bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microbiota metabolic exchange is critical for colorectal cancer redox homeostasis and growth
Authors: Bell Hannah , Goyert Joshua , Kerk Samuel A. , Das Nupur K. , Lyssiotis Costas A. , Shah Yatrik M.
Published: December 2020

Intestinal microbiota play a fundamental role in human health and disease. Microbial dysbiosis is a hallmark of colorectal cancer (CRC) as tumor stage-specific shifts potentiate tumor growth, influence the inflammatory microenvironment, and alter response to therapy. Recent work has demonstrated a critical role for microbial metabolite exchange in host response. However, the role of most microbial metabolites in colon cancer growth is unclear. To better understand how metabolic exchange between the microbiota and tumor epithelium alter CRC growth, a screen of the most abundant bacterially derived metabolites was assessed. Several metabolites were found to alter CRC growth, but reuterin most significantly suppressed CRC cell proliferation. Reuterin is a bifunctional metabolite containing both hydroxy and aldehyde functional groups. Reuterin is primarily synthesized from glycerol byLactobacillus reuteri,a commensal bacterium found throughout the gastrointestinal tract. We found that reuterin suppresses growth via alterations to the redox balance of CRC cells. Mechanistically, reuterin potentiates reactive oxygen species (ROS) which leads to irreversible cysteine oxidation and enhanced cell death. Supplementation of either antioxidants or hydrogen sulfide fully rescued growth, suggesting that reuterin is suppressing CRC growth through protein oxidation. These studies demonstrate the potential of reuterin to act as a potent chemotherapeutic for treating colorectal cancers.
Optogenetic analysis of Ca++transients inCaenorhabditis elegansmuscle cells during forward and reverse locomotion
Authors: Manjarrez Jacob R. , Shaw Magera , Mailler Roger
Published: December 2020

Understanding how an organism generates movement is an important step toward determining how a system of neurons produces behavior. With only 95 body wall muscles and 302 neurons,Caenorhabditis elegansis an attractive model organism to use in uncovering the connection between neural circuitry and movement. This study provides a comprehensive examination of the muscle cell activity used byC. elegansduring both forward and reverse locomotion. By tracking freely moving worms that express genetically encoded calcium indicators in their muscle cells, we directly measure the patterns of activity that occur during movement. We then analyzed these patterns using a variety of signal processing and statistical techniques. Although our results agree with many previous findings, we also discovered there is significantly different mean Ca++levels in many of the muscle cells during forward and reverse locomotion and, when considered independently, the dorsal and ventral muscle activation waves exhibit classical neuromechanical phase lag (NPL).
Hepatitis C Virus Protease Inhibitors Show Differential Efficacy and Interactions with Remdesivir for Treatment of SARS-CoV-2in Vitro
Authors: Gammeltoft Karen A. , Zhou Yuyong , Galli Andrea , Offersgaard Anna , Pham Long V. , Fahnøe Ulrik , Feng Shan , Ramirez Santseharay , Bukh Jens , Gottwein Judith M.
Published: December 2020

Antivirals targeting SARS-CoV-2 could improve treatment of COVID-19. We evaluated the efficacy of clinically relevant hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 protease inhibitors (PI) against SARS-CoV-2 and their interactions with remdesivir, the only antiviral approved for treatment of COVID-19. HCV PI showed differential potency in VeroE6 cell-based antiviral assays based on detection of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein. Linear PI boceprevir, telaprevir and narlaprevir had 50% effective concentrations (EC50) of ~40 μM. Among macrocyclic PI simeprevir, paritaprevir, grazoprevir, glecaprevir, voxilaprevir, vaniprevir, danoprevir and deldeprevir, simeprevir had the highest (EC50 15 μM) and glecaprevir the lowest (EC50 >178 μM) potency. Acyclic PI asunaprevir and faldaprevir had EC50 of 72 and 23 μM, respectively. ACH-806, an HCV NS3 protease co-factor NS4A inhibitor, had EC50 of 46 μM. For selected PI, potency was similar in human hepatoma Huh7.5 cells. Selectivity indexes, based on antiviral and cell viability assays, were highest for linear PI. In combination with remdesivir, linear PI boceprevir and narlaprevir showed antagonism, while macrocyclic PI simeprevir, paritaprevir and grazoprevir showed synergism with drug reduction indexes of up to 27 for simeprevir. Treatment of infected cultures with equipotent concentrations (1-fold EC50) of HCV PI revealed minor differences in barrier to SARS-CoV-2 escape. Complete viral suppression was achieved treating with ≥3-fold EC50 boceprevir or combination of 1-fold EC50 simeprevir with 0.4-fold EC50 remdesivir, not leading to significant viral suppression in single treatments. Considering potency, human plasma concentrations and synergism with remdesivir, simeprevir seemed the most promising compound for optimization of future antiviral treatments of COVID-19.
Neutralizing antibodies induced by first-generation gp41-stabilized HIV-1 envelope trimers and nanoparticles
Authors: Kumar Sonu , Lin Xiaohe , Ngo Timothy , Shapero Benjamin , Sou Cindy , Allen Joel D. , Copps Jeffrey , Zhang Lei , Ozorowski Gabriel , He Linling , Crispin Max , Ward Andrew B. , Wilson Ian A. , Zhu Jiang
Published: December 2020

Antigen-specific B-cell sorting and next-generation sequencing (NGS) were combined to isolate HIV-1 neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) from mice and rabbits immunized with BG505 trimers and nanoparticles. Three mouse NAbs potently neutralize BG505.T332N and recognize a glycan epitope centered at the C3/V4 region, as revealed by electron microscopy (EM), x-ray crystallography, and epitope mapping. Three potent NAbs were sorted from rabbit B cells that target glycan holes on the BG505 envelope glycoprotein (Env) and account for a significant portion of autologous NAb response. We then determined a 3.4Å-resolution crystal structure for the clade C transmitted/founder Du172.17 Env with a redesigned heptad repeat 1 (HR1) bend. This clade C Env, as a soluble trimer and attached to a ferritin nanoparticle, along with a clade A Q482-d12 Env trimer, elicited distinct NAb responses in rabbits. Our study demonstrates that nanoparticles presenting gp41-stabilized trimers can induce potent NAb responses in mice and rabbits with Env-dependent breadth.

TEASER

Mouse and rabbit NAbs elicited by gp41-stabilized trimers and nanoparticles neutralize autologous HIV-1 by targeting different epitopes
Direct RNA targeted transcriptomic profiling in tissue using Hybridization-based RNA In Situ Sequencing (HybRISS)
Authors: Lee Hower , Salas Sergio Marco , Gyllborg Daniel , Nilsson Mats
Published: December 2020

Highly multiplexed spatial mapping of multiple transcripts within tissues allows for investigation of the transcriptomic and cellular diversity of mammalian organs previously unseen. Here we explore the possibilities of a direct RNA (dRNA) detection approach incorporating the use of padlock probes and rolling circle amplification in combination with hybridization-basedin situsequencing (HybISS) chemistry. We benchmark a dRNA targeting kit that circumvents the standard reverse transcription limiting, cDNA-basedin situsequencing (ISS). We found a five-fold increase in transcript detection efficiency when compared to cDNA-based ISS and also validated its multiplexing capability by targeting a curated panel of 50 genes from previous publications on mouse brain sections, leading to additional data interpretation such asde novocell typing. With this increased efficiency, we maintain specificity, multiplexing capabilities and ease of implementation. Overall, the dRNA chemistry shows significant improvements in target detection efficiency, closing the gap between the gold standard of fluorescentin situhybridization (FISH) based technologies and opens up possibilities to explore new biological questions previously not possible with cDNA-based ISS, nor with FISH.
Narrowing the gap between consumer purchasing intention and behaviour through ecolabelling: a challenge for eco-entrepreneurism
Authors: Calderon-Monge Esther , Redondo-Rodriguez Roger-Guzman , Ramírez-Hurtado José M.
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The gap between the self-declarations of buyers as responsible consumers and the purchase of sustainable products means that consumer knowledge needs to be examined in depth, to guide the initiatives of eco-entrepreneurs towards sectors and demands that will make them viable and to advance responsible production and consumption – Objective 12: Sustainable Development 2030. The purpose of this study is to analyse the profile of consumers in relation to the purchase of ecolabelled products and to establish relations between purchasing decisions with environmental, social and ethical factors.

Design/methodology/approach

Multiple correspondence analysis is applied to the results of a questionnaire administered to a sample of 407 consumers resident in Spain. Information is gathered on environmental, social and economic concerns and the importance consumers attach to certain product attributes such as ecolabels, price and quality.

Findings

Consumers concerned over environmental, social and economic questions attached greater importance to information on ecolabels, principally within the textile, and drugstore sectors, followed by electrical and electronic appliances and the food sector. These consumers selected ecolabelled products with a good quality–price relationship.

Originality/value

The academic and business value of this research is its focus on the attributes of sustainable products so that eco-entrepreneurs may advance initiatives that are at once viable and sustainable, motivating consumers with concerns over environmental, social and economic issues.
Managing Talent at Lupin Limited (B): Exploring New Horizons
Authors: Sharda Kirti , Varkkey Biju , Basoya Snehil
Published: December 2020

On a fine afternoon in January 2015, Divakar Kaza, President, Human Resources, at Lupin Ltd., took a sip of coffee from his cup, and shared the good news he had just received, with Rituraj Sar, head of Learning & Development. Lupin had just won the ‘Outstanding Company of the Year’ Award at the CNBC-TV18 India Business Leadership Awards, 2014-151. The accomplishment was heartening, given that it reinforced similar recognitions in the recent past. Lupin had won the NDTV Business Leadership Award for the Indian Pharmaceutical Company of the year in 2012, backed up by the same acclaim in 2010 by Frost & Sullivan2.
Innovation in the midst of Uncertainty: A Case Study of Mahindra Reva Electric Vehicles Private Limited
Authors: Iyer Lakshmi Shankar , Dutta Goutam
Published: December 2020

The case deals with the unforeseen uncertainties faced by Reva, the first electric car of India, while entering the Indian market. The company was able to take up the challenge of making an energy efficient car. As a new product, Reva achieved operational success, developing an electric, low energy car. Its marketing strategies had limited consumer pull and had to be strengthened to gain consumer acceptance. The ecosystem worldwide is looking for support from governments on the concept and the infrastructure of this product category.
DAMA: Weaving Lives
Authors: Sriram M. S. , Sarin Ankur
Published: December 2020

The case explores the growth of Dastkar Andhra Marketing Association (DAMA) and its relationship with its sister organizations, as it works to articulate an alternate model of production, distribution and retailing. The case attempts to highlight issues around appropriate interventions in a traditional sector providing livelihood to millions, but confronting the challenges of a modern economy and society. The case would be beneficial in emphasizing the role of market and state failures and the role played by social enterprises in addressing them.
Information-seeking strategy and likelihood of workplace health disclosure
Authors: Li Jo-Yun , Lee Yeunjae
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This study seeks to address the question on the role of information-seeking behavior in dealing with uncertainty on workplace health disclosure from the perspectives of internal communication.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was conducted with 409 full-time employees in large-sized companies in the United States.

Findings

The results showed that employees engage in proactive and passive information-seeking strategies when they are uncertain about their supervisors' reactions toward their health problems. Positive EOR and organizational climate would increase their intention to adopt inquiry strategy, whereas negative EOR and the climate would increase their intention to adopt monitoring strategy. Employees who adopt inquiry strategy tend to perceive the benefits of health disclosure, whereas those who adopt monitoring strategy tend to perceive the risks of health disclosure. If employees perceived increased benefits in terms of health disclosure, then they tend to disclose their health problems to their supervisors, and vice versa.

Originality/value

This study is among first to investigate workplace health disclosure decision-making from the perspectives of internal communication. These findings highlight the importance of excellent internal communications in employees' health disclosure decision-making process and support the proposition that proactive information-seeking is a strategy that contributes to uncertainty management in the workplace. This study also provides significant practical guidelines for corporate communication practitioners and leaders by establishing a safe and friendly environment where employees feel comfortable to disclose their health problems to supervisors.
Rethinking the role of the EU in enhancing European competitiveness
Authors: Ketels Christian , Porter Michael E.
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to review the evidence on Europe’s economic performance and on the role played by policies pursued at the European Union (EU) level, using the competitiveness framework as the conceptual lens.

Design/methodology/approach

Why has Europe not made more progress on upgrading its competitiveness over the past few decades, despite the many initiatives that the EU has launched?

Findings

It finds Europe’s sluggish performance to be driven by a failure to adjust the EU’s policy approach to fundamental changes in the competitiveness context and challenges faced by European economies.

Originality/value

Based on this analysis, the paper suggests a new role for the EU in supporting EU member countries and regions in achieving higher levels of competitiveness.
Reputations and corruption: Bell Pottinger in South Africa
Authors: Wöcke Albert , Mthombeni Morris , Cuervo-Cazurro Alvaro
Published: December 2020

Learning outcomes

The case can be used in strategic management, international business or ethics courses. In strategic management courses, students will be able to identify political relationships as sources of a firm’s competitive advantage. Students will also understand the role of ethics in the firm’s competitive advantage. In international business courses, the students will be able to analyze the role that corruption and bribery play in the analysis of a country’s institutions. Students will also understand how corruption in a host country influences a firms’ decision to internationalize. Finally, students will understand the challenges that firms face when serving customers in other countries. In ethics courses, students will understand the nature of state/business corruption, i.e. the abuse of public office for private gain and the concept of state capture, i.e. managers controlling the political system for their advantage. Students will be able to analyze the decision of whether to collaborate with unethical partners or customers.

Case overview/synopsis

Bell Pottinger Private (BPP) was a British public relations (PR) firm with a successful but questionable reputation of helping famous critical figures and despots improve their public image. In 2016, Lord Tim Bell and the other leaders of BPP were asked to create a PR campaign for the Gupta family. The Guptas were a group of businessmen headed by three brothers who migrated from India to South Africa in the early 1990s. By the 2010s, they had built a business empire allegedly thanks to a corrupt relationship with the President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma and his family. The press and prosecutors were increasing their investigations on these relations. The case has two parts, which address two separate challenges and can be taught as standalone cases or in a sequence in two sessions.

Complexity academic level

MBA and Executive Education.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 5: International business.
Developing an information classification method
Authors: Bergström Erik , Karlsson Fredrik , Åhlfeldt Rose-Mharie
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a method for information classification. The proposed method draws on established standards, such as the ISO/IEC 27002 and information classification practices. The long-term goal of the method is to decrease the subjective judgement in the implementation of information classification in organisations, which can lead to information security breaches because the information is under- or over-classified.

Design/methodology/approach

The results are based on a design science research approach, implemented as five iterations spanning the years 2013 to 2019.

Findings

The paper presents a method for information classification and the design principles underpinning the method. The empirical demonstration shows that senior and novice information security managers perceive the method as a useful tool for classifying information assets in an organisation.

Research limitations/implications

Existing research has, to a limited extent, provided extensive advice on how to approach information classification in organisations systematically. The method presented in this paper can act as a starting point for further research in this area, aiming at decreasing subjectivity in the information classification process. Additional research is needed to fully validate the proposed method for information classification and its potential to reduce the subjective judgement.

Practical implications

The research contributes to practice by offering a method for information classification. It provides a hands-on-tool for how to implement an information classification process. Besides, this research proves that it is possible to devise a method to support information classification. This is important, because, even if an organisation chooses not to adopt the proposed method, the very fact that this method has proved useful should encourage any similar endeavour.

Originality/value

The proposed method offers a detailed and well-elaborated tool for information classification. The method is generic and adaptable, depending on organisational needs.
Hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Do short-time work schemes help workers remain in the same firm?
Authors: Arranz José M. , García-Serrano Carlos , Hernanz Virginia
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This paper investigates whether short-time work (STW) schemes were successful in their objective of maintaining employment and keeping workers employed within the same firms after the onset of the financial and economic crisis in 2008.

Design/methodology/approach

Spanish longitudinal administrative data has been used, making it possible to identify short-time work (STW) participation not only of workers but also of employers and allowing to know the future labour market status of participants and non-participants. Accordingly, treatment and control groups are defined, and Propensity Score Matching models estimated. The dependent variable is measured as the probability that an individual remained employed with the same employer in the future (one, two and three years) after implementation of a STW arrangement.

Findings

Our results suggest that treated individuals are about 5 percentage points less likely to remain working with the same employer one year later than similar workers, and this negative effect of participation increases over time. Thus, STW schemes would not have the assumed effect of preventing unemployment by keeping the participants employed relative to non-participants.

Research limitations/implications

As our analysis is based on the comparison of the employment trajectories of participant and non-participant workers in firms that have used STW arrangements, our findings cannot be interpreted as the job saving effects of either macro or micro studies carried out previously.

Practical implications

The analysis carried out in the paper is complementary to the country-level and firm-level approaches that have been used in the empirical literature.

Originality/value

We adopt a worker-level approach. This is novel since no previous study has focused attention on the impact of STW participation on the subsequent labour market status of workers.
The current sustainability scenario of Industry 4.0 enabling technologies in Indian manufacturing industries
Authors: Pasi Bhaveshkumar Nandanram , Mahajan Subhash K. , Rane Santosh B.
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purposes of this research article are as follows: to explore the understanding of the Industry 4.0 (I4.0) concept among Indian manufacturing industries, to determine the motivating factors for I4.0 implementation, to identify I4.0 enabling technologies which are used by Indian manufacturing industries and assess their sustainability, to explore the impact of above identified enabling technologies on sustainability pillars, to determine how Indian manufacturing industries interpret the concept of I4.0 and to develop a road map for I4.0 implementation and sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach

To perform this research work, a dual research methodology was adopted. Questionnaires were sent to 16 Indian manufacturing industries, and expert interviews were conducted with seven experts who have been practicing the I4.0 concept since the last three years in their business. Also, a sustainability measurement tool was developed to measure the sustainability of the used I4.0 enabling technologies.

Findings

In this research article, it is found that smart sensors and robot arms have high sustainability, whereas cyber physical systems (CPSs) and big data analytics have low sustainability. During an expert interview, it has been found that adoption of the I4.0 concept in Indian manufacturing industries is creating job loss fear in employees. Also, it is found that Indian workers must be trained to adopt and sustain I4.0 enabling technologies.

Research limitations/implications

The sustainability of I4.0 enabling technologies in Indian manufacturing industries was indicated by analyzing responses received through questionnaires and expert interviews. There are other measures of sustainability which are beyond this study. Further studies are expected to fill the gap.

Practical implications

The authors have explored reasons for low sustainability of I4.0 enabling technologies in Indian manufacturing industries, suggested a road map for its implementation and sustainability and identified the relationship between different parameters (such as job loss, job creation, workers’ qualification and business profit) and I4.0 sustainability, therefore helping Indian organizations to develop sustainable manufacturing systems based on the I4.0 concept.

Originality/value

This research article gives an idea about sustainability of I4.0 enabling technologies in Indian manufacturing industries.
The influence of narrative disclosure readability, information ordering and graphical representations on non-professional investors' judgment: evidence from an emerging market
Authors: El-Sayed Dalia Hussein , Adel Eman , Elmougy Omar , Fawzy Nadeen , Hatem Nada , Elhakey Farida
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This study examines whether manipulation in attributes of corporate narrative disclosures and the use of graphical representations can bias non-professional investors' judgment towards firms' future performance, in an emerging market context.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conduct three different experiments with a 2 × 2 between-subjects design, using accounting and finance senior undergraduate students to proxy for the non-professional investors.

Findings

Results show that simple (more readable) disclosures improve non-professional investors' judgment towards firms' future performance. In addition, it is found that non-professional investors are prone to a recency effect from the intentional ordering of narrative information, when using complex (less readable) narratives. However, no primacy effect is found, when using simple (more readable) disclosures. The results further provide evidence that the inclusion of graphical representations, along with the manipulated narrative disclosures, can moderate the recency effect of information order, when using less readable and complex narrative disclosures.

Research limitations/implications

The results reveal that although the content of corporate disclosures can be objective, neutral and relevant, manipulation in textual features and the use of graphical presentations, can interact to impact how non-professional investors perceive and process the disclosed information. This study provides an Egyptian evidence regarding this issue, as the majority of prior studies concentrate on developed capital markets. In addition, it contributes to prior studies evaluating the appropriateness of the Belief Adjustment Model predictions about the effect of textual presentation order on decision-making, by providing evidence from an emerging market.

Practical implications

Results attempt to increase the awareness of investors and encourage them to use multiple sources of information to avoid the probable bias that can result from management's manipulation of narratives. In addition, the study could be of interest to regulators and standard-setters, where the results reveal the need for guidelines and regulations to guide the disclosure of narrative information and the use of graphical information in corporate reports.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to examine the effect of two impression management strategies in narrative disclosures (readability and information order), along with the use of graphical representations, on non-professional investors' judgment in an emerging market, like Egypt.
Comparison of linear and non-linear GARCH models for forecasting volatility of select emerging countries
Authors: Sharma Sudhi , Aggarwal Vaibhav , Yadav Miklesh Prasad
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Several empirical studies have proven that emerging countries are attractive destinations for Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) because of high expected returns, weak market efficiency and high growth that make them attractive destination for diversification of funds. But higher expected returns come coupled with high risk arising from political and economic instability. This study aims to compare the linear (symmetric) and non-linear (asymmetric) Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH) models in forecasting the volatility of top five major emerging countries among E7, that is, China, India, Indonesia, Brazil and Mexico.

Design/methodology/approach

The volatility of financial markets of five major emerging countries has been empirically investigated for a period of two decades from January 2000 to December 2019 using univariate volatility models including GARCH 1, 1, Exponential Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (E-GARCH 1, 1) and Threshold Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (T-GARCH-1, 1) models. Further, to examine time-varying volatility, the distinctions of structural break have been captured in view of the global financial crisis of 2008. Thus, the period under the study has been segregated into pre- and post-crisis, that is, January 2001–December 2008 and January 2009–December 2019, respectively.

Findings

The findings indicate that GARCH (1, 1) model is superior to non-linear GARCH models for forecasting volatility because the effect of leverage is insignificant. China has been considered as most volatile, whereas India is volatile but positively skewed and Indonesia is the least volatile country. The results can help investors in better international diversification of their portfolio and identifying best suitable hedging opportunities.

Practical implications

This study can help investors to construct a more risk-adjusted returns international portfolio. Further, it adds to the scant literature available on the inconclusive debate on the choice of linear versus non-linear models to forecast market volatility.

Originality/value

Earlier studies related to univariate volatility models are mostly applications of the models. Only few studies have considered the robustness while applying the models. However, none of the studies to the best of the authors’ searches have considered these models for identifying the diversification opportunity among the emerging countries. Hence, this study is able to derive diversification and hedging opportunities by applying wide ranges of the statistical applications and models, that is, descriptive, correlations and univariate volatility models. It makes the study more rigorous and unique compared to the previous literature.
Social aspects of personal information organization
Authors: Oh Kyong Eun
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how individuals' personal information organization reflects their social environments in order to understand social aspects of personal information organization.

Design/methodology/approach

By using a cognitive sociological approach and based on the personal information organization process (PIOP) model (Oh, 2019), this study investigates the social aspects of personal information organization by analyzing the pre-diary interview, a diary, and two post-diary interviews conducted with each of the 18 information users in social science academic environments.

Findings

Social dimensions of personal information organization were found in differences between organizing academic and non-academic files, the way participants identified and made distinctions among files, common folders they created, and with the impact of participants' professional age on personal information organization. This study shows that information organization is a process of construction and that the participants' social foundations are reflected in the way they view and organize their files.

Originality/value

This study makes a unique contribution to the field by explaining the social aspects of personal information organization. The findings of this study deepen our knowledge of personal information organization by providing different ways to understand how and why people organize their files in certain ways, and by showing that this is not just individual behavior. In practice, this study provides insight into the design of applications and tools that support personal information management of people in specific social environments.
A coordinated control strategy for battery/supercapacitor hybrid energy storage system to eliminate unbalanced voltage in a standalone AC microgrid
Authors: Ren Yaxing , Rind Saqib Jamshed , Jiang Lin
Published: December 2020

Purpose

A standalone microgrid (MG) is able to use local renewable resources and reduce the loss in long distance transmission. But the single-phase device in a standalone MG can cause the voltage unbalance condition and additional power loss that reduces the cycle life of battery. This paper proposes an energy management strategy for the battery/supercapacitor (SC) hybrid energy storage system (HESS) to improve the transient performance of bus voltage under unbalanced load condition in a standalone AC microgrid (MG).

Design/methodology/approach

The SC has high power density and much more cycling times than battery and thus to be controlled to absorb the transient and unbalanced active power as well as the reactive power under unbalanced condition. Under the proposed energy management design, the battery only needs to generate balanced power to balance the steady state power demand. The energy management strategy for battery/SC HESS in a standalone AC MG is validated in simulation study using PSCAD/EMTDC.

Findings

The results show that the energy management strategy of HESS maintains the bus voltage and eliminates the unbalance condition under single-phase load. In addition, with the SC to absorb the reactive power and unbalanced active power, the unnecessary power loss in battery is reduced with shown less accumulate depth of discharge and higher average efficiency.

Originality/value

With this technology, the service life of the HESS can be extended and the total cost can be reduced.
Project flexibility and creativity: the moderating role of training utility
Authors: Awe Olajumoke A. , Church E. Mitchell
Published: December 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study project management performance measures by analyzing how training utility affects the relationships between mutual trust, social interaction and creativity as well as mutual trust, social interaction and flexibility in projects.

Design/methodology/approach

Using training utility and organizational support theory, eight hypotheses were developed. Responses from 279 project management professionals in the USA were collected. The hypotheses were then tested using partial least squares (PLS) and regression with the PROCESS macro approach.

Findings

The results suggests that the communication environment indeed has an important role in fostering creative and flexible project managers. Additionally, the study shows that organizations can actively improve the influence of the communication environment on project management creativity through training efforts. Interestingly, these findings may not hold for project manager flexibility.

Practical implications

In today's project management world, organizations need project managers who quickly adapt to changing project management scenarios. To do this, project managers need to be creative, generating new and novel ideas, as well as flexible when converting ideas into action. Organizations often possess large amounts of knowledge, and project managers rely on good communication practices to access this knowledge in response to the required changes in the project domain.

Originality/value

The study includes contributions to theory and empirical research in project management by analyzing the critical role training utility has on the firm communication environments and its outcomes. The study shows that organizations can take an active role by investing in resources to promote flexibility and creativity in projects.
Do stereotypes matter for brand attachment?
Authors: Japutra Arnold , Molinillo Sebastian , Ekinci Yuksel
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the role of destination brand stereotypes in predicting destination brand attachment (DBA).

Design/methodology/approach

Using survey data from 612 Indonesian respondents, the conceptual framework is tested by applying structural equation modeling analysis.

Findings

The results show that the four components of destination branding contribute to DBA through brand stereotypes.

Originality/value

Based on the stereotype content model, this study explores how two cognitive (i.e. brand awareness and perceived quality) and two affective (i.e. ideal self-congruence and enduring culture involvement) components build destination brand stereotypes, which in turn increase DBA.
Encountering misinformation online: antecedents of trust and distrust and their impact on the intensity of Facebook use
Authors: Cheng Yang , Chen Zifei Fay
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This study focused on the impact of misinformation on social networking sites. Through theorizing and integrating literature from interdisciplinary fields such as information behavior, communication and relationship management, this study explored how misinformation on Facebook influences users' trust, distrust and intensity of Facebook use.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed quantitative survey research and collected panel data via an online professional survey platform. A total of 661 participants in the USA completed this study, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the theoretical model using Amos 20.

Findings

Based on data from an online questionnaire (N = 661) in the USA, results showed that information trustworthiness and elaboration, users' self-efficacy of detecting misinformation and prescriptive expectancy of the social media platform significantly predicted both trust and distrust toward Facebook, which in turn jointly influenced users' intensity of using this information system.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the growing body of literature on information and relationship management and digital communication from several important aspects. First, this study disclosed the underlying cognitive psychological and social processing of online misinformation and addressed the strategies for future system design and behavioral intervention of misinformation. Second, this study systematically examined both trust and distrust as cognitive and affective dimensions of the human mindsets, encompassed the different components of the online information behavior and enriched one’s understanding of how misinformation affected publics' perceptions of the information system where it appeared. Last but not least, this study advanced the relationship management literature and demonstrated that a trustful attitude exerted a stronger influence on the intensity of Facebook use than distrust did.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-04-2020-0130
The renaissance of augmented reality in construction: history, present status and future directions
Authors: Chen Ke , Xue Fan
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Augmented reality (AR) has become one of the most promising technologies in construction since it can seamlessly connect the physical construction environment and virtual contents. In view of the recent research efforts, this study attempts to summarize the latest research achievements and inform future development of AR in construction.

Design/methodology/approach

The review was conducted in three steps. First, a keyword search was adopted, and 546 papers were found from Scopus and Web of Science. Second, each paper was screened based on the selection criteria, and a final set of 69 papers was obtained. Third, specific AR applications and the associated technical details were extracted from the 69 papers for further analysis.

Findings

The review shows that: (1) design assessment, process monitoring and maintenance management and operation were the most frequently cited AR applications in the design, construction, and operation stages, respectively; (2) information browser and tangible interaction were more frequently adopted than collaborative interaction and hybrid interaction; and (3) AR has been integrated with BIM, computer vision, and cloud computing for enhanced functions.

Originality/value

The contributions of this study to the body of knowledge are twofold. First, this study extends the understanding of AR applications in the construction setting. Second, this study identifies possible improvements in the design and development of AR systems in order to leverage their benefits to construction.
Keep Safe: collaborative practice development and research with people with learning disabilities
Authors: Wake Anthony , Davies Jill , Drake Celia , Rowbotham Michael , Smith Nicola , Rossiter Rowena
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This collaborative paper (working together) describes collaborative practice development and research by and with people from the learning disabilities community. This paper aims to show some of the activities which supported the collaborative practice development and research to show and encourage others to do more collaboration. The paper format is based on a previous collaborative paper published in the Tizard Learning Disability Review (Chapman et al., 2013).

Design/methodology/approach

The collaborative practice development and feasibility study [1] focuses on an intervention called Keep Safe. This is an intervention for young people with learning disabilities who are 12 years and older and have shown “out-of-control” or harmful sexual behaviour.

Findings

The paper gives examples of activities of the Keep Safe Advisory Group in planning, doing and thinking about Keep Safe development and feasibility. The authors list some good things and some difficulties in collaborating. They look at which parts of Frankena et al.’s (2019a) Consensus Statement on how to do inclusive research were done, which ones were not, and why.

Social implications

The paper ends with some thoughts about collaborating with people from the learning disabilities community: for people with learning disabilities, practitioners and researchers.

Originality/value

The paper is original in its illustration of collaborative practice development and research and measuring the activities against the inclusive research consensus statement.
Affective commitment, service quality and selected sub-dimensions of customer citizenship behaviour: a study of ride-hailing services
Authors: van Tonder Estelle , Petzer Daniël Johannes
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Marketing literature has made little progress on the connection between service quality and customer citizenship advocacy, helping and feedback sub-dimensions that may promote competitiveness. It is also unclear to what extent service quality may serve as an underlying motivation for explaining the relationship between affective commitment (a primary antecedent of customer citizenship) and the selected sub-dimensions. Consequently, the aim of the current research is to develop a customer citizenship behaviour model and address these matters in a peer-to-peer service context.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were collected from 610 customers of a ride-hailing peer-to-peer service brand. Data analysis included structural equation modelling and bootstrapping.

Findings

Affective commitment influences service quality. Service quality motivates customer citizenship behaviours directed towards the ride-hailing brand (feedback) and other customers (advocacy and helping). Service quality provides an indirect path for connecting affective commitment with the customer citizenship behaviours in varying degrees.

Originality/value

This study is the first to verify the relevance of all three customer citizenship behaviours in a single model as influenced by service quality. The current research is further a step forward in understanding the mediating role of service quality and its potential to ensure customers' feelings of attachment towards the brand are translated in citizenship actions. The findings are noteworthy, considering the varying service levels generally experienced in a peer-to-peer service environment. Peer-to-peer service brands may fall back on their emotional connection with customers to influence service judgements and ultimately benefit from customer citizenship behaviours.
Regional tourism satellite accounts: towards international comparability
Authors: Frenț Cristi , Frechtling Douglas C.
Published: December 2020

Purpose

Despite its popularity as the only method for measuring the national economic contribution of tourism accredited by the United Nations and other multilateral economic institutions, Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) is rarely applied to subnational regions. The purpose of this paper is to examine to what extent the compliance with some general principles that any regional TSA should follow contributes to better international comparability of tourism statistics, one of the main goals of the TSA.

Design/methodology/approach

Through secondary research, 14 countries have been identified making regional TSA applications by complying most likely with these principles. In this regard, some methodological issues and main results obtained by these countries are investigated.

Findings

This study concludes that international comparability of TSA compilation data at regional levels should be a long-term goal once congruence is achieved between national and regional TSAs.

Research limitations/implications

The paper is not based on a primary data collection of TSA data.

Practical implications

The paper shows that regional TSAs might also be envisaged in the international comparability process of the national TSA data. It provides suggestions for how to use data to improve measurement of the economic contribution of tourism to regions.

Originality/value

It is the first paper addressing the international comparability of a sizable number of regional TSAs from 14 countries.
Relational exploration of the effect of work-related scheme on job satisfaction
Authors: Singh Sushmita , Singh S.K. , Srivastava Shashi
Published: December 2020

Purpose

This study is an effort to explore a relationship between benefits of schemes (BoS) on the job satisfaction among handloom weavers. The weavers who are engaged in this work however face lot of challenges in terms of remuneration and working conditions. The government has been immense with various schemes that cater to the work-related problems. This paper aims to understand whether work-related support can be a predictor for job satisfaction in this context.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional survey design was used where 335 handloom weavers randomly participated in the study. Questionnaire was administered and scale was developed and validated for the measurement of BoS by using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. The effect of the benefits on the job satisfaction was investigated by using structural equation modelling on AMOS 21 platform.

Findings

The outcome suggested that the BoS significantly affects the job satisfaction and a possible predictor. This which was indicated by the value of r^2, i.e.0.38 at significance level p < 0.001.

Research limitations/implications

The study suggests a method for analyzing the schemes/policies in the light of the benefits that schemes intend to deliver. This would help in making suitable modifications in the schemes order to have wider outreach and large-scale inclusion of the beneficiaries.

Practical implications

The study can be useful for the policymakers to further strengthen the features of the schemes. They might work in direction of inclusion of more handloom weavers in the framework of the schemes.

Originality/value

The effects of the work-related policies on job satisfaction is still in nascent stage, so this work is all about exploration in that area.