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Entrepreneurship is known to be important to the economy, and many scholars across the globe have researched it from a number of viewpoints. Currently, there is a need for an academic study to explore this area by combining sustainability value creating practices and the efforts of current entrepreneurs towards the said target, particularly in the case of the agricultural sector. While the entrepreneurship studies have mostly focused on the determinants of entrepreneurial opportunity recognition, few studies have attempted to analyze the factors influencing the entrepreneurial alertness (EA) of students, especially in relation to agricultural students. To fill this gap, this work investigated the impact of human and social capital on EA among the students of agricultural higher education in Iran.

The sample consisted of 254 agricultural students in higher education from Ilam province in the Islamic Republic of Iran, selected by the stratified random sampling method for the study. Modeling of structural equations was used in inferential statistics.

According to the results of the trial, human resources and social capital (SC) have been seen to have a strong, optimistic and measurable impact on EA. Key findings also show that human capital (HC) has an indirect, optimistic and important effect on EA through the mediator role of SC. Establishing higher education science teams, groups, networks and associations can foster opportunities to create and develop relationships and communication between agricultural students and entrepreneurs.

These findings illustrate the value of human and social resources in fostering entrepreneurship alertness among Iranian students of agricultural higher education. Considering the research results, the authors recommend some theoretical and realistic implications and suggestions for ways of promoting and increasing EA among farm students to encourage sustainable growth of agricultural careers in western Iran.

Although extensive governmental efforts have taken place to promote entrepreneurship in Iran, based on global entrepreneurship monitor report, the rate of perceived opportunities among young people, especially those with university education, has dropped. Since the perceived entrepreneurial opportunities are the first and most important step in the entrepreneurship process, this study identified the factors affecting the entrepreneurial opportunity recognition in Iranian higher education.

The statistical population included 127 senior undergraduate students in all majors of agriculture at Ilam University. The sample size was determined by using the Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) sampling table to be 100 senior undergraduate agriculture students at Ilam University, Ilam province, Iran, selected through a stratified random sampling technique.

The results showed that the perceived entrepreneurial opportunity among students was moderately low. According to structural equation modeling, the alertness, human capital, social capital and environmental support variables had a positive and significant effect on the entrepreneurial opportunity recognition.

Regarding the research implications, the present study, with providing and testing a model for developing the entrepreneurial opportunity recognition among students in a developing country (Iran) with diverse cultures and values, has improved the literature of entrepreneurship in higher education.

Based on results instructors in higher agricultural education can use active teaching and learning methods, such as creating ideas, experiential and service learning, teamwork and practical work, critical thinking and problem-solving in education. Also, financial, technical and consultative support of instructors and managers in agricultural colleges to implement, launch and commercialize agricultural students' entrepreneurial ideas and projects is needed.

The findings indicated the importance of alertness, human capital, social capital and environmental support on the entrepreneurial opportunity recognition among students. Findings showed that ecological approach could be used to develop students' entrepreneurial opportunity recognition.

The purpose of this research is to identify the most impactful delay risks in Australian construction projects, including the associations amongst those risks as well as the project phases in which they are most likely present. The correlation between project and organisational characteristics with the impact of delay risks was also studied.

A questionnaire survey was used to collect data from 118 delayed construction projects in Australia. Data were analysed to rank the most impactful delay risks, their correlation to project and organisational characteristics and project phases where those risks are likely to emerge. Association rule learning was used to capture associations between the delay risks.

The top five most impactful delay risks in Australia were changes by the owner, slow decisions by the owner, preparation and approval of design drawings, underestimation of project complexity and unrealistic duration imposed to the project, respectively. There is a set of delay risks that are mutually associated with project complexity. In addition, while delay risks associated with resources most likely arise in the execution phase, stakeholder and process-related risks are more smoothly distributed along all the project phases.

This research for the first time investigated the impact of delay risks, associations amongst them and project phases in which they are likely to happen in the Australian context. Also, this research for the first time sheds light on the project phases for the individual project delay risks which aids the project managers to understand where to focus on during each phase of the project.

Entropy generation in nanofluids with peristaltic scheme occupies a primary consideration in the sense of its application in clinical, as well as the industrial field in terms of improved thermal conductivity of the original fluid. Three-dimensional cylindrical configurations are the most realistic and commonly used geometries which incorporate most of the experimental equipment. In the current study, three-dimensional cylindrical enclosures have been assumed to receive the results of entropy generation occurring due to viscous dissipation, heat transfer of nanofluid and mass concentration of nanoparticles through peristaltic pumping. Applications of the study can be found in peristaltic micro-pumps and novel drug delivery mechanism in pharmacological engineering.

The equations of interest have been structured under physical constraints of lubrication theory and dimensionless strategy. Finalized relations involve highly complicated partial differential equations whose solutions are tabulated through some perturbation procedure and expression of pressure rise is manipulated by a numerical technique through built-in command NIntegrate on Mathematical tool “Mathematica.”

It is evaluated that entropy production goes linear with the greater magnitudes of Brownian motion but inverse characteristics have been sorted against thermophoresis factor.

To the best of authors’ knowledge, this study does not exist in literature yet and it contains a new innovative idea.

The purpose of this paper is to systematically develop a delay risk terminology and taxonomy. This research also explores two external and internal dimensions of the taxonomy to determine how much the taxonomy as a whole or combinations of its elements are generalisable.

Using mixed methods research, this systematic literature review incorporated data from 46 articles to establish delay risk terminology and taxonomy. Qualitative data of the top 10 delay risks identified in each article were coded based on the grounded theory and constant comparative analysis using a three-stage coding approach. Word frequency analysis and cross-tabulation were used to develop the terminology and taxonomy. Association rules within the taxonomy were also explored to define risk paths and to unmask associations among the risks.

In total, 26 delay risks were identified and grouped into ten categories to form the risk breakdown structure. The universal delay risks and other delay risks that are more or less depending on the project location were determined. Also, it is realized that delays connected to equipment, sub-contractors and design drawings are highly connected to project planning, finance and owner slow decision making, respectively.

The established terminology and taxonomy may be used in manual or automated risk management systems as a baseline for delay risk identification, management and communication. In addition, the association rules assist the risk management process by enabling mitigation of a combination of risks together.

The purpose of the paper is to present a new method of controlling through susceptible slopes in order to reduce the risk of landslides.

Geotechnical and geological characteristics were collected and different FEM analyses were carried out in a case study of the Alasht valley in Northern Iran in order to determine susceptibility to landslides and consider appropriate countermeasures. Gravel drain piles have a real feel of reducing the pore water pressure in times of seismic loading, so they are used as a remediation method. The results clearly show their effects and an increase in safety as a result.

Since the water table situation has a significant effect on stability, the present study focused on an example of using a seepage controlling system and its effect on the safety factor for different slopes in the area of Alasht, Northern Iran. Several FEM analyses were carried out on a landslide susceptible case. The results from FEM analysis of different slopes in the study area show a high susceptibility to landslides for six sites. Installing a gravel drain pile surrounded by a non‐woven geotextile layer leads to an increase in the safety factor against landslides. As a result, after installing gravel drain piles in the upper parts of slopes in order to control run out and ground water rising up in times of heavy rainfall, the safety factor against landslides in both static and seismic loading improved significantly.

The literature regarding controlling seepage in order to reduce the risk of landslides is limited. This paper collects and analyses geotechnical and geological data from the Alasht valley as an example to show the high risk of susceptibility to landslides.

Life experience in hot and arid areas of Iran has proved that in the transitional seasons (spring and autumn) in which the climate is not too hot, passive cooling systems such as windcatchers (baadgir) have functioned well. This paper intends to investigate the efficiency of a single-side windcatcher as a passive cooling strategy; the case study is the Bina House windcatcher, located in Khousf town, near Birjand city, Iran.

To achieve the aim, air temperature, relative humidity, wind data and mean radiant temperature were measured by the related tools over five days from September 23 to October 23. Then, the thermal performance of the windcatcher was examined by analyzing the effects of all these factors on human thermal comfort. Quantitative assessment of the indoor environment was estimated using DesignBuilder and its computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tool, a thermal comfort simulation method to compare the cooling potential of the windcatcher. Windcatcher performance was then compared with two other common cooling systems in the area: single-side window, and evaporative cooler.

The results showed that both windcatcher and evaporative cooler can provide thermal comfort for Khousf residents in the transitional seasons; but the difference is that an evaporative cooler needs to consume water and electricity power, while a windcatcher is a passive cooling system that uses clean energy of wind.

The present study, by quantitative study of single-side windcatchers in a desert region, measured the climatic factors of a historical house and compared it with thermal comfort criteria. Therefore, the results of field measurements were analyzed, and the efficiency of the windcatcher was compared with two other cooling systems, namely single-side ventilation and evaporative cooler, in the two seasons of summer and autumn (transition seasons).