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1 – 10 of 12Lisa-Maria Gerhardt, Jan Goldenstein, Simon Oertel, Philipp Poschmann and Peter Walgenbach
Higher education institutions have undergone a transformation over the past few decades, from loosely coupled systems to more centrally managed organizations. Central to this…
Abstract
Higher education institutions have undergone a transformation over the past few decades, from loosely coupled systems to more centrally managed organizations. Central to this ongoing development is the increasing competition for resources and reputation, driving higher education institutions to rationalize their structures and practices. In our study, we focused on changes in job advertisements for professorships in Germany from 1990 to 2010. Findings showed that the requirements stipulated by universities for professorial positions have become increasingly differentiated (and measurable) over time. In this context, competitive aspects, such as third-party funding, international orientation, or publications, have particularly come to the fore and grown significantly in importance. We discuss these findings in light of an increasing managerialization of higher education institutions, which has a direct effect on collegiality. We argue that the differentiation of professorial job profiles leads to even more formalized appointment processes and may push collegial governance into the background.
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Yiming Li and Chenyang Lv
To extend the reuse method and rate of straw biomass, this paper investigated the effect of lignin synthetic phenolic resin (LPF) on the rheological properties of asphalt binder.
Abstract
Purpose
To extend the reuse method and rate of straw biomass, this paper investigated the effect of lignin synthetic phenolic resin (LPF) on the rheological properties of asphalt binder.
Design/methodology/approach
Four LPFs with 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% substitution rates were prepared by replacing phenol with lignin in synthetic resins and using it as a modifier to prepare a bio-asphalt binder. Temperature sweep tests were conducted to evaluate aging resistance and temperature sensitivity of the bio-asphalt binder. The rutting resistance of the bio-asphalt binder was evaluated by frequency sweeps and multiple stress creep recovery (MSCR) test. Linear amplitude sweep (LAS) tests were conducted to evaluate the fatigue resistance of the bio-asphalt binder. A master curve was constructed to further analyze the rheological properties of the bio-asphalt binder at different frequencies. The low-temperature cracking resistance of the binder was evaluated by G-R parameters, critical temperatures and ΔTc. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was performed to investigate the changes in the functional groups of the binder before and after aging.
Findings
The results indicated that adding LPF could improve the high-temperature rutting resistance, fatigue resistance, aging resistance of asphalt and the binders are less affected by temperature. Additionally, LPF slightly prohibited the low-temperature performance of the asphalt binder, which, however, was significantly lower than the base asphalt degradation during aging. Compared with base asphalt binders, the bio-asphalt binder showed no new absorption peaks generated after adding LPF, identifying that the improved asphalt binder performance by LPF was a mainly physical modification.
Originality/value
The main objective of this paper is to further improve the substitution rate (i.e. the mass substitution ratio of lignin to phenol) of lignin and broaden the application of biomass resins, thus realizing resource sustainability.
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Senuri Siriwardhana and Robert Moehler
Skills development among construction stakeholders has become an increasingly urgent necessity for the successful implementation of Construction 4.0 in recent years. There is a…
Abstract
Purpose
Skills development among construction stakeholders has become an increasingly urgent necessity for the successful implementation of Construction 4.0 in recent years. There is a lack of comprehensive analysis on the domain of Construction 4.0 implementation, with a focus on skills development. This study aims to address this gap through the use of the science mapping approach to show the gaps of research domain and propose future directions.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopted a three-step holistic review approach, comprising bibliometric review, scientometric analysis, and qualitative discussion, to obtain a comprehensive overview of research in the field of Construction 4.0 skills development. f on a total of 57 articles published in three databases, the influential sources, keywords, scholars, and articles in the domain were analysed. A follow-up discussion aimed to identify main-stream research topics, research gaps, and future research directions.
Findings
Findings discovered that the topics were concerned about Construction 4.0 whilst skills development aspect was lacking in creation of policies, frameworks, strategies in different contexts. The study revealed research gaps such as presence of skills gaps and shortages in some countries, the lack of frameworks and roadmaps for successful Construction 4.0 implementation, and the lack of readiness assessments from professional, company and industry viewpoints.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the knowledge in the domain of Construction 4.0 and the contribution of skills development for its implementation and a comprehensive overview with research gaps and future research directions in the domain.
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Sadia Batool and Muhammad Kashif
This study investigates occupational segregation, microaggression, and social exclusion as antecedents of social invisibility to predict employee intentions to leave. Furthermore…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates occupational segregation, microaggression, and social exclusion as antecedents of social invisibility to predict employee intentions to leave. Furthermore, the authors question whether felt obligation moderates the relationship between social invisibility and intentions to leave. Finally, researchers explore various forms of occupational segregation, miscoaggression, and social exclusion from employee's perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
Two studies are conducted. Study 1 is quantitative where the data were collected from 273 nurses employed in various hospitals in Pakistan. Study 2 is qualitative where twelve confirmatory interviews were conducted to enrich our contextual understanding of the proposed relationships. The quantitative data are analyzed using partial least square methods via SmartPLS. The qualitative data analysis is based on a content analysis of interviews.
Findings
Surprisingly, occupational segregation does not predict social invisibility. Moreover, the relationship between occupational segregation and intentions to leave is not mediated via social invisibility. The issues such as social hierarchy and high power distance are reflected via the findings of the qualitative study.
Practical implications
The results provide insightful strategies to counter feelings of social invisibility among individuals performing those jobs which are considered stigmatized occupations.
Originality/value
This study uniquely presents three antecedents of social invisibility, its mediating role, and the moderation of felt obligation between social invisibility and intentions to leave.
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Timothy Jung, Sujin Bae, Natasha Moorhouse and Ohbyung Kwon
Traditionally, Task–Technology Fit (TTF) theory has been applied to examine the usefulness of technology in the work environment. Can the same approach (based on experience rather…
Abstract
Purpose
Traditionally, Task–Technology Fit (TTF) theory has been applied to examine the usefulness of technology in the work environment. Can the same approach (based on experience rather than tasks) be applied to non-work, cultural heritage environments? This is the question the authors ask in this study. This study proposes a new variation of TTF based on the experience economy model, namely Experience–Technology Fit (ETF), for the non-work environment, in particular, in the context of cultural heritage, where visitor experience is enhanced by extended reality technology, which combines immersive technologies and artificial intelligence.
Design/methodology/approach
Employing a quantitative survey method, the empirical analysis seeks to determine the influence of Mixed Reality (MR) characteristics (interactivity, vividness), Voice User Interface (VUI) characteristics (speech recognition, speech synthesis) and experience economy factors (education, entertainment, esthetic, escape) on satisfaction, revisit intention and actual purchase to propose a new ETF model.
Findings
VUI, MR, and experience factors were significantly associated with ETF; when combined with MR-based experience, ETF was significantly associated with satisfaction. This study’s findings further demonstrate the relationship between users' satisfaction when engaging with MR-based experience and revisit intention, while purchase intention was significantly associated with the actual purchase.
Originality/value
The novel contribution of this study is the proposal of the EFT model, a new variation of TTF based on the experience economy model. Overall, this study expands the applications of TTF to an experience-oriented business, thereby broadening the authors’ understanding of technological success with a specific focus on the technology fit of Extended Reality (XR) in the context of cultural heritage.
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Dulce Franco Henriques, Miguel Pereira Clara and Inês Flores-Colen
This paper addresses the evaluation of traditional wooden floors, based on (1) visual strength grading (VSG) techniques adopted for ancient wooden structures; (2) a new approach…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper addresses the evaluation of traditional wooden floors, based on (1) visual strength grading (VSG) techniques adopted for ancient wooden structures; (2) a new approach to biological damage and (3) structural safety analysis. This assessment includes complex concepts. Therefore, the study presents a highly needed practical tool to help technicians make a preliminary assessment whereby many of the timber elements in our heritage can be saved from removal.
Design/methodology/approach
A simple and effective procedure was developed for each step. An inspection and diagnosis datasheet was drawn up, and the structural analysis presented by the Eurocodes was summarized. This methodology was then applied in a case study to demonstrate the complete procedure. During the assessment of this sort of structures, the drilling technique was a relevant method utilized as it provided essential and clear information about the beams' conservation.
Findings
The case study results indicate that 70% of the beams of the analysed structure exceed strict minimum performance criteria. This shows that other similar buildings can have their wooden elements saved from demolition, which is not the current regular refurbishment approach.
Originality/value
The current reality shows that the technicians' lack of capacity for a pragmatic assessment of the timber members’ structural capacity promotes their disinterest in them. To avoid that, this text presents a process for evaluating wooden floors using a simple and clear approach. This will prevent the demolition of wooden elements and instead encourage their preservation.
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Merel T. Feenstra-Verschure, Dorien Kooij, Charissa Freese, Mandy van der Velde and Evgenia I. Lysova
The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize job immobility concepts, e.g. staying in an unsatisfying job and perceiving limited opportunities to move and apply for another job…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize job immobility concepts, e.g. staying in an unsatisfying job and perceiving limited opportunities to move and apply for another job. The existing literature on this situation of job immobility in which the employee is experiencing stuckness in the job is scattered across research domains, limited in scope and existing constructs are not clearly defined or operationalized.
Design/methodology/approach
In this conceptual paper, the authors propose the construct “locked at the job,” by reviewing and building on the job immobility literature and the theory of control and self-regulation.
Findings
This study defines the concept that consists of two dimensions as feeling dissatisfied in the current job and inactivity due to perceived limited job opportunities. This study proposes a conceptual model of antecedents and consequences of locked at the job, based on the person-environment fit theory.
Practical implications
This conceptual paper allows value to be added in practice by the conceptualization of locked at the job, in addition to providing a preview with respect to conceptual causes and consequences of this phenomenon.
Originality/value
Research on this job immobility phenomenon is scattered across different research domains, limited in scope and the concept has not been clearly defined or operationalized.
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Important research once thought unassailable has failed to replicate. Not just in economics, but in all science. The problem is therefore not in dispute nor are some of the…
Abstract
Purpose
Important research once thought unassailable has failed to replicate. Not just in economics, but in all science. The problem is therefore not in dispute nor are some of the causes, like low power, selective reporting, the file drawer effect, publicly unavailable data and so forth. Some partially worthy solutions have already been offered, like pre-registering hypotheses and data analysis plans.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a review paper on the replication crisis, which is by now very well known.
Findings
This study offers another partial solution, which is to remind researchers that correlation does not logically imply causation. The effect of this reminder is to eschew “significance” testing, whether in frequentist or Bayesian form (like Bayes factors) and to report models in predictive form, so that anybody can check the veracity of any model. In effect, all papers could undergo replication testing.
Originality/value
The author argues that this, or any solution, will never eliminate all errors.
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