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21 – 30 of 60Ming Fu, Wenguo Weng and Hongyong Yuan
– The purpose of this paper is to study the combined effects of moisture and radiation on thermal protective performance of protective clothing exposed to low level radiation.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study the combined effects of moisture and radiation on thermal protective performance of protective clothing exposed to low level radiation.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a sweating manikin, the effect of radiation and moisture on heat and moisture transfer was initially analyzed under the dry manikin with sweating rate of 100 g/(m2h) exposed to 2.5 kW/m2, and then studied at 200 and 300 g/(m2h) exposed to 2 and 3 kW/m2, respectively. Finally, the combined effects of thermal radiation and moisture were predicted by fitting the relationships among heat loss and wet skin surface temperature, with the sweating rate and radiation intensity.
Findings
The results show that the heat loss and the wet skin surface temperature are affected by the combined effects of moisture and radiation, with two distinctly different trends. Heat loss from the manikin is increasing with the sweating rate, and decreasing with thermal radiation intensity. However, the wet skin surface temperature has an opposite situation.
Originality/value
Two filling equations are given to present the relationships among heat loss and wet skin surface temperature, with the sweating rate and radiation intensity. With these two equations, the heat loss and the wet skin surface temperature when exposed to radiation can be predicted by only measuring the mean radiant and ambient temperatures and controlling the sweating rate.
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Matthew Patrick Morrissey and René Michel Rossi
The purpose of this investigation was to measure the changes in effective thermal insulation caused by three different types of outer garment ventilation features (chest zips…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this investigation was to measure the changes in effective thermal insulation caused by three different types of outer garment ventilation features (chest zips, back zips and pit zips) when combined with either a high or low air permeability insulating layer.
Design/methodology/approach
The measurements in this investigation were made with a thermal manikin and with a 26 zone thermal torso. Measurements were made at two air flow speeds with each manikin; the different air flow characteristics for each manikin allowed investigation of how ventilation features interact with different air flow distributions.
Findings
It was established in this study that high permeability insulation increases the efficacy of ventilation features by an average of 7 per cent at the low wind speed and 10 per cent at the high wind speed. No particular ventilation feature was found to be consistently the most effective; the data suggest that garment openings should simply be located in well-ventilated areas.
Originality/value
This investigation analysed the ventilation characteristics of protective clothing ensembles with different ventilation features, allowing designers to create more comfortable clothing for work and leisure activities.
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Alessandro Brun and Antonella Moretto
The purpose of this paper is to identify the organisation of the quality department and the management of the supply chain (SC) used by luxury companies to achieve quality…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify the organisation of the quality department and the management of the supply chain (SC) used by luxury companies to achieve quality requirements.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper follows an exploratory approach using a case-based methodology. Data are collected through eight case studies with French luxury companies.
Findings
The paper offers insights into the management of quality for luxury companies. The paper illustrates the main determinants of the adoption of the specific quality organisations; moreover, the paper identifies the main approaches adopted by luxury companies at the SC level to control the quality along the whole chain. For example, the paper raised that all accessible and aspirational luxury companies present a full-time quality department whereas a part-time approach is identified for high-luxury companies. In high-luxury companies, quality issues are perceived as critical elements to be monitored not just by one specific department but by each and every company employees; on the contrary, in the other companies the approach towards quality is more similar to the one of mass-market companies.
Research limitations/implications
The research provides initial insights into the important role of quality in luxury companies. To date, the analysis is predominantly qualitative and not sufficiently statistically significant to generalise the results.
Practical implications
This paper raises a number of important issues for luxury companies who are not advance yet in structurally managed quality issues into their companies but especially their SCs.
Originality/value
This paper is one of the first attempts to study quality management specifically applied to luxury companies, with a main focus on the organisation of the quality department as well as the SC.
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Lina Zhai, Xue Lin, Jingxian Xu, Yunyi Wang and Jun Li
Personal protective assembles protect searchers and rescuers from potential hazards when they enter the earthquake disaster field. Since the earthquake rescue work is risky and…
Abstract
Purpose
Personal protective assembles protect searchers and rescuers from potential hazards when they enter the earthquake disaster field. Since the earthquake rescue work is risky and complicated, the corresponding protective clothing should meet with the protective, functional and comfort performance demands. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the design principles of this kind of protective clothing and present a design model based on the principles.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, the requirements of the protective clothing were investigated in terms of environment, human and clothing. Then the design principles were analyzed by the hierarchy method in four aspects: protection, comfort, ergonomics and compatibility. Design approaches were also investigated in accordance with the design principles in three hierarchies.
Findings
Key design points were summarized in the selection of the shell fabrics and linings, clothing styles, constructions and specifications. Also, the overall design methodology of the protective clothing for earthquake rescue members was established.
Originality/value
This paper provided a theoretical basis and design model for the development of earthquake search and rescuers’ clothing.
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Prashant Kumar, Khyati Shetty, Jason R. Fitzsimmons and Steven George Hayes
KyoungOk Kim, Sho Sonehara and Masayuki Takatera
– The purpose of this paper is to quantitatively evaluate the effect of adhesive interlining on the appearance of tailored jackets with different rigidity.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to quantitatively evaluate the effect of adhesive interlining on the appearance of tailored jackets with different rigidity.
Design/methodology/approach
Four tailored jackets having the same pattern and fabric and three different adhesive interlinings or no adhesive interlining were prepared as experimental samples. Criteria and characteristics for assessing jacket appearance were investigated in sensory tests. A paired comparison of the jacket appearance was conducted using a ranking method. Smoothness and constriction values were proposed and obtained using three-dimensional shape data. The smoothness value refers to the degree of wrinkling on the jacket surface and the constriction value refers to the degree of constriction of the waistline. A quantitative assessment model of jacket appearance was proposed using multiple regression analysis.
Findings
The sensory test reveals that the number of wrinkles, acceptability of wrinkling and degree of constriction of the waist are important criteria in the assessment of jacket appearance. The smoothness value for the front body and the constriction value of the waist partially agreed with the normal scores of sensory test results. Sensory evaluation values for the entire jacket appearance were estimated employing multiple regression analysis with the constriction and smoothness values. The values of jacket appearance estimated using multiple regression analysis were in good agreement with the sensory test results.
Originality/value
Criteria and characteristics to be used in the assessment of the appearance of a jacket with adhesive interlining were clarified. Employing the proposed methodology, it is possible to predict jacket appearance for different adhesive interlinings, quantitatively.
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Zhimin Chen, Richard Murray and Richard M. Jones
The aim of this paper is to analyse simplified traditional fashion clothing supply chain models between the UK and China to identify the key issues in quality and communication…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to analyse simplified traditional fashion clothing supply chain models between the UK and China to identify the key issues in quality and communication management.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative research utilising key informant interviews was used. A total of nine full interviews were undertaken from three simplified supply chains. A content analysis approach was used to analyse the data based on recurring themes. The focus was on the management of quality and communication including design development, sample development and approval, fabric/trims order and approval, bulk production management and shipping/warehouse management.
Findings
The research suggested that for fashion supply chain organisation and management between the UK and China attention should be focused on improvement of three common aspects capable of inhibiting performance: deficiencies in design specification, language barriers, and cultural/human barriers.
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Karen Ruckman and Daniela Blettner
When managers set aspirations for their firms, they typically compare their own firms' performance to past aspirations as well as to the performance of social reference groups…
Abstract
Purpose
When managers set aspirations for their firms, they typically compare their own firms' performance to past aspirations as well as to the performance of social reference groups. The authors explore how firm generic strategy affects managers' adaptation of firm aspirations in response to feedback from three social reference groups that vary in terms of breadth (population average, strategic group, and one direct rival).
Design/methodology/approach
The authors propose that firm generic strategy (low-cost or differentiation) functions as an organizational information filter through with managers interpret performance feedback. The authors test for whether generic strategy has a moderating effect on the influence of performance feedback from social reference groups.
Findings
Based on a longitudinal sample of US airlines, the study shows that all firms are influenced most strongly by their strategic groups. Low-cost and differentiation generic strategies differ in terms of which social reference group motivates a larger reaction when overperforming: low-cost firms are more influenced by the population average which is contributed to by the entire industry than are differentiating firms, while differentiating firms are more swayed by the narrow focus of their direct rivals than are low-cost firms.
Originality/value
Although firm strategy represents a core decision at the firm level, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, performance feedback research, surprisingly, has not yet integrated generic strategy into its models.
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