Xiaojie Xu and Yun Zhang
Forecasts of commodity prices are vital issues to market participants and policy makers. Those of corn are of no exception, considering its strategic importance. In the present…
Abstract
Purpose
Forecasts of commodity prices are vital issues to market participants and policy makers. Those of corn are of no exception, considering its strategic importance. In the present study, the authors assess the forecast problem for the weekly wholesale price index of yellow corn in China during January 1, 2010–January 10, 2020 period.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors employ the nonlinear auto-regressive neural network as the forecast tool and evaluate forecast performance of different model settings over algorithms, delays, hidden neurons and data splitting ratios in arriving at the final model.
Findings
The final model is relatively simple and leads to accurate and stable results. Particularly, it generates relative root mean square errors of 1.05%, 1.08% and 1.03% for training, validation and testing, respectively.
Originality/value
Through the analysis, the study shows usefulness of the neural network technique for commodity price forecasts. The results might serve as technical forecasts on a standalone basis or be combined with other fundamental forecasts for perspectives of price trends and corresponding policy analysis.
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Qiao Yang, Xiao H. Yang, Pan Wang, Wei L. Zhu and Xiao Y. Chen
The purpose of this paper is to measure the apparent and complex viscosities of the zinc‐rich coatings derived from sodium silicate solution modified with aluminium chloride (AlCl3…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to measure the apparent and complex viscosities of the zinc‐rich coatings derived from sodium silicate solution modified with aluminium chloride (AlCl3), and then theoretically analyse the relation between viscosity behaviour and physiochemical mechanisms.
Design/methodology/approach
According to the different dosages of AlCl3, five coatings were prepared. The apparent viscosities as functions of shear rate, time and temperature, complex viscosity with variations of temperature and heating rate of these coatings were measured using an AR500 rheometer.
Findings
Results showed that the zinc‐rich coatings possessed the typical shear thinning behaviour and the apparent viscosity increased with time until solidification. Complex results showed that the complex viscosity depended strongly on heating rate. Both apparent and complex viscosities initially decreased to minimum and then started to increase, while temperature was ramped from 0 to 70°C.
Originality/value
It is believed that there is no published literature about the apparent and complex viscosities of the zinc‐rich coatings from sodium silicate solution modified with AlCl3. This paper presents the first attempt to obtain the rheological data of these zinc‐rich coatings.
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Minglang Zhang, Xue Zuo and Yuankai Zhou
The purpose of this paper is to reveal the dynamic contact characteristics of the slip ring. Dynamic contact resistance models considering wear and self-excited were established…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to reveal the dynamic contact characteristics of the slip ring. Dynamic contact resistance models considering wear and self-excited were established based on fractal theory.
Design/methodology/approach
The effects of tangential velocity, stiffness and damping coefficient on dynamic contact resistance are studied. The relationships between fractal parameters, wear time and contact parameters are revealed.
Findings
The results show that the total contact area decreases with the friction coefficient and fractal roughness under the same load. Self-excited vibration occurs at a low speed (less than 0.6 m/s). It transforms from stick-slip motion at 0.4 m/s to pure sliding at 0.5 m/s. A high stiffness makes contact resistance fluctuate violently, while increasing the damping coefficient can suppress the self-excited vibration and reduce the dynamic contact resistance. The fractal contact resistance model considering wear is established based on the fractal parameters models. The validity of the model is verified by the wear tests.
Originality/value
The results have a great significance to study the electrical contact behavior of conductive slip ring.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-09-2023-0300/
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Shihui Lang, Hua Zhu and Yao Wang
The purpose of this study aims to shorten the running-in time and improve the running-in quality of cylinder liner piston rings (CLPRs), the running-in tests were carried out and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study aims to shorten the running-in time and improve the running-in quality of cylinder liner piston rings (CLPRs), the running-in tests were carried out and running-in parameters of CLPRs were designed based on running-in attractor theory, which can guide the choice of optimal working conditions for other friction pairs.
Design/methodology/approach
The running-in state and time under different working conditions are identified by the evolution law of the running-in attractor phase trajectory and fractal and chaotic characteristic quantities. The CLPRs running-in tests under different conditions were conducted and the friction signals were collected. The constructed phase trajectories and calculated chaotic parameters of the running-in attractor are obtained and the running-in state and time are identified by the evolution law of phase trajectories and chaotic characteristic quantities. The running-in quality is obtained by the surface morphology fractal dimension and characteristic roughness parameters.
Findings
The running-in parameters for short running-in time and good running-in quality are designed based on the fractal and chaotic theory and the optimal solution method are used to verify the results through the single objective or multi-objective optimization, and the corresponding optimal running-in parameters are obtained.
Originality/value
The optimal working condition parameters obtained from the design have guiding significance for the selection of CLPR running-in parameters, and this work can provide ideas for the other friction pairs.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-05-2024-0179/
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Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to reveal the mechanism of peer abusive supervision on bystander behavior based on the perspective of bystander from two different paths of bystander empathy and bystander hostility toward supervisor. At the same time, it discusses the moderation effect of bystander traditionality on the two paths.
Design/methodology/approach
This study conducted a three-wave longitudinal survey. The data were collected from 454 employees and their coworkers in several Chinese enterprises. The authors used Mplus 7.4 and adopted a bootstrapping technique in the data analysis.
Findings
Peer abusive supervision leads bystanders to empathize with the abused colleague and thus exhibit more organizational citizenship behaviors, and peer abusive supervision also induces bystanders to develop hostility toward the abusive supervisor and thus produce more workplace negative gossip behaviors. In addition, it is found that bystander traditionality has a moderation effect in the process by which peer perceptions of abusive supervision influence bystander empathy and bystander hostility.
Originality/value
Based on Affective Events Theory, this study explores the mechanism of colleague perception of abusive supervision on bystander behavior from a bystander perspective. The results of this study not only provide a more comprehensive expansion of the weighting factors in the influence mechanism of abusive supervision but also provide new ideas for organizations to reduce the negative effects of workplace abusive behaviors.
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Wenfang Lin, Yifeng Wang, Georges Samara and Jintao Lu
The sustainable development of the platform economy has been hindered by the absence and alienation of platform corporate social responsibility. Previous studies have mainly…
Abstract
Purpose
The sustainable development of the platform economy has been hindered by the absence and alienation of platform corporate social responsibility. Previous studies have mainly focused on the contents and governance models for platform corporate social responsibility. This study seeks to explore which strategy participants choose in the governance of platform corporate social responsibility and their influencing factors.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a platform ecosystem approach, a quadrilateral evolutionary game model was developed, and the stabilities of subjects’ behavioral strategies and their combinations in various scenarios were analyzed. Additionally, the effects of key parameters on the system’s evolutionary path were simulated.
Findings
The ideal steady state system is achieved when platform enterprises, complementors and consumers adopt positive strategies while the government adopts lax regulation. Moreover, the evolutionary strategies of the subjects are influenced by several factors, including the participation costs of governance, the rewards and punishments imposed by platform enterprises, as well as the reputational losses of platform enterprises and complementors due to media coverage.
Practical implications
This study offers insights into improving the governance effectiveness of platform corporate social responsibility for managers and practitioners.
Originality/value
This study contributes to existing literature by considering the rational orientation of platform ecosystem members and revealing the interaction mechanisms among members. Furthermore, this study combines collective action theory and reputation theory to clarify the influencing factors on members’ behaviors.
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This paper aims to propose the mechanism of cross-network effect embedded, which can help cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) platforms strengthen cooperative relationships with…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to propose the mechanism of cross-network effect embedded, which can help cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) platforms strengthen cooperative relationships with sellers more equitably and effectively by using the network structural characteristics of the platforms themselves.
Design/methodology/approach
A two-stage evolutionary game model has been used to confirm the influence factors. The mathematical derivation of evolutionary game analysis is combined with the simulation method to examine the role of cross-network effect in cooperation. The evolutionary game model based on the cross-network effect is proposed to achieve better adaptability to the study of cooperation strategy from the two-sided market perspective.
Findings
The evolutionary game model captures the interactions of cross-network effect and the influence factors from a dynamic perspective. The cross-network effect has a certain substitution on the revenue-sharing rate of SMEs. CBEC platforms can enhance the connection between consumers and the website by improving the level of construction, which is a good way to attract sellers more cost-effectively and efficiently.
Research limitations/implications
This study provides a new method for the validation of the cross-network effect, especially when data collection is difficult. But this method is only a numerical simulation. So the conclusions still need to be further tested empirically. Besides, researchers are advised to explore the relationship between the added user scale and the cross-network effect in some specificCBEC platforms.
Practical implications
This study provides a new method for the validation of the cross-network effect, especially when data collection is difficult. But this method is only a numerical simulation. So the conclusions still need to be further tested empirically. Besides, researchers are advised to explore the relationship between the added user scale and the cross-network effect in some specific CBEC platforms.
Originality/value
Investigations that study cooperation strategy from the cross-network effect perspective in CBEC are limited. The research figured out which influence factors are affected by the cross-network effect in cooperation. A two-stage evolutionary game model was proposed to explain the interaction of the factors. The evolutionary game analysis with a simulation method was combined to highlight the role of cross-network effect on cooperation strategy to give a deeper investigation into the sustainable cooperation ofCBEC.
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Huiyi Xu, Zhiming Gao, Yang Yang and Wenbin Hu
The purpose of this study is to ensure the safe use of carbon fiber composite pressure vessels in the nuclear industry environment.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to ensure the safe use of carbon fiber composite pressure vessels in the nuclear industry environment.
Design/methodology/approach
This study investigated the degradation behaviors of carbon fiber reinforced composite (CFRP) using the specific corrosive media HF solution, with a focus on the damage to the surface epoxy layer. The degradation behaviors of CFRP in HF solution were examined by electrochemical methods and surface characterization, using HCl, NaCl and NaF solution for comparison.
Findings
The results showed that the specimen in HF solution will have a value of |Z|0.01 Hz one order of magnitude lower, a substantially lower contact angle, more breakage of the surface epoxy and the stronger O─H peak and weaker C─O─C peak in the Fourier transform infrared spectrum, indicating severe hydrolytic damage to the surface epoxy.
Originality/value
The work focuses on the degradation damage to CFRP surface epoxy by specific corrosive media HF.
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Jing Yu, Zonghui Song and Chi Zhou
With the vigorous development of the e-commerce delivery service industry, delivery service has become an important factor for e-tailers to obtain the market competitive…
Abstract
Purpose
With the vigorous development of the e-commerce delivery service industry, delivery service has become an important factor for e-tailers to obtain the market competitive advantage. However, how to choose the best delivery service strategy is a difficult problem for e-tailers in practice. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of delivery service on e-tailers and online platforms.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the Stackelberg game, the research study establishes and solves three models, namely dual self-supporting delivery service model, dual third-party delivery service model and differential delivery service model.
Findings
The results show that when the self-supporting and third-party delivery cost coefficients are all small, no matter which delivery service providers the competitor selects, the e-tailer selects delivery with a lower service fee. When the self-supporting and third-party delivery service fee are all low, no matter which delivery service providers the competitor selects, the e-tailer selects delivery with a smaller service cost. Both service fee and service cost determine the choice of e-tailers' delivery strategy. When the commission rate is moderate, both e-tailers are willing to choose the self-supporting delivery strategy, but the platform only prefers to provide self-supporting delivery to them with a lower delivery service sensitivity coefficient.
Originality/value
This paper analyzes the optimal delivery service strategies for e-tailers to compete with competitors, and explores the impacts of parameters for e-tailers and online platforms in their decision-making. The findings provide valuable implications for relevant practices.
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Yang Liu, Mi Zhou and Quansheng Li
This paper explores how rural e-commerce drives consumption in both urban and rural residents; further, it presents evidence from the perspective of e-commerce penetration in…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper explores how rural e-commerce drives consumption in both urban and rural residents; further, it presents evidence from the perspective of e-commerce penetration in rural areas and among farmers to assess the contribution of e-commerce to China’s economic strategy goal of fostering an economy driven by domestic demand.
Design/methodology/approach
Data of Taobao villages from 2014 to 2021 are matched with data on prefecture-level cities. A two-way fixed effect model, instrumental variable model and group comparison method are employed to explore the role and mechanism of e-commerce penetration in rural areas in stimulating residents’ consumption through consumption propensity, purchasing power and consumer population.
Findings
The findings confirm that e-commerce penetration of rural areas can stimulate residential consumption, and residents generally adhere to the consumption concept of “living within their means.” The driving effect on residents’ consumption is achieved by expanding the urban consumer population and improving the purchasing powers of both urban and rural residents. The spatial dispersion of e-commerce villages strengthens the positive impact of e-commerce penetration in rural areas on consumption; this strengthening is caused by the increasing consumer population of urban residents and the purchasing power of both urban and rural residents. The agriculture-oriented e-commerce penetration of rural areas negatively impacts residents’ consumption, consumption propensity and consumer population; however, industrial-oriented penetration positively affects residents’ consumption, consumption propensity, purchasing power and consumer population.
Originality/value
To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first to analyze the role and mechanism of e-commerce penetration in rural areas in stimulating residents’ consumption through consumption propensity, purchasing power and consumer population. This study contributes to advancing e-commerce and consumer theory by exploring the realm of rural e-commerce while also presenting empirical evidence from China.