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1 – 8 of 8Aiqin Wang, Yaojiang Shi, Qiufeng Gao, Chengfang Liu, Linxiu Zhang, Natalie Johnson and Scott Rozelle
The purpose of this paper is to describe the trends in residential solid waste collection (RSWC) services in rural China over the past decade and analyze the determinants of these…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe the trends in residential solid waste collection (RSWC) services in rural China over the past decade and analyze the determinants of these services using nationally representative data.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors draw on panel data from three rounds of village-level surveys of 101 villages. The three surveys were conducted in 2005, 2008, and 2012 in five provinces. The authors used fixed-effected regression approach to analyze the determinants of these services.
Findings
The results show that in the aftermath of increased investment and policy attention at the national level, the proportion of villages providing RSWC services in rural China increased significantly from 1998 to 2011. However, half of all villages in rural China still did not provide RSWC services as of 2011. Based on econometrics analysis, the authors show that villages that are richer, more populous, and villages with more small hamlets are more likely to provide RSWC services.
Originality/value
The analyses are based on primary survey data and the first to quantify trends in waste management services in the beginning of the twentieth century. The authors believe that the results will have significant policy implications for China in its continuing quest for better waste management policy.
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Fang Chang, Yaojiang Shi, Hongmei Yi and Natalie Johnson
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of adult children migration on the health status of elderly parents. Increased labor migration in developing countries that…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of adult children migration on the health status of elderly parents. Increased labor migration in developing countries that lack adequate social security systems and institutionalized care for the elderly is a phenomenon that is important to understand. When their adult children go away to work, it is not clear what effect there will be on “left-behind” elderly parents.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employs nearly nationally representative data from five provinces, 25 counties, 101 villages and 2,000 households, collected from two waves of data in 2007 and 2011. This sample comprises a subset of households which include both elderly individuals (above 60 years old) and their grown (working-aged) children in order to estimate the impact of adult child migration on the health of elderly parents in rural China.
Findings
This study finds that adult child migration has a significant positive impact on the health of elderly family members.
Practical implications
These findings are consistent with the explanation that migration raises family resources, which in turn may contribute to better health outcomes for elderly household members.
Originality/value
This is the first paper to attempt to identify the relationship between household migration and the health of elderly parents within the Chinese context.
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Zhaojie Meng, Yunxia Wang, Xiaocui Xin, Hao Liu, Yunfeng Yan and Fengyuan Yan
The purpose of this study is to examine the fretting wear property of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)-based composites reinforced by different content of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the fretting wear property of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)-based composites reinforced by different content of attapulgite.
Design/methodology/approach
A series of composites were prepared by a hot-pressing method. Fretting tests were carried out using an SRV-IV oscillating reciprocating friction wear tester with a load of 10 N and a frequency of 100 Hz. The morphology of the fracture structure and the worn surface was observed by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and a non-contact three dimensional surface profiler.
Findings
With the addition of attapulgite, the microstructure of the composites become more regular, and their heat resistance improved. Furthermore, the friction coefficient and the specific wear rate of the composites with lower filler content reduced compared with that of neat UHMWPE, and the optimum filler content is 1 per cent.
Originality/value
The study investigated the fretting resistance mechanism of the attapulgite in the UHMWPE matrix. The results could help to provide some experimental evidence for the broader application of silicates on the fretting wear resistance of polymers.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-10-2019-0420/
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Aiqin Gao, Hongjuan Zhang and Kongliang Xie
– The purpose of this paper is to synthesise a tetrakisazo reactive dye and to characterise its dyeing property to meet the demand for better black reactive dyes.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to synthesise a tetrakisazo reactive dye and to characterise its dyeing property to meet the demand for better black reactive dyes.
Design/methodology/approach
The novel tetrakisazo navy-blue reactive dye based on 4,4′-diaminostilbene-2,2′-disulphonic acid was designed and synthesized. The dyeing behaviour of it on cotton fabric was discussed. The synergistic blackening effect and absorbance spectra were investigated by absorbance and reflectance spectra, K/S and colorimetric data.
Findings
The exhaustion and fixation of the designed reactive dye were higher than 20 per cent than those of the commercial reactive dye, CI Reactive Black 5. The novel reactive dye has complementary with Reactive Red SPB and Reactive Yellow C-5R in absorbance spectra from 360 to 700 nm. Three reactive dyes had synergistic effect in colour deepening properties. The dyed cotton fabric possessed high K/S value and low reflectance in the whole visual spectrum range from 360 to 700 nm.
Practical implications
Comparison with the commercial Reactive Black DN-RN, the blackness of the dyed fabrics with the mixture dyes was greatly improved and the fastness properties on cotton fabrics were also good.
Originality/value
The paper is an original research work. Because the mixture dyes had better blackness and good fastness properties, it would have wide application in the dyeing of cotton fabric.
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Min Li, Kaili Song, Kongliang Xie and Aiqin Hou
The purpose of this paper is to synthesise a disperse dye based on benzisothiazole and to characterise its crystal morphology, dispersing stability, to study the relationship…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to synthesise a disperse dye based on benzisothiazole and to characterise its crystal morphology, dispersing stability, to study the relationship between the chemical structure and the dyeing property of the dye.
Design/methodology/approach
The disperse dye based on benzisothiazole, 3-(3-methyl-4-N-ethyl-N-benzyl-phenyldiazenyl)-5-nitro-2,1-benzisothiazoles, was synthesized. The disperse dye based on benzisothiazole, 3-(3-methyl-4-N-ethyl-N-benzyl-phenyldiazenyl)-5-nitro-2,1-benzisothiazoles, was synthesised. The chemical structure of the dye obtained was characterised by infrared spectrum Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance (1HNMR), and the crystal morphology was observed by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy. Sodium salt of polycondensated naphthalenesulphonic acid (dispersing agent sodium salt of polycondensated naphthalenesulphonic acid [MF]) and a sulphonated amino polyether (anionic surfactant B600) were employed to grind and disperse the dye crystals. The dispersion property of the dye particles was characterised. Dyeing property of the dispersion system was also studied.
Findings
The dye formed spherical crystals that were made up of a large number of acicular crystals similar to spherical chrysanthemum. The crystals had warping crystal centres inside the spheres. The particle sizes of the dispersion with the mixture of B600 and MF had an uniform distribution and were smaller than that of the dispersion with only single dispersing agent MF. Dyeing with the dispersion system had an excellent reproducibility under alkalinic condition.
Practical implications
An alkalinic dyeing method for poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) with disperse dyes as a cleaner wet process had been developed. Such a process combined pretreatment and dyeing process using the alkali-stable disperse dyes and reduced the consumption of water and energy and improved production efficiency.
Originality/value
The crystal morphology, dispersion and dyeing properties of the synthesised disperse dye for dyeing PET fabric under alkalinic condition were discussed. This disperse dye has an important potential application in alkalinic dyeing method.
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Zhu Yunxia and Herbert W. Hildebrandt
This paper aims to compare the Greek and Chinese rhetorical traditions and explore their influences on today’s business and marketing communication across relevant cultures. In…
Abstract
This paper aims to compare the Greek and Chinese rhetorical traditions and explore their influences on today’s business and marketing communication across relevant cultures. In particular, it uses the Aristotelian persuasive orientations as reference points to introduce the Chinese rhetoric, and interpret cultural differences in persuasion from a historical and sociocultural perspective. It has been found that Greek and Chinese rhetoric and persuasion were developed to meet the needs of the social and cultural environments and this rule still applies to today’s business communication. The logical approach has been emphasised in the English rhetorical tradition while both qing (emotional approach) and li (logical approach) are the focus of persuasion in the Chinese tradition. This difference is also the root of cultural differences in modern business communication. Findings from both English and Chinese texts and data are examined to substantiate our focal argument.
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Kongliang Xie, Aiqin Hou and Lei Xu
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of self‐emulsifying polysiloxanes containing multi‐cationic groups as resin on fastness properties of dyed cellulose fabrics.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of self‐emulsifying polysiloxanes containing multi‐cationic groups as resin on fastness properties of dyed cellulose fabrics.
Design/methodology/approach
Cellulose fabrics were dyed with three reactive dyes. Then, the self‐emulsifying polysiloxanes containing multi‐cationic groups as resin were applied to the dyed cellulose fabrics. The fastness properties were investigated.
Findings
The results show that the wet rubbing fastness, washing fastness and perspiration fastness of three dyed samples treated with novel self‐emulsifying polysiloxanes are higher than those of the dyed samples without the polymer treatment. The complexes of cellulose with the polysiloxanes having multi‐cationic groups are formed. With the increase of the quantity of cationic groups in the polymer macromolecules, the wet rubbing and washing fastness further increase. The self‐emulsifying polysiloxanes can affect the colour yields (K/S) of the dyed fabrics.
Originality/value
The self‐emulsifying polysiloxanes containing multi‐cationic groups are novel functional materials. They are easily self‐emulsifying in water, without the need of disperse agents, and form a transparent macromolecule colloid solution. Self‐emulsifying polysiloxanes as resins can change material properties to improve their wet fastness and gloss. They have potential application as resins in the coloration industry. This paper is an original research report and has not been published previously.
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Team autonomy involves empowering employees to achieve greater control over organizational dynamics. Such empowerment may augment the employees’ vigor, dedication and absorption…
Abstract
Purpose
Team autonomy involves empowering employees to achieve greater control over organizational dynamics. Such empowerment may augment the employees’ vigor, dedication and absorption at work. However, there is limited evidence on the contents of the relationship between team autonomy and work engagement. This paper aims to fill in this gap, shedding light into the manifold implications of team autonomy on employees’ work engagement.
Design/methodology/approach
A serial mediation analysis was designed to collect evidence of the effects of team autonomy on work engagement. Drawing on self-determination theory, social comparison theory and social facilitation theory, team member-supervisor exchanges and organizational climate were contemplated in the analysis as mediating variables. An ordinary least square regression-based model relying on 5,000 bootstrap samples was implemented. The study focused on a large sample of Europeans employed in the manufacturing sector (n = 4,588).
Findings
Team autonomy had tiny, but statistically significant effects on work engagement. Good relationships between team members and supervisors positively mediated the effects of team autonomy on work engagement. Conversely, the organizational climate did not have a significant mediating role. A statistically significant serial mediation effect linked team autonomy and work engagement via team member-supervisor exchanges and organizational climate.
Practical implications
Team autonomy contributes to increasing the employees’ vigor, dedication and absorption at work. The enhancement of team member-supervisor relationships fosters the engagement of team members who experience a greater autonomy at work. The effects of team autonomy on organizational climate are ambiguous and mediated by an improvement of the relationships between team members and supervisors.
Originality/value
The paper originally investigates the implications of team autonomy on work engagement, emphasizing the importance of social exchanges at work to realize the full potential of team autonomy.
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