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21 – 25 of 25Cunlu Zhang, Angappa Gunasekaran and William Yu Chung Wang
Extant research on supply chain integration defines integration in different ways, and mainly discusses a limited number of integration elements. The purpose of this paper is to…
Abstract
Purpose
Extant research on supply chain integration defines integration in different ways, and mainly discusses a limited number of integration elements. The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual integration model which consists of comprehensive elements that are important to academic research and industrial practices.
Design/methodology/approach
Key literature survey with drawing threads of existing practices together for developing a systematic referential model and then verify the model with a real case.
Findings
Developed a model consisting of integration elements residing at the strategic, managerial, operational, and fundamental levels (bottom line). Based on the benefit alignment, the total integration requires supply chain partners to integrate resource flows (material, information, knowledge, and finance), processes and organization, planning and control activities and strategy.
Research limitations/implications
The research is based on secondary data and a case study illustration. Further empirical research is required.
Practical implications
The normative model can guide managers to integrate resources and activities in their efforts for an effective supply chain management. It supplements the Supply Chain Operations Reference Model developed by the Supply Chain Council with an interface description, which may guide the development of information systems for supply chain integration.
Originality/value
The comprehensive model provides a more inclusive and integrated perspective of supply chain integration. It is expected that the consensus of supply chain integration could be achievable based on this model. The conceptual framework will assist the researchers to determine integration variables of supply chain.
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Wei Guo, Shiyin Qiu, Fusheng Zha, Jing Deng, Xin Wang and Fei Chen
This paper aims to propose a novel balance-assistive control strategy for hip exoskeleton robot.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to propose a novel balance-assistive control strategy for hip exoskeleton robot.
Design/methodology/approach
A hierarchical balance assistive controller based on the virtual stiffness model of extrapolated center of mass (XCoM) is proposed and tested by exoskeleton balance assistive control experiments.
Findings
Experiment results show that the proposed controller can accelerate the swing foot chasing XCoM and enlarge the margin of stability.
Originality/value
As a proof of concept, this paper shows the potential for exoskeleton to actively assist human regain balance in sagittal plane when human suffers from a forward or backward disturbing force.
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The relationship between state and peasants are reflected as the distribution of the economic benefits to each party. The purpose of this paper is to explore the essential change…
Abstract
Purpose
The relationship between state and peasants are reflected as the distribution of the economic benefits to each party. The purpose of this paper is to explore the essential change of the relationship from the fiscal term since the beginning of the new century.
Design/methodology/approach
Utilizing first‐hand survey data, this paper illustrates the changes of relationship between state and peasants by certain qualitative and quantitative approaches.
Findings
Recent positive changes in China have seen the creation of a new public finance system designed to improve equality within basic public services not only for the world's largest population but also the world's largest number of peasants. This development has produced a change in the relationship between state and peasant from “take more” to “take less.”
Research limitations/implications
The sample size used in the empirical studies in this paper is relatively small. In addition, the studies focus only on the effects of relationships in the fiscal term while the social impacts are neglected.
Originality/value
This paper provides evidence that the recent positive changes in China have seen the building of a new public finance system, with the intention of enabling a huge number of peasants to experience equality within basic public services.
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Christian Koranteng, Barbara Simons and Frederick Wireko Manu
Many countries the world over continue to grapple with issues of thermal discomfort both within and without – a condition that has arisen due to incessant urbanization, climate…
Abstract
Purpose
Many countries the world over continue to grapple with issues of thermal discomfort both within and without – a condition that has arisen due to incessant urbanization, climate change, among others. The current study focussed on assessing the level of thermal stress both in and outdoors towards finding measures to reduce overheating in spaces within the Savannah climatic region of Ghana through a four-stage approach.
Design/methodology/approach
A four-stage approach has been used for the study; thus, a thermal comfort analysis based on physiologically equivalent temperature (PET), overheating assessment, a subjective thermal responses/evaluation of residents and a simulation effort to improve comfort.
Findings
There was an indication of “moderate cold stress to slight cold stress” on the coolest day (28th December). On the warmest day (12th April), however, the indoor environment had exceedance and severity of overheating of at least 56% and 38-degree hours. The acceptable comfort range and comfort temperatures of occupants of buildings in the study area have been determined to be 25.5–33 °C by the thermal sensation survey. Meanwhile, the simulation showed that a 200% increase in thermal mass, exterior wall insulation and roof extension and insulation has the potential to generate a reduction of 18% in overheated hours.
Originality/value
The paper unearths the flagrant disregard for thermal comfort in an attempt of “copying blindly” architecture from Southern Ghana by the affluent within the Savannah Region. Again, data provided prove that indeed human activities have worsened the plight of inhabitants through materials as well as construction methods.
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Ann Veeck, Hongyan Yu, Hongli Zhang, Hong Zhu and Fang (Grace) Yu
The purpose of this study is to explore the association between eating patterns, social identity and the well-being of adolescents via a mixed methods study of Chinese teenagers…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore the association between eating patterns, social identity and the well-being of adolescents via a mixed methods study of Chinese teenagers. The specific research questions presented in this study are as follows: What is the relationship between social eating and well-being? How is the relationship between social eating and well-being mediated by social identity?
Design/methodology/approach
This study is based on a sequential mixed methods study, including interviews with 16 teenage–parent dyads, and a large-scale survey of over 1,000 teenagers on their eating patterns, conducted with the support of public schools. A model that tests relationships among social eating, social identity and subjective well-being is developed and tested.
Findings
The results show that dining with family members leads to improved subjective well-being for teenagers, through a partial mediator of stronger family identity. However, dining with peers is not found to influence subjective well-being.
Research limitations/implications
The privileged position of family meals demonstrated through this study may be an artifact of the location of this study in one Chinese city. Further research is needed related to the connections among social identity, objective well-being and the social patterns of teenagers’ food consumption behavior.
Practical implications
To improve the subjective well-being of teenagers, families, public policy-makers and food marketers should support food consumption patterns that promote family meals.
Originality/value
While many food-related consumer studies focus on the individual, social and environmental influences of food choices of adolescents, few studies address how eating patterns affect overall well-being. These results reinforce the importance of understanding the effect of the social context of teenagers’ eating patterns on health and well-being.
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