• Title/Summary/Keyword: Environmental organization

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A System Dynamics View of Safety Management in Small Construction Companies

  • Guo, Brian H.W.;Yiu, Tak Wing;Gonzalez, Vicente A.
    • Journal of Construction Engineering and Project Management
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    • v.5 no.4
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    • pp.1-6
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    • 2015
  • Due to unique characteristics of small construction companies, safety management is comprised of complex problems. This paper aims to better understand the complexity and dynamics of safety management in small construction companies. A system dynamics (SD) model was built in order to capture the causal interdependencies between factors at different system levels (regulation, organization, technical and individual) and their effects on safety outcomes. Various tests were conducted to build confidence in the model's usefulness to understand safety problems facing small companies from a system dynamics view. A number of policies were analyzed by changing the value of parameters. The value of a system dynamics approach to safety management in small construction companies is its ability to address joint effects of multiple safety risk factors on safety performance with a systems thinking perspective. By taking into account feedback loops and non-linear relationships, such a system dynamics model provides insights into the complex causes of relatively poor safety performance of small construction companies and improvement strategies.

Comparative Analysis of SOx Emission-Compliant Options for Marine Vessels from Environmental Perspective

  • Jeong, Byongug
    • Journal of Power System Engineering
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    • v.22 no.1
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    • pp.72-78
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    • 2018
  • With growing concerns over air pollutions attributed to shipping activities, the international maritime organization has enacted a series of stringent regulations. In particular, MARPOL Annex IV Reg. 16 requires sulfur contents from exhaust gases of marine engines to be progressively reduced. To comply with this regulation, three feasible options have been introduced: using LNG as a marine fuel, using heavy fuel oil with the scrubber system, and using the marine gas oil (a type of low sulfur fuel oil). For the objectives of this paper, the holistic environmental impacts pertinent to these options were investigated and compared in ways that the flows of energy and emission were tracked and quantified through the life cycle of the ship. Research findings obtained from a case study with a large bulk carrier showed that the use of the scrubber system to purify heavy fuel oil would produce relatively fewer amounts of emissions attributing to global warming than other two options. On the other than, the use of LNG would be the way to operate the ship in a cleaner way in terms of reducing the acidification, eutrophication, and photochemical effects. Throughout the analysis, the excellence of life cycle assessment was proven to shift the environmental impact of marine systems from the short-term view to the long-term one.

Assessment of Airborne Fungi Concentrations in Subway Stations in Seoul, Korea (서울시 일부 지하철 역사 내 공기 중 진균 농도에 관한 연구)

  • Cho, Jun-Ho;Paik, Nam-Won
    • Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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    • v.35 no.6
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    • pp.478-485
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    • 2009
  • This study was performed to assess airborne fungi concentrations during fall in eight subway stations in Seoul, Korea. The purpose of this study was to investigate appropriate culture media and evaluate factors affecting airborne fungi concentrations. Results indicated that airborne fungi concentrations showed log-normal distribution. Thus, geometric mean (GM) and geometric standard deviation (GSD) were calculated. The GM of airborne fungi concentrations cultured on malt extract agar (MEA) media was 466 $cfu/m^3$ (GSD 3.12; Range 113~4,172 $cfu/m^3$) and the GM of concentrations cultured on DG18 media was 242 $cfu/m^3$ (GSD 4.75; Range 49~6,093 $cfu/m^3$). Both of GM values exceeded 150 $cfu/m^3$, the guideline of World Health Organization (WHO). There was no significant difference between two fungi concentrations cultured on MEA and DG18 media, respectively. Two factors, such as relative humidity and depths of subway stations were significantly related to airborne fungi concentrations. It is recommended that special consideration should be given to deeper subway stations for improvement of indoor air quality.

INTERPRETING A SINGLE ANTISTREPTOLYSIN O TEST: A COMPARISON OF THE 'UPPER LIMIT OF NORMAL' AND LIKELIHOOD RATIO METHODS

  • Gray Gregory C.;Struewing Jeffery P.;Hyams Kenneth C.;Escamilla Joel;Tupponce Alan K.;Kaplan Edward L.
    • 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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    • 1994.02b
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    • pp.164-168
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    • 1994
  • Single serologic tests may occasionally influence clinicians in making diagnoses. The antistreptolysin O (ASO) test is a frequently used tool for detecting recent Streptococcus pyogenes infection and is helpful in the diagnosis of diseases like rheumatic fever. Using data from a 1989 prospective study of 600 healthy male military recruits, in which 43% experienced S. pyogenes upper respiratory tract infection (2-dilution rise in ASO), this report compared two methods of interpreting a single ASO titer. Using the 'upper limit of normal' (80 percentile) method, recruits with an ASO titer of greater than 400 showed evidence of recent S. pyogenes infection. This method had a sensitivity and specificity of only 65.9 and 81.9% respectively. In contrast to the 'yes-no'. dichotomy of the 'upper limit of normal' method. the likelihood ratio method statistics were ASO value specific, more consistent with clinical judgment, and better emphasized the caution clinicians must use in interpreting a single ASO test.

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Impact of urbanization on Nwaorie and Otamiri Rivers in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

  • Ogbomida, Emmanuel T.;Emeribe, Chukwudi N.
    • Advances in environmental research
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    • v.2 no.2
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    • pp.119-129
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    • 2013
  • The study examined the effect of urbanization on the water quality of Nwaorie and Otamiri Rivers in Owerri metropolis, Imo State, South-East Nigeria. Water samples were collected from Nwaorie and Otamiri Rivers from four sampling stations up and down stream. Water parameters analyzed using standard procedures were: color, turbidity, temperature, pH, total hardness, total solids, metals (Iron and magnesium), anions (nitrate and ammonia) and Fecal coliform. Results showed increased levels of coloration, iron, ammonia, turbidity and fecal coliform which exceeded the World Health Organization (WHO) permissible limits for drinking water. Increase in these parameters indicated influx of industrial effluent from the nearby industries and indiscriminate disposal of wastes at the bank of the rivers. Application of ANOVA showed various degree of variation in pollutants levels between the two rivers and at different sampling points. River Nwaorie was observed to be more impacted than River Otamiri. High values of iron observed from the study could be deleterious to human health if the river water is consumed without treatment. The study, therefore, recommended proper waste management and disposal as well as effluent treatments in Owerri municipal against pollution of surface water.

The Effective Factors of Cloud Computing Adoption Success in Organization

  • Yoo, Seok-Keun;Kim, Bo-Young
    • The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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    • v.6 no.1
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    • pp.217-229
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    • 2019
  • The purpose of the research is to verify how task characteristics for business and technology characteristics, economic feasibility, technology readiness, organizational factors, environmental factors of cloud computing affect the performance of cloud computing adoption through Fit and Viability. The research aims to verify the relationship among the success factors for adopting cloud computing based on the Fit-Viability model. Respondents who work for IT companies which is using cloud computing in South Korea were chosen. The data was analyzed by the structural equating model. As a result, Task characteristics and Technology characteristics affected Fit in a positive manner, while Technology readiness, Organizational factors and Environmental factors also positively impacted Viability. Fit and Viability both affected the successful adoption of cloud equally. In particular, Environmental factors were proven to have the biggest impacts on Viability, and affected highly indirect impact on the Performance of cloud computing adoption through Viability. Entering the era of the fourth industrial revolution, corporations have established digital transformation strategies to secure a competitive edge while growing continuously, and are also carrying out various digital transformation initiatives. For the success of adoption of foundational technologies, they need to understand not only the decision-making factors of adopting cloud computing, but also the success factors of adopting cloud computing.

A Novel Rapid Fungal Promoter Analysis System Using the Phosphopantetheinyl Transferase Gene, npgA, in Aspergillus nidulans

  • Song, Ha-Yeon;Choi, Dahye;Han, Dong-Min;Kim, Dae-Hyuk;Kim, Jung-Mi
    • Mycobiology
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    • v.46 no.4
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    • pp.429-439
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    • 2018
  • To develop a convenient promoter analysis system for fungi, a null-pigment mutant (NPG) of Aspergillus nidulans was used with the 4'-phosphopantetheinyl transferase (PPTase) gene, npgA, which restores the normal pigmentation in A. nidulans, as a new reporter gene. The functional organization of serially deleted promoter regions of the A. nidulans trpC gene and the Cryphonectria parasitica crp gene in filamentous fungi was representatively investigated to establish a novel fungal promoter assay system that depends on color complementation of the NPG mutant with the PPTase npgA gene. Several promoter regions of the trpC and crp genes were fused to the npgA gene containing the 1,034-bp open reading frame and the 966-bp 3' downstream region from the TAA, and the constructed fusions were introduced into the NPG mutant in A. nidulans to evaluate color recovery due to the transcriptional activity of the sequence elements. Serial deletion of the trpC and crp promoter regions in this PPTase reporter assay system reaffirmed results in previous reports by using the fungal transformation step without a laborious verification process. This approach suggests a more rapid and convenient system than conventional analyses for fungal gene expression studies.

The Influence of External Environmental Factors on Technology Transfer between Foreign MNCs and Local Subsidiaries: Based on SCP Paradigm (해외자회사 환경요인이 국제기술이전 및 혁신성과에 미치는 영향 : S-C-P 패러다임 관점에서)

  • Jeong, Jaehwi
    • Knowledge Management Research
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    • v.20 no.1
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    • pp.231-249
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    • 2019
  • Technology transfer from a multinational company to a local subsidiary is essential for successful local market operations. This study aims to analyze the impact of market, cultural and institutional environmental factors on international technology transfer and innovation performance based on the S-C-P paradigm. We collected data from one hundred ninety-five subsidiaries of Korean parent firms located in seventeen countries and used structural equation modeling to test hypotheses. The analysis findings are as follow; First, both market and cultural environment directly affect international technology transfer. However, institutional environment such as protection of intellectual property does not affect international technology transfer. Due to the less risk of technology disclosure involved in technology transfer within the MNE organization can be not relationship between protection of intellectual property in the host country and the foreign subsidiary's transfer of technology. The risk of infringement of intellectual property is relatively low in intra-firm transfer of technology. Second, the technology introduced from the parent company has a positive effect on the innovation performance of local subsidiaries. This implies that multinational companies that have entered unfamiliar overseas markets should be able to effectively transfer the inherent advantages of the parent company to their overseas subsidiaries, and that their ability to adapt to the local environment is important.

Procedural Improvements to the Comprehensive Impact Assessment of IMO GHG Reduction Measures

  • Bo-Ram, Kim;Han-Seon, Park;Young-Kwon, Park
    • Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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    • v.34 no.1
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    • pp.75-79
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    • 2023
  • The International Maritime Organization (IMO) Marine Environmental Protection Committee (MEPC) may adopt actions after completing impact assessments and reviewing results in accordance with the original strategy and impact assessment procedure (MEPC.1/Circ.885). The assessment of the impact of greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction measures is an important step in determining whether to implement GHG regulations. This study identifies and proposes improvements in the impact assessment procedure for future mid- and long-term measures. Improvements for future measures should start with a review of "the procedure for assessing impacts on states of candidate measures" and "the actual process of the comprehensive impact assessment for short-term measures in 2021." The procedural improvements were largely derived from the order and period of task performance, the clear definition of terms, and the review of task results through lessons learned, analysis, and expert workshops. The impact assessment of future mid- and long-term measures should be procedurally improved to ensure uniformity and consistency, which will provide objective results for Member States and industries to help smooth the adoption of measures.

Factors Influencing the Adoption of Cloud Computing in Healthcare Organizations: A Systematic Review

  • Qiu, Hong;Shen, Beimin;Wang, Yuhao;Mei, Yu;Gu, Wenjie
    • KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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    • v.16 no.12
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    • pp.3960-3975
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    • 2022
  • To analyze and compare the most influencing factors on cloud computing adoption (CCA) in the healthcare organization, a systematic review and meta-analyses of studies was performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and Cochrane collaboration recommendations. A search of PubMed, ScienceDirect, Springer, Wiley Online, and Taylor & Francis Online digital libraries (From inception to January 19, 2022) was performed. A total of 17 studies met the defined studies' inclusion and exclusion criteria. Statistical significance difference favoring most influencing factors on CCA were (MD 0.76, 95% CI -1.48 - 3.01, p <0.00001, I2 = 90%), (MD 1.40, 95% CI -4.76 - 7.55, p < 0.00007, I2 = 97%) (MD 0.17, 95% CI -2.69 - 3.03, p<0.00001, I2 = 96%) for technology vs. organizational, technology vs. environmental and business vs. human factors, respectively. Organizational and environmental factors had greater impacts on CCA compared with technological factors. Moreover, business factors were more influential than the human factors.