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Purpose: Although recent literature has examined diverse measures adopted by SMEs to navigate the COVID-19 turbulence, there is a shortage of evidence on how crisis-time strategy creation behaviour and digitalization activities increase (1) sales and (2) cash flow. Thus, predicated on a novel strategy creation perspective, this inquiry aims to investigate the crisis behaviour, sales and cash flow performance of 528 SMEs in Morocco. Design/methodology/approach: Novel links between (1) aggregate wage cuts, (2) variable operating hours, (3) deferred payment to suppliers, (4) deferred payment to tax authorities and (5) sales performance are developed and tested. A further link between sales performance and cash flow is also examined and the analysis is conducted using a non-linear structural equation modelling technique. Findings: While there is a significant association between strategy creation behaviours and sales performance, only variable operating hours have a positive effect. Also, sales performance increases cash flow and this relationship is substantially strengthened by e-commerce digitalization and innovation. Originality/value: Theoretically, to the best of the authors' knowledge, this is one of the first inquiries to espouse the strategy creation view to explain SMEs' crisis-time behaviour and digitalization. For practical purposes, to supplement Moroccan SMEs' propensity to seek tax deferrals, it is argued that debt and equity support measures are also needed to boost sales performance and cash flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the interfacial conductivity and corrosion resistance of the Ni–P/Ti4O7 composite coating that is deposited on a carbon steel substrate as bipolar plates for proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Design/methodology/approach: The Ni–P/Ti4O7 coating was prepared by electroless plating. Scanning electron microscopy, white light interference, energy dispersive spectrometry and X-ray diffraction were used, respectively, to study the surface morphology, chemical composition and phase composition of coated samples. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, potentiodynamic and potentiostatic polarization were used to test the electrochemical performance and corrosion behavior. The interfacial contact resistance (ICR) was measured via the standard method. Findings: The surface of the Ni–P/Ti4O7 coating is complete and dense and without obvious defects. The electrochemical test results show that the Ni–P/Ti4O7 coating provides better corrosion resistance than the Ni–P coating and substrate. Compared with the Ni–P coating, the ICR of the Ni–P/Ti4O7 coating is lower by about 82.7%. This is because the coating has more conductive contact points. The more exciting thing is that the ICR of the Ni–P/Ti4O7 coating only increases to 12.38 mΩ·cm2 after 5 h of polarization. Originality/value: This paper provides a method for achieving surface modification of metal bipolar plates. Introducing Ti4O7 particles in the Ni–P layer reduces the contact resistance before and after polarization while ensuring good corrosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study investigates business model innovation in small- and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises (SMEs) and its impact on firm growth. Design/methodology/approach: The study was based on analyzing data collected through a questionnaire survey. Structural equation modeling was applied to test the hypotheses. Findings: Business model innovation has a positive effect on SME growth in the manufacturing sectors. Moreover, growth is also achieved through the indirect effect of business model innovation on customer trust and commitment. Practical implications: Managers will benefit from understanding how business model innovation can help their companies to overcome resource constraints and achieve sustained growth. When manufacturing SMEs engage in modular or structural changes to their business model, they may find it worthwhile to focus on maintaining a relationship of trust and commitment with their customers. Originality/value: This study highlights business model innovation as a unique and important, yet underexplored, factor in manufacturing SME growth. The findings also untangle the complex processes of customer relationship management by which business model innovation improves manufacturing competitive advantage for SMEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to study a fractional grey model FAGM(1,1,tα) based on the GM(1,1,tα) model and the fractional accumulated generating operation, and then predict the national health expenditure, the government health expenditure and the out-of-pocket health expenditure of China. Design/methodology/approach: The presented univariate grey model is systematically studied by using the grey modelling technique, the fractional accumulated generating operation and the trapezoid approximation formula of definite integral. The optimal system parameters r and α are evaluated by the particle swarm optimisation algorithm. Findings: The expressions of the time response function and the restored values of this model are derived. The GM(1,1), NGM(1,1,k,c) and GM(1,1,tα) models are particular cases of the FAGM(1,1,tα) model with deterministic r and α. Compared with other forecasting models, the results of the FAGM(1,1,tα) model have higher precision. Practical implications: The superiority of the new model has high potential to be used in the medicine and health fields and others. Results can provide a guideline for government decision making. Originality/value: The univariate fractional grey model FAGM (1,1,tα) successfully studies the China's health expenditure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The authors aim to examine the effect of location-driven logo placement on attention and memory on the web addressing differences between individuals that read unidirectionally (left-to-right [LTR]) versus bidirectionally (both right-to-left and LTR).Design/methodology/approach Using an eye-tracking approach combined with traditional verbal measures, the authors compared attention and memory measures from a sample composed of bidirectional (Arab/English) readers and unidirectional readers.Findings The findings reveal that unidirectional and bidirectional readers differ in attention patterns. Compared to bidirectional readers, unidirectional readers pay less attention to the logo on the bottom right corner of the webpage based on verbal measures. The eye-tracking data of the two groups further identify differences based on total hits and duration time. Unidirectional LTR readers demonstrate higher fluency in feature-based attention whereas bidirectional readers show higher fluency in spatial attention.Originality/value The authors expand on scarce research on reading direction bias effect on location-driven stimuli placement in online settings. They contribute to the understanding of the differences between unidirectional and bidirectional readers in their cognitive responses (attention and memory) to organization of marketing stimuli. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore pre-employment college graduates’ relocation tendencies based on a research framework built upon gender and cultural theories.Design/methodology/approach Relocation decisions were analyzed based on 208 college graduates enrolled in public universities in Texas, USA.Findings The relocation decision-making by college graduates differ from that for corporate employees described in previous research. First, the willingness to relocate increases as the college graduates mature. Second, gender difference in the willingness to relocate is non-significant because of the same expected norms for both genders. Instead, psychological gender affiliation, such as self-perceived masculinity, makes a difference in relocation decisions. Third, family-related variables, such as marital status and parenthood, do not influence college graduates’ relocation decisions. Last, cultural groups do not exhibit any overall significant differences.Research limitations/implications The findings provide new and complementary knowledge over previous relocation studies.Practical implications The findings enhance the understanding of career choices made by college graduates in their early career, offering valuable managerial implications in crafting staffing strategies and improving human resource management for organizations in today’s fast-changing, vibrant multi-cultural environment.Originality/value The study is focused on pre-employment relocation decision-making by college graduates from different demographic backgrounds. The study fills a major research void in relocation studies by clarifying the relocation patterns of new employees graduating from college. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Dynamic capabilities are regarded as the bedrock of businesses that survive in a dynamic environment. Building upon the social capital theory, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the nexus between dynamic capabilities and social capital in family businesses.Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a quantitative approach. As there is no formal business database available in China, the study followed a snowball sampling procedure. In total, 628 useful responses were gathered.Findings The study echoes the call of Arregle et al. (2007) for understanding family business’s internal sources of competitiveness and the role of social capital. Results show that the three dimensions of social capital, namely, structural, cognitive, and relational capital, influence dynamic capabilities of family businesses.Research limitations/implications The lack of an official business database in China made the conventional representative sample survey used in the West difficult to replicate. Furthermore, empirical data were collected from different regions of China; regional cultures and different levels of economic development across the regions might influence the social capital-dynamic capabilities connection, but these were not examined in the current study.Originality/value The study integrates two significant but disconnected research streams, i.e. social capital and dynamic capabilities. Furthermore, the study shows how different dimensions of social capital influence dynamic capabilities. Research findings derived may contribute to the entrepreneurial debate as to why some family businesses can survive in the dynamic environment while others cannot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Dynamic capabilities are regarded as the bedrock of firms that survive in a dynamic environment. Notwithstanding this perspective, little research has been implemented in understanding dynamic capabilities of family firms. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between environmental dynamism and dynamic capabilities of family businesses, and the moderating effect of trust on this relationship. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative survey was executed with the sampling frame outlined based on the Hemscott Company Guru database. In total, 137 useful responses were employed in this study. Findings – The results suggest that environmental dynamism is an antecedent of dynamic capabilities. Furthermore, findings show the presence of trust moderates the environmental dynamism-dynamic capabilities nexus. Research limitations/implications – The cross-sectional design of the study determines that it can only proffer a snapshot of the scenario. In addition, the exclusion of non-incorporated firms in the sample because of the nature of the Hemscott database constrains the generalisability of the study. Future studies in a similar vein may be implemented through national/local development agencies to overcome this barrier. Originality/value – The unique intertwined family and business system embedded in family firms has led to the assumption that trust will influence the environmental dynamism-dynamic capabilities nexus. The current study confirms this assumption and offers a perspective that helps appreciate the environment-business relationship in family businesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This study aims to explore how the distributor orientation of manufacturing-centered small and medium-sized enterprises (MCSMEs) influences relationship building outcomes, distributor satisfaction, and channel profitability.Design/methodology/approach This study examines the moderating role of competitive intensity and coordinative culture in the association between distributor orientation and relationship building outcomes.Findings Empirical results from 115 MCSMEs reveal a strong positive relationship between distributor orientation and distributor satisfaction. The findings also show a positive relationship between distributor orientation and channel profitability. Furthermore, although competitive intensity strengthens the positive relationship between distributor orientation and the two relationship building outcomes, coordinative intensity weakens the positive relationship between distributor orientation and the two relationship outcomes.Practical implications Managerial implications and future research opportunities were discussed.Originality/value The research contributes to the literature on the management of small and medium-sized enterprises and offers practical implications for manufacturers and distribution channel managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The use of removable complete dentures is a selectable restorative procedure for edentulous patients. To improve the fabrication quality and efficiency of removable complete dentures, this paper aims to introduce a new method to fabricate customized wax complete dentures with additive manufacturing. This process uses complementary digital technologies, and allows faster and better manufacture of complete dentures.Design/methodology/approach In the study, a dental scanner was used to obtain surface data from edentulous casts and rims made by the dentist. A parameterized three-dimensional graphic database of artificial teeth was pre-established. Specialized computer-aided design software was used to set up the artificial dentition and design the esthetic gingiva and base plate. A selective laser sintering machine was used to transfer the data from stereolithography files into a wax base plate with location holes for each artificial tooth.Findings Under this method, a set of wax base plates with 28 location holes available for the placement of the artificial teeth were designed and fabricated within 6 h. The try-in wax dentures fitted the patient’s mouth well, besides occlusion relationships. Then, the occlusion relationships can be adjusted manually to achieve a balanced centric occlusion.Originality/value This method can be used to design and fabricate wax try-in removable complete dentures semi-automatically and rapidly; however, the algorithm for the occlusion contact design needs to be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how market orientation is related to relationship building outcomes in the downstream distribution process. The authors examine the role of distributor satisfaction in mediating the association between market orientation in distribution and return on assets. Design/methodology/approach – Market orientation in distribution was measured by distributor orientation, competitor orientation, and interfunctional coordination. Findings – Results showed that the positive relationship between market orientation in distribution and distributor satisfaction was strongly supported. While distributor orientation and competitor orientation were both positively related to distributor satisfaction and return on assets, interfunctional coordination was not related to either distributor satisfaction or return on assets. However, interfunctional coordination lessened the positive relationship between distributor orientation and distributor satisfaction. Originality/value – This study fills research void in downstream relationship building in the distribution process in a business-to-business context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the dimensionality of emic (culturally specific) organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) of Mexican professionals. Design/methodology/approach – This study considered the collectivistic cultural background of Mexican professional employees and developed a framework based on the emic (culturally specific) dimensions of OCB. Findings – Based on exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, the authors find that the emic OCB of Mexican professionals is characterized by five dimensions: collegial harmony, organizational camaraderie, professional development, organizational faithfulness, and protecting company resources. Originality/value – The findings also offer incremental contributions to OCB research. In order to correctly capture the entire phenomena of OCB in different cultures, researchers often focus on the emic (specific/cultural unique) approach. Along this vein, the authors identified the Mexican OCB dimensions in an emic approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare organizational web site design attributes between US and Chinese small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Design/methodology/approach – The study uses 18 web site design variables identified by previous research. Findings – The results show that US and Chinese SME corporate web sites have both similarities and differences in terms of web site design attributes. The design differences are not much affected by the impacts of macro-economy and technology gaps. However, US and Chinese SMEs may differ in terms of their marketing practices and cultural orientations, and as a result, web site design attributes still remain significantly different. Originality/value – Marketing and cultural factors are found to be important determinants in SMEs’ organizational web site design across the two countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Three test platforms for long-term continuous loading are adopted to test the actuator prototypes of the 500-meter aperture spherical radio telescope (FAST). However, the wire ropes that are the key components of these platforms often break during testing. The purpose of this paper is to present an effective dimension design method for these wire ropes. This method is based on fatigue reliability theory. Design/methodology/approach – Three types of stresses are introduced into the total stress model of the wire rope according to the complicated stress conditions. The fatigue strength of the ropes is also discussed in this paper. Then, the total stress model and the results of fatigue strength analysis are applied to set the optimization function for these wire ropes. Subsequently, this optimization function is used to calculate the reliability of previously developed wire ropes in relation to the actuator test platform. Findings – The wire rope is unreliable, which is a finding that corresponds to those of previous tests. Upon drawing the optimal curve from the optimization function (whose optimal objective is the wire diameter), a wire rope is optimized for the FAST actuator test platforms. Finally, this optimized rope is used on the new actuator test platform. No fracture phenomenon has been detected in tests conducted over the past six months. Originality/value – The fatigue reliability theory-based optimization function for wire ropes can be adopted for the universal dimension design of other wire ropes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- This paper aims to examine how the three market orientation components (customer orientation, competitor orientation and interfunctional coordination) influence industrial manufacturers' customer relationship management outcomes in a business-to-business (B2B) context. Design/methodology/approach -- In linking market orientation components and their relationship outcomes, the authors examined the moderating effect of interfunctional coordination. The model was tested using data collected from 279 manufacturing firms in the USA. Findings -- While customer orientation and competitor orientation both influence customer relationship outcomes, interfunctional coordination does not. However, interfunctional coordination lessens the positive relationships between customer orientation and customer retention as well as between competitor orientation and customer satisfaction. Although competitor orientation has a slightly stronger impact on customer satisfaction than customer orientation does, it only has an indirect relationship with customer retention through customer satisfaction. Originality/value -- The findings illustrated the effects of the three components of market orientation on customer relationship outcomes within manufacturing-centered firms, and provided managerial implications to industrial manufacturers on market orientation implementation strategies in regard to successful B2B customer relationship management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this study is to investigate differences in consumer reactions to high-versus low-equity brands in terms of consumer attitude toward the brand, involvement with the brand, company credibility and consumer purchase intentions. Design/methodology/approach -- Experimental procedure is conducted to test three hypotheses using 317 consumer participants. The experiment is carried out comparing a high-equity personal computer (PC) brand and a low-equity PC brand involved in product-harm crisis. Findings -- The results indicate that, in the case of product-harm crisis, negative consumer perceptions regardless of brand equity level; less negative perceptions for a high-equity brand than for a low-equity brand; and smaller loss in consumer perceptions for a high-equity brand than for a low-equity brand. Research limitations/implications -- The findings highlight the importance of brand equity in crisis management explained by covariation theory of attributions. Practical implications -- Although product-harm crisis is inevitable for many firms, continuous investment in brand equity can mitigate the negative consequences. Originality/value -- Product-harm crisis can pose serious consequences for firms on both financial and intangible dimensions. Given the occurrence of numerous product-harm crises involving both reputable and less known brands, it is important to consider potential influences of brand equity on consumer reactions to such crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a localizability-based particle filtering localization algorithm for mobile robots to maintain localization accuracy in the high-occluded and dynamic environments with moving people. Design/methodology/approach – First, the localizability of mobile robots is defined to evaluate the influences of both the dynamic obstacles and prior-map on localization. Second, based on the classical two-sensor track fusion algorithm, the odometer-based proposal distribution function (PDF) is corrected, taking account of the localizability. Then, the corrected PDF is introduced into the classical PF with “roulette” re-sampling. Finally, the robot pose is estimated according to all the particles. Findings – The experimental results show that, first, it is necessary to consider the influence of the prior-map during the localization in the high-occluded and dynamic environments. Second, the proposed algorithm can maintain an accurate and robust robot pose in the high-occluded and dynamic environments. Third, its real timing is acceptable. Research limitations/implications – When the odometer error and occlusion caused by the dynamic obstacles are both serious, the proposed algorithm also has a probability evolving into the kidnap problem. But fortunately, such serious situations are not common in practice. Practical implications – To check the ability of real application, we have implemented the proposed algorithm in the campus cafeteria and metro station using an intelligent wheelchair. To better help the elderly and disabled people during their daily lives, the proposed algorithm will be tested in a social welfare home in the future. Original/value – The localizability of mobile robots is defined to evaluate the influences of both the dynamic obstacles and prior-map on localization. Based on the localizability, the odometer-based PDF is corrected properly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore the role of various superstitious beliefs in consumers' information processing and evaluation of brand logos. Design/methodology/approach – When consumers encounter a brand logo without actually experiencing the company's offerings, superstition may be deployed to fill the void of the unknown to evaluate the brand logo and judge the benefits from the offerings represented by the brand. Multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between consumers' brand logo sensitivity and a number of antecedental superstition beliefs. Findings – The results indicate that consumers' belief in fate has a negative effect on brand logo sensitivity, and consumers' belief in fortune-tellers, belief in magic and fictional figures, belief in lucky charms, and belief in superstitious rituals have positive effects on brand logo sensitivity, respectively. Research limitations/implications – From a consumer perspective, the authors' findings reveal that the more positive attitude consumers have towards a company's visual identity system, the more favorable brand image consumers have toward the company and its offerings. Practical implications – Marketers should study and understand consumer superstition when attempting to build consumer-friendly, culturally-robust, and trouble-free brands in the marketplace. Managerial implications and corporate branding strategies are suggested to avoid branding pitfalls and maximize brand equity in the consumer market. Originality/value – The study offers a non-traditional approach to explaining consumer-based brand image and brand equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships between the magnitude of job offshoring and organizational contingencies, including total number of employees, multinationality, business diversification, and relevancy of business activities. Design/methodology/approach -- Previous studies on job offshoring were restricted in descriptive and prescriptive understanding of the phenomena. Utilizing secondary data, this paper provides empirical findings on the magnitude of job offshoring from an organizational contingency perspective. Findings -- The results indicate that larger and multinational firms tend to offshore a larger number of jobs, and less diversified firms tend to offshore a higher ratio of jobs. Also, firms that offshore their core business activities are more likely to move a higher ratio of jobs to offshore destinations. Research limitations/implications -- This paper reveals some of the key organizational factors that account for the magnitude of job offshoring within American firms. Practical implications -- The findings offer insights in what the government, the society, the workforce need to prepare for future changes and the globalization of business. Originality/value -- The paper offers empirical explanations of the magnitude of job offshoring. Various governmental, private, and international institutions may rely on the findings in making political, commercial, and social policies and decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This explorative paper considers the recent developments in the emerging small family business sector in post-reform China as the country embraces socio-economic and structural transition from a centrally planned to a market-orientated system. The important contributions that Chinese small family firms play in the acceleration of private sector development across the social and industrial sectors as well as the geographic boundaries of the Pacific Rim are highlighted. The authors propose typologies of Chinese entrepreneurship and tentative enterprise policy recommendations for the future development of small private family businesses in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is a large agrarian economy. New Structural Economics (NSE) is proposed by Professor Justin Yifu Lin, Dean of the Institute of New Structural Economics at Peking University. Justin started his academic career as an agricultural economist and he has made great contributions to China's rural reforms both academically and through policy work. [Extracted from the article]