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The optimal control on reassembly (remanufacturing assembly) error is one of the key technologies to guarantee the assembly precision of remanufactured product. However, because of the uncertainty existing in remanufactured parts, it is difficult to control assembly error during reassembly process. Based on the state space model, this paper aims to propose the optimal control method on reassembly precision to solve this problem.

Initially, to ensure the assembly precision of a remanufactured car engine, this paper puts forward an optimal control method on assembly precision for a remanufactured car engine based on the state space model. This method takes assembly workstation operation and remanufactured part attribute as the input vector reassembly status as the state vector and assembly precision as the output vector. Then, the compensation function of reassembly workstation operation input vector is calculated to direct the optimization of the reassembly process. Finally, a case study of a certain remanufactured car engine crankshaft is constructed to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the method proposed.

The optimal control method on reassembly precision is an effective technology in improving the quality of the remanufactured crankshaft. The average qualified rate of the remanufactured crankshaft increased from 83.05 to 90.97 per cent as shown in the case study.

The optimal control method on the reassembly precision based on the state space model is available to control the assembly precision, thus enhancing the core competitiveness of the remanufacturing enterprises.

As the last link of product remanufacturing, reassembly process is of great importance in increasing the utilization of remanufactured parts as well as decreasing the production cost for remanufacturing enterprises. It is a common problem that a large amount of remanufactured part/reused part which past the dimension standard have been scrapped, which have increased the production cost of remanufacturing enterprises to a large extent. With the aim to improve the utilization of remanufacturing parts with qualified quality attributes but exceed dimension, the purpose of this paper is to put forward a reassembly classification selection method based on the Markov Chain.

To begin with, a classification standard of reassembly parts is proposed. With the thinking of traditional ABC analysis, a classification management method of reassembly parts for remanufactured engine is proposed. Then, a homogeneous Markov Chain of reassembly process is built after grading the matching dimension of reassembly parts with different variety. And the reassembly parts selection model is constructed based on the Markov Chain. Besides, the reassembly classification selection model and its flow chart are proposed by combining the researches above. Finally, the assembly process of remanufactured crankshaft is adopted as a representative example for illustrating the feasibility and the effectiveness of the method proposed.

The reassembly classification selection method based on the Markov Chain is an effective method in improving the utilization of remanufacturing parts/reused parts. The average utilization of remanufactured crankcase has increased from 35.7 to 80.1 per cent and the average utilization of reused crankcase has increased from 4.2 to 14 per cent as shown in the representative example.

The reassembly classification selection method based on the Markov Chain is of great importance in enhancing the economic benefit for remanufacturing enterprises by improving the utilization of remanufactured parts/reused parts.

The purpose of this study was to research how the reassembly (remanufacturing assembly) achieves a quality that is not lower than original production with different precision remanufactured parts based on the integration of mechanics, mathematics (measurement uncertainty) and management (optional classification). Remanufactured product quality is the soul of the remanufacturing project.

First, this paper studies the recycled parts features and reassembly features. Then, we build the mathematical sub-model with remanufactured parts and dimensional precision, which is proven that optional classification can effectively improve the reassembly accuracy mathematically. The optimization model of optional classification for reassembly is proposed under the constraint of a dimensional chain, and the solutions are studied based on particle swarm optimization. Finally, this method is applied in a remanufacturing enterprise and achieves good results.

The method can reduce the cost of quality loss and improve the quality of remanufactured products.

It provides a new solution and idea for reassembly with different precision remanufactured parts and promotes the healthy development of reverse logistics with a high level of customer satisfaction. This method can maximize the use of different levels of quality remanufactured parts and improve reassembly accuracy by mathematical proofs and examples.

This study aims to understand the influence of negative publicity on brand image, brand attitude and brand purchase intention. Specifically, the study examines the role of attribution (or brand blame) and information characteristics in Chinese consumers’ responses to negative publicity.

The study used a quasi-experimental approach involving two negative publicity scenarios (mild and high severity) and a sample of 203 young and educated Chinese consumers. Partial least squares was used to test the hypotheses.

A common assumption is that negative brand information has a negative influence on all aspects of a brand. However, this study finds that brand blame and information severity have differential effects on consumer evaluations of the affected brand. Specifically, brand blame negatively impacted attitudes and purchase intentions, but not brand image. In contrast, information severity negatively impacted brand image, but not attitudes or intentions. Further, the relations between brand image and brand attitudes and intentions depended on the level of information severity. In the mild-severity condition, brand image positively influenced attitudes and intentions, but not in the high-severity condition.

Future research should examine consumer responses to negative publicity across different media and product categories. Cross-cultural studies should also be explored in the future.

When a brand encounters negative publicity, its marketer or brand manager should assess to what extent various brand equity components are influenced by negative publicity before adopting any cognitive-based or imagery-based communication strategies.

This paper contributes to the limited and fragmented literature on consumer response to negative publicity by examining the impact of consumer’s attributions of blame to the brand under conditions of mild and severe negative information on a range of important brand-related outcomes. Specifically, the authors find that negative publicity has a different impact on brand image, brand attitudes and intentions to purchase. The authors suggest that brand managers use this information to guide their marketing communications.

This study aims to investigate the responses of young Chinese consumers with different cultural characteristics to negative brand information about electric vehicles.

The current study is quantitative research with an experimental method. It shows two different levels of severity for negative publicity and asks participants to self-report through questionnaires.

Chinese young consumers, being collectivist and of high uncertainty avoidance, tend to search for and spread information; consumers with low power distance search and share information more under low information severity. In addition, information search positively affects brand attitude under lower severity; negative word-of-mouth intention negatively affects brand attitudes at both severity levels.

The current study examines the influence of personal cultural values on information searching and negative information dissemination among young consumers, providing insights to complement previous studies. Furthermore, it explores how such exposure influences young consumers’ brand attitude and intention to purchase. Limitations include simple sample scopes and single-product stimuli.

This research highlights the importance of cultural dimensions in shaping young consumers’ responses to negative publicity. Marketers worldwide should consider cultural influence and develop specific strategies to address negative information about different products. Understanding customers’ unique characteristics and preferences can help marketers effectively tailor their approaches to counter negative publicity.

This study originally provides a supplement to prior studies on cultural dimensions and consumer behavior and provides suggestions to marketers on young Chinese consumers.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate competitive effect of source strength and coagulation on the evolution of aerosol size distribution with a continuous source.

A theoretical model was proposed in which the nanoparticle population balance equation with respect to particle size was solved by the sectional method.

It was found two modes appear when a nanoparticle system was injected by a continuous source.

Through tracing the evolution of particle size distribution with different source strength, the characteristics of two modes as well as their lag-time to approach steady state were deeply investigated.

Inconsistencies in build quality part-to-part and build-to-build continue to be a problem in additive manufacturing (AM). The flexibility of AM often enables low-volume and custom production, making conventional methods of machine qualification and health monitoring challenging to implement. Machine health has been difficult to separate from the effects of design and process decisions, and therefore inferring machine health through part quality has been similarly complicated.

This conceptual paper proposes a framework for monitoring machine health by monitoring two types of witness parts, in the form of witness builds and witness artifacts, to provide sources of data for potential indicators of machine health.

The proposed conceptual framework with witness builds and witness artifacts permits the implementation into AM techniques to monitor machine health according to part quality. Subsequently, probabilistic models can be used to optimize machine costs and repairs, as opposed to statistical approaches that are less ideal for AM. Bayesian networks, hidden Markov models and Markov decision processes may be well-suited to accomplishing this task.

Though variations of witness builds have been created for use in AM to measure build quality and machine capabilities, the literature contains no previously proposed framework that permits the evaluation of machine health and its influence on quality through a combination of witness builds and witness artifacts, both of which can be easily added into AM production.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the means for enhancing the image and business legitimacy of a socially discredited industry – pawnbroking in pre-1949 China – are explored. Previous studies suggest companies operating within such industries cannot solely rely on hard marketing strategies “to maximize sales and profits as they do with soaps and shoes” (Davidson, 2003, p. 7). Instead, they must find soft strategies for improving company and industry image and legitimacy.

This research relies on qualitative analysis of historical data and documents.

Soft strategies deployed by Chinese pawnbrokers – such as interpretations, moral value advocacies and institutionalized arrangements – contributed substantially to improving pawnbroking’s image and business legitimacy.

Interconnections among ethical values, image, business legitimacy and select marketing strategies are clarified. The efficacy of historically analyzing previously implemented business strategies and their embedding contexts is discussed.

Strategies Chinese pawnbrokers used to mitigate their previously negative image and boost their business legitimacy suggest strategies current socially disapproved companies can use to improve their image and business legitimacy.

A historical analysis of pre-1949 Chinese pawnbroking can suggest soft marketing strategies for overcoming consumers’ negative company and industry impressions.