bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The influence of Muslim marriages on entrepreneurial intentions of women entrepreneurs
Authors: Muhammad Noor , Robinson David , Nisar Mohammad
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of Muslim society marriages – forced, arranged or marriages of choice/love, on women entrepreneurial intentions (EI), with reference to Ajzen’s (2002) theory of planned behaviour. It is postulated that marriage type has a significant influence on women household dynamics towards EI and business growth.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative methodology was used and a total of 20 semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with Muslim married women entrepreneurs operating home-based and market-based small businesses.

Findings

The findings show that all these three types of married women entrepreneurs are active in the entrepreneurial process. However, the authors found different paradoxes in their EI and desire for business growth based on their marriage choices or marriage-related constraints that may have been imposed on them.

Research limitations/implications

Qualitative research on a small sample size certainly presents a limitation on the generalizability of this work, because it is difficult to capture data regarding this sensitive issue. Future research could also be carried out in other cultural and religious traditions.

Social implications

The paper provides good insights to understand the entrepreneurial journey of Muslim women entrepreneurs in the conservative society based on their marriages options.

Originality/value

The contribution of this research is twofold. First, the paper offers a theoretical perspective related to female EI and business growth based on religious marriages. Second, it applies Ajzen’s (2002) planned behaviour theory to establish how marriage constraints may influence women EI in the Muslim society.
Strategic leveraging: evidences of small-scale sport events
Authors: Pereira Elsa , Mascarenhas Margarida , Flores Adão , Chalip Laurence , Pires Gustavo
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the strategic leveraging goals associated with a portfolio of small-scale events and to analyze their implementation process (actors/tactics: who did what?) in order to propose new leverage typologies through new empirical research evidence.

Design/methodology/approach

Three techniques of data collection conducted the fieldwork: qualitative interviewing, direct observation and documental research. Based on the principles of grounded theory and using qualitative data analysis software (Nvivo) data were inductively analyzed.

Findings

Results showed the coexistence of a plurality of strategic leveraging goals, namely: “strengthen political advantage”; “integrate and retain partners/sponsors”; and “develop sports dynamics”. There was a set of tactics and actions identified and successfully implemented due to the coordination of the network of organizations part of the events, which included local and external actors.

Research limitations/implications

Researchers realized that it was impossible to take a neutral research stand. In fact, in qualitative research, the investigator is the first instrument of data collection. In this sense, it was important for researchers to constantly reflect on their role, as Pelias (2011) says “reflexive writing strategies include indicating how the researcher emerged as a contaminant, how the researcher´s insider status was revelatory or blinding, and how the researcher is implicated in the problem being addressed” (p. 662). It is also considered that, when organizing events, the network of interactions is extremely complex, making it difficult to capture all the actors’ perspectives.

Practical implications

In relation to the practical implications, it is important that sports event managers have in-depth knowledge and skills on event leveraging; it is also important that managers understand the sports culture in order to recognize the multidimensionality of strategic leveraging in sporting events. The strategic dynamic should be developed and coevolved with community/local and external actors. The coordination between the actors is a key point to achieve successful leveraging.

Social implications

A theoretical implication related to the event leverage is the creation of a new strategic objective – “developing the sport dynamics”. The sport participation tactic among other tactics were found, namely “enhancing of the sports shows” and “tuning of skills in sports management”.

Originality/value

The dynamics and plurality of strategic goals associated with the leverage of an event portfolio, namely the actions that were developed and also the actors’ interaction in small-scale events. Another factor is the identification of the prominent role of the external event organization committee in the dynamics of event leveraging, as well as the deep analysis of the leveraging process supported by the observation of all the events.
Improving the management of international development projects
Authors: Rodríguez-Rivero Rocío , Ortiz-Marcos Isabel , Ballesteros-Sánchez Luis , Sánchez María Jesús
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the quintessential methodology of the international development (ID) projects, the logical framework approach (LFA), to find out which changes are required to increase the level of effectiveness of these projects.

Design/methodology/approach

This research presents a thorough review of literature relating to the evolution of the LFA. This theoretical analysis formed the basis for a closed-ended questionnaire on the methodology and how it could be improved, from which the responses of 56 project managers experienced in the LFA were collected. Data were statistically analyzed through correlation matrix and ANOVA analysis by SPSS software. The questionnaire included a last open-ended question where professionals suggested how they would develop the methodology, opening a new path to effectiveness through participative approaches.

Findings

The research reveals that the LFA needs to be improved, and points to the next steps in the evolution of this mature methodology. An interesting insight is that although some suggestions are broadly accepted, such as the integration of risk management, other proposals could be open to further discussion depending on the organization.

Research limitations/implications

The main weakness is related to the sample, which is reduced to 56 project managers from the same country (Spain).

Originality/value

Since interventions for development are made by practitioners, considering their suggestions to improve the LFA is a major step to enhance the management of ID projects.
The impact of project environmental practices on environmental and organizational performance in the construction industry
Authors: Li Ying , Xu Lei , Sun Tao , Ding Ronggui
Published: July 2019

Purpose

Scholars and practitioners have recognized the significance of integrating environmental practices into project context. This paper focuses on project environmental practices (PEP) and identifies PEP from the life cycle perspective, which includes green design, green procurement, green construction and investment recovery. The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the relationship among the four aspects of PEP and their effects on environmental performance and organizational performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A theoretical model was established and several hypotheses were developed. This study applied a survey method to test the hypothesized relationships. Based on a sample of 159 respondents, partial least squares structural equation modeling analyses were conducted.

Findings

The results show that green design has a positive impact on green procurement, green construction and investment recovery. Green procurement is also confirmed to positively influence green construction. Further, green construction and investment recovery have a direct and positive impact on environmental and organizational performance, whereas green design and green procurement influence environmental and organizational performance indirectly through green construction. Environmental performance has a significant impact on organizational performance.

Originality/value

This study enhances the understanding on PEP by revealing the inter-relationships among its four aspects and establishes the links between PEP and performance outcomes. The findings will contribute to the literature on the integration of environmental principles and project context.
The project managers’ challenges in a projectification environment
Authors: Ballesteros-Sánchez Luis , Ortiz-Marcos Isabel , Rodríguez-Rivero Rocío
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify and investigate the main challenges that project managers (PMs) face in the current projectification environment.

Design/methodology/approach

This research was conducted by means of semi-structured interviews and questionnaires. The participants in the study were 15 PMs and 57 project team members. A content analysis of the data was conducted by an inductive approach to determine the strengths and weaknesses that the PMs and project team members perceived.

Findings

The research reveals interesting insights, such as the identification of emerging challenges for the PMs of today, which include dealing with communications issues, motivating project team members, providing leadership and increasing team members’ emotional management and confidence.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation is the size and location of the sample, which represents the points of view of 15 Spanish PMs and the members of their work teams and sets aside the cultural aspects.

Originality/value

This new era is changing how organizations and managers must deal with people management, evolving toward more flexible and engaging leadership styles. This paper helps to provide new insights concerning the emerging challenges and needs of PMs, while integrating team member’s perceptions.
The effect of social network ties on performance: a moderated mediation model
Authors: Ali Al-Atwi Amer
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to adapt the job demands–resources perspective to extend social network literature by examining the effectiveness of psychological (work engagement and emotional exhaustion) and instrumental (access to benefits) mechanisms as mediators of the relationship between employees’ centrality in positive and negative ties networks and job performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The survey data were collected from 103 employees working at a public bank in three stages.

Findings

The study results supported the hypotheses that an individual’s centrality in a negative network increases his/her experience of emotional exhaustion, while individual centrality in a positive network increases his/her work engagement. In addition, the findings showed that centrality in positive networks will be more predictive of work engagement when negative ties centrality increases, and the relationship between centrality in the negative network and emotional exhaustion is weaker when centrality in the positive network is higher.

Originality/value

The study extends out to the social ledger model (Labianca and Brass, 2006) by examining the dual pathways of effects of positive and negative ties in predicting employee outcomes. In addition, the authors’ model enriches the understanding of the nature of social network ties more broadly by suggesting that its effects in the workplace can extend beyond psychological effects to include instrumental impact.
The role of relationship marketing in behavioural intentions of medical tourism services and guest experiences
Authors: Sousa Bruno Miguel , Alves Gisela Maria
Published: July 2019

Purpose

This paper entails a reflection on medical tourism services and guest experiences. The purpose of this paper is to analyze how relationship marketing relates to other relevant variables in consumer’s behavior applied to medical tourism contexts and guest experiences. This study aims at discussing the customer behavior in healthcare management and medical tourism contexts and addresses the predisposition for the destination and the influence of relationship marketing on behavioral intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper starts from a conceptual framework based on relationship marketing theory. From this theoretical base, the concepts of trust, commitment and cooperation and behavioral intentions are derived. A theoretical model is developed specifying antecedents of satisfaction and loyalty in healthcare management and medical tourism contexts.

Findings

The conceptual model shows that tourist destinations in the context of healthcare and medical tourism can be managed together with the study of the tourist consumer behavior and should focus on aspects that reinforce relationship marketing to the site, as planning services excellence, communication strategies, promotion services, integrated experiences and combating seasonality.

Originality/value

This study has already identified that the global movement of tourism is seemingly showing an increased focus on the niche product or niche service. In this case, the question seems to be whether the further growth in demand for healthcare management and medical tourism – as a niche tourism example – products will continue until they take a form of mass tourism. The new vogue of medical tourism forces to challenge and re-visit the power relationships that exist within contemporary tourism and the host–guest relationship.
The research of traffic density extraction method under vehicular ad hoc network environment
Authors: Wu Zhizhou , Zhang Yiming , Tan Guishan , Hu Jia
Published: July 2019

Purpose

Traffic density is one of the most important parameters to consider in the traffic operation field. Owing to limited data sources, traditional methods cannot extract traffic density directly. In the vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) environment, the vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) interaction technologies create better conditions for collecting the whole time-space and refined traffic data, which provides a new approach to solving this problem.

Design/methodology/approach

On that basis, a real-time traffic density extraction method has been proposed, including lane density, segment density and network density. Meanwhile, using SUMO and OMNet++ as traffic simulator and network simulator, respectively, the Veins framework as middleware and the two-way coupling VANET simulation platform was constructed.

Findings

Based on the simulation platform, a simulated intersection in Shanghai was developed to investigate the adaptability of the model.

Originality/value

Most research studies use separate simulation methods, importing trace data obtained by using from the simulation software to the communication simulation software. In this paper, the tight coupling simulation method is applied. Using real-time data and history data, the research focuses on the establishment and validation of the traffic density extraction model.
Age-sensitive job design antecedents of innovative work behavior
Authors: Hernaus Tomislav , Maric Matija , Černe Matej
Published: July 2019

Purpose

Integrating the lifespan perspectives on job design and creativity/innovation, the purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating role of chronological age in the relationship between cognitive job demands (i.e. job complexity and job innovation requirements) and individual innovative work behavior (IWB).

Design/methodology/approach

Multilevel regression analyses are employed to analyze survey data of 336 employee–supervisor dyads from 61 departments across three organizations.

Findings

Results demonstrate that age was a significant moderator of the cognitive job demands-IWB relationship. Under the condition of high job complexity, younger employees outperformed their older counterparts. Conversely, older employees attained the same level of IWB as younger colleagues when more job innovation requirements were placed upon them.

Practical implications

IWB needs to be stimulated following different paths and by making job design decisions with regards to cognitive job demands that are dependent on employee age.

Originality/value

Empirical evidence has been provided to support the lifespan perspective on job design, with a special focus given to the cognitive job demands–IWB relationship.
Learning experiences in mono-and intercultural workplace interactions – the job-demands-resources approach
Authors: Rozkwitalska Malgorzata
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the differences in learning experiences in mono- and intercultural workplace interactions and to address the research question of how employees experience learning in mono- and intercultural interactions.

Design/methodology/approach

The author reports and compares the main findings from two samples and 63 in-depth interviews with employees involved either in monocultural interactions or intercultural interactions, namely, 25 and 38 subjects, respectively. The abductive approach was used to analyze the data in interplay between empirical findings and theoretical lens of the job demands-resources (JD-R) model.

Findings

Learning was more often emphasized in intercultural interactions than monocultural interactions, which can be associated with the constellation of specific job demands and job resources in mono- and multicultural workplaces. The subjects involved in mono- and intercultural interactions portrayed learning, using slightly different vocabulary.

Research limitations/implications

The research gives some insights about workplace learning experiences and illuminates learning in social interactions and the JD-R model. In particular, it emphasizes the role of work design in promoting learning and identifies, using the JD-R model, job demands and job resources that can relate to learning in mono- and intercultural interactions. The results may contribute to the literature on workplace learning in culturally homogenous or heterogeneous social interactions. Moreover, they shed some new light on organizational learning via mono- and intercultural contact at work. Finally, they draw attention to the potential embedded in intercultural interactions and multicultural workplaces. Yet, the explorative character of the research does not allow for a broader results’ generalization.

Practical implications

The results suggest that job design may be of vital importance in stimulating learning at work. Thus, organizations should enable social interactions of their employees, especially intercultural ones, which are likely associated with more learning. Furthermore, to enhance workplace learning, they need to provide more organizational resources and support via HR interventions the development of personal resources of their staff to help individuals to deal with job demands and reduce strain, which impedes employee learning.

Originality/value

By applying the theoretical lens of the JD-R model to the analysis, the author exposes differences in learning experiences in mono- and intercultural interactions. The specific job demands (cultural differences and adaptation, the necessity to speak a foreign language) and resources (learning opportunities) inherent in multicultural workplaces can be perceived as a trigger of workplace learning.
Creation of value for business from the importance-performance analysis: the case of health clubs
Authors: Vieira Elsa , Ferreira João J. , São João Ricardo
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The blue ocean strategy refers to how rebuilding the inputs that customers value in the designing of a new value curve fundamentally requires a four field of action structure: reduce, eliminate, create and raise. However, this does not propose a methodology to identify these fields of action. Hence, the purpose of this study is to present importance-performance analysis (IPA), as a support tool to identify these fields of action given their relevance and utility to managers.

Design/methodology/approach

The 101 ex-customers of health club answered a survey to determine the cut-off boundaries for IPA, and therefore, maximising the discriminatory power of the logistical regression model. This correspondingly incorporated the evaluation of both the area below the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) and the adoption of coefficients for concordance and correlation.

Findings

The research results demonstrate the need to concentrate efforts on the attributes of: price, responses to complaints, emergency procedures, innovative services, changing rooms, support for selecting the activities members choose to undertake and an appropriate number of members per activity. With low levels of performance and importance, are candidates for elimination, specifically, the availability of specialist appointments, member socialisation activities, maintaining memories of members, bar services and services for children.

Originality/value

The contribution: presenting an IPA methodology applicable to identify the fields of action recognised by the blue ocean strategy as the literature currently only covers concrete situations in which organisations achieve success through reducing, eliminating, creating and elevating and does not set out any methodology to identify those same fields of action; the definition of the cut-off points in IPA based on the ROC curve, which is a more rigorous and exact statistical method than that applied in other studies; the study population, the ex-customers, who not only represent a very important source of latent demand but also because ex-customers are likely to return more impartial.
The Tower of Babel problem: making data make sense with Basic Formal Ontology
Authors: Iliadis Andrew
Published: July 2019

Purpose

Applied computational ontologies (ACOs) are increasingly used in data science domains to produce semantic enhancement and interoperability among divergent data. The purpose of this paper is to propose and implement a methodology for researching the sociotechnical dimensions of data-driven ontology work, and to show how applied ontologies are communicatively constituted with ethical implications.

Design/methodology/approach

The underlying idea is to use a data assemblage approach for studying ACOs and the methods they use to add semantic complexity to digital data. The author uses a mixed methods approach, providing an analysis of the widely used Basic Formal Ontology (BFO) through digital methods and visualizations, and presents historical research alongside unstructured interview data with leading experts in BFO development.

Findings

The author found that ACOs are products of communal deliberation and decision making across institutions. While ACOs are beneficial for facilitating semantic data interoperability, ACOs may produce unintended effects when semantically enhancing data about social entities and relations. ACOs can have potentially negative consequences for data subjects. Further critical work is needed for understanding how ACOs are applied in contexts like the semantic web, digital platforms, and topic domains. ACOs do not merely reflect social reality through data but are active actors in the social shaping of data.

Originality/value

The paper presents a new approach for studying ACOs, the social impact of ACO work, and describes methods that may be used to produce further applied ontology studies.
The antecedents and consequences of crowdfunding investors’ citizenship behaviors
Authors: Zhang Wenjie , Xu Yun , Zheng Haichao
Published: July 2019

Purpose

Based on the theory of customer citizenship behavior (CCB), the purpose of this paper is to explore the antecedents and consequences of investor citizenship behavior in the field of crowdfunding and have an in-depth study of the interaction effect between investors’ perceptions of novelty and investors’ motivations.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the CCB theory and self-determination theory, the authors develop hypotheses and collect questionnaire data (a sample of 226 crowdfunding investors) from crowdfunding websites to test models and get conclusions by SPSS and smartPLS 2.0.

Findings

The results indicate that internal and external motivations significantly influence investors’ citizenship behavior, which further affects investors’ stickiness intentions. Furthermore, results show that investors’ perceptions of novelty moderate the relationships between internal/external motivations and citizenship behaviors.

Originality/value

This paper offers an in-depth explanation of the citizenship behaviors in crowdfunding, which could be an example for studying the motivations of investors’ citizenship behaviors and could also serve as a starting point to introduce the stickiness intention theory of e-commerce and virtual community into crowdfunding area. In addition, this study also made an empirical analysis of how the perceived project novelty affects the relationships between investors’ motivations and citizenship behaviors.
Sustainable impact of adaptive reuse of communist style shopping malls in Kosovo
Authors: Hoxha Visar
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the sustainable impact of adaptive reuse of shopping malls built during communism in Kosovo.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study uses qualitative research using semi-structured interviews with architects, civil engineers, real estate developers and facility managers.

Findings

The study found that it is the predominant opinion of respondents that the economic impact of adaptive reuse of old shopping malls in Kosovo is reflected through extension of useful life of the malls, lower cost of reuse vs demolition, economic and tourism development of the neighborhood, job creation and increase of property prices in the surrounding area. In addition, the study found that it is the predominant opinion of respondents that by adaptive reuse of old shopping malls, the revitalization and social dynamism of the surrounding area will be improved and collective memory and identity of these shopping malls will be extended, including the increased traffic, space utilization and security. The study concludes that operational CO2 emission of the old shopping malls will be reduced after their sustainable adaptation and also the embodied energy of the building materials will be reused.

Research limitations/implications

The study has several implications. For real estate developers, it shows that is less costly to adapt and refurbish rather than redevelop. For authorities, it shows that by adapting old communist shopping malls, they would extend the collective memory of those locations, improve the social life and utilization of public spaces in the surrounding areas. The final implication is for municipal authorities and environmentalists that but allowing adaptation rather than demolition and redevelopment the embodied CO2 emission will be significantly reduced.

Originality/value

The study is the first qualitative study about the impact of adaptive reuse of old communist style commercial centers in Kosovo.
Does the commercial real estate industry need “more pussy on the block?”
Authors: Read Dustin C.
Published: July 2019

Purpose

In a controversial 2018 interview, commercial real estate mogul Sam Zell insinuated that companies should promote their employees based exclusively on merit and avoid purposefully taking steps to get “more pussy on the block” in the name of gender equality. The comment was criticized not only for its crassness, but also for its failure to recognize the challenges many women working in the commercial real estate industry face in their efforts to obtain the same opportunities, compensation and status as similarly-qualified men. In an effort to overcome these disparities, the purpose of this paper is to focus on the pervasiveness of second-generation gender bias and stereotyping in the field through a qualitative analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 39 women serving as local chapter presidents of a prominent commercial real estate trade group to explore the impact of gender on their career advancement and their experiences with second-generation gender bias.

Findings

The findings suggest unintentional discrimination often influences women’s careers by drawing their communication skills, professional credibility and commitment to the organizations for whom they work into question.

Originality/value

The research contributes to the existing literature by offering additional evidence that unintentional discrimination is common in male-dominated industries, such as commercial real estate. It also provides clear examples of social cues women perceive to heighten tension along gender lines and impinge upon their ability to ascend to leadership positions.
Everyday sadism in the business area
Authors: Góis Alan Diógenes , Lima Gerlando Augusto Sampaio Franco de , De Luca Marcia Martins Mendes
Published: July 2019

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify sociodemographic factors that are predictive of the level of everyday sadism (SAD) in the business area.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted on 424 graduate and postgraduate students from business schools in Brazil and the USA. SAD was quantified by the assessment of sadistic personality proposed by Plouffe Saklofske and Smith (2017). The variables included age, gender, managing experience, education and nationality.

Findings

The average level of SAD was low. SAD was negatively associated with gender, age and nationality and positively associated with managing experience and education.

Practical implications

As individuals ascend professionally and academically, they display higher levels of everyday sadism. Depending on the context, dark personalities can cause either benefit or harm to the company's business and to society. However, the literature shows that seeking pleasure and dominance with no regard for consequences affects the business area directly or indirectly.

Originality/value

Very few studies have addressed everyday sadism in the business area, let alone evaluated predictive factors and discussed possible implications.
Improving the efficiency of fabrication of AM parts by segmentation design in DLP process
Authors: Kazemi Mehdi , Rahimi Abdolreza
Published: July 2019

Purpose

Additive manufacturing technology significantly simplifies the production of complex three-dimensional (3 D) parts directly from the computer-aided design (CAD) model. Although additive manufacturing (AM) processes have unexampled flexibility, they still have restrictions inhibiting engineers to easily generate some specific geometric shapes, easily. Some of these problems pertain to the consumption of materials as supports, the inferior surface finish of some surfaces with certain angles, etc. One of the approaches to overcome these problems is designing by segmentation.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed methodology consists of two steps: (1) segmentation of the 3 D model and (2) exploring the best orientation for each segment. In the first step, engineers consider the possible number of segments and the connection method of segments. In this paper, a series of segments, called a segmentation pattern (SP), is obtained by the recognition of features and separating them automatically (or manually when needed) with one or more appropriate planes. In the second step, the best fabrication orientation should be chosen. The criteria for choosing the best SP and OPs are minimizing the support volume, building time (directly affected by segments’ height in layer-wise AM processes) and surface roughness. Both steps are performed automatically (or manually when needed) by the algorithm created based on principles of particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm using Visual C#.

Findings

Experimental tests show that the segmentation design improves AM processes from the aspects of building time, material consumption and the surface quality. Segmentation design empowers users of AM technologies to reduce consumption of material by decreasing the support structures, to decrease the time of building by lowering the segments height and to decrease the surface roughness.

Originality/value

This paper presents an original approach in efficiency improvement of AM technologies, thus bringing the AM one step closer to maturity.
Fused deposition modeling with polyamide 1012
Authors: Gao Xia , Zhang Daijun , Wen Xiangning , Qi Shunxin , Su Yunlan , Dong Xia
Published: July 2019

Purpose

This work aims to develop a new kind of semicrystalline polymer filament and optimize its printing parameters in the fused deposition modeling process. The purpose of this work also includes producing FDM parts with good ductility.

Design/methodology/approach

A new kind of semicrystalline filaments composed of long-chain polyamide (PA)1012 was prepared by controlling screw speed and pulling speed carefully. The optimal printing parameters for PA1012 filaments were explored through investigating dimensional accuracy and bonding strength of FDM parts. Furthermore, the mechanical properties of PA1012 specimens were also evaluated by varying nozzle temperatures and raster angles.

Findings

It is found that PA1012 filaments can accommodate for FDM process under suitable printing parameters. The print quality and mechanical properties of FDM parts highly depend on nozzle temperature and bed temperature. Even though higher temperatures facilitate stronger interlayer bonding, FDM parts with excellent tensile strength were obtained at a moderate nozzle temperature. Moreover, a bed temperature well above the glass transition temperature of PA1012 can eliminate shrinkage and distortion of FDM parts. As expected, FDM parts prepared with PA1012 filaments exhibit good ductility.

Originality/value

Results in this work demonstrate that the PA1012 filament allows the production of FDM parts with desired mechanical performance. This indicates the potential for overcoming the dependence on amorphous thermoplastics as a feedstock in the FDM technique. This work also provides insight into the effect of materials properties on the mechanical performance of FDM-printed parts.
Is voluntary external assurance relevant for the valuation of environmental reporting by firms in environmentally sensitive industries?
Authors: Radhouane Ikram , Nekhili Mehdi , Nagati Haithem , Paché Gilles
Published: July 2019

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate whether providing voluntary external assurance on voluntary environmental information by firms operating in environmentally sensitive industries (ESI) is relevant in terms of market value. It also examines how various characteristics of assurance statements (i.e. level of assurance, scope of assurance and provider of assurance) affect the value-relevance of environmental disclosure by ESI firms.

Design/methodology/approach

To mitigate the endogeneity problem, the authors use the two-step generalized method of moments estimation approach.

Findings

Focusing on annual and social reports of French companies listed in the SBF120 index, results show that environmental disclosure by ESI firms and its assurance are destructive in terms of market value. Moreover, while providing a broader scope of assurance and having a professional accountant as the assurance provider enhance the value relevance of environmental reporting of the whole sample, this is unlikely to be the case for ESI firms. In particular, a higher level of environmental disclosure is financially rewarded by market participants for ESI firms that provide a higher level of assurance.

Practical implications

The study provides a better understanding of the circumstances under which market participants assign value to voluntary environmental information disclosed by companies operating in ESI. It also provides insights into the value added to different characteristics inherent in the quality of assurance provided with regard to environmental disclosure.

Social implications

The study indicates that the institutional context of the relationship between the firm and its shareholders influence the value obtained from assurance. Results provide value insights regarding cultural and legal dimensions of environmental reporting.

Originality/value

The study extends the prior literature on the capital market benefits of voluntary assurance practices by focusing on the French legal environment. France can be considered as a new institutional context that has been little addressed by the existing literature.
Exploring the evolutionary dynamics of Rhizobium plasmids through bipartite network analysis
Authors: Li Xiangchen , Wang Hao , Tong Wenjun , Feng Li , Wang Lina , Rahman Siddiq Ur. , Wei Gehong , Tao Shiheng
Published: July 2019

The genus Rhizobium usually has a multipartite genome architecture with a chromosome and several plasmids, making these bacteria a perfect candidate for plasmid biology studies. As there are no universally shared genes among typical plasmids, network analyses can complement traditional phylogenetics in a broad‐scale study of plasmid evolution. Here, we present an exhaustive analysis of 216 plasmids from 49 complete genomes of Rhizobium by constructing a bipartite network that consists of two classes of nodes, the plasmids and homologous protein families that connect them. Dissection of the network using a hierarchical clustering strategy reveals extensive variety, with 34 homologous plasmid clusters. Four large clusters including one cluster of symbiotic plasmids and two clusters of chromids carrying some truly essential genes are widely distributed among Rhizobium. In contrast, the other clusters are quite small and rare. Symbiotic clusters and rare accessory clusters are exogenetic and do not appear to have co‐evolved with the common accessory clusters; the latter ones have a large coding potential and functional complementarity for different lifestyles in Rhizobium. The bipartite network also provides preliminary evidence of Rhizobium plasmid variation and formation including genetic exchange, plasmid fusion and fission, exogenetic plasmid transfer, host plant selection, and environmental adaptation.
Methodological decisions influence the identification of potential core outcomes in studies related to pre‐eclampsia: an analysis informing the development of recommendations for future core outcome set developers
Authors: Duffy JMN , Hirsch M , Ziebland S , McManus RJ ,   the International Collaboration to Harmonise Outcomes in Pre‐eclampsia (iHOPE)
Published: July 2019

Objective

To quantify the effect of different methodological decisions on the identification of potential core outcomes to inform the development of recommendations for future core coutcome set developers.

Design

Mixed methods study.

Setting

A core outcome set for pre‐eclampsia was used as an exemplar.

Sample

A long list of potential core outcomes was developed by undertaking a systematic review of pre‐eclampsia trials and performing a thematic analysis of in‐depth patient interviews.

Methods

Specific methods used to generate long lists of potential core outcomes were evaluated.

Results

Different methodological decisions had a substantial impact on the identification of potential core outcomes. Extracting outcomes from published pre‐eclampsia trials was an effective way of identifying 48 maternal, eight fetal, 25 neonatal outcomes, and eight patient‐reported outcomes. Limiting the extraction of outcomes to primary outcomes or outcomes commonly reported in pre‐eclampsia trials reduced the number and diversity of potential core outcomes identified. Thematic analysis of in‐depth patient interviews ensured an additional five patient reported outcomes and six outcomes related to future child health were identified.

Conclusions

Future core outcome set developers should use quantitative and qualitative methods when developing a long list of potential core outcomes.

Tweetable abstract

@OfficialNIHR research published in @BJOGtweets informs new recommendations for future @coreoutcomes developers.
Food Safety and Adverse Selection in Rural Maize Markets
Authors: Kadjo Didier , Ricker‐Gilbert Jacob , Shively Gerald , Abdoulaye Tahirou
Published: July 2019

Without enforced standards or reliable third‐party verification, food safety threats such as pesticide residues and aflatoxin contamination are generally unobservable or only partially observable to both buyers and sellers, especially of staple foods in rural maize markets in sub‐Saharan Africa. As a result, sellers have more information about food quality than do buyers. Such information asymmetries can impede market development and undermine human health. We study farm household behaviour in the context of imperfect food safety information. We pool observations obtained from 707 food storage containers maintained by 309 farm households in Benin, surveyed following the maize harvests of 2011/2012 and 2013/2014. Our results indicate that when a household perceives a food safety risk associated with application of insecticides, on average it is 33 percentage points less likely to apply insecticides to maize it intends to consume than it is to maize it intends to sell. These individuals are also more likely to sell maize than households without food safety concerns. Results highlight the potential value of improved storage technologies and quality control to promote market transactions and reduce hidden health risks.
Animal–vehicle collisions in Victoria, Australia: An under‐recognised cause of road traffic crashes
Authors: Ang Jia Ying , Gabbe Belinda , Cameron Peter , Beck Ben
Published: July 2019

Objective

Non‐fatal injuries sustained from animal–vehicle collisions are a globally under‐recognised road safety issue, with limited data on these crash types. The present study aimed to quantify the number and causes of major trauma events resulting from animal–vehicle collisions.

Methods

The study was a retrospective analysis of major trauma cases occurring in Victoria, Australia, between 2007 and 2016, using data from the population‐based Victorian State Trauma Registry. To identify animal–vehicle collisions, Victorian State Trauma Registry injury codes were combined with text‐mining of the text description of the injury event.

Results

Over the 10 year period, there were 152 major trauma patients who were admitted to Victorian trauma‐receiving hospitals due to vehicle collisions with animals. The crude population‐based incidence rate for animal–vehicle collisions increased by 6.7% per year (incidence rate ratio 1.07; 95% confidence interval 1.01–1.13; P = 0.02).

Conclusion

Development of systematic recording methods of animal–vehicle collisions will improve reporting of these crash types to assist future studies in implementing effective countermeasures.
Treat‐to‐target and shared decision making in rheumatoid arthritis treatment: Is it feasible?
Authors: Falzer Paul R.
Published: July 2019

Aim

Current rheumatoid arthritis (RA) guidelines have incorporated a treat‐to‐target (T2T) approach and require that it be implemented through shared decision making (SDM). Current discourse has questioned whether collaborative T2T is feasible in RA, in part because of discrepancies in the way that patients and practitioners assess progress and decide whether to consider a change in the current treatment. A previous study found that patients' willingness to change is directly associated with their disease activity (DA) scores. The current study continues this line of research by developing and testing a model that describes the role of DA and illness beliefs on RA patients' progress assessments.

Method

A questionnaire administered to 156 patients with RA included a self‐assessed DA measure (Rapid‐4), an illness belief battery (BIPQ), and a progress assessment question. These items populated a descriptive model, based on situation awareness (SA) theory. It posits that progress assessment scores are products of 3 sequential steps: perception, understanding, and forecasting. The first 2 steps were measured by DA scores, the 3rd by illness beliefs. The model was tested using general linear model techniques.

Results

All six measures were significantly related to progress assessment scores. The full SA model accounted for over 50% of the variance. The best fitting model included a pain measure at step 1, global disability at step 2, and illness beliefs at step 3.

Conclusion

Findings suggest that implementing T2T through SDM is feasible, that there is substantial commonality between how patients and practitioners assess progress, and that discrepancies may be complementary and addressed through interaction. The SA model helps to explain previous findings about the influence of illness beliefs on patients' judgments. It is suggested that future studies acknowledge the feasibility of collaborative T2T and focus attention on how it can work more effectively and comprehensively.
Genome‐wide scan identifies opioid overdose risk locus close to MCOLN1
Authors: Cheng Zhongshan , Yang Bao‐Zhu , Zhou Hang , Nunez Yaira , Kranzler Henry R. , Gelernter Joel
Published: July 2019

The United States is experiencing the worst opioid overdose (OpOD) crisis in its history. We carried out a genome‐wide association study on OpOD severity among 3 477 opioid‐exposed individuals, 1 019 of whom experienced OpODs, including 2 032 European Americans (EAs) (653 overdose cases), and 1 445 African Americans (AAs) (366 overdose cases). Participants were scored 1 to 4 based on their reported overdose status and the number of times that medical treatment was required. Genome‐wide association study (GWAS) of EAs and AAs separately resulted in two genome‐wide significant (GWS) signals in AAs but none in EAs. The first signal was represented by three closely mapped variants (rs115208233, rs116181528, and rs114077267) located near mucolipin 1 (MCOLN1) and patatin‐like phospholipase domain containing 6 (PNPLA6), and the other signal was represented by rs369098800 near dead‐box helicase 18 (DDX18). There were no additional GWS signals in the trans‐population meta‐analysis, so that post‐GWAS analysis focused on these loci. In network analysis, MCOLN1 was coexpressed with PNPLA6, but only MCOLN1‐associated genes were enriched in functional categories relevant to OpOD, including calcium and cation channel activities; no enrichment was observed for PNPLA6‐associated genes. Drug repositioning analysis was carried out in the connectivity map (CMap) database for MCOLN1 (PNPLA6 was not available in CMap) and showed that the opioid agonist drug‐induced expression profile is similar to that of MCOLN1 overexpression and yielded the highest‐ranked expression profile of 83 drug classes. Thus, MCOLN1 may be a risk gene for OpOD, but replication is needed. This knowledge could be helpful in the identification of drug targets for preventing OpOD.