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1 – 10 of 14Alex J. Ruiz‐Torres, Jianmei Zhang, Edgar Zapata, Arunkumar Pennathur, Russell Rhodes, Carey McCleskey and Marcella Cowen
The focus of this paper is on reliability and availability design goals. It aims to provide top‐level estimates of the safety and maintainability of future spacecraft systems.
Abstract
Purpose
The focus of this paper is on reliability and availability design goals. It aims to provide top‐level estimates of the safety and maintainability of future spacecraft systems.
Design/methodology/approach
The developed design tool uses basic reliability principles to estimate the probability of a safe mission and the need for repairs/replacement during ground processing, before launch and start of mission, based on the characteristics of the vehicle's main systems: the number of subsystems, the mean time to repair, and the per subsystem average reliability.
Findings
A simple reliability, maintainability and safety model is developed to support the top‐level design process of future space transportation vehicles. It also describes how the developed design tool uses various sensitivity analysis functions to improve design decisions.
Originality/value
The goal of the developed tool is to provide engineers/vehicle developers during the early stages of design with a tool that demonstrates the effect on maintainability of improving component reliability and reducing the number of components.
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Keywords
Kwok Hung Lau and Jianmei Zhang
To explore the key factors that motivate organizations in China to outsource and the obstacles these companies are facing in comparison with the situation in Western developed…
Abstract
Purpose
To explore the key factors that motivate organizations in China to outsource and the obstacles these companies are facing in comparison with the situation in Western developed countries.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study approach was adopted with primary data collected through in‐depth interviews with six companies in China and secondary data aggregated from company reports and documents. Research findings were analyzed within and across all case studies to identify key drivers and obstacles of outsourcing.
Findings
Economic factor is a strong motivation for outsourcing in China, of which cost reduction, cost saving, and capital investment reduction are the main concerns. Strategic considerations, such as the use of outsourcing to accelerate re‐engineering benefits, to focus on core competence, to increase flexibility, and to facilitate market penetration, are identified. Environmental factors like information technology (IT) development and capability of supplier can influence organizations' decisions to outsource. Meanwhile, companies in China have encountered obstacles and problems in the outsourcing process. They include the lack of capable service providers, loss of control, poor transportation and IT infrastructure, presence of local protection regulations, and lack of overall post‐outsourcing measurement.
Originality/value
This paper presents a systematic exploration of the drivers and the obstacles of outsourcing in China and provides a framework that may guide business organizations to make better outsourcing decisions. It may assist organizations to clearly define their expectations, develop strategic outsourcing plans, and make appropriate decisions to achieve outsourcing objectives.
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Fan Zhang, Peng Yin, Yuyang Liu and Jianmei Wang
The purpose of this paper is to study the influence of pivot stiffness on the dynamic characteristics of tilting-pad journal bearings (TPJBs) and the stability of the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study the influence of pivot stiffness on the dynamic characteristics of tilting-pad journal bearings (TPJBs) and the stability of the bearing-rotor system.
Design/methodology/approach
A theoretical numerical model is established, and the influences of pivot stiffness on TPJBs and a bearing-rotor system are analyzed. Then, two kinds of pivot structures with different stiffness are designed and the vibration characteristics are tested on the vertical rotor bearing test bench.
Findings
The pivot stiffness has an obvious effect on the dynamic characteristics of the TPJBs and the stability of the bearing-rotor system. As a result of appropriate pivot stiffness, the critical speed and the vibration amplification factor can be reduced, the logarithmic decay rate and the stability of the rotor system can be effectively increased. While the journal whirl orbit is smoother and the rubbing is obviously reduced when the bearings have flexible pivots.
Originality/value
The influence of pivot stiffness on TPJBs and a vertical rotor-bearing system is studied by theoretical and experimental methods.
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Keywords
As an important part of the disclosure of listed companies' annual reports, MD&A will disclose some "bad news" about the company. The purpose of this paper is to study whether…
Abstract
Purpose
As an important part of the disclosure of listed companies' annual reports, MD&A will disclose some "bad news" about the company. The purpose of this paper is to study whether such "bad news" can reduce information asymmetry and alleviate the risk of stock price crash remains to be seen.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the sample of A-share listed companies from 2007 to 2016, the authors examine whether the negative information in MD&A could reduce stock price crash risk.
Findings
It is found that the negative information in MD&A does not reduce future crash, which indicates that the negative information in MD&A does not alleviate the information asymmetry. Further, it is also found this is due to the low readability of negative information which leads to the negative information not successfully released into the market timely. Only highly readable negative information can alleviate information asymmetry and suppress crash risk. In addition, the authors also find in the companies with more investor surveys negative tone is negatively correlated with crash risk, which means that investor surveys could help investors interpret the negative information in MD&A and alleviate stock price crash risk.
Practical implications
The practical significance of this article: this paper suggests that investors should carefully identify the quality of negative information in MD&A and pay attention to other quality characteristics besides credibility. This paper suggests that the regulator should pay attention not only to whether to disclose and the amount of disclosure but also to the quality of information disclosure, such as readability, so as to restrict management's strategic behavior in information disclosure.
Originality/value
First, different from previous studies on the impact of information disclosure on crash risk, this paper directly explores the impact of information in MD&A on stock price crash risk from the perspective of negative information disclosure that management most want to hide. It supplements the literature on the impact of information disclosure on stock price crash risk. Second, this paper studies the interaction between information tone and readability and its impact on the risk of stock price crash. Some studies believe that the credibility of negative news is higher and investors' reaction may be stronger. However, this paper finds that the disclosure of negative information may not be absorbed by the market because of the low readability. Third, this paper finds that investor surveys can help information users to interpret negative information and alleviate the risk of stock price crash, which shows that information disclosure of different channels will complement each other and improve information efficiency. Therefore, it advocates different information disclosure channels which has important practical significance for improving market pricing efficiency and reducing investment decision-making risk.
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Jianmei Wang, Zhixiong Li, Sadoughi Mohammadkazem, Min Cai, Jianfeng Kang and Yanan Zhang
The stability characteristics of an oil film directly influence the safety and service life of mill oil-film bearings. However, very limited work has been done to address the…
Abstract
Purpose
The stability characteristics of an oil film directly influence the safety and service life of mill oil-film bearings. However, very limited work has been done to address the stability characteristics of mill oil-film bearings. To this end, this paper aims to investigate the stability characteristics of mill oil-film bearings through theoretical and experimental analysis.
Design/methodology/approach
For the first time, a special designed experiment platform was developed to investigate the stability characteristics of mill oil-film bearings. In addition, a theoretical model of lubricating film of the tested bearings was established to analyze the oil-film stability. The theoretical results were compared with the experimental results.
Findings
The comparison results demonstrate that the critical influential factors on the bearing stability were the eccentricity ratio and the ratio of bearing length to diameter. The mill bearing was likely to be unstable under a small load and at a high rotational speed.
Practical implications
The paper includes implications for suitable operation conditions in practical use of mill oil-film bearings.
Originality/value
This paper fulfills an identified need to investigate oil-film stability of mill bearings for practical applications.
Details
Keywords
Jianmei Wang, Masoumeh Zareapoor, Yeh-Cheng Chen, Pourya Shamsolmoali and Jinwen Xie
The purpose of the study is threefold: first, to identify what factors influence mobile users' willingness of news learning and sharing, second, to find out whether users'…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is threefold: first, to identify what factors influence mobile users' willingness of news learning and sharing, second, to find out whether users' learning in the news platforms will affect their sharing behavior and third, to access the impact of sharing intention on actual sharing behavior on the mobile platform.
Design/methodology/approach
This study proposes an influence mechanism model for examining the relationship among the factors, news learning and news sharing. The proposed mechanism includes factors at three levels: personal, interpersonal and social level. To achieve this, researchers collected data from 474 mobile news users in China to test the hypotheses. The tools SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 23.0 were used to analysis the reliability, validity, model fits and structural equation modeling (SEM), respectively.
Findings
The findings indicate that news learning on the mobile platforms is affected by self-efficacy and self-enhancement. And news sharing intention is influenced by self-efficacy, interpersonal trust, interpersonal reciprocity, online community identity and social norms positively. News sharing intention has a significant effect on news sharing behavior, but news learning has an insignificant relationship with new sharing.
Originality/value
This study provides practical guidelines for mobile platform operators and news media managers by explicating the various factors of users' engagement on the news platforms. This paper also enriches the literature of news learning and news sharing on mobile by the integration of two theories: the social ecology theory and the interpersonal behavior theory.
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The research goal is to understand what factors affect users' knowledge and information learning and sharing on social media platforms. This study focuses on the impact of…
Abstract
Purpose
The research goal is to understand what factors affect users' knowledge and information learning and sharing on social media platforms. This study focuses on the impact of platform characteristics on users' behavior. Specifically, the purpose of this study is to investigate (1) what factors affect users' learning and dissemination of knowledge and information on social media platforms, (2) whether knowledge and information learning behavior will have a positive effect on sharing behavior and (3) try to establish an impact model of users' learning and sharing behavior about knowledge and information.
Design/methodology/approach
This study proposes an impact mechanism model to test these hypotheses. To achieve this, the authors collected data from 430 users who have used the social media platforms to acquire and share knowledge and information to test the hypothesis. The tools SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 23.0 were used to analyze the reliability, validity, model fits and structural equation modeling.
Findings
The results show that the learning of knowledge and information can influence the sharing behavior on social media platforms. Users' platform-based trust and platform-based satisfaction affect their knowledge and information learning and sharing on the platform. Factors affecting users' trust in social platforms include privacy protection effectiveness and network effects. And, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are related to users' satisfaction with social media platforms.
Originality/value
This study constructs an impact model on the learning and sharing of knowledge and information. The model takes the information system continuance model as the theoretical framework and integrates other factors, including the network effect, the effectiveness of privacy protection and trust. Most of the hypotheses of this research were confirmed. The conclusions provide practical guidance for the dissemination of knowledge information and platform management.
Details
Keywords
Jianmei Xu and Wei Lu
This study examines the impact of a novel co-teaching approach, involving collaboration between university instructors and school teachers, on pre-service teachers’ (PSTs…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines the impact of a novel co-teaching approach, involving collaboration between university instructors and school teachers, on pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) understanding of classroom management skills, addressing the practical challenges that often exceed the university classroom’s scope.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a pooled cross-sectional dataset of 513 students from a Chinese teacher training university, the study employed descriptive statistics, factor analysis and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis. Focus group interviews were also conducted to explore the mechanisms underlying the co-teaching impact.
Findings
The co-teaching team effectively integrates theory with practice, enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes. Most students appreciated the co-teaching format, which positively correlated with their recognition of classroom management and the teaching profession. The success of co-teaching was linked to the authenticity brought by school teachers, including exposure to real-life cases that encouraged PSTs to actively solve educational problems.
Practical implications
Pre-service teacher education benefits from university-school collaboration. Inviting experienced school teachers to co-teach in university classrooms offers an efficient instructional approach, improving students’ learning experiences with less time and effort.
Originality/value
This study empirically demonstrates the utility of co-teaching in pre-service teacher education, particularly within China, enriching the literature on school-university partnerships.
Details
Keywords
Z. F. Bhat, Sunil Kumar and Hina Fayaz Bhat
The aim of the article was to focus on various peptides identified in the egg and their probable application as novel ingredients in the development of functional food products…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of the article was to focus on various peptides identified in the egg and their probable application as novel ingredients in the development of functional food products. Bioactive peptides of egg origin have attracted increasing interest as one of the prominent candidates for development of various health-promoting functional and designer foods.
Design/methodology/approach
Traditionally known as a source of highly valuable proteins in human nutrition, eggs are nowadays also considered as an important source of many bioactive peptides which may find wide application in medicine and food production. These specific protein fragments from egg proteins which, above and beyond their nutritional capabilities, have a positive impact on the body’s function or condition by affecting the digestive, endocrine, cardiovascular, immune and nervous systems, and may ultimately influence health.
Findings
Several peptides that are released in vitro or in vivo from egg proteins have been attributed to different health effects, including antihypertensive effects, antimicrobial properties, antioxidant activities, anticancer activity, immunomodulating activity, antiadhesive properties and enhancement of nutrient absorption and/or bioavailability. Extensive research has been undertaken to identify and characterize these biologically active peptides of egg origin which has changed the image of egg as a new source of biologically active ingredients for the development of functional foods with specific benefits for human health and treatment and prevention of diseases.
Originality/value
The paper mainly describes the above-stated properties of bioactive peptides derived from egg proteins.
Details
Keywords
Lawrence D. Fredendall, Peter Letmathe and Nadine Uebe-Emden
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the strategy used by German Mittelstand companies to achieve a profitable business in China. It explores how those firms seek to reduce…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the strategy used by German Mittelstand companies to achieve a profitable business in China. It explores how those firms seek to reduce their risk of entry into this market.
Design/methodology/approach
Survey data were gathered over the phone from individuals in the companies who were identified as knowledgeable contacts. Their responses were then analyzed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling.
Findings
German Mittelstand firms that hire Chinese nationals in China obtain market knowledge and a higher return on investment than others. German managers’ efforts to understand the Chinese cultural norms increased the firm’s unwillingness to share information with others. This was probably because their concern about protecting their competitive secrets increased, so they shared less information with suppliers, which decreased their return on investment.
Research limitations/implications
First, the small sample size limited the analysis. Second, there was low inter-rater reliability on multiple items, so these responses could not be analyzed. There is a need to further validate the survey, and obtain a larger sample to analyze alternative models.
Practical implications
This suggests to the practitioner that while it may be relatively easy to start a manufacturing business in China, it requires great effort to manage their risk of losing corporate secrets to their competitors in China.
Originality/value
This paper provides a unique set of data from practicing managers about the risks and gains from doing business in China. This data can be of use to both researchers and to practitioners and it provides a foundation to examine how the risk of losing proprietary knowledge to Chinese competitors affects business.
Details