Search results

1 – 10 of 369
Article
Publication date: 19 June 2023

Mandeep Singh, Khushdeep Goyal and Deepak Bhandari

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of titanium oxide (TiO2) and yttrium oxide (Y2O3) nanoparticles-reinforced pure aluminium (Al) on the mechanical properties of…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of titanium oxide (TiO2) and yttrium oxide (Y2O3) nanoparticles-reinforced pure aluminium (Al) on the mechanical properties of hybrid aluminium matrix nanocomposites (HAMNCs).

Design/methodology/approach

The HAMNCs were fabricated via a vacuum die-assisted stir casting route by a two-step feeding method. The varying weight percentages of TiO2 and Y2O3 nanoparticles were added as 2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 Wt.%.

Findings

Scanning electron microscope images showed the homogenous dispersion of nanoparticles in Al matrix. The tensile strength by 28.97%, yield strength by 50.60%, compression strength by 104.6% and micro-hardness by 50.90% were improved in HAMNC1 when compared to the base matrix. The highest values impact strength of 36.3 J was observed for HAMNC1. The elongation % was decreased by increasing the weight percentage of the nanoparticles. HAMNC1 improved the wear resistance by 23.68%, while increasing the coefficient of friction by 14.18%. Field emission scanning electron microscope analysis of the fractured surfaces of tensile samples revealed microcracks and the debonding of nanoparticles.

Originality/value

The combined effect of TiO2 and Y2O3 nanoparticles with pure Al on mechanical properties has been studied. The composites were fabricated with two-step feeding vacuum-assisted stir casting.

Details

World Journal of Engineering, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1708-5284

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2007

P. Cavaliere, G.L. Rossi, Di Sante and M. Moretti

In this study, the effect of Friction Stir Welding on a 6061 aluminium alloy reinforced with 20% of alumina particles metal matrix composite was analysed. The sheets were joined…

131

Abstract

In this study, the effect of Friction Stir Welding on a 6061 aluminium alloy reinforced with 20% of alumina particles metal matrix composite was analysed. The sheets were joined by employing a tool rotating speed of 700 RPM and a welding speed of 250 mm/min. The optical and scanning electron microscopy observations performed on the different zones of FSW joints cross section revealed the different structures of the nugget, the thermo‐mechanical affected zone and the heat affected zones thanks to the difference in reinforcing particles dimensions as a consequence of friction process. After FSW the material was aged in a 3.5% NaCl solution for 1, 10 and 90 days. The aim of this work is to apply thermoelastic stress analysis to the study of crack formation and propagation of friction stir welded MMC sheets, during cyclic fatigue tests. Fatigue tests were carried out under the axial total stress‐amplitude control mode with R=omin/omax = 0.1 using a resonant electro‐mechanical testing machine (TESTRONICTM 50 25 KN by RUMUL (SUI)). All the mechanical tests were performed on as‐FSW and aged samples up to failure. The TSA measurement system allowed the crack evolution to be observed in real‐time during fatigue cycles and stress fields to be derived on the specimens from the temperature variation measured.

Details

Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures, vol. 3 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1573-6105

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2006

P. Cavaliere

The aim of the present paper was the study of mechanical and microstructural behaviour of 6061/Al2O3/20p metal matrix composite sheets joined by Friction Stir Welding. The…

165

Abstract

The aim of the present paper was the study of mechanical and microstructural behaviour of 6061/Al2O3/20p metal matrix composite sheets joined by Friction Stir Welding. The material was welded into the form of sheets of 7 mm thickness after T6 treatment and was tested in tension and fatigue at room temperature. The mechanical behaviour of the material was found to depend strongly on the particles fracture across the weld. The tensile properties in longitudinal direction resulted higher respect to the transversal ones. The fatigue endurance (S‐N) curve of the welds was obtained by using a resonant electro‐mechanical testing machine under constant loading control up to 250 Hz sine wave loading. The cyclic fatigue tests were conducted in the axial total stress‐amplitude control mode with min max R = σ / σ The microstructure resulting from the FSW process was studied by employing optical and scanning electron microscopy.

Details

Multidiscipline Modeling in Materials and Structures, vol. 2 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1573-6105

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 September 2022

Eka Pariyanti, Wiwiek Rabiatul Adawiyah and Siti Zulaikha Wulandari

There are two objectives in this study. First, testing the relationship between person-organization fit (P-O fit) and person-job fit (P-J fit) on turnover intentions. Second…

Abstract

Purpose

There are two objectives in this study. First, testing the relationship between person-organization fit (P-O fit) and person-job fit (P-J fit) on turnover intentions. Second, examining the moderating role of kinship on the relationship between P-O fit and P-J fit on turnover intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

This research was conducted at private universities in Lampung with a total of 282 respondents. The analytical method used to test the research hypothesis was moderated regression analysis (MRA)

Findings

There are five proposed hypotheses, and all of them are supported. The findings of this study reveal that P-O fit and P-J fit are predictors that are negatively related to turnover intentions. Furthermore, kinship moderates the relationship between P-O fit and P-J fit on turnover intentions.

Research limitations/implications

This study adds to the literature on turnover intentions in universities and underscores some important advances and contributions in developing a human resource management theory related to social capital. Based on the findings of this study, organizations are expected to pay more attention to P-O fit, P-J fit and kinship to reduce the level of turnover intentions. Employers are expected to choose people who match the organization's values and work and create interpersonal relationships between them to reduce turnover intentions, which mean the findings extend the theory of attraction-selection-attrition (ASA), social exchange and social capital. These findings provide theoretical and pragmatic insights for human resource management practitioners and relevant stakeholders.

Practical implications

Practically, the concepts of P-O fit and P-J fit are important to be considered by the leadership because creating a suitable environment for employees will trigger positive behaviors. Leaders must find the right people for the environment and the right environment for the employees. Furthermore, this study has implications for a relational approach to overcoming turnover intentions in the workplace. The relational approach is in the form of kinship. Organizations that encourage opportunities for social interaction among members can reduce employee turnover and tend to create positive social capital.

Social implications

In social practice, kinship connects people in an organization. The existence of kinship in an organization helps academicians get relational and emotional support from coworkers and superiors so that they will feel a family relationship that may not be found in other organizations, which eventually reduces turnover intentions.

Originality/value

The originality of this study lies in investigating the moderating role of kinship on the relationship between P-O fit and turnover intentions. Kinship in this study is different from research in general. “Kinship” here is based on a kinship perspective because of the peculiarities of Asian culture, especially in Indonesia, namely kinship without blood relations and marriage.

Details

Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education, vol. 15 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2050-7003

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 12 September 2014

Teressa L. Elliott and Catherine Neal

With the large majority of colleges and schools of business integrating ethics into their curricula, business ethics educators must work to improve the quality of instruction and…

Abstract

With the large majority of colleges and schools of business integrating ethics into their curricula, business ethics educators must work to improve the quality of instruction and find methods that enhance student learning. Because many films now address business ethics issues, the content of these films may be used to enhance the teaching of business ethics to undergraduate and graduate business students. This chapter suggests films that may be presented in business ethics classes to illustrate the four ethical categories set forth by the accrediting body for schools of business, The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International), in their 2004 report on ethics education in business schools: ethical decision-making, ethical leadership, responsibility of business in society, and corporate governance.

Details

The Contribution of Fiction to Organizational Ethics
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78350-949-2

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 December 2021

Sahar Rana, Ishfaq Ahmed and Gulnaz Shahzadi

Despite growing interest in workplace spirituality (WPS) and its impact on employee behaviors, there is a dearth of literature discussing an underlying mechanism of how it affects…

Abstract

Purpose

Despite growing interest in workplace spirituality (WPS) and its impact on employee behaviors, there is a dearth of literature discussing an underlying mechanism of how it affects adaptive performance. Against this backdrop, this study aims to develop and test a comprehensive model that examined the effects of WPS on adaptive performance through serial mediation of job satisfaction and emotional labor strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a multi-stage sampling technique, the data is collected from 390 faculty members of the higher education institutions in two-time lags.

Findings

The findings indicate that spirituality practices at the workplace help to increase the adaptive performance of employees through serial mediation of job satisfaction and emotional labor strategies.

Research limitations/implications

This study offers important implications to researchers as well as practitioners and highlights the significance of WPS in increasing the adaptive performance of employees.

Originality/value

This research is among the initial attempts to assess the impact of WPS on adaptive performance through serial mediation.

Article
Publication date: 11 December 2023

Abd Al-Aziz Hamed Al-Refaei, Hairuddin Mohd Ali, Abdulmajid Mohammed Aldaba and Abdul Rahim Zumrah

This study aims to examine the constructs of job satisfaction and organizational commitment (OC) as the determinants of customer-perceived service quality in higher education…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the constructs of job satisfaction and organizational commitment (OC) as the determinants of customer-perceived service quality in higher education context. It also explores the role of OC in mediating the dynamics of the relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

It applied the cross-sectional, ex post facto survey method to acquire data from 1,776 respondents at Aden University. Two sets of questionnaires on job satisfaction, OC and perceived service quality were filled out by 296 academic staff and 1,480 students. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results showed that job satisfaction exercised a significant positive effect on OC and students’ perception of service quality (i.e. the quality of lectures delivered in class that shaped their learning experiences). OC also significantly affected students’ perception of service quality and partially mediated the effect of job satisfaction on perceived service quality.

Research limitations/implications

The current research only investigated the outcomes of job satisfaction and did not cover critical antecedents of job satisfaction, such as employee training and development, rewards and benefits and the like. Its outcomes have important implications for managing the link between organizational practices and customers perception of service quality in higher education context.

Practical implications

The results have accentuated the importance of universities’ ensuring and increasing faculty’s job satisfaction and commitment if they seek to enhance students’ perception of service quality. Universities can do so by improving their organizational practices, which are expected to result in faculty well-being and improved working conditions.

Originality/value

The results have contributed new insights into the current understanding of the dynamics between and among job satisfaction, OC and customers’ perceptions of service quality. It has demonstrated how OC is shaped by job satisfaction and can influence the quality of services rendered by employees if they are happy and satisfied with the organization.

Details

International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, vol. 16 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-669X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 December 2015

Nikolai Kashaev, Stefan Riekehr, Kay Erdmann, Alexandre Amorim Carvalho, Maxim Nurgaliev, Nikolaos Alexopoulos and Alexandra Karanika

Composite materials and metallic structures already compete for the next generation of single-aisle aircraft. Despite the good mechanical properties of composite materials…

Abstract

Purpose

Composite materials and metallic structures already compete for the next generation of single-aisle aircraft. Despite the good mechanical properties of composite materials metallic structures offer challenging properties and high cost effectiveness via the automation in manufacturing, especially when metallic structures will be welded. In this domain, metallic aircraft structures will require weight savings of approximately 20 per cent to increase the efficiency and reduce the CO2 emission by the same amount. Laser beam welding of high-strength Al-Li alloy AA2198 represents a promising method of providing a breakthrough response to the challenges of lightweight design in aircraft applications. The key factor for the application of laser-welded AA2198 structures is the availability of reliable data for the assessment of their damage tolerance behaviour. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

In the presented research, the mechanical properties concerning the quasi-static tensile and fracture toughness (R-curve) of laser beam-welded AA2198 butt joints are investigated. In the next step, a systematic analysis to clarify the deformation and fracture behaviour of the laser beam-welded AA2198 four-stringer panels is conducted.

Findings

AA2198 offers better resistance against fracture than the well-known AA2024 alloy. It is possible to weld AA2198 with good results, and the welds also exhibit a higher fracture resistance than AA2024 base material (BM). Welded AA2198 four-stringer panels exhibit a residual strength behaviour superior to that of the flat BM panel.

Originality/value

The present study is undertaken on the third-generation airframe-quality Al-Li alloy AA2198 with the main emphasis to investigate the mechanical fracture behaviour of AA2198 BMs, laser beam-welded joints and laser beam-welded integral structures. Studies investigating the damage tolerance of welded integral structures of Al-Li alloys are scarce.

Details

International Journal of Structural Integrity, vol. 6 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1757-9864

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 September 2023

Solomon Tawiah Yeboah, Yasmeen Haider and George Amoako

The study explored the relationship between buyer–seller interactions and customer satisfaction in the small apparel fashion enterprises in the emerging markets. The moderating…

Abstract

Purpose

The study explored the relationship between buyer–seller interactions and customer satisfaction in the small apparel fashion enterprises in the emerging markets. The moderating role of COVID-19 protocols implementations on buyer–seller interactions and customer satisfaction was further examined.

Design/methodology/approach

Buyer–seller interactions affecting customer satisfaction were divided into three constructs, namely, interactions relating to the overall customers shopping experience, smooth payment process and in-store interactions, and the COVID-19 protocols implementations were used as a moderator. A convenient sampling strategy was adopted to survey 450 customers of apparel fashion enterprises within the four regions in Ghana, of which 397 were validly used for the analysis. Existing questionnaires were adapted to collect data from the respondents. The data collected was therefore analysed using SPSS and SmartPLS programme to ascertain the nature of the relationships among the variables.

Findings

The study found that, in-store interactions, shopping experience and smooth payment processes directly influence customer satisfaction. However, the implementation of COVID-19 protocols failed to moderate the relationship between buyer–seller interactions and customer satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations of the study involve its context-specific, focusing on the small apparel and fashion market. Also, future researchers can re-examine the model in other geographical jurisdictions, focusing on small apparel owners’ competencies and other variables that position buyer–seller interactions as precursors of customer satisfaction in the small apparel fashion industry. The theoretical and managerial relevance of the findings are also discussed.

Originality/value

The paper extends the domain of buyer–seller interactions and customer satisfaction phenomena within the apparel fashion industry. Its examination of the impact of COVID-19 protocols’ implementation on customer satisfaction provides an insight into managers regarding how the applications can affect customers in a typical shopping environment.

Details

African Journal of Economic and Management Studies, vol. 14 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-0705

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 February 2020

Estelle van Tonder, Stephen G. Saunders and Leon T. de Beer

In the absence of direct employee involvement, customers sharing knowledge and know-how with other customers during self-service encounters is key for promoting service quality…

Abstract

Purpose

In the absence of direct employee involvement, customers sharing knowledge and know-how with other customers during self-service encounters is key for promoting service quality. This study assessed the extent to which customer support and help during self-service encounters could simply be explained by multiple motivations of the social exchange theory.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey approach was followed. The model was tested among 258 electronic banking customers in South Africa and later cross-validated among 253 electronic banking customers in Australia. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis with country as the grouping variable, latent variable modelling and indirect tests were performed to assess interrelationships among diverse factors that may contribute to customer support and help during self-service encounters, as accounted for by motivations of the social exchange theory.

Findings

Adequate model fit was obtained for the combined structural model, which was based on the invariant model. Value contribution and competence affirmation, pleasure derived from helping, reciprocity and reputation enhancement are relevant motivations of the social exchange theory that may impact customer support and help through knowledge sharing.

Research implications

The study provides a simplified and more cohesive explanation of customers' motivations for engaging in customer support and helping behaviours during self-service encounters.

Practical implications

Service providers seeking guidance on knowledge sharing among customers, which may lead to greater service quality, should benefit from this research.

Originality/value

The findings contribute to greater understanding of social exchanges by customers who provide support and help to other customers during self-service encounters, and that ultimately may affect service quality.

Details

International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, vol. 37 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-671X

Keywords

1 – 10 of 369