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The aim of this paper is to investigate how the efforts of improving transport performance within the scope of one business relationship are embedded in a transport service triad, which, in turn, is embedded in the wider supply network.

The theoretical framing originates from the IMP approach with a specific focus on the concept network horizon, and literature on triads. The study is explorative and applies a qualitative design and a case study approach to illustrate how three actors engage in a change initiative to improve transport performance.

The paper concludes that it is crucial to get counterparts aware of the importance of expanding and defining their network horizons for a certain change initiative. Interaction among actors is important to create awareness and expand its own as well as others’ network horizons for a certain change. Three generic facets are proposed: overlapping network horizons, partly overlapping network horizons and non-overlapping network horizons.

The framework offers a tool to managers in terms of the concept of network horizon that can help to understand the challenges when dealing with change in supply networks and to understand where to deploy resources to cope with change.

This study adds to the literature by explicating facets of the concept of network horizon, especially when firms are faced with a change, how they are affected by this change and how they can cope with the related challenges.

The purpose of the paper is to analyse how transport activities are embedded in supply chains and networks.

The paper is empirically grounded in a single case study that describes and analyses a supply chain of a particular product, Geocloth, focussing on how transport activities are organised in the supply network.

The paper concludes that transport activities are embedded in two related settings – the supply chain setting and the transport network setting – with implications for how adjustments can be made to increase transport performance. Furthermore, the paper shows how transport performance can be analysed as a function of how business relationships are connected vertically (i.e. how transport activities are sequentially connected within supply chains) and horizontally (i.e. how transport activities are connected across supply chains with regard to joint resource use).

The paper contributes to the understanding of how transport is integrated in supply networks by focussing on the connections between business relationships in supply chains and by pointing to how transport activities are embedded both in supply chain settings and in transport network settings.

The purpose of the paper is to identify and discuss the transport service triad (TST) as a key unit of analysis to understand the operations and conditions for change in freight transport systems at the micro level, i.e. at the level of analysis where business decisions and change interaction take place.

The theoretical framing is rooted in the IMP approach and in the literature on triads. A case study approach is used to illustrate the TST by analyzing a case involving a wholesaler of installation products, tools and supplies, a main construction company and a transport service provider.

The paper shows how the connections between the business relationships in the TST, influenced by connections to relationships outside the triad, impact on the efficiency in freight transport. The paper illustrates how analysis of TSTs can be applied in micro-level studies of change in freight transport systems and in supply networks.

The triadic approach is instrumental to understand change in the transport system because it includes all relevant parties and relationships of concern, as well as the logic framing of their actions. However, while arguing that TSTs are generic to their nature, each TST is unique and needs to be identified and analyzed in its specific context.

The suggested framework may contribute to an understanding of the embeddedness of transport services in supply/business networks. The framework may support the development of new ways of operating and creating value for customers and offering sustainable transport solutions.

From the transport policy makers’ perspective, micro-level analysis is important to understand behavioral adjustments to new policies.

The purpose of this paper is to numerically investigate time-harmonic elastic wave propagation with the analysis of effective wave velocities and attenuation coefficients in a three-dimensional elastic composite consisting of infinite matrix and uniformly distributed soft, low-contrast and absolutely rigid disc-shaped micro-inclusions.

Within the assumptions of longitudinal mode of a propagating wave as well as dilute concentration and parallel orientation of inclusions in an infinite elastic matrix, Foldy’s dispersion relation is applied for introducing a complex and frequency-dependent wavenumber of homogenized structure. Then, the effective wave velocities and attenuation coefficients are directly defined from the real and imaginary parts of wavenumber, respectively. Included there a far-field forward scattering amplitude by a single low-contrast inclusion given in an analytical form, while for the other types of single scatterers it is determined from the numerical solution of boundary integral equations relative to the displacement jumps across the surfaces of soft inclusion and the stress jumps across the surfaces of rigid inclusion.

On the frequency dependencies, characteristic extremes of the effective wave velocities and attenuation coefficients are revealed and analyzed for different combinations of the filling ratios of involved types of inclusions. Anisotropic dynamic behavior of composite is demonstrated by the consideration of wave propagation in perpendicular and tangential directions relatively to the plane of inclusions. Specific frequencies are revealed for the first case of wave propagation, at which inclusion rigidities do not affect the effective wave parameters.

This paper develops a micromechanical study that provides a deeper understanding of the effect of thin-walled inclusions of diversified rigidities on elastic wave propagation in a three-dimensional composite. Described wave dispersion and attenuation regularities are important for the non-destructive testing of composite materials by ultrasonics.

This study examines the efficiency dynamics of public health service providers in Colombia between 2010 and 2021. In order to achieve this objective, a data panel is utilized to assess the effectiveness of 841 institutions across three levels of complexity (1, 2 and 3) in providing patient care, taking into account user satisfaction from 2010 to 2021.

By employing growth mixture analysis (GMA) and other statistical techniques, we may identify unique efficiency profiles among hospitals with different levels of complexity.

The results demonstrate varied efficiency patterns, with certain profiles generally retaining or improving efficiency over time, while others observe fluctuations or reductions. Efficiency outcomes are significantly impacted by factors such as capital investment, operational costs and workforce mix. Efficiency levels can be improved by making strategic investments in capital infrastructure and implementing effective operational cost management.

Changes in the healthcare market conditions in recent years in Colombia have compelled healthcare providers (IPS) to transform themselves into sustainable organizations.

The purpose of this study is to identify across a number of workplace variables the similarities and differences in attitudes between three key frontline hotel worker groups: housekeepers, front office employees and food and beverage front-of-house staff.

A qualitative study was conducted using 25 semi-structured interviews with frontline workers employed in full-service hotels across Eastern Australia. Analysis was augmented through the Leximancer® software package to develop relational themes in the aggregation and disaggregation of the occupations.

Although work/life balance was a common theme across the three occupations, several distinct attitudinal differences emerged, in particular regarding perceptions of one occupational group towards another.

This study highlights the importance of hotel managers being cognisant of occupational differences and collecting data capable of assisting in the identification of these differences. Several practitioner relevant recommendations are made.

This exploratory study challenges assumptions regarding a “pan-industrial” hospitality occupational community and applies an emerging qualitative software package to highlight occupational differences and relational perceptions.

The purpose of this paper is to develop and describe the symbolic value of quality awards as a key indicator of recognition that public organizations have reached in the scope of quality management and continuous improvement.

The paper provides a description of the evolution of the three series of healthcare quality awards that have been held to‐date in one of the biggest regions of Europe: Andalusia.

Theoretical analysis of an instrument conceived as an institutionalised way of recognizing quality assurance initiatives in the Andalusian Public Health System. At the same time, the article focuses on the importance of using a reference model to ensure that the process of assessing the projects is systematic and rigorous and therefore stands as a guarantee of transparency within a public administration.

The ultimate outcome is dependent of the geographical context and the behaviours and perceptions of people that have participated as assessment panels.

The conceptual framework provides guidance on what methodology is used to assess the quality projects (process to allocate projects to assessment panels and assessment criteria required) in a complex healthcare system. It serves as a managerial framework to enhance the continuous improvement in all health‐related services.

The paper contributes to create a structured debate between researchers and healthcare leaders regarding the assessment criteria to evaluate healthcare quality projects.

A growing literature links oil to conflict, particularly civil war. Greed/opportunity, grievance, and weak state arguments have been advanced to explain this relationship. This chapter builds on the literature on oil and conflict in two important ways. First, I examine a novel dependent variable, domestic terrorism. Much is known about the effect of oil on the onset, duration, and intensity of civil war, though we know surprisingly little about the potential influence of oil on smaller, more frequent forms of violence. Second, I treat oil ownership as a variable, not a constant, coding oil rents based on ownership structure. This is contrary to other related studies that assume oil is necessarily owned by the state. Using a large, cross-national sample of states from 1971 to 2007, several key findings emerge. Notably, publicly owned oil exhibits a positive effect on domestic terrorism. This positive effect dissipates, however, when political performance and state terror are controlled for. Privately owned oil, on the other hand, does not correlate with increased incidences of terror. This suggests that oil is not a curse, per se.

Understanding social organisations requires considerable effort because of their complex reality. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the performance and amateur form of management of an organisation of scavengers, with significant results for society.

This study is a qualitative in-depth case study. Data were collected through ethnographic interviews, non-participant observation and document analysis. The association of scavengers in question was identified as being strongly representative of the 23 similar associations in Curitiba. The city is the first Brazilian capital to create conditions for direct disposal of selective waste collected by waste pickers, as recommended by the National Solid Waste Policy.

Three main aspects of evidence are highlighted in the proposed model: unique features, performance management and multiplicity of practices. The findings showed a strong presence of utilitarian behaviour due to the need of the members of the organisation to generate income for survival, forcing social and environmental concerns into the background. The combination of community values, informal practices, collective learning and amateur management has had a positive effect on the social organisation’s performance.

The outcomes were identified for individuals, the community and society by contributing to social inclusion, economic growth and environmental care.

The differentiated approach lies in the convergence between performance and amateur management in social organisations, with relevant environmental, economic and social results. A model is proposed to demonstrate the complex relationship between unique features, multiplicity of practices and performance with regard to the amateur management analysed in this study.