Extending social responsibility to small and medium-sized suppliers in supply chains: A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis

Buying firms’ sales and reputation will be greatly damaged by any non-responsible behaviors on the part of suppliers, especially when those suppliers, like small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), have restricted resources and capabilities. To eradicate these risks, a growing number of buying firms have introduced socially responsible supplier development (SRSD). SRSD, including monitoring and evaluating suppliers, can provide them with incentives and assistance. Based on configuration theory and contingency theory, fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) is adopted in this study to examine how SRSD practices adopted by buying firms, supply chain partnership, and market turbulence affect the corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance of their SME suppliers. We find that, as core factors, supplier monitoring, supplier assistance, and supply chain partnership can work together with peripheral conditions to achieve superior CSR performance. In addition, even at different levels of market turbulence, superior CSR performance can be realized through different causal configurations.     

The Potentials and Pitfalls of ‘Art in Research’ Methodologies: Foregrounding Memory and Emotion in Planning Research

ABSTRACT

The article draws on a two-month project with forty-four high school students in Reston, Virginia to suggest that ‘art in research’ methodologies might be useful to shift away from the problematic histories of planning as solely a technical endeavor based in masculinist conceptions of legitimate research. I propose that we can radically reimagine planning research and practice as an emancipatory endeavor for its participants, suggesting that the iterative and longer art-making process may usefully complement traditional qualitative planning research, specifically helping to uncover relevant memories and emotions of participants.     

基于故障树的采煤机液压盘式制动器故障研究

通过逻辑分析构建了采煤机液压盘式制动器故障与基本事件的故障树模型;采用二元决策图分析故障树模型,得到了导致制动器故障发生的最小割集,并通过状态枚举法计算了基本事件的结构重要度。结果表明,所列举的任一基本事件的失效均会导致制动器故障。为采煤机液压盘式制动器的故障诊断提供了理论依据。     

An e-government framework for assessing readiness for public sector e-procurement in a lower-middle income country

ABSTRACT

Governments globally are leveraging information and communication technology (ICT) growth towards improving the quality of public procurement services for socio-economic development. However, the extent of its application differs across nations. Notwithstanding the extant theoretical and empirical literature on IT for development, knowledge on how to assess readiness for adopting a full e-procurement system in the public sector of lower and lower-middle income countries (LMICs) begs for understanding. With the narrative of Ghana, we address this gap by drawing on the institutional and economic theory and the United Nations E-Government Development Index towards a holistic framework beyond the dyad of linear website functionalities and internet focus of prior e-government adoption models. Elite interviews gathered from multiple cases from Ghana’s public sector reveals the key readiness determinants for a full public sector e-procurement system. This study has significant implications for shaping the process-oriented management of government e-procurement projects towards socio-economic development in LMICs amid their complex institutional and socio-technical environments.     

Veterinarian perceptions on the care of surplus dairy calves

Both male and female calves that are not required in the dairy herd sometimes receive inadequate care on dairy farms. Veterinarians work with farmers to improve animal care, and farmers often view veterinarians as trusted advisors; however, little is known about the attitudes of veterinarians on surplus calves. This study investigated the perspectives of Canadian cattle veterinarians on the care and management of surplus calves, as well as how they view their role in improving care. We conducted 10 focus groups with a total of 45 veterinarians from 8 provinces across Canada. Recorded audio files were transcribed, anonymized, and coded using thematic analysis. We found that veterinarians approached surplus calf management issues from a wide lens, with 2 major themes emerging: (1) problematic aspects of surplus calf management, including colostrum management, transportation, and euthanasia, and suggested management and structural solutions, including ways to improve the economic value of these calves, and (2) the veterinarian's role in advising dairy farmers on the care of surplus calves, including on technical issues, and more broadly working with farmers to better address public concerns. We conclude that veterinarians are concerned about the care of surplus calves on dairy farms and believe that they have an important role in developing solutions together with their farmer clientele.     

边坡稳定性分析方法的研究现状与展望

综述了目前边坡稳定性分析的常用方法,将边坡稳定性分析方法分为定性分析方法和定量分析方法,并对各种方法的基本原理、特点、优缺点及其适用范围进行了阐述。指出了边坡稳定性分析在安全系数定义、滑裂面的确定和载荷处理三方面存在的主要问题,针对边坡稳定性问题自身的特点及其研究现状提出了今后边坡稳定问题研究的发展趋势。     

滑坡灾害危险性评价方法研究综述

回顾国内外滑坡灾害危险性评价方法的发展历程和现状，介绍了定性和定量两种评价方法，并总结了其优缺点及其适用性，提出了评价中存在的问题和改进方向，从而达到更为有效的控制和管理滑坡灾害的目的。     

照明工程中定性与定量之间的转换研究

为了建立照明工程中主观感觉量与客观物理量之间的关系，利用广义的韦伯一费昔勒定律把照明工程中的定性问题与定量问题联系起来，并对于照明工程实际应用问题，推导出了由客观物理量得到相应主观感觉量的近似计算式。对广告照明的实例验证表明，该近似计算式的计算精度较高，与实际情况更为吻合。利用该近似计算式，采用解方程的方法可以求得在给定满意度水平条件下对应的照明水平，即由指定的主观感觉量求出相应的客观物理量，从而可以更合理地指导照明工程设计。     

排水管道风险分析初探

简要介绍了风险分析的基本方法及其特点，并借鉴油气管道的风险分析方法，探讨了风险分析在排水管道管理中的应用，认为定性分析方法和半定量分析方法比较适合目前的排水管道管理。同时讨论了两种风险分析方法的特点，提出了排水管道半定量风险分析模型，并对排水管道风险分析的相关工作提出了建议。