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1 – 10 of over 2000Katinka Van Cranenburgh, Daniel Arenas, Jennifer Goodman and Céline Louche
The purpose of this paper is to deepen the discussion about religious organisations’ (ROs) potential to practise their faith by means of their investments, rather than keeping…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to deepen the discussion about religious organisations’ (ROs) potential to practise their faith by means of their investments, rather than keeping both issues separate.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors adopted a qualitative exploratory approach using seven cases of social shareholder engagement (SSE) by Christian organisations. It focused on creating knowledge from best practices.
Findings
Within the three Christian organisations studied, the authors identified three significant features that relate to their religious nature and affect their SSE: having a structured belief system, a grassroots network and a long-term perspective. These features can be instrumental in impacting company behaviour and society at large.
Research limitations/implications
The authors chose three ROs for their relevance and comparative features, but this limited sample size makes it hard to generalise the research findings.
Practical implications
This paper invites ROs to review their potential for actively owning their shares to be consistent with their faith and create change in business and society at large. Besides, ROs, with their unwavering belief system, extensive grassroots networks and long-term approach, are a force in the shareholder engagement field to be reckoned with by business.
Originality/value
The paper presents multi cases of ROs active in using their investments to create change in companies and society at large.
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The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it describes the nature of internal controls (IC) in Christian and Hindu religious organizations (ROs) in Trinidad and Tobago. Second…
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it describes the nature of internal controls (IC) in Christian and Hindu religious organizations (ROs) in Trinidad and Tobago. Second, the paper provides an assessment of the relative comprehensiveness of IC among the ROs examined and offers tentative explanations for the findings. Most of the information used in the paper was collected by conducting structured interviews with the chief financial officer(s) of each RO. This information was supplemented by published studies. The findings indicate that the ROs as a group have inadequate and patchy IC systems. Conversely, all the ROs examined had implemented many of the basic foundational elements of an effective IC system. This suggests that they could significantly improve the quality of their IC systems by instituting some fairly minor and cheap practices. The implications of these findings for administrators and researchers of ROs are discussed.
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Ashutosh Muduli and Jeegnesh J. Trivedi
Recruiters’ decision to use recruitment methods (RMs) depends on several expected outcomes such as number applications, quality of applicants, speed of filling up vacancy, post…
Abstract
Purpose
Recruiters’ decision to use recruitment methods (RMs) depends on several expected outcomes such as number applications, quality of applicants, speed of filling up vacancy, post joining job performance, absenteeism, commitment and satisfaction of the applicants. RMs may vary from each other in terms of its capability to communicate different type of information. The current research aims at exploring recruiter's intention to use RMs like job advertisement (JA), online recruitment (OLR) and social media in reference to several recruitment outcomes (ROs). Further, the role of information credibility and sufficiency (ICS) on recruiter's intention to use has been studied.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 242 recruiters from the manufacturing and service sector of India. The survey instrument consists of RMs, recruitment outcome and credibility and satisfaction that are identified following the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used for a simultaneous assessment of overall and specific elements of measurement validity and reliability. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is used to test the hypothesized model.
Findings
The result shows that RMs significantly relates with ROs. In detail, social media recruitment (SMR) significantly relates with pre ROs and post ROs; OLR significantly relates with pre ROs and post ROs and JA significantly relates post ROs. Only JA insignificantly relates with pre ROs. The result also supports the hypothesis that ICS acts as a mediator between the influences of RMs on ROs.
Research limitations/implications
The result of the study has important theoretical and managerial implications. The theoretical implication is explained from the perspective of signaling theory (ST) and elaboration likelihood model (ELM) theory.
Originality/value
The study is unique as multiple RMs have been studied with reference to both pre and post ROs using the data collected from the recruiters.
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Matthew A. Waller, Andrea Heintz Tangari and Brent D. Williams
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of a key logistics and distribution variable, case pack quantity, on a consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturing firm's…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of a key logistics and distribution variable, case pack quantity, on a consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturing firm's performance. The paper builds theory with respect to case pack quantity's dichotomous impact on the retail shelf replenishment process and subsequent impact on market share depending on product rate‐of‐sale (ROS).
Design/methodology/approach
The study empirically tests the case pack quantity phenomenon using monthly in‐store data collected over a two year time period, market share data and data provided by a leading US CPG manufacturer in the ready‐to‐eat cereal category. Regression analysis is used to determine if case pack quantity significantly impacts firm market share.
Findings
According to compelling theoretical and empirical evidence, the number of units per retail shipping container (case pack quantity) has a significant impact on retail market share. The evidence indicates that the effect of case pack quantity on market share depends upon the ROS of a given stock‐keeping unit (SKU). For faster selling SKUs, larger case packs should increase market share. For slower selling SKUs, larger case pack quantities reduce market share because of additional stockouts at the retail level, resulting from execution problems caused by the larger case pack quantities.
Practical implications
Given the study's findings, CPG manufacturing firms must align case pack quantities with SKU ROS to positively affect the shelf replenishment process.
Originality/value
The paper demonstrates that case pack quality has a significant impact on retail market share.
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Marc J. Epstein and Adriana Rejc Buhovac
The pressure to remain competitive in a dynamic, global economy forces organizations to consider the results-based approach when deciding on investments in information technology…
Abstract
The pressure to remain competitive in a dynamic, global economy forces organizations to consider the results-based approach when deciding on investments in information technology (IT). Senior IT managers are convinced that they do create value and believe that if measured properly and with adequate support, they would be significant profit centers for their organizations. However, without adequate performance evaluation systems they have difficulties proving the value-adding role of IT and find themselves continually fighting for and justifying the resources that are needed. The article provides a model and a methodology for evaluating performance in IT to help chief information officers (CIOs) better justify and evaluate their initiatives and aid CEOs and CFOs in making better resource allocation decisions. The IT Contribution Model and the subsequent IT Payoff Methodology is illustrated by and empirically tested in Istrabenz Group, an international group engaged in food, investments, tourism, and energy. The study shows that the methodology's requirement for active employee involvement in the identification of the critical drivers of success, the expected outputs of the IT initiative, in particular, substantially facilitates the IT initiative implementation by increasing the level of understanding and acceptance.
Demet Canpolat Tosun and Yasemin Işık
It is possible with classical path planning algorithms to plan a path in a static environment if the instant position of the vehicle is known and the target and obstacle positions…
Abstract
Purpose
It is possible with classical path planning algorithms to plan a path in a static environment if the instant position of the vehicle is known and the target and obstacle positions are constant. In a dynamic case, these methods used for the static environment are insufficient. The purpose of this study is to find a new method that can provide a solution to the four-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) path planning problem in static and dynamic environments.
Design/methodology/approach
As a solution to the problem within the scope of this study, there is a new hybrid method in which the global A* algorithm and local the VFH+ algorithm are combined.
Findings
The performance of the designed algorithm was tested in different environments using the Gazebo model of a real quadrotor and the robot operating system (ROS), which is the widely used platform for robotic applications. Navigation stacks developed for mobile robots on the ROS platform were also used for the UAV, and performance benchmarks were carried out. From the proposed hybrid algorithm, remarkable results were obtained in terms of both planning and implementation time compared to ROS navigation stacks.
Originality/value
This study proposes a new hybrid approach to the path planning problem for UAVs operating in both static and dynamic environments.
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Dan Xiong, Junhao Xiao, Huimin Lu, Zhiwen Zeng, Qinghua Yu, Kaihong Huang, Xiaodong Yi and Zhiqiang Zheng
The purpose of this paper is to design intelligent robots operating in such dynamic environments like the RoboCup Middle-Size League (MSL). In the RoboCup MSL, two teams of five…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to design intelligent robots operating in such dynamic environments like the RoboCup Middle-Size League (MSL). In the RoboCup MSL, two teams of five autonomous robots play on an 18- × 12-m field. Equipped with sensors and on-board computers, each robot should be able to perceive the environment, make decision and control itself to play the soccer game autonomously.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents the design of our soccer robots, participating in RoboCup MSL. The mechanical platform, electrical architecture and software framework are discussed separately. The mechanical platform is designed modularly, so easy maintainability is achieved; the electronic architecture is built on industrial standards using PC-based control technique, which results in high robustness and reliability during the intensive and fierce MSL games; the software is developed upon the open-source Robot Operating System (ROS); thus, the advantages of ROS such as modularity, portability and expansibility are inherited.
Findings
Based on this paper and the open-source hardware and software, the MSL robots can be re-developed easily to participate in the RoboCup MSL. The robots can also be used in other research and education fields, especially for multi-robot systems and distributed artificial intelligence. Furthermore, the main designing ideas proposed in the paper, i.e. using a modular mechanical structure, an industrial electronic system and ROS-based software, provide a common solution for designing general intelligent robots.
Originality/value
The methodology of the intelligent robot design for highly competitive and dynamic RoboCup MSL environments is proposed.
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N.M. Fonseca Ferreira, André Araujo, M.S. Couceiro and David Portugal
This paper describes a two-month summer intensive course designed to introduce participants with a hands-on technical craft on robotics and to acquire experience in the low-level…
Abstract
This paper describes a two-month summer intensive course designed to introduce participants with a hands-on technical craft on robotics and to acquire experience in the low-level details of embedded systems. Attendants started this course with a brief introduction to robotics; learned to draw, design and create a personalized 3D structure for their mobile robotic platform and developed skills in embedded systems. They were familiarize with the practices used in robotics, learning to connect all sensors and actuator, developing a typical application on differential kinematic using Arduino, exploring ROS features under Raspberry Pi environment and Arduino – Raspberry Pi communication. Different paradigms and some real applications and programming were addressed on the topic of Artificial Intelligence. Throughout the course, participants were introduced to programming languages (including Python and C++), advanced programming concepts such as ROS, basic API development, system concepts such as I2C and UART serial interfaces, PWM motor control and sensor fusion to improve robotic navigation and localization. This paper describes not just the concept, layout and methodology used on RobotCraft 2017 but also presents the participants knowledge background and their overall opinions, leading to focus on lessons learned and suggestions for future editions.
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George K. Kanaan, Kelly F. Gheyara, Jeong B. Kim and Mohamed Ibrahim
This study examines whether non‐historic income measures disclosed by a sample of Canadian firms convey information that is relevant to the evaluation of their performance. The…
Abstract
This study examines whether non‐historic income measures disclosed by a sample of Canadian firms convey information that is relevant to the evaluation of their performance. The sample firms were partitioned into several portfolios based on two firm‐specific measures which are assumed to capture input cost increases and the firm's ability to pass these increases on to its customers via higher output prices. Several groupings of the firms were performed based on various measures of non‐historic income. In general, the results of this study provide support for an association between market returns on common stock and non‐historic income measures.
Weibang Bai, Qixin Cao, Pengfei Wang, Peng Chen, Chuntao Leng and Tiewen Pan
Robotic systems for laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery (MIS) always end up with highly sophisticated mechanisms and control schemes – making it a long and hard development…
Abstract
Purpose
Robotic systems for laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery (MIS) always end up with highly sophisticated mechanisms and control schemes – making it a long and hard development process with a steep price. This paper aims to propose and realize a new, efficient and convenient strategy for building effective control systems for surgical and even other complex robotic systems.
Design/methodology/approach
A novel method that takes advantage of the modularization concept by integrating two middleware technologies (robot operating system and robotic technology middleware) into a common architecture based on the strengths of both was designed and developed.
Findings
Tests of the developed control system showed very low time-delay between the master and slave sides; good movement representation on the slave manipulator; and high positional and operational accuracy. Moreover, the new development strategy trial came with much higher efficiency and lower costs.
Research limitations/implications
This method results in a modularized and distributed control system that is amenable to collaboratively develop; convenient to modify and update; componentized and easy to extend; mutually independent among subsystems; and practicable to be running and communicating across multiple operating systems. However, experiments show that surgical training and updates of the robotic system are still required to achieve better proficiency for completing complex minimally invasive surgical operations with the proposed and developed system.
Originality/value
This research proposed and developed a novel modularization design method and a novel architecture for building a distributed teleoperation control system for laparoscopic MIS.
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