The impact of digital supply chain capabilities on enterprise sustainable competitive performance: an ambidextrous view

PurposeThe construction of digital supply chains to integrate internal and external resources is becoming an important path for manufacturing enterprises to gain competitiveness. However, at present, research on the internal mechanisms of digital supply chain capabilities (DSCC) and enterprise sustainable competitive performance (ESCP) has not been sufficiently studied. Based on contextual ambidexterity theory, this study investigates whether DSCC could enable the realization of supply chain ambidexterity and further explains the mediating role of supply chain ambidexterity on DSCC and ESCP, and the boundary conditions of supply chain governance on supply chain ambidexterity and ESCP.Design/methodology/approachWith a survey data set of 232 Chinese manufacturing enterprises from different industries, the study empirically tests a moderated mediating model and conducts hierarchical linear modeling and bootstrap to test the study's hypotheses.FindingsThe results demonstrate that: (1) DSCC positively enhance ESCP;(2) supply chain ambidexterity, which can be regarded as a synergic ability of supply chain alignment and adaptability, partially mediates the positive relationship between DSCC and ESCP;and (3) supply chain governance such as incentive governance positively moderates the association between supply chain ambidexterity and ESCP, but there is no evidence that relational governance moderates their relationship.Originality/valueThis paper proposes a new interpretive perspective to understand digital supply chains. More importantly, it reveals the importance of DSCC in contributing toward supply chain ambidexterity and ESCP, and demonstrates the differential regulating action of incentive and relational governance on the association between supply chain ambidexterity and ESCP, with implications for both academics and practitioners.

A numerical method for space‐fractional diffusion models with mass‐conserving boundary conditions

The study of the spread of epidemics has gained significant attention in recent years, due to ongoing and recurring outbreaks of diseases such as COVID‐19, dengue, Ebola, and West Nile virus. In particular, modeling the spatial spread of these epidemics is crucial. This article explores the use of fractional diffusion as a means of describing non‐local infection spread. The Grünwald–Letnikov formulation of fractional diffusion is presented, along with several mass‐conserving boundary conditions, that is, we aim to design the boundary conditions in a mass‐conserving way, by not allowing gain or loss of the total population. The stationary points of the model for both sticky and reflecting boundary conditions are discussed, with numerical examples provided to illustrate the results. It is shown that reflecting boundary conditions are more reasonable, as the stationary point for sticky boundary conditions is infinite at the boundaries, while reflecting boundary conditions only have the trivial stationary point, given sufficiently fine discretization. The numerical results were applied to an SI model with fractional diffusion, highlighting the dependence of the system on the value of the fractional derivative. Results indicate that as the order of the derivative increases, the diffusivity also increases, accompanied by a slight increase in the average number of infected individuals. These models have the potential to provide valuable insights into the dynamics of disease spread and aid in the development of effective control strategies. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Mathematical Methods in the Applied Sciences is the property of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)

The influence of organizational values on employee attitude and information security behavior: the mediating role of psychological capital

PurposeWith increased remote working, employers are concerned with employees' commitment and compliance with security procedures. Through the lens of psychological capital, this study aims to investigate whether strong organizational values can improve employees' commitment to the organization and security behaviors.Design/methodology/approachUsing Qualtrics platform, the authors conducted an online survey. The survey participants are college-educated, full-time employees. The authors used structural equation modeling to analyze 289 responses.FindingsThe results indicate perceived importance of organizational values is associated with increased organizational commitment and information security behavior. The authors find that psychological capital partially mediates these relations suggesting that employees' psychological capital effectively directs employees toward an affinity for the organization and information security behavior. The results highlight the importance of organizational values for improving security behavior and organizational commitment. Second, the results suggest that psychological capital is an effective mechanism for this influence. Finally, the authors find that individual differences (gender, organizational level and education) are boundary conditions on their findings, providing a nuanced view of their results and offering opportunities for further investigation.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to explore organizational values in relation to information security behaviors. In addition, this study investigates the underlying mechanism of this relationship by showing psychological capital's mediating role in this relationship. Therefore, the authors suggest organizations create a supportive environment that appreciates innovation, quality services, diversity and collaboration. Furthermore, organizations should communicate the importance of these values to their employees to motivate them to have a stronger affective commitment and a more careful set of security behaviors.

The impact of fear of external threats on unethical pro-organizational behavior

Within the context of the current global economic crisis, employees generally have a high level of fear that may lead them to use unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB) to increase their sense of control. We used self-control theory to explore the mechanisms and boundary conditions of employees' fear of external threats and how this affects their levels of UPB. We conducted a twowave survey of 544 finance personnel in China. The results indicated that fear of external threats was positively correlated with UPB and that sense of control mediated this relationship. Perceived ethical climate reinforced the negative relationship between sense of control and UPB, which, in turn, weakened the positive effect of participants' sense of control, whereas fear of external threats increased the incidence of UPB. Implications are discussed.

THREE-DIMENSIONAL ANALYTICAL SOLUTION OF THE ADVECTION-DIFFUSION EQUATION FOR AIR POLLUTION DISPERSION

We develop a new analytical solution of a three-dimensional atmospheric pollutant dispersion. The main idea is to subdivide vertically the planetary boundary layer into sub-layers, where the wind speed and eddy diffusivity assume average values for each sub-layer. Basically, the model is assessed and validated using data obtained from the Copenhagen diffusion and Prairie Grass experiments. Our findings show that there is a good agreement between the predicted and observed crosswind-integrated concentrations. Moreover, the calculated statistical indices are within the range of acceptable model performance.

Efficient numerical simulations based on an explicit group approach for the time fractional advection–diffusion reaction equation

The time-fractional advection–diffusion reaction equation (TFADRE) is a fundamental mathematical model because of its key role in describing various processes such as oil reservoir simulations, COVID-19 transmission, mass and energy transport, and global weather production. One of the prominent issues with time fractional differential equations is the design of efficient and stable computational schemes for fast and accurate numerical simulations. We construct in this paper, a simple and yet efficient modified fractional explicit group method (MFEGM) for solving the two-dimensional TFADRE with suitable initial and boundary conditions. The proposed method is established using a difference scheme based on L1 discretization in temporal direction and central difference approximations with double spacing in spatial direction. For comparison purposes, the Crank–Nicolson finite difference method (CNFDM) is proposed. The stability and convergence of the presented methods are theoretically proved and numerically affirmed. We illustrate the computational efficiency of the MFEGM by comparing it to the CNFDM for four numerical examples including fractional diffusion and fractional advection–diffusion models. The numerical results show that the MFEGM is capable of reducing iteration count and CPU timing effectively compared to the CNFDM, making it well-suited to time fractional diffusion equations. © 2023, The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Sociedade Brasileira de Matemática Aplicada e Computacional.

Gamifying structural analysis assessments for first‐year architecture engineering students

The structural analysis module is a challenge for both teachers and students. The module content is usually presented to students in the form of a set of equations when solved, the structure of internal forces is obtained. Usually, the assignments adopted in such modules are paper‐based exams. Such a strategy may assess the capacity of the students to employ different sets of equations to solve a problem. However, this is not enough for a vivid educational atmosphere. Transforming these equations into a digital simulation is the best solution for the education process. Digitalization is more appealing to nowadays students and it gives the teacher a wide spectrum of discussions without the hindrance of calculations time. It is also a mitigation for the online teaching process during the Covid‐19 pandemic. This paper presents a digital simulation of different structures using a simple tool that enables students to visualize the simultaneous interaction between geometry, loading, boundary conditions, and internal forces. Furthermore, transforming this tool into an offline mobile app helps both the teacher and the student to gamify the investigation of any structure.

A moderated mediation model of situational context and brand image for online purchases using eWOM

PurposeThe moderating role of situational context in the effects of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) on online purchase intention through brand image has found sparse empirical support. This study thus aims to examine whether situational context affects the direction and strength of the relationships between aspects of eWOM and brand image that lead to online purchase intention.Design/methodology/approachTo extend the existing research, the authors tested the model using a sample of 546 online shoppers during the fourth wave of COVID-19 in Ho Chi Minh City. Specifically, the testing of the direct relationships and the mediating role of brand image occurred using measurement and structural models. The authors then created a moderated mediation model to examine the moderating role of situational context. Furthermore, the authors probed the interactions by identifying changes in the relationships from eWOM to online purchase intention through a brand image at different levels of situational context.FindingsWithout situational context's moderating effect, brand image positively partially mediated the influence of either eWOM credibility or quantity on intention. Situational context's moderating effect then explains why high- versus low-level disease-avoidance customers seek less eWOM credibility and more eWOM quantity to develop brand images and shape their intentions.Originality/valueThe findings have theoretical implications for understanding the pressure of disease avoidance on customers' online purchase intentions. Among the practical implications of the research are tactics for profit and non-profit purposes.

Large-eddy simulations to define building-specific similarity relationships for natural ventilation flow rates

Natural ventilation can play an important role towards preventing the spread of airborne infections in indoor environments. However, quantifying natural ventilation flow rates is a challenging task due to significant variability in the boundary conditions that drive the flow. In the current study, we propose and validate an efficient strategy for using computational fluid dynamics to assess natural ventilation flow rates under variable conditions, considering the test case of a single-room home in a dense urban slum. The method characterizes the dimensionless ventilation rate as a function of the dimensionless ventilation Richardson number and the wind direction. First, the high-fidelity large-eddy simulation (LES) predictions are validated against full-scale ventilation rate measurements. Next, simulations with identical Richardson numbers, but varying dimensional wind speeds and temperatures, are compared to verify the proposed similarity relationship. Last, the functional form of the similarity relationship is determined based on 32 LES. Validation of the surrogate model against full-scale measurements demonstrates that the proposed strategy can efficiently inform accurate building-specific similarity relationships for natural ventilation flow rates in complex urban environments.

A computational package for measuring Topological Entanglement in Polymers, Proteins and Periodic systems (TEPPP)

Many materials, like polymer melts, solutions, biopolymers and textiles, are composed of entangled filaments. The entanglement in these systems significantly affects their mechanical properties and their function. We introduce the Topological Entanglement in Polymers, Proteins and Periodic systems (TEPPP) software, that enables to measure the topological and geometrical complexity in such systems. In particular, this software enables the computation of the Writhe, the Gauss linking integral and the Jones polynomial of each filament or pair of filaments in the system, whether they are open or closed. In particular, for systems employing Periodic Boundary Conditions (PBC), the software also allows to compute the total pairwise entanglement in PBC, using the Periodic linking number and the Periodic Writhe. For linear (open) chains, TEPPP can calculate all these topological parameters (including the Jones polynomial) without any closure scheme. In addition, TEPPP also enables measuring self and pairwise entanglement at different length-scales along a chain or a pair of chains. With appropriate preprocessing of input files, the code can also be used for star or branched architectures. We provide examples of how the code is used and we present results on the entanglement effect in polymers obtained using this package. We show how TEPPP can be used to measure the topological entanglement of linear polymer chains in a melt, revealing subtle entanglement transitions never seen before. We also used TEPPP to analyze the effect of knotting and its location in diblock copolymer melts, which reveals that knotting localization transition coincides with lamellar-disorder transition in these systems. Finally, we use TEPPP to reveal some of the topological structure of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein, which points to interesting structure in a region that contains the S1/S2 cleavage site. Program summary: Program Title: Topological Entanglement in Polymers, Proteins and Periodic systems (TEPPP) software CPC Library link to program files: https://doi.org/10.17632/ygdbpnhpzw.1 Developer's repository link: https://github.com/TEPPP-software Licensing provisions: BSD 3-clause Programming language: C++ Supplementary material: Nature of problem: Measuring single and pairwise entanglement and knotting in systems of linear or ring filaments (open or closed curves) in 3-space or in systems employing Periodic Boundary Conditions (PBC) at different length scales. Solution method: TEPPP can be used to measure topological entanglement complexity in single or multi-chain filament systems in 3-space or in systems employing PBC. Given as input the coordinates of the curves, TEPPP can compute the Gauss linking integral, the Writhe, the Jones polynomial, the Periodic Linking Number and the Periodic Writhe. Also, TEPPP can measure effects of local linking and knotting using scanning methods along the chains. © 2022 Elsevier B.V.

Introduction to ISEM XXI

The conference on electro, physical and chemical machining happened as ISEM XXI again in Zurich and was actually meant to become a full presence conference. The COVID-19 situation enforced again at least a hybrid conference, where approximately 40% of the contributions were made via internet. ISEM covers different manufacturing processes that have all in common, that the tool is non-mechanical, but defined by partial differential field equations together with boundary conditions, which represent at least partly the workpiece. This general description is the bracket around those processes and makes it valuable to combine contributions to the development of electro machining, physical machining and chemical machining and also combinations as hybrid processes within one conference. As the modelling of the processes and the prediction of process results becomes increasingly important, the conference provides a cross fertilization between approaches to different processes. But the processes have more in common than is generally believed. © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Existence Results for Impulsive Fractional Integrodifferential Equations Involving Integral Boundary Conditions

This research paper is devoted to investigating the existence results for impulsive fractional integrodifferential equations in the form of Atangana - Baleanu - Caputo (ABC) fractional derivative, by using Gronwall–Bellman inequality and Krasnoselskii’s fixed point theorem to study the existence and uniqueness of the problem with integral boundary conditions. At the end, the examples are illustrated to verify results.

Satellite quantification of oil and natural gas methane emissions in the US and Canada including contributions from individual basins

We use satellite methane observations from the Tropospheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI), for May 2018 to February 2020, to quantify methane emissions from individual oil and natural gas (O/G) basins in the US and Canada using a high-resolution (∼25 km) atmospheric inverse analysis. Our satellite-derived emission estimates show good consistency with in situ field measurements (R=0.96) in 14 O/G basins distributed across the US and Canada. Aggregating our results to the national scale, we obtain O/G-related methane emission estimates of12.6±2.1 Tg a-1 for the US and 2.2±0.6 Tg a-1 for Canada, 80 % and 40 %, respectively, higher than the national inventories reported to the United Nations. About 70 % of the discrepancy in the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) inventory can be attributed to five O/G basins, the Permian, Haynesville, Anadarko, Eagle Ford, and Barnett basins, which in total account for 40 % of US emissions. We show more generally that our TROPOMI inversion framework can quantify methane emissions exceeding 0.2–0.5 Tg a-1 from individual O/G basins, thus providing an effective tool for monitoring methane emissions from large O/G basins globally.

Penetration Efficiency and Concentration Distribution of Nanoparticles in a Hollow Tapered Cylinder

Knowing particle penetration efficiencies and concentration distributions in an inlet channel of a sampling device is beneficial for the robust assessment, attribution and quantification of nanoparticles produced by various activities. The aim of this research is to evaluate the effect of the presence or absence of a conical column inside a hollow tapered cylinder on the nanoparticle penetration efficiency and its outlet concentration profile for different flow rates. The particle penetration characteristics of various sizes from 3 nm to 20 nm were numerically investigated by using the flow field and convection diffusion equations within the hollow tapered cylinder. Firstly, the proposed model of the nanoparticle penetration efficiency for the hollow tapered cylinder with the conical column is validated with the experimental data in the literature. Then, the results indicate that the concentration at the outlet of the hollow tapered cylinder with the conical column exhibits annular profiles for 3 nm and 5 nm nanoparticles at a flow rate of 2.0 L/min, which is found to avoid centralizing the particles in the exit area. In addition, the penetration efficiency of nanoparticles can be improved by increasing flow rates or removing the conical column inside the hollow tapered cylinder. Finally, the ring-shaped concentration profile of the 10 nm nanoparticles at the outlet of the hollow conical cylinder with the conical column becomes more obvious as the flow rate decreases. This study interprets and quantitatively decides the nanoparticle penetration efficiency and its exit concentration profile for the hollow tapered cylinder with or without the conical column. Therefore, the results can provide some useful design references for the transport of nanoparticles in the hollow tapered cylinder.

DESIGN AND NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF FACE MASK POLYMER SHIELD AGAINST INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Viruses that cause infections spread very quickly and has a fatal risk to people with chronic diseases. Since the virus vaccine and the drugs to be used in treatment are not fully developed, alternative ways to protect from the virus are being investigated. The Covid-19 virus has been recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a pandemic. In this study, the effect of face mask shield against Covid-19 and other infections were investigated using finite element analysis (FEA). Three-dimensional model of the conventional face mask, equipment and shield was performed with the SolidWorks software. Computer-aided simulations were performed using AnsysWorkbench explicit dynamics module. The loading, boundary conditions and material properties were defined in the AnsysWorkbench. The effects of droplets formed because of cough or sneezing on the human model with mask and shield were analyzed. It has been confirmed from the analyzes that both the mask and the shield are effective against the virus.

(k,ψ)-Hilfer Nonlocal Integro-Multi-Point Boundary Value Problems for Fractional Differential Equations and Inclusions

In this paper, we establish existence and uniqueness results for single-valued as well as multi-valued (k,ψ)-Hilfer boundary value problems of order in (1,2], subject to nonlocal integro-multi-point boundary conditions. In the single-valued case, we use Banach and Krasnosel’skiĭ fixed point theorems as well as a Leray–Schauder nonlinear alternative to derive the existence and uniqueness results. For the multi-valued problem, we prove two existence results for the convex and non-convex nature of the multi-valued map involved in a problem by applying a Leray–Schauder nonlinear alternative for multi-valued maps, and a Covitz–Nadler fixed point theorem for multi-valued contractions, respectively. Numerical examples are presented for illustration of all the obtained results.

A Study of the Relationship between Corporate Culture and Corporate Sustainable Performance: Evidence from Chinese SMEs

Sustainable development is a significant issue facing small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Drawing on the literature of corporate sustainable development and the resource-based view, this study aims to examine how corporate flexibility and control culture influence sustainable performance by triggering innovation capabilities and investigate the moderating role of leadership style (i.e., transformational and transactional). The 186 matched questionnaire data from managers and employees in Chinese SMEs reveal that the flexibility and control culture are positively and negatively related to innovation capability, respectively, and that the latter mediates their influence on sustainable performance. Moreover, transformational leadership positively (negatively) moderates the relationship between flexibility (control) culture and innovation capability, while transactional leadership positively moderates the relationship between control culture and innovation capability. This study enriches the theoretical literature on corporate sustainable performance and provides management insights into how SMEs could survive and achieve sustained growth through corporate culture.

Unreal influence: leveraging AI in influencer marketing

Purpose>This paper aims to examine how consumers respond to social media influencers that are created through artificial intelligence (AI) and compares effects to traditional (human) influencers.Design/methodology/approach>Across two empirical studies, the authors examine the efficacy of AI social media influencers. With Study 1, the authors establish baseline effects for AI influencers and investigate how social-psychological distance impacts consumer perceptions. The authors also investigate the role of an influencer’s agency – being autonomous or externally managed – to test the boundaries of the results and determine the interactive effects between influencer type and influencer agency. Study 2 acts as an extension and validation of Study 1, whereby the authors provide generalisability and overlay the role of need for uniqueness as a moderated mediator.Findings>The authors show that there are similarities and differences in the ways in which consumers view AI and human influencers. Importantly, the authors find no difference in terms of intention to follow or personalisation. This suggests that consumers are equally open to follow an AI or human influencer, and they perceive the level of personalisation provided by either influencer type as similar. Furthermore, while an AI influencer is generally perceived as having lower source trust, they are more likely to evoke word-of-mouth intentions. In understanding these effects, the authors show that social distance mediates the relationship between influencer type and the outcomes the authors investigate. Results also show that AI influencers can have a greater effect on consumers who have a high need for uniqueness. Finally, the authors find that a lack of influencer agency has a detrimental effect.Research limitations/implications>The studies investigate consumers’ general response to AI influencers within the context of Instagram, however, future research might examine consumers’ response to posts promoting specific products across a variety of category contexts and within different social media platforms.Practical implications>The authors find that in some ways, an AI influencer can be as effective as a human influencer. Indeed, the authors suggest that there may be a spill-over effect from consumer experiences with other AI recommendation systems, meaning that consumers are open to AI influencer recommendations. However, the authors find consistent evidence that AI influencers are trusted less than traditional influencers, hence the authors caution brands from rushing to replace human influencers with their AI counterparts.Originality/value>This paper offers novel insight into the increasingly prominent phenomenon of the AI influencer. Specifically, it takes initial steps towards developing understanding as to how consumers respond to AI influencers and contrast these effects with human influencers.

Getting Started with Positive Energy Districts: Experience until Now from Maia, Reykjavik, Kifissia, Kladno and Lviv

Cities are at the centre of the debate to mitigate climate change. A considerable number of cities have already made commitments to sustainability transitions through the introduction and integration of green strategies. Moreover, in the past few years, Europe has witnessed an increase in the development of smart cities and advancement towards creating more sustainable cities. At the moment, an innovative concept in smart city development involves Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) that further encourage districts and cities to become carbon neutral. This paper looks at the five cities of Maia, Reykjavik, Kifissia, Kladno and Lviv that are a part of an ongoing H2020 project. The purpose of the paper was to understand the status quo of energy transition in these five cities as they embarked on the PEDs journey and identify associated challenges and benefits that PEDs brought to each city. The information was collected through a knowledge gap survey, City Vision 2050 workshop, discussions during the City Forum and individual interviews with city representatives. Cities across Europe and beyond may find themselves in a similar situation, and therefore, this paper also provides brief set of checkpoints to prepare new cities for the PED journey, thus enabling them to transition towards PEDs more efficiently.

Impact of Seat Inclination and Misalignment on Airborne Pollutant Transport in a Single-Aisle Aircraft Cabin

Airborne pollutant transport in an aircraft cabin is greatly affected by the created airflow. The seat layout can impact the flow and thus the pollutant transport. Most studies have adopted symmetric upright seats for simplicity. The influence of seat inclination and seat misalignment on airflow and pollutant transport is still unclear. This investigation adopted a validated computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method to study the airflow and airborne pollutant distribution in a single-aisle cabin with seven rows of seats. The pollutant was assumed to be released from a passenger seated in the middle of three adjacent seats. A total of five different seat layouts were considered, including all of the upright seats, the inclination of three adjacent seats, the inclination of all of the seats in half a cabin, the inclination of all of the seats in a whole cabin, and the misalignment seat rows across the aisle. The flows in both the cross and longitudinal sections were compared. The pollutant concentrations in the respiratory zone of the passengers in different seats were adopted to evaluate the cross-contamination. The results revealed that the symmetric seat layout aids to circumscribe the released pollutant in a small region and reduces the cross-contamination either by maintaining the upright seats or inclining all of the seats. Contrarily, any inclination of seats or a misalignment of seat rows should be avoided during the pandemic since an asymmetric seat layout would generate asymmetric flow and strengthen the spreading of pollutants.