Muhammad Omar Shaikh, Ching-Chia Chen, Hua-Cheng Chiang, Ji-Rong Chen, Yi-Chin Chou, Tsung-Yuan Kuo, Kei Ameyama and Cheng-Hsin Chuang
Using wire as feedstock has several advantages for additive manufacturing (AM) of metal components, which include high deposition rates, efficient material use and low material…
Abstract
Purpose
Using wire as feedstock has several advantages for additive manufacturing (AM) of metal components, which include high deposition rates, efficient material use and low material costs. While the feasibility of wire-feed AM has been demonstrated, the accuracy and surface finish of the produced parts is generally lower than those obtained using powder-bed/-feed AM. The purpose of this study was to develop and investigate the feasibility of a fine wire-based laser metal deposition (FW-LMD) process for producing high-precision metal components with improved resolution, dimensional accuracy and surface finish.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed FW-LMD AM process uses a fine stainless steel wire with a diameter of 100 µm as the additive material and a pulsed Nd:YAG laser as the heat source. The pulsed laser beam generates a melt pool on the substrate into which the fine wire is fed, and upon moving the X–Y stage, a single-pass weld bead is created during solidification that can be laterally and vertically stacked to create a 3D metal component. Process parameters including laser power, pulse duration and stage speed were optimized for the single-pass weld bead. The effect of lateral overlap was studied to ensure low surface roughness of the first layer onto which subsequent layers can be deposited. Multi-layer deposition was also performed and the resulting cross-sectional morphology, microhardness, phase formation, grain growth and tensile strength have been investigated.
Findings
An optimized lateral overlap of about 60-70% results in an average surface roughness of 8-16 µm along all printed directions of the X–Y stage. The single-layer thickness and dimensional accuracy of the proposed FW-LMD process was about 40-80 µm and ±30 µm, respectively. A dense cross-sectional morphology was observed for the multilayer stacking without any visible voids, pores or defects present between the layers. X-ray diffraction confirmed a majority austenite phase with small ferrite phase formation that occurs at the junction of the vertically stacked beads, as confirmed by the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis. Tensile tests were performed and an ultimate tensile strength of about 700-750 MPa was observed for all samples. Furthermore, multilayer printing of different shapes with improved surface finish and thin-walled and inclined metal structures with a minimum achievable resolution of about 500 µm was presented.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to report a directed energy deposition process using a fine metal wire with a diameter of 100 µm and can be a possible solution to improving surface finish and reducing the “stair-stepping” effect that is generally observed for wires with a larger diameter. The AM process proposed in this study can be an attractive alternative for 3D printing of high-precision metal components and can find application for rapid prototyping in a range of industries such as medical and automotive, among others.
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Tai Kuang, Qing‐Xin Zhu and Yue Sun
The purpose of this paper is to detect edge of image in high noise level, suffering Gaussian noise.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to detect edge of image in high noise level, suffering Gaussian noise.
Design/methodology/approach
Canny edge detection algorithm performs poorly when applied to highly distorted images suffering from Gaussian noise. In Canny algorithm, 2D‐gaussian function is used to remove noise and preserve edge. In high noise level, 2D‐gaussian function cannot meet the needs. In this paper, an improving Canny edge detection algorithm is presented. The algorithm presented is based on local linear kernel smoothing, in which local neighborhoods are adapted to the local smoothness of the surface measured by the observed data. The procedure can therefore remove noise correctly in continuity regions of the surface, and preserve discontinuities at the same time.
Findings
The statistical model of removing noise and preserving edge can meet the need of edge detection in images highly corrupted by Gaussian noise.
Research limitations/implications
It was found that when the noise ratio is higher than 40 percent, the edge detection algorithm performs poorly.
Practical implications
A very useful method for detecting highly distorted images suffering Gaussian noise.
Originality/value
Since an image can be regarded as a surface of the image intensity function and such a surface has discontinuities at the outlines of objects, this algorithm can be applied directly to detect edge of image in high noise level.
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Lukasz Skowron and Kai Kristensen
The purpose of this paper is to ask two questions. How does the customer's loyalty in the banking sector change (at both the structural and quantitative level) in the light of the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to ask two questions. How does the customer's loyalty in the banking sector change (at both the structural and quantitative level) in the light of the financial and banking crises? Are any differences observed in those changes between developing and developed countries?
Design/methodology/approach
The paper consists of two parts: theoretical and empirical. In the theoretical part the authors discuss the nature of the banking and financial crises, the historical perspective of banking crises occurrence and main causes and consequences of those crises. The second part of the paper demonstrates statistical analysis of the obtained data from the Polish and European banking sector. The authors also present socio‐demographic characteristic of the research samples and the character of the bank‐client relations, comparative analysis of customer satisfaction index changes in the European banking sector and structural equation modes for the Polish banking sector for the years 2007‐2009.
Findings
The analyses allowed the authors to confirm the main research hypotheses: first, clients of developing European countries demonstrate generally lower satisfaction and loyalty levels than clients of banks in Western Europe. Second, the recent banking crisis has affected the level of customer satisfaction much more strongly in developing European countries than in developed ones. Third, the recent banking crisis has changed the character of the process of building customer satisfaction and loyalty in Poland by strengthening the influence of the image area.
Originality/value
Hardly anyone has tried to measure the influence of the banking crises at the level of customers’ satisfaction and the structure of the process of building long‐term relations between banks and their clients before.
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This paper is a study of the current trends and conditions of electronic resources for Chinese studies, based on a recent survey on the Internet of 29 Chinese libraries in North…
Abstract
This paper is a study of the current trends and conditions of electronic resources for Chinese studies, based on a recent survey on the Internet of 29 Chinese libraries in North America and eight Chinese libraries in China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. The survey discussed current electronic resources for Chinese studies, with a union list of major Chinese language databases currently used in libraries in Asia and the US. Current views on the use and development of electronic resources for Chinese studies were summarised.
Man has been seeking an ideal existence for a very long time. In this existence, justice, love, and peace are no longer words, but actual experiences. How ever, with the American…
Abstract
Man has been seeking an ideal existence for a very long time. In this existence, justice, love, and peace are no longer words, but actual experiences. How ever, with the American preemptive invasion and occupation of Afghanistan and Iraq and the subsequent prisoner abuse, such an existence seems to be farther and farther away from reality. The purpose of this work is to stop this dangerous trend by promoting justice, love, and peace through a change of the paradigm that is inconsistent with justice, love, and peace. The strong paradigm that created the strong nation like the U.S. and the strong man like George W. Bush have been the culprit, rather than the contributor, of the above three universal ideals. Thus, rather than justice, love, and peace, the strong paradigm resulted in in justice, hatred, and violence. In order to remove these three and related evils, what the world needs in the beginning of the third millenium is the weak paradigm. Through the acceptance of the latter paradigm, the golden mean or middle paradigm can be formulated, which is a synergy of the weak and the strong paradigm. In order to understand properly the meaning of these paradigms, however, some digression appears necessary.
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Thomas Hutzschenreuter, Un-Seok Han and Ingo Kleindienst
Managerial intentionality has been assumed to be the most differentiating, but also the most neglected factor influencing internationalization. Although various scholars have…
Abstract
Managerial intentionality has been assumed to be the most differentiating, but also the most neglected factor influencing internationalization. Although various scholars have emphasized its relevance, the key question still remains unanswered: What is managerial intentionality and why and how does it matter? Researchers share the view that internationalization paths are a joint outcome of environmental factors, path dependence and learning, and managerial intentionality. However, although managerial intentionality is argued to be an important factor, it is rather taken as a “given.” Therefore, we step back and take a closer look at its very nature and relevance for international business research.
Sunil Venaik, Yunxia Zhu and Paul Brewer
The purpose of this paper is to critically examine, theoretically and empirically, the two time orientation dimensions – long‐term orientation (LTO) and future orientation (FO) �…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to critically examine, theoretically and empirically, the two time orientation dimensions – long‐term orientation (LTO) and future orientation (FO) – in the national culture models of Hofstede and GLOBE, respectively.
Design/methodology/approach
Following Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck's past‐present‐future theoretical lens, the Hofstede LTO and GLOBE FO measures are analysed to understand the conceptual domain covered by these two dimensions. Next, the authors empirically examine the relationship of Hofstede LTO and GLOBE FO with secondary data from Hofstede, GLOBE, and the World Values Survey.
Findings
This paper shows that Hofstede LTO and GLOBE FO dimensions capture different aspects of time orientation of societies. In particular, Hofstede LTO focuses on past (tradition) versus future (thrift) aspect of societies, GLOBE FO practices capture the present versus future (planning) practices of societies, and GLOBE FO values reflect societal aspirations and preferences for planning.
Research limitations/implications
A specific implication of these findings is that the three dimensions of time orientation are not interchangeable since they represent different characteristics of societies. A wider implication for researchers is to ensure high level of precision in and congruence among construct labels, definitions and measures to avoid confusion and misapplication of cross‐cultural concepts.
Practical implications
In an increasingly globalized world, a clear understanding of societal time orientation will help managers deal more effectively with their counterparts in other countries.
Originality/value
The key contribution of this paper is in identifying and clarifying, both theoretically and empirically, the anomalies in the labels, definitions and measurement of Hofstede long‐term orientation and GLOBE future orientation national culture dimensions. It also shows a useful way forward for researchers on how to use these national culture dimensions to explain other phenomena of interest to cross‐cultural scholars.
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Yung-Tai Tang, Hsin-Hung Wu, Yii-Ching Lee and Chih-Hsuan Huang
The rapid changes that the healthcare services industry is undergoing pose a challenge to obtaining accurate measurements of the delivery of medical services to patients. Current…
Abstract
Purpose
The rapid changes that the healthcare services industry is undergoing pose a challenge to obtaining accurate measurements of the delivery of medical services to patients. Current Chinese measures of patient safety culture may not adequately capture how medical staff perceives the promotion of patient safety. This study aims to construct a valid and applicable patient safety culture instrument by re-estimating the Chinese version of the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) with medical staff in Taiwan.
Design/methodology/approach
Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted on data collected from a sample of 448 medical workers at a regional teaching hospital in Taiwan, and data from 804 participants at a medical center were subjected to confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The distribution of the questions among the dimensions was different from that in the Chinese version of the SAQ.
Findings
The authors' results confirm that 3 correlated first-order factors, including 11 items, can be used to measure collaboration and safety, stress recognition and emotional exhaustion (EE). The authors' data suggest that the cooperation mechanism, patient safety promotion, stress management and emotional management are drivers of patient safety and should be prioritized when seeking to evaluate the perceptions of hospital staff toward patient safety culture in hospitals in Taiwan.
Originality/value
To improve the quality and safety of patient care, the measurement scale should be revisited and modified as the industry changes over time and to take account of cultural variation. The authors restructured the current Chinese version of the SAQ developed by the Joint Commission of Taiwan (JCT) to offer more precise measures that increase the sensitivity of the measurement of the level of care in items of patient safety and that serve as a diagnostic instrument to review patient safety management.
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Annie Chen, Norman Peng and Kuang-peng Hung
This paper aims to examine diners’ luxury restaurant consumption behavior by incorporating diner expectations into a modified Mehrabian–Russell model. Consumers dine at luxury…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine diners’ luxury restaurant consumption behavior by incorporating diner expectations into a modified Mehrabian–Russell model. Consumers dine at luxury restaurants for reasons beyond fulfilling basic needs. However, little is known about the factors that contribute to diners’ emotions and loyalty toward luxury restaurants.
Design/methodology/approach
To examine the proposed six hypotheses, qualitative and quantitative studies were performed. Following exploratory qualitative research, 310 consumers who dined at Taiwan’s five-star hotel restaurants were recruited for the main study. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.
Findings
The results show that restaurants’ stimuli influence diners’ positive and negative emotions (organisms), which, in turn, affect their loyalty toward luxury restaurants (responses). Furthermore, customers with different levels of expectation react differently to stimuli.
Practical implications
This study offers new empirical support for the proposition that diner expectation plays a role in building customer loyalty and, thereby, shades both theoretical and managerial understanding of the luxury restaurant consumption process.
Originality/value
This study conceptualizes diners’ loyalty toward luxury restaurants (e.g. revisiting and recommending luxury restaurants) by examining the influence of restaurants’ stimuli, diners’ emotions and customers’ expectations toward luxury restaurants. Additionally, this study offers some managerial implications for practitioners.
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Yao-Chun Tsao and Wen-Kuei Chen
The ‘managed stock’ market in Taiwan is neglected by the authorities and general investors. In this paper, we explore the link between financial trait and stock price changes in…
Abstract
The ‘managed stock’ market in Taiwan is neglected by the authorities and general investors. In this paper, we explore the link between financial trait and stock price changes in this special market.
Overall, we analyze and discuss managerial implications for institutional investors, general investors and the authorities as well.