DSO tariff structures: development options from stakeholders’ viewpoint

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samuli Honkapuro ◽  
Jussi Tuunanen ◽  
Petri Valtonen ◽  
Jarmo Partanen
Keyword(s):  
Distribution System ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Optimal Solution ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Real ◽  
Practical Development ◽  
Tariff Structures ◽  
Tariff Structure ◽  
Pricing Schemes ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to analyze the development needs and opportunities in the distribution system operators’ (DSO) tariff structures in the smart-grid environment. Design/methodology/approach – The impacts of the distribution pricing schemes for the stakeholders and their requirements for the tariff structures are evaluated by qualitative analyses. Furthermore, there is a case analysis concerning the practical development possibilities of the DSO tariff structures in Finland. Findings – Major finding of the paper is that the demand-based power band tariff is the optimal solution for the DSO pricing structure, when taking into account the real-life limitations and the requirements of the stakeholders. Practical implications – Outcomes of the paper can be applied in practice in design of the pricing schemes in the electricity distribution. Incentive provision impacts and cost reflectivity of the DSO tariffs can be improved by implementing the suggested pricing structure. Originality/value – The paper provides a novel viewpoint on the study of the DSO tariff design by considering the impacts of the pricing for the stakeholders and their requirements for tariff structure. Furthermore, the real-life limitations in the tariff design have been taken into account by analyzing the development options in Finland. Results are useful, especially for the DSOs, regulators and academics, who are working with the tariff development issues.

An evaluation of public policy student placements: outcomes of a Malta-based study

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Marie Thake
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Academic Disciplines ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Course Content ◽  
Mandatory Requirement ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate short-term, unpaid placements offered to students reading for a degree in public policy. They provide added value to their tertiary education experience. Elective placements were offered in 2012 and became a mandatory requirement for students reading for a three-year bachelor of commerce degree in public policy in 2018. To date, no research has been carried out on these placements and this may serve as a model for a post-evaluation assessment.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from students who undertook placements, embedded in the public policy undergraduate programme. A document analysis of selected student and placement provider's reports was carried out to complement the students' responses to an online questionnaire.FindingsPlacements are of value to students as they served as an introduction to the working world. They enable students to establish connections with the course content and carry out research. They were exposed to real-life situations, developing their knowledge, acquiring soft skills and learning new tools, sought after by employers. These placements were valued as a route to graduate employment tailor-made to the degree's requirements. Students were able to embark on a soul-searching, introspective discovery and journey which made them mature and shed light in the direction of future work prospects.Research limitations/implicationsPlacements give students the opportunity to gain insights into real-work environments and are able to link theories learnt in the class-room with real-life situations. Placements have positive implications on students adjusting to their work life easily after graduation. The limitations are that the sample size was small and that the reflective reports which were randomly selected may not have necessarily been representative of the full complement.Practical implicationsThe practical implications are that the placements system and process can easily be implemented and replicated in other academic disciplines and universities as a compulsory component of their studies.Social implicationsPlacements gave students the opportunity to reflect on their learning, develop non-technical skills and enhance their confidence levels. They were also able to network and communicate with different employees.Originality/valuePlacements provided exposure to relevant organisations and personal enrichment in terms of acquiring skills, autonomy and independence. Students with placement experience are also more likely to secure future employment, relevant to their undergraduate degree.

Heuristic algorithm for optimal redundancy allocation in complex systems

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sudhanshu Aggarwal
Keyword(s):  
Complex Systems ◽  
Heuristic Algorithm ◽  
Communication Systems ◽  
Heuristic Algorithms ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Optimal Solution ◽  
Systems Design ◽  
Computational Time ◽  
Coherent System ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present an efficient heuristic algorithm based on the 3-neighborhood approach. In this paper, search is made from sides of both feasible and infeasible regions to find near-optimal solutions.Design/methodology/approachThe algorithm performs a series of selection and exchange operations in 3-neighborhood to see whether this exchange yields still an improved feasible solution or converges to a near-optimal solution in which case the algorithm stops.FindingsThe proposed algorithm has been tested on complex system structures which have been widely used. The results show that this 3-neighborhood approach not only can obtain various known solutions but also is computationally efficient for various complex systems.Research limitations/implicationsIn general, the proposed heuristic is applicable to any coherent system with no restrictions on constraint functions; however, to enforce convergence, inferior solutions might be included only when they are not being too far from the optimum.Practical implicationsIt is observed that the proposed heuristic is reasonably proficient in terms of various measures of performance and computational time.Social implicationsReliability optimization is very important in real life systems such as computer and communication systems, telecommunications, automobile, nuclear, defense systems, etc. It is an important issue prior to real life systems design.Originality/valueThe utilization of 3-neighborhood strategy seems to be encouraging as it efficiently enforces the convergence to a near-optimal solution; indeed, it attains quality solutions in less computational time in comparison to other existing heuristic algorithms.

scholarly journals Learning from the professionals: film tourists’ “authentic” experiences on a film studio tour

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Wohlfeil
Keyword(s):  
Production Process ◽  
Virtual Communities ◽  
Film Production ◽  
Visitor Experience ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Real ◽  
Hollywood Film ◽  
Film Studios ◽  
Camera Perspective ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how consumers perceive, experience and engage with the art of filmmaking and the industrial film production process that the film studios present to them during their guided film studio tours. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the author’s own film tourist experiences, observations and participatory interactions with fellow visitors at a major Hollywood film studio, this paper takes an autoethnographic “I’m-the-camera”-perspective and a hermeneutic data analysis approach. Findings The findings reveal that visitors experience the “authentic” representation of the working studio’s industrial film production process as an opportunity and “invitation to join” a broader filmmaker community and to share their own amateur filmmaking experiences with fellow visitors and professionals – just to discover eventually that the perceived community is actually the real “simulacrum”. Research limitations/implications Although using an autoethnographic approach means that the breadth of collected data is limited, the gain in depth of insights allows for a deeper understanding of the actual visitor experience. Practical implications The findings encourage film studio executives, managers and talent agents to reconsider current practices and motivations in delivering film studio tours and to explore avenues for harnessing their strategic potential. Originality/value Contrary to previous studies that have conceptualised film studio tours as simulacra that deny consumers a genuine access to the backstage, the findings of this study suggest that the real simulacrum is actually the film tourists’ “experienced feeling” of having joined and being part of a filmmaker community, which raises question regarding the study of virtual communities.

Empirical investigation of wireless sensor network performance in noisy environments

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-38
Author(s):  
Silvanus Teneng Kiyang ◽  
Robert Van Zyl
Keyword(s):  
Ambient Noise ◽  
Network Performance ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Wireless Sensor ◽  
Mathematical Tool ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Real ◽  
Test Platform ◽  
Set Up

Purpose – The purpose of this work is to assess the influence of ambient noise on the performance of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) empirically and, based on these findings, develop a mathematical tool to assist technicians to determine the maximum inter-node separation before deploying a new WSN. Design/methodology/approach – A WSN test platform is set up in an electromagnetically shielded environment (RF chamber) to accurately control and quantify the ambient noise level. The test platform is subsequently placed in an operational laboratory to record network performance in typical unshielded spaces. Results from the RF chamber and the real-life environments are analysed. Findings – A minimum signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at which the network still functions was found to be of the order 30 dB. In the real-life scenarios (machines, telecommunications and computer laboratories), the measured SNR exceeded this minimum value by more than 20 dB. This is due to the low ambient industrial noise levels observed in the 2.4 GHz ISM band for typical environments found at academic institutions. It, therefore, suggests that WSNs are less prone to industrial interferences than anticipated. Originality/value – A predictive mathematical tool is developed that can be used by technicians to determine the maximum inter-node separation before the WSN is deployed. The tool yields reliable results and promises to save installation time.

Pseudohomophones as brand names

2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (9/10) ◽  
pp. 1909-1930
Author(s):  
Jasmina Ilicic ◽  
Stacey Baxter ◽  
Alicia Kulczynski
Keyword(s):  
Real World ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Brand Names ◽  
Brand Name ◽  
Superiority Effect ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Real ◽  
Brand Meaning ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this study is to introduce the homophone emotional interest superiority effect in phonological, or sound-based, priming, whereby pseudohomophone brand names (i.e. non-words that are pronounced identically to English words, for example, Bie) prime brand meaning associated with the member of the homophone pair that is emotionally interesting (i.e. Bie will be prime brand avoidance (purchase) when consumers are emotionally interested in the homophone bye [buy]). Design/methodology/approach Studies 1 and 2 examine the effect of homophone emotional interest on brand judgements and behaviours. Study 3 investigates the role of boredom with the brand name in attenuating the homophone emotional interest superiority effect. Findings Findings indicate that pseudohomophone brand names prime brand judgements and behaviours associated with the word from the homophone pair that evokes emotional interest. Study 2 provides further evidence of homophone emotional interest as the process influencing brand judgements and behaviours. Study 3 establishes that the effect of pseudohomophone brand names on brand judgements weaken when boredom with the brand name is induced. Research limitations/implications This study is limited, as it focuses only on fictitious brands and methodologically creates boredom in a way in which may not be typical of what would be experienced in the real world. Practical implications This study has important implications for brand managers in the development of new brand names and in prioritising the intended homophone pair from a pseudohomophone brand name to influence consumer judgements and behaviours. Originality/value This study introduces and provides evidence of a homophone emotional interest superiority effect. This study also identifies a condition under which the homophone emotional interest superiority effect is attenuated.

scholarly journals Myths about HIV and AIDS among serodiscordant couples in Malawi

2017 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 278-293
Author(s):  
Kondwani Wella ◽  
Sheila Webber ◽  
Philippa Levy
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Hiv And Aids ◽  
Serodiscordant Couples ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Analyse Data ◽  
Information Providers ◽  
Aids Information ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report on research that uncovered myths about HIV and AIDS held by serodiscordant couples in Malawi, and the sources of these myths. The paper reflects on how the myths affect serodiscordant couples’ engagement with HIV and AIDS information. Design/methodology/approach Van Manen’s (1997) approach to analysis of phenomenological data was used to analyse data from in-depth interviews conducted in Malawi with 21 serodiscordant couples and three individuals who had separated from their partners because of serodiscordance. Findings Serodiscordant couples in Malawi believe and hold on to some inaccurate HIV and AIDS information that can be seen as “myths”. Some of these myths are perpetuated by official HIV and AIDS information when it is translated into the local languages. Other myths derive from social norms of the societies where the couples live. Practical implications The findings of this paper have practical implications for how HIV and AIDS information providers should engage with target audiences to understand the origins of the myths they hold. The findings also imply that some myths have technical, religious, moral and cultural bases which need to be addressed before challenging the myth itself. Originality/value Using real-life descriptions of experiences of HIV and AIDS information provided by serodiscordant couples, the authors reveal how myths can affect engagement with the information. The authors make recommendations on how to address myths in ways that contribute to a positive experience of HIV and AIDS information by serodiscordant couples.

Optimal overcurrent relay coordination in distribution network based on Lightning Flash Algorithm

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 1140-1160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mostafa Kheshti ◽  
Xiaoning Kang
Keyword(s):  
Distribution System ◽  
Distribution Network ◽  
Distribution Networks ◽  
Lightning Flash ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Lightning Strikes ◽  
Relay Coordination ◽  
Cloud To Ground Lightning ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Distribution network protection is a complicated problem and mal-operation of the protective relays due to false settings make the operation of the network unreliable. Besides, obtaining proper settings could be very complicated. This paper aims to discuss an innovative evolutionary Lightning Flash Algorithm (LFA) which is developed for solving the relay coordination problems in distribution networks. The proposed method is inspired from the movements of cloud to ground lightning strikes in a thunderstorm phenomenon. LFA is applied on three case study systems including ring, interconnected and radial distribution networks. The power flow analysis is performed in Digsilent Power Factory software; then the collected data are sent to MATLAB software for optimization process. The proposed algorithm provides optimum time multiplier setting and plug setting of all digital overcurrent relays in each system. The results are compared with other methods such as particle swarm optimization and genetic algorithm. The result comparisons demonstrate that the proposed LFA can successfully obtain proper relay settings in distribution networks with faster speed of convergence and lower total operation time of relays. Also, it shows the superiority and effectiveness of this method against other algorithms. Design/methodology/approach A novel LFA is designed based on the movements of cloud to ground lightning strikes in a thunderstorm. This method is used to optimally adjust the time multiplier setting and plug setting of the relays in distribution system to provide a proper coordination scheme. Findings The proposed algorithm was tested on three case study systems, and the results were compared with other methods. The results confirmed that the proposed method could optimally adjust the relay settings in the electric distribution system to provide a proper protection scheme. Practical implications The practical implications can be conducted on distribution networks. The studies provided in this paper approve the practical application of the proposed method in providing proper relay protection in real power system. Originality/value This paper proposes a new evolutionary method derived from the movements of cloud to ground lightning strikes in thunderstorm. The proposed method can be used as an optimization toolbox to solve complex optimization problems in practical engineering systems.

The real deal

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Reading Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Real ◽  
Team Player ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
The Right ◽  
Good Leader ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds his/her own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings What makes a good leader? There are few questions in management that have been looked at in so many different ways, and yet there seems to be little consensus as to what the answer is. Ask any leader or aspiring leader this question, and there will be as many different answers as there are being questioned. Some will favor the “team player” approach, that any leader is only as good as the team they assemble; others will suggest it is about fearlessness; some may even think it is related to a mystic ability to make the right decisions at the right time. One thing is for the sure – few people will agree on the same definition. Practical implications This paper provides strategic insights and practical thinking that have influenced some of the world’s leading organizations. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Who is vulnerable? Adult social care and modern slavery

2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary Craig ◽  
Stephen Clay
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Modern Slavery ◽  
History Of ◽  
Forced Labour ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The 2015 Modern Slavery Act focusses attention forms of modern slavery (human trafficking and forced labour), within the UK. The contemporaneous 2014 Care Act, identifies modern slavery as a new form of risk within adult social care, listing forms of abuse and vulnerability. However, it does not consider whether those providing care may themselves be vulnerable to forms of modern slavery. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach The authors describe the history of the development of modern slavery legislation in the UK, outline key provisions of the Care Act, illustrated with real-life cases. The analysis suggests that adult social care – characterised by informality, fragmentation and vulnerability – is one where instances of modern slavery may be more common than considered to date. Findings The data collected, though relatively modest, suggests that a thorough investigation should be undertaken into the possibility of modern slavery taking place within the realm of adult social care. Research limitations/implications Data have been collected through a snowball process, rolling out a survey to relevant groups of individual and organisations. A more rigorous investigation is required to examine the extent of modern slavery within adult social care. Practical implications The training of those responsible for the regulation/management of adult social care needs to ensure that they are fully equipped to understand the nature of modern slavery and how to identify its symptoms and victims. Social implications There is also a need for heightened awareness of those close to people being cared for that they may also identify the symptoms of modern slavery. Originality/value This area has not been explored to date.

Accounting and accountability challenges

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 94-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anil K. Narayan
Keyword(s):  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Belief Systems ◽  
Real Life ◽  
Implementation Process ◽  
Strategy Implementation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Theoretical Perspectives ◽  
Sustainability Strategy ◽  
Sustainability Initiatives ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the strategy, accounting and accountability interface in sustainability implementation in a large public tertiary education organisation in New Zealand. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses ethnography as an “engaging research” to help explain the real-life enactment of accounting and accountability in advancing/deterring sustainability initiatives. The study draws upon neo-institutional theoretical perspectives to help interpret the findings. Findings – Accounting and accountability are powerful conduits for strategy implementation. Successful sustainability strategy implementation requires the embedding of financial accountability within the implementation process. Practical implications – A strong ideological commitment from senior management is required to firmly embed sustainability in the tertiary organisation's belief systems, values and norms to get wider organisational acceptance and institutionalisation. Accounting needs to take a position of centrality within organisations to help facilitate sustainability implementation. Social implications – Government policy needs to incorporate specific concepts of sustainability into the tertiary education strategy and funding framework to make public tertiary organisations accountable for sustainability to the wider society. Originality/value – This study provides unique insights into the sustainability implementation process. It complements existing literature on sustainability accounting and accountability.

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