Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate risk dimensions affecting food risk perceptions and to develop effective risk communication strategies based on their risk perceptions dimensions. The reason for writing this paper is that applying single risk communication strategy for public often fails because food risks are systemic risks and public perceptions toward them consist of multiple dimensions. Launching an effective risk communication need to investigate the perception dimensions of the target audience.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 2,673 parents of 3-14-year-old children from the rural area of Sichuan province in China were chosen as target audience. Based on the survey conducted about parents’ food risk perceptions, this study used factor-cluster analysis method to segment parents to sub-clusters with significantly different risk perception dimensions. Parents’ representative demographic characteristics within each cluster were further identified through cross-tabs analysis with χ2 tests.
Findings
All the parents could be segmented into four sub-clusters, namely, sensitive parents, dependent parents, familiarity-oriented parents and institutional distrust parents, according to their risk perception difference on five dimensions. A series of risk communication strategies were specifically designed for each cluster based on their risk perception features as well as demographic characteristics.
Originality/value
The insight derived from this study described a deeper image of public risk perceptions and provided suggestions for risk communication launchers to pinpoint the risk perception as well as perception dimensions of the target audience and accordingly develop effective risk communication strategies.
Details
Keywords
Yong Liu, Xue-ge Guo, Qin Jiang and Jing-yi Zhang
We attempt to construct a grey three-way conflict analysis model with constraints to deal with correlated conflict problems with uncertain information.
Abstract
Purpose
We attempt to construct a grey three-way conflict analysis model with constraints to deal with correlated conflict problems with uncertain information.
Design/methodology/approach
In order to address these correlated conflict problems with uncertain information, considering the interactive influence and mutual restraints among agents and portraying their attitudes toward the conflict issues, we utilize grey numbers and three-way decisions to propose a grey three-way conflict analysis model with constraints. Firstly, based on the collected information, we introduced grey theory, calculated the degree of conflict between agents and then analyzed the conflict alliance based on the three-way decision theory. Finally, we designed a feedback mechanism to identify key agents and key conflict issues. A case verifies the effectiveness and practicability of the proposed model.
Findings
The results show that the proposed model can portray their attitudes toward conflict issues and effectively extract conflict-related information.
Originality/value
By employing this approach, we can provide the answers to Deja’s fundamental questions regarding Pawlak’s conflict analysis: “what are the underlying causes of conflict?” and “how can a viable consensus strategy be identified?”
Details
Keywords
Since the early 1980s, with the implementation of the policy of economic modernization, China has experienced a significant increase in crime. In order to meet the challenge of…
Abstract
Since the early 1980s, with the implementation of the policy of economic modernization, China has experienced a significant increase in crime. In order to meet the challenge of the rising crime rate under the new social and economic conditions, China has implemented a series of police reforms. Based on the newly promulgated Police Law and other relevant laws and regulations, discusses the organization, functions, powers and accountability issues of the contemporary Chinese police system.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that some enterprise unions in South China, as strategic labor actors, made local progress in collective bargaining, but further…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that some enterprise unions in South China, as strategic labor actors, made local progress in collective bargaining, but further elaborates on why gainful bargaining would require a more systematic understanding of the prevailing industrial structure.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is mainly drawn from intensive site visits and 51 in-depth interviews in 2013 and 2014, and several follow-ups up to 2018. Three cases of collective bargaining, featuring different union strategies of assertive negotiation, informal cooperation and direct confrontation, are discussed in detail.
Findings
The study illustrates that viable collective bargaining with worker-supported unions is possible in China. However, the effectiveness of bargaining does not count on this alone; the supply chain structure also imposes significant constraints, mainly by narrowing the bargaining scope of each supplier and differentiating the structural power of their unions. In these cases, institutionalized union coordination beyond individual suppliers is proposed.
Research limitations/implications
These cases began as post-strike bargaining in Japanese auto supply chains and became the frontier of industrial relations in China. The impact of the supply chain in different sectors or regions requires further study.
Originality/value
This paper draws attention to the effect of an “invisible” but increasingly significant factor, industrial structure, on enterprise-level collective bargaining in China, unlike many previous criticisms of unwillingness or incompetence among labor actors.
Details
Keywords
Kefan Xie, Zimei Liu, Liuliu Fu and Benbu Liang
The purpose of this paper is to propose a theoretical framework of applying the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to the intelligent evacuation protocol in libraries at…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a theoretical framework of applying the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to the intelligent evacuation protocol in libraries at emergency situations.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted field investigations on eight libraries in Wuhan, China, analyzed the characteristics of crowd gathering in libraries and the problems of the libraries’ existing evacuation plans. Therefore, an IoT-based intelligent evacuation protocol in libraries was proposed. Its basic structure consisted of five components: the information base, the protocol base, the IoT sensors, the information fusion system and the intelligent evacuation protocol generation system. In the information fusion system, Dempster–Shafer (D-S) evidence theory was employed as the information fusion algorithm to fuse the multi-sensor information at multiple time points, so as to reduce the uncertainty of disaster prediction. The authors also conducted a case study on the Library L in Wuhan, China. A specific evacuation route was generated for a fire and the crowd evacuation was simulated by the software Patherfind.
Findings
The proposed IoT-based evacuation protocol has four distinguishing features: scenario corresponding, precise evacuation, dynamic correction and intelligent decision-making. The case study shows that the proposed protocol is feasible in practice, indicating that the IoT technologies have great potential to be successfully applied to the safety management in libraries.
Research limitations/implications
The software and hardware requirements as well as the Internet network requirements of IoT technologies need to be further discussed.
Practical implications
The proposed IoT-based intelligent evacuation protocol can be widely used in libraries, which is one of the inspirations for the use of IoT technologies in modern constructers.
Originality/value
The application of IoT technologies in libraries is a brand-new topic that has drawn much attention in academia recently. The crowd safety management in libraries is of great significance, and there is little professional literature on it. This paper proposes an IoT-based intelligent evacuation protocol, aiming at improving the safety management in libraries at emergency situations.
Details
Keywords
Walter R. Allen is Allan Murray Cartter Professor in Higher Education, Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is…
Abstract
Walter R. Allen is Allan Murray Cartter Professor in Higher Education, Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. He is also distinguished professor of sociology and director of CHOICES, a longitudinal study of college attendance among African Americans and Latinos in California. Allen's research interests include higher education, race and ethnicity, family patterns, and social inequality. He has been a consultant to courts, communities, business, and government. Allen's more than 100 publications include: Towards a Brighter Tomorrow: College Barriers, Hopes and Plans of Black, Latino/a and Asian American Students in California (2009); Till Victory is Won: The African American Struggle for Higher Education in California (2009); Everyday Discrimination in a National Sample of Incoming Law Students (2008); Higher Education in a Global Society: Achieving Diversity, Equity and Excellence (2006); Enacting Diverse Learning Environments: Improving the Climate for Racial/Ethnic Diversity in Higher Education (1999); College in Black and White: African American Students in Predominantly White and Historically Black Public Universities (1991); and The Colorline and the Quality of Life in America (1989).
F.F.M Shaikh, T.D. Dongale and R.K. Kamat
The overall purpose of this research paper largely depends on developing an easy method to synthesis a material suitable for supercapacitor application. This paper includes the…
Abstract
Purpose
The overall purpose of this research paper largely depends on developing an easy method to synthesis a material suitable for supercapacitor application. This paper includes the synthesis of, α-Co(OH)2, its structural, elemental and morphological properties and its supercapacitor properties.
Design/methodology/approach
Firstly, the electrolyte is prepared using binder free method, then electrodeposition is used to synthesize α-Co(OH)2 at 2 V. X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) are used to study the structural, elemental and morphological characteristics. The supercapacitor properties are investigated by using cyclic voltammetry, charging-discharging graph, stability test and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).
Findings
Synthesis of α-Co(OH)2 is a tedious job as the temperature and use of weak base plays an important role. However, throughout electrodeposition, temperature is maintained using a water bath and weak base as the precursor. The presence of nitrate anions shows more interlayer space than that of ß-Co(OH)2 because of which free diffusion of the electrolyte is possible. Sheets structures are more visible in SEM images. Nanosheet like structure is observed in the film and such kind of structure provide higher surface area and higher specific capacitance. Usually, the surface morphology of cobalt hydroxide shows flower-like, spherical and nanocubes particles. The cross-section of the deposited film and it is found to be approximately 100 µm. In the forward and backward scan, oxidation and reduction peaks are clearly visible. However, such a behavior is reported as stable because of no further peaks of oxidation.
Originality/value
XRD and EDS confirms the growth of α-Co(OH)2. SEM images shows the porous nature of the film. Specific capacitance and energy density has been estimated at 5 mV s−1 is 780 F g−1 and 82 W h kg−1, respectively. The film was stable for 600 cycles showing 75 per cent capacitance retention. The voltage drop is 0.02 V for 0.5 A cm−2, indicating low resistance and good conductivity of the film. The specific power is estimated to be 15 W kg−1 for 1 A cm−2. The value of RESR, RCT, CDL and W is 4.83 Ohm, 1.273 Ohm, 0.00233 C and 0.717, respectively. Thus indicating α-Co(OH)2 to be better candidate for supercapacitor applications.
Details
Keywords
Giuseppe Nicolò, Giovanni Zampone, Giuseppe Sannino and Paolo Tartaglia Polcini
This study aims to investigate the relationship between corporate sustainable development goals (SDGs) disclosure and analyst forecast quality.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the relationship between corporate sustainable development goals (SDGs) disclosure and analyst forecast quality.
Design/methodology/approach
The study focuses on a sample of 95 Italian-listed companies preparing the mandatory non-financial declaration (NFD) according to the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) standards over a five-year period (2017–2021), corresponding to an unbalanced sample of 438 observations. Analyst forecast quality was proxied by earnings forecast accuracy (FA) and earnings forecast dispersion (FD), built on data retrieved from the Refinitiv database. A manual content analysis was performed on NFDs to derive an SDG disclosure score (SDGD) for each sampled company.
Findings
This study provides empirical evidence suggesting that voluntary SDG disclosure matters to the capital market in that it helps enhance the information environment of companies, evidenced by improved analyst forecast quality. In particular, this study highlighted that SDG disclosure positively influences analyst FA while negatively affecting analyst FD.
Research limitations/implications
This study focuses on the Italian context, which has idiosyncratic characteristics regarding the structure of the financial market, the composition of corporate ownership and experience in non-financial reporting practices.
Practical implications
This study indicates to corporate managers that following GRI standards may represent the right way to better integrate SDG disclosure in corporate non-financial reports and increase the relevance of such information for investors and other capital market participants.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that empirically examines the association between SDG disclosure and analyst forecast quality.
Details
Keywords
Prior studies argue that social capital is vital for firm growth. Adding to this line of research, this paper provides more evidence regarding the contribution of bonding and…
Abstract
Prior studies argue that social capital is vital for firm growth. Adding to this line of research, this paper provides more evidence regarding the contribution of bonding and bridging social ties to various aspects of small-l and medium-sized enterprise (SME) development. Building on the original data from Russia, this paper investigates the effects of firm-internal and firm-external relational ties on SME performance and geographic expansion. The findings indicate that horizontal bridging ties facilitate specific strategies of SME growth. Thus, this paper supports prior research conducted in the Asian context, and allows for extending the outcomes of bonding and bridging social capital into broader institutional settings. In addition, this study raises the question of relationship between the composition of social capital and distinct organizational characteristics of SMEs. Finally, the paper discusses the implications for future research, and outlines some practical recommendations for SMEs operating in emerging markets.
Details
Keywords
Qiang Wang, Chen Zhang and Rongrong Li
This study is aimed to measure the intertemporal financial efficiency of 16 emerging economy countries (BRICS and N-11) and further to investigate the mechanisms of financial…
Abstract
Purpose
This study is aimed to measure the intertemporal financial efficiency of 16 emerging economy countries (BRICS and N-11) and further to investigate the mechanisms of financial development on energy efficiency covering the period 2008–2020.
Design/methodology/approach
The dynamic data envelopment analysis model is used to measure financial efficiency dynamically. The generalized method of moments is used to investigate the effects of financial efficiency on energy efficiency. In the proposed approach, energy efficiency is the dependent variable, whereas financial efficiency, GDP per capita, industrial structure upgrade index, urbanization level and export trade structure are the regressors. Generalized moment estimation is performed.
Findings
There is heterogeneity in the level of financial development at different stages of economic development. The impact of financial efficiency on energy efficiency is related to the type of industries to which financial institutions are allocated. With the financial development of emerging economies, enterprises in technology-intensive industries are becoming the main contributors to higher profits for financial institutions, the products and results of these enterprises reduce energy consumption and increase energy efficiency. In addition, residents with rising levels of wealth holdings prefer low-carbon and environmentally friendly products, which indirectly improves energy efficiency. Per capita GDP and urbanization have no significant impact on the energy efficiency of emerging economies. The optimization and upgrading of the industrial structure of emerging economies has played a role in promoting energy efficiency. The export trade structure has a restraining effect on energy efficiency.
Originality/value
The findings contribute value by supporting a positive link between Financial Development and Energy Efficiency in the emerging economies. Enterprises in technology-intensive industries have gradually become the main force that brings higher profits to financial institutions. The products and achievements of these enterprises will reduce energy consumption and improve energy efficiency. The findings of this study provide emerging economies with an objective view of their financial development and energy efficiency, while also providing governments and policymakers with ways to improve energy efficiency and achieve sustainable development.