Yi An, Howard Davey, Harun Harun, Zebin Jin, Xin Qiao and Qun Yu
The purpose of this study is to examine the current state of online sustainability reporting in the Hong Kong higher education sector from a variety of perspectives.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the current state of online sustainability reporting in the Hong Kong higher education sector from a variety of perspectives.
Design/methodology/approach
The multiple case study was the research method for this research. Content analysis of the university website, as well as interview with university management, personnel in the sustainability office, academics and students, were adopted for data collection. An assessment framework for sustainability reporting was developed as an instrument for content analysis, based on G4 guidelines and prior literature.
Findings
The authors observe that most Hong Kong public universities have a specific webpage for sustainability reporting on the website, which consists of an amount of sustainability-related information in terms of general aspects, specific aspects and stakeholder participation. Moreover, they notice that Hong Kong public universities attach importance to sustainability and its reporting, and they would like to communicate their sustainability activities to various stakeholders and the community where they operate.
Practical implications
This paper indicates some practical implications for academics, university management, policymakers and sustainability education amongst universities in Hong Kong and beyond.
Social implications
This paper argues that universities, as a central place to foster talents and future leaders, should operate in a sustainable manner at the first place and then report their sustainability-related activities taking full advantage of the current information and communication technologies, so as to discharge accountability to various stakeholders and meet the expectations of the community where they operate.
Originality/value
This paper uses a multiple case study approach to explore the status of online sustainability reporting at Hong Kong universities, which contributes to limited research in the area, particularly for online sustainability reporting in the higher education institutions, and makes some contributions to the extant literature.
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Xue‐Bin Yang, Xin‐Qiao Jin, Zhi‐Min Du, Tian‐Sheng Cui and Shao‐Kan Yang
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the frictional behavior of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composites under oil‐free sliding conditions.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the frictional behavior of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composites under oil‐free sliding conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
The friction force and power consumption of pressure packing seals, which were, respectively, made of common filled PTFE, 30 wt% CF (carbon fiber) + PTFE and C/C (carbon/carbon) + PTFE, are studied in a reciprocating oil‐free compressor arrangement. Their coefficient of friction is tested on a block‐on‐ring type tribometer.
Findings
The results indicate that influence of mean sliding velocity on filled PTFE composites is apparently more predominant than the others. The friction force curvilinear path of 30 wt% CF+PTFE is hardly influenced by changing crankshaft turn angle. For C/C+PTFE, the effect of mean piston velocity on friction force is not evident. The results also indicate that the friction coefficient of C/C+PTFE is lower than that of 30 wt% CF+PTFE if their applied normal force exceeds 9.8 N. Furthermore, their variation curve of friction force is little different and the power consumption of C/C+PTFE is slightly higher than that of 30 wt% CF+PTFE.
Research limitations/implications
Neither the effect of real contact area on friction coefficient measured in a tribometer nor the influence of the temperature on friction force and power tested in a compressor is not taken into consideration here.
Practical implications
Owing to its good mechanical performances and frictional behaviors, C/C+PTFE is an optimum and promising material under conditions with sealing pressure up to 10 MPa and sliding velocity exceeding 4.0 m/s.
Originality/value
A novel material called C/C+PTFE is considered to make packing rings for oil‐free reciprocating compressors and its friction behaviour is tested on a refitted compressor.
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Luqi Yang, Xiaoni Li and Ana Beatriz Hernández-Lara
The purpose of this study is to investigate the recovery and resilience tourism strategies and possible future development of four main Chinese tourism cities.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the recovery and resilience tourism strategies and possible future development of four main Chinese tourism cities.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors collected data from the official accounts of tourism administrations of these cities, tourist attractions and opinions from media and newspapers in Sina Weibo platform. The authors adopted an inductive approach in observing relevant social media posts and applied content analysis to identify main China’s tourism prevention and recovery strategies.
Findings
During the mass pandemic infection period, top-down prevention and control measures were implemented by the Chinese central and local governments, with feasible and regional recovery policies and protocols being adapted according to local situations. Measures related to tourism industrial re-employment, improvement of international images and governmental financial supports to re-boost local tourism in Chinese cities were paid great attention. Digitalization, close-to-nature and cultural heritages became important factors in the future development of China’s tourism. Dark tourism, as a potential tourism recovery strategy, also obtained huge emergence, for the memory of people deceased in the pandemic and for the inheritance of national patriotism.
Originality/value
This study enriches the current literature in urban tourism recovery studies analyzing the specific case of Chinese tourism cities and fulfill some voids of previous research mostly focused on the first wave of the pandemic and the recovery strategies mainly of Western cities. It also provides valuable suggestions to tourism practitioners, destinations and urban cities in dealing with regional tourism recession and finding possible solutions for the scenario associated to the COVID-19 and other similar health crisis.
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Jia Tina Du, Qing Ke, Clara M. Chu, Helen Partridge and Dandan Ma
This scoping review article examined research on information behavior in communities over the past two decades (2000–2023). The review aims to uncover the characteristics and…
Abstract
Purpose
This scoping review article examined research on information behavior in communities over the past two decades (2000–2023). The review aims to uncover the characteristics and types of communities studied, the featured information behaviors, and the research methods employed.
Design/methodology/approach
The PRISMA-ScR guidelines were followed to conduct this review. Five databases were selected to search for relevant empirical research. A total of 57 studies met the inclusion criteria for review. Thematic synthesis was used to analyze the multidimensional findings of included studies.
Findings
A steady increase in the number of articles is evident in the past two decades. The review suggests that information behavior in community studies involved collaboration from other disciplines, such as public health and business management. More than half of the communities studied are virtual communities (56.1%), followed by communities of identity, professional communities and support communities, communities of interest, geographic communities, and academic communities. There are overlaps among these categories. Information sharing (63.2%) and information seeking (57.9%) were the most studied behavior of communities, followed by information use, information needs, and information judgment. Questionnaires (38.6%) and interviews (35.1%) were the most commonly used data collection techniques in studying information behavior in communities. It is noteworthy that eleven (19.3%) mentioned utilizing community-engaged approaches.
Originality/value
This is the first scoping review to explore the intersecting constructs of community research and information behavior studies. We call for further research to understand the contextual factors that shape the community’s information environments and to increase awareness of the partnership between communities and researchers.
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Wenyue Tang, Tengfei Zhang and Yang Yang
This study aims to discuss the formation mechanism of members’ emotional attachment to virtual travel communities from an online–offline perspective, focusing on the role of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to discuss the formation mechanism of members’ emotional attachment to virtual travel communities from an online–offline perspective, focusing on the role of offline tourism experiences.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire was designed to survey active travel enthusiast clubs that hold frequent offline tourism activities. A structural equation modeling method was used to estimate the model and test the research hypotheses.
Findings
Results demonstrated that offline travel experiences positively influenced online community attachment (i.e., community dependence and identity), and this effect was more pronounced than that of one’s sense of community (i.e., belonging, trust and immersion) on community attachment. Therefore, compared with online interaction, offline travel experiences played a greater part in strengthening virtual community attachment.
Originality/value
The study presents a pioneering effort on understanding how offline activities help shape the community attachment to virtual communities.
研究目的
本研究从线上-线下的角度探讨了人们对虚拟旅行社区的情感依恋形成机制, 着重关注线下旅游体验的作用。
研究方法
本研究设计了问卷, 对经常举办线下旅游活动的驴友俱乐部进行了调查。采用结构方程建模方法估计模型并验证研究假设。
研究发现
结果表明, 线下旅游体验积极地影响着线上社区依恋, 并且这种影响比社区感对社区依恋的影响更为显著。因此, 相较于线上互动, 线下旅游体验在增强虚拟社区依恋方面起到了更大的作用。
研究创新
本研究首次探讨了线下活动如何帮助塑造虚拟社区成员对虚拟社区的依恋。
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Qiao Qiao, Jianping Yuan and Xin Ning
The purpose of this paper is to establish the dynamics model of a Z-folded PhoneSat considering hinge friction and to investigate the influence of disturbances, such as friction…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to establish the dynamics model of a Z-folded PhoneSat considering hinge friction and to investigate the influence of disturbances, such as friction, stiffness asymmetry, deployment asynchronicity and initial disturbance angular velocity, on the attitude of PhoneSat during and after deployment.
Design/methodology/approach
For the Z-folded PhoneSat, the dynamics model considering hinge friction is established and the dynamics simulation is carried out. The effects of friction, stiffness asymmetry, deployment asynchronicity and initial disturbance angular velocity on the attitude motion of the PhoneSat are studied and the attitude motion regularities of the PhoneSat considering the disturbance factors mentioned above are discussed.
Findings
Friction has a main contribution to reducing the oscillation of attitude motion and damping out the residual oscillation, ultimately decreasing the deployment time. An increasing length of deployment time is required with the increasing stiffness asymmetry and time difference of asynchronous deployment, which also have slight disturbances on the attitude angle and angular velocity of PhoneSat after the deployment. The initial disturbance angular velocity in the direction of deployment would be proportionally weakened after the deployment, whereas initial disturbance angular velocity in other direction induces angular velocities of other axes, which dramatically enhances the complexity of attitude control.
Originality/value
The paper is a useful reference for engineering design of small satellites attitude control system.
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Guisheng Gan, Hao Yang, Jie Luo, Yongchong Ma, Jiajun Zhang, Xin Liu, Qiao He, Leqi Li and Dayong Cheng
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of aging time on the microstructure, mechanical properties and fracture morphology of Cu/Zn160%SAC0307/Al solder joints…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of aging time on the microstructure, mechanical properties and fracture morphology of Cu/Zn160%SAC0307/Al solder joints produced through solid-state bonding.
Design/methodology/approach
Zn particles with a size of 1 µm and Sn-0.3Ag-0.7Cu (SAC0307) particles ranging from 20 to 38 µm were used to achieve Cu/Al micro-connections using ultrasonic assistance at a temperature of 180 °C, followed by aging treatment at 150 °C to enhance the quality of Cu/Al joints. Scanning electron microscopy was used for observing and analyzing the solder seam, interface microstructure, and fracture morphology. The structural composition was determined using energy dispersive spectroscopy, while a PTR-1102 bonding tester was used to measure the average shear strength.
Findings
The results indicated that the intermetallic compounds formed at the interface between Cu substrates and solder metal primarily consisted of smooth Cu5Zn8. The Al-side interface mainly comprises an Al-Sn-Zn solid solution, with Zn-Sn-Cu phases forming between SAC0307 particles at 180 °C. During the aging process, atomic diffusion was accelerated, leading to improved connection quality. The shear strength of the joints initially increased before decreasing as aging time progressed; it peaked at 32.92 MPa after 24 h – an increase of 76.8% compared to as-received joints. After reaching stability at 96 h, there was still a notable increase in shear strength by 48.4% relative to as-received joints.
Originality/value
This study further explores the strengthening mechanisms associated with solid-state bonded Cu/SACZ/Al joints through aging processes. Joints created via solid-state bonding demonstrate superior reliability compared to traditional soldered connections. It is anticipated that insights gained from this research will contribute valuable knowledge toward developing low-temperature soldering methodologies for heterogeneous materials.
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Huawei Zeng, Qiao Jie, Zeng Xin, Xu Dayong, Xiong Minghua, Li Feng, Sun Jianfan, Jiang Xuan and Dai Chuanyun
Monascus pigment was widely applied in food processing industry as functional additive, so more attention was paid to the fermentation optimization of pigment production…
Abstract
Purpose
Monascus pigment was widely applied in food processing industry as functional additive, so more attention was paid to the fermentation optimization of pigment production. Therefore, this paper aims to evaluate the best possible fermentative conditions for maximum production of biopigment using submerged fermentation (SFM) and solid state fermentation (SSF) by Monascus purpureus HBSD 08.
Design/methodology/approach
The biopigment was produced by using an SMF and an SSF with optimized substrate to achieve higher yield. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH radical scavenging ability, superoxide anion radical scavenging ability and hydroxyl radical scavenging ability. The pigment composition was analyzed by thin layer chromatography.
Findings
Maximum Monascus pigment production (79.6 U/ml and 1,102 U/g) were obtained under an SFM and an SFF. The antioxidant activity of the pigment in an SFM was significantly higher than that in an SFM. The composition of pigment was not different in an SFM and an SFF.
Originality/value
The study developed new conditions, and Monascus strain was a candidate for producing pigment in an SFM and an SFF. To the authors’ best knowledge, this is a first attempt toward comparative evaluation on antioxidant capacity and composition between pigment in an SSF and an SFM. This result will serve for Monascus pigment production.
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Dongmin Zhang, Zihui Fang and Min Liao
Educational accountability and student achievement polarization, which result in high dropout rates, pose significant challenges and pressures on teachers' pedagogical leadership…
Abstract
Purpose
Educational accountability and student achievement polarization, which result in high dropout rates, pose significant challenges and pressures on teachers' pedagogical leadership. Whether pedagogical leadership, which originates in the Western educational environment, can significantly improve student achievement in Chinese high schools remains unclear. This concept has not yet been fully explored in the Chinese educational environment, and its direct impact on student achievement and the mediating role of English teaching methods remain to be investigated. However, existing research has concentrated on the effectiveness of principals' pedagogical leadership, with variations in teachers' pedagogical leadership practices. Many reform measures have been implemented in China to improve student achievement, but past educational practices have analyzed the impact on student achievement from a single instructional leadership, school capital or teaching method perspective. Furthermore, there is a lack of multidimensional and systematic assessments of the direct effects of teacher pedagogical leadership on student achievement and the mediating effects of English teaching methods.
Design/methodology/approach
To address this gap, this study analyzed the impact of teachers' pedagogical leadership on student achievement and the mediating effect of English teaching methods with the support of the theory of action for teacher leadership, specifically using pedagogical leadership and English teaching methods models.This study conducted a questionnaire survey of 968 participants in Taian City, China, and quantitatively analyzed the data using SmartPLS structural equation modeling (SEM).
Findings
This study revealed that pedagogical leadership has a positive direct effect on student achievement. Meanwhile, among the four mediating factors, the Direct Method, Audio-Lingual Method and Communicative Language Teaching had significant mediating effects.
Originality/value
This study shows that the effective use of academic and professional capital allocation in pedagogical leadership, combined with effective measures of using multiple effective English teaching methods, helps achieve high-quality student achievement.
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This study aims to investigate the varying color-difference thresholds for textiles under various illuminants.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the varying color-difference thresholds for textiles under various illuminants.
Design/methodology/approach
To determine color-difference thresholds, 108 fabric samples with widely ranging colors were spectrophotometrically measured and visually assessed under four illumination conditions (correlated color temperatures of 2,856 K and 6,504 K; illuminances of 100 lx and 2,000 lx).
Findings
The mean spectrophotometric color-difference threshold (solely based on the textile’s physical color attributes in machine vision) was 4.22 ΔE*ab; thus, a mechanically measured color difference between two textiles (regardless of illuminant) of less than 4.22 ΔE*ab indicated individuals’ inability to differentiate between two textiles. The calculated color-difference thresholds, which reflected the color differences perceived by people considering textiles’ physical color attributes and the environmental factors in which they were observed, were higher than the spectrophotometric thresholds. This meant that under various illuminants, people had greater difficulty perceiving color differences than mechanically measured spectrophotometric thresholds. Particularly, larger discrepancies between the two threshold types occurred under reddish illuminants of 2,856 K than under bluish-white illuminants of 6,504 K. Furthermore, the extent to which people perceived color differences as distinct from actual differences under illumination was larger for greenish-blue textiles than for textiles of other hues.
Originality/value
The determined spectrophotometric and calculative color-difference thresholds for textiles can help fashion companies predict consumers’ perceptions of the colors of their textile products under various illuminants and, accordingly, appropriately plan colors of products and create standards for color quality control.