The purpose of this paper is to describe how Reference Librarians at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County sought to reach students, faculty and staff at their point of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe how Reference Librarians at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County sought to reach students, faculty and staff at their point of need by setting up a mobile reference unit at high traffic locations on campus rather than inside the library building.
Design/methodology/approach
The librarians initiated this project to increase outreach efforts for graduate students but as this service attracted undergraduates equally, they eventually decided to target all students. Using an iPad, a laptop stand, and a large sign to advertise the service, they spent two semesters visiting various locations on campus to collect data on frequency of use and optimal sites.
Findings
The authors identified patterns of use regarding the type of questions that were frequently asked and the time of day that most students utilized the service. This knowledge helped establish a need for further efforts to make library services available outside of the library building. The iPad served as a vital tool for answering questions while roving and attracted patrons to the desk as well.
Originality/value
The librarians hope to establish a regular roving schedule for future semesters based on the data they collected. This roving reference service continues to grow and is expected to do so even more as the librarians use more aggressive marketing techniques and form additional partnerships with student organizations. This paper offers strategies for creating a roving reference service and is valuable to all librarians who seek to serve library users outside of the library building.
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Qian Li, Qi Zhang, Yuyan Shen and Xiang Zhang
The elevator installation in old communities (EIOC) can effectively improve the public infrastructure of urban communities. However, differences in the decision-making behaviours…
Abstract
Purpose
The elevator installation in old communities (EIOC) can effectively improve the public infrastructure of urban communities. However, differences in the decision-making behaviours of stakeholders lead to frequent conflicts, thereby hindering the implementation of EIOC. The purpose of this study is to explore the decision-making behavior of core stakeholders which are the government, community owners and elevator enterprises at different stages in the EIOC using the evolutionary game method.
Design/methodology/approach
A tripartite evolutionary game model involving the government, community owners and elevator enterprises was developed, and their evolutionary stabilisation strategies were explored in different stages. The dynamic change of the stakeholders' decision-making behaviours at different stages of the project and the influencing mechanism of the key factors on the decision-making behaviours of the three stakeholders were analysed through numerical simulation.
Findings
The results of this study showed that: Divergent interests led the government, community owners and elevator enterprises to adopt distinct decision-making behaviours at different stages, resulting in diverse attitudes and actions among stakeholders. A dynamic reward and penalty mechanism effectively motivated community owners and elevator enterprises to engage actively, fostering broad participation. However, the high regulatory cost diminished the government's regulatory effectiveness. This imbalance between penalties and incentives posed a challenge, impacting the overall effectiveness and efficiency of implementing the EIOC.
Originality/value
Existing research lacks exploration of the decision-making behaviours of stakeholders in community public infrastructure. This study developed a dynamic tripartite evolutionary game model in the EIOC from the gaming perspective. The results of this study provide a reference for dealing with the stakeholders' interests in the community public infrastructure and contribute to the theoretical basis for establishing an effective supervision mechanism.
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Jianjun Yuan, Yingjie Qian, Liming Gao, Zhaohan Yuan and Weiwei Wan
This paper aims to purpose an improved sensorless position-based force controller in gravitational direction for applications including polishing, milling and deburring.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to purpose an improved sensorless position-based force controller in gravitational direction for applications including polishing, milling and deburring.
Design/methodology/approach
The first issue is the external force/torque estimation at end-effector. By using motor’s current information and Moore-Penrose generalized inverse matrix, it can be derived from the external torques of every joints for nonsingular cases. The second issue is the force control strategy which is based on position-based impedance control model. Two novel improvements were made to achieve a better performance. One is combination of impedance control and explicit force control. The other one is the real-time prediction of the surface’s shape allowing the controller adaptive to arbitrary surfaces.
Findings
The result of validation experiments indicates that the estimation of external force and prediction of surface’s shape are credible, and the position-based constant contact force controller in gravitational direction is functional. The accuracy of force tracking is adequate for targeted applications such as polishing, deburring and milling.
Originality/value
The value of this paper lies in three aspects which are sensorless external force estimation, the combination of impedance control and explicit force control and the independence of surface shape information achieved by real-time surface prediction.
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Liming Gao, Jianjun Yuan and Yingjie Qian
The purpose of this paper is to design a practical direct teaching method for the industrial robot with large friction resistance and gravity torque but without expensive…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to design a practical direct teaching method for the industrial robot with large friction resistance and gravity torque but without expensive force/torque sensor, where the gravity torque is just a function of joints position, whereas the friction is closely associated with joint velocity, temperature and load.
Design/methodology/approach
In the teaching method, the output torque of joint motor is controlled through current to compensate gravity torque completely and friction resistance incompletely. Three variables closely associated with friction are investigated separately by experiment and theoretical analysis, and then a comprehensive friction model which is used to calculate the required compensated friction torque is proposed. Finally, a SIASUN 7 degrees of freedom robot was used to verify the model and the method.
Findings
Experimental results demonstrated that the teaching method enables an operator to teach the robot in joint space by applying small force and torque on either end-effector or its body. The friction investigation suggests that the velocity and temperature have a strong nonlinear influence on viscous friction, whereas load torque significantly influences the Coulomb friction linearly and causes a slight Stribeck effect.
Originality/value
The main contribution includes the following: a practical joint space direct teaching method for a common industrial robot is developed, and a friction model capturing velocity, temperature and load for robot joints equipped with commercialized motors and harmonic drives is proposed.
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Çağatay Özada, Merve Ünal, Eslem Kuzu Şahin, Hakkı Özer, Ali Riza Motorcu and Murat Yazıcı
This study produced epoxy-filled urea-formaldehyde (UF) microcapsules (MCs) and T-403 amine MCs using the in situ technique. The Taguchi method was used to determine the effects…
Abstract
Purpose
This study produced epoxy-filled urea-formaldehyde (UF) microcapsules (MCs) and T-403 amine MCs using the in situ technique. The Taguchi method was used to determine the effects of the control factors (temperature, stirring speed, core-shell ratio and surfactant concentration) affecting MCs’ core diameter and core content and optimizing their optimum levels with a single criterion. Optimum control factor levels, which simultaneously provide maximum core diameter and core content of MCs, were determined by the PROMETHEE-GAIA multi-criteria optimization method. In addition, the optimized MC yield was analyzed by thermal camera images and compression test.
Design/methodology/approach
Microcracks in materials used for aerospace vehicles and automotive parts cause serious problems, so research on self-healing in materials science becomes critical. The damages caused by micro-cracks need to heal themselves quickly. The study has three aims: (1) production of self-healing MCs, mechanical and chemical characterization of produced MCs, (2) single-criteria and multi-criteria optimization of parameters providing maximum MC core diameter and core content, (3) investigation of self-healing property of produced MCs and evaluation. Firstly, MCs were produced to achieve these goals.
Findings
The optimized micro cures are buried in the epoxy matrix at different concentrations. Thermal camera images after damage indicate the presence of healing. An epoxy-amine MC consisting of a 10% by weight filled aluminum sandwich panel was prepared and subjected to a quasi-static compression test. It was determined that there is a strong bond between the UF shell and the epoxy resin.
Originality/value
The optimization of production factors has been realized to produce the most efficient MCs that heal using less expensive and more accessible methods.
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Nivi Gal Arielyi and Emanuel Tamir
The purpose of this paper is to examine why, despite the advantages they might gain by participating in regulation of teaching by law, Israeli teachers’ unions leaders abandoned…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine why, despite the advantages they might gain by participating in regulation of teaching by law, Israeli teachers’ unions leaders abandoned the opportunity to obtain the right of regulation and instead preferred an ambiguous role.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a policy research study, involving documentary analysis, focusing on one specific bill and data from interviews with teachers’ union leaders and officials who participated in discussions on the bill, and/or in crucial negotiations concerning teaching regulation.
Findings
It was found that unions’ leaders preferred to leave the licensing process for teaching as an open-ended and constantly negotiable issue with their employer rather than assuming the role of gatekeeper, understanding that this gave them more space and power to maneuvre in future struggles. Consequently, only the Education Ministry determines who becomes a teacher.
Research limitations/implications
These findings can inform educational policy makers and stakeholders, by giving them a glimpse into policy considerations. New knowledge is offered for the development of theory concerning teaching profession regulation and involvement of the teacher unions in these processes.
Practical implications
Policy makers may re-evaluate their interests as stakeholders in the education system, when they try to shape the profession through regulation of those who seek to become teachers.
Originality/value
The research sheds light on a hidden part of the policy-making puzzle that most studies do not explore and educational leaders prefer not to discuss especially when there is no proof of achievement, nor a public crisis.
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Shanshan Zhang, Zhiqiang Wang, Xiande Zhao and Min Zhang
The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the effects of institutional support on product and process innovation and firm performance and describe how dysfunctional…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the effects of institutional support on product and process innovation and firm performance and describe how dysfunctional competition influences relevant outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
This study develops a research model based on institution-based view and tests it using structural equation modeling and empirical data collected from 300 manufacturers in China.
Findings
The results show that institutional support positively affects product and process innovation and firm performance. Both product and process innovation improve firm performance. The findings reveal that dysfunctional competition significantly reduces the positive effects of institutional support on product and process innovation but leaves the effects of institutional support and product and process innovation on firm performance unaffected.
Originality/value
This study contributes to innovation literature by providing insights into the impact of China’s institutional environment on manufacturing firms’ product and process innovation decisions. The findings also contribute to institution-based view literature by providing empirical evidence on the joint effects of institutional support and dysfunctional competition on product and process innovation and firm performance. This study can help manufacturers in China take advantage of institutional environment and adjust product and process innovation decisions accordingly.
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This paper aims to investigate the feasibility of adding macro-textures to triangle meshes for additive manufacturing (AM) focusing on possible time and quality issues in both…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the feasibility of adding macro-textures to triangle meshes for additive manufacturing (AM) focusing on possible time and quality issues in both software processing and part fabrication.
Design/methodology/approach
A demonstrative software tool was developed to apply user-selected textures to existing meshes. The computational procedure is a three-dimensional extension of the solid texturing method used in computer graphics. The tool was tested for speed and quality of results, considering also the pre- and post-processing operations required. Some textured meshes were printed by different processes to test build speed and quality.
Findings
The tool can handle models with realistic complexity in acceptable computation times. Parts are built without difficulties or extra-costs achieving a good aesthetic yield of the texture.
Research limitations/implications
The tool cannot reproduce sample patterns but requires the development of a generation algorithm for different type of textures. Mesh processing operations may take a long time when very fine textures are added to large parts.
Practical implications
Direct texturing can help obtain parts with aesthetic or functional textures without the need for surface post-treatments, which can be especially difficult and expensive for plastic parts.
Originality/value
The proposed method improves the uniformity and consistency of textures compared to existing approaches, and can support future systematic studies on the detail resolution of AM processes.
Details
Keywords
Yan‐nan Gou and Jing Dong
By the re‐interpretation of the Book of Changes (I Ching), this article aims to build a framework for analyzing the structure and the evolvement of leadership.
Abstract
Purpose
By the re‐interpretation of the Book of Changes (I Ching), this article aims to build a framework for analyzing the structure and the evolvement of leadership.
Design/methodology/approach
There are 64 hexagrams in Book of Changes. This article focuses the discussion on Qian hexagram, which is the first and the most important one in all the hexagrams. By using metaphysical concepts, this article builds a dynamic leadership system. This leadership system is composed of the four virtues of Qian (with the meaning of heaven, force), which are as follows: Yuan (creation and origination), Heng (cooperation and development), Li (achievement and sharing), and Zhen (firmness and perseverance). Based on this framework, by using the metaphor of dragon, this article develops an evolvement route of leadership according to the six situations set by the Qian hexagram, which are humble stage, emerging from hiding, trying your best, going up or down, reaching excellence, and starting to fall, and discusses the proper leadership in different situations.
Findings
There are four elements or virtues in leadership. The importance of each virtue and the key points in each of them change as an organization or a venture evolves from one situation to another. Leaders should match their leadership with the specific situation they are in.
Originality/value
According to the knowledge of the authors, this article is the first one in the world trying to set up a leadership system based on Book of Changes, especially Qian hexagram. The implications provided by this article would be very valuable for leaders to more successfully evaluate their situations and change their leaderships according the different challenges they may face.