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“Idol pilgrimage tour” is a popular trend among young Chinese fans who travel for idol-related purposes, engage in interactive events and have co-created experiences at destinations. With the growing market size of fan economy, fan tourists generate significant revenue for the local. However, many destinations have not fully utilised this opportunity, and there is a lack of research on this niche form of tourism. This research was undertaken to address this research gap.

This study adopted an idol worship–motivation–co-created experience–tour satisfaction–destination loyalty framework in the context of idol pilgrimage tours. In addition, this study investigated the direct influence of idol worship on the other four constructs. Data were collected from 354 Chinese fans who had such experience through online questionnaires. The partial least squares–structural equation modelling technique was used to examine the research model.

It was demonstrated that idol worship has a direct influence on motivation, co-created experience, satisfaction and loyalty and that there is a positive relationship between motivation, co-created experience, satisfaction and loyalty. The results advance the brand sacralisation literature by studying worship in a tourism context and contribute to interactive marketing literature by clarifying the interactive mechanism between relationships among the idol, fans and destinations. The study suggests some practical implications for destination management organisations attempting to target tourist fans.

This is the first study introducing the concept of the idol pilgrimage tour. Empirical results of this study reveal the underlying mechanism of how idols influence fans' travel-related psychology and behaviour.

The objective of this research is to systematically compare two methods of wicking test for evaluating the quality of the non-medical-mask fabric, i.e. its absorbency property at various conditions, using a design of experiment approach. This research also evaluates the suitability of several fabrics to be used for non-medical masks.

Horizontal and vertical wicking tests were selected to evaluate the absorbency property of five fabrics commonly used for the non-medical mask. The tests were performed at three temperatures and using two types of liquid. The design of experiment approach was employed to determine the relationship between the path length of liquid movement in fabric and type of test method, temperature and type of liquid.

Both vertical and horizontal wicking tests show the same order of fabrics according to their absorbency. The order is cotton twill, local cotton, Japanese cotton, Oxford and Scuba, where the first in the order has the lowest absorbency and the last has the highest absorbency. Based on the analysis of variance (ANOVA), the range of temperature and types of liquid employed in this research do not affect the path length of the liquid movement in the fabric.

This research proposes horizontal and vertical wicking tests as a practical tool to evaluate absorbency property of fabric for the non-medical mask. This research also presents a design of experiment approach to evaluate the effect of the test method, temperature and type of liquid on the path length of the liquid movement in the fabric.

This paper aims to investigate the current state of biocomposites used in fused deposition modelling (FDM) with a focus on their mechanical characteristics.

The study presents a variety of biocomposite materials that have been used in filaments for 3D printing by different researchers. The process of making filaments is then described, followed by a discussion of the process parameters associated with the FDM.

To achieve better mechanical properties of 3D-printed parts, it is essential to optimize the process parameters of FDM while considering the characteristics of the biocomposite material. Polylactic acid is considered the most promising matrix material due to its biodegradability and lower cost. Moreover, the use of natural fibres like hemp, flax and sugarcane bagasse as reinforcement to the polymer in FDM filaments improves the mechanical performance of printed parts.

The paper discusses the influence of critical process parameters of FDM like raster angle, layer thickness, infill density, infill pattern and extruder temperature on the mechanical properties of 3D-printed biocomposite.

This paper aims to construct rental housing indices and identify market segmentation for more effective property-management strategies.

The hedonic model was employed to construct the rental indices. Using the k-means++ and REDCAP (Regionalisation with Dynamically Constrained Agglomerative Clustering and Partitioning) approaches, the authors conducted clustering analysis and identified different market segmentation. The empirical study relied on the database of 80,212 actual rental transactions in Beijing, China, spanning 2016–2018.

Rental housing market segmentation may distribute across administrative boundaries. Properly segmented indices could provide a better account for the heterogeneity and spatial continuity of rental housing and as well be crucial for effective property management.

Residential rent might not only vary over space but also interplays with housing price. It would be worth studying how the rental market functions together with the owner-occupied sector in the future.

Residential rental indices are of great importance for policymakers to be able to evaluate housing policies and for property managers to implement competitive strategies in the rental market. Their constructions largely depend on the analysis of market segmentation, a trade-off between housing spatial heterogeneity and continuity.

This paper fills the gap in knowledge concerning segmented rental indices construction, particularly in China. The spatial constrained clustering approach (REDCAP) was also initially introduced to identify regionalised market segmentation due to its superior performance.

In this chapter, the emerging education workforce management approach known as talent-centered education leadership (TCEL) is reviewed. The approach takes inspiration from progressive and cutting-edge talent management thinking and practices that emphasizes employers' intentional focus on humanizing and authentically engaging with their workforce. Pertinent to the theme of the book, the discussion then segues to the importance of diversity and inclusion as a precursor for these efforts and demonstrates how equity and organizational excellence are mutually compatible in the workplace. Relatedly, consideration is given to how traditional perceptions of “professionalism” can exacerbate inequity in the workplace. The chapter concludes by highlighting the seven core principles of TCEL to prepare school employers to embrace the future of education work.

The purpose of this paper is to present the model-driven decision support system (DSS) for small and medium manufacturing enterprises (SMMEs) that actively participates in collaborative activities and manages the planned obsolescence in production. In dealing with the complexity of such demand and supply scenario, the optimisation models are also developed to evaluate the performance of operations practices.

The model-driven DSS for SMMEs, which uses the optimisation models for managing and coordinating planned obsolescence, is developed to determine the optimal manufacturing plan and minimise operating costs. A case application with the planned obsolescence and production scenario is also provided to demonstrate the approach and practical insights of DSS.

Assessing planned obsolescence in production is a challenge for manufacturing managers. A DSS for SMMEs can enable the computerised support in decision making and understand the planned obsolescence scenarios. The causal relationship of different time-varying component obsolescence and availability in production are also examined, which may have an impact on the overall operating costs for producing manufactured products.

DSS can resolve and handle the complexity of production and planned obsolescence scenarios in manufacturing industry. The optimisation models used in the DSS excludes the variability in component wear-out life and technology cycle. In the future study, the optimisation models in DSS will be extended by taking into the uncertainty of different component wear-out life and technology cycle considerations.

This paper demonstrates the flexibility of DSS that facilitates the optimisation models for collaborative manufacturing in planned obsolescence and achieves cost effectiveness.

Since 1980, property cycles have emerged emphatically as a phenomenon of urban development in both developed and developing countries. Among the many things which need to be explained is the continuing high levels of financial investment in property sectors, even well past the time when supply exceeds demand and vacancy rates continue to grow. Various intellectuals have put forward new theories and some situational explanations of the periodic over‐capitalisation in property. The economic adversities are not confined to the property and finance sectors. They extend into the socio‐economic performance of national economies, and in some cases they have international linkages and impacts. Gives exposition and evaluation relating to cyclicity in the USA, the UK, Japan, and some developing countries in Asia. The aim is mainly centred on explanation and theory, extending earlier published work in the authors’ research programmes in property cycles, urban development, and experience in both developing and developed countries. The economic, social, and political significance of property cycles is enormous.