scholarly journals Smart Retailing in COVID-19 World: Insights from Egypt

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 132
Author(s):  
Ismail Kotb ◽  
Riham Adel
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Response Strategy ◽  
Retail Sector ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
Financial Investments ◽  
The World ◽  
Smart Technologies

COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on business in general and the retail sector in particular which was hardly hit as sales fell by 20 percent during this period. The main challenges that face retailers nowadays during COVID-19 outbreak include: balance in supply and demand; safety of employees; trust between retailer and consumer; distribution - transportation capability; shortage of manpower and consumer behavior (Fernandes, 2020; Kumar et al., 2020; Pantano et al., 2020). Yet, retailers around the world started to understand the benefits and new opportunities offered by smart technologies (Inman and Nikolova, 2017; Renko and Druzijanic, 2014). New technologies like internet of things (IoT) can play a significant role in controlling the pandemic situation in the retail sector and are expected to bring substantial benefits such as lower labor costs, increased efficiency, attraction of new shoppers and the generation of new revenue channels (Roy et al., 2017; Vaishya et al., 2020; Wünderlich et al., 2013). However, only a limited number of retailers has adopted IoT due to the huge financial investments required and uncertainty of customers' acceptance (Alkemade and Suurs, 2012; Evans, 2011; Pantano et al., 2013). It is, thus, expected to see smart retailers taking a series of actions over the short to medium term to conserve cash and structure of their company for post-COVID-19 operations. This research aims to explore the retailers' perceptions towards the adoption of smart retail technologies in Egyptian retailing context throughout conducting a series of semi-structured interviews with mid-to-top level management in different retail organisations and discuss the advantages and challenges expected from smart retail technologies adoption. Moreover, the research explains how smart retail can help overcoming uncertainities and is considered a well managed response strategy by retailers to COVID-19.

scholarly journals IMPACT OF POOR QUANTITY SURVEYING PRACTICES ON SMALL SCALE CONTRACTORS IN SRI LANKA

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.A. WEERAKOON ◽  
◽  
K.T. WITHANAGE ◽  
V. DISARATNE ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Cost Overruns ◽  
Record Keeping ◽  
Flow Problems ◽  
The World

Construction industry is one of the devoting force of any country's economy. Around the world, Small Scale Contractors (SSC) has been found to play a significant role in creating jobs, infiltrating new markets and growing the economy in an inspired and inventive way. However, performance of SSCs in developing and minor developed countries is still not in adequate level due to various factors. Poor QS practices is one of the significant factor which affect to the current performance of the SSCs. Hence, this research aims to implement better QS practices to mitigate adverse impact to the small scale contractors due to plenty of poor QS practices. Particularly qualitative research approach was used for this study and accordingly data was collected from semi- structured interviews and analyzed using manual content analysis. Project delays, cost overruns of projects, cash flow problems, unable to win tenders, poor construction quality, delays in payments and contractual disputes were identified as major issues caused by the poor QS practices. This research suggests government to impose laws and regulations, offer tax relieves to contractors and impose legal requirements to participate in CPD sessions to minimize poor QS practices. Further clients and consultants can make timely payments to contractors and key suggestions to contractors are hire experienced and qualified professionals, provide well-coordinated training, adopt new technologies, keep clear and completed drawings and specifications, use cost and time controlling techniques and maintain good record keeping system.

scholarly journals GLOBAL MARKET OF PETROLEUM PRODUCTS: CURRENT STATE AND PERSPECTIVES OF DEVELOPMENT

2020 ◽  
pp. 27-39
Author(s):  
K. Bezugla ◽  
N. Kostyuchenko
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
Time Series Data ◽  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Price Volatility ◽  
Petroleum Products ◽  
Global Market ◽  
Series Data ◽  
Total Output ◽  
Petroleum Production ◽  
The World

The paper is devoted to the peculiarities and perspectives of the global petroleum market development. The peculiarities of supply and demand formation at the global market of petroleum products are investigated in the article. The balance of supply and demand at the petroleum market is determined. The paper outlines the peculiarities of pricing for petroleum products. The dynamics of price changes on the global petroleum market in the period of 2010-2020 is studied. The conclusion was made that there is a price volatility on the global petroleum market. An analysis of the dynamics and structure of the world petroleum production by regions revealed that the total output of oil has increased due to the development of new technologies and due to the increased efficiency of petroleum production. The performed forecasting made it possible to conclude that petroleum price is expected to increase in the coming two periods. That will allow to establish a balance between supply and demand at the petroleum products’ market. Accordingly, the equalization of supply and demand for petroleum products is forecasted (even despite the crisis in the world). The econometric method of economic analysis was applied in the paper. The authors constructed an additive model for time series data to predict the dynamics of prices on the global market of petroleum products. The model was designed based on 16 observations in the period of October 2016 – July 2020.

Assembling a Labor Market

2019 ◽  
pp. 20-42
Author(s):  
Jeffrey J. Sallaz
Keyword(s):  
Labor Market ◽  
Labor Markets ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
The Past ◽  
The World ◽  
Economic Process ◽  
Global Labor Market ◽  
Social Dynamic

The booming voice industry in the Philippines is a case of an emergent global labor market. New technologies developed over the past several decades allow companies to spin off or relocate their phone services anywhere in the world. Differences in labor costs across regions of the world matter, but the resulting search for ideal labor is as much a social as an economic process. To capture this social dynamic, this chapter analyzes markets as assemblages. The key mediators in such as assemblage are firms, states, and workers. This chapter provides the theoretical tools to understand labor markets as assemblages, and suggests why some assemblages are more stable than others.

scholarly journals Mainstream digitale e altre immagini urbane. Una ricerca empirica nel sito UNESCO di Palermo

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emanuela Caravello
Keyword(s):  
New Media ◽  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Urban Image ◽  
World Heritage List ◽  
The World ◽  
The City

The research deepens the role of new technologies in the construction of geographical imaginaries investigating the dimension of the offer related to the cultural heritage of the city of Palermo. The study was conducted using qualitative methods and provided for the application of two research techniques: participant observation and semi-structured interviews. By interpreting the results produced, the contribution aims to highlight the predominance of an urban image, linked to the UNESCO inclusion of the site in the World Heritage List, which is conveyed through new technologies. Developing a reflection on the alternative capacity of new media to dislocate and challenge shared images, the study will also examine the role of technologies in the production of imaginative counter-geographies.

scholarly journals STARTUP COMPANIES, CHALLENGES IN POLAND

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 1621-1626
Author(s):  
Justyna Konsek-Ciechońska
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Life Cycles ◽  
Descriptive Statistics ◽  
Highly Qualified ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Development Fund ◽  
Start Up ◽  
The World ◽  
The Government

130,000 enterprises are created every day all around the world, some of them are startups, of which nine out of ten are liquidated, 60% in the second year of operation211. The aim of the article is to present the essence of a startup-type enterprise as the subject most often associated with new technologies and characterized by higher risk than traditional enterprises, but also a higher chance for above-average development and profits.Research on startups is of great importance. Many of these enterprises end their operation at a very early stage. These enterprises fail because, among other things, they have problems with raising capital, maintaining reputation, securing supplies, they are subject to limitations related to premises and high labor costs. However, many startups that survive and develop their businesses transform into successful enterprises that have an important role in the economy, an example may be Google, Apple or Microsoft. Therefore, this article attempts to define start-up enterprises operating in Poland and to recognize the challenges they must face.Only five years ago in Poland, the business model based on startups was small. Today, their potential was noticed not only by originators and founders of startups, but also by state authorities. In recent years, many measures have been taken in Poland to improve the conditions in the field of innovation at the government level. The Act on Innovation was adopted; the Polish Development Fund implements programs allowing to increase long-term economic and investment potential.In order to show that research on startups is important, four main issues were discussed: start-up enterprises were defined and described, startups' life cycles were explained, startups operating in Poland were presented using descriptive statistics and finally, analysis of problems related to starting and development of startups was made.The research method used in the study is a review of literature, reports and websites as well as descriptive statistics. Startup is a venture that can change the face of the Polish economy so far associated with low labor costs, and which has a chance to turn into an economy competing with companies around the world with innovation and highly qualified human resources.Researchers can develop each of these stages of company development and analyze the challenges faced by the company at each of these stages in different areas. The purpose of this research is to contribute to the development of a comprehensive startup theory.

scholarly journals MODERN TRENDS OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE WORLD SHIPBUILDING INDUSTRY BASED ON ECONOMIC CYCLES THEORY

2017 ◽  
pp. 101-111
Author(s):  
Vladimir Grigorievich Nikiforov ◽  
Dmitry Sergeevich Neslukhov
Keyword(s):  
Supply And Demand ◽  
Economic Cycle ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
Market Segments ◽  
Shipbuilding Industry ◽  
Economic Cycles ◽  
The World ◽  
The Usa ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
Baltic Dry Index

The article overviews the problems related with the cyclicality in certain sectors of the economy - shipbuilding and shipping. The modern trends of development of the world shipbuilding market have been analyzed. The article presents a typology of the world countries by shipbuilding market segments. The authors give a description of the shipbuilding markets in the USA, Europe and South-East Asia. Based on the data on the dynamics of the Baltic Dry Index and the dynamics of the world tonnage on order, it was concluded that the world shipbuilding industry depends on shipping activity and there is cyclical nature of their development. The authors propose a schematic illustration of the economic cycle of the shipbuilding market depending on the volumes of maritime trade. The cycle of the shipbuilding market consists of successive steps. The change of steps depends on the balance of supply and demand for shipbuilding products. The article considers the Kondratieff waves and their connection with the development of technological modes. The authors made a retrospective analysis of the development of the world shipbuilding industry from 1741 and suggested three economic cycles in shipbuilding. Based on data on the dynamics of world shipbuilding launches, from 1902-2007, the authors suggest five periods of development in organization of shipbuilding production in the XX century. The factors influencing the change of periods have been given. The conclusions drawn by the authors are the basis for assumptions about the development trends of the world shipbuilding industry for the coming years, and also for the medium term. A number of modern technological solutions in the organization of shipbuilding production have been defined.

Meaningful Inefficiencies

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric Gordon ◽  
Gabriel Mugar
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Public Good ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
The United States ◽  
Civic Life ◽  
Civic Organizations ◽  
Building Trust ◽  
The World ◽  
Smart Technologies

Public trust in civic organizations is low. And many public-serving organizations assume that greater efficiency will build trust. As a result, they are quick to adopt new technologies to enhance what they do. However, efficiency, in the sense of charting a path to a goal with the least amount of friction, can sometimes be at odds with the goal of building trust. This book is about those practices that challenge the normative applications of “smart technologies” in order to build or repair trust with publics. Based on over 60 interviews with change makers in public-serving organizations throughout the United States, as well as detailed case studies, this book provides a practical and deeply philosophical picture of civic life in transition. It is a book about design, but not necessarily about designers. Without coordinating, these civic designers embedded within organizations have adopted an approach to public engagement we call “meaningful inefficiencies,” or the deliberate design of less efficient over more efficient means of achieving some ends. This book illustrates how civic designers are creating meaningful inefficiencies in less than ideal conditions and encourages a rethinking of how innovation within public-serving organizations is understood, applied, and sought after. Different from market innovation, civic innovation is not just about invention and novelty; it is concerned with building communities around novelty, and cultivating deep and persistent trust. It involves a plurality of publics (not just a single public good); it creates the conditions for those publics to play; and it results in people caring for the world.

scholarly journals “Se eu tivesse estudo eu não tinha sofrido tanto”: saberes e memórias de idosos analfabetos

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 119
Author(s):  
Eraldo Carlos Batista ◽  
Rosilda França Lima
Keyword(s):  
Social Exclusion ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Theoretical Contribution ◽  
Palabras Clave ◽  
The Social ◽  
The World ◽  
Nuevas Tecnologías

No presente estudo teve-se como objetivo compreender os fatores que levaram pessoas da terceira idade a terem sua escolaridade usurpada e como a sua leitura de mundo contribui para preservar seus saberes e suas memórias com altivez. Como recurso metodológico, utilizou-se uma abordagem qualitativa do tipo descritiva. Os participantes foram três idosos integrantes do Centro de Convivência do Idoso de um município da Zona da Mata do Estado de Rondônia. As informações foram coletadas por meio de entrevistas estruturadas e analisadas seguindo as orientações da Análise de Conteúdo. Em relação ao aporte teórico, o presente estudo apoiou-se em autores como Bosi (2014), Beauvoir (1970), Freire (2015), entre outros. A partir dos relatos foi possível identificar cinco categorias temáticas: 1) a pobreza como marcador social determinante ao analfabetismo; 2) a exclusão familiar com a dimensão no convívio e no relacionamento; 3) o analfabetismo como fator determinante para a exclusão social; 4) os sonhos e as experiências de vida como elementos de enfrentamento ao analfabetismo; 5) e o envelhecimento e sua relação com as novas tecnologias. Conclui-se que a exclusão social do idoso acontece de forma velada e que os conhecimentos de mundo adquiridos com o passar da idade não recebem reconhecimento por parte dos familiares e da comunidade em que este se encontra inserido.Palavras-chave: Idoso. Analfabetismo. Exclusão social."If I had studied I wouldn't have suffered so much": knowledge and memories of illiterate elderly peopleAbstractThe purpose with this study was to understand the factors that led people in the elderly people to have their schooling usurped and how their reading of the world contributes to preserving their knowledge and their memories with haughtiness. As a methodological resource, a qualitative approach of the descriptive type was used. The participants were three elderly participants of the Center for the Cohabitation of the Elderly in a municipality of Zona da Mata in the State of Rondônia. The information was collected through structured interviews and analyzed according to the Content Analysis guidelines. As a theoretical contribution, the present study was supported by authors such as Bosi (2014), Beauvoir (1970), Freire (2015) and others. From the reports it was possible to identify five thematic categories: 1) poverty as a social marker that determines illiteracy; 2) family exclusion with the dimension of socializing and relationship; 3) illiteracy as a determining factor for social exclusion; 4) dreams and life experiences as elements of coping with illiteracy; 5) and aging and its relationship with new technologies. It is concluded that the social exclusion of the elderly occurs in a veiled way and the knowledge of the world acquired with the passing of the age has not apprehended by the relatives and the community in which it is inserted.Keywords: Elderly. Illiteracy. Social exclusion. “Si yo tuviera estudiado, no sufriría tanto”: conocimientos y memorias de ancianos analfabetosResumenEn el presente estudio tuvimos como objetivo comprender los factores que hicieron con que personas de la tercera edad tuvieran su escolaridad usurpada y como su lectura de mundo contribuyó para la preservación de sus conocimientos y sus memorias con la cabeza erguida. Como recurso metodológico,  se utilizó un abordaje cualitativo del tipo descriptivo. Los participantes fueron tres ancianos integrantes del Centro de Convivencia del Anciano de un municipio de la región llamada Zona da Mata, del Estado de Rondônia. Las informaciones fueron recogidas por medio de entrevistas estructuradas y analizadas de acuerdo con las orientaciones del Análisis de Contenido. Con relación al aporte teórico, este estudio se apoyó en autores como Bosi (2014), Beauvoir (1970), Freire (2015), entre otros. A partir de los relatos fue posible identificar cinco categorías temáticas: 1) la pobreza como marcador social determinante del analfabetismo; 2) la exclusión familiar con la dimensión en la convivencia y en el relacionamiento; 3) el analfabetismo como factor determinante para la exclusión social; 4) sueños y experiencias de vida como elementos de enfrentamiento al analfabetismo; 5) y el envejecimiento y su relación con las nuevas tecnologías. Se concluye que la exclusión social del anciano sucede de manera velada y que los conocimientos de mundo adquiridos con el avance de la edad no son apreciados por la familia ni por la comunidad en que vive el anciano.  Palabras clave: Anciano. Analfabetismo. Exclusión social.

scholarly journals An initial assessment of Lean Management methods for Industry 4.0

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 587-601
Author(s):  
Robert Saxby ◽  
Michele Cano-Kourouklis ◽  
Evi Viza
Keyword(s):  
Continuous Improvement ◽  
Industry 4.0 ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Initial Assessment ◽  
Lean Management ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The World ◽  
Management Method ◽  
Constituent Elements

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present the results of an assessment into how well the Lean Management method will support continuous improvement in the world of Industry 4.0.Design/methodology/approachUsing thematic analysis of literature, the Lean Management method and Industry 4.0 were deconstructed into their constituent elements. Semi-structured interviews were then carried out with five Quality Specialists in manufacturing to gather opinions on how well each Lean element supported each theme of Industry 4.0.FindingsThis initial research highlighted that the Lean method can integrate new technologies, to allow it to better support continuous improvement in the world of Industry 4.0. It was found the supportive elements of Lean in the world of Industry 4.0 would include Continual Improvement, Engaging the Supply Chain, Pull Systems and having a Customer Focus.Research limitations/implicationsThis was a scoping study as a precursor to further research and was based on the opinions of five Quality/Lean Specialists. However, the results determine that Lean can be supported by Industry 4.0 technologies.Practical implicationsThose constituent elements of Lean which might be updated to better support quality improvement in the world of Industry 4.0 have been identified. A methodology by which expanded research may be undertaken has been demonstrated.Originality/valueThe findings contribute to knowledge by providing a focus on the key supporting elements of Lean implementation for Industry 4.0 in the manufacturing sector.

China und Lateinamerika

2006 ◽  
Vol 36 (142) ◽  
pp. 113-126
Author(s):  
Enrique Dussel Peters
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
World Market ◽  
Global Integration ◽  
Integration Process ◽  
Medium Term ◽  
The World ◽  
New Challenges

China's socioeconomic accumulation in the last 30 years has been probably one of the most outstanding global developments and has resulted in massive new challenges for core and periphery countries. The article examines how China's rapid and massive integration to the world market has posed new challenges for countries such as Mexico - and most of Latin America - as a result of China's successful exportoriented industrialization. China's accumulation and global integration process does, however, not only question and challenges the export-possibilities in the periphery, but also the global inability to provide energy in the medium term.

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