Search results for: electronic waste management
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 12701

Search results for: electronic waste management

9221 Design of an Ultra High Frequency Rectifier for Wireless Power Systems by Using Finite-Difference Time-Domain

Authors: Felipe M. de Freitas, Ícaro V. Soares, Lucas L. L. Fortes, Sandro T. M. Gonçalves, Úrsula D. C. Resende

Abstract:

There is a dispersed energy in Radio Frequencies (RF) that can be reused to power electronics circuits such as: sensors, actuators, identification devices, among other systems, without wire connections or a battery supply requirement. In this context, there are different types of energy harvesting systems, including rectennas, coil systems, graphene and new materials. A secondary step of an energy harvesting system is the rectification of the collected signal which may be carried out, for example, by the combination of one or more Schottky diodes connected in series or shunt. In the case of a rectenna-based system, for instance, the diode used must be able to receive low power signals at ultra-high frequencies. Therefore, it is required low values of series resistance, junction capacitance and potential barrier voltage. Due to this low-power condition, voltage multiplier configurations are used such as voltage doublers or modified bridge converters. Lowpass filter (LPF) at the input, DC output filter, and a resistive load are also commonly used in the rectifier design. The electronic circuits projects are commonly analyzed through simulation in SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis) environment. Despite the remarkable potential of SPICE-based simulators for complex circuit modeling and analysis of quasi-static electromagnetic fields interaction, i.e., at low frequency, these simulators are limited and they cannot model properly applications of microwave hybrid circuits in which there are both, lumped elements as well as distributed elements. This work proposes, therefore, the electromagnetic modelling of electronic components in order to create models that satisfy the needs for simulations of circuits in ultra-high frequencies, with application in rectifiers coupled to antennas, as in energy harvesting systems, that is, in rectennas. For this purpose, the numerical method FDTD (Finite-Difference Time-Domain) is applied and SPICE computational tools are used for comparison. In the present work, initially the Ampere-Maxwell equation is applied to the equations of current density and electric field within the FDTD method and its circuital relation with the voltage drop in the modeled component for the case of lumped parameter using the FDTD (Lumped-Element Finite-Difference Time-Domain) proposed in for the passive components and the one proposed in for the diode. Next, a rectifier is built with the essential requirements for operating rectenna energy harvesting systems and the FDTD results are compared with experimental measurements.

Keywords: energy harvesting system, LE-FDTD, rectenna, rectifier, wireless power systems

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9220 Cleaner Production Framework for an Beverage Manufacturing Company

Authors: Ignatio Madanhire, Charles Mbohwa

Abstract:

This study explores to improve the resource efficiency, waste water reduction and to reduce losses of raw materials in a beverage making industry. A number of cleaner production technologies were put across in this work. It was also noted that cleaner production technology practices are not only desirable from the environmental point of view, but they also make good economic sense, in their contribution to the bottom line by conserving resources like energy, raw materials and manpower, improving yield as well as reducing treatment/disposal costs. This work is a resource in promoting adoption and implementation of CP in other industries for sustainable development.

Keywords: resource efficiency, beverages, reduce losses, cleaner production, energy, yield

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9219 A Niche Sustainable Tourism Product: Stakeholder Perceptions on Sustainable Conference Tourism in Cyprus

Authors: Xenia I. Loizidou, Anthi Gavriel, Demetra Petsa

Abstract:

The tourism industry is a significant contributor to Cyprus's Gross Domestic Product. However, as the main tourism product is 'sun and sea', the industry is significantly unsustainable, with the majority of tourists (approx. 90%) concentrated in coastal areas over a short period of time, causing negative environmental, social, and economic impacts. The newly established Cypriot Deputy Ministry of Tourism aims to diversify the Cypriot tourism industry by focusing on the development of niche tourism products that will elongate the touristic season and divert visitors to inland mountainous and rural areas. In this respect, conference and event tourism is an ideal product for development. The current paper presents the results of fieldwork carried out between January and March 2020 in Cyprus, with key stakeholders within the conference and event tourism sector. The work consisted of a survey and semi-structured interviews to determine the current level of sustainability within the conference tourism sector, the main barriers to the sector's development, as well as key stakeholder insights and suggestions for measures to improve the sector's sustainability. The results suggest that there is a general lack of understanding of the negative economic, environmental and social impacts associated with the organization of conventional conferences and events, compared to the positive impacts of sustainable conferences/events. There also seems to be a lack of awareness of actions that can be taken to make the conference and event sector more sustainable. Incentives, marketing, branding, and training are identified as some of the effective means to improve the sustainability of the Cypriot conference and event sector, as is the development of country-wide sustainability policy and a review and enforcement of national waste management legislation. The research outputs will be utilized for the development of targeted toolkits, training, and awareness-raising activities that will drive Cyprus towards becoming an international sustainable tourism destination.

Keywords: conference, event, sustainability, tourism

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9218 Polygeneration Solar Thermal System

Authors: S. K. Deb, B. C. Sarma

Abstract:

The concentrating solar thermal devices using low cost thin metallic reflector sheet of moderate reflectance can generate heat both at higher temperature for the receiver at it’s focus and at moderate temperature through direct solar irradiative heat absorption by the reflector sheet itself. Investigation on well insulated rear surface of the concentrator with glass covers at it’s aperture plane for waste heat recovery against the conventional radiative, convective & conductive heat losses for a bench model with a thermal analysis is the prime motivation of this study along with an effort to popularize a compact solar thermal polygeneration system.

Keywords: concentrator, polygeneration, aperture, renewable energy, exergy, solar energy

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9217 Synthesis, Characterization and Catalytic Applications of Divalent Schiff Base Metal Complexes Derived from Amino Coumarins and Substituted Benzaldehydes and Acetophenones

Authors: Srinivas Nerella

Abstract:

A series of new heterodentate N, O-donor ligands derived from condensing 3-amino Coumarins with hydroxy benzaldehydes and acetophenones were used to afford new mononuclear Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and Pd(II) coordination compounds. All the complexes were characterized by IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, Mass, ESR, Electronic spectra, Conductance, Magnetic and Thermal studies. The ligands show hexa coordination in Mn(II), Co(II), Ni(II), and Pd(II) complexes resulting octahedral geometries, while the ligands in Zn(II) and Cu(II) complexes show tetra coordination resulting tetrahedral and square planar geometries respectively. These mononuclear complexes were investigated as catalysts in the hydrothiolation of aromatic and aliphatic alkynes with thiols. These metal complexes were acted as versatile catalysts and gave good yields.

Keywords: schiff bases, divalent metal complexes of schiff bases, Catalytic activity, hydrothiolation

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9216 Archive's Accessibility of University Archive: Case Study at Universitas Gadjah Mada Archives

Authors: Berlian Eka Kurnia, Mohamad Very Setiawan, Rahmat Fadhli

Abstract:

Archives play an important role in organization’s continuity, especially related to the learning activities in the past. Archive management is considered accessible when the archive can be used when needed. University archive can support research activities for institutions, besides, archive management services also have to pay attention to the accessibility that became a barometer of how easy users get the data or information from an archive, use and understand it. This study identifies about the accessibility of archive services at the Universitas Gadjah Mada, with case study method. Universitas Gadjah Mada archives not only provide a service to the academicians, but also for public. Universitas Gadjah Mada archive can be traced online and offline. Online searching archives can be acceessed through an application “SIKS” and offline searching can be accessed by "finding aids" printed. Although Universitas Gadjah Mada Archives has its own procedures to access the archive directly, but they also remain guided by National Archive of Indonesia.

Keywords: archival institution, university archive, archive’s accessibility, archive management

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9215 Adoption of Performance Management System in a Saudi Telecom Company: An Institutional Perspective

Authors: Mohammed Buhaya

Abstract:

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze the decision, implementation process and the outcomes of the introduction of the balanced scorecard in a developing country having particular regard to the impacts of agency and institutional, endogenous and exogenous. Design/methodology/approach: This study builds on a longitudinal explanatory case study, an institutional framework, especially Ter-Bogt and Scapens (2014) framework. Findings: Empirical findings drawn from a telecom company indicate that the dynamics of change of the company are influenced by the interconnection of external institutions and the company's situation and internal institutions encompassing issues of power, politics, and culture. Organizational practice introduced to secure external legitimacy is not always the case. The adoption of the balanced scorecard was the instrumental manner and had revolutionary change. Originality/value: In contrast to much previous research on management accounting practice, the paper analyses the process of change in one of developing country. The study also sheds new light on the power of religion as one of institutional logics and how this logic rises to potential to influence management accounting change among actors and achieving the company’s targets. This paper highlights how the culture and values can play a vital role in making the process of change smoother.

Keywords: balanced scorecard, institutional, management accounting practice, rules, and routines

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9214 A Novel Image Steganography Scheme Based on Mandelbrot Fractal

Authors: Adnan H. M. Al-Helali, Hamza A. Ali

Abstract:

Growth of censorship and pervasive monitoring on the Internet, Steganography arises as a new means of achieving secret communication. Steganography is the art and science of embedding information within electronic media used by common applications and systems. Generally, hiding information of multimedia within images will change some of their properties that may introduce few degradation or unusual characteristics. This paper presents a new image steganography approach for hiding information of multimedia (images, text, and audio) using generated Mandelbrot Fractal image as a cover. The proposed technique has been extensively tested with different images. The results show that the method is a very secure means of hiding and retrieving steganographic information. Experimental results demonstrate that an effective improvement in the values of the Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR), Mean Square Error (MSE), Normalized Cross Correlation (NCC) and Image Fidelity (IF) over the previous techniques.

Keywords: fractal image, information hiding, Mandelbrot et fractal, steganography

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9213 Status and Results from EXO-200

Authors: Ryan Maclellan

Abstract:

EXO-200 has provided one of the most sensitive searches for neutrinoless double-beta decay utilizing 175 kg of enriched liquid xenon in an ultra-low background time projection chamber. This detector has demonstrated excellent energy resolution and background rejection capabilities. Using the first two years of data, EXO-200 has set a limit of 1.1x10^25 years at 90% C.L. on the neutrinoless double-beta decay half-life of Xe-136. The experiment has experienced a brief hiatus in data taking during a temporary shutdown of its host facility: the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. EXO-200 expects to resume data taking in earnest this fall with upgraded detector electronics. Results from the analysis of EXO-200 data and an update on the current status of EXO-200 will be presented.

Keywords: double-beta, Majorana, neutrino, neutrinoless

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9212 The Relationship Between Teachers’ Attachment Insecurity and Their Classroom Management Efficacy

Authors: Amber Hatch, Eric Wright, Feihong Wang

Abstract:

Research suggests that attachment in close relationships affects one’s emotional processes, mindfulness, conflict-management behaviors, and interpersonal interactions. Attachment insecurity is often associated with maladaptive social interactions and suboptimal relationship qualities. Past studies have considered how the nature of emotion regulation and mindfulness in teachers may be related to student or classroom outcomes. Still, no research has examined how the relationship between such internal experiences and classroom management outcomes may also be related to teachers’ attachment insecurity. This study examined the interrelationships between teachers’ attachment insecurity, mindfulness tendencies, emotion regulation abilities, and classroom management efficacy as indexed by students’ classroom behavior and teachers’ response effectiveness. Teachers’ attachment insecurity was evaluated using the global ECRS-SF, which measures both attachment anxiety and avoidance. The present study includes a convenient sample of 357 American elementary school teachers who responded to a survey regarding their classroom management efficacy, attachment in/security, dispositional mindfulness, emotion regulation strategies, and difficulties in emotion regulation, primarily assessed via pre-existing instruments. Good construct validity was demonstrated for all scales used in the survey. Sample demographics, including gender (94% female), race (92% White), age (M = 41.9 yrs.), years of teaching experience (M = 15.2 yrs.), and education level were similar to the population from which it was drawn, (i.e., American elementary school teachers). However, white women were slightly overrepresented in our sample. Correlational results suggest that teacher attachment insecurity is associated with poorer classroom management efficacy as indexed by students’ disruptive behavior and teachers’ response effectiveness. Attachment anxiety was a much stronger predictor of adverse student behaviors and ineffective teacher responses to adverse behaviors than attachment avoidance. Mindfulness, emotion regulation abilities, and years of teaching experience predicted positive classroom management outcomes. Attachment insecurity and mindfulness were more strongly related to frequent adverse student behaviors, while emotion regulation abilities were more strongly related to teachers’ response effectiveness. The teaching experience was negatively related to attachment insecurity and positively related to mindfulness and emotion regulation abilities. Although the data were cross-sectional, path analyses revealed that attachment insecurity is directly related to classroom management efficacy. Through two routes, this relationship is further mediated by emotion regulation and mindfulness in teachers. The first route of indirect effect suggests double mediation by teacher’s emotion regulation and then teacher mindfulness in the relationship between teacher attachment insecurity and classroom management efficacy. The second indirect effect suggests mindfulness directly mediated the relationship between attachment insecurity and classroom management efficacy, resulting in improved model fit statistics. However, this indirect effect is much smaller than the double mediation route through emotion regulation and mindfulness in teachers. Given the significant predication of teacher attachment insecurity, mindfulness, and emotion regulation on teachers’ classroom management efficacy both directly and indirectly, the authors recommend improving teachers’ classroom management efficacy via a three-pronged approach aiming at enhancing teachers’ secure attachment and supporting their learning adaptive emotion regulation strategies and mindfulness techniques.

Keywords: Classroom management efficacy, student behavior, teacher attachment, teacher emotion regulation, teacher mindfulness

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9211 Competencies of a Commercial Grain Farmer: A Classic Grounded Theory Approach

Authors: Thapelo Jacob Moloi

Abstract:

This paper purports to present the findings in relation to the competencies of commercial grain farmers using a classic grounded theory method. A total of about eighteen semi-structured interviews with farmers, former farmers, farm workers, and agriculture experts were conducted. Findings explored competencies in the form of skills, knowledge and personal attributes that commercial grain farmers possess. Skills range from production skills, financial management skill, time management skill, human resource management skill, planning skill to mechanical skill. Knowledge ranges from soil preparation, locality, and technology to weather knowledge. The personal attributes that contribute to shaping a commercial grain farmer are so many, but for this study, seven stood out as a passion, work dedication, self-efficacy, humbleness, intelligence, emotional stability, and patience.

Keywords: grain farming, farming competencies, classic grounded theory, competency model

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9210 Management of the Asthma Crisis in the Unit of Intensive Care of the General Hospital of Reference of Kinshasa

Authors: Eddy K. Mukadi

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to provide contributing elements to improve the management of the asthma crisis in the intensive care unit of the General Reference Hospital of Kinshasa. This was a descriptive study of all patients in the intensive care unit presenting with the asthma attack during the period from February 5, 2013 to February 5, 2014. The main data were obtained from consultation registry and medical records. A total of 35 patients, 21 of whom were male (majority) compared to 14 female. Average age of patients was 46.48 plus or minus 16.98 with extremes ranging from 21-75 years. The clinic was dominated by dyspnea in 100% of cases, followed by rales with 91.4% of cases. In spite of the control of the crisis obtained after the treatment with B2 mimetic by inhalation was introduced A 91.5%; 88% corticosteroids; 80% oxygen, the therapeutic principle recommended for the management of asthma attacks was not respected in the majority of cases. This is why we suggest that improving the quality of care to be administered to patients will yield more adequate results.

Keywords: asthma crisis, intensive care, general hospital, Kinshasa

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9209 Major Causes of Delay in Construction Projects

Authors: Y. Gholipour, E. Rezazadeh

Abstract:

Delay is one of the most serious and common problems of construction project that can affect project delivery unfavorably. This research presents the most important causes of delay in large dam projects based on a survey on some executed dam construction in Iran. In this survey a randomly selected samples of owners, consultants and contractors have been involved. The outcome of this survey revealed that scheduled payments, site management, shop drawing review process, unforeseen ground conditions and contractor experience as the most important factors affecting on delay in dam construction projects.

Keywords: delay, dam construction, project management, Iran

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9208 Economic and Environmental Assessment of Heat Recovery in Beer and Spirit Production

Authors: Isabel Schestak, Jan Spriet, David Styles, Prysor Williams

Abstract:

Breweries and distilleries are well-known for their high water usage. The water consumption in a UK brewery to produce one litre of beer reportedly ranges from 3-9 L and in a distillery from 7-45 L to produce a litre of spirit. This includes product water such as mashing water, but also water for wort and distillate cooling and for cleaning of tanks, casks, and kegs. When cooling towers are used, cooling water can be the dominating water consumption in a brewery or distillery. Interlinked to the high water use is a substantial heating requirement for mashing, wort boiling, or distillation, typically met by fossil fuel combustion such as gasoil. Many water and waste water streams are leaving the processes hot, such as the returning cooling water or the pot ales. Therefore, several options exist to optimise water and energy efficiency of spirit production through heat recovery. Although these options are known in the sector, they are often not applied in practice due to planning efforts or financial obstacles. In this study, different possibilities and design options for heat recovery systems are explored in four breweries/distilleries in the UK and assessed from an economic but also environmental point of view. The eco-efficiency methodology, according to ISO 14045, is applied to combine both assessment criteria to determine the optimum solution for heat recovery application in practice. The economic evaluation is based on the total value added (TVA) while the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology is applied to account for the environmental impacts through the installations required for heat recovery. The four case study businesses differ in a) production scale with mashing volumes ranging from 2500 to 40,000 L, in b) terms of heating and cooling technology used, and in c) the extent to which heat recovery is/is not applied. This enables the evaluation of different cases for heat recovery based on empirical data. The analysis provides guidelines for practitioners in the brewing and distilling sector in and outside the UK for the realisation of heat recovery measures. Financial and environmental payback times are showcased for heat recovery systems in the four distilleries which are operating at different production scales. The results are expected to encourage the application of heat recovery where environmentally and economically beneficial and ultimately contribute to a reduction of the water and energy footprint in brewing and distilling businesses.

Keywords: brewery, distillery, eco-efficiency, heat recovery from process and waste water, life cycle assessment

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9207 Final Account Closing in Construction Project: The Use of Supply Chain Management to Reduce the Delays

Authors: Zarabizan Zakaria, Syuhaida Ismail, Aminah Md. Yusof

Abstract:

Project management process starts from the planning stage up to the stage of completion (handover of buildings, preparation of the final accounts and the closing balance). This process is not easy to implement efficiently and effectively. The issue of delays in construction is a major problem for construction projects. These delays have been blamed mainly on inefficient traditional construction practices that continue to dominate the current industry. This is due to several factors, such as environments of construction technology, sophisticated design and customer demands that are constantly changing and influencing, either directly or indirectly, the practice of management. Among the identified influences are physical environment, social environment, information environment, political and moral atmosphere. Therefore, this paper is emerged to determine the problem and issues in the final account closing in construction projects, and it establishes the need to embrace Supply Chain Management (SCM) and then elucidates the need and strategies for the development of a delay reduction framework. At the same time, this paper provides effective measures to avoid or at least reduce the delay to the optimum level. Allowing problems in the closure declaration to occur without proper monitoring and control can leave negative impact on the cost and time of delivery to the end user. Besides, it can also affect the reputation or image of the agency/department that manages the implementation of a contract and consequently may reduce customer's trust towards the agencies/departments. It is anticipated that the findings reported in this paper could address root delay contributors and apply SCM tools for their mitigation for the better development of construction project.

Keywords: final account closing, construction project, construction delay, supply chain management

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9206 Cross-Sectional Analysis of Sustainability Activities in the Pharmaceutical Companies

Authors: Kanika Saxena, Sunita Balani

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Purpose - The aim of the study is to compare the reported sustainability activities in areas of emission, water management and gender equality, currently undertaken by the seven major pharmaceutical companies. Methodology: The published corporate sustainability activity reports for the year 2017 for seven pharmaceutical companies have been studied. The two main criteria for the inclusion of pharmaceutical companies in this study are that they are globally recognized and active in the field of sustainability reporting. Company’s actions and initiatives have been grouped under three categories: (i) Emissions (ii) Water management (iii) Gender Equality in terms of employee workforce. Findings: Based on the sustainability reports, quantification and grading of the companies showed interesting results. Johnson & Johnson and Bayer are leading their activities under emissions and water management categories. The number of activities under emission and water management in case of Eli Lily, Roche, Sanofi, Pfizer and GlaxoSmithKline were 19, 16, 16, 11 and 6 respectively. Johnson & Johnson and Eli Lily are leading in taking the initiatives to curb the problem of emissions as compared with other 5 companies. Under the category of gender equality in terms of employee workforce, Eli Lily is leading the group of sampled companies with 47% of women employee workforce globally followed by Sanofi with 46.2% (42.2% of managers) female employees. It has also been observed that in some of the reports, gender diversification in the workforce has not been mentioned though the total number of employees were mentioned. Conclusion: This study could serve as the informative material for future in-depth industry-specific studies in order to find out the participation of the pharmaceutical companies in the reporting of the sustainability activities especially in reference to emission, water management and gender equality in the workforce. In addition to it, this can be helpful as a reference point for other companies in the pharmaceutical sector who are yet to explore the field of sustainability initiatives and reporting. Due to the limited scope of this study, only seven major players of the pharmaceutical sector who are active in the field of sustainability have been considered.

Keywords: emission, gender equality workforce, pharmaceutical, sustainability, water management

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9205 Automated Prepaid Billing Subscription System

Authors: Adekunle K. O, Adeniyi A. E, Kolawole E

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One of the most dramatic trends in the communications market in recent years has been the growth of prepaid services. Today, prepaid no longer constitutes the low-revenue, basic-service segment. It is driven by a high margin, value-add service customers who view it as a convenient way of retaining control over their usage and communication spending while expecting high service levels. To service providers, prepaid services offer the advantage of reducing bad accounts while allowing them to predict usage and plan network resources. Yet, the real-time demands of prepaid services require a scalable, real-time platform to manage customers through their entire life cycle. It delivers integrated real-time rating, voucher management, recharge management, customer care and service provisioning for the generation of new prepaid services. It carries high scalability that can handle millions of prepaid customers in real-time through their entire life cycle.

Keywords: prepaid billing, voucher management, customers, automated, security

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9204 Alkali Activated Materials Based on Natural Clay from Raciszyn

Authors: Michal Lach, Maria Hebdowska-Krupa, Justyna Stefanek, Artur Stanek, Anna Stefanska, Janusz Mikula, Marek Hebda

Abstract:

Limited resources of raw materials determine the necessity of obtaining materials from other sources. In this area, the most known and widespread are recycling processes, which are mainly focused on the reuse of material. Another possible solution used in various companies to achieve improvement in sustainable development is waste-free production. It involves the production exclusively from such materials, whose waste is included in the group of renewable raw materials. This means that they can: (i) be recycled directly during the manufacturing process of further products or (ii) be raw material obtained by other companies for the production of alternative products. The article presents the possibility of using post-production clay from the Jurassic limestone deposit "Raciszyn II" as a raw material for the production of alkali activated materials (AAM). Such products are currently increasingly used, mostly in various building applications. However, their final properties depend significantly on many factors; the most important of them are: chemical composition of the raw material, particle size, specific surface area, type and concentration of the activator and the temperature range of the heat treatment. Conducted mineralogical and chemical analyzes of clay from the “Raciszyn II” deposit confirmed that this material, due to its high content of aluminosilicates, can be used as raw material for the production of AAM. In order to obtain the product with the best properties, the optimization of the clay calcining process was also carried out. Based on the obtained results, it was found that this process should occur in the range between 750 oC and 800 oC. The use of a lower temperature causes getting a raw material with low metakaolin content which is the main component of materials suitable for alkaline activation processes. On the other hand, higher heat treatment temperatures cause thermal dissociation of large amounts of calcite, which is associated with the release of large amounts of CO2 and the formation of calcium oxide. This compound significantly accelerates the binding process, which consequently often prevents the correct formation of geopolymer mass. The effect of the use of various activators: (i) NaOH, (ii) KOH and (iii) a mixture of KOH to NaOH in a ratio of 10%, 25% and 50% by volume on the compressive strength of the AAM was also analyzed. Obtained results depending on the activator used were in the range from 25 MPa to 40 MPa. These values are comparable with the results obtained for materials produced on the basis of Portland cement, which is one of the most popular building materials.

Keywords: alkaline activation, aluminosilicates, calcination, compressive strength

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9203 Properties of Sustainable Artificial Lightweight Aggregate

Authors: Wasan Ismail Khalil, Hisham Khalid Ahmed, Zainab Ali

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Structural Lightweight Aggregate Concrete (SLWAC) has been developed in recent years because it reduces the dead load, cost, thermal conductivity and coefficient of thermal expansion of the structure. So SLWAC has the advantage of being a relatively green building material. Lightweight Aggregate (LWA) is either occurs as natural material such as pumice, scoria, etc. or as artificial material produced from different raw materials such as expanded shale, clay, slate, etc. The use of SLWAC in Iraq is limited due to the lack in natural LWA. The existence of Iraqi clay deposit with different types and characteristics leads to the idea of producing artificial expanded clay aggregate. The main aim in this work is to present of the properties of artificial LWA produced in the laboratory. Available local bentonite clay which occurs in the Western region of Iraq was used as raw material to produce the LWA. Sodium silicate as liquid industrial waste material from glass plant was mixed with bentonite clay in mix proportion 1:1 by weight. The manufacturing method of the lightweight aggregate including, preparation and mixing of clay and sodium silicate, burning of the mixture in the furnace at the temperature between 750-800˚C for two hours, and finally gradually cooling process. The produced LWA was then crushed to small pieces then screened on standard sieve series and prepared with grading which conforms to the specifications of LWA. The maximum aggregate size used in this investigation is 10 mm. The chemical composition and the physical properties of the produced LWA are investigated. The results indicate that the specific gravity of the produced LWA is 1.5 with the density of 543kg/m3 and water absorption of 20.7% which is in conformity with the international standard of LWA. Many trail mixes were carried out in order to produce LWAC containing the artificial LWA produced in this research. The selected mix proportion is 1:1.5:2 (cement: sand: aggregate) by weight with water to cement ratio of 0.45. The experimental results show that LWAC has oven dry density of 1720 kg/m3, water absorption of 8.5%, the thermal conductivity of 0.723 W/m.K and compressive strength of 23 N/mm2. The SLWAC produced in this research can be used in the construction of different thermal insulated buildings and masonry units. It can be concluded that the SLWA produced in this study contributes to sustainable development by, using industrial waste materials, conserving energy, enhancing the thermal and structural efficiency of concrete.

Keywords: expanded clay, lightweight aggregate, structural lightweight aggregate concrete, sustainable

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9202 Urban Corridor Management Strategy Based on Intelligent Transportation System

Authors: Sourabh Jain, Sukhvir Singh Jain, Gaurav V. Jain

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Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) is the application of technology for developing a user–friendly transportation system for urban areas in developing countries. The goal of urban corridor management using ITS in road transport is to achieve improvements in mobility, safety, and the productivity of the transportation system within the available facilities through the integrated application of advanced monitoring, communications, computer, display, and control process technologies, both in the vehicle and on the road. This paper attempts to present the past studies regarding several ITS available that have been successfully deployed in urban corridors of India and abroad, and to know about the current scenario and the methodology considered for planning, design, and operation of Traffic Management Systems. This paper also presents the endeavor that was made to interpret and figure out the performance of the 27.4 Km long study corridor having eight intersections and four flyovers. The corridor consisting of 6 lanes as well as 8 lanes divided road network. Two categories of data were collected on February 2016 such as traffic data (traffic volume, spot speed, delay) and road characteristics data (no. of lanes, lane width, bus stops, mid-block sections, intersections, flyovers). The instruments used for collecting the data were video camera, radar gun, mobile GPS and stopwatch. From analysis, the performance interpretations incorporated were identification of peak hours and off peak hours, congestion and level of service (LOS) at mid blocks, delay followed by the plotting speed contours and recommending urban corridor management strategies. From the analysis, it is found that ITS based urban corridor management strategies will be useful to reduce congestion, fuel consumption and pollution so as to provide comfort and efficiency to the users. The paper presented urban corridor management strategies based on sensors incorporated in both vehicles and on the roads.

Keywords: congestion, ITS strategies, mobility, safety

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9201 Project Management at University: Towards an Evaluation Process around Cooperative Learning

Authors: J. L. Andrade-Pineda, J.M. León-Blanco, M. Calle, P. L. González-R

Abstract:

The enrollment in current Master's degree programs usually pursues gaining the expertise required in real-life workplaces. The experience we present here concerns the learning process of "Project Management Methodology (PMM)", around a cooperative/collaborative mechanism aimed at affording students measurable learning goals and providing the teacher with the ability of focusing on the weaknesses detected. We have designed a mixed summative/formative evaluation, which assures curriculum engage while enriches the comprehension of PMM key concepts. In this experience we converted the students into active actors in the evaluation process itself and we endowed ourselves as teachers with a flexible process in which along with qualifications (score), other attitudinal feedback arises. Despite the high level of self-affirmation on their discussion within the interactive assessment sessions, they ultimately have exhibited a great ability to review and correct the wrong reasoning when that was the case.

Keywords: cooperative-collaborative learning, educational management, formative-summative assessment, leadership training

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9200 A Framework for Green Use and Disposal of Information Communication Technology Devices

Authors: Frezer Alem Kebede

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The notion of viewing ICT as merely support for the business process has shifted towards viewing ICT as a critical business enabler. As such, the need for ICT devices has increased, contributing to high electronic equipment acquisition and disposal. Hence, its use and disposal must be seen in light of environmental sustainability, i.e., in terms of green use and disposal. However, there are limited studies on green Use and Disposal framework to be used as guiding lens by organizations in developing countries. And this study endeavors to address that need taking one of the largest multinational ICT intensive company in the country. The design and development of this framework passed through several stages, initially factors affecting green use and disposal were identified after quantitative and qualitative data analysis then there were multiple brainstorming sessions for the design enhancement as participative modelling was employed. Given the difference in scope and magnitude of the challenges identified, the proposed framework approaches green use and disposal in four imperatives; strategically, tactically, operationally and through continuous improvement.

Keywords: energy efficiency, green disposal, green ICT, green use, green use and disposal framework, sustainability

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9199 Hybrid Control Strategy for Nine-Level Asymmetrical Cascaded H-Bridge Inverter

Authors: Bachir Belmadani, Rachid Taleb, M’hamed Helaimi

Abstract:

Multilevel inverters are well used in high power electronic applications because of their ability to generate a very good quality of waveforms, reducing switching frequency, and their low voltage stress across the power devices. This paper presents the hybrid pulse-width modulation (HPWM) strategy of a uniform step asymmetrical cascaded H-bridge nine-level Inverter (USACHB9LI). The HPWM approach is compared to the well-known sinusoidal pulse-width modulation (SPWM) strategy. Simulation results demonstrate the better performances and technical advantages of the HPWM controller in feeding a high power induction motor.

Keywords: uniform step asymmetrical cascaded h-bridge high-level inverter, hybrid pwm, sinusoidal pwm, high power induction motor

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9198 Fermentation of Tolypocladium inflatum to Produce Cyclosporin in Dairy Waste Culture Medium

Authors: Fereshteh Falah, Alireza Vasiee, Farideh Tabatabaei-Yazdi

Abstract:

In this research, we investigated the usage of dairy sludge in the fermentation process and cyclosporin production. This bioactive compound is a metabolite produced by Tolypocladium inflatum. Results showed that about 200 ppm of cyclosporin can be produced in this fermentation. In order to have a proper and specific function, CyA must be free of any impurities, so we need purification. In this downstream processing, we used chromatographic extraction and evaluation of pharmacological activities of cyA. Results showed that the obtained metabolite has very high activity against Aspergilus niger (25mm clear zone). This cyclosporin was isolated for use as an antibiotic. The current research shows that this drug is very vital and commercially very important.

Keywords: fermentation, cyclosporin A, Tolypocladium inflatum, TLC

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9197 Improving Contributions to the Strengthening of the Legislation Regarding Road Infrastructure Safety Management in Romania, Case Study: Comparison Between the Initial Regulations and the Clarity of the Current Regulations - Trends Regarding the Efficiency

Authors: Corneliu-Ioan Dimitriu, Gheorghe Frățilă

Abstract:

Romania and Bulgaria have high rates of road deaths per million inhabitants. Directive (EU) 2019/1936, known as the RISM Directive, has been transposed into national law by each Member State. The research focuses on the amendments made to Romanian legislation through Government Ordinance no. 3/2022, which aims to improve road safety management on infrastructure. The aim of the research is two-fold: to sensitize the Romanian Government and decision-making entities to develop an integrated and competitive management system and to establish a safe and proactive mobility system that ensures efficient and safe roads. The research includes a critical analysis of European and Romanian legislation, as well as subsequent normative acts related to road infrastructure safety management. Public data from European Union and national authorities, as well as data from the Romanian Road Authority-ARR and Traffic Police database, are utilized. The research methodology involves comparative analysis, criterion analysis, SWOT analysis, and the use of GANTT and WBS diagrams. The Excel tool is employed to process the road accident databases of Romania and Bulgaria. Collaboration with Bulgarian specialists is established to identify common road infrastructure safety issues. The research concludes that the legislative changes have resulted in a relaxation of road safety management in Romania, leading to decreased control over certain management procedures. The amendments to primary and secondary legislation do not meet the current safety requirements for road infrastructure. The research highlights the need for legislative changes and strengthened administrative capacity to enhance road safety. Regional cooperation and the exchange of best practices are emphasized for effective road infrastructure safety management. The research contributes to the theoretical understanding of road infrastructure safety management by analyzing legislative changes and their impact on safety measures. It highlights the importance of an integrated and proactive approach in reducing road accidents and achieving the "zero deaths" objective set by the European Union. Data collection involves accessing public data from relevant authorities and using information from the Romanian Road Authority-ARR and Traffic Police database. Analysis procedures include critical analysis of legislation, comparative analysis of transpositions, criterion analysis, and the use of various diagrams and tools such as SWOT, GANTT, WBS, and Excel. The research addresses the effectiveness of legislative changes in road infrastructure safety management in Romania and the impact on control over management procedures. It also explores the need for strengthened administrative capacity and regional cooperation in addressing road safety issues. The research concludes that the legislative changes made in Romania have not strengthened road safety management and emphasize the need for immediate action, legislative amendments, and enhanced administrative capacity. Collaboration with Bulgarian specialists and the exchange of best practices are recommended for effective road infrastructure safety management. The research contributes to the theoretical understanding of road safety management and provides valuable insights for policymakers and decision-makers in Romania.

Keywords: management, road infrastructure safety, legislation, amendments, collaboration

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9196 Summary of the Actual Conditions of SME Management Consultants

Authors: Takao Maeda, Tomofumi Tohara, Shigeaki Mishima

Abstract:

Focusing on the “SME management consultants” in Japan, this study intends (1) to clarify implications as to their self-actualization, motivation and (2) to revitalize SMEs, on which local economies depend. On the basis of these study purposes, the presenters conducted an interview survey of several SME management consultants and SME managers. This survey identified the current circumstances and challenges as follow: SME management consultants are high-level professionals who acquired very difficult national qualifications (examination pass rate 4%) to provide consultation and business analysis for SMEs. Nevertheless, only 20% of the qualified consultants run their business independently, while the rest (80%) are corporate employees as in-house consultants, the majority of whom belong to big companies. They acquired the qualification merely for the purpose of self-development. Therefore, they have few opportunities to demonstrate their expertise inside and outside their companies.On the other hand, the SMEs, which are to receive analysis and consultation from SME management consultants, constitute 99.7% of all industries, and are very important to local communities, for they sustain the economy and provide employment. SMEs used to be supported by the consultants in company management due to their scarce managerial resources compared with big companies. Nowadays, however, SMEs are regarded as the source of Japanese economic dynamism. To have the same degree of managerial skills as big companies, therefore, SMEs now need analysis and consultation by the consultants in more active ways, such as discovering and utilizing their dormant technologies. Partly because SME management consultants have not been fully utilized in Japan, the number of SMEs has been on a long-term downward trend since 1986. Utilizing expertise of the in-house consultants, who have rich experience in their big companies and deep knowledge regarding SMEs obtained through qualification, will potentially lead to revitalization of SMEs and consequently to economic growth in Japan. Through detailed analysis of the interview results, this study revealed short-term and long-term challenges regarding how to utilize SME management consultants. The most urgent issue is to study managerial approaches that will provide the consultants serving in big companies with more “opportunities to demonstrate their expertise.” The long-term issue is to enable the consultants to demonstrate their expertise in financial institutions, or financial supporter of SMEs, to examine farsighted and innovative financing strategy and criteria based on managers’ personalities and their business plans, instead of the conventional financing based on prompt fund collection.

Keywords: small and medium enterprise(SME), SME managemant consultant, self-actualization, motivation

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9195 Influence Activities in Destination, Destination Marketing, and Loyalty through Environmental Preservation toward Satisfaction at the Tourist Destinations in East Java, Indonesia

Authors: Christina Esti Susanti

Abstract:

This study aimed to determine the effect Activities in marketing, Destination Marketing, and Environmental preservation loyalty through satisfaction at tourist destination in East Java, Indonesia. In this study population used is Surabaya citizens who had visited tourist destination in East Java, Indonesia. Characteristics of a sample of respondents in this study are: a minimum age of 17 years, and ever came in tourist destination in East Java, Indonesia with each destination more than 1 visits. Total sample 316 respondents. Data analysis tools which is used in this study is a structural equation modeling. Based on the analysis, the results of this study can be concluded that the hypothesis 1, 2, 5, and 6 are proposed in this study was rejected because not significant. The hypotheses are: (1) Activities in destination have influence which is positive effect on satisfaction in the tourist destination in East Java, Indonesia, (2) Destination marketing have influence which is positive effect on satisfaction in the tourist destination in East Java, Indonesia, (3) Activities in destination have influence which is positive effect towards loyalty through satisfaction in a tourist destination in East Java, Indonesia. (4) Destination marketing have influence which is positive effect on loyalty through satisfaction in a tourist destination in East Java, Indonesia. While the hypothesis 3, 4, and 7, is received. The hypotheses are: (1) Environmental preservation have influence which is positive effect and significant on satisfaction in the tourist destination in East Java, Indonesia. (2) Satisfaction have influence which is positive effect and significant on loyalty to the tourist destination in East Java, Indonesia. (3) Environmental preservation have influence which is positive effect and significant on loyalty through satisfaction in a tourist destination in East Java, Indonesia. Practical advice submitted to the management of tourist destinations, especially in the 10 areas where research was conducted for more attention to the condition of the physical environment to be around tourist spots / attractions, namely: the condition of roads, water supply conditions, the condition of drainage / sanitation, and the condition waste more seriously. Based on the proposal, the manager of a tourist destination seems to be working closely with the local municipal sanitation departments, local water companies local city and town local public works departments to jointly manage a tourist destination considering regional tourism is one of the region's assets and become one sources of local revenue (PAD) is vital.

Keywords: activities in marketing, destination amarketing, environmental preservation, satisfaction, loyalty

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9194 Status of Hospitality and Tourism Management Progam of Selected Private Higher Education Institutions: Basis for Internationalization

Authors: Ruth Estrada Javier - Reyes

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The study assessed the status of HTM program of selected private higher education institutions for internationalization across the eleven regions of the country. The descriptive survey method of research was used in this study. A devised survey questionnaire was utilized to gather information about the status of Philippine Higher Education Institutions’ internationalization of hospitality and tourism management education programs. The respondents were 12 administrators, 17 deans and program heads, 104 faculty members and 860 HTM students. Frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test and F-test were used to treat the data. The results of the study are as follows: HEIs’ HTM education had complied with the policies/standards of CHED as per CMO No. 30 S. 2006. The respondents of the HTM education program were qualified for internationalization as assessed both by administrators and faculty. The private HEIs are ready to apply for international certification of their HTM education programs. The curriculum of HTM education programs in private HEIs are enriched by internationalization requirements. The administrators and faculty of HTM education programs are qualified educators but have limited participation in collaborative international research and linkages. The HEIs are qualified to apply for the internationalization of the Hospitality and Tourism Management education program in preparation to the ASEAN 2015.

Keywords: status, Hospitality and Tourism Management Program, internationalization, Private Higher Education Institutions

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9193 GenAI Agents in Product Management: A Case Study from the Manufacturing Sector

Authors: Aron Witkowski, Andrzej Wodecki

Abstract:

Purpose: This study aims to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of utilizing Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) agents as product managers within the manufacturing sector. It seeks to evaluate whether current GenAI capabilities can fulfill the complex requirements of product management and deliver comparable outcomes to human counterparts. Study Design/Methodology/Approach: This research involved the creation of a support application for product managers, utilizing high-quality sources on product management and generative AI technologies. The application was designed to assist in various aspects of product management tasks. To evaluate its effectiveness, a study was conducted involving 10 experienced product managers from the manufacturing sector. These professionals were tasked with using the application and providing feedback on the tool's responses to common questions and challenges they encounter in their daily work. The study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative assessments of the tool's performance with qualitative interviews to gather detailed insights into the user experience and perceived value of the application. Findings: The findings reveal that GenAI-based product management agents exhibit significant potential in handling routine tasks, data analysis, and predictive modeling. However, there are notable limitations in areas requiring nuanced decision-making, creativity, and complex stakeholder interactions. The case study demonstrates that while GenAI can augment human capabilities, it is not yet fully equipped to independently manage the holistic responsibilities of a product manager in the manufacturing sector. Originality/Value: This research provides an analysis of GenAI's role in product management within the manufacturing industry, contributing to the limited body of literature on the application of GenAI agents in this domain. It offers practical insights into the current capabilities and limitations of GenAI, helping organizations make informed decisions about integrating AI into their product management strategies. Implications for Academic and Practical Fields: For academia, the study suggests new avenues for research in AI-human collaboration and the development of advanced AI systems capable of higher-level managerial functions. Practically, it provides industry professionals with a nuanced understanding of how GenAI can be leveraged to enhance product management, guiding investments in AI technologies and training programs to bridge identified gaps.

Keywords: generative artificial intelligence, GenAI, NPD, new product development, product management, manufacturing

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9192 Developing a Multiagent-Based Decision Support System for Realtime Multi-Risk Disaster Management

Authors: D. Moser, D. Pinto, A. Cipriano

Abstract:

A Disaster Management System (DMS) for countries with different disasters is very important. In the world different disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruption, fire or other natural or man-made disasters occurs and have an effect on the population. It is also possible that two or more disasters arisen at the same time, this means to handle multi-risk situations. To handle such a situation a Decision Support System (DSS) based on multiagents is a suitable architecture. The most known DMSs deal with one (in the case of an earthquake-tsunami combination with two) disaster and often with one particular disaster. Nevertheless, a DSS helps for a better realtime response. Analyze the existing systems in the literature and expand them for multi-risk disasters to construct a well-organized system is the proposal of our work. The here shown work is an approach of a multi-risk system, which needs an architecture, and well-defined aims. In this moment our study is a kind of case study to analyze the way we have to follow to create our proposed system in the future.

Keywords: decision support system, disaster management system, multi-risk, multiagent system

Procedia PDF Downloads 410