Search results for: solar radiation management

Authors: Brandtner Patrick, Staberhofer Franz

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Logistics and Supply Chain Management are of crucial importance for organisational success. In the era of Digitalization, several implications and improvement potentials for these domains arise, which at the same time could lead to decreased competitiveness and could endanger long-term company success if ignored or neglected. However, empirical research on the issue of Digitalization and benefits purported to it by practitioners is scarce and mainly focused on single technologies or separate, isolated Supply Chain blocks as e.g. distribution logistics or procurement only. The current paper applies a holistic focus group approach to elaborate practitioner use cases at the nexus of the concepts of Supply Chain Management (SCM) and Digitalization. In the course of three focus group workshops with over 45 participants from more than 20 organisations, a comprehensive set of benefit entitlements and areas for improvement in terms of applying digitalization to SCM is developed. The main results of the paper indicate the relevance of Digitalization being realized in practice. In the form of seventeen concrete research action fields, the benefit entitlements are aggregated and transformed into potential starting points for future research projects in this area. The main contribution of this paper is an empirically grounded basis for future research projects and an overview of actual research action fields from practitioners’ point of view.

Keywords: digital supply chain, digital transformation, supply chain management, value networks

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Authors: Abbas Ghahremani

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One of the most fundamental management issues in organizations and companies is the recruiting of efficient staff and compiling exact and perfect criteria for testing the applicants,which is guided and practiced by the manager of human resources of the organization. Obviously, each part of the organization seeks special features and abilities in the people apart from common features among all the staff in all units,which are called principal duties and abilities,and we will study them more. This article is trying to find out how we can identify the most efficient people among the applicants of employment by using proper methods of testing appropriate for the needs of different of employment by using proper methods of testing appropriate for the needs of different units of the organization and recruit efficient staff. Acceptable method for recruiting is to closely identify their characters from various aspects such as ability to communicate, flexibility, stress management, risk acceptance, tolerance, vision to future, familiarity with the art, amount of creativity and different thinking and by raising proper questions related with the above named features and presenting a questionnaire, evaluate them from various aspect in order to gain the proper result. According to the above explanations, it can be concluded which aspects of abilities and characteristics of a person must be evaluated in order to reduce any mistake in recruitment and approach an ideal result and ultimately gain an organized system according to the standards and avoid waste of energy for unprofessional personnel which is a marginal issue in the organizations.

Keywords: human resources management, staff recuiting, employment factors, efficient staff

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Authors: Masao Nakagawa, Toshiki Hirogaki, Eiichi Aoyama, Mohamed Ali Ben Abbes

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A planetary gear set is widely used in hybrid vehicles as the power distribution system or in electric vehicles as the high reduction system, but due to its complexity with planet gears, its dynamic characteristic is not fully understood. There are many reports on two-axes driving or displacement of the planet gears under these conditions, but only few reports deal with three-axes driving. A three-axes driving condition is tested using three-axes torque measurement and focuses on the dynamic characteristic around the planet gears in this report. From experimental result, it was confirmed that the transition forces around the planet gears were balanced and the torques were also balanced around the instantaneous rotation center. The meshing frequency under these conditions was revealed to be the harmonics of two meshing frequencies; meshing frequency of the ring gear and that of the planet gears. The input power of the ring gear is distributed to the carrier and the sun gear in the dynamic sequential change of three fixed conditions; planet, star and solar modes.

Keywords: dynamic characteristic, gear, planetary gear set, torque measuring

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Authors: Anil Kumar, Rajnish Kaur, Mateusz Czyzycki, Alessandro Migilori, Andreas Germanos Karydas, Sanjiv Puri

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The radiative decay of Li(i=1-3) sub-shell vacancies produced through photoionization results in production of the characteristic emission spectrum comprising several X-ray lines, whereas non-radiative vacancy decay results in Auger electron spectrum. Accurate reliable data on the Li(i=1-3) sub-shell X-ray production (XRP) cross sections is of considerable importance for investigation of atomic inner-shell ionization processes as well as for quantitative elemental analysis of different types of samples employing the energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) analysis technique. At incident photon energies in vicinity of the absorption edge energies of an element, the many body effects including the electron correlation, core relaxation, inter-channel coupling and post-collision interactions become significant in the photoionization of atomic inner-shells. Further, in case of compounds, the characteristic emission spectrum of the specific element is expected to get influenced by the chemical environment (coordination number, oxidation state, nature of ligand/functional groups attached to central atom, etc.). These chemical effects on L X-ray fluorescence parameters have been investigated by performing the measurements at incident photon energies much higher than the Li(i=1-3) sub-shell absorption edge energies using EDXRF spectrometers. In the present work, the cross sections for production of the Lk(k= γ2,3, γ4) X-rays have been measured for some compounds of 66Dy, namely, Dy2O3, Dy2(CO3)3, Dy2(SO4)3.8H2O, DyI2 and Dy metal by tuning the incident photon energies few eV above the L1 absorption-edge energy in order to investigate the influence of chemical effects on these cross sections in presence of the many body effects which become significant at photon energies close to the absorption-edge energies. The present measurements have been performed under vacuum at the IAEA end-station of the X-ray fluorescence beam line (10.1L) of ELETTRA synchrotron radiation facility (Trieste, Italy) using self-supporting pressed pellet targets (1.3 cm diameter, nominal thicknesses ~ 176 mg/cm2) of 66Dy compounds (procured from Sigma Aldrich) and a metallic foil of 66Dy (nominal thickness ~ 3.9 mg/cm2, procured from Good Fellow, UK). The present measured cross sections have been compared with theoretical values calculated using the Dirac-Hartree-Slater(DHS) model based fluorescence and Coster-Kronig yields, Dirac-Fock(DF) model based X-ray emission rates and two sets of L1 sub-shell photoionization cross sections based on the non-relativistic Hartree-Fock-Slater(HFS) model and those deduced from the self-consistent Dirac-Hartree-Fock(DHF) model based total photoionization cross sections. The present measured XRP cross sections for 66Dy as well as for its compounds for the L2,3 and L4 X-rays, are found to be higher by ~14-36% than the two calculated set values. It is worth to be mentioned that L2,3 and L4 X-ray lines are originated by filling up of the L1 sub-shell vacancies by the outer sub-shell (N2,3 and O2,3) electrons which are much more sensitive to the chemical environment around the central atom. The present observed differences between measured and theoretical values are expected due to combined influence of the many-body effects and the chemical effects.

Keywords: chemical effects, L X-ray production cross sections, Many body effects, Synchrotron radiation

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Authors: Vanja Vejzagic, Jackie Brander Brown, Peter Schmidt

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Purpose: For some time now, the global hotel industry trends are strongly oriented towards sustainable development and environmental management accounting (EMA) should have the supporting role for hotel’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) management. The aim of this paper is thus to analyse and present data on the key steps leading toward the effective incorporation of EMA within hotel performance information systems. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research study is a continuation of the process carried out on the sample of 20 eco-hotels in the UK, a year ago. Research evidence was obtained via in-depth case studies on sample of 180 hotels (4 and 5 stars hotels) located in Croatia. Research was conducted through interviews with key personnel and an online survey which specifically focused on 10 business areas considered vital for successful EMA integration. Findings: The research results indicate a pattern by which hotels can determine the existing level of their sustainable (environmental) business. Furthermore, the management understanding of the sustainability concept was still proven to lead to a relatively subjective appreciation and presentation of sustainable hotel operations and their performance. It was determined that majority of analysed hotel organisations reflect typical short-term, financially oriented performance information systems. Steps for EMA introduction have been offered. Research Limitations/Implications: CSR is still a broad-set concept. Exploring the effects of EMA on such-like a defined management system may be subject to considerable influence of the respondent’s subjective perception of the concept. Originality/Value: This article should be of interest to higher education academics and careers staff who have an interest in CSR introduction and the ways of implementing its informational support for performance measurement.

Keywords: environmental management accounting, EMA, corporate social responsibility, CSR, sustainability, hotel

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Authors: Ebuka Valentine Iroha, Tsunemi Watanabe, Satoshi Tsuchiya

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Project management practices play an important role in construction project performance and are one of project managers' essential key performance indicators. Previous studies have explored the poor performance of the construction industry, with project delays and cost overruns identified to contribute largely to numerous abandoned projects. These challenges are attributed to insufficient project management practices and a lack of utilization of project managers. The actual causes of inadequate project management practices and underutilization of project managers have been rarely discussed. This study tends to bridge the gap by identifying and assessing the actual causes of insufficient project management practices and underutilization of project managers. This study differs from past studies investigating the causes of poor performance by using institutional analysis methods to identify and analyze the factors influencing project management practices and proper utilization of project managers. Based on a comprehensive literature review, this study identified some factors embedded in the construction industry that influence the institutional environment and weaken the laws and regulations. These factors were used as the basis for semi-structured interview questions to investigate their impacts on project management practices and project managers. The data collected were coded into a four-level framework for institutional analysis. This method was used to analyze the interrelationships between the identified embedded factors, institutional laws and regulations, and construction organizations to understand how these influences result in the underutilization of project managers. The study found that the underutilization of project managers consists of two subsystems, including underutilization and lowering commitment. The first subsystem, corruption, political influence, religious and tribal discrimination, and organizational culture, were found to affect the institutional structure. These embedded factors weaken the industry’s governance mechanism, forcing project managers to prioritize corrupt practices over project demands. The ineffectiveness of the existing laws and regulations worsens the situation, supporting unfair working conditions and contributing to the underperformance of project managers. This situation leads to the development of the second subsystem, which is characterized by a lack of opportunities for career development and minimal incentives within construction organizations. The findings provide significant potential for addressing systemic challenges in the construction industry, particularly the underutilization of project managers and enhancing organizational support measures to improve project management practices and mitigate the adverse effects of corruption.

Keywords: construction industry, project management, poor performance, embedded factors, project managers underutilization

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Authors: René Davids

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Some Western countries are abandoning coal and finding cleaner alternatives, such as solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass, and geothermal, for the production of energy. As a consequence, industries have closed, and the toxic contaminated slag heaps formed essentially of discarded rock that did not contain coal are being colonized by spontaneously generated plant communities. In becoming green hiking territory, goat farms, viewing platforms, vineyards, great staging posts for species experiencing, and skiing slopes, many of the formerly abandoned hills of refuse have become delightful amenities to the surrounding communities. Together with the transformation of many industrial facilities into cultural venues, these changes to the slag hills have allowed the old coal districts to develop a new identity, but in the process, they have also literally buried the past. This essay reviews a few case studies to analyze the different ways slag heaps have contributed to the cultural landscape in the ex-coal county while arguing that it is important when deciding on their future, that we find ways to make the environmental damage that the extraction industry caused visibly and honor the lives of the people that worked under often appalling conditions in them.

Keywords: slag-heaps, mines, extraction, remediation, pollution

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Authors: Nadiah Yola Putri, Nesia Putri Sharfina, Traviata Prakarti

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This paper is a literature review presented descriptively to review the concept of green building to face the challenge of sustainable development and food in urban areas. In this paper, researchers initiated the concept of green building with sky farming method. Sky farming use vertical landscape system in order to realizing food self-sufficient green city. Sky farming relying on plantings and irrigation system efficiency in the building which is adopted the principles of green building. Planting system is done by applying hydroponic plants with Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) using energy source of solar cell and grey water from the processing of waste treatment plant. The application of sky farming in urban areas can be a recommendation for the design of environmental-friendly construction. In order to keep the land and distance efficiency, this system is a futuristic idea that would be the connector of human civilization in the future.

Keywords: green building, urban area, sky farming, vertical landscape

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Authors: Jung Hyoung Yoon

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This paper examines ways of building socio-economic sustainability for artists with cognitive disabilities who pursue professional artistic careers in Australia. It investigates two case studies of supported studios in terms of management, inclusivity and accessibility to facilitate professional development and create socio-economic values for artists with cognitive disabilities. This study uses semi-structured interviews with key art directors and staff of supported studios to unfold their experiences on the professional development of artists with cognitive disability at the individual, organizational and societal levels. It also analyses secondary data collection related to management, business strategic plans and marketing. This paper discusses the potentials of socio-economic sustainability for artists with cognitive disabilities through their art practice and careers, as well as the central role of the supported studio in order to achieve such goals for individual artists.

Keywords: artists with cognitive disability, inclusive management, professional development, socio-economic sustainability

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Authors: Shih-Ming Wang, Chun-Kai Yeh, Ming-Hwang Shie, Tai-Wei Lin, Chieh-Fu Chang

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This paper introduces a FPGA-based baseband signals generator (BSG) of X-band transmitter developed by National Space Organization (NSPO), Taiwan, for earth observation. In order to gain more flexibility for various applications, a number of modulation schemes, QPSK, DeQPSK and 8PSK 4D-TCM are included. For micro satellite scenario, the maximum symbol rate is up to 150Mbsps, and the EVM is as low as 1.9%. For CubeSat scenario, the maximum symbol rate is up to 60Mbsps, and the EVM is less than 1.7%. The maximum data rates are 412.5Mbps and 165Mbps, respectively. Besides, triple modular redundancy (TMR) scheme is implemented in order to reduce single event effect (SEE) induced by radiation. Finally, the theoretical error performance is provided based on comprehensive analysis, especially when BER is lower and much lower than 10⁻⁶ due to low error bit requirement of modern high-resolution earth remote-sensing instruments.

Keywords: X-band transmitter, FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array), CubeSat, micro satellite

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Authors: B. Philip, J. Littlewood, R. Radford, N. Evans, T. Whyman, D. P. Jones

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UK buildings and energy infrastructures are heavily dependent on natural gas, a large proportion of which is used for domestic space heating. However, approximately half of the gas consumed in the UK is imported. Improving energy security and reducing carbon emissions are major government drivers for reducing gas dependency. In order to do so there needs to be a wholesale shift in the energy provision to householders without impacting on thermal comfort levels, convenience or cost of supply to the end user. Heat pumps are seen as a potential alternative in modern well insulated homes, however, can the same be said of older homes? A large proportion of housing stock in Britain was built prior to 1919. The age of the buildings bears testimony to the quality of construction; however, their thermal performance falls far below the minimum currently set by UK building standards. In recent years significant sums of money have been invested to improve energy efficiency and combat fuel poverty in some of the most deprived areas of Wales. Increasing energy efficiency of older properties remains a significant challenge, which cannot be achieved through insulation and air-tightness interventions alone, particularly when alterations to historically important architectural features of the building are not permitted. This paper investigates the energy demand of pre-1919 dwellings in a former Welsh mining village, the feasibility of meeting that demand using water from the disused mine workings to supply a district heat network and potential barriers to success of the scheme. The use of renewable solar energy generation and storage technologies, both thermal and electrical, to reduce the load and offset increased electricity demand, are considered. A wholistic surveying approach to provide a more accurate assessment of total household heat demand is proposed. Several surveying techniques, including condition surveys, air permeability, heat loss calculations, and thermography were employed to provide a clear picture of energy demand. Additional insulation can bring unforeseen consequences which are detrimental to the fabric of the building, potentially leading to accelerated dilapidation of the asset being ‘protected’. Increasing ventilation should be considered in parallel, to compensate for the associated reduction in uncontrolled infiltration. The effectiveness of thermal performance improvements are demonstrated and the detrimental effects of incorrect material choice and poor installation are highlighted. The findings show estimated heat demand to be in close correlation to household energy bills. Major areas of heat loss were identified such that improvements to building thermal performance could be targeted. The findings demonstrate that the use of heat pumps in older buildings is viable, provided sufficient improvement to thermal performance is possible. Addition of passive solar thermal and photovoltaic generation can help reduce the load and running cost for the householder. The results were used to predict future heat demand following energy efficiency improvements, thereby informing the size of heat pumps required.

Keywords: heat demand, heat pump, renewable energy, retrofit

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Authors: Claudineia Brazil, Luciane Salvi, Margareth Haubrich

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The research aims to understand the determinants of Quality of Life at Work (QWL) and the main indicators that influence the productivity of employees working in construction. The methodology is based on the qualitative theoretical approach, in which information is collected in works that have already been carried out, providing a more detailed compression of the research from the point of view of other authors. In this research, pioneering models for assessing Quality of Life at Work (QWL) were investigated, seeking to find the best quality of life indicators in the work environment. The elements investigated in the research were classified into three main groups: Organizational, Environmental and Behavioral. In order to obtain the results, the information obtained through bibliographic research was compared and it was possible to conclude that the focus on the quality of life at work influences the individual and collective productivity of employees, causing the company to be positively impacted. This advocates the need for strategic actions in the area of people management, which will meet these needs. Therefore, it is hoped that this study can contribute to the more effective management of human resources in organizations, reflecting on increased productivity.

Keywords: construction, management, productivity, quality of life at work

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Authors: Ibragim Issabekov, Byron Crape, Lyazzat Toleubekova

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Background: Palliative care substantially improves the quality of life of terminally-ill patients. Symptom control is one of the keystones in the management of patients in palliative care settings, lowering distress as well as improving the quality of life of patients with end-stage diseases. The most common symptoms causing significant distress for patients are pain, nausea and vomiting, increased respiratory secretions and mental health issues like depression. Aims are: 1. to identify best practices in symptom management in palliative patients in accordance with internationally approved guidelines and compare aforementioned with actual practices in Kazakhstan; to evaluate the criteria for assessing symptoms in terminally-ill patients, 2. to review the availability and utilization of pharmaceutical agents for pain control, management of excessive respiratory secretions, nausea, and vomiting, and delirium and 3. to develop recommendations for the systematic approach to end-of-life symptom management in Kazakhstan. Methods: The use of qualitative research methods together with systematic literature review have been employed to provide a rigorous research process to evaluate current approaches for symptom management of palliative patients in Kazakhstan. Qualitative methods include in-depth semi-structured interviews of the healthcare professionals involved in palliative care provision. Results: Obstacles were found in appropriate provision of palliative care. Inadequate education and training to manage severe symptoms, poorly defined laws and regulations for palliative care provision, and a lack of algorithms and guidelines for care were major barriers in the effective provision of palliative care. Conclusion: Assessment of palliative care in this medium-income transitional-economy country is one of the first steps in the initiation of integration of palliative care into the existing health system. Achieving this requires identifying obstacles and resolving these issues.

Keywords: end-of-life care, middle income country, palliative care, symptom control

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Authors: Debasis Sarkar

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Clean development mechanism (CDM) can act as an effective instrument for mitigating climate change. This mechanism can effectively reduce the emission of CO2 and other green house gases (GHG). Construction of a mega infrastructure project like underground corridor construction for metro rail operation involves in consumption of substantial quantity of concrete which consumes huge quantity of energy consuming materials like cement and steel. This paper is an attempt to develop an integrated clean development mechanism and risk management approach for sustainable development for an underground corridor metro rail project in India during its construction phase. It was observed that about 35% reduction in CO2 emission can be obtained by adding fly ash as a part replacement of cement. The reduced emission quantity of CO2 which is of the quantum of about 21,646.36 MT would result in cost savings of approximately INR 8.5 million (USD 1,29,878).But construction and operation of such infrastructure projects of the present era are subject to huge risks and uncertainties throughout all the phases of the project, thus reducing the probability of successful completion of the project within stipulated time and cost frame. Thus, an integrated approach of combining CDM with risk management would enable the metro rail authorities to develop a sustainable risk mitigation measure framework to ensure more cost and energy savings and lesser time and cost over-run.

Keywords: clean development mechanism (CDM), infrastructure transportation, project risk management, underground metro rail

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Authors: Jana Pichova, Lubos Hes, Vladimir Bajzik

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Protective clothing is designed to keep a wearer save in hazardous conditions or enable perform short time working operation without being injured or feeling discomfort. Firefighters or other related workers are exposed to abnormal heat which can be conductive, convective or radiant type. Their garment is proposed to resist this conditions and prevent burn injuries or dead of human. However thermal comfort of firefighter exposed to high heat source have not been studied yet. Thermal resistance is the best representative parameter of thermal comfort. In this study a new method of testing of thermal resistance of special clothing exposed to high radiation heat source was designed. This method simulates human body wearing single or multi-layered garment which is exposed to radiative heat. Setup of this method enables measuring of radiative heat flow in time without effect of convection. The new testing method is verified on chosen group of textiles for firefighters.

Keywords: protective clothing, radiative heat, thermal comfort of firefighters, thermal resistance of special garments

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Authors: Felix Brito

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With the growth of online learning, several higher education institutions have attempted to incorporate technology in their curriculum. Successful technology implementation projects really on technology infrastructure and on the acceptance of education professionals towards innovation. This research study is aimed at illustrating the relevance of the human component in technology implementation projects in higher education by describing the Learning Management System implementation project executed by instructional designers working for a higher education institution in the southeast region of the United States. An analysis of the Transformative Leadership Theory, the Technology Acceptance Model, and the Diffusion of Innovation Process provide the support for a solid understanding of this issue and address recommendations for future technology implementation projects in higher education institutions.

Keywords: diffusion of innovation process, instructional design, leadership, learning management systems, online learning, technology acceptance model, transformative leadership theory

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Authors: Vera Lucia da S. Ventura, Valmir Alves Ventura, Marcelo E. Fernandes, Marcelo T. Okano, Osmildo S. Santos, Heide Landi

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The paper aims to present the attitude of consumers regarding the environmental practices adopted by Brazilian organizations. It is understood organizations adopt practices about environment is essential, as their internal processes as external actions, the corporative and social changes are considered in this scene. It is observed consumers are important, therefore, more and more they analyze the responsible performance of Brazilian organizations. It was performed a quantitative research through questionnaire for achieving the objectives of this study. The sample was composed by 336 people at capacity consumption fully. The survey results demonstrate environmental management can be an excellent tool for conquering consumers, because consumers realize the great responsibility assumed by organizations regarding to the environment, nowadays. This finding was possible because most of the respondents answered the environmentally responsible behavior of organizations is decisive factor at the purchase’s moment. However, the data revealed consumers do not realize the practices adopted by companies. This lack of awareness may prejudice environmentally responsible organizations’ worth by consumers.

Keywords: environmental management, sustainability, conscious consumption, Brazilian organizations

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Authors: Mohammad Beyki, Justus Pawlak, Robert Patzke, Franz Renz

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In the context of planetary exploration, the MIMOS II (miniaturized Mössbauer spectrometer) serves as a proven and reliable measuring instrument. The transmission behaviour of the electronics in the Mössbauer spectroscopy is newly developed and optimized. For this purpose, the overall electronics is split into three parts. This elaboration deals exclusively with the first part of the signal chain for the evaluation of photons in experiments with gamma radiation. Parallel to the analysis of the electronics, a new method for the stability consideration of linear and non-linear systems is presented: The extended method of Lyapunov’s stability criteria. The design helps to weigh advantages and disadvantages against other simulated circuits in order to optimize the MIMOS II for the terestric and extraterestric measurment. Finally, after stability analysis, the controller design according to Ackermann is performed, achieving the best possible optimization of the output variable through a skillful pole assignment.

Keywords: Mössbauer spectroscopy, electronic signal amplifier, light processing technology, photocurrent, trans-impedance amplifier, extended Lyapunov method

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Authors: Mary L. G. S. Senna, Veruska C. Dutra, Afonso R. Aquino

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The study is in application and analysis of two tourism management tools that can contribute to making public managers decision: the Barometer of Tourism Sustainability (BTS) and the Ecological Footprint (EF). The results have shown that BTS allows you to have an integrated view of the tourism system, awakening to the need for planning of appropriate actions so that it can achieve the positive scale proposed (potentially sustainable). Already the methodology of ecological tourism footprint is an important tool to measure potential impacts generated by tourism to tourist reality.

Keywords: barometer of tourism sustainability, ecological footprint of tourism, Jalapão/Brazil, sustainable tourism

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Authors: Han Xiao, Ruan Qi, Zhang Lei, Qi Yan

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Space environment simulator is a facility used to conduct thermal test for spacecraft, and vacuum vessel is the main body of it. According to the requirements for thermal tests of the spacecraft and its solar array panels, the primary vessel and the side vessels are designed to be a combinative structure connected with aperture, which ratio reaches 0.7. Since the vacuum vessel suffers 0.1MPa external pressure during the process of thermal test, in order to ensure the simulator’s reliability and safety, it’s necessary to calculate the vacuum vessel’s intensity and stability. Based on the impact of large openings to vacuum vessel structure, this paper explored the reinforce design and analytical way of vacuum vessel with large openings, using a large space environment simulator’s vacuum vessel design as an example. Tests showed that the reinforce structure is effective to fulfill the requirements of external pressure and the gravity. This ensured the reliability of the space environment simulator, providing a guarantee for developing the spacecraft.

Keywords: vacuum vessel, large opening, space environment simulator, structure design

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Authors: Bruno Henrique Rocha Fernandes, Amir Rezaee, Jucelia Appio

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The relation between Human Resource Management (HRM) practices and organizational performance remains the subject of substantial literature. Though many studies demonstrated positive relationship, still major influencing variables are not yet clear. This study considers the Person-Environment Fit (PE Fit) and its components, Person-Supervisor (PS), Person-Group (PG), Person-Organization (PO) and Person-Job (PJ) Fit, as possible explanatory variables. We analyzed PE Fit as a moderator between HRM practices and financial performance in the “best companies to work” in Brazil. Data from HRM practices were classified through the High Performance Working Systems (HPWS) construct and data on PE-Fit were obtained through surveys among employees. Financial data, consisting of return on invested capital (ROIC) and price earnings ratio (PER) were collected for publicly traded best companies to work. Findings show that PO Fit and PJ Fit play a significant moderator role for PER but not for ROIC.

Keywords: financial performance, human resource management, high performance working systems, person-environment fit

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Authors: Olga Novitskaya

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The emerging markets of post-USSR countries have attracted Western multinational companies; however, weak institutions and unstable host country environments have hindered the implementation of successful management practices. The Ukrainian market, in light of recent events, is particularly interesting to study for its compatibility with Western businesses. This paper focuses on factors that can facilitate or inhibit the transfer of human resource management practices from Western headquarters to Ukrainian subsidiaries. To explain the national context’s effects better, a business systems approach has been applied to a qualitative study of 16 wholly owned Western subsidiaries, dissecting the reasons for a weak integration of Western practices in Ukraine. Results show that underdeveloped institutions have forced companies to develop additional practices that compensate for national weaknesses, as well as to adjust to a constantly changing environment. Flexibility and local responsiveness were observed as vital for success in Ukraine.

Keywords: human resource management, Ukraine, business system, multinational companies, HR practices

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Authors: E. Saeedian, M. Shakerian, A. Zarif Sanayei, Z. Rakeb, F. N. Alizadeh, S. Sarshough, S. Sina

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Radiological protection for plants and animals is an area of regulatory importance. Acute doses of 0.1 Gy/d (10 rad/d) or below are highly unlikely to produce permanent, measurable negative effects on populations or communities of plants or animals. The advancement of radio diagnostics for domestic animals, particularly dogs and cats, has gained popularity in veterinary medicine. As pets are considered to be members of the family worldwide, they are entitled to the same care and protection. It is important to have a system of radiological protection for nonhuman organisms that complies with the focus on human health as outlined in ICRP publication 19. The present study attempts to assess surface-skin entrance doses in small pets undergoing abdominal radio diagnostic procedures utilizing a direct measurements technique with a thermoluminescent dosimeter. These measurements allow the determination of the entrance skin dose (ESD) by calculating the amount of radiation absorbed by the skin during exposure. A group of Thirty TLD-100 dosimeters produced by Harshaw Company, each with repeatability greater than 95% and calibration using ¹³⁷Cs gamma source, were utilized to measure doses to ten small pets, including cats and dogs in the radiological department in a veterinary clinic in Shiraz, Iran. Radiological procedures were performed using a portable imaging unit (Philips Super M100, Philips Medical System, Germany) to acquire images of the abdomen; ten exams of abdomen images of different pets were monitored, measuring the thicknesses of the two projections (lateral and ventrodorsal) and the distance of the X-ray source from the surface of each pet during the exams. A group of two dosimeters was used for each pet which has been stacked on their skin on the abdomen region. The outcome of this study involved medical procedures with the same kVp, mAs, and nearly identical positions for different diagnostic X-ray procedures executed over a period of two months. The result showed the mean ESD value was 260.34±50.06 µGy due to the approximate size of pets. Based on the results, the ESD value is associated with animal size, and larger animals have higher values. If a procedure doesn't require repetition, the dose can be optimized. For smaller animals, the main challenge in veterinary radiology is the dose increase caused by repetitions, which is most noticeable in the ventrodorsal position due to the difficulty in immobilizing the animal. Animals are an area of regulatory importance. Acute doses of 0.1 Gy/d (10 rad/d) or below are highly unlikely to produce permanent, measurable negative effects on populations or communities of plants or animals. The advancement of radio diagnostics for domestic animals, particularly dogs and cats, has gained popularity in veterinary medicine. As pets are considered to be members of the family worldwide, they are entitled to the same care and protection. It is important to have a system of radiological protection for nonhuman organisms that complies with the focus on human health as outlined in ICRP publication 19. The present study attempts to assess surface-skin entrance doses in small pets undergoing abdominal radio diagnostic procedures utilizing direct measurements.

Keywords: direct dose measuring, dosimetry, radiation protection, veterinary medicine

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Authors: Shaolan Zou, Kullapa Soratana

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Construction industry faces tremendous challenges in sustainability issue in recent years. Building materials, generally, are non-recyclable with short service life time, leading to economic loss. Building sites also cause social issues, e.g. noise, hazardous substances, and particulate matters. Sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) has been recognized as an appropriate method to balance three pillars of sustainability: environment, economy, and society. However, most of construction companies cannot successfully adopt SSCM due to numerous challenges. In this study, a list of challenges in implementing SSCM was collected from peer-reviewed literature on sustainable implementation. A building materials company in Thailand, which has successfully adopted SSCM for almost two decades and established the sustainable development committee since 1995, was used as a case study. Management-level representatives in sustainability department of the company were interviewed, mainly, to examine which challenges on the list complies with the company’s condition when adopting SSCM. The interview result was analyzed by interpretive structural model (ISM) with sustainability experts’ opinions to identify top 5 influential challenges. The results could assist a building construction company in assigning appropriate strategies to overcome most influential barriers, as well as in using as a reference or guidance for other construction companies adopting SSCM.

Keywords: sustainable supply chain management, challenges, construction industry, interpretive structural model

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Authors: Benjamin Mauck, Kevin Winter

Abstract:

The city of Cape Town in South Africa, has shown consistent economic and population growth in the last few decades and that growth is expected to continue to increase into the future. These projected economic and population growth rates are set to place additional pressure on the city’s already strained water supply system. Thus, given Cape Town’s water scarcity, increasing water demands and stressed water supply system, coupled with global awareness around the issues of sustainable development, environmental protection and climate change, alternative water management strategies are required to ensure water is sustainably managed. Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) is an approach to sustainable urban water management that attempts to assign a resource value to all forms of water in the urban context, viz. stormwater, wastewater, potable water and groundwater. WSUD employs a wide range of strategies to improve the sustainable management of urban water such as the water reuse, developing alternative available supply sources, sustainable stormwater management and enhancing the aesthetic and recreational value of urban water. Managed Aquifer Recharge (MAR) is one WSUD strategy which has proven to be a successful reuse strategy in a number of places around the world. MAR is the process where an aquifer is intentionally or artificially recharged, which provides a valuable means of water storage while enhancing the aquifers supply potential. This paper investigates the feasibility of implementing MAR in the sandy, unconfined Cape Flats Aquifer (CFA) in Cape Town. The main objective of the study is to assess if MAR is a viable strategy for stormwater management on the Cape Flats, aiding the prevention or mitigation of the seasonal flooding that occurs on the Cape Flats, while also improving the supply potential of the aquifer. This involves the infiltration of stormwater into the CFA during the wet winter months and in turn, abstracting from the CFA during the dry summer months for fit-for-purpose uses in order to optimise the recharge and storage capacity of the CFA. The fully-integrated MIKE SHE model is used in this study to simulate both surface water and groundwater hydrology. This modelling approach enables the testing of various potential recharge and abstraction scenarios required for implementation of MAR on the Cape Flats. Further MIKE SHE scenario analysis under projected future climate scenarios provides insight into the performance of MAR as a stormwater management strategy under climate change conditions. The scenario analysis using an integrated model such as MIKE SHE is a valuable tool for evaluating the feasibility of the MAR as a stormwater management strategy and its potential to contribute towards improving Cape Town’s water security into the future.

Keywords: managed aquifer recharge, stormwater management, cape flats aquifer, MIKE SHE

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Authors: Marzieh Ebrahimi, Vahid Changizi, Mohammad Reza Kardan, Seyed Mahdi Hosseini Pooya, Parham Geramifar

Abstract:

Radiation exposure to the patient's family members is one of the major concerns during thyroid cancer radionuclide therapy. The aim of this study was to measure the total effective dose of the family members by means of thermoluminescence personal dosimeter, and compare with those calculated by analytical methods. Eighty-five adult family members of fifty-one patients volunteered to participate in this research study. Considering the minimum and maximum range of dose rate from 15 µsv/h to 120 µsv/h at patients' release time, the calculated mean and median dose values of family members were 0.45 mSv and 0.28 mSv, respectively. Moreover, almost all family members’ doses were measured to be less than the dose constraint of 5 mSv recommended by Basic Safety Standards. Considering the influence parameters such as patient dose rate and administrated activity, the total effective doses of family members were calculated by TEDE and NRC formulas and compared with those of experimental results. The results indicated that, it is fruitful to use the quantitative calculations for releasing patients treated with I-131 and correct estimation of patients' family doses.

Keywords: effective dose, thermoluminescence, I-131, thyroid cancer

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Authors: Ateba Benedict Belobo, Faan Pelser, Ambe Marcus

Abstract:

Aims: This study arise from repeated complaints from both electronic mails about the underperformance of Mafikeng Small and Medium-Size enterprises after the global financial crisis. The authors were on the view that, this poor performance experienced could be as a result of the negative effects on the cash flow of these businesses due to volatilities in the business environment in general prior to the global crisis. Thus, the paper was mainly aimed at determining the shortcomings experienced by these SMEs with regards to cash flow management. It was also aimed at suggesting possible measures to improve cash flow management of these SMEs in this tough time. Methods: A case study was conducted on 3 beverage suppliers, 27 bottle stores, 3 largest fast consumer goods super markets and 7 automobiles enterprises in the Mafikeng local municipality. A mixed method research design was employed and a purposive sampling was used in selecting SMEs that participated. Views and experiences of participants of the paper were captured through in-depth interviews. Data from the empirical investigation were interpreted using open coding and a simple percentage formula. Results: Findings from the empirical research reflected that majority of Mafikeng SMEs suffer poor operational performance prior to the global financial crisis primarily as a result of poor cash flow management. However, the empirical outcome also indicted other secondary factors contributing to this poor operational performance. Conclusion: Finally, the authorsproposed possible measures that could be used to improve cash flow management and to solve other factors affecting operational performance of SMEs in the Mafikeng local municipality in other to achieve a better business performance.

Keywords: cash flow, business performance, global financial crisis, SMEs

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Authors: Rui Sang, Fei Deng, Alexander Engel, Ewa M. Goldys, Wei Deng

Abstract:

In this study, we brought together X-ray induced photodynamic therapy (X-PDT) and chemo-drug (5-FU) for the treatment on colorectal cancer cells. This was achieved by developing a lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticle delivery system (FA-LPNPs-VP-5-FU). It was prepared by incorporating a photosensitizer (verteporfin), chemotherapy drug (5-FU), and a targeting moiety (folic acid) into one platform. The average size of these nanoparticles was around 100 nm with low polydispersity. When exposed to clinical doses of 4 Gy X-ray radiation, FA-LPNPs-VP-5-FU generated sufficient amounts of reactive oxygen species, triggering the apoptosis and necrosis pathway of cancer cells. Our combined X-PDT and chemo-drug strategy was effective in inhibiting cancer cells’ growth and proliferation. Cell cycle analyses revealed that our treatment induced G2/M and S phase arrest in HCT116 cells. Our results indicate that this combined treatment provides better antitumour effect in colorectal cancer cells than each of these modalities alone. This may offer a novel approach for effective colorectal cancer treatment with reduced off-target effect and drug toxicity.

Keywords: pdt, targeted lipid-polymer nanoparticles, verteporfin, colorectal cancer

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Authors: Azyuni Aziz, Syed A. Malik, Shahrul Kadri Ayop, Fatin Hana Naning

Abstract:

Currently, organic-inorganic hybrid thin films have attracted researchers to explore them, where these thin films can give a lot of benefits. Hybrid thin films are thin films that consist of inorganic and organic materials. Inorganic and organic materials give high efficiency and low manufacturing cost in some applications such as solar cells application, furthermore, organic materials are environment-friendly. In this study, poly (3-hexylthiophene) was choosing as organic material which combined with inorganic nanoparticles, Cadmium Sulfide (CdS) quantum dots. Samples were prepared using new technique, Angle Lifting Deposition (ALD) at different weight percentage. All prepared samples were then characterized by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) with Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) to study surface of samples and determine their surface roughness. Results show that these inorganic nanoparticles have affected the surface of samples and surface roughness of samples increased due to increasing of weight percentage of CdS in the thin films samples.

Keywords: AFM, CdS, FESEM-EDX, hybrid thin films, P3HT

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Authors: Malek Y. S. Ibrahim, Jeffrey A. Bennett, Milad Abolhasani

Abstract:

Despite the potential of hydrogen (H2) storage in liquid organic carriers to achieve carbon neutrality, the energy required for H2 release and the cost of catalyst recycling has hindered its large-scale adoption. In response, a photo flow reactor packed with rhodium (Rh)/titania (TiO2) photocatalyst was reported for the continuous and selective acceptorless dehydrogenation of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline to H2 gas and quinoline under visible light irradiation at room temperature. The tradeoff between the reactor pressure drop and its photocatalytic surface area was resolved by selective in-situ photodeposition of Rh in the photo flow reactor post-packing on the outer surface of the TiO2 microparticles available to photon flux, thereby reducing the optimal Rh loading by 10 times compared to a batch reactor, while facilitating catalyst reuse and regeneration. An example of using quinoline as a hydrogen acceptor to lower the energy of the hydrogen production step was demonstrated via the water-gas shift reaction.

Keywords: hydrogen storage, flow chemistry, photocatalysis, solar hydrogen

Procedia PDF Downloads 96