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Article
Publication date: 22 August 2023

Jing Yin

Most research on sustainable tourism has been devoted to understanding the determinants of tourists' sustainable behavior on a unidimensional construct, overlooking the importance…

Abstract

Purpose

Most research on sustainable tourism has been devoted to understanding the determinants of tourists' sustainable behavior on a unidimensional construct, overlooking the importance of behavioral costs in sustainable travel behavior. To shed light on this issue, this study aims to quantitatively differentiate sustainable travel behaviors based on behavioral costs and to examine the impact of psychological factors on both low-cost and high-cost sustainable travel behaviors.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey of 470 tourists used Rasch analysis to measure the behavioral costs associated with sustainable travel behavior and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to test hypotheses.

Findings

The results indicate that the value-identity-personal norm model explains more variance in low-cost sustainable travel behaviors than in high-cost sustainable travel behaviors. This supports the central tenet of the low-cost hypothesis and also suggests that values and self-identity factors have a stronger influence on low-cost sustainable travel behavior. However, personal norms have a stronger influence on high-cost behaviors.

Practical implications

This research highlights the importance for tourism and destination managers to distinguish between different categories of sustainable travel behavior and to analyze their determinants separately. This allows for the development of tailored messages for specific groups of tourists based on the psychological drivers of sustainable travel behavior.

Originality/value

This study provides insights into the determinants of sustainable travel behaviors with different behavioral costs and highlights the importance of analyzing different categories of behaviors separately.

Details

Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-9792

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 November 2022

Jing Yin, Jiahao Li, Ahui Yang and Shunyao Cai

In regarding to operational efficiency and safety improvements, multiple tower crane service scheduling problem is one of the main problems related to tower crane operation but…

Abstract

Purpose

In regarding to operational efficiency and safety improvements, multiple tower crane service scheduling problem is one of the main problems related to tower crane operation but receives limited attention. The current work presents an optimization model for scheduling multiple tower cranes' service with overlapping areas while achieving collision-free between cranes.

Design/methodology/approach

The cooperative coevolutionary genetic algorithm (CCGA) was proposed to solve this model. Considering the possible types of cross-tasks, through effectively allocating overlapping area tasks to each crane and then prioritizing the assigned tasks for each crane, the makespan of tower cranes was minimized and the crane collision avoidance was achieved by only allowing one crane entering the overlapping area at one time. A case study of the mega project Daxing International Airport has been investigated to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm.

Findings

The computational results showed that the CCGA algorithm outperforms two compared algorithms in terms of the optimal makespan and the CPU time. Also, the convergence of CCGA was discussed and compared, which was better than that of traditional genetic algorithm (TGA) for small-sized set (50 tasks) and was almost the same as TGA for large-sized sets.

Originality/value

This paper can provide new perspectives on multiple tower crane service sequencing problem. The proposed model and algorithm can be applied directly to enhance the operational efficiency of tower cranes on construction site.

Details

Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, vol. 31 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0969-9988

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 October 2016

Runtian Jing and Andrew H. Van de Ven

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the theoretical contribution of Li’s (2016) “Yin-Yang balancing” approach of paradox management, as well as its future development to guide…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the theoretical contribution of Li’s (2016) “Yin-Yang balancing” approach of paradox management, as well as its future development to guide paradox management research across the east and west contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

It begins by recognizing the importance of paradox management research, especially the indigenous epistemological approach as Li (2016) has followed. The authors take “being” and “becoming” ontology toward social reality as the basic premise in this commentary, and summarize the knowledge that the study has contributed to existing literature.

Findings

The “Yin-Yang balancing” approach can extend the knowledge about paradox management phenomena at least from four aspects: the “either/and” frame to view a paradox system, the importance of “seed” or “threshold” in defining moderate rather than extreme groups, duality map as a novel tool for paradox management, and comparison of being and becoming ontology.

Originality/value

Based on the comparison of “being” and “becoming” ontological view, the authors suggest to further develop this “Yin-Yang balancing” approach by emphasizing the following issues: eastern culture does not have exclusive ownership of the “becoming” ontology toward the world, elaboration of alternative theoretical explanation to win out the identity approach about organizational existence, the linkage between the “Yin-Yang balancing” epistemological system and process research method, and boundary condition of the “Yin-Yang balancing” approach.

Details

Cross Cultural & Strategic Management, vol. 23 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2059-5794

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 April 2018

Sui Pheng Low, Shang Gao and Jun Kai Ang

There have recently been an increasing number of scientific studies exploring the effectiveness of practising Chinese geomancy or feng shui in the built environment. However…

Abstract

Purpose

There have recently been an increasing number of scientific studies exploring the effectiveness of practising Chinese geomancy or feng shui in the built environment. However, these are rather generic studies focusing mainly on urban planning, architecture and interior design. The impetus for this present research stems from the lack of understanding relating to the practice of feng shui in Facilities Management (FM). Bridging these two disciplines, this study examines the relevance of and relationship between feng shui and FM principles.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire survey was conducted, the results of which affirm the validity of the assimilated relationships between the two disciplines. Interviews with three groups of experts – the feng shui practitioners, facilities managers and feng shui practitioners who are also building professionals – were also conducted to verify the assimilation of the two disciplines with a view to draw new perspectives for better understanding.

Findings

The principles of feng shui and FM were studied, and the validity of the relationships between 15 feng shui principles and three FM activities were examined. The latter relates specifically to building fabric cleaning, routine external site/lot cleaning and road and pavement cleaning. It was found that specific feng shui principles and scenarios appear to influence the three FM activities. The statistical analysis shows that the means of specific feng shui scenarios in relation to FM activities were consistently higher than those of the feng shui principles. The one-sample t-test indicates that all the feng shui principles were significant in affecting the three FM activities.

Research limitations/implications

This study provides a better understanding of the relevance of feng shui principles influencing FM principles. It also revealed the challenges and limitations in bridging the relationships between these two disciplines.

Originality/value

This study is the first investigation to examine the relevance and relationship between feng shui and FM practice. This serves to encourage further research to determine how feng shui design implementation will affect the ease of conducting FM activities. If the relationship is established, as is the case from this study, then the implementation of feng shui principles in building design can be encouraged to positively influence the ease of conducting FM activities downstream in the occupancy stage. This can serve to contribute to the improvement of sustainable building design. It can also contribute to the scientific investigation of feng shui, which has so far been largely overlooked in built environment studies. Such studies can help to demystify and provide logical and scientific interpretations of how feng shui principles actually work.

Details

Facilities, vol. 36 no. 5/6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-2772

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 June 2019

Xin Li, Torben Juul Andersen and Carina Antonia Hallin

The purpose of this paper is to propose an alternative perspective on Zhong-Yong that is different from the notion of “Yin-Yang balancing” and apply it to understand the issue of…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose an alternative perspective on Zhong-Yong that is different from the notion of “Yin-Yang balancing” and apply it to understand the issue of balancing the top-down and bottom-up processes in strategy making.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors adopt a “West meets East” mindset and approach to develop an alternative perspective on Zhong-Yong, and then apply this perspective to understand the issue of balancing the top-down and bottom-up processes in strategy making. There are three steps in the process of developing the alternative perspective. First, the authors argue that the essence of “Yin-Yang balancing” is a ratio-based solution to paradoxical balancing, which is in fact equivalent to Aristotle’s doctrine of the mean and compatible with some western management scholars’ approaches to solving paradox. Second, the authors identify a different generic solution to paradoxical balancing implicit in the western management literature. Third, the authors find in the original text of Zhong-Yong equivalent ideas to the identified different generic solution and then propose an alternative perspective on Zhong-Yong that is fundamentally different from the notion of “Yin-Yang balancing.”

Findings

Applied to the issue of balancing the top-down and bottom-up processes in strategy making, the new perspective on Zhong-Yong provides us with the following prescriptive insights from the life-wisdom of eastern philosophy: first, top management (e.g. Shun as the sage-king) must listen to various views and opinions also from employees and low-level managers at the bottom of the organization to be better informed about complex issues. Second, top management must analyze the diverse elements of the various views and opinions they collect and synthesize by taking the good from the bad to find smarter solutions and make decisions with better outcomes. Third, abiding by a set of (more or less) cohesive values help top managers be open and receptive to information and insights from low-level organizational members and enhancing unbiased information.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is mainly a theoretical perspective. Empirical work is needed to test the prescriptions offered in this paper.

Practical implications

Practitioners may learn new perspectives from ancient Chinese philosophies on how to balance.

Originality/value

This paper applies a new perspective on Zhong-Yong to an important paradox in strategic management.

Details

Cross Cultural & Strategic Management, vol. 26 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2059-5794

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 April 2015

Xingshan Zheng, Ismael Diaz, Yin Jing and Dan S. Chiaburu

The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize, understand, and measure positive and negative aspects of supervisor developmental feedback (SDF) and investigate their relationships…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to conceptualize, understand, and measure positive and negative aspects of supervisor developmental feedback (SDF) and investigate their relationships with task performance.

Design/methodology/approach

In Study 1, common themes in SDF were identified and a set of SDF items were developed to capture the positive and negative SDF domain. Study 2 entailed the administration of the items to respondents to examine the dimensionality of the items through exploratory factor analysis. In Study 3, using confirmatory factor analysis we further examined the extent to which positive and negative developmental feedback (PSDF and NSDF) were conceptually distinct from each other and different from an existing general measure of supervisor feedback.

Findings

Study 1 and Study 2 yielded evidence that positive and negative SDF are distinct yet related constructs. Positive SDF predicted employee task performance. The positive SDF by negative SDF interaction predicted task performance.

Research limitations/implications

The authors provide criterion-related validity evidence by examining the predictive validity of positive and negative SDF on subordinate task performance (reported by supervisors). Future research should examine the role of positive and negative SDF in predicting job performance in other samples and cultural contexts and for other outcomes, including organizational citizenship.

Originality/value

This research refines the SDF domain by identifying positive and negative domains of the SDF construct. The authors propose and test the joint influence of positive and negative SDF. The novel findings point to the importance of supervisors providing both positive and negative feedback to enhance performance.

Details

Leadership & Organization Development Journal, vol. 36 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7739

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 August 2016

Weiwei Yan, Shengli Deng and Yin Zhang

This study aims to examine the factors influencing the adoption intention of information service mashup in digital library (DL). The study is an empirical study on DLs in China.

1036

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the factors influencing the adoption intention of information service mashup in digital library (DL). The study is an empirical study on DLs in China.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper employs the theory of information service mashup as its theoretical background and applies it to the field of DL to develop the measurement model which is based on technology acceptance model (TAM). A structured questionnaire was developed including the demographic information, the advantages of information service mashup in DL and the Likert evaluation of each construct. As a result, of 303 questionnaires distributed among DL users, 281 were remained as acceptable answers. The data were processed and analyzed with the aid of the SPSS 20.0 and SmartPLS 2.0.

Findings

The results show that beyond perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, both perceived integration and perceived risk have direct impacts on user’s intention to adopt information service mashup in DL. Perceived integration has the dramatic positive effects, while perceived risk negatively correlates to adoption intention. Moreover, perceived integration and individualization have positive impacts on perceived ease of use, while network externality positively influences perceived usefulness.

Originality/value

Information service mashup is still a relatively new technology in DL. There were few theoretical and empirical studies that examine the user adoption behaviour of the service. This study contributes to existing information service mashup application studies by modifying and extending TAM. The results would help the DL gain a deeper understanding of the factors affecting DL user adoption of information service mashup.

Details

The Electronic Library, vol. 34 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-0473

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 April 2021

Chong Chen, Daojuan Wang and Beibei Wang

This paper explores the contextual factors involved in the development and application of paradigmatic theories in general, and the application and development of Agency Theory in…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper explores the contextual factors involved in the development and application of paradigmatic theories in general, and the application and development of Agency Theory in the Chinese context in particular.

Design/methodology/approach

Referring to four templates for the design of conceptual papers as outlined by Jaakkola (2020), i.e. theory synthesis, theory adaptation, typology and model – we adopt an approach combining theory/literature synthesis and model establishment. Based on a thorough analysis and discussion of the literature on the topics of “context effect “, “interface between theory and context”, “special characteristics of Chinese context” and “invalid application of Agency Theory in a Chinese context”, we use Agency Theory as the lens to discuss the importance of context in applying and developing paradigmatic theory specifically. We start from the contextualization of Agency Theory and then explore approaches to theorizing the Chinese context by developing a conflict coefficient model.

Findings

First, the application validity of paradigmatic theories is not sustainable; contextual factors are critical in applying and developing not only propositional but also paradigmatic theories, such as Agency Theory. Second, the Chinese context requires special attention when applying paradigmatic theories originating from Western countries. Third, the traditional application logic of Agency Theory is invalid in the Chinese context due to the coexistence of principal-agent conflicts (PAC) and principal–principal conflicts (PPC), and changeable dominance status of two conflicts according to the contexts. Based on these observations, a model of contextualization theory of PAC and PPC (i.e. conflict coefficient model) is developed from a dynamic perspective, which connects the separated situation states and allows the identification and measurement of the relative severity of the two types of agency conflicts.

Practical implications

Practitioners can also use this model to identify and measure the relative strength of the two conflicts and determine the direction of control and improvement. Moreover, analysis of Chinese context and agency problems of Chinese firms also has great practical significance considering the increased importance of the Chinese market and the increasingly important role played by Chinese firms in the international economy in general, and in specific host countries in particular.

Originality/value

First, in general, this study expands Whetten's (2009) study of the interface between theory and context. It specifically discusses approaches to considering contextual factors in the development and application of the relatively overlooked paradigmatic theories, using traditional and widely used Agency Theory as a lens. Our study suggests that typical Agency Theory, developed based on Western-centric assumptions, does not completely hold in the context of Chinese business practices because of different cultural, legal and governance realities. Second, it improves and extends the application of Agency Theory by proposing the new perspective that PAC and PPC coexist in specific contexts and positing that the relative severity of two types of agency conflicts depends on the context variables. Third, it puts forward a conflict coefficient model offering a more comprehensive, intuitive and quantifiable method for comparing the extent of the two conflicts in different scenarios, providing a reference for empirical studies of corporate governance.

Details

International Journal of Emerging Markets, vol. 18 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-8809

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 March 2018

Rubens Pauluzzo, Marta Guarda, Laura De Pretto and Tony Fang

Drawing on Fang’s (2012) Yin Yang theory of culture while taking up the roadmap proposed by Li (2016) for applying the epistemological system of Yin Yang balancing to complex…

Abstract

Purpose

Drawing on Fang’s (2012) Yin Yang theory of culture while taking up the roadmap proposed by Li (2016) for applying the epistemological system of Yin Yang balancing to complex issues in management research, in general, and to paradoxical issues, in particular, the purpose of this paper is to explore how organizations and individuals in the West can balance cultural paradoxes and manage culture dilemmas through the lens of Yin Yang wisdom.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is based on a qualitative case study. Data are gathered through interviews, documents, and field observations in four subsidiaries of an Italian insurance multinational corporation and were analyzed according to the three parameters, i.e., situation, context, and time (Fang, 2012).

Findings

The findings show how the integration and learning from seemingly opposite cultures and sets of values lead the organization and individuals to balancing cultural paradox and managing cultural dilemma effectively. With regard to situation, the authors find that both organizations and customers choose the most relevant value(s) to take advantage of specific events or circumstances, and that different value orientations can coexist. As for context, the authors show that organizations can adapt their values either through suppression and/or promotion, which can foster individuals to find new balancing within the paradox. In terms of time, the authors show that the process of learning from other cultures over time can play a role in the shift of people’s and organizations’ choices of attitudes and value orientations.

Originality/value

The paper suggests the relevance and usefulness of adopting Yin Yang wisdom to uncover the dynamic process of cultural learning in Western scenarios.

Details

Cross Cultural & Strategic Management, vol. 25 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2059-5794

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 August 2021

Yong Yang, Youqing Fan and Jianfeng Jia

In the face of external paradoxical requirements, the cognitive framework of managers and employees use to perceive, interpret and reconstruct information is important to ease…

Abstract

Purpose

In the face of external paradoxical requirements, the cognitive framework of managers and employees use to perceive, interpret and reconstruct information is important to ease anxiety and improve job performance. The Yin-Yang balancing of eastern philosophical thought is particularly good at explaining and predicting changes and conflict environments. For this reason, this study aims to propose the eastern construction of the paradoxical cognitive framework based on the Yin-Yang balancing theory and its antecedent framework.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper contrasts the similarity and differences between Chinese and Western philosophy’s thoughts on paradoxes. On this basis, the eastern construction of the paradoxical cognitive framework is proposed. Then, the paper puts forward the antecedent framework of managers’ cognitive framework and employees’ paradoxical cognitive framework.

Findings

This paper proposes the eastern construction of the paradoxical cognitive framework includes the following three dimensions: the unity-in-diversity of paradoxical elements, the asymmetric balance of paradoxical elements and mutual transformation of paradoxical elements. In addition, this paper proposes an antecedent framework of the eastern construction of the paradoxical cognitive framework – the paradoxical requirement of organizational environment exerts a direct impact on managers’ and employees’ paradoxical cognitive framework; managers’ paradoxical cognitive framework has a positive impact on paradoxical leadership; paradoxical leadership exerts an indirect impact on employees’ paradoxical cognitive framework through the collective paradoxical cognitive framework; paradoxical leadership directly affects employees’ paradoxical cognitive framework.

Research limitations/implications

This paper focuses on comparing the similarities and differences of the individual paradoxical cognitive framework in Chinese and Western cultures and proposes the eastern construction of the paradoxical cognitive framework and its antecedent framework. Future research needs to further verify the theoretical framework proposed in this paper.

Originality/value

This paper makes a detailed comparison of the paradox views in Chinese and Western philosophy. It is the first to propose the eastern construction of the paradoxical cognitive framework and its antecedent framework, laying a theoretical foundation for future empirical research.

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