Yu Liu, Bingjie Liu-Lastres, Qiuju Wang and Yao-Yi Fu
Beijing is becoming one of the top global destinations but the number of international tourists to the city has been declining recently. By analyzing inbound tourists experience…
Abstract
Purpose
Beijing is becoming one of the top global destinations but the number of international tourists to the city has been declining recently. By analyzing inbound tourists experience in Beijing and identifying the relationship between the destination attributes and satisfaction, the purpose of this paper is to provide important insights into city tourism research and city destination development.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used an online deductive approach and collected 1,254 reviews on TripAdvisor referencing major attractions in Beijing. This study used the Leximancer software to analyze the content of the reviews and to identify the underlying relationships.
Findings
The results showed that international tourists’ experience in Beijing can be reflected via five aspects: attractions, city, transportation, service and people. The results further indicated that the major concern of international tourists visiting Beijing related to the service quality on site.
Originality/value
This study explored inbound tourists experience in Beijing using an online deductive approach. Practical implications were provided with respect to improving international tourists experience in Beijing and enhancing their satisfaction and revisiting intentions.
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Xiaoping Zhang, Yanhui Li, Meixiu Li, Qiuju Du, Hong Li, Yuqi Wang, Dechang Wang, Cuiping Wang, Kunyan Sui, Hongliang Li, Yanzhi Xia and Yuanhai Yu
In order to discover a new adsorbent that can be used to purify dye wastewater in the textile and apparel industry, a novel type of graphene oxide/gluten composite material using…
Abstract
Purpose
In order to discover a new adsorbent that can be used to purify dye wastewater in the textile and apparel industry, a novel type of graphene oxide/gluten composite material using an improved acid bath coagulation method was synthesized, which can remove methylene blue in an aqueous environment.
Design/methodology/approach
After experimentally compounding different ratios of graphene oxide and gluten, the graphene oxide/gluten composite material with 20% graphene oxide content and superlative adsorption effect was chosen. The synthesized material was characterized by different techniques such as FT-IR and SEM, indicating the microstructure of the material and the success of the composite. Various factors were considered, namely, the influence of temperature, dosage, pH and contact time. The isotherms, kinetics and thermodynamic parameters were successively discussed.
Findings
The qmax value of 214.29 mg/g of the material was higher compared to the general sorbent, thus, the graphene oxide/gluten composite material was a suitable sorbent for methylene blue removal. Overall, the graphene oxide/gluten composite material can be considered as an effectual and prospective adsorbent to remove methylene blue in the textile and apparel industrial effluent.
Originality/value
Graphene oxide is a potentially excellent sorbent. However, the high dispersibility of GO is detrimental to adsorption, it disperses rapidly in an aqueous solution making separation and recovery difficult. The high load capacity and recyclability of gluten as a colloid make it a suitable carrier for fixing GO. Studies on the combination of GO and GT into composite adsorption material and for the removal of dyes from dyeing wastewater have not been reported. The composite material research on GO and GT can provide new ideas for the research of these kinds of materials and contribute to its wider and convenient application in wastewater treatment.
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Xiaoping Zhang, Yanhui Li, Meixiu Li, Heng Zheng, Qiuju Du, Hong Li, Yuqi Wang, Dechang Wang, Cuiping Wang, Kunyan Sui, Hongliang Li and Yanzhi Xia
The purpose of this paper is to purify the wastewater in the garment industry.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to purify the wastewater in the garment industry.
Design/methodology/approach
The preparation of the calcium alginate (CA)/activated carbon (AC) composite membrane was achieved by vacuum freeze-drying and the cross-linking reaction between sodium alginate and CaCl2. Effective parameters in the methylene blue (MB) adsorption such as temperature, dose, contact time and pH were discussed. The adsorption properties of the composite membrane were investigated by isotherm, kinetics and thermodynamic analysis. The adsorption equilibrium data were described by the adsorption isotherm Langmuir model and the Freundlich model. The pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order and intra-particle diffusion equations were selected to evaluate the kinetics. The thermodynamic study described that the adsorption reaction was spontaneous and exothermic.
Findings
The AC/CA membrane is an efficient and powerful adsorbent to remove MB in printing and dyeing wastewater, and provides a new idea for the selection of adsorption materials for industrial printing and dyeing wastewater.
Practical implications
The composite membrane research on CA and AC can provide new ideas for the research of these kinds of materials.
Social implications
The paper contributes to its wider and convenientapplication in wastewater treatment.
Originality/value
Studies on the combination of CA and AC into adsorption membranes and for the removal of dyes from printing and dyeing wastewater have not been reported. A novel composite material is provided for treatment dyeing wastewater in garment production. The composite membrane research on CA and AC can provide new ideas for the research of these kinds of materials and contribute to its wider and convenient application in wastewater treatment.
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This paper aims to explain and resolve the paradoxical situation in China regarding how it is difficult to get an offer of employment in China while people are unwilling to pursue…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explain and resolve the paradoxical situation in China regarding how it is difficult to get an offer of employment in China while people are unwilling to pursue or embark on a career in the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) industry. Therefore, the MICE industry career path should be carefully explored.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper used semi-structured interviews with more than 30 representative managers from key MICE companies, a social community perspective and conceptions of the social world combined with the traditional career-ladder model.
Findings
The study’s key findings are: a general career path exists in the MICE industry in China; there are three main types of career paths and two different kinds of promotion mechanisms, which vary according to the type of ownership, scale or other characteristics of companies; and a feedback mechanism, linking social-world events and social community characteristics, affects individual employees and their career paths in the MICE industry, leading to promotion in or retreat from the industry. Typically, the mechanism fits high-level employees better than the freshmen, which leads to high turnover in the MICE labor market.
Practical implications
This paper provides a better understanding of MICE industry and facilitates people’s employment choices.
Originality/value
This paper provide a new social community perspective for exploring the MICE career path; there are also significant practical implications for MICE elites, which present a new framework for future research and industry applications.
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Qiuju Yin, Lun Li, Zhijun Yan and Chenxi Guo
Mobile fitness apps (MFAs) are increasingly popular for people to promote physical activity (PA) and further enhance health status via behavioral change techniques (BCTs), but the…
Abstract
Purpose
Mobile fitness apps (MFAs) are increasingly popular for people to promote physical activity (PA) and further enhance health status via behavioral change techniques (BCTs), but the phenomenon of users abandoning MFAs is still common. For improving users' PA and decreasing dropout rates of MFAs, this study intends to gain insights into the effects of major BCTs-based incentive factors on users' PA under MFAs context and the gender differences in their effects.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on self-determination theory, three major incentive factors were chosen from the perspective of self-peer-platform incentives, i.e. self-monitoring (SM), social support (SS) and platform rewards (PR). A dataset of 4,530 users from a popular mobile fitness app was collected and was analyzed using fixed effects models.
Findings
The results show that all three types of incentive factors are positively associated with users' PA. The estimated effect sizes can be ordered as: SM > PR > SS. Moreover, social support has a stronger positive impact on PA of females than males, whereas platform rewards have a weaker positive effect on PA of females than males. In addition, the results also indicate there are no significant gender differences in the effect of self-monitoring.
Originality/value
There is insufficient research on systematically examining the effects of different types of incentive factors of MFAs on users' PA in one study. This study extends the current understanding of incentive factors by simultaneously examining different incentive factors and the role of gender. The findings can also provide insightful guidance for the design of MFAs.
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Qiuju Yin, Chenxi Guo, Chao Dong and Tianmei Wang
The paper aims to explore the effect of problem-based learning (PBL) embedding degree and education level on individual perception, as well as the moderating effect of nationality.
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to explore the effect of problem-based learning (PBL) embedding degree and education level on individual perception, as well as the moderating effect of nationality.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper first conceptualizes PBL embedding degree which means the extent of applying PBL. It takes an empirical study on an international MBA class in one of the first-class universities in China. An investigation is taken with the designed “PBL-based Cognitive Perception Scale” and an Ordered Probit Model is constructed.
Findings
The findings of this study are as follows: PBL embedding degree has a significant effect on the cognitive perception of student, which varies in different dimensions; the educational level of international student positively affects the cognitive perception toward PBL; and nationality may moderate the relationship between the PBL embedding degree and individual perception.
Originality/value
The paper replenishes the investigation and application of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning. By conceptualizing PBL embedding degree, the paper extends the research perspectives of PBL and proposes a subjective method on the evaluation of PBL. The paper also may provide a guidance for PBL curriculum design with sustainable development of education.
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Seoyoun Lee, Younghoon Chang, Jaehyun Park, Alain Yee Loong Chong and Qiuju Yin
This study examines how users' multidimensional representational fidelity factors affect sociability and cyberself engagement in the Metaverse platform; that is, how they interact…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines how users' multidimensional representational fidelity factors affect sociability and cyberself engagement in the Metaverse platform; that is, how they interact with newly defined self-images as their personas in the environments. It investigates how representational fidelity serves platform users to perform social roles and increase their sociability by establishing a new cyberself, thus influencing continuous platform use.
Design/methodology/approach
This study surveyed 314 users of the Metaverse platform Horizon, where users can create a virtual agent avatar, meet people in the same online environment in real time, and interact with a sense of three-dimensional immersion. Data were analyzed using partial least squares regression models.
Findings
User socialization significantly influenced the intention to use the Metaverse platform. Representational fidelity was a crucial variable for sociability, and activity representational fidelity was the most influential aspect among the four other elements. Platforms should consider how to enable users to create and use activities that faithfully represent their personas.
Originality/value
The novelty of this study is that it introduces representational fidelity based on representation theory into the context of virtual persona in the Metaverse platform. This study extended representational fidelity to the socialization perspective by utilizing the integrated model of user satisfaction and the technology acceptance model. Through the results, this study emphasized that users' sociability significantly influences their intention to use the Metaverse platform. Finally, this study provides a feasible guideline on how practitioners could design and strengthen their platforms so that users can represent their cyberselves faithfully.
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Seoyoun Lee, Younghoon Chang, One-Ki Daniel Lee, Sunghan Ryu and Qiuju Yin
This study explores the key platform affordances that online social platform providers need to offer digital creators to strengthen the creator ecosystem, one of the leading…
Abstract
Purpose
This study explores the key platform affordances that online social platform providers need to offer digital creators to strengthen the creator ecosystem, one of the leading accelerators for platform growth. Specifically, it aims to investigate how these affordances make the dynamic combinations for high platform quality across diverse platform types and demographic characteristics of digital creators.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopts a multi-method approach. Drawing upon the affordance theory, Study 1 aims to identify the key affordances of online social platforms based on relevant literature and the qualitative interview data collected from 22 digital creators, thereby constructing a conceptual framework of key platform affordances for digital creators. Building on the findings of Study 1, Study 2 explores the dynamic combinations of these platform affordances that contribute to platform quality using a configurational approach. Data from online surveys of 185 digital creators were analyzed using fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA).
Findings
The results of Study 1 identified key online social platform affordances for digital creators, including Storytelling, Socialization, Design, Development, Promotion, and Protection affordance. Study 2 showed that the combinations of these platform affordances for digital creators are diverse according to the types of platforms, creators’ gender, and their professionality.
Research limitations/implications
Like many studies, this research also has several limitations. One limitation of the research is the potential constraint of the extent of how well the data samples represent the group of creators who are actively producing digital content. Despite the addition of screening questions and meticulous data filtering, it is possible that we did not secure sufficient data from creators who are actively engaged in creative activities. In future research, it is worth contemplating the acquisition of data from actual groups of creators, such as creator communities. Future researchers anticipate obtaining more in-depth and accurate data by directly involving and collaborating with creators.
Practical implications
This study highlights the need for online social platforms to enhance features for storytelling, socializing, design, development, promotion, and protection, fostering a robust digital creator ecosystem. It emphasizes clear communication of these affordances, ensuring creators can effectively utilize them. Importantly, platforms should adapt these features to accommodate diverse creator profiles, considering differences in gender and expertise levels, especially in emerging spaces like the Metaverse. This approach ensures an equitable and enriching experience for all users and creators, underlining the importance of dynamic interaction and inclusivity in platform development and creator support strategies.
Social implications
This study underscores the social implications of evolving digital creator ecosystems on online platforms. Identifying six key affordances essential for digital creators highlights the need for platforms to enhance storytelling, socializing, design, development, promotion, and product protection. Crucially, it emphasizes inclusivity, urging platforms to consider diverse creator profiles, including gender and expertise differences, particularly in transitioning from traditional social media to the Metaverse. This approach nurtures a more robust creator ecosystem and fosters an equitable and enriching experience for all users. It signals a shift towards more dynamic, adaptive online environments catering to diverse creators and audiences.
Originality/value
For academics, this study builds the conceptual framework of online social platform affordances for digital creators. Using the configurational approach, this study identified various interdependent relationships among the affordances, which are nuanced by specific contexts, and suggested novel insights for future studies. For practices, the findings specified by creators and platform types are expected to guide platform providers in developing strategies to support digital creators and contribute to platform growth.
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Wei Chen, Qiuju Zhang, Ye Yuan, Xiaoyan Chen and Qinghao He
Continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites (CFRTPCs) with great mechanical properties and green recyclability have been widely used in aerospace, transportation, sports…
Abstract
Purpose
Continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites (CFRTPCs) with great mechanical properties and green recyclability have been widely used in aerospace, transportation, sports and leisure products, etc. However, the conventional molding technologies of CFRTPCs, with high cost and low efficiency, limit the property design and broad application of composite materials. The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of the 3D printing process on the integrated rapid manufacturing of CFRTPCs.
Design/methodology/approach
Tensile and flexural simulations and tests were performed on CFRTPCs. The effect of key process parameters on mechanical properties and molding qualities was evaluated individually and mutually to optimize the printing process. The micro morphologies of tensile and flexural breakages of the printed CFRTPCs were observed and analyzed to study the failure mechanism.
Findings
The results proved that the suitable process parameters for great printing qualities and mechanical properties included the glass hot bed with the microporous and solid glue coatings at 60°C and the nozzle temperature at 295°C. The best parameters of the nozzle temperature, layer thickness, feed rate and printing speed for the best elastic modulus and tensile strength were 285°C, 0.5 mm, 6.5r/min and 500 mm/min, respectively, whereas those for the smallest sectional porosity were 305°C, 0.6 mm, 5.5r/min and 550 mm/min, respectively.
Originality/value
This work promises a significant contribution to the improvement of the printing quality and mechanical properties of 3D printed CFRTPCs parts by the optimization of 3D printing processes.
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Qiuju Ma, Qi Zhang and Jiachen Chen
The purpose of this paper is to study propagation characteristics of methane explosion in the pipe network and analyze the propagation laws of methane explosion wave along the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study propagation characteristics of methane explosion in the pipe network and analyze the propagation laws of methane explosion wave along the elbow pipe and pipe network.
Design/methodology/approach
Numerical simulation using software package AutoReaGas, a finite-volume computational code for fluid dynamics suitable for gas explosion and blast problems, is adopted to simulate the propagation characteristics of methane explosion and the property of flow field in complex structures.
Findings
Due to reflection effects of corners of elbow pipe, the peak overpressures at corner locations in the elbow pipe go about two times higher than that in the straight pipe. In the parallel pipe network, the peak overpressure increases significantly at the intersection point, while the flame speed decreases at the junction. All these indicate that pipe corners and bifurcations could substantially enhance explosion partly which can bring more severe damage at the corner area. The explosion violence is strengthened after flames and blast waves are superimposed, such that equipments and people in these areas need special strengthening protection.
Originality/value
The numerical results presented in this paper may provide some useful guidance for the design of the underground laneway structures and to take protective measures at corners and bifurcations in coal mines.