Ahmad Riaz, Chao Zhou, Ruobing Liang and Jili Zhang
This paper aims to present a numerical study on the natural convection, which operates either as an evaporator or condenser unit of the heat pump system to pre-cool and pre-heat…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present a numerical study on the natural convection, which operates either as an evaporator or condenser unit of the heat pump system to pre-cool and pre-heat the ambient fresh air.
Design/methodology/approach
This study focuses on natural air cooling or heating within the air channel considering the double skin configuration. Particular focus is given to the analysis of airflow and the heat transfer processes in an air channel to cool or heat the ambient fresh air. In this study, the physical model consists of one wall, either heated uniformly or cooled uniformly, whereas the other wall is adiabatic.
Findings
The results show that the variation of both velocity and temperature is observed as the flow transition occurs at the evaporator or condenser wall. In either case, the temperature rises in the range of 6.3–8.4°C with an increase in mass flow rate from 0.07–0.08 kg/s in the photovoltaic thermal condenser part, while in the photovoltaic thermal evaporator part, the change in mass flow rate from 0.048–0.061 kg/s causes a decrease in temperature from 7.1–4.5°C.
Practical implications
The solar-assisted photovoltaic thermal heat pump system, in building façade having an air layer application, is feasible for pre-heating and pre-cooling the ambient fresh air and also reduces the energy needed to treat the fresh air.
Originality/value
The influence of condensing and evaporating temperature under natural convection mode in double skin conformation is considered for pre-heating and pre-cooling of ambient fresh air.
Details
Keywords
Ji Li, Ying Zhang, Silu Chen, Wanxing Jiang, Shanshan Wen and Yanghong Hu
The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between demographic diversity on boards and employer/employee relationship (EER) and to test the moderating effect of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between demographic diversity on boards and employer/employee relationship (EER) and to test the moderating effect of contextual factors such as a firm’s financial situation.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper analyzes data from over 1,000 publicly listed US firms and uses hierarchical regression.
Findings
Demographic diversity on boards of a given firm, such as ethnic diversity and gender diversity, should have positive effects on EER, which can be considered as an important dimension of overall human resource management performance in a given firm. Contextual factors such as a firm’s financial situation should moderate the relationship between demographic diversity on boards and the EER.
Originality/value
First, this research contributes to the current literature by showing that EER can be influenced by demographic diversity on boards, which further helps to highlight the beneficial effect of demographic diversity in top management team. Second, this study uncovers the moderating role of some contextual factors such as a firm’ financial situation. Third, this study also contributes to the corporate governance literature by studying the link between demographic diversity on boards and EER.
Details
Keywords
Wanxing Jiang and Ji Li
Based on a review of the Chinese ethic of bao (reciprocity), this paper aims to study the issue of reciprocity of trust at firm level by analyzing multiple-source data while…
Abstract
Purpose
Based on a review of the Chinese ethic of bao (reciprocity), this paper aims to study the issue of reciprocity of trust at firm level by analyzing multiple-source data while controlling for the effects of several contextual variables.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors collected data from the supplier–buyer partnerships in China’s automotive industry. Hierarchical linear regression approach is adopted to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The data show that reciprocity of trust between parties involved has a significantly positive effect on the stability of the supplier–buyer partnership, and that this reciprocity also moderates the relationship between trust itself and stability. In addition, several contextual variables, i.e. the suppliers’ sensitiveness to their buyer’s need, personal contact of top managers, motivation to develop symbiotic partnership and firm location, can also have significant and positive effects on the stability of the supplier–buyer partnership.
Originality/value
This study presents empirical evidence on how the Chinese ethic of bao may influence the stability of the supplier–buyer partnerships, suggesting that examining this Chinese cultural element is a useful exercise. Related to this issue, the data show that the level of trust between the parties in business transactions differs, and that this difference influences the stability of the partnership. In addition, the study suggests that several other factors have significant and positive effects on the stability of the partnership. Interestingly, the data suggest that these effects are more likely to be observed when the reciprocity of trust or bao between the partners is taken into account. By demonstrating empirically the significant direct and moderating effect of bao or reciprocal trust, this study makes an important contribution to the literature on trust and the stability of the supplier–buyer partnership.
Details
Keywords
Wanxing Jiang, Ji Li, Haifeng Yan, Hao Li and Mengyuan Chen
The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether, when and how customer orientation may contribute to success in introduction of new products (SINP).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether, when and how customer orientation may contribute to success in introduction of new products (SINP).
Design/methodology/approach
With a multi-phase and multi-source data collection approach, this study tested the proposed theoretical model by applying multiple regression with SPSS Process Macro.
Findings
Customer orientation positively influences cross-functional integration (CFI), which in turn facilitates SINP; a firm’s new product introduction (NPI) strategy moderates customer orientation–CFI link.
Originality/value
This study empirically tests whether, why and when customer orientation may contribute to SINP. By suggesting the important role of customer orientation in improving SINP, the mediating effect of CFI and the moderating effect of NPI strategy, the current study should enrich the extant literature on customer orientation, CFI and NPI.
Details
Keywords
Yunxia Zhu, Ravi Bhat and Pieter Nel
Business is about building relationships and hence relationship building is becoming increasingly important for cross‐cultural management. Current research findings in this area…
Abstract
Business is about building relationships and hence relationship building is becoming increasingly important for cross‐cultural management. Current research findings in this area have mainly focused on relationship marketing or on cultural dimensions of business relationships. This preliminary study attempts to break the boundary and aims to explore relationship building from a culture‐specific perspective while in corporating a social constructivist dimension. Specifically, it compares relationship building across four cultures including European, New Zealand, Chinese, Indian and South African cultures. The research method is interpretive, based on an analysis of interview results with business executives from the four target cultures.
Details
Keywords
Ge Yang and Shutian Cen
Over the past 20 years, China's infrastructure has developed at an extraordinary speed. The current literature mainly focuses on the effects of political incentives on the…
Abstract
Purpose
Over the past 20 years, China's infrastructure has developed at an extraordinary speed. The current literature mainly focuses on the effects of political incentives on the infrastructure. However, this paper indicates that the structural change of China's land regime is an important clue and that the supernormal development of China's infrastructure is an explicable result for that.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper theoretically proves that in a politically centralized and economically decentralized economic entity with a public land-ownership regime, the self-financing mechanism formed by local officials through regulation of the land-grant price is the primary factor that influences the optimal supply volume of infrastructure in a region, in addition to political and economic incentives, and whether the self-financing mechanism can be formed or not depends on the structure of a country's land regime, which can help to explain the difference between the development of infrastructure in China and that in other developing countries from a theoretical angle.
Findings
The paper suggests that the mode is facing an important transformation toward land reform and new-type urbanization construction, and the replication and promotion of China's experience in infrastructure construction are of further significance under the Belt and Road Initiative as it provides a method for helping developing countries to eliminate infrastructure bottlenecks.
Originality/value
Through the test of multinational panel data, the paper indicates that the structural change of China's land regime around 1990 had an overall effect on the supernormal development of infrastructure in China. The paper indicates that the “land-based development mode” of China's infrastructure indeed contributed to the supernormal development of infrastructure in China, but there are still some shortcomings in this mode.
Details
Keywords
Bofu Deng, Jia Wei Liu and Li Ji
The purpose of this paper discusses the fundamental nature of the corporate awards disclosed in the annual reports of Chinese A-share listed companies. The authors hypothesise and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper discusses the fundamental nature of the corporate awards disclosed in the annual reports of Chinese A-share listed companies. The authors hypothesise and investigate the role of awards playing as non-financial performance, which is a Chinese characteristic, and therefore, can substitute for financial performance from the perspective of an executive’s preference of financial performance.
Design/methodology/approach
This study focusses on the corporate awards disclosed in company annual reports. It regards award-winning at the enterprise level as a kind of non-financial performance of Chinese enterprises, which represents achievements in the status competition and establishes good conditions for enterprises. The authors design empirical models and use data of A-share listed company to investigate the research questions and check the robustness of conclusions by eliminating endogenous problems and sample selection problems.
Findings
The empirical evidence reveals that corporate awards reduce management financial performance preference. This is reflected not only in reduced current period positive accruals earnings management, which can directly improve current period financial performance but also in reduced current period negative earnings management, which can indirectly improve future financial performance. The authors also find that there is an industry spillover effect of corporate awards, which is that awards increase the financial performance preference of other company executives within the industry.
Research limitations/implications
As a form of non-financial performance, corporate awards provide more reference information for investors. Currently, academic attention to this issue in China is still lacking. What is the essence of corporate awards, what economic consequences are there for listed companies and what effect is there on China’s capital market development? These questions are worthy of further study.
Originality/value
First, the literature on corporate awards has focussed on the effect of awards on individual behaviour, mainly considering awards as non-monetary rewards and exploring their economic consequences. Therefore, the hypothesis that awards are “Chinese-style performance” is an extension of the literature and theory related to the economic consequences of awards from the individual to the enterprise level, which is an important addition to the literature on corporate awards and their economic consequences. Second, the authors propose and prove that awards are an important demonstration of a company’s competitive performance. This study provides a better understanding of how Chinese companies display their performance and the behavioural logic behind the performance demands of company management.
Details
Keywords
Noorul Azwin binti Md Nasir, Muhammad Jahangir Ali, Rushdi M.R. Razzaque and Kamran Ahmed
We examine whether the fraud firms are engaged in real earnings management and accrual earnings management prior to the fraud year in the Malaysian context.
Abstract
Purpose
We examine whether the fraud firms are engaged in real earnings management and accrual earnings management prior to the fraud year in the Malaysian context.
Design/methodology/approach
Our sample comprises of 65 financial statement fraud and 65 non-fraud firms over a period of eight years from 2001 to 2008.
Findings
Using the abnormal cash flow from operations (CFO) and abnormal production costs as the proxies for real earnings management, we find that financial statement fraud firms engage in manipulating production costs during preceding two years of the fraud event. However, our results show that financial fraud firms engage in manipulating CFO prior to the fraud event. Additionally, we find that financial statement fraud firms prefer to manipulate earnings using accruals relative to real earnings prior to the fraud year.
Originality/value
Our results demonstrate that real earnings management is more aggressive in financial statement fraud firms compared to the non-fraud firms in the four years prior to fraud.
Details
Keywords
Gunnan Dong, Dickson K.W. Chiu, Po-Sen Huang, Kevin K.W. Ho, Mavis Man-wai Lung and Ying Geng
Existing studies reflect that traditional teaching–learning relationships between supervisors and graduate students have become disjointed with actuality seriously. In particular…
Abstract
Purpose
Existing studies reflect that traditional teaching–learning relationships between supervisors and graduate students have become disjointed with actuality seriously. In particular, there are practical difficulties in handling many students from coursework-based postgraduate degrees under current university curricula. Therefore, this study aims to explore the relationship between research supervisors and graduate students on social media, which is popular among students.
Design/methodology/approach
This study surveyed 109 graduate students from two majors (population around 100 each) of a university in Hong Kong to explore their information usage for research on social media, related attitudes and their perceived supervisor relationships. The differences between the two majors were also compared.
Findings
The authors’ findings indicated that graduate students were active on social media, and social media has successfully provided effective alternate ways for students to communicate with their research supervisors. Social media could improve relationships between supervisors and research students and among fellow students. Besides education purposes, students also discussed their personal affairs on social media with supervisors, demonstrating enhanced trusted relationships. Graduate students also showed confidence in the further application of social media in higher education. Some differences between respondents from the two programs were also found in terms of communication contents, strengths, personal preferences and purposes for using social media.
Originality/value
Scant studies focus on the relationship between supervisors and graduate students under the current social media environment, especially for students from coursework-based postgraduate degrees. At a deeper level, for the widespread use of social media in the information age, this study explores the specific changes brought about by social media. Therefore, this study is of great theoretical and practical value to graduate education under the current social media environment.
Details
Keywords
Phil Bretherton and Peter Carswell
The article gives an introduction to the wine market in China and outlines its development. It goes on to identify the key issues which need to be addressed in order to enter the…
Abstract
The article gives an introduction to the wine market in China and outlines its development. It goes on to identify the key issues which need to be addressed in order to enter the market successfully. These revolve, tactically, around effective mangement of the 4 P's, with distribution and promotion being the most problematic. It would appear that cultural differences and both formal and informal entry barriers point towards a more strategic relational approach if successful market entry is to be achieved. The implications for would‐be market entrants are discussed, as is the need for specific further research into market structure.