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1 – 10 of over 126000
Article
Publication date: 16 May 2020

Uchechukwu M. Chukwuocha, Greg N. Iwuoha, Chisom M. Ogara and Ikechukwu N.S. Dozie

This study assessed the effectiveness of malaria classroom corner (MCC), school-based intervention in the promotion of basic malaria awareness and common control practices among…

Abstract

Purpose

This study assessed the effectiveness of malaria classroom corner (MCC), school-based intervention in the promotion of basic malaria awareness and common control practices among children of primary school age.

Design/methodology/approach

A quasi-experimental design was employed, involving 206 children of primary 5 and 6 classes from two randomly selected public primary schools in Owerri, South Eastern Nigeria. The MCC was designed and set up in the intervention school (with 103 children) while the control school (with 103 children) was offered malaria health talk. Structured pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect data pre- and post-intervention in both schools. Data was analysed using Statistical Package – Stata version 14.1 (Stata Corp, College Station, TX, USA).

Findings

Results show that there was a significant enhancement of basic malaria awareness (p = 0.0003) and common preventive and management practices (p = 0.0202) among children in the intervention primary school compared to those in the control primary school.

Research limitations/implications

The study did not account for actual behaviour change, as its scope was within basic malaria awareness and common control practices.

Practical implications

This approach could enhance awareness and proactiveness of school children towards malaria prevention and overall health consciousness.

Social implications

This could help in achieving a healthy population of school children with a positive effect on their school performance.

Originality/value

The MCC could provide a simple, participatory and effective approach for the promotion of basic malaria awareness and common control practices among primary school-age children in malaria endemic areas. Such children could, in turn, become malaria conversation drivers and behaviour change agents in their homes and communities, thereby contributing to the malaria elimination efforts.

Details

Health Education, vol. 120 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-4283

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 June 2009

Poh‐Lin Yeoh

The purpose of this paper is to understand the different kinds of health‐promotion activities undertaken by Chinese individuals in managing their disability from multiple…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the different kinds of health‐promotion activities undertaken by Chinese individuals in managing their disability from multiple sclerosis (MS).

Design/methodology/approach

The theory of control behavior was used in this study to understand the different kinds of primary and secondary health‐coping strategies used by participants and their impact on intra‐ and inter‐personal empowerments. Using semi‐structured interviews, interpretive phenomenology was used to elicit and analyze attitudes and behaviors of Chinese participants' management of MS.

Findings

Unlike previous studies which only emphasized the tangible aspects of physical health, the current paper suggests the importance of viewing health benefits in a more holistic manner. It was clear from the Chinese participants that “disability” and “healthy” were not viewed as two separate concepts. Being healthy does not mean an absence of disease but as role functioning, energy and vitality, social relationships, and emotional well‐being. The exploratory paper also found that empowerment outcomes involved an interaction of both the inter‐ and intra‐personal components and, at the same time, were driven by primary and secondary control‐related preferences.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should include individuals with other disabilities and different demographic and socio‐cultural characteristics to confirm the generalizability of the findings uncovered here.

Practical implications

The impact of culture and contextual/situational variables on individual's choice of primary and secondary control strategies has important implications for developing health strategies across different ethnic minority groups.

Originality/value

The results provide support for the view that there are two dimensions to the process of patient empowerment. Rather than emphasizing primary control strategies, individuals can empower themselves by maintaining a balance between primary and secondary control strategies with respect to their health‐related goals.

Details

International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing, vol. 3 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6123

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 December 2018

Thomas Belz, Dominik von Hagen and Christian Steffens

Using a meta-regression analysis, we quantitatively review the empirical literature on the relation between effective tax rate (ETR) and firm size. Accounting literature offers…

Abstract

Using a meta-regression analysis, we quantitatively review the empirical literature on the relation between effective tax rate (ETR) and firm size. Accounting literature offers two competing theories on this relation: The political cost theory, suggesting a positive size-ETR relation, and the political power theory, suggesting a negative size-ETR relation. Using a unique data set of 56 studies that do not show a clear tendency towards either of the two theories, we contribute to the discussion on the size-ETR relation in three ways: First, applying meta-regression analysis on a US meta-data set, we provide evidence supporting the political cost theory. Second, our analysis reveals factors that are possible sources of variation and bias in previous empirical studies; these findings can improve future empirical and analytical models. Third, we extend our analysis to a cross-country meta-data set; this extension enables us to investigate explanations for the two competing theories in more detail. We find that Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory, a transparency index and a corruption index explain variation in the size-ETR relation. Independent of the two theories, we also find that tax planning aspects potentially affect the size-ETR relation. To our knowledge, these explanations have not yet been investigated in our research context.

Details

Journal of Accounting Literature, vol. 42 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0737-4607

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 December 2003

Jan Achterbergh, Robert Beeres and Dirk Vriens

In this paper we assess whether the balanced scorecard (BSC) supports the necessary functions for organizational viability. To this purpose, we use the viable system model (VSM…

3821

Abstract

In this paper we assess whether the balanced scorecard (BSC) supports the necessary functions for organizational viability. To this purpose, we use the viable system model (VSM) as a means to describe the functions required for organizational viability. Then we use the VSM as a template to assess whether and how the BSC supports these functions for organizational viability.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. 32 no. 9/10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 January 2013

Yunpeng Zhang and Haibin Duan

The purpose of this paper is to develop a directional and roll control system for unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) automatic takeoff roll, with the objective of keeping the UCAV…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a directional and roll control system for unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) automatic takeoff roll, with the objective of keeping the UCAV along the runway centerline and keeping the wings level, especially when there is a crosswind.

Design/methodology/approach

The nonlinear model of the UCAV during takeoff roll is established. The model is linearized about the lateral‐directional equilibrium point at different forward speeds. The approximate directional model and roll model are extracted using time‐scale decomposition technique. Then the directional control law and roll control law are developed using gain scheduling approach. Nose wheel steering, differential brake and rudder are used as the primary directional control device at low, medium and high speeds, respectively, according to both the qualitative and quantitative analysis of their control effectiveness at different speeds. A priority matrix is developed to determine the secondary control device which is used if the primary control device fails, thus the directional control system can have a certain degree of fault tolerance.

Findings

This work developed the directional control law and roll control law by using gain scheduling approach. Experimental results verified that the developed directional and roll control system has high robustness and satisfactory fault tolerance: it can guarantee a safe takeoff under a 50 ft/sec crosswind, even if one directional control device fails, which satisfies the relevant criteria in MIL‐HDBK‐1797.

Practical implications

The directional and roll control system developed can be easily applied to practice and can steer the UCAV during takeoff roll safely, which will considerably increase the autonomy of the UCAV.

Originality/value

The paper shows how time‐scale decomposition technique is employed to extract the approximate directional model and roll model, which simplifies model analysis and control law design. A fault‐tolerant directional control system is designed to improve safety during takeoff.

Article
Publication date: 1 March 2011

Joseph Martin and Eric A. Scorsone

In 2001, the first municipal consolidation occurred in over 100 years in Michigan between two cities and one village in Michigan's rural Upper Peninsula, forming the City of Iron…

Abstract

In 2001, the first municipal consolidation occurred in over 100 years in Michigan between two cities and one village in Michigan's rural Upper Peninsula, forming the City of Iron River. The three units of government combined to have a population of 3,391 within the newly incorporated boundaries. Driving the consolidation was continual population loss and erosion of the economic tax base of the individual municipal governments since the 1960s. This study sought to assess whether, five years after the consolidation, the governments had saved money as compared to a peer group of governments in Michigan. The findings indicate that the new city of Iron River was able to provide some evidence of cost control and savings following the consolidation.

Details

Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting & Financial Management, vol. 23 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1096-3367

Article
Publication date: 1 September 2003

Luo Lu, Cary L. Cooper, Shu‐Fang Kao and Yun Zhou

Towards the end of the twentieth century, the world has witnessed an amazing economic take‐off in the East Asia, especially within the territory of so‐called “Greater China”…

4832

Abstract

Towards the end of the twentieth century, the world has witnessed an amazing economic take‐off in the East Asia, especially within the territory of so‐called “Greater China”, encompassing the PRC and Taiwan. Against this economic and cultural background, this study surveyed 258 and 189 employees respectively in Taiwan, and the PRC (Shanghai), to examine generalizability of a generic work‐stress model to the Chinese societies. It further examined the sub‐cultural differences in the work‐stress processes, by drawing contrast of the PRC and Taiwan. In addition, roles of emic constructs of Chinese primary and secondary control beliefs were also examined. Results showed that the generic work‐stress model could be reasonably applied to Chinese urban work contexts in the PRC and Taiwan. Work stress related as expected to strain effects. At a more refined sub‐cultural level, it was found that different sources of work stress became salient contributors to strain outcomes in the PRC and Taiwan. These differences reflect the diverse political, social, and economic characteristics of the two Chinese societies. More importantly, emic constructs of Chinese control beliefs were found to have rather consistent direct effects on strain outcomes. However, indirect (moderating) effects of control beliefs were not strong and inconsistent.

Details

Journal of Managerial Psychology, vol. 18 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0268-3946

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 September 1963

THE primary control surfaces of the Belfast are aerodynamically similar to those of the Britannia which also float freely and are actuated by full span servo‐tabs mechanically…

Abstract

THE primary control surfaces of the Belfast are aerodynamically similar to those of the Britannia which also float freely and are actuated by full span servo‐tabs mechanically connected to the pilot's controls. However, the control circuits themselves are completely different from the Britannia high‐speed rotary shafts and gearboxes which have been abandoned in favour of a largely cable‐operated system on the Belfast. Furthermore the roll control power of the Belfast has been substantially increased by the introduction of spoilers.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 35 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0002-2667

Article
Publication date: 1 June 2002

Jan de Leede, Jan Kees Looise and Maarten Verkerk

Sociotechnical systems theory (STS) does not address in full the implications of the team‐context relations, despite its open systems character. There is a need to open STS into a…

1048

Abstract

Sociotechnical systems theory (STS) does not address in full the implications of the team‐context relations, despite its open systems character. There is a need to open STS into a sociotechnical business systems (STBS) theory and practice. We observe three interrelated aspects that are important for STBS. First, the design of the production structure is a traditional STS aspect. Second, the design of the control structure on the team level needs an elaboration compared with STS. The third aspect is the social‐dynamic alignment. We describe the mini‐company concept and argue that this concept is a specification of STBS covering the three aspects. The case of the implementation of mini‐companies in a Dutch manufacturing plant illustrates the strengths of the concept.

Details

Personnel Review, vol. 31 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0048-3486

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 23 February 2024

Yuliang Du

Auxiliary power system is an indispensable part of the train; the auxiliary systems of both electric locomotives and EMUs mainly are powered by one of the two ways, which are…

98

Abstract

Purpose

Auxiliary power system is an indispensable part of the train; the auxiliary systems of both electric locomotives and EMUs mainly are powered by one of the two ways, which are either from auxiliary windings of traction transformers or from DC-link voltage of traction converters. Powered by DC-link voltage of traction converters, the auxiliary systems were maintained of uninterruptable power supply with energy from electric braking. Meanwhile, powered by traction transformers, the auxiliary systems were always out of power while passing the neutral section of power supply grid and control system is powered by battery at this time.

Design/methodology/approach

Uninterrupted power supply of auxiliary power system powered by auxiliary winding of traction transformer was studied. Failure reasons why previous solutions cannot be realized are analyzed. An uninterruptable power supply scheme for the auxiliary systems powered by auxiliary windings of traction transformers is proposed in this paper. The validity of the proposed scheme is verified by simulation and experimental results and on-site operation of an upgraded HXD3C type locomotive. This scheme is attractive for upgrading practical locomotives with the auxiliary systems powered by auxiliary windings of traction transformers.

Findings

This scheme regenerates braking power supplied to auxiliary windings of traction transformers while a locomotive runs in the neutral section of the power supply grid. Control objectives of uninterrupted power supply technology are proposed, which are no overvoltage, no overcurrent and uninterrupted power supply.

Originality/value

The control strategies of the scheme ensure both overvoltage free and inrush current free when a locomotive enters or leaves the neutral section. Furthermore, this scheme is cost low by employing updated control strategy of software and add both the two current sensors and two connection wires of hardware.

Details

Railway Sciences, vol. 3 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2755-0907

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 126000