bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antibiotic production is organized by a division of labour inStreptomyces
Authors: Zhang Zheren , de Barsy Frederique , Liem Michael , Liakopoulos Apostolos , Choi Young H. , Claessen Dennis , Rozen Daniel E.
Published: February 2019

One of the hallmark behaviors of social groups is division of labour, where different group members become specialized to carry out complementary tasks. By dividing labour, cooperative groups of individuals increase their efficiency, thereby raising group fitness even if these specialized behaviors reduce the fitness of individual group members. Here we provide evidence that antibiotic production in colonies of the multicellular bacteriumStreptomyces coelicoloris coordinated by a division of labour. We show thatS. coelicolorcolonies are genetically heterogenous due to massive amplifications and deletions to the chromosome. Cells with gross chromosomal changes produce an increased diversity of secondary metabolites and secrete significantly more antibiotics; however, these changes come at the cost of dramatically reduced individual fitness, providing direct evidence for a trade-off between secondary metabolite production and fitness. Finally, we show that colonies containing mixtures of mutant strains and their parents produce significantly more antibiotics, while colony-wide spore production remains unchanged. Our work demonstrates that by generating mutants that are specialized to hyper-produce antibiotics, streptomycetes reduce the colony-wide fitness costs of secreted secondary metabolites while maximizing the yield and diversity of these products.
Pleiotropic requirements for human TDP-43 in the regulation of cell and organelle homeostasis
Authors: Roczniak-Ferguson Agnes , Ferguson Shawn M.
Published: February 2019

TDP-43 is an RNA-binding protein that forms cytoplasmic aggregates in multiple neurodegenerative diseases. Although the loss of normal TDP-43 functions likely contributes to disease pathogenesis, the cell biological consequences of human TDP-43 depletion are not well understood. We therefore generated human TDP-43 knockout cells and subjected them to parallel cell biological and transcriptomic analyses. These efforts yielded three important discoveries. First, complete loss of TDP-43 resulted in widespread morphological defects related to multiple organelles including: Golgi, endosomes, lysosomes, mitochondria and the nuclear envelope. Second, we identified a new role for TDP-43 in controlling mRNA splicing of Nup188 (nuclear pore protein). Third, analysis of multiple amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) causing TDP-43 mutations revealed a broad ability to support splicing of TDP-43 target genes. However, as some TDP-43 disease causing mutants failed to support the regulation of specific target transcripts, our results raise the possibility of mutation-specific loss-of-function contributions to disease pathology.
Anosognosia for Hemiplegia as a tripartite disconnection syndrome
Authors: Pacella V. , Foulon C. , Jenkinson P.M. , Scandola M. , Bertagnoli S. , Avesani R. , Fotopoulou A. , Moro V. , Thiebaut De Schotten M.
Published: February 2019

The rare syndrome of Anosognosia for Hemiplegia (AHP) can provide unique insights into the neurocognitive processes of motor awareness. Yet, prior studies have only explored predominately discreet lesions. Using advanced structural neuroimaging methods in 174 patients with a right-hemisphere stroke, we were able to identify three neural networks that contribute to AHP, when disconnected: the (1) premotor loop (2) limbic system, and (3) ventral attention network. Our results suggest that human motor awareness is contingent on the joint contribution of these three systems.
Uniaxial loading induces a scalable switch in cortical actomyosin flow polarization and reveals mechanosensitive regulation of cytokinesis
Authors: Singh Deepika , Odedra Devang , Pohl Christian
Published: February 2019

During animal development, it is crucial that cells can sense and adapt to mechanical forces from their environment. Ultimately, these forces are transduced through the actomyosin cortex. How the cortex can simultaneously respond to and create forces during cytokinesis is not well understood. Here we show that under mechanical stress, cortical actomyosin flow switches its polarization during cytokinesis in theC. elegansembryo. In unstressed embryos, longitudinal cortical flows contribute to contractile ring formation, while rotational cortical flow is additionally induced in uniaxially loaded embryos. Rotational cortical flow is required for the redistribution of the actomyosin cortex in loaded embryos. Rupture of longitudinally aligned cortical fibers during cortex rotation releases tension, initiates orthogonal longitudinal flow and thereby contributes to furrowing in loaded embryos. A targeted screen for factors required for rotational flow revealed that actomyosin regulators involved in RhoA regulation, cortical polarity and chirality are all required for rotational flow and become essential for cytokinesis under mechanical stress. In sum, our findings extend the current framework of mechanical stress response during cell division and show scaling of orthogonal cortical flows to the amount of mechanical stress.
Modification of T cells function after restoration of spontaneous circulation in a rat model of cardiac arrest
Authors: Xing Chunlin , Chen Yang , Zhu Xuemei , Lu Guoping , Chen Weiming
Published: February 2019

Cardiac arrest (CA) is a prominent cause of mortality worldwide. A large number of patients after post-cardiac arrest is often associated with a phase of impaired immunity. Through an asphyxial cardiac arrest rat model, we investigate the peripheral blood T cells subsets and the expressions of surface molecules after restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Sprague-Dawley rats (weight, 300-400 g) were randomly divided into cardiac arrest (CA) group and sham-operated group. CA group rats were induced by 6 minutes of asphyxia. After successful ROSC, 24 surviving rats in two groups were randomly assigned to be sacrificed (n = 8 per subgroup) at 3, 24 and 72 h. The proportion of T cells and CD4+, CD8+ subsets as well as the expression of surface molecules (CTLA-4, PD-1, CD28) on T cells were identified by flow cytometry. The protein concentrations of cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, IL-4, IFN-γ, IL-17A) in serum were measured by ELISA. Compared with sham-operated control group, CD3+ lymphocytes in CA group were significantly decreased at 24 and 72 h post-ROSC. The expression levels of CD28, PD-1, and CTLA-4 on T cells were markedly increased in CA groups at 24 h post-ROSC. Additionally, the concentrations of IFN-γ were significantly declined, while IL-4 was markedly elevated in the CA group at 24 and 72 h post-ROSC. T cells function is moderately changed after CA, which is associated with decreased percentage of T cells, the upregulation of co-inhibitory molecules, and the shift from T helper (Th) 1 to Th2.
TCF4 induces enzalutamide resistance via neuroendocrine differentiation in prostate cancer
Authors: Lee Geun Taek , Kim Won Tae , Kwon Young Suk , Palapattu Ganesh , Mehra Rohit , Kim Wun-Jae , Kim Isaac Yi
Published: February 2019

In treating patients with castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), enzalutamide, the second-generation androgen receptor (AR) antagonist, is an accepted standard of care. However, clinical benefits are limited to a median time of 4.8 months because resistance inevitably emerges. To determine the mechanism of treatment resistance, we carried out a RNA sequence analysis and found increased expression levels of neuroendocrine markers in the enzalutamide-resistant LNCaP human prostate cancer (CaP) cell line when compared to the parental cell line. Subsequent studies demonstrated that TCF4, a transcription factor implicated in Wnt signaling, mediated neuroendocrine differentiation (NED) in response to enzalutamide treatment and was elevated in the enzalutamide-resistant LNCaP. In addition, we observed that PTHrP mediated enzalutamide resistance in tissue culture and inducible TCF4 overexpression resulted in enzalutamide-resistance in a mouse xenograft model. Finally, small molecule inhibitors of TCF4 or PTHrP partially reversed enzalutamide resistance in CaP cells. When tissues obtained from men who died of metastatic CaP were examined, a positive correlation was found between the expression levels of TCF4 and PTHrP. Taken together, the current results indicate that TCF4 induces enzalutamide resistance via NED in CaP.
No evidence for kin recognition in a passerine bird
Authors: Lattore Martina , Nakagawa Shinichi , Burke Terry , Plaza Mireia , Schroeder Julia
Published: February 2019

Theory predicts that individuals behave altruistically towards their relatives. Hence, some form of kin recognition is useful for individuals to optimize their behaviour. In species displaying bi-parental care and subject to extra-pair matings, kin recognition theoretically allows cuckolded fathers to reduce their parental investment, and thus optimize their fitness, but whether this is possible remains unclear in birds. This study investigates the ability of male sparrows to recognize their own chicks, using a large cross-foster experiment, parental care as an indicator and House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) as a model organism. We cross-fostered chicks after hatching, and then expected that fathers would show a decrease in their parental efforts when tending to a clutch of unrelated offspring. However, there was no significant effect of relatedness on provisioning rates. This suggests that sparrows may not be capable of kin recognition, or at least do not display kin discrimination despite its apparent evolutionary advantage.
Catalyst- and solvent-free synthesis of 2-fluoro-N-(3-methylsulfanyl-1H-1,2,4-triazol-5-yl)benzamide through a microwave-assisted Fries rearrangement: X-ray structural and theoretical studies
Authors: Moreno-Fuquen Rodolfo , Arango-Daraviña Kevin , Becerra Diana , Castillo Juan-Carlos , Kennedy Alan R. , Macías Mario A.
Published: February 2019

An efficient approach for the regioselective synthesis of (5-amino-3-methylsulfanyl-1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)(2-fluorophenyl)methanone, C10H9FN4OS, (3), from the N-acylation of 3-amino-5-methylsulfanyl-1H-1,2,4-triazole, (1), with 2-fluorobenzoyl chloride has been developed. Heterocyclic amide (3) was used successfully as a strategic intermediate for the preparation of 2-fluoro-N-(3-methylsulfanyl-1H-1,2,4-triazol-5-yl)benzamide, C10H9FN4OS, (4), through a microwave-assisted Fries rearrangement under catalyst- and solvent-free conditions. Theoretical studies of the prototropy process of (1) and the Fries rearrangement of (3) to provide (4), involving the formation of an intimate ion pair as the key step, were carried out by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The crystallographic analysis of the intermolecular interactions and the energy frameworks based on the effects of the different molecular conformations of (3) and (4) are described.
“Aesthetic regime” in urban entrepreneurialism: public art venues in Shanghai
Authors: Zheng Jane
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand urban sculpture venues that emerged in the recent decade and their connections to the on-going entrepreneurial urban policies and urban strategies in Shanghai. How does this phenomenon relate to Shanghai’s urban policies? How does urban sculpture development reflect the nature and characteristics of the urban sculpture authority?

Design/methodology/approach

Case study is the major research method used to achieve an in-depth understanding of the developmental processes, mechanisms and characteristics of urban sculpture projects. Three cases were selected and studied using purposeful sampling methods, including Duolun Road Sculpture Project (2002), the Shanghai International Sculpture Center (2006) and the Jing’an Sculpture Park (2009).

Findings

A twofold main argument is established in this paper. Urban sculpture venues emerged as a new type of instrument to advance urban entrepreneurial policies; the use of this instrument, however, also involves politics in that art politically transforms the features and functions of open spaces in Shanghai.

Originality/value

Although scholarly interest in exploring cultural development through urban planning in the Chinese context is evident, urban sculpture planning (termed as “urban sculpture” in the Chinese ideological context) in Chinese metropolitan cities, in particular, is an unexplored topic, and thus leaves a gap in the knowledge. This paper introduces a new conceptual model, i.e., “aesthetic regime,” to describe the role of the urban sculpture authority in the development of the urban sculpture scene. It looks at the artistic representation of artworks, design of the sculpture venues, functionality of the artworks and social mechanisms for the actualization of these projects. An evolutional trend of the three sites across the decade is concerned.
Vlog and brand evaluations: the influence of parasocial interaction
Authors: Liu Matthew Tingchi , Liu Yongdan , Zhang Lida L.
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the marketing results of video blogging (vlogging). In particular, the authors are interested in understanding which video bloggers (vloggers) can better help marketers develop their brand image, which vlog viewers tend to evaluate vlogger-endorsed brands more positively, and how these effects occur.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire survey was conducted with a convenience sample online. A total of 401 valid responses were collected. Regression analyses and bootstrapping were used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The authors found that vloggers’ physical and social attractiveness and the audience’s viewing motives (entertainment motive and relationship-building motive) and behavior (time spent on the media) increased the audience’s evaluations of the brands endorsed by the vloggers (perceived brand quality, brand affect and brand preference). The authors also found that these relationships were mediated by the parasocial interaction (PSI) between the vloggers and the audience.

Practical implications

The findings of this study suggest that marketers can develop relationships with consumers and enhance their brand evaluations via vloggers. This strategy is more effective when brand managers use more attractive vloggers and target viewers who spend a lot of time on vlogs seeking entertainment or hoping to build relationships.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by showing that vlogging can affect brand evaluations through the development of PSI between vloggers and viewers. The authors extended the focus of vlog marketing research from consumers’ watching and sharing behaviors and their perception of vloggers to brand evaluations, from vloggers’ characteristics to viewers’ characteristics and from the Western to the Eastern context.
Do letters to shareholders have information content?
Authors: Kiattikulwattana Prapaporn
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the information content in letters to shareholders in terms of business content, tone and types of business vocabulary.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses multiple regression models to test the information content concerning business content, tone, and types of business vocabulary in letters to shareholders. Two textual analyses in accounting research dictionaries are used. Loughran and McDonald’s (2011) dictionary is used as a scheme to identify the positive and negative words, and Kothariet al.’s (2009) dictionary is used to identify the business vocabulary.

Findings

Letters to shareholders contain incremental information for investors. First, the results show that the market reacts negatively to the content of these letters. The more that business content is disclosed, the lower the abnormal returns. It can be seen that investors catch additional information from letters to shareholders. Second, investors in negative unexpected earnings firms tend to not trust the concentration of positive tone in the letters. Third, some types of business vocabulary in the letters have an influence on investors’ decisions. In addition, larger amounts of business content are seen to be negatively related to firms’ future performance.

Practical implications

Due to the effect of the content of letters to shareholders, the Securities Exchange Commission may wish to consider the results of this study before setting new disclosure regulations. Specifically, some inside information might have a negative effect on market returns.

Originality/value

The study indicates that letters to shareholders are a disclosure venue between companies and investors, where investors react to certain business vocabulary. Some business words are associated with lower future performance. Therefore, the market reacts negatively when these words are reported in the letters.
Customer engagement with brands in social media platforms
Authors: Carlson Jamie , Gudergan Siegfried P. , Gelhard Carsten , Rahman Mohammad Mahfuzur
Published: February 2019

Purpose

Social media brand platforms have become a popular means for engaged customers to share information and experiences with brands and other customers. However, empirical research on how customer engagement (CE) relates to customers’ sharing intentions with the brand is limited. This study aims to investigate causal patterns of four CE dimensions – focused attention, absorption, enthusiasm and interaction – together with two cognitive structure properties in stimulating sharing intentions with the brand.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data from 782 Chinese customers of brand pages on the social media platform Weibo, this paper is the first to use both finite mixture partial least squares (FIMIX-PLS) analysis and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to empirically assess the impact of CE configurations on sharing intentions.

Findings

The findings imply that not all of the CE dimensions co-occur necessarily and that different configurations of them can produce superior sharing intentions, conditional on the cognitive structure of customers, including their level of brand knowledge and avant-gardism.

Research limitations/implications

Although restricted to customers on Weibo, the results inform practice about how social media technology can facilitate different CE configurations and customer sharing intentions.

Practical implications

The results inform brand managers’ segmentation efforts and CE content marketing initiatives that can induce different CE configurations and customer sharing intentions with customers that possess high avant-gard and brand knowledge characteristics.

Originality/value

This study is the first to substantiate how different CE configurations (as gestalts) affect sharing intentions in social media and to challenge conventional net-effects thinking about CE dimensions. Understanding how such conditional configurations foster sharing via a social media platform is advantageous because it can improve segmentation efforts to strengthen brand relationships.
Consumer engagement on Twitter: perceptions of the brand matter
Authors: Read Wayne , Robertson Nichola , McQuilken Lisa , Ferdous Ahmed Shahriar
Published: February 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to develop and empirically test a theoretical framework of consumer engagement with brands on Twitter.

Design/methodology/approach

Depth interviews were conducted to gain initial insights into consumer engagement on Twitter. Using a blend of the extant literature and interview findings, a theoretical framework, including antecedents, outcomes and moderators, was developed and empirically tested using cross-sectional survey data.

Findings

Brand customer service and brand intimacy positively influence consumer engagement on Twitter, and consumer engagement mediates the relationship between these antecedents and consumer co-promotion intentions. Consumer perceptions of a brand account’s popularity on Twitter and their likelihood of adding value to a brand are found to be moderators within the conceptual framework.

Research limitations/implications

Caution needs to be exercised in generalising these findings beyond the Twitter context, and the use of a cross-sectional survey means causality cannot be inferred.

Practical implications

Brands need to be perceived as providing excellent customer service and intimate brand knowledge on Twitter to drive consumer engagement and co-promotion. Brands are recommended to develop strategies to increase their Twitter following, including rewarding consumers for their contributions on the brand’s Twitter account to signal that they are valued.

Originality/value

The authors add to the emerging literature on consumer engagement on social media in two key ways, by developing and testing a theoretical framework of consumer engagement in the Twitter context and by identifying moderators in the consumer engagement process on Twitter.
Archetypes of marketing mix standardization-adaptation in MNC subsidiaries
Authors: Venaik Sunil , Midgley David F.
Published: February 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to identify the archetypes of marketing mix standardization-adaptation in MNC subsidiaries and to examine the relationships between MNC subsidiary strategy, environment and performance through the theoretical lenses of fit and equifinality.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use a mail survey to collect data from MNC subsidiary business units located in multiple countries. They apply a novel archetypal analysis method to identify the diverse archetypes of marketing mix standardization-adaptation in MNC subsidiaries. Finally, through cross-tabulation and regression analysis, they examine the relationships between MNC strategy, environment and performance.

Findings

They identify four archetypes of MNC subsidiary standardization-adaptation including a new archetype that is not recognized in the literature. This analysis finds partial support for both fit and equifinality, suggesting complementarity between the two theories.

Research limitations/implications

The study could be extended with longitudinal data to examine the dynamics in MNC marketing mix strategy and performance in response to the changing business environment.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that MNC subsidiary managers could deploy a broader set of international marketing strategy configurations than those currently prescribed to enhance performance.

Originality/value

The authors use a novel configuration-based archetypal analysis method and extend the theoretical typology of international marketing strategies pursued by MNC subsidiaries. The partial support for both fit and equifinality expands the theoretical lens through which we can examine the relationships between MNC marketing strategy, environment and performance.
Making the world a better place by making better products
Authors: Paparoidamis Nicholas G. , Tran Huong Thi Thanh
Published: February 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to examine whether consumers respond differently to different types of eco-innovations and to explore how and under what conditions eco-friendly consumer innovativeness (ECI) impacts consumers’ perception and adoption intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

Two online experiments with real consumers in the USA were conducted to test the hypothesized relationships. Two eco-innovation products were examined: a connected vacuum cleaner (Study 1) and an innovative smartphone (Study 2).

Findings

First, consumers tend to express more positive product beliefs, higher preferences and stronger adoption intentions toward resource use elimination innovations compared with the other types of eco-innovations across two product categories. Although consumers are not willing to pay more, they would adjust their payment equity by increasing consumption levels for resource use elimination innovations. Second, this research demonstrates ECI affects adoption intentions via formulating consumer perceptions of product eco-friendliness. Perceived trade-offs between eco-friendly benefits and product effectiveness strengthens the positive effect of ECI while weakening the impact of perceived product eco-friendliness on adoption intentions.

Research limitations/implications

Future studies may validate and extend the results for marketing communication to different types of eco-friendly innovative consumers to determine which marketing messages best match the perceptions and preferences of certain eco-friendly innovative consumers.

Practical implications

This study offers useful insights for strategic research-and-development investment and decision-making processes in selecting the best-suited approaches to developing eco-innovations and maximizing their success in the commercialization phase. Specifically, firms should place greater emphasis on resource use elimination innovation, which could evoke more positive consumer responses than resource use efficiency innovations and resource use substitution innovations. Moreover, it is important to improve the segmentation of the early adopters in the eco-innovation market with respect to specific types of eco-innovations so that marketers can distinctively address eco-friendly innovative consumers that best fit the potential user profile of their products.

Originality/value

The current research is novel as neither an empirically nor a theoretically founded framework has been suggested to examine how and why consumers respond differently to different types of eco-innovations. The findings shine new lights on eco-innovation research by providing useful insights into the underlying mechanisms and the conditions under which ECI affects consumers’ responses.
Markets, consumers and society in the age of heteromation
Authors: Dholakia Nikhilesh , Firat A. Fuat
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is not to present a crystal ball, but to outline the conceptual strands – some already evident, others only dimly perceivable in emergent forms – that might drive the coming transformations and to weave the strands into a preliminary framework. The stance (and the political perspective) of the paper is informed by critical marketing studies (Tadajewski, 2010), the subfield of marketing that is vibrant in Europe but not yet well developed in other regions of the world.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a theoretical contribution, relying on discursive analysis.

Findings

Before an era of full and all-pervasive automation arrives, there will be a decades-long transitional stage of heteromation. In the heteromation, machines and humans will have to coexist adaptively. The spheres of production and consumption will be affected radically by the patterns of people-machine interactions, including coexistence, cooperation, adaptation, adjustments and conflicts. As the connective tissue between the spheres of production and consumption, marketing would also undergo major transformations in the age of heteromation.

Research limitations/implications

The paper lays out the grounding concepts useful for how heteromation and the subsequent era of full automation could impact organizations and markets. It provides the stepping-stone for further work on how marketing could, would or should transform in relation to the challenges of heteromation and automation.

Practical implications

The paper offers some guideposts for public policymakers, public intellectuals and thought leaders and social activists. It also points to action options for visionary corporate leaders and for researchers wishing to explore the heteromation–automation futures from critical-social perspectives.

Originality/value

Using the concept of heteromation, this paper presents hitherto unexplored and critical implications of potentially epochal transformations for marketing.
The contribution of emotional intelligence and spirituality in understanding creativity and entrepreneurial intention of higher education students
Authors: Rodrigues Ana Paula , Jorge Filipa Eira , Pires Carlos André , António Patrícia
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the role of spirituality and emotional intelligence in understanding creativity, attitudes towards entrepreneurship, perceived behavioural control (PBC) and entrepreneurial intention of students of a Portuguese higher education institution. A conceptual model is proposed representing direct and indirect relationships among these constructs.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative approach was adopted in the form of a survey questionnaire applied to a sample of 345 university students. To test the hypothesised relationships between the constructs, the authors used the path analysis technique.

Findings

Results show that personal attitudes towards entrepreneurship and PBC have a positive effect on entrepreneurial intention, and mediate the effect of emotional intelligence on entrepreneurial intention. Emotional intelligence has a direct positive effect on creativity. The results reveal no or a tenuous influence of spirituality in the various concepts studied.

Practical implications

It is expected that the model can serve as a support for facilitating and promoting entrepreneurship in higher education environments. It could be of valuable use to furthering our understanding of the role of individual/psychological characteristics, motivational and attitudinal factors in fostering entrepreneurial intention of university students.

Originality/value

Some studies suggest that psychological factors play an essential role in developing alternative models to the entrepreneurial process. However, the studies that directly explore how individual differences in emotional intelligence, spirituality and creativity relate to entrepreneurial intention are relatively few.
Modeling of combustion and hydrodynamics for a coal-fired supercritical boiler with double-reheat cycle
Authors: Chen Tang , Wang Wei-zong
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The design and retrofit of the heat exchangers in a boiler should take into account the processes occurring on the side of combustion and steam. For this reason, this study aims to couple a one-dimensional hydrodynamic model of steam with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of flue gas.

Design/methodology/approach

Radiant/semi-radiant platen heat exchangers are simplified as plane surfaces for CFD, while convective heat exchangers are introduced into the CFD simulation as energy/momentum absorption sources.

Findings

Numerical simulation is performed for a 1,000 MWe coal-fired ultra-supercritical boiler. The calculation results are validated by the thermodynamic design data. Tube outside surface temperature, as well as ash deposit temperature distributions, are obtained.

Originality/value

Complex tube arrangements can be completed with the aid of AutoCAD, and therefore, the simulation could offer detailed information of heat exchangers. In a word, a more reliable modeling of the whole steam generation process is achieved.
CEO servant leadership and firm innovativeness in hotels
Authors: Ruiz-Palomino Pablo , Hernández-Perlines Felipe , Jiménez-Estévez Pedro , Gutiérrez-Broncano Santiago
Published: February 2019

Purpose

Drawing on the theories of servant leadership and upper echelons, this paper aims to highlight the mechanisms through which CEO servant leadership enhances firm innovativeness in hotels. This study aims to test a multiple mediation model by considering the mediating role of encouragement of participation (EoPART) – a high-performance human resources (HR) practice – and employees’ voice (EVOICE) in sequence.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from HR managers of 34 hotels in the hospitality industry in Spain, which represents an important international tourist destination. Two methods of rigorous data analysis were used (partial least squares [PLS], structural equation modeling and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis [fs/QCA]), which enabled robust findings to be produced with minimal sample size requirements.

Findings

CEO servant leadership had a positive indirect effect on firm innovativeness in hotels, via the sequential application of EoPART and EVOICE.

Research limitations/implications

The findings provide new HR-related insights regarding the encouragement of firm innovativeness in hotels: CEOs can boost innovativeness in their hotels through the development of EoPART systems, which in turn favor EVOICE.

Originality/value

This is one of the first studies to analyze whether CEO servant leadership has an impact on innovativeness in hotels. Moreover, this study is the first to show the internal mechanisms (EoPART, EVOICE) through which CEO servant leadership encourages hotel innovativeness.
Communication of commitment towards sustainable development of certified Portuguese organisations
Authors: Carvalho Filipe , Domingues Pedro , Sampaio Paulo
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, it aims at the identification and assessment of the commitments towards sustainable development (SD) communicated to all interested parties (stakeholders) by top management; and second, mapping the profile of the organisations which prominently communicate those commitments.

Design/methodology/approach

The research methodology was supported on the content analysis of the organisations’ statements (disclosed on the institutional website) that sustain the strategy and policies (organisational culture). A total of 540 certified Portuguese organisations in Quality, Environment and Occupational Health and Safety (QEOHS) comprised the sample.

Findings

According to this research, it is possible to identify three main commitments towards SD addressing customers (consumers), human resources (employees) and continuous improvement. Furthermore, results suggest that commitments towards customers and human resources fit properly into the theoretical assumptions of the stakeholder theory and, in turn, the commitment towards continuous improvement fits accurately into the assumptions of the “normative isomorphism” of the institutional theory. Moreover, the results pointed out the characteristics of Portuguese organisations (QEOHS) that prominently communicate commitments towards SD: large business volume, located in Lisbon or Setubal, fall within the public business sector, are members of the BCSD Portugal and publish annual reports on the institutional website.

Research limitations/implications

Solely organisations operating in Portugal and simultaneously encompassing three certified management subsystems (against the clauses of ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 standards) were considered throughout this study. So it is not possible to ascertain at which extent the conclusions are valid. However, although the statistical generalisation of the results may be precluded, there is not any peculiar reason preventing the analytical generalisation, namely, in organisations operating in countries with similar macro-characteristics of Portugal.

Originality/value

To the best of authors’ knowledge this is the first time that such a comprehensive, detailed and thorough analysis of the communicated commitments towards SD is carried out regardless the activity sector. The conclusions from this paper are useful both for practitioners and scholars. On one hand companies have now information on the more often communicated statements, while on the other hand academics and scholars will benefit from this research and hopefully be able to replicate it in other contexts.
Copula-based reliability analysis of gamma degradation process and Weibull failure time
Authors: Mireh Somayeh , Khodadadi Ahmad , Haghighi Firoozeh
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is the reliability analysis for systems with dependent gamma degradation process and Weibull failure time.

Design/methodology/approach

Consider a life testing experiment in which a sample of n devices starts to operate at t=0 and the data are available on failure time and failure-evolving process on each individual, called in some contents wear or degradation. Ignoring the between performance characteristics dependency structure may lead us to different reliability estimations, while the dependency justly exists. In previous research, dependency between the degradation process and hard failure time has been studied in limited detail (special closed form expression). Thereafter, the dependency between two degradation processes with the same structure (gamma process) in a system is considered using the copula function.

Findings

The results indicate that ignoring the dependency structure may lead us to different reliability estimations while the dependency justly exists.

Originality/value

This study gives some contributions that evaluate reliability metrics with more than one failure mechanism that may not be independent and possibly follow a different distribution function. The authors have used the copula function as a basis to develop a proposal model and analysis methods. In addition, the authors discussed the identifiability of the copula. Finally, simulation data were used to review the suggested approach.
Synergetic success factors of total quality management (TQM) and supply chain management (SCM)
Authors: Kaur Mandeep , Singh Kanwarpreet , Singh Doordarshi
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to present a set of critical factors for total quality management (TQM) and supply chain management (SCM) practices through an extensive literature review; and, second, to identify the relationships among them by comparing the identified TQM and SCM practices in order to explore the concept of supply chain quality management (SCQM).

Design/methodology/approach

To meet the goals of this work, a review of published quality research papers was carried out. For this, the authors identified papers on TQM and SCM practices and observed how these practices improve the business performance of organizations. Further, on the basis of identified practices, a conceptual model of SCQM was developed.

Findings

The results presented a set of six critical factors each for TQM and SCM practices. Further, it was found that management support and commitment, customer focus, information and supplier partnership are the most common practices found in both TQM and SCM practices. The integration of TQM and SCM (SCQM) throughout the supply chain has the strongest impact on the organizational performance.

Research limitations/implications

The study used data from various research papers of reputed journals which considered the study of India’s manufacturing industry as well as other countries, which may not provide a clear picture. However, this can be overcome by applying the findings of this paper to collect data from Indian manufacturing industry in future studies.

Practical implications

Indian manufacturing industry can improve its competitive image through the synergy of TQM and SCM. The result of this paper will help in providing a greater understanding of identified TQM and SCM practices that will lead to the successful implementation of TQM and SCM strategies to enhance business performance in terms of the improved levels of customer service.

Originality/value

Much of the attention is given on TQM and SCM practices, and very few studies have been undertaken to integrate TQM and SCM practices. But as far as the authors know, there is no study undertaken to integrate TQM and SCM practices in India for the manufacturing class. Therefore, this study compares TQM and SCM practices and considers their integration and can be thus treated as filling a gap in the extant literature. Therefore, the findings of this review paper will contribute in future research.
Academic buoyancy in higher education
Authors: Jahedizadeh Safoura , Ghonsooly Behzad , Ghanizadeh Afsaneh
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to design a new instrument toward assessing English as foreign language students’ academic buoyancy and to investigate the association between academic buoyancy and three demographic variables of GPA, gender and educational level using the newly-designed questionnaire.

Design/methodology/approach

To do so, a new questionnaire consisting of 27 items was designed which measures four aspects of L2 buoyancy, namely, sustainability, regularity adaptation, positive personal eligibility and positive acceptance of academic life. The scale was then translated into Persian and its validity (computed via confirmatory factor analysis estimates) and reliability (computed via Cronbach’s α) were substantiated.

Findings

All the items were found to have accepted factor loading. The results regarding the association between academic buoyancy and demographic variables along with the relevant discussion are presented.

Originality/value

Though over the years, researchers have used a variety of methods and scales to measure buoyancy, all of the instruments have been consisted of few items (usually four) which do not include the many aspects related to student buoyancy as one of the tenets of individual differences in positive psychology. Moreover, the same materials were used for distinctive settings of school and workplace in which the individuals adapt different goal orientations and perspectives. Consequently, the need for designing a comprehensive and specific instrument which includes all the aspects of academic buoyancy focusing on EFL students in higher education is manifested.
The effect of user manual quality on customer satisfaction: the mediating effect of perceived product quality
Authors: Gök Osman , Ersoy Pervin , Börühan Gülmüş
Published: February 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the elements of user manual quality and its influences on perceived product quality and customer satisfaction in an integrated model structure.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey method was used to evaluate user manual quality and its influences on perceived product quality and customer satisfaction. Electrical appliances consumers were chosen in our sample. Factor analysis and structural equation modeling were performed to introduce, test and validate the user manual quality dimensions and also test the hypotheses.

Findings

The findings show a positive significant relation between user manual quality and perceived product quality, and this result demonstrates that consumers perceive user manual quality as a part of their quality evaluation related to the product. The results point out that user manual quality is essential for both low- and high-value products regarding customer satisfaction. The findings also reveal that perceived product quality mediates the influence of user manual quality on customer satisfaction.

Practical implications

This study reveals that providing a high-quality user manual should be an essential element of product management and development strategies. The findings also highlight the need for companies that particularly sell complex products with long product life cycles must invest in providing high-quality user manuals. This will enhance perceived product quality and in turn customer satisfaction.

Originality/value

Although some prior studies address user manuals in the relevant literature, these studies did not examine the elements of user manual quality and their impact on consumers’ perceptions of the product quality and their satisfaction evaluations in a research model. This paper attempts to fill this gap in the literature. In addition, the authors found two major dimensions of user manual quality as content-related elements and representational/format-related elements of the user manual.
Evaluation of Cavitation Erosion Intensity in a Microscale Nozzle Using Eulerian–Lagrangian Bubble Dynamic Simulation
Authors: Khojasteh-Manesh Masoud , Mahdi Miralam
Published: February 2019

In the present study, cavitation erosion is investigated by implementing an Eulerian–Lagrangian approach. Three-dimensional two-phase flow is simulated in a microscale nozzle using Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) solver along with realizable k−ε turbulence model and Schnerr–Sauer cavitation model. The numerical results are in agreement with experimental observations. A modified form of Rayleigh–Plesset–Keller–Herring equation along with bubble motion equation is utilized to simulate bubble dynamics. Average values of mixture properties over bubble surface are used instead of bubble-center values in order to account for nonuniformities around the bubble. A one-way coupling method is used between Lagrangian analysis and RANS solution. The impact pressure resulted from bubble collapse is calculated for evaluation of erosion in diesel and soy methyl ester (SME) biodiesel in different situations. The results show that the initial size of the bubbles is an important factor for determining the intensity of erosion. So, the bubbles erosive power increases when their initial radius increases. It is also found that the intensity of erosion in diesel is much higher than that of biodiesel and this is because of the differences in fuels properties, especially in viscosity and vapor pressure. The effect of bubbles initial position on erosion intensity is also investigated in this study, and it is found that bubbles with the highest distance from sheet cavity termination have the highest contribution in erosion rate.
Numerical Investigation of Flow in a Runner of Low-Head Bulb Turbine and Correlation With Particle Image Velocimetry and Laser Doppler Velocimetry Measurements
Authors: Štefan David , Houde Sébastien , Deschênes Claire
Published: February 2019

It is a well-known fact and a much studied problematic that the performance of low-head hydraulic turbines is highly dependent on the runner–draft tube coupling. Around the optimal operating conditions, the efficiency of the turbine follows closely the performance of the draft tube that in turn depends on the velocity field exiting the runner. Hence, in order to predict correctly the performance of the draft tube using numerical simulations, the flow inside the runner must be simulated accurately. Using results from unique and detailed particle image velocimetry (PIV) and laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV) measurements inside the runner channel of a bulb turbine, this paper presents an extensive study of the predictive capability of a widely used simulation methodology based on unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations with a k-epsilon closure model. The main objective was to identify the main parameters influencing the numerical predictions of the velocity field at the draft tube entrance in order to increase the accuracy of the simulated performance of the turbine. This paper relies on a comparison of simulations results with already published LDV measurements in the draft tube cone, interblade LDV, and stereoscopic PIV measurements within the runner. This paper presents a detailed discussion of numerical–experimental data correlation inside the runner channel and at the drat tube entrance. It shows that, contrary to widely circulated ideas, the near-wall predictions at the draft tube entrance is surprisingly good while the simulation accuracy inside the runner channels deteriorates from the leading to the trailing edges.