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1 – 10 of over 1000
Article
Publication date: 13 September 2021

Manik Chandra and Rajdeep Niyogi

This paper aims to solve the web service selection problem using an efficient meta-heuristic algorithm. The problem of selecting a set of web services from a large-scale service…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to solve the web service selection problem using an efficient meta-heuristic algorithm. The problem of selecting a set of web services from a large-scale service environment (web service repository) while maintaining Quality-of-Service (QoS), is referred to as web service selection (WSS). With the explosive growth of internet services, managing and selecting the proper services (or say web service) has become a pertinent research issue.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, to address WSS problem, the authors propose a new modified fruit fly optimization approach, called orthogonal array-based learning in fruit fly optimizer (OL-FOA). In OL-FOA, they adopt a chaotic map to initialize the population; they add the adaptive DE/best/2mutation operator to improve the exploration capability of the fruit fly approach; and finally, to improve the efficiency of the search process (by reducing the search space), the authors use the orthogonal learning mechanism.

Findings

To test the efficiency of the proposed approach, a test suite of 2500 web services is chosen from the public repository. To establish the competitiveness of the proposed approach, it compared against four other meta-heuristic approaches (including classical as well as state-of-the-art), namely, fruit fly optimization (FOA), differential evolution (DE), modified artificial bee colony algorithm (mABC) and global-best ABC (GABC). The empirical results show that the proposed approach outperforms its counterparts in terms of response time, latency, availability and reliability.

Originality/value

In this paper, the authors have developed a population-based novel approach (OL-FOA) for the QoS aware web services selection (WSS). To justify the results, the authors compared against four other meta-heuristic approaches (including classical as well as state-of-the-art), namely, fruit fly optimization (FOA), differential evolution (DE), modified artificial bee colony algorithm (mABC) and global-best ABC (GABC) over the four QoS parameter response time, latency, availability and reliability. The authors found that the approach outperforms overall competitive approaches. To satisfy all objective simultaneously, the authors would like to extend this approach in the frame of multi-objective WSS optimization problem. Further, this is declared that this paper is not submitted to any other journal or under review.

Details

International Journal of Pervasive Computing and Communications, vol. 19 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1742-7371

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 August 2020

Ambika Aggarwal, Priti Dimri, Amit Agarwal and Ashutosh Bhatt

In general, cloud computing is a model of on-demand business computing that grants a convenient access to shared configurable resources on the internet. With the increment of…

Abstract

Purpose

In general, cloud computing is a model of on-demand business computing that grants a convenient access to shared configurable resources on the internet. With the increment of workload and difficulty of tasks that are submitted by cloud consumers; “how to complete these tasks effectively and rapidly with limited cloud resources?” is becoming a challenging question. The major point of a task scheduling approach is to identify a trade-off among user needs and resource utilization. However, tasks that are submitted by varied users might have diverse needs of computing time, memory space, data traffic, response time, etc. This paper aims to proposes a new way of task scheduling.

Design/methodology/approach

To make the workflow completion in an efficient way and to reduce the cost and flow time, this paper proposes a new way of task scheduling. Here, a self-adaptive fruit fly optimization algorithm (SA-FFOA) is used for scheduling the workflow. The proposed multiple workflow scheduling model compares its efficiency over conventional methods in terms of analysis such as performance analysis, convergence analysis and statistical analysis. From the outcome of the analysis, the betterment of the proposed approach is proven with effective workflow scheduling.

Findings

The proposed algorithm is more superior regarding flow time with the minimum value, and the proposed model is enhanced over FFOA by 0.23%, differential evolution by 2.48%, artificial bee colony (ABC) by 2.85%, particle swarm optimization (PSO) by 2.46%, genetic algorithm (GA) by 2.33% and expected time to compute (ETC) by 2.56%. While analyzing the make span case, the proposed algorithm is 0.28%, 0.15%, 0.38%, 0.20%, 0.21% and 0.29% better than the conventional methods such as FFOA, DE, ABC, PSO, GA and ETC, respectively. Moreover, the proposed model has attained less cost, which is 2.14% better than FFOA, 2.32% better than DE, 3.53% better than ABC, 2.43% better than PSO, 2.07% better than GA and 2.90% better than ETC, respectively.

Originality/value

This paper presents a new way of task scheduling for making the workflow completion in an efficient way and for reducing the cost and flow time. This is the first paper uses SA-FFOA for scheduling the workflow.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. 50 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 June 2021

Bhishma R. Dahal, Sudip Adhikari and Aditya R. Khanal

In Nepal, crop insurance is at initial phase. However, since its implementation seven years ago, the adoption rate has been fairly low even with the government's lucrative subsidy…

Abstract

Purpose

In Nepal, crop insurance is at initial phase. However, since its implementation seven years ago, the adoption rate has been fairly low even with the government's lucrative subsidy on premium. There have been very limited studies on specifics of insurance for different crops, and farmer's acceptability on insurance. This study examines WTP for tree-based insurance, a potential insurance scheme on fruit crops in hilly areas of Nepal.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a contingent valuation method to estimate farmer's willingness to pay (WTP) premium for insurance. They used a double-bounded dichotomous choice (DBDC) framework to elicit WTP and an interval regression method to estimate the WTP model.

Findings

The authors found that the farmers revealed WTP for tree-based insurance is three times higher than the premium they would pay under government's current subsidy plans of insurance. The authors’ result from interval regression also suggests that the factors such as farm size, farmer's adverse experience about invasive pest and weather, awareness of crop insurance, farming experience, and family involvement in agriculture significantly influence farmers' WTP.

Research limitations/implications

A distinct modality of insurance, like tree-based insurance for fruit crops in mid and high hill areas, may enhance the adoption rate rather than a broad area-based plan generalized for all crops.

Originality/value

Only a few studies have examined specifics of insurance in fruit crop insurance in developing countries. The authors’ estimated WTP factors influencing WTP on citrus fruit-crop insurance in Nepal indicates that there is a scope for extending this insurance program. However, the authors also found that there is a gap in understanding of crop insurance and have limited awareness on the government's subsidy programs among farmers.

Details

Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, vol. 12 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-0839

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 June 1971

At each New Year we stand at the threshold of fresh scenes and hopes, of opportunities and pastures new. It is the time for casting off shackles and burdens that have weighed us…

Abstract

At each New Year we stand at the threshold of fresh scenes and hopes, of opportunities and pastures new. It is the time for casting off shackles and burdens that have weighed us down in the old year; almost a new chapter of life. We scan the prevailing scene for signs that will chart the year's unrolling and beyond, and hope profoundly for a smooth passage. The present is largely the product of the past, but of the future, who knows? Man therefore forever seems to be entering upon something new—a change, a challenge, events of great portent. This, of course, is what life is all about. Trends usually precede events, often by a decade or more, yet it is a paradox that so many are taken by surprise when they occur. Trends there have been and well marked; signs, too, for the discerning. In fields particular, they portend overall progress; in general, not a few bode ill.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 73 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Article
Publication date: 29 July 2022

Ashpreet Sharma, Lalit Mohan Kathuria and Tanveen Kaur

Given the dominant share of India in global production of fruits and vegetables, this paper intends to analyze the export competitiveness of India and other major food exporters…

Abstract

Purpose

Given the dominant share of India in global production of fruits and vegetables, this paper intends to analyze the export competitiveness of India and other major food exporters in the world trade. The purpose of this study is to examine export structure, substitutability and complementarity of selected fresh and processed fruits and vegetables of top ten food exporters for the period 2010-20.

Design/methodology/approach

Balassa’s (1965) revealed comparative advantage (RCA) index was used to measure RCA indices of selected fruits and vegetables under study. Also, revealed symmetric comparative advantage (RSCA) and normalized RCA (NRCA) indices have been calculated. Further, Spearman rank correlation coefficients were computed to analyze changes over the study period for India and other competing countries. The export data have been sourced from UN Comtrade, an electronic database of United Nations, as well as World Trade Statistical Review, a database of World Trade Organization. The analysis was undertaken at Harmonized System (HS) four-digit classification for the period 2010-20.

Findings

The results disclosed an improvement in India’s comparative advantage over the period of 2010-20 in HS 07 product category, whereas the advantage ceded to other competitive nations in HS 08 product category. Further, Spearman rank correlation coefficients revealed that India faces competition from countries like China, Indonesia, Brazil, Thailand, Argentina and European Union for HS 07 product category, while countries like Mexico, Indonesia, Brazil and Thailandare the major competitors of India in HS 08 product category.

Originality/value

The paper expands the existing agricultural trade literature in three ways. First, it is one of the very few studies that have analyzed RCA for Indian fresh and processed fruits and vegetables using three different types of indices, namely, Balassa’s RCA, RSCA and NRCA. Second, the authors provide a number of comparisons related to RCA for Indian fruits and vegetables with other top food exporters in the world for a period of 10 years (2010-20). Third, the authors contribute to agricultural trade literature by assessing the substitutability or complementarity of India in the export of fruits and vegetables with other competing nations by using Spearman rank correlation coefficients.

Details

Competitiveness Review: An International Business Journal , vol. 33 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1059-5422

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 15 July 2017

Andreas W. Ebert

Malnutrition is widespread and affects about one-third of humanity. Increasing production and consumption of vegetables is an obvious pathway to improve dietary diversity…

Abstract

Malnutrition is widespread and affects about one-third of humanity. Increasing production and consumption of vegetables is an obvious pathway to improve dietary diversity, nutrition and health. This chapter analyses how climate change is affecting vegetable production, with a special focus on the spread of insect pests and diseases. A thorough literature review was undertaken to assess current global vegetable production, the factors that affect the spread of diseases and insect pests, the implications caused by climate change, and how some of these constraints can be overcome. This study found that climate change combined with globalization, increased human mobility, and pathogen and vector evolution has increased the spread of invasive plant pathogens and other species with high fertility and dispersal. The ability to transfer genes from wild relatives into cultivated elite varieties accelerates the development of novel vegetable varieties. World Vegetable Center breeders have embarked on breeding for multiple disease resistance against a few important pathogens of global relevance and with large evolutionary potential, such as chili anthracnose and tomato bacterial wilt. The practical implications of this are that agronomic practices that enhance microbial diversity may suppress emerging plant pathogens through biological control. Grafting can effectively control soil-borne diseases and overcome abiotic stress. Biopesticides and natural enemies either alone or in combination can play a significant role in sustainable pathogen and insect pest management in vegetable production system. This chapter highlights the importance of integrated disease and pest management and the use of diverse production systems for enhanced resilience and sustainability of highly vulnerable, uniform cropping systems.

Article
Publication date: 11 December 2018

Zaki Malik, Khayyam Hashmi, Erfan Najmi and Abdelmounaam Rezgui

This paper aims to provide a number of distinct approaches towards this goal, i.e. to translate the information contained in the repositories into knowledge. For centuries, humans…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a number of distinct approaches towards this goal, i.e. to translate the information contained in the repositories into knowledge. For centuries, humans have gathered and generated data to study the different phenomena around them. Consequently, there are a variety of information repositories available in many different fields of study. However, the ability to access, integrate and properly interpret the relevant data sets in these repositories has mainly been limited by their ever expanding volumes. The goal of translating the available data to knowledge, eventually leading to wisdom, requires an understanding of the relations, ordering and associations among the data sets.

Design/methodology/approach

While the existing information repositories are rich in content, there are no easy means of understanding the relevance or influence of the different facts contained therein. Therefore, the interest of the general populace in terms of prioritizing some data items (or facts) over others is usually lost. In this paper, the goal is to provide approaches for transforming the available facts in the information repositories to wisdom. The authors target the lack of order in the facts presented in the repositories to create a hierarchical distribution based on the common understanding, expectations, opinions and judgments of the different users.

Findings

The authors present multiple approaches to extract and order the facts related to each concept, using both automatic and semi-automatic methods. The experiments show that the results of these approaches are similar and very close to the instinctive ordering of facts by users.

Originality/value

The authors believe that the work presented in this paper, with some additions, can be a feasible step to convert the available knowledge to wisdom and a step towards the future of online information systems.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 23 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 October 1983

Ruth M. Johnson and Marilyn Mullay

Agdex is an indexing service to the intermediate literature of agriculture providing a current awareness and retrieval service primarily for agricultural advisers in Scotland. The…

Abstract

Agdex is an indexing service to the intermediate literature of agriculture providing a current awareness and retrieval service primarily for agricultural advisers in Scotland. The development of Agdex from 1973 and the progress made from a manual index using optical co‐incidence cards to an online bibliographic database is described. The processes involved in its production from the selection of material through indexing to searching the database are explained. Since 1973 the market for the service has expanded to include students involved in agricultural education and training throughout the UK. With the needs of users in mind plans for the future include coverage from a wider spectrum of material using co‐operative input and the addition of informative abstracts. Long term, Agdex may become a national bibliographic database for the agriculture industry.

Details

Aslib Proceedings, vol. 35 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0001-253X

Article
Publication date: 1 March 1998

Raúl Compés López and Nigel Poole

The provision of port services is an important link in international logistics. Historically, ports have constituted a bottleneck in maritime transport. Moreover, the quality of…

4671

Abstract

The provision of port services is an important link in international logistics. Historically, ports have constituted a bottleneck in maritime transport. Moreover, the quality of port services has been compromised by the complex internal port organisation and the considerable number of bodies that participate in the transfer of goods between ships and inland transport vehicles. The efficiency of port services affects not only the port authorities, service providers and customers, but also the port hinterland through the multiplier effect on the regional economy. The problems of port organisation are explained using principal‐agent concepts. The authors then explore the concept of quality in relation to port services, and discuss certification of service providers as a means of signalling quality to their customers. Finally, the accreditation system of the port of Valencia, Spain, is presented as a model, one that is superior to the accepted ISO standards, whereby port service quality and efficiency may be enhanced.

Details

Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, vol. 3 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-8546

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 July 2014

Wen-Tsao Pan

When facing a clouded global economy, many countries would increase their gold reserves. On the other hand, oil supply and demand depends on the political and economic situations…

Abstract

Purpose

When facing a clouded global economy, many countries would increase their gold reserves. On the other hand, oil supply and demand depends on the political and economic situations of oil producing countries and their production technologies. Both oil and gold reserve play important roles in the economic development of a country. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses the historical data of oil and gold prices as research data, and uses the historical price tendency charts of oil and gold, as well as cluster analysis, to discuss the correlation between the historical data of oil and gold prices. By referring to the technical index equation of stocks, the technical indices of oil and gold prices are calculated as the independent variable and the closing price as the dependent variable of the forecasting model.

Findings

The findings indicate that there is no obvious correlation between the price tendencies of oil and gold. According to five evaluating indicators, the MFOAGRNN forecast model has better forecast ability than the other three forecasting models.

Originality/value

This paper explored the correlation between oil and gold prices, and built oil and gold prices forecasting models. In addition, this paper proposes a modified FOA (MFOA), where an escape parameter Δ is added to Si. The findings showed that the forecasting model that combines MFOA and GRNN has the best ability to forecast the closing price of oil and gold.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. 43 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

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