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Article
Publication date: 24 September 2019

Slobodanka Jovasevic, José Correia, Marko Pavlovic, Rita Dantas, Carlos Rebelo, Milan Veljkovic and Abilio M.P. de Jesus

In the last decades, the demand and use of renewable energies have been increasing. The increase in renewable energies, particularly wind energy, leads to the development and…

Abstract

Purpose

In the last decades, the demand and use of renewable energies have been increasing. The increase in renewable energies, particularly wind energy, leads to the development and innovation of powerful wind energy converters as well as increased production requirements. Hence, a higher supporting structure is required to achieve higher wind speed with less turbulence. To date, the onshore wind towers with tubular connections are the most used. The maximum diameter of this type of tower is limited by transportation logistics. The purpose of this paper is to propose an alternative wind turbine lattice structure based on half-pipe steel connections.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, a new concept of steel hybrid tower has been proposed. The focus of this work is the development of a lattice structure. Therefore, the geometry of the lattice part of the tower is assessed to decrease the number of joints and bolts. The sections used in the lattice structure are constructed in a polygonal shape. The elements are obtained by cold forming and bolted along the length. The members are connected by gusset plates and preloaded bolts. A numerical investigation of joints is carried out using the finite element (FE) software ABAQUS.

Findings

Based on the proposed study, the six “legs” solution with K braces under 45° angle and height/spread ratio of 4/1 and 5/1 provides the most suitable balance between the weight of the supporting structure, number of bolts in joints and reaction forces in the foundations, when compared with four “legs” solution.

Originality/value

In this investigation, the failure modes of elements and joints of an alternative wind turbine lattice structures, as well as the rotation stiffness of the joints, are determined. The FE results show good agreement with the analytical calculation proposed by EC3-1-8 standard.

Details

International Journal of Structural Integrity, vol. 12 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1757-9864

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 August 2019

Gilberto Santos, Sergio Gomes, Vitor Braga, Alexandra Braga, Vanda Lima, Paulo Teixeira and José Carlos Sá

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the best way to create value in Portugal through quality and innovation and also to check what needs to be improved.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the best way to create value in Portugal through quality and innovation and also to check what needs to be improved.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was applied to population of 152 companies, with the research and development (R&D) management certified by Portuguese Standard NP 4457. The final sample was 66 companies, which correspond to 45 percent of the population. Statistical analysis of the data collected was performed using IBM SPSS Statistical Software.

Findings

The authors highlighted the main reasons/motivations that led companies to implement the NP 4457, which were, among others, competitive advantage and creating value. The systematization of information and the generation and management of ideas were highlighted as the main advantages. The lack of methodologies for innovation management and knowledge management was the difficulty experienced in the implementation of NP 4457. Portugal needs to increase patent registration and it also needs to know how to take advantage of the investment made in R&D, in order to decrease the unit cost of knowledge. Portuguese engineering should be more about product design than production processes. The involvement of top management must be greater.

Originality/value

This investigation contributes to the innovation and quality body of knowledge, since it explores the complementarity between the two concepts as sources of value creation. This case study is one of the first Portuguese empirical research works about value creation through quality and innovation in Portugal. It also allows to know in detail the Portuguese business reality in terms of innovation management.

Details

The TQM Journal, vol. 31 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2731

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 February 2018

Camila Fabricio Poltronieri, Mateus Cecílio Gerolamo, Teresa Cristina Martins Dias and Luiz Cesar Ribeiro Carpinetti

The number of standards for management systems (MSs) has increased recently. Among the most recognizable ones are ISO9001, ISO14001 and OHSAS18001. The need for integration has…

Abstract

Purpose

The number of standards for management systems (MSs) has increased recently. Among the most recognizable ones are ISO9001, ISO14001 and OHSAS18001. The need for integration has risen due to the development and adoption of more than one MS in the same business, in a process known as integrated management systems (IMS). Some authors have argued that the use of IMS contributes toward sustainability. The purpose of this paper is to present an instrument to assess the integration of different MSs and its effect on sustainable performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A review of IMS, maturity of IMS and sustainability was conducted to build the instrument used in this research. Domingues et al. (2016), Poltronieri et al. (2017), Bernardo et al. (2009) and ISO9001:2015 were used as references pertaining to IMS, whereas Global Reporting Initiative and the research of Delai and Takahashi (2011) were employed for performance issues. All were evaluated both qualitatively and quantitatively.

Findings

In the pre-test the order of some questions was changed, some other questions were reformulated and a new classification was created. The evaluation of specialists contributed to reduce the number of questions and make the questionnaire more clear. Cronbach’s α was used to prove the reliability of the questionnaire.

Originality/value

The importance of this study lies in the development of an instrument that helps assess the maturity of the integration of MSs and evaluate sustainable performance.

Details

International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, vol. 35 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-671X

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 14 March 2018

Medéia Veríssimo and Carlos Costa

The purpose of this paper is to identify the best hostel practices and trends, and to evaluate and discuss how they are keeping up with the present demand created by the…

8522

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the best hostel practices and trends, and to evaluate and discuss how they are keeping up with the present demand created by the Millennials market.

Design/methodology/approach

Methodological approach is based on two complementary qualitative methods: ethnographic participant observation and netnography. Portuguese hostels are the target of this study, as they are considered some of the best in the world. First, a fieldwork was conducted in three top-rated hostels in Lisbon, aiming to immerse in hostel’s environment. Then, 300 online reviews were analysed to identify what customers value the most in those services. Data interpretation was done through a content analysis crossing supply-demand perspectives.

Findings

Results indicate that, while staying in a hostel, the Millennials want to: meet people, engage in activities and events, have local experiences, feel comfortable/at home, get good value for money and enjoy the convenience. In return, hostels play an important role in hospitality industry by pleasing the Millennials, by offering: central location, an interactive atmosphere, functional facilities, well-planned design and decoration, a set of activities and events and personal treatment.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the few to describe Millennials’ travel behaviour towards hostels’ services.

Details

Journal of Tourism Futures, vol. 4 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2055-5911

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 2 June 2023

Louis Maximilian Ronalter, Camila Fabrício Poltronieri and Mateus Cecilio Gerolamo

This work aims to present existing management system standards (MSSs) published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) through a bibliometric analysis…

2164

Abstract

Purpose

This work aims to present existing management system standards (MSSs) published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) through a bibliometric analysis, thereby outlining their academic research status and highlighting their relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as to environmental, social and governance (ESG) themes.

Design/methodology/approach

The study firstly retrieves a preliminary set of MSSs standards from ISO and filters it in accordance with certain exclusion/inclusion criteria. Secondly, a bibliometric search is performed in the database Scopus. Thirdly, performance analysis is conducted to quantitatively measure the scientific output in academia, and science mapping of co-occurrences of keywords is applied to identify related topics. Thereby, the standards’ relationships to sustainability are outlined. Eventually, the work discusses future research opportunities.

Findings

The findings reveal that whereas research on MSSs focuses predominantly on only a few standards by now, there are actually numerous further standards that address sustainability-relevant topics, which are getting increasing attention among scholars as measured by the number of publications. Therefore, an action plan for future research is derived. Moreover, the findings support the argument of integrating MSSs to cover a broad range of corporate sustainability issues.

Originality/value

The paper connects the concepts of MSSs and sustainability, an upcoming research branch yet characterized by shortage of academic studies (given that research continues to focus on a few standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001). The work therefore opens up the line for more in-detail research on less known but nevertheless sustainability-relevant ISO MSSs.

Article
Publication date: 25 May 2010

Julio García Del Junco, Rafael De Reyna Zaballa and Juan García Álvarez de Perea

This paper seeks to present a model based on evidence‐based administration (EBA), which aims to facilitate the creation, transformation and diffusion of knowledge in learning…

1069

Abstract

Purpose

This paper seeks to present a model based on evidence‐based administration (EBA), which aims to facilitate the creation, transformation and diffusion of knowledge in learning organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

A theoretical framework is proposed based on EBA and the case method. Accordingly, an empirical study was carried out in two organizations to illustrate the value of the framework.

Findings

Results show the goodness of this framework applied to learning organizations, both at the individual and the group scale.

Research limitations/implications

The present study provides a basis for further research in the joint application of EBA and the case method.

Originality/value

A new field of future research is open, applying learning from the medicine field, which has theoretically been suggested in managerial science. Managerial implications are also very important.

Details

The Learning Organization, vol. 17 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-6474

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 September 2011

Cristina Casado‐Lumbreras, Pedro Soto‐Acosta, Ricardo Colomo‐Palacios and Patricia Ordóñez de Pablos

The aim of this paper is to present a tool which uses semantic technologies for personnel performance and workplace learning assessment in outsourced information technology…

1282

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to present a tool which uses semantic technologies for personnel performance and workplace learning assessment in outsourced information technology environments.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents the tool from a technical perspective and introduces a use case that depicts the main features related to human resource management issues.

Findings

Semantic technologies enable the monitoring of personnel throughout all of the phases of the management of outsourcing, basing itself on established communication standards used in leading business management tools and recent outsourcing efforts. This monitoring provides to human resource management issues an integrated approach to assess both employee performance and learning outcomes as a result of competence evaluation.

Originality/value

The paper shows that semantic technologies can be applied to human resource management tools to bring its intrinsic characteristics to human resource management tasks including personnel and learning assessment.

Details

Journal of Workplace Learning, vol. 23 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1366-5626

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 October 2020

Anthony Macedo, Sofia Gouveia, João Rebelo, João Santos and Helder Fraga

The purpose of this study is to investigate international trade determinants, paying special attention to variables related to climate change and non-tariff measures (NTMs), as…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate international trade determinants, paying special attention to variables related to climate change and non-tariff measures (NTMs), as they shape more and more world trade flows, with particular incidence on globalised goods, such as wine.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on panel data of Port wine exports to 60 countries, between 2006 and 2018, a gravity model has been estimated through Poisson pseudo-maximum likelihood. Explanatory variables include NTMs, mean temperature, temperature anomaly, gross domestic product (GDP), exchange rate, ad valorem equivalent tariffs and home bias.

Findings

The findings show that exports are inversely related to both mean temperature and temperature anomaly in importing countries. Regarding NTMs, it is found that only part of them are trade deterrent. Additionally, purchasing power in importing countries is one of the main determinants of Port wine exports.

Research limitations/implications

The results show that, besides traditional economic variables, policymakers and wineries should include in their exports' decisions the impact of variables related to climate change and NTMs.

Originality/value

The novelty of this paper is to incorporate the impact of climatic variability of importing countries as a determinant of international trade of wine. Most former studies inspired of the gravity model consider explanatory variables such as GDP and exchange rate, and more recent ones started to consider NTMs too, however, this study may be the first paper to include the impact of climate change (quantified by mean temperature and temperature anomaly in importing countries) on exports.

Details

Journal of Economic Studies, vol. 48 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-3585

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 August 2019

Carlos Couto, Élio Maia, Paulo Vila Real and Nuno Lopes

The purpose of this paper is to assess whether the adaptation to fire of current proposals/design methodologies at normal temperature is capable of producing accurate predictions…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess whether the adaptation to fire of current proposals/design methodologies at normal temperature is capable of producing accurate predictions of resistance for the out-of-plane stability of tapered beams.

Design/methodology/approach

The adaptation of these methodologies to fire has been done by accounting for the reduction in steel material properties with the temperature. Results were then compared to FEM calculations by performing GMNIA analyses to determine the ultimate strength of the numerical models and to ascertain the validity and accuracy of the adapted methodologies.

Findings

Although all methodologies produce safe results at normal temperatures, only the general method is recommended for the safety verification at elevated temperatures, although the data points were overly conservative. This investigation demonstrates the need of proper and accurate design methods for tapered beams at elevated temperatures, which should be the subject of future developments.

Research limitations/implications

The research in this paper is limited to the adaptation of existing room temperature design methods to fire. Therefore, possible assumptions made during the conception of the initial formulae, which may be valid exclusively for 20ºC, may have been disregarded.

Originality/value

For the time being, design methodologies for the safety check of tapered beams for the case of fire are inexistent. This paper investigates the adaptation of existing room temperature design to the fire situation by providing insights on their accuracy level, as well as on how to proceed. Finally, a safe design methodology for tapered beams in case of fire is provided until improved design methods are developed.

Details

Journal of Structural Fire Engineering, vol. 10 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-2317

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 October 2021

Eduardo Vaz, José Carlos Vieira De Sá, Gilberto Santos, Florbela Correia and Paulo Ávila

The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of a maintenance philosophy, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), on the operational performance of the Portuguese industry…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of a maintenance philosophy, Total Productive Maintenance (TPM), on the operational performance of the Portuguese industry, identifying how it enables the systematic reduction of waste in maintenance.

Design/methodology/approach

A structured questionnaire was constructed and sent to 472 Portuguese enterprises, having obtained a sample constituted of 84 valid answers. With a five-point Likert scale, it was possible to assess the impact of the TPM on five operational performance dimensions, being them: quality, flexibility, productivity, safety and costs.

Findings

It was found that the planned maintenance, together with education and training are the practices with the highest degree of implementation in the Portuguese industry, exceeding 70% for both. The productivity is the dimension with a higher degree of impact from the implementation of TPM and costs the dimension that suffered a lesser impact.

Practical implications

This paper shows and analyses the current state of TPM implementation in the Portuguese industry and it will be useful for maintenance professionals, researchers and others concerned with maintenance, in order to understand the effects of TPM implementation on the operational performance of the Portuguese industries.

Originality/value

The findings from this paper will be valuable for professionals who desire and are looking forward to implement an effective maintenance approach in the maintenance management system, in order to achieve the excellence in maintenance.

Details

Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering, vol. 29 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2511

Keywords

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