Quality Certification Research Articles

WEG Mexico has obtained the quality certificate from QUALICOAT

WEG Mexico has obtained the quality certificate from QUALICOAT

EXPRESS: Designing Quality Certificates: Insights from eBay

Quality certification is a common tool to enhance trust in marketplaces. Should the certification be based on consumer reports, such as ratings, or administrative data on seller behavior, such as the number of seller-initiated cancellations? In theory, incorporating consumer reports makes the quality certificate more relevant for consumer experience but may discourage seller effort, because consumer reports can be driven by factors not entirely within sellers’ control. Alternatively, using administrative data makes the certification more controllable by sellers, but these data track only a subset of seller behavior and may not be fully aligned with consumer experience. To answer the above question, we study a major redesign of eBay’s quality certification that removed most consumer reports from its criteria and added administrative data. This change motivates seller effort in dimensions highlighted by the new criteria, as well as allowing sellers to more precisely target their effort at the threshold. Buyers place a higher value on the quality certificate and are more likely to purchase again on the platform in markets where administrative data are more correlated with consumer reports. Lastly, the proportion of certified sellers becomes more homogenized across markets, and sales seem to become more concentrated towards large sellers.

Strategi Peremajaan Sawit Rakyat dan Pengembangan Usaha KUD Sumber Makmur Menggunakan Pendekatan Business Model Canvas

KUD Sumber Makmur is one of the Village Unit Cooperatives located in Pelalawan Regency, Riau. As a form of sustainable palm oil management, cooperative members' oil palm lands that have reached economic maturity need to be replanted. Apart from that, managing KUD cooperatives requires a cooperative business development strategy model. This research aims to identify strategies for rejuvenating smallholder palm oil and business development for KUD Sumber Makmur using the Business Model Canvas approach. The research was conducted in September 2023 at KUD Sumber Makmur, Pelalawan Regency, Riau. The data collection methods in this research are primary data and secondary data. The data analysis used in this research uses a qualitative descriptive type. The strategy for rejuvenating smallholder oil palms at KUD Sumber Makmur consists of the data collection stage and the implementation stage of the smallholder oil palm rejuvenation program. The business development strategy at KUD Sumber Makmur is: The Key Partner of the cooperative is PT Asian Agri, Key Activities of the cooperative consist of a savings and loan unit, agricultural production facilities unit, FFB Transportation unit, and FFB Sales unit, Value Proposition consists of cooperative FFB Quality and Palm Oil Certification, Customer relationships consist of efforts to maintain the quality of FFB and establish good communication with offtakers. Customer segments consist of off-taker companies (PT Asian Agri) and BPDPKS. Key resources consist of partner farmers' land, cooperative buildings, and transportation equipment. Channels consist of Direct and Contract methods, Cost Structure consists of production costs and operational costs, Revenue streams consist of FFB Sales

Association of Centre Quality Certification with Characteristics of Patients, Management, and Outcomes Following Carotid Endarterectomy or Carotid Artery Stenting.

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the association between center quality certifications and patients' characteristics, clinical management, and outcomes after carotid revascularization. Methods: This study is a pre-planned sub-study of the ISAR-IQ project, which analyzes data from the Bavarian subset of the nationwide German statutory quality assurance carotid database. Hospitals were classified as to whether a certified vascular center (cVC) or a certified stroke unit (cSU) was present on-site or not. The primary outcome event was any stroke or death until discharge from the hospital. Results: In total, 31,793 cases were included between 2012 and 2018. The primary outcome rate in asymptomatic patients treated by CEA ranged from 0.7% to 1.5%, with the highest rate in hospitals with cVC but without cSU. The multivariable regression analysis revealed a significantly lower primary outcome rate in centers with cSU in asymptomatic patients (aOR 0.69; 95% CI 0.56-0.86; p < 0.001). In symptomatic patients needing emergency treatment, the on-site availability of a cSU was associated with a significantly lower primary outcome rate (aOR 0.56; 95% CI 0.40-0.80; p < 0.001), whereas the presence of a cVC was associated with higher risk (aOR 3.07; 95% CI 1.65-5.72). Conclusions: This study provides evidence of statistically significant better results in some sub-cohorts in certified centers. In centers with cSU, the risk of any stroke or death was significantly lower in asymptomatic patients receiving CEA or symptomatic patients treated by emergency CEA.

Design of Cashew Marketing Strategy Through Evaluation of Export Potential to Enter the Global Market (Case Study of Mrs. Tini's MSMEs in Ciputat)

This study aims to identify market expansion opportunities and address the administrative barriers MSMEs Kacang Mete Bu Tini face in exporting fresh or dried shelled cashew nuts with HS Code 080132 to Malaysia and Thailand. MSMEs Kacang Mete Bu Tini encounter significant administrative obstacles due to the lack of essential export documents such as quality certificates, certificates of origin, etc. These obstacles slow the market expansion and reduce the product's competitiveness in international markets. The research conducted through Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA) analysis shows that Indonesian cashew nuts have significant comparative advantages in the Malaysian and Thai markets, with RCA values reaching 3.318911 in Malaysia and 2.556656 in Thailand. An RCA value greater than one indicates a comparative advantage in both markets. Regarding competitive advantage, Malaysia holds a "Rising Star" position with an annual export market share growth of 0.281030 percent and a cashew market growth of 0.180204 percent per year. In contrast, Thailand is in a "Retreat" position with an annual export market share growth of -0.509915 percent and a cashew market growth of -0.009638 percent per year, indicating a decline in demand and less satisfactory export performance. The conclusion is that Malaysia is a more suitable export destination for Cashew Nut Bu Tini MSMEs, given the higher RCA value and more favorable market position. MSMEs Kacang Cashew Bu Tini needs to promptly complete the necessary administrative documents to enhance product competitiveness and expand export markets.

Enhancing Muslim Consumer Purchasing Decisions: The Impact of Product Quality, Price, Service Excellence, and Halal Certification

This research aims to determine the influence of Product Quality, Price, Service Quality, and Halal Certification on Muslim Consumer Purchasing Decisions at "Holland Bakery" in DKI Jakarta. The sample consists of 112 respondents who have purchased "Holland Bakery" products, selected through purposive sampling. Findings indicate that product quality and price positively and significantly affect purchasing decisions. However, service quality and Halal certification do not significantly impact purchasing decisions. From a managerial perspective, this research provides key insights for targeting the Muslim consumer market. It emphasizes that while product quality and competitive pricing are crucial, the presence of halal certification and superior service quality may not significantly sway purchasing decisions. Managers should focus on maintaining high product quality and competitive prices to meet the expectations of Muslim consumers, who prioritize these factors when making purchasing decisions.

Dealing with adversity: innovation among small and medium-sized enterprises in developing economies

PurposeSmall and medium-sized enterprises in developing countries, particularly in the Sub-Saharan African region, find it hard to innovate due to severe resource constraints and high institutional voids. Given this, the paper examines three international strategic responses that small and medium-sized enterprises in Sub-Saharan Africa adopt to implement innovations in the face of weak institutional environments.Design/methodology/approachUsing comprehensive data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey, the study applies the Instrumental Variable Probit approach to analyse a sample of 8,466 SMEs from eleven countries in the Sub-Saharan African region.FindingsThe empirical results show that foreign ownership negatively affects product and process innovation. Additionally, the results reveal that small and medium-sized enterprises that leverage exporting and international quality certifications are likely to implement innovations.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the literature by suggesting that small and medium-sized enterprises must exploit strategic alternatives to improve their innovation efforts when operating in a weak institutional environment. Thus, by exploring international strategic responses to institutional difficulties when implementing innovations, this paper goes beyond the prevailing research approach in developing countries that mainly emphasises the barriers to innovations.

Comparison of Dual VET Models in Spain: Analysing Educational Quality from the Perspective of Educational Centres

In Spain, dual vocational training has recently become a fundamental pillar to train the working population. This article focuses on two objectives: to evaluate the quality of two models of dual VET in Spain and to identify their differences in terms of the following dimensions: Teaching Team, Process, Evaluation and Synergies. To achieve these objectives, a quantitative methodology and a cross-sectional design were used to collect data using an ad hoc questionnaire (37 items) developed based on a literature review and the 14 European quality criteria. The sample consisted of 263 educational institutions. Regarding the results for the first objective, Model B implemented EQAVET with higher quality. With regards to the second, researchers observed that all dimensions received a high or very high compliance of 70%. However, discrepancies were primarily found in the training of tutors in training centres, quality certification of dual VET and links, and support and cooperation between training centres and companies. This study provides empirical evidence regarding the factors that lead to higher quality dual VET in schools, based on the manner in which the criteria of the European Framework for Quality and Effective Vocational Education and Training (EQAVET) are implemented.

A three-years survey of microbial contaminants in industrial hemp inflorescences from two Italian cultivation sites

BackgroundThe use of industrial Cannabis sativa L. for recreational, cosmeceutical, nutraceutical, and medicinal purposes has gained momentum due to its rich content of valuable phytochemicals, such as cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabigerol (CBG). However, there are concerns regarding the risk of microbial contamination in plants grown outside controlled environments. Microbes associated with hemp can be either epiphytes or endophytes and may pose a risk of infectious illness for humans.MethodsSeven Italian hemp genotypes, including Bernabeo, Carmagnola, Carmaleonte, Codimono, CS, Eletta Campana, and Fibranova, were cultivated in two distinct geographic locations, Catania and Rovigo, for three consecutive years from 2019 to 2021. Total aerobic microbes (TAMC), total combined yeasts/moulds (TYMC), the presence of bile-tolerant Gram-negative bacteria, and the absence of Escherichia coli and Salmonella spp. were evaluated and compared. The main phytocannabinoid content was measured and correlated with microbial contamination.ResultsMost samples analyzed in this study did not meet the European Pharmacopoeia microbiological limits. The detection of potential pathogens, such as E. coli and Salmonella spp., in the samples indicates that the use of inflorescences may represent a possible source of infection. Microbial contamination varied among harvesting seasons and production sites, with agroclimatic conditions influencing microbial load and composition. The presence of potentially pathogenic bacteria was less associated with seasonal climate variability and more likely affected by sporadic contamination from external sources. CBD concentration exhibited a negative correlation with bile-tolerant Gram-negative bacteria and total yeasts/moulds levels. Samples with lower CBD content were more contaminated than those with higher CBD levels, suggesting a potential protective effect of this phytochemical on the plant.ConclusionsThe threshing residues (inflorescences, floral bracts, and leaves) of industrial hemp varieties represent a valuable product and a source of beneficial phytochemicals that warrants further exploration. While post-harvest sterilization methods may reduce microbiological risks, they may also degrade heat- and light-sensitive bioactive phytochemicals. The most promising strategy involves implementing best agronomic practices to maintain healthy and uncontaminated cultures. Rigorous monitoring and quality certification protocols are essential to mitigate the microbiological risk associated with the consumption of hemp-derived products.

Global value chain participation, trade cost and benefits of timber industry

The purpose of this paper is to explore the effect of global value chain participation (GVCP) on the gains from trade and trade costs of the timber industry and reveal the underlying influence mechanism. The GVCP Index, Novy (2011) method, and WWZ Value Added Decomposition method have been used to measure the degree of global value chain participation, trade costs, and gains from trade of the timber industry, respectively. The results show that the export gains from trade of the timber industry featured inter-annual sustainability. Further, GVCP, has an insignificant impact, suggesting that the industry’s degree of GVCP is limited. While the current trade cost and policy barriers to forest product trade harm it. And the cost of export trade has a strong lag effect on gains from trade. The increase of current trade costs reduces the short-term benefits; but in the long run, the trade costs and benefits show a synchronous growth trend. To maintain and enhance its competitiveness, therefore, the industry will have to change the GVCP degree and mode of the timber industry, reduce short-term trade costs, and improve the quality and legitimacy certification level of timber products.

Do Retailers Compete Against Informal Firms? A Comparison of the Periods of the Global Crisis and Post-Crisis

This study investigates the transformation of competitive dynamics between formal sector retailers and their informal sector counterparts in Eastern European and Central Asian countries after the 2008-2009 global financial crisis. The absence of extensive government bailouts in these regions intensified the economic repercussions of the crisis. This study used data from the BEEPS II and BEEPS IV (i.e. Business Environment and Enterprise Performance Survey) surveys conducted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the World Bank with a focus on informal competition in Eastern Europe and Central Asia based on data from owners or top-managers of companies working in this region. To investigate the impact of the global crisis on informal competition for retailers, survey results in 2008 (“crisis period”) were compared with the data in 2013 (“post-crisis period”). Non-parametric tests, specifically the Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon tests, were used to compare the 2008 and 2013 results. Binary logistic regressions were used to identify factors influencing the perception of competition from the informal sector (Pearson correlation coefficients and assessed Variance Inflation Factors to detect multicollinearity issues). Findings reveal a significant shift post-crisis shift with a reduced proportion of formal sector retailers competing with informal firms. Notably, this effect is statistically insignificant for retailers with sole proprietorships and partnerships and those with internationally recognized quality certifications. Moreover, research highlights a diminished perception of informal competitors as substantial hindrances to retailers’ business operations post-crisis. However, this observation is not statistically significant for retail businesses structured as partnerships. Logistic regression indicates that smaller firms, firms led by a more experienced top manager, and firms with a female top manager are more prone to perceive competition from the informal sector. Furthermore, this study delves into the factors shaping retailers’ perceptions across post-Soviet and other transition countries, revealing differences in the impact of firm size and female ownership. This nuanced investigation contributes depth to the current literature concerning the interconnections between formal and informal retail sectors. It offers a comparative analysis focusing on post-Soviet states and other transitioning nations in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

Analysis of thermal cycles during DED-Arc of high-strength low-alloy steel and microstructural evolution

Additive manufacturing (AM), specifically Directed Energy Deposition (DED)-Arc, holds great potential for the fabrication of individually designed components. In the construction industry, the demand for tailored steel nodes is increasing, particularly for large-scale structures, where high-strength steel deployment can significantly reduce material consumption and production time. However, the thermal material deposition process has a strong impact on the technical properties of high-strength steel. Parameters like heat input, interpass temperature (IPT), and cooling strategies modulate cooling times and peak temperatures in thermal cycles, which are crucial for estimating mechanical properties indispensable for safety certification. The development of digital twins or digital shadows emerges as the primary approach for quality assurance and certification, deploying real-time monitoring of manufacturing parameters such as voltage, current, wire feed, thermal history, and bead shapes. This data can be correlated with specific regions in the fabricated part to draw quality inferences. To interpret this data effectively, an understanding of the influence of these process parameters on resultant properties is indispensable. Given that the resulting microstructure strongly depends on the thermal history in AM parts, temperature monitoring during DED-Arc using thermography emerges as a promising method. This article aims at providing fundamental knowledge about phase transformations of a high strength steel feedstock under repeated reheating and gaining comprehensive knowledge about microstructural evolution during DED-Arc Additive Manufacturing. This is done by the analysis of time-temperature profiles, resulting microstructure and mechanical properties, linking it to CCT diagrams. A novel approach for describing the degree of tempering in different regions of the samples by deploying tempering parameters for anisothermal heat treatments is presented. By using this approach, an estimation about the resulting microstructure and hence the mechanical properties can be drawn.

Hubungan Suhu dan Kelembapan Ruangan Terhadap Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) di UPTD Balai Pengujian dan Sertifikasi Mutu Barang (BPSMB) Samarinda

Samarinda is one of the cities in East Kalimantan, in Samarinda itself there are many office buildings that use AC coolers. One of the office buildings in Samarinda is the Quality Testing and Certification Center of East Kalimantan’s Building (UPTD. Balai Pengujian dan Sertifikasi Mutu Barang Provinsi Kalimantan Timur). Room temperature and humidity greatly affect the level of worker productivity, but not many people understand the existence of sick building syndrome (SBS). The purpose of this study was to determine the characteristics of employees regarding SBS complaints based on age and length of work and to find out the description of room temperature and humidity at UPTD BPSMB. The type of research used is non-probability sampling with a descriptive approach. The sample in this study were UPTD BPSMB Samarinda employees with a sample size of 20 people. The sampling technique was determined by purposive sampling method. The results of this study showed that the most commonly experienced symptoms were dry skin (50%), drowsiness (40%), dry lips and fatigue (20%), eye irritation, headaches, and difficulty concentrating (15%). From the results of the cross-tabulations that were carried out, it was found that there was no relationship between temperature and SBS, age and SBS, and duration of work with SBS, Still, there was a relationship between humidity and SBS. It is suggested to the UPTD BPSMB to monitor the room at least once a month to see the temperature and humidity conditions of the room so that employees can work comfortably and can increase employee productivity.

Review of Digital Campus Construction Led by Virtual Reality Technology

In recent years, the government has issued a series of documents to promote the construction of digital campuses. This initiative serves to encourage the deep integration of information technology and intelligent technology education and digital reform, the combination of virtual reality and campus management is the need for innovative thinking and economic and social development, and then better change our learning style and living environment. The construction of the digital campus is based on virtual reality technology, BIM, GIS, and three-dimensional modeling technology to provide an immersive platform for students, promote the integration of virtual reality technology and education, help teachers, students, and parents to understand all kinds of education information and resources, to achieve their interoperability. From the off-campus environment to the school teaching equipment, teachers to teaching quality certification, and learning, to extracurricular entertainment, opening ceremonies to graduation parties, to bring more efficient, convenient, and safe campus life for teachers, students, and staff in school, and break the traditional information restrictions.

The effects of the professionalization of hosting on service quality: Towards quality standards and certifications within the short-term rental market

This paper explores how the increasing professionalization of the short-term rental market (previously dominated by individual hosts) fosters the implementation of formal quality standards in the sector. It is based on 36 in-depth interviews conducted with different stakeholders of the short-term rental industry in six European countries, namely, Croatia, Cyprus, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and the UK, and at EU level. The article maps different initiatives that outline some quality standards for short-term rentals. We found first, that to implement quality standardisation, it is important to distinguish between private and professional hosts; and, second, that consensus must be reached on: (1) whether quality would be standardised at national or EU level; (2) which governing body should be responsible for quality certifications (e.g., governments or private institutions as in the case of ISO standards); and (3) identification of practices that should be certified (e.g., property facilities/amenities, size, health & safety protection, etc.).

Blockchain and Smart Contracts Based Agricultural Supply Chain

Supply chain management (SCM), product traceability, and product quality certification are some of the initial prominent uses of blockchain technology. This is because blockchain technology is built on trust and cannot be changed. The popularity of blockchain technology is increasing as it is trustworthy and cannot be changed; hence making traceability easier for information such as where food came from, thus essential for managing the agricultural food supply chain (SC). On the contrary, suggested SCM systems premised on smart contract technology and blockchain tend to be specifically apply to production and production processes. Through qualitative research, this paper suggests framework for adoption of smart contracts based on Ethereum in the agri-food SC, with the aim to establish means to adopt blockchain for checking food quality and origins in the agri-food supply chain. Remix IDE is utilised to build and test the smart contract. The significance of the framework is realised through ensuring the traceability of product safety and quality.

Analyzing Strawberry Preferences: Best-Worst Scaling Methodology and Purchase Styles.

This research has investigated Italian consumers' preferences for and purchasing behaviors of strawberries utilizing the Best-Worst Scaling methodology (BWS). This approach enables the key factors that influence strawberry purchasing decisions to be identified and different choice groups to be characterized. To achieve this goal, a survey was conducted on a sample of 496 respondents living in the metropolitan area of Milan (North Italy). The declared preferences of the individuals for 12 strawberry characteristics, divided into intrinsic, extrinsic, and credence attributes, were first measured. A Latent Class Analysis (LCA) was then performed to identify different clusters of consumers according to the individuals' preferences. Subsequently, the heterogeneity of the clusters was tested, using the Chi-square test, and sociodemographic characteristics and purchasing habits were considered. The results suggest that the most important attribute in the choice of strawberries was appearance, highlighting the importance of preserving it throughout the supply chain, followed by one of the increasingly important aspects of diets, which is health benefits. The attribute considered the least important was the brand. This study demonstrates, from a holistic point of view, that sociodemographic characteristics, food habits, and perceptions of different strawberry attributes influence consumers' preferences and behaviors. Practical implications suggest a new prospective for communication marketing strategies for producers, creating a better brand identity and highlighting in their marketing all of the aspects that consumers would like to know about the fruits they choose as quality certifications.

Resilience of ethical and nonethical stock during COVID-19 crisis: a case of Indonesia Stock Exchange

Purpose This study aims to empirically investigates the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on ethical and nonethical stocks in Indonesia. Ethical stocks which are characterized by moral-based companies’ activities and lower debt are expected to have better resilience during the COVID-19 crisis compared to nonethical stock. Design/methodology/approach This study observes 589 firms of ethical and nonethical stock during sample periods ranging from March 2, 2020 (first case announced) to June 30, 2021. Panel regression, with some control variables, was applied. Findings Testing firms in Indonesia revealed a significant difference in stock resilience, in which ethical stock has a better resilience compared to nonethical, with Islamic socially responsible investment (SRI) stock having the highest resilience, followed by Islamic stock and then SRI stock. This study documents a significant effect of some financial criteria on the stock resilience, namely, return market (RM), market capitalization (MCAP) and share turnover (TURN). Overall, after splitting the sample into different time horizons, this study consistently reveals that ethical firms have better resilience compared to nonethical stocks. Research limitations/implications This study makes several contributions to the literature on Islamic finance, especially concerning Islamic screening with SRI factors. In practical terms, this study supports the argument that focusing on integrating environmental, social and governance criteria in sharia screening will improve the quality of Islamic firms. The “Islamic” label is not only a marketing label but also a quality certification. Originality/value This study can be used as a reference for developing Islamic finance more focused on sustainability issues including socioeconomic and human development by improving the quality of screening of Islamic firms. Therefore, this study suggests that the establishment of Islamic SRI index is very crucial and significant to promote ethical-based investment.

Connecting Research and Practice for Software Product Quality Evaluation and Certification: A Software Laboratory’s 25-Year Journey

Connecting Research and Practice for Software Product Quality Evaluation and Certification: A Software Laboratory’s 25-Year Journey

Quality assessment of biomass pellets available on the market; example from Poland

This study evaluates the quality of 30 biomass pellets sold for residential use in Poland. It provides data on their physical, chemical, and petrographic properties and compares them to existing standards and the information provided by the fuel producers. The results reveal considerable variations in the quality of the pellets and show that some of the purchased samples are not within the DINplus and/or ENplus certification thresholds. Among all 30 purchased samples, only one passes the quality thresholds set by the PL-US BIO, a newly established quality certification in Poland that combines quality assessment following DINplus with optical microscopy analysis. The primary issues causing a decrease in pellet quality include elevated ash and fines content, compromised mechanical durability, too low ash melting temperature, and additions of undesired additions like bark, inorganic matter, and petroleum products. Our research highlights the need for improved fuel quality control measures, and transparent and accurate product labeling, as well as the need for a comprehensive and publicly available national database of solid biomass fuel producers and fuels sold. These are essential steps toward increasing customers’ awareness and trust, encouraging them to embrace biomass fuels as reliable and sustainable sources of energy.