Mingyu Lei, Yanliang Li, Fei Lv, Dian Xiao, Jialiang Liu and Qing Yang
This study is dedicated to systematically collating the distribution and utilization circumstances of geothermal resources in China. Moreover, it endeavors to formulate a…
Abstract
Purpose
This study is dedicated to systematically collating the distribution and utilization circumstances of geothermal resources in China. Moreover, it endeavors to formulate a comprehensive utilization scheme for geothermal resources during the construction and operation phases of the railway, thereby furnishing robust support and valuable reference for the holistic utilization of geothermal resources along the railway corridor.
Design/methodology/approach
Through an in-depth analysis of the extant utilization of geothermal resources in China, it is discerned that the current utilization modalities are relatively rudimentary, bereft of rational planning and characterized by a low utilization rate. Concurrently, by integrating the practical requisites of railway construction and operation and conducting theoretical dissections, a comprehensive utilization plan for the construction and operation periods of railway is proffered.
Findings
In light of the railway’s construction and operation characteristics, geothermal utilization models are categorized. During construction, comprehensive modalities include tunnel illumination power generation, construction area heating, tunnel antifreeze using shallow geothermal energy, tunnel pavement antifreeze and construction concrete maintenance. During operation, they comprise operation tunnel antifreeze, railway roadbed antifreeze, railway switch snow melting and deicing, geothermal power station establishment and railway hot spring health tourism planning.
Originality/value
According to the characteristics and actual needs of railway construction and operation, it is of great significance to rationally utilize geothermal resources to promote the construction and operation of green railways.
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Xueyun Zhong, Abdullah Al Mamun, Qing Yang, Naeem Hayat and Mohd Helmi Ali
Three-dimensional (3D) food printers are revolutionizing food production with personalized, sustainable and efficient meal creation. This study aims to explore the factors driving…
Abstract
Purpose
Three-dimensional (3D) food printers are revolutionizing food production with personalized, sustainable and efficient meal creation. This study aims to explore the factors driving consumer intentions to purchase three-dimensional (3D) food printers. These innovative devices are gaining popularity for their ability to produce intricate, customizable food designs with remarkable precision and convenience. By leveraging the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework, the research examines key variables such as performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions (FCD), hedonic motivation and perceived product value. The aim is to understand how these factors shape consumer behavior and decision-making, providing insights into the adoption dynamics of 3D food printers for professional and domestic use.
Design/methodology/approach
This study collected 973 valid responses through an online survey. The data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling.
Findings
Performance expectancy, social influence and perceived product value significantly enhance consumers’ intention to purchase 3D food printers. In contrast, effort expectancy, FCD and hedonic motivation show no statistically significant impact on their usage intention.
Research limitations/implications
Companies in the 3D food printing industry should prioritize improving product performance and leveraging social influencers to spark consumer interest. Educating the public about the benefits of 3D food printing is essential for building market acceptance and demand. Governments should contemplate implementing policies and regulations encouraging companies to invest in research and development in this field. This study acknowledges its limitations and recommends directions for future research.
Originality/value
This study establishes its originality by integrating hedonic motivation and perceived product value with the original UTAUT framework to investigate Chinese households’ intentions to use a 3D food printer.
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Abdullah Al Mamun, Mohammad Nurul Hassan Reza, Qing Yang and Norzalita Abd Aziz
Implementing big data analytics (BDA) for supply chain ambidexterity (agility and adaptability) and green supply chain (GRSC) presents various organizational challenges. These…
Abstract
Purpose
Implementing big data analytics (BDA) for supply chain ambidexterity (agility and adaptability) and green supply chain (GRSC) presents various organizational challenges. These include leveraging BDA capabilities to balance agility and adaptability, integrating this combined approach with GRSC and aligning these efforts to enhance firm performance. This study explores the associations between BDA, supply chain agility and adaptability, GRSC and their impact on firm performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Incorporating a resource-based view and contingency theory, we developed a research framework and validated it with data from 355 Chinese firms. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data.
Findings
The findings demonstrate that BDA capabilities had direct impact on supply chain agility and adaptability, GRSC and firm performance. Moreover, the combination of supply chain agility and adaptability affected GRSC; which in turn significantly influenced firm performance. Supply chain agility and adaptability mediated the relationship between BDA capabilities and GRSC. Additionally, GRSC mediated the relationship between BDA capabilities, supply chain agility and adaptability and firm performance.
Originality/value
This study offers both a theoretical and empirical examination of the relationships between BDA capabilities, supply chain agility and adaptability, GRSC and firm performance. By assessing the direct and mediating effects of these factors on China’s industrial sector, it presents new theoretical and practical insights into BDA and GRSC, thereby enhancing the value of the existing literature.
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Xiaofan Wei, Qing Xu and Huan Chen
This study aims to explore the perceptions of follower identities among Chinese youth and the formation of these identities within the context of use and gratification theory and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the perceptions of follower identities among Chinese youth and the formation of these identities within the context of use and gratification theory and mediated relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
Interviews were conducted with 22 individuals who followed digital influencers on various social media platforms, and a general inductive approach was followed to analyze the collected data.
Findings
The research uncovered that influencers’ followers view themselves as learners, advisees, surveillants, friends and sponsors, aligning these identities with their reasons for following influencers. These reasons are classified as either emotionally or functionally driven. The study further highlights the critical role these motivations and identities play in influencing the followers’ intentions to buy products and brands endorsed by influencers. Followers motivated by utilitarian reasons focus more on the product’s functionality and practical value, whereas those attracted to influencers for their unique personalities and perceived personal connections place greater importance on the products’ symbolic value.
Originality/value
Despite the widespread attention the influencer market has garnered, scant literature has deeply explored the psychological mechanisms behind individuals’ behavior in following influencers and their subsequent purchasing intentions. This study introduces new insights into influencer marketing by focusing on followers’ psychological motivations, offering a refined understanding of their impact on the dynamics of digital marketing.
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Guozhang Xu, Wanming Chen, Yongyuan Ma and Huanhuan Ma
Drawing on the tenets of institutional theory, the purpose of this study is to examine the impact of Confucianism on technology for social good, while also considering the…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on the tenets of institutional theory, the purpose of this study is to examine the impact of Confucianism on technology for social good, while also considering the moderating influence of extrinsic informal institutions (foreign culture) and intrinsic formal institutions (property rights).
Design/methodology/approach
This study constructs a comprehensive database comprising 9,759 firm-year observations in China by using a sample of Chinese A-share listed firms from 2016 to 2020. Subsequently, the hypotheses are examined and confirmed, with the validity of the results being upheld even after conducting endogenous and robustness tests.
Findings
The findings of this study offer robust and consistent evidence supporting the notion that Confucianism positively affects technology for social good through both incentive effect and normative effect. Moreover, this positive influence is particularly prominent in organizations with limited exposure to foreign culture and in nonstate-owned enterprises.
Originality/value
The findings contribute to the literature by fostering a deep understanding of technology for social good and Confucianism research, and further provide a nuanced picture of the role of foreign culture and property rights in the process of technology for social good in China.
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Bingzi Jin and Xiaojie Xu
The purpose of this study is to use vector error-correction modeling together with directed acyclic graphs (DAG) for analyzing dynamic relations among monthly retail property…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to use vector error-correction modeling together with directed acyclic graphs (DAG) for analyzing dynamic relations among monthly retail property price indices of 10 major cities in China from 2005–2021.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper apply both the PC and Linear Non-Gaussian Acyclic Model (LiNGAM) algorithms for inference of the DAG, with the former leading to the causal pattern and the latter leading to the causal path. This paper carry out innovation accounting analysis based on the causal path according to the LiNGAM algorithm.
Findings
Their results show sophisticated dynamics among processes of price adjustments following shocks. The results do not reveal clear evidence that supports dominance of the price series of the top-tier cities.
Originality/value
These results suggest that it could be beneficial to design policies at granular levels regarding regional retail property prices in China.
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Xiaofeng Su, Shuping Zhang and Yifan Feng
The development of regional public brands for agricultural products necessitates compelling narratives that resonate deeply with consumers. Given the distinctiveness of…
Abstract
Purpose
The development of regional public brands for agricultural products necessitates compelling narratives that resonate deeply with consumers. Given the distinctiveness of agricultural products, consumers prioritize the inherent connection to roots and heritage when making purchasing decisions. Therefore, crafting brand narratives must emphasize this root appeal, namely, consumers’ information appeal preference, to positively influence consumers’ brand perceptions and underscore the value of regional public brands. This study investigates this phenomenon through the lens of cue utilization theory.
Design/methodology/approach
Four experiments were conducted for this purpose. Study 1 examined the stimulus materials for brand story type (typical vs atypical). The purpose of study 2 was to verify whether the experimental material could be used to categorize participants' information appeal preferences (geographic vs cultural). Study 3 employed a between-subjects design with a 2 (brand story: typical vs atypical) × 2 (consumers’ information appeal preferences: cultural vs geographic) factorial design. Study 4 used a between-subjects design of 2 (brand story: typical and atypical) × 2 (consumers’ information appeal preferences: cultural vs geographic) × 2 (culturally derived power perception: individual and social).
Findings
The findings indicated that the type of brand story and consumers’ information appeal preferences interact with consumers’ brand attitudes toward regional public brands for agricultural products. In addition, a sense of place was found to mediate the interaction between the type of brand story and consumers’ information appeal preferences. Furthermore, culturally derived power perceptions moderated this mechanism.
Originality/value
This study offers valuable insights into marketing regional public brands for agricultural products by categorizing their brand stories into typical and non-typical narratives.
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Hua Feng, Ahsan Habib and Hedy Jiaying Huang
This study aims to investigate whether managerial short-termism affects the expected default probability for a sample of Chinese-listed firms.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate whether managerial short-termism affects the expected default probability for a sample of Chinese-listed firms.
Design/methodology/approach
To capture default, we utilize the expected default probability measure developed by Bharath and Shumway (2008). Textual analysis and machine learning techniques are used to construct the index of managerial myopia. We conduct ordinary least squares regression and employ a large sample of 33,164 firm-year observations from Chinese A-share listed firms spanning the years 2001–2021 to test our theoretical hypotheses. We further conduct mediation tests, moderating analysis, textual features analysis and analysis of actual default firms. In addition, we employ change regression, entropy-balanced/propensity score/closest assets matching analysis, two-stage least squares regression, two-stage residual intervention method and alternative estimation methods to address endogeneity concerns.
Findings
First, there is a positive and statistically significant relationship between managerial myopia and expected default probability. Second, the mediation tests indicate that managerial myopia increases the expected default probability through operational risk and opportunistic agency channels. Third, the cross-sectional tests reveal that the positive association is less pronounced for firms with effective internal control systems, higher audit quality and more financial analyst coverage.
Practical implications
Our study reveals the need for comprehensive early warning mechanisms in the corporate bond market in China, in particular, through enhanced transparency of managerial incentive schemes and more rigorous disclosure requirements regarding short-term managerial decision-making. Furthermore, the findings of our study suggest the necessity of taking an integrated approach in developing regulatory frameworks that enable market intermediaries – including rating agencies, financial analysts and external auditors – to execute their monitoring functions with greater effectiveness.
Originality/value
Prior research has examined the impact of managers’ demographic characteristics on a range of corporate organizational outcomes; however, there have been few studies investigating the influence of managerial myopia on corporate financial risks. This study advances the literature on the determinants of default probability. It contributes to the limited and emerging studies on the role of managerial myopia by being the first to examine the effect of managerial myopia on expected default probability.
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Qing Liu, Chengjun Wang, Chenchen Shang and Jiabao Li
The purpose of this study is to reduce the residual stress in welded workpieces, optimize the vibratory stress relief treatment process through the use of a vibration generator…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to reduce the residual stress in welded workpieces, optimize the vibratory stress relief treatment process through the use of a vibration generator and enhance the durability and longevity of the workpiece by developing a vibratory stress relief robot that incorporates a multi-manipulator system.
Design/methodology/approach
The multi-manipulator combination work is designed so that each manipulator is deployed according to the requirements of vibration stress relief work. Each manipulator works independently and coordinates with others to achieve multi-dimensional vibratory stress relief of the workpiece. A two-degree-of-freedom mobile platform is designed to enable the transverse and longitudinal movement of the manipulator, expanding the working space of the robot. A small electromagnetic superharmonic vibration generator is designed to produce directional vibrations in any orientation. This design addresses the technical challenge of traditional vibration generators being bulky and unable to achieve directional vibrations.
Findings
The residual stress relief experiment demonstrates that the residual stress of the workpiece is reduced by approximately 73% through three-degree-of-freedom vibration. The multi-dimensional vibration effectively enhances the relief effect of residual stress, which is beneficial for improving the strength and service life of the workpiece.
Originality/value
A new multi-manipulator robot is proposed to alleviate the residual stress generated by workpiece welding by integrating vibratory stress relief with robotics. It is beneficial to reduce material and energy consumption while enhancing the strength and service life of the workpiece.
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Asif Ali Safeer and Mehrab Nazir
This study seeks to examine the effects of perceived brand localness and foreignness on brand love via perceived brand coolness by incorporating the moderating impacts of local…
Abstract
Purpose
This study seeks to examine the effects of perceived brand localness and foreignness on brand love via perceived brand coolness by incorporating the moderating impacts of local and global consumer identities on brand love while controlling the confounding effects of brand familiarity in the context of local and foreign digital retail banks.
Design/methodology/approach
This study collected 1,960 online responses (on local and foreign banks) from 980 consumers who often used local and foreign digital retail banking services. The analysis was performed on 1,766 responses through co-variance-based structural equation modeling.
Findings
This study discovered that perceived brand localness and foreignness were essential factors for driving brand love and perceived brand coolness toward local and foreign digital retail banks. However, perceived brand foreignness was a more effective driver than perceived brand localness. Importantly, perceived brand coolness emerged as a key mediator for shaping brand perceptions and love. Additionally, local and global consumer identities were effective moderators and brand familiarity was significant in enhancing brand love for local and foreign digital retail banks.
Practical implications
This study gives managers essential knowledge about crafting positioning, relationships and segmentation strategies to boost brand love and perceived coolness for local and foreign digital retail banks.
Originality/value
This novel study contributes new insights to the stimulus-organism-response and cultural identity theories by examining consumers’ brand perceptions and their impacts on consumer behavior in digital retail banking.