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The growing quantity of waste is a worrying reality that has resulted in environmental sustainability challenges. Waste paper sludge (WPS) in large quantities from paper mill industry are produced every year. Their disposal in landfills, in general, pollutes the environment. Cement manufacture also contributes to global warming by emitting carbon dioxide. As a result, a novel use of industrial wastes as a supplemental cementitious ingredient in concrete formulation can help to mitigate the environmental problem. This paper aims to study the possibility of usage of WPS as partial replacements of cement for sustainable development of concrete.

This study aims at testing the mechanical properties of concrete that has been mixed with WPS. Between 5% and 20% of the weight of cement, WPS was used to substitute it. The water binder ratios of 0.55, 0.50, 0.45 and 0.42 were all considered for an experiment to better understand the impact of WPS on concrete. In terms of workability, density, water absorption (WA), compressive strength (CS) and flexural strength (FS), concrete mixtures were created, tested and compared to traditional concrete mixes.

According to the findings, the initial and final setting times of the concrete mixtures were both significantly delayed, and the workability and density of the concrete mixtures were both significantly lowered at all water binder ratios and replacement levels. Both compressive and FS of concrete made with WSP declined significantly at all water binder ratio. Substitution of cement by WPS enhanced the WA of all the concrete mixes. The mechanical performance of concrete mixtures that were made with a replacement level of 5% exhibited noticeable improvements. Whereas the more is the replacement levels the more the loss in the mechanical properties were noted. The ideal replacement levels for the WPS are up to 5% only.

This paper contributes to the literature by exploring the ecological and sustainable effects of using WPS in construction materials.

Upon completion of this case study, students should be able to apply lessons learned in core readings, analysis and discussion to a specific case study dealing with a current, real-world situation, specifically: critically assess Livestock Wealth’s case facts and present and justify their point of view – based on attentive reading, critical analysis and engagement – about the company; use a range of strategic tools such as strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis, PESTLE analysis and the Ansoff matrix to thoroughly evaluate Livestock Wealth’s internal and external business environment for developing strategic options for business growth and improvements to marketing strategy; use strategic thinking to develop a range of creative solutions to guide the company’s business growth and improvements to marketing strategy; and assess their own growth and development in terms of personal preparation and organisation, collaboration, critical thinking, decision-making skills, participation and problem-solving.

By February 2022, Ntuthuko Shezi, the founder and chief executive officer of Livestock Wealth, had turned his idea of “crowd farming”, which enables anyone to invest in living farm assets and earn a profit at harvest, into a full-fledged business that was creating wealth for both investors and farmers. Underpinning this case study is Shezi’s vision of an African continent where there is “no ground that is not planted with something of value”, local economies are created in those areas, communities are wealthy, there is abundance, there is money for children to attend school and ultimately where “cows (and agricultural produce in general) are seen as money”. Shezi had grown up in a rural area with grandparents who owned a couple of cows, realizing that the cows were the bedrock of the family’s finances. Describing his business, he says, “Cattle are like a walking bank, and we see ourselves as the bank of the future, where every person who owns a cow can access financial services through Livestock Wealth, just like it has always been in Africa.” This case study describes the two key decisions that Shezi needed to make – what direction to take in terms of business growth and how to improve his marketing strategy (with a limited budget) to attract sufficient investment into Livestock Wealth to make his dreams a reality.

This case study is suitable for use for a post-graduate diploma in business, master of business administration or master’s in management.

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

CSS 11: Strategy.

The purpose of this paper is to understand the effect of airflow dynamics on vortices for different flow rates using the human nose three-dimensional model.

Olfaction originates with air particles travelling from an external environment to the upper segment of the human nose. This phenomenon is generally understood by using the nasal airflow dynamics, which enhances the olfaction by creating the vortices in the human nose. An anatomical three-dimensional model of the human nasal cavity from computed tomography (CT) scan images using the MIMICS software (Materialise, USA) was developed in this study. Grid independence test was performed through volume flow rate, pressure drop from nostrils and septum and average velocity near the nasal valve region using a four computational mesh model. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) was used to examine the flow pattern and influence of airflow dynamics on vortices in the nasal cavity. Numerical simulations were conducted for the flow rates of 7.5, 10, 15 and 20 L/min using numerical finite volume methods.

At coronal cross-sections, dissimilar nasal airflow patterns were observed for 7.5, 10, 15 and 20 L/min rate of fluid flow in the human nasal cavity. Vortices that are found at the boundaries with minimum velocity creates deceleration zone in the nose vestibule region, which is accompanied by flow segregation. Maximum vortices were observed in the nasal valve region and the posterior end of the turbinate region, which involves mixing and recirculation and is responsible for enhancing the smelling process.

The proposed analysis is applicable to design the sensor chamber for electronic noses.

In this paper, the influence of airflow dynamics on vortices in the human nasal cavity is discussed through numerical simulations.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the complex interrelationships among the key constructs, supply chain orientation (SCO), supply chain integration (SCI) and supply chain performance (SCP) in Indian manufacturing industries. These relationships have been studied using the relational view (RV) and the knowledge-based view (KBV) theoretical perspectives.

The conceptual model was derived from the existing body of knowledge in the supply chain domain. The study is based on a sample size of 122 data collected via face-to-face meetings with the Indian manufacturers using well-established scales. The covariance-based structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed hypotheses.

In Indian manufacturing and supply chains, SCO has a positive relationship with SCI and SCP. Moreover, the direct impact of SCO on SCP diminishes when SCI is used as a mediating variable. This study also observes positive impact of: i) SCO on SCP, ii) SCI on SCP and iii) discovery of mediating role of SCI on SCP under the theoretical lenses of RV and KBV.

Cross-sectional survey of manufacturing firms of one country (using one response per firm) calls for validation covering other parts of the world and demands a longitudinal survey. This research will trigger more scholarly, practice and policy debate among researchers studying Indian and emerging economies context.

The notion of a holistic view of the SC with a focus on improving the customer value can enhance strategic partnerships among the SC partners (i.e. SCI) and overall SCP. Firms should make efforts to include SCI in SC designs to successfully transform SCO into SCP.

The originality of the research lies in studying the complex interrelationships among key concepts of SC in a unique Indian manufacturing context. The Indian supply chains operate in a set of unique characteristics, which have been detailed out in this paper. This paper not only establishes the mediating role of SCI for overall SCP in emerging economies but also enhances the scholarly knowledge in the SC domain. Most studies report SCO as a single-order construct, measured by scales comprising of only few items. The second-order SCO measures in this study bring credibility to the findings. Additionally, it contributes to both academicians and practitioners alike in the context of an integrated SC in emerging economies.

Alexa’s integration in rural primary schools has improved the pedagogy and has created an engaging and objective learning environment. This study investigates the integration, with a specific focus on exploring its various aspects. The impact of Alexa’s on students' English vocabulary, comprehension and public speaking are examined. This study aims to provide insights the teachers and highlight the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in rural education.

This content analysis study explores the use of Alexa in primary education in rural areas of India. The study focuses on the types of the questions asked by the students and examines the pedagogical implications of these interactions. By analyzing the use of Alexa in rural educational settings, this study aims to contribute to our understanding of how voice assistants are utilized as educational tools in underprivileged areas.

Alexa significantly improved students' English vocabulary, comprehension and public speaking confidence. Alexa increased school enrollment and retention. Virtual voice assistants like Alexa may improve pedagogy and help India’s rural education. This study shows AI improves rural education.

The study only covers rural India. Self-reported data and observations may bias the study. The small sample size may underrepresent rural educational institutions in India.

Alexa is used to study rural India’s primary education. Voice assistants in rural education are understudied. The study examines Alexa’s classroom use, student questions, and policy and teacher education implications. AI’s education transformation potential addresses UNESCO’s teacher shortage. This novel study examines how AI can improve rural education outcomes and access.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of spiritual leadership on organizational performance based on the balanced scorecard (BSC).

Statistical population includes the middle managers of 60 hotels across eight provinces in Iran. For data analysis, 207 accurate completed questionnaires have been used. Structural equation modeling has been used to explore the relationships between the research variables.

The findings showed that spiritual leadership has a significant positive effect on calling and membership. Also, spiritual leadership, calling and membership have a significant positive effect on organizational performance.

This paper by presenting a comprehensive model provides a framework and approach for studying the performance consequences of spiritual leadership in the hotel industry using the BSC.