Yuanxing Zhang, Zhuqi Li, Kaigui Bian, Yichong Bai, Zhi Yang and Xiaoming Li
Projecting the population distribution in geographical regions is important for many applications such as launching marketing campaigns or enhancing the public safety in certain…
Abstract
Purpose
Projecting the population distribution in geographical regions is important for many applications such as launching marketing campaigns or enhancing the public safety in certain densely populated areas. Conventional studies require the collection of people’s trajectory data through offline means, which is limited in terms of cost and data availability. The wide use of online social network (OSN) apps over smartphones has provided the opportunities of devising a lightweight approach of conducting the study using the online data of smartphone apps. This paper aims to reveal the relationship between the online social networks and the offline communities, as well as to project the population distribution by modeling geo-homophily in the online social networks.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, the authors propose the concept of geo-homophily in OSNs to determine how much the data of an OSN can help project the population distribution in a given division of geographical regions. Specifically, the authors establish a three-layered theoretic framework that first maps the online message diffusion among friends in the OSN to the offline population distribution over a given division of regions via a Dirichlet process and then projects the floating population across the regions.
Findings
By experiments over large-scale OSN data sets, the authors show that the proposed prediction models have a high prediction accuracy in characterizing the process of how the population distribution forms and how the floating population changes over time.
Originality/value
This paper tries to project population distribution by modeling geo-homophily in OSNs.
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Shian Li, Zhi Yang, Yihui Liu, Qiuwan Shen, Guogang Yang and Bengt Ake Sunden
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the heat and mass transport characteristics in microchannel reactors with non-uniform catalyst distributions.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the heat and mass transport characteristics in microchannel reactors with non-uniform catalyst distributions.
Design/methodology/approach
A two-dimensional model is developed to study the heat and mass transport characteristics in microchannel reactors. The heat and mass transport processes in the microchannel reactors with non-uniform catalyst distribution in the catalytic combustion channel are also studied.
Findings
The simulated results are compared in terms of the distributions of species mole fraction, temperature and reaction rate for the conventional and new designed reactors. It is found that the chemical reaction, heat and mass transport processes are significantly affected and the maximum temperature in the reactor is also greatly reduced when a non-uniform catalyst distribution is applied in the combustion catalyst layer.
Practical implications
This study can improve the understanding of the transportation characteristics in microchannel reactors with non-uniform catalyst distributions and provide guidance for the design of microchannel reactors.
Originality/value
The design of microchannel reactors with non-uniform catalyst distributions can be used in methane steam reforming to reduce the maximum temperature inside the reactor.
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Wan Nurnadiera Aiza Zakariah, Nor Syamaliah Ngah, Samar Rahi, Nurul Izni Kamalrulzaman, Qais Abdel Aziz Albtoosh and Abdul Hafaz Ngah
Based on the job demand and resource (JD–R) model, this study identifies the factors influencing fatigue among seafarers in Malaysia.
Abstract
Purpose
Based on the job demand and resource (JD–R) model, this study identifies the factors influencing fatigue among seafarers in Malaysia.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 250 responses were gathered via an online survey applying a purposive sampling method. The derived data were analysed using partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS 4.
Findings
Job demand positively influences sleep problems and occupational stress, while job resources positively impact job autonomy. The research analysis also confirms the positive effect of sleep problems and occupational stress on fatigue. Furthermore, the study reveals the negative effect of job autonomy on fatigue. In-depth analysis confirms the mediation and sequential mediation effects as the determinants of fatigue among seafarers in Malaysia.
Practical implications
Besides enriching the literature on fatigue, the findings provide practical insights to maritime agencies to develop an effective policy to reduce fatigue among seafarers.
Originality/value
The study develops a new model for seafarers’ fatigue via the JD–R model by introducing work pressure, sleep problems, occupational stress and autonomy as sequential mediators.
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Tuotuo Qi, Tianmei Wang, Yanlin Ma and Xinxue Zhou
Knowledge sharing has entered the stage of knowledge payment with the typical models of paid Q&A, live session, paid subscription, course column and community service. Numerous…
Abstract
Purpose
Knowledge sharing has entered the stage of knowledge payment with the typical models of paid Q&A, live session, paid subscription, course column and community service. Numerous knowledge suppliers have begun to pour into the knowledge payment market, and users' willingness to pay for premium content has increased. However, the academic research on knowledge payment has just begun.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, the authors searched several bibliographic databases using keywords such as “knowledge payment”, “paid Q&A”, “pay for answer”, “social Q&A”, “paywall” and “online health consultation” and selected papers from aspects of research scenes, research topics, etc. Finally, a total of 116 articles were identified for combing studies.
Findings
This study found that in the early research, scholars paid attention to the definition of knowledge payment concept and the discrimination of typical models. With the continuous enrichment of research literature, the research direction has gradually been refined into three main branches from the perspective of research objects, i.e. knowledge provider, knowledge demander and knowledge payment platform.
Originality/value
This paper focuses on discussing and sorting out the key research issues from these three research genres. Finally, the authors found out conflicting and contradictory research results and research gaps in the existing research and then put forward the urgent research topics.
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Chin-Shan Lu, Ho Yee Poon and Hsiang-Kai Weng
This study aims to propose a safety marketing stimuli-response model to explain passengers’ safety behavior in the ferry services context.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to propose a safety marketing stimuli-response model to explain passengers’ safety behavior in the ferry services context.
Design/methodology/approach
Structural equation modeling was conducted to examine the impact of safety marketing stimuli on passengers’ safety awareness and behavior by using data obtained from a survey of 316 ferry passengers in Hong Kong.
Findings
The authors found that passengers’ perceptions of ferry safety marketing stimuli positively affected their safety awareness and safety awareness positively affected passengers’ safety behaviors. Specifically, they found that safety awareness played a mediating role in the relationship between ferry safety marketing stimuli and passengers’ safety behaviors.
Practical/implications
The empirically validated scales can be adapted to practices of safety marketing, while providing helpful information for ferry operators to evaluate their efforts of safety marketing and implications for improvement.
Originality/value
According to the authors' knowledge, this study is one of the first attempts to fill this research gap by empirically validating and theoretically conceptualizing measures of safety marketing stimuli based on the marketing stimulus-response model.
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Yui-yip Lau, Zhang Jiamian, K. Y. Ng Adolf and Roozbeh Panahi
Emergency logistics is an important means to deal with disasters and public crises. Since the outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus in 2003, China has…
Abstract
Emergency logistics is an important means to deal with disasters and public crises. Since the outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus in 2003, China has established and developed an emergency logistics management system. With the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in China, its emergency logistics system is facing unfolded challenges. The main purposes of this study are to explore the development of China’s emergency logistics system in this context and identify the critical success factors for such systems. A series of focus groups are organized to collect the opinions of 24 interviewees from three Chinese cities, namely Wuhan, Shanghai, and Xi’an. Through the analysis, a framework of the critical success factors for emergency logistics in China is recreated. The key elements are demand forecasting and planning, inventory management, distribution network, and systematic information management. Findings suggest critical points on the design and imple-mentation of the emergency logistics operations during a chaotic period.