Yu Lin, Shuaishuai Zhang and Yingjie Shi
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of operational stickiness on product quality. Particularly, it analyzes the moderating effect of product diversification on the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of operational stickiness on product quality. Particularly, it analyzes the moderating effect of product diversification on the relationship between operational stickiness and product quality of exporting firms from China.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a sample of 3,567 exporting firms between 2002 and 2012 in China, this paper develops a fixed effect model to demonstrate the nonlinear relationship between operational stickiness and product quality.
Findings
Results show that operational stickiness has an inverted U-shaped impact on product quality, while inventory stickiness, property, plant and equipment (PPE) stickiness and labor stickiness are used to measure operational stickiness. Furthermore, the impact of operational stickiness on product quality is found to be moderated by product diversification.
Practical implications
Managers can achieve an optimal level of product quality by adjusting the level of operational stickiness. Firms with excessive operational stickiness should appropriately reduce the degree of stickiness to improve product quality. Besides, managers who focus on product quality should be cautious in adopting the product diversification strategy and be wary of the loss of product quality this strategy may cause.
Originality/value
This paper is the first study that has empirically validated the inverted U-shaped relationship between operational stickiness and product quality, and confirmed the moderating effect of product diversification on the relationship between operational stickiness and product quality. It provides a new idea to improve product quality by operational management.
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Yingjie Shi, Xuechang Zhu, Shuaishuai Zhang and Yu Lin
The purpose of this paper is to examine the existence of operational stickiness, and explores the relationship between operational stickiness and the likelihood of survival…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the existence of operational stickiness, and explores the relationship between operational stickiness and the likelihood of survival. Furthermore, the authors investigate this relationship in different manufacturing industries.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a large sample of more than 200,000 new manufacturing small and medium enterprises between 2000 and 2013 in China, the authors use the survival analysis method to investigate the non-linear relationship between operational stickiness and the likelihood of survival.
Findings
The authors demonstrate the existence of operational stickiness, such as inventory stickiness, property, plant, and equipment (PPE) stickiness, and labor stickiness. Next, the authors find the inverted U-shaped relationship between operational stickiness and the likelihood of survival. Furthermore, the authors document the differential effect of operational stickiness on the likelihood of survival in different industries.
Practical implications
Managers can improve the firm’s likelihood of survival by maintaining a moderate inventory stickiness and PPE stickiness. However, managers should not adopt sticky labor management in manufacturing industries.
Originality/value
This paper may be the first study to demonstrate the existence of operational stickiness, and confirm the inverted U-shaped relationship between operational stickiness and the likelihood of survival.
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Shuaishuai Zhu, Baosen Zhang, Zhixin Ba, Xiangyang Mao, Weijie Fei and Zhangzhong Wang
This paper aims to investigate the friction and wear properties of Cr-Ni-Mo-V steel against 440C stainless steel under both water and water–silica mixture lubricant.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the friction and wear properties of Cr-Ni-Mo-V steel against 440C stainless steel under both water and water–silica mixture lubricant.
Design/methodology/approach
The Cr-Ni-Mo-V steel specimens were taken from a forged steel brake disc with the process of quenching at 900°C and tempering at 600°C. The tribological testing was performed using a contact configuration of ball-on-flat with a liquid cell according to the ASTM standard. Detailed examinations on the worn surface were analyzed using a scanning electron microscope.
Findings
The results indicate that the friction coefficient and friction damage of the steel sliding under water–silica mixture are higher than those under water. The friction coefficient decreases with increasing load and increases with the sliding speed for the two lubricants. The mass wear rate presents a rising trend with both sliding load and speed. The wear mechanisms of the Cr-Ni-Mo-V steel sliding under the two lubricants are oxidation wear, abrasive wear and fatigue wear.
Research limitations/implications
Because of the chosen tribological testing approach, the research results could not describe the tribological performance of the brake disc accurately during actual braking process of the high-speed train. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further.
Originality/value
This study shows that the tribology behavior of the Cr-Ni-Mo-V steel with water or water–silica mixture lubrications helps the industrial firms and academicians to work on the wear of the brake disc in rainwater or wet environment.
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Yali Lu, Cyril R.H. Foropon, Dandan Wang and Shuaishuai Xu
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impacts of different gray markets’ structures on both supply chain decisions and associated profits.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impacts of different gray markets’ structures on both supply chain decisions and associated profits.
Design/methodology/approach
Within the context of gray markets, using game theory approach in this paper, supply chains have been considered as assets of manufacturers, distributors and speculators, within which manufacturers sell products to distinctive markets either directly or through authorized distributors, while speculators buy products from a lower price market and then sell them in a higher price market. Our study has examined different decision variables within such a framework.
Findings
Considering a situation where one manufacturer sells its products either directly in one market (Market 1) or through its authorized distributor (Market 2), due to different products prices in both markets, results have shown that, when market elasticity is less than its critical value, a speculator can sell a gray market product arbitrage in market 2, whereas when the market elasticity is greater than its critical value, a speculator can sell a gray market product arbitrage in market 1. In addition, manufacturers—as leaders of Stackelberg game—are always the most profitable stakeholders within a gray market supply chain.
Practical implications
In this study, equilibrium results for each market have been obtained, optimal results have been compared, and accordingly, valuable insights have been developed. Such results would help managers to take better managerial decisions, as well as strategizing policies in gray markets.
Originality/value
In this paper, we have considered a gray market where both distributors and speculators exist and act as parallel channels. To the best of our knowledge, the extant literature focuses either on distributors or speculators, but never concurrently on both. In fact, the coexistence of one distributor and one speculator in a gray market will impact their own decisions, as well as both decisions and profits of other stakeholders, and hence, will exert an impact on the manufacturer side.
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Xing Ai, Shuaishuai Wang, Fenghua Luo, Haiqing Pei and Zhenwei Li
The purpose of this study is to describe the mechanism of single-crystal high-temperature creep deformation, predict the creep life more accurately and study the creep…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to describe the mechanism of single-crystal high-temperature creep deformation, predict the creep life more accurately and study the creep constitutive and lifetime models with microstructure evolution.
Design/methodology/approach
The mechanical properties of nickel-based single-crystal superalloy are closely related to the γ' phase. Creep tests under four different temperature and stress conditions were carried out. The relationship between creep temperature, stress and life is fitted by numerical method, and the creep activation energy is obtained. The creep fracture surface, morphology and evolution of strengthening phase (γ') and matrix phase (γ) during different creep periods were observed by scanning electron microscope. With the increase of creep temperature, the rafting time is advanced. The detailed morphology and evolution of dislocations were observed by transmission electron microscope (TEM).
Findings
With the increase of creep temperature, the rafting time is advanced. The detailed morphology and evolution of dislocations were observed by TEM. Dislocations are mainly concentrated in the γ channel phase, especially at high temperature and low stress.
Originality/value
A creep constitutive model based on the evolution of γ' phase size and γ channel width was proposed. Compared with the experimental results, the predicted creep life is within 1.4 times error dispersion band.
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Ying Yu, Huan Huang, Shuo Wang, Shuaishuai Li and Yu Wang
The mesoscale structure (MS) has a significant impact on the mechanical performance of parts made by additive manufacturing (AM). This paper aims to explore the design and…
Abstract
Purpose
The mesoscale structure (MS) has a significant impact on the mechanical performance of parts made by additive manufacturing (AM). This paper aims to explore the design and fabrication of force-flow guided reinforcement mesoscale structure (FFRMS) compared with the homogeneous mesoscale structure (HMS), which is inconsistent with the stress field for a given load condition. Some cases were presented to demonstrate the mechanical properties of FFRMS in terms of MS combined with quasi-isotropy and anisotropy.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper consists of four main sections: the first developed the concept of FFRMS design based on HMS, the second explored volume fraction control for the proportion of force-flow lines in terms of mechanical property requirement, and the third presented a sequence stacking theory and practical manufacturing process framework and the final sections provided some application case studies.
Findings
The main contributions of this study were the definition and development of the FFRMS concept, the application framework and the original case studies. As an example, a typical lug designed with the proposed FFRMS method was fabricated by three different AM processes. The test results showed that both the strength and stiffness of the specimens are improved greatly by using the FFRMS design method.
Originality/value
The superposition of HMS as the basement and force-flow as an indication of the stiffener, leading to a heterogeneous structure, which exhibits more efficient and diversified means compared with the traditional way of increasing the HMS density merely.
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Syafiqah Ishak, Shazlina Johari, Muhammad Mahyiddin Ramli and Darminto Darminto
This review aims to give an overview about zinc oxide (ZnO) based gas sensors and the role of doping in enhancing the gas sensing properties. Gas sensors based on ZnO thin film…
Abstract
Purpose
This review aims to give an overview about zinc oxide (ZnO) based gas sensors and the role of doping in enhancing the gas sensing properties. Gas sensors based on ZnO thin film are preferred for sensing applications because of their modifiable surface morphology, very large surface-to-volume ratio and superior stability due to better crystallinity. The gas detection mechanism involves surface reaction, in which the adsorption of gas molecules on the ZnO thin film affects its conductivity and reduces its electrical properties. One way to enhance the gas sensing properties is by doping ZnO with other elements. A few of the common and previously used dopants include tin (Sn), nickel (Ni) and gallium (Ga).
Design/methodology/approach
In this brief review, previous works on doped-ZnO formaldehyde sensing devices are presented and discussed.
Findings
Most devices provided good sensing performance with low detection limits. The reported operating temperatures were within the range of 200̊C –400̊C. The performance of the gas sensors can be improved by modifying their nanostructures and/or adding dopants.
Originality/value
As of yet, a specific review on formaldehyde gas sensors based on ZnO metal semiconductors has not been done.
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Ming Zhang, Lei Hou, Huaichao Guo, Hongyu Li, Feng Sun and Lijin Fang
This study aims to improve the robot’s performance during interactions with human and uncertain environments.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to improve the robot’s performance during interactions with human and uncertain environments.
Design/methodology/approach
A joint stiffness model was established according to the molecular current method and the virtual displacement method. The position and stiffness coordination controller and fuzzy adaptive controller of variable stiffness joint are designed, and the principle prototype of variable stiffness joint is built. The position step and trajectory tracking performance of the variable stiffness joint are verified through experiments.
Findings
Experimental test shows that the joint stiffness can be quickly adjusted. The accuracy of position and trajectory tracking of the joint increases with higher stiffness and decreases with increasing frequency. The fuzzy adaptive controller performed better than the position and stiffness coordination controller in controlling the position step and trajectory tracking of the variable stiffness joint.
Originality/value
A hybrid flux adjustment mechanism is proposed for the components of variable stiffness robot joints, which reduces the mass of the output end of variable stiffness joints and the speed of joint stiffness adjustment. Aiming at the change of system controller performance caused by the change of joint stiffness, a fuzzy adaptive controller is proposed to improve the position step and trajectory tracking characteristics of variable stiffness joints.