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The purpose of this paper is to develop a build strategy for inclined thin-walled parts by exploiting the inherent overhanging capability of the cold metal transfer (CMT) process, which release wire-arc additive manufacturing from tedious programming work and restriction of producible size of parts.

Inclined thin-walled parts were fabricated with vertically placed welding torch free from any auxiliary equipment. The inclined features were defined and analyzed based on the geometrical model of inclined parts. A statistical prediction model was developed to describe the dependence of inclined geometrical features on process variables. Based on these models, a build strategy was proposed to plan tool path and output process parameters. After that, the flow work was illustrated by fabricating a vase part.

The formation mechanism and regulation of inclined geometrical features were revealed by conducting experimental trials. The inclined angle can be significantly increased along with the travel speed and offset distance, whereas the wall width is mainly dependent on the ratio of wire feed speed to travel speed. In contrast to other welding process, CMT has a stronger overhanging capability, which provides the possibility to fabricate parts with large overhanging features directly with high forming accuracy.

This paper describes a novel build strategy for inclined thin-walled parts free from any auxiliary equipment. With the proposed strategy, a complex structural component can be deposited directly in the rectangular coordinates additive manufacturing system, indicating infinite possibilities on the producible size of the parts. Moreover, equipment requirements and tedious program work can also be significantly reduced.

The purpose of this paper is to assess the selection of planned supply initiatives and the role of senior management expertise. The drivers that influence the selection of particular supply initiatives by firms are of major interest to both practitioners and academics, as choices indicate priorities for resources, potential performance gaps and needs for future research. Moreover, theory indicates that senior management expertise and firm‐level resources might influence the likelihood of selecting particular initiatives.

A synthesis of the literature supported the development of a five‐dimensional framework of major supply initiatives. Logistic regression was conducted with data from a survey of chief purchasing officers at large North American firms. The impact of firm‐level resources and senior management expertise, including background and experience, was assessed for the selection of supply initiatives.

After controlling for general industry‐level factors, both firm resources and senior management expertise were found to systematically affect the likelihood of a firm planning to pursue particular initiatives. First, hiring senior management from outside the firm decreased the likelihood that network‐based initiatives were planned, while senior management who last worked in supply were found to be negatively related to planned supply strategy initiatives. Second, firms with greater use of e‐business technologies favored additional investment in supply networks.

This research focused on large firms in developed countries, and additional research is needed to explore the generalizability to small and medium‐sized enterprises and less‐developed countries. Moreover, additional work is needed to explore trade‐offs between planned and emergent initiatives, as only the former were empirically assessed.

Senior management expertise has received relatively little attention in prior research, yet was found to be a significant factor influencing strategic, process and network‐related supply initiatives. Moreover, the framework of supply initiatives provides a basis for assessing and benchmarking firm‐level supply chain strategy and investment patterns. Finally, empirical evidence emerged that both firm and individual‐level factors influenced the probability of selecting particular initiatives.

The purpose of this study is to examine the simultaneous effects of Hafnium particles and partially submerged metallic particles for the flow of bi-phase coupled stress fluid over an inclined flat plane.

An unflinching free stream flow that stretches far from the surface of the plane with the possibility of containing some partially submerged metallic particles is considered. Innovative model has been proposed and designed using Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg method.

The findings show that the drag force resists the couple stress fluid, whereas the Newtonian flow is supported by increasing the velocity. For both types of flows, movement of the particle is retarded gradually against the drag force coefficient.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this model is reported for the first time.

This paper aims to explain and discuss the complex nature and value of knowledge as an exploitable resource for business.

The authors propose a conceptual explanation of knowledge based on three pillars: the plurality of its nature, understood to be conservative, multipliable and generative, its contextual value and the duality of carrier incorporating business knowledge, objects or processes. After conceptualizing the nature of knowledge, the authors offer a metaphor based on the classic transformation from “potential” to “kinetic” energy in an inclined plane assuming that the conservative nature of knowledge makes it act as energy.

The metaphor uses the concept of potential and kinetic energy: if energy is only potential, it has a potential value not yet effective, whereas if the potential energy (knowledge) becomes kinetic energy (products and/or services), it generates business value. In addition, business value is a function of the speed acquired and caused by the angle of inclined plan, namely, the company’s business model. Knowledge is the source of the value and can be maintained and regenerated only through continuous investments. Several years later the value extraction reaches a null value of the company (potential energy) which will cease to act (kinetic energy) for triggering both the value generated and the value extracted.

The paper proposes an initial attempt to explain the meaning of the transformation of knowledge using a metaphor derived from physics. The metaphor of the energy of knowledge clearly depicts the managerial dilemma of balancing a company’s resources for both the generating and extracting value. Similarly, future study should try to associate other knowledge peculiarities to physical phenomena.

Global strategic marketing planning has become increasingly important with the advent of worldwide competition and the growing rapidity of change in the international marketplace. In this article, research and commentaries from the strategic management and international marketing planning literatures are brought together in a model examining what factors influence global strategic marketing planning formality, and whether competitive and organizational benefits accrue from the process. Responses from 90 multinational corporations were subjected to a LISREL analysis. Corporate culture, supply chain elements, foreign regulations and competition were identified as key determinants of planning formality. Considerable non‐financial benefits also accrue as planning formality increases.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze financial literacy's effect on retirement planning among young adults in Mexico, with gender as a moderator variable. Planning refers to the actual or intended implementation of several retirement strategies: private pension funds, investing in assets, government subsidies and family assistance.

The article's methodology is quantitative, empirical and cross-sectional. Ajzen's theory of planned behavior (1991) works as the theoretical framework to examine planning for retirement intentions determined by individuals' financial inclusion, attitudes, knowledge, behavior, occupation and family traits. The methodology follows generalized structural equation models (GSEM) with logistic regression basis, constructed with data from the National Survey on Financial Inclusion 2018.

Results confirm that the most financially knowledgeable individuals have lesser intentions to pursue passive strategies, while financial behavior and inclusion associate with actively planning. Gender plays a fundamental role in retirement planning too.

Observations for several years are necessary to effectuate longitudinal analysis. Further research should include a more in-depth study of strategy choice triggers and policy impact on retirement planning.

Findings can be useful to public and private institutions focused on saving, investment and retirement, especially in economies comparable to Mexico's. Avoiding the higher social costs associated with poor retirement planning depends on timely decision-making.

This study goes beyond the traditional pension fund strategy to analyze other options. It delivers information about young people's long-term financial plans in Mexico concerning financial literacy and gender.

Tourists with different cultural backgrounds think and behave differently. Accurately capturing and correctly understanding cultural differences will help tourist destinations in product/service planning, marketing communication and attracting and retaining tourists. This research employs Hofstede's cultural dimensions theory to analyse the variations in destination image perceptions of Chinese-speaking and English-speaking tourists to Xiamen, a prominent tourist attraction in China.

The evaluation utilizes a two-stage approach, incorporating LDA and BERT-BILSTM models. By leveraging text mining, sentiment analysis and t-tests, this research investigates the variations in tourists' perceptions of Xiamen across different cultures.

The results reveal that cultural disparities significantly impact tourists' perceived image of Xiamen, particularly regarding their preferences for renowned tourist destinations and the factors influencing their travel experience.

This research pioneers applying natural language processing methods and machine learning techniques to affirm the substantial differences in the perceptions of tourist destinations among Chinese-speaking and English-speaking tourists based on Hofstede's cultural theory. The findings furnish theoretical insights for destination marketing organizations to target diverse cultural tourists through precise marketing strategies and illuminate the practical application of Hofstede's cultural theory in tourism and hospitality.

This study is designed to examine strategic planning practices in Jordanian manufacturing organizations (JMOs). Two issues are of primary concern here. The first is related to the extent of using strategic planning in JMOs, while the second issue is concerned with the infrastructure necessary to implement successful strategic planning.

Data were collected via a questionnaire that was administered to the CEOs of the 37 manufacturing firms included in this study. Out of the 37 questionnaires distributed, 28 were returned representing a response rate of 76 percent.

Results reveal that 39 percent of JMOs are implementing strategic planning, whereas 61 percent are not. Results also indicate that while JMOs managers possess strong and positive attitudes toward strategic planning; these attitudes have not been translated into real commitment. A low to moderate level of commitment, low level of participation, and moderate strength of information system are found in this study.

So far, only limited empirical research has been conducted to explore strategic planning practices in Jordanian business organizations (JBOs). Our current study is among the few pioneering studies that have contributed to the enhancement of our understanding of strategic planning practices in JBOs.

This study aims to empirically investigate the pathway to financial management behavioural intentions (FMBI) from Islamic perspectives, through dimensions of Islamic financial literacy (IFL; Islamic financial knowledge [IFK], financial skills [FS] and self-efficacy [SE]) based on an extension to the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) model.

Data was collected via a self-administered questionnaire by 300 millennials (Muslims) working in Malaysia. Structural equation modelling was used for data analysis purposes by using SmartPLS.

The results present the positive and significant influence of IFK on financial attitude (FA), FS on the elements of FA, subjective norm (SN), perceived behavioural control (PBC) and perceived moral obligation (PMO), SE on FA, FS on the elements of FA, SN and PBC. Furthermore, PBC and PMO were strong predictors of FMBI from an Islamic standpoint.

The findings successfully contribute to the theoretical extension of the TPB model via dimensions of IFL (IFK, FS and SE) as predictors of FA, SNs, PBC and PMO. Besides, this study provides some new insights of millennial Muslims concerning IFL and financial management from Islamic beliefs.