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1 – 10 of 113
Article
Publication date: 18 May 2021

Anabel Renteria, Luisa F. Garcia, Jorge A. Diaz, Luis C. Delfin, Jaime E. Regis, Elizabeth I. Reza, David Espalin, Tzu-Liang Bill Tseng and Yirong Lin

The purpose of this study is to evaluate different 3D structures for humidity sensing that will enable the fabrication of complex geometries with high moisture sensitivity.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to evaluate different 3D structures for humidity sensing that will enable the fabrication of complex geometries with high moisture sensitivity.

Design/methodology/approach

Humidity sensors based on alumina ceramics were fabricated using direct ink write (DIW) technique. Different engineered surface area, polymer binder ratio and post-processing treatment were considered to increase moisture sensitivity.

Findings

It was found that the binder ratio plays an important role in controlling the rheology of the paste during printing and determining the pore size after post-processing treatment. The sensibility of the fabricated humidity sensor was investigated by measuring its capacitance response toward relative humidity (RH) varying from 40% to 90% RH at 25°C. It is shown that using 3D lattice design, printed alumina humidity sensor could improve sensitivity up to 31.6 pF/RH%, over an order of magnitude higher than solid alumina.

Originality/value

Most of the alumina humidity sensors available are films in nature because of manufacturing difficulties, which limited its potential of higher sensitivity, and thus broader applications. In this paper, a novel 3D alumina humidity sensor was fabricated using DIW 3D printing technology.

Details

Rapid Prototyping Journal, vol. 27 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2546

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 23 June 2023

Inna Choban de Sousa Paiva, M. Isabel Sánchez-Hernández and Luísa Cagica Carvalho

With the increasing awareness of sustainability and its importance around the world, corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Africa also requires attention. Based on the…

1159

Abstract

Purpose

With the increasing awareness of sustainability and its importance around the world, corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Africa also requires attention. Based on the stakeholder theory, this study aims to determine the relationship between CSR information received by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and CSR's diffusion and the mediating role of environmental awareness in Angola as a country representative of the African context.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical study analyzes managers' perceptions of 131 SMEs in Angola. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is the method to assess the relationship between CSR information and its diffusion and the mediating role of environmental awareness SMEs in Angola.

Findings

The authors found strong evidence that CSR diffusion, and disclosure as one of CSR's related actions, heavily depends on the information received and managed by the firm. The authors also confirmed that environmental awareness puts pressure on SMEs to increase the SMEs' diffusion efforts.

Practical implications

The study points out the role of managers in promoting a responsible orientation of businesses in Angola for preserving the environment and improving the competitive success of SMEs.

Social implications

The social, economic and legal contexts of Angola are vulnerable. The findings raise concerns about whether governments and regulatory efforts improve the development of the strategies toward social responsibility of African firms and whether these firms also increase the role of SMEs in producing positive outcomes through CSR.

Originality/value

The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of the features of the strategic orientation of SMEs in Angola, necessary to enhance CSR and protect the environment. The conclusions highlight the potential role of managers in promoting a culture of ethics, social innovation and successful competition change in businesses.

Details

Journal of Accounting in Emerging Economies, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-1168

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 June 2017

Gabriel Centeno, Domingo Morales-Palma, Borja Gonzalez-Perez-Somarriba, Isabel Bagudanch, Juan José Egea-Guerrero, Luis Miguel Gonzalez-Perez, María Luisa García-Romeu and Carpóforo Vallellano

This paper aims to propose a functional methodology to produce cranial prostheses in polymeric sheet. Within the scope of rapid prototyping technologies, the single-point…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a functional methodology to produce cranial prostheses in polymeric sheet. Within the scope of rapid prototyping technologies, the single-point incremental forming (SPIF) process is used to demonstrate its capabilities to perform customized medical parts.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology starts processing a patient’s computerized axial tomography (CAT) and follows with a computer-aided design and manufacture (CAD/CAM) procedure, which finally permits the successful manufacturing of a customized prosthesis for a specific cranial area.

Findings

The formability of a series of polymeric sheets is determined and the most restrictive material among them is selected for the fabrication of a specific partial cranial prosthesis following the required geometry. The final strain state at the outer surface of the prosthesis is analysed, showing the high potential of SPIF in manufacturing individualized cranial prostheses from polymeric sheet.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a complete methodology to design and manufacture polymer customized cranial prostheses from patients’ CATs using the novel SPIF technology. This is an application of a new class of materials to the manufacturing of medical prostheses by SPIF, which to this purpose has been mainly making use of metallic materials so far. Despite the use of polymers to this application is still to be validated from a medical point of view, transparent prostheses can already be of great interest in medical or engineering schools for teaching and research purposes.

Article
Publication date: 2 January 2018

Isabel Bagudanch, María Luisa García-Romeu, Ines Ferrer and Joaquim Ciurana

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the feasibility of incremental sheet forming (ISF), using the most common variants, single-point incremental forming (SPIF) and…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the feasibility of incremental sheet forming (ISF), using the most common variants, single-point incremental forming (SPIF) and two-point incremental forming (TPIF), to produce prototypes of customized cranial implants using a biocompatible polymer (ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene, UHMWPE), ensuring an appropriate geometric accuracy and cost.

Design/methodology/approach

The cranial implant is designed based on computerized tomographies (CT) of the patient, converting them into a 3D model using the software InVesalius. To generate the toolpath for the forming operation computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software is used. Once the cranial implant is manufactured, a 3D scanning system is used to determine the geometric deviation between the real part and the initial design.

Findings

The results corroborate that it is possible to successfully manufacture a customized cranial implant using ISF, being able to improve the geometric accuracy using the TPIF variant with a negative die.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the first research works in which a customized cranial implant is successfully manufactured using a flexible technology, ISF and a biocompatible polymer. The use of polymeric implants in cranioplasty is advantageous because of their lightweight, low heat conductivity and mechanical properties similar to bone. Furthermore, the cost of the implant has been calculated considering not only the raw materials and manufacturing time but also the environmental impact, revealing that it is a cheap process with a low lead-time.

Details

Rapid Prototyping Journal, vol. 24 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2546

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 23 May 2022

María del Rosario Demuner Flores, María Luisa Saavedra García and Elsa Esther Choy Zevallos

Competitiveness has become essential to business survival. Accordingly, the purpose of this chapter is to study the competitiveness of micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises…

Abstract

Competitiveness has become essential to business survival. Accordingly, the purpose of this chapter is to study the competitiveness of micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Latin America under the systemic competitiveness model under COVID-19. Documentary research was conducted, based on reports from the Inter-American Development Bank, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the World Bank, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, among others. The main findings reveal an alarming deterioration at the macro, meso, and meta levels, which requires the design of public policies that consider the situation of MSMEs as essential for reducing poverty and unemployment affecting the region. Although MSMEs hold some advantages at the micro level, they need to receive direct support to enable them to stay afloat and make productive and technological investments.

Details

Research in Administrative Sciences Under COVID-19
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80262-298-0

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 30 December 2013

Alessia Mariotti

This chapter discusses the main research interests and outputs in the various branches of geography that have influenced the study of tourism from a geographical perspective. It…

Abstract

This chapter discusses the main research interests and outputs in the various branches of geography that have influenced the study of tourism from a geographical perspective. It argues that the idiographic tradition has been transversal throughout, leading to the growing interest for tourism within the geography academic community in the last 10 years. There is a focus on the birth of specific research groups, mainly related to a constellation of new university curricula on tourism and—with few exceptions of territorial tradition—to an intermittent availability of public research funds. The chapter concludes with a more general picture of the place of tourism within the geography discipline in Italy and of evolving trends in terms of research results, dissemination, and evaluation.

Details

Geographies of Tourism
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78190-212-7

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 20 July 2022

Abstract

Details

The Digital Transformation of the Fitness Sector: A Global Perspective
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80117-861-7

Article
Publication date: 25 October 2018

Jerónimo García-Fernández, Silvia Martelo-Landroguez, Luisa Vélez-Colon and Gabriel Cepeda-Carrión

This study aims to analyze the impact and predictive capacity of organizational culture on both customer loyalty and organizational performance in health clubs using data from…

1407

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to analyze the impact and predictive capacity of organizational culture on both customer loyalty and organizational performance in health clubs using data from managers and customers of health clubs in Spain.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 101 managers were asked to measure organizational culture and organizational performance and 2,931 customers were asked to indicate their customer loyalty. The proposed hypotheses were tested and their predictability assessed through PLS-SEM. A composite concept was adopted to analyze the relationships between the different constructs and their indicators.

Findings

The findings suggest that organizational culture has a positive relationship with both customer loyalty and organizational performance. The four main dimensions of organizational culture that influence this relationship are, in order of significance, organizational presence, formalization, atmosphere and service-equipment. The authors’ model has a very good predictive power for both dependent variables.

Originality/value

Customer loyalty is an aspect of health clubs that can be improved. This study highlights the importance of creating a strong organizational culture in health clubs, as it enhances and predicts customer loyalty and organizational performance. Its predictability has already been tested with samples of managers and customers, with the analysis being performed from the perspective of the organization’s management and customer perceptions. This study also contributes to the field of sport management, using a predictive PLS-SEM technique.

研究目的

本论文旨在分析组织文化对于健身俱乐部客户忠诚度和组织绩效的影响力和推导力,以西班牙健身俱乐部经理和客人为研究样本。

研究设计/方法/途径

共有 101 名健身俱乐部经理和 2,931 名客人构成本论文研究样本,分别采集了经理们对于组织文化的态度和健身俱乐部客人们对于客户忠诚度的态度。本论文采用偏最小二乘回归(PLS-SEM)验证假设。本论文借用一个综合概念以分析不同结构和其自变量的关系。

研究结果

组织文化对客户忠诚度和组织绩效有积极促进作用。组织文化的四大维度包括,以影响力排序,组织存在、正规化、氛围、和服务-设备等。本论文模型对于客户忠诚度和组织绩效有很好的推导力。

研究原创性/价值

客户忠诚度是值得健身俱乐部加强的。本论文强调了健身俱乐部中组织文化的重要性,这是因为它增强和促进客户忠诚度和组织绩效。其促进和推导力已经由本论文借用经理和客人的样本,从组织管理者和客户两方面角度,实际验证。本论文采用推导性PLS-SEM方法,还对体育管理领域有着贡献。

关键词

组织文化,推导力,绩效,健身行业,健身俱乐部,PLS-SEM

Details

Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, vol. 9 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1757-9880

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 March 2024

María Jesús Barroso-Méndez, Maria-Luisa Pajuelo-Moreno and Dolores Gallardo-Vázquez

Previous research has explored the link between sustainability disclosure and reputation but produced contradictory results. This study aims to clarify the sustainability…

Abstract

Purpose

Previous research has explored the link between sustainability disclosure and reputation but produced contradictory results. This study aims to clarify the sustainability disclosure–reputation relationship through a quantitative analysis of the correlations between these variables reported in empirical research papers. The second objective was to determine how various moderators affect the sustainability disclosure–reputation link.

Design/methodology/approach

The meta-analysis was based on a systematic review of the literature covering empirical research on the corporate sustainability disclosure and reputation relationship. A total of 92 articles were meta-analyzed to compile their findings on four extrinsic moderators: company size, ownership, stock listing status and activity sector.

Findings

The findings confirm that a significant positive correlation exists between corporate sustainability disclosure and reputation. The moderator analysis also revealed that companies’ different characteristics can explain researchers’ divergent results.

Practical implications

The results have considerable practical relevance for organizational management. First, they can motivate managers to improve and disclose their company’s social and environmental impacts to strengthen their reputation, which in turn will help accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Second, the findings can ensure organizations develop disclosure and reputation management strategies adapted for each firm’s size, ownership, stock listing status and activity sector.

Social implications

The results have considerable practical relevance for organizational management. First, they can motivate managers to improve and disclose their company’s social and environmental impacts to strengthen their reputation, which in turn will help accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. Second, the findings can ensure organizations develop disclosure and reputation management strategies adapted for each firm’s size, ownership, stock listing status and activity sector.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this meta-analysis is the first to clarify the link between disclosure and reputation, which makes a unique contribution to the field of social and environmental accounting. A larger sample of primary research was collected, and key extrinsic moderators were examined to explain prior studies’ contradictory findings.

Details

Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8021

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 23 May 2022

Alan Francisco Rodríguez Jasso, Lucero de Jesús Rodríguez Jasso and Arturo Briseño García

COVID-19 has shaken every nation in the world, and its consequences have spread throughout society. The influence of the health pandemic has left a negative imprint on both the…

Abstract

COVID-19 has shaken every nation in the world, and its consequences have spread throughout society. The influence of the health pandemic has left a negative imprint on both the public and private sectors, affecting thousands of people. The objective of this literature review is to explore, summarise, and analyse the state of the art of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices in the context of COVID-19 by identifying those that have been implemented during the pandemic. This review was developed using the narrative method to gain a broader perspective of this phenomenon by analysing 30 Web of Science (WOS) articles from 1998 to 2020. The findings suggest that the implementation of CSR-focussed practices offers the possibility to change consumer behaviour towards a socially responsible approach, thus contributing to our country’s economic recovery. The inclusion of CSR within the COVID context allows for a better understanding of the socially responsible practices that have been implemented during the health restrictions.

Details

Research in Administrative Sciences Under COVID-19
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80262-298-0

Keywords

1 – 10 of 113