Xinning Li, Kun Fan, Lu Wang and Lang Zhou
The purpose of this paper is to design a contract to coordinate the biomass molding fuel supply chain consisting of a supplier with uncertain supply and a producer with cyclical…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to design a contract to coordinate the biomass molding fuel supply chain consisting of a supplier with uncertain supply and a producer with cyclical demand as well as improve the profit of this supply chain.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, the supply chain model was build and all the variables and assumptions are set. Stackelberg game model was used to analyze and solve the problem. Furthermore, the authors give numerical examples and result analysis on the basis of data coming from field study and online information about a real biomass fuel supply chain.
Findings
The wholesale price with shortage penalty contract the authors proposed can coordinate the supply chain. And as the dominator of the supply chain, the producer can realize the redistribution of profits within the supply chain by determine the contract parameters.
Research limitations/implications
This one-to-one supply chain is a basic of complex supply chain system. Multi-to-one, one-to-multi and multi-to-multi supply chain can be studied in the future.
Originality/value
The results obtained in this paper can be used as a reference for enterprises in biomass energy supply chain to make contracts and realize the long-term co-operations among supply chain members.
Details
Keywords
For women in leadership, managing work and life obligations is essential, especially when leading in male dominated occupations such as STEM. This study examined social support…
Abstract
For women in leadership, managing work and life obligations is essential, especially when leading in male dominated occupations such as STEM. This study examined social support and work-family integration/blurring to determine how women in leadership perceived these dynamics. By surveying STEM women leaders, this research explored work-life strategies and support resources used by women leaders to balance their work and non-work domains and promote their roles as leaders. Women leaders indicated difficulty delineating between work and personal roles and recognized informational and emotional support as most significant to their roles as leaders. Findings also indicated that most support came from spouses/significant others, female co-workers, and mentors outside the organization, respectively. These sources provided the support needed to maintain and progress in their roles as women leaders.
Grazia Dicuonzo, Francesca Donofrio, Simona Ranaldo and Vittorio Dell'Atti
This paper aims to investigate if and to what extent environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices are influenced by innovation, measured by investment in research and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate if and to what extent environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices are influenced by innovation, measured by investment in research and development (R&D) and the number of patents developed by companies.
Design/methodology/approach
To test this hypothesis, the authors estimated a regression model for the panel data considering a time horizon of eight years. The analysis was conducted on a sample of listed firms operating in the industrial sector in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and the USA.
Findings
The empirical analysis shows that there is a positive and significant relationship between ESG practices and innovation. Companies investing more in R&D and patents have better ESG performance.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the existing literature by improving the understanding of the importance of innovation in improving ESG practices for firms in the industrial sector. Furthermore, it provides empirical evidence of the ability of innovation to be a valuable tool for sustainable industry development through R&D investment and patent development.
Details
Keywords
Mohammad Arief, Rita Indah Mustikowati and Yustina Chrismardani
Digitalization in marketing activities has made it easier for people to make purchase decision. This platform encourages every firm to optimize digitalization as part of its…
Abstract
Purpose
Digitalization in marketing activities has made it easier for people to make purchase decision. This platform encourages every firm to optimize digitalization as part of its marketing strategy. Optimization of attractive digital marketing involves advertising attractiveness, influencer marketing and online customer reviews. This study aims to investigate advertising attractiveness, influencer marketing and online customer reviews on purchase decision.
Design/methodology/approach
The study was conducted with a quantitative approach. A total of 120 respondents were involved in this study by using convenience sampling techniques in data collection. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the data.
Findings
The results of the study show that influencer marketing and online customer reviews have an impact on online purchase decision. Meanwhile, advertising attractiveness does not show any influence on purchase decision.
Practical implications
Despite the start-ups have modified the website by increasing the content to make it more informative, it seems that customers are not interested in making a purchase. Therefore, notwithstanding the role of website attractiveness, the use of physical attractiveness is still considered an effective way to encourage customers to make purchasing decisions. In this way, a firm needs to make adjustments between the customers' personality, lifestyle and attitudes and endorsers.
Originality/value
This study developed previous empirical studies which a positive relationship between advertising attractiveness, influencer marketing, online customer reviews and purchase decision. The development of the model was carried out by elaborating variable indicators. In addition, the source of increasing credibility was not based on physical attractiveness, but rather emphasizes the website quality.
Details
Keywords
Benedetta Esposito, Maria Rosaria Sessa, Daniela Sica and Ornella Malandrino
This paper investigates the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated service innovation in the restaurant sector. It explores the use of digital technologies (DT) as…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper investigates the extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated service innovation in the restaurant sector. It explores the use of digital technologies (DT) as a safety-empowerment and resilient strategy in the food-service industry during the pandemic. It also investigates the impact of DT on customers' risk perception (CRP) and customers' intention to go to restaurants (CIR) in Italy.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the theory of planned behaviour and perceived risk theory, this study investigates a sample of customers residing in Italy. Multiple regression and mediation analyses are conducted to test the research hypotheses, adapting the logic model developed. Using the bootstrapping technique, this study also explores whether the pandemic has moderated the relationship among several variables adapted from the literature. Robustness tests are also performed to corroborate the analysis.
Findings
The pandemic has accelerated the food-service industry's digital transformation, forcing restauranteurs to implement DT to survive. Findings show that DT support restauranteurs in implementing innovative services that reduce interactions and empower cleanliness among workers and customers, reducing CRP and preserving CIR. Thus, managing risk perception is helping the restaurant sector to recover.
Practical implications
Practical implications are presented for policymakers to catalyse the digital transformation in small- and medium-sized restaurants. The results may also be beneficial for entrepreneurs who can implement innovative service practices in order to reduce interaction and empower cleanliness levels. Moreover, academics can use these results to conduct similar research in other geographical contexts.
Originality/value
The present research represents the first study investigating the relationship between the use of digital technologies and the intentions of customers to go out for dinner during the ongoing pandemic in Italy.
Details
Keywords
Jingjing Shi, Ning Qian, Honghua Su, Ying Yang and Yiping Wang
The electrical properties of piezoelectric vibrators have a crucial influence on the operating state of ultrasonic motors. In order to solve the problem that the current…
Abstract
Purpose
The electrical properties of piezoelectric vibrators have a crucial influence on the operating state of ultrasonic motors. In order to solve the problem that the current piezoelectric vibrator generates a large amount of heat during vibration to degrade its performance, which in turn affects the normal operation of ultrasonic motors, this paper prepares a novel piezoelectric vibrator and tests its maximum vibration velocity under the working condition, which is more than twice as much as that of the current commercial PZT-8.
Design/methodology/approach
The crystal structures of the samples were analyzed by using an X-ray diffractometer. For microstructure observation, samples were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The quasi-static piezoelectric coefficient meter (ZJ-3AN) was used for piezoelectric measurement. Dielectric properties were measured by utilizing an impedance analyzer (Agilent 4294A) with a laboratory heating unit. Ferroelectric hysteresis loops were obtained using a ferroelectric analyzer (Radiant, Multiferroic 100). A Doppler laser vibrometer (Polytec PSV-300F, Germany) and a power amplifier were used for piezoelectric vibration measurements, during which the temperature rise was determined by an infrared radiation thermometer (Victor 303, China).
Findings
The ceramics exhibit enhanced piezoelectric performance at 0.1–0.4 mol% of Yb doping contents. The ceramic of 0.4 mol% Yb reaches the maximal internal bias field and presents a larger mechanical quality factor of 1,692 compared with that of 0.2 mol% Yb-doped ceramic, in spite of a slightly decreased dielectric constant of 439 pC/N, the unit of the piezoelectric constant, which is the ratio of the local charge (pC) to the frontal force (N) and electromechanical coupling coefficient of 0.63. The vibrator with this large mechanical quality factor ceramic displays a vibration velocity of up to 0.81 m/s under the constraint of 20 °C temperature rising, which is much higher than commercial high-power piezoelectric ceramics PZT-8.
Originality/value
The enhanced high-power properties of the piezoelectric vibrator by Yb doping may provide a potential application for the high-performance USM and offer the possibility of long-term stable operation under high power for special equipment like USM. In the subsequent phase of research, the novel PZT-based high-power piezoelectric vibrator can be utilized in the USM, and the motor's performance will be evaluated under aerospace conditions to objectively assess the reliability of the piezoelectric vibrator.
Details
Keywords
Renhuai Liu, Steven Si, Song Lin, Dean Tjosvold and Richard Posthuma
This research proposes a new construct towards the job crafting theory, termed job crafting agility. The study provides the potential contributions of job crafting agility in the…
Abstract
Purpose
This research proposes a new construct towards the job crafting theory, termed job crafting agility. The study provides the potential contributions of job crafting agility in the context of rethinking behaviours in organizations during times of disruption and change.
Design/methodology/approach
A conceptual analysis is followed to present the construct of job crafting agility, based on a review of job crafting and agility literature.
Findings
The research proposes job-crafting agility as a dynamic and proactive process of balancing job demands and resources in response to changing or fluctuating circumstances. The study provides four propositions on job-crafting agility. This research contributes to the existing literature by proposing a new construct, job-crafting agility that can help organizations and employees adapt to changing circumstances during disruption and change. It highlights the unique components of job-crafting agility and its theoretical foundations and distinguishes the new construct from other forms of job crafting.
Research limitations/implications
The construct of job crafting agility is new and requires further empirical validation. It presents several propositions as recommendations for future studies.
Practical implications
The paper provides practical implications for organizations and managers on promoting job crafting agility among employees. It emphasizes the importance of creating a work environment that encourages flexibility, experimentation and learning to enable employees to adjust to changing circumstances effectively.
Originality/value
This research makes a novel contribution by introducing and defining job crafting agility, and advances job crafting theory by exploring how job crafting agility can foster resilience and positive organizational outcomes amid continual change and disruption.