Industrial Communication Research Articles

Water Industry Communications: Vital Tools to Engage Stakeholders and Build Trust

Key TakeawaysAdvancing a utility's communications assets not only supports its efforts to ensure public trust and comply with regulations but also furthers operational goals.From a strategic perspective, water utility communications go well beyond reaching customers and stakeholders to unite utility teams and garner industry recognition.Closing the gap between utilities and their communities, effective communications can help utilities cultivate customer advocates who support water system efforts.

Generative AI and Investigative Journalism—An Application of Baumol's Cost Disease Across Mass Communication Sectors

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has transformed various industries, automating tasks and enhancing productivity. Yet, its impact varies across sectors. In mass communication, AI has notably benefited entertainment, public relations, and advertising. However, it poses a lesser advantage for investigative journalism, where labor-intensive research and other highly specialized activities depend on highly educated journalists. This situation parallels Baumol's concept of a cost disease, which applies to labor-intensive “stagnant” service sectors such as healthcare, education, and the performing arts. These sectors rely heavily on human labor and struggle to achieve significant productivity gains from technological advances. This means they may require decreasing wages or increasing subsidies to compete with more productive industries. In mass communication, this phenomenon could be especially pertinent to (investigative) journalism, which directly competes for attention with other communication forms. This could exacerbate pressures on wages and working conditions, hindering the attraction of talent to the field and necessitating higher public spending on this vital journalism form. This commentary presents a cross-industry analysis of the impact of generative AI on communication sectors and derives directions for further research that would enhance our understanding of journalism's economic viability in a digital communication landscape and inform policy makers to address the affiliated societal challenges. It closes with a discussion of Guzman and Lewis’s call for more cross-industry research on AI in communication industries.

Design of dual peak star shaped metamaterial absorber for S and C band sensing applications

This paper presents the detailed design configuration and investigation of a small-scale dual-band metamaterial absorber (MTMA) for solid and liquid sensing applications. The overall dimension of the MTMA unit cell is 10 × 10 × 1.57 mm3 and constitutes an affordable FR-4 substrate. The absorber exhibits dual absorption peaks at 3.470 GHz for the S-band and 7.219 GHz for the C-band, respectively. Both absorption characteristics have been validated through comprehensive simulation and experimental procedures. The dual-band absorption rate exceeded 99% during simulations, and experimental validation showed an absorption rate above 98%. For sensing applications, various solid materials, including different Rogers substrates ( RT 5880, RT 5870, RT 4003 and RT 4835) and liquids such as sunflower and crown oil, were utilized. Our findings indicate that the proposed MTMA achieves a maximum Q-factor of 191 and a sensitivity of up to 2.5 for both solid and liquid sensing applications compared to previous studies. The simulation and experimental validation of the result indicate that suggested MTMA can be effectively used in different sensing applications such as the medical and communications industry.

Cross-country comparison of the esports industry in China, South Korea and Japan

China, South Korea and Japan are called ‘Big 3’ of esports in Asia based on earnings for players, online audience penetration and game revenue. This article compares the ‘Big 3’ of esports in Asia with reference to the esports development ecosystem by applying systems thinking literacy approach as the interaction of six macro systems: information and communications technology, education, social acceptance, government roles, nongovernmental organizations and industry configuration. The comparative findings consistently show the interrelatedness of six macro systems. While information and communications technology infrastructure lay the backbone of esports industry, government plays the major role in initiating the esports development and fostering collaboration with nongovernmental organizations, which further in turn stimulates social acceptance and industry configuration. To facilitate further esports growth in the other regions, the successful experience of other Asian countries should be used as reference points for policies that can reinforce and promote industry development.

Investigating enhanced electrical conductivity for antenna applications through dual metallization on 3D printed SLA substrates

The advancement of 3D printing (additive manufacturing) has gained interest in variety of applications, especially for antenna fabrication. The demand for cheap, reliable, and high-performance antenna fabrication methods is essential in order to cope with the demand of wireless communications industry. In this work, the focus was emphasized on enhancing the electrical conductivity of the 3D printed substrates fabricated by stereolithography (SLA) 3D printer. The 3D printed substrate went through a dual metallization approach, involving sputtering and electrodeposition techniques for the fabrication of conductive metal layers. The parameters for the sputtering were fixed for all the substrate while current density during electrodeposition process was varied at 25 %, 50 %, 75 % and 100 % from recommended value of current. The results showed that the current density during the electrodeposition determined the conductivity performance of the metal layers and established a significant correlation with the surface morphological. Three different frequencies comprised of 2.4 GHz, 3.5 GHz and 5.0 GHz were selected to simulate and fabricate a microstrip patch antenna using the optimized current density which was valued optimal at 75 % (52.5 mA). The percentage of accuracy between simulated and measured frequencies of antenna, portrayed that the measured values were slightly higher than the simulated approximately about 5.14 to 6.67 %. Therefore, the integration of additive manufacturing or 3D printing techniques for antenna could address the critical necessity for fast and economical solution in wireless systems.

Edge-Driven Linux Platform for Power Quality Solutions

In the modern landscape of data centers, ensuring optimal power quality and efficiency is paramount. This paper describes designing and implementing an edge-driven Linux platform for power quality solutions for real-time measurement, analysis, and conformity with IEC 61000-4-30, IEEE 519, and EN 50160 standards. It employs an AM6442xx processor and has a web interface with the backing of an efficient embedded web server, a NodeJS, and a Nginx server. It supports industrial communication protocols like Modbus TCP to simplify integration into existing systems. In addition, it involves risk assessment, threat modeling, and enhanced ability of the platform to withstand tests that threaten the confidentiality and integrity of data. Thus, the proposed solution increases the efficiency of data center operations and provides reliable power quality metering that meets current international standards.

Content of Selected Harmful Metals (Zn, Pb, Cd) and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Honeys from Apiaries Located in Urbanized Areas.

The chemical composition of honey, and therefore its quality and properties, is influenced by many factors, including its botanical origin and the harvesting conditions-the location of the apiary, access to melliferous plants, the proximity of industrial infrastructure and communication routes, etc. This quality may be reduced by undesirable, toxic compounds that penetrate honey from a contaminated environment, such as heavy metals and residues from other environmental pollutants. Therefore, the aim of our research was to assess the quality of honeys from urbanized areas-in particular, to assess contamination with heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants (PAHs). In total, 35 samples from six different apiaries located in urbanized areas were examined. The content of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Zn) was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS), and the content of total PAHs as the sum of the concentrations of the compounds benzo(a)anthracene, chrysene, benzo(b)fluoranthene and benzo(a)pyrene was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD). The average zinc content ranged from about 2 to 4.5 mg/kg, the average lead content ranged from 3.5 µg/kg to 388 µg/kg and the average cadmium content ranged from 0.5 to 14 µg/kg. It was found that all honeys contained certain amounts of harmful metals, and only lead exceeded the permissible limits. None of the samples tested contained sum content of PAHs exceeding 10 µg/kg of honey. Contrary to our expectations, the results obtained indicate that honeys from urbanized areas do not contain these harmful substances. In general, the presence of harmful metals does not, however, reduce honey's quality or its health value.

The Role of Communication and Work Environment on Employee Performance (Case Study: Boeing/Ethiopian Airlines 2019)

As social creatures, humans need good communication when interacting with others. As is the case in the work environment, the existence of good communication between employees enables them to carry out their duties following their respective procedures to achieve the goals set by the agency or work organization. This research uses the literature study method. A literature study is a collection of previous research results in the form of books, articles, scientific journals, research reports, and other sources relevant to the topic of discussion which are then compared theoretically. The Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 incident highlighted several issues related to Boeing employee communication, work environment, and employee performance. Based on the case study discussed, this incident shows that to improve aviation safety, more attention needs to be paid to communication, work environment, and employee training in the aviation industry to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

Mirah Bogor Hotel: Mastering Public Relations to Build a Lasting Brand Image

This article investigates the role of public relations in building the image of Mirah Bogor Hotel. Using a qualitative descriptive research method, the study found that effective public relations strategies include promotion, events, collaboration with media, and the use of social media. The research also highlighted that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a crucial strategy in building a positive hotel image. The challenges faced by hotels in building a positive image include communication crises, societal changes, and industry competition. The study's conclusion emphasizes the significant role of public relations in building and maintaining a positive hotel image. Recommendations for public relations practitioners include improving service quality and facilities, and being prepared to handle crises. This article comprehensively discusses the role of public relations in building hotel images, as well as the strategies and challenges faced by Mirah Bogor Hotel.

Engineering designed functional covalent organic frameworks via pore surface modifications for effectively reducing the dielectric constant of polyimide-based electronic packaging materials

Polyimide (PI) is considered one of the most promising candidate materials for the microelectronics and wireless communication industries. Nevertheless, the relatively high dielectric constant of PI has become a significant obstacle, constraining its utilization in the realm of microelectronics. Herein, novel PI nanocomposite films were fabricated by incorporating covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and their functionalized counterparts (COF@POSS and COF@DTF) through post-synthetic modification. Among all PI nanocomposites films, PI/COF@POSS nanocomposite film including 2 wt% COF@POSS achieved the lowest dielectric constant (2.41) and dielectric loss (0.0076). These values represented a reduction of 22.5 % and 24 % compared to pure PI, respectively. The decrease in dielectric constant is ascribed to the combined influence of the porous structure of COF and the augmentation in free volume fraction caused by the steric hindrance of POSS. Additionally, the tensile strength of the PI/COF@POSS and PI/COF@DTF nanocomposite films increased up to 121.1 MPa and 112.0 MPa, representing a 95 % and 80 % improvement over pure PI, respectively. Furthermore, the introduction of COFs functionalized with POSS and DTF significantly enhanced the hydrophobicity of PI nanocomposite films. The combination of porous organic nanofillers with surface functionalization offers a feasible route to create low-k PI nanocomposite films with improved mechanical properties and hydrophobicity.

Tourism digital marketing in Indonesia: Current issues, challenges and opportunities

Purpose of the study: Marketing strategies must evolve with shifts in customer trends, behavior, and technological advancements. Academically, marketing has long been a key area of interest for scholars. This study systematically analyzes research references on tourism marketing in Indonesia. Methodology: This analysis draws on national publication data featuring tourism marketing keywords from 2014 to 2024, obtained via web scraping from the Google Scholar database. Additionally, it seeks to identify key concerns, challenges, and opportunities for digital marketing within Indonesia's tourism sector. Main Findings: This review highlights that academic journals cover diverse aspects of tourism marketing, including tourism, social sciences, communication management, and technology. Despite its limited scale, digital marketing is widely explored by scholars across fields. Bali, Bantul, Sleman, and Yogyakarta are frequently studied locations. Indonesian tourism marketing research tends to adopt qualitative approaches, yet a broad spectrum of contexts such as economics, business, communication, entrepreneurship, sociology, anthropology, and creative industries is also examined. Applications of the study: This study's scope is limited by the narrow range of Google Scholar articles. Future research can expand the literature, with key findings serving as hypotheses for further studies. Policymakers and the digital industry can use these insights for tourism product development. It also represents one of the latest ten-year reviews of digital marketing literature in Indonesia. Novelty/Originality of the study: Tourism must use effective marketing and adapt to changing market behaviors. Collaboration among stakeholders, including academics, is key to seizing opportunities and tackling future challenges.

PLC Honeypots: Enhancing Interaction-Level Assessment

The motivation for this work arose when noticing that definitions of honeypots’ interaction level are mainly based on the information technology environment and do not reflect operational technology even if several honeypot projects approach this field. Within operational technology, programmable logic controllers (PLCs) have a main role, resulting in several honeypot researchers choosing to mimic this device at a certain interaction level. However, searching for an interaction level definition that approaches PLCs results in few studies. In this context, this work aims to explore how to adapt the information technology definition of the interaction level in order to encompass PLCs and their specific features. The method chosen to obtain inputs was a literature review where, in attempting to keep the connection with information technology, the features were based in terms of honey system, honey service, and honey token. The findings of this review provide a means to translate these terms when developing a PLC honeypot for a desired interaction level, resulting in a metrics proposal for low and high interaction. Summarizing the proposed metrics, the system of a PLC can be considered as the vendor specific firmware, its unique device banner, and a realistic network topology. For services, a PLC honeypot reflects the tasks performed by the real device, thus resulting in industrial communication protocols, network management protocols, appropriate response times, code-related interactions, dynamic input and output data processing, physical process simulation, and web interface. Lastly, a PLC honey token can be approached with the PLC program file, MIB file, and software license, among other elements. Based on these metrics, researchers can better evaluate how to design a programmable logic controller honeypot or select tools that match their target interaction level.

Data Protection Considerations in Competition Law Assessments: A Qualitative Document Analysis of EU Decision Texts

Abstract Personal data are both protected by a fundamental right and serves as a source of market power. As such, a complex interplay between data protection and competition law arises, sparking debate among policymakers and scholars on whether to incorporate data protection considerations (DPCs) in competition law assessments. Proponents argue that competition cases involving such an interplay require a normative contribution from data protection law, while opponents emphasize the practical challenges of considering data protection as a non-economic public policy objective. We identify nine ways in which data protection might ultimately surface in competition law assessments, categorized into five areas: (i) competition enforcement actions, (ii) existing legal and regulatory framework, (iii) personal data collection, (iv) exclusionary abuses, and (v) alleviation of competition concerns. Using a multiple-step approach for qualitative document analysis, we explore how these considerations have surfaced in the European Commission’s decisional practice through a dataset of 2.041 EU competition decision texts based on articles 101 TFEU and 102 TFEU and the EU Merger Regulation. We identify 53 decisions where DPCs have surfaced, especially in the information and communication industry, where they are more frequently subjected to commitments. In line with the evolving literature, we observe an increasingly integrationist trend as these considerations surface more frequently, particularly since the adoption of the General Data Protection Regulation in 2016 and the Digital Markets Act proposal in 2020. We also find a pattern where data protection provisions are included in commitments as a ‘tick-the-box’ exercise. Several influential alleviations of competition concerns suggest that the Commission is more comfortable using data protection to approve transactions unconditionally rather than as a substantive argument for commitments. We conclude by making a case for a more collaborative approach based on the European Court of Justice’s recent Meta Platforms (2023) judgment. Data protection should be considered in competition law assessments if its normative contribution is required. Such a stance would simply align with the internal logic of competition law without unlawfully expanding its material scope.

Data Journalism, Digital Verification and AI. The Case for Newsroom Convergence

This article discusses the opportunities and challenges of implementing data journalism, digital verification and AI in the centre of the newsroom. Data journalism, digital verification and fact-checking continue to be seen like jobs for specialists. As has AI, they have all entered newsrooms in various forms over the past two decades. This article comes out of preparatory work for an online course on data literacy for journalism, communication and creative industries students called MediaNumeric. The course focuses on search and exploration of data, digital skills, and tracking and debunking misinformation. As part of this special issue, this article wants to offer a sense of what is at stake in data entering newsrooms, and editorial and media production offices.

Molecular design and application of low dielectric bismaleimide resin

AbstractWith the development of communications technology, the copper‐clad laminate (CCL) for integrated circuits (IC) pointed to the direction of high‐frequency and high‐speed development, that is, a lower dielectric constant and dielectric loss requirements. Bismaleimide (BMI) resins feature stable dielectric properties and excellent thermal stability over a wide temperature range, widely used in the manufacture of high‐frequency and high‐speed CCL substrates. However, the comprehensive performance of BMI resin itself, including dielectric properties, still cannot fully meet the needs of the ever‐changing communications industry, so the molecular design modification of BMI resin to enhance the dielectric properties is currently one of the key research directions for integrated circuit CCL. This paper reviews the development of BMI resins and their applications, focusing on the main methods of molecular design modification and formulation optimization, including allyl, diamine, internal chain‐extended, and chemical/physical blending modification. Finally, the low dielectric BMI resin and its application and development in high‐frequency and high‐speed CCL are summarized and prospected. Future research directions include the design and synthesis of multi‐component copolymers to further realize the balance between low dielectric and comprehensive performance, as well as exploring the possibility of novel composite modifications to provide more competitive high‐performance materials for the IC laminate field.Highlights The development of bismaleimide resin and their applications are reviewed. Bismaleimide monomers' synthesis and chemical reaction are summarized. The modified methods of bismaleimide resin in low dielectric are reviewed. Future research directions of low dielectric bismaleimide are prospected.

Characteristics of Facilitated Critical Thinking in Speaking for Maritime English Improvement

The maritime industry, a cornerstone of global trade and commerce, relies heavily on effective communication, primarily through Maritime English. Ensuring safety, operational efficiency, and regulatory compliance on international waters necessitates proficiency in this standardized form of English. Despite its critical role, many maritime professionals struggle with Maritime English, especially speaking and critical thinking skills. This study explores how facilitated critical thinking in speaking can enhance Maritime English proficiency. Facilitated critical thinking involves instructional strategies that promote analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of information through interactive dialogues, problem-solving tasks, reflective practice, and collaborative learning. This study employs a mixed-methods approach, including quantitative and qualitative phases, to examine these strategies among maritime students and professionals. Results from paired samples statistics, correlations, and t-tests indicate significant improvements in speaking proficiency and critical thinking skills following the intervention. The findings suggest that integrating critical thinking into language instruction effectively addresses the unique challenges maritime professionals face, ultimately enhancing communication and safety in the maritime industry

A Comprehensive Review of Energy-Efficient Techniques for UAV-Assisted Industrial Wireless Networks

The rapid expansion of the Industrial Internet-of-Things (IIoT) has spurred significant research interest due to the growth of security-aware, vehicular, and time-sensitive applications. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are widely deployed within wireless communication systems to establish rapid and reliable links between users and devices, attributed to their high flexibility and maneuverability. Leveraging UAVs provides a promising solution to enhance communication system performance and effectiveness while overcoming the unprecedented challenges of stringent spectrum limitations and demanding data traffic. However, due to the dramatic increase in the number of vehicles and devices in the industrial wireless networks and limitations on UAVs’ battery storage and computing resources, the adoption of energy-efficient techniques is essential to ensure sustainable system implementation and to prolong the lifetime of the network. This paper provides a comprehensive review of various disruptive methodologies for addressing energy-efficient issues in UAV-assisted industrial wireless networks. We begin by introducing the background of recent research areas from different aspects, including security-enhanced industrial networks, industrial vehicular networks, machine learning for industrial communications, and time-sensitive networks. Our review identifies key challenges from an energy efficiency perspective and evaluates relevant techniques, including resource allocation, UAV trajectory design and wireless power transfer (WPT), across various applications and scenarios. This paper thoroughly discusses the features, strengths, weaknesses, and potential of existing works. Finally, we highlight open research issues and gaps and present promising potential directions for future investigation.

Industry 4.0 and Beyond: The Role of 5G, WiFi 7, and Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) in Enabling Smart Manufacturing

This paper explores the role that 5G, WiFi 7, and Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) play in driving smart manufacturing as a fundamental part of the Industry 4.0 vision. It provides an in-depth analysis of each technology’s application in industrial communications, with a focus on TSN and its key elements that enable reliable and secure communication in industrial networks. In addition, this paper includes a comparative study of these technologies, analyzing them based on several industrial use cases, supported secondary applications, industry adoption, and current market trends. This paper concludes by highlighting the challenges and future directions for adopting these technologies in industrial networks and emphasizes their importance in realizing the Industry 4.0 vision within the context of smart manufacturing.

Study on the mechanism and countermeasures of Ningbo-Bengbu cooperation to promote rural revitalization in Bengbu

Against the backdrop of the integration of the Yangtze River Delta region, in 2021, the Implementation Plan for the Paired Cooperation between Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang Cities to Assist Northern Anhui Cities clearly states that Ningbo will cooperate one-on-one to assist Bengbu City, and Bengbu City's rural revitalization has ushered in new development opportunities. The research content of this project includes three aspects: First, systematically describe the typical facts of Ningbo-Bengbu cooperation in promoting rural revitalization in Bengbu under the background of economic integration in the Yangtze River Delta, and on this basis analyze and summarize the existing experience of Ningbo-Bengbu cooperation in promoting rural revitalization in Bengbu; second, conduct an in-depth investigation of Ningbo's effective practices of focusing on the "double strengths" of agriculture, rural construction, and the "three major tracks" of farmers' prosperity, and strive to create a higher-quality "pastoral city, urban village", and summarize and analyze the conditions and factors that constrain the development of Bengbu's agricultural and rural economy; third, under the background of the integration of the Yangtze River Delta, how Ningbo-Bengbu cooperation can utilize the agricultural and rural resource endowments and comparative advantages of the two cities, and propose countermeasures and suggestions for deepening Ningbo-Bengbu cooperation to promote rural revitalization in Bengbu is an important content and ultimate goal of this project. This project provides theoretical evidence for industrial cooperation and communication between Bengbu and Ningbo and the promotion of rural ecological civilization construction, which is of great significance to the development of rural revitalization in Bengbu.

Loneliness, office space arrangement and mental well-being of Gen Z PR professionals. Falling into the trap of an agile office?

PurposeThe purpose of the study was to assess how the well-being and loneliness of public relations and communication professionals are impacted by the post-pandemic characteristics of the work environment: flexible work schemes, non-territorial office arrangements and video communication technologies. It was hypothesised that the post-pandemic workplace landscape poses several new challenges to the practice of PR – an industry which invariably relies on working with other people and demands a good level of social resilience. Loneliness and well-being both depend on the experience of having good and efficient social relationships, but the pandemic has directly and indirectly led to their deterioration.Design/methodology/approachThe project employed a correlational design and used an online survey system to collect responses from Gen Z professionals employed in the public relations and communications industry in the UK and the US via the Prolific platform. Demographical and workplace-related characteristics were assessed to investigate links with loneliness (measured using a three-item scale adopted from Russell et al., 1980 in Hughes, 2004) and well-being (using a short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale scale). Causal relationships between data were tested using regression analysis for continuous variables and analysis of covariance for categorical factors. Bootstrapping was used to test mediated relationships that explain loneliness, job satisfaction and the well-being of Gen Z PR professionals.FindingsSeveral types of flexible working schemes, defined as the ability to work from home on any number of weeks, showed an impact on loneliness and job satisfaction but not on well-being. However, all remaining aspects of the post-pandemic office did manifest as important predictors. In the sample, 30% of Gen Z PR professionals showed signs of mild to clinical levels of depression, and the best protection from this state was the presence of a significant other. Lower levels of loneliness were related to non-territorial office arrangements and job satisfaction. The use of hot desks and open-plan arrangements led to a significantly lower level of job satisfaction than a traditional, cellular office. Both excessive online meetings and face-to-face only interactions led to marginally lower levels of loneliness and job satisfaction.Research limitations/implicationsThe present research is limited in several aspects. Firstly, while the project evaluated loneliness, job satisfaction and mental well-being (with each of these elements including a component of the requirement for building effective relationships), the quality of relationships built by PR professionals was not measured. Secondly, the project focused only on post-pandemic aspects of the workplace and did not cover other important components of job satisfaction. Lastly, the measure of online meetings was declarative rather than behavioural, and greater control of the number of online meetings held would be required to show more reliable links between variables.Practical implicationsThis study calls for proposing recommendations for employers to develop organisational-level measures and programmes to counteract loneliness. While traditionally intimate relationships of employees were not a direct focus of HR programmes, employers should develop elements of organisational culture that would support employees in building effective intimate relationships. Separately from this, despite immediate financial benefits, employers should avoid using open-space and hot desk policies, as they contribute negatively to job satisfaction (and indirectly to well-being). The sample of UK and US professionals was chosen for analysis because in these countries employers have more capacity to introduce changes to tangible characteristics of the workplace and work culture, which may positively impact the well-being of their employees.Social implicationsIt is expected that both employers and employees will revisit their approach to post-pandemic financial and logistic challenges related to the workplace. A lower level of job satisfaction and well-being is linked to the lack of assigned office space, but the ability to work exclusively from home leads to loneliness. Employees – when offered this possibility – should work in offices they are provided. Employers must appreciate the negative link between open and hot-desking policies and job satisfaction and well-being of their employees.Originality/valueThis study is the first to examine the post-pandemic workplace and personal characteristics of public relations and communications professionals in the UK and US and show how they impact job satisfaction and well-being. The study shows that 30% of employed in the PR industry are at risk of depression or anxiety. The connecting factor between personal and work-related characteristics that explains this problem is loneliness.