Search results
1 – 10 of over 361000This study aims to investigate the individual electrochemical transients arising from local anodic events on stainless steel, to uncover the potential mechanisms producing…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the individual electrochemical transients arising from local anodic events on stainless steel, to uncover the potential mechanisms producing different types of transients and to derive appropriate parameters indicative of the corrosion severity of such transient events.
Design/methodology/approach
An equivalent circuit model was used for the transient analysis, which was performed using a local current allocation rule based on the relative instant cathodic resistance of the coupled electrodes, as well as the kinetic parameters derived from the electrochemical polarization measurement.
Findings
The shape and size of the electrochemical current transients arising from SS 316 L were influenced by the film stability, local anodic dissolution kinetics and the symmetry of the cathodic kinetics between the coupled electrodes, where the ultralong transient might correspond to the propagation of film damage with a slow anodic dissolution rate. The dynamic cathodic resistance during the final stage of transient current growth can serve as a characteristic parameter that reflects the loss of passive film protection.
Originality/value
Estimation of the local anodic current trace opens a new way for individual electrochemical transient analysis associated with the charges involved, local current densities and changes in film resistance throughout localized corrosion processes.
Details
Keywords
Chong Zhang, Jiayi Xiang and Qifan Wen
Due to the harsh underground environment in coal mining, the surface of hydraulic support columns corrodes severely, resulting in significant economic losses. Therefore, a highly…
Abstract
Purpose
Due to the harsh underground environment in coal mining, the surface of hydraulic support columns corrodes severely, resulting in significant economic losses. Therefore, a highly corrosion-resistant coatings is needed to extend the service life of the columns.
Design/methodology/approach
This study aims to compare the corrosion resistance of ST-Cr3C2-NiCr (sealed treatment Cr3C2-NiCr) coatings with industrially applied chromium plating. The corrosion failure mechanism of the coatings was investigated.
Findings
The results demonstrated that the ST-Cr3C2-NiCr coatings exhibited excellent corrosion resistance. After sealing treatment, the corrosion potential of Cr3C2-NiCr coatings was −0.215 V, and the corrosion current density of Cr3C2-NiCr coatings was lower than that of the plated parts.
Practical implications
ST-Cr3C2-NiCr coatings prepared by supersonic atmospheric plasma spraying could provide excellent corrosion resistance in the coal industry.
Originality/value
The low porosity and the presence of the NiCr phase were crucial factors contributing to the preferable corrosion resistance exhibited by the ST-Cr3C2-NiCr coatings. The corrosive process of the coatings involved layer-by-layer delamination of surface oxide film, sub-surface pitting, formation and degradation of sub-surface passive film, as well as severe block-like delamination.
Details
Keywords
This study examined the reciprocal influence of demand learning and preference matching in the context of store brand customization. The demand-learning effect refers to the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examined the reciprocal influence of demand learning and preference matching in the context of store brand customization. The demand-learning effect refers to the collection of market demand information through production, based on pre-order demands, enabling retailers to accurately predict and allocate product quantities, thus improving inventory management. The preference-matching effect involves engaging consumers in the production and design processes of store brands to align fully with their preferences, thereby increasing the purchase impact of store brand products and promoting consumption.
Design/methodology/approach
We employ game-theoretic models to analyze a two-echelon supply chain consisting of a manufacturer and a retailer. The retailer offers both national brands, manufactured by the supplier and in-house store brands. To enhance their competitive edge, the retailer can adopt a customized strategy targeting the store brand to attract a wider consumer base.
Findings
The analysis reveals that, under low commission fees, the manufacturer consistently opts for high production quantities, irrespective of the level of demand uncertainty. However, when the perceived value of a store brand is low and demand uncertainty is either low or high, the retailer should choose a minimal or zero production quantity. The decision-making process is influenced by the customization process, wherein the effects of demand learning and preference matching occasionally mutually reinforce each other. Specifically, when the perceived value of a store brand is low, or the product cost is high, along with high customization costs, the interplay between demand learning and preference matching becomes mutually inhibiting. Consequently, the significance of store brand customization diminishes.
Originality/value
This study enhances the current body of knowledge by providing a deeper understanding of the theoretical value of store brand customization. In addition, it offers valuable decision-making support to enterprises by assisting them in selecting appropriate inventory and customization strategies.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this study is to evaluate and minimize the losses of alternating current (AC) in the winding of electrical machines. AC winding losses are frequently disregarded at…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to evaluate and minimize the losses of alternating current (AC) in the winding of electrical machines. AC winding losses are frequently disregarded at low frequencies, but they become a significant concern at high frequencies. This is the situation where applications require a high speed. The most significant applications in this category are electrical propulsion and drive systems.
Design/methodology/approach
An analytical model is used to predict the AC losses in the winding of electrical machines. The process involves dividing the slot into separate layers and then calculating the AC loss factor for each layer. The model aims to calculate AC losses for two different winding arrangements involving circular conductors. This application focuses on the stator winding of a permanent magnet synchronous motor that is specifically designed for electric vehicles. The model is integrated into an optimization process that makes use of the genetic algorithm method to minimize AC losses resulting from the arrangement of conductors within the slot.
Findings
This study and its findings demonstrate that the arrangement of the conductors within the slot has a comparable effect on the AC losses in the winding as the machine's geometric and physical properties. The effectiveness of electrical machines depends heavily on optimizing the arrangement of conductors in the slot to minimize AC winding losses.
Originality/value
The proposed strategy seeks to minimize AC winding losses in high-speed electric machines by providing a cost-effective and precise solution to improve energy efficiency.
Details
Keywords
Ankita Bisht and Sanjalee Maheshwari
The purpose of this article is to present a mathematical model for the fully developed flow of Bi-viscous Bingham nanofluid through a uniform-width anisotropic porous channel. The…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to present a mathematical model for the fully developed flow of Bi-viscous Bingham nanofluid through a uniform-width anisotropic porous channel. The model incorporates a generalized Brinkman-Darcy formulation for the porous layers while considering the motion of nanoparticles influenced by both Brownian diffusion and thermophoresis effects.
Design/methodology/approach
The similarity transformations derived through Lie group analysis are used to reduce the system from nonlinear partial differential equations to nonlinear ordinary differential equations. The finite difference method-based numerical routine bvp4c is employed to collect and graphically present the outcomes for velocity, temperature, and nanoparticle concentration profiles. The flow pattern is analyzed through streamlined plots. Furthermore, skin friction, heat, and mass transmission rates are investigated and presented via line plots.
Findings
It is observed that in anisotropic porous media, the temperature profile is stronger than in isotropic porous media. The thermal anisotropic parameter enhances the concentration profile while reducing the temperature.
Practical implications
Anisotropy arises in various industrial and natural systems due to factors such as preferred orientation or asymmetric geometry of fibers or grains. Hence, this study has applications in oil extraction processes, certain fibrous and biological materials, geological formations, and dendritic zones formed during the solidification of binary alloys.
Originality/value
1. The permeability and thermal conductivity are not constant; instead, they have different values in the x and y directions. 2. This study considers the dependency of thermophoresis on nanoparticle volume fraction and Brownian diffusion on the temperature in both the fluid flow equations and boundary conditions. 3. A novel similarity transformation is derived using Lie group analysis instead of using an existing transformation already available in the literature.
Details
Keywords
Siyuan Lyu, Shijing Niu, Jing Yuan and Zehui Zhan
Preservice teacher (PST) professional development programs are crucial for cultivating high-quality STEAM teachers of the future, significantly impacting the quality of regional…
Abstract
Purpose
Preservice teacher (PST) professional development programs are crucial for cultivating high-quality STEAM teachers of the future, significantly impacting the quality of regional STEAM education. The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, as a region of cross-border cooperation, integrates the resources and advantages of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, possessing rich cultural heritage and innovative capabilities. Transdisciplinary Education for Cultural Inheritance (C-STEAM) is an effective approach to promoting educational collaboration within the Greater Bay Area, facilitating the integration of both technological and humanities education. This study aims to develop a Technology-Enabled University-School-Enterprise (T-USE) collaborative education model and implement it in the Greater Bay Area, to explore its role as a support mechanism in professional development and its impact on C-STEAM PSTs' professional capital.
Design/methodology/approach
Adopting a qualitative methodology, the study interviewed PSTs who participated in a C-STEAM teacher education course under the T-USE model. Thematic coding is used to analyze their knowledge acquisition, interaction benefits with community members, and autonomous thinking and decision-making in theoretical learning and teaching practice.
Findings
The findings show that the T-USE model significantly enhanced the PSTs' human capital, including teaching beliefs, knowledge, and skills. In terms of social capital, PSTs benefited from collaboration with PST groups, university teaching teams, in-service teachers, and enterprises, though challenges such as varying levels of expertise among in-service teachers and occasional technical instability emerged. For decisional capital, the T-USE model provided opportunities for autonomous thinking and promoted teaching judgment skills through real teaching challenges and scenarios. Reflective practice activities also supported PSTs' professional growth.
Originality/value
This study reveals the effectiveness and internal mechanism of the T-USE model in C-STEAM PST training, offering significant theoretical and practical references for future PST education.
Details
Keywords
This study aims to develop a talent selection model for learning organizations capable of connecting two groups, candidates in a talent hiring process and managers of the hiring…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to develop a talent selection model for learning organizations capable of connecting two groups, candidates in a talent hiring process and managers of the hiring company, in a reliable process, promoting organizational learning and increasing employee satisfaction.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper integrates egalitarian principles, an artificial intelligence mechanism founded on stable matching algorithms, and evaluating critical soft skills to enhance recruitment practices within learning organizations. The authors conduct a numerical real-world application in Python to showcase the model’s effectiveness. Five candidates were evaluated for five job positions. Moreover, 26 soft skills were analyzed by the five company leaders, relating them to the requirements of each job position and by all candidates, as a self-assessment process.
Findings
The model promoted egalitarian talent management because it motivates the candidates to choose the preferred position in a company, and the employers hire the best candidate. It is satisfactory for all participants in a company’s hiring process if the parties intend to be fair and egalitarian. The benefits of the process can be considered isolated (parties’ satisfaction) or a part of a company’s effort to stimulate an egalitarian culture in organizational values.
Practical implications
The information generated by the model is used to refine its selection process and improve its understanding of the job requirements and candidate profiles of the company. The model supports this idea, using the concepts of indifference, stability, egalitarianism and the soft skills required and identified to be more effective and learn about themselves.
Social implications
This paper discusses an egalitarian point of view in the recruitment process. It is satisfactory for all participants in a company’s hiring process if the parties intend to be fair and egalitarian. The process’s benefits can be considered part of a company’s effort to stimulate an egalitarian culture in organizational values.
Originality/value
This paper brings an excellent future perspective and points to the company’s development of talent retention. The model simultaneously solves the evolution of talent management processes through new technologies and soft skills emerging in the postpandemic scenario.
Details
Keywords
Since smartphones became ubiquitous, online grocery and food purchases through take-away delivery platforms have steadily increased in China. Nevertheless, whether the development…
Abstract
Purpose
Since smartphones became ubiquitous, online grocery and food purchases through take-away delivery platforms have steadily increased in China. Nevertheless, whether the development of take-away delivery can ameliorate urban–rural wage inequality still requires further analysis. The purpose of this paper is to clarify whether this positive effect exists.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper makes estimations based on city and individual levels combining the Chinese Household Income Project (CHIP) 2008, CHIP 2013, CHIP2018 survey data and the take-away delivery site data. At the city level, the Oaxaca-Blinder (O-B) decomposition method is employed to construct wage inequality index of urban and rural labors. At the individual level, this paper analyzes urban–rural wage differentials with high or low formal education level.
Findings
The rapid establishment of take-away delivery sites has resulted in an increase of 52.425 yuan on average in the annual wage of rural labors with low formal education level. When the cumulative number of sites increases by 1 unit, the annual wage inequality index decreases by 0.007 on average. Labors with the characteristics of rural household registration and low education can enjoy more dividends. Through inter-/within-industry decomposition, this paper elaborates formal education, age and cross-industry transfer as the main factors for the improvement of urban–rural wage inequality. Narrowing effect of wage differences between different groups in multiple sample slices also contributes to the mechanism analyses.
Originality/value
To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is the first to analyze the impact of take-away delivery development on the urban–rural wage inequality from the perspective of the establishment of take-away delivery sites. This empirical study will enrich the existing theoretical perspectives on urban–rural divide under the emergence of new forms of employment. The results indicate that new forms of employment represented by take-away delivery can not only promote economic growth, but also eliminate urban–rural inequality.
Details
Keywords
Mahlagha Darvishmotevali, Hasan Evrim Arici and Mehmet Ali Koseoglu
Informed by trait and self-determination theories, the present study aims to extend the knowledge regarding the link between customer satisfaction (CS) and its antecedents…
Abstract
Purpose
Informed by trait and self-determination theories, the present study aims to extend the knowledge regarding the link between customer satisfaction (CS) and its antecedents, including job autonomy (JA), conscientiousness, customer uncertainty (CU) and extra-role customer service (E-RCS) in the hospitality industry.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 306 frontline employees were selected from the hotels in North Cyprus, Turkey. Psychometric properties, including the validity and reliability of study variables, were assessed in the first step using confirmatory factor analysis. Then, the data were analyzed utilizing machine learning methods, mainly three exploratory data mining techniques, including lasso regression, decision trees and random forest, as well as partial dependence plots to visualize the role of suggested predictors on the outcome variable.
Findings
Data mining analysis shows that employees who can modify their job objectives are better equipped to satisfy customers in uncertain situations (JA8). In addition, the findings reveal that employees who believe they work hard to accomplish their personal and organizational goals (CON7) while also having the freedom to decide how to approach their job (JA1) and choose the procedures to utilize (JA2) are more likely to contribute to CS. In general, CS peaked when JA was high, but conscientiousness was moderate, while CU was low.
Practical implications
This study bridges the gap among various factors at the employee and customer individual, corporate and macro-environmental levels. Hospitality organizations can cultivate a culture of autonomy and independence by promoting open communication and offering growth and development opportunities. This approach enhances conscientious employees’ engagement, leading to exceptional customer service performance, particularly, in uncertain situations.
Originality/value
From the methodology perspective, this work proposes an opportunity for prospective scientists to broaden the trait and self-determination theories research model by relying on the riches of exploratory techniques without the limits imposed by traditional analytical techniques. Further, this study advances the current knowledge about service agility under uncertainty by extending organizational and service management research to consumer behavior literature.
Details