Li Zhao, Jianxin Sun, Ling Zhang, Pengfei He and Qiulu Yi
This study explores the effects of different types of technology lock-in on enterprise innovation performance. On this basis, the authors aim to provide technological innovation…
Abstract
Purpose
This study explores the effects of different types of technology lock-in on enterprise innovation performance. On this basis, the authors aim to provide technological innovation suggestions for the long-term development of Chinese enterprises.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 211 high-tech enterprises in China were taken as the research sample. Data were collected through questionnaire surveys and secondhand data. Linear and nonlinear regression models were used to test the hypotheses.
Findings
Different types of technology lock-in had different effects on enterprise innovation performance. Initiative lock-in and passive lock-in showed an inverted U-shaped relationship with innovation performance. Economies of scale were positively correlated with innovation performance, while self-lock-in was negatively correlated with it.
Practical implications
This research can help enterprises reconceptualize technology lock-in. It can also help enterprises in different stages of development carry out targeted technological innovation and management strategies.
Originality/value
This research enriches our understanding of technology lock-in. By breaking with previous conceptualizations of a simple linear relationship between technology lock-in and innovation performance, this study proposes and confirms different technology lock-in has different relationships with enterprise innovation performance. This study is important for enterprises to reassess their technology lock-in state and carry out targeted technological innovation strategies. This research enriches the theory of path dependence and its combination with other theories. And this study also reveals the current research on technology lock-in is insufficient.
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Hongjing Dong, Xi Chen, Guangying Yang, Dandan He, Ying Dai and Pengfei He
The purpose of this paper is to obtain a constitutive model of cement-based material in the rheological stage, which owns the different water-cement ratio (w/c) and temperature…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to obtain a constitutive model of cement-based material in the rheological stage, which owns the different water-cement ratio (w/c) and temperature and have a significant impact on the workability of concrete materials.
Design/methodology/approach
It is introduced a modified Arrhenius equation into the Herschel–Bulkley model, which is widely applied in rheological analysis and constructed an ordinary differential equation (ODE) of w/c from the Navier–Stokes equation. By solving the ODE, an approximate constitutive relation of cement-based materials included w/c and temperature is derived. Compared with the experimental results, the present model is validated.
Findings
The shear stress and shear rate curves with different w/c and temperature are simulated by the present method, and the present model can be applied to analyze the changes of apparent viscosity in cement-based material slurry as the w/c and temperature varying.
Originality/value
This work gives a mathematical model, which can effectively approximate the shear stress–shear rate relation with different w/c and temperature in the rheological stage of cement-based material.
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Xuewei Fang, Zhengying Wei, Jun Du, Lu Bingheng, Pengfei He, Bowen Wang, Jian Chen and Ruwei Geng
This paper aimed to propose a novel fused-coating-based additive manufacturing (FCAM); the study of key process parameters and mechanical tests are performed to determine the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aimed to propose a novel fused-coating-based additive manufacturing (FCAM); the study of key process parameters and mechanical tests are performed to determine the proper parameters when building metal components.
Design/methodology/approach
Sn63Pb37 alloy is deposited in an induction heating furnace with a fused-coating nozzle to build metal parts on a copper-clad substrate. The process parameters including nozzle pressure, nozzle and substrate temperature and nozzle gap between substrate are analyzed and found to have great influence on parts quality. The mechanical property tests between the fused-coating and casting parts are performed in horizontal and vertical directions. Also, the optical microscopy images are used to ascertain under which conditions good bonding can be achieved.
Findings
A FCAM method is proposed, and the exploration study about the manufacturing process is carried out. The critical parameters are analyzed, and microscopy images prove the suitable temperature range that requires to fabricate metal parts. The mechanical tests confirm that tensile strength of printing parts is improved by 20.4 and 11.9 per cent in horizontal and vertical direction than casting parts. The experimental results indicate that there is a close relationship between process parameters and mechanical properties.
Originality/value
This paper proves that FCAM provides an alternative way to quickly make functional metal parts with good quality and flexibility compared with other additive manufacturing methods. Moreover, good mechanical property is achieved than conventional casting parts.
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Pengfei Zhao, Ji Wu, Zhongsheng Hua and Shijian Fang
The purpose of this paper is to identify electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) customers from customer reviews. Thus, firms can precisely leverage eWOM customers to increase their…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) customers from customer reviews. Thus, firms can precisely leverage eWOM customers to increase their product sales.
Design/methodology/approach
This research proposed a framework to analyze the content of consumer-generated product reviews. Specific algorithms were used to identify potential eWOM reviewers, and then an evaluation method was used to validate the relationship between product sales and the eWOM reviewers identified by the authors’ proposed method.
Findings
The results corroborate that online product reviews that are made by the eWOM customers identified by the authors’ proposed method are more related to product sales than customer reviews that are made by non-eWOM customers and that the predictive power of the reviews generated by eWOM customers are significantly higher than the reviews generated by non-eWOM customers.
Research limitations/implications
The proposed method is useful in the data set, which is based on one type of products. However, for other products, the validity must be tested. Previous eWOM customers may have no significant influence on product sales in the future. Therefore, the proposed method should be tested in the new market environment.
Practical implications
By combining the method with the previous customer segmentation method, a new framework of customer segmentation is proposed to help firms understand customers’ value specifically.
Originality/value
This study is the first to identify eWOM customers from online reviews and to evaluate the relationship between reviewers and product sales.
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Pengfei Deng, Peng Zheng and Dan Xie
The issue of excessive carbon emissions continues to be a critical global challenge. As a prominent mode of transportation for long-distance travel, aircraft is widely…
Abstract
Purpose
The issue of excessive carbon emissions continues to be a critical global challenge. As a prominent mode of transportation for long-distance travel, aircraft is widely acknowledged as a significant source of these emissions. Carbon offset initiatives function as ecological measures, helping to reduce the negative environmental impact. This study aims to explore how benefit appeals (BA) within the aviation industry impact tourists’ carbon offset payment intentions (COPIt).
Design/methodology/approach
In Studies 1 and 2, scenario-based experiments were conducted to explore how goal framing (GF) and (BA) interact to influence COPIt. Study 2 further investigated the mediating roles of moral responsibility and trust in airlines within this interaction. Study 3 used real-world surveys to examine the moderating influence of moral elevation, thereby supporting the interactive effects and mediation mechanisms identified in the earlier studies.
Findings
Across three studies, the authors consistently identified pivotal factors shaping COPIt in the context of air travel. Study 1 revealed that the combination of BA and GF significantly impacts COPIt, with egoistic appeals linked to loss framing and altruistic appeals connected to gain framing being particularly effective in encouraging COPIt. Study 2 extended these insights by showing that moral responsibility and trust in airlines serve as mediators between BA, GF and COPIt. In Study 3, moral elevation was found to moderate the influence of BA and GF on both moral responsibility and COPIt, deepening the understanding of these dynamics.
Originality/value
This study expands the range of factors affecting COPIt and delves into the underlying mechanisms through which BA and GF shape COPIt. Additionally, it advances current understanding by revealing the intricate processes influenced by moral elevation. The findings not only contribute to the existing knowledge on COPIt determinants but also offer practical guidance for the aviation industry and related sectors in promoting tourists’ participation in carbon offset programs.
研究目的
本研究探讨航空业中不同利益诉求(利他 vs. 利己)和目标框架(收益 vs. 损失)如何影响游客的碳补偿支付意向, 以应对航空业作为主要碳排放源的环境挑战。
设计/方法
通过三项实验分析利益诉求与目标框架对碳补偿支付意向的影响, 前两项研究探讨利益诉求与目标框架的交互作用以及道德责任感和信任的中介作用, 第三项在机场调研中考察道德提升感的调节作用。
发现
结果显示, 利他诉求与收益框架、利己诉求与损失框架的匹配显著提高游客的支付意向, 道德责任感和信任为中介, 且道德提升感调节了这一影响。
原创性/价值
本研究丰富了碳补偿支付意向的理论, 揭示利益诉求与目标框架的交互作用机制, 并为航空业提供了有效推动碳补偿项目的实践建议。
Objetivo del studio
Este estudio analiza cómo los intereses (altruismo vs. egoísmo) y el marco objetivo (ganancia vs. pérdida) influyen en la intención de pago de compensación de carbono de los turistas en la industria aérea.
Diseño/método
Se emplearon métodos experimentales en dos estudios iniciales para explorar la interacción entre intereses y marco objetivo, y el papel mediador de la responsabilidad moral y la confianza en la aerolínea. Un tercer estudio en un aeropuerto evaluó el efecto moderador de la elevación moral.
Resultados
Los intereses y el marco objetivo influyen conjuntamente en la intención de pago de compensación de carbono. La combinación de altruismo con un marco de ganancia y egoísmo con un marco de pérdida aumenta esta intención. La responsabilidad moral y la confianza en la aerolínea median estos efectos, mientras que la elevación moral modera su impacto.
Originalidad/valor
Este estudio amplía la investigación sobre la compensación de carbono, revelando cómo la interacción entre intereses y marco objetivo afecta la intención de pago, ofreciendo recomendaciones prácticas para la industria aérea.
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Pengfei Yuan, Baiyan He and Lianhong Zhang
Due to the structural layout, mining process, and working environment, curved chains such as horizontal and vertical bends inevitably exist in the armoured face conveyor (AFC)…
Abstract
Purpose
Due to the structural layout, mining process, and working environment, curved chains such as horizontal and vertical bends inevitably exist in the armoured face conveyor (AFC). With the increasing power, conveying capacity, and distance of the AFC, the dynamic influence of these curved chains should be highly emphasized. This paper establishes a dynamic model of the AFC by multi-body system theory and finite segment method, in which the curved chains can be fully considered.
Design/methodology/approach
The scraper chains are firstly grouped into the straight, horizontal bend, vertical convex and concave bend sections. Each bend section running in a circle is simplified as an ideal arc. Through solving its differential equilibrium equation and using Newton's second law, its running resistance is derived. Then the grouped chains are discretized into finite control elements according to the Kelvin model, and the governing equation of each control element is established. The dynamic model of the AFC is obtained by assembling these equations, and the corresponding simulation model is developed by using MATLAB/Simulink.
Findings
Case studies with real scenarios are provided, and simulations are carried out. The results show that the running resistance contributed by the curved chains is larger than the traditional empirical value.
Originality/value
The work in this paper helps the dynamic performance design of AFC, with a deep understanding of the curved chains.
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Fangqi Hong, Pengfei Wei and Michael Beer
Bayesian cubature (BC) has emerged to be one of most competitive approach for estimating the multi-dimensional integral especially when the integrand is expensive to evaluate, and…
Abstract
Purpose
Bayesian cubature (BC) has emerged to be one of most competitive approach for estimating the multi-dimensional integral especially when the integrand is expensive to evaluate, and alternative acquisition functions, such as the Posterior Variance Contribution (PVC) function, have been developed for adaptive experiment design of the integration points. However, those sequential design strategies also prevent BC from being implemented in a parallel scheme. Therefore, this paper aims at developing a parallelized adaptive BC method to further improve the computational efficiency.
Design/methodology/approach
By theoretically examining the multimodal behavior of the PVC function, it is concluded that the multiple local maxima all have important contribution to the integration accuracy as can be selected as design points, providing a practical way for parallelization of the adaptive BC. Inspired by the above finding, four multimodal optimization algorithms, including one newly developed in this work, are then introduced for finding multiple local maxima of the PVC function in one run, and further for parallel implementation of the adaptive BC.
Findings
The superiority of the parallel schemes and the performance of the four multimodal optimization algorithms are then demonstrated and compared with the k-means clustering method by using two numerical benchmarks and two engineering examples.
Originality/value
Multimodal behavior of acquisition function for BC is comprehensively investigated. All the local maxima of the acquisition function contribute to adaptive BC accuracy. Parallelization of adaptive BC is realized with four multimodal optimization methods.
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Yongtai Chen, Rui Li, En-yu Zeng and Pengfei Li
This study aims to analyze the relevance of the city spatial structure for smart city innovation from the perspective of agglomeration externalities, and discusses whether there…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to analyze the relevance of the city spatial structure for smart city innovation from the perspective of agglomeration externalities, and discusses whether there is heterogeneity in innovation across different geographical areas and population scales of cities.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors construct the centralization and concentration indexes to conceptualize the city spatial structure of 286 cities (prefecture-level) in China based on the LandScan Global Population Dataset from 2001 to 2016. A fixed-effects panel data model is employed to analyze the relationship between the spatial structure and the innovation ability of smart cities; the results were validated through robustness tests and heterogeneity analyses.
Findings
The study found that the more concentrated and more evenly the distribution of urban population, namely the more city spatial structure tends to be weak-monocentricity, the higher the level of innovation in smart cities. The relevance of the weak-monocentricity structure and smart city innovation varies significantly depending on their geographical location and the size of the city. This result is more applicable to cities in the eastern and central regions, as well as to cities with smaller populations.
Originality/value
The adjustment and optimization of the city spatial structure is important for enhancing smart city construction. Unlike previous studies, which mostly use a single dimension of “the proportion of population in sub-centres to the population of all central areas” to measure city spatial structure, the authors employed the spatial centralization and spatial concentration. It is hoped that this study can guide smart city construction from the perspective of the development model of city spatial structure.
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Ge Zhang, Pengfei Chen and Si Xu
Given that the current sustainability assessment in higher education institutions primarily relies on qualitative methods with relatively limited quantitative tools, the purpose…
Abstract
Purpose
Given that the current sustainability assessment in higher education institutions primarily relies on qualitative methods with relatively limited quantitative tools, the purpose of this study is to design a tool that could be used to comprehensively assess the overall state of higher education institutions’ sustainability.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors based the “Model to Assess the Sustainability of Higher Education Institutions” on the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) framework of economic, environmental and social factors, and established its primary dimensions as educational level, research capacity, community outreach, campus operations, campus experience and assessment reports. They designed the College Organisational Sustainability Scale (CO-SS) based on this research model, drawing their inspiration from the qualitative research tool, the Sustainability Assessment Questionnaire, and taking the following validation steps: expert review (n = 10), pilot testing (n = 150) and formal experiments (n = 1108). These steps were taken to optimise the scale items, test the model’s validity and assess its reliability.
Findings
After undergoing rigorous scientific validation, CO-SS was unequivocally confirmed as an effective and reliable tool, demonstrating its accurate reflection of the level of sustainability in higher education institutions.
Originality/value
The authors took an industry-specific approach by relying on the TBL and the Sustainability Assessment Questionnaire to construct and validate the CO-SS. Furthermore, the CO-SS has the potential to evolve into a self-assessment tool for higher education institutions, and a reliable foundation for data-driven decision-making in the realm of organisational sustainability at universities.
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Ligang Lu, Pengfei Li, Dongbo Wu, Jiawei Liang, Hui Wang and Pengpeng He
The purpose of this study is to establish an assembly accuracy analysis model of deployable arms based on Jacobian–Torsor theory to improve the assembly accuracy. Spacecraft…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to establish an assembly accuracy analysis model of deployable arms based on Jacobian–Torsor theory to improve the assembly accuracy. Spacecraft deployable arm is one of the core components of spacecraft. Reducing the errors in assembly process is the main method to improve the assembly accuracy of spacecraft deployable arms.
Design/methodology/approach
First, the influence of composite connecting rod, root joint and arm joint on assembly accuracy in the tandem assembly process is analyzed to propose the assembly accuracy analysis model. Second, a non-tandem assembly process of “two joints fixed-composite rod installed-flange gasket compensated” is proposed and analyzed to improve the assembly accuracy of deployable arms. Finally, the feasibility of non-tandem assembly process strategy is verified by assembly experiment.
Findings
The experiential results show that the assembly errors are reduced compared with the tandem assembly process. The errors on axes x, y and z directions decreased from 14.1009 mm, 14.2424 mm and 0.8414 mm to 0.922 mm, 0.671 mm and 0.2393 mm, respectively. The errors round axes x and y directions also decreased from 0.0050° and 0.0053° to 0.00292° and 0.00251°, respectively.
Originality/value
This paper presents an assembly accuracy analysis model of deployable arms and applies the model to calculate assembly errors in tandem assembly process. In addition, a non-tandem assembly process is proposed based on the model. The experimental results show that the non-tandem assembly process can improve the assembly accuracy of deployable arms.