Tomas Bata University in Zlín
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Adapting rural communities to climate change: The undervalued potential of agricultural land
No full textRural municipalities in the Czech Republic (central Europe) are important owners of agricultural land, which, if managed appropriately, can be a means of reducing the local impacts of climate change. Previous research has not paid enough attention to rural municipal approaches to farmland management and their role in addressing local climate impacts. The aim of this paper is thus to capture the possible approaches and roles of municipalities in reducing the local impacts of climate change and to show how municipalities, as significant landowners, respond to these impacts. The research is based on semistructured interviews with representatives of rural municipalities and these results are further triangulated through focus groups with farmers in three model areas with different climatic and natural conditions for agriculture. The results showed that rural community leaders are generally unwilling to farm their agricultural land. They mostly lease land to farmers but at the same time do not understand the potential of tenancy agreements to influence farming to mitigate the impacts of climate change locally. Although the communities do not have a systematic and strategic approach to climate adaptation measures, the findings showed the implementation of a range of activities that effectively respond to climate change. Finally, the potential for strengthening governance and consequently rural sustainability lies in systematic counselling to leaders and communities and institutional support.State Agricultural Intervention Fund; Foundation for Appalachian Ohio, FAO; European Environment Agency, EEA, (2022
“Mom's a bit different”: The challenges of first-time mothers with cerebral palsy in caring for their children from birth until age three
No full textThis qualitative study examines childcare challenges and adaptive strategies among first-time Czech mothers with cerebral palsy (CP) in caring for children aged 0-3. Data obtained from ten semi-structured interviews were analyzed using selected procedures of situational analysis. The results were structured around three major themes: (1) The decision to become a mother and preparation for childcare tasks; (2) Challenges in childcare and adopted childcare strategies; (3) Social support received to manage childcare challenges. Along with findings related to the women with CP preparing themselves for the maternal role and childcare tasks, i.e. by attending a prenatal course to learn a suitable hand grip to safety hold their baby or to choose a suitable pram, the participants identified a number of practical childcare challenges they encountered postpartum. The first-time mothers initially tended to delegate challenging childcare tasks, such as lifting and carrying the newborn child, bathing and dressing or changing nappies, to family members or friends, with this support contributing to gradual development of the women's childcare methods to become an independent caregiver. Our findings underline the importance of sharing the lived experiences of mothers with CP with professional communities as well as the general public through formal education programs and informal community outreach
How does heat generation affect the cut and chip wear of rubber?
Get PDFTire wear is a fracture process that has a decisive impact on tire life and on the environment. When a tire rolls, a heating process occurs due to friction caused by the viscoelastic rubber sliding over uneven road. This process occurs globally in the contact patch area and locally around the asperity tips, heating the tread and transferring heat to the surrounding material. On roads with a good quality pavement, the stress, and therefore the heat, is evenly distributed throughout the rubber material of the tire, which has a direct effect on fatigue wear. In contrast, unevenly distributed stress, and therefore heat, is generated in the tread when the tire rolls and slides over sharp asperities in rough terrain. This leads to very pronounced, unstable fracture processes that cause unevenly distributed wear, known as cut and chip (CC). The extent of heat generation or temperature evolution and its effect on CC wear have not yet been investigated and described in scientific publications. Therefore, this study firstly presents the detailed characterization of the influence of temperature development on the CC wear of a styrene-butadiene rubber, which commonly is used in treads of consumer tires. The investigations were carried out using the unique instrumented cut and chip technique in combination with a high-speed thermography.Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic-DKRVO [RP_CPS_2024_28_006]; Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic [IGA/CPS/2024/001]; Internal Grant Agency (IGA) of TBU in Zlin-National Technical Library in Prague; Ministerstvo Školství, Mládeže a Tělovýchovy, MŠMT; Internal Grant Agency; DKRVO, (RP_CPS_2024_28_006); TBU in Zlin, (IGA/CPS/2024/001
Chemically recycled commercial polyurethane (PUR) foam using 2-hydroxypropyl ricinoleate as a glycolysis reactant for flexibility-enhanced automotive applications
No full textThe automotive industry uses polyurethane (PUR) foam core in the vehicle headliner composite. The sector demands recycling suggestions to reduce its scrap and decrease the expenses. This work investigated the PUR depolymerization using synthesized 2-hydroxypropyl ricinoleate (2-HPR) from castor oil and incorporated the liquid recyclate (REC) into the original PUR foam. The synthesis of 2-HPR yielded 97.5%, and the following PUR depolymerization (via glycolysis) reached 87.2% yield. The synthesized products were verified by GPC, FTIR, ESI-MS, and 1H NMR cross-analysis. The laboratory experiments (565 mL) included rheological, structural, and reactivity investigations. Added 30% REC content decreased the apparent viscosity to 109 mPa s from standard 274 mPa s. The reactivity of the 30% REC system increased by 51.2% based on the cream time due to the high REC amine value. The block foam density of systems with 15% REC and above decreased by 14.8%. A system with 20% REC content was the most prospective for up-scale. The industrially significant up-scale (125 L) was performed successfully, and the tensile and flexural test specimens were sampled from the up-scaled foam. The tensile characteristic (tensile strength 107 ± 8 kPa and elongation 9.2 ± 0.7%) and flexural characteristic (flexural strength 156 ± 12 kPa and flexural strain at deformation limit 23.4 ± 0.6%) confirmed that the REC incorporation in the standard PUR foam improves the applicable significant mechanical properties and assures the manufacture improve.Ministerstvo Scaron;kolstv, Mldezcaron;e a Tecaron;lovchovy; Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the Czech RepublicMinisterstvo Školství, Mládeže a Tělovýchovy, MŠMT, (FCH-S-23-8208, FCH-S-23-8297
Formulating sustainable emulsions: Mandelic acid and essential oils as natural preservatives
Get PDFEmulsion products with natural antimicrobials are becoming increasingly popular for topical application. Mandelic Acid is interesting in cosmetics due to its potent exfoliating properties, which have driven advancements in skincare technologies. Essential oils have various properties, of which the most useful in cosmetics are those that do not cause irritation, smell pleasant, and have other beneficial properties such as antimicrobial effects. Emulsions with Mandelic Acid and essential oils from Satureja montana, Lemongrass, and Litsea cubeba were formulated and microbiologically tested for their preservative effectiveness. The effect of the treatments on skin condition was monitored by non-invasive diagnostic methods, such as hydration, transepidermal water loss, and pH value. Sensory analysis revealed that the matrix containing Mandelic Acid alone or combined with Litsea Cubeba Oil was the best-performing formulation, consistent with the compliant results of antimicrobial efficacy. The topical form of this cosmetic product has demonstrated excellent preservative activity and desirable biophysical efficacy on the skin
Do managers trust AI? An exploratory research based on social comparison theory
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate managers' decision-making processes when evaluating suggestions provided by human collaborators or artificial intelligence (AI) systems. We employed the framework of Social Comparison Theory (SCT) in the business context to examine the influence of varying social comparison orientation levels on managers’ willingness to accept advice in their organization.
Design/methodology/approach: A survey was conducted on a sample of 192 US managers, in which we carried out an experiment manipulating the source type (human vs AI) and assessing the potential moderating role of social comparison orientation. Results were analyzed using a moderation model by Hayes (2013).
Findings: Despite the growing consideration gained by AI systems, results showed a discernible preference for human-generated advice over those originating from Artificial Intelligence (AI) sources. Moreover, the moderation analysis indicated how low levels of social comparison orientation may lead managers to be more willing to accept advice from AI.
Research limitations/implications: This study contributes to the current understanding of the interplay between social comparison orientation and managerial decision-making. Based on the results of this preliminary study that used a scenario-based experiment, future research could try to expand these findings by examining managerial behavior in a natural context using field experiments, or multiple case studies.
Originality/value: This is among the first studies that examine AI adoption in the organizational context, showing how AI may be used by managers to evade comparison among peers or other experts, thereby illuminating the role of individual factors in affecting managers' decision-making
Decentralized semi adaptive control with switching and repeating offline identification
No full textThis article presents some decentralized regulation approach, combining adaptive and switching. Offline identification is part of the method, which consists of several sub-steps, namely an initiation phase based on the identification of all sections when the desired values are changed, which is followed by repeating the identification when changing the weights for individual sections of one input and repeating this phase with a change of weights for all combinations of other inputs and then the weights are set to calculate the estimate of the system parameters according to the identification results. It includes PID controllers using internal model control method to compute the parameters and utilizing the least-squares method for identifying parameters. Parameters of system are estimated from previous call founded on every mixture of the set points, with some weight of their changes. The validity of the approach was confirmed on a system featuring 3 inputs and 3 outputs with interconnections implemented in the model's V-structure
Female entrepreneurship involvement in digital transformation process through perspective of gender employment and pay gaps
No full textThe main goal of the study is to investigate and to quantify the relations between the gender aspects and the processes of digital transformation in a relation to the eco-innovation processes. The processes of digital transformation in enterprises bring the changes of business strategies, processes, management, principles, approaches, and methods. A change in the roles of the managerial and other work positions, which can have an impact on efficiency of engaged processes in enterprises, is associated with them. The actual research studies aimed at investigating the female role in the leadership position have been focused on business processes mainly, which the effect of leadership is not difficult to quantify within. The procedures of digital transformation and the eco-innovation processes within them bring new dimension of the managerial work and a need for several technical, economic, and personal changes. According to the examined literature review, the three research questions are formulated, whilst each one is related to the particular examined field – the gender employment gap, the gender pay gap, and the female entrepreneurship participation. The applied regression analysis with the testing phase serves to analyse the data gathered. The carried-out analysis provides the interesting finding also from a geographical view. The gender employment gap in its different forms is confirmed by the outcomes of the constructed panel regression models in a majority of the explored cases. The gender pay gap is not seen as statistically significant. The female entrepreneurship participation represents the strongest point and it is confirmed absolutely at all. The study outcomes will support the creation of active environmental and innovation policies at the national and international level. Investigating gender diversity and its impact on the eco-innovation processes will enable the creation of mechanisms for eliminating the gender disparities, improving environmental reputation, and for effective decision-making processes.Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic; Slovenská Akadémia Vied, SAV; Vedecká Grantová Agentúra MŠVVaŠ SR a SAV, VEGA, (1/0554/24); Vedecká Grantová Agentúra MŠVVaŠ SR a SAV, VEGAMinistry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic; Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic [VEGA 1/0554/24]; Slovak Academy of Science
Nostalgia is the English Disease' — or is it? Jonathan Coe's Middle England (2018)
No full textIn common understanding, nostalgia is a past-oriented attitude that makes people turn their backs on the present and glorify former times. It leads to a self-indulgent 'ossification' of one's thoughts and results in escapism and the break with contemporary reality. Jonathan Coe's Middle England, one of the first English Brexit novels, is deeply steeped in the past and in certain forms of nostalgia that greatly contribute to the novel's overall atmosphere. One of these forms, the hankering after England's glorious past and the lost Empire, may easily be related to Brexit. This type of nostalgia, however, which contributed to England's leaving of the European Union, is only one form of nostalgia which Coe makes use of. What I want to show is that there is another type of nostalgia in the novel that is future-oriented and filled with positive social and psychological energies. It is this type of nostalgia that characterizes most of Coe's protagonists and that is responsible for the structure of his novel
The social-pedagogic aspect in the works of John Amos Comenius and his legacy to the modern world
No full textThe thoughts of John Amos Comenius, an important figure in Czech history, influenced philosophy, pedagogy and its marginal branches in the Czech Republic and other European countries. His ideas, which he based on Czech traditions, were directed towards resolving the issue of good and evil. This paper discusses the importance of Comenius’ works in the context of the social and social-pedagogical dimensions. Its aim is to reflect on the basic ideas of the teacher of the nations in his many years of work. The enrichment of the social as well as socio-pedagogical sciences is a topic we dealt with in the article; we wanted to point out the legacy of J. A. Komenský’s ideas for the present