Performance Implications Research Articles

Optimization-based design exploration of building massing typologies—EvoMass and a typology-oriented computational design optimization method for early-stage performance-based building massing design

In the past decade, there has been an increasing recognition of the role of computational design optimization in early-stage performance-based architectural design exploration. However, it remains challenging for designers to apply such optimization-based design explorations in practice. To address this issue, this paper introduces a design tool, called EvoMass, and an associated design method that facilitates design exploration for building massing typologies in performance-based design tasks. EvoMass is capable of offering architects design options reflecting performance-related building massing typologies for the design task, without necessitating advanced computational design skills. More importantly, it can provide architects with insights into the underlying performance implications, thereby enhancing early-stage performance-based design exploration. EvoMass and its associated design method overcome the limitation in the conventional typology-first-optimization-second design procedure adopted by most existing tools, and it promotes a typology-oriented design exploration method of using computational optimization in performance-based architectural design. To demonstrate the efficacy of EvoMass, case studies derived from architectural design studio tasks, incorporating daylighting, solar exposure, and subjective design intents, and the result of a user survey are presented, which highlights how EvoMass and the performance-based design optimization and exploration can enable architects to achieve a more performance-aware design.

Being a family supportive team leader: Implications for team emotional climate and performance

Being a family supportive team leader: Implications for team emotional climate and performance

A Review of Multiscale Mechanical Failures in Lithium-Ion Batteries: Implications for Performance, Lifetime and Safety

A Review of Multiscale Mechanical Failures in Lithium-Ion Batteries: Implications for Performance, Lifetime and Safety

Environmental sustainability performance of US airlines: implications of financial performance and technical efficiency

Air transportation significantly contributes to global CO2 emissions. The US Aviation Climate Action Plan introduced in November 2021 aims to decarbonize the aviation sector by 2050. Aligned with this initiative, our study applies Data Envelopment Analysis and fixed-effect panel regression to empirically explore how financial performance and technical efficiency impact Environmental Sustainability Performance (ESP) in the airline industry. We curated panel data of nine US passenger airlines from 2010 to 2019 to examine three key areas: the impact of financial performance on environmental sustainability performance, the influence of efficiency on environmental sustainability performance, and the relationship between flight stage length and environmental sustainability performance. Our findings indicate that improved Financial Performance, higher technical efficiency, and longer stage lengths positively contribute to enhanced environmental sustainability performance. Our study provides valuable insights for managers and policymakers, emphasizing the pivotal role of financial stability in achieving environmental goals within the airline industry. It underscores the intricate connection between economic viability and sustainability, offering guidance for policymakers seeking to balance financial success with environmental goals.

Adaptive load balancing strategies in service composition for improved system performance

Service composition enables the integration of multiple services to create new functionalities, optimizing resource utilization and supporting diverse applications in critical domains such as safety-critical systems, telecommunications, and business operations. This paper addresses the challenges in comparing load-balancing algorithms within service composition environments and proposes a novel dynamic load-balancing algorithm designed specifically for these systems. The proposed algorithm aims to improve response times, enhance system efficiency, and optimize overall performance. Through a simulated service composition environment, the algorithm was validated, demonstrating its effectiveness in managing the computational load of a BMI calculator web service. This dynamic algorithm provides real-time monitoring of critical system parameters and supports system optimization. In future work, the algorithm will be refined and tested across a broader range of scenarios to further evaluate its scalability and adaptability. By bridging theoretical insights with practical applications, this research contributes to the advancement of dynamic load balancing in service composition, offering practical implications for high-tech system performance.

“Sweeten the (i)-deal”: unveiling power and influence dynamics in family small and medium-sized enterprises

PurposeFamily small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) represent a substantial part of many economies. In these organizations, close and informal relationships between employers and employees often foster a mutual understanding of each other’s needs, facilitating the negotiation of idiosyncratic deals (i-deals), special employment conditions tailored for individual employees. However, research on how i-deals are negotiated in family SMEs, especially regarding power dynamics and influence, remains limited. This study aims to identify the types of i-deals negotiated in family SMEs and explore the role of power and influence in these negotiations.Design/methodology/approachSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 45 employees and 15 employers from Spanish family SMEs. Data were analyzed using ATLAS.ti 8, and thematic analysis was performed.FindingsThe study concludes that task, flexibility, financial and development i-deals are particularly negotiated in family SMEs. It identifies that referent and expert power play an important role in initiating these negotiations. Furthermore, rational tactics are generally employed for negotiating work performance, soft tactics for employment-related aspects and hard tactics for work flexibility. Additionally, the study identified gender differences in the negotiation of i-deals.Research limitations/implicationsThis study enhances i-deal literature by highlighting the distinct characteristics of family SMEs and their impact on i-deal negotiations. The findings suggest that power dynamics and influence tactics in family SMEs differ from those in larger firms. Moreover, certain i-deals may encounter resistance due to concerns about organizational performance and economic implications. Understanding these factors is essential for developing effective negotiation strategies in family SMEs.Originality/valueThis study offers a dual perspective, analyzing the power and influence tactics used by both employees and employers in family SME i-deal negotiations and highlighting gendered dynamics in these processes.

Blockchain for supply chain: performance implications and contingencies

PurposeThis study aims to examine the performance implications of blockchain implementation in the supply chain and explore how blockchain functions and supply chain processes of blockchain implementation moderate the effect on firm performance.Design/methodology/approachUsing 220 blockchain implementations announced between January 2015 and December 2022, we use the event study methodology to estimate the effects of blockchain implementation on the firm value. Regression analyses are conducted to examine the moderating effects of blockchain functions and supply chain processes.FindingsFirst, there is a positive and statistically significant relationship between blockchain implementation in the supply chain and firm value. Second, we find that abnormal returns from blockchain implementation are higher when used with blockchain’s contract automation function and applied in downstream processes, supporting the moderation effects.Originality/valueThe study provides empirical evidence on the effects of the blockchain implementation on firm performance, taking into account the complexity of blockchain functions and supply chain processes. It enriches the current understanding of how blockchain implementation in the supply chain contributes to firm value.

Enhancing security in Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs) with ECC-based Diffie-Hellman Key Exchange algorithm (ECDH).

Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs) are integral to modern healthcare systems, providing continuous health monitoring and real-time data transmission. The sensitivity of medical data being transmitted makes security a significant concern in WBANs. This study explores the application of the Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC)-based Diffie-Hellman Key Exchange (ECDH) algorithm to enhance security within WBANs. The study investigates the suitability of ECC for this context and evaluates the performance and security implications of implementing ECDH in WBANs. The findings reveal that ECDH provides a robust and computationally efficient solution for secure key exchange in WBANs, addressing inherent vulnerabilities. The adoption of ECC-based ECDH is poised to bolster data confidentiality and integrity in WBANs, promoting trust and widespread use of these networks in healthcare applications. This research contributes to the growing body of knowledge regarding security measures in WBANs and opens new avenues for the secure transmission of sensitive medical information.

Supplier Involvement and Firm Financial Performance: Bringing Strategic Fit to the Fore

AbstractWhile supplier involvement is largely considered an industry best practice, its financial performance implications are far from clear and remain equivocal. These disparate findings led us to shift the conversation to exploring the strategic conditions that may enhance the value of the practice. We do so by drawing on the strategic fit perspective, an underexplored perspective in supplier involvement research. We argue that the value of supplier involvement is shaped by the task priority associated with a firm's strategic orientation. Accounting for the multidimensional nature of strategic fit, we further investigate whether strategic fit is likely to be impacted by a firm's level of market competition. Using a longitudinal survey of automotive manufacturers in Brazil, we demonstrate that supplier involvement fits well with a low‐cost strategy as opposed to a differentiation strategy. However, the degree of fit varies across levels of market competition. The study's overarching contribution is that it develops a theory of how strategic factors interact to impact the financial performance implications of supplier involvement, stressing the significance of strategic fit as the underlying mechanism.

State Management in React: Redux vs Zustand - A Comprehensive Guide

This comprehensive article examines the current state of React state management solutions, focusing on Redux and Zustand as primary implementation options. Through empirical data and real-world metrics, the study reveals that while Redux maintains dominance in enterprise applications with 59.6% developer adoption and serves 72% of large-scale applications, Zustand has emerged as a compelling alternative with a 66.7% satisfaction rate, particularly in medium-sized projects. The article covers performance implications, best practices, and potential pitfalls of both solutions, supported by statistical evidence showing that proper state management implementation can reduce render times by up to 42% and improve development velocity by 40%. The article demonstrates that choosing between these solutions significantly impacts project success, with factors such as application scale, team size, and complexity requirements playing crucial roles in the decision-making process.

Prevalence of Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder among Medical Students, King Faisal University

Background: The neurobehavioral disorder known as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is typified by impulsivity, hyperactivity, and difficulty in maintaining focus. According to recent research, it can last into adulthood. Regarding identifying adult ADHD, the fifth edition of the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" has undergone major alteration. As far as we are aware, few research has been done in the Gulf region on adult ADHD among medical students.Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out on students of medicine from all academic years in King Faisal University, Hofuf, from December 2023 until June 2024. 279 medical students participated in the study. Self-reported English questionnaires with two sections—a sociodemographic section and a screening scale for adult ADHD based on the DSM5 version—were utilized for the investigation. Outcomes: (14. %) of pupils mentioned having signs of ADHD. Results: Of the sample, 14% of students exhibited ADHD symptoms, a rate higher than the global prevalence. Female students (13.1%) and first-year students (18.9%) showed significant ADHD symptoms. Psychological comorbidities were present in 28.6% of ADHD-affected students compared to 11.4% of non-affected students. The ADHD group demonstrated mild but notable challenges in concentration, relaxation, and impulsive behavior, with implications for academic performance and stress management.Conclusion: Our study shows a higher prevalence compared with a worldwide prevalence of i.e., 14%. This difference could be due to community interaction and way of living life style factors. Those individuals may have difficulty in communication and learning which can disturb students’ academic efficiency, lengthen their study, and even disturb their development.

Is There a Moderated Mediation Model that Explains the Relationship Between Strategic Agility, Organizational Culture, Environmental Turbulence, and Organizational Performance? Evidence from Accredited Universities in Kenya

Accredited universities in Kenya are vital for quality education and research but face significant challenges that impact their performance. Issues such as strategic agility, organizational culture, and environmental turbulence contribute to difficulties in adapting to changes and maintaining effectiveness. Inadequate funding, outdated infrastructure, and regulatory constraints further exacerbate these challenges, affecting their ability to deliver high-quality education and remain competitive. This study employed a descriptive cross-sectional survey research design to investigate the moderating influence of environmental turbulence on the indirect link between strategic agility and organizational performance through organizational culture. The cross-sectional dataset was obtained from 78 accredited universities in Kenya using a questionnaire. The ordinary least squares model employed revealed that environmental turbulence moderated the indirect relationship between strategic agility and organizational performance via organizational culture in a synergistic manner, hence affirming moderated mediation. These findings highlight the moderating and mediating role of environmental turbulence and organizational culture in the link between strategic agility and organizational performance, providing managerial and policy implications. In the future, researchers should do longitudinal studies to look at how dynamics change over time, comparative sector analyses to get a bigger picture, and more mediators and moderators to fully understand the proposed links.

Distinct Neural Mechanisms Underlying Dual-Task Priority During Gait Across Cognitive and Motor Networks.

Background: Prioritization strategy during gait significantly influences gait performance and successful gait relies on interactions between cognitive and motor functions. This study aimed to examine the within- and between-network connectivities of cognitive and motor networks associated with dual-task priority during gait. Methods: Twenty-nine healthy individuals (66.86 ± 8.53 years) underwent the timed-up-and-go (TUG) test alone, TUG with a cognitive task, and the cognitive task alone. The cognitive task involved sequentially subtracting three from a random number between 50 and 100. The resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was acquired on the same day. Using independent component analysis, the dorsal attention network (DAN), frontoparietal network (FPN), primary motor network (PM), and lateral motor network were assessed. The participants were divided into cognitive and motor priority groups based on the modified attention allocation index (mAAI). Group comparisons of within- and between-network connectivity were conducted using permutation tests. Additionally, correlation analysis was employed to investigate the association between-network connectivity and task priority. Results: The cognitive priority group showed cognitive dual-task facilitation. In comparison to the motor priority group, they also showed comparable motor dual-task costs and lower combined dual-task costs. They exhibited increased within-network connectivity in the left FPN and enhanced between-network connectivity between the right FPN and both the DAN and PM. These between-network connectivities were negatively correlated with mAAI scores. Conclusion: The results suggest distinct neural mechanisms across cognitive and motor networks based on individuals' dual-task strategies. This may have implications for understanding gait performance in complex contexts.

Fast or slow? A meta-analysis on the performance implications of decision, implementation, and response speed

Speed across various organizational processes, such as decision-making, executing operational activities, and responding to competitive challenges, represents an essential component of firms’ ability to achieve a competitive advantage. However, a theoretical and empirical consensus has yet to form whether decision speed (DS), implementation speed (IS), and response speed (RS) are beneficial or detrimental to firm performance. To help reconcile these inconclusive findings, we meta-analyze 127 studies (representing 239 effect sizes) and report overall direct effects for DS (0.21), IS (0.22), and RS (0.10) on firm performance. In addition, we examine contingencies which reveal that the performance consequences of DS, IS, and RS vary across contextual and methodological conditions.

Analisis Peran Kepemimpinan Digital dan Budaya Organisasi dalam Meningkatkan Kinerja Karyawan: Tinjauan Literatur Sistematis

The digital era has brought significant changes in organizations, creating a need for effective digital leadership, and adaptation in organizational culture. This transformation not only affects technological aspects, but also impacts how organizations operate. This systematic literature review aims to explore the role of digital leadership and organizational culture that have implications for improvement employee performance in the digital era. Through the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach, this study analyzes recent literature on digital leadership, organizational culture, and employee performance in the context of digital transformation. The SLR method is conducted through systematic searches in academic database, study selection based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, data extraction, and synthesis of findings. The results of the review show that digital leadership plays a crucial role in facilitating organizational adaptation to new technologies and driving innovation. Organizational culture that supports digitalization has been found to have a positive impact on employee performance. The interaction between digital leadership and organizational culture creates an environment conducive to increasing productivity, creativity, and employee engagement. Keywords: Transformation, leadership, innovation, and productivity.

Benchmarking Big Data Systems: Performance and Decision-Making Implications in Emerging Technologies

Systems for graph processing are a key enabler for insights from large-scale graphs that are critical to many new advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Internet of Things, and blockchain. In this study, we benchmark another two widely utilized graph processing systems, Apache Spark GraphX and Apache Fink, concerning the key performance criterion by means of response time, scalability, and computational complexity. We demonstrate our results which show the capability of each system for real-world graph applications, and hence, providing a quantitative understanding to select the system for our purpose. GraphX’s strength was in processing batch in-memory workloads typical of blockchain and machine learning model optimization, while Flink excelled in processing stream data, which is timely and important to the IoT world. These performance characteristics emphasize how the capabilities of graph processing systems can match the requirements for the performance of different emerging technology applications. Our findings ultimately inform practitioners about system efficiencies and limitations, but also the recent advances in hardware accelerators and algorithmic improvements aimed at shaping the new graph processing frontier in diverse technology domains.

The Rise of AI Pricing: Trends, Driving Forces, and Implications for Firm Performance

We document key stylized facts about the time-series trends and cross-sectional distributions of AI pricing and study its implications for firm performance, both on average and conditional on monetary policy shocks. We use the universe of online job posting data from Lightcast to measure the adoption of AI pricing. We infer that a firm is adopting AI pricing if it posts a job opening that requires AI-related skills and contains the keyword “pricing.” At the aggregate level, the share of AI-pricing jobs in all pricing jobs has increased by more than tenfold since 2010. The increase in AI-pricing jobs has been broad-based, spreading to more industries than other types of AI jobs. At the firm level, larger and more productive firms are more likely to adopt AI pricing. Moreover, firms that adopted AI pricing experienced faster growth in sales, employment, assets, and markups, and their stock returns are also more sensitive to high-frequency monetary policy surprises than non-adopters. We show that these empirical observations can be rationalized by a simple model where a monopolist firm with incomplete information about the demand function invests in AI pricing to acquire information.

Making a Splash: A Closer Look at Early Specialization in Competitive Diving.

This review article explores the multifaceted aspects of early specialization in diving, focusing on its implications for injury prevalence, performance, and mental health. It highlights the increasing trend of early specialization driven by ambitions for collegiate and Olympic success, despite recommendations advocating for diversification. Divers are at risk for acute and overuse injuries, particularly during high-velocity water entries; however, data on injury patterns, especially among elite divers and early specializers, remains scarce. Recent data suggest a correlation between early specialization and reduced rates of certain injuries among youth divers, but distinguishing between acute and overuse injuries is crucial. Additionally, early specialization may pose mental health risks, with divers facing pressures related to performance, body image, and parental expectations. This article underscores the need for tailored guidelines to mitigate injury risks and promote holistic well-being among youth divers, recognizing the complex interplay between physical and psychological factors in sports specialization.

Side-Reactions of Polyvinylidene Fluoride and Polyvinylidene Chloride Binders with Aluminum Chloride-Based Ionic Liquid Electrolyte in Rechargeable Aluminum-Batteries

Rechargeable aluminum batteries (RABs) use a Lewis acidic aluminum chloride (AlCl3) and 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (EMImCl) ionic liquid electrolyte. Electrode fabrication often relies on procedures from lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), including the use of Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVdF) as a binder. However, PVdF reacts with Al2Cl7 − in the RAB electrolyte, making it unsuitable for new battery types. The literature lacks details on the products formed, changes in the ionic liquid electrolyte, and the implications for electrochemical performance. With potential European Chemical Agency restrictions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by 2025, Polyvinylidene chloride (PVdC) is being explored as an alternative binder. In contact with AlCl3:EMImCl (1.50:1.00) electrolyte, both, PVdF and PVdC transform into amorphous carbon during dehydrofluorination and dehydrochlorination, respectively, as confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. Furthermore, via 19F-NMR, it is shown that the reaction time between the soaked polymers and the ionic liquid has a significant influence on the newly formed aluminum chlorofluoride complexes. Electrochemical tests of graphite-based electrodes indicate increasing specific capacity of PVdF compared to PVdC with a continuous number of cycles. Amorphous carbon can prevent the disintegration of graphite and enhance conductivity. Furthermore, newly formed AlF4 − can run a co-intercalation and lead to increasing specific capacity.

Dynamics of impure CO2 and composite oil in mineral nanopores: Implications for shale oil recovery and gas storage performance

Evaluating the application effectiveness of impure CO2 in shale reservoirs is a prerequisite for reducing CO2 purification costs. Therefore, molecular dynamics simulations were applied to study the influential mechanisms of impurity gases, mineral types and oil components on impure CO2 enhanced oil recovery (impure CO2-EOR) and gas storage (GS). The orientation force between H2S and polar oil components and the strong adsorption of H2S on mineral walls improve the solubility and diffusivity of impure CO2 in shale oil. Moreover, the induction force between H2S and CO2 carry additional CO2 to walls, and the hydrogen bonds formed between H2S and walls further enhance oil–gas competitive adsorption, resulting in more adsorbed oil being stripped and more H2S/CO2 being sequestered. N2 hinders the dissolution of H2S/CO2 into shale oil and the diffusion of desorbed oil towards the center of nanopores. Therefore, the EOR and GS performances in nanopores are positively and negatively correlated with the proportion of H2S and N2 in impure CO2, respectively. Both EOR and GS performances of impure CO2 decrease sequentially in illite, quartz, and kerogen nanopores, because the strong adsorption of shale oil on kerogen walls causes oil molecules to arrange tightly and dissolve in kerogen. It weakens the solubility and diffusivity of impure CO2 in shale oil, and also increases the resistance of impure CO2 to displace adsorbed and dissolved oil. By contrast, illite walls have the weakest adsorption on shale oil and the largest number of hydrogen bonds formed with H2S. The increase of heavy component content further enhances the interaction between oil molecules and the adsorption of shale oil on wall, thereby weakening the effects of various impure CO2-EOR mechanisms.