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Article
Publication date: 9 May 2024

Reza Salehzadeh, Mehran Ziaeian, Pooria Malekinejad and Mohammad Ali Zare

This study aims to identify the factors influencing the creation of a toxic workplace and to examine how to improve a toxic workplace in the electronics industry.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to identify the factors influencing the creation of a toxic workplace and to examine how to improve a toxic workplace in the electronics industry.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the factors that influence the creation of a toxic work environment were identified by reviewing the research literature. Then, the current status of each identified factor in Iran’s electronics industry was evaluated by developing a questionnaire. Based on the survey data, a relationship map between the factors influencing the toxic workplace was created using the fuzzy cognitive mapping technique. Finally, scenarios were designed to improve the toxic workplace.

Findings

The results show that the “workplace bullying” factor is the factor with the highest centrality in relation to other factors. The results of the scenario design indicate the effectiveness of the “unrealistic expectations at work” factor as a scenario trigger.

Originality/value

This study helps reduce the toxic workplace in the organization, which plays an important role in improving the employees’ work performance and the organization’s development.

Details

Journal of Modelling in Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-5664

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 April 2019

Mohammad Javad Kazemi, Shahabeddin Hatami, Abdolreza Zare and Ali Parvaneh

This paper aims to study the lateral behavior of cold-formed steel walls with K-shaped bracing by finite element modeling.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to study the lateral behavior of cold-formed steel walls with K-shaped bracing by finite element modeling.

Design/methodology/approach

The braces which have the same section as those for studs and tracks are connected to the frame by screw connections. By pushover analysis, lateral performance of two frame categories, with different dimensions and bracing arrangements, is examined, and the force-displacement diagram and the ultimate strength of walls are extracted. Probable failure modes during lateral loading including distortional buckling of studs, buckling in braces and failure of connections are simulated in the numerical model, and some strengthening suggestions would be offered to prevent brittle failures and, therefore, to increase the lateral strength of the walls.

Findings

The strengthened walls are examined, and their seismic behavior is compared with the original walls. Finally, a parametric study is carried out to evaluate the effect of factors such as thickness of frame members, frame height and yield tension of members on lateral behavior of the shear walls.

Originality/value

In the present research, lateral strength and failure modes of nine types of cold-formed steel shear walls with different arrangements of K-shaped bracing are examined by non-linear finite element analysis, and a parametric study is carried out to extract the effect of the wall frame characteristics on the lateral behavior. Shear walls are classified into two series.

Details

World Journal of Engineering, vol. 16 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1708-5284

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 December 2023

Halime Morovati, Mohammad Reza Noorbala, Mansoor Namazian, Hamid R. Zare and Ahmad Ali Dehghani-Firouzabadi

The main purpose of the present work is to introduce two new Schiff bases as corrosion inhibitors (CIs) for carbon steel (CS). The anti-corrosion performance of these Schiff bases…

Abstract

Purpose

The main purpose of the present work is to introduce two new Schiff bases as corrosion inhibitors (CIs) for carbon steel (CS). The anti-corrosion performance of these Schiff bases having N and S heteroatoms in their structures was investigated and compared in 2 M HCl electrolyte. The inhibitory activity of these Schiff bases was also assessed.

Design/methodology/approach

Common electrochemical assays like potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance measurements were used to evaluate the ability of compounds in reduction of the rate of corrosion. Quantum chemical calculations (QCCs) were also used to examine the corrosion inhibitive and the process related to the electrical and structural characteristics of the molecules acting as CIs.

Findings

The electrochemical measurements indicate that both Schiff bases acted as the efficient CIs of CS in 2 M HCl electrolyte. The adsorption of the Schiff base on the surface of the CS caused the corrosion to be inhibited. The change of Gibbs energies indicated that both physical and chemical interactions are involved in the adsorption of NNS and SNS on CS surfaces. The predicted QCCs of the CIs neutral and positively charged versions were well-aligned with those obtained by electrochemical experiments.

Originality/value

Using electrochemical experiments and quantum chemical modelings, two new Schiff bases, N-2-((2-nitrophenyl)thio)phenyl)-1-(pyrrole-2-yl)methanimine (NNS) and N-2-((2-nitrophenyl)thio)phenyl)-1-(thiophen-2-yl)methanimine (SNS), were evaluated as anti-corrosion agents for CS in 2 M HCl electrolyte. The DFT calculations were considered to compute the quantum chemical parameters of the inhibitors.

Details

Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, vol. 71 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0003-5599

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 October 2021

Neda Hassanpour, Ali Shaemi Barzoki, Mohammad Hossein Moshref Javadi and Ali Safari

This study aimed at developing and testing a model to evaluate employee performance in Isfahan municipality.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed at developing and testing a model to evaluate employee performance in Isfahan municipality.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed-method design is applied in this study. To extract the model, a semi-structured interview based on the thematic analysis approach was employed. The qualitative data were obtained using a researcher-made questionnaire from a sample of 12 municipal experts selected based on purposive sampling. In the quantitative phase, the sample consisted of 76 managers and interim managers. The validity of the questionnaire was determined by the content validity index, while the structural validity was tested based on structural equation modeling using SmartPLS software. The reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed using Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability indices.

Findings

The factors obtained in the qualitative model included performance evaluation criteria, the desired time interval for performance evaluation, results announcement, performance evaluation approach, performance evaluation method and evaluator-related variables. There should have been an agreement between evaluators and those who were evaluated in all components of the model. In the quantitative section, performance evaluation criteria, evaluators, the evaluation method and time interval were confirmed with coefficients of 0.871, 0.815, 0.646 and 0.615, respectively.

Practical implications

The novelty of this study is that it uses a mixed-method research approach to extract a performance evaluation model that is specific to the Isfahan municipality.

Originality/value

The novelty of this study is that it uses a mixed-method research approach to extract a performance evaluation model that is specific to the Isfahan municipality.

Details

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. 71 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 January 2015

Mohsen Nazarzadeh Zare, Shahram Abdi Azzar, Amir Hossein Mardani and Mohammad Ali Arein

– The purpose of this paper is to study the application level of transformational organization components from Tehran Medical Science University librarians’ point of view.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the application level of transformational organization components from Tehran Medical Science University librarians’ point of view.

Design/methodology/approach

The present survey method is descriptive-scaling. The statistical population of this survey has included all librarians of Medical Science University of Tehran about 50 individuals. As a few numbers of statistical population, almost all of them were surveyed. Accomplished questionnaires were used to collect data. To analyze data, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Pearson correlation coefficient and Friedman test were used.

Findings

The results of survey showed that all components of transformational organization in the libraries of Medical Science University of Tehran were not very strong. Although the results of this survey showed that transformational organization components in the libraries of Medical Science University of Tehran are weak, to reach such a desirable level in libraries preparation of this university for converting to transformational organization, it is essential for managers and organizers of these libraries to take making relations more extensive among managers and staff for more cooperation in organization decision making, appropriate human resource training with up-to-date process, planning and practicality of organization knowledge map for discovering the talents and their management into serious consideration.

Originality/value

To change conventional organization to a transformational one, change and transformation should occur in attitude and human resource knowledge organization and gradually in other dimensions means organizational structure, organizational culture and technology.

Details

Library Management, vol. 36 no. 1/2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-5124

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 July 2019

Lila Rajabion, Amin Sataei Mokhtari, Mohammad Worya Khordehbinan, Mansoureh Zare and Alireza Hassani

The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive and detailed review of the state-of-the-art mechanisms of knowledge sharing (KS) in the supply chain (SC) field, as well as…

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive and detailed review of the state-of-the-art mechanisms of knowledge sharing (KS) in the supply chain (SC) field, as well as directions for future research. Briefly, this paper tries to offer a systematic and methodical review of the KS mechanisms in the SC to provide a comparative summary of the selected articles, to collect and describe the factors that have the influence on KS and SC, to explore some main challenges in this field and to present the guidelines to face the existing challenges and outlining the key areas where the KS mechanisms in SC can be improved.

Design/methodology/approach

In the current study, a systematic literature review up to 2018 is presented on the supply chain’s mechanisms of KS. The authors identified 21,907 papers, which are reduced to 25 primary studies through the paper-selection process.

Findings

The results showed that the KS in SC helps to increase the success of the organizations, improve employee performance, increase competitive advantage, enhance innovation and improve relationships between supplier and consumer. However, there were some weaknesses, such as staff resistance to share knowledge in the SC because of fear of job loss.

Research limitations/implications

There are several limitations to this study. This study limited the search to Google Scholar. There might be other academic journals where Google does not find their paper and they can offer a more complete picture of the related articles. Finally, non-English publications were omitted from this study. It is possible that the research about the application of KS in SC can also be published in other languages. In addition, more studies need to be carried out using other methodologies such as interviews.

Originality/value

The paper presents a comprehensive structured literature review of the articles’ mechanisms of KS in SC. The paper’s findings can offer insights into future research needs. By providing comparative information and analyzing the current developments in this area, this paper will directly support academics and practicing professionals for better knowing the progress in KS mechanisms.

Details

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology , vol. 17 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1726-0531

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 6 August 2021

Heba Mohamed Adel, Ghada Aly Zeinhom and Raghda Abulsaoud Ahmed Younis

The purpose of this study is to investigate conceptually and empirically the direct and indirect relationships between university social responsibility (USR), university social…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate conceptually and empirically the direct and indirect relationships between university social responsibility (USR), university social innovation strategy (USIS) in terms of social awareness (SA), intention for social innovation (ISI), organisational structure for social innovation (SSI) and innovativeness in social value creation (ISVC) and gaining a sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) at quality-accredited faculties of an emerging market.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual model was presented and a mixed-methods approach was exploited to fill a research gap detected in strategic corporate social innovation literature. The authors formed a data collection team that contacted all the quality-accredited public and private/international faculties, of which 109 faculties in 11 Egyptian governorates responded and their quality units filled questionnaires that were analysed by structural equation modelling. For comprehensive understanding, qualitative interviews were set to gather data from managers/leaders and teaching staff working at those faculties in quality management and community engagement practices as well as students.

Findings

Results demonstrated that USR positively and significantly influenced SCA and USIS. Further, USIS (in terms of ISI, SSI and ISVC) positively and significantly influenced SCA. However, USIS (in terms of SA) had a positive yet insignificant influence on SCA. Indirectly, USIS was found to be partially mediating USR–SCA relationship.

Practical implications

University leaders/staff can gain insights on how to adopt differentiation strategies, which enable their institutions to shift from being just socially responsible to becoming socially innovative by presenting solutions to social, economic, cultural, environmental and health-care problems/challenges within their communities in general and during pandemics. This can be sustained through developing innovative quality-based processes/programmes/services related to education, research and community outreach that better serve social needs to be quality-accredited and unique over their rivals.

Social implications

Satisfying social needs through promoting innovative processes/services can reinforce a favourable social change.

Originality/value

From a cross-disciplinary perspective, the authors interwove conceptually sparse literature of strategic, operations, knowledge capacity and innovation management that studied university social innovation research area. Also, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first research that examined empirically USR–USIS–SCA relationships of quality-accredited faculties in an emerging economy during Covid-19 pandemic.

Article
Publication date: 6 August 2018

Ali Haji Gholam Saryazdi and Mohammad Ghavidel

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the dynamics of waste production in the product structure of a wire and cable manufacturing company that deals with a high-volume waste…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the dynamics of waste production in the product structure of a wire and cable manufacturing company that deals with a high-volume waste and proposes strategies that reduce product costs.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology for this research is descriptive and expressive modeling in a way that theories of research have been extracted from literature and field studies have been done based on the company specialists’ views. The system dynamics has been used to analyze and model waste in a wire and cable firm.

Findings

Applying SD approach in the paper not only helps to identify the structure of producing the waste, which is complicated and dynamic, but also proposes ways to reduce them and illustrate the applied results. The second outcome shows that in the waste management there should be a digression in a managerial view to the systematic thought. In the other word as in the system dynamic approach, the expansion of the model boundary is one of the objectives to find appropriate solution. The behavior model showed that in the waste management the most effective way to reduce the waste is to buy qualified raw material which is out of the firm.

Originality/value

This paper not only shows that the system dynamic approach is appropriate for the waste management problems which are complicated and dynamic but also proved that in the waste management system the solutions are not always near or within the firm. They should be identified by a systematic approach.

Details

International Journal of Quality & Reliability Management, vol. 35 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-671X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 February 2023

SeyedAhmad SeyedAlinaghi, Behnam Farhoudi, Elnaz Shahmohamadi, Mehrnaz Rasoolinejad, Maliheh Hasannezhad, Mohammad Rasool Rashidi, Omid Dadras, Ali Moradi, Zohal Parmoon, Hooman Ebrahimi and Ali Asadollahi-Amin

Hepatitis C is one of the major health issues in both developed and developing countries. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is more common in prisoners than in the general…

Abstract

Purpose

Hepatitis C is one of the major health issues in both developed and developing countries. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is more common in prisoners than in the general population. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of HCV and its associated risk factors in Iranian male prisoners in Tehran.

Design/methodology/approach

In this cross-sectional study, the authors investigated the frequency and risk factors of hepatitis C infection among male prisoners in the Great Tehran Prison. Information on risk factors including the length of imprisonment, previous history of imprisonment, history of drug injection, history of tattooing, history of piercing, history of high-risk sex and family history of hepatitis C were extracted from patients’ records. To evaluate HCV status, blood samples were collected and tested.

Findings

In this study, 179 participants were included. Nine participants (5.0%, 95% CI, 2.3-9.3) were positive for hepatitis C. HCV infection was not significantly associated with age, marital status, education, previous history of imprisonment, length of imprisonment, piercing and high-risk sex; however, there was a significant association between a history of tattooing and a history of injecting drug use and Hepatitis C.

Originality/value

The prevalence of hepatitis C among male prisoners in Great Tehran Prison was 5% in this study, similar to recent studies on prisoners in Tehran. A history of drug injections as well as tattooing were the most important risk factors for hepatitis C in male prisoners.

Details

International Journal of Prisoner Health, vol. 19 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1744-9200

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 25 August 2014

Mohammad Dolatabadi and Lotfollah Forouzandeh

Privatization is one of the ways governments consider to dispense with the consequences of governmental economy in the economic reforms. One of the complex matters that…

Abstract

Purpose

Privatization is one of the ways governments consider to dispense with the consequences of governmental economy in the economic reforms. One of the complex matters that governments face is decision-making in privatization and choosing policies and methods that move the country’s economy toward more efficiency. Considering the importance and complexity of this issue, taking a comprehensive strategic perspective by the policy makers seems necessary for establishing successful privatization.

Method

Article 44 of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s constitution is the foundation of its privatization program and this study specifies the strategic requirements in implementation of privatization based on the mentioned article and other legal documents. Iran Privatization Organization (IPO) is the single executor of the program and we surveyed all members of the statistical population of this study, including all experts, supervisors, managers, deputies, and senior advisers of IPO to collect the required information by a questionnaire with some questions including strategic thinking, requirements, and results.

To analyze the data, at first, validity and reliability of the collected data, then the correlation between strategic thinking and requirements were tested and all strategic requirements of privatization were prioritized. We used tests such as Cronbach’s Alpha, Pearson Correlation Coefficient, Linear Regression, and Friedman to perform the study.

Details

The Developing Role of Islamic Banking and Finance: From Local to Global Perspectives
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78350-817-4

Keywords

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