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1 – 10 of 25It is desired to provide a diversified iterative scheme for solving the constrained solutions of the generalized coupled discrete-time periodic (GCDTP) matrix equations from the…
Abstract
Purpose
It is desired to provide a diversified iterative scheme for solving the constrained solutions of the generalized coupled discrete-time periodic (GCDTP) matrix equations from the perspective of optimization.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper considers generalized reflexive solutions of the GCDTP matrix equations by applying the Jacobi gradient-based iterative (JGI) algorithm, which is an extended variant of the gradient-based iterative (GI) algorithm.
Findings
Through numerical simulation, it is verified that the efficiency and accuracy of the JGI algorithm are better than some existing algorithms, such as the GI algorithm in Hajarian, the RGI algorithm in Sheng and the AGI algorithm in Xie and Ma.
Originality/value
It is the first instance in which the GCDTP matrix equations are solved applying the JGI algorithm.
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The Chief Financial Officers Act and subsequent legislation require federal agencies to produce corporate-style financial statements. Arguments for financial statements drew on…
Abstract
The Chief Financial Officers Act and subsequent legislation require federal agencies to produce corporate-style financial statements. Arguments for financial statements drew on private sector analogies and suggested policy makers and managers would use the information to make better public policy and management decisions and improve accountability for financial management and program performance. Nearly all major government agencies have unqualified audit opinions and improvements in financial management are claimed. But benefits for policy making and management are not yet well understood. This paper examines the question by comparison with the private sector and by examining what agencies say about the uses and users of financial statement information. The emerging challenge in the evolution of federal financial reporting is to develop better government-specific analytical tools and other financial information for policy makers and managers.
Abstract
Purpose
To support vaccine decision-making, a growing number of parents use online communities to obtain informational and emotional support; however, relatively high information heterogeneity and polarization in the online environment make it challenging for parents to make informed vaccine decisions based on the systematic processing of conflicting information. In this context, this study aims to focus on the relationship between parents’ knowledge integration and rational and experiential decision-making and the mediating effect of anxiety on this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
A theoretical model incorporating the direct and indirect effects of knowledge integration and anxiety on decision-making is proposed and tested through partial least squares structural equation modeling with survey data from 223 parents.
Findings
Knowledge integration negatively affects anxiety. Knowledge integration has a direct positive effect on rational decision-making and an indirect negative effect on experiential decision-making.
Practical implications
These insights into the key role of knowledge integration in parental vaccine decision-making under information heterogeneity and polarization provide support for practical strategies to encourage knowledge integration and alleviate anxiety in online communities.
Originality/value
This study underscores the importance of knowledge integration in vaccine decision-making under information heterogeneity and polarization and reveals distinct mechanisms underlying the effects of knowledge integration on decision-making dominated by rational and experiential modes. The findings also provide insights into the information processing mechanisms underlying the knowledge integration of subjects with insufficient prior knowledge in the non-organizational context.
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Social information is crucial to credit ratings and can improve the accuracy of the traditional credit assessment model. Drawing on the resource-based view (RBV) and social…
Abstract
Purpose
Social information is crucial to credit ratings and can improve the accuracy of the traditional credit assessment model. Drawing on the resource-based view (RBV) and social capital theory (SCT), this research explores the relationships between corporate social activities, network centrality and corporate credit behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors used social network analysis (SNA) and regression analysis to analyze the data collected from 14,544 enterprises on the Alibaba platform.
Findings
The results indicate that among the four types of social activities, the number of corporate questions and posts shows a positive relationship with credit behavior; while the number of corporate comments has negative relationship with credit behavior. Further, degree and betweenness centralities mediate the relationship between the number of corporate questions, posts and comments with credit behavior.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature on non-financial factors (soft information) by exploring the social behavioral factors related to corporate credit. In addition, this study offers a new theoretical lens and reasonable explanations for investigating the relationship between corporate social activities, network centrality and credit behavior from the perspective of the resource-based view, while most studies are predictive and methodological. Moreover, this study provides new insights for platforms to evaluate enterprise credit and for managers to improve credit behavior.
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Abstract
Purpose
In response to the intense competition in the platform economy, e-commerce platforms are actively introducing value-added services to maintain their competitiveness. However, how effective these value-added services are in fulfilling this purpose remains unclear. This paper explores how value-added services can enhance e-commerce platform competitiveness, measured by both user scale and reputation, considering the effect of network externalities.
Design/methodology/approach
A bilateral e-commerce platform with potential high-quality sellers and low-quality sellers on one side and potential buyers on the other side was chosen as research setting. Game theory models are constructed to simultaneously consider the behaviors of all actors (including sellers, buyers and the platform).
Findings
On the one hand, to increase the seller scale, basic services play a substituting role in determining the effect of value-added services. On the other hand, to increase the buyer scale and improve platform reputation, basic services play a fundamental role in determining the effect of value-added services. Furthermore, the higher the loss rate of the product value, the bigger the room for providing value-added services. With increasing loss rate of the product value, participating buyers who are attracted by value-added services are the fastest growing indicators; this indicates that the most significant effect of value-added services is its increase in the buyer scale.
Practical implications
Basic services determine the lower limit of platform competitiveness, while value-added services set the upper limit. The results of this paper can instruct different types of platforms to enhance their competitiveness in different ways.
Originality/value
(1) While previous studies on how to enhance platform competitiveness only considered scale or reputation separately, this paper applies a new perspective of platform competitiveness, namely the improvement of both the seller scale/buyer scale and platform reputation. (2) According to the characteristics of bilateral platforms, game theory models are constructed to explore how value-added services can enhance platform competitiveness considering both positive and negative network externalities. (3) The existing literature studies basic services and value-added services in a fragmented state; this paper contributes to research on value-added services by considering the mutual effect between basic and value-added services.
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Aixin Zhang, Wenli Deng, Qiuyang Li, Zilong Song and Guizhen Ke
This paper aims to demonstrate that, in line with the emerging trend of multifunctional yarn development, cotton yarn can effectively harness renewable solar energy to achieve…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to demonstrate that, in line with the emerging trend of multifunctional yarn development, cotton yarn can effectively harness renewable solar energy to achieve photothermal conversion and thermochromism. This innovation not only maintains the comfort associated with natural fiber cotton yarn but also enhances its ultraviolet (UV) light resistance.
Design/methodology/approach
In this work, 4% zirconium carbide (ZrC) and thermochromic powder were adhered to cotton yarn through polyurethane (PU) by sizing coating method. After sizing, the two cotton yarns are twisted by ring spinning to obtain composite yarns with photothermal conversion and thermochromic functions.
Findings
The yarn obtained by cotton/6%PU/8% thermochromic dye single yarn and cotton/6%PU/4% ZrC single yarn composite is the best match. After 5 min of infrared light, the temperature of the composite yarn rose to the maximum, increasing by 36.1°C. The ΔE* value before and after irradiation of infrared lamp is 26.565, which proves that the thermochromic function is good. The yarn dryness unevenness was significantly reduced by 27.2%. The composite yarn has a UPF value of up to 89.22, and its performance characteristics remain stable after 100 minutes of washing.
Originality/value
The composite yarn’s photothermal conversion and thermochromism functions are mutually reinforcing. Using sunlight can simultaneously achieve heating and discoloration effects without consuming additional energy. The cotton yarn used in this application is versatile, and suitable for a wide range of uses including clothing, temperature visualization detection and other scenarios.
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Hao Chen, Wenli Li, Tu Lyu and Xunan Zheng
The rapid development of the Internet in China has profoundly affected the country's charities, which many people support through online donations (e.g. providing financial help…
Abstract
Purpose
The rapid development of the Internet in China has profoundly affected the country's charities, which many people support through online donations (e.g. providing financial help) and charity information forwarding (a new behavior of participating in online charities via social media). However, the development of online charities has been accompanied by many problems, such as donation fraud and fake charity information, which adversely affect social kindness. The purpose of this paper is to understand people's online donation and forwarding behaviors and to explore the mechanisms of such behaviors from the perspectives of cognitive-based trust and emotional-based empathic concern.
Design/methodology/approach
This study developed a research model based on the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) and stimulus–organism–response (SOR) model. The researchers obtained 287 valid samples via a scenario-based experimental survey and conducted partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the model.
Findings
The results indicated that (1) online donation intention is motivated by rational-based trust and emotional-based empathic concern; (2) online charity information forwarding is triggered only when trust is built, and there is no significant correlation between empathic concern and forwarding intention; and (3) content quality, initiator credibility, and platform reputation are three critical paths to promote trust; in addition, an individual's empathic concern can be motivated by the emotional appeal.
Originality/value
This study highlights the different mechanisms of donation and forwarding behaviors and provided theoretical measures for motiving trust and empathic concern in the online context to promote people's participation in online charity.
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Leaders are under increasing pressure to cultivate an engaged workforce in responsible ways, but how and when responsible leadership is related to employee work engagement remains…
Abstract
Purpose
Leaders are under increasing pressure to cultivate an engaged workforce in responsible ways, but how and when responsible leadership is related to employee work engagement remains unclear. Hence, this study aims to unfold the responsible leadership–work engagement relationship by exploring the mediating role of intrinsic corporate social responsibility (CSR) attributions and the moderating role of interactional justice.
Design/methodology/approach
A multiphase sample of 225 was collected from employees from the Chinese manufacturing industry. Hierarchical regression and PROCESS macro in SPSS were used to test the authors’ moderated mediation model.
Findings
The results demonstrate that responsible leadership is directly related to work engagement and indirectly related to it via employees' intrinsic CSR attributions. Interactional justice significantly strengthens the positive relationship between responsible leadership and intrinsic CSR attributions as well as the mediating effects of intrinsic CSR attributions.
Practical implications
To cultivate an engaged workforce that improves organizational effectiveness, firms and managers should facilitate responsible leadership, signal sincere motives of CSR activities and enhance fair interpersonal treatment at work. These can also be helpful in various fields (e.g. promoting public trust).
Originality/value
Based on social learning theory and attribution theory, this study empirically reveals the role of responsible leadership in enhancing work engagement. It sheds new light on the psychological mechanism and the boundary condition explaining how and when this linkage occurs, which advances research on responsible leadership and the individual-level analysis of CSR.
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Jiaxin Li, Baogang Zhang, Ye Liu and Wenli Huang
Membrane biological reactor (MBR) is recognized as an efficient and steady wastewater treatment process. The purpose of this study is to reveal the research trends of scientific…
Abstract
Purpose
Membrane biological reactor (MBR) is recognized as an efficient and steady wastewater treatment process. The purpose of this study is to reveal the research trends of scientific outputs on MBR for the past 32 years.
Design/methodology/approach
A method of bibliometric analysis was performed, based on the online version of the Science Citation Index Expanded, Web of Science, from 1982 to 2013. In total, 5,305 articles related to MBR were evaluated. A new method named “word cluster analysis” was also used for further analysis.
Findings
Results showed a rising trend of publications in this research field. English was the main language used in these articles. Journal of membrane science published the most articles, proving to be one of the most authoritative journals. China and Dalian University of Technology were the most productive country and institute, respectively. Except for “membrane bioreactor” and “MBR”, “membrane fouling” was the most cited keyword, indicating the research hotspot nowadays and future.
Originality/value
This study serves as an alternative and innovative way of revealing the research trends in MBR research.
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Changrong Ran, Wenli Lu, Guo Song, Chao Ran and Shuo Zhao
In the industrial silylation process, the cost of production can be greatly reduced by reducing the frequency of the replacement of the silane solution. The purpose of this paper…
Abstract
Purpose
In the industrial silylation process, the cost of production can be greatly reduced by reducing the frequency of the replacement of the silane solution. The purpose of this paper is to describe how a method of discontinuous addition of concentrated solution into the KH560 treatment bath was developed, to improve further the effective availability of the silane solution and reduce cost of production.
Design/methodology/approach
The preparation and addition of each incremental amount of concentrated KH560 was studied in detail.
Findings
The results indicate that adding concentrated silane solution is an effective method of maintaining the target bath concentration.
Originality/value
The paper describes how a method of adding concentrated KH560 was developed to prolong the working time of KH560 solution for silane coating production, and to improve the availability of the KH560 in solution. The results indicated that adding concentrated solution was an effective method of prolonging the working time of the silane solution. The mixture ratio of the concentrated solution, and the volume of each incremental amount, both affected the performance of the KH560 solution.
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