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The proposed DHHFLOWLAD is used to design a recommendation system, which aims to provide the most appropriate treatment to the patient under a double hierarchy hesitant fuzzy linguistic environment.

Based on the ordered weighted distance measure and logarithmic aggregation, we first propose a double hierarchy hesitant fuzzy linguistic ordered weighted logarithmic averaging distance (DHHFLOWLAD) measure in this paper.

A case study is presented to illustrate the practicability and efficiency of the proposed approach. The results show that the recommendation system can prioritize TCM treatment plans effectively. Moreover, it can cope with pattern recognition problems efficiently under uncertain information environments.

An expert system is proposed to combat COVID-19 that is an emerging infectious disease causing disruptions globally. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been proved to relieve symptoms, improve the cure rate, and reduce the death rate in clinical cases of COVID-19.

The purpose of this study was to research how the reassembly (remanufacturing assembly) achieves a quality that is not lower than original production with different precision remanufactured parts based on the integration of mechanics, mathematics (measurement uncertainty) and management (optional classification). Remanufactured product quality is the soul of the remanufacturing project.

First, this paper studies the recycled parts features and reassembly features. Then, we build the mathematical sub-model with remanufactured parts and dimensional precision, which is proven that optional classification can effectively improve the reassembly accuracy mathematically. The optimization model of optional classification for reassembly is proposed under the constraint of a dimensional chain, and the solutions are studied based on particle swarm optimization. Finally, this method is applied in a remanufacturing enterprise and achieves good results.

The method can reduce the cost of quality loss and improve the quality of remanufactured products.

It provides a new solution and idea for reassembly with different precision remanufactured parts and promotes the healthy development of reverse logistics with a high level of customer satisfaction. This method can maximize the use of different levels of quality remanufactured parts and improve reassembly accuracy by mathematical proofs and examples.

This study investigates the effects of using social media for customer service on firms' reputation building. In addition, this study explores the role of absorptive capacity, ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 9,000 implementation and periodic training for management and employees in the relationship between social media–based customer service and firm reputation.

This study sampled 115 US-listed firms and collected secondary data from five databases as follows: Factiva, Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies (WMAC), Standard & Poor's COMPUSTAT, American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) and Thomson Reuters’ Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG). This study developed a panel dataset of these 115 firms from 2007 to 2016 and conducted dynamic panel data analyses to examine the hypotheses.

This study finds that a higher number of social media channels used for customer service is associated with a higher reputation score for a firm. In addition, the positive relationship is reinforced when a firm has a high absorptive capacity level, an ISO 9000 quality management system and offers periodic training for management and employees.

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the relationship between social media–based customer service and firm reputation. This study also explores the boundary factors in terms of firm absorptive capacity, ISO 9000 quality management systems and training for management and employees.

The purpose of this paper is to study the tribological properties of Cu nanoparticles (NPs) as lubricant additives in three kinds of commercially available lubricants.

A four-ball machine is used to estimate the tribological properties of Cu NPs as lubricant additives in three kinds of commercially available lubricants. Three-dimensional optical profiler and electrical contact resistance are evaluated to investigate the morphology of the worn surfaces and the influence of Cu NPs on tribofilms.

Wear tests show that the addition of Cu NPs as lubricant additives could reduce wear and increase load-carrying capacity of commercially available lubricants remarkably, indicating that Cu NPs have a good compatibility with the existing lubricant additives in commercially available lubricants.

The tribological properties of Cu NPs as lubricant additives in three kinds of commercially available lubricants were investigated in this paper. These results are reliable and can be very helpful for application of Cu NPs as lubricant additives in industry.

In this paper, a combined TODIM-BSC method with the neutrosophical approach for evaluating the performance of a private insurance company has been proposed. In other words, first, using the BSC technique, and identify the performance evaluation indicators, then evaluate the performance of the insurance company's agencies and rank them with the TODIM decision-making method.

The insurance industry has a special prestige and importance in domestic and foreign trade. The evaluation of insurance companies, in addition to informing the stakeholders, increases competition, industry dynamism, sustainable and balanced development of society. The purpose of this paper is to establish a model for evaluating the performance of private insurance companies by adopting multiple-attribute decision-making and Balanced Scorecard (BSC) with single-values neutrosophic numbers (SVNNs) which will be applied by considering a set of indicators and alternatives deliberated with different viewpoints.

A case study of the private insurance agencies in one of the provinces of Iran based on 26 criteria of agencies is used to confirm the practicality and effectiveness of the proposed model. Finally, there was a discussion about why the results are logical, which shows the strength and robustness of the proposed framework.

To the best of our knowledge, no study has been performed to evaluate the performance of a real-world problem with the integrated TODIM-BSC method in a neutrophilic environment. Therefore, this paper can be effective in bridging the existing research gap and expanding our knowledge of the discussion of evaluating the performance of organizations or companies. Besides, by using these results, the authors can help the planners of these companies as well as similar organizations in attracting satisfaction and retaining target customers.

The purpose of this paper is synthesis of oil-soluble non-spherical nanoparticles modified with free phosphorus and sulphur modifier and investigation of their tribological properties as environment-friendly lubricating oil additives.

To study the effect of morphology of nanoparticles on their tribological properties, rice-like CuO nanoparticles were synthesized. To improve the solubility of CuO nanoparticles in organic media, the in-situ surface modification method was used to synthesize these products. The morphology, composition and structure of as-synthesized CuO nanoparticles were investigated by means of transmission electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry. The tribological properties of as-synthesized CuO nanoparticles as an additive in liquid paraffin (LP) were evaluated with a four-ball tribometer. The morphology and elemental composition of worn steel ball surfaces were analysed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

It has been found that as-synthesized CuO nanoparticles with rice-like morphology have an average size of 7 and 15 nm along the shorter axle and longer axle, respectively, and can be well-dispersed in LP. Tribological properties evaluation results show that as-synthesized CuO nanoparticles as additives in LP show good friction-reducing, anti-wear and load-carrying capacities, especially under a higher normal load.

Oil-soluble rice-like CuO nanoparticles without phosphorus and sulphur were synthesized and their tribological properties as lubricating oil additives were also investigated in this paper. These results could be very helpful for application of CuO nanoparticles as environment-friendly lubricating oil additives, owing to their free phosphorus and sulphur elements characteristics.

This paper aims to explore the relationships between organizational unlearning and knowledge transfer in cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&As) from a routine-based view. The study also stresses the mediating role that knowledge integration capability plays in this relationship.

In all, 178 samples were collected from Chinese multinational corporations that experienced cross-border M&As. In addition, the bootstrap method was used to test the mediating role of knowledge integration capability.

The empirical results indicate that knowledge integration capability is the crucial link between organizational unlearning and knowledge transfer. Specifically, this capability goes beyond the direct effect of organizational unlearning on knowledge transfer and points to the importance of enhancing knowledge integration capability. In turn, knowledge integration capability has a significant influence on knowledge transfer. The study finds that knowledge integration capability mediates the relationship between organizational unlearning and knowledge transfer.

This study adopts a routine-based view to develop a theoretical model for examining the relationship between organizational unlearning, knowledge integration capability and knowledge transfer in the context of cross-border M&As. This model provides new insights for a routine-based understanding of the important mediating role of knowledge integration capability for knowledge transfer and the effects of this role on the specific knowledge transfer, i.e. technological, marketing and managerial knowledge.

The purpose of this paper is to formulate and test a theoretical model to explain inter-organizational cooperation behaviors among suppliers in automotive new product development (NPD) projects. This study aims to investigate the effects of cost and benefit factors on trust and inter-organizational cooperative behaviors among suppliers in automotive NPD projects from the perspective of social exchange theory (SET).

The structural equation modeling method is applied to test the proposed model, which is based on the analysis of survey data from 272 product managers of automotive part suppliers.

Knowledge sharing and coordination effort influence inter-organizational cooperation indirectly through trust. Specially, trust is negatively influenced by coordination effort but positively affected by knowledge sharing. Requirement uncertainty moderates the relationship between cost–benefit factors and trust differently. Specifically, requirement uncertainty increases the negative influence of coordination effort on trust but also strengthens the positive effect of knowledge sharing on trust.

This study provides a relatively comprehensive cost–benefit framework for further understanding the formation mechanism of inter-organizational cooperation among suppliers. It also contributes to SET by incorporating the contextual factor to explain the moderating effect of requirement uncertainty on the relationships between cost–benefit factors and trust in the context of automotive NPD projects.

Occupants are one of the most impacting factors in the overall energy performance of buildings, according to literature. Occupants’ behaviours and actions may impact the overall use of energy in more than 50%. In order to quantify the impact that occupant behaviour has in the use of energy, this study simulated interactions between occupants and the systems present in two actual buildings. The main aim was to compare the deviations due to occupant behaviour with the actual conditions and energy use of the two buildings.

The buildings used as a case study in this research were green buildings, rated according to the Australian Green Star certification system as a 6-star and a non-rated building. The two buildings are university buildings with similar characteristics, from Western Sydney University, in Sydney, Australia. A comparison was performed by means of building simulations among the use of energy in both buildings, aiming to understand if the green rating had any impact on the energy related to occupant behaviour. Therefore, to represent the actual buildings' conditions, the actual data related with climate, geometry, systems, internal loads, etc. were used as input variables in the simulation models of the green and the non-rated buildings. Both models were calibrated and validated, having as target the actual monitored use of electricity.

Occupants were categorized according to their levels of energy use as follows: saving, real and intensive energy users. Building simulations were performed to each building, with varying parameters related with lighting, plug loads, windows/doors opening, shading and air conditioning set points. Results show that occupant behaviour may impact the buildings' energy performance in a range of 72% between the two extremes. There is no significant relationship between the green rating and the way occupants behave in terms of the energy use.

This study intends to show the impact of different categories of occupant behaviour in the overall energy performance of two university buildings, a non-rated and a green-rated building, having as reference an actual representation of the buildings. Additionally, the study aims to understand the main differences between a green-rated and a non-rated building when accounting with the previous categories.

The remote sensing data have become the irreplaceable source of data for the regions with little or without rainfall data, but these data also require scientific analysis, correction and application. This paper uses FY-2 rainfall data and the case studies of the droughts occurred in the Weihe River Basin from 2006 to 2009 to monitor the spatial and temporal evolution of climatic droughts. The monitoring results indicate that: (1) Except for 2008 which was a dry year, the other years in the Weihe River Basin had normal dry/wet conditions; (2) From October 2008 to January 2009, the rainfall was significantly reduced across the Weihe River Basin, and the continual rainfall was even less than 1 mm for December and January with a precipitation anomaly percentage lower than -80%, a sign of severe climatic drought. But the rainfall has improved since February 2009, when the precipitation reached 17.8 mm and Pa exceeded 100%, which helped to relieve the stress from drought resistance. A heavy precipitation continued for four months from June to September 2008, with the Pa exceeding 50%; (3) Due to the better temporal and spatial continuity than the ground-based meteorological observation, FY-2 precipitation data have good application prospects in the meteorological drought monitoring at a national or regional macro-scale.