Yiqi Yang, Eric Macintosh and Xiaoyan Xing
The study’s purpose is to investigate the constraints and facilitators influencing skiing participation in Beijing. This research includes three segments based on the frequency of…
Abstract
Purpose
The study’s purpose is to investigate the constraints and facilitators influencing skiing participation in Beijing. This research includes three segments based on the frequency of skiing participation (i.e. non-, low-frequency-, and high-frequency skiers). By doing so, the study offers an enhanced understanding of the Chinese skiing market and unveils insights assisting industry professionals to effectively address their customers' diverse needs and expectations.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was developed based on prior research and consisted of four sections: (1) skiing participation; (2) constraints; (3) facilitators; (4) demographics. Items in the constraint and facilitator scale were measured using a 7-point Likert scale. A total of 409 participants completed the survey. The participants included 137 non-skiers, 134 low-frequency skiers, and 138 high-frequency skiers.
Findings
Through an exploratory factor analysis, three constructs emerged: general constraints, facilitators and learning constraints. As expected, facilitators were a positive predictor of skiing participation. Importantly, the emergent construct of learning constraints was a negative predictor of skiing and yet, the construct of general constraints was insignificant. Furthermore, the three segments differ significantly in household status, income, and education level.
Originality/value
These results support previous research noting the relevance in skiing participation of the dimensions: facilitators and learning constraints. The findings point to the need for ski resorts in Beijing to offer instructional sessions for beginners so they may become familiar with skiing fundamentals and enhance their confidence, particularly among nonskiers and low-frequency skiers.
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Xiaoyan Xing, Anthony G. Church, Norm O'Reilly, Ann Pegoraro, John Nadeau, Louise Heslop and Benoit Séguin
Based on the work of Parent (2008) on mega sports events, this paper explores the relationships among events stakeholders in Olympic Games host/bid city marketing. It outlines…
Abstract
Based on the work of Parent (2008) on mega sports events, this paper explores the relationships among events stakeholders in Olympic Games host/bid city marketing. It outlines research questions, identifies a theoretical framework to better understand Olympic city marketing, presents four essays related to issues within this framework, and provides conclusions and suggestions for future research.
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Michael L. Lemmon and Thanh Nguyen
The positive relationship between dividend yield and risk-adjusted return, which is called the dividend yield effect, is well documented in the US market. Yet, the drivers of the…
Abstract
Purpose
The positive relationship between dividend yield and risk-adjusted return, which is called the dividend yield effect, is well documented in the US market. Yet, the drivers of the yield effect are unclear. Some argue this evidence is consistent with the prediction that the investor-level tax burden is capitalized in stock prices, also known as the tax capitalization hypothesis. Still others contend that nontax omitted factors drive the yield effect. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the debate by exploring if the yield effect occurs in Hong Kong market where no taxes exist on either dividend income or capital gain.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use two main approaches to detect the dividend yield effect. The first approach groups stocks into portfolios based on dividend yields and tests for the presence of a yield effect at the portfolio level. The second approach employs the Fama-MacBeth methodology at the firm level and tests if a yield effect is existent after controlling for firm characteristics known to explain stock returns.
Findings
The paper documents a robust dividend yield effect in the Hong Kong market and suggests that nontax reasons help to explain the yield effect.
Originality/value
Tax capitalization is a long-standing question in financial economics and the research evidence is mixed. The findings do not completely rule out the tax capitalization hypothesis. The main contribution is to illustrate the difficulty of conducting a powerful test of this hypothesis in practice and to urge caution in interpreting the dividend yield effect as evidence in support of this hypothesis.
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Xiaoyan 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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Xiaoping Lin, Xiaoyan Li, Jiming Yao, Xianghong Li and Jianlin Xu
To develop electrode materials for supercapacitor with superior electrochemical performance and simple preparation process, the purpose of this study is to prepare flexible…
Abstract
Purpose
To develop electrode materials for supercapacitor with superior electrochemical performance and simple preparation process, the purpose of this study is to prepare flexible CC/NiS/a-NiS electrodes with self-supporting structure by loading hydrothermally synthesized a-NiS particles along with nano-NiS on carbon cloth by electroplating method.
Design/methodology/approach
The effects of current densities, temperatures and pH values on the loading amount and uniformity of the active substances during the plating process were investigated on the basis of optimization of surface morphology, crystalline structure and electrochemical evaluation as the cyclic voltammetry curves, constant current charge–discharge curves and AC impedance.
Findings
The a-NiS particles on CC/NiS/a-NiS were mostly covered by the plated nano-NiS, which behaved as a bulge and provided a larger specific surface area. The CC/NiS/a-NiS electrode prepared with the optimized parameter exhibited a specific capacitance of 115.13 F/g at a current density of 1 A/g and a Coulomb efficiency of 84% at 5 A/g, which is superior to that of CC/NiS electrode prepared by electroplating at a current density of 10 mA/cm2, a temperature of 55°C and a pH of 4, demonstrating its fast charge response of the electrode and potential application in wearable electronics.
Originality/value
This study provides an integrated solution for the development of specifically structured NiS-based electrode for supercapacitor with simple process, low cost and high electrochemical charge/discharge performance, and the simple and easy-to-use method is also applicable to other electrochemically active composites.
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The purpose of this paper is under the analysis framework of the system theory, analyzing the optimal contract mode of agricultural supply chain to guarantee the stability of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is under the analysis framework of the system theory, analyzing the optimal contract mode of agricultural supply chain to guarantee the stability of agricultural supply chain and the equilibrium of agricultural product market, to analyze the effect of farmers’ risk attitude on the selection of contract modes and to find the way to encourage farmers’ productive effort and to avoid farmers’ hitchhiking behavior, to guarantee the stability of agricultural supply chain.
Design/methodology/approach
Under the guidance of the system theory, using the Stackelberg model and the nonlinear programming theory, this paper comparatively analyzes farmers’ effort (productive effort and sales effort), farmers’ income and the stability of agricultural supply system of four types of contract modes between farmers, third-party organizations and market.
Findings
First, in the agricultural market, market-type contract cannot maximize farmers’ income. The main reason is that farmers do not have enough ability to avoid market risk and to bargain. Second, for farmers of risk seeking, choosing a market-type contract and secondary-income contract can increase their income. Third, under the fixed-purchase price contract, the hitchhiking behavior would happen. Fourth, when farmers’ productive efforts are the same, farmers’ income under the secondary-income contract is higher than under the fixed-purchase price contract. Because under the secondary-income contract, farmers have the opportunity to obtain the secondary distribution of benefits, farmers’ hitchhiking behavior could be avoided.
Originality/value
Analyzing the contract modes between farmers and the third-party organization in the agricultural market could reduce the influence of price fluctuation, avoid the uncertainty of the relationship between the supply and demand, stimulate the productive effort of farmers and provide theoretical guidance for establishing efficient and stable agricultural supply system.
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Washika Haak-Saheem, Xiaoyan Liang, Peter Jeffrey Holland and Chris Brewster
The pandemic emphasised the importance for society of the “hidden” workforce – cleaners, delivery drivers, security guards or hospital porters. This paper explores the well-being…
Abstract
Purpose
The pandemic emphasised the importance for society of the “hidden” workforce – cleaners, delivery drivers, security guards or hospital porters. This paper explores the well-being of low-status expatriates in the international workplace exemplified by the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This is one of the first studies examining the well-being of people at the bottom of the pyramid, living in difficult circumstances, and undertaking work that is hard and sometimes dangerous.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors adopt an exploratory approach. Using semi-structured interview data from 21 low-status expatriates, the authors examine their experiences in the UAE in relation to their well-being, allowing the authors to suggest the need to develop our understanding of the concept of well-being and the concept's application.
Findings
Low-status expatriates live restrictive lives, away from their family and friends for extended periods, and subject to rigid terms and conditions of employment. Difficult circumstances, long working hours, late or arbitrarily reduced salary payment and a lack of voice affect their personal well-being and sacrificed to consideration for their family well-being. Applying the concept of well-being in such cases requires the authors to develop the notion beyond the individual to encompass the wider family.
Research limitations/implications
This exploratory analysis opens new avenues for well-being studies and highlights the need for contextualised research. Future research might benefit from quantitative methods being used alongside qualitative methods and collecting multiple perspective data, including the views of managers and policy makers and data from the “left-behind” families of these low-status expatriates.
Practical implications
There is plenty of scope for managers of low-status expatriates to improve the latter's well-being. Given the lack of interest in doing so, the authors suggest that policy makers may need to modify extant legalisation to ensure a greater focus on low-status expatriates.
Originality/value
The authors believe this to be the first study to examine the impact of family orientation on the well-being of low-status expatriates, encouraging the authors to challenge and suggest developments to current understandings of well-being.
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Debiao Meng, Peng Nie, Shiyuan Yang, Xiaoyan Su and Chengbo Liao
As a clean and renewable energy source, wind energy will become one of the main sources of new energy supply in the future. Relying on the stable and strong wind resources at sea…
Abstract
Purpose
As a clean and renewable energy source, wind energy will become one of the main sources of new energy supply in the future. Relying on the stable and strong wind resources at sea, wind energy has great potential to become the primary energy. As a critical part of the wind turbine, the gearbox of a wind turbine often bears a large external load. Especially at sea, due to the effects of ocean corrosion, waves and wind, the burden of the wind turbine gearbox is greater, which brings great challenges to its reliability analysis. This study aims to systematically review the reliability research in wind turbine gearboxes and guide future research directions and challenges.
Design/methodology/approach
This study systematically reviews some design requirements and reliability analysis methods for wind turbine gearboxes. Then, it summarizes previous studies on wind load uncertainty modeling methods, including the processing of wind measurement data and the summary of three different classifications of random wind speed prediction models. Finally, existing reliability analysis studies on two major parts of the gearbox are described and summarized.
Findings
First, the basic knowledge of wind turbine gearboxes and their reliability analysis is introduced. The requirements and reliability analysis methods of wind turbine gearboxes are explained. Then, the processing methods of wind measurement data and three different random wind speed prediction models are described in detail. Furthermore, existing reliability analysis studies on two common parts of wind turbine gearboxes, gears and bearings, are summarized and classified, including a summary of bearing failure modes. Finally, three possible future research directions for wind turbine gearbox reliability analysis are discussed, namely, reliability research under the influence of multiple factors on gears, damage indicators of bearing failure modes and quantitative evaluation criteria for the overall dynamic characteristics of offshore wind turbine gearboxes and a summary is also given.
Originality/value
This paper aims to systematically introduce the relevant contents of wind turbine gearboxes and their reliability analysis. The contents of wind speed data processing, predictive modeling and reliability analysis of major components are also comprehensively reviewed, including the classification and principle introduction of these contents.
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Wei Chen, Qiuju Zhang, Ye Yuan, Xiaoyan Chen and Qinghao He
Continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites (CFRTPCs) with great mechanical properties and green recyclability have been widely used in aerospace, transportation, sports…
Abstract
Purpose
Continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites (CFRTPCs) with great mechanical properties and green recyclability have been widely used in aerospace, transportation, sports and leisure products, etc. However, the conventional molding technologies of CFRTPCs, with high cost and low efficiency, limit the property design and broad application of composite materials. The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of the 3D printing process on the integrated rapid manufacturing of CFRTPCs.
Design/methodology/approach
Tensile and flexural simulations and tests were performed on CFRTPCs. The effect of key process parameters on mechanical properties and molding qualities was evaluated individually and mutually to optimize the printing process. The micro morphologies of tensile and flexural breakages of the printed CFRTPCs were observed and analyzed to study the failure mechanism.
Findings
The results proved that the suitable process parameters for great printing qualities and mechanical properties included the glass hot bed with the microporous and solid glue coatings at 60°C and the nozzle temperature at 295°C. The best parameters of the nozzle temperature, layer thickness, feed rate and printing speed for the best elastic modulus and tensile strength were 285°C, 0.5 mm, 6.5r/min and 500 mm/min, respectively, whereas those for the smallest sectional porosity were 305°C, 0.6 mm, 5.5r/min and 550 mm/min, respectively.
Originality/value
This work promises a significant contribution to the improvement of the printing quality and mechanical properties of 3D printed CFRTPCs parts by the optimization of 3D printing processes.