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This study investigates firms' innovation behaviour under environmental change. Therefore, it examines the effect of trade disputes on corporate technological innovation and how product market competition moderates this relationship.

This research tests the hypotheses using the fixed effects model based on panel data of publicly listed enterprises in China from 2007–2020.

The empirical results validate the positive association between trade disputes and corporate research and development (R&D) intensity as well as the U-shaped relationship between trade disputes and radical innovation. Additionally, the moderating effect of product market competition is verified: a concentrated market with less competition flattens the U-shaped curve of radical innovation induced by trade disputes; as the market becomes more concentrated and less competitive, the U-shaped relationship eventually turns into an inverted U.

First, this study contributes to the corporate innovation and trade dispute literature by expanding the environmental antecedents of technological innovation and the firm-level consequences of trade disputes. Second, this study enriches the theoretical framework of the environment–innovation link through an integrated perspective of contingency theory and dynamic capabilities view. Third, instead of the traditional linear mindset which had led to contradictory results, this study explores a curvilinear effect in the environment–innovation relationship.

The purpose of this paper is to study the corrosion behavior of Q235 steel in saturated acidic red and yellow soils.

The corrosion behavior of Q235 steel in saturated red and yellow soils was compared by weight-loss, SEM/EDS, 3D ultra-depth microscopy and electrochemical measurements.

R_p of the steel gradually increases and i_corr gradually decreases in both the red and yellow soils with time. The R_p of the steel in the red soil is lower, but its i_corr is higher than that in the yellow soil. The uniform corrosion rate, diameter and density of the corrosion pit on the steel surface in the red soil are greater than those in the yellow soil. Lower pH, higher contents of corrosive anions and high-valence Fe oxides in the red soil are responsible for its higher corrosion rates and local corrosion susceptibility.

This paper investigates the difference in corrosion behavior of carbon steel in saturated acidic red and yellow soils, which can help to understand the mechanism of soil corrosion.

This study aims to use corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting focused on poverty alleviation in China as a case to demonstrate a unique interplay between the state and private enterprises. It illustrates how CSR reporting has influenced both the mechanisms and outcomes of their interactive relationship, contributing to the construction of symbolic power.

Drawing on Bourdieu’s theory of symbolic power, this study explores how symbolic power has been constructed and reinforced between the state and private enterprises. It highlights the unique role of CSR reporting in facilitating an alignment between private enterprises objectives and state goals, ultimately reinforcing symbolic and social order. The empirical materials examined are the CSR reports prepared by the top 20 private enterprises in China from 2017 to 2022.

Major private business enterprises in China actively engage with the state’s objectives on poverty alleviation as reflected through their CSR reporting practices. This engagement is evidenced by shifts in keywords, dominant language and reporting structure, which closely align with the state’s stance on the issue. As a result, these enterprises receive heightened public recognition, which in turn helps reinforce the symbolic power and its influence on corporate behaviour.

This paper contributes to the CSR accounting literature by revealing a strategic role of CSR reporting that extends beyond conventional compliance levels commonly observed in Western liberal democratic societies. It serves as a function that facilitates interaction between the state and private enterprises in a symbolic power relationship, where both parties mutually benefit from the alignment of interests in poverty alleviation and social positioning.

As China is on an inevitable march into the digital era, firms have accumulated abundant digital assets, such as algorithms and data. Facing the possibility of using digital assets as a new type input, besides traditional inputs such as capital and labor, would powerful managers perform better? Would managerial power help managers increase the efficiency of how a firm combines traditional and digital inputs and converts them into outputs? Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate whether powerful managers promotes corporate productivity by using digital assets as a new input.

Using data from listed Chinese firms between 2008 and 2020, the authors constructed panel regressions with three-way fixed effects to examine whether and how managerial power influences corporate productivity in the current digital context, particularly under market uncertainty.

The findings reveal no consistent relationship between managerial power and corporate productivity. The results explain this from two contrasting effects: while managerial power promotes technological change it hinders technical efficiency – two components of total productivity. Moreover, this study identifies market uncertainty as a significant external contingency. In uncertain markets, strong managerial power positively impacts corporate productivity.

The results extend extant theoretical insights in the literature on how managerial power might influence corporate productivity.

With an increasing array of new technologies and devices emerging as novel approaches to museum narratives, scholars are intrigued by the narrative effect they produce. Within this context, this study aims to conduct a quantitative case study on the influencing mechanisms among technology embodiment, technology attachment, museum narrative effect and perceived museum image based on embodied cognitive theory (ECT).

By introducing the Opium War Museum, Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, China, as an empirical case study, the authors collected data, through questionnaires, from 425 visitors who had experienced virtual reality (VR) technology in the museum. The data was then analyzed by using the maximum likelihood estimate for structural equation modeling.

Technology embodiment and technology attachment have significant positive correlations with the museum narrative effect. Technology attachment provides a partial mediating effect between technology embodiment and the museum narrative effect. The perceived museum image moderates such mediating effects of technology attachment.

This study brings the emerging idea of developing visitor experiences with VR through expanding the applications of ECT in the museum scenario. First, the authors identified the underlying interaction patterns between various factors that influence the museum narrative effect. Second, the authors verified that technology can optimize the museum narrative effect and help the creative transformation of cultural relics and culture. This study also provides practical recommendations to improve the technological service experience and strengthen the “audience-centric” management concept of museums

随着越来越多的新技术和设备作为博物馆新颖的叙事方法出现, 学者们对它们产生的叙事效果感到兴趣。在这一背景下, 我们基于具身认知理论对技术具身感、技术依恋、博物馆叙事效果和感知博物馆形象之间的影响机制进行了定量案例研究。

通过引入中国广东省东莞市鸦片战争博物馆作为实证案例研究, 我们从体验了博物馆VR技术的425名参观者中收集了问卷数据。然后, 我们使用极大似然法估计结构方程模型对数据进行了分析。

(1) 技术具身感和技术依恋与博物馆叙事效果存在显著正相关关系。 (2) 技术依恋在技术具身感与博物馆叙事效果之间起到了部分中介作用。 (3) 感知博物馆形象调节了技术依恋的上述中介效应。

本研究通过扩展具身认知理论在博物馆场景中的应用, 提出了利用VR优化访客体验的新兴理念。首先, 我们识别了影响博物馆叙事效果的各种因素之间的潜在互动模式。其次, 我们验证了技术可以优化博物馆叙事效果, 并有利于文物和文化的创造性转化。本研究还提出了实际建议, 以改善技术服务体验, 并加强博物馆“以观众为中心”的管理理念。

This study examines the direct and indirect effects of shared leadership on job crafting and knowledge sharing, in turn, on employee performance, commitment and creativity via organizational support among Pakistani HEI faculty members.

Drawing on shared leadership theory, data from 311 faculty members were collected. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to test the hypotheses.

The findings revealed a significant positive influence of shared leadership on job crafting and knowledge sharing among faculty members. Job crafting and knowledge sharing also significantly and positively influenced employee performance, commitment and creativity. Shared leadership includes support dynamics, so organizational support with shared leadership failed to influence job crafting and knowledge sharing.

Institutions promoting collaborative and innovative educational environments should consider strategies to nurture shared leadership practices, facilitate job crafting and bolster knowledge-sharing.

This study underscores the importance of fostering a shared leadership culture in HEIs, emphasizing the role of job crafting and knowledge sharing in employee performance, commitment and creativity.

This study aims to evaluate the effects of the downhole environment and auxiliary rubber bellows on the contact mechanical characteristics and sealing performance of rubber-bellows mechanical seals (RBMS) in electric submersible pumps (ESPs), considering the elastic support of the rubber bellows, multi-field coupling effect and actual operating conditions.

A thermal-fluid-solid multi-field coupling numerical model for RBMS in ESPs is developed using the finite element analysis and influence coefficient method. Based on the contact mechanical characteristics of RBMS, the interactions of multiple physical fields between the sealing rings and lubricating oil are accounted for to assess the liquid lubrication state and sealing performance of RBMS in ESPs.

The findings indicate the anti-leakage effects of rubber bellows, the transition of lubrication state of the sealing end face and the evolution law of sealing performance with environmental pressure, axial compression amount and contact widths of rubber bellows.

This study innovatively proposes a multi-field numerical research method to reveal the impact of the downhole environment and rubber bellows on RBMS in ESPs. These findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the sealing mechanism of RBMS and optimize the sealing design for ESPs in high-pressure environments.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-10-2024-0369/

Recent research highlights the growing use of anthropomorphizing voice commerce, attributing human-like traits to shopping assistants. However, scant research examines the influence of anthropomorphism on the behavioral intention of shoppers. Therefore, the study examines the mediating role of anthropomorphism and privacy concerns in the relationship between utilitarian and hedonic factors with the behavioral intention of voice-commerce shoppers.

The study employs structural equation modeling (SEM) to analyze responses from 279 voice-commerce shoppers.

Results indicate that anthropomorphizing voice commerce fosters adoption for hedonic factors but not for utilitarian factors. Paradoxically, anthropomorphism decreases shoppers’ behavioral intentions and heightens their privacy concerns.

The cross-sectional survey design serves as a notable limitation of the study. Future researchers can rely on longitudinal designs for additional insights.

Marketers should anthropomorphize voice commerce for hedonic shoppers, not for utilitarian shoppers, and consider implementing customized privacy settings tailored to individual preferences.

The study contributes to academia and management by emphasizing the need to customize anthropomorphic features according to utilitarian and hedonic factors. Furthermore, it highlights the adverse effects of anthropomorphizing voice commerce on shoppers’ behavior, offering policymakers guidance for appropriate regulations.

Dual design for additive manufacturing (DfAM) takes into account both the opportunities and constraints of AM simultaneously, which research shows is more effective than considering them separately. Unlike existing reviews, this paper aims to map DfAM research within the engineering design process, focusing solely on studies adopting dual DfAM. Additionally, it aims to suggest future research directions by analysing prominent research themes and their inter-relationships. Special emphasis is on theme inter-relationships concerning the conceptual, embodiment and detail design phases.

The study is based on a systematic literature review of 148 publications from January 2000 to February 2024. After screening, prominent research themes were identified and systematically analysed. Theme inter-relationships were explored using quantitative analysis and chord diagrams.

The findings reveal that studies either span the entire design process, the early design phases or the later design phases. Most research focuses on the later design phases, particularly within themes of design optimisation, design evaluation and AM-specific manufacturing constraints. The most frequent theme inter-relationship occurs between design optimisation and AM-specific manufacturing constraints. Overall, the findings suggest future research directions to advance dual DfAM research, such as development of design rules and guidelines for cellular structures.

This review proposes a model by mapping prominent themes of dual DfAM research in relation to the engineering design process. Another original contribution lies in analysing theme inter-relationships and visualising them using chord diagrams – a novel approach that did not exist before.

This paper aims to explore the relationship between digital transformation, international competition and productivity progress by examining the dual margins of export, thereby identifying the digital development pathway for key industrial chains within the context of regional medical and health cooperation.

By constructing models incorporating both the extensive margin and intensive margin, this paper delves into the reasons underlying changes in product trade value and variety within international market competition. Utilizing export data for medical products from China to Belt and Road Initiative partner countries spanning from 2007 to 2020, an industry–destination–time panel benchmark model is established to assess the impact of digital transformation on product expansion and international competition.

The findings reveal the following insights. First, digital transformation positively impacts the intensive margin of medical products, whereas it does not exert a positive influence on the extensive margin. Second, the impact mechanism test indicates that digital transformation fosters the intensive export margin by enhancing the technical efficiency of exports but exhibits an inverted U-shaped effect on technological progress. Third, digital transformation demonstrates a notable non-linear characteristic, with a substantial increase in the lifting effect once a certain threshold is surpassed.

While previous research has extensively explored the effects of digital transformation on export trade, this study uniquely integrates the concepts of the intensive and extensive margins of export, thereby enriching the research insights derived from existing literature. It focuses on the nonlinear effects and threshold dynamics of digital transformation, particularly in relation to total factor productivity. Additionally, the paper makes a contribution to the understanding of the Health Silk Road by incorporating the health index.