Consumer Electronics Sector Research Articles

Factors Determining Brand Loyalty in Consumer Electronics: An Empirical Study

This empirical study investigates the elements that contribute to brand loyalty in consumer electronics. BL within the consumer electronics sector is an important factor for companies to consider when developing marketing strategies. Electronics goods are typically expensive and consumers invest significant amounts of money into these products. As a result, customers are inclined to maintain BL with a firm that they trust and have had a good rapport with. The results of this study can help consumer electronics companies understand the factors that drive brand loyalty and develop effective marketing strategies to foster customer loyalty. Additionally, further research in this area may reveal the impact of external factors such as social media, word-of-mouth, and advertising on brand loyalty. This can help businesses to identify the most effective marketing channels for building and maintaining brand loyalty among their customers. Sample of 212 respondents (consumers of electronics) were surveyed to know the factors that determines brand loyalty in consumer electronics and found that reliability, assurance, empathy, and tangibility enhance customer satisfaction, product’s quality and delivery reliability, customer experience and confidence in the brand, dependability, security, compassion, and concreteness trust and experience, level of service, handling of product returns and logistics performance are different factors that determines brand loyalty in consumer electronics.

Blockchain Technologies: Blockchain Use Cases for Consumer Electronics

Bitcoin, the first cryptocurrency, has the ability to transmit and verify digital assets on the Internet without specific management entities. There are currently more than 1,500 cryptocurrencies with a market capitalization of more than US$480 billion. Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies were built on blockchain technologies to prevent forgery and falsification while distributing transaction data among participants. Although blockchain has been used mostly for developing cryptocurrencies, it is a new functional technology for both financial and consumer electronics (CE) sectors.

Участие стран в глобальных цепочках стоимости на примере сектора потребительской электроники

The research is devoted to the investigation into dynamics of countries’ participation in consumer electronics global value chains caused by operations of its leading manufacturers. Sector that is under study ranks among the most important high-tech industries of the world economy, which generates considerable volume of added value created by producers and suppliers from different countries of origin. This fact lets identify the most important trends of value added redistribution on the global level. The hypothesis states that in spite of outsourcing of standardized operations to developing countries and emergence of leading Asian producers, the distribution of value added within the global consumer electronics sector is biased towards industrialized countries. In the research we study the models of global value chain formation implemented by companies from different countries, we analyze statistics presented by the OECD and the WTO that reflects the movement of value added across borders on the countries’ level, investigate present trends influencing the sector in order to uncover perspective directions of value added distribution between countries. As a result, the suggested hypothesis is confirmed. There was found a concentration of knowledge base accounting for the highest value added in the group of industrialized countries. At the same time, the share of value added originating from developing countries has remained almost unchanged. The findings of the research could be applied both by the authorities to develop effective industrial policies, as well as by separate companies seeking for new competitive advantages.

Revisiting the State-of-Charge Estimation for Lithium-Ion Batteries: A Methodical Investigation of the Extended Kalman Filter Approach

With high energy/power density, flexible and lightweight design, low self-discharge rates and long cycle life, lithium-ion (Li+) batteries have experienced a surging growth since being commercialized in the early 1990s [1]. They are dominant today in the consumer electronics sector. Due to continually declining manufacturing costs, they are also rapidly penetrating sectors such as the power grid, renewable energy, automotive, and aerospace, where largescale energy storage is needed. Looking into the future, the role of Li+ batteries will be further strengthened as a key energy-storage technology to support the progression of the world into the green energy era. However, their vulnerability to overcharge, overdischarge, and overheating can easily expose them to performance degradation, shortened cycle life, and even fire and explosion, thus raising many concerns about their deployment. These challenges have been driving a massive solution-seeking effort in various relevant research fields. Associated with this trend is the control-theory-enabled advancement of battery-management system (BMS) technologies.

Making internal audits business-relevant

Internal management system audits are sometimes seen as policing activities focusing on compliance and documentation rather than something that contributes to improvements. Previous research has focused on what to change in order to make auditing more business-relevant; fewer studies provide focus on how these changes can be operationalised. The purpose of this paper is to understand how internal audits can be carried out in a way that is perceived to add value beyond verifying compliance towards a standard. This study is based on action research in a global company in the consumer electronics sector. The study confirms that internal audits can add value beyond verifying compliance, acting as a generative mechanism for business-relevant improvements. However, this requires both short- and long-term changes in the auditing process; examples of changes are decreased time from audit to report, closer dialogue with management by the establishment of a sponsor role linking management and auditors, and giving up the cyclic audit programme in favour of a programme aligned with business objectives, strategies, and risks.

Devices for Self-Monitoring Sedentary Time or Physical Activity: A Scoping Review.

BackgroundIt is well documented that meeting the guideline levels (150 minutes per week) of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (PA) is protective against chronic disease. Conversely, emerging evidence indicates the deleterious effects of prolonged sitting. Therefore, there is a need to change both behaviors. Self-monitoring of behavior is one of the most robust behavior-change techniques available. The growing number of technologies in the consumer electronics sector provides a unique opportunity for individuals to self-monitor their behavior.ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to review the characteristics and measurement properties of currently available self-monitoring devices for sedentary time and/or PA.MethodsTo identify technologies, four scientific databases were systematically searched using key terms related to behavior, measurement, and population. Articles published through October 2015 were identified. To identify technologies from the consumer electronic sector, systematic searches of three Internet search engines were also performed through to October 1, 2015.ResultsThe initial database searches identified 46 devices and the Internet search engines identified 100 devices yielding a total of 146 technologies. Of these, 64 were further removed because they were currently unavailable for purchase or there was no evidence that they were designed for, had been used in, or could readily be modified for self-monitoring purposes. The remaining 82 technologies were included in this review (73 devices self-monitored PA, 9 devices self-monitored sedentary time). Of the 82 devices included, this review identified no published articles in which these devices were used for the purpose of self-monitoring PA and/or sedentary behavior; however, a number of technologies were found via Internet searches that matched the criteria for self-monitoring and provided immediate feedback on PA (ActiGraph Link, Microsoft Band, and Garmin Vivofit) and sedentary time (activPAL VT, the Lumo Back, and Darma).ConclusionsThere are a large number of devices that self-monitor PA; however, there is a greater need for the development of tools to self-monitor sedentary time. The novelty of these devices means they have yet to be used in behavior change interventions, although the growing field of wearable technology may facilitate this to change.

Optical flow based odometry for mobile robots supported by multiple sensors and sensor fusion

This paper introduces an optical flow based odometry solution for indoor mobile robots. The indoor localization of mobile robots is an important issue according to the increasing mobile robot market and the needs of the industrial, service and consumer electronics sectors. The robot odometry calculated from the robot kinematics accumulates the position error caused by the wheel slip but an optical flow based measurement is independent from wheel slipping so both methods have different credibility which was considered during the sensor fusion and the development. The focus of the research was to design an embedded system with high accuracy on the possibly lowest price to serve the needs of the consumer electronics sector without the need of expensive camera and real-time embedded computer based high level robot localization solutions. The paper proposes the theoretical background, the implementation and the experimental results as well. The universal optical flow module can be implemented in any kind of indoor mobile robot to measure the position and the orientation of the robot during the motion, even in the case of a 3 DoF holonomic drive like kiwi drive. The application of omnidirectional wheels in mobile robotics requires high accurate position and orientation feedback methods contrary to differential drives.

ChemInform Abstract: How Low Does Iron Go? Chasing the Active Species in Fe‐Catalyzed Cross‐Coupling Reactions

AbstractReview: 51 refs.

How Low Does Iron Go? Chasing the Active Species in Fe-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling Reactions

The catalytic cross-coupling reactions of organic halides or related substrates with organometallic nucleophiles form the cornerstone of many carbon-carbon bond-forming processes. While palladium-based catalysts typically mediate such reactions, there are increasing concerns about the long-term sustainability of palladium in synthesis. This is due to the high cost of palladium, coupled with its low natural abundance, environmentally deleterious extraction (∼6 g of metal are produced per ton of ore), toxicity, and competition for its use from the automotive and consumer electronics sectors. Therefore, there is a growing interest in replacing palladium-based catalysts with those incorporating more earth-abundant elements. With its low cost, high natural abundance, and low toxicity, iron makes a particularly appealing alternative, and accordingly, the development of iron-catalyzed cross-coupling is undergoing explosive growth. However, our understanding of the mechanisms that underpin the iron-based catalytic cycles is still very much in its infancy. Mechanistic insight into catalytic reactions is not only academically important but also allows us to maximize the efficiency of processes or even to develop entirely new transformations. Key to the development of robust mechanistic models for cross-coupling is knowing the lowest oxidation state in the cycle. Once this is established, we can explore subsequent redox processes and build the catalytic manifold. Until we know with confidence what the lowest oxidation state is, any cycles proposed are largely just guesswork. To date, Fe(-II), Fe(-I), Fe(0), Fe(I), and Fe(II) have been proposed as contenders for the lowest-oxidation-state species in the cycle in iron-catalyzed cross-coupling; the aim of this Account is to pull together the various pieces of evidence in support, or otherwise, of each of these suggestions in turn. There currently exists no direct evidence that oxidation states below Fe(0) are active in the catalytic cycle. Meanwhile, the reactivity required of the lowest-oxidation-state species has been observed with model compounds in higher oxidation states, implying that there is no need to invoke such low oxidation states. While subzero-valent complexes do indeed act as effective precatalysts, it is important to recognize that this tells us that they are efficiently converted to an active catalyst but says nothing about the oxidation states of the species in the catalytic cycle. Zero-valent heterogeneous iron nanoparticles can be formed under typical catalytic conditions, but there is no evidence to suggest that homogeneous Fe(0) complexes can be produced under comparable conditions. It seems likely that the zero-valent nanoparticles act as a reservoir for soluble higher-oxidation-state species. Fe(II) complexes can certainly be formed under catalytically relevant conditions, and when bulky nucleophilic coupling partners are exploited, potential intermediates can be isolated. However, the bulky reagents act as poor proxies for most nucleophiles used in cross-coupling, as they give Fe(II) organometallic intermediates that are kinetically stabilized with respect to reductive elimination. When more realistic substrates are exploited, reduction or disproportionation to Fe(I) is widely observed, and while it still has not been conclusively proved, this oxidation state currently represents a likely candidate for the lowest one active in many iron-catalyzed cross-coupling processes.

Business decision making, production technology and process efficiency

Purpose – This paper aims to analyze the influence of business decision on process efficiency and production technology in the communication equipment and consumer electronics sectors of Indian hardware electronics industry after liberalisation. Design/methodology/approach – The study is based on 26 sample firms, belonging to the two sectors of Indian hardware electronics industry with continuous operation from 1993 to 2004. Estimation of the contribution of production technology and process efficiency to output growth is based on stochastic production function. Influence of business decisions on production technology and process efficiency is based on indigenously developed business decision model. Findings – Sectors, in general, fail to achieve improvement in process efficiency in comparison to progress in production technology. The business decisions factors like improve capacity utilization and operational efficiency together with decisions to adopt vertical integration to help sample firms to achieve both progress in technology and improvement in process efficiency in the sectors. However, R&D investments and technology imports are costly for both, indicating inadequate and inappropriate investments made by the sample firms. Disinclination of firms towards improving or developing their own technology is evident from their high dependence on import of technology. Research limitations/implications – This study only analyses the role and importance of business decision factors in the past. What lies ahead is to meet the challenges and improve performance to withstand the stiff competition. This study suggests for further research about how to improve on the effectiveness of business decision factors that can help Indian hardware electronics industry to survive competition. Originality/value – The paper develops a business decision model which analyses the impact of business decisions on production technology and process efficiency for a sample of firms in Indian hardware electronics industry.

Chinese and Japanese investment in Southeast and South Asia: case studies of the electronics and automobile industries

This article uses extensive fieldwork data to focus on the question of how Chinese and Japanese companies are competing in neighboring countries of Asia, and what economic forces will shape their future growth in the region. It begins by briefly discussing the history of Chinese and Japanese investment in the South and Southeast Asian regions. It traces the development of Japanese overseas investment policies, as well as China's more recent ‘Going Out’ government program to encourage overseas flows of capital. It then builds on prior political economy work as it uses case study focuses, with primary data based on the author's fieldwork research in several nations of Southeast Asia and in India, of the two key sectors of automobiles and electronics. It compares and contrasts the investment strategies of companies from each country, as well as the successes and failures of investments in the industries. It finds that Japanese companies’ advantages lie in industries utilizing advanced technology and management skills. Though the Japanese continue to lead in many areas, including automobiles, they have begun to face competition and potentially reduced profits in vital manufacturing areas. Meanwhile, Chinese overseas companies have made significant advances in the consumer electronics sector, using low prices and good quality, though overseas automobile investments have gained little traction. The article concludes that, if the Chinese can improve their product quality, capitalize on improving managerial skills and a deeper level of experience in the region, and establish brands they can sell with reliable distribution networks, Japanese companies could face losses to their Asian neighbor in these important parts of the continent they have dominated for decades.

Miniaturization limits of field-effect based MEMS accelerometers

Accelerometers are increasingly gaining in importance in the consumer electronics sector. To estimate whether field-effect based accelerometers have an advantage over sensor types common today, we analyze their scaling performance in this paper. Within the scope of this research, firstly we create an analytical model and subsequently verify it by numerical simulation. Based thereon, a numerical–analytical study of the scaling performance follows. The requirements are based on a commercially available capacitive accelerometer. We identify the main miniaturization limits of field-effect based accelerometers, which are total noise and pull-in effect. Those limits lead to a total area estimation for a triaxial MEMS accelerometer core of only 410 μm × 300 μm.

Development of China’s State-controlled Firms. The Case of the Consumer Electronics Sector

The management revue is a peer-reviewed interdisciplinary European journal publishing both qualitative and quantitative work as well as purely theoretical papers that advance the study of management, organisation and industrial relations.

Pile it high, sell it cheap [consumer electronics

This article gives an overview of the changing economics of the consumer electronics sector, which increasingly resembles a commodities market. While consumer electronics still seems to have plenty of room for growth, the downward pressure on prices has grown to the point where time-to-market really is becoming a matter of months and for technology suppliers, the rate of unit shipments will have to increase very rapidly just to keep revenue growth on an even track.

A Long Way from Basel Clarity: Implications of the Basel Convention for the Consumer Electronics Sector

An overview of the maze that is the international regulation of trade in hazardous wastes and how it is likely to frustrate producers attempting to meet the take-back and waste recovery obligations foreseen in the European Commission's latest draft of its Directive on waste electrical and electronic equipment.

Where are the Japanese? Japanese information and communications firms in an internetworked world

A decade ago Japanese information and communications (ICT) companies were perceived as posing a significant competitive threat to their Western competitors. Now they are perceived as being in a state of crisis and decline. Have Japanese ICT firms collapsed? Are they to be written off in the global competitive race? This paper examines these questions in two ways: by analysing the strengths and weaknesses of Japanese competencies in the computer, telecommunications equipment, semiconductor, and consumer electronics sectors; and by examining how well they have adapted to the radical change constituted by the emergence of the Internetworked World. Particular attention is paid to the specific case of Japanese consumer electronics and the Sony success story. The paper ends with an examination of the implications of the current crises facing these Japanese firms and their corporate restructuring responses. Several predictions are made regarding the future. The other companies discussed include Fujitsu, Hitachi, Matsushita, NEC, and Toshiba.

Learning Factories or Reproduction Factories?

This article compares and contrasts the labor-management practices of Japanese consumer electronics maquiladoras in Mexico with those of consumer electronics factories in Japan and assesses the extent to which the labor-management practices of Japanese factories have been transferred to maquiladoras in Mexico. An idealized model of the labor-management system employed in Japanese factories in the consumer electronics sector is delineated from the available research literature. Data on labor-management practices of the Japanese consumer electronics maquiladoras are derived from personal interviews with 75 Mexican production workers. The findings suggest that the consumer electronics maquiladoras in Mexico are using a hybrid labor-management system that is similar to but differs in important ways from the system used in consumer electronics factories in Japan.

Production System Changes in the Korean Consumer Electronics Sector

ABSTRACT:This paper establishes the concept of production system as an analytical framework to embrace recent industrial changes. Five dimensions of production system changes are posited. A case study of the Korean consumer electronics sector shows that the companies have experienced diverse patterns of changes, but these changes are generally related to plant location, ownership, export orientation, and company size.

Single Union/No Strike Deals at Japanese Transplants in the UK: The Implications for Trade Union Decline Based on Case Study Evidence

This paper will provide a detailed account of what happened at two Japanese manufacturing transplants where single union/no strike deals (here on referred to as New Style Agreements) were in operation. The two transplants were in the UK consumer electronics sector and both had signed their New Style Agreements with the then Electrician's union the EETPU (now part of the Amalgamated Engineering and Electrical Union).