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The commercialization of research produced by universities constitutes a core facet of academic entrepreneurship (AE). Academic literature reveals the need to shed light on entrepreneurial processes in higher education institutions (HEIs). This study intends to fill this gap by researching the mechanisms for facilitating AE and the variables that can moderate the relationship between such mechanisms and AE in Portuguese HEIs.

Our research model aims to assess the mechanisms of academic entrepreneurship (AE) within a sample of 125 Portuguese public higher education institutions (HEIs). To test our research hypotheses, we employed a structural equation model (SEM) using the partial least squares (PLS) method. Additionally, our evaluation examines the potential moderating effects of incubator programs, support initiatives, and proof-of-concept programs (PoCs). Our research model seeks to evaluate the mechanisms for facilitating AE and explore the effects of including incubator programs, support initiatives, and PoCs as moderators. The seven variables (Research mobilization, Unconventionality, Industry collaboration, University policies, Incubator programs and support initiatives, Proof-of-concept programs, and academic entrepreneurship) were measured using a 7-point Likert scale.

The results revealed that different drivers of AE influence the creation and development of entrepreneurial activities. Our findings also show the moderating effects of incubator programs, support initiatives, and proof-of-concept programs on AE. We find that incubator programs, other support initiatives, and PoCs maintain a moderating effect on AE and benefit their respective HEIs.

The study examines only the Portuguese HEI context. Therefore, generalizing these results necessitates reservations. However, the responses came from various actors in HEIs, from different academic backgrounds and research interests. This makes the results more generalizable. Limitations are evident in external validity, given that we gathered the data over a relatively short period.

Observed factors are explored to gain a deeper understanding of their influence on the mechanisms of AE. The implications arise from the new perspective presented and the methodology used to identify mechanisms capable of fostering AE. We hope this research will encourage other researchers to study this topic further.

the engagement of universities at the global level should be emphasised in future policy. While universities in innovation systems often have a local focus, their engagement in innovation ecosystems transcends the boundaries of geographic locations.

PoCs had a significant positive moderating effect on the impact of research mobilization and university policies on AE. Thus, we find interactions between universities and industry boost AE. This study demonstrates how AE benefits HEIs by extending orientation towards mobilizing research, unconventional approaches, cooperation with industry, and university policy implementation. We thus advocate a new approach, demonstrating the influence that the mobility of research, unconventionality, industry collaboration, and university policies hold over AE.

The purpose of this paper is to propose and to test three models in order to examine the mechanisms through which dimensions of transformational leadership influence different forms of organizational commitment by testing the possible mediating role of leader-member exchange (LMX) dimensions.

The participants in this study are represented by 427 senior executive French employees having a university degree and minimum two years of work experience in their current organization. The relationships between different variables were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

The results indicate that the dimensions of LMX mediated the relationships between the dimensions of transformational leadership and organizational commitment dimensions. The contribution dimension of LMX acts as a consequence, rather than an antecedent of commitment. These findings are important since they may serve as a bind between leadership dimensions and the kind of organizational commitment that each of these dimensions can generate in followers.

To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical study that tests the interaction of transformational leadership and LMX on organizational commitment in a French context. The originality of this work leads on investigating these three concepts as multidimensional constructs and focusing on the mediating role of LMX in the relationship between dimensions of transformational leadership and different forms of organizational commitment which can be considered as a novelty in the field of research in this area. As a result, this study addresses concerns about that lack of academic research on the mechanisms by which transformational leaders influence the organizational commitment of their followers.

Numerical solutions in computational plasticity are severely challenged when concrete and geomaterials are considered with non‐regular yield surfaces, strain‐softening and non‐associated flow. There are two aspects that are of immediate concern within load steps which are truly finite: first, the iterative corrector must assure that the equilibrium stress state and the plastic process variables do satisfy multiple yield conditions with corners, Fi(σ, q) = 0, at discrete stages of the solution process. To this end, a reliable return mapping algorithm is required which minimizes the error of the plastic return step. Second, the solution of non‐linear equations of motion on the global structural level must account for limit points and premature bifurcation of the equilibrium path. The current paper is mainly concerned with the implicit integration of elasto‐plastic hardening/softening relations considering non‐associated flow and the presence of composite yield conditions with corners.

Presents a computational algorithm for the numerical integration of triaxial concrete plasticity formulations. The specific material formulation at hand is the so‐called extended leon model for concrete. It is based on the flow theory of plasticity which entails isotropic hardening as well as fracture energy‐based softening in addition to non‐associated plastic flow. The numerical algorithm resorts to implicit integration according to the backward Euler strategy that enforces plastic consistency according to the closes‐point‐projection method (generalized radial‐return strategy). Numerical simulations illustrate the overall performance of the proposed algorithm and the significant increase of the convergence rate when the algorithmic tangent is used in place of the continuum operator.

With the growing importance of performance measurement and management, this exploratory study intends to examine the practices of maintenance managers with regards to maintenance measures, as used in their organizations. In this process, the study attempts to uncover the relevant maintenance performance dimensions from the perspectives of the surveyed managers. In addition, the mediating effect of information availability on the main performance measures utilization is studied.

The research at hand is survey-based. It utilizes the responses of a sample of ninety-five (95) experienced maintenance managers to identify the most relevant maintenance performance measures. Factor analysis is then utilized to uncover the important dimensions of performance, as seen by the respondents. Additionally, using the Partial Least Squares method, several models were studied.

The findings of this exploratory research appear to suggest that maintenance managers are beginning to broaden their perspective with regard to performance management. While machine and plant-related performance measures are still emphasized, maintenance managers are slowly moving toward a wider organizational orientation. While the manufacturing organizations are becoming more and more customer-oriented open systems, the maintenance function of these organizations is still, for the most part, operating under the semi-open system orientation. Overall, it appears that an emerging maintenance strategy is slowly taking shape.

For the most part, performance measures and measurement related to maintenance have not received enough attention from researchers. Therefore, the literature dealing with the different facets of performance in maintenance has not been forthcoming. The study attempts to fill this apparent gap in the literature. This is important, as maintenance managers are being asked to contribute to the achievement of the competitive strategies of their organizations. Therefore, they must quickly learn how to view maintenance from a coherent strategic organizational perspective. Such a perspective should help in integrating the maintenance, resources, capabilities, and technical know-how in order to serve the strategic goal of their organization. The research at hand is limited to a sample from Portugal. Therefore, the results and conclusions must be interpreted accordingly.

As maintenance managers struggle to move from a machine-orientation to a more organizational-wide strategic orientation, they are often left with many questions and few answers. This study attempts to bring this problem to the spotlight so that it can receive more systematic empirical and practical research. In this context, the role of maintenance managers in the process of organizational strategy formulation should be examined.

The study presented in this article has practical, as well as theoretical contributions. It deals with an area of performance measurement, which so far has been relatively ignored. It uses a system orientation (closed vs open), in addition to the strategic orientation (single vs multi-faceted strategy) in order to shed some light on the need to have consistency between the nature of the system and its strategic objective.

The purpose of this study, which is designed for the implementation of models in the implicit finite element framework, is to propose a robust, stable and efficient explicit integration algorithm for rate-independent elasto-plastic constitutive models.

The proposed automatic substepping algorithm is founded on an explicit integration scheme. The estimation of the maximal subincrement size is based on the stability analysis.

In contrast to other explicit substepping schemes, the algorithm is self-correcting by definition and generates no cumulative drift. Although the integration proceeds with maximal possible subincrements, high level of accuracy is attained. Algorithmic tangent stiffness is calculated in explicit form and optionally no analytical second-order derivatives are needed.

The algorithm is convenient for elasto-plastic constitutive models, described with an algebraic constraint and a set of differential equations. This covers a large family of materials in the field of metal plasticity, damage mechanics, etc. However, it cannot be directly used for a general material model, because the presented algorithm is convenient for solving a set of equations of a particular type.

The estimation of the maximal stable subincrement size is computationally cheap. All expressions in the algorithm are in explicit form, thus the implementation is simple and straightforward. The overall performance of the approach (i.e. accuracy, time consumption) is fully comparable with a default (built-in) ABAQUS/Standard algorithm.

The estimated maximal subincrement size enables the algorithm to be stable by definition. Subincrements are much larger than those in conventional substepping algorithms. No error control, error correction or local iterations are required even in the case of large increments.

This paper aims to further the discussion on Building Information Modelling (BIM) legal requirements, providing a framework with key energy parameters capable of supporting the Appointing Party in the definition of the Exchange Information Requirements (EIR) for a BIM project appointment. The EIR is described in ISO-19650–1:2018 as a fundamental step in the information delivery cycle.

A literature review on the topic of BIM energy analysis was completed to identify current knowledge gaps and support the need for the proposed framework. Afterwards, the framework was established based on the review findings and the authors’ domain knowledge. The applicability of the proposed framework was assessed through a case study, where several energy simulations were performed in three different design stages of the same BIM model.

This study identified a lack of standards and legislation capable of supporting the Appointing Party in the definition of energy-related BIM requirements. To this end, a new framework is proposed to mediate existing practices, linking prior knowledge with BIM’s new reality. The study showcases the applicability of the framework, identifying that the performance of different energy studies involves distinct Level of Development (LOD) requirements, which in turn have an impact on the modelling time and cost.

A BIM framework for the specification of information requirements in energy-related projects was developed to support the Appointing Party. The framework presents appropriate parameters for energy analysis in each design stage, as well as the suitable LOD for the BIM model.

Incremental sheet forming represents a promising process in the manufacturing of metallic components, particularly its variant known as single point incremental forming (SPIF). The purpose of this paper is to test and validate the results coming from numerical simulation of SPIF processes using the reduced enhanced solid‐shell formulation, when compared to the solid finite elements available in ABAQUS software. The use of SPIF techniques in the production of small batch components has a potential wide application in fields such as rapid prototyping and biomechanical devices.

Incremental forming processes differ from conventional stamping by not using a press and by requiring a lower number of tools, since no dedicated punches and dies are necessary, which lowers the overall production costs. In addition, it shows relative simplicity and flexible setup for complex parts, when compared with conventional technologies. However, the low speed of production and low‐dimensional accuracy levels are still the main obstacles for a wider application of this technique in the context of large production batches.

In this sense, the use of numerical simulation tools based on the finite element method (FEM) can provide a better understanding of the process' peculiarities. However, there are differences on using distinct finite element formulations, regarding accuracy as well as CPU times during simulations, which can be prohibitive in some cases.

Aiming to provide sounding improvements in these two fields (robustness and cost effectiveness of FEM solutions), the present work encloses a preliminary study about some relevant parameters in the FEM simulation of SPIF. Special focus is given to the use of solid‐shell and solid finite elements, for the sake of generality in modelling, as well as implicit solution schemes for the sake of accuracy. Finally, results coming from both experimental data and commercial FEM packages are compared to those obtained by a reliable and cost‐effective solid‐shell finite element formulation developed and implemented by the authors.

The paper describes the derivation and application of a range of numerical algorithms for implementing the Mohr—Coulomb yield criterion in a non‐linear finite element computer program. Emphasis is placed on the difficulties associated with the corners of the yield surface. In contrast to the more conventional forward‐Euler procedures, a backward‐Euler integration technique is adopted. A range of methods, including a ‘consistent approach’ are used to derive the tangent modular matrix. Numerical experiments are presented which involve solution algorithms including the modified and full Newton—Raphson procedures, ‘line‐searches’ and the arc‐length method. It is shown that the introduction of efficient integration and tangency algorithms can lead to very substantial improvements in the convergence characteristics.