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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 28 October 2021

Ben M. Roberts, David Allinson and Kevin J. Lomas

Accurate values for infiltration rate are important to reliably estimate heat losses from buildings. Infiltration rate is rarely measured directly, and instead is usually…

2368

Abstract

Purpose

Accurate values for infiltration rate are important to reliably estimate heat losses from buildings. Infiltration rate is rarely measured directly, and instead is usually estimated using algorithms or data from fan pressurisation tests. However, there is growing evidence that the commonly used methods for estimating infiltration rate are inaccurate in UK dwellings. Furthermore, most prior research was conducted during the winter season or relies on single measurements in each dwelling. Infiltration rates also affect the likelihood and severity of summertime overheating. The purpose of this work is to measure infiltration rates in summer, to compare this to different infiltration estimation methods, and to quantify the differences.

Design/methodology/approach

Fifteen whole house tracer gas tests were undertaken in the same test house during spring and summer to measure the whole building infiltration rate. Eleven infiltration estimation methods were used to predict infiltration rate, and these were compared to the measured values. Most, but not all, infiltration estimation methods relied on data from fan pressurisation (blower door) tests. A further four tracer gas tests were also done with trickle vents open to allow for comment on indoor air quality, but not compared to infiltration estimation methods.

Findings

The eleven estimation methods predicted infiltration rates between 64 and 208% higher than measured. The ASHRAE Enhanced derived infiltration rate (0.41 ach) was closest to the measured value of 0.25 ach, but still significantly different. The infiltration rate predicted by the “divide-by-20” rule of thumb, which is commonly used in the UK, was second furthest from the measured value at 0.73 ach. Indoor air quality is likely to be unsatisfactory in summer when windows are closed, even if trickle vents are open.

Practical implications

The findings have implications for those using dynamic thermal modelling to predict summertime overheating who, in the absence of a directly measured value for infiltration rate (i.e. by tracer gas), currently commonly use infiltration estimation methods such as the “divide-by-20” rule. Therefore, infiltration may be overestimated resulting in overheating risk and indoor air quality being incorrectly predicted.

Originality/value

Direct measurement of air infiltration rate is rare, especially multiple tests in a single home. Past measurements have invariably focused on the winter heating season. This work is original in that the tracer gas technique used to measure infiltration rate many times in a single dwelling during the summer. This work is also original in that it quantifies both the infiltration rate and its variability, and compares these to values produced by eleven infiltration estimation methods.

Details

International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, vol. 41 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-4708

Keywords

Open Access
Book part
Publication date: 6 May 2019

Mitch Blair, Mariana Miranda Autran Sampaio, Michael Rigby and Denise Alexander

The Models of Child Health Appraised (MOCHA) project identified the different models of primary care that exist for children, examined the particular attributes that might be…

Abstract

The Models of Child Health Appraised (MOCHA) project identified the different models of primary care that exist for children, examined the particular attributes that might be different from those directed at adults and considered how these models might be appraised. The project took the multiple and interrelated dimensions of primary care and simplified them into a conceptual framework for appraisal. A general description of the models in existence in all 30 countries of the EU and EEA countries, focusing on lead practitioner, financial and regulatory and service provision classifications, was created. We then used the WHO ‘building blocks’ for high-performing health systems as a starting point for identifying a good system for children. The building blocks encompass safe and good quality services from an educated and empowered workforce, providing good data systems, access to all necessary medical products, prevention and treatments, and a service that is adequately financed and well led. An extensive search of the literature failed to identify a suitable appraisal framework for MOCHA, because none of the frameworks focused on child primary care in its own right. This led the research team to devise an alternative conceptualisation, at the heart of which is the core theme of child centricity and ecology, and the need to focus on delivery to the child through the life course. The MOCHA model also focuses on the primary care team and the societal and environmental context of the primary care system.

Details

Issues and Opportunities in Primary Health Care for Children in Europe
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78973-354-9

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 15 October 2015

Zahra Ladhan, Henal Shah, Ray Wells, Stacey Friedman, Juanita Bezuidenhout, Ben van Heerden, Henry Campos and Page S. Morahan

The health workforce of the 21st century has enormous challenges; health professionals need to be both experts in their field and equipped with leadership and managerial skills…

Abstract

The health workforce of the 21st century has enormous challenges; health professionals need to be both experts in their field and equipped with leadership and managerial skills. These skills are not part of the regular curriculum, so specific programs bridging this gap are required. Since 2001, FAIMER®, with eight centers across the globe, has worked to create health professions education leaders through transformational learning experiences, developing a global community of practice encompassing over 40 countries. We describe the design, implementation, evaluation, and evolution of the leadership and management curriculum component of the global Institute over 15 years. The curriculum is developed and updated through practices that keep faculty and fellows connected, aligned, and learning together. The article highlights the unique features, challenges faced, and sustainability issues. With a robust mixed methods evaluation, there are substantial reasons to believe that the model works, is adaptable and replicable to meet local needs. The program is playing an important role of answering the call for training positive, strengths-based, collaborative leaders who are socially accountable and embrace the challenges for high quality equitable health care around the globe

Details

Journal of Leadership Education, vol. 14 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1552-9045

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 27 January 2023

Alex Almici

This paper aims to verify whether the integration of sustainability in executive compensation positively affects firms’ non-financial performance and whether corporate governance…

4461

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to verify whether the integration of sustainability in executive compensation positively affects firms’ non-financial performance and whether corporate governance characteristics enhance the relationship between sustainability compensation and firms’ non-financial performance and to expand the domain of the impact of sustainability on non-financial performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This analysis is based on a sample of companies listed on the Milan Italian Stock Exchange from the Financial Times Milan Stock Exchange Index over the 2016–2020 period. Regression analysis was used by using data retrieved from the Refinitiv Eikon database and the sample firms’ remuneration reports.

Findings

The findings of this paper show that embedding sustainability in executive compensation positively affects firms’ non-financial performance. The results of this paper also reveal that specific corporate governance features can improve the impact of sustainability on non-financial performance.

Research limitations/implications

This analysis is limited to Italian firms included in the Financial Times Milan Stock Exchange Index; however, the findings are highly significant.

Practical implications

The findings provide regulators with useful insights for considering the integration of sustainability goals into executive remuneration. Another implication is that policymakers should require – at least – listed firms to fulfil specific corporate governance structural requirements. Finally, the findings can provide investors and financial analysts with a greater awareness of the role played by executive remuneration in the long-term value-creation process.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to addressing the relationship among sustainability, remuneration and non-financial disclosure, drawing on the stakeholder–agency theoretical framework and focusing on Italian firms. This issue has received limited attention with controversial results in the literature.

Details

Meditari Accountancy Research, vol. 31 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2049-372X

Keywords

Open Access

Abstract

Details

The Incel Rebellion: The Rise of the Manosphere and the Virtual War Against Women
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83982-257-5

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 15 January 2021

Haley Q. Traini, Catlin M. Pauley, Aaron J. McKim, Jonathan J. Velez and Jon C. Simonson

Postsecondary leadership experiences provide students opportunities to gain, enhance, and refine capacities useful in addressing the complex challenges of the world. Our…

Abstract

Postsecondary leadership experiences provide students opportunities to gain, enhance, and refine capacities useful in addressing the complex challenges of the world. Our exploratory, descriptive qualitative study examined the motivations of postsecondary students to engage in long-term curricular leadership education (CLE) programs. Interviews and focus groups from 29 participants identified expected outcomes, program characteristics, and social encouragement to be three primary motivators that interact to describe student engagement in CLE programs. This formed a basis for our initial conceptualization of curricular leadership education motivation of postsecondary students. Our findings serve as a foundation to explore postsecondary student motivation to enhance the practice and scholarship of leadership education. We offer a conceptual model illustrating our results as well as recommendations for practice and research.

Details

Journal of Leadership Education, vol. 20 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1552-9045

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 12 March 2024

Md Aslam Mia, Md Imran Hossain and Sunil Sangwan

Digitalization is one of the major factors that fosters economic growth across the world. However, the level of digitalization varies significantly between developed and…

1746

Abstract

Purpose

Digitalization is one of the major factors that fosters economic growth across the world. However, the level of digitalization varies significantly between developed and developing countries, with the latter often lagging behind. To bridge this gap, it is crucial to pinpoint the drivers of digitalization, specifically from the macroeconomic and country-level governance dimensions. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the determinants of digitalization, particularly for countries in Asia and the Pacific region.

Design/methodology/approach

Our study utilizes unbalanced panel data from 46 Asian and Pacific countries for the period of 2001–2021. Initially, we analyzed the data using conventional econometric methods, such as pooled ordinary least squares (POLS), random-effects model (REM) and fixed-effects model (FEM). Moreover, we employed endogeneity-corrected techniques and alternative proxies to enhance the robustness and reliability of our findings.

Findings

Our findings reveal that economic development progress, government expenditure relative to country size and political stability are key drivers of digitalization. In contrast, corruption at the country level emerges as a significant impediment. Notably, our results remain robust to endogeneity-corrected techniques and alternative proxies of digitalization. Overall, these insights can inform policymakers, helping them to understand the macroeconomic and governance factors shaping digitalization and guide their decision-making toward effective policy interventions.

Originality/value

This study’s empirical findings add significant value to the existing literature by quantifying the impact of macroeconomic and governance factors on digitalization in selected countries. This offers valuable insights for policymakers, particularly in nations with lower levels of digitalization.

Details

Digital Transformation and Society, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2755-0761

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 25 June 2019

Nora Medhat Abdelkader

This paper aims to shed light on the previous ideological stands of the newly established Islamist parties in terms of the idea of party formation, and different models of their…

1866

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to shed light on the previous ideological stands of the newly established Islamist parties in terms of the idea of party formation, and different models of their relations with the social movements from which they emanated through focusing on some case studies, namely, Egypt and Tunisia, with an attempt to study their impact on the parties’ paths by concentrating on two dimensions: the decision-making process and alliances’ building.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is written according to the comparative case studies approach and Huntington’s new institutionalism.

Findings

The research findings proved that, in the light of the two case studies, there are two different models of relations exist between the Islamist political parties and the social movements they emanated from, and despite that both parties had come out from social movements or took the form of a movement in their beginnings and were established within the same context, they showed different perspectives in dealing later on with the new institutional and political context and their rising challenges. These perspectives affected the parties’ decision-making process and alliances’ building, as well as their institutional legitimacy and determined their political future.

Originality/value

In the end, this paper attempts to deal with the degree of institutionalization these parties enjoyed, based on how the movements they emanated from had dealt with the dilemma of party building and the party-movement relations.

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 11 June 2021

Ben Odigbo, Felix Eze, Rose Odigbo and Joshua Kajang

Background: This work is a situation analysis of reported human rights abuses that have characterized the COVID-19 controls and lockdown in some countries of the world. This is as…

Abstract

Background: This work is a situation analysis of reported human rights abuses that have characterized the COVID-19 controls and lockdown in some countries of the world. This is as documented by reliable mass media sources, relevant international organizations and human rights non-governmental organizations between January 2020 to April 2020.

Methods: A combined content analysis, critical analysis, and doctrinal method is applied in this study in line with the reproducible research process. It is a secondary-data-based situation analysis study, conducted through a qualitative research approach.

Findings: The findings revealed among other things that: COVID-19 lockdowns and curfews' enforcement by law enforcement officers contravened some people's fundamental human rights within the first month. Security forces employed overt and immoderate forces to implement the orders. The lockdown and curfew enforcements were not significantly respectful of human life and human dignity. The COVID-19 emergency declarations in some countries were discriminatory against minorities and vulnerable groups in some countries.

Research limitations/implications: This report is based on data from investigative journalism and opinions of the United Nations and international human rights organizations, and not on police investigations or reports. The implication of the study is that if social marketing orientations and risk communication and community engagement attitudes were given to the law enforcement officers implementing the COVID-19 lockdowns and or curfews, the human rights and humanitarian rights breaches witnessed would have been avoided or drastically minimized.

Originality: The originality of this review is that it is the first to undertake a situation analysis of the COVID-19 lockdowns and curfews human rights abuses in some countries. The study portrayed the poor level of social marketing orientations and risk communication and community engagement attitudes amongst law enforcement officers, culminating in the frosty police-public relationships.

Details

Emerald Open Research, vol. 1 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2631-3952

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 25 January 2024

Masoome Abikari

The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between consumers’ emotions towards emerging e-banking technology, perceived risk and subsequent intention to adopt…

2077

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the association between consumers’ emotions towards emerging e-banking technology, perceived risk and subsequent intention to adopt emerging e-banking technology.

Design/methodology/approach

An online questionnaire was used to collect data, which were analysed in a quantitative study. The final sample of 224 educated young consumers, familiar with emerging e-banking technology, allowed testing of the research hypotheses by applying confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling (SEM).

Findings

The empirical results indicate that deterrence emotions and hedonic motivation are associated with consumers’ perceived risk and, subsequently, their intention to adopt emerging e-banking technology. Additionally, analysing the moderating role of hedonic motivation in the association between consumers’ deterrence emotions towards emerging e-banking technology and their perceived risk highlights the significant association of deterrence emotions with perceived risk, regardless of the presence of hedonic motivation.

Originality/value

This study demonstrates the association between consumers’ emotions, perceived risk and subsequent intention to adopt emerging e-banking technology whilst underscoring the importance of distinguishing between different types of emotions and their corresponding appraisals.

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