Xiaoguang Wang, Yijun Gao and Zhuoyao Lu
Microblogs are communication platforms for companies and consumers that challenge companies' brand marketing strategies. This paper provides a theoretical basis for expanding…
Abstract
Purpose
Microblogs are communication platforms for companies and consumers that challenge companies' brand marketing strategies. This paper provides a theoretical basis for expanding microblog applications and a practical basis for improving the effectiveness of brand marketing.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use factor analysis to extract the factors of microblog user influence and construct a structural equation model to reveal the interaction mechanism of the influencing factors. Additionally, the authors clarify the promotion and enhancement effects of these factors.
Findings
Microblog user influence can be converted into richness, interaction and value factors. The richness factor significantly affects the latter two, whereas the interaction factor does not affect the value factor.
Research limitations/implications
First, the sample used is limited to media industry practitioners. To increase generalizability, diverse groups should be included in future studies. Second, this model's theoretical explanatory ability can be further developed by adding other meaningful factors beyond the existing ones.
Originality/value
This study analyzes the factors of microblog user influence in China and validates the relevant elements. As a result, it improves the influence research on social media users and benefits the practice of information recommendation and microblog marketing.
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Liwen Vaughan, Margaret Kipp and Yijun Gao
The purpose of this article is to examine the reasons for the creation of co‐links between pairs of business web sites. Specifically, to determine whether co‐linked business web…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this article is to examine the reasons for the creation of co‐links between pairs of business web sites. Specifically, to determine whether co‐linked business web sites are really related.
Design/methodology/approach
Co‐links to 32 telecommunications companies were retrieved using Yahoo! and a random sample of 495 co‐linking pages (the page that initiated the co‐link) were selected for a content analysis. The context of the co‐link and the content of the co‐linking page were manually examined to record the following data: type of web site and the reason for the creation of the co‐link.
Findings
The study found that 61.4 per cent of co‐links were created to connected pairs of highly related businesses (related companies, related products, and related services). Only 14.7 per cent of co‐links were created for non‐business reasons. The remaining 23.8 per cent of co‐linked sites showed a loose or marginal business relationship. The study also found that co‐links targeting home pages (as opposed to non‐homepages) were more likely to connect related businesses. Furthermore, co‐links coming from commercial sites (as opposed to other sites such as educational sites) are more likely to link related businesses.
Originality/value
The findings from this content analysis study confirm results from previous quantitative studies that showed that web co‐links measure relatedness of co‐linked sites and that co‐links can be objects of web data mining. The study contributes to our understanding of link motivations and the web linking phenomenon in general. The difference between links to homepages and that to non‐homepages found in the study can guide us in co‐link data collection.
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To construct web visibility profiles of news web sites by examining hyperlinks pointing to the sites.
Abstract
Purpose
To construct web visibility profiles of news web sites by examining hyperlinks pointing to the sites.
Design/methodology/approach
National newspapers from USA (USA Today), Canada (The Globe and Mail), China (People's Daily) as well as Hong Kong (Sing Tao Daily) were selected for the study. A total of 1,859 links pointing to the four news sites were manually classified into the four aspects of language, country, types of sites, and reasons or purposes for linking.
Findings
A comparison of the four news sites provided useful information on their web visibility. The Globe and Mail seemed to have a larger international reach than USA Today. Neither newspaper web site attracted links from China or from pages in the Chinese language. Outside China, People's Daily, an official Chinese Government newspaper, is not as visible as Hong Kong based Sing Tao Daily. USA Today and The Globe and Mail were used more for news citing or reprinting purposes while People's Daily seemed to be used more as a research resource.
Research limitations/implications
Link analysis like this provides us with only an indirect view of the online readership and the methodology has limitations. Not all readers create links to the newspaper sites that they visit. Readers could be led to a news site through other venues including “social bookmarking” services.
Practical implications
The study shows that link analysis is a novel and useful method that journalists and information professionals can use to gauge online readership and potential impact of news sites.
Originality/value
Presented a novel method that complements but not replaces other web user studies such as web server log analysis.
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Yijun Zhou, Yu Yang and Jyh-Bin Yang
Effective BIM application hinges on the development of appropriate strategies for its implementation. Though some strategies have been deployed to facilitate BIM implementation in…
Abstract
Purpose
Effective BIM application hinges on the development of appropriate strategies for its implementation. Though some strategies have been deployed to facilitate BIM implementation in China, their outcomes are not clear. The purpose of this paper is to provide recommendations regarding appropriate strategies for promoting the development and implementation of BIM in China based on lessons learned from advanced implementation experiences in other countries.
Design/methodology/approach
First, existing strategies are investigated and barriers to BIM implementation mentioned in previous studies are summarized. Then, the identified barriers are mapped to the strategy contents. Finally, a comparative analysis on different areas is conducted to propose suggestions for identified items of BIM implementation strategies that need to be improved.
Findings
Six unaddressed barriers to BIM implementation strategies in China were identified from the mapping results: insufficient government lead/direction, organizational issues, legal issues, high cost of application, resistance to change of thinking mode and insufficient external motivation.
Originality/value
The findings of this study can be used to facilitate the development of appropriate strategies within the public and private sectors for promoting BIM implementation in China and elsewhere.
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Yijun Teh, Asral Bahari Jambek and Uda Hashim
This paper aims to discuss a nanoscale biosensor and its signal analysis algorithms.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to discuss a nanoscale biosensor and its signal analysis algorithms.
Design/methodology/approach
In this work, five nanoscale biosensors are reviewed, namely, silicon nanowire field-effect-transistor biosensors, polysilicon nanogap capacitive biosensors, nanotube amperometric biosensors, gold nanoparticle-based electrochemical biosensors and quantum dot-based electrochemical biosensors.
Findings
Each biosensor produces a different output signal depending on its electrical characteristics. Five signal analysers are studied, with most of the existing signal analyser analyses based on the amplitude of the signal. Based on the analysis, auto-threshold peak detection is proposed for further work.
Originality/value
Suitability of the signal processing algorithm to be applied to nano-biosensors was reported.
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Fanglei Zhong, Xiaochun Ma, Xuyan Jiang, Yijun Mao and Xiaowei Lyu
This study aims to examine the effect of education for sustainable development (ESD) on students’ sustainability behaviors in Chinese higher education institutions (HEIs), aiming…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the effect of education for sustainable development (ESD) on students’ sustainability behaviors in Chinese higher education institutions (HEIs), aiming to identify the educational enhancement pathways and influencing factors based on students’ perspectives.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from students in Chinese HEIs using an online survey. Structural equation modeling is used to analyze the data and verify the pathways for enhancing students’ sustainability behaviors through ESD in HEIs. The effects of students’ demographic characteristics, majors, and other factors are also examined.
Findings
ESD in Chinese HEIs promotes students’ sustainability cognition and behaviors. Students’ sustainability cognition plays a mediating role and has a positive effect on enhancing sustainability behaviors through education. In the influence pathway, the behavioral attitudes of students majoring in humanities and social sciences with high monthly expenditures are more significant for promoting sustainable social participation. Meanwhile, gender and educational level are not significant moderating factors.
Research limitations/implications
Factors such as cognition are subjective and difficult to measure. The sample’s representativeness warrants further consideration, and there is a lack of time-series change data. Nevertheless, this attempt to examine the mechanism of ESD from students’ perspectives can help assess ESD in HEIs more rationally and make the improvement paths more efficient.
Practical implications
This study offers evidence to support ESD-related decision-making in Chinese HEIs. It is suggested that HEIs continue to strengthen ESD, focusing on influencing behavior by enhancing students’ sustainability cognition. Pedagogical approaches should be adjusted based on students’ spending habits and majors to maximize educational outcomes and support China’s sustainability ambitions.
Originality/value
Based on the perspective of Chinese HEI students, this study makes observations about ESD in Chinese HEIs, focuses on the interaction between the sustainability cognition and behaviors of students, and expands the discussion of pathways for HEIs to promote students’ sustainability cognition and behaviors.
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Wujian Ye, Hao Huang, Boning Zhang, Yijun Liu and Ziqi Lin
Most existing methods for concrete crack detection are based on deep learning techniques such as convolutional neural networks. However, these models, due to their large memory…
Abstract
Purpose
Most existing methods for concrete crack detection are based on deep learning techniques such as convolutional neural networks. However, these models, due to their large memory footprint, high power consumption and insufficient feature extraction capabilities, face challenges in mobile applications. To address these issues, this paper proposes a lightweight spiking neural network detection model.
Design/methodology/approach
This model achieves fast and accurate crack detection. Firstly, the Gabor-Spiking (GS) module preprocesses input images, extracting texture features and edge features of crack images through Gabor filter convolution modules and spiking convolution modules, respectively. Next, the multiscale residual (MR) module is designed, composed of convolutional layers and residual modules of various scales, to process the fused features and perform crack detection.
Findings
Experimental results demonstrate that the model’s size can be reduced to 4.6 MB, achieving accuracy improvements to 87.3 and 96.4% on the SDNET and OCD datasets, respectively.
Originality/value
This paper proposes a lightweight spiking neural network detection model based on the GS module for edge texture feature fusion and the MR module for crack detection.
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Dinesh Kumar, Pardeep Kumar, Navin Kumar and Saumy Agarwal
This research aims to examine the impact of friction stir processing (FSP) treatment on an aluminum alloy, especially the AD31T alloy derived from the Al-Fe-Mg-Si system. The aim…
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to examine the impact of friction stir processing (FSP) treatment on an aluminum alloy, especially the AD31T alloy derived from the Al-Fe-Mg-Si system. The aim is to assess the influence of different processing techniques on the microstructure and physical and mechanical characteristics of the material, with a specific focus on structural and bulk imperfections inside the stir zone (SZ).
Design/methodology/approach
The study demonstrates that augmenting the linear velocity of the tool within the 25–100 mm/min range results in significant enhancements. The enhancements include a decrease in the heat-affected zone (HAZ), a reduction in the extent of volume defects inside the SZ and a more uniform deformation. The microstructural analysis results are corroborated by data acquired from microhardness and electrical conductivity studies, confirming the beneficial influence of modifying the tool’s linear velocity on the material parameters.
Findings
This study provides significant observations on the changes in microstructure and the generation of flaws throughout the process of FSP of AD31T alloy. These results have practical implications for improving the characteristics of the alloy and optimizing the production conditions.
Originality/value
All samples exhibit a distinct reduction in electrical conductivity within the initial third of the sample, aligning with the transitional region between the base metal (BM) and the HAZ. This underscores the importance of understanding the transitional zones during FSP.