Search results

The purpose of this paper is to explore the availability and use status of plant species and their genetic diversities from local forests and uncultivated lands in the context of three different Chepang ethnic communities of Nepal. In the current context of increased threats upon the natural resources to meet increased food demand, unsustainable harvest is also practised, leading to unavailability of the diversities, thus conservation and sustainable harvest were compared along with contribution of those neglected and underutilized species for food, nutrition and livelihood security of the local dwellers.

This research was done by using multi-stage random sampling of 15 households from each village development committee (VDC), namely Shaktikhor, Kaule and Siddhi of Chitwan district of Nepal. The farmers’ participation in this study was ensured through participatory research methods, including group discussions (GD) and other Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools. In addition, field observations, household interviews and consultation with experts were used in this study.

The Chepang community was found to possess immense knowledge on forest products and crop landraces and utilize the various plants for food and medicine. The underutilized species were used by the local people in different forms (food, vegetables, medicine, and for cultural and economical reasons). The uses of 46 underutilized plant species were documented, including 25 species with multiple functions as food, vegetables, and medicines. The overall contribution was about 2.7 months a year, with a significant difference between Siddhi (3.8months), Shaktikhor (2.4 months) and Kaule (1.9 months).

This research was an exploratory action research covering only 45 households from three VDCs and is not an adequate sample size considering population size. Due to differences in the altitude, farm and family size, level of education, the number of species availability and uses may differ and this research needs to be replicated covering different seasons, years and more respondents.

This piece of research is original and conducted by three researchers working with different institutions. This strongly showed a gradual loss of the plant genetic diversities due to inability of the state, through its policy and programs, to recognize the contribution of those species in food, nutrition and livelihood security of vulnerable populations. The state should emphasize on research, education and technology development for those undermined crops, despite their huge contribution to the livelihood system.

Social outreach campaigns such as mainstream commercial marketing campaigns are drawn to digital communication practices for increased visibility, speed and recall. This paper aims to highlight the usefulness and application of augmented reality (AR) technologies and proposes a change-driven usage of the AR environments for social marketing.

Paradigmatic structural analysis is used to extract the underlying schematic forms. A multimodal analytic approach is used to propose the conceptual framework.

AR is defined vis-à-vis conceptualizations of reality and hyper-reality from the Vedantic philosophical texts and treatises. The study examines and demonstrates an earlier version of AR expression in ancient times in the use of spatio-temporal constructs and their degrees of modality. It derives a conceptual schema based on AR resonant applications in narratives from the Vedantic literature. Based on these, the study highlights the persuasive appeal and co-creative potential of these illustrative examples to recommend marketing communication strategies for social outreach campaigns.

The analysis recognizes a conceptual bridge between human extra-sensory/transcendental ability and contemporary technology. This study identifies five propositional structures (PS). It opens up the field of social marketing research to alternative methodologies such as multimodal analysis.

While most of contemporary AR usage is in commercial marketing, this study has derived specific guiding principles/propositional structures. These can be applied to create specific virtual environments that can simulate and demonstrate desirable societal outcomes and behaviours. As newer technologies permit further and more futuristic design interventions, developers could experiment with transitional states to impact behaviours, with implications for experimental layering of information.

This study responds to a call for innovative design interventions in the field of social marketing. Its originality lies in its use of the Vedantic framework which has not been explored in this direction elsewhere.

Metal matrix composites (MMCs) are commonly used in many aerospace and industrial applications. MMCs possess significantly improved properties including high specific strength, specific modulus, damping capacity and good wear resistance compared to unreinforced alloys. The purpose of this paper is to describe the tribological studies of Al-Si alloy–fly ash composites manufactured using powder metallurgy technique.

Al-Si (12 Wt.%) alloy–fly ash composites were developed using powder metallurgy technique. Al-Si alloy powder was used as matrix material, and the fly ash was used as reinforcement. The particle size of Al-Si alloy powder was in the range of 75-300 μm, and the fly ash was in the range of 1-15 μm. The friction and wear characteristics of the composites were studied using a pin-on-disc set up. The test specimen was mated against cast iron disc, and the tests were conducted with the loads of 10, 20 and 30 N, sliding speeds of 0.5, 1 and 1.5 m/s for a sliding distance of 2,000 m.

The effects of load and sliding speed on tribological properties of the base alloy and Al-Si alloy–fly ash composites pins on sliding with cast iron disc are evaluated. The wear rate of Al-Si alloy–fly ash composites is lower than that of base alloy, and it increases with increasing load and sliding speed. The coefficient of friction of Al-Si alloy–fly ash composites is increased as compared with base alloy.

The development of Al-Si alloy–fly ash composites produced by powder metallurgy technique will modernize the automobile and other industries because near net shape at low cost and good mechanical properties are obtained.

There are few papers available on the development and tribological studies of Al-Si alloy–fly ash composites produced by powder metallurgy technique.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how buyer–supplier social capital may help mitigate operational supply risk (OSR) of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It empirically examines a framework that posits the direct and mediated impacts of three dimensions of buyer–supplier social capital – structural, relational and cognitive – and supplier integration on the OSR of SMEs and consequently their operational performance.

This study uses data collected via a questionnaire from 485 manufacturing SMEs in Bangladesh for analysis using structural equation modeling.

The analysis reveals that all the three dimensions of buyer–supplier social capital can effectively reduce the OSR of SMEs, either directly or indirectly through supplier integration. The mediating role of supplier integration in the relationship between social capital and OSR is confirmed and the negative impact of OSR on operational performances of SMEs is verified.

Generalization of the findings needs to be prudent since the study gathered information only from manufacturing SMEs in Bangladesh on the buyer side of the buyer–supplier dyad.

Findings of this study can provide references for SME practitioners to formulate their OSR mitigation strategies for enhancing operational performance.

This study adds to the currently scarce literature on OSR of SMEs by combining antecedents and consequences of OSR in a single framework. It also extends the use of buyer–supplier social capital to risk mitigation research.

Behavioral finance literature has long claimed that internet stock message boards can move markets. In this chapter, the authors study more than 2,000 internet board messages posted across finance message boards in India (Chittorgarh, etc.) for 110 companies that went for initial public offering (IPO) in the last one year. This study has multi-fold objectives. First, the authors try to identify the factors which lead to a discussion on an IPO stock in the message board. Second, the authors identify the factors which differentiate a widely discussed stock from the less discussed one. Next, the authors apply advanced machine learning technique to identify the topics which are discussed in the message board through automatic topic modeling. The methodology used includes a logistic regression model for identifying firm characteristics which leads to a probability of getting stakeholders’ attention and hence more discussion. The authors also use advanced topic modeling techniques to identify topics of discussion on the message boards through machine learning. The authors find that larger sized firms, younger firms, firms with low leverage, and non-manufacturing firms get discussed more and the topics of discussion relate to their financial statements, trading strategies, stock behavior, and performance.

Aluminium is the most preferred material in engineering structural components because of its excellent properties. Furthermore, the properties of aluminium may be enhanced through metal matrix composites and an in-depth investigation on the evolved properties is needed in view of metallurgical, mechanical and tribological aspects. The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of TiC addition on the tribological behavior of aluminium composites.

Aluminium metal matrix composites at different weight percentage of titanium carbide were produced through powder metallurgy. Produced composites were subjected to sliding wear test under dry condition through Taguchi’s L9 orthogonal design.

Optimal process condition to achieve the minimum wear rate was identified though the main effect plot. Sliding velocity was identified as the most dominating factor in the wear resistance.

The production of components with improved properties is promoted efficiently and economically by synthesizing the composite via powder metallurgy.

Though the investigations on the wear behavior of aluminium composites are analyzed, reinforcement types and the mode of fabrication have their significance in the metallurgical and mechanical properties. Thus, the produced component needs an in-detail study on the property evolution.