Maintenance Services Research Articles

Regarding reference state to identify priority areas for ecological restoration in a karst region

Widespread degradation of natural ecosystems around the globe has resulted in several ecological problems. Ecological restoration is considered a global priority as an important means of mitigating ecosystem degradation and enhancing ecosystem services provision. Regarding ecosystem reference state is a prerequisite for ecological restoration. However, there were few studies focusing on how to regard reference state for ecological restoration, especially under a changing climate. Taking Guizhou Province, a typical karst region in China, as a case study area, in this study we firstly assessed ecosystem services under homogeneous climate conditions. Secondly, we defined the optimal ecosystem services as ecosystem reference state, and then evaluated restoration suitability under a comprehensive framework. Finally, ecological restoration priority areas (EPRAs), which included ecological reconstruction areas, assisted regeneration areas and conservation priority areas needing restoration, were identified by integrating restoration suitability and conservation priority areas. The results showed that the services of water conservation and habitat maintenance only increased less than 10% from 2001 to 2018. Identified ecological reconstruction areas and assisted regeneration areas covered 1078 km2 and 1159 km2 respectively. Additionally, 15 conservation priority areas with the total area of 18,507 km2 were identified as conservation priority areas needing restoration. Accounting for 11.78% of the total area, ERPAs were mostly located in the eastern part of Guizhou, including Qiandongnan, Tongren, and Zunyi. The approach proposed here for regarding ecosystem reference state after controlling climate variables and the framework for identifying ERPAs can provide a scientific reference for large-scale ecological restoration planning.

Rollator related pedestrian single accidents and collision events in Sweden

Rollators (four-wheel walkers in USA; zimmer frames in UK) are commonly used as mobility aids for the elderly and people with a variety of disabilities. Pedestrian rollator users are a sub-group of Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs), although this group is rarely recognised in traffic safety contexts. The aim of this study is to extract and analyse rollator related pedestrian accident and injury data in Sweden. The results will provide valuable insight into the risks and obstacles rollator users are exposed to in the traffic environment and may in the long term contribute to improving the mobility of this group. The current study is based on data from 2,020 accidents involving 2,305 persons extracted from the Swedish Traffic Accident Data Acquisition (STRADA) database. For consistency reasons, a subset of data (N = 745) was analysed in order to investigate the development of accidents over a period of 10 years. Thereafter, each accident in the whole data set was registered as either single or collision. The results show that the number of rollator accidents in Sweden increased by approximately 80% during 2007–2016. Females dominate the injury statistics of single accidents, collisions, as well as fatal outcome, which may be due to exposure and/or differences in physical characteristics. Single accidents are much more common than collisions (n=1,668 and n=352, respectively) and the injury consequences are at least as serious. Data from the present study have revealed that the frequency of minor injuries (ISS 1–3) is 4.3 times, moderate (ISS 4–8) 6.0 times and serious injuries (ISS 9–15) 8.9 times higher in single accidents than in collisions. Fatal injuries are, however, more common in collision events (33 in comparison to 8). The vast majority of single accidents (99%) was due to falls. Many of the single accidents (29%) were caused by ground level differences (typically a curb) or due to surface conditions (19%). Collisions involved cars, trucks or buses in 91% of cases, occurring predominantly in car parks (31%) and on (zebra) crossings (30%). In 54% of cases the vehicles reversed into the rollator. Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) 3+ injuries were dominated by head (36%) and torso (33%) injuries in collision events, and hip fractures (71%) in single accidents. The present study shows that further research into rollator user related accidents, both single accidents and collision events, is required. In order to introduce appropriate measures, future work should follow up on accident and injury developments and further improve the quality of mobility aid related accident data in general. Improved stability and design, proper training programmes, effective maintenance services, development of a supporting infrastructure would contribute to increased safety for rollator users.

Maintenance and enhancement of forest ecosystem services: a non-industrial private forest owner perspective

The transition to a fossil-free society in Sweden is expected to cause an increased demand for forest-derived products which may intensify existing conflicts between forest ecosystem services. This study investigated the preferences among non-industrial private forest owners for maintaining multiple forest ecosystem services and their preferences for future forest development. The findings were related to their prioritizations for and knowledge of forest management. The study results were generated through the means of a survey which revealed a consistent high valuation among all respondents of ecosystem services relating to water quality, timber quality, recreation, and biodiversity. A majority of the respondents desired increasing proportions of mixed species and broadleaved stands within the future forest landscape. Certified forest owners who were members of a forest owner association (CMs) prioritized achieving high economic income through roundwood production with strong preferences for the ecosystem services high stand growth and high timber quality. For CMs, carbon substitution was the preferred means of mitigating climate change. Forest owners lacking both certification and membership in a forest owner association ranked the ecosystem services recreation and biodiversity significantly higher, and also preferred retaining more old forest within the landscape. The survey results revealed a higher management activity among CMs, resulting in a more frequent establishment of mixed and broadleaved stands. Forest owners with medium to large scale properties were well-represented within the CM category. The results indicated that while the CMs have stronger preferences for roundwood production compared to owners of small properties, they are also more likely to have taken adaptive measures favoring risk management and biodiversity.

Increased soil penetration resistance drives degrees of hemeroby in vegetation of urban parks

Urban parks provide a variety of ecosystem services, and a range of management practices promote their maximisation. The species diversity of plant communities is a factor in the maintenance of ecosystem services. The reconstruction of parks is one of the management practices, but the environmental impact of such activities is not clear. The reconstruction of parks affects vegetation and soil cover, and the interconnection of these components of the urban park ecosystem has not been studied before. The study revealed the features of variability of physical properties of soil and vegetation cover and identified their interconnection in the conditions of urban park reconstruction. The study was conducted in the recreational area of the Botanical Garden of Oles Honchar Dnipro National University (Ukraine). The park was studied in the area where reconstruction activities had previously been carried out. During the reconstruction process, walkways were restored, shrubs were removed, old or damaged trees were excavated, and tree crowns were trimmed. Young trees were planted in place of the removed old trees. Old outbuildings that significantly impaired the aesthetic impression of the park were also dismantled. The reconstruction involved transport and construction equipment. Samples were collected within transects, two of which were located in the reconstruction area, and two other transects were located in a similar area of the park where no reconstruction was carried out. The plant community was found to consist of 65 species. The mean level of alpha diversity was 11.5 species and beta diversity was 5.7. The alpha diversity was higher in the reconstructed park. The principal component analysis of the variability of soil properties extracted four principal components with eigenvalues greater than one. The principal components 1 and 3 reflect the variability of soil properties induced by the park's reconstruction, while the principal components 2 and 4 reflect variability that may be caused by other anthropogenic factors unrelated to the park's reconstruction, or may be due to natural variability of the soil cover. The principal component 1 indicates a uniform increase in the soil penetration resistance as a result of the application of technological processes during the reconstruction. This effect may be the result of the direct technological impact of the mechanisms employed and the large number of employees involved in the park's reconstruction. The condition of the crown space of the park plantation can explain the variation in soil penetration resistance. The increase in the height and projective cover of the grass vegetation is due to a decrease in the closure of the stand crowns, but the effect of such coordinated stand and grass dynamics on soil penetration resistance is observed only at a depth of 25–55 cm. This effect can be explained by the influence of the plant root system on the physical state of the soil. The root system of herbaceous plants is capable of loosening the soil and reducing its soil penetration resistance. The reconstruction of the park led to an increase in the hemeroby of the plant community. The criterion for the success of the reconstruction may be an increase in the attractiveness of the park for visitors without the risk of increasing hemeroby. The trend of increasing hemeroby clearly coincides with the direction of transformation of soil conditions, which are indicated by the principal component 1. The increase in the soil penetration resistance is a driver of the growth of vegetation cover hemeroby. The physical environment of the soil cover acts as an important environmental filter that affects the structure of the vegetation cover and the species composition of plant species complexes.

Modeling offshore wind farm disturbances and maintenance service responses within the scope of resilience

Offshore wind farms are becoming ever more important means of energy production. Accordingly, they are started to be considered critical infrastructures with heightened attention on their protection and resilience. This paper studies how the maintenance service can sustain or recover offshore wind farm operations under different stressors. We conduct this study by modeling the failures in an offshore wind farm and how maintenance service is able to correct them. Our model enhances the traditional cause-consequence trees by including dynamical aspects, and the modeling of the maintenance process. Special attention in the maintenance model is given to limited personnel and material resources, as well as limited access to wind turbines. This limit is a result of occasional harsh weather conditions that make conducting repairs unsafe. The model is applied for two representative disturbance scenarios: a cyber-attack leading to high failure rates and a high-impact incident causing numerous simultaneous failures. The second scenario integrates results from a physical power system simulation that are used for depicting the incident. The results show that our model can present scenarios where different stressors challenge the operations. These can be used for testing and defining requirements for future countermeasures to improve the resilience.

Matheuristics for scheduling of maintenance service with linear operation cost and step function maintenance cost

We study a problem of scheduling machine maintenance activities in discretized periods, under the constraint that a maximum of one activity can be scheduled for each period. The scheduled maintenance activities will be repeated in a cyclic policy with a given cycle length.The problem is to find a scheduling policy specifying which activity is executed in each period in order to minimize the total cost.Two kinds of costs are assumed: operation and maintenance costs. Both of them depend on the number of periods since the last machine maintenance service. The operation cost occurs during the periods in which a machine is not maintained and increases linearly. The maintenance cost takes place in the periods in which a machine is maintained and is defined as a step function. The steps in the maintenance cost function could be justified by the fact of considering the machine element's substitution when this machine is run for too long without being maintained. This cost structure reduces the gap between the academic problem and the industrial reality.In this paper, the scheduling problem with linear operation cost and step function maintenance cost is defined and formalized. In addition, different matheuristic algorithms are proposed for its resolution. Lower bounds for the objective function are proposed and the computational results show an average deviation from the optimal solution lower than or equal to 3.19%.

Computational Model of Water Distribution Network Life Cycle Deterioration

Water distribution networks (WDNs) have a long life cycle, and understanding how infrastructure deteriorates over time can contribute to its efficient management. In this paper, a computational model is developed to simulate the deterioration of a WDN over its life cycle and analyze how its operation is affected, both hydraulically and economically. For this, four parameters are considered, changing over a 20-year life cycle: (1) an increase in water consumption due to population growth, modeled using statistical growth rates; (2) the deterioration of pipes, which increases according to a constant growth rate of internal roughness; (3) a change in leakage in the network, calculated based on population size, network length, and operating pressure; and (4) the deterioration of pumps, estimated according to their mechanical aging. The results point to maintenance services being essential for the efficient operation of WDNs, with leaks having the greatest impact on operating costs.

Comparing thermal strain in outdoor maintenance and indoor service workers in the mining industry during summer.

While working in the heat is a common practice within the Australian mining industry, it can lead to adverse effects on cognitive function, productivity, and physical health. This study aimed to compare the thermal strain experienced by maintenance workers and service workers in the mining industry during summer. Psycho-physiological parameters, manual dexterity, and cognitive function were assessed in maintenance workers (n = 12) and service workers (n = 12) employed at mine site villages in north-west Australia. Maintenance workers had the freedom to self-select their work intensity and predominantly worked outdoors (33.9±4.2°C, 38±18% RH), whereas service workers had to work to a fixed schedule and worked intermittently indoors (∼64% of work shift; 29.5±3.4°C, 48±8% RH) and outdoors (∼36%; 35.4±4.6°C, 47±21% RH). All workers underwent assessment at the beginning (day 2/3), middle (day 7/8), and end of their swing (day 13/14), at various time points throughout their 11-12 h shift. Service workers completed more steps (11282±1794 vs. 7774±2821; p<0.001), experienced a higher heart rate (p = 0.049) and reported higher ratings of perceived exertion (p<0.001), thermal discomfort (p<0.001), thermal sensation (p<0.001), and fatigue (p<0.012) compared to maintenance workers. Urinary specific gravity values were higher (less hydrated) in service workers (1.024±0.007) compared to maintenance workers (1.018±0.006; p = 0.007), with USG being overall higher post- compared to pre-shift (1.022±0.008 vs. 1.020±0.006; p<0.05). Core temperature, working memory capacity, processing speed and manual dexterity did not differ between occupations. Workers in hot environments who cannot self-select their work intensity should be educated about the importance of hydration before, during, and after their work-shifts and provided with more scheduled rest breaks during their shift. Employers should closely monitor workers for symptoms of heat illness, discomfort, and fatigue to ensure the health and safety of the workers.

Pengaruh Marketing Relationship Dan Technician Performance Terhadap Kepuasan Pelanggan

PT Jaya Kencana is a company engaged in the field of mechanical and electrical contractors. One of the divisions at PT Jaya Kencana is engaged in the elevator escalator service division. This division is a division that offers elevator and escalator maintenance services. Where in this division the level of customer satisfaction is needed for the progress of the company. The independent variables in this study are marketing relationships and technician performance. The dependent variable in this study is customer satisfaction. The research uses statistical quantitative methods by determining the minimum number of samples using the slovin formula. The sample in this study was 101 respondents. Marketing relationship has a t count &gt; t table (3.932 &gt; 1.9844) with a significant value of 0.00 &lt;0.05, which means that marketing relationships have an effect on customer satisfaction. Technician performance has a t count &gt; t table (5.530 &gt; 1.9844) with a significant value of 0.00 &lt;0.05, which means that technician performance has an effect on customer satisfaction. Marketing relationship and technician performance have a significant value of 000 &lt;0.05 and F count &gt; F table (160.776 &gt; 3.94), which means that marketing relationship and technician performance have a significant simultaneous effect on customer satisfaction. The results of this study can be used as input for related companies and can be used as an evaluation to increase company customer satisfaction.

Soil nutrient heterogeneity alters productivity and diversity of experimental plant communities under multiple global change factors

Plant communities in nature are often challenged by multiple global change factors (GCFs) and also ubiquitously encountered with soil nutrient heterogeneity. So far, however, we know little about the interactive effect of multiple GCFs and soil nutrient heterogeneity on plant communities. We conducted an outdoor mesocosm experiment in which a plant community was either grown in heterogeneous soils consisting of high‐ and low‐nutrient patches, or in homogeneous soils where the same amount of nutrients was evenly distributed. These plant communities were exposed to none (control), single, or a combination of two or four GCFs (i.e. drought, nitrogen deposition, microplastic and cadmium). Biomass of the plant community exposed to drought and nitrogen deposition were greater in heterogeneous than in homogeneous soils, but evenness of the plant community exposed to microplastics was lower. Increasing the number of GCFs increased community biomass more in heterogeneous than in homogeneous soils, but it generally reduced community evenness, independent of soil nutrient heterogeneity. These contrasting responses were related to changing competitive hierarchies and root foraging responses under different treatments. Our results suggest that soil nutrient heterogeneity can alter community productivity and diversity via changing competitive interactions of the component species, depending on both the identity and the number of GCFs acting on the community. These results have important implications for the maintenance of ecosystem functions and services under rapid and complex ongoing global changes.

Theorizing Cultural Heritage Informatics as the Intersection of Heritage, Memory, and Information

ABSTRACTThis paper explores the relationship between cultural heritage and collective memory through the lens of information. We explicitly frame the heritage‐memory‐relationship as constituting a theoretical foundation for the field of Cultural Heritage Informatics. In framing heritage and memory as information phenomena, we leverage two information frameworks that appear most suitable to host, translate, and overlay heritage and memory theory: Context, relevance, and labor (Fremery and Buckland, 2022) and Information as thing (Buckland, 1991). Altogether, this preliminary exploration 1) establishes a terminological understanding of cultural heritage, collective memory, and information/informatics; 2) maps these concepts with recourse to the Context, relevance and labor framework (Fremery and Buckland, 2022); 3) articulates cultural heritage informatics as the intersection of heritage and memory focused on processes of selection, transfer, and integration of historic information in the service of identity maintenance; and 4) offers a cultural heritage information framework that highlights the unique potential of Cultural Heritage Informatics to guide future information research in cultural information studies.

Green industry experts’ consensus about wildlife-friendly landscape maintenance: Delphi-informed implications for agricultural and extension educators

This study was designed to understand the current state of wildlife-friendly landscape maintenance practices and the associated barriers and motivations among Florida green industry professionals. A Delphi technique to achieve consensus, along with descriptive survey questions, was used to facilitate feedback from Florida-based green industry professionals and Extension professionals. The expert panel identified 55 wildlife-friendly landscape activities, 25 barrier items, and 25 motivator items. Descriptive findings showed that green industry professionals believe, on average, Florida residents request wildlife-friendly maintenance services less frequently than wildlife-friendly landscape services are offered by Florida green industry professionals. Consensus findings demonstrated the barriers with the greatest agreement were a lack of public awareness about wildlife-friendly landscaping, its ecological and environmental benefits, professional focus on profit, homeowner association (HOA) regulations, and demand for formal landscape aesthetics. Consensus findings also revealed Florida green industry’s major motivators were clients’ demand for native, Florida-Friendly plants and wildlife-supporting landscapes, the desire to promote the company as wildlife-friendly, and public interest in native and Florida-Friendly Landscaping. Extension professionals, along with policymakers, educators, and program planners should reduce the identified barriers and expand on the motivators to encourage green industry professionals to engage in landscape maintenance activities that support wildlife.

Effects of Restoration and Conservation of Riparian Vegetation on Sediment Retention in the Catchment Area of Corumbá IV Hydroelectric Power Plant, Brazil

Vegetation cover and land use are important factors related to the capacity of ecosystems to provide soil loss regulation and sediment retention services, which are highly relevant for sediment management in watersheds draining into reservoirs with multiple water uses. One way to ensure the protection and recovery of vegetation by landowners in Brazil is the implementation of the federal Native Vegetation Protection Law (NVPL), which designates environmentally sensitive areas as Areas of Permanent Preservation (APPs), aiming to conserve water resources and prevent soil erosion. The benefits of riparian vegetation in the catchment of Corumbá IV Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP), located in the Brazilian Cerrado, were analyzed considering landscape reconfigurations from a baseline condition (year 2011) in order to account for the recovery of riparian vegetation by the agricultural sector, as foreseen in the NVPL. The Sediment Delivery Ratio (SDR) model from the InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Environmental Services and Tradeoffs) package was used to map and quantify variations in sediment export and sediment retention throughout the catchment. The reduction in annual sediment export in the drainage basin of the Corumbá IV reservoir reached −27% in the scenario where the total deficit of riparian APPs occupied by pasture or agriculture in the baseline map (41.000 ha) are recovered. While 14% of riparian APP are occupied by crops versus 86% occupied by pasture in the drainage basin of the Corumbá IV HPP, the recovery of riparian zones occupied by agricultural activities resulted in the greatest benefits in sediment retention for the reservoir. The methodology employed in this study can support the prioritization of sectoral efforts for the restoration and conservation of native vegetation, considering the highest returns in benefits perceived by water users affected by sediment input in reservoirs. The study’s results reinforce the importance of conserving vegetation in riparian areas and their surroundings for sediment retention, highlighting the role of these areas as assets in providing water-related ecosystem services. For future developments, it is suggested to assess the interconnections among the energy, water, and food sectors to better understand the barriers and challenges to the maintenance and improvement of water-related ecosystem services in the catchment area of Corumbá IV HPP.

Monetary Valuation of Ecosystem Services Provided by Protective Forest Plantations in the Agroforestry System in the South of the Volga Upland

The purpose of the study is an economic assessment of the effectiveness of agroforestry based on determining the value of ecosystem services of an afforested model land object and extrapolating the data obtained to the territory of the south of the Volga upland with identical natural and economic conditions to the model. The study presents a methodology for the economic assessment of ecosystem goods and services of forested agricultural landscapes based on the modern classification of ecosystem services: CICES. It is established that the economic value of the regional ecosystem product provided by forested lands in the dry steppe is USD 1323 per 1 ha of agroforest landscape per year (price for 2021 on average for 30 years). Of these, regulatory and maintenance services account for 52% of the total economic value, security services—45%, and cultural services—3%. The projected economic value of ecosystem services that will be provided by afforested lands in the south of the Volga upland, the price for 2025, taking into account inflation, is estimated at almost USD 20 million. This value is a sufficient justification for conducting forest reclamation works in the region and providing recommendations for their necessity for small enterprises and farms.

Evaluating MotorCycleApp: A Mobile Application Mechanic Finder for Repair and Maintenance Servicing

The remarkable surge in demand for motorcycle repair and maintenance services within the motorcycle industry can be attributed to the growing number of motorcycles in the Philippines. This paper presents the development of the MotorCyclepp mobile application, designed to facilitate the finding of motorcycle mechanics in Metro Cebu, Philippines. With this app, riders can effortlessly locate and choose from a list of available mechanics within their vicinity and send service requests accordingly. Simultaneously, mechanics can conveniently review the received requests and decide whether to accept or decline them. Once a request is accepted, the service begins, and upon completion, both parties can conclude their transactions and provide feedback messages. The Input-Process-Output (IPO) model was employed as the system’s methodology. The user interface (UI) design was created using Unified Modeling Language (UML), such as a use case diagram, sequence diagram, and class diagram. The evaluation procedures utilized the ISO 9126 model, which examines five quality characteristics: functionality, reliability, usability, efficiency, and portability, for data analysis. The results revealed that the app is unique and interesting but requires further improvements. The significance of this research to the body of literature and the industry will provide future researchers with a valuable reference for advancing mechanic finder app innovations. Keywords: finder, information technology, ISO 9126, mobile application.

Synoptic results on the potential impacts of the Lake Maggiore water management strategy on freshwater littoral ecosystems and invertebrate biocoenosis (NW, Italy)

The first results of the application of the integrated multidisciplinary protocol to study the effects of water level management on the Lake Maggiore littoral habitats and biocoenosis are presented. The "Parchi Verbano Ticino" project (2019-2021, ID: 481668) was the driving force to fine-tune the monitoring and management system of multidisciplinary information (chemistry, hydro-morphology, macro- and meio-fauna monitoring). The study reveals that water level fluctuations in Lake Maggiore, sometimes characterized by measurable changes in water levels, have remarkable effects on littoral habitats and on the structure and function of macro- and meiofaunal assemblages living there. Overall, this study provides insights into the potential impacts of Lake Maggiore water management strategy on freshwater littoral ecosystems during late spring-early summer, and emphasizes the need for a comprehensive understanding of the lake ecosystem dynamics. Thanks to the results achieved, publicly endorsed water management rules will be stated, for the late spring-early summer period, considering frequency and amplitude of water level fluctuations as crucial factors in management plans to mitigate their impacts. The endorsed rules turn out to be a negotiated compromise between the maintenance of ecosystem services and the protection of littoral life below water.

Critical assessment of medical devices on reliability, replacement prioritization and maintenance strategy criterion: Case study of Malaysian hospitals

AbstractThe Biomedical Engineering Maintenance Services (BEMS) is a comprehensive maintenance program that ensures the safety and reliability of medical devices. Significant and crucial devices are identified and prioritized for best practice prior to the equipment life cycle to mitigate functional problems, alarmed by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) underlying the modernization agenda. A model of multi‐criteria decision‐making (MCDM) to prioritize medical devices according to their criticality is presented in this paper, with the utilization of quality function deployment (QFD) and fuzzy logic in the development of the model through a quantitative survey of experts from all regions in Malaysia. As a result, a customized version of the Asset Criticality Assessment (ACA) is developed and is recommended for use in more than 144 Ministry of Health (MOH) hospitals. Subsequently, real data of four selected devices are pulled from the Asset and Services Information System (ASIS) to demonstrate a relevant and comparable end‐result using the QFD and fuzzy logic. In essence, the key contribution of the customized ACA model is that it assesses a promising evaluation with a broader range on both the performance of medical devices and the appropriate asset replacement choices. This leads to an effective maintenance strategy for each device and the modernization of reliability computation metrics.

The impact of servitization on perceived quality, purchase intentions and recommendation intentions in the ready-to-wear sector

PurposeThis study examines the impact of servitization in the form of repair and maintenance services on consumers' quality perceptions, purchase intentions and recommendation intentions while considering consumer frugality as a moderator in the retail ready-to-wear sector.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative approach based on consumer research was pursued. Study 1 tested the research model using a fictitious ready-to-wear brand within an experimental design. To increase the generalizability of results, Study 2 retested the model with a well-known ready-to-wear brand. For both studies, regression, mediation and moderation analyses were conducted in SPSS.FindingsBoth studies showed that servitization positively influences perceived quality. Servitization positively affects purchase intentions and recommendation intentions indirectly via the mediating role of perceived quality. Frugality moderates the relationship between servitization and perceived quality for the fictitious brand (Study 1), whereas it is not significant for a well-known ready-to-wear brand (Study 2). Servitization positively influences perceived quality regardless of consumers' frugality levels for a stronger brand.Originality/valueThis study suggests and tests an original conceptual model that relies on signaling theory. It is among the first studies to examine the impact of servitization on retail fashion consumers' quality perceptions and consequent purchase and recommendation intentions. This study also contributes to the literature by presenting empirical findings based on consumer research on servitization while considering frugality as a moderator.Practical implicationsBundling products with additional services can contribute to quality perceptions and consequently to purchase and recommendation intentions for ready-to-wear brands.

Joint Location–Allocation Model for Multi-Level Maintenance Service Network in Agriculture

The maintenance service network is always designed as a multi-level service network to provide timely maintenance service for failed machinery, and is rarely studied in agriculture. Thus, this paper focuses on a three-level maintenance service network location–allocation problem in agriculture, which contains several spare part centres, service stations, and service units. This research aims to obtain the optimal location of spare part centres and service stations while determining service vehicle allocation results for service stations, and the problem can be called a multi-level facility location and allocation problem (MLFLAP). Considering contiguity constraints and hierarchical relationships, the proposed MLFLAP is formulated as a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) model integrating with P-region and set covering location problems to minimize total service costs, including spare part centre construction costs, service vehicle usage costs, and service mileage costs of service stations. The Benders decomposition-based solution method with several improvements is then applied to decompose the original MLFLAP into master problem and subproblems to find the optimal solutions effectively. Finally, a real-world case in China is proposed to evaluate the performance of the model and algorithm in agriculture, and sensitivity analysis is also conducted to demonstrate the impact of several parameters.

Performance-based contracting in the airline industry from the standpoint of risk-averse maintenance providers

Airline industry is a business characterized by its low profit and high operational risk. Sometimes contracting out aircraft maintenance is mandatory due to the lack of labor capacity or shortage of staff with specialized capabilities. It raises the challenge of negotiating an agreement through performance-based contracting (PBC) as an alternative to traditional on-call maintenance services, or time and material contracts (T &amp;MC), where no risk is transferred to the service provider. Due to the importance of risk transfer to contractors under PBC, the authors propose a model to determine the optimal contract price and the number of customers to serve when aircraft maintenance is outsourced to a risk-averse service provider offering two PBC options. To the best of the author’s knowledge, no quantitative studies for pricing contracts optimally when taking into account maintenance provider’s risk-aversion have been presented in the existing literature. For that purpose, the authors combine queuing, game, and modern portfolio theories in the proposed formulation.