University of Nottingham Ningbo China
UniversityNingbo, China
Research output, citation impact, and the most-cited recent papers from University of Nottingham Ningbo China (China). Aggregated across the NobleBlocks index of 300M+ scholarly works.
Top-cited papers from University of Nottingham Ningbo China
Purpose Following the call for awareness of accepted reporting practices by Ringle, Sarstedt, and Straub in 2012, the purpose of this paper is to review and analyze the use of partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) in Industrial Management & Data Systems ( IMDS ) and extend MIS Quarterly ( MISQ ) applications to include the period 2012-2014. Design/methodology/approach Review of PLS-SEM applications in information systems (IS) studies published in IMDS and MISQ for the period 2010-2014 identifying a total of 57 articles reporting the use of or commenting on PLS-SEM. Findings The results indicate an increased maturity of the IS field in using PLS-SEM for model complexity and formative measures and not just small sample sizes and non-normal data. Research limitations/implications Findings demonstrate the continued use and acceptance of PLS-SEM as an accepted research method within IS. PLS-SEM is discussed as the preferred SEM method when the research objective is prediction. Practical implications This update on PLS-SEM use and recent developments will help authors to better understand and apply the method. Researchers are encouraged to engage in complete reporting procedures. Originality/value Applications of PLS-SEM for exploratory research and theory development are increasing. IS scholars should continue to exercise sound practice by reporting reasons for using PLS-SEM and recognizing its wider applicability for research. Recommended reporting guidelines following Ringle et al. (2012) and Gefen et al. (2011) are included. Several important methodological updates are included as well.
BACKGROUND: The benefits and safety of medications for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) remain controversial, and guidelines are inconsistent on which medications are preferred across different age groups. We aimed to estimate the comparative efficacy and tolerability of oral medications for ADHD in children, adolescents, and adults. METHODS: We did a literature search for published and unpublished double-blind randomised controlled trials comparing amphetamines (including lisdexamfetamine), atomoxetine, bupropion, clonidine, guanfacine, methylphenidate, and modafinil with each other or placebo. We systematically contacted study authors and drug manufacturers for additional information. Primary outcomes were efficacy (change in severity of ADHD core symptoms based on teachers' and clinicians' ratings) and tolerability (proportion of patients who dropped out of studies because of side-effects) at timepoints closest to 12 weeks, 26 weeks, and 52 weeks. We estimated summary odds ratios (ORs) and standardised mean differences (SMDs) using pairwise and network meta-analysis with random effects. We assessed the risk of bias of individual studies with the Cochrane risk of bias tool and confidence of estimates with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach for network meta-analyses. This study is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42014008976. FINDINGS: 133 double-blind randomised controlled trials (81 in children and adolescents, 51 in adults, and one in both) were included. The analysis of efficacy closest to 12 weeks was based on 10 068 children and adolescents and 8131 adults; the analysis of tolerability was based on 11 018 children and adolescents and 5362 adults. The confidence of estimates varied from high or moderate (for some comparisons) to low or very low (for most indirect comparisons). For ADHD core symptoms rated by clinicians in children and adolescents closest to 12 weeks, all included drugs were superior to placebo (eg, SMD -1·02, 95% CI -1·19 to -0·85 for amphetamines, -0·78, -0·93 to -0·62 for methylphenidate, -0·56, -0·66 to -0·45 for atomoxetine). By contrast, for available comparisons based on teachers' ratings, only methylphenidate (SMD -0·82, 95% CI -1·16 to -0·48) and modafinil (-0·76, -1·15 to -0·37) were more efficacious than placebo. In adults (clinicians' ratings), amphetamines (SMD -0·79, 95% CI -0·99 to -0·58), methylphenidate (-0·49, -0·64 to -0·35), bupropion (-0·46, -0·85 to -0·07), and atomoxetine (-0·45, -0·58 to -0·32), but not modafinil (0·16, -0·28 to 0·59), were better than placebo. With respect to tolerability, amphetamines were inferior to placebo in both children and adolescents (odds ratio [OR] 2·30, 95% CI 1·36-3·89) and adults (3·26, 1·54-6·92); guanfacine was inferior to placebo in children and adolescents only (2·64, 1·20-5·81); and atomoxetine (2·33, 1·28-4·25), methylphenidate (2·39, 1·40-4·08), and modafinil (4·01, 1·42-11·33) were less well tolerated than placebo in adults only. In head-to-head comparisons, only differences in efficacy (clinicians' ratings) were found, favouring amphetamines over modafinil, atomoxetine, and methylphenidate in both children and adolescents (SMDs -0·46 to -0·24) and adults (-0·94 to -0·29). We did not find sufficient data for the 26-week and 52-week timepoints. INTERPRETATION: Our findings represent the most comprehensive available evidence base to inform patients, families, clinicians, guideline developers, and policymakers on the choice of ADHD medications across age groups. Taking into account both efficacy and safety, evidence from this meta-analysis supports methylphenidate in children and adolescents, and amphetamines in adults, as preferred first-choice medications for the short-term treatment of ADHD. New research should be funded urgently to assess long-term effects of these drugs. FUNDING: Stichting Eunethydis (European Network for Hyperkinetic Disorders), and the UK National Institute for Health Research Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre.
Abstract Scholars have shown that green human resource management (GHRM) practices enhance a firm's environmental performance. However, existing studies fail to explain how GHRM initiatives can enable a green organisational culture or how such a culture affects the environmental performance and sustainable development of the firm. This paper examines the relationship between GHRM practices, the enablers of green organisational culture, and a firm's environmental performance. We conduct a large‐scale survey of 204 employees at Chinese manufacturing firms. Our findings suggest that proenvironmental HRM practices including hiring, training, appraisal, and incentivisation support the development of the enablers of green organisational culture. We suggest the key enablers of green organisational culture include leadership emphasis, message credibility, peer involvement, and employee empowerment. Our paper contributes to HRM theory in terms of originality and utility of research by explaining that the enablers of green organisational culture positively mediate the relationship between GHRM practices and environmental performance. Managers are provided with a detailed understanding of the GHRM practices needed to enable an organisational culture of environmentally aware employees. Finally, we address potential implications of this work for teaching green organisational culture to future generations of responsible managers.
Purpose This paper aims to discuss the effects of COVID-19 on hotel marketing and management practices and outlines a three-pronged research agenda to stimulate knowledge development in the hotel sector. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on an overview of the relevant literature on hotel marketing and management and the hotel guest behavior. The authors also investigated hospitality service trends to propose a research agenda. Findings This paper presents a research agenda from three dimensions – artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, hygiene and cleanliness and health and health care. First, different types of AI (mechanical, thinking and feeling) might open up distinct research streams at the intersection of health crises and hotel management, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, this paper recommends that researchers move beyond typical perspectives on the antecedents and outcomes of hotel hygiene and cleanliness to delve into guests’ perceptions of the cleanliness of specific hotel surfaces. Furthermore, a more in-depth analysis is warranted about the evolving relationship between hotels and the health-care sector. Practical implications The recommended research areas are intended to advance the knowledge base to help hotels recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. The suggested research streams are expected to provide actionable insights to promote the development and sustainability of the hotel sector. Originality/value This paper appears to be a frontier study, critically examining possible effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on hotel marketing and management practices and how hoteliers may respond to such challenges to recover after this pandemic.
The concept of psychological capital (PsyCap) has attracted a great deal of interest from both academics and practitioners and has been linked to employee attitudes, behavior and performance at different levels of analysis. Yet, the nature of the concept, its measurement, the factors that influence its development, and when and how it influences individual-level, team-level and organizational-level outcomes are the subject of continued debate in the literature. This article offers a detailed and focused review of the existing literature on PsyCap, with the aim of developing an agenda for future research. In particular, we call for researchers to pay greater attention to possible multi-level applications of PsyCap research, examine the underlying mechanisms by which PsyCap influences individual-level, team-level and organizational-level outcomes, and identify possible factors that may moderate the relationship between PsyCap and its outcomes. In doing this, we provide a roadmap for scholars to progress the development of the field. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
This article reviews critically selected recent literature on electrochemical energy storage (EES) technologies, focusing on supercapacitor and also supercapattery which is a generic term for various hybrid devices combining the merits of rechargeable battery and supercapacitor. Fundamentals of EES are explained, aiming at clarification of some literature confusions such as the differences between capacitive and non-capacitive Faradaic charge storage mechanisms, and between cathode and positive electrode (positrode), and between anode and negative electrode (negatrode). In particular, the concept and origin of pseudocapacitance are qualitatively correlated with the band model for semiconductors. Strategies for design and construction of supercapattery are discussed in terms of both the materials structures and device engineering. Selection of materials, including electrolytes, is another topic reviewed selectively. Graphenes and carbon nanotubes are the favourable choice to composite with both capacitive and non-capacitive redox materials for improved kinetics of charge storage processes and charge–discharge cycling stability. Organoaqueous electrolytes show a great potential to enable EES to work at sub-zero temperatures, while solid ion conducting membranes and ionic liquids can help develop high voltage (>4.0 V) and hence high energy supercapatteries.
In 2003, the concept of precarity emerged as the central organizing platform for a series of social struggles that would spread across the space of Europe. Four years later, almost as suddenly as the precarity movement appeared, so it would enter into crisis. To understand precarity as a political concept it is necessary to go beyond economistic approaches that see social conditions as determined by the mode of production. Such a move requires us to see Fordism as exception and precarity as the norm. The political concept and practice of translation enables us to frame the precarity of creative labour in a broader historical and geographical perspective, shedding light on its contestation and relation to the concept of the common. Our interest is in the potential for novel forms of connection, subjectivization and political organization. Such processes of translation are themselves inherently precarious, transborder undertakings.
The constant growth of air traffic, the demand for performance optimization, and the need for decreasing both operating and maintenance costs have encouraged the aircraft industry to move toward more electric solutions. As a result of this trend, electric power required on-board of aircraft has significantly increased through the years, causing major changes in electric power system architectures. Considering this scenario, this paper gives a review about the evolution of electric power generation systems in aircraft. The major achievements are highlighted and the rationale behind some significant developments discussed. After a brief historical overview of the early dc generators (both wind- and engine-driven), the reasons which brought the definitive passage to the ac generation, for larger aircraft, are presented and explained. Several ac generation systems are investigated with particular attention being focused on the voltage levels and the generator technology. Furthermore, examples of commercial aircraft implementing ac generation systems are provided. Finally, the trends toward modern generation systems are also considered giving prominence to their challenges and feasibility.
Metamorphic testing is an approach to both test case generation and test result verification. A central element is a set of metamorphic relations, which are necessary properties of the target function or algorithm in relation to multiple inputs and their expected outputs. Since its first publication, we have witnessed a rapidly increasing body of work examining metamorphic testing from various perspectives, including metamorphic relation identification, test case generation, integration with other software engineering techniques, and the validation and evaluation of software systems. In this article, we review the current research of metamorphic testing and discuss the challenges yet to be addressed. We also present visions for further improvement of metamorphic testing and highlight opportunities for new research.
Nationwide prospective surveillance of all-age patients with acute respiratory infections was conducted in China between 2009‒2019. Here we report the etiological and epidemiological features of the 231,107 eligible patients enrolled in this analysis. Children <5 years old and school-age children have the highest viral positivity rate (46.9%) and bacterial positivity rate (30.9%). Influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus and human rhinovirus are the three leading viral pathogens with proportions of 28.5%, 16.8% and 16.7%, and Streptococcus pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Klebsiella pneumoniae are the three leading bacterial pathogens (29.9%, 18.6% and 15.8%). Negative interactions between viruses and positive interactions between viral and bacterial pathogens are common. A Join-Point analysis reveals the age-specific positivity rate and how this varied for individual pathogens. These data indicate that differential priorities for diagnosis, prevention and control should be highlighted in terms of acute respiratory tract infection patients' demography, geographic locations and season of illness in China.
Powder Bed Fusion (PBF) techniques constitute a family of Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes, which are characterised by high design flexibility and no tooling requirement. This makes PBF techniques attractive to many modern manufacturing sectors (e.g. aerospace, defence, energy and automotive) where some materials, such as Nickel-based superalloys, cannot be easily processed using conventional subtractive techniques. Nickel-based superalloys are crucial materials in modern engineering and underpin the performance of many advanced mechanical systems. Their physical properties (high mechanical integrity at high temperature) make them difficult to process via traditional techniques. Consequently, manufacture of nickel-based superalloys using PBF platforms has attracted significant attention. To permit a wider application, a deep understanding of their mechanical behaviour and relation to process needs to be achieved. The motivation for this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the mechanical properties of PBF nickel-based superalloys and how process parameters affect these, and to aid practitioners in identifying the shortcomings and the opportunities in this field. Therefore, this paper aims to review research contributions regarding the microstructure and mechanical properties of nickel-based superalloys, manufactured using the two principle PBF techniques: Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) and Electron Beam Melting (EBM). The ‘target’ microstructures are introduced alongside the characteristics of those produced by PBF process, followed by an overview of the most used building processes, as well as build quality inspection techniques. A comprehensive evaluation of the mechanical properties, including tensile strength, hardness, shear strength, fatigue resistance, creep resistance and fracture toughness of PBF nickel-based superalloys are analysed. This work concludes with summary tables for data published on these properties serving as a quick reference to scholars. Characteristic process factors influencing functional performance are also discussed and compared throughout for the purpose of identifying research opportunities and directing the research community toward the end goal of achieving part integrity that extends beyond static components only.
Natural language processing (NLP) is gaining momentum in management research for its ability to automatically analyze and comprehend human language. Yet, despite its extensive application in management research, there is neither a comprehensive review of extant literature on such applications, nor is there a detailed walkthrough on how it can be employed as an analytical technique. To this end, we review articles in the UT Dallas List of 24 Leading Business Journals that employ NLP as their focal analytical technique to elucidate how textual data can be harnessed for advancing management theories across multiple disciplines. We describe the available toolkits and procedural steps for employing NLP as an analytical technique as well as its advantages and disadvantages. In so doing, we highlight the managerial and technological challenges associated with the application of NLP in management research in order to guide future inquires.
Most methods for improving supercapacitor performance are based on developments of electrode materials to optimally exploit their storage mechanisms, namely electrical double layer capacitance and pseudocapacitance. In such cases, the electrolyte is supposed to be electrochemically as inert as possible so that a wide potential window can be achieved. Interestingly, in recent years, there has been a growing interest in the investigation of supercapacitors with an electrolyte that can offer redox activity. Such redox electrolytes have been shown to offer increased charge storage capacity, and possibly other benefits. There are however some confusions, for example, on the nature of contributions of the redox electrolyte to the increased storage capacity in comparison with pseudocapacitance, or by expression of the overall increased charge storage capacity as capacitance. This report intends to provide a brief but critical review on the pros and cons of the application of such redox electrolytes in supercapacitors, and to advocate development of the relevant research into a new electrochemical energy storage device in parallel with, but not the same as that of supercapacitors.
This paper presents a narrative review of celebrity endorsement research. The review identifies six areas of research on celebrity endorsements (celebrity prevalence, campaign management, financial effects, celebrity persuasion, non-evaluative meaning transfer, and brand-to-celebrity transfer). A review of the research in each area identifies key findings, conflicting results, and research gaps. In addition, this paper reviews the celebrity endorsement literature with a focus on the psychological processes underlying celebrity endorsement effects that has been put forward in the literature. Based on the review an agenda for future research is offered.
Skin wounds not only cause physical pain for patients but also are an economic burden for society. It is necessary to seek out an efficient approach to promote skin repair. Hydrogels are considered effective wound dressings. They possess many unique properties like biocompatibility, biodegradability, high water uptake and retention etc., so that they are promising candidate materials for wound healing. Chitosan is a polymeric biomaterial obtained by the deacetylation of chitin. With the properties of easy acquisition, antibacterial and hemostatic activity, and the ability to promote skin regeneration, hydrogel-like functional wound dressings (represented by chitosan and its derivatives) have received extensive attentions for their effectiveness and mechanisms in promoting skin wound repair. In this review, we extensively discussed the mechanisms with which chitosan-based functional materials promote hemostasis, anti-inflammation, proliferation of granulation in wound repair. We also provided the latest information about the applications of such materials in wound treatment. In addition, we summarized the methods to enhance the advantages and maintain the intrinsic nature of chitosan via incorporating other chemical components, active biomolecules and other substances into the hydrogels.
Digital ventures, start-ups growing by drawing on and adding to digital infrastructures, can scale their business at an unprecedented pace. We view such rapid scaling as a generative process by which a venture’s user base increases significantly between two points in time through digital innovation. We studied WeCash, a Chinese digital venture, nearly doubling its user base monthly, to learn more about this generative process. We trace three contingent mechanisms underpinning rapid scaling: data-driven operation, instant release, and swift transformation. We explain these mechanisms and how they interact in the rapid scaling of digital ventures. The research offers an agency perspective on scaling of digital ventures that speaks to the digital innovation literature.
As an emerging branch of energy conversion technologies, the triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) pioneers a brand-new path to effectively harness varieties of mechanical energies for the purpose of powering and/or sensing. Since its invention in 2012, the TENG has experienced a booming and revolutionary development in every respect, ranging from materials synthesis and modification, architecture design to performance optimization, power management, and application exploration. In comparison to the organic solar cell and organic light-emitting diodes, TENG is a unique technique that opens the venue of using polymer materials (PMs) for harvesting mechanical energy. So far, by virtue of superior charge transfer and capturing capabilities during friction, various kinds of PMs have been developed and used as triboelectric materials in order to achieve high-performance TENGs. Here, this work focuses on the utilization and development of PMs for the TENGs technology and first gives a summary of main PMs that are frequently adopted in currently reported energy-harvesting TENGs. Second, several kinds of PMs used lately in a few novel TENGs for special or specific energy-harvesting circumstances are introduced and highlighted. Finally, the perspectives on and challenges in developing high-performance PMs toward TENGs technology are conceived and expected to be instructive to future research.
Magnesium (Mg) alloys have received an increasing interest in the past two decades for their tremendous application potential. The strength and corrosion resistance levels of common Mg alloys are still relativity low, and especially they are to be improved simultaneously. The addition of rare earth (RE) to Mg alloys is believed to be beneficial for both the strength and corrosion resistance, and some RE-modified traditional Mg alloys have been studied and some new RE-containing Mg alloys have been developed by now. However, further simultaneous improvements in both strength and anti-corrosion require a better understanding of the behavior and mechanism of RE in Mg alloys. In this review, the common influence mechanisms of RE on mechanical and anti-corrosion properties of Mg alloys are summarized, and the latest research progress of RE-containing Mg alloys with simultaneously improved strength and corrosion resistance are introduced. It is demonstrated that the research on high-strength and high corrosion resistant RE-containing Mg alloys is still immature, and some opinions and suggestions are put forward for the synergetic improvement of the strength and corrosion resistance of Mg alloys, so as to contribute to the further development of Mg alloys with higher performance.
During global pandemics, such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), crisis communication is indispensable in dispelling fears, uncertainty, and unifying individuals worldwide in a collective fight against health threats. Inadequate crisis communication can bring dire personal and economic consequences. Mounting research shows that seemingly endless newsfeeds related to COVID-19 infection and death rates could considerably increase the risk of mental health problems. Unfortunately, media reports that include infodemics regarding the influence of COVID-19 on mental health may be a source of the adverse psychological effects on individuals. Owing partially to insufficient crisis communication practices, media and news organizations across the globe have played minimal roles in battling COVID-19 infodemics. Common refrains include raging QAnon conspiracies, a false and misleading "Chinese virus" narrative, and the use of disinfectants to "cure" COVID-19. With the potential to deteriorate mental health, infodemics fueled by a kaleidoscopic range of misinformation can be dangerous. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of research on how to improve crisis communication across media and news organization channels. This paper identifies ways that legacy media reports on COVID-19 and how social media-based infodemics can result in mental health concerns. This paper discusses possible crisis communication solutions that media and news organizations can adopt to mitigate the negative influences of COVID-19 related news on mental health. Emphasizing the need for global media entities to forge a fact-based, person-centered, and collaborative response to COVID-19 reporting, this paper encourages media resources to focus on the core issue of how to slow or stop COVID-19 transmission effectively.
Metal organic frameworks (MOFs) represent a class of porous material which is formed by strong bonds between metal ions and organic linkers. By careful selection of constituents, MOFs can exhibit very high surface area, large pore volume, and excellent chemical stability. Research on synthesis, structures and properties of various MOFs has shown that they are promising materials for many applications, such as energy storage, gas storage, heterogeneous catalysis and sensing. Apart from direct use, MOFs have also been used as support substrates for nanomaterials or as sacrificial templates/precursors for preparation of various functional nanostructures. In this review, we aim to present the most recent development of MOFs as precursors for the preparation of various nanostructures and their potential applications in energy-related devices and processes. Specifically, this present survey intends to push the boundaries and covers the literatures from the year 2013 to early 2017, on supercapacitors, lithium ion batteries, electrocatalysts, photocatalyst, gas sensing, water treatment, solar cells, and carbon dioxide capture. Finally, an outlook in terms of future challenges and potential prospects towards industrial applications are also discussed.