bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Student perceptions of service quality in a multi‐campus higher education system in Spain
Authors: Gallifa Josep , Batallé Pere 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThis paper aims to present an in‐depth case study with student perceptions of service quality, discussing the relevance of these perceptions for the important issue of quality improvement in higher education.Design/methodology/approachThe paper presents institutional research carried out in a multi‐campus system in Spain made up of institutions coming from different quality cultures. The research adopts the model of the deficiencies in service quality approach, adapting it to the construction of a questionnaire, which was answered by final year students in all the university campuses.FindingsComparative results between campuses and evolution in time of some meaningful variables are presented to illustrate the method's potentialities. A characterization of the main traits of the students' perceptions of service quality obtained from the data resulted in a profile of the single campuses and for the whole system. This profile is interesting in terms of ascertaining meaningful dimensions of the university brand.Practical implicationsExamples of practical implications for the campuses where the process was implemented are presented to illustrate the importance of some findings for quality improvement policies. This approach can be easily applied in other institutions.Originality/valueDiscussion of some meaningful findings illustrates the value of this methodology for other higher educational systems interested in service quality and continuous quality improvement. The study provides a questionnaire, an implicit methodology and rationale.
Interventionist research – the puberty years: an introduction to the special issue
Authors: Westin Olle , Roberts Hanno 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide an introduction and overview of the various papers in this special issue.Design/methodology/approachA short discussion of the main quests of interventionist research and how these are related to the papers in this special issue, is undertaken.FindingsThe essence of interventionist research is its methodological location, researching where practice and theory meet.Research limitations/implicationsInterventionist research places strong demands on the individual researcher's interpretative, social, and abstracting skills in order to carry observations to ontological and epistemological levels.Practical implicationsInterventionist research is rich in research designs and specific intervention types. Selecting the “right” one is strongly related to the connection the researcher makes with the social context she/he will operate in. Changes over time in both design and intervention can be expected, given the dynamic, longitudinal and interactive nature of interventionist research.Originality/valueThis special issue provides examples of a varied set of interventionist research situations, including the selection of typical intervention methods and how knowledge contributions were extracted.
A critical review of interventionist research
Authors: Baard Vicki 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to further develop the epistemological base of interventionist research (IR) as a valid accounting and management research methodology, through the identification of intervention theory and an IR framework derived from social sciences. Moreover, this paper seeks to contribute to empirical knowledge of IR through a critical review of limited empirical evidence relating to intervention theory and the extant IR frameworks derived from action research.Design/methodology/approachTexts and academic journal papers that judiciously review intervention theory, intervention research frameworks were identified systematically; along with empirical research addressing theoretical and methodological deficiencies of IR and, providing evidence to inform practical considerations when undertaking IR.FindingsThe key findings include rare empirical evidence addressing theoretical shortcomings and application of intervention theory, an IR framework derived from social sciences with extremely limited use in accounting and management research, deficiencies in action research oriented frameworks labelled as alternative forms of IR, an alternate perspective to positivistic validity and reliability issues and other practical considerations to facilitate the conducting of IR.Originality/valueThe novelty of this paper lies in the diminution of the fragmented nature of IR that undermines its scientific value through the identification of an intervention theory and IR framework experiencing extremely limited use in accounting and management research, with the exception of a cross‐disciplinary (management accounting and information systems) doctoral study, optimising IR utilisation with greater degrees of validity and reliability and, finally, a proposed alternative research design for utilisation in IR.
A critical reflective discourse of an interventionist research project
Authors: Dumay John C. 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a reflective discourse about a particular interventionist research project utilising a critical framework.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses Alvesson and Deetz's tasks of critical research to analyse the application of interventionist research methodology and address the issues of access, data collection and ethnographical concerns.FindingsAccess issues are expanded to consider the concerns of the researcher and the researched. Interventionist research needs to develop a methodological approach moving beyond the concept of triangulation and to develop the concept of “catalytical” processes, expanding the emic and etic functions of interventionist research. The paper identifies that skills of the researched and the researcher need to be developed and recognises that the skills required are different to those currently possessed by academic researchers.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper examines only a single application of an interventionist research project conducted over a short period of time with a specific outcome in mind.Practical implicationsThis paper provides a discussion of a working example of an interventionist research project and highlights to researchers and practitioners some of the advantages and disadvantages of undertaking such an approach to solving organisational problems.Originality/valueThe reflective critical discourse as outlined in this paper contributes to the practice of interventionist research by opening up further the discussion of how it can be implemented in practice and what are some of the considerations from both the perspective of practice and the skills base of the participants.
Open book accounting in practice – exploring the faces of openness
Authors: Suomala Petri , Lahikainen Tommi , Lyly‐Yrjänäinen Jouni , Paranko Jari 
Published: April 2010

PurposeIn spite of the increased research activity on inter‐organizational cost management (IOCM) and open‐book accounting (OBA), detailed evidence on the application of these tools in real‐life settings is still relatively sparse. Increased outsourcing and supplier responsibilities call for more thorough understanding on the possibilities and variations of supply chain cost management. As a research avenue, in‐depth case studies have been invited to elaborate the cost management interaction between companies. This paper aims to address these issues.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is based on an interventionist research within two supply networks. By making research interventions on the development of cost management practices among the suppliers, the researchers have set the ground for implementation of OBA, which, then, has provided a box seat to observe the process of OBA and its associations with the different forms of control. Within these two networks, this paper focuses on two OBA episodes portraying different facets of openness in IOCM.FindingsThis paper presents OBA as an accounting template with a seemingly flexible character. By relying on the empirical study, the paper shows how OBA might be used for mitigating the component's price increasing pressures and, thus, controlling the costs of the end product in hybrids resembling very much market conditions. However, the very similar OBA procedures can be applied for achieving the long‐term goals of partnering in hybrids resembling to a great extent hierarchical structures. As the paper shows, the best corresponding control archetype for a given OBA application largely depends on the purpose defined for the IOCM activity by participating stakeholders.Originality/valueThus, far, there are no interventionist studies on OBA and, hence, the research setting provides an interesting new element to the extant literature on OBA and IOCM. However, the research method does not have intrinsic value. Thus, the contribution, and therefore also the originality, of this paper is based on new aspects provided to the theory on OBA.
Interventionism – an approach for the future?
Authors: Jönsson Sten 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to address the distinctive problems of interventionist research that originate from intervention in ongoing practices as opposed to the experiment's design of a theory‐relevant context.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is an essay, based on arguments of mapping closely and understanding the work environment of the managers under study, and of re‐framing (or re‐education) practices.FindingsThe paper finds that the intervention is valued in terms of improved practice, as well as theoretical contribution.Research limitations/implicationsLearning theories (organizational and individual) should be included in the toolbox as well as methods of observing ongoing practices.Practical implicationsInterventionist research changes the way organizations think about how they organize their work (the appellate case); learning theory impacts work organization very concretely.Originality/valueManagement itself is intervention in organizational work practices, intervention in management practices will be something akin to Argyriset al.'s second loop (or Rorty's abnormal discourse) learning, which can be understood as re‐framing (or re‐education) practices. The use of case narratives and storytelling as ways of data capture are of particular interest in that respect.
Fused deposition modeling of patient‐specific polymethylmethacrylate implants
Authors: Espalin David , Arcaute Karina , Rodriguez David , Medina Francisco , Posner Matthew , Wicker Ryan 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the use of medical‐grade polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) in fused deposition modeling (FDM) to fabricate porous customized freeform structures for several applications including craniofacial reconstruction and orthopaedic spacers. It also aims to examine the effects of different fabrication conditions on porosity and mechanical properties of PMMA samples.Design/methodology/approachThe building parameters and procedures to properly and consistently extrude PMMA filament in FDM for building 3D structures were determined. Two experiments were performed that examined the effects of different fabrication conditions, including tip wipe frequency, layer orientation, and air gap (AG) (or distance between filament edges) on the mechanical properties and porosity of the fabricated structures. The samples were characterized through optical micrographs, and measurements of weight and dimensions of the samples were used to calculate porosity. The yield strength, strain, and modulus of elasticity of the samples were determined through compressive testing.FindingsResults show that both the tip wipe frequency (one wipe every layer or one wipe every ten layers) and layer orientation (transverse or axial with respect to the applied compressive load) used to fabricate the scaffolds have effects on the mechanical properties and resulting porosity. The samples fabricate in the transverse orientation with the high tip wipe frequency have a larger compressive strength and modulus than the lower tip wipe frequency samples (compressive strength: 16±0.97 vs 13±0.71 MPa, modulus: 370±14 vs 313±29 MPa, for the high vs low tip wipe frequency, respectively). Also, the samples fabricated in the transverse orientation have a larger compressive strength and modulus than the ones fabricated in the axial orientation (compressive strength: 16±0.97 vs 13±0.83 MPa, modulus: 370±14 vs 281±22 MPa; for samples fabricated with one tip wipe per layer in the transverse and axial orientations, respectively). In general, the stiffness and yield strength decreased when the porosity increased (compressive strength: 12±0.71 to 7±0.95 MPa, Modulus: 248±10 to 165±16 MPa, for samples with a porosity ranging from 55 to 70 percent). As a demonstration, FDM is successfully used to fabricate patient‐specific, 3D PMMA implants with varying densities, including cranial defect repair and femur models.Originality/valueThis paper demonstrates that customized, 3D, biocompatible PMMA structures with varying porosities can be designed and directly fabricated using FDM. By enabling the use of PMMA in FDM, medical implants such as custom craniofacial implants can be directly fabricated from medical imaging data improving the current state of PMMA use in medicine.
Design and manufacture of a Formula SAE intake system using fused deposition modeling and fiber‐reinforced composite materials
Authors: Ilardo Ryan , Williams Christopher B. 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss the design and manufacture of an intake system for a 600cc Formula Society of Automotive Engineers engine. Owing to the inherent geometric limitations imposed by the existing manufacturing process (bending and welding of aluminum), it is difficult to design and fabricate an intake manifold system in which pressure losses are kept to a minimum and equal charge is provided to each cylinder. The aim is to develop a fabrication process that circumvents these limitations.Design/methodology/approachFused deposition modeling (FDM) is used to create an intake system (consisting of a plenum, plenum elbow, and cylinder runners) that is then later covered in layers of carbon fiber composite fabric through vacuum bagging. FDM allows for geometric design freedom, while the layup of a composite material (and its associated high‐temperature resin) provide the strength and heat‐resistivity necessary for this application.FindingsAs a result of this approach, a functional intake manifold is created that survived the high temperatures and pressures of the turbo‐charged engine. The process allowed the geometry of the intake to be redesigned, resulting in reduced weight (due to lower material density and lack of welds, hose clamps, and silicon couples), improved charge distribution, and increased torque through a wide RPM range when compared to its traditionally manufactured aluminum counterpart.Practical implicationsThe approach described in this paper shows that a functional, end‐use intake manifold can be produced by the combination of FDM method and subsequent lamination of a carbon‐fiber composite material. The approach enables the geometric freedom to improve manifold design, resulting in improved vehicle performance.Originality/valueThis case study presents a low‐cost manner of directly manufacturing functional parts through the combination of FDM and composite material layup.
Multi‐material bonding in ultrasonic consolidation
Authors: Obielodan J.O. , Ceylan A. , Murr L.E. , Stucker B.E. 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe increasing interest in engineering structures made from multiple materials has led to corresponding interest in technologies, which can fabricate multi‐material parts. The purpose of this paper is to further explore of the multi‐material fabrication capabilities of ultrasonic consolidation (UC).Design/methodology/approachVarious combinations of materials including titanium, silver, tantalum, aluminum, molybdenum, stainless steel, nickel, copper, and MetPreg® were ultrasonically consolidated. Some of the materials were found to be effective as an intermediate layer between difficult to join materials. Elemental boron particles were added in situ between selected materials to modify the bonding characteristics. Microstructures of deposits were studied to evaluate bond quality.FindingsResults show evidence of good bonding between many combinations of materials, thus illustrating increasing potential for multi‐material fabrication using UC.Originality/valueMulti‐material fabrication capabilities using UC and other additive manufacturing processes is a critical step towards the realization of engineering designs which make use of functional material combinations and optimization.
Additive fabrication of custom pedorthoses for clubfoot correction
Authors: Cook Douglas , Gervasi Vito , Rizza Robert , Kamara Sheku , Liu Xue‐Cheng 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to determine the most‐practical means of transforming computer‐aided‐design models of custom clubfoot pedorthoses into functional pedorthoses for testing on patients in a clinical trial.Design/methodology/approachThe materials used in conventional orthosis fabrication are not yet available for solid free‐form fabrication; therefore, to fabricate the pedorthoses, several approaches were considered, including direct manufacturing, additive‐based moulding, laser cutting of foam and combinations of several of these approaches.FindingsThe chosen approach of additively manufacturing the custom hard shell, and moulding the polyurethane‐foam insert, resulted in accurate, durable and effective pedorthoses that fit well, and could be adjusted as needed. The pedorthoses that were produced are currently being tested on the respective patients for their improvement in mobility and degree of clubfoot correction, and will continue through early 2010.Practical implicationsAdditive manufacturing provides an ideal approach for generating the custom, end‐use hard‐ and soft‐layer patterns: each pedorthosis is truly unique; and the soft layer has regions of variable thickness. The advantage of this approach is the reduction in labour and the increase in degrees of design freedom available, compared to conventional methods of fabricating orthotic devices. Replacement inserts can be moulded in a matter of hours using this silicone‐moulding approach.Originality/valueSeveral new approaches for fabricating custom orthotic devices were explored, and the related results are discussed. The goal of this paper is to convey the potential of the fabrication procedure used and lessons learned on this project to the rapid prototyping and orthotic communities.
Design of an actively actuated prosthetic socket
Authors: Montgomery John T. , Vaughan Meagan R. , Crawford Richard H. 
Published: April 2010

PurposeA prosthetic socket worn by an amputee must serve a wide variety of functions, from stationary support to the transfer of forces necessary to move. Because a subject's residual limb changes volume throughout the day, it is desirable that the socket adapt to accommodate volume changes to maintain fit and comfort. The purpose of this paper is to provide steps towards designing a transtibial nylon prothestic socket, fabricated by selective laser sintering (SLS), that automatically adapts to volumetric changes of a residual limb.Design/methodology/approachAn adaptive socket design that has both rigid and compliant regions is proposed to be manufactured by SLS and actuated by inflation. To assess the feasibility of this approach, thin membrane test specimens of various thicknesses and materials were created to understand the relationship between inflation pressure and deflection for SLS manufactured plastics. Finite element analysis (FEA) was assessed as a predictive design tool and verified with the experimental inflation/deflection results.FindingsThe initial flat test specimens could only achieve deflection of 2.13 mm at 145 kPa (nylon 12) and 3.38 mm at 340 kPa (nylon 11). A curved specimen is created that met performance goals with 7.67 mm maximum deflection at 714 kPa. FEA for the flat specimens is an accurate predictor of performance, but the results of analyzing the curved specimens are an order of magnitude different from the experimental data.Research limitations/implicationsThe success of the physical curved specimens is encouraging for future research, but the FEA will need to be further developed before socket performance can be predicted with confidence.Originality/valueA socket that does not fit the subject well will cause movement problems, rehabilitation difficulties, and potentially long‐term health issues. This research shows great potential for developing a socket that provides greater comfort and fit.
Effect of laser fluence in laser‐assisted direct writing of human colon cancer cell
Authors: Lin Yafu , Huang Guohui , Huang Yong , Jeremy Tzeng Tzuen‐Rong , Chrisey Douglas 
Published: April 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the effect of laser fluence on the post‐transfer cell viability of human colon cancer cells (HT‐29) during a typical biofabrication process, matrix‐assisted pulsed‐laser evaporation direct‐write (MAPLE DW).Design/methodology/approachThe post‐transfer cell viability in MAPLE DW depends on various operation conditions such as the applied laser fluence. HT‐29 cell was selected as a model mammalian cell to investigate the effect of laser fluence on the post‐transfer cell viability. MAPLE DW‐based HT‐29 cell direct writing was implemented using an ArF excimer laser under a wide range of laser fluence. Trypan blue dye‐exclusion was used to test the post‐transfer cell viability.FindingsIt has been observed that: the HT‐29 cell viability decreases from 95 to 78 percent as the laser fluence increases from 258 to 1,482 mJ/cm2; and cell injury in this study is mainly due to the process‐induced mechanical stress during the cell droplet formation and landing processes while the effects of thermal influence and ultraviolet radiation are below the level of detection.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper reveals some interesting relationships between the laser fluence and the post‐transfer mammalian cell viability and injury, and the resulting knowledge of these process‐related relationships helps the wide implementation of MAPLE DW‐based biofabrication. Post‐transfer cell injury reversibility and cell proliferation capacity need to be further elucidated.Practical implicationsThis paper will help the wide implementation of cell direct‐write technologies including MAPLE DW to fabricate biological constructs as artificial tissues/organs and bio‐sensing devices.Originality/valueThe shortage of donor organs and the need of various bio‐sensing devices have significantly prompted the development of various biological material‐based direct‐write technologies. Process‐induced cell injury happens during fabricating of biological constructs using different direct‐write technologies including MAPLE DW. The post‐transfer cell viability is a key index to evaluate the feasibility and efficiency of any biofabrication technique. This paper has investigated the effect of laser fluence on the post‐transfer HT‐29 cell viability and injury. The knowledge from this study will help effectively and efficiently fabricate various biological constructs for organ printing and biosensor fabrication applications.