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Article
Publication date: 4 March 2014

Nick Vayenas and Sihong Peng

While increased mechanization and automation make considerable contributions to mine productivity, unexpected equipment failures and imperfect planned or routine maintenance…

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Abstract

Purpose

While increased mechanization and automation make considerable contributions to mine productivity, unexpected equipment failures and imperfect planned or routine maintenance prohibit the maximum possible utilization of sophisticated mining equipment and require significant amount of extra capital investment. Traditional preventive/planned maintenance is usually scheduled at a fixed interval based on maintenance personnel's experience and it can result in decreasing reliability. This paper deals with reliability analysis and prediction for mining machinery. A software tool called GenRel is discussed with its theoretical background, applied algorithms and its current improvements. In GenRel, it is assumed that failures of mining equipment caused by an array of factors (e.g. age of equipment, operating environment) follow the biological evolution theory. GenRel then simulates the failure occurrences during a time period of interest based on Genetic Algorithms (GAs) combined with a number of statistical procedures. The paper also discusses a case study of two mine hoists. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether or not GenRel can be applied for reliability analysis of mine hoists in real life.

Design/methodology/approach

Statistical testing methods are applied to examine the similarity between the predicted data set with the real-life data set in the same time period. The data employed in this case study is compiled from two mine hoists from the Sudbury area in Ontario, Canada. Potential applications of the reliability assessment results yielded from GenRel include reliability-centered maintenance planning and production simulation.

Findings

The case studies shown in this paper demonstrate successful applications of a GAs-based software, GenRel, to analyze and predict dynamic reliability characteristics of two hoist systems. Two separate case studies in Mine A and Mine B at a time interval of three months both present acceptable prediction results at a given level of confidence, 5 percent.

Practical implications

Potential applications of the reliability assessment results yielded from GenRel include reliability-centered maintenance planning and production simulation.

Originality/value

Compared to conventional mathematical models, GAs offer several key advantages. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there has not been a wide application of GAs in hoist reliability assessment and prediction. In addition, the authors bring discrete distribution functions to the software tool (GenRel) for the first time and significantly improve computing efficiency. The results of the case studies demonstrate successful application of GenRel in assessing and predicting hoist reliability, and this may lead to better preventative maintenance management in the industry.

Details

Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering, vol. 20 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-2511

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Article
Publication date: 18 December 2019

Peng Peng and Li Zhou

From the perspective of land mortgages, the purpose of this paper is to understand how farmers can be motivated to utilize environment-friendly formula fertilizers, thereby…

205

Abstract

Purpose

From the perspective of land mortgages, the purpose of this paper is to understand how farmers can be motivated to utilize environment-friendly formula fertilizers, thereby reducing the use of chemical fertilizers.

Design/methodology/approach

Two hypotheses are empirically tested using questionnaire responses from 714 farmers across three provinces in China to establish the relationship and to determine the role land rent plays.

Findings

This study finds that farmers who obtain land mortgages will be more willing to apply formula fertilizers in order to obtain higher value of their “own” land. This is because obtaining land mortgages can be considered as the process of titling land management rights. Farmers who have been transferred the land by verbal agreement no longer need to worry about losing it at any time. Hence, they are willing to apply formula fertilizers on their transferred land. Similarly, farmers who have been transferred the land by written contract to obtain more land mortgages will also be willing because the formula fertilizers can not only improve the quality of their transferred land, but also increase its value as collateral. This mechanism is clearer in the area where the average land rent is relatively lower.

Originality/value

No study has yet linked the reform of land mortgages to environmentally friendly behavior. While other studies have focused on the way access to credit changes farmer investments and spending, this particular relationship has not yet been formalized, giving this study theoretical and empirical significance.

Details

Agricultural Finance Review, vol. 81 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0002-1466

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Article
Publication date: 16 July 2024

Di Fan, Sihong Wu, Yiyi Su and Vikas Kumar

International experience has long been recognized as a crucial determinant for firms’ knowledge management in the existing literature. However, within a global context, the…

141

Abstract

Purpose

International experience has long been recognized as a crucial determinant for firms’ knowledge management in the existing literature. However, within a global context, the relationship between international experience and the performance of multinational enterprises is intricate and remains ambiguous. While the impact of people mobility has been extensively studied, limited understanding exists regarding how global mobility of people and evolving external environments reshape the relationship. This study aims to integrate existing empirical evidence on this relationship and examines the contingencies posed by environmental factors.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducted a multilevel meta-analysis based on a sample of 231 effect sizes collected from 167 articles to systematically examine the international experience–performance relationship, considering the moderating effect of the global mobility of people and the rise of national sentiments (including authoritarianism and protectionism). A two-stage procedure comprising Hedges-Olkin-type meta-analysis and random-effects meta-analytic regression was adopted.

Findings

The findings demonstrate a predominantly positive international experience–performance relationship that varies across studies owing to differences in research design, variable measurements and firm characteristics. The relationship is positively moderated by the global mobility of people, yet the positive effect is contingent upon the level of national sentiments within home countries. The beneficial effect of inbound mobility on this relationship is attenuated by authoritarianism and protectionism, while the effect of outbound mobility is positively influenced by authoritarianism and less affected by protectionism.

Originality/value

This study offers novel theoretical insights into multinationals’ knowledge accumulation in the internationalization process. It contributes to the existing literature by presenting an integrated framework elucidating the international experience–performance relationship. Building upon the knowledge-based view, it integrates environmental dynamics and national sentiments to investigate the performance implications of multinationals’ international experience, thereby providing valuable practical insights for effective global knowledge management.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 28 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

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Article
Publication date: 26 April 2022

Sihong Wu, Di Fan and Anaiya Jeetendra Dabasia

Drawing on Herzberg's motivation-hygiene perspective, this study examines the factors affecting expatriate adjustment and the relationship between expatriate adjustment and…

1104

Abstract

Purpose

Drawing on Herzberg's motivation-hygiene perspective, this study examines the factors affecting expatriate adjustment and the relationship between expatriate adjustment and subsidiary performance of emerging market multinational enterprises (EMNEs).

Design/methodology/approach

Using structural equation modeling, this study tests a proposed conceptual model based on a matched dataset collected from 38 EMNEs.

Findings

The findings reveal that perceived organizational support (POS) and family adjustment are positively associated with expatriate adjustment, while remuneration and job burnout have no significant relationships with expatriate adjustment. In addition, expatriate adjustment is positively associated with the foreign subsidiary performance of EMNEs.

Originality/value

This study contributes to expatriate adjustment research in the EMNE context by distinguishing motivators and hygiene factors in affecting the expatriates' attitudes toward international assignments. Empirical evidence of expatriate adjustment-subsidiary performance relationship also enriches the authors’ knowledge of EMNEs' expatriation practices.

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