Findings
ACPD was able to rapidly cull down its portfolio of approximately 3,500 buildings to just over 100 “high-exposure” buildings in urgent need of evaluation, set priorities for future evaluations, estimate needed operational and capital expenditures for long-term planning and provide useful information to more general facilities management decision-making processes.
Originality/value
A number of major cities around the world in areas of high seismicity have enacted ordinances mandating seismic retrofitting. However, much of the existing guiding literature regarding earthquake-related portfolio evaluations and costs pertains to specific scenarios involving real or hypothetical earthquakes. This case study, in contrast, details the approach taken by a public portfolio owner responding to legal mandates and attempting to quantify and reduce its life-safety risk exposure across a large portfolio as efficiently as possible using readily available information, a rapid building evaluation programme and best-practice predictive models for consulting and construction work.
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Reza Tamasgavabari, Kurosh Jafarzadeh, Masumeh Madanipoor and Hassan Badri
The purpose of this paper was the investigation of corrosion behaviour of Ni-6Al-10Cu-11Fe-15Cr alloy, as a candidate material for inert anodes in aluminium electrolysis…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper was the investigation of corrosion behaviour of Ni-6Al-10Cu-11Fe-15Cr alloy, as a candidate material for inert anodes in aluminium electrolysis industries.
Design/methodology/approach
The samples were prepared by casting, and then were oxidized at 1,000°C for 30, 70 and 100 hours, respectively. To determine corrosion resistant of the samples, they were exposed to molten cryolite at 930°C for 70 hours. Then the surface layers were studied.
Findings
Results showed that by extension of corrosion time, thickness of oxide layers increases. In addition, it was found that Al2O3 and Cr2O3 are the major oxide compounds that appear on the surface of the sample.
Originality/value
In this paper, the Ni-6Al-10Cu-11Fe-15Cr nickel base alloy has been selected to study its corrosion behaviour in molten cryolite as a candidate for inert anodes. It was found out that by addition Al and Cr into the alloy composition, due to formation of Al2O3 and Cr2O3 following oxidation, the substrate was protected from corrosion attacks.
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Arash Arianpoor and Mahsa Toorchi
The present study aims to investigate the impact of manager conservatism on innovation and capital expenditures especially the moderating role of the crisis caused by the COVID-19…
Abstract
Purpose
The present study aims to investigate the impact of manager conservatism on innovation and capital expenditures especially the moderating role of the crisis caused by the COVID-19 outbreak for companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE).
Design/methodology/approach
The present study investigated information about 178 companies in 2014–2022. In this study, the CEO’s signature was a psychological proxy of conservatism. Modified multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the moderating role of COVID-19. The present study also used the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) to address endogeneity issues.
Findings
The results showed that manager conservatism has a positive and significant effect on capital expenditures, while manager conservatism negatively impacts firm innovation. In addition, COVID-19 significantly strengthens the impact of manager conservatism on capital expenditures and firm innovation. Hypothesis testing based on robustness checks confirmed these results.
Originality/value
This study aims to investigate the impact of manager conservatism, as a personality trait, on capital expenditures and innovation. These aspects have not been thoroughly explored in the existing literature. Additionally, it is important to consider the perceived threat of COVID-19, known to have a greater effect on conservatives. This study seeks to examine the interactive role of manager conservatism and COVID-19 on investment in capital expenditures and innovation. The present findings will not only benefit managers and policymakers in both developing and developed countries but will also provide valuable insights into decision-making processes related to capital expenditures and innovation during critical conditions such as the COVID-19 outbreak.
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Mohammad Izadikhah, Reza Farzipoor Saen, Kourosh Ahmadi and Mohadeseh Shamsi
The aim of this paper is to classify suppliers into some clusters based on sustainability factors. However, there might be some unqualified suppliers and we should identify and…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to classify suppliers into some clusters based on sustainability factors. However, there might be some unqualified suppliers and we should identify and remove those suppliers before clustering.
Design/methodology/approach
First, using fuzzy screening system, the authors identify and remove the unqualified suppliers. Then, the authors run their proposed clustering method. This paper proposes a data envelopment analysis (DEA) algorithm to cluster suppliers.
Findings
This paper presents a two-aspect DEA-based algorithm for clustering suppliers into clusters. The first aspect applied DEA to consider efficient frontiers and the second aspect applied DEA to consider inefficient frontiers. The authors examine their proposed clustering approach by a numerical example. The results confirmed that their method can cluster DMUs into clusters.
Originality/value
The main contributions of this paper are as follows: This paper develops a new clustering algorithm based on DEA models. This paper presents a new DEA model in inefficiency aspect. For the first time, the authors’ proposed algorithm uses fuzzy screening system and DEA to select suppliers. Our proposed method clusters suppliers of MPASR based on sustainability factors.
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Hadi Sadoghi Yazdi, Reza Pourreza and Mehri Sadoghi Yazdi
The purpose of this paper is to present a new method for solving parametric programming problems; a new scheme of constraints fuzzification. In the proposed approach, constraints…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a new method for solving parametric programming problems; a new scheme of constraints fuzzification. In the proposed approach, constraints are learned based on deductive learning.
Design/methodology/approach
Adaptive neural‐fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) is used for constraint learning by generating input and output membership functions and suitable fuzzy rules.
Findings
The experimental results show the ability of the proposed approach to model the set of constraints and solve parametric programming. Some notes in the proposed method are clustering of similar constraints, constraints generalization and converting crisp set of constraints to a trained system with fuzzy output. Finally, this idea for modeling of constraint in the support vector machine (SVM) classifier is used and shows that this approach can obtain a soft margin in the SVM.
Originality/value
Properties of the new scheme such as global view of constraints, constraints generalization, clustering of similar constraints, creation of real fuzzy constraints, study of constraint strength and increasing the degree of importance to constraints are different aspects of the proposed method.
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Hossein Safari, Elham Razghandi, Mohammad Reza Fathi, Virgilio Cruz-Machado and Maria do Rosário Cabrita
The purpose of this study is to clarify the relationship between getting quality awards by companies and their financial performance in Iran's business.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to clarify the relationship between getting quality awards by companies and their financial performance in Iran's business.
Design/methodology/approach
In the first step, the relationship between awards scores and financial performance by canonical correlation analysis was examined. Then, binary and multinomial logistic regression was used to determine the degree of impact of each financial performance measure on getting quality awards. Finally, two forecasting functions were explored: the probability of achieving quality awards and the probability of achieving different levels of these awards.
Findings
Based on the analyzed data of 112 companies through canonical correlation analysis, there was a weak relationship between financial performance and getting quality awards. Also, by using logistic regression, no result was found to prove the impact of financial performance measures on getting Iran's national quality awards. It can be concluded that conceptually, deployment of excellence organizational models will not result in favorable outcomes, especially in the financial scope. Also, practically, excellence models have not been well deployed in Iranian companies, or these models do not fit to Iran's business environment. Organizational culture may not be consistent with quality.
Originality/value
Quality awards are given to qualified companies following the establishment of models of excellence such as the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM). The main novelty of this research is to clarify the relationship between getting quality awards by companies and their financial performance in Iran's business.
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Aziz Homayouni, Reza Rezaei Mokarram, Sharareh Norouzi, Alireza Dehnad, Ali Barkhordari, Hamideh Homayouni and Hadi Pourjafar
Among soy products, soy ice cream with neutral pH, high total solids contents and prebiotic oligosaccharides is an appropriate vehicle for probiotics. The purpose of this paper is…
Abstract
Purpose
Among soy products, soy ice cream with neutral pH, high total solids contents and prebiotic oligosaccharides is an appropriate vehicle for probiotics. The purpose of this paper is to survey soy ice cream as a carrier for the efficient delivering of Lactobacillus casei, or L. casei.
Design/methodology/approach
Probiotic soy ice cream containing L. casei was produced via the powder of soy milk. The physicochemical and organoleptic properties of the product were assessed. Also, the viability of L. casei was surveyed over a 180-day period of storage at −25 °C.
Findings
The density characteristic of probiotic soy ice cream demonstrated a significant rise (P < 0.05). The result of the viability analysis showed significant alterations in the number of probiotics in this product after freezing and throughout the 180-day period (P < 0.05). The most noticeable drop was seen throughout the first 60 days about 1.83 logs after that the trend of survival of this probiotic strain leveled off over the next 120 days. Also, no significant differences were found in the organoleptic properties of both ice creams.
Originality/value
Soy ice cream with prebiotic elements protected the growing and activity of probiotic bacteria. The results showed that L. casei is a good probiotic for soy ice cream.
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Reza Farzipoor Saen and Majid Azadi
To select the best strategies in the presence of both deterministic and non‐deterministic data in uncertain environments, without relying on weight assignment by decision makers…
Abstract
Purpose
To select the best strategies in the presence of both deterministic and non‐deterministic data in uncertain environments, without relying on weight assignment by decision makers, this paper aims to propose an innovative approach, which is based on mathematical programming called chance‐constrained data envelopment analysis (CCDEA).
Design/methodology/approach
This paper proposes an innovative approach called CCDEA for strategy selection.
Findings
In summary, the approach presented in this paper has some distinctive contributions: the proposed model does not demand weights from maker; DEA analysis obtains the optimal weights for all inputs and outputs of each decision‐making unit without relying on the subjective judgment of decision makers; the proposed model considers multiple criteria for strategy selection; the paper makes a sufficient contribution to the practice of operations research. This paper is the first study which applies CCDEA for evaluating the strategies in uncertain environments; and the paper introduces a method for strategy selection in the presence of stochastic data.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors' knowledge, this paper is the first application of CCDEA to deal with strategy selection.
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Xiaobo Chen, Yanfeng Ding, Clark A. Cory, Yingwen Hu, Kuo-Jui Wu and Xiaoyi Feng
The purpose of this paper is to propose a subcontractor selection model to fully consider the impact of construction enterprise demands on subcontractor selection. The objectives…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a subcontractor selection model to fully consider the impact of construction enterprise demands on subcontractor selection. The objectives are to understand the translating process of specific enterprise demands to the evaluating criteria and the weight calculation process.
Design/methodology/approach
A three-stage model of subcontractor selection was designed based on quality function deployment (QFD), analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and improved grey correlation analysis (IGCA). In the proposed model, specific enterprise demands are translated by the QFD method, and the weights of the criteria are determined by the IGCA. The AHP is used to quantify the exporters' experience and construct the judgment matrix, which is used as inputting of the grey correlation analysis.
Findings
The proposed model provides a feasible process for subcontractor selection by fully considering the actual requirements of the project. By combining the company requirements and project requirement to put forward the requirements of the target subcontractor, the selection process ensures that the selected subcontractor and the project have a higher “fit”
Originality/value
Few researches on construction subcontractor selection have taken into account the “voice” of the company's stakeholders. Therefore, this paper designs a three-stage construction subcontractor selection model by introducing QFD to achieve the transmission of “voice” in the subcontractor selection process, so as to take full consideration of the project objectives and the needs of the company's stakeholders. Meanwhile, in order to decrease the subjective of weight calculation, this paper designs an AHP-IGCA allocation method to determine the weight of relevant indicators. By integrating the proposed weight calculation method and QFD method, the subcontractor selection results become more reasonable and objective.