bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optimal design of induction machine using interval algorithms
Authors: Samarkanov Dmitry , Gillon Frédéric , Brochet Pascal , Laloy Daniel
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present two optimization methodologies based on interval branch‐and‐bound algorithm.

Design/methodology/approach

These techniques decrease the total time of computation, even in spite of discrete nature of some of the design variables. Computational experiments performed on multivariable optimization problem reveal great accuracy and technical validity of developed approaches. As an example, the optimal design of the induction machine (IM) was treated, where the aim was to find the set of the most efficient and, at the same time, cheapest in the manufacturing configurations.

Findings

In this paper, two approaches were developed for resolving the problem of optimal design of IM with discrete variables. The strategy of constructing the meta‐models is utilized and put in practice. The methods show relatively high efficiency and robustness of obtained results.

Originality/value

These approaches are the core technics of the developed industrial application, which help identify the set of optimal configurations of IM with the criteria of optimality such as total cost of manufacturing and the efficiency of IM.
Axial force reduction of a homopolar machine
Authors: Wiak Slawomir , Gerling Dieter , Pyc Marcin
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe the optimization process of a homopolar machine. The work has been focused on a reduction of axial forces acting on the rotor.

Design/methodology/approach

A novel machine design has been proposed and a detailed FEM analysis has been performed.

Findings

The source of the axial force in the homopolar machine has been indicated and a new method of axial force reduction has been presented.

Originality/value

A detailed comparison shows that the applied changes lead to a significant axial force reduction and allow the usage of cheaper and less prone to axial forces bearings.
Lateral forces on a magnet falling in a conducting pipe
Authors: Dufour S. , Vinsard G. , Brancher J.‐P.
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the lateral forces during the fall of a magnet in a conducting pipe, when the direction of magnetization of the magnet is fixed. If the direction of magnetization is not parallel to the axis of the pipe, lateral forces occur and a decentration of the magnet happens.

Design/methodology/approach

The problem is studied numerically, with a T − h 3D FE formulation well‐suited for the problem. Computational results are compared with experimental results.

Findings

The physical model is given and the main force coefficients analyzed. The lateral forces and the decentration phenomenon are studied as a function of the main parameters (thickness and radius of the pipe).

Originality/value

The direction of magnetization is a key parameter to analyze the dynamics of a magnet motion inside a conducting pipe, when the radii of the pipe and the magnet are not so close. This analysis with a fixed direction of magnetization allows one to quantify the lateral forces and the decentration, and is a first step to understand the complete motion which includes the rotation which can be linked to the decentration.
Homogenized eddy current model for non‐destructive testing of metallic cables
Authors: Melicher Valdemar , Sergeant Peter
Published: March 2013

Purpose

This paper aims to derive a simple and effective but still a reasonably accurate model for electromagnetic problems with hysteretic magnetic properties and/or induced currents in heterogeneous regions in 2D, meant particularly for non‐destructive testing (NDT) of steel cables by eddy‐currents.

Design/methodology/approach

It is assumed that the diffusion of electromagnetic fields in a heterogeneous cable, which consists of many strands, can be described by the Maxwell equations with periodically oscillating coefficients. A computationally efficient model can then be derived. The idea behind this is to replace the heterogeneous material in the cross‐section by a fictitious homogeneous one, whose behaviour at the macroscopic level is a good approximation of the one of the composite material. Such a homogenized model is obtained by employing the two‐scale convergence.

Findings

The model is validated based on experimental electromagnetic data from a steel cable (measured magnetic hysteresis loops) to show that the model is applicable for NDT of cables. The model is useful for studying NDT of cables, both for excitation at low frequency (where changes in magnetic properties are investigated) and at higher frequency (eddy current testing). It is valid for a wide range of amplitudes and frequencies.

Originality/value

From the mathematical point of view the model incorporated a non‐local boundary condition that has to be included in the analysis. From the engineering point of view, by solving an inverse problem based on this model and on measured hysteresis loops at several frequencies, a broader range of defects in the cable can be detected.
Identification of moisture content in brick walls by means of impedance tomography
Authors: Hoła J. , Matkowski Z. , Schabowicz K. , Sikora J. , Nita K. , Wójtowicz S.
Published: March 2013

Purpose

This paper aims to present a new non‐destructive method of brick wall dampness testing in real building structures. The electrical impedance tomography (EIT) method makes it possible to obtain a distribution of wall dampness. The paper aims to give basic information about the measuring system, including prototype equipment. The setup was used to determine the dampness of test brick walls on a specially built laboratory test rig. The paper seeks to compare test results obtained by the non‐destructive impedance tomography method with the results obtained by the conventional destructive dry‐weight method.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts a tomography approach to control humidity inside of the brick walls. In case of brick walls other nondestructive methods fields, for example, the ultrasonic tomography is useless. On the other hand the most popular dry‐weight method is strictly forbidden for historical buildings. As a forward solver, functionally graded material boundary element method was used.

Findings

The paper proves that diffuse tomography could provide reliable results with respect of humidity content inside the brick walls. This method could provide 3D humidity distribution inside of the brick walls.

Research limitations/implications

It is expected that the technique's impact will be limited to site inspection of building following floods or to evaluate older damp buildings.

Practical implications

The presented technique can eventually lead to much simpler, cheaper and more efficient evaluation of the moisture content in walls. This can revolutionize some procedures in civil engineering.

Social implications

The application has commercial potential and could result in more cost‐effective repair of old buildings, which has an economic impact on society.

Originality/value

The authors propose application of the diffuse tomography for nondestructive investigation of brick walls. According to the authors' best knowledge this is a novel approach.
Modified Hilbert fractal geometry, multi‐service, miniaturized patch antenna for UWB wireless communication
Authors: Kaka Ademola O. , Toycan Mehmet , Bashiry Vali , Walker Stuart D.
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to describe a modified Hilbert‐based fractal antenna for ultra wideband (UWB) wireless applications. Simulation results show excellent multi‐band characteristics for UWB wireless applications.

Design/methodology/approach

A Hilbert curve‐based fractal is optimised for self‐replicating, space‐filling and self‐avoiding properties. In the proposed design, the Hilbert curve is applied to a rectangle as an initial iteration and maintained for the later iterations. Additionally, a Yagi‐like strip is removed from the second iteration of the Hilbert patch and a hexagonal portion is removed from the substrate to achieve good optimization. The antenna feed is created through a micro‐strip line with a feeding section. Finally, a partial ground plane technique is used for improved impedance matching characteristics. A finite element method (FEM) is used to simulate the modified Hilbert model with commercially available Ansoft HFSS software.

Findings

The proposed antenna is miniaturized (39 mm length×30 mm width) and has multi‐band characteristics. The simulation results show that the antenna has a reflection coefficient characteristic of <−10 dB, a linear phase reflection coefficient, better than 65 percent radiation efficiency, 2.2‐4 dBi antenna gain and nearly omni‐directional radiation pattern properties over the UWB bandwidth (3.1‐10.6 GHz).

Originality/value

The antenna shows promising characteristics for the full 7.5 GHz UWB bandwidth. In addition, the performance is achieved by using laceration techniques on the Hilbert patch and substrate, respectively. A partial ground plane ensures impedance matching of 50 over full UWB bandwidth. The simulation analysis of the modified Hilbert fractal antenna design constitutes the main contribution of the paper.
On‐line self‐learning PID based PSS using self‐recurrent wavelet neural network identifier and chaotic optimization
Authors: Ganjefar Soheil , Alizadeh Mojtaba
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The power system is complex multi‐component dynamic system with many operational levels made up of a wide range of energy sources with many interaction points. Low frequency oscillations are observed when large power systems are interconnected by relatively weak tie lines. These oscillations may sustain and grow to cause system separation if no adequate damping is available. The present paper aims to propose an on‐line self‐learning PID (OLSL‐PID) controller in order to damp the low frequency power system oscillations in a single‐machine system.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed OLSL‐PID is used as a controller in order to damp the low frequency power system oscillations. It has a local nature because of its powerful adaption process based on back‐propagation (BP) algorithm that is implemented through an adaptive self‐recurrent wavelet neural network identifier (ASRWNNI). In fact PID controller parameters are updated in on‐line mode, using BP algorithm based on the information provided by the ASRWNNI which is a powerful fast‐acting identifier because of its local nature, self‐recurrent structure and stable training algorithm with ALRs based on discrete lyapunov stability theorem.

Findings

The proposed control scheme is applied to a single machine infinite bus power system under different operating conditions and disturbances. The nonlinear time‐domain simulation results are promising and show the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed controller and also reveal that: because of the high adaptability, the local behavior and high flexibility of the OLSL‐PID controller, it can be damp the low frequency oscillations in the best possible manner and significantly improves the stability performance of the system.

Originality/value

The proposed controller adaption process is done in each sampling period using a powerful adaption law based on BP algorithm. Also during the process the system sensitivity is provided by a powerful fast‐acting identifier. As an alternative to multi‐layer perceptron neural network, self‐recurrent wavelet neural networks (SRWNNs) which combine the properties such as attractor dynamics of recurrent neural network and the fast convergence of the wavelet neural network were proposed to identify synchronous generator. Also to help the OLSL‐PID stability first, PID parameters tuning problem under a wide range of operating conditions is converted to an optimization problem which solved by a chaotic optimization algorithm (COA), and afterwards PID controller is hooked up in the system and on‐line tuning is done in each sampling period.
Finite element analysis of lateral field excited thickness shear mode film bulk acoustic resonator
Authors: Zhou Chang‐Jian , Yang Yi , Ren Tian‐Ling
Published: March 2013

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a new model to study the relationship between the acoustic properties of the thickness shear mode (TSM) in lateral field excited (LFE) film bulk acoustic wave resonator (FBAR) and the gap distance of the surface electrodes.

Design/methodology/approach

In the finite element analysis, harmonic and modal analyses are performed to obtain the admittance spectrum and determine the mechanical vibration mode. The results are used to modify the ideal model used in the theoretical calculation.

Findings

In the case of LFE FBAR, the acoustic velocity and electromechanical coupling coefficient (K2) of the TSM decreases as the gap distance decreases and there is a compromise between the exciting effectiveness and the acoustic properties.

Originality/value

The paper proposes a new method to study the dependences of the acoustic properties of the lateral field excited FBAR on the gap distances of the surface electrodes through the extraction of the static capacitance based on the finite element simulation results.
Optimum design of high voltage bushings by rational Bézier curves
Authors: Kouhi Jemsi Moslem , Vahidi Behrooz , Naghizadeh Ramezan‐Ali , Hossein Hosseinian Seyed
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new approach for designing different parts of a high voltage bushing. It also aims to consider technical and economical criteria for the optimum solution of the design problem.

Design/methodology/approach

A novel method for finding the optimal contours of different elements of high voltage bushings, including ceramic insulator, electrode, and flange angle is presented. The rational Bézier curves are used for defining the surface of the insulators and conductors of the equipment. Then, these curves are optimally adjusted to obtain an appropriate techno‐economical solution. The utilized optimization method is the improved bacterial foraging algorithm (BFA) with variable step sizes. In the design procedure, two‐dimensional finite element method (2D FEM) is used to calculate the performance parameters in each step of the design procedure. In order to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm, optimal design of different elements of a 110 kV bushing using BFA and genetic algorithm is presented, compared, and discussed as well.

Findings

The results of this research show that the technical design criteria and economical costs are satisfied by the proposed method. It is concluded that the rational Bézier curves can be implemented for other similar applications and optimal design of other equipment in the electrical engineering field combined with heuristic optimization techniques.

Originality/value

Bezier curves are used for the first time for bushing design purpose. Two heuristic techniques are also implemented in order to facilitate the comparison and avoid local solutions.
Implementation possibilities of hybrid IGBT‐IGCT switches in three‐level NPC inverters
Authors: Blinov Andrei , Vinnikov Dmitri , Ivakhno Volodymyr V. , Zamaruev Vladimir V.
Published: March 2013

Purpose

This paper aims to present an analysis of a hybrid high‐voltage switch based on the parallel connection of IGBT and IGCT. The proposed configuration combines the advantages of both semiconductors, resulting in substantially reduced power losses. Such energy efficient switches could be used in high‐power systems where the requirements of high switching frequency or decreased cooling systems are a major concern.

Design/methodology/approach

The operation principle of the switch is described and simulated. The power dissipation is estimated at different operation conditions. Further, the implementation possibilities of the proposed switch configuration in a three‐level NPC inverter are analysed. The operation with the proposed PWM control algorithm is simulated and inverter power loss distribution is estimated.

Findings

According to estimations, the proposed hybrid switch configuration allows the reduction of total losses in semiconductors by at least 50 percent. If two of these switches are used in a three‐level NPC inverter as outer switches, the total losses of the inverter are reduced by 27 percent, at the same time the losses in the most stressed semiconductor device are reduced by a factor of 2.25. Therefore, achieving higher power density is possible.

Practical implications

The proposed switch configuration is intended for high‐power (>500 KVA) industrial, marine and railway traction systems, such as FACTS and high power variable frequency AC drives.

Originality/value

The paper presents the novel energy‐efficient high‐voltage switch based on the parallel connection of commercially available IGBTs and IGCTs.
Impact of component losses on the voltage boost properties and efficiency of the QZS‐converter family
Authors: Roasto Indrek , Vinnikov Dmitri
Published: March 2013

Purpose

This paper is devoted to the quasi‐Z‐source (qZS) converter family. Recently, the qZS‐converters have attracted high attention because of their specific properties of voltage boost and buck functions with a single switching stage. As main representatives of the qZS‐converter family, this paper aims to discuss the traditional quasi‐Z‐source inverter as well as two novel extended boost quasi‐Z‐source inverters.

Design/methodology/approach

Steady state analysis of the investigated topologies operating in the continuous conduction mode is presented. Input voltage boost properties of converters are compared for an ideal case. Mathematical models of converters considering losses in components are derived. Practical boost properties of converters are compared to idealized ones and the impact of losses on the voltage boost properties of each topology is justified. Finally, the impact of losses in the components on the boost conversion efficiency is analyzed.

Findings

To demonstrate the impact of component losses on the overall efficiency of the qZS‐converter, a number of experiments were performed. The impact of inductor winding resistance was compared with the forward voltage drop of qZS‐network diodes. It was found that the forward voltage drop of diodes has the highest effect on the efficiency. If the diodes are replaced with high‐power Schottky rectifiers with a low forward voltage drop (UD=0.6 V), the effective efficiency rise by at least 5 percent could be expected for all three qZS‐converter topologies. For the same operating parameters and component values, the traditional qZS‐converter had the highest efficiency of the qZS‐converter family. The boost converter was compared with the traditional qZS converter in terms of efficiency. It was found that the boost converter has an efficiency 2 percent higher in the boost operation mode and approximately the same efficiency in the non‐boost operation.

Practical implications

The paper provides a good theoretical background for further practical studies. qZS‐converters have voltage boost and buck functions with a single switching stage, which could be especially advantageous in renewable energy applications.

Originality/value

The paper presents a detailed study of the qZS‐converter family. Mathematical models of converters considering losses in components are derived. It is the first time the boost converter is compared with the qZS converter.
E‐band SIW H‐plane horn antenna development
Authors: Yang Dong‐Hua , Liu Tsung‐Han , Ke Po‐Yu , Lin Wen‐Piao , Chiu Hsien‐Chin
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to design and measure an H‐plane substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) 72 GHz backfired horn antenna chip. The SIW horn was fabricated on a standard 0.5‐μm GaAs process with substrate thickness of 100 μm.

Design/methodology/approach

Planar SIW horn design method with standard GaAs circuit design rule was adopted. The input reflection coefficient and output antenna gain was simulated at the FEM‐based 3D full‐wave EM solver, Ansoft HFSS and measured at the Agilent E8361C Network Analyzer and Cascade 110 GHz probe station.

Findings

The measured input −6 dB bandwidth is about 0.9 GHz at a center frequency of 72.39 GHz. The maximum antenna power gain extracted from the path loss at 72.39 GHz is about −3.64 dBi.

Research limitations/implications

Thin substrate exhibits larger capacitance and energy stores rather than radiates. Flat cutting restricts the arc lens design and results in the radiation plane mismatches to the air. Simple taper transition design makes the input bandwidth much narrower. The problems can be further improved by selecting thicker substrate and the multi‐section input CPW GSG pads to microstrip transition.

Practical implications

Unlike the traditional anechoic chamber, the antenna measurement station is exposed to the open space and chip antenna was supported by the FR4 substrate and the metal probing station plate. A fully characterization of the antenna open space environment before the measurement is needed.

Originality/value

An H‐plane SIW 72 GHz horn antenna was designed and studied. The antenna was using the GaAs 0.5‐μm MMICs process design rule includes the SIW designed cylindrical metal bars all being restricted in standard rectangular shape. Compare to traditional bulky waveguide horn antenna, the antenna chip size is only 1.8×1.7 mm2. The on‐wafer measurement is conducted to measure the input return loss and the maximum antenna power gain of the on‐chip antenna. The designed on‐chip SIW horn antenna is useful for the integrated design of the E band GaAs MMICs single‐chip RF transceiver.
Design and application of sink node for wireless sensor network
Authors: Tian Yu , Lv Yang , Tong Ling
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present one type of the architecture for wireless sensor network and to discuss in detail the hardware design of the sink node which can be responsible for transmission data or instructions between sensor nodes and data. Finally, an experiment based on wireless sensor network has proved that the design of sink node is applicable and reliable in monitoring environmental elements such as temperature, humidity, etc.

Design/methodology/approach

A design for the sink node is presented which constants three parts: the power module, the storage/display module and the communication module. Zigbee, GPRS and Ethernet techniques are used on ARM7 microcontroller. The sink node is capable of bridging the user's terminal with sensor nodes for information transmission.

Findings

In this paper, a new method of the power management based on wireless sensor network is proposed to conserve energy. The antenna height is proven to be an important factor to the communicating among nodes. Finally, the paper proposes regular patterns of the deployment for sensor nodes based on the communication range and the sampling range.

Originality/value

The experiment for providing real‐time data on environment monitoring parameters indicates that the system is efficient. The authors believe that the idea and the design presented in the paper may help the research and application of wireless sensor network.
Intelligent spam filtering for massive short message stream
Authors: Xia Hu , Fu Yan , Zhou Junlin , Xia Qi
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an intelligent spam filtering method to meet the real‐time processing requirement of the massive short message stream and reduce manual operation of the system.

Design/methodology/approach

An integrated framework based on a series of algorithms is proposed. The framework consists of message filtering module, log analysis module and rules handling module, and dynamically filters the short message spam, while generating the filtering rules. Experiments using Java are used to execute the proposed work.

Findings

The experiments are carried out both on the simulation model (off‐line) and on the actual plant (on‐line). All experiment data are considered in both normal and spam real short messages. The results show that use of the integrated framework leads to a comparable accuracy and meet the real‐time filtration requirement.

Originality/value

The approach in the design of the filtering system is novel. In addition, implementation of the proposed integrated framework allows the method not only to reduce the computational cost which leads to a high processing speed but also to filter spam messages with a high accuracy.
Improved SOFI algorithm for blind extraction of smooth signals
Authors: Gao Jianbin , Xia Qi , Li Jianping , Ye Mao
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a symmetrical method to extract smooth signal from linear mixtures in the frequency domain; with experimentations, the method is thereafter evaluated.

Design/methodology/approach

The Second‐order Frequency Identification (SOFI) algorithm has been presented to retrieve baseband signals which have inactive bands and different bandwidths in the frequency domain. However, the SOFI method will bring about accumulative error, therefore an improved method is proposed in this paper by using symmetric extraction mode. In contrast to the SOFI algorithm, the ISOFI method can extract simultaneously the signal with the highest degree of smoothness and the signal with the lowest degree of smoothness. This means that the signals are not extracted one by one; instead, they are extracted in parallel. Experimental results in both noise‐free and noisy scenarios verified that the proposed method has a significant improvement compared with the SOFI algorithm.

Findings

An improved SOFI (ISOFI) method is proposed to reduce the accumulated error encountered in the SOFI algorithm. In the proposed method, the symmetric mode is utilized to extract in parallel the signals with different smooth degrees. Experimental results demonstrated that the ISOFI has a higher accuracy and lower accumulated error compared to the original algorithm.

Originality/value

The paper demonstrates use of the symmetric extraction mode to overcome the disadvantage of accumulated errors existing in the SOFI algorithm.
Proactive P2P worm containment via automatic authentication
Authors: Zhang Xiao‐song , Chen Ting , Xu Chun‐xiang , Pan Xiao‐hui , Wu Xue‐yang
Published: March 2013

Purpose

Nowadays, proactive P2P worm (PRWORM) poses a latent threat to internet infrastructure and common users for the fatal vulnerabilities in homogeneous P2P software. It is more difficult to contain PRWORM because of its fast spread speed. Current techniques are not adequate to quarantine PRWORM, mainly because of their inaccuracy and slow response to attacks. The purpose of this paper is to propose an accurate and real‐time approach for PRWORM containment.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the authors present a new methodology to contain PRWORM via proper authentication of initiators of P2P communications. Second, three simple network protocols are proposed to fulfill automatic authentication.

Findings

Both simulations and strictly mathematical proof by Strand Space Model represent that the authors' work is able to accurately quarantine PRWORM in real time. Furthermore, proof shows the three network protocols are resistant to popular attacks such as man‐in‐the‐middle attack and replay attack.

Originality/value

First, the authors propose an authentication based method to contain proactive P2P worm and second, use strand space model to proof the effectiveness and security of the method.
Anti‐interference improvement of reconfigurable zero‐IF RF receiver based on tunable filter array computation
Authors: Jiang You Chang , Wei Zhu Xiao , Hai Shao Zhen
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose an improved reconfigurable zero‐IF RF receiver with anti‐interference improvement used in dynamic spectrum resource sharing system at UHF band based on tunable filter array computation. Measured results show that the anti‐interference competence of improved zero‐IF RF receiver is enhanced greatly by employing two tunable filter arrays.

Design/methodology/approach

The anti‐interference reconfigurable zero‐IF RF receiver is based on fully differential I/Q demodulation structure and employs two same tunable filter arrays to meet the requirement on adjacent channel suppression imposed by systems coexisting. The performance requirement of each filter in tunable filter arrays is computed and derived according to the needs of anti‐interference.

Findings

The anti‐interference competence of zero‐IF RF receiver could be enhanced greatly by employing two tunable filter arrays.

Originality/value

The paper provides a method to design zero‐IF RF receivers with anti‐interference competence used in dynamic spectrum resource sharing systems.
Online shoppers’ perceptions of e‐retailers’ ethics, cultural orientation, and loyalty
Authors: Lu Long‐Chuan , Chang Hsiu‐Hua , Yu Shih‐Ting
Published: March 2013

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impact of cultural orientation on consumer perceptions regarding the ethics of online retailers (CPEOR), and to understand the influence of CPEOR on e‐loyalty intention.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper operationalizes Román's CPEOR scale and Triandis’ individuality and collectivism typology. A valid sample of 949 respondents is collected via an online survey.

Findings

Consumers with horizontal individualism, and with horizontal and vertical collectivism tend to hold higher perceptions of e‐retailers’ ethics. The higher consumers perceive positive CPEOR, the more they tend to purchase from the same online sellers.

Practical implications

Multinational enterprises must understand the possible effects of cultural context on consumer attitudes of e‐retailers’ ethics before they can create successful marketing strategies. Additionally, if e‐retailers maintain shopping situations where transactions are secure, private, and certain, e‐shoppers are more likely to be inspired to repurchase from the same vendors.

Originality/value

The CPEOR scale, which includes security, privacy, non‐deception and fulfillment dimension, is greater completeness to evaluate consumer perceptions of e‐retailers’ ethics than scales using a unidimensional approach. This study further examines both individualism and collectivism at the individual level, which is rare in the existing literature.
Members' sensemaking in a multi‐professional team
Authors: Rovio‐Johansson Airi , Liff Roy
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The aim of this study is to investigate sensemaking as interaction among team members in a multi‐professional team setting in a new public management context at a Swedish Child and Youth Psychiatric Unit.

Design/methodology/approach

A discursive pragmatic approach grounded in ethonomethodology is taken in the analysis of a treatment conference (TC). In order to interpret and understand the multi‐voiced complexity of discourse and of talk‐in‐interaction, the authors use dialogism in the analysis of the members' sensemaking processes. The analysis is based on the theoretical assumption that language and texts are the primary tools actors use to comprehend the social reality and to make sense of their multi‐professional discussions. Health care managers are offered insights, derived from theory and empirical evidence, into how professionals' communications influence multi‐professional cooperation. The team leader and members are interviewed before and after the observed TC.

Findings

Team members create their identities and positions in the group by interpreting and “misinterpreting” talk‐in‐interaction. The analyses reveal the ways the team members relate to their treatment methods in the discussion of a patient; advocating a treatment method means that the team member and the method are intertwined.

Practical implications

The findings may be valuable to health care professionals and managers working in teams by showing them how to achieve greater cooperation through the use of verbal abilities.

Originality/value

The findings and methods contribute to the international research on cooperation problems in multi‐professional teams and to the empirical research on institutional discourse through text and talk.
Clinical managers in the primary care sector: do the benefits stack up?
Authors: O'Riordan Chris , McDermott Aoife
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature and value of the clinical management role undertaken by primary care doctors in Ireland. To date, a majority of research has focused on clinical management roles in the acute sector.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents a sub‐set of data from a mixed methods study. In total, 14 semi‐structured interviews are drawn upon to identify the nature and value of the clinical management role in primary care.

Findings

Comparison with acute sector research identifies considerable differences in the nature of the clinical management role across sectors – and in the associated value proposition. Structural and role‐related contingencies affecting the potential value of clinical management roles in Irish primary care are discussed. Structural influences include the private ownership structure, low complexity and limited requirement for cross‐professional coordination. Role‐related influences include the primacy of the clinical identity, time constraints and lack of managerial training.

Research limitations/implications

The findings provide a limited basis for generalisation, premised on 14 interviews in one national context. However, given the international shift towards the provision of health services in primary care, they provide a research agenda for an important healthcare context.

Practical implications

The findings draw attention to the need for policy consideration of the value of the clinical manager role in primary care; how policy can support effective primary care management; and the need for specialised management training, which takes account of the small‐firm context.

Originality/value

The paper identifies that primary‐care clinical‐management roles focus on operational management and oversight and discusses the structural and role‐related factors which affect their efficacy.
Using evaluation theory in priority setting and resource allocation
Authors: Smith Neale , Mitton Craig , Cornelissen Evelyn , Gibson Jennifer , Peacock Stuart
Published: March 2013

Purpose

Public sector interest in methods for priority setting and program or policy evaluation has grown considerably over the last several decades, given increased expectations for accountable and efficient use of resources and emphasis on evidence‐based decision making as a component of good management practice. While there has been some occasional effort to conduct evaluation of priority setting projects, the literatures around priority setting and evaluation have largely evolved separately. In this paper, the aim is to bring them together.

Design/methodology/approach

The contention is that evaluation theory is a means by which evaluators reflect upon what it is they are doing when they do evaluation work. Theories help to organize thinking, sort out relevant from irrelevant information, provide transparent grounds for particular implementation choices, and can help resolve problematic issues which may arise in the conduct of an evaluation project.

Findings

A detailed review of three major branches of evaluation theory – methods, utilization, and valuing – identifies how such theories can guide the development of efforts to evaluate priority setting and resource allocation initiatives. Evaluation theories differ in terms of their guiding question, anticipated setting or context, evaluation foci, perspective from which benefits are calculated, and typical methods endorsed.

Originality/value

Choosing a particular theoretical approach will structure the way in which any priority setting process is evaluated. The paper suggests that explicitly considering evaluation theory makes key aspects of the evaluation process more visible to all stakeholders, and can assist in the design of effective evaluation of priority setting processes; this should iteratively serve to improve the understanding of priority setting practices themselves.
Whose kettle?
Authors: Sullivan Helen , Williams Paul
Published: March 2013

Purpose

This article aims to explore how objects function in integration efforts in health and social care contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

The article draws on boundary object theory and empirical data collected from a range of health and social care integration initiatives in Wales to illustrate the value of the focus on objects and to identify the potential implications of this approach for studies in other national contexts.

Findings

Attention to objects can shed light on the dynamics of integration, its potential and limits, offering insights that conventional analysis might otherwise miss.

Research limitations/implications

The data drawn on in this paper are illustrative. Exploring the role of objects in integration requires more focused studies.

Practical implications

The results suggest that integration designers and managers need to pay closer attention to the attachments that practitioners develop to objects.

Originality/value

This is a highly original paper in view of its innovative use of boundary object theory in the context of integration, and its contribution to theory, research and practice.
Shared mental models of integrated care: aligning multiple stakeholder perspectives
Authors: Evans Jenna M. , Ross Baker G.
Published: March 2013

Purpose

Health service organizations and professionals are under increasing pressure to work together to deliver integrated patient care. A common understanding of integration strategies may facilitate the delivery of integrated care across inter‐organizational and inter‐professional boundaries. This paper aims to build a framework for exploring and potentially aligning multiple stakeholder perspectives of systems integration.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors draw from the literature on shared mental models, strategic management and change, framing, stakeholder management, and systems theory to develop a new construct, Mental Models of Integrated Care (MMIC), which consists of three types of mental models, i.e. integration‐task, system‐role, and integration‐belief.

Findings

The MMIC construct encompasses many of the known barriers and enablers to integrating care while also providing a comprehensive, theory‐based framework of psychological factors that may influence inter‐organizational and inter‐professional relations. While the existing literature on integration focuses on optimizing structures and processes, the MMIC construct emphasizes the convergence and divergence of stakeholders' knowledge and beliefs, and how these underlying cognitions influence interactions (or lack thereof) across the continuum of care.

Practical implications

MMIC may help to: explain what differentiates effective from ineffective integration initiatives; determine system readiness to integrate; diagnose integration problems; and develop interventions for enhancing integrative processes and ultimately the delivery of integrated care.

Originality/value

Global interest and ongoing challenges in integrating care underline the need for research on the mental models that characterize the behaviors of actors within health systems; the proposed framework offers a starting point for applying a cognitive perspective to health systems integration.
Role of innovative institutional structures in integrated governance
Authors: Kalita Anuska , Mondal Shinjini
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to highlight the significance of integrated governance in bringing about community participation, improved service delivery, accountability of public systems and human resource rationalisation. It discusses the strategies of innovative institutional structures in translating such integration in the areas of public health and nutrition for poor communities.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on experience of initiating integrated governance through innovations in health and nutrition programming in the resource‐poor state of Chhattisgarh, India, at different levels of governance structures – hamlets, villages, clusters, blocks, districts and at the state. The study uses mixed methods – i.e. document analysis, interviews, discussions and quantitative data from facilities surveys – to present a case study analyzing the process and outcome of integration.

Findings

The data indicate that integrated governance initiatives improved convergence between health and nutrition departments of the state at all levels. Also, innovative structures are important to implement the idea of integration, especially in contexts that do not have historical experience of such partnerships. Integration also contributed towards improved participation of communities in self‐governance, community monitoring of government programs, and therefore, better services.

Practical implications

As governments across the world, especially in developing countries, struggle towards achieving better governance, integration can serve as a desirable process to address this. Integration can affect the decentralisation of power, inclusion, efficiency, accountability and improved service quality in government programs. The institutional structures detailed in this paper can provide models for replication in other similar contexts for translating and sustaining the idea of integrated governance.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the few to investigate innovative public institutions of a particularly vulnerable and poor region in India, and is unique in that it uses the lenses of governance and community mobilisation to explore this important, and under‐researched, topic.
Process antecedents of challenging, under‐cover and readily‐adopted innovations
Authors: Adams Richard , Tranfield David , Denyer David
Published: March 2013

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to test the utility of a taxonomy of innovation based on perceived characteristics in the context of healthcare by exploring the extent to which discrete innovation types could be distinguished from each other in terms of process antecedents.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach was adopted to explore the process antecedents of nine exemplar cases of “challenging”, “under‐cover” and “readily‐adopted” healthcare innovations. Data were collected by semi‐structured interview and from secondary sources, and content analysed according to a theoretically informed framework of innovation process. Cluster analysis was applied to determine whether innovation types could be distinguished on the basis of process characteristics.

Findings

The findings provide moderate support for the proposition that innovations differentiated on the basis of the way they are perceived by potential users exhibit different process characteristics. Innovations exhibiting characteristics previously believed negatively to impact adoption may be successfully adopted but by a different configuration of processes than by innovations exhibiting a different set of characteristics.

Research limitations/implications

The findings must be treated with caution because the sample consists of self‐selected cases of successful innovation and is limited by sample size. Nevertheless, the study sheds new light on important process differences in healthcare innovation.

Practical implications

The paper offers a heuristic device to aid clinicians and managers to better understand the relatively novel task of promoting and managing innovation in healthcare. The paper advances the argument that there is under‐exploited opportunity for cross‐disciplinary organisational learning for innovation management in the NHS. If efficiency and quality improvement targets are to be met through a strategy of encouraging innovation, it may be advantageous for clinicians and managers to reflect on what this study found mostly to be absent from the processes of the innovations studied, notably management commitment in the form of norms, resource allocation and top management support.

Originality/value

This paper is based on original empirical work. It extends previous adoption related studies by applying a configurational approach to innovation attributes to offer new insights on healthcare innovation and highlight the importance of attention to process.
Structuring agency
Authors: Payne Julianne , Leiter Jeffrey
Published: March 2013

Purpose

Since the 1970s, the healthcare industry has undergone significant changes. Using neo‐institutional and resource dependency theories, the purpose of this paper is to explore how managers perceive constraint and enact agency amidst these historic challenges – perhaps most significantly, declining funding and increasing regulation.

Design/methodology/approach

The data come from ten interviews with healthcare managers, spanning for‐profit, non‐profit, and government legal forms and hospital and nursing home sub‐industries in both Queensland, Australia and North Carolina, USA. The authors look for patterns across the interviews.

Findings

The paper shows that governments and umbrella “parent” organizations force managers to adhere to institutional expectations in exchange for resource investment. Managers navigate these environmental obstacles using a shared business‐minded approach and competitive differentiation. Yet various interest groups – including front‐line workers, physicians, and patients – challenge this paradigm, as they demand a focus on quality of care. Managers' efforts are likewise curbed by the very resource and institutional pressures they resist.

Originality/value

The authors understand changes in the healthcare industry as resulting from an increasingly powerful managerial logic, at odds with traditional professional and societal values. Interest groups are best positioned to challenge this logic.
Reordering Spatial and Social Relations: A Case Study of Professional and Managerial Flexworkers
Authors: Richardson Julia , McKenna Steve
Published: March 2013

Research on flexible work practices has focused primarily on social relationships, individual identity, work/work–life balance experience and performance. This paper aims to add another dimension by focusing on space and, specifically, the performance of space by professional flexworkers as they reorder their home and work lives through the process of becoming flexworkers. Drawing on Law's ‘modes of ordering’ and Latourian actor network theory, as well as on Beyes and Steyaert's recent contribution on ‘performing space’, the paper considers how flexworkers themselves reorganize space(s) as an ongoing accomplishment. The purpose and contribution is to offer an alternative to the view that the home and work are rigid containers fixed in social structure, to one that views them as self‐referential space(s), reordered by flexworkers as they seek to ‘keep the social moving’. The paper is based on an empirical study of employees in a Canadian subsidiary of a large hi‐tech multinational corporation. It examines organizational policy documents and interviews with managerial and non‐managerial flexworkers to identify how social and spatial relations are reordered and performed.