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1 – 10 of 19Richard Feinberg and Rajesh Kadam
Business is moving online, not as a matter of choice, but as a matter of necessity. The use of the Internet as a channel for commerce and information presents an opportunity for…
Abstract
Business is moving online, not as a matter of choice, but as a matter of necessity. The use of the Internet as a channel for commerce and information presents an opportunity for business to use the Internet as a tool for customer relationship management (CRM)/(e‐CRM). Despite widespread agreement that CRM/e‐CRM has direct and/or indirect impact on customer satisfaction, sales, profit, and loyalty, the significance of e‐CRM and the various e‐CRM features in influencing customer satisfaction has not been well researched. This study attempted to uncover relationships between e‐CRM and customer satisfaction by determining the presence of e‐CRM features on retail Web sites for which we have customer satisfaction data, and determining if the amount of e‐CRM is related to customer satisfaction or which, if any, of the various features of e‐CRM are related to customer satisfaction. It was found that retailers differ in the presence of the 42 different e‐CRM features; that there is a positive relationship between the amount of e‐CRM on a Web site and customer satisfaction with the Web site; and that not all e‐CRM attributes are equal – some are related to satisfaction and some are not. There was no relationship between the level of e‐CRM on a retail Web site and sales and profit.
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Potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Kara) was grown in Open‐Top Chambers (OTCs) in Northern Egypt at ambient (ca 350 ppm) or doubled CO2 (ca 690 ppm) either in charcoal‐filtered air…
Abstract
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L. cv. Kara) was grown in Open‐Top Chambers (OTCs) in Northern Egypt at ambient (ca 350 ppm) or doubled CO2 (ca 690 ppm) either in charcoal‐filtered air (15 nl l‐1) or in non‐filtered ambient air (78 nll‐1 O3) to investigate the changes in physiology and yield under long‐term elevated CO2 and/or O3 throughout 100 days. Ambient O3 level reduced net photosynthetic rates, number and weight of tubers by 18 per cent, 41 per cent and 21 per cent, respectively, whereas elevated CO2 caused the opposite effect where it increased the same parameters by 44 per cent, 37 per cent and 20 per cent, respectively. Significant O3 x CO2 interactions were detected. However, O3 caused an increase in GR and POD by 18 per cent and 35 per cent, respectively, while CO2 caused an increase in POD only by 46 per cent, and there was no effect of O3 and/or CO2 on other enzymes. The results of this study are discussed in relation to predicted atmospheric changes.
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Arash Shahin and Payam Nikneshan
The purpose of this paper is to propose an integrated model of quality function deployment (QFD) and customer relationship management (CRM) for design and delivery processes.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose an integrated model of quality function deployment (QFD) and customer relationship management (CRM) for design and delivery processes.
Design/methodology/approach
After the literature review, the elements of a CRM business cycle were integrated with different phases in QFD. The proposed model was further developed, based on customer participation in the design and delivery of products/services, as a major stage in CRM in three cases: customer participation in design; delivery; and design and delivery. As a case study, the customer participation in delivery was studied in after‐sale services of the Iran Khodro Co., which is the second major carmaker company in Iran.
Findings
The results imply that QFD and CRM are complementary approaches and once they are combined, their capabilities are enhanced and managing customer relationship is empowered. According to the case study, personnel monitoring and human resources management (HRM) have been targeted as the first priorities in process parameters and process control characteristics, respectively.
Research limitations/implications
Although the developed model involves considerable advantages, due to the different matrixes used for QFD, its use might become time consuming and complicated. Also, gathering information from customers and categorizing them respectively play major roles in effective and strategic CRM.
Originality/value
The proposed model provides a means of harnessing the power of the present research innovations and advancements in order to empower customer need assessment, acquisition, development, equity leverage, retention and referrals, as well as prioritization of the features of products/services, processes, and performance indicators, according to the voice of customers.
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Michela Menconi, Noel Painting and Poorang Piroozfar
The inclusion of heritage dwellings in the UK decarbonization policies can contribute to cut operational carbon emissions from the building stock; this needs to be made a priority…
Abstract
Purpose
The inclusion of heritage dwellings in the UK decarbonization policies can contribute to cut operational carbon emissions from the building stock; this needs to be made a priority if net zero carbon targets are to be achieved. However, the energy and carbon savings potential of suitable retrofit interventions on this part of the stock is extremely variable and strictly intertwined with the range of baseline conditions of such dwellings. This study aims to propose a framework for interventions in traditional listed dwellings (TLDs) to improve their energy performance utilizing dynamic energy simulation (DES) of selected case studies (CSs) in the city of Brighton and Hove (South-East England).
Design/methodology/approach
To achieve this aim, the study established a baseline scenario which provides a basis for the assessment of energy performance and thermo-hygrometric behaviour pre- and post-interventions and allows for comparison between different CSs under comparable conditions.
Findings
Presenting a brief overview of the methodology adopted in this study, the paper describes the approach devised to generate such baseline scenario. The paper then compares the results obtained from simulation of normalized and baseline models with the status-quo energy consumption of the dwellings investigated (based on meter readings).
Originality/value
This analysis finally allows to highlight some key physical determinants of the baseline HEC which, in the following stage of research, proved to have a considerable effect also on the amount of energy and carbon savings achievable post retrofit interventions.
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Paige Robillard, Fatih Sekercioglu, Sara Edge and Ian Young
Urban community gardens (UCGs) are important sources of community, food and greenspaces in urban environments. Though UCGs in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) of Ontario, Canada…
Abstract
Purpose
Urban community gardens (UCGs) are important sources of community, food and greenspaces in urban environments. Though UCGs in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) of Ontario, Canada, were considered essential during the COVID-19 lockdowns and therefore open to gardeners, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security and UCG use among garden members and managers is not fully understood.
Design/methodology/approach
This was an exploratory qualitative study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven managers and eight members of nine gardens in the GTA. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis.
Findings
The results suggest that UCGs helped participants be resilient to COVID-19 pandemic-related stressors through the provision of cultural ecosystem services. Therefore, this study supports the current literature that UCGs can help foster resilience during crises. While participants in this study did not end up being food insecure, participants did express concern about community food security.
Practical implications
Results contribute to the current body of literature, and can be used to further update and develop UCG policies, as well as help develop UCG infrastructure and management strategies for future crises.
Originality/value
The impacts of the pandemic on Canadian UCGs are not well understood. This research paper investigated the impact of the pandemic on UCG use and food security, as well as the link between UCG use and increased resilience to COVID-19-related stressors.
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The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the severity of obesogenic societies is associated with more significant environmental impacts, and whether these impacts are…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the severity of obesogenic societies is associated with more significant environmental impacts, and whether these impacts are associated with the production, supply, and consumption of animal foods more so than with plant foods.
Design/methodology/approach
This ecological study was based on analyses of available data regarding populations of countries throughout the world. The study analyzed indicators related to food production, food supply, the anthropometric traits of malnutrition, and ecological impacts. Data were analyzed via scatter plots and Pearson’s correlation.
Findings
Food supply, when compared with food production, is more significantly associated with environmental impacts. Also, the supply of meats, when compared with the supply of cereals, has a stronger association with environmental impacts and obesogenic severity. Meat supply is strongly associated with the ecological footprint (r=0.782, p < 0.001), with CO2 emissions (r=0.602, p < 0.001), and with the water footprint (r=0.503, p < 0.001). Thus, the average body mass index (BMI) of populations worldwide is strongly associated with environmental impacts considering the ecological footprint (r=0.559, p < 0.001), and the CO2 emissions (r=0.460, p < 0.001).
Practical implications
Actions that are better aligned with worldwide urgencies related to obesogenic problems, food supply/consumption, and environmental issues are needed. This study provides a better understanding about environmental and obesogenic impacts associated with food supply.
Originality/value
The originality is focussed on important evidence regarding environmental and obesogenic severity strongly associated with meat supply.
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Chiara Bertolin and Filippo Berto
This article introduces the Special Issue on Sustainable Management of Heritage Buildings in long-term perspective.
Abstract
Purpose
This article introduces the Special Issue on Sustainable Management of Heritage Buildings in long-term perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
It starts by reviewing the gaps in knowledge and practice which led to the creation and implementation of the research project SyMBoL—Sustainable Management of Heritage Buildings in long-term perspective funded by the Norwegian Research Council over the 2018–2022 period. The SyMBoL project is the motivation at the base of this special issue.
Findings
The editorial paper briefly presents the main outcomes of SyMBoL. It then reviews the contributions to the Special Issue, focussing on the connection or differentiation with SyMBoL and on multidisciplinary findings that address some of the initial referred gaps.
Originality/value
The article shortly summarizes topics related to sustainable preservation of heritage buildings in time of reduced resources, energy crisis and impacts of natural hazards and global warming. Finally, it highlights future research directions targeted to overcome, or partially mitigate, the above-mentioned challenges, for example, taking advantage of no sestructive techniques interoperability, heritage building information modelling and digital twin models, and machine learning and risk assessment algorithms.
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