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This chapter contrasts the effects of main bank–firm ties on the performance of firms in the changing economic environment of the Japanese financial system. The dual stake of the main bank as stockholder and creditor has a positive effect on stock returns in the growth period, but a negative effect in the contraction period. The empirical results suggest that the current problems in the Japanese economy can be traced back to the failure of corporate governance that cast dark clouds on the Japanese economy after the bursting of the economy in 1990.

The purpose of this paper is to find an incentive strategy to enhance the interests of the main manufacturer by inducing the suppliers to conflict the fixed incentive provided by the main manufacturer.

The main manufacturer‐supplier model is widely applied in the R&D procedure of complex products such as aeroplanes. Because of the uncertainty in the R&D, the effort of the suppliers has an important effect on it. Considering the dynamic interaction between the main manufacturers and suppliers, with the main manufacturers as leaders and suppliers as followers, this paper establishes a Grey‐Stackelberg model to analyze the best change of the incentive strategies of the main manufacturers and the effort strategies under incentive‐conflict of suppliers under the uncertain environment. A numeric example is also computed in the last part of the paper.

The results show that the main manufacturer can increase its benefit without damaging the interests of suppliers by controlling the fixed incentives.

The paper succeeds in establishing the Grey‐Stackelberg model by analysing the grey area among the main manufacturer and the suppliers, and helps to develop grey systems theory.

This paper aims to present the results of aerodynamic calculation of impact the main rotor on the fuselage and the tail of a light gyroplane. This kind of vehicle is a type of rotorcraft which uses a non-powered rotor in autorotation to develop lift and engine-powered propeller to provide the thrust. Both of them disturb the flow around the gyroplane body (gyroplane fuselage and tail) and influence on its static stability. The main goal of the presented research was to find the magnitude of this influence. To measure this effect, the main stability derivatives changes of gyroplane body were investigated.

The CFD analysis of the complete gyroplane was made. Computation was performed for the model of gyroplane which was equipped with the two sub-models of the main rotor and the engine-powered propeller. Both of them were modelled as the actuator discs. This method allows to compute the aerodynamic impact of rotating components on the gyroplane body. All aerodynamic analysis was made by the MGAERO software. The numerical code of the software bases on the Euler flow model. Next, the resulting aerodynamic coefficients were used to calculate the most important stability derivatives of the gyroplane body.

The result obtained by computation presents the change in the most important aerodynamic coefficients and stability derivatives of the gyroplane body caused by the impact of its main rotor. Moreover, the result includes the change of the aerodynamic coefficients and stability derivatives caused by change of the main rotor configuration (change of rotation rate and angle of incidence) and change of the flight condition (gyroplane angle of attack sideslip angle and flight speed).

Analysis of the main rotor impact will be very useful for evaluation of dynamic stability of the light gyroplane. Moreover, the results will be helpful to design the horizontal and vertical tail for the light gyroplane.

This paper presents the method of the numerical analysis of the static stability of the light gyroplane’s body. The results of analysis present the impact of disturbance generated by the rotating main rotor on the static stability of the gyroplane body. Moreover, the impact of the main rotor configuration change and the flight condition change on the static stability were investigated too. The evaluation of the gyroplane’s body static stability was made by the stability derivatives. The methodology and obtained result will be very useful for analysis of the dynamic stability of the light gyroplanes. Moreover, the results will be helpful during design the main components of the gyroplane like vertical and horizontal tail.

Crowdfunding (CF) has become an increasingly popular means of financing for entrepreneurs and has attracted significant attention from both researchers and practitioners in recent years. The purpose of this study is to investigate the core content and knowledge diffusion paths in the CF field. Specifically, we aim to identify the main topics and themes that have emerged in this field and to trace the evolution of CF knowledge over time.

This study employs co-word clustering and main path analysis (MPA) to examine the historical development of CF research based on 1,528 journal articles retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database.

The results of the analysis reveal that CF research focuses on seven themes: sustainability, entrepreneurial finance, entrepreneurship, fintech, social entrepreneurship, social capital, and microcredits. The analysis of the four main paths reveals that equity CF has been the dominant topic in the past years. Recently, CF research has tended to focus on topics such as fintech, the COVID-19 pandemic, competition, Brexit, and policy response.

To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first attempt to explore knowledge diffusion dynamics in the CF field. Overall, the study offers a structure for analyzing the paths through which knowledge is diffused, enabling scholars to effectively manage a large volume of research papers and gain a deeper understanding of the historical, current, and future trends in the development of CF.

The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the existing knowledge system of lean supply chain management (LSCM), i.e. by using main path analysis, and the authors extract the main development track of LSCM. It is advantageous for relevant scholars to deepen their understanding of this academic field from a bibliometrics view to grasp the future directions better.

Structuring a citation network with the processed data set containing 866 papers and relevant information collected from Web of Science (WoS). Conducting review analyses aiming at the main paths that are extracted from the above citation network.

There are two different evolution paths in LSCM field, i.e. improving corporate sustainability performance through combining lean and green practices, and seeking the balance between lean and agility to structure leagile supply chain for specific industries. LSCM research studies mainly focus on five aspects: (1) establishment and development of LSCM theory; (2) structuration of lean supply chain; (3) research studies of the relationship between LSCM and corporate performance; (4) supply chain evaluation system; and (5) review and vista of LSCM field. The intersection of two knowledge evolute routes would be Industry 4.0, which is an integrated theory system combining lean, agility, green and other supply chain thinking.

The data set collected from WoS cannot contain all the research studies about LSCM is the main research limitation. Sustainability, as represented by environmental performance, will continue to be a major pursuit of this field. Integrating LSCM in Industry 4.0 will be the next hotspot in LSCM field.

Providing the main research contents and common methods of LSCM field. It is conducive to deepening the understanding of relevant practitioners and scholars to LSCM field from a dynamic perspective.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the first time to reveal the knowledge diffuse trajectories of LSCM under different view with main path analysis. This study is unique that it provides a new view to understand the field of LSCM.

The main purpose of this research is to examine the basic motives in making a decision to buy an organic food. The preferences in the type of food – conventional, organic and GMO between people from different countries in former Yugoslavia region, as well as the main motives for buying an organic food, are also determined. Differences in the main motives for buying organic food depending on the gender and age of the respondents are also examined.

The sample consisted of 571 respondents from 6 countries of former Yugoslavia, which makes this paper unique and original. Questionnaire, which was specially constructed for the needs of the main purpose of this research, is to examine the basic motives in making a decision to buy an organic food. The preferences in the type of food – conventional, organic and GMO between people from different countries in former Yugoslavia region, as well as the main motives for buying an organic food, are also determinated. Differences in the main motives for buying organic food depending on the gender and age of the respondents are also examined. The sample consisted of 571 respondents from 6 countries of former Yugoslavia, which makes this paper unique and original. Questionnaire, which was specially constructed for the needs of the research, was applied (Cronbach α = 0.77). The research was conducted online, via the Google Forms questionnaire. Data were processed by the SPSS program. Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis test were used to determine the significance of the obtained differences in scores between groups of subjects. The results show that the conventional food is still the most common type of nutrition in people from these areas. The main reason for buying organic food is health, while there are no differences in scores between respondents of different gender, age and country they live in. Mandatory of this paper refers to show relevant information of main motives in purchasing organic food from people, which itself has broader social (raising awareness of the importance and significance an organic nutrition), as well as practical implications, which may be important for organic food producers and traders. The results of the research have a satisfactory level of reliability (Cronbach α = 0.77). The research was conducted online, via the Google Forms questionnaire. Data were processed by the SPSS program. Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis test were used to determine the significance of the obtained differences in scores between groups of subjects.

The results show that the conventional food is still the most common type of nutrition in people from these areas. The main reason for buying organic food is health, while there are no differences in scores between respondents of different gender, age and country they live in.

An unequal number of male and female respondents, as well as respondents from different countries.

Mandatory of this paper refers to show relevant information of main motives in purchasing organic food from people, which may be important for organic food producers and traders.

Social implications refers to raise an awareness of the importance and significance an organic nutrition for people health.

The sample consisted of 571 respondents from 6 countries of former Yugoslavia, which makes this paper unique and original.

Research on strategic procurement was mostly focussed on the clients' and main contractors' perspectives, while limited work had been done from a subcontractor's perspective. The paper hypothesises that “strategic capability” influences the latent constructs of power, dependence and collaboration in the main contractor–subcontractor relationship. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of a subcontractor's strategic capabilities on power, dependence and collaboration.

A survey questionnaire was developed and distributed amongst the subcontractors in Australia, and 212 complete responses were received. Then second order confirmatory factor analysis and partial least square structure equation modelling (PLS-SEM) analysis were performed to test the hypothesised relationships.

The findings support “strategic capabilities” as a construct expressive of a subcontractor's unique market position and good business reputation. The findings also suggest that strategically capable subcontractors enhance their potential for forming partnerships with main contractors through dependence (StratC. → Dep., β = 0.84; Effect Size (ES) = 0.713; p < 0.01), collaboration (StratC. → Collab., β = 0.84; ES = 0.697; p < 0.01) and bargaining power (StratC. → Pow., β = 0.83; ES = 0.672; p < 0.01).

The study is one of its kind to explore the impact of a subcontractor's strategic capability on their bargaining power, dependability and ability to form collaborations. Furthermore, results indicate that the “strategic capabilities” of subcontractors can strongly influence their ability to create “dependence”, foster “collaboration” and exert “power” over a main contractor. The findings can help improve the strategic procurement decision-making processes of both subcontractors and main contractors to build better business relationships.

Fiji is a multicultural and linguistically multi-competent country. Historical ethnic divisions have socialised students into language friendships based around common languages. Recent changes to educational policy, specifically the mandating of students learning all three of the Standard languages of Fiji (Fijian, Hindi, and English), have been introduced in hope that cross-linguistic understanding will encourage a greater sense of national identity amongst all Fijians regardless of ethnicity. This study explores one multilingual school environment considering students’ language use, attitudes and friendships in light of these policies.

A convergent mixed-methods research design using surveying, artefact collection, students’ drawing and observation was employed.

The majority of students reported some proficiency in the language of their inter-ethnic peers; however, students’ inter-ethnic friendships predominantly relied on English language use. It was observed that most friendships amongst these Fijian primary school students were still established according to main language use at home; however, inter-ethnic peer interaction in English was observed to be friendly and respectful. These language use patterns and friendship behaviours were potentially reinforced by individual and societal multilingualism, in addition to the school environment.

The chapter presents the first research linking Fijian primary school students’ language choices and friendship development.

Research into the library as place investigates the role of public library buildings as destinations, physical places where people go for various reasons ranging from making use of the library's resources and services or seeking to fulfill an information or reading need to less easily identified reasons that may include using the library's building as a place to make social or business contacts, to build or reinforce community or political ties, or to create or reinforce a personal identity. This study asks: How are one rural US public library system's newly constructed buildings functioning as places? The answer is derived from answers to sub-questions about adult library users, user, and staff perceptions of library use, and observed use of library facilities. The findings are contextualized using a framework built of theories from human geography, sociology, and information studies.

This case study replicates a mixed-methods case study conducted at the main public libraries in Toronto and Vancouver in the late1990s and first reproduced in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2006. It tests methods used in large urban settings in a rural, small-town environment. This study also expands on its antecedents by using thematic analysis to determine which conceptualizations of the role of the public library as place are most relevant to the community under investigation.

The study relies on quantitative and qualitative data collected via surveys and interviews of adult library users, interviews of library public service staff members, structured observations of people using the libraries, and analysis of selected administrative documents. The five sets of data are triangulated to answer the research sub-questions.

Thematic analysis grounded in the conceptual framework finds that public realm theory best contextualizes the relationships that develop between library staff members and adult library users over time. The study finds that the libraries serve their communities as informational places and as familiarized locales rather than as third places, and that the libraries facilitate the generation of social capital for their users.