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Article
Publication date: 1 March 2018

Zhou Chao

The citizenization of agricultural transfer population is the key content of urbanization. At present, the agricultural transfer population can't enjoy the same public service…

Abstract

The citizenization of agricultural transfer population is the key content of urbanization. At present, the agricultural transfer population can't enjoy the same public service supply in urban integration. Based on this, in this paper, the planning and design of public service supply and the urban integration of agricultural transfer population were studied. The problems existing in urban integration of agricultural transfer population were analyzed, and the basic public service status of the agricultural transfer population in urban integration was expounded. Then, the basic public service needs of the agricultural transfer population in urban integration were analyzed, and the planning and design of urban basic public service supply were put forward. After that, taking the construction of the public service for agricultural transfer of population in a city as an example, a case analysis of the planning and design was carried out. The practice shows that the planning of urban public facilities service is beneficial to the urban integration of the rural population.

Details

Open House International, vol. 43 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0168-2601

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 February 2021

Jian Du, Keying Lu and Chao Zhou

Prior studies have argued that multinational firms with dynamic capabilities can reconfigure and upgrade their internal and external resources and adapt to an ever-changing…

Abstract

Purpose

Prior studies have argued that multinational firms with dynamic capabilities can reconfigure and upgrade their internal and external resources and adapt to an ever-changing competitive global environment. The impact of home country networks exerting on multinational corporations’ (MNCs) dynamic capabilities has been rarely discussed in extant research. This paper aims to explore how two types of home country networks’ relational embeddedness (from domestic firms and foreign firms) affect Chinese MNCs’ dynamic capabilities.

Design/methodology/approach

Several hypotheses were tested by analyzing the survey data from 204 multinational companies in china.

Findings

The results reveal the impact mechanism of the home country network on dynamic capabilities. Embeddedness in domestic networks positively affects embeddedness in the foreign network; embeddedness in foreign firms exerts positive effects on the three dimensions of MNC’s dynamic capabilities. Additionally, the effect of domestic firms’ relational embeddedness on resource reconfiguring capability is mediated by foreign firms’ embeddedness. Consequently, this study provides a theoretical introduction for MNCs from emerging economies.

Practical implications

This study has several managerial implications for emerging MNCs’ international operations. For MNCs from emerging economies, close cooperation with domestic firms helps firms to develop a close relationship with foreign firms; meanwhile, developing a close relationship with foreign firms can obtain spillover about technology and management experience better, improving dynamic capability. Specifically, domestic embeddedness, through foreign embeddedness, can extend the impact to focal firms in developing resource reconfiguring capability.

Originality/value

This study provides an alternate view of how home country networks influence the dynamic capabilities of Chinese MNCs and outlines its impact mechanism. Therefore, the study contributes both to the international business literature and social network literature.

Details

Chinese Management Studies, vol. 15 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-614X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 October 2022

Chao Zhou

Real options theory posits that multinationality provides additional operating flexibility and helps firms reduce downside risk. This study aims to explore the effects of chief…

Abstract

Purpose

Real options theory posits that multinationality provides additional operating flexibility and helps firms reduce downside risk. This study aims to explore the effects of chief executive officer (CEO) characteristics on the downside risk implication of multinationality in Chinese multinational corporations (MNCs).

Design/methodology/approach

This study gathers a sample of Chinese MNCs from 2009 to 2020 and deploys a Tobit panel estimation model with fixed effects in the empirical analysis.

Findings

This study finds that multinationality has a significant negative effect on downside risk. The downside risk reduction effect of multinationality is stronger in firms led by older CEOs, women CEOs, CEOs with overseas experience or broader functional backgrounds or those with higher educational levels. Additionally, the above effects of CEO characteristics on the downside risk reduction effect of multinationality are more pronounced in firms with smaller top management team (TMT) sizes. Hence, the findings show that the multinational network constructed by Chinese MNCs could offer great operating flexibility, and CEO characteristics and the CEO–TMT interface play an important role in achieving real options flexibility from multinationality.

Originality/value

This study shows that multinationality could be an effective way for emerging market firms to reduce business risk. This study helps identify CEO characteristics that are associated with real option performance and emphasizes that CEO personal attitudes and abilities could influence the real options flexibility obtained from multinationality. This study also contributes to the understanding of micro foundations in international business by focusing on the role of CEO characteristics and the CEO–TMT interface in the downside risk implications of multinationality.

Details

Multinational Business Review, vol. 31 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1525-383X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 December 2020

Ahmad Riaz, Chao Zhou, Ruobing Liang and Jili Zhang

This paper aims to present a numerical study on the natural convection, which operates either as an evaporator or condenser unit of the heat pump system to pre-cool and pre-heat…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to present a numerical study on the natural convection, which operates either as an evaporator or condenser unit of the heat pump system to pre-cool and pre-heat the ambient fresh air.

Design/methodology/approach

This study focuses on natural air cooling or heating within the air channel considering the double skin configuration. Particular focus is given to the analysis of airflow and the heat transfer processes in an air channel to cool or heat the ambient fresh air. In this study, the physical model consists of one wall, either heated uniformly or cooled uniformly, whereas the other wall is adiabatic.

Findings

The results show that the variation of both velocity and temperature is observed as the flow transition occurs at the evaporator or condenser wall. In either case, the temperature rises in the range of 6.3–8.4°C with an increase in mass flow rate from 0.07–0.08 kg/s in the photovoltaic thermal condenser part, while in the photovoltaic thermal evaporator part, the change in mass flow rate from 0.048–0.061 kg/s causes a decrease in temperature from 7.1–4.5°C.

Practical implications

The solar-assisted photovoltaic thermal heat pump system, in building façade having an air layer application, is feasible for pre-heating and pre-cooling the ambient fresh air and also reduces the energy needed to treat the fresh air.

Originality/value

The influence of condensing and evaporating temperature under natural convection mode in double skin conformation is considered for pre-heating and pre-cooling of ambient fresh air.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 31 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 January 2018

Chao Zhou

This paper aims to test the internationalization–performance relationship based on data of Chinese firms and the impact of firm size on the internationalization–performance…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to test the internationalization–performance relationship based on data of Chinese firms and the impact of firm size on the internationalization–performance relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses overseas subsidiaries as a percentage of total subsidiaries to measure the degree of internationalization. As the overseas subsidiaries and total subsidiaries data of Chinese A-share listed firms are not available in any existing databases, the author hand-collected information on subsidiaries of Chinese A-share listed manufacturing firms from their annual financial reports during 2001-2014. The basic accounting and market information is collected from the China Stock Market and Accounting Research Database. This paper finally gets 535 manufacturing firms.

Findings

The empirical results suggest that the internationalization–performance relationship is W-shaped in overall samples, but varies with firm size. Specifically, the internationalization–performance relationship is W-shaped in small firms and U-shaped in large firms.

Research limitations/implications

Future studies based on unlisted Chinese firms or other measurement of internationalization may provide further understanding of the internationalization–performance relationship.

Practical implications

Policymakers should help small firms prepare a long-term internationalization strategy, giving more support for small firms in the first and third phases of internationalization and helping them to reach the second and fourth phases. Policymakers should also pay more attention to limit the aggressive internationalization behavior of large firms.

Originality/value

This study provides new evidence for the internationalization–performance relationship by using the unique longitude sample from China and the unique measurement of internationalization. We also highlight the importance of firm characteristics in the examination of internationalization–performance relationship, which provides a potential explanation for previous mixed evidence.

Details

Chinese Management Studies, vol. 12 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-614X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 September 2019

Chao Zhou

The purpose of this paper is to explore how multinationality affects multinational companies’ (MNCs) downside risk and the moderate effects of ownership structure in the setting…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how multinationality affects multinational companies’ (MNCs) downside risk and the moderate effects of ownership structure in the setting of emerging markets based on Chinese publicly traded manufacturing MNCs.

Design/methodology/approach

The author derives hypotheses based on real options theory and agency theory, and tests hypotheses by using Tobit model and a unique data set of Chinese A-shared publicly traded manufacturing MNCs in the period of 2010–2016.

Findings

The empirical results suggest that multinationality is positively related to downside risk and this effect is subjected to ownership structure for firms in emerging markets. In particular, multinationality of MNCs with a high level of ownership concentration, managerial ownership and institutional ownership is more likely to reduce downside risk.

Practical implications

The main conclusion of this paper highlights the importance of ownership structure of MNCs in explaining the real options value of multinationality, and conveys to owners of MNCs in China and other emerging markets the need to strengthen firms’ governance if they want to maximize the benefits of multinational operations.

Originality/value

This study extends existing studies by taking ownership structure into consideration and highlighting the importance of agency problem in the examination of multinationality and downside risk, which provides a potential explanation for previous mixed evidence. This study also provides new evidence for the relationship between multinationality and downside risk by using a unique sample from China, an emerging market country.

Details

Cross Cultural & Strategic Management, vol. 26 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2059-5794

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 April 2020

Zheng-Xin Wang, Ji-Min Wu, Chao-Jun Zhou and Qin Li

Seasonal fluctuation interference often affects the relational analysis of economic time series. The main purpose of this paper is to propose a new grey relational model for…

Abstract

Purpose

Seasonal fluctuation interference often affects the relational analysis of economic time series. The main purpose of this paper is to propose a new grey relational model for relational analysis of seasonal time series and apply it to identify and eliminate the influence of seasonal fluctuation of retail sales of consumer goods in China.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the whole quarterly time series is divided into four groups by data grouping method. Each group only contains the time series data in the same quarter. Then, the new series of four-quarters are used to establish the grey correlation model and calculate its correlation coefficient. Finally, the correlation degree of factors in each group of data was calculated and sorted to determine its importance.

Findings

The data grouping method can effectively reflect the correlation between time series in different quarters and eliminate the influence of seasonal fluctuation.

Practical implications

In this paper, the main factors influencing the quarterly fluctuations of retail sales of consumer goods in China are explored by using the grouped grey correlation model. The results show that the main factors are different from quarter to quarter: in the first quarter, the main factors are money supply, tax and per capita disposable income of rural residents. In the second quarter are money supply, fiscal expenditure and tax. In the third quarter are money supply, fiscal expenditure and per capita disposable income of rural residents. In the fourth quarter are money supply, fiscal expenditure and tax.

Originality/value

This paper successfully realizes the application of grey relational model in quarterly time series and extends the applicable scope of grey relational model.

Details

Grey Systems: Theory and Application, vol. 10 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2043-9377

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 June 2019

Shuang-Shuang Liu

The conventional pedestrian detection algorithms lack in scale sensitivity. The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel algorithm of self-adaptive scale pedestrian detection…

Abstract

Purpose

The conventional pedestrian detection algorithms lack in scale sensitivity. The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel algorithm of self-adaptive scale pedestrian detection, based on deep residual network (DRN), to address such lacks.

Design/methodology/approach

First, the “Edge boxes” algorithm is introduced to extract region of interests from pedestrian images. Then, the extracted bounding boxes are incorporated to different DRNs, one is a large-scale DRN and the other one is the small-scale DRN. The height of the bounding boxes is used to classify the results of pedestrians and to regress the bounding boxes to the entity of the pedestrian. At last, a weighted self-adaptive scale function, which combines the large-scale results and small-scale results, is designed for the final pedestrian detection.

Findings

To validate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed algorithm, some comparison experiments have been done on the common pedestrian detection data sets: Caltech, INRIA, ETH and KITTI. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is adapted for the various scales of the pedestrians. For the hard detected small-scale pedestrians, the proposed algorithm has improved the accuracy and robustness of detections.

Originality/value

By applying different models to deal with different scales of pedestrians, the proposed algorithm with the weighted calculation function has improved the accuracy and robustness for different scales of pedestrians.

Details

International Journal of Intelligent Computing and Cybernetics, vol. 12 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-378X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 June 2013

Sheau‐yueh J. Chao

The purpose of this paper is to provide the historical background of genealogical records and analyze the value of Chinese genealogical research through the study of names and…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide the historical background of genealogical records and analyze the value of Chinese genealogical research through the study of names and genealogical resources.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper examines the historical evolution and value of Chinese genealogical records, with the focus on researching the Islamic Chinese names used by the people living in Guilin. The highlight of this paper includes the analysis and evolution of the Islamic Chinese names commonly adopted by the local people in Guilin. It concludes with the recommendations on emphasizing and making the best use of genealogical records to enhance the research value of Chinese overseas studies.

Findings

The paper covers the history of Islam and describes how the religion was introduced into China, as well as Muslims' ethnicity and identity. It also places focus on the importance of building a research collection in Asian history and Chinese genealogy.

Research limitations/implications

This research study has a strong subject focus on Chinese genealogy, Asian history, and Islamic Chinese surnames. It is a narrow field that few researchers have delved into.

Practical implications

The results of this study will assist students, researchers, and the general public in tracing the origin of their surnames and developing their interest in the social and historical value of Chinese local history and genealogies.

Social implications

The study of Chinese surnames is, by itself, a particular field for researching the social and political implications of contemporary Chinese society during the time the family members lived.

Originality/value

Very little research has been done in the area of Chinese local history and genealogy. The paper would be of value to researchers such as historians, sociologists, ethnologists and archaeologists, as well as students and anyone interested in researching a surname origin, its history and evolution.

Article
Publication date: 16 August 2019

Shuangshuang Liu and Xiaoling Li

Conventional image super-resolution reconstruction by the conventional deep learning architectures suffers from the problems of hard training and gradient disappearing. In order…

Abstract

Purpose

Conventional image super-resolution reconstruction by the conventional deep learning architectures suffers from the problems of hard training and gradient disappearing. In order to solve such problems, the purpose of this paper is to propose a novel image super-resolution algorithm based on improved generative adversarial networks (GANs) with Wasserstein distance and gradient penalty.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed algorithm first introduces the conventional GANs architecture, the Wasserstein distance and the gradient penalty for the task of image super-resolution reconstruction (SRWGANs-GP). In addition, a novel perceptual loss function is designed for the SRWGANs-GP to meet the task of image super-resolution reconstruction. The content loss is extracted from the deep model’s feature maps, and such features are introduced to calculate mean square error (MSE) for the loss calculation of generators.

Findings

To validate the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed algorithm, a lot of compared experiments are applied on three common data sets, i.e. Set5, Set14 and BSD100. Experimental results have shown that the proposed SRWGANs-GP architecture has a stable error gradient and iteratively convergence. Compared with the baseline deep models, the proposed GANs models have a significant improvement on performance and efficiency for image super-resolution reconstruction. The MSE calculated by the deep model’s feature maps gives more advantages for constructing contour and texture.

Originality/value

Compared with the state-of-the-art algorithms, the proposed algorithm obtains a better performance on image super-resolution and better reconstruction results on contour and texture.

Details

International Journal of Intelligent Computing and Cybernetics, vol. 12 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-378X

Keywords

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