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Article
Publication date: 1 December 2005

Cheng‐chung Lai and Paul B. Trescott

To review one of the earliest Chinese debates on socialism, highlighting the consequent changes in outlook by Sun Yat‐sen and Liang Qichao; and to demonstrate the influence of…

990

Abstract

Purpose

To review one of the earliest Chinese debates on socialism, highlighting the consequent changes in outlook by Sun Yat‐sen and Liang Qichao; and to demonstrate the influence of Western economic writers especially Richard T. Ely, Henry George, and German Bismarckian socialists.

Design/methodology/approach

Textual analysis of original Chinese‐language materials with extensive direct quotations (in translation).

Findings

Sun initially gave primary attention to land policy, using a (somewhat inconsistent) combination of George's “single tax” and a very different idea of land nationalization. As a result of the debate, however, Sun gave more attention to economic growth, capital formation, and import restriction. Liang initially favored Bismarckian socialism, but moved during the debate to increasing skepticism about a major economic role for government, recognizing the need for entrepreneurship and capital formation.

Originality/value

Existing literature fails to perceive the radical shifts in viewpoint which developed for both Sun and Liang. This is particularly important for Sun, whose later ideas had a major influence on Chinese economic policy after 1927.

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 32 no. 12
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 12 November 2016

Hao Liang, Luc Renneboog and Sunny Li Sun

We take a state-stewardship view on corporate governance and executive compensation in economies with strong political involvement, where state-appointed managers act as…

Abstract

Purpose

We take a state-stewardship view on corporate governance and executive compensation in economies with strong political involvement, where state-appointed managers act as responsible “stewards” rather than “agents” of the state.

Methodology/approach

We test this view on China and find that Chinese managers are remunerated not for maximizing equity value but for increasing the value of state-owned assets.

Findings

Managerial compensation depends on political connections and prestige, and on the firms’ contribution to political goals. These effects were attenuated since the market-oriented governance reform.

Research limitations/implications

Economic reform without reforming the human resources policies at the executive level enables the autocratic state to exert political power on corporate decision making, so as to ensure that firms’ business activities fulfill the state’s political objectives.

Practical implications

As a powerful social elite, the state-steward managers in China have the same interests as the state (the government), namely extracting rents that should adhere to the nation (which stands for the society at large or the collective private citizens).

Social implications

As China has been a communist country with a single ruling party for decades, the ideas of socialism still have a strong impact on how companies are run. The legitimacy of the elite’s privileged rights over private sectors is central to our question.

Originality/value

Chinese executive compensation stimulates not only the maximization of shareholder value but also the preservation of the state’s interests.

Details

The Political Economy of Chinese Finance
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78560-957-2

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 May 2023

Xiao Wang, Xuan Liang, Bo Wang, Chang-qing Guo, Shan-gui Zhang, Kai Yang, Shi-ya Shao, Yan Sun, Zheng Guo, Xue-yan Yu, Donghai Zhang, Tai-jiang Gui, Wei Lu, Ming-liang Sun and Rui Ding

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of graphene, basalt flakes and their synergy on the corrosion resistance of zinc-rich coatings. As the important heavy-duty…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of graphene, basalt flakes and their synergy on the corrosion resistance of zinc-rich coatings. As the important heavy-duty anticorrosion coatings, zinc-rich coatings provided cathodic protection for the substrate. However, to ensure cathodic protection, a large number of zinc powder made the penetration resistance known as the weakness of zinc-rich coatings. Therefore, graphene and basalt flakes were introduced into zinc-rich coatings to coordinate its cathodic protection and shielding performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Three kinds of coatings were prepared; they were graphene modified zinc-rich coatings, basalt flakes modified zinc-rich coatings and graphene-basalt flakes modified zinc-rich coatings. The anticorrosion behavior of painted steel was studied by using the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique in chloride solutions. The equivalent circuit methods were used for EIS analysis to obtain the electrode process structure of the coated steel system. Simultaneously, the corrosion resistance of the three coatings was evaluated by water resistance test, salt water resistance test and salt spray test.

Findings

The study found that the addition of a small amount of graphene and basalt flakes significantly improved the anticorrosion performance of coatings by enhancing their shielding ability against corrosive media and increasing the resistance of the electrochemical reaction. The modified coatings exhibited higher water resistance, salt water resistance and salt spray resistance. The graphene-basalt flakes modified zinc-rich coatings demonstrated the best anticorrosion effect. The presence of basalt scales and graphene oxide in the coatings significantly reduced the water content and slowed down the water penetration rate in the coatings, thus prolonging the coating life and improving anticorrosion effects. The modification of zinc-rich coatings with graphene and basalt flakes improved the utilization rate of zinc powder and the shielding property of coatings against corrosive media, thus strengthening the protective effect on steel structures and prolonging the service life of anticorrosion coatings.

Originality/value

The significance of developing graphene-basalt flakes modified zinc-rich coatings lies in their potential to offer superior performance in corrosive environments, leading to prolonged service life of metallic structures, reduced maintenance costs and a safer working environment. Furthermore, such coatings can be used in various industrial applications, including bridges, pipelines and offshore structures, among others.

Details

Pigment & Resin Technology, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0369-9420

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 July 2019

Xinbo Yu, Shuang Zhang, Liang Sun, Yu Wang, Chengqian Xue and Bin Li

This paper aims to propose cooperative control strategies for dual-arm robots in different human–robot collaborative tasks in assembly processes. The authors set three different…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to propose cooperative control strategies for dual-arm robots in different human–robot collaborative tasks in assembly processes. The authors set three different regions where robot performs different collaborative ways: “teleoperate” region, “co-carry” region and “assembly” region. Human holds the “master” arm of dual-arm robot to operate the other “follower” arm by our proposed controller in “teleoperation” region. Limited by the human arm length, “follower” arm is teleoperated by human to carry the distant object. In the “co-carry” region, “master” arm and “follower” arm cooperatively carry the object to the region close to the human. In “assembly” region, “follower” arm is used for fixing the object and “master” arm coupled with human is used for assembly.

Design/methodology/approach

A human moving target estimated method is proposed for decreasing efforts for human to move “master” arm, radial basis functions neural networks are used to compensate for uncertainties in dynamics of both arms. Force feedback is designed in “master” arm controller for human to perceive the movement of “follower” arm. Experimental results on Baxter robot platform show the effectiveness of this proposed method.

Findings

Experimental results on Baxter robot platform show the effectiveness of our proposed methods. Different human-robot collaborative tasks in assembly processes are performed successfully under our cooperative control strategies for dual-arm robots.

Originality/value

In this paper, cooperative control strategies for dual-arm robots have been proposed in different human–robot collaborative tasks in assembly processes. Three different regions where robot performs different collaborative ways are set: “teleoperation” region, “co-carry” region and “assembly” region.

Article
Publication date: 3 October 2018

Hong-liang Sun, Eugene Ch’ng and Simon See

The purpose of this paper is to investigate political influential spreaders in Twitter at the juncture before and after the Malaysian General Election in 2013 (MGE2013) for the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate political influential spreaders in Twitter at the juncture before and after the Malaysian General Election in 2013 (MGE2013) for the purpose of understanding if the political sphere within Twitter reflects the intentions, popularity and influence of political figures in the year in which Malaysia has its first “social media election.”

Design/methodology/approach

A Big Data approach was used for acquiring a series of longitudinal data sets during the election period. The work differs from existing methods focusing on the general statistics of the number of followers, supporters, sentiment analysis, etc. A retweeting network has been extracted from tweets and retweets and has been mapped to a novel information flow and propagation network we developed. The authors conducted quantitative studies using k-shell decomposition, which enables the construction of a quantitative Twitter political propagation sphere where members posited at the core areas are more influential than those in the outer circles and periphery.

Findings

The authors conducted a comparative study of the influential members of Twitter political propagation sphere on the election day and the day after. The authors found that representatives of political parties which are located at the center of the propagation network are winners of the presidential election. This may indicate that influential power within Twitter is positively related to the final election results, at least in MGE2013. Furthermore, a number of non-politicians located at the center of the propagation network also significantly influenced the election.

Research limitations/implications

This research is based on a large electoral campaign in a specific election period, and within a predefined nation. While the result is significant and meaningful, more case studies are needed for generalized application for identifying potential winning candidates in future social-media fueled political elections.

Practical implications

The authors presented a simple yet effective model for identifying influential spreaders in the Twitter political sphere. The application of the authors’ approach yielded the conclusion that online “coreness” score has significant influence to the final offline electoral results. This presents great opportunities for applying the novel methodology in the upcoming Malaysian General Election in 2018. The discovery presented here can be used for understanding how different players of political parties engage themselves in the election game in Twitter. The approach can also be adopted as a factor of influence for offline electoral activities. The conception of a quantitative approach in electoral results greatly influenced by social media means that comparative studies could be made in future elections.

Originality/value

Existing works related to general elections of various nations have either bypassed or ignored the subtle links between online and offline influential propagations. The modeling of influence from social media using a longitudinal and multilayered approach is also rarely studied. This simple yet effective method provides a new perspective of practice for understanding how different players behave and mutually shape each other over time in the election game.

Details

Industrial Management & Data Systems, vol. 119 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-5577

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 February 2018

Yu Han, Yanqiu Xia, Xin Chen, Liang Sun, Dongyu Liu and Xiangyu Ge

The purpose of this study is to improve the corrosion resistance of the transmission towers by Zinc-aluminum-magnesium (Zn-Al-Mg) coatings doped with rare earths lanthanum (La…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to improve the corrosion resistance of the transmission towers by Zinc-aluminum-magnesium (Zn-Al-Mg) coatings doped with rare earths lanthanum (La) and cerium (Ce) (denoted as Zn-Al-Mg-Re) in Q345 steel.

Design/methodology/approach

The phase structure of Zn-Al-Mg-Re composite coatings has been determined by X-ray diffraction, whereas their surface morphology and cross-sectional microstructure as well as cross-sectional elemental composition have been analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectrometry. Moreover, the corrosion resistance of Zn-Al-Mg-Re composite coatings has been evaluated by acetic acid accelerated salt spray test of copper strip.

Findings

Experimental results show that doping with La and Ce favors to tune the composition (along with the generation of new phase, such as LaAl3 or Al11Ce3) and refine the microstructure of Zn-Al-Mg galvanizing coatings, thereby significantly improving the corrosion resistance of the coatings. Particularly, Zn-Al-Mg-Re with 0.15% (mass fraction) La exhibits the best corrosion resistance among the tested galvanizing coatings.

Originality/Value

Zinc-aluminum-magnesium (Zn-Al-Mg) coatings doped with rare earths lanthanum (La) and cerium (Ce) (denoted as Zn-Al-Mg-Re) have been prepared on Q345 steel substrate by hot-dip galvanizing so as to improve the corrosion resistance of the transmission towers, and to understand the corrosion inhibition of the Zn-Al-Mg-Re coating.

Details

Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, vol. 65 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0003-5599

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 24 June 2015

Elitsa R. Banalieva, Laszlo Tihanyi, Timothy M. Devinney and Torben Pedersen

Do multinational enterprises evolve differently in emerging and developed economies? Although one camp argues that emerging economy multinationals are different from their…

Abstract

Do multinational enterprises evolve differently in emerging and developed economies? Although one camp argues that emerging economy multinationals are different from their developed country counterparts owing to the underdeveloped institutions in their home countries, another camp counters that they are the same and the existing international business theories can fully explain their strategies. A third camp suggests a more nuanced perspective by finding value in both approaches. In this introductory chapter, we review this debate and offer new perspectives on how to extend existing theories by accounting for four specific aspects of the home country institutional environments of emerging economies: breadth, depth, timing, and duration of exposure to institutional development. We then discuss how the chapters in this volume extend these ideas.

Details

Emerging Economies and Multinational Enterprises
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78441-740-6

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 24 June 2015

Xavier Martin and Cha Li

In this paper, we conduct a conceptual and bibliographic analysis of the literature that deals with the international strategy of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), with particular…

Abstract

In this paper, we conduct a conceptual and bibliographic analysis of the literature that deals with the international strategy of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), with particular attention to SOEs from emerging economies (EEs). We first review the state of the art in defining the concepts of EEs and SOEs. We then conduct a detailed bibliographic analysis of the literature pertaining to SOEs’ involvement in international activities, whether as outward foreign investors or as potential local partners of inward-investing multinational enterprises. The analysis covers general trends in the literature, prominent research questions and outcome variables, use of theories, and choices pertaining to methodology (type of research and effects, empirical contexts). We document a literature that is fast-growing and well balanced in some respects. In other respects, we advance recommendations pertaining to (a) consistency and precision in the use of the concepts of “state-owned enterprise” and “emerging economy”; (b) search for specific evidence on the outward activities of EE SOEs in less-developed economies and even in other EEs, and on their performance; (c) understanding of relative propensities of local SOEs and inward investors to collaborate, and what happens when SOEs encounter each other across borders; (d) opportunities to strengthen the theoretical foundations and contributions of this research; and (e) minding the mix of home and host countries in studies and avoiding undue generalization from what has become a predominantly China-centric literature.

Details

Emerging Economies and Multinational Enterprises
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78441-740-6

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 6 September 2021

Jenna A. Van Fossen, Chu-Hsiang Chang and Russell E. Johnson

The process of occupational stress is dynamic, and thus must be conceptualized through an intraindividual perspective. Theories of self-regulation model feedback loops in goal…

Abstract

The process of occupational stress is dynamic, and thus must be conceptualized through an intraindividual perspective. Theories of self-regulation model feedback loops in goal pursuit and have meaningful implications for occupational well-being, from the task-level to years across the career span. In particular, discrepancy (the distance between one’s actual and desired states) and velocity (the speed at which one is moving towards a desired state) influence reactions in goal-striving. We extend theory bridging the self-regulation, occupational health, and career literatures by outlining the effects of discrepancy and velocity feedback for well-being, which we ground in cybernetic theories of stress, coping, and well-being. Further, we consider change at the macro scale by delimiting the impact of velocity, experienced in the pursuit of goals across Super’s (1980) career stages, on worker health. We conclude with a discussion of the theoretical and practical implications of velocity and health over the career stages.

Details

Examining and Exploring the Shifting Nature of Occupational Stress and Well-Being
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80117-422-0

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 October 2018

Sunny Li Sun, Jianqiang Xiao, Yanli Zhang and Xia Zhao

How do entrepreneurs use simple rules to build their business models? Based on an inductive study of three Chinese Internet and technology firms, the authors find that business…

1919

Abstract

Purpose

How do entrepreneurs use simple rules to build their business models? Based on an inductive study of three Chinese Internet and technology firms, the authors find that business models emerge from simple rules that entrepreneurs learn from their experience. Simple rules also guide entrepreneurs to actualize and exploit opportunities in the marketplace, and they can help business models evolve through market feedback, especially in internationalization. This paper aims to delve into the black box of entrepreneurial decision-making and offer a better depiction of the business model development process in uncertain and fast-changing environments and thus provide guidance for future entrepreneurs.

Design/methodology/approach

Following the case method (Eisenhardt, 1989; Yin, 2003), the authors first present a thick description of characteristics of three companies and the dynamics of their business models. They then code these descriptions into first-order measures. Finally, they aggregate these measures into abstract constructs. They constantly compare the theoretical constructs and the emerging theory with the existing literature on business models.

Findings

The authors generate three key insights from the findings: business models emerge from simple rules learned from entrepreneurs’ experience, simple rules help entrepreneurs exploit and actualize opportunities in the marketplace and simple rules help businesses expand and evolve business models through market feedback, especially in internationalization.

Originality/value

This paper falls into the intersection of strategy and entrepreneurship – an emerging new field of strategic entrepreneurship – and is concerned with how businesses create and sustain a competitive advantage while simultaneously identifying and exploiting new opportunities. The authors bring people – the individual decision-makers for businesses – back in strategy research and depict a more realistic picture of the behavior of successful entrepreneurs and their business model development process.

Details

Multinational Business Review, vol. 26 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1525-383X

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 4000