Yuqi Ren, Kai Gao, Tingting Liu, Yuan Rong and Arunodaya Mishra Raj
The main goal of this paper is to present a synthetic multiple criteria group decision-making (MCGDM) methodology for assessing the enterprise digital maturity with linear…
Abstract
Purpose
The main goal of this paper is to present a synthetic multiple criteria group decision-making (MCGDM) methodology for assessing the enterprise digital maturity with linear Diophantine fuzzy (LDF) setting.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper utilizes the presented LDF generalized Dombi operator to aggregate assessment information of experts. The developed combined weight model through merging the rank sum (RS) model and symmetry point of criterion (SPC) method is used to ascertain the comprehensive importance of criterion. The evaluation based on distance from average solution (EDAS) approach based upon regret theory (RT) is presented to achieve the sorting of candidate enterprises.
Findings
Firstly, the proposed method has strong stability. Secondly, the proposed method takes into consideration the psychological behavior of experts during the decision-making process which further enhances the rationality of the decision results. Finally, the proposed method integrates expert and criterion weight determination models which provides a practical evaluation framework for assessing the digital maturity of enterprises. The research outcomes confirm that the proposed approach fails to resolve the decision problems with unknown weight information flexibly, but also reflect the psychological behavior of expert in decision process. The presented weight approach also provides a rational algorithm to ascertain the weight more accurate.
Originality/value
A composite LDF group decision-making approach is presented by aggregating the proposed generalized Dombi operator, combined weight model and the EDAS model, which make the outcome more reasonable. Sensitivity analysis and comparison study are conducted to reflect the superiority of the proposed approach.
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Wenxing Liu, Kong Zhou, Xi Ouyang, Siyuan Chen and Kai Gao
In recent years, organizations have progressively adopted electronic performance monitoring (EPM) to obtain accurate employee performance data and improve management efficiency in…
Abstract
Purpose
In recent years, organizations have progressively adopted electronic performance monitoring (EPM) to obtain accurate employee performance data and improve management efficiency in response to the growing complexity of the work environment. However, existing research has primarily focused on examining the effect of EPM on employee behaviors within established job designs, neglecting the consequential role of EPM in shaping employees’ bottom-up job redesign (i.e. job crafting). This study aims to explore whether and how EPM affects employee job crafting.
Design/methodology/approach
To test proposed hypotheses, we conducted two time-lagged surveys across different cultural contexts and a scenario experiment on an online platform in China.
Findings
The results revealed the negative indirect relationship between EPM and employee job crafting via role breadth self-efficacy. This indirect relationship was moderated by constructive supervisor feedback and job complexity, with the above relationships being weak (versus strong) when constructive supervisor feedback was high (versus low) or job complexity was low (versus high).
Practical implications
The results have crucial implications for organizational practices, suggesting that managers should provide constructive feedback to break the trade-off between EPM and job crafting. Additionally, managers may need to give employees with high job complexity more autonomy rather than intense monitoring.
Originality/value
This study is the first to clarify the effect of EPM on employee job crafting. As job crafting captures the important value of employees in organizational job design, our effort helps to enrich the understanding of EPM effectiveness.
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Silu Chen, Yanghao Zhu, Wenxing Liu, Jianghua Mao and Kai Gao
This study aims to advance the bottom-line mentality (BLM) literature by drawing on goal-setting theory to examine the positive effects of supervisor BLM on employees' behavior.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to advance the bottom-line mentality (BLM) literature by drawing on goal-setting theory to examine the positive effects of supervisor BLM on employees' behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors collected survey data from 291 full-time employees from various Chinese organizations at three different points in time.
Findings
The authors found that supervisor BLM and employees' collectivism orientation interacted to influence employees' bottom-line goal commitment such that the positive relationship between supervisor BLM and employees' bottom-line goal commitment was stronger when employees' collectivism orientation was high rather than low. Furthermore, they found that employees' collectivism orientation moderated the positive indirect effects of supervisor BLM on employees' work effort and helping behavior via bottom-line goal commitment such that the indirect effects were stronger when employees had a high rather than a low collectivism orientation.
Originality/value
The authors explored the “bridge side” of supervisor BLM on employees' behavior, especially after being moderated by collectivism orientation. Our results can help managers develop a comprehensive understanding of BLM.
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Kai Gao, Yong‐Cheng Wang and Zhi‐Qi Wang
This purpose of this paper is to propose a recommendation approach for information retrieval.
Abstract
Purpose
This purpose of this paper is to propose a recommendation approach for information retrieval.
Design/methodology/approach
Relevant results are presented on the basis of a novel data structure named FPT‐tree, which is used to get common interests. Then, data is trained by using a partial back‐propagation neural network. The learning is guided by users' click behaviors.
Findings
Experimental results have shown the effectiveness of the approach.
Originality/value
The approach attempts to integrate metric of interests (e.g., click behavior, ranking) into the strategy of the recommendation system. Relevant results are first presented on the basis of a novel data structure named FPT‐tree, and then, those results are trained through a partial back‐propagation neural network. The learning is guided by users' click behaviors.
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Bing Lu and Emily F. Henderson
This paper contends that data generated by research on supervision are often taken as authentic data. Through an examination of studies that use audio/visual recordings to…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper contends that data generated by research on supervision are often taken as authentic data. Through an examination of studies that use audio/visual recordings to investigate supervision, the paper both promotes and problematises the recording of supervision meetings as a useful technique for doctoral supervision research. This paper aims to encourage a critical evaluation of methodological choices in research on supervision, and both promotes and problematises the practice of recording supervision meetings to enhance nuance in research on supervision practices.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper reviews how prior studies have adopted different research methods to construct the space of supervision, and how the chosen methods have been justified. The paper draws on data from an empirical study which included interviews with supervisors in China, based on recordings of their supervision meetings.
Findings
Presenting a single case with one participant to explore the recording and interview process in detail, this study demonstrates how hearing the supervision meeting can present a multi-faceted picture of supervision practice. This multi-faceted picture underpins the alternative understanding of authentic data that this study unpacks.
Originality/value
Drawing on the tradition of poststructuralist critiques of traditional research methodology, this study is presented as a methodological paper, with a core aim of interrogating and problematising methodological decisions taken in studies of doctoral supervision. This study reviews research methods that were used in prior studies on supervision, investigating how the chosen methods were justified and how these methods affect the resultant construction of supervision.
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Kumar Verma Bhupendra and Shirish Sangle
The paper aims to explore the attributes and systemic characteristics of absorptive capacity in sustainability oriented firms in India. Such understanding shall pave a way to…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to explore the attributes and systemic characteristics of absorptive capacity in sustainability oriented firms in India. Such understanding shall pave a way to integrate knowledge about societal stakeholders with technological and market knowledge. The study may help other firms to benchmark their business process considering sustainability aspects to integrate a broader set of stakeholders in decision making.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire-based survey was conducted to gather responses from 689 managers of 60 firms belonging to various industry sectors. Absorptive capacity of firms based on result of factorial analysis, variances explained by factors and rank of attributes is presented.
Findings
The study provides a glimpse of variability in steps taken by firms to remain competitive in current and future markets. This study highlights the importance of benefits sharing among alliance partners, knowledge-management processes, social integration for tacit knowledge and exploration of new knowledge sources. Surveyed firms require improvements in employee's skill set up-gradation, exploitation of knowledge spread across different departments and suitable training systems to promote knowledge sharing behaviour.
Research limitations/implications
The sample of study covers respondents mainly from Health, Safety and Environment/Sustainability/Clean Development Mechanism departments so leading to certain biasness in their perception.
Practical implications
The study may lead organizations to transform business processes to integrate stakeholder's concerns and expectations.
Social implications
The study may help organisations to develop important attributes of absorptive capacity for effective integration of stakeholders considering sustainability challenges.
Originality/value
This research article enhances understanding on common aspects of absorptive capacity, dynamic capability and sustainability strategies.
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Kumar Verma Bhupendra and Shirish Sangle
This paper aims to present empirical test to analyse a structural process model based on the constructs of absorptive capacity considering sustainability aspects. It integrates…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present empirical test to analyse a structural process model based on the constructs of absorptive capacity considering sustainability aspects. It integrates dynamic capability perspective to strengthen the existing literature. Findings of the study may help organisations to renovate business processes related to absorptive capacity and improve decision-making considering sustainability attributes.
Design/methodology/approach
Sample for data analysis covers 389 managers of firms demonstrating some traits of sustainability orientation and operating in a developing economy like India. Structural equation modelling is applied to test a casual model.
Findings
Result of this study reveals that a formal system that drives knowledge sharing, storing and exploitation of knowledge, a structured way to appropriate and reward intellectual property rights can be fundamental to development of absorptive capacity. Such a system conducive to knowledge exploration and acquisition must lead to exploration of new knowledge sources and new knowledge. A firm’s knowledge acquisition system shall be able to deliver to acquire external as well as internal knowledge spread across departments.
Research limitations/implications
This study considers commercial output as an aspect of innovative capability, so this attribute is not included in absorptive capacity.
Practical implications
The study may help organisations to develop a systemic approach to evolve decision-making and develop suitable processes linked to absorptive capacity considering sustainability challenges and uncertain market conditions.
Social implications
The study presents a comprehensive view of absorptive capacity considering societal stakeholder’s knowledge in addition to technological and market knowledge.
Originality/value
There are hardly any research articles which link absorptive capacity, dynamic capability and sustainability strategies.
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Yun Huang, Kaizhou Gao, Kai Wang, Haili Lv and Fan Gao
The purpose of this paper is to adopt a three-stage cloud-based management system for optimizing greenhouse gases (GHG) emission and marketing decisions with supplier selection…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to adopt a three-stage cloud-based management system for optimizing greenhouse gases (GHG) emission and marketing decisions with supplier selection and product family design in a multi-level supply chain with multiple suppliers, one single manufacturer and multiple retailers.
Design/methodology/approach
The manufacturer purchases optional components of a certain functionality from his alternative suppliers and customizes a set of platform products for retailers in different independent market segments. To tackle the studied problem, a hierarchical analytical target cascading (ATC) model is proposed, Jaya algorithm is applied and supplier selection and product family design are implemented in its encoding procedure.
Findings
A case study is used to verify the effectiveness of the ATC model in solving the optimization problem and the corresponding algorithm. It has shown that the ATC model can not only obtain close optimization results as a central optimization method but also maintain the autonomous decision rights of different supply chain members.
Originality/value
This paper first develops a three-stage cloud-based management system to optimize GHG emission, marketing decisions, supplier selection and product family design in a multi-level supply chain. Then, the ATC model is proposed to obtain the close optimization results as central optimization method and also maintain the autonomous decision rights of different supply chain members.
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Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present a new design for removable partial dentures (RPDs) for partially edentulous patients to improve the efficiency and quality of RPD manufacturing. Additive and subtractive manufacturing technologies and zirconium silicate micro-ceramic bonding in the aesthetic zone are used herein.
Design/methodology/approach
A case was presented. First, RPD digital definitive casts were acquired, and then digital frameworks with crown retainers and digital crowns were obtained by computer-aided design (CAD). The titanium alloy frameworks and resin crowns were fabricated by three-dimensional (3D) printing and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) processes, respectively. The crowns adhered to the crown retainers. Ceramage bonding was used to reform the gingival anatomy in the aesthetic zone during the fabrication of the RPDs. The finished RPDs were assessed by a clinician and delivered to the patient.
Findings
The RPDs were conventionally assessed by a clinician, were deemed to be accurate and satisfied both the patient and clinician.
Originality/value
This novel method provides a way to fabricate RPDs with a combination of additive and subtractive manufacturing technologies. The design of the framework was different from that of a conventional framework because it contained the crown retainers, and the traditional base retainer no longer existed. Ceramage bonding was used to replicate the gingival anatomy in the aesthetic zone. The new RPDs provided accuracy and were less time-consuming to produce than those produced with the traditional method. The new method enables the digital manufacturing of nearly the entire RPDs.
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X.W. Gao, Huayu Liu, Miao Cui, Kai Yang and Haifeng Peng
The purpose of this paper is to propose a new strong-form numerical method, called the free element method, for solving general boundary value problems governed by partial…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a new strong-form numerical method, called the free element method, for solving general boundary value problems governed by partial differential equations. The main idea of the method is to use a locally formed element for each point to set up the system of equations. The proposed method is used to solve the fluid mechanics problems.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed free element method adopts the isoparametric elements as used in the finite element method (FEM) to represent the variation of coordinates and physical variables and collocates equations node-by-node based on the newly derived element differential formulations by the authors. The distinct feature of the method is that only one independently formed individual element is used at each point. The final system of equations is directly formed by collocating the governing equations at internal points and the boundary conditions at boundary points. The method can effectively capture phenomena of sharply jumped variables and discontinuities (e.g. the shock waves).
Findings
a) A new numerical method called the FEM is proposed; b) the proposed method is used to solve the compressible fluid mechanics problems for the first time, in which the shock wave can be naturally captured; and c) the method can directly set up the system of equations from the governing equations.
Originality/value
This paper presents a completely new numerical method for solving compressible fluid mechanics problems, which has not been submitted anywhere else for publication.