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1 – 10 of 101Tao Chen, Tiancheng Shang, Rongxiao Yan and Kang He
The study explores how mobile governance affects the administrative burden on older adults, focusing on learning, psychological and compliance costs.
Abstract
Purpose
The study explores how mobile governance affects the administrative burden on older adults, focusing on learning, psychological and compliance costs.
Design/methodology/approach
Using attribution theory, the research employs a quantitative research design, utilizing surveys to gather data from 516 older adults across three cities in China: Quzhou, Wuhan and Shanghai. The study examines how intrinsic factors and extrinsic factors of m-government interfaces impact older adults’ administrative burden.
Findings
Perceived complexity increases learning, psychological and compliance costs for older adults. Personalization and high-quality information decrease these costs, enhancing user satisfaction. Visual appeal decreases anxiety and psychological costs.
Originality/value
This research links attribution theory with m-government’s administrative burden on older adults, offering new insights into optimizing m-government to serve older adults better.
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Jesus Diego and Maria J. Montes-Sancho
This paper investigates the role of nexus supplier transparency, which involves the collective information disclosure to the public by second-tier nexus suppliers, as an…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper investigates the role of nexus supplier transparency, which involves the collective information disclosure to the public by second-tier nexus suppliers, as an alternative mechanism for mitigating buyer environmental, social and governance (ESG) risk exposure. We also examine buyer supply network accessibility as a moderating factor that facilitates collecting detailed information and undertaking corrective actions accordingly.
Design/methodology/approach
We collected a sample of 428 focal buyer firms and their supply networks up to third-tier suppliers. Data were obtained from Bloomberg and RepRisk databases. We identified critical nexus suppliers using data envelopment analysis (DEA) and tested hypotheses using regression analysis.
Findings
The results show that the benefits of nexus supplier transparency, such as reducing buyer ESG risk exposure, differ depending on the type of nexus supplier disclosing information and buyer supply network accessibility. Informational nexus supplier transparency was found to be beneficial. However, the results revealed the double-edged sword of monopolistic nexus supplier transparency, which benefits buyers with higher levels of accessibility but increases risk exposure for buyers with lower accessibility.
Originality/value
This study demonstrates that the transparency of critical second-tier suppliers mitigates buyer ESG risk exposure by providing information about lower tiers in the supply network. Challenging the notion of the focal buyer as the main orchestrator of supply chain initiatives, our alternative perspective opens a new avenue for risk management in multi-tier supply chains.
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Xin Guo, Jiesong Tu, Zhibin Fan, Baoshuai Du, Hongfei Shang, Jiangfeng An and Dan Jia
Corrosion thinning reduces the effective cross-sectional areas of steel structures and degrades their mechanical properties. This study aims to investigate the relationship…
Abstract
Purpose
Corrosion thinning reduces the effective cross-sectional areas of steel structures and degrades their mechanical properties. This study aims to investigate the relationship between the corrosion thinning of carbon steel for transmission towers and the degradation of its mechanical properties.
Design/methodology/approach
A macroscopic finite element model of a transmission tower was established and then combined with the corrosion thinning and mechanical properties of Q355 steel in different test periods measured in neutral salt spray, SO2 atmosphere and wet heat environments to conduct a finite element simulation of a transmission tower with different corrosion thinning of Q355 steel.
Findings
When the residual thickness of the tower leg angle was reduced to 4.03 mm, the maximum stress solved in the simulation exceeded the yield strength, with the tower already at risk of collapse owing to corrosion failure under extreme conditions of basic wind speed.
Originality/value
This study innovatively utilises transmission tower finite element models and experimental data from mechanical degradation experiments to quantify the relationship between corrosion thinning and the mechanical properties of Q355 steel, ensuring the effective assessment of the mechanical properties of corroded transmission towers.
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This chapter critically evaluates whether football can attain recognition as a national sport in China. Article No. 11, released by the Chinese government in 2015, aimed to…
Abstract
This chapter critically evaluates whether football can attain recognition as a national sport in China. Article No. 11, released by the Chinese government in 2015, aimed to develop a new national strategy centralised on the sport of football to foster consumption and enhance national soft power. Consequently, this also means encouraging Chinese football fans to support the national football team. Comparing the significance of local football clubs and the national football team to Chinese football fans is deemed meaningless and unable to generate useful information to comprehend Chinese people's attitudes towards local and national communities. Through literature comparisons with established Chinese national sports such as Chinese martial arts, badminton and table tennis, the discussion reveals that football currently falls short of meeting the general criteria of invention and popularity to be considered a Chinese national sport. In the specific Chinese context, it also proves that football fails to meet the criterion of politics, hindering its identification as a national sport. Consequently, the chapter rebuts the assumption and advocates for the validity of comparing how fans assess their fandom for local and national football teams.
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Jianliang Hao, Robert Glenn Richey Jr, Tyler R. Morgan and Ian M. Slazinik
Researchers have examined the influence of the factors on reducing return rates in retailing over the years. However, the returns experience is often an overlooked way to drive…
Abstract
Purpose
Researchers have examined the influence of the factors on reducing return rates in retailing over the years. However, the returns experience is often an overlooked way to drive customer engagement and repeat sales in the now ubiquitous omnichannel setting. The focus on returns prevention in existing research overshadows management’s need to understand better the comprehensive mechanics linking the customer in-store return experience with their repurchase actions. Recognizing the need to bridge different stages of the returns management process, this research aims to explore the facilitators and barriers of in-store return activities.
Design/methodology/approach
Analysis of customer corporate data from 5,339 returns at the retail level provides insights from the customer return experience. Expanding our theoretical understanding, a deductive research approach then examines how those factors impact customer repurchase intentions both online and at brick-and-mortar stores. Stage two of the study employs a scenario-based role-playing experiment with consumer respondents to test hypotheses derived from signaling theory and justice theory.
Findings
Results find that returns policy and loyalty program capabilities are essential in creating a positive customer in-store experience. Moreover, a return experience enhanced by frontline employee service can retain existing shoppers and drive additional store traffic, further stimulating retailer sales.
Originality/value
These findings refine our understanding of returns management in evolving omnichannel retailing and offer practical insights for retailers to manage customer relationships through in-store returns.
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Linling Zhang, Shuangqun Li and Wei Zhang
The purpose of this paper is to explore carbon emission reduction of electric vehicles from the perspective of electricity consumption.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore carbon emission reduction of electric vehicles from the perspective of electricity consumption.
Design/methodology/approach
Electric vehicles (EVs) consume large amounts of electricity, thereby generating large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, so there is an urgent need to consider whether EVs have greater potential for reducing carbon emissions than other modes of transport. In this paper, the carbon emission reduction potential (CERP) coefficients of EVs are examined under three different scenarios from an interprovincial electricity trading perspective. Scenario analysis was used to quantify the CERP of EVs in 18 provinces in China.
Findings
The results show the following: (1) The higher the proportion of general-fuel vehicles in all transportation, the higher the CERP of EVs. (2) Interprovincial power trading affects the proportion of coal power consumed in a province, and the higher the proportion of clean power in the purchased power, the lower the proportion of coal power consumed in that province. (3) The proportion of coal power in the electricity consumption of a province is correlated negatively with the CERP of EVs in that province.
Originality/value
This paper quantifies the CERP of EVs compared with other modes of transport and gives provinces a more intuitive understanding of the CERP of EVs. Furthermore, we derive the carbon emission shift out of each province via the electricity trading paths among provinces, analyzing the impacts of the variability between different provinces on EV carbon emissions.
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Junhui Yan, Changyong Liang and Peiyu Zhou
Online patient reviews are of considerable importance on online health platforms. However, there is limited understanding of how these reviews are generated and their impact on…
Abstract
Purpose
Online patient reviews are of considerable importance on online health platforms. However, there is limited understanding of how these reviews are generated and their impact on patients' choices of physicians. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the antecedents and consequences of online patient reviews on online health platforms.
Design/methodology/approach
This study introduced an online interaction model with multiple stages aimed at examining how physicians' service quality affects patients' review behavior and, consequently, influences patients' choices of physicians.
Findings
The results revealed that technical quality and emotional care significantly influenced the effort that patients exert and their use of positive emotional words when writing reviews, which, in turn, positively influenced patients' selection of physicians. Moreover, it was found that the voice channel had a significant moderating effect on the relationship between physician service quality and patient review behavior.
Practical implications
The study’s findings can help online health platform managers improve the platform system by optimizing the integrated text and voice interaction functions. The findings can also support physicians in improving service quality, managing online reviews and attracting patients’ choices.
Originality/value
This study enriches the literature on physician service quality, patient online reviews and choices in online health platforms. Furthermore, this study offers a novel perspective on the social exchange process in online healthcare settings by highlighting the role of media in shaping physician–patient interactions.
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Gordon Liu, Yue Meng-Lewis, Weiyue Wang and Yupei Zhao
The rapid growth of professional esports has highlighted the lack of a universally recognised governing body to standardise operations and competition rules. This absence presents…
Abstract
Purpose
The rapid growth of professional esports has highlighted the lack of a universally recognised governing body to standardise operations and competition rules. This absence presents many challenges. A key concern is the well-being of professional esports players (e-pro-players), who often suffer from exhaustion. This study aims to examine the factors contributing to exhaustion among e-pro-players.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the conservation of resources theory, we developed a framework to explain the factors leading to e-pro-players’ exhaustion and the conditions under which it occurs. We tested this framework with 126 responses in a dyadic survey from e-pro-players and their coaches in China. Additionally, we gathered qualitative insights from 50 interviews with esports stakeholders to provide more context for our quantitative findings.
Findings
Our study found that e-pro-players’ intrinsic motivation to engage in training reduces their exhaustion, while their struggle to cope with uncertainty in esports environments (intolerance of uncertainty) increases it. The effect of intrinsic motivation is weaker for those who believe their talent for playing esports is fixed (entity belief) but stronger for those with high relational identification with their coaches. Additionally, the link between uncertainty intolerance and exhaustion is stronger in players with strong entity beliefs.
Originality/value
Our study sheds light on the factors contributing to e-pro-players’ exhaustion within the partially regulated professional esports environment, a phenomenon that significantly influences their overall well-being. Through the identification and examination of these factors and the conditions under which they affect exhaustion, we deepen the understanding of the drivers of exhaustion for e-pro-players who operate in an industry lacking standardised regulations.
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Kai Li, Cheng Zhu, Jianjiang Wang and Junhui Gao
With burgeoning interest in the low-altitude economy, applications of long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles (LE-UAVs) have increased in remote logistics distribution. Given…
Abstract
Purpose
With burgeoning interest in the low-altitude economy, applications of long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicles (LE-UAVs) have increased in remote logistics distribution. Given LE-UAVs’ advantages of wide coverage, strong versatility and low cost, in addition to logistics distribution, they are widely used in military reconnaissance, communication relay, disaster monitoring and other activities. With limited autonomous intelligence, LE-UAVs require regular periodic and non-periodic control from ground control resources (GCRs) during flights and mission execution. However, the lack of GCRs significantly restricts the applications of LE-UAVs in parallel.
Design/methodology/approach
We consider the constraints of GCRs, investigating an integrated optimization problem of multi-LE-UAV mission planning and GCR allocation (Multi-U&G IOP). The problem integrates GCR allocation into traditional multi-UAV cooperative mission planning. The coupling decision of mission planning and GCR allocation enlarges the decision space and adds complexities to the problem’s structure. Through characterizing the problem, this study establishes a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model for the integrated optimization problem. To solve the problem, we develop a three-stage iterative optimization algorithm combining a hybrid genetic algorithm with local search-variable neighborhood decent, heuristic conflict elimination and post-optimization of GCR allocation.
Findings
Numerical experimental results show that our developed algorithm can solve the problem efficiently and exceeds the solution performance of the solver CPLEX. For small-scale instances, our algorithm can obtain optimal solutions in less time than CPLEX. For large-scale instances, our algorithm produces better results in one hour than CPLEX does. Implementing our approach allows efficient coordination of multiple UAVs, enabling faster mission completion with a minimal number of GCRs.
Originality/value
Drawing on the interplay between LE-UAVs and GCRs and considering the practical applications of LE-UAVs, we propose the Multi-U&G IOP problem. We formulate this problem as a MILP model aiming to minimize the maximum task completion time (makespan). Furthermore, we present a relaxation model for this problem. To efficiently address the MILP model, we develop a three-stage iterative optimization algorithm. Subsequently, we verify the efficacy of our algorithm through extensive experimentation across various scenarios.
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Hongyue Wu, Yunfeng Chen, Robert F. Cox and Ruoyu Jin
Lack of trust in construction projects will lead to poor project performance or project failure, indicating the importance of trust-building. Existing studies have developed…
Abstract
Purpose
Lack of trust in construction projects will lead to poor project performance or project failure, indicating the importance of trust-building. Existing studies have developed various trust models, while most studies covered limited trust factors, failed to clarify their meanings and relationships or lacked qualitative or quantitative evidence. Thus, this study aims to develop a measurement model of trust in construction projects with theoretical justification as well as qualitative and quantitative data.
Design/methodology/approach
A literature review was conducted to identify conceptual types, factors and indicators of trust. Individual interviews and focus groups were performed to test the proposed framework with qualitative data. A survey and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) method were utilized to build the measurement model of trust using quantitative data in BIM-assisted projects.
Findings
The proposed trust framework covered the four conceptual types, four factors (integrity, competency, benevolence and commitment) and 13 indicators, supported by the results of interviews and focus groups. The measurement model of trust from CFA results supported the significant, positive, and one-to-one relationships between 13 indicators and four factors of trust in BIM-assisted projects.
Originality/value
Theoretically, the study provides new insights into the multi-dimensional nature of trust. In practice, the findings could facilitate trustors and trustees to better understand, build, measure and enhance trust in construction projects.
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