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Found 6383 publications
Navigating Cost-Efficient Circular Integration of Plastic Waste-to-X Pathways into Oil Refinery Using the Graph-Theoretic Approach
Publication Name: Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research
Publication Date: 2026-04-01
Volume: 65
Issue: 12
Page Range: 6587-6604
Description:
Plastic waste conversion has been widely recognized as a promising strategy to address growing waste management challenges. However, the feasibility of its integration into existing industrial systems remains uncertain. This paper explores a plastic waste-to-X strategy aimed at reintegrating plastic waste into its original supply chain, in alignment with circular economy principles. A graph-theoretic optimization model is developed using P-graph to identify the optimal and near-optimal pathway configurations under multiple scenarios. Under a cost minimization scenario, the optimal solution achieves a 0.013–0.19% lower cost compared with alternative pathways; however, related to the higher opportunity cost of up to 24,364 USD/y from forgone utility savings and carbon tax reductions. Incorporating carbon credits shifts the focus toward balancing cost efficiency and emission reduction. Under budget constraints, the benefit-cost analysis reveals that emission reduction does not increase linearly with budget expansion. These findings guide decision-makers in setting realistic emission reduction targets and allocating budget efficiently, while helping policymakers to develop a financial scheme that promotes greater emission reductions without excessive expenditure.
Open Access: Yes
Cooperation and Sustainability in Last-Mile Logistics Sector: Behavioural Aspects of Courier Express Parcel Service Providers
Publication Name: Chemical Engineering Transactions
Publication Date: 2023-01-01
Volume: 107
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: 565-570
Description:
The decisions of company managers are often not guided by the regulations governing the environment but by subjective factors that exert their effects in a hidden way in the decision-making manager's behavior. Market behavior is objectively controlled by regulators, but subjective factors lead to poor decision-making in some cases. On the one hand, the principal-agent problem is revealed behind the subjective factors, and on the other, cognitive biases affect the decision-making leader as a person. Cooperation with competitors from the same sector and sustainability issues are two similar areas where there is an opportunity to examine these concerns and where the nature of companies' decision-making shows similar or identical patterns on the basis of which decision-making behavior can be explored, characterized, and understood. This thesis examines the attitude of the managers of two existing Courier, Express, and Parcel market players regarding possible market cooperation. In-depth interviews and the completion of a unique questionnaire that revealed the presence of cognitive bias were the basis for the research. During the investigation, the cognitive bias influencing the decision of the two company managers was identified, and it was also examined whether the parent company or the owner's opinion affected their decision. The two case studies demonstrate how managers' decisions to develop collaborations are influenced by their prior experiences and prejudices.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.3303/CET23107095
Examining gender equality in tourism management for Hungarian regions
Publication Name: Statisztikai Szemle
Publication Date: 2025-01-01
Volume: 103
Issue: 11
Page Range: 1094-1110
Description:
This study explores the impact of gender inclusivity on workplace experiences among female leaders in the Hungarian tourism management sector, with a particular focus on perceived discrimination, job insecurity, and family-related obligations. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research combined structured questionnaire data (n = 102) with qualitative insights derived from thematic content analysis of open-ended responses. Analytical methods included descriptive statistics, ANOVA, regression analysis, and cluster analysis. Findings indicate that 75% of respondents reported gender-based discrimination, especially in promotion processes, while 65% identified family responsibilities as significant barriers to career advancement. Marked regional differences emerged: Central Hungary exhibited a more inclusive work environment, with lower levels of perceived discrimination and greater job security compared to northern regions. Inclusive organizational practices were positively associated with career satis faction and tourism-related performance. The results underscore that advancing gender equality is not only a matter of social justice but also a key determinant of economic performance and regional competitiveness. The study recommends reinforcing family-friendly and inclusive workplace cultu res and calls for regionally differentiated policy interventions.
Open Access: Yes
Harnessing the Green Spirit: The Impact of Spiritual Leadership on Employee Creativity in Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises
Publication Name: Ianna Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies
Publication Date: 2025-06-05
Volume: 7
Issue: 2
Page Range: 286-298
Description:
Background: Creativity, innovation, and learning behaviour are essential in accomplishing a competitive edge and the prerequisite of leadership in enhancing employee creativity and organisational growth. However, it is still unclear how team creativity and leadership are related. Objective: The research evaluates the effects spiritual leadership has on employee creativity, together with green human resource management (GHRM) practices within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The proposed framework explains the pathways through which spiritual leadership creates green workplaces that both engage employees and drive sustainable organisational expansion. Methodology: The study employed qualitative approach to attain its aim. The researchers collected data from 21 SME employees while the collected data were analysed using thematic analysis done with N-Vivo 14. Results: The outcomes of this research indicate that spiritual leadership encourages employee creativity and green HRM practices. This eventually enhances organisational performance and staff creativity, providing meaningful information to companies looking to elevate sustainability and overall performance. Conclusion: Leadership is an important requirement for effective management of small and medium scale enterprises. Unique Contribution: The outcomes present a new perspective on the relationship between spiritual leadership and employee results, escalating the value of creative strategies that help team members' personal and professional development. Key Recommendation: All organizational strategies and procedures must include environmental sustainability to create a unified HRM strategy. Leaders are important in advancing this integration by supporting eco-friendly projects and improving an environment that stimulates employee involvement and innovation.
Open Access: Yes
TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP STRATEGY AS A DRIVING FORCE TO ENGAGEMENT OF WORKERS: EMPIRICAL STUDY IN THE BANKING SYSTEM
Publication Name: Corporate and Business Strategy Review
Publication Date: 2026-01-01
Volume: 7
Issue: 1
Page Range: 250-257
Description:
This paper explores the hypothesis that transformational leadership strategy (TLS) is related to employee engagement in the branch-banking setting of a developing economy. Based on a quantitative survey of bank managers and employees (matched pairs; n = 61) and the available measures, reliability and validity have been measured, and the hypothesized TLS-engagement path has been tested through regression. Although there are recent studies and reviews that usually indicate positive links between TLS and engagement (e.g., meta-and narrative syntheses) (Bakker et al., 2023; Grah et al., 2024), our findings indicate a weak, statistically insignificant effect. The result indicates that leadership can be less motivated in banking due to contextual contingencies, including reward systems, legacy processes, or culture. We present hypotheses to apply to the job demands-resources (JD-R) theory, and in this case, leadership as a job resource might not be effective without other resources. We provide some steps that banks should take to balance leadership development with job redesign and incentives. We end with restrictions (convenience sampling, cross-sectional design) and future research (longitudinal and multi-level design and studies in other industries). Such insights provide a valuable boundary condition to other existing studies of TLS-engagement in other industries and different regions (Decuypere & Schaufeli, 2021; Bakker et al., 2023; Grah et al., 2024).
Open Access: Yes
Analysis of financial performance of deposit banks in Turkey using multi-criteria decision-making methods
Publication Name: Journal of International Studies
Publication Date: 2025-01-01
Volume: 18
Issue: 1
Page Range: 196-215
Description:
Financial performance analysis in the banking sector aims to determine the capacity for data-driven decision making. This study evaluates the financial performance of public and private deposit banks in Türkiye. In the study, we used the entropy method to determine performance weights. Then, we used the VIKOR technique, which integrates the entropy method with multi-criteria decision making. This integrated approach evaluates banks according to key dimensions such as profitability, liquidity, asset quality, and capital adequacy. We conducted the study on a sample of three public and eight private deposit banks operating in Türkiye. The data covers financial ratios starting from 2022. The findings show that two public banks have high financial performance, while publicly owned deposit banks have stronger financial performance than their privately owned counterparts. The findings provide valuable insights into the Turkish banking sector's financial stability and competitive positioning. The results of the study can guide bank managers and regulatory authorities.
Open Access: Yes
Adaptation and psychometric analysis of the Hungarian version of the Spiritual Health and Life-Orientation Measure (SHALOM)
Publication Name: Mentalhigiene Es Pszichoszomatika
Publication Date: 2022-12-13
Volume: 23
Issue: 4
Page Range: 433-463
Description:
Theoretical background: There are several measuring instruments in the international literature for measuring spirituality. One of the most widely used and reliable self-reported questionnaires is the Spiritual Health and Life-Orientation Measure (SHALOM). The questionnaire captures spiritual well-being holistically and is therefore well-suited to both religious and non-religious individuals. Aims: The primary objective of our study is to adapt SHALOM to Hungarian and to perform detailed psychometric analysis, including testing factor structure, reliability, and validity. Methods: The questionnaire package used for validation (SHALOM, WBI-5 / WHO Well-Being Questionnaire /, SWLS / Life Satisfaction Scale /) was completed by a total of 437 university students (male: 24.2%, female: 75.8%, mean age = 21.6 years; SD = 1.8 years). Results: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyzes on the items of the SHALOM questionnaire confirmed the bifactor structure (4 primary and 1 general factors), supporting the theoretical factor structure of the instrument. The primary factors are: Personal, Social, Environmental, and Transcendent Scales for both aspectsof evaluation (ideal and experienced). However, there were 6 items that did not fit perfectly into the four primary factors: 4 items for ideal assessment and 2 items for experienced. In the ideal assessment, the items in the questionnaire explain 66.6% of the total variance and 64.9% in the case of experienced. Factor structures gave acceptable fit indicators for both evaluation aspects (CFIideal = 0.99 and CFIexperienced = 0.97; and RMSEAideal = 0.057 and RMSEAexperienced = 0.068). The Cronbach-α value ranges from 0.69 to 0.97, indicating an overall acceptable internal consistency and the stability in time of the questionnaire is also adequate. According to our validity study, the scales for the two evaluations of SHALOM are significantly positively correlated with the WHO Well- Being Index and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (with the exception of the Personal scale for ideal evaluation), with correlations ranging from weak to moderate. Conclusions: Our results support the bifactor structure of the SHALOM questionnaire, confirm the internal consistency of the scales, and support the validity of the Hungarian version of the measurement tool. However, further studies in the field of construct validity testing are warranted in the future.
Open Access: Yes
Optimal Design of Ceramic Based Hip Implant Composites Using Hybrid AHP-MOORA Approach
Publication Name: Materials
Publication Date: 2022-06-01
Volume: 15
Issue: 11
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Designing excellent hip implant composite material with optimal physical, mechanical and wear properties is challenging. Improper hip implant composite design may result in a premature component and product failure. Therefore, a hybrid decision-making tool was proposed to select the optimal hip implant composite according to several criteria that are probably conflicting. In varying weight proportions, a series of hip implant composite materials containing different ceramics (magnesium oxide, zirconium oxide, chromium oxide, silicon nitride and aluminium oxide) were fabricated and evaluated for wear and physicomechanical properties. The density, void content, hardness, indentation depth, elastic modulus, compressive strength, wear, and fracture toughness values were used to rank the hip implant composites. It was found that the density and void content of the biocomposites remain in the range of 3.920–4.307 g/cm3 and 0.0021–0.0089%, respectively. The composite without zirconium oxide exhibits the lowest density (3.920 g/cm3), while the void content remains lowest for the composite having no chromium oxide content. The highest values of hardness (28.81 GPa), elastic modulus (291 GPa) and fracture toughness (11.97 MPa.m1/2) with the lowest wear (0.0071 mm3/million cycles) were exhibited by the composites having 83 wt.% of aluminium oxide and 10 wt.% of zirconium oxide. The experimental results are compositional dependent and without any visible trend. As a result, selecting the best composites among a group of composite alternatives becomes challenging. Therefore, a hybrid AHP-MOORA based multi-criteria decision-making approach was adopted to choose the best composite alternative. The AHP (analytic hierarchy process) was used to calculate the criteria weight, and MOORA (multiple objective optimisation on the basis of ratio analysis) was used to rank the composites. The outcomes revealed that the hip implant composite with 83 wt.% aluminium oxide, 10 wt.% zirconium oxide, 5 wt.% silicon nitride, 3 wt.% magnesium oxide, and 1.5 wt.% chromium oxide had the best qualities. Finally, sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the ranking’s robustness and stability concerning the criterion weight.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.3390/ma15113800
Improvements on the Convergence and Stability of Fuzzy Grey Cognitive Maps
Publication Name: Communications in Computer and Information Science
Publication Date: 2020-01-01
Volume: 1239 CCIS
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: 509-523
Description:
Fuzzy grey cognitive maps (FGCMs) are extensions of fuzzy cognitive maps (FCMs), where the causal connections between the concepts are represented by so-called grey numbers. Just like in classical FCMs, the inference is determined by an iteration process, which may converge to an equilibrium point, but limit cycles or chaotic behaviour may also show up. In this paper, based on network measures like in-degree, out-degree and connectivity, we provide new sufficient conditions for the existence and uniqueness of fixed points for FGCMs. Moreover, a tighter convergence condition is presented using the spectral radius of the modified weight matrix.
Open Access: Yes
