Aiqi Wu, Shengxiao Li and Huafeng Wang
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) intermediary ties on new ventures’ product innovation. Product innovation is a…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of knowledge-intensive business services (KIBS) intermediary ties on new ventures’ product innovation. Product innovation is a critical strategy for new ventures’ survival and growth. However, as a result of smallness and newness, new ventures usually face considerable difficulties in product innovation and require support to help their innovation search and innovation activities.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire survey of 145 Chinese new ventures is used to test presented hypotheses empirically.
Findings
This study finds that the intensity of KIBS intermediary ties has a positive influence on innovation, while the diversity of KIBS intermediary ties has no influence on new ventures’ product innovation. Moreover, the relationship between the intensity of KIBS intermediary ties and new ventures’ product innovation is moderated by the degree of their international venturing and ties with other firms.
Originality/value
This study enriches understanding of the important roles of KIBS intermediary ties on new ventures’ product innovation.
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Qingjun Ding, Bo Tian, Gai Zhao, Feng Wang, Huafeng Li and Yunlai Shi
This study systematically investigated the effect of the binary rare earth oxide of La2O3 and Sm2O3 on the properties of the Al2O3/TiO2 (AT) coating, including phase transform…
Abstract
Purpose
This study systematically investigated the effect of the binary rare earth oxide of La2O3 and Sm2O3 on the properties of the Al2O3/TiO2 (AT) coating, including phase transform, wear behavior, etc.
Design/methodology/approach
AT coatings mixed with different components of binary rare earth oxides of La2O3 and Sm2O3 are prepared by atmospheric plasma spraying. The adhesion strength, micro-hardness, phase transition and tribological behavior of coatings are systematically investigated.
Findings
The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis shows that phase transformation is obvious after spraying, and a-Al2O3 is almost translated into γ-Al2O3 when La2O3 and Sm2O3 are doped together. Meanwhile, solid solution generated between rare earth oxide and Al2O3/TiO2 coatings results in disappearance of TiO2 and rare earth oxide phase. The photos under the scanning electron microscope (SEM) indicate that binary rare earth oxide could increase the melting degree of powder and decrease porosity of coatings.The increasing of Sm2O3 rarely affect micro-hardness and adhesion strength, and the coating with 4 per cent Sm2O3 and 1 per cent La2O3 exhibits the best wear resistance and lowest friction coefficient among all the samples.
Originality/value
AT coatings mixed with different components of binary rare earth oxide of La2O3 and Sm2O3 are prepared by atmospheric plasma spraying. Binary rare earth oxide could increase the melting degree of powder and decrease porosity of AT coatings.
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Guoda Chen, Huafeng Yang, Huiqiang Cao, Shiming Ji, Xi Zeng and Qian Wang
For the climbing rod object with large diameter variation and the need of obstacle crossing, this paper aims to propose a new embracing-type climbing robot named as EVOC-I robot.
Abstract
Purpose
For the climbing rod object with large diameter variation and the need of obstacle crossing, this paper aims to propose a new embracing-type climbing robot named as EVOC-I robot.
Design/methodology/approach
The design philosophy and structural scheme are introduced. The kinematic analysis of embracing and telescoping mechanisms is carried out to provide the theoretical foundation for the effective climbing of the robot. Based on the prototype robot, three preliminary experiments are carried out to verify the effectiveness of the designed robot.
Findings
The theoretical and experimental analyses have verified the reasonability and effectiveness of the proposed robot design.
Research limitations/implications
As the preliminary study, the prototype still need a lot of improvement. The experimental verification is also limited. Future work will focus on improving the design and increasing the theoretical analysis, especially increasing experimental study and designing the next generation of the rod climbing robot.
Practical implications
The designed climbing robot can be used for climbing the rod with variation diameter and flange obstacle, especially the lightening rod in the transformer substation.
Originality/value
The paper designs a new climbing robot that integrates the ability of large variation diameter adaptation and obstacle crossing.
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Chen Liu and Huafeng Feng
To investigate whether the actual effects of eight drape characteristics of virtual fabrics can be manifested in the Style 3D software.
Abstract
Purpose
To investigate whether the actual effects of eight drape characteristics of virtual fabrics can be manifested in the Style 3D software.
Design/methodology/approach
Image analysis was conducted using MATLAB software to obtain the drape characteristics of virtual fabrics. Pair the drape characteristics of the real and virtual fabrics for difference. The S-W method was used to conduct a normality test to obtain the correlation of paired samples. A paired sample t-test was performed to obtain the significance values.
Findings
The simulation restoration performance of the drape coefficient, number of undulations, maximum undulation angle, minimum undulation angle and undulation angle uniformity was good. However, there are differences in the simulation performance of the other three indicators: maximum undulation amplitude, minimum undulation amplitude and undulation amplitude uniformity compared to the drape characteristics of real fabrics.
Originality/value
Provides reference value for the improvement of Style3D software in virtual fabric simulation and finds the main influential parameters and their impact levels that contribute to the realistic representation of virtual fabrics in software. It provides a theoretical basis for course teaching in digital fashion.
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Due to climate change and an increasing concentration of the world’s population in vulnerable areas, how to manage catastrophe risk efficiently and cover disaster losses fairly is…
Abstract
Purpose
Due to climate change and an increasing concentration of the world’s population in vulnerable areas, how to manage catastrophe risk efficiently and cover disaster losses fairly is still a universal dilemma.
Methodology
This paper applies a law and economic approach.
Findings
China’s mechanism for managing catastrophic disaster risk is in many ways unique. It emphasizes government responsibilities and works well in many respects, especially in disaster emergency relief. Nonetheless, China’s mechanism which has the vestige of a centrally planned economy needs reform.
Practical Implications
I propose a catastrophe insurance market-enhancing framework which marries the merits of both the market and government to manage catastrophe risks. There are three pillars of the framework: (i) sustaining a strong and capable government; (ii) government enhancement of the market, neither supplanting nor retarding it; (iii) legalizing the relationship between government and market to prevent government from undermining well-functioning market operations. A catastrophe insurance market-enhancing framework may provide insights for developing catastrophe insurance in China and other transitional nations.
Originality
First, this paper analyzes China’s mechanism for managing catastrophic disaster risks and China’s approach which emphasizes government responsibilities will shed light on solving how to manage catastrophe risk efficiently and cover disaster losses fairly. Second, this paper starts a broader discussion about government stimulation of developing catastrophe insurance and this framework can stimulate attention to solve the universal dilemma.
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Mingyong Liu, Peidong Xu, Jinxi Zhang and Huafeng Ding
Power loss is an important index to evaluate the transmission performance of a gear pair. In some cases, the starved lubrication exists on the gear contact interface. The purpose…
Abstract
Purpose
Power loss is an important index to evaluate the transmission performance of a gear pair. In some cases, the starved lubrication exists on the gear contact interface. The purpose of this paper is to reveal the mechanical power loss of a helical gear pair under starved lubrication.
Design/methodology/approach
A starved thermal-elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) model is proposed to evaluate the tribological properties of a helical gear pair. The numerical result has been validated against the published simulation data. Based on the proposed model, the influence of thermal effect, working conditions, inlet oil-supply layer and surface roughness on the mechanical power loss and lubrication performance has been discussed.
Findings
Results show that the thermal effect has a significant effect on the tribological properties of helical gear pair, especially on mechanical power loss. For a specified working condition, there is an optimal oil supply for gear lubrication to obtain the state of full film lubrication. Meanwhile, it reveals that the mechanical power loss increases with the increase of the surface roughness amplitude.
Originality/value
In this paper, a starved thermal-EHL model has been developed for the helical gear pair based on the finite line contact theory. This model can be used to analyze the tribological properties of gear pair from full film lubrication to mixed lubrication. The results can provide the tribological guidance for design of a helical gear pair.
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Guo Huafeng, Xiang Changcheng and Chen Shiqiang
This study aims to reduce data bias during human activity and increase the accuracy of activity recognition.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to reduce data bias during human activity and increase the accuracy of activity recognition.
Design/methodology/approach
A convolutional neural network and a bidirectional long short-term memory model are used to automatically capture feature information of time series from raw sensor data and use a self-attention mechanism to learn select potential relationships of essential time points. The proposed model has been evaluated on six publicly available data sets and verified that the performance is significantly improved by combining the self-attentive mechanism with deep convolutional networks and recursive layers.
Findings
The proposed method significantly improves accuracy over the state-of-the-art method between different data sets, demonstrating the superiority of the proposed method in intelligent sensor systems.
Originality/value
Using deep learning frameworks, especially activity recognition using self-attention mechanisms, greatly improves recognition accuracy.
Details
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Bian Tian, Huafeng Li, Ning Yang, Yulong Zhao, Pei Chen and Hanyue Liu
It is significant to know the real-time indexes about the turbulence flow of the ocean system, which has a deep influence on ocean productivity, distribution of the ocean…
Abstract
Purpose
It is significant to know the real-time indexes about the turbulence flow of the ocean system, which has a deep influence on ocean productivity, distribution of the ocean populations and transmission of the ocean energy, especially the measurement of turbulence flow velocity. So, it is particularly urgent to provide a high-sensitivity, low-cost and reliable fluid flow sensor for industry and consumer product application. This paper aims to design a micro fluid flow sensor with a cross beam membrane structure. The designed sensor can detect the fluid flow velocity and has a low kinetic energy dissipation rate.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, a micro fluid flow sensor with a cross beam membrane structure is designed to measure the ocean turbulence flow velocity. The design, simulation, fabrication and measurement of the designed sensor are discussed. By testing the simply packaged sensor in the fluid flow and analyzing the experiments data, the results show that the designed sensor has favorable performance.
Findings
The paper describes the tests of the designed sensor, and the experimental results show that the designed sensor can measure the fluid flow velocity and has a sensitivity of 11.12 mV/V/(m/s)2 and a low kinetic energy dissipation rate in the range of 10-6-10-4 W/kg.
Originality/value
This paper provides a micro-electro-mechanical systems fluid flow sensor used to measure ocean turbulence flow velocity.
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Bikash Barua, MM Obaidul Islam, Habiba Kibria and Rupam Barua
Creativity is widely recognized as a key driver of innovation and competitive advantage in today’s dynamic business landscape. As organizations strive to foster a culture of…
Abstract
Purpose
Creativity is widely recognized as a key driver of innovation and competitive advantage in today’s dynamic business landscape. As organizations strive to foster a culture of innovation, it becomes imperative to understand the factors that enhance creativity among employees. This study aims to explore the role of employee empowerment in promoting creativity at the workplace.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used empowerment measures to determine the impact of employee empowerment on employee creativity. Creativity was also measured based on constructs reviewed in literature. An online questionnaire survey was conducted among 170 faculty members of different private universities of Bangladesh. The sample was chosen based on a convenience method. The responses were analyzed using partial least square (PLS) approach with the help of software SmartPLS.
Findings
This study comes to the conclusion that employee empowerment plays a crucial role as a forerunner to creativity at work. The configuration process is mostly accelerated and facilitated by university officials.
Research limitations/implications
Because they are statistically significant in establishing a climate for employee creativity at work, it is necessary to empirically determine the percentage impact level of the constructs of employee engagement known as “Leadership and Organizational Culture” and “Internal and External Enhancement Factors.” In addition, employee engagement is not the sole element influencing creativity at work. This suggests the need to quantify the relative influence that employee engagement has on other workplace drivers of creativity and innovation.
Practical implications
This study will help university authorities to instill management development programs to enhance their understanding about employees’ different psychological needs and expectations. Moreover, university management can find ways to implement various teacher development programs to promote growth mindset among the teachers. Organizations can leverage these insights to design and implement strategies that empower employees, leading to a more innovative and adaptable workforce.
Social implications
The implications of this research extend beyond individual organizations to society as a whole, as fostering creativity has broader implications for economic growth, productivity and overall well-being. By nurturing employee empowerment, organizations can not only enhance their competitive advantage but also contribute to societal progress through the generation of novel ideas, products and services.
Originality/value
This study was conducted on the private university faculty members to understand how the empowerment works in imparting creativity. The context of this study was educational institutions in contrast to the commercial organizations.
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Xiaoping Zhang, Yanhui Li, Meixiu Li, Qiuju Du, Hong Li, Yuqi Wang, Dechang Wang, Cuiping Wang, Kunyan Sui, Hongliang Li, Yanzhi Xia and Yuanhai Yu
In order to discover a new adsorbent that can be used to purify dye wastewater in the textile and apparel industry, a novel type of graphene oxide/gluten composite material using…
Abstract
Purpose
In order to discover a new adsorbent that can be used to purify dye wastewater in the textile and apparel industry, a novel type of graphene oxide/gluten composite material using an improved acid bath coagulation method was synthesized, which can remove methylene blue in an aqueous environment.
Design/methodology/approach
After experimentally compounding different ratios of graphene oxide and gluten, the graphene oxide/gluten composite material with 20% graphene oxide content and superlative adsorption effect was chosen. The synthesized material was characterized by different techniques such as FT-IR and SEM, indicating the microstructure of the material and the success of the composite. Various factors were considered, namely, the influence of temperature, dosage, pH and contact time. The isotherms, kinetics and thermodynamic parameters were successively discussed.
Findings
The qmax value of 214.29 mg/g of the material was higher compared to the general sorbent, thus, the graphene oxide/gluten composite material was a suitable sorbent for methylene blue removal. Overall, the graphene oxide/gluten composite material can be considered as an effectual and prospective adsorbent to remove methylene blue in the textile and apparel industrial effluent.
Originality/value
Graphene oxide is a potentially excellent sorbent. However, the high dispersibility of GO is detrimental to adsorption, it disperses rapidly in an aqueous solution making separation and recovery difficult. The high load capacity and recyclability of gluten as a colloid make it a suitable carrier for fixing GO. Studies on the combination of GO and GT into composite adsorption material and for the removal of dyes from dyeing wastewater have not been reported. The composite material research on GO and GT can provide new ideas for the research of these kinds of materials and contribute to its wider and convenient application in wastewater treatment.