Xiaorui Hu, Zihan Chen and Fengxin Sun
Current measurement methods for fabric comfort attributes generally suffer from either complicated testing processes and intricate measuring equipment or partial evaluation…
Abstract
Purpose
Current measurement methods for fabric comfort attributes generally suffer from either complicated testing processes and intricate measuring equipment or partial evaluation objectives and thus are difficult for effectively evaluating multidimensional human perceptions towards the comprehensive comfort of fabrics. The purpose of this paper is to develop a facile test device, namely fabric comfort tester, to achieve a comprehensive evaluation of human sensations in terms of sensorial, thermal and acoustic comfort in clothing.
Design/methodology/approach
The prototype of the designed device was introduced, which enables a simultaneous test for multiple physical and mechanical properties of fabrics based on a force sensor and a set of infrared sensors via constructing multi-deformation states of the measured fabrics. Eleven measurement indices extracted from the measurement curves are defined and interpreted based on correlation analysis. A series of regression models are developed by relating the measurement indices with subjective evaluation results and validated by a set of independent samples.
Findings
Human perceptions of sensorial, thermal and acoustic comfort in clothing can be predicted by the measured physical indices and the designed test device with the developed regression models provides an alternative method to characterize the fabric comfort attributes effectively.
Originality/value
The work develops a novel device for objective evaluation of fabric comfort properties by a simultaneous test, integrating the mechanical measurement with thermal test and thereby filling the gap between the existing evaluation methods and practical requirements for the digitalization of fabric comfort in present textile and garment trade.
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Chengqi (Chen) Guo and Xiaorui Hu
The purpose of this paper is to report the findings and lessons learned from a case study that is based on Alibaba's business‐to‐business (B2B) fraud in China. The influence of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to report the findings and lessons learned from a case study that is based on Alibaba's business‐to‐business (B2B) fraud in China. The influence of such incidents and post‐hoc solutions are research worthy in today's booming digital business world.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper uses a case study approach and practice‐driven method that rely on user behaviors, corporate policies, and financial data. The taxonomic framework of online fraud and corresponding countermeasures arise from digital forensic reports, policy reviews, data analysis, and a literature review.
Findings
The key findings are indigenous to the Chinese B2B landscape, yet they help international stakeholders understand and address fraudulent issues. The paper finds beside the traditional customer‐based account signature, internal employees must be assigned their own signature systems to track malicious activities. Meanwhile, digital signature systems can be enhanced by reducing the record inter‐arrival time. Policy revisions are proposed to (e.g. offshore companies) lead to the decrease in the number of fraudulent incidents.
Originality/value
The paper extends existing understanding of online fraud by studying a Chinese case. The findings are timely and based on real world experience. Actual practices are discussed and evaluated. A range of fraudulent activities is reviewed in a comprehensive framework. The findings are important due to the public exposure and wide implications of such an incident. Also, this study reveals that fraud protection is an on‐going effort requiring a triangulation of technical artifacts, policy management, and operations management.
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Nitish Singh, Hongxin Zhao and Xiaorui Hu
To explore the depiction of cultural values on international web sites.
Abstract
Purpose
To explore the depiction of cultural values on international web sites.
Design/methodology/approach
To measure cultural content on the web Singh and Matsuo's conceptual framework was used. Content analysis was used to study the cultural content on web sites from China, India, Japan and the US.
Findings
The results indicate that local web sites of India, China, Japan and US not only reflect cultural values of the country of their origin, but also seem to differ significantly from each other on cultural dimensions.
Research limitations/implications
This study validates the cultural value framework of Singh and Matsuo by successfully using it to analyze the cultural content on various country web sites. The study also provides evidence to international marketers and academics that instead of a “transnational web style” a culturally unique web style is emerging on the web.
Practical implications
Marketers need to culturally customize their international web sites as the web is emerging as global medium impregnated with local cultural values.
Originality/value
The paper extends the standardization versus localization debate to the web, a medium yet not explored in this context.
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Nitish Singh, Olivier Furrer and Massimiliano Ostinelli
With the growth of worldwide e‐commerce, companies are increasingly targeting foreign online consumers. However, there is a dearth of evidence as to whether global consumers…
Abstract
With the growth of worldwide e‐commerce, companies are increasingly targeting foreign online consumers. However, there is a dearth of evidence as to whether global consumers prefer to browse and buy from standardized global web sites or web sites adapted to their local cultures. This study provides evidence from five different countries as to whether global consumers prefer local web content or standardized web content. The study also measures how the degree of cultural adaptation on the web affects consumer perception of site effectiveness.
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Guangkai Hu, Xiaorui Zhang, Lizhu Liu, Weng Ling and Weiwei Cui
The dispersity of graphene oxide (GO) has an important effect on the properties of epoxy resin (EP) composites. Many modification and dispersion methods require the use of inert…
Abstract
Purpose
The dispersity of graphene oxide (GO) has an important effect on the properties of epoxy resin (EP) composites. Many modification and dispersion methods require the use of inert solvents which do not participate in the modification reaction, although GO can be uniformly dispersed in water and alcohol solvents. Based on this requirement, several inert solvents were selected as dispersion solvents to find out the suitable inert solvent for GO dispersion into EP matrix.
Design/methodology/approach
Several inert solvents with different solubility parameters were selected as dispersion solvents to prepare GO/EP composite. The microstructure, mechanical properties, insulation properties, dielectric properties and thermal property of the composite were characterized, which was due to find suitable inert solvent for GO dispersion into EP matrix.
Findings
The dispersity of N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) was the best stable suspension state when it was used as solvent instead of occurring sedimentation and agglomeration. Moreover, DMF was further confirmed as a suitable inert solvent for the dispersion of GO into EP according to the mechanical properties, insulation properties and thermal conductivity characterization.
Research limitations/implications
The dispersion of GO in solvents has already been researched, but the traditional solvents, such as alcohols and water, has shown their limitations with the increase of modification methods, which were not suitable for the modification environment such as cyanate graft modification. Therefore, it was very important to choose a kind of inert solvent for dissolving EP matrix and dispersing GO better.
Originality/value
Several inert solvents were used to disperse GO into EP, and the influence of different dispersing solvents on the adhesive was discussed through the analysis of the mechanical properties, insulation properties and thermal conductivity, which was due to explore the inert solvent suitable for GO dispersion.
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Lizhu Liu, Guangkai Hu, Xiaorui Zhang, Weng Ling and Jiawen Zhang
The effects of ultrasonication on the epoxy resin and its emulsion were investigated to find out the changes in the Mη and molecular structure of epoxy, as well as its room…
Abstract
Purpose
The effects of ultrasonication on the epoxy resin and its emulsion were investigated to find out the changes in the Mη and molecular structure of epoxy, as well as its room temperature storage stability, centrifugal stability, particle size and its distribution and particle morphology more importantly with the influence of different ultrasonic irradiation time, power and temperature.
Design/methodology/approach
The emulsion was prepared using an emulsifier with epoxy resin and by using phase inversion after subjecting to ultrasound irradiation with a power of 200 W at 50°C for 60 min. The changes in the epoxy resin and its emulsion induced by ultrasound were characterized by Ubbelohde viscometer, FT-IR, 13C-NMR, high-speed desktop centrifuge, laser particle size analyzer and transmission electron microscope.
Findings
The molecular weight of the epoxy resin was initially decreased and then stabilized by the increasing of ultrasonic irradiation time. The mole rate of the epoxy groups in epoxy molecular were decreased by about 14 per cent, resulting from ultrasonic irradiation. The particle size of the emulsion was decreased, while the particle size distribution became uniform in a certain time. The narrow distribution, stable and uniform of waterborne epoxy resin emulsion with more than 60 days room temperature storage period, 80 per cent of the supernatant volume, about 220 nm average particle size was gained with a power of 200 W at 50°C for 60 min.
Research limitations/implications
To overcome the problems commonly encountered with an epoxy emulsion, for example, short storage period and wider particle size, which limit its practical application, the effects of ultrasonic irradiation on the epoxy resin and its emulsion, were investigated. As the stability of emulsion was improved with the introduction of ultrasonic irradiation, the application of epoxy emulsion was improved.
Originality/value
The room temperature storage stability and centrifugal stability of the emulsion were decreased by the mechanical method, and thus, the benefit of an in-depth understanding of the influence of ultrasonic treatment on epoxy resin and its emulsion could further promote the development of water-based coatings.
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Xiaorui Wang and Shen Hu
This article intends to explore the sustainability accounting practices that emerge from the business of artificial forestry in the Qingshui River society of southwest China in…
Abstract
Purpose
This article intends to explore the sustainability accounting practices that emerge from the business of artificial forestry in the Qingshui River society of southwest China in the 18th-19th centuries.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a historical approach, we set out to discuss the systematic use of “folk contract” as a tool of tracing accountability in timber trading and in the collective management of community forests in this region, based on the archives of Qingshui River Manuscripts.
Findings
The findings indicate that active transactions of small forest plots facilitated by the prevalent use of folk contracts allow both the landlords and the tenants to easily acquire cashflow needed any time before the harvest, and in turn prevent premature logging and deforestation for crop farming. An “open ledger” bookkeeping system emerged from the extensive contracting practices guarantees the functioning of a dualistic accountability system, where both market value of timbers and “face” value of community members' reputation are preserved for long-term sustainability of local economy, society and ecological environment.
Originality/value
From the perspective of economic anthropology, this study forms the link between the folk contract practice in sustainable forestry of the Qingshui River society and the emancipatory accounting literature.
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Zexing Ren, Qiushi Li, Xiaorui Yang and Jihui Wang
The purpose of this paper is to identify corrosion types and corrosion transitions by a novel electrochemical noise analysis method based on Adaboost.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify corrosion types and corrosion transitions by a novel electrochemical noise analysis method based on Adaboost.
Design/methodology/approach
The corrosion behavior of Q235 steel was investigated in typical passivation, uniform corrosion and pitting solution by electrochemical noise. Nine feature parameters were extracted from the electrochemical noise data based on statistical analysis and shot noise theory. The feature parameters were analysis by Adaboost to train model and identify corrosion types. The trained Adaboost model was used to identify corrosion type transitions.
Findings
Adaboost algorithm can accurately identify the corrosion type, and the accuracy rate is 99.25%. The identification results of Adaboost for the corrosion type are consistent with corroded morphology analysis. Compared with other machine learning, Adaboost can identify corrosion types more accurately. For corrosion type transition, Adaboost can effectively identify the transition from passivation to uniform corrosion and from passivation to pitting corrosion consistent with corroded morphology analysis.
Originality/value
Adaboost is a suitable method for prediction of corrosion type and transitions. Adaboost can establish the classification model of metal corrosion, which can more conveniently and accurately explore the corrosion types. Adaboost provides important reference for corrosion prediction and protection.
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Weiquan Yang, Zhaolin Lu, Zengrui Li, Yalin Cui, Lijin Dai, Yupeng Li, Xiaorui Ma and Huaibo Zhu
The maturity of artificial intelligence technology and the emergence of AI-generated content (AIGC) tools have endowed college students with a human-AIGC tools collaboration…
Abstract
Purpose
The maturity of artificial intelligence technology and the emergence of AI-generated content (AIGC) tools have endowed college students with a human-AIGC tools collaboration learning mode. However, there is still a great controversy about its impact on learning effect. This paper is aimed at investigating the impact of the human-AIGC tools collaboration on the learning effect of college students.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, a hypothesized model was constructed to investigate the effects of dependence, usage purpose, trust level, frequency, and proficiency of using AIGC tools on the learning effect, respectively. This paper distributed questionnaires through random sampling. Then, the improved Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to assign weights and normalize data. Lastly, one-way ANOVA and multiple linear regression analyses were used to measure and analyze variables, revealing the mechanism of influence.
Findings
The usage purpose, frequency, and proficiency of using AIGC tools have a significant positive effect on learning. Being clear about the usage purpose of AIGC tools and matching the specific study tasks will enhance the learning effect. College students should organically integrate AIGC tools into each learning process, which is conducive to building a learning flow applicable to oneself, improving efficiency, and then enhancing learning effects. The trust level in AIGC tools is significant, but positively and weakly correlated, indicating that college students need to screen the generated content based on their knowledge system framework and view it dialectically. The dependence on AIGC tools has a negative and significant effect on learning effect. College students are supposed to systematically combine self-reflection and the use of AIGC tools to avoid overdependence on them.
Research limitations/implications
Based on the findings, the learning suggestions for college students in human-machine collaboration in the AIGC era are proposed to provide ideas for the future information-based education system. For further research, scholars can expand on different groups, professions, and fields of study.
Originality/value
Previous studies have focused more on the impact of AIGC on the education system. This paper analyzed the impact of the various factors of using AIGC tools in the learning process on the learning effect from the perspective of college students.
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Alan Cheung, Xin Guo, Xiaorui Wang and Zhuang Miao
The purpose of this paper is to examine the key factors affecting Mainland Chinese students pursuing a Master of Education degree in Hong Kong on their study abroad decision and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the key factors affecting Mainland Chinese students pursuing a Master of Education degree in Hong Kong on their study abroad decision and return intentions.
Design/methodology/approach
The current study employed a mixed-methods approach to investigate factors that affect Mainland Chinese students pursuing MEd degrees in Hong Kong. Participants were first invited to fill out a questionnaire. After collecting and analyzing the survey data, in-depth interviews with a selected group of students were carried out by the research team to obtain useful qualitative data to triangulate the survey findings. A purposeful and convenience sampling method, carried out through the personal network of the research team, was used to recruit MEd Mainland Chinese students in Hong Kong to participate in the current study.
Findings
The findings provided compelling evidence that Hong Kong was an attractive study destination to this particular group of MEd Chinese students. The findings also indicated that academic factors were more important than social, cultural and economic factors when it came to choosing their study destination. In contrast to previous studies, participants expressed a much stronger desire to return home upon graduation. The three most influential predictors of their decision to return were the lack of a Hong Kong teaching certificate (r=+0.36), the opportunity to contribute to their hometown (r=+0.31) and the inclination to be closer to family and friends (r=+0.20).
Originality/value
While a number of studies have been carried out to study why Mainland Chinese students chose Hong Kong as their study destination to pursue their teacher training degree, none of these studies focused exclusively on fee-paying MEd Chinese students. Hong Kong is facing keen competition from both traditional host countries and emerging host countries to recruit students from Mainland China. It is therefore crucial to understand the needs of these Mainland Chinese students in a competitive, globalized, tertiary education market, as the satisfaction of students, in the form of positive discussion among alumni, promotes a university’s reputation and sustains its advantage in attracting students.