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1 – 10 of over 23000
Article
Publication date: 30 April 2024

Zheng Liu, Na Huang, Chunjia Han, Mu Yang, Yuanjun Zhao, Wenzhuo Sun, Varsha Arya, Brij B. Gupta and Lihua Shi

The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of carbon reduction efforts and preservation efforts on system benefits in the cold chain industry of fresh products.

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of carbon reduction efforts and preservation efforts on system benefits in the cold chain industry of fresh products.

Design/methodology/approach

This study develops an optimal decision game model for the fresh products in the cold chain, incorporating the retailer's preservation effort and the supplier's carbon emission reduction effort. It quantifies the relationship between carbon emission reduction effort, preservation effort and system profit. The model considers parameters like carbon trading price, consumer low-carbon preference and consumer freshness preference, reflecting real-world conditions and market trends. Numerical simulations are conducted by varying these parameters to observe their impact on system profit.

Findings

Under the carbon cap-and-trade policy, the profit of the fresh cold chain system is higher than that of the fresh cold chain system without carbon constraints, and the profit of the supplier under decentralized decision-making is increased by nine times in the simulation results. The increase in carbon trading prices can effectively improve the freshness level of fresh products cold chain, carbon emission reduction level and system profit.

Originality/value

This study comprehensively considers the factors of freshness and carbon emission reduction, provides the optimal low-carbon production decision-making reference for the fresh food cold chain and promotes the sustainable development of the fresh food cold chain.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 April 2024

Xiaoman Zhou, Christina Geng-Qing Chi and Biyan Wen

Generation Z (Gen Z) is entering the hotel workforce and will soon become the dominant group. This has called for a better understanding of this workforce’s attitudes and…

Abstract

Purpose

Generation Z (Gen Z) is entering the hotel workforce and will soon become the dominant group. This has called for a better understanding of this workforce’s attitudes and perceptions towards working in the hotel industry. This study aims to examine the effect of organizational socialization on the retention of Chinese Gen Z employees, the mediating role of person–environment fit (P-E fit) and the moderating effect of career commitment.

Design/methodology/approach

Time-lagged data were collected from 426 Gen Z new employees from 20 upscale hotels at two different times (2 weeks and 12 weeks after the employees entered the hotel). Confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling, bootstrapping analysis and moderated hierarchical regression analyses were used for data analysis.

Findings

Organizational socialization positively affects employee retention via person–environment fit. Moreover, career commitment positively moderates the relationship between person–environment fit and employee retention.

Practical implications

Hotels must view organizational socialization as a long-term investment in Gen Z talent management by offering effective training through diverse methods, creating a collaborative environment and helping them develop career plans to enhance their career commitment.

Originality/value

This study unpacks the four dimensions of organizational socialization and investigates their differential effects on Gen Z employees’ retention through P-E fit. The moderating role of career commitment is also examined. This study contributes to the growing body of hospitality human resources management research on this new generation of workforce in China.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 April 2024

Supen Kumar Sah and Anup Ghosh

The purpose of this study is to investigate the bending analysis of metal (Ti-6Al-4V)-ceramic (ZrO2) functionally graded material (FGM) sandwich plate with material property…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the bending analysis of metal (Ti-6Al-4V)-ceramic (ZrO2) functionally graded material (FGM) sandwich plate with material property gradation along length and thickness direction under thermo-mechanical loading using inverse trigonometric shear deformation theory (ITSDT). FGM sandwich plate with a ceramic core and continuous variation of material properties has been modelled using Voigt’s micro-mechanical model following the power law distribution method. The impact of bi-directional gradation of material properties over the bending response of FGM plate under thermo-mechanical loading has been investigated in this work.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, gradation of material properties for FGM plates is considered along length and thickness directions using Voigt’s micromechanical model following the power law distribution method. This type of FGM is called bi-directional FGMs (BDFGM). Mechanical and thermal properties of BDFGM sandwich plates are considered temperature-dependent in the present study. ITSDT is a non-polynomial shear deformation theory which requires a smaller number of field variables for modelling of displacement function in comparison to poly-nominal shear deformation theories which lead to a reduction in the complexity of the problem. In the present study, ITSDT has been utilized to obtain the governing equations for thermo-mechanical bending of simply supported uni-directional FGM (UDFGM) and BDFGM sandwich plates. Analytical solution for bending analysis of rectangular UDFGM and BDFGM sandwich plates has been carried out using Hamilton’s principle.

Findings

The bending response of the BDFGM sandwich plate under thermo-mechanical loading has been analysed and discussed. The present study shows that centre deflection, normal stress and shear stress are significantly influenced by temperature-dependent material properties, bi-directional gradation exponents along length and thickness directions, geometrical parameters, sandwich plate layer thickness, etc. The present investigation also reveals that bi-directional FGM sandwich plates can be designed to obtain thermo-mechanical bending response with an appropriate selection of gradation exponents along length and thickness direction. Non-dimensional centre deflection of BDFGM sandwich plates decreases with increasing gradation exponents in length and thickness directions. However, the non-dimensional centre deflection of BDFGM sandwich plates increases with increasing temperature differences.

Originality/value

For the first time, the FGM sandwich plate with the bi-directional gradation of material properties has been considered to investigate the bending response under thermo-mechanical loading. In the literature, various polynomial shear deformation theories like first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT), third-order shear deformation theory (TSDT) and higher-order shear deformation theory (HSDT) have been utilized to obtain the governing equation for bending response under thermo-mechanical loading; however, non-polynomial shear deformation theory like ITSDT has been used for the first time to obtain the governing equation to investigate the bending response of BDFGM. The impact of bi-directional gradation and temperature-dependent material properties over centre deflection, normal stress and shear stress has been analysed and discussed.

Details

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

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 April 2024

Mohsen Jami, Hamidreza Izadbakhsh and Alireza Arshadi Khamseh

This study aims to minimize the cost and time of blood delivery in the whole blood supply chain network (BSCN) in disaster conditions. In other words, integrating all strategic…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to minimize the cost and time of blood delivery in the whole blood supply chain network (BSCN) in disaster conditions. In other words, integrating all strategic, tactical and operational decisions of three levels of blood collection, processing and distribution leads to satisfying the demand at the right time.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper proposes an integrated BSCN in disaster conditions to consider four categories of facilities, including temporary blood collection centers, field hospitals, main blood processing centers and medical centers, to optimize demand response time appropriately. The proposed model applies the location of all permanent and emergency facilities in three levels: blood collection, processing and distribution. Other essential decisions, including multipurpose facilities, emergency transportation, inventory and allocation, were also used in the model. The LP metric method is applied to solve the proposed bi-objective mathematical model for the BSCN.

Findings

The findings show that this model clarifies its efficiency in the total cost and blood delivery time reduction, which results in a low carbon transmission of the blood supply chain.

Originality/value

The researchers proposed an integrated BSCN in disaster conditions to minimize the cost and time of blood delivery. They considered multipurpose capabilities for facilities (e.g. field hospitals are responsible for the three purposes of blood collection, processing and distribution), and so locating permanent and emergency facilities at three levels of blood collection, processing and distribution, support facilities, emergency transportation and traffic on the route with pollution were used to present a new model.

Details

Journal of Modelling in Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-5664

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 May 2024

Hsiao-Ting Tseng, Shizhen (Jasper) Jia, Tahir M. Nisar, Nick Hajli and Haseeb Shabbir

The recent proliferation of social media platforms has witnessed a growth in social commerce by using social media to facilitate interactivity between customers and vendors. While…

Abstract

Purpose

The recent proliferation of social media platforms has witnessed a growth in social commerce by using social media to facilitate interactivity between customers and vendors. While emergent studies on social commerce are growing, their focus tends to be on millennials and cross-age groups. Given the growth of digital natives in shaping the online shopping experience of the future, we deemed an application to Generation Z necessary and overdue.

Design/methodology/approach

We draw on the existing literature and develop a framework to understand social commerce dynamics for digital natives. We employ PLS and CB-SEM to test our proposed model.

Findings

Our findings demonstrate the importance of social commerce information sharing activities in facilitating social support, a sense of warmth and belongingness, and online trust for Generation Z platform users. We also investigate the roles of online trust and perceived risk on intention to purchase and find support for both relationships. Finally, we discuss the findings in terms of theoretical and managerial contributions and conclude the study with limitations and future research directions.

Originality/value

This research is unique by using social commerce theory to explore Gen Z platform users. The finding will contribute to information system literature by expanding the social commerce research stream.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2024

Mahmoud Taban and Alireza Basohbat Novinzadeh

One of the challenges encountered in the design of guided projectiles is their prohibitive cost. To diminish it, an appropriate avenue many researchers have explored is the use of…

Abstract

Purpose

One of the challenges encountered in the design of guided projectiles is their prohibitive cost. To diminish it, an appropriate avenue many researchers have explored is the use of the non-actuator method for guiding the projectile to the target. In this method, biologically inspired by the flying concept of the single-winged seed, for instance, that of maple and ash trees, the projectile undergoes a helical motion to scan the region and meet the target in the descent phase. Indeed, the projectile is a decelerator device based on the autorotation flight while it attempts to resemble the seed’s motion using two wings of different spans. There exists a wealth of studies on the stability of the decelerators (e.g. the mono-wing, samara and pararotor), but all of them have assumed the body (exclusive of the wing) to be symmetric and paid no particular attention to the scanning quality of the region. In practice, however, the non-actuator-guided projectiles are asymmetric owing to the presence of detection sensors. This paper aims to present an analytical solution for stability analysis of asymmetric decelerators and apprise the effects of design parameters to improve the scanning quality.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach of this study is to develop a theoretical model consisting of Euler equations and apply a set of non-dimensionalized equations to reduce the number of involved parameters. The obtained governing equations are readily applicable to other decelerator devices, such as the mono-wing, samara and pararotor.

Findings

The results show that the stability of the body can be preserved under certain conditions. Moreover, pertinent conclusions are outlined on the sensitivity of flight behavior to the variation of design parameters.

Originality/value

The analytical solution and sensitivity analysis presented here can efficiently reduce the design cost of the asymmetric decelerator.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 96 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 March 2024

Junsung Park, Joon Woo Yoo, Youngju Cho and Heejun Park

This study aims to understand the reasons for individuals switching from traditional banks to Internet-only banks and examine how switching intentions differ between Generation X…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to understand the reasons for individuals switching from traditional banks to Internet-only banks and examine how switching intentions differ between Generation X and Generation Z. Notably, Generation Z, being digital natives, exhibits distinct characteristics compared to Generation X, who often referred to as digital immigrants. Given the technology-driven nature of Internet-only banks, a multi-group analysis between these two generations was conducted.

Design/methodology/approach

This study utilizes Bansal’s push–pull–mooring model as a framework to analyze switching intention. The study collected survey data from 383 Korean participants, consisting of 198 participants from Generation Z and 185 participants from Generation X.

Findings

The findings indicate that low satisfaction and discomfort are factors that push people to leave traditional banks. Specifically, Generation Z shows a significantly higher inclination to leave traditional banks due to discomfort. On the other hand, relative advantage, compatibility, observability and trialability are factors that pull people to switch to Internet-only banks. Generation X is more likely to consider adopting Internet-only banks when compatibility is high and complexity is low.

Originality/value

This study is the first to explore unique motivators for Generation Z, such as their discomfort with interpersonal interactions in the retail banking sector. These findings challenge earlier research emphasizing human interaction’s importance in technology adoption, offering insights into their future adoption of contactless services.

Details

International Journal of Bank Marketing, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-2323

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 April 2024

Xiaowei An, Sicheng Ren, Lunyan Wang and Yehui Huang

The purpose of this paper is to explore the support for multi-party collaboration in project construction provided by building information modeling (BIM). Based on the perspective…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the support for multi-party collaboration in project construction provided by building information modeling (BIM). Based on the perspective of value co-creation, the research results can provide support for the collaborative application and contract design of BIM platform.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, an evolutionary game model involving the owner, designer and constructor is constructed by using prospect theory and evolutionary game theory. Through simulation analysis, the evolution law of the strategy choice of each party in the collaborative application of BIM platform is discussed and the key factors affecting the strategy choice of all parties are analyzed.

Findings

The results show that there is an ideal local equilibrium point with progressive stability in the evolutionary game between the three parties: “the construction party shares information, the designer receives the information and optimizes the project and the owner does not provide incentives”; in addition, the opportunistic behaviors of the design and construction parties, as well as the probability of such behaviors being detected and the subsequent punishment have a significant impact on the evolutionary outcome.

Originality/value

This method can provide support for the collaborative application and contract design of BIM platform.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 April 2024

Bingwei Gao, Hongjian Zhao, Wenlong Han and Shilong Xue

This study proposes a predictive neural network model reference decoupling control method for the coupling problem between the leg joints of hydraulic quadruped robots, and…

Abstract

Purpose

This study proposes a predictive neural network model reference decoupling control method for the coupling problem between the leg joints of hydraulic quadruped robots, and verifies its decoupling effect..

Design/methodology/approach

The machine–hydraulic cross-linking coupling is studied as the coupling behavior of the hydraulically driven quadruped robot, and the mechanical dynamics coupling force of the robot system is controlled as the disturbance force of the hydraulic system through the Jacobian matrix transformation. According to the principle of multivariable decoupling, a prediction-based neural network model reference decoupling control method is proposed; each module of the control algorithm is designed one by one, and the stability of the system is analyzed by the Lyapunov stability theorem.

Findings

The simulation and experimental research on the robot joint decoupling control method is carried out, and the prediction-based neural network model reference decoupling control method is compared with the decoupling control method without any decoupling control method. The results show that taking the coupling effect experiment between the hip joint and knee joint as an example, after using the predictive neural network model reference decoupling control method, the phase lag of the hip joint response line was reduced from 20.3° to 14.8°, the amplitude attenuation was reduced from 1.82% to 0.21%, the maximum error of the knee joint coupling line was reduced from 0.67 mm to 0.16 mm and the coupling effect between the hip joint and knee joint was reduced from 1.9% to 0.48%, achieving good decoupling.

Originality/value

The prediction-based neural network model reference decoupling control method proposed in this paper can use the neural network model to predict the next output of the system according to the input and output. Finally, the weights of the neural network are corrected online according to the predicted output and the given reference output, so that the optimization index of the neural network decoupling controller is extremely small, and the purpose of decoupling control is achieved.

Details

Robotic Intelligence and Automation, vol. 44 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2754-6969

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 April 2024

Enes Mahmut Göker, Ahmet Fevzi Bozkurt and Kadir Erkan

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a novel cross (+) type yoke with hybrid electromagnets and new reluctance modeling to precisely calculate attraction force is given.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a novel cross (+) type yoke with hybrid electromagnets and new reluctance modeling to precisely calculate attraction force is given.

Design/methodology/approach

The comparison of attraction force and torque analyses between the proposed formulation and the existing formulation in the literature is comparatively presented. For the correctness of the force and torque values calculated in the model created, the system was created in ANSYS Maxwell and its accuracy was proved by making analyses. The maglev carrier system is inherently unstable from the point of view of control engineering. For that, it needs an active controller to eliminate this instability. For the levitation of the carrier system, it is necessary to design a controller in three axes (z, α and β). I-PD controller was designed for the air gap control of the carrier system in three axes and the controller parameters were determined by the canonical method.

Findings

While the new formulation proposed in the modeling of the carrier system has a maximum error of 1.03%, the existing formula in the literature has an error of 16.83% in the levitation distance point.

Originality/value

A novel cross-type hybrid carrier system has been proposed in the literature. With the double integral used in modeling the system, it takes a long time to solve symbolically, and it is difficult to simulate dynamic behavior in control validation. To solve this problem, attraction force and inclination torque values are easily characterized by new formulation and besides the simulations are conducted easily. The experimental setup was manufactured and assembled, and the carrier system was successfully levitated, and reference tracking was performed without overshoot.

Details

COMPEL - The international journal for computation and mathematics in electrical and electronic engineering , vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0332-1649

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 23000