Qing Ji, Yanfeng Xing, Xuexing Li and Sha Xu
The purpose of this paper is to present a novel assembly spring-back model which takes surface contact conditions between sheet metal parts into consideration so that the assembly…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present a novel assembly spring-back model which takes surface contact conditions between sheet metal parts into consideration so that the assembly dimensions and variations can be more precisely predicted than existing assembly simulation models.
Design/methodology/approach
Because an assembly process is composed of four essential steps, i.e. locating, clamping, joining and tool releasing, the mechanistic models associated with these steps are developed in the paper. In particular, the surface contact between the weld flanges (in folding joint configuration) and the overlapping surfaces (in lap joint configurations) is included in the models. Sensitivity models are developed.
Findings
Two cases studies are presented, i.e. the cantilever beams assembly and the Z-plates assembly. More precise prediction results are shown.
Research limitations/implications
The model developed in this paper is based upon analytical elastic beam theories. Therefore, the results and case studies are limited only to workpieces that can be approximately represented by beam geometries. However, the methods can be broadened to generic workpiece geometries by using finite element methods; thus, the developed method is highly valuable to a broad range of applications such as automotive body assembly and aerospace industries.
Originality/value
The novelty of this research lies in its inclusion of surface contact conditions in an assembly simulation model by using analytical beam mechanistic models to achieve more accurate assembly variation predictions.
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The purpose of this paper is to describe how people in a coastal community act upon anxieties about overexploitation of a shared resource and their attempts to ease the moral…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to describe how people in a coastal community act upon anxieties about overexploitation of a shared resource and their attempts to ease the moral tension caused by the rapid industrialization of their fishery. This anthropological study contributes to the cross-disciplinary discussion of community-based resource management.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on ethnographic fieldwork done at the Nanfang'ao port located in northeastern Taiwan. This port has several prosperous offshore fisheries including a mackerel fishery. The mackerel fishery has undergone important transformations in recent decades. The first was a total transformation of fishing methods in 2013. The second was the government's formulation of the “Regulations for Fishing Vessels Catching Mackerels and Jacks,” implemented in 2014. This research illustrates how people in a community take various approaches to pursue sustainability for the human beings and the more-than-human world.
Findings
In Nanfang'ao port, local people have developed a meaningful cultural festival through the integration of various symbols and rituals from different contexts in an effort to call attention to moral issues associated with the mackerel fishery.
Originality/value
This research contributes to the discussion on community resource management of marine fishery.
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Since most literature on international performance appraisal is derived from Western MNCs, it is questionable whether the Western theories are equally powerful when applied to…
Abstract
Since most literature on international performance appraisal is derived from Western MNCs, it is questionable whether the Western theories are equally powerful when applied to other national contexts. This study develops the Chinese international performance appraisal model by exploring performance appraisal policies and practices and the associated factors in Chinese MNCs. It reveals that Chinese MNCs adopt different approaches towards different groups, particularly different nationalities and managerial status. The Chinese international performance appraisals are a mix of home and local appraisal systems, and a mix of traditional Chinese personnel management and modern Western HRM concepts. Moreover, Chinese international performance appraisal policies and practices are affected by various host‐contextual and firm‐specific factors, and there is also an interplay between international performance and other international human resource management activities.
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In spite of the increasing awareness that standardized performance appraisal practices must fit in varied local contexts, limited research and mixed findings still cloud our…
Abstract
Purpose
In spite of the increasing awareness that standardized performance appraisal practices must fit in varied local contexts, limited research and mixed findings still cloud our understanding about how those appraisal practices are perceived and implemented in the subsidiaries of multinational corporations (MNCs). The purpose of this paper is to examine this issue, aiming to clarify the contextual and cultural boundary of standardized appraisal practices in China.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study was conducted in an MNC subsidiary located in Southern China. Organizational performance appraisal documents were collected, and in‐depth interviews were conducted.
Findings
It has been found that the implementation of a Western standardized appraisal system was far from attaining an optimistic effect in a Chinese business setting: employees were nowhere near being able to be involved in setting objectives and developmental plans; the appraisal system was not perceived be fair enough due to the influence of a seniority‐based rewards system; and managers hesitated to take ownership of performance reviews.
Practical implications
When designing and delivering standardized appraisal system to subsidiaries, foreign investors and global human resource practitioners are expected to be more context focused. Distinct cultural values and norms in local contexts should be carefully taken into consideration.
Originality/value
The paper fills in the literature gap by providing an in‐depth study of employees' perceptions towards the actual implementation of a standardized performance appraisal system in an MNC subsidiary in China.
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In today’s Taiwan, sha-cha sauce is an indispensable ingredient for beef hot pot and stir-fried dishes. The purpose of this paper contextualizes the history of sha-cha sauce in…
Abstract
Purpose
In today’s Taiwan, sha-cha sauce is an indispensable ingredient for beef hot pot and stir-fried dishes. The purpose of this paper contextualizes the history of sha-cha sauce in Tainan, the oldest city in Taiwan, and argues that sha-cha sauce, introduced by Chaoshan immigrants, has contributed to new styles and habits of beef consumption tastes and habits in the post-1949 Tainan and beyond.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses documentary materials, oral interviews and diaries to explore the relationship between beef consumption and sha-cha sauce. It begins with an historical overview of Taiwan’s beef consumption during the Japanese colonial era (1895-1945). Then, it focuses on two Chaoshan business enterprises: the Bull-Head, which makes the world’s largest “canned sha-cha sauce,” and the Xiao Haozhou, a Tainan restaurant specializing in sha-cha beef hot pot. Finally, this study analyzes Xinrong Wu, a Tainan gentry whose diary entries from 1933 to 1967 documented the changing dietary habits of beef consumption among Taiwanese.
Findings
The Chaoshan migrants played an important role in introducing the sha-cha sauce to postcolonial Tainan, and this input bolstered the beef consumption among Taiwanese. The production of sha-cha provided a reliable source of income for these migrants in Tainan, and major businesses like the Bull-Head became the international brands of Taiwanese food products.
Research limitations/implications
The study, though limited to Tainan, reveals the symbiosis between popularization of sha-cha sauce and widespread beef consumption in Taiwan.
Practical implications
This study helps researchers examine the connection between Chinese migrations and food culture.
Originality/value
This paper is an original scholarly investigation of the relationship between food diet and Chaoshan migration in postcolonial Tainan.
Ramina Mukundan and Nikesh Narayanan
Khalifa University of Science and Technology (KU) is one of the prominent Universities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), of the Government of Abu Dhabi. The new Khalifa…
Abstract
Purpose
Khalifa University of Science and Technology (KU) is one of the prominent Universities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), of the Government of Abu Dhabi. The new Khalifa University was re-constituted in the year 2017 by merging three higher education institutions in Abu Dhabi, the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, Khalifa University of Science, Technology and Research and the Petroleum Institute. The objectives of these institutions and their research areas were entirely disparate in the pre-merger era and hence the evaluation of the research performance of its pre-merged entities in the past is vital for Khalifa University to plan for the future course of actions. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
This study analyzes and visualizes scholarly publications of Khalifa University of Science and Technology (KU) using SCOPUS data. There are various qualitative and quantitative methods to measure research performance. This study adopted citation analysis, one of the widely recognized quantitative metrics to measure the citation impact of scholarly publications.
Findings
Khalifa University leads in productivity compared to other UAE universities but the citation impact of its publications is less in comparison to United Arab Emirates University and New York University, Abu Dhabi in terms of citations per publication. The majority of KU publications are not highly cited. The majority of the KU publications (80 percent) received fewer citations and few papers (20 percent of the KU publications) attracted 80 percent of the total citations received for KU publications. Analysis results indicate that publishing in top-ranked journals would improve the chance of getting more citations. On average, eight percentage difference is seen in the h-index of KU authors when removing self-citations.
Research limitations/implications
The study considered only publications that are indexed in SCOPUS. It covered a limited set of sources as per the SCOPUS editorial policy. Most of the covered sources are journals and conference proceedings. Books’ data coverage in Citation Index is comparatively low, which may affect results regarding social sciences and humanities publications because book publication is more prominent in these subject areas. Khalifa University is a science and technology university, and the majority of its academic departments fall in science and technology domains. Even though there are few arts and humanities departments in the University, it will not affect the overall findings of the results of the analysis.
Originality/value
This study is original research conducted to study the impact of research publications of Khalifa University using Scopus data.
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Although an important facet of modernist architecture in which function plays a prominent role, building flexibility is not entirely a new concept. Its relevance transcends…
Abstract
Although an important facet of modernist architecture in which function plays a prominent role, building flexibility is not entirely a new concept. Its relevance transcends generations, allowing space and structure to evolve through time. This paper investigates the relationship among main building structures, infill elements, and space by studying examples in ancient Chinese architecture. It reveals the role of building owners, users, and craftsmen from a survey of historical documentation. In studying these examples, it is concluded that craftsmen in ancient China were involved not only during the construction phase but throughout the period of use as well. Thus, in select cases, the relationship between craftsmen and owners or users had been preserved for generations. Finally, this paper suggests potential strategies for the building industry and technology in the move towards sustainable development.
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This chapter examines the development of accounting thought and practices in China with the purpose of illustrating its relevance to current accounting policies and practices. The…
Abstract
This chapter examines the development of accounting thought and practices in China with the purpose of illustrating its relevance to current accounting policies and practices. The review indicates that changes in accounting in China did not usually occur completely and easily. Over the past three decades, while Chinese accounting has gradually moved toward the Anglo-American model, convergence has presented unique features in China. For example, the review suggests that the accounting reforms in China have been heavily government-driven and that uniform accounting systems still remain. Chinese regulators maintain a cautious attitude toward the application of fair value and professional judgment, which are essentially the center of the Anglo-American accounting system. Furthermore, Chinese accounting regulators have a different view of business combinations from the IASB and have developed alternative accounting methods for those transactions. China’s departure from IFRS reflects its politico-economic context and essentially challenges the IASB’s goal of achieving international accounting convergence. China’s approach to internationally acceptable practices is likely to have implications for the effectiveness of the imported ideas.
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The purpose of this paper is to provide the historical background of genealogical records and analyze the value of Chinese genealogical research through the study of names and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide the historical background of genealogical records and analyze the value of Chinese genealogical research through the study of names and genealogical resources.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper examines the historical evolution and value of Chinese genealogical records, with the focus on researching the Islamic Chinese names used by the people living in Guilin. The highlight of this paper includes the analysis and evolution of the Islamic Chinese names commonly adopted by the local people in Guilin. It concludes with the recommendations on emphasizing and making the best use of genealogical records to enhance the research value of Chinese overseas studies.
Findings
The paper covers the history of Islam and describes how the religion was introduced into China, as well as Muslims' ethnicity and identity. It also places focus on the importance of building a research collection in Asian history and Chinese genealogy.
Research limitations/implications
This research study has a strong subject focus on Chinese genealogy, Asian history, and Islamic Chinese surnames. It is a narrow field that few researchers have delved into.
Practical implications
The results of this study will assist students, researchers, and the general public in tracing the origin of their surnames and developing their interest in the social and historical value of Chinese local history and genealogies.
Social implications
The study of Chinese surnames is, by itself, a particular field for researching the social and political implications of contemporary Chinese society during the time the family members lived.
Originality/value
Very little research has been done in the area of Chinese local history and genealogy. The paper would be of value to researchers such as historians, sociologists, ethnologists and archaeologists, as well as students and anyone interested in researching a surname origin, its history and evolution.