Search results for: online path planning

Authors: Amna Khaliq

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This research project centers on Canadian business leaders’ phenomenological online education expansion by navigating the challenges faced by strategic leaders concerning the expansion of online education in the Canadian higher education sector from a business perspective. The study identifies the problems and opportunities of faculty members’ transition from traditional face-to-face to online instruction, particularly in the context of technology-enhanced learning (TEL), and their influence on the growth strategies of Canadian educational institutions. It explores strategic leaders’ approaches and the impact of emerging technologies to assist with developing and executing business strategies to expand online education in Canada. As online education has gained prominence in the country, this research addresses a relevant business problem for educational institutions. The research employs a phenomenological approach in the qualitative research design to conduct this investigation. The study interviews eighteen faculty members engaged in online education in Canada. The interview data is analyzed to answer the three research questions for strategic leaders to expand online education with higher education institutions in Canada. The recommendations include 1) data privacy, infrastructure, security, and technology, 2) support and training for student engagement, 3) accessibility and inclusion, and 4) collaboration among institutions associated with expanding online education.

Keywords: strategic leadership, Canada, education, technology

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Authors: R. A. Temah, L. A. Nkengla-Asi

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Planning for future disasters sets the stage for a variety of activities that may trigger multiple recurring operations and expose the community to opportunities to minimize risks. Local communities are increasingly embracing the necessity for planning based on local risks, but are also significantly challenged to effectively plan and response to disasters. This research examines basic risk-based disaster planning model and compares it with advanced risk-based planning that introduces the identification and alignment of varieties of local capabilities within and out of the local community that can be pivotal to facilitate the management of local risks and cascading effects prior to a disaster. A critical review shows that the identification and alignment of capabilities can potentially enhance risk-based disaster planning. A tailored holistic approach to risk based disaster planning is pivotal to enhance collective action and a reduction in disaster collective cost.

Keywords: capabilities, disaster planning, hazards, local community, risk-based

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Authors: Emrehan Ozcan, Dilek Beyazlı

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The development of tourism depends on an accurate planning approach as well as on the right planning process. This dependency is also a key factor in ensuring sustainability of tourism. The types of tourism, social expectations, planning practice, the socio-economic and the cultural structure of the region are determinants of planning approaches for tourism development. The tourism plans prepared for the historic city centers are usually based on the revitalization of cultural and historical values. The preservation and development of the tourism potentials of the historic city centers are important for providing an economic contribution to the locality, creating livable solutions for local residents and also the sustainability of tourism. This research is about experiencing and discussing a planning approach that will provide tourism development based on historical and cultural values. Historical and cultural values in the historical city center of Trabzon -which has a settlement history of approximately 4000 years, is located on the Black Sea coast of Turkey- wear out over years and lose their tourism potential. A planning study has been experienced with strategic spatial planning approach for Trabzon, which has not done a tourism-oriented planning study until now. The stages of the planning process provided by strategic spatial planning approach are an assessment of the current situation; vision, strategies, and actions; action planning; designing and implementation of actions and monitoring-evaluation. In the discussion section, the advantages, planning process, methods and techniques of the approach are discussed for the possibilities and constraints in terms of tourism planning. In this context, it is aimed to put forth tourism planning process, stages, and implementation tools within the scope of strategic spatial planning approach by comparing approaches used in the tourism-oriented/priority planning of historical city centers. Suggestions on the position and effect of the preferred planning approach in the existing spatial planning practice are the outputs of the study.

Keywords: cultural heritage, tourism oriented planning, Trabzon, strategic spatial Planning

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Authors: Rimmy Yadav, Avtar Singh

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—Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) is a promising modern approach to the unused combinatorial optimization. Here ACO is applied to finding the shortest during communication link failure. In this paper, the performances of the prim’s and ACO algorithm are made. By comparing the time complexity and program execution time as set of parameters, we demonstrate the pleasant performance of ACO in finding excellent solution to finding shortest path during communication link failure.

Keywords: ant colony optimization, link failure, prim’s algorithm, shortest path

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Authors: H. S. Kumara

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The rapid process of urbanization and the growing number of the metropolitan cities and its region call for better governance in India. This article attempts to argue that spatial planning really matters for measuring the governance at metropolitan scale. These study explore to metropolitan governance and spatial planning and its interrelationship issues, concepts and evolution of spatial planning in India and critically examines the multi actors’ scenario for measuring metropolitan governance by means of spatial planning in context with reviewing various master plans, concept of multi-actors viewpoint on role of spatial planning related to zoning regulations, master plan implementations and effective service delivery issues. This paper argues and concludes that the spatial planning of Bangalore directly impact on measuring metropolitan governance.

Keywords: metropolitan governance, spatial planning, service delivery, multi-actors’, opinion survey, master plan

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Authors: In Su Na, Dongyeon Seo, Hwanyong Kim

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This research focuses on new town planning methodology in aspects of Neighborhood Unit Formula and New Urbanism. In Korea, there were built many new towns since 1980’s. The urban design concepts also shifted variously in land use, transportation, open spaces and architectural design. This research aims to find out urban design planning and factors in each new town planning through comparison of four new town cases in aspects of land use, transportation and building design of metropolitan area of Seoul. In conclusion the recent new town has created an area with a unique place that has not been seen in the early new town, and it has a certain aspect that is in line with the planning principles of New Urbanism.

Keywords: compact city, neighborhood unit formula, new town planning, new urbanism

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Authors: Dina Alnefaie

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This poster presents a study of a Discord private server with thirteen multilingual gamers, aiming to explore the elements that construct a multilingual online gaming community. The study focuses on the communication practices of four Saudi female and male gamers, using various data collection methods, including online observations through recorded videos and screenshots, interviews, and informal conversations for one year. The primary findings show that translanguaging was a prominent feature of their verbal and textual communication practices. Besides, these practices that mostly accompany cultural ones were used to facilitate communication and express their identities in an intercultural context.

Keywords: online community construction, perceptions, multilingualism, digital identity

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Authors: Rashi Mahato

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Talent management represents an organization’s effort to attract, develop and retain highly skilled and valuable employees. The goal is to have people with capabilities and commitment needed for current and future organizational success. The organizational talent pool is its managerial talent referred to as leadership pipeline. It is managed through various systems and processes to help the organization source, reward, evaluate, develop and move employees into various functions and roles. The pipeline bends, turns, and sometimes breaks as organizations identify who is 'ready now' and who is 'on track' for larger leadership roles. From this perspective, talent management designs structured approach and a robust mechanism for high potential employees to meet organization’s needs. The paper attempts to provide a roadmap and a structured approach towards building a high performing organization through well-defined career path. Managers want career paths to be defined, so that an adequate number of individuals may be identified and prepared to fill future vacancies. Once career progression patterns are identified, more systematic forecasting of talent requirements is possible. For the development of senior management talent or leadership team, career paths are needed as guidelines for talent management across functional and organizational lines. Career path is one of the important tools for talent management and aligning talent with business strategy. This paper briefly describes the approach for career path and the concept of

Keywords: career path, career path framework, lateral movement, talent management

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Authors: Jacqueline Żammit

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Online learning has become more popular as a substitute for traditional classroom instruction because of the COVID-19 epidemic. The study aimed to investigate how adult Maltese language learners evaluated the benefits and drawbacks of online instruction. 35 adult participants provided data through semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions. NVivo software was used to analyze the interview data using the thematic analysis method in order to find themes and group the data based on common responses. The advantages of online learning that the participants mentioned included accessing subject content even without live learning sessions, balancing learning with household duties, and lessening vulnerability to problems like fatigue, time-wasting traffic, school preparation, and parking space constraints. Conversely, inadequate Internet access, inadequate IT expertise, a shortage of personal computers, and domestic distractions adversely affected virtual learning. Lack of an Internet connection, IT expertise, a personal computer, or a phone with Internet access caused inequality in access to online learning sessions. Participants thought online learning was a way to resume academic activity, albeit with drawbacks. In order to address the challenges posed by online learning, several solutions are proposed in the research's conclusion.

Keywords: adult learners, online education, e-learning, challenges of online learning, benefits ofonline learning

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Authors: Alison Power

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Games-based learning aims to enhance students’ engagement with and enjoyment of learning opportunities using games-related principles to create a fun yet productive learning environment. Motivating students to learn in an online setting can be particularly challenging, so a cross-Faculty synchronous online session provided students with the opportunity to engage with ‘GAMING’: an interactive, flexible and scalable e-resource for students to work synchronously in groups to complete a series of e-tivities designed to enhance their skills of leadership, collaboration and negotiation. Findings from a post-session online survey found the majority of students had a positive learning experience, finding 'GAMING' to be an innovative and engaging e-resource which motivated their group to learn.

Keywords: collaboration, games-based learning, groupwork, synchronous online learning, teamwork

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Authors: Shona Tritt, William Cunningham

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Our study examines whether teaching effectiveness is perceived differently in online versus traditional classroom contexts. To do so, we analyzed teaching evaluations from courses that were offered as web options and as in-person classes simultaneously at the University of [removed for blinding] (N=87). Although teaching evaluations were on average lower for larger classes, we found that learning context (traditional versus online) moderated this effect. Specifically, we found a crossover effect such that in relatively smaller classes, teaching was perceived to be more effective in-person versus online, whereas, in relatively larger classes, teaching was perceived to be more effective when engaged online versus in-person.

Keywords: teaching evaluations, teaching effectiveness, e-learning, web-option

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Authors: Noha A. Alowedi

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This paper proposes a Translator Career Path (TCP) which is based on the Dreyfus Model of Skills Acquisition as the conceptual framework. In this qualitative study, the methodology to collect and analyze the data takes an inductive approach that draws upon the literature to form the criteria for the different steps in the TCP. This path is based on descriptors of expert translator performance and best employees’ practice documented in the literature. Each translator skill will be graded as novice, advanced beginner, competent, proficient, and expert. Consequently, five levels of translator performance are identified in the TCP as five ranks. The first rank is the intern translator, which is equivalent to the novice level; the second rank is the assistant translator, which is equivalent to the advanced beginner level; the third rank is the associate translator, which is equivalent to the competent level; the fourth rank is the translator, which is equivalent to the proficient level; finally, the fifth rank is the expert translator, which is equivalent to the expert level. The main function of this career path is to guide the processes of translator development in translation organizations. Although it is designed primarily for the need of in-house translators’ supervisors, the TCP can be used in academic settings for translation trainers and teachers.

Keywords: Dreyfus model, translation organization, translator career path, translator development, translator evaluation, translator promotion

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Authors: Zhikal Qadir Salih, Hanife Bensen

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As the advent of modern technology continues to make towering impacts on everything, its relevance permeates to all spheres, language learning, and writing skills in particular not an exception. This study aimed at finding out how EFL learners perceive online tools to improve their writing skills. The study was carried out at Tishk University. Copies of the questionnaire were distributed to the participants, in order to elicit their perceptions. The collected data were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics. The outcome revealed that the participants have positive perceptions about online tools in using them to enhance their writing skills. The study however found out that both gender and the class level of the participants do not make any significant difference in their perceptions about the use of online tools, as far as writing skill is concerned. Based on these outcomes, relevant recommendations were made.

Keywords: online tools, writing skills, EFL learners, language learning

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Authors: Bilquis Ferdousi

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With the exponential growth of the online business, the threat to consumers’ privacy and data security has become a serious challenge. This literature review-based study focuses on a better understanding of those threats and what legislative measures have been taken to address those challenges. Research shows that people are increasingly involved in online business using different digital devices and platforms, although this practice varies based on age groups. The threat to consumers’ privacy and data security is a serious hindrance in developing trust among consumers in online businesses. There are some legislative measures taken at the federal and state level to protect consumers’ privacy and data security. The study was based on an extensive review of current literature on protecting consumers’ privacy and data security and legislative measures that have been taken.

Keywords: privacy, data security, legislation, online business

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Authors: Orly Sela

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The lecture discusses a Language Teaching program in a Teacher Education College in northern Israel. An on-line course was added to the program in order to keep on-campus attendance at a minimum, thus allowing the students to keep their full-time jobs in school. In addition, the use of educational technology to allow students to study anytime anywhere, in keeping with 21st-century innovative teaching-learning practices, was also an issue, as was the wish for this course to serve as a model which the students could then possibly use in their K-12 teaching. On the other hand, there were strong considerations against including an online course in the program. The students in the program were mostly Israeli-Arab married women with young children, living in a traditional society which places a strong emphasis on the place of the woman as a wife, mother, and home-maker. In addition, as teachers, they used much of their free time on school-related tasks. Having careers at the same time as studying was ground-breaking for these women, and using their time at home for studying rather than taking care of their families may have been simply too much to ask of them. At the end of the course, feedback was collected through an online questionnaire including both open and closed questions. The data collected shows that the students believed in online teaching-learning in principle, but had trouble implementing it in practice. This evidence raised the question of whether or not such a course should be included in a graduate program for mature, professional students, particular women with families living in a traditional society. This issue is not relevant to Israel alone, but also to academic institutions worldwide serving such populations. The lecture discusses this issue, sharing the researcher’s conclusions with the audience. Based on the evidence offered, it is the researcher’s conclusion that online education should, indeed, be offered to such audiences. However, the courses should be designed with the students’ special needs in mind, with emphasis placed on initial planning and course organization based on acknowledgment of the teaching context; modeling of online teaching/learning suited for in-service teacher education, and special attention paid to social-constructivist aspects of learning.

Keywords: course design, in-service teacher-education, mature students, online teaching/learning

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Authors: Eirini Busack

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Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and the sudden transfer to online teaching, teachers have struggled to reconstruct their teaching and learning materials to adapt them to the new reality of online teaching and learning. Consequently, the pupils’ learning was disrupted during this orientation phase. Due to the above situation, teachers from all fields concluded that it is vital that their pupils should be able to continue their learning even without the teacher being physically present. Various websites and applications have been in use since then in hope that pupils will still enjoy a qualitative education; unfortunately, this was often not the case. To address this issue, it was therefore decided to focus the research on the development of digital learning paths. The fundamentals of these learning paths include the implementation of scenario-based learning (digital storytelling), the integration of media-didactic theory to make it pedagogically appropriate for learners, alongside instructional design knowledge and the drive to promote autonomous learners. This particular research is being conducted within the frame of the research project “Sustainable integration of subject didactic digital teaching-learning concepts” (InDiKo, 2020-2023), which is currently conducted at the University of Education Karlsruhe and investigates how pre-service teachers can acquire the necessary interdisciplinary and subject-specific media-didactic competencies to provide their future learners with digitally enhanced learning opportunities, and how these competencies can be developed continuously and sustainably. As English is one of the subjects involved in this project, the English Department prepared a seminar for the pre-service secondary teachers: “Media-didactic competence development: Developing learning paths & Digital Storytelling for English grammar teaching.” During this seminar, the pre-service teachers plan and design a Moodle-based differentiated lesson sequence on an English grammar topic that is to be tested by secondary school pupils. The focus of the present research is to assess the secondary school pupils’ expectations from an English grammar-focused digital learning path created by pre-service English teachers. The nine digital learning paths that are to be distributed to 25 pupils were produced over the winter and the current summer semester as the artifact of the seminar. Finally, the data to be quantitatively analysed and interpreted derive from the online questionnaires that the secondary school pupils fill in so as to reveal their expectations on what they perceive as a stimulating and thus effective grammar-focused digital learning path.

Keywords: digital storytelling, learning paths, media-didactics, autonomous learning

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Authors: T. Mersmann, P. Nyhuis

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In the current economic climate, for many businesses it is generally no longer sufficient to pursue exclusively economic interests. Instead, integrating ecological and social goals into the corporate targets is becoming ever more important. However, the holistic integration of these new goals is missing from current factory planning approaches. This article describes the conceptual framework for a planning methodology for sustainable factories. To this end, the description of the key areas for action is followed by a description of the principal components for the systematization of sustainability for factories and their stakeholders. Finally, a conceptual framework is presented which integrates the components formulated into an established factory planning procedure.

Keywords: factory planning, stakeholder, systematization, sustainability

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Authors: Ya-Hui Lee, Chien-Hung Hsieh, Ching-Yi Lu

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Demographic aging is the major problem that Taiwanese society is facing, and retirement life adaptation is the most concerning issue. In recent years, studies have suggested that in order to have successful aging and retirement planning, a view for the future is necessary. In Taiwan, civil servants receive better pensions and retirement benefits than do other industries. Therefore, their retirement preparation is considerably more significant than other senior groups in Taiwan. The purpose of this study is to understand the correlation of proactive coping and retirement planning of senior civil servants in Taiwan. The method is conducted by questionnaire surveys, with 342 valid questionnaires collected. The results of this study are: 1. The background variables of the interviewees, including age, perceived economic statuses, and retirement statuses, are all significantly related to their proactive coping and retirement planning. 2. Regarding age, the interviewees with ages 55 and above have better proactive coping and retirement planning than those with ages 45 and below. 3. In the aspect of perceived economic statuses, the participants who feel “very good” economic statuses have better proactive coping ability and retirement readiness than those who feel “bad” and “very bad”. 4. Retirees have better proactive coping and retirement planning than those who are still working. 5. Monthly income is significant in retirement planning only. The participants’ retirement planning would be better if they have higher incomes. Furthermore, the participants’ retirement planning would be better if their revenue were €1453~€1937, than if their revenue were below €968. 6. There are positive correlations between proactive coping and retirement planning. 7. Proactive coping can predict retirement planning. The result of this study will be provided as references to the Taiwan government for educational retirement planning policies.

Keywords: proactive coping, retirement planning, civil servants, demographic aging

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Authors: Denis Obrul, Borut Žalik

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We present an extendable online real-time tracking platform that can be used to track a wide variety of location-aware devices. These can range from GPS devices mounted inside a vehicle, closed and secure systems such as Teltonika and to mobile phones running multiple platforms. Special consideration is given to decentralized approach, security and flexibility. A number of different use cases are presented as a proof of concept.

Keywords: real-time, online, gps, tracking, web application

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Authors: Dare Ebenezer Fatumo, Olusesan Emmanuel Adelabu

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Online learning has taken another dimension through the introduction of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), it has also become an important resource base for teaching and learning. This research aimed at investigating the use of Massive Open Online Course in a rural marginalized area. The survey research design of descriptive nature was adopted to evaluate the awareness and usage of Massive Open Online Course (MOOCs) in Alice community, Eastern Cape, South Africa. This study also employed quantitative approach by using self-structured questionnaire to evoke information from the respondents. The data collected were analyzed by Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings revealed amongst others the efficacy of Massive Open Online Course (MOOCs) in fostering teaching and learning in rural marginalized areas. This study concludes that MOOCs is a veritable medium for busy or less privileged individual to acquire a degree or certification. Therefore, the study recommends MOOCs platform to be fully embraced by people in rural marginalized areas, awareness programs about its usefulness should be propagated across the municipalities nationwide.

Keywords: distance learning, information and communication technology, massive open online course, online learning, teaching and learning

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Authors: Neha J. Nandaniya

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In the present research paper researcher put focuses on the opinions of pre-service teachers have been taken regarding online language teaching, which was held during the COVID-19 pandemic and is still going on. The researcher developed a three-point rating scale in Google Forms to find out the views of trainees on online language learning, in which 167 B. Ed. trainees having language content and method gave their responses. After scoring the responses obtained by the investigator, the chi-square value was calculated, and the findings were concluded. The major finding of the study is language learning is not as effective as offline teaching mode.

Keywords: online language teaching, ICT competency, B. Ed. trainees, COVID-19 pandemic

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Authors: Zebider Asire Munyelet, Yibeltal Chanie Manie

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In the modern digital landscape, the increase of social media platforms has become identical to the evolution of online consumer behavior. This study investigates the complicated relationship between social media and the purchasing decisions of online buyers. Through an extensive review of existing literature and empirical research, the aim is to comprehensively analyze the multidimensional impact that social media exerts on the various stages of the online buyer's journey. The investigation encompasses the exploration of how social media platforms serve as influential channels for information dissemination, product discovery, and consumer engagement. Additionally, the study investigates into the psychological aspects underlying the role of social media in shaping buyer preferences, perceptions, and trust in online transactions. The methodologies employed include both quantitative and qualitative analyses, incorporating surveys, interviews, and data analytics to derive meaningful insights. Statistical models are applied to distinguish patterns in online buyer behavior concerning product awareness, brand loyalty, and decision-making processes. The expected outcomes of this research contribute not only to the academic understanding of the dynamic interplay between social media and online buyer behavior but also offer practical implications for marketers, e-commerce platforms, and policymakers.

Keywords: consumer Behavior, social media, online purchasing, online transaction

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Authors: A. Razavykia, A. Esmaeilzadeh, S. Iranmanesh

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Many orthopedic implants like proximal humerus cases require lower surface roughness and almost immediate/short lead time surgery. Thus, rapid response from the manufacturer is very crucial. Tool path strategy of milling process has a direct influence on the surface roughness and lead time of medical implant. High-speed milling as promised process would improve the machined surface quality, but conventional or super-abrasive grinding still required which imposes some drawbacks such as additional costs and time. Currently, many CAD/CAM software offers some different tool path strategies to milling free form surfaces. Nevertheless, the users must identify how to choose the strategies according to cutting tool geometry, geometry complexity, and their effects on the machined surface. This study investigates the effect of different tool path strategies for milling a proximal humerus head during finishing operation on stainless steel 316L. Experiments have been performed using MAHO MH700 S vertical milling machine and four machining strategies, namely, spiral outward, spiral inward, and radial as well as zig-zag. In all cases, the obtained surfaces were analyzed in terms of roughness and dimension accuracy compared with those obtained by simulation. The findings provide evidence that surface roughness, dimensional accuracy, and machining time have been affected by the considered tool path strategy.

Keywords: CAD/CAM software, milling, orthopedic implants, tool path strategy

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Authors: Zhao Liu, Kang Cao

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Strategic spatial planning, which is taken as an effective and competitive way for the governors of the city to improve the development and management level of a city, has been blooming in recent years all over the world. In the context of globalization and informatization, strategic spatial planning must transfer its focus on three different levels: global, regional and urban. Internal and external changes in environmental conditions lead to new advances in strategic planning both theoretically and practically. However, such advances or changes respond differently to cities on account of different dynamic mechanisms. This article aims at two cities of Tianjin in China and Melbourne in Australia, through a comparative study on strategic planning, to explore the differentiation of mechanisms in urban planning. By comparison and exploration, the purpose of this article is to exhibit two different planning worlds, western and Chinese, in a new way. The article can be divided into four parts. The first part outlines strategic planning transformations in the new era on three levels, generally analysing the internal and external environmental factors of today. The second part indicates the concepts of strategic planning theoretically, demonstrating briefly its development background and process in western and China, respectively. The third part takes Tianjin and Melbourne urban strategic spatial planning as examples to mainly carry on the contrast research from the aspects of strategic planning mode, competitive mechanism, contents, strategy implementation and management. It is expected to summarize the differences and similarities of the two plans, meanwhile, to explore the inherent factors or mechanisms probably spatial, material, political and etc., which affect cities in the course of urban planning. The final part is a summary of general mechanisms of planning from the perspective of strategic spatial planning.

Keywords: differentiation, strategic planning, Melbourne, Australia, Tianjin, China

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Authors: Mahmoud Jumah

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This paper presents the circumstances and decision making in case of change management in any industrial processes, and the effective strategic planning ensured to provide with the on time completion of projects. In this specific case, the Front End Engineering Design and the awarded Lump Sum Turn Key Contract had provided for full control and ownership of all Liquid Metering Skids by Controlling Team. The demarcation and location were changed, and the Ownership and Control of the Liquid Metering Skids inside the boundaries of the Asset Owner were transferred from Controlling Team to Asset Owner after the award of the LSTK Contract. The requested changes resulted in Adjustment Order and the relevant scope of work is an essential part of the original Contract. The majority of equipment and materials (i.e. liquid metering skids, valves, piping, etc.) has already been in process.

Keywords: critical path, project change management, stakeholders problem solving, strategic planning

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Authors: Ignatio Madanhire, Charles Mbohwa

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This study looks at the best model of aggregate planning activity in an industrial entity and uses the trial and error method on spreadsheets to solve aggregate production planning problems. Also linear programming model is introduced to optimize the aggregate production planning problem. Application of the models in a furniture production firm is evaluated to demonstrate that practical and beneficial solutions can be obtained from the models. Finally some benchmarking of other furniture manufacturing industries was undertaken to assess relevance and level of use in other furniture firms

Keywords: aggregate production planning, trial and error, linear programming, furniture industry

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Authors: Dereje Habte, Jane Namasasu

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Background: The aim of the analysis was to assess the practice of family planning (FP) among HIV-infected women and the influence of women’s awareness of HIV-positive status in the practice of FP. Methods: The analysis was made among 489 non-pregnant, sexually active, fecund women living with HIV. Result: Of the 489 confirmed HIV positive women, 184 (37.6%) reported that they knew they are HIV positive. The number of women with current use and unmet need of any family planning method were found to be 251 (51.2%) and 107 (21.9%) respectively. Women’s knowledge of HIV-positive status (AOR: 2.32(1.54,3.50)), secondary and above education (AOR: 2.36(1.16,4.78)), presence of 3-4 (AOR: 2.60(1.08,6.28)) and more than four alive children (AOR: 3.03(1.18,7.82)) were significantly associated with current use of family planning. Conclusion: Women’s awareness of HIV-positive status was found to significantly predict family planning practice among women living with HIV.

Keywords: family planning, HIV, Malawi, women

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Authors: Keh-Wen Carin Chuang, Kuan-Chou Chen

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Our society is in a constant state of change. Technology advancements continue to affect our daily lives. How we work, communicate and entertain ourselves has changed dramatically in the past decades. As our society learns to accept and adapt to the many different technological advances that seem to inundate every part of our lives, the education institutions must migrate from traditional methods of instruction to online education in order to take full advantage of the opportunities provided by these technology advancements. There are many benefits that can be gained for university and society from offering online programs by utilizing advanced technologies. But the programs must not be implemented carelessly. The key to providing a quality online program is the issue of perceived quality, which takes into account the viewpoint of all stakeholders involved. To truly ensure the institutional quality, however, a systemic view of all factors contributing to the quality must be analyzed and linked to one another — allowing education administrators to understand how each factor contributes to the perceived quality of online education. The perceived quality of an online program will be positively reinforced only through an organizational-wide effort that focuses on managed administration, augmenting online program branding, skilled faculty, supportive alumni, student satisfaction, and effective delivery systems — each of which is vital to a quality online program. This study focuses on the concept of quality assurance in the start-up, implementation, and sustainability of online education. A case of online MBA program will be analyzed to explore the quality assurance. The difficulties in promoting online education quality is the fact that universities are complex networks of disciplinary, social, economic, and political fiefdoms, both internal and external factors to the institutions. As such, the system analysis, a systems-thinking approach, on the issue of perceived quality is ideal to investigate the factors and how each factor contributes to the perceived quality in the online education domain.

Keywords: systems thinking, quality assurance, online education, MBA program

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Authors: Shaya Alshahrani

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Perceived risks play a major role in consumer intentions, behaviors, attitudes, and decisions about online shopping in the KSA. This paper investigates the influence of six perceived risk dimensions on Saudi consumers: product risk, information risk, financial risk, privacy and security risk, delivery risk, and terms and conditions risk empirically. To ensure the success of this study, a random survey was distributed to reflect the consumers’ perceived risk and to enable the generalization of the results. Data were collected from 323 respondents in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA): 50 who had never shopped online and 273 who had done so. The results indicated that all six risks influenced the respondents’ perceptions of online shopping. The non-online shoppers perceived financial and delivery risks as the most significant barriers to online shopping. This was followed closely by performance, information, and privacy and security risks. Terms and conditions were perceived as less significant. The online consumers considered delivery and performance risks to be the most significant influences on internet shopping. This was followed closely by information and terms and conditions. Financial and privacy and security risks were perceived as less significant. This paper argues that introducing adequate legal solutions to addressing related problems arising from this study is an urgent need. This may enhance consumer trust in the KSA online market, increase consumers’ intentions regarding online shopping, and improve consumer protection.

Keywords: perceived risk, online contracts, Saudi Arabia, consumer protection

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Authors: Mitra Mesgar

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Online learning environment is becoming more popular among learners because of their multiple information representations. Despite the growing importance of online reading strategies among adult learners, little attention has been carried out to postgraduate EFL learners. This study is quantitative research designed and aimed to investigate metacognitive reading strategies employed by Iranian postgraduate learners to read online academic texts. This study is conducted by over 50 Iranian postgraduate students studying in different Malaysian universities. This study used two different survey questionnaires, namely, 1) background questionnaire and 2) OSORS questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS. The findings of the study emphasized metacognitive reading strategies used by different aged adult learners. The results of the survey questionnaires revealed that adult learners use global reading strategies as well as problem-solving strategies and support reading strategies. Also, through one-way analysis of variance toward age factor revealed that it has no meaningful changes on metacognitive reading strategy usage. This means that metacognitive reading strategies used by adult learners are independent of age variable. Drawing from findings, adult learners have learning goals, and since they have more exposure to online academic texts, they are able to use different metacognitive online reading strategies that affect their understanding of academic texts.

Keywords: online reading strategies, metacognitive strategies, online learning, independent students, locus of control

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