Jie Li, Qiaozhuan Liang, Zhenzhen Zhang and Xiao Wang
The purpose of this paper is to find how leader humility affects employees’ constructive voice behavior toward supervisor (speaking up) and coworkers (speaking out) from an…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to find how leader humility affects employees’ constructive voice behavior toward supervisor (speaking up) and coworkers (speaking out) from an identification-based perspective, and seeks to verify the effectiveness of leader humility in the Chinese context.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 325 employees in four Chinese companies with two phases. In the first phase, the participants were asked to report the leader humility, their identification of their relations with the supervisor, and their identification with their organization. In the second phase, they were asked to report their voice behaviors toward their supervisors and coworkers.
Findings
The results indicate that leader humility strongly predicts both employees’ voice behaviors of speaking up and speaking out. Results further suggest that relational identification with the supervisor explains why leader humility promotes employees speaking up, while organizational identification explains why leader humility promotes employees speaking up and speaking out.
Practical implications
Managers with humility can successfully shape employees’ relational and organizational identifications, which in turn encourage their voice behaviors toward supervisors and coworkers. Hence, behaving humbly in working places could be an effective way for managers to promote organizational cohesion and creativity.
Originality/value
Although leader humility attracts much attention in both academia and practice, researchers have been primarily focusing on conceptual development and measurement issues, and empirical studies are rare. This is the first research connecting leader humility and employee proactive behaviors. Moreover, it takes an in-depth analysis of the constructive voice behaviors by differentiating them based on their targets.
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Baolian Zhang, Zhenzhen Zhang, Xuening Fei, Yingchun Gu and Lu Yu
The purpose of the study reported in this paper was to prepare modified C.I. Pigment Red (PR) 170 to reduce production cost and improve application performance. The structure of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the study reported in this paper was to prepare modified C.I. Pigment Red (PR) 170 to reduce production cost and improve application performance. The structure of the modified pigment was characterised. The colour strength, thermal stability, mobility, aqueous dispersability and ultraviolet (UV) resistance of modified pigments were studied.
Design/methodology/approach
Silica fume was added into the diazonium salt solution under acidic condition, followed by the activation to generate new surface. Subsequently, coupling component was dropwise added to the system to form the modified pigments evenly on the surface of silica fume in situ. The structure and properties of the modified pigment were studied by fourier transform infrared spectoscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermal gravity analysis (TG-DTA), UV-visible diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-Vis DRS), and commission internationale de L‘Eclairage (CIE L*a*b*) colour measurements.
Findings
The morphology and particle size of the modified pigment were controlled by the modification of the silica fume, and the organic pigment and silica fume formed a core–shell structure. The properties of the modified pigment including colour strength, thermal stability, mobility, aqueous dispensability and UV resistance were improved significantly.
Research limitations/implications
The effect of the amount of silica fume on the thickness of the organic pigment layer and the effect of the thickness of the organic pigment layer on the properties of the modified pigment need to be studied further.
Practical implications
This paper shows a feasible method of the modification of the PR170 with the silica fume, and the modification can improve the properties of the PR170. The use of silica fume to modify organic pigment can realise the reuse of solid waste and reduce the production cost of the organic pigment.
Social implications
This modification method of the organic pigment is adaptive and it can be adjusted to the modification of other species of the organic pigment.
Originality/value
The modification of the PR170 with the silica fume was carried out in its preparation process, which synchronised the preparation and modification of the organic pigment. The properties of the modified pigment were improved, which were beneficial for their application in inks and coatings.
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Zhenzhen Zhang, Qiaozhuan Liang and Jie Li
Research about the benefit of voice to organizations generally assumes that leaders acknowledge or act upon employees’ ideas when they are voiced, but is it always the case…
Abstract
Purpose
Research about the benefit of voice to organizations generally assumes that leaders acknowledge or act upon employees’ ideas when they are voiced, but is it always the case? Drawing on social persuasion theory, the purpose of this paper is to explore what factors shape the effectiveness of employee voice by integrating message, receiver and source characteristics of employee voice into one theoretical model. Specifically, this paper investigates the influence of different types of voice on leader receptivity, and further examines whether the effectiveness of employee voice might be contingent on authentic leadership and employee expertise.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 353 matched employee–supervisor pairs in a two-phase field study. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships among the study variables.
Findings
Results indicate that leaders respond more receptively to promotive voice than prohibitive voice. Furthermore, leader receptivity is contingent on authentic leadership and employee expertise. The relationship between promotive voice and leader receptivity is more pronounced when employee expertise or authentic leadership is high rather than low; the relationship between prohibitive voice and leader receptivity is significant only when authentic leadership or employee expertise is high.
Originality/value
This research offers a more holistic explanation for understanding the effectiveness of voice behavior. Specifically, these findings emphasize the important role of voice content in determining managerial response, and underscore the value of receiver and source characteristics in shaping the relationship between voice and leader receptivity.
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Zhenzhen Shang, Libo Yang, Wendong Zhang, Guojun Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Hairong Kou, Junbing Shi and Xin Xue
This paper aims to solve the problem that strong noise interference seriously affects the direction of arrival (DOA) estimation in complex underwater acoustic environment. In this…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to solve the problem that strong noise interference seriously affects the direction of arrival (DOA) estimation in complex underwater acoustic environment. In this paper, a combined noise reduction algorithm and micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) vector hydrophone DOA estimation algorithm based on singular value decomposition (SVD), variational mode decomposition (VMD) and wavelet threshold denoising (WTD) is proposed.
Design/methodology/approach
Firstly, the parameters of VMD are determined by SVD, and the VMD method can decompose the signal into multiple intrinsic mode functions (IMFs). Secondly, the effective IMF component is determined according to the correlation coefficient criterion and the IMF less than the threshold is processed by WTD. Then, reconstruction is carried out to achieve the purpose of denoising and calibration baseline drift. Finally, DOA estimation is achieved by the combined directional algorithm of preprocessed signal.
Findings
Simulation and field experiments results show that the algorithm has good noise reduction and baseline drift correction effects for nonstationary underwater signals, and high-precision azimuth estimation is realized.
Originality/value
This research provides the basis for MEMS hydrophone detection and positioning and has great engineering significance in underwater detection system.
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Zhenzhen Shang, Wendong Zhang, Guojun Zhang, Xiaoyong Zhang, Lansheng Zhang and Renxin Wang
The problem of port and starboard ambiguity will exist when only utilize the vector or scalar parameters. Meanwhile, the amplitude-phase error between the vector and scalar can…
Abstract
Purpose
The problem of port and starboard ambiguity will exist when only utilize the vector or scalar parameters. Meanwhile, the amplitude-phase error between the vector and scalar can also cause this problem. In this paper, a compound MEMS vector hydrophone which contains cilia vector microstructure and piezoelectric ceramic tube has been presented to solve the problem. Compared with traditional MEMS vector hydrophone, the compound MEMS vector hydrophone can realize the measurement of sound pressure and vibration velocity simultaneously.
Design/methodology/approach
A compound MEMS vector hydrophone has been presented. The unipolar directivity of the combined signal which combine the acoustic pressure and vibration velocity is used to achieve the direction of arrival (DOA). This paper introduced the working principle and the target detection mechanism of the compound vector hydrophone. The amplitude and phase error are analyzed and corrected in the standing wave tube. After that, the authors use beam-forming algorithm to estimate the DOA.
Findings
The experimental results in the standing wave tube and the external field verified the vector hydrophone's directional accuracy up to 1 and 5 degrees, respectively.
Practical implications
The research of compound vector hydrophone plays an important role in marine acoustic exploration and engineering applications.
Originality/value
This research provides a basis for MEMS hydrophone directivity theory. The compound vector hydrophone has been applied in the underwater location, with a huge market potential in underwater detection systems.
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Xiao Juan Zhang, Zhenzhen Li and Hepu Deng
Understanding user behavior is increasingly critical for information security in the use of smartphones. There is, however, lack of empirical studies about the behavior of…
Abstract
Purpose
Understanding user behavior is increasingly critical for information security in the use of smartphones. There is, however, lack of empirical studies about the behavior of smartphone users for information security in China. The purpose of this paper is to present an empirical analysis of the behavior of smartphone users in China in relation to information security.
Design/methodology/approach
A review of the related literature is conducted, leading to the development of a questionnaire for investigating the behavior of smartphone users. An online survey of the smartphone users in China is conducted. The collected data are analyzed with the use of descriptive analysis and Pearson’s chi-square test to better understand the behavior of smartphone users on information security.
Findings
The paper shows that there are serious concerns about information security in the use of smartphones in China including the ignorance of security information in downloading and using applications, inadequate phone settings, inappropriate enabling of add-on utilities and lack of proper disaster recovery plans. The study also reveals that there is a significant difference between different groups of users on information security in smartphone use.
Research limitations/implications
This paper is based on a purposeful sample of smartphone users in China. It is exploratory in nature.
Practical implications
The paper can lead to a better understanding of the behavior of smartphone users and information security in China and provide relevant government departments and institutions with useful information for developing appropriate strategies and policies and designing specific training programs to improve information security in the smartphone use.
Originality/value
This paper is the first of this kind to collect quantitative data from users in China for better understanding the behavior of smartphone users on information security. It provides insight towards the adoption of various measures for information security from the perspective of smartphone users in China.
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Wenli Zhang, Fengchun Tian, An Song, Zhenzhen Zhao, Youwen Hu and Anyan Jiang
This paper aims to propose an odor sensing system based on wide spectrum for e-nose, based on comprehensive analysis on the merits and drawbacks of current e-nose.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to propose an odor sensing system based on wide spectrum for e-nose, based on comprehensive analysis on the merits and drawbacks of current e-nose.
Design/methodology/approach
The wide spectral light is used as the sensing medium in the e-nose system based on continuous wide spectrum (CWS) odor sensing, and the sensing response of each sensing element is the change of light intensity distribution.
Findings
Experimental results not only verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed system but also show the effectiveness of least square support vector machine (LSSVM) in eliminating system errors.
Practical implications
Theoretical model of the system was constructed, and experimental tests were carried out by using NO2 and SO2. System errors in the test data were eliminated using the LSSVM, and the preprocessed data were classified by euclidean distance to centroids (EDC), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), LSSVM, respectively.
Originality/value
The system not only has the advantages of current e-nose but also realizes expansion of sensing array by means of light source and the spectrometer with their wide spectrum, high resolution characteristics which improve the detection accuracy and realize real-time detection.
Details
Keywords
Ru Liang, Rui Li, Xue Yan, Zhenzhen Xue and Xin Wei
Prefabricated components sustainable supplier (PCSS) selection is critical to the success of prefabricated projects. However, limited studies have addressed the uncertainty and…
Abstract
Purpose
Prefabricated components sustainable supplier (PCSS) selection is critical to the success of prefabricated projects. However, limited studies have addressed the uncertainty and complexities during the selection process, particularly in multi-criterion group decision-making (MCGDM) circumstances. Hence, the research aims to develop a group decision-making model using a modified fuzzy MCGDM approach for PCSS selection under uncertain situation.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed study develops a framework for sorting decisions in PCSS selection by using the hesitant fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (HF-TOPSIS) method. The maximum consistency (MC) model is used to calculate the weights of decision makers (DMs) based on the cardinality and sequence of decision data.
Findings
The proposed framework has been successfully applied and illustrated in the case example of CB01 contract section in Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) megaproject. The results show various complicated decision-making scenarios can be addressed through the proposed approach. The MC model is able to calculate the weights of DMs based on the cardinality and sequence of decision data.
Originality/value
The research contributes to improving accuracy and reliability decision-making processes for PCSS selection, especially under hesitant and fuzzy situations in prefabricated megaprojects.
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The purpose of this paper is to analyze the characteristics of spatio-temporal dynamics and the evolution of land use change is essential for understanding and assessing the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to analyze the characteristics of spatio-temporal dynamics and the evolution of land use change is essential for understanding and assessing the status and transition of ecosystems. Such analysis, when applied to Horqin sandy land, can also provide basic information for appropriate decision-making.
Design/methodology/approach
By integrating long time series Landsat imageries and geographic information system (GIS) technology, this paper explored the spatio-temporal dynamics and evolution-induced land use change of the largest sandy land in China from 1983 to 2016. Accurate and consistent land use information and land use change information was first extracted by using the maximum likelihood classifier and the post-classification change detection method, respectively. The spatio-temporal dynamics and evolution were then analyzed using three kinds of index models: the dynamic degree model to analyze the change of regional land resources, the dynamic change transfer matrix and flow direction rate to analyze the change direction, and the barycenter transfer model to analyze the spatial pattern of land use change.
Findings
The results indicated that land use in Horqin sandy land during the study period changed dramatically. Vegetation and sandy land showed fluctuating changes, cropland and construction land steadily increased, water body decreased continuously, and the spatial distribution patterns of land use were generally unbalanced. Vegetation, sandy land and cropland were transferred frequently. The amount of vegetation loss was the largest. Water body loss was 473.6 km2, which accounted for 41.7 per cent of the total water body. The loss amount of construction land was only 1.0 km2. Considerable differences were noted in the rate of gravity center migration among the land use types in different periods, and the overall rate of construction land migration was the smallest. Moreover, the gravity center migration rates of the water body and sandy land were relatively high and were related to the fragile ecological environment of Horqin sandy land.
Originality/value
The results not only confirmed the applicability and effectiveness of the combined method of remote sensing and GIS technology but also revealed notable spatio-temporal dynamics and evolution-induced land use change throughout the different time periods (1983-1990, 1990-2000, 2000-2010, 2010-2014, 2014-2016 and 1983-2016).
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Ying An, Xiaomin Sun, Kai Wang, Huijie Shi, Zhenzhen Liu, Yiming Zhu and Fang Luo
Why do some employees choose to prolong their working hours excessively? The current study tested how core self-evaluations (CSEs) might lead to workaholism and how perceived job…
Abstract
Purpose
Why do some employees choose to prolong their working hours excessively? The current study tested how core self-evaluations (CSEs) might lead to workaholism and how perceived job demands might mediate this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
Insights from the extant literature underpin the hypotheses on how CSEs would affect the development of workaholism through perceived job demands. A sample of 421 working people in China completed the online surveys, and the mediation model was tested using Mplus 7.0 (Muthén and Muthén, 1998–2012).
Findings
This study found that different components of CSEs influence workaholism in different ways. Specifically, generalized self-efficacy positively predicts workaholism, whereas emotional stability negatively predicts workaholism. Moreover, most aspects of CSEs (generalized self-efficacy, emotional stability and locus of control) influence workaholism via perceived job demands, specifically via perceived workload but not via perceived job insecurity.
Originality/value
The current study is the first to explore how individuals' fundamental evaluations of themselves (i.e. CSEs) relate to workaholism. The results are helpful for the prevention and intervention of workaholism in organizations.