Haidi Zhou, Qiang Wang, Lixu Li, Thompson S.H. Teo and Shuili Yang
Leveraging the benefits of supply chain digitalization is a big challenge for many firms. To address this issue, this study aims to use information processing theory to explore…
Abstract
Purpose
Leveraging the benefits of supply chain digitalization is a big challenge for many firms. To address this issue, this study aims to use information processing theory to explore the mechanisms between supply chain digitalization and supply chain performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on survey data from 223 Chinese companies, the authors tested the moderated mediation model using the Process program in SPSS.
Findings
The empirical results reveal that supply chain traceability and supply chain agility partially mediate the supply chain digitalization–supply chain performance relationship. More interestingly, the above significant mediation effects show differences across industries. In particular, manufacturing firms rely more on supply chain traceability, whereas supply chain agility contributes more to service firms. Lastly, supply chain dynamism is a significant moderator that enhances the mediation effect of supply chain traceability in the supply chain digitalization–supply chain performance relationship.
Originality/value
This study offers new insights into the growing literature on supply chain digitalization by proposing a new moderated mediation model that demonstrates the relative importance of different mediators. The findings also help managers boost their supply chain performance in the digital era.
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Lixu Li, Zhiqiang Wang, Lujie Chen, Xiande Zhao and Shuili Yang
Although supply chain collaboration (SCC) theoretically boosts the adoption of supply chain finance (SCF) through information sharing and cost savings, many companies with good…
Abstract
Purpose
Although supply chain collaboration (SCC) theoretically boosts the adoption of supply chain finance (SCF) through information sharing and cost savings, many companies with good supply chain partnerships still hesitate to engage in SCF. To disentangle this puzzle, this study aims to explore how two dimensions of information transparency (i.e. information quantity and information quality) and two types of transaction dependence (i.e. dependence on suppliers and dependence on customers) influence the relationship between SCC and SCF adoption.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses secondary survey data from a Chinese bank, including 464 Chinese companies that have adopted SCF to varying degrees. This study then performs the logistic regression analysis to test the hypotheses.
Findings
This study empirically confirms that SCC shows a positive relationship with SCF adoption. More interestingly, information quantity negatively moderates this positive relationship, whereas information quality positively moderates this positive relationship. Most surprisingly, dependence on customers rather than dependence on suppliers strengthens this positive relationship.
Originality/value
This study makes theoretical contributions to the SCF literature by demonstrating the distinct moderating mechanisms regarding the relationship between SCC and SCF adoption. The findings also help companies reexamine their interactions with supply chain members.
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Yu Zhuang, Shuili Yang, Supat Chupradit, Muhammad Atif Nawaz, Rong Xiong and Cihat Koksal
First, the current study contributes to the available debate by reinvestigating the impact of economic growth (EG), foreign direct investment (FDI), technological innovation (TI…
Abstract
Purpose
First, the current study contributes to the available debate by reinvestigating the impact of economic growth (EG), foreign direct investment (FDI), technological innovation (TI) and inflation (INF) on trade openness (TO). Second, the study tests the moderating role of institutional quality (INS) on the relationship among EG, FDI, TI and TO. Third, the study tests how TO contributes to EG efficiency.
Design/methodology/approach
The study collects the data from the group of twenty (G20) economies for the period of 1998–2020. The study applied the Kao (1999), Pedroni (2001), and Palamuleni (2017) cointegration tests to test the long-run association between variables. The study applied fully modified least square (FMOLS) and dynamic least square (DOLS) models to test the hypotheses.
Findings
Findings of the study showed the positive impact of EG, FDI and TI on TO, which becomes more positive in the presence of institutional quality. Results indicate that INS plays an enhancing role in the relationship between FDI and TO, EG and TO and TI and TO. The study showed a negative relationship between INF and TO, and institutional quality plays a buffering role in the relationship between INF and TO.
Originality/value
First, the study reinvestigates the empirical association among EG, FDI, TI, INF and TO. Second, the study tests the moderating role of INS on the relationship between the proposed variables by developing an index of all the indicators of INS. Third, the study tests the contributions of TO in economic efficiency (ECE). The contributions of the present study will increase the available literature of TO and help the policy makers of G20 nations to suggest important policies to promote TO and ECE.
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Xina Huang, Shoubin Ding, Lihui Lang and Shuili Gong
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of strut size on the compressive response for selective laser-melted lattice structure with a body-centered cubic (BCC) unit…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of strut size on the compressive response for selective laser-melted lattice structure with a body-centered cubic (BCC) unit cell.
Design/methodology/approach
Theoretical analysis and numerical simulation were used to predict the compressive stiffness and strength of the lattice structures with different struts, and compression testing was conducted to validate the predicted results. The effect of strut size on actual porosity was determined with the dry weighting method. Scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the fracture morphologies.
Findings
The actual porosities in all the specimens turned out to be a little lower than the values expected from design. The maximum deviation appears at the strut size of 1.25 mm. The theoretical analysis reveals that the junctions of BCC unit cells are the most loaded points, and the maximum compression resistance load is proportional to the strut size. The stress–strain curves and collapse modes predicted by numerical simulation are in good agreement with the theoretical calculation and experimental results. The compression stress increases monotonously in strut size of 0.50–2.00 mm. The fracture morphologies reflect a transition from a mixed to ductile fracture mechanism. The lattice structure shows a stable plastic deformation without a destructive fracture for the strut size of 2.00 mm.
Originality/value
The findings of this study can provide theoretical and experimental support for the choice of strut size under different stress conditions. In addition, they are conductive to in-depth study of the compressive properties for lattice structures with different geometrical dimensions fabricated by selective laser melting.
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Xina Huang, Lihui Lang, Shuili Gong and Mali Zhao
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the post-treatment processes on lattice structures of selective laser melting. Moreover, the effect of pressure during hot isostatic…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the post-treatment processes on lattice structures of selective laser melting. Moreover, the effect of pressure during hot isostatic pressing (HIP) is determined.
Design/methodology/approach
Three post-treatment processes, annealing at 650°C, 920°C and HIP were adopted. The microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of selective lasering melted Ti6Al4V lattice structures after post-treatment were systematically investigated by optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, electron backscattered diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry and quasi-static mechanics tests.
Findings
The main findings in this paper are as below: first, the pores existing in the samples as-fabricated, annealed at 650°C and 920°C are disappeared after HIP. Second, the microstructure and compressive properties after HIP are similar to that after pure annealing at the same temperature. However, the HIPed sample had the highest number of cycles to failure. Third, the fracture mechanism of as-fabricated samples changes from mixed fracture to the micro-voids accumulation fracture after post-treatment processes.
Originality/value
HIP post-treatment can be replaced by annealing at the same temperature when the requirement for porosity and fatigue life is not very high.
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PETER BETTESS and JACQUELINE A. BETTESS
Survey of period infinite element developments The first infinite elements for periodic wave problems, as stated in Part 1, were developed by Bettess and Zienkiewicz, the earliest…
Abstract
Survey of period infinite element developments The first infinite elements for periodic wave problems, as stated in Part 1, were developed by Bettess and Zienkiewicz, the earliest publication being in 1975. These applications were of ‘decay function’ type elements and were used in surface waves on water problems. This was soon followed by an application by Saini et al., to dam‐reservoir interaction, where the waves are pressure waves in the water in the reservoir. In this case both the solid displacements and the fluid pressures are complex valued. In 1980 to 1983 Medina and co‐workers and Chow and Smith successfully used quite different methods to develop infinite elements for elastic waves. Zienkiewicz et al. published the details of the first mapped wave infinite element formulation, which they went on to program, and to use to generate results for surface wave problems. In 1982 Aggarwal et al. used infinite elements in fluid‐structure interaction problems, in this case plates vibrating in an unbounded fluid. In 1983 Corzani used infinite elements for electric wave problems. This period also saw the first infinite element applications in acoustics, by Astley and Eversman, and their development of the ‘wave envelope’ concept. Kagawa applied periodic infinite wave elements to Helmholtz equation in electromagnetic applications. Pos used infinite elements to model wave diffraction by breakwaters and gave comparisons with laboratory photogrammetric measurements of waves. Good agreement was obtained. Huang also used infinite elements for surface wave diffraction problems. Davies and Rahman used infinite elements to model wave guide behaviour. Moriya developed a new type of infinite element for Helmholtz problem. In 1986 Yamabuchi et al. developed another infinite element for unbounded Helmholtz problems. Rajapalakse et al. produced an infinite element for elastodynamics, in which some of the integrations are carried out analytically, and which is said to model correctly both body and Rayleigh waves. Imai et al. gave further applications of infinite elements to wave diffraction, fluid‐structure interaction and wave force calculations for breakwaters, offshore platforms and a floating rectangular caisson. Pantic et al. used infinite elements in wave guide computations. In 1986 Cao et al. applied infinite elements to dynamic interaction of soil and pile. The infinite element is said to be ‘semi‐analytical’. Goransson and Davidsson used a mapped wave infinite element in some three dimensional acoustic problems, in 1987. They incorporated the infinite elements into the ASKA code. A novel application of wave infinite elements to photolithography simulation for semiconductor device fabrication was given by Matsuzawa et al. They obtained ‘reasonably good’ agreement with observed photoresist profiles. Häggblad and Nordgren used infinite elements in a dynamic analysis of non‐linear soil‐structure interaction, with plastic soil elements. In 1989 Lau and Ji published a new type of 3‐D infinite element for wave diffraction problems. They gave good results for problems of waves diffracted by a cylinder and various three dimensional structures.
Chang He, Fu Jia, Liukai Wang, Lujie Chen and Kieran Fernandes
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) decoupling indicates a misalignment between how firms report CSR and what firms actually practice with respect to CSR. The purpose of this…
Abstract
Purpose
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) decoupling indicates a misalignment between how firms report CSR and what firms actually practice with respect to CSR. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between CSR decoupling and financial performance and the factors affecting this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper collects and combines secondary panel data from multiple sources of Chinese listed firms from 2008 to 2020 to test the direct impact of CSR decoupling on firms’ financial performance and the moderating role of customer structure and operational slack.
Findings
This paper finds that CSR decoupling is negatively associated with firms’ financial performance. These findings further suggest that the negative relationship can be suppressed by customer stability and operational slack, but amplified by customer concentration. These conclusions remain robust to alternate measures of independent and dependent variables and narrower samples.
Originality/value
In the literature, the effect of CSR on firms’ financial performance is inconclusive. This is the first study to examine the impact of CSR decoupling on firms’ financial performance and the factors affecting this relationship. This paper contributes to the CSR decoupling literature from an operations and supply chain management perspective.
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Jet-Chau Wen, Kuo-Chyang Chang, Shao-Yang Huang, Chia-Chen Hsu, Keng-Yu Chang and Wen-Ni Chen
Rivers flowing through the land are a source of life. They have different importance and functions such as for drinking, sailing, irrigating crops, generating electricity…
Abstract
Rivers flowing through the land are a source of life. They have different importance and functions such as for drinking, sailing, irrigating crops, generating electricity, sightseeing, fishing, and so on. In addition, animals like amphibians, birds, and mammals also live and propagate near the river environment. Therefore, rivers are ecosystems for some animals and plants that are special, rare, or on the brink of extinction (Water Resources Agency, Ministry of Economic Affairs, 2006).
This paper seeks to discuss the genealogical sources for Chinese immigrants as well as the settlement of Chinese in the USA and the historical evolution of Chinese names, their…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to discuss the genealogical sources for Chinese immigrants as well as the settlement of Chinese in the USA and the historical evolution of Chinese names, their origins, arrangement and development. It aims to cover the origins of various classes of Chinese surnames, followed by the content description of a traditional genealogical book for jiapu.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper researches the various ways that a Chinese person can find out about their ancestry.
Findings
The paper reveals the roles of libraries, including serving the needs of patrons interested in genealogical research, preserving and interpreting information through oral and family history projects and collaborating with other libraries through interlibrary loan, document delivery, library consortia, collection management and international resource‐sharing.
Research limitations/implications
The study provides information on where and how to locate the genealogical resources for researching the genealogy of a Chinese family.
Originality/value
The paper analyzes the value of genealogical research as a documentary source for population history, life expectancy in a clan, marriages and family connections, as well as lineage organizations and inter‐lineage relations.
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Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to build a linear time-varying discrete Verhulst model (LTDVM), to realise the convert from continuous forms to discrete forms, and to eliminate traditional grey Verhulst model's error caused by difference equations directly jumping to differential equations.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology of the paper is by the light of discrete thoughts and countdown to the original data sequence.
Findings
The research of this model manifests that LTDVM is unbiased on the “s” sequential simulation.
Practical implications
The example analysis shows that LTDVM embodies simulation and prediction with high precision.
Originality/value
This paper is to realise the convert from continuous forms to discrete forms, and to eliminate traditional grey Verhulst model's error caused by difference equations directly jumping to differential equations. Meanwhile, the research of this model manifests that LTDVM is unbiased on the “s” sequential simulation.