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Article
Publication date: 15 February 2024

Manager Rajdeo Singh, Aditya Prakash Kanth, Madhuri Sawant and Rajesh Ragde

The present work highlights the outstanding properties of Cannabis sativa that can be harnessed for various utilitarian functions and its climate friendly properties.

Abstract

Purpose

The present work highlights the outstanding properties of Cannabis sativa that can be harnessed for various utilitarian functions and its climate friendly properties.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the authors reviewed current research on all possible utilities from household work to manufacturing of various products that are environmentally sustainable. The authors have presented some of their research on this materials and also exploration of hemp as an archaeological material based on the findings from wall paintings of Ellora caves.

Findings

There are references of hemp use in mixing with earthen/lime plaster of western Indian monuments. Around 1,500 years of Ellora’s earthen plaster, despite harsh climatic conditions, survived due to the presence of hemp in the plaster that adds durability, fibrosity and its capacity to ward off insects and control humidity. Furthermore, the outstanding quality of Cannabis as carbon sequestrant was harnessed by Indians of ancient times in Ellora mural paintings.

Research limitations/implications

This work discusses some relevant literature on the potential use of hempcrete aligned with Agenda 2030 of sustainable development goals.

Practical implications

There are several research going on in producing sustainable materials using hemp that have the least environmental impact and can provide eco-friendly solutions.

Social implications

The authors impress upon the readers about multifarious utility of the hemp and advices for exploration of this material to address many environmental issues.

Originality/value

This paper presents both review of the existing papers and some components coming directly from their laboratory investigations.

Details

Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2044-1266

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 14 December 2023

Nausheen Bibi Jaffur, Pratima Jeetah and Gopalakrishnan Kumar

The increasing accumulation of synthetic plastic waste in oceans and landfills, along with the depletion of non-renewable fossil-based resources, has sparked environmental…

Abstract

The increasing accumulation of synthetic plastic waste in oceans and landfills, along with the depletion of non-renewable fossil-based resources, has sparked environmental concerns and prompted the search for environmentally friendly alternatives. Biodegradable plastics derived from lignocellulosic materials are emerging as substitutes for synthetic plastics, offering significant potential to reduce landfill stress and minimise environmental impacts. This study highlights a sustainable and cost-effective solution by utilising agricultural residues and invasive plant materials as carbon substrates for the production of biopolymers, particularly polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), through microbiological processes. Locally sourced residual materials were preferred to reduce transportation costs and ensure accessibility. The selection of suitable residue streams was based on various criteria, including strength properties, cellulose content, low ash and lignin content, affordability, non-toxicity, biocompatibility, shelf-life, mechanical and physical properties, short maturation period, antibacterial properties and compatibility with global food security. Life cycle assessments confirm that PHB dramatically lowers CO2 emissions compared to traditional plastics, while the growing use of lignocellulosic biomass in biopolymeric applications offers renewable and readily available resources. Governments worldwide are increasingly inclined to develop comprehensive bioeconomy policies and specialised bioplastics initiatives, driven by customer acceptability and the rising demand for environmentally friendly solutions. The implications of climate change, price volatility in fossil materials, and the imperative to reduce dependence on fossil resources further contribute to the desirability of biopolymers. The study involves fermentation, turbidity measurements, extraction and purification of PHB, and the manufacturing and testing of composite biopolymers using various physical, mechanical and chemical tests.

Details

Innovation, Social Responsibility and Sustainability
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83797-462-7

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 December 2023

Prashant Anerao, Atul Kulkarni and Yashwant Munde

This paper aims to investigate the current state of biocomposites used in fused deposition modelling (FDM) with a focus on their mechanical characteristics.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the current state of biocomposites used in fused deposition modelling (FDM) with a focus on their mechanical characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

The study presents a variety of biocomposite materials that have been used in filaments for 3D printing by different researchers. The process of making filaments is then described, followed by a discussion of the process parameters associated with the FDM.

Findings

To achieve better mechanical properties of 3D-printed parts, it is essential to optimize the process parameters of FDM while considering the characteristics of the biocomposite material. Polylactic acid is considered the most promising matrix material due to its biodegradability and lower cost. Moreover, the use of natural fibres like hemp, flax and sugarcane bagasse as reinforcement to the polymer in FDM filaments improves the mechanical performance of printed parts.

Originality/value

The paper discusses the influence of critical process parameters of FDM like raster angle, layer thickness, infill density, infill pattern and extruder temperature on the mechanical properties of 3D-printed biocomposite.

Details

Rapid Prototyping Journal, vol. 30 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2546

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 March 2024

Natalie Todak

This study explores how police culture is experienced by women officers serving in positions where they are significantly underrepresented (i.e. leadership and elite specialty…

Abstract

Purpose

This study explores how police culture is experienced by women officers serving in positions where they are significantly underrepresented (i.e. leadership and elite specialty units) and the environmental factors that shape these experiences.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative analysis of transcripts from interviews with 71 women serving in male-dominated roles was conducted (N = 39 ranking women; N = 32 women on elite units).

Findings

Participants described five occupational, organizational and assignment-level factors that shaped their workplace experiences. While some contextual forces at play are similar for women working patrol (e.g. traditional police culture, the underrepresentation of women in law enforcement) unique position-level factors were also identified (e.g. the high-risk and consequential nature of the work).

Practical implications

While the cultural environment for women patrol officers has improved in the past few decades, the same cannot be said for women working in positions that are still dominated by men. More attention to this area of policing is needed to ensure gender diversity is achieved throughout organizations and not only in positions deemed suitable for women.

Originality/value

The study extends research on women in policing beyond the focus on patrol. Further, it explores the assignment- and rank-based perspectives of police culture, which are largely absent from the literature.

Details

Policing: An International Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-951X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 October 2023

Oluseyi Julius Adebowale and Justus Ngala Agumba

The United Nations has demonstrated a commitment to preserving the ecosystem through its 2030 sustainable development goals agenda. One crucial objective of these goals is to…

Abstract

Purpose

The United Nations has demonstrated a commitment to preserving the ecosystem through its 2030 sustainable development goals agenda. One crucial objective of these goals is to promote a healthy ecosystem and discourage practices that harm it. Building materials production significantly contributes to the emissions of greenhouse gases. This poses a threat to the ecosystem and prompts a growing demand for sustainable building materials (SBMs). The purpose of this study is to investigate SBMs to determine their utilization in construction operations and the potential impact their application could have on construction productivity.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic review of the existing literature in the field of SBMs was conducted for the study. The search strings used were “sustainable” AND (“building” OR “construction”) AND “materials” AND “productivity”. A total of 146 articles were obtained from the Scopus database and reviewed.

Findings

Bio-based, cementitious and phase change materials were the main categories of SBMs. Materials in these categories have the potential to substantially contribute to sustainability in the construction sector. However, challenges such as availability, cost, expertise, awareness, social acceptance and resistance to innovation must be addressed to promote the increased utilization of SBMs and enhance construction productivity.

Originality/value

Many studies have explored SBMs, but there is a dearth of studies that address productivity in the context of SBMs, which leaves a gap in understanding. This study addresses this gap by drawing on existing studies to determine the potential implications that using SBMs could have on construction productivity.

Details

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology , vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1726-0531

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 July 2023

Smart E. Otu, Macpherson Uchenna Nnam, Mary Juachi Eteng, Ijeoma Mercy Amugo and Babatunde Michel Idowu

The purpose of this study is to examine the politics, political economy, and fallout of hawkish regulatory policy on prescription drugs in Nigeria. Hawkish regulatory policy on…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the politics, political economy, and fallout of hawkish regulatory policy on prescription drugs in Nigeria. Hawkish regulatory policy on prescription drug in Nigeria, such as opioid analgesics, is a very complex and multifaceted one, which usually involves the interplay of many factors and parties.

Design/methodology/approach

Policy manuals, official government gazettes (legislations, regulations, Acts and decrees), academic literature and a direct ethnographic observation of events surrounding the regulation of prescription drugs were reviewed and engaged.

Findings

The results revealed that Nigerian and global political economy and politics interface to define the direction of the new restrictive opioid policy, with resultant friction between prohibition and consumption. The reviews showed that the overarching “get-tough” and “repressive” policy are not necessarily founded on empirical evidence of an increase in prescription drug sales or use, but more as a product of the interplay of both internal and external politics and the prevailing socioeconomic order.

Practical implications

Instead of borrowing extensively from or being influenced by repressive Western drug laws and perspectives, Nigerian policymakers on prescription opioids should take control of the process by drawing up a home-grown policy that is less intrusive and punitive in nature for better outcomes. A mental sea change is required to understand the intrigues of Western power in Nigeria’s politics and political economy to avoid the continuous symptomatic failure of drug policy.

Originality/value

The politics and economic influence of the United Nations, USA and Western powers, as well as the axiom of moral panic of prescription drugs scares within the Nigerian environment, are particularly significant in the making of the emerging hawkish policy on prescription drugs in Nigeria.

Details

Drugs, Habits and Social Policy, vol. 24 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2752-6739

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 October 2023

Soumyadeep Bandyopadhyay and Kadumbri Kriti Randev

The purpose of this paper is to explore the different contextual and psychological determinants of organisational resilience (OR) in the context of global mobility in…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the different contextual and psychological determinants of organisational resilience (OR) in the context of global mobility in multinational enterprises (MNEs). Banking upon the conservation of resources theory, this paper studies how and when reattachment to work (RTW), work engagement (WE) and two types of presenteeism lead to OR. Further, in the backdrop of the post-pandemic world of work, this paper also conceptualises the conditional effects of trait resilience (TR), organisational support (OS) and expatriation type (ET) on the aforementioned linkages.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper develops a conceptual framework that depicts various antecedents of OR in MNEs. Several testable propositions are also offered alongside the model’s moderated mediation and moderated moderation relationships.

Findings

The conceptual framework depicts the causal relationships between RTW and OR, such that Flexible RTW increases OR through higher WE and functional presenteeism under the conditional influences of TR, OS and ET, whereas rigid RTW decreases OR through lower WE and dysfunctional presenteeism under the conditional effects of TR, OS and ET.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first of its kind that explores the psychological and contextual antecedents of the OR of MNEs and offers numerous testable propositions. The nexus of unique relationships presented in the conceptual framework bridges a crucial gap in the literature that explores the complexities of the post-pandemic workplace in the context of global mobility.

Details

International Journal of Organizational Analysis, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1934-8835

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 26 April 2024

Jennifer A. Kurth and Alison L. Zagona

Values have long guided special education services and supports for students with extensive support needs; over the past four decades, those values have been backed by research…

Abstract

Values have long guided special education services and supports for students with extensive support needs; over the past four decades, those values have been backed by research evidence demonstrating the critical nature of values related to inclusive education, self-determination, and seeking strengths and assets. In this chapter, we investigate these values and their supporting research, documenting strengths and needs in extant research. We emphasize the need to continue to embrace and maintain these values while pursuing research that addresses research gaps while centering the priorities, perspectives, and preferences of people with extensive support needs.

Article
Publication date: 26 March 2024

Scott W. Phillips and Tammy Rinehart Kochel

Active shooter incidents have risen considerably in recent years, elevating public and law enforcement focus on improving response to these incidents. The contemporary policy for…

Abstract

Purpose

Active shooter incidents have risen considerably in recent years, elevating public and law enforcement focus on improving response to these incidents. The contemporary policy for reacting to an active shooter event is for the officers who first arrive on the scene to move quickly to engage and neutralize a shooter, prioritizing victim safety and minimizing loss of life. This study provides a preliminary understanding of the police view regarding their role in active shooter events and their experiences with active shooter training.

Design/methodology/approach

We conducted a survey of 413 sworn personnel across three US cities. Analyses examine differences in officers’ training experiences across the agencies and predictors of a sense of duty to prioritize victims’ lives over that of officers.

Findings

Officers’ training experiences differed by agency, yet most officers supported a duty to sacrifice their lives to prioritize victims’ safety during active shooter incidents. Officers with more years of experience have lower odds of supporting a duty to sacrifice their lives to save victims during an active shooter situation relative to less experienced officers. Respondents who recall officer safety among the top three most memorable topics from their recent active shooter training also have lower odds of supporting a duty to sacrifice.

Originality/value

The authors add knowledge about police officers’ experiences with active shooter training and officers’ opinions about their role in responding to active shooter incidents. We discuss implications of the findings relative to police culture and training and suggest directions for future research.

Details

Policing: An International Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-951X

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 26 April 2024

Emmanuel Intsiful and Ato Essuman

In the 21st century, placing higher education institutions in the global world has become the norm. Therefore, many higher education institutions in Ghana and across the globe…

Abstract

In the 21st century, placing higher education institutions in the global world has become the norm. Therefore, many higher education institutions in Ghana and across the globe have set out to internationalise or become world-class universities as part of their strategic ambitions. Thus, finding ways to become visible on a global scale and transcend beyond the countries in which they operate has become of major interest to most universities. The authors of this chapter were curious to determine how universities adopt imported organisational templates as a strategic ambition. One should not assume that the semblance of such imported concepts is mere institutional isomorphism stemming from internationalisation and globalisation. The study employed semi-structured interviews and institutional documents as data collection tools among ten (10) university actors in a flagship university in Ghana. The study used postcolonial theory to critically examine the drivers and current practices embedded in dominant hegemonic global discourses, such as internationalisation. The findings revealed that the drivers and reforms underpinning university internationalisation ambition are framed within economic rationalities, producing human capital, self-marketisation to promote visibility, and a quest for global competition couched within global neoliberal ideology. The study recommends the need for university actors to (re)focus and (re)evaluate university internationalisation discourse to ensure a balance between local relevance and global forces.

Details

Critical Reflections on the Internationalisation of Higher Education in the Global South
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80455-779-2

Keywords

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