Past decades have witnessed significant contributions to theories of the firm, innovation and economic growth from two closely related paradigms, namely, the Capabilities School…
Abstract
Past decades have witnessed significant contributions to theories of the firm, innovation and economic growth from two closely related paradigms, namely, the Capabilities School and National Innovation Systems Approach. Unlike the neoclassical models of the firm and growth, these two paradigms place emphasis on the knowledge and learning process in understanding economic development. Despite being closer to reality in their treatment of economic issues than their neoclassical school counterpart, the two paradigms have not put human agency in the forefront of their analysis. This paper constructs a theory of national capabilities in the subjectivist perspective, which is then extended to understand firm and national capabilities and competitiveness. While this paper recognizes the influence of institutions on firms' decision making, unlike contemporary evolutionary literatures, the subjectivist perspective highlights the fact that all institutions are the coordinating effort of human actions which attempt to interpret external events or make sense out of social or economic interactions.
This chapter reviews the effects of air transport liberalization, and investigates the roles played by airport-airline vertical arrangements in liberalizing markets. Our…
Abstract
This chapter reviews the effects of air transport liberalization, and investigates the roles played by airport-airline vertical arrangements in liberalizing markets. Our investigation concludes that liberalization has led to substantial economic and traffic growth. Such positive outcomes are mainly due to increased competition and efficiency gains in the airline industry, and positive externalities to the overall economy. Liberalization allows airlines to optimize their networks, and thus may introduce substantial demand and financial uncertainty to airports. Vertical arrangements between airlines and airports may offer a wide range of benefits to the parties involved, yet such arrangements could also lead to airline entry barriers which reduce the effects of liberalization. Three approaches have been developed to model the effects of liberalization in complex market conditions, which include the analytical, econometric and computational network methods. These approaches should be selectively utilized in policy studies on liberalization.
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Yongjian Li, Kai Zhang, Yu Dou, Zhiwei Lin, Yu Fu and Changgeng Zhang
In rotational alternating current machines, interlocking is a commonly used manufacturing method to fix laminated silicon steel cores. The purpose of this study is to measure the…
Abstract
Purpose
In rotational alternating current machines, interlocking is a commonly used manufacturing method to fix laminated silicon steel cores. The purpose of this study is to measure the localized magnetic properties more comprehensively and to analyze the deteriorated magnetic properties caused by interlocking more accurately.
Design/methodology/approach
A movable B–H sensor is designed in this paper. The localized magnetic properties measurement was performed to investigate the magnetic properties around the interlocks with various sizes, various orientations and various numbers of laminations. Then, the damaged area caused by the interlocking was quantified, and the magnetic degradation of different degrees is layered.
Findings
The measurement results have shown that the interlocks with larger sizes, along the transverse direction and on 10-layer laminate, will lead to more serious magnetic degradation, and the maximum loss increment can reach up to 70%.
Originality/value
This work is an improvement and optimization based on the previous overall magnetic measurement of the interlock. The quantitative results of the localized magnetic measurement will have a certain significance for the accurate modeling and simulation of the electrical machines and provide valuable guidance for the optimization of the actual production process of the motor.
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Xiaowei Ju, Guanhua Wang and Yu Fu
From the perspective of social networks and knowledge networks, this study aims to empirically examine an updated four-dimension networking capability (NC) construct and test the…
Abstract
Purpose
From the perspective of social networks and knowledge networks, this study aims to empirically examine an updated four-dimension networking capability (NC) construct and test the relationships between it and innovation strategies through knowledge application activities in the context of Chinese manufacturing firms.
Design/methodology/approach
Data analysis is conducted on a quantitative survey of 219 manufacturing firms in China with a mixed method of partial least squares structural equation modeling and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis.
Findings
The results indicate that knowledge assimilation application (KAA) and knowledge transformation application (KTA) fully mediate the relationships between NC and ambidextrous innovation strategies. KAA has a stronger association with exploitative innovation (EL) than with exploratory innovation (ER), and KTA has a stronger association with ER than with EL.
Research limitations/implications
The authors develop the conceptualization of NC and examine its role in knowledge application activities within a firm. Further, the authors adopt an alternative perspective to highlight the importance of KAA and KTA in mediating the relationships between NC and exploratory and exploitative innovation strategies.
Practical implications
The findings indicate that firms should build NC based on their knowledge requirements and knowledge network structure. Additionally, managers should possess in-depth insights regarding an effective knowledge application toward different types of external knowledge from partners. More specific, firms are more likely to conduct KAA for a high degree of knowledge relatedness, while for a low degree of knowledge relatedness, firms are more likely to conduct KTA.
Originality/value
The authors provide a novel alternative insight into knowledge application activities. From the perspective of knowledge networks, the authors argue that there are two distinct and parallel activities (i.e. KAA and KTA). The authors empirically examined the mediating roles of KAA and KTA in the NC–ambidextrous innovation strategies relationships as well as enriched the literature on their relationships.
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Yen-Chun Chen, Yung-Cheng Shen, Crystal Tzu-Ying Lee and Fu-Kai Yu
The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a multidimensional hierarchical scale for measuring “e-service quality variation.”
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate a multidimensional hierarchical scale for measuring “e-service quality variation.”
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the psychometric scale-development approach, qualitative and quantitative methods were employed to develop the e-SERVAR scale. A multidimensional hierarchical factor structure of e-SERVAR is proposed, along with a set of preliminary items derived from literature and the qualitative study. Furthermore, the Yahoo website in Taiwan was chosen to be the target e-service website for data collection to develop the e-SERVAR scale. A series of statistical methods (i.e. item-to-total correlations, exploratory factor analyses, CFAs and structural equation modeling) were adopted to verify construct reliability and validity as well as nomological validity of the scale.
Findings
A 41-item e-SERVAR scale based on the structure of a hierarchical factor model was developed that contains three primary dimensions (i.e. information, system and fulfillment) and nine subdimensions (information accuracy, information quantity, information timeliness, information usefulness, system reliability, system security, merchandise quality, merchandise delivery timeliness and merchandise security).
Practical implications
The results of this study help managers identify sources of quality variability and design efficacious strategies to reduce such variability in order to improve the overall e-service quality.
Originality/value
Prior research of e-service quality has paid less attention to the role of e-service quality variability. Discussion of e-service quality variability was mainly conceptual in nature. This research presents the e-SERVAR scale as a measurement tool that provides a new avenue for researchers to study how to improve e-service quality by measuring service variability.
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This study aims to apply association rule mining (ARM) to uncover specific associations between operating components of a chiller system and improve its coefficient of performance…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to apply association rule mining (ARM) to uncover specific associations between operating components of a chiller system and improve its coefficient of performance (COP), hence reducing the electricity use of buildings with central air conditioning.
Design/methodology/approach
First, 13 operating variables were identified, comprising measures of temperatures and flow rates of system components and their switching statuses. The variables were grouped into four bins before carrying out ARM. Strong rules were produced to associate the variables and switching statuses with different COP classes.
Findings
The strong rules explain existing constraints on practising chiller sequencing and prioritise variables for optimisation. Based on strong rules for the highest COP class, the optimal operating strategy involves rescheduling chillers and their associated components in pairs during a high load operation. Resetting the chilled water supply temperature is the next best strategy, followed by resetting the condenser water entering temperature, subject to operating constraints.
Research limitations/implications
This study considers the even frequency method with four bins only. Replication work can be done with other discretisation methods and different numbers of classes to compare potential differences in the bin ranges of the optimised variables.
Practical implications
The strong rules identified by ARM highlight associations between variables and high or low COPs. This supports the selection of critical variables and the operating status of system components to maximise the COP. Tailor-made optimisation strategies and the associated electricity savings can be further evaluated.
Originality/value
Previous studies applied ARM for chiller fault detection but without considering system performance under the interaction of different components. The novelty of this study is its demonstration of ARM’s intelligence at discovering associations in past operating data. This enables the identification of tailor-made energy management opportunities, which are essential for all engineering systems. ARM is free from the prediction errors of typical regression and black-box models.
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Pipelines are seriously corroded due to the close distance between pipelines and high voltage transmission lines. The purpose of this paper is to study the influence of…
Abstract
Purpose
Pipelines are seriously corroded due to the close distance between pipelines and high voltage transmission lines. The purpose of this paper is to study the influence of alternating current (AC) on corrosion behavior of X80 pipeline steel in coastal soil solution.
Design/methodology/approach
The corrosion behavior of X80 steel under different AC densities in coastal soil solution was investigated by electrochemical measurements and image processing technology. Furthermore, a quantitative description model of AC corrosion through fractal dimension of corrosion image was established.
Findings
The results show that under low AC density the X80 steel is mainly uniform corrosion, and once AC density reaches 150 A/m2, the corrosion morphology gradually turns to pitting corrosion with irregular circle. For another aspect, the fractal dimension of corrosion images shows that the two/three-dimensional fractal dimension increase with the increase of AC density, presenting a linear and an exponential relationship respectively. In addition, the variation of the three-dimensional fractal dimension is the same as that of average corrosion rate. The threshold of the increasing trend of fractal dimension as well as corrosion type is 150 A/m2.
Originality/value
The investigation provides a quantitative method to describe AC corrosion morphology through fractal dimension. Furthermore, the method is of benefit to process corrosion images automatically.
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Yu Fu, Junwen Zhao, Xujia Li and Yiwen Peng
This paper aims to prepare high corrosion-resistant chromium-free zinc-aluminum (Zn–Al) coatings reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and nano-ZnO particle…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to prepare high corrosion-resistant chromium-free zinc-aluminum (Zn–Al) coatings reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and nano-ZnO particle composites.
Design/methodology/approach
The morphology, composition and corrosion resistance of the coatings were analyzed by electrochemical tests, water contact angle tests, immersion tests, scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectrometer and X-ray diffraction.
Findings
The composite coating with 0.3% MWCNTs and 0.5% nano-ZnO particles demonstrated both high shielding performance and cathodic protection performance, which was attributed to the porosity filling of MWCNTs and nano-ZnO particles together with the electrical connection of MWCNTs between the zinc and aluminum powders.
Originality/value
This work laid an experimental foundation for the preparation and corrosion mechanism of high corrosion-resistant chromium-free Zn–Al coating reinforced with MWCNTs and nano-ZnO particles.
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Hsiang‐Fu Yu, Yi‐Ming Chen, Shih‐Yong Wang and Li‐Ming Tseng
Traditionally, file transfer protocol (FTP) servers are major archive providers and users apply the Archie server to locate FTP archives. With the extreme popularity of the WWW…
Abstract
Traditionally, file transfer protocol (FTP) servers are major archive providers and users apply the Archie server to locate FTP archives. With the extreme popularity of the WWW, Web servers are now important archive providers and users download archives via HTTP. To reduce HTTP traffic, proxy cache servers are deployed on the Internet. However, we find the hit rate of archives in cache servers is quite low. This study proposes a combination of caching and better searching mechanisms to alleviate the problem. We enable a proxy server to automatically collect WWW and FTP archives from its cache, organize them in the form of an FTP directory, and then offer the directory list to the Archie. Accordingly, users can find archives on WWW and FTP servers through the Archie, and they can directly download archives from the proxy server, thus improving the reuse of cached archives. A system was implemented and operated in a real environment to evaluate the approach and results are discussed.