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A study of global recession recovery strategies in highly ranked GDP EU countries
No full textThe Global financial crisis of 2008-2009 severely impacted the developed economies of the world. It occurred at a time when most countries had started gaining economic growth, stability, and vibrance. Each country experienced a jolt to its economy, causing financial fragility, shocks, tragedy, and struggle. Attempts have been made to understand the root causes, economic instability, and the lessons learned from the great recession. Given the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, this research paper seeks to examine the global recession, its effect on the economy and finances. Our research is based on the qualitative analysis of comparing the impact of the global financial crisis and strategic recovery recession plans of the top five GDP countries in the European Union-particularly Germany, the UK, France, Spain, and Italy to draw some similarities between a recession and COVID-19 pandemic in terms of the economy. The findings indicate that the great recession had a devastating impact on the entire economy, and the world can learn valuable lessons. It notes that out of the selected five EU countries, Germany was the first to recover and bounce back by 2011, but Italy and Spain were severely hit and took longer to recover only partially. The recession recovery strategies demonstrate some similarities in economic and employment measures and differences concerning tax reforms and financial support packages initiated by all five countries. There needs to be a mechanism in which each country must prepare for untimely recessions. Thus, a developmental model has been created to enable countries to be more prepared when faced with recessions in the future years
The impact of notches on the fracture strength of complete upper dentures: A novel biomechanical approach
No full textThis paper focuses on introducing a new biomechanical method for estimating the fracture strength of complete upper dentures (CUDs) and evaluating which notch mode has the greatest impact on their strength reduction. Forty identical CUDs were constructed according to a previously applied methodology, and it was divided into four groups of ten specimens. This is dependent on the location and size of the notches in the labial region of the denture. The upper grip of a universal testing machine was replaced by a newly designed and constructed loading element for simulating the intraoral denture loading conditions. The fracture load and the deflection at fracture were measured, while the fracture energy was calculated (product of the load to the deflection) under compression. The measurement of fracture energy through the present novel method leads to more precise outcomes. The highest impact on the reduction of CUDs strength was for the combination group 4 with both the midline (incisal) diastema and deepened labial fraenal notch. Nevertheless, it gradually reduced for group 2 with midline (incisal) diastema, group 3 with deep labial fraenal notch, and group 1 with initial-shallow labial fraenal notch (P<0.001). The conditions for groups 2 and 4 strongly require reinforcement of the denture bases
Die Rolle der Ehefrau: Der rechtshistorische Vergleich der ehelichen Pflichten im Deutschen Recht und der Scharia.
No full textThe Role of the Wife: The Legal History Comparison of Marriage Duties in German Law and Sharia Law
Use of Improvement Strategies for Excessive Inventory Levels Reduction
No full textWith the growing competitive markets within an evolving economic environment, businesses are implementing efficient and effective planning of supply chains within every sector. Likewise, supply chains have initially focussed on bringing different entities within the business in a collection of activities and processes to operate in an efficient manner. The purpose of this research paper and study is to evaluate the applicability to implement four improvement strategies namely postponement, supplier integration (SI), sales and operation planning (S&OP) and Strategic Souring (SS) at ABC Ltd. The research examines inventory data, main issues, contributing factors and examine the improvement proposals. The research summarises the implications, benefits, and challenges. The author will adopt current research and theories to evaluate the proposals
Positive psychology and the I-FLOW model: a new dynamic model of homeostatic wellbeing for mental health nursing
No full textThis is the tenth article in a series that explores the meaning of positive psychology and the importance of applying the latest related research findings, for the wellbeing of the mental health workforce. It will focus on the innovative I-Flourishing and Languishing Opportunities Wheel (I-FLOW) model, which can be applied to mental health nursing from a different perspective to many other frameworks. It positions realistic optimism and flow at its epicentre, suggesting that these are in a constant dynamic state of homeostatic balance. It recognises that wellbeing can be a combination of managing positive and negative feelings, thoughts and behaviours and that this is central to successful navigation of our life experiences. This article will frame the historical context of the model's development as a multi-dimensional concept through a range of positive psychology theorists and their respective frameworks. Finally, it encourages the reader to consider how the application of I-FLOW could be of benefit to them, through increased self-awareness and feedback. The practical tasks provided in the boxes throughout the article will help the reader identify what flourishing and wellbeing means to them and understand how to further develop its transferability through evidence-based, user-friendly exercises
Trust and cultural factors impacting on information system compliance through the lens of Arab culture in a Saudi Arabian company
No full textPrevious studies explored some factors that impact on information security but research that presents a comprehensive understanding of managing information security through the lens of local Arab culture has been lacking. Hence this research investigates various cultural factors to enable local organizations to holistically adopt those factors to manage information security compliance in the Middle Eastern Arab region. This study used a quantitative research approach, and a web-based questionnaire was custom designed and administrated to a representative sample of 300 of which there were 247 usable responses. Following a series of pilot phases, the data was analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) with AMOS, and SPSS software. The sample was drawn from a total of 1500 local Arab employees within a Saudi Oil Company. An initial model linked the 6 factors that were latent in the literature. The initial model connected trust, workplace culture, leaders, western technology, employees’ alignment with information security. However, that model was found to be inadequate and following analysis of the pilot data from 3 pilot phases, a final parsimonious model showed 8 interconnections between 6 new emergent factors. That model contained belief, expectation, and trustworthiness of co-workers, workplace culture and supportive leadership, trust towards others, Western IT satisfaction, data privacy, and ISS compliance. Hence, this research makes a novel contribution by modelling the information security compliance in the lens of the local Arab region and leads the way for further research in the context of information security culture in the Arab region. This research was first to be conducted Information Security Management through the lens of Arab culture and opens-up many new avenues for future research in the context of Arab culture and Information Security Management
Leisure, religion and the (Infra)secular city: the Manchester and Salford Whit Walks
No full textDrawing on the Manchester and Salford Whit Walks, a Church of England Whitsuntide procession, this research adopts della Dora’s concept of the infrasecular to interpret the interstitiality of the religious or civic nature of leisure experiences in the urban context. Processional walking at Whitsuntide originated as a pre-industrial custom that was simultaneously a religious and a leisure practice. However, with the decline of religion the meanings the Whit Walks have changed in a number of dimensions. Using the lens of infrasecular geography, this research explored the ways in which these Walks have remade sacred space in the secular city through an historical account of their evolution, interviews with participants and observation. The research re-emphasises the continuing importance of custom to contemporary leisure practice and through the infrasecular lens enables new insights into the dynamics of the historical spaces of leisure practice. The study concludes that religion remains an important influence on leisure and that the concept of the infrasecular merits further investigation in leisure practices
Competency framework to integrate lean construction and integrated project delivery on construction megaprojects; towards a future of work global initiatives in multinational engineering organisations
No full textBuilt environment organisations face global challenges between business units, especially since the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has profoundly disrupted the construction industry worldwide, including the management of construction megaprojects (CMPs). This research aims to develop a competency framework, for global integrated delivery (GID) transformative initiatives and future of work (FOW) global initiatives, to manage integration between lean construction (LC) practices and integrated project delivery (IPD) on construction megaprojects (CMPs) in contemporary multinational engineering organisations.‘Mixed research methods’ involves a two-stage quantitative and qualitative research approach. In the context of CMPs, stage one consisted of a qualitative research methodology comprising a literature review to examine competencies, COVID-19 impacts, responses and key drivers (KDs) to integrating LeanIPD&GID; stage one outcomes propose a conceptualisation of LeanIPD&GID, a competency framework and FOW global initiatives. Stage two involved an empirical questionnaire survey for a set of 30 KDs arranged into five factor clusters (FCs), 226 respondents from 23 countries with an extensive cosmopolitan experience; analysis adopted structural equation modelling (SEM), descriptive and inferential statistics, percentage scoring analysis, principal component analysis (PCA) and Eigenvalues.In the context of CMPs, stage one outcomes delivered a conceptualisation of LeanIPD&GID, a proposed competency framework and FOW global initiatives. Stage two concluded that the most significant KDs are ‘collaboration in design, construction works and engineering management,’ ‘coordination and planning of construction work,’ ‘senior organisational management support,’ ‘boosting implementation of LC, and integrating project delivery’, and ‘earlier and precise 3D visualisation of designs’. BIM adoption in the MENA region is higher than LC; the second is still taking its first steps, while IPD has little implementation. LeanBIM is slightly integrated, while LeanIPD integration is almost not present.The research findings, conceptualised LeanIPD&GID principles, a proposed competency framework and FOW global initiatives, provided future research streams and directions; the study has provided a competency framework and FOW global initiatives for effective practical strategies for enhancing integration of LeanIPD&GID transformative initiatives on CMPs and will allow project key stakeholders to place emphasis on boosting LeanIPD&GID KDs
Cognitive fuzzy-based behavioral learning system for augmenting the automated multi-issue negotiation in the e-commerce Applications
No full textEvolution of agent-based technology presents behavioral learning and sustainable negotiation challenges in e-commerce applications. In particular, the challenge of designing the negotiation strategy to incorporate sustainability in e-commerce business that can leverage the agent to reach its objectives by increasing the negotiation coordination and cooperation with the opponent agents.Therefore, the proposed research introduces the negotiation strategy sustainable solution using a cognitive fuzzy-based behavioral learning system which can change the preferences of negotiating agents according to human psychological characteristics. It will mimic the attitudes of human risk, patience and regret during the course of bilateral negotiation and also change the preference structures according to the fuzzy logic rules. As a result, the proposed negotiation strategy makes significant improvements on various parameters such as utility value, success rate, total negotiation time, and communication overhead while changing the negotiation rounds from 50 to 500. Since this system leverages the negotiation strategy of the agent by taking appropriate decisions to reach better agreement based on the interest, belief and psychological characteristics of negotiating opponents. Moreover, the usage of negotiation in the cloud-based platform can leverage the e-commerce applications to handle as many requests as possible due to its dynamic elasticity
Conjunction of triboelectric nanogenerator with induction coils as wireless power sources and self-powered wireless sensors
No full textHere we demonstrate a magnetic resonance coupling based wireless triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) and fully self-powered wireless sensors. By integrating a microswitch and an inductor with the TENG, the pulsed voltage output is converted into a sinusoidal voltage signal with a fixed frequency. This can be transmitted wirelessly from the transmit coil to the resonant-coupled receiver coil with an efficiency of 73% for a 5 cm distance between the two coils (10 cm diameter). Analytic models of the oscillating and coupled voltage signals for the wireless energy transfer are developed, showing excellent agreement with the experimental results. A TENG of 40 × 50 mm2 can wirelessly light up 70 LEDs or charge up a 15 μF capacitor to 12.5 V in ~90 s. The system is further utilized for two types of fully self-powered wireless chipless sensors with no microelectronic components. The technologies demonstrate an innovative strategy for a wireless ‘green’ power source and sensing