University of Minho

About: University of Minho is a education organization based out in Braga, Portugal. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Context (language use) & Population. The organization has 10585 authors who have published 34736 publications receiving 732436 citations. The organization is also known as: Universidade do Minho & UMinho.

TQM and performance in small medium enterprises: The mediating effect of customer orientation and innovation

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the importance of developing a quality management approach as a way to enhance the bottom line results of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The main goal is to examine the synergistic relationships between TQM, performance, consumer orientation and innovation.Design/methodology/approach – A structural equation modelling using a single‐indicator analysis corrected for measurement error is used to test a number of antecedents of SME performance.Findings – The findings reveal that the most relevant TQM components impacting on SME performance and consumer orientation are measuring results, quality assurance systems, top‐manager training programmes and leadership initiatives. Results also confirm both the impact of innovation on performance as well as that of consumer orientation on innovation. Furthermore, no statistical evidence was found to either confirm the effect of TQM on innovation, or that of consumer orientation on performance.Research limita...

Searches for Higgs boson pair production in the hh →bbττ, γγWW∗, γγbb, bbbb channels with the ATLAS detector

Abstract: Searches for both resonant and nonresonant Higgs boson pair production are performed in the hh -> bb tau tau, gamma gamma WW* final states using 20.3 fb(-1) of pp collision data at a center-of-m ...

Modeling and analysis of rigid multibody systems with translational clearance joints based on the nonsmooth dynamics approach

Abstract: The main purpose of this paper is to present and discuss a methodology for a dynamic modeling and analysis of rigid multibody systems with translational clearance joints. The methodology is based on the non-smooth dynamics approach, in which the interaction of the elements that constitute a translational clearance joint is modeled with multiple frictional unilateral constraints. In the following, the most fundamental issues of the non-smooth dynamics theory are revised. The dynamics of rigid multibody systems are stated as an equality of measures, which are formulated at the velocity-impulse level. The equations of motion are complemented with constitutive laws for the normal and tangential directions. In this work, the unilateral constraints are described by a set-valued force law of the type of Signorini’s condition, while the frictional contacts are characterized by a set-valued force law of the type of Coulomb’s law for dry friction. The resulting contact-impact problem is formulated and solved as a linear complementarity problem, which is embedded in the Moreau time-stepping method. Finally, the classical slider-crank mechanism is considered as a demonstrative application example and numerical results are presented. The results obtained show that the existence of clearance joints in the modeling of multibody systems influences their dynamics response.