Tian Xie, Ya-nan Shi and Jing Zhou
The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of materialism on employee engagement in China. Mediating role of employees’ autonomy need satisfaction in workplace was…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of materialism on employee engagement in China. Mediating role of employees’ autonomy need satisfaction in workplace was also examined.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 217 employees from various companies located across 19 provinces and towns in China. These participants completed three self-report scales, including materialistic values, employee engagement and autonomy need satisfaction at work. Pearson correlation analysis, hierarchical regression analysis and structural equation modeling were used to analyze data.
Findings
Results revealed that as hypothesized, autonomy need satisfaction at work fully mediated the effects of materialism on employee engagement.
Research limitations/implications
The study was limited by identifying the measure of materialism that is not robust at an organizational and national level. Similarly, lack of existing literature including use of cross-sectional research design around materialism also added to the limitations of this study. Limitations aside, the current study suggests that increasing materialism within Chinese organizations is likely to exert potentially significant adverse effects on employee engagement and, hence, the overall quality of work.
Originality/value
The current study has empirically discovered a possible relationship between materialism and employee engagement, which is rarely examined in previous studies. In addition, the study also proposes a psychological mechanism through which materialistic values can influence employee engagement. The findings are practically important to human resource management practices in China and theoretically important for the exploration of antecedents of employee engagement.
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Ya Nan Luo, Shi Zhe Song, Wei Xian Jin and Lei Han
The purpose of this paper is to research electrochemical testing technology as applied to in field corrosion evaluation of metallic materials and to study the corrosion behaviors…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to research electrochemical testing technology as applied to in field corrosion evaluation of metallic materials and to study the corrosion behaviors of the materials exposed in different marine regions.
Design/methodology/approach
The electrode systems for in field electrochemical evaluation of metallic samples are designed and applied to monitor two types of carbon steel samples exposed both in the submerged zone and the tidal zone at a marine corrosion test station. Corrosion potential monitoring, potentiostatic square wave, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and electrochemical noise methods are used in the test.
Findings
It is confirmed that the electrode systems could be used for electrochemical measurement of metallic samples during exposure in the submerged zone and the tidal zone of a marine corrosion test station for long‐term test durations. The electrochemical measuring results reflect the changes and differences of the samples' corrosion behavior during exposure in different regions and they respond directly to the influence of marine environmental factors on the corrosion behaviors, especially the influence of temperature.
Originality/value
In this paper, lots of consecutive and dynamic corrosion information is obtained from field exposures. The findings provide a foundation upon which to investigate and forecast the corrosion behaviors of materials in marine environments.
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Ya’nan Zhang, Xuxu Li and Yiyi Su
This study aims to explore the extent to which Chinese multinational enterprises (MNEs) rely on supranational institution – the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) – versus host…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the extent to which Chinese multinational enterprises (MNEs) rely on supranational institution – the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) – versus host country institutional quality to navigate their foreign location choice.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a conditional logit regression model using a sample of 1,302 greenfield investments by Chinese MNEs in 54 BRI participating countries during the period 2011–2018.
Findings
The results indicate that as a supranational institution, the BRI serves as a substitution mechanism to address the deficiencies in institutional quality in BRI participating countries, thereby attracting Chinese MNEs to invest in those countries. In addition, the BRI’s substitution effect on host country institutional quality is more pronounced for large MNEs, MNEs in the manufacturing industry and MNEs in inland regions.
Originality/value
This study expands the understanding of the BRI as a supranational institution for MNEs from emerging markets and reveals its substitution effect on the host country institutional quality. Furthermore, it highlights that MNEs with diverse characteristics gain varying degrees of benefits from the BRI.
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Ya'nan Lou, Pengkun Quan, Haoyu Lin, Zhuo Liang, Dongbo Wei and Shichun Di
This purpose of this paper is to design a peg-in-hole controller for a cable-driven serial robot with compliant wrist (CDSR-CW) using cable tensions and joint positions. The peg…
Abstract
Purpose
This purpose of this paper is to design a peg-in-hole controller for a cable-driven serial robot with compliant wrist (CDSR-CW) using cable tensions and joint positions. The peg is connected to the robot link through a CW. It is required that the controller does not rely on any external sensors such as 6-axis wrist force/torque (F/T) sensor, and only the compliance matrix’s estimated value of the CW is known.
Design/methodology/approach
First, the peg-in-hole assembly system based on a CDSR-CW is analyzed. Second, a characterization algorithm using micro cable tensions and joint positions to express the elastic F/T at the CW is established. Next, under the premise of only knowing the compliance matrix’s estimate, a peg-in-hole controller based on force/position hybrid control is proposed.
Findings
The experiment results show that the plug contact F/T can be tracked well. This verifies the validity and correctness of the characterization algorithm and peg-in-hole controller for CDSR-CWs in this paper.
Originality/value
First, to the authors’ knowledge, there is no relevant work about the peg-in-hole assembly task using a CDSR-CW. Besides, the proposed characterization algorithm for the elastic F/T makes the peg-in-hole controller get rid of the dependence on the F/T sensor, which expands the application scenarios of the peg-in-hole controller. Finally, the controller does not require an accurate compliance matrix, which also increases its applicability.
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Expanding the research on traditional history of economic ideology into the research on the history of economics composed of three elements – history of ideology, history of…
Abstract
Purpose
Expanding the research on traditional history of economic ideology into the research on the history of economics composed of three elements – history of ideology, history of policies and events – is a new idea for researching the history of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics. The start of the history of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics is consistent with that of the Sinicization of Marxist political economy and can be dated from at least 1917.
Design/methodology/approach
The key point of the research on the history of ideologies of the socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics is to treat the relationship between theory and people properly, i.e. we should not neglect the effect brought out by the economists on theory construction while we attach importance to the theoretical contribution of the leaders and leading group of the Communist Party of China (CPC).
Findings
For the research on the history of economic policies of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics, on the one hand, we should clarify the relationship among ideologies, strategies and policies; on the other hand, we should not evade the summarization of lessons from history.
Originality/value
Besides presenting the development route of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics under competition, the research on the events in the history of socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics should also help develop the socialist political economy with Chinese characteristics.
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Yuwen Cen, Changfeng Wang and Yaqi Huang
In recent years, counterproductive knowledge behavior (CKB) and its types have received increasing interest in knowledge management as the degree of knowledge sharing and…
Abstract
Purpose
In recent years, counterproductive knowledge behavior (CKB) and its types have received increasing interest in knowledge management as the degree of knowledge sharing and innovation in enterprises continues to increase. A rapidly growing number of studies have shed light on the important antecedents and consequences of employees’ CKB. However, the various labels, conceptualizations and operationalizations of CKB have fragmented this body of research. This study aims to systematically integrate the effects of the six types of organizational characteristics on CKB and further draws more general conclusions based on the results of previous studies.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on a survey of 103 effect values responsible for 52 CKB samples, the authors use the ABC theory to explore the effects of the six types of organizational characteristics on CKB. Moderator analysis were performed to resolve inconsistencies in empirical studies and understand the contexts under which CKB has the strongest or weakest effect.
Findings
The results showed that task interdependence and a positive organizational atmosphere, in general, negatively affect employees’ CKB in the moderation analysis. In contrast, workplace discomfort, negative organizational atmosphere, internal competition and time pressure positively and partly affect employees’ CKB. The direction and magnitude of these effects were affected by emotional factors, knowledge personnel types and sample sources. Discussing the theoretical, methodological and practical implications of these findings can offer a guiding framework for future research.
Originality/value
Better control of employees’ CKB is not achieved by adjusting organizational characteristics alone but by combining personal characteristics and mood changes with it to balance organizational characteristics and CKB. Furthermore, the large-sample joint study integrated the conceptual definition of CKB. The multivariate data study provided more reliable conclusions and a solid theoretical foundation for CKB research areas.