Yin Shi-ping, Yu Yulin and Yunping Xi
Textile reinforced concrete (TRC) has excellent bearing capacity and anti-crack and corrosion resistance capacity, which are suitable for strengthening concrete structure under…
Abstract
Purpose
Textile reinforced concrete (TRC) has excellent bearing capacity and anti-crack and corrosion resistance capacity, which are suitable for strengthening concrete structure under harsh environments.
Design/methodology/approach
In this thesis, flexural properties of RC beams strengthened with TRC under chloride wet–dry cycles were studied and the effects of the concentration of the salt solution, number of wet–dry cycles, bending stress level and TRC form were considered. Four-point bend loading mode was adopted for the step-loading procedure.
Findings
As the number of wet–dry cycles was relatively few, the trend of the yield and ultimate load with the increasing concentration of salt solution and wet–dry cycles were not obvious. However, the beams under high sustained bending stress level (0.5) had a decrease in the bearing capacity and an increase in mid-span deflection because of the larger degree of the corrosion of steel bars and the weaker bond capacity between the steel bar and concrete. Besides, there was little difference between the precast TRC plate and the casting TRC on beams in terms of the capacity of anti-crack, bearing and deflection.
Research limitations/implications
In this paper, preliminary work has been carried out, but some of the factors were not comprehensive considered, which are inevitable. As the time of dry–wet cycles was short and TRC layer had good anti-crack and anti-permeability performance, smaller chloride ions’ penetration resulted in the corrosion ratio of steel bars to be lower.
Practical implications
It should be noted that under high corrosion rates of the reinforcement, the whole TRC strengthening layer might be spalled off if only the strengthening form at the beam bottom is used, and thus the U-type strengthening form could be considered, which means that the beam is strengthened at both the bottom and side surfaces.
Originality/value
This research only considers the flexural performance of the beams strengthened with TRC in conventional environment, and there is little research on the TRC-strengthened beam under corrosion environment. On the basis of previous research, this paper carried out the experimental study on beams strengthened with TRC under chloride wet–dry cycle environment, and the effects of the concentration of the salt solution, number of wet–dry cycles, bending stress level and TRC form were considered.
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Yin Ping Chan, Apple Hiu Ching Lam and Dickson K.W. Chiu
The Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) showcases China’s rich heritage with multimedia technologies. This research examines the effectiveness of the museum’s exhibition, visitors’…
Abstract
Purpose
The Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) showcases China’s rich heritage with multimedia technologies. This research examines the effectiveness of the museum’s exhibition, visitors’ perceptions of multimedia technologies, and the educational role of multimedia technologies in Chinese art and culture.
Design/methodology/approach
This research fills the gap with a survey to investigate sociodemographic factors and user perceptions guided by the 5E Instructional Model.
Findings
Results indicated that the younger generation is enthusiastic about utilizing multimedia technologies as educational tools when visiting the HKPM museum. Incorporating such technologies in museums can also benefit visitors, enhancing their understanding and appreciation of Chinese art and culture.
Originality/value
Results support recommendations for improving the use of multimedia technologies in museums for educational programs and visitor experiences in Chinese art and culture appreciation. Few studies have investigated the effectiveness of recent multimedia technologies for museum education, especially in East Asia.
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Yu-Chin Jerrie Hsieh, Zui Chih Lee and Ping Yin
The purpose of this study is to delineate the role of wine at hotels from the customer’s perspective by analyzing New York City hotel reviews posted on TripAdvisor.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to delineate the role of wine at hotels from the customer’s perspective by analyzing New York City hotel reviews posted on TripAdvisor.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used content analysis to study 26,831 wine-relevant reviews that had been posted on TripAdvisor’s New York City hotels by April 12, 2018. Two trained coders quantified and tallied the presence of themes based on the pre-established coding scheme.
Findings
Wine was mentioned in the online reviews in expressing positive, negative or neutral hotel experiences. Of the 877,616 New York City hotel reviews, about 3 per cent contained the keyword “wine.” The three most frequently mentioned wine-related positive experiences were free happy hours, a surprise bottle of complimentary wine and the fun of pairing food and wine. The top three wine-related negative experiences were pricey/expensive/overpriced wine, poor wine list and poor quality of wine. The study found that hotel guests liked wine and that it had become a significant aspect of their lodging experience.
Originality/value
This study adds value to the literature of hotel wines by divulging hotel customers’ wine-related experiences through their online comments and by providing a snapshot of hotel guests’ wine-drinking behavior. The findings can provide an insight for hotels to further the use of wine as a means to enhance guest experience and to generate additional revenue.
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Abstract
Subject area
Leadership.
Study level/applicability
The case is suitable for MBA, Executive level courses.
Case overview
Yongye Group is a biotechnological enterprise in Inner Mongolia, China. In China, people lack trust in economic transactions due to the transitional state of the economy, especially regarding food safety. To respond to this situation, Wu Zishen, the chairman of the Board of Directors of Yongye Group, was determined to build trust among employees, distributors, farmers, and consumers towards the company. To this end, he started using a creative incentive system with employees and stakeholders: the pay-before-performance incentive system. According to this system, the reward is delivered in advance, contrary to be paid after the fulfillment of the task. This practice is meant to transform employees' work attitude from a passive “being told to work” to a more proactive “I want to work” mentality. When such an incentive system is practiced with customers and external distributors, it sends a message that the company is “treating customers as company employees”, which means that they are trusted as if they were part of the company itself. Wu Zishen also introduced a coherent series of leadership practices that generate a truly proactive culture in the organization.
Expected learning outcomes
From this case, students will learn how to create a proactive culture in business organizations and the effect of pay-before-performance on employees' work motivation.
Supplementary materials
Teaching notes and an exercise for class-based discussion are available.
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Frank Harrigan, Peter G. McGregor, Kim Swales and Ya Ping Yin
Considers the treatment of openness and imperfect competition inthe influential analysis of Layard, Nickell and Jackman′s (LNJ′s) Unemployment: Macroeconomic Performance and the…
Abstract
Considers the treatment of openness and imperfect competition in the influential analysis of Layard, Nickell and Jackman′s (LNJ′s) Unemployment: Macroeconomic Performance and the Labour Market. Clarifies and completes LNJ′s treatment of openness through the provision of explicit analytical solutions to their model under fixed and flexible exchange rate regimes. Also provides a (largely informal) analysis of the sensitivity of the LNJ model′s results to the particular forms of imperfect competition assumed. It is argued that openness is crucial to the model′s properties, whereas imperfect competition is not. However, imperfect competitive behaviour may, more generally, have a major impact if it is not confined to the “well‐behaved form” allowed by LNJ.
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Xiaojun Xu, Wu He, Ping Yin, Xiaobo Xu, Yuting Wang and Haitao Zhang
The purpose of this paper is to present a new tool, business network information ecological chain (BNIEC) aiming to solve the current information problems in business network…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a new tool, business network information ecological chain (BNIEC) aiming to solve the current information problems in business network, make more profits to business websites and to maintain the sustainable development of the business network environment in Internet of Things (IoT) era.
Design/methodology/approach
From multi-disciplinary perspectives, learning from the knowledge in information ecology, economics, the IoT and system theory, this paper first analyzes the positioning of BNIEC in different subjects. Second, it proposes the definition, components and characteristics of BNIEC and designs the BNIEC concept map helping to understand the BNIEC system. Last, this paper builds the structural model and the information flow models of BNIEC.
Findings
The study first presents the concept of BNIEC and based on the trans-disciplinary point of view, builds the structure model of BNIEC from three aspects: nodes, relations among nodes and link modes and illustrates the model using the knowledge from the system theory. Also, it builds two kinds of the information flow models by the related information knowledge in IoT.
Originality/value
This paper aims to introduce not only a new tool but an ecological idea to business network companies, to create a pleasant network environment, more than that, to make more benefits for themselves. Meanwhile, it has important significance in the sustainable development of the business network environment, business websites, business network information resources and information technology. Especially in today’s IoT era, it shows an ecological thinking to solve the information problems in business network that we may face in the future.
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Gianni Betti, Neil Dourmashkin, Mariacristina Rossi and Ya Ping Yin
This paper seeks to measure and characterise the extent of consumer over‐indebtedness among the European Union (EU) member states.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to measure and characterise the extent of consumer over‐indebtedness among the European Union (EU) member states.
Design/methodology/approach
The study evaluates alternative measures of over‐indebtedness on the basis of the permanent‐income/life‐cycle theories of consumption behaviour and adopts a subjective approach in identifying over‐indebted households on the basis of European household survey data. It then investigates the main characteristics of over‐indebted households.
Findings
The empirical results reveal that over‐indebtedness was a significant problem across EU member states in the mid‐1990s. Moreover, an inverse relationship emerged between the extent of the over‐indebtedness problem and the extent of consumer borrowing across EU countries.
Research limitations/implications
Anecdotal evidence seemed to suggest that some main factors behind over‐indebtedness could be “market failure” on the credit market, the existence of liquidity constraints and lack of access to formal credit markets. However, a comprehensive and rigorous investigation of the extent and determinants of over‐indebtedness can only be achieved through analysis of more extended household data sets, particularly panel data.
Practical implications
The EU credit markets exhibited certain symptoms of “market failure”, on the one hand, and there was also need for further financial liberalisation in the Southern European countries, on the other hand.
Originality/value
The paper provides a first systematic evaluation of existing measures of consumer over‐indebtedness as well as the first EU‐wide empirical investigation of the problem. It should provide valuable information to the credit industry as well as financial regulatory bodies.
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Discusses a number of issues put forward by the other authors inthis volume. In particular considers the potential role of real interestrates in unemployment models, the…
Abstract
Discusses a number of issues put forward by the other authors in this volume. In particular considers the potential role of real interest rates in unemployment models, the importance of the trade balance and related constraints in open economy models and the uniqueness and stability of unemployment equilibria.
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Inakshi Kapur, Pallavi Tyagi and Neha Zaidi
Purpose: This chapter aims to identify and evaluate the various components of business model disclosures in an Integrated Report and ascertain how the notion of business model is…
Abstract
Purpose: This chapter aims to identify and evaluate the various components of business model disclosures in an Integrated Report and ascertain how the notion of business model is perceived among practitioners.
Need for the Study: According to previous research, the International Integrated Reporting Council’s (IIRC) objective of improving corporate reporting by encouraging organisations to disclose their business model has not found the desired recognition. Therefore, the study elaborates on the various components of business model reporting and their implications on corporate reporting in general.
Methodology: A review of literature was conducted to identify and analyse research based on business models and their disclosures in integrated reporting. A narrative review was undertaken for selected literature.
Findings: The findings suggest that most large-sized organisations use integrated reporting for impression management and are not inclined to disclose too much about their business models for fear of competition. There is still a lack of clear understanding of what a business model should entail.
Practical Implication: This study adds to the research on business model disclosures in integrated reporting. Voluntary disclosure and a better understanding of such disclosures will prepare organisations of all sizes and industries for an event when Integrated Reporting becomes statutory.
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Stephen Linstead and Andrew Chan
Examines the structure of command in organizations and the use of“fear” to bring people into line during periods of rapid change. Detailsproblems experienced by organizations who…
Abstract
Examines the structure of command in organizations and the use of “fear” to bring people into line during periods of rapid change. Details problems experienced by organizations who, though good at coping with crises, do not know what to do to maintain momentum without engineering the next crisis. Goes on to consider the implications of structure to organizational relationships and uses the concept of the “sting” to illustrate this – whereby an individual acts on a command, but the sting is an objection to such an obeyed command or act of deference, which can impede later organizational relationships between individuals and groups. A short case study of Hong Kong Telecom is used to highlight reactions to change.