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1 – 10 of over 4000Mengmeng Li, Jian Chen, Jingtao Sun, Long Hao, Di Wu, Jianqiu Wang and Wei Ke
The purpose of this study is to investigate the initial corrosion behavior of pure Mg, AZ31 and AZ91 alloys in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) and to characterize the features in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the initial corrosion behavior of pure Mg, AZ31 and AZ91 alloys in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) and to characterize the features in corrosion type and resistance of the corrosion product layer.
Design/methodology/approach
The scanning electron microscopy, equipped with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy have been used to characterize the as-corroded samples. Besides, the Mg2+ concentration in PBSs has been determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrum.
Findings
It has been found that pure Mg suffers pit corrosion, and AZ31 initially undergoes pit corrosion and then uniform corrosion dominates with an extended immersion duration. However, AZ91 exhibits the uniform corrosion with the highest corrosion rate among the three materials. Besides, the corrosion product layer on AZ31 has the best compactness and corrosion resistance.
Originality/value
The findings add depth in understanding the corrosion of pure Mg and its alloys in PBS and also have guiding significance in exploring the effects by alloyed elements to develop new biomaterials with better performance.
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Li Chen, Sheng-Qun Chen and Long-Hao Yang
This paper aims to solve the major assessment problem in matching the satisfaction of psychological gratification and mission accomplishment pertaining to volunteers with the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to solve the major assessment problem in matching the satisfaction of psychological gratification and mission accomplishment pertaining to volunteers with the disaster rescue and recovery tasks.
Design/methodology/approach
An extended belief rule-based (EBRB) method is applied with the method's input and output parameters classified based on expert knowledge and data from literature. These parameters include volunteer self-satisfaction, experience, peer-recognition, and cooperation. First, the model parameters are set; then, the parameters are optimized through data envelopment analysis (DEA) and differential evolution (DE) algorithm. Finally, a numerical mountain rescue example and comparative analysis between with-DEA and without-DEA are presented to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed method. The proposed model is suitable for a two-way matching evaluation between rescue tasks and volunteers.
Findings
Disasters are unexpected events in which emergency rescue is crucial to human survival. When a disaster occurs, volunteers provide crucial assistance to official rescue teams. This paper finds that decision-makers have a better understanding of two-sided match objects through bilateral feedback over time. With the changing of the matching preference information between rescue tasks and volunteers, the satisfaction of volunteer's psychological gratification and mission accomplishment are also constantly changing. Therefore, considering matching preference information and satisfaction at two-sided match objects simultaneously is necessary to get reasonable target values of matching results for rescue tasks and volunteers.
Originality/value
Based on the authors' novel EBRB method, a matching assessment model is constructed, with two-sided matching of volunteers to rescue tasks. This method will provide matching suggestions in the field of emergency dispatch and contribute to the assessment of emergency plans around the world.
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The purpose of this paper is to advance knowledge about organization‐public relationships by establishing a theoretical category for understanding them and by contributing to a…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to advance knowledge about organization‐public relationships by establishing a theoretical category for understanding them and by contributing to a foundation of knowledge in that category. Relationship stresses are presented as the factors that constrain organization‐public relationships. This study identifies stresses on the relationship between a grassroots advocacy organization and its former members, as well as stresses between the organization and members who have decreased their participation in it.
Design/methodology/approach
In‐person interviews were conducted with 24 people, phone interviews were conducted with 44 people, and e‐mail interviews were conducted with 13 people. Interviewees included staff members, former volunteers, and volunteers who had decreased their participation in the organization.
Findings
Several relationship stresses were identified: the silver curtain, the emotion tax, relationship speeding, invisible isms, weak leadership, disagreement with decisions, the revolving door, overworking volunteers, underworking volunteers, age, and health.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes a new category for relationship management scholarship, which can be productive for theory building. It also illuminates Dozier and Lauzen's questioning about the unique conditions of social movement organizations.
Practical implications
Established cultivation strategies can actually aggravate publics when a relationship has significantly deteriorated and the root problem is not addressed.
Originality/value
Recognizing problems in the relationship between an advocacy organization and members results in a deep understanding of a unique context for public relations practice. In addition, this study illuminates a context for cultivation strategies by codifying a foundation of relationship stresses. Identifying stresses to relationships can help scholars and practitioners ascertain problems and treat those problems at the root level.
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This study seeks to investigate strategies for building personal relationships with an organization's members, and to examine the outcomes of personal relationships in an advocacy…
Abstract
Purpose
This study seeks to investigate strategies for building personal relationships with an organization's members, and to examine the outcomes of personal relationships in an advocacy organization.
Design/methodology/approach
The case study includes interviews with 39 staff people at national, state, and affiliate levels of the organization; 58 members; and five former members, for a total of 102 participants. Document analysis and participant observation were supplemental methods.
Findings
The following strategies for cultivating personal relationships were identified: direct engagement, task sharing, constitutive rhetoric, peer linking, hat‐in‐your‐hand, investment in local relationships, and targeting of aware affiliates for diversity efforts. To contribute to the discussion about the value of personal relationships in organizations, the study also investigated the outcomes of personal relationships. The outcomes found in the study include affective commitment, political leverage, social capital, member recruitment, and member retention.
Research limitations/implications
Although many of the cultivation strategies and outcomes are likely to apply to various contexts, some of them may be specific to the context of an advocacy organization that has a grass‐roots culture and layers of leadership, such as local, state, and national offices.
Practical implications
Organizations can read the study to identify potential strategies they can use to cultivate strong personal relationships with their stakeholders.
Originality/value
The study produces new cultivation strategies and outcomes for personal relationships and engages in a critical discussion of the existing literature.
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Mindong Chen, Huijie Zhang, Liang Chen and Dongmei Fu
An electrochemical method based on the open circuit potential (OCP) fluctuations was put forward. It can be used to optimize the alloy compositions for improving the corrosion…
Abstract
Purpose
An electrochemical method based on the open circuit potential (OCP) fluctuations was put forward. It can be used to optimize the alloy compositions for improving the corrosion resistance of rust layer.
Design/methodology/approach
The potential trends and potential fluctuations of carbon steels in seawater were separated by Hodrick–Prescott filter. The Spearman correlation coefficient and max information coefficient were used to explore the correlation of alloy compositions and potential fluctuations.
Findings
After long-term immersion, potential fluctuation resistance (PFR) can be used to characterize the corrosion resistance of metals and its rust layers. In the 1,500 to 2,500 h exposure period, Fe, C and S compositions have strong negative correlations, whereas PFR and P composition have weak negative correlations. Mn, Cu and Ti alloy compositions help the rust layer of carbon steels have higher PFRs. These elements that exhibit higher PFRs in this period have been confirmed to have the effect on improving the corrosion resistance of rust layer.
Originality/value
A new computing method for alloy composition optimization of carbon steels based on the OCP fluctuations was put forward. This method combines electrochemical monitoring with the long-term actual seawater environmental tests of various carbon steels.
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Bin Zhang, Qizhong Yang and Qi Hao
Drawing on social information processing theory, this study constructs a multilevel moderated mediation model. This model seeks to delve into the intricate and previously…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on social information processing theory, this study constructs a multilevel moderated mediation model. This model seeks to delve into the intricate and previously overlooked interplay between supervisor bottom-line mentality (BLM) and knowledge hiding. Within this context, we introduce self-interest as a mediating factor and incorporate performance climate as a team-level moderating variable.
Design/methodology/approach
The time-lagged data involve 336 employees nested in 42 teams from 23 automobile sales companies in five regions of China. The analysis was meticulously executed using Hierarchical Linear Modeling, complemented by bias-corrected bootstrapping techniques.
Findings
The findings reveal that self-interest acts as a full mediator in the positive link between supervisor BLM and knowledge hiding. Furthermore, the performance climate plays a moderating role in both the relationship between supervisor BLM and self-interest, and the entire mediation process. Notably, these relationships are intensified in environments with a high performance climate compared to those with a low one.
Originality/value
This research stands as one of the pioneering efforts to integrate supervisor BLM into the discourse on knowledge hiding, elucidating the underlying psychological mechanisms and delineating the boundary conditions that shape the “supervisor BLM–knowledge hiding” relationship. Further, our insights provide organizations with critical guidance on strategies to curtail knowledge hiding among their employees.
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Oyindamola Alalade, Jamiu A. Dauda, Saheed O. Ajayi, Abdullahi B. Saka and Stanley Njuangang
This study aims to examine facility management practices in the Nigerian healthcare sector, exploring approaches and identifying challenges facing effective healthcare facilities…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine facility management practices in the Nigerian healthcare sector, exploring approaches and identifying challenges facing effective healthcare facilities management. The purpose is to contribute to the development of a framework for enhancing healthcare facility management efficiency in Nigeria.
Design/methodology/approach
The study employs a sequential in-depth exploratory qualitative research approach. The data collection involved conducting semi-structured interviews with 15 facility managers from diverse healthcare organisations in Nigeria. The qualitative data collected were analysed using thematic analysis.
Findings
The study reveals scheduled, unscheduled and mixed approaches as the three facility management approaches used in Nigeria. It also substantiates the underdeveloped nature of facility management in Nigeria's healthcare sector, exacerbated by challenges such as socioeconomic, operational, technological and regulatory challenges.
Practical implications
The study uncovers systemic issues affecting have attainment of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and advocates for a comprehensive approach to enhance healthcare infrastructure, contributing to improved health outcomes and sustainable development.
Originality/value
This research uniquely uncovers the hidden challenges facing effective healthcare facility management in Nigeria, providing a foundation for stakeholders to formulate solutions and rescue the struggling state of healthcare facilities in the country.
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Abstract
Large compressive residual stress is induced on the aluminum 6,061 sheets by application of typical processing named SMAT (Surface Mechanical Attrition Treatment). The incremental hole-drilling method is applied to assess the thickness-through distribution of residual stress associated with traditional rosette strain gauges and non contact optical method. The results obtained by these two technologies exhibit good agreement, which verifies the reliability of the optical setup. On the other hand, the effect of induced topography on the surface of aluminum sheets is discussed to collate the initial position of drilling process.
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Weiguo Sheng, Gareth Howells, Michael Fairhurst, Farzin Deravi and Shengyong Chen
Biometric authentication, which requires storage of biometric templates and/or encryption keys, raises a matter of serious concern, since the compromise of templates or keys…
Abstract
Purpose
Biometric authentication, which requires storage of biometric templates and/or encryption keys, raises a matter of serious concern, since the compromise of templates or keys necessarily compromises the information secured by those keys. To address such concerns, efforts based on dynamic key generation directly from the biometrics have recently emerged. However, previous methods often have quite unacceptable authentication performance and/or small key spaces and therefore are not viable in practice. The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel method which can reliably generate long keys while requires storage of neither biometric templates nor encryption keys.
Design/methodology/approach
This proposition is achieved by devising the use of fingerprint orientation fields for key generation. Additionally, the keys produced are not permanently linked to the orientation fields, hence, allowing them to be replaced in the event of key compromise.
Findings
The evaluation demonstrates that the proposed method for dynamic key generation can offer both good reliability and security in practice, and outperforms other related methods.
Originality/value
In this paper, the authors propose a novel method which can reliably generate long keys while requires storage of neither biometric templates nor encryption keys. This is achieved by devising the use of fingerprint orientation fields for key generation. Additionally, the keys produced are not permanently linked to the orientation fields, hence, allowing them to be replaced in the event of key compromise.
Details