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Gibson poses a more serious challenge to the one-dimensional view of Chinese workers as "cheap labour" or a "coolie class" threatening "White workers" (see chapter three, "Workers"). In I Made in Chinatown i , Peter Gibson sets out how the history of Chinese furniture-makers and factories in Sydney and Melbourne subverted the White Australia Policy and the racist logic that underpinned it. Made in Chinatown: Chinese Australian Furniture Factories, 1880-1930: By Peter Charles Gibson. [Extracted from the article]

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between institutional pressures, supply chain integration and supply chain performance in the wooden furniture industry. Cross-sectional survey data collected from 86 registered wooden furniture firms in Uganda were analyzed using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling. The study revealed that institutional pressures are positively and significantly related with supply chain performance and that supply chain integration plays a partial mediating role in the institutional pressures-supply chain performance relationship. Further, our component level analysis of institutional pressures reveals that whereas coercive pressure has a discernible positive influence on both supply chain integration and supply chain performance, mimetic pressure does not, while normative pressure positively influences only supply chain integration. These results underline the need to understand the role of individual components of institutional pressures and integration requirements in strategic supply chain management practice in order to boost supply chain performance of the wooden furniture firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Natural Fibers is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper discusses an ongoing treatment and research project focused on a group of black lacquer furniture created in China during the late eighteenth and first half of the nineteenth centuries, now in the Winterthur Museum collection in Delaware, USA. Funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) allowed for a two-year collaborative project encompassing treatment and analytical study of a selection of six objects, of which three are illustrated here. Data from pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry revealed a hitherto undetected separate urushiol lacquer–layer applied on top of a laccol layer on a center table and a six-panel screen. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Illegal logging is a key driver of deforestation in tropical countries and benefits a large number of stakeholders, including urban domestic buyers. Changing the latter's purchasing behavior could produce significant shifts in the illegal trade market. Based on survey data (n= 463), this paper assesses the impact of a media campaign on consumers' purchase intentions for legal timber and wooden furniture in Yaoundé and analyses the underlying psychological mechanisms. Combining covariate matching and mediation analysis, we found a significant positive effect of the media campaign on the declared intention to purchase legally-sourced timber and the mediation effect of two out of three precursors of the theory of planned behaviors, namely attitude and subjective norms. This study provides critical inputs to frame future media campaign messages and, by demonstrating some consumers' interest in legal timber, to strengthen the domestic legitimacy of policies such as the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The London Blitz was a catalyst for national state control of the entire commodity network for furniture; the only wartime commodity for which this was done. The Utility furniture scheme sought to manage material shortages and combat profiteering in the markets for new and second-hand furniture. It also responded to the vulnerability of the nation's furniture producers, which were disproportionately concentrated in and around London. Set against the immorality of indiscriminate bombing of civilian populations and illegal practices on the 'black market', the Utility scheme prescribed new moral geographies of equitable distribution based on need, of consumer rights protection, and of improvements to labour conditions and wages. The paper intervenes into debates about the social construction of moral geographies by examining the collective institutional response of the Utility scheme and the manner in which it sought to provision wartime homes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the growing awareness about Circular Economy (CE) in production and supply chain management, there is little evidence linking CE practices to environmental and economic performances, especially within the traditional wood furniture industry in Indonesia. As with other management practices, implementation of CE can be supported by various factors. Among these factors are the so-called environmental-oriented supply chain cooperation (ESCC) practices. The study reported in this paper has three purposes. First, to investigate how the different levels of ESCC practices will affect the CE practices across the traditional wooden furniture industry in Central Java, Indonesia; second, to investigate the relationship between varying ESCC practices (which is grouped based on the implementation of CE practices) on the CE-targeted performances; and third, to examine the role of ESCC practices as a moderating variable in the relationship between CE practices and CE-targeted performances. This study uses primary data which were collected through closed questionnaires to 190 valid samples of wooden furniture SMEs across the cities of Jepara, Kudus, Rembang, Semarang, Blora and Surakarta. The data were processed using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), K-means clustering analysis, Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) and regression analysis. The results indicated that, depending on the levels of ESCC practices, the SMEs could be grouped into leaders, followers and laggard, which also determined the extent to which they practised the CE principles. The study also elaborated on the interactions between ESCC and CE practices, and how these might affect the CE-targeted environmental and economic performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clusters are places that facilitate knowledge sharing and dissemination among firms and institutions working in functionally-related fields. Structural changes that take place within clusters over time influence knowledge-related processes and require new approaches towards external knowledge sourcing. In this paper, we use a mixed-method approach to investigate different knowledge sources that firms use at different stages of a cluster life cycle. The empirical research comprises the investigation of two clusters that specialize in the same kind of economic activity, i.e. in the furniture industry, but are at different stages of their life cycle. These are, a mature cluster – the Livenza district in Italy and a growing one – the Kępno cluster in Poland. The analysis revealed that firms in a mature cluster use a greater variety of external knowledge sources and more knowledge-intensive sources than those in growing clusters do. This may be explained by more homogeneous and well-established knowledge pools at later stages of a cluster life cycle and/or by higher competition between firms offering similar products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Created c.1568 to commemorate a trio of dynastic marriages between the Cavendishes and the Talbots, the 'Aeglentyne' Table stands in the High Great Chamber at Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire. Featuring an intricate three-panelled motif of musical instruments, gaming paraphernalia, and intertwining flowers borrowed from various continental prints, it has long been held as a masterpiece of English furniture. However, when approached through a traditional stylistic analysis, based upon the identification of tropes and features, the Eglantine Table runs the risk of falling under the category of 'bad' style: it is paratactic; it is epideictic. Such a judgement utterly misses the point of the Eglantine Table, and its visual strategies. 'Style' has become a ubiquitous term for the analysis of the things of visual culture. It allows the historian of visual culture to categorize into a shorthand that belies the sheer variety of the objects of study. The work of Willibald Sauerländer, amongst others, has long since argued for a deeper reflection on 'style' and a shift away from the 'sheer abysmal vagueness' of stylistic analysis. This paper seeks to respond to Sauerländer's call by providing a sensitive and illuminating analysis of the style(s) of the Eglantine Table. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Museum objects are often highly complex and composed of materials with varying properties, some of which may have changed as a result of ageing and/or conservation treatments. Research into defining sustainable environmental conditions by balancing energy cost and risk to these vulnerable objects has mainly focused on experiments in laboratories with new, single materials or on computer modelling, but only to a limited extent on actual objects. This paper presents a method to collect empirical data from a large group of decorated wooden panels in order to investigate the effects of humidity fluctuations on these objects and relate them to their material properties and construction. Wooden panels were chosen as they are regarded to be particularly sensitive to fluctuations in relative humidity. The fluctuations may cause the wood to shrink and swell and can result in open glue joints, cracks, and deformation of the panels as well as losses and cracks in the decorative layers. Empirical data are scarcely available as yet but are essential to study relationships between material properties, type of construction, damage, and as input and validation for modelling and experimental studies. The method, referred to as the Rijksmuseum Study, was performed on a group of 300 objects from the furniture and paintings collections of the Rijksmuseum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of the American Institute for Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper is based on a comprehensive technical study of the French Renaissance furniture in The Frick Collection, New York, USA, which includes a remarkable group of 15 pieces - tables, dressoirs, and chairs - said to be from sixteenth-century France. All came from the celebrated collection of Maurice Chabrière-Arlès, a well-known French collector of the second half of the nineteenth century. The study of French Renaissance furniture is complex for multiple reasons including the lack of objects with a secure provenance, and because alterations, over-restoration, embellishments, and fakes are ubiquitous. At the Frick a re-evaluation of the collection was undertaken, which examined various construction methods, evidence from tool marks, and restoration, including analysis of hardware and of remnants of surface coatings. This close and lengthy scrutiny of selected pieces of furniture permits distinction of authentic elements from later reproductions and answers questions of authentication. Through the discussion on a sixteenth-century dressoir this paper also illustrates how the study of provenance allows for a more informed and nuanced evaluation of material evidence. As a result, this research provides new insights into sixteenth-century furniture making and nineteenth-century restoration practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper, we use ray tracing techniques and inverse Fourier transform to compute the impulse responses for ultra-wide band (UWB) indoor communication. First, the frequency responses of different indoor environments for any transmitter-receiver location are computed by shooting and bouncing ray/image (SBR/Image) techniques in UWB frequency ranges. The frequency dependence utilized in the structure on the indoor channel is accounted for in the channel calculation. Then, the impulse responses of channel is obtained by applying inverse Fourier transform to transform the frequency domain data into time domain. A realistic complex environment is simulated by our proposed method. By using the obtained impulse responses of these multi-path channels, the impact of metallic furniture to indoor multi-path environment is investigated. Numerical results have shown that the multi-path effect with metallic cabinets is more severe than that without metallic cabinets. Moreover, it is also found that when the receiver is located near metallic furniture, the multi-path effect caused by the metallic furniture is severe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a framework for assessing the entrepreneurial capabilities of small rural enterprise owners in developing countries and applies it, as a case study, to a rattan furniture industry in a village in Central Java, Indonesia. The framework is based on an examination of the functions the firms perform, the resources applied to them, and the standard operating procedures used. The main objectives are to identify the ability of the firms to grow and transform and to suggest appropriate policy and project interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

London's Tottenham Court Road has long been associated with the furniture business, but had its heyday between 1850 and 1950. This paper considers the furniture business in this street through a mix of retail business history and urban geography. It will attempt to show why this particular 'furniture street' developed as it did. Considerations of the networks or clusters of businesses associated with furniture-making assist in the analysis. The nature of the furniture industry and trade in the immediate area and the history of particular stores in the street as exemplars of the processes are examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows that laboratory measurements can be used for the identification of structure and parameters of commercial seat vertical suspension system model. A commonly used single-degree-of-freedom suspension model does not suffice. The system model presented is based on Zener's structure and clearly describes the dynamic properties of a vertical seat suspension with an adjustable damper. The model introduced, augmented with seat cushion dynamic model, predicts the seat vertical vibration mitigation properties under field conditions with a reasonable accuracy. Optimisation of the adjustable damper setting is performed using a two-objective function optimisation technique. This enables us to optimise not only the exerted vertical vibration acceleration but also the seat relative vertical displacement (stroke). Optimisation was facilitated for the particular suspended seat without the requirement of further field measurements. In addition, a two-parameter optimisation was performed showing possible further improvement in both objectives at the manufacturer's discretion. This study could be representative of driver's seats equipped with vertical seat suspension system using an air-spring and an adjustable damper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of the American Institute for Conservation is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Where is the future of traditional industrial districts in global markets where competition is fiercer every day? This paper presents the case of the furniture district of Forli, Italy, as a means to explain the development process, the constraints and the growth prospects that involve this industrial district and, perhaps, a wider variety of districts and SME-based clusters. We hypothesise that development is more likely to be generated when three main drivers, taken from the main bodies of literature on districts and clusters, are taken together: 'collective efficiency', 'policy inducement' and 'social embeddedness'. The case study of Forli helps to identify the trajectory of one among many Italian industrial districts and its solutions to deal with the new competition. Yet, our approach highlights some of the main difficulties that this district is facing nowadays and the related challenges for future development. The general lesson derived from this analysis is that traditional ways of regarding cluster development on the basis of collective efficiency need to be supplemented with an adequate weighing of the social embeddedness driver, as well as of the national and local policy environment. This approach delivers strategic analytical tools to interpret the reality of districts and to target effective development actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morrison A. Gatekeepers of knowledge within industrial districts: who they are, how they interact, Regional Studies. Studies on industrial districts suggest that their innovative performance is strictly linked to their ability to absorb external knowledge. Yet, the existing literature provides few insights into the functioning of this process. This paper, focusing on leader firms located in a successful Italian furniture district, investigates whether they feed the district with knowledge absorbed from external sources, thereby behaving as 'gatekeepers of knowledge... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploration of the boundaries between 'polite' and 'vernacular', now topical among architectural historians, engages other disciplines too. This paper indicates that the majority of Scotland's common furniture in the eighteenth century was not completely distinguishable from its fashionable counterparts and suggests that both should be considered as part of a cultural continuum rather than seen in binary terms as fundamental opposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The furniture maker has been seen within English culture as an embodiment of a skilled craft worker. In similar vein, anthropologists and philanthropists working in London's East End in the 19th and early 20th centuries, the site of the capital's furniture industry, saw the possession of furniture as a sign of respectability. However, although researchers have acknowledged the role of furniture in the study of material culture, scant attention has been paid to the specific meanings given to furniture made by a known family member. This paper suggests that such crafted furniture and photographs of such objects have a particular role in the development of material culture and public history. Furniture made by cabinet makers and wood carvers in London's East End has been conventionally defined as unskilled work. However, the way such work is viewed by their current owners gives different insights and suggests alternative ways of approaching this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of gender inequality in relation to the impartial usage of urban infrastructure has become a factor that influences social sustainability in Muslim contexts. This study aimed to investigate the matter of gender inequality in relation to the privacy protection created in the spatial configuration of urban furniture based on a case study of Rasht, Iran. To achieve this end, the framework of gender equality in relation to privacy protection in the use of urban furniture was established with respect to various physical, social and cultural dimensions. Accordingly, a mixture of methods, including a questionnaire and quantitative methods using space syntax, was adopted for this empirical study. Unlike the previous literature that has considered the profound impact of Islamic principles on the privacy demands of Muslim citizens, the present research suggests that religious principles do not have a notable influence on the privacy demands of men and women within a Muslim community. Moreover, the present study found that privacy demands can be a universal phenomenon with the ability to reflect cultural and contextual particularities. The results also suggest that men and women diverge significantly in their privacy demands, and that the provision of gender equality in privacy protection will facilitate the establishment of social justice and fair interactions within a Muslim society. The implications of this research can be considered as a guideline for implementing the goals of social justice and sustainability within urban spaces in Muslim settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the optimal interference fit of mortise-and-tenon (M&T) a novel method is proposed. To validate its effectiveness, compression tests were conducted considering the effects of wood species (beech and western hemlock), tenon widths (30, 40, 50 mm), and grain orientations (radial, diagonal, and tangential) to obtain the optimal interference fit and contact force (CF). Furthermore, the mounting force (MF) and withdrawal force capacity (WFC) of T-shaped M&T joints constructed by the control and optimal interference fit were evaluated by compression and withdrawal tests, respectively. The results indicated that (1) all three evaluated factors had significant effects on the tenon compression behavior and CF; (2) the derived optimal fits showed that the tenon with a larger width required a higher fit value based on regression equations; (3) the MF and WFC were significantly affected by the three evaluated factors and proportional to the tenon fit; (4) the maximum WFC occurred at the M&T joints made of western hemlock with 50-mm tenon width in tangential orientation with 0.99-mm interference fit, and the beech with 30-mm tenon width in diagonal orientation with 0.78-mm interference fit. The proposed method will assist the wood product manufacturers to design M&T joints rationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a Physical Internet-enabled customized furniture delivery system (PI-CFDS) with the following contributions. First, a set of PI-enabled smart logistics facilities was adopted to transform the conventional operations. A PI decision support platform was designed to deal with resource planning. Second, since the classical methods cannot be applied directly, we developed a new approach, including both mathematical modelling and algorithm design. The optimal planning decision maximizes the shipper's profits while providing a stable income for the carriers. Third, the proposed solution was verified via a real-life case study. The effects of geographical, cost, and demand parameters were also analyzed. Our results show that the PI-CFDS solution has advantageous over the traditional solution when considering the dispersed distribution of customer depots. We found that when the dispersion of customer locations increases, the fixed cost of vehicles increases, and the salary difference between drivers and movers increases; in this situation, the advantages of the PI-CFDS solution are more apparent. However, compared with the traditional solution, the PI-CFDS solution is more sensitive to the rise of fuel prices and the stability of demand. The results yield substantial insights and facilitate daily decision-making for managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 1960s, woodworker Wendell Castle began making the biomorphic, stack-laminated furniture that would make him one of the best-known American furniture makers of the twentieth century. Today, Castle reengages with this aesthetic using contemporary digital fabrication tools. This paper engages with these two phases of Castle’s work through an examination of the cultural utility of his pieces to changing conceptions of American corporate culture. The conserved form in Castle’s furniture demonstrates an interest in individualism and organicism that started in the 1960s and continues today, while the change in production emphasizes an expanding focus on individualism from corporate management toward manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fire statistics show that the US has one of the worst fire loss records in the world. Various fire studies since the early 1970s have shown that more than 40% of US fire deaths can be attributed to the initial ignition of mattresses or upholstered furniture. The following review summarizes some of the more prominent activities in the development of flammability tests methods and standards for furnishings and related textile products. Success in complying with modern fire tests for furnishings has been aided by the rapid emergence of new fire resistant materials such as fire blocking layers. Although many of the currently available fire blockers have been developed in the past 6-8 years, the modern history of fire blockers goes back some 25 years. This paper provides a brief summary of some of the more important developments in protective fire blockers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a survey of environmental issues related to furnishings. While many of the chemical and biological pollutants found indoors are related to building materials, furniture, carpet, draperies, and other wood and fabric furnishings are believed to contribute to occupant complaints. There has been extensive research on emissions of formaldehyde and volatile organic compounds from wood products and office furniture. Although non-industrial buildings are not covered under current air quality standards, there are guide-lines for chemical levels in buildings as well as emissions from products. Research on biological pollutants has been less extensive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between the sustainable supply chain practice and firm performance has attracted interest from scholars and industry owners in recent years. On this basis, a model for sustainable supply chain management (SCM) in Iranian Wood Furniture Industry was developed and used to improve the performance of home and office furniture manufacturing companies. The statistical population of the qualitative part consisted of experts and specialists of sustainable SCM, and purposive non-random sampling was used. A structural equation modeling was used in the inferential and quantitative part through Lisrel-v8.8 software. The study identified economic, environmental, and social factors as underlying dimensions of SSCM. It also identified the components of customer satisfaction, financial and market performance as performance components. The results revealed that the path coefficient of SSCM to performance was 0.90. As the t-statistic was 18.07, it was confirmed at 99% level. So, in Iranian wood furniture industry, SSCM has a statistically significant impact on firm performance. Several factors such as strategies, backgrounds, and intervening factors were considered in the final model. The study has significant practical implications for industrial managers and government policy makers in the furniture industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preference responses of cats for scratching fabrics commonly used on furniture were evaluated during four consecutive days in three Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that rescue companion animals. Cats were grouped and their choices were registered at a group level (no individual identification). Daily choices for chenille, suede, synthetic leather, or waterproof grosgrain fabrics were evaluated for the cats' groups. A preference for chenille and non-preference for synthetic leather and waterproof grosgrain was found, independent of the NGO. In conclusion, although not using chenille does not assure that cats stop scratching furniture – especially if no other option to scratch is available – synthetic leather and waterproof grosgrain seem to be less attractive fabrics for these animals. Further studies are needed to investigate whether these findings apply to cats in a home scenario, when just one or a few individuals are usually present and only one type of fabric covering furniture is commonly available. Although we did not investigate the effect of providing scratching posts for these animals, we recommend such posts are available in the environment as scratching behavior is important to cats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wooden outdoor furniture is a worthwhile investment. When evaluating outdoor furniture, it is important to weigh up decision factors. In situations where there are many conflicting factors, decision-makers become undecided about determining the best furniture option. Hence, this study proposes an interval-valued Pythagorean fuzzy analytic hierarchy process-based model to prioritise the key factors influencing wooden outdoor furniture selection. In light of the aim, five main factors were determined: "safety and health properties", "comfort and appearance properties", "durability and mechanical properties", "economic aspects", and "environmental aspects". Each main factor was then subdivided into various subfactors. Pairwise comparisons were performed to obtain the priorities of the factors. According to the results, "safety and health properties" was the most significant main factor. The most important subfactors were found as "tipping resistance", "environmental friendliness", and "free of harmful substances". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study identifies the mismatch percentages between library furniture dimensions and students' anthropometry. Eleven furniture design parameters were evaluated and compared against the anthropometric measurements of 450 participants. Different inequality equations were used to determine the match/mismatch percentages and the compatible percentile values of anthropometry. Independent t-tests were performed among males' and females' anthropometry and they found significant differences in 3 among 11 anthropometries at p < 0.001 and p < 0.005. Besides, Chi-square tests were performed, resulting in rejecting some relationships between anthropometry and furniture dimensions at α = 0.05. Substantial levels of mismatches were identified in the SH, SW, SD and STC dimensions. As, SH was incompatible for 60% males and 100% females. Hence, the existing furniture, unsuitable for students, could be responsible for uncomfortable posture, tiring sitting positions and musculoskeletal disorders. The study recommended the proposed dimensions considering students' anthropometry. It might be helpful for importer/producer to prepare specification for the said furniture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed to evaluate the position of lightweight panels and their application in furniture production in Iran by investigating consumers' behavior and preferences. Here, consumers' preferences toward effective criteria to choose furniture made of wood-based panels (WBPs) were evaluated on the basis of analytical network process method. Furthermore, respondents were asked about their attitudes and preferences regarding lightweight furniture. The results revealed that the main sub-criteria for buying furniture were product quality, design, price, environmentally-friendly, and guarantee features. Furthermore, the technological feature was the most important criterion affecting consumers buying decisions more than the visual/appearance and economical features of the furniture. Consumers believed that conventional WBPs were heavy for some applications in the furniture. Respondents emphasized that they would buy lightweight furniture, even with a bit more price (5–9%) in comparison to conventional furniture (furniture made of WBPs) if there would be a product guarantee, more varieties of the products available in the market, and environmentally-friendly certification. In general, the consumers showed a willingness to buy furniture made by panels with mid-range density (480 kg/m3 density), but they should have to be sure of the panels' quality and the furniture made thereof before buying this product. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inquiry into how people experience environmental conditions at work is a growing area of study. Until the 1980s, there was insufficient research on 'workspaces' -and on office environments in particular -- to warrant review. Since that time, the range and number of studies of workspace have burgeoned. This paper will identify and review the main themes and findings of this area of research with the objective of defining basic parameters and prevailing theories of the environmental psychology of workspace. These will generate questions and directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The historical development of the North American office, and the disciplinary power relations that obtain within it, is marked by the clinical gaze of systematic management. The technological artefacts and organizational practices associated with these workspaces deploy spatial and power relations via mechanisms of power which centre upon rendering workflows visible. The office desk provides an exemplar for this situation inasmuch as it acts as the interface between worker, work, and organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two artefacts in royal custody, an étagère (inventory number HGK401) and a writing desk (inventory number HGK1249), that display specific aspects of Swedish Rococo furniture in an exciting combination, are re-examined through scientific means. Microscopy of cross sections, wood species identification, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray fluorescence microscopy, and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses reveal some of their physical and chemical characteristics. The results show that the original wood includes hinoki, and the actual urushi ware originates from at least two different artefacts, of which one was made in Japan. A specific mixture of saps hitherto only confirmed on historical Ryukyu Island urushi artefacts was detected. Blue coloured urushi is verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the occupational exposure to formaldehyde on the medium-density fiberboard (MDF) dust and allergic contact dermatitis among the workers at a furniture factory. Data were collected from 439 subjects using questionnaires and patch testing to evaluate allergic contact dermatitis resulting from formaldehyde on wood dust exposure in the workplace. The geometric mean concentration of formaldehyde on MDF dust that the workers in the production department were exposed to was 2.07 ppm (GSD 4.54). Patch test results revealed that some subjects developed allergy to various substances, including epoxy resin (16.7%) and formaldehyde (5.6%). The odds ratios (95% CI) for contact dermatitis were 3.6 (1.7–7.3) among those with a history of metal allergy, 1.8 (0.6–5.2) whose family members having a history of allergic contact dermatitis. Exposure to MDF dust in the workplace should be reduced, as the current levels of exposure exceed the permissible OSHA standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The detection of asthma and rhinitis in furniture workers exposed to chemicals in the area of Thessaloniki Greece and the determination of the most useful tests for diagnosing the above occupational diseases. Methods: Eighty-three workers (76 men), 35 exposed to chemicals (CW), 23 to wood dust (WW), and 25 office workers (OW), serving as controls, filled in a specialized European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) questionnaire for asthma and were submitted to clinical evaluation, spirometry, bronchodilation test, PEF computer algorithm OASYS-2, FeNO, skin prick tests (SPTs), rhinomanometry and methacholine inhalation challenge. Working conditions and protective measurements were also recorded. According to the results of all conducted tests, each subject was distributed to a subgroup: (a) normal, (b) asthma, (c) rhinitis, (d) asthma and rhinitis. Comparisons were performed among work groups. Results: The presence of asthma and/or rhinitis was higher among CW and WW compared to OW (p = 0.004). Significant differences among groups were observed in the questions «better weekend» (p < 0.034) and "improvement on vacation» (p < 0.000), in OASYS-2 Score (p < 0.000), in ABC Score (p < 0.000), and in methacholine score (p < 0.022). Rhinomanometry, FeNO, spirometry, and spirometry after bronchodilation had no significant differences among groups. Working conditions, ventilation system, work practice, use and type of mask revealed no significant differences. Conclusion: Asthma and rhinitis are significantly common among CW. Protective measurements used were not adequate to prevent asthma and or work related rhinitis. Early diagnosis might contribute to disease prevention and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors of this qualitative study provided Black female preservice teachers in an urban cohort at a predominantly white institution a seat at the kitchen table to share their racialized and gendered experiences. The research questions centered around the experiences of Black female preservice teachers, their participation in anti-racist spaces, and the role of critical for teacher educator programs in coursework and program development. The authors drew on Critical Race Theory and Critical Race Feminism as theoretical frameworks. Findings include the cultivation of sisterhood based on multi-layered identities and experiences, how the participants navigate racial fatigue on and off campus, and how the participants embody an intergenerational alliance between them and Black faculty members. Implications for practice are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From time to time, opinion pieces appear in the media that point out that the risk of being harmed by terrorism is very low. This much is true, at least from an actuarial perspective. These opinion pieces are often accompanied by lists of other, usually absurd, ways that a person is more likely to die, including being struck by lightning or crushed by falling furniture. When asked, people do state a likelihood of being harmed by terrorism that is much greater than the actuarial odds. But risk perception is complex and to many people the actuarial odds of being killed by terrorism versus being killed by falling furniture do not adequately reflect the differences in the nature of risks from these two things. A discussion about risk perception and terrorism cannot start and end with the conclusion that people simply overestimate the risk. To do so would be to overlook the nuances of risk perception and decision-making under conditions of risk and uncertainty. An understanding of the complex ways in which risk perceptions are shaped is essential for those who would seek to accurately characterise, compare and regulate risks in the terrorism context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stress is a major public health concern and work stress is a contributor to both acute and chronic stress. Moreover, most people spend the majority of their time indoors. It follows that the design of office spaces and other interior environments should consider the health impacts of individuals in terms of psychophysiological responses to stress. In this way, buildings can act as an environmental intervention to compliment social and therapeutic interventions to stress. In this study, human stress responses were compared in experimental office settings with and without wood. The hypothesis was that the office setting with wood furniture would reduce stress responses and improve stress recovery as indicated by salivary cortisol concentration. The within-subjects experiment revealed that overall stress levels were lower in the office-like environment with oak wood than the control room, but there was no detectable difference in stress levels between the office-like environment with walnut wood and the control room. Stress recovery was not found to differ between either environment, possibly because duration of the experiment was too short or that not enough samples were taken during the recovery period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungal contamination of built-in furniture is a frequent problem in Korea when new apartment is built. However, domestic information on the contaminating fungi is very limited. This study was conducted to isolate, identify and characterize the fungi of the problem in one of the apartment houses where the fungi were claimed in the built-in furniture before the house owner moves in. Fungi present in the furniture installed in a main room, dress room, and kitchen side were visually and microscopically confirmed and purely isolated on PDA. The isolated fungi were identified by analyzing the morphological characteristics and nucleotide sequence of the ITS, calmodulin gene, and TEF-1α gene. Aspergillus creber, A. niger, A. pseudoglacus, A. ruber, Cladosporium perangustum and Penicillium commune were identified. Four out of the six fungal species were positive for at least one enzyme in six kinds of extracellular enzyme assays. When these four species (A. creber, A. niger, C. perangustum and P. commune) were inoculated onto four kinds of wood chips of furniture materials, they were able to colonize all of the wood chips. Their settlement was better at 95% humidity condition than at 30% humidity condition. Among the four species, C. perangustum caused the darkest discoloration and secreted the most number of extracellular enzymes. The four species were re-isolated from the colonized wood chips and confirmed as the problematic fungi in the built-in furniture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about several papers discussed in the 1988 United Kingdom Institute for Conservation 30th Anniversary Conference held at the Commonwealth Institute in London, England, on October 10-14, 1988, is presented. Topics include conservation management and ethics plus training, furniture and textiles, and paintings.

An optimization algorithm was developed to minimize waste in a real-time cutting process of high-volume solid wood furniture production where each wood strip is cut into shorter pieces depending on the production order. The optimization problem at hand is an extension of the standard one-dimensional cutting stock problem with random variable stock size. In addition, each stock has random quality variation along its length, which is unknown before the production of the stock. The defect-sensitive stock is produced online and real-time decisions are necessary to sequence the cuts. The proposed optimization algorithm for this dynamic problem has two main sub-algorithms: adaptive fuzzy and recursive solution. The adaptive fuzzy sub-algorithm prioritizes the needed items to be cut based on the required length and quantity. The recursive sub-algorithm, as a depth-first search algorithm, creates the permissible cut patterns for each strip. The experiments with the optimization algorithm illustrate promising results and the waste data obtained were well below the current figures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A set of 19th-century furniture in black lacquer, on papier-mâché or on turned wood, has been subjected to an in-depth observational, historical and chemical study. The results show four different technological approaches: two for the papier-mâché objects and two for the wooden chairs. The cyclic labour-intensive lacquering procedure of repeated stoving and polishing lacquer on papier-mâché with mother-of-pearl inclusions is reflected in the cross-sections. Pinaceae resin and heated oil are frequently found, conform with surviving recipes. A variant of 'the old form of varnish', as historically described, was likely used. In the two pairs of wooden chairs, the lacquer layers are thinner than on the papier-mâché items. They contain copal and show different stratigraphies. These observations can be the starting point to relate technological and chemical variations to different origins. New art historical findings on lacquer production and trade in England, France and Belgium, and the study of contemporary recipes, frame the analytical results in a historical context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cabinet on a stand (dated between 1710 and 1712), which is decorated with European lacquer in Asian style, was investigated technically. The cabinet belongs to the interior of the bedroom of Princess Elisabeth Friederike Sophie von Oettingen-Oettingen (1691–1758), in Weikersheim Palace, Germany. It is part of an ensemble of black lacquered objects that are attributed to the local cabinetmaker Johann Eberhardt Sommer (1675–1723) and the painter Johann Conrad Hoffmann. Detailed information about the stratigraphy of the original lacquer and the components of single layers was obtained. A conservation plan was developed and treatment was carried out, involving removal of later varnishes and polishing of the uncoated surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conservation treatment of a telescope belonging to the collections of Cavour Castle in Santena, Italy, is described. It is valuable both as a material testimony of the diffusion of scientific progress and as a rare example of a japanned telescope, providing evidence for the use of this decorative style in Piedmont between the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Historical research was necessary to solve some questions regarding the manufacture and dating of the telescope. Comparison of the data and information collected with those of similar scientific instruments indicated with manufacture in northern Italy in the eighteenth century. The pigments and binder were identified, confirming the Western origin of the red lacquer that embellishes the outer tube of the telescope, applied on a leather support. Three-dimensional mock-ups were used to select the methodology and products for the conservation treatment, including the adhesion of lacquer lifting from leather and the infilling of losses in the japanned layer. The treatment aims were preservation of both the instrument and the traces left on it by time and events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A small group of seventeenth-century furniture comprised of four cabinets and one table distinguishes itself from contemporary furniture decorated with lacquer imitation techniques. Sumptuous patterns in European aventurine lacquer are inlaid into a background of ebony, thus creating a rich contrast. Inspired by the technique of Japanese nashi-ji lacquer, European motives are paired with the exotic effect of shimmering metal particles. Tying into previous research, one of the cabinets which was so far only known from photographs in early twentieth-century literature, was studied in-depth. A fragment from the table's decoration could also be included into the technical study. The materials and techniques employed for the creation of these inlaid aventurine lacquer pieces were studied and compared to the hitherto studied three cabinets. The most recent treatment involving consolidating delaminated areas and replacing losses in the aventurine lacquer is briefly outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: This article explores the development of coffin furniture in 18th- and early 19th-century London through analysis of the styles and motifs of items in contemporary trade catalogues and excavated assemblages. Developments in coffin furniture were compared with styles of headstones and monuments of the same period. This study confirmed and added detail to the disjunction between below- and above-ground funerary material culture, showing that coffin furniture was stylistically distinct from contemporary funerary monuments and developed at a slower rate. It is suggested that this was influenced by the development of undertaking and the mediated relationship between producers and consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article takes as a starting point the career of Sir Alec Clegg, Chief Education Officer for the West Riding of Yorkshire (1945–1974), and traces his professional connections with educationists in Australia and New Zealand. In exploring the nature of global exchanges between educators, artists, architects and designers in the decades immediately before and after the Second World War, the intertwining of modernism and progressivism is critically explored in the wider contextual frame of the Arts and Crafts Movement. The notion of increasing the humanity of the classroom occupied the efforts of a constellation of individuals caught up in the desire to redesign schooling in ways that would regenerate democratic relations of living in the post-war world. It is suggested that a common thread connected those concerned to strengthen democracy through combining progressive and modernist attitudes with the potent legacy of the Arts and Crafts Movement. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]