The impact of body surface convex angle on dressed waist ease

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 571-587
Author(s):  
Xin Ying ◽  
Zheng Liu ◽  
Guang Chen ◽  
Fengyuan Zou

PurposeThe comfort and fit of clothes are affected by fabric properties, dressed ease and environmental conditions, in which dressed ease is influenced by the interaction among complex shapes of human body, style design and fabric mechanical properties.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, the dressed ease distribution at waist section, which is related to body surface convex angle, was investigated using 3D scanning. A series of surface convex angles on bust and back were formed after adjusting the mannequin. The mannequin was scanned by TC2 separately in garments with eight different ease allowances. Then the dressed ease distributions at waist under different convex angles of body surface have been acquired by calculating the distance between waist points and dressed surfaces along normal directions.FindingsThe results showed that the body surface convex angle was weakly related to the dressed ease when the garments’ bust ease allowance was below 4 cm. When the garments’ bust ease allowance was within 6–12 cm, the body convex angle had a great impact on the dressed waist ease distribution in the condition of 26º–33º bust convex angle and 13.96º–17.96º back slope angle. For slack garments with more than 16 cm ease allowance, the dressed waist ease distribution did not relate to the bust convex angle, while it strongly related to the bust convex angle between 13.96º and 17.96º. The regression model was statistically significant between the dressed ease value and the body surface convex angle.Originality/valueAccording to the dressed waist ease distribution of different body surface convex angles, this paper gives an application of pattern modification in order to optimize the waist fit. The results can provide guidance for the optimization of different body shapes. At the same time, the application of gap data to 3D virtual fitting can greatly improve the authenticity of virtual simulation effect.

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 102-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fauzia Jabeen ◽  
Mohamed Behery ◽  
Hossam Abu Elanain

Purpose – The aim of this study is to examine the impact of the psychological contract, relational psychological contract and transactional psychological contract on organisational commitment as mediated by transactional leadership in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) context. The paper also explores the contractual status to determine if the theory remains valid, regardless of the fact whether one is employed as a contingent or permanent worker. Design/methodology/approach – This research made a longitudinal study spanning a 24-week time period. Data were collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire prepared in English and Arabic, at three stages representing three visits to the participating companies in the UAE. Pearson’s correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were used to examine the research hypotheses. Findings – The results show that the psychological contracts (transactional and relational) are positively related to transactional leadership. This study categorizes several consequential relationships between transactional leadership and organisational commitment. It also advocates that transactional leadership has only a fractional mediating role in relation to relational psychological contract, transactional psychological contract and organisational commitment. Practical implications – The findings suggest that practitioners and academics alike should note that the nature of the psychological contract employed will impact upon commitment and retention. Originality/value – This study makes a significant contribution to the body of literature, being the second part of a longitudinal study that aimed at testing the mediating effect of transactional leadership on organisational commitment within the context of the UAE. In the earlier study, the intent was to analyse the role of transformational leadership as a mediator between the psychological contract and organisational commitment. Typically, transformational leadership has been found to partially mediate the above mentioned relationships. In addition, it also advocates that there may be some value in considering the employees’ contractual status with regard to the psychological contract and its impact on organisational commitment.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Louise Bester ◽  
Anne McGlade ◽  
Eithne Darragh

Purpose “Co-production” is a process in health and social care wherein service users and practitioners work in partnership. Recovery colleges (RCs) are educational establishments offering mental health education; a cornerstone feature is that courses are designed and delivered in parity by both mental health practitioners and “peers” – people with lived experience of mental illness. This paper aims to consider, through the identification of key themes, whether co-production within RCs is operating successfully. Design/methodology/approach The paper is a systematic review of qualitative literature. Relevant concept groups were systematically searched using three bibliographic databases: Medline, Social Care Online and Scopus. Articles were quality appraised and then synthesised through inductive thematic analysis and emergent trends identified. Findings Synthesis identified three key themes relating to the impact of co-production in RCs: practitioner attitudes, power dynamics between practitioners and service users, and RCs’ relationships with their host organisations. As a result of RC engagement, traditional practitioner/patient hierarchies were found to be eroding. Practitioners felt they were more person-centred. RCs can model good co-productive practices to their host organisations. The review concluded, with some caveats, that RC co-production was of high fidelity. Originality/value RC research is growing, but the body of evidence remains relatively small. Most of what exists examine the impact of RCs on individuals’ overall recovery and mental health; there is a limited empirical investigation into whether their flagship feature of parity between peers and practitioners is genuine.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ismail Badraoui ◽  
Ivo van der Lans ◽  
Youssef Boulaksil ◽  
Jack G.A.J. van der Vorst

PurposeThis study investigates the impact of agri-food supply chains (AFSCs) characteristics on the antecedents of horizontal logistics collaboration (HLC). Specifically, the study compares the relationship between collaboration activities and outcomes for companies in and outside AFSCs.Design/methodology/approachFirst, a survey was used to collect data from different industries. Second, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were applied to compare the measurement and structural models from different industry categories.FindingsThe results support the premise that collaboration improves trust and commitment in the relationship, which in turn enhance satisfaction. The results also show the existence of a minor influence of AFSCs characteristics on HLC antecedents, in the form of an indirect impact of dedicated investments on commitment.Practical implicationsThe factors having a significant influence on the collaboration outcomes and their respective effects are generally similar across food and nonfood supply chains, providing opportunities for interdisciplinary and collaboration experiences.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the body of knowledge on interfirm collaboration by considering the specificities of HLC. It also highlights the importance of conducting contingency research on collaborative experiences, as firms from different industry contexts operate under distinct operational conditions.


foresight ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 665-680 ◽  
Author(s):  
Md Nahin Hossain ◽  
Md Shamim Talukder ◽  
Md Rakibul Hoque ◽  
Yukun Bao

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to measure the impact of open government data (OGD) on citizen empowerment. Design/methodology/approach This study advances the body of knowledge on OGD by proposing an integrated research model based on transparency, accountability, participation and collaboration dimensions. The research model was empirically tested using 275 responses using the on-paper survey from the university students and professionals in Bangladesh. Data were analyzed using the structured equation modeling technique. Findings Findings revealed that transparency and participation have a positive and significant direct and indirect influence on citizen empowerment through accountability and collaboration. Overall, the four basic pillars of OGD such as transparency, participation, accountability and collaboration interrelated with each other and have the impact on citizen empowerment. Research limitations/implications This study has proposed an instrument that sums the dimensions of open government, which avoids tautology and redundancy among OGD dimensions. More research should be done to validate the proposed model and the instruments used in this study. Practical implications For the researchers, this study provides a basis for further refinement of individual models of empowerment. For practitioners, understanding the key constructs is crucial to design, refine and implement OGD systems and applications that empower citizens, create public values and strengthen the democratic process. Originality/value This research is the first step that empirically investigates the impact of OGD on citizen empowerment which is the ultimate goals of any democratic government.


2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 588-609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Wibowo ◽  
Hans Wilhelm Alfen

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a yardstick efficiency comparison of 269 Indonesian municipal water utilities (MWUs) and measures the impact of exogenous environmental variables on efficiency scores. Design/methodology/approach – Two-stage Stackelberg leader-follower data envelopment analysis (DEA) and artificial neural networks (ANN) were employed. Findings – Given that serviceability was treated as the leader and profitability as the follower, the first and second stage DEA scores were 55 and 32 percent (0 percent = totally inefficient, 100 percent = perfectly efficient), respectively. This indicates sizeable opportunities for improvement, with 39 percent of the total sample facing serious problems in both first- and second-stage efficiencies. When profitability instead leads serviceability, this results in more decreased efficiency. The size of the population served was the most important exogenous environmental variable affecting DEA efficiency scores in both the first and second stages. Research limitations/implications – The present study was limited by the overly restrictive assumption that all MWUs operate at a constant-return-to-scale. Practical implications – These research findings will enable better management of the MWUs in question, allowing their current level of performance to be objectively compared with that of their peers, both in terms of scale and area of operation. These findings will also help the government prioritize assistance measures for MWUs that are suffering from acute performance gaps, and to devise a strategic national plan to revitalize Indonesia’s water sector. Originality/value – This paper enriches the body of knowledge by filling in knowledge gaps relating to benchmarking in Indonesia’s water industry, as well as in the application of ensemble two-stage DEA and ANN, which are still rare in the literature.


Author(s):  
Sarah J. Hoffman ◽  
Cheryl L. Robertson

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive perspective of the documented physical and mental health issues Karen refugees from Burma face as a result of war and refugee trauma, and migration. The review will address the question: What is the impact of trauma and migration on the physical and mental health of Karen refugees? Design/methodology/approach – A total of 18 articles were systematically selected for inclusion in the final review. The focal content for included articles includes qualitative and quantitative research representative of the health and migration experiences of Karen refugees. Findings – The findings of this review demonstrate significance for health providers from a public health standpoint as programs and services are targeted to meet the specific health needs of the Karen community. It also highlights the contribution of the Karen forced migration experience to the complexity of individual and community health needs, particularly as a result of the protracted conflict. Originality/value – This critical appraisal of the body of literature describing the health experiences of Karen refugees from Burma, with a particular focus on outcomes relevant to resettlement, demonstrates value as programs are developed with an integrated refugee perspective.


2021 ◽  
Vol 123 (13) ◽  
pp. 547-560
Author(s):  
Antonio Montero-Navarro ◽  
Thais González-Torres ◽  
José-Luis Rodríguez-Sánchez ◽  
Rocio Gallego-Losada

PurposeThis paper aims at providing an overview and synthesis of the existing body of knowledge about greenwashing. Special attention is paid to the articles directly linked with agriculture, food industry and food retail.Design/methodology/approachA bibliometric analysis was performed over 351 documents extracted from the WoS database, using SciMAT and VOSviewer software programs.FindingsThree periods in the academic literature about greenwashing can be distinguished: ground-setting (2003–2010), trail-blazing (2011–2015) and remarkable growth (2016–2020). Along this evolution, a body of knowledge which stemmed from the literature about CSR has achieved a major development, deploying different research lines such as stakeholders' management, marketing and communication and audit. A specific analysis of the academic literature about greenwashing in agriculture, food industry and food retail has been carried out, showing a need for further development.Social implicationsThe development of scientific knowledge about greenwashing puts this social claim on the spotlight of business management studies, helping to fight greenwashing and, this way, to reduce the environmental impact of corporate activities. Studying greenwashing will help to reduce its frequency and, therefore, heal the planet.Originality/valueSome previous studies have provided systematic reviews of the literature using different approaches, but they did not untangle the intellectual structure and the evolution of the body of research about greenwashing. This article originally provides a thorough analysis of these aspects, as well as a closer look at the impact of greenwashing practices in the academic literature regarding agriculture, food industry and food retail.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eonyou Shin ◽  
Elahe Saeidi

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to categorize the whole body shapes of overweight and obese females in the US and examine apparel fit based on the current ASTM sizing standards related to the body shapes categorized.Design/methodology/approachBody scan data from 2,672 subjects were used. To categorize their whole body shapes using 97 body measurements, principal component analysis with varimax rotation, a hierarchical cluster analysis and K-means cluster analysis were used. To compare the ASTM sizing standards for plus sizes (curvy and straight) and missy sizes (curvy and straight), five body parts (bust, under bust, waist, top hip, hip) using the formula for fit tolerance (measurement plus half of the interval) were compared with the ASTM sizing standards to determine the size appropriate for each body part.FindingsFive whole body shapes among overweight and obese females in the US were categorized: Rectangle-curvy; parallelogram-moderately curvy; parallelogram-hip tilt; inverted trapezoid-moderately curvy and inverted trapezoid-hip tilt. When the body measurements in each body shape were compared with the current ASTM sizing systems for both misses and plus sizes, four-fifths or more of overweight and obese female adults in the US would find it difficult to obtain a perfect fit for both tops and bottoms.Originality/valueIdentifying whole body shapes among overweight and obese women in the US contributes significantly, as it will help apparel companies that target the markets of larger women develop a new sizing system. This study is the first attempt to analyze fit by comparing the ASTM sizing charts with body measurements in each body shape group. Further, the study contributes to the body-related literature by filling gaps in missing whole BS categories among overweight and obese females.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 687-726
Author(s):  
Diego Aboal ◽  
Marcelo Perera ◽  
Flavia Rovira

Purpose Impact evaluations of cluster programs at firm level are still scarce in the literature. The available evidence on the effectiveness of such programs based on rigorous quantitative impact evaluations is mixed. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the body of literature the evaluates quantitatively the impact of cluster programs in emerging economies on firms’ performance. In particular, the authors evaluate the impact of a cluster program in Uruguay on firms’ sales and exports. Design/methodology/approach The authors use state-of-the-art impact evaluation methods to evaluate the impact of the program. In particular, difference in differences and matching methods Findings There is very strong evidence that the program had a positive impact on exports and the propensity to export of firms. However, the evidence of a positive impact on sales is weak. The evidence suggests that the maximum effect of the program can be found in the fourth or fifth year after the intervention. Originality/value The contribution of this paper to the literature is fourfold. First, this paper adds to the scarce body of literature evaluating the effects of cluster development programs with state-of-the-art impact evaluation methods. Second, it adds evidence for Latin America, a region that has implement a number of cluster policies (Maffioli et al., 2016) and where, as far as the authors know, there is only one additional paper evaluating rigorously the impacts of them (Figal-Garone et al., 2015). In addition, the authors provide evidence about the timing of the effects after the implementation of a cluster policy, an important issue that is mostly overlooked in the existent literature. Finally, the paper focus its attention on the impacts on exports and the propensity to export of firms, key elements for small open economies in Latin America that are heavily reliant on foreign currency inflows.


2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 600-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beatriz Fernández-Olit ◽  
José María Martín Martín ◽  
Eva Porras González

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic literature review of the research published on financial inclusion (FI) and financial exclusion (FE) in developed countries using key terms and strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. Design/methodology/approach In total, 52 papers were deemed to be relevant to the analysis. These works were critiqued using a framework that addressed geographical contexts, topics, methodologies and theoretical frameworks. Findings This review highlights the uneven level of development of the academic debate between North America, the UK and continental Europe, and identifies the different theoretical frameworks that construe the body of literature in each region. In addition, the findings show the scant offer of work on the impact that the digital economy has on FE, as well as the reduced number of studies which have focused on certain vulnerable groups and the access to some financial services. Social implications The studies reviewed have not analyzed the specific needs of vulnerable groups while considering the different contexts and pathways to exclusion. The evaluation of solutions and strategies to achieve inclusion is one of the least addressed aspects in the literature. Originality/value The paper synthesizes the main contributions of the top literature on the redefinition of FI/FE in developed countries, the role of fringe services and new determinants of exclusion. The proliferation of studies regarding FI in low- and middle-income countries has generated a great amount of meta-analysis and systematized reviews of asymmetric results. However, no systematized literature review on the broad scope of FI/FE in developed countries has been published in the last decade. This work sheds light over poorly analyzed areas of research that refer to notable social problems.


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