Search results
1 – 10 of 12Mingzhi Hu, Lina Wu, Guocheng Xiang and Shihu Zhong
Using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey, this work examines the relationship between housing price and the probability of marriage among the young.
Abstract
Purpose
Using data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey, this work examines the relationship between housing price and the probability of marriage among the young.
Design/methodology/approach
By exploiting land reform as an exogenous change in housing price and employing a differences-in-differences framework, this study investigates the effects of housing price on the marriage probability of young people.
Findings
This work confirms that land reform decreased young people's likelihood of marriage. This finding is robust to a series of model specifications. The effects of land reform increased over time because of rising housing unaffordability from progressively inflating housing prices. Moreover, land reform had larger effects on renters and young adults aged below 30 than homeowners and young adults aged above 30.
Social implications
Overall, this study highlights the negative consequences of an overheated housing market on marriage in developing countries.
Originality/value
Housing prices have increased dramatically in urban China after 2002 upon the implementation of the assignment system of the use right of all kinds of profit-oriented lands by means of public bidding, auction and quotation. High housing prices indicate serious housing unaffordability, especially for young people who typically have low income and wealth. Homeownership that comes with various benefits can theoretically increase the likelihood of marriage, particularly in China where a house is often regarded as a prerequisite for marriage.
Details
Keywords
Mingzhi Hu, Jiaqi Liu and Xue Wang
Individuals who spend a large percentage of their incomes on consumption are perceived to prefer risks. Since entrepreneurs are well recognized as risk-takers, this chapter…
Abstract
Individuals who spend a large percentage of their incomes on consumption are perceived to prefer risks. Since entrepreneurs are well recognized as risk-takers, this chapter investigates whether consumption propensity is associated with entrepreneurship. Using micro-level data from Chinese Household Income Project, we find that households with a higher income–consumption ratio on average have a higher preference for risk-seeking, while they have a lower probability to be entrepreneurs. However, households who have higher consumption–income ratio and are in the top 10% of the wealth distribution are more likely to embark on entrepreneurship. In addition, we find that in-system connection (relationship with government-related units) decreases the likelihood of starting new business, while out-system connection (relationship with market units) increases it. These findings suggest that in an imperfect financial market, start-up finance and connections play important roles for entrepreneurship.
Details
Keywords
Yangqin Weng, Mingzhi Li and Check-Teck Foo
This paper aims to analyze the rates of returns on education in China and in the process raises issues relevant to the management of China’s system of education. In the ongoing…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to analyze the rates of returns on education in China and in the process raises issues relevant to the management of China’s system of education. In the ongoing great transformation period of China, the rising rates of returns on education may have been indicators reflecting China’s social progressiveness. However, very little research efforts have been devoted to the study of the impacts of such factors as geographical regions and genders, etc. The authors hope to fill these gaps in the literature.
Design/methodology/approach
The China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) database is used for this study (University of North Carolina). The longitudinal nature of the data sets covering 1989, 1991, 1993, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2011 provides a good basis for comparative analyses. The theory is grounded upon the Mincer equations through which econometric estimates are then made.
Findings
Disparities in returns on education are found between genders and across geographical regions. The regression results show that the women’s returns on education are consistently higher than those of men. However, the scales of such gender differences differ between the rural and urban areas: smaller for rural area and larger, more significantly so for urban. Additionally, we have found that the rates of returns on education in China have risen significantly over these years, and these increases have been largely due to the effects of institutional reforms. The urban-rural gap in their degrees of market orientation has contributed to the differences in their rates of returns on education. The analyses also suggest that foreign direct investment inflows, international trade and the increasing competitiveness from private enterprises render human capital more valuable to urban businesses. In case of the rural areas, a lack of incentive system tends to have contributed to the lower rates of returns on education.
Originality/value
The authors have presented evidence on the trends in the rates of returns on education during China’s critical transition period. Analyses of the possible reasons behind the differential rates of returns are provided. These findings are helpful for the government to shape their policies towards education. For instance, the government should give more emphasis to vocational schooling due to their significantly higher rates of returns.
Details
Keywords
Jialiang Xie, Shanli Zhang, Honghui Wang and Mingzhi Chen
With the rapid development of Internet technology, cybersecurity threats such as security loopholes, data leaks, network fraud, and ransomware have become increasingly prominent…
Abstract
Purpose
With the rapid development of Internet technology, cybersecurity threats such as security loopholes, data leaks, network fraud, and ransomware have become increasingly prominent, and organized and purposeful cyberattacks have increased, posing more challenges to cybersecurity protection. Therefore, reliable network risk assessment methods and effective network security protection schemes are urgently needed.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the dynamic behavior patterns of attackers and defenders, a Bayesian network attack graph is constructed, and a multitarget risk dynamic assessment model is proposed based on network availability, network utilization impact and vulnerability attack possibility. Then, the self-organizing multiobjective evolutionary algorithm based on grey wolf optimization is proposed. And the authors use this algorithm to solve the multiobjective risk assessment model, and a variety of different attack strategies are obtained.
Findings
The experimental results demonstrate that the method yields 29 distinct attack strategies, and then attacker's preferences can be obtained according to these attack strategies. Furthermore, the method efficiently addresses the security assessment problem involving multiple decision variables, thereby providing constructive guidance for the construction of security network, security reinforcement and active defense.
Originality/value
A method for network risk assessment methods is given. And this study proposed a multiobjective risk dynamic assessment model based on network availability, network utilization impact and the possibility of vulnerability attacks. The example demonstrates the effectiveness of the method in addressing network security risks.
Details
Keywords
This paper aims to present an empirical study on how informal networks affect innovation performance of firms in Shanghai. This study is a preliminary attempt to understand the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present an empirical study on how informal networks affect innovation performance of firms in Shanghai. This study is a preliminary attempt to understand the effect of informal networks on innovation performance. Shanghai is selected as the region for data acquisition due to a prominent economic role in China. It is specifically to answer the research question regarding the impact of Chinese informal social network on innovation performance (in Shanghai).
Design/methodology/approach
This paper attempts to explore the quantitative effect of informal networks on innovation performance in regard to group behavioural characteristics among executives in China.
Findings
A total of 1,000 executives were invited, and there were 315 valid samples returned. Significant correlations are noted in key network variables against innovation performance. The results and findings generally support the hypotheses that “Education”, “Business Referral” and “Experience” are three core constructs exerting substantial influence in innovation performance. However, it is interesting to note that the connectivity and size of informal networks do not matter. Informal networks show no significant influence on innovation performance.
Practical implications
This indicates stereotypes in Shanghai social business networks prioritizing on highly educated acquaintances, referral activities and working experiences.
Originality/value
This study explores uncovered territory in organization innovation regarding the infiltration of informal networks, particularly in Chinese communities. Though the research context is Shanghai, the effect of informal networks on innovation performance can be extrapolated to other Chinese societies, such as Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Details
Keywords
Sifeng Liu, Yong Tao, Naiming Xie, Liangyan Tao and Mingli Hu
The purpose of this paper is to summarize the advances in grey system theory research and various application achievements in science and engineering. At the same time, it…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to summarize the advances in grey system theory research and various application achievements in science and engineering. At the same time, it commemorates the 40th anniversary of the birth of grey system theory and the 10th anniversary of Grey Systems–Theory and Application.
Design/methodology/approach
Firstly, the innovations of theoretical research in grey system theory were summarized and some of the widely recognized new results are briefly described. By searching and combing the research results of grey system theory in China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI) database and Web of Science by Institute for Scientific Information (ISI), this paper shows the rapid development trend of grey system theory in the past 40 years, and the successful applications of grey system theory in the fields of social sciences, natural sciences and engineering technologies.
Findings
More than 227 thousands literature were found by input 10 phrases such as grey system, grey number and sequence operator etc. in CNKI database. After entering the new century, the number of grey system papers included in CNKI database is increasing rapidly. Since 2008, more than 10 thousands papers have been included per year and more than 15 thousands papers have been included per year since 2014. Grey system method and model are widely used in physics, chemistry, biology and other fields of natural science, as well as transportation, electric power, machinery and other fields of engineering technology, and a large number of valuable results have been achieved.
Practical implications
It can be seen that the grey system theory plays an important role in promoting China’s scientific and technological progress, innovation and development and high-level talent training from tens of thousands of literatures marked with important national science and technology projects and a large number of grey system literatures published by China’s double first-class universities and double first-class discipline construction universities.
Originality/value
Both innovations of theoretical research and practical application play important role in the growth of new theory. The innovations of theoretical research provide methods and tools for practical application, which is conducive to improve application efficiency and broaden application fields. A large number of practical applications needs have become the source of theoretical innovation and the solid background for the birth of theoretical innovation achievements.
Details
Keywords
Khairy A.H. Kobbacy and Sunil Vadera
The use of AI for operations management, with its ability to evolve solutions, handle uncertainty and perform optimisation continues to be a major field of research. The growing…
Abstract
Purpose
The use of AI for operations management, with its ability to evolve solutions, handle uncertainty and perform optimisation continues to be a major field of research. The growing body of publications over the last two decades means that it can be difficult to keep track of what has been done previously, what has worked, and what really needs to be addressed. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to present a survey of the use of AI in operations management aimed at presenting the key research themes, trends and directions of research.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper builds upon our previous survey of this field which was carried out for the ten‐year period 1995‐2004. Like the previous survey, it uses Elsevier's Science Direct database as a source. The framework and methodology adopted for the survey is kept as similar as possible to enable continuity and comparison of trends. Thus, the application categories adopted are: design; scheduling; process planning and control; and quality, maintenance and fault diagnosis. Research on utilising neural networks, case‐based reasoning (CBR), fuzzy logic (FL), knowledge‐Based systems (KBS), data mining, and hybrid AI in the four application areas are identified.
Findings
The survey categorises over 1,400 papers, identifying the uses of AI in the four categories of operations management and concludes with an analysis of the trends, gaps and directions for future research. The findings include: the trends for design and scheduling show a dramatic increase in the use of genetic algorithms since 2003 that reflect recognition of their success in these areas; there is a significant decline in research on use of KBS, reflecting their transition into practice; there is an increasing trend in the use of FL in quality, maintenance and fault diagnosis; and there are surprising gaps in the use of CBR and hybrid methods in operations management that offer opportunities for future research.
Originality/value
This is the largest and most comprehensive study to classify research on the use of AI in operations management to date. The survey and trends identified provide a useful reference point and directions for future research.
Details
Keywords
Yue Yuan, Kuanhai Deng, Jiangjiang Zhang, Wenguang Zeng, Xiangwei Kong and Yuanhua Lin
This study aims to provide a theoretical basis to evaluate the suitability and integrity of corrosion pipes.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to provide a theoretical basis to evaluate the suitability and integrity of corrosion pipes.
Design/methodology/approach
The three-dimensional models of the P110S oil pipe with local corrosion damage, general corrosion damage, pitting corrosion damage are established based on the API 579 standard using the nonlinear finite element analysis method for parametric research.
Findings
The reliability of the model is verified based on the experimental data from the existing literature. The effects of the oil pipe’s size and the corrosion damage’s type on the residual internal pressure strength are simulated and obtained. What’s more, a basic method for predicting the remaining life of corrosion damaged pipes is proposed.
Originality/value
The authors evaluated the residual strength of various corroded tubing, compared the tubing with different corrosion types and proposed a basic method for predicting the remaining life of the corroded tubing from the corrosion depth.
Details
Keywords
To examine “universal service” as a policy objective in post‐WTO accession Chinese telecommunications and analyze the challenges of the Chinese telecommunications system in…
Abstract
Purpose
To examine “universal service” as a policy objective in post‐WTO accession Chinese telecommunications and analyze the challenges of the Chinese telecommunications system in defining and promoting public service ethos in a country that is marked by staggering disparities.
Design/methodology/approach
A range of media, academic, industry, and policy discourses on “universal service” and a broader notion of “public service,” together with recent government efforts in promoting “universal service,” are examined and assessed to develop an analysis of the uneven nature of China's telecommunications development and reveal the dynamics of “universal service” policy formation, as well as the impetuses and impediments in developing any notion of public service telecommunications in China.
Findings
Public service issues in China need to be situated within a continuing process of uneven development which comprises dimensions other than residential telephone access. Although the ultimate policy goal appears to develop a nationally accessible telecommunications infrastructure as the basis of a unified national economy, this overall objective is beset by conflicts and contingent on the dynamics of elite and popular struggles over and beyond telecommunications development. Despite the spectacular expansion in telephone access, pragmatic concessions to dominant power groups, rather than a principled commitment to “universal service,” let alone efforts to define the social functions of telecommunications in more democratic ways, have shaped the development of China's telecommunications.
Originality/value
The development of China's telecommunications infrastructure offers lessons both as to the likelihood of successfully establishing an integrated national economy, and the role of public service in that context. However, the Chinese telecommunications policy field remains extremely fluid.
Details