bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dual shows, vision and sensors, team to highlight innovation
Authors: Bloss Richard
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review the biannual Vision Show and the companion annual Sensor Expo in Chicago, with emphasis on innovative vision and sensor products introduced.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper includes in‐depth interviews with exhibitors of vision and sensor products.

Findings

Wireless sensors and companion technologies such as energy harvesting and storage are the cutting edge today. In vision, 3D vision is the hot technology, finding objects in space rather than just looking at a flat picture.

Practical implications

System designers now have the freedom to place sensors in locations which might previously have been out of the question do to cabling problems. With wireless, location is no longer a criterion. Energy harvesting and storage right at the device insures continuous operation without the need for battery replacement.

Originality/value

The paper shows how 3D vision now makes it possible to operate and inspect in the real world rather than just in a flat plain. Robotic operations such as random location or bin picking are now everyday possibilities.
Advanced flow sensors used to reduce emissions in new Chinese power plant
Authors: Bogue Robert
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the use and benefits of thermal mass flow sensing on a new Chinese power plant.

Design/methodology/approach

The rationale behind the use and application of thermal mass flow sensors on a coal‐fired power plant is described and the benefits derived are identified.

Findings

Use of thermal mass airflow sensors have allowed improved control of the plant's combustion process, leading to greater efficiency, reduced emissions and lower maintenance requirements.

Originality/value

This paper illustrates how close measurement and control of the airflow led to improved operation of a coal‐fired power plant.
INKtelligent printing®for sensorial applications
Authors: Maiwald Marcus , Werner Christian , Zöllmer Volker , Busse Matthias
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight INKtelligent printed sensor structures using maskless depositition technologies.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper begins with a general introduction to INKtelligent printing®. Starting with layout and ink development, the fabrication of printed sensors is described in detail.

Findings

Printed strain gauges, thermopiles and gas sensitive films are successfully fabricated with maskless deposition technologies, offering advantages for continuous non‐destructive measurement compared to conventional sensors.

Originality/value

This paper shows a new approach for customized sensor structures. The application of a resource efficient and flexible printing technique for sensor fabrication is demonstrated.
Planar capacitive sensors – designs and applications
Authors: Hu Xiaohui , Yang Wuqiang
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the sensing mechanism, design issues, performance evaluation and applications for planar capacitive sensors. In the context of characterisation and imaging of a dielectric material under test (MUT), a systematic study of sensor modelling, features and design issues is needed. In addition, the influencing factors on sensitivity distribution, and the effect of conductivity on sensor performance need to be further studied for planar capacitive sensors.

Design/methodology/approach

While analytical methods can provide accurate solutions to sensors of simple geometries, numerical modelling is preferred to obtain sensor response to different design parameters and properties of MUT, and to derive the sensitivity distributions of various electrode designs. Several important parameters have been used to evaluate the response of the sensors in different sensing modes. The designs of different planar capacitive sensor arrays are presented and experimentally evaluated.

Findings

The response features and design guidelines for planar capacitive sensors in different sensing modes have been summarised, showing that the sensor in the transmission mode or the single‐electrode mode is suitable for material characterisation and imaging, while the sensor in the shunt mode is suitable for proximity/displacement measurement. The sensitivity distribution of the sensor depends largely on the geometry of the electrodes. Conductivity causes positive changes for the sensor in the transmission and single‐electrode mode, but negative changes for the sensor in the shunt mode. Experimental results confirm that sensing depths of the sensor arrays and the influence of buried conductor on capacitance measurements are in agreement with simulations.

Research limitations/implications

Experimental verification is needed when a sensor is designed.

Originality/value

This paper provides a comprehensive study for planar capacitive sensors in terms of sensor design, evaluation and applications.
Comparing ability to complete simple tele‐operated rescue or maintenance mobile‐robot tasks with and without a sensor system
Authors: Sanders David
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect on completion of mobile‐robot tasks depending on how a human tele‐operator interacts with a sensor system and a mobile‐robot.

Design/methodology/approach

Interaction is investigated using two mobile‐robot systems, three different ways of interacting with the robots and several different environments of increasing complexity. In each case, the operation is investigated with and without sensor systems to assist an operator to move a robot through narrower and narrower gaps and in completing progressively more complicated driving tasks. Tele‐operators used a joystick and either watched the robot while operating it, or sat at a computer and viewed scenes remotely on a screen. Cameras are either mounted on the robot to view the space ahead of the robot or mounted remotely so that they viewed both the environment and robot. Every test is compared with sensor systems engaged and with them disconnected.

Findings

A main conclusion is that human tele‐operators perform better without the assistance of sensor systems in simple environments and in those cases it may be better to switch‐off the sensor systems or reduce their effect. In addition, tele‐operators sometimes performed better with a camera mounted on the robot compared with pre‐mounted cameras observing the environment (but that depended on tasks being performed).

Research limitations/implications

Tele‐operators completed tests both with and without sensors. One robot system used an umbilical cable and one used a radio link.

Practical implications

The paper quantifies the difference between tele‐operation control and sensor‐assisted control when a robot passes through narrow passages. This could be an useful information when system designers decide if a system should be tele‐operated, automatic or sensor‐assisted. The paper suggests that in simple environments then the amount of sensor support should be small but in more complicated environments then more sensor support needs to be provided.

Originality/value

The paper investigates the effect of completing mobile‐robot tasks depending on whether a human tele‐operator uses a sensor system or not and how they interact with the sensor system and the mobile‐robot. The paper presents the results from investigations using two mobile‐robot systems, three different ways of interacting with the robots and several different environments of increasing complexity. The change in the ability of a human operator to complete progressively more complicated driving tasks with and without a sensor system is presented and the human tele‐operators performed better without the assistance of sensor systems in simple environments.
An effective corner detection method using subpixel edge detector and Gaussian filter
Authors: Chiou Yih‐Chih , Liang Yu‐Teng
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop an effective and reliable corner detection algorithm so as to extract all the desired corners successfully. In addition, the influences of edge detection method as well as smoothing technique on the overall performance of corner detection techniques are investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, an effective corner detection algorithm based on subpixel edge detector and Gaussian filter is presented. First, a subpixel accuracy edge detector is used rather than a pixel accuracy edge detector to detect edges. Second, B‐splines approximation technique is used to eliminate the staircase effect of a digital curve. Third, curvature curve derived from the edges is smoothed by a Gaussian filter. Finally, statistical process control technique is applied to detect vertices.

Findings

The results show that spatial‐moment outperforms chain code as an edge detector. Furthermore, the Gaussian filter should be used to smooth curvature curve instead of smoothing the profile of an object, because the former provides greater impact on the corner detection results.

Originality/value

In addition to object recognition, motion tracking and obstacle avoidance, the proposed method also has many important engineering and manufacturing applications such as dimensional measuring, reverse engineering, and machine vision‐based computer numerical control (CNC) machining of polygonal sheet metal parts.
Autonomous guidance of initial welding position with “single camera and double positions” method
Authors: Wei Shanchun , Ma Hongbo , Lin Tao , Chen Shanben
Published: January 2010

Purpose

Recognition and guidance of initial welding position (IWP) is one of the most important steps of automatic welding process, also a key technology of autonomous welding process. The purpose of this paper is to advance an improved Harris Algorithm and grey scale scanning method (GSCM) to raise the precision of image processing.

Design/methodology/approach

Through the configuration of “single camera and double positions,” a new set of image processing algorithms is adopted to extract feature points by using the pattern of rough location and subtle extraction, so as to restructure three‐dimensional information to guide robot move to IWP in the practical welding environment.

Findings

Experiments showed that mean square errors (MSEs) in X, Y, Z‐directions for both flat butt joint and flat flange are 0.4491, 0.8178, 1.4797, and 0.5398, 0.4861, 1.1071 mm, respectively.

Research limitations/implications

It has a limitation in providing guidance for only one step, and would be more accurate if fractional steps are adopted.

Practical implications

Guidance experiments of IWPs on oxidant tank's simulating parts are carried out, whose success rate is up to 95 percent and MSEs are 0.7407, 0.7971, and 1.3429 mm. It meets the demands of continuous and automatic welding process.

Originality/value

Improved Harris Algorithm and GSCM are advanced to raise the precision of image processing which influenced guidance precision most.
A generic framework for colour texture segmentation
Authors: Nammalwar Padmapriya , Ghita Ovidiu , Whelan Paul F.
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a generic framework based on the colour and the texture features for colour‐textured image segmentation. The framework can be applied to any real‐world applications for appropriate interpretation.

Design/methodology/approach

The framework derives the contributions of colour and texture in image segmentation. Local binary pattern and an unsupervised k‐means clustering are used to cluster pixels in the chrominance plane. An unsupervised segmentation method is adopted. A quantitative estimation of colour and texture performance in segmentation is presented. The proposed method is tested using different mosaic and natural images and other image database used in computer vision. The framework is applied to three different applications namely, Irish script on screen images, skin cancer images and sediment profile imagery to demonstrate the robustness of the framework.

Findings

The inclusion of colour and texture as distributions of regions provided a good discrimination of the colour and the texture. The results indicate that the incorporation of colour information enhanced the texture analysis techniques and the methodology proved effective and efficient.

Originality/value

The novelty lies in the development of a generic framework using both colour and texture features for image segmentation and the different applications from various fields.
Multiple‐channel and cross‐channel shopping behavior: role of consumer shopping orientations
Authors: Chatterjee Patrali
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of consumer shopping orientations on consumer's channel choice, cross‐channel shopping behavior, and shopping outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

Using multiple sources of data including surveys of store, web, and cross‐channel shoppers and their transaction information, the impact of consumer shopping orientations on comparison‐shopping, likelihood of cross‐channel usage, purchase outcomes including unplanned purchasing, retailer satisfaction, intent to return/abandon purchases, and share of category purchases are investigated.

Findings

Results suggest that high‐thrift customers patronizing a cross‐channel retailer are less likely to search for competitive offerings online or offline than customers patronizing a multiple channel retailer. Further, retailer satisfaction is higher for cross‐channel compared to multi‐channel retailers irrespective of the transaction channel used by consumers.

Research limitations/implications

The data have external validity; however, they lack the control possible in laboratory experiments. Future research should examine if the findings can be replicated in multiple retail sectors.

Practical implications

These results suggest that brick‐and‐click retailers can exploit synergies between their channels through order online and pick up in store strategies for greater profitability than those who operate multiple independent channels.

Originality/value

This paper examines managerial implications of multiple independent channel vs cross‐channel strategies by retailers using data from customers of a commercial retailer.
Managing the attractiveness of evolved and created retail agglomerations formats
Authors: Teller Christoph , Elms Jonathan
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify those attributes of created and evolved retail agglomeration formats that have a substantial impact on overall attractiveness from the consumers' point of view. From an agglomeration management perspective primary areas of concern are identified and suggestions to increase the competitiveness of diverse agglomeration formats are presented.

Design/methodology/approach

Through synthesizing pertinent literatures, the paper produces a conceptual framework that proposes significant impacts between ten generic agglomeration attributes and different dimensions of attractiveness. The paper then tests the hypotheses using a survey of more than 1,000 consumers of three competing agglomeration formats (a town center, a strip center, and a regional shopping mall) in a particular locality.

Findings

Retail‐related factors and the atmosphere influence attractiveness most significantly in each of the three settings. All other factors – in particular convenience related ones – show only format specific relevance or are of no direct importance on the consumers' evaluation of attractiveness.

Research limitations/implications

The findings can only be transferred to similar retail settings and do not consider supra‐regional agglomerations.

Practical implications

The results suggest that management of all three agglomerations is quite limited in directly influencing attractiveness. They should instead focus on the optimum selection of retail tenants and support or compliment the marketing endeavors of their tenants.

Originality/value

The focus is on regional retail agglomerations and considers the interdependencies between different formats in one geographical area. The in vivo survey approach takes into account the moderating effect of the shopping situation when consumers' evaluate the attractiveness of competing shopping venues.
The influence of consumer traits and demographics on intention to use retail self‐service checkouts
Authors: Lee Hyun‐Joo , Jeong Cho Hyeon , Xu Wenwen , Fairhurst Ann
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationships among demographic factors (gender, age, education, and income), consumer traits (technology anxiety, need for interaction, and technology innovativeness), and intention to use retail self‐checkouts.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 285 usable responses are obtained through a web‐based survey after excluding non‐qualified respondents. Structural equation modeling is developed and tested.

Findings

The results of this paper demonstrate that demographic factors only indirectly influence intention to use retail self‐checkouts through consumer traits and thus the authors conclude that individual differences in the use of retail self‐checkouts can be attributed to consumer traits which are determined by some of the demographic factors.

Research limitations/implications

Demographic factors and consumer traits are only included as determinants of intention to use retail self‐checkouts. Therefore, future research could attempt to draw a comprehensive picture of retail self‐checkouts by incorporating other relevant factors.

Originality/value

By classifying individual difference traits into demographic factors and consumer traits, this paper provides more detailed explanations of the relationships among demographic factors, consumer traits, and intention to use retail self‐checkouts.
A decision tree approach to modeling the private label apparel consumer
Authors: Moore Marguerite , Carpenter Jason M.
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to profile the private label apparel consumer using demographic and behavioral predictors. The paper also aims to examine cross‐shopping behaviors among purchasers of private label apparel across the five top US private label apparel retailers.

Design/methodology/approach

Decision tree analysis is used to model the impacts of demographics and behaviors on private label purchasing. A secondary database (n=1,289) of US private label purchasers provides data for the analysis.

Findings

Findings indicate demographic predictors as important drivers of private label apparel purchase among retailers positioned as providers of value, while behavioral drivers are more common among patrons of retailers that are differentiated on service or brand. Cross‐shopping is more common among the retailers positioned on value.

Research limitations/implications

The research design provides a profile of the private label consumer but does not explain why this consumer chooses private labels over national brands. The data‐mining approach provides an innovative tool for identifying the drivers of private label consumption. Future research should investigate these drivers more deeply, to establish a fuller understanding of this consumer. The sample is limited to US consumers.

Practical implications

Findings suggest that retailers positioned on value/low price need to differentiate private labels to deter cross‐shopping. Likewise, comparatively upscale retailers need to continue to be sensitive to the behavioral demands of their respective target market.

Originality/value

Results provide a profile of the private label consumer and offer insight into private label cross‐shopping using an innovative modeling approach that facilitates examination of actual purchase data.
Factors contributing to rural consumers' inshopping behavior
Authors: Kim Jiyoung , Stoel Leslie
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how shopping behavior of rural consumers is affected by perceptions of local retailers' social norm‐based activities and task‐oriented actions, and social capital within the community.

Design/methodology/approach

A mail survey is distributed using a modification of Dillman's method; 524 usable surveys are collected. Multi‐group analysis in structural equation modeling is employed for the data analysis.

Findings

The findings of the paper reveal significant relationships between institutional action and legitimacy, legitimacy and support, and value and support. The moderating effect of social capital on the relationships between institutional action and legitimacy, legitimacy and support, and value and support are significant.

Research limitations/implications

This paper extends previous research by including both social environmental factors (social capital), and retailers' social actions in explaining consumer support. Limitations of the research design are discussed and directions for future research are suggested.

Practical implications

This research provides rural retailers with ideas for marketing solutions that use socio‐norm related (i.e. institutional action) and task‐oriented (i.e. performative action) factors to attract local shoppers.

Originality/value

This research adds to the current stream of rural research by integrating institutional theory and social capital theory to propose a conceptual framework. This research is significant as the study results provide implications to rural retailers and further to the community, as the sustainability of the rural sector is closely related to the well‐being of the entire community.
Beliefs of small, independently owned rural retailers about internet use: a typology
Authors: Stoel Leslie , Jeong SoWon , Ernst Stan
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a typology of small, rural retailers based on personal beliefs about business use of the internet and to identify similarities and differences between the retailer subgroups in attitude, perceptual performance, and behavioral intention to use the internet.

Design/methodology/approach

A mail survey is completed by owners of small, independently owned retailers in rural communities across the USA.

Findings

Cluster analysis reveals three types of retailers: optimists, efficiency minded, and skeptics. Differences in attitudes towards use of the internet and intention to use the internet for purposes of strategic positioning are found across the groups.

Research limitations/implications

The sample frame consists of small, independently owned retailers in rural communities, the response rate is low, and results will not generalize to small retailers in urban areas.

Practical implications

The stories of optimist retailers can show efficiency‐minded retailers how to gain greater benefit from use of the internet. The skeptical retailers are not likely to adopt the internet even when important others, such as their customers, want them to. These retailers may need to be sold on what the internet can do for retail performance of their specific business. An individualistic approach would likely be the only salient appeal to these retailers, since they are not socially compliant or socially embedded.

Originality/value

This paper produces a typology of small, rural retailers and provides information on internet use of such retailers, both of which are new to the literature.
Economics of a Nordic paper mill: case study
Authors: Hämäläinen Esa , Tapaninen Ulla
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reveal how the prices, costs, and logistics develop in the case mill and how these variables correlate with profits, and finally to give suggestions for improvements.

Design/methodology/approach

A typical Finnish paper mill is selected for the basis of the case study. The complete data for the mill for the years 2001 to 2007 at a monthly level are used. The data are obtained from the mill's financial management system and transferred to Excel. Statistica 4.1 software is used to run the statistical correlation analyses. The results can be generalized with certain limitations to paper manufacturing located at a long distance from its customers.

Findings

This paper gives an important insight into the economics of the Finnish paper industry. From theory‐building point of view, the empirical process data show that the variation in production lines is minimal, but there are important variations in paper deliveries. A lot can be gained in the logistics processes. Larger volumes delivered in tons also tend to increase profits. From the mill to the consignees, fluctuations in the process and paper sales grow substantially, which indicates longer storage times.

Research limitations/implications

The results of the case study are based on the data of a single large integrated paper mill in Finland covering the years 2001‐2007, so the results cannot be directly generalized to concern all Nordic paper mills. In May 2005, there was an industrial blackout, which considerably affected the production and deliveries of all Finnish paper mills in that year.

Practical implications

The competitive advantages of the Finnish paper industry are undermined by low paper prices and costly logistics. The mill managers should increasingly focus on overcapacity and cost issues and also deliver volumes, which all could contribute to higher profits.

Originality/value

In this paper, the Finnish paper industry is studied through a time series, economic geography, and statistical tools. This approach is a novel method and gives new insights into this research object. The mill's economic variables, such as paper prices, profits, and logistics and manufacturing costs, and the characteristics of these issues in a spatial context are studied.
Employee empowerment in a technology advanced work environment
Authors: Kuo Tsung‐Hsien , Ho Li‐An , Lin Chinho , Lai Kuei‐Kuei
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to elicit the determinants of information technology (IT) professional work change and investigates the impact of such changes on IT professionals. Specifically, this paper investigates the effect of work redesign on two personal outcomes: self‐perceived psychological empowerment and organizational commitment.

Design/methodology/approach

An empirical study is conducted in the field of high‐tech industrial organizations in Taiwan. Data collected from 40 technological companies, located in the Taipei and Hsinchu Science Parks (n=428), are analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results confirm that both work redesign and empowerment generate positive and direct influence on employees' commitment. Specially, the effect of work redesign is amplified on employee commitment through the implementation of employee empowerment.

Practical implications

The conceptual structural equation model provides useful information for managers to improve employees' commitment towards their work and the organizations through the proper employee empowerment policies.

Originality/value

As technology continues to change at a rapid pace, IT professionals are required to adapt to new tasks and enhanced roles. The paper demonstrates how work redesign indirectly but positively influences employees' work commitment and illustrates the mediate effect of employee empowerment on employee commitment.
Analyzing supplier development criteria for an automobile industry
Authors: Govindan Kannan , Kannan Devika , Noorul Haq A.
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present an approach to identify and rank the criteria used for the supplier development using interpretative structural modeling (ISM).

Design/methodology/approach

The paper develops a framework to analyze the interactions among the criteria such as competitive pressure, evaluation and certification system, incentives, supplier development programs, inter‐organizational communication, buyer‐supplier relationship, supplier commitment, supplier performance, asset specificity, joint action, trust, long‐term strategic goals, top management support, purchasing performance, and supplier strategic objective for the supplier development using ISM. The developed framework is illustrated using a case study taken in an automobile firm.

Findings

The paper contributes to research in supply chain management (SCM) and particularly in supplier development. Research in the area of SCM has intensified in recent years for a number of reasons. Managers have now realized that actions taken by one member of the chain can influence the responsiveness, efficiency and profitability of the complete supply chain. Firms are increasingly thinking in terms of competing as part of a supply chain against other supply chains, rather than as a single firm against other individual firms.

Research limitations/implications

Since the proposed framework is applied for only a single company, further studies can be done using the same framework for several companies in India. This will provide a better understanding of how the variables that influence supplier development are affected in different types of industry.

Practical implications

Managers can use the proposed framework to develop better relationships with suppliers and to create management responses that influence and improve their relationships with them.

Originality/value

This paper uses 15 criteria to propose a framework for the supplier development and also finds the interactions between the criteria which influence the most and the least to improve the relationship with the suppliers.
Critical factors for an effective business value chain
Authors: Kess Pekka , Law Kris M.Y. , Kanchana Rapee , Phusavat Kongkiti
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify critical factors for effective business value chains in the electrical and electronic industries. This knowledge can benefit private firms as well as their supplier management and customer fulfillment, and public agencies for relevant policy initiatives.

Design/methodology/approach

The research methodology includes the survey development and the statistical analyses, especially the use of the Pearson correlation. Altogether, a total of 129 firms participated in this study, 97 companies from Hong Kong and 32 firms from Thailand. Included in this methodology are a pre‐test of a survey and follow‐up discussions with participating executives.

Findings

An effective business value chain essentially depends on good operational systems and management, and information and communication technology (ICT) linkages with both suppliers and customers. There are a total of five critical factors for effective business value chains. For example, an effective business value chain is influenced by how well production and delivery systems are managed. In addition, how well a manufacturer can manage its operation is influenced by customers with effective information and communication infrastructures.

Practical implications

The five identified factors can be used as a checklist for planning and/or monitoring the effectiveness of a business value chain. The findings also helps develop a new initiative to be undertaken by Thailand's Department of Industrial Work when attempting to strengthen business value chains within various industrial clusters.

Originality/value

The findings underline the need to focus on data harmonization and to adapt ICT standards, such as Control Objectives for Information and related Technology COBIT and Projects in Controlled Environments PRINCE for data sharing and software development, to promote supplier audits when sustaining a business value chain.
ERP implementation in Omantel: a case study
Authors: Maguire Stuart , Ojiako Udechukwu , Said Al
Published: January 2010

Purpose

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems if successfully implemented bring about competitive advantages. On the other hand, project failure could, in an extreme case, cause an organisation to go out of business. Mapped against existing literature on ERP critical success factors, this paper examines environmental factors that impacted on the adoption of ERP by The Oman Telecommunication Company (Omantel).

Design/methodology/approach

A case study methodology is used to study perceptions of the ERP system implementation project in Omantel.

Findings

This paper highlights the particular problems of large organisations that operate disparate legacy systems.

Research limitations/implications

A single case study is conducted. This provides opportunities for further research in a number of varied settings.

Originality/value

It is very important that experiences of ERP projects are shared across countries and sectors. This is because many ERP implementations are rolled out by multi‐national corporations in several countries, often simultaneously. This is one of the few ERP studies that have been conducted by an internal member of staff. In these situations, it is not just a case of access, but that the respondents feel able to give practical answers.
Success rate and resource consumption from project interdependencies
Authors: Rungi Mait
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to show how interdependencies are used to make the project selection and review more effective in project portfolio management. Managers need to make appropriate pre‐evaluation of disciplines before taking them into use, therefore it is useful to know how much interdependencies can increase the success rate of projects and how big is the resource reduction from the use of interdependencies. This paper is an excerpt of a larger interdependency survey.

Design/methodology/approach

A large‐scale survey is carried out in two countries – Estonia and Finland. A total of 288 responses were received.

Findings

People see only positive aspects in interdependencies, but this paper proves that it is not always so. It is found that companies which take the phenomenon into account are more successful. Contrary to the respondents' perception and prior literature, a higher need for resources is noticed among the users of interdependency. The results indicate homogeneity between managerial issues of interdependencies in small‐to‐large companies.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation comes from the sample, as findings from the sample countries and industries may limit generalizability.

Practical implications

Practitioners can expect a higher success rate and resource consumption from interdependencies. Managers from small‐to‐large companies can find size‐related peculiarities and practices for their daily managerial actions.

Originality/value

This paper provides empirical evidence for a less investigated, but emerging field of interdependencies. So far, mostly components of interdependency have been investigated in isolation. The paper highlights the behavior of success rate and resource consumption among the users/non‐users of interdependency, which to the author's knowledge has not been provided so far.
Customer relationship management and innovation capability: an empirical study
Authors: Lin Ru‐Jen , Chen Rong‐Huei , Kuan‐Shun Chiu Kevin
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of various dimensions of customer relationship management (CRM) on innovation capabilities. Five dimensions of CRM (information sharing, customer involvement, long‐term partnership, joint problem‐solving, and technology‐based CRM) and five aspects of innovation capability (product, process, administrative, marketing, and service innovations) are identified. The one‐to‐one associations between the two constructs are developed and verified.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from 107 Taiwanese computer manufacturers are collected. Multiple regression analysis is employed to examine the effects of CRM on innovation capabilities.

Findings

The following results are offered: computer manufacturers in Taiwan perform various levels of CRM and, consequently, display different levels of effects on each of the five innovation capabilities. Generally, firms are able to increase their innovation capability by ad hoc CRM; the relationship between customer involvement and process innovation; customer involvement and administrative innovation; and long‐term partnership and marketing innovation are not significant; and technology‐based CRM has positive effects on all five types of innovation.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that not all CRM activities contribute to innovation programs, which clearly indicates the need for applying other mechanisms, such as supplier integration, to form a complete innovation program. Managers should align the development of their supplier management and CRM practices with the desired innovation capability.

Originality/value

The one‐to‐one relationships between CRM practices and innovation capabilities have not been properly examined. The findings suggest the need for more research in this area, and the statistical results provide managers with useful guidelines for implementing appropriate CRM practices to develop specific innovation capabilities to respond to enhanced competitiveness.
Influencing knowledge workers: the power of top management
Authors: Jayasingam Sharmila , Ansari Mahfooz A. , Jantan Muhamad
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the key leadership characteristics (in the form of social power) needed in a knowledge‐based firm that can influence knowledge workers (KWs) to participate actively in creating, sharing, and using knowledge.

Design/methodology/approach

Data measuring top leaders social power and knowledge management (KM) practices is gathered from 402 KWs representing 180 Multimedia Super Corridor status firms in Malaysia.

Findings

The analysis indicates that expert power has a positive influence on the extent of knowledge acquisition and dissemination practices. Legitimate power is found to impede knowledge acquisition practices. Furthermore, reliance on referent power no longer works in a knowledge‐based context. Finally, the paper found the impact of coercive, legitimate, and reward power to be contingent on the organizational size.

Research limitations/implications

Besides leaders potential to influence, there may be other factors that could influence the extent of KM practices in organization. Further, this paper explores the power of top management, which could not be generalized to leaders from middle or lower level management. Future research should address these limitations.

Practical implications

The paper implies that knowledge leaders need to enhance certain bases of power that have the potential to improve the extent of KM practices in organizations.

Originality/value

This paper provides useful insights about the significance of leaders' power bases with emphasis on new approaches needed in knowledge‐based organizations.
Application of fuzzy models for the monitoring of ecologically sensitive ecosystems in a dynamic semi‐arid landscape from satellite imagery
Authors: Lin Meng‐Lung , Chen Cheng‐Wu
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to better understand landscape dynamics in arid and semi‐arid environments. Land degradation has recently become an important issue for land management in western China. The oasis ecosystem is especially sensitive to environmental disturbances, such as abnormal/extreme precipitation events, variations in the water supply from the upper watersheds, fluctuations in temperature, etc. Satellite remote sensing of terrestrial ecosystems can provide us with the temporal dynamics and spatial distributions of green cover over large areas of landscape. Seasonal green cover data are especially important in assessing landscape health (e.g. desertification, rate of urban sprawl, natural disturbances) in arid and semi‐arid regions. In this study, green cover data are derived from vegetation indices retrieved from moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensors onboard the satellite Terra.

Design/methodology/approach

Satellite images recorded during the period from April 2000 to December 2005 are analyzed and the spatial distribution and temporal changes of the Ejin Oasis quantified.

Findings

This study shows that it is possible to derive important parameters linked to landscape sensitivity from MODIS and the derived imagery, such as normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) time‐series data. Such a MODIS‐based time‐series monitoring system is particularly useful in arid and semi‐arid environments. The results of landscape sensitivity analysis prove the effectiveness of the method in assessing landscape sensitivity from the years 2001‐2005.

Practical implications

The novel strategy used in this investigation is based on the T‐S fuzzy model, which is in turn based on fuzzy theory and fuzzy operations.

Originality/value

Simulation results based on fuzzy models will help to improve the monitoring techniques used to evaluate land degradation and to estimate the newest tendency in landscape green cover dynamics in the Ejin Oasis.
Analysis of some partitioned algorithms for fluid‐structure interaction
Authors: Rossi R. , Oñate E.
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse algorithms for fluid‐structure interaction (FSI) from a purely algorithmic point of view.

Design/methodology/approach

First of all a 1D model problem is selected, for which both the fluid and structural behavior are represented through a minimum number of parameters. Different coupling algorithm and time integration schemes are then applied to the simplified model problem and their properties are discussed depending on the values assumed by the parameters. Both exact and approximate time integration schemes are considered in the same framework so to allow an assessment of the different sources of error.

Findings

The properties of staggered coupling schemes are confirmed. An insight on the convergence behavior of iterative coupling schemes is provided. A technique to improve such convergence is then discussed.

Research limitations/implications

All the results are proved for a given family of time integration schemes. The technique proposed can be applied to other families of time integration techniques, but some of the analytical results need to be reworked under this assumption.

Practical implications

The problems that are commonly encountered in FSI can be justified by simple arguments. It can also be shown that the limit at which trivial iterative schemes experience convergence difficulties is very close to that at which staggered schemes become unstable.

Originality/value

All the results shown are based on simple mathematics. The problems are presented so to be independent of the particular choice for the solution of the fluid flow.
Plastic‐damage analysis of reinforced concrete frames
Authors: Faleiro J. , Oller S. , Barbat A.H.
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop an improved analytical model for predicting the damage response of multi‐storey reinforced concrete frames modelled as an elastic beam‐column with two inelastic hinges at its ends.

Design/methodology/approach

The damage is evaluated in the hinges, using the concentrated damage concepts and a new member damage evaluation method for frame members, which leads to a meaningful global damage index of the structure. A numerical procedure for predicting the damage indices of the structures using matrix structural analysis, plastic theory and continuum damage model is also developed. The method is adequate for the prediction of the failure mechanisms.

Findings

Using the proposed framework numerical examples are finally included. From the obtained results, the advantages and limitation of the proposed model are observed.

Originality/value

The numeric model presented is useful to solve multi‐storey reinforced concrete frames using an inexpensive procedure that combines structural finite elements (beams) of low execution cost, with the moment‐curvature constitutive models deriving from classic stress‐strain ones. The proposed techniques give an inexpensive and reliability procedure to model the frame structures.
Simulation and probabilistic failure prediction of grafts for aortic aneurysm
Authors: Layman Ron , Missoum Samy , Vande Geest Jonathan
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The use of stent‐grafts to canalize aortic blood flow for patients with aortic aneurysms is subject to serious failure mechanisms such as a leak between the stent‐graft and the aorta (Type I endoleak). The purpose of this paper is to describe a novel computational approach to understand the influence of relevant variables on the occurrence of stent‐graft failure and quantify the probability of failure for aneurysm patients.

Design/methodology/approach

A parameterized fluid‐structure interaction finite element model of aortic aneurysm is built based on a multi‐material formulation available in LS‐DYNA. Probabilities of failure are assessed using an explicit construction of limit state functions with support vector machines (SVM) and uniform designs of experiments. The probabilistic approach is applied to two aneurysm geometries to provide a map of probabilities of failure for various design parameter values.

Findings

Parametric studies conducted in the course of this research successfully identified intuitive failure regions in the parameter space, and failure probabilities were calculated using both a simplified and more complex aneurysmal geometry.

Originality/value

This research introduces the use of SVM‐based explicit design space decomposition for probabilistic assessment applied to bioengineering problems. This technique allows one to efficiently calculate probabilities of failure. It is particularly suited for problems where outcomes can only be classified as safe or failed (e.g. leak or no leak). Finally, the proposed fluid‐structure interaction simulation accounts for the initiation of Type I endoleak between the graft and the aneurysm due to simultaneous fluid and solid forces.
Computation of heat transfer and fluid flow in an obstructed channel using lattice Boltzmann method
Authors: Amine Moussaoui Mohamed , Jami Mohamed , Mezrhab Ahmed , Naji Hassan
Published: January 2010

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the laminar flow and heat transfer characteristics in a two‐dimensional horizontal channel with two square blocks placed side‐by‐side using a numerical scheme based on a coupling between the lattice Boltzmann method and the finite difference method.

Design/methodology/approach

The multiple‐relaxation‐time (MRT) lattice Boltzmann equation model coupled with the finite difference method are used to predict numerically the velocity and the temperature fields.

Findings

A complex structure of the fluid flow was observed for various dimensionless block separation distance (G). An unsteady flow was found when the two blocks are placed side by side (G = 0). For G < 1.5, the presence of each block develops the street of Van Karman which generates complex binary vortex street. In the opposite case (G > 1.5), the effect of this parameter (G) on the fluid is reduced, whereas, the distance between the blocks and the nearest walls have a great influence on the fluid flow and the heat transfer. When the obstacles are posed on the walls (G = 3), an important heat exchange between the blocks and the nearest walls is noted.

Originality/value

This study offers more knowledge on natural convection in an obstructed channel. Furthermore, this work shows the effectiveness of the MRT lattice Boltzmann equation model for this kind of geometry.