Search

After over 30 years of fast economic development and massive construction of infrastructures, China now owns the largest total length of tunnels in the world. However, many tunnels are overloaded with a large traffic volume and vulnerable to fire accidents in operation. Once a fire occurs in the tunnel, the occupants face a dangerous and confined environment and need to evacuate before reaching untenable conditions. Failure in fire evacuation will cause severe injuries and casualties under high-temperature and toxic fire smoke, and many past fire accidents have taught us lessons. Driven by the need for tunnel fire safety in China, many new researches are conducted related to fire evacuation in tunnel environments including full-scale experiments, and new evacuation strategies are carried out with sophisticated tunnel designs and regulations. Hence, this work aims to review these latest developments and studies in China towards better and safer evacuation in tunnel fires. In specific, the paper summarized the evacuation issues in tunnel fires generally and pointed out the unique issues in China. Aiming these issues, the paper then introduced recent evacuation strategies and evacuation research in China respectively. Typical tunnel fire accidents and full-scale tunnel fire evacuation tests in China were discussed in detail as case studies. Detailed evacuation strategies and the exposed issues were analyzed in those tunnel fire accidents emphatically, while evacuation findings of human behavior such as evacuation choices and trajectories were presented according to several field tunnel fire evacuations conducted by the authors. Finally, we highlight the research advances and challenges of fire evacuation in tunnels, as well as the need and directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the impact of data-driven innovation (DDI) on firm performance, based on an exploratory case study of a manufacturing firm in China's textile and apparel industry. It explores the influence of various contextual variables on the firm's DDI and suggests ways to enhance DDI and thereby firm performance. Extending the literature on DDI, the paper proposes and validates a theoretical framework that incorporates the influence of various contextual factors on firms' DDI. The findings show that (1) individual context is associated with DDI; (2) organizational context is associated with DDI; and (3) DDI is associated with firm performance. This paper extends our understanding of how firm performance can be improved through DDI and shows that DDI should match a firm's contextual environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on a case study of a three-generation family business, this paper explores the antecedents and consequences of female leadership in contemporary Chinese family business. Our findings suggest that institutional change in contemporary China affects the role of female family members in the family system, which eventually gave rise to female leadership in China’s family businesses. We also propose that in comparison to male leadership, female leadership in Chinese family business is more concerned with balancing work-family conflict; more dependent upon the family’s endowment of resources; and more likely to favor a participative (rather than authoritative) decision-making style. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of integrating history into mathematics education is widely recognised in the literature and advocated in curricula worldwide, including in China. However, under the influence of the long-standing centrally designed curricula, teachers in China are accustomed to content- and teacher-centred examination-driven teaching practices. Adopting a life story approach, this paper reports the case of a mathematics teacher who integrated history into her mathematics teaching during the initial two years of her teaching in a Shanghai high school. The agentic perspective adopted in the study allows us to focus on how the teacher's agency was enacted and achieved when engaging in teaching practices. Our findings reveal the roles played by personal qualities, prior experiences, and the structure and culture of schooling in the teacher's agency in integrating history into teaching under a dominant performance-driven context. Implications of the results for integrating history into teaching in restricted contexts are then discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass customization (MC), which is popular in the fashion industry, is proposed to provide customers with products with a high degree of adaptation and a price comparable to a mass product. Both the manufacturer and customers can benefit from it. However, how to properly apply the MC strategy when facing challenges in the real world needs more exploration. In this paper, we first review the related operations research literature. Then, we conduct a real case study of a fashion company adopting MC in China. We highlight the challenges and critical successful factors for implementing apparel MC. We identify important technologies in fashion MC systems. We also propose future research opportunities on MC operations in the fashion industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Geological Strength Index (GSI) is an important parameter for estimating rock mass properties and can be estimated either through direct observations or by using a quantitative GSI chart or equations. This study aims to discuss the applicability of the RMR89 method and the latest version of GSI|2013 by applying them to a case study and to the data published in the earlier papers. The relevant rock mass properties, including blockiness and discontinuity conditions, of the walls of 15 exploratory adits with a total length longer than 1100 m in a hydropower project in China have been assessed to provide data for the analysis. In addition, a repeat analysis of the earlier published data has been conducted to validate the results derived from the case study. The results show that the GSI values calculated with the RMR89 are generally larger than those obtained from the qualitative GSI chart, with an average magnitude of about five. The GSI values predicted from the values of JCond89 and RQD are consistent with those derived through the qualitative observational method for a medium-quality rock mass but are relatively smaller or larger for a poor-quality (i.e., GSI<45) or a high-quality (i.e. GSI>65) rock mass, respectively. By comparing the results of the RMR89 method and the qualitative GSI chart method and analyzing the classification factors considered by the two methods, two new equations based on the RMR89 system have been developed for estimating the GSI. Their application to the case study and the published data prove that these two equations have higher predictive accuracy than the original RMR89 method and the latest version of GSI|2013. It is expected that the acquisition of more engineering examples will enable the two formulas to be further verified and improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the paper is to investigate the initiation of the Jiweishan landslide by simulating the field geological conditions around and inside a selected critical rock block and then to study its stability through 3-D discontinuum stress analysis. The study led to the following main conclusions: (1) The mining excavations that occurred underneath the investigated block at the landslide site, the friction angle of T2 discontinuities and sliding plane and the dip angle of the sliding plane seem to be the most important factors with respect to the instability of the investigated block; (2) It seems that the friction angle of T2 discontinuities and sliding plane need to drop to a value between 5° and 10° for the investigated block to be unstable. This means that the rainfall and karstification have played important roles in reducing the said friction angle and contributed to the failure of the investigated block. (3) The northern part of the investigated block (key block) had moved out first from the top of the mountain in a direction parallel to the strike of the north boundary discontinuity plane (T2) and had undergone shear failure on the T2 surface as well as on a weak shale layer (the sliding plane) and the remaining part of the investigated block (driving block) had moved along a direction slightly east of the north direction and had undergone shear failure on the sliding plane and separation from southern and western boundary discontinuity planes (T0 and T1) to fill the empty space created by the key block to initiate the Jiweishan landslide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In recent years, green building has become a social hotspot and raised much concern of academic. However, traditional researches of green building mostly focused on technology, while research on social and humanity demand on green residential districts is still scarce. To complement the gap of research and reality, this paper is intended to establish a quantitative evaluation method for social humanity needs of green residential districts based on social life cycle assessment (SLCA).Methods: Based on the SLCA method, an evaluation indicator system for social and humanity demand of green residential districts was proposed, considering different stakeholders (real estate developers, construction enterprises, community residents, and decision makers). Additionally, the adopted evaluation indicator system was applied to a practical community in China as a case study by questionnaire surveys and the method of analytic hierarchy process.Results and discussion: Case study results show that the residents prefer to pay more for a better living environment, and the real estate developers are willing to increase the investment moderately on the projects. Meanwhile, the local government likes to support the development of green residential districts, as well.Conclusions: Analysis results are in line with the social demand for high-quality living environment of Chinese residents and the public concern about buildings’ comprehensive benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature suggests that peer assessment contributes to the development of student learning and promotes ownership of assessment processes. These claims emerge from research conducted primarily in Western contexts. This exploratory paper reports on the perspectives that a class of Hong Kong primary school students and their teachers have on their engagement with peer assessment. It draws on data collected through extensive interviews and classroom observations from a 2-year case study. The findings indicate that student perceptions about the usefulness of peer assessment follow from their perspectives on quality of peer feedback, peer language proficiency, and the novelty or repetitiveness of its processes. Teachers and students also viewed peer assessment as assuming a wider role in preparing for examinations and future secondary schooling. A key implication is that assessment practices are deeply cultural and, in test-dominated settings, peer assessment may have most potential when explicit links are drawn with preparation for summative assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, a school-based teaching research system was built since 1952 and Teaching Research Group (TRG) exists in every school. In the paper, a teacher's three lessons and the changes in each lesson were described, which might show a track of how lessons were continuously developed in TRG. The Mathematical Tasks Framework, The Task Analysis Guide, and Factors Associated with the Maintenance and the Decline of High-level Cognitive Demands developed in the Quantitative Understanding: Amplifying Student Achievement and Reasoning project (Stein and Smith in Math Teach Middle School 3(4):268-275, 1998; Stein et al. in Implementing stardards-based mathematics instruction. Teachers College Press, NY, pp. 1-33, 2000), were employed in this study. Based on the perspective of Mathematical Task Analysis, changes of three lessons were described and the author provided a snapshot for understanding how a Chinese teacher gradually improved his/her lessons in TRG activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a highly volatile environment, i.e., the bottom of the pyramid (BOP) context, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can develop and adapt their resource bases through partner relations, extending the emerging theorization of dynamic capabilities. We explore the detailed nature and antecedents of these dynamic capabilities based on a multicase study by tracing the development of 6 BOP-oriented SMEs in the pharmaceuticals, animal husbandry, agricultural product processing, and distribution fields. The research was conducted between June 2019 and November 2020. First, our rich qualitative data indicate two distinct types of dynamic capabilities that are pivotal for short-term performance advantage and sustainable competitive advantage. Adaptation dynamic capability relates to activities of resource deployment and renewed operational capability, which is supported by local legitimacy and trust mechanisms, constructed by strong ties with noncommercial partners. Shaping dynamic capability relates to activities of path-creation and innovation capability, which is supported by the heterogeneous information and cost advantages, generated by weak ties with commercial partners. Second, SMEs give priority to the development of adaptation dynamic capability as the basis of shaping dynamic capability, while their sequencing explains how SMEs create, leverage, and enhance them over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a cloud model (CM) based approach with step-by-step procedures for risk assessment of existing pipelines in tunneling environments (RAEPTE), where CM provides a basis for uncertainty transforming between qualitative concepts and their quantitative expressions. An evaluation index system of multiple layers and attributes is established for RAEPTE based upon the tunnel-induced pipeline failure mechanism analysis. The evaluation result is assessed by the correlation with CMs of each risk level. A confidence indicator is proposed to illustrate the reliability of evaluating results. Risk analysis for ten underground buried pipelines adjacent to the construction of Wuhan Metro Line Two in China is shown in a case study. Comparisons between different evaluation methods are further discussed according to results. The proposed approach is verified to be a more competitive solution, where the uncertainties of fuzziness and randomness are incorporated in the risk assessment system. This approach can serve as a decision tool for the safety risk assessment in other similar projects, and to increase the likelihood of a successful project in an uncertain environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In international entrepreneurship literature, entrepreneurs moving across borders have received less attention than other entrepreneurs. Also, only scant attention has been paid to immigrant entrepreneurs' contributions to their organizations. This paper aims to contribute to the emerging international immigrant entrepreneurship literature by studying Chinese immigrant entrepreneurs' roles in their firms' international and innovative activities in Canada, China, and other countries. It is based on three cases of Chinese entrepreneurs who established businesses in Canada. We conclude that these immigrants' experience of doing business in China and Canada, their network relationships and knowledge of these markets quickened their firms' internationalization considerably. Moreover, these firms became active in product or service innovation as the case immigrants also involved other immigrants and locals. Consequently, immigrant entrepreneurs should actively use their connections both in their new country of residence and also in their previous home country, but to become even more successful, they should also reach beyond their ethnic ties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we study the risks around IT outsourcing in Chinese financial institutions. We build a framework that explains the conduction paths from risk factors to risks, and from risks to resulting losses. Our framework describes relationships among 8 risk factors, 7 risks and 4 kinds of losses. Through case study we find that the main risk factors faced by Chinese financial institutions during IT outsourcing include limited IT literacy, limited choices of contractors, cultural conflict and objective misalignment with the contractors. These factors comprise the main differences between developing and developed countries in their financial institution IT outsourcing practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines ownership decision of Chinese outward foreign direct investment (FDI) with a focus on the choice between a wholly owned subsidiary and a joint venture entry mode. Based on literature review and findings from our case study of ten Chinese outward investing firms, we develop a conceptual framework that integrates the resource-based and institution-based views of international business strategy. The framework reflects special characteristics of Chinese outward FDI. On the resource side, Chinese outward FDI is both asset exploiting and asset augmenting, and accordingly, both transaction costs and strategic intents have an impact on the FDI ownership decision of Chinese firms. On the institution side, when investing overseas, Chinese firms adjust their entry strategies to attain regulative and normative institutional legitimacy in host countries. Meanwhile, they also need to comply with the rules set by the Chinese government, which provide incentives to and impose restrictions on Chinese firms' FDI ownership decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the departure of industrial facilities, reuse of the land in developed cities in China is problematic, due to the land contamination issues. The rapid remediation of sites with complex contamination is crucial and urgently needed. Herein, the case of on-site remediation of arsenic (As) in soil, as well as benzo(a)pyrene, total petroleum hydrocarbons, and As in groundwater was reported. For contaminated soil, the oxidant and deactivator (consisting of 20% sodium persulfate, 40% ferrous sulfate (FeSO4), and 40% portland cement) were applied to oxidize and immobilize As. As a result, the total amount and lixivium concentration of As were constrained under 20 mg/kg and 0.01 mg/L, respectively. Meanwhile, for contaminated groundwater, As and organic contaminants were treated by FeSO4/ozone and FeSO4/hydrogen peroxide with mass ratios of 1:5 and 1:8, respectively. The continuous monitoring of contaminants in 22 monitoring wells shown that all contaminants in groundwater were treated to meet the standards. In addition, the risk of secondary pollution and operation cost was effectively reduced by proper disposal and resourceful utilization. The findings indicated that the method of oxidation and precipitation/stabilization is technically, environmentally, and economically feasible for the remediation of contaminated sites with similar complex pollutants [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research is to conduct a quantitative analysis of China's sub-national Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) performance as a case study of unbalanced CDM performance within a CDM host country. Key results are as follows: First, investment climate is the most decisive factor, which can explain about 48 % (adjusted R-squared) of China's sub-national CDM performance at significance level 0.1 %. Second, general economic and investment conditions have a collective determination effect, which together explain about 50 % (adjusted R-squared) of sub-nationall CDM performance. Third, when compared with previous research in which the economic and investment conditions explain about 55 % (adjusted R-squared) of unbalanced CDM performance on the international level, it becomes clear that the impact of the economic and investment conditions on China's sub-national unbalanced CDM performance resembles the unbalanced performance at the international level. Hence, we conclude that the sub-national unbalanced CDM performance in China is similar to that of the international level, and is influenced by similar determining factors. This finding casts doubt on the previous policy suggestion to fix the geographically unbalanced CDM performance simply by national discrimination, such as by revoking CDM eligibility of an entire host country. Consequently, a more tailored approach is advisable to manage that eligibility on the sub-national level. This is a more precise response to geographically unbalanced CDM performance and is less likely to discourage participation of the dominant CDM host countries in international climate mitigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along with their rapid progress, developing countries have had to deal with more environmental problems, which have been a cause for concern among policy makers and the public in general. This study cites two accidents that happened in China in 2006 that caused serious environmental problems in nearby communities and discusses the problems these accidents created and the resulting disputes among the concerned people. Pollution-causing accidents not only pose threats to the health of the victims but also give rise to environmental disputes that jeopardise national security and social stability. Conflicts normally ensue following a pollution-causing accident, which are more likely to happen within a development zone or industrial park. Few environmental conflicts in the past decades were resolved through litigation. Nevertheless, there are lapses in the regulatory system, which have to be addressed to ensure that the public's rights and interests are protected. Currently, reports on pollution-causing accidents are difficult to obtain and are often released very late. A majority of industrial firms operate without environmental clearance, thus highlighting the government's inefficiency in environmental management. It is about time that the Chinese government takes seriously the use of the Environmental Impact Assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid pace of natural resource depletion and environment deterioration is a cause of concern worldwide. Remanufacturing offers a promising option for reduction in the waste and the resources consumption. As a rapidly developing economy, China initiated remanufacturing efforts in the 1990s. While focusing on the evolution of remanufacturing in China, using a game theoretic setup, we analyze manufacturer and retailer's decisions to enter remanufacturing industry. Entry decisions are determined based on evolutionary stable strategies (ESS) for both parties in different phases of remanufacturing in China. The model uses replicator dynamic system to establish ESS. We find that a different ESS is suitable in different phase of evolution. As our model reveals, over time, additional new players have entered the industry. Finally, we conclude that remanufacturing industry in China is well prepared to increase its scale and help alleviate the concerns of waste and environment deterioration. This could be primarily attributed to the government policies, subsidies, and incentives that have played an important role in kick-starting the industry. To verify theoretical results, a case study was conducted involving a prominent manufacturer and retailer. Based on the mathematical findings and case analysis, we make several suggestions for government policymakers, practitioners, and enterprises to enable additional companies enter the market and increase the scale of remanufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning stories have been adopted as a form of assessment in early childhood education worldwide to assess children's learning processes, learning dispositions, and well-being. However, a paucity of research has been done which examines the applicability of learning stories in China. This case study investigated how learning stories are used by in-service teachers who have had years of teaching experience in classrooms in a local Chinese context. Through analysing 43 learning stories in a kindergarten in Xiamen city, Fujian province, China, this study found that while Chinese teachers try to imitate the concept and form of learning stories from New Zealand, teacher-centered, negative, and non-targeted evaluations frequently appear in the teachers' writing. This is opposite from the advocated practices of learning stories. Chinese teachers tend to pay more attention to the general development of the whole class, rather than individual students, as a consequence of a high teacher-to-children ratio in a traditional Chinese classroom and the educational policy in China. In addition, most learning stories produced by teachers seem to lack accessibility to both parents and children. Recommendations are provided which require a more localised, as well as contextualised, application of learning stories in Chinese context, and an improvement in the quality of learning stories noted down by kindergarten teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an innovative model for infrastructure and public service delivery, public–private partnership (PPP) has become increasingly more popular around the world. PPP is facing the dilemma of development direction and value orientation since current studies and practices are mostly performed from an economic perspective. PPP leads according to sustainable development goals. This study briefly reviews the development of China's PPP and summarizes the characteristics of PPP in China through the theory of evolutionary economic geography. Secondly, a conceptual framework of sustainability-oriented PPP is proposed with three phases named PPP1.0, PPP2.0, and PPP3.0. Thirdly, a case study named the Taizhou commuter-rail Line S1 PPP project has been adopted to verify the theoretical framework of the sustainability-oriented PPP. Lastly, the theoretical framework is analyzed and discussed based on the four dimensions: driving force, subject, process, and object. The results show that the sustainability-oriented PPP framework explains the development process and trend of PPP, not only meeting the PPP development needs in China, but also providing a reference value for other developing countries. This study has implications for decision making in China's PPP policy and makes an innovative contribution to the global PPP knowledge body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2008 Mw7.9 Wenchuan earthquake in China caused widespread soil liquefaction and ground failures. A liquefaction case study of gently sloping ground at Yingxiu Town in the near-fault region is presented, which features its relatively thick deposits of sand-gravel mixtures, high soil stiffness, extremely intensive ground motion, large lateral spreading and severe damage of superstructure. The details of ground motion, site condition, field manifestations of liquefaction, subsurface soil profiles and field testing of shear wave velocities are presented. A conceptual binary mixture model is proposed to explain the gravel content effect on the stiffness and liquefaction resistance of gravelly soils. A preliminary liquefaction triggering evaluation method for gravelly soils is proposed by considering the gravel content correction of shear wave velocities based on the existing simplified procedure for typical sandy soils. The failure mechanism of the Baihua Bridge built at this site is explored, and the liquefaction-induced lateral spreading in down-slope direction might aggravate the failure process by imposing a large kinematic load on the piers besides the inertial forces transferred from the superstructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of empirical data demonstrating the relationship between influencing factors and building energy performance is one of the primary barriers in energy efficiency management. A citywide residential energy information database and the data-based analytical methodology help increase the knowledge about the local real estate situation, explore energy efficiency opportunities and measures, financial investment, and market trend in the local building stocks, and make the reasonable policies as well. Few databases were established in USA and Europe only covering the building information and energy use, while there are lack of an indices system and database of building energy efficiency information in China. Therefore, in this study, a definition of urban residential energy information system is suggested, covering the parameters of building characteristics, household characteristics, possession and operation of domestic appliances, indoor thermal environment, climate condition, energy market, economic level, municipal infrastructure, and energy use consequence. Consequently, a database is developed to collect the raw data in seven typical cities in China. A classification model is established by Quantitative Theory III to classify and characterize the urban residential energy use systems into three different city groups, and suggestions are made to guide the energy efficiency work for different city groups. The case study is a good example to demonstrate the methodology and the analysis provided a helpful reference for the citywide building energy efficiency management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over recent years, the issue of corruption in the public construction sector has attracted increasing attention from both practitioners and researchers worldwide. However, limited efforts are available for investigating the underlying factors of corruption in this sector. Thus, this study attempted to bridge this knowledge gap by exploring the underlying factors of corruption in the public construction sector of China. To achieve this goal, a total of 14 structured interviews were first carried out, and a questionnaire survey was then administered to 188 professionals in China. Two iterations of multivariate analysis approaches, namely, stepwise multiple regression analysis and partial least squares structural equation modeling were successively utilized to analyze the collected data. In addition, a case study was also conducted to triangulate the findings obtained from the statistical analysis. The results generated from these three research methods achieve the same conclusion: the most influential underlying factor leading to corruption was immorality, followed by opacity, unfairness, procedural violation, and contractual violation. This study has contributed to the body of knowledge by exploring the properties of corruption in the public construction sector. The findings from this study are also valuable to the construction authorities as they can assist in developing more effective anti-corruption strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article has presented a conceptual framework for the effect evaluation of the intelligent bed. The overall study is inspired by the case study design. Different functions with wireless sensor technology have been tested in Denmark and China. We have included technical aspects concerning on how different hardware have been operated in the different contexts, and how these applications and standards affect the process of performing clinical tasks. We have also discussed how the cultural differences and barriers can be highlighted by the evaluation system in the test of the intelligent bed. We concluded that it is important to realize the difference on the local social-cultural, economic context as well as the technical infrastructures. A process perspective should bear in mind when adopting new technology. It is also important to involve all the stakeholders including patients, healthcare professionals and researchers, etc., as a good way to facilitate the process of accepting of the technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study identifies unique corporate social responsibility (CSR) dimensions and develops a framework to analyze different levels of institutional dynamics in understanding CSR in China. Based on multiple case studies of 16 firms, the article examines the CSR philosophy and approach in China's emerging market. The findings suggest that Chinese CSR understanding is largely grounded in the context of ethical and discretionary actions. This focus is mainly attributed to the dominant role of ethical leadership, governmental dependency, and cultural traditions in Chinese CSR. Moreover, the weakness or the absence of conducive social normative environment and positive peer pressure, and misalignment between CSR and organizational design further contribute to a lack of systemic and institutionalized approach to CSR in China. Our study implies that CSR is still evolving at a preliminary stage in China, and institutional infrastructure and cultural ethics are exerting abiding influence on CSR approach in the emerging economies. The article also suggests the implications for practice and policy making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]