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Conflicts frequently occur in construction projects. Matching appropriate contractual and relational governance with conflict features to promote cooperation and thus minimize the negative influences of conflict is an issue that deserves attention. Our study classifies conflict types into task, process and relationship conflict and defines their combinations as conflict profiles. By conceptualizing contractual governance as the complexity of contract provisions and the strictness of contract enforcement and relational governance as trust, our study aims to explore the configurational impacts of conflict profiles and these governance mechanisms on parties’ cooperative behaviors.

A questionnaire survey was conducted, and 238 valid questionnaires were received. Fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis was performed.

Four configurations produce cooperative behaviors. The combined use of detailed contracts, rigid enforcement and high trust enhances cooperation and such a governance arrangement is not subject to any conflict profile. A relatively low level of conflict requires detailed contracts and high levels of trust. For the conflict profile characterized by high task and process conflict and low relationship conflict, parties can select contractual governance-dominant or relational governance-dominant approaches.

Theoretically, our study reveals the matching relationships between conflict profiles and governance mechanisms, enriching the research on conflict profiles in construction projects and the interrelation between contractual and relational governance. Practically, the findings provide project managers guidance for conflict management and selecting governance mechanisms.

New quality productive forces (NQPF) are critical for high-quality economic development. As digital mergers and acquisitions (M&As) gain prominence in corporate digital transformation, understanding their impact on NQPF is essential. This study explores whether digital M&As enhance NQPF in firms and identifies key mechanisms that drive this effect.

This study investigates the impact of corporate digital M&As on NQPF using a multi-period difference-in-difference (DID) methodology. Analyzing a sample of Chinese listed firms from 2011 to 2021, the study explores how digital M&As contribute to NQPF, identifying firm innovation and data assets as key mechanisms. It also examines how external factors, such as industrial structure, urban human capital and economic policy uncertainty, moderate the effect of digital M&As on NQPF.

The study reveals three key findings: (1) Digital M&As significantly enhance corporate NQPF; (2) innovation and data assets serve as key mechanisms through which digital M&As drive NQPF and (3) external factors, including industrial structure, urban human capital and economic policy uncertainty, amplify the positive effects of digital M&As on NQPF.

Firms should leverage digital M&As as a strategic tool for improving NQPF, focusing on innovation and data assets. Policymakers can support this transformation by fostering an environment that enhances the positive impact of digital M&As on economic development.

This paper introduces a novel NQPF index, offering a comprehensive measurement of the concept. It provides new insights into how digital M&As affect NQPF, filling a gap in the literature on digital transformation and offering actionable recommendations for firms and policymakers.

This study aims to integrate perspectives of transaction costs and capabilities to investigate how the configurational fit between outsourcing strategies, asset specificity of projects and the capabilities of general contractors could achieve high outsourcing performance.

Employing fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis, this study analyzes 31 outsourcing cases in construction projects to examine outsourcing performance under different combinations of transaction costs and capabilities.

The findings highlight six different but functionally equivalent configurations to high outsourcing performance, which vary according to attributes of projects and capabilities of contractors. Further, this study develops four context-dependent paths that link outsourcing strategies to high outsourcing performance: leading practitioner, collaborative manager, partnership dependent, and struggler.

How do contractors in construction projects navigate outsourcing practices to high performance? This study provides a configurational perspective to make outsourcing strategy decisions. Based on the firm’s capabilities and project asset specificity, contractors are encouraged to select from six different but functionally equivalent combinations and thereby four outsourcing strategies, namely leading practitioner, collaborative manager, partnership dependent, and struggler, to achieve high outsourcing performance.

This study contributes to the body of knowledge by offering a holistic perspective that integrates production and transaction costs to analyze contractors’ outsourcing strategies, contributing to the integration of the transaction cost perspective and capability perspective.

As project managers are in the central position of sustainable project management (SPM), their competencies become an important factor that affects the outcome of SPM. However, literature lacks a clear description of the project manager competence system required by SPM. The purpose of this study is to explore what competencies are required by sustainable project management and analyze the hierarchy and attributes of these competencies.

Aiming to address the problem, several methods were applied in this study. First, with a literature review, semi-structured interviews and Delphi technology, 23 project manager competencies required by SPM are identified. Second, the fuzzy interpretive structural modeling–matrix impact cross-reference multiplication applied to classification (FISM–MICMAC) method is used to analyze the data from 21 experienced project managers in the construction industry, revealing the hierarchy and attributes of the project manager competency system required by SPM.

The results indicate that the project manager competency system required by SPM includes nine micro levels. According to the nature of the competencies, these nine levels can be summarized into five macro levels. Furthermore, all competencies can be divided into three categories: independent, autonomous and dependent.

This study not only provides project managers and scholars with a further understanding of project manager competencies but also helps contractors make informed and objective judgments in the selection and/or appointments of project managers who have the appropriate competencies for SPM.

There are three major processes in the surface mounting technology (SMT) manufacturing line, namely, printing, mounting and reflowing. During the reflow process, the printed solder pastes are melted into liquid and cooled down into solid again, forming the solder joint. During this process, because of the combined force of the liquid solder, the components will move from the placed location to the final location. This is known as the self-alignment performance in the reflow process. From the comparable studies, it is known that the reflow process with a longer time above the liquidus (TAL) results in better self-alignment performance, as well as higher peak temperatures of the reflow profiles. The TAL and the peak temperatures are influenced by multiple factors, but the experimental designs from the comparable studies kept the same ramping and cooling slopes to modify the TAL and the peak temperature. The purpose of this study is to study on the multiple factors influencing the TAL and the peak temperatures (ramping slope, cooling slope and peak temperature) by conducting designed experiments for each of the factors.

In this study, the TAL-influencing features are studied independently, including ramping slope, cooling slope and peak temperature; designed and conducted an experiment to reveal the relationship between the self-alignment and each of the three features; the statistical-based model for the combination of the three features for optimal self-alignment performance; and proposed a statistical-based simulation model for the offset after reflow.

The authors conducted a case study validating the mounter optimization model previously proposed. As a result, the optimized reflow profile improved the self-alignment performance by at least 10%, and the simulation within the error of 15 µm.

This research is statistical-based, which is limited to component types and sizes used in the design of experiments (DOE). The model proposed in this study can suggest a new reflow profile that can increase the self-alignment performance, which is critical to the solder joint quality, especially long-term quality.

This study can suggest a new reflow profile that can increase the self-alignment performance, which is critical to the solder joint quality, especially long-term quality.

This study can suggest a new reflow profile that can increase the self-alignment performance, which is critical to the solder joint quality, especially long-term quality.

The proposed statistical-based soldering reflow target profile optimization model offers a novel and practical approach. The soldering profile provided by the manufacturer contains recommended and acceptable ranges in the critical features. This study provides the optimal setting within the ranges.

This study aims to analyze the temperature difference between aluminum-based brake disc (ABD) and cast steel brake disc (CSBD) for rail vehicles in the braking process, which is related to the popularization and use of ABD.

Two friction pairs composed of ABD, CSBD and copper-based powder metallurgy brake pad were studied in this paper. The temperature characteristics of the two friction pairs were compared by 1:1 braking test and simulation calculation.

When the speed is 160–250 km/h and the braking pressure is 18 and 29 kN, the calculated maximum temperature of CSBD is 574°C and 681°C, respectively, which is higher than that of ABD 49°C–148°C and 73°C–217°C. Under the test conditions, the maximum temperature of CSBD is 487°C and 624°C respectively, which is higher than that of ABD 63°C–95°C and 63°C–188°C. The temperature difference between ABD and CSBD increases with the increase of braking pressure and speed. The surface temperature distribution of CSBD is “three-peak,” whereas that of ABD is “single-peak.”

This paper reveals the temperature difference between ABD and CSBD and provides data support for promoting the use of ABD.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-08-2024-70320/

Continuous development of digital technology makes it necessary for digital entrepreneurs to pivot to cope with the environmental changes. However, limited research has focused on the important strategic orientation of digital new ventures in digital contexts, digital orientation, which depicts the tendency of new ventures to utilize digital technologies to create value. This research aims to explore the relationship between digital orientation and pivoting, along with the mediating role of dynamic capabilities as essential organizational competencies. Additionally, the study investigates the influence of boundary conditions related to the environmental dynamism and the prior experience of entrepreneurs.

The data of this study were gathered by a two-phase survey of 328 Chinese digital new ventures in China with the assistance of entrepreneurial service organizations, entrepreneurship parks and entrepreneurial training institutions. The current study used regression analysis to verify the hypotheses and factor analysis to evaluate the validity and reliability of the measurement by using MPLUS, SPSS and PROCESS macro.

The findings of this research indicate that digital orientation enhances pivoting of digital new ventures, with dynamic capabilities acting as a crucial mediator in this process. Additionally, the dynamic environment and prior entrepreneurial experience influence both the relationship between digital orientation and dynamic capabilities, as well as the mediating effect of dynamic capabilities.

This study significantly contributes to the existing literature by exploring the relationship between digital orientation and pivoting in digital new ventures. This broadens the scope of research on pivoting and enriches the literature on digital orientation in the digital context. By emphasizing how these factors shape pivoting, our research provides valuable guidance for entrepreneurs responding to the dynamic environment and technological advances.

This research illuminates the relationship between digital orientation and pivoting based on the resource-based view (RBV) and dynamic capabilities theory (DCT). It explores the antecedent of digital orientation on digital new ventures’ pivoting activities, reveals the internal mechanisms and boundary conditions and enriches the literature related to RBV and DCT in the digital entrepreneurship context.

This study focuses on the context of interactions in online medical-consultation services. It integrates theories of value co-creation and social support, and it introduces customer-perceived doctor’s contribution behaviors (DCBs) as mediators to investigate the impact of customer value co-creation behavior (CVCB) on customer service well-being (CSW). This study also explores the moderating roles of communication and task characteristics of interactive medical interfaces.

A survey of 353 patients with online consultation experience were conducted. Structural equation modeling and PROCESS macro technology were used to test the hypotheses.

CVCB positively affects CSW through the mediating role of DCBs, including cure-based knowledge contribution behavior (KCB) and care-based emotional supportive behavior (ESB). The difference in task-oriented communication styles between customers and doctors weakens the positive effect of CVCB on perceived doctor’s cure-based KCB and care-based ESB. However, task complexity diminishes the positive effect of CVCB on perceived doctor’s cure-based KCB.

Managers of online medical-consultation platforms can optimize service design and enhance positive doctor–patient interactions to improve CSW and promote sustainable platform growth. This can effectively address social equity issues associated with the uneven distribution of medical resources and enhance societal well-being.

There is insufficient attention to the perceived well-being caused by the service context and customer–employee interactions, especially in online environments. This study contributes to value co-creation theory and customer well-being research by exploring factors influencing CSW in online medical care.

Recently, the concept of frugal innovation (FI) has gained relevance in both academic and societal discourse. Whether disruptive frugal digital innovation is contributing to the growth of small and medium-sized businesses in Africa is a subject of debate. Generally speaking, frugal inventions are linked to developing nations where sizable consumer groups at the base of the pyramid have unfulfilled needs. Africa, a continent with growing economies, has witnessed a surge in disruptive FI, which makes this chapter an important discourse. Digital technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), social media, cloud computing, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are finding their way in the market, and how it is affecting human development and small enterprises has been a subject for debate. This book chapter presents findings on how FI has led to sustainable human development and growth of micro, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) as revealed by a review of existing literature on the subject. According to findings from the literature, MSMEs' connections and interactions with partners, suppliers, and consumers have improved as a result of the adoption of disruptive digital platforms. Additionally, while operating in challenging settings in Africa, digital technologies offer certain intrinsic traits and information technology capabilities that allow firms to grow and flourish. Digital platforms are viewed as transparent, collaborative instruments that provide economic opportunities throughout the ecosystem. The results also show that disruptive digital technologies offer MSMEs an inexpensive, simple-to-use, and simple-to-deploy solution in order to compete with stronger incumbents across a range of industries.

The present study aims to examine the households’ attitudes and intentions to adopt an indoor air purifier against the smog crisis in India by using a comprehensive theoretical framework based on the combination of the Protective Action Decision Model (PADM) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030 also emphasized ensuring a healthy and safe life, especially by achieving SDG-3, SDG-11 and SDG-13.

Using purposive sampling, the data were collected through a survey questionnaire distributed to 382 households, and study hypotheses were assessed by using partial least squares structural equation modeling employing SmartPLS.

The results revealed that mental health risk perception (MHRP) was the most influential determinant of households’ attitudes toward adopting air purifiers, followed by smog knowledge, physical health risk perception (PHRP), information seeking and product knowledge. Notably, results revealed that households’ attitude is a leading determinant of their adoption intention toward the air purifier compared to subjective norms (SN) and perceived behavioral control (PBC).

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the present study is the first to provide new insights into an individual’s protective behavior response toward ecological hazards by examining the households’ adoption intention toward the air purifier against the smog crisis using PADM and TPB model inclusively. In addition, the present study analyzes the impact of both PHRP and MHRP on individuals’ protective behavior separately. Also, this study provides theoretical contributions and important practical implications for the government, manufacturers and air purifier sellers.