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This paper comprehensively analyzes a company's supply chain design process in the pulp and paper industry. It focuses on the company's supply chain strategy, structure, operations, and performance and highlights the challenges and opportunities specific to the industry. The purpose of this case study is to show how effective supply chain design can improve a company's competitiveness and success. This paper also offers recommendations for improving supply chain design in the pulp and paper industry and other similar industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing use of digital technologies has implications for reading. Online and on‐screen reading often consist of engaging with multiple, short, multimedia snippets of information, whereas longform reading is in decline. Meta‐analyses have identified a screen inferiority when reading informational texts, but not narrative texts. The mode effect is explained by reference to the Shallowing Hypothesis, postulating that increased screen reading leads to a propensity to skim and scan rather than carefully read, since digital reading material is typically composed of short, decontextualized snippets of multimedia content rather than long, linear, texts. Experiments have found support for the Shallowing Hypothesis when reading expository/informational texts, but the impact of increased habituation to screens on, specifically, literary reading, is largely unknown. It is plausible that shallow modes of reading, prompted by increased screen use, may compromise one's capacity to engage deeply with literary texts and, in turn, negatively affect readers' motivation and inclination to engage in slower, more reflective, and more effortful reading. This article presents the results from three experiments exploring associations between reading behavior, medium preferences, and the reading of a short literary text on paper versus screen. Although mixed, the results revealed an overall pattern for the role of medium: more frequent reading of short texts on screen predicted less inclination to muster the cognitive persistence required for reading a longer text, and engage in contemplation on the deeper and personally relevant meaning of the literary text. Educational implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an account of the everyday workplace learning of cycle technicians. Derived from an ethnography of working cultures and practices at a bike shop in the North of England, this paper rests on a critical reading of Communities of Practice theory in order to explore the complex and heterogeneous learning of cycle technicians. Drawing on a series of vignettes constructed from the ethnographic data, the paper demonstrates the variety of experiences of both formal and informal learning that characterise the trajectories of new cycle technicians as they enter the industry. In addition to providing an account of a qualified and specialist workforce that is under-represented in extant research literature, the paper also provides an exemplar for ethnographic research as a vehicle for exploring working practices through a Communities of Practice lens, using the paradigmatic theoretical elements of the theory. The paper concludes by arguing that for cycle technicians, and perhaps other occupations as well, Communities of Practice theory can generate rich and complex accounts that do justice to the richness and complexity of the craft and practice being observed.

Purpose: This paper aims to present insights on the governance of sustainability transitions in higher education in Africa. The authors interrogate the research literatures on the governance of socio-technical transitions in water, electricity, transport and waste management, and identify barriers and enabling factors that enhance transformative practices in universities. Design/methodology/approach: The analytical framework proposed in this paper combines the elements of governance network theory (GNT) and transition topology. The framework of this study is grounded in an actor-centric approach using GNT to understand networks conducive to sustainability transitions. Events and governance networks were mapped on a transition topology to visualise organisational and institutional changes over time. The study engaged students, management, academic and administrative staff in building a community of practice towards sustainability. This research is based on qualitative content analysis grounded in interview data, focus group discussions, workshops, webinars and secondary data analysis. Findings: The findings show that the university has consolidated a sustainability vision and targets, but several factors prevent the community from achieving these targets, including hierarchical decision-making processes, a multitude of disjointed committees and fragmentation in the campus community. Originality/value: This research adds to an emerging body of literature in the field of sustainability in higher education with two contributions. Firstly, the study presents a novel perspective(s) on the governance of sustainability transitions by combining the literatures on governance and sustainability transitions using a new methodological approach of transition topology to show organisational and institutional changes. Secondly, the study presents new empirical evidence for improving the governance of sustainability transitions in a diverse and highly unequal African university community in the process of (de)colonisation of knowledge and governance.

The main purpose of this paper is to reveal the Finnish paper industry from the economic geographic perspectives. There have been many mill and machine line closures especially in Finland after 2001. Therefore, it is interesting to research the development of manufacturing and transportation costs and paper prices during 2001−2008 in a large case mill. The research tradition of economic geography concerning the paper industry is scanty in the Nordic countries, and not many discussions have been published. This paper attempts to narrow the gap between theoretical and empirical discussions concerning the paper industry. The empirical data is obtained from one large integrated mill, and the research data covers cost components from the years 2001–2008. The results show that the economic performance has lowered clearly in the case mill. An interesting finding was that in overseas distant deliveries, transit costs can even decrease due to inexpensive sea transportation and paper prices slightly increase, probably due to lowered competition in the exported paper qualities.Although the mill data has been examined in detail, it only covers one large paper mill with several machine lines. Therefore, the results can only be generalized to some extent to other export-dependent paper industries operating in peripheral areas with minimal local demand. Our study shows that the empiric methods of economic geography offer interesting views highlighting such spatial heterogeneities in the paper industry. The industry’s location affects competition through transit costs, and this topic should be included more in location and economic studies.

Formal and informal peer-to-peer support through advice plays an important role in enhancing students' experiences and ensuring their success in higher education. For international students who often face social and cultural challenges adapting to their new university environment, direct and authentic guidance from peers can be vital in helping them acclimate and cope with their transition to campus. This paper examines the cross-cultural adjustment experiences of over 400 international students enrolled at a mid-sized, research-intensive university located in the United States (U.S.). Relying on a qualitative research design, we analyzed data from reflection essays written by international students between 2013 and 2021 and used Oberg's culture shock theory (1960) as a lens to interpret data on experiences that impacted their sociocultural adjustment. Based on their lived experiences, these students identified specific areas that current and future international students could focus on to ease their adjustment to a new culture and academic environment. Guided by five main themes, the discussion highlights salient factors that impact international students, calling for new ways for addressing their adjustment to university life in the U.S. Our findings enabled us to offer insights to university officials as they develop and deliver acculturation and transition programs to their international student community.

The article discusses the organization of the educational process of railway university students in the target programs. A successful educational process will be effective if the training provided to students of the transport university is of an acceptable quality, which will lead to a high demand for a specialist. When participating in targeted training programs, the learning process can be optimized and structured within the educational framework, thereby placing emphasis on acquiring the necessary knowledge for future professional endeavors. The objective of the article was to examine how the minor program in the Mathematics discipline for students in targeted programs enhances their professional motivation. We propose to consider the characteristics of training in targeted programs by examining the training of students in the specialty 23.05.04 "Electric power supply of railways" at the Samara State University of Railway Transport. We believe that one way to organize the mathematical training of students in targeted programs is to use professionally oriented tasks. As the objective of the study pertains to the issues of specialized university education in the field of mathematics, the paper presents a task that is geared towards professionals for students enrolled in the targeted programs of this particular field. Furthermore, this approach to the study of mathematics yields a comprehensive understanding of one's professional pursuits, implying that the integration of the educational process is essential in the preparation of a railway transport specialist. The evaluation of the proposed methodology for the instruction of students in the targeted programs has demonstrated its efficacy.

To evaluate filter paper as a means to transport oro/nasopharyngeal samples from laboratories with few resources for SARS-CoV-2 detection by RT-qPCR in a central laboratory that usually performs this technique as routine. A total of 40 specimens were evaluated in parallel by RT-qPCR carried out after RNA extraction using two different protocols: direct RNA extraction (Protocol A - reference method) and RNA extraction after impregnation in filter paper (Protocol B). The RT-qPCR for SARS-CoV-2 using Protocol B presented 97.22% (35/36) of agreement for SARS-CoV-2-positive samples when compared to the reference method (Protocol A), even for specimens with low viral load (increased Ct values). Noteworthy, three clinical specimens which were categorized as inconclusive by Protocol A presented amplification of both N1 and N2 targets using Protocol B, presenting positive results for SARS-CoV-2. The use of filter paper to transport oro/nasopharyngeal clinical samples presented very satisfactory results to detect SARS-CoV-2 by RT-qPCR. In addition, it proved to be a feasible and sensitive approach, being able to generate the detection of SARS-CoV-2 even at low concentrations, without presenting false-negative results. • Clinical samples impregnated in filter paper presented 97.22 % of agreement. • Filter paper transport is satisfactory for specimens with low viral load. • Filter paper transport would allow the access to the RT-qPCR for SARS-CoV-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Road traffic accidents in Iran are a critical issue that hinders economic development and one of the main threats to the health and safety of people in the community. The statistics indicate that after cardiovascular diseases, traffic accidents are the second leading cause of death in different age groups, which reflects the necessity of prediction in this area. Materials and Methods: The present study investigated the data of the traffic-accident injured people between April 2009 and March 2012 in Golestan, Mazandaran, Guilan, and Ardebil provinces, presented to forensic medicine. We used the Box-Jenkins method as one of the most advanced methods in prediction and future studies in the field of health systems, to estimate the number of injuries by province, for the years 2016 to 2019. Results: The obtained results suggested the appropriate time series patterns for predicting injured people in Golestan Province with Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) (4, 2, 4), Mazandaran Province with ARIMA (3, 1, 5), Guilan Province with ARIMA (3, 1, 4), and Ardabil Province with ARIMA (5, 1, 2). Furthermore, the mean percentages of absolute error for different provinces were as follows: Golestan Province, 0.114; Mazandaran Province, 0.064; Guilan Province, 0.078; and Ardabil Province, 0.1250. These data demonstrate the high precision of the Box-Jenkins method in predicting the number of traffic-accident injured people, especially in Mazandaran and Guilan provinces. Estimated values for 2016 to 2019 indicate that the road traffic injuries are increasing in Golestan Province and decreasing in Mazandaran, Guilan, and Ardebil provinces. Conclusion: The high precision of the Box--Jenkins method makes it an appropriate way for experts and authorities to predict traffic accident injuries in Golestan, Guilan, Mazandaran, and Ardebil provinces. The reduced number of casualties in Mazandaran, Guilan, and Ardebil indicate a progressive improvement in the transportation system conduct in these provinces. Moreover, Golestan Province is moving towards an increase in traffic accidents, requiring replanning to reduce accidents there. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this paper is to reveal the Finnish paper industry from the economic geographic perspectives. There have been many mill and machine line closures especially in Finland after 2001. Therefore, it is interesting to research the development of manufacturing and transportation costs and paper prices during 2001-2008 in a large case mill. The research tradition of economic geography concerning the paper industry is scanty in the Nordic countries, and not many discussions have been published. This paper attempts to narrow the gap between theoretical and empirical discussions concerning the paper industry. The empirical data is obtained from one large integrated mill, and the research data covers cost components from the years 2001-2008. The results show that the economic performance has lowered clearly in the case mill. An interesting finding was that in overseas distant deliveries, transit costs can even decrease due to inexpensive sea transportation and paper prices slightly increase, probably due to lowered competition in the exported paper qualities. Although the mill data has been examined in detail, it only covers one large paper mill with several machine lines. Therefore, the results can only be generalized to some extent to other export-dependent paper industries operating in peripheral areas with minimal local demand. Our study shows that the empiric methods of economic geography offer interesting views highlighting such spatial heterogeneities in the paper industry. The industry's location affects competition through transit costs, and this topic should be included more in location and economic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a method of distinguishing the contributions of ionized and injected charges to the charge transport in oil immersed paper in triple-layer and double-layer samples. With the double-layer sample, the apparent mobility including the ions contribution is obtained by the calculation according to the speed of accumulated charge density at the interface. The contribution of ions is excluded by subtracting the accumulated charge density in the triple-layer sample from that in the double-layer sample. It is found that the interface charge mainly comes from the ionization charges under a low field, and the contribution of injected charge takes a more important part at higher electric field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several studies have been carried out by various authors on limemud that occurs in the western Indian offshore which is compositionally CaCO3, amorphous, homogeneous, creamy white, soft and non sticky sediments mainly consisting of ooids. The chief mineral constituent of limemud is aragonite. The age, occurrence, formation and estimation of limemud resource are compiled from various published literatures and briefly presented. Bench scale beneficiation and agglomeration studies for limemud were conducted by Geological Survey of India at the lab of Indian Bureau of Mines and found limemud may be used in steel and filler industries, pharmaceuticals, food, cement etc. The physical and chemical properties of limemud suggest it may be a suitable raw material for the production of stone paper. There are several advantages in manufacturing stone paper in comparison with that of wood pulp paper. A brief comparison between the two compiled from the published literature is presented in the paper. The striking difference is in the consumption of water and emission of CO2e from the production of wood pulp paper and that of stone paper. A difference of about 1000 kg CO2e emission between the two helps to possess carbon credits. Sustainable mining technology and transportation of limemud from Gujarat offshore to nearby beach facilities are discussed. The approximate costs for limemud mining and transportation are estimated and compared with that of imported high grade limestone from UAE/Oman and is found to be much cheaper. Advantages of limemud and future propositions are briefly submitted for the consideration of the planners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While writing has evolved away from the conventional method of using pens and paper in favor of digital tools (Li et al., 2019), English teachers continue to face difficulties in teaching writing. This study shows how mind-mapping and the program, Writeabout, can be merged for online writing classes in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) classrooms. It reports on a classroom-based research with a qualitative research design which includes class observations and essay analysis of first-year undergraduate students enrolled in the Railway Mechanical Technology program in Indonesia during the academic year 2020/2021. The analysis of students' essays via TOEIC-adopted writing criteria showed that the students lacked competence in vocabulary (range: 2-5), grammar (range: 2-5), and sentence quality (range: 2-5). However, their text organization skills were a bit higher (range: 3-7), which was likely due to the course instructions incorporation of mind-mapping techniques. The findings revealed that incorporating the mind-mapping technique and the Writeabout application into online writing lessons can have a positive effect on students' writing.

Purpose: This paper aims to analyze the demand for mobility in higher education to understand the critical elements of students' mobility and the potential impact of accessing sustainable alternatives. The demand for different means of transportation accounts for socioeconomic variables such as household income and size, gender, age, among other travel factors such as distance, time, speed and direct cost. Design/methodology/approach: This research uses a unique data set encompassing a representative sample of households across gender and municipalities in the Monterrey Metropolitan Area in Mexico. This paper uses the value of transportation time savings approach to estimate the derived demand for mobility in higher education across different means. The empirical strategy uses a linear utility framework in a multinomial non-ordered logit model to analyze the conditional selection of transportation as a function of sociodemographics, direct monetary costs and travel determinants such as travel time, distance and speed. Findings: Men students are more likely to use an unsustained transportation mode such as a car or cab than women. Income is a crucial determinant for transportation demand. There is a negative relationship between household income and walking or riding the bus but positive with driving a car. An increase in the time of the trip decreases the probability of walking while increasing the likelihood of using a car or riding the bus to school. Students who feel safe while riding a bus are more likely to use the bus or walk as transportation than using a car. Finally, having access to better quality sidewalks significantly incentive walking over other transportation options. Practical implications: Results show that individuals would almost always choose private vehicles because of the personal comforts and time savings. Social implications: Understanding the demand for higher education and access to sustainable transportation might provide new insights into campus planning and development. Access to public transportation options can reduce the travel costs for students with lower incomes and enlarge options for students who have to commute longer distances by car. Sustainable transportation access plays a role in promoting equality and economic development. Originality/value: This study's results bring new light on how transportation becomes an essential component of the opportunity cost of college education and could define its role in promoting equality or increasing inequality. This study's finding is of particular interest for cities where housing location seems to be independent of access to school, work or other amenities.

This paper focuses on a two-year program with a Norwegian public sector project-based construction company, where action learning groups and critical incident technique were combined to enhance organizational learning. Project-based organizations typically face difficulties of 'project amnesia', as they fail to integrate learning from experience into organizational memory. In drawing lessons from experience, employees often focus on solving short-term problems with individual projects rather than contributing to medium- and longer-term organizational learning. The program that is the focus of this paper engaged newly-appointed engineers in action learning groups and trained them to use critical incident technique to gather and analyze information about recent projects undertaken by the company. The groups reported back their findings to colleagues in the program and to managers and senior executives in the company. Originally designed as an alternative to the traditional induction training for new employees, the program generated useful practical learning across the whole organization about project success factors. This paper explains how action learning and critical incident technique combined in this program to enhance individual, team and organizational learning, and argues that the synergies between these three processes should be explored in other contexts.

In this paper, drawing on an extensive research project across three countries (VET Africa 4.0 Collective 2023), we produce an emerging argument that it is necessary to rethink and reframe VET logics and approaches in a warming future dominated by informality and mass unemployment. Currently, neither the formal VET college or workplace are adequately set up to provide the type(s) of VET that are in demand or needed for just transitioning and sustainable futures. We acknowledge the importance of political economy accounts in developing a richer understanding of VET, but suggest these are not sufficient for dealing with the existential and practical crisis of the climate emergency. We note that many scholars have sought to address this tension in the academic literature by adopting a political ecology account that reframes the theoretical and political challenge. This leads us to call for a political-economy-ecology account of VET. Although we acknowledge the limited nature of our approach here, we offer some thoughts for VET analysis with reflection on these theoretical issues applied to four cases studies from Uganda and South Africa of VET provisioning in oil, transport, water and food (which materially shape our cases).

A new method for fabricating a paper based microfluidic device in a printed circuit board is presented. The printed circuit board is hollowed out to form a pattern of paper channels. When a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film is mounted on the bottom of the PCB, liquid PDMS is filled in the areas having been hollowed out, and solidified in a constant temperature oven. Paper pattern is then mounted on the solidified PDMS, while a piezoelectric device with an interdigital transducer is embedded into the PCB. At last, PDMS film is covered on the surface of paper channels. Microfluidic transportation and color development reaction are demonstrated in presented microfluidic platform. Results show paper channels and the piezoelectric device can be integrated into the printed circuit board, and surface acoustic wave can drive a microfluid to the paper channels for microfluidic analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Purpose - This paper aims to detail the design of a campus climate change strategy, transport strategy and paper reduction strategy at the University of Technology, Sydney (Australia). Design/methodology/approach - The approach to strategy development used desktop research and staff/student consultation to inform the development of objectives, targets and actions for each strategy. The strengths and weaknesses of the governance structures for strategy design and implementation are also discussed. Findings - A selection of targets are given here, with further details of objectives and actions in the main text. Climate change: reduce emissions by 11 percent by 2012/2013, 30 percent by 2020. Transport: double the proportion of staff/student commuting trips by walking and cycling to 35 percent by 2011. Paper reduction: by 2011, decrease paper purchased by 20 percent and increasing recycled paper use to 30 percent. The momentum generated by the strategy development shows that it can play a significant role in creating a more sustainable university. Practical implications - Practical guidance for universities and organisations undergoing organisational change for sustainability is given with a focus on: how to engage with staff and students to develop shared aspirations and reflect these in tangible objectives, targets and actions; and, how to evolve organisational structures to implement strategies and create a sustainable higher education institution. Originality/value - The value of this work lies in the frank reflections on the processes used to engage stakeholders and develop the strategies as well as with the tangible targets and actions presented which will be of interest for other universities seeking to benchmark their own activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on a research paper about the stochastic delay prediction model for real-time incident management. The research paper won the 2007 Daniel B. Fambro Student Paper Award given by the Institute of Transportation Engineers. In the paper, the authors established that a failure to account for the uncertainty that exists in predicting incident severity systematically and consistently underrates the impact of incidents to a large enough degree that incorrect management decisions are made.

This is a conceptual paper that examines the origin and development of universities and their current role in global society. There has been an unprecedented and exponential growth of technology and artificial intelligence capabilities over the past ten years which is challenging current working practices and affecting all areas of society. The paper examines how this role may change to match the new demands placed on them by a digitally enabled society that has greater leisure time. The design of the paper is first to detail some of the changes in work practices that are taking place and how these will impact on society. It then offers several ways in which universities could modify their role to respond to these emerging challenges. This could include new courses, new organisational structures and new pedagogical practices. The paper provides a platform for discussion and debate around the strategic vision and direction of travel for higher education.

Cross-border education is defined as the movement of people, knowledge, programs, providers, and curriculums across national or regional jurisdictional borders. Each year, millions of students access better education by crossing their national borders from less developed or newly-industrialized countries to Western, industrialised countries. Most are tertiary education students but the numbers engaged in secondary, primary, and pre-school education are also significant. Under the implementation of "one country two systems" in Hong Kong after the transition of sovereignty from Britain to China in 1997, and a decision of a case in The Court of Final Appeal of Hong Kong in 2011, babies born in Hong Kong to mainland Chinese parents are entitled to the right of abode in Hong Kong. Since then, tens of thousands of such births have occurred. More than 20,000 cross-border students travel from China to attend public schools in Hong Kong every day. This paper explores equality issues faced by these students. The paper evaluates the results of various stakeholders working together to solve important issues; for example, dedicated school zones, immigration clearance services, setting up Hong Kong classes in Chinese schools, and language, communication, and cultural support. The paper argues that inequality is prevalent.