Carlos Pestana Barros and Peter Wanke
This chapter analyses the efficiency of African airlines using a two-stage network DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) model. Network DEA models usually take into account the…
Abstract
This chapter analyses the efficiency of African airlines using a two-stage network DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) model. Network DEA models usually take into account the production process with intermediate inputs derived from the first stage and a second stage that departs from it. This fundamental feature enables one to view the airline production process as a carry-over activity. The analysis covers the 2010–2013 period. The relative efficiency ranks are presented and policy implications are derived.
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Liang Zhu, Mingming Cheng and IpKin Anthony Wong
This study aims to identify the key determinants of Airbnb rating scores.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to identify the key determinants of Airbnb rating scores.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is based on a sample of 127,257 listings across 43 cities. A total of 24 explanatory variables were identified, and they were further grouped into host verification information, communication, policy of renting, space, information about environment, price and experience of hosting. Both Tobit and ordered logit models were used to perform the analysis.
Findings
The results indicate that good communication, large space and provision of information about the listings’ environment have a positive effect on users’ satisfaction, whereas experience of hosting negatively influences users’ satisfaction.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the peer-to-peer accommodation literature by affording a more complete understanding about guest satisfaction and its determinants.
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Liang Zhu, Hongzhang Qu, Di Zhang and Fei Bao
The purpose of this article is to carry out a lightweight design of the joint structure according to the service condition of the joint.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to carry out a lightweight design of the joint structure according to the service condition of the joint.
Design/methodology/approach
The finite element analysis techniques are used along with the variable density structure topology optimization method, the multi-island genetic algorithm for structural dimension optimization and the fatigue life analysis method.
Findings
Utilizing the topology optimization method and size optimization method, the mass of the optimized model for the A100 material model is 9.67 kg. Compared to the pre-optimized model, the mass decreases by 8.23 kg, representing a weight reduction of 46.0% in the optimized model; the fatigue life of the aircraft joint is predicted to be a maximum of 1,460,017 cycles.
Originality/value
The originality of this study is that it provides new design ideas for the lightweight design of aircraft load-bearing structures.
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Muhammad Asraf Abdullah and NurulHuda Mohd Satar
This chapter examines the influence of outsourcing on airlines’ performance from countries of the Asia Pacific region. Performance in the context of this study is drawn from…
Abstract
This chapter examines the influence of outsourcing on airlines’ performance from countries of the Asia Pacific region. Performance in the context of this study is drawn from productivity growth and technical efficiency scores that are calculated using the standard data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach. We utilize data from airlines over the period 2003–2011 and estimate the impact of outsourcing on productivity and technical efficiency using generalized method of moments (GMM) estimators. The findings from DEA reveal an improvement in the technical efficiency score of airlines from Asia Pacific. Nonetheless, productivity estimates indicate fluctuations in the productivity growth trend of airlines, attributable to global economic recession in 2007/2008. GMM estimation results, however, suggest negative impacts of outsourcing on technical efficiency and productivity of the airlines from Asia Pacific countries. We offer several explanations for these outsourcing findings. Heavy outsourcing of airlines activities particularly maintenance of aircraft may negatively affect aircraft utilization and ultimately erode the service level of airlines. The erosion of the service level of airlines would affect the demand for air travel in a downward manner, thereby lowering the technical efficiency and productivity of airlines. Also, relatively low labor costs enjoyed by airlines in the Asia Pacific region would suggest that having many airline activities in-house would save operating expenses attributable to labor costs.
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Seyed Hadi Mousavi-Nasab, Jalal Safari and Ashkan Hafezalkotob
Resource allocation has always been a critical problem with significant economic relevance. Many industries allocate the resources based on classical methods such as overall…
Abstract
Purpose
Resource allocation has always been a critical problem with significant economic relevance. Many industries allocate the resources based on classical methods such as overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) and data envelopment analysis (DEA). The lack of OEE factors’ weight, how it is defined, analyzed, interpreted and compared in OEE and selection of unrealistic weights, self-appraisal and disability of complete ranking in DEA are challenges that are possible to occur. These defects may result in unfair allocation of the resources. This study aims to overcome the mentioned weaknesses.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, an approach using a set of various DEA models and Nash bargaining solution (NBS) is designed to solve the resource allocation problem based on OEE, among a set of comparable and uniform DMUs (decision-making units) in a fair way.
Findings
The results show that a unique Pareto optimal allocation solution is obtained by the proposed DEA–NBS model among the DMUs. This allocation is more acceptable for players, because the allocation results are commonly determined by all DMUs rather than a specific one. Furthermore, the rankings achieved by the utilized methods and TOPSIS (technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution) are compared by Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient to validate the resource allocation plan. The findings indicate that the DEA–NBS method has the best correlation with the TOPSIS approach.
Originality/value
To the best of authors’ knowledge, no research has considered the use of DEA and NBS with OEE.
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Ting Li, Junmiao Wu, Junhai Wang, Yunwu Yu, Xinran Li, Xiaoyi Wei and Lixiu Zhang
The purpose of this article is to prepare graphene/polyimide composite materials for use as bearing cage materials, improving the friction and wear performance of bearing cages.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to prepare graphene/polyimide composite materials for use as bearing cage materials, improving the friction and wear performance of bearing cages.
Design/methodology/approach
The oil absorption and discharge tests were conducted to evaluate the oil content properties of the materials, while the mechanical properties were analyzed through cross-sectional morphology examination. Investigation into the tribological behavior and wear mechanisms encompassed characterization and analysis of wear trace morphology in PPI-based materials. Consequently, the influence of varied graphene nanoplatelets (GN) concentrations on the oil content, mechanical and tribological properties of PPI-based materials was elucidated.
Findings
The composites exhibit excellent oil-containing properties due to the increased porosity of PPI-GN composites. The robust formation of covalent bonds between GN and PPI amplifies the adhesive potency of the PPI-GN composites, thereby inducing a substantial enhancement in impact strength. Notably, the PPI-GN composites showed enhanced lubrication properties compared to PPI, which was particularly evident at a GN content of 0.5 Wt.%, as evidenced by the minimization of the average coefficient of friction and the width of the abrasion marks.
Practical implications
This paper includes implications for elucidating the wear mechanism of the polyimide composites under frictional wear conditions and then to guide the optimization of oil content and tribological properties of polyimide bearing cage materials.
Originality/value
In this paper, homogeneously dispersed PPI-GN composites were effectively synthesized by introducing GN into a polyimide matrix through in situ polymerization, and the lubrication mechanism of the PPI composites was compared with that of the PPI-GN composites to illustrate the composites’ superiority.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-12-2023-0415
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Mengmeng Wang, Chun Zhang and Tingting Zhu
The purpose of this study is to explore the motivational role of feedback information (positive and negative) provided by the firm in the face of participant heterogeneity, in…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore the motivational role of feedback information (positive and negative) provided by the firm in the face of participant heterogeneity, in terms of past success experience, under the research setting of crowdsourcing contests.
Design/methodology/approach
Taking insights from feedback studies and the dynamics of self-regulation theory, four theoretical hypotheses are proposed. An integrated dataset of 4,880 contest-participant pairs, which is obtained from an online contest platform and a survey, is empirically analyzed.
Findings
Empirical analysis shows that both positive feedback and negative feedback are able to stimulate the inner needs of participants. Notably, negative (positive) feedback becomes more (less) effective in intrinsically motivating crowds as they gain more successful experience during contest participation.
Originality/value
This study brings some new knowledge for the intrinsic motivation of crowds by exploring its antecedents, which have been undervalued in extant literature. The motivational role of feedback information is particularly explored.
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Li Jun Ji, Ya Shuai Jiang, Ge Liang, Zhu Qing Liu, Jian Zhu, Kai Huang and Ai Ping Zhu
The purpose of this paper was to synthesise a thermally expandable microsphere (TEMS) with fast thermal response property and small expansion temperature range, and investigate…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper was to synthesise a thermally expandable microsphere (TEMS) with fast thermal response property and small expansion temperature range, and investigate the factors affecting the expansion properties of the microspheres.
Design/methodology/approach
A new kind of TEMS with fast thermal response property was synthesised by suspension polymerisation method, using acrylonitrile, ethyl methacrylate and methacrylic acid as the main monomers; Mg(OH)2 as the main dispersing agent; and isooctane or n-hexane or n-pentane as the blowing agent.
Findings
The TEMS possessed the best expansion capacity when encapsulated isooctane and n-hexane were about 18.5 Wt.%. The expansion process of the TEMS could be finished by raising the temperature to 18°C from the expansion onset, much less than the reported 30-50°C. The morphology of the TEMS turned from sphere to irregular concave shape following the content increase of the blowing agent.
Originality/value
A new kind of TEMS composed of acrylonitrile/ethyl methacrylate/methacrylic acid as the polymer shell was synthesised. These TEMS showed the fastest thermal response speed reported.
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Due to its high leverage nature, a bank suffers vitally from the credit risk it inherently bears. As a result, managing credit is the ultimate responsibility of a bank. In this…
Abstract
Due to its high leverage nature, a bank suffers vitally from the credit risk it inherently bears. As a result, managing credit is the ultimate responsibility of a bank. In this chapter, we examine how efficiently banks manage their credit risk via a powerful tool used widely in the decision/management science area called data envelopment analysis (DEA). Among various existing versions, our DEA is a two-stage, dynamic model that captures how each bank performs relative to its peer banks in terms of value creation and credit risk control. Using data from the largest 22 banks in the United States over the period of 1996 till 2013, we have identified leading banks such as First Bank systems and Bank of New York Mellon before and after mergers and acquisitions, respectively. With the goal of preventing financial crises such as the one that occurred in 2008, a conceptual model of credit risk reduction and management (CRR&M) is proposed in the final section of this study. Discussions on strategy formulations at both the individual bank level and the national level are provided. With the help of our two-stage DEA-based decision support systems and CRR&M-driven strategies, policy/decision-makers in a banking sector can identify improvement opportunities regarding value creation and risk mitigation. The effective tool and procedures presented in this work will help banks worldwide manage the unknown and become more resilient to potential credit crises in the 21st century.