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21 – 30 of over 3000Zhimin Chen, Richard Murray and Richard M. Jones
The aim of this paper is to analyse simplified traditional fashion clothing supply chain models between the UK and China to identify the key issues in quality and communication…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to analyse simplified traditional fashion clothing supply chain models between the UK and China to identify the key issues in quality and communication management.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative research utilising key informant interviews was used. A total of nine full interviews were undertaken from three simplified supply chains. A content analysis approach was used to analyse the data based on recurring themes. The focus was on the management of quality and communication including design development, sample development and approval, fabric/trims order and approval, bulk production management and shipping/warehouse management.
Findings
The research suggested that for fashion supply chain organisation and management between the UK and China attention should be focused on improvement of three common aspects capable of inhibiting performance: deficiencies in design specification, language barriers, and cultural/human barriers.
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Lauretta Rubini, Luca Motta and Marco R. Di Tommaso
The aim of this paper is to emphasize the role of the place of origin in overcoming the information asymmetries that characterize in particular “experience” and “credence” goods.
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to emphasize the role of the place of origin in overcoming the information asymmetries that characterize in particular “experience” and “credence” goods.
Design/methodology/approach
After having summarized the role of the country‐of‐origin (COO) in facilitating producers to effectively communicate to consumers the quality of their products, the article presents two case studies: the Chianti Classico wine from Tuscany (Italy) and the tea industry in Guangdong (China).
Findings
Both wine and tea have strong links with their place of origin. The two case studies show that business excellence depends not only on firms' strategy, but also on the territory where firms are located. In the case of Chianti Classico, the territorial brand plays a strategy role for product promotion, while Guangdong seems to be less effective in allowing consumers to perceive, and therefore to appreciate, the tea quality at the international level. This makes it possible to draw from the Italian case some indications that could be applied to the Chinese case but also to other productions in the world where the link with the territory is not sufficiently valorized.
Research limitations/implications
Despite the impossibility of drawing general conclusions from case studies, the two selected ones can be considered as emblematic of two different territorial strategies that over time led to two different results. This could be the starting point for policy makers aimed at valorizing the importance of territory for increasing business excellence.
Practical implications
The analysis suggests that connecting the products to their territory of origin can help firms communicate to consumers the quality of their items. The country of origin can be a powerful tool to reinforce a corporate brand, but of course it means admitting that the competitive advantage of a firm is also the result of collective public or private actions devoted to create and communicate a positive image of a specific locality. This implies a joint effort of firms and policy makers.
Originality/value
The paper underlines the similarities between two apparently very distant products, wine and tea. To appreciate such a similarity makes it possible to identify success factors of one sector that can be used to overcome the weaknesses of the other. The indications that arise from the analysis can also be the basis to re‐define the strategy of several other “credence” goods that require the provision to consumers of tools facilitating their process of quality appreciation of products.
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Xuemei Li, Shiwei Zhou, Kedong Yin and Huichao Liu
The purpose of this paper is to measure the high-quality development level of China's marine economy and analyze corresponding spatial and temporal distribution characteristic.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to measure the high-quality development level of China's marine economy and analyze corresponding spatial and temporal distribution characteristic.
Design/methodology/approach
Design and optimize the index system of high-quality development level of marine economy and use entropy and TOPSIS method for comprehensive evaluation.
Findings
The research finds that from 2017 to 2019, the high-quality development tendency of China's marine economy is on the rise, but the overall level is still low. The level of each subsystem has different distribution characteristics in different provinces and cities. Guangdong, Shandong and Shanghai have a high comprehensive level. According to the comprehensive level of high-quality development of marine economy, 11 coastal provinces are divided into three types: leading, general and backward.
Research limitations/implications
This paper clarifies the temporal and spatial distribution law of high-quality development level of China's marine economy, providing basis for promoting comprehensive and coordinated improvement of coastal provinces and cities.
Originality/value
An indicator system for the high-quality development level of the marine economy has been established, including social development guarantee, marine economic foundation, marine science and technology drive and green marine sustainability.
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Shaohui Lei, Xianqing Wang, Leiqing Peng and Yulang Guo
Customization, as a crucial way to meet the heterogeneous demand of individuals, exists two fundamental and competing motivations, namely, assimilation and uniqueness. Based on…
Abstract
Purpose
Customization, as a crucial way to meet the heterogeneous demand of individuals, exists two fundamental and competing motivations, namely, assimilation and uniqueness. Based on optimal distinctiveness theory, this paper aims to validate the interactive effect of self-expressive customization types (i.e. customization to express individual identity and customization to express a shared identity) and self-construal on consumers’ willingness to pay a premium (WPP).
Design/methodology/approach
Two studies were conducted to provide empirical support for all proposed hypotheses. The first study (n = 151) uses a hypothetical scenario of a basketball game to test the interaction effect of self-expressive customization and self-construal. The second study (n = 184) assumes a scenario of designing a t-shirt or a uniform to examined the moderated mediating role of consumer-product identification.
Findings
The results reveal that independent (vs interdependent) self-construal will have stronger consumer-product identification for customization to express an individual identity (vs customization to express a shared identity), thus generating a higher WPP. Also, perceived task difficulty is the boundary condition of the research model.
Research limitations/implications
This paper makes insightful contributions to the customization literature by strengthening the identity signals of customization and exploring the psychological mechanism and the boundary conditions.
Originality/value
This research is one of the first few empirical studies to examine the impact of self-expressive customization on consumers’ WPP via the identification with the focal object. This paper not only expands the literature of self-expressive customization but also provides a new research direction for the research of person-object interaction in marketing.
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Zhongwei Sun, Xuchuang Zhang and Xiaofang Wu
This study investigates the mediating role of wage and workforce adjustments, along with the moderating influence of collective bargaining system and employees’ localization, in…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the mediating role of wage and workforce adjustments, along with the moderating influence of collective bargaining system and employees’ localization, in elucidating the relationship between the COVID-19 shock and workplace employee relations (ER) tension.
Design/methodology/approach
Survey data from 1,483 enterprises across 21 prefectural cities in China’s Guangdong Province are collected. The hypotheses are tested by logistic regression.
Findings
The study reveals a positive correlation between the COVID-19 shock and workplace ER tension across crisis-hit enterprises, irrespective of their size or industrial sector. Wage reduction and mass layoffs emerge as significant mediators, while the collective bargaining system (CBS) and employees’ localization act as moderators.
Research limitations/implications
The measurement of ER is limited in a single-item scale. Representation of China is also limited since the study exclusively focuses on Guangdong province. The study offers some contributions that firm-level data reveal the pathway through which COVID-19 creates ER tension.
Practical implications
On the one hand, the authors recommend the establishment of an effective communication system between employers and employees. On the other hand, managers should consider the role of informal institutions. Furthermore, the authors suggest implementing tailored strategies at the enterprise level.
Social implications
Intense external shocks result in widespread layoffs and increased wage reductions within workplaces, and under such circumstances, formal or informal institutions may be insufficient to alleviate ER tension. In this case, the state authorities – including governments and other public agencies or bodies – are necessary to intervene in to organize tripartite dialogue.
Originality/value
While numerous emerging studies on COVID-19 explore how different countries manage industrial relations tension at the national level, few focus on ER at workplace level, particularly in developing countries. Understanding how workplace ER evolve during external shocks and identifying institutional measures to mitigate their negative impact is crucial for future crisis management.
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Jun Liu, Junyuan Dong, Mingming Hu and Xu Lu
Existing Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithms have been relatively well developed. However, when in complex dynamic environments, the movement of the dynamic…
Abstract
Purpose
Existing Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithms have been relatively well developed. However, when in complex dynamic environments, the movement of the dynamic points on the dynamic objects in the image in the mapping can have an impact on the observation of the system, and thus there will be biases and errors in the position estimation and the creation of map points. The aim of this paper is to achieve more accurate accuracy in SLAM algorithms compared to traditional methods through semantic approaches.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, the semantic segmentation of dynamic objects is realized based on U-Net semantic segmentation network, followed by motion consistency detection through motion detection method to determine whether the segmented objects are moving in the current scene or not, and combined with the motion compensation method to eliminate dynamic points and compensate for the current local image, so as to make the system robust.
Findings
Experiments comparing the effect of detecting dynamic points and removing outliers are conducted on a dynamic data set of Technische Universität München, and the results show that the absolute trajectory accuracy of this paper's method is significantly improved compared with ORB-SLAM3 and DS-SLAM.
Originality/value
In this paper, in the semantic segmentation network part, the segmentation mask is combined with the method of dynamic point detection, elimination and compensation, which reduces the influence of dynamic objects, thus effectively improving the accuracy of localization in dynamic environments.
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Wanli Wang, F.I.Lam Johnny, Jiagui Li and Zhenjie Yang
This study intends to explore the opportunities and roles of Macao's universities in the education and training development of Hengqin under the General Plan of the Development of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study intends to explore the opportunities and roles of Macao's universities in the education and training development of Hengqin under the General Plan of the Development of the Guangdong–Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin promulgated in August 2021.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is intended to analyze the role of Macao’ universities in Hengqin development, based on data collected through interviewing with dozens of scholars and government officials from Macao and Hengqin, and government reports, news reports and other relevant data.
Findings
The General Plan provides Macao's universities with opportunities to develop education and training in Hengqin. On the one hand, Hengqin can be the locus of Macao's tertiary education diversification; Macao's universities can jointly establish technological research institutions and set up postdoctoral research centers and university branches to enroll master's and doctoral students from Mainland China. On the other hand, Macao's universities can set up a branch of professional training and open training courses in Hengqin. These efforts are designed to promote technological innovation and cultural diffusion in Macao.
Originality/value
This study analyses the potential role of Macao's universities in developing education and training in Hengqin since the central policy was announced last August. This study will be of interest to scholars as well as policymakers.
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Yonghui Han, Shuting Tan, Chaowei Zhu and Yang Liu
Carbon trading mechanism has been adopted to foster the green transformation of the economy on a global scale, but its effectiveness for the power industry remains controversial…
Abstract
Purpose
Carbon trading mechanism has been adopted to foster the green transformation of the economy on a global scale, but its effectiveness for the power industry remains controversial. Given that energy-related greenhouse gas emissions account for most of all anthropogenic emissions, this paper aims to evaluate the effectiveness of this trading mechanism at the plant level to support relevant decision-making and mechanism design.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper constructs a novel spatiotemporal data set by matching satellite-based high-resolution (1 × 1 km) CO2 and PM2.5 emission data with accurate geolocation of power plants. It then applies a difference-in-differences model to analyse the impact of carbon trading mechanism on emission reduction for the power industry in China from 2007 to 2016.
Findings
Results suggest that the carbon trading mechanism induces 2.7% of CO2 emission reduction and 6.7% of PM2.5 emission reduction in power plants in pilot areas on average. However, the reduction effect is significant only in coal-fired power plants but not in gas-fired power plants. Besides, the reduction effect is significant for power plants operated with different technologies and is more pronounced for those with outdated production technology, indicating the strong potential for green development of backward power plants. The reduction effect is also more intense for power plants without affiliation relationships than those affiliated with particular manufacturers.
Originality/value
This paper identifies the causal relationship between the carbon trading mechanism and emission reduction in the power industry by providing an innovative methodology for identifying plant-level emissions based on high-resolution satellite data, which has been practically absent in previous studies. It serves as a reference for stakeholders involved in detailed policy formulation and execution, including policymakers, power plant managers and green investors.
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Randy K. Chiu and Allen Stembridge
Recent research has identified the major activities and factors that contribute to the success of managerial performance and growth. However, because of cultural differences, it…
Abstract
Recent research has identified the major activities and factors that contribute to the success of managerial performance and growth. However, because of cultural differences, it is unwise to generalize such findings to the managerial population in Chinese societies. No comparable study of this sort has been carried out in the PRC. This research study seeks to find out what managerial success factors, as perceived by male managers in two regions in the PRC are the most influential in their rise to senior management positions. The study also compares factors perceived to be important in developing managers in Hong Kong and Guangdong.
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High-tech industries play an important role in promoting economic and social development. The purpose of this paper is to accurately predict and analyze the output value of…
Abstract
Purpose
High-tech industries play an important role in promoting economic and social development. The purpose of this paper is to accurately predict and analyze the output value of high-tech products in Guangdong Province, China, by using a multivariable grey model.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the principle of fractional order accumulation, this study proposes a multivariable grey prediction model. To further enhance the prediction ability and accuracy of the model, an optimized model is established by reconstructing the background value. The optimal parameters are solved by minimizing the average relative error of the system characteristic sequence with the constraint of parameter relationships.
Findings
The results from the study show that the two proposed models exhibit better simulation and prediction performance than the traditional models, while the optimized model can significantly improve the modelling precision. In addition, it is predicted that the output value of high-tech products is 12,269.443bn yuan in 2021, which will approximately double from 2016 to 2021.
Research limitations/implications
The two proposed models can be used to forecast the trend of the system and are grown as an effective extension and supplement of the traditional multivariable grey forecasting models.
Practical implications
The forecast and analysis of the development prospects of high-tech industries would be useful for the government departments of Guangdong Province and professional forecasters to grasp the future of high-tech industries and formulate decision planning.
Originality/value
A new multivariable grey prediction model based on fractional order accumulation and its optimized model obtained by reconstructing the background value, which can improve the modelling accuracy of the traditional model, is proposed in this paper.
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