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Article
Publication date: 8 August 2024

Siwei Bi, Jinkui Pi, Haohan Chen, Yannan Zhou, Ruiqi Liu, Yuanyuan Chen, Qianli Che, Wei Li, Jun Gu and Yi Zhang

Three-dimensional (3D) food printing is an innovative technology used to customize food products through the integration of digital technology and food ingredients. The purpose of…

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Abstract

Purpose

Three-dimensional (3D) food printing is an innovative technology used to customize food products through the integration of digital technology and food ingredients. The purpose of this study is to assess the current state of research in the field of 3D food printing, identify trending topics and identify promising future research directions.

Design/methodology/approach

This bibliometric review systematically evaluates the field of 3D food printing using data from published literature in the Web of Science database. After reference screening, 812 articles were included in the analysis.

Findings

The result reveals that research in 3D food printing primarily focuses on the optimization and characterization of mechanical and rheological properties of food inks and that post-printing processing, such as laser treatment, has emerged recently as an important consideration in 3D food printing. However, extant works lack animal and human studies that demonstrate the functionality of 3D-printed food.

Originality/value

This sophisticated bibliometric analysis uncovered the most studied current research topics and the leading figures in the area of 3D food printing, providing promising future research directions.

Details

Rapid Prototyping Journal, vol. 30 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2546

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 February 2024

Yi Zhang, Tianqi Zhang, Hang Zhou and Jian Qin

People usually try to avoid uncertainty. Recently, however, uncertainty has become an emerging marketing tool in the hedonic product industry. In the case of blind box…

Abstract

Purpose

People usually try to avoid uncertainty. Recently, however, uncertainty has become an emerging marketing tool in the hedonic product industry. In the case of blind box consumption, for example, the consumers become addicted to the uncertainty created by businesses, leading to repeat purchases and even indulgences. Previous research has, yet, to focus on the impact of uncertainty on indulgence and the role of emotions.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper constructs and validates a chain mediation model of uncertainty triggering indulgent consumption based on the information gap theory, positive emotion theory and uncertainty resolution theory and examines the difference between resolved and unresolved uncertainty. This study also explores differences in the impact of whether uncertainty is resolved on emotions. The uncertainty-resolved group elicited a more positive emotional response than the uncertainty-unresolved group, leading to a more indulgent consumption.

Findings

The results of three studies show that uncertainty influences indulgent consumption through curiosity and positive emotion, and that curiosity and positive emotion play separate and chain mediating roles between uncertainty and indulgent consumption, respectively. We validate our central hypothesis with questionnaires among blind box consumer groups, examining the moderating role of perceived luck and risk preferences.

Originality/value

The findings shed new light on firms' use of uncertainty to promote consumer purchases.

Details

Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, vol. 36 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-5855

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 June 2024

Kuo Yang, Yanqiu Xia, Wenhao Chen and Yi Zhang

The purpose of this study was to synthesize composite nanoparticles (TiO2@SiO2) via the chemical deposition method and investigate their efficacy as additives in…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to synthesize composite nanoparticles (TiO2@SiO2) via the chemical deposition method and investigate their efficacy as additives in polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) lubricating grease. The focus was on examining the frictional and conductive properties of the TiO2@SiO2 grease using a friction tester.

Design/methodology/approach

Composite nanoparticles (TiO2@SiO2) were synthesized using the chemical deposition method and incorporated into PTFE grease. Frictional and conductive properties were evaluated using a friction tester. Surface morphology and chemical composition of wear tracks were analyzed using scanning electron microscope and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively.

Findings

Incorporating TiO2@SiO2 at a mass fraction of 1 Wt.% led to a significant reduction in friction coefficient and wear width. The wear depth exhibited a remarkable decrease of 260%, while the contact resistance reached its peak value. This improvement in tribological properties could be attributed to the presence of TiO2@SiO2, where TiO2 served as the core and SiO2 as the shell during the friction process. The high hardness of the SiO2 shell contributed to enhanced load-bearing capacity. In addition, the exceptional insulation properties of SiO2 demonstrated excellent electron-capturing capabilities, resulting in improved friction and insulation performance of the TiO2@SiO2 lubricating grease.

Originality/value

This study demonstrates the potential of TiO2@SiO2 composite nanoparticles as additives in lubricating greases, offering improved friction and insulation performance. The findings provide insights into the design of advanced lubricating materials with enhanced tribological properties and insulation capacity, contributing to the development of more efficient and durable lubrication systems.

Details

Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, vol. 76 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0036-8792

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 September 2024

Kexin Liu, Shuhan Meng, Yi Zhang, Peng Zhou, Tao Zhang and Fuhui Wang

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coatings and sealed PEO coatings on the corrosion resistance and cytocompatibility of…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coatings and sealed PEO coatings on the corrosion resistance and cytocompatibility of a novel Mg-1Zn-0.45Ca alloy in simulated body fluid (SBF).

Design/methodology/approach

The microstructure, corrosion resistance and cytocompatibility of PEO coatings and phosphate conversion-treated PEO coatings were investigated and was compared with the bare Mg alloy.

Findings

The hot-extruded Mg-Zn-Ca alloy exhibit inhomogeneous microstructure and suffered from localized corrosion in the SBF. The PEO coating after phosphate conversion treatment offers enhanced protectiveness to the Mg alloy within an immersion period of up to 60 days, which is significantly improved compared with the performance of the PEO-coated Mg alloy, but the cytocompatibility was slightly decreased.

Originality/value

This work offers new perspective in balancing the protectiveness and cytocompatibility of bio-materials.

Details

Anti-Corrosion Methods and Materials, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0003-5599

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 June 2024

Yi Zhang, Muhammad Kaleem Zahir-ul-Hassan, Feng Wei and Jean Leslie

This paper explores the link between leadership derailment risk and competency ambidexterity in a digitalized global environment. It also investigates the impact of balanced…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper explores the link between leadership derailment risk and competency ambidexterity in a digitalized global environment. It also investigates the impact of balanced skills on leadership success in collectivist and assertive cultures.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed methods approach is employed using survey data from 766 American and Japanese managers and eight interviews across four diverse cultures. It uncovers the intricate relationship between leadership derailment risk and competency ambidexterity.

Findings

Optimal competency ambidexterity lowers the risks of leadership incompetence (operationalized as derailment) but through distinct configurations of current and needed competencies, which both competencies should be congruent at high levels in uncertain environments. Furthermore, moderately high competency levels mitigate derailment risk in collaborative cultures (Japan and China), while very assertive cultures (USA and Netherlands) require high competencies to lower derailment danger and sustain leadership effectiveness.

Practical implications

Leaders must maintain competency ambidexterity, adapting to diverse contexts in our dynamic world. Recognizing cultural nuances is essential for enhancing managers’ skills in global talent management.

Originality/value

Cultural values shape competency configurations and managers should balance organizational and personal competencies for effective leadership. Qualitative insights complement quantitative data.

Details

Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-5855

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 October 2023

Wei Li, Tianran Ni, Yi Zhang, Daan Wang and Salvador Parrado

This study aims to examine the effects of vocational training programs for people with disabilities on their income.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effects of vocational training programs for people with disabilities on their income.

Design/methodology/approach

It conducted a multinomial regression analysis of 10,469 survey responses from 31 provincial administrative areas in mainland China.

Findings

It finds the following antecedents all influence the trainees’ self-reported income, including their perception of the quality of the program, the training subject, the degree of consistency between their current job and this subject, their employment sector, their motivation and access to training resources and the geographical location of the program.

Research limitations/implications

The findings are not representative of people with disabilities across mainland China because the respondents were not randomly sampled.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that to increase the income of people with disabilities, the training can be designed according to the needs of employers by teaching subjects relevant to the needs of the labor market, reaching out to motivated trainees and enhancing the quality of training. Training institutions, employers and governments are recommended to work together to integrate class-based learning with workplace-based learning and practices. More training resources can be devoted to the self-employed people with disabilities or those who operate in the informal sector and are in less-developed areas.

Social implications

The improvement of employment opportunities and income of people with disabilities supports the safeguarding of their social economic rights and the building of an inclusive society.

Originality/value

Few studies have empirically explored and explained the effects of vocational training programs on people with disabilities’ income. This article fills this gap by assessing the performance of China's vocational training programs funded by the Federation of Disabled Persons at all levels.

Details

Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, vol. 14 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-3896

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 April 2024

Lifeng Wang, Yi Zhang, Ziwang Xiao and Long Liu

Effectively solving the large tonnage cable in the construction process due to the tensioning method of the inclined cable often appears in the overall cable force and the design…

Abstract

Purpose

Effectively solving the large tonnage cable in the construction process due to the tensioning method of the inclined cable often appears in the overall cable force and the design value of the deviation is large, cable internal strand force is not uniform, the main girder stress exceeds the limit of the problem affecting the safety of the structure.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, the finite element method and theoretical analysis method are utilized to propose a construction control method of tensioning the whole bunch of diagonal cables in two parts according to the deformation coordination relationship between the main girder and the diagonal cables. This methodology was implemented during the actual construction of the PAIRA Bridge in Bangladesh.

Findings

Tests conducted on cable-stayed bridges using this controlled tensioning method demonstrate that the measured cable strength of a single strand exhibits an error of less than 0.15% compared to the design target cable strength. The deviation between the measured and designed cable forces ranges from 0.16% to 0.27%. Furthermore, no tensile stress is observed in both the top plate and bottom plate of the root section of the main girder, indicating a state of full-section compression throughout the entire construction process.

Originality/value

Through the comparison with the test value, it can be proved that the whole bunch of diagonal cable tensioned in two parts of the construction control method proposed in this paper can make the internal strand force more uniform, to meet the precision requirements of the site construction, to protect the safety of the bridge construction process. The method proposed in this paper is highly accurate, easy to calculate, and has a high value of popularization and application.

Details

International Journal of Structural Integrity, vol. 15 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1757-9864

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 April 2024

Yong Liu, Xue-ge Guo, Qin Jiang and Jing-yi Zhang

We attempt to construct a grey three-way conflict analysis model with constraints to deal with correlated conflict problems with uncertain information.

Abstract

Purpose

We attempt to construct a grey three-way conflict analysis model with constraints to deal with correlated conflict problems with uncertain information.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to address these correlated conflict problems with uncertain information, considering the interactive influence and mutual restraints among agents and portraying their attitudes toward the conflict issues, we utilize grey numbers and three-way decisions to propose a grey three-way conflict analysis model with constraints. Firstly, based on the collected information, we introduced grey theory, calculated the degree of conflict between agents and then analyzed the conflict alliance based on the three-way decision theory. Finally, we designed a feedback mechanism to identify key agents and key conflict issues. A case verifies the effectiveness and practicability of the proposed model.

Findings

The results show that the proposed model can portray their attitudes toward conflict issues and effectively extract conflict-related information.

Originality/value

By employing this approach, we can provide the answers to Deja’s fundamental questions regarding Pawlak’s conflict analysis: “what are the underlying causes of conflict?” and “how can a viable consensus strategy be identified?”

Details

Kybernetes, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 June 2024

Liu Xiangde, Ma Hao, Zhang Yi and Wang Wei

With the development of technology, the application scenarios of mobile robots are becoming more and more extensive, accompanied by a variety of application scenarios suitable and…

Abstract

Purpose

With the development of technology, the application scenarios of mobile robots are becoming more and more extensive, accompanied by a variety of application scenarios suitable and safe path planning algorithms are indispensable for mobile robots.

Design/methodology/approach

The purpose of this paper to improve the safety performance of your bot during the execution of tasks. The methods are synthesized in three main areas: setting appropriate safety distances based on the actual radius of the robot, turn penalty reduces the number of turns by applying an additional penalty to the number of turns in a heuristic function and path smoothing is used to improve path reliability by reducing the number of right-angle turns.

Findings

A suitable safety distance greatly improves the safety of mobile robots and facilitates their development. Optimization of turns in the path of mobile robots improves the travel efficiency of robots. Enhancing the safety of mobile robots has become a research hotspot for path-planning algorithms.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a path planning scheme for mobile robots with safe distances, which provides readers with a comprehensive and systematic progress of path planning research. It helps readers to get inspiration from enhancing the safety of mobile robots.

Details

Robotic Intelligence and Automation, vol. 44 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2754-6969

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 June 2023

Maryam Saleem, Balqees Ahmed, Yi Zhang and Abdelrahman Baqrain

Drawing on social support theory, this study empirically investigates the relationship between family-supportive supervisor behaviours (FSSBs) and the family cohesion of employees…

Abstract

Purpose

Drawing on social support theory, this study empirically investigates the relationship between family-supportive supervisor behaviours (FSSBs) and the family cohesion of employees in the presence of job crafting as a mediator and passion for work as a moderator.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a structural equation modelling technique on three-wave, time-lagged primary data (N = 305) collected from employees of service sector firms in Pakistan.

Findings

The results reveal that FSSBs enhance the family cohesion of employees through the underlying mechanism of job crafting. Using passion for work as a moderator, the conditional analysis shows that the link between FSSBs and job crafting becomes stronger in the presence of high passion for work.

Originality/value

This study extends the literature on the link between FSSBs and job crafting and provides insightful theoretical contributions. This study advances social support theory by providing support for and detailing practical implications of promoting FSSBs, thus enhancing the understanding of the positive impact of job crafting behaviours across non-work spheres.

Details

Personnel Review, vol. 53 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0048-3486

Keywords

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