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Appropriate disposal of end-of-life (EOL) electric vehicle battery (EVB) requires new method of supply chain management (SCM) toward sustainability. Sustainable supply chain finance (SSCF) is an innovative managerial practice dedicated to release cash flow pressure and improve operational efficiency in supply chain, which has drawn increasing attentions from academia and industry. There has been few researches on the integration of EOL EVB management and SSCF yet. The paper aims to fulfill this research gap and lead to the conjunction of environmental management with economic and social concerns.

The paper conducts a systematic literature review to discuss the probable SSCF adoption on potential market of EOL EVB disposal.

The results indicate unsustainable factors and potentials to be explored in current market of EOL EVB disposal. As a solution of sustainable SCM, SSCF can ease the tension between the urgent need of EOL EVB disposal and financing problems in the supply chain, strengthening competitive advantages of EV industry.

The significance of this paper lies in offering an interdisciplinary view by drawing upon key perspectives from the emerging sustainable technology of EVB disposal and its underlying battery second use (B2U) market considering SSCF.

The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge on the economic performance of genetically modified (GM) cotton worldwide based on a wide range of data and source from available literature, and second to assess yield gain and economic performance.

A systematic review was captured to provide the evidence of potential benefits of GM cotton. A country-specific analysis was conducted in order to compare economic indicators and employed meta-analysis to find out the significance of the different of GM cotton over its counterpart.

This paper depicts positive impact of commercialized GM cotton in terms of net revenue, and the benefits, especially in terms of increased yields, are greatest for the mostly farmers in developing countries who have benefitted from the spill over of technology targeted at farmers in industrialized countries.

Due to the variability of the data which came from different methodologies, it is difficult to determine the differences of the performances each individual study.

This, it is believed that results from this study can be useful for operations of all sizes as the authors think about what needs to be focussed on for long-term producers survival.

The paper clearly indicates that China is the highest cotton yield of GM cotton, the lowest cost of GM seed and the lowest cost of chemical spray compare to any other countries. Therefore, this is the fact that the adoption of GM cotton has been widely spread among the farmers across the regions in China.

Tactile sensation is an important sensory function for robots in contact with the external environment. To better acquire tactile information about objects, this paper aims to propose a three-layer structure of the interdigital flexible tactile sensor.

The sensor consists of a bottom electrode layer, a middle pressure-sensitive layer and a top indenter layer. First, the pressure sensitive material, structure design, fabrication process and circuit design of the sensor are introduced. Then, the calibration and performance test of the designed sensor is carried out. Four functions are used to fit and calibrate the relationship between the output voltage of the sensor and the contact force. Finally, the contact force sensing test of different weight objects and the flexible test of the sensor are carried out.

The performance test results show that the sensitivity of the sensor is 0.93 V/N when it is loaded with 0–3 N and 0.23 V/N when it is loaded with 3–5 N. It shows good repeatability, and the cross-interference between the sensing units is generally low. The contact force sensing test results of different weight objects show that the proposed sensor performs well in contact force. Each part of the sensor is a flexible material, allowing the sensor to achieve bending deformation, so that the sensor can better perceive the contact signs of the grasped object.

The sensor can paste the surface of the paper robot’s gripper to measure the contact force of the grasping object and estimate the contour of the object.

In this paper, a three-layer interdigital flexible tactile sensor is proposed, and the structural parameters of the interdigital electrode are designed to improve the sensitivity and response speed of the sensor. The indenter with three shapes of the prism, square cylinder and hemisphere is preliminarily designed and the prism indenter with better conduction force is selected through finite element analysis, which can concentrate the external force in the sensing area to improve the sensitivity. The sensor designed in this paper can realize the measurement of contact force, which provides a certain reference for the field of robot tactile.

The use of consumer credit by Chinese citizens has risen rapidly in the Internet era. The purpose of this paper is to predict a mechanism for credit consumption through Internet usage, with social comparison and materialism as mediators. Four types of Internet usage (social use, entertainment use, informational use, and online shopping) were identified to investigate whether different types of Internet usage influence credit consumption differently and whether the influencing mechanisms vary.

A structured online survey involving 558 valid responses from Chinese college students was completed, with structural equation modeling being applied to analyze the collected data.

Among the four types of Internet activities, online shopping was found to be the most significant predictor of credit consumption; results show that it influences credit consumption through two indirect pathways: materialism and a combination of social comparison and materialism. Social use was found to only affect credit consumption through materialism. In contrast, the influences of both informational use and entertainment use on credit consumption were insignificant.

By testing the concurrent mediating effects of social comparison and materialism, this study broadens our understanding of how Internet usage and credit consumption are connected. While most studies empirically test overall Internet usage and focus on direct relationships, we identify four types of Internet activities and demonstrate the mechanisms by which different types of Internet usage influence credit consumption, and how consumption varies based on Internet activity.

The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of second generation involvement on corporate innovation in Chinese family firms.

Based on the manually collected sample of listed Chinese family firms from 2003 to 2014, the study empirically examines the impact of second generation involvement on corporate innovation. The authors apply a difference-in-differences research design and a Heckman two-stage least squares regression to relieve the endogeneity concerns.

The research finds a positive relationship between second generation involvement and corporate innovation. This effect is more pronounced among the firms appointing second generation family members with overseas training experience and firms with weak external monitoring. Further analysis shows that the curtailment of related party transactions and the improvement of accounting information quality are important channels.

The findings provide several practical implications for Chinese family firms to survive the succession process and maintain competitive advantages across generations.

First, this study is helpful to understand the strategies adopted by family firms to maintain their long-term competitiveness and pursue continuing growth across generations. Second, the findings are also consistent with the transfer cost hypothesis of Fan et al. (2012) and Bennedsen et al. (2015). Finally, the findings imply that second generation involvement has a substitutive effect for external monitoring mechanisms.

Using panel data of 11324 firms in China from 1996 to 1999, the study finds that FDI tends to generate positive technology spillovers to domestic firms within the same industry, but adversely affect productivity of domestic firms in other industries. It is also found that both the positive and the adverse effects are more significant at the local than the national level. Evidence from China thus suggests that FDI technology spillovers are in favor of domestic firms within the same industry rather than domestic firms in other industries, and are most likely to affect domestic firms within the same locality. The finding has significant implications for the study of the interaction between MNEs and local firms in emerging markets.

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) on communication systems of unban rail transit can hardly be clarified because of complicated factors around railways. This paper aims to target this issue and extend experimental and theoretical analysis.

This paper take the Nanjing Dashengguan Bridge as an example, because it carries the most tracks in the world and bears three kinds of trains running through, providing a perfect complex environment. First, it investigates the three communication systems, terrestrial trunked radio, communications-based train control (CBTC) and passenger information system (PIS) that Nanjing Metro uses, and select appropriate devices accordingly. Second, it establishes a system level platform and conduct three tests to analyze their respective operating principles and performance difference under common electromagnetic environments. Third, it adopts theoretical formula to verify test results.

The experiment results and theoretical analysis mutually corroborate each other and present practical recommendations: an 8 m or more distance between two tracks will ensure no obvious EMI created by a passing train on communication systems; two certain communication systems should not share the same frequency band; interference level is more related to field strength than weathers and building materials; and CBTC DSSS waveguide mode as well as PIS LTE mode are preferred.

This research also provides a practical method of investigating EMI for other complex situations.

This chapter reviews the effects of air transport liberalization, and investigates the roles played by airport-airline vertical arrangements in liberalizing markets. Our investigation concludes that liberalization has led to substantial economic and traffic growth. Such positive outcomes are mainly due to increased competition and efficiency gains in the airline industry, and positive externalities to the overall economy. Liberalization allows airlines to optimize their networks, and thus may introduce substantial demand and financial uncertainty to airports. Vertical arrangements between airlines and airports may offer a wide range of benefits to the parties involved, yet such arrangements could also lead to airline entry barriers which reduce the effects of liberalization. Three approaches have been developed to model the effects of liberalization in complex market conditions, which include the analytical, econometric and computational network methods. These approaches should be selectively utilized in policy studies on liberalization.

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of green bonds on common prosperity in China. Green bonds have gained significant attention as a means to address financial challenges and promote environmental protection. This research aims to investigate the influence of green bonds on common prosperity by utilizing the system-generalized method of moments (SYS-GMM) and analyzing panel data from prefecture-level cities. The study also explores the theoretical mechanisms and heterogeneous relationships between green bonds and common prosperity, providing valuable guidance for advancing economic and social well-being in China.

This study employs a system-generalized method of moments (SYS-GMM) as the methodology to investigate the influence of green bonds on common prosperity in China. Panel data from prefecture-level cities for the period 2014 to 2020 are utilized for analysis. The SYS-GMM approach allows for the examination of dynamic relationships and control of endogeneity issues. By utilizing this methodology, the study aims to provide robust and reliable findings on the impact of green bonds on common prosperity, considering the specific context of China's ecological civilization development and financial challenges faced by energy-saving and environmental protection enterprises.

The findings of this research indicate several important outcomes. Firstly, common prosperity in China experienced substantial growth between 2014 and 2020. Secondly, green bonds have demonstrated a clear and positive impact on common prosperity. They contribute to the enhancement of common prosperity by driving industrial structure upgrading and fostering green technology innovation. Lastly, the study reveals that the positive influence of green bonds on common prosperity is particularly pronounced in the western region of China. These findings highlight the significance of green bonds in promoting sustainable economic development and societal well-being.

This study contributes to the existing literature by examining the impact of green bonds on common prosperity in China, utilizing the system-generalized method of moments (SYS-GMM) and panel data analysis. The research not only adds to the understanding of the relationship between green bonds and economic well-being but also provides insights into the theoretical mechanisms and heterogeneous relationships involved. The findings showcase the positive influence of green bonds on common prosperity, emphasizing their role in addressing financial challenges, promoting environmental protection, and driving sustainable development. The study's conclusions offer valuable guidance for policymakers, financial institutions, and stakeholders in advancing common prosperity in China.

With the rapid development of paid online social question and answer (Q&A) communities, monetary social functions have been introduced and have potential benefits for both platforms and users. However, these functions' impact on knowledge contribution remains uncertain. This study proposes a conceptual model based on the stimulus–organism–response framework, according to which monetary and non-monetary social functions can help nurture short-term and long-term relationships among community users, and thereafter improves social identity and knowledge-sharing intentions.

This study selects Zhihu, a famous online social Q&A community in China, and conducts an online survey to collect data from its frequent users. A sample of 286 valid questionnaires was collected to test our research model by using a structural equation modeling method. In addition, a bootstrapping approach is used to test the mediation effect.

Results indicate that monetary social functions help nurture short-term and long-term relationships among community users. However, non-monetary social functions only affect short-term relationships directly. Short-term and long-term relationships both have a positive relationship with social identity and thereafter improve users' knowledge-sharing intentions.

This study focuses on users' knowledge-sharing intentions in Q&A communities from the perspective of social. Specifically, we separated social functions in Q&A platforms into monetary and non-monetary ones and explored their impact on the development of short-term and long-term relationships. Results demonstrate the importance of monetary social functions and explain how monetary and non-monetary social functions affect users' knowledge-sharing intentions in different approaches.