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Previous research has analyzed the consequence of network stability; however, little is known about how partner type diversity influence network stability in R&D network. Based on knowledge-based view and social network theory, the purpose of this paper is to unravel the internal mechanisms between partner type diversity and network stability through the mediating role of knowledge recombination in R&D network.

The authors collected an unbalanced panel patent data set from information communication technology industry for the period 1994–2016. Then, the authors tested the different dimensions of partner type variety and its relevance in the R&D network and the mediating role of knowledge recombination through adopting the multiple linear regression.

Results indicate an inverted U-shaped relationship between partner type diversity (variety and relevance) and network stability, whereas knowledge recombination partially mediate these relationships.

From the perspective of R&D networks, this paper explores that there are the under-researched phenomena the antecedent of network stability through nodal attributes (i.e. partner type variety and partner type relevance). Moreover, this paper empirically examined the mediating role of knowledge recombination in the partner type diversity–network stability relationships. The novel perspective allows focal firm to recognize importance of nodal attributes, which are critical to fully excavate the potential capabilities of cooperating partners in R&D network.

The effect of different service parameters on the current-carrying tribological properties of CF-Al₂O₃/Cu composites was investigated, and the damage behavior of the composites under different service parameters was probed. The purpose of this study is to provide a theoretical basis for the application of CF-Al₂O₃/Cu composites.

The composites were fabricated by internal oxidation combined with powder metallurgy. The current-carrying tribological properties of CF-Al₂O₃/Cu composites were investigated on an electrical damage test system at different loads and currents.

As the load increases, the wear mechanism of the composite changes from abrasive wear to delamination wear. As the current increases, the oxidation wear and arc erosion of the composites gradually intensified. Under the service parameters of 0–25 A and 30–40 N, the composite has relatively stable current-carrying tribological properties.

This paper could provide a theoretical basis for the practical application of CF-Al₂O₃/Cu composites.

The floating ring generates elastic deformation as the film pressure for high-speed floating ring bearings (FRBs). The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of ring elastic deformation on the performance of a hydrodynamic/hydrostatic FRB, including floating ring equilibrium and minimum film thickness.

The finite element method and finite difference method are used to solve thermohydrodynamic (THD) lubrication models, including the Reynolds equation, energy equation and temperature–viscosity equation. The deformation matrix method is applied to solve the elastic deformation equation, and then the deformation distribution, floating ring equilibrium and minimum film thickness are investigated. The maximum pressure is compared with the published article to verify the mathematical models.

The deformation value increases with the growth of shaft speed; owing to elastic deformation on the film reaction force and friction moment, the ring achieves equilibrium at a new position, and the inner eccentricity increases while the ring-shaft speed ratio declines. The minimum film thickness declines with the growth of inlet temperature, and the outer film tends to rupture considering elastic deformation at a higher temperature.

The floating ring elastic deformation is coupled with the THD lubrication equations to study ring deformation on the hydrodynamic/hydrostatic FRB lubrication mechanism. The elastic deformation of floating ring should be considered to improve analysis accuracy for FRBs.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-05-2023-0139/

This study examines how informal business networks achieve marketing goals in socially uncertain contexts. Drawing from multiple historical sources, Shangbangs, a type of business network that thrived in pre-1949 China, are analyzed.

The Critical Historical Research Method (CHRM) undergirds a study of Shangbangs’ historicity (i.e. their socio-historically embedded multiplicity, including organizational forms, activities and connotations.

As informal regional, professional, project-based, special-product-based or mixed marketing networks, Shangbangs relied on “flexible specialization” and coupled multiple business needs to market goods and services, business organizations, specific social values and, when necessary, to debrand business rivals.

This analysis extends theories about marketing networks by probing their subtypes, diverse marketing activities, multipronged channels and relationship building with social entities (including underground societies, business associations and guilds) in response to pre-1949 China’s market uncertainties. Substantiating an alternative approach to “flexible specialization” and marketing innovations within the pre-1949 Chinese economy shows how a parallel theoretical framework can complement western-based marketing theories.

This first comprehensive analysis of Shangbangs, an innovative historical Chinese marketing network outside the conventional market-corporate dichotomy, can inform theory building for marketing strategy-making and management conditioned by social contexts.

The success of online health communities (OHCs) depends on maintaining long-term relationships with physicians and preventing churn. Even so, the reasons for physician churn are poorly understood. In this study, an empirical model was proposed from a social influence perspective to explore the effects of online social influence and offline social influence on physician churn, as well as the moderating effect of their online returns.

The empirical data of 4,145 physicians from a Chinese OHC, and probit regression models were employed to verify the proposed theoretical model.

The results suggest that physicians' churn intention is influenced by online and offline social influences, and the offline social influence is more powerful. Physicians' reputational and economic returns could weaken the effect of online social influence on churn intention. However, physicians' economic returns could strengthen the effect of offline social influence on churn intention.

This research study is the first attempt to explore physician churn and divides the social influence into online and offline social influences according to the source of social relationship. The findings contribute to the literature on e-Health, user churn and social influence and provide management implications for OHC managers.

This study examines how service feedback and physician popularity affect physician demand in the context of virtual healthcare environment. Based on the signaling theory, the critical factor of environment uncertainty (i.e. disease risk) and its impact on physician demand is also investigated. Further, the research on the endogeneity of online reviews in healthcare is also examined in the current study.

A secondary data econometric analysis using 3-wave data sets of 823 physicians obtained from two PRWs (Healthgrades and Vitals) was conducted. The analysis was run using the difference-in-difference method to consider physician and website-specific effects.

The study's findings indicate that physician popularity has a stronger positive effect on physician demand compared with service feedback. Improving popularity leads to a relative increase in the number of appointments, which in turn enhance physician demand. Further, the impact of physician popularity on physician demand is positively mitigated by the disease risk.

The authors' research contributes to a better understanding of the signaling transmission mechanism in the online healthcare environment. Further, the findings provide practical implications for key stakeholders into how an efficient feedback and popularity mechanism can be built to enhance physician service outcomes in order to maximize the financial efficiency of physicians.

The purpose of this study is to understand the current trends and development of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting in emerging and developing economies and analyze 106 Chinese central enterprises (CEs) that disclose CSR reports from 2004 to 2015.

This study analyzes all the CSR reports available to the public from CEs between 2004 and 2015 in China. This paper carefully examines the reporting patterns and standards in those CSR reports. CEs in China are focused on because state-owned companies account for a large proportion of the Chinese stock market because of their social and economic institutional characteristics.

The results in this paper confirm a growth trend in the numbers of CSR reports, as predicted. The results also suggest that the number of CSR reports from the CEs containing some assurance has dramatically increased. However, the findings indicate that the current content of the CSR reports may not fully meet the needs of users of information from different industries, regions and interests, as more than 20 CEs have formulated their own CSR framework. The lack of unified, sustainable reporting and assurance may reduce the comparability and effectiveness of CSR reporting.

This study provides evidence of the trends and development of CSR reporting in China.

The findings extend the understanding of CSR reporting by analyzing Chinese CE data. The results also provide decision-useful information for the government and other policymakers when considering CSR reporting and assurance standards.

The purpose of this article is based on the unit patent license fee model in the closed-loop supply chain.

This paper analyzes the impact of the bundling strategy of the retailer selling new products and remanufactured products on the closed-loop supply chain under the condition that the original manufacturer produces new products and the remanufacturer produces remanufacturing products.

The results show that alternative products can be bundled, and in many cases, the bundling of remanufactured products and new products is better than selling alone.

If the retailer chooses bundling, for the remanufacturer, when certain conditions are met, the benefits of bundling are greater than the separate sales at that time; for the original manufacturer, when the recycling price sensitivity coefficient is high, the bundling is better than separate sales.

Effectively engaging patients is critical for the sustainable development of online health communities (OHCs). Although physicians’ general knowledge-sharing, which is free to the public, represents essential resources of OHCs that have been shown to promote patient engagement, little is known about whether such knowledge-sharing can backfire when superfluous knowledge-sharing is perceived as overwhelming and anxiety-provoking. Thus, this study aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of the role of general knowledge-sharing in OHCs by exploring the spillover effects of the depth and breadth of general knowledge-sharing on patient engagement.

The research model is established based on a knowledge-based view and the literature on knowledge-sharing in OHCs. Then the authors test the research model and associated hypotheses with objective data from a leading OHC.

Although counterintuitive, the findings revealed an inverted U-shape relationship between general knowledge-sharing (depth and breadth of knowledge-sharing) and patient engagement that is positively associated with physicians’ number of patients. Specifically, the positive effects of depth and breadth of general knowledge-sharing increase and then decrease as the quantity of general knowledge-sharing grows. In addition, physicians’ offline and online professional status negatively moderated these curvilinear relationships.

This study further enriches the literature on knowledge-sharing and the operations of OHCs from a novel perspective while also offering significant specific implications for OHCs practitioners.

WeChat official account (WCOA) is an emerging and important platform for academic library services, which greatly accelerates the development of this field. This article aims to identify key evaluation indicators for users' satisfaction of the Academic Library WeChat Official Account (ALWCOA) as a reference for future improvements.

Based on the updated DeLone and McLean (D&M)’s model and Delphi method, an evaluation system of ALWCOA satisfaction was constructed. Then 212 university students were recruited to fill out a questionnaire on evaluation indicators. The grey relational analysis (GRA) and Pareto's principle were employed to analyze the questionnaire and select key evaluation indicators.

An ALWCOA service satisfaction evaluation system with three evaluation dimensions and 15 evaluation indicators was constructed, and three key evaluation indicators were identified, including service responsiveness, information timeliness and system security.

This article provides a strategy for assessing ALWCOA service satisfaction, as well as insights for improving of ALWCOA service. Specifically, academic libraries should pay more attention to improving service responsiveness, information timeliness and system security.

This article innovatively applied the updated D&M model in academic library service. Additionally, it facilitates the development of research fields, such as academic library services, microservices and user service evaluation, and provides a case study to better understand the WCOA.