Search results
21 – 30 of 421Min Lu, Zixuan Yang and Guowei He
This paper aims to propose a new method for robust simulations of passive heat transfer in two-fluid flows with high volumetric heat capacity contrasts.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to propose a new method for robust simulations of passive heat transfer in two-fluid flows with high volumetric heat capacity contrasts.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper implements a prediction–correction scheme to evolve the volumetric heat capacity. In the prediction substep, the volumetric heat capacity is evolved together with the temperature. The bounded downwind version of compressive interface capturing scheme for arbitrary meshes and central difference scheme are used for the spatial discretization of the advection and diffusion terms of the heat transfer equation, respectively. In the correction substep, the volumetric heat capacity is updated in accordance with the interface captured by using a coupled level-set and volume-of-fluid method to capture the interface dynamics precisely.
Findings
The proposed method is verified by simulating the advection of a hot droplet with high volumetric heat capacity, a stationary air–water tank with temperature variation between top and bottom walls and heat transfer during wave plunging at
Originality/value
To ensure the numerical stability, this paper solves an additional conservative form of volumetric heat capacity equation along with the conservative form of temperature equation by using consistent spatial-discretization and temporal-integration schemes.
Details
Keywords
Dut Van Vo, Phú Gia Minh Phạm and Tri Giac Nguyen
This study aims to study the moderating effects of private ownership and government support on the relationship between outsourcing and product innovation in entrepreneurial…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to study the moderating effects of private ownership and government support on the relationship between outsourcing and product innovation in entrepreneurial ventures in a transition economy.
Design/methodology/approach
The data of 10,296 Vietnamese entrepreneurial ventures from the four rounds of the survey conducted by the General Statistics Office (GSO) of Vietnam to investigate the moderating effects of private ownership and government support on the association between outsourcing and entrepreneurial ventures’ product innovation performance. The Probit regression model is employed to estimate such associations.
Findings
Our research uncovered that the impact of outsourcing on the likelihood of product innovation is more significant for entrepreneurial operations characterized by a substantial degree of private ownership and government backing as opposed to those without.
Research limitations/implications
The results of our research indicated that the resource-based perspective and extended resource-based view (ERBV) are essential in examining the impact of gaining resources or skills from external sources on the growth of entrepreneurial enterprises. These ideas have significance and importance not just in industrialized economies but also in countries undergoing transition. Our findings suggest that entrepreneurial enterprises should have the ability to manage a wide range of resources and make decisions about which activities should be handled internally and which should be delegated to other parties.
Practical implications
Our findings also imply that entrepreneurial ventures should be able to control many resources and choose which tasks should be performed in-house and which should be outsourced to third parties.
Originality/value
By adopting and leveraging the resource-based view (RBV) and extended resource-based views (ERBV), our study developed a theoretical model about private ownership and government support for moderate outsourcing’s impact on entrepreneurial innovation in a transition economy.
Details
Keywords
Despite the growing importance of young, entrepreneurial ventures in modern economic systems, many such ventures fail quite early in their lifecycles. While both evolutionary…
Abstract
Despite the growing importance of young, entrepreneurial ventures in modern economic systems, many such ventures fail quite early in their lifecycles. While both evolutionary theory and organizational learning theory yield important insights for the literature on young venture survival, questions remain as to why ventures facing similar environments experience differential rates of survival. In response, I propose a theory of entrepreneurial agency – defined as the emergence and/or transformation of firms, markets, industries governed by the evolving interaction of temporally situated, intentional strategic action with a malleable external environment – to complement prevailing viewpoints on the causes of young venture survival. My central thesis in this chapter is that to develop more comprehensive explanations of differential survival rates, a theory of entrepreneurial agency – illuminating the transformative potential of entrepreneurial action – is necessary to complement evolutionary perspectives in the literature on firm survival. With this objective in mind, I construct a theoretical model linking diverse perspectives on the duality of human agency and theories of environmental selection, and offer several theoretical and empirical suggestions to guide future research.
Details
Keywords
External factors such as global competition and new technologies, require organizations to be innovative. Such organizational innovations also ask for innovative human resource…
Abstract
Purpose
External factors such as global competition and new technologies, require organizations to be innovative. Such organizational innovations also ask for innovative human resource management (HRM). However, in the current literature, it is not completely clear what innovative HRM means, as it is conceptualized in different ways. This study aims to provide clarity about innovative HRM by suggesting a new measurement scale; formulating hypotheses about some core determinants of innovative HRM; and investigating how innovative HRM relates to organizational innovation.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a sample of 719 Dutch organizations it was possible to investigate the properties of the inventory and examining several determinants of innovative HRM and how it relates to organizational innovation.
Findings
The innovative HRM scale is internally consistent and differs from other HRM indicators. It is explained by external developments, organizational size and stability of the organization. Finally, innovative HRM is a predictor of organizational innovation.
Originality/value
The measure that was developed in this paper is new to the literature. Innovative HRM has not been measured in a similar way to date. Besides that, the innovative HRM Survey is a novel data set.
Details
Keywords
Hala Al-Fulaij, Andrea Cipollina, Giorgio Micale, Hisham Ettouney and David Bogle
The purpose of this study is to focus on simulation of wire mesh demisters in multistage flash desalination (MSF) plants. The simulation is made by the use of computational fluid…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to focus on simulation of wire mesh demisters in multistage flash desalination (MSF) plants. The simulation is made by the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software.
Design/methodology/approach
A steady state and two-dimensional (2D) model was developed to simulate the demister. The model employs an Eulerian-Eulerian approach to simulate the flow of water vapor and brine droplets in the demister. The computational domain included three zones, which are the vapor space above and below the demister and the demister. The demister zone was modeled as a tube bank arrange or as a porous media.
Findings
Sensitivity analysis of the model showed the main parameters that affect demister performance are the vapor velocity and the demister permeability. On the other hand, the analysis showed that the vapor temperature has no effect on the pressure drop across the demister.
Research limitations/implications
The developed model was validated against previous literature data as well as real plant data. The analysis shows good agreement between model prediction and data.
Originality/value
This work is the first in the literature to simulate the MSF demister using CFD modeling. This work is part of a group effort to develop a comprehensive CFD simulation for the entire flashing stage of the MSF process, which would provide an extremely efficient and inexpensive design and simulation tool to the desalination community.
Details
Keywords
Roberto Esposti, Matteo Fastigi and Elena Viganò
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the emergence of microbreweries in Italy over the last 20 years (period 1993-2014) and assess its main determinants.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the emergence of microbreweries in Italy over the last 20 years (period 1993-2014) and assess its main determinants.
Design/methodology/approach
The recent intense growth is expressed by the increasing number of entries in the sector actually accompanied, in most recent years, by an increasing number of exits. The paper proposes a quantitative assessment of this entry-exit dynamics through a sequence of econometric models known as survival models.
Findings
Together with two other orders of possible determinants (idiosyncratic characteristics and the exogenous evolution of the beer market), the paper assesses the role played by specific geographical and local factors within these dynamics. Estimation results show that, whereas market force and individual features unquestionably affect entry and exit choices, geographical and local factors are of limited relevance, especially for the recent entry dynamics.
Originality/value
Although the literature on the so-called craft beer revolution is already vast and increasing, the novel contribution of the paper concerns the specificity (if any) of the Italian case and the role of spatial factors in this respect. This investigation is performed adopting an advanced quantitative approach and this attempt is also quite original within this literature.
Details
Keywords
Andrea Mangani and Elisa Tarrini
The purpose of this paper is to study the empirical relationship between specialization, diversification and rate of survival in the digital publishing industry. The sample…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study the empirical relationship between specialization, diversification and rate of survival in the digital publishing industry. The sample includes all publishing companies in Italy that produce electronic content and distribute it through internet platforms.
Design/methodology/approach
The first part of the paper discusses the pros and cons of specialization against diversification, and applies the related economic theories to the digital publishing industry. The empirical work regarding the factors that affect firm survival is reviewed. The second part is empirical and analyzes the diversification strategies of 2,838 Italian digital editors between 1995 and 2014, and the impact of diversification on the probability of survival.
Findings
On the whole, digital publishing companies that are also active in traditional print activities have been constantly declining. However, those who combine print and digital activities or operate other mass media businesses have a higher probability of surviving in the market. These findings hold controlling for firm size and market structure, before and after the economic crisis exploded in 2009, in different geographical areas and by different legal forms of publishing companies.
Research limitations/implications
As the industry often presents country-specific characteristics, the econometric analysis should also be integrated with case studies that highlight particular survival conditions.
Practical implications
The study provides mass media scholars as well as practitioners with detailed information on the digital publishing trends in the medium term.
Originality/value
This research is significant because, in the period under review, many digital native entrepreneurs with scarce experience entered the industry, targeted digital native consumers/readers and challenged traditional and established media conglomerates.
Details
Keywords
Margaret C. Keiper and John Barnes
The purpose of this paper is to determine the effects of initially controllable market factors on franchise success within NBA's Development League (D-League).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to determine the effects of initially controllable market factors on franchise success within NBA's Development League (D-League).
Design/methodology/approach
The open systems theory provided the foundation for analyzing characteristics contributing to small business success, as measured by attendance capacity for NBA D-League teams. Multiple regression analysis was utilized.
Findings
The results of this study indicate specific market characteristics increase franchise success in NBA's D-League. Population, income, facility size and ownership model all influenced attendance capacity.
Research limitations/implications
This study is limited to the teams that have operated in NBA's D-League. Contextual factors related to new business survival are not unique to minor league basketball and can be applied by scholars or professionals to any new business to help understand new business survival.
Practical implications
This research is also useful to cities looking to invest in a professional sports franchise and for all small business owners to understand market characteristics that can contribute to success.
Originality/value
The results from this study significantly contribute to small business literature by being the first empirical study on NBA's D-League.
Details
Keywords
Rafael Gomez, Michael Barry, Alex Bryson, Bruce E. Kaufman, Guenther Lomas and Adrian Wilkinson
The purpose of this paper is to take a serious look at the relationship between joint consultation systems at the workplace and employee satisfaction, while at the same time…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to take a serious look at the relationship between joint consultation systems at the workplace and employee satisfaction, while at the same time accounting for the (possible) interactions with similar union and management-led high commitment strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
Using new, rich data on a representative sample of British workers, the authors identify workplace institutions that are positively associated with employee perceptions of work and relations with management, what in combination the authors call a measure of the “good workplace.” In particular, the authors focus on non-union employee representation at the workplace, in the form of joint consultative committees (JCCs), and the potential moderating effects of union representation and high-involvement human resource (HIHR) practices.
Findings
The authors’ findings suggest a re-evaluation of the role that JCCs play in the subjective well-being of workers even after controlling for unions and progressive HR policies. There is no evidence in the authors’ estimates of negative interaction effects (i.e. that unions or HIHR negatively influence the functioning of JCCs with respect to employee satisfaction) or substitution (i.e. that unions or HIHR are substitutes for JCCs when it comes to improving self-reported worker well-being). If anything, there is a significant and positive three-way moderating effect when JCCs are interacted with union representation and high-involvement management.
Originality/value
This is the first time – to the authors’ knowledge – that comprehensive measures of subjective employee well-being are being estimated with respect to the presence of a JCC at the workplace, while controlling for workplace institutions (e.g. union representation and human resource policies) that are themselves designed to involve and communicate with workers.
Details
Keywords
Uday Salunkhe, Bharath Rajan and V. Kumar
Global crises create an environment that is characterized by a fight for survival by countries, companies and citizens. While firms have adopted business initiatives to ensure…
Abstract
Purpose
Global crises create an environment that is characterized by a fight for survival by countries, companies and citizens. While firms have adopted business initiatives to ensure survival in a global crisis, many measures are geared toward preventing customer churn, declining revenues and eroding market share. Such short-term focus raises an important question regarding long-term survival – how can firms survive a global crisis? The purpose of this study is to investigate how firms can survive a global crisis.
Design/methodology/approach
This study considers pandemics as the study context and uses a triangulation methodology (past research, managerial insights and popular press articles) to advance the organizing framework. Using the process study approach, the proposed framework recognizes the onset characteristics of a global crisis with a focus on pandemics and the government actions that reflect the pandemic onset. The framework also identifies a logical order of three marketplace reactions to the pandemic – management response, consumer response and critical business transformations that ultimately lead to firm survival – and advances related research propositions of such reactions.
Findings
By deploying critical business transformations, firms can ensure firm survival in a pandemic by fostering engagement with customers, employees and resources. Additionally, the moderators that influence the relationships between (1) management response and critical business transformations, (2) consumer response and critical business transformations, and (3) critical business transformations and firm survival are identified. Finally, this study presents an agenda for future research.
Research limitations/implications
To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first study to adopt an interdisciplinary approach to study firm survival in a global crisis such as a pandemic. This study answers the call for more research to the growing field of pandemic research in the areas of marketing research and marketing strategy.
Practical implications
The learnings from this study can help firms on what to anticipate and how to respond in a crisis such as a pandemic.
Social implications
Societal welfare is accounted for as firms plan to deal with a crisis.
Originality/value
This is the first study to propose a strategic framework to deal with a crisis that is largely unanticipated where the duration and the impact is not predictable.
Details