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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.

Based on data collected from 130 third-party logistics (3PL) users in China, our model was tested with the partial least squares (PLS) approach.

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.

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.

In the pursuit of competitive advantage, an increasing number of firms are adopting open innovation (OI) strategies. However, previous studies have often overlooked the role of strategic human resource management (SHRM) in promoting OI. This study aims to fill this gap by examining how SHRM impacts OI through the mediating factors of intellectual capital (IC) and supply chain integration (SCI). This research sheds light on the critical interplay between SHRM, IC and SCI in driving OI success. The findings underscore the importance of adopting a comprehensive and integrated approach to OI that encompasses both resources and dynamic capabilities.

By integrating resource-based view with the dynamic capability perspective, the hypotheses were tested with a survey sample of 136 Chinese manufacture firms using hierarchical regression and bootstrap method.

The results show that SHRM has a positive effect on OI, and both IC and SCI are partial mediators of the relationship between SHRM and OI. In addition, the chain mediation effect of “SHRM-IC-SCI-OI” has further been verified.

This study uncovers the “black box” between SHRM and OI, and responds to the call for strengthening research on the relationship between SHRM and OI. The study indicates that firms should implement HR practices, including extensive training, team reward and internal promotion to promote the implementation of OI strategy.

Based on signaling theory, this paper aims to explore the impact of supply chain transparency (SCT) on firms' bank loan (BL) and supply chain financing (SCF) in the context of voluntary disclosure of supplier and customer lists.

Based on panel data collected from Chinese-listed firms between 2012 and 2021, fixed-effect models and a series of robustness checks are used to test the predictions.

First, improving SCT by disclosing major suppliers and customers promotes BL but inhibits SCF. Specifically, customer transparency (CT) is more influential in SCF than supplier transparency (ST). Second, supplier concentration (SC) weakens SCT’s positive impact on BL while reducing its negative impact on SCF. Third, customer concentration (CC) strengthens the positive impact of SCT on BL but intensifies its negative impact on SCF. Last, these findings are basically more pronounced in highly competitive industries.

This study contributes to the SCT literature by investigating the under-explored practice of supply chain list disclosure and revealing its dual impact on firms' access to financing offerings (i.e. BL and SCF) based on signaling theory. Additionally, it expands the understanding of the boundary conditions affecting the relationship between SCT and firm financing, focusing on supply chain concentration. Moreover, it advances signaling theory by exploring how financing providers interpret the SCT signal and enriches the understanding of BL and SCF antecedents from a supply chain perspective.

Rural folk custom ecotourism is one of the most unique tourism projects today, which relies on the unique landscape of the country for architectural planning and tourism. In the article, the architectural planning and design based on the protective development of rural folk custom ecotourism was studied. Based on this, firstly, the characteristics and development background of rural tourism were expatiated, and the theoretical research background of current landscape planning and design was analyzed; then the principles and methods of planning and designing of rural folk custom ecotourism landscape architecture were analyzed, and the functions of architecture and space use were described in detail, so as to meet the need for protective and sustainable development; in addition, through the analysis and planning of specific projects, the concrete methods of architectural planning and design were discussed and the localization of architectural planning and design was achieved.

This paper aims to investigate how ball milling (BM) and load influence transfer film on counterbody and the correlation between transfer film and tribological properties of copper-based composites.

The copper-based mixed powders preprocessed by BM for different times were used to manufacture sintered materials. Specimens were tested by a custom pin-on-flat linear reciprocating tribometer and characterized prior and after tests by optical microscope, scanning electron microscope and energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Image J® and Taylor-hobson-6 surface roughness meter were used to quantify the coverage and thickness of the transfer film.

Main results show that an appropriate amount of BM time and applied load can contribute to the formation of the transfer film on counterbody and effectively improve the tribological properties of the copper-based material. The transfer film coverage is linearly related to the friction coefficient, thickness of transfer film and wear volume. As the transfer film coverage increases, the coefficient of friction decreases. As the thickness of the transfer film increases, the amount of wear increases.

This work intends to control and optimize the formation of transfer film, thereby helping improve the tribological properties of materials and providing a reference to guide the preparation of Cu-based composites with excellent tribological properties.

This paper attempts to study the impact of changing incentive strategies on enterprises' energy saving effort level and to construct an effective principal‐agent mechanism to achieve Pareto improvement of energy‐saving control.

Starting from the benefit relations between government and enterprises as well as their game strategies in energy conservation management, the impact of changing incentive strategies on enterprises' energy saving effort level and the asymmetric information situation of the players are studied taking into consideration the angle of strategies evolving in local government. Also, an effective principal‐agent mechanism to achieve Pareto improvement of energy‐saving control is constructed.

The results are convincing: interests of both the principal and agent had consistency under the principal‐agent mechanism, and the principal‐agent model was a mechanism with rich efficiency that could substantially arouse the enthusiasm of enterprises in energy saving. The comprehensive supervision of local governments over enterprises could effectually eliminate ill effects on energy‐saving management caused by information asymmetry under certain circumstances.

It is good for locating the balance of interest of game players by building a government energy saving mechanism based on principal‐agent theory. Through solving a game stable strategy, it is beneficial to seize a key point of regulation and control policies.

The paper succeeds in analyzing decision behaviours of government and enterprises through the basic idea of cooperative game theory so as to make actions of enterprises at all levels agree to government determined solving of energy issues.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This paper aims to investigate the effect of chemical nickel plating and mechanical alloying on the mechanical and tribological properties of FeS/iron-based self-lubricating materials as well as the wear mechanism of the materials.

Surface modification of FeS powder was carried out by chemical nickel plating method and mechanical alloying of mixed powder by ball milling. The mechanical properties of the material were tested by tribological testing by M-200 ring block type friction and wear tester. Optical microscope was used to observe the surface morphology of the material and the transfer film on the surface of the mate parts, and scanning electron microscope and EDS were used to characterize the wear surface.

Mechanical alloying ball milling was carried out so that the lubricating particles in the matrix are uniformly dispersed; nickel-plated layer enhances the interfacial bonding of FeS and the matrix, and the combination of the two improves the mechanical properties of the material, and at the same time the friction side of the surface of the lubrication of FeS lubricant transfer film formed is denser and more intact, and the friction coefficient of friction side and the wear rate of the material have been greatly reduced.

This work aims to improve the mechanical and tribological properties of FeS/iron-based self-lubricating materials and to provide a reference for the preparation of materials with excellent overall properties.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

This study aims to investigate whether and how artificial intelligence (AI) awareness affects work withdrawal.

This survey garners participation from a total of 305 hotel employees in China. The proposed hypotheses are examined using Hayes’s PROCESS macro.

The results indicate that AI awareness could positively affect work withdrawal. Negative work-related rumination and emotional exhaustion respectively mediate this relationship. Furthermore, negative work-related rumination and emotional exhaustion act as chain mediators between AI awareness and work withdrawal.

Given the growing adoption of AI technology in the hospitality industry, it is imperative that managers intensify their scrutiny of the psychological changes experienced by frontline service employees and allocate more resources to mitigating the impact of AI on their work withdrawal.

This study contributes to the burgeoning literature on AI by elucidating the chain mediating roles of negative work-related rumination and emotional exhaustion. It also makes a significant forward in examining mediating mechanisms, notably the chain-mediated mechanism, through which AI awareness impacts employee outcomes.