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Article
Publication date: 27 October 2022

Guangdong Wu, Yan Zhu and Zhibin Hu

The issue of conflict has been around for a long time. With the development of economic development and the diversification of industries, conflicts have shown a trend of complex…

Abstract

Purpose

The issue of conflict has been around for a long time. With the development of economic development and the diversification of industries, conflicts have shown a trend of complex development. By reviewing interorganizational conflict in construction, this study aims to identify the formation, development and evolution of conflict and to assist organizational managers in using scientific conflict management tools to deal with and resolve conflict.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper considers the following questions: “What is the overall research status of the interorganizational conflict in construction projects?” and “What are the trendy issues in interorganizational conflicts in construction projects?” This study uses R software's Biblioshiny program to describe the overall conflict between organizations to answer question 1. This study uses Netminer – a social network analysis (SNA) software and text mining to explore research trends and answer question 2.

Findings

Interorganizational conflict has been one of the most important topics in recent years when it comes to conflict issues. This paper intends to examine interorganizational conflict in construction in an attempt to shed light on four main topics regarding the conflict: the application of conflict theory; factors that induce conflict; the effect of conflict on performance; and methods of conflict management.

Research limitations/implications

Through a comprehensive analysis of interorganizational conflict, this study helps to increase the understanding of scholars in the field of conflict research. This study suggests future research directions and provides references for managers to improve their conflict management, decision-making and performance.

Originality/value

This study combines bibliometrics, SNA and text mining research methods. Multidimensional and multiperspectival assessments are performed based on the status of the research, its evolution and trends. The results of this study can be used to guide the resolution of conflict in other industries. This study also enriches the scientific theory related to the interorganizational conflict.

Details

International Journal of Conflict Management, vol. 34 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1044-4068

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 2021

Zhibin Hu, Guangdong Wu, Xianbo Zhao, Jian Zuo and Shicong Wen

This study aims to explore the influence of the strength of ties (strong ties and weak ties) on contractual flexibility (term flexibility and process flexibility) and relationship…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore the influence of the strength of ties (strong ties and weak ties) on contractual flexibility (term flexibility and process flexibility) and relationship quality among stakeholders in a megaproject network.

Design/methodology/approach

This study, via a questionnaire survey, collected 380 valid responses from megaproject professionals (including project managers, department managers and project engineers). The data were analyzed using least squares structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results show that both strong ties and weak ties have positive effects on relationship quality. The introduction of contractual flexibility can help improve relationship quality by combining the positive effects of the strength of ties. Interestingly, the indirect influence of strong ties on relationship quality is mainly due to term flexibility. However, the influence of process flexibility is not significant, while weak ties have an indirect influence through term flexibility and process flexibility.

Research limitations/implications

This study, while helpful to megaproject management both in theory and practice, is nevertheless subject to several limitations. First, this study only considers the impact of the strength of ties on contractual flexibility and relationship quality; other factors, such as environmental uncertainty, are not explored. Second, the sample data are limited to just a few regions of China. Future research should cover other influencing factors, in order to make the model more substantial; data should also be collected from different cultural and industrial sources, thereby extending and further verifying the results.

Originality/value

This study makes three contributions to extant megaproject literature. First, this study provides a deep and nuanced understanding of the strength of ties. With the distinction between strong ties and weak ties clearly explained, this research furnishes a subtler understanding of relationship governance than has previously been achieved. Second, by precisely identifying the mechanism of how contract flexibility improves contract control and coordination functions, this research offers a complementary view of how contractual flexibility positively contributes to cooperation and relationship quality. Third, this study identifies which dimension of the strength of ties is more influential. This brings a new explanation for the previous controversy and offers some insight into the determinants of how to improve relationship quality in Chinese megaprojects.

Details

Baltic Journal of Management, vol. 16 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-5265

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 April 2023

Dan Li, Hualong Yang and Zhibin Hu

Gamification design is considered an effective way of changing users' health behavior and improving their health management performance. Even though numerous studies have…

Abstract

Purpose

Gamification design is considered an effective way of changing users' health behavior and improving their health management performance. Even though numerous studies have investigated the positive effect of gamification competition on users, little research has considered gamification's ineffectiveness and negative effects. In particular, how gamification competition affects users' technological exhaustion remains unclear.

Design/methodology/approach

According to flow theory and related research on gamification, this study discusses the nonlinear relationship between gamification competition and users' technological exhaustion. Furthermore, the authors analyze the moderating effect of user type (socializers and achievers) and users' health condition on this nonlinear relationship. Based on flow theory, the authors propose a series of research hypotheses. To test all research hypotheses, the authors collected information from 407 users via a questionnaire as the data for this study.

Findings

The empirical results found a U-shaped relationship between gamification competition and technological exhaustion. Technological exhaustion gradually decreases as competition increases until reaching the lowest point; after that, technological exhaustion gradually increases as competition increases. Further, being a socializer and health condition play a moderating role in the U-shaped relationship between competition and technological exhaustion.

Originality/value

This study's findings not only enrich the related research in flow theory and gamification, but also contribute to the effective design of gamification in health management platforms.

Details

Information Technology & People, vol. 37 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-3845

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 April 2020

Guangdong Wu, Huiwen Li, Chunlin Wu and Zhibin Hu

This study aims to investigate the relationships between the different strengths of ties (strong ties and weak ties), types of trust and project performance in megaprojects.

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the relationships between the different strengths of ties (strong ties and weak ties), types of trust and project performance in megaprojects.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire survey was conducted with various experts and professionals involved in megaprojects, and 350 valid responses were received. Data was analyzed by means of structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results show that both strong ties and weak ties have positive impacts on trust in megaprojects, but weak ties have a more significant positive effect than do strong ties. Unexpectedly, the introduction of interorganizational trust significantly weakens the effect of the strength of ties on project performance. The indirect influence of the strength of ties on performance has different paths. Weak ties have an indirect effect via calculative trust and relational trust. However, in a strong ties network, inferior stakeholders lack the information necessary to complete a megaproject, and they believe that calculative trust will not promote project performance until the megaproject is successfully delivered. Thus, the effect of calculative trust on project performance is not significant.

Research limitations/implications

These findings provide evidence in regard to strength of ties governance being a part of the effective strategy in improving megaprojects’ performance. It also demonstrates the mediating function of trust and advances the current understandings of the underlying mechanism of the strength of ties on project performance, thus providing implications for researchers and practitioners. However, this study has some limitations. For example, the strength of ties and trust between organizations are a dynamic process in megaprojects. This study does not conduct in-depth analysis of the evolution mechanism and investigate the different levels of trust at different stages of the megaproject. Future research can be guided by these directions.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this study is fourfold. First, this study enriches the literature on strength of ties by accentuating the roles of trust in megaproject context. Second, this study contributes to the theoretical development of a conceptual model for explaining the interrelationships among strength of ties, types of trust and project performance. Third, this study responds to the call “which dimension (i.e. strong ties or weak ties) is more influential” by exploring the direct and indirect effects of strength of ties on project performance. Finally, this study breaks through the limitation of traditional cognition that megaproject management can be met by relying on rigid contracts. In other words, trust can supplement the weakness of rigid contract by forming contract flexibility with different strength of ties. Meanwhile, the specific strategies to establish and maintain trust are given, such as building information model (BIM) collaboration platform and reputation management mechanism.

Details

International Journal of Managing Projects in Business, vol. 13 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8378

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 December 2019

Guangdong Wu, Zhibin Hu, Junwei Zheng, Xianbo Zhao and Jian Zuo

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships between structure characteristics of project network, types of conflicts and project success.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships between structure characteristics of project network, types of conflicts and project success.

Design/methodology/approach

Network density and centrality were used to reflect the structure characteristics of project network. This study collected 254 valid responses from construction professionals (including project managers, department managers and project engineers) via a questionnaire survey and analyzed the data using structural equation modeling and bootstrapping techniques.

Findings

The results showed that network centrality of project stakeholders negatively affected project success, whereas the effect of network density on project success was non-significant. The network density was positively related to task conflict, whereas negatively related to process and relationship conflict. Network centrality was positively related to relationship conflict and had negative effects on task and process conflict. Project conflicts served as the mediator, weakening the relationship between network structure characteristics and project success.

Research limitations/implications

This study provides direction for project managers and other stakeholders (e.g. owners, contractors and subcontractors) to appropriately establish social ties and manage conflicts to achieve project success. However, the potential influence of conflict transformation on project success, the dynamic nature of project networks and the network diagram were not addressed in the context of diverse culture. The future research should cover different stakeholders in order to get an integrative understanding of project networks and collect data from different cultural and industrial characteristics, extending and verifying the results.

Originality/value

The outcomes of the study provide evidence in regard to social network ties governance, which is comprised by the important or representative stakeholders, being a part of the effective strategy in improving project success. This study also contributes to the knowledge of conflict management in the project context, revealing the positive and negative of project conflicts and enriching the current understandings of the underlying mechanism of the project network characteristics on project success.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 28 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 March 2024

Zhixue Liao, Xinyu Gou, Qiang Wei and Zhibin Xing

Online reviews serve as valuable sources of information, reflecting tourists’ attentions, preferences and sentiments. However, although the existing research has demonstrated that…

Abstract

Purpose

Online reviews serve as valuable sources of information, reflecting tourists’ attentions, preferences and sentiments. However, although the existing research has demonstrated that incorporating online review data can enhance the performance of tourism demand forecasting models, the reliability of online review data and consumers’ decision-making process have not been given adequate attention. To address the aforementioned problem, the purpose of this study is to forecast tourism demand using online review data derived from the analysis of review helpfulness.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose a novel “identification-first, forecasting-second” framework. This framework prioritizes the identification of helpful reviews through a comprehensive analysis of review helpfulness, followed by the integration of helpful online review data into the forecasting system. Using the SARIMAX model with helpful online review data sourced from TripAdvisor, this study forecasts tourist arrivals in Hong Kong during the period from August 2012 to June 2019. The SNAÏVE/SARIMA model was used as the benchmark model. Additionally, artificial intelligence models including long short-term memory, back propagation neural network, extreme learning machine and random forest models were used to assess the robustness of the results.

Findings

The results demonstrate that online review data are subject to noise and bias, which can adversely affect the accuracy of predictions when used directly. However, by identifying helpful online reviews beforehand and incorporating them into the forecasting process, a notable enhancement in predictive performance can be realized.

Originality/value

First, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first to focus on the data issue of online reviews on tourism arrivals forecasting. Second, this study pioneers the integration of the consumer decision-making process into the domain of tourism demand forecasting, marking one of the earliest endeavors in this area. Third, this study makes a novel attempt to identify helpful online reviews based on reviews helpfulness analysis.

Details

Nankai Business Review International, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8749

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 October 2022

Hongling Yang, Zhibin Lin, Xiao Chen and Jian Peng

This study aims to explore whether and how workplace loneliness leads to cyberloafing and the role of leader problem-focused interpersonal emotion management in buffering this…

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore whether and how workplace loneliness leads to cyberloafing and the role of leader problem-focused interpersonal emotion management in buffering this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on ego depletion theory, the authors propose that employees' workplace loneliness leads to cyberloafing via ego depletion, while leader interpersonal emotion management (i.e. leadership behavior targeted at managing employees' negative emotions) can help to alleviate the situation. To test this study’s predictions, the authors collected multisource data at three time points from a sample of 219 employee–colleague dyads.

Findings

The results show that workplace loneliness is positively related to cyberloafing and that ego depletion mediates this relationship. Leader problem-focused interpersonal emotion management weakens the relationship between workplace loneliness and ego depletion and the indirect relationship between workplace loneliness and cyberloafing via ego depletion such that the above relationships are weak (versus strong) when leader problem-focused interpersonal emotion management is high (versus low).

Originality/value

The study results suggest that workplace loneliness is an important hidden danger that leads to cyberloafing because lonely employees suffer more from ego depletion. Leaders' interpersonal emotion management strategy serves as a potential buffer for such a negative effect.

Details

Internet Research, vol. 33 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1066-2243

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 September 2016

Vajiha Mozafary and Pedram Payvandy

The purpose of this paper is to conduct a survey on research in fabric and cloth simulation using mass spring model. Also in this paper some of the common methods in process of…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to conduct a survey on research in fabric and cloth simulation using mass spring model. Also in this paper some of the common methods in process of fabric simulation in mass spring model are discussed and compared.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reviews and compares presented mesh types in mass spring model, forces applied on model, super elastic effect and ways to settle the super elasticity problem, numerical integration methods for solving equations, collision detection and its response. Some of common methods in fabric simulation are compared to each other. And by using examples of fabric simulation, advantages and limitations of each technique are mentioned.

Findings

Mass spring method is a fast and flexible technique with high ability to simulate fabric behavior in real time with different environmental conditions. Mass spring model has more accuracy than geometrical models and also it is faster than other physical modeling.

Originality/value

In the edge of digital, fabric simulation technology has been considered into many fields. 3D fabric simulation is complex and its implementation requires knowledge in different fields such as textile engineering, computer engineering and mechanical engineering. Several methods have been presented for fabric simulation such as physical and geometrical models. Mass spring model, the typical physically based method, is one of the methods for fabric simulation which widely considered by researchers.

Details

International Journal of Clothing Science and Technology, vol. 28 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0955-6222

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 February 2022

Zheqing Gong, Shusen Cao, Zhibin Cai and Lijun Chen

There are three double bonds in the chemical structure of diallyl maleate. The purpose of this study is that the acrylate is modified with diallyl maleic anhydride to make the…

Abstract

Purpose

There are three double bonds in the chemical structure of diallyl maleate. The purpose of this study is that the acrylate is modified with diallyl maleic anhydride to make the propionate resin present a spatial network structure, thereby improving the performance of the acrylate resin.

Design/methodology/approach

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) and butyl acrylate(BA) were used as were used as main monomers. Diallyl maleate (DAM) was used as crosslinking monomer and dodecafluoroheptyl methacrylate (DFMA) was used as fluoromonomer. Potassium persulfate (KPS) was used as thermal decomposition initiator, sodium lauryl sulfate (AS) and sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDS) were used as anionic emulsifiers, and EFS-470 (Alkyl alcohol polyether type nonionic emulsifier) was a non-ionic emulsifier.

Findings

Through optimizing the reaction conditions, the uniform and stable latex is obtained. The polymer of structure was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and contact angle (CA) were tested on latex films. The particle size and distribution range of emulsion were tested with nano particle size analyzer.

Originality/value

The experimental results showed that the thermal decomposition temperature of the acrylic coating film increased by 20.56°C after modification. In addition, the effect of cross-linking density on the water contact angle of the fluorocarbon groups in DFMA when they migrate to the surface of the latex film during drying has been explored. The experimental results show that a higher degree of cross-linking will hinder the migration of fluorocarbon groups to the surface of the resin film.

Article
Publication date: 7 October 2014

Zhibin Lin and Dag Bennett

The purpose of this paper is to examine the construct of retail customer experience (CE) and its links to satisfaction and loyalty; and to test whether loyalty programmes perform…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the construct of retail customer experience (CE) and its links to satisfaction and loyalty; and to test whether loyalty programmes perform a moderating effect on those links.

Design/methodology/approach

A variety of retail attributes are integrated to develop a holistic CE construct using formative measures, with four in-built, differentiated replication studies conducted in the supermarket and department store sectors in China.

Findings

The empirical results confirm the model of CE’s impact on customer satisfaction and loyalty; but reveal that loyalty programmes perform an insignificant moderating role in enhancing the linkages in the model.

Research limitations/implications

Further studies may examine whether our findings hold true for each individual loyalty programme. The paper calls for more studies based on multiple, in-built, differentiated replication studies and measures to encourage publication of negative empirical results so as to ensure empirical generalization and self-correction in the literature.

Practical implications

Retail managers should focus attention on the design and delivery of great CE, without placing great reliance on loyalty programmes. Both cognitive and emotional attributes of retailing services should be considered for managing a holistic CE.

Originality/value

The paper examines a model of CE with loyalty programme as a possible moderator; it uses formative measures of CE, multiple in-built replications and reports negative empirical results, which are critical to the development of scientific progress in retail management research.

Details

International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, vol. 42 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-0552

Keywords

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