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1 – 10 of over 10000Marcin Figat and Agnieszka Kwiek
Tandem wing aircrafts belong to an unconventional configurations group, and this type of design is characterised by a strong aerodynamic coupling, which results in lower induced…
Abstract
Purpose
Tandem wing aircrafts belong to an unconventional configurations group, and this type of design is characterised by a strong aerodynamic coupling, which results in lower induced drag. The purpose of this paper is to determine whether a certain trend in the wingspan impact on aircraft dynamic stability can be identified. The secondary goal was to compare the response to control of flaps placed on a front and rear wing.
Design/methodology/approach
The aerodynamic data and control derivatives were obtained from the computational fluid dynamics computations performed by the MGAERO software. The equations of aircraft longitudinal motion in a state space form were used. The equations were built based on the aerodynamic coefficients, stability and control derivatives. The analysis of the dynamic stability was done in the MATLAB by solving the eigenvalue problem. The response to control was computed by the step response method using MATLAB.
Findings
The results of this study showed that because of a strong aerodynamic coupling, a nonlinear relation between the wing size and aircraft dynamic stability proprieties was observed. In the case of the flap deflection, stronger oscillation was observed for the front flap.
Originality/value
Results of dynamic stability of aircraft in the tandem wing configuration can be found in the literature, but those studies show outcomes of a single configuration, while this paper presents a comprehensive investigation into the impact of wingspan on aircraft dynamic stability. The results reveal that because of a strong aerodynamic coupling, the relation between the span factor and dynamic stability is nonlinear. Also, it has been demonstrated that the configuration of two wings with the same span is not the optimal one from the aerodynamic point of view.
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A nature reserve set up in a disaster-stricken area can have various functions, e.g. as a place where biodiversity is favored and sometimes as a memory of a traumatic event. This…
Abstract
Purpose
A nature reserve set up in a disaster-stricken area can have various functions, e.g. as a place where biodiversity is favored and sometimes as a memory of a traumatic event. This study presents four different record-breaking disasters during 1992–2014 in Sweden, where the idea of setting up reserves has been advanced in the aftermath, but with slightly different results in relation to attitudes about nature conservation and modes of remembering. The phenomenon is primarily discussed against theory formation around disaster memorials and window of opportunity for change.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses a comparative case study approach. The cases are described through narratives on the basis of “grey” literature, i.e. documents from Swedish authorities in the form of evaluations, summaries from experience seminars, political decisions on the establishment of nature conservation or information material addressed to the public, and also media reporting.
Findings
The nature reserves will be reminiscent of the disasters since the natural regrowth will take decades but may also be accompanied by exhibitions in visitor centers, arts and plays, monuments and bureaucratic documents, all of which contribute to the memory. In all but one case, such artifacts are secondary in relation to the explicit goal of forest conservation. The local population's attitude to the reserve formation plays a big role for the plans to be implemented.
Originality/value
Foundation of nature reserves in the immediate aftermath of a disaster may have different functions for actors, affected people and interested public; some are exemplified and discussed here.
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Mattia Filomena and Matteo Picchio
This study aims to investigate the heterogeneous results about the impact of temporary jobs on subsequent labour market performances and to provide policymakers with further…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the heterogeneous results about the impact of temporary jobs on subsequent labour market performances and to provide policymakers with further information on the effects of temporary contracts under particular circumstances.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors present a quantitative systematic review on the debate about the “stepping stone vs dead end” hypothesis related to the causal effect of temporary jobs on future labour market performances.
Findings
Among 78 observations from 64 articles, 32% support the hypothesis according to which temporary contracts are a port of entry into stable employment positions, 23% report ambiguous or mixed findings and the remaining 45% provide evidence in favour of the dead end hypothesis. The results from meta-regressions suggest that the stepping stone effect is more likely to emerge when self-selectivity issues are dealt with. The studies focussing on temporary work agency jobs and casual/seasonal jobs support more easily the dead end hypothesis. Finally, in more recent years and when the unemployment rate is larger, the dead end hypothesis is more likely to prevail.
Originality/value
Although many studies have been published on this issue, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, there are no recent analytic economic surveys on the “stepping stone vs dead end” debate. The main contribution of this article is to fill this gap.
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Erika Alves dos Santos, Silvio Peroni and Marcos Luiz Mucheroni
In this study, the authors want to identify current possible causes for citing and referencing errors in scholarly literature to compare if something changed from the snapshot…
Abstract
Purpose
In this study, the authors want to identify current possible causes for citing and referencing errors in scholarly literature to compare if something changed from the snapshot provided by Sweetland in his 1989 paper.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors analysed reference elements, i.e. bibliographic references, mentions, quotations and respective in-text reference pointers, from 729 articles published in 147 journals across the 27 subject areas.
Findings
The outcomes of the analysis pointed out that bibliographic errors have been perpetuated for decades and that their possible causes have increased, despite the encouraged use of technological facilities, i.e. the reference managers.
Originality/value
As far as the authors know, the study is the best recent available analysis of errors in referencing and citing practices in the literature since Sweetland (1989).
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Linh Truong-Hong, Roderik Lindenbergh and Thu Anh Nguyen
Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) point clouds have been widely used in deformation measurement for structures. However, reliability and accuracy of resulting deformation…
Abstract
Purpose
Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) point clouds have been widely used in deformation measurement for structures. However, reliability and accuracy of resulting deformation estimation strongly depends on quality of each step of a workflow, which are not fully addressed. This study aims to give insight error of these steps, and results of the study would be guidelines for a practical community to either develop a new workflow or refine an existing one of deformation estimation based on TLS point clouds. Thus, the main contributions of the paper are investigating point cloud registration error affecting resulting deformation estimation, identifying an appropriate segmentation method used to extract data points of a deformed surface, investigating a methodology to determine an un-deformed or a reference surface for estimating deformation, and proposing a methodology to minimize the impact of outlier, noisy data and/or mixed pixels on deformation estimation.
Design/methodology/approach
In practice, the quality of data point clouds and of surface extraction strongly impacts on resulting deformation estimation based on laser scanning point clouds, which can cause an incorrect decision on the state of the structure if uncertainty is available. In an effort to have more comprehensive insight into those impacts, this study addresses four issues: data errors due to data registration from multiple scanning stations (Issue 1), methods used to extract point clouds of structure surfaces (Issue 2), selection of the reference surface Sref to measure deformation (Issue 3), and available outlier and/or mixed pixels (Issue 4). This investigation demonstrates through estimating deformation of the bridge abutment, building and an oil storage tank.
Findings
The study shows that both random sample consensus (RANSAC) and region growing–based methods [a cell-based/voxel-based region growing (CRG/VRG)] can be extracted data points of surfaces, but RANSAC is only applicable for a primary primitive surface (e.g. a plane in this study) subjected to a small deformation (case study 2 and 3) and cannot eliminate mixed pixels. On another hand, CRG and VRG impose a suitable method applied for deformed, free-form surfaces. In addition, in practice, a reference surface of a structure is mostly not available. The use of a fitting plane based on a point cloud of a current surface would cause unrealistic and inaccurate deformation because outlier data points and data points of damaged areas affect an accuracy of the fitting plane. This study would recommend the use of a reference surface determined based on a design concept/specification. A smoothing method with a spatial interval can be effectively minimize, negative impact of outlier, noisy data and/or mixed pixels on deformation estimation.
Research limitations/implications
Due to difficulty in logistics, an independent measurement cannot be established to assess the deformation accuracy based on TLS data point cloud in the case studies of this research. However, common laser scanners using the time-of-flight or phase-shift principle provide point clouds with accuracy in the order of 1–6 mm, while the point clouds of triangulation scanners have sub-millimetre accuracy.
Practical implications
This study aims to give insight error of these steps, and the results of the study would be guidelines for a practical community to either develop a new workflow or refine an existing one of deformation estimation based on TLS point clouds.
Social implications
The results of this study would provide guidelines for a practical community to either develop a new workflow or refine an existing one of deformation estimation based on TLS point clouds. A low-cost method can be applied for deformation analysis of the structure.
Originality/value
Although a large amount of the studies used laser scanning to measure structure deformation in the last two decades, the methods mainly applied were to measure change between two states (or epochs) of the structure surface and focused on quantifying deformation-based TLS point clouds. Those studies proved that a laser scanner could be an alternative unit to acquire spatial information for deformation monitoring. However, there are still challenges in establishing an appropriate procedure to collect a high quality of point clouds and develop methods to interpret the point clouds to obtain reliable and accurate deformation, when uncertainty, including data quality and reference information, is available. Therefore, this study demonstrates the impact of data quality in a term of point cloud registration error, selected methods for extracting point clouds of surfaces, identifying reference information, and available outlier, noisy data and/or mixed pixels on deformation estimation.
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Maíra Prestes Joly, Jorge Grenha Teixeira, Lia Patrício and Daniela Sangiorgi
Service design is a multidisciplinary approach that plays a key role in fostering service innovation. However, the lack of a comprehensive understanding of its multiple…
Abstract
Purpose
Service design is a multidisciplinary approach that plays a key role in fostering service innovation. However, the lack of a comprehensive understanding of its multiple perspectives hampers this potential to be realized. Through an activity theory lens, the purpose of this paper is to examine core areas that inform service design, identifying shared concerns and complementary contributions.
Design/methodology/approach
The study involved a literature review in two stages, followed by a qualitative study based on selected focus groups. The first literature review identified core areas that contribute to service design. Based on this identification, the second literature review examined 135 references suggested by 13 world-leading researchers in this field. These references were qualitatively analyzed using the NVivo software. Results were validated and complemented by six multidisciplinary focus groups with service research centers in five countries.
Findings
Six core areas were identified and characterized as contributing to service design: service research, design, marketing, operations management, information systems and interaction design. Data analysis shows the various goals, objects, approaches and outcomes that multidisciplinary perspectives bring to service design, supporting them to enable service innovation.
Practical implications
This paper supports service design teams to better communicate and collaborate by providing an in-depth understanding of the multiple contributions they can integrate to create the conditions for new service.
Originality/value
This paper identifies and examines the core areas that inform service design, their shared concerns, complementarities and how they contribute to foster new forms of value co-creation, building a common ground to advance this approach and leverage its impact on service innovation.
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Key to transnational higher education (HE) cooperation is building trust to allow for seamless recognition of studies. Building on the Tuning Educational Structures initiative…
Abstract
Purpose
Key to transnational higher education (HE) cooperation is building trust to allow for seamless recognition of studies. Building on the Tuning Educational Structures initiative (2001) and lessons learnt from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)-Assessment of Learning Outcomes in Higher Education (AHELO) feasibility study, this paper offers a sophisticated approach developed by the European Union (EU)-co-financed project Measuring and Comparing Achievements of Learning Outcomes in Europe (CALOHEE). These evidence the quality and relevance of learning by applying transparent and reliable indicators at the overarching and disciplinary levels. The model results allow for transnational diagnostic assessments to identify the strength and weaknesses of degree programmes.
Design/methodology/approach
The materials presented have been developed from 2016 to 2023, applying a bottom-up approach involving approximately 150 academics from 20+ European countries, reflecting the full spectrum of academic fields. Based on intensive face-to-face debate and consultation of stakeholders and anchored in academic literature and wide experience.
Findings
As a result, general (overarching) state-of-the-art reference frameworks have been prepared for the associated degree, bachelor, master and doctorate, as well as aligned qualifications reference frameworks and more detailed learning outcomes/assessment frameworks for 11 subject areas, offering a sound basis for quality assurance. As a follow-up, actual assessment formats for five academic fields have been developed to allow for measuring the actual level of learning at the institutional level from a comparative perspective.
Originality/value
Frameworks as well as assessment models and items are highly innovative, content-wise as in the strategy of development, involving renown academics finding common ground. Its value is not limited to Europe but has global significance. The model developed, is also relevant for micro-credentials in defining levels of mastery.
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Andreas Gabriel and Vera Bitsch
While many studies in family business research focus on mono-causal impacts of succession, the purpose of this paper is to employ a systemic approach to analyze dynamic effects of…
Abstract
Purpose
While many studies in family business research focus on mono-causal impacts of succession, the purpose of this paper is to employ a systemic approach to analyze dynamic effects of intra-family succession on multiple business areas in family-run companies.
Design/methodology/approach
A system analysis using a participatory approach was conducted for a reference family-run company operating in the horticultural retail sector in Germany. The Vester Sensitivity Model, supplemented with principles from system thinking was used to identify key variables related to intra-family succession.
Findings
Expert input and analysis of variable co-occurrence revealed key variables associated with succession such as “strategic planning,” “productivity” and “financial flexibility.” Dynamic interactions among various business areas were identified by simulating interventions in succession trajectories. In particular, key variables such as “conflicts between family and work” and “organizational climate” turned out to be highly sensitive to changes during a succession process.
Practical implications
The concept and design of this system analysis tool will allow practitioners such as company managers and business consultants to better understand complex interrelations within companies and provide additional guidance with regard to critical events like business transfer.
Originality/value
The present study uses system thinking to analyze succession and its dynamic and time-lagged impacts on affected business areas in family-run companies for the first time. Repeated application of the systemic approach presented here to real-world business cases will gradually improve the tool and the quality of information it provides.
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The paper aims to present the comprehensive picture on green human resource management (GHRM) based upon bibliometric investigation, including different criteria, such as key…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to present the comprehensive picture on green human resource management (GHRM) based upon bibliometric investigation, including different criteria, such as key authors, documents, keywords, bibliographic coupling (BC), etc.
Design/methodology/approach
Bibliometric technique has been used with the application of VOSviewer. Further, the Scopus database has been utilised to extract the research articles.
Findings
The present study has exposed the due relevance of GHRM in the area of human resource management (HRM) for researchers as well as practitioners. The study has revealed that number of citations in the area is high from the researchers of China. Also, Jabbour, C.J.C., has been identified as the lead contributor and author from the area with 43 publications and 1,352 citations. The journal of cleaner production has been identified as the journal with the largest number of publications from the area. Also, prominent keywords used in the area are sustainability, GHRM, environmental management, sustainable environment and HRM.
Research limitations/implications
The study has offered the comprehensive publication analysis on the area which will assist the researchers in gaining review on topic and development of empirical models. Further, with the utilisation of keywords criterion they can easily explore the publications done in the area. Also, study will help the scholars and researchers to identify the region and countries along with the institutions and universities to pursue research on the GHRM topic.
Practical implications
The present study will help the mangers to focus on GHRM with more focus to acquire positive consequences for human resource management.
Originality/value
The present paper has presented various new and recent facets associated with the area of GHRM. Previously the similar analysis with bibliometric technique is rarely done with the present Scopus database.
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The paper aims to describe the process to obtain a complete municipal database from the 2011 Spanish Census information. By complete, the authors mean variables for the full…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to describe the process to obtain a complete municipal database from the 2011 Spanish Census information. By complete, the authors mean variables for the full sample of the 8,116 municipalities as of the census reference date. In addition, the database should be consistent with the public census information released by the National Statistical Institute: microdata and customized tables.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use mainly small area demographic and synthetic estimators that are reconciled using biproportional adjustment (iterative proportional fitting), when needed.
Findings
As a result, the authors obtain a complete and consistent municipal database composing 55 variables related to socio-demographic characteristics of persons.
Originality/value
The provision of a complete and consistent municipal database, available for download, which is absent in the original 2011 Spanish Census.
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