In the field of innovation, individual innovative performance also has an important impact on team and organizational innovative performance, thus it is necessary to identify…
Abstract
Purpose
In the field of innovation, individual innovative performance also has an important impact on team and organizational innovative performance, thus it is necessary to identify factors that increase individual innovative performance. One key to unlock individual innovative performance is empowering leadership. Drawing on the Ability-Motivation-Opportunity (AMO) theoretical framework, this study investigates the cross-level influence of team-directed empowering leadership on subordinates' innovative performance and verifies the mediating role of creative self-efficacy (A), intrinsic motivation (M), team knowledge sharing (O) and the moderating effect of feedback seeking climate.
Design/methodology/approach
With a sample of 102 teams and 722 employees, this study uses Mplus7.4 software to carry out cross-level model analysis based on MSEM multilevel mediation test methodology.
Findings
The results from cross-level analysis indicate that: (1) Team-directed empowering leadership has a significant positive impact on subordinates' innovative performance. (2) Team-directed empowering leadership enhances subordinates' innovative performance through the improvement of creative self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation and team knowledge sharing. (3) Based on the feedback perspective, feedback seeking climate moderates the relationship between team-directed empowering leadership and creative self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation and team knowledge sharing.
Originality/value
This study introduced the AMO theory into the research on cross-level mediating mechanism between team-directed empowering leadership and subordinates' innovative performance, which broadens the theoretical research perspective. Considering the difference between empowering leadership and laissez-faire leadership and the guiding role of feedback, this study selects feedback seeking climate as a moderator in view of feedback, which riches the contingency factors on the cross-level effect of team-directed empowering leadership.
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Ziqiang Cui, Qi Wang, Qian Xue, Wenru Fan, Lingling Zhang, Zhang Cao, Benyuan Sun, Huaxiang Wang and Wuqiang Yang
Electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) and electrical resistance tomography (ERT) are promising techniques for multiphase flow measurement due to their high speed, low cost…
Abstract
Purpose
Electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) and electrical resistance tomography (ERT) are promising techniques for multiphase flow measurement due to their high speed, low cost, non-invasive and visualization features. There are two major difficulties in image reconstruction for ECT and ERT: the “soft-field”effect, and the ill-posedness of the inverse problem, which includes two problems: under-determined problem and the solution is not stable, i.e. is very sensitive to measurement errors and noise. This paper aims to summarize and evaluate various reconstruction algorithms which have been studied and developed in the word for many years and to provide reference for further research and application.
Design/methodology/approach
In the past 10 years, various image reconstruction algorithms have been developed to deal with these problems, including in the field of industrial multi-phase flow measurement and biological medical diagnosis.
Findings
This paper reviews existing image reconstruction algorithms and the new algorithms proposed by the authors for electrical capacitance tomography and electrical resistance tomography in multi-phase flow measurement and biological medical diagnosis.
Originality/value
The authors systematically summarize and evaluate various reconstruction algorithms which have been studied and developed in the word for many years and to provide valuable reference for practical applications.
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Chunyan Nie and Tao Wang
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of the interpretation strategy of cultural mixing on consumers’ evaluations of global brands that incorporate local cultural…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of the interpretation strategy of cultural mixing on consumers’ evaluations of global brands that incorporate local cultural elements. Specifically, this paper examines whether a property interpretation and a relational interpretation have different influences on consumers’ evaluations of global brands that incorporate local cultural elements.
Design/methodology/approach
Two experiments were conducted as part of this research. Experiment 1 adopted a two (interpretation strategy: property interpretation vs relational interpretation) single-factor between-subjects design. Experiment 2 adopted a 2 (interpretation strategy: property interpretation vs relational interpretation) × 2 (polyculturalist beliefs: high vs low) between-subjects design. The data were analyzed using ANOVA and PROCESS 213.
Findings
A property interpretation (emphasizing that some features of a global brand transfer to local cultural elements) leads to a less favorable evaluation of global brands that incorporate local cultural elements than a relational interpretation (emphasizing a relation between global brands and local cultural elements). This effect is fully mediated by perceived cultural intrusion, and it exists only when consumers have a low level of polyculturalist beliefs.
Originality/value
This paper reveals that the phenomenon of cultural mixing occurs when global brands incorporate local cultural elements. In addition, the way that consumers perceive the relationship between global brands and local cultural elements will determine their reactions to global brands that incorporate local cultural elements.
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Chang Liu, Shiwu Yang, Yixuan Yang, Hefei Cao and Shanghe Liu
In the continuous development of high-speed railways, ensuring the safety of the operation control system is crucial. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) faults in signaling…
Abstract
Purpose
In the continuous development of high-speed railways, ensuring the safety of the operation control system is crucial. Electromagnetic interference (EMI) faults in signaling equipment may cause transportation interruptions, delays and even threaten the safety of train operations. Exploring the impact of disturbances on signaling equipment and establishing evaluation methods for the correlation between EMI and safety is urgently needed.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper elaborates on the necessity and significance of studying the impact of EMI as an unavoidable and widespread risk factor in the external environment of high-speed railway operations and continuous development. The current status of research methods and achievements from the perspectives of standard systems, reliability analysis and safety assessment are examined layer by layer. Additionally, it provides prospects for innovative ideas for exploring the quantitative correlation between EMI and signaling safety.
Findings
Despite certain innovative achievements in both domestic and international standard systems and related research for ensuring and evaluating railway signaling safety, there’s a lack of quantitative and strategic research on the degradation of safety performance in signaling equipment due to EMI. A quantitative correlation between EMI and safety has yet to be established. On this basis, this paper proposes considerations for research methods pertaining to the correlation between EMI and safety.
Originality/value
This paper overviews a series of methods and outcomes derived from domestic and international studies regarding railway signaling safety, encompassing standard systems, reliability analysis and safety assessment. Recognizing the necessity for quantitatively describing and predicting the impact of EMI on high-speed railway signaling safety, an innovative approach using risk assessment techniques as a bridge to establish the correlation between EMI and signaling safety is proposed.
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Despite the implementation of the “land for social security” scheme to compensate for land expropriation in rural China, the distribution of social security benefits varies widely…
Abstract
Despite the implementation of the “land for social security” scheme to compensate for land expropriation in rural China, the distribution of social security benefits varies widely both between and within provinces. Why do local officials offer pension compensation in addition to cash payments to some landless farmers and not to others? Using in-depth interviews and survey data, I find that certain attributes of collective demands may signal a threat to social stability, prompting government concessions in the form of welfare benefits. Particularly, among the dispossessed farmers who have engaged in petitions, those who petitioned to higher-level officials were found to be more likely to receive pension benefits than those who have participated in claim-making with a bigger crowd. I propose that in the administrative hierarchy system of cadre evaluation, local officials may perceive public visits and petitions to higher levels of government as more threatening to their career prospects. Moreover, the dilemma between compensation and stability maintenance may also enable local officials to condone strategic targeting rather than collective gathering.
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Yankun Qi, Xiaoyu Li, Jinghui Liu, Hanqiu Li and Chen Yang
To systematically characterize and objectively evaluate basic railway safety management capability, creating a closed-loop management approach which allows continuous improvement…
Abstract
Purpose
To systematically characterize and objectively evaluate basic railway safety management capability, creating a closed-loop management approach which allows continuous improvement and optimization.
Design/methodology/approach
A basic railway safety management capability evaluation index system based on a comprehensive analysis of national safety management standards, railway safety rules and regulations and existing safety data from railway transport enterprises is presented. The system comprises a guideline layer including safety committee formation, work safety responsibility, safety management organization and safety rules and regulations as its components, along with an index layer consisting of 12 quantifiable indexes. Game theory combination weighting is utilized to integrate subjective and objective weight values derived using AHP and CRITIC methods and further combined using the TOPSIS method in order to construct a comprehensive basic railway safety management capability evaluation model.
Findings
The case study presented demonstrates that this evaluation index system and comprehensive evaluation model are capable of effectively characterizing and evaluating basic railway safety management capability and providing directional guidance for its sustained improvement.
Originality/value
Construction of an evaluation index system that is quantifiable, generalizable and accessible, accurately reflects the main aspects of railway transportation enterprises’ basic safety management capability and provides interoperability across various railway transportation enterprises. The application of the game theoretic combination weighting method to derive composite weights which combine experts’ subjective evaluations with the objectivity of data.
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Husnu Sahan Guran, Resat Ciftci, Nafia Canan Gursoy, Tuncer Ozekinci and Walid Q. Alali
The objective of this study was to determine Salmonella prevalence, antimicrobial-resistant phenotypes, and their genetic relatedness in frozen organic chicken collected at retail…
Abstract
Purpose
The objective of this study was to determine Salmonella prevalence, antimicrobial-resistant phenotypes, and their genetic relatedness in frozen organic chicken collected at retail level in Turkey.
Design/methodology/approach
Retail packs (n = 348) of cut-up chicken parts (breast, leg quarter and drumstick) and whole chicken carcasses were purchased from a central hypermarket in Diyarbakir (Southeast Anatolia Region in Turkey) and from a large online retailer in Turkey. The retail packs were paired by part type, brand, production date, and sell-by date. The chicken samples were analyzed for the presence of Salmonella spp., and then isolates were screened for antibiotic susceptibility, class I integron, and genetic similarity.
Findings
Salmonella prevalence in retail frozen organic chicken samples was 6.3 percent; however, the prevalence by parts, leg quarter, drumstick, breast, and whole chicken was 2.1 percent, 10.4 percent, 10.4 percent, and 0 percent, respectively. Salmonella prevalence was significantly higher in samples obtained from the hypermarket (9.2 percent) compared to online retailer (3.8 percent). All the isolates were serotype Infantis, genetically similar (highly clonal), and 68.2 percent harbored class I integron. All isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin (drug of choice to treat salmonellosis in human), and 86.3 percent of the isolates were multidrug-resistant.
Originality/value
Salmonella prevalence in organic chicken meat, regardless of the retail market source in Turkey, may pose a health risk to consumers especially with the high prevalence of multi-drug resistant phenotypes. Findings inform researchers and the public about the safety of organically produced chicken and the potential health risk to consumers.
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Hamed Dabaghi, Saeid Saieda Ardakani and Seyed Mohammad Tabataba’i-Nasab
The purpose of this paper is to focus on the emerging phenomenon of medical tourism in the context of Iran from a customer experience management perspective and benchmark of their…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to focus on the emerging phenomenon of medical tourism in the context of Iran from a customer experience management perspective and benchmark of their judgment including positive or negative, of the experience they have achieved of the Iranian health (medical) experience (CE) and suggest scenarios for the improvement of the Iranian customer experience management (CEM).
Design/methodology/approach
The research methodologies and research methods that are used in this descriptive-analytical research are based on an inspection of the remarkable literature related to medical tourism and customer experience management. The data gathering instrument is a researcher-made questionnaire based on the variables in the conceptual model extracted from the research literature. The study was conducted from May to August 2019. The population cohort of this study was the foreign patients calling selected Iranian hospitals and the sampling method was a purposive and snowball sample of prospective medical tourists. As the study was conducted throughout Iran, some important hospitals in Iran were selected by stratified sampling Yang et al. (2020b). The sample size and data saturation were 500 participants Lv and Song (2019). The collected data using the questionnaire were analyzed by SPSS software and statistical tests.
Findings
According to the results, the customer experience management statistical significance in the task aspect is (p = 0.0523), in the mechanical aspect is (p = 0.0563), in the human aspect is (p = 0.0544). The study showed positive customer experience among the patients who had been treated in the Iranian hospitals.
Originality/value
There is a lack of study that focuses on medical tourism and customer experience management in Iran. Therefore, based on the results of this study, the experience of medical tourists in Iran proved to be positive and satisfying. As little research has been conducted in the area of customer experience management (CEM) in Iranian medical tourism, future researchers can use these valuable results precisely and in more detail to benchmark more accurately the customer experience in all areas of medical and health tourism and other research areas in different aspects of CEM in Iran.
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Jianjun Zhang, Qibo Ni, Jing Wang and Feng Guo
Vibration exists widely in all machineries working under high speed. The unpredictability of vibration and the change of the relative surface speed may result in difficulties in…
Abstract
Purpose
Vibration exists widely in all machineries working under high speed. The unpredictability of vibration and the change of the relative surface speed may result in difficulties in the elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) analysis. By far, few studies on EHL relating to vibration have been published. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effect of the vertical vibrations and the influence of temperature on the thermal EHL contacts.
Design/methodology/approach
The lubricant was assumed to be Newtonian fluid. The time-dependent numerical solutions were achieved instant after instant in each period of the vibration. At each instant, the pressure field was solved with a multi-level technique, the surface deformation was solved with a multi-level multi-integration method and the temperature filed was solved with a finite different scheme through a sweeping progress. The periodic error was checked at each end of the vibration period until the responses of pressure, film thickness and temperature were all periodic functions with the frequency of the roller’s vibrations.
Findings
The results reveal that normal vibration produces little drastic change of pressure, film thickness and temperature in EHL. Under some conditions, the vibrations of the roller can produce transient dimples within the contact conjunction. It is also showed that the lubrication in the same sliding is better than the opposite sliding.
Research limitations/implications
For the unpredictability of vibration, it is not easy to do the experiment to realize a real comparison with numerical results. The reach does not show any verification and consider the effect of non-Newtonian fluid.
Originality/value
The effect of the vertical vibrations on the thermal EHL point contact hast been studied. The effects of both the amplitude and the frequency on the predicted load-carrying capacity, minimum film thickness, center pressure and center temperature and the coefficient of friction were investigated. The role of the thermal effect was given.
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Xiaobing Fan, Bingli Pan, Hongyu Liu, Shuang Zhao, Xiaofan Ding, Haoyu Gao, Bing Han and Hongbin Liu
This paper aims to prepare an oil-impregnated porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composite with advanced tribological properties using citric acid as a novel pore-forming agent.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to prepare an oil-impregnated porous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composite with advanced tribological properties using citric acid as a novel pore-forming agent.
Design/methodology/approach
Citric acid (CA) was used to form pores in PTFE, and then oil-impregnated PTFE composites were prepared. The pore-forming efficiency of CA was evaluated. The possible mechanism of lubrication was proposed according to the tribological properties.
Findings
The results show CA is an efficient pore-forming agent and completely removed, and the porosity of the PTFE increases with the increase of the CA content. The oil-impregnated porous PTFE exhibits an excellent tribological performance, an increased wear resistance of 77.29% was realized in comparison with neat PTFE.
Originality/value
This study enhances understanding of the lubrication mechanism of oil-impregnated porous polymers and guides for their tribological applications.