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1 – 10 of 40Wilfred Emori, Paul C. Okonkwo, Hitler Louis, Ling Liu, Ernest C. Agwamba, Tomsmith Unimuke, Peter Okafor, Atowon D. Atowon, Anthony Ikechukwu Obike and ChunRu Cheng
Owing to the toxicity, biodegradability, and cost of most corrosion inhibitors, research attention is now focused on the development of environmentally benign, biodegradable…
Abstract
Purpose
Owing to the toxicity, biodegradability, and cost of most corrosion inhibitors, research attention is now focused on the development of environmentally benign, biodegradable, cheap, and efficient options. In consideration of these facts, chrysin, a phytocompound of Populus tomentosa (Chinese white poplar) has been isolated and investigated for its anticorrosion abilities on carbon steel in a mixed acid and chloride system. This highlights the main purpose of the study.
Design/methodology/approach
Chrysin was isolated from Populus tomentosa using column chromatography and characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy. The investigations are outlined based on theory (Fukui indices, condensed density functional theory and molecular dynamic simulation) and experiments (electrochemical, gravimetry and surface morphology examinations).
Findings
Theoretical evaluations permitted the description of the adsorption characteristics, and molecular interactions and orientations of chrysin on Fe substrate. The interaction energy for protonated and neutral chrysin on Fe (110) were −149.10 kcal/mol and −143.28 kcal/mol, respectively. Moreover, experimental investigations showed that chrysin is a potent mixed-type corrosion inhibitor for steel, whose effectiveness depends on its surrounding temperature and concentration. The optimum inhibition efficiency of 78.7% after 24 h for 1 g/L chrysin at 298 K indicates that the performance of chrysin, as a pure compound, compares favorably with other phytocompounds and plant extracts investigated under similar conditions. However, the inhibition efficiency decreased to 62.5% and 51.8% at 318 K after 48 h and 72 h, respectively.
Originality/value
The novelty of this study relies on the usage of a pure compound in corrosion suppression investigation, thus eliminating the unknown influences obtainable by the presence of multi-phytocompounds in plant extracts, thereby advancing the commercialization of bio-based corrosion inhibitors.
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Anthony Ikechukwu Obike, Wilfred Emori, Hitler Louis, Godwin Ifeanyi Ogbuehi, Paul Chukwuleke Okonkwo and Victoria Mfon Bassey
The purpose of this paper is to study the adsorption properties of a proven traditional medicine of West Africa origin, Alstonia boonei with an attempt to evaluate its application…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study the adsorption properties of a proven traditional medicine of West Africa origin, Alstonia boonei with an attempt to evaluate its application in the corrosion protection of mild steel in 5 M H2SO4 and 5 M HCl.
Design/methodology/approach
Phytochemical screening and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis were used to characterize the methanolic extract of the plant. Gravimetry, gasometry and electrochemical techniques were used in the corrosion inhibition studies of the extract and computational studies were used to describe the electronic and adsorption properties of eugenol, the most abundant phytochemical in Alstonia boonei.
Findings
The extract acted as a mixed-type inhibitor in both acidic solutions, with improved inhibition efficiency achieved with increasing concentration. While the efficiency increased with temperature for the HCl system, it decreased for the H2SO4 system. The mechanism of adsorption proposed for Alstonia boonei was chemisorption in the HCl system and physisorption in the H2SO4 system, and the adsorptions obeyed Langmuir isotherm at low temperatures. Computational parameters showed that eugenol, being a representative of Alstonia boonei, possesses excellent adsorption properties and has the potential to compete with other established plant-based corrosion inhibitors.
Research limitations/implications
As opposed to pure compounds with distinctive corrosion effects, plant extracts are generally composed of a myriad of phytoconstituents that competitively promote or inhibit the corrosion process and their net effect is evident as inhibition efficiencies. This is, therefore, the main research limitation associated with the corrosion inhibition study of Alstonia boonei.
Originality/value
Being very rich in antioxidant properties by its proven curative and preventive effects for diseases, the interest was stimulated towards the attractive results that abound from its corrosion protection of metals via its anti-oxidation route.
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Okey Nwuke, Chizoba Nwoye and Nnaemeka Onoyima
In many countries (Nigeria inclusive), major components of job creation and economic growth, are driven by small and medium-sized businesses that are mostly family-owned. However…
Abstract
In many countries (Nigeria inclusive), major components of job creation and economic growth, are driven by small and medium-sized businesses that are mostly family-owned. However, over 50% of such businesses fail after intrafamily leadership transition. This chapter seeks to understand and explain the strategies that owners of medium-sized family-owned businesses explore in ensuring the sustainability of their business after a leadership transition from the founder. The focus is on three business leaders who sustained their family-owned businesses after a leadership transition from their founders. The conceptual framework is based on the transformational leadership theory. Data collection was from artefacts, company documents and semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. Analysis of data was supported by follow-up questions and member-checking to enhance the trustworthiness and credibility of the interpretations. Four themes that emerged were the founder's desire and support for transition, the preparation of successors or level of preparedness, trust and credibility of successors, and clarity of vision of both the founders and successors. Findings from this study may contribute to positive social change by providing leaders of African family-owned businesses with strategies for managing leadership transitions and ensuring the survival of the business after these transitions. Sustainability of family businesses might lead to job retention and creation, as well as enhance wellbeing and incomes of communities, family members and the African economy.
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Afamefuna Paul Eyisi and Emeka Emmanuel Okonkwo
The purpose of this paper is to explore and understand the perceptions of residents of Southeastern Nigeria about glocalizing tourism in the region to help improve their support…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore and understand the perceptions of residents of Southeastern Nigeria about glocalizing tourism in the region to help improve their support for the sustainability of the industry. Emphasis is laid on their expectations and strategies to maximize the positive impacts while minimizing the negative aspects in a bid to address their specific local needs.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper adopts an ethnographic approach to explore the perspectives of key stakeholders in Southeastern Nigeria's tourism industry. These include traditional rulers, men, women and youth representatives, chief priests and local security agents. Decision-making theory is adopted to frame the study.
Findings
The findings identified residents' expectations from glocalizing tourism. They see tourism as an avenue for initiating community projects, creating jobs, patronizing farm produces, reviving cultural practices and addressing religious crises.
Research limitations/implications
This research focused only on selected communities within Southeastern Nigeria. The implication is that the findings do not represent what obtains in other communities within the region. Future research should extend to these areas to have a deeper understanding of how residents perceive the glocalization of tourism.
Practical implications
As the government and developers continue to invest in the tourism industry in the study area, glocalization could be a good way to address specific local needs and gain residents' support in the future.
Originality/value
This paper represents a new research approach for understanding the perceptions of residents about the Nigerian tourism industry.
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Deepika Jhamb, Arun Aggarwal, Amit Mittal and Justin Paul
Conventionally, consumers perceive luxury products as a means of displaying their wealth and prosperity. Consumption of luxury products has usually been considered the prerogative…
Abstract
Purpose
Conventionally, consumers perceive luxury products as a means of displaying their wealth and prosperity. Consumption of luxury products has usually been considered the prerogative of the Western world. Although there are a number of studies capturing the pre-purchase and purchase behaviour of consumers, there is a dearth of quality studies that have been conducted in this field to understand the post-purchase behaviour of consumers towards luxury brands, especially in the context of young shoppers in an emerging market context. Studying the post-purchase behaviour of shoppers is important to understand their experience with the brand. A negative experience could lead to a post-purchase dissonance, which in turn could lead to an unbalanced or distorted attitude towards the brand and other marketing stimuli. Keeping this in consideration, the purpose of this study is to explore the experiences and attitudes of young shoppers in India towards luxury consumption.
Design/methodology/approach
The study captured responses from young shoppers of Chandigarh and its satellite cities located in the relatively prosperous northwest region of India. The data were collected from 200 participants through a structured questionnaire that was based on an adapted “Attitude towards the concept of luxury” scale by Dubois and Laurent (1994) and “Brand Experience” Scale by Brakus et al. (2009). The structural equation modeling technique was applied to test the proposed model.
Findings
The empirical results indicate that sensory, intellectual, behavioural and affective experience play a significant role in building the attitude of consumers towards luxury brands.
Research limitations/implications
The study selected university students from Chandigarh (India) Tricity region as target respondents, which may limit the generalisability of the results to other target respondents in different regions of India or other countries.
Practical implications
The study is useful for researchers, academicians, marketers and retailers of luxury brands, as it gives fresh insights into understanding the consumer behaviour of a young segment towards the consumption of luxury brands in the post-purchase scenario, especially in the context of an emerging market.
Originality/value
The uniqueness of the study lies in the fact that it examines the post-purchase behaviour of a segment consisting of young, educated and aspirational individuals in one of the world’s fastest-growing major economies.
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This study investigates the motivations and challenges of Nigerian women in leadership roles in male-dominated family firms. It addresses the literature gap in gender dynamics…
Abstract
This study investigates the motivations and challenges of Nigerian women in leadership roles in male-dominated family firms. It addresses the literature gap in gender dynamics within these businesses, particularly in Nigeria, where such enterprises are economically significant yet often display gender biases due to cultural and societal norms. Using qualitative methods and a multiple case study approach, the research analyzes the experiences of eight women leading family firms. It identifies three key motivations for these women: acquiring necessary skills and capabilities, career development, and enhancing quality of life, influenced by personal growth, job satisfaction, and balancing work and family. The study also highlights three main challenges: the glass ceiling effect, traditional gender roles, and primogeniture, leading to stereotypes, societal pressures, and often relegating women to subordinate roles or presenting significant leadership hurdles.
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Luxury branding, in the context of tangible luxury consumables, has received academic attention. But the notion remained inconclusive in the context of consumption of luxury…
Abstract
Luxury branding, in the context of tangible luxury consumables, has received academic attention. But the notion remained inconclusive in the context of consumption of luxury intangibles. The travel setting provides an excellent backdrop to explore the complex cognitive process of assigning meaning to the relationship between travellers and luxury travel brands. The shifting image of luxury consumption from elitism to mass aspirational, too, needs to be studied for its transformative implications. The chapter focused on developing a brand relationship scale, namely, TraveLux, in the context of luxury travel consumption and tested its robustness to explain the shared sentiments and emotions of travellers, engaged in luxury travel, across social media. The chapter identifies a four construct instruments capturing the essence of immersive experience, ethnocultural acculturation, passion and excitement and self-congruence as a seedbed of luxury brand affinity for travellers. TraveLux was also found to capture the shared experience of travellers consuming luxury travel brands, thereby establishing a synch between the instrument constructs and manifested human cognition in real-life situations. The study expanded on the volume of literature pertaining to luxury branding in the context of product-oriented industry and addresses the existing void in understanding traveller–brand relationships in luxury travel contexts. The study implicates a theoretical change in branding concept in perceiving luxury brands as price-based exclusivity to a transformative cultural experience. Further extrapolations of the study could be made by incorporating subtle behavioural patterns of travellers in perceiving luxury and subsequent evocation and predisposition towards decision-making.
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The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a Disney collaboration and Disney product line extension type on the perceptions of masstige brands and purchase intentions…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a Disney collaboration and Disney product line extension type on the perceptions of masstige brands and purchase intentions. By identifying masstige brands as two types (i.e. born-masstige versus luxury-masstige brands), this study investigates how consumers respond to a Disney collection across different types of masstige brands.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted three studies using an experimental approach.
Findings
Study 1 shows that compared to a traditional collection, a Disney collection lowered perceptions of brand luxury, but the negative effect is stronger for born-masstige brands than luxury-masstige brands. Studies 2 and 3 revealed that an upward extension enhanced perceptions of luxury for the born-masstige brand more than it did with a horizontal extension, whereas there was no difference between upward and horizontal extensions for the luxury-masstige brand.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes to understanding how Disney collaborations influence consumers’ perceptions of masstige brands. It has implications for brand positioning and pricing strategies for practitioners collaborating with Disney or similar companies.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to investigate consumer responses to a Disney collaborated collection across two types of masstige brands by exploring their type of product line extensions.
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Annie Peng Cui, Theresa A. Wajda and Michael F. Walsh
The luxury brands sales in emerging markets will see rapid growth. When entering the emerging markets, luxury fashion brands always find it challenging to balance adaption with…
Abstract
The luxury brands sales in emerging markets will see rapid growth. When entering the emerging markets, luxury fashion brands always find it challenging to balance adaption with local consumer culture and standardization to maintain their global brand image. The present study attempts to examine this intriguing issue of adaptation and standardization and many other challenges for luxury brands in the emerging market by focusing on China’s luxury market. A case study on China is conducted, which consisted of reviewing academic literature and consulting trade reports, examining over 50 luxury brands’ Chinese websites, reading newspaper articles, conducting field trips to luxury retail outlets, and studying luxury brands’ advertisements in major Chinese fashion magazines. We identified five intriguing market characteristics that must be taken into account in order to succeed in this market. Specifically, we found that to perform well in China’s luxury market, luxury brands should have a good understanding of the conflicting Chinese social cultural sentiments toward luxury consumption. Luxury brands should seek a balance between standardization and adaptation and appeal to both consumers’ converging needs and their desire for products that embrace local elements. Further, given the unique consumer characteristics, luxury brands should better serve the young and economically diverse consumer base in China.
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