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1 – 10 of over 2000
Open Access
Article
Publication date: 25 April 2024

Mika Luhtala, Olga Welinder and Elina Vikstedt

This study aims to investigate the adoption of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the new performance perspective in cities. It also aims to understand…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the adoption of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the new performance perspective in cities. It also aims to understand how accounting for SDGs begins in city administrations by following Power’s (2015) fourfold development schema composed of policy object formation, object elaboration, activity orchestration and practice stabilization.

Design/methodology/approach

Focusing on a network of cities coordinated by the Finnish local government association, we analyzed the six largest cities in Finland employing a holistic multiple case study strategy. Our data consisted of Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs), city strategies, budget plans, financial statements, as well as results of participant observations and semi-structured interviews with key individuals involved in accounting for SDGs.

Findings

We unveiled the SDG framework as an interpretive scheme through which cities glocalized sustainable development as a novel, simultaneously global and local, performance object. Integration of the new accounts in city management is necessary for these accounts to take life in steering the actions. By creating meaningful alignment and the ability to impact managerial practices, SDGs and VLRs have the potential to influence local actions. Our results indicate further institutionalization progress of sustainability as a performance object through SDG-focused work.

Originality/value

While prior research has focused mainly on general factors influencing the integration of the sustainability agenda, this study provides a novel perspective by capturing the process and demonstrating empirically how new accounts on SDGs are introduced and deployed in the strategic planning and management of local governments.

Details

Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1096-3367

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 April 2024

Long Zhao, Xiaoye Liu, Linxiang Li, Run Guo and Yang Chen

This study aims to realize efficient, fast and safe robot search task, the belief criteria decision-making approach is proposed to solve the object search task with an uncertain…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to realize efficient, fast and safe robot search task, the belief criteria decision-making approach is proposed to solve the object search task with an uncertain location.

Design/methodology/approach

The study formulates the robot search task as a partially observable Markov decision process, uses the semantic information to evaluate the belief state and designs the belief criteria decision-making approach. A cost function considering a trade-off among belief state, path length and movement effort is modelled to select the next best location in path planning.

Findings

The semantic information is successfully modelled and propagated, which can represent the belief of finding object. The belief criteria decision-making (BCDM) approach is evaluated in both Gazebo simulation platform and physical experiments. Compared to greedy, uniform and random methods, the performance index of path length and execution time is superior by BCDM approach.

Originality/value

The prior knowledge of robot working environment, especially semantic information, can be used for path planning to achieve efficient task execution in path length and execution time. The modelling and updating of environment information can lead a promising research topic to realize a more intelligent decision-making method for object search task.

Details

Robotic Intelligence and Automation, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2754-6969

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 12 February 2024

Anna-Leena Kurki, Elina Weiste, Hanna Toiviainen, Sari Käpykangas and Hilkka Ylisassi

The involvement of clients in service encounters and service development has become a central principle for contemporary health and social care organizations. However, in…

Abstract

Purpose

The involvement of clients in service encounters and service development has become a central principle for contemporary health and social care organizations. However, in day-to-day work settings, the shift toward client involvement is still in progress. We examined how health and social care professionals, together with clients and managers, co-develop their conceptions of client involvement and search for practical ways in which to implement these in organizational service processes.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical case of this study was a developmental intervention, the client involvement workshop, conducted in a Finnish municipal social and welfare center. The cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) framework was used to analyze the development of client involvement ideas and the modes of interaction during the intervention.

Findings

Analysis of the collective discussion revealed that the conceptions of client involvement developed through two interconnected object-orientations: Enabling client involvement in service encounters and promoting client involvement in the service system. The predominant mode of interaction in the collective discussion was that of “coordination.” The clients' perspective and contributions were central aspects in the turning points from coordination to cooperation; professionals crossed organizational boundaries, and together with clients, constructed a new client involvement-based object. This suggests that client participation plays an important role in the development of services.

Originality/value

The CHAT-based examination of the modes of interaction clarifies the potential of co-developing client-involvement-based services and highlights the importance of clients' participation in co-development.

Details

Journal of Health Organization and Management, vol. 38 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7266

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 January 2024

Guoyang Wan, Yaocong Hu, Bingyou Liu, Shoujun Bai, Kaisheng Xing and Xiuwen Tao

Presently, 6 Degree of Freedom (6DOF) visual pose measurement methods enjoy popularity in the industrial sector. However, challenges persist in accurately measuring the visual…

Abstract

Purpose

Presently, 6 Degree of Freedom (6DOF) visual pose measurement methods enjoy popularity in the industrial sector. However, challenges persist in accurately measuring the visual pose of blank and rough metal casts. Therefore, this paper introduces a 6DOF pose measurement method utilizing stereo vision, and aims to the 6DOF pose measurement of blank and rough metal casts.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper studies the 6DOF pose measurement of metal casts from three aspects: sample enhancement of industrial objects, optimization of detector and attention mechanism. Virtual reality technology is used for sample enhancement of metal casts, which solves the problem of large-scale sample sampling in industrial application. The method also includes a novel deep learning detector that uses multiple key points on the object surface as regression objects to detect industrial objects with rotation characteristics. By introducing a mixed paths attention module, the detection accuracy of the detector and the convergence speed of the training are improved.

Findings

The experimental results show that the proposed method has a better detection effect for metal casts with smaller size scaling and rotation characteristics.

Originality/value

A method for 6DOF pose measurement of industrial objects is proposed, which realizes the pose measurement and grasping of metal blanks and rough machined casts by industrial robots.

Details

Sensor Review, vol. 44 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0260-2288

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 November 2023

Yangmin Xie, Jiajia Liu and Yusheng Yang

Proper platform pose is important for the mobile manipulator to accomplish dexterous manipulation tasks efficiently and safely, and the evaluation criterion to qualify…

Abstract

Purpose

Proper platform pose is important for the mobile manipulator to accomplish dexterous manipulation tasks efficiently and safely, and the evaluation criterion to qualify manipulation performance is critical to support the pose decision process. This paper aims to present a comprehensive index to evaluate the manipulator’s operation performance from various aspects.

Design/methodology/approach

In this research, a criterion called hybrid manipulability (HM) is proposed to assess the performance of the manipulator’s operation, considering crucial factors such as joint limits, obstacle avoidance and stability. The determination of the optimal platform pose is achieved by selecting the pose that maximizes the HM within the feasible inverse reachability map associated with the target object.

Findings

A self-built mobile manipulator is adopted as the experimental platform, and the feasibility of the proposed method is experimentally verified in the context of object-grasping tasks both in simulation and practice.

Originality/value

The proposed HM extends upon the conventional notion of manipulability by incorporating additional factors, including the manipulator’s joint limits, the obstacle avoidance situation during the operation and the manipulation stability when grasping the target object. The manipulator can achieve enhanced stability during grasping when positioned in the pose determined by the HM.

Details

Industrial Robot: the international journal of robotics research and application, vol. 51 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 April 2024

Feng Wang, Mingyue Yue, Quan Yuan and Rong Cao

This research explores the differential effects of pixel-level and object-level visual complexity in firm-generated content (FGC) on consumer engagement in terms of the number of…

Abstract

Purpose

This research explores the differential effects of pixel-level and object-level visual complexity in firm-generated content (FGC) on consumer engagement in terms of the number of likes and shares, and further investigates the moderating role of image brightness.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on a deep learning analysis of 85,975 images on a social media platform in China, this study investigates visual complexity in FGC.

Findings

The results indicate that pixel-level complexity increases both the number of likes and shares. Object-level complexity has a U-shaped relationship with the number of likes, while it has an inverted U-shaped relationship with the number of shares. Moreover, image brightness mitigates the effect of pixel-level complexity on likes but amplifies the effect on shares; contrarily, it amplifies the effect of object-level complexity on likes, while mitigating its effect on shares.

Originality/value

Although images play a critical role in FGC, visual data analytics has rarely been used in social media research. This study identified two types of visual complexity and investigated their differential effects. We discuss how the processing of information embedded in visual content influences consumer engagement. The findings enrich the literature on social media and visual marketing.

Details

Marketing Intelligence & Planning, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-4503

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 13 February 2024

Noel Scott and Ana Claudia Campos

Authenticity has been studied from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, leading to a rich but confused literature. This study, a review, aims to compare the psychology and…

Abstract

Purpose

Authenticity has been studied from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, leading to a rich but confused literature. This study, a review, aims to compare the psychology and sociology/tourism definitions of authenticity to clarify the concept. From a psychological perspective, authenticity is a mental appraisal of an object or experience as valued leading to feelings and summative judgements (such as satisfaction or perceived value). In objective authenticity, a person values the object due to belief in an expert’s opinion, constructive authenticity relies on socially constructed values, while existential authenticity is based on one’s self-identity. The resultant achievement of a valued goal, such as seeing a valued object, leads to feelings of pleasure. Sociological definitions are similar but based on different theoretical antecedent causes of constructed and existential authenticity. The paper further discusses the use of theory in tourism and the project to develop tourism as a discipline. This project is considered unlikely to be successful and in turn, as argued, it is more useful to apply theory from other disciplines in a multidisciplinary manner. The results emphasise that it is necessary for tourism researchers to understand the origins and development of the concepts they use and their various definitions.

Details

Tourism Critiques: Practice and Theory, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2633-1225

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 April 2022

Pierre Jouan and Pierre Hallot

The purpose of this paper is to address the challenging issue of developing a quantitative approach for the representation of cultural significance data in heritage information…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to address the challenging issue of developing a quantitative approach for the representation of cultural significance data in heritage information systems (HIS). The authors propose to provide experts in the field with a dedicated framework to structure and integrate targeted data about historical objects' significance in such environments.

Design/methodology/approach

This research seeks the identification of key indicators which allow to better inform decision-makers about cultural significance. Identified concepts are formalized in a data structure through conceptual data modeling, taking advantage on unified modeling language (HIS). The design science research (DSR) method is implemented to facilitate the development of the data model.

Findings

This paper proposes a practical solution for the formalization of data related to the significance of objects in HIS. The authors end up with a data model which enables multiple knowledge representations through data analysis and information retrieval.

Originality/value

The framework proposed in this article supports a more sustainable vision of heritage preservation as the framework enhances the involvement of all stakeholders in the conservation and management of historical sites. The data model supports explicit communications of the significance of historical objects and strengthens the synergy between the stakeholders involved in different phases of the conservation process.

Details

Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, vol. 14 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-1266

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 February 2024

Quynh Do, Nishikant Mishra, Fernando Correia and Stephen Eldridge

Circular economy advocates innovations that upcycle wastes in the food supply chain to generate high added-value materials. These innovations are not only disruptive and green but…

Abstract

Purpose

Circular economy advocates innovations that upcycle wastes in the food supply chain to generate high added-value materials. These innovations are not only disruptive and green but also they are often initiated by startups, leading to the emergence of novel open-loop supply chains connecting actors in food and non-food sectors. While earlier research has highlighted the need to seek legitimacy for disruptive innovations to survive and grow, little is known about how these innovations occur and evolve across sectors. This paper aims to elaborate on this mechanism by exploring the function of the circular economy as a boundary object to facilitate legitimacy-seeking strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

An exploratory multiple-case research design is adopted and features food waste innovation projects with multi-tier supply chains consisting of a food producer, a startup and a buying firm. The study is investigated from the legitimacy and boundary object lenses.

Findings

The findings proposed a framework for the role of a boundary object in enabling legitimacy-seeking strategies for novel food waste innovations. First, the interpretative flexibility of the circular economy affords actors symbolic resources to conduct manipulation strategy to achieve cognitive legitimacy. Second, small-scale work arrangements enable creation strategy for the new supply chain to harness moral legitimacy. Finally, pragmatic legitimacy is granted via diffusion strategy enabled by scalable work arrangements.

Originality/value

This paper provides novel insights into the emergence of food waste innovation from a multi-tier supply chain perspective. It also highlights the key role of the boundary object in the legitimacy-seeking process.

Details

Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-8546

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 January 2024

Jun Liu, Junyuan Dong, Mingming Hu and Xu Lu

Existing Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithms have been relatively well developed. However, when in complex dynamic environments, the movement of the dynamic…

Abstract

Purpose

Existing Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithms have been relatively well developed. However, when in complex dynamic environments, the movement of the dynamic points on the dynamic objects in the image in the mapping can have an impact on the observation of the system, and thus there will be biases and errors in the position estimation and the creation of map points. The aim of this paper is to achieve more accurate accuracy in SLAM algorithms compared to traditional methods through semantic approaches.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the semantic segmentation of dynamic objects is realized based on U-Net semantic segmentation network, followed by motion consistency detection through motion detection method to determine whether the segmented objects are moving in the current scene or not, and combined with the motion compensation method to eliminate dynamic points and compensate for the current local image, so as to make the system robust.

Findings

Experiments comparing the effect of detecting dynamic points and removing outliers are conducted on a dynamic data set of Technische Universität München, and the results show that the absolute trajectory accuracy of this paper's method is significantly improved compared with ORB-SLAM3 and DS-SLAM.

Originality/value

In this paper, in the semantic segmentation network part, the segmentation mask is combined with the method of dynamic point detection, elimination and compensation, which reduces the influence of dynamic objects, thus effectively improving the accuracy of localization in dynamic environments.

Details

Industrial Robot: the international journal of robotics research and application, vol. 51 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-991X

Keywords

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