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1 – 10 of 92Annan Jiang, Shuai Zheng and Shanyong Wang
This paper aims at the problem of surrounding rock excavation damage zone of tunneling in the rich water region, this paper aims to propose a new seepage-stress-damage coupling…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims at the problem of surrounding rock excavation damage zone of tunneling in the rich water region, this paper aims to propose a new seepage-stress-damage coupling model and studied the numerical algorithm. This reflects the characteristics of rock damage evolution, accompanied by plastic flow deformation and multi-field interaction.
Design/methodology/approach
First of all, rock elastoplastic damage constitutive model based on the Drucker–Prager criterion is established, the fully implicit return mapping algorithm is adopted to realize the numerical solution. Second, based on the relation between damage variation and permeability coefficient, the rock stress-seepage-damage model and multi-field coupling solving iterative method are presented. Finally, using the C++ language compiled the corresponding programs and simulated tunnel engineering in the rich water region.
Findings
Results show that difference evolution-based back analysis inversed damage parameters well, at the same time the established coupling model and calculating program have more advantages than general conventional methods. Multiple field coupling effects should be more considered for the design of tunnel support.
Originality/value
The proposed method provides an effective numerical simulation method for the construction of the tunnel and other geotechnical engineering involved underground water problems.
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Yahui Liu, Hualu Zheng, Shuai Yang and Junjie Wang
This study aims to examine how the effect of pop-ups on an omnichannel brand’s subsequent online sales is moderated by the brand’s online price and premium promotions, paid search…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine how the effect of pop-ups on an omnichannel brand’s subsequent online sales is moderated by the brand’s online price and premium promotions, paid search and popularity signaling.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a difference-in-differences approach, this study appraises variations in two similar Chinese apparel brands’ online sales before and after one of the brands’ implementations of its pop-ups and how the brand’s online promotions modify the pop-ups’ effect.
Findings
Unique, interactive pop-ups boost brands’ subsequent online sales. Online price promotions negatively moderate the effect; online premium promotions and paid search positively moderate it. Moreover, the product’s popularity diminishes the extent to which a pop-up stimulates online demand. These findings can be partially generalized to other categories, such as utilitarian products.
Practical implications
Only certain online strategies enhance the effect of pop-ups on brands’ online sales, so practitioners should strategically select appropriate promotion combinations when they operate pop-ups and allocate resources across channels. In addition, the moderating influence of online promotions on pop-ups depends on the type of product being promoted.
Originality/value
Pop-ups offer proven abilities to deliver sensory experiences to online shoppers, reinforce brand awareness and loyalty and boost online sales. This study extends prior research by examining how various online promotions moderate pop-ups’ effects.
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Jiaojiao Liu, Weidong Li, Qi Zou, Shuai Liu, Meng Wang and Jing Zheng
The Chinese government hopes to achieve the goal of benefiting citizens by building a National Integrated Online Government Service Platform (NIOGSP). However, citizens' low…
Abstract
Purpose
The Chinese government hopes to achieve the goal of benefiting citizens by building a National Integrated Online Government Service Platform (NIOGSP). However, citizens' low adoption of the platform makes it difficult for the government to achieve its goal. Research on the influencing factors of citizen adoption of NIOGSP can help the government fully understand the concerns and needs of its citizens and take targeted measures to increase citizen adoption.
Design/methodology/approach
First, this research builds a model of the citizen adoption process, including attention, retention and motivation, based on an observational learning model. Next, research variables are determined based on social cognitive theory, literature review and real-world needs. Finally, based on the questionnaire survey and structural equation model, the influencing factors of each stage of the citizen adoption process model are studied and the relationship between the three stages of the model is verified.
Findings
Results show that perceived usefulness (PU) and self-efficacy (SE) positively affect attention. SE positively affects retention, while perceived privacy (PP) negatively affects retention. PU, social influence, PP and anxiety positively affect motivation.
Originality/value
The conclusion of this study can provide reference for governments in various countries to establish and improve online one-stop government. In addition, this study verifies the citizen adoption process model and finds that there is no obvious causal relationship between attention and retention, but both have positive effects on motivation.
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Rongrong Teng, Shuai Zhou, Wang Zheng and Chunhao Ma
This study aims to investigate whether and how artificial intelligence (AI) awareness affects work withdrawal.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate whether and how artificial intelligence (AI) awareness affects work withdrawal.
Design/methodology/approach
This survey garners participation from a total of 305 hotel employees in China. The proposed hypotheses are examined using Hayes’s PROCESS macro.
Findings
The results indicate that AI awareness could positively affect work withdrawal. Negative work-related rumination and emotional exhaustion respectively mediate this relationship. Furthermore, negative work-related rumination and emotional exhaustion act as chain mediators between AI awareness and work withdrawal.
Practical implications
Given the growing adoption of AI technology in the hospitality industry, it is imperative that managers intensify their scrutiny of the psychological changes experienced by frontline service employees and allocate more resources to mitigating the impact of AI on their work withdrawal.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the burgeoning literature on AI by elucidating the chain mediating roles of negative work-related rumination and emotional exhaustion. It also makes a significant forward in examining mediating mechanisms, notably the chain-mediated mechanism, through which AI awareness impacts employee outcomes.
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Huanhuan Ma, Jingqin Su, Shuai Zhang and Sijia Zhang
The rapid growth of emerging market firms (EMFs) has been a topic of interest for the past two decades, especially in China. However, few studies have discussed how and why EMFs…
Abstract
Purpose
The rapid growth of emerging market firms (EMFs) has been a topic of interest for the past two decades, especially in China. However, few studies have discussed how and why EMFs can impel the upgrading of their capabilities to quickly win competitive advantages in the global market. In this context, the purpose of this paper is to unravel the implausible upgrading phenomenon from the perspective of technological proximity.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper adopts a single case study, specifically that of a leading Chinese e-bike firm, with a special focus on the dynamic nature of the capability upgrading process and underlying mechanisms.
Findings
The results show that taking advantage of technological proximity is an important way for EMFs to climb the ladder of capability upgrading. The stage-based process reveals how capability upgrading is achieved through elaborate actions related to technological proximity. Furthermore, this study finds three learning mechanisms behind the technological proximity, which enable firms to successfully upgrade to higher levels of capabilities. In particular, the trigger role played by contextual conditions in guiding firms' capability upgrading is highlighted and characterized.
Research limitations/implications
This study enriches traditional capability upgrading literature from a technological proximity perspective, especially the traditional static upgrading research related to EMFs. The authors also contribute to the conceptualization of technological proximity. However, the research setting is China's e-bike industry; therefore, the study's generalizability to other emerging markets and industries may be limited.
Practical implications
The results show that it is important to recognize the value of the transfer and sharing of technology between proximal industries for local governments. Also, appropriate policies should be developed to break down the technology barriers between these industries. Moreover, rather than catching up with the superior technologies of multinational corporations in advanced countries, focusing on products with high technological proximity in local or regional areas may be more helpful for EMFs' upgrading.
Originality/value
This paper investigates the capability upgrading process and mechanisms in EMFs, particularly with respect to the role played by technological proximity.
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Zheng Jin, Xiaomin Ren, Chuanli Qin, Bohong Li, Shuai Quan and Xuduo Bai
The purpose of this paper is to develop feasible composite electrodes with a long cycle life and large specific capacitance and to investigate optimal ratio between aniline and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop feasible composite electrodes with a long cycle life and large specific capacitance and to investigate optimal ratio between aniline and activated carbon materials.
Design/methodology/approach
PANI/AC composite electrode materials were synthesised by in situ polymerisation of aniline on activated carbon with ammonium persulphate as oxidant. Hybrid supercapacitors are assembled by putting Ni‐MH battery separator between positive and negative electrodes. The electrochemical performances of PANI/AC composite electrode materials and supercapacitors are studied.
Findings
The results show that the optimal ratio between aniline and activated carbon is 1:1.08. The specific capacitance of polyaniline electrode materials is 956 F g−1. The specific capacitance of supercapacitors is 159.37 F g−1. This result could be attributed to the pseudocapacitive effect of Ni(OH)2. What's more, the activated carbon addition reduced the resistance of polymer electrode materials thus improving the cyclic life.
Research limitations/implications
The supercapacitors can be used in the field of automobiles and can solve the problems of energy shortage and environmental pollutions.
Originality/value
A hybrid supercapacitor, which was immersed in alkaline solution, was assembled by putting Ni‐MH battery separator between two electrodes Ni(OH)2 as positive electrode and polyaniline composites as negative electrode. In the case of alkaline solution, the capacitive performance of hybrid supercapacitor was improved and excellent.
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Kingsley Konadu, Abigail Opoku Mensah, Samuel Koomson, Ernest Mensah Abraham, Edmund Nana Kwame Nkrumah, Joshua Amuzu, Joan-Ark Manu Agyapong, Awo Essah Bempong and Abdulai Munkaila
The purpose of this study is to test the hypotheses proposed by Konadu et al. (2023) for the first time and provide empirical insight on the subject. Corruption concerns affect…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to test the hypotheses proposed by Konadu et al. (2023) for the first time and provide empirical insight on the subject. Corruption concerns affect all economies, but those attempting to avoid foreign grants are especially vulnerable. Stakeholders in these economies have pushed for more honest public sector (PS) workers and better oversight of public funds in an effort to build a more trustworthy and efficient government to improve PS performance. Just as the mechanisms through which employee integrity (EI) influences work performance (WP) have not been proven empirically, neither has the effect of EI on WP in African economies. Also, how purposeful leadership (PL) interacts with EI to boost WP is yet to be empirically examined in the integrity literature.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper surveyed and analysed the responses of 875 workers across the three most corrupt large PS organisations in Ghana using Smart PLS 4. Perceived organisational support and contract fulfilment functioned as control factors influencing job satisfaction (JS, a mediator). Psychological need satisfaction and perceived procedural justice serve as control factors for organisational identification (OI, an additional mediator). Education, tenure, job position, sex and age were used as control variables in WP. Product indicator and variance accounted for (VAF) methods were used to estimate the impacts of moderation and mediation, respectively. A 5% level of significance was determined.
Findings
As hypothesised, this study found that EI and WP had a significantly positive connection (ß = 0.119, p = 0.026), and both JS (VAF = 25.16%) and OI (VAF = 39.59%) partially mediated this connection. Moreover, PL positively moderated the EI–JS (ß = 0.155, p = 0.000) and EI–OI (ß = 0.095, p = 0.000) connections.
Research limitations/implications
This paper affords empirical insight on the EI–WP relationship, how this relationship is mediated and how the EI–JS and EI–OI relationships are amplified. In this context, it sheds light on new ways in which EI and WP in the PS are improved. In addition, this paper provides a roadmap for forthcoming academics to test the hypotheses in diverse PS contexts globally to triangulate the results.
Practical implications
Leadership in PS organisations must maintain a “values-grounded approach” to all parts of human resource (HR) practices, including hiring, performance reviews, leadership enhancement programmes, training and promotions, if they are to attract, develop and retain employees who stand for the sector’s ethics and beliefs.
Social implications
This research gives African nations proof that enhancing EI in the PS is important, and it lays out the many ways in which EI transforms into WP. It also draws attention to the challenges that purposeful leaders may help alleviate and the opportunities that they may present.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the hypotheses put forward in the conceptual research by Konadu et al. (2023) are tested empirically for the first time in this study. It also adds to the empirical literature that already exists on EI, JS, OI, WP and PL in the PS. This contributes to the disciplines of integrity, performance and leadership by enhancing theoretical frameworks and expanding upon existing knowledge.
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Jingqin Su, Huanhuan Ma and Shuai Zhang
In the face of fierce international competition for those participating in global value chains (GVCs), upgrading has been a central concern of emerging market firms (EMFs) that…
Abstract
Purpose
In the face of fierce international competition for those participating in global value chains (GVCs), upgrading has been a central concern of emerging market firms (EMFs) that are trying to occupy higher value-added positions. However, although the innovation capabilities (ICs) have been generally considered critical to upgrading in GVCs, few studies have examined how IC is built up and then applied to the EMF upgrading process over time. To this end, the purpose of this paper is to investigate why and how EMFs can upgrade in GVCs through the development of their IC.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper adopts a multiple-case study of three supplier firms in China and their IC development processes, with a special focus on the nature of the firm-level upgrading in GVCs.
Findings
The results generate a process model of EMFs upgrading with respect to the development of IC. The model reveals how IC is built up through the firms' underlying systematic innovation activities, which enable firms to successfully upgrade within GVCs. In particular, the role played by contextual vulnerability in guiding firms to develop the appropriate IC, and the corresponding upgrading, is highlighted.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes to the micro-foundation in GVCs literature, especially the traditional static upgrading research of EMFs. The authors also contribute to existing IC development research. Meanwhile, the study focuses on the upgrading of three Chinese firms in the phone and LED industries. The generalizability to other emerging markets and industries may therefore be limited.
Practical implications
The study results show that EMFs could initially develop endogenous IC that focuses on process innovation as a means to establish a foundation for further upgrading. In addition, firms need to improve their ability to accurately sense contextual changes. As such, it would be valuable to understand their positions and characteristics within GVCs.
Originality/value
This paper investigates a process model of upgrading in GVCs through IC development in EMFs. This study also adds a dynamic micro-foundation to existing, rather macro and static GVCs studies.
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Zhongmei Zhang, Qingyang Hu, Guanxin Hou and Shuai Zhang
Vehicle companion is one of the most common companion patterns in daily life, which has great value to accident investigation, group tracking, carpooling recommendation and road…
Abstract
Purpose
Vehicle companion is one of the most common companion patterns in daily life, which has great value to accident investigation, group tracking, carpooling recommendation and road planning. Due to the complexity and large scale of vehicle sensor streaming data, existing work were difficult to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of real-time vehicle companion discovery (VCD). This paper aims to provide a high-quality and low-cost method to discover vehicle companions in real time.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper provides a real-time VCD method based on pro-active data service collaboration. This study makes use of dynamic service collaboration to selectively process data produced by relative sensors, and relax the temporal and spatial constraints of vehicle companion pattern for discovering more potential companion vehicles.
Findings
Experiments based on real and simulated data show that the method can discover 67% more companion vehicles, with 62% less response time comparing with centralized method.
Originality/value
To reduce the amount of processing streaming data, this study provides a Service Collaboration-based Vehicle Companion Discovery method based on proactive data service model. And this study provides a new definition of vehicle companion through relaxing the temporal and spatial constraints for discover companion vehicles as many as possible.
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Zheng Bo, Qi Zhao, Xiaorui Shuai, Jianhua Yan and Kefa Cen
– The purpose of this paper is to provide a quantitative assessment on the effect of wall roughness on the pressure drop of fluid flow in microchannels.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a quantitative assessment on the effect of wall roughness on the pressure drop of fluid flow in microchannels.
Design/methodology/approach
The wall roughness is generated by the method of random midpoint displacement (RMD) and the lattice Boltzmann BGK model is applied. The influences of Reynolds number, relative roughness and the Hurst exponent of roughness profile on the Poiseuille number are investigated.
Findings
Unlike the smooth channel flow, Reynolds number, relative roughness and the Hurst exponent of roughness profiles play critical roles on the Poiseuille number Po in rough microchannels. Modeling results indicate that, in rough microchannels, the rough surface configuration intensifies the flow-surface interactions and the wall conditions turn to dominate the flow characteristics. The perturbance of the local flows near the channel wall and the formation of recirculation regions are two main features of the flow-surface interactions.
Research limitations/implications
The fluid flow in parallel planes with surface roughness is considered in the current study. In other words, only two-dimensional fluid flow is investigated.
Practical implications
The LBM is a very useful tool to investigate the microscale flows.
Originality/value
A new method (RMD) is applied to generate the wall roughness in parallel plane and LBM is conducted to investigate the pressure drop characteristics in rough microchannels.
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