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Nature provides a wide range of structures with different functions, which can serve as a source of research concepts. Based on the bionics principle, a bionic structure was applied to drill pipe specimens to compare the bond strength of paint coatings with and without a bionic ring groove pattern machined on the substrate.

Using the Revetest Xpress Plus scratch tester, the bond strengths of the coatings on the drill pipe with and without the bionic structure were measured and the difference in bond strength was observed.

The critical scratch loads of the surface coatings were 12.77 and 5.4 N. Furthermore, the scratch curve from the plain sample had a larger fluctuation compared to the curve of the samples with bionic ring grooves.

This indicated that the application of a bionic pattern to the surface of the substrate could enhance the bond strength and the degree of mechanical adhesion between the coating and the surface of the drill pipe, which is beneficial for the anti-corrosion performance of the drill pipe.

The purpose of this paper is to relate how Shanghai Jiao Tong University Library integrates its resources and services, the functions realised and technologies adopted in order to meet user's information needs in a simple, convenient and personalised way. As information resources become more web‐based, disparate and distributed, libraries are facing the challenge of how to provide information efficiently to their users. A promising approach is to integrate resources and deliver services via a portal.

This paper analyses existing portal features, needs and functions, and carries out the approach to meet portal requirements through resource integration and service integration supported by MetaLib, SFX and Web 2.0 technologies.

Portal requirements can be met by resource integration and service integration. Methods to achieve cross searching, ways to enhance resource linking, and integration of library, subject and personalisation services are analysed and concluded. The service framework is depicted in the end.

Since the analysis is not based on an exhaustive list of portals and as technologies are always developing rapidly, the methods and functions to achieve information integration and provision presented in this paper perhaps are not complete and may need to be adjusted and amended. Work is also needed urgently to develop and establish related standards and protocols for service collaboration.

This paper should be helpful for libraries that plan to provide services to their users via information portals, or to develop or evaluate portal systems or products.

This paper analyses and concludes methods and functions to meet portal requirements through resource integration and service integration supported by MetaLib, SFX and Web 2.0 technologies. It discusses the service collaboration and depicts the service framework.

As the virtual reference service (VRS) is becoming a standard service of the digital library, efficient collaboration among virtual reference services is also becoming more and more important for information exchange and sharing. This paper seeks to examine existing collaborative VRS systems with a view to achieving collaboration.

This paper studies existing collaborative VRS (CVRS) systems and analyzes their structures, methods and functions for achieving collaboration.

Three collaborative structure models are proposed and basic collaborative methods and collaborative functions are concluded. A CVRS reference model is depicted.

Since the study is not based on an exhaustive list of CVRS systems and technologies are always developing, the collaborative structure models, methods and functions presented in this paper are possibly not complete and may need to be adjusted and amended. There is also urgent work to be done to advance and establish related standards and protocols for CVRS.

The study is intended to help libraries to identify quickly the necessary elements and mechanisms for the design of a proper degree of CVRS or to develop or evaluate VRS systems.

This paper proposes and concludes collaborative structure models, methods, functions and a reference model of CVRS. It should prove helpful for libraries wishing to provide CVRS, as well as for further research on CVRS.

The purpose of this paper is to propose the strategic choice of innovative university library, including its definitions, structure framework. As a case study, the construction practice and idea development of the innovative library in Shanghai Jiao Tong University are also to be introduced and explained.

The paper combines the methods of scenario analysis and theoretical explanation, modeling presentation and case study.

A model of innovative university library and IC²@SJTUL, a kind of new mode adapting to it are put forward in the paper. These modes apply to university libraries, which need innovation and support training of innovative users.

At present the necessary have been built but environments for IC²@SJTUL its effects need practice testing.

The basic definition and structure framework of an innovative university library are designed in this paper. The pioneer concept, i.e. IC², is demonstrated and the new mode of IC²@SJTUL is also presented.

In this paper, we investigated the risk averse ness of KOSPI 200 option investors with very flexible risk preference structure. Contrary to the most of previous research either assuming a time-invariant underlying asset return distribution or assuming a well-known functional form for the underlying utility functions. we directly assume functional forms for Investors’risk aversion functions. With the direct specification on the risk aversion functions themselves. we can avoid the possibility 이 suffering from Internal inconsistency and of obtaining misleading risk aversion functions. From our empirical results using KOSPI 200 Index option prices from 1997 through 2006. we discovered that the investors' relative risk aversions exhibit ‘sharply decreasing' across wealth. In addition, our Implied subjective PDFs are found to more accurately forecast the distribution of realization than both the risk neutral PDFs and implied subjective PDFs from previous methods. For the robustness of our empirical results, we test the effects of estimation errors In the expected risk premium, and of financial crisis in the late of 1990s.

The purpose of this study is to explore national cultural influences on knowledge management (KM) practices within Chinese manufacturing enterprises.

A qualitative case study in four steps was conducted within a Chinese mobile phone company (referred to as Lotus). Data collection was based on observations and in‐depth interviews.

It was discovered that employees in Chinese manufacturing enterprises like to keep their knowledge implicit and are willing to share it informally. A series of factors derived from Chinese culture such as hierarchy consciousness, fear of losing face, a sense of modesty, competitiveness and a preference for face‐to‐face communication, can act as barriers to KM initiatives within Chinese manufacturing organisations. Trust in intra‐personal relationships among employees can partly mitigate the impact of the above cultural characteristics. However, at a macro organisational level there is still need to share tacit knowledge using explicit/formal KM approaches.

Though knowledge mapping is recommended as a feasible means to promote formal knowledge sharing within Chinese organisations, evidence showing the efficacy of such a method are only grounded in related literature here. Therefore, practical experimental evidence should be collected in future research.

KM strategies proposed for an organisation based in China should take revealed cultural influences into account.

Few studies have explicitly concentrated on KM within Chinese organisations. The present study provides useful information for academics interested in cultural issues in KM and impartial advice for knowledge managers within Chinese enterprises.

Purpose: ESG indices serve as vital tools for investors to measure a company’s sustainability performance, reflecting its economic, environmental, and social standings. However, integrating ESG faces numerous constraints, particularly in emerging economies. This study aims to identify the key challenges of ESG integration in emerging economies.

Methodology: Systematic search and reporting framework following a five-stage iterative process, encompassing: (1) formulating the research question, (2) identifying pertinent studies, (3) selecting studies, (4) organising data, and (5) compiling, summarising, and presenting the findings.

Findings: Several important factors including the lack of quality and availability of non-financial data, underdeveloped regulatory frameworks, technological constraints, difficulties in supply chain integration, cultural and social barriers, financial constraints, and a general lack of awareness and understanding of ESG issues. An unbalanced approach to ESG compliance, with companies often focusing primarily on societal issues while neglecting environmental aspects. Despite these challenges, the research contributes to the discussion on the significant benefits of ESG integration, including improved risk management, access to new markets and capital, and enhanced reputation.

Implication: Overcoming these challenges requires concerted efforts from governments, businesses, and international organisations to develop supportive policies, develop inclusive capacity-building systems, and raise awareness of ESG issues.

Limitation: The scope of available literature and the inherent biases within selected studies.

Future research: Future studies could analyse deeper into case studies, and comparative research to better understand how ESG integration operates in emerging economies and to evaluate how effective the strategies implemented are in tackling the challenges that have been identified.

This study aims to explore the roles of Zhongyong and political efficacy on citizens’ intention to use digital government platforms for e-participation (i.e. e-participation intention). Zhongyong is a dialectical way of thinking that influences Chinese behavioral intentions and approaches. Political efficacy is a predictor of traditional political participation. Both of them have not been adequately investigated in this digital era, particularly regarding e-participation in digital government platforms. Therefore, this study investigates their relationships.

A quantitative model is constructed to examine the relationship between Zhongyong and citizens’ e-participation intention (internal and external) political efficacy serves as a mediator. An online questionnaire gathered 345 responses from three representative provinces of China (i.e. Guangdong, Jiangxi and Shanxi). Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was adopted and executed with Smart PLS 4.0 to analyze the data.

Zhongyong and (internal and external) political efficacy can positively influence citizens’ e-participation intention. Moreover, (internal and external) political efficacy mediates the relationship between Zhongyong and citizens’ e-participation intention.

This research focuses on Chinese culture Zhongyong and surveyed Chinese citizens, thus is limited to the Chinese context. Second, this study used cross-sectional data. Third, this study only investigated two factors’ effects on e-participation, i.e. Zhongyong and political efficacy.

The findings provide multifaceted strategies for improving citizens’ adoption of digital government platforms for e-participation. Incentive policies to boost citizens’ (internal and external) political efficacy can be launched. To achieve broader citizen participation, a participative culture can be cultivated based on Zhongyong.

This study constructs a novel model that innovatively links Zhongyong thinking, political efficacy and e-participation intention. The results underscore the importance of Zhongyong culture and political efficacy in increasing citizens’ e-participation intention.

The National People’s Congress (NPC) of People’s Republic of China, the highest organ of state power, is popularly seen as a rubber-stamp entity. However, it has been substantially evolving its roles to accommodate the governance discourses within China’s political system over the decades. This study aims to explore the changes of governance discourse of the NPC within China’s political system through which to offer a thorough understanding of the NPC’s evolving substantial role in current China.

This study deploys a historical approach to explore the changes of governance discourse of the NPC that has seen a growing importance in China’s political agenda, as argued by this study.

The authors find that the NPC has been substantially evolving its role within China’s political system in which the Chinese Communist Party has created different governance discourses. Besides, the NPC and its Standing Committee have asserted its authority as a substantial actor within China’s political system. The NPC is no longer functioned as a rubber-stamp institution, though it is still popularized as a rubber stamp by many scholars.

This study is a historical elaboration on the development of NPC under three governance discourses. It might be, to some extent, relatively descriptive in nature.

This study, therefore, sheds some light on a revisit on the governance discourses in current China.