Search results
1 – 10 of 26Liu Heguang, Minoru Tada and Sun Dongsheng
Economies in East Asia are at different development stages. Economic development has an impact on factor endowments and the intensities, then on the mode of agricultural trade. To…
Abstract
Purpose
Economies in East Asia are at different development stages. Economic development has an impact on factor endowments and the intensities, then on the mode of agricultural trade. To examine the trade modes of these seven East Asian countries' agricultural products will give us some hints to understand the question how economic development impacts the changing patterns in comparative advantage (CA) of agricultural products. Therefore, this paper aims to test the question by using a four‐quadrant method.
Design/methodology/approach
Trade specialization coefficient is used to analyze the agricultural CA among aggregated agricultural products and two typical kinds of products: labor‐ and land‐intensive agricultural products. Then a four‐quadrant method is applied in this study, where trade specialization of agricultural products consists of 2D: labor‐intensive and land‐intensive. The study intends to test the changing routes of CA of agricultural products under the background of economic development and changing situation of factor endowments.
Findings
The analysis result supports that economic development has impact on the trade mode of agricultural products.
Originality/value
The four‐quadrant method is firstly applied to analyze the changing pattern of agricultural products in East Asian countries. This study shows that the changing routes of CA of agricultural products will not limit to only one mode as found by current studies.
Details
Keywords
Dongsheng Wang, Xiaohan Sun, Yingchang Jiang, Xueting Chang and Xin Yonglei
Stainless-clad bimetallic steels (SCBS) are widely investigated in some extremely environmental applications areas, such as polar sailing area and tropical oil and gas platforms…
Abstract
Purpose
Stainless-clad bimetallic steels (SCBS) are widely investigated in some extremely environmental applications areas, such as polar sailing area and tropical oil and gas platforms areas, because of their excellent anticorrosion performance and relatively lower production costs. However, the properties of SCBS, including the mechanical strength, weldability and the anticorrosion behavior, have a direct relation with the manufacturing process and can affect their practical applications. This paper aims to review the application and the properties requirements of SCBS in marine environments to promote the application of this new material in more fields.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, the manufacturing process, welding and corrosion-resistant properties of SCBS were introduced systematically by reviewing the related literatures, and some results of the authors’ research group were also introduced briefly.
Findings
Different preparation methods, such as rolling composite, casting rolling composite, explosive composite, laser cladding and plasma arc cladding, as well as the process parameters, including the vacuum degree, rolling temperature, rolling reduction ratio, volume ratios of liquid to solid, explosive ratio and the heat treatment, influenced a lot on the properties of the SCBS through changing the interface microstructures. Otherwise, the variations in rolling temperature, pass, reduction and the grain size of clad steel also brought the dissimilarities of the mechanical properties, microhardness, bonding strength and toughness. Another two new processes, clad teeming method and interlayer explosive welding, deserve more attention because of their excellent microstructure control ability. The superior corrosion resistance of SCBS can alleviate the corrosion problem in the marine environment and prolong the service life of the equipment, but the phenomenon of galvanic corrosion should be noted as much as possible. The high dilution rate, welding process specifications and heat treatment can weaken the intergranular corrosion resistance in the weld area.
Originality/value
This paper summarizes the application of SCBS in marine environments and provides an overview and reference for the research of stainless-clad bimetallic steel.
Details
Keywords
Xianhan Huang, Shiyu Zhang, Mingyao Sun, Masoumeh Kouhsari and Dongsheng Wang
Most of the current literature investigates workplace-based formal and informal learning separately; thus, the relationship between these two types of learning remains unclear…
Abstract
Purpose
Most of the current literature investigates workplace-based formal and informal learning separately; thus, the relationship between these two types of learning remains unclear. This study aims to fill this research gap, drawing on self-determination theory to bridge teachers’ formal and informal learning and uncover the relationship between the two.
Design/methodology/approach
The participants of the study are 1,886 primary and secondary in-service teachers in China. Structural equation modeling and bootstrapping are used to test the proposed model.
Findings
The study reveals complicated influencing mechanisms of formal learning on different types of informal learning among in-service teachers. Teachers’ basic psychological needs, satisfaction and challenge-seeking behavior are found to play crucial mediating roles in this process.
Practical implications
First, this study suggests that different configurations of intervention strategies should be formulated depending on the foci for improving teachers’ learning. Second, this study indicates that only highlighting the importance of reflection, which is the approach currently used, is not sufficient to improve teachers’ daily reflective practice. Third, there is an urgent need to design training programs to improve teachers’ abilities to purposefully expand their job boundaries, which could not only benefit teachers’ performance but also contribute to school improvement. For policymakers and school principals, we suggest that more attention be given to the satisfaction of teachers’ basic needs.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature on workplace learning by connecting formal and informal learning and elucidating how teachers’ reported formal learning influences their informal learning activities via varied paths. The findings have implications for continuous professional development policy and training programs in the workplace.
Details
Keywords
Pu Wang, Shuguo Wang, Jing Ge, Daolin Si and Dongsheng Yang
It is quite universal for high-speed turnouts to be exposed to the wear of the stock rail of the switch rail during the service process. The wear will cause the change of railhead…
Abstract
Purpose
It is quite universal for high-speed turnouts to be exposed to the wear of the stock rail of the switch rail during the service process. The wear will cause the change of railhead profile and the relative positions of the switch rail and the stock rail, which will directly affect the wheel–rail contact state and wheel load transition when a train passes the turnout and will further impose serious impacts on the safety and stability of train operation. The purpose of this paper is to provide suggestions for wear management of high-speed turnout.
Design/methodology/approach
The actual wear characteristics of switch rails of high-speed turnouts in different guiding directions were studied based on the monitoring results on site; the authorized wear limits for the switch rails of high-speed turnout were studied through derailment risk analysis and switch rail strength analysis.
Findings
The results show that: the major factor for the service life of a curved switch rail is the lateral wear. The wear characteristics of the curved switch rail of a facing turnout are significantly different from those of a trailing turnout. To be specific, the lateral wear of the curved switch rail mainly occurs in the narrower section at its front end for a trailing turnout, but in the wider section at its rear end when for a facing turnout. The maximum lateral wear of a dismounted switch rail from a trailing turnout is found on the 15-mm wide section and is 3.9 mm, which does not reach the specified limit of 6 mm. For comparison, the lateral wear of a dismounted switch rail from a facing turnout is found from the 35-mm wide section to the full-width section and is greater than 7.5 mm, which exceeds the specified limit. Based on this, in addition to meeting the requirements of maintenance rules, the allowed wear of switch rails of high-speed turnout shall be so that the dangerous area with a tangent angle of wheel profile smaller than 43.6° will not contact the switch rail when the wheel is lifted by 2 mm. Accordingly, the lateral wear limit at the 5-mm wide section of the curved switch rail shall be reduced from 6 mm (as specified) to 3.5 mm.
Originality/value
The work in this paper is of reference significance to the research on the development law of rail wear in high-speed turnout area and the formulation of relevant standards.
Details
Keywords
Xiaohong Yuan, Qufu Wei, Huizhen Ke, Zujian Huang and Dongsheng Chen
The purpose of this paper is to prepare structural colors of fabrics coated with Silver/Zinc Oxide (Ag/ZnO) composite films by magnetron sputtering and analyze the relationship…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to prepare structural colors of fabrics coated with Silver/Zinc Oxide (Ag/ZnO) composite films by magnetron sputtering and analyze the relationship between the colors and the thickness of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) film in Ag/ZnO composite film and the photocatalytic property of the fabrics coated with Ag/ZnO composite film.
Design/methodology/approach
Ag/ZnO composite films deposited on polyester fabrics were prepared by magnetron sputtering technology. The structural colors of textiles coated with Ag/ZnO composite films and the relationship between the colors and Ag/ZnO composite films were analyzed, and the photocatalytic property of Ag/ZnO composite films was also discussed.
Findings
The results indicated that the colors varied with the thicknesses of the ZnO film in Ag/ZnO composite films. The reactive sputtering time of ZnO film was 5, 8, 10 and 14 min, respectively, and the colors of the corresponding fabrics were purple, blue, blue-green and yellow. Meanwhile, the polyester fabrics coated with Ag/ZnO composite films showed the excellent photocatalytic properties, and silver (Ag) films deposited under the ZnO films in Ag/ZnO composite films could also improve the photocatalytic activities of ZnO films, and the formaldehyde degradation rates was 77.5%, which was higher than the 69.9% for the fabrics coated only with the ZnO film.
Originality/value
The polyester fabrics coated with Ag/ZnO composite films not only created various structural colors using change the thicknesses of the ZnO film, but also achieved the multifuctionality, which will have a broad application prospect in textile fields.
Details
Keywords
In recent years, with the rapid development of the Internet and e-commerce, the online retail business has grown rapidly. E-commerce platforms can track different click data to…
Abstract
Purpose
In recent years, with the rapid development of the Internet and e-commerce, the online retail business has grown rapidly. E-commerce platforms can track different click data to understand consumer behavior and demand preferences, so as to make better demand forecasts, and strategically share this information with upstream suppliers. When the platform charges a certain fee for the shared data, the suppliers face the question of whether to purchase demand information. This article aims to analyze the influence of price competition and advertising competition on the suppliers' decisions to purchase information and the online platform for data pricing.
Design/methodology/approach
By using static game with incomplete information, this paper explores information-sharing strategies of an online platform with two competitive brand suppliers. The authors use Nash game to analyze the suppliers' purchasing information decision and then obtain the optimal information price of the online platform with information-sharing contract.
Findings
This paper shows that demand information sharing benefits both the platform and the suppliers. Without information contracts, the online platform is willing to share demand information with at least one supplier. Especially, when the consumer's sensitivity to advertising is larger and the commission fee charged by the online platform is small, the online platforms will share information with only one supplier. Based on the game outcomes between the suppliers, two pricing strategies for information are proposed under which at least one supplier purchases information. If the consumers are less (more) sensitive to advertising competition, pricing strategy of the online platform induces both suppliers (only one supplier) to purchase information.
Originality/value
At present, most of the information-sharing articles are based on the traditional purchase and sale mode. Based on the background of e-commerce, this paper examines the online platform's information-sharing strategies, which has certain innovation. In addition, the results show that the information-sharing strategy of the online platform is affected by both the price and advertising competitiveness, which provides a new expansion and supplement for the information-sharing literature.
Details
Keywords
The complexity of the construction standards affects the relevance between the system internal elements. Therefore, research on the systematic effect can make the construction…
Abstract
Purpose
The complexity of the construction standards affects the relevance between the system internal elements. Therefore, research on the systematic effect can make the construction activities get the optimum benefit. The purpose of this paper is to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
The research reveals the complex adaptive characteristic of the standard system by using system science theory, analyzes the emergent property mechanism of construction standard system, and provides the mathematical form of the system.
Findings
Finally, according to the complex characteristic of standard system, the structure modeling method of complex system is given. This paper provides a new method and theory bases for the construction standard system establishment.
Originality/value
Dynamic, open and non-linear can be considered as the core characteristics of construction standard system in structure, environment and behavior aspects, and that means the standard system is a typical complex system.
Details
Keywords
Yirong Gao, Xiaolin Wang and Dongsheng Li
This study aims to explore the relationship between the degree of state-owned enterprises’ (SOEs) mixed reform and the environmental response of enterprises, against the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the relationship between the degree of state-owned enterprises’ (SOEs) mixed reform and the environmental response of enterprises, against the background of actively promoting the reform of mixed ownership in China.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is conducted on a sample of A-share listed manufacturing companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen of China, investigated for the period 2015 to 2020. The baseline regression results are robust to a series of robustness and endogeneity tests. To deal with the issue of endogeneity, the technique of instrumental variable method has been applied.
Findings
The study confirms the U-shaped effect of the depth and restriction of mixed ownership on SOEs’ environmentally responsive behaviour in the manufacturing industry, especially for lower environmental regulation and higher level of risk-taking firms. The findings indicate that the government, shareholders and other stakeholders of enterprises should not simply consider that the mixed reform is directly promoting or reducing the environmental response behaviour of enterprises.
Practical implications
SOEs should improve their shareholding structures to undermine performance enhancement at the expense of the environment and increase environmentally beneficial behaviours. Regulators and governments should improve the institutional mechanism of environmental regulation and make efforts to promote corporate awareness of the environment.
Social implications
Although the adoption and implementation of environmentally friendly policies are costly, improved environmental response and other social responsibilities are helpful to corporate long-term growth and reputation and obtain more capital market attention. Therefore, firms would benefit from improving their environmental response to protect nature, as well as to enjoy the economic and social benefits of a better environmental response.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there is a lack of studies focussing on the environmental behaviour of SOEs of mixed reform. As the mixed reform in China has come to a climax phase in recent several years, SOEs of mixed reform is an ideal environment for research. The study focusses on manufacturing firms as these firms are more susceptible to contribute to environmental pollution, exploitation of natural resources and labour concerns.
Details
Keywords
Yongxing Guo, Dongsheng Zhang, Jianjun Fu, Shaobo Liu, Shengzhuo Zhang and Fangdong Zhu
The purpose of this paper is to investigate an online monitoring strategy that incorporates fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) for deformation displacement detection, with the background…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate an online monitoring strategy that incorporates fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) for deformation displacement detection, with the background that slope deformation monitoring is crucial to engineering safety supervision and disaster prevention.
Design/methodology/approach
A “beam element” method has been proposed, introduced and experimentally verified in detail. The deformation displacement along a flexible bar can be obtained based on this method, using the distributed strain detected by the FBGs embedded in the bar. A novel sensor structure containing inclinometer casings and a series of connected flexible pipes with FBGs embedded has been proposed. Based on the features of this structure, two FBG deformation sensors have been manufactured and installed into a slope. A matched monitoring station which permits real-time supervision, warning and remote access across the Internet was established and operated.
Findings
Displacement data from September 2013 to August 2014 are obtained, which is basically consistent with the practical situation.
Originality/value
The FBG deformation sensors demonstrated a robust and reliable measurement performance, which is promising for real-time disaster warning in slope engineering.
Details
Keywords
Swivel construction is a new bridge construction method, which can minimize the impact on railway and highway traffic. Previous studies were based on single factor and static…
Abstract
Purpose
Swivel construction is a new bridge construction method, which can minimize the impact on railway and highway traffic. Previous studies were based on single factor and static analysis, which cannot reflect the real state of structures. The purpose of this paper is to establish a dynamic model of the structure and to analyze the situation under multi-variable coupling effects to accurately simulate the real state of the structure.
Design/methodology/approach
Finite element software ANSYS was used to establish dynamic model of turntable structure and then to analyze the effects of multiple factors on total stress, friction stress and slipping distance of the turntable structure.
Findings
It is concluded that the unbalanced weight and radius of spherical hinges have great influence on the turntable structure, so the design should be strictly considered. Friction stress and angular acceleration have little effect on the turntable structure.
Originality/value
This paper provides simulation of the whole process of swivel construction method. Whereas previous studies focused on static analysis, this paper focuses on the dynamic analysis of swivel construction method. The mechanics of the swivel structure under multiple factors was analyzed. According to the analysis results, the design parameters of the turntable structure are optimized.
Details