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Article
Publication date: 16 March 2020

Meimei Liu, Yicha Zhang, Wenjie Dong, Zexin Yu, Sifeng Liu, Samuel Gomes, Hanlin Liao and Sihao Deng

This paper presents the application of grey modeling for thermal spray processing parameter analysis in less data environment.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper presents the application of grey modeling for thermal spray processing parameter analysis in less data environment.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on processing knowledge, key processing parameters of thermal spray process are analyzed and preselected. Then, linear and non-linear grey modeling models are integrated to mine the relationships between different processing parameters.

Findings

Model A reveals the linear correlation between the HVOF process parameters and the characterization of particle in-flight with average relative errors of 9.230 percent and 5.483 percent for velocity and temperature.

Research limitations/implications

The prediction accuracies of coatings properties vary, which means that there exists more complex non-linear relationship between the identified input parameters and coating results, or more unexpected factors (e.g. factors from material side) should be further investigated.

Practical implications

According to the modeling case in this paper, method has potential to deal with other diverse modeling problems in different industrial applications where challenge to collecting large quantity of data sets exists.

Originality/value

It is the first time to apply grey modeling for thermal spray processing where complicated relationships among processing parameters exist. The modeling results show reasonable results to experiment and existing processing knowledge.

Details

Grey Systems: Theory and Application, vol. 10 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2043-9377

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 November 2023

Samuel Leite Castelo and Carlos F. Gomes

Governments worldwide have used administrative reforms to align public organizations with the needs of their key stakeholders. However, despite successfully implementing them…

Abstract

Purpose

Governments worldwide have used administrative reforms to align public organizations with the needs of their key stakeholders. However, despite successfully implementing them, they do not consistently achieve the desired organizational performance. This paper aims to explore the relationship between the implementation of administrative reforms and the performance of public organizations from a comprehensive perspective. For this purpose, the authors analyze the mediation role of three crucial dynamic capabilities.

Design/methodology/approach

This research used a survey-based methodology. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the data obtained from a sample of public officials and managers working in public organizations in the State of Ceará (Brazil).

Findings

The results of this study suggest that dynamic capabilities can have a decisive role in implementing government policy proposals and helping public organizations align their outcomes with stakeholders' needs. In addition, they indicate the existence of two levels of capabilities and identify a road map for their implementation.

Practical implications

From a practical point of view, by identifying these capabilities and their interrelationship, this study provides a roadmap to reduce the complexity of their use and help managers of public organizations deliver desired outcomes relating to the quality of individual and collective stakeholders.

Originality/value

This study makes important contributions to the literature, enabling scholars and practitioners to see the result of government policy proposals beyond the efficient use of public resources. It shows the role of dynamic capabilities as mediation instruments for changing public organizations, which can be used in administrative reform implementations and continuous improvement processes. Finally, it provides empirical research on the interaction between the three dynamic capabilities in the context of public organizations, differentiating these capabilities into two levels, which provides a road map for their implementation and development by public managers.

Propósito

Os governos de todo o mundo têm usado reformas administrativas para alinhar as organizações públicas com as necessidades de seus principais interessados. Entretanto, apesar da implementação bem-sucedida, elas não atingem consistentemente o desempenho organizacional desejado. Este estudo tem como objetivo analisar a relação entre a implementação de reformas administrativas e o desempenho das organizações públicas, visto de uma perspectiva abrangente. Para este propósito, analisamos o papel de mediação de três capacidades organizacionais cruciais.

Metodologia

Este estudo utiliza uma metodologia baseada em questionários. Foi utilizada modelagem de equação estruturais para analisar os dados obtidos de uma amostra de funcionários públicos e gerentes que trabalham em organizações públicas no Estado do Ceará (Brasil).

Resultados

Os resultados deste estudo sugerem que as capacidades dinâmicas podem ter um papel decisivo na implementação de propostas de políticas governamentais e ajudar as organizações públicas a alinhar seus resultados com as necessidades das partes interessadas. Além disso, eles indicam a existência de dois níveis de capacidades e identificam um roteiro para sua implementação.

Implicações práticas

Do ponto de vista prático, ao identificar essas capacidades e suas inter-relações, este estudo fornece um roteiro para reduzir a complexidade de seu uso e ajudar os gerentes de organizações públicas a obter os resultados desejados em relação à qualidade das partes interessadas individuais e coletivas.

Originalidade

Esta estudo faz contribuições importantes à literatura, permitindo que académicos e profissionais vejam o resultado de propostas de políticas governamentais além do uso eficiente de recursos públicos. Ele mostra o papel das capacidades dinâmicas como instrumentos de mediação para mudar as organizações públicas, que podem ser utilizadas em implementações de reformas administrativas e processos de melhoria contínua. Finalmente, fornece resultados empíricos sobre a interação entre as três capacidades dinâmicas no contexto das organizações públicas, diferenciando essas capacidades em dois níveis, o que fornece um roteiro para sua implementação e desenvolvimento pelos gestores públicos.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aim to propose a methodological mapping approach for the evaluation of dissertations and theses of graduate programs in the area of environmental sciences in Brazil in relation to the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Design/methodology/approach

The research is characterized as exploratory with qualitative/quantitative approach. The proposed model was developed as a computational algorithm with a pilot being adopted as a professional master in national network for teaching in environmental sciences (ProfCiAmb) comprising associated courses from nine Brazilian public universities. 230 dissertations completed between 2018 and 2020 were analyzed.

Findings

A total of 266 correlations were identified between the texts and descriptors of each SDG. Correlation values between 0.100 (minimum value – Vmin) and 0.464 (maximum value – Vmax) were observed. SDG 4 – Quality Education (Vmax = 0.399) and SDG 6 – Drinking Water and Sanitation (Vmax = 0.464) were those with the highest correlation values, followed by SDG 3 – Health and Well-Being (Vmax = 0.299) and SDG 17 – Partnerships and Means of Implementation (Vmax = 0.249).

Practical implications

The construction of the computational algorithm provided consistent quantitative analyses with potential to contribute to the improvement of the multidimensional evaluation of graduate studies, as well as to support public policies related to teaching and research and strategic planning of the programs.

Originality/value

The relevance of this study lies in the creation of a model that involves the creation of metrics and tools regarding the impact of graduate studies on society.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 24 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 July 2020

Lorena Leocádio Gomes, Felicio Bruzzi Barros, Samuel Silva Penna and Roque Luiz da Silva Pitangueira

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the capabilities of the generalized finite element method (GFEM) under the context of the geometrically nonlinear analysis. The effect of…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the capabilities of the generalized finite element method (GFEM) under the context of the geometrically nonlinear analysis. The effect of large displacements and deformations, typical of such analysis, induces a significant distortion of the element mesh, penalizing the quality of the standard finite element method approximation. The main concern here is to identify how the enrichment strategy from GFEM, that usually makes this method less susceptible to the mesh distortion, may be used under the total and updated Lagrangian formulations.

Design/methodology/approach

An existing computational environment that allows linear and nonlinear analysis, has been used to implement the analysis with geometric nonlinearity by GFEM, using different polynomial enrichments.

Findings

The geometrically nonlinear analysis using total and updated Lagrangian formulations are considered in GFEM. Classical problems are numerically simulated and the accuracy and robustness of the GFEM are highlighted.

Originality/value

This study shows a novel study about GFEM analysis using a complete polynomial space to enrich the approximation of the geometrically nonlinear analysis adopting the total and updated Lagrangian formulations. This strategy guarantees the good precision of the analysis for higher level of mesh distortion in the case of the total Lagrangian formulation. On the other hand, in the updated Lagrangian approach, the need of updating the degrees of freedom during the incremental and iterative solution are for the first time identified and discussed here.

Article
Publication date: 19 February 2024

Alexandre Coussa, Philippe Gugler and Jonathan Reidy

The purpose of this paper is to develop a comprehensive overview of green innovation (GI) in China, which is carried out by reviewing the evolution of GI from 2000 to 2019, and…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a comprehensive overview of green innovation (GI) in China, which is carried out by reviewing the evolution of GI from 2000 to 2019, and the main type of technology, actors and localizations. When appropriate, GI is compared to non-GI.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses patent data from the European Patent Office database (PATSTAT); these data are processed to map trends and identify the main contributors to GI and the location of such innovation. The findings are then discussed and complemented with academic literature.

Findings

Key findings reveal an increasing divergence between GI and nongreen innovation after the 2008 crisis. It is also observed that solar energy appears to be the main component of GI in China, with a shift from photovoltaic thermal energy to solar photovoltaic energy after 2008. Other areas, such as waste management, greenhouse gases capture and climate change adaptation, are less innovative. Companies play an essential role in the development of all types of innovation. In terms of location, green patents are mainly filed in China’s three main megacities. The study also highlights the significant role of the Chinese state, which led policies shaping the trajectories and forms of GI.

Originality/value

This study expands knowledge on GI in China, highlighting its main specificities and the role of key actors. It provides to the reader a comprehensive picture of China’s green policies and innovation realities. The results can therefore be used to improve the understanding of GI evolution in China and facilitate the formulation of new research questions.

Details

International Journal of Emerging Markets, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-8809

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 17 July 2006

Roberto Romani

In the first of the eleven essays making up this book, Bevir and Trentmann state the perspective unifying them. Against the rise of a “neo-liberal discourse” idealizing the market…

Abstract

In the first of the eleven essays making up this book, Bevir and Trentmann state the perspective unifying them. Against the rise of a “neo-liberal discourse” idealizing the market as a beneficial coordinating mechanism, Bevir and Trentmann point to the embeddedness of markets.1 In particular, they assert their cultural embeddedness, arguing that “how precisely any particular state or market operates will depend on how it is governed by a host of beliefs, discourses, practices, and institutions” (p. 10). The first goal of the volume is to provide historical case studies illustrating the richness of past conceptualizations of the relationship between society, markets, and the state (p. 2). The second goal is to reconsider the role played by “agency” in the history of capitalism.2 The editors argue against Karl Polanyi that liberals have not always been in favour of markets irrespective of social and environmental concerns, and that peasants and rural elites have not always defended traditional forms of social coordination. The general point is conveyed by the following passage: “The question was, for all these groups, not simply one of support or resistance to markets but about how markets should be embedded within social and political contexts. Social groups and intellectual traditions that were ambivalent about markets also helped to shape the contours and dynamics of capitalist societies” (p. 4). In other words, liberal market economies “arose as embedded within the context of particular types of civil society, which were themselves a contingent product of European history” (pp. 7–8).

Details

Research in the History of Economic Thought and Methodology
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-0-76231-349-5

Article
Publication date: 5 June 2017

Jing Zhao, Ming Wang and LiMin Zhu

Institutional work mainly focused on the purposive action of rational actors. However, the evolution of institution is not only affected by deliberate actions but also by emergent…

Abstract

Purpose

Institutional work mainly focused on the purposive action of rational actors. However, the evolution of institution is not only affected by deliberate actions but also by emergent strategic patterns. Through a qualitative study of emergent aggression strategy in a Chinese leading private firm, Gome, this paper aims to explore the role of emergent strategy in institutional work. The paper finds that emergent strategy influences the normative and cognitive institution unconsciously and offers actors specialized identities. The present analysis also suggests that the emergent strategy-based institution needs a supporting and repairing system for maintenance.

Design/methodology/approach

This study primarily considers the micro aspect of emergent strategy and institutional work. It calls for detailed observation, interviews and archival materials which can make up a comprehensive in-depth picture. The authors remain skeptical to what people claim and try to get multiple sources of information. Also, the topic the authors deal with is relatively under-researched, and it is valuable to get explorative richness. Therefore, an interpretive qualitative approach is adopted to investigate actual events from “the native’s” perspective.

Findings

We found that an emergent strategy, which is realized but without previous plans, can also construct a “proto-type institution”, only in an unconscious way. The precondition is that the strategic resources of the focal firm are abundant enough for it to set the criteria of inter-organizational sanctions and rewards. In addition, the authors believe that supportive system and repairing system underpin the maintenance of established institutions.

Originality/value

First, by combining the research on emergent strategy to institutional work, the authors extend the scope of the latter by adding unconscious institutional work. Even if the agent-based view is adopted, rational actors can still influence the institution. Second, the authors explored the institutional outcome of emergent strategy, which fills the paucity of strategy process research. Third, aggression, the specific emergent strategy in this paper, can be turned into “plans for the future”. Its prevalence in the emerging market will attract more academic attention.

Details

Chinese Management Studies, vol. 11 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-614X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 October 2001

José Raul Azinheira, Ely Carneiro de Paiva, José Reginaldo Hughes Carvalho, Josué Júnior Guimarães Ramos, Samuel Siqueira Bueno, Marcel Bergerman and Paulo Augusto Valente Ferreira

Project AURORA aims at the development of an unmanned airship capable of autonomous flight over user‐defined locations for aerial inspection and imagery acquisition. Presents a…

1062

Abstract

Project AURORA aims at the development of an unmanned airship capable of autonomous flight over user‐defined locations for aerial inspection and imagery acquisition. Presents a guidance control strategy for the trajectory path following of the AURORA airship, where the objective is to make the vehicle follow a set of pre‐defined points. The guidance strategy is based on a path tracking error generation methodology that takes into account both the distance and the angular errors of the airship with respect to the desired trajectory. The guidance system is composed of a path tracking guidance controller (as outer loop) and a heading controller (as inner loop), using the rudder deflection. Also proposes an additional roll controller, using the aileron input, in order to reduce rolling oscillations during yaw maneuvering and due to atmospheric turbulence.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 73 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0002-2667

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 January 2017

Alice Shelton, Samuel Joseph Tromans, Sabyasachi Bhaumik and Reza Kiani

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the challenges of assessment and management of psychotic symptoms in a background of intellectual disability (ID) and treatment-resistant…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the challenges of assessment and management of psychotic symptoms in a background of intellectual disability (ID) and treatment-resistant epilepsy caused by a genetic syndrome.

Design/methodology/approach

Ring chromosome 20 [r(20)] syndrome is characterised by the triad of severe refractory epilepsy, mild to severe ID and behavioural problems. This paper describes the presentation of r(20) syndrome in a young woman with moderate ID and treatment-resistant epilepsy, who experiences psychotic symptoms at times of improved seizure control.

Findings

There are several diagnostic possibilities for such a presentation, including psychotic symptoms due to adverse effects of anti-epileptic medications and forced normalisation (alternating psychosis).

Originality/value

This paper advocates judicious use of antipsychotic medication to manage psychotic symptoms, as well as involvement of both patient and close family members throughout all stages of care. It is essential to strike a balance between control of epileptic seizures and psychiatric symptoms, providing an optimal benefit to the patients’ quality of life by meeting their complex needs through a multidisciplinary and multi-agency team input.

Details

Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, vol. 11 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-1282

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 September 2017

Jhonatas Antonelli, Cleber Antonio Lindino, Reinaldo Aparecido Bariccatti, Samuel Nelson Melegari Souza and Anderson Miguel Lenz

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the use of Pinus wood waste in lead adsorption as a remediation technique in aqueous medium and its subsequent use in obtaining…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the use of Pinus wood waste in lead adsorption as a remediation technique in aqueous medium and its subsequent use in obtaining synthesis gas.

Design/methodology/approach

The capacity of the timber in the lead adsorption was studied in aqueous medium at various pH, determining the amount adsorbed in equilibrium. Then, the same timber was added in a fixed bed, co-current flow of two stage gasifier type, working temperature of 900°C, for obtaining synthesis gas. The synthesis gas composition was evaluated by the spectrophotometry in the infrared region and the gas chromatography and lead content in the ash and gas was determined by the atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Findings

In laboratory tests carried out, the optimal pH for lead removal was pH 4 with 96.15 percent removal rate, reaching equilibrium after 180 min. In pilot scale the lead removal after 72 hours was 96 percent. The average production of syngas was 11.09 m³h−1. For tests with the motor-generator, the best condition occurred with charge of 2.0 kW, wherein gas consumption per kW produced reached 4.86 m³ kW−1, resulting in a 14.81 percent efficiency rate. The gas analysis showed an average concentration of 14.85 percent H2, 30.1 percent CO2, and 50.49 percent of atmospheric air. The concentration of lead in the gas was below the limit established by law. Pinus elliottii waste proved to be an excellent adsorbent, with removing more than 96 percent of the Pb ion present in aqueous solution and a starting material in the gasifier to generate synthesis gas.

Research limitations/implications

This paper describes the waste wood application in the treatment of contaminated environments and for obtaining syngas providing a sustainable process.

Originality/value

This paper shows a process that combines the remediation of contaminated environmental with power generation systems, allowing efficient management of contaminated environments.

Details

Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, vol. 28 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7835

Keywords

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