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Existing empirical studies emphasize the role of customer preference measurement accuracy (CPMA) on customized product quality while neglecting the role of manufacturing flexibility. However, the rise of web-based technology has highlighted consumer-manufacturer interaction in mass customization (MC). This paper explores the relationships between CPMA, manufacturing flexibility, customer participation and customized product quality, inspired by module decomposition and integration theory.

The study carried out a questionnaire survey of 241 directors who are specifically responsible for MC in the apparel industry in China and tested hypotheses with structural equation modeling (SEM).

CPMA has a direct positive influence on customized product quality and an indirect positive effect through manufacturing flexibility. Also, customer participation after placing an order (CPAPO) has a negative moderating effect on the linkage between CPMA and manufacturing flexibility.

A more dynamic relationship between CPMA and MF can be explored in the future, and the findings can be tested in other industries with more abundant data.

Manufacturing flexibility should be improved along with CPMA in MC. Also, disruptions caused by customer participation in the post-design stage should be noticed. In this context, better consumer service in the early design stage may be one possible solution.

First, the essential but unexplored mediating role of manufacturing flexibility is identified, adding knowledge to the consumer–manufacturer interaction literature in MC production. Second, module decomposition and integration are applied to unify consumers and manufacturers into one empirical model, enriched theoretical research on modular theory. Third, this study opens new discussions on the moderating role of customer participation.

The purpose of this paper is to propose alternative ways to develop and leverage organisational knowledge by considering the nexus of data managed by information and communications technologies and the expertise of human capacity. In doing so this paper challenges current understanding of tacit–explicit knowledge boundaries and presents a third dimension of knowledge which can be developed as a strategic organisational resource.

This conceptual paper seeks to extend current understanding of knowledge and presents the organisational knowledge nexus as a confluence of information, knowledge resources and human potential. Knowledge management is explored through the theoretical frameworks of the knowledge nexus and a model of triadic knowledge. Their conceptualisation and development are discussed and illustrated.

This research suggests the potential for organisational knowledge resources to be advanced is greater, if organisations can strategically use the knowledge nexus with a triadic perspective of knowledge. A framework for knowledge development with increasing levels of insight is proposed.

As a novel conceptual work this research has limitations of newness. It presents a challenge to conventional thinking because of the subliminal nature of latent knowledge and the causal ambiguity of its development process in the knowledge nexus. The potential of latent knowledge and its transition process in the organisational knowledge nexus has significant implications for organisational knowledge development.

The concepts of latent knowledge, the knowledge nexus and their potential ability to develop and leverage organisational knowledge resources presents a paradigm shift to currently accepted understanding of knowledge systems and organisational knowledge management. The originality and value of this work comes through its contribution to broadening our understanding of the scope and potential of organisational knowledge resources and their processes of transition and development.

This paper aims to address the limitations of current knowledge management (KM) models by presenting a strategic knowledge management (SKM) framework based on a unique configuration of literature concerned with optimising learning and knowledge creation at the interface between human (soft) and information and communication technology (hard) networks.

This paper revisits the key tenets and most frequently cited models in the existing literature, summarises their common elements, clarifies the interrelationships between the hard and soft KM processes and practices and systemically incorporates these previously separate and independent elements into a new integrated conceptual framework. Then, it identifies key organisational factors which could facilitate this integration and leverage the value generated from different systems embedded in this model.

The paper highlights the key elements and applications of a new SKM conceptual model for actively and purposefully integrating explicit and tacit knowledge embedded within organisation systems and broader social and business intelligence networks.

The application of the thinking, organising principles and management practices derived from the SKM framework with its unique characteristics that are hard to substitute or imitate may support improvement and/or innovation of processes, products, services and brands contributing to sustainable competitive advantage of the firm.

While both hard and soft KM systems have been individually identified by previous studies as integral to KM, the research is amongst the first attempts to explore how to integrate both systems within a strategic KM framework with supporting organisational design principles for creating firm competitive advantage.

The patient-side manipulator (PSM) achieves high torque capability by combining harmonic servo system with high reduction ratio and low torque motor. However, high reduction ratio can increase inertia and decrease compliance of the manipulator. To enhance the backdrivability of the minimally invasive surgical robot, this paper aims to propose a resistance torque compensation algorithm.

A resistance torque compensation algorithm based on dynamics and Luenberger observer is proposed. The dynamics are established, considering joint flexibility and an improved Stribeck friction model. The dynamic parameters are experimentally identified by using the least squares method. With the advantages of clear structure, simple implementation and fast solution speed, the Luenberger observer is selected to estimate the unmeasured dynamic information of PSM and realize the resistance torque compensation.

For low-speed surgical robots, the centrifugal force term in the dynamic model can be simplified to reduce computational complexity. Joint flexibility and an improved Stribeck friction model can be considered to improve the accuracy of the dynamic model. Experiment results show that parameter identification and estimated results of the Luenberger observer are accurate. The backdrivability of the PSM is enhanced in ease and smoothness.

This algorithm provides potential application prospects for surgical robots to maintain high torque while remaining compliant. Meanwhile, the enhanced backdrivability of the manipulator helps to improve the safety of the preoperative manual adjustment.

The purpose of this paper is to propose an effective and economical management platform to realize real-time tracking and tracing for prepackaged food supply chain based on Internet of Things (IoT) technologies, and finally ensure a benign and safe food consumption environment.

Following service-oriented architecture, a flexible layered architecture of tracking and tracing platform for prepackaged food is developed. Besides, to reduce the implementation cost while realizing fine-grained tracking and tracing, an integrated solution of using both the QR code and radio-frequency identification (RFID) tag is proposed. Furthermore, Extensible Markup Language (XML) is adopted to facilitate the information sharing among applications and stakeholders.

The validity of the platform has been evaluated through a case study. First, the proposed platform is proved highly effective on realizing prepackaged food tracking and tracing throughout its supply chain, and can benefit all the stakeholders involved. Second, the integration of the QR code and RFID technologies is proved to be economical and could well ensure the real-time data collection. Third, the XML-based method is efficient to realize information sharing during the whole process.

The contributions of this paper lie in three aspects. First, the technical architecture of IoT-based tracking and tracing platform is developed. It could realize fine-grained tracking and tracing and could be flexible to adapt in many other areas. Second, the solution of integrating the QR code and RFID technologies is proposed, which could greatly decrease the cost of adopting the platform. Third, this platform enables the information sharing among all the involved stakeholders, which will further facilitate their cooperation on guaranteeing the quality and safety of prepackaged food.

Various types of warranty programs are offered for consumer products. The two most common are a linear pro-rata warranty or a lump-sum warranty, if product failure occurs prior to the specified warranty time. In this chapter we consider additional types of warranty programs that allow the consumer to purchase a one-time extended warranty in the event of no failure within the initial warranty period. For the extended period, warranty may be linearly pro-rated, starting at an amount that is lower than the initial purchase price. Alternatively, for the extended period, warranty may be a lump-sum amount, that is less than the initial warranty amount. Expressions for the expected costs under each of the programs are derived. Guidelines are provided for determining the parameters of each warranty program under relevant constraints. Sensitivity analysis is also conducted to determine the effect of the problem parameters on the expected warranty costs.

This study examines short selling as one external determinant of corporate tax avoidance. Prior research suggests that short sellers have information advantages over retail investors, and high short-interest levels are a bearish signal of targeted stock prices. As a result, when short-interest levels are high, managers have been shown to take actions to minimize the negative effect of high short interest on firms’ stock prices. Tax-avoidance activities may convey a signal of bad news (i.e., high stock price crash risk). We predict that, when short-interest levels are high, managers possess incentives to reduce firm tax avoidance in order to reduce the associated stock price crash risk. Consistent with this prediction, we find that short interest is negatively associated with subsequent tax-avoidance levels. This effect is incremental to other factors identified by prior research. We conclude that short selling significantly constrains corporate tax avoidance.

Findings in the literature indicate leading financial analysts attract high levels of market attention and provide more accurate earnings forecasts prior to becoming all-star analysts. Furthermore, these analysts significantly impact the investment decisions of other market participants and thus the market price of assets. Therefore, this study examines the information role of leading financial analysts and identifies two significant conclusions. First, the positive outcomes of these analyst leaders are more informative and attract more followers. Second, informational herding by followers of these analysts is not as naïve as suggested in previous studies, as followers who smartly use information from analyst leaders tend to perform better. We also find that analysts who practice smart learning by studying and selectively employing analyst-leader decisions achieve better career outcomes.

This chapter presents a theoretical framework of the industrial relations (IR) system in China’s coal mining industry, combining the roles of management organizations, workers, and trade unions, as well as government agencies. It is one of the first empirical attempts to investigate the relationship between human resource (HR) practices, labor relations, and occupational safety in China’s coal mining industry over the past 60 years, based on the secondary data on coal mining accidents and case studies of two state-owned coal mines in a northern city in Anhui Province, China. The fluctuating occupational safety has been affected by government regulations over different time spans, marked by key political agendas, and by coal mining firms taking concrete measures to respond to these regulations, while exhibiting differing safety performance in state-owned versus township-and-village-owned mines. The field studies compared a safety-oriented to a cost-control-oriented HR and labor relations system, and their influences on safety performance. Coal mining firms and practitioners are advised to shift the traditional personnel management paradigm to a modern HR management system. In addition, although workers are often blamed directly for accidents, it is suggested that workers’ participation and voice in various processes of decision-making and policy implementation, and trade unions’ active involvement in protecting workers from occupational hazards, be encouraged.

The advance of technology creates new possibilities for enhancing shopper experience. The purpose of this paper is to gain understanding of a recent innovation found in retail environment, a recommender system (RS). Specifically, this study investigated how the retailer’s claims of RS affect consumers’ perception of personalization, and further, trusting beliefs and intentions. Additionally, the effect of sponsored recommendation (SR) on consumers’ perceived trust was explored.

A 2 (RS claim: personalized/non-personalized)×2 (SR: present/absent)×2 (involvement: high/low) between subject factorial design was employed. An online experiment was conducted. A total of 273 response collected through Amazon MTurk were used for the analysis.

The findings showed retailer’s claims for RS were enough to increase the perception of personalization. The increased perceived personalization of the RS increased trusting beliefs and trusting intention. For SR, mixed results were found. Disclosing SR increased trusting intentions under the low-involvement condition, but the opposite effect was found under high-involvement condition.

The findings highlight the importance of retailers’ articulating what RS does. This can impact trusting beliefs and trusting intention. Additionally, the findings indicate SRs should be presented in accordance to the decision-making stage. The presence of SRs during the searching stage may positively impact consumer’s perception, but their presence during purchase stage may have a negative impact.

This study is among the first to examine the effect of different retailer’s claims on how the recommendations are generated on shopper’s perception. Also, this is one of few studies to investigate how SRs in RSs impact a shopper’s perception. This research provides insights into how an RS found in retail environment influence shopping experience.