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This study’s aim is to introduce a high-performance sorbent for the removal of both anionic (Congo red; CR) and cationic (methylene blue; MB) dyes from aqueous solutions.

Sodium silicate is adopted as a substrate for GO and AgNPs with positive charge are used as modifiers. The synthesized nanocomposite is characterized by FTIR, FESEM, EDS, BET and XRD techniques. Then, some of the most effective parameters on the removal of CR and MB dyes such as solution pH, sorbent dose, adsorption equilibrium time, primary dye concentration and salt effect are optimized using the spectrophotometry technique.

The authors successfully achieved notable maximum adsorption capacities (Qmax) of CR and MB, which were 41.15 and 37.04 mg g⁻¹, respectively. The required equilibrium times for maximum efficiency of the developed sorbent were 10 and 15 min for CR and MB dyes, respectively. Adsorption equilibrium data present a good correlation with Langmuir isotherm, with a correlation coefficient of R2 = 0.9924 for CR and R2 = 0.9904 for MB, and kinetic studies prove that the dye adsorption process follows pseudo second-order models (CR R2 = 0.9986 and MB R2 = 0.9967).

The results showed that the proposed mechanism for the function of the developed sorbent in dye adsorption was based on physical and multilayer adsorption for both dyes onto the active sites of non-homogeneous sorbent.

The as-prepared nano-adsorbent has a high ability to remove both cationic and anionic dyes; moreover, to the high efficiency of the adsorbent, it has been tried to make its synthesis steps as simple as possible using inexpensive and available materials.

The present research aims to explore the drivers of generative artificial intelligence (GEN AI)-based innovation adoption in the hospitality industry in Jordan.

To address the research gap and achieve the research work objectives, the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) lens and the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach were employed to analyze the sample data collected (n = 221) from the hospitality industry.

The findings indicate that relative advantage, top management support, organizational readiness, organizational culture, competitive pressures, government regulations support and vendor support significantly influence the GEN-AI-based innovation adoption, while the technological complexity is negatively associated with GEN-AI-based innovation adoption. Furthermore, the results showed there is no significant effect of cost on GEN-AI-based innovation adoption.

The paper analyses the TOE framework in a new technological setting. The paper also provides information about how GEN-AI-based innovation adoption may influence hospitality industry performance. Overall, this article provides new insights into the literature concerning AI technologies and through the TOE lens.

Along with the development of the robotics industry, service robots have been gradually used in the hospitality industry. Nevertheless, service robot categorization and the fulfillment of the cognitive and emotional needs of consumers by hotel service robots have yet to be fully explored. Hence, the purpose of this study are to categorize hotel service robots, to explore consumers’ robot hotel experience, to identify the consumers’ preference of hotel service robot in general, to reveal consumers’ preference for hotel service robots based on their fulfillment of emotional needs and to examine the completion of cognitive–analytical and emotional–social tasks.

Through in-depth interviews with technology managers and questionnaire survey among consumers who have and have not had robot hotel stay experience to achieve the aforementioned research objectives.

Findings of in-depth interviews show that service robots can be categorized as check-in/out robots, artificial intelligence (AI) robots and service delivery robots. Results of questionnaire survey indicate that consumers prefer non-humanoid robots (n = 213, p = 47.87%) among check-in/out robots, the Xiaodu Smart Display (n = 163, p = 36. 63%) among the AI robots and the machine-shaped robot porter (I) (n = 178, p = 40.00%) among the service delivery robots.

This study provides implications, such as the adoption of robot-shaped AI with a screen display, to hotel managers to meet the needs of consumers regarding the completion of cognitive–analytical and emotional–social tasks of robots.

This study extends uncanny valley theory by identifying preference for the shape and functions of different categories of service robots and contributes to the limited literature on hotel robots.

This study aims to investigate guests’ experience and perceptions in smart hotels, with a primary focus on the human−robot experience.

Utilizing a thematic analysis using the inductive-deductive approach, 546 reviews from Chinese smart hospitality guests, sourced from Ctrip, were examined.

This study identified five highest-level categories reflecting guests’ perceptions of smart hotels service with themes and subthemes of utilitarian gratification (smart servicescape and smart service quality), sensual gratification (novelty and coolness), social gratification (social presence and social interaction), experiential gratification (functional and emotional experiential value) and satisfaction.

This research enriches the current understanding of guests’ experience within smart hotels, focusing on the human−robot interaction. The findings offer insightful implications for the enhancement of smart hotels, specifically in terms of smart facility offerings, service delivery and overall customer experience.

本研究旨在调查顾客在智能酒店的体验和感知, 重点关注人机交互体验。

利用归纳-演绎方法进行主题分析, 对来自携程网的546份中国智能酒店客人评论进行了审查。

本研究确定了五个最高级别的类别, 反映了客人对智能酒店服务的感知, 涵盖了实用满足（智能服务环境和智能服务质量）、感官满足（新奇和酷炫）、社交满足（社交存在和社交互动）、体验满足（功能性和情感体验价值）和满意度的主题和子主题。

这项研究丰富了对智能酒店客人体验的当前理解, 重点关注人机交互。研究结果为智能酒店的提升提供了深刻的启示, 特别是在智能设施提供、服务交付和整体客户体验方面。

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of political relations on trade in strategic emerging industries (SEIs) in the Belt and Road initiative (BRI) associated countries. This investigation encompasses not only from the perspective of bilateral political relations but also the political intervention of third parties.

The study employs the temporal exponential random graphmodel to analyze the dynamic structure and influencing factor of SEIs trade network among 150 BRI-associated countries from 2015 to 2020.

The results indicate that the trade of SEIs in the BRI-associated countries exhibits a pattern of concentrated exporters and decentralized importers. Amicable bilateral political relations foster trade cooperations in SEIs, while political pressure from the United States has the opposite effect. Furthermore, compared with the influence of third parties, the BRI has created a more robust trade environment characterized by political mutual trust.

BRI-associated countries should strengthen their political communication, and endeavor to transform political consensus and shared vision into concrete collaborative projects, while mitigating geopolitical uncertainties through a sound risk evaluation system. Moreover, they should establish a more transparent and consistent consultation mechanism and leverage the BRI trade network to foster balanced and mutually beneficial partnerships that minimize rivalry and dependence on a single market.

This study goes beyond observed trade cost and incorporates the political factor into the determinants of the BRI trade, thereby expanding the theoretical boundaries of existing BRI research. Also, this study employs bilateral trade data to construct SEIs trade networks (SEITNs) along the BRI route. It provides a comprehensive understanding of the dynamic determinates of the SEITNs will provide valuable practical guidance for enhancing and expanding trade and cooperation among BRI-associated countries.

This paper aims to compare and analyze the effect of the dual-credit policy and product substitution rate on the automakers’ operational strategies under different production modes (e.g. centralized and independent), and further illustrate which production mode is more conducive to improving new energy vehicle (NEV) development.

The decision-making models for a centralized production mode where an integrated automaker produces both NEVs and fuel vehicles (FVs) and for independent production mode where an NEV automaker faces competition from a traditional FV automaker were formulated. The equilibrium solutions of each production mode were obtained by extreme value and game theory methods. The conclusions of the theoretical analysis were further verified with numerical analyses using IBM-MATLAB R2019a. Some management insights could be obtained by comparison analysis.

Under the dual-credit policy, an increase in the NEV credit trading price will always raise production quantity of NEVs, but only in an independent production mode where a higher trading price will also bring higher total profits to NEV automakers. In addition, only when the NEV credit trading price is high enough, a rising product substitution rate will be more favorable to NEV production and restrain FV production. Furthermore, an independent production mode is more favorable for the initial production of NEVs, but as each of the two vehicle types captures a certain amount of market share, a centralized production mode will be more conducive to the full replacement of FVs by NEVs.

The main contributions of this study include the formulation of decision-making models for FVs and NEVs in not only a centralized production mode but also an independent production mode. Moreover, this paper comprehensively analyzes how the dual-credit policy and product substitution relationship affect automakers’ production and pricing decisions. Then, the specific conditions under which each production mode is more conducive to NEV production and sales are summarized. The results proposed in this study provide scientific managerial insights for automakers and policy makers.

This paper investigates the dual interactive effects of manufacturer encroachment on the supply chain and retailer provision of retail services.

Consider a supply chain dominated by manufacturers, retailers, and e-commerce platforms, with the manufacturers selling the same product online and offline. Utilizing Stackelberg’s game theory, examples of wholesale and retail prices and profits of participants in the supply chain under different channels are analyzed. An effective encroachment strategy for manufacturers facing different retail service investment strategies of traditional retailers is given.

When traditional retailers do not invest in retail services, they will lose more profit due to competition with the manufacturer. At this time, the retailer does not want the manufacturer to encroach. The traditional retailer’s investment in retail services will enhance its and the manufacturer’s profits, incentivizing the manufacturer to pursue an aggressive expansion strategy.

(1) Considers a situation where the selling efficiency of the manufacturer is lower than that of the traditional retailer. (2) The interaction between traditional retailers’ retail service investment strategies and manufacturers’ encroachment strategies is investigated where the manufacturer is the dominant player. The three modes of online direct sales, resale, and third-party platform agency are compared to provide a basis for decision-making on different types of manufacturers’ encroachment. (3) Offline retail services not only directly increase sales in the offline market but also indirectly have a negative effect on the online market.

This study aims to investigate the affordances of service robots (SRs) in hotels and their effects on frontline employees (FLEs).

Purposive and referral samplings methods were used to conduct 28 semistructured interviews with hotel FLEs, and the transcribed manuscript was analyzed based on grounded theory.

The study identifies six dimensions of SR affordances: physical, sensory, task, safety, social and emotional affordances. The main effects of SR affordances on FLEs involve reducing work stress and mental fatigue and increasing positive emotions in the psychological aspects of FLEs. In terms of behavioral aspects, shifts in task priorities and enhancements in SR usage behaviors were observed. Accordingly, a mechanistic framework was revealed through which SR affordances influence FLEs via direct and indirect interactions between FLEs and SRs.

This paper expands robotics research from a supply-side perspective and is one of the few studies to investigate SR affordances in the field of hospitality research. Findings of this study provide practical guidelines for designing and implementing SRs to support hotel FLEs in their daily work.

本研究旨在调查酒店中服务机器人（SR）的可供性及其对一线员工（FLEs）的影响。

本研究采用目的性和推荐抽样方法, 对酒店一线员工进行了28次半结构化访谈, 并根据扎根理论对转录的手稿进行了分析。

本研究确定了服务机器人的六个可供性维度：物理、感官、任务、安全、社会和情感可供性。服务机器人可供性对一线员工的主要影响包括减少工作压力和心理疲劳, 以及在心理方面增加积极情绪。在行为方面, 观察到任务优先级的变化和服务机器人使用行为的增强。因此, 研究揭示了一种机制框架, 通过一线员工与服务机器人的直接和间接互动, 服务机器人可供性影响一线员工。

本文从供给侧视角扩展了机器人研究, 是少数几篇研究酒店业中服务机器人可供性的研究之一。本研究结果为设计和实施服务机器人以支持酒店一线员工的日常工作提供了实践指南。

This study explores how customers' individual characteristics and perceptions affect acceptance of service robots as a hotel workforce. The Interactive Technology Acceptance Model (iTAM) has inspired us to investigate effects of customers' technological self-efficacy, perceived interactivity, sense of utility, and enjoyment-level of acceptance related to hotel-service robots as staff.

Data were collected from 224 customers via an online questionnaire conducted in the period April–June 2022 by convenience sampling, and then analyzed by using partial least squares – structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

The findings show that customers' technological self-efficacy and perceived interactivity with service robots enhances perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment, serving as functional and emotional value components of service robots. They also demonstrate that robot's interactivity outweighs other robot's value components, such as perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment for acceptance of service robots as employees in hotels.

While empirically validating the iTAM, this study emphasizes service robot interactivity as the most important aspect for customers' acceptance, and it adds a new perspective regarding the underexplored role of the customer-robot interface. Combining specific dimensions from different technology acceptance models (functional/socio-emotional/relational; utilitarian/hedonic) the study contributes to the service robot literature currently missing a more holistic understanding of consumers' experience and adoption drivers, and it provides managerial guidance on how to successfully implement service robots in hotel environments.

This study aims to optimize the preparation conditions and modify the nanofiltration (NF) membranes to prepare high-performance polysulfone/sulfonated polysulfone composite nanofiltration (PSF/SPSF-NF) membranes through interfacial polymerization.

Investigating the impacts of anhydrous piperazine (PIP) concentration, trimesoyl chloride (TMC) concentration and basement membrane type on NF membrane performance, the optimal membrane was prepared. In addition, nano-SiO₂ was added to the active separation layer to modify the NF membranes.

The comprehensive performance of PSF/SPSF-NF membranes was optimized when the concentration of PIP was 0.75 Wt.% and the concentration of TMC was 0.15 Wt.%, at which time the water flux was 66.1 L·m⁻²·h⁻¹ and the retention rate of Na₂SO₄ was 98.1%. The comprehensive performance of polysulfone/sulfonated polysulfone-SiO₂ nanofiltration (PSF/SPSF-SiO₂-NF) membranes was optimized when the blending ratio of nano-SiO₂ to PIP was 2:3, with a pure water flux of 81.9 L·m⁻²·h⁻¹ and a Na₂SO₄ retention rate of 95.9%. Compared to polysulfone nanofiltration (PSF-NF) membranes and PSF/SPSF-NF membranes, NF membranes with nano-SiO₂ increased the flux recovery rate by 22.9% and 8.7%.

PSF/SPSF-SiO2-NF membrane exhibits excellent antifouling properties.

There is currently no literature available on the preparation of NF membranes using polysulfone/sulfonated polysulfone (PSF/SPFS) as a substrate. This provides a method for modifying NF membranes, starting with the modification of the basement membrane and then modifying the active separation layer.