1,721,588 research outputs found
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
The ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System Standard: companies' drivers, benefits and barriers to its implementation
Full text linkCompanies' Commitment on Corporate Social Responsibility: Perceived Benefits and Barriers of SA 8000
No full textIn today's global markets, issues related to environmental sustainability, ethics, working environment conditions and security, stakeholders' relations and the protection of workers' rights have greater importance on businesses performance. For this reason the aim of this research is to analyze the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility, which incorporate all these issues, investigating the perception of Italian companies about the International standard Social Accountability 8000, voluntary standard used as a tool to certify companies' commitment on Corporate Social Responsibility. The main reasons which have driven companies to be certified has been investigated, highlighting the main benefits and limitations resulted from the certification. Furthermore the presence of additional social responsibility practices adopted by companies in the Italian context has been analyzed
Manufacturing labs: where new digital technologies help improve life quality
No full textThe aim of this paper is to analyze where Do It Yourself (DIY) comes to life, investigating the economic reality of Italian Fabrication Laboratories, an international network of digital laboratories which provide a space with new technologies tools for digital manufacturing, identifying their role both towards consumers and businesses in the Industry 4.0 era, with the purpose of helping to improve the quality of life. Data from Italian Fab Labs were collected using a questionnaire survey; 27 Fab Labs participated to the survey. The results show that, while some laboratories are still in an embryonic phase, with no or very few registered users, others are in full activity reaching over 100 users. Italian laboratories are characterized by ample space available, but limited capacity for investment in machinery and technology. The role of Fab Labs in the Italian economic panorama could be double, and affect the consumer side, transforming consumers in "co-designers" of products, and on the other side, helping businesses designing and building prototypes to improve products 'quality
Fabrication laboratories: the development of new business models with new digital technologies
No full textPurpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyze the current state of fabrication laboratories (Fab Lab), an international network of digital laboratories, which provides new technological tools for digital manufacturing that can be used from individual users, to small businesses and schools. The aim is to understand similarities and differences of skills, technologies used and customers served among the main European laboratories (Italy, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Spain) and the American ones. Design/methodology/approach: Data from European and American Fab Labs were collected using a questionnaire survey performed on a total sample of n=493 Fab Labs. The administration of the survey took place through e-mail; 73 Fab Labs participated to the survey, reaching a total response rate of 14.81 percent. Findings: The results show that Italian laboratories are characterized by ample space available, but limited capacity for investment in machinery and technology. European Fab Labs are similar to the Italian Fab Labs, while the American ones are more heterogeneous in size. However, a fact that emerges clearly from the results is how American Fab Labs are more important realities than European ones in terms of turnover and investments. They are more similar to businesses with an independent financial support. Originality/value: The novelty of the study resides in the issue considered and the experimental techniques used. Some qualitative case studies have been developed in the field, but no previous quantitative analyses have been developed on a large sample of Fab Labs, developing comparisons between European and American realities of these digital laboratories
An assessment of the EMAS standard in developing an effective environmental strategy: an analysis of certified companies in Italy
Full text linkAbstract
Purpose – The study provides an overview of the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) standard and its potential in helping a company to improve its environmental performance. The work aims to investigate a company’s perception towards the implementation of the EMAS environmental management system with the benefits and the critical areas derived from it, the overall assessment of the certification and its possible future developments.
Design/methodology/approach – The study develops an empirical analysis of Italian EMAS III certified companies, through the administration of a questionnaire to all those Italian companies that were EMAS certified and that provided a valid e-mail address on the EMAS register. Overall, 231 Italian companies took part in the survey.
Findings – The results confirm the heterogeneous effects of an Environmental Management System depending on the company profile and highlight the positive influence of certification on environmental management. It emerges how the EMAS certification is approached more for internal reasons, and therefore gives more internal benefits to companies that implement it. Moreover, the time from which companies have been certified turns out to be a relevant factor for obtaining environmental and organizational benefits connected with EMAS certification.
Originality/value – The recent decrease in EMAS registrations has not been sufficiently studied, leaving unsolved questions for scholars, practitioners and policy-makers. Previous studies used a negative perspective, identifying the barriers that led to the non-renewal of the certification. The present study aims to focus on the positive factors, which have led still active companies to renew the certification
- …
