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The purpose of this paper is to provide details of recent developments in agricultural robots with an emphasis of those that address labour shortages and environmental issues.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide details of recent developments in agricultural robots with an emphasis of those that address labour shortages and environmental issues.
Design/methodology/approach
Following an introduction which highlights some of the challenges facing the agricultural industry, this discusses recent robotic agricultural vehicle developments and the enabling technologies. It then provides examples of terrestrial and airborne robots employed in precision agricultural practices. Finally, brief conclusions are drawn.
Findings
Traditional, labour-intensive and environmentally harmful agricultural practices are not sustainable in the long term, and if food supply is to meet future demand, radical changes will be required. Exploiting recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI), agricultural equipment manufacturers are developing robotic vehicles in response to labour shortages. Precision agricultural practices will mitigate many of the detrimental environmental impacts and can also reduce the reliance on manpower. Weeding robots which reduce or eliminate the use of herbicides have been commercialised by a growing number of companies and again exploit AI techniques. Drones equipped with imaging device are playing an increasingly important role by characterising agricultural and crop conditions, thereby allowing highly targeted agrochemical application.
Originality/value
This illustrates how the agricultural industry is adopting robotic technology in response to the need to increased productivity while mitigating the problems of shortages of labour and environmental degradation.
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Keywords
This paper aims to illustrate the growing role of drones in applications involving physical tasks.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to illustrate the growing role of drones in applications involving physical tasks.
Design/methodology/approach
Following a short introduction, this first provides a brief introduction to drone technology. It then describes and discusses products and applications involving physical tasks in agricultural and forestry, maritime rescue, firefighting and product delivery. Finally, brief conclusions are drawn.
Findings
Excluding military applications, drones were initially used primarily for image acquisition. Numerous different designs have since been developed with greatly varying wing configurations, payloads, flight duration, power sources and other features which are increasingly being used to conduct physical tasks. In the applications considered here drones are applying agrochemicals and dispersing crop and tree seeds; saving lives by deploying lifeboats and buoyancy aids; extinguishing fires in high-rise buildings and forests; and delivering groceries, food, mail, medicines and humanitarian aid, often in and to remote locations.
Originality/value
This study provides a detailed insight into selection of applications in which drones conduct physical tasks.
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Keywords
Qi Zhang, Shengyue Hao and Kon Shing Kenneth Chung
A project manager’s (PM) emotional intelligence (EI) is essential for project performance (PP). However, the cause and effect and the potential moderators of the relationship…
Abstract
Purpose
A project manager’s (PM) emotional intelligence (EI) is essential for project performance (PP). However, the cause and effect and the potential moderators of the relationship between EI and PP remain disputed. Some scholars found a positive association between PMs’ EI and project outcomes, while some other studies showed non or negative relation. This paper aims to find the relationship between PMs’ EI and PP and the factors that influence this relationship based on diverse prior research.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper conducts a meta-analysis of 5,229 observations based on 24 independent studies from 1990 to 2021.
Findings
Results show that PMs’ EI has a significant positive influence on PP, and the project complexity and measurement of PP are two critical moderators explaining inconsistencies in existing research.
Practical implications
The current study proposes suggestions for construction companies on PMs’ selection and training. This study also offers suggestions for PMs in management practice.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to explore the inconsistencies in prior research results on the relationship between PMs’ EI and PP at the meta-analytic level. This research extends the current literature by revealing the factors leading to existing consistencies that are not explored before. This study implies that the meta-analysis method could help reach a balanced conclusion based on inconsistent results.
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Jung-Kuei Hsieh, Sushant Kumar and Ning-Yu Ko
Showrooming presents a complex and evolving challenge to retail managers, as it signifies the emergence of new forms of exchange rules. The purpose of this research is to…
Abstract
Purpose
Showrooming presents a complex and evolving challenge to retail managers, as it signifies the emergence of new forms of exchange rules. The purpose of this research is to investigate how factors responsible for information search and evaluation affect showrooming and also consider the consumer mindset as a moderator.
Design/methodology/approach
This research undertakes three experimental designs to investigate how the push (i.e. assortment size), pull (i.e. price discount), and mooring (i.e. sunk cost) factors influence consumers' showrooming intention. Specifically, consumers' maximizing tendency plays the role of moderator.
Findings
The results reveal that push, pull, and mooring factors are significantly related to consumers' showrooming intention. Furthermore, the findings show that maximizers have higher showrooming intention than satisficers in the context of the push, pull, and mooring factors.
Originality/value
By integrating the push-pull-mooring framework and the maximizing mindset theory, this research proposes a novel research model and the empirical testing results support six hypotheses. The findings add to the body of knowledge in showrooming behavior by taking consumer mindset into account. The results also provide implications for practitioners to develop their retail strategies.
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Maria Gravari-Barbas, Sandra Guinand, Yue Lu and Xinyu Li
Between 1840s and 1940s, 27 occidental concessions have been created in several cities in China which represented difficult signs and memories for Chinese. Nowadays, these…
Abstract
Purpose
Between 1840s and 1940s, 27 occidental concessions have been created in several cities in China which represented difficult signs and memories for Chinese. Nowadays, these territories are experiencing a joint phenomenon of heritagization and tourismification which makes them experimental theaters for modern urban life and identity. Taking the former concessions of Tianjin as place study, the purpose of this study is to analyze the role of the heritage and tourism in the former concessions in city branding and more specifically the actors, approaches and products of this phenomenon.
Design/methodology/approach
This research draws on the comparison and analysis of two place studies in China. The authors base their analysis on semi-structured interviews in Chinese with previously identified stakeholders. In all, 20 individuals, including developers, public authority representatives, business owners, academics and conservation association members, were interviewed. This research was completed, updated and triangulated by content analysis of Web-based materials; official documents such as urban plans, guidelines and urban and tourism strategies collected during the fieldwork, as well as non-intrusive spatial observations of the concession and its various developments.
Findings
The results of this study show that the heritage in the former concessions has become an attractive tool for the city branding through tourism development, often led by the public actors with the participation of private entrepreneurs.
Originality/value
This study looks at the hybrid dimensions of the former concessions in China. It provides a better understanding of the co-action of heritage and tourism in the processes of territorial rehabilitation, which contributes to both the practitioners and researchers in this domain.
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Andrew Ebekozien, Clinton Aigbavboa, Mohamad Shaharudin Samsurijan, Godspower C. Amadi and Okechukwu Dominic Saviour Duru
In most developing countries, indigenous emerging construction contractors (ECCs) face severe problems of not adopting a project management framework (PMF) in their business…
Abstract
Purpose
In most developing countries, indigenous emerging construction contractors (ECCs) face severe problems of not adopting a project management framework (PMF) in their business activities. It has increased their business risk and threatened their sustainability. Studies showed that government policy support (GPS) helps mitigate business risks. Thus, there is a paucity of literature concerning GPS on emerging Nigerian construction contractors' business sustainability. Therefore, the paper aims to investigate the moderating effect of GPS on the relationship between PMF and ECCs in Nigeria.
Design/methodology/approach
SmartPLS was used to analyse the collected data from the useable 310 questionnaires retrieved from respondents in Abuja and Lagos, Nigeria. Systems Theory was used to support the developed framework.
Findings
Findings show that government policy support significantly moderates the relationships between PMF and ECCs in the Nigerian construction sector. It implies that the study's results offer more understanding regarding issues affecting construction entrepreneurs' sustainable business cycle via applying PMF to mitigate business sustainable associated risks.
Practical implications
The study will stir Nigeria's ECCs and policymakers to promote construction business sustainability for a new entrepreneur, emphasising business risk management via PMF and GPS to enhance the sustainable business cycle.
Originality/value
The research (PMF and GPS) is strategies to enhance ECCs business sustainability in the Nigerian construction sector and other developing countries with similar political and economic attributes. Besides the study guiding old and intending ECCs and policymakers in the developing countries industries, it would contribute to bridge the theoretical gap regarding PMF and ECC, especially ECCs in developing countries with similar business sustainability issues.
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Foster B. Roberts, Milorad M. Novicevic and John H. Humphreys
The purpose of this study is to present ANTi-microhistory of social innovation in education within Robert Owen’s communal experiment at New Harmony, Indiana. The authors zoom out…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to present ANTi-microhistory of social innovation in education within Robert Owen’s communal experiment at New Harmony, Indiana. The authors zoom out in the historical context of social innovation before zooming into the New Harmony case.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors used ANTi-microhistory approach to unpack the controversy around social innovation using the five-step procedure recently proposed by Mills et al. (2022), a version of the five-step procedure originally proposed by Tureta et al. (2021).
Findings
The authors found that the educational leaders of the New Harmony community preceded proponents of innovation, such as Drucker (1957) and Fairweather (1967), who viewed education as a form of social innovation.
Originality/value
The authors contribute to the history of social innovation in education by exploring the New Harmony community’s education society to uncover the enactment of sustainable social innovation and the origin story of humanistic management education.
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Nihar J. Gonsalves, Anthony Yusuf, Omobolanle Ogunseiju and Abiola Akanmu
Concrete workers perform physically demanding work in awkward postures, exposing their backs to musculoskeletal disorders. Back-support exoskeletons are promising ergonomic…
Abstract
Purpose
Concrete workers perform physically demanding work in awkward postures, exposing their backs to musculoskeletal disorders. Back-support exoskeletons are promising ergonomic interventions designed to reduce the risks of back disorders. However, the suitability of exoskeletons for enhancing performance of concrete workers has not been largely explored. This study aims to assess a passive back-support exoskeleton for concrete work in terms of the impact on the body, usability and benefits of the exoskeleton, and potential design modifications.
Design/methodology/approach
Concrete workers performed work with a passive back-support exoskeleton. Subjective and qualitative measures were employed to capture their perception of the exoskeleton, at the middle and end of the work, in terms of discomfort to their body parts, ease of use, comfort, performance and safety of the exoskeleton, and their experience using the exoskeleton. These were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.
Findings
The exoskeleton reduced stress on the lower back but caused discomfort to other body parts. Significant correlations were observed between perceived discomfort and usability measures. Design modifications are needed to improve the compatibility of the exoskeleton with the existing safety gears, reduce discomfort at chest and thigh, and improve ease of use of the exoskeleton.
Research limitations/implications
The study was conducted with eight concrete workers who used the exoskeleton for four hours.
Originality/value
This study contributes to existing knowledge on human-wearable robot interaction and provides suggestions for adapting exoskeleton designs for construction work.
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Godfrey Moses Owot, Kenneth Olido, Daniel Micheal Okello and Walter Odongo
The purpose of this study is to analyze trust perceptions between farmers and traders from a dyadic context in developing countries using mixed-method with a specific focus on…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to analyze trust perceptions between farmers and traders from a dyadic context in developing countries using mixed-method with a specific focus on fresh and dry commodities under contracted and non-contracted markets.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed approach was employed. Cross-sectional data were collected from 202 farmers and 188 traders using questionnaires and an interview guide. The Mann–Whitney test was used to assess differences in trust perception. Differences in the excerpts were assessed through content analysis.
Findings
Results show differences in perception of trust between farmers and traders on integrity, benevolence and competence in marketing fresh and dry commodities. No detectable differences in trust perception between contract and non-contract markets were observed.
Research limitations/implications
Data are limited to Northern Uganda and were collected on trust perception. Besides, there is a scarcity of formal contracts and difficulty in having a matched dyad which could affect generalization.
Originality/value
This is the first study to analyze differences in trust perceptions using a mixed approach in a dyadic context between fresh and dry chains in different markets typologies in developing countries.
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