bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Salesforce responsive roles in turbulent times: case studies in agility selling
Authors: Bourguignon Benoit , Boeck Harold , Brashear Alejandro Thomas
Published: July 2021

Purpose

Salespeople are at the forefront of the external environment where they act as the first responders to critical events and their resulting business turbulence. How the salesforce responds to turbulence is, therefore, of great interest both theoretically and in practice. The paper aims to rekindle interest in agility selling, which is the most adequate behavioral sales model to exploit environmental uncertainty.

Design/methodology/approach

An organizational autoethnography complemented with data from in-depth interviews with key salespeople involved in turbulence resulted in the development of eight case studies.

Findings

Salespeople use agility selling through four possible responsive roles. They amplify, innovate, cooperate or mitigate turbulence to exploit its ensuing opportunity or minimize its negative effect for both the supplier and the customer. The article enhances the agility selling model by putting three core abilities in the forefront: (1) forecasting turbulence from critical events, (2) responding to changes quickly and adequately and (3) exploiting changes as opportunities.

Research limitations/implications

The article argues that critical events are the cause of the turbulence that the salesforce must deal with before it hits the dyad. Agility selling represents an untapped research opportunity in business-to-business sales, and sales management, as well as within the overall agile organization.

Practical implications

Sales organizations would greatly benefit in implementing training of agility selling’s core abilities because responsiveness is a valuable tool for salespeople in times of turbulence.

Originality/value

The study is the first to empirically demonstrate the existence of agility selling.
A holistic model of dynamic capabilities and environment management system towards eco-product innovation and sustainability in automobile firms
Authors: Al-Shami Samer , Rashid Nurulizwa
Published: July 2021

Purpose

Environmental pollution has emerged as a major concern in the 21st century following the introduction of sustainable development (SD) by the year 2030, whereby one of the predominant goals is related to the manufacturing industry. In Malaysia, the automotive industry is acknowledged as the backbone driving for economic growth and recognised as a source of environmental deterioration. Therefore, eco-innovation is, thus, introduced as one of the efforts for minimised environmental effects, reduced social impact and firm value sustenance. In particular, eco-product innovation is one of the renowned environmental innovation dimensions and displays high adoption and diffusion rates in developed countries due to green awareness and government financial assistance. However, developing countries such as Malaysia show relatively low adoption of such practices amongst companies, whereby most of the efforts are driven by the governments, supplier and customer demands. Therefore, this paper aims to delineate the factors of voluntary initiatives undertaken by the Malaysian automotive and auto parts industry towards eco-product innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

The research drew from the micro-level perspective, thus using dynamic capabilities (DC) constructs and environmental management system (EMS) strategy variables. The constructs included technology collaboration, green human resources and eco-culture, while the variables denoted formal EMS and top management support. Survey data were obtained from 242 entities within the Malaysian automotive and auto parts industry, which were subjected to analysis via confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling.

Findings

The findings revealed the moderating role played by eco-product innovation for the association linking EMS strategy and sustainability development, while no moderator effects were observed between DC and sustainability development. Thus, future research can be performed in the meso and macro-level areas by using qualitative research across different sectors.

Originality/value

This paper explicates novel literature content, particularly for the field of eco-product innovation; it positions an empirical analysis from the micro-level perspective regarding the antecedence of DC and environmental strategy towards eco-product innovation and SD, mainly in the automotive industry.
The new retail model: global reach demands omni-channels
Authors: Do Vale Guillaume , Collin-Lachaud Isabelle , Lecocq Xavier
Published: July 2021

Purpose

To cope with online competitors and new consumer behaviors, retailers need to hybrid digital and physical offerings to implement an omni-channel business model. This constitutes a digital transformation of the traditional business model. However, business cases on how traditional retailers are shifting from multi-channel to omni-channel retailing are lacking. This paper aims to explore the different issues and organizational paths during the transformation of a business model.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on a qualitative multiple case study of five retailers with a global reach currently implementing an omni-channel business model.

Findings

This research sheds light on three main issues encountered by retailers and the different underlying decisions when moving toward an omni-channel business model. The first relates to revenue attribution across channels, which involves rethinking traditional key performance indicators to give incentives to stores when promoting digital offers. The second issue concerns the supply chain decisions associated with cross-channel operations. The third issue relates to the delicate balance between global reach (digital channel) and local reach (specific store) for communication on social media and marketing decisions on pricing. This study provides empirical evidence about the variety of choices that retailers make to cope with the issues during the implementation of an omni-channel business model.

Originality/value

This work explores the issues faced by established firms when moving toward a new business model that is the hybridization of two existing business model managed separately. It provides comprehensive and clear illustration of how to manage such a business model transformation process that can be used by both business strategy practice and academic research.
The market impact of futures trading by the National Pension Service (NPS) of Korea
Authors: Woo Mincheol , Kim Meong Ae
Published: July 2021

The National Pension Service (NPS) of Korea is one of the largest institutional investors in the world and it has been known as the market stabilizer in the Korean stock market. Nevertheless, it is hard to find the research about the impact of the NPS on the futures market. We investigated the effect of the NPS’s trading KOSPI200 futures on the returns, the liquidity and the volatility of the market using the recent ten years’ transaction data. The main findings are as follows. First, the NPS’s net investment flow (NIF) in the KOSPI200 futures market shows the predictability about the returns of both KOSPI200 futures and KOSPI200 spot index. Second, the NPS’s NIF in the KOSPI200 futures market improves the liquidity of the KOSPI market, where the transactions involved in both the spot market and the futures market occur. Third, the NPS’s NIF in the KOSPI200 futures market reduces the volatility of both the KOSPI200 futures market and the KOSPI market. Unlike the prior studies showing that our futures market tends to increase the volatility of the stock market through the volatility transfer, our finding suggests that the NPS’s trading KOSPI200 futures contributes to decreasing the volatility in both markets. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first study that investigates the impact of the NPS’s trading KOSPI200 futures on the KOSPI200 futures market and the stock market. It shows that the NPS plays a role of the market stabilizer in the futures market. In addition, the NPS’s trading KOSPI200 futures also affects the KOSPI stock market, stabilizing it in terms of both the liquidity and the volatility.
Victim empathy-based content in aggression treatment: exploring impact within a secure forensic hospital
Authors: Nally Thomas , Ireland Jane L. , Greenwood Leah , Ireland Carol A. , Birch Philip
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This study aims to explore the impact of inclusion of victim empathy-based content in offender treatment.

Design/methodology/approach

This study first presents a systematic review of 20 papers before proceeding to consider qualitative interviews with therapists (n = 7) and forensic patients (n = 5), who had completed a long-term violence therapy (Life Minus Violence – Enhanced, LMV-E©). The research explored perceptions of forensic patients and treatment facilitators when completing victim empathy work and explored any negative effects this may have.

Findings

Findings from the systematic review indicated five themes: interventions incorporating victim empathy can be effective; there are positive risk-understanding consequences from completing victim empathy work; offenders perceive victim empathy positively; the emotional impact of victim empathy work on offenders’ is poorly explored; and completing victim empathy in treatment groups receives mixed evaluations from offenders. The systematic review was used to inform the interview themes for the resulting qualitative study with facilitators and forensic patients. This study indicated six themes: victim empathy content facilitates change; victim empathy content can be difficult for patients; victim empathy content can lead to an emotional response; victim empathy content can be beneficial, with the process important; victim empathy content can help understand risk, and patients’ experience of treatment begins before attending sessions.

Practical implications

The potential impact of victim empathy content needs to be evaluated before sessions are completed, accounting for client expectations and treatment readiness. This should include ensuring that appropriate support is in place. Any support provided to patients should be regularly reviewed.

Originality/value

The study represents the first to apply detailed analysis to this topic area and with a complex group.
Customer knowledge management and smart tourism destinations: a framework for the smart management of the tourist experience – SMARTUR
Authors: Muniz Emerson Cleister Lima , Dandolini Gertrudes Aparecida , Biz Alexandre Augusto , Ribeiro Alessandro Costa
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to demonstrate how customer knowledge management (CKM) can assist destination management organizations (DMOs) in the smart management of the tourist experience to contribute to the creation of smart solutions and the promotion of smart tourism destinations (STDs). To accomplish it, a CKM conceptual framework aligned with smart tourism and composed of eight processes is developed to guide managers in this management.

Design/methodology/approach

This research adopts the design science research methodology and applies its steps. It was supported by a systematic integrative literature review on CKM models and frameworks and their main elements, as well as by semi-structured interviews with tourism specialists in the context of Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Findings

From the literature it appears that tourist experiences are customer knowledge essential to the improvement and innovation of tourism products and services, and that CKM, still little explored in this scenario, tends to contribute to the management of this crucial knowledge for smart tourism. The analyses and improvements to the structure developed by specialists show its applicability and contributions to the management of STD experiences.

Originality/value

This paper offers an original contribution to the integration of the theoretical constructs of CKM, tourist experience and STDs by showing how the CKM, from tourism experiences, technologies and social networks, can assist DMOs in the management of experiences and promotion of STDs.
Economic policy uncertainty and audit effort: evidence from audit hours
Authors: Yun Yongsuk , Chun Hongmin
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the association between economic policy uncertainty (EPU) and audit effort by focusing on audit hours. This paper also explores whether significant political uncertainty might amplify the positive association between EPU and audit effort by focusing on Korea.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses 21,543 Korean firm-year observations from 2005 to 2018 in an audit hour determinant model, as well as EPU following Baker et al. (2016) and audit hour to proxy audit effort.

Findings

EPU is positively associated with audit hours, indicating that auditors work more audit hours in response to firms’ high EPU resulting from higher earnings manipulation risk. Further, whether this positive association between EPU and audit effort might be altered by significant political uncertainty is investigated using a presidential election dummy. The empirical results show that auditors work additional audit hours during fiscal years in which presidential elections occur, given high EPU.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper might be the first empirical attempt to use audit hour data with EPU to provide practical implications to academia or auditors.
Dark traits, social loafing and team member exchange: who slacks and when?
Authors: Wilhau Aric J.
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the workplace team member self-reported social loafing (SL) in relation to the dark triad personality traits of Machiavellianism, narcissism and psychopathy. The moderating effect of team member exchange (TMX), a social contextual factor, on each proposed dark trait-SL relationship was also examined. A person X situation interactionist perspective was adopted.

Design/methodology/approach

American employees were recruited to complete surveys consisting of previously published, validated and reliable scales. Correlations and hierarchical regressions were used to test the study hypotheses.

Findings

As hypothesized, all positive dark trait-SL relationships were supported. TMX moderated the Machiavellianism-SL and psychopathy-SL relationships, as hypothesized. Unexpectedly, TMX was not found to moderate the narcissism-SL relationship.

Originality/value

Findings imply increased managerial monitoring costs when supervising employees with elevated levels of dark traits. This is especially so when workers are assigned to team tasks and SL is a concern. To alleviate loafing tendencies, the nurturing of high-quality TMX relations among employees with elevated levels of traits Machiavellianism and psychopathy likely moderates the positive Machiavellianism- and psychopathy-SL relations. The emerging SL literature that accounts for both personality and situation, the dark trait-deviant workplace behavior literature stream and research evidencing the ability of TMX to remedy problematic characteristic behaviors are all extended by the present research.
Investigating the mediating role of market orientation between internal marketing and the development of entrepreneurial orientation within private sports clubs
Authors: Mansouri Hossein , Sadeghi Boroujerdi Saeed , Polonsky Michael , Husin Maizaitulaidawati Md , Seydi Mehdi
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This study examines the role of market orientation in the relationship between internal marketing and entrepreneurial orientation within private sports clubs.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is a descriptive-correlational study based on private sports clubs employees within Iran (Sanandaj). A theoretical model was developed based on the literature and tested using SPSS and PLS-SEM software.

Findings

The findings indicate a positive relationship between internal marketing and employees' entrepreneurial orientation. Market orientation has also played a positive mediating role in the relationship between internal marketing and entrepreneurial orientation.

Originality/value

The results suggest a higher level of market orientation in the organization can increase teamwork and, consequently, entrepreneurship development among employees. This is important in sports clubs as employees have a significant role in the success of the sports club. Club employees' satisfaction, generated through internal marketing, provides is a prerequisite for customer satisfaction. This therefore creates an environment supportive of entrepreneurial orientation in the club.
The Greek version of the Mediterranean diet adherence screener: development and validation
Authors: Michalis Athanasios , Costarelli Vassiliki
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate the Greek version of the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener (MEDAS).

Design/methodology/approach

The MEDAS was translated to the Greek language forward and backward, twice and subsequently was administered to 50 healthy adult participants living in Attica, Greece. The participants had to complete the tool twice, within a period of 15 days. Participants also completed the well-recognized Mediterranean Diet Score (MedDietScore), for comparison purposes with the tested tool. Socioeconomic and anthropometric characteristics were also assessed.

Findings

There was a moderate association between the Greek MEDAS (MEDAS-Gr) and the MedDietScore [(Pearson r = 0.50, p < 0.001; Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC)=0.46, p = 0.015)]. The concordance between these two questionnaires varied between the items (Intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.62 for fruit at the highest and −0.09 for alcohol consumption). The Cronbach’s a coefficient of reliability for the Greek MEDAS was good (a = 0.62). The two administrations of the MEDAS-Gr produced similar mean total scores (7.6 vs 7.9, p = 0.090), which were correlated (r = 0.71, p < 0.001; ICC = 0.85, p < 0.001) and agreed substantially [k statistic (k)=0.72, 95% CI 0.54–0.89, p < 0.001)].

Originality/value

The MEDAS-Gr seems to be a valid tool for assessing adherence to the Mediterranean diet in the Greek population.
Service mantra of the Grameen banks of India in the post-merger era
Authors: Das Sulagna
Published: July 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to find out the performance of the Grameen Banks of West Bengal after their merger.

Design/methodology/approach

The objective of the paper is to measure the performance of Paschim Banga Gramin Bank (PBGB) and Bangiya Gramin Vikash Bank (BGVB) after their amalgamation, to compare the performance of PBGB and BGVB, using the key performance indicators and to analyze the future scope of these two banks. The factors that are considered for this study are number of branches (if these banks could reach maximum of the rural mass), number of staffs (if these banks generated employment after the merger), investments, deposits, composition of total funds (owned funds and borrowed funds), lending services, productivity per branch and per staff, etc. The study uses statistical tools to analyze the data.

Findings

It has been observed that there exists a significant difference in the “Branch Network” of PBGB and BGVB. A significant difference has been observed in the “Number of Staffs” of PBGB and BGVB. It has been found that there is a significant difference in the “three type of funds” of PBGB and BGVB. It has been found that there is a significant difference in the “Investments” of PBGB and BGVB. A significant difference has been observed in the “Deposits” of PBGB and BGVB. It has been found that there is a significant difference in the “Outstanding Loan” amount of PBGB and BGVB. It has been observed that there is a significant difference in the “Loan Issued” amount of PBGB and BGVB. It has been found that there is no significant difference in the Productivity “Per Branch” and “Per Employee” of PBGB and BGVB.

Research limitations/implications

The study is based on the published/secondary data and is restricted to two Regional Rural Banks of West Bengal, the PBGB and the BGVB, for nine years, 2012–2020.

Social implications

The paper will help the future researchers, to know the performance of the Grameen Banks for the study period; this will help them to carry on with the study in the future.

Originality/value

The work is original and never sent to anywhere else for publication.
Business owners’ features and access to entrepreneurial resources: new insights for accelerator acceptance
Authors: Ermilina Veronika , Farrell Matthew , Askarzadeh Fatemeh , Zhang Jing
Published: July 2021

Purpose

For new ventures, access to entrepreneurship assistantship is the main source of growth and innovativeness. Accelerators, a growing provider of entrepreneurial resources, offer such assistantship. This study aims to identify several factors that might account for a startup’s acceptance of accelerator programs. Particularly, this paper examines the impact of a lead founder’s country of birth, gender and education on accelerator acceptance.

Design/methodology/approach

This study tests the framework with logit regression for a sample of 10,298 observations for startups in 166 countries over 2016–2018.

Findings

This study finds that entrepreneurs from developing countries are less likely to be accepted by accelerators than entrepreneurs from developed economies. Counterintuitively, this study also finds an advantage for female entrepreneurs in accelerator acceptance. Further, the results suggest a positive impact on education. Building on signaling theory, this paper argues and shows that accelerators do not evaluate applicants uniformly.

Practical implications

Our comparative study enhances business owners’ insight for application to entrepreneurial resources and has meaningful implications for women’s entrepreneurship. For policy-making purposes, this study offers more insight on economic development for entrepreneurs’ access to global resources.

Originality/value

Despite the extant literature demonstrating the benefits of accelerators, determinants of acceptance to these programs, particularly at the individual level, are underexplored. This is the first study that shows the rarely acknowledged link between a lead founder’s country of birth, gender and education level on accelerator acceptance. Here, this study extends entrepreneurship literature and shows some sources of variation in access to international accelerator programs.
The influence of porosity, crystallinity and interlayer adhesion on the tensile strength of 3D printed polylactic acid (PLA)
Authors: von Windheim Natalia , Collinson David W. , Lau Trent , Brinson L. Catherine , Gall Ken
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to understand how printing parameters and subsequent annealing impacts porosity and crystallinity of 3D printed polylactic acid (PLA) and how these structural characteristics impact the printed material’s tensile strength in various build directions.

Design/methodology/approach

Two experimental studies were used, and samples with a flat vs upright print orientation were compared. The first experiment investigates a scan of printing parameters and annealing times and temperatures above the cold crystallization temperature (Tcc) for PLA. The second experiment investigates annealing above and below Tcc at multiple points over 12 h.

Findings

Annealing above Tcc does not significantly impact the porosity but it does increase crystallinity. The increase in crystallinity does not contribute to an increase in strength, suggesting that co-crystallization across the weld does not occur. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images show that weld interfaces between printed fibers are still visible after annealing above Tcc, confirming the lack of co-crystallization. Annealing below Tcc does not significantly impact porosity or crystallinity. However, there is an increase in tensile strength. AFM images show that annealing below Tcc reduces thermal stresses that form at the interfaces during printing and slightly “heals” the as-printed interface resulting in an increase in tensile strength.

Originality/value

While annealing has been explored in the literature, it is unclear how it affects porosity, crystallinity and thermal stresses in fused filament fabrication PLA and how those factors contribute to mechanical properties. This study explains how co-crystallization across weld interfaces is necessary for crystallinity to increase strength and uses AFM as a technique to observe morphology at the weld.
Forming feasibility and interface microstructure of Al/Cu bimetallic structure fabricated by laser powder bed fusion
Authors: Guan Jieren , Wang Qiuping , Chen Chao , Xiao Jingyu
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze and investigate heat accumulation caused by temperature changes and interface microstructure effected by element diffusion.

Design/methodology/approach

Al/Cu bimetallic structure is initially manufactured through laser powder bed fusion process. To minimize trial and error, finite element modeling is adopted to simulate temperature changes on the Al-based and Cu-based substrate.

Findings

The results show that forming pure copper on Al-based substrate can guarantee heat accumulation, providing enough energy for subsequent building. The instantaneous laser energy promotes increase of diffusion activation energy, resulting in the formation of transition zone derived from interdiffusion between Al and Cu atoms. The interface with a thickness of about 22 µm dominated by Kirkendall effect moves towards Al-rich side. The interface microstructure is mainly composed of a-Al, a-Cu and CuAl2 phase.

Originality/value

The bonding mechanism of Al/Cu interface is atom diffusion-induced chemical reaction. The theoretical basis provides guidance for structural design and production application.
Determinants of climate financing and the moderating effect of politics: evidence from Bangladesh
Authors: Bae Seong Mi , Masud Md. Abdul Kaium , Rashid Md. Harun Ur , Kim Jong Dae
Published: July 2021

Purpose

There was no previous firm-level empirical research to examine cross-sectional differences in climate financing. The purpose of this study is to determine the key elements of the climate investment decision by business management. The study also explores how politics and media influence corporate climate investment decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

The study incorporates a theoretical lens of institutional, stakeholder and media setting agenda to explain the relationship of climate finance with political connection and media influence along with other institutional and firm-specific variables. The sample of the study is collected from the financial sector firms that financed climate/green projects. In total, 178 firm-year observations are documented during 2014–2018. The unbalanced panel data model uses a fixed effect and a 2SLS regression model to test a set of hypotheses. The study uses several alternate methods to check and verify the reliability of the study.

Findings

The empirical findings show that climate finance is positively and significantly associated with Islamic Sharīʿah and media visibility, and negatively and significantly related to financial constraints. Moreover, the empirical results document that listing regulation has no significant influence on climate investment. The political connection plays a negative moderating role between media and climate finance. The result indicates that if a former or current politician is on the board, the media’s positive impact on climate financing diminishes.

Practical implications

The study has significant managerial implications especially to the regulatory bodies, business management and policymakers. The central bank in the developing countries needs to take into consideration the finding of the study promoting climate/environmental/green finance and investment. Islamic Sharīʿah promotes climate finance that would be a prominent indicator for Islamic financial institutions.

Social implications

Politics can deter positive decisions on climate financing such that it negatively influences the media’s role of a watchdog of the society in developing countries. Climate investment would be an important mechanism to reduce carbon emissions and environmental hazards and to solve many social problems.

Originality/value

The study provides first-ever firm-level evidence of the determinants of climate finance and investment that has a significant value in the area of climate change and green investment by the financial firms.
Airline quality assessment towards strategic tourism management improvements
Authors: Albuquerque André Philippi Gonzaga de , Melo Fagner José Coutinho de , Dumke de Medeiros Denise
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to compare the results of customer satisfaction indices (SI) in the literature and to propose equations to show that the reverse attribute needs to be taken into account in these calculations owing to its impact on customer satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

To propose equations that take into account all types of quality attributes and in opposition to the models proposed by Berger (1993) and Wang (2013), in this work, a questionnaire adapted from the Kano model was developed, using the dimensions of the SERVQUAL model and applied to tourists who use the airline service. Data collection was carried out through social media, obtaining 694 responses.

Findings

The findings show that the attributes considered as reverse were linked to the delay in the service late check-in, delay in the dispatch of luggage, delay in on-board service and take-off delay, generating dissatisfaction among tourists. Moreover, the same database used to compare the results of the dissatisfaction indices of Berger (1993) and Wang (2013) showed inconsistencies reinforcing the gap that this research intends to close. After the proposal of the SI made by the authors of the present research it was possible to verify the confirmation regarding the definition of reverse attribute developed by the Kano model, reinforcing that the customer satisfaction decreases with the presence of reverse attribute.

Originality/value

The originality of this research seeks to contribute to the academic literature and organizational practices by investigating a gap in the SI proposed by Berger et al. (1993) for not inserting the reverse attributes and, later, studied by Wang (2013). Furthermore, this research uses the Kano questionnaire as an input to assist in the correct identification and evaluation of all attributes present in the service offered.
Effect of the threaded nozzle on delamination and surface texture of PEEK CF30 composite machined by abrasive jet
Authors: Balasubramanian M. , Madhu S.
Published: July 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to bring out the machining characteristics of abrasive jet machining on carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastic composites utilized in aerospace and biomedical applications. Biocompatibility materials such as carbon fibres and polyether thermoplastics, like polyether ether ketone (PEEK) are widely used in trauma and orthopaedic surgery. Due to the heterogeneity, layered construction of reinforcing phase bonds with a resin matrix and abrasiveness of the reinforcing fibre, traditional drilling of carbon fibre-reinforced composites (CFRPs) are always challenging task.

Design/methodology/approach

An investigation is carried out using abrasive jet machine for drilling PEEK filled with 30 Wt.% carbon fibre (CF 30) using threaded and unthreaded nozzle to study the effect of abrasive jet process variables on surface roughness (Ra) and delamination factor (DF). Pressure (P) and stand-off distance (SOD) as important technological abrasive jet factors were evaluated. It is found that higher abrasive jet pressure and minimum SOD maybe selected to achieve minimum delamination.

Findings

The study further reported that the threaded nozzle minimized the surface roughness by 43% and delamination factor up to 12%.

Originality/value

This study of experimenting and observing the machining characteristics of CF30 by using a threaded nozzle is being tried for the first time and the results are deliberated.
Male size and reproductive performance in three species of livebearing fishes (Gambusia spp.): A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Kim Bora , Moran Nicholas Patrick , Reinhold Klaus , Sánchez‐Tójar Alfredo
Published: July 2021

The genus Gambusia represents approximately 45 species of polyandrous livebearing fishes with reversed sexual size dimorphism (i.e. males smaller than females) and with copulation predominantly via male coercion. Male body size has been suggested as an important sexually selected trait, but despite abundant research, evidence for sexual selection on male body size in this genus is mixed.

Studies have found that large males have an advantage in both male–male competition and female choice, but that small males perform sneaky copulations better and at higher frequency and thus may sire more offspring in this coercive mating system. Here, we synthesized this inconsistent body of evidence using pre‐registered methods and hypotheses.

We performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis of summary and primary (raw) data combining both published (n = 19 studies, k = 106 effect sizes) and unpublished effect sizes (n = 17, k = 242) to test whether there is overall selection on male body size across studies in Gambusia. We also tested several specific hypotheses to understand the sources of heterogeneity across effects.

Meta‐analysis revealed an overall positive correlation between male size and reproductive performance (r = 0.23, 95% confidence interval: 0.10–0.35, n = 36, k = 348, 4,514 males, three Gambusia species). Despite high heterogeneity, the large‐male advantage appeared robust across all measures studied (i.e. female choice, mating success, paternity, sperm quantity and quality), and was considerably larger for female choice (r = 0.43, 95% confidence interval: 0.28–0.59, n = 14, k = 43). Meta‐regressions found several important factors explaining heterogeneity across effects, including type of sperm characteristic, male‐to‐female ratio, female reproductive status and environmental conditions. We found evidence of publication bias; however, its influence on our estimates was attenuated by including a substantial amount of unpublished effects, highlighting the importance of open primary data for more accurate meta‐analytic estimates.

In addition to positive selection on male size, our study suggests that we need to rethink the role and form of sexual selection in Gambusia and, more broadly, to consider the ecological factors that affect reproductive behaviour in livebearing fishes.
A Bayesian econometrics and risk programming approach for analysing the impact of decoupled payments in the European Union*
Authors: Basnet Shyam Kumar , Jansson Torbjörn , Heckelei Thomas
Published: July 2021

We estimate a risk‐based programming, individual farm model and apply it to study the wealth effects of crop‐related, decoupled direct payments under the European Union (EU) Common Agricultural Policy. The model expands on previous work on estimating risk‐based programming models by applying a robust Bayesian econometric framework. The results indicate that the wealth effect varies greatly between individual farms, but that its impact on aggregate crop production is small. For larger farms, in particular, removing the decoupled payments, while keeping total land constant, increases the diversity of the cropping plan.
Dreams and COVID‐19
Authors: Di Renzo Magda , Tagliacozzi Bruno
Published: July 2021

This work originates from reflections on the observation of recurring themes in dreams of patients in psychoanalytic treatment during the most restrictive lockdown period in Italy (March ‐ May 2020). The authors focus on the peculiar dialogic state between consciousness and the unconscious that arose following a collective event such as that of the pandemic, which determined the activation of complex personal nuclei, compensatory effects of the unconscious psyche and new perspective functions. These latter aspects are interpreted with reference to the contributions of Erich Neumann, bringing a new psychological vision of the relationship between Man and Nature in relation to catastrophic events.
Reflections on a wounded and bleeding temenos
Authors: Zeiger Robin B.
Published: July 2021

COVID‐19, Black Lives Matter, and financial and political turmoil have uprooted our sense of personal and collective safety and predictability. Analysts are faced with professional and personal challenges, as well as a charge to help make sense of this new normal. This reflective piece focuses on the author’s thoughts on a wounded and bleeding temenos. She grapples with the new reality of analysis carried out via technology (e.g. Zoom or telehealth). The article interweaves personal experiences with theoretical and professional reflections on two Jewish myths that relate to creating temenos or sacred space in the face of ancient disasters. Specifically, she discusses Choni HaMagel, a first‐century BCE Jewish scholar and miracle‐maker who prays for relief from a drought from inside a sacred circle. She also tells the tale of four Chassidic Rebbes who face crisis from a sacred space in the forest. The author frames this piece with two personal and numinous dreams dreamt during the pandemic; one offering scenes of destruction and one offering hope for a future transformation.
Racial and cultural in‐betweenness meet in the consulting room: the case of ‘Anna’
Authors: Hernandez Lourdes
Published: July 2021

An upper‐middle‐class black woman, who grew up adapting to a white‐dominated environment, entered the consulting room of a multicultural ‘white‐passing’ analyst, and here unique emotional experiences were reflected in dream images of racial disorganization, internal racism, and identity confusion. While sorting through the analysand’s internal dynamics, the external world erupted in May 2020 with the murder of George Floyd, catapulting both analysand and analyst (and the nation) into a transformative confrontation with their mutual, deep‐seated woundings of American racial and cultural inequities. The analysand’s racial complexity directly impacted the analyst’s ‘white‐passing’ privilege, bringing into question established classifications of American whiteness. Overlapping dynamics and experiences as ‘in‐betweeners’ and ‘outsiders’ – a black woman subsumed by a white‐dominated society and an immigrant refugee acculturated to American life – provided a common exilic ground for mutual understanding and mirroring. The analyst explores the racial and multicultural straddling that served as a lens into the analysand’s fragmented racial identity during the eruption of American racial unrest.
Phenomenology of the trickster archetype, U.S. electoral politics and the Black Lives Matter movement
Authors: Vaughan Alan G.
Published: July 2021

This paper examines the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement in cultural, historical and relational contexts at the intersection of the U.S. Civil Rights movement, U.S. Civil Rights legislation, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and reforms thereto in the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision of Shelby County v Holder, 570 U.S.529 (2013). The intergenerational relations between the BLM movement and these ongoing movements for civil and human rights is underscored. In the wake of protests about the sadistic murder of George Floyd, an unarmed African American man, by a Caucasian police officer, the BLM movement has been mischaracterized as an affront to law and order by the Trump‐led U.S. administration. The mischaracterization was a re‐election campaign effort designed to ignite ‘white fear’, ‘white rage’ and to defend police brutality and systemic racism. Analytical psychology and the phenomenology of the trickster archetype, as amplified from the African‐centric perspective in the Yoruba deity Esu‐Elegba, are employed to interrogate partisan obstructionist behaviours that assault multicultural democracy in both contemporary U.S. electoral politics and the political economy. The paper concludes with a brief note on the social activism of Fair Fight Georgia and the integration of its agenda into the BLM movement.
Classroom behavioural climate in inclusive education – a study on secondary students’ perceptions
Authors: Hoffmann Lisa , Närhi Vesa , Savolainen Hannu , Schwab Susanne
Published: July 2021

Previous studies pointed out that dealing with difficult behaviour is perceived by teachers as a major challenge in inclusive settings. However, research on the students' perception of the classroom behavioural climate (CBC) is rare. Therefore, this study aims to examine students’ perceptions of CBC and to identify predictors of CBC as well as associated variables. The sample consists of 650 German students from secondary schools (5th‐9th grade) of whom 83 students are diagnosed with special educational needs (SEN). CBC was measured via four subscales (‘students’ possibilities to study and concentrating on teaching’, ‘disruptive behaviour’, ‘physical and psychological safety’ and ‘caring for the physical environment’). Results show significant differences in students’ perceptions of CBC between students from different school tracks. Furthermore, gender (being male) and SEN (having a) predict the perception of ‘physical and psychological safety’. Additionally, social inclusion, emotional experience as well as teacher support and care are associated with CBC. Accordingly, a positive CBC is important for the successful implementation of inclusive education: while diversity in classrooms is a challenge for behavioural climate, poor behavioural climate may also pose specific barriers to learning for some students with SEN and thus is a general challenge for equity in inclusive classrooms.
Workplace cyberbullying and interpersonal deviance: roles of depletion and perceived supervisor support
Authors: Zhang Zhenduo , Wang Honglei , Zhang Li , Zheng Junwei
Published: July 2021

With the spread of information communication technologies (ICTs) in the business world, workplace cyberbullying has become a prominent problem alongside traditional face‐to‐face bullying. This research aimed to explore the daily influence of workplace cyberbullying on interpersonal deviance by using an experience sampling method. We collected 750 matched data over 5 consecutive days from 150 full‐time employees working in China. A multilevel analysis was then performed to construct a moderated mediation model. The results showed that daily workplace cyberbullying increased interpersonal deviance by enhancing personal ego depletion. Furthermore, the indirect effect of workplace cyberbullying was stronger when perceived supervisor support was at a low level. This study successfully determined that workplace cyberbullying can result in interpersonal deviance on a daily basis. Our research provides a comprehensive insight into the relationship and dynamics of workplace cyberbullying and interpersonal deviance with practical implications for personnel administration.
A field‐friendly method of measuring faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentration as a simple stress checker in snow leopards
Authors: Kinoshita Kodzue
Published: July 2021

The hormonal analysis of excrement has been employed to non‐invasively assess the physiological conditions of domestic, experimental, zoo and wild animals to. However, conventional hormone analysis techniques require frozen and refrigerated reagents, and laboratory equipment; therefore, it is almost impossible to obtain the results on‐site. This study attempted to establish a method for the simple and rapid quantitative on‐site analysis of faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGM) concentrations; this method involved using hand‐shaking for faecal hormone extraction, and immunochromatography using test strips and a smartphone application. This study focused specifically on snow leopards and developed a new, simple fGM measurement method to evaluate their stress levels on‐site.

First, the effects of ultraviolet exposure and bacterial activity on fGM concentration, including sample age, were evaluated using faeces from a captive snow leopard. Second, a field‐friendly hormone extraction method was evaluated; this method does not require storage of faeces in the field because the hormones are extracted by hand‐shaking of faeces in ethanol at the time of collection. In addition, to measure hormone concentrations on‐site, a simple immunochromatography measurement kit was used. The concentrations were measured by quantifying the colour reactions using a smartphone application.

There was no consistent increase or decrease in fGM concentration with ultraviolet irradiation time. In addition, a high correlation was observed between concentrations extracted using the conventional method (using a vortex mixer and methanol extraction) and those from the field‐friendly method (r = 0.812, p < 0.05). Changes in fGM concentration measured using immunochromatography were also highly consistent with those measured using the conventional method (enzyme immunoassay; r = 0.825, p < 0.05). The analytical validation of immunochromatography also showed high accuracy, that is parallelism (ANCOVA: F = 0.597, df = 1, p = 0.445) and recovery tests (98.2% ± 5.1% and 107.5% ± 18.7%). Further, for biological validation, the change in fGM concentration was examined before and after the transportation of the snow leopards to another zoo.

This field‐friendly hormone analysis method is expected to contribute as a simple and rapid stress evaluation tool to manage conservation and animal welfare by monitoring the stress levels.
Increased cell‐free fetal DNA release after apoptosis and sterile inflammation in human trophoblast cells
Authors: Kazemi Nazanin Yeganeh , Fedyshyn Bohdana , Yelsa Isabel , Fedyshyn Yaroslav , Ruano Rodrigo , Markovic Svetomir N. , Chakraborty Rana , Enninga Elizabeth Ann L.
Published: July 2021

Problem

Cell‐free fetal DNA (cffDNA) shed from the placenta can be detected in maternal blood and increases incrementally during gestation. Concentrations are further elevated with pregnancy complications. Specific activators of cffDNA release in such complications have not been identified. Here, we use trophoblast cells from early and term placenta to examine cffDNA release following apoptosis, infection, and sterile inflammatory stress.

Method of Study

HTR8/SVneo cells were used to model first‐trimester trophoblasts, and term cytotrophoblasts (CTBs) were isolated from placentae collected after uncomplicated deliveries. Trophoblasts were treated with varying concentrations of doxorubicin (DOX), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or high‐mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) for 18 h. Cells or supernatants were quantified for caspase‐3/7 cleavage, pro‐inflammatory cytokine secretion, and cffDNA release.

Results

Both HTR8/SVneo and CTBs underwent caspase‐3/7 cleavage following DOX treatment, with HTR8/SVneo cells more sensitive to apoptosis than term CTBs. Apoptotic cells released more cffDNA in a dose‐dependent manner. Treatment with LPS resulted in an increase in pro‐inflammatory IL‐6 release, particularly in term CTBs compared to early trophoblasts; however, LPS did not affect cffDNA release. Lastly, while neither cell released more TNF‐α following stimulation with HMGB1, both HTR8/SVneo and CTBs released significantly more cffDNA in the presence of HMGB1.

Conclusions

These data show that apoptosis and sterile inflammation induced by DOX and HMGB1, respectively, cause an increase in cffDNA concentrations in both first‐trimester and term trophoblasts. Understanding physiologic release of cffDNA during healthy and complicated pregnancy can identify new targets for the diagnosis and treatment of gestational complications.