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The purpose of this paper is to study the corrosion inhibition tendency of cigarette waste (water extracts of cigarette butts, WECB) on an iron surface in an acid medium.

The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and polarization techniques were used to analyze the performance of WECB on the iron working electrode. Electrochemical polarization curves were used to determine the intensity of the metal corrosion, specifically to see the effectiveness of the anodic and cathodic reactions in the corrosive medium having WECB. Moreover, the electrochemical impedance of WECB with electrode was analyzed qualitatively. The electrochemical data that relate isotherm adsorption of WECB with iron were analyzed; furthermore, the scanning electron microscope was used to analyze morphology change during the corrosion inhibition.

After analyzing the impedance data, it is seen that there exists a single capacitive semicircle at the higher frequency range corresponding to a one-time constant in the Bode-phase plot. In the polarization curves studies (Tafel slopes), the current densities of both cathodic and anodic branches are greatly affected in the presence of WECB in the corrosive medium, suggesting that WECB performs as a mixed inhibitor. The free energy data and Temkin adsorption isotherm process show that the adsorption process of WECB on the metal surface follows a physisorption. Furthermore, the WECB-coated metal surface analyzed by scanning electron microscopy confirms the corrosion inhibition of WECB in the acid medium.

An in-depth characterization of the corroded scales is recommended to endorse the results of this study.

There may be some people who may challenge that the research may encourage smoking; however, if taken positively, the research offers a very cost-effective and eco-friendly solution to tackle the cigarette waste.

Idea of the present work is to reuse the WECB as corrosion inhibitors for the metal surface, as this waste contains large amount of nicotine, which exhibits corrosion inhibition properties. The present work deals with the study of corrosion inhibition properties of WECB on the iron surface in acid medium. The findings of this study can be very useful from scientific, as well as industrial application point of view. Moreover, the research is important as there is no proper recycling process for this waste so as to maintain a clean environment.

In this paper, we argue that the effect of diversification on performance is not homogeneous across industries, as previously assumed in the literature on diversification in strategy and finance. We provide empirical evidence that some industries are more friendly environments for diversified firms than for specialists, and vice versa. The implications of this qualification for the diversification‐performance relationship are investigated in this study. The results show that the number of specialists in an industry is an important moderator of the diversification‐performance relationship, and it determines the existence of a positive, negative, or curvilinear relationship. Diversification has a more negative impact on performance as the number of specialized firms in the industries in the sample increases. Although we find clear evidence of the curvilinear relationship between diversification and performance frequently found in strategy research, the relationship seems to be the result of not accounting for the relative dominance of diversifiers versus specialists in the industries in the sample.

Based on fifteen years of data on the annual Academy of International Business (AIB) best dissertation Farmer Award finalists, we find that these dissertations were done at a range of North American universities. Interestingly, dissertation topics differed from the topics covered in the three top IB journals with five‐sixths of the topics in management, organization, economics, or finance and two‐thirds set in a single country or region (U.S., Japan, North America, and Western Europe). Survey research is the most common methodology but analysis of secondary data is growing. As expected, the finalists are on average an extraordinarily prolific group.

This paper builds upon the growing research on both privatization and entrepreneurship and provides a model to predict outcomes of privatization of state‐owned enterprises. Previous research has concentrated on the change in ownership as the principal driver of post‐privatization increases in firm performance and wealth creation. We suggest that structural conditions of the state‐owned enterprise and the privatization process, in combination with characteristics of the new owners, lead to performance changes because they determine the firm’s ability to transform from a state agency to an entrepreneurial organization.

This study aims to present a mathematical method based on Poisson’s equation to calculate the voltage and volume charge density formed in the substrate under the floating gate area of a multiple-input floating-gate metal-oxide semiconductor metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor.

Based on this method, the authors calculate electric fields and electric potentials from the charges generated when voltages are applied to the control gates (CG). This technique allows us to consider cases when the floating gate has any trapped charge generated during the manufacturing process. Moreover, the authors introduce a mathematical function to describe the potential behavior through the substrate. From the resultant electric field, the authors compute the volume charge density at different depths.

The authors generate some three-dimensional graphics to show the volume charge density behavior, which allows us to predict regions in which the volume charge density tends to increase. This will be determined by the voltages on terminals, which reveal the relationship between CG and volume charge density and will allow us to analyze some superior-order phenomena.

The procedure presented here and based on coordinates has not been reported before, and it is an aid to generate a model of the device and to build simulation tools in an analog design environment.

Hotels are immersed in a very competitive environment and hoteliers have to plan and redesign their strategies to stay in the hospitality industry while faced with a steady rise in competition. Hoteliers can employ horizontal differentiation strategies and pricing decisions to gain a competitive advantage over their competitors. The goal of our work is to analyse the effect of pricing and horizontal differentiation strategy of a hotel on its online reputation and to analyse if the hotel location and agglomeration of competitors moderates their relationship with online reputation.

With a sample of 264 hotels from Paris, an empirical study is developed that aims to analyse, using regression techniques, the impact of price, differentiation, location and competitive environment on online ratings given by consumers in the hospitality context.

The paper provides empirical evidence of how a good location improves the online reputation of a company and how pricing strategies should take into account the location and number of competitors since a good location allows premium prices to be valued positively by consumers while an inappropriate location can produce the opposite effect. Depending on location, the number of competitors can intensify or reduce the effect of price on online reputation. Finally, online reputation only benefits from horizontal differentiation strategies when the degree of agglomeration is low.

This work provides insights about how hotels can strengthen their online reputation through pricing and differentiation strategies, incorporating elements of their environment such as location and competition in this decision-making process.

酒店處於一個競爭非常激烈的經營環境中，營運者要面對競爭日益加劇的挑戰，在這情況下，他們必須計劃並重新設計其策略，以在酒店服務業中仍能繼續其業務。營運者可採用水平分化策略和定價決策，以取得比同業更大的競爭優勢。本研究旨在分析，若酒店採用價格及水平差異之策略，這對它們的網上聲譽會起什麽效應；研究亦探討酒店所處的位置及競爭者的凝聚會否減弱其與網上聲譽的關係。

研究樣本為來自巴黎264間酒店。研究人員採用實驗研究法，透過迴歸分析法，去分析在酒店服務的背景下，價格、差異化、地點和競爭環境如何影響消費者所給予的網上評分。

本文提供了經驗性證據，證明良好的地點會改善公司的網絡聲譽； 同時，亦證明釐定價格策略時，經營者應考慮競爭者的位置和數目，這是因為良好的地點會讓消費者正面評價溢價，而不合適的地點則會導致相反的效應。根據所在的地點，消費者的數目能增強或減弱價格對網絡聲譽的影響。最後，本文也證明了網絡聲譽只會在凝聚程度低的情況下才會受惠於水平分化策略。

本研究提供啟示，使我們更明瞭酒店如何能透過價格及差異化策略，同時亦透過把它們的環境元素如地點和競爭等納入決策程序中，來強化網絡聲譽。

This article aims to examine whether the organizational changes brought about by digital transformation (DT) -such as a new organizational culture, new leadership and new business models-influence talent management, with the latter being seen as one of the major challenges facing companies in their process of digital transformation.

Using a quantitative methodology, a survey was applied to 314 companies in order to analyze the results of their talent management in the DT process. DT is not only digitalization as demonstrated in this study. Talent management is the key piece that can facilitate or block achieving high levels of digital maturity.

The study finds that the changes brought about by DT impact talent attraction, talent retention, and talent management in general, and also shows that digital transformation does not depend on digitalization, but rather that talent management is the key to either helping or preventing high levels of digital maturity being achieved.

The originality of this work lies in examining the influence of the changes that DT entails in talent management.

This paper aims to evaluate the evolution of the organizational field in the Colombian coffee industry between 1960 and 2020 and explain how peripheral actors influenced institutional change.

The methods analyze historical processes from a hermeneutical and interpretative perspective. The authors used data collection techniques through interviews, archive data, publications and media reports, embracing an interdisciplinary and qualitative documentary approach. This approach helps the authors unravel the temporal dimensions of the historical discourse related to coffee and the involvement of various actors within organizational structures.

The authors found that, unlike the literature regarding the change in organizational fields, recently, within the coffee sector in Colombia, the institutional work of peripheral actors (small producers, local associative groups and coffee women, among others) is changing the field as follows: (1) women are changing traditional behaviors moving from hierarchical family structures and lack of gender awareness, to empowered, horizontal and sustained relationships, (2) indigenous people include rituals and other traditional practices in coffee production and (3) ex-guerrilla members are helping to strengthen the peace process implementation in Colombia through coffee production.

The authors did not conduct statistical or computational analysis to simulate the emergence of new organizational forms. Instead, the authors attempted to elucidate narratives and discourses that reflect the tensions between central and peripheral actors from a historical perspective.

This study seeks to help leaders and managers overcome processes or organizational change in which peripheral actors are crucial. From that perspective, allocating resources and capabilities can become more effective.

This paper offers a new perspective of change within organizational fields from the roles of peripheral actors, which are fundamental in change processes within organizational fields, especially in the global south, where tensions between elites and vulnerable people are familiar.

There is a dearth of evidence on how and when perceived corporate social responsibility (PCSR) contributes to brand evangelism in the consumer behavioural literature, especially during a pandemic situation. In an attempt to examine this phenomenon, this study investigates the effect of fear-of-COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) and regional identity on PCSR and brand evangelism effect in the South Asian retail context. It theorises linkages mainly from behavioural inhabitation system theory and social identity theory.

A survey was administered to a representative sample of 2,242 retail consumers representing Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India.

The results revealed a positive impact of PCSR on brand evangelism, but interestingly varying levels of strength of the key relationships based on country-wise fear-of-COVID-19 and regional identity during the pandemic.

For the first time, the results of this research shed light on incorporating consumers’ regional identity as well as consumer fear as cultural predictors for better explaining the PCSR and brand evangelism link of nations within a region. This has implications for both theory and practice in the domain of consumer behaviour.

The study reflects its originality by revealing the relevance of country level social identity and negative emotions of nations that can manipulate the business results of corporate ethical responsiveness from a consumer culture theory perspective, especially during and just after a crisis. These results underlie what is active inside consumer black box by explaining as to what external stimuli drive consumer collective and moral mind set in a given culture. This adds to the body of knowledge on ethical consumption behaviour more specific to consumer–brand interaction in market crises.