Weathering the storm: A case study of organizational culture and effectiveness in times of disruptive jolts and crisis

A crisis stems from an unexpected negative change in the environment, threatening the high-priority values of the organization. As a crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic jolted businesses worldwide, necessitating an investigation into the aspects of such an unsolicited change in the culture and effectiveness of organizations. With this aim, this research is based on a two-step explanatory case study of a manufacturing firm. In the first step, to measure the change in the OC, a paired-sample test was conducted using the Denison organizational culture survey model. Next, a qualitative inquiry was carried out, and the data were analysed through theme analysis. The results show significant changes in all 4 traits, including strategic direction and intent, vision and agreement, explained by the 12 qualitative themes. Ultimately, this study answers the long-overlooked impact of a jolt, inducing a crisis, on the organizational culture. It sheds light on the importance of clarity of vision, core values and trust during a crisis

Magnetically recoverable TiO2/SiO2/γ-Fe2O3/rGO composite with significantly enhanced UV-visible light photocatalytic activity

In this paper, we report the preparation of a new composite (TiO2/SiO2/γ-Fe2O3/rGO) with a high photocatalytic efficiency. The properties of the composite were examined by different analyses, including X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), photoluminescence (PL), UV-Visible light diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman, vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM), and nitrogen gas physisorption (BET) studies. The photocatalytic efficiency of the proposed composite was evaluated by the degradation of methylene blue under UV and visible light, and the results were compared with titanium dioxide (TiO2), where degradation increased from 30% to 84% and 4% to 66% under UV and visible light, respectively. The significant increase in photocatalytic activity may be explained by the higher adsorption of dye on the surface of the composite and the higher separation and transfer of charge carriers, which in turn promote active sites and photocatalytic efficiency

Heterostructured TiO2/SiO2/γ-Fe2O3/rGO Coating with Highly Efficient Visible-Light-Induced Self-Cleaning Properties for Metallic Artifacts

A novel nanohybrid composite of TiO2, SiO2, γ-Fe2O3, and reduced graphene oxide (TiO2@Si:Fe:rGO) is fabricated by the sol-gel method. The properties of the coated film were examined by structural and self-cleaning analyses using simulated discoloration/soiling and roofing tests. The fabricated transparent TiO2@Si:Fe:rGO composite showed excellent photoactivity and wettability, behaving well in self-cleaning applications. The addition of SiO2 improved the crystalline structure and surface hydroxylation of TiO2 nanoparticles. γ-Fe2O3 decreased the recombination rate of e-/h+ pairs, and significantly improved photocatalytic activity under visible light. Moreover, rGO sheets as excellent electron acceptors and transporters also reduced recombination, as well as affected wettability, achieving superhydrophilicity under irradiation. The coated substrate showed excellent resistance to simulated acid rain and significantly preserved the substrate from soiling in roofing tests

Smart protection of surfaces during day-night by a novel composite self-cleaning coating with catalytic memory

For the first time this work reports a new idea to develop a round-the-clock self-cleaning coating which was successfully applied to preserve cultural heritage and modern artifacts under sunlight illumination and at night. To fabricate this structure, namely, H2:TiO2/WO3@Pt, soft templating and hydrogen treatment approaches were selected to enhance the performance of TiO2/WO3 photocatalyst, together with the addition of Pt plasmonic nanoparticles. The coating can be photochemically charged in the presence of sacrificial electron donors and keep its stability, benefiting from the remained electrons stock for over 10 h to clean the surface from aggressive pollution also at night, in absence of light. This transparent heterostructure with high surface area, proper interfacial contacts in TiO2/WO3@Pt system, and extended visible light absorption resulting from the synergistic interactions of the composite system (TiO2, WO3, and Pt) presents an efficient self-cleaning performance. The smart coated surface could clean the substrate benefiting from 70% pollutants photodegradation after irradiation followed by dark storage (2 and 6 h, individually), and superhydrophilic properties were maintained for hours in the dark, thanks to oxygen vacancies resulted from hydrogen treatment