High-tech Manufacturing Industries Research Articles

Utilizing Yin-Yang approach to reinforce fuzzy front-end activities and manufacturing startups' growth performance.

Fuzzy front-end is the research frontier of manufacturing industry. This study investigates the relationship between market-oriented FFE activities and manufacturing startup growth performance by adopting an open innovative ancient Chinese Taoism Yin-Yang approach under this post-pandemic circumstance. This study also examines the moderating behavioral effect of Chinese Zen-originated CEO mindfulness between market-oriented FFE activities and manufacturing startup growth performance. Data for this study were gathered from 343 Chinese manufacturing startups' CEOs across different manufacturing industries, including both high-tech and conventional manufacturing industries. The collected data were analyzed by using structural equation modeling and Bootstrap method. The quantitative analysis results show that most market-oriented FFE activities have positive effects on manufacturing startup growth performance and the Chinese Zen-originated CEO mindfulness positively moderates the relationship between most FFE activities and startup growth performance.

RESEARCH ON THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL CAPABILITY OF ENTERPRISES ON BUSINESS PERFORMANCE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM

The study aims to investigate the interplay among digital capability, network capability, and value co-creation, the level of government digital governance, environmental uncertainty, and firm performance. This study summarized the high-tech manufacturing industry's value co-creation model from the perspective of the business ecosystem. It also added to previous research on the link between digital capability and enterprise performance and gave new research ideas for future studies on value co-creation in the business ecosystem. In practice, this study serves as a valuable guide for the development of high-tech manufacturing enterprises in China. It fosters the cultivation and promotion of digital capabilities within these industries, emphasizes the positive relationship between digital capabilities and enterprise performance, and guides high-tech manufacturing enterprises to prioritize value creation among multiple entities. We actively construct a business ecosystem and integrate both internal and external resources to generate value and foster mutually beneficial collaboration among various entities.

Metaverse adoption in the manufacturing industry: impact on social and environmental sustainability performance

PurposeThis study aims to examine the adoption of Metaverse technology in the manufacturing industry and its potential impact on firms’ social and environmental sustainability performance.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 157 technology-based firms in the Malaysian high-tech manufacturing industry and analyzed using PLS-SEM to investigate the influence of social (i.e. social capital, open/innovative culture and empowerment) and technological factors (i.e. digitalization preparedness, integrability and strategic value) on Metaverse adoption and the moderating roles of digital trust and absorptive capacity.FindingsSocial and technological factors were found to significantly impact Metaverse adoption, with digital trust enhancing the influence of social factors. Absorptive capacity strengthens firms’ abilities to use social factors for adoption. However, digital trust does not significantly moderate the relationship between technological factors and adoption, nor does absorptive capacity impact this relationship. Finally, Metaverse adoption is shown to positively contribute to firms’ social sustainability, improving social well-being and equity, but it does not significantly impact environmental sustainability.Practical implicationsFor practitioners, the study highlights the importance of fostering an organizational culture that supports digital trust and developing absorptive capacity as critical enablers of successful Metaverse adoption. Policy implications include the need for creating supportive policies that encourage digital transformation efforts aligned with sustainability goals.Originality/valueTheoretically, this study integrates the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework, Human-Organization-Technology fit (HOT-fit) framework and Resource-Based View (RBV) to improve understanding of technology adoption and sustainability performance. From a managerial perspective, it highlights the importance of fostering digital trust and developing absorptive capacity as critical enablers of successful Metaverse adoption. Policy implications include the need for policies supporting digital transformation efforts aligned with sustainability goals.

The Effect of ESG Performance on the Systematic Risk of Listed Companies in China: A Comparative Analysis of High-Tech Manufacturing Versus Conventional Industries

The continued growth of the ESG (environment, society, and governance) investing trend has garnered great interest from both academics and professionals alike in the past decade. Nowadays, even developing countries like China are seeing a new wave of ESG investment opportunities. However, the research on ESG investing in emerging markets remains relatively lackluster, and fewer ESG studies concentrate on the topic of systematic risk. Therefore, this study wants to provide an analysis of the effect of ESG rating on the systematic risk of listed companies on the A-share stock market in China through the lens of a comparative study between high-tech manufacturing and conventional industries. Based on the fixed-effect model regression result on the quarterly data of 240 companies from 2018 to 2021, this paper discovers a negative correlation between ESG rating and the systematic risk a company is exposed to and a greater effect of ESG performance on systematic risk in high-tech manufacturing industries than conventional industries. Overall, this paper not only presents a new perspective on the correlation between ESG investing and the systematic risk a firm is exposed to but also serves as an inter-industry research that tackles a phenomenon specific to the Chinese capital market.

Do CVCs Add Value to IPO Ventures? Evidence from the High-Tech Manufacturing Industry

Do CVCs Add Value to IPO Ventures? Evidence from the High-Tech Manufacturing Industry

Upgrading the industrial structure for optimizing water-energy-carbon nexus in regional trade network

To take actions for the SDGs (Goals 6, 7, 9, 12, and 13), the world is undergoing intense industrial transformation and upgrading. However, there has been limited analysis of water-energy-carbon (WEC) nexus within regional trade network to uncover the effects of industrial restructuring. Here, this study explores the trade-related WEC flows in the Yangtze River Delta area (YRD) from 2012 to 2017 by four aspects (spatiotemporal status, sectors, WEC flowing synergies, and environmental-economic trade-off) based on an environmentally extended input-output analysis. The main results show that the resource supply network in the YRD has been optimized, with enhanced synergies of WEC flows. Resource trade in the YRD has shifted from traditional heavy industry (HV Ⅰ) to high-tech manufacturing industry (HV Ⅱ). The share of trade-related WEC in demand of HV Ⅱ among all sectors increased by 10, 5, and 15 percentages, while the share in demand of HV Ⅰ decreased by 15, 10, and 10 percentages during this transition period. This study also discloses an environmental-economic contradiction arising in regional trade: low-carbon and high-value-added economic development in some regions may be premised on relocating environmental resource pressures. Hence, this study could assist policymakers in analyzing sustainable industrial transition models for regional integration clusters and in formulating targeted interregional resource trade policies to alleviate development gaps.

Research on The Impact of Aluminum Enterprise Information System on Performance after Implementation

Chinese aluminum companies and their industries are undergoing high-tech manufacturing industry upgrades.However, as its capital investment in industrial informatization continues to increase, its corporate performance is still uncertain.This study selects China's aluminum companies as the research object. Through a sample survey and analysis of the informatization level and corporate performance of these representative companies, the research conclusions are as follows: The first is the ongoing transformation of Chinese aluminum companies into high-tech manufacturing industries. With the investment in industrial informatization, their corporate performance levels have been significantly improved. Second, enterprise information concept does not have a significant impact on corporate business coupling and corporate performance. Third, the degree of enterprise business coupling plays a partial mediating role in the impact of the four dimensions of enterprise informatization level (organizational management informatization, marketing means informatization, product production and processing informatization, and artificial intelligence application) on enterprise performance. Fourth, employees' own information literacy level plays a positive regulating role between corporate business coupling and corporate performance.

Impact of Environmental Regulation on Export Technological Complexity of High-Tech Industries in Chinese Manufacturing

Since the reform and opening-up, China has developed into the world’s number one manufacturing country. Meanwhile, China’s environmental protection efforts continue to strengthen. So, will changes in the intensity of environmental regulatory policies have an impact on the technological development level and international competitiveness of China’s high-tech manufacturing industries? In response to this issue, we have reviewed relevant research in the field of environmental regulation and export technology complexity, and then selected appropriate indicators to quantify the environmental regulation and export technology complexity of high-tech manufacturing industries in different regions of China. Furthermore, the entropy method was used to calculate the intensity of environmental regulations in different regions of China. In the subsequent empirical analysis, based on relevant indicator data from 30 provinces in China, excluding Tibet, from 2006 to 2021, we quantitatively analyzed the impact of China’s environmental regulations on the complex export technology of high-tech manufacturing industries. The degree of influence and the robustness of the benchmark regression results was proved through endogeneity testing and robustness testing. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) from 2006 to 2021, China’s environmental regulation intensity and the technological complexity of high-tech industry exports have shown an upward trend. (2) The empirical analysis results show that the increase in intensity has a significant “U-shaped” impact on the technological complexity of exports of high-tech manufacturing industries. (3) The “U-shaped” impact of environmental regulation on the technological complexity of exports of high-tech manufacturing industries has regional differences. However, the high-tech manufacturing industry does not show obvious industry differences. (4) Environmental regulations will affect the level of export technology complexity of the high-tech manufacturing industry through foreign direct investment, human capital, and innovative R D investment, which cause indirect effects. Based on those conclusions, this paper has suggested corresponding policy measures and future research directions.

Trade-off between carbon emissions and employment embodied in global value chains: A study based on enterprise heterogeneity in China

Comprehensively measuring embodied carbon emissions and employment generation from global value chain (GVC) production activities is essential for GVC upgrades and sustainable development. Previous studies have ignored embodied carbon emissions and employment generation from GVC production activities involving cross-border direct investment, which may underestimate the impact of GVC participation. Using an intercountry input-output model distinguishing domestic and foreign-invested enterprises, this study measured embodied carbon emissions and employment generation in China's GVC production activities from 2005 to 2018 and explored their trade-offs based on the aggregate-embodied carbon employment intensity (ACEI). The major findings were as follows. (1) Trade-related GVC contributes more to embodied carbon emissions than to that of embodied employment. However, investment-related GVC had the opposite effect. Mixed trade and investment-related GVC contribute approximately equally to carbon emissions and employment. (2) China experienced increasing environmental losses relative to employment generation from GVC participation increased between 2005 and 2018. The environmental costs of creating employment units through investment-related GVC activities were lower than those for the other two GVC routes. (3) High R&D-intensive manufacturing industries suffered a notable decline in ACEI. This finding suggests that a double dividend for the environment and employment is more likely to be achieved in high-tech manufacturing industries. (4) The ACEI of foreign-invested enterprises in China was lower than that of domestic enterprises, particularly in the production-sharing activities between foreign-invested enterprises, which exhibited a better trade-off between socioeconomic benefits and environmental damages. These findings provide useful insights into the impact assessment of GVCs, which aid in achieving sustainable development in China and other emerging economies.

The Impact of the Digital Economy on the High-Quality Development of Xi’an’s Manufacturing Industry

Abstract This paper first explains the research on the digital economy to optimize the resource allocation of the Xi’an high-tech manufacturing industry. Secondly, the evaluation index system for the digital economy and Xi’an manufacturing industry is constructed, and the weight of secondary indexes is determined using the entropy weight method. Then, a mediating effect model is constructed to determine explanatory variables, core explanatory variables, mediating variables and control variables according to the purpose of the study, and the mediating effect and impulse response are analyzed. The results show that, in terms of mediating effect, the level of digital economy development significantly positively impacts transaction size, infrastructure, and digital applications. In terms of the impulse response, when the digital economy variables generate a standard deviation shock, the response value of Xi’an’s high-quality manufacturing development is zero in the current period, reaches the maximum response value in the third period, and this positive effect gradually decreases in the fourth period and beyond but always maintains a positive development trend.

Measuring employment in global value chains based on an inter-country input-output model with multinational enterprises

With rapid globalization, employment in global value chains (GVCs) has attracted increasing attention. Multinational enterprises (MNEs) are the major participants in GVC activities, whose employment creation through cross-border direct investment in GVCs has not been systematically characterized, leading to an underestimation of GVCs and their employment impacts. To fill this gap, this study measures the employment embodied in GVCs based on an inter-country input-output model with MNEs. The major findings are as follows: (1) the contribution of MNEs to GVC employment is significant (accounting for 7.4–8.0 %), especially in high-income economies (13.8 %) and high-tech manufacturing industries (22.6 %); (2) the major route by which foreign direct investment (FDI) drives employment is through D-F type production-sharing activities that satisfy local demand; and (3) the sectoral structure of FDI-related GVC employment not only varies between economies but also among the three types of production-sharing activities (D-F type, F-D type, and F-F type). These findings provide valuable insights for understanding how MNEs affect employment in GVCs and can help accurately assess the potential impacts of GVCs on the labor market.

Does black-box supplier involvement help buyers' product modular and architectural innovation? The moderating role of product modularity

PurposeIn product modular design tasks, especially in the high-tech manufacturing industry, buyers and supplies play distinct roles, which may have different impacts on product architectural and modular innovation. Prior research has tended to view product innovation as a holistic concept, overlooking the importance of this differentiated influence. This study, from a modular design perspective, aims to clarify the impact of black-box supplier involvement on product architectural and modular innovation, as well as the influence of product modularity on these relationships.Design/methodology/approachBased on the theory of product modular design, this study decomposes product innovation into architectural and modular innovation from the perspective of the product internal structure to conduct in-depth theoretical analysis and model construction. A total of 276 valid questionnaires are collected from typical Chinese high-tech manufacturing firms and used to empirically test the constructed theoretical model using multiple hierarchical regression analysis.FindingsThe results show that black-box supplier involvement positively affects modular innovation and takes an inverted U-shape, as moderated by product modularity. However, the impact of black-box supplier involvement on architectural innovation shows contradictory differences at different modularity levels. Under a low level of product modular design, black-box supplier involvement has a negative impact on architectural innovation, but under a moderate level of modular design, it has a positive impact. After the degree of modular design exceeds a certain threshold, the impact gradually weakens.Practical implicationsThe results provide valuable insights for managers, highlighting the need to avoid oversimplifying the innovation impact of black-box suppliers solely based on overall product innovation. Instead, a more accurate assessment of the innovation contributions of both the buyer and supplier should be based on the degree of architectural and modular innovation. Additionally, the findings suggest that managers should consider the alignment between their company's product modular design features and innovation priorities (i.e. modular innovation or architectural innovation) when determining an appropriate supplier collaborative development strategy.Originality/valueThis study not only reveals the different impacts of black-box supplier involvement on architectural and modular innovation, but also proves the significant synergistic innovation effect of the relationship between black-box supplier involvement and product modularization. It constitutes an enriched and deepened exploration in the existing research on supplier involvement in product innovation.

Antecedents of organizational ambidexterity: an empirical investigation of foreign ventures in an emerging market

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the antecedents of organizational ambidexterity of foreign ventures in an emerging market. Organizational ambidexterity, the simultaneous pursuit of exploration and exploitation, represents a key innovation strategy. Yet, the driving factors of such innovation strategies for foreign ventures competing in emerging markets have been underresearched. In this study, unpacking the construct of organizational ambidexterity into two dimensions (i.e. the combined dimension [CD] and the balance dimension [BD]), the authors aim to investigate how firm-level and industry-level factors drive foreign ventures in pursuing exploration and exploitation and maximizing the benefits of both.Design/methodology/approachThis study adopts the hierarchical multiple regression approach using a sample of foreign ventures operating in high-tech manufacturing industries in China.FindingsThe authors find that the firm-level factor of strategic flexibility leads positively to the CD of organizational ambidexterity, whereas the industry-level factor of technological turbulence has a significantly positive impact on the BD.Originality/valueThis study provides important insights into the driving factors of organizational ambidexterity for foreign ventures competing in emerging markets.

The influence of regional Internet level on firms’ sustainable innovation

ABSTRACT Based on secondary data from 31 provinces, cities, autonomous regions, and high-tech manufacturing industry alliance innovation networks in China over 2011–2016, we use the comprehensive feasible generalised least squares method to explore the influence of regional Internet level (RIL) on firms’ sustainable innovation (FSI). We find that RIL has an inverted U-shaped relationship with FSI. The RIL has an inverted U-shaped relationship with knowledge flow. Knowledge flow is conducive to the FSI. Knowledge flow plays a mediation role in the inverted U-shaped relationship between the RIL and FSI. In addition, the above results hold in the sample of high-speed rails (HSR) opening, but only the positive relationship between knowledge flow and FSI is supported in the samples of HSR not opening. Our findings provide insightful guidance supported by theoretical underpinning and empirical evidence for different regions to plan and adjust their RIL and HSR rationally, and for high-tech manufacturing firms to use the RIL effectively to enhance knowledge flow and FSI, which has important theoretical and practical significance.

Corporate innovation and internationalization: Evidence from China

This paper analyzes the possible impact of innovation performance on internationalization and conducts an empirical analysis by selecting a sample of listed firms in the high-tech manufacturing industry from 2018 to 2021. It is found that innovation performance decreases internationalization, and the lower the innovation performance, the more aggressive the rhythm of firms' overseas expansion; the overseas experience of executives, executive compensation, and executive shareholding can significantly weaken the negative effect of firms' innovation performance on the rhythm of firms' overseas expansion.

Economic Policy Uncertainty and Enterprise Financing Efficiency: Evidence from China

This study investigates the effect of economic policy uncertainty on financing efficiency in China’s high-tech manufacturing industry from static and dynamic perspectives. Using data envelopment analysis (DEA) and the Malmquist index, we measure financing efficiency and its changes over time. The results show that China’s high-tech manufacturing firms exhibit low static financing efficiency, yet they exhibit relatively high dynamic efficiency. A significant positive relationship is found between economic policy uncertainty and both static and dynamic financing efficiency. The uncertainty motivates firms to improve their financing efficiency, mainly by enhancing technical and scale efficiency and by increasing comprehensive efficiency. Moreover, different financing channels, such as commercial credit, equity financing, bank credit, and internal financing, have varied effects on the relationship between economic policy uncertainty and static financing efficiency. This study demonstrates that high-tech manufacturing enterprises can respond to economic policy uncertainty by improving their financing efficiency.

Multidiscipline Design Optimization for Large-Scale Complex Nonlinear Dynamic System Based on Weak Coupling Interfaces

For high-tech manufacturing industries, developing large-scale complex nonlinear dynamic systems must be taken as one of the basic works, formulating problems to be solved, steering system design in a more preferable direction, and making correct strategic decisions. By using effective tools of big data mining, Dynamic Design Methodology was proposed to establish a technical platform for Multidiscipline Design Optimization such as High-Speed Rolling Stock, including three key technologies: analysis graph of full-vehicle stability properties and variation patterns, improved transaction strategy of flexible body to MBS interface, seamless collaboration with weldline fatigue damage assessments through correct Modal Stress Recovery. By applying the above methodology, a self-adaptive improved solution was formulated with optimal parameter configuration, which is one of the more favorable options for higher-speed bogies. While within a velocity (140–200) km/h at λe < 0.10, car body instability’s influence on ride comfort can be easily improved by using a semi-active vibration reduction technique between inter-vehicles through outer windshields. Comprehensive evaluations show that only under rational conditions of wheel-rail matching, i.e., 0.10 ≥ λeN > λemin and λemin = (0.03–0.06), can this low-cost solution achieve the three goals of low track conicity, optimal route planning, and investment benefit maximization. So, rail vehicle experts are necessary to collaborate and innovate intensively with passenger transportation and steel rail ones. Specifically, by adopting rail grinding treatment, occurrence probability is controlled at 85% and 5% for track conicity of (0.03–0.10) and (0.25–0.35). By optimizing routing planning, operating across dedicated lines of different speed grades can achieve self-cleaning of central hollow tread wear over time. According to the inherent rigid-flex coupling relationship, geometric nonlinearities of worn wheel-rail contact should be avoided as much as possible for HSR practices. Only under weak coupling interfaces in the floor frame can the structural integrity of an aluminum alloy car body be ensured.

Assessing the Green Technology Innovation Efficiency in Yangtze River Delta Region under Dual Carbon Background

With the promotion of the dual carbon policy and the process of transforming and upgrading manufacturing, vigorously developing high-tech manufacturing with high-technology content and significant added value has become a powerful driving force to improve the development of the regional economy. In this regard, this research employs the two-stage network SBM-DEA method with undesirable outputs and multi-stage activities involved in the green production process. We examine the green technology innovation efficiency of high-tech manufacturing in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region from 2010 to 2020. We divide the activities of the high-tech manufacturing industry into two sub-stages, namely, the research and development (R&D) stage and the result transformation stage. The results are as follows: (1) The efficiency level of green technology innovation in Shanghai is at an outstanding level, having the most significant performance both in the R&D stage at 0.833 as well as in the result transformation stage at 1.006. (2) Anhui’s green technology innovation efficiency is mainly driven by the R&D stage. Green technology innovation efficiency in Jiangsu province depends primarily on the stage of result transformation, but there is still room for improvement in resource allocation. (3) Zhejiang needs to catch up in both the R&D stage and the result transformation stage, as well as to optimize the resource allocation of the green technology innovation process.

Does industry-university-research cooperation promote the environmental efficiency of China’s high-tech manufacturing?

As one of the important strategic measures to increase the international competitiveness of high-tech manufacturing (HTM), industry-university-research cooperation (IURC) has received increasing attention in China. However, there is little literature to explore the links between IURC and the environmental efficiency (EE) of HTM. To incorporate a variety of environmental pollution indicators into the efficiency analysis framework and reduce the adverse effects of random errors on the estimation results, this article combined the projection pursuit model with the stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) method and proposed a translog stochastic frontier model considering undesirable outputs to analyze the multiple impacts of IURC on the EE of HTM. The results show that IURC has both a significant negative direct effect and a significant positive indirect effect on HTM’s EE. Although IURC cannot directly promote EE, it has a positive impact on EE of HTM through its complementary effect with research and development (R&D) investment. The results also confirm that the average EE of the whole country is only 0.346, while that of the eastern area is 0.595, and that of the central and western areas are 0.199 and 0.171, respectively. Therefore, it is particularly urgent to improve the EE of China’s HTM industry through a variety of measures, such as promoting IURC and increasing R&D investment in environmental technology. This study not only provides an improved SFA method for measuring EE, but also deepens research on the mechanism of the impact of IURC on HTM’s EE.

Thallium exposure interfered with heart development in embryonic zebrafish (Danio rerio): From phenotype to genotype

Thallium (Tl) is a rare trace metal element but increasingly detected in wastewater produced by coal-burning, smelting, and more recently, high-tech manufacturing industries. However, the adverse effects of Tl, especially cardiotoxicity, on aquatic biota remain unclear. In this study, zebrafish model was used to elucidate the effects and mechanisms of Tl(I) cardiotoxicity in developing embryos. Exposure of embryonic zebrafish to low-dose Tl(I) (25–100 μg/L) decreased heart rate and blood flow activity, and subsequently impaired swim bladder inflation and locomotive behavior of larvae. Following high-level Tl(I) administration (200–800 μg/L), embryonic zebrafish exhibited pericardial edema, incorrect heart looping, and thinner myocardial layer. Based on RNA-sequencing, Tl(I) altered pathways responsible for protein folding and transmembrane transport, as well as negative regulation of heart rate and cardiac jelly development. The gene expression of nppa, nppb, ucp1, and ucp3, biomarkers of cardiac damage, were significantly upregulated by Tl(I). Our findings demonstrate that Tl(I) at environmentally relevant concentrations interfered with cardiac development with respect to anatomy, function, and transcriptomic alterations. The cardiotoxic mechanisms of Tl(I) provide valuable information in the assessment of Tl-related ecological risk in freshwater environment.