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A building deteriorates over time due to aging, wear and tear, and inadequate maintenance. Building diagnosis requires a sound knowledge of engineering, building defects, and detection tools to assess the condition of a building. The physical deterioration of a building reduces its ability to perform its intended function, while environmental deterioration influences the comfort and health of building occupants. This study presents a multi-tiered framework for the inspection of building elements and the environmental conditions of a building.

A three-tiered building inspection framework is proposed in this study, which consists of the following: Tier-I—a preliminary inspection, Tier-II—a detailed inspection, and Tier-III—an expert investigation. Each tier of inspection assesses the severity of building defects using different technologies for different levels of inspection.

Proposed multi-tier inspection framework is tested and implemented on a case study. Results were promising, with organized data management on a common platform for both physical and environmental condition inspection having the potential to save time.

The application program developed for the implementation of structured multi-tiered building inspection provides better documentation and data management for building inspection data that can save time involved in manual data operations in traditional paper-based processes.

This study aims to validate whether enhancing interorganizational task interdependence among tier 2 suppliers can act as an effective approach for the tier 1 supplier to enhance collaborations among these suppliers in the buyer-tier 1 supplier-tier 2 supplier triadic new product development (NPD) project when buyer's requirements are unstable.

Based on social interdependence theory, a model linking interorganizational task interdependence to interorganizational collaboration and NPD product performance is built. The authors conducted a survey study to collect data from 169 automotive tier 1 suppliers and performed regression analysis to empirically test the hypotheses.

The test results suggest that interorganizational task interdependence among tier 2 suppliers can promote interorganizational promotion-oriented information sharing and interorganizational joint decision making among these suppliers. These improvements can ultimately improve supplier’s NPD product performance. However, the buyer’s requirements uncertainty can reduce the positive effects of such an interdependence arrangement.

This study provides new insights into the role of a tier 1 supplier to enhance the collaboration among tier 2 suppliers in the limited condition of this relationship while providing an alternative explanation regarding contradictory ideas about task interdependence among suppliers.

This study aims to explore the audit quality supplied by the Big 4, large indigenous Chinese (LIC) and five largest second-tier international network (Tier 2) audit firms in China during the second phase of their audit market development.

Ordinary least squares regression is used on an archival sample of firm-year observations. Endogeneity and self-selection bias are addressed by creating a propensity score matched sample and using two-stage regression with the inverse Mills’ ratio.

Strong evidence is found for higher levels of actual audit quality for the Big 4 relative to both LIC and Tier 2 audit firms. Weak evidence is found regarding the audit quality superiority of Tier 2 relative to LIC audit firms. Furthermore, the actual audit quality differential between the Big 4 relative to the LIC and Tier 2 firms widens after adopting International Financial Reporting Standards, which is contrary to the intention of Chinese regulators.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first known empirical study to trisect Big N and non-Big N audit firm proxies into the Big 4, LIC and Tier 2. Currently, only qualitative studies have fully appreciated the unique regulatory roles of these three firm structures in developing China’s audit market, which reflect tensions between reliance on foreign expertise and self-determination. In addition, this study adds to the ongoing global dialogue on Tier 2 as an alternative to the Big 4 and the benefits of international accounting network membership.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of board diversity on corporate social responsibility (CSR). The aim is twofold; does board diversity has any effect on CSR, do structural and demographic differences between one-tier and two-tier board models may impact this effect?

This paper applies a panel generalized method of moments estimator to a sample of 2,544 non-financial listed firms from 42 countries over the period of 2013–2017.

The findings reveal that board diversity leads to effective CSR. By distinguishing between diversity among boards from diversity within boards, the results display the effects of the specific variables that make up the manner and latter’s constructs within unitary and two-tier board structures. Specifically, this paper reveals that tenure, ideology and educational level (gender and nationality) predominantly appear to drive a firm’s CSR within one (two)-tier boards settings. These results remain consistent when robustness tests are ruled.

The study provides managers, investors and policymakers with knowledge about how among and within board diversity attributes favor the decision-making process around CSR. The evidence is useful for companies in setting the criteria to identify directors who can support their strategic decisions. It benefits, moreover, academics in better understanding firms’ CSR determinants and practices under different corporate board models.

Examining how different sets of board diversity affect firms’ CSR given divergences between one-tier and two-tier board structure is a useful and informative endeavor for all community actors.

Unlike prior studies that identify the limited scope of diversity, the study is the first to examine the effect of broader dimensions of board diversity on CSR under both one-tier and two-tier board settings. This paper provides a contribution to a greater understanding of the impacts underlying board models and different attributes of board diversity on CSR. This new understanding will help to improve predictions of different features of board diversity impacts on decision-making processes around organizational outcomes.

This paper aims to examine the effects of Tier-1 capital toward risk management and profitability on the performance of Indonesian Commercial Banks.

The research population consisted of all commercial banks listed on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. The data were in the form of financial statements of commercial banks for the periods of 2012 to 2016 with a total of 42 companies (bank). From a total of 42 commercial banks listed in the Indonesia Stock Exchange, not all of them met the criteria. Commercial banks that meet these criteria are as many as 28 banks are sampled research.

Tier-1 capital has a positive direct effect on risk management, Tier-1 capital has a positive indirect effect on profitability with risk management as a mediation variable, risk management has a positive direct effect on profitability, Tier-1 capital has a positive indirect effect on performance with risk management and profitability as mediation variables, risk management has a positive indirect effect on performance with as mediation variable and profitability has a positive impact on performance.

The originality of this research can be seen from the causal relationship between the effects of Tier-1 capital, risk management and profitability on the performance of commercial banks in the context of stock performance among Indonesia commercial banks. Also, the analysis tools using multiple fixed effect panel data models in this research as a novelty in this research. In addition, previous research findings remain inconsistent with one another. By conducting this research, it is expected that more consistent research findings than the previous ones can be generated. Sluggish global economic conditions, which result in declined bank performance are an interesting topic to investigate. The paper uses an original sample, 28 Indonesian banks in 2012-2016. Also, it links Tier 1 capital with risk management and performance in a novel theoretical framework.

This paper attempts to address three key objectives. The primary aim is to enhance sourcing strategy for a centralized and coordinated multitier multiple suppliers networks with uncertain demand and supplier failure risks. The second objective is to enumerate all possible practical supplier(s) failure scenarios and quantify expected loss of demand cost. Finally, the work illustrates statistical experimentation to identify “influential” variables that can significantly impact the expected supply network and loss costs.

A seven-step solution framework is proposed to derive an optimal sourcing strategy for the specific network configuration with varied supplier failure scenarios. Five distinct models are formulated to address all possible scenarios of supplier failure events. Mixed-integer nonlinear programming technique is used to derive expected supply network cost and loss cost. The solution framework is verified using a real-life case.

A cross-case analysis indicates that an increase in suppliers' failure risk (SFR) probabilities or customer demand rate increases the expected loss of demand costs for a multitier supply network. Besides, an increase in unit component prices increases the expected supply network cost.

A two-tier automotive supply network for a single product is considered for all case studies.

The enhanced strategy can facilitate practitioners enumerate different supply network failure scenarios and implement the best solution.

There is no evidence of earlier research to derive optimal sourcing strategy for a centralized, coordinated multitier multiple supplier's network, considering demand uncertainties and SFR.

Housing prices in China have increased rapidly over the past decade. Motivated by the fact that the real estate market and bank credit scale are vastly different in Chinese cities, the purpose of this paper is to compare the impact of bank credit on house prices in first- and second-tier cities in China.

In this study, a panel data method was used to investigate 19 first-tier cities and 30 second-tier cities between the period 2003 and 2018.

The empirical analysis undertaken in this study found that bank credit was relevant to house prices but varied in different cities in which house prices in second-tier cities tended to be more affected by bank credit compared to those in first-tier cities. In contrast, population was found to be a dominant factor that influenced house prices in first-tier cities. Likewise, the factors, per capita and gross domestic product, were found to exert a significant influence on house prices in first- and second-tier cities.

This paper provided numerous policies to control the price of housing in first- and second-tier cities.

The housing prices, bank credit scale and population distribution are vastly different in different cities in China. This research considers these differences while examining the dominant factors that affect house prices in first- and second-tier cities in China.

The present study considers disruption in the buyer–supplier–supplier triad. This triad has a common second-tier supplier as the disruption source, which gives us the tetradic context. The goal is to advance the knowledge on how a first-tier supplier's resilience against lower-tier disruptive events can be developed through horizontally connecting with the other first-tier supplier and how the buyer can benefit from its first-tier suppliers' resilience capability.

Data from 33 triads was collected and analyzed.

As predicted, coopetition between two first-tier suppliers increases the first-tier supplier's capability to be resilient to disruptive events emanating from a lower tier source. However, contrary to initial theorization, the first-tier supplier's resilience capability affects the buyer's performance during disruptive events negatively. With increasing buyer–supplier social bonds, this negative relationship can partly be alleviated.

Analyzing resilience within a triad to a disruption in the tetradic context reveals unexpected dynamics. Individual supplier's resilience may have a negative impact on the buyer's resilience in certain disruption events.

The buyer can increase collective suppliers' resilience through establishing horizontal links. To prevent becoming a victim of the supplier's resilience in the event of a second-tier disruption, a buyer needs to become a member of the supplier's relational network.

We propose that resilience can rest with the suppliers. This observation has implications for the buyer when selecting and coordinating suppliers. Further, it considers a context beyond a triad by venturing into the tetradic context. We anticipate more studies in tetrads in future and this study can serve as a bridge.

Multi-tier supply chain risk management (MSCRM) is an evolving and dynamic field, as any defaults or glitches in supply chains can potentially harm the efficiency and competitiveness of the entire supply chain. This study aims to investigate barriers to MSCRM in the automotive and civil aircraft industries.

This study adopts an inductive case study research design. The case analysis includes two parts. First, the within-case analysis develops case profiles and identifies critical categories. Second, the cross-case analysis compares MSCRM patterns across the cases.

This study argues that narrow information sharing and communication covering only the immediate supply chain partners obstruct the efficiency of MSCRM. Similarly, high dependency on strategic alliances with suppliers hinders efficient MSCRM. Additionally, relying on information and communication technologies (ICT) increases companies' exposure to risks and poses another barrier to efficient MSCRM.

Further research should be pursued to expand generalizability and test the validity of the findings using other forms of data collection and methodologies, such as large-scale surveys, experiments or secondary data across different sectors and typical supply networks.

This study provides empirical evidence on the obstacles faced by companies during the process of MSCRM. These findings can guide practitioners in developing initiatives to overcome these challenges.

This study is among the first to investigate the barriers to MSCRM in the automotive and civil aircraft industries using in-depth case studies across three tiers of the supply chain.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how sub-suppliers decouple the implementation of sustainable supply management practices in supply chains, and what institutional logics permit these suppliers to do so.

Following a qualitative design, we conducted 23 in-depth semi-structured interviews with owners and managers of apparel sub-suppliers. To corroborate research findings, the views of owners and managers were triangulated by further interviewing 18 key representatives of wide-ranging institutional actors.

The findings suggest that owners and managers of sub-suppliers use two decoupling responses: (1) consensual strategy to compromise sustainability requirements (2) concealment strategy. In addition, this paper identifies multiple institutional types of conflicting logics: instrumental logic, legitimacy logic complexity and gaps in normative logic, which interplay amongst sub-suppliers whereby permit to decouple the implementation of supply management practices.

While the current paper provides an early contribution from the perspectives of second-tier and third-tier suppliers, future research could be extended to include further upstream sub-suppliers and downstream tiers including the end consumers.

It is important for brand-owning retailers and first-tier suppliers to predict sub-suppliers' decoupling behaviour and conflicts for supply management practices implementation since they may present potential vulnerability for buyers and lead suppliers.

This study extends the application of institutional theory and contributes to the literature on extended suppliers' supply management practices in a developing country context, which is an under-researched area.