Lu Lu, Christina Geng-Qing Chi and Rong Zou
This paper aims to examine the primary determinants of Chinese consumers’ attitudes and purchase intentions of imported organic wines.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the primary determinants of Chinese consumers’ attitudes and purchase intentions of imported organic wines.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used a multi-stage data collection via multiple sampling techniques. Data were collected from close to 2,000 Chinese wine drinkers across 33 provincial-level administrative units in China. The consumer data were subject to a two-step structural equation modeling analysis.
Findings
Chinese consumers express favorable attitudes and are interested in making a purchase. The results also reveal distinct influences of cognitive and emotional determinants on consumers’ positive attitudes and purchase intentions of organic wines. Health benefits and symbolic value positively influence consumers’ attitudes and purchase intentions. Emotional assessment of organic wines, despite exhibiting a positive effect on attitudes, does not drive Chinese consumers’ purchase decisions.
Originality/value
China has become a world leader in consuming wines, especially wines imported from traditional wine producing countries. The increasing health concerns have also prompted Chinese consumers toward favoring organic products. Despite the evident shift in Chinese consumers’ travel expenditure toward food and wines and the growing wine consumption while dining out, existing research is scant in explaining the decision drivers of Chinese consumers’ organic wine purchase. A greater and deeper understanding of Chinese consumers’ purchase decision of organic wines not only provides marketing intelligence for countries exporting wines to China but also is meaningful for international destinations to capture a lucrative market to support local attractions and hospitality businesses.
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Xin Zou and Zhuang Rong
In repetitive projects, repetition offers more possibilities for activity scheduling at the sub-activity level. However, existing resource-constrained repetitive scheduling…
Abstract
Purpose
In repetitive projects, repetition offers more possibilities for activity scheduling at the sub-activity level. However, existing resource-constrained repetitive scheduling problem (RCRSP) models assume that there is only one sequence in performing the sub-activities of each activity, resulting in an inefficient resource allocation. This paper proposes a novel repetitive scheduling model for solving RCRSP with soft logic.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, a constraint programming model is developed to solve the RCRSP using soft logic, aiming at the possible relationship between parallel execution, orderly execution or partial parallel and partial orderly execution of different sub activities of the same activity in repetitive projects. The proposed model integrated crew assignment strategies and allowed continuous or fragmented execution.
Findings
When solving RCRSP, it is necessary to take soft logic into account. If managers only consider the fixed logic between sub-activities, they are likely to develop a delayed schedule. The practicality and effectiveness of the model were verified by a housing project based on eight different scenarios. The results showed that the constraint programming model outperformed its equivalent mathematical model in terms of solving speed and solution quality.
Originality/value
Available studies assume a fixed logic between sub-activities of the same activity in repetitive projects. However, there is no fixed construction sequence between sub-activities for some projects, e.g. hotel renovation projects. Therefore, this paper considers the soft logic relationship between sub-activities and investigates how to make the objective optimal without violating the resource availability constraint.
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Samaneh Matindoust, Majid Baghaei-Nejad, Mohammad Hadi Shahrokh Abadi, Zhuo Zou and Li-Rong Zheng
This paper aims to study different possibilities for implementing easy-to-use and cost-effective micro-systems to detect and trace expelled gases from rotten food. The paper…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to study different possibilities for implementing easy-to-use and cost-effective micro-systems to detect and trace expelled gases from rotten food. The paper covers various radio-frequency identification (RFID) technologies and gas sensors as the two promoting feasibilities for the tracing of packaged food. Monitoring and maintaining quality and safety of food in transport and storage from producer to consumer are the most important concerns in food industry. Many toxin gases, even in parts per billion ranges, are produced from corrupted and rotten food and can endanger the consumers’ health. To overcome the issues, intelligent traceability of food products, specifically the packaged ones, in terms of temperature, humidity, atmospheric conditions, etc., has been paid attention to by many researchers.
Design/methodology/approach
Food poisoning is a serious problem that affects thousands of people every year. Poisoning food must be recognized early to prevent a serious health problem.
Contaminated food is usually detectable by odor. A small gas sensors and low-cost tailored to the type of food packaging and a communication device for transmitting alarm output to the consumer are key factors in achieving intelligent packaging.
Findings
Conducting polymer composite, intrinsically conducting polymer and metal oxide conductivity gas sensors, metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) gas sensors offer excellent discrimination and lead the way for a new generation of “smart sensors” which will mould the future commercial markets for gas sensors.
Originality/value
Small size, low power consumption, short response time, wide operating temperature, high efficiency and small area are most important features of introduced system for using in package food.
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Xin Zou and Lihui Zhang
The purpose of this study is to develop a novel approach that addresses time-cost tradeoffs in repetitive construction projects while considering the uncertainty in activity…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to develop a novel approach that addresses time-cost tradeoffs in repetitive construction projects while considering the uncertainty in activity durations and the risk preferences of planners.
Design/methodology/approach
Our study involves work in three aspects. Firstly, it employs triangular fuzzy numbers to represent activity durations in different units, which facilitates the management of scenarios characterized by limited historical data or the presence of ambiguous information. Secondly, it introduces a fuzzy chance-constrained programming model, which is aimed at minimizing the project budget while ensuring that the risks associated with cost overruns and schedule delays are confined to specified limits. Thirdly, it advances an enhanced genetic algorithm, integrating an electromagnetism-like mechanism and a scheduling repair process, to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the optimization process.
Findings
A real-life street renovation project was analyzed to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed algorithm. The analysis explored three common types of risk preferences: risk-averse, risk-neutral and risk-loving. The results indicate that the proposed algorithm surpasses existing fuzzy repetitive scheduling methods in terms of risk management. It effectively generates schedules that align with the risk preferences of planners and provides worst-case estimates of project performance.
Originality/value
This research makes a significant contribution to the field by developing a fuzzy chance-constrained programming model and an associated optimization algorithm that is specifically designed for time-cost tradeoffs in repetitive construction projects. A key distinction is that this study considers the risk preferences of planners, which sets it apart from previously developed models. As a result, it provides a practical approach for effective risk management.
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Daniel J. Morris, Lawrence P. Ettkin and Marilyn M. Helms
Although the Peoples Republic of China's (PRC) is becoming more progressive, they are still criticized for their overcautious stance on entering the free market arena. This…
Abstract
Although the Peoples Republic of China's (PRC) is becoming more progressive, they are still criticized for their overcautious stance on entering the free market arena. This article explores China's reluctance toward foreign trade by examining past and present trade patterns along with future trade goals. The themes of culture, history and politics that remain blurred in Chinese culture are explored. The paper examines why foreign trade and capitalism cannot reproduce similar, instantaneous results in China to mirror western standards. Finally, the paper assesses the current and future economic climate and the emerging force of China in the global marketplace.
This paper provides a researcher's account of fieldwork experience in conducting audit research in China. By illustrating on-site fieldwork encounters, the paper reflects stages…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper provides a researcher's account of fieldwork experience in conducting audit research in China. By illustrating on-site fieldwork encounters, the paper reflects stages of access negotiation and management in the fieldwork, reveals the researcher's embodied “affects” in the fieldwork and reasserts the value of researcher's openness and attention in the fieldwork.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses autoethnography as its overall epistemology. Fieldwork diaries and vignettes are written in the first-person voice to present the researcher's embodied account of fieldwork experience, researcher’s learning and coping skills in managing the fieldwork.
Findings
The research findings are not detached from the researcher's experience of the fieldwork. The fieldwork experiences in this study highlight that the fieldwork access is an ongoing process. Different stages of access negotiations, from rejection to acceptance, reveal the tensions between researcher and participants. This study draws attention to the online platform, WeChat, in connecting with auditors to learn from them and suggests openness to the fieldwork encounters and a resilient engagement with auditors.
Originality/value
In reflecting on the researcher's transformation during the fieldwork, this paper argues for a relational and engaged way of conducting fieldwork, rather than a disengaged and judgemental approach in studying auditors' working lives. The paper pays attention to fieldwork as a process and how the knowledge learned in the field is infused with researcher's fieldwork experiences.
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Yu-Hsiang Hsiao, Mu-Chen Chen, Kuan-Yu Lu and Cheng-Lin Chin
The purpose of this paper is to formulate and solve a last-mile distribution plan problem with concern for the quality of fruits and vegetables in cold chains.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to formulate and solve a last-mile distribution plan problem with concern for the quality of fruits and vegetables in cold chains.
Design/methodology/approach
The vehicle routing problem with time windows (VRPTW) is extended based on the characteristics of fruit-and-vegetable cold chains. The properties of multiple perishable foods, continuing decline in quality, various requirements for quality levels and optimal temperature settings during vehicle transportation are considered in the VRPTW. The product quality level is defined by the estimation of residual shelf life, which changes with temperature, and is characterized by a stepped decrease during the transportation process as time goes on. A genetic algorithm (GA) is adapted to solve the problem because of its convincing ability to solve VRPTW-related problems. For this purpose, solution encoding, a fitness function and evolution operators are designed to deal with the complicated problem herein.
Findings
A distribution plan including required fleet size, vehicle routing sequence and what quality level should be shipped out to account for the quality degradation during vehicle transportation is generated. The results indicate that the fulfillment of various requirements of different customers for various fruits and vegetables and quality levels can be ensured with cost considerations.
Originality/value
This study presents a problem for last-mile delivery of fresh fruits and vegetables which considers multiple practical scenarios not studied previously. A solution algorithm based on a GA is developed to address this problem. The proposed model is easily applied to other types of perishable products.
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Qiongqiong Gu, Rong Zhang and Bin Liu
Due to product value uncertainty, consumers do not know the product matching rate before they get the product, which is the probability of product fitness. Taking the consumers’…
Abstract
Purpose
Due to product value uncertainty, consumers do not know the product matching rate before they get the product, which is the probability of product fitness. Taking the consumers’ anticipated regret into account, this paper aims to develop a theoretical model to explore how the anticipated regret affects pricing and advertising decisions and profits of retailers in the online to offline (O2O) supply chain.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper considers an O2O supply chain consisting of an e-retailer and a brick-and-mortar retailer; both retailers cooperate to provide buying online and pick up in-store (BOPS) for consumers.
Findings
It shows three major findings. Retailers should decide whether to introduce BOPS channel according to the matching rate of the product when the BOPS channel is not very convenient for consumers. When the BOPS channel does not exist in the market, the profits of two retailers increase with the online regret of consumers, while the BOPS channel exists in the market and the matching rate of the product is low, the higher offline regret can enable both retailers to increase the profits; furthermore, when the matching rate is high, the higher degree of online regret can bring more profit to the O2O supply chain. Therefore, both retailers can take measures together to induce consumers’ regrets according to the different matching rates, which makes both retailers obtain more profits. Counterintuitively, consumer surplus will not always increase due to consideration of anticipated regret.
Research limitations/implications
The model has some limitations that are worth further discussing. First, in practice, the O2O supply chain includes many forms except the BOPS channel, for example, order online and pick-up in-store (ROPS) channel; future research can discuss and consider the impact of consumers’ anticipated regret on ROPS. Second, the authors consider that O2O is a supply chain composed of two retailers. In reality, there is also a situation where an oligopoly retailer opens two channels to realize O2O supply chain, in the case the inventory decision-making of the product is worth studying. Finally, to highlight the impact of the anticipated regret on consumers’ decision-making, the return of the product is not considered. Future research can take the return of the product into account to assess the robustness of the results.
Originality/value
The contributions are in two main aspects. First, this paper considers an O2O supply chain with consumer value uncertainty, where there are duopoly retailers in the market and most of the existing literature focus on oligopoly retailer operates both online and offline channels; meanwhile, consumers’ value perceptions of the product is deterministic. Second, this paper explores how the consumer anticipated channel regret affects the pricing and advertising decisions of O2O supply chain, and the authors take behavioral theory into account when studying omnichannel operations, while most studies on anticipated regret consider traditional two-stage price reduction management, product innovation, etc.
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Qing Bao, Baojin Wang, Manman Li, Chao Li and Jin Gao
A section of in-service PE gas pipeline in Guocun, Beijing, was found to appear gas leaking at the electrofusion (EF) joint. This study is dedicated to reveal the material cause…
Abstract
Purpose
A section of in-service PE gas pipeline in Guocun, Beijing, was found to appear gas leaking at the electrofusion (EF) joint. This study is dedicated to reveal the material cause of EF joint failure to help with a more accurate prediction of service life of PE gas pipe and further normalize the construction of PE gas pipeline.
Design/methodology/approach
Defect detection was carried out on the leaking EF joint using ultrasonic phased array. The mechanical degradation and structural aging behavior was studied by tension test, FTIR technology, TG test and DSC test. The organic components in the soil surrounding the PE gas pipe failure area were qualitatively identified.
Findings
The results showed that the organic surfactants in the soil environment could accelerate the aging behavior of PE material, leading to a deterioration of mechanical properties and a serious reduction in the ability of the PE pipe and EF joint, especially at the welding defect, to resist external force.
Originality/value
A novel study was conducted to investigate the failure cause of the EF joint of in-service PE gas pipe, incorporating the analysis of environmental factors and structural deterioration.