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Drawing upon social information processing theory, this study investigates the correlation between self-serving leadership and employee expediency. It also explores the mediating effect of self-interest motivation and the moderating effect of trait mindfulness.

A total of 147 part-time MBA students were enlisted to participate in a scenario experiment (Study 1), and 291 valid employee questionnaires were collected through a multiple-time point survey (Study 2). SPSS 23.0, MPLUS 8.0 and PROCESS programs were used to analyze the data and test the hypotheses.

Study 1 illustrated a positive correlation between self-serving leadership and employee expediency. It also identified self-interest motivation as a mediating factor in the correlation between self-serving leadership and expediency. Study 2 replicated the results obtained in Study 1 and expanded upon them by demonstrating that trait mindfulness moderates the association between self-serving leadership and self-interest motivation. Additionally, trait mindfulness moderates the indirect effect of self-serving leadership on expediency.

This research argues that organizations should take steps to prevent self-serving leadership in order to reduce employee expediency. Furthermore, it is advisable to provide ethics training to employees who exhibit high trait mindfulness, as they show increased sensitivity to self-serving leadership and are more likely to engage in unethical behavior.

This study expands the existing research on the ethical outcomes of self-serving leadership and contributes to a deeper understanding of the negative aspects of trait mindfulness.

This paper aims to study the issues of output reachable set estimation for the linear singular Markovian jump systems (SMJSs) with time-varying delay based on a proportional plus derivative (PD) bumpless transfer (BT) output feedback (OF) control scheme.

To begin with, a sufficient criterion is given in the form of a linear matrix inequality based on the Lyapunov stability theory. Then, a PD-BT OF controller is designed to keep all the output signs of the system are maintain within a predetermined ellipsoid. Finally, numerical and practical examples are used to demonstrate the efficiency of the approach.

Based on PD control and BT control method, an OF control strategy for the linear SMJSs with time-varying delay is proposed.

The output reachable set synthesis of linear SMJSs with time-varying delay can be solved by using the proposed approach. Besides, to obtain more general results, the restrictive assumptions of some parameters are removed. Furthermore, a sufficiently small ellipsoid can be obtained by the design scheme adopted in this paper, which reduces the conservatism of the existing results.

This paper aims to examine the optimal promotion strategy of an e-retailer, who may advertise, or launch rebates initiative to encourage consumers' disseminating electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) messages, with an aim to boost product sales.

This paper analyzes the decisions of the e-retailer in a two-period model, using utility function approach and backward induction method, and obtains the optimal solutions in four promotion strategies.

The study finds that rebate scheme greatly impacts the timing of advertising, and neither lower nor higher consumers' eWOM effort invariably benefits the retailer, rather, a medium level is the best choice for the retailer. When eWOM impact power is at a relatively high level, it can supplement advertising effect to attract more consumers' purchase. Otherwise, eWOM may counteract the role of advertising.

Different from the extant literature focusing on advertising or eWOM without rebates, the paper studies the issue of advertising and eWOM with rebates in two- period model which seldom addresses before the authors examine the optimal timing of advertising and eWOM with/without rebates in four promotion strategies i.e. the A-NE model the NE-A model the A-ER model and the ER-A model.

The link between interlocking directors and mergers and acquisitions (M&A) efficiency has been analyzed in an information asymmetry environment. Despite an abundance of evidence highlighting that interlocking directors do contribute to M&A efficiency in an acquirer-target binary relationship, the target is embedded in a complex network of supplier-customer relationships, which implies that the acquirer needs to consider the value of suppliers, distributors and retailers in the target’s supply chain in improving M&A efficiency. Through the lenses of acquirer-target multivariate relationships, this paper aims to examine how directors with supply chain experience (DSCs) act as heterogeneous network pipes to affect M&A efficiency.

Using a sample of 311 A-share listed firms on the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges in China during 2011–2020, this paper investigates the relationship between DSCs and M&A efficiency by using ordinary least squares (OLS) regression.

Through empirical research, we verify a negative relationship between DSCs and M&A duration and an inverted U-shaped relationship between both DSCs and M&A performance, revealing the complexity of the relationship between experience and efficiency. Furthermore, drawing on upper echelon theory, the information value of DSCs will be greatly reduced when executives have overconfident psychological characteristics, which are mainly shown to negatively moderate the relationship between DSCs and M&A performance. We also conduct multiple robustness tests and supplemental analyses to illustrate the robustness and boundaries of our findings. Finally, DSCs are likely more important in environments among growth and mature firms as well as high-growth industries.

We break through the assumption that interlocking directors contribute to M&A efficiency in an acquirer-target binary relationship and examine the impact of DSCs on M&A efficiency based on micro-empirical evidence from the value of target-related upstream or downstream industries, which extends the connotation of interlocking directors and enriches the study related to factors influencing M&A efficiency.

This study aims to investigate the effect of V doping on the microstructure, chemical stability, mechanical and vacuum tribological behavior of sputtered MoS₂ coatings.

The MoS₂-V coatings are fabricated via tuning V target current by magnetron sputtering technique. The structural characteristic and elemental content of the coatings are measured by field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometer, electron probe X-ray micro-analyzer, Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscope and energy dispersive spectrometer. The hardness of the deposited coatings are tested by a nanoindentation technique. The vacuum tribological properties of MoS₂-V coatings are studied by a ball-on-disc tribometer.

Introducing V into the MoS₂ coatings results in a more compact microstructure. The hardness of the coatings increases with the doping of V. The MoS₂-V coating deposited at a current of 0.2 A obtains the lowest friction coefficient (0.043) under vacuum. As the amount of V doping increases, the wear rate of the coating decreases first and then increases, among which the coating deposited at a current of 0.5 A has the lowest wear rate of 2.2 × 10–6 mm³/N·m.

This work elucidates the role of V doping on the lubrication mechanism of MoS₂ coatings in a vacuum environment, and the MoS₂-V coating is expected to be applied as a solid lubricant in space environment.

This paper aims to evaluate the dynamic performance of hybrid roller bearings under lubricant contamination.

Some steel rollers in traditional cylindrical thrust roller bearings were replaced with ceramic rollers to assemble hybrid roller bearings. Friction experiments were conducted under lubricant contamination using alumina as the contaminant, and simultaneous vibration acceleration signals from the bearings were collected to evaluate their tribological and dynamic performance.

Under lubricant contamination, hybrid roller bearings with a sufficient number of ceramic rollers exhibit greater wear resistance compared to traditional all-steel bearings. There is a noticeable suppression of energy in both tangential and normal frequency bands of the bearings, with more pronounced suppression observed in higher frequency bands.

This study provides valuable insights for the development of hybrid ceramic bearings.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-08-2024-0291/

This paper aims to explore how leader career calling stimulates employee career growth, with the supervisor–subordinate guanxi serving as a moderating factor.

Study 1 demonstrated that high leader career calling served as a catalyst for employee career crafting. The experiment provided causal evidence for the relationship between these two constructs, exhibiting strong internal validity. However, due to the challenges in measuring supervisor–subordinate guanxi and career growth within the context of a scenario experiment, Study 2 was designed to test the entire model and enhance the external validity of the findings.

Leader career calling significantly predicts employee career growth, while employee career crafting serves as a mediating mechanism in the relationship between leader career calling and employee career growth. Moreover, supervisor–subordinate guanxi positively moderates the relationship between leader career calling and employee career crafting. Furthermore, the mediating effect of employee career crafting in the relationship between leader career calling and employee career growth is contingent upon the quality of supervisor–subordinate guanxi. This study sheds light on the role of leader career calling in employee career growth and provides insights into the mechanisms facilitating employee career growth.

Firstly, it explores leader-to-employee career calling transmission, extending the career calling study beyond individual impacts. It emphasizes how leaders' work attitudes shape employee career growth. Secondly, it reveals career crafting as a mediator between leader career calling and employee career growth, identifying a new influence mechanism and expanding upon the primarily job crafting-focused existing literature. Lastly, it identifies supervisor–subordinate guanxi quality as a moderator in the leader career calling-employee career crafting relationship. This perspective enriches career calling research, illustrating how specific conditions stimulate career crafting.

This study delineates the effect of cover thickness on reinforced concrete (RC) columns and beams under an elevated fire scenario. Columns and beams are important load-carrying structural members of buildings. Under all circumstances, the columns and beams were set to be free from damage to avoid structural failure. Under the high-temperature scenario, the RC element may fail because of the material deterioration that occurs owing to the thermal effect. This study attempts to determine the optimum cover thickness for beams and columns under extreme loads and fire conditions.

Cover thicknesses of 30, 40, 45, 50, 60 and 70 mm for the columns and 10, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 50, 60 and 70 mm for the beams were adopted in this study. Both steady-state and transient-state conditions under thermomechanical analysis were performed using the finite element method to determine the heat transfer through the RC section and to determine the effect of thermal stresses.

The results show that the RC elements have a greater influence on the additional cover thickness at extreme temperatures and higher load ratios than at the service stages. The safe limits of the structural members were obtained under the combined effects of elevated temperatures and structural loads. The results also indicate that the compression members have a better thermal performance than the flexural members.

Numerical investigations concerning the high-temperature behavior of structural elements are useful. The lack of an experimental setup encourages researchers to perform numerical investigations. In this study, the finite element models were validated with existing finite element models and experimental results.

The obtained safe limit for the structural members could help to understand their resistance to fire in a real-time scenario. From the safe limit, a suitable design can be preferred while designing the structural members. This could probably save the structure from collapse.

There is a lack of both numerical and experimental research works. In numerical modeling, the research works found in the literature had difficulties in developing a numerical model that satisfactorily represents the structural members under fire, not being able to adequately understand their behavior at high temperatures. None of them considered the influence of the cover thickness under extreme fire and loading conditions. In this paper, this influence was evaluated and discussed.

This study aims to understand how the assembly of rotating ring affects the axial forced vibration of gas face seals.

A three-mass kinematic model is established to investigate the axial movement of the rotating ring with bilateral constraints. The separation, collision and frictional sliding of the rotating ring in sleeve are discussed under rotor excitation. The effects of operating parameters and O-ring dynamic characteristics on the separation degree and film thickness disturbance are analyzed. A dimensionless axial characteristic force is defined to determine the critical conditions for the occurrence of separation. Several effective methods to eliminate the separation are proposed based on the adjustment of typical installation parameters.

Under rotor excitation, there may be two collisions between the rotating ring and the sleeve surfaces in one excitation period. This will cause self-excited vibration of the fluid film, increasing the risk of seal failure. The separation and collision can be prevented by increasing the equilibrium ratio, the installation radius of the O-ring on the outer surface of the rotating ring and the friction in the sleeve.

The results develop the modeling of multibody dynamics of gas face seals, enabling more accurate prediction of vibration characteristics.

Existing Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) algorithms have been relatively well developed. However, when in complex dynamic environments, the movement of the dynamic points on the dynamic objects in the image in the mapping can have an impact on the observation of the system, and thus there will be biases and errors in the position estimation and the creation of map points. The aim of this paper is to achieve more accurate accuracy in SLAM algorithms compared to traditional methods through semantic approaches.

In this paper, the semantic segmentation of dynamic objects is realized based on U-Net semantic segmentation network, followed by motion consistency detection through motion detection method to determine whether the segmented objects are moving in the current scene or not, and combined with the motion compensation method to eliminate dynamic points and compensate for the current local image, so as to make the system robust.

Experiments comparing the effect of detecting dynamic points and removing outliers are conducted on a dynamic data set of Technische Universität München, and the results show that the absolute trajectory accuracy of this paper's method is significantly improved compared with ORB-SLAM3 and DS-SLAM.

In this paper, in the semantic segmentation network part, the segmentation mask is combined with the method of dynamic point detection, elimination and compensation, which reduces the influence of dynamic objects, thus effectively improving the accuracy of localization in dynamic environments.