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1 – 10 of 36Ilse Valenzuela Matus, Jorge Lino Alves, Joaquim Góis, Paulo Vaz-Pires and Augusto Barata da Rocha
The purpose of this paper is to review cases of artificial reefs built through additive manufacturing (AM) technologies and analyse their ecological goals, fabrication process…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to review cases of artificial reefs built through additive manufacturing (AM) technologies and analyse their ecological goals, fabrication process, materials, structural design features and implementation location to determine predominant parameters, environmental impacts, advantages, and limitations.
Design/methodology/approach
The review analysed 16 cases of artificial reefs from both temperate and tropical regions. These were categorised based on the AM process used, the mortar material used (crucial for biological applications), the structural design features and the location of implementation. These parameters are assessed to determine how effectively the designs meet the stipulated ecological goals, how AM technologies demonstrate their potential in comparison to conventional methods and the preference locations of these implementations.
Findings
The overview revealed that the dominant artificial reef implementation occurs in the Mediterranean and Atlantic Seas, both accounting for 24%. The remaining cases were in the Australian Sea (20%), the South Asia Sea (12%), the Persian Gulf and the Pacific Ocean, both with 8%, and the Indian Sea with 4% of all the cases studied. It was concluded that fused filament fabrication, binder jetting and material extrusion represent the main AM processes used to build artificial reefs. Cementitious materials, ceramics, polymers and geopolymer formulations were used, incorporating aggregates from mineral residues, biological wastes and pozzolan materials, to reduce environmental impacts, promote the circular economy and be more beneficial for marine ecosystems. The evaluation ranking assessed how well their design and materials align with their ecological goals, demonstrating that five cases were ranked with high effectiveness, ten projects with moderate effectiveness and one case with low effectiveness.
Originality/value
AM represents an innovative method for marine restoration and management. It offers a rapid prototyping technique for design validation and enables the creation of highly complex shapes for habitat diversification while incorporating a diverse range of materials to benefit environmental and marine species’ habitats.
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Luís Jacques de Sousa, João Poças Martins, Luís Sanhudo and João Santos Baptista
This study aims to review recent advances towards the implementation of ANN and NLP applications during the budgeting phase of the construction process. During this phase…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to review recent advances towards the implementation of ANN and NLP applications during the budgeting phase of the construction process. During this phase, construction companies must assess the scope of each task and map the client’s expectations to an internal database of tasks, resources and costs. Quantity surveyors carry out this assessment manually with little to no computer aid, within very austere time constraints, even though these results determine the company’s bid quality and are contractually binding.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper seeks to compile applications of machine learning (ML) and natural language processing in the architectural engineering and construction sector to find which methodologies can assist this assessment. The paper carries out a systematic literature review, following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses guidelines, to survey the main scientific contributions within the topic of text classification (TC) for budgeting in construction.
Findings
This work concludes that it is necessary to develop data sets that represent the variety of tasks in construction, achieve higher accuracy algorithms, widen the scope of their application and reduce the need for expert validation of the results. Although full automation is not within reach in the short term, TC algorithms can provide helpful support tools.
Originality/value
Given the increasing interest in ML for construction and recent developments, the findings disclosed in this paper contribute to the body of knowledge, provide a more automated perspective on budgeting in construction and break ground for further implementation of text-based ML in budgeting for construction.
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Manuel Castelo Castelo Branco, Delfina Gomes and Adelaide Martins
The purpose of this study is to contribute to the discussion surrounding the definition of accounting proposed by Carnegie et al. (2021a, 2021b) and further elaborated by Carnegie…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to contribute to the discussion surrounding the definition of accounting proposed by Carnegie et al. (2021a, 2021b) and further elaborated by Carnegie et al. (2023) from/under an institutionalist political-economy (IPE) based foundation and to specifically extend this approach to the arena of social and environmental accounting (SEA).
Design/methodology/approach
By adopting an IPE approach to SEA, this study offers a critique of the use of the notion of capital to refer to nature and people in SEA frameworks and standards.
Findings
A SEA framework based on the capabilities approach is proposed based on the concepts of human capabilities and global commons for the purpose of preserving the commons and enabling the flourishing of present and future generations.
Practical implications
The proposed framework allows the engagement of accounting community, in particular SEA researchers, with and contribution to such well-established initiatives as the Planetary Boundaries framework and the human development reports initiative of the United Nations Development Programme.
Originality/value
Based on the capability approach, this study applies Carnegie et al.’s (2023) framework to SEA. This new approach more attuned to the pursuit of sustainable human development and the sustainable development goals, may contribute to turning accounting into a major positive force through its impacts on the world, expressly upon organisations, people and nature.
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Ana Pinto Borges, Elvira Pacheco Vieira, Paula Rodrigues, António Lopes de Almeida and Ana Sousa
This study aimed to detect the relationships between mindfulness and events participation, and then between the later and psychological empowerment.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to detect the relationships between mindfulness and events participation, and then between the later and psychological empowerment.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed model's underlying hypotheses were empirically tested with data collected through an online survey addressed to a convenience sample of frequent leisure participants (n = 199). The authors applied the structural equation model (SEM) to confirm the aforementioned relationships. To assess the adequacy of the psychometric properties of the measures, the authors performed a confirmatory factor analysis of the measurement model, with a maximum likelihood estimation method.
Findings
Under the effects of the lockdown period environment, the results express a positive relationship between a mindful state of mind – related to observation/attention – and the yearnings and perceptions about the participation in events. This relationship for consistency was proven to be moderated by the perception of the participation importance to the individual subjective well-being/mental health. Due to participation insights, there was a positive effect on psychological empowerment, supporting the relationship that had been hypothesized.
Originality/value
The authors propose and test a new model that contributes to the theory and examines how mindfulness behavior can effect more alluring and intense participation in events and what are the anticipated outcomes in terms of psychological empowerment.
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Aurora Carneiro Zen, Carlos Alberto Frantz dos Santos, Diego Alex Gázaro dos Santos, Juliana Ribeiro da Rosa and Everson dos Santos Spindler
This study aims to map and assess the conceptual development of the innovation ecosystem literature.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to map and assess the conceptual development of the innovation ecosystem literature.
Design/methodology/approach
A bibliometric analysis was performed using the VOSviewer, RStudio software, Bibliometrix and Biblioshiny packages. To accomplish this, 367 publications published between 2006 and 2020 and indexed in the Web of Science and Scopus databases were assessed.
Findings
The results demonstrate a rise in research during 2016, with almost 30% of publications concentrated in only six journals. The co-citation analysis presented four clusters: case studies, business and innovation ecosystems (platform approach), open innovation and national and regional innovation systems (territorial approach). We proposed a theoretical framework based on two approaches in the innovation ecosystem literature based on co-citation analysis: platform, which has its roots in the literature on strategy, and territory, grounded in research on economic geography literature.
Research limitations/implications
One of the limitations of the study is that only articles published in journals were analyzed, leaving out of the sample those published in congresses, books and other sources.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the literature by presenting and clarifying the different conceptual trajectories of research in innovation ecosystems. We also proposed an analytical framework based on the two main approaches to innovation ecosystems – platform and territory. This framework presents the critical elements of managing innovation ecosystems from both perspectives.
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Carla Ramos, Adriana Bruscato Bortoluzzo and Danny P. Claro
This study aims to capture how the association between a multichannel relational communication strategy (MRCS) and customer performance is contingent upon such customer…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to capture how the association between a multichannel relational communication strategy (MRCS) and customer performance is contingent upon such customer performance (low- versus high-performance customers) and to reconcile past contradictory results in this marketing-related topic. To this end, the authors propose and validate the method of quantile regression as an unconventional, yet effective, means to proceed to that reconciliation.
Design/methodology/approach
This study collected data from 4,934 customers of a private pension fund firm and accounted for both firm- and customer-initiated relational communication channels (RCCs) and for customer lifetime value (CLV). This study estimated a generalized linear model and then a quantile regression model was used to account for customer performance heterogeneity.
Findings
This study finds that specific RCCs present different levels of association with performance for low- versus high-performance customers, where outcome customer performance is the dependent variable. For example, the relation between firm-initiated communication (FIC) and performance is stronger for low-CLV customers, whereas the relation between customer-initiated communication (CIC) and performance is increasingly stronger for high-CLV customers but not for low-CLV ones. This study also finds that combining different forms of FIC can result in a negative association with customer performance, especially for low-CLV customers.
Research limitations/implications
The authors tested the conceptual model in one single firm in the specific context of financial services and with cross-sectional data, so there should be caution when extrapolating this study’s findings.
Practical implications
This study offers nuanced and precise managerial insights on recommended resource allocation along with relational communication efforts, showing how managers can benefit from adopting a differentiated-customer performance approach when designing their MRCS.
Originality/value
This study provides an overview of the state of the art of MRCS, proposes a contingency analysis of the relationship between MRCS and performance based on customer performance heterogeneity and suggests the quantile method to perform such analysis and help reconcile past contradictory findings. This study shows how the association between RCCs and CLV varies across the conditional quantiles of the distribution of customer performance. This study also addresses a recent call for a more holistic perspective on the relationships between independent and dependent variables.
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Yan Chen, Kendall Hartley, P.G. Schrader and Chenghui Zhang
The purpose of this study is to examine relevant demographic and socio-economic factors as they relate to progress towards intercultural communicative competence (ICC) and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine relevant demographic and socio-economic factors as they relate to progress towards intercultural communicative competence (ICC) and intercultural sensitivity for ethnic-minority Latinx middle school English learners (ELs) using a mobile-assisted funds-of-knowledge-featured writing practice.
Design/methodology/approach
Through the theoretical lens of funds of knowledge, this three-year study implemented a survey-based quasi-experimental design centered on the Latinx ELs’ ICC development with the implementation of an intercultural sensitivity questionnaire (Chen and Starosta, 2000). The authors first investigated the relationship between ELs’ intercultural sensitivity and associated demographic and socio-economic factors. The authors then examined the changes of ELs’ intercultural sensitivity. Over ten weeks, the intervention group completed five funds-of-knowledge-featured narrative essays using pen and paper and mobile-based writing tools alternatively.
Findings
Findings indicated that ELs’ intercultural sensitivity increased as they advanced to a higher-level grade from sixth to eighth. The embedded mobile-assisted funds-of-knowledge writing practice as intervention promoted ELs’ intercultural sensitivity in interaction engagement, respect of cultural differences, interaction enjoyment and interaction attentiveness. Among the variables, interaction enjoyment was portrayed the most. ELs who reported not speaking English at home were statistically significant in this experiment.
Originality/value
This study acknowledges the robust and variance of funds of knowledge as a niche to address the interculturality and hybridity of ELs’ cultural practices accumulated through Latinx ELs’ family socialization and social development using mobile-assisted writing practice. This study could provide implications for optimizing inclusive experience to promote computer-assisted language learning in a contemporary, postcolonial global world.
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Alessandro Lampo and Susana C. Silva
Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are living up to their claims as consumers choose them more frequently. The increasing demand for sustainable vehicles translates into the global…
Abstract
Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are living up to their claims as consumers choose them more frequently. The increasing demand for sustainable vehicles translates into the global need for specific components, materials, and infrastructures and drives the regulatory frameworks in each country. While BEVs offer environmental benefits and global business opportunities, the technology has not yet gained mainstream acceptance. Thus, this work aims to investigate the characteristics of BEV users and their role in the diffusion of products to larger segments, as this may vary from country to country. For this purpose, a survey based on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT-2) (Venkatesh et al., 2012) framework and structural equation modeling (SmartPLS) was adopted. The results indicated that, except for the constructs of effort expectancy (EE) and social influence (SI), the predictors in the model performed well in this context. Current users are satisfied with their vehicles and are supportive of BEVs in the future. The analysis also revealed that in addition to the availability of financial resources, early adopters are attracted by new technologies in a way that leads them to make decisions outside of the traditional influence of the other members of society. It is suggested to leverage the perceived benefits of status, differentiation, or uniqueness motives, to appeal to those seeking to appear trendy and tech-savvy in society. Companies and policymakers should acknowledge the peculiarities of early customers in their communication strategies to reach a wider audience around the globe and encourage the adoption of BEV technology.
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Natália Lemos, Cândida Sofia Machado and Cláudia Cardoso
The rapid advancement of technology has transformed the health-care industry and enabled the emergence of m-Health solutions such as health apps. The viability and success of…
Abstract
Purpose
The rapid advancement of technology has transformed the health-care industry and enabled the emergence of m-Health solutions such as health apps. The viability and success of these apps depends on the definition of a monetization model appropriate to their specificities. In this sense, the purpose of this paper is to study the mechanisms of monetization of health apps, to stablish how alternative revenues determine if a health app is to be free or paid.
Design/methodology/approach
Probability models are used to identify the factors that explain if a health app is free or paid.
Findings
Results show that the presence of alternative monetization mechanisms negatively impacts the likelihood of a health app being paid for. The use of personal data to customize advertising (the monetization of “privacy capital”) or the inclusion of ads on the app are alternative means of monetization with potential to decrease the likelihood of a health app being paid for. The possibility of in-app purchases has a lower negative impact on the probability of a health app being paid for. The choice of platform to commercialize an app is also a strategic decision that influences the likelihood of an app being paid for.
Originality/value
This work stands out for bringing together the two largest platforms present in Portugal and for focusing on the perspective of revenue and monetization of health apps and not on the perspective of downloads.
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Ana Leiras and Iria Caamaño-Franco
Research concerning the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in tourism activities began long before this field of study was formally named. This has led scholars to use a…
Abstract
Purpose
Research concerning the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in tourism activities began long before this field of study was formally named. This has led scholars to use a variety of expressions to refer to what is now known as accessible tourism (AT). Given that this diversity of terms can complicate locating relevant publications, this paper aims to examine the terminology used in the context of AT.
Design/methodology/approach
This study conducts an exhaustive literature review and a statistical analysis of 613 documents collected from Scopus, published between 1984 and 2022.
Findings
The results suggest that, despite the widespread use of “Accessible Tourism” in recent literature, most papers published before 2010 cannot be retrieved using this term. Additionally, the longitudinal analysis of scientific production revealed four distinct stages based on the number of annual publications.
Research limitations/implications
This paper has limitations that could inspire future studies, such as relying solely on Scopus for data collection, including only academic papers, limiting the number of references and narrowing the search to specific terms. Future investigations could compare these findings using a greater amount of data collected from other databases (e.g. Google Scholar), including non-academic writings (e.g. newspapers and Webpages), exploring the efficiency of different search strategies (e.g. silver market) and delving deeper into the evolution of the AT discourse in society.
Practical implications
Policymakers and tourism stakeholders can leverage the insights of this paper to standardise their vocabulary in communication and operational strategies. Scholars can enhance the efficiency of literature searches and develop new lines of knowledge inspired by terms traditionally used to refer to AT.
Social implications
This paper encourages continued investigation into AT and underscores the importance of language in developing a more inclusive society.
Originality/value
This research pioneers the analysis of the evolution of AT synonymy by years, nations and authors. It provides evidence of how linguistic choices reflect changes in the social understanding of disability. This study proposes a framework to distinguish AT from other tourism models, facilitating unified communication among stakeholders. It presents strategies to improve efficiency in locating studies in the AT area and advocates for an inclusive society that uses language respectful to all individuals.
设计/方法/方法
本研究对从Scopus收集的1984年至2022年间发表的613篇文献进行了详尽的文献回顾和统计分析。
目的
关于将残疾人纳入旅游活动的研究早在这一研究领域正式命名之前就开始了。这导致学者们使用各种各样的表达来指代现在被称为无障碍旅游(AT)的概念。鉴于这种术语的多样性会使相关出版物的定位复杂化, 本文旨在研究AT语境中使用的术语。
调查结果
结果表明, 尽管“无障碍旅游”在最近的文献中被广泛使用, 但2010年之前发表的大多数文章都无法使用该术语进行检索。此外, 科学产出的纵向分析显示, 基于年度出版物的数量, 有四个不同的阶段。
研究局限/启示
这篇论文有一些局限可启发未来的研究, 比如仅仅依靠Scopus进行数据收集, 只包括学术论文, 限制参考文献的数量, 将搜索范围缩小到特定的术语。未来的调查可以使用从其他数据库(如Google Scholar), 包括非学术著作(如报纸、网页), 收集的大量数据来比较这些发现, 探索不同搜索策略(如白银市场)的效率, 并更深入地研究AT话语在社会中的演变。
实际意义
政策制定者和旅游业利益相关者可以利用本文见解来标准化他们在表达和操作策略中的词汇。学者们可以提高文献检索的效率, 并从传统上用于指AT的术语启发中建立新的知识线。
社会影响
本文鼓励继续研究无障碍旅游, 并强调语言在发展更具包容性的社会中的重要性。
创意/价值
这项研究是对AT同义词的年代、国家和作者的演变进行分析的开创。它为语言选择如何反映社会对残疾理解的变化提供了证据。本研究提出了一个AT有别于与其他旅游模式的框架, 促进利益相关者之间的统一沟通。它提出了提高AT领域定位效率研究的策略, 并倡导建立一个尊重所有个人的语言的包容的社会。
Objetivo
La investigación relativa a la inclusión de las personas con discapacidad en las actividades turísticas comenzó mucho antes de que se diera un nombre formal a este campo de estudio. Esto ha llevado a los estudiosos a utilizar una gran variedad de expresiones para referirse a lo que ahora se conoce como Turismo Accesible (TA). Dado que esta diversidad de términos puede complicar la localización de publicaciones relevantes, este artículo pretende examinar la terminología utilizada en el contexto del TA.
Diseño/metodología/enfoqu
Este estudio realiza una revisión exhaustiva de la literatura y un análisis estadístico de 613 documentos recopilados de Scopus, publicados entre 1984 y 2022.
Resultados
Los resultados sugieren que, a pesar del uso generalizado de “Turismo Accesible” en la literatura reciente, la mayoría de los artículos publicados antes de 2010 no pueden recuperarse utilizando este término. Además, el análisis longitudinal de la producción científica reveló cuatro etapas distintas en función del número de publicaciones anuales.
Limitaciones/implicaciones de la investigación
Este trabajo tiene limitaciones que podrían inspirar futuros estudios, como basarse únicamente en Scopus para la recopilación de datos, incluir sólo artículos académicos, limitar el número de referencias y restringir la búsqueda a términos específicos. Futuras investigaciones podrían comparar estos Resultados utilizando una mayor cantidad de datos recogidos en otras bases de datos (por ejemplo, Google Scholar), incluyendo escritos no académicos (por ejemplo, periódicos, páginas web), explorando la eficacia de diferentes estrategias de búsqueda (por ejemplo, el mercado plateado) y profundizando en la evolución del discurso del TA en la sociedad.
Implicaciones prácticas
Los responsables políticos y las partes interesadas en el turismo pueden aprovechar las ideas de este documento para normalizar su vocabulario en las estrategias de comunicación y operativas. Los estudiosos pueden mejorar la eficacia de las búsquedas bibliográficas y desarrollar nuevas líneas de conocimiento inspiradas en los términos utilizados tradicionalmente para referirse al TA.
Implicaciones sociales
Este artículo anima a seguir investigando sobre el turismo accesible y subraya la importancia del lenguaje en el desarrollo de una sociedad más inclusiva.
Originalidad/valor
Esta investigación es pionera en el análisis de la evolución de la sinonimia del TA por años, naciones y autores. Aporta pruebas de cómo las elecciones lingüísticas reflejan los cambios en la comprensión social de la discapacidad. Este estudio propone un marco para distinguir la TA de otros modelos turísticos, facilitando la comunicación unificada entre las partes interesadas. Presenta estrategias para mejorar la eficacia en la localización de estudios en el ámbito de las TA y aboga por una sociedad inclusiva que utilice un lenguaje respetuoso con todas las personas.
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