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1 – 10 of 252
Article
Publication date: 9 September 2024

Xi Jin, Hui Xu, Qifeng Zhao, Hao Zeng, Bing Lin, Ying Xiao, Junlei Tang, Zhen Nie, Yan Yan, Zhigang Di and Rudong Zhou

This study aims to report the development and experimental evaluation of two kinds of PANI@semiconductor based photocathodic anti-corrosion coating, for application on stainless…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to report the development and experimental evaluation of two kinds of PANI@semiconductor based photocathodic anti-corrosion coating, for application on stainless steel substrates.

Design/methodology/approach

PANI was in situ chemical polymerized on TiO2 and BiVO4 particles, and FT-IR and SEM/EDS were used to understand the characteristics and elemental distribution of the composite particles. Composite coatings, which consisted of epoxy, PANI@TiO2 or PANI@BiVO4 and graphene, were prepared on the 304L stainless steel. Photoelectrochemical response measurement, electrochemical tests and immersion tests were used to assess the anti-corrosion performance of the prepared coatings in 45°C 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. And the corrosion protection mechanism was further explained by combining with surface observation.

Findings

The photoelectrochemical response tests revealed the good photocathodic effect of the coatings, and the reversible oxidation-reduction properties of PANI (pseudocapacitive effect) leading to the repeated usage of the coatings. Consequently, the anti-corrosion mechanism of the composite coating is attributed to the physical barrier effect of the coating, the anodic protection effect of PANI and the photocathodic and energy store effect.

Originality/value

These kind coatings could prevent corrosion from day to night for stainless steel, which has great engineering application prospects on stainless steel corrosion protection.

Details

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

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 August 2024

Kevin Z. Chen, Luyun Yu, Wen Lin and David L. Ortega

The purpose is to understand the factors affecting Chinese diet selections and propose strategies for revolutionizing Chinese diets toward healthy ones.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose is to understand the factors affecting Chinese diet selections and propose strategies for revolutionizing Chinese diets toward healthy ones.

Design/methodology/approach

This study implemented an online discrete choice experiment to identify the factors affecting diet selections among urban Chinese consumers. Four different diet patterns were used to label each of the product alternatives in the experiment, which varied in taste and cost. Specifically, implying the healthiness and sustainability of a diet, the diet alternatives included the average diet, the Chinese Food Guide Pagoda diet, the EAT-Lancet diet and the Flexitarian diet. Using consumer data from six provincial capital cities, we used random parameter logit models to estimate their preferences.

Findings

Diet type and diet cost were found to be more important in urban Chinese consumers' diet selections than the ability to customize taste. The average diet, although not healthy and sustainable, was preferred most by respondents, signaling the challenges of shifting the consumer diet in China. Increasing the cost of the average diet can significantly promote sustainable healthy diet choices among urban Chinese residents. In other words, improving the affordability of sustainable healthy diets would have the potential to fuel the diet revolution in China.

Originality/value

Instead of choices of a single food item, this paper focused on the individual selection of a diet, where different food products can act as substitutes or as complements for one another. We also proposed a way to assess individual preferences and valuations for several different diets.

Details

China Agricultural Economic Review, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-137X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 August 2021

Bin Zheng, Yi Cai and Kelun Tang

The purpose of this paper is to realize the lightweight of connecting rod and meet the requirements of low energy consumption and vibration. Based on the structural design of the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to realize the lightweight of connecting rod and meet the requirements of low energy consumption and vibration. Based on the structural design of the original connecting rod, the finite element analysis was conducted to reduce the weight and increase the natural frequencies, so as to reduce materials consumption and improve the energy efficiency of internal combustion engine.

Design/methodology/approach

The finite element analysis, structural optimization design and topology optimization of the connecting rod are applied. Efficient hybrid method is deployed: static and modal analysis; and structure re-design of the connecting rod based on topology optimization.

Findings

After the optimization of the connecting rod, the weight is reduced from 1.7907 to 1.4875 kg, with a reduction of 16.93%. The maximum equivalent stress of the optimized connecting rod is 183.97 MPa and that of the original structure is 217.18 MPa, with the reduction of 15.62%. The first, second and third natural frequencies of the optimized connecting rod are increased by 8.89%, 8.85% and 11.09%, respectively. Through the finite element analysis and based on the lightweight, the maximum equivalent stress is reduced and the low-order natural frequency is increased.

Originality/value

This paper presents an optimization method on the connecting rod structure. Based on the statics and modal analysis of the connecting rod and combined with the topology optimization, the size of the connecting rod is improved, and the static and dynamic characteristics of the optimized connecting rod are improved.

Details

Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology , vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1726-0531

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 December 2023

Yingying Li, Lanlan Liu, Jun Wang, Song Xu, Hui Su, Yi Xie and Tangqing Wu

The purpose of this paper is to study the corrosion behavior of Q235 steel in saturated acidic red and yellow soils.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the corrosion behavior of Q235 steel in saturated acidic red and yellow soils.

Design/methodology/approach

The corrosion behavior of Q235 steel in saturated red and yellow soils was compared by weight-loss, SEM/EDS, 3D ultra-depth microscopy and electrochemical measurements.

Findings

Rp of the steel gradually increases and icorr gradually decreases in both the red and yellow soils with time. The Rp of the steel in the red soil is lower, but its icorr is higher than that in the yellow soil. The uniform corrosion rate, diameter and density of the corrosion pit on the steel surface in the red soil are greater than those in the yellow soil. Lower pH, higher contents of corrosive anions and high-valence Fe oxides in the red soil are responsible for its higher corrosion rates and local corrosion susceptibility.

Originality/value

This paper investigates the difference in corrosion behavior of carbon steel in saturated acidic red and yellow soils, which can help to understand the mechanism of soil corrosion.

Details

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

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 August 2024

Hui Li, Lei Xu, Junwei Zhang and Yingwen Duan

The purpose of this paper is to explore mechanisms of the overseas marketing assets needed for marketing dynamic capability in Chinese multinational enterprises (MNEs) settings…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore mechanisms of the overseas marketing assets needed for marketing dynamic capability in Chinese multinational enterprises (MNEs) settings. Marketing assets of foreign subsidiaries contribute to the dynamic capability of MNEs, which are crucial for their sustained competitiveness. This kind of mechanism attracts much attention in academia and industry. However, there are few studies on how dynamic capabilities are developed in MNEs considering the organizational structure of geographically dispersed assets in multiple locations. This paper aims to examine the effect of knowledge-based and relational-based marketing assets on dynamic marketing capabilities and the mediating effect of customer orientation on Chinese MNEs.

Design/methodology/approach

Integrating the dynamic capability approach and the international marketing literature, this study examines the impact of two types of marketing assets of foreign subsidiaries, focusing on knowledge-based and relationship-based marketing assets, on the dynamic marketing capabilities of Chinese MNEs. A large-scale empirical study of Chinese MNEs operating in overseas markets was performed, and the questionnaires were distributed and collected.

Findings

The results suggest a positive impact of knowledge-based and relationship-based marketing assets on marketing dynamic capability. We find that customer orientation has a positive mediating effect on the relationship between marketing assets and marketing dynamic capability. We also find that the competitive strength of the overseas market negatively moderates this relationship.

Research limitations/implications

This study aims to contribute to the existing literature with a more fine-grained understanding of marketing assets and marketing dynamic capability, then provides theoretical guidance and management suggestions for the formulation and implementation of internationalization strategies of Chinese MNEs.

Practical implications

The findings outline several important implications for MNEs seeking into expand to overseas markets.

Originality/value

This paper contributes a novel, combined perspective on marketing assets and marketing dynamic capability.

Details

Cross Cultural & Strategic Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2059-5794

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 11 September 2024

Mengxi Yang, Jie Guo, Lei Zhu, Huijie Zhu, Xia Song, Hui Zhang and Tianxiang Xu

Objectively evaluating the fairness of the algorithm, exploring in specific scenarios combined with scenario characteristics and constructing the algorithm fairness evaluation…

Abstract

Purpose

Objectively evaluating the fairness of the algorithm, exploring in specific scenarios combined with scenario characteristics and constructing the algorithm fairness evaluation index system in specific scenarios.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper selects marketing scenarios, and in accordance with the idea of “theory construction-scene feature extraction-enterprise practice,” summarizes the definition and standard of fairness, combs the application link process of marketing algorithms and establishes the fairness evaluation index system of marketing equity allocation algorithms. Taking simulated marketing data as an example, the fairness performance of marketing algorithms in some feature areas is measured, and the effectiveness of the evaluation system proposed in this paper is verified.

Findings

The study reached the following conclusions: (1) Different fairness evaluation criteria have different emphases, and may produce different results. Therefore, different fairness definitions and standards should be selected in different fields according to the characteristics of the scene. (2) The fairness of the marketing equity distribution algorithm can be measured from three aspects: marketing coverage, marketing intensity and marketing frequency. Specifically, for the fairness of coverage, two standards of equal opportunity and different misjudgment rates are selected, and the standard of group fairness is selected for intensity and frequency. (3) For different characteristic fields, different degrees of fairness restrictions should be imposed, and the interpretation of their calculation results and the means of subsequent intervention should also be different according to the marketing objectives and industry characteristics.

Research limitations/implications

First of all, the fairness sensitivity of different feature fields is different, but this paper does not classify the importance of feature fields. In the future, we can build a classification table of sensitive attributes according to the importance of sensitive attributes to give different evaluation and protection priorities. Second, in this paper, only one set of marketing data simulation data is selected to measure the overall algorithm fairness, after which multiple sets of marketing campaigns can be measured and compared to reflect the long-term performance of marketing algorithm fairness. Third, this paper does not continue to explore interventions and measures to improve algorithmic fairness. Different feature fields should be subject to different degrees of fairness constraints, and therefore their subsequent interventions should be different, which needs to be continued to be explored in future research.

Practical implications

This paper combines the specific features of marketing scenarios and selects appropriate fairness evaluation criteria to build an index system for fairness evaluation of marketing algorithms, which provides a reference for assessing and managing the fairness of marketing algorithms.

Social implications

Algorithm governance and algorithmic fairness are very important issues in the era of artificial intelligence, and the construction of the algorithmic fairness evaluation index system in marketing scenarios in this paper lays a safe foundation for the application of AI algorithms and technologies in marketing scenarios, provides tools and means of algorithm governance and empowers the promotion of safe, efficient and orderly development of algorithms.

Originality/value

In this paper, firstly, the standards of fairness are comprehensively sorted out, and the difference between different standards and evaluation focuses is clarified, and secondly, focusing on the marketing scenario, combined with its characteristics, key fairness evaluation links are put forward, and different standards are innovatively selected to evaluate the fairness in the process of applying marketing algorithms and to build the corresponding index system, which forms the systematic fairness evaluation tool of marketing algorithms.

Details

Journal of Electronic Business & Digital Economics, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2754-4214

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 December 2023

Hui Zhao, Xian Cheng, Jing Gao and Guikun Yu

Building a smart city is a necessary path to achieve sustainable urban development. Smart city public–private partnership (PPP) project is a necessary measure to build a smart…

Abstract

Purpose

Building a smart city is a necessary path to achieve sustainable urban development. Smart city public–private partnership (PPP) project is a necessary measure to build a smart city. Since there are many participants in smart city PPP projects, there are problems such as uneven distribution of risks; therefore, in order to ensure the normal construction and operation of the project, the reasonable sharing of risks among the participants becomes an urgent problem to be solved. In order to make each participant clearly understand the risk sharing of smart city PPP projects, this paper aims to establish a scientific and practical risk sharing model.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses the literature review method and the Delphi method to construct a risk index system for smart city PPP projects and then calculates the objective and subjective weights of each risk index through the Entropy Weight (EW) and G1 methods, respectively, and uses the combined assignment method to find the comprehensive weights. Considering the nature of the risk sharing problem, this paper constructs a risk sharing model for smart city PPP projects by initially sharing the risks of smart city PPP projects through Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to determine the independently borne risks and the jointly borne risks and then determines the sharing ratio of the jointly borne risks based on utility theory.

Findings

Finally, this paper verifies the applicability and feasibility of the risk-sharing model through empirical analysis, using the smart city of Suzhou Industrial Park as a research case. It is hoped that this study can provide a useful reference for the risk sharing of PPP projects in smart cities.

Originality/value

In this paper, the authors calculate the portfolio assignment by EW-G1 and construct a risk-sharing model by TOPSIS-Utility Theory (UT), which is applied for the first time in the study of risk sharing in smart cities.

Details

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

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 March 2024

Hui Zhao, Simeng Wang and Chen Lu

With the continuous development of the wind power industry, wind power plant (WPP) has become the focus of resource development within the industry. Site selection, as the initial…

Abstract

Purpose

With the continuous development of the wind power industry, wind power plant (WPP) has become the focus of resource development within the industry. Site selection, as the initial stage of WPP development, is directly related to the feasibility of construction and the future revenue of WPP. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to study the siting of WPP and establish a framework for siting decision-making.

Design/methodology/approach

Firstly, a site selection evaluation index system is constructed from four aspects of economy, geography, environment and society using the literature review method and the Delphi method, and the weights of each index are comprehensively determined by combining the Decision-making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and the entropy weight method (EW). Then, prospect theory and the multi-criteria compromise solution ranking method (VIKOR) are introduced to rank the potential options and determine the best site.

Findings

China is used as a case study, and the robustness and reliability of the methodology are demonstrated through sensitivity analysis, comparative analysis and ablation experiment analysis. This paper aims to provide a useful reference for WPP siting research.

Originality/value

In this paper, DEMATEL and EW are used to determine the weights of indicators, which overcome the disadvantage of single assignment. Prospect theory and VIKOR are combined to construct a decision model, which also considers the attitude of the decision-maker and the compromise solution of the decision result. For the first time, this framework is applied to WPP siting research.

Details

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

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 March 2023

Shing Cheong Hui, Ming Yung Kwok, Elaine W.S. Kong and Dickson K.W. Chiu

Although cloud storage services can bring users valuable convenience, they can be technically complex and intrinsically insecure. Therefore, this research explores the concerns of…

Abstract

Purpose

Although cloud storage services can bring users valuable convenience, they can be technically complex and intrinsically insecure. Therefore, this research explores the concerns of academic users regarding cloud security and technical issues and how such problems may influence their continuous use in daily life.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative study used a semi-structured interview approach comprising six main open-ended questions to explore the information security and technical issues for the continuous use of cloud storage services by 20 undergraduate students in Hong Kong.

Findings

The analysis revealed cloud storage service users' major security and technical concerns, particularly synchronization and backup issues, were the most significant technical barrier to the continuing personal use of cloud storage services.

Originality/value

Existing literature has focused on how cloud computing services could bring benefits and security and privacy-related risks to organizations rather than security and technical issues of personal use, especially in the Asian academic context.

Details

Library Hi Tech, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0737-8831

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 July 2024

Hui-Zhong Xiong, Xin Yang, Yong-Nan He and Yong Huang

This paper aims to optimize cable-stayed force in asymmetric one-tower cable-stayed bridge formation using an improved particle swarm algorithm. It compares results with the…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to optimize cable-stayed force in asymmetric one-tower cable-stayed bridge formation using an improved particle swarm algorithm. It compares results with the traditional unconstrained minimum bending energy method.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper proposes an improved particle swarm algorithm to optimize cable-stayed force in bridge formation. It formulates a quadratic programming mathematical model considering the sum of bending energies of the main girder and bridge tower as the objective function. Constraints include displacements, stresses, cable-stayed force, and uniformity. The algorithm is applied to optimize the formation of an asymmetrical single-tower cable-stayed bridge, combining it with the finite element method.

Findings

The study’s findings reveal significant improvements over the minimum bending energy method. Results show that the structural displacement and internal force are within constraints, the maximum bending moment of the main girder decreases, resulting in smoother linear shape and more even internal force distribution. Additionally, the tower top offset decreases, and the bending moment change at the tower-beam junction is reduced. Moreover, diagonal cable force and cable force increase uniformly with cable length growth.

Originality/value

The improved particle swarm algorithm offers simplicity, effectiveness, and practicality in optimizing bridge-forming cable-staying force. It eliminates the need for arbitrary manual cable adjustments seen in traditional methods and effectively addresses the optimization challenge in asymmetric cable-stayed bridges.

Details

International Journal of Structural Integrity, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1757-9864

Keywords

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