Free sample articles newly available from Afro-Asian Journal of Finance and Accounting

The following sample articles from the Afro-Asian Journal of Finance and Accounting are now available here for free:

• A longitudinal investigation of IFRS-8 implementation: evidence from Qatar
• Default prediction for audited and unaudited private firms under economic and financial stress: evidence from Zimbabwe
• Rational speculative bubbles in the stock market - the case of Amman Stock Exchange
• Women participation in corporate boards: quantile regression approach
• The effect of credit rating announcements on stock returns of banks in India
• Banking sector intermediation and economic growth: new evidence from CEMAC countries
• Did the public company oversight board's restrictions on auditor-provided tax services reduce companies' tax avoidance?

Editor in Chief invites submissions for the International Journal of Power and Energy Conversion

Dr. Abdessamad Didi, Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Power and Energy Conversion, cordially invites general submissions to IJPEC, particularly those that "empower tomorrow" by navigating the complex landscape of energy challenges and sustainable solutions.

Dr. Didi expands as follows:

"Today, the increasing demand for energy poses a significant challenge, and the effective utilisation of this energy requires a complex process involving several essential elements. This includes mobilising qualified human resources, establishing well-equipped structures and leveraging the knowledge and expertise of all involved stakeholders. The harmonious coordination of these diverse elements is crucial to ensuring the success of this endeavour.

From this perspective, power and energy conversion (whether thermal, nuclear, solar, etc.) play a central role. The mastery of these aspects is currently within our reach, allowing us to positively influence the future of energy management. This involves not only adopting cutting-edge conversion technologies but also implementing sustainable energy practices and policies.

Simultaneously, it is essential to consider all anomalies and potential challenges that may arise in this process. This requires constant vigilance and the implementation of adaptive correction mechanisms. The lessons learned from these experiences will contribute to continuously improving our practices and strengthening our resilience for future challenges.

Furthermore, one of the perspectives that generates significant interest is water production through seawater desalination. While this approach requires considerable power and energy, it offers a valuable solution to meeting the growing demand for drinking water. The ongoing development of more efficient and sustainable desalination technologies is therefore a strategic area for the future.

In summary, managing energy and power today requires a holistic approach, involving synergies among human resources, conversion technologies, continuous process monitoring and innovative initiatives such as seawater desalination. It is through a thorough understanding of these elements and consistent implementation that we can shape a more sustainable future for humanity on Earth. All of these aspects can have a profound impact on our success, and in this regard, we aim to contribute to the advancement of science through the International Journal of Power and Energy Conversion, and invite researchers to contribute to our journal to promote scientific progress and create a promising future."

You can visit IJPEC's homepage for more information on the journal and for guidance on how to submit articles.

Research pick: Drivers deliver the upsell - "Upselling at delivery"

Online shopping and home delivery have displaced the traditional trip to the shops for many people. This has been an ongoing process in retail that has seen the closure of high-street shops and many of the big department store chains as customers turn to shopping online. The process was somewhat accelerated during the pandemic when many people simply could not go shopping because of the prevalence of the disease and lockdown restrictions.

Writing in the International Journal of Revenue Management, a team in the USA discusses how suppliers are hoping to take advantage of this changing retail environment in which shoppers have everything from groceries and medication to devices and tools delivered to their homes rather than buying at a bricks-and-mortar store. They are looking at how retailers are exploring innovative strategies to enhance their resilience and revenue generation.

One novel approach known as the ‘driver-becoming-salesperson’ strategy, could, despite its rather clumsy name, become an important component in on-the-doorstep upselling and cross-selling. The delivery driver hands over the goods ordered but with additional offers for associated products made directly to the customer at their own home.

Conventionally, the last-mile phase of the delivery process has been viewed as nothing more than a logistics operation. Drivers are hired, vehicles are serviced and packed with goods and an efficient route is planned around the sales region to get those goods to the customers as quickly and efficiently as possible. The passive hope is that satisfied customers will shop with the retailer again. However, a more proactive approach would represent a paradigm shift by adding a new role for the delivery personnel – sales agent.

The concept is simple but may well be sophisticated in its implementation. The idea capitalizes on the direct, face-to-face interaction the driver can have with the customer when fulfilling the order. With appropriate skills, training, and the wares to offer, the delivery personnel might bring the showroom experience to the customer. Of course, door-to-door salespeople have existed ever since we have had doors, but this driver-as-upseller approach aligns more with the evolving landscape of e-commerce and modern retailing where storefronts are almost always virtual for many shoppers.

Timothy L. Urban and Robert A. Russell of the Collins College of Business at The University of Tulsa in Oklahoma, USA, have modelled this scenario by looking at two well-known complex problems, a vehicle-routing problem and the multiple-knapsack problem. By merging these two problems, they hoped to come up with an optimal way for sellers to select products that their drivers might then upsell from their delivery vehicles. The model that combines logistics and selling takes into account product attributes, customer preferences, and route efficiency. The results from the model highlight the fact that it is relatively easy to find an efficient route, but finding the right customers for upselling is the key to success.

The ‘driver-upseller’ strategy offers a pragmatic approach to help retailers adapt more effectively to the way people now shop. It will make an opportunity of the logistical paradigm of the last-mile delivery allowing for ad hoc customer engagement and upselling at the time of delivery. As online sales continue to grow, retailers that embrace such an approach are likely to boost their competitiveness, their sales, and customer satisfaction.

Urban, T.L. and Russell, R.A. (2024) ‘Upselling at delivery’, Int. J. Revenue Management, Vol. 14, No. 1, pp.1–32.

Associate Prof. Massimiliano M. Pellegrini appointed as new Editor in Chief of International Journal of Globalisation and Small Business

Associate Prof. Massimiliano M. Pellegrini from the University of Rome "Tor Vergata" in Italy has been appointed to take over editorship of the International Journal of Globalisation and Small Business.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Intellectual Property Management

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Intellectual Property Management are now available here for free:

• Entrepreneurial self-efficacy in female Latin American university students
• The determinants of continuance intention to use pandemic contact tracing apps: the case of COVID-19
• Copyright piracy and education
• Impact of the technological implications of teleworking on higher education teaching staff
• Effect of auditor experience, independence, professional skepticism, and ability to detect fraud on capital spirituality audit results quality as moderating factors

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Work Innovation

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Work Innovation are now available here for free:

• How business ethics reshape family firms?
• Classifications on wine informatics using PCA, LDA, and supervised machine learning techniques
• The impact of emotional intelligence on employees' performance and productivity
• A resource-based view of social entrepreneurship: how the human capital influences the job creation in the Lebanese market
• How family firms are enhancing employee behaviour, motivation, satisfaction and turnover intentions

Research pick: The hidden value of voice - "Value dimensions of digital applications and services: the example of voice assistants"

Researchers in Switzerland and the UK have delved into the intricate world of digital interactions, using a unique combination of theories to shed light on the often-overlooked aspects of how customers engage with online services. By merging two theoretical frameworks, Activity Theory (AT) and Service-Dominant Logic (SDL), the study focuses on deciphering how user actions contribute to the overall value of digital services.

When one uses a voice assistant or interacts with a smart application, one is not simply completing a task but also creating value in different ways. Writing in the International Journal of Web Engineering and Technology, researchers break down this value creation into various dimensions. These are dematerialization (moving away from physical interactions), objectification (transforming actions into tangible outcomes), institutionalization (establishing patterns), modularization (breaking down tasks into manageable parts and streamlining processes), and platformization (building on existing digital structures and helping enhance them). These different dimensions can benefit both the customer and the service provider.

Uwe V. Riss and Michael Ziegler of the Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences in St. Gallen, Switzerland, and Lindsay J. Smith of the University of Hertfordshire in Hatfield, UK focused on understanding how user activities, defined by AT, integrate into the theoretical framework of service systems represented by SDL. Their findings shed light on the various dimensions of customer value with a specific application to voice assistants.

The team explains that this integration provides a deeper insight into customer interactions within service systems, essential for investigating customer experience in the context of service ecosystems. The study underscores the significance of smart products, highlighting the inseparable intertwining of service and material interaction in what we might call digital ecosystems. Moreover, the work reconciles the different focuses of AT and SDL, which are both centred on customers using services within action objectives or service ecosystems but with differences. AT emphasizes specific actions and outcomes, while SDL concentrates on the interplay of various service providers.

The common thread, the work suggests, is the concept of cocreation of value, either as the success of action in AT or as resource integration in SDL. The research thus brings together the understanding offered by each approach. Given that the customer experience plays a pivotal role in representing digital ways of value creation, it is important to encompass customer activities with that understanding.

Riss, U.V., Ziegler, M. and Smith, L.J. (2023) ‘Value dimensions of digital applications and services: the example of voice assistants’, Int. J. Web Engineering and Technology, Vol. 18, No. 4, pp.319–343.

Free open access article available: "The attitude towards corruption in the EU under a gender perspective"

The following paper, "The attitude towards corruption in the EU under a gender perspective" (European Journal of International Management 22(2) 2024), is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Special issue published: "Reflections on and Applications of Economy Studies a Guide to Rethinking Economics Education"

International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education 14(2) 2023

• In what direction is economics heading?
• Teaching economy studies in non-economics programs through the lens of justice
• Pluralism and the history of economic thought
• Rethinking economic undergraduate textbooks - a trend toward pluralism?

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Human Rights and Constitutional Studies

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Human Rights and Constitutional Studies are now available here for free:

• The synthesis of law, judicial duty and enforcement of rights in Africa
• Re-visiting Article 370: the politics of autonomy in Jammu and Kashmir
• Re-imagining, re-conceptualising and re-shaping cities in post-pandemic India: interpreting the urban space
• Controlling state power in Vietnam after Doi moi (1986): an increasing challenge and perspective
• The constitution comes second: how the Constitutional Court of Kosovo disregards the supremacy of the constitution
• The Greek referendum of July 5, 2015: on legitimacy and state credibility
• Human rights concerns in the State of Assam, India in situation of insurgent movement: special reference to the rights of women

Research pick: Cultivating gender equality could cut corruption - "The attitude towards corruption in the EU under a gender perspective"

A study in the European Journal of International Management has looked at the complex relationship between gender, governance, and corruption in Europe. The research analysed evidence from 35 European countries between the years 2010 and 2020 to discern the nuanced relationship between heightened gender inequality and increased corruption. Fundamentally, the research found that a substantial female presence in decision-making positions, especially in societies with robust legal frameworks, was associated closely with transparency and lower levels of corruption.

Andrea Cámara-Payno, Julieta Díez-Hernández, Martyna Novak, and Elena Temiño-Santamaría of the University of Burgos in Burgos, Castilla y Leon, Spain, found that contrary to expectations, they did not identify gender-based disparities in attitudes toward corruption. Rather, greater representation of women in decision-making roles contributed to enhanced overall gender equality and, it was this that was associated with lower levels of corruption.

It is well-documented that among the European nations, Denmark, Finland, and Norway have good gender equality and adherence to the rule of law. It is unlikely to be a coincidence that these nations have a higher proportion of women in both public and corporate spheres of influence and that this correlates with more effective corruption control than is seen in other nations that are more dominated by men. This, the research suggests, actually challenges traditional gender theory that would otherwise indicate that gender ultimately becomes of little consequence in terms of attitudes to corruption once a good degree of equality has been achieved.

The issue is complex, of course, and gender equality and decision-making are just part of broader considerations in the context of combating corruption. Nevertheless, the study emphasizes the importance of improving gender equality and the rule of law in the fight against corruption. The promotion of equal opportunities is thus an important part of societal evolution.

Cámara-Payno, A., DíezHernández, J., Novak, M. and Temiño-Santamaría, E. (2024) ‘The attitude towards corruption in the EU under a gender perspective’, European J. International Management, Vol. 22, No. 2, pp.254–280.

Free open access article available: "Construction of Korean Shipping Industry Risk Sentiment Index using news articles"

The following paper, "Construction of Korean Shipping Industry Risk Sentiment Index using news articles" (International Journal of Shipping and Transport Logistics 17(4) 2023), is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Services, Economics and Management

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Services, Economics and Management are now available here for free:

• Requirements analysis of customer service recovery system in hospitality industry using fuzzy DEMATEL and ANP
• Contributory role of innovative capabilities in Malaysian small and medium enterprises performance
• Examining the trends in citizen satisfaction towards e-government services in United Arab Emirates: a structural equation modelling approach
• Influence of personalisation and hedonic motivation on repurchase intention: the mediating role of customer experience and loyalty
• Customer satisfaction, behavioural and pay more intentions: a study on Indian Dhabas (roadside full-service restaurants)
• Factors affecting customers' satisfaction in e-commerce marketplace during COVID-19 pandemic: developing market context

Free sample articles newly available from World Review of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development

The following sample articles from the World Review of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development are now available here for free:

• Blockchain for the asset management industry
• Selection of sanitary landfill site by integrated fuzzy AHP and GIS for Multan, Pakistan
• How SARS-CoV-2 crisis could influence the tourism intentions of Azores Archipelago residents? A study based on the assessment of the public perceptions Gualter Couto; Rui Alexandre 
• Effects of COVID-19 pandemics on the cost items of hotel operations
• An impact study on COVID-19 and tourism sustainability: intelligent solutions, issues and future challenges
• The situation of the tourist sectors after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic - tourism covidisation
• Public health system in promotion of water sanitation and hygiene: an analytical study
• CSR: analysing shifting paradigm from climate change to global health emergencies
• Potential impacts of COVID-19 pandemic on Turkish economy and its carbon dioxide emissions: an extended input-output analysis
• COVID-19 pandemic period reflections on problems experienced in distance education at the primary school level: teacher opinions
• Impact of the COVID-19 on MSCI world equity market index

Free open access article available: "An international analysis of fraud detection in European structural and investment funds"

The following paper, "An international analysis of fraud detection in European structural and investment funds" (European Journal of International Management 22(2) 2024), is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Research pick: Educational distraction - "Right to good mental health: procrastination and social media addiction among girl students"

A study in the International Journal of Human Rights and Constitutional Studies has explored the various factors that might contribute to procrastination among female university students.

For many people, it can take a lot of willpower or the threat of some kind of penalty to ensure they keep themselves on track in terms of studying and working rather than finding alternative, unrelated activities with which to distract themselves from the task at hand. S. Chandni, V. Sethuramalingam, and N. Rajavel of the Department of Social Work at Bharathidasan University in Tamil Nadu, India, have investigated procrastination among 277 female university students living in university hostel-type accommodation. They utilized statistical analyses such as cross-tabulations, one-way ANOVA, t-tests, and Step-wise Regression to process data about the use of social media, mobile phones, and demographic factors on procrastination.

The team found that the age of the students significantly affected how much they procrastinate. Younger students were more prone to delaying tasks on which they were purportedly focused. Additionally, the number of years someone had been studying was also a factor that influenced procrastination. The longer a student had been at university the more inclined were they to procrastinate. Perhaps more intriguingly, family income was identified as a contributing factor. A higher level of procrastination among the students was associated with lower family incomes.

Less surprisingly, perhaps, was that the team found a direct correlation between time spent on social media and the degree of procrastination. Given that social media has become a ubiquitous distraction for so many people it is perhaps not surprising that young students succumb to its whiles just as do so many other people. Those students with dual-SIM phones displayed a greater degree of procrastination than those with single-SIM devices. Why that should be is not entirely clear, except perhaps to say that high-end phones and the choice to have a dual-SIM device may well be associated with a greater degree of “tech savvy” and an inclination to enjoy the functionality of more sophisticated devices.

Procrastination among students, and others, linked to social media use specifically, poses a challenge for educators, and in the wider world, perhaps employers, where it might be detrimentally affecting academic performance, personal growth, and even job prospects.

There is perhaps now a need for policymakers and healthcare professionals to look at this particular aspect of social media activity and to find novel ways to support students, and others, in overcoming what might be considered a problematic addiction in circumstances where it is seriously detrimental to the individual user, their education and their life prospects.

Chandni, S., Sethuramalingam, V. and Rajavel, N. (2024) ‘Right to good mental health: procrastination and social media addiction among girl students’, Int. J. Human Rights and Constitutional Studies, Vol. 11, No. 1, pp.99–112.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Operational Research

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Operational Research are now available here for free:

• Multi-objective optimisation for solving cooperative continuous static games using Karush-Kuhn-Tucker conditions
• A novel inverse DEA model for restructuring DMUs with negative data
• Distribution and inventory planning in multi-echelon supply chains under demand uncertainty
• An efficient approach for solving a job shop scheduling problem with resources constraints: a case study iCIM 3000
• On the time-dependent solution of fluid models driven by an M/M/1 queue using a probabilistic approach
• Pricing and operational planning of a fixed-route ride-sharing service
• Solving the team orienteering problem with time windows and mandatory visits using a constraint programming approach
• Optimising fully fuzzy interval integer transshipment problems

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Electronic Security and Digital Forensics

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Electronic Security and Digital Forensics are now available here for free:

• Management of electronic ledger: a constraint programming approach for solving curricula scheduling problems
• Colour image encryption based on an improved fractional-order logistic map
• A new encryption system for IoT devices using embedded key cryptosystem
• Intelligence sharing in big data forensics
• Cyber terrorism and its role in the outbreak of international crisis
• Cloud forensics and digital ledger investigation: a new era of forensics investigation

Special issue published: "Corruption and Fraud in European Organisations and Institutions" (includes Open Access articles)

European Journal of International Management 22(2) 2024

• Editorial: trust-building and corruption
• A neural network approach for predicting corruption in public procurement
• An international analysis of fraud detection in European structural and investment funds [OPEN ACCESS]
• The moderating role of economic uncertainty via corruption on investment: evidence from European firm level
• The attitude towards corruption in the EU under a gender perspective [OPEN ACCESS]
• Development of youth anti-corruption potential in the European Union
• Coopetitive IJVs: a strategy of managing the internationalisation challenges in China

Research pick: Sailing how close to the wind? - "Construction of Korean Shipping Industry Risk Sentiment Index using news articles"

A study in the International Journal of Shipping and Transport Logistics has introduced a new Shipping Industry Risk Sentiment Index (SRSI). This tool has been designed to analyse sentiment in the news media concerning South Korea’s shipping industry. The SRSI utilizes an innovative method involving text analysis of news articles from Korean newspapers, focusing on terms related to the six C’s of credit – character, capacity, capital, company, conditions, and collateral.

Sunghwa Park of Gyeongsang National University in Gyeongsangnam-do, Hyunsok Kim of Pusan National University in Busan, Janghan Kwon and Taeil Kim of the Korea Maritime Institute in Busan, South Korea, explain how the index can reveal spikes in financial risk sentiment. The team employed statistical models such as the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model and impulse response functions. They found that increased news reporting associated with global financial crises and court receiverships of major Korean shipping companies are associated with these spikes.

The research highlights the predictive capabilities of the SRSI. It not only reflects risk sentiment within the shipping industry but also provides valuable insights into market situations. The SRSI’s forecasting capabilities can be used to analyse the impact of risk sentiment on maritime transport freight income. The results indicate that the SRSI serves as a statistically significant predictor variable for freight income, demonstrating its usefulness in detecting credit risk in advance. These findings align with a broader trend emphasizing the positive impact of shipping sentiment indices on freight rates.

The research is underpinned by the powerful concept of big data analysis which allowed the team to measure credit risk in the shipping industry. The proposed SRSI could become an invaluable tool for government authorities, assisting in the management and supervision of risk within the shipping market and helping with decision-making. The same approach might be extended to the wider global shipping industry. This could be especially important given the interconnected nature of the shipping industry. There is thus potential for creating a Global Shipping Market News Index.

Park, S., Kim, H., Kwon, J. and Kim, T. (2023) ‘Construction of Korean Shipping Industry Risk Sentiment Index using news articles’, Int. J. Shipping and Transport Logistics, Vol. 17, No. 4, pp.469–486.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Technology, Policy and Management

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Technology, Policy and Management are now available here for free:

• Determinants of the success of MSMEs in India: a policy vs. technology perspective
• Simulation of research and development collaborations as complex socio-technical systems using a hybrid of agent-based modelling and system dynamics
• Co-evolution of an entrepreneurial ecosystem and technology entrepreneurship in a transforming economy
• The 'Digitalisation trap' of Russian regions
• The impact of electronic medical record systems on hospital efficiency

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Hydromechatronics

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Hydromechatronics are now available here for free:

• Hybrid model-driven and data-driven approach for the health assessment of axial piston pumps
• Influence of nozzle structure on the flow field of the prestage of nozzle flapper servo valve
• Compliance control method for robot joint with variable stiffness
• Micro drilling of PMMA with double-pulse femtosecond laser
• Applications of level set method in computational fluid dynamics: a review

Research pick: Encryption boost for cross-border e-commerce - "Privacy information encryption for cross-border e-commerce users based on social network analysis"

Writing in the International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations, a team from China has revealed a novel approach to boost privacy for cross-border e-commerce users. Na Wang, Feng Gao, and Ji Zhang of Changchun University of Architecture and Civil Engineering in Changchun introduce an encryption algorithm based on social network analysis. The new approach could help users remain secure when transferring sensitive information during international transactions.

The team has used a multi-faceted strategy. Initially, they used a logical inference mapping method for blockchain to encode both public and private keys with asymmetric encryption. Next, the social network analysis method reorganizes the user’s social network structure using arithmetic coding and homomorphic encryption.

Social network analysis can be used to study social structures and relationships among entities whether these are individuals, organizations, or any other units with connections or interactions. Such an analysis focuses on mapping and measuring the various relationships to understand the patterns within the network. This approach allowed the streamlining of the user information fusion processing and the optimization of the encryption tool.

The team carried out simulations to highlight their method’s anti-attack capabilities and efficiency in terms of how little time is required for the encryption process. The team’s work thus introduces an optimized privacy protection model for cross-border e-commerce users, incorporating encryption and optimized encoding designs through grouping information reorganization and chaotic sequence control, the team reports. A notable feature is that the adoption of dual keys improves the system still further while simplifying key construction and optimising the design of the encryption algorithm.

The researchers explain that the implementation of this encryption approach could be used for internal data protection and cross-border payment security within enterprises. It is important to have strong data security and confidentiality in these areas. The next step is to explore and test the system in real-time settings.

Wang, N., Gao, F. and Zhang, J. (2023) ‘Privacy information encryption for cross-border e-commerce users based on social network analysis’, Int. J. Networking and Virtual Organisations, Vol. 29, Nos. 3/4, pp.312–327.

Special issue published: "Business and Globalisation in Emerging Markets"

International Journal of Business and Globalisation 36(1) 2024

• Editorial
• Determinants of long-term orientation in seller e-retailer relationship: a seller perspective in the Indian e-commerce
• The impact of online shopping convenience on satisfaction, loyalty, and word-of-mouth in Indian context
• Juxtaposition of favourable and deterrent antecedents on WhatsApp usage optimisation
• Dimensions and drivers of medical tourism industry: a systematic review of qualitative evidence
• Study of stock returns through P/E, PEG and PERG: evidence from Nifty-100

Additional papers

• Russian big business and the problem of integrated economic development: case of resource-extraction companies
• Dynamics of failure of a company group: a case study from the recent Italian experience
• Analysing the relation between internationalisation and business model innovation through the elements of a business model

Free sample articles newly available from EuroMed Journal of Management

The following sample articles from the EuroMed Journal of Management are now available here for free:

• The effect of capital structure on firm performance: empirical evidence from emerging economy
• E-learning: innovations and challenges in the new millennia
• Uncovering capabilities towards resilience: exploring a process perspective of resources, competences and activities for efficiency during the Covid-19 crisis
• Role expansion of individual workforce through a drama based organisational intervention
• The influence of audit committee on the relationship between corporate social responsibility disclosure and tax aggressiveness: evidence from French context

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Business Information Systems

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Business Information Systems are now available here for free:

• An empirical investigation on acceptance of mobile payment system services in Jordan: extending UTAUT2 model with security and privacy
• Factors influencing adoption of cloud computing services in HEIs: a UTAUT approach based on students' perception
• Selection of goals with incomplete linguistic preference relations
• Fintech up-coming in Saudi Arabia: study, analysis, and recommendations
• Developing information system/technology strategy in supporting business process: a case study of insurance state-owned enterprises
• The role of using big data in predicting customer behaviour: the intermediary role of business intelligence in Jordanian telecommunications companies (a field study)
• An assessment of the factors influencing adoption of e-filing system in Nigeria

Special issue published: "Corruption and Fraud in European Organisations and Institutions" (includes Open Access article)

European Journal of International Management 22(2) 2024

• A neural network approach for predicting corruption in public procurement
• An international analysis of fraud detection in European structural and investment funds [OPEN ACCESS]
• The moderating role of economic uncertainty via corruption on investment: evidence from European firm level
• The attitude towards corruption in the EU under a gender perspective
• Development of youth anti-corruption potential in the European Union
• Coopetitive IJVs: a strategy of managing the internationalisation challenges in China

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Revenue Management

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Revenue Management are now available here for free:

• Optimal finite horizon bargaining mechanisms with refusal cost
• Nash equilibrium computation in airline frequency game
• Air cargo revenue management: a state-of-the-art review
• Prioritising the requisite skills possessed by revenue managers of the hospitality industry: an analytic hierarchy process approach

Research pick: Moisturise for carbon capture - "Review of moisture swing sorbents for carbon dioxide capture from ambient air"

Progress has been made recently in carbon capture technology that might allow us to efficiently absorb carbon dioxide directly from the air and perhaps halt the rise of atmospheric concentrations of the greenhouse gas. The development of moisture swing sorbents as a technology in this area is discussed in the International Journal of Global Warming. The benefit when compared with conventional approaches is that such sorbents use water as their primary energy source and so themselves can be carbon neutral in mitigating climate change.

Conventional moisture swing sorbents, or humidity swing sorbents, can adsorb or desorb water vapour from the atmosphere. These materials “swing” from one behaviour to the other reversibly depending on humidity or moisture levels. Moisture swing sorbents used for carbon dioxide capture sees related materials adsorb carbon dioxide from their surroundings when they are dry but when they get wet, they release, or desorb, the gas.

Weishu Wang, Xiangxin Zhang, Jun Liu, Chenyang Liang, Jingzun Niu, and Feiyue Wang of the North China University of Water Resources and Electric Power in Henan, China, have reviewed research in this area spanning more than two decades. They focus their review on how the adsorption capacity of moisture swing sorbents for large-scale applications might be reviewed. The team looked at how sorbents have been prepared. They also identified the various factors that affect carbon dioxide adsorption and desorption performance.

Materials for moisture swing sorbents fall into two categories: resin and non-resin materials. While resin materials offer faster adsorption rates and are easier to prepare, non-resin materials offer greater carbon dioxide adsorption capacity. The review suggests that the reliance on resin materials is currently a limitation which suggests that there is an urgent need for diversification in materials choice.

The application of carbon dioxide adsorbents is not limited to atmospheric absorption. There are many closed environments, such as submarines and spacecraft, and enclosed crop production environments where the level of carbon dioxide needs to be controlled precisely.

The review suggests that moisture swing sorbents represent a promising avenue for carbon dioxide capture. Ongoing research will help diversify raw materials, lead to the optimisation of preparation methods, and explore innovative technologies for enhanced performance and broader applications, as well as in addressing climate change.

Wang, W., Zhang, X., Liu, J., Liang, C., Niu, J. and Wang, F. (2024) ‘Review of moisture swing sorbents for carbon dioxide capture from ambient air’, Int. J. Global Warming, Vol. 32, No. 2, pp.119–147.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Data Science

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Data Science are now available here for free:

• Reform strategies of public government departments in the era of cultural innovation
• Study on compensation mechanism for regional ecological protection under the background of ecological civilisation
• Texture feature extraction of a landscape design image based on the contour wave transform
• Review of spectral clustering algorithms used in proteomics
• Structure design and system implementation of a supermarket shopping robot based on deep learning

Research pick: Don’t cross the streams - "Streaming wars: an analysis of the growth and competitive landscape of the subscription video-on-demand services market"

Streaming video services are rapidly displacing the traditional ways in which people watch television. Consumers want immediate access to shows and movies rather than patiently waiting for a broadcaster to schedule the programming they desire. Researchers in Egypt have surveyed the streaming video landscape, more formally known as the Subscription Video-On-Demand (SVOD) sector, and found it to now be taking centre stage in the evolving entertainment landscape.

Writing in the EuroMed Journal of Management, Neveen Badr of Nile University, and Sayed Sharaf and Abeer A. Mahrous of Cairo University in Giza, Egypt, explain how the shift in the consumption of programming is seeing traditional television use dwindling in many places. As it does so, the multi-billion-dollar SVOD market continues to expand with the likes of Disney+, Amazon Prime, Apple TV+, Netflix, perhaps the most prominent proponents although many other services are vying for consumer attention and consumer subscriptions. The research looks closely at this global expansion but also focuses on the industry in Egypt where the “Watch It” streaming service is becoming well-known.

Demographically, SVOD services find favour primarily among Generation Y (the so-called Millennials who were born roughly between 1981 and 1996) and Generation Z (the “Zoomers” born around 1997 to 2012). Understanding their preferences is crucial for both local startups like Watch It and the internationally renowned industry leaders such as Netflix, prompting tailored content for different demographics. The study highlights the importance of customer choice and financial analysis in efforts to understand the streaming market.

Badr and colleagues point out that the ability of the larger streaming companies to weather a crisis like the pandemic, and perhaps even thrive, highlights their resilience and adaptability to changing consumer demands. However, society is changing, technology evolves, new players come and go, and even the political landscape can have an economic significance on how the SVOD industry changes. Moreover, where a crisis like the pandemic benefited those companies offering services that consumers could use at home during lockdowns, for instance, there may well be changes afoot in the ranking of the various players in the streaming market as demands become sharpened in the post-pandemic world.

Digital transformation and developing technology, changes in audience perception and demands, pricing strategies, subscription models, and content initiatives are all now emerging as key considerations for any streaming company hoping to compete in this still-burgeoning market. Most important, however, is to understand customer needs and behaviour. This would allow established companies to plan strategically for their ongoing success. But also allow competitors to emerge, grow, and provide increasingly tailored offerings to consumers.

Badr, N., Sharaf, S. and Mahrous, A.A. (2024) ‘Streaming wars: an analysis of the growth and competitive landscape of the subscription video-on-demand services market’, EuroMed J. Management, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp.23–41.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Business Innovation and Research

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Business Innovation and Research are now available here for free:

• Aspirations and intellectual property in the worldwide entrepreneurship ecosystem
• The innovative organisation of Airbnb: business model innovation and holacracy structure to enhance innovative business behaviour coping with the impact of the COVID-19
• Electronic word-of-mouth model on customers' online purchase intention with multi-group approach digital services
• Investigating employees' perception of antecedents and consequences of mergers and acquisitions in HR perspective: an empirical analysis from India
• The influence of creative self-efficacy, creative self-identity, and creative process engagement on innovative behaviour
• Do macro-economic factors influence the life insurance industry in India? An empirical approach

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Business Excellence

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Business Excellence are now available here for free:

• Evaluating the critical success factors for lean implementation in SMEs in Northern India using VIKOR approach
• CEO duality, board size and firm performance: evidence in Vietnam
• Adoption of digital marketing among tourism industry of Uttarakhand in India
• A Fourth Industrial Revolution approach to total quality management on innovation performance: evidence from South Africa
• Lean Six Sigma: a clinical treatment for national healthcare system
• The evaluative survey of the development of financial performances of cooperatives and micro small and medium enterprises in Riau, Indonesia
• Ambidexterity: realising organisational innovation in healthcare organisations
• Investigating hostels revisit intention in Taiwan: the moderating effect of customers' desire

Special issue published: "Enhancing Consumer Experience Through Mobile Commerce and Social Media Challenges and Opportunities"

International Journal of Networking and Virtual Organisations 29(3/4) 2023

• Research on consumer satisfaction prediction of e-commerce social platforms based on deep transfer learning
• The feature classification method of mobile e-commerce big data under the webcast mode
• User consumption behaviour prediction method in the context of social media marketing
• Consumer credit evaluation of mobile e-commerce platform based on random forest
• Analysis model of the short-term search behaviour guidance of e-commerce platform users based on knowledge graph
• Electronic commerce information personalised recommendation method based on social network data mining
• Privacy information encryption for cross-border e-commerce users based on social network analysis
• Discussion on the current situation and quality evaluation model of online course teaching in universities based on social network analysis
• E-commerce collaborative filtering recommendation method based on social network user relationship
• Analysis of the impact of social media on the performance of cross border e-commerce enterprises from the perspective of the digital economy
• The impact of social media on consumer purchase intention on e-commerce platforms
• A method for predicting consumer purchase intention in e-commerce in the era of social media
• Driving factors analysis model of social e-commerce platform users' shopping intention based on regression analysis method
• Customer interest classification method of e-commerce trading platform based on decision tree algorithm

Research pick: Improving EU fraud detection - "An international analysis of fraud detection in European structural and investment funds"

A recent study focusing on European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) could help improve fraud detection by identifying key indicators at the national level across the European Union, EU. The findings, published in the European Journal of International Management cover the period 2014 to 2020 and involved analysing data from 454 funds across all of the then extant 28 EU member states.

Thomas Baumgärtler and Philipp Eudelle of Offenburg University in Offenburg, Germany and Jorge Gallud Cano of the Universidad de Valladolid in Valladolid, Spain used an original database and employed regression analyses across EU member states to look for correlations between fraud detection rates and indicators related to fund utilization and monitoring, the frequency of fraudulent irregularities, economic development levels, and transparency within the nation.

The findings highlight the significance of vigilant fund monitoring to help combat fraud. In particular this, the team says, is more viable in those nations with the highest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and transparency levels. Interestingly, they observed a decrease in irregularities in countries with elevated GDP and those receiving larger funds. However, there are considerable variations in fraud and fraud detection rates among individual states, with federal states like the Federal Republic of Germany demonstrating relative success in detecting fraud within EU funds.

The researchers explain that efforts to combat fraud and protect the financial interests of the EU, must involve collaboration between the EU itself and its member states. Indeed, a “multi-eye” principle in control is essential and the team emphasizes that this coupled with a zero-tolerance policy is the most efficient way forward in combating fraud and corruption.

However, despite the availability of tools such as anti-corruption reports from the European Commission, audit reports from the European Court of Auditors, as well as the existence of the anti-fraud office known as “OLAF” (Office Européen de Lutte Antifraude), during the period investigated, the team found significant differences in understanding of fraud detection between EU member states.

Fundamentally, the research findings underline the importance of closely monitoring funds, especially in economically advanced and transparent countries. The work points to how the European Commission might improve its overseeing of fund management among member states.

Baumgärtler, T., Eudelle, P. and Gallud Cano, J. (2024) ‘An international analysis of fraud detection in European structural and investment funds’, European J. International Management, Vol. 22, No. 2, pp.198–229.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Autonomous and Adaptive Communications Systems

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Autonomous and Adaptive Communications Systems are now available here for free:

• Design of DC measurement traceability system of charging pile by considering internet of things and fuzzy clustering
• A new IoT resource addressing method based on rough set neural network
• Dynamic key distribution method for wireless sensor networks based on exponential algorithm
• Optimum design of distance education assistant system based on wireless network
• Security key distribution method of wireless sensor network based on DV-hop algorithm
• Real time detection of intrusion trace information in sensor network based on Bayesian belief network
• Access control method of laboratory cloud data based on internet of things technology
• Network dynamic routing and spectrum allocation algorithm based on blockchain technology
• Vulnerability detection of the authentication protocol in the IOT based on improved wavelet packet

Research pick: Filling the digital marketing holes in Swiss SMEs - "Evolving marketing strategies for Swiss SMEs in the ICT sector: a marketing strategy canvas in support of digital transformation"

Researchers in Switzerland have taken a close look at the marketing strategies of several small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector there. Their findings, published in the International Journal of Technology Marketing, are based on a literature review and interviews with managers from 14 such SMEs. The team hoped to unravel how Swiss SMEs define their marketing strategies in the digital era, the role of digital transformation in customer value, and to identify new strategies to help them circumvent common problems.

Mona A. Meyer of Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts HSLU in Lucerne, Switzerland, Marc K. Peter of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland FHNW in Olten, Switzerland explain how their investigation has brought to light some interesting patterns. They explain how micro-enterprises appear to recognize the relevance of marketing strategies in digital transformation but display a limited focus on the customer.

By contrast, small enterprises orientate their marketing strategies towards external factors in order to adapt to the business landscape in which they find themselves. Medium-sized enterprises, on the other hand, recognise the importance of digital marketing to attract new customers and generally take a more customer-oriented strategic marketing approach.

Based on the team’s review and interviews, the team suggests possible ways to formulate marketing strategies tailored to the evolving marketing landscape in the Swiss ICT sector. They concede that all of the findings may not be universally applicable across industries but broadly underscore various points such as the finding that targeting customer segments digitally and optimizing usability and processes are imperative for success among Swiss SMEs in the ICT sector. Paradoxically, the study revealed despite any given SME successfully adapting to digitalization there are only limited improvements with respect to customer loyalty. However, SMEs across all size ranges do report other tangible benefits such as more efficient processes, cost reduction, and enhanced data transparency.

Meyer, M.A. and Peter, M.K. (2024) ‘Evolving marketing strategies for Swiss SMEs in the ICT sector: a marketing strategy canvas in support of digital transformation’, Int. J. Technology Marketing, Vol. 18, No. 1, pp.91–112.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of System of Systems Engineering

The following sample articles from the International Journal of System of Systems Engineering are now available here for free:

• WBAN-based remote monitoring system utilising machine learning for healthcare services
• Improved round-robin rule learning for optimal load balancing in distributed cloud systems
• DCF-MLSTM: a deep security content-based filtering scheme using multiplicative BiLSTM for movie recommendation system
• On the interrelationship between IoT and SoS
• Image analysis in healthcare systems using approximate multi-bit adders
• GreenNotes: a smart utility tool to keep track of regular goals in the 21st century for smart cities and people

Research pick: AI helps with the parking - "Residual spatial-temporal graph convolutional neural network for on-street parking availability prediction"

In the ever-changing landscape of smart city innovation, researchers have introduced the Residual Spatial-Temporal Graph Convolutional Neural Network (RST-GCNN), which could help users find an on-street parking space more efficiently. This new model could help change the urban driving experience and perhaps reduce congestion and pollution by enhancing the prediction of parking availability. As cities grapple with escalating congestion, pollution, and the perpetual quest for efficient urban living, artificial intelligence (AI) could be set to ease one of the daily struggles for drivers and perhaps help us navigate out of gridlock.

Neural networks, inspired by the structure of the human brain, are used increasingly in solving complex problems across diverse domains such as image and pattern recognition, medical diagnostics, natural language processing and translation, and speech recognition. The RST-GCNN discussed in the International Journal of Sensor Networks represents a sophisticated application of neural network technology tailored to address the ever-present urban challenge of parking availability.

Unlike conventional models, the RST-GCNN integrates a residual structure, efficiently combining spatial and temporal information derived from graph and convolution modules, according to its developers Guanlin Chen, Sheng Zhang, Wenyong Weng, and Wujian Yang of Hangzhou City University, in Hangzhou, China. The RST-GCNN can predict long-term parking occupancy rates by discerning patterns in the parking dataset.

The team has tested their approach on the real-world Melb-Parking dataset and were able to validate the system’s efficacy. It has, the work suggests, superior performance in predicting parking occupancy rates compared to baseline models. The new approach holds great promise for city drivers and could be used to streamline an automated parking search process, ultimately reducing congestion and optimizing transport efficiency in busy cities where cars remain a mainstay of transportation.

In the future, the team will expand the application to larger parking datasets with a view to refining prediction accuracy still further. Future iterations will embed weather, temperature, holiday periods, and other vagaries of traffic and parking thus broadening its scope and applicability.

Chen, G., Zhang, S., Weng, W. and Yang, W. (2023) ‘Residual spatial-temporal graph convolutional neural network for on-street parking availability prediction’, Int. J. Sensor Networks, Vol. 43, No. 4, pp.246–257.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Materials and Structural Integrity

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Materials and Structural Integrity are now available here for free:

• Changing the physical, chemical properties of alkaline soil stabilised with industrial waste material tile dust
• Mechanics of contact interaction and deformation of main pipelines in the conditions of extreme external actions
• Compressive strength enhancement of concrete using fly ash as a partial replacement of fine aggregate and model development
• Effects of two-step heat treatment on the structure of cotton-derived activated carbon fibres
• A new simple formulation for instantaneous coil diameter of a SMA helical spring
• Flexural fatigue analysis of fibre reinforced polymer concrete composites under non-reversed loading

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Logistics Systems and Management

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Logistics Systems and Management are now available here for free:

• On the liner shipping network design: the Maritime Silk Route case study
• Analysis of the enablers of supply chain digitalisation in the electronics industry: an interpretive structural modelling approach
• Assisted discovery of optimal solution for logistics problems using ontology modelling
• Supplier evaluation using AHP for a small scale iron and steel plant in eastern India
• Truck transport industry in the USA: challenges and likely disruptions
• Technological assessment of global warming inference for cold supply chain performance Neeraj Kumar; Mohit Tyagi; Anish Sachdeva
• Supply chain crisis management in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Environment and Waste Management

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Environment and Waste Management are now available here for free:

• Willingness to pay and its determinants for improved solid waste management: a case study
• Do human resource management practices influence environmental management in the ready-made garment industry? An empirical analysis
• An engineered production formula for enhanced artificial stone utilising stone cutting slurry and a superplasticiser
• Mollusk shell waste: alternatives for reuse in construction
• Changes in physical, chemical and biological variables of the leachate generated from municipal solid waste subjected to saline solution application
• Removal of mineral scaling precursors from electrodialysis concentrate by alkaline precipitation
• Recycling of plastic waste as coarse aggregate in concrete for sustainable development

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering are now available here for free:

• A new hybrid method for optimising multi-surface problems: DSM method (power plants of Iran)
• Production and construction quality management system of prefabricated buildings based on BIM technology
• Modelling of critical success factors for blockchain technology adoption readiness in the context of agri-food supply chain
• A decision support system for selecting augmentative and alternative communication devices
• A machine learning algorithm for scheduling a burn-in oven problem
• Simulation-based optimisation: analysis of the emergency department resources under COVID-19 conditions

Special issue published: "5th International Symposium on Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology (ISAMN2021)"

International Journal of Nanotechnology 20(11/12) 2023

• Tuneable poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide)-based thermo-responsive nanogels: a review on polymerisation method
• Comparison of electrical properties between graphite and carbon nanotube as interdigitated electrode in TiO2/MWCNT thick film
• Tailoring localised surface plasmon resonance of added Ag nanoparticles Er3+ ion doped glass system by coupling polarisation approach
• Structural and antimicrobial evaluation of gamma synthesised silver kaolinite nanoparticles
• Assessment of different organic coatings on magnetic nanoparticles for biomedical applications
• Magnetic characteristics adjustment through rare-earth lanthanum substitution in mechanically alloyed yttrium iron garnet nanoparticles
• Synthesis and characterisation of TiO2 nanoparticles using alkaline fusion method for potential photocatalyst application
• Investigation on polyaniline synthesised by camphor sulphonic acid; optical, thermal, structural, and electrical properties
• Effects of various solvent in retrieving nacre layers from Modiolus philippinarum shells for potential tissue engineering applications
• Optimisation of extrinsic base doping of a SiGe heterojunction bipolar transistor integrated in a BiCMOS 55 nm technology for high frequency performances

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Microstructure and Materials Properties

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Microstructure and Materials Properties are now available here for free:

• Effects of lubrication on shearing process of electrical silicon steels
• Determination of porosity and microstructure studies of wax-based Aluminium metal foam
• The biomedical potential of polycaprolactone nanofibrous scaffold containing titanium oxide for wound healing applications
• An optimisation of 3D printing parameters of nanocomposites based on improved particle swarm optimisation algorithm
• An influence of composite nano materials on tensile properties of concrete members
• High-temperature deformation characteristics of 3D printing of nano-ceramic materials
• Study on the high and low temperature performance of nano alumina modified asphalt mixture

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Business and Systems Research

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Business and Systems Research are now available here for free:

• Productivity improvement in a paper manufacturing company through lean and IoT - a case study
• Modelling the barriers of online shopping in the Philippines using the ISM-MICMAC approach
• Prioritising and gender differences on aesthetics of mobile phone usage through users' perspectives
• Mediating effect of perceived organisational support in the relation between job stress and organisational commitment
• Islamic financial institutions performance pre- and post-global financial crisis 2007/2008: empirical insights from Gulf Cooperation Council
• E-commerce assistant application incorporating machine learning image classification

Research pick: Precision coating boosts nanomedicine - "Assessment of different organic coatings on magnetic nanoparticles for biomedical applications"

A study in the International Journal of Nanotechnology has looked at the controlled synthesis and coating of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), specifically using oleic acid (OA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). These two well-studied polymers can be used in a co-precipitation approach to produce MNPs, which can be coated with different ratios of the two polymers to give different nanoparticle characteristics.

Magnetic nanoparticles can have many roles in medicine from targeted drug delivery and cellular tracking to serving as contrast agents in medical imaging, facilitating delivery of gene therapy agents, aiding in radiotherapy, and contributing to innovative hyperthermia treatments.

Nur Khalida Rahayu Zainon, Che Azurahanim Che Abdullah, and Mohd Basyaruddin Abdul Rahman of the Universiti Putra Malaysia in Selangor, Malaysia, used various characterization tools to study their coated nanoparticles. These techniques included X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). Each technique can be used to investigate chemical structures in different ways offering disparate and detailed information about the coated MNPs including structural, optical, and magnetic properties

The team has highlighted the optimal concentration ratios for coated MNPs and demonstrated how excessive levels of coating might impede the nanoparticle targeting capabilities. Conversely, insufficient coating can lead to unwanted aggregation of the nanoparticles. Magnetic saturation is reduced slightly in coated particles because the coating itself if non-magnetic, however, the coatings add several desirable properties, such as providing a protective and biocompatible shell around the magnetic nanoparticle as well as allowing functional biological agents and therapeutics to be attached to the nanoparticles in a way that is not easy to do with naked magnetic nanoparticles.

As the field advances, considerations such as the type of MNPs, nanoparticle shape, synthesis methods, particle size distribution, biocompatibility, and particle-particle interactions will emerge as critical factors in their development for biomedical applications. The present research enhances our understanding of MNP synthesis and coating and offers useful insights into their potential in nanomedicine.

Zainon, N.K.R., Che Abdullah, C.A. and Abdul Rahman, M.B. (2023) ‘Assessment of different organic coatings on magnetic nanoparticles for biomedical applications’, Int. J. Nanotechnol., Vol. 20, Nos. 11/12, pp.965–979.

Free open access article available: "Evolving marketing strategies for Swiss SMEs in the ICT sector: a marketing strategy canvas in support of digital transformation"

The following paper, "Evolving marketing strategies for Swiss SMEs in the ICT sector: a marketing strategy canvas in support of digital transformation" (International Journal of Technology Marketing 18(1) 2024), is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Process Management and Benchmarking

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Process Management and Benchmarking
 are now available here for free:

• Clustering and identifying the Lean Six Sigma projects: higher education institutes
• A comparative analysis of lean manufacturing, Six Sigma and Lean Six Sigma for their application in manufacturing organisations
• Strategic framework for successful implementation of synergistic approach SCQM (TQM-SCM)
• Energy conservation through lean initiative in a manufacturing company: a case study
• Multi-criteria decision making and project portfolio management for transport infrastructure investment in Thailand
• Scenario building and measurement of the business process maturity using fuzzy cognitive mapping technique: a case study in SAIPA company
• Modelling new service development using Kano, QFD and mathematical programming in an emergency department healthcare unit

Research pick: Video virality and vitality - "How do viral videos on social media affect purchase intention?"

A study in the International Journal of Business Competition and Growth has drawn insights from 621 survey samples to help improve our understanding of what elements of viral videos affect consumer behaviour and purchasing decisions the most. The elements highlighted include entertainment, brand awareness, source credibility, informativeness, interactivity, and incentives.

A viral video is a piece of content, typically a short video clip, that spreads rapidly and widely across the internet through social media sharing. The term “viral” in this context refers to the video’s ability to quickly accumulate a large number of views, likes, shares, and comments, often reaching a massive audience in a short period.

Nguyen Hong Quan, Hoang Thi Hong Nga, Nguyen Thi Hai Ha, Pham Phuong Hien, Truong Nguyen Yen Thanh, and Nguyen Thi Kieu Trang of the Foreign Trade University in Hanoi, Vietnam, suggest that their research underscores the significance of entertainment in viral videos. It correlates higher entertainment levels with positive consumer attitudes. This aligns with earlier studies that also highlighted the role of entertainment value in influencing consumer perceptions, especially in emerging marketing channels like mobile advertising. The team also found that brand awareness, coupled with source credibility, is influential in shaping positive consumer attitudes, emphasizing the importance of reputation and recognition in today’s information-driven consumer landscape.

The study also identified gender-based differences in the impact of various factors in viral videos. They thus suggest that marketing needs to consider nuanced strategies across genders. They found that males respond well to entertaining and trustworthy content, while females prefer informative videos with attractive offers and positive product feedback.

Additionally, however, brand awareness not only influences consumer attitudes positively but can boost advertising effectiveness on social platforms. Viral videos thus act as dual agents, impacting consumer behaviour and contributing to brand image, thereby bolstering brand equity.

The team offers various practical recommendations for businesses hoping to gain marketing advantages using viral videos in their advertising campaigns. They emphasise that by incorporating entertainment, informativeness, incentives, and source credibility into their strategy they can nudge consumers to engage more with their brand and ultimately purchase their products or services. Conversely, they advise businesses not to exaggerate their content and to ensure it is as authentic as possible. Businesses might collaborate with credible experts or consumers for genuine product reviews, and embed brand information strategically without overwhelming consumers to this end.

Quan, N.H., Nga, H.T.H., Ha, N.T.H., Hien, P.P., Thanh, T.N.Y. and Trang, N.T.K. (2023) ‘How do viral videos on social media affect purchase intention?‘, Int. J. Business Competition and Growth, Vol. 8, No. 3, pp.202-222.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Nanoparticles

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Nanoparticles are now available here for free:

• Development, characterisation and cytotoxicity studies of erlotinib entrapped gellan gum nanoparticles
• Preparation and characterisation of transition metal ions (Fe3+, Mn2+) doped CdO nanoparticles
• Influence of manganese and nickel doping on optical and electric properties of CuO nanostructures for optoelectronic applications
• Synthesis of silica nanoparticles from sodium metasilicate

Special issue published: "Smart Products"

International Journal of Product Development 27(4) 2023

• An interactive method of digital fitness equipment based on machine learning
• The 3D animation display of smart products based on Hanoi tower recursive algorithm
• A fault diagnosis method of intelligent electronic equipment based on dynamic fusion
• Appearance design defect detection of rigid plastic products based on geometric feature extraction
• Expression capture of virtual reality equipment based on expression weighted distance SLLE
• Double fingerprint accurate identification method of intelligent door lock based on spatio-temporal information feature fusion
• A real-time acquisition method of local change features of 3D animation considering product design
• Research on secure storage data access control of smart TV based on blockchain
• A colour enhancement method of plane image based on the interactive interface of mobile smart devices

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Knowledge Engineering and Data Mining

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Knowledge Engineering and Data Mining are now available here for free:

• A novel practical algorithm for strong and weak synonyms extraction with simple equality operation of web operational machine translation systems results
• Knowledge discovery in time series data with contextual event identification
• Method to integrate speaker identification, speech recognition, and information retrieval algorithms for speaker-based information retrieval
• Applying process mining to minimise order waiting time of FitBox
• A sustainable reverse supply chain network design considering inventory-location-routing problem and cross-docking scheduling under uncertainty
• Adaptive density-peaks clustering for gait analysis

Special issue published: "International Design of Dialogic Environmental Policies – Part 2"

International Journal of Global Environmental Issues 22(2/3) 2023

• Editorial: Can Russia democratise?
• Application of system dynamics for the sustainable management of solid waste in urban areas of Pakistan
• SYNOPTICS, part X: application of the synoptics model for the social analysis of states: Colombia (1991) and Nigeria (1992)
• Potentials and costs for the transition of decentralised energy infrastructure in Europe
• Analysis on the difference of regional carbon emission trading price level in China
• True empathy, part 1: identification and healing
• SYNOPTICS, part XI: application of the synoptics social analysis to presidential elections and the corona crisis
• Innovative strategies for a sustainable transition of decentralised heat energy infrastructure
• Legal jurisprudence of solid waste management in India: development through the decades
• True empathy, part 2: the spiritual foundations
• The effect of adaptive reuse practices in the walled city of Nicosia, along buffer zone, Cyprus
• Social characteristics of consumption, disposal and environmental awareness in Brazil regarding smartphones

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Business Forecasting and Marketing Intelligence

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Business Forecasting and Marketing Intelligence are now available here for free:

• Assessing the perceived e-readiness for teleworking: the case of a private company in Ghana
• Orchestrating a ship-from-store omnichannel operation using 4PL digital platform
• Digital finance research and developments around the world: a literature review
• Global perspective of the effects of digital financial inclusion and ICT intensity on socio-economic development
• E-business enabled customer service management and its performance: evidence from Indian micro, small and medium enterprises

Research pick: Don’t guess too hard, China, how long phones are in your hand - "What influences our recall of the use of social media and smartphones? An exploratory study based on a sample of Chinese iPhone users"

In a recent study examining the accuracy of self-estimation in evaluating technology use, researchers analyzed data from more than 300 iPhone users in China. The findings indicate a moderate correlation between self-reported usage and actual screen time. However, a notable finding is that the longer individuals engage with social media or smartphones, the less accurate their self-reporting of use becomes.

Self-estimation refers to an individual’s subjective assessment or perception of their behaviour. In the present study, published in the International Journal of Mobile Communications, it refers specifically to the use of smartphones and social media.

Gefei Li and Jialong Li of Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan and E. Qinyu of the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology and Xia Li of Shanghai Jiaotong University in Shanghai, China, have examined the psychological factors influencing the precision of recall of smartphone and social media use. The team found that loneliness is one factor that correlates with discrepancies in estimating social media use, suggesting that the lonelier an individual feels, the more they overestimate their use. Conversely, those who reported greater life satisfaction were less likely to underreport their actual smartphone use. Fundamentally, the study suggests that as individuals spend more time on smartphones and social media, the reliability of their self-reporting of how long they spend on them diminishes.

The team suggests that one practical implication of these findings is that researchers should be questioning the adequacy of traditional self-reporting measures for assessing how much we use these digital technologies.

The team recommends a standardized time perception approach, which could challenge the common practice of subjective time measurement in studying behaviour. The researchers also introduce the concept of “Screen Time”, which could be used to provide a more accurate measure of smartphone usage and so mitigate underreporting. This tool could offer valuable data for researchers studying the impacts of digital technology use on our digital habits.

The findings and implications of this study may well extend beyond the immediate results, suggesting that screen time reports could be a valuable resource for researchers in communication studies, cognitive psychology, and neuropsychology. By adopting a more precise measurement approach, researchers might gain a deeper understanding of the implications of digital technology use on our lives or at the very least glean more accurate data than self-estimation might offer so that future studies can give us clearer results.

Li, G., Qinyu, E., Li, J. and Li, X. (2024) ‘What influences our recall of the use of social media and smartphones? An exploratory study based on a sample of Chinese iPhone users’, Int. J. Mobile Communications, Vol. 23, No. 1, pp.24–42.

Free open access article available: "Reproducible decision support for industrial decision making using a knowledge extraction platform on multi-objective optimisation data"

The following paper, "Reproducible decision support for industrial decision making using a knowledge extraction platform on multi-objective optimisation data" (International Journal of Manufacturing Research 18(4) 2023), is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Power Electronics

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Power Electronics are now available here for free:

• Design, implementation and performance evaluation of different digital control techniques for current controlled DC-DC Buck converter
• Optimum regulation of THD profile in multilevel inverter using parameter-less AI technique for electrical vehicle application
• A novel hybrid discontinuous PWM algorithm for 3L-NPC inverter
• Performance investigation of a transistor clamped H-bridge inverter-based dynamic voltage restorer for mitigating various power quality problems
• Phase locked loop parameterisation in AC/DC interconnected system for a multi-source AGC system under open market environment

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Mobile Communications

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Mobile Communications are now available here for free:

• Effects of aspect ratio and the key position of the smartphone on thumb speed, muscle activities and discomfort in one-handed interaction
• Predicting eBook purchases of heterogeneous social groups in a social network site using network metrics
• HyDroid: android malware detection using network flow combined with permissions and intent filter
• Factors influencing utilitarian and hedonic mobile shopping experiences: Taobao as an example
• The influence of digital product attributes on the consumption demand for mobile money: the case of the MTN mobile money product in the Buea Municipality in Cameroon
• Digital divide and socio-economic differences in smartphone information security behaviour among university students: empirical evidence from Pakistan

International Journal of Mechatronics and Manufacturing Systems announces winners of Best Paper Awards

Prof. Tuğrul Özel, Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Mechatronics and Manufacturing Systems, is delighted to announce the winners of the journal's Best Paper Awards for the years ranging from 2020 to 2022.

The awards are based on the number of citations listed in Google Scholar and Scopus, and the winners for each year are as follows:

2022

Process concatenation to reduce thermal changes in machine tools
E. Wenkler, M. Selch, A. Hellmich and S. Ihlenfeldt

Machine learning approaches towards digital twin development for machining systems
Krzysztof Jarosz and Tuğrul Özel

Hybrid finite elements method-artificial neural network approach for hardness prediction of AA6082 friction stir welded joints
Mariangela Quarto, Sara Bocchi, Gianluca D'Urso and Claudio Giardini

2021

Physics-based simulation models for digital twin development in laser powder bed fusion
Lihang Yang and Tuğrul Özel

Selective laser melting of titanium alloys: effect of processing parameters on microstructure and mechanical properties
Ajay Kushwaha, S. Anand Kumar and Rajkumar Velu

Investigating mechanical properties of 3D printed parts manufactured in different orientations on multijet printer
Ramesh Chand, Vishal S. Sharma and Rajeev Trehan

2020

Evaluation on advantages of low frequency assisted drilling (LFAD) aluminium alloy Al7075
Fernando Veiga, Alfredo Suárez, Alain Gil Del Val, Mariluz Penalva and Luis Norberto Lopez De Lacalle

Review on electro-hydrostatic actuator: system configurations, design methods and control technologies
Bo Li, Yongteng Liu, Cao Tan, Qijing Qin and Yingtao Lu

Interoperability of the future factory: an overview of concepts and research challenges
Lai Xu, Paul De Vrieze, Hongnian Yu, Keith Phalp and Yuewei Bai

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Business Environment

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Business Environment are now available here for free:

• Determinants of customer engagement behaviour in hospitality industry: evidence from Vietnam
• The interaction between leading drugs and pharmacy-owned labels in Chile
• Relationship of environmental strategy and performance: role of green human resource management
• Exploring the mediating role of marketing planning in enterprise marketing capabilities
• Corporate social responsibility and job satisfaction: the mediating mechanism of supervisor fairness and moderating role of gratitude

 

Free open access article available: "How the characteristics of small and medium-sized enterprises influence product-service systems design challenges"

The following paper, "How the characteristics of small and medium-sized enterprises influence product-service systems design challenges" (International Journal of Manufacturing Research 18(4) 2023), is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Free sample articles newly available from Progress in Computational Fluid Dynamics, An International Journal

The following sample articles from Progress in Computational Fluid Dynamics, An International Journal are now available here for free:

• Modelling and simulation of ash accumulation in SP boiler of decomposition kiln
• Effect of aspect ratio of semitransparent window on interaction of the collimated beam with natural convection: part 1
• Investigation on the 1-kW Francis turbine elbow type draft tube performance by numerical and optimisation approach
• Computational investigation and parametric design of high speed evacuated tube transportation
• Numerical analysis of geometry and operating conditions in combined honeycomb and inclined labyrinth sealing elements

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Export Marketing

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Export Marketing are now available here for free:

• A future research agenda on export marketing and international marketing themes: a Delphi approach
• The international expansion of Chinese and Taiwanese electronics firms: the role of networking and learning
• Happy customers means more business – a comparative study of a global food chain in COVID-19 endemic era
• Spatial proximity as an independent variable in (international) marketing and management research
• Harnessing social media business affordances for internationalisation: multiple case study of small and medium-sized enterprises

Free open access article available: "Integrating TTF and UTAUT models to illuminate factors that influence consumers' intentions to adopt financial technologies in an emerging country context"

The following paper, "Integrating TTF and UTAUT models to illuminate factors that influence consumers' intentions to adopt financial technologies in an emerging country context" (International Journal of Technology Marketing 18(1) 2024), is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Special issue published: "Digital Transformation Towards a Sustainable Human Centric and Resilient Production" (all articles Open Access)

International Journal of Manufacturing Research 18(4) 2023

• Resilient and sustainable production systems: towards a research agenda
• Sustainability and circularity in reconfigurable manufacturing - literature review and future research directions
• Framework for universal design of digital support and workplace design in industry
• Approaching digital transformation in the manufacturing industry - challenges and differing views
• How the characteristics of small and medium-sized enterprises influence product-service systems design challenges
• Reproducible decision support for industrial decision making using a knowledge extraction platform on multi-objective optimisation data

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development are now available here for free:

• Localised strategies and principles of good governance for the Sustainable Development Goals: where do the local authorities in Turkey stand?
• From cleaner production to sustainability: multiple case studies in Uruguayan companies
• The circular economy for sustainable development: implementation strategies in advanced small open economies
• Implementing green infrastructure for stormwater management and combined sewer overflow control
• Green banking: a strategy for attainment of UN-Sustainable Development Goals 2030
• Analysis of regional sustainability status of the healthy Batik Village from social, economic, and ecological perspectives

Free open access article available: "Approaching digital transformation in the manufacturing industry - challenges and differing views"

The following paper, "Approaching digital transformation in the manufacturing industry - challenges and differing views" (International Journal of Manufacturing Research 18(4) 2023), is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.