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Found 6334 publications

Exploring the challenges and barriers to implementing public auditor recommendations in Ghana’s public sector

Lóránt Dávid Sewornu Kobla Afadzinu Jemimah Fayah

Publication Name: Journal of Infrastructure Policy and Development

Publication Date: 2024-01-01

Volume: 8

Issue: 12

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

This study investigates the multifaceted challenges and barriers to implementing public auditor recommendations in Ghana’s public sector over an eighteen months period, aiming to enhance governance and accountability. Utilizing a qualitative research approach, the study involved semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, including officials from the Ghana Audit Service, government ministries, and civil society organizations. The findings reveal a complex interplay of organizational, political, and attitudinal factors that impede effective implementation. Key challenges identified include the lack of clear implementation plans, insufficient resources, weak political commitment, and a pervasive culture of mistrust towards audit recommendations. The research underscores the necessity for a comprehensive and holistic approach to address these barriers, advocating for strengthened political leadership, enhanced accountability mechanisms, and improved stakeholder coordination. Additionally, fostering a sense of ownership and buy-in among implementation stakeholders is crucial for successful reform. The study contributes valuable insights into the systemic issues affecting public sector governance in Ghana and offers practical recommendations for overcoming the identified challenges, ultimately aiming to empower citizens and enhance governmental accountability. By addressing these barriers, the research highlights the potential for transformative change in the governance landscape of Ghana’s public sector.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.24294/jipd.v8i12.8404

Supply chain integration and supply chain performance: evidence from the textile industry

Laszlo Vasa Qaiser Rashid Janjua Ikramuddin Junejo Sidra Abid Md Billal Hossain Sarmad Ejaz

Publication Name: Industria Textila

Publication Date: 2024-01-01

Volume: 75

Issue: 4

Page Range: 396-404

Description:

This study aims to determine the impact of supply chain integration on supply chain performance and the Internet of Things (IoT) mediating role in Sindh Pakistan's textile industry. Primary data was gathered with the help of questionnaires from previous studies. The employees were requested to complete the questionnaire online, and the concerned HR department was officially contacted. To achieve the research objectives of this study, SmartPLS version 3 is applied. The findings of this study confirmed the direct effect of internal integration, supplier integration, and the Internet of Things on supply chain performance. In addition to this, the present study also confirmed the partial mediation effect of IoT between internal integration, supplier integration, and supply chain performance in the textile industry of Sindh, Pakistan, a developing country. This research uses RBV theory to examine the textile industry's supply chain and effectiveness. Internal integration, partner integration, IoT, and supply chain performance are discussed in the research. This clarifies how these technologies operate together to give organizations a competitive advantage. The study shows how the Internet of Things (IoT) is a go-between for integration and supply chain success. Textile business managers should consider investing money into IoT devices and using their benefits. Companies can get real-time information about their supply chain by using IoT devices and monitors.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.35530/IT.075.04.2023110

Theoretical Study of the Effect of Weather Conditions on Vehicle Aerodynamic Properties †

István Lakatos Brúnó Péter

Publication Name: Engineering Proceedings

Publication Date: 2024-01-01

Volume: 79

Issue: 1

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

One of the most widely researched fields within the automotive industry is the effect vehicles place on the environment. To achieve a sustainable transport system, reducing the pollution of vehicles is an essential issue. The aim of this paper is to examine how weather conditions influence a vehicle’s operation. The study examines potential methods to evaluate the effect of different weather conditions on the aerodynamic parameters of a vehicle. Aerodynamic properties can be measured with the help of computational fluid dynamics (CFD), a wind tunnel and test-track measurements. On-board diagnostics are also examined to collect data on aerodynamics. These methods can monitor several parameters to measure and visualize the effects of weather conditions. The theoretical background to the related aerodynamic parameters is summarized.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/engproc2024079083

SMART CITY INDICATORS AND THE CONCEPTUAL PROBLEMS OF MEASURING SMART CITIES

Dusek Tamás

Publication Name: Deturope

Publication Date: 2024-01-01

Volume: 16

Issue: 3

Page Range: 172-184

Description:

As the popularity of smart city research is increasing, the measurement of smartness became also a popular research topic. This is in accordance with the demand of the planners and project financing institutions for the success indicators, and with the observable tendency of new indicators for describing the settlements from the point of view of the quality of life, liveability, creativity, environment, social capital, development and many other fashionable research aspects of modern urban societies. Analyses through such indicators run the risk of taking a mechanistic, technocratic, superficial approach to complex urban systems, ignoring the complex causal relationships between urban subsystems and the interpretative and statistical uncertainties behind the indicators. Moreover, these composite or complex indicators merge very different basic indicators, often with low data quality and validity. This paper focuses on the uncertainties of smart city indicators, which are often used to form composite indicators that moreover form the basis for comparisons of smartness of cities. The transformation of a multi-indicator system into a one-dimensional metric scale is a highly questionable practice. Composite indicators, despite their popularity, are methodologically and conceptually highly problematic analytical tools for researchers and normative targets for policy makers.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.32725/det.2024.016

Social problem-solving, coping strategies and communication among 5th and 7th graders

László Kasik Edit Tóth Anett Balogh-Pécsi

Publication Name: International Journal of Adolescence and Youth

Publication Date: 2024-01-01

Volume: 29

Issue: 1

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

The aim of the study is to explore the characteristics of social problem-solving, coping strategies and assertive communication among 5th- and 7th-grade students (N = 378). Communication is assessed with the Assertiveness Questionnaire (AQ, Gaumer Erickson et al., 2016), social problem-solving with the Social Problem-Solving Inventory–Revised (SPSI–R, D’Zurilla et al., 2002) and coping strategies with the Ways of Coping Questionnaire (WCQ, Lazarus & Folkman, 1988). The results show that mostly significant differences can be found between pre-adolescents and early adolescents in the three social fields. Low belief in problem-solving is more common among older students, and–besides the age difference–there are a number of areas where boys and girls differ, even among younger students. The SEM clearly identifies strong links between communication, coping strategies and problem solving. The results provide a more nuanced picture of boys’ social problem-solving, coping strategies and communication and the relation between them than before.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.1080/02673843.2024.2331592

Foliar Application of Copper-Tetramine-Sulphate from Microelectronic Waste to Improve Yield and Quality Parameters of Winter Wheat

Pál Szakál Judit Molnár Eduard Gubó Dávid Vasas Tamás Szakál Bálint Szüle Zsolt Giczi

Publication Name: Chemical Engineering Transactions

Publication Date: 2024-01-01

Volume: 114

Issue: Unknown

Page Range: 1069-1074

Description:

The growth of the world's population is an increasing challenge for agricultural production. Improving soil productivity is the key to ensuring the quantity, quality and safety of food for a growing population. In addition to macroelements, microelements also play an important role in the biochemical processes. A large percentage of soils in Hungary show a deficiency in copper. For three years, we treated the leaves of winter wheat with a copper-tetramine-sulphate complex derived from microelectronic waste. Aim to provide an alkaline pH range of 9.3 for effective foliar treatment. Treatments were applied on 10 m2 small plots at 0; 0.1; 0.3; 0.5; 1.0; and 2.0 kg×ha-1 copper dose in the budding and flowering phenological stages with copper-tetramine-sulphate produced from microelectronic waste. After harvesting the crop from the plots, the yield, raw protein, and gluten content were measured. In the copper-deficient soil, a significant increase in yield and protein and gluten levels was observed after treatment with copper foliar fertiliser. The most significant increase in yield was obtained in the treatment at flowering (0.40 t/ha), with a 0.37 % increase in crude protein content and a 1.95 % increase in wet gluten content.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3303/CET24114179

Real-Time IoT Solution to Monitor and Control dMVHR Units in Real-Life Environment

Gusztáv Fekete Albert Zsombor Fekete Ferenc Tolvaly-Roşca István Bíró Zoltán Forgó

Publication Name: Acta Polytechnica Hungarica

Publication Date: 2024-01-01

Volume: 21

Issue: 6

Page Range: 303-322

Description:

This paper presents an up-and-running control system, using IoT hardware, for multiple decentralized mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (dMVHR) units to enhance the overall performance of heat exchangers and the air quality of a real-life environment. The implemented control and monitoring system is able to measure the thermal efficiency of the complete ventilation system under real working conditions. Fan speed is automated based on the measured CO2eq levels in the bedrooms of the building, however, manual control is also possible. Temperature, relative humidity and CO2eq levels can be monitored live on the user’s smart device, while data can be exported through Google cloud system. Data values can be stored and accessed any time by legit users. The thermal efficiency of the individual units and the whole ventilation system was investigated and experimentally verified under real-life conditions, using the implemented centralized control and monitoring system.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.12700/APH.21.6.2024.6.16

CT-Based Defect Analysis in Aluminium Rotor End Rings †

Ibolya Zsoldos István Kozma

Publication Name: Engineering Proceedings

Publication Date: 2024-01-01

Volume: 79

Issue: 1

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

The advantages of using cast aluminium rotors have been proven recently. However, discontinuities and porosities created during the casting of aluminium can cause problems during motor operation, such as eccentricity, losses, unwanted sounds, and false rotor fault indications. During the casting technology, care must be taken to ensure that there are as few cracks and porosities as possible in the volume and that their distribution is homogeneous. In this article, we present in detail the application of the modern CT-based methodology that has been spreading recently for the detection and analysis of discontinuities, voids, and porosities created during the casting of rotor end rings.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/engproc2024079093

Prevalence and Characteristics of Traffic Accidents Endangering Vulnerable Pedestrians in Hungary †

István Lakatos Emese Sánta Gábor Patocskai Petra Szűcs

Publication Name: Engineering Proceedings

Publication Date: 2024-01-01

Volume: 79

Issue: 1

Page Range: Unknown

Description:

In Hungary, around 14,000 to 15,000 traffic accidents result in personal injuries on public roads annually. Half of the individuals involved in fatal collisions are considered vulnerable pedestrians or cyclists. Our retrospective cross-sectional study reviewed the police and medical aspects of personal injury traffic accidents in our county. In 2023, there were 26 fatal accidents, 9 of which involved pedestrians, with 8 being at-fault pedestrians. Additionally, 920 traffic accident patients visited the emergency care department of the county hospital, with 68% of them having injuries that healed within 8 days.

Open Access: Yes

DOI: 10.3390/engproc2024079094