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Article
Publication date: 29 March 2024

Xiaoyan Jin, Sultan Sikandar Mirza, Chengming Huang and Chengwei Zhang

In this fast-changing world, digitization has become crucial to organizations, allowing decision-makers to alter corporate processes. Companies with a higher corporate social…

Abstract

Purpose

In this fast-changing world, digitization has become crucial to organizations, allowing decision-makers to alter corporate processes. Companies with a higher corporate social responsibility (CSR) level not only help encourage employees to focus on their goals, but they also show that they take their social responsibility seriously, which is increasingly important in today’s digital economy. So, this study aims to examine the relationship between digital transformation and CSR disclosure of Chinese A-share companies. Furthermore, this research investigates the moderating impact of governance heterogeneity, including CEO power and corporate internal control (INT) mechanisms.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used fixed effect estimation with robust standard errors to examine the relationship between digital transformation and CSR disclosure and the moderating effect of governance heterogeneity among Chinese A-share companies from 2010 to 2020. The whole sample consists of 17,266 firms, including 5,038 state-owned enterprise (SOE) company records and 12,228 non-SOE records. The whole sample data is collected from the China Stock Market and Accounting Research, the Chinese Research Data Services and the WIND databases.

Findings

The regression results lead us to three conclusions after classifying the sample into non-SOE and SOE groups. First, Chinese A-share businesses with greater levels of digitalization have lower CSR disclosures. Both SOE and non-SOE are consistent with these findings. Second, increasing CEO authority creates a more centralized company decision-making structure (Breuer et al., 2022; Freire, 2019), which improves the negative association between digitalization and CSR disclosure. These conclusions, however, also apply to non-SOE. Finally, INT reinforces the association between corporate digitization and CSR disclosure, which is especially obvious in SOEs. These findings are robust to alternative HEXUN CSR disclosure index. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the negative relationship between corporate digitalization and CSR disclosures is more pronounced in bigger, highly levered and highly financialized firms.

Originality/value

Digitalization and CSR disclosure are well studied, but few have examined their interactions from a governance heterogeneity perspective in China. Practitioners and policymakers may use these insights to help business owners implement suitable digital policies for firm development from diverse business perspectives.

Details

Corporate Governance: The International Journal of Business in Society, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1472-0701

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 November 2023

XiaoYan Jin and Sultan Sikandar Mirza

Digitalization is increasingly important for promoting authentic CSR practices. Firms with higher CSR levels motivate their employees to pursue their goals and demonstrate their…

Abstract

Purpose

Digitalization is increasingly important for promoting authentic CSR practices. Firms with higher CSR levels motivate their employees to pursue their goals and demonstrate their social responsibility. However, the literature has not adequately examined how firm-level digitalization influences corporate sustainability from a governance perspective. This study aims to fill this gap by exploring how digitalization affects CSR disclosure, a key aspect of sustainability, at the firm level. Furthermore, this study also aims to investigate how governance factors, such as management power, internal control and minority shareholder pressure, moderate this effect.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs a fixed effect model with robust standard errors to analyze how digitalization and CSR disclosure are related and how this relationship is moderated by governance heterogeneity among Chinese A-share companies from 2010 to 2020. The sample consists of 2,339 firms, of which 360 are SOEs and 1,979 are non-SOEs. To ensure robustness, this study has excluded the observations in 2020 to avoid the effects of COVID-19 and used an alternative measure of CSR disclosure based on the HEXUN CSR disclosure index. Furthermore, this study also explores the link in various corporate-level CSR settings.

Findings

The regression findings reveal that: First, Chinese A-share firms with higher digitalization levels disclose less CSR information. This finding holds for both SOEs and non-SOEs. Second, stronger management power has a negative moderating effect that weakens the link between digitalization and CSR disclosure, and this effect is mainly driven by SOEs. Third, internal control attenuates the negative association between firm digitalization and CSR disclosure, which is more pronounced in SOEs. Finally, minority shareholders exacerbate the negative relationship between digitalization and CSR disclosure, and this effect is more evident in non-SOEs. These results are robust to excluding the potential COVID effect and using an alternative HEXUN CSR disclosure index measure.

Originality/value

Digitalization and sustainability have been widely discussed at a macro level, but their relationship at a micro level has been largely overlooked. Moreover, there is hardly any evidence on how governance heterogeneity affects this relationship in emerging economies, especially China. This paper addresses these issues by providing empirical evidence on how digital transformation influences CSR disclosure in China, a context where digitalization and CSR are both rapidly evolving. The paper also offers implications for both practitioners and policymakers to design appropriate digital strategies for firm development from diverse business perspectives.

Details

Journal of Enterprise Information Management, vol. 37 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0398

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 November 2022

Chkaif Bouchaib

This paper intends to provide a thematic literature review of the scholarly research articles orbiting the Sino–African education cooperation and exchange, published between 2005…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper intends to provide a thematic literature review of the scholarly research articles orbiting the Sino–African education cooperation and exchange, published between 2005 and 2022.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology used in this paper is qualitative in nature with a thematic approach. The author used content analysis techniques to spotlight the major themes of the topic studied. The author selected the papers and theses, based on their heuristic capacity, from two major databases for the English and Chinese literature: Web of Science and CNKI. The selection process resulted in 60 high-quality peer-reviewed articles and theses. Another 30 research articles and theses were used as supplementary resources.

Findings

The literature concentrates on six points: the historical development, the nature of the exchange, the frameworks of the cooperation, vocational training and knowledge transfer, African students in China and their experiences, and education cooperation and soft power. However, research tends to be somewhat polemical rather than an academic debate between Chinese researchers and their western peers. Therefore, empirical studies beyond the geopolitical preoccupations and the “YEA” or “NAY” to the Sino–African education exchange are critically needed.

Practical implications

The implications of this study go beyond the east/west or developed/developing world rhetoric and focus more on sustainable educational development on a global scale. Understanding how the literature on the Sino–African education engagement is shaping, provides valuable insights into international education in the global south. It can also be implied to approach educational engagement with other destinations such as India, Türkiye and Brazil.

Originality/value

This thematic literature review concentrates on the educational aspect of Sino–African relations. It compares English and Chinese peer-reviewed scholarly articles and theses on China–Africa educational engagement and has heuristic implications for sustainable educational development globally.

Details

Asian Education and Development Studies, vol. 12 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-3162

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 January 2018

Peng Yao, Xiaoyan Li, Fengyang Jin and Yang Li

This paper aims to analyze the morphology transformation on the Cu3Sn grains during the formation of full Cu3Sn solder joints in electronic packaging.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze the morphology transformation on the Cu3Sn grains during the formation of full Cu3Sn solder joints in electronic packaging.

Design/methodology/approach

Because of the infeasibility of analyzing the morphology transformation intuitively, a novel equivalent method is used. The morphology transformation on the Cu3Sn grains, during the formation of full Cu3Sn solder joints, is regarded as equivalent to the morphology transformation on the Cu3Sn grains derived from the Cu/Sn structures with different Sn thickness.

Findings

During soldering, the Cu3Sn grains first grew in the fine equiaxial shape in a ripening process until the critical size. Under the critical size, the Cu3Sn grains were changed from the equiaxial shape to the columnar shape. Moreover, the columnar Cu3Sn grains could be divided into different clusters with different growth directions. With the proceeding of soldering, the columnar Cu3Sn grains continued to grow in a feather of the width growing at a greater extent than the length. With the growth of the columnar Cu3Sn grains, adjacent Cu3Sn grains, within each cluster, merged with each other. Next, the merged columnar Cu3Sn grains, within each cluster, continued to merge with each other. Finally, the columnar Cu3Sn grains, within each cluster, merged into one coarse columnar Cu3Sn grain with the formation of full Cu3Sn solder joints. The detailed mechanism, for the very interesting morphology transformation, has been proposed.

Originality/value

Few researchers focused on the morphology transformation of interfacial phases during the formation of full intermetallic compounds joints. To bridge the research gap, the morphology transformation on the Cu3Sn grains during the formation of full Cu3Sn solder joints has been studied for the first time.

Details

Soldering & Surface Mount Technology, vol. 30 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0954-0911

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 June 2018

Hang Zhu, Pengxiang Zhang, Xiaoyan Han and Ting Huang

The purpose of this paper is to unveil how family involvement in management teams of private Chinese companies affects professional managers’ psychological ownership and sense of…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to unveil how family involvement in management teams of private Chinese companies affects professional managers’ psychological ownership and sense of “us”, in the hopes of understanding why their devotion cannot coexist with the higher level of commitment of family managers.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper includes two main studies. The first uses regression to analyze survey data provided by 165 professional managers working in Chinese private companies. The second is a scenario experiment in which 106 MBA candidates participate.

Findings

The study finds that there is a negative relationship between family management involvement and professional managers’ perceived relationship closeness to owners and psychological ownership of firms. It also finds that relationship closeness fully mediates the negative influence of family management involvement on managers’ psychological ownership.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to both the theoretical literature and management practice. From a theoretical perspective, it connects studies in indigenous sociological psychology with new literature on psychological ownership. The paper finds that personal relationships nurture the shared psychological ownership of managers by generating a sense of “us”, providing a new theoretical explanation for its formation process. Furthermore, this study offers an explanation for the negative signal effect of family involvement in management. From a practical perspective, this study finds that family involvement in management acts as a critical boundary condition for using personal relationships to stimulate professional managers.

Details

Nankai Business Review International, vol. 9 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8749

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 November 2021

Pan Liu, Xiaoyan Cui, Ziran Zhang, Wenwen Zhou and Yue Long

The purpose of this paper is to solve new pricing issues faced by low-carbon companies in the Yellow River Basin, which is caused by the change of key pricing factors in the mixed…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to solve new pricing issues faced by low-carbon companies in the Yellow River Basin, which is caused by the change of key pricing factors in the mixed appliance background of Big Data and blockchain, such as product quality and carbon-emission reduction CER level (hereafter, CER level).

Design/methodology/approach

We choose a low-carbon supply chain with a low-carbon manufacturer and a retailer as our research object. Then, we propose that using the ineffective effect of the CER level and the quality and safety level to reflect the relationships among the CER level, the quality and safety level and the market demand is more suitable in the new environment. Based on these, we revise the demand equation. Afterwards, by using Stackelberg game, four cost-sharing situations and their pricing rules are analyzed.

Findings

Results indicated that in the four cost-sharing situations, the change trends and the magnitudes of the best retail prices were not affected by the changes of the inputs of the demand information and the traceability services costs (hereafter, DITS costs), the proportion about retailer's DITS costs undertaken by the manufacturer, the ineffective effect coefficient of the CER level and the quality and safety level and the cost optimization coefficient. However, the cost-sharing situations could affect the change magnitudes of the best revenues.

Originality/value

This paper has two main contributions. First, this paper proposes a demand function that is more suitable for the mixed appliance background of Big Data and blockchain. Secondly, this paper improves the cost-sharing model and finds that demand information sharing and traceability service sharing have different impacts on key pricing factors of low-carbon product. In addition, this research provides a theoretical reference for low-carbon supply chain members to formulate pricing strategies in the new background.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. 52 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 2021

Jun Zhang, Meng Wang, Pu Liu, Xiaoyan Zhang, Ting Huo, Zhengcan Chen, Chunli Liu, Boyuan Zhang, Shengyuan Zhao and Zhenbin Chen

In this study, a novel glutathione (GSH) surface molecular imprinting polymer (SMIP) was successfully prepared by using macroporous adsorption resins (MAR) as substrate, which…

Abstract

Purpose

In this study, a novel glutathione (GSH) surface molecular imprinting polymer (SMIP) was successfully prepared by using macroporous adsorption resins (MAR) as substrate, which could separate and purify GSH efficiently.

Design/methodology/approach

SMIP was synthesized by chloromethylated modified MAR (LX1180-Cl) as the substrate, N, N’-methylenebisacrylamide (NMBA) as a crosslinker, GSH as a template, acrylamide (AM) and N-vinylpyrrolidone (NVP) as functional monomers. The morphology and structure of the polymer were characterized by scanning electron microscope and Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy.

Findings

The maximum adsorption capacity toward GSH was 39.0 mg/g and the separation decree had relation to L-cysteine (L-cys) was 4.2. The optimal operation conditions were studied in detail and the got as follows: the molar ratios of NMBA, AM, GSH and NVP, were 7.0, 0.8 and 0.5. The optimal time and temperature were 14 h and 40°C, respectively. The Langmuir and pseudo-first-order model were fitting these adsorption characteristics well.

Practical implications

GSH has a diversity of medicinal and bioactive functions, so the purpose of this study representing a method in separate and purify technology of GSH, which provided a way for the development of medicine.

Originality/value

This contribution provided a novel way to separate GSH from L-cys. Under the optimal conditions, the maximum adsorption capacity toward GSH was 39.0 mg/g and the separation decree had relation to L-cys was 4.2.

Details

Pigment & Resin Technology, vol. 50 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0369-9420

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 June 2021

Zhenyu Tang, Xiaoyan Tang, Shi Pu, Yimeng Zhang, Hang Zhang, Yuming Zhang and Song Bo

To use the 4H-SiC material in integrated circuits for high temperature application, an accurate and simple circuit model of n-channel planar 4H-SiC MOSFET is required.

Abstract

Purpose

To use the 4H-SiC material in integrated circuits for high temperature application, an accurate and simple circuit model of n-channel planar 4H-SiC MOSFET is required.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, a SPICE model of n-channel planar 4H-SiC MOSFET was built based on the device simulation results and measurement results. Firstly, a device model was simulated with Sentaurus TCAD, with measured parameters from fabricated planar 4H-SiC MOSFET previously. Then the device simulation results were analyzed and parameters for SPICE models were extracted. With these parameters, an accurate SPICE model was built and simulated.

Findings

The SPICE model exhibits the same performance as the measured results with different environment temperatures. The simulation results indicate that the maximum fitting error is 0.22 mA (7.33% approximately) at 200 °C. A common-source amplifier with this model is also simulated and the simulated gain is stable at different environment temperatures.

Originality/value

This paper provides a reliable modeling method for n-Channel Planar 4H-SiC MOSFET and reference value for the design of 4H-SiC high temperature integrated circuit.

Details

Circuit World, vol. 48 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0305-6120

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 December 2020

Xiaoyan Li, MengQian Wang, Gang Wu and Jiming Yao

The purpose of this study is to improve the performance of sodium borohydride in reducing indigo at room temperature, the divalent copper ion complex was combined with…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to improve the performance of sodium borohydride in reducing indigo at room temperature, the divalent copper ion complex was combined with electrochemical technology for the reduction of indigo by sodium borohydride.

Design/methodology/approach

According to the K/S value of the dyed cloth sample, find a more suitable ligand for the copper ion in the catholyte. Response surface analysis tests were performed to evaluate the effects of sodium borohydride concentration, sodium hydroxide concentration and copper sulfate pentahydrate concentration on the reduction potential of the dye solution and the K/S value of the dyed fabric samples.

Findings

Sodium gluconate was found to be a more suitable ligand for copper ions in catholyte. The effects of NaOH concentration as well as the interaction of NaBH4 and NaOH on the reduction potential of the catholyte and the K/S value of the dyed fabric samples were extremely significant. The optimal concentrations of NaBH4, NaOH and CuSO4•5H2O were 0.5, 2.5 and 0.65 g/L. In the case of the optimized condition, the absolute value of the reduction potential was 968, and the K/S value was 11.92, which is comparable with that of the conventional reduction process with sodium dithionite.

Originality/value

The divalent copper ion complex combined with electrochemical technology was applied in the process of reducing indigo with NaBH4 at room temperature.

Details

Pigment & Resin Technology, vol. 50 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0369-9420

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 October 2019

Kangkang Wang, MengQian Wang, Weiwei Lv, Jiming Yao, Wei Zhang and Xiaoyan Li

An indirect electrochemical reduction and dyeing with indigo were carried out here to solve problems of low dye reduction rate and poor dyeing depth in the current electrochemical…

Abstract

Purpose

An indirect electrochemical reduction and dyeing with indigo were carried out here to solve problems of low dye reduction rate and poor dyeing depth in the current electrochemical dyeing process.

Design/methodology/approach

Response surface analysis tests were performed to evaluate the effects of ferrous sulfate concentration, medium concentration, sodium hydroxide concentration and reduction time on the reduction efficiency of indirect electrochemical reduction of indigo.

Findings

The conditions obtained by design-expert optimization showed that the concentration of FeSO4·7H2O has the most significant effect on the reduction performance of dye liquor. Under the optimized electrochemical reduction dyeing process, the rate of dye reduction could be reached 91.21 per cent and the K/S value of indirect electrochemical dyeing of indigo can be achieved to 12.96, which is increased by about 9.56 per cent compared with that of Na2S2O4 dyeing with the same color fastness basically.

Research limitations/implications

The recyclability and biodegradability of the dye remain to be explored.

Practical implications

The strategy presented here can be developed to replace a substantial part of electrochemical dyeing with optimized product quality and reduced environmental pollution in denim production.

Social implications

The strategy presented here can be developed to replace a substantial part of electrochemical dyeing with optimized product quality and reduced environmental pollution in denim production.

Originality/value

Application of the Fe(II)-DGS-Abal B complex media system in the indirect electrochemical reduction of indigo.

Details

Pigment & Resin Technology, vol. 49 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0369-9420

Keywords

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