2023
Autores
Moreira, H; Ferreira, LP; Fernandes, NO; Silva, FJG; Ramos, AL; Avila, P;
Publicação
MATHEMATICS
Abstract
To ensure the safety of passengers concerning virus propagation, such as COVID-19, and keep the turnaround time at low levels, airlines should seek efficient aircraft boarding strategies in terms of both physical distancing and boarding times. This study seeks to analyze the impact of different boarding strategies in the context of the International Air Transport Association's recommendations during the pandemic to reduce interference and physical contact between passengers in airplanes. Boarding strategies such as back-to-front, outside-in, reverse pyramid, blocks, Steffen, and modified optimal have been tested in this context. This study extends the previous literature using discrete event simulation to evaluate the impact of the occupation of the middle seat by family members only. This study also analyses the impact of having passengers carrying hand luggage and priority passengers on the performance of these strategies concerning boarding times. In general, the simulation results revealed a 15% improvement in boarding times when the reverse pyramid strategy is used compared to a random strategy, which essentially results from a reduction in the boarding interferences between passengers. The results also show that Steffen's strategy is the best performing, while the blocks strategy results in the worst performance. This study has practical implications for airline companies concerning both operation efficiency and passenger safety.
2023
Autores
Patrício, L; Costa, L; Varela, L; Avila, P;
Publicação
SUSTAINABILITY
Abstract
(1) Background: In this study on Robotic Process Automation (RPA), the feasibility of sustainable RPA implementation was investigated, considering user requirements in the context of this technology's stakeholders, with a strong emphasis on sustainability. (2) Methods: A multi-objective mathematical model was developed and the Weighted Sum and Tchebycheff methods were used to evaluate the efficiency of the implementation. An enterprise case study was utilized for data collection, employing investigation hypotheses, questionnaires, and brainstorming sessions with company stakeholders. (3) Results: The results underscore the significance of user requirements within the RPA landscape and demonstrate that integrating these requirements into the multi-objective model enhances the implementation assessment. Practical guidelines for RPA planning and management with a sustainability focus are provided. The analysis reveals a solution that reduces initial costs by 21.10% and allows for an efficient and equitable allocation of available resources. (4) Conclusion: This study advances our understanding of the interplay between user requirements and RPA feasibility, offering viable guidelines for the sustainable implementation of this technology.
2023
Autores
Patrício L.; Costa L.; Varela L.; Ávila P.;
Publicação
Sustainability (Switzerland)
Abstract
(1) Background: In this study on Robotic Process Automation (RPA), the feasibility of sustainable RPA implementation was investigated, considering user requirements in the context of this technology’s stakeholders, with a strong emphasis on sustainability. (2) Methods: A multi-objective mathematical model was developed and the Weighted Sum and Tchebycheff methods were used to evaluate the efficiency of the implementation. An enterprise case study was utilized for data collection, employing investigation hypotheses, questionnaires, and brainstorming sessions with company stakeholders. (3) Results: The results underscore the significance of user requirements within the RPA landscape and demonstrate that integrating these requirements into the multi-objective model enhances the implementation assessment. Practical guidelines for RPA planning and management with a sustainability focus are provided. The analysis reveals a solution that reduces initial costs by 21.10% and allows for an efficient and equitable allocation of available resources. (4) Conclusion: This study advances our understanding of the interplay between user requirements and RPA feasibility, offering viable guidelines for the sustainable implementation of this technology.
2023
Autores
Moreira, H; Ferreira, LP; Fernandes, NO; Ramos, AL; Avila, P;
Publicação
SUSTAINABILITY
Abstract
Boarding time constitutes a critical element of turnaround time, which is used to measure the efficiency of airline operations. Therefore, to reduce boarding time, it is imperative to reconsider traditional passenger boarding strategies to make them more efficient. In this sense, this study seeks to analyze the impact of different strategies on boarding times using discrete event simulation on an Airbus 320. Seven boarding strategies have been identified and considered in our study, as follows: random, back-to-front, outside-in, reverse pyramid, blocks, Steffen, and modified optimal. The impact of carrying hand luggage and the presence of priority passengers has been considered, as well as the impact of having a continuous arrival of passengers during the boarding process versus having all passengers available at boarding time. In general, simulation results have pointed out that the outside-in and reverse pyramid strategies are the most effective, improving boarding time by up to 15%, when compared to the random strategy. Moreover, the back-to-front strategy, which is generally implemented by airline companies, has been shown to be the most inefficient strategy. Efficient boarding strategies are expected to contribute to the sustainability of air travel by minimizing the turnaround time, improving operational efficiency, and reducing emissions.
2023
Autores
Costa, J; Padua, M; Moreira, AC;
Publicação
ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES
Abstract
Leadership styles and human capital are important drivers of innovation processes. The way the leader interacts with the organization members can pre-empt or leverage innovation processes as leaders influence, empower and motivate other individuals in the achievement of their goals. Human capital is an important driver of innovation and competitiveness, as it will shape the uniqueness of the company as well as the process to obtain skills, capabilities, knowledge and expertise. As such, the main objectives of the paper are to analyze the impact of leadership styles on the innovation process and also to address the moderation effect of the human capital on the previous relation. Four leadership styles-autocratic, transactional, democratic, and transformational-were considered to measure their impacts on the innovation process, considering the alternative types of innovations. The 2018 Community Innovation Survey (CIS) database was used, encompassing Portuguese data, covering the 2016-2018 period, with a sample of 13702 firms. In regard to the empirical part, first, an exploratory analysis was run to better understand the connection between the leadership styles and the innovative strategies followed by an econometric estimation encompassing 28 logit models to disentangle the specific impacts of each leader on each innovation type. Evidence proves that autocratic and transactional leadership styles have a negative impact on innovation and transformational and democratic leadership impact innovation positively. Furthermore, human capital was found to moderate the relationship between leadership styles and the innovation process; i.e., under the same leadership style, the presence of additional skills leverages innovative propensity. The paper brings relevant insights for both managers and policymakers, highlighting that innovation will be accelerated if firms implement more participatory (democratic and transformational) leadership styles and also if they invest in competences to promote knowledge internalization and share. All in all, participatory leadership combined with the internal skills is proved to be an efficient combination for innovation to take place; as such, policy instruments must promote the coexistence of these two factors.
2023
Autores
Castro, R; Moreira, AC;
Publicação
ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES
Abstract
Managing multiple knowledge transfers between headquarters and subsidiaries, among subsidiaries, and also within each of these units is crucial for multinational corporations' (MNCs) survival. Therefore, this article aims to uncover the main factors influencing internal knowledge transfers in MNCs-including intra-unit knowledge transfers and transfers between units, namely, conventional, horizontal, and reverse knowledge transfers. To achieve this goal, a systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted to synthesize the content of 85 articles. From a set of 1439 papers, only 85 related to knowledge transfer and knowledge sharing were considered. Based on an inductive thematic approach, eight different research categories and 97 topics were identified. Four different internal knowledge transfers (intra knowledge transfer (IKT), horizontal knowledge transfer (HKT), conventional knowledge transfer (CKT), and reverse knowledge transfer (RKT)) are compared across eight thematic categories and 97 topics. According to the results obtained, the depth of the topics analyzed varies, as does the variety of categories, with RKT being more deeply analyzed than IKT. There is a clear dominance of vertical knowledge transfer (CKT + RHT) over HKT. The exercise of power (e.g., size, knowledge base) still dominates CKT and RKT in most of the studies analyzed, which are traditionally affected by the characteristics of MNCs, HQs and subsidiaries. The debate on HKT is affected by the classical perspectives of power-based relations (e.g., expatriates, size, knowledge base) among subsidiaries. Although important, intra-unit knowledge transfer is greatly influenced by characteristics.
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