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1 – 10 of over 11000Zhuo Zhang, Tomoki Sekiguchi and Jie Li
The purpose of this paper is to investigate women managers’ work values in the Chinese sociocultural context and to explain how these work values affect their career success. This…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate women managers’ work values in the Chinese sociocultural context and to explain how these work values affect their career success. This paper also explores how social and cultural factors affect Chinese women’s work value formation process.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a grounded theory approach, the authors collected and analyzed data through in-depth interviews with 12 women managers in the banking industry in northeast China.
Findings
The analysis identified eight dimensions of Chinese women’s work values and how they affect women’s career success in the Chinese context. The authors also found that although both social and cultural factors affect women’s work values, the effect of traditional Chinese culture is still profound.
Originality/value
The study extends the literature on Chinese women’s work values and provides a better understanding of traditional Chinese culture’s effect on contemporary Chinese women, particularly in developing cities.
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This paper seeks to examine the integration of the Western concept of dynamic equilibrium and wa, the Eastern concept of harmony, and how wú wéi (maintaining centrality, hence…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to examine the integration of the Western concept of dynamic equilibrium and wa, the Eastern concept of harmony, and how wú wéi (maintaining centrality, hence, stability, in a dynamic environment) is fundamental to the sustainable development of the library system in a harmonious manner.
Design/methodology/approach
The Western concept of self and the Chinese Taoist concepts of change and stability are used to examine the role of the human being – the librarian – in the constantly evolving environment.
Findings
The paper finds that four competing values faced by the librarian are based on the needs to adopt internal focus, external focus, flexibility and control. The four competing values generate issues confronting the academic librarian. Frustration – what challenges and pressures do academic librarians currently face in the university environment specifically? History and destiny – what lessons can the history of libraries in universities give us about their future role in the scholarly community? Constraints – what are the possible environmental barriers which might prevent librarians working dynamically in parallel with or ahead of university “strategists”, to secure their vision as key players in tomorrow's academy? Conflicting forces from library stakeholders are analysed in a competing values model which encompasses the elements of organisation systems and organisational culture.
Originality/value
The competing values framework provides the basis for formulating a research agenda to investigate the central role played by university libraries in the societal development of human‐kind.
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Andrew Man Joe Ma and Bramwell Osula
This paper seeks to examine an emerging synergetic model of organizational leadership that is founded on Chinese Taoism and complex adaptive system (CAS).
Abstract
Purpose
This paper seeks to examine an emerging synergetic model of organizational leadership that is founded on Chinese Taoism and complex adaptive system (CAS).
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is formed around a comparative analysis of two conceptual models – the CAS model that is founded on what is known as the new science and a more ancient model that is based on Chinese Taoism.
Findings
While the two models were developed more than 2,500 years apart, this paper shows a degree of alignment between Eastern wisdom and the latest Western scientific theory. The essence of what is characterized as Taoistic leadership emphasizes alignment with “The Way” and is based on the interplay of “Yin/Yang.” This is similar to the core elements of CAS that emphasizes the importance of “the Attractor” and the interplay of “Order/Disorder.”
Research limitations/implications
This paper points out the promise of a convergence of ancient wisdom from China, with the latest new science view on organizational behavior. The outcome is a complementary leadership model that is undergirded by both ethical values and scientific support.
Practical implications
This paper goes one step beyond traditional analyzes by dissecting the two key streams of Chinese philosophy, comparing and contrasting these with CAS.
Originality/value
Chinese leaders today tend to be influenced by a leadership style that can be broadly characterized as reflecting principles of Confucianism. These principles support a more hierarchical formulation of leadership and organizations that are more centralized and less adaptive to today's dynamic environment. This paper offers an alternative leadership model, grounded in the Tao philosophy that is said to be more accommodating of the complexities of organizational behavior today. It also offers value to Western leaders in appreciation of the ancient wisdom and values in Taoism relating to today's organizational behavior and leadership.
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Wei Zhang, Hongqun Liu, Minglei Hu and Wei Wu
This paper aims to make clear the sensitive zone of subsea pipeline to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) under a disbonded coating.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to make clear the sensitive zone of subsea pipeline to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) under a disbonded coating.
Design/methodology/approach
The change of microenvironment under a disbonded coating in artificial seawater was analyzed by using a rectangular crevice cell. The SCC behavior of subsea pipeline was studied by slow strain rate tensile tests.
Findings
The microenvironment at the crevice bottom exhibits obvious acidification, Cl- aggregation and cathodic protection potential (CP) rise. Accordingly, the susceptibility of X70 steels to SCC is high due to the intensive anodic dissolution effect. At the opening, hydrogen atom can access into the steel and induce hydrogen embrittlement effect on account of the applied over-protected CP potential, resulting in a relatively high susceptibility to SCC. The corrosiveness of the microenvironment at crevice middle, however, is mild with proper CP potential; thus, the susceptibility of X70 steel to SCC here is lower than that obtained at the opening and the crevice bottom.
Originality/value
A rectangular crevice cell is built to survey the microenvironment evolution under a disbonded coating in situ. The sensitive zone of subsea pipeline to SCC under a disbonded coating is clarified.
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Wei‐Wei Wu, Bo Yu and Chong Wu
The purpose of this paper is to investigate two issues: understanding how Chinese equipment manufacturing firms can achieve successful independent innovation; and studying the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate two issues: understanding how Chinese equipment manufacturing firms can achieve successful independent innovation; and studying the roles of technology management (TM) and technological capability (TC) in independent innovation. The paper will develop a new model for independent innovation for China's equipment manufacturing firms.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper reviews literature related to independent innovation models, then develops a theoretical framework combining and integrating research from different fields. First, it examines how indexes of independent innovation are defined from the perspectives of technology, patents, standard, R&D and the market. Second, technology management and technological capability are interpreted. Third, relationships among TM, TC, and independent innovation are theoretically analyzed and discussed. Based on these, the paper conducts an in‐depth case study of Harbin Electric Corporation to explain how independent innovation is achieved from perspectives of TM and TC. Finally, the paper constructs and discusses the double helix model of TC and TM for independent innovation.
Findings
The paper finds that: technology management and technological capability both exert important influences on successful independent innovation; the improvement of TC follows cyclical steps of acquisition, assimilation and improvement, and TM is promoted by reforming and updating strategy management, organization management, regulation management and resource‐quality management; TM and TC have interactive effects; and TM and TC are coupled in the form of a double helix to realize independent innovation.
Originality/value
The paper provides new aspects of technology management, technological capability and their interaction to deconstruct independent innovation. The paper also offers insights in presenting a detailed case study of on‐the‐ground innovation and upgrading in China.
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Chung-Yu Wang, Li-Wei Wu and Chung-Lun Wei
This study aims to examine how customers derive satisfaction and affective commitment from their participation in financial services, which is conditional on their relationship…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine how customers derive satisfaction and affective commitment from their participation in financial services, which is conditional on their relationship length.
Design/methodology/approach
Student interviewers approached customers who were exiting banks at two skip intervals in Taiwan. The final survey sample consists of 227 respondents.
Findings
Empirical results confirm that optimal customer participation (CP) influences affective commitment through increased customer satisfaction. The optimal level of CP with customer satisfaction and affective commitment is high if the relationship length is long.
Originality/value
This article shows that the marginal benefits of CP on customer satisfaction and affective commitment become negative after an optimum level. Furthermore, relationship length moderates the aforementioned relationships.
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Jyh-Jeng Wu, Ying-Hueih Chen, Shu-Hua Chien and Wei-Kuang Wu
The purpose of this paper is to apply trust perspective and attachment theory and determined that relational embeddedness, anxiety attachment, and avoidance attachment are major…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to apply trust perspective and attachment theory and determined that relational embeddedness, anxiety attachment, and avoidance attachment are major factors influencing the trust of tenants in owners/developers of shopping centers. The authors also examined whether tenants transfer this trust to new shopping center developers and the consequent effect on relational performance.
Design/methodology/approach
This research was empirically based on primary data collected from new shopping center developers and the consequent effect on relational performance. Structure equation modeling was employed to verify and validate the research model.
Findings
Data collected from 250 shopping center tenants were analyzed, and the findings indicate that relational embeddedness, anxiety attachment, and avoidance attachment positively affect the trust of store tenants in the owners or developers of shopping centers. Furthermore, the authors determined that trust in existing shopping center developers was transferred to new shopping center developers, which consequently enhanced relational performance.
Originality/value
The findings contribute to trust transfer research and provide actionable guidelines to organizations intending to provide intermediary business services.
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Wei-Li Wu and Yi-Chih Lee
Knowledge sharing usually happens in a work group context, but it is rarely know how group leaders influence their members’ knowledge-sharing performance. Based on social exchange…
Abstract
Purpose
Knowledge sharing usually happens in a work group context, but it is rarely know how group leaders influence their members’ knowledge-sharing performance. Based on social exchange theory (SET) and the perspective of positive organizational behavior (POB), this study aims to argue that a group leader’s positive leadership (e.g. empowering leadership) can help group members develop positive psychological capital which can increase their knowledge sharing.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conduct a multilevel analysis to explore the interrelationship among empowering leadership, psychological capital and knowledge sharing. The sample includes 64 work groups consisting of 537 group members, and empirical testing is carried out by hierarchical linear modeling.
Findings
The results show that empowering leadership in a work group has a direct cross-level impact on members’ knowledge sharing and that psychological capital partially mediates the relationship between empowering leadership and knowledge sharing. As a result, this study shows that group leaders with positive leadership can help their members develop better positive psychological resources, which should lead to better knowledge sharing.
Originality/value
Based on the multilevel perspective and SET, this is the first study to explore how group leaders’ empowering leadership influences members’knowledge sharing. Depending on integrating the POB perspective into SET, this study is also the first one that connects two emerging and important research issues – POB and knowledge sharing.
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Andrea Cremasco, Wei Wu, Andreas Blaszczyk and Bogdan Cranganu-Cretu
The application of dry-type transformers is growing in the market because the technology is non-flammable, safer and environmentally friendly. However, the unit dimensions are…
Abstract
Purpose
The application of dry-type transformers is growing in the market because the technology is non-flammable, safer and environmentally friendly. However, the unit dimensions are normally larger and material costs become higher, as no oil is present for dielectric insulation or cooling. At designing stage, a transformer thermal model used for predicting temperature rise is fundamental and the modelling of cooling system is particularly important. This paper aims to describe a thermal model used to compute dry transformers with different cooling system configurations.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper introduces a fast-calculating thermal and pressure network model for dry-transformer cooling systems, preliminarily verified by analytical methods and advanced CFD simulations, and finally validated with experimental results.
Findings
This paper provides an overview of the network model of dry-transformer cooling system, describing its topology and its main variants including natural or forced ventilation, with or without cooling duct in the core, enclosure with roof and floor ventilation openings and air barriers. Finally, it presents a formulation for the new heat exchanger element.
Originality/value
The network approach presented in this paper allows to model efficiently the cooling system of dry-type transformers. This model is based on physical principles rather than empirical assessments that are valid only for specific transformer technologies. In comparison with CFD simulation approach, the network model runs much faster and the accuracies still fall in acceptable range; therefore, one is able to utilize this method in optimization procedures included in transformer design systems.
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