Da Liu, Wenbo Wang and Yinchuan Zhao
Weather affects consumer decision-making. However, academic research on how weather factors affect specific takeaway foods is limited. This paper aims to fill in the gap and…
Abstract
Purpose
Weather affects consumer decision-making. However, academic research on how weather factors affect specific takeaway foods is limited. This paper aims to fill in the gap and therefore to contribute to online marketing and operation.
Design/methodology/approach
Web crawler techniques were first exploited to collect takeaway food ordering data from Meituan, the world’s largest GMV platform. Then statistics models and a time series regression model were selected to study the weather impact on online orders.
Findings
The findings highlight that certain weather factors, such as temperature, air quality and rainfall have clear effects on most category takeaway orders.
Originality/value
Quantitative analysis of weather impacts on the takeaway ordering business will help to guide the online service platforms for marketing promotion and the settled businesses to make reasonable arrangements for inventory and marketing tactics.
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Andrew Adamatzky, Xin-She Yang and Yu-Xin Zhao
– The purpose of this paper is to study the slime mould Physarum polycephalum
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study the slime mould Physarum polycephalum
Design/methodology/approach
The paper proceeds by representing major urban areas of China by oat flakes, inoculating the slime mould in Beijing, waiting till the slime mould colonises all urban areas, or colonises some and cease further propagation, and analysing the protoplasmic networks formed and comparing with man-made motorway network and planar proximity graphs. Findings
Findings
Laboratory experiments found that P. polycephalum
Originality/value
The paper demonstrated the strong component of transport system built by slime mould of P. polycephalum
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Nan Wang, Yuxiang Luan, Guolong Zhao and Rui Ma
This study aims to examine the antecedents of career decision self-efficacy (CDSE) and provide a comprehensive understanding of the factors that influence this critical construct…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the antecedents of career decision self-efficacy (CDSE) and provide a comprehensive understanding of the factors that influence this critical construct in career development and decision-making.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employed a meta-analysis of 43 independent studies, comprising 90 correlations and 17,143 participants. The Hunter-Schmidt method meta-analysis was used to analyze the data and identify the factors associated with CDSE. Random-effect meta-regression analysis was applied to detect the potential moderators.
Findings
The study found that CDSE is positively associated with social support (ρ = 0.41), age (ρ = 0.05), agreeableness (ρ = 0.23), conscientiousness (ρ = 0.48), emotional intelligence (ρ = 0.48), extraversion (ρ = 0.41), openness (ρ = 0.35) and proactive personality (ρ = 0.68), while negatively related to neuroticism (ρ = −0.33). Furthermore, the results indicate that sample gender (%female) and mean age partially moderate the relationship between CDSE and age, core-self evaluations and neuroticism.
Originality/value
In this study, the authors have contributed significantly to the existing research on CDSE antecedents by conducting a thorough analysis of the various factors associated with this critical construct. The findings offer an accurate understanding of the factors that influence CDSE, and this paper's moderation analysis sheds light on the boundary conditions in the CDSE literature. Moreover, this research has practical implications for practitioners such as teachers, parents and career counselors. By leveraging the insights gained from this study, practitioners can provide more effective career support and intervention to young people, which can help increase their CDSE and improve their overall career development and well-being.
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Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the factors influencing the evolution of emerging technology innovation network (ETIN) in combination with the key attributes and life cycle of emerging technologies, particularly the impact of multiple knowledge attributes and technology life cycle on the ETIN evolution.
Design/methodology/approach
This study collects 5G patent data and their citation information from the Derwent Innovations Index to construct a 5G technology innovation network (5GIN) as a sample network and conducts an empirical analysis of the 5GIN using the temporal exponential random graph model (TERGM).
Findings
The results indicate that during the 5GIN evolution, the network scale continues to expand and exhibits increasingly significant core-periphery structure, scale-free characteristic, small-world characteristic and community structure. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the multiple knowledge attributes based on the key attributes of emerging technologies, including knowledge novelty, coherence, growth and impact, have a significant positive influence on the ETIN evolution. Meanwhile, the temporal evolution of ETIN is also found to be correlated with the life cycle of emerging technologies.
Originality/value
This study extends the exploration of emerging technology research from a complex network perspective, providing a more realistic explanatory framework for the factors influencing ETIN evolution. It further highlights the important role that multiple knowledge attributes and the technology life cycle play within this framework.
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Hao Chen, Jiajia Wang, Jiaying Bao, Zihan Zhang and Jingya Li
Based on the Cognitive Appraisal Theory of Stress, this study aims to reveal the mechanism of peer abusive supervision on bystander proactive behavior through two different paths…
Abstract
Purpose
Based on the Cognitive Appraisal Theory of Stress, this study aims to reveal the mechanism of peer abusive supervision on bystander proactive behavior through two different paths: bystander assertive impression management motivation and bystander defensive impression management motivation. Besides, the moderating effects of bystander uncertainty tolerance on the two paths are also explored.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, 438 employees and their direct leaders from eight Chinese companies were surveyed in a paired survey at three time points, and the empirical data was analyzed using Mplus 7.4 software.
Findings
Peer abusive supervision leads bystanders to develop assertive impression management motivation and, thus, to exhibit more proactive behaviors. At the same time, peer abusive supervision also causes bystanders to develop defensive impression management motivation, which reduces the frequency of performing proactive behaviors. In addition, this study finds that bystander uncertainty tolerance plays a moderating role in influencing bystander assertive impression management motivation and bystander defensive impression management motivation in response to peer abusive supervision.
Originality/value
Starting from the bystander perspective, this study verifies the double-edged sword effect of peer abusive supervision on bystander proactive behavior as well as the mechanism of differentiated effects through cognitive appraisal, which broadens the scope of the research on abusive supervision, and deepens the academic understanding and development of the Cognitive Appraisal Theory of Stress. At the same time, it also provides new ideas for organizations to reduce the negative effects of workplace abusive behavior.
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Zhanqi Tang, Hongxiang Mu, Yanni He, Dawei Gao and Tianxia Liu
Machinery operating in a sand-dust environment is more susceptible to sand particles. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of sand particle deposition rate…
Abstract
Purpose
Machinery operating in a sand-dust environment is more susceptible to sand particles. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of sand particle deposition rate, surface hardness and normal load on the tribological performance.
Design/methodology/approach
A predictive model to approximate the number of sand particles within the pin-on-disc contact surface is proposed. The efficacy of the model is validated through experimental method, which replicates a sand environment with two distinct particle deposition rates. Dry sliding friction experiments are also conducted using 45 carbon steel and H90 brass pins against GCr15 bearing steel discs.
Findings
When at high particle deposition rate [6.89 × 10–5 g/(s·mm2)], the contact surfaces are separated by particles, resulting in an indirect metal contact. While at low deposition rate [6.08 × 10–8 g/(s·mm2)], there is an alternating occurrence of direct and indirect metal contacts. In sand environment, the specific wear rate of 45 and H90 decreases by 50% and 33%, respectively, compared to non-sand environment when the applied load is 2.45 N. However, it is only 0.18% for 45 but remains significant at 25% for H90 at load of 9.8 N.
Originality/value
The predictive model and experimental method used in this paper are helpful for understanding the interaction between particles and sliding surfaces, thereby providing a solid foundation for material selection and load optimization of friction pairs influenced by sand-dust environments.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-05-2024-0155/
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Xiaojie Xu and Yun Zhang
Understandings of house prices and their interrelationships have undoubtedly drawn a great amount of attention from various market participants. This study aims to investigate the…
Abstract
Purpose
Understandings of house prices and their interrelationships have undoubtedly drawn a great amount of attention from various market participants. This study aims to investigate the monthly newly-built residential house price indices of seventy Chinese cities during a 10-year period spanning January 2011–December 2020 for understandings of issues related to their interdependence and synchronizations.
Design/methodology/approach
Analysis here is facilitated through network analysis together with topological and hierarchical characterizations of price comovements.
Findings
This study determines eight sectoral groups of cities whose house price indices are directly connected and the price synchronization within each group is higher than that at the national level, although each shows rather idiosyncratic patterns. Degrees of house price comovements are generally lower starting from 2018 at the national level and for the eight sectoral groups. Similarly, this study finds that the synchronization intensity associated with the house price index of each city generally switches to a lower level starting from early 2019.
Originality/value
Results here should be of use to policy design and analysis aiming at housing market evaluations and monitoring.
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Biying Zhu, Ju’e Guo, Martin de Jong, Yunhong Liu, Erlong Zhao and Gao Jing
This paper aims to examine the unique Chinese context by analyzing the city labels (e.g. smart city and eco city) used by Chinese local governments at or above the provincial…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the unique Chinese context by analyzing the city labels (e.g. smart city and eco city) used by Chinese local governments at or above the provincial capital level to represent themselves (adopted city labels) and the developmental pathways they actually pursued (adopted developmental pathways).
Design/methodology/approach
The authors compared the city brand choices to those anticipated based on their geographic and economic contexts (predicted city labels and developmental pathways) as well as the directives outlined in national planning documents (imposed city labels and developmental pathways). The authors identified ten main categories of city labels used to designate themselves and establish the frequency of their use based on municipal plan documents, economic and geographic data and national plan documents and policy reports, respectively.
Findings
The authors discovered that both local economic development and geographic factors, as well as top-down administrative influences, significantly impact city branding strategies in the 38 Chinese cities studied. When these models fall short in predicting adopted city labels and pathways, it is often because cities favor a service-oriented reputation over a manufacturing-focused one, and they prefer diverse, multifaceted industrial images to uniform ones.
Originality/value
The originality and value of this paper lie in its contribution to the academic literature on city branding by developing a predictive model for brand development at the municipal level, with explicit attention to the national-local nexus. The paper’s approach differs from existing research in the first cluster of city branding by not addressing issues of stakeholder involvement or adoption and implementation processes. Additionally, the paper’s focus on the political power dynamics at the national level and urban governance details at the municipal level provides a unique perspective on the topic. Overall, this paper provides a valuable contribution to the field of city branding by expanding the understanding of brand development and its impact on the socioeconomic environment.
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This paper aims to conduct a detailed analysis of the feasibility of issuing sukuk in China and examine the regulatory issues related to the issuance of sukuk in China.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to conduct a detailed analysis of the feasibility of issuing sukuk in China and examine the regulatory issues related to the issuance of sukuk in China.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses SWOT analysis to explore China’s internal and external environments related to the issuance of sukuks and examines the application of sukuks as an alternative financing instrument in China.
Findings
As a unique financial instrument, a sukuk can assist in meeting China’s current financing needs. Moreover, it is feasible to issue a sukuk. China should be prepared to modify its legal system and set up a regulatory framework conducive to the issuance of sukuks. Furthermore, blockchain technology can be used to overcome certain limitations of sukuks.
Originality/value
This study provides a detailed analysis of sukuk issuances in China. This study discusses the issue of sukuk issuance in China from the perspective of finance and law.
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Rongrong Shi, Baojun Yang, Zhaofang Chu and Fujun Lai
Digitalization brings complexity and challenges to the relationship governance between logistics outsourcers and their providers. Drawn on resource dependence theory (RDT) and…
Abstract
Purpose
Digitalization brings complexity and challenges to the relationship governance between logistics outsourcers and their providers. Drawn on resource dependence theory (RDT) and resource-based view (RBV), this study aims to examine the role of relationship commitment in simultaneously managing dependence and improving operational performance in logistics outsourcing in the digital economy, as well as the contingent factors (i.e. communication, relationship length, and company size) that affect the effectiveness of relationship commitment.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on data collected from 130 third-party logistics (3PL) users in China, our model was tested with the partial least squares (PLS) approach.
Findings
First, relationship commitment is necessary for 3PL users to manage dependence on 3PL providers and improve operational performance in the digital economy. Second, communication helps 3PL users to develop higher relationship commitment but weakens the motivating effect of dependence on relationship commitment. Third, a long relationship history develops inertia to diminish the effectiveness of dependence on driving relationship commitment while it boosts the impact of relationship commitment on operational performance. Last, company size is an important signal to amplify the effectiveness of relationship commitment for operational performance enhancement.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the logistics outsourcing literature by integrating RDT and RBV to explain the twofold roles of relationship commitment, simultaneously tackling dependence and enhancing operational performance in the digital economy. Additionally, it expands the understanding of the boundary conditions (e.g. communication, relationship length, and company size) on these twofold roles.