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The effects of material parameters and processing conditions on the resistance drop by high voltage discharge in PVC – graphite thick film resistors are studied in this paper. The resistance drop increased upon an increase in graphite aggregate size, which is a function of material parameters and processing conditions. The resistance drop has been attributed to the dielectrophoretic motion of graphite particles in PVC by the application of high voltages to polymer thick film resistors.

Entrepreneurship.

The case can be taught for students at the Master's level and research scholars in management education.

Univexcellence was an idea conceived by Surbhi from her science project in 1997 when she was studying at Kendriya Vidyalaya, Jaipur, India. The science project model was based on the theme “World is a classroom, room is university”. It was shown that the world would be converted into a room, and the room itself would become a University through satellite communication. Surbhi decided to become a computer engineer and learn about it herself so as to become self-dependent as a business woman. Keeping this in mind, she completed a computer engineering course. A strong sense of efficacy enhances human accomplishment and personal well-being in many ways. Surbhi has proved it in her case.

The case describes challenges and setbacks faced by a woman entrepreneur and through her self-confidence and persistence, illustrate show she solved them to the benefit of her business.

Teaching notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or e-mail support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes.

Various research studies have been carried out to study Chief Executive Officers’ (CEOs’) transformational leadership in driving organizational performance and success. Evidence shows that few studies were carried out on CEO transformational leadership and top management team (TMT) performance in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. Thus, this study aims to provide a unique contribution and the first of its kind to examine the CEO leadership–TMT performance link across GCC countries.

In this study, the researchers approached 500 employees and 30 CEOs working in 30 different organizations operating in the GCC countries. The firms were selected conveniently from different industries located in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain. The researchers used the PASW (SPSS) program to analyze the data.

The findings show that psychological empowerment has no significant role in moderating the transformational leadership – TMT performance relationship. Internal support for innovation plays a significant role in mediating the relationship between transformational leadership and TMT performance.

The present study has not examined the behavioral aspects of CEO followers. Future research may study behavioral characteristics of the entire TMT.

This study contributes to body of research that identifies CEO transactional leadership as perceived by the followers was found to be more important in predicting TMT performance than transformational leadership in the context of organizations located in GCC countries. Managerial implications and future research areas are further discussed.

This paper elicits information, an excess of information and the stakeholders’ role in the use of information. The purpose of this paper is to create a “C5 model” (clients, connectivity, content, copyright and cost) for the consortium management to support and improve its academic and administrative decision-making skills and optimize returns.

The methodology used for this study was “strength, weakness, opportunity and threat” (SWOT) analysis. As a tool, it was used as one of the strategic analytical techniques to evaluate various aspects of consortium management. The purpose of choosing this method was to derive a set of strategies for comparing the internal (strengths/weaknesses) and external (opportunities/threats) forces of the “C5 model” of consortium management.

From the SWOT analysis of the “C5 model,” it was observed that four combinations, maxi-maxi (strengths/opportunities (SO), mini-maxi (weaknesses/opportunities (WO), maxi-mini (strengths/threats (ST)) and mini-mini (weaknesses/threats (WT)), were drawn to derive a set of strategies to benefit the consortium management. The SO strategies such as building a client-centric resource management system, centralized gateway, collaborative acquisition model, common copyright communication and clearance center and cost-benefit analysis were built on the basis of the strengths and opportunities identified. Likewise, the WO strategies such as organizational planning, equality in ICT infrastructure facilities, quality content, public disclosure of copyright obligations and effective economic models were drawn to minimize the weaknesses of each component by taking advantage of the identified opportunities. The ST strategies were worked out using strengths of the model to possibly mitigate its threats. Similarly, the WT strategies were created to minimize the weaknesses and avoid the threats as much as possible. However, these strategies would not only help consortium management in the decision-making process, but also optimize returns and improve the intellectual outcome of organizations.

Not many research studies have been developed regarding the SWOT analysis of the “C5 model” for consortium management. This study attempts to benefit a large community of library and information science professionals, consortia and their clients.

This paper aims to focus on how reciprocal mentoring can be used to make employees culturally intelligent.

The authors conceptualize and present this framework based on their own experience in the industry and research experience in cross-cultural competence.

Workplaces today are characterized by high levels of multiculturalism. In such environments, being able to navigate this cultural diversity can be a challenge to many employees. Investing in cross-cultural training can be costly and time consuming. In such a situation, what better way to learn and appreciate cultural diversity than by bringing together two individuals from different cultural backgrounds. Reciprocal mentoring for developing cultural intelligence can be an effective practice that organizations can follow to develop intercultural competence amongst its employees.

The concept presented in the paper can help organizations use their own existing resources to develop cultural intelligence company-wide, rather than choosing third-party interventions/training.

This paper provides executives with a quick glimpse into the concept of cultural intelligence and its development through reciprocal mentoring.

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of action learning programs on individual performance improvement and career progression in a large banking sector organization in the UAE.

A conceptual model was proposed and measured the outcomes of the action learning program variables in a public sector bank in the UAE. A total of 106 employees of the organization who had participated in a certified management program (CMP) have responded to the survey.

The outcomes of action learning program variables, such as self-efficacy, teamwork and performance management, were found to have an influence significantly on individual performance improvement.

As the current study was focused on banking sector only, similar studies from other industries/sectors (e.g. trading, services, etc.) can be taken up for further research by including antecedents and consequences of participants of action learning programs.

This study could offer specific guidance to managers as to how and what type of education and learning programs to be provided to their team members for competency development and career progression.

As the UAE economy is growing and population staying in the region is becoming multicultural, there is an ample need for managers to foster learning and education environment in various organizations to change culture and managerial practices toward achieving organizational objectives.

The study is original and provides value and direction for managers and senior management on talent development processes.

This study aims to examine the influence of diversity climate perceptions (DCPs) on team member’s contribution to team innovation and team performance in a multicultural team (MCT). The authors also investigate the moderating effect of cultural intelligence on these relationships.

The authors draw upon the interactional model for cultural diversity to build their hypotheses. Data was gathered from 43 teams consisting of 217 members using a structured questionnaire. Ratings were obtained from both team members and supervisors. The data collected was analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Results indicated that when team members have positive DCPs, it had a positive impact on their innovation and performance in the team. Cultural intelligence was also found to have a direct impact on team member innovation but not on team member performance. Furthermore, cultural intelligence was found to positively moderate the DCPs – team member performance relationship but not the DCPs – team member innovation relationship.

Managing diversity is a key concern for organizations worldwide given the exponentially rising cultural diversity within the workforce. This study would enable practitioners to understand that developing positive DCPs and cultural intelligence of team members are critical to the success of MCTs.

Literature has documented mixed results pertaining to team diversity and its effect on performance, resulting in scholars urging the need to explore how the negative effects of team diversity can be mitigated. This research establishes that positive DCPs and cultural intelligence as two key factors contributing to the performance of MCTs.

The purpose of this paper is to optimize the fusion zone grain size and hardness using Hooke and Jeeves Algorithm.

Experiments are conducted as per four factors, five levels response surface method based central composite design matrix. Empirical relations for predicting grain size and harness are developed. The effect of welding variables on grain size and hardness are studies. Grain size and hardness are optimised using Hooke and Jeeves Algorithm.

The developed empirical relations can be effectively used to predict grain size and hardness values of micro plasma arc welded Inconel 625 sheets. The values of grain size and hardness obtained by Hooke and Jeeves Algorithm matches with experimental values with great accuracy.

The developed mathematical models are valid for 0.25 mm thick Inconel 625 sheets only.

In the present paper only four important factors namely peak current, back current, pulse rate and pulse width are considered, however one may consider other parameters like plasma gas flow rate, shielding gas flow rate, etc.

The present work is very much useful to sheet metal industries manufacturing metal bellows, diaphragms, etc.

The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate impact of transformational leadership on team performance and the effects of support for innovation and psychological empowerment in this association. Over the past many decades, teams have become an increasingly popular way of organizing and coordinating work. This trend creates new challenges for leaders, as they are expected to motivate individual employees and to improve team performance simultaneously.

This study proposes a conceptual framework for understanding motivation and support extended to individual employees which would influence team performance. The conceptual framework includes psychological empowerment and support for innovation as mediating variables in the effect of transformational leadership on team performance. The study also validates the proposed conceptual framework using a second-order confirmatory factor analysis technique, namely, partial least squares-structural equations modeling, with the data collected from 182 followers from 10 service organizations in the UAE.

The findings suggest that transformational leadership has significant positive impact on team performance and, on the contrary, transactional leadership has significant negative effect on team performance. Two dimensions of psychological empowerment such as meaning and self-determination have partial mediation effect in the relationship between transformational leadership and team performance.

This study contributes to the research that identifies team mechanisms influenced by transformational leadership that can affect team success and performance, particularly in the context of UAE-based organizations. Managerial implications and future research areas are further discussed.

Friction stir processing (FSP) is overviewed with the process variables, along with the thermal aspect of different metals.

With its inbuilt advantages, FSP is used to reduce the failure in the structural integrity of the body panels of automobiles, airplanes and lashing rails. FSP has excellent process ability and surface treatability with good corrosion resistance and high strength at elevated temperatures. Process parameters such as rotation speed of the tool, traverse speed, tool tilt angle, groove design, volume fraction and increase in number of tool passes should be considered for generating a processed and defect-free surface of the workpiece.

FSP process is used for modifying the surface by reinforcement of composites to improve the mechanical properties and results in the ultrafine grain refinement of microstructure. FSP uses the frictional heat and mechanical deformation for achieving the maximum performance using the low-cost tool; the production time is also very less.

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