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The purpose of this paper is to investigate Chinese and American financial companies’ distinct brand personality indicators shown through culturally based linguistic features online. The potential correlation between culturally oriented brand personalities and companies’ financial performance is also examined.

This study employs computerized content analyses to examine the cross-cultural differences among 28 American and Chinese financial companies’ online communication based on Aaker’s brand personality framework.

The findings reveal that despite some similarities, there are significant differences between the frequencies and patterns of brand personality indicators on American and Chinese websites, which demonstrate the connection between the companies’ linguistic preferences with their different cultural backgrounds. It also proves that there could be significant relationship between financial companies’ corporate brand (CB) personality expressions and their financial performance, and US financial companies’ revenues are more closely correlated with brand personality dimensions than Chinese companies’.

The necessity for cross-cultural adaptation of CB personality is verified in this study. Chinese international companies may have a big room to improve their online corporate communication. Similarly, foreign companies who intend to enter into Chinese market may think about laying emphasis on their personality indicators of competence in their online corporate communication.

This research is among the first to utilize a corpus-based analytical tool to conduct content analyses of financial companies’ online brand personalities, in addition to empirically validate the correlations between companies’ brand personality indicators and financial performance. The study enriches the literature on online marketing communication, draws attention to the connection between cultural differences and linguistic preferences in CB personality construction and emphasizes the importance of making appropriate cross-cultural adaptation in online corporate communication.

City wall is an important symbol of ancient Chinese cities with unique geographical and cultural characteristics. Thus, the preservation of this historic landmark is considered significantly important. However, numerous residential construction activities and changes in ecological environment have destructed a great portion of the city walls in recent years. This study looks into the preservation of the ancient city walls from the systematic perspective and in line with the actual characteristics of Longdong Region to provide guideline measures for the protection and restoration of such landmark. Cognition and preservation are adopted extensively to investigate the specific situation of and the factors that influence the ancient city walls in this region. Preservation strategies for the city walls, including the “Axis-Point” system, planning control, and authenticity readability, are presented. The ancient city walls in Longdong Region can be preserved by protecting the entire region, the city, and the main wall body. The systematic method and preservation strategies at the “macro perspective,” “medium perspective” and “micro perspective” levels can solve the preservation problems of the ancient city walls in Longdong Region effectively.

This study aims to measure and analyze the impact of both Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Imports (M) on the Economic Growth (EG) of Jordan, over the period (1976‐2003). To achieve this, a production function was utilized by using FDI and Imports as two distinct factors among other factors of production. This study examines the relationship between variables (FDI, M and EG) through Vector Autoregression (VAR). The estimated results indicate the existence of bidirectional relationships between FDI and output, and between imports and output as well. The same bidirectional causal relationship exists also between FDI and imports. The results show that FDI affect human capital indirectly through gross domestic output, while, on the other hand, human capital affect FDI indirectly through domestic capital and imports. The results emphasize and support the FDI and import‐Led Growth Hypothesis for Jordan.

This study aims to improve the corrosion resistance of TA2-welded joints by superhydrophobic surface modification using micro-arc oxidation technology and low surface energy substance modification.

The microstructure and chemical state of the superhydrophobic film layer were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, three-dimensional morphology, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy. The influence of the superhydrophobic film layer on the corrosion resistance of TA2-welded joints was investigated using classical electrochemical testing methods.

The characterization results showed that the super hydrophobic TiO₂ ceramic membrane was successfully constructed on the surface of the TA2-welded joint, and the construction of the super hydrophobic film greatly improved the corrosion resistance of the TA2-welded joint.

The superhydrophobic TiO₂ ceramic membrane has excellent corrosion resistance. The micro nanostructure in the superhydrophobic film can intercept air to form an air layer to prevent the corrosion medium from contacting the surface, thus, improving the corrosion resistance of the sample.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the heat resistance and heat-resistant oxygen aging of 4-nitrophthalonitrile-etherified cardanol-phenol-formaldehyde (PPCF) to further use and develop the resin as the matrix resin of high-temperature resistant adhesives and coatings.

PPCF resin was synthesized by 4-nitrophthalonitrile and cardanol-phenol-formaldehyde (PCF). The structures of PPCF and PCF were investigated by Fourier transform infrared, differential scanning calorimetry and proton nuclear magnetic resonance. In addition, the heat resistance and processability of PPCF and PCF resins were studied by dynamic mechanical analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques and rheological studies.

The results reveal that PPCF forms a cross-linked network at a lower temperature. PPCF resin has excellent resistance under thermal aging in an air atmosphere and that it still had a certain residual weight after aging at 500°C for 2 h, whereas the PCF resin is completely decomposed.

4-Nitrophthalonitrile was introduced into PCF resin, and XRD and SEM were used to investigate the high temperature residual carbon rate and heat-resistant oxygen aging properties of PPCF and PCF resins.

The purpose of the study is to assess manufacturing firm performance indicators using a reasonably comprehensive integrated BSC-Game model to empirically determine the importance of the perspectives and indicators under evaluation and the best combination of indicators.

After identification of manufacturing indicators of the firm, the Shapley value index is used as the solution of the cooperative game to determine the importance of the perspectives and indicators under evaluation and the best combination of indicators to facilitate the achievement of target goals.

The game theory approach is used as a technique to rank BSC perspectives of the firm's manufacturing performance. The results reveal that the customers' perspective receives the highest ranking. The knowledge sharing, new technology, customer satisfaction and sale profitability are considered as the best combination of BSC indicators.

The integrated BSC-Game framework, approach and outcomes can be beneficial to practitioners and researchers who aim to select the proper indicators’ policy in manufacturing performance field.

N-containing heterocyclic benzotriazole derivatives as new corrosion inhibitor for mild steel contained in emulsion were synthesized, and their inhibition behaviors for mild steel (MS) contained in emulsion were investigated by experiments and theoretical calculations, and this study aims to prove that two new inhibitors have excellent inhibition efficiency for steel corrosion.

2-(1H-benzo[d][1,2,3]triazol-1-yl)-N,N-dioctylacetamide (BTN) and O-(3-(1H-benzo[d] [1,2,3]triazol-1-yl)propyl) S-(2-(dioctylamino)-2-oxoethyl) carbonodithioate (BTSC) as a new corrosion inhibitor were synthesized, and their inhibition behaviors for MS contained in emulsion were investigated by gravimetric experiment, electrochemical tests and theoretical calculations.

Results of gravimetric experiment, electrochemical tests show that BTSC exhibit excellent inhibition performance, and it has a higher inhibition efficiency of 96.6% than that BTN. The resultant adsorption films from BTN/BTSC adsorbed on MS, effectively inhibiting the corrosion of MS is mainly through chemisorption and follow to Langmuir’s adsorption isotherm.

Experimental and theoretical calculations display that two new synthesized inhibitors are excellent corrosion inhibitor for MS contained in emulsion. Electrons of inhibitors mainly focus on the C, N, S and O atoms, which demonstrate these atoms are the centers of negative charge, and they supply electrons to Fe atoms through coordination bonds.