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1 – 10 of 134
Article
Publication date: 13 September 2023

Amirul Syafiq, Lilik Jamilatul Awalin, Syukri Ali and Mohd Arif

The paper aims to design the optimum formulation of the nano-titanium dioxide (TiO2) hydrophilic coating system using the synthetic polypropylene glycol (PPG), which can create…

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to design the optimum formulation of the nano-titanium dioxide (TiO2) hydrophilic coating system using the synthetic polypropylene glycol (PPG), which can create the reflection and absorption property.

Design/methodology/approach

TiO2 nanoparticles are used as fillers, and PPG has been blended at the proper ratio of 1PPG: 0.2TiO2. The prepared resin has been applied onto the glass substrate at different numbers of glass immersions during the dip-coating fabrication process. One-time glass immersion is labeled as T1 coating, two-time glass immersion is labeled as T2 coating and three-time glass immersion is labeled as T3 coating. All the prepared coating systems were left dry at ambient temperature.

Findings

T3 coating showed the lowest reading of WCA value at 40.50°, due to higher surface energy at 61.73 mN/m. The T3 coating also shows the greatest absorbance property among the prepared coating systems among the prepared coating. In terms of reflectance property, the T2 coating system has great reflectance in UV region and near-infrared region, which is 16.47% and 2.77 and 2.73%, respectively. The T2 coating also has great optical transmission about 75.00% at the visible region.

Research limitations/implications

The development of thermal insulation coating by studying the relationship between convection heat and reflectance at different wavelengths of incident light.

Practical implications

The developed coating shows high potential for glass window application.

Originality/value

The application of the hydrophilic coating on light absorption, reflectance and transmission at different wavelengths.

Details

Pigment & Resin Technology, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0369-9420

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 21 May 2024

David Amani

Despite the importance of tourism ethnocentrism in emerging tourism destinations, there is limited, but growing, research interest in this area. This study aims to respond to…

Abstract

Purpose

Despite the importance of tourism ethnocentrism in emerging tourism destinations, there is limited, but growing, research interest in this area. This study aims to respond to current calls for investigating mechanisms that can promote tourism ethnocentrism in both emerging and developed tourism destinations.

Details

Tourism Critiques: Practice and Theory, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2633-1225

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 February 2024

Wenhai Tan, Yichen Zhang, Yuhao Song, Yanbo Ma, Chao Zhao and Youfeng Zhang

Aqueous zinc-ion battery has broad application prospects in smart grid energy storage, power tools and other fields. Co3O4 is one of the ideal cathode materials for water zinc-ion…

40

Abstract

Purpose

Aqueous zinc-ion battery has broad application prospects in smart grid energy storage, power tools and other fields. Co3O4 is one of the ideal cathode materials for water zinc-ion batteries due to their high theoretical capacity, simple synthesis, low cost and environmental friendliness. Many studies were concentrated on the synthesis, design and doping of cathodes, but the effect of process parameters on morphology and performance was rarely reported.

Design/methodology/approach

Herein, Co3O4 cathode material based on carbon cloth (Co3O4/CC) was prepared by different temperatures hydrothermal synthesis method. The temperatures of hydrothermal reaction are 100°C, 120°C, 130°C and 140°C, respectively. The influence of temperatures on the microstructures of the cathodes and electrochemical performance of zinc ion batteries were investigated by X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry curve, electrochemical charging and discharging behavior and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy test.

Findings

The results show that the Co3O4/CC material synthesized at 120°C has good performance. Co3O4/CC nanowire has a uniform distribution, regular surface and small size on carbon cloth. The zinc-ion battery has excellent rate performance and low reaction resistance. In the voltage range of 0.01–2.2 V, when the current density is 1 A/g, the specific capacity of the battery is 108.2 mAh/g for the first discharge and the specific capacity of the battery is 142.6 mAh/g after 60 charge and discharge cycles.

Originality/value

The study aims to investigate the effect of process parameters on the performance of zinc-ion batteries systematically and optimized applicable reaction temperature.

Details

World Journal of Engineering, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1708-5284

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 August 2024

Chao Li, Mengjun Huo and Renhuai Liu

The purpose of this paper is to empirically analyze the impact of directors’ and officers’ (D&O) liability insurance on enterprise strategic change. It also explores the mediating…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically analyze the impact of directors’ and officers’ (D&O) liability insurance on enterprise strategic change. It also explores the mediating role of litigation risk, the moderating roles of enterprise science and technology level and precipitation organizational slack between them. In addition, it examines the joint moderating roles of the top management team (TMT) external social network and enterprise science and technology level, and enterprise scale and precipitation organizational slack.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the unbalanced panel data of A-share listed companies in the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges of China from 2002 to 2020 as the research sample, this paper uses the ordinary least square method and fixed-effect model to study the relationship between D&O liability insurance and enterprise strategic change. The study also focuses on the mediating mechanism and moderating mechanisms between them.

Findings

The authors find that D&O liability insurance has an “incentive effect,” which can significantly promote enterprise strategic change. Litigation risk plays a partial mediating role between D&O liability insurance and enterprise strategic change. Enterprise science and technology level and precipitation organizational slack negatively moderate the relationship between D&O liability insurance and enterprise strategic change. TMT external social network and enterprise science and technology level, and enterprise-scale and precipitation organizational slack have joint moderating effects on the relationship between D&O liability insurance and enterprise strategic change.

Originality/value

This paper confirms the “incentive effect hypothesis” of the impact of D&O liability insurance on enterprise strategic change, which not only broadens the research perspective of enterprise strategic management but also further expands the research scope of D&O liability insurance. Besides, this paper thoroughly explores the influencing mechanisms between D&O liability insurance and enterprise strategic change, providing incremental contributions to the research literature in the field of enterprise risk management and corporate governance. The findings have practical guiding significance for expanding the coverage of D&O liability insurance, promoting the implementation of strategic changes and improving the level of corporate governance of Chinese enterprises.

Article
Publication date: 22 August 2024

Hong Zhan, Dexi Ye, Chao Zeng and Chenguang Yang

This paper aims to deal with the force and position tracking problem when a robot performs a task in interaction with an unknown environment and presents a hybrid control strategy…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to deal with the force and position tracking problem when a robot performs a task in interaction with an unknown environment and presents a hybrid control strategy based on variable admittance control and fixed-time control.

Design/methodology/approach

A hybrid control strategy based on variable admittance control and fixed-time control is presented. Firstly, a variable stiffness admittance model control based on proportional integral and differential (PID) is adopted to maintain the expected force value during the task execution. Secondly, a fixed-time controller based on radial basis function neural network (RBFNN) is introduced to handle the model uncertainties and ensure the fast position tracking convergence of the robot system, while the singularity problem is also avoided by designing the virtual control variable with piecewise function.

Findings

Simulation studies conducted on the robot manipulator with two degrees of freedom have verified the superior performance of the proposed control strategy comparing with other methods.

Originality/value

A hybrid control scheme for robot–environment interaction is presented, in which the variable stiffness admittance method is adopted to adjust the interaction force to the desired value, and the RBFNN-based fixed-time position controller without singularity problem is designed to ensure the fast convergence of the robot system with model uncertainty.

Details

Robotic Intelligence and Automation, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2754-6969

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 September 2024

Kaiying Kang, Jialiang Xie, Xiaohui Liu and Jianxiang Qiu

Experts may adjust their assessments through communication and mutual influence, and this dynamic evolution relies on the spread of internal trust relationships. Due to…

Abstract

Purpose

Experts may adjust their assessments through communication and mutual influence, and this dynamic evolution relies on the spread of internal trust relationships. Due to differences in educational backgrounds and knowledge experiences, trust relationships among experts are often incomplete. To address such issues and reduce decision biases, this paper proposes a probabilistic linguistic multi-attribute group decision consensus model based on an incomplete social trust network (InSTN).

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, we first define the new trust propagation operators based on the operations of Probability Language Term Set (PLTS) with algebraic t-conorm and t-norm, which are combined with trust aggregation operators to estimate InSTN. The adjustment coefficients are then determined through trust relations to quantify their impact on expert evaluation. Finally, the particle swarm algorithm (PSO) is used to optimize the expert evaluation to meet the consensus threshold.

Findings

This study demonstrates the feasibility of the method through the selection of treatment plans for complex cases. The proposed consensus model exhibits greater robustness and effectiveness compared to traditional methods, mainly due to the effective regulation of trust relations in the decision-making process, which reduces decision bias and inconsistencies.

Originality/value

This paper introduces a novel probabilistic linguistic multi-attribute swarm decision consensus model based on an InSTN. It proposes a redefined trust propagation and aggregation approach to estimate the InSTN. Moreover, the computational efficiency and decision consensus accuracy of the proposed model are enhanced by using PSO optimization.

Details

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

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 April 2024

Xiaoman Zhou, Christina Geng-Qing Chi and Biyan Wen

Generation Z (Gen Z) is entering the hotel workforce and will soon become the dominant group. This has called for a better understanding of this workforce’s attitudes and…

Abstract

Purpose

Generation Z (Gen Z) is entering the hotel workforce and will soon become the dominant group. This has called for a better understanding of this workforce’s attitudes and perceptions towards working in the hotel industry. This study aims to examine the effect of organizational socialization on the retention of Chinese Gen Z employees, the mediating role of person–environment fit (P-E fit) and the moderating effect of career commitment.

Design/methodology/approach

Time-lagged data were collected from 426 Gen Z new employees from 20 upscale hotels at two different times (2 weeks and 12 weeks after the employees entered the hotel). Confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling, bootstrapping analysis and moderated hierarchical regression analyses were used for data analysis.

Findings

Organizational socialization positively affects employee retention via person–environment fit. Moreover, career commitment positively moderates the relationship between person–environment fit and employee retention.

Practical implications

Hotels must view organizational socialization as a long-term investment in Gen Z talent management by offering effective training through diverse methods, creating a collaborative environment and helping them develop career plans to enhance their career commitment.

Originality/value

This study unpacks the four dimensions of organizational socialization and investigates their differential effects on Gen Z employees’ retention through P-E fit. The moderating role of career commitment is also examined. This study contributes to the growing body of hospitality human resources management research on this new generation of workforce in China.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 April 2022

Muhammad Zaheer Hashim, Liu Chao, Chao Wang and Sabir Hussain Awan

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of clients' trust, opportunism and adaptation on contractual (non)cooperation with a mediating role of coordination in the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of clients' trust, opportunism and adaptation on contractual (non)cooperation with a mediating role of coordination in the construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was used to collect data from employees of the Pakistani construction industry. Smart partial least square (SmartPLS) has been used for analyzing the data of 270 respondents from construction projects.

Findings

The results of the SmartPLS indicate that (1) Trust and contract coordination positively while opportunism negatively influence contractor's contractual cooperation. (2) Contract adaptation and contract coordination positively influence the noncontractual cooperation of the contractor. (3) Moreover, contract coordination positively mediates the relationship between trust and noncontractual cooperation, but negatively mediates the relationship between opportunism and contract adaptation and noncontractual cooperation.

Practical implications

The findings of this research suggest several policy implications for administrative authorities, project managers and policymakers. These authorities need to focus on clients' trust, opportunism and adaptation because these factors significantly influence contract coordination and cooperation in the construction industry. Emphasizing these factors will enable project managers to gain economies of scale and mitigate project failure.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ search and knowledge, they did not find any study examining the mediating role of coordination between trust, opportunism, adaptation and cooperation in the construction industry. Hence, the present study advances their understanding in the field of project management and construction business.

Details

Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2054-6238

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 June 2024

Chao Wang, Xiaoyan Jiang, Qing Li, Zijuan Hu and Jie Lin

Market evaluation of products is the basis for product innovation, yet traditional expert-based evaluation methods are highly dependent on the specialization of experts. There…

26

Abstract

Purpose

Market evaluation of products is the basis for product innovation, yet traditional expert-based evaluation methods are highly dependent on the specialization of experts. There exist a lot of weak expert-generated texts on the Internet of their own subjective evaluations of products. Analyzing these texts can indirectly extract the opinions of weak experts and transform them into decision-support information that assists product designers in understanding the market.

Design/methodology/approach

In social networks, a subset of users, termed “weak experts”, possess specialized knowledge and frequently share their product experiences online. This study introduces a comparative opinion mining framework that leverages the insights of “weak experts” to analyze user opinions.

Findings

An automotive product case study demonstrates that evaluations based on weak expert insights offer managerial insights with a 99.4% improvement in timeliness over traditional expert analyses. Furthermore, in the few-shot sentiment analysis module, with only 10% of the sample, the precision loss is just 1.59%. In addition, the quantitative module of specialization weighting balances low-specialization expert opinions and boosts the weight of high-specialization weak expert views. This new framework offers a valuable tool for companies in product innovation and market strategy development.

Originality/value

This study introduces a novel approach to opinion mining by focusing on the underutilized insights of weak experts. It combines few-shot sentiment analysis with specialization weighting and AHP, offering a comprehensive and efficient tool for product evaluation and market analysis.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 2024

Zhenlei Yang, Yuzhou Du, Bo Ma, Qian Wang and Chao Yang

The purpose of this study is to campare the corrosion behavior of Az91 films and bulk sample, in the objective to provide reference for the corrosion resistance improvement of Mg…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to campare the corrosion behavior of Az91 films and bulk sample, in the objective to provide reference for the corrosion resistance improvement of Mg alloys.

Design/methodology/approach

AZ91 films with various thickness values are produced by magnetron sputtering technique, and the corrosion behavior was characterized by immersion tests and electrochemical measurements.

Findings

The AZ91 films exhibited a preferred orientation with basal planes parallel to the surface and increased densification with the increase of thickness, and a superior corrosion resistance for the AZ91 films compared with the bulk sample.

Originality/value

The preferred (0002) basal planes in AZ91 films benefited the corrosion resistance and the nanoscale AZ91 films facilitated the development of a dense passivation film. Consequently, AZ91 film exhibited a superior corrosion resistance.

Details

Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0003-5599

Keywords

1 – 10 of 134