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Found 6319 publications
CSR and workplace autonomy as enablers of workplace innovation in SMEs through employees: Extending the boundary conditions of self-determination theory
Publication Name: Sustainability Switzerland
Publication Date: 2021-06-01
Volume: 13
Issue: 11
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The current business environment characterized by high uncertainty, volatility, and stiff situation of competitiveness that is evident in almost every sector has increased the importance of workplace innovation for contemporary businesses. In this regard, a considerable attention in realizing employees of an organization as a source of innovation is not evident from the existing literature. In this aspect, the current study is an attempt to foster workplace innovation through employees in the SME sector of an emerging economy. In doing so, the authors propose that corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of an SME, along with workplace autonomy, are helpful in creating an environment at the workplace that fosters innovative employee behavior (IEB). Furthermore, the current study also extends the boundary condition of the theory of self-determination by arguing that this theory provides a comprehensive framework to explain employees’ motivation for workplace innovation. The data of the current survey was obtained from the SME sector situated in two large cities of a developing country through a self-administered questionnaire which was then analyzed through structural-equation-modeling (SEM) using the AMOS software. The results confirmed that CSR directly relates to IEB and workplace autonomy mediates this relationship. The study also discusses the implications of this survey for theory and practice.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.3390/su13116104
EDLRIS: A European Driving License for Robots and Intelligent Systems
Publication Name: Ki Kunstliche Intelligenz
Publication Date: 2021-06-01
Volume: 35
Issue: 2
Page Range: 221-232
Description:
This article presents a novel educational project aiming at the development and implementation of a professional, standardized, internationally accepted system for training and certifying teachers, school students and young people in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics. In recent years, AI and Robotics have become major topics with a huge impact not only on our everyday life but also on the working environment. Hence, sound knowledge about principles and concepts of AI and Robotics are key skills for this century. Nonetheless, hardly any systematic approaches exist that focus on teaching principles of intelligent systems at K-12 level, addressing students as well as teachers who act as multipliers. In order to meet this challenge, the European Driving License for Robots and Intelligent Systems—EDLRIS was developed. It is based on a number of previously implemented and evaluated projects and comprises teaching curricula and training modules for AI and Robotics, following a competency-based, blended learning approach. Additionally, a certification system proves peoples’ acquired competencies. After developing the training and certification system, the first 32 trainer and trainee courses with a total of 445 participants have been implemented and evaluated. By applying this innovative approach—a standardized and widely recognized training and certification system for AI and Robotics at K-12 level for both high school teachers and students—we envision to foster AI/Robotics literacy on a broad basis.
Open Access: Yes
Chinese and Indian FDI in Hungary and the role of Eastern Opening policy
Publication Name: Asia Europe Journal
Publication Date: 2021-06-01
Volume: 19
Issue: 2
Page Range: 167-187
Description:
The aim of this paper is to assess the main features of Chinese and Indian investments in Hungary and the role of the Hungarian Government’s Eastern Opening policy in the attraction of investments from these two Asian giants. This paper covers the sectoral distribution, modes of market entry, and motivations of Chinese and Indian foreign direct investments. The automotive sector is the most attractive sector for investors from both countries. ICT manufacturing (electronics) and services, and the renewable energy sector are also very attractive for Chinese companies. The same is true for IT/BPO services and the chemical sector in the case of Indian companies. Chinese and Indian companies enter the Hungarian economy mainly through green-field investments or acquisitions. Market-seeking and strategic asset-seeking motives are dominant in the case of investors from both countries. This paper also puts a special emphasis on studying the impacts of Hungary’s Eastern Opening policy (launched in 2012) on Chinese and Indian investments. The findings show that the Eastern Opening policy has had a significant impact on the investment decision (location choice) of new Chinese and Indian investors and further expansion of investments by Chinese and Indian companies located in Hungary due to four factors, namely high-ranking political meetings, strategic cooperation agreements, cash grants from the Hungarian Government and supportive services of HIPA.
Open Access: Yes
Genotyping of a SORCS2 polymorphism and behavioural trait associations in newly developed laying hen populations
Publication Name: Magyar Allatorvosok Lapja
Publication Date: 2021-06-01
Volume: 143
Issue: 6
Page Range: 351-358
Description:
Background: Cage-free egg production methods are advancing in the European Union due to stringent housing regulations, animal welfare and consumer pressure. A changing production environment requests novel adaptation strategies of which the development of specific layer hybrids or strains is notably promising. Cage-free housing systems allow for a rather complete expression of social behaviour in laying hen populations; however, increasing stress, aggression and feather pecking are considered as major consequences. Objectives: This study aimed to detect a recently described SORCS2 polymorphism in newly developed Hungarian laying hen populations and observe potential associations with behavioural traits. Cage-free housing technologies with or without outdoor acces were also compared. Materials and Methods: Occurrence of behavioural traits were individually recorded for 119 hens. A novel PCR-RFLP method was developed and applied for SORCS2 genotyping with Rsal endonuclase. Results and Discussion: The SORCS2 polymorphism was present In the Hungarian populations, Callele frequencies varied between 75.1-85.5%. Homozygous TT genotype was the least prevalent across the three experimental populations with frequencies 2.2-4.2%. The experimental hybrid populations demonstrated different (p < 0.05) levels of aggression and activity related behavioural patterns. Homozygous CC animals showed more cases of aggressive behaviour compared to other genotypes. Feather pecking was more common In populations with outdoor access compared to the closed barn system (p < 0.05). The social behaviour of laying hens Is affected by many factors in an Immensely complex system. Selection efficiency on behaviour can be improved with a more profound knowledge on Its genetics.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: DOI not available
The implication of business intelligence in risk management: a case study in agricultural insurance
Publication Name: Journal of Data Information and Management
Publication Date: 2021-06-01
Volume: 3
Issue: 2
Page Range: 155-166
Description:
The increasing data scales in today’s business sectors coupled with the necessity of risk management raise the importance of business intelligence tools as an integrated solution for the insurance industry. These tools have mostly been used to achieve effective risk management. Although methods of risk management in the insurance industry have been proposed many years ago, the research effort has primarily been focused on predictive analyses. This study aimed to investigate the role of business intelligence as a solution to illustrate its potential in risk management particularly for decision-makers in agricultural insurance. We hypothesized that this would make a preferable decision in uncertain conditions. Sample data from the online transaction process system of Iran agricultural insurance fund were preprocessed in SQL server. Multidimensional online analytical processing architecture was analyzed using Targit business intelligence tool. Our results identified financial risks that lead to a framework of controlling risk based on business intelligence in the agricultural insurance fund.
Open Access: Yes
Strain-specific biostimulant effects of chlorella and chlamydomonas green microalgae on medicago truncatula
Publication Name: Plants
Publication Date: 2021-06-01
Volume: 10
Issue: 6
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Microalgae have been identified to produce a plethora of bioactive compounds exerting growth stimulating effects on plants. The objective of this study was to investigate the plant-growth-promoting effects of three selected strains of eukaryotic green microalgae. The biostimulatory effects of two Chlorella species (MACC-360 and MACC-38) and a Chlamydomonas reinhardtii strain (cc124) were investigated in a Medicago truncatula model plant grown under controlled greenhouse conditions. The physiological responses of the M. truncatula A17 ecotype to algal biomass addition were characterized thoroughly. The plants were cultivated in pots containing a mixture of vermiculite and soil (1:3) layered with clay at the bottom. The application of live algae cells using the soil drench method significantly increased the plants’ shoot length, leaf size, fresh weight, number of flowers and pigment content. For most of the parameters analyzed, the effects of treatment proved to be specific for the applied algae strains. Overall, Chlorella application led to more robust plants with increased fresh biomass, bigger leaves and more flowers/pods compared to the control and Chlamydomonas-treated samples receiving identical total nutrients.
Open Access: Yes
Condition monitoring of vibration at weak parts of rail for ballasted railway tracks in Iran
Publication Name: Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
Publication Date: 2021-06-01
Volume: 24
Issue: 6
Page Range: 544-551
Description:
Vibration monitoring has become important in railway tracks for many purposes. One of the most important purposes is to prevent exceeding limits of induced vibration to adjacent residential buildings. In the current study, to measure the level of vibration, a field investigation is carried at three critical positions including a curve, a fishplate and a deflected rail weld. The field study is an old ballasted railway track located at the critical /one of the entrance of Mashhad Railway station in Iran. In this regard, three distinct field tests are performed using accelerometer sensors and the obtained data arc analyzed and assessed. Besides this, vibrations at 5 and 10 m-distancc from the track arc also considered and rccordcd. As the main achievement, results show that induced vibration levels arc highly dependent on the condition of contact surface between wheel and rail
Open Access: Yes
Growth and bioactivity of two chlorophyte (Chlorella and Scenedesmus) strains co-cultured outdoors in two different thin-layer units using municipal wastewater as a nutrient source
Publication Name: Algal Research
Publication Date: 2021-06-01
Volume: 56
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The application of microalgae in wastewater treatment has recently been at the forefront of interest due to the increasing concern about environmental protection and economic sustainability. This work aimed to study two chlorophyte species, Chlorella vulgaris and Scenedesmus acutus, co-cultured outdoors in centrate of municipal wastewater as a nutrient source. Two different thin-layer units were used in these trials — thin-layer cascade (TLC) and thin-layer raceway pond (TL-RWP), suitable for this purpose due to their high biomass productivity and better culture transparency when using muddy wastewater. The units were operated in batch, and subsequently in semi-continuous growth regime — and monitored in terms of photosynthetic performance, growth, nutrient removal rate, and bioactivity. The results showed that the co-cultures grew well in the centrate, achieving the maximum biomass densities of 1.3 and 2.1 g DW L−1 in TLC and TL-RWP, respectively, by the end of the batch regime and 1.9 and 2.0 g DW L−1 by the end of the semi-continuous regime. Although TL-RWP grown cultures showed faster growth, the TLC-one revealed better nutrient removal efficiencies batch wise than the culture grown in TL-RWP — removing up to 48% of total nitrogen and 43% of total phosphorus. Conversely, the latter was more efficient under the semi-continuous regime (54% and 42% consumption of total nitrogen and phosphorus, respectively). In the harvested biomass, an important antimicrobial activity (specifically antifungal) was detected. In this sense, the in-vitro growth of the oomycete Pythium ultimum was inhibited by up to 45% with regard to the control. However, no biostimulating activity was observed. The present findings confirm the possibility of using these two species for biomass production in municipal wastewater centrate using highly productive thin-layer systems. This technology can be a valuable contribution to circular economy since the produced biomass can be re-applied for agricultural purposes.
Open Access: Yes
A Comparative Analysis of the Debt Dynamics of Municipalities and their Municipally Owned Corporations in the EU Member States with a Special Focus on Hungary
Publication Name: Romanian Journal of European Affairs
Publication Date: 2021-06-01
Volume: 21
Issue: 1
Page Range: 134-153
Description:
The study examines the liabilities as a share of the GDP of the municipal subsystems of public finances and the organisations owned by them in EU Member States between 2013 and 2018. The main goal of the current study is to characterise the EU Member States regarding the examined two areas. Additionally, we analysed the connections between the entities’ liabilities, used statistical methods to compare the respective values and to examine the impacts of the local government system models and the geopolitical location on debt. There were three hypotheses formulated during the research, all of which were confirmed. A statistical connection can be perceived between the two areas of economic management of the local system, and it has also been established that the liabilities as a percentage of the GDP of local government owned corporations are significant, particularly in Scandinavian countries and Germany. At the same time, however, it has to be noted that the results of the theoretical division and the statistical analyses differ from each other. At the end of the study, we used a case study to examine how the two areas developed over time and how the regulatory environment affected debt value. In addition, we also considered the debt dynamics of municipalities and their business organisations, subject to a comprehensive fiscal reform after 2010, which represents another unique element of this study.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: DOI not available
