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Growing technology adoption is a significant opportunity for the growth of the mobile gaming market. Rising smartphones allow game developers to reach more players and make more money. The study offers guidance for mobile game developers to increase profits and extend the longevity of their games. It aims to assist in making better marketing policy decisions by providing valuable insights into effective approaches for both early and subsequent market penetration stages.

This paper presents a model for analyzing factors that influence the attraction and retention of mobile gamers, which is based on a literature review of mobile gaming and uses the Bass diffusion model and system dynamics method for modeling and simulation.

In the initial stages of a game release, influencer marketing can be more effective than other marketing tools in increasing visibility. As the game progresses, incorporating referral programs can enhance user engagement, promote the game further, and reduce the number of uninstalls. Influencer marketing can also help the games reach a wider audience, generating more interest, and increasing installations for more tremendous success in the market. However, referral programs can extend the lifespan of games, mainly when gamers are engaged.

The study used new marketing strategies in the mobile game industry to gain insights into the growth and evolution of this industry. Development managers can use insights for effective policies and success. The model aids in understanding the dynamics of mobile games and informed decisions for game developers.

Additive manufacturing became the most popular method as it enables the production of light-weight and high-density parts in effective way. Selective laser melting (SLM) is preferred by means of producing a component with good surface quality and near-net shape even if it has complex form. Titanium alloys have been extensively used in engineering covering a variety of sectors such as aeronautical, chemical, automotive and defense industry with its unique material properties. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to study the tribological behavior and surface integrity that reflects the thermal and mechanical performances of the fabricated parts.

This paper is focused on the tribological and surface integrity aspects of SLM-produced titanium alloy components. It is aimed to outline the effect of SLM process parameters on tribology and surface integrity first. Then, thermal, thermal heat, thermomechanical and postprocessing surface treatments such as peening, surface modification and coatings are highlighted in the light of literature review.

This work studied the effects of particle characteristics (e.g. size, shape, distributions, flowability and morphology) on tribological performance according to an extensive literature survey.

This study addresses this blind spot in existing industrial-academic knowledge and goals to determine the impact of SLM process parameters, posttreatments (especially peening operations) and particle characteristics on the SLMed Ti-based alloys, which are increasingly used in biomedical applications as well as other many applications ranging from automobile, aero, aviation, maritime, etc. This review paper is created with the intention of providing deep investigation on the important material characteristics of titanium alloy-based components, which can be useful for the several engineering sectors.

Potentially harmful elements (PHEs) in the soil at gold mining sites can endanger the health and sustainability of the local community. We examined the potential health risks associated with the presence of PHEs (Al, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Pb, Sb, Se and Ti) in the soils of active, closed/abandoned/former and profile gold mine sites in Ghana.

We collected 102 soil samples from these mine sites, analysed them for their total element contents and calculated the geo-accumulation index, enrichment factor, contamination factor and pollution load index (PLI) (Igeo). We calculated the risks to human health by utilizing the hazard index (HI) and hazard quotient (HQ) for adult males, adult females and children who may ingest contaminated soil particles.

The average total Cd concentration in the soils was above the global average of 0.2 mg/kg for abandoned (2.86 mg/kg), active (3.93 mg/kg) and profile (4.04 mg/kg) areas. Mercury was detected at elevated concentrations in the soil of active mines (0.92 mg/kg), profiles (0.89 mg/kg) and abandoned mines (0.87 mg/kg). In the active, abandoned and profile soils, titanium concentrations were 14.18, 6.74 and 4.82 mg/kg, respectively, in several folds above the global average of 0.57 mg/kg. The majority of the sites were contaminated with Cd, Hg and Ti based on the calculated PLI values (active = 2.04, abandoned = 1.77 and profile = 2.7). Cadmium, mercury, lead and titanium in mine spoils were found to be correlated with aluminium, iron, manganese, pH, total carbon, clay content and phosphorus in a multivariate analysis using correlation and principal component analysis.

Both natural and anthropogenic processes contributed to the elevated metal contents in the mining sites, as indicated by the investigation’s results. The children’s hazard index values exceeded the threshold of 1.0, indicating the presence of non-carcinogenic risks.

Green space technology (e.g. revegetation) may thus be critical for preserving public health and reviving the ecological integrity of the contaminated sites.

This study highlights health risks to local communities in southwest Ghana by investigating the presence of potentially harmful elements in soils from gold mining sites for the first time. It assesses non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks using a methodology recommended by the US Environmental Protection Agency for soil-to-human health risk assessment, especially for children. The study highlights how contamination has been found, making green space technology essential for preserving ecological integrity and protecting public health. The inclusion of geospatial distribution mapping of PTEs offers a visual depiction of the spread of contamination at both active and closed mining sites.

Adjusting professionally to new work roles in a foreign work environment can be a challenging and stressful experience for expatriates. However, whether this experience translates into counterproductive behaviour remains to be examined. Hence, drawing on organisational support theory (OST; Eisenberger et al., 1986), this study aims to investigate whether work adjustment mediates the effect of diversity-oriented leadership on psychological withdrawal behaviour. The authors also propose that the relationship between diversity-oriented leadership and psychological withdrawal behaviour (via work adjustment) is moderated by organisational-based self-esteem.

Dyadic data from 148 paired surveys of full-time expatriate employees and direct supervisors working in hotels were collected. Smart-PLS procedures with SEM were used to assess the research hypotheses.

Overall, the authors received empirical support for the mediation and moderated model. Contrary to the expectations, the authors demonstrate that diversity-oriented leadership has no significant direct effect on expatriate employees’ psychological withdrawal behaviours; however, this effect is significant only via the full mediation of work adjustment. This relationship appears stronger among expatriate employees who feel important and valued by their organisation (i.e. organisational-based self-esteem).

This research is valuable in various ways, including adding to the emerging literature on expatriate employees in the UAE, which heavily relies on such employees for economic growth. Furthermore, as many organisations are hiring a diverse workforce, diversity-oriented leadership is crucial in ensuring that culturally and demographically diverse employees remain productive and become valuable and significant members of the organisation.

This study aims to improve the lubrication performance of molybdenum disulfide powders at textured surface of cemented carbide materials, a squeeze motion of vibration assistance method was introduced and investigated.

Surface texture was fabricated on YT15 cemented carbide samples using a laser marking machine. After that, a tribological experiment was carried out on a self-built friction testing machine under different amplitude and frequency of squeeze motion conditions. Moreover, a simulation model was also established to verify the principle of squeeze motion on the lubrication performance improving of MoS₂ particles at textured interfaces.

Analysis results indicated that surface texture on test sample can increase the storage ability of solid lubrication particles, and the lubrication film at the contact interface is more easily formed due to the reciprocating action. Squeeze motion can improve the storage ability of it due to an intermittent contact, which provides an opportunity for MoS₂ particles infiltration, and then a more uniform distribution and load-bearing properties of force chain are also established and formed simultaneously. Thus, a better tribological performance at the contact interface is obtained.

The main contribution of this work is to provide a reference for the molybdenum disulfide powder lubrication with textured surface of cemented carbide materials.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-05-2024-0166/

This study quantitatively investigates the impacts of digital and learning orientations on supply chain resilience (SCR) and firm performance (FP), aiming to fill the gaps in understanding their specific impacts in the context of Industry 4.0 developments and supply chain disruptions.

This study utilized survey techniques and structural equation modelling (SEM) to gather and analyse data through a questionnaire based on a seven-point Likert scale. Hypotheses were formulated based on an extensive literature review and tested using Amos software.

The study confirms SCR’s significant impact on FP, aligning with existing research on resilience’s role in organizational competitiveness. This study uncovers the nuanced impacts of digital and learning orientations on SCR and FP. Internal digital orientation (DOI) positively impacts SCR, while external digital orientation (DOE) does not. Specific dimensions of learning orientation – shared vision (LOS), open-mindedness (LOO) and intraorganizational knowledge sharing (LOI) – enhance SCR, while commitment to learning (LOC) does not. SCR mediates the relationship between DOI and FP but not between DOE and FP.

This research focuses on digital and learning orientations, recommending that future studies investigate other strategic orientations and examine the specific contributions of various digital technologies to SCR across diverse contexts.

The empirical findings emphasize the significance of developing internal digital capabilities and specific learning orientations to enhance SCR and FP, aligning these initiatives with resilience strategies.

This study advances knowledge by distinguishing the impacts of internal and external digital orientations and specific learning dimensions on SCR and FP, offering nuanced insights and empirical validation.

This study aims to reexamine the moderating role of human capital on the effect of extended financial inclusion (FI) for entrepreneurship, using data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor for a sample of 42 countries from 2006 to 2017.

This study distinguished between actual and perceived human capital. Actual human capital was measured through formal education while perceived human capital was captured by self-perceived capabilities for business start-ups. The moderating role of human capital was captured by the interaction terms between FI and human capital to investigate how the effects of FI on entrepreneurship vary with levels of human capital. The estimation used the panel-corrected standard error estimators and the two-step system generalized method of moments estimators.

Higher levels of formal education decrease the positive effect of extended FI on entrepreneurial activities. Individuals with high levels of self-capability do not leverage FI for entrepreneurial activities as much as those with lower levels of perceived capability. The results are robust to different estimation methods and different forms of actual human capital.

Both financial and human capital matter for new business formation worldwide. The findings suggest that FI policies must account for the decreasing effect in response to high levels of human capital. Future research should explore different measures of entrepreneurial performance, various types of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship across gender groups to gain deeper insights into strategies for promoting entrepreneurship.

Education strategies should focus on specific types of education, such as entrepreneurship education with financial literacy, rather than traditional academic curriculum, to foster entrepreneurship knowledge, skills and creativity. Likewise, entrepreneurship support schemes should aim to nurture and share appropriate levels of self-efficacy, avoiding excessively high self-efficacy, which is deleterious to the benefits of FI for entrepreneurial activities.

This study offers novel evidence of the decreasing effects of FI on entrepreneurial activities in response to increased actual and perceived human capital.

Concrete workers perform physically demanding work in awkward postures, exposing their backs to musculoskeletal disorders. Back-support exoskeletons are promising ergonomic interventions designed to reduce the risks of back disorders. However, the suitability of exoskeletons for enhancing performance of concrete workers has not been largely explored. This study aims to assess a passive back-support exoskeleton for concrete work in terms of the impact on the body, usability and benefits of the exoskeleton, and potential design modifications.

Concrete workers performed work with a passive back-support exoskeleton. Subjective and qualitative measures were employed to capture their perception of the exoskeleton, at the middle and end of the work, in terms of discomfort to their body parts, ease of use, comfort, performance and safety of the exoskeleton, and their experience using the exoskeleton. These were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.

The exoskeleton reduced stress on the lower back but caused discomfort to other body parts. Significant correlations were observed between perceived discomfort and usability measures. Design modifications are needed to improve the compatibility of the exoskeleton with the existing safety gears, reduce discomfort at chest and thigh, and improve ease of use of the exoskeleton.

The study was conducted with eight concrete workers who used the exoskeleton for four hours.

This study contributes to existing knowledge on human-wearable robot interaction and provides suggestions for adapting exoskeleton designs for construction work.

This study aims to build on social comparison theory to develop a theoretical model of leader–member exchange (LMX) relationship to workplace ostracism through perceived organizational status by coworkers and envy. This study further proposes that warmth and competence may potentially moderate these two indirect effects.

This study tested the hypotheses in a battery manufacturing company located in South China by a survey of 216 employees organized in 55 work teams, using different sources. Additionally, the authors conduct two online vignette experiments to test this study’s mediation, proving the causality.

The authors found that high-level LMX leads to both envy and perceived organizational status by coworkers, which results in a mixed blessing on workplace ostracism toward the employee with high-level LMX. The focal employee’s warmth and competence moderate these indirect relationships.

The authors use LMX to explore antecedents of workplace ostracism and explain how and when these focal employees suffer workplace ostracism from their coworkers. The authors extend the research on LMX by examining the interpersonal risk of being a focal employee. The authors discover two critical boundary conditions – warmth and competence.

This study suggests that it is important to balance the level of the differential LMX; appropriately endorsing other members is a good way to avoid eliciting envy and opposition. Meanwhile, person-oriented citizenship behaviors such as demonstrations of concern or help may shortly build up an employee’s warm impression on their coworkers.

By discovering the bright and dark sides of LMX, this paper has the potential to advance theories on LMX and workplace ostracism. Therefore, the authors believe the current research will have an important impact on relevant research in the future.

Global business practices show that during periods of demand volatility, manufacturing firms often engage in asymmetric cost management (ACM), a behavior in which costs increase faster than they decrease when demand decreases by the same amount. However, whether managing asymmetric costs will enhance or impede firm resilience remains an open question. We aim to investigate the impact of ACM on firm resilience and its boundary conditions.

Using unbalanced panel data of 2,273 Chinese manufacturing listed companies from 2002 to 2021, we conduct an empirical analysis using a double fixed effects model.

Our findings reveal that ACM has a negative effect on firm resilience. This suggests that in coping with external environmental fluctuations, ACM fails to fulfill its expected role effectively. Instead, it manifests as a severe agency problem affecting firm resilience. Further, we find that managerial myopia and digitalization diminish the negative effect, while customer instability exacerbates it.

This study contributes to the literature on the organizational resilience of manufacturing firms by providing an in-depth understanding of cost management and emphasizing the need to consider agency issues carefully when managing asymmetric costs.