bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Solar smart grid as a path to economic inclusion and adaptation to climate change in the Brazilian Semiarid Northeast
Authors: Nobre Paulo , Pereira Enio Bueno , Lacerda Francinete Francis , Bursztyn Marcel , Haddad Eduardo Amaral , Ley Debora 
Published: June 2019

Purpose
This study aims to exploit the abundance of solar energy resources for socioeconomic development in the semi -arid Northeastern Brazil as a potent adaptation tool to global climate change. It points out a set of conjuncture factors that allow us to foresee a new paradigm of sustainable development for the region by transforming the sun’s radiant energy into electricity through distributed photovoltaic generation. The new paradigm, as presented in this essay, has the transformative potential to free the region from past regional development dogma, which was dependent on the scarce water resource, and the marginal and predatory use of its Caatinga Biome.

Design/methodology/approach
The research uses a pre ante design, following the procedures of scenario building, as an adaptation mechanism to climate change in the sector of energy generation and socioeconomic inclusion.

Findings
The scenarios of socioeconomic resilience to climate change based on the abundance of solar radiation, rather than the scarcity of water, demonstrates its potential as a global adaptation paradigm to climate change.

Research limitations/implications
The developments proposed are dependent on federal legislation changes, allowing the small producer to be remunerated by the energy produced.

Practical implications
The proposed smart grid photovoltaic generation program increases the country's resiliency to the effect of droughts and climate change.

Social implications
As proposed, the program allows for the reversion of a pattern of long term poverty in semi-arid Northeast Brazil.

Originality/value
The exploitation of the characteristics of abundance of the semiarid climate, i.e. its very condition of semi-aridity with abundant solar radiation, is itself an advantage factor toward adaption to unforeseen drought events. Extensive previous research has focused on weighting and monitoring drought i.e. the paradigm of scarcity. The interplay between exploiting Northeast Brazil’s abundant factors and climate change adaptation, especially at the small farmer levels constitutes a discovery never before contemplated.
Okinawa as dystopia: panoptic monitoring systems in schools
Authors: Kishimoto Kotoe , Saito Eisuke 
Published: June 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate a dystopian situation with special reference to how a panoptic monitoring system emerges in schools. To satisfy this aim, there will be a close analysis of the city of Nago in Okinawa Prefecture, where there is a huge debate over the new US Marine base construction and how it greatly influences people’s lives.

Design/methodology/approach
This study will employ a self-study by the first author, who is a clinical psychologist under the board of education in the city. This self-study aims to examine the lived experiences of the author based on interactions with critical friends.

Findings
The government’s selection of the site for the new base created a schism in the community, and the introduction of compensations led to the establishment of a communal panoptic monitoring system. This communal panoptic monitoring largely influences the relationships between pupils, teachers and parents. Further, another panoptic monitoring system has developed inside the Nago schools due to the intensification of the assessment policies given by the ministry in Tokyo.

Originality/value
This investigation purports to analyse a dystopian situation with special reference to how a panoptic monitoring system, a key element of a dystopia, emerges in schools.
Mediated effect of project management asset characteristics on firm performance
Authors: Jugdev Kam , Mathur Gita , Fung Tak 
Published: June 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study how project-level performance mediates the effect of project management assets on firm-level performance by examining the direct and mediated relationships between the project management process characteristics: valuable, rare, inimitable and organizationally supported on project-level and firm-level performance outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper analyzes data from an online survey completed by 198 North American Project Management Institute® members. Linear regression and Sobel Tests are used to examine the relationships between nine factors extracted from an exploratory factor analysis that comprise project management asset characteristics, one factor that comprises project-level performance outcomes, and one factor that comprises firm-level performance outcomes.

Findings
Not only does project-level performance positively and significantly affect firm-level performance, but project-level performance also significantly mediates the effect of project management asset characteristics (for all nine factors) on firm performance.

Research limitations/implications
Limitations of this study include sample size and self-report bias, calling for a larger sample in ongoing research.

Practical implications
This study contributes to the stream of literature on project management assets as sources of competitive advantage and makes the case for sustained organizational investments in the project management process.

Originality/value
This paper contributes to the limited, but increasing interest in applying the resource-based view of the firm to project management capabilities as a source of competitive advantage.
A machine learning-based methodology to predict learners’ dropout, success or failure in MOOCs
Authors: Mourdi Youssef , Sadgal Mohamed , El Kabtane Hamada , Berrada Fathi Wafaa 
Published: June 2019

Purpose
Even if MOOCs (massive open online courses) are becoming a trend in distance learning, they suffer from a very high rate of learners’ dropout, and as a result, on average, only 10 per cent of enrolled learners manage to obtain their certificates of achievement. This paper aims to give tutors a clearer vision for an effective and personalized intervention as a solution to “retain” each type of learner at risk of dropping out.

Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents a methodology to provide predictions on learners’ behaviors. This work, which uses a Stanford data set, was divided into several phases, namely, a data extraction, an exploratory study and then a multivariate analysis to reduce dimensionality and to extract the most relevant features. The second step was the comparison between five machine learning algorithms. Finally, the authors used the principle of association rules to extract similarities between the behaviors of learners who dropped out from the MOOC.

Findings
The results of this work have given that deep learning ensures the best predictions in terms of accuracy, which is an average of 95.8 per cent, and is comparable to other measures such as precision, AUC, Recall and F1 score.

Originality/value
Many research studies have tried to tackle the MOOC dropout problem by proposing different dropout predictive models. In the same context, comes the present proposal with which the authors have tried to predict not only learners at a risk of dropping out of the MOOCs but also those who will succeed or fail.
Thermo-elastohydrodynamic simulation of the piston-cylinder contact in high-pressure pumps at 3000 bar
Authors: Özdemir Ömer , Fischer Felix , Rienäcker Adrian , Schmitz Katharina 
Published: June 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to show these effects in an abstracted micro gap test bench. Because of stronger emission laws, the ambition to raise the rail pressure in common-rail systems from the current 2500 bar to 3000 bar is a given. The pressure increase will allow fine atomization of fuel and therefore more efficient combustion. But within the technical system of the high-pressure pump, stronger thermal stresses of the piston–cylinder contact are expected. A pressure drop from such a high level causes high temperature gradients due to energy dissipation.

Design/methodology/approach
For a detailed examination, the critical piston–cylinder contact has been investigated in an abstracted test bench with a flat parallel gap and an equivalent thermo-elastohydrodynamic simulation model.

Findings
The simulation results show good accordance to the measurements of pressures, temperatures and leakages for pressures up to 3000 bar. Comparison with elastohydrodynamic lubrication results outlines the need to consider temperature and pressure effects viscosity and solid deformation for the simulation and design of tribological contacts at high pressures.

Originality/value
This paper describes a simulation method with high accuracy to investigate tribological contacts considering temperature effects on solid structures and the fluid film. The thermo-elastohydrodynamic lubrication simulation method is valid not only for piston–cylinder contacts in high-pressure pumps but also for journal bearings in combustion engines.
Strategic discipline: inconspicuous lessons from Germanic Mittelstand firms
Authors: Lehrer Mark , Schmid Stefan 
Published: June 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop the hitherto unexplored concept of strategic discipline.

Design/methodology/approach
Three fairly iconic firms of the Germanic Mittelstand (ALDI, Stihl and Hipp) are examined. The meaning and relevance of strategic discipline is derived.

Findings
Intuitively, strategic discipline may seem like the antipode to the much-discussed concept of pivoting. In fact, strategic discipline is shown to be the natural corollary of strategic pivoting as a successive phase in a company’s development.

Research limitations/implications
In fast-moving or fast-changing environments, strategic discipline may be inappropriate. Furthermore, the exercise of strategic discipline can restrain growth. Once firms have attained a certain size and saturation of the market, the desire for further growth may entail a willingness to loosen the hold of strategic discipline.

Practical implications
Strategic discipline can enable firms to avoid falling into common strategic pitfalls. From this paper, the authors distill three basic dimensions of strategic discipline: cultivating simplicity, resisting short-term temptations and focusing on implementability.

Originality/value
The success of firms depends as much on the strategic choices they make as upon the strategic choices they decide not to make. Most prior research has focused on the visible strategy choices companies have made a lot more than on the practically invisible history of strategic choices that firms have not made. This contribution does the opposite, filling an evident gap.
Sustainable built heritage: maintenance management appraisal approach
Authors: Kayan Brit Anak 
Published: June 2019

PurposeSustainability encapsulated economic, environmental and societal parameters. Without exception, these parameters also conforms the efficiency and increasingly importance of sustainable maintenance management for built heritage. However, there is less attention to the appraisal approach for maintenance management of built heritage, twinned with inconsistent and impractical assessment upon their maintenance strategies. With the aim to support sustainability, the purpose of this paper is to give an insight to the question on how the maintenance management appraisal approach practically determines and ultimately substantiates the decision-making process that promotes sustainable built heritage, based on current scenarios and practices in Malaysia.Design/methodology/approachMaintenance management appraisal for sampling of built heritage enables assessment of efficiency of maintenance and repair during maintenance phase based on survey (questionnaires) and statistical analysis.FindingsIt recognises the importance of maintenance management appraisal in achieving efficiency and underpinning rationale decision making for maintenance strategies and service quality (SERVQUAL).Practical implicationsIt must be emphasised that maintenance management appraisal is not confined to built heritage, and can be applied to any types and forms of property. The decision made as a result of its utilisation is practically support sustainable repair.Social implicationsThe implementation of this appraisal highlights the efficacy of maintenance strategies and SERVQUAL that may be adopted.Originality/valueThe paper is a rigorous appraisal of maintenance management of built heritage. This appraisal relays the “true” sustainable built heritage, contextualised within maintenance strategies and SERVQUAL that consequently allows rationale in achieving sustainable development.
Factors influencing SRI fund performance
Authors: Kiymaz Halil 
Published: June 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine socially responsible investment (SRI) fund performance and investigate the factors influencing fund performance.

Design/methodology/approach
The study uses return data from the Morningstar database for 152 SRI funds from January 1995 to May 2015. The initial analysis includes the use of various risk-adjusted performance measures, including Sharpe ratio, Treynor ratio, Information ratio, Sortino ratio and M2. The study also uses four factor models, including Jensen single-factor model, Fama–French three-factor model, Carhart four-factor model and Fama–French five-factor model to explain SRI fund returns. Finally, a cross-sectional regression analysis is applied to investigate the determinants of SRI fund returns.

Findings
The results show that, on average, the SRI funds provide comparable risk-adjusted returns relative to various benchmark market indices. Market factor is significant in explaining SRI fund returns. Examining each factor model, the results do not support Fama–French’s three-factor model as neither size nor value factor is significant. The author finds weak support for Carhart’s momentum factor along with the market factor. Finally, the Fama–French five-factor model shows market, size and operating profit factors explain SRI fund returns. The study also finds the fund performance is stronger for funds with the higher turnover ratio, the larger fund size and more managerial experience and lower for funds with higher expense ratio. Also, funds formed with negative screening perform better than positive or mixed screened funds.

Originality/value
SRI funds have received considerable attention from investors. This study contributes to the literature by examining SRI fund performance and investigating factors influencing their performance using multiple factor models and cross-sectional regression analysis. The findings are relevant for investors who demand responsible investment opportunities without sacrificing returns for nonfinancial screenings. Findings also suggest that investors should consider fund characteristics when selecting SRI funds.
A pragmatist solution to the relevance gap of business school education
Authors: Asdemir Kursad , Ahrens Thomas 
Published: June 2019

Purpose
Within the context of business school education, the purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual foundation in making academic knowledge more relevant to managerial practice through the use an off-shoot of pragmatist philosophy, Bridgman’s “operationalism,” in order to integrate theoretical knowledge with managerial experience.

Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on practice theory and Dewey’s theory of education, the paper argues that the operationalization of concepts into a set of actions brings theory closer to experience. An example from decision making during the Second World War illustrates the approach.

Findings
Facing future uncertainty, managerial practice strives to achieve goals in particular contexts. Knowledge is prospectively useful in situ when it is a source of fertile suggestion in perplexing situations. By presenting concepts as actions, students should find it easier to develop cognitive skills that can combine experience and knowledge for addressing novel decision-making situations.

Research limitations/implications
The research presents an application to decision making. More research is needed to determine how the approach can be extended into other domains of business education. Empirical testing of the effectiveness of the proposed method in different contexts may explicate how the method can be implemented, developed and improved further.

Originality/value
The debate on how to educate future business leaders has addressed concerns over the relevance of abstract knowledge, business practices, legitimacy and professionalism. It has also been marked by a lack of prescription for improving business school education. The current paper addresses this lack and will facilitate the development of teaching pedagogies that are more relevant to managerial practice in business education by providing a solid theoretical foundation.
Emerging case oriented agents for sustaining educational institutions going green towards environmental responsibility
Authors: Anthony Jnr. Bokolo , Abdul Majid Mazlina , Romli Awanis 
Published: June 2019

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to design a system deployment model that integrates case-based agent technique to develop an eco-responsibility decision support tool for greening educational institutions toward environmental responsibility.

Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected through questionnaires distributed among a statistical population that comprised practitioners across educational institutions in Malaysia that implement green practices. The questionnaire measured the feasibility of the developed tool based on factors derived from the literature. Accordingly, descriptive, exploratory and factor analysis approach using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) was used to test the feasibility of the developed tool.

Findings
Results from descriptive analysis confirm the tool is feasible based on mean values that range from 4.1619 to 3.6508 on a five-point scale, indicating that the tool is effective in sustaining educational institutions going green. Besides, results from exploratory analysis verify the reliability of the tool based on the acceptable Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient score higher than 0.7 and Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin value being above 0.5. Finally, results from factor analysis reveal that the developed tool is usable, efficient, helpful, flexible and credible and supports educational institutions in going green at 88.44 per cent of the total variance, suggesting that the respondents are satisfied with the tool.

Research limitations/implications
The sample population in this study comprises only practitioners from educational institutions in Malaysia. Theoretically, this research provides feasibility factors and associated items that can be used in evaluating developed information systems.

Practical implications
Practically, this study develops an eco-responsibility decision support tool to facilitate green strategies and provides information on how practitioners in educational institutions can improve green growth.

Social implications
This study presents how case-oriented agents aid educational institutions in going green for environmental responsibility. Socially, this research provides the strategies for green practice improvement in educational institutions toward environmental responsibility.

Originality/value
The eco-responsibility decision support tool provides a Web-based platform for promoting ecological protection by supporting the measuring of practitioners’ current green practices for environmental responsibility. Thus, research findings from this study are expected to help decision-makers generate useful insights into environment-friendly strategies to be implemented in educational institutions. Lastly, the statistical tests adopted in this paper can be used to gauge the feasibility of information system application in future.
Exploring leadership styles in government hospitals in Kuwait
Authors: ALFadhalah Talal , Elamir Hossam 
Published: June 2019

Purpose
This paper aims to determine and assess leadership styles in six government general hospitals.

Design/methodology/approach
This is a cross-sectional study that uses a self-administered questionnaire to determine the leadership styles by self or followers’ rating. The participants were 66 leaders and 1,626 followers. The data were analyzed using suitable statistical methods.

Findings
The prevailing leadership style of hospitals’ leaders is the transformational style, where self-rating as transformational is higher than followers’ rating. The demographic characteristics of leaders are statistically insignificant.

Research limitations/implications
Other health-care settings were not included in the study. In addition, the study is designed to determine the relationship between variables, not to identify cause and effect. However, effective leadership has a substantial value and impact in health care. The paper confirms the existence of a transformational style effect on all organizational outcomes and represents a baseline for future studies in determining leadership styles and organizational culture types to highlight improvement areas.

Practical implications
The paper recommends designing training programs to improve transformational leadership behavior. Moreover, investment in research is needed to understand how to build transformational leaders. In addition, leaders' recruitment must be conditioned by obtaining a leadership certification.

Originality/value
This topic is under-researched in Kuwait health-care system. The use of leadership style as an indicator for a health-care organization's performance is still not well known in Kuwait.
Is radiative forcing cointegrated with temperature? A further examination using a structural time series approach
Authors: Balcombe Kelvin , Fraser Iain , Sharma Abhijit 
Published: June 2019

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to re-examine the long-run relationship between radiative forcing (including emissions of carbon dioxide, sulphur oxides, methane and solar radiation) and temperatures from a structural time series modelling perspective. The authors assess whether forcing measures are cointegrated with global temperatures using the structural time series approach.Design/methodology/approachA Bayesian approach is used to obtain estimates that represent the uncertainty regarding this relationship. The estimated structural time series model enables alternative model specifications to be consistently compared by evaluating model performance.FindingsThe results confirm that cointegration between radiative forcing and temperatures is consistent with the data. However, the results find less support for cointegration between forcing and temperature data than found previously.Research limitations/implicationsGiven considerable debate within the literature relating to the “best” way to statistically model this relationship and explain results arising as well as model performance, there is uncertainty regarding our understanding of this relationship and resulting policy design and implementation. There is a need for further modelling and use of more data.Practical implicationsThere is divergence of views as to how best to statistically capture, explain and model this relationship. Researchers should avoid being too strident in their claims about model performance and better appreciate the role of uncertainty.Originality/valueThe results of this study make a contribution to the literature by employing a theoretically motivated framework in which a number of plausible alternatives are considered in detail, as opposed to simply employing a standard cointegration framework.