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1 – 10 of 50Xiaoyan Jiang, Sai Wang, Yong Liu, Bo Xia, Martin Skitmore, Madhav Nepal and Amir Naser Ghanbaripour
With the increasing complexity of public–private partnership (PPP) projects, the amount of data generated during the construction process is massive. This paper aims to develop a…
Abstract
Purpose
With the increasing complexity of public–private partnership (PPP) projects, the amount of data generated during the construction process is massive. This paper aims to develop a new information management method to cope with the risk problems involved in dealing with such data, based on domain ontologies of the construction industry, to help manage PPP risks, share and reuse risk knowledge.
Design/methodology/approach
Risk knowledge concepts are acquired and summarized through PPP failure cases and an extensive literature review to establish a domain framework for risk knowledge using ontology technology to help manage PPP risks.
Findings
The results indicate that the risk ontology is capable of capturing key concepts and relationships involved in managing PPP risks and can be used to facilitate knowledge reuse and storage beneficial to risk management.
Research limitations/implications
The classes in the risk knowledge ontology model constructed in this research do not yet cover all the information in PPP project risks and need to be further extended. Moreover, only the framework and basic methods needed are developed, while the construction of a working ontology model and the relationship between implicit and explicit knowledge is a complicated process that requires repeated modifications and evaluations before it can be implemented.
Practical implications
The ontology provides a basis for turning PPP risk information into risk knowledge to allow the effective sharing and communication of project risks between different project stakeholders. It can also have the potential to help reduce the dependence on subjectivity by mining, using and storing tacit knowledge in the risk management process.
Originality/value
The apparent suitability of the nine classes of PPP risk knowledge (project model, risk type, risk occurrence stage, risk source, risk consequence, risk likelihood, risk carrier, risk management measures and risk case) is identified, and the proposed construction method and steps for a complete domain ontology for PPP risk management are unique. A combination of criteria- and task-based evaluations is also developed for assessing the PPP risk ontology for the first time.
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Chao Wang, Xiaoyan Jiang, Qing Li, Zijuan Hu and Jie Lin
Market evaluation of products is the basis for product innovation, yet traditional expert-based evaluation methods are highly dependent on the specialization of experts. There…
Abstract
Purpose
Market evaluation of products is the basis for product innovation, yet traditional expert-based evaluation methods are highly dependent on the specialization of experts. There exist a lot of weak expert-generated texts on the Internet of their own subjective evaluations of products. Analyzing these texts can indirectly extract the opinions of weak experts and transform them into decision-support information that assists product designers in understanding the market.
Design/methodology/approach
In social networks, a subset of users, termed “weak experts”, possess specialized knowledge and frequently share their product experiences online. This study introduces a comparative opinion mining framework that leverages the insights of “weak experts” to analyze user opinions.
Findings
An automotive product case study demonstrates that evaluations based on weak expert insights offer managerial insights with a 99.4% improvement in timeliness over traditional expert analyses. Furthermore, in the few-shot sentiment analysis module, with only 10% of the sample, the precision loss is just 1.59%. In addition, the quantitative module of specialization weighting balances low-specialization expert opinions and boosts the weight of high-specialization weak expert views. This new framework offers a valuable tool for companies in product innovation and market strategy development.
Originality/value
This study introduces a novel approach to opinion mining by focusing on the underutilized insights of weak experts. It combines few-shot sentiment analysis with specialization weighting and AHP, offering a comprehensive and efficient tool for product evaluation and market analysis.
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Xiaoyan Jiang, Jie Lin, Chao Wang and Lixin Zhou
The purpose of the study is to propose a normative approach for market segmentation, profile and monitoring using computing and information technology to analyze User-Generated…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study is to propose a normative approach for market segmentation, profile and monitoring using computing and information technology to analyze User-Generated Content (UGC).
Design/methodology/approach
The specific steps include performing a structural analysis of the UGC and extracting the base variables and values from it, generating a consumer characteristics matrix for segmenting process, and finally describing the segments' preferences, regional and dynamic characteristics. The authors verify the feasibility of the method with publicly available data. The external validity of the method is also tested through questionnaires and product regional sales data.
Findings
The authors apply the proposed methodology to analyze 53,526 UGCs in the New Energy Vehicle (NEV) market and classify consumers into four segments: Brand-Value Suitors (32%), Rational Consumers (21%), High-Quality Fanciers (26%) and Utility-driven Consumers (21%). The authors describe four segments' preferences, dynamic changes over the past six years and regional characteristics among China's top five sales cities. Then, the authors verify the external validity of the methodology through a questionnaire survey and actual NEV sales in China.
Practical implications
The proposed method enables companies to utilize computing and information technology to understand the market structure and grasp the dynamic trends of market segments, which assists them in developing R&D and marketing plans.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the research on UGC-based universal market segmentation methods. In addition, the proposed UGC structural analysis algorithm implements a more fine-grained data analysis.
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Xiaoyan Jiang, Jie Lin, Lixin Zhou and Chao Wang
Employees play an essential role in interactive innovation activities in Open Innovation Communities (OICs). Nevertheless, the factors influencing employees' innovation behavior…
Abstract
Purpose
Employees play an essential role in interactive innovation activities in Open Innovation Communities (OICs). Nevertheless, the factors influencing employees' innovation behavior in OICs have not been studied in depth. This study selects personality traits and social network characteristics to explain why and how these two factors affect employees' innovation behavior in OICs.
Design/methodology/approach
Three regression models were constructed to test the relationship between personality traits, social network characteristics, and interactive innovation behaviors. The authors examined how employees' personality traits (Big Five personality traits) influence employees' innovative behavior (initiating and supporting innovation) directly in OICs and explored whether social network characteristics (social group) mediate the relationship between employees' personality traits and employees' innovation behavior.
Findings
Using empirical data on 162 employees from Salesforce's IdeaExchange, the authors found that extraversion and openness to experience have significant positive effects on employees' interactive innovation behaviors, while conscientiousness has a significant negative effect on employees' interactive innovation behaviors in OICs. Furthermore, the mediation effect test results indicated that social network characteristics have a mediating effect on the relationship between extraversion and innovative behavior, and between openness and innovative behavior.
Originality/value
This study analyzes how personality traits influence innovation behavior in an open innovation environment, thus enriching research related to the factors influencing interactive innovation behavior. Meanwhile, the study integrates personality, social network, and innovative behavior research streams and clearly explains the relationship between the three variables. The research findings assist firms in selecting suitable employees to participate in interactive innovation behaviors in OICs.
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Xiaoyan Jiang, Haoyu Sun, Kun Lu, Sainan Lyu and Martin Skitmore
In China, external supervision on construction safety mainly comes from the government and supervision engineers (SEs). However, the construction safety supervisory mechanism…
Abstract
Purpose
In China, external supervision on construction safety mainly comes from the government and supervision engineers (SEs). However, the construction safety supervisory mechanism (CSSM) contains some dilemmas affecting the improvement of safety performance, such as the declining impact of SEs, the increasing rent-seeking behaviors of contractor and excessive government interference. This study aims to depict and analyze the CSSM in China from an evolutionary game view. The objectives are to understand the supervision strategy and evolutionary behaviors of different stakeholders, propose suggestions for improving safety performance and help the key safety supervision stakeholders, especially the government, formulate a suitable safety supervision strategy.
Design/methodology/approach
This research uses tripartite dynamic evolutionary game theory to study the CSSM in China and solve the stable equilibrium solution using system dynamics.
Findings
This study has revealed the game relationship of construction safety supervision mechanisms in China and solved the stable equilibrium solution. The results prove that a supervision engineer (SE) plays a crucial role in the CSSM, and “supervision engineer useless” is an unreasonable assertion. For government supervision agency (GSA), excessive inspection and free-market regulation are neither wise strategies. GSA can reduce the inspection frequency when general contractors (GCs) input high safety investments and SEs implement responsible supervision. But keeping proper government supervision to avoid GC's unlawful behaviors and SE's rent-seeking is indispensable. In addition, excessive governmental supervision will weaken SE's role, so the government should transfer some supervision powers to SE.
Originality/value
This study focuses on the dynamic evolution process between GSA, GC and SE. This method is different from most research that neglected the dynamic characteristic of system and game solution stability. The research methods not only contribute to construction safety supervision policy-making in China but also help to improve supervision efficiency in other countries and other fields.
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Jingyu Yu, Guixia Ma and Xiaoyan Jiang
The ageing of rural Chinese populations is challenging health and social policy, driving growth in rural nursing homes. Living environment plays a role in enhancing elderly…
Abstract
Purpose
The ageing of rural Chinese populations is challenging health and social policy, driving growth in rural nursing homes. Living environment plays a role in enhancing elderly quality of life (QoL), however, the impact of the built environment and care services are under-studied. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of the built environment and care services on the QoL of elderly people within rural nursing homes in China.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 242 residents of nursing home were surveyed, of which 76 percent were male and 24 percent were female. In total, 25.6 percent were aged between 60 and 69, 40.1 percent between 70 and 79, 31 percent between 80 and 89, and 3.3 percent were 90 or above. Quantitative data were analyzed through factor analysis, reliability test and multiple regression modeling.
Findings
The authors identified six built environment factors (room distance, space, barrier-free design, indoor environment, fire safety, and support facilities) and three services factors (i.e. daily care services, cleaning services, and healthcare services). QoL was measured over four dimensions: QoL, physical health, psychological health, and social relationships. Elderly QoL could be accurately predicted from room distance, space, barrier-free design, indoor environment, daily care services, and cleaning services.
Practical implications
Interventions in design of the built environment and the provision of care services are proposed, including dimensions of living space, heating, and provisions for qualified care providers.
Originality/value
This paper provides a clear picture about elderly special requirements on their built environment and healthcare services, helping architects, engineers and facilities managers understand elderly needs and improve built environment during design and operation stages.
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Yuqin Liu, Lanling Han, Bo Jiang and Xiaoyan Su
The aim of this paper is to solve the problem of lack of real context in JFL (Japanese as Foreign Language) classroom with video corpus-based teaching. It also offers reference…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to solve the problem of lack of real context in JFL (Japanese as Foreign Language) classroom with video corpus-based teaching. It also offers reference for the development of video corpus.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors designed an intelligent Japanese online video corpus, namely the JV Finder, which is a corpus of Japanese films and TV series. The authors applied the JV Finder to JFL teaching to solve the problem of lack of real context and designed several teaching experiments to validate its benefits.
Findings
The results of teaching experiments show that the video corpus-based teaching significantly improves the learning effect. The JV Finder can help students memorize vocabularies and understand the meaning of new vocabularies in a better way.
Research limitations/implications
There are still some differences in language context between real life and films, which cannot fully reflect the state of native speaker in real life. Meanwhile, the number of students participating in this experiment is relatively small, so the universality of the result need further study.
Practical implications
This study combined linguistics with software engineering to solve the problem of lack of real context. Video corpus-based teaching not only can be used in Japanese teaching field but also provide value for other foreign language teaching.
Social implications
The JV Finder has obtained Chinese national patent license (patent no. 20131118). The video corpus (the JV Finder) has a far-reaching impact on JFL teaching.
Originality/value
This paper provides an intelligent Japanese online video corpus. It is applied to JFL teaching to solve the problem of lack of real context. The findings show that the video corpus can significantly improve the effectiveness of Japanese learning.
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Xiaoyan Wang, Jiaxin Zhang, Yang Jiang, Jinmei Du, Dagang Miao and Changhai Xu
This paper aims to determine the most practically applicable color-difference formula for yarn-dyed fabrics woven from warp and weft yarns in different color depths and to…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to determine the most practically applicable color-difference formula for yarn-dyed fabrics woven from warp and weft yarns in different color depths and to establish color-difference tolerance for perceptibility by evaluating yarn-dyed fabrics visually and instrumentally.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 108 sample pairs were evaluated by a panel of 13 observers with perceptibility method under three typical light sources (A, D65 and cool white fluorescent). The data sets were statistically analyzed by the homogeneity of variance test (F-test), analysis of variance, standardized residual sum of squares and performance factor/3.
Findings
Light sources had a slight influence on the visual assessments of yarn-dyed fabrics. Among the eight color-difference formulae for measurements of yarn-dyed fabrics, CIEDE2000(2:1:1) outperformed all other tested formulae, and the color tolerance for the perceptibility of CIEDE2000(2:1:1) was 0.62. When the homochromy index (K) of warp and weft yarns of yarn-dyed fabric was lower than 1.25, the color difference based on ΔE*00(2:1:1) between the two samples was acceptable in terms of the color tolerance for perceptibility (i.e. 0.62).
Practical implications
The warp and weft yarns in different color depths could be woven in fabric with a relatively uniform color appearance.
Originality/value
This study could contribute to cost savings by reusing disqualified dyed yarns during the weaving manufacturing process.
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Xiaoyan Wang, Ping Li, Yi Zheng, Ling (Alice) Jiang and Zhilin Yang
Drawing on conservation of resources (COR) theory and the motivation-opportunity-ability (MOA) framework, this study examines how salespersons' self-monitoring and psychological…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on conservation of resources (COR) theory and the motivation-opportunity-ability (MOA) framework, this study examines how salespersons' self-monitoring and psychological capital influence sales performance.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses survey data from 293 salespersons employed in China and their archival sales performance to test the hypotheses posited.
Findings
The results show that both salespersons' self-monitoring and psychological capital enhance sales performance via adaptive selling. However, these elements are primarily substitutes in influencing adaptive selling. In addition, by dividing social capital into two types (i.e. family-based social capital and customer-based social capital), the results reveal that salespersons' self-monitoring enhances family-based social capital, but not customer-based social capital. Finally, customer-based social capital, but not family-based capital, improves sales performance.
Research limitations/implications
This paper extends the literature on sales force management, which examines various psychological traits and their influences on sales performance. While self-monitoring and psychological capital have been investigated separately, this research simultaneously examines these two factors by drawing on resource conservation theory. Furthermore, it explores how these psychological traits impact salespersons' ability development (i.e. adaptive selling) and capital accumulation (i.e., family-based social capital and customer-based social capital), which, in turn, affect sales performance.
Practical implications
The results offer managerial insights into sales force selection and management. In particular, managers should encourage salespersons to obtain greater customer-based social capital, which is more valuable than family-based social capital in boosting sales performance.
Social implications
The present research is also beneficial for employee psychological health management, as it seeks to illuminate the role of psychological traits, ability development and capital accumulation. It offers insights into sociological research on social capital by categorizing it into family-based and customer-based capital.
Originality/value
This paper extends the literature on salespersons' psychological traits, selling abilities and social capital by examining the impacts of self-monitoring and psychological capital on adaptive selling and social capital. Specifically, this study examines the interplay between self-monitoring and psychological capital from the perspective of resources conservation theory.
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Hang Zhu, Pengxiang Zhang, Xiaoyan Han and Ting Huang
The purpose of this paper is to unveil how family involvement in management teams of private Chinese companies affects professional managers’ psychological ownership and sense of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to unveil how family involvement in management teams of private Chinese companies affects professional managers’ psychological ownership and sense of “us”, in the hopes of understanding why their devotion cannot coexist with the higher level of commitment of family managers.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper includes two main studies. The first uses regression to analyze survey data provided by 165 professional managers working in Chinese private companies. The second is a scenario experiment in which 106 MBA candidates participate.
Findings
The study finds that there is a negative relationship between family management involvement and professional managers’ perceived relationship closeness to owners and psychological ownership of firms. It also finds that relationship closeness fully mediates the negative influence of family management involvement on managers’ psychological ownership.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to both the theoretical literature and management practice. From a theoretical perspective, it connects studies in indigenous sociological psychology with new literature on psychological ownership. The paper finds that personal relationships nurture the shared psychological ownership of managers by generating a sense of “us”, providing a new theoretical explanation for its formation process. Furthermore, this study offers an explanation for the negative signal effect of family involvement in management. From a practical perspective, this study finds that family involvement in management acts as a critical boundary condition for using personal relationships to stimulate professional managers.
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