ABSTRACT
The use of personal protective equipment (PPE), particularly single-use surgical face masks (FMs), has increased drastically owing to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. This study aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing recycled FM fibers in cement mortar. For this, FMs were used by removing the inner nose wires and ear loops and cutting them into two different sizes: 10 mm × 5 mm and 20 mm × 5 mm. The FMs were then introduced into five mixtures at 0 (control), 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, and 0.25 % by volume. The following mechanical properties of the mixtures were then tested: workability, density, porosity, water absorption, and the related strengths (compressive, direct tensile, and flexural). In addition, the microstructures of the mixtures were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope. The results revealed that introducing FM fibers, particularly an FM with a 5 mm diameter and 10 mm length, in the mortar increased both the tensile and flexural strengths. Among the various combinations of FMs studied, a mixture containing 0.15 % FMs exhibited the best performance. The findings of this research reveal that FMs can be reused as fibers to enhance the tensile and flexural strengths of cement mortar.
ABSTRACT
Distributors' operational weaknesses and reliance on a few large customers became magnified during the 2019-2021 covid pandemic. In today's B2B marketplace post-pandemic, the distributor has new challenges to grow market share, meet "Amazon” expectations for B2B customers, and overcome the loss of market share to competitors. For a distributor to support the small to the mid-market customer, proximity locations are needed to bring inventory, counter showrooms (will-call), and knowledgeable associates closer to the customer in a brick-and-mortar location. This paper will present a model and playbook to evaluate the current geographic footprint to best serve the small to mid-market customers. Growth initiatives to grow organically thru geographic expansion into new, adjacent, and proximity markets are researched to identify objective market indicators and subjective variables that can be weighted to determine and rank for future proximity locations. Research from "like” industries, competitors, and interviews, helped to ten variables for ranking. The research includes interviews with experts in B2B business and analysis of over 800 competitor locations in the electrical distributor's footprint. Competitor locations were mapped to showcase areas of brick-and-mortar (expansion) opportunities, threats, and saturation. Data from an electrical distributor who opened two new test proximity locations during the project is used to determine post-Covid-19 customer behavior, evaluate financial analytics to refine Pro-forma, and outline for standardization for future expansion. The model and playbook can be used to drive data-driven decision-making and monetize efforts for pre-launch efforts of a proximity expansion location in a density market. Copyright, American Society for Engineering Management, 2022.
ABSTRACT
Wearing a face mask is strongly advised to prevent the spread of the virus causing the COVID-19 pandemic, though masks have produced a tremendous amount of waste. As masks contain polypropylene and other plastics products, total degradation is not achievable, and masks may remain in the form of microplastics for several years in the environment. Therefore, this urgent issue ought to be addressed by properly handling waste face masks to limit their environmental impact. In relation to this goal, a novel application of recycled mask fiber (MF) derived from COVID-19 single-use surgical face masks (i.e., shredded mask fiber-SMF and cut mask fiber-CMF) has been undertaken. Eighteen mortar mixes (9 for water and 9 for 10% CO2 concentration curing) were fabricated at 0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, and 2.0% of both SMF and CMF by volume of ordinary Portland cement-based mortar. The compressive strength, flexural strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity, shrinkage, carbonation degree, permeable voids, and water absorption capabilities were assessed. The outcomes reveal that the compressive strength decreased with an increased percentage of MFs due to increased voids of the mixes with MFs as compared to a control mix. In contrast, significantly higher flexural strength was noted for the mortar with MFs, which is augmented with an increased percentage of MFs. Furthermore, the inclusion of MFs decreased the shrinkage of the mortar compared to the control mix. It was also found that MFs dramatically diminished the water absorption rate compared to the control mix, which reveals that MFs can enhance the durability of the mortar. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to identify the factors that aid in the measurement of the effectiveness of consumer promotions in brick-and-mortar retail. The already highly competitive landscape of retail is set to undergo a huge transformation post the COVID-19 outbreak, which will inadvertently lead to manufacturing cutting down costs wherever possible to maintain their margins and stay afloat. Advertising spends are bound to go down, and there is a need for a statistical model to measure the effectiveness of the capital spends by a firm towards consumer promotions. For the study, national level sales data of 4 sub-brands of a particular toilet soap brand (shower soap bars) was analyzed for a leading retail chain in India from January 2018 to February 2020. Regression analysis was used to do the data analysis. The study focused on price-off consumer promotions only for the designated period for four variants of a popular Indian soap brand. The discount percentage (including both promotion spend by the manufacturer as well as a retailer), the quantity of the particular unit sold on which the promotion was run during the period when the promotion was run, the effective price to consumer per gram, and profitability for the manufacturer in terms of the net contribution percentage were the factors which were found to show a strong correlation and formed the input variables for the regression equation. The regression analysis showed that all the factors, namely: overall discount percentage, quantity sold, the effective price per gram, and the net contribution (profitability), were statistically significant in determining the uplift in sales quantity due to the discount (the effectiveness of the price promotion). The equation provides retailers and manufacturers a model to measure the effectiveness of promotion spending for price promotions that are run every month at a national and state level by giving state-level values as inputs. It also helps arrive at a baseline sales quantity for a particular SKU if no price-off promotion is run.
ABSTRACT
After grocery retail experienced a radical change with the emergence of the Internet and the use of dot-com in electronic commerce, this sector is once again in a gradual and accelerated process of adaptation and implementation of disruptive technologies. These technologies are the result of automation processes and connectivity implemented by Industry 4.0 tools and recently by the new regulations that brought the impact generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This research paper uses a systematic literature review, this work was carried out from 50 scientific papers collected in the last 10 years (from 2012 to 2021) and that portray the planning of prototypes and implementation of disruptive technologies in grocery retail. The results gather information from technologies such as the Internet of Things, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Blockchain, Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, use of Drones, Big Data, Robotics and Cloud Computing, and their use in the grocery retail industry in specific areas such as Logistics, Warehousing, Customer Service and Assistance, Freight Transport, Supply Chain and Supplier Management. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.
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The COVID-19 pandemic means a major disruption in brick-and-mortar stores. Customer-Facing InStore Technologies (CFIST) perception may be modified as new requirements and concerns arise when interacting in the physical space. Through surveys conducted before and after the COVID-19 lockdown, this study brings relevant findings about the impact of the pandemic in the retailer perception of a specific CFIST technology, Self-Checkout systems (SCO). We used a simplified adoption framework including a new construct, Safety to Use, to analyse the impact of health concerns in CFIST. Results show that both Perceived Enjoyment and Safety to Use are relevant predictors of the Attitude towards SCOs, and that Retailer Perception is strongly influenced by the Attitude towards SCOs. This study is one of the first to study the impact of COVID-19 in retail technology. Results can help to improve the deployment of this technology after the pandemic and may be extended to other CFIST technologies, setting new avenues of research for technology adoption scholars.
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This cross-country comparison of consumer decision-making styles for brick-and-mortar and online shopping was inspired by notable changes in the marketplace. Conflicting evidence of the popularity of brick-and-mortar versus online shopping globally and the emergence of the so-called "global consumer" are increasingly questioning our understanding of consumers' behaviour in the marketplace, challenging ways retailers can optimise their service offering to meet consumers' needs. Extensive research on consumers' decision-styles, conducted over more than three decades, aiming to indicate how consumers cognitively and emotionally deal with shopping decisions, have produced conflicting findings, further complicating retailers' predicament. This quantitative survey was conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019 and involved South African (N=1495) and German adults (N=1344) as representatives of a developing and developed economy. The Sproles and Kendall (1986) Consumer Styles Inventory served as the point of departure to identify the prevailing consumer decision styles for the respective shopping modes in both countries. Data analysis was conducted separately for the two countries, using Exploratory Factor Analysis, t-tests/Anova, and relevant reliability measures. For the first time, this study presents consumer decision-making styles for brick-and-mortar and online shopping that concur for both countries, having achieved satisfactory internal consistency for the final factors. Particularly noteworthy for retailers is that "Perfectionism" is the most important decision style irrespective of the shopping mode. This translates as a prioritisation of trusted, good-quality products. A concern raised is the confusion experienced in physical stores due to the array of products and apparent impulsiveness when shopping online, which suggests consumer-friendly rather than product-oriented approaches by retailers to reduce consumers' cognitive dissonance. The findings suggest that the so-called "global consumer" is not a far-fetched idea, as consumers' needs and behaviour are more consistent than different despite demographic and geographic differences.
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Price downturn was long before the COVID-19 pandemic because most retailers have brick-and-mortar stores. It is crucial to review their store portfolios, including stores in at least three separate segments: shops in closed centers, band centers, or standalone locations and outlets. Once customers are happy to come back, each would possibly have a different pattern of traffic. Product will be modeled according to the type of product being sold and whether it is a purchasing requirement or a fringe. A high level of unemployment is also projected to impact the available revenues to be invested. World shocked by corona pandemic and the global economy as a result. No wonder traditional brick and mortar retail has continued to decline for many years. Widespread countermeasures in many countries are now massively escalating this decline to help slow the virus and close down all but main retail outlets (supermarkets/ businesses, pharmacies/drug shops, post office, and banks). [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Cardiometry is the property of Cardiometry 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 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 . (Copyright applies to all s.)
ABSTRACT
Purpose>This study statistically examines the shifting distribution channels in the American wine industry based on the growth trajectory of sales, seasonality and disruption due to consumers switching to online platforms. The purpose of this paper is to design a model that will have general applicability beyond the wine industry.Design/methodology/approach>The research uses regression-based additive decomposition of time series data to predict the trajectory of the market share for the digital distribution channel. The study develops a statistical prediction model using time series data between 2007 and 2020, inclusive, sourced from US Annual Wine Reports and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms databases.Findings>The results show an increasing trajectory of wine sales through the online distribution channel with predictable seasonality. The disruptive effects of consumer switching behavior point to a steady increase in sales due both to increasing demand and accelerating switching. Nevertheless, the model shows that bricks and mortar purchases will remain strong and continue to account for the bulk of wine sales. COVID-19 has caused a step function increase in online sales but this should moderate after the crisis subsides and can be tested further.Originality/value>This study is original in developing a model for an industry where bricks and mortar sales are growing and are expected to remain strong while there is still identifiable switching to online sales. The wine industry presents a classic case of accelerating switching behavior where there is still a strong franchise for in-store purchases. The model should have general applicability to distribution channels beyond the wine industry where steady growth, marked seasonality and disruptive consumer switching are in evidence.
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Purpose>Brick-and-mortar store is an essential channel to deliver a seamless shopping experience and meet customer's dynamic needs in omni-channel retailing. This paper aims to understand customers' expectations of the integrated stores and develop a measurement scale to assess in-store service quality in omni-channel retailing.Design/methodology/approach>Grounded theory methodology (GTM) is employed to obtain a clear picture of consumer expectations and preferences regarding the omni-channel brick-and-mortar integrated stores. Then, an integrated store service quality scale is proposed, refined and validated using a questionnaire survey and structural equation model (SEM).Findings>The measurement scale is set to include seven dimensions: in-store environment, in-store technology, product information consistency, employee assistance, personalization, channel availability and instant gratification and return. The relationships among these seven dimensions and customer satisfaction and loyalty are also verified. According to SEM, product information consistency is more important for customer satisfaction while personalization contributes more to customer loyalty. The results demonstrate that by analysing the seven dimensions, retailers can better understand customers and further improve service quality.Originality/value>This paper proposes a sufficient measurement scale for in-store service quality and fills the gap in omni-channel retailing by capturing its integration attribute.
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I present a self-study of my need-supportive teaching practice. I have long been curious about what it is about my teaching, what I say and do, that motivates students to work harder on their artwork and persevere when they become mired in difficulties. Need-supportive teaching addresses students' basic psychological needs within the classroom setting through high-quality teacher/student relationships and structure. Need-supportive teaching, motivation, and academic resilience are areas I made an extensive study of, as presented in chapter two. In March of 2020, the educational landscape in the United States was altered by the arrival of the unprecedented and novel Coronavirus. Schools across the globe and the Southeastern United States, where I teach, closed their brick-and-mortar institutions and went to online learning. At the start of the 2020-21 school year, parents had the option of either sending their children back to the brick-and-mortar school building and learn face-to-face or keep them home where they would learn online. Suddenly I was thrust into a new teaching dynamic where I taught both face-to-face, online, and one blended class. Now, more than ever, being a need-supportive teacher was essential for all students learning face-to-face and online. The study I conducted focused on my teaching, and my primary data source was a reflexive journal. I also worked with two student participants to learn what their perceptions of being in my class were. Findings included finding emergent themes such as Frustration/Fears, Empathy with Students, and Successes in Teaching. I recommend a more extended longitudinal period to study the wide-ranging effects that my practice of need-supportive teaching may cause. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
Purpose This study statistically examines the shifting distribution channels in the American wine industry based on the growth trajectory of sales, seasonality and disruption due to consumers switching to online platforms. The purpose of this paper is to design a model that will have general applicability beyond the wine industry. Design/methodology/approach The research uses regression-based additive decomposition of time series data to predict the trajectory of the market share for the digital distribution channel. The study develops a statistical prediction model using time series data between 2007 and 2020, inclusive, sourced from US Annual Wine Reports and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms databases. Findings The results show an increasing trajectory of wine sales through the online distribution channel with predictable seasonality. The disruptive effects of consumer switching behavior point to a steady increase in sales due both to increasing demand and accelerating switching. Nevertheless, the model shows that bricks and mortar purchases will remain strong and continue to account for the bulk of wine sales. COVID-19 has caused a step function increase in online sales but this should moderate after the crisis subsides and can be tested further. Originality/value This study is original in developing a model for an industry where bricks and mortar sales are growing and are expected to remain strong while there is still identifiable switching to online sales. The wine industry presents a classic case of accelerating switching behavior where there is still a strong franchise for in-store purchases. The model should have general applicability to distribution channels beyond the wine industry where steady growth, marked seasonality and disruptive consumer switching are in evidence.
ABSTRACT
The implementation of an integrated medical neuroscience course by technologically pivoting an in-person neuroscience course to online using an adaptive blended method may provide a unique approach for teaching a medical neuroscience course during the Covid-19 pandemic. An adaptive blended learning method was developed in response to the requirements necessitated by the Covid-19 pandemic. This model combined pedagogical needs with digital technology using online learning activities to implement student learning in a medical neuroscience course for year one medical students. This approach provided medical students with an individually customized learning opportunity in medical neuroscience. The students had the complete choice to engage the learning system synchronously or asynchronously and learn neuroscience materials at different locations and times in response to the demands required to deal with the pandemic. Students' performance in summative and formative examinations of the adaptive blended learning activities were compared with the previous performance obtained the previous year when the contents of the medical neuroscience course were implemented using the conventional "face-to-face" learning approach. While the cohort of our students in 2019 and 2020 changed, the contents, sessions, volume of material, and assessment were constant. This enabled us to compare the results of the 2019 and 2020 classes. Overall, students' performance was not significantly different between the adaptive blended learning and the in-person approach. More students scored between 70% and 79% during the adaptive blended learning compared with in-class teaching, while more students scored between 80% and 89% during the in-person learning than during the adaptive blended learning. Finally, the percentage of students that scored >90% was not significantly different for both Years 2019 and 2020. The adaptive blended learning approach was effective in enhancing academic performance for high-performing medical students. It also permitted the early identification of underachieving students, thereby serving as an early warning sign to permit timely intervention.