Optimising flight connection times in airline bank structure through Simulated Annealing and Tabu Search algorithms

In hub and spoke airline networks, flight arrivals and departures generally have a bank structure to increase connections among spoke cities through a hub airport in order to provide cheaper service for higher volumes of air traffic. In this study, we introduce the airline bank optimisation problem with a novel mathematical model for improving flight connection times. The mathematical model aims to minimise the total connection times for transfer passengers and generates flight schedules regarding slot capacities in the hub airports. Since the problem is a combinatorial optimisation problem NP-hard and computational complexity increases rapidly for real-world problems, we employ the simulated annealing and the tabu search algorithms to achieve better solutions in a reasonable time. We generate sub-problems using real-world data and investigate the effectiveness of the algorithms. Finally, we present the results of a real case study of a Turkish airline company which has a hub airport connecting the flights between Middle Eastern and European cities.     

The effects of high performance work systems in employees’ service-oriented OCB

The present research investigates the effects of “High Performance Work Systems (HPWS)” on employees’ “work engagement” and “service-oriented Organizational Citizenship Behavior (OCB)”, through the development of a social and justice climate. In doing so, “Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM)” was applied based on a convenient sample of 448 customer-contact hotel employees across ten Greek hotel organizations. In summary, the study reveals first the valuable contribution of HPWS towards the development of a justice and service climate, which in turn influence positively employees’ work engagement. As a consequence, employees respond by exhibiting extra role behaviors and by engaging in service-oriented OCB. Overall, the findings clarify the mechanism behind the HPWS process, known as the “black-box”, a valuable knowledge for professionals practicing Human Resource Management (HRM).     

The restructuring of Italian agriculture and its impact upon capital–labour relations: Labour contracting and exploitation in the fresh fruit and vegetable supply chain of the Lazio Region,Central Italy

Labour contracting is anywhere on the rise globally, even in fully developed capitalist countries. Far from being an anomaly in the smooth everyday functioning of the economy, contractors are a crucial node in facilitating and ensuring global capital's control over local labour regimes. This article uses a global value chain perspective to investigate the re‐emergence of gangmasters and gang labour in the agricultural sector of Lazio, Central Italy. It analyses the fruit and vegetable supply chain formation and configuration in the Lazio Region with the aim of identifying the underlying processes leading to the creation of gangmasters by capital to have a cheap and disposable, especially migrant, labour force. It also intends to give a more nuanced understanding of labour contracting in this context.     

Assessment of Consumer Behavior Towards Environmental Responsibility: A Structural Equations Modeling Approach

This paper analyses the factors impacting consumer environmental responsibility using a structural equation modeling approach. Consumer environmental responsibility is the intention of a person to act towards remediation of environmental problems not as an individual user with economic interests but as a responsible citizen having concerns about the social and environmental wellbeing of society. Therefore, awareness of environmental problems and knowledge of remedial alternatives will help individuals to pursue their chosen action and bolster a genuine desire to act and determine the measures for alleviation of environmental challenges. The four dimensions of an environmentally responsible consumer – opinion and beliefs, willingness, awareness, and an ability to act – are analysed. During the analysis, the dimension of ‘ability to move’ is found to be critical, because it has a direct influence on the capacity of the consumer to act. This research is intended to guide policy‐ and decision‐makers of regulatory bodies in understanding consumer behavior towards improving environmental performance index. It also helps organizational managers to make their supply chains green, and competitive, which in turn improves brand image and overall organizational performance. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment     

Designing,developing, and deploying artificial intelligence systems: Lessons from and for the public sector

Artificial intelligence applications in cognitive computing systems can be found in organizations across every market, including chatbots that help customers navigate websites, predictive analytics systems used for fraud detection, and augmented decision-support systems for knowledge workers. In this article, we share reflections and insights from our experience with AI projects in the public sector that can add value to any organization. We organized our findings into four thematic domains—(1) data, (2) technology, (3) organizational, and (4) environmental—and examine them relative to the phases of AI. We conclude with best practices for capturing value with cognitive computing systems.     

Youth engagement in agricultural policy processes in Malawi

This study assesses the nature of networking between youth and agricultural policy-makers – given youth disillustionment with agricultural livelihoods. Using the Malawi case, a mixed-methods approach shows, first, that local government departments which are mandated to work on youth issues are the main hubs of information for youth in agriculture. The Ministry of Agriculture plays a secondary role. Second, the study shows that youth in agriculture have little or no direct interactions with each other. Therefore, youth remain on the periphery of agricultural policy-making and their role in shaping agricultural policy dialogue is negligible. This is attributable to both lack of a deliberate government policy to include the youth and lack of a unified youth platform. The onus is therefore on the youth to ensure that they are effectively engaged in agricultural policy dialogue. The study concludes with policy recommendations relevant for countries with a ‘youth/agriculture’ problem like Malawi.     

农产品直播效果影响因素分析

随着互联网技术、网络技术等与农产品深度融合,新一轮农产品销售模式孕育兴起.农产品直播销售为各行业带来巨大的商机,农产品直播已经成了农民的"新农具",各大直播平台都开展了各种直播活动.在前人研究的基础上,结合直播实践,通过因子分析法分析农产品直播效果的影响因素,以期改善农产品直播效果,促进农产品销售.     

转变方式完善体制 加快现代市场发展——论学习中共十七大报告

党的十七大在我党历史上第一次郑重地、鲜明地、完整地提出了高举中国特色社会主义伟大旗帜,并将其载入党章,强调中国特色社会主义伟大旗帜,是当代中国发展进步的旗帜,是全党全国各族人民团结奋斗的旗帜。文章通过学习中共十七大报告,从广西农垦的实际情况出发,论述了当前转变方式完善体制,加快现代市场发展的方向。     

城市文化遗产保护与城市文化建设

从城市文化遗产与城市文化之间的紧密关系入手,认为文化遗产是城市发展的历史见证、特色体现及重要的发展资源;同时考察了当前快速城市化以及全球化的社会和时代背景对城市文化遗产保护所造成的严重冲击,以及城市对文化建设和特色塑造的必然追求,并就其传承与发展提出了相关建议。     

生鲜农产品物流企业绩效评价体系研究

分析了我国生鲜农产品的特点及其物流特征,结合现阶段生鲜农产品物流企业的实际情况,设置了比较全面的评价指标,应用模糊综合评价方法,构建了一个较为可行的绩效评价体系。