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This paper points out new directions for the deepening and broadening of the institution-based view, by drawing on three streams of research with which I have been involved recently: (1) outward foreign direct investment from emerging economies, (2) bankruptcy laws and entrepreneurship development, and (3) institution-based research focusing on Africa. Such deepening has been accomplished by enhancing our institution-based understanding of foreign direct investment with a focus on emerging multinationals, while broadening has been done both substantively by probing into the impact of bankruptcy laws on entrepreneurship development around the world and geographically by calling for enhanced research attention on Africa via an institution-based lens.

Extending the proposition that boards of directors influence firms’ mergers and acquisitions (M&As), studies have investigated how board interlocks – network ties formed by directors — may shape M&A processes and outcomes. While board interlocks and M&As are two streams of research, each underpinned by voluminous studies, their cross-fertilization has been relatively limited. In this chapter, the authors take stock of prior research investigating the relationship between board interlocks and M&As. Specifically, emphasizing the network features of board interlocks, the authors highlight a connection aspect and a structure aspect of board interlocks in appreciating their effects during pre-acquisition and post-acquisition phases. Based on this framework, the authors then lay out a research agenda that can further bridge board interlocks with M&As. Overall, this chapter endeavors to integrate and expand our knowledge on the acquisition implications of board interlocks.

Visitor center plays an important role in the normal operation and sustainable development of scenic spots, especially as a portal image of its management. This paper presents resilience theory for visitor centers to identify some common issues in designing visitor centers in China scenic spots, including the lack of function, loss of architectural characteristics, and difficultly in adapting to changes in the number of visitors with periodic variations. The framework of resilience theory was set from four dimensions, namely, resilience and match in the composition of ontology function, the extended function, integration of buildings into the surrounding environment, and alternative construction technologies and materials. This theory was explained and analyzed with the application of the theory in practice in combination with the design of Mount Hua visitor center. Results showed that resilience theory yields good application effect.

This chapter focuses on the Chinese cross-border merger and acquisition (M&A) amid the rising trend of multinational companies from emerging economies. Based on a systematic review of published papers in top international business/strategy/organization journals on Chinese overseas M&A, we offer a tentative multilevel framework to consolidate the past achievement, consider contemporary debates, so as to direct future research efforts. We suggest that Chinese overseas M&A research should emphasize on a process perspective ranging from pre-acquisition to post-acquisition. In addition, qualitative research and methodological pluralism should be embraced to achieve this goal due to the nature of this emerging field of Chinese cross-border M&A. By allocating the extant literature into the multilevel framework, we articulate the demand and identify several potential topics for scholarly inquiry in the future in order to gain a nuanced understanding of this important phenomenon of Chinese cross-border M&A for both China and the rest of the world.

It is a challenging task to analysis oxide wear particles when they are stuck together with other types of wear particles in complex ferrography images. Hence, this paper aims to propose a method of ferrography image segmentation to analysis oxide wear debris in complex ferrography images.

First, ferrography images are segmented with watershed transform. Then, two region merging rules are proposed to improve the initial segmentation results. Finally, the features of each particle are extracted to detect and assess the oxide wear particles.

The results show that the proposed method outperforms other methods of ferrography image segmentation, and the overlapping wear particles in complex ferrography images can be well separated. Moreover, the features of each separated wear particles can be easily extracted to analysis the oxide wear particles.

The proposed method provides a useful approach for the automatic detection and assessment of oxide wear particles in complex ferrography images.

The colours, edges and position information of wear debris are considered in the proposed method to improve the segmentation result. Moreover, the proposed method can not only detect oxide wear particles in ferrography images but also evaluate oxide wear severity in ferrography images.

Over the past decade internationalisation by banks from emerging market economies has accelerated. The purpose of this study is to examine the role of government and home country institutions in the international expansion process of Chinese commercial banks (CCBs).

By employing qualitative research method, data was collected via interviews from 30 senior managers based on a sample of 10 CCBs involved in international expansion over the 2001–2013 period.

The study finds that the Chinese government and home institutions play an important role in motivating CCBs’ internationalisation. Evidence from this research illustrates the effect institutional factors have in emerging economy firms’ internationalisation.

The managerial implication of these findings is that CCBs could take great advantage of government policy by developing proper internationalisation strategies and capabilities that would enhance CCBs’ competitiveness in global market. On the institutional front, removal of the institutional constraints imposed on Chinese banking industry is required. Using market-oriented management and regulatory rules rather than imposing administrative restrictions could therefore accelerate CCBs’ adaption and integration in the international market and enhance their competitive power.

This study aims to investigate the synergistic friction reduction and antiwear effects of lyophilized graphene loading nano-copper (RGO/Cu) as lubricating oil additives, compared with graphene.

The friction performance of freeze-drying graphene (RGO) and RGO/Cu particles was investigated at different addition concentrations and under different conditions.

Graphene plays a synergistic friction reduction and antiwear effect because of its large specific surface area, surface folds and loading capacity on the nanoparticles. The results showed that the average friction coefficients of RGO and RGO/Cu particles were 22.9% and 6.1% lower than that of base oil and RGO oil, respectively. In addition, the widths of wear scars were 62.3% and 55.3% lower than those of RGO/Cu particles, respectively.

The RGO single agent is suitable for medium-load and high-speed conditions, while the RGO/Cu particles can perform better in the conditions of heavy load and high speed.

Facility structures in liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants require tremendous amounts of scaffolding to facilitate relevant industrial operation and maintenance. As such, the productivity of scaffolding operations in turnaround maintenance (TAM) has attracted much attention in recent years. In addition, health and safety issues have been recognised as a key contributor along with productivity improvement in the LNG industry. This study aims to integrate work posture analysis into value stream mapping to achieve an optimised and balanced improvement in both productivity and health and safety.

A case study approach is adopted to integrate lean and work posture analysis in a TAM site. The lean improvement is conducted through value stream mapping, and the work posture analysis is conducted through the Ovako Working Posture Analysis System method. A three-step optimisation strategy is then developed for achieving optimised performance in waste reduction and work posture improvement.

It is found that the implementation of value stream mapping can help eliminate waste in the installation process, therefore eliminating potential health and safety risks. However, health and safety of onsite workers does not always improve as lean implementation intensifies. There is an optimised erection schedule that has the lowest health and safety risk within a waste reduction target.

In contradiction to previous studies, which rely on qualitative assessment to identify the a positive correlation between lean and health and safety, this study reveals the distinct difference between lean attributes and health and safety attributes through a quantitative assessment and is more readily to be implemented at the site level for simultaneous improvement in lean and health and safety.

Our study proposes a resource environment view (REV) of competitive advantage by unpacking the environmental origins of a firm’s competitive advantage. The key tenet of the REV is that the heterogeneity and imperfect mobility of strategic factor markets and institutions across countries explain how firms based in different countries would likely both create and sustain a competitive advantage. In particular, our study introduces the notion of “the paradox of environmental embeddedness.” The paradox lies in the fact that the same environmental conditions – in terms of strategic factor markets and institutions – that enable firms to create a competitive advantage can paradoxically also create a situation in which it is more difficult for these firms to sustain an advantage. Another important aspect of our study is that, to enhance our understanding of how firms manage the paradox of environmental embeddedness, our study specifies the resource environmental conditions under which firms’ internal and external resource-oriented strategies – that is, the development of dynamic capabilities and interventions in the country resource environment – are more beneficial when managing the environmental paradox. Overall, our theorizing has important implications for strategic management theory and practice.

One of the leading themes emerging out of recent management and organization research on China is the work on the micro–macro link – specifically, the connection between micro, interpersonal connections, ties, and networks on the one hand, and macro, interorganizational relationships, firm strategies, and performance on the other hand. This chapter provides an overview of the literature on the micro–macro link during China's institutional transitions. Based on a systematic search of the literature, we review 22 papers in nine leading journals that have empirically investigated the micro–macro link, with a focus on the antecedents, contingencies, and outcomes of managerial ties and interlocking directorates. We also propose how the network structure of managerial ties will evolve from cohesion to structural holes in different phases of China's institutional transitions. We conclude with a brief overview of the influence of China studies on research in other contexts and with a call for future research deepening our understanding of the crucial micro–macro link during institutional transitions.