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Abstract: Differential evolution, which belongs to a group of population-based algorithms, has received a lot of research attention since its introduction in 1995. A population-based algorithm is required to guide individuals to visit potentially better basins of attraction in the search space when searching for a globally optimal solution. Additionally, individuals need to interact with each other during an evolutionary process to explore the search space effectively. In this paper, we propose a novel pbest selection mechanism for DE/current-to-pbest mutation strategy and its variants designed to enhance the potential for exploration of different attraction basins. The proposed mechanism enforces a minimal distance between the selected pbest individual and all other better individuals. This means that possible candidates for the pbest individual, used in mutation, are further spaced apart. As a result, the likelihood that the new trial vector will be generated in a different attraction basin of the search space is increased. The mechanism is incorporated into the L-SHADE, jSO, and L-SRTDE algorithms, and its effectiveness is evaluated using CEC’24 benchmark functions. Experimental results demonstrate improvements in the performance of the selected algorithms, particularly in higher-dimensional problem instances.
Keywords: population-based algorithm, differential evolution, gobal optimization, mutation strategies, exploration–exploitation
Published in DKUM: 29.10.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 5
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Abstract: This paper uses the technology acceptance model (TAM) framework for the research of economic and geography students’ attitudes towards interdisciplinary knowledge. Based on the SmartPLS Structural equation modelling SEM variance-based method, research results were gained through analysis of survey data of economic and geography students. They participated in the Spationomy project in the period of 2017–2019. Online questionnaires were fulfilled before and after students’ participation in the project and their future behavioural intention to use interdisciplinary knowledge was analysed. Based on the research, we can confirm that the Spationomy project has achieved its purpose, as both groups of students (economic and geography students) have acquired interdisciplinary knowledge and students intend to use it also in the future. Therefore, we can argue that the students included in the project in practice gained recognition of systems thinking about the importance of mutual interdisciplinary cooperation towards achieving synergies. The results also show that TAM can be successfully implemented to analyse how students of economics and geography accept the use of interdisciplinary knowledge in the learning process, which is an important implication for management and education as well as from the theoretical implications viewpoint. While effective analysis using TAM has been used successfully and relatively frequently in economics and business field, we have not found relevant examples of its implementation in the broader field of geography. However, the acceptance of geographic information system (GIS) or other information technologies/information software (IT/IS) tool-based approaches of analysis in the geography field may be of most importance. Therefore, also, this represents an important implication for the research area.
Keywords: spatial exploration, economic data, economic students, geography students, TAM, PLS SEM, interdisciplinary knowledge, holism, interdependence, strategic management
Published in DKUM: 07.01.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 15
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Abstract: The purpose of this research is to present and test a conceptual framework to aid in understanding and explaining the relationship between sustainability practices and organisational performance. The relevant theoretical insights are presented first, followed by a discussion of the relationship between quality management and sustainability. An extensive literature review is conducted on key intersections of quality management and sustainability. The research further investigates the dimensions of sustainability practices through the review. It develops a reliable and valid instrument for the sustainability practice constructs, which could be beneficial for both practitioners and academicians. Based on the notion of exploitation and exploration concepts, the research delineates sustainability practices and proposes causal relationships between sustainability practices and organisational performance. Furthermore, the conceptual framework is further discussed in terms of different outcomes related to sustainability performance, quality performance and business performance. One of the primary propositions of this framework is that the alternative relationships between sustainability practices (exploitation and exploration) and organisational performance depend on different factors, including environmental uncertainty, competitiveness, long-term orientation and institutional approaches. Therefore, the research is an attempt to cover the relatively less empirically explored area of the dynamics of corporate sustainability and organisational performance. The empirical data for this study was drawn from a large-scale international survey based on the following countries: Slovenia, Spain, Serbia, Poland, and Germany. A total of 247 organisations participated in the survey. The outcome of regression analyses provides the evidence that sustainability practices positively and significantly influence organisational performance. Regarding the antecedents of sustainability practices, our findings suggest that the main enablers for the successful adoption of sustainable practices are the support of top management, the integration of sustainability into vision and strategy, and the establishment of a sustainability centred culture. Furthermore, empirical evidence from this research also confirmed the existence of ambidextrous orientation, suggesting that organisations that are able to simultaneously pursue exploratory and exploitative sustainability practices can also expect performance benefits. However, the results indicate that when organisations maintain relatively high levels of exploratory and exploitative practices, significant relationship between sustainability practices and organisational performance seems to disappear. The results of the MANOVA analysis indicate that there are significant mean differences in organisational performance measures for low and high levels of sustainability practices. Therefore, by focusing on exploration and exploitation practices, organisations can expect to achieve higher performance outputs and outcomes. In addition to the direct influence of sustainability practices on the organisational performance, results also revealed that the innovation performance serves as a mediator in the relationship between sustainability practices and financial and market performance. This suggests that greater engagement in sustainability exploration and sustainability exploitation leads to greater innovation performance, which in turn leads to greater financial and market performance. The results also support the contingency and institutional view with regard to the relationship between sustainability practices and performance rather than relying upon a ‘universal’ view of sustainability practices. For example, the results show that in moderate environmental contexts (moderate competitiveness and uncertainty) sustainability exploitation practices seem to be a predominant predictor of organisational performance. However, it appears that when the level of competitiveness increases, sustainabi
Keywords: corporate sustainability, sustainability exploitation, sustainability exploration, quality management, organisational performance
Published in DKUM: 12.06.2018; Views: 2481; Downloads: 204
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