Fengjie Li, Yan Chen and Xiaochun Hu
This paper propose an algorithm for the multiple silicon steel coils multiperiod two-dimensional lengthwise cutting stock problem (m2DLCSP), so as to minimize the total cost of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper propose an algorithm for the multiple silicon steel coils multiperiod two-dimensional lengthwise cutting stock problem (m2DLCSP), so as to minimize the total cost of materials and production.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors propose a sequential leftovers utilization correction (SLUC) algorithm for the m2DLCSP. The algorithm primarily considers three optimization strategies. First, it considers usable leftovers to simplify the cutting process and improve material utilization. The total quantity and types of leftovers should be limited in order to avoid leftover overstock. Second, it uses a splice method of items to improve the generated cutting plan. Third, it takes into account operational restrictions in the cutting operations. Operational restrictions include imposing maximum and minimum lengths on the cutting patterns, and the limitation of cutting knives at the slitting machines.
Findings
Several sets of benchmark with real-world and randomly generated instances are provided to evaluate the algorithm. Compared with literature algorithm and current procedure applied in enterprises, the computational results indicate that proposed algorithm can effectively reduce the total cost, and the computation time is reasonable for practical use.
Social implications
This algorithm can effectively reduce the total cost.
Originality/value
The proposed method can effectively applied to solve the m2DLCSP and improve the economic efficiency of enterprises.
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Khalid Hussain, Fengjie Jing, Muhammad Junaid, Huayu Shi and Usman Baig
Contemporary scholars contend that the buyer–seller relationship is dynamic in nature, so it grows, matures and declines over time. However, most studies that adopt the dynamic…
Abstract
Purpose
Contemporary scholars contend that the buyer–seller relationship is dynamic in nature, so it grows, matures and declines over time. However, most studies that adopt the dynamic perspective debates its conceptualization and how dynamic effects are captured. This scholarly discourse has led to multiple dynamic perspectives and resulted in fragmented and scattered literature on the subject. This study aims to synthesize the large body of research on dynamic perspectives in a systematic way.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper follows a systematic review approach to extract and review 192 research articles from four electronic databases: Web of Science, EBSCOhost Business, ScienceDirect and Emerald. Based on the inclusion criteria that the articles examine time-dependent relationship development in light of a generalizable dynamic perspective, 61 articles were selected for the final examination and reporting.
Findings
This review reveals that most research on the buyer–seller dynamic relationship follows at least one of four perspectives: the relationship lifecycle, relationship age, relationship velocity and the asymmetric–dynamic perspective. Each perspective offers a distinct conceptualization of relationship development and has certain advantages that enable researchers to capture information about relationships’ growth trajectory in a unique manner.
Practical implications
Firms need a set of diverse strategies for their customers, depending on the state of the relationships’ development, as strategies that pay off at initial levels may fail at later stages. This study helps managers select an appropriate dynamic perspective that best aligns with their customers’ stage of relationship development so they can devise customized relationship-management strategies.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this article is the first attempt to organize the discourse of a large body of research on dynamic perspectives, and therefore it helps academicians and practitioners to choose the dynamic perspective that best suits their objectives and research settings. This review documents key research areas that have been overlooked and highlights opportunities for future research.
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Abstract
Purpose
This paper traces the incorporation of western educational histories in the development of normal-school curricula during the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China (1901–1944). It uses publication networks to show how the study of comparative educational history facilitated the international circulation of knowledge in the teaching profession, and how the “uses” of educational history were shaped by larger geopolitical forces.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper analyzes the international exchange of texts between normal schools in China and Japan and, subsequently, between normal schools in China and the United States. A database of 107 publications in the field of western educational history that were adopted in China reveals specific patterns of textual citation, cross-reference, and canon-formation in the field of educational historiography.
Findings
With conclusions derived from a combination of social network analysis and clustering analysis, this paper identifies three broad stages in China's development of normal-school curricula in comparative educational history: “Japan as Teacher,” “transitional period” and “America as Teacher.”
Research limitations/implications
Statistical analysis can reveal citation and reference patterns but not readers' understanding of the deeper meaning of texts – in this case, textbooks on the subject of western educational history. In addition, the types of publications analyzed in this study are relatively limited, the articles on the history of education in journals have not become the main objects of this study.
Originality/value
This paper uses both quantitative and qualitative methods to uncover the transnational circulation of knowledge in the field of comparative educational history during its formative period in China.
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In order to find a way to create the artistic conception of modern landscape space, the spatial analysis of Daguanyuan is carried out from the perspective of literature in order…
Abstract
In order to find a way to create the artistic conception of modern landscape space, the spatial analysis of Daguanyuan is carried out from the perspective of literature in order to find out the method of creating the artistic conception of modern landscape space. Adopting the method of general to special, from theory to practice, the argument with special significance is analyzed from the most common phenomena, and this argument is applied to the method of practical cases. The results show that Daguanyuan space in literature needs the audience's ability to understand words, the perception of space in film and television needs the audience's strong memory and imaginative thinking, while the perception of Daguanyuan space in garden art needs only basic discrimination ability. After analyzing the effect of Daguanyuan space construction from the literary perspective, it is believed that the writing techniques of starting point - development - climax - ending, wanting to carry forward first and restraining first, and reserving foreshadows in literature can be used for reference in modern landscape design.
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Khalid Hussain, Fengjie Jing, Muhammad Junaid, Qamar Uz Zaman and Huayu Shi
This study aims to investigate the outcomes of customers’ co-creation experience in a realistic and routinely performed co-creation setting, a restaurant. To fulfill this purpose…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the outcomes of customers’ co-creation experience in a realistic and routinely performed co-creation setting, a restaurant. To fulfill this purpose, the current study links the branding literature to hospitality research and offers a novel framework by incorporating customers’ co-creation experience, customer brand engagement, emotional brand attachment and customer satisfaction in an integrated research model.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 421 diners at Chinese hotpot restaurants via a self-administered questionnaire. The reliability and convergent and discriminant validities were established through confirmatory factor analysis, and then hypotheses were tested through structural equation modeling.
Findings
This study demonstrates that customers’ co-creation experience with a restaurant brand positively impacts customer brand engagement, emotional brand attachment and customer satisfaction. In addition, current study examines these relational paths at the dimensional level by taking the co-creation experience and customer brand engagement as multidimensional constructs. The resulting in-depth investigation reveals that the hedonic, social and economic experience dimensions of co-creation experience positively influence customer satisfaction, emotional brand attachment and customer brand engagement’s buying, referring, influencing and feedback dimensions.
Practical implications
This study helps relationship and brand managers better understand customer experience in co-creation settings and paves the way for managers to devise engagement strategies.
Originality/value
The current study marks an initial attempt to delineate the outcomes of customers’ co-creation experience in a realistic co-creation setting. Furthermore, the study is first of its kind that investigates the relationship of co-creation experience and customer brand engagement at the dimensional level.
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Sifeng Liu, Yong Tao, Naiming Xie, Liangyan Tao and Mingli Hu
The purpose of this paper is to summarize the advances in grey system theory research and various application achievements in science and engineering. At the same time, it…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to summarize the advances in grey system theory research and various application achievements in science and engineering. At the same time, it commemorates the 40th anniversary of the birth of grey system theory and the 10th anniversary of Grey Systems–Theory and Application.
Design/methodology/approach
Firstly, the innovations of theoretical research in grey system theory were summarized and some of the widely recognized new results are briefly described. By searching and combing the research results of grey system theory in China national knowledge infrastructure (CNKI) database and Web of Science by Institute for Scientific Information (ISI), this paper shows the rapid development trend of grey system theory in the past 40 years, and the successful applications of grey system theory in the fields of social sciences, natural sciences and engineering technologies.
Findings
More than 227 thousands literature were found by input 10 phrases such as grey system, grey number and sequence operator etc. in CNKI database. After entering the new century, the number of grey system papers included in CNKI database is increasing rapidly. Since 2008, more than 10 thousands papers have been included per year and more than 15 thousands papers have been included per year since 2014. Grey system method and model are widely used in physics, chemistry, biology and other fields of natural science, as well as transportation, electric power, machinery and other fields of engineering technology, and a large number of valuable results have been achieved.
Practical implications
It can be seen that the grey system theory plays an important role in promoting China’s scientific and technological progress, innovation and development and high-level talent training from tens of thousands of literatures marked with important national science and technology projects and a large number of grey system literatures published by China’s double first-class universities and double first-class discipline construction universities.
Originality/value
Both innovations of theoretical research and practical application play important role in the growth of new theory. The innovations of theoretical research provide methods and tools for practical application, which is conducive to improve application efficiency and broaden application fields. A large number of practical applications needs have become the source of theoretical innovation and the solid background for the birth of theoretical innovation achievements.
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Henry Boateng, Franklin Gyamfi Agyemang, Abednego Feehi Okoe and Tiniwah Deborah Mensah
This study aims to ascertain the relationship between trustworthiness and students’ attitudes toward knowledge sharing.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to ascertain the relationship between trustworthiness and students’ attitudes toward knowledge sharing.
Design/methodology/approach
For this study, the authors used the survey research design technique. Data were collected from students pursuing a degree in Business and Administration. Convenience sampling technique was used to select the participants. A total of 400 students participated in the study. Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the data.
Findings
The results show that trustworthiness, integrity, benevolence and ability have a positive relationship with students’ attitudes toward knowledge sharing.
Originality/value
Studies investigating the relationship between trustworthiness and students’ attitudes toward knowledge sharing is rare, especially in Ghana.
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This study aims to answer two questions: (a) what obstacles and opportunities do Chinese female entrepreneurs face when doing business? And (b) how do they negotiate their…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to answer two questions: (a) what obstacles and opportunities do Chinese female entrepreneurs face when doing business? And (b) how do they negotiate their entrepreneurial careers and gender identities in different gender-segregated markets?
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses qualitative research methods of participant observation and in-depth interviews with 41 female entrepreneurs in China and the theoretical lenses of gender role theory and doing gender in entrepreneurship.
Findings
The study findings reveal that Chinese female entrepreneurs face different obstacles and opportunities in gender-segregated industries. Their experiences vary in industries that are mainly occupied by males and females. On the one hand, women in female-dominated industries may be supported by a feminine working environment that is coherent with their domestic roles. However, they may also be questioned on the cultural impurity implied in some industries, which harms their class-based feminine virtue. On the other hand, women in male-dominated industries may be challenged and marginalized due to their gender. However, some find ways to turn the disadvantaged feminine characters into favourable conditions and break out of the stereotypical gender constraints in doing business.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature on gender and entrepreneurship in general. More specifically, it contributes to the study of doing gender in gender-segregated markets, and it also illustrates women’s gendered opportunities and constraints in Chinese society that are affected by the long-lasting traditional gender norms.
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Through an empirical inquiry into manufacturing joint ventures companies in Vietnam setting, this paper aims to examine the relationships among knowledge sharing and its…
Abstract
Purpose
Through an empirical inquiry into manufacturing joint ventures companies in Vietnam setting, this paper aims to examine the relationships among knowledge sharing and its antecedents such as organisational culture, ethics, and human resources localization.
Design/methodology/approach
An analysis of data returned from a questionnaire survey among middle level managers in these manufacturing joint ventures companies was conducted via analysis of variance and structural equation modelling.
Findings
The study findings display the correspondence between control culture and ethics of justice. Flexibility culture, on the other hand, tends to nurture ethics of care, which in turn positively impact localization of intellectual capital. The influence of intellectual capital localization on knowledge sharing is also discerned.
Originality/value
The study offers insight into the linkage pattern of knowledge sharing and its antecedents, organisational culture, ethics, and human resources localization, in manufacturing joint venture companies in a Vietnam business context.