Zichao Yang, Jianqiang Luo, Taiwen Feng and Rongrong Pan
This study aims to examine how degree of servitization and breadth of servitization affect the firm performance, and the moderating roles of corporate social responsibility (CSR…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine how degree of servitization and breadth of servitization affect the firm performance, and the moderating roles of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and green innovation.
Design/methodology/approach
The hypotheses are tested using panel data regression models from 2010 to 2020 based on 10,539 firm-year observations from 2,362 Chinese listed manufacturers.
Findings
Considering the classification of servitization, the results show that both degree and breadth of servitization have positive impacts on firm performance. In addition, CSR strengthens these impacts, while green innovation only strengthens the impact of degree of servitization on firm performance.
Practical implications
This study suggests that manufacturers should obtain greater profits by actively implementing the servitization strategy, and effectively take their social responsibility by achieving value co-creation with stakeholders. Also, they should carry out green innovation, develop green products and provide eco-friendly services.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the servitization literature by deepening the understanding of the value creation effect of services based on the service-oriented logic. Also, this study contributes to the sustainability literature stream by revealing the moderating roles of CSR and green innovation based on the stakeholder theory.
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Ayaz Ahmad Khan, Rongrong Yu, Tingting Liu, Ning Gu, James Walsh and Saeed Reza Mohandes
To incentivize innovation, support competitiveness, lower skill scarcities, and alleviate the housing affordability difficulty, proponents underscore the pertinence of embracing…
Abstract
Purpose
To incentivize innovation, support competitiveness, lower skill scarcities, and alleviate the housing affordability difficulty, proponents underscore the pertinence of embracing contemporary construction methodologies, with particular emphasis on volumetric modular construction (VMC) as a sustainable paradigm for production and consumption. However, construction industry stakeholders in Australia have encountered profound challenges in adopting VMC, as its adoption remains significantly low. Therefore, this study investigated the constraints that hinder VMC in the Australian construction industry.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used qualitative methodology using semi-structured interviews as a core approach to glean professional experts' perspectives and insights, along with Pareto and mean index score analyses.
Findings
The study identified 77 reported and validated VMC constraints by professionals, categorizing them into eight categories: cultural, economic, knowledge, market, regulatory, stakeholder, supply chain, and technological. The mean index score analysis reveals stakeholder (µ = 9.67) constraints are the most significant, followed by cultural (µ = 9.62) and regulatory (µ = 9.11) constraints. Pareto analysis revealed 25 of the 77 constraints as ‘vital few” among different categories. This study presented causal relationships and mitigation strategies for VMC constraints, followed by an argument on whether VMC adoption in Australia requires a nudge or mandate.
Practical implications
This study offers guidance for efficient resource allocation, aiding management and government policy formulation. It's also valuable for global audiences, especially countries transitioning to modular construction.
Originality/value
This is one of the first studies to identify VMC constraints and delineate them into different categories in Australia, identify their causal interrelationships, and deliver countermeasures to overcome them.
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Rongrong Li, Qiang Wang, Yi Liu and Rui Jiang
This study is aimed at better understanding the evolution of inequality in carbon emission in intraincome and interincome groups in the world, and then to uncover the driving…
Abstract
Purpose
This study is aimed at better understanding the evolution of inequality in carbon emission in intraincome and interincome groups in the world, and then to uncover the driving factors that affect inequality in carbon emission.
Design/methodology/approach
The approach is developed by combining the Theil index and the decomposition technique. Specifically, the Theil index is used to measure the inequality in carbon emissions from the perspective of global and each income group level. The extended logarithmic mean Divisia index was developed to explore the driving factors.
Findings
This study finds that the inequality in carbon emissions of intraincome group is getting better, whereas the inequality in carbon emission of interincome group is getting worse. And the difference in global carbon emissions between income groups is the main source of global carbon emission inequality, which is greater than that within each income group. In addition, the high-income group has transferred their carbon emissions to upper-middle income group by importing high-carbon-intensive products to meet the domestic demand, while lower-middle-income group do not fully participate in the international trade.
Practical implications
To alleviate the global carbon inequality, more attention should be paid to the inequality in carbon emission of interincome group, especially the trade between high-income group and upper-middle income group. From the perspective of driving factors, the impact of import and export trade dependence on the per capita carbon emissions of different income groups can almost offset each other, so the trade surplus effect should be the focus of each group.
Originality/value
In order to consider the impact of international trade, this study conducts a comprehensive analysis of global carbon emissions inequality from the perspective of income levels and introduces the import and export dependence effect and the trade surplus effect into the analysis framework of global carbon emission inequality drivers, which has not been any research carried out so far. The results of this paper not only provide policy recommendations for mitigating global carbon emissions but also provide a new research perspective for subsequent inequality research.
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Cong Liu, Yanguo Yin and Rongrong Li
This study aims to investigate the effects of ball–material ratio on the properties of mixed powders and Cu-Bi self-lubricating alloy materials.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the effects of ball–material ratio on the properties of mixed powders and Cu-Bi self-lubricating alloy materials.
Design/methodology/approach
Cu-Bi mixed powder was ball milled at different ball–material ratios, and the preparation of Cu-Bi alloy materials was achieved through powder metallurgy technology. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy were conducted to study the microstructure and phase composition of the mixed powder. The apparent density and flow characteristics of mixed powders were investigated using a Hall flowmeter. Tests on the crushing strength, impact toughness and tribological properties of self-lubricating alloy materials were conducted using a universal electronic testing machine, 300 J pendulum impact testing machine and M200 ring-block tribometer, respectively.
Findings
With the increase in ball–material ratio, the spherical copper matrix particles in the mixed powder became lamellar, the mechanical properties of the material gradually reduced, the friction coefficient of the material first decreased and then stabilized and the wear rate decreased initially and then increased. The increase in the ball–material ratio resulted in the fine network distribution of the Bi phase in the copper alloy matrix, which benefitted its enrichment on the worn surface for the formation a lubricating film and improvement of the material’s tribological performance. However, a large ball–material ratio can excessively weaken the mechanical properties of the material and reduce its wear resistance.
Originality/value
The effects of ball–material ratio on Cu-Bi mixed powder and material properties were clarified. This work provides a reference for the mechanical alloying process and its engineering applications.
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Rongrong Shi, Baojun Yang, Zhaofang Chu and Fujun Lai
Digitalization brings complexity and challenges to the relationship governance between logistics outsourcers and their providers. Drawn on resource dependence theory (RDT) and…
Abstract
Purpose
Digitalization brings complexity and challenges to the relationship governance between logistics outsourcers and their providers. Drawn on resource dependence theory (RDT) and resource-based view (RBV), this study aims to examine the role of relationship commitment in simultaneously managing dependence and improving operational performance in logistics outsourcing in the digital economy, as well as the contingent factors (i.e. communication, relationship length, and company size) that affect the effectiveness of relationship commitment.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on data collected from 130 third-party logistics (3PL) users in China, our model was tested with the partial least squares (PLS) approach.
Findings
First, relationship commitment is necessary for 3PL users to manage dependence on 3PL providers and improve operational performance in the digital economy. Second, communication helps 3PL users to develop higher relationship commitment but weakens the motivating effect of dependence on relationship commitment. Third, a long relationship history develops inertia to diminish the effectiveness of dependence on driving relationship commitment while it boosts the impact of relationship commitment on operational performance. Last, company size is an important signal to amplify the effectiveness of relationship commitment for operational performance enhancement.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the logistics outsourcing literature by integrating RDT and RBV to explain the twofold roles of relationship commitment, simultaneously tackling dependence and enhancing operational performance in the digital economy. Additionally, it expands the understanding of the boundary conditions (e.g. communication, relationship length, and company size) on these twofold roles.
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Qiang Wang, Min Zhang and Rongrong Li
This study aims to explore the gap between research and practice on supply chain risks due to COVID-19 by exploring the changes in global emphasis on supply chain risk research.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the gap between research and practice on supply chain risks due to COVID-19 by exploring the changes in global emphasis on supply chain risk research.
Design/methodology/approach
This work designed a research framework to compare the research of supply chain risks before and during the COVID-19 pandemic based on machining learning and text clustering and using the relevant publications of the web of science database.
Findings
The results show that scholars' attention to supply chain crisis has increased in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, but there are differences among countries. The United Kingdom, India, Australia, the USA and Italy have greatly increased their emphasis on risk research, while the supply chain risk research growth rate in other countries, including China, has been lower than the global level. Compared with the pre-pandemic period, the research of business finance, telecommunications, agricultural economics policy, business and public environmental occupational health increased significantly during the pandemic. The hotspots of supply chain risk research have changed significantly during the pandemic, focusing on routing problem, organizational performance, food supply chain, dual-channel supply chain, resilient supplier selection, medical service and machine learning.
Research limitations/implications
This study has limitations in using a single database.
Social implications
This work compared the changes in global and various countries' supply chain risk research before and during the pandemic. On the one hand, it helps to judge the degree of response of scholars to the global supply chain risk brought about by COVID-19. On the other hand, it is beneficial for supply chain practitioners and policymakers to gain an in-depth understanding of the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain risk, which might provide insights into not only addressing the supply chain risk but also the recovery of the supply chain.
Originality/value
The initial exploration of the changing extent of supply chain risk research in the context of COVID-19 provided in this paper is a unique and earlier attempt that extends the findings of the existing literature. Secondly, this research provides a feasible analysis strategy for supply chain risk research, which provides a direction and paradigm for exploring more effective supply chain research to meet the challenges of COVID-19.
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China has achieved continuous economic growth and become more integrated with the global economy since the start of the current financial crisis in late 2008. As the second…
Abstract
China has achieved continuous economic growth and become more integrated with the global economy since the start of the current financial crisis in late 2008. As the second largest economy in the world, China's political policies, economic and social development have influence on global economy. Attention has been paid worldwide to the current Chinese legal system, political policies and the development of economic reform since China entered the World Trade Organisation in November 2001. The corporate governance reform is the centre of the enterprise reform. In September 1999, The Fourth Plenum of the Chinese Communist Party's 15th central Committee identified that corporate governance is the core of the modern enterprise system. In recent years China has made significant progress in developing the foundations of a modern corporate system. There are more than 1,200 companies which have successfully diversified their ownership through public listing and 80% of small and medium size companies have been transformed into non-state-owned enterprises. More and more state-owned enterprises are on the way to transforming into corporations. China has formed a legal framework for corporate governance.
John Hassard, Jonathan Morris, Jackie Sheehan and Xiao Yuxin
The purpose of this paper is to examine how the Chinese economic reform process has engendered significant changes in the structure and management of work organizations. Central…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how the Chinese economic reform process has engendered significant changes in the structure and management of work organizations. Central to this process has been the “marketization” of state‐owned enterprises (SOEs). The paper reviews the attempts to reform SOEs as conducted, primarily, under the modern enterprise system (MES) and group company system (GCS) programmes.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper analyses institutional issues relating to organizational restructuring, describes the evolution of the SOE “problem” in China, and discusses case evidence of enterprise reform in one of the largest SOE‐dominated industries, iron and steel. Qualitative field data, collected regularly (mostly yearly) since 1995, were derived from in‐depth interviews with executives of ten large SOEs that have restructured as part of MES and GCS programmes.
Findings
It is suggested that the historic reluctance of SOEs to embrace reform stems from three main factors – the opaque nature of property rights, the failure of ministries to produce a firm strategy for channelling surplus labour and the inability of government agencies to offer a sense of managerial autonomy to SOE executives. Recent policies designed to overcome these problems together with kindred ones for separating government functions from business operations in the drive to prepare SOEs for global markets are described. It can be argued that China's preference for gradual reform reflects the wider reform context where economic restructuring has not been accompanied by a greater expression of political democracy.
Originality/value
The paper's findings offer insights from a major longitudinal field study of two of the main programmes of China's reform period.
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Xin Feng, Lei Yu, Weixin Kong and Jingya Wang
With the continuous improvement of social and economic development as well as the rising level of demand for spiritual life, the design of cultural and creative products has…
Abstract
Purpose
With the continuous improvement of social and economic development as well as the rising level of demand for spiritual life, the design of cultural and creative products has ushered in new opportunities and challenges. Therefore the research related to cultural and creative products design is an inevitable choice for industrial innovation and market competition. The article aims to analyze the frontier hotspots and trend evolution of theoretical research on cultural and creative design in China by presenting different research fields, personnel and institutions embodied by cultural and creative products, thus providing a forward-looking development reference for China's special cultural and creative product design practice.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, the visualized citation analysis tool — CiteSpace V is used to analyze and map the relevant literature of Chinese cultural and creative design in CNKI (Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure) as the data sources, through bibliometric methods, in order to study the application development of Chinese cultural and creative design and provide reference for the application research of Chinese cultural and creative industries.
Findings
With the improvement of China's comprehensive strength, cultural self-confidence and strategy are being paid more and more attention by scholars; with the future research of China's cultural and creative design theory, cross-integration becomes the future trend; with the gradual maturity of China's cultural and creative design methodology, how to choose the right method for pioneering research is a difficulty for the future development of cultural and creative design; with the continuous development of China's economy, the method construction of innovative cultural and creative industry system becomes the focus of future research; with the continuous progress of science and technology, the integration of emotion and product industry is the mainstream of future development on cultural and creative design.
Originality/value
Through an objective empirical analysis of the development of Chinese cultural and creative products, it will broaden the research horizons of relevant scholars, understand the development direction of China's cultural and creative industries, enrich the design practice application of Chinese cultural and creative products, enhance the understanding of international counterparts on Chinese cultural and creative design research and promote the exchange among international counterparts.
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Qianling Jiang, Jue Qian and Yong Zang
In today’s world, there’s a growing recognition of the importance of cultural heritage. Mobile games have emerged as a powerful medium for the dissemination of culture. However…
Abstract
Purpose
In today’s world, there’s a growing recognition of the importance of cultural heritage. Mobile games have emerged as a powerful medium for the dissemination of culture. However, there’s a noticeable gap in the existing research concerning the cultural experiences within games and how they contribute to the development of cultural identity. This study addresses this gap by developing a scale to evaluate cultural experiences and constructing a theoretical model of cultural identity. By focusing on the popular mobile game “王者荣耀” (King of Glory), we highlight its rich representation of intangible cultural heritage elements and its influence on players' cultural identity. By doing so, it seeks to provide valuable insights and guidance for the development and design of mobile games.
Design/methodology/approach
To achieve its objectives, this study employs a combination of user interviews, factor analysis and structural equation modeling. These methods are used to identify four key dimensions of cultural experience and explore the intricate relationships between various influencing factors and the formation of cultural identity.
Findings
The concept of cultural experience within games encompasses four distinct facets: emotional connection, design aesthetics, perceived playfulness and knowledge acquisition. Aesthetic appreciation notably influences emotional connection and the overall enjoyment of the game. Furthermore, emotional connection plays a pivotal role in facilitating users' acquisition of knowledge. Additionally, users' cultural heritage values positively impact emotional connection, aesthetic appreciation, emotional attachment and, ultimately, their cultural identity. Within game-based cultural experiences, emotional connection and knowledge acquisition emerge as central elements that significantly influence users' sense of cultural identity.
Originality/value
The originality of this study lies in its pioneering construction of a comprehensive framework for assessing the impact of cultural experiences within mobile games on cultural identity. By examining “王者荣耀,” this study bridges the gap between intangible cultural heritage and interactive digital media, making an original and significant contribution to both fields.