Guo‐Ping Cai and Jia‐Zhen Hong
In this paper, a first‐order approximation coupling (FOAC) model is investigated to analyze the dynamics of the hub‐beam system, which is based on the Hamilton theory and the…
Abstract
In this paper, a first‐order approximation coupling (FOAC) model is investigated to analyze the dynamics of the hub‐beam system, which is based on the Hamilton theory and the finite element discretization method. The FOAC model for the hub‐beam system considers the second‐order coupling quantity of the axial displacement caused by the transverse displacement of the beam. The dynamic characteristics of the system are studied through numerical simulations under twos cases: the rotary inertia of the hub is much larger than, and is close to, that of the flexible beam. Simulation and comparison studies using both the traditional zeroth‐order approximation coupling (ZOAC) model and the FOAC model shows that when large motion of the system is unknown, possible failure exists by using the ZOAC model, whereas the FOAC model is valid. When the rotary inertia of the hub is much larger than that of the beam, the result using the ZOAC model is similar to that using the FOAC model. But when the rotary inertia of the hub is close to that of the beam, the ZOAC model may lead to a large error, while the FOAC model can still accurately describe the dynamic hub‐beam system.
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Zhen Hong, C.K.M. Lee and Linda Zhang
The purpose of this paper is twofold, first providing researchers with an overview about the uncertainties occurred in procurement including applicable approaches for analyzing…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is twofold, first providing researchers with an overview about the uncertainties occurred in procurement including applicable approaches for analyzing different uncertain scenarios, and second proposing directions to inspire future research by identifying research gaps.
Design/methodology/approach
Papers related to supply chain risk management and procurement risk management (PRM) from 1995–2017 in several major databases are extracted by keywords and then further filtered based on the relevance to the topic, number of citations and publication year. A total of over 156 papers are selected. Definitions and current approaches related to procurement risks management are reviewed.
Findings
Five main risks in procurement process are identified. Apart from summarizing current strategies, suggestions are provided to facilitate strategy selection to handle procurement risks. Seven major future challenges and implications related PRM and different uncertainties are also indicated in this paper.
Research limitations/implications
Procurement decisions making under uncertainty has attracted considerable attention from researchers and practitioners. Despite the increasing awareness for risk management for supply chain, no detail and holistic review paper studied on procurement uncertainty. Managing procurement risk not only need to mitigate the risk of price and lead time, but also need to have sophisticated analysis techniques in supply and demand uncertainty.
Originality/value
The contribution of this review paper is to discuss the implications of the research findings and provides insight about future research. A novel research framework is introduced as reference guide for researchers to apply innovative approach of operations research to resolve the procurements uncertainty problems.
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Zhen Chen, Heng Li and Conrad T.C. Wong
Although the Trip‐ticket System (TTS) has been implemented to manage construction and demolition (C&D) waste in Hong Kong for over three years, problems still exist in the…
Abstract
Although the Trip‐ticket System (TTS) has been implemented to manage construction and demolition (C&D) waste in Hong Kong for over three years, problems still exist in the landfill disposal of the C&D waste. For example, it is reported that fees are difficult to collect from waste transporters for tipping the C&D waste at the landfill site. Based on an examination of the flexibility of the TTS, this paper proposes an e‐commerce model, namely the Webfill system, in order to enhance the TTS. The computational structure of the Webfill system is described and the usefulness of Webfill is evaluated based on a simulation which provides a direct comparison between the existing TTS and the Webfill‐enhanced TTS.
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Mei-yung Leung, Qi Liang and Jon Pynoos
The world was facing significant aging challenges. Aging in place has long been advocated which reflected the preference of older people to stay in their own home as long as…
Abstract
Purpose
The world was facing significant aging challenges. Aging in place has long been advocated which reflected the preference of older people to stay in their own home as long as possible. A huge amount of older people resided in private buildings that consist of both indoor settings (i.e. individual unit flats) and outdoor settings (i.e. common areas like lobby and corridor). The effect of indoor environment on the quality of life of the older people has been investigated, while this paper aims to examine the different effect of common areas environment for the older people.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire survey was administered among over 300 older people living in private buildings. Multiple statistical techniques, including reliability test, correlation coefficient and multiple regression models, were used to analyze the collected data to determine the interactions between facilities management of the common areas in private buildings and the environment domain of quality of life for older people.
Findings
The final results were concluded based on the congruence of all the statistical results, which covered the identification of facilities management factors in common areas of private buildings that could influence the environment domain of quality of life for older people, including overall environment, health-care accessibility, information acquisition and transportation aspects; the overall environment was positively predicted by space and security in common areas of private building; health-care accessibility was positively affected by space, barrier-free facilities and recreational facilities; the information acquisition was only positively predicted by security; transportation was positively predicted by distance and recreational facilities; and building services of common areas in private buildings had no effect on the environment domain of quality of life for older people.
Originality/value
Practical recommendations have been made to improve the facilities management of common areas in private buildings to ensure the quality of life for older people, including provision of walking assistance, motion or infrared controlled systems and so on. This study contributed to enhance current understanding of the interactions between the older people and their living environment.
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The importance of psychological capital (PsyCap) and perceived organizational support (POS) have been identified over the years, however, the underlying relationship of both…
Abstract
Purpose
The importance of psychological capital (PsyCap) and perceived organizational support (POS) have been identified over the years, however, the underlying relationship of both constructs with different employee outcomes is still a subject of research. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether POS helps in mediating the effect of PsyCap on employee engagement (EE).
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 420 samples (middle-level information technology (IT) professionals) were collected from different IT industry located in India by using online survey questionnaires. The collected data were further analyzed using regression analysis, factor analysis, structural equation modeling, reliability and validity analysis, mediation analysis and model fit indices analysis.
Findings
The results of the present study confirmed the full mediating effect of POS on the PsyCap-EE relationship and demonstrated that employees with a higher level of PsyCap, contribute more positively to the POS level which further enhances the employee’s level of engagement at the workplace.
Research limitations/implications
The samples collected for the current study included only middle-level IT professionals of the IT industry in India; therefore, the present study results have limited general applicability. The results and findings of the current study are only on the basis of inferential statistical analysis, and descriptive analysis was not performed on the collected data. Further, the study does not investigate the influence of time.
Practical implications
This study would assist practitioners of human resources in organizational development by enhancing the employee’s positive attitude and commitment toward their study. Further, EE can also be improved by enhancing the levels of POS and PsyCap of employees, which is in line with the findings of the current study.
Originality/value
The current study examines the mediating effect of POS on psychological capital and EE the relationship for the first time.
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Qian Xu, Heng Li, Eddie C.M. Hui and Zhen Chen
The purpose of this paper is to present results from a pilot research into the Chinese real estate confidence index, called CRE index, with regard to three diverse aspects…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present results from a pilot research into the Chinese real estate confidence index, called CRE index, with regard to three diverse aspects, including effective demand and supply, potential demand, and potential supply, and to develop an effective tool for diversity management at different levels in the Chinese real estate market.
Design/methodology/approach
To undertake this research, a novel methodology framework is introduced in terms of the three aspects. Extensive literature review and questionnaire survey are systematically adopted accordingly to work out three individual sub‐indices, and to compose the entire CRE index.
Findings
The research put forward a novel approach to describing the changing situations of the Chinese real estate market by means of the CRE index, which is synthetically calculated based on its three sub‐indices to reflect the three different aspects. For the calculation of the CRE index, data collected from government statistics and specific questionnaire survey are effectively used, and this proves a practical approach as proposed for the research.
Research limitations/implications
Although the CRE index is proposed to be a generic indicator for the Chinese market, this research focuses only on a synthesized CRE index for the local real estate market in Shenzhen, and data collected are also limited from 1999 to 2003. However further research with more comprehensive data can draw an entire picture and provide more reliable forecast based on either local or national data in China.
Practical implications
As it is a generic indicator to reflect changes in the Chinese real estate market, the CRE index provides all stakeholders with a quantitative method to verify history and detect tendency with regard to the progressive development of the market which is influenced by dynamic social and natural conditions.
Social implications
The CRE index has been developed as a tool to support diversity management in the Chinese real estate market, and it is assumed that governors at local, regional, and national levels can all use this tool in macroeconomic regulation and control towards the Chinese real estate market. Others, including developers, investors as well as consumers can all make informed judgments based on the value and trend of the CRE index.
Originality/value
The CRE index uniquely incorporates comprehensive market data and statistics, including historic data from government statistics and current information from questionnaire survey and literatures, into confidence index calculation. In this regard, comparing with other confidence indices for the real estate market, this method is capable of providing more informed predications, especially when statistical data are full and accurate.
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The classical land market model assumes a one‐workplace scenario. However, with the globalization trend, travel between two workplaces is becoming more and more common. This paper…
Abstract
Purpose
The classical land market model assumes a one‐workplace scenario. However, with the globalization trend, travel between two workplaces is becoming more and more common. This paper therefore aims to study the housing price gradient changes between Macau and Hong Kong to test the two workplaces hypotheses.
Design/methodology/approach
The temporal‐spatial difference of housing prices between the two neighboring cities are studied by using a two‐workplace residential location choice model.
Findings
This paper found that housing price gradient from Macau to Hong Kong is flattened when more non‐resident workers traveled from Hong Kong to Macau (ceteris paribus).
Originality/value
The results have important implications for polycentric city models and provide a novel method to study neighboring city effects on housing price.
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Hong Kong has a global reputation as an entrepreneurial hub. The Japanese restaurant community has grown and evolved over the last three decades into what many consider as a…
Abstract
Purpose
Hong Kong has a global reputation as an entrepreneurial hub. The Japanese restaurant community has grown and evolved over the last three decades into what many consider as a natural secondary market for Japanese food. As such, several Japanese restaurateurs have come to Hong Kong to enter Hong Kong’s premium Japanese restaurant market. The purpose of this paper is to explore this market of Japanese restaurateurship in Hong Kong.
Design/methodology/approach
One of the closest methodologies within the topic and discipline from Baldwin (2017) focuses on Japaneseness as a measurement of culinary authenticity examining Hong Kong’s Michelin rated restaurants. Here, the qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews with the chefs of two sets of premium Japanese restaurants from Japan that expanded in Hong Kong, Sushi Iwa and Sushi Yoshitake. As this paper focuses on the premium and high-end market of Japanese chefs and restaurateurs in Hong Kong, the researcher combined the approaches of Kawahara & Speece and Baldwin to pursue a qualitative methodology using semi-structured interviews.
Findings
For this research, the interview process had to be divided into two stages. The first was to speak with long standing members of Hong Kong’s Japanese restaurant community. The common thread amongst the restaurateurs was that they were either the sole proprietor or a partner who was financially vested within the company not a form of sweat equity. To respect the privacy of the interviews, questions about exact monetary amounts, number of shares and equity or anything regarding holdings were not asked. The idea was to only examine their responses within the criteria of the research objectives.
Research limitations/implications
As the Michelin and premium market of Japanese cuisine is so small, this research can only represent a certain part of the market. Future research could examine other Japanese restaurateurs outside of this market that could be examined to gain a wider perspective of the entrepreneurial strategies they used to start-up their business in Hong Kong.
Originality/value
As research in this area is very limited, this paper helps bring restaurateurship in Hong Kong into the academic front. Restaurants are one of the most common entry points for new entrepreneurs in hospitality. This paper may help shed some light on how foreign investment entrepreneurship has been achieved in Asia.
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Heng Li, H.L. Guo, S.C.W. Kong and Zhen Chen
Due to the increasing complexity of curved roof surface design and the inadequate optimisation algorithms in design software, the optimisation of curved roof surface design needs…
Abstract
Purpose
Due to the increasing complexity of curved roof surface design and the inadequate optimisation algorithms in design software, the optimisation of curved roof surface design needs to be studied further. The purpose of this paper is to develop an alternative approach to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of curved roof surface design of buildings.
Design/methodology/approach
To achieve the purpose, an optimisation method/tool is developed through reviewing the application of CATIA and integrating genetic algorithm with CATIA; and the effectiveness to perform the GA‐based optimisation method is demonstrated by using a real‐life case study. Furthermore, a comparison among different optimisation algorithms currently available in the CATIA system is conducted.
Findings
Through the case study and the comparison, it is found that the GA‐based method can improve the performance of optimisation for curved roof surface design in the CATIA system; however, further research work is required for the best global optimisation result.
Originality/value
The paper proposes an optimisation method for curved roof surface design through integrating genetic algorithm with CATIA. This method improves the current method of curved roof surface design.
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Charlie C.L. Wang, Allan K.K. Chan and Zhen Xiong Chen
This study employed psychological variables such as consumer sentiment and attitude to debt as complementary measures to traditionally used consumer demographic or economic…
Abstract
This study employed psychological variables such as consumer sentiment and attitude to debt as complementary measures to traditionally used consumer demographic or economic variables in predicting housing purchase intention with a consumer sample in China. The result indicates that psychological factors add incremental explanatory and predictive power to traditionally used demographic variables. Results from discriminant analysis showed that, except for household income level, psychological factors were better than demographic variables in differentiating intenders from non‐intenders in China’s emerging property market. Conceptual contributions and managerial implications of the study are discussed.