Firm growth in industry clusters is a complex issue. On the one hand, industrial clusters can promote firm growth. On the other hand, they can restrict the growth of a firm in…
Abstract
Purpose
Firm growth in industry clusters is a complex issue. On the one hand, industrial clusters can promote firm growth. On the other hand, they can restrict the growth of a firm in some aspects. Their various effects have to be analyzed in detail. The purpose of this paper is to examine these effects and the law of enterprise growth in electronic information industry clusters of China.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper makes use of the panel data of the Chinese manufacturing industry with the intention of testing Gibrat's law. It carries out an empirical analysis on the influence of Chinese electronic information industry clusters on firm growth.
Findings
The result of the present research indicates that industry clusters definitely have a positive impact on firm growth, profit and longevity. However, in regard to the firms' data of China 2006 to 2007, the electronic information industry clusters have negative effects on scale of business growth of small and medium‐sized companies but not big companies. Moreover, the innovation of companies inside a cluster could not catch up with that of companies outside the cluster.
Originality/value
For the electronic information enterprises, growth rate is positively correlated with the enterprise age. Gibrat's law is tenable, that is, firm growth mainly depends on firm age. In Chinese electronic information industry clusters, R&D has only a weak influence on enterprise growth. In contrast, the economic soundness of the region where the electronic information industry clusters are located is more beneficial to the growth of enterprises in the cluster.
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Lihua Cai, Shuo Dong, Xi Huang, Haifeng Fang and Jianguo She
Flexible mechanical gripper has better safety and adaptability than a rigid mechanical hand. At present, there are few soft grippers for small objects on a millimeter scale…
Abstract
Purpose
Flexible mechanical gripper has better safety and adaptability than a rigid mechanical hand. At present, there are few soft grippers for small objects on a millimeter scale. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to design a soft pneumatic gripper for grasping millimeter-scale small and fragile objects such as jewelry and electronic components.
Design/methodology/approach
By simulating the clamping action of the bird’s mouth and combining the high flexibility of the soft material, the bird’s beak soft pneumatic gripper is designed. First, the internal cavity of the gripping end of the gripper is determined by bending deformation calculation, and the brief manufacturing process of the gripper is outlined. Then, the single finger of the soft gripper is modeled mechanically, and the relationship between air pressure and bending deformation of the single finger is obtained. Finally, the experimental platform of the soft mechanical gripper is built, and the gripping performance of silicone rubber material is tested by comparison test, bending deformation test, stability test, adaptability test and gripping accuracy test.
Findings
The designed gripper has the advantages of simple structure, convenient operation, easy grasping of different small objects of millimeter-scale and good adaptability. It can grasp the precise dispensing needle with a minimum diameter of 0.19 mm, and its accuracy meets daily use.
Originality/value
A new type of soft pneumatic, the mechanical gripper is proposed and manufactured. According to the shape of the bird’s beak and the calculation of bending performance, a hollow finger gripper with better bending performance is designed. Various test results show that the gripper has a significant clamping effect on millimeter small objects, which supplements the research field of millimeter small object gripper.
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Xiaolong Song, Yi-Hung Liu, Jiahua Jin and Jianguo Zhao
Gamification elements have been increasingly used in online weight-loss communities to help users lose weight. The purpose of this paper is to systemically examine whether and how…
Abstract
Purpose
Gamification elements have been increasingly used in online weight-loss communities to help users lose weight. The purpose of this paper is to systemically examine whether and how social interactions influence users’ continued participation in the context of online weight-loss competitions (OWCs).
Design/methodology/approach
This study empirically investigated sustained involvement in OWCs using a Cox proportional hazards model. Additionally, the research utilized a text-mining technique to identify various types of social support and explored their roles in sustaining participation behavior in OWCs.
Findings
Community response both within and outside OWCs positively influence users’ continued participation in OWCs. Moreover, whereas emotional support and companionship received within OWCs have a greater impact on users’ continued participation than informational support received within OWCs, informational support received outside OWCs has a greater impact on users’ continued participation than emotional support and companionship received outside OWCs.
Originality/value
This paper highlights users’ social needs in OWC engagement and provides empirical evidence on how different types and sources of social support influence continued participation behavior in OWCs. The research additionally provides management implications for online health community service providers.
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Zhifang Wang, Jianguo Yu, Shangjing Lin, Junguo Dong and Zheng Yu
The paper takes the air-ground integrated wireless ad hoc network-integrated system as the research object, this paper aims to propose a distributed robust H∞ adaptive…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper takes the air-ground integrated wireless ad hoc network-integrated system as the research object, this paper aims to propose a distributed robust H∞ adaptive fault-tolerant control algorithm suitable for the system to distribute to solve the problem of control and communication failure at the same time.
Design/methodology/approach
In the paper, the authors propose a distributed robust H∞ adaptive fault-tolerant control algorithm suitable for the air-ground integrated wireless ad hoc network-integrated system.
Findings
The results show that the integrated system has good robustness and fault tolerance performance indicators for flight control and wireless signal transmission when confronted with external disturbances, internal actuator failures and wireless network associated failures and the flight control curve of the quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is generally smooth and stable, even if it encounters external disturbances and actuator failures, its fault tolerance performance is very good. Then in the range of 400–800 m wireless communication distance, the success rate of wireless signal loop transmission is stable at 80%–100% and the performance is at least relatively improved by 158.823%.
Originality/value
This paper takes the air-ground integrated wireless ad hoc network-integrated system as the research object, based on the robust fault-tolerant control algorithm, the authors propose a distributed robust H∞ adaptive fault-tolerant control algorithm suitable for the system and through the Riccati equation and linear matrix inequation method, the designed distributed robust H∞ adaptive fault-tolerant controller further optimizes the fault suppression factor γ, so as to break through the limitation of only one Lyapunov matrix for different fault modes to distribute to solve the problem of control and communication failure at the same time.
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R.M. Kapila Tharanga Rathnayaka, D.M.K.N Seneviratna and Wei Jianguo
Making decisions in finance have been regarded as one of the biggest challenges in the modern economy today; especially, analysing and forecasting unstable data patterns with…
Abstract
Purpose
Making decisions in finance have been regarded as one of the biggest challenges in the modern economy today; especially, analysing and forecasting unstable data patterns with limited sample observations under the numerous economic policies and reforms. The purpose of this paper is to propose suitable forecasting approach based on grey methods in short-term predictions.
Design/methodology/approach
High volatile fluctuations with instability patterns are the common phenomenon in the Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE), Sri Lanka. As a subset of the literature, very few studies have been focused to find the short-term forecastings in CSE. So, the current study mainly attempted to understand the trends and suitable forecasting model in order to predict the future behaviours in CSE during the period from October 2014 to March 2015. As a result of non-stationary behavioural patterns over the period of time, the grey operational models namely GM(1,1), GM(2,1), grey Verhulst and non-linear grey Bernoulli model were used as a comparison purpose.
Findings
The results disclosed that, grey prediction models generate smaller forecasting errors than traditional time series approach for limited data forecastings.
Practical implications
Finally, the authors strongly believed that, it could be better to use the improved grey hybrid methodology algorithms in real world model approaches.
Originality/value
However, for the large sample of data forecasting under the normality assumptions, the traditional time series methodologies are more suitable than grey methodologies; especially GM(1,1) give some dramatically unsuccessful results than auto regressive intergrated moving average in model pre-post stage.
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Nooshin Karimi Alavijeh and Samane Zangoei
Expansion of the consumption of renewable energy is a significant issue for reducing global warming, to cope with climate change and achieve sustainable development. This study…
Abstract
Purpose
Expansion of the consumption of renewable energy is a significant issue for reducing global warming, to cope with climate change and achieve sustainable development. This study aims to examine how research and development expenditure (R&D) affects renewable energy development in developed G-7 countries over the period from 2000 to 2019. Variables of trade liberalization and CO2 emissions are considered control variables.
Design/methodology/approach
This study has adopted a panel quantile regression. The impact of the variables on renewable development has been examined in quantiles of 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 0.9. Also, a robust examination is accomplished by applying generalized quantile regression (GQR).
Findings
The empirical findings reveal a positive and significant relationship between R&D and the consumption of renewable energy in 0.1, 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 quantiles. Also, the findings describe that the expansion of trade liberalization and CO2 emissions can significantly increase the development of renewable energy in G-7 countries. Furthermore, GQR verifies the main outcomes.
Practical implications
These results have very momentous policy consequences for the governments of G-7 countries. Therefore, investment and support for the R&D section to promote the development of renewable energy are recommended.
Originality/value
This paper, in comparison to other research, used panel quantile regression to investigate the impact of factors affecting renewable energy consumption. Also, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no study has perused the effect of R&D along with trade liberalization and carbon emissions on renewable energy consumption in G-7 countries. Also, in this paper, as a robustness check for panel quantile regression, the GQR has been used.
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With the rapid development of modern economy and the process of urbanization is faster, a large number of historical relics have been mercilessly destroyed in the urban…
Abstract
With the rapid development of modern economy and the process of urbanization is faster, a large number of historical relics have been mercilessly destroyed in the urban reconstruction. In order to balance the contradiction between urban development and historical heritage and promote the harmonious development of new and old urban areas, it is necessary to research on the old urban areas from the perspective of historical landscape. Old urban area of Jingdezhen is taken as an example in this paper, the present situation of the reconstruction of the old city in Jingdezhen is analyzed. Then, by using the methodology of urban historical landscape, some specific methods for updating and designing the old urban area reconstruction of Jingdezhen is put forward, such as the elements of spatial form, urban texture, historical and cultural landscape elements, streets and alleys, the Changjiang River, public facilities and landscape sketches, and so on. A new design method of landscape transformation of old urban area is established. As the renewal method of respecting the urban history and cultural heritage is a very intelligent urban renewal model, it is found that the application of urban historical landscape in the old urban city is reasonable and effective, which is based on the development of the old urban area and pursues the coexistence of protection and development.
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Muhammad Aamir Shafique Khan, Du Jianguo, Shuai Jin, Munazza Saeed and Adeel Khalid
Using the conservation of resources (COR) theory, the present study aims to examine the role of participative leadership in frontline service employees (FLEs)’ service recovery…
Abstract
Purpose
Using the conservation of resources (COR) theory, the present study aims to examine the role of participative leadership in frontline service employees (FLEs)’ service recovery performance. The present study also tests FLEs’ role breadth self-efficacy (RBSE) as a theoretically relevant mediator and FLE trait mindfulness as an important moderator.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected using time-lagged (three rounds, two weeks apart) from two sources (193 FLEs and 772 customers, who experienced a service failure). Structural equation modeling (Mplus, 8.6) was employed to analyze the data.
Findings
The results revealed that participative leadership was positively associated with FLEs service recovery performance, both directly and indirectly, via RBSE. The results also showed that FLE trait mindfulness moderated the link of participative leadership with RBSE and the indirect association of participative leadership with service recovery performance, via RBSE.
Practical implications
This study suggests that organizational leaders who exhibit participative leadership behavior are valuable for organizations. By demonstrating such behaviors, they boost FLEs' RBSE, which in turn improves their service recovery performance.
Originality/value
The present work makes important contributions to the literature on service recovery performance by foregrounding two important yet overlooked antecedents (participative leadership and RBSE) of FLE service recovery performance. The present work also contributes to the nascent literature on the antecedents and outcomes of RBSE in service contexts.
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Ahshan Habib, Md. Feroz Khan, Md. Nasir Mia and Rokibul Hasan Sakib
The purpose of this study is to scrutinize the extent of forward-looking (FL) disclosures and explore the impact of corporate governance (CG) on FL disclosures in integrated…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to scrutinize the extent of forward-looking (FL) disclosures and explore the impact of corporate governance (CG) on FL disclosures in integrated reporting (IR) in the context of the banking industry in Bangladesh.
Design/methodology/approach
Twenty-two listed banks in the Dhaka Stock Exchange (DSE) are selected as a sample from 2018 to 2022. For content analysis purposes, the study has developed an unweighted self-constructed disclosure index with 58 items and extracted data manually from the integrated annual report. Furthermore, descriptive statistics is conducted to analyze the extent of FL disclosures, and a pooled ordinary least squares regression model is used to examine the impact of CG (directors’ ownership, institutional ownership, foreign ownership, board of directors, independent directors, female directors and audit quality) on the FL disclosures.
Findings
This study reveals that the banking industry’s average FL disclosure score is only approximately 43%, indicating a meager degree of disclosures in Bangladesh’s well-structured sector. This study also finds that directors’ ownership, foreign ownership, female directors and audit quality have a statistically significant and positive relationship with FL disclosures at a 5% significance level. By contrast, institutional directors and the board of directors have a substantial but negative impact on FL disclosures. However, the other exponential variable, independent directors, has no impact on FL disclosures.
Research limitations/implications
This study has some limitations, such as: i) the sample size is restricted to 22 banks, whereas nearly 36 banks are listed in the DSE. The sample size should be increased for better results. ii) The study only considers the banking sector with a small sample, but other sectors have been omitted from the sample. iii) The data have been extracted from the annual report, but other relevant sources such as banks’ websites, prospectuses, press releases, and media releases are not considered. iv) Finally, the self-constructed unweighted disclosure index is affected by subjective judgment. For depth analysis, a weighted method for content analysis purposes will be applicable.
Practical implications
Since there is no specific guideline for FL disclosures, this study suggests that the practical implication is for the regulatory body and policymakers to take the initiative to design a framework for FL disclosures that will improve disclosure quality. Second, they can investigate the independent director’s role in the banking sector to discover the existence of old-boy network problems.
Social implications
Investors will benefit from the proper judgment about the firm’s forward-looking disclosures, hence making effective decisions.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no particular study has been conducted on CG mechanisms and FL disclosures in the IR perspective of the banking sector in Bangladesh. So, this study may contribute to the existing literature.