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A wide number of applications requires classifying or grouping data into a set of categories or clusters. The most popular clustering techniques to achieve this objective are K‐means clustering and hierarchical clustering. However, both of these methods necessitate the a priori setting of the cluster number. The purpose of this paper is to present a clustering method based on the use of a niching genetic algorithm to overcome this problem.

The proposed approach aims at finding the best compromise between the inter‐cluster distance maximization and the intra‐cluster distance minimization through the silhouette index optimization. It is capable of investigating in parallel multiple cluster configurations without requiring any assumption about the cluster number.

The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated on 2D benchmarks with non‐overlapping and overlapping clusters.

The proposed approach is also applied to the clustering analysis of railway driving profiles in the context of hybrid supply design. Such a method can help designers to identify different system configurations in compliance with the corresponding clusters: it may guide suppliers towards “market segmentation”, not only fulfilling economic constraints but also technical design objectives.

Our comprehensive study, which is highly relevant to the current state of the tourism industry, investigated the extensive impact of tourism entrepreneurial ecosystems (TEE) on sales growth in European countries based on a sample of 109 entrepreneurs.

We studied 109 entrepreneurs in the tourism sector in Germany and France and analyzed the data using quantitative methods.

The results showed that financing and funding, networks, technological and international trade affect the sales growth of the tourism entrepreneurs. In addition, the uneducated workforce, legal and political factors as well as TEE do not influence the sales growth.

These findings have significant and practical implications for entrepreneurs and policymakers in the tourism industry, providing them with valuable insights for decision-making.

The aim of this study is to develop a knowledge scale for nutrients of tropical and traditional fruits for university students and conduct its validity and reliability. Another purpose of the study is to determine whether or not the students' knowledge mean scores about nutrients of tropical and traditional fruits vary based on their demographic information.

The design of the study was the survey model. While the population consisted of 1,551 students studying in the faculty of health sciences, Gazi University, the sample consisted of 668 students who were determined based on criterion sampling.

When examining in terms of gender of the students, it was determined that even though mean score of the knowledge scale for nutritional values of tropical and traditional fruits was slightly higher in female students (X¯ = 8.12) than male students (X¯ = 7.71), there was an insignificant difference between them (t₍₆₆₆₎ = 1.25, p > 0.05). A significant difference was determined between the students' knowledge mean scores of the knowledge scale for nutritional values of tropical and traditional fruits in terms of residence place (t₍₆₆₆₎ = 2.86, p < 0.5). While the nutritional value mean score of the students residing in Ankara was low (X¯ = 7.67), the nutritional value mean score of the students residing out of Ankara was high (X¯ = 8.58).

When the scale developed in this study is analysed according to demographic information, it can be asserted that the students had knowledge about the nutrients of tropical and traditional fruits. Although tropical fruits are expensive, they still prefer these fruits. It can be stated that the students had knowledge about the diversity, nutritional compounds and antioxidant content of tropical and traditional fruits.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the evolution of the cross-disciplinary area of ethics and international marketing and to highlight the current and future scope of research in this area.

The authors conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) of research papers from reputed journals which publish articles in this cross-disciplinary subject area. This paper especially investigates the perception, issues, concepts and theories used in ethics and international marketing. Scopus and Web of Science databases were primarily used to select the articles.

The paper highlights the importance of cross-disciplinary research in the areas of ethics and international marketing. The study also shows different kinds of research work published in this area between 1994 and 2020. Also, the study shows that the maximum research has been conducted in the USA and the UK. Finally, the paper also highlights the major theories that different authors have used in this interdisciplinary area.

The paper does not discuss other complex areas of cross-disciplinary international marketing other than ethics and international marketing. The paper omits the literature from books, stand-alone nonindexed journals, etc. Also, the paper has only used the Web of Science and Scopus databases.

The study argues the importance of ethics in international marketing. The study also provides inputs to the international marketers so that they can successfully address the complex challenges in the cross-disciplinary area of ethics and international marketing. The study also helps marketers to rethink their approaches on international marketing ethics.

This may be one of the few studies in the cross-disciplinary area of ethics and international marketing. This paper can open avenues and influence other researchers to study the cross-disciplinary areas of marketing.

The purpose of this paper is to present the mechanism of online customer brand trust building through the lens of Walther’s Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) – Social Information Processing Theory (SIPT).

This paper integrates a range of theoretical and empirical works across branding and marketing, including concept of brand trust, use of online social media in brand communication and customer brand relations and CMC-SIPT theory and relational marketing literature other relevant information which were found useful in the given context were reviewed. The aim was to collect a broad spectrum of ideas, based on their relevance to the research purpose to propose effective online brand trust building framework.

This paper proposes three different developmental stages in brand trust building on online social media networks. Each stage is guided by the components of CMC-SIPT. Stage I is interaction and compliance of the brand communication clues which suggest that the aggregated level of interaction and compliance in online brand communication on social media determine the movement of the customer to the next level. Stage II suggests information processing at three successive layers by the customer as identification, internalization brand information and bonding, which eventually prompt the customer to the next level of brand trust building. Stage III is related to trust building which is the critical stage as customer internal states of arousal are experienced, which reduces the emotional risk of decision-making and increases confidence and trust of the customers in brands.

The proposed framework of brand trust building has not been tested empirically. Future research could test and validate the proposed model tracking intrinsic changes in the customer in different brand trust development stages. This research is important for marketers or brands who wish to move beyond the notion of merely satisfying customers, to establishing more powerful emotional bonds between their brands and customers. It fills a gap in brand-trust literature and provides marketers and researchers a means to understand and draw strategies for consumers’ attraction toward brands (Patwardhan and Balasubramanian, 2011). The proposed framework has the capacity to revolutionize the way business and brands engage with society by enhancing and establishing trusting relationship.

To date, this research has not been done specifically from the SIPT perspective. This research is the first to examine brand communication strategies in an effort of building brand trust in the context of online social media network from the CMC-Social information theory perspective. It highlights the peculiarities of online brand communication on social media networks and customer information processing in presenting three stages of customer brand trust development to explain the development and flow of events.

The aim of the present paper was to investigate the inhibition performance of the OF and/or IM on L360 steel in CO₂/H₂S environments. The pipeline steel surface usually has been pre-treated before using in the oil/gas field, such as by passivation, blackening, and phosphiding. The effectiveness of inhibition can vary because there are many differences between the metal matrix and the treated film.

Imidazoline (IM) was synthesized by using oleic acid and diethylenetriamine, and its composition was verified using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The oxide film (OF) covering a sample of L360 steel was characterized using X-ray diffraction, and its surface morphology was observed using scanning electron microscope. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements were conducted to study the inhibition performance of IM- and/or OF-covered L360 steel in the CO₂/H₂S environments.

The results show that IM and OF can prevent corrosion on L360 steel in CO₂/H₂S environments, and the synergistic inhibition effect of IM and OF was very evident. A possible model is proposed to explain the synergistic inhibition effect in the CO₂/H₂S environments of IM and OF on L360 steel.

Few reports have concerned the effect of the OF on the inhibitor’s performance, especially in CO₂/H₂S systems. The aim of the present study was to investigate the inhibition performance of the OF and/or IM on L360 steel in CO₂/H₂S environments. A model is proposed to explain the synergistic inhibition effect mechanism between IM and OF.

Corrosion inhibitors for copper immersed in emulsion were investigated by experiments and theoretical calculations, and this study aims to propose a new inhibition mechanism of the inhibitors having protective effects for copper corrosion.

Adsorption behavior of penta-heterocycles (thiophene, 1,2,5-oxadiazole, furan, 2 H-1,2,3-triazole, pyrrole and 1,2,5-thiadiazole) as corrosion inhibitors for copper immersed in oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions was investigated by weight loss, electrochemical tests, morphological characterization and theoretical calculations.

The orders of inhibition effect are furan < pyrrole < thiophene < 1,2,5-oxadiazole < 2H-1,2,3-triazole < 1,2,5-thiadiazole, and 1,2,5-thiadiazole at 0.5 mM has the best inhibition effect for copper immersed in emulsion. The results of scanning probe microscope, scanning electron microscope and electrochemical test show that a protective barrier can be formed on the surface of copper substrate with six corrosion inhibitors, thus effectively inhibiting the corrosion of copper mainly through chemisorption and following Langmuir’s adsorption isotherm.

Quantum chemical and molecular dynamic simulations demonstrate that all these compounds attached to Cu matrix with a flat-adsorption mode to prevent the emulsion corrode copper. Adsorbed inhibitors act as a barrier at Cu matrix to block corrosion and improve hydrophobicity.

This paper explores the intricate evolution of human–machine interaction within the framework of Society 5.0, highlighting how technological advancements influence human behavior and societal progress.

A multidimensional framework is developed through a qualitative approach to analyze the evolution of human–technology interaction. This innovative conceptual model provides a comprehensive understanding of these dynamics.

The proposed model unveils a significant shift from perceiving technology as a mere tool to acknowledging its profound influence on daily routines and potential enhancements. This revelation underscores the critical role of human-centric strategies, enlightening us about the evolving nature of technology.

The study synthesizes existing research to present a comprehensive framework for understanding human–machine interaction, providing insights that can inform future research and theory development.

This study equips policymakers, researchers and practitioners with actionable strategies to enhance technology use. By incorporating human-centric approaches, addressing issues such as technostress and promoting effective digital knowledge management, this research empowers the audience with practical solutions.

The paper underscores the broader impact of technology on societal progress. It emphasizes the importance of incorporating human-centric strategies in technology implementation to promote fairness, inclusivity and overall societal well-being.

This paper introduces an innovative conceptual model based on a multidimensional framework to analyze the complex evolution of human–technology interaction. It enriches the ongoing debate by highlighting the nuanced relationship between humans and technology, addressing significant gaps in existing literature and offering an original interpretative perspective.

The purpose of this paper is to explore mechanisms of cultural distance in the base of Chinese Service Multi-National Enterprise (MNE) settings. When attempting to enter overseas markets, many service MNEs face challenges caused by the cultural distance between the home and host countries. Culture distance attracts much attention in academia and industry. However, there are few empirical works to examine how cultural distance affects customer orientation strategies in a global supply chain. This paper aims to answer the following research question: How is the effect of cultural distance on customer acquisition and customer retention strategies, and the effect of customer orientation strategies on the performance of service-oriented MNEs controlled by Chinese capital along the Belt and Road Initiative?

This paper examines the effect of cultural distance on the customer acquisition strategy and customer retention strategy, and the effect of customer orientation strategies on the performance of Chinese Service MNEs. A large-scale empirical study of Chinese Service MNEs operating in overseas markets is performed and questionnaires were distributed and collected. This paper uses Hofstede's method (Hofstede, 2010), Schwartz's method (Schwartz, 2003) and House et al.'s method (House et al., 2004) to calculate cultural distance. By using each kind of method, this study calculates the absolute culture distance and relative culture distance respectively.

The results suggest that cultural distance negatively affects customer orientation strategy, customer acquisition strategy positively affects performance and the interaction of customer acquisition and customer retention positively affects performance.

This study aims to contribute to the existing literature with a more fine-grained understanding of the inclusion of customer orientation strategy of Chinese Service MNEs in global supply chains.

The findings outline several important implications that Chinese Service MNEs seeking to expand to overseas markets.

This paper contributes a novel, combined perspective of culture distance and customer orientation strategy.

Women entrepreneurs contribute significantly to Asian economies. However, women in this region face an alarming array of barriers to entrepreneurship. This research study aims to examine the factors, i.e. government support, family social support, financial literacy and managerial skills, in building the entrepreneurial capacity of women entrepreneurs under the lens of the person–environment (P-E) fit theory. Furthermore, the study also examines the moderating effect of socio-cultural barriers in the said relationships.

For the study, the data was collected from the owners of 311 women-owned manufacturing and services sector enterprises from the northern Indian community.

Findings suggest that all the factors significantly affect the entrepreneurial capacity of women entrepreneurs, and the barriers work as a moderator between the relationships.

Based on P-E fit theory, this unique research study proposes a model to test the role of factors such as government support, family social support, financial literacy and managerial skills in developing women entrepreneurs’ entrepreneurial capacity along with examining the moderating role of socio-cultural factors contributing to the entrepreneurial capacity of women.