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Trust is the glue that holds cooperative relationships together and often exists in an asymmetric manner. The purpose of this study is to explore how to mitigate the issue of losses or increased transaction costs caused by opportunistic behavior in a soft environment where trust asymmetry is quite common and difficult to avoid.

This study focuses on examining asymmetric trust between the government and the private sector in public-private partnership (PPP) projects. Drawing upon both project realities and relevant literature, the primary conditional variables influencing asymmetric trust are identified. These variables encompass power perception asymmetry, information asymmetry, interaction behavior, risk perception differences and government-side control. Subsequently, through the use of a survey questionnaire, binary-matched data from both the government and the private sector are collected. The study employs fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to conduct a configurational analysis, aiming to investigate the causal pathways that trigger asymmetric trust.

No single conditional variable is a necessary condition for the emergence of trust asymmetry. The pathways leading to a high degree of trust asymmetry can be categorized into two types: those dominated by power perception and those involving a combination of multiple factors. Differences in power perception play a crucial role in the occurrence of high trust asymmetry, yet the influence of other conditional variables in triggering trust asymmetry should not be overlooked.

The findings can contribute to advancing the study of trust relationships in the field of Chinese PPP projects. Furthermore, they hold practical value in facilitating the enhancement of trust relationships between the government and the private sector.

The optimal payment in the whole operation and maintenance period of water environment treatment PPP projects has become the main approach to realize sustainable development of projects. This study is aimed at constructing an effective payment model for the whole life period of projects to achieve win-win among all stakeholders, so as to provide a theoretical reference and managerial implications for the public sector in the whole operation and maintenance period.

In the whole operation and maintenance period of water environment treatment PPP projects, this article investigates how the public sector optimizes the payment in the whole operation and maintenance period of projects. Firstly, the projects' whole operation and maintenance period is divided into several stages according to the performance appraisal period. And then, the multi-stage dynamic programming model is constructed to design the payment construct model for the public sector in each performance appraisal stage. The payment from the public sector is the decision variable, and the deduction from the private sector is a random variable.

The optimal payment model showed that the relatively less objective weight of public sector leaded to its relatively more total payment and vice versa. Therefore, the sustainable development of the projects can only be ensured when the objective weights both of them should be balanced. Additionally, the deduction from the performance appraisal of private sector plays an important role in the model construction. The larger deduction the private sector undertakes, the smaller profits private sector has. Since the deduction at each stage is a random variable, the deduction varies with the different probability distributions obeyed by the practical deduction in each stage.

The findings from this study have provided theoretical and application references, and some managerial implications are also given. First, the improvement of the pricing system of public sector should be accelerated. Second, the reasonable profit of the private sector must be guaranteed. While pursuing the maximization of social benefits, the public sector should make full use of the price sharing mechanism in the market and supervise the real income situation of the private sector. Third is increasing the public to participate in pricing. Additionally, it is a limitation that the deduction is assumed to conform to a uniform distribution in this study. Other probability distributions on deduction can be essentially further sought, so as to be more line with the actual situation of the projects.

The optimal payment in whole operation and maintenance period of the projects has become an important issue, which is a key to project success. This study constructs a multi-stage dynamic programming model to optimize payment in the whole period of projects. Additionally, this study adds its value through deeply developing the new theories of optimal payment to more suitable for the practical problems, so that to optimize the design of payment mechanism. Meanwhile, a valuable reference for public and private sectors is provided to ensure the sustainable development of the projects.

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, it explores the influencing factors of the government’s trust decision-making in the private sector; second, it explores how these influencing factors affect the government’s trust decisions.

A theoretical model was established, and a questionnaire survey was conducted among 152 professionals. The collected datas were analyzed by the structural equation modeling (SEM) method.

The study identified four critical factors that influence the government’s decision to trust the private sector in public-private-partnership (PPP) projects. All the four factors have a positively correlated impact on the government’s trust decision-making. The structural equation path analysis shows that the most important factor affecting the government’s trust decision-making is the trustee’s (private sector) trustworthy characteristics, and the path coefficient is 0.92. The path coefficients of risk perception and the trustor’s trust tendency are 0.83 and 0.74, respectively. The influence of the legal system environment on government trust decision-making is moderate, with a path coefficient of 0.68.

This paper contributes to the literature in two aspects. First, the factors influencing decision-making to government trust in the private sector in PPP projects have been identified. Second, a comprehensive view of the mechanism of government trust in the private sector in PPP projects has been theorized by the SEM method.

This study aims to probe the applicability of 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) functionalized ionic liquids (ILs) as additives in lithium complex grease (LCG) by researching the corrosion inhibiting, rheological and tribological performances.

Electrochemical tests such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic polarization curves were used on Gamry electrochemical workstation to research the corrosion inhibition properties of ILs in 1.0 M HCl corrosive solution. The rheological properties of different grease samples were tested on a rheometer. The tribological properties were investigated on SRV-V oscillating reciprocating friction and wear tester. Scanning electron microscope, X-ray spectrometer and X-ray photoelectron spectrometer were used to characterize the lubricating mechanism.

The 2-MBT functionalized ILs have excellent corrosion inhibition properties. When used as additives in LCG, they both exhibited enhancing effects on thermostability, colloid stability and structural recoverability, and furthermore, outstanding friction-reducing and antiwear properties were also obtained. Surface analysis indicated that the superior lubricating performances of 2-MBT functionalized ILs were mainly ascribed to the formation of tribochemical products on wear tracks, including organic compounds with C–O bond, Fe₂O₃ and FeS₂.

The 2-MBT-based ILs synthesized in this study were multifunctional additives with excellent corrosion inhibiting and tribological properties, which would have a very broad application prospect in lubricating grease industry.

This study aims to expand tourism knowledge by analysing literature review articles published in English Web of Science (WOS) and Chinese China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) language journals and reviewing their influence, interconnection and trends.

A three-stage method was designed to understand the tourism research progress. Performance analysis identified the publication timeline, high-yielding journals and authors that published tourism literature reviews and frequently cited papers. Science mapping visualisation examined the intrinsic connections between co-authorship and co-institution. Finally, emerging trend analysis explored the topic modelling and evolution through Latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) and regression.

The key statistics and collaborations relationships of tourism literature reviews were traced. LDA identified 45 and 22 topics, which narrowed the barriers in tourism studies. The regression analysis divided these topics into “hot”, “fresh”, “bell-shaped” and “stable” patterns. These modes represent the progress of tourism studies. The topic “new emerging technologies and the internet” is the focus of tourism literature reviews published in both databases. Future research could pay more attention to the topics in the “hot” and “fresh” patterns. The results enrich the progress of tourism literature reviews and provide a direction for future research.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first literature analysis for tourism literature reviews published in WOS versus CNKI journals. The proposed three-stage systematic method is used for the first time for the literature review and can guide future research.

本研究旨在通过分析英文WOS和中文CNKI语言期刊上发表的文献综述文章, 回顾其影响、相互联系和趋势, 来扩大旅游知识体系。

本研究设计了一个三阶段方法来了解旅游研究进展。绩效分析确定了出版时间线、发表的旅游文献综述的高产期刊和作者以及经常被引用的文章。科学地图可视化审视了合作作者和合作机构之间的内在联系。最后, 新兴趋势分析通过潜在狄利克雷分配和回归探讨了主题建模和演变。

本文追踪了旅游文献综述的关键统计数据和合作情况。潜在狄利克雷分配确定了45个和22个主题, 这缩小了旅游研究中的研究缺口。回归分析将这些主题分为“热门”、“新鲜”、“钟形”和“稳定”模式。这些模式代表了旅游研究的进展。主题“新兴技术和互联网”是不同数据库中发表的旅游文献综述的焦点。未来的研究可以更多地关注“热门”和“新鲜”模式中的主题。研究结果丰富了旅游文献综述的进展, 为今后的研究提供了方向。

这项研究是首次对WOS与CNKI期刊上发表的旅游文献评论进行文献分析。所提出的三阶段系统方法首次用于文献综述, 可以指导未来的研究。

El objetivo de este estudio es ampliar el conocimiento turístico analizando los artículos de revisión documental publicados en revistas, tanto en la versión WOS en inglés cómo en CNKI China, y revisando sus efectos, interconexiones y tendencias.

Se ha diseñado el método de tres etapas para comprender el progreso de la investigación turística. El análisis del desempeño determinó la línea de tiempo de publicación, las revistas de alto rendimiento y los comentarios de la literatura turística publicados por los autores, así como los artículos citados con frecuencia. La visualización de los mapas científicos, examina los vínculos intrínsecos entre los autores colaboradores y las instituciones colaboradoras. Finalmente, el análisis de tendencias emergentes explora el modelado temático y la evolución a través de posibles asignaciones y regresiones de dilick-ray.

Se han analizado las estadísticas clave y las relaciones de cooperación de la revisión de la literatura turística. La asignación potencial de dilich-ray identifica 45 y 22 temas, lo que reduce las barreras en la investigación turística. El análisis de regresión divide estos temas en patrones “populares”, “novedosos”, “en forma de campana” y “estables”. Estos modelos representan el avance de la investigación turística. El tema “tecnologías emergentes e internet” es el foco de la revisión de la literatura turística publicada en diferentes bases de datos. La investigación futura puede centrarse más en temas en modelos “populares” y “novedosos”. Los resultados de la investigación enriquecen el progreso de la revisión de la literatura turística y proporcionan una dirección para futuras investigaciones.

El estudio es el primer análisis documental de los comentarios de la literatura turística publicados en las revistas WOS y CNKI. El método sistemático de tres etapas propuesto se utiliza por primera vez en la revisión documental y puede guiar futuras investigaciones.

Given the scarcity of studies regarding religious food as a destination attraction and limited research on tourist halal food experience, this study aims to explore and compare halal food experience perceived by Muslim and non-Muslim tourists in a non-Islamic destination.

This study was carried out in a halal food street in Yuanjia Village, China. It used a qualitative approach and interviewed 16 Muslim tourists and 20 non-Muslim tourists.

Six themes and 18 attributes of halal food experience were identified. The findings revealed that Muslim tourists saw the reassuring options and religious value of halal food as important experiences. By contrast, the experiences of abundant choices, value for money, sensory pleasure and unique charm were frequently mentioned by non-Muslim tourists. The nature of halal food, the context of China (i.e. Chinese halal food culture) and the feature of research site (i.e. food operation of Yuanjia Village) work together to create such experiences.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies to explore and compare halal food experiences of Muslim and non-Muslim tourists in a non-Islamic country (China). This study suggests that halal food could be an appealing destination attraction, even in non-Islamic destinations. Thus, this study contributes to a better understanding of the halal food experiences and assists destination marketers in promoting halal food.

This paper aims to prepare third-order nonlinear optical (NLO) organic materials with large nonlinear optimization value, high damage threshold and ultrafast response time.

A series of novel symmetric and asymmetric compounds possessing third-order NLO properties were synthesized using 1,3,5-tribromobenzene as the basis. The photophysical and electrochemical properties, as well as the click reactions, were characterized by means of UV–VIS–NIR absorption spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry.

The donor–acceptor chromophores were inserted into compound, making the molecule to have a broader absorption in the near-infrared regions and a narrower optical and electrochemical band gap. It also formed an electron-delocalized organic system, which has larger effects on achieving a third-order NLO response. The third-order NLO phenomenon of benzene ring complexes was experimentally studied at 532 nm using Z-scan technology, and some compounds showed the expected NLO properties.

The click products exhibit more NLO phenomena by performing different click combinations to the side groups, opening new perspectives on using the system in a variety of photoelectric applications.

This study aims to use event system theory and job demands–resources (JD-R) model to examine the double-edged sword effect of event strength of Beijing Winter Olympics (BWO) on volunteers’ in-role performance and proactive behavior as mediated by work overload and meaningfulness.

The sample included 193 volunteer–leader dyads working at one BWO venue. The authors conducted a multitime and multisource study using Mplus 8 to examine the hypotheses.

Volunteers’ perceived BWO event strength was positively related to work overload, which reduced in-role performance and proactive behavior. Volunteers’ perceived BWO event strength was also positively related to work meaningfulness, which promoted in-role performance and proactive behavior. Perceived organizational support served as a moderator by mitigating the positive relationship between perceived BWO event strength and work overload; however, it did not strengthen the positive relationship between perceived BWO event strength and work meaningfulness.

This study developed a comprehensive model of how BWO event strength affected volunteers’ performance from the perspective of event system theory and the JD-R model, which enriches theoretical application and research in the context of mega sport events.

本研究运用事件系统理论和工作需求-资源(JD-R)模型, 探讨了2022年北京冬奥会（BWO）事件强度通过工作负荷和工作意义感知进而对志愿者角色内绩效和主动性行为的双刃剑效应。

我们在冬奥会场所之一实施了多时点、多来源的收集数据的方式, 最终样本包括193份志愿者-领导配对数据, 并使用Mplus 8来检验我们的假设。

志愿者感知的BWO事件强度与工作负荷呈正相关, 进而会降低他们的角色内绩效和主动性行为。志愿者感知的BWO事件强度与工作意义感也呈正相关, 进而会促进他们的角色内绩效和主动性行为。感知的组织支持通过弱化BWO事件强度与工作负荷之间的正相关关系, 进而调节了志愿者的角色内绩效和主动性行为; 然而, 感知的组织支持并没有强化BWO事件强度与工作意义感之间的正相关关系。

本研究结合事件系统理论和JD-R模型, 发展了一个BWO事件强度对志愿者绩效表现影响的综合模型, 丰富了有关大型体育赛事志愿者的理论应用和研究。

Este estudio utiliza la teoría del sistema de eventos y el modelo de demandas de trabajo-recursos (JD-R) para examinar el efecto de doble filo de la fuerza del evento de los Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno de Pekín (BWO) sobre el rendimiento en el rol y el comportamiento proactivo de los voluntarios, mediado por la sobrecarga laboral y la significatividad del trabajo.

Nuestra muestra incluyó 193 díadas de voluntarios-líderes que trabajaban en una sede de BWO. Realizamos un estudio multitemporal y multifuente utilizando Mplus 8 para examinar nuestras hipótesis.

La intensidad percibida por los voluntarios en los eventos de BWO también se relacionó positivamente con la significación del trabajo, que promovió el rendimiento en el rol y el comportamiento proactivo. Además, el apoyo organizativo percibido sirvió como moderador al mitigar la relación positiva entre la intensidad percibida del evento BWO y la sobrecarga de trabajo; sin embargo, no reforzó la relación positiva entre la intensidad percibida del evento BWO y la significatividad del trabajo.

Este estudio desarrolló un modelo integral de cómo la fuerza del evento BWO afectaba al rendimiento de los voluntarios desde la perspectiva de la teoría del sistema de eventos y el modelo JD-R, lo que enriquece la aplicación teórica y la investigación en el contexto de los megaeventos deportivos.

In an era where complex technological advances increasingly govern service delivery, it is incumbent on service firms to pioneer innovative strategies to sustain customer engagement and cultivate loyalty. This conceptual paper examines the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in the realm of online customer communities, with a particular focus on its creation, management and enhancement facets. The authors explore how AI can revolutionize the dynamics of customer interaction, feedback mechanisms and overall engagement within the service industry.

This conceptual paper draws from marketing and management literature focusing on customer communities and AI in service and customer engagement contexts with a robust future research agenda.

A classification of online customer community engagement is provided along with a conceptual framework to guide our understanding of the integration of AI into online customer communities.

This exploration underscores the imperative for service firms to embrace AI-driven approaches to online customer community management, not only as a means to optimize their operations but as a vital strategy to stay competitive in the ever-evolving digital landscape. This paper examines the novel combination of AI with online customer communities and provides the framework in the form of an input-process-output (IPO) model for future research into this integration.

Shifting to OLSL classes during the pandemic can bring learners ambivalent experiences: negative, positive or both appraisals toward the technologies. However, few studies have examined how ambivalent experiences can influence students' learning behaviors, specifically cyberslacking and active participation. Using the challenge-hindrance stressor framework, this study investigates the impact of challenge and hindrance appraisals on these learning behaviors.

This study uses a mixed methods approach to answer research questions. An interview was conducted to identify the key components of ambivalent appraisals, and a survey was conducted to empirically examine the impact of challenge and hindrance appraisals on learners' behaviors in online live streaming learning (OLSL) contexts. The data of 675 university students were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

This study found that hindrance appraisal leads to cyberslacking while challenge appraisal leads to active participation, but it can also cause cyberslacking. Social presence has a double-edged effect, acting as both a facilitator and inhibitor, strengthening the effect of hindrance appraisal on cyberslacking and the impact of challenge appraisal on active participation.

Prior studies have primarily focused on the negative side (techno-distress) of technology appraisals. This study simultaneously examines the positive side, techno-eustress, on learners' behaviors in OLSL contexts, and explores the moderating effects of social presence. This study contributes to the technostress and technology adaptation literature by revealing how technology-induced ambivalent appraisals impact behavioral responses. It offers important theoretical and practical implications for education tool designers.