bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contribution of unfixed transposable element insertions to human regulatory variation
Authors: Goubert Clément , Zevallos Nicolas Arce , Feschotte Cédric
Published: October 2019

Thousands of unfixed transposable element (TE) insertions segregate in the human population, but little is known about their impact on genome function. Recently, a few studies associated polymorphic TE insertions to mRNA levels of adjacent genes, but the biological significance of these associations, their replicability across cell types, and the mechanisms by which they may regulate genes remain largely unknown. Here we performed a TE-expression QTL analysis of 444 lymphoblastoid cell lines and 294 induced pluripotent stem cells using a newly developed set of genotypes for 2,806 polymorphic TE insertions. We identified 211 and 324 TE-eQTL acting in cis in each respective cell type. Approximately one fourth were shared across cell types with strongly correlated effects. Furthermore, analysis of chromatin accessibility QTL in a subset of the lymphoblastoid cell lines suggests that unfixed TEs often modulate the activity of enhancers and other distal regulatory DNA elements, which tend to lose accessibility when a TE inserts within them. We also document a case of an unfixed TE likely influencing gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. Our study points to broad and diverse cis-regulatory effects of unfixed TEs in the human population and underscores their plausible contribution to phenotypic variation.
Structure of the Vesicular Stomatitis Virus L Protein in Complex with Its Phosphoprotein Cofactor
Authors: Jenni Simon , Bloyet Louis-Marie , Diaz-Avalos Ruben , Liang Bo , Whelan Sean P. J. , Grigorieff Nikolaus , Harrison Stephen C.
Published: October 2019

The large (L) proteins of non-segmented, negative-strand RNA viruses are multifunctional enzymes that produce capped, methylated and polyadenylated mRNAs and replicate the viral genome. A phosphoprotein (P), required for efficient RNA-dependent RNA polymerization from the viral ribonucleoprotein (RNP) template, regulates function and conformation of the L protein. We report the structure of vesicular stomatitis virus L in complex with its P cofactor determined by electron cryomicroscopy at 3.0 Å resolution, enabling us to visualize bound segments of P. The contacts of three P segments with multiple L domains show how P induces a closed, compact, initiation-competent conformation. Binding of P to L positions its N-terminal domain adjacent to a putative RNA exit channel for efficient encapsidation of newly synthesized genomes with the nucleoprotein and orients its C-terminal domain to interact with the RNP template. The model shows that a conserved tryptophan in the priming loop can support the initiating 5’-nucleotide.
Template switching by a group II intron reverse transcriptase: biochemical analysis and implications for RNA-seq
Authors: Lentzsch Alfred M. , Yao Jun , Russell Rick , Lambowitz Alan M.
Published: October 2019

The reverse transcriptases (RTs) encoded by mobile group II intron and other non-LTR-retro-elements differ from retroviral RTs in being able to template switch from the 5’ end of one template to the 3’ end of another without pre-existing complementarity between the donor and acceptor nucleic acids. Here, we used the ability of a thermostable group II intron RT (TGIRT; GsI-IIC RT) to template switch directly from synthetic RNA template/DNA primer duplexes having either a blunt end or a 3’-DNA overhang end to establish a complete kinetic framework for the reaction and identify conditions that more efficiently capture acceptor RNAs or DNAs. The rate and amplitude of template switching are optimal from starter duplexes with a single nucleotide 3’-DNA overhang complementary to the 3’ nucleotide of the acceptor RNA, suggesting a role for non-templated nucleotide addition of a complementary nucleotide to the 3’ end of cDNAs synthesized from natural templates. Longer 3’-DNA overhangs progressively decrease the rate of template switching, even when complementary to the 3’ end of the acceptor template. The reliance on a single base pair with the 3’ nucleotide of the acceptor together with discrimination against mismatches and the high processivity of the enzyme enable synthesis of full-length DNA copies of nucleic acids beginning directly at their 3’ end. We discuss possible biological functions of the template-switching activity of group II intron and other non-LTR-retroelements RTs, as well as the optimization of this activity for adapter addition in RNA-and DNA-seq.
Generation of “nanometer-size aggregates” using Solubility Controlling Peptide tags and their ability to increase a protein’s immunogenicity in vivo
Authors: Rahman Nafsoon , Islam Mohammad Monirul , Unzai Satoru , Miura Shiho , Kuroda Yutaka
Published: October 2019

Sub-visible aggregates of proteins are suspected to cause adverse immune response, and a recent FDA guideline has recommended the monitoring of micrometer-size aggregates (2-10 μm) though recognizing that the underlying mechanism behind aggregation and immunogenicity remains unclear. Here, we report a correlation between the immunogenicity and the size of nanometer-scale aggregates of a small 6.5 kDa model protein, Bovine Pancreatic Trypsin Inhibitor (BPTI) variant. BPTI-19A, a monomeric and non-immunogenic protein, was oligomerized into sub-visible aggregates with hydrodynamic radii (Rh) of 3~4 nm by attaching hydrophobic solubility controlling peptide (SCP) tags to its C-terminus. The results showed that the association of non-immunogenic BPTI into nanometer-size aggregates made it highly immunogenic, as assessed by the IgG antibody titers of the mice’s sera. Overall, the study emphasizes that sub-visible aggregates, as small as a few nanometers, which are presently ignored, are worth monitoring for deciphering the origin of undesired immunogenicity of therapeutic proteins.
Flexible Fitting of Biomolecular Structures to Atomic Force Microscopy Images via Biased Molecular Simulations
Authors: Niina Toru , Fuchigami Sotaro , Takada Shoji
Published: October 2019

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a prominent imaging technology that observes large-scale structural dynamics of biomolecules near the physiological condition, but the AFM data are limited to the surface shape of specimens. Rigid-body fitting methods were developed to obtain molecular structures that fit to an AFM image, without accounting for conformational changes. Here we developed a method to fit flexibly a three-dimensional biomolecular structure into an AFM image. First, we describe a method to produce a pseudo-AFM image from a given three-dimensional structure in a differentiable form. Then, using a correlation function between the experimental AFM image and the computational pseudo-AFM image, we developed a flexible fitting molecular dynamics (MD) simulation method, by which we obtain protein structures that well fit to the given AFM image. We first test it with a twin-experiment; for a synthetic AFM image produced from a protein structure different from its native conformation, the flexible fitting MD simulations sampled those that fit well the AFM image. Then, parameter dependence in the protocol is discussed. Finally, we applied the method to a real experimental AFM image for a flagellar protein FlhA, demonstrating its applicability. We also test the rigid-body fitting of a fixed structure to the AFM image. Our method will be a general tool for structure modeling based on AFM images and is publicly available through CafeMol software.
An investigational analysis on forecasting intraday values
Authors: Manickavasagam Jeevananthan , S. Visalakshmi
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The algorithmic trading has advanced exponentially and necessitates the evaluation of intraday stock market forecasting on the grounds that any stock market series are foreseen to follow the random walk hypothesis. The purpose of this paper is to forecast the intraday values of stock indices using data mining techniques and compare the techniques’ performance in different markets to accomplish the best results.

Design/methodology/approach

This study investigates the intraday values (every 60th-minute closing value) of four different markets (namely, UK, Australia, India and China) spanning from April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2018. The forecasting performance of multivariate adaptive regression spline (MARSplines), support vector regression (SVR), backpropagation neural network (BPNN) and autoregression (1) are compared using statistical measures. Robustness evaluation is done to check the performance of the models on the relative ratios of the data.

Findings

MARSplines produces better results than the compared models in forecasting every 60th minute of selected stocks and stock indices. Next to MARSplines, SVR outperforms neural network and autoregression (1) models. The MARSplines proved to be more robust than the other models.

Practical implications

Forecasting provides a substantial benchmark for companies, which entails long-run operations. Significant profit can be earned by successfully predicting the stock’s future price. The traders have to outperform the market using techniques. Policy makers need to estimate the future prices/trends in the stock market to identify the link between the financial instruments and monetary policy which gives higher insights about the mechanism of existing policy and to know the role of financial assets in many channels. Thus, this study expects that the proposed model can create significant profits for traders by more precisely forecasting the stock market.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the high-frequency forecasting literature using MARSplines, SVR and BPNN. Finding the most effective way of forecasting the stock market is imperative for traders and portfolio managers for investment decisions. This study reveals the changing levels of trends in investing and expectation of significant gains in a short time through intraday trading.
The current state of brand management research
Authors: Shtovba Serhiy , Shtovba Olena , Filatova Lyubov
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify leaders and trends in branding research studies, undertaken during 2000-2019. Identification was made in the following categories: most popular subjects; most productive countries; most productive institutions; most productive scholars; most productive sources; most cited publications and most cited scholars.

Design/methodology/approach

Bibliometric analysis based on data from Scopus and Dimensions.

Findings

The majority of branding publications belong to business and management. The interest toward this research field, however, declines mostly in favor of cultural studies, psychology, sociology, etc. The majority of publications on branding are concentrated in the USA, UK and Australia. Griffith University has become a leader in the number of branding publications within 2000-2019. T C Melewar is a leader by the number of branding publications among scholars. Journal of Brand Management has been a leader among sources. Journal of Marketing is a leader by the number of the most cited papers.

Research limitations/implications

The authors analyze the automatically formed results on search query without human meddling.

Originality/value

For the first time, bibliometric analysis was carried out simultaneously upon the two bases – Scopus and Dimensions.
Challenges to economic integration and social inclusion of Syrian refugees in Turkey
Authors: Bache Christina
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The following question drove this research: Would the pursuit of a rights-based approach, one that considers local dynamics and political sensitivities result in greater economic integration and social inclusion of Syrian refugees in Turkey? The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

This piece draws on independent research the author conducted in Turkey and other frontline states to the war in Syria from 2016 to 2018.

Findings

Despite a shift in government policy toward Syrian refugees, without an overarching rights-based approach that includes the participation of all stakeholders and considers local dynamics and political sensitivities, enhancing the livelihood security of Syrian refugees and vulnerable members of host communities remains bleak in Turkey.

Originality/value

This original paper closely examines the Government of Turkey’s response to the humanitarian crisis that was precipitated by the armed conflict in Syria. The paper also examines the socioeconomic dynamics and increased tensions between the Syrian refugee and host communities.
Commentary: considering the social value of IB
Authors: Doh Jonathan
Published: October 2019

Purpose

In this viewpoint, the author critically aims to examine the papers by Sinkovics and Archie-Acheampong (2019, this issue) “The social value creation of MNEs – a literature review across multiple academic fields” and by Rygh (2019, this issue) “Social value creation by multinational enterprises: the next “big question” for international business research?” and offer an appraisal of the papers’ merits as well as thoughts for further development of research on social value creation, critical international business and work that can conceivably contribute to scholarship on global grand challenges.

Design/methodology/approach

The author’s approach is a reflexive review of two papers in the Critical Perspectives on International Business special issue “social value creation of MNEs.” The underpinning tenet is that by shifting the domain of international business (IB) research from an exclusive focus on the MNEs’ economic success or failure to the role and responsibility of MNEs in global communities, IB’s contributions can be strengthened.

Findings

A reorientation of the IB disciplinary focus toward global grand challenges will contribute by improving the engagement with other allied disciplines such as political science, sociology and international relations and exchanging ideas and insights with those disciplines, providing a platform to speak to not just business communities but also policy and civil society communities and bring a sophisticated knowledge base to those discussions, and connecting some of our personal interests, beliefs and values with those of our disciplinary research.

Research limitations/implications

The papers covered in this special issue on social value creation underscore the diversity, plurality and richness of IB. In the early days of IB, scholars such as Hymer (1960), Vernon (1971) and others naturally position IBs and MNEs within a broader societal context and were open to exploring the various interactions and cross currents between and among business, government and civil society in the global environment. Against this background, this special issue and its papers thus widen the scope of our field again.

Practical implications

IB scholars may be able to broaden their contributions to include values-based and even normative judgements into their research process.

Social implications

If assumptions and biases are made explicit, critical and normative issues may suitably be incorporated in IB work and thus contribute to tackling grand societal challenges.

Originality/value

The papers discussed in this viewpoint and the “social value creation” special issue more broadly offer contemporary contributions regarding the role and responsibilities of business in the global commons. This is of significant value for further conceptual and empirical work that is critically and societally engaged.
New tools and practices for financing novelty: a research agenda
Authors: Stefani Ulrike , Schiavone Francesco , Laperche Blandine , Burger-Helmchen Thierry
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The expectations surrounding innovation as the principal mean by which firms gain a sustainable advantage while simultaneously alleviating social problems are tremendous. However, in the process of developing innovation, many small entrepreneurs, SMEs, as well as large firms struggle to access the necessary finances in order to further develop their innovative projects. The purpose of this paper is to underline some of the most recent tools and practices used to finance novelty.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper synthetizes some thoughts about the financing of novelty and proposes a research agenda based on trends highlighted in the recent literature.

Findings

This paper pinpoints recent advances in finance applied to the field of innovation. In particular, this paper highlights both promising developments as well as the need for more research in this area in order to untangle the links between creativity and financial support, the financing of innovation in developing countries, accounting and evaluation of ideas.

Social implications

The importance of developing innovation and easing access to resources has societal implications. The development of education around finance and entrepreneurship, as well as improving literacy of citizens in these fields could yield a more open view on innovation and financial supports in the future.

Originality/value

Financing novelty, evaluating projects and facing uncertainty are among the most difficult decisions investors take. This paper combines many dimensions of innovation and finance to construct an overview of current and future practices within both domains.
The employability of international branch campus graduates: evidence from Malaysia
Authors: Belderbos Tonatiuh
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the employability of international branch campus (IBC) students and graduates in Malaysia, including their possession of transnational skills and knowledge, and the role of IBC educational characteristics in improving such employability.

Design/methodology/approach

A combination of employer interviews (n=21) and a survey of Malaysian students (n=246) enrolled at four IBCs are used in this study. Thematic and matrix analyses were applied to the interviews and multivariate analysis to the survey responses.

Findings

IBC graduates are well-equipped with the skills and attributes that employers find most important, in particular, soft skills and personal attributes. The development of these employability attributes is related to IBC educational characteristics and international exposure on campus – with important heterogeneity among IBCs and curricula. However, IBC education does not strongly improve the transnational human capital of Malaysian students and is only a partial substitute for education abroad in this respect.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the few studies that examine the employability of students that graduate from IBC universities, a type of education that has received only limited scholarly attention. It also broadens the scope of the debate on the relation between international experience and employability by examining whether receiving an IBC education in one’s home country can lead to the development of transnational human capital. Finally, it provides new insights on the returns to (higher) education by directly measuring students’ acquisition of skills and examining the role educational characteristics play in this.
Building community resilience in post-disaster resettlement in Pakistan
Authors: Jamshed Ali , Rana Irfan Ahmad , McMillan Joanna M. , Birkmann Joern
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The extreme flood event of 2010 in Pakistan led to extensive internal displacement of rural communities, resulting in initiatives to resettle the displaced population in model villages (MVs). The MV concept is quite new in the context of post-disaster resettlement and its role in building community resilience and well-being has not been explored. This study aims to assess the role of MVs in building the resilience of relocated communities, particularly looking at the differences between those developed by governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

Design/methodology/approach

Four MVs, two developed by government and two by NGOs, were selected as case studies in the severely flood-affected province of Punjab, Pakistan. A sample of 145 households from the four MVs was collected using a structured questionnaire to measure improvements in social, economic, physical and environmental domains and to form a final resilience index. Supplementary tools including expert interviews and personal observations were also used.

Findings

The analysis suggests that NGOs are more successful in improving the overall situation of relocated households than government. Core factors that increase the resilience of communities resettled by NGOs are provision of livelihood opportunities, livelihood skill development based on local market demand, training on maintenance and operation of different facilities of the MV and provision of extensive education opportunities, especially for women.

Practical implications

The results of this study can guide policymakers and development planners to overcome existing deficiencies by including the private sector and considerations of socioeconomic development whenever resettling communities.

Originality/value

In resilience discourse, resettlement of communities has been extensively debated based on qualitative arguments. This paper demonstrates an approach to quantify community resilience in a post-disaster resettlement context.
The cannabis festival: quality, satisfaction, and intention to return
Authors: Kang Soo , Miller Jeffrey , Lee Jaeseok
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand how festival quality, satisfaction and intention to return among cannabis festival attendees were interrelated by using the 2018 Mile High 420 Cannabis Festival in Denver, Colorado, USA.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed an online survey with festival attendees to the 2018 Mile High 420 Festival. A total of 664 attendees participated in the survey.

Findings

Findings of the study revealed the demographic profile of cannabis festival attendees (i.e. relatively young, single and evenly distributed in terms of gender and residency) and its relationships with respondents’ perceived festival qualities. In addition, two dimensions of festival quality unique to the context of marijuana festival influenced attendees’ satisfaction and intent to return significantly. Festival attendees’ travel characteristics were used to describe attendees’ satisfaction and intent to return to a different degree. This research has also highlighted a lack of research in the area of cannabis events/festivals.

Originality/value

This study is the first investigation that studied a cannabis-themed festival in the tourism literature. As legalization of recreational cannabis has been embraced in the USA and abroad (i.e. Canada), the findings of this empirical study will help the industry professionals and policy makers to understand this unprecedented SIT market and can be used as the benchmarks for their legal and operational practicality. Further, this study highlights research gaps in the tourism literature, and identifies those areas where future study is unlikely to provide new knowledge.
Materialism in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Arthur Damien , Sherman Claire Eloise , Al Hameli Noora Saeed , Al Marzooqi Salama Yousef
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the antecedents, cultivation, behaviours and consequences of materialism in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Given the UAE’s dramatic transformation into a developed and commercialised nation, such an investigation is highly warranted.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, four focus groups and 25 in-depth interviews with UAE nationals were conducted. A conceptual model theorising the antecedents, cultivation, behaviours and consequences of materialism in the UAE emerged from a grounded theory analysis of the primary data and existing literature.

Findings

Rapid development, commercialisation and a substantial increase in new wealth have led to the development and socialisation of material values. Conspicuous and status consumption is creating an increasingly judgmental consumer society that is further cultivating material values in an ongoing cycle. Traditional Emirati values are also being expressed through materialistic displays. The consequences of materialism for the Emirati population include both positive and negative impacts on well-being, an increase in financial distress, delayed marriage and family conflict.

Practical implications

The model guides policy makers beyond constraining consumption via advertising and financial regulation towards breaking the cycles that cultivate harmful materialistic tendencies. The use of a more socio-cultural approach is recommended, which includes building self-esteem, resilience to judgements, use of cultural influencers, re-direction efforts and campaigns raising awareness and recognition of materialism as a social problem.

Originality/value

This is the first study to develop a comprehensive model of the antecedents, cultivation, behaviours and consequences of materialism in an emerging market.
The interplay between smart manufacturing technologies and work organization
Authors: Cagliano Raffaella , Canterino Filomena , Longoni Annachiara , Bartezzaghi Emilio
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide evidence on how smart manufacturing (SM) affects work organization at both micro-level – i.e. work design, described in terms of operator job breadth and autonomy, cognitive demand and social interaction – and at macro-level – i.e. organizational structure, described in terms of centralization of decision making and number of hierarchical levels in the plant.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reports on a multiple-case study of 19 companies implementing SM.

Findings

Results present four main configurations differing in terms of technological complexity, and micro and macro work organization.

Research limitations/implications

The paper contributes to the academic debate about the interplay between technology and work organization in the context of SM, specifically the authors find that the level of technology complexity relates to different characteristics of micro and macro work organization in the plant.

Practical implications

Findings offer valuable insights for practice, with implications for the design of operator jobs, skills and plant organizational structure, in light of the challenges generated by the implementation of SM technology. Guidelines on how policymakers can foster the implementation of SM technology to enhance social sustainability are proposed.

Originality/value

This study advances a novel focus in studying SM, i.e. work organization implications of this new manufacturing paradigm instead of its mere technological implications.
Yours truly: the role of organizational commitment in shoplifting prevention
Authors: Potdar Balkrushna , Garry Tony , Guthrie John , Gnoth Juergen
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how interactional justice within a retail context may influence employee organizational commitment and how this may evoke guardianship behaviors that manifest in shoplifting prevention.

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses a phenomenological approach conducting semi-structured in-depth interviews with 26 shop-floor employees of two major national supermarket chains in New Zealand.

Findings

The findings suggest that interactional justice in the workplace is important in shaping organizational commitment amongst employees. Additionally, heightened organizational commitment may have a significant effect on employee propensity to engage in shoplifting prevention/guardianship behavior. A conceptual model is developed based on these findings.

Practical implications

Retail managers may promote and exercise interactional justice practices with employees to improve their organizational commitment and consequential shoplifting prevention/guardianship behaviors.

Originality/value

The contribution of this paper is threefold. First, and from a theoretical perspective, it offers both a conceptual foundation and empirical-based evaluation of interactional justice and its effect on organizational commitment and, specifically, on guardianship/shoplifting prevention behaviors. Second, and from a pragmatic perspective, the conceptual model derived from this research may assist retailers in developing interactional justice strategies that encourage organizational commitment of employees that consequently leads to employees’ guardianship/shoplifting prevention behaviors. Finally, it explores significance and role of employee perceptions of interactional justice, employee workplace attachment and organizational commitment within the context of retail crime prevention.
Public health expenditure and child mortality in Southern Africa
Authors: Nyamuranga Chamunorwa , Shin Jaeun
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically assess the effect of public health expenditure on child mortality in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region in comparison to the developing world as a whole and the region of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).

Design/methodology/approach

This study used panel data extracted from the World Development Indicators database for the period 2000–2013 for 98 developing countries including 15 SADC countries. A dynamic panel data model of child mortality was estimated using the system generalized method of moments technique.

Findings

Results indicate that public health expenditure has a statistically significant effect on reducing infant and under-five mortality rates in the developing world, and that this effect is strongest in the SADC. Immunization and female literacy contributed significantly to the prevention of deaths of infants and children under five in developing countries. In the region of SSA, improved water sources and the reduction in the prevalence of HIV were found to be effective in reducing childhood mortality. There was little evidence for the benefit of higher GDP per capita.

Practical implications

The findings of this study suggest four policy areas which should be prioritized in public health spending to achieve better health among children: ensuring that females have better access to education, providing immunizations, intensifying interventions against the spread of HIV/AIDS, and improving water and sanitation infrastructure.

Originality/value

This study, which shows that the benefits of public health expenditure may be augmented by regional collaborations like the SADC, is one of the first to explore regional heterogeneity in the effectiveness of public health expenditure for the improvement of children’s health across the developing world.
LCA and ecodesign teaching via university-industry cooperation
Authors: Piekarski Cassiano Moro , Puglieri Fábio Neves , Araújo Cristiane Karyn de Carvalho , Barros Murillo Vetroni , Salvador Rodrigo
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report on a life cycle assessment (LCA)-based ecodesign teaching practice via university-industry collaboration in an industrial engineering undergraduate course.

Design/methodology/approach

A new course was designed and taught in the Industrial Engineering undergraduate course of a Federal University in Brazil. The course comprised explanatory lectures and a practical project developed in a partnership between the university and an industry partner where students had to develop Ecodesign proposals based on LCA to improve the environmental profile of both solid and reticulated paint brushes. To that end, students used the LCA software tool Umberto NXT v.7.1.13 (educational version), where they modeled the life cycle of four plastic brushes and assessed it using the impact categories of climate change and resource consumption, and the Ecoinvent v.3.3 database. After course completion, students, professors and industry collaborators were asked to provide feedback on the project performance and expectations.

Findings

The course design used was welcomed by both students and the industry partner. Students found the novel approach intriguing and useful to their future careers. The results also exceeded the industry partner’s expectations, as students formulated valuable insights. Professors observed that learning was made easier, as content was put into practice and internalized more easily and solidly. The approach was found to be a win-win-win.

Practical implications

Students acquired a fair share of knowledge on sustainability issues and potential existing trade-offs, which is valuable to industrial practices. The industry noticed the valuable contributions that academia can provide. The university profited from providing students with a real case challenging traditional teaching methods.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first case studies to show how LCA and ecodesign teaching practice can support sustainability learning in an industrial engineering undergraduate course.
Distribution effect of surface texture on the elastic deformation in soft contacts
Authors: Su Binbin , Huang Wei , Wang Xiaolei
Published: October 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to experimentally investigate the elastic deformation behavior of surface texture in soft contacts under lubricated condition.

Design/methodology/approach

Dimples with two typical distribution patterns are fabricated on the contacting surface by Quasi-LIGA technique. In situ observation on the elastic deformation of contacting surface is performed through optical interferometry. Comparisons of the elastic deformation around the dimples in different distribution patterns are conducted.

Findings

The results show that the effect of dimple distribution patterns on elastic deformation becomes increasingly serious with the growth of applied load. Dimples in square distribution present a stronger interaction with each other and lead to a more alleviative deformation under heavier load condition. The action range of dimple, especially in square distribution, is seriously compressed by surrounding dimples.

Originality/value

Square distribution is preferentially suggested for surface texture with respect to minimum elastic deformation in soft contacts under elastohydrodynamic lubrication condition.
Social media usage and employee’s job performance
Authors: Jafar Rana Muhammad Sohail , Geng Shuang , Ahmad Wasim , Niu Ben , Chan Felix T.S.
Published: October 2019

Purpose

This era is an era of social media (SM); thus, it is an essential tool for communication among individuals and organizations. The excessive use of SM by employees has raised many questions about their job performance. Therefore, there is a dire need to investigate the effects of SM use on an employee’s job performance mediated by knowledge exchange. Furthermore, the purpose of this paper is to examine how the organization’s SM rules can moderate the relationship between personal and work-related use of SM with information sharing and obtaining information.

Design/methodology/approach

Quantitative methodology was used and randomly 1,200 questionnaires data were collected physically from the employees of the public and private sectors in Pakistan. To examine the hypothesized relationships, partial least squares (PLS), rather than covariance-based structural equation modeling, was used to analyze the data. For this reason, multivariate technique, Smart PLS-3.2.1, was used for data analysis.

Findings

The findings of this study demonstrated that personal and work-related use of SM could enhance employees’ job performance through knowledge exchange, and SM rules have adverse impacts on the relationships between SM use and knowledge exchange.

Originality/value

This study provides a novel model for the investigation of whether SM use affects employees’ job performance. Furthermore, it will help the policy makers and researchers regarding the management of SM use at work.
The Government of Jamaica’s electronic procurement system: experiences and lessons learned
Authors: Ahmad Tashfeen , Aljafari Ruba , Venkatesh Viswanath
Published: October 2019

Purpose

Realizing value from information and communication technology (ICT) in procurement in developing countries is complex due to diverse stakeholders and intertwined procurement processes. The purpose of this paper is to examine the experience of the Government of Jamaica in leveraging ICTs as an intervention to transform its procurement operations and combat corruption.

Design/methodology/approach

The study examines conversations with employees in the Government of Jamaica to understand key milestones in its procurement history. Based on the view that the intervention context is an ecosystem where multiple and inconsistent views of the e-procurement system evolve over time, the study analyzes milestones to reveal key actions that contributed either to the initial success of or introduced challenges to the e-procurement system.

Findings

The findings suggest that inducing positive sentiments about the intervention through transparency will overcome a long history of negative sentiments about the initiatives of government bodies in general. Furthermore, positive sentiments may not be directly related to the e-procurement system.

Research limitations/implications

The study offers important insights that government bodies in similar contexts can apply to guide initiatives for transforming procurement operations. For instance, training should emphasize not only the technical aspects of the system from the perspective of different stakeholders but also their job descriptions. Future research may examine other initiatives in developing countries to compare the role of sentiments over time.

Originality/value

The study adopts a unique approach to understand the experience of a developing country in harnessing ICTs to transform procurement operations.
Leaders in industrial marketing research: 25 years of analysis
Authors: Valenzuela-Fernández Leslier M. , Merigó José M. , Nicolas Carolina , Kleinaltenkamp Michael
Published: October 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to present a bibliometric overview of the leading trends of the journals in industrial marketing during for 25 years. Thus, the purpose is to carry out an analysis about contributions that industrial marketing or business to business (B2B) marketing discipline has done for scientific investigation, presenting a ranking of the 30 most influential journals and their global evolution by five-year periods from 1992 to 2016. Moreover, this study presents the amount of citations, who quotes who from the top 15 ranking and self-citations.

Design/methodology/approach

This study analyzes 3,587 documents classified as articles, letters, notes and reviews from Clarivate Analytics’ Web of Science for the period 1992- 2016, by bibliometric indicators such as H-index, total citations (TC), total papers (TP), TC/TP. Furthermore, this paper develops a graphical visualization of the bibliographic material by using the visualization of similarities viewer software for constructing and visualizing bibliometric networks in leading journals, publications and keywords with bibliographic coupling and co-citation analysis.

Findings

Industrial Marketing Management is the leader of the ranking, representing 34 per cent of the total manuscripts considered in this study. The most influential journals were classified by periods of five years and the top five for the period 2012-2016 were in ascending order: Industrial Marketing Management, Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing, Journal of Business Research and Journal of Marketing. Therefore, in this last period, the considered specialized journals of industrial marketing have increased the quantity (TP) and quality (better H-index) of marketing contributions. The main node on the keywords was of “business-to-business marketing.” The most frequent keywords were “industrial marketing,” “trust,” “business-to-business,” “B2B,” “relationship marketing” and finally “electronic commerce”.

Practical implications

The information presented in this paper is useful to academics, publishers, academic institutions and other interested groups in industrial marketing because it makes available a global and current picture of this discipline that could be used to make decisions about publishing strategies and journal position.

Originality/value

This study aims to analyze the progress of industrial marketing discipline, reviewing the contribution of several scientific journals for 25 years. In fact, to the authors’ knowledge, this is the first quantitative study focused on the only purpose of ranking the most influential journals and keywords analysis using bibliometric techniques and networks theories.
Overcoming stakeholder social media fatigue: a trialogue approach
Authors: Seo Youngji , Primovic Marilyn J. , Jin Yan
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The continuation of rapid changes in Web 2.0 has transformed the practice of business communication and stakeholders’ expectations. This paper aims to paramount one issue facing corporate communicators is stakeholders’ social media fatigue that leads to online disengagement and social media strategy ineffectiveness.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic review of research literature and a deep dive in the professional reports regarding corporate communication and social media strategies are conducted.

Findings

To tackle the challenge of stakeholder social media fatigue, a conceptual model is provided to guide the development of alternative social media strategies that capitalize on the impact of vicarious interaction and reenergize stakeholders via trialogue based on the corporate-influencer-stakeholder (parasocial) relationships.

Originality/value

A model for overcoming stakeholder social media fatigue via optimizing corporate-influencer-stakeholder (parasocial) relationship is proposed and elaborated, with actionable social media strategies recommended for corporate communicators to use.
Promoting digitally enabled growth in SMEs: a framework proposal
Authors: North Klaus , Aramburu Nekane , Lorenzo Oswaldo Jose
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide guidance to SMEs to sense and seize digitally enabled growth opportunities as well as start a project-based learning process to transform the organization in order to remain competitive in turbulent environments.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed framework is nurtured from a dynamic capabilities approach as well as from digital transformation studies and mitigates shortcomings of existing frameworks on IT-enabled business transformation. A pilot study has also been carried out for testing the proposed framework.

Findings

The results of the pilot study show that the framework is well understood by SME owners or managers and contributes to a comprehensive perception of digitalization challenges and potentials. The overall maturity level of the 52 companies analyzed is moderate. Firms are better at “sensing” than “seizing”, that is, at identifying digitally based growth opportunities than in profiting from them. The test of the proposed framework also contributes to its further adjustment and refinement.

Practical implications

The developed framework is useful for owners and managers of SMEs as a self-assessment of digital maturity. It sets a baseline regarding the current position and supports coordinated initiatives for digitally enabled growth.

Originality/value

Few frameworks regarding digital maturity have been developed. Most of them lack a sound theoretical foundation and are less suited to the needs of SMEs. There are few studies on digitalization in SMEs and they are not focussed on capabilities development but mostly on processes (Trung Pham 2010; Blatz et al., 2018; Mittal et al., 2018). Therefore, the originality of this paper is to propose a framework that allows SMEs to assess their digital maturity level and the capabilities associated with each level to enhance digitally enabled growth, contributing to expand the research on the relationship between dynamic capabilities and digitalization (Teece, 2017).
An accessible STEM editor customizable for various local languages
Authors: Yamaguchi Katsuhito , Suzuki Masakazu
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to facilitate the spread of accessible e-books, especially ones of STEM much more in developing countries, an efficient/systematic scheme to localize tools for producing/reading them should be established. Furthermore, even in many advanced countries, Print-disabled people still do not have a good tool to write a content including technical notations such as mathematical formulas in their own local language. This work is aimed at giving a practical solution for those problems.

Design/methodology/approach

Here, multilingual support in a tool to produce accessible STEM contents and its new localization scheme are discussed.

Findings

It is shown that the accessible STEM-document editor can be customized easily for print-disabled people so that they can read and author a material including complicated technical notations in their own local language. The localization for Vietnamese and other various languages actually has been worked on.

Originality/value

The Vietnamese version was completed, and some prototype versions for the other languages were also given. It is expected that the software can contribute to improve STEM accessibility much more in many countries.
Demand forecasting at retail stage for selected vegetables: a performance analysis
Authors: Priyadarshi Rahul , Panigrahi Akash , Routroy Srikanta , Garg Girish Kant
Published: October 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to select the appropriate forecasting model at the retail stage for selected vegetables on the basis of performance analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

Various forecasting models such as the Box–Jenkins-based auto-regressive integrated moving average model and machine learning-based algorithms such as long short-term memory (LSTM) networks, support vector regression (SVR), random forest regression, gradient boosting regression (GBR) and extreme GBR (XGBoost/XGBR) were proposed and applied (i.e. modeling, training, testing and predicting) at the retail stage for selected vegetables to forecast demand. The performance analysis (i.e. forecasting error analysis) was carried out to select the appropriate forecasting model at the retail stage for selected vegetables.

Findings

From the obtained results for a case environment, it was observed that the machine learning algorithms, namely LSTM and SVR, produced the better results in comparison with other different demand forecasting models.

Research limitations/implications

The results obtained from the case environment cannot be generalized. However, it may be used for forecasting of different agriculture produces at the retail stage, capturing their demand environment.

Practical implications

The implementation of LSTM and SVR for the case situation at the retail stage will reduce the forecast error, daily retail inventory and fresh produce wastage and will increase the daily revenue.

Originality/value

The demand forecasting model selection for agriculture produce at the retail stage on the basis of performance analysis is a unique study where both traditional and non-traditional models were analyzed and compared.