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1 – 10 of 17Wenqi Mao, Kexin Ran, Ting-Kwei Wang, Anyuan Yu, Hongyue Lv and Jieh-Haur Chen
Although extensive research has been conducted on precast production, irregular component loading constraints have received little attention, resulting in limitations for…
Abstract
Purpose
Although extensive research has been conducted on precast production, irregular component loading constraints have received little attention, resulting in limitations for transportation cost optimization. Traditional irregular component loading methods are based on past performance, which frequently wastes vehicle space. Additionally, real-time road conditions, precast component assembly times, and delivery vehicle waiting times due to equipment constraints at the construction site affect transportation time and overall transportation costs. Therefore, this paper aims to provide an optimization model for Just-In-Time (JIT) delivery of precast components considering 3D loading constraints, real-time road conditions and assembly time.
Design/methodology/approach
In order to propose a JIT (just-in-time) delivery optimization model, the effects of the sizes of irregular precast components, the assembly time, and the loading methods are considered in the 3D loading constraint model. In addition, for JIT delivery, incorporating real-time road conditions in the transportation process is essential to mitigate delays in the delivery of precast components. The 3D precast component loading problem is solved by using a hybrid genetic algorithm which mixes the genetic algorithm and the simulated annealing algorithm.
Findings
A real case study was used to validate the JIT delivery optimization model. The results indicated this study contributes to the optimization of strategies for loading irregular precast components and the reduction of transportation costs by 5.38%.
Originality/value
This study establishes a JIT delivery optimization model with the aim of reducing transportation costs by considering 3D loading constraints, real-time road conditions and assembly time. The irregular precast component is simplified into 3D bounding box and loaded with three-space division heuristic packing algorithm. In addition, the hybrid algorithm mixing the genetic algorithm and the simulated annealing algorithm is to solve the 3D container loading problem, which provides both global search capability and the ability to perform local searching. The JIT delivery optimization model can provide decision-makers with a more comprehensive and economical strategy for loading and transporting irregular precast components.
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Muhammad Adeel Zaffar, Ram Kumar and Kexin Zhao
The purpose of this research is to develop a comprehensive model to better understand competitive dynamics between mobile payment providers in a multi-sided market featuring…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to develop a comprehensive model to better understand competitive dynamics between mobile payment providers in a multi-sided market featuring customers and merchants. This is undertaken by modeling customers performing financial transactions with merchants while two mobile payment systems (MPS) providers deploy different strategies to compete for market share.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors developed an agent-based simulation model using the NetLogo environment. The simulation featured two competing platform providers, 1,000 customer agents and 50 merchant agents. Past research, interviews and surveys were conducted to accurately model the behavior of the agents. Each simulation run lasted for 50 time periods. A total of 1,024 experimental conditions were designed to model different competitive environments, and 50 replications were conducted for a total of 51,200 experiments.
Findings
The simulation model provides insight into MPS platform providers’ competitive strategies by simultaneously modelling socioeconomic interactions between customers, merchants and MPS.
Research limitations/implications
From a methodological perspective, the paper contributes a comprehensive model that can be used to study competitive dynamics between competing platforms in a multi-sided market. From the perspective of competitive strategies, the results show that pricing alone is not sufficient to influence MPS diffusion. Interactions between pricing, customers’ risk perception, perceived security and ease of use of the platform create unexpected same-side and cross-side network effects, which affect MPS diffusion.
Practical implications
While pricing remains a crucial lever for MPS to compete for market share, they should focus on enhancing customers’ and merchants’ trust and reduce their risk perception. This can be done through the improvement of the user experience of their platform, development of educational materials and marketing campaigns that address concerns around security, data breaches and perceived risk.
Originality/value
The paper is a direct response to a recent call for action on studying competition between MPS platforms by simultaneously modelling the socio-economic behavior of heterogeneous consumers and merchants. The proposed agent-based simulation model can be used to provide insights into competitive strategies and as a building block for subsequent research in this area.
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Kexin Zhang, Tianyu Qi, Dachao Li, Xingwei Xue and Zhimin Zhu
The paper aims to investigate effectiveness of the strengthening method, the construction process monitoring, fielding-load tests before and after strengthening, and health…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to investigate effectiveness of the strengthening method, the construction process monitoring, fielding-load tests before and after strengthening, and health monitoring after reinforcement were carried out. The results of concrete strain and deflection show that the flexural strength and stiffness of the strengthened beam are improved.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper describes prestressed steel strand as a way to strengthen a 25-year-old continuous rigid frame bridge. High strength, low relaxation steel strand with high tensile strain and good corrosion resistance were used in this reinforcement. The construction process for strengthening with prestressed steel strand and steel plate was described. Ultimate bearing capacity of the bridge after strengthening was discussed based on finite element model.
Findings
The cumulative upward deflection of the second span the third span was 39.7 mm, which is basically consistent with the theoretical value, and the measured value is smaller than the theoretical value. The deflection value of the second span during data acquisition was −20 mm–10 mm, which does not exceed the maximum deflection value of live load, and the deflection of the bridge is in a safe state during normal use. Thus, this strengthened way with prestressed steel wire rope is feasible and effective.
Originality/value
This paper describes prestressed steel strand as a way to strengthen a 25-year-old continuous rigid frame bridge. To investigate effectiveness of the strengthening method, the construction process monitoring, fielding-load tests before and after strengthening and health monitoring after reinforcement were carried out.
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Fu Jia, Kexin Li, Lujie Chen, Asif Nazrul and Fangxu Yan
This study aims to systematically review the current academic literature on supply chain transparency (SCT) to explore the impact of SCT on firm performance and identify factors…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to systematically review the current academic literature on supply chain transparency (SCT) to explore the impact of SCT on firm performance and identify factors that influencing SCT-related practices.
Design/methodology/approach
This review follows the six steps and 14 decisions of conducting a systematic literature review (SLR) to comprehensively review 91 identified papers published between 2007 and 2024.
Findings
Based on the content analysis of the selected papers, this study summarizes the antecedents, practices, outcomes as well as potential barriers of SCT. We develop a conceptual framework from the descriptive and thematic findings to enrich the relevant aspects of SCT and propose some critical gaps and directions for future research.
Originality/value
This study links SCT with several outcomes of firm performance, with a particular focus on how SCT affects sustainability in terms of its economic, social, and environmental dimensions as well as supply chain resilience. It proposes potential avenues for enriching SCT in future research.
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Kexin Zhang, Dachao Li and Xingwei Xue
In this paper, taking a p-section girder cable-stayed bridge as an example, the construction monitoring and load test of the bridge are implemented.
Abstract
Purpose
In this paper, taking a p-section girder cable-stayed bridge as an example, the construction monitoring and load test of the bridge are implemented.
Design/methodology/approach
In order to ensure the safety of cable-stayed bridge structure in construction and achieve the internal force state of the completed bridge, the construction process is monitored for liner and stress of the p-section girder, construction error and safety state during construction. At the same time, to verify whether the bridge can meet the design requirements, the static and dynamic load tests are done.
Findings
The results of construction monitoring show that the stress state of the structure during construction is basically consistent with the theoretical calculation and design requirements. The final measured stress state of the structure is within the allowable range of the cable-stayed bridge, and the structural stress state is normal and meets the specification requirements. The load tests results show that the measured deflection of the midspan section of the main girder is less than the theoretical calculation value. The maximum deflection of the main girder is 48.03 mm, which is less than 54.25 mm of the theoretical value, indicating that the main girder has sufficient structural stiffness. Under the dynamic load test, the natural frequency of the three spans of the bridge is less than the theoretical frequency.
Originality/value
This study can provide important reference value for the construction and maintenance of similar p-section girder cable-stayed bridges.
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Jingbin Wang, Kexin Hou and Xuechang Zhu
The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the nonlinear relationship between inventory stickiness and productivity, with investment efficiency being a mediator and environmental…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the nonlinear relationship between inventory stickiness and productivity, with investment efficiency being a mediator and environmental dynamism being a moderator.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a large panel data collected from 1,479 Chinese listed manufacturing enterprises over the period from 2010 to 2020, this research employs the instrumental variable method combined with two-stage least squares estimators to explore the inverted-U-shaped relationship between inventory stickiness and productivity. Furthermore, the mediating role of investment efficiency and the moderating role of environmental dynamism are demonstrated via two three-model systems.
Findings
As its core, productivity initially increases with inventory stickiness until a turning point at the end of the sample, beyond which the incremental effect of inventory stickiness on productivity become negative. That is, an inverted U-shaped relationship between inventory stickiness and productivity is found to exist. Moreover, further mediated moderation analysis highlights that investment efficiency is a key mediator of this relationship, whereas environmental dynamism is a key moderator.
Practical implications
Managers ought to gauge carefully against the tradeoffs between inventory stickiness and productivity. In general, over 90% of manufacturing enterprises have great potential to increase productivity by implementing sticky inventory management. In addition, managers are suggested to place emphasis on investment management and environmental strategy.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the current understanding about productivity by illustrating and verifying the nonlinear effect of sticky inventory management. It may be the first study to empirically demonstrate the mediating effect of investment efficiency and the moderating effect of environmental dynamism on the relationship between inventory stickiness and productivity.
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Changyu Wang, Kexin Chen, Jiaojiao Feng and Jianyu Chen
In the digital age, enterprise social media (ESM) has been broadly used to break the barrier of space and time for knowledge sharing involving two activities—knowledge donating…
Abstract
Purpose
In the digital age, enterprise social media (ESM) has been broadly used to break the barrier of space and time for knowledge sharing involving two activities—knowledge donating and knowledge collecting. Yet, hardly any study has thus far explored how and when knowledge donating and knowledge collecting through ESM impact employees’ innovative work behavior (IWB). Therefore, drawing on the social exchange theory, this study aims to introduce relational social capital as a mediator and performance climate as a moderator to examine differential impact mechanisms of knowledge donating and knowledge collecting through ESM on employee IWB.
Design/methodology/approach
First, we collected 225 survey data from employees who used ESM at work. Then, according to the two-stage procedure of the partial least square structural equation modeling method, we established and analyzed a moderated mediation model based on the context of ESM.
Findings
Results demonstrate that knowledge donating through ESM has a positive relationship with IWB, but knowledge collecting through ESM has no such relationship. Through the mediation of relational social capital, both knowledge donating and knowledge collecting through ESM have indirect positive relationships with IWB, but knowledge collecting through ESM has a greater one. Moreover, when employees perceived a relatively high-performance climate, the positive relationships of knowledge donating and knowledge collecting through ESM with IWB via relational social capital would be stronger.
Practical implications
On the one hand, organizational managers should not only focus on different innovation benefits caused by knowledge donating and knowledge collecting through ESM but also should realize differences in the direct/indirect effect of knowledge donating and knowledge collecting through ESM on IWB. On the other hand, employees need to proactively enhance their innovative ability by considering knowledge donating/collecting channels (e.g. ESM), gaining successful competitiveness. Moreover, both managers and employees should realize that different innovation benefits of knowledge sharing activities through ESM can be further strengthened when establishing a high-performance climate.
Originality/value
Different from prior literature on knowledge sharing or ESM, this study contributes to analyzing the differential effects of two dimensions (i.e. knowledge donating and knowledge collecting) of knowledge sharing on employees' IWB in the context of ESM.
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This paper aims to examine and compare the associations between financial capability and financial anxiety (FA) before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine and compare the associations between financial capability and financial anxiety (FA) before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Specifically, financial capability is measured by three indicators: financial knowledge, financial behavior and financial confidence. This study also examines and compares the association among different income groups before and during the pandemic.
Design/methodology/approach
Data are from 2018 to 2021 National Financial Capability Study (NFCS). Structural equation modeling (SEM) is employed to examine the direct and indirect associations between financial capability factors and FA. Furthermore, this paper also conducts multi-group SEM for three income groups to examine the heterogeneous effects of household income.
Findings
Both before and during the pandemic, financial knowledge is directly positively and financial behavior is directly negatively associated with FA. In addition, both financial knowledge and financial behavior are positively associated with financial confidence, which in turn is negatively associated with FA. However, when taking the indirect effects into consideration, the total effects of financial capability factors on FA are all negative. Furthermore, the pandemic has intensified the negative association between financial behavior and FA rather than financial knowledge or financial confidence. Multi-group SEM shows that the positive direct effects of financial knowledge are only significant in the low-income group, while the negative direct effects of financial behavior are only significant in the low- and middle-income groups before the pandemic. However, direct effects of financial knowledge and financial behavior are significant in all income groups during the pandemic.
Originality/value
First, this study specifies a construct, financial confidence, to proxy perceived financial capability. Second, it examines the mediating role of financial confidence in the association between the other two financial capability factors (financial knowledge and financial behaviors) and FA. Third, it also compares the associations between financial capability factors and FA before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Fu Jia, Kexin Li, Tianyu Zhang and Lujie Chen
Sustainability is of growing significance in the contemporary business landscape as organizations strive to minimize their environmental impact and optimize supply chain (SC…
Abstract
Purpose
Sustainability is of growing significance in the contemporary business landscape as organizations strive to minimize their environmental impact and optimize supply chain (SC) operations. Gaining insights into the influence of Triple A SC practices on sustainable performance can offer valuable perspectives for practitioners and policymakers. This study aims to comprehensively review existing academic literature on Triple A supply chain management (SCM) and sustainability, examining its impact on sustainable performance while identifying key influencing factors.
Design/methodology/approach
This review follows the six steps and 14 decisions of conducting a systematic literature review to comprehensively review 57 papers published between 2004 and 2023.
Findings
Based on the content analysis of the selected papers, this study summarizes the antecedents, practices and outcomes of Triple A SCM, with a particular focus on its implications for sustainability. This paper builds a conceptual framework from the descriptive and thematic findings to enrich the relevant aspects of Triple A SCM.
Originality/value
This study establishes a connection between Triple A SCM and sustainable performance by examining its impact on economic, social and environmental aspects. This review identifies research gaps and acknowledges the lack of specificity in implementing Triple A SCM across diverse industries, regions and competitive markets with varying external environments. It emphasizes the necessity to customize approaches based on contextual factors and provides valuable recommendations for future research to advance the concept of Triple A SCM.
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Guangsheng Zhang, Xiao Wang, Zhiqing Meng, Qirui Zhang and Kexin Wu
To remedy the inherent defect in current research that focuses only on a single type of participants, this paper endeavors to look into the situation as an evolutionary game…
Abstract
Purpose
To remedy the inherent defect in current research that focuses only on a single type of participants, this paper endeavors to look into the situation as an evolutionary game between a representative Logistics Service Integrator (LSI) and a representative Functional Logistics Service Provider (FLSP) in an environment with sudden crisis and tries to analyze how LSI supervises FLSP's operations and how FLSP responds in a recurrent pattern with different interruption probabilities.
Design/methodology/approach
Regarding the risks of supply chain interruption in emergencies, this paper develops a two-level model of single LSI and single FLSP, using Evolutionary Game theory to analyze their optimal decision-making, as well as their strategic behaviors on different risk levels regarding the interruption probability to achieve the optimal return with bounded rationality.
Findings
The results show that on a low-risk level, if LSI increases the degree of punishment, it will fail to enhance FLSP's operational activeness in the long term; when the risk rises to an intermediate level, a circular game occurs between LSI and FLSP; and on a high level of risk, FLSP will actively take actions, and its functional probability further impacts LSI's strategic choices. Finally, this paper analyzes the moderating impact of punishment intensity and social reputation loss on the evolutionary model in emergencies and provides relevant managerial implications.
Originality/value
First, by taking both interruption probability and emergencies into consideration, this paper explores the interactions among the factors relevant to LSI's and FLSP's optimal decision-making. Second, this paper analyzes the optimal evolutionary game strategies of LSI and FLSP with different interruption probability and the range of their optimal strategies. Third, the findings of this paper provide valuable implications for relevant practices, such that the punishment intensity and social reputation loss determine the optimal strategies of LSI and FLSP, and thus it is an effective vehicle for LSSC system administrator to achieve the maximum efficiency of the system.
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