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The inhibition of the copper corrosion in aerated 3 per cent sodium chloride solution was studied by using electrochemical polarisation, weight loss and impedance measurements in the presence of different concentration of synthesised bipyrazolic compounds: N,N‐bis (3,5‐dimethylpyrazol‐1‐ylmethyl) butylamine (bipy1); N,N‐bis (3,5‐dimethylpyrazol‐1‐ylmethyl) allylamine (bipy2); N,N‐bis (3,5‐dimethylpyrazol‐1‐ylmethyl) ethanolamine. (bipy3); N,N‐bis (3,5‐dimethylpyrazol‐1‐ylmethyl) cyclohexylamine (bipy4); N,N‐bis (3‐carbomethoxy‐5‐methylpyrazol‐1‐ylmethyl) cyclohexylamine (bipy5); N,N‐bis(3‐carboethoxy‐5‐methylpyrazol‐1‐ylmethyl) cyclohexylamine (bipy6). The inhibition efficiencies obtained from cathodic Tafel plots, polarisation resistance and weight loss are in good agreement with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. All these additives were found to be excellent inhibitors of copper corrosion. The difference in inhibition efficiencies of these inhibitors was not big, but the optimum concentration for maximum efficiency was slightly dependent on the substitution of each molecule. The studied molecules act as mixed‐type inhibitors. Detailed study of bipy1 shows that the maximum inhibition efficiency revolves around 99 per cent from 5×10⁻⁴ M of inhibitor. This latter adsorbs on the copper surface according to the Frumkin isotherm model. The inhibition efficiency of bipy1 decreases with the rise of temperature in the range 25 – 60°C.

The inhibition of corrosion of steel in 1 M HCl solution by newly synthesised pyrazole derivatives has been studied by weight loss and polarisation techniques at 308°K. Its inhibitory power is compared to N,N′‐bis(3,5‐dimethylpyrazol‐1‐yl‐methyl)‐pentanolamine (Bipyr). The results obtained reveal that tripyrazole exhibits a good protection. Inhibition is found to increase with increase in inhibitor concentration. The inhibition behaviour of the compound has been explained on the basis of molecule size and charge density of adsorption active centres. The adsorption phenomenon obeys the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model.

The inhibition of the corrosion of the mild steel in 1M HCl by new bipyrazolic compounds has been studied by weight loss, electrochemical polarisation and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements. Results obtained reveal that these compounds are very good inhibitors. The inhibition efficiency increases with the increase of inhibitor concentration and reached 94 at 10^–3M for the bipyrazoles studied. Potentiodynamic polarisation studies clearly reveal that the presence of the bipyrazoles does not change the mechanism of the hydrogen evolution reaction and they act essentially as cathodic inhibitors. The effect of temperature on the corrosion behaviour of mild steel in 1M HCl without and with the bipyrazoles at 10^–3M was studied in the temperature range from 298° to 343°K. EIS measurements show the increase of the transfer resistance with the inhibitor concentration.

This study aims to examine the impact of autonomous vehicles adoption motivations (i.e. technological, ecological and intrinsic motivation) on tourists’ pro-environmental behavior and verify the mediating role of tourists’ green self-image between the relationship of eco-friendly attitudes and autonomous vehicles adoption motivations.

The data from 586 national and international tourists were analyzed using the partial least squares method.

The findings revealed that eco-friendly attitude is a significant predictor of tourists’ green self-image; tourists’ green self-image is a significant predictor of autonomous vehicles adoption motivations; and autonomous vehicles adoption motivations are significant predictors of tourists’ pro-environmental behavior. In addition, tourists’ green self-image mediated the relationship between eco-friendly attitudes and autonomous vehicles adoption motivations.

These outcomes provide valuable guidance for the future development of green destination tourism and allow interesting implications for the tourism industry and autonomous vehicles adoption.

本研究探讨自动驾驶汽车采纳动机（即技术、生态和内在动机）对游客环保行为的影响, 并验证游客绿色自我形象在环保态度和自动驾驶汽车采纳动机之间的中介作用。

收集586份来自中国国内外游客的数据, 采用偏最小二乘法进行分析。

研究结果表明, 环保态度显著影响游客绿色自我形象, 进而影响自动驾驶汽车采纳动机, 带来游客的环保行为。此外, 游客的绿色自我形象在环保态度与自动驾驶汽车采纳动机之间起到中介作用。

本研究提出了游客绿色自我形象的概念, 将游客与环保人士的日常行为进行区分。研究结果为绿色目的地旅游业的未来发展提供了方向, 对旅游业和自动驾驶汽车的采纳产生影响。

Este estudio tiene como objetivo examinar el impacto de las motivaciones para la adopción de vehículos autónomos (es decir, motivaciones tecnológicas, ecológicas e intrínsecas) en el comportamiento proambiental de los turistas y verificar el papel mediador de la autoimagen ecológica de los turistas en la relación entre las actitudes ecológicas. y las motivaciones para la adopción de vehículos autónomos.

Se analizaron los datos de 586 turistas nacionales e internacionales mediante el método de mínimos cuadrados parciales.

Los hallazgos revelaron que la actitud ecológica es un predictor importante de la autoimagen ecológica de los turistas; la autoimagen ecológica de los turistas es un predictor importante de las motivaciones para la adopción de vehículos autónomos; y las motivaciones para la adopción de vehículos autónomos son predictores importantes del comportamiento proambiental de los turistas. Además, la autoimagen ecológica de los turistas medió la relación entre las actitudes ecológicas y las motivaciones para la adopción de vehículos autónomos.

Estos resultados proporcionan una orientación valiosa para el desarrollo futuro del turismo de destino ecológico y permiten implicaciones interesantes para la industria turística y la adopción de vehículos autónomos.

This study aims to explore the innovative strategies of business model of the free-to-fee switch, the relationship between the business model innovation and customer knowledge and further develop a conceptual model.

This study adopts a multiple case study method with abductive research logic, following the replication logic to select samples. A total of eight outstanding companies with altogether 312 free-to-fee switch events were selected from 1998 to 2021.

A strategic matrix with four innovative business models for the free-to-fee switch is generated. The parallelism between the models and customer knowledge orientations is also found. Further, the study develops the conceptual model regarding customer knowledge orientation as a key mediation.

The study highlights the conceptualization definition of customer knowledge orientation and its mediation effect to the business model innovation of free-to-fee switch, which is a new issue compared with previous research. Furthermore, it reveals that there exists organizational ambidexterity, which brings a new definition of customer knowledge orientation.

This study suggests how to integrate customer knowledge orientations to support the marketing process of the business model of free-to-fee switch. It also proposes a specific mechanism to conduct the free-to-fee switch with the introduction of four innovative strategic models and eight evolutional paths.

This study creatively proposes the strategic matrix and the conceptual model of business model innovation of free-to-fee switch. Moreover, a new conceptual definition of customer knowledge orientation is specified.

This study aims to examine the relationship between financial inclusion, CO₂ emissions and financial sustainability across 17 African countries.

Data were sourced from the World Development Indicators for the period 2004-2021. The study performs the principal component analysis, panel fixed effects model and quantile regression estimations to investigate the relationship between financial inclusion, CO₂ emissions and financial sustainability.

The study finds that an increase in automated teller machine (ATM) penetration rate, savings and credits increases CO₂ emissions. Findings also reveal that financial sustainability reduces financial inclusion, with significant negative effects on the conditional mean of CO₂ emissions and the conditional distribution of CO₂ emissions across quantiles.

This study is beneficial for policymakers, particularly in the age of digitalization and drive for low-carbon emissions, to develop green credits for energy players and investors to take up renewable and green energy projects characterized by high levels of carbon storage and carbon capture. Further, the banking sector’s credits and liquid assets should be used to finance alternative banking energy-related equipment and services, such as solar photovoltaic wireless ATMs, and fewer bank branches.

To study the effect of inhibition of new bipyrazole derivatives on the corrosion of steel in HCl media at various temperatures.

In this study, novel corrosion inhibitors, namely bipyrazoles were synthesised and tested as corrosion inhibitors for steel in 1 M HCl. The degree of corrosion was measured using various techniques including weight loss measurements, potentiodynamic polarisation, linear polarisation resistance (Rp) and impedance spectroscopy (EIS).

It was found that 1,5,5′‐trimethyl‐1H,2′H‐3,3′‐bipyrazole (P₁) gave the best inhibition effect. The inhibition efficiency increased with the concentration of P₁ to attain 79 per cent at 10⁻³ M. Good agreement between the various methods explored was observed. Polarisation measurements also showed that P₁ acted essentially as a cathodic inhibitor. The cathodic curves indicated that the reduction of proton at the steel surface was an activating mechanism. P₁ adsorbed on the steel surface according to Frumkin adsorption model.

The synthesis route offers the possibility of other pyrazolic compounds to be tested in the future.

The inhibitory efficiency of P₁ increased with the increase of both the concentration and the temperature (in the 298‐353 K range). As such, P₁ can be used in chemical cleaning and pickling processes.

The originality of this work is the synthesis of new inhibitors based on pyrazolic organic compounds.

The link between SME performance, growth and development is well established; however, the characteristics of SMEs that allow firms to be successful in the long run in an underdeveloped country context, i.e. Pakistan, are still unclear. This paper aims to bridge this gap by identifying the SMEs’ characteristics that set them apart from their rivals and become successful.

This study uses Storey’s development framework to identify the SMEs’ characteristics. Data is gathered using the case study method from SMEs with a metropolitan context in Pakistan. A narrative methodological framework was used during the data gathering and analysing stages.

Findings of this study indicate that the prosperity of SMEs in Pakistan is dependent on a combination of characteristics, including entrepreneurial characteristics of owner–managers, knowledge of business operating models, social networks and relationship building and innovation in business style. Additionally, other factors such as governance structure, strategic planning of market diversification and export characteristics also influence the prosperity of an SME. These findings may have several important implications for key stakeholders, including entrepreneurs, SMEs and policymakers in the government.

This research provides evidence about factors that can help an SME to become successful in uncertain situations surrounding a business environment. Theoretically, the contribution of this research is that it demonstrates that entrepreneurial characteristics and the effective leadership style of owner–managers can help SMEs achieve prosperity in external unforeseeable situations.

The acceleration of globalized commerce and economic activities has meant that conventional and Shariah (Islamic law) compliant organizations transact and negotiate among themselves. Therefore, this study aims to explore the concept of corporate negotiation and the communicative principles that guide the negotiation process among Shariah-compliant organizations.

The study uses a qualitative method through an inductive interpretative approach by conducting 20 in-depth interviews among four groups of experts. These consist of three muftis, ten academicians in Islamic assets, finance and asset jurisprudence; three practitioners in charge of inter-organizational negotiation and decision-making; and four shariah board members of selected Islamic banks.

The findings reported that business negotiation is used by Islamic organizations for reconciliation, consultation, resolving disagreements and as a means of achieving spiritual satisfaction. Furthermore, the key communicative principles of the negotiation process consist of the credibility of informational exchange, flexible interactions and the openness and truthful disclosure of information.

The empirical data discussed in this study supports the claim that macro-environmental factors and social and cultural values should be considered when examining business negotiating behaviors. However, this study focuses only on the banking/service organization negotiation. Therefore, future research should focus on the Islamic negotiation process in the context of diplomatic and international relations.

The findings reported in this study offer insight for negotiators operating among Islamic organizations to understand the principles and process of negotiation in the purview of Shariah standards and principles.

In terms of theoretical implications, this study reveals a clear conceptual difference between the conventional concept and the Islamic perspective of corporate negotiation. Also, this study highlights the impact of organizational culture, specifically Islamic management strategies, on the business negotiation process and business communication principles.

Big data analytics (BDA) is recognized as a turning point for firms to improve their performance. Although small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are crucial for every economy, they are lagging far behind in the usage of BDA. This study aims to provide a single and unified model for the adoption of BDA among SMEs with the integration of the technology–organization–environment (TOE) model and resource-based view.

A survey of 112 manufacturing SMEs in Iran was conducted, and the data were analysed using structural equation modelling to test the model of this study.

The results offer evidence of a BDA mediation effect in the relationship between technological, organizational and environmental contexts, and SMEs performance. The findings also demonstrated that technological and organizational elements are the more significant determinants of BDA adoption in the context of SMEs. In addition, the result of this study confirmed that BDA adoption could enhance the financial and market performance of SMEs.

Providing a single unified framework of BDA adoption for SMEs enables them to appreciate the importance of most influential elements (technology, organization and environment) in the adoption of BDA. Also, this study may encourage SMEs to be more willing to use BDA in their businesses.

Although there are studies on BDA adoption and firm performance among large companies, there is a lack of empirical research on SMEs, in particular, based on the TOE model. SMEs differ from large companies in terms of the availability of resources and size. Therefore, this study aimed to initiate a conceptual framework of BDA adoption for SMEs to assist them to be able to take advantage of the adoption of such technology.