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Article
Publication date: 27 July 2021

Xiaohuan Liu, Degan Zhang, Ting Zhang, Jie Zhang and Jiaxu Wang

To solve the path planning problem of the intelligent driving vehicular, this paper designs a hybrid path planning algorithm based on optimized reinforcement learning (RL) and…

Abstract

Purpose

To solve the path planning problem of the intelligent driving vehicular, this paper designs a hybrid path planning algorithm based on optimized reinforcement learning (RL) and improved particle swarm optimization (PSO).

Design/methodology/approach

First, the authors optimized the hyper-parameters of RL to make it converge quickly and learn more efficiently. Then the authors designed a pre-set operation for PSO to reduce the calculation of invalid particles. Finally, the authors proposed a correction variable that can be obtained from the cumulative reward of RL; this revises the fitness of the individual optimal particle and global optimal position of PSO to achieve an efficient path planning result. The authors also designed a selection parameter system to help to select the optimal path.

Findings

Simulation analysis and experimental test results proved that the proposed algorithm has advantages in terms of practicability and efficiency. This research also foreshadows the research prospects of RL in path planning, which is also the authors’ next research direction.

Originality/value

The authors designed a pre-set operation to reduce the participation of invalid particles in the calculation in PSO. And then, the authors designed a method to optimize hyper-parameters to improve learning efficiency of RL. And then they used RL trained PSO to plan path. The authors also proposed an optimal path evaluation system. This research also foreshadows the research prospects of RL in path planning, which is also the authors’ next research direction.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 39 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 September 2016

Yijing Lyu, Xing Zhou, Weiwen Li, Junbao Wan, Jie Zhang and Canhua Qiu

On the basis of social identity theory, this paper aims to predict and test the influence of abusive supervision on service employees’ proactive customer service performance…

3483

Abstract

Purpose

On the basis of social identity theory, this paper aims to predict and test the influence of abusive supervision on service employees’ proactive customer service performance (PCSP) in the hotel industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 198 service employee-coworker dyads from 12 hotels in China. Previously developed and validated measures of abusive supervision, organizational identification, collectivism and PCSP were used and found to be highly reliable in this study.

Findings

Time-lagged data from 12 hotels in China reveal that abusive supervision negatively influences service employees’ PCSP, through organizational identification. In addition, employees’ collectivistic value orientation also strengthens the negative relationship between abusive supervision and organizational identification. These findings have several theoretical and managerial implications, especially for hospitality context.

Practical implications

First, the study suggests that hotels should design supervisors’ selection, training and monitoring to reduce mistreatment, which could be highly costly to employees’ identification and hence proactive behaviors. In addition, hotel supervisors are encouraged to learn to regulate their emotions by developing emotional management skills and interpersonal skills. Second, because collectivists are more likely to be affected by abusive supervisors, organizations should pay special attention to them by allocating more supportive resources, providing psychological comfort and expert counseling. Finally, hotels and managers should seek to meet individuals’ basic needs by fostering positive relationships between supervisors and employees, offering favorable treatment and connecting an organization’s goals with employees’ individual values. By doing so, employees’ organizational identification will be enhanced and hence contribute to PCSP.

Originality/value

First, scarcely any study has focused on negative types of leadership styles and how they affect employees’ PCSP. The authors address the research gap by extending the antecedent scope of PCSP to dark side management and provide empirical evidence about the suppressing effects of abusive supervision on PCSP. Second, the focus on organizational identification provides a new extension for social identity theory in application for incurring employees’ proactive behaviors. Third, this study provides a novel contribution by suggesting that the level of collectivism an employee holds can exacerbate the salience of abusive supervision.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 28 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 July 2023

Minghui Yang, Hong Lu, Xinbao Zhang, Yong Quan Zhang, Zhang Jie Li and Wei Zhang

This study aims to investigate mixed lubrication performances of stern bearing in a misaligned state considering turbulence and bearing deformation impacts.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate mixed lubrication performances of stern bearing in a misaligned state considering turbulence and bearing deformation impacts.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed lubrication model of stern bearing is established. The generalized average Reynolds equation governing the turbulent flow of lubricant is analyzed by considering the interaction of bearing elastic deformation, asperity contact pressure and film pressure. The bearing behaviors including minimum film thickness, hydrodynamic pressure, asperity friction force and frictional coefficient are studied under different models. The correctness of this model is verified by comparing it with that of the published data.

Findings

Numerical results indicate that elastic deformation noticeably decreases the maximum film pressure, the asperity contact force and the friction coefficient in the mixed lubrication stage. The effect of elastic deformation and turbulence reduces the transition speed from mixed to liquid lubrication.

Originality/value

This model includes both turbulence and bearing deformation impacts on journal bearing performances. It is expected that the numerical results can provide useful information to establish a stern bearing exposed to mixed lubrication conditions.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-11-2022-0352/

Details

Industrial Lubrication and Tribology, vol. 75 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0036-8792

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 November 2019

Jie Leng, Junjie Wu, Ning Chen, Xiang Xu and Jie Zhang

This paper aims to develop an integrated and portable desktop 3D printer using direct extruding technology to expand applied material field. Different from conventional fused…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to develop an integrated and portable desktop 3D printer using direct extruding technology to expand applied material field. Different from conventional fused deposition modeling (FDM) which uses polymer filaments as feedstock, the developed system can fabricate products directly using polymer pellets. And its printing properties are also investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

A conical screw-based extrusion deposition (CSBED) system was developed with a large taper conical screw to plasticize and extrude fed materials. The 3D printer was developed with assistance of precision positioning and controlling system. Biocompatible thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) pellets were selected as raw materials for experiments. The influences of four processing parameters: nozzle temperature, fill vector orientation, layer thickness and infill density on the product’s internal structure and tensile properties were investigated.

Findings

It is concluded that the customized system has a high manufacturing accuracy with a diminutive global size and is suitable for printing soft materials such as TPU. Theoretical calculation shows the developed conical screw is more effective in plasticizing and extruding compared with conventional screw. Printed samples can achieve applicable tensile properties under harmonious parameter cooperation. Deposited materials are found to have voids among adjacent roads under unbefitting parameters.

Originality/value

The developed system efficiently improves material limitations compared to commercial FDM systems and exhibits great potential in medical field because soft materials such as biocompatible TPU pellets can be directly used.

Details

Rapid Prototyping Journal, vol. 26 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2546

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 January 2023

Rui Yao and Jie Zhang

The purpose of this study is to examine the association between employment status and financial resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the association between employment status and financial resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed US nationally representative data. A financial resilience index was created based on households' ability to pay for basic living expenses and the resources used to meet such needs. Employment status was categorized into seven groups based on whether the respondent worked for pay in the last seven days, experience of income shock since the start of the pandemic for workers' household and reasons for not working for non-workers' household. A generalized linear model (GLM) model was used to examine the relationship between respondent employment status and household financial resilience. An ordinary least square (OLS) logistic regression with no proportional odds assumption was employed to investigate the association between the respondent's employment status and household ability to pay for basic living expenses. A logistic regression was utilized to explore the relationship between respondent employment status and resources used by the household to pay for basic living expenses.

Findings

The top three least financially resilient households include those in which the respondent's work was affected by the pandemic, the respondent did not work due to being sick with COVID or caring for someone with COVID and the respondent did not work due to fear of COVID.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should distinguish the reasons for not working when examining the association between unemployment and household financial resilience as well as their overall financial wellbeing. Cross-sectional data cannot establish a causal relationship. Findings using US data may not be generalized to other countries.

Practical implications

Workers with health and employment risks and financial professionals working with these clients should consider these risks when building household financial safety net. Policymakers should develop measures to allow normal business operations while effectively contain the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Originality/value

This study created a financial resilience index that considers various household situations, allows both internal and external resources to be utilized to cover basic living expenses and reflects the diverse nature of financial resilience. This study is the first to look into voluntary and involuntary labor force separation for COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 related reasons.

Details

International Journal of Bank Marketing, vol. 41 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-2323

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 February 2023

Lingfeng Dong, Jinghui (Jove) Hou, Liqiang Huang, Yuan Liu and Jie Zhang

This paper aims to explore the effects of normative and hedonic motivations on continuous knowledge contribution, and how past contribution experience moderates the effects of the…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the effects of normative and hedonic motivations on continuous knowledge contribution, and how past contribution experience moderates the effects of the motivations on continuous knowledge contribution.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on goal-framing theory, the present study proposes a comprehensive theoretical model by integrating normative and hedonic motivations, past contribution experience and continuous knowledge contribution. The data for virtual community members' activities were collected using the Python Scrapy crawler. Logit regression was used to validate the integrative model.

Findings

The results show that both normative motivation (reflected by generalized reciprocity and social learning) and hedonic motivation (reflected by peer recognition and online attractiveness) are positively associated with continuous knowledge contribution. Moreover, these effects are found to be significantly influenced by members' past knowledge contribution experience. Specifically, the results suggest that past knowledge contribution experience undermines the influence of generalized reciprocity on continuous knowledge contribution but strengthens the effect of peer recognition and online attractiveness.

Originality/value

Although the emerging literature on continuous knowledge contribution mainly focuses on motivations as antecedents that promote continuous knowledge contribution, most of these studies assume that the relationship between motivating mechanisms and continuous knowledge contribution does not change over time. The study is one of the initial studies to examine whether and how the influence of multiple motivations evolves relative to levels of past contribution experience.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 37 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 2021

Chi-Chun Chen, Jian-Hong Wang, Hsing-Wen Wang and Jie Zhang

This research proposes an innovative fault-tolerant media content list management technology applied to the smart robot domain.

Abstract

Purpose

This research proposes an innovative fault-tolerant media content list management technology applied to the smart robot domain.

Design/methodology/approach

A fault tolerant Content List Management Unit (CLMU) for real-time streaming systems focusing on smart robot claw machines is proposed to synchronize and manage the hyperlink stored on media servers. The fault-tolerant mechanism is realized by the self-healing method. A media server allows exchanging the hyperlink within the network through the CLMU mechanism.

Findings

Internet users can access the current multimedia information, and the multimedia information list can be rearranged appropriately. Furthermore, the service of the proposed multimedia system should be uninterrupted even when the master media server fails. Therefore, one of the slave media servers enables the Content List Service (CLS) of the proposed CLMU and replaces the defunct master media server.

Originality/value

The recovery time is less than 1.5 seconds. The multimedia transmission is not interrupted while any one of the media servers keeps functioning. The proposed method can serve to stabilize the system of media servers in a smart robot domain.

Article
Publication date: 14 December 2017

Bo Xin, Yuan Li, Jian-feng Yu and Jie Zhang

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the nonlinear dynamics of the aircraft assembly lines. An approach for modeling and analyzing the production rate of an aircraft…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the nonlinear dynamics of the aircraft assembly lines. An approach for modeling and analyzing the production rate of an aircraft assembly line is introduced using the chaos theory.

Design/methodology/approach

First, two key system variables including reliability and learning ability are considered to control the dynamics model. The discrete-time dynamics equation of the production rate is established as a function of the reliability and the learning rate. Then an improved Gauss-learning curve is proposed and applied to aircraft assembling condition. Finally, the bifurcation diagrams and the maximal Lyapunov exponents are used and applied to the experimental study to analyze the dynamic behavior under different combinations of parameters.

Findings

On the basis of the experimental study, it is shown that chaotic behavior really exists in the aircraft assembly lines. The reliability and the Gauss-learning curve can nonlinearly affect the production rate.

Originality/value

This paper applied nonlinear dynamics and chaotic theory to the production analyses of the aircraft assembly lines for the first time. The proposed model has been successfully applied to a practical case, and the result justifies its advantage as well as feasibility to both theory and engineering application.

Details

Assembly Automation, vol. 38 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-5154

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 January 2022

Weishi Chen, Yifeng Huang, Xianfeng Lu and Jie Zhang

This paper aims to review the critical technology development of avian radar system at airports.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to review the critical technology development of avian radar system at airports.

Design/methodology/approach

After the origin of avian radar technology is discussed, the target characteristics of flying birds are analyzed, including the target echo amplitude, flight speed, flight height, trajectory and micro-Doppler. Four typical airport avian radar systems of Merlin, Accipiter, Robin and CAST are introduced. The performance of different modules such as antenna, target detection and tracking, target recognition and classification, analysis of bird information together determines the detection ability of avian radar. The performances and key technologies of the ubiquitous avian radar are summarized and compared with other systems, and their applications, deployment modes, as well as their advantages and disadvantages are introduced and analyzed.

Findings

The ubiquitous avian radar achieves the long-time integration of target echoes, which greatly improves detection and classification ability of the targets of birds or drones, even under strong background clutter at airport. In addition, based on the big data of bird situation accumulated by avian radar, the rules of bird activity around the airport can be mined to guide the bird avoidance work.

Originality/value

This paper presented a novel avian radar system based on ubiquitous digital radar technology. The authors’ experience has confirmed that this system can be effective for airport bird strike prevention and management. In the future, the avian radar system will see continued improvement in both software and hardware, as the system is designed to be easily extensible.

Details

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, vol. 94 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1748-8842

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 April 2019

Gavin Jiayun Wu, Zhenning “Jimmy” Xu, Saeed Tajdini, Jie Zhang and Lei Song

To unlock social media’s value, this study aims to integrate insights from several theoretical perspectives and the relevant literature, developing an extended social media…

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Abstract

Purpose

To unlock social media’s value, this study aims to integrate insights from several theoretical perspectives and the relevant literature, developing an extended social media analytics framework. It identifies the stages underlying the social media analytics process and tests the framework in three important and interconnected areas: social media (Twitter), new product adoption (iWatch and Google Glass) and social media analytic techniques (text mining and sentiment analysis).

Design/methodology/approach

Based upon a systematic review of different research approaches, theories and media types, this paper presents and tests an extended framework in three important and interconnected areas mentioned above.

Findings

This paper offers a theory-driven social media analytics framework. It validates the framework by providing concrete processes, examples, evidence and insights related to three chosen areas mentioned above, thereby helping managers create effective and efficient social media and new product development strategies.

Originality/value

This paper integrates insights from theories of the middle range (Merton, 1949), Campbell’s (1965) model of sociocultural evolution and Fan and Gordon’s (2014) social media analytics framework, developing its own extended social media analytics framework and validating it in three important and interconnected areas mentioned above. This paper demonstrates not only how the proposed framework can be applied to the context of new product development, but also how social media are transforming research approaches (qualitative, quantitative and mixed method) and the very nature of business itself (increased importance of digital business).

Details

Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, vol. 22 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1352-2752

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 1000