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1 – 10 of 138B. Pajin, I. Radujko, Z. Šereš, D. Šoronja Simović, J. Gyura and M. Sakač
Investigated milk fat fraction differs in physical attributes, first of all in melting point and solid fat content and its influence on crystallization process of cocoa butter…
Abstract
Purpose
Investigated milk fat fraction differs in physical attributes, first of all in melting point and solid fat content and its influence on crystallization process of cocoa butter i.e. chocolate mass. It means that this fraction slows down crystallization rate, decreases melting point of mixture with cocoa butter and causes chocolate softness. It is very important for quality of chocolate especially chocolate with nuts or sunflower kernel. The aim of this paper was to investigate the influence of low‐melting (26°C) milk fat fraction on crystallization processes in chocolate mass and define the optimal concentration of this fraction with suitable precrystallization temperature time regime. Solid fat content of chocolate which designates the influence of precrystallization changes in chocolate mass with addition of milk fat fractions was investigated.
Design/methodology/approach
The precrystallization was performed in a laboratory crystallizer that is in a modified Brabender pharinograph, which measures the rheological characteristics as indirect parameter of crystallization properties of chocolate mass depending on milk fat fraction concentration and precrystallization temperature. The experiments were performed according to the factorial plan 32 (two factors on three levels) and the results are statistically treated.
Findings
The results showed that the optimal conditions for achieving the satisfactory tempering rate (optimal concentration of crystals in chocolate mass) are addition of 3 per cent low‐melting milk fat fraction and precrystallization temperature of 25°C.
Originality/value
The addition of high‐melting milk fat fraction slows down the chocolate mass crystallization more then low‐melting milk fat fraction. Investigated fraction influenced decreasing in solid fat content of chocolate regardless of precrystallization temperature.
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Nadia Lingiardi, Ezequiel Godoy, Ileana Arriola, María Soledad Cabreriso, Cecilia Accoroni, María Florencia Balzarini, Alberto Arribas and María Agustina Reinheimer
This study aims to formulate multiple nutritionally improved snacks intended for school-aged children according to international nutritional goals: Vanilla cookies (VC), Bay…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to formulate multiple nutritionally improved snacks intended for school-aged children according to international nutritional goals: Vanilla cookies (VC), Bay biscuits (BB), Cheese crackers (CC) and Tomato muffins (TM).
Design/methodology/approach
The reformulation targets implied incorporating alternative flours and milk powder and reducing the sugar and sodium contents, with respect to the usually consumed control products. These products were subjected to proximate composition, colour and sensory profile analyses. Their overall acceptability was assessed by school-aged children whose nutritional status was also evaluated.
Findings
Significant increments in relevant nutrients were observed in the composition of snacks: fibre (p = 0.01 for VC, p < 0.01 for BB and CC), proteins (p < 0.01 for all snacks) and calcium (p < 0.01 for all snacks). Average sodium reductions of 1.5% and 3.7% were achieved for CC and TM. During formulation, added sugar was reduced by 15.5% and 23.5% for VC and BB. All snacks were found to be acceptable in terms of appearance, texture, flavour and overall acceptability by the participants, and VC, BB and CC were ready for their effective implementation as part of school meals.
Originality/value
Comprehensive policies have become necessary to combat malnutrition, mainly overweight and obesity. The incorporation of nutritionally improved snacks in school environments is one of several strategies for promoting healthier lifestyles among children, including educational programs, workshops and food assistance.
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There is great conflict between some developed countries and developing countries regarding attitudes toward reducing global warming (e.g. the USA vs China). The aim of this paper…
Abstract
Purpose
There is great conflict between some developed countries and developing countries regarding attitudes toward reducing global warming (e.g. the USA vs China). The aim of this paper is to argue that open trade doesn't necessarily increase world pollution if clean development mechanism (CDM) is generously undertaken and if the CDM devotes considerable real resources in transfers of the associate abatement technology.
Design/methodology/approach
The impacts of trade on environment can be decomposed into scale, technique and composition effects. This paper incorporates abatement assets into Copeland and Taylor's model to argue that the technique effect stems from an increasing in pollution taxes and in international diffusion of abatement technology; however, the former is fully offset but the latter is facilitated by the CDM.
Findings
While world pollution is jointly determined by the composition and technique effects, in contrast to literature, open trade doesn't necessarily increase world pollution if CDM is generously undertaken with considerable real resources in abatement technology transfers.
Originality/value
Currently, there are more than about one half of the CDM projects that allocate no real resources in technology transfers. This study addresses how voluntary investment of the CDM from the North (e.g. the USA) to the South (e.g. China) might reduce pollution on a global level only if having “generously” technology transfer.
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Vaida Jaškevičiūtė, Tibor Zsigmond, Szilárd Berke and Nemanja Berber
The objective of this research is to explore the relationship between person-organization fit and employee well-being in the context of uncertainty across three Central European…
Abstract
Purpose
The objective of this research is to explore the relationship between person-organization fit and employee well-being in the context of uncertainty across three Central European countries: Lithuania, Slovakia and Hungary.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employed a survey-based approach to gather primary data from Lithuania, Slovakia and Hungary, resulting in a total of 1,140 respondents. The survey utilized a structured questionnaire designed with a five-point Likert scale. The questionnaire consisted of three main sections: person-organization fit, employee well-being and demographic information. Person-organization fit was assessed through a 3-item scale, while employee well-being was evaluated using an 18-item scale that included 3 dimensions: life well-being, workplace well-being and psychological well-being. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyze the survey data.
Findings
The findings of the study reveal significant positive relationships between person-organization fit and three dimensions of employee well-being – life well-being, workplace well-being and psychological well-being – in three Central European countries: Lithuania, Slovakia and Hungary. Notably, there were discernible differences between Hungary and Lithuania, as well as between Slovakia and Lithuania. Conversely, no significant distinctions were observed between Hungary and Slovakia in relation to these variables.
Originality/value
This research has the potential to shed light on how the alignment between individual values and organizational values impacts employee well-being, particularly within the context of volatile periods such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This understanding can guide organizations in fostering a work environment that supports employees. Furthermore, the results of this study create the prospect of providing actionable guidance to organizations aiming to strengthen their approaches for enhancing employee well-being across dimensions such as life well-being, workplace well-being and psychological well-being.
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Barbara Krochmal-Marczak, Renata Tobiasz-Salach and Joanna Kaszuba
Flour from oat grain is characterised by a high content of protein and β-glucans, with a favourable amino acid composition and a substantial content of fat, including unsaturated…
Abstract
Purpose
Flour from oat grain is characterised by a high content of protein and β-glucans, with a favourable amino acid composition and a substantial content of fat, including unsaturated fatty acids. Additives to bread that enrich its nutritional value can worsen physical properties. It is important to know how to develop recipes for healthy bread based on wheat flour, with the appropriate addition of oat flour. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence on the physical properties of bread made of wheat flour, following the addition of oat flour. The purpose was also to find a recipe for a new product with higher nutritional value, which would then be acceptable for consumers.
Design/methodology/approach
In addition to wheat flour, flour made of oat grains, obtained from the naked Nagus variety (hulless oat), was added. The flour was analysed for moisture, dry matter, proteins and β-glucans, as well as total dietary fibre − soluble and insoluble. The dough was made with wheat flour according to a recipe, which included yeast, salt and water as well as extra oat flour in various proportions − 15, 25 and 30%, respectively. The bread was baked using a direct single-phase method developed by the Baking Institute in Berlin. Both the physicochemical and sensory evaluation were carried out on the bread.
Findings
The recipe for wheat bread that included 15% proportion of oat flour supplement was found to be the most acceptable in both the sensory (n = 30) and qualitative evaluation and would be suitable to produce nutritious bread. The use of 25% and 30% additions of oat flour resulted in a reduction in bread weight, volume and yield, which ultimately lead to an increase in overall baking losses.
Originality/value
This study proved that 15% oat flour could be used as an optimum addition for the production of wheat-oat bread. This bread may lead to a new assortment of bakery products with pro-health properties.
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The concept and practice of e-services has become essential in business transactions. Yet there are still many organizations that have not developed e-services optimally. This is…
Abstract
The concept and practice of e-services has become essential in business transactions. Yet there are still many organizations that have not developed e-services optimally. This is especially relevant in the context of Indonesian Airline companies. Therefore, many airline customers in Indonesia are still in doubt about it, or even do not use it. To fill this gap, this study attempts to develop a model for e-services adoption and empirically examines the factors influencing the airlines customers in Indonesia in using e-services offered by the Indonesian airline companies. Taking six Indonesian airline companies as a case example, the study investigated the antecedents of e-services usage of Indonesian airlines. This study further examined the impacts of motivation on customers in using e-services in the Indonesian context. Another important aim of this study was to investigate how ages, experiences and geographical areas moderate effects of e-services usage.
The study adopts a positivist research paradigm with a two-phase sequential mixed method design involving qualitative and quantitative approaches. An initial research model was first developed based on an extensive literature review, by combining acceptance and use of information technology theories, expectancy theory and the inter-organizational system motivation models. A qualitative field study via semi-structured interviews was then conducted to explore the present state among 15 respondents. The results of the interviews were analysed using content analysis yielding the final model of e-services usage. Eighteen antecedent factors hypotheses and three moderating factors hypotheses and 52-item questionnaire were developed. A focus group discussion of five respondents and a pilot study of 59 respondents resulted in final version of the questionnaire.
In the second phase, the main survey was conducted nationally to collect the research data among Indonesian airline customers who had already used Indonesian airline e-services. A total of 819 valid questionnaires were obtained. The data was then analysed using a partial least square (PLS) based structural equation modelling (SEM) technique to produce the contributions of links in the e-services model (22% of all the variances in e-services usage, 37.8% in intention to use, 46.6% in motivation, 39.2% in outcome expectancy, and 37.7% in effort expectancy). Meanwhile, path coefficients and t-values demonstrated various different influences of antecedent factors towards e-services usage. Additionally, a multi-group analysis based on PLS is employed with mixed results. In the final findings, 14 hypotheses were supported and 7 hypotheses were not supported.
The major findings of this study have confirmed that motivation has the strongest contribution in e-services usage. In addition, motivation affects e-services usage both directly and indirectly through intention-to-use. This study provides contributions to the existing knowledge of e-services models, and practical applications of IT usage. Most importantly, an understanding of antecedents of e-services adoption will provide guidelines for stakeholders in developing better e-services and strategies in order to promote and encourage more customers to use e-services. Finally, the accomplishment of this study can be expanded through possible adaptations in other industries and other geographical contexts.
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Daniela Marconi and Francesca Sanna-Randaccio
The purpose of this study is to analyse the role of the clean development mechanism (CDM) established by the Kyoto Protocol in channelling foreign technology to China. Appraising…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to analyse the role of the clean development mechanism (CDM) established by the Kyoto Protocol in channelling foreign technology to China. Appraising the experience of CDM remains of key importance when drawing lessons for the post-2012 climate regime.
Methodology/approach
Descriptive analysis of the sources and the determinants of foreign technology transfer based on the examination of 1,355 registered projects. Econometric analysis of the probability of having a foreign supplier of technology in any project.
Findings
The prominence of German firms as technology providers and the absence of a strong relationship between technology suppliers and credit buyers. The econometric analysis finds that project size and cost, project location, credit buyers’ and consultants’ characteristics, as well as technology diffusion are all relevant factors in determining the probability of having a foreign supplier of technology.
Research implications
China is a particularly interesting case for analysing technology transfer in CDM projects since, after a slow start, the country has become the largest and most dynamic CDM recipient worldwide. Furthermore, the analysis of CDM projects may offer some insights into the complex web of technological links between Chinese and foreign firms.
Practical implications
The transfer of emission-saving technologies to developing countries is expected to play a major role in addressing environmental problems worldwide.
Originality/value
This study analyses the sources and determinants of international technology transfer in CDM projects in China, and offers some insights into how the characteristics of the major players and the links between them affect this phenomenon.
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Nowadays, organizations have to resist the rising competition more effectively than their competitors and take a step closer to excellence in offering the product to customer…
Abstract
Nowadays, organizations have to resist the rising competition more effectively than their competitors and take a step closer to excellence in offering the product to customer demands. To do this, organizations need agile leaders in order to implement agility principles and practices. Especially in the health sector, health managers must be agile because of the specific characteristics of health services. From this view, this chapter aims to develop a theoretical agile leadership model in healthcare organizations. First, the authors define agile leadership and its sub-dimensions based on previous literature. Then, the antecedents and outcomes of agile leadership have been analyzed. “Drivers of agile leadership,” “organizational factors affecting agile leadership” and “individual factors affecting agile leadership” are identified as the antecedents of agile leadership. “Organizational outcomes” and “individual outcomes” are determined as the outcomes of agile leadership in the health sector.
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Gideon Daniel Joubert and Atanda Kamoru Raji
Despite South Africa’s ailing electrical grid, substantial renewable energy (RE) integration is planned for the country. As grid-integrated RE affects all grids differently, this…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite South Africa’s ailing electrical grid, substantial renewable energy (RE) integration is planned for the country. As grid-integrated RE affects all grids differently, this study aims to develop an adaptable grid code-guided renewable power plant (RPP) control real-time simulation testbed, tailored to South African grid code requirements to study grid-integrated RE’s behaviour concerning South Africa’s unique conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
The testbed is designed using MATLAB’s Simulink and live script environments, to create an adaptable model where grid, RPP and RPP guiding grid codes are tailorable. This model is integrated with OPAL-RT’s RT-LAB and brought to real-time simulation using OPAL-RT’s OP4510 simulator. Voltage, frequency and short-circuit event case studies are performed through which the testbed’s abilities and performance are assessed.
Findings
Case study results show the following. The testbed accurately represents grid code voltage and frequency requirements. RPP point of connection (POC) conditions are consistently recognized and tracked, according to which the testbed then operates simulated RPPs, validating its design. Short-circuit event simulations show the simulated wind farm supports POC conditions relative to short-circuit intensity by curtailing active power in favour of reactive power, in line with local grid code requirements.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first design of an adaptable grid code-guided RPP control testbed, tailored to South African grid code requirements in line with which RPP behavioural and grid integration studies can be performed.
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Contemporary literature reveals that, to date, the poultry livestock sector has not received sufficient research attention. This particular industry suffers from unstructured…
Abstract
Contemporary literature reveals that, to date, the poultry livestock sector has not received sufficient research attention. This particular industry suffers from unstructured supply chain practices, lack of awareness of the implications of the sustainability concept and failure to recycle poultry wastes. The current research thus attempts to develop an integrated supply chain model in the context of poultry industry in Bangladesh. The study considers both sustainability and supply chain issues in order to incorporate them in the poultry supply chain. By placing the forward and reverse supply chains in a single framework, existing problems can be resolved to gain economic, social and environmental benefits, which will be more sustainable than the present practices.
The theoretical underpinning of this research is ‘sustainability’ and the ‘supply chain processes’ in order to examine possible improvements in the poultry production process along with waste management. The research adopts the positivist paradigm and ‘design science’ methods with the support of system dynamics (SD) and the case study methods. Initially, a mental model is developed followed by the causal loop diagram based on in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and observation techniques. The causal model helps to understand the linkages between the associated variables for each issue. Finally, the causal loop diagram is transformed into a stock and flow (quantitative) model, which is a prerequisite for SD-based simulation modelling. A decision support system (DSS) is then developed to analyse the complex decision-making process along the supply chains.
The findings reveal that integration of the supply chain can bring economic, social and environmental sustainability along with a structured production process. It is also observed that the poultry industry can apply the model outcomes in the real-life practices with minor adjustments. This present research has both theoretical and practical implications. The proposed model’s unique characteristics in mitigating the existing problems are supported by the sustainability and supply chain theories. As for practical implications, the poultry industry in Bangladesh can follow the proposed supply chain structure (as par the research model) and test various policies via simulation prior to its application. Positive outcomes of the simulation study may provide enough confidence to implement the desired changes within the industry and their supply chain networks.
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