Search results for: Japanese lodging industry

Authors: Thandokazi Nyangiwe, Christopher Amoah, Charles P. Mukumba

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The South African construction sector is threatened by emerging black business forums called construction mafias. The emergence of the construction mafia has culminated in the disruptions and abandonment of construction sites resulting in the loss of jobs for construction workers. The paper examines the origin of construction mafias and their impact on the construction sector, including the potential ways to cope with their operations. A qualitative research approach was adopted for this study using open-ended interview questions to gather information from 30 key construction industry stakeholders, including contractors, subcontractors, consultants, and the construction project communities. Content and thematic analysis were used to analyse the data collected. The findings suggest that most participants do not fully understand the existence and operations of construction mafias in the construction industry. Construction mafias claim to be part of the local business forums. They disrupt construction projects and demand a certain amount, usually 30% of the construction value. Construction mafias frequently resort to intimidation and violence if their demands are unmet. Their operations have resulted in delayed completion of construction projects, abandonment of projects, and loss of income for the contractor and jobs for the construction workers. The interviews were limited to construction stakeholders. Because of the nature of the mafias’ operations, they could not be accessed for interviews for fear of being identified because of the connotation attached to their role as construction mafias. Construction project owners face disruptions of projects resulting in loss of equipment, materials, and income. Therefore, there is a need to sensitise the construction stakeholders in the construction industry regarding the existence and operations of the construction mafia and the implications on construction project performance and delivery. The findings will give insight into the operations of the construction mafias in the South African construction industry, which has caused disruptions in construction project sites. Stakeholders must find solutions to address the construction mafias’ disruptive actions on construction projects. The study presents an initial inquiry that will come up with how to manage and cope with the growing operations of construction mafias in the South African construction industry.

Keywords: black business forums, construction mafia, emergence, implication

Procedia PDF Downloads 134

Authors: Franklin Nantui Mabe, Samuel A. Donkoh, Seidu Al-Hassan

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Rice yields among agro-ecological zones are heterogeneous. Farmers, researchers and policy makers are making frantic efforts to bridge rice yield gaps between agro-ecological zones through the promotion of improved agricultural technologies (IATs). Farmers are also modifying these IATs and blending them with indigenous farming practices (IFPs) to form farmer innovation systems (FISs). Also, different metafrontier models have been used in estimating productivity performances and their drivers. This study used the two-step stochastic metafrontier model to estimate the productivity performances of rice farmers and their determining factors in GSZ, FSTZ and CSZ. The study used both primary and secondary data. Farmers in CSZ are the most technically efficient. Technical inefficiencies of farmers are negatively influenced by age, sex, household size, education years, extension visits, contract farming, access to improved seeds, access to irrigation, high rainfall amount, less lodging of rice, and well-coordinated and synergized adoption of technologies. Albeit farmers in CSZ are doing well in terms of rice yield, they still have the highest potential of increasing rice yield since they had the lowest TGR. It is recommended that government through the ministry of food and agriculture, development partners and individual private companies promote the adoption of IATs as well as educate farmers on how to coordinate and synergize the adoption of the whole package. Contract farming concept and agricultural extension intensification should be vigorously pursued to the latter.

Keywords: efficiency, farmer innovation systems, improved agricultural technologies, two-step stochastic metafrontier approach

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Authors: Peter Kress, Alexander Pflaum, Ulrich Loewen

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The number of Internet-of-Things (IoT) platforms is steadily increasing across various industries, especially for smart factories, smart homes and smart mobility. Also in the manufacturing industry, the number of Industrial-IoT platforms is growing. Both IT players, start-ups and increasingly also established industry players and small-and-medium-enterprises introduce offerings for the connection of industrial equipment on platforms, enabled by advanced information and communication technology. Beside the offered functionalities, the established ecosystem of partners around a platform is one of the key differentiators to generate a competitive advantage. The key question is how platform operators design the business model around their platform to attract a high number of customers and partners to co-create value for the entire ecosystem. The present research tries to answer this question by determining the key characteristics of business models of successful platforms in the manufacturing industry. To achieve that, the authors selected an explorative qualitative research approach and created an inductive comparative case study. The authors generated valuable descriptive insights of the business model elements (e.g., value proposition, pricing model or partnering model) of various established platforms. Furthermore, patterns across the various cases were identified to derive propositions for the successful design of business models of platforms in the manufacturing industry.

Keywords: industrial-internet-of-things, business models, platforms, ecosystems, case study

Procedia PDF Downloads 243

Authors: A. R. Anwar

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The development of discrimination case which is now extended to the issue of female workers dress code in the hotel industry seen as a challenging topic and a solution is needed. Discrimination generally gives a negative impact on the victim and has a direct impact on female workers if it involves the issue of this dress code. Hence it is not appropriate if these genders are subjected to discrimination that prohibits them from wearing a hijab and required to wear a short skirt during working hours. On this basis, this study discusses the major problems pertaining to dress code faced by female workers in the Malaysian hotel industry. An interview with qualified parties from human resource department in each selected hotels has been conducted in which later generated the findings and supported by materials that obtained from libraries, archives and other databases. Through the research findings, several recommendations were introduced to reduce and eliminate the discrimination issue in Malaysian working sector particularly in the hotel industry in order to achieve the equality among men and women in the workplace.

Keywords: discrimination, dress code in the hotel, impact on female workers, equality

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Authors: John Akinwumi Makinde

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Nigerian manufacturing industry, particularly the fast moving consumer producing firms play vital roles in Nigerian economy. This sector’s product acceptability is given very little attention along with social media advertising that communicate product information to audience across the globe need to be documented. Procter and Gamble Plc operate in Nigeria with appreciable number of fast moving consumer goods that service Nigerian economy. Social media advertising disposition of the company and product acceptability of the company deserve some elucidations. This study therefore examined the impact of social media advertising on product acceptability of FMCG in Nigerian manufacturing industry, using Procter and Gamble Plc as case study. The study employed the case study type of descriptive survey research design. The population consisted of 235 customers of G&P Plc, which were selected through random sampling method. A total of 235 copies of questionnaires titled 'Social Media Advertising and Product Acceptability (SMA-PA) Questionnaire' was administered and retrieved. Data generated were analysed using frequency distribution and regression analysis at 0.05 level. It was found that social media advertising positively and significantly motivated customers to buy product of P&G Plc (r =.147**, N= 235, p(.000) < .01). Findings also showed that social media advertising has significant impact on product acceptability of FCMG in P&G Plc (F(2,61)=22.250; R2=.629; P(.000) < .05). The study concluded that social media advertising is a determinant factor of consumer decision to accept fast moving consumer goods in Nigerian manufacturing industry. It is recommended that with the growing market of FMCG, there is need to educate the market with the product unique features, standard and quality on social media. Finally, Fast Moving Consumer Goods firms should deploy excellent marketing mix on social media.

Keywords: advertising, fast moving consumer goods, manufacturing industry, product acceptability, social media

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Authors: Ralph Nyadu-Addo, Francis Matambalya, Utz Dornberger

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The global music industry is a multi-billion dollar sector. The potential of Africa’s music industry is widely recognised in the socio-economic development milieu. It has impacted positively on several sectors including most especially the tourism, media and information, communication technology (ICT) among others. It is becoming increasingly clear that even in Africa (as demonstrated in Nigeria) that in addition to its intrinsic value, the sector has significant economic returns. UNCTAD observed, the creative industries offer some of the best prospects for high growth in least developed countries. The statistics from Africa may be far lower than similar sectors in developed countries but it goes to give further credence to several UNCTAD publications which say the creative industry is under researched and its potential under-estimated but holds the key to its rapid development The emerging creative economy (music in particular) has become a leading component of economic growth, employment, trade, innovation, and social cohesion in many countries. In line with these developments, the Ghana government recognizes the potential that the Creative Industries have to shape and reinforce Ghana’s economic growth. Creative sectors, particularly music, tend to rely less on sophisticated infrastructure or capital-intensive investment. Potential is particularly abundant in Africa, where musical creativity is rich, diverse, well-loved, and constantly evolving while drawing on strong traditions. The development of a popular music industry thus represents low-hanging fruit for most African economies says the World Bank. As we shift towards economic diversification using the creative industry, value is increasingly created at the intersection of arts, business and technology. Cultural and creative entrepreneurs are leading this trend. It is one of the areas where value is captured within the country as emerging trends have shown in Nigeria and Ghana among others. Yet, evidence shows that the potential of the cultural and creative sectors remains largely untapped. Furthermore, its socio-economic impact remains under-researched in many developing countries and its dynamics unknown. Despite its huge influence on music repertoire across the globe, most countries in Africa have not historically been significant markets for the international music industry. Today, that is beginning to change. Generally, reliable and adequate literature about music in the sub-region is difficult to obtain. The growing interests in academia and business cycles about a reliable data on the growing music industry in developing countries have called for an urgent need to undertake this research. Research questions: i. Who are the major stakeholders in the music value chain in Ghana? ii. How much of value is captured domestically iii. What is the economic impact of the Ghanaian music industry iv. How has the advent of ICT (internet) impacted on the music landscape? Research sources will be mainly through interviews of major stakeholders, baseline study of the industry by KPMG and content analysis of related newspapers and magazines.

Keywords: economic impact, information communications technology (ICT), music-industry, value chain

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Authors: Burcu Oralhan, Zeki Oralhan, Nilsun Sariyer, Kumru Uyar

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Data mining has been becoming more and more important and a wide range of applications in recent years. Data mining is the process of find hidden and unknown patterns in big data. One of the applied fields of data mining is Customer Relationship Management. Understanding the relationships between products and customers is crucial for every business. Customer Relationship Management is an approach to focus on customer relationship development, retention and increase on customer satisfaction. In this study, we made an application of a data mining methods in telecommunication customer relationship management side. This study aims to determine the customers profile who likely to leave the system, develop marketing strategies, and customized campaigns for customers. Data are clustered by applying classification techniques for used to determine the churners. As a result of this study, we will obtain knowledge from international telecommunication industry. We will contribute to the understanding and development of this subject in Customer Relationship Management.

Keywords: customer churn analysis, customer relationship management, data mining, telecommunication industry

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Authors: Hasan Topacoglu

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The Meiji Restoration was a chain of events that restored Japan in 1868 and considered as the beginning of Japanese Modernization by many scholars. In 1968, to honor its modern incarnation, Japan celebrated Meiji Centennial as one of the biggest Media Events in the country after the World War II. It was celebrated all around the country throughout the year following with a central event in Tokyo. Meanwhile, Japanese scholars started an opposition movement and claimed that Government was using this event to raise nationalism, pointing at Government’s statement on the meaning of Meiji. Most of the scholars, unfortunately, were hooked into the ideological problem of the Government’s way of planning and evaluated it as a failure. However, scholars missed out an important point that apart from the central event in Tokyo, each city planned its own event and celebrated it on a different date, also with a different theme. For example, Kyoto showed a regional characteristic and focused on Kyoto’s own culture, tradition etc., and highlighted a further past than 100 years. This was mainly because some areas/cities had a different ‘memory’ for Meiji Restoration than Tokyo which was reflected through the way they celebrated Meiji Centennial. On the other hand, 2023 will be the year of Turkish Republic Centennial. A year which will be marked by national and maybe even international events. Although an official committee has not been announced yet, The 2023 Vision, a list of goals has been released by the Government to coincide with the centenary of the Republic of Turkey in 2023 and there are some ongoing projects that are planned to be completed by then. By looking at the content of these projects, it is possible to say that Government is aiming to focus on Modernization through the Centennial. However, some of the projects are already showing some interesting characteristics such as the Istanbul New Airport whose design is inspired by Selimiye Mosque’s Islamic-Ottoman figure. It is true that Turkey and Japan have different historical backgrounds and the timeline of the Meiji Restoration and Foundation of Turkish Republic are different. Therefore, a particular comparison between these two events is not justified. However, they may have more in common than we are up to think because, each country marked the start of a new nation conceived on modern principles. For that reason, it is important to understand the similarities or differences between Meiji Centennial and Turkish Republic Centennial as a media event. This study introduces Meiji Centennial as a media event and analyses opposition movement along with the meaning of Meiji Centennial. Additionally, it explains regional characteristic differences and gives Kyoto as an example. Moreover, it introduces some of the ongoing Centennial projects in Turkey and analyses the meaning of the Turkish Republic Centennial through these projects. Without comparing Japan and Turkey, it explains the case of Japan but the discussion centers on deepening our understanding of Centennial as a Media Event and remarks some important aspects for Turkey’s upcoming Centennial events.

Keywords: media events, Meiji centennial, the 2023 vision, Turkish republic centennial

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Authors: Shazia Ali, Yves Mard, Éric Severin

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To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to have analyzed the impact of a) firm-specific product-market power and b) industry competition on earnings management behavior of European firms in distress versus healthy years while controlling for firm-level characteristics. We predicted a significant relationship between firms’ product market power and earnings management tools and their trade-off under the moderation effect of financial distress. We found that the firm-level market power hereinafter referred to as MP (proxied by the industry-adjusted Lerner Index) is positively associated with both real and accrual earnings management. However, MP is associated with a higher level of real earnings management compared to accrual earnings management in distress years compared to healthy years. On the other hand, industry product market power (representing low competition and proxied by the inverse of the total number of firms in an industry hereinafter referred to as NUMB) and firms product market power (proxied by firm market share hereinafter referred to as MS) are associated with lower inflationary accruals and higher deflationary accruals respectively. On the other hand, they are found to be linked with higher real earnings management in distress versus healthy years. When we divided the sample into small and big firms based on their respective industry-year median total assets, we found that all three measures of industry competition (Industry Median Lerner Index (hereinafter referred to as IMLI), NUMB, and Herfindahl–Hirschman Index (hereinafter referred to as HHI) indicate that small firms in low-competitive industries in financial distress are more likely to inflate their earnings through discretionary accruals. While big firms in this situation are more likely to lower the use of both inflationary and deflationary discretionary accruals as indicated by IMLI and HHI and trade-off accruals earnings management for real earnings management as indicated by NUMB. Moreover, IMLI and HHI did not show any interesting results when we divided the sample based on the firm Lerner Index/Market Power. However, the distressed firms with high market power (MP>industry median) are found to engage in income-decreasing discretionary accruals in low-competitive industries (high NUMB). Whereas firms with low market power in the same industry use downward discretionary accruals but inflate income using real activities (abnCFO). Our findings are robust across alternate measures of discretionary accruals and financial distress, such as the Altman Z-Score. The finding of the study is valuable for accounting standard setters, competition authorities, policymakers, and investors alike to help in informed decision-making.

Keywords: financial distress, earnings management, market competition

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Authors: Anuradha Ranawakage, Nimalashanithi Amarasekara

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Supply chain resilience and sustainability have received great attention from both academia and business professionals since last few decades. However, the relationship between supply chain resilience and sustainability has not been empirically tested in the apparel industry, where both concepts play a crucial role. Thus, this study aims to investigate how supply chain resilience strategies (digital connectivity, inventory and reserve capacity, and collaboration) impact the supply chain sustainability of export-oriented apparel manufacturing companies in Sri Lanka. An online questionnaire was used to collect data on the impact of supply chain resilience strategies on the supply chain sustainability of 99 apparel companies operating in Sri Lanka. This research makes a significant contribution to the field of supply chain management by assessing the impact of supply chain resilience strategies on supply chain sustainability in the context of the developing country, Sri Lanka, where economic crises and the pandemic have had a profound impact on the apparel industry. The findings have important theoretical and managerial implications for maintaining congruence between supply chain resilience and supply chain sustainability in the long run.

Keywords: supply chain resilience, supply chain sustainability, apparel, supply chain

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Authors: Paulina Zavistanaviciute, Vita Krungleviciute, Elena Bartkiene

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Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are microbial supplements that increase the nutritional, therapeutic, and safety value of food and feed. Often LAB strains are incubated in an expensive commercially available de Man-Rogosa-Sharpe (MRS) medium; the cultures are centrifuged, and the cells are washing with sterile water. Potato juice and apple juice industry bio-products are industrial wastes which may constitute a source of digestible nutrients for microorganisms. Due to their low cost and good chemical composition, potato juice and apple juice production bio- products could have a potential application in LAB encapsulation. In this study, pure LAB (P. acidilactici and P. pentosaceus) were multiplied in a crushed potato juice and apple juice industry bio-products medium. Before using, bio-products were sterilized and filtered. No additives were added to mass, except apple juice industry bioproducts were diluted with sterile water (1/5; v/v). The tap of sterilised mass, and LAB cell suspension (5 mL), containing of 8.9 log10 colony-forming units (cfu) per mL of the P. acidilactici and P. pentosaceus was used to multiply the LAB for 72 h. The final colony number in the potato juice and apple juice bio- products substrate was on average 9.60 log10 cfu/g. In order to stabilize the LAB, several methods of dehydration have been tested: lyophilisation (MilrockKieffer Lane, Kingston, USA) and dehydration in spray drying system (SD-06, Keison, Great Britain). Into the spray drying system multiplied LAB in a crushed potato juice and apple juice bio-products medium was injected in peristaltic way (inlet temperature +60 °C, inlet air temperature +150° C, outgoing air temperature +80 °C, air flow 200 m3/h). After lyophilisation (-48 °C) and spray drying (+150 °C) the viable cell concentration in the fermented potato juice powder was 9.18 ± 0.09 log10 cfu/g and 9.04 ± 0.07 log10 cfu/g, respectively, and in apple mass powder 8.03 ± 0.04 log10 cfu/g and 7.03 ± 0.03 log10 cfu/g, respectively. Results indicated that during the storage (after 12 months) at room temperature (22 +/- 2 ºC) LAB count in dehydrated products was 5.18 log10 cfu/g and 7.00 log10 cfu/g (in spray dried and lyophilized potato juice powder, respectively), and 3.05 log10 cfu/g and 4.10 log10 cfu/g (in spray dried and lyophilized apple juice industry bio-products powder, respectively). According to obtained results, potato juice could be used as alternative substrate for P. acidilactici and P. pentosaceus cultivation, and by drying received powders can be used in food/feed industry as the LAB starters. Therefore, apple juice industry by- products before spray drying and lyophilisation should be modified (i. e. by using different starches) in order to improve its encapsulation.

Keywords: bio-products, encapsulation, lactic acid bacteria, sustainability

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Authors: Masimuddin Mohd Khaled

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From the past couple of years, focus has been done on the quality management theories and has been pertained to various firms. The core quality management theories are Total Quality Management (TQM) and Six Sigma where a number of documents have already been presented regarding these theories. The purpose of this paper is to study in detail about these theories and how the theories are applied in the aerospace industry. A methodical literature review, comparison of TQM and Six Sigma as well as a case study of each has been carried out in this paper thus providing a clear understanding of the theories.

Keywords: total quality management, six sigma, aerospace, research, innovation

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Authors: Ntachobazi bosco

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Tourism Development and Planning in Rwanda: Rwanda, a small landlocked country located in the heart of Africa, has experienced significant growth in its tourism industry in recent years. The country’s stunning natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and warm hospitality have made it an attractive destination for travelers from around the world. However, to ensure sustainable tourism development and planning, the Rwandan government has implemented various strategies and policies to promote responsible tourism practices. Infrastructure Development: To support the growth of the tourism industry, the Rwandan government has invested heavily in infrastructure development. This includes the construction of new hotels, resorts, and lodges, as well as the upgrading of existing facilities. The government has also improved the country’s transportation network, including the construction of new airports and the upgrading of existing ones. Conservation Efforts: Rwanda is home to several national parks and reserves, including the famous Volcanoes National Park, which is known for its mountain gorilla populations. To protect these natural wonders, the Rwandan government has implemented conservation efforts, such as the establishment of protected areas and the development of sustainable tourism practices. Community-Based Tourism: Community-based tourism is a key component of Rwanda’s tourism development strategy. The government has established several community-based tourism programs, which aim to involve local communities in the tourism industry and provide them with economic benefits. These programs include homestays, village tours, and cultural performances. Sustainable Tourism Practices: To promote sustainable tourism practices, the Rwandan government has implemented several initiatives, such as the use of eco-friendly accommodations and the promotion of responsible wildlife viewing practices. The government has also established the Rwanda Tourism Board, which is responsible for promoting and regulating the tourism industry. Challenges and Opportunities: Despite the growth of the tourism industry in Rwanda, several challenges need to be addressed, such as the lack of skilled labor and the need for more infrastructure development. However, there are also several opportunities for the industry, such as the potential for ecotourism and the growth of the meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE) market.

Keywords: tourism, in rwanda, developent, in africa

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Authors: Lameck Zetu Khonje, Mulala Danny Simatele

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The tourism industry in Malawi has grown tremendously during the past twenty-five years. This growth is attributed to the change in the political system which opened doors to international tourist and investment opportunities in the country which previously was under a strict repressive one-party political system. This research paper focuses on the developments that took place in the accommodation sector during the same period and the impact that it has partly caused on an environmental metabolic rift in the country which is now vulnerable to climate change-related catastrophes. Respondents from the government departments and the hotel sector were recruited for in-depth interviews. These interviews were conducted between July and November 2015 and follow up interviews were conducted between September and December 2017. Both results indicated there were minimal efforts pursued from the public sector to cartel capitalistic development tendencies in the accommodation sector. The results from the hotel revealed there were considerable efforts pursued driven by operating cost-cutting motive. Applying systems thinking the paper recommends that the policing machinery needs improvement to ensure that the industry also focuses on environmental wellbeing instead of profit maximization. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge on tourism development and climate change.

Keywords: accommodation sector, climate change, metabolic rift, Malawi, tourism industry

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Authors: Samuel Opeyemi Williams, Razali Adul Hamid, Mohd Saidin Misman, Dominic Ileyemi Ajayi, Taki Eddine Seghier

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Construction industry is famous with hazardous and high-risk environment with operatives facing a greater risk of work-related fatality or injury than operatives in other industries. It is characterised with different types of accident, ranging from electrocution, trip and slip, fall from height, struck-by, explosion, trench collapse, to scaffolding accidents, with each type being caused by different factors. However, accidents are unplanned, unforeseeable and unexpected events, but regardless of the high-risk nature of the industry, accidents are preventable. The aim of the paper is to determine the extent of the utilization of the safety measures, as well as identifying the factors underlining the non-usage. A research methodology consisting of a literature review was used to identify the types and causes of site accidents, while a well-structured questionnaire was used to determine the level of the usage of safety measures on site. The data were analysed with the results revealing the use of protective clothing, safety helmet, first aid, protective shoe, safety belt, and face shield to aid safety of workers, as well as ascribing non-usage of safety measures to cost, ignorance, lack of experts and non-inclusion in contract document. Recommendations are included in the paper suggesting the enforcement of the utilization of safety measures in reducing the spate of accident occurrence on construction sites.

Keywords: construction industry, safety measures, accident, prevention

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Authors: Rubab Ashiq, Bazaz Pinky

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Over the last decade, the emerging phenomenon of fashion blogging has altered the fashion landscape by providing new avenues of marketing to the fashion brands and designers. Given the growing popularity of this trend, there is a potential research scope within the developing fashion markets in South Asia as the majority of the previous studies have been centralized in the context of an established fashion industry. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to provide an insight on how these newly established marketplaces can benefit by incorporating fashion blogging as a marketing tool in a cross-cultural context. For this reason, the established fashion industry of UK and emerging fashion market of Pakistan was chosen to address the impact of cross-cultural differences on blogging based on the idea of individualism and collectivism. The study used a qualitative approach, using the semi-structured interviews with the fashion industry professionals including PR experts, fashion designers and fashion bloggers Additionally, a questionnaire was designed to gauge consumer’s perception of the blogging from the chosen fashion industries. It is established through the research findings that blogging has evolved from a trend to a strategic public relations and marketing tool in the established fashion industry, which is progressively growing its roots in the new emerging fashion markets. Furthermore, it is evaluated from the research that the cross-cultural differences have a positive impact on fashion blogging. Thus, this research paper serves as the guideline for the emerging fashion markets to incorporate fashion blogging as a marketing tool which can facilitate effective cross-cultural communication.

Keywords: blogging, digital marketing, cross-cultural, social media

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Authors: Ayami Umemura

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Without exception, all the bodies dissected in the gross anatomical practices are bodies that have lived irreplaceable lives, laughing and talking with family and friends. While medical education aims to cultivate medical knowledge that is universally applicable to all human bodies, it relies on a unique, irreplaceable, and singular entity. In this presentation, we will explore the ``irreplaceable relationship'' that is cultivated between medical students and anonymous cadavers during gross anatomical practices, drawing on Emmanuel Levinas's ``ethics of the face'' and Martin Buber's discussion of “I-Thou.'' Through this, we aim to present ``a different ethic'' that emerges only in the context of face-to-face relationships, which differs from the generalized, institutionalized, mass-produced ethics like seen in so-called ``ethics codes.'' Since the 1990s, there has been a movement around the world to use gross anatomical practices as an "educational tool" for medical professionalism and medical ethics, and some educational institutions have started disclosing the actual names, occupations, and places of birth of corpses to medical students. These efforts have also been criticized because they lack medical calmness. In any case, the issue here is that this information is all about the past that medical students never know directly. The critical fact that medical students are building relationships from scratch and spending precious time together without any information about the corpses before death is overlooked. Amid gross anatomical practices, a medical student is exposed to anonymous cadavers with faces and touching and feeling them. In this presentation, we will examine a collection of essays written by medical students on gross anatomical practices collected by the Japanese Association for Volunteer Body Donation from medical students across the country since 1978. There, we see the students calling out to the corpse, being called out to, being encouraged, superimposing the carcasses on their own immediate family, regretting parting, and shedding tears. Then, medical students can be seen addressing the dead body in the second person singular, “you.” These behaviors reveal an irreplaceable relationship between the anonymous cadavers and the medical students. The moment they become involved in an irreplaceable relationship between “I and you,” an accidental and anonymous encounter becomes inevitable. When medical students notice being the inevitable takers of voluntary and addressless gifts, they pledge to become “Good Doctors” owing the anonymous persons. This presentation aims to present “a different ethic” based on uniqueness and irreplaceability that comes from the faces of the others embedded in each context, which is different from “routine” and “institutionalized” ethics. That can only be realized ``because of anonymity''.

Keywords: anonymity, irreplaceability, uniqueness, singularlity, emanuel levinas, martin buber, alain badiou, medical education

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Authors: Johann Valentowitsch, Wolfgang Burr

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In organizational research, strategies of exploration and exploitation are often considered to be contradictory. Building on the tradeoff argument, many authors have assumed that a company's market performance should be positively dependent on its strategic balance between exploration and exploitation over time. In this study, we apply this reasoning to the pharmaceutical industry. Using exploratory regression analysis we show that the long-term market performance of a pharmaceutical company is linked to both its ability to carry out exploratory projects and its ability to develop exploitative competencies. In particular, our findings demonstrate that, on average, the company's annual sales performance is higher the better the strategic alignment between exploration and exploitation is balanced. The contribution of our research is twofold. On the one hand, we provide empirical evidence for the initial tradeoff hypothesis and thus support the theoretical position of those who understand exploration and exploitation as strategic substitutes. On the other hand, our findings show that a balanced relationship between exploration and exploitation is also important in research-intensive industries, which naturally tend to place more emphasis on exploration.

Keywords: exploitation, exploration, market performance, pharmaceutical industry, strategy

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Authors: Kiyohiro Yamazaki

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The purpose of this paper is to examine the hypothesis explaining the mechanism in the case, where the product is deleted or reduced the fundamental function of the product through the product concept changes in the digital camera industry. This paper points out not owning the fundamental technology might cause the change of the product concept. Casio could create new competitive factor so that this paper discusses a possibility of the mechanism of changing the product concept.

Keywords: firm without fundamental technology, product development, product concept, digital camera industry, Casio

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Authors: Eniye Tebekaemi, Martin Zhao

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The dichotomy between the skills set of newly minted college graduates and the skills required by cybersecurity employers is on the rise. Colleges are struggling to cope with the rapid pace of technology evolution using outdated tools and practices. Industries are getting frustrated due to the need to retrain fresh college graduates on skills they should have acquired. There is a dire need for academic institutions to develop new tools and systems to deliver cybersecurity education to meet the ever-evolving technology demands of the industry. The Cyber-Softbook project’s goal is to bridge the tech industry and tech education gap by providing educators a framework to collaboratively design, manage, and deliver cybersecurity academic courses that meet the needs of the tech industry. The Cyber-Softbook framework, when developed, will provide a platform for academic institutions and tech industries to collaborate on tech education and for students to learn about cybersecurity with all the resources they need to understand concepts and gain valuable skills available on a single platform.

Keywords: cybersecurity, education, skills, labs, curriculum

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Authors: Khedidja Benouis

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Environmental issues in the food industry are related to the water because it consumes water and release large volumes of wastewater. The treatment of such discharges techniques can be adapted to different situations encountered. For dairy effluents, it is necessary and very effective to use a treatment that eliminates much of the pollutant load,thus, to drastically reduce the organic loading rate. This study aims to evaluate the Efficiency and limitations of physicochemical treatment by coagulation - flocculation of liquid effluent from this type of food industry in Algeria, to give an example of the type and the degree of pollution generated by this sector and in order to reduce pollution and minimize its environmental issues. Coagulation - flocculation-sedimentation was carried out using lime without addition of additive (flocculant), the processing efficiency is indicated by the concentration of pollutants in treated water. The results show that treatment is not sufficient to remove organic pollution, but it has significantly reduced the Total suspended solids (TSS), nitrate (NO3-N) and phosphate (PO4-P).

Keywords: Algeria, coagulation-flocculation, dairy effluent, treatment

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Authors: Bushra

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This paper explores the historical significance, ecological benefits, and contemporary applications of natural dyes in textile dyeing, aiming to provide a comprehensive overview of their potential to contribute to a sustainable fashion industry while minimizing ecological footprints. This research explores the potential of natural dyes as a sustainable alternative to synthetic dyes in the textile industry, examining their historical context, sources, and environmental benefits. Natural dyes come from plants, animals, and minerals, including roots, leaves, bark, fruits, flowers, insects, and metal salts, used as mordants to fix dyes to fabrics. Natural dyeing involves extraction, mordanting, and dyeing techniques. Optimizing these processes can enhance the performance of natural dyes, making them viable for contemporary textile applications based on experimental research. Natural dyes offer eco-friendly benefits like biodegradability, non-toxicity, and resource renewables, reducing pollution, promoting biodiversity, and reducing reliance on petrochemicals. Natural dyes offer benefits but face challenges in color consistency, scalability, and performance, requiring industrial production to meet modern consumer standards for durability and colorfastness. Contemporary initiatives in the textile industry include fashion brands like Eileen Fisher and Patagonia incorporating natural dyes, artisans like India Flint's Botanical Alchemy promoting traditional dyeing techniques, and research projects like the European Union's Horizon 2020 program. Natural dyes offer a sustainable textile industry solution, reducing environmental impact and promoting harmony with nature. Research and innovation are paving the way for widespread adoption, transforming textile dyeing.

Keywords: historical significance, textile industry, natural dyes, sustainability

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Authors: Sofia Ahanj Sofia Ahanj, Mahsa Rahmani Mahsa Rahmani, Zahra Sadeghigol, Vida Nobakht Vida Nobakht

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Providing security in the electricity industry, as one of the vital infrastructures of the country, is one of the essential operations that must be taken in order to improve the security of the country. Resistant security strategies need to be regularly implemented as a dynamic process to improve security, and security evaluation is one of the most important steps in this process. Methodology in the field of evaluation in both technical and managerial dimensions is discussed in the laboratory. There are various standards in the field of general ICT technical-security evaluation. The most important are ISO / IEC 15408, ISO / IEC 27001 and NIST SP 800-53. In the present paper, these standards are first examined. Then, the standards and reports in the industrial field have been reviewed and compared, and finally, based on the results and special considerations of information and communication technology equipment in the electricity industry, the appropriate methodology has been presented.

Keywords: security standards, ISO/IEC 15408, ISA/IEC 62443 series, NIST SP 800-53, NISTIR 7628

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Authors: Antonio Marques, Graça Guedes

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The Portuguese footwear industry had in the last five years a remarkable performance in the exportation values, the trade balance and others economic indicators. After a long period of difficulties and with a strong reduction of companies and employees since 1994 until 2009, the Portuguese footwear industry changed the strategy and is now a success case between the international players of footwear. Only the Italian industry sells footwear with a higher value than the Portuguese and the distance between them is decreasing year by year. This paper analyses how the Portuguese footwear companies innovate and make innovation, according the classification proposed by the Oslo Manual. Also analyses the strategy follow in the innovation process, as suggested by Freeman and Soete, and shows the linkage between the type of innovation and the strategy of innovation. The research methodology was qualitative and the strategy for data collection was the case study. The qualitative data will be analyzed with the MAXQDA software. The economic results of the footwear companies studied shows differences between all of them and these differences are related with the innovation strategy adopted. The companies focused in product and marketing innovation, oriented to their target market, have higher ratios “turnover per worker” than the companies focused in process innovation. However, all the footwear companies in this “low-tech” industry create value and contribute to a positive foreign trade of 1.310 million euros in 2013. The growth strategies implemented has the participation of the sectorial organizations in several innovative projects. And it’s obvious that cooperation between all of them is a critical element to the performance achieved by the companies and the innovation observed. Can conclude that the Portuguese footwear sector has in the last years an excellent performance (economic results, exportation values, trade balance, brands and international image) and his performance is strongly related with the strategy in innovation followed, the type of innovation and the networks in the cluster. A simplified model, called “Ace of Diamonds”, is proposed by the authors and explains the way how this performance was reached by the seven companies that participate in the study (two of them are the leaders in the setor), and if this model can be used in others traditional and “low-tech” industries.

Keywords: footwear, innovation, “low-tech” industry, Oslo manual

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Authors: Mohsen Shirani, Micaela Demichela

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Food supply chain is one of the most complex supply chain networks due to its perishable nature and customer oriented products, and food safety is the major concern for this industry. IT system could help to minimize the production and consumption of unsafe food by controlling and monitoring the entire system. However, there have been many issues in adoption of IT system in this industry specifically within SMEs sector. With this regard, this study presents a novel approach to use IT and tractability systems in the food supply chain, using application of RFID and central database.

Keywords: food supply chain, IT system, safety, SME

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Authors: Natasha Gabriella, Josef-Peter Schöggl, Alfred Posch

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Being a mature industry, pulp and paper industry (PPI) possess strength points coming from its existing infrastructure, technology know-how, and abundant availability of biomass. However, the declining trend of the wood-based products sales sends a clear signal to the industry to transform its business model in order to increase its profitability. With the emerging global attention on bio-based economy and circular economy, coupled with the low price of fossil feedstock, the PPI starts to integrate biorefinery as a value-added business model to keep the industry’s competitiveness. Nonetheless, biorefinery as an innovation exposes the PPI with some barriers, of which the uncertainty of the promising product becomes one of the major hurdles. This study aims to assess factors that affect the diffusion and development of forest biorefinery in the PPI, including drivers, barriers, advantages, disadvantages, as well as the most promising bio-based products of forest biorefinery. The study examines the identified factors according to the layer of business environment, being the macro-environment, industry, and strategic group level. Besides, an overview of future state of the identified factors is elaborated as to map necessary improvements for implementing forest biorefinery. A two-phase Delphi method is used to collect the empirical data for the study, comprising of an online-based survey and interviews. Delphi method is an effective communication tools to elicit ideas from a group of experts to further reach a consensus of forecasting future trends. Collaborating a total of 50 experts in the panel, the study reveals that influential factors are found in every layers of business of the PPI. The politic dimension is apparent to have a significant influence for tackling the economy barrier while reinforcing the environmental and social benefits in the macro-environment. In the industry level, the biomass availability appears to be a strength point of the PPI while the knowledge gap on technology and market seem to be barriers. Consequently, cooperation with academia and the chemical industry has to be improved. Human resources issue is indicated as one important premise behind the preceding barrier, along with the indication of the PPI’s resistance towards biorefinery implementation as an innovation. Further, cellulose-based products are acknowledged for near-term product development whereas lignin-based products are emphasized to gain importance in the long-term future.

Keywords: forest biorefinery, pulp and paper, bio-based product, Delphi method

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Authors: Muhammad Ajmal, Ahmad Shahrul Nizam Bin Isha, Shahrina Md. Nordin, Paras Behrani, Al-Baraa Abdulrahman Al-Mekhlafi

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This study aims to investigate the impact of safety management practices via safety compliance on occupational injuries in the context of downstream the oil and gas industry of Malaysia. However, it is still challenging for researchers and academicians to control occupational injuries in high-safety-sensitive organizations. In this study response rate was 62%, and 280 valid responses were used for analysis through SmartPLS. The study results revealed that safety management practices (management commitment, safety training, safety promotion policies, workers’ involvement) play a significant role in lowering the rate of accidents in downstream the oil and gas industry via safety compliance. Furthermore, the study results also revealed that safety management practices also reduce safety management costs of organizations, e.g., lost work days and employee absenteeism. Moreover, this study is helpful for safety leaders and managers to understand the importance of safety management practices to lower the ratio of occupational injuries.

Keywords: safety management, safety compliance, occupational injuries, oil and gas, Malaysia

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Authors: Anne-Marie Tuomala

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Education for sustainable development (ESD) aims to provide students with the attitudes, values, and behaviors necessary for the contribution to sustainability. The research was implemented as a part of the Horizons Europe research project, where each partner organization had at least one pilot project locally. The pilot in question was an online course about the basics of the natural stone industry in Finland and its sustainability and circular economy aspects. The course was open to all students of applied universities in Finland, and it was implemented twice during the research. The Stone from Finland association participated in the course design, and it was also an expert in the local context and real-life provider. The multiple case-study method was chosen, as it enables purposeful sampling of cases that are tailored to the specific study. It was also assumed that it predicts quite comparable results of two different course implementations of the course with the same topic and content. The Curtin University of Technology’s Attitudes Towards Thinking and Learning Survey was adapted. The results show the importance of the trans-disciplinary nature of sustainability education. In addition, the new industry areas with the general - but also industry-specific sustainability issues - must be introduced to students and encourage them to do critically reflective learning. Surveys that guide them to analyze their own attitudes to thinking and learning may expose students to their weaknesses but also result in forms of more active sustainability interaction.

Keywords: education for sustainable development, learning attitudes, learning of circular economy, virtual learning

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Authors: Aawag Mohsen Al-Awag, Wesam Salah Alaloul, M. S. Liew

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Industrialized building system (IBS) is a method of construction with concentrated practices consisting of techniques, products, and a set of linked elements which operate collectively to accomplish objectives. The Industrialised Building System (IBS) has been recognised as a viable method for improving overall construction performance in terms of quality, cost, safety and health, waste reduction, and productivity. The Malaysian construction industry is considered one of the contributors to the development of the country. The acceptance level of IBS is still below government expectations. Thus, the Malaysian government has been continuously encouraging the industry to use and implement IBS. Conventional systems have several drawbacks, including project delays, low economic efficiency, excess inventory, and poor product quality. When it comes to implementing IBS, construction companies still face several obstacles and problems, notably in terms of contractual and procurement concerns, which leads to the low adoption of IBS in Malaysia. There are barriers to the acceptance of IBS technology, focused on awareness of historical failure and risks connected to IBS practices to provide enhanced performance. Therefore, the transformation from the existing conventional building systems to the industrialized building systems (IBS) is needed more than ever. The flexibility of IBS in Malaysia’s construction industry is very low due to numerous shortcomings and obstacles. Due to its environmental, economic, and social benefits, IBS could play a significant role in the Malaysian construction industry in the future. This paper concentrates on the potential role of IBS in sustainable construction practices in Malaysia. It also highlights the awareness, barriers, advantages, and disadvantages of IBS in the construction sector. The study concludes with recommendations for Malaysian construction stakeholders to encourage and increase the utilization of industrialised building systems.

Keywords: construction industry, industrialized building system, barriers, advantages and disadvantages, construction, sustainability, Malaysia

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Authors: Seval Yilmaz, Filiz Bayrakci Karel, Ali Savas Koparal

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Textile products produced by leather have been indispensable for human consumption. Various chemicals are used to enhance the durability of end-products in the processing of leather products. The wastewaters from the leather industry which contain these chemicals exhibit toxic effects on the receiving environment and threaten the natural ecosystem. In this study, leather industry wastewater (LIW), which has high loads of contaminants, was treated using advanced treatment techniques instead of conventional methods. During the experiments, the performance of electrochemical methods was investigated. During the electrochemical experiments, the performance of batch electrooxidation (EO) using boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes with monopolar configuration for removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) from LIW were investigated. The influences of electrolysis time, current density (which varies as 5 mA/cm², 10 mA/cm², 20 mA/cm², 30 mA/cm², 50 mA/cm²) and initial pH (which varies as 3,80 (natural pH of LIW), 7, 9) on removal efficiency were investigated in a batch stirred cell to determine the best treatment conditions. The current density applied to the electrochemical reactors is directly proportional to the consumption of electric energy, so electrical energy consumption was monitored during the experiment. The best experimental conditions obtained in electrochemical studies were as follows: electrolysis time = 60 min, current density = 30.0 mA/cm², pH 7. Using these parameters, 53.59% COD removal rates for LIW was achieved and total energy consumption was obtained as 13.03 kWh/m³. It is concluded that electrooxidation process constitutes a plausible and developable method for the treatment of LIW.

Keywords: BDD electrodes, COD removal, electrochemical treatment, leather industry wastewater

Procedia PDF Downloads 159