Yousef Norouzi, Sadegh Rahmati and Yousef Hojjat
The purpose of this paper is to present the study of octagonal lattice structure for investment casting stereolithography (SL) patterns, and compare it with the former hexagonal…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present the study of octagonal lattice structure for investment casting stereolithography (SL) patterns, and compare it with the former hexagonal structure (of the QuickCast 2.0 build style). This research aims to introduce a new internal lattice structure for investment casting SL patterns.
Design/methodology/approach
Applying 3D‐coupled thermal‐mechanical finite element analysis; magnitudes of exerted hoop stresses on ceramic shell (during burnout stage) have been computed. As an experimental observation of stress evaluation for cylindrical hexagonal and octagonal models, magnitudes of hoop and axial strains have been evaluated by installing self‐temperature compensation strain gauges. In addition, practical results have been obtained by the real‐time strain gauging of the cylindrical models during the heating process up to 100°C.
Findings
The performance of SL pattern depends on several factors including the void ratio, drainage ability, dimensional accuracy, and burnout ability (ability of burning out the model without ceramic shell cracking). Numerical results for new octagonal structure indicate that, there is a 62 percent reduction in maximum hoop stresses exerted on the ceramic shell. Moreover, a significant reduction of strain has been observed in both hoop and axial strains applying strain‐gauging analysis (near 50 percent reduction). Besides, the obtained void ratio of the QuickCast 2.0 hexagonal and the new offset octagon structures are 90 and 95 percent, respectively. Deductive investigation has been carried out for explaining the role of the other influencing factors. The 49 percent reduction of internal mass expresses the probability of dimensional accuracy improvement for the octagonal structure.
Research limitations/implications
Several deductive investigations indicate the probability of better performance for the influencing factors including void ratio, dimensional accuracy and drainage ability of the new octagonal structure. However, the main scope of the paper is to compare the performance of models during burnout stage (the magnitudes of exerted stresses and strains on ceramic shell). Therefore, a more analytical and practical approach will be a good future research for other mentioned factors.
Practical implications
This research aims to address the main problem, which is the shell cracking; it is essential to have more practical investigations in other concepts that are not mentioned here though. Despite of that, the new octagonal structure will be a good replacement for former hexagonal structure, ensuring the casting foundries for using the SL patterns.
Originality/value
A new generation of internal structure (or a new build style) for investment casting SL patterns is presented here. The significant reduction of critical loadings on ceramic shell will ensure investment casting foundries for using SL patterns, which are by an octagonal internal structure.
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Rafael Robina-Ramirez, Marta Ortiz-de-Urbina-Criado and Rafael Ravina-Ripoll
There has recently been much interest in analysing the creation of personalised tourism services and studying their effect on organisations. However, there still needs to be more…
Abstract
Purpose
There has recently been much interest in analysing the creation of personalised tourism services and studying their effect on organisations. However, there still needs to be more work in analysing their effect on happiness and the role that emotions play in these processes. This paper aims to analyse, in the context of personalised and innovative tourism services, which factors can encourage and improve managers' happiness.
Design/methodology/approach
A model of analysis is presented with five variables: tourism managers' happiness (TMH), innovative personalised tourism services, internal factors: emotions (IFE), organisational factors (OF) and personal factors (PF). Eight hypotheses are proposed and tested with a structural equation model.
Findings
The results allow the authors to affirm that personalised technological advances applied to tourism services not only contribute to improving the happiness of hotel managers but also in generating emotions that contribute to improving their attitude towards the company.
Research limitations/implications
This scientific work has some limitations. Firstly, this study was carried out exclusively in Spain due to the relevance of this country in the international tourism sector, according to the World Tourism Organisation. The results achieved in this research should be contrasted with other studies in other territories. Secondly, the interviews and surveys were carried out at specific time intervals. It has not led to problems of significant bias in the variance of the standard method. Therefore, it is desirable to undertake longitudinal or cross-sectional studies for future research. Thirdly, it is interesting to develop theoretical models that include other psycho-directive or leadership style constructs to determine whether they holistically enhance the subjective well-being of hospitality managers. Moreover, other types of factors of a social or strategic nature can be considered, which can positively or negatively impact the analysed variables. Finally, future research can deepen the empirical analysis of the relationship between managerial competencies and digital innovation from the perspective of happiness management. These findings would contribute to a greater cognitive understanding of the implications of personalised and innovative tourism services on hotel establishments' happiness and economic benefits.
Practical implications
This paper shows the fundamental role of a happy leadership style in creating responsible, green and innovative environments in today's digital society. Furthermore, the happiness of tourism managers can contribute to the generation of high quality and excellent services that are in line with the principles of sustainable development.
Social implications
Personalised technological advances applied to tourism services not only contribute to improving the happiness of hotel managers but also to generating emotions that contribute to improving their attitude towards the company. On the other hand, it has been observed that personalised and innovative tourism services generate positive effects at organisational, internal and personal levels. The following reflections are advanced: The development of internal factors such as the emotions of awe and gratitude or the generation of trust can enhance the happiness of tourism managers. The happiness of tourism business managers can be enhanced by developing OF such as smart-personalised tourism services and data protection. The happiness of tourism managers can be enhanced by the development of PF such as travellers' desires, expectations and needs, or other factors such as disposable income, health status or family situation.
Originality/value
This is the first empirical study that focuses on investigating how personalised and innovative tourism services affect managing happiness.
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The purpose of this paper is to analyze the research trends in smart cities (SCs) in order to demonstrate the most and the least active fields, researchers, institutions, frontier…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the research trends in smart cities (SCs) in order to demonstrate the most and the least active fields, researchers, institutions, frontier active centers/authors and funding institutions, as well as drawing the map of the most active countries in this scope.
Design/methodology/approach
Bibliometric data of 4,696 scientific works were collected from Web of Science, one of the most authentic bibliometric databases, within 1970–2018. The data were analyzed using scientometrics and content analysis methods and visualized by tables, charts and atlases.
Findings
The results showed an increasing trend in these studies mostly published as conference papers during 48 years. In this period, 0.6 percent of the papers got more than ten citations. Highly cited fields in the area of SCs were orderly smart IT infrastructure, smart government, smart environment, smart mobility, smart energy, smart economy and smart citizen. The geographic atlas of SC studies showed that the frontier countries in SCs were China, Spain and Italy, orderly. China’s main focus was on smart infrastructure while Spain’s focus was smart citizens and smart energy. Italy’s studies were mostly concentrated on smart government, smart mobility and smart environment. In general, it can be concluded that “smart IT infrastructure” was the most noted among the other components of SCs.
Originality/value
The scientometrics of SC literature has been conducted for the first time.
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Jairo Salas-Paramo, Diana Escandon-Barbosa and Agustin Ramirez-Urraya
A large part of the most recent studies in innovation focuses on the need to investigate the cultural differences between countries. Many of the approaches used focus on Hofstede…
Abstract
Purpose
A large part of the most recent studies in innovation focuses on the need to investigate the cultural differences between countries. Many of the approaches used focus on Hofstede as the most recognized perspective in international business. The Hofstede perspective requires a deeper analysis of the most profound components in the countries, such as values and beliefs. The purpose of this study is identify the drivers in creating innovation trajectories over time, focusing on different values that influence the innovation processes. These trajectories allow investigating the comparability in the innovation performance of the countries.
Design/methodology/approach
Time-series analysis is performed to achieve the research’s goal, considering the innovation inputs and people’s values and influence on innovation output. The Global Innovation Index and the World Value Survey (WVS), which comprise data from countries on different continents, were used in this investigation. The trajectories analysis technique examines differences in innovation trajectory among countries with cultural orientations toward traditional, secular, survival and self-expression values.
Findings
In the literature, it can be found that in more socially open societies, the results in innovation are higher than in societies with opposite values, as is the case of traditional vs secular rationale. On the other hand, societies with a tendency toward self-expression will be characterized by a constant search for individual liberties that promote the search for scientific and technological alternatives for problem-solving, contrary to those with survival characteristics.
Research limitations/implications
Considering the results obtained in the study about the values and their relationship with innovation at the country level, the main limitation is the WVS information. This limitation is based on the need to complement the information obtained with other sources of information that allow comparisons to be made from the different cultural approaches that exist.
Practical implications
The findings allow us to contemplate a more general vision of the cultural factors that affect the social dynamics and, therefore, the industrial and commercial dynamics of a country. The managers can use this type of results in the design of strategies that allow them to contemplate adaptation processes that are more appropriate to the cultural contexts in which they operate are worked on in this research.
Social implications
One of the main contributions is related to the possibility of understanding the relationship between the cultural dynamics of a country and the results in innovation, especially in the time.
Originality/value
The trajectory analysis, specifically Inglehard’s perspective concerning cultural dimensions and innovation, has not been used in the literature. This type of analysis will make it possible to have studies that allow subsequent comparisons to be made with other perspectives, especially at the country level.