Evolving Role and Nature of Workplace Leaders and Diversity: A Theoretical and Empirical Approach

This paper describes the development of the organisational gap model for hotel management. It descries a management measurement instrument that helps to assess the 3 organizational service gaps that are preconditions for delivering service quality (the positioning gap, specification gap and evaluation gap). The described theoretical model was constructed based upon the four organisational gaps of the Parasuraman et al. service quality model, then redefined and reassessed. Data were gathered on the sample of 500 questionnaires from the Slovenian hotel industry and analysed with exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modelling. The results can be useful guidelines for hotel management on how to improve the service delivery process.service quality model, organisational gaps, multivariate analysis, hotel industry

High-Performance Computing Two-Scale Finite Element Simulations of a Contact Problem Using Computational Homogenization - Virtual Forming Limit Curves for Dual-Phase Steel

The appreciated macroscopic properties of dual-phase (DP) steels strongly depend on their microstructure. Therefore, accurate finite element (FE) simulations of a deformation process of such a steel require the incorporation of the microscopic heterogeneous structure. Usually, a brute force FE discretization incorporating the microstructure is not feasible since it results in exceedingly large problem sizes. Instead, the microstructure has to be incorporated by using computational homogenization. We present a numerical two-scale approach of the Nakajima test for a DP steel, which is a well known material test in the steel industry. It can be used to derive forming limit diagrams (FLDs), which allow experts to judge the maximum formability properties of a specific type of sheet metal in the considered thickness. For the simulations, we use our software package FE2TI, which is a highly scalable implementation of the well known FE2 homogenization approach. The microstructure is represented by a representative volume element (RVE) and it is discretized separately from the macroscopic problem. We discuss the incorporation of contact constraints using a penalty formulation as well as appropriate boundary conditions. In addition, we introduce a simple load step strategy and different opportunities for the choice of an initial value for a single load step by using an interpolation polynomial. Finally, we come up with computationally derived FLDs. Although we use a computational homogenization strategy, the resulting problems on both scales can be quite large. The efficient solution of such large problems requires parallel strategies. Therefore, we consider the highly scalable nonlinear domain decomposition methods FETI-DP (Finite Element Tearing and Interconnecting - Dual-Primal) and BDDC (Balancing Domain Decomposition by Constraints). For the first time, the BDDC approach is used for the parallel solution of the macroscopic problem in a simulation of the Nakajima test. We introduce a unified framework that combines all variants of nonlinear FETI-DP and nonlinear BDDC. For the first time, we introduce a nonlinear FETI-DP variant that chooses suitable elimination sets by utilizing information from the nonlinear residual. Furthermore, we show weak scaling results for different nonlinear FETI-DP variants and several model problems

Mathematical Model of the Electricity Prices on the Spot Market

Cijena se na tržištu električne energije neprestano mijenja. Njezina je buduća kretanja zbog karakteristika električne energije relativno teško predvidjeti. Zbog toga se primjenjuju sljedeća tri procesa: proces kretanja budućih cijena električne energije po geometrijskom Brownovom gibanju, proces kretanja prosječnih vrijednosti cijena električne energije i proces kretanja budućih cijena električne energije s povremenim vršnim vrijednostima. U radu su obrađena sva tri procesa, čime je obuhvaćena njihova definicija, formulacija, primjena te navođenje prednosti i nedostataka.The price on the electricity market is constantly changing. Owing to the characteristics of electricity the future movement of the price is relatively hard to predict. For this reason the following three processes are applied: the process of the future electricity price movement according to the geometric Brownian motion, the mean reversion process, and the price spikes process. The paper discusses all three processes, including their definitions, formulas and applications, as well as their upsides and downsides

Increased Student Learning Through the Flipped Instruction Model

A third grade money lesson based on the best practices found while researching how to design, develop, and implement lessons using the Flipped Instruction Model

Legal Character of the Permissions Which are Granted by BRSA According to Banking Law No:5411: A New Permission Type in Turkish Administrative Law System

Independent Regulatory Agencies (IRA) has been in fact established as a result of the state’s desire to undertake the role of a referee rather than being a market player in our country. Though IRAs’ initial establishment aim was as such, it has caused considerable discussions in the field of administrative law, which is still on progress. In this study, a new approach has been brought to the discussions triggered by IRAs. Till now, it is generally assumed in the doctrine that there are merely two forms of permissions in the administrative law, and certain criteria are developed to distinguish them. However, when these certain criteria assessed together with the inherent nature of the banking sector, it is understood that permissions granted by the Banking Regulation And Supervision Agency (BRSA) can not be classified according to a base mentioned criteria. Consequently, this study assumes that permissions granted by the BRSA are a new type of permission and this type of permission that emerged in the theory bears such an importance that may lead to the questioning of IRAs’ characteristics in near future.Banking, Public Service, Permission

Measuring Employee Perceptions of a Learning Organization during Strategic Change

The landscape of higher education is shifting yet many institutions fail to adequately adapt to the changes. This divide has put many institutions of higher education in a precarious situation and, for some, at risk of closing operations all together. With all the research indicating the benefits of a post-secondary degree, it is vital that institutions become more nimble to adapt to the changing environment. Using the framework of a Learning Organization and the Dimensions of a Learning Organization Questionnaire, this case study evaluates how one institution aligns with learning organization characteristics that can help the institution better adapt to their environment. Understanding the campus climate and its relationship with learning gives insight on how to proactively address the institution’s next steps