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This paper aims to combine the grooves with an annular air thrust bearing with multi-hole restrictors and discusses the influence of the groove parameters on the bearing performance.

Four models of aerostatic bearings with grooves of different geometries are established. The pressure distribution, load-carrying capacity (LCC), stiffness and flow characteristics of the flow field in the bearing clearances are obtained by computational fluid dynamics simulation.

The numerical and simulation results show that air bearing with grooved restrictors can slow down the pressure drop at the air inlet and increase the LCC and stiffness of the bearing. The gas flow in the aerostatic bearing is also studied, and the air vortex in the recess is analyzed.

This research optimizes the structure of the annular air thrust bearing, analyzes the gas vortex in the recess, improves the LCC and stiffness of the bearing and provides a reference for the bearing in the selection of groove parameters.

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-01-2023-0006/

Livestream selling is becoming an increasingly popular practice adopted by online retailers to develop a consumer-centric supply chain (CCSC). It improves consumer experience by integrating chat, watch and purchase functions, while also altering consumer behaviors by increasing impulse purchases. Online retailers’ responses to this change potentially impact suppliers’ operational processes. This study aims to empirically examine how livestream selling affects suppliers’ operational performance in terms of lead time and how suppliers’ product variety and order fulfillment capabilities moderate such an impact.

Using data from a leading online retailer in China, the authors use a least squares model with fixed effects to test the relationships. Both the two-stage instrumental variable model and the two-stage Heckman model are used to address potential endogeneity in this study.

The findings show that retailers’ usage of livestream selling can increase suppliers’ lead time. Furthermore, the negative impact is enhanced when a supplier has a higher level of product variety or a weaker order fulfillment capability.

This study explores how livestream selling alters consumer behavior, adversely affecting upstream suppliers’ operational performance. It underscores the need for a CCSC approach across all tiers, not just those closest to consumers. To achieve this, the research suggests that suppliers must align their capabilities with retailers’ consumer-centric practices to develop a CCSC, particularly by improving order fulfillment capability and cautiously expanding their product variety in livestream selling. The research further highlights the importance for retailers to consider changes in lead time to enhance the application of traditional inventory theory in the context of livestream selling.

This study aims to comprehensively analyze the current developments and applications of paper-based electrochemical platforms for blood glucose detection, focusing on their potential to revolutionize point-of-care testing through cost-effective and accessible diagnostic solutions.

The review systematically examines fundamental principles of paper-based platforms, including substrate properties, fluid transport mechanisms and electrochemical detection methods. It critically evaluates recent technological advances in materials science, fabrication techniques and signal amplification strategies while analyzing various case studies demonstrating successful implementations.

Recent innovations in paper-based glucose sensors have achieved remarkable performance metrics, with detection limits reaching sub-millimolar ranges and response times within seconds. The integration of nanomaterials, particularly graphene-based composites and carbon nanotubes, has significantly enhanced sensor sensitivity and stability. Advanced enzyme immobilization techniques using layer-by-layer assembly have demonstrated sustained activity for up to 10 weeks, while novel signal amplification strategies incorporating bimetallic nanoparticles have pushed detection limits into the sub-picogram range.

This review uniquely synthesizes the latest developments in paper-based electrochemical glucose sensing, providing critical insights into the synergistic integration of advanced materials, fabrication methods and detection strategies. It offers valuable perspectives on overcoming current technical challenges and highlights emerging opportunities in smart device integration and artificial intelligence applications, serving as a comprehensive resource for researchers and practitioners in the field of point-of-care diagnostics.

This study aims to make some contribution to the process of corporate compliance governance in China.

This paper adopts qualitative method, literature research, case analysis and comparative methods to explore the Chinese compliance governance model in the field of collusive bidding crimes.

In the process of criminal prosecution of enterprises suspected of committing crimes, the judicial authorities should promote the restoration of normal production and operation of corporate enterprises by promoting the construction of corporate compliance, which is conducive to solving the difficult problem of attribution of collusive bidding crimes. In addition, corporate compliance under prosecutorial supervision is also conducive to optimizing the regulatory path of collusive bidding and achieving more effective prevention and control of unit crimes in the mode of co-regulation between the state and corporate.

Compliance governance corporate crime is at a nascent stage in China, and this study seeks to provide some reference for future compliance review governance in China through the analysis of specific business crime cases.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of human resource (HR) and manufacturing plant information technology (MP-IT) resource on companies’ internal integration capabilities and how these resources/capabilities influence supplier integration.

Using data collected from 604 Chinese manufacturers, the authors empirically test the effects of different types of resources/capabilities on supplier integration.

The results show that HR has both direct and indirect effects on supplier integration through their effects on internal integration capabilities. MP-IT resource only has significant indirect effects on supplier integration through internal integration capabilities. The results also indicate that HR is more important than MP-IT resource in improving internal integration capabilities and supplier integration.

This study empirically investigates enablers of supplier integration in China, contributing to supply chain integration literature and practices.

Diplomatic and consular policies; legal aspects of international relations and Asia regional scenario.

Undergraduate.

In April 2012, high-level officials from China and the USA were about to meet in Beijing in the framework of the bilateral Strategic and Economic Dialogue, organized on a yearly basis. The event was always delicate, due to the ambiguous relationship existing between the two countries, which were at the same time rivals and dependent on one another. That time, the tension previous to the meeting increased significantly: a Chinese human rights activist had just sought and obtained diplomatic protection in the US Embassy in Beijing, thus creating an embarrassing situation for both States' foreign departments […] How could they possibly solve this contentious issue without affecting their already sensitive relationship?

Analytical: to be aware of the political nature of the current Chinese Government; to realize the concrete and practical implications of an Embassy's special status; to balance two contradictory objectives, in a specific situation where none of them can be fully discarded; to contrast and try to combine long-term goals (in this case, to maintain a functioning relationship between two main world powers) with short-term objectives (in this case, how to deal with a Chinese activist that required protection against his own country's security forces); to find a modus vivendi (conciliation) between values and interests; to get convinced that certain kinds of negotiations cannot be conceived through a “win or lose” approach: in this case, the only way out must be respectful of the two parties' core interests; and to take into account that image preservation (“face-saving”) must be included within any country's objectives in any situation involving diplomatic means. Conceptual: the purpose is to familiarize the students with specific concepts, such as: best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA), which is to be mentioned as part of the discussion (it is not included in the case study itself); interdependence; (purported) Group of Two; asylum and refuge; Immunity; and sending state/receiving state.

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The purpose of this paper is to examine the simultaneous effects of two process variables: functional involvement in strategy formulation, and manufacturing improvement programs, on manufacturing performance and financial performance of manufacturing firms in China.

Rigorous empirical research methods are used to ensure proper data collection process, and reliability and validity of constructs. Structural equation modeling is used to examine the relationships between functional involvement, improvement programs, manufacturing performance and financial performance.

It was found that involvement of marketing, finance and operations in strategy formulation have an effect on cost and quality whereas the involvement of emerging functions such as human resources, public relations, research and development and information technology have an effect on all aspects of manufacturing performance.

Studies of manufacturing strategy have primarily focused on choices and plans that denote strategic intent, rather than on the process of formulating and realizing strategy. Typical studies have used data from developed countries, such as Europe and North America. Insufficient attention has been paid to the process variables of manufacturing strategy and their effects on manufacturing performance. The study addresses these gaps in the literature using data collected from Chinese firms.

This paper aims to provide empirical evidence of the effectiveness of various supply chain integration (SCI) practices under different competitive strategies in terms of cost leadership and differentiation.

Survey methodology was used to collect data from 604 Chinese manufacturers. Hierarchical linear regression was used to analyze the moderating effects.

The results showed that competitive strategies significantly influenced the effectiveness of SCI practices, including internal, process and product integration. More specifically, internal integration significantly affected the financial performance of cost leaders, while process integration contributed more to the financial performance of differentiators. However, competitive strategies had no significant moderating effect on the relationship between SCI and operational performance.

This study contributes to the literature by exploring the effectiveness of various SCI practices in relation to firm performance under different competitive strategies. The results should be treated with caution, as they may be more meaningful in China.

The findings clarify the alignment of SCI with competitive strategies for practitioners, so that they can allocate their limited resources to build various SCI capabilities based on their strategic choices.

The results enhance the body of knowledge on SCI from the perspective of contextual factors to explore its effectiveness at a more detailed level. This study extends the literature on the match between competitive strategies and SCI in improving financial performance.

Current dynamic and turbulent business environment calls for adopting newer strategies so that organizations can create a niche for itself in the market, mass customization (MC) being one of them. The purpose of this paper is to identify the critical enablers necessary to realize the objectives of MC, study the relationship among them and prioritize them in order of their importance so that a clear roadmap can be easily prepared for successful implementation of MC.

A portfolio of enablers of MC has been elicited from a thorough review of literature and experts’ opinion. Then, contextually relevant relations are chosen for each pair. In addition, a hierarchy-based structural model is developed by using Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) technique.

The findings classify the enablers into different groups according to their driving and dependence power. The findings show the enablers of strategic importance that need focused attention. This paper develops a structural model including hierarchy of enablers that forms a basis for the firms considering transition to MC.

This paper allows the firms to differentiate the dependent and independent variables and their mutual relationships, also by identifying and establishing the connection and relationships among the enabling practices; firms can better prioritize the resources and implementation effort to successfully provide each customer exactly they want.

This paper happens to be one of the first of its kind in the area of mass customization research that presents a contextual model having a hierarchy of enablers.

This paper aims to investigate the influence of big data analytics (BDA) personnel expertise capabilities in the development of supply chain (SC) agility. Based on extant literature, the study explores the role of BDA technical knowledge, BDA technology management knowledge, BDA business knowledge and BDA relational knowledge in SC agility development. Furthermore, the author also explores the inter-relationships among these four BDA personnel expertise capabilities.

An expert team consisting of IT practitioners (with a minimum experience of five years) were chosen to comment and modify the established scale items of the constructs used in the study. Subsequently, the measures were further pre-tested with 61 students specializing in computer science and information technology. The final survey was mailed to 651 IT professionals with a minimum experience of five years or more in an allied field. Repeated follow-ups and reminders resulted in 176 completed responses. The responses were analysed using partial least squares in SmartPLS 2.0.M3.

Findings suggested that BDA technology management knowledge, BDA business knowledge and BDA relational knowledge are prominent enablers of SC agility. Furthermore, BDA technology management knowledge is an essential precursor of BDA technical knowledge and BDA business knowledge.

The study is the foremost in addressing the importance of BDA personnel expertise capabilities in the development of SC agility. Furthermore, it is also the foremost in exploring the inter-relationships among the BDA personnel expertise capabilities.