Chu-Le Chong, Siti Zaleha Abdul Rasid, Haliyana Khalid and T. Ramayah
This study investigated the relationships among big data analytics capability (BDAC), low-cost advantage, differentiation advantage, market and operational performance…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigated the relationships among big data analytics capability (BDAC), low-cost advantage, differentiation advantage, market and operational performance underpinning the resource-based view (RBV) and the entanglement view of sociomaterialism (EVS) theories.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 191 responses from members of the Federation of Malaysian Manufacturers were analysed using a structural equation modelling approach.
Findings
This study has conclusively demonstrated that BDAC is indeed a resource bundle comprising human skills, tangible and intangible resources. This study found that BDAC positively influences competitive advantage and firm performance. The differentiation advantage was found to be a key factor in explaining market performance. Theoretically, both RBV and EVS could be used to link BDAC, differentiation advantage and market performance to explain superior firm performance.
Research limitations/implications
First, the sample is restricted to the manufacturers in Malaysia. Second, a single independent variable, BDAC, is used as a higher-order capability to influence competitive advantage, and thus, superior firm performance. Third, this study uses a self-reported survey, which means that only one respondent from each firm answered the questions. Fourth, this study excludes the focused strategy as it aims to investigate the competitive strategy used in the broader industry environment, rather than in a specific segment pursuing a focused strategy.
Practical implications
First, BDAC is a valuable, rare, inimitable and non-substitutable tool for manufacturers to enhance their firm performance. Second, BDAC is crucial for manufacturing firms to reduce costs and differentiate themselves. Third, a low-cost advantage may not help manufacturers achieve greater market and operational performance.
Originality/value
The relationship among BDAC, low-cost advantage, differentiation advantage, market and operational performance within manufacturing industry is empirically tested.
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Zhiqiang Geng, Lingling Liang, Yongming Han, Guangcan Tao and Chong Chu
Food safety risk brought by environmental pollution seriously threatens human health and affects national economic and social development. In particular, heavy metal pollution and…
Abstract
Purpose
Food safety risk brought by environmental pollution seriously threatens human health and affects national economic and social development. In particular, heavy metal pollution and nutrient deficiency have caused regional diseases. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to present a risk early warning method of food safety considering environmental and nutritional factors.
Design/methodology/approach
A novel risk early warning modelling method based on the long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network integrating sum product based analytic hierarchy process (AHP-SP) is proposed. The data fuzzification method is adopted to overcome the uncertainty of food safety detection data and the processed data are viewed as the input of the LSTM. The AHP-SP method is used to fuse the risk of detection data and the obtained risk values are viewed as the expected output of the LSTM. Finally, the proposed method is applied on one group of sterilized milk data from a food detection agency in China.
Findings
The experimental results show that compared with the back propagation and the radial basis function neural networks, the proposed method has higher accuracy in predicting the development trend of food safety risk. Moreover, the causal factors of the risk can be figured out through the predicted results.
Originality/value
The proposed modelling method can achieve accurate prediction and early warning of food safety risk, and provide decision-making basis for the relevant departments to formulate targeted risk prevention and control measures, thereby avoiding food safety incidents caused by environmental pollution or nutritional deficiency.
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Wai Peng Wong, Keng Lin Soh, Chu Le Chong and Noorliza Karia
The purpose of this paper is to assess the efficiency, effectiveness and performance of logistics companies in Singapore and Malaysia which are the growing logistics hubs in Asia…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assess the efficiency, effectiveness and performance of logistics companies in Singapore and Malaysia which are the growing logistics hubs in Asia by using a triangular data envelopment analysis (DEA). It also identifies various factors that significantly affect the efficiency, effectiveness and performance of the Singaporean and Malaysian logistics companies and proposes ways to improve their competitiveness.
Design/methodology/approach
First, this study employs a triangular DEA to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the companies. Second, Tobit regression is used to explore the factors that affect logistics performance. Third, the managerial decision-making matrix is addressed and suggestions made to help logistics managers improve performance.
Findings
The results reveal that small firms, on average have more potential than the large ones. The results also demonstrate that investment influences firm performance significantly.
Originality/value
This paper is the first attempt to apply a triangular DEA-based approach by decomposing performance into efficiency and effectiveness for logistics companies in Singapore and Malaysia.
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Ahmad Samarji and Reem Ghaddar
Since the declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic in March 2020, higher education institutions (HEIs) across the globe have shifted – entirely or partly – to online teaching and…
Abstract
Since the declaration of COVID-19 as a pandemic in March 2020, higher education institutions (HEIs) across the globe have shifted – entirely or partly – to online teaching and learning; Lebanese HEIs were no exception. Such an unprecedented and “forced” transition to online teaching and learning has created a landscape for scholars and researchers to inquire into the efficiency and effectiveness of online teaching and learning, students’ satisfaction with this virtual educational experience, and instructors’ satisfaction with such an experience. This chapter presents a study about Lebanese instructors’ satisfaction with online teaching and learning during the pandemic. Instructors’ satisfaction was measured in terms of three satisfaction constructs of psychometrically validated “Online Instructor Satisfaction Measure” (OISM): instructor-to-student interaction (ISI); student-to-student interaction (SSI); and course design, development, and teaching (CDT). Data were collected through an online questionnaire from 102 Lebanese instructors across 7 Lebanese universities: 6 private universities and the national public Lebanese higher education institute (Lebanese University). This study found that there were no significant changes between the satisfaction levels in relation to each of the ISI, SSI, and CDT constructs between STEM education background instructors and their non-STEM education background counterparts. Despite their dissatisfaction with the level of interaction between them and their students (ISI), the participating Lebanese instructors were satisfied with the SSI, except for students’ collaborative and group work, and were also satisfied with the CDT, except for the preparation time required for delivering an online course.
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As this article is being cast into final — or possibly just semi‐final form, there lies under my eyes The Brookings Review, Summer 1983, which displays on its front cover the…
Abstract
As this article is being cast into final — or possibly just semi‐final form, there lies under my eyes The Brookings Review, Summer 1983, which displays on its front cover the following quotation from one of the articles it contains, titled “Arms and the Art of Compromise” by John Steinbrunner. It reads, in part, as follows:
The purpose of this paper is to understand the role of multichannel integration quality in enhancing online perceived value and online purchase intention via the online store…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand the role of multichannel integration quality in enhancing online perceived value and online purchase intention via the online store operated by a land-based retailer.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper develops a research model based on the “quality-value-purchase” chain, with four dimensions of multichannel integration quality as antecedents and three dimensions of online perceived value as mediators of online purchase intention. Empirical data were collected from 390 multichannel shoppers and structured equation modeling was used to test the research hypotheses.
Findings
Among the four multichannel integration quality dimensions, transparency of service configuration, process consistency and business ties positively affect online purchase intention through online perceived value, whereas the effects of information consistency are not significant; process consistency exerts a stronger influence on online perceived value than business ties; the effect of online convenience on online purchase intention is weaker than that of online monetary savings and online hedonic value.
Research limitations/implications
The study identifies the theoretical principles of the relationships among multichannel integration quality, online perceived value and online perceived value in multichannel context. Based on these theoretical principles, this study will help researchers to better understand consumers’ online purchase intention and the creation of online perceived value in the integrated multichannel context.
Practical implications
The findings of this study can provide retailers with useful strategies to increase online purchase intention depending on improvement of multichannel integration quality and online perceived value.
Originality/value
This study provides a first study to empirically assess various types of online perceived value attached to multidimensional properties of multichannel integration quality and the corresponding effects on online purchase intention. Overall, the results offer insights of how land-based retailers could manage their online performance by integrating multiple channels and improving online perceived value.
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Amrinder Pal Singh, Manu Sharma and Inderdeep Singh
Damage due to delamination is an important issue during drilling in polymer-matrix composites (PMCs). It depends on thrust force and torque which are functions of feed rate…
Abstract
Purpose
Damage due to delamination is an important issue during drilling in polymer-matrix composites (PMCs). It depends on thrust force and torque which are functions of feed rate. Transfer function of thrust force with feed rate and torque with feed rate is constructed through experiments. These transfer functions are then combined in state-space to formulate a sixth-order model. Then thrust force and torque are controlled by using optimal controller. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
A glass fiber reinforced plastic composite is drilled at constant feed rate during experimentation. The corresponding time response of thrust force and torque is recorded. Third-order transfer functions of thrust force with feed rate and torque with feed rate are identified using system identification toolbox of Matlab®. These transfer functions are then converted into sixth-order combined state-space model. Optimal controller is then designed to track given reference trajectories of thrust force/torque during drilling in composite laminate.
Findings
Optimal control is used to simultaneously control thrust force as well as torque during drilling. There is a critical thrust force during drilling below which no delamination occurs. Therefore, critical thrust force profile is used as reference for delamination free drilling. Present controller precisely tracks the critical thrust force profile. Using critical thrust force as reference, high-speed drilling can be done. The controller is capable of precisely tracking arbitrary thrust force and torque profile simultaneously. Findings suggest that the control mechanism is efficient and can be effective in minimizing drilling induced damage in composite laminates.
Originality/value
Simultaneous optimal control of thrust force and torque during drilling in composites is not available in literature. Feed rate corresponding to critical thrust force trajectory which can prevent delamination at fast speed also not available has been presented.
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Chong Hooi Lim, Mohd Zulkifly Abdullah, Ishak Abdul Aziz, Chu Yee Khor and Mohd Sharizal Abdul Aziz
This study aims to investigate the interaction of independent variables [Reynolds number (Re), thermal power and the number of ball grid array (BGA) packages] and the relation of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the interaction of independent variables [Reynolds number (Re), thermal power and the number of ball grid array (BGA) packages] and the relation of the variables with the responses [Nusselt number ((Nu) ¯ ), deflection/FPCB’s length (d/L) and von Mises stress]. The airflow and thermal effects were considered for optimizing the Re of various numbers of BGA packages with thermal power attached on flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) for optimum cooling performance with least deflection and stress by using the response surface method (RSM).
Design/methodology/approach
Flow and thermal effects on FPCB with heat source generated in the BGA packages have been examined in the simulation. The interactive relationship between factors (i.e. Re, thermal power and number of BGA packages) and responses (i.e. deflection over FPCB length ratio, stress and average Nusselt number) were analysed using analysis of variance. RSM was used to optimize the Re for the different number of BGA packages attached to the FPCB.
Findings
It is important to understand the behaviour of FPCB when exposed to both flow and thermal effects simultaneously under the operating conditions. Maximum d/L and von Misses stress were significantly affected by all parametric factors whilst (Nu)¯ is significantly affected by Re and thermal power. Optimized Re for 1–3 BGA packages with maximum thermal power applied has been identified as 21,364, 23,858 and 29,367, respectively.
Practical implications
This analysis offers a better interpretation of the parameter control in FPCB with optimized Re for the use of force convection electronic cooling. Optimal Re could be used as a reference in the thermal management aspect in designing the BGA package.
Originality/value
This research presents the parameters’ effects on the reliability and heat transfer in FPCB design. It also presents a method to optimize Re for the different number of BGA packages attached to increase the reliability in FPCB’s design.
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Since the launch of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) in 2003, Hong Kong cinema is believed to have confronted drastic changes. Hong Kong…
Abstract
Purpose
Since the launch of the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA) in 2003, Hong Kong cinema is believed to have confronted drastic changes. Hong Kong cinema is described to be dying, lacking creative space and losing local distinctiveness. A decade later, the rise of Hong Kong – China coproduction cinema under CEPA has been normalized and changed the once pessimism in the industry. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how Hong Kong cinema adjusted its production and creation in the first 10 years of CEPA.
Design/methodology/approach
Beginning with a review of the overall development, three paradigmatic cases are examined for reflecting upon what the major industrial and commercial concerns on the Hong Kong – China coproduction model are, and how such a coproduction model is not developed as smooth as what the Hong Kong filmmakers expected.
Findings
Collectively, this paper singles out the difficulties in operation and the limit of transnationality that occur in the Chinese context for the development of Hong Kong cinema under the Hong Kong – China coproduction model.
Originality/value
This is the author’s research in his five-year study of Hong Kong cinema and it contributes a lot to the field of cinema studies with relevant industrial and policy concern.
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This paper investigates how macroeconomic policy and planning of large‐scale dynamic systems are approached from the cybernetic principle, as can be viewed in the interplay of…
Abstract
This paper investigates how macroeconomic policy and planning of large‐scale dynamic systems are approached from the cybernetic principle, as can be viewed in the interplay of information, decision and control. Some speculations about directions in large‐scale policy and planning methods are offered.