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A new way of solving the steady‐state coupled radiative‐conductive problem in semi‐transparent media is proposed. An angular discretization technique is applied in order to express the radiative transfer equation (RTE) in an inhomogeneous system of linear differential equations associated with Dirichlet boundary conditions. The system is solved by a direct method, after diagonalizing the characteristic matrix of the medium. The RTE is coupled with the nonlinear heat conduction equation. A simulation of a real semi‐transparent medium composed of silica fibers is illustrated. Comparison with results of other methods validates the new model. Moreover, the general scheme is easy to code and fast. The algorithm proved to be robust and stable.

A review of the literature of quality‐related costs indicates the domination of the prevention‐appraisal‐failure categorisation of costs, a similar pre‐occupation with in‐house costs and little consideration of supplier and customer‐related costs. Most of the data are of questionable value because not suitably qualified by detailing inclusions and methods of computation, and there is scant coverage of measurement and cost collection, or warnings of limitations in costing exercises. Failure to discuss definitions, and lack of guidance on cost collection and treatment of overheads and valuation of scrap are all notable omissions in the literature so far.

This article adopts the Juran concept of fitness for use which is defined and difficulties in achieving the ideal design are briefly mentioned. The author contends that insufficient attention to one aspect of design, product safety, has led to considerable consumer dissatisfaction and to the introduction of strict product liability in the USA and in Europe. Selective quotations from the EEC's Product Liability Directive are used to emphasise how product safety must be an essential component of the designer's brief. The paper concludes by noting that the design function is an important part of a comprehensive product liability prevention programme.

The importance of quality costs and benefits is sometimes not recognised by industrial managers. Quality costs money but the benefits which accrue are elusive and hard to quantify. The way in which quality costs have been regarded in the past are reviewed and the old basis challenged. A new basis for recognising and exploiting quality benefits is proposed.

This paper briefly describes an approach to determine the optimum magnetic circuit parameters to minimize low speed torque ripple for switched reluctance (SR) motors. For prediction of the torque ripple, normalized data obtained from field solution and a neural network approach is used. Comparison of experimental results with computations illustrates the accuracy of the method. The optimization method is briefly described and some results are presented.

Coworking-spaces are considered as a new formula to facilitate autonomy, creativity, self-efficacy, work satisfaction and innovation, yet they also might overburden their users who in that course intend to limit social interaction and collaboration in the workspace. Thus, the question is how coworking-spaces shape entrepreneurial ventures.

This study used an inductive research methodology based on data from three different data sources, including observations, archives and interviews from managers and entrepreneurs.

The findings suggest that the materiality in the form of spatial architectures (working, socialization and support structures) shared facilities and infrastructures (utilities, luxuries and specialties), and integrated digital technologies (applications and platforms) influence the flow of communication, internal and external linkages, as well as functional uniformity and distinctiveness. However, there exists an inherent dualism in sociomaterial assemblage in coworking-spaces, which can lead to instrumental and detrimental outcomes for entrepreneurs.

This study explains the role of sociomaterial assemblage on the working of entrepreneurs in shared workspaces.

How can we explain the absence of resistance, especially among unionised workers? Writing in the 1921 about the interaction between economic downturns and political responses, Leon Trotsky made the following pointThe political effects of a crisis (not only the extent of its influence but also its direction) are determined by the entire existing political situation and by those events which precede and accompany the crisis, especially the battles, successes or failures of the working class itself prior to the crisis. Under one set of conditions the crisis may give a mighty impulse to the revolutionary activity of the working masses; under a different set of circumstances it may completely paralyse the offensive of the proletariat and, should the crisis endure too long and the workers suffer too many losses, it might weaken extremely not only the offensive but also the defensive potential of the working class. (Trotsky, 1974)

Social commerce (SC) is a new genre in electronic commerce (e-commerce) that has great potential. This study proposes a new research framework to address deficiencies in existing social commerce research frameworks (e.g. the information model).

In the era of Industrial Revolution 4.0 technologies and new social commerce (s-commerce) models, the authors believe that there is an immediate need for a new research framework. The authors analysed the progress of the s-commerce paradigm between 2003 and 2023 by applying longitudinal science mapping. The authors then developed a research framework based on the themes in the strategic diagrams and evolution map.

From 2003 to 2010, studies on s-commerce mainly focused on social networking sites, virtual communities, social shopping and analytic approaches. From 2011 to 2015, it shifted to s-commerce, consumer behaviour, Web 2.0, artificial intelligence, social technologies, online shopping, user studies, data gathering methods, applications, service-based social commerce constructs, e-commerce and cognitive factors. Social commerce remained the primary research paradigm from 2017 to 2023.

The SC framework may be analogous to popular research frameworks such as technology-organisation-environment (T-O-E) and stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R). Based on this SC framework, researchers may gain a better understanding by determining the factors of the social, commercial, technological and behavioural dimensions.

The authors redefined s-commerce and developed an SC framework. Practical guidelines for the SC framework and an exemplary research model are presented. Overall, this study offers a new research agenda for the extant understanding of s-commerce, with the SC framework as the next frontier of the theoretical advancements and applications of s-commerce.

This study aims to mark the 50th anniversary of social marketing as an innovative social change discipline; this viewpoint reviews “epistemological diversity” within social marketing and calls for its incorporation in the expansion of the discipline.

Cognisant of the visible (e.g., gender, age, race) and invisible (e.g., epistemology, experience, socioeconomic status) dimensions of diversity, this viewpoint focuses on one invisible dimension of diversity – epistemology. Using secondary data, an epistemological review of social marketing is undertaken by selecting five aspects that serve as potential indicators: professional associations, global conferences, education and training, research and publication and practice. Several recommendations are made to expand epistemological diversity in social marketing.

The epistemological review of diversity within social marketing reveals disparities between the Global North and South. These disparities are due to varying opportunities for participation in associations, conferences, education and training, and research and publication. In addition, there exist “hidden” social change practitioners who implement programmes in the Global South that are consistent with social marketing practice, but continue to be unchronicled and unheralded.

For many years, social marketing scholars and practitioners have been working to expand the boundaries of the discipline, with a focus on theory and application. Although the authors acknowledge that diversity and equity are inherently central to this discipline, epistemological diversity, specifically as linked to the geographies of the Global South, has been largely overlooked. Our viewpoint nudges the social marketing community into including epistemological diversity in the ongoing discourse around broadening and deepening the discipline of social marketing.