bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychological distress across adulthood: scale-equating in three British birth cohorts
Authors: Jongsma Hannah E. , Moulton Vanessa G. , Ploubidis George B. , Gilbert Emily , Richards Marcus , Patalay Praveetha
Published: June 2020

Valid and reliable life-course and cross-cohort comparisons of psychological distress are limited by differences in measures used. We aimed to examine adulthood distribution of symptoms and cross-cohort trends by scale-equating psychological distress measures administered in the 1946, 1958 and 1970 British birth cohorts. We used data from these three birth cohorts (N=32,242) and an independently recruited calibration sample (n=5,800) to inform the scale-equating. We used two approaches to scale-equating (equipercentile linking and multiple imputation) and two index-measures (General Health Questionnaire [GHQ]-12 and Malaise-9) to compare means, distributions and prevalence of distress across adulthood. While we consistently observed an inverse U-shape of distress across adulthood, we also observed measure and method differences in point estimates, particularly for cross-cohort comparisons. Sensitivity analysis suggested that multiple imputation yielded more accurate estimates than equipercentile linking. Though we observed an inverse-U shaped trajectory of psychological distress across adulthood, differences in point estimates between measures and methods did not allow for clear conclusions regarding between-cohort trends.
Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité… Contaminé? Estimating the impact of French municipal elections on COVID-19 spread in France
Authors: Cassan Guilhem , Sangnier Marc
Published: June 2020

On March 15, about 20, 000, 000 voters cast their vote for the first round of the 2020 French municipal elections. We investigate the extent to which this event contributed to the COVID-19 epidemics in France. To this end, we first predict each département’s own dynamics using information up to the election to calibrate a standard logistic model. We then take advantage of electoral turnout differences between départements to distinguish the impact of the election on prediction errors in hospitalizations from that of simultaneously implemented anti-contagion policies. We report a detrimental effect of the election in locations that were at relatively advanced stages of the epidemics by the time of the election. In contrast, we show that the election did not contribute to the epidemics in départements with lower infection levels by March 15. All in all, our estimates suggest that elections accounted for about 4, 000 excess hospitalizations by the end of March, which represents 15% of all hospitalizations by this time. They also suggest that holding elections in June may not be as detrimental.
Evaluation of crystal quality of thin protein crystals based on the dynamical theory of X-ray diffraction
Authors: Abe Marina , Suzuki Ryo , Kojima Kenichi , Tachibana Masaru
Published: June 2020

Knowledge of X-ray diffraction in macromolecular crystals is important for not only structural analysis of proteins but also diffraction physics. Dynamical diffraction provides evidence of perfect crystals. Until now, clear dynamical diffraction in protein crystals has only been observed in glucose isomerase crystals. We wondered whether there were other protein crystals with high quality that exhibit dynamical diffraction. Here we report the observation of dynamical diffraction in thin ferritin crystals by rocking-curve measurement and imaging techniques such as X-ray topography. It is generally known that in the case of thin crystals it is difficult to distinguish whether dynamical diffraction occurs from only rocking-curve profiles. Therefore, our results clarified that dynamical diffraction occurs in thin protein crystals because fringe contrasts similar to Pendellösung fringes were clearly observed in the X-ray topographic images. For macromolecular crystallography, it is hard to obtain large crystals because they are difficult to crystallize. For thin crystals, dynamical diffraction can be demonstrated by analysis of the equal-thickness fringes observed by X-ray topography.
Structural insights into the regulation of SigB activity by RsbV and RsbW
Authors: Pathak Deepak , Jin Kyeong Sik , Tandukar Sudarshan , Kim Jun Ha , Kwon Eunju , Kim Dong Young
Published: June 2020

Bacillus subtilis SigB is an alternative sigma factor that initiates the transcription of stress-responsive genes. The anti-sigma factor RsbW tightly binds SigB to suppress its activity under normal growth conditions and releases it when nonphosphorylated RsbV binds to RsbW in response to stress signals. To understand the regulation of SigB activity by RsbV and RsbW based on structural features, crystal structures and a small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) envelope structure of the RsbV–RsbW complex were determined. The crystal structures showed that RsbV and RsbW form a heterotetramer in a similar manner to a SpoIIAA–SpoIIAB tetramer. Multi-angle light scattering and SAXS revealed that the RsbV–RsbW complex is an octamer in solution. Superimposition of the crystal structure on the SAXS envelope structure showed that the unique dimeric interface of RsbW mediates the formation of an RsbV–RsbW octamer and does not prevent RsbV and SigB from binding to RsbW. These results provide structural insights into the molecular assembly of the RsbV–RsbW complex and the regulation of SigB activity.
Demographics and perceived computer skill levels as predictors of faculty awareness and use of electronic information resources
Authors: Habiba Umme , Ahmed S.M. Zabed
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The main aim of this paper is to examine the role of demographics and self-reported computer skill levels as predictors of e-resources awareness and use by faculty members working at various public and private universities in Bangladesh.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was conducted at public and private universities in Bangladesh. A total of 757 faculty members from 48 universities across the country responded to the survey. The data were analyzed using various descriptive statistics, i.e. frequencies and percentages and non-parametric Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests were conducted to see the differences in levels of awareness among faculty members in terms of university type, gender, age, designation, specialization and computer proficiency levels. An ordinal regression model was used to predict the role of demographics and computer skill levels on faculty awareness levels. Finally, correlation coefficient was measured to see the relationships between faculty awareness and use of e-resources.

Findings

The findings revealed that faculty members working at different universities in Bangladesh are generally aware of most e-resources types. There were significant differences in faculty awareness in terms of demographics and self-reported computer skills levels. The results showed that computer proficiency level is a significant predictor of faculty awareness of e-resources. The findings also showed that awareness and use of e-resources are positively and significantly correlated.

Originality/value

This is the foremost attempt to assess the role of demographics and computer skill levels as predictors of awareness and use of e-resources by faculty members.
Contact mechanics of elastic-plastic fractal surfaces and static friction analysis of asperity scale
Authors: Pan Wujiu , Li Xiaopeng , Wang Xue
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide a static friction coefficient prediction model of rough contact surfaces based on the contact mechanics analysis of elastic-plastic fractal surfaces.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the continuous deformation stage of the multi-scale asperity is considered, i.e. asperities on joint surfaces go through three deformation stages in succession, the elastic deformation, the elastic-plastic deformation (the first elastic-plastic region and the second elastic-plastic region) and the plastic deformation, rather than the direct transition from the elastic deformation to the plastic deformation. In addition, the contact between rough metal surfaces should be the contact of three-dimensional topography, which corresponds to the fractal dimension D (2 < D < 3), not two-dimensional curves. So, in consideration of the elastic-plastic deformation mechanism of asperities and the three-dimensional topography, the contact mechanics of the elastic-plastic fractal surface is analyzed, and the static friction coefficient nonlinear prediction model of the surface is further established.

Findings

There is a boundary value between the normal load and the fractal dimension. In the range smaller than the boundary value, the normal load decreases with fractal dimension; in the range larger than the boundary value, the normal load increases with fractal dimension. Considering the elastic-plastic deformation of the asperity on the contact surface, the total normal contact load is larger than that of ignoring the elastic-plastic deformation of the asperity. There is a proper fractal dimension, which can make the static friction of the contact surface maximum; there is a negative correlation between the static friction coefficient and the fractal scale coefficient.

Originality/value

In the mechanical structure, the research and prediction of the static friction coefficient characteristics of the interface will lay a foundation for the understanding of the mechanism of friction and wear and the interaction relationship between contact surfaces from the micro asperity-scale level, which has an important engineering application value.
Discovering regulatory motifs of genetic networks using the indexing-tree based algorithm: a parallel implementation
Authors: Almomany Abedalmuhdi , Al-Omari Ahmad M. , Jarrah Amin , Tawalbeh Mohammad
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The problem of motif discovery has become a significant challenge in the era of big data where there are hundreds of genomes requiring annotations. The importance of motifs has led many researchers to develop different tools and algorithms for finding them. The purpose of this paper is to propose a new algorithm to increase the speed and accuracy of the motif discovering process, which is the main drawback of motif discovery algorithms.

Design/methodology/approach

All motifs are sorted in a tree-based indexing structure where each motif is created from a combination of nucleotides: ‘A’, ‘C’, ‘T’ and ‘G’. The full motif can be discovered by extending the search around 4-mer nucleotides in both directions, left and right. Resultant motifs would be identical or degenerated with various lengths.

Findings

The developed implementation discovers conserved string motifs in DNA without having prior information about the motifs. Even for a large data set that contains millions of nucleotides and thousands of very long sequences, the entire process is completed in a few seconds.

Originality/value

Experimental results demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed implementation; as for a real-sequence of 1,270,000 nucleotides spread into 2,000 samples, it takes 5.9 s to complete the overall discovering process when the code ran on an Intel Core i7-6700 @ 3.4 GHz machine and 26.7 s when running on an Intel Xeon x5670 @ 2.93 GHz machine. In addition, the authors have improved computational performance by parallelizing the implementation to run on multi-core machines using the OpenMP framework. The speedup achieved by parallelizing the implementation is scalable and proportional to the number of processors with a high efficiency that is close to 100%.
The relationship between perceived causes of depression and desire for social distance in Farsi-speaking migrants and refugees from Iran and Afghanistan living in Germany
Authors: Mobashery Mahan , von Lersner Ulrike , Böge Kerem , Fuchs Lukas , Schomerus Georg , Franke Miriam , Angermeyer Matthias Claus , Hahn Eric
Published: June 2020

Purpose

An increasing number of migrants and refugees seeking asylum in Germany is challenging psychiatrists and psychotherapists in multiple ways. Different cultural belief systems on the causes of mental illness and their treatment have to be taken into consideration. The purpose of this study is to explore perceived causes of depression among Farsi-speaking migrants and refugees from Afghanistan and Iran, which represent two groups with a shared cultural heritage, but originating from very different regimes of mobility. Both are among the largest migrant groups coming to Germany over the past decade.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 50 Iranian and 50 Afghan migrants and refugees, who arrived in Germany in the past 10 years were interviewed, using an unlabeled vignette presenting signs and symptoms of depression. The answers were then coded through inductive content analysis.

Findings

Among Iranians, there was a more significant number of causal attribution to Western psychiatric concepts, whereas Afghans attributed depression more often to the experience of being a refugee without referring to psychological concepts. These differences in attribution did, however, not affect the desire for a social distance toward depressed people. Nonetheless, a higher number of years spent in Germany was associated with less desire for social distance toward persons with depression among Afghans, but not among Iranians.

Originality/value

To the best of the knowledge, this is the first study examining perceived causes of depression with Farsi-speaking migrants in Germany and contributes to understanding tendencies in the perception of depression in non-Western migrant groups.
The effects of CEO-TMT interaction on organizational performance
Authors: Qiao Kun , Yang Chen-Lu , Yin Xue
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Upper echelons theory regards the CEO as a top management team (TMT) member. Research has rarely distinguished the CEO from other TMT members and has not explained the boundaries between them, which causes little attention to be paid to the interaction between the CEO and TMT members. The authors want to divide the CEO and other TMT members into two independent parts and explore the types of interactions between them and the impact of these interactions on organizational performance. The two independent parts and their interactions are important for the integration, supplementation and refinement of leader-team research in the empirical field.

Design/methodology/approach

A-share listed companies in the Shenzhen Stock Exchange with continuous operation from 2012 to 2015 were selected as samples. The data in the sample were mainly from the CSMAR database and the obtained data were checked with the data in RESSET, Sina Finance, Phoenix New Media and Eastmoney to ensure their accuracy and completeness. Finally, 209 companies were selected as the sample. The authors used SPSS 22.0 to process data.

Findings

The results showed that social network interaction, skill interaction and social experience interaction between the CEO and TMT members significantly affected organizational performance and the effects are more significant than those of the CEO and TMT members individually.

Originality/value

Such consideration can more clearly clarify the organizational use of CEO and TMT members and the complementary and overlapping relationships between them. Further, such consideration is instructive for the rational allocation and efficient operation of leaders and their team members in practice.
Educating for transitions: ecovillages as transdisciplinary sustainability “classrooms”
Authors: Roysen Rebeca , Cruz Tânia Cristina
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the pedagogical tools that can enhance transdisciplinarity in higher education and stimulate sustainability transitions, based on the case study of a partnership between the University of Brasilia and an ecovillage in Brazil.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative study was carried out, based on professors’ experience, students’ reports and registration data. Emergent themes were discussed based on the concepts of sustainability transitions, transdisciplinarity and active/experiential learning methods.

Findings

Undergraduate classes at the ecovillage have motivated students to work towards sustainability transitions by presenting them with new repertoires of sociotechnical configurations and social practices, by promoting a feeling of belonging and co-responsibility for the world and by a horizontal sharing of knowledge and affections that instigated reflections about their purposes in personal and professional life.

Practical implications

This experience demonstrates the potential of transdisciplinary pedagogical approaches to education for sustainability that promote collaboration with different stakeholders and the reflection on individual and collective motives and values – the inner dimension of sustainability.

Originality/value

It describes an innovative and transformative initiative in the heart of Latin America.
The impact of corruption on sport demand
Authors: Amenta Carlo , Di Betta Paolo
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The article presents an empirical analysis that evaluates the effects of a systemic corruption scandal on the demand in the short and the long run. In 2006, the Calciopoli scandal uncovered the match rigging in the Italian soccer first division. The exemplary sportive sanction of relegating the primary culprit to the second division imposed further negative externalities on the other clubs. Should we prefer the sportive sanction on the team or the monetary fines for the club?

Design/methodology/approach

We estimated two log-linear models of the demand side (stadium attendance) using a fixed effect estimator, on two panel data set made of all the Italian soccer clubs in the first and second division (Serie A and Serie B) for the seasons 2004/2005 to 2009/2010, considering the relegation of the Juventus as the event which impacted the demand for soccer.

Findings

Relegating Juventus to Serie B caused an immediate decrease of 18.4% in the attendance for all the teams, both in Serie A and in Serie B, for the three seasons considered, and 1% decrease when all the seasons are considered to measure the fallout of the scandal on the fans' disaffection.

Originality/value

The effect of corruption in sport on demand is an important issue, and there are few studies already published. As for sports economics and management, our results are of interest for sport-governing bodies – as a case study that can help in designing a more effective sanctioning system to prevent corruption episodes.
Insights into customer experience in sports retail stores
Authors: Happ Elisabeth , Scholl-Grissemann Ursula , Peters Mike , Schnitzer Martin
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Offline retail stores have been working on improving their in-store customer experience; they have begun to realise the physical advantage they have over online channels. Especially sports products have a number of unique features, such as high emotional involvement or a sense of community; additionally, sports customers put emphasis on multisensory brand experience at the point of sale. This study examines the in-store customer experience (ISCX) in offline sports retail stores, taking into account the commercial uniqueness of sport.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative study (focus groups; n = 16) and quantitative survey (cross-sectional survey design; n = 238) were conducted to measure ISCX in sports retail stores.

Findings

The results suggest that the customers' in-store experience has a significant influence on customers' satisfaction with the sports retailer and their likeliness to recommend the store to friends, which, in turn, is significantly affected by customers' satisfaction with the retailer. Moreover, social responses to actors involved in the service encounter, for example, the interaction with employees, play a significant role for the customer in-store experience. Accordingly, sports customers strive not only for functional benefits inherent in the interaction with customers and employees but also for social benefits.

Originality/value

This study extends the knowledge by (1) replicating the ISCX scale, (2) analysing ISCX in a sports retail environment and (3) examining the influence of ISCX on the Net Promoter Score. Moreover, the findings support managers' know-how about in-store setting and help to maintain the customer relationship.
Art-event image in city brand equity: mediating role of city brand attachment
Authors: Jawahar Deepa , Vincent Vinney Zephaniah , Philip Anju Varghese
Published: June 2020

Purpose

All touristic cities have their unique attributes to showcase and differentiate themselves from others. This distinctive attribute is the unique selling product or tourism product of a particular city. It could be an art form, culture, regional climate, food and festival. Literature indicates that the identity of the entire city would be affected by such tourism products. The purpose of this study is to analyse the influence of the ‘image’ of an Art-event to city branding. The study also examines the mediating role of ‘city attachment’ in the relationship between event image and city brand equity.

Design/methodology/approach

In all, 432 samples have been collected from visitors to one of the biggest contemporary art events in India – the “Kochi-Muziris Biennale – 2018,” conducted in the city of Cochin, situated in Kerala, the southernmost state of India.

Findings

Results show that the direct relationship between event image and city brand equity is stronger than the hypothesised path through the mediating role of city attachment.

Research limitations/implications

This study provides a better understanding of the event image and its importance in creating the host city’s brand equity. It contributes to both the practitioners and tourism researchers.

Originality/value

This study looks at the event image through functional and affective aspects and its influence on city attachment and city brand equity.
Inclusive considerations for optimal online learning in times of disasters and crises
Authors: Thompson Kim M. , Copeland Clayton
Published: June 2020

Emergencies can create situations where traditional face-to-face courses need to quickly be transferred to be online. When transitioning, it is easy to focus on simply moving content into an online learning management system quickly and training instructors and students in the basics of how to use the platform in a pared-down learning structure. However, this article argues that approaching emergency course redesign with accessibility in mind at the start of the transition will ensure that more students, including students with disabilities, succeed in the online learning environment. This also helps ensure the course is designed for optimal student learning outcomes.
Alternate wetting and drying technique in paddy production in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam: economic evaluation and adoption determinants
Authors: Le Loan T.
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the adoption of alternate wetting and drying (AWD) technique and provides the economic evaluation and determinants of AWD adoption in rice production in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.

Design/methodology/approach

The study extends the drainage factor into the AWD score. The cost benefit analysis is utilized for the economic evaluation, and the Cragg model is applied to examine the determinants of AWD adoption.

Findings

The results indicate that there are significant differences in inputs such as water, seed, fertilizers and mechanization between the low and high levels of AWD adoption. The yields are significantly different at different adoption levels. The Cragg model found that irrigation infrastructure, AWD training and perceived ease of use of the technology are determinants of AWD adoption level. Collective pumping is considered as a major constraint in the AWD adoption.

Research limitations/implications

The results provide managerial implications, with a focus on the effectiveness of inputs, the irrigation infrastructure and AWD training to promote the AWD adoption. Challenges of rice field flatness should be investigated in a further study.

Originality/value

The study contributes to existing literature by providing an empirical evidence for the large-scale adoption of AWD with a comprehensive economic evaluation, extending the drainage performance into the score to accurately reflect the water conservation and promoting the use of a more flexible modeling approach with the Cragg model.
A new framework for ethical creation and evaluation of multi-perspective knowledge organization systems
Authors: Zhitomirsky-Geffet Maayan , Hajibayova Lala
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This study aims to present a new framework for ethical creation and evaluation of multi-perspective knowledge organization systems.

Design/methodology/approach

Applying Held's understanding of the ethics of care, this paper proposes five operative criteria for ethical building and evaluation of multi-perspective knowledge representation and organization systems.

Findings

This paper argues that a carefully designed multipoint view of representation and organization conforms to the proposed ethical criteria and shifts concerns associated with the expectation of neutrality of library information professionals to the necessity to humanize and diversify the representation and organization of knowledge to build inclusive and equitable systems.

Originality/value

This paper presents multi-perspectiveness as key to ethical knowledge organization. The paper proposes a generic taxonomy of the main stages in the creation of multi-perspective knowledge representation and organization systems and demonstrates how to apply the proposed framework in each stage to ensure ethical outcomes.
Controlling insider dealing through criminal enforcement in China
Authors: Ye Zhen , Lin Wangwei , Safari Neshat , Singh Charanjit
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review the criminal enforcement of insider dealing cases in People's Republic of China's (PRC) securities market and to provide feasible suggestions for improvement for a more coherent and streamlined insider dealing regulatory framework in the PRC during the enforcement of China's new Securities Law (SL 2020) in March 2020.

Design/methodology/approach

Through analysing the previous literature on public interest theories and economic theories of regulation, this paper examines the necessity to regulate insider dealing in China with criminal law to ensure fairness and avoid monopolies in its securities market. The paper reviews the criminalising of severe insider dealing cases in China from the Nanking National Government in the 1920s to the inception of the securities market of the PRC in the 1990s to the present day. The investigation, prosecution, enforcement and trial of criminal offences of insider dealing in China are thoroughly examined.

Findings

The paper finds a tendency for over reliance on the investigation and the administrative judgement of the China Securities Regulatory Commission in criminal investigation, prosecution and trial in the PRC.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is one of the first papers to critically and thoroughly analyse the criminal enforcement of insider dealing in China following the recent enforcement of China’s new Securities Law in March 2020.
The context, strategy and performance of the American safety net primary care providers: a systematic review
Authors: Choi Seongwon , Weech-Maldonado Robert , Powers Thomas
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The objective of this research is to synthesize evidence on the relationship between context, strategies and performance in the context of federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), a core safety net health services provider in the United States. The research also identifies prior approaches to measure contextual factors, FQHC strategy and performance. Gaps in the research are identified, and directions for future research are provided.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic review of peer-reviewed journal articles published between the years 1997 and 2017 was conducted using a bibliographic search of PubMed, Business Source Premier and ABI/Inform databases.

Findings

28 studies were selected for the analysis. Results supported associations among contextual factors (organizational and environmental) and FQHC strategy and FQHC performance. The research also indicates that previous research was primarily emphasized on clinical performance with less focus on other types of FQHC performance. In addition, there exists a wide variability in terms of measuring context, FQHC strategy and performance.

Originality/value

Operating in resource-scarce and highly constraining environments, FQHCs have demonstrated the ability to stay innovative and competent as serving often unhealthier and costlier patient populations. To date, there has been no study that reviewed the relationships between context, FQHC strategy and FQHC performance. In addition, there is an absence of consensus on how context, FQHC strategy and FQHC performance are measured. This study is the first that examined context–strategy–performance relationships in the context of FQHCs.
Does employee understanding of strategic objectives matter? Effects on culture and performance
Authors: Nowak Radoslaw
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether employees' understanding of their organization's strategic objectives could be used by business organizations to develop a desired type of organizational culture that will improve business performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equation modeling (SEM) was conducted on the data collected in 2018 from professionals working in the healthcare industry in the USA.

Findings

SEM revealed the positive effect of employee understanding of their organization's strategic objectives on the development of a serving culture, and the mediating effect of serving culture on the relationship between employee understanding of strategic objectives and performance.

Research limitations/implications

This study emphasizes that having a well-defined mission and strategic goals may not be sufficient. Business organizations must also ensure that all employees clearly understand the meaning of such objectives. Employee understanding can become instrumental, as it could allow business organizations to develop a desired type of organizational culture that will support the implementation of the firm's strategic objectives.

Originality/value

The study is a valuable addition to past research. First, it advances the literature on strategy by exploring the critical role of employee understanding of their organization's strategic objectives in the context of culture and performance. Thus, it allows scholars to better explain how business organizations could more effectively utilize their process of strategic planning. In the domain of organizational culture, the paper contributes by identifying a new antecedent of serving culture. Furthermore, the paper also contributes to the literature on service management by identifying a mechanism that service organizations could use to increase their performance.
Research development of Bitcoin: a network and concept linking analysis
Authors: Shen Chien-wen , Chang Li-chin , Su Tzu-chuan
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This study aims to provide researchers a holistic approach for comprehensive understanding of the Bitcoin-related research by discovering its trends, subjects, relations, keywords and concepts.

Design/methodology/approach

An integrated approach of bibliometric analysis, network analysis and concept linking analysis was proposed for exploring Bitcoin-related studies from 70 countries in the Scopus database.

Findings

The bibliometric analysis shows that electronic money and blockchain are the mainstream issues of Bitcoin, and the domain distribution of the literature is mainly in engineering-related fields. Through the network analysis of cocitations, co-occurrences and cowords, research clusters were discovered respectively from different perspectives. The authors also have mastered a multilevel concept linking diagram for six related major concepts.

Originality/value

The major contribution of this research is about providing an integrated and comprehensive approach to extract the mainstream issues that can help researchers conduct Bitcoin-relevant research. This study shows the development trend, context and clusters of Bitcoin-related studies from various perspectives networks and produces a visual concept linking diagram that will enable researchers to quickly understand the contextual relationship between Bitcoin keywords during literature analysis. In addition, the most crucial studies in the main topics are extracted to save the considerable time and labor that would be required to manually read all the literature and summarize the issues.
The mediating role of management control system characteristics in the adoption of management accounting techniques
Authors: Youssef Mayada Abd El-Aziz , Moustafa Esam E. , Mahama Habib
Published: June 2020

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the mediating role of management control system (MCS) characteristics in the relationship between state type, reflected through societal institutions (SIs), and two sets of management accounting techniques (MATs), namely, performance measurement techniques (PMTs) and cost measurement techniques (CMTs).

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equation modeling was used to analyze data from a cross-sectional survey of 136 firms in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Findings

The findings show a direct positive impact of state-type construct on MCS characteristics, and that MCS characteristics partially mediate the reported significant relationships between state type and the use of PMTs. While the findings show a similar positive relationship between state type and CMTs, MCS characteristics do not mediate this relationship.

Research limitations/implications

Although these results are affected by limitations associated with the survey method used, they are useful in explaining the necessary conditions supporting the use of MATs in general and performance measurement techniques in particular.

Practical implications

The study uses a cross-section of companies in the UAE, an attractive global investment destination, as its sample. The results can help investors better understand the choice of MATs in the UAE and its relation to MCS characteristics.

Originality/value

This study contributes to management accounting literature by determining the mediating role of MCS characteristics on the relationship between state type and the choice of two sets of MATs, whereas existing literature assumes a direct relation between the two.
The link between police cadets' field training and attitudes toward police work in China: a longitudinal study
Authors: Wang Xinting , Qu Jia , Zhao Jihong
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect and duration of supervised field training on police cadets' worldview of police work in China.

Design/methodology/approach

The four-wave longitudinal data were collected from graduate students who were pursuing their master's degree in a national Chinese police university from 2016 to 2018. Independent variables including demographic characteristics and knowledge along with experience gained from the internship were used to explain police cadets' attitudes toward police work. Ordinary least square (OLS) regression models were used in the current study.

Findings

Findings derived from multiple regression analyses suggest that police cadets' attitudes toward police work are conducive to the “shock” of the real-world experience after three-month field training. However, the effect of the field training on police cadets' attitudes toward police work is temporary, not enduring.

Research limitations/implications

The data for this study were collected from one national police university, and the findings reported here may not be generalized.

Practical implications

Police field training is important for cadets to develop positive view of police work. It provides practical knowledge for police training and socializes cadets before entering into the law enforcement filed, avoiding the financial cost of resignation. However, the influence of field training is temporal. Hence, it is more appropriate for police administrators to arrange police cadets' field training close to their graduation date, the third year of their college education.

Originality/value

This study can be considered as an extension of relevant research on law-enforcement-related field training reported in the United States. However, it goes beyond the existing literature by using longitudinal data to answer a long-overdue question: Does supervised field training change the worldview of cadets concerning police work?
Influence of gin trash bacteria broth treatment on cotton fibres
Authors: Mburu Ann Wairimu , Mwasiagi Josphat Igadwa , Muiruri Joseph Kinyanjui
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Bacterial exopolysaccharides (eps) have fascinating chemical compositions, properties and structures which could be used in the modification of natural fibres. Bacterial eps have therefore been used to modify plant cellulose fibre surface and impart desired properties. The purpose of this paper is therefore to investigate the influence of gin trash cultured bacteria eps on the physical and structural properties of cotton fibres.

Design/methodology/approach

Gin trash soil sample was collected from a ginnery in Kenya, and physiochemical and microbial characterization was done. The soil sample was then fermented for 24 h before being used to treat raw cotton fibres at varied conditions of temperature, pH and treatment time periods. Physical and structural properties of the treated fibres were then determined using USTER HVI-1000 M700, Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) and compared with those of the raw fibres.

Findings

The bacteria broth treated fibres were found to have increased in strength, spinning consistency index, elongation and fineness by 25.44, 24.30, 11.70 and 3.60%, respectively. The variations were attributed to interactions of bacterial eps with cotton cellulose through hydrogen bonding. SEM and XRD analysis revealed an increase in fibre surface roughness and crystallinity, respectively.

Originality/value

Bacterial eps have been used to modify plant cellulose fibre surface and impart desired properties. Eps producing bacteria have been isolated from different habitats such as saline water, soil samples, food wastes and petroleum-contaminated soil. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, bacterial eps cultured from gin trash soil sample for modification of cotton fibres have however not been previously done, hence the originality of the current study.
Accuracy of 3D printed guide for orbital implant
Authors: Kwon Jaeyoung , Kim Guk Bae , Kang Sunah , Byeon Younghwa , Sa Ho-Seok , Kim Namkug
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Extrinsic trauma to the orbit may cause a blowout or orbital fracture, which often requires surgery for reconstruction of the orbit and repositioning of the eyeball with an implant. Post-operative complications, however, are high with the most frequent cause of complications being a mismatch of the position and shape of the implant and fracture. These mismatches may be reduced by computed tomography (CT) based modeling and three-dimensional (3D) printed guide. Therefore, the aim of this study is to propose and evaluate a patient-specific guide to shape an orbital implant using 3D printing.

Design/methodology/approach

Using CT images of a patient, an orbital fracture can be modeled to design an implant guide for positioning and shaping of the surface and boundaries of the implant. The guide was manufactured using UV curable plastic at 0.032 mm resolution by a 3D printer. The accuracy of this method was evaluated by micro-CT scanning of the surgical guides and shaping implants.

Findings

The length and depth of the 3D model, press-compressed and decompressed implants were compared. The mean differences in length were 0.67 ± 0.38 mm, 0.63 ± 0.28 mm and 0.10 ± 0.10 mm, and the mean differences in depth were 0.64 ± 0.37 mm, 1.22 ± 0.56 mm and 0.57 ± 0.23 mm, respectively. Statistical evaluation was performed with a Bland-Altman plot.

Originality/value

This study suggests a patient-specific guide to shape an orbital implant using 3D printing and evaluate the guiding accuracy of the implant versus the planned model.
A review of 3D printing processes and materials for soft robotics
Authors: Yap Yee Ling , Sing Swee Leong , Yeong Wai Yee
Published: June 2020

Purpose

Soft robotics is currently a rapidly growing new field of robotics whereby the robots are fundamentally soft and elastically deformable. Fabrication of soft robots is currently challenging and highly time- and labor-intensive. Recent advancements in three-dimensional (3D) printing of soft materials and multi-materials have become the key to enable direct manufacturing of soft robots with sophisticated designs and functions. Hence, this paper aims to review the current 3D printing processes and materials for soft robotics applications, as well as the potentials of 3D printing technologies on 3D printed soft robotics.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reviews the polymer 3D printing techniques and materials that have been used for the development of soft robotics. Current challenges to adopting 3D printing for soft robotics are also discussed. Next, the potentials of 3D printing technologies and the future outlooks of 3D printed soft robotics are presented.

Findings

This paper reviews five different 3D printing techniques and commonly used materials. The advantages and disadvantages of each technique for the soft robotic application are evaluated. The typical designs and geometries used by each technique are also summarized. There is an increasing trend of printing shape memory polymers, as well as multiple materials simultaneously using direct ink writing and material jetting techniques to produce robotics with varying stiffness values that range from intrinsically soft and highly compliant to rigid polymers. Although the recent work is done is still limited to experimentation and prototyping of 3D printed soft robotics, additive manufacturing could ultimately be used for the end-use and production of soft robotics.

Originality/value

The paper provides the current trend of how 3D printing techniques and materials are used particularly in the soft robotics application. The potentials of 3D printing technology on the soft robotic applications and the future outlooks of 3D printed soft robotics are also presented.
Digitalization in organized sport – usage of digital instruments in voluntary sports clubs depending on club's goals and organizational capacity
Authors: Ehnold Peter , Faß Eric , Steinbach Dirk , Schlesinger Torsten
Published: June 2020

Purpose

The intention of this paper is to identify the scope and purpose of the use of digital tools in voluntary sports clubs (VSCs) and to identify club-specific factors that influence their usage behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was conducted among VSCs in Austria and in Germany (n = 787). To answer the key questions, patterns of digital use in VSCs were analyzed in relation to the overall organizational goals and organizational capacity. In addition to the description of the clubs' usage behavior patterns, a multiple linear regression model (blockwise) and quantile regression models were estimated.

Findings

The descriptive results show that digital instruments are most used in the areas of “internal/external communication” (93.7%) and “to report membership data to federations” (82.1%). The OLS and quantile regression models indicate that user behavior is primarily influenced by the following factors: the goals of “commitment/success in competitive sports” and “cooperation with other institutions”; the organizational factors “digital processes do not fit with our club culture”, “proportion of volunteers with administrative tasks”, “we do not yet have a clear digitalization strategy for our club” and “lack of financial resources for necessary IT investments”.

Originality/value

Digital technologies appear to be promising for organizational development in VSCs. However, what the usage behavior of digital instruments in VSCs currently is, and by which factors this usage is influenced, has not been the focus of empirical analysis yet. The study provides initial insights into the understanding of digitalization in VSCs that can be used for consulting and ongoing research.
Measuring competitive intensity in sports leagues
Authors: Wagner Fabio , Preuss Holger , Könecke Thomas
Published: June 2020

Purpose

For managers of sports leagues, it is crucial to produce an attractive competition. For that to happen, it is vital to consider that leagues frequently have more sub-competitions than “just” the championship. In European top football leagues, for instance, four sub-competitions are common (championship, qualification for Champions- or Europa League, avoiding relegation). This paper introduces a new method for measuring competitive intensity (CI) in round-robin sports leagues considering all relevant sub-competitions and applies it to Germany's Bundesliga.

Design/methodology/approach

The newly developed model calculates a CI-Index for each sub-competition and the league as a whole. The application to the Bundesliga analyzes its viability and the development of the league's CI over the past 22 seasons.

Findings

The newly introduced CI-Indices prove to be a viable tool for evaluating a league's competitive intensity. The application to the Bundesliga shows that the seasonal CI dropped after 2009/10, which can mainly be attributed to a decline in the championship's CI.

Practical implications

The results show that it is important to facilitate a high CI in each of Bundesliga's four sub-competitions. Efforts have to be made to ensure that especially the Europa League remains as attractive as possible for the participating teams and their fans because this sub-competition constantly makes the greatest contribution to the seasonal CI.

Originality/value

The new method measures competitive intensity by quantifying the different sub-competitions and their contribution to the seasonal CI. This allows the organizers of sports leagues to assess the intensity of the individual sub-competitions as well as the league as a whole.