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1 – 7 of 7Jun Xie and Xiaotao Zeng
The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the shareholding of the largest shareholder and other large shareholders could exert a good stimulating effect within a firm's…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the shareholding of the largest shareholder and other large shareholders could exert a good stimulating effect within a firm's corporate governance structure and what impact the balance of power among large shareholders could have on top management turnover.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper has investigated 787 firms publicly listed in the Shanghai Stock Exchange and checked the relation between power balance of firms' block shareholders and their top management turnover.
Findings
The paper's empirical results show that there is a U‐shaped relationship between the proportions of shareholding of a firm's largest shareholder and its top management turnover, that is, the controlling shareholder could impose either negative or positive effect for different types of equity ownership. We also find that the proportion of shares held by other block shareholders is significantly and positively related to the turnover of management and the monitoring effect of other large shareholders is strong. Furthermore, duality of chairman and CEO shows a significant negative effect on firms's top management turnover.
Originality/value
The paper usefully shows that under the institutional background of relatively weak legal protection for medium and small investors in China, centralized shareholding by large shareholders in listed firms, or the so‐called mechanism of power balance among block shareholders, has the ability to effectively supervise and restrain the corporate governance of a firm, replace ineffective managers and thus improve its whole management performance.
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Yafei Deng, Xiaotao Pan, Guoxun Zeng, Jie Liu, Sinong Xiao and Zhenquan Zhou
This paper aims to improve the tribological properties of aluminum alloys and reduce their wear rate.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to improve the tribological properties of aluminum alloys and reduce their wear rate.
Design/methodology/approach
Carbon is placed in the model at room temperature, pour 680°C of molten aluminum into the pressure chamber, and then pressed it into the mold containing carbon felt through a die casting machine, and waited for it to cool, which used an injection pressure of 52.8 MPa and held the same pressure for 15 s.
Findings
The result indicated that the mechanical properties of matrix and composite are similar, and the compressive strength of the composite is only 95% of the matrix alloy. However, the composite showed a low friction coefficient, the friction coefficient of Gr/Al composite is only 0.15, which just is two-third than that of the matrix alloy. Similarly, the wear rate of the composite is less than 4% of the matrix. In addition, the composite can avoid severe wear before 200°C, but the matrix alloy only 100°C.
Originality/value
This material has excellent friction properties and is able to maintain this excellent performance at high temperatures.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-10-2019-0454/
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Xiaotao Yang and Kam Hung
This study aims to understand whether poverty alleviation can be realized in tourism via tourism cooperatives. As a fast growing industry in the world, tourism has accelerated…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to understand whether poverty alleviation can be realized in tourism via tourism cooperatives. As a fast growing industry in the world, tourism has accelerated economic development in many participating places. A large number of tourism cooperatives have emerged to capture conspicuous economic benefits from tourism in many rural areas of China. The role of tourism cooperatives has not yet been explored from the poverty alleviation perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
Two field trips to Yuhu Village, Lijiang, China, which included in-depth interviews, were conducted during August and December 2011, aiming at understanding the roles of tourism cooperatives in poverty alleviation. In-depth interviews with villagers (45) and mangers of tourism cooperative (5) were conducted. A systematic coding procedure including open, axial and selective coding was conducted with the software assistance of ATLAS.TI6.2.
Findings
Evidence from Yuhu suggested that resources and power changes, both of which are further divided into both individual and collective levels, are the main contributors to substantial improvements of the poor. Material and social resources were significantly accumulated. In addition, empowerment, referring to the improvements in status, legitimacy and capability/knowledge, facilitated villagers to obtain favorable policies. By embracing a more broad understanding of poverty, the tourism cooperative is proven to effectively alleviate the poverty suffering of Yuhu villagers.
Originality/value
Understanding poverty from a multi-dimensional perspective is deemed to be critical to reveal the actual story, as evidenced in this study, with analyzing resource flows and power changes at different stages of tourism development. By embracing a more broad understanding of poverty, the role of tourism cooperatives in poverty alleviation was able to be noticed and emerged from in-depth interviews. A systematic scrutiny has been carried out to examine the pro-poor effects brought about by tourism cooperatives.
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Shalini Srivastava and Lata Bajpai Singh
The success of an organisation is very much determined by the organisational citizenship behaviour of its employees, and the leader plays a substantial role in strengthening this…
Abstract
Purpose
The success of an organisation is very much determined by the organisational citizenship behaviour of its employees, and the leader plays a substantial role in strengthening this positive behaviour as it helps in disseminating the best practises amongst its stakeholders. The aim of this study is to examine if psychological ownership mediates the association between inclusive leadership and organisational citizenship behaviour. Additionally, it is examined whether leader–follower value congruence has a moderating role in the influence of inclusive leadership on the psychological ownership of the employees.
Design/methodology/approach
Data from 292 employees working in Indian hotels were collected utilising supervisor–supervisee dyadic design. The study utilised partial least squares (PLS-SEM) to test the hypothesised associations.
Findings
The outcomes of the study found that psychological ownership acts as a complementary mediator between inclusive leadership and organisational citizenship behaviour and the moderating impact of leader–follower value congruence strengthens the association concerning inclusive leadership and psychological ownership. The study’s findings indicate that leader–follower value congruence is of utmost importance in strengthening follower's constructive behaviour.
Practical implications
The study offers relevant inputs and measures for HR professionals in the Indian hospitality industry to acknowledge, strengthen and reward inclusive leadership, along with ways of promoting leader–follower value congruence that have significant positive outcomes in terms of the improvement in the sense of ownership and citizenship behaviour amongst the employees.
Originality/value
In the post-pandemic scenario, the hospitality industry has picked up the pace of growth, leading to an increased requirement for talented resources in the industry. Keeping this background in mind, the top management must keep an eye on their inclusive leaders, as they are the pillars in creating a culture of ownership and positive behaviours in the organisation.
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Barry Haworth, Neil Hopkinson, David Hitt and Xiaotao Zhong
Laser sintering kinetics and part reliability are critically dependent on the melt viscosity of materials, including polyamide 12 (PA‐12). The purpose of this paper is to…
Abstract
Purpose
Laser sintering kinetics and part reliability are critically dependent on the melt viscosity of materials, including polyamide 12 (PA‐12). The purpose of this paper is to characterise the viscosity of PA‐12 powders using alternative scientific methods: constrained boundary flows (capillary rheometry) and rotational rheometry.
Design/methodology/approach
Various PA‐12 powders were selected and characterised by both techniques. Measurement of molecular weight was also carried out to interpret the viscosity data.
Findings
Results demonstrate conventional pseudoplastic flow in all PA‐12 materials. Zero‐shear viscosity has been quantified by rotational rheometry; a notable observation is the striking difference between virgin/used PA‐12. This is interpreted in terms of molecular weight and chain structure modifications, arising from polycondensation of PA‐12 held at the bed temperature during laser sintering.
Research limitations/implications
Accurate zero‐shear viscosity data provide scope for use in predictive computational models for laser sintering processes. Careful sample preparation and equipment operation are critical prerequisites for accurate rheological characterisation of PA‐12 powders.
Practical implications
Differences in flow behaviour and molecular structure allow prediction and deeper understanding of process‐property relationships in laser sintering, giving potential for further optimisation of material specification and in‐process machine parameter control.
Originality/value
This is believed to be the first time that techniques other than melt flow rate (MFR) have been reported to measure the viscosity of PA‐12 in a laser sintering context, noting the effects of pre‐drying and molecular weight, then predicting differences between virgin/used powders in practical sintering behaviour.
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Modupeola Dada, Patricia Popoola and Ntombi Mathe
This study aims to review the recent advancements in high entropy alloys (HEAs) called high entropy materials, including high entropy superalloys which are current potential…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to review the recent advancements in high entropy alloys (HEAs) called high entropy materials, including high entropy superalloys which are current potential alternatives to nickel superalloys for gas turbine applications. Understandings of the laser surface modification techniques of the HEA are discussed whilst future recommendations and remedies to manufacturing challenges via laser are outlined.
Design/methodology/approach
Materials used for high-pressure gas turbine engine applications must be able to withstand severe environmentally induced degradation, mechanical, thermal loads and general extreme conditions caused by hot corrosive gases, high-temperature oxidation and stress. Over the years, Nickel-based superalloys with elevated temperature rupture and creep resistance, excellent lifetime expectancy and solution strengthening L12 and γ´ precipitate used for turbine engine applications. However, the superalloy’s density, low creep strength, poor thermal conductivity, difficulty in machining and low fatigue resistance demands the innovation of new advanced materials.
Findings
HEAs is one of the most frequently investigated advanced materials, attributed to their configurational complexity and properties reported to exceed conventional materials. Thus, owing to their characteristic feature of the high entropy effect, several other materials have emerged to become potential solutions for several functional and structural applications in the aerospace industry. In a previous study, research contributions show that defects are associated with conventional manufacturing processes of HEAs; therefore, this study investigates new advances in the laser-based manufacturing and surface modification techniques of HEA.
Research limitations/implications
The AlxCoCrCuFeNi HEA system, particularly the Al0.5CoCrCuFeNi HEA has been extensively studied, attributed to its mechanical and physical properties exceeding that of pure metals for aerospace turbine engine applications and the advances in the fabrication and surface modification processes of the alloy was outlined to show the latest developments focusing only on laser-based manufacturing processing due to its many advantages.
Originality/value
It is evident that high entropy materials are a potential innovative alternative to conventional superalloys for turbine engine applications via laser additive manufacturing.
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Siukan Law, Chuanshan Xu and Albert Wingnang Leung
The purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss the use of Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China and Asia.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe and discuss the use of Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China and Asia.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper provides a brief overview of the COVID-19. Based on the syndrome differentiation (辨證論治), the concept of clearing heat and detoxifying lung in traditional Chinese medicine is used to prevent and treat COVID-19 through restoring the vital qi (正氣) in human body and regulating the lung as well as spleen to strengthen the immune system. Traditional Chinese medicine has been used as a complementary therapy for the possible intervention of COVID-19 including traditional Chinese herbal decoctions, Chinese traditional patent medicines, acupuncture and moxibustion as well as the traditional health exercises in China and parts of Asia.
Findings
Traditional Chinese medicine plays a significant role in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 pandemic. The infection cases of China are around 80,000 and a steady decline compared with the USA which has 5,000,000 infection cases and continuous increases. It is shown that more than 90% of patients recovered after the treatment of traditional Chinese herbal decoctions and Chinese traditional patent medicines without any side-effect compared to the use of Remdesivir (GS-5734). Acupuncture (針灸) and moxibustion (艾灸) stimulate the immune and nervous systems for preventing infectious diseases. Taichi (太極) and Baduanjin (八段錦) as the auxiliary aerobic exercise under the theory of Chinese medicine can enhance the immune system and improve the lung function. Thus, an integration of traditional Chinese Medicine and Western medicine is the best strategy for the prevention, treatment and control of COVID-19 pandemic in the future.
Originality/value
This paper describes traditional Chinese medicine as an effective way for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.
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