The project-oriented organization and its contribution to innovation

This paper presents a new conceptualization of the project-oriented organization. The project-oriented organization is conceptualized as an entrepreneurial, future- and stakeholder-oriented innovating organization, which uses projects as temporary, task-focused organizations, to define, develop, and implement its strategies, to transform its structure, culture and behavior, and to define and develop new products, services, and business models. The concept of the project-oriented organization consists of the three segments (1) values, (2) structures, and (3) people. For each segment three important areas are described, which characterize a project-oriented organization. The model is theoretically based on a wide spectrum of management disciplines: (1) The orientations in the value segment have been developed in entrepreneurship, strategic management and technology and innovation management; (2) The foundations for the design of the socio-technical artefacts in the structure segment of derived from organizational design, planning and controlling, and ICT systems theory; (3) The foundations for the elements of the human side come from organizational behavior, human resource management, and knowledge management theories. Our model shows a clear linkage to these theories, references key articles, and gives special consideration to empirical studies in the realm of projects, programs, project portfolios, and project-based or project-oriented organizations. Thus, our assumption that the elements of our model are supposed to increase project success, innovation success, and business success is based on empirical evidence.     

Effect of geogrid-reinforcement in granular bases under repeated loading

The thickness of the base plays a crucial role in the stability of pavements and the lack of availability of good quality aggregates is a major concern in India and other countries. Loading on top of the base plays a crucial role in the design of pavements. Usually, the design of the pavement is done for standard axle load, however, in the field, in some of the cases, the vehicles are overloaded which results in a higher wheel load on the pavements. The current paper examines the performance of geogrid reinforced unpaved sections at higher stresses with the primary objective of reducing the thickness of base layer required in the field. Experimental studies were carried out using repeated plate load tests to obtain the optimum depth of placing the geogrid in granular base layer to achieve maximum reduction in rutting of pavement. Resilient deformation behavior of both reinforced and unreinforced sections are obtained and these values are utilized to predict the resilient modulus of the base sections. The paper also discusses the reduction in permanent deformation by the introduction of geogrid. Rut depth reduction studies were carried out in order to compare the performance of reinforced and unreinforced sections. The role played by the reinforcement in reducing the strains on top of the subgrade is studied in detail. A comparison is also carried out to understand the pressure distribution along the base layer and role played by the geogrids in reducing the pressure on the subgrade. Further, values of stress distribution angles were obtained for reinforced and unreinforced sections. It is evident from the studies that geogrids contributed to improved performance as well as reduction in thickness of the aggregate layer.     

The effect of slip casting and spark plasma sintering (SPS) temperature on the transparency of MgAl2O4 spinel

MgAl₂O₄ bulk samples were fabricated by two different approaches to investigate the effect of slip casting and sintering temperature on their transparency. Three MgAl₂O₄ samples containing 1 wt% LiF, as the sintering aid, were prepared by the spark plasma sintering process (SPS) at 1400 °C and 1500 °C, under 100 MPa, for 15 min. Also, another MgAl₂O₄ sample was prepared by slip casting followed by SPS under similar conditions. It was observed that utilizing slip casting led to more transparency (10% in the visible region and 20% in the IR region) due to the more homogeneous structure. It was also observed that by reducing the SPS temperature from 1500 °C to 1400 °C, the transparency increased (20% in the IR region) because of the lower grain growth rate at the lower temperature.     

Low-temperature sintering of Ti1−xCux/3Nb2x/3O2 (x = 0.23) microwave dielectric ceramics with CuO and B2O3 addition

The influence of CuO and B₂O₃ addition on the sintering behavior, microstructure and microwave dielectric properties of Ti_1?xCu_x/3Nb_2x/3O₂ (TCN, x = 0.23) ceramic have been investigated. It was found that the addition of CuO and B₂O₃ successfully reduced the sintering temperature of TCN ceramics from 950 to 875 °C. X-ray diffraction studies showed that addition of CuO-B₂O₃ has no effect on the phase composition. The TCN ceramics with 0.5 wt% CuO-B₂O₃ addition showed a high dielectric constant of 95.63, τ_f value of + 329 ppm/°C and a good Q × f value of 8700 GHz after sintered at 875 °C for 5 h, cofirable with silver electrode.     

Synthesis of MFe2O4 (M=Mg2+, Zn2+, Mn2+) spinel ferrites and their structural,elastic and electron magnetic resonance properties

Structural, elastic and electron magnetic resonance investigations of spinel ferrites with the formula MFe₂O₄ (M = Mg²⁺, Zn²⁺, Mn²⁺) synthesized by the sol-gel auto-combustion method are reported here. XRD patterns revealed the co-existence of secondary phases along with the ferrite phase. The lattice parameter (8.301?Å, 8.366?Å and 8.434?Å) was found to be varying according to the ionic radii of cations. As determined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), ZnFe₂O₄ has a comparatively narrow distribution of grain sizes (1.3–3.8?µm) compared to those in MnFe₂O₄ (0.8–4.3?µm) and MgFe₂O₄ (0.3–4.8?µm). The estimated values of average crystallite sizes (17.5?nm, 21.3?nm and 23.3?nm) determined from the X-ray diffraction peaks are considerably less than the average grain sizes (1.3?µm, 1.6?µm and 2.7?µm) estimated from the SEM histograms. The vibrational frequencies in FTIR spectra are in the conformity with the cubic spinel structure and their variation supports the variation of lattice parameter. Equal values of Poission's ratio (0.35) were obtained for the three systems which represent the isotropic behaviour of spinel ferrite systems. The exceptional low value of Lande's g-parameter for ZnFe₂O₄ indicates the dominance of Fe³⁺–O–Fe³⁺ superexchange interaction. Though cation redistribution is possible in the present ferrite systems, the secondary phases existed in these ferrite systems are predominantly influencing the structural, elastic and electron magnetic resonance properties.     

Crystal structure and electrical properties of (Li,Ce, Nd)-multidoped CaBi2Nb2O9 high temperature ceramics

(Li, Ce, and Nd)-multidoped CaBi₂Nb₂O₉ (CBN) Aurivillius phase ceramics were prepared via a conventional solid-state sintering route. The crystal structure including bond lengths and bond angles, microstructure, dielectric constant, DC resistivity, and piezoelectric properties were systematically investigated. Rietveld-refinements of X-ray results indicated that small quantity of (Li, Ce, Nd) doping (< 2.5 mol%) increases orthorhombic distortion, because of the smaller ionic radii of doping ions. However, orthorhombic distortion obviously decreased with increasing (Li, Ce, Nd) doping concentration from 5 to 25 mol%. The replacement of asymmetric A-site Bi³⁺ with 6s2 lone pair electrons by symmetric Li⁺, Ce³⁺ and Nd³⁺ ions decreased the orthorhombic distortion. The morphologies and electrical properties of sintered ceramics were tailored by the introducing (Li, Ce, Nd) multi-dopants. The improvement of piezoelectric properties of modified-CBN ceramics were attributed to decreasing grain sizes and morphotropic phase boundary (MPB). Ca_0.85(Li_0.5Ce_0.25Nd_0.25)_0.15Bi₂Nb₂O₉ (CBNLCN-15) ceramics had optimum properties, and d₃₃ and T_c values were found to be ~ 13.1 pC/N and ~ 900 °C, respectively.     

Anodic TiO2 nanotubes produced under atmospheric pressure and in vacuum conditions

Throughout the intense research of anodic TiO₂ nanotubes (ATNTs), the effect of ambient pressure is usually ignored. In this article, Ti foils were potentiostatically anodized both under atmospheric pressure (0.1 MPa) and in vacuum (0.005 MPa). The anodizing current and nanotube length in vacuum are larger than those under atmospheric pressure, which cannot be explained by field-assisted dissolution theory. According to the oxygen bubble mould and Nernst equation, we attribute the higher current in vacuum to the faster gas evolution and oxide growth under narrower electrochemical potential gaps. By mathematically separating the total current into ionic and electronic parts, the faster oxide growth is further confirmed. The different nanotube lengths are due to various electric charge transported during anodization.     

HfO2:Eu nanoparticles excited by X-rays and UV-visible radiation used in biological imaging

Europium doped hafnium dioxide nanoparticles were crystallized using biologically friendly microwave hydrothermal method and employed in observation of small rodents tissues.Main solvent in synthesis is water,in consequence nanoparticles are found surrounded by thin hydroxide layer.Size of the nanoparticles is controlled by temperature of calcination.1200℃heating causes drop of luminescence intensity,explained as damage of high symmetry surface emission centers in the nanocrystals.On the other hand,growth of crystallites increases intensity of X-ray and electron beam excited luminescence.This makes them promising activator in photodynamic therapy.     

Effect of the Al2O3/SiO2 mass ratio on the crystallization behavior of CaO-SiO2-MgO-Al2O3 slags using confocal laser scanning microscopy

The crystallization behavior of a CaO-SiO₂-MgO-Al₂O₃ slag system with varying Al₂O₃/SiO₂ mass ratios from 0.03 to 1.10 has been investigated using a confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The resulting continuous cooling transformation (CCT) and time-temperature-transformation (TTT) curves showed that the initial crystallization temperature increased and the incubation time for crystallization slightly decreased with increasing Al₂O₃/SiO₂ ratio. The crystal growth rate first increased and then decreased with decreasing isothermal temperature. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis suggested that Ca₂MgSi₂O₇ or Ca₃MgSi₂O₈ precipitated as the primary phase at lower Al₂O₃/SiO₂ ratios, while the Ca₂Al₂SiO₇ phase was preferred at higher Al₂O₃/SiO₂ ratios. The observed crystalline phases correlated well with the expected thermodynamic predictions from FactSage. In addition, structural analysis using ²⁷Al magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (²⁷Al MAS-NMR) microscopy of the as-quenched slags indicated the presence of a higher ratio of tetrahedral [AlO₄]^5-structural units with increasing Al₂O₃/SiO₂ ratio, which enhanced the polymerization of tetrahedral [AlO₄]^5- and [SiO₄]^4- structural units to form Ca₂Al₂SiO₇.