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This paper considers the issue of security in the provision of online distance learning. Security represents an aspect that may not suggest itself as a high priority in an educational environment, but evidence indicates that it is definitely required. The discussion presents an overview of the key security requirements and the main technical elements needed to address them.

Considers the requirement for information security within the domain of online distance learning. A generic module structure is presented which represents a high level abstraction of the different stages of the educational process. Discusses the main security issues that must be considered at each stage. These various requirements are being addressed in practice by the security framework being developed by the SDLearn research project, a collaborative initiative between higher academic establishments in the UK and Germany.

Atlantis University is an ambitious international project in the area of learning and is currently being developed by a group of universities and companies. It combines three different types of learning and teaching to form a single package offered to Students and people in the workplace alike: face‐to‐face learning, e‐learning and project‐based learning. The paper gives an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of the different learning methodologies, and describes the new Atlantis approach. The first practical solutions Atlantis University has developed, namely the Virtual Classroom, ELAT learning environment and Project Service Center, are likewise briefly introduced.

Emerging digital technologies and increasing interest in the computerized delivery of higher education have led to e‐learning through electronic mail, the Internet, the World Wide Web (WWW), and multimedia. Issues such as the confidence with which college faculty integrate technology in their teaching, plagiarism and communication remain as important unresolved questions. Considering these, the marketplace of learners is not responding to e‐learning as anticipated. Understanding the importance of information systems, and of efforts to ensure that faculty use technology, as well as recognition of the marketplace, a framework has been developed for success with e‐learning. Reviews the selected definitions of e‐learning. A critical review of literature is provided with a view to developing a more practical framework for achieving success in e‐learning. Also, some reported case experiences are briefly discussed. Suggestions for future research are presented.

The purpose of this paper is to study the manufacturing of SAC 305 solder paste with multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) before and after structure modification and also to investigate the added carbon nanotubes' influence on the technological properties and the microstructure of “nano” solder pastes. This work is a continuation of similar previous studies of SAC solder pastes with silver nanopowder additions.

The authors applied functionalization and esterification methods for the structural modification of the carbon nanotubes. The “nano” solder paste preparation was performed with the use of a two‐stage method of carbon nanotube dispersion in “own‐manufactured” SAC 305 solder paste. To determine the technological properties of the “nano” solder paste, slump, solder ball, wetting and spreading tests were applied according to the existing standards. Standard metallographic procedures were applied for microstructural analysis.

As expected on the basis of the previous studies of SAC solder pastes with silver nanopowders, positive results were obtained for the own‐manufactured SAC 305 solder paste with carbon nanotubes by applying the dispersion method. Also applied were functionalization and esterification methods, whose results showed microstructural changes in the carbon nanotubes. The “nano” SAC solder pastes showed a positive influence on the slump properties, compared to the basic SAC solder paste. The authors proved a negative influence of the carbon nanotubes' addition (dependent on their concentration) on the spreading and wetting of the SAC solder paste on a copper substrate, which provoked the non‐wetting and dewetting phenomena. A slight improvement was observed for the “nano” SAC solder pastes with modified carbon nanotubes. The carbon nanotubes' presence in the solder paste showed a positive effect on the growth reduction of the IMCs' thickness, which depended on the type.

The authors intend to verify the reinforcement effect of the alloys with carbon nanotubes suggested in the literature (the aim of Part II). For this purpose, an assembly process with RC electronic elements on PCBs with Ni/Au and SAC (HASL) finishes will be performed, with the use of the SAC 305 solder paste with modified carbon nanotubes, for the purpose of reflow soldering. Next, measurements of the mechanical strength of the solder joints and their microstructures will be conducted.

It is suggested that further studies of the mechanical properties and the reliability of solder joints are necessary for the practical implementation of the “nano” SAC solder pastes, but taking into account the wetting data, the investigation should be performed only for “nano” pastes with the lowest additions of modified carbon nanotubes.

The paper demonstrates a method of “nano” solder paste preparation by means of a two‐stage dispersion of carbon nanotubes in the own‐manufactured SAC 305 solder paste and a comparison study of the properties of “nano” pastes with the basic SAC solder paste.

Polymeric parts produced by 3D stereolithography (SL) process have poorer mechanical properties as compared to their counterparts fabricated via conventional methods, such as injection or compression molding. Adding nanofillers in the photopolymer resin for SL could help improve mechanical properties. This study aims to achieve enhancement in mechanical properties of parts fabricated by SL, for functional applications, by using well-dispersed nanofillers in the photopolymers, together with suitable post-processing.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have high strength and Young’s modulus, making them attractive nanofillers. However, dispersion of CNTs in photopolymer is a critical challenge, as they tend to agglomerate easily. Achieving good dispersion is crucial to improve the mechanical properties; thus, suitable dispersion mechanisms and processes are examined. Solvent exchange process was found to improve the dispersion of multiwalled carbon nanotubes in the photopolymer. The UV-absorbing nature of CNTs was also discovered to affect the curing properties. With suitable post processing, coupled with thermal curing, the mechanical properties of SL parts made from CNTs-filled resin improved significantly.

With the addition of 0.25 wt.% CNTs into the photopolymer, tensile stress and elongation of the 3D printed parts increased by 70 and 46 per cent, respectively. With the significant improvement, the achieved tensile strength is comparable to parts manufactured by conventional methods.

This allows functional parts to be manufactured using SL.

In this paper, an improved procedure to incorporate CNTs into the photopolymer was developed. Furthermore, because of strong UV-absorption nature of CNTs, curing properties of photopolymer and SL parts with and without CNT fillers were studied. Optimized curing parameters were determined and additional post-processing step for thermal curing was discovered as an essential step in order to further enhance the mechanical properties of SL composite parts.

This study aims to analyze the effect of entrepreneurs’ improvisational behavior on business risk-taking and opportunity recognition, as well as to analyze its subsequent impact on firm performance. Moreover, this study examined whether the effect of entrepreneurs’ improvisational behavior on business risk-taking and opportunity recognition could be moderated by firm size and the business experience of entrepreneurs.

Online survey data were collected from 304 firms in Thailand that were randomly selected from a business directory. The data were assessed using partial least squares structural modeling.

The results confirmed that entrepreneurs who exhibited high levels of improvisational behavior tended to report that their firms engaged more actively in risk-taking and opportunity recognition. Moreover, risk-taking and opportunity recognition played a chain mediating effect in explaining the association between the improvisational behavior of entrepreneurs and firm performance. Regarding the moderating effects, this paper found that firm size negatively moderated the effect of improvisational behavior on risk-taking and opportunity recognition, while business experience of entrepreneurs only positively moderated the effect of improvisational behavior on risk-taking.

This study provided new knowledge by showing that improvisational behavior of entrepreneurs should be integrated with other firm advantages determined by firm size and the business experience of entrepreneurs to strengthen the ability to be more effective at risk-taking and opportunity recognition.

Examines the seventeenth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects discussed include cotton fabric processing, asbestos substitutes, textile adjuncts to cardiovascular surgery, wet textile processes, hand evaluation, nanotechnology, thermoplastic composites, robotic ironing, protective clothing (agricultural and industrial), ecological aspects of fibre properties – to name but a few! There would appear to be no limit to the future potential for textile applications.

The purpose of this paper was to determine the factors that enable entrepreneurial opportunity recognition and the significant role of education and training in enhancing opportunity recognition.

This paper follows a systematic literature review method to answer the research questions. A systematic literature review allows us to determine the work carried out to date, how it was done, assess literature and report all relevant research. The authors have used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic and Meta-Analysis procedure.

The findings of this study showed that prior knowledge, social networks, external environment, entrepreneurial alertness, creativity, self-efficacy and entrepreneurial passion are the main factors that play a role in the opportunity recognition process. The authors were also able to establish the importance of education and training in enhancing opportunity recognition. Experiential learning is at the forefront of education methods used to improve prior knowledge and experience that directly impact the ability to recognize entrepreneurial opportunities.

The paper provides human resource development practitioners and entrepreneurship educators with factors that determine entrepreneurial opportunity recognition. It pinpoints the factors that can be exploited in enhancing employees and novice entrepreneurs’ ability to recognize viable entrepreneurial opportunities.

Opportunity recognition is recognized as the first step in the entrepreneurship process. Therefore, it is crucial for entrepreneurs to have the ability to recognize opportunities that are viable. Understanding the factors that contribute to a successful opportunity recognition is important. In addition, the role of education and training in opportunity recognition and enhancing entrepreneurial opportunity recognition cannot be overlooked.

This paper aims to investigate effects of acrylic functionalisation of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on properties of carbon nanotubes/epoxy nanocomposites.

A number of analytical techniques, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy, were used to assess the effects of acid treatment on MWCNTs. Ultraviolet-curable coatings were fabricated by sonication and cast moulding process. The mechanical properties of MWCNTs/epoxy composites at different weight fractions were evaluated by performing tensile tests and dynamic mechanical analysis tests. Also, gel contents were examined.

It was found that addition of nanotubes monomer to epoxy formulations had significant effect on the viscoelastic and mechanical properties.

Improving dispersion and alignment of MWCNTs in the composite matrix will contribute to the development of resin/MWCNTs nanocomposites and promote the applications.

The paper establishes a method to introduce MWCNTs into epoxy matrix as a monomer to enhance the photo curable and dispersion properties of the MWCNT/epoxy films.