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1 – 10 of 617Iman Kardan, Alireza Akbarzadeh and Ali Mousavi Mohammadi
This paper aims to increase the safety of the robots’ operation by developing a novel method for real-time implementation of velocity scaling and obstacle avoidance as the two…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to increase the safety of the robots’ operation by developing a novel method for real-time implementation of velocity scaling and obstacle avoidance as the two widely accepted safety increasing concepts.
Design/methodology/approach
A fuzzy version of dynamic movement primitive (DMP) framework is proposed as a real-time trajectory generator with imbedded velocity scaling capability. Time constant of the DMP system is determined by a fuzzy system which makes decisions based on the distance from obstacle to the robot’s workspace and its velocity projection toward the workspace. Moreover, a combination of the DMP framework with a human-like steering mechanism and a novel configuration of virtual impedances is proposed for real-time obstacle avoidance.
Findings
The results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method in real-time implementation of the velocity scaling and obstacle avoidance concepts in different cases of single and multiple stationary obstacles as well as moving obstacles.
Practical implications
As the provided experiments indicate, the proposed method can effectively increase the real-time safety of the robots’ operations. This is achieved by developing a simple method with low computational loads.
Originality/value
This paper proposes a novel method for real-time implementation of velocity scaling and obstacle avoidance concepts. This method eliminates the need for modification of original DMP formulation. The velocity scaling concept is implemented by using a fuzzy system to adjust the DMP’s time constant. Furthermore, the novel impedance configuration makes it possible to obtain a non-oscillatory convergence to the desired path, in all degrees of freedom.
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Ali Mohammadi and Parastoo Taherkhani
The purpose of this paper is to identify the relationship between organizational capital and the subsets of organizational capital (intellectual capital (IC)) cost and cost…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify the relationship between organizational capital and the subsets of organizational capital (intellectual capital (IC)) cost and cost stickiness.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is causal correlational research. The data related to the company’s financial statements were collected using the Rahavard Novin Software and www.rdis.ir. In this study, panel data were run with the use of Eviews 8, in order to test the hypotheses. The ordinary least-squares method is used in this study to estimate the parameters of the model.
Findings
The results obtained from the study show that there is a significant relationship between organizational capital and cost stickiness. However, there is no significant difference between high and low rank in terms of organizational capital and cost stickiness. In addition, there is a significant difference between IC and cost stickiness. Moreover, there is no significant difference between the components of IC and cost stickiness. Also, IC has an effect on the intensity of the relationship between organizational capital and cost stickiness.
Originality/value
This study explores the relationship between organizational capital and the subsets of IC and cost stickiness. Independent variables used in this study include organizational capital, IC and its components in the Pulic model, i.e. the efficiency of capital employed, the efficiency of human capital and the efficiency of structural capital.
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Ali Mohammadi, Jiami Yang, Yuri Borgianni and Yong Zeng
The purpose of this paper is to analyze theory of inventive problem-solving (TRIZ) in terms of knowledge, skill, workload and affect to understand its effectiveness in enabling…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze theory of inventive problem-solving (TRIZ) in terms of knowledge, skill, workload and affect to understand its effectiveness in enabling designers to achieve their optimized mental performance.
Design/methodology/approach
TASKS framework, which aims to capture the causal relations among Task workload, affect, skills, knowledge and mental stress, is adopted as our methodology. The framework supports the analysis of how a methodology influence designer’s affect, skills, knowledge and workload. TRIZ-related publications are assessed using the TASKS framework to identify the barriers and enablers in TRIZ-supported design.
Findings
TRIZ has limitations on its logic and tools. Nevertheless, it could create a beneficial impact on mental performance of designers.
Originality/value
This paper provides a theory-driven TRIZ usability analysis based on the materials in the literature following the TASKS framework. The impact of TRIZ, as an enabler or a barrier, has been analyzed in accomplishing a design task.
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Rajasshrie Pillai, Brijesh Sivathanu, Bhimaraya Metri and Neeraj Kaushik
The purpose of this paper is to investigate students' adoption intention (ADI) and actual usage (ATU) of artificial intelligence (AI)-based teacher bots (T-bots) for learning…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate students' adoption intention (ADI) and actual usage (ATU) of artificial intelligence (AI)-based teacher bots (T-bots) for learning using technology adoption model (TAM) and context-specific variables.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed-method design is used wherein the quantitative and qualitative approaches were used to explore the adoption of T-bots for learning. Overall, 45 principals/directors/deans/professors were interviewed and NVivo 8.0 was used for interview data analysis. Overall, 1,380 students of higher education institutes were surveyed, and the collected data was analyzed using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) technique.
Findings
The T-bot's ADI’s antecedents found were perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, personalization, interactivity, perceived trust, anthropomorphism and perceived intelligence. The ADI influences the ATU of T-bots, and its relationship is negatively moderated by stickiness to learn from human teachers in the classroom. It comprehends the insights of senior authorities of the higher education institutions in India toward the adoption of T-bots.
Practical implications
The research provides distinctive insights for principals, directors and professors in higher education institutes to understand the factors affecting the students' behavioral intention and use of T-bots. The developers and designers of T-bots need to ensure that T-bots are more interactive, provide personalized information to students and ensure the anthropomorphic characteristics of T-bots. The education policymakers can also comprehend the factors of T-bot adoption for developing the policies related to T-bots and their implications in education.
Originality/value
T-bot is a new disruptive technology in the education sector, and this is the first step in exploring the adoption factors. The TAM model is extended with context-specific factors related to T-bot technology to offer a comprehensive explanatory power to the proposed model. The research outcome provides the unique antecedents of the adoption of T-bots.
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As women push the boundaries of the dress code, the government is adopting a two-pronged strategy. It is shifting responsibility for hijab (Islamic dress) compliance onto the…
Details
DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-DB276319
ISSN: 2633-304X
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Geographic
Topical
Adeniyi Samson Afolabi, Hafeez Idowu Agbabiaka, Abel Omoniyi Afon, Akinkunle Akintan Akinbinu and Emmanuel Adetayo Adefisoye
Hospital solid waste may cause serious health hazards and impair the quality of life of the community through transmission of diseases and injury if not properly managed…
Abstract
Purpose
Hospital solid waste may cause serious health hazards and impair the quality of life of the community through transmission of diseases and injury if not properly managed. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to examine solid waste management practice (SWMP) in Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex.
Design/methodology/approach
Primary data were collected for this study through interview and questionnaire administration. Systematic sampling technique was used to select 60 students, 13 staffs, 43 cleaners, 8 contractors, and a management staff for questionnaire administration. Data obtained were analyzed using frequency distribution, pictorial analysis, and factor analysis.
Findings
Findings established that solid wastes components generated in the hospital were not segregated in line with the directive of the World Health Organization. The study further established that the factors influencing SWMP accounted for 79.9 percent variance in the following proportion: available storage and collection facilities (30.94 percent), number of patients’ factors (17.86 percent), transportation factor (15.39 percent), human and material resource factors (8.33 percent), and disposal (7.36 percent).
Originality/value
The study therefore concludes that the effectiveness of SWMPs depends on the facilities and equipment, human resources capacity, and frequency of waste collection and disposal.
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Samira Mohammadi, Ali Ramezankhani, Ali Montazeri, Akbar Nasrollahi and Nastaran Keshavarz Mohammadi
Health-related issues are widely covered in news agencies by medical and health journalists. The quantity, format and quality of their coverage influence the general public as…
Abstract
Purpose
Health-related issues are widely covered in news agencies by medical and health journalists. The quantity, format and quality of their coverage influence the general public as well as policymakers and professions. Current studies and observations suggest that news agencies are more dominated by medical topics (disease, symptoms, epidemiology, treatment and medicines) than general public health issues (risk prevention, health protection, education and promotion). This study explores the causes of the current situation in Iran and generates solutions for supporting health-promoting media that may also prove beneficial for other countries.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative study was conducted to explore the coverage of health-related topics in selected news agencies. Stakeholders, including health journalists, health professionals and public relations staff at the Iranian Ministry of Health and Medical Education were interviewed. Data were collected until data saturation was reached. The transcripts of all the 17 interviews conducted were analyzed using conventional content analysis.
Findings
Four groups of causes were identified, including individual factors, organizational factors, socioeconomic factors and the different nature of medicine and public health. The participants proposed several solutions that were classified into three categories, including the empowerment of stakeholders through capacity development, organizational change and mutual communication and culture change.
Originality/value
Creating health-promoting media is a complex but urgent task, and providing a comprehensive and deep understanding of the dynamic interdependencies of the multiple factors at play in it and developing and implementing the most effective interventions for it requires a systematic approach.
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Satar Rezaei, Behzad Karami Matin, Mohammad Hajizadeh, Ali Soroush, Zahra Mohammadi, Maryam Babakhany and Khadije Jamshidi
Education is a human right and access to high quality education is key to sustainable socioeconomic development. Improving the quality of higher education institutes is essential…
Abstract
Purpose
Education is a human right and access to high quality education is key to sustainable socioeconomic development. Improving the quality of higher education institutes is essential for generating the productive human resources. Assessing the quality of higher education from the students’ perspective can be considered a crucial factor in the monitoring of service quality in universities. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the quality of educational services in a higher education institute, the Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences (KUMS), in the west of Iran.
Design/methodology/approach
A multistage sampling method was used to select 346 students from the KUMS, who were enrolled in the second semester of the academic year 2015-2016. The SERVQUAL questionnaire was used to gather data on students’ perceptions and their expectations about the quality of educational services. The authors used a statistical significance level of 0.05 to examine the gap between the students’ expectations and their perceptions of service quality in five dimensions, namely tangibles, responsiveness, reliability, empathy and assurance.
Findings
The results showed that there was a negative service quality gap in all five dimensions. The overall mean score of students’ expectations and their perceptions was 3.19±0.44 and 2.4±0.45, respectively. The score gap between the overall mean score of perceptions and expectations of students was −0.79, which was statistically significant (p<0.0001). The highest and lowest quality gaps were related to the assurance (−0.84) and tangible (−0.70) dimensions, respectively.
Originality/value
The study indicated that the quality of educational services provided in the KUMS did not meet students’ expectations in five dimensions of service quality. Thus, it warrants further investigations to determine how to improve the quality of educational services in higher education institutes such as the KUMS.
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Abstract
Purpose
This study examines the mediating roles of the three dimensions of business intelligence (sensing capability, transforming capability and driving capability) in the relationship between the three dimensions of big data analytics capability (big data analytics management, technology and talent capabilities), and radical innovation among Chinese manufacturing enterprises.
Design/methodology/approach
A theoretical framework was developed using the resource-based view. The hypothesis was tested using empirical survey data from 326 Chinese manufacturing enterprises.
Findings
Empirical results show that, in the Chinese manufacturing context, business intelligence sensing capability, business intelligence transforming capability and business intelligence driving capability positively mediate the impact of big data analytics capability on radical innovation.
Practical implications
The results offer managerial guidance for leaders to properly use big data analytics capability, business intelligence and radical innovation as well as offering theoretical insight for future research in the manufacturing industry’s radical innovation.
Originality/value
This is among the first studies to examine three dimensions of big data analytics capability on the manufacturing industry’s radical innovation by considering the mediating role of three dimensions of business intelligence.
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