Abhijeet Ghadge, Xie Fang, Samir Dani and Jiju Antony
The purpose of this paper is to proactively analyse and mitigate the root causes of the product and security risks. The case study approach examines the effectiveness of the fuzzy…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to proactively analyse and mitigate the root causes of the product and security risks. The case study approach examines the effectiveness of the fuzzy logic approach for assessing the product and process-related failure modes within global supply chain context.
Design/methodology/approach
The case study of a Printed Circuit Board Company in China is used as a platform for conducting the research. Using data triangulation, the data are collected and analyzed through interviews, questionnaires, expert opinions and quantitative modelling for some interesting insights.
Findings
Fuzzy logic approach for failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) provides a structured approach for understanding complex behaviour of failure modes and their associated risks for products and processes. Today’s managers should conduct robust risk assessment during the design stage to avoid product safety and security risks such as recalls.
Research limitations/implications
The research is based on the single case study and multiple cases from different industry sectors may provide some additional insights.
Originality/value
The study attempts to mitigate the root causes of product and processes using fuzzy approach to FMEA in supply chain network.
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Jing Yang, Jie Zhong, Fang Xie, Xiaoyang He, Liwen Du, Yaqian Yan, Meiyu Li, Wuqian Ma, Wenxin Wang and Ning Wang
The purpose of this work is to controllably synthesize a carbon aerogel with programmable functionally graded performance via a simple and effective strategy.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this work is to controllably synthesize a carbon aerogel with programmable functionally graded performance via a simple and effective strategy.
Design/methodology/approach
This work uses polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) via the controllable sol-gel, lyophilization, and carbonization approach to achieve a programmable carbon aerogel. This design has the advantages of low raw material and preparation cost, simple and controllable synthetic process and low carbonization temperature.
Findings
The thermal stability and microstructure of PVA aerogel can be controlled by the crosslinking agent content within a certain range. The crosslinking agent content and the carbonization temperature are the key factors for functionally graded programming of carbon aerogels, including microstructure, oxygen-containing functional groups and adsorption performance. The adsorption ratio and adsorption rate of uranium can be controlled by adjusting initial concentration and pH value of the uranium solution. The 2.5%25 carbon aerogel with carbonization temperature of 350 °C has excellent adsorption performance when the initial concentration of uranium solution is 32 ppm at pH 7.5.
Research limitations/implications
As a new type of lightweight nano-porous amorphous carbon material, this carbon aerogel has many excellent properties.
Originality/value
This work presents a simple, low cost and controllable strategy for functionally graded programming of novel carbon aerogel. This carbon aerogel has great potential for application in various fields such as uranium recovery, wastewater treatment, sound absorption and shock absorption.
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Fang Xie, Xufan Zhang, Jing Ye, Lulu Zhou, Wenjian Zhang and Feng Tian
Based on the resource conservation theory, this research paper aims to evaluate the positive impact of customer orientation on frontline employees' emotional exhaustion and the…
Abstract
Purpose
Based on the resource conservation theory, this research paper aims to evaluate the positive impact of customer orientation on frontline employees' emotional exhaustion and the moderating effects of customer incivility and supervisor monitoring.
Design/methodology/approach
Two-wave data from 484 frontline employees in power supply business halls were analyzed. This study used AMOS 23.0, SPSS22.0 and PROCESS macro for data statistics and analysis.
Findings
Our empirical research demonstrates that customer orientation has a significant positive impact on frontline employees' emotional exhaustion. At the same time, supervisor monitoring moderates the relationship between customer orientation and emotional exhaustion. The higher the interactional or observational monitoring, the stronger customer orientation's effect on frontline employees' emotional exhaustion. Moreover, a three-way interaction model exists between customer orientation, customer incivility and supervisor monitoring.
Practical implications
This study yields practical implications for helping the frontline employees of service-oriented organizations alleviate multiple interpersonal workplace pressures.
Originality/value
Based on resource conservation theory, this paper used a novel approach to focus on customer orientation, customer incivility and supervisor monitoring as interpersonal stressors.
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Hao Zou, Fang Xie, Bo Du and G. Kavithaa
The purpose of this paper is to find the optimum inverter type as the solder joint reliability point of view.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to find the optimum inverter type as the solder joint reliability point of view.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, finite element model(ing) simulations supported with power cycling aging experiments were used to demonstrate the best inverter type as the solder joint reliability point of view.
Findings
It was found that inverter types highly affect the solder joint health during its nominal operating.
Originality/value
The authors confirm the originality of this paper.
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Surya Prakash, Anubhav Agrawal, Ranbir Singh, Rajesh Kumar Singh and Divya Zindani
Grey Systems: Theory and Application (GSTA) journal started publication in 2011 and completed a decade in 2021. The purpose of this study is to provide a detailed bibliometric…
Abstract
Purpose
Grey Systems: Theory and Application (GSTA) journal started publication in 2011 and completed a decade in 2021. The purpose of this study is to provide a detailed bibliometric analysis of the articles published in GSTA and their content primary trends and themes.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses the Web of Science (WoS) database to analyze the content of published articles. A range of bibliometric analyses and indicators are applied to analyze the GSTA article content using science mapping tools of the Bibliometrix package in the R environment.
Findings
The GSTA publishes around 28 articles each year with citations of this work steadily growing over time. The impact of these publications is measured as total mean citations which increased from 0 to 11. The journal has attracted contributors from around the globe, most often affiliated with China, India and Europe. Thematic evolution of the journal's themes reveals that it has expanded its scope to include topics such as relational analysis, decision making, incidence analysis, and forecasting, hybrid grey-fuzzy or grey-rough modeling, etc.
Research limitations/implications
The study is majorly based on GSTA data available on the WoS database.
Originality/value
This study provides the first overview of GSTA's publication and citation trends as well as the evolution of its thematic structure. It also suggests future directions that the journal might take to strengthen its position.
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Rong Zhang and Qi Li
The China–Europe Railway Express (CR Express) in Chongqing has operated regularly and undergone large-scale development. Its impact on Chongqing’s economic growth has become…
Abstract
Purpose
The China–Europe Railway Express (CR Express) in Chongqing has operated regularly and undergone large-scale development. Its impact on Chongqing’s economic growth has become increasingly evident, necessitating further research in this field.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employs the opening of CR Express as a quasi-natural experiment, designating Chongqing, which inaugurated the CR Express in 2011, as the treatment group. 13 provinces and cities that had not yet opened the CR Express until 2017 were selected as the control group. Utilizing panel data from 14 provinces across China spanning from 2006 to 2017, the synthetic control method (SCM) is employed to synthetically construct Chongqing. To quantify the difference in economic development levels between Chongqing with the operation of the CR express and Chongqing without its operation. Key metrics such as gross domestic product (GDP), per capita GDP, total retail sales of consumer goods, import and export value and the proportions of the secondary and tertiary industries are employed to measure urban economic development capabilities. Chongqing is designated as the experimental group, and a double-difference model is constructed to regress the operation of the CR Express against economic development capabilities. Robustness tests are conducted to validate the analytical results.
Findings
The results indicate that, compared to provinces without the operation of the CR Express, the initiation of the CR Express in Chongqing significantly enhances the economic development level of the city. The opening of the CR Express exhibits a pronounced positive impact on Chongqing’s economic development, and these findings remain robust and effective even after parallel trend tests and placebo tests.
Originality/value
The study represents an expansion of the theoretical framework. In contrast to previous studies that relied on a single indicator such as GDP, this study selects six indicators from the dimensions of economy, trade and industry to measure regional economic development capabilities. Furthermore, employing the grey relational analysis method, the study screens these indicators, thereby providing a theoretical basis for the selection of indicators for measuring regional economic development capabilities.
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Jinzhou Li, Jie Ma, Yujie Hu, Li Zhang, Zhijie Liu and Shiying Sun
This study aims to tackle control challenges in soft robots by proposing a visually-guided reinforcement learning approach. Precise tip trajectory tracking is achieved for a soft…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to tackle control challenges in soft robots by proposing a visually-guided reinforcement learning approach. Precise tip trajectory tracking is achieved for a soft arm manipulator.
Design/methodology/approach
A closed-loop control strategy uses deep learning-powered perception and model-free reinforcement learning. Visual feedback detects the arm’s tip while efficient policy search is conducted via interactive sample collection.
Findings
Physical experiments demonstrate a soft arm successfully transporting objects by learning coordinated actuation policies guided by visual observations, without analytical models.
Research limitations/implications
Constraints potentially include simulator gaps and dynamical variations. Future work will focus on enhancing adaptation capabilities.
Practical implications
By eliminating assumptions on precise analytical models or instrumentation requirements, the proposed data-driven framework offers a practical solution for real-world control challenges in soft systems.
Originality/value
This research provides an effective methodology integrating robust machine perception and learning for intelligent autonomous control of soft robots with complex morphologies.
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Liqing La, Feifei Xu, Mingxing Hu and Chengling Xiao
The purpose of this study is to compare the spatial distribution of Airbnb and hotels in London and examine the relationship between demographic, socioeconomic and environmental…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to compare the spatial distribution of Airbnb and hotels in London and examine the relationship between demographic, socioeconomic and environmental factors and the supply of these two types of lodging supply.
Design/methodology/approach
Local information of Airbnb listings in London was collected through Insideairbnb.com. Gathered data were examined using geo-spatial auto-correlation analysis and spatial econometric models.
Findings
The results indicate that Airbnb predominates in the areas around popular tourist attractions and the peripheral areas of the city, while in the downtown area Airbnb and hotels are in the state of coexistence. The mono-centric model and the agglomeration model could be extended to the context of peer-to-peer accommodation. The location of Airbnb and traditional hotels capitalizes on different factors.
Research limitations/implications
The study is based on secondary data due to data availability. And, it is based on the case of London, so the findings may not reflect the situation of small cities and rural destinations.
Practical implications
This study not only gives suggestions for local councils to regulate the location of hotels and Airbnb but also provides professional landlords with reference to choosing Airbnb location.
Originality/value
This study extends the hotel location theoretical models into the context of Airbnb and sheds lights on the distinction between these two business models in terms of location factors.
爱彼迎和酒店的位置:空间分布和关系
目的
本研究旨在比较伦敦Airbnb和酒店的空间分布, 并探讨人口、社会经济和环境因素与这两类住宿供给的关系。
设计/方法/方法
伦敦Airbnb房源信息通过Insideairbnb.com网站收集, 采用地理空间自相关分析和空间经济计量模型进行分析。
研究发现
结果表明Airbnb主要集中在旅游景点周边和城市周边地区, 在市中心地区, Airbnb与酒店处于共存状态。单中心模型和聚集模型适用于共享住宿情境。Airbnb和传统酒店的空间分布影响因素的重要性存在差异。
独创性
本研究将酒店区位理论模型扩展到Airbnb情境下, 并揭示了这两种商业模式在区位因素方面的区别。
研究局限性
本研究采用二手数据。案例地为伦敦, 因此研究结果可能无法反映小城市和乡村旅游目的地的情况。
实际意义
地方政府应更加重视专业公司的劳动力保障并限制旅游景点周边的短期租赁。
Ubicación de los hoteles y preferencias: distribución espacial y relaciones
Propósito
El propósito de este estudio es comparar la distribución espacial de Airbnb y los hoteles en Londres y examinar la relación entre los factores demográficos, socioeconómicos y ambientales y la oferta de estos dos tipos de oferta de alojamiento.
Diseño/metodología/enfoque
La información local de los anuncios de Airbnb en Londres se recopiló a través de Insideairbnb.com. Los datos recopilados se examinaron mediante análisis de autocorrelación geoespacial y modelos econométricos espaciales.
Resultados
Los resultados indican que Airbnb predomina en las zonas aledañas a los atractivos turísticos populares y las zonas periféricas de la ciudad, mientras que en la zona centro Airbnb y los hoteles se encuentran en estado de convivencia. El modelo monocéntrico y el modelo de aglomeración podrían extenderse al contexto de la acomodación entre pares. La ubicación de Airbnb y los hoteles tradicionales se basa en diferentes factores.
Originalidad
Este estudio amplía los modelos teóricos de ubicación de hoteles en el contexto de Airbnb y arroja luz sobre la distinción entre estos dos modelos comerciales en términos de factores de ubicación.
Limitaciones de la investigación
El estudio se basa en datos secundarios debido a la disponibilidad de datos. Y se basa en el caso de Londres, por lo que los hallazgos pueden no reflejar la situación de las ciudades pequeñas y los destinos rurales.
Implicaciones practices
Los hallazgos sugieren que las autoridades locales deberían prestar más atención a la seguridad laboral de las empresas profesionales y restringir los alquileres a corto plazo alrededor de las atracciones turísticas.
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Eddie W.L. Cheng, H. Li, D.P. Fang and F. Xie
This paper aims at presenting the analysis of the views of construction participants in China’s construction industry on three major site safety issues. First, data from three…
Abstract
This paper aims at presenting the analysis of the views of construction participants in China’s construction industry on three major site safety issues. First, data from three distinctive roles (project managers, safety officers, and foremen) on site safety knowledge were analysed. Results indicate that they have low levels of safety knowledge. This is consistent with the existing literature, implying that safety training and education is a major issue around the world. In addition, the views of project managers and safety officers are further elicited on the second issue (that is, factors affecting site safety) and the third issue (that is, methods for improving project safety management). Results indicate that both parties have quite consistent views. The six most important factors are “lack of attention to safety protection by workers”, “lack of attention to safety management by main contractors/project managers”, “insufficient safety training”, “inadequate safety level”, “tiredness of workers”, and “poor quality of construction materials and equipments”. The five most promising methods are “increase in safety investment in terms of manpower, capital and finance”, “improvement in safety operations”, “no alcohol at work”, “increase in safety training and education for workers”, and “increase in safety inspection”. Discussions are given in this paper.
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Raffaele Filieri and Marcello Mariani
Online consumer reviews are increasingly used by third-party e-commerce organizations to shed light on the positive and negative sides of the brands they sell. However, the large…
Abstract
Purpose
Online consumer reviews are increasingly used by third-party e-commerce organizations to shed light on the positive and negative sides of the brands they sell. However, the large number of consumer reviews requires these organizations to shortlist the most helpful ones to cope with information overload. A growing number of scholars have been investigating the determinants of review helpfulness; however, little is known about the influence of cultural factors in consumer's evaluation of review helpfulness.
Design/methodology/approach
This study has adopted Hofstede's cultural values framework to assess the influence of cultural factors on review helpfulness. We used a sample of 570,669 reviews of 851 hotels published by reviewers from 81 countries on Booking.com.
Findings
Findings reveal that reviewers from cultural contexts that score high on power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance and indulgence are more likely to write helpful reviews.
Originality/value
This is one of the first cross-cultural studies in marketing using a big data approach in examining how users of reviews from different countries evaluate the helpfulness of online reviews.