Xin Chen, Xiaoyu Zheng, Meiling He, Yuling Liu, Hong Mao, Xiwu Li, Hongwei Yan, Yi Kong, Liya Li and Yong Du
During the forming process, aluminum alloy sheets develop various types of textures and are subjected to cyclic loading as structural components, resulting in fatigue damage. This…
Abstract
Purpose
During the forming process, aluminum alloy sheets develop various types of textures and are subjected to cyclic loading as structural components, resulting in fatigue damage. This study aims to develop polycrystalline models with different orientation distributions and incorporate suitable fatigue indicator parameters to investigate the effect of orientation distribution on the mechanical properties of Al-7.02Mg-1.78Zn alloys under cyclic loading.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, a two-dimensional polycrystalline model with 150 equiaxed grains was constructed based on optical microscope images. Subsequently, six different orientation distributions were assigned to this model. The fatigue indicator parameter of strain energy dissipation is utilized to analyze the stress response and fatigue crack driving force in polycrystalline models with different orientation distributions subjected to cyclic loading.
Findings
The study found that orientation distribution significantly influences fatigue crack initiation. Orientation distributions with a larger average Schmid factor exhibit reduced stress response and lower fatigue indicator parameters. Locations with a larger average Schmid factor experience greater plastic deformation and present a higher risk for fatigue crack initiation. RVE with a single orientation undergoes more rotation to reach cyclic steady state under cyclic loading due to the ease of deformation transfer.
Originality/value
Currently, there are no reports in the literature on the calculation of fatigue crack initiation for Al-Mg-Zn alloys using the crystal plasticity finite element method. This study presents a novel strategy for simulating the response of Al-7.02Mg-1.78Zn materials with different orientation distributions under symmetric strain cyclic loading, providing valuable references for future research.
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Terence Y.M. Lam and Malvern Tipping
Sale-and-leaseback has become an increasingly common approach during the last two decades in the investment of high street banks (banking-halls) in the UK. One measure commonly…
Abstract
Purpose
Sale-and-leaseback has become an increasingly common approach during the last two decades in the investment of high street banks (banking-halls) in the UK. One measure commonly used in making property investment decisions is the all risks yield (ARY) which is associated with the level of rental income. Investors and their advisors need to know which factors are likely to result in the highest ARY when assembling investment portfolios of such properties. The purpose of this paper is to identify those yield influences.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative multiple-case study was adopted. A literature review generated a hypothesis which was tested by a qualitative study, based upon semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire, to establish the influencing factors. Expert interviews were held with the heads of those three major auction-houses dealing with auctions of all retail bank premises in the Great Britain market, whilst the questionnaire survey involved investment professionals from within the auction-houses.
Findings
The study confirmed that the four factors influencing yields and investors’ decision-making when purchasing retail banking premises were tenant banking company (brand names), regional location (north and south super-regions), lot size (hammer price), and tenure (freehold or leasehold).
Research limitations/implications
This investigation focuses on Great Britain’s geographical and political area which includes England, Scotland and Wales, but excludes Northern Ireland. This research focuses on banking-halls as a sub-class of retail property investment. The findings form a baseline upon which further research can be conducted on other sub-types of retail property such as high street shops and retail parks. The results will also underpin the development of a quantitative yield predictive model based on regression analysis.
Practical implications
To maximize the returns on property investments, investors and their professional advisors can use those factors having the greatest influence on yields to make informed investment decisions for the building of property portfolios.
Originality/value
As a sub-sector, bank premises do not necessarily correlate to the generic retail sector. This research consolidates the broad systematic drivers of retail yields into specific factors influencing the ARY of banking-halls. The findings provide better understanding of an active but sparsely analysed sub-market of banking hall investments, and by so-doing help investors to maximize their investment returns.
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Hassan Ashraf, Alishbah Ali, Riza Yosia Sunindijo, Ahsen Maqsoom, Shoeb Ahmed Memon and Muhammad Usman Hassan
This research aims to examine the influence of workers' identification with their supervisors on safety behaviour in construction projects.
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to examine the influence of workers' identification with their supervisors on safety behaviour in construction projects.
Design/methodology/approach
Employing the job demands–resources theory, this research tested the relationships among relational identification as a personal resource, respectful engagement as a job resource, employee safety voice as a positive work behaviour and safety behaviour as the outcome. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyse 120 quantitative data collected using a questionnaire survey.
Findings
Relational identification, which reflects workers' identification with their supervisors, is a significant predictor of safety behaviour. Furthermore, respectful engagement and employee safety voice sequentially mediate the relationship between relational identification and safety behaviour.
Research limitations/implications
The internalisation of safety norms, values and practices in construction projects is contingent on the identification of workers with their supervisors.
Originality/value
Safety behaviour of workers is a significant predictor of safety performance in construction projects. Research on numerous antecedents of safety behaviour points out that leadership is a significant predictor of construction workers' safe behaviour. Contributing to research on construction safety leadership, this research found that leader-subordinate relationship is key to make construction workers more psychologically ready to internalise the importance of safety behaviours at work.
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Nour Mohammad Murad, Antonio Jaomiary, Samar Yazdani, Fayrouz Haddad, Mathieu Guerin, George Chan, Wenceslas Rahajandraibe and Sahbi Baccar
This paper aims to develop high-pass (HP) negative group delay (NGD) investigation based on three-port lumped circuit. The main particularity of the proposed three-port passive…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to develop high-pass (HP) negative group delay (NGD) investigation based on three-port lumped circuit. The main particularity of the proposed three-port passive topology is the consideration of only a single circuit element represented by a capacitor.
Design/methodology/approach
The methodology of the paper is to consider the S-matrix equivalent model derived from admittance matrix approach. So, an S-matrix equivalent model of a three-port circuit topology is established from admittance matrix approach. The frequency-dependent basic expressions are explored to perform the HP-NGD analysis. Then, the existence condition of HP-NGD function type is analytically demonstrated. The specific characteristics and synthesis equations of HP-NGD circuit with respect to the desired optimal NGD value are established.
Findings
After computing the frequency expressions to perform the HP-NGD analysis, this study demonstrated the existence condition of HP-NGD function type analytically. The validity of the HP-NGD theory is verified by a prototype of three-port circuit. The proof-of-concept (POC) single capacitor three-port circuit presents an NGD response and characteristics from analytical calculation and simulation is in very good correlation.
Originality/value
An innovative theory of HP-NGD three-port circuit is studied. The proposed HP-NGD topology is constituted by only a single capacitor. After the topological description, the S-matrix model is established from the Y-matrix by means of Kirchhoff voltage law and Kirchhoff current law equations. A POC of single capacitor three-port circuit was designed and simulated with a commercial tool. Then, a prototype with a surface-mounted device component was fabricated and tested. As expected, simulation and measurement results in very good agreement with the calculated model show the feasibility of the HP-NGD behavior. This work is compared to other NGD-type function with diverse number of ports and components.
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The purpose of this paper is to explore how a neo-liberal nationalist discourse of China imagines the spatial identity of the post-1997 Hong Kong with reference to Lost in Hong…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore how a neo-liberal nationalist discourse of China imagines the spatial identity of the post-1997 Hong Kong with reference to Lost in Hong Kong, a new Chinese middle-class film in 2015 with successful box office sales.
Design/methodology/approach
Textual analysis with the aid of psychoanalysis, postcolonial studies and semiotics is used to interpret the meaning of the film in this study. The study also utilizes the previous literature reviews about the formation of the Chinese national identity to help analyze the distinct identity of the Chinese middle class today.
Findings
The discussion pinpoints how the new Chinese middle class as neo-liberal nationalists take Hong Kong as a “bizarre national redemptive space”. While Hong Kong is cinematically constructed as such a national other, this paper argues that the Hong Kong in question stands not for itself but in a form of “reverse hallucination” for pacifying the new Chinese middle class’ trauma under the rapid neo-liberalization of China in the 1990s.
Originality/value
This paper shows the new of formation of the Chinese nationalist’s discourse, especially the new Chinese middle-class discourse on Hong Kong after 1997.
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Wai‐sum Siu and Tina Man‐yi Tsoi
Though the Pacific‐rim countries like China, Hong Kong and ASEAN countries will soon constitute an economic power comparable to that of North America and Europe, most of the…
Abstract
Though the Pacific‐rim countries like China, Hong Kong and ASEAN countries will soon constitute an economic power comparable to that of North America and Europe, most of the empirical work on food labelling is related to the US and UK consumers. Research into nutrition label usage in a Chinese socio‐cultural context is not found. To redress this imbalance, this study attempts to appreciate the use of nutrition information labels by Chinese consumers in Hong Kong. The research results reveal that the frequent label users are label‐oriented, nutrition‐prone, advertising lovers, in the age group 35‐50, and they read both English and Chinese, whereas the non‐frequent label users are home‐oriented and can read only Chinese.
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Zhiming Zhang, Yi Li, Chen Gong and Haidong Wu
In this paper, the importance of product attributes of casual wear for Chinese consumers was investigated. Data were gathered from a questionnaire survey conducted in six cities…
Abstract
In this paper, the importance of product attributes of casual wear for Chinese consumers was investigated. Data were gathered from a questionnaire survey conducted in six cities of China. A total of 15 attributes were identified, and it was found that fit, comfort, style, color and workmanship were the most important attributes for Chinese consumers. It was also found that geographic and demographic factors had impacts on the importance of these attributes. These 15 attributes could be grouped into four factors, which may indicate a simplified process in information processing on the attributes by Chinese consumers. Marketing implication of the results was also discussed.
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Albert P.C. Chan, Michael C.H. Yam, Joanne W.Y. Chung and Wen Yi
Heat stress, having caused preventable and lamentable deaths, is hazardous to construction workers in the hot and humid summers of Hong Kong. The purpose of this paper is to…
Abstract
Purpose
Heat stress, having caused preventable and lamentable deaths, is hazardous to construction workers in the hot and humid summers of Hong Kong. The purpose of this paper is to develop a heat stress model, based on the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index.
Design/methodology/approach
Field studies were conducted during the summer time in Hong Kong (July to September 2010). Based upon 281 sets of synchronized meteorological and physiological data collected from construction workers in four different construction sites between July and September 2010, physiological, work‐related, environmental and personal parameters were measured to construct and verify the heat stress model.
Findings
It is found that drinking habit, age and work duration are the top three significant predictors to determine construction workers' physiological responses. Other predictors include percentage of body fat, resting heart rate, air pollution index, WBGT, smoking habit, energy consumption, and respiratory exchange rate. The accuracy of the model is verified against data which have not been used in developing the model. The accuracy of the heat stress model is found to be statistically acceptable (Mean Absolute Percentage Error=5.6 percent, Theil's U inequality coefficients=0.003).
Practical implications
Based on these findings, appropriate work‐rest pattern can be designed to safeguard the well being of workers when working in a hot and humid environment.
Originality/value
The model reported in this paper provides a more scientific and reliable prediction of the reality which may benefit the industry to produce solid guidelines for working in hot weather.
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Sandra S. Liu and Yi‐Zheng Shi
The past two decades have witnessed significant changes in China as it has moved from a centrally planned economy to a more market‐oriented one. As a socialist nation, state owned…
Abstract
The past two decades have witnessed significant changes in China as it has moved from a centrally planned economy to a more market‐oriented one. As a socialist nation, state owned enterprises (SOEs) continue to comprise a dominant part of economic activity in China. While many SOEs are inefficient and incur losses, economic reforms since the late 1970s have brought about irrevocable changes in the manner in which Chinese SOEs conduct their business. The important agenda for the Chinese government now is how to “vitalize” state sectors and ensure that SOEs are able to strive for their own survival. SOEs therefore are exploring ways to improve the productivity of their current operation and to enhance innovativeness in their business development, including seeking financial and technological resources overseas. The varying levels of market‐orientation in SOEs present diverse outcomes for the SOEs. This study attempts to evaluate the extent to which the SOEs have adopted market‐based organizational learning (Sinkula, Baker, and Noordewier 1997), market orientation (Deshpande and Farley 1998), entrepreneurial orientation (Smart and Conant 1994), and learning and innovativeness (Hurley and Hult 1998).
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Wai‐Sum Siu, Yi Zhu and David A. Kirby
Previous research by Siu and Kirby has argued that the broad Western marketing principles are not necessarily fully applicable to, and suitable for, the Chinese socio‐cultural…
Abstract
Previous research by Siu and Kirby has argued that the broad Western marketing principles are not necessarily fully applicable to, and suitable for, the Chinese socio‐cultural context. To examine this assertion, provides a comprehensive examination of the marketing practices of 18 Chinese small firms in the UK. In so doing, compares the findings with a similar study of 158 Chinese small firms in Hong Kong. The results suggest that the marketing practices of Chinese small firms in the UK are different from their counterparts in Hong Kong. The findings thus lend support to the notion that socio‐cultural values and macro‐economic structure are equally important in determining a firm’s marketing behaviour. Thus, care should be taken before assuming that marketing, as practised in Western situations, is equally applicable across all contexts.