Impact of Servant Leadership on Project Success Through Mediating Role of Team Motivation and Effectiveness:A Case of Software Industry

Project management in today’s intensely competitive environment has compelled organizations to adopt project management approach for better business results. Therefore, current research study aims to investigate the impact of servant leadership on project success with the mediating role of team motivation and team effectiveness in the software industry. A field survey was conducted, using a questionnaire as a survey tool. Data were collected from 219 respondents who have been working as team members of software development projects. The statistical results were obtained using the SPSS Process macro. The results show project managers need to exhibit a servant leadership style due to its strong influence on project success, albeit through team motivation and effectiveness. The findings from this study contribute to the field of leadership and project management along with the field of information systems and software engineering.</p

A Fuzzy ANP Based Grey Relational Approach to Evaluate CRM System in Context of Bangladesh

This study aims to select a suitable CRM (customer relationship management) system among different possible alternatives for organization’s in Bangladesh. Since, evaluating CRM system on the basis of lot of attributes leads us to Multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) problems. In this study, a hybrid MCDA models were used. FuzzyANP (Analytic Network Process) and GRA (Grey Relational Analysis) approaches were adopted to solve the problem. The study explored that the Hubspot CRM was optimal solution in context of Bangladesh. Our research will beneficial to the organizing for better customer support. As far our knowledge goes, this is the first attempt to select CRM softwares in context of Bangladesh. Keywords: Analytic network process; Customer relationship management system; Grey relational analysis; Multiple-criteria decision analysis DOI: 10.7176/IKM/11-4-06 Publication date:June 30th 202

Determining the Effect of Software Project Managers' Skills on Work Performance.

This study investigates the factors influencing project managers' work performance, including decision-making, analytical, technical, interpersonal, and communication skills, with emotional intelligence as a potential moderator. Conducted within the Pakistani software industry, a comprehensive field survey using a well-designed questionnaire ensured reliable and valid data collection. The statistical findings confirm the positive impact of all five skill sets on project managers' work performance. Notably, emotional intelligence moderates the effects significantly for communication, interpersonal, and analytical skills. This research provides valuable insights into the critical attributes shaping project managers' effectiveness, offering a unique perspective by considering emotional intelligence as a potential enhancer or inhibitor of these skills' impact on work performance

A prospective antibiotic point prevalence survey in two primary referral hospitals during and after pilgrims stay in Madinah, Saudi Arabia

Purpose: To assess current patterns of antibiotic use by carrying out two point-prevalence surveys (PPS) in Madinah after the return of hajj pilgrims from Makkah and when Madinah is free from pilgrims. Methods: In September 2016 and November 2016, a prospective PPS was conducted on two separate dates (during the hajj pilgrims stay in Madinah and after they leave). Data on antibiotics use were generated during these two periods. This involved an audit from all the departments of two referral hospitals (King Fahad Hospital (KFH) - 425 beds, and Al Ansar Hospital - 100 beds) of inpatients records. Data were collected using standard forms adapted from the European Centre for Disease Control (ECDC). Results: A total of 675 inpatients were included in PPS; among them, 332 (49.18 %) patients were receiving antibiotic therapy. In September 2016, 168 patients were treated with antibiotics, with a prevalence rate of 50.60 %, whereas, in November 2016, the prevalence rate was 49.40 %. Overall, 198 patients were identified in surgical wards, of which 132 patients (66.6 %) were receiving antibiotic therapy; 121 patients in ICU of which 70 patients (57.8 %) received antibiotics; 13 patients in other wards of which 6 (46.1 %) received antibiotic treatment; and 343 patients in medical wards of which 126 patients (36.7 %) were treated with antibiotics. There was no significant difference in prevalence of antibiotic prescribing between the two surveys (Pearson Chi-square test, p = 0.56) and with regards to patient age between the two surveys (Mann-Whitney U-test, p = 0.32). Conclusion: The results demonstrate that antibiotic use with adherence to hospital guidelines and PPS helps in identifying targets for quality improvement. Moreover, to escalate the prudent use of antibiotics in hospitals, PPS provides a useful tool. Furthermore, this survey provides a background to evaluate antibiotic use by a standardized methodology. Keywords: Point prevalence survey, Antibiotic use, Prescribing practices, Antibiotic resistance, Quality improvement, Antibiotic stewardship, Hajj, Pilgrim

Study on Desiccant and Evaporative Cooling Systems for Livestock Thermal Comfort: Theory and Experiments

The present study considers evaporative cooling and desiccant unit-based air-conditioning (AC) options for livestock AC application. In this regard, proposed systems are investigated by means of experiments and thermodynamic investigations. Air-conditioning requirements for animals are theoretically investigated and temperature-humidity index (THI) is estimated. A lab-scale heat mass exchanger based on the Maisotsenko-cycle evaporative cooling conception (MEC) is set up and its performance is evaluated at different ambient air conditions. In addition, a desiccant-based air-conditioning (DAC) unit is thermodynamically evaluated using a steady-state model available in the literature. The study focuses on the ambient conditions of Multan which is the 5th largest city of Pakistan and is assumed to be a typical hot city of southern Punjab. The study proposed three kinds of AC combination i.e., (i) stand-alone MEC, (ii) stand-alone desiccant AC, and (iii) M-cycle based desiccant AC systems. Wet bulb effectiveness of the stand-alone MEC unit resulted in being from 64% to 78% whereas the coefficient of performance for stand-alone desiccant AC and M-cycle based desiccant AC system was found to be 0.51 and 0.62, respectively. Results showed that the stand-alone MEC and M-cycle based desiccant AC systems can achieve the animals’ thermal comfort for the months of March to June and March to September, respectively, whereas, stand-alone desiccant AC is not found to be feasible in any month. In addition, the ambient situations of winter months (October to February) are already within the range of animal thermal comfort

Former Muslims’ socio-religious discourse on social media:a speech acts analysis

This study aims to provide insights into the speech acts in socio-religious discourse constructed by former Malaysian Muslims on social media. This study employs a blended analytical lens consisting of Searle’s (1999) taxonomy of speech acts and van Dijk’s (1992) perspective of micro and macro speech acts. The analysis reveals that all five conventional speech act categories are represented in the discourse. But these categories do not provide insights into the real performances in the construction of discourse unless they are combined with analysis of actual performances at utterance level and at discourse level. Using blended speech act analysis, this study provides deeper insights into how and what former Muslims accomplish through their use of language while constructing anti-religious discourse on social media. The analysis revealed that from van Dijk’s (1992) perspective of speech acts, at the utterance level; argument is the most used micro-speech act followed by denial, persuasion, suggestion, rejection, warning, and assertion. At the discourse level; argument is also the most common macro-speech act followed by rejection, denial, warning, assertion, persuasion, information, and direction. This study concludes that the social media affordances enabled the former Muslims living in Islamic countries to perform speech acts and construct derogatory discourse on Islam. Further the strategic speech acts identified demonstrate former Muslims’ tendency, capacity and intention of challenging religious, especially Islamic, authoritative discourse

A review of recent advances in adsorption desalination technologies

Adsorption-based desalination (AD) is an emerging concept to co-generate distilled fresh water and cooling applications. The present study is aimed to provide a comprehensive review of the adsorption desalination systems and subsequent hybridization with known conventional cycles such as the multiple-effect AD (MED), solar regenerable, integrated evaporator-condenser cascaded, and ejector integrated systems. The systems are investigated for energy consumption, productivity enhancement, and performance parameters, including production cost, daily water production, and performance coefficient. Comprehensive economic aspects, future challenges, and future progress of the technologies are discussed accordingly to pave researchers' paths for technological innovation. Traditional AD systems can produce specific daily water production of 25 kg per kg of adsorbent. The solar adsorption desalination-cooling (ADC) showed a promising specific cooling power of 112 W/kg along with a COP of 0.45. Furthermore, for a hybrid MEDAD cycle, the gain output ratio (GOR) and performance ratio (PR) is found to be 40%, along with an augmented water production rate from 60% to two folds. The AD technology could manage the high salinity feed water with the production of low salinity water with a reasonable cost of US$0.2/m3

Release characteristics of selected carbon nanotube polymer composites

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are commonly used in polymer formulations to improve strength, conductivity, and other attributes. A developing concern is the potential for carbon nanotube polymer nanocomposites to release nanoparticles into the environment as the polymer matrix degrades or is mechanically stressed. Here, we review characteristics related to release potential of five sets of polymer systems: epoxy, polyamide, polyurethane, polyethylene, and polycarbonate. Our review includes consideration of general characteristics and use of the polymer (as related to potential MWCNT release) and its MWCNT composites; general potential for nanomaterial release (particularly MWCNTs) due to degradation and mechanical stresses during use; and potential effects of stabilizers and plasticizers on polymer degradation. We examine UV degradation, temperature extremes, acid-base catalysis, and stresses such as sanding. Based on a high-level summary of the characteristics considered, the potential for release of MWCNT with typical, intended consumer use is expected to be low. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Synthesis and optical properties of polyvinylidene difluoride nanocomposites comprising MoO3/g-C3N4

The present study describes the optical properties for prepared polymer nanocomposites of PVDF at different content of MoO3/g-C3N4. The structural properties of polymer films were analysed via XRD, FTIR and ESEM techniques. The XRD diffraction patterns of PVDF with different concentrations of MoO3/g-C3N4 have two characteristic peaks at 2 θ = 18.4° and 20.3° where first peak was assigned to α-phase, while last peak was attributed to β-phase. The ESEM micrographs of PVDF-MoO3/g-C3N4 nanocomposites have shown smooth surface topography. According to the UV–visible absorption spectra, the UV absorption of PVDF was increased when adding MoO3/g-C3N4 nanoparticles where distinct peak was appeared in the UV region at 310 nm and its edges become more intense and moved towards higher wavelength after MoO3/g-C3N4 incorporation. The optical values of (Edir) and (Eind) energies have decreased with increasing the nanoparticle composites content. The optical band gap energy (Eopt) was decreasing from 5.66 eV to 4.56 eV as increasing the content of MoO3/g-C3N4. The refractive index (n) was increased with increasing the concentration of MoO3/g-C3N4 in nanocomposites samples, except for the sample with 0.25 wt%. The distinctive optical characteristics of PVDF-MoO3/g-C3N4 qualify such polymer nanocomposites for optoelectronic applications

Risk Factors of Typhoid Infection in the Indonesian Archipelago.

BACKGROUND: Knowledge of risk factors and their relative importance in different settings is essential to develop effective health education material for the prevention of typhoid. In this study, we examine the effect of household level and individual behavioural risk factors on the risk of typhoid in three Indonesian islands (Sulawesi, Kalimantan and Papua) in the Eastern Indonesian archipelago encompassing rural, peri-urban and urban areas. METHODS: We enrolled 933 patients above 10 years of age in a health facility-based case-control study between June 2010 and June 2011. Individuals suspected of typhoid were tested using the typhoid IgM lateral flow assay for the serodiagnosis of typhoid fever followed by blood culture testing. Cases and controls were defined post-recruitment: cases were individuals with a culture or serology positive result (n = 449); controls were individuals negative to both serology and culture, with or without a diagnosis other than typhoid (n = 484). Logistic regression was used to examine the effect of household level and individual level behavioural risk factors and we calculated the population attributable fraction (PAF) of removing each risk significant independent behavioural risk factor. RESULTS: Washing hands at critical moments of the day and washing hands with soap were strong independent protective factors for typhoid (OR = 0.38 95% CI 0.25 to 0.58 for each unit increase in hand washing frequency score with values between 0 = Never and 3 = Always; OR = 3.16 95% CI = 2.09 to 4.79 comparing washing hands with soap sometimes/never vs. often). These effects were independent of levels of access to water and sanitation. Up to two thirds of cases could be prevented by compliance to these practices (hand washing PAF = 66.8 95% CI 61.4 to 71.5; use of soap PAF = 61.9 95%CI 56.7 to 66.5). Eating food out in food stalls or restaurant was an important risk factor (OR = 6.9 95%CI 4.41 to 10.8 for every unit increase in frequency score). CONCLUSIONS: Major gains could potentially be achieved in reducing the incidence of typhoid by ensuring adherence to adequate hand-washing practices alone. This confirms that there is a pivotal role for 'software' related interventions to encourage behavior change and create demand for goods and services, alongside development of water and sanitation infrastructure