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Article
Publication date: 6 May 2024

Yue (Darcy) Lu, Yifeng Liang and Yao-Chin Wang

This study aims to conceptualize the characteristics of artificial intelligence (AI) dogs while exploring their applications in tourism and hospitality settings.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to conceptualize the characteristics of artificial intelligence (AI) dogs while exploring their applications in tourism and hospitality settings.

Design/methodology/approach

The total of 30 in-depth interviews were conducted, and data were analyzed through thematic analysis.

Findings

This study proposed differences between AI dogs and real dogs and human-like robots, core characteristics of AI dogs’ functions, a matrix of appearance and expectation regarding intelligence for AI dogs and human-like robots, the relationship between ethical barriers and task complexity, adoptions of AI dogs in different user segments and practical applications in hospitality and tourism settings, such as restaurants, city tour guides, extended-stay resorts and event organizations.

Research limitations/implications

This research advances the field of tourism and hospitality studies by introducing the new concept of AI dogs and their practical applications. This present study adds new insights into the opportunities and contexts of human–robot interaction in the field of tourism and hospitality.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is one of the first studies of AI dogs in tourism and hospitality.

Details

Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1757-9880

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 17 May 2024

Mahak Sharma, Rose Antony, Ashu Sharma and Tugrul Daim

Supply chains need to be made viable in this volatile and competitive market, which could be possible through digitalization. This study is an attempt to explore the role of…

Abstract

Purpose

Supply chains need to be made viable in this volatile and competitive market, which could be possible through digitalization. This study is an attempt to explore the role of Industry 4.0, smart supply chain, supply chain agility and supply chain resilience on sustainable business performance from the lens of natural resource-based view.

Design/methodology/approach

The study tests the proposed model using a covariance-based structural equation modelling and further investigates the ranking of each construct using the artificial neural networks approach in AMOS and SPSS respectively. A total of 234 respondents selected using purposive sampling aided in capturing the industry practices across supply chains in the UK. The full collinearity test was carried out to study the common method bias and the content validity was carried out using the item content validity index and scale content validity index. The convergent and discriminant validity of the constructs and mediation study was carried out in SPSS and AMOS V.23.

Findings

The results are overtly inferring the significant impact of Industry 4.0 practices on creating smart and ultimately sustainable supply chains. A partial relationship is established between Industry 4.0 and supply chain agility through a smart supply chain. This work empirically reinstates the combined significance of green practices, Industry 4.0, smart supply chain, supply chain agility and supply chain resilience on sustainable business value. The study also uses the ANN approach to determine the relative importance of each significant variable found in SEM analysis. ANN determines the ranking among the significant variables, i.e. supply chain resilience > green practices > Industry 4.0> smart supply chain > supply chain agility presented in descending order.

Originality/value

This study is a novel attempt to establish the role of digitalization in SCs for attaining sustainable business value, providing empirical support to the mediating role of supply chain agility, supply chain resilience and smart supply chain and manifests a significant integrated framework. This work reinforces the integrated model that combines all the constructs dealt with in silos so far in prior literature.

Article
Publication date: 1 August 2016

Hsien-Hung Ting and Shuhn-Shyurng Hou

The purpose of this paper is to numerically investigate the convective heat transfer of water-based CuO nanofluids flowing through a square cross-section duct under constant heat…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to numerically investigate the convective heat transfer of water-based CuO nanofluids flowing through a square cross-section duct under constant heat flux in the turbulent flow regime.

Design/methodology/approach

The numerical simulation is carried out at various Peclet numbers and particle concentrations (0.1, 0.2, 0.5, and 0.8 vol%). The finite volume formulation is used with the semi-implicit method for pressure-linked equations algorithm to solve the discretized equations derived from the partial nonlinear differential equations of the mathematical model.

Findings

The heat transfer coefficients and Nusselt numbers of CuO-water nanofluids increase with increases in the Peclet number as well as particle volume concentration. Also, enhancement of the heat transfer coefficient is much greater than that of the effective thermal conductivity at the same nanoparticle concentration.

Research limitations/implications

Simulation of nanofluids turbulent forced convection at very high Reynolds number is worth for further study.

Practical implications

The heat transfer rates through non-circular ducts are smaller than the circular tubes. Nevertheless, the pressure drop of the non-circular duct is less than that of the circular tube. This study clearly presents that the nanoparticles suspended in water enhance the convective heat transfer coefficient, despite low volume fraction between 0.1 and 0.8 percent. Adding nanoparticles to conventional fluids may enhance heat transfer performance through the non-circular ducts, leading to extensive practical applications in industries for the non-circular ducts.

Originality/value

Few papers have numerically studied convective heat transfer properties of nanofluids through non-circular ducts. The present numerical results show a good agreement with the published experimental data.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 33 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 April 2012

Sandra Idrovo Carlier, Consuelo Leon Llorente and Marc Grau Grau

This paper aims to determine the level of awareness and implementation of family‐responsible parameters: policies, enablers, practices, and culture, in Spanish and Latin‐American…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to determine the level of awareness and implementation of family‐responsible parameters: policies, enablers, practices, and culture, in Spanish and Latin‐American companies, and how they impact work‐life balance.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses data from different national IESE's Family‐Responsible Employer Index surveys in Spain (1,000 companies) and five Latin‐American countries (1,155 companies), Brazil, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador and Peru, done between 2006 and 2008. This is a structured questionnaire that assesses the stage of development the organization is in regarding four main family‐responsible parameters: policies, enablers, practices, and culture.

Findings

Latin‐American countries get a slightly higher number of companies that are fully supportive of work‐family balance environment than Spain, but with lesser formal policies implemented and a stronger presence of enablers and practices. Policies are important but might not be as effective if not accompanied by the example of managers and staff as well as by a deep understanding of the cultural value placed by them on work, family and personal life.

Research limitations/implications

The survey‐based data used limits insight into causal relationships. Qualitative and longitudinal studies are needed in order to clarify motives for individual and organizational decisions regarding work‐life initiatives. Data collected are from one source only: employer's management. Multi‐source studies must follow and include the public sector.

Originality/value

This is the first comparison between Spanish companies and companies from five Latin‐American countries regarding work‐family policies, enablers, practices and culture with such an ample number of companies. Findings will aid HRD practitioners in developing work‐family initiatives and help researchers to address new questions in cross‐cultural comparisons.

Details

European Journal of Training and Development, vol. 36 no. 2/3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-9012

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 February 2024

Yumeng Feng, Weisong Mu, Yue Li, Tianqi Liu and Jianying Feng

For a better understanding of the preferences and differences of young consumers in emerging wine markets, this study aims to propose a clustering method to segment the super-new…

Abstract

Purpose

For a better understanding of the preferences and differences of young consumers in emerging wine markets, this study aims to propose a clustering method to segment the super-new generation wine consumers based on their sensitivity to wine brand, origin and price and then conduct user profiles for segmented consumer groups from the perspectives of demographic attributes, eating habits and wine sensory attribute preferences.

Design/methodology/approach

We first proposed a consumer clustering perspective based on their sensitivity to wine brand, origin and price and then conducted an adaptive density peak and label propagation layer-by-layer (ADPLP) clustering algorithm to segment consumers, which improved the issues of wrong centers' selection and inaccurate classification of remaining sample points for traditional DPC (DPeak clustering algorithm). Then, we built a consumer profile system from the perspectives of demographic attributes, eating habits and wine sensory attribute preferences for segmented consumer groups.

Findings

In this study, 10 typical public datasets and 6 basic test algorithms are used to evaluate the proposed method, and the results showed that the ADPLP algorithm was optimal or suboptimal on 10 datasets with accuracy above 0.78. The average improvement in accuracy over the base DPC algorithm is 0.184. As an outcome of the wine consumer profiles, sensitive consumers prefer wines with medium prices of 100–400 CNY and more personalized brands and origins, while casual consumers are fond of popular brands, popular origins and low prices within 50 CNY. The wine sensory attributes preferred by super-new generation consumers are red, semi-dry, semi-sweet, still, fresh tasting, fruity, floral and low acid.

Practical implications

Young Chinese consumers are the main driver of wine consumption in the future. This paper provides a tool for decision-makers and marketers to identify the preferences of young consumers quickly which is meaningful and helpful for wine marketing.

Originality/value

In this study, the ADPLP algorithm was introduced for the first time. Subsequently, the user profile label system was constructed for segmented consumers to highlight their characteristics and demand partiality from three aspects: demographic characteristics, consumers' eating habits and consumers' preferences for wine attributes. Moreover, the ADPLP algorithm can be considered for user profiles on other alcoholic products.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 2021

Huiping Xian, Carol Atkinson and Yue Meng-Lewis

China's controversial one-child policy has been blamed for creating an ageing population, a generation of employees without siblings and a 4-2-1 family structure that places…

Abstract

Purpose

China's controversial one-child policy has been blamed for creating an ageing population, a generation of employees without siblings and a 4-2-1 family structure that places eldercare responsibility, primarily on women. Current understanding of how this affects contemporary employees' work–life interface is lacking. This study examined the moderating roles of family structure and gender in the relationships between work–life conflict (WLC), job satisfaction and career aspiration for university academics.

Design/methodology/approach

Online and self-administered surveys were used to collect data, which involved 420 academic staff in three Chinese research universities.

Findings

Our results revealed that WLC is positively related to career aspiration, and this relationship is stronger for academics with siblings and, within the only-children group, significantly stronger for women than for men. WLC is also negatively related to job satisfaction, and this relationship is stronger for only-children academics.

Research limitations/implications

Results were limited by a cross-sectional sample of modest size. Nevertheless, this study contributes to the understanding of gender roles and changing family structure in the work–life interface of Chinese academics.

Practical implications

Our findings have implications for both universities seeking to improve staff well-being and for wider society. A number of support mechanisms are proposed to enhance the ability of only children, especially women, to operate as effective members of the labour market.

Originality/value

Our results showed that only-children academics face a unique set of difficulties across career and family domains, which have been previously neglected in literature.

Details

Personnel Review, vol. 51 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0048-3486

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 October 2023

Yongliang Wang and Nana Liu

Multi-well hydrofracturing is an important technology to create new fractures and expand existing fractures to increase reservoir permeability. The propagation morphology of the…

Abstract

Purpose

Multi-well hydrofracturing is an important technology to create new fractures and expand existing fractures to increase reservoir permeability. The propagation morphology of the fracture network is affected by the disturbance between the fractures initiation sequences and spacings between adjacent wells. However, it remains unclear how well spacing and initiation sequences lead to fracture propagation, deflection and connection.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, the thermal-hydro-mechanical coupling effect in the hydrofracturing process was considered, to establish a finite element-discrete element model of multistage hydrofracturing in a horizontal well. Using typical cases, the unstable propagation of hydraulic fractures in multiple horizontal wells was investigated under varying well spacing and initiation sequences. Combined with the shear stress shadow caused by in situ stress disturbed by fracture tip propagation, the quantitative indexes of fracture propagation such as length, volume, displacement vector, deflection and unstable propagation behavior of the hydrofracturing fracture network were analyzed.

Findings

The results show that the shear stress disturbance caused by multiple hydraulic fractures is a significant factor in multi-well hydrofracturing. Reducing the spacing between multiple wells increases the stress shadow area and aggravates the mutual disturbance and deflection between the fractures. The quantitative analysis results show that a decrease of well spacing reduces the total length of hydraulic fractures but increases the total volume of the fracture; compared with sequential and simultaneous fracturing, alternate fracturing can effectively reduce stress shadow area, alleviate fracture disturbance and generate larger fracture propagation length and volume.

Originality/value

The numerical models and results of the unstable propagation and stress evolution of the hydraulic fracture network under thermal-hydro-mechanical coupling obtained in this study can provide useful guidance for the evaluation and design of rock mass fracture networks in deep unconventional oil and gas reservoirs.

Article
Publication date: 17 October 2019

Liangjun Zhou, Jerred Junqi Wang, Xiaoying Chen, Beth Cianfrone and Nathan David Pifer

Since 2014, “sport for all” has been promoted as a new national strategy in China, which injects powerful dynamism and vitality for its development in numerous aspects. However…

Abstract

Purpose

Since 2014, “sport for all” has been promoted as a new national strategy in China, which injects powerful dynamism and vitality for its development in numerous aspects. However, there has been very little feedback on sport service provision in community, and the satisfaction level of community participants is largely unmeasured. To promote physical and mental health of residents and form a stronger foundation of sport culture, more attention should be directed to community sports. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of community-sport service provisions on participants’ satisfaction and, in turn, on their sport participation behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Community-sport program participants in China (n=576) responded to a survey measuring the proposed concepts.

Findings

Structural equation modeling analyses revealed that community-sport services in the areas of sport facility, grassroots sport organizations and sport activity programs had strong influences on participant satisfaction and, in turn, their desire for participation, which highlighted the demand for high-quality sport service provision by community.

Originality/value

The study contributed to the literature by proposing two clear dimensions (core sport service and peripheral sport service) for the measurement of public sport service provision in community sports. A second theoretical contribution of the study relates to the clarification of the relationship between the two dimensions of community-sport service provision (both core and peripheral services) and community participants’ satisfaction levels.

Details

International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, vol. 21 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1464-6668

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 March 2019

Mohammad Ali Ashraf

The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of work atmosphere which have a positive influence on job satisfaction. Specifically, it focuses on how supervisor’s…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of work atmosphere which have a positive influence on job satisfaction. Specifically, it focuses on how supervisor’s cooperation and career growth affect job satisfaction mediating through work atmosphere in a private corporate entity.

Design/methodology/approach

To attain this objective, a research framework with a mediating variable of work atmosphere was formulated. Using measurement scales created to assess different aspects of job satisfaction, career growth, supervisor’s cooperation and work atmosphere, a survey instrument was developed to test the various relationships implied by the framework. Data (n = 325) were collected from the employees of a local chemical company in Bangladesh following convenience sampling procedure. The analysis has been done by bootstrapping procedure following structural equation modeling (SEM).

Findings

The result shows that work atmosphere has a significant mediating role in linking supervisor cooperation and job satisfaction of the employees in the organization.

Research limitations/implications

As with any study, there are limitations to the study described here. One possible drawback is the use of a single company’s employees as respondents. Second, the sample size is not very large, because respondents were observed to be negligent in filling the questionnaire provided to them. If the sample size could be increased a bit more, then the authors might have better outcomes as postulated in the paper. Nevertheless, the usual cautions about over-generalizing findings from this sample, to populations for which it is not strictly representative, apply. The sample was not randomly drawn to represent a population to which findings could be generalized. Instead, it was a convenience sample, and as such, the ability to generalize the findings very far beyond the sample is limited.

Practical implications

From a practical perspective, as a cumulative body of work on job satisfaction with mediating variable of work atmosphere emerges, the authors will be better able to advise employers on the elements they need to address to increase their employee retention rate. In this study, the one area of findings that may help business and commercial organizations the most concerns work environment in the workplace. The authors found that supervisor cooperation and work atmosphere were associated with positive path value toward job satisfaction. Similarly, career growth and work atmosphere also exhibit positive path value towards job satisfaction. The implication is that employers can focus on supervisor cooperation in rightly and duly promoting the deserving employees, and in doing so, they can generate positive attitudes toward these activities.

Originality/value

This paper will add immense importance of work atmosphere to the organizational learning and behavior.

Details

Journal of Workplace Learning, vol. 31 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1366-5626

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 November 2022

Yongliang Wang and Xin Zhang

Hydrofracturing technology has been widely used in tight oil and gas reservoir exploitation, and the fracture network formed by fracturing is crucial to determining the resources…

Abstract

Purpose

Hydrofracturing technology has been widely used in tight oil and gas reservoir exploitation, and the fracture network formed by fracturing is crucial to determining the resources recovery rate. Due to the complexity of fracture network induced by the random morphology and type of fluid-driven fractures, controlling and optimising its mechanisms is challenging. This paper aims to study the types of multiscale mode I/II fractures, the fluid-driven propagation of multiscale tensile and shear fractures need to be studied.

Design/methodology/approach

A dual bilinear cohesive zone model (CZM) based on energy evolution was introduced to detect the initiation and propagation of fluid-driven tensile and shear fractures. The model overcomes the limitations of classical linear fracture mechanics, such as the stress singularity at the fracture tip, and considers the important role of fracture surface behaviour in the shear activation. The bilinear cohesive criterion based on the energy evolution criterion can reflect the formation mechanism of complex fracture networks objectively and accurately. Considering the hydro-mechanical (HM) coupling and leak-off effects, the combined finite element-discrete element-finite volume approach was introduced and implemented successfully, and the results showed that the models considering HM coupling and leak-off effects could form a more complex fracture network. The multiscale (laboratory- and engineering-scale) Mode I/II fractures can be simulated in hydrofracturing process.

Findings

Based on the proposed method, the accuracy and applicability of the algorithm were verified by comparing the analytical solution of KGD and PKN models. The effects of different in situ stresses and flow rates on the dynamic propagation of hydraulic fractures at laboratory and engineering scales were investigated. when the ratio of in situ stress is small, the fracture propagation direction is not affected, and the fracture morphology is a cross-type fracture. When the ratio of in situ stress is relatively large, the propagation direction of the fracture is affected by the maximum in situ stress, and it is more inclined to propagate along the direction of the maximum in situ stress, forming double wing-type fractures. Hydrofracturing tensile and shear fractures were identified, and the distribution and number of each type were obtained. There are fewer hydraulic shear fractures than tensile fractures, and shear fractures appear in the initial stage of fracture propagation and then propagate and distribute around the perforation.

Originality/value

The proposed dual bilinear CZM is effective for simulating the types of Mode I/II fractures and seizing the fluid-driven propagation of multiscale tensile and shear fractures. Practical fracturing process involves the multi-type and multiscale fluid-driven fracture propagation. This study introduces general fluid-driven fracture propagation, which can be extended to the fracture propagation analysis of potential fluid fracturing, such as other liquids or supercritical gases.

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