Hongxia Wang, Hua Zhou, Haitao Niu, Chen Huang, Amir Abbas, Jian Fang and Tong Lin
In this study, superhydrophobic fabric is prepared with a wet-chemical coating technique that uses a coating solution synthesized by the co-hydrolysis and co-condensation of…
Abstract
In this study, superhydrophobic fabric is prepared with a wet-chemical coating technique that uses a coating solution synthesized by the co-hydrolysis and co-condensation of tetraethyl orthosilicate and fluoroalkyl silane (tridecafluorooctyl triethoxysilane) under an alkaline condition. The treated fabric shows stable superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle as high as 171°, and a sliding angle as low as 2°. The coated fabric has higher repellency to saline water, and its repellency increases with increases in the salt content in the solution. The contact angle is reduced with increases in liquid temperature. When the water temperature is 90°C, the contact angle on the superhydrophobic fabric is 153°. The superhydrophobic treatment slightly reduces the air permeability, but increases the water vapor permeability of the fabric. The treatment considerably increases the liquid breakthrough pressure, but has little effect on fabric pore size and thermal conductivity. The air gap membrane distillation process is used to evaluate the desalination performance of the superhydrophobic fabric. When the feed and the condenser are kept at 90°C and 20°C, respectively, the membrane distillation (MD) system with the superhydrophobic fabric yields a permeate flux of water up to 13.8 kg m-2 hour-1, which is slightly higher than that with the use of polymer and inorganic MD membranes reported. Superhydrophobic fabrics may thus be considered as effective MD membranes for water desalination applications.
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Abstract
Purpose
Based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the purpose of this study is to provide a well-supported explanation of how rural college students (RCS)’ entrepreneurial learning experiences (ELE) affect their returning home entrepreneurial intention (RHEI) through the three antecedents of TPB (Personal attitudes, PA; Subjective norms, SN and Perceived behavioral control, PBC).
Design/methodology/approach
An extension of the TPB was proposed, including the additional constructs of entrepreneurial learning experiences(ELE). Data were collected from a sample of 986 rural college students from ten universities and colleges located in China using a survey questionnaire. SEM was used to test the hypotheses and the relationships between variables.
Findings
RCS’ ELE significantly and positively influences the formation of their RHEI through the mediating effect of PBC. In addition, the three antecedents of TPB have direct and significant impact on RHEI, and PA, PBC indirectly mediate the relation between SN and RHEI.
Practical implications
The results of this study have implications for entrepreneurship educators and policymakers by promoting RCS’ RHEI through optimize the content and methods of entrepreneurship education from the perspective of students learning, and strengthening publicity for rural entrepreneurship, increase support for returning home entrepreneurship.
Originality/value
The role of ELE in forming RCS' RHEI has been underestimated by previous studies. This study combines the push-pull theory with TPB to explore the formation mechanism of RCS’ RHEI, and helps to understand the role of ELE in shaping RHEI through the development of an extended TPB intention-based model.
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Jiaqi Liu, Haitao Wen, Rong Wen, Wenjue Zhang, Yun Cui and Heng Wang
To contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, this study aims to explore how to encourage innovative green behaviors among college students and the mechanisms…
Abstract
Purpose
To contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, this study aims to explore how to encourage innovative green behaviors among college students and the mechanisms behind the formation of green innovation behavior. Specifically, this study examines the influences of schools, mentors and college students themselves.
Design/methodology/approach
A multilevel, multisource study involving 261 students from 51 groups generally supported this study’s predictions.
Findings
Proenvironmental and responsible mentors significantly predicted innovative green behavior among college students. In addition, creative motivation mediated the logical chain among green intellectual capital, emotional intelligence and green innovation behavior.
Practical implications
The study findings offer new insights into the conditions required for college students to engage in green innovation. In addition, they provide practical implications for cultivating green innovation among college students.
Originality/value
The authors proposed and tested a multilevel theory based on the ability–motivation–opportunity framework. In this model, proenvironmental and responsible mentors, green intellectual capital and emotional intelligence triggered innovative green behavior among college students through creative motivation.
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Peiran Gao, Jinlong Zhang, Yeming Gong and Haitao Li
The purpose of this research is to investigate how critical managerial IT capabilities, such as IT business spanning capability, interact with two pivotal types of technical IT…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to investigate how critical managerial IT capabilities, such as IT business spanning capability, interact with two pivotal types of technical IT capabilities (i.e. IT flexibility and IT integration) to affect organizational agility. Especially, the authors mainly examine a positive synergy or complementary relationship between IT business spanning capability and IT flexibility and a negative synergy or substitution relationship between IT business spanning capability and IT integration.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors develop a research model that integrates IT flexibility, IT integration, IT business spanning capability and organizational agility. Based on a matched-pair, cross-sectional field survey of IT and business managers, they use partial least squares (PLS) to analyze this research model.
Findings
IT flexibility and IT integration have been empirically proven to be positively associated with organizational agility. Furthermore, the research results indicate a positive synergy or complementary relationship between IT business spanning capability and IT flexibility, whereas they indicate a negative synergy or substitution relationship between IT business spanning capability and IT integration with regard to organizational agility. This finding demonstrates that IT business spanning capability can differentially influence organizational agility depending on its interaction with specific technical IT capability types. In addition, the effects of IT flexibility on organizational agility are high, whereas the effectiveness of IT integration decreases in the presence of high IT business spanning capability. Each type of technical IT capability displays different effectiveness under high IT business spanning capability. Thus, appropriate technical IT capability types should be carefully deployed, and highly effective technical IT capability types, such as IT flexibility, should be prioritized under high levels of IT business spanning capability.
Originality/value
This research highlights the joint effects of IT business spanning capability and two pivotal types of technical IT capabilities (i.e. IT flexibility and IT integration) on organizational agility, ultimately contributing to OM theories and practices.
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Pengkun Cheng, Juliang Xiao, Wei Zhao, Yangyang Zhang, Haitao Liu and Xianlei Shan
This paper aims to enhance the machining accuracy of hybrid robots by treating the moving platform as the first joint of a serial robot for direct position measurement and…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to enhance the machining accuracy of hybrid robots by treating the moving platform as the first joint of a serial robot for direct position measurement and integrating external grating sensors with motor encoders for real-time error compensation.
Design/methodology/approach
Initially, a spherical coordinate system is established using one linear and two circular grating sensors. This system enables direct acquisition of the moving platform’s position in the hybrid robot. Subsequently, during the coarse interpolation stage, the motor command for the next interpolation point is dynamically updated using error data from external grating sensors and motor encoders. Finally, fuzzy proportional integral derivative (PID) control is applied to maintain robot stability post-compensation.
Findings
Experiments were conducted on the TriMule-600 hybrid robot. The results indicate that the following errors of the five grating sensors are reduced by 94%, 93%, 80%, 75% and 88% respectively, after compensation. Using the fourth drive joint as an example, it was verified that fuzzy adaptive PID control performs better than traditional PID control.
Practical implications
The proposed online error compensation strategy significantly enhances the positional accuracy of the robot end, thereby improving the actual processing quality of the workpiece.
Social implications
This method presents a technique for achieving online error compensation in hybrid robots, which promotes the advancement of the manufacturing industry.
Originality/value
This paper proposes a cost-effective and practical method for online error compensation in hybrid robots using grating sensors, which contributes to the advancement of hybrid robot technology.
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Yixing Zhang, Xiaomeng Lu, Haitao Yin and Rui Zhao
Scholars have not agreed with each other on how people would behave after experiencing a catastrophic event. They could save more as a precautionary action for future difficulties…
Abstract
Purpose
Scholars have not agreed with each other on how people would behave after experiencing a catastrophic event. They could save more as a precautionary action for future difficulties or save less with a carpe diem attitude. This study aims to attempt to shed light on this debate with empirical observations on how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected household saving decisions.
Design/methodology/approach
The two waves of the survey data allowed us to investigate both instantaneous and ongoing effects of Covid-19 on household saving decisions. The instantaneous effect refers to the immediate impact of the crisis, while the ongoing effect refers to the lasting impact of the pandemic when economic recovery had started. The variation in the number of confirmed cases across cities during the two waves provides the source of power for identification. The authors extend their analyses of the impact of Covid-19 on the household saving decision by using ordinary least squares models. Due to the ordered nature of survey responses, the authors also rerun all baseline models using the ordered probit regression method.
Findings
This paper studied the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on household saving decisions in China. This study found that households in the most affected cities would save more during the Covid-19 but tend to save less when the disaster started fading away. Combining findings in Kun et al. (2013) and Filipski et al. (2015), people do become more pessimistic during and after the Covid-19, possibly driving their observed precautionary and cape diem behaviors during the two points of time. Heterogeneity analysis shows that specific households would dramatically change their saving behavior. These observations might be useful for policymakers who concern the economic recovery after this pandemic disaster.
Originality/value
Understanding how the Covid-19 pandemic would affect household consumption vs saving decisions is important for the economic recovery after this disaster comes to an end. The analyses presented in this research could be useful for policymakers who concern appropriate policies aiming to boost consumption and economic activities after Covid.
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Bing Han, Tianze Chi, Fangjie Hu and Mengjun Wang
This paper divides the dyadic supply chain into three power structures according to the relative channel power of the supply chain members and consequently examines the optimal…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper divides the dyadic supply chain into three power structures according to the relative channel power of the supply chain members and consequently examines the optimal supply chain pricing decisions when both suppliers and retailers are concerned with fairness issues.
Design/methodology/approach
Three models are constructed, namely the Stackelberg game model with the supplier as the leader, the Nash game model with the balance of power and another Stackelberg game model with the retailer as the leader. The equilibrium solutions are solved, and their results are analyzed.
Findings
The retail price of a product increases with an increase in the fairness concerns of the leader in a supply chain in which the supplier or retailer is the leader, while the fairness concerns of the member with less channel power have no effect on the retail price. In a power-balanced supply chain, both suppliers and retailers increase their retail prices as their fairness concerns increase. The relative size of the members’ fairness concerns affects member profits and total supply chain profits.
Originality/value
The main contributions are as follows: First, this paper proposes a new approach to studying supply chain pricing strategy, considering fairness concerns and power structure. Secondly, three game models are constructed. The Nash equilibrium solution is introduced to study the fairness of supply chain participants in pricing decisions and overall supply chain profitability. Finally, the supply chain management theory is expanded by this study on pricing decisions and supply chain performance.
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Zhe Liu, Wei Chen, Desheng Li and Wenjing Zhang
In high-speed processing, the influence on the machining accuracy of a machine tool is greatly caused by the thermal deformation of the motorized spindle; a further study on the…
Abstract
Purpose
In high-speed processing, the influence on the machining accuracy of a machine tool is greatly caused by the thermal deformation of the motorized spindle; a further study on the thermal characteristics of the spindle is given in this paper. This study aims to reduce the thermal error and improve the performance of the machine tool by discussing the relationships between the temperature distributions and rotating accuracy caused by the thermal deformations of the spindle.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper opted for a method combining the theoretical analysis and the experimental study to study the thermal stability of the high-speed motorized spindle. First of all, a finite element model of the spindle was built with ANSYS, whereby temperature distributions and the thermal deformations were successively obtained at different speeds. And then, both the temperature field and the rotating accuracy of the motorized spindle were measured simultaneously by the thermal stability experiment. Finally, the experimental and theoretical results were compared and validated.
Findings
The thermal stability of the motorized spindle was studied in this paper, and some findings from the study were as follows: the spindle’s rotating accuracy maintained good in X direction but bad in Y and Z directions in terms of the deformations; the higher front-end temperature of the spindle which can significantly affect the rotating accuracy is needed to be controlled mainly; the recovery speed of the spindle deformation lagged behind the temperature’s fallback speed; the vibration graph about radial rotating sensitivity synthesized by X1 and X2 presented a trifoliate shape.
Originality/value
Based on a built test-bed which can synchronously measure the motorized spindle’s temperature distribution and rotating accuracy with five-point method, the coupling effects of the thermal deformation and temperature are embodied, and not only the vibration graph but also the thermal tilt angles can be gained. Therefore, considering the influence of the thermal deformation on the heat generated by the bearings, the paper fulfilled a study by which it was obtained that the front-end temperature of the spindle, which was higher and could significantly affect the rotating accuracy, needed to be controlled mainly.
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This study aims to examine the influence of organizational flexibility (OF) and shared vision (SV) on sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) with the mediation role of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the influence of organizational flexibility (OF) and shared vision (SV) on sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) with the mediation role of responsible innovation (RI) in the manufacturing industry of a developing country. Furthermore, big data analytics capability (BDAC) serves as a moderator between RI and SCA.
Design/methodology/approach
The study's hypotheses are investigated using the structural equation modeling (SEM) method. Through simple random sampling, information was gathered from 247 owners/managers of manufacturing SMEs.
Findings
The results elucidate that OF and SV significantly determine RI and SCA. Moreover, RI significantly mediates between SV, OF and SCA. Besides, RI significantly determines SCA. BDAC significantly leads to SCA. Finally, BDAC significantly moderates between RI and SCA.
Research limitations/implications
RI is crucial for manufacturing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to gain SCA and BDAC is important to address the changing demands of consumers for environment-friendly products. This study gives the public an overview of the different degrees to which SMEs are embracing RI and BDAC; with more environment-friendly initiatives, the natural environment will become more sustainable. Environmental sustainability will benefit each individual living in society.
Originality/value
This study adds value to the existing literature by focusing on predictors that affect SCA. Using dynamic capability theory, this initial study examines the influence of SV and OF on SCA and RI as mediators. Furthermore, BDAC is used as a moderating variable between RI and SCA. Managers, students and researchers can benefit from this study.