Haritz Gorostidi-Martinez, Weimin Xu and Xiaokang Zhao
As part of a cross-cultural research, the purpose of this paper is to provide further insights into the existing product-country image (PCI) of the Chinese consumers’ perceptions…
Abstract
Purpose
As part of a cross-cultural research, the purpose of this paper is to provide further insights into the existing product-country image (PCI) of the Chinese consumers’ perceptions of Spain, its products, and its people, thereby providing an overall contemporary Spanish PCI within the Chinese market.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 215 valid structured questionnaires were gathered throughout China. Following a pre-investigation of 259 usable questionnaires, a 52-item construct was drawn from the existing widely used PCI item scales, designing a structured PCI construct, covering: “country image,” “personal image,” “product image,” “general knowledge about Spain,” and “personal data.”
Findings
The study provides: a PCI pre-investigation research results as well as a literature review on PCI topic; research results for the five hypotheses concerning Chinese citizens’ view of Spanish product price, quality, technicality, inventiveness, and known brands view; descriptive statistics as well as result graphs for each of the covered PCI sections; our PCI construct variable correlations with the tested five product image variables; and general implications.
Research limitations/implications
Standardizing PCI longitudinal studies, as well as focusing on how the Spanish Government and private sector should determine the long-term criteria to facilitate a clearer representation of the Spanish PCI evolution within the Chinese market, is advised.
Originality/value
The current study intends to capture insights for Spain and other country’s public and private sector decision makers to better integrate market and non-market strategies. The results would further assist delineating strategies to avoid the liability of foreignness of Spanish organizations within China.
Details
Keywords
Haritz Gorostidi-Martinez, Weimin Xu and Xiaokang Zhao
The purpose of this paper is to facilitate and clarify the perceptions of Spanish consumers towards China, its people, and its products, while outlining the overall contemporary…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to facilitate and clarify the perceptions of Spanish consumers towards China, its people, and its products, while outlining the overall contemporary Chinese product-country image (PCI) within the Spanish market.
Design/methodology/approach
A 52-item construct was adapted from former PCI scales from cross-cultural equivalence, including “country image”, “personal image”, “product image”, “general knowledge about China”, and “personal data”. Overall, 215 valid structured questionnaires were gathered.
Findings
The current study provides: a PCI literature review; hypotheses results concerning Spanish citizens’ views of Chinese products’ price, quality, technicality, inventiveness, and known brands concepts; descriptive statistics and results graphs for each of the PCI sections; and correlations of other variables with the five product image variables within the construct.
Research limitations/implications
Implementing standardized, longitudinal consumer studies that facilitate better comprehension of PCI evolution within a specific market emerged as a future research agenda.
Originality/value
The data informed both the Chinese public and private organizations’ managers of the importance of adapting to the market and non-market environments within Spain to avoid the liability of country of origin effect.
Details
Keywords
This paper aims to propose two portfolio selection models with hesitant value-at-risk (HVaR) – HVaR fuzzy portfolio selection model (HVaR-FPSM) and HVaR-score fuzzy portfolio…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to propose two portfolio selection models with hesitant value-at-risk (HVaR) – HVaR fuzzy portfolio selection model (HVaR-FPSM) and HVaR-score fuzzy portfolio selection model (HVaR-S-FPSM) – to help investors solve the problem that how bad a portfolio can be under probabilistic hesitant fuzzy environment.
Design/methodology/approach
It is strictly proved that the higher the probability threshold, the higher the HVaR in HVaR-S-FPSM. Numerical examples and a case study are used to illustrate the steps of building the proposed models and the importance of the HVaR and score constraint. In case study, the authors conduct a sensitivity analysis and compare the proposed models with decision-making models and hesitant fuzzy portfolio models.
Findings
The score constraint can make sure that the portfolio selected is profitable, but will not cause the HVaR to decrease dramatically. The investment proportions of stocks are mainly affected by their HVaRs, which is consistent with the fact that the stock having good performance is usually desirable in portfolio selection. The HVaR-S-FPSM can find portfolios with higher HVaR than each single stock and has little sacrifice of extreme returns.
Originality/value
This paper fulfills a need to construct portfolio selection models with HVaR under probabilistic hesitant fuzzy environment. As a downside risk, the HVaR is more consistent with investors’ intuitions about risks. Moreover, the score constraint makes sure that undesirable portfolios will not be selected.
Details
Keywords
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study was to investigate both the positive and negative effects of workplace loneliness on innovative behavior. By applying the unified theory on contingencies of self-worth, the study aimed to integrate these effects into a single framework, thereby confirming the presence of the double-edged sword effect of workplace loneliness on innovative behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was conducted among enterprises across China, involving 246 employees. Hierarchical regression analysis was utilized to test the moderating hypotheses. Additionally, the mediating effects and the moderated mediation effects were further explored using the bootstrapping method.
Findings
The results indicated that workplace loneliness positively influenced innovative behavior through the desire to prove ability, with the promotion regulatory focus enhancing this relationship. Conversely, workplace loneliness negatively influenced innovative behavior through self-handicapping, with the prevention regulatory focus intensifying this relationship.
Practical implications
The findings revealed that workplace loneliness exerts a double-edged effect on innovative behavior. Lonely employees can enhance their sense of self-worth by engaging in domain switching, thereby alleviating feelings of loneliness.
Originality/value
The research confirmed a novel perspective: workplace loneliness can promote innovative behavior by influencing employees’ desire to prove ability. It also revealed the double-edged sword effect of workplace loneliness on innovative behavior. Based on these findings, employees experiencing loneliness can enhance their self-worth and alleviate feelings of loneliness through domain switching.
Details
Keywords
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the effect of supervisor bottom-line mentality (SBLM) on subordinate work well-being using self-determination theory. Furthermore, it examines the mediating role of subordinate harmonious work passion (HWP) and obsessive work passion (OWP), as well as the moderating role of subordinate family motivation on the indirect effect of SBLM on subordinate work well-being.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted two studies, an experiment and a field study, to test the hypotheses. In Study 1, the authors conducted an experimental study using a sample of 127 undergraduate students to examine how family motivation moderates the relationship between SBLM and subordinate work passion. Concurrently, in Study 2, the authors conducted a time-lagged field study involving 261 corporate employees in China to validate the findings derived from Study 1, as well as test the entire conceptual model.
Findings
The authors find in Study 1 that family motivation moderates the effects of SBLM on subordinate HWP and OWP. Nevertheless, Study 2 uncovers a negative association between SBLM and subordinate work well-being, with HWP and OWP mediating this relationship. Besides, family motivation moderates the mediating effect of HWP on the relationship between SBLM and subordinate work well-being.
Originality/value
The main contribution of this study is that the negative effect of SBLM impacts subordinate work well-being, thereby building an accurate and fine-grained knowledge base of the detrimental effects of bottom-line mentality (BLM). Additionally, this study expands the frontiers of knowledge in this area by investigating the mediating mechanisms and boundary conditions of SBLM on subordinate work well-being, effectively addressing a theoretical gap in BLM research.
Details
Keywords
Weimin Zhai, Zhongzhen Lin and Biwen Xu
With the rapid development of technology, 360° panorama on mobile as a very convenient way to present virtual reality has brought a new shopping experience to consumers. Usually…
Abstract
Purpose
With the rapid development of technology, 360° panorama on mobile as a very convenient way to present virtual reality has brought a new shopping experience to consumers. Usually, consumers get product information through virtual annotations in 360° panorama and then make a series of shopping behaviors. The visual design of virtual annotation significantly influences users' online visual search for product information. This study aims to investigate the influence of the visual design of virtual annotation on consumers' shopping experience in the online shopping interface of 360° panorama.
Design/methodology/approach
A 2 × 3 between-subject design was planned to help explore whether different display model of annotation (i.e. negative polarity and positive polarity) and different background transparency of annotation (i.e. 0% transparency, 25% transparency and 50% transparency) may affect users' task performance and their subjective evaluations.
Findings
(1) Virtual annotations with different background transparency affect user performance, and transparency has better visual search performance. (2) Virtual annotation background display mode may affect the user operation performance; the positive polarity of the virtual annotation is more convenient for the users' visual searching for product information. (3) When the annotation background transparency is opaque or semi-transparent, the negative polarity display is more favorable to the users' visual search. However, this situation is reversed when the annotation background transparency is 25%. (4) Participants preferred the presentation of positive polarity virtual annotations. (5) Regarding the degree of willingness to use and ease of understanding, participants preferred the negative polarity display for 0% background transparency or 50% background transparency. However, the opposite result was obtained for 25% background transparency.
Originality/value
The findings generated from the research can be a good reference for the development of virtual annotation visual design for mobile shopping applications.
Highlights
Virtual annotation background transparency and background display mode are two essential attributes of 360° panoramas.
This study examined how virtual annotation background transparency and background display mode influence user performance and experience.
It is recommended to use a translucent or opaque annotation background with a negative polarity display.
Virtual annotation presentation with 25% background transparency facilitates consumer searching and comparison of product information.
Users prefer a positive polarity annotation display.
Virtual annotation background transparency and background display mode are two essential attributes of 360° panoramas.
This study examined how virtual annotation background transparency and background display mode influence user performance and experience.
It is recommended to use a translucent or opaque annotation background with a negative polarity display.
Virtual annotation presentation with 25% background transparency facilitates consumer searching and comparison of product information.
Users prefer a positive polarity annotation display.
Details
Keywords
Zhifeng Lin, Likun Xu, Xiangbo Li, Li Wang, Weimin Guo, Chuanjie Wu and Yi Yang
The purpose of this paper is to examine the performance of a fastener composite coating system, sherardized (SD) coating/zinc-aluminum (ZA) coating whether it has good performance…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the performance of a fastener composite coating system, sherardized (SD) coating/zinc-aluminum (ZA) coating whether it has good performance in marine environment.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, SD coating was fabricated on fastener surface by solid-diffusion method. ZA coating was fabricated by thermal sintering method. Corrosion behaviours of the composite coating were investigated with potentiodynamic polarization curves, open circuit potential and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy methods.
Findings
Neutral salt spray (NSS) and deep sea exposure tests revealed that the composite coating had excellent corrosion resistance. Polarization curve tests showed that corrosion current density of the sample with composite coating was significantly decreased, indicating an effective corrosion protection of the composite coating. OCP measurement of the sample in NaCl solution demonstrated that the composite coating had the best cathodic protection effect. The good corrosion resistance of the composite coating was obtained by the synergy of SD and ZA coating.
Practical implications
SD/ZA coating can be used in marine environment to prolong the life of carbon steel fastener.
Social implications
SD/ZA composite coating can reduce the risk and accident caused by failed fastener, avoid huge economic losses.
Originality/value
A new kind of composite coating was explored to protect the carbon steel fastener in marine environment. And the composite coating has the long-term anti-corrosion performance both in simulated and marine environment test.
Details
Keywords
Na Pang, Li Qian, Weimin Lyu and Jin-Dong Yang
In computational chemistry, the chemical bond energy (pKa) is essential, but most pKa-related data are submerged in scientific papers, with only a few data that have been…
Abstract
Purpose
In computational chemistry, the chemical bond energy (pKa) is essential, but most pKa-related data are submerged in scientific papers, with only a few data that have been extracted by domain experts manually. The loss of scientific data does not contribute to in-depth and innovative scientific data analysis. To address this problem, this study aims to utilize natural language processing methods to extract pKa-related scientific data in chemical papers.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the previous Bert-CRF model combined with dictionaries and rules to resolve the problem of a large number of unknown words of professional vocabulary, in this paper, the authors proposed an end-to-end Bert-CRF model with inputting constructed domain wordpiece tokens using text mining methods. The authors use standard high-frequency string extraction techniques to construct domain wordpiece tokens for specific domains. And in the subsequent deep learning work, domain features are added to the input.
Findings
The experiments show that the end-to-end Bert-CRF model could have a relatively good result and can be easily transferred to other domains because it reduces the requirements for experts by using automatic high-frequency wordpiece tokens extraction techniques to construct the domain wordpiece tokenization rules and then input domain features to the Bert model.
Originality/value
By decomposing lots of unknown words with domain feature-based wordpiece tokens, the authors manage to resolve the problem of a large amount of professional vocabulary and achieve a relatively ideal extraction result compared to the baseline model. The end-to-end model explores low-cost migration for entity and relation extraction in professional fields, reducing the requirements for experts.
Details
Keywords
Manzoor Ahmad, J. Luo, Ben Xu, Hendra Purnawali, Peter King, Paul Chalker, Yongqing Fu, Weimin Huang and Moshen Miraftab
Shape memory polyurethanes (SMPUs) are typically synthesized using polyols of low molecular weight, Mw, and high hydroxyl number as it is believed that high density of cross-links…
Abstract
Shape memory polyurethanes (SMPUs) are typically synthesized using polyols of low molecular weight, Mw, and high hydroxyl number as it is believed that high density of cross-links in these polyols are essential for high performance shape memory polymers. In this study, polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) with Mw ~ 6000 g/mol and low hydroxyl number (OH ~ 18 mg K OH/g) as the soft segment and diisocyanate as the hard segment were used to synthesize SMPUs. It revealed that although the PEG-6000 based SMPUs have lower maximum elongation at break (425%) and recovery stress than those of PCL-2000 polyol based SMPUs, they have much better shape recovery ratio (98%) and shape fixity (95%). Furthermore, these SMPUs showed a much shorter actuation time of <10sec for up to 85% shape recovery, much shorter than those low Mw SMPUs, clearly demonstrated their great potential for applications.
Details
Keywords
Weimin Ma, Wenjing Lei and Bingzhen Sun
The purpose of this paper is to propose a three-way group decision-making approach to address the selection of green supplier, by extending decision-theoretic rough set (DTRS…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose a three-way group decision-making approach to address the selection of green supplier, by extending decision-theoretic rough set (DTRS) into hesitant fuzzy linguistic (HFL) environment, considering the flexible evaluation expression format of HFL term set (HFLTS) and the idea of minimum expected risk in DTRS.
Design/methodology/approach
Specifically, the authors first present the calculation method of the conditional probability and discuss the loss functions of DTRS with HFL element (HFLE), along with some associated properties being investigated in detail. Further, three-way group decisions rules can be deduced, followed by the cost of every green supplier candidate. Thus, based on these discussions, a novel green supplier selection DTRS model that combines multi-criteria group decision-making (MCGDM) and HFLTS is designed.
Findings
A numerical example of green supplier selection, the comparative analysis and associated discussions are conducted to illustrate the applicability and novelty of the presented model.
Practical implications
The selection of green supplier has played a critically strategic role in sustainable enterprise development due to continuous environmental concerns. This paper offers an insight for companies to select green supplier selection from the perspective of three-way group decisions.
Originality/value
This paper uses three-way decisions to address green supplier selection in the HFL context, which is considered as a MCGDM issue.