bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Corporate Social Venturing
Authors: Pasillas Marcela Ramírez , Lundberg Hans
Published: September 2021

This chapter has three purposes: first, to briefly outline corporate venturing as a sub-field in corporate entrepreneurship that recently has gained prominence in research on family-owned businesses (FOB); second, to highlight the missing social dimension in research on FOB that focuses on corporate venturing, conceptualize this added social dimension as corporate social venturing (CSV), and to empirically illustrate CSV with well-known Mexican FOB engaged in CSV; and third, to propose an agenda for researching CSV done by FOB.
Internationalization of Family Businesses
Authors: Costa Joana
Published: September 2021

Worldwide, family businesses are one of the cornerstones of the entrepreneurial fabric, being as a consequence central to growth and development. In a globalized era, these institutions require the attention of businessmen, practitioners, and policymakers. The chapter seeks to examine if the internationalization performance does vary according to firm size, and its link to the innovative performance in multiple dimensions along with conventional characteristics such as age and turnover. Theoretical research evidences the interest in understanding the patterns and determinants of the internationalisation performance, given its importance in firm growth and survival; however, this strategical option brings advantages and problems. Empirical evidence demonstrates that the determinants do change according to firm dimension; estimations provide valuable insights about the connection between globalized operation and innovation, for the different organisations.
International Effect on Family SME Financial Distress Prediction
Authors: Lisboa Ines , Costa Magali
Published: September 2021

Understanding the reasons of default risk is crucial to avoid the firm's bankruptcy. The purpose of this work is to analyze the impact of internationalization on firm's probability of distress. For it, this chapter aims to propose a model to predict default specific to family SMEs (small and medium enterprises). An unbalanced panel of 10,832 firms over the period from 2012-2018 is analyzed. Ex-ante criteria to classify firms in default or compliant is used. International SMEs have lower probability of default than domestic firms, and compliant firms export more. Results show that export ratio is an important determinant of the probability of default. Moreover, the ratios of liquidity, profitability, size, leverage, efficiency, cash flow, and age are also relevant. Moreover, these ratios explain default risk of both groups international and domestic SMEs. The proposed model has an accuracy of 92.9%, which increases to 95.6% if only export SMEs are analyzed.
Business Plan and Industrial Development
Authors: Lubawa Galinoma Gahele
Published: September 2021

Writing of business plans ensures performance of a business and contributes to enabling countries to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs). The latter are intended, in part, to promote industrialization, and improved human living and working standards. This chapter identifies and analyses the importance of business plan for family-owned food processing small and medium enterprises (Fo-SMEs). It advocates for the establishment of an “integrated planning” strategy to link Fo-SMEs and government support system for business development. Business-planning forecasts industrial production based on consumers' demands. Integrated planning ensures sustainability of Fo-SMEs, farmers' economic growth, and consequent achievement of SDGs. Tanzania Fo-SMEs serve as a useful lesson for developing economies. Future studies should consider Fo-SMEs' succession planning framework.
Leverage and Family Firms
Authors: Camisón-Haba Sergio , Clemente José Antonio , Forés Beatriz , Grueso-Gala Melanie
Published: September 2021

This chapter analyses the relationship between ownership structure and leverage, providing an integrated theoretical approach that combines traditional financial theories, agency theory, and recently developed theories relating to non-financial preferences. The results show that, after controlling for endogeneity, being a family firm has a positive effect on the propensity to incur debt. These findings add to the existing body of literature and underline the need for a multi-theoretical approach when explaining the capital structure of family firms. The authors apply panel data methodology to control for individual heterogeneity of family firms. The chapter uses a sample of Spanish firms operating in the tourism industry.
Corporate Governance and Firm Innovation
Authors: Ossorio Mario
Published: September 2021

Innovation is a key factor for firms' competitive advantage in the long-term and for their financial success. Scholars highlight the underinvestment problem with respect of R&D investment. This chapter focuses on two relevant variables of corporate governance that influence firms' innovation performance: firm ownership and board of directors. In the first section, the effect of ownership structure on R&D investment is analyzed. More specifically, the chapter will illustrate the effects of family ownership and institutional ownership on innovation investments. The second section explores the main theoretical perspectives investigating the functions of board of directors and the main board tasks. Lastly, three attributes of board structure and their effect on R&D investments are explored.
Earnings Management and Corporate Governance in Family Firms
Authors: Vieira Elisabete , Madaleno Mara
Published: September 2021

Earnings management and corporate governance relationships are examined for a sample of 49 Portuguese listed firms considering an unbalanced panel for the period 2002-2017, using panel corrected standard errors models and considering the family ownership effect. Empirical findings reveal that there is a positive relationship between corporate board independence and earnings management and that the presence of women on board decreases earnings management practices. Results are consistent with the hypothesis that earnings management practices are lower in family firms than in non-family firms. Size, being audited by the Big 4 companies, return on assets, loss, and the existence of an audit committee on board influence positively earnings management, but leverage, age, and ownership control are negatively related to earnings management. Results indicate that further auditing and control is necessary for Portuguese listed companies leading to strict recommendations to be followed by policymakers regarding control of these firms.
“I'm Your Leader Now, but Do You Trust Me?”
Authors: Leonelli Simona , Masciarelli Francesca , Tognazzo Alessandra
Published: September 2021

Leadership succession is inevitable for most family businesses. To effectively face this challenging transition, next-generation leaders need to have the ability to gain their employees' trust which is typically very challenging due to previous generation' influence on the business. The chapter explores how trust in family leaders can impact succession when a business is passed from one generation to the next. This chapter presents two comparative examples of family business cases operating in the transportation sector in Italy. In the first business, the succession already took place and the next-generation leader is running the firm, while in the other firm, the incumbent generation is still in charge of the company and is not passing the baton. Results show that the incumbent and next-generation leader's perception of their leadership style correspond to non-family employees' perceptions. However, employees' trust in the incumbent is higher than the trust in the successor.
Succession Planning in Family-Owned Business Evidence From an Emerging Economy
Authors: Arslan Muhammad
Published: September 2021

Family-owned businesses (FOBs) play an important role in the economy of a country through the creation of jobs. However, most FOBs lack strategies regarding succession planning in both developed and developing economies. This study explores the strategies that are used by FOBs to prepare future leaders. Drawing on qualitative research design, this study employed a multiple case study approach and selected 13 cases by employing a purposive sampling technique from the FOBs of Pakistan. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the successors of FOBs. The findings reveal that succession planning is pivotal for the development of business and the successful transition of FOB from one generation to another. Most of the respondents fully understand the importance of succession planning for the sustainability of the business. However, in some cases, socioemotional aspects of generational succession planning require strategies that concurrently focus on successor suitability, the consensus of the family, mode of transition, leadership, and challenges faced by the FOBs.
Entrepreneurial Orientation and Dynamic Capabilities
Authors: Coelho Ana Sofia , Lisboa Ana , Pinho José Carlos M. R.
Published: September 2021

Currently, small and medium enterprises that are family businesses (SMEFs) assume an important role in the global economy. Further, innovation and flexibility became vital to firms' survival and prosperity in the market during these volatile times. Firms should not only possess critical resources, but also be able to recombine them. Characterized by resource restrictions, SMEFs can rely on dynamic capabilities to access resources and be competitive in the market. In this regard, networking capabilities (NC) and resource combinations (RC) such as exploitative and explorative product development and on market-related capabilities emerge as key dynamic capabilities. This chapter examines the role of Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) on NC and RC. Using a qualitative method of in-depth case study, the chapter analyzes 12 Portuguese SMEFs.
Entrepreneurial Orientation and Family Influence Factors for Sustainable Small Business
Authors: Civera Chiara , Cortese Damiano , Fiandrino Simona
Published: September 2021

This chapter addresses the issue of sustainability in small family firms, considering the relation between entrepreneurial orientation and family influence factors. The literature describes positive links between small firms and sustainability outlining their power in spreading good practices. Furthermore, the role of family is crucial to strengthen such intrinsic links. The aim of this study is to first demonstrate the influence that family factors play on entrepreneurial orientation and, second, highlight how factors and orientations shape small family firms' sustainable approach. The study employs a case-based method, illustrating a peculiar case: the leading Italian small family-owned craft beer producer Baladin. It provides fertile ground for the development of functioning as a learning process and being replicable in smaller firms. It also highlights the relevance of family culture even when an entrepreneur engages in a countertrend against his usual family path, by undermining the traditional family business but maintaining a local commitment to sustainable outcomes.
Dangerous Liaisons?
Authors: Ramírez-Solís Edgar , Baños-Monroy Verónica I.
Published: September 2021

Entrepreneurship is an essential engine for economic growth and innovation. During the last two decades, there has been a lot of academic interest in this kind of activity but only recently has research attention been devoted to the ethical problems encountered by entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs. In this chapter, the authors highlight the ethical issues inherent to family firms. Intrapreneurs in a family business face uniquely moral problems related to fundamental fairness, succession process, copyright and brand use, and other challenges. For example, younger generations in family firms face a tricky balancing act between their loyalty to their families and finding new ventures or spin-offs based on the current business. This theoretical work aims to present some contemporary research in entrepreneurial ethics, examines the kinds of ethical dilemmas entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs face, identifies significant research topics and methodological approaches, and discusses possible directions for future research.
The Role of Awareness in Designing Human Resources Management Practices in Family Firms
Authors: Flamini Giulia , Gnan Luca
Published: September 2021

The chapter aims to develop a theoretical configurational model of HRM practices for family firms based on the construct of awareness. The typology of ideal HRM practices configurations the authors developed grounds on are 1) two organizational factors (awareness of the internal and external environment and organizational awareness) and 2) two dimensions of organizational awareness (the need for explicit and implicit coordination mechanisms). The first dimension refers to the need for mechanisms explicitly adopted by a family firm to manage task or communication interdependencies. The second one relates to those requirements for mechanisms that are available to family firms from shared cognition, which enable them to explain and anticipate task statuses and individuals' collaborative behaviors, thus helping them in managing task interdependencies. The authors combined these results in four configurations of HRM practices (administrative, shared, professional, and integrated configurations) and developed seven propositions.
Long Tail Leadership
Authors: Spencer-Scarr Diane
Published: September 2021

The increased weighting of digital natives in a fattening long tail has added complexity to organizational leadership, particularly during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Trends affecting the individual come from social, economic, and technological sources and affect leadership behaviors, and this in turn affects society. In order to understand this interconnection, lower-level influences and how they affect the higher-level visible signs are discussed. These lead to influences on behavior. Influences are felt as intensity and embeddedness of engagement, decision-management, feedback ability, and motivators. This chapter begins with a discussion of causes for this phenomenon and concludes with ways to work with the long tail, either from within as a member or externally as a leader. The chapter ends with a brief comment on future research based on findings discussed in this chapter.
Towards Making a Sustainable Organization
Authors: Rahman Hakikur
Published: September 2021

Sustainable development refers to an economic, environmental, and social development aspect that meets the demands of the contemporary context and does not prevent future generations from fulfilling their requirements. In this perspective, businesses play an imperative role. However, studies reveal that the progress towards sustainable development has been slow, indicating the need for more concrete guidance that would allow businesses to act strategically and successfully in a sustainable way. There are three distinct, but complementary, dimensions of strategic management as viewed from the perspective of sustainability in order to encourage the integration of sustainability issues into corporate activities and strategies. This chapter looks through various aspects of sustainability towards making a sustainable organization through a vertical literature review. This theoretical discussion contributes to existing research to find relationships between strategic management and sustainable development and tries to provide a schema for further empirical research.
Other Health Impairment (OHI) Disabilities Category and an In-Depth Look at the Most Common Neurobiological Condition for Students
Authors: Guthrie Tammy Reutzel
Published: September 2021

The other health impairment (OHI) disability category refers to a condition that causes limited strength, vitality, or alertness, including heightened alertness to environmental stimuli that results in limited alertness with respect to the educational environment due to a chronic or acute health problem and adversely affects a child's educational performance. This disability category, as explored in this chapter, may include one or a combined type of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, a heart condition, kidney disease, sickle cell anemia, and Tourette's syndrome. As a result of the child's other health impairment, as described above, the child is prevented from receiving reasonable educational benefit from general education.
Cognitive Performance in Immersive Environments After Acquired Brain Injury
Authors: van der Ham Ineke
Published: September 2021

The use of immersive environments such as virtual and augmented reality is quickly developing. For cognitive assessment and training in a neuropsychological setting, this offers a perspective for innovation and improvement of existing methods. Most of the current clinical uses of immersive environments focus on factors such as anxiety, or motor activities for physical therapy. Cognitive applications, concerning, for example, memory, attention, visuospatial processing, are relatively scarce. In this chapter, considerations of using immersive environments for cognitive purposes are presented. In addition to immersion, the individual experience of immersive environments, as expressed by sense of presence, will be discussed. By examining advantages and disadvantages of using immersive environments to measure and train cognitive performance, recommendations for clinical use of these methods are provided.
Low Cost, User-Controlled Peroneal Stimulator for Foot Drop in Patients With Stroke
Authors: Mishra Kriti , Thomas Raji
Published: September 2021

Foot drop is a common disabling condition following stroke. It has been conventionally managed using an ankle foot orthosis (AFO). An alternate rehabilitation option is the functional electrical stimulation (FES) systems that has undergone numerous improvisations over past few decades to make it more efficient and user friendly. This chapter aims to evaluate a prototype low-cost FES device in an Indian rehabilitation set-up to match the patients' cultural and socio-economic needs. It illustrates a pilot study designed to test the orthotic and clinical efficacy of the device in terms of dynamic ankle angle change during ambulation and comparing the walking speed and endurance with the AFO. A significant change with nearly two-thirds of normal ankle angle change during swing phase of the gait cycle was observed with nearly equivalent orthotic effects in terms of walking endurance and speed. In terms of receptivity, the device received a mixed response from the patients regarding its effectiveness as an orthosis.
Redefining Higher Education and Work
Authors: Ramlall Sunil , Cross Ted , Love Michelle
Published: September 2021

This chapter and book provide the foundation for executives, academic leaders, faculty, and students to analyze the realities of higher education today, strategies that would ensure success of academic institutions, and factors that would lend to student success. In particular, the book addresses essentials of online learning, strategies to ensure success of online degrees and courses, effective course development practices, key support mechanisms for students, and ensuring student success in online degree programs. Furthermore, the book addresses the future of work, preferences of employees, and how work can be redesigned to create further employee satisfaction, engagement, and increase productivity. In particular, the book covers insights that would lend to ensuring remote employees feel valued, included, and are being provided relevant support to thrive in their roles.
People, Place, and Purpose
Authors: Califano Sharon Kehl
Published: September 2021

While higher ed institutions have been incorporating online learning into their curriculum and delivery of content, the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst for major reform and reconsideration of learning practices, especially online. This chapter focuses on the ramifications of the pandemic on people, place, and purpose in ways that will have long-lasting meaning for both higher education options and the future of work for years to come. From the form of delivery to the way in which content becomes measured, mastered, and linked to employment opportunities, the future of higher education and work will demand non-degree offerings (NDO) that align with skills gap needs to improve efficiency, speed to completion, and qualifications for jobs and/or promotion.
Behind the Online Course
Authors: Orozco Luis Antonio , Marin-Aranguren Erli Margarita , Favaro Roberta F , Caicedo Gina Alejandra , Ramírez Heidy Johanna
Published: September 2021

Higher education institutions' success in providing online courses at the beginning of the pandemic depends not only on their infrastructure and organizational units for virtual education but also on diverse teams composed of professors specialized in pedagogy, researchers, and professionals in digital technologies for education. The authors describe their experiences in the bargaining process, tensions, ways to solve controversies, the management of time and resources, pitfalls, problems, correct guess, and hits to create new knowledge-based products for the Colombian National Ministry of Education (MEN in Spanish acronyms) platform's “Colombia Aprende” within a high pressure against time and the reputational risk of failing in the pandemic chaos. Results show that the psychological contract theory explains the capacity to compromise to overcome several difficulties such as an extra load of work, and the knowledge creation theory provides a helpful model to understand how the team innovated.
Post-COVID Lesson Learned
Authors: Hernandez Julie , Thompson Jason , Mark Brookshire Talia
Published: September 2021

Reimagining diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) became a high priority and central in WGU's strategic plan including successes, lessons learned, and opportunities to make an even greater impact for faculty, staff, students, and communities. In this chapter, per the authors, WGU's wins, lessons learned, and opportunities to make an even greater impact for faculty, staff, students, and stakeholders are explored. Higher education institutions and businesses alike realized an inclusive workplace where employees feel they can be their authentic selves was necessary to attract the best talent and foster greater innovation. Although WGU was more uniquely positioned to host DEI initiatives, strategies, and trainings virtually, there were still many lessons to be learned.
Integrating the Arts for Leadership Education and Development
Authors: Wallrauch Traci Erin
Published: September 2021

The arts involve engaging the human imagination and sensory skills to communicate and create experiences, artifacts, and surroundings shared with others. Conventionally, education providers have compartmentalized the arts and sciences as separate and disparate disciplines. Yet, the future of work will continue to demand that organizations and their members remain agile, creative, and innovative in the face of ongoing uncertainty and change. As a result, leadership paradigms and models have been changing from top-down, command and control to relational, participative standards due to the need for collaborative expertise and organizational agility. This chapter will address the skills required for relational leaders and learning organizations, how higher education programs must model the way, and how integrating the arts within other disciplines could answer the call for deeper learning and collaborative engagement in the 21st century.
COVID-19 and the Digital Transformation of Education Lessons Learnt on 4IR in Zimbabwe
Authors: Chinengundu Tawanda , Chakamba John , Hondonga Jerald
Published: September 2021

This study assessed the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic in motivating digital transformation in the education sector in Zimbabwe. The study tracked the rate at which the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) tools were used by various institutions during the COVID-19 lockdown. Data were obtained from secondary sources. The findings are that, in Zimbabwe, during the lockdown, a variety of 4IR tools were unleashed from primary education to higher and tertiary education where educational activities switched to remote (online) learning. These observations reflect that Zimbabwe generally has some elements of excellence to drive the education sector into the 4IR, which has the potential to increase access. Access to education, particularly at a higher education level, has always been a challenge due to a limited number of spaces available. The pandemic has presented an opportunity to assess successes and failures of deployed technologies, costs associated with them, and scaling these technologies to improve access.
Higher Education Institutional Strategies to Sustain Quality Education
Authors: Al Dhaen Esra , Stone Merlin D. , Mahmood Mohammed
Published: September 2021

During the COVID-19 pandemic, higher education institutions (HEIs) faced serious challenges that raised concerns about sustaining the quality of education delivered to students and the quality of the graduates produced. Many HEIs throughout the world were unable to sustain the quality of teaching and learning due to many issues including lack of clear strategies, policies, procedures, and practices. This chapter will identify successful practices of HEIs for achieving sustainable quality education during COVID-19, based on transformation strategies in line with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This chapter will also highlight the role of governance in strategic decision making throughout strategy transformation and the impact of leaders on effective decision making during the crisis in developing successful practices for sustainable quality education.
The Global Pandemic and Challenges for Tertiary Education in Malaysia
Authors: Mohamad Shafi , Akbari Syed Farhan
Published: September 2021

The global pandemic and subsequent series of movement control orders (MCOs) imposed by the Malaysian government have severely impacted the tertiary education sector comprising both public and private universities in Malaysia. Private colleges and universities in Malaysia now face increased financial pressures as enrolments of students have either been cancelled outright or deferred. Whilst full-time employees in the tertiary education sector face additional pressures to handle these disruptions, contractual staff members face the risk of unemployment resulting from the non-renewal of their existing teaching contracts. Even if some of these classes can be moved online, challenges remain; for example, scientific research and classes that require physical access to laboratories for the conduct of experiments will be impacted.
Translating Games Into Effective Health Results Using Digital Tools
Authors: Brito Duarte Vital , Oliveira Hernâni Zão
Published: September 2021

The use of gamification in the health context, especially to trigger behavior change, has assumed a particular relevance. However, the scientific evidence that supports the effectiveness of gamified methodologies has constituted a barrier to the implementation of projects. This chapter draws on a review of this theme, identifying barriers and opportunities for using gamification mechanisms. Results show that digital games are often considered as more enjoyable, engaging, and interesting solutions that are able to increase access, autonomy, self-efficacy, compliance to treatment, and knowledge acquisition. However, most studies reported a high risk of bias due to small-sized samples, short follow-up times, and lack of randomized control trials or more robust study designs. Therefore, future research should target older adults, ensure longer periods of follow-up, bigger samples, and include randomized control trials. Involvement of patients and health professionals is also a key component to ensure a more effective and regulated delivery of such solutions within the healthcare system.
An Integrated Approach (Social and Health) in the Elderly With Diabetes
Authors: Quintela Ana , Veiga Ana
Published: September 2021

The research in question arises from the need to elaborate a work of reflection capable of contributing to one of the intervention responses with the focus of attention, integrated care in various areas of society (social and health), sensitivity to the older people, between health and the social sector, based on assertive interpersonal communication, clear and positive, which function in a holistic view of the older person, as a game of balance. This chapter aims to offer and promote some clues about the importance of the social sector's communion with the health sector in an integrated and inclusive logic for citizens. The model, Assertividade Clareza e Positivity, being an increase in health literacy, was the motto for the methodology of the chapter, in a perspective of communication facilitating the field of human relations. The results point to a better understanding and analysis of a strategy, focused on the integrated approach in the elderly with diabetes.
Humor, Well-Being, and Health Literacy
Authors: Rodrigues Patrícia , Rodrigues Manuela Soares , Pinheiro Diana , Nunes Cecília
Published: September 2021

Health influences general well-being, and well-being affects future health. Oral health professionals report a decreased well-being and a higher burnout. This chapter measures and evaluates the perception of the health professional and the patient about factors of stress and well-being. It evaluates the strategies used to overcome the anxiety and stress that involve the meeting. Two surveys applied by questionnaire, with face-to-face and online dissemination, the first to patients and second to dentists, were done. Of the 245 patients, 46% consider themselves to be anxious. The instruments used in a clinical environment cause discomfort, and their noise is the predominant cause for this fear. Of the 306 dentists, 80% show the ability to face difficult situations. Finally, 90% have an awareness that contributes to the well-being of others. Oral health professionals should prepare themselves with techniques to develop a therapeutic relationship that is more positive, calm, and less stressful.
Analysis of Text Identification Techniques Using Scene Text and Optical Character Recognition
Authors: Gupta Monica , Choudhary Alka , Parmar Jyotsna
Published: September 2021

In today's era, data in digitalized form is needed for faster processing and performing of all tasks. The best way to digitalize the documents is by extracting the text from them. This work of text extraction can be performed by various text identification tasks such as scene text recognition, optical character recognition, handwriting recognition, and much more. This paper presents, reviews, and analyses recent research expansion in the area of optical character recognition and scene text recognition based on various existing models such as convolutional neural network, long short-term memory, cognitive reading for image processing, maximally stable extreme regions, stroke width transformation, and achieved remarkable results up to 90.34% of F-score with benchmark datasets such as ICDAR 2013, ICDAR 2019, IIIT5k. The researchers have done outstanding work in the text recognition field. Yet, improvement in text detection in low-quality image performance is required, as text identification should not be limited to the input quality of the image.
Deep Convolutional Sequence Approach Towards Real-Time Intelligent Optical Scanning
Authors: Mahendru Mansi , Dubey Sanjay Kumar , Gaur Divya
Published: September 2021

Visual text recognition is the most dynamic computer vision application due to its rising demand in several applications like crime scene detection, assisting blind people, digitizing, book scanning, etc. However, numerous research works were executed on static visuals having organized text and on captured video frames in the past. The key objective of this study is to develop the real-time intelligent optical scanner that will extract every sequence of text from high-speed video, noisy visual input, and offline handwritten script. The scientific work has been carried out with the combination of multiple deep learning approaches, namely EAST, CNN, and Bi-LSTM with CTC. The system is trained and tested on four public datasets (i.e., ICDAR 2015, SVT, Synth-Text, IAM-3.0) and measured on the basis of recall, precision, and f-measure. Based on the challenges, performance has been examined under three different categories, and the outcomes are optimistic and encouraging for future advancement.
The Role of Drop Shipping in E-Commerce
Authors: Menaouer Brahami , Khalissa Semaoune , Belayachi Mohammed El Amine , Amine Benslimane
Published: September 2021

During the recent years, e-commerce has been constantly growing in various industrial sectors. E-commerce has also changed the buying pattern of customers. E-commerce is a concept that has gained enormous popularity in recent decades. There are a multitude of variants and strategies of e-commerce such as drop shipping, which is renowned for its low cost and high efficiency. However, e-commerce is a new technology that is growing rapidly. It has the ability to create a truly global digital economy. In this research paper, the authors study the state of the drop shipping market for e-commerce in Algeria and the possibility to introduce new models by analyzing different aspects that can have a huge impact on the evolution of drop shipping in e-commerce in order to promote economic development in Algeria. To develop a better understanding, an exploratory study via a structured questionnaire intended for the general Algerian public drop shipper market was carried out.
Online Footwear Sales
Authors: Shukla Mahima , Misra Richa
Published: September 2021

The purpose of the study is to investigate factors that determine consumers' online purchase intention of buying footwear. Footwear, being a high involvement product, is difficult to sell online as people try size to fit before buying, which is more than any other product category. As per the previous studies, the need for touch is the most prominent factor inhibiting customers to buy footwear online. However, with the increasing need for convenience, superior quality digital catalogs, increasing internet density, attractive offers, and interactive features of websites, the mindset of the people is changing, and they are ready to experiment. The structural equation model technique is used to test the hypothesis. As per the results, consumers perceive website attributes and convenience as driving factors in online shopping. Online consumers interact with e-commerce sites through interactive features provided on the websites. The study can help marketers understand consumer online buying behavior, particularly towards footwear.
A New Technique to Solve Transportation Problems Using De-Pythagorean Value in Generalized Interval Valued Pythagorean Environment
Authors: Chakraborty Avishek , Salahshour Soheil , Allahviranloo Tofigh
Published: September 2021

Pythagorean fuzzy set can be defined as an augmented and amplified version of intuitionistic fuzzy set designed for measuring the impreciseness of a real-life complication. This research article advocates the idea of interval valued Pythagorean number in parametric form and its implementation on a mathematical application of a transportation problem for the first time. In adherence to the particular interval valued Pythagorean parametric fuzzy number ambience, a logical score and accuracy function has been initiated in this topic. The authors also have indentured the generalization of de-Pythagorean value and anchored the operation research transportation problem with parametric interval valued Pythagorean number followed by an industrial engineering application. This competent thought will prove useful to us for the purpose of solving surplus daily life problems in the realm of parametric interval valued Pythagorean fuzzy.
Effect of Career Determinants on Employee Engagement in the Indian IT Sector
Authors: Kumari Karlapudi Thriveni
Published: September 2021

For sustainability of the Indian IT industry, there is a need to focus on career determinants that affect employee engagement. This study provides a framework to understand career determinants affecting employee engagement in the Indian IT sector that can lead towards successful and sustainable organisations. The data is accumulated from 272 techies employed in various IT companies across the country. By applying descriptive statistics, correlation, multi-regression, and interaction models, the study is developed. In the study, career determinants such as benefits, promotion satisfaction, career autonomy, and level of responsibility affect employee engagement. Moreover, the relationship is moderated by gender, and it varies between male and female IT employees. Therefore, for sustainability of the IT industry in India, there is a need to focus on career determinants that increase employee engagement.
Demystifying the Role of Emotions in Decision-Making Sciences
Authors: Ghosh Nitu
Published: September 2021

Modern studies have asserted the role of emotions on decision-making abilities. The study examines the role of emotional intelligence on decision styles of managers and the mediating role of emotional labor in enhancing decision styles of managers in selected Indian IT firms. The research is an empirical study proposing an affective EI-EL-DM model through a survey of 300 managers of 10 MNCs in the Indian IT industry using stratified sampling technique. The survey instrument includes 83 items with Schutte et al. AES tool, Naring et al. D-QEL tool, and Scott and Bruce GDMS. Middle-level IT managers have been found to frequently, leading to avoidant, spontaneous, or dependent decision-making yielding adverse outcomes. High EI is related to frequent usage of rational and intuitive decisions besides effective use of deep acting. Emotional labour influences all decision-making abilities. HR practices are recommended to improve the decision styles of IT managers through high EI and EL.
Teacher Evaluation of Institutional Performance
Authors: Mathur Garima , Chauhan Abhijeet Singh
Published: September 2021

The education industry is also facing challenges related to achieving high organizational performance. In the view of enhancing organizational performance, most organizations are adopting knowledge management processes to improve efficiency. One of the essential aspects of knowledge management is shared thinking and understanding of individuals and should be imbibed in the culture of the organization to improve the performance of any organization. This research will be useful to teachers and academic institutions and considers teachers' perspectives on knowledge management and how this will enhance the performance of educational institutions. In this research, organizational performance was evaluated based on three dimensions: financial performance, customer (student) perspective, and operational excellence. The results indicate that knowledge management and cultural knowledge management infrastructure and age of teachers determine organizational performance significantly.
Review of Contemporary Database Design and Implication for Big Data
Authors: Samra Halima E. , Li Alice S. , Soh Ben , AlZain Mohammed A.
Published: September 2021

In general, databases provide a single comprehensive view suitable for analysis and relevant information for a variety of organizational purposes. The intent of this paper is to review the contemporary database design in terms of data modelling, process modelling, relational databases, and data storage. The review indicates the contemporary relational database architecture provides numerous advantages such as high consistency and availability. However, it is not suitable for big data because its performance decreases as the data grows and faces scalability constraints as it is impossible to scale horizontally, and its vertical growth is limited. An implication here is that big data requires more than a relational database and the traditional SQL.
Exploring Public Relations in the Firm
Authors: Cleveland Marisa , Cleveland Simon
Published: September 2021

While postmodern theory has been explored within multiple domains, its application to the domain of public relations is somewhat scant. As a result, constructs, such as power, crisis communication, and code of ethics within the communication profession in the firm require further examination. This study investigates the current postmodernist perspective within organization theory and expands the body of knowledge on postmodernism and public relations through the application of seminal audit literature analysis.
Empirical Investigation of Factors That Influence Website Performance
Authors: Idemudia Efosa C. , Raisinghani Mahesh S. , Adeola Ogechi , Wang Fen
Published: September 2021

Rapid advancements in digital technology have had a significant influence on businesses' websites. Organizations with well-designed websites have the potential of attracting customers, generating revenues, and increasing market share. Nevertheless, many organizations that are investing billions of US dollars on websites and page development are not attracting customers or generating revenues, incomes, and profits as expected. The study focuses on bounce rate as a key performance measure of website effectiveness. The research focus is on the factors that influence bounce rate to provide insights to advertisers and websites' designers to predict the effectiveness and quality of online advertisements before these ads are shown to both web users and online visitors. The authors investigated the influence of page view, unique page view, average time on page, entrances, and percent exit on bounce rate. The study shows that unique pageviews, average time on page, entrance, and percent exit have a positive and significant effect on bounce rate and have practical and research implications.
Study Regarding Water Management in Mehedinţi County
Authors: Bucşe Ionela Gabriela , Ciobanu Mariana , Ghermec Olimpia
Published: September 2021

There is a crucial need to achieve a more sustainable management of the world's water resources due to serious water scarcity and water pollution. A whole series of problems are related to these needs, but the problem of water resources is one of the most prominent. This paper aims to point out certain solutions to address these issues, such as providing a framework for the concept of integrated management of water resources in Mehedinţi County. Water quality protection should be a permanent concern; therefore, every member of society must bring out his own conscious and responsible contribution. To this end, by all means of information or education, it is necessary to debate the social, economic and ecological importance of problems and actions in order to prevent and combat pollution of water resources.
Mineral Water Quality Influencing Factors in their Selection for Use
Authors: Demian Mihai , Demian Gabriela
Published: September 2021

The paper presents a way of selecting flat or carbonated mineral waters depending on the purpose for which it wishes to be used. A good mineral water must meet certain physical and chemical qualities at certain temperatures and have the appropriate pH to have the desired therapeutic effect. The analysis of the purpose for which the selection of mineral waters is desired results in the characteristics of the water to be analyzed, compared, and for which a weight of their influence in the decision-making is established. For selected waters, the characteristics receive scores that will in turn influence the selection of the recommended type of mineral water. The conclusions of the paper allow the establishment of a certain type of mineral water for the characteristics imposed by the desired purpose.
Microwave Technology for Hybrid Fabrication Processes
Authors: Ghelsingher Daniel Cristian , Savu Ionel  Dănuț , Savu Sorin Vasile
Published: September 2021

This paper aims to present how the microwave technology can be used in the development of hybrid joining and microjoining technologies for composites materials in order to increase productivity and quality of the welds. The paper is mainly focused on conceptualization of various types of hybrid processes by coupling a microwave beam with conventional thermal source such as arc welding, laser welding, 3D printing and others. The concepts presented in this paper will be completed with sensing solution for sensing and automation of the processes.
Calculation of the Collapsing Critical Load of a Translating Cam Mechanism and Roller Translating Follower Actuating an Elevator
Authors: Radu Carmen Elisabeta , Rășchitor Edward , Tempea Iosif
Published: September 2021

The above-ground parking lot above Dâmbovița river has stemmed from the need to cover the lack of parking lots in Bucharest. The parking lot may be serviced, in case of emergency, by auxiliary elevators that are operated by mechanisms provided with translating cams and roller translating followers. In this paper, a calculation of the collapsing critical load shall be performed. One shall also analyze here the rod model and the model with several rods of the mechanism provided with a translating cam and roller translating follower. In order for the rods to resist collapsing, one must be found in the elastic field, thus verifying Euler’s formula.
Complex Oncologic Surgeries and Implications for the Intensive Care Unit Nurse
Authors: Weber Michele L. , Kaplow Roberta
Published: September 2021

There are many challenges in caring for the postsurgical patient in the intensive care unit. When the postsurgical patient has an active malignancy, this can make the intensive care unit care more challenging. Nutrition, infection, and the need for postoperative mechanical ventilatory support for the patient with cancer present challenges that may increase the patient’s length of stay in the intensive care unit. Critical care nurses must be aware of these challenges as they provide care to this patient population.
An Updated Model for the Epigenetic Regulation of Effector and Memory CD8+ T Cell Differentiation
Authors: Xu Tianhao , Pereira Renata M , Martinez Gustavo J
Published: September 2021

Naive CD8+ T cells, upon encountering their cognate Ag in vivo, clonally expand and differentiate into distinct cell fates, regulated by transcription factors and epigenetic modulators. Several models have been proposed to explain the differentiation of CTLs, although none fully recapitulate the experimental evidence. In this review article, we will summarize the latest research on the epigenetic regulation of CTL differentiation as well as provide a combined model that contemplates them.
A SiC Double-Sided Stacked Wire-Bondless Power Module for High-Frequency Power Electronic Applications
Authors: Huang Si , Chen Zhong
Published: September 2021

This article reports a double-sided stacked wire-bondless power module package for silicon carbide (SiC) power devices to achieve low parasitic inductance and improved thermal performance for high-frequency applications. The design, simulation, fabrication, and characterization of the power module are presented. A half-bridge module based on the SiC power MOSFETs is demonstrated with minimized parasitic inductance. Double-sided cooling paths are used to maximize heat dissipation. Besides conventional packaging materials used in the power module fabrication, a low-temperature cofired ceramic (LTCC) and nickel-plated copper balls are used in this module package. The LTCC acts as an interposer providing both electrical and thermal routings. The nickel-plated copper balls replace bond wires as the electrical interconnections for the SiC power devices. The electrical and thermo-mechanical simulations of the power module are performed, and its switching performance is evaluated experimentally.