bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Active particle motion in Poiseuille flow through rectangular channels
Authors: Valani Rahil N. , Harding Brendan , Stokes Yvonne M. 
Published: September 2024

We investigate the dynamics of a pointlike active particle suspended in fluid flow through a straight channel. For this particle-fluid system, we derive a constant of motion for a general unidirectional fluid flow and apply it to an approximation of Poiseuille flow through channels with rectangular cross- sections. We obtain a 4D nonlinear conservative dynamical system with one constant of motion and a dimensionless parameter describing the ratio of maximum flow speed to intrinsic active particle speed. Applied to square channels, we observe a diverse set of active particle trajectories with variations in system parameters and initial conditions which we classify into different types of swinging, trapping, tumbling, and wandering motion. Regular (periodic and quasiperiodic) motion as well as chaotic active particle motion are observed for these trajectories and quantified using largest Lyapunov exponents. We explore the transition to chaotic motion using Poincaré maps and show “sticky” chaotic tumbling trajectories that have long transients near a periodic state. We briefly illustrate how these results extend to rectangular cross-sections with a width-to-height ratio larger than one. Outcomes of this paper may have implications for dynamics of natural and artificial microswimmers in experimental microfluidic channels that typically have rectangular cross sections.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
The role of the residential balcony in local context; perception of Cairene women
Authors: Al-Gebeily Rowida Magdy , Sherif Ahmed , Aly Ramy 
Published: September 2024

PurposeSince public and private spaces are generally considered to be the fundamental building blocks for residential settings, this study draws attention to the need to consider and detail threshold spaces as one of the key aspects for accomplishing sociocultural needs, restoration and well-being in the residential environment. Understanding the function and uses of these spaces allows us to appreciate their benefits which are often neglected. This research particularly focuses on the social dimension of one fundamental threshold pattern; the Cairene balcony.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative anthropological approach was adopted in this research where in-depth interviews with female residents (n = 46) were conducted in three local contexts in Cairo, Egypt in parallel with non-participatory observation. The present piece focuses on the results elicited from the female residents’ interviews.FindingsIrrespective of the income group, sociocultural background and context, dominating factors influencing women’s perception of the role of the Cairene balcony were commonly present. These included issues of; well-being and restoration, the phenomenon of personalization and identity, functional and communicative purposes, safety and security and privacy and control. Overall, the majority of interviewees stressed the significance of the balcony as a prominent source of prospect and an impermissible part of the residential environment.Originality/valueThe fact that little research has been conducted to examine the everyday use of the balcony and the role it plays in Cairene homes makes this “dedicated” research piece a valuable addition.
Labour market feminization and economic development in sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Adejumo Oluwabunmi O. , Obisanya Joshua F. , Akinyemi Folashade O. 
Published: September 2024

PurposeWomen’s direct or subtle exclusion from the labour market is still evident, necessitating more rigorous inquiries into the subject matter. The study aims to assess the moderating factors that can boost the inclusion of women participation in the labour market by complementing and actualising the doctrine of the feminist U-shaped hypothesis.Design/methodology/approachThis study is situated within the feminist U-shaped hypothesis and employs the generalised method of moments (GMM) on 38 countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA).FindingsThis study validates the U-shaped labour hypothesis and expands on the moderating effects of the U-shaped curve in 38 SSA countries.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the influences of human capital development and technological access that can significantly improve the workings of the feminist U- hypothesis in SSA countries.
Cyber risk management strategies and integration: toward supply chain cyber resilience and robustness
Authors: Jazairy Amer , Brho Mazen , Manuj Ila , Goldsby Thomas J. 
Published: September 2024

PurposeDespite the proliferation of cyberthreats upon the supply chain (SC) at large, knowledge on SC cybersecurity is scarce and predominantly conceptual or descriptive. Addressing this gap, this research examines the effect of SC cyber risk management strategies on integration decisions for cybersecurity (with suppliers, customers, and internally) to enhance the SC’s cyber resilience and robustness.Design/methodology/approachA research model grounded in the supply chain risk management (SCRM) literature, with roots in the Dynamic Capabilities View and the Relational View, was developed. Survey responses of 388 SC managers at US manufacturers were obtained to test the model.FindingsAn impact of SC cyber risk management strategies on internal cyber integration was detected, which in turn impacted external cyber integration with both suppliers and customers. Further, a positive effect of internal and customer cyber integration on both cyber resilience and robustness was found, while cyber integration with suppliers impacted neither.Practical implicationsIndustry practitioners may adapt certain risk management and integration strategies to enhance the cybersecurity posture of their SCs.Originality/valueThis research bridges between the established domain of SCRM and the emergent field of SC cybersecurity by forming and testing novel relationships between SCRM-rooted constructs tailored to an SC cyber risks context.
The consequences of showrooming behaviour on customer satisfaction and loyalty
Authors: Carvalho de Mesquita Jose Marcos , Shin Hyunju , Longuinho João Paulo , Moura Luiz Rodrigo Cunha 
Published: September 2024

PurposeResearch on showrooming has focused on investigating its antecedents, motivators and characteristics, leaving a gap regarding its consequences. Our study intends to build a comprehensive framework to examine the role of showrooming behaviour on showrooming satisfaction and customer loyalty while exploring its antecedents.Design/methodology/approachData collection took place in Brazil through an electronic form distributed on social media, reaching 393 people. After eliminating responses from those who had no showrooming experience, the final sample consisted of 310 respondents. The questions captured the costs and benefits of showrooming, internet savviness, showrooming behaviour, satisfaction with showrooming and customer loyalty (i.e. repurchase intention and positive word-of-mouth). We performed partial least squares data analysis by means of the statistical package Smart PLS 4.FindingsThe results show that showrooming behaviour is positively influenced by internet savviness and the perceived benefits of showrooming but not by the perceived costs of showrooming. In addition, showrooming behaviour positively influences satisfaction with showrooming and customer loyalty (i.e. repurchase intention and positive word-of-mouth). Finally, we identify satisfaction with showrooming as a mediator between showrooming behaviour and customer loyalty.Originality/valueGiven that the implications of showrooming behaviour on customer loyalty remain understudied, this work contributes to the marketing literature by demonstrating the influence of showrooming behaviour on satisfaction with showrooming and its consequential effect on customer loyalty. Moreover, we confirmed the mediating role of customer satisfaction in the relationship between showrooming behaviour and customer loyalty.
Patterns of design thinking in playfixing broken games: an exploratory study
Authors: Bernier Jeremy , Gee Elisabeth R. , Gao Yuchan (Blanche) , Pérez Cortés Luis E. , Kessner Taylor M. 
Published: September 2024

Purpose
The purpose of this paper reporting an exploratory pilot study is to examine how participant engagement in design thinking varies when playing and fixing (playfixing) three partially complete games (broken games).

Design/methodology/approach
The data for this study consist of transcripts of five playfixing sessions with a total of 16 participants. Each session focused on one of three games. The authors used Winn’s (2009) design-play-experience framework to analyze features of each game that might relate to differences in design thinking. Next, the authors coded each playfixing session’s transcript to identify patterns of design thinking. Finally, these findings were used to make conjectures about how design features and flaws might encourage particular forms of design thinking.

Findings
The findings indicate how playfixing tabletop games with varied levels of complexity, playability and rule definition lead to different patterns of design thinking.

Originality/value
This is a first step toward understanding how the constraints associated with various elements of broken games might direct participants toward desired modes of design thinking and more broadly, contributes to the literature on the educational uses of game making.
Empowering sustainability: understanding the users’ perceptions on the adoption of renewable energy technologies (RETs) through a systematic literature review
Authors: Mishra Rahul , Naik B. Koteswara Rao , Raut Rakesh D. 
Published: September 2024

Purpose
Although the research promotes deploying renewable energy technologies (RETs) due to their inherently eco-friendly characteristics, consumer acceptance is relatively low, making RETs acceptance a subject of interest for most recent research. This systematic study aims to integrate and synthesize earlier research on the acceptance of RETs, assessing state-of-the-art and painting a complete picture of the consumer's adoption intention.

Design/methodology/approach
A systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis on the topic of RETs acceptance have been conducted to understand the spectrum of theoretical and methodological methods used in the past, as well as how the users perceive and react to the adoption of it.

Findings
The study of selected 70 research articles showed the role of technology, consumer acceptance and decision-making process as factors influencing the acceptance of RET. The findings suggest that it is crucial to comprehend these factors since users' opinions significantly affect the acceptance and use of renewable technologies.

Practical implications
This paper reviews the research on adopting RETs and identifies factors influencing it. The study further endorses that technology like digitalization can promote the acceptability of renewable energy sources and, inadvertently, assist managers and policymakers in managing business models and making better decisions for sustainable investments.

Originality/value
Research on accepting RETs by integrating the social and technological components is still in its infancy. This study is a novel attempt to identify broad patterns of RETs that can improve communication between decision-makers, technologists and users and aid in the switch to a sustainable energy transition.
From sustainability to financial performance: the role of SDG disclosure
Authors: Beretta Valentina , Demartini Maria Chiara , Trucco Sara 
Published: September 2024

Purpose
Despite the rising trend of sustainable developmental goals (SDGs) incorporation into sustainability reporting, there remains a gap in understanding the role of SDG disclosure (SDGD) in the relationship between sustainability and financial performance. Thus, this study aims to investigate the relationship between sustainability performance and the level of SDGD; the relationship between sustainability performance and financial performance; and the link between the level of SDGD and financial performance.

Design/methodology/approach
Conducted in Italy, the analysis involves manual collection of sustainability reports from company websites for the fiscal years from 2019 to 2022, followed by textual analysis to identify SDG-related content disclosed in nonfinancial reports. Financial and nonfinancial data from Orbis and LSEG databases are used for regression analysis on panel data.

Findings
Findings align with existing literature, emphasizing the partial mediator role played by the level of SDGD in the relationship between sustainability performance and financial performance, measured by return on equity. In addition, the study suggests that there is a positive relationship between sustainability performance and the level of SDGD and a positive relationship between the level of SDGD and financial performance.

Originality/value
This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how SDG disclosures function within the broader nexus of sustainability performance and financial outcomes. Findings from this study provide empirical support for the argument that SDGD is not merely a regulatory compliance tool but also a strategic asset that can enhance a firm’s financial performance.
“Alexa, play today’s Flash Briefing”: utilizing conversational agents in educator preparation
Authors: Hunt Tiffany , Hudson Margaret 
Published: September 2024

PurposeThis grant-funded research utilized conversational agents (CAs), specifically Alexa Flash Briefings, to deliver supplemental audio content across educational settings, expanding the online learning environment of graduate students, residency teachers and mentors. The study aimed to determine the perceived usability of Flash Briefings and explore participant experiences related to Flash Briefings.Design/methodology/approachTo explore Flash Briefing usability and participant perceptions, a review of relevant literature and researcher experience feedback was conducted. Additionally, graduate student feedback was sought via a modified Children’s Usage Rating Profile (CURP) Assessment survey, which also included questions related to listening habits and provided space for participants to share open-ended qualitative feedback. Data were analyzed for themes and descriptive statistics were calculated.FindingsFindings suggest an overall positive perception of the use of Flash Briefings. A mix of positive experiences and challenges are identified based on user population. The study provides valuable insights for refining the utilization of Flash Briefings in higher education settings.Research limitations/implications Variable levels of participation across a small sample size minimizes the generalizability of the results and fails to explore perceptions of student teachers and mentors.Practical implicationsThe study offers an initial indication of benefits and challenges found in the implementation of an innovative technological intervention.Originality/valueThere is a continued need and demand for extending online instructional accessibility and communication across broad geographic areas. This study considers a unique approach and provides a step toward closing this gap by analyzing the effectiveness this content modality offers in higher education.
Revisiting democracy-growth nexus in Sub-Saharan Africa with macroeconomic variables modelling
Authors: Ajayi Temitope Abraham 
Published: September 2024

Purpose
A popular convention in the political-economy literature is that causality runs from democracy to economic growth. That thinking has continued to evoke significant debates among scholars. This study aims to propose a new research experiment by investigating whether macroeconomic variables cause democratisation.

Design/methodology/approach
The study uses a panel data set of 48 carefully selected economies in Sub-Saharan Africa spanning 1991 to 2020 and uses the PVAR system generalised method of moment (GMM) approach.

Findings
With the application of three macroeconomic indicators: economic growth, full employment and balance of payment equilibrium, the study suggests that economic growth has a negative implication on the democratisation process and that the incentives that increase national income provide in the global South enable autocratic rulers to impede democratic growth. The Granger causality test demonstrates a unidirectional effect from economic growth to democracy. The eigenvalue stability condition, impulse response function and forecast-error variance decomposition all confirmed the validity of the findings with the PVAR system GMM. Finally, the study proposed policy and theoretical implications for the political stakeholders.

Social implications
Robust development of economic institutions (particularly the anti-corruption and rule of law) in the global South is required to tame the potential for the state actors to turn public resources into personal use to further their parochial political interest in the form of perpetuating themselves in office which negates the ideals of democracy and social norms. Strong institutions could prevent the misuse of national income and enhance a good quality of life for the citizenry, making them grow confidence in the democratisation process.

Originality/value
The research paper makes an insightful contributions from the methodological perspective and the sampling perspective. The author uses a new research method, the PVAR system GMM becoming the first attempt of such a method to be applied in determining the causal effects of macroeconomic variables on democracy in the literature. Another relevant contribution of the study relates to the sample technique of selecting economies from the Sub-Saharan Africa with notable weak or slow democratisation process.
Below‐ground traits, rare species and environmental stress regulate the biodiversity–ecosystem function relationship
Authors: La Bella Greta , Acosta Alicia T. R. , Jucker Tommaso , Bricca Alessandro , Ciccarelli Daniela , Stanisci Angela , Migliore Melania , Carboni Marta 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

Understanding the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF) is crucial to predicting the consequences of ongoing global biodiversity loss. However, what drives BEF relationships in natural ecosystems under globally changing conditions remains poorly understood.

To address this knowledge gap, we applied a trait‐based approach to data from coastal dune plant communities distributed along a natural environmental stress gradient. Specifically, we compared the relative importance of below‐ground and above‐ground traits in predicting productivity, decomposition, water regulation, carbon stock and nutrient pools, and tested how these BEF relationships were modulated by environmental stress and the presence of rare species that are typically excluded from experimental systems.

Below‐ground traits were just as important as above‐ground traits in driving ecosystem functioning. Moreover, despite having low abundances, rare species positively influenced ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF). However, most biodiversity effects became weaker as environmental stress increased.

Our study shows that to understand variation in ecosystem functioning we must consider below‐ground traits as much as above‐ground ones. Moreover, it highlights the importance of conserving rare species for maintaining EMF. However, our findings also suggest that rapid global change could dampen the positive effects of diversity on ecosystem functioning.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
A movement‐integration approach for the comprehension of punctuation marks in students with dyslexia
Authors: Topouzeli F. , Konstantinidou E. , Evaggelinou C. , Barkoukis V. , Fotiadou E. 
Published: September 2024

AbstractEmbodied cognition and movement‐integration (MI) in classroom settings attract the interest of researchers and practitioners. The purpose of this six‐week pilot study was to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of a MI approach (PunMoves) focusing on the comprehension of punctuation marks in reading, which was implemented in 12 middle‐school literature classes for children with dyslexia. The perceptions and experiences of four literature teachers for special educational needs and their selected 12 middle‐school students with dyslexia were recorded through semi‐structured interviews after the implementation of PunMoves. A reflexive thematic analysis revealed that PunMoves was more than welcomed from teachers and students, as it stimulated the students' interest and motivation in the reading process and the comprehension of punctuation marks. The acceptability of the approach from teachers and students was also reflected through its multidimensional impact on children's behaviours. Game‐based elements detected as some significant points of the program.
Visual detection and enhancement of alterations in questioned documents by Mueller polarimetry
Authors: Chironi Emanuel , Iemmi Claudio 
Published: September 2024

AbstractIn this article, we have explored the use of Mueller polarimetry for the detection and enhancement of alterations in questioned documents. Erasures, obliterations (with liquid paper and by pasting an additional layer of paper), and insertions (made with several inks) were studied in both regular and glossy paper. Promising results were obtained, which depend on the type of paper and the relation between the color of the ink and that of the illuminating light source. Erasures are easier to detect in glossy paper than in regular paper. Obliterations with liquid paper produced successful results in both types of paper, while detection of obliterations made with an additional layer of paper led to higher contrast for regular paper. Regarding the insertions, the black ball‐point ink could be differentiated from roller‐ball and gel‐pen ink, which is often difficult to achieve visually. The contrast observed between the two inks was higher for regular paper than for glossy paper. Although the results shown in this article are promising, a wider variety of papers and pen types must be tested to further develop the procedure. It has the advantage of being non‐destructive and far more economic than other methods. In some cases, the results can be complementary to those obtained by other methods (e.g., fluorescence with UV excitation and illumination with transmitted and oblique light), while in other cases the method offers unique advantages.