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The purpose of the study is to examine the use of alternative information in bank lending to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Understanding alternative information and its use in bank lending to SMEs is important because it has become a growing part of the future of SME finance. The results and findings of my study not only enrich the finance literature but, more importantly, also address the use of Fintech in the risk management of SME lending, a new and complex problem that is specific to both the information technology and finance field.

To answer the research question, the author used a case study approach that relies upon qualitative data and analysis. By iterating between the existing literature, theoretical pieces and empirical findings, the author explain and interpret in detail how the use of alternative information impacts loan outcomes and develop insights to guide future research.

The case is outlined in two time periods including the prepartnership period and the postpartnership period. It highlights the establishment of a partnership between LoanBank and FintechInc (pseudonym), aimed at SME-focused Fintech lending. The findings underscore how the partnership has enabled a mutually beneficial situation where LoanBank and FintechInc leverage each other’s strengths to provide efficient and effective lending services. The adoption of alternative information in the risk management Fintech (RMF) platform of FintechInc has transformed LoanBank’s lending processes, showcasing how technological innovations can enhance SME lending practices.

The study’s originality mainly lies in the three detailed insights regarding alternative information’s impact on SME lending: information, platform properties and financial inclusion. The information part demonstrates that RMF platforms expand the information used for lending decisions, shifting from traditional hard and soft data to incorporating various alternative information sources. The platform properties part suggests that location, openness and technology also play a pivotal role in shaping lending outcomes. Finally, the financial inclusion part proposes that the use of alternative information has the potential to improve financial inclusion and offer better credit terms to previously underserved borrowers.

Drawing from resource orchestration theory, this research proposed an integrative model that leverages insights into counter resource constraints and uncertainty in start-up business model innovation (BMI). It investigated the influences of entrepreneurial networks and effectuation on BMI through bricolage in uncertain environments.

The research surveyed 481 start-ups in China. LISREL 8.80 and SPSS 22.0 were employed to test the validity and reliability of key variables, respectively. Additionally, hypotheses were examined through multiple linear regression.

First, entrepreneurial networks and effectuation were positively related to BMI, and combining these two factors improved BMI for start-ups. Second, bricolage contributed to BMI and played mediating roles in translating entrepreneurial networks and effectuation into BMI. Third, environmental uncertainty weakened the linkage between bricolage and BMI.

Future research should replicate the results in other countries because only start-ups in China were investigated in the study, and it is necessary to extend this research by gathering longitudinal data. This research emphasized the mediating effects of bricolage and the moderating influence of environmental uncertainty, and new potential mediating and moderating factors should be explored between resources and BMI.

There are three significant theoretical contributions. First, the findings enrich the literature on the complex antecedents of BMI by combining the impacts of entrepreneurial networks and effectuation. Second, an overarching framework is proposed explaining how bricolage (resource management) links entrepreneurial networks and effectuation and BMI. Third, it demonstrates the significance of environmental uncertainty in the bricolage–BMI linkage, deepening the understanding of the bricolage boundary condition.

This paper aims to explore blockchain integration strategies within a three-level livestock meat supply chain in which consumers have a preference for quality trust in livestock meat products. The paper investigates three questions: First, how does consumers’ preference for quality trust affect blockchain integration and transaction decisions among supply chain participants? Second, under what circumstances will retailers choose to participate in the blockchain? Finally, how can other factors such as blockchain costs and supplier–retailer partnership value affect integration decisions?

This paper formulates a supply chain network equilibrium model and employs the logarithmic-quadratic proximal prediction-correction method to obtain equilibrium decisions. Extensive numerical studies are conducted using a pork supply chain network to analyze the implications of blockchain integration for different supply chain participants.

The results reveal several key insights: First, suppliers’ increased blockchain integration, driven by higher quality trust preference, can negatively affect their profits, particularly, with excessive trust preferences and high blockchain costs. Second, an increase in consumers’ preference for quality trust expands the range of unit operating costs for retailers engaging in blockchain. Finally, the supplier–retailer partnership drives retailer blockchain participation, facilitating enhanced information sharing to benefit the entire supply chain.

This study provides original insights into blockchain integration strategies in an agricultural supply chain through the application of the supply chain network equilibrium model. The investigation of several key factors on equilibrium decisions provides important managerial implications for different supply chain participants to address consumers’ preference for quality trust and enhance overall supply chain performance.

We model the relation between excess returns, fund size and industry size for active equity funds.

We study and contrast four markets – global equities, emerging markets, Australia core and Australia small caps – and use the results to investigate the extent to which funds deviate from estimated capacity.

We uncover a significantly negative relation between returns and both fund size and industry size across all markets. The estimated percentage of funds operating above versus below capacity varies both across markets and over time, as does the role played by fund size versus industry size. We find a greater prevalence of funds operating significantly below than above capacity, in contrast to findings for US equity mutual funds. Significant deviations from estimated capacity persist for a median of between two and six quarters.

Our main contribution is to show that the dynamics governing deviations from capacity for active equity funds vary across markets.

The rise of interactive fitness games in the post-epidemic era has resulted in the need to establish a quality evaluation index system. This study aims to develop such a system and provide a reference for enhancing the quality of interactive fitness games.

To achieve this, interviews and questionnaires were conducted to identify the factors that influence the quality of interactive fitness games. The Kano model and SII (Satisfaction Increment Index)-Dissatisfaction Decrement Index (DDI) two-dimensional quadrant analysis were then used to explore differences in quality judgment between males and females, as well as their priorities for improving interactive fitness games.

The study revealed that males and females have different quality judgments for “rich and diverse content,” “motivational value,” “sensitive motion recognition detection” and “portability.” However, both genders share similar views on the other quality factors. In addition, the study identified differences in the priority of improvement between men and women. “Very interesting,” “effective fitness achievement,” “motivating fitness maintenance,” “sensitive motion recognition detection,” “portability” and “educational value” were found to be of higher priority for men than women.

These findings provide a valuable theoretical reference for developers and designers of interactive fitness games seeking to enhance the user experience.

Regular cable trench inspection is crucial, and robotics automation provides an efficient and safer alternative to manual labor. However, existing robots have limited capabilities in traversing obstacles and lack a mechanical arm for detecting cables and equipment. This study aims to develop an intelligent robot for cable trench inspection, enhancing obstacle-crossing abilities and incorporating a mechanical arm for inspection tasks.

This study presents an intelligent robot for cable trench inspection, featuring a six-degree-of-freedom mechanical arm mounted on a six-track chassis with four flippers. The robot's climbing and obstacle-crossing stability, as well as the motion range of the mechanical arm, are analyzed. The positioning, navigation and remote monitoring systems are developed. Experiments, including climbing and obstacle-crossing performance tests, along with navigation and positioning system tests, are conducted. Finally, the robot's practicability is verified through field testing.

Equipped with flipper tracks, the cable trench inspection robot can traverse obstacles up to 30 cm high and maintain stable locomotion on 30° slopes. Its navigation system enables autonomous operation, while the mechanical arm performs cable current detection tasks. The remote monitoring system provides comprehensive control of the robot and environmental parameter monitoring in cable trenches.

The front and rear flipper tracks enhance the robot's ability to traverse obstacles in cable trenches. The mechanical arm addresses cable current and equipment contact detection issues. The navigation and remote monitoring systems improve the robot's autonomous operation and environmental monitoring capabilities. Implementing this robot can advance the automation and intelligence of cable trench inspections.

The rapid development of e-commerce live streaming is inseparable from the important role of live-streamer. However, research exploring the impacts of live-streamers’ characteristics on customer engagement in different types of live streaming rooms remains limited. This study aims to examine the impacts of live-streamers’ characteristics (i.e. expertise, moral reputation, popularity, responsiveness) on consumer engagement in e-commerce live streaming, and verify whether there are differences in the impact of live-streamers’ characteristics on consumer experience for different types of live-streamers.

Data were gathered from 266 Chinese adults who have experience watching e-commerce live streaming. Partial least squares techniques were used to verify the model.

The results show that expertise, moral reputation, popularity, and responsiveness of live-streamers have positive impacts on consumer engagement through perceived trust and perceived pleasure. Moreover, through multi-group analysis, this study found that compared with enterprise live-streamers, the moral reputation of individual live-streamers exerts a stronger effect on consumers’ perceived trust, and the popularity of individual live-streamers exerts a stronger effect on consumers’ perceived pleasure. Compared with individual live-streamers, the responsiveness of enterprise live-streamers exerts a stronger effect on consumers’ perceived pleasure.

This study contributes to e-commerce live streaming research by categorizing live-streamers into two types: individual live-streamers and enterprise live-streamers, and verifying the specific difference in the impacts of live-streamers’ characteristics on consumer experience for the two types of live-streamers.

In this study, we propose a tetrahedral mesh generation and adaptive refinement method for multi-chamber, multi-facet, multiscale and surface-solid mesh coupling with extremely thin layers, solving the two challenges of mesh generation and refinement in current electromagnetic simulation models.

Utilizing innovative topology transformation techniques, high-precision intersection judgment algorithms and highly reliable boundary recovery algorithms to reduce the number of Steiner locking points. The feasible space for the reposition of Steiner points is determined by using the linear programming. During mesh refinement, an edge-split method based on geometric center and boundary facets node size is devised. Solving the problem of difficult insertion of nodes in narrow geometric spaces, capable of filtering the longest and boundary edges of tetrahedrons, refining the mesh layer by layer through multiple iterations, and achieving collaborative optimization of surface and tetrahedral mesh. Simultaneously, utilizing a surface-facet preserving mesh topology optimization algorithm to improve the fit degree between the mesh and geometry.

Initial mesh generation for electromagnetic models, compared to commercial software, the method proposed in this paper has a higher pass rate and better mesh quality. For the adaptive refinement performance of high-frequency computing, this method can generate an average of 50% fewer meshes compared to commercial software while meeting simulation accuracy.

This paper proposes a complete set of mesh generation and adaptive refinement theories and methods designed for the structural characteristics of electromagnetic simulation models, which meet the needs of real-world industrial applications.

Gamification is a strategic approach employed by practitioners to foster meaningful engagement and enhance the acceptance of recommendations. Gamification affordances (e.g. achievement, self-expression, interaction, and cooperation) catalyze significant psychological processes in consumers, leading to behavioral changes. Despite its application, a gap remains in understanding how these gamification affordances in e-commerce contexts impact customers' perceived values and drive recommendation acceptances.

Employing affordance theory and perceived value theory as our foundation, we have crafted a comprehensive framework that addresses the multifaceted nature of e-commerce gamification, thereby unifying the fragmented knowledge in this area. We implemented a quantitative research design to empirically test the proposed model.

The research reveals that the four principal affordances of gamification – achievement, self-expression, interaction, and cooperation – significantly enrich consumer values across hedonic, utilitarian, and social dimensions. This enrichment facilitates an increased propensity for accepting recommendations.

This study provides a novel lens through which to view the influence of gamification affordances on recommendation acceptance within gamified e-commerce settings. It delineates the effects of each affordance on consumers' perceived value and highlights the pivotal affordances that shape gamified e-commerce experiences. These insights yield actionable strategies for practitioners aiming to refine e-commerce gamification designs and cultivate more engaging consumer interactions.

The motivation of value co-creation among the multi-actor in sharing economy was an important topic in interactive marketing communication research. This study investigated how customer gratitude expression leads to value co-creation of PSPs in the sharing economy, and also investigates the moderating effect of platform benevolent climate.

A three-wave field survey (Study 1) and two experiments (Studies 2 and 3) were given to respondents with sharing economy practitioners.

First, customer gratitude expression positively influenced PSP's perceived meaningful work, which in turn enhanced their value co-creation intention. Second, PSP's perceived platform benevolent climate moderated the relationship between customer gratitude expression and PSP's perceived meaningful work.

Prior research discussed PSPs' value co-creation intention mainly from the perspective of platforms and PSPs, but few considered customer-PSP interaction perspective. This study revealed how customer gratitude expression influences PSP's value co-creation intention in highly interactive digital business context, examined the boundary condition of gratitude expression, and extended the application scenarios of social information processing theory.