Using Geopandas for locating virtual stations in a free-floating bike sharing system.

Free-floating bike-sharing systems can have a positive influence on the mobility of urban centers and developing efficient localization strategies is crucial to avoid crowding at peak times and increase service availability. Our study aims to efficiently resolve the location of virtual bike stations in a Latin American city through a geospatial data wrangling methodology that allows us to respond opportunely to the potential demand forecasted for the city. This approach is implemented in Python, and it uses the Geopandas and LocalSolver libraries to determine locations for the virtual bike stations that maximize the system coverage. The decision-making process is supported by a binary integer mathematical programming model, and the instances are built from intercity travel surveys that provide realistic data based on travel demand. The developed decision support system prototype provides a recommendation about where virtual bike stations should be located during peak hours and improve general availability by more than 37%. Moreover, when the system's users participate in the relocation of bicycles, the model can eliminate up to 80% of the CO2 emissions and nearly 50% of the operational costs associated with the relocation process.

Millennial research on fleek: Suggestions for improving generational research design.

This special issue will examine and embrace the uniqueness of millennials. We look at a number of issues related to this generational cohort, examining what makes them unique, challenging and even assets to those they come into contact with in their lives. In our opening article we discuss the unique attributes of millennials, provide researchers a framework for generational research best practices, and provide an overview of the articles featured in this special issue.

A comparison of coping factors in Western and non-Western cultures.

This study presents convergent support for the use of three empirically constructed factors, across four samples, from the Ways of Coping Questionnaire. Planning, Positive Reappraisal, and Distancing factors were congruent for comparisons made between U.S. healthcare workers, Chinese healthcare workers, Chinese teachers, and Taiwanese teachers. Additional evidence of congruency was provided on specific factors between specific pairs of groups. The results support the usage of common factors across languages, cultures, and occupational groups but also highlight the importance of not administering a test in a different cultural setting without assessing its dimensionality.