Junyun Liao, Keyi Chen, Jun Qi, Ji Li and Irina Y. Yu
Live streaming commerce has grown rapidly in recent years. Although the way streamers communicate with viewers is the key to influencing users' purchase behaviors, little is known…
Abstract
Purpose
Live streaming commerce has grown rapidly in recent years. Although the way streamers communicate with viewers is the key to influencing users' purchase behaviors, little is known about the influence of streamers' communication style on purchase intention. Drawing on parasocial interaction theory and flow theory, this study examines the influence of streamers' interaction orientation on viewers' immersion and parasocial interactions, and its effect on viewers' purchase intentions. The moderating effect of streamers' expertise and attractiveness is also examined.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted an empirical study using a structural equation modeling approach based on 407 responses to a questionnaire completed by live streaming audiences.
Findings
Results indicate that streamers' interaction orientation has a positive effect on viewers' immersion and parasocial interactions, in turn positively affecting viewers' willingness to purchase. Streamers' expertise positively moderates the effect of their interaction orientation on viewers' immersion and parasocial interactions.
Originality/value
This research is among the first to explore the effect of streamers' communication style and provides a framework for how their communication style affects viewers' purchase intention by enhancing immersion and parasocial interaction in live streaming commerce.
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Irina Tatiana Garces and Cagri Ayranci
A review on additive manufacturing (AM) of shape memory polymer composites (SMPCs) is put forward to highlight the progress made up to date, conduct a critical review and show the…
Abstract
Purpose
A review on additive manufacturing (AM) of shape memory polymer composites (SMPCs) is put forward to highlight the progress made up to date, conduct a critical review and show the limitations and possible improvements in the different research areas within the different AM techniques. The purpose of this study is to identify academic and industrial opportunities.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper introduces the reader to three-dimensional (3 D) and four-dimensional printing of shape memory polymers (SMPs). Specifically, this review centres on manufacturing technologies based on material extrusion, photopolymerization, powder-based and lamination manufacturing processes. AM of SMPC was classified according to the nature of the filler material: particle dispersed, i.e. carbon, metallic and ceramic and long fibre reinforced materials, i.e. carbon fibres. This paper makes a distinction for multi-material printing with SMPs, as multi-functionality and exciting applications can be proposed through this method. Manufacturing strategies and technologies for SMPC are addressed in this review and opportunities in the research are highlighted.
Findings
This paper denotes the existing limitations in the current AM technologies and proposes several directions that will contribute to better use and improvements in the production of additive manufactured SMPC. With advances in AM technologies, gradient changes in material properties can open diverse applications of SMPC. Because of multi-material printing, co-manufacturing sensors to 3D printed smart structures can bring this technology a step closer to obtain full control of the shape memory effect and its characteristics. This paper discusses the novel developments in device and functional part design using SMPC, which should be aided with simple first stage design models followed by complex simulations for iterative and optimized design. A change in paradigm for designing complex structures is still to be made from engineers to exploit the full potential of additive manufactured SMPC structures.
Originality/value
Advances in AM have opened the gateway to the potential design and fabrication of functional parts with SMPs and their composites. There have been many publications and reviews conducted in this area; yet, many mainly focus on SMPs and reserve a small section to SMPC. This paper presents a comprehensive review directed solely on the AM of SMPC while highlighting the research opportunities.
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Irina Alexandra Georgescu, Simona Vasilica Oprea and Adela Bâra
In this paper, we aim to provide an extensive analysis to understand how various factors influence electricity prices in competitive markets, focusing on the day-ahead electricity…
Abstract
Purpose
In this paper, we aim to provide an extensive analysis to understand how various factors influence electricity prices in competitive markets, focusing on the day-ahead electricity market in Romania.
Design/methodology/approach
Our study period began in January 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, and continued for several months after the onset of the war in Ukraine. During this time, we also consider other challenges like reduced market competitiveness, droughts and water scarcity. Our initial dataset comprises diverse variables: prices of essential energy sources (like gas and oil), Danube River water levels (indicating hydrological conditions), economic indicators (such as inflation and interest rates), total energy consumption and production in Romania and a breakdown of energy generation by source (coal, gas, hydro, oil, nuclear and renewable energy sources) from various data sources. Additionally, we included carbon certificate prices and data on electricity import, export and other related variables. This dataset was collected via application programming interface (API) and web scraping, and then synchronized by date and hour.
Findings
We discover that the competitiveness significantly affected electricity prices in Romania. Furthermore, our study of electricity price trends and their determinants revealed indicators of economic health in 2019 and 2020. However, from 2021 onwards, signs of a potential economic crisis began to emerge, characterized by changes in the normal relationships between prices and quantities, among other factors. Thus, our analysis suggests that electricity prices could serve as a predictive index for economic crises. Overall, the Granger causality findings from 2019 to 2022 offer valuable insights into the factors driving energy market dynamics in Romania, highlighting the importance of economic policies, fuel costs and environmental regulations in shaping these dynamics.
Originality/value
We combine principal component analysis (PCA) to reduce the dataset’s dimensionality. Following this, we use continuous wavelet transform (CWT) to explore frequency-domain relationships between electricity price and quantity in the day-ahead market (DAM) and the components derived from PCA. Our research also delves into the competitiveness level in the DAM from January 2019 to August 2022, analyzing the Herfindahl-Hirschman index (HHI).
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Yu Chen, Irina Tatiana Garces, Tian Tang and Cagri Ayranci
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate an innovative, fast and low-cost method to fabricate customized stents using polyurethane-based shape memory polymers composite…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate an innovative, fast and low-cost method to fabricate customized stents using polyurethane-based shape memory polymers composite reinforced by cellulose nanocrystal (CNC), achieved by a commercial desktop extrusion-based additive manufacturing (EBAM) device.
Design/methodology/approach
The composite filament for printing the stents was prepared by a two-step melt-compounding extrusion process. Afterward, the stents were produced by a desktop EBAM printer. Thermal characterizations, including thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA) and modulated differential scanning calorimetry (modulated DSC), were conducted on stent samples and filament samples, respectively. Then the stents were programmed under 45°C. Recovery characterizations, including recovery force and recovery ratio measurement, were conducted under 40°C.
Findings
TGA results showed that the materials were stable under the printing temperature. Modulated DSC results indicated that, with the addition of CNCs, the glass transition temperature of the material dropped slightly from 39.7°C at 0 Wt.% CNC to 34.2°C at 7 Wt.% CNC. The recovery characterization showed that the stents can exert a maximum recovery force of 0.4 N/mm when 7 Wt.% of CNCs were added and the maximum recovery ratio of 35.8% ± 5.1% was found when 4 Wt.% of CNCs were added. The addition of CNC improved both the recovery ratio and the recovery force of the as-prepared stents.
Originality/value
In terms of recovery force, the as-prepared stents out-performed commercially available stents by 30 times. In addition, additive manufacturing offers more flexibility in the design and fabrication of customized cardiovascular stents.
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The extant research highlights the importance of understanding the micro-level mechanisms for the development of firm-level international business theories. One of them is…
Abstract
The extant research highlights the importance of understanding the micro-level mechanisms for the development of firm-level international business theories. One of them is institution-based view on strategy in emerging markets that highlights the importance of institutional factors for local actors' decision-making. It attracted significant attention of international business scholars, and it is timely to assess existing body of knowledge about how and why managers and entrepreneur respond to institutional forces. I argue that in this context, a better understanding of microfoundations of these responses is extremely useful for unveiling the complexity associated with institutional influence on emerging market firms' strategy. I undertake a problematizing review to critically examine the current state of research in this field. In doing this, I shed light on the role of managers and entrepreneurs from different national, generational and social backgrounds in shaping institution-based strategies and inform the talent management research about the capabilities and strategies that EM managers and entrepreneurs mobilize to address institutional pressures.
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Irina Yu. Kruchinina, Yuvenaliy Khozikov, Alexandr Liubimtsev and Valentina Paltceva
The purpose of this paper is the development of a new numerical method for the calculation of the air-gap magnetic flux harmonics in synchronous machines with permanent magnet…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is the development of a new numerical method for the calculation of the air-gap magnetic flux harmonics in synchronous machines with permanent magnet (PM) excitation. The harmonic analysis results are used as input data for the eddy-current loss calculation and for the rotor heating evaluation.
Design/methodology/approach
The method is based on the finite element analysis (FEA). The model takes into account toothed stator design, rotor asymmetrical magnetic reluctance and saturation. At first, a series of static DC magnetic (magnetostatic) simulations is run. Each problem corresponds to specific rotor position and the momentary stator winding currents. The Fourier analysis performed for each problem yields the harmonic spectrum variation in time. Then, a series of AC magnetic (time-harmonic) simulations is run. Each problem corresponds to a specific harmonic. The result is the eddy-current losses distribution. After total loss is calculated, the heat transfer analysis is conducted.
Findings
The analysis reveals that 90 per cent of losses are located in the sleeve that holds PMs together. Rotor eccentricity brings even harmonics of low magnitude that have little impact on heating.
Originality/value
In general, the study requires transient electromagnetic analysis with motion. The purposed method allows to simplify the problem. The method is based on static and quasi-static (time-harmonic) problems simulation. It is fast and highly automated. The method allows simultaneous taking into account of tooth-order harmonics, stator winding harmonics and eccentricity for heating calculation.
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Irina Dimitrova, Peter Öhman and Darush Yazdanfar
The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the relationship between a set of functional and social–psychological barriers and bank customers’ intention to fully adopt…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the relationship between a set of functional and social–psychological barriers and bank customers’ intention to fully adopt digital payment methods (DPMs).
Design/methodology/approach
The data were collected via an online questionnaire sent to two samples of Swedish bank customers, namely, adopters-accepters (i.e. young bank customers) and adopters-resisters (i.e. a group opposing a cashless society). Hypotheses were tested by applying an ordinal regression model.
Findings
Regarding the adopters-accepters, privacy and access barriers can be obstacles to the full adoption of DPMs. The adopters-resisters perceived all five studied barriers as significant, though only the impersonalisation barrier seemed to matter when the barriers were related to their intention to fully adopt DPMs. Moreover, the results suggest that barriers have a stronger negative effect on the intention to fully adopt among those with extensive experience of DPMs.
Practical implications
Based on the barriers affecting the intention of particular groups of bank customers to adopt DPMs, banks could implement customised measures to promote the ongoing development of digital financial services.
Originality/value
In this under-researched area, this study provides empirical knowledge of the influence of various barriers on the intention of bank customers characterised as adopters-accepters and adopters-resisters to fully adopt DPMs.
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Ekaterina A. Isaeva, Alexey V. Shleenko, Alexandra A. Chudaeva, Irina N. Shvetsova and Ilya E. Pokamestov
The planning of the strategic regions' development is hampered by numerous uncertainty factors, which creates problems for public administration bodies. This research aims to…
Abstract
The planning of the strategic regions' development is hampered by numerous uncertainty factors, which creates problems for public administration bodies. This research aims to develop a method for assessing the abilities of the region's economic system to adapt to uncertain conditions as a methodological basis for implementing public administration measures. The authors conducted a study of the dynamics of the development of the federal districts of Russia in 2019–2021. The conducted study revealed the heterogeneity of the reaction of regional economic systems to the impact of uncertainty factors, although the overall dynamics of the country's development were positive. The research methodology includes the determination of relative changes in the main indicators of socioeconomic development of regions and their contribution to the country-wide dynamics from the beginning of the occurrence of uncertainty factors to the recovery stage; their adjustment, considering the rigidity indicators; ranking of regions by the level of adaptability of the economic system; development of a differentiated set of measures to improve the adaptability of each type of economic systems. The authors determined that a high level of rigidity causes a low adaptability of the economic system to changes. The authors tested the methodology for assessing the adaptability of the economic system on the example of the federal districts of Russia. The authors distinguish three types of regional economic systems, depending on their adaptability, and apply a differentiated approach to substantiating regional policy measures.
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Polina Ermolaeva, Yulia Ermolaeva, Olga Basheva, Irina Kuznetsova and Valerya Korunova