Xuewei Fang, Chuanqi Ren, Lijuan Zhang, Changxing Wang, Ke Huang and Bingheng Lu
This paper aims at fabricating large metallic components with high deposition rates, low equipment costs through wire and wire and arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) method, in…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims at fabricating large metallic components with high deposition rates, low equipment costs through wire and wire and arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) method, in order to achieve the morphology and mechanical properties of manufacturing process, a bead morphology prediction model with high precision for ideal deposition of every pass was established.
Design/methodology/approach
The dynamic response of the process parameters on the bead width and bead height of cold metal transfer (CMT)-based AM was analyzed. A laser profile scanner was used to continuously capture the morphology variation. A prediction model of the deposition bead morphology was established using response surface optimization. Moreover, the validity of the model was examined using 15 groups of quadratic regression analyzes.
Findings
The relative errors of the predicted bead width and height were all less than 5% compared with the experimental measurements. The model was then preliminarily used with necessary modifications, such as further considering the interlayer process parameters, to guide the fabrication of complex three-dimensional components.
Originality/value
The morphology prediction of WAAMed bead is a critical issue. Most research has focused on the formability and defects in CMT-based WAAM and little research on the effect of process parameters on the morphology of the deposited layer in CMT-based WAAM has been conducted. To test the sensitivities of the processing parameters to bead size, the dynamic response of key parameters was investigated. A regression model was established to guide the process parameter optimization for subsequent multi-layer or component deposition.
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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of cultural beliefs on governance in a business network without a legal institutional framework. Particular emphasis is…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of cultural beliefs on governance in a business network without a legal institutional framework. Particular emphasis is placed on the cross-country remittance mail operating network in Chaoshan, China, during the period 1860-1949. This investigation builds on Greif’s business governance theory and develops an analytical framework that considers cultural beliefs, agency relationships and multilateral punishment mechanisms. Furthermore, it uses the institutional analysis method to identify the institutional factors that sustained the remittance mail operating networks and their underlying mechanisms.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper adopts the qualitative research method. First, it investigates the history of the remittance mail operating network and agency relationships by searching through the contents of the relevant historical documents preserved in the official archives and information found in other records. Thereafter, it summarizes and demonstrates the cultural beliefs inferred from that research. The archival materials permit analysis of the interactions between cultural beliefs, agency relationships and multilateral punishment mechanisms by the institutional analysis method.
Findings
Due to the lack of legal institutions in China during the period under review, cultural beliefs played a central institutional role in cross-country business relations. Network governance was coupled with clan cultural beliefs in the remittance mail operating network. This relationship was the key to sustain the efficient operation of the remittance mail network.
Originality/value
In the West, corporate governance has been influenced by and has become an integral feature of Western culture and values. This is not necessarily so for the corporate governance in terms of Chinese culture and values. Thus, instead of mimicking the modes of developed countries, it is important for Chinese enterprises to seek a mode of corporate governance that is in accord with their local cultures. This may be an important focus for enterprise development.
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Saied Farham-Nia and Alireza Ghaffari-Hadigheh
The aim of this paper is to study the optimal pricing decision in a supply chain with a dual distribution channel in a centralized and decentralized decision-making systems and…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to study the optimal pricing decision in a supply chain with a dual distribution channel in a centralized and decentralized decision-making systems and investigate the economic impact of retail services on pricing behaviors with respect to the power structures.
Design/methodology/approach
To reach the equilibrium behavior of decision-makers, two-stage optimization, the Stackelberg game and the Bertrand–Nash game have been used. Also, to explore the effect of environmental uncertainty on the behavior of decision-maker, demand functions are characterized as an uncertain price dependent, service dependent and channel dependent. Decision parameters are based on experts’ belief degree, in the sense of uncertainty theory initiated by Liu (2007).
Findings
Obtained results reveal that the retail services have a strategic role in the centralized supply chain and the decentralized supply chain with dominant manufacturer, while both the supply chain and the consumer suffer from higher environmental indeterminacy.
Research limitations/implications
This study is based on possible scenarios of dual distribution system only. Further research is recommended to investigate the applicability of the authors framework in different distribution systems.
Practical implications
The study findings are believed to be valuable for supply chains and organizations about to make a strategic decision on price of their good/service.
Originality/value
The paper contributes to the scarce literature on Uncertainty Theory initiated by Liu (2007), and combination of it with Game Theory for pricing in distribution system of supply chains. The study also contributes by investigating impact of non-price competitive factor (level of service) on pricing strategy.
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Richard Kent, Wenbin Long, Yupeng Yang and Daifei Yao
We adopt an information risk view and argue that higher levels of pledge risk incurred by insiders incentivize opportunistic financial disclosure and impair the quality of…
Abstract
Purpose
We adopt an information risk view and argue that higher levels of pledge risk incurred by insiders incentivize opportunistic financial disclosure and impair the quality of information available to analysts to forecast firm performance.
Design/methodology/approach
We sample Chinese listed companies from 2010 to 2022. Following the literature, we apply established models to measure and test analysts’ forecasting accuracy/dispersion related to controlling shareholders pledging equity and the amount of margin call pressure. Analyst characteristics and nonfinancial disclosures proxied by CSR reports are also examined as factors likely to influence the relationship between pledge risk and analysts’ forecast quality.
Findings
We find that analysts’ earnings predictions are less accurate and more dispersed as the proportion of shares pledged (pledge ratio) increases and in combination with greater margin call pressure. Pledge ratios are significantly associated with several information risk proxies (i.e. earnings permanence, accruals quality, audit quality, financial restatements, related party transactions and internal control weaknesses), validating the channel through which equity pledges undermine analysts’ forecast quality. The results also demonstrate that forecast quality declines for a wide variety of analysts’ attributes, including high- and low-quality analysts and analysts from small and large brokerage firms. Importantly, nonfinancial disclosures, as proxied by CSR reporting, improve analysts’ forecasts.
Originality/value
We extend the literature by demonstrating that incremental pledge risk increases non-diversifiable information risk; all non-pledging shareholders pay a premium through more diverse and less accurate earnings forecasts. Our study provides important policy implications with economically significant costs to investors associated with insider equity pledges. Our results highlight the benefits of nonfinancial disclosures in China, which has implications for the current debate on the global convergence of CSR reporting.
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Chandra Shekhar, Amit Kumar, Shreekant Varshney and Sherif I. Ammar
The internet of things and just-in-time are the embryonic model of innovation for the state-of-the-art design of the service system. This paper aims to develop a fault-tolerant…
Abstract
Purpose
The internet of things and just-in-time are the embryonic model of innovation for the state-of-the-art design of the service system. This paper aims to develop a fault-tolerant machining system with active and standby redundancy. The availability of the fault-tolerant redundant repairable system is a key concern in the successful deployment of the service system.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, the authors cogitate a fault-tolerant redundant repairable system of finite working units along with warm standby unit provisioning. Working unit and standby unit are susceptible to random failures, which interrupt the quality-of-service. The system is also prone to common cause failure, which tends its catastrophe. The instantaneous repair of failed unit guarantees the increase in the availability of the unit/system. The time-to-repair by the single service facility for the failed unit follows the arbitrary distribution. For increasing the practicability of the studied model, the authors have also incorporated real-time machining practices such as imperfect coverage of the failure of units, switching failure of standby unit, common cause failure, reboot delay, switch over delay, etc.
Findings
For deriving the explicit expression for steady-state probabilities of the system, the authors use a supplementary variable technique for which the only required input is the Laplace–Stieltjes transform (LST) of the repair time distribution.
Research limitations/implications
For complex and multi-parameters distribution of repair time, derivation of performance measures is not possible. The authors prefer numerical simulation because of its importance in the application for real-time uses.
Practical implications
The stepwise recursive procedure, illustrative examples, and numerical results have been presented for the diverse category of repair time distribution: exponential (M), n-stage Erlang (Ern), deterministic (D), uniform (U(a,b)), n-stage generalized Erlang (GE[n]) and hyperexponential (HE[n]).
Social implications
Concluding remarks and future scopes have also been included. The studied fault-tolerant redundant repairable system is suitable for reliability analysis of a computer system, communication system, manufacturing system, software reliability, service system, etc.
Originality/value
As per the survey in literature, no previous published paper is presented with so wide range of repair time distribution in the machine repair problem. This paper is valuable for system design for reliability analysis of the fault-tolerant redundant repairable.
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Ruting Huang and Xin Yao
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the decision behaviors and channel coordination of a sustainable three-echelon supply chain with retailer-led game setting.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the decision behaviors and channel coordination of a sustainable three-echelon supply chain with retailer-led game setting.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors develop game-theoretic models to examine the decision behaviors of channel members in a three-echelon supply chain consisting of one supplier, one distributor and one dominated retailer. The authors first formulate two models for centralized decision and decentralized decision. And then this paper proposes sub-supply chain coordination and a two-tariff contract to coordinate the full supply chain. Finally, some management insights are obtained with a case study.
Findings
The authors find that when faced with environmentally conscious consumers, the channel members can benefit from higher greening level; however, higher cost of green technologies would have negative impacts on manufacturer's effort. The analysis also shows that cooperation among players can improve the supply chain performance and help with environmental improvement.
Research limitations/implications
The findings provide important managerial insights for the three-echelon supply chain to achieve sustainable goals where the retailer bears the environmental responsibility. However, this paper also has some limitations with assuming risk-neutral channel members and symmetric information.
Originality/value
The findings of the study contribute to coordination and collaboration in sustainability of supply chains. The results provide important managerial insights for the three-echelon supply chain to achieve sustainable goals.
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This paper aims to examine the J-shaped relationship between age and job-specific skill obsolescence (JSSO), and the differential moderating effects of development and maintenance…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the J-shaped relationship between age and job-specific skill obsolescence (JSSO), and the differential moderating effects of development and maintenance HR practices on this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
Regression models of survey data obtained from a sample of 722 Chinese knowledge workers were used to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The results show that among women age and JSSO are J-shaped related and the relationship weakens under high development HR practices; while among men the J-shaped age-JSSO relation is significant only under low maintenance HR practices.
Research limitations/implications
This research is subject to the cross-sectional design, and the sample is restricted to knowledge workers.
Originality/value
This study advances previous studies that hold a linear (positive or negative) age-JSSO relationship by theorizing and testing a J-shaped one. The differentiated moderating effects of two bundles of HR practices proved improves our knowledge about how to use HR practices appropriately to sustain employee work competency in the context of workforce aging.
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The purpose of this study is to develop Markovian model to obtain the transient probabilities to determine mean-time-to-failure and reliability function and further steady state…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to develop Markovian model to obtain the transient probabilities to determine mean-time-to-failure and reliability function and further steady state availability of the repairable system. As the system parameters are uncontrollable factors; thus the life times, repair times and recovery/reboot time are assumed to be as uncertain or fuzzified distributions.
Design/methodology/approach
The fuzzy approach is introduced to investigate the reliability measures of load sharing repairable system which consists of two operating units and one standby unit. On the failure of an operating component, it is instantly spotted, located and sent for recovery procedures with coverage probability. In case of imperfect recovery, reboot takes place.
Findings
On the basis of extension principle and mathematical programming approach, the authors establish membership functions for system characteristics with the help of α-cuts. To demonstrate the practical validity of the proposed fuzzified model, numerical illustrations are performed.
Originality/value
The model proposed for reliability analysis may cheer up the continuance of the work towards more applications in repairable systems. Therefore, the reader is provided with useful intuition into the nature of fuzzy computations and practical amendments while measuring ambiguous data.
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Feng Yang, Ke Li and Zhimin Huang
This chapter proposes a new technique based on the data envelopment analysis (DEA) method to evaluate the scale efficiency with considering the environmental influences. Using…
Abstract
This chapter proposes a new technique based on the data envelopment analysis (DEA) method to evaluate the scale efficiency with considering the environmental influences. Using this method, we can get the pure scale efficiency which has eliminated the environmental factors and random errors that might influence the production process. Our approach extends the three-stage-DEA model by Fried, Lovell, Schmidt, and Yaisawarng (2002) to the five-stage DEA model. Afterward, in order to measure the scale efficiency of the China’s universities more accurately, this chapter gives an empirical study on the scale efficiency of the top universities in China by applying the five-stage DEA model. The results show that the efficiency levels of many universities are indeed affected by external environmental variables and random factors. According to the levels of pure technical efficiency and scale efficiency, we divide China’s universities into four types, and we also propose some suggestions for the inefficient universities to improve their scale efficiency.
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Mahtab J. Fard, Sattar Ameri, Syed Reza Hejazi and Ali Zeinal Hamadani
The purpose of this paper is to propose a procedure to construct the membership functions for a one-unit repairable system, which has both active and standby redundancy. The…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a procedure to construct the membership functions for a one-unit repairable system, which has both active and standby redundancy. The coverage factor is the same for the operating and standby unit failure.
Design/methodology/approach
The α-cut approach is used to extract a family of conventional crisp intervals from the fuzzy repairable system for the desired system characteristics. This can be determined with a set of non-linear parametric programing using the membership functions.
Findings
When system characteristics are governed by the membership functions, more information is provided to use by management. On the other hand, fuzzy theory is applied for the redundant system; therefore, the results are more useful for designers and practitioners.
Originality/value
Different from other studies, the authors’ model provides more accurate estimation compared to uncertain environments based on fuzzy theory. The research would help managers and manufactures to make a better decision in order to have the optimal maintenance strategy based on the desired mean time to failure and availability of the systems.