Innovation In Industry Research Articles

The enabling effects of digital technology on the quality of firm development: Insights and implications

Firms are the fundamental units driving the development of regional systems, and their enhancement in overall strength determines the effectiveness of industrial collaborative innovation networks, serving as a crucial support for the high-quality development of urban agglomerations. In the digital era, how firms can improve their overall strength to enhance their supporting role in the construction of regional industrial networks is a matter of significant interest. Therefore, as a new driving force for firm development, exploring the impact of digital technology on firm development quality is of great importance. From the perspective of the enabling effects of digital technology, this paper takes A-share listed firms within China's five major urban agglomerations as the research subjects, utilizing panel data from 2012 to 2022. Through theoretical analysis and empirical testing using various econometric methods—including the fixed effects model, two-stage least squares regression model, and mediation effect model—the study investigates the impact of digital technology application on firm development quality and its underlying mechanisms. This study finds that the application of digital technology significantly enhances the quality of firm development, and as the level of digital technology application deepens, firms' development continues to improve. From the perspective of enabling factors, digital technology application can promote the improvement of firm development quality by activating innovation vitality, alleviating financing constraints, and reducing human resource management costs. The heterogeneity analysis results reveal that the impact of digital technology application on firm development quality exhibits various heterogeneous characteristics, including differences in urban agglomeration, ownership structure, and firm size.

Impact of productivity drivers on the performance of manufacturing firms

A considerable number of research indicates that a nation's industrial sector plays a crucial role in its economic growth. Therefore, it is crucial to research the productivity drivers among businesses engaged in the manufacturing sector to create a sound, inclusive, long-lasting, and innovative industry. Thus, as a micro-perspective of industrialization, this study looks into the main productivity drivers of manufacturing firms in Nigeria. The study analyses an imbalanced panel firm-level dataset from 2007 to 2019 using the simultaneous approach of the stochastic frontier to achieve its goal. Our research shows that Nigerian manufacturing firms deal with growing returns to scale and a high labour intensity. For policy actions, it was recommended that a realistic industrialization strategy has to be micro-founded. This strategy should prioritise large-scale industrial companies, promote exports, and provide a steady supply of electricity. The findings also show that small and micro firms in Nigeria are more productive than large manufacturing firms, even though the frequency of power outages and average labour costs impede the productivity of these firms.

WHO guidelines for quality control of herbal medicines: From cultivation to consumption

WHO guidelines serve as a comprehensive framework for ensuring the safety, efficacy, and quality of herbal products throughout their lifecycle, from cultivation to consumption. Here's why adherence to these guidelines is crucial. By following WHO guidelines, manufacturers can implement practices that minimize the risks associated with herbal medicines, including contamination, adulteration, and variability in potency. This helps protect public health and ensures that consumers can use herbal products with confidence. Quality control measures recommended by WHO contribute to the consistency and reliability of herbal medicines. Standardization of production processes and the establishment of quality parameters help maintain the potency and efficacy of herbal products, leading to more predictable therapeutic outcomes. Adherence to WHO guidelines facilitates compliance with regulatory requirements established by national authorities and international bodies. Regulatory agencies often refer to WHO guidelines when developing regulations for the manufacturing, distribution, and labeling of herbal medicines. Compliance with these guidelines helps manufacturers meet regulatory standards and gain market authorization for their products. WHO guidelines provide a harmonized approach to quality control practices, promoting consistency and uniformity in the assessment of herbal medicines worldwide. This facilitates international trade and ensures that products manufactured in one country meet quality standards accepted globally, fostering trust and confidence among consumers and healthcare professionals. The systematic review highlights the ongoing efforts of WHO to review and update guidelines based on emerging scientific evidence and best practices. Adhering to these evolving guidelines encourages continuous improvement in quality control practices and fosters innovation in the herbal medicine industry.

Innovation meets modest fashion-based localism: A systematic literature review

Research on innovation, localism, and modest fashion has garnered significant scholarly attention in recent years. However, existing studies have not produced conclusive results regarding the link between innovation in modest fashion and localism. This systematic literature review aims to identify research trends, theories, and innovations in modest fashion and determine factors related to innovation in modest fashion on the basis of localism. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method was used to analyze 24 articles on innovation, localism, and modest fashion from the Scopus, Web of Science, and ProQuest databases. The results indicate a growing trend in the themes of innovation, localism, and modest fashion over the last decade. Additionally, six main factors have emerged to answer the research question regarding the determinants of innovation: design-driven, market-driven, technology-driven, localism-driven, culture-driven, and sustainability-driven. These factors emphasize the significance of considering localism and sustainability in shaping future innovations in the modest fashion industry. The study concludes that the combination of these driving factors can greatly influence the development of innovative strategies that align with consumer preferences and global market trends. Moreover, the findings of this review contribute to the growing body of knowledge on the relationship between innovation and localism, offering practical insights for business leaders and policymakers. By understanding how localism can drive innovation in the modest fashion industry, businesses can better position themselves to create sustainable and competitive advantages. Future research should focus on further exploring these factors to provide more in-depth insights into the role of localism in promoting innovation and business performance in the modest fashion sector.

Can Digital Transformation Drive Green Innovation in China’s Construction Industry under a Dual-Carbon Vision?

Against the backdrop of increasing global environmental pollution and energy consumption, green innovation is necessary to achieve green transformation. As an industry with a huge demand for resources and energy consumption, the construction industry shoulders the mission of the times to promote green innovation to enhance the ability of sustainable development. Digital technology provides new opportunities for green innovation in the construction industry. However, the impacts and mechanisms of digital transformation driving green innovation have not been thoroughly studied. In this paper, 121 listed companies in China’s construction industry are selected as a sample from 2011 to 2021, and a total of 1331 annual observations are obtained, and the impact and mechanism of digital transformation on construction enterprises’ green innovation are empirically analyzed by establishing regression models. The study indicates that digital transformation can facilitate green innovation in construction companies by enhancing corporate risk-taking and improving corporate governance. Compared with non-state-owned enterprises, state-owned enterprises have more endogenous incentives for green transformation based on multiple pressures, which to some extent weakens the driving role of digital transformation. The driving effect of enterprises’ digital transformation is more significant when the intensity of regional environmental regulation is high. This paper examines how the digitization of construction enterprises can lead to new greening ideas from the perspective of green innovation. It provides an important theoretical basis and decision-making reference to support the construction industry in its digital transformation and realize the goal of “dual carbon”.

STRATEGY SERVICE INNOVATION FOR SUSTAINABILITY - A CASE STUDY ON A COMPANY IN THE SERVICE INDUSTRY

There has been much discussion about how organizations can support innovation and technological capacity in industries. The central theme of this article is presenting innovation strategies for sustainability. A survey was conducted to identify strategic methodologies for innovation that can help generate new services and contribute to sustainability. Based on scientific articles, a case study was performed on a service provider company. The study showcases the evolution of new service generation in sector D after applying the "World café" methodology and innovation stimulation model. The methodologies helped sector D with generating ideas and implementing new projects. Adopting innovation strategies for services is necessary for ensuring competitiveness in the market and adding value to an organization's services, which is crucial for sustainability.

Study of the Mastery of Digital Self-Efficacy through the Learning Process among Students of Universities in the Livestock Sector

Mastery of digital skills is essential for animal husbandry students because digital technology has changed the way of work and innovation in the livestock industry. With digital skills, students can optimize livestock management, track livestock health and reproduction, and predict market developments more efficiently. Perceptions of self-efficacy regarding the ability to use digital technology will encourage increased digital skills for students. Many studies examine digital skills, but limited studies discuss how digital self-efficacy is formed by involving institutional support, instructor influence, peer influence, and digital literacy. Therefore, this study examines a structural model for forming digital self-efficacy involving institutional support, instructor influence, peer influence, and digital literacy. A total of 263 students were involved in filling out the research questionnaire. This study uses structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis with SmartPLS software. The study results reveal that digital self-efficacy is directly influenced by peer influence and digital literacy. Meanwhile, institutional support and instructor influence do not directly affect digital self-efficacy. Another finding, digital literacy mediates the influence of institutional support, instructor influence, and peer influence on student digital self-efficacy. This study discusses in depth how to master digital self-efficacy through the learning process on campus and the implications of this study for universities.

Effect of financial contagion between real and financial sectors on asset bubbles: A two‐layer network game approach

AbstractUnderstanding the mechanism of asset bubble formation is important for maintaining financial stability and healthy functioning of the economic system. With gradual emphasis on the complex characteristics of financial markets, a new perspective for analyzing the emergence of asset bubbles is emerging: how to integrate the real economy with financial markets composed of heterogeneous individuals. In this study, we propose a two‐layer network game to investigate the impact of financial contagion between the real and financial sectors on asset bubbles. Among their interactions, shadow banking activities in both sectors increase the contagion risk across financial markets and construct a broader financial system. Both credit interactions and peer learning effects are captured in the network framework. Simulating relevant regulation policies, our experiments indicate that regulators should closely monitor returns on assets by setting an upper threshold. Financialization in the real sector significantly exacerbates the formation of asset bubbles, with medium‐level borrowing constraints minimizing bubble dynamics most effectively. The financialization practices of mature industries should be strictly regulated, while innovative industries should be allowed moderately flexible financing practices. The degree of friction within the financial market should be flexibly calibrated for financial institutions and genuine enterprises, aiming to mitigate systemic risks in the financial market while fostering robust growth in the real economy.

Research on Sustainable Form Design of NEV Vehicle Based on Particle Swarm Algorithm Optimized Support Vector Regression

With the growing emphasis on eco-friendly and sustainable development concepts, new energy vehicles (NEVs) have emerged as a popular alternative to traditional fuel vehicles (FVs). Due to the absence of an internal combustion engine, electric vehicles (EVs) do not require a front air intake grille, allowing for a more minimalist and flexible design. Consequently, aligning EV styling with users’ visual cognition and emotional perception is a critical objective for automakers and designers. In this study, we establish the mapping relationship between users’ emotional cognition and NEV styling design based on experimental data. We introduce Particle Swarm Optimization Support Vector Regression (PSO-SVR) into the perceptual engineering (KE) research process to predict user emotions using Support Vector Regression (SVR). To optimize the three hyperparameters (penalty coefficient C, RBF kernel function parameter γ, and insensitivity loss coefficient ε) of the SVR model, we utilize the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm. The results indicate that the proposed PSO-SVR model outperforms traditional SVR and BPNN models in predicting NEV user emotions. This model effectively captures the nonlinear relationship between battery electric vehicle (BEV) morphological features and users’ emotional cognition, providing a novel method for enhancing NEV design. The results of this research are expected to drive design innovation and technological advancement in the new energy vehicle industry, contributing to the achievement of the ambitious goal of global eco-friendliness and sustainable development.

From vineyard to glass: Measuring consumers’ willingness to pay for innovative rootstock-produced wine through an experimental auction

Availability of new rootstocks in vineyards offers improved sustainability and adaptability to changing climatic conditions. However, the adoption of these innovations in the wine industry can be hindered by consumer perceptions and uncertainty about the intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics of the new rootstock-produced wines. This study aims to address these concerns by examining consumer preferences towards M4 rootstock-produced wines through a consumer test and a willingness-to-pay assessment based on a Becker-DeGroot-Marschak auction analysis. A non-hypothetical experiment design, involving 201 wine consumers from the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions of Italy, was employed to identify differences in new patterns of wine consumption due to the information provided. Results show that consumers do not identify noticeable taste differences between wines produced with innovative and traditional rootstocks. However, when informed about the water-saving benefits, their willingness to pay for wines made with the innovative rootstock is 5% higher than for wines using traditional rootstocks. This additional willingness to pay becomes statistically insignificant after tasting the wine. The introduction of the M4 rootstock among vine growers appears to be an effective solution in meeting consumer demand for high-quality products made with environmentally-friendly methods that conserve scarce resources, such as water. The findings of this study contribute to the ongoing debate on the development of sustainable and economically viable viticultural practices that address the challenges posed by climate change.

How much is too much? Inter-city brokerage in ICT industry innovation networks

ABSTRACT In today’s world, where global connectivity drives economic growth, it is essential to understand how cities can leverage intercity networks for innovation. This study explores the role of strategic network brokerage in enhancing cities’ innovation performance in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector. We propose an inverted U-shaped relationship between inter-city network brokerage and ICT innovation performance, suggesting that optimal brokerage levels can maximize innovation outputs. Furthermore, we anticipate that city ICT specialization and internet maturity will positively moderate this relationship. Our analysis, using negative binomial regression on a panel of 65 cities from 2002 to 2015, largely supports our hypotheses, highlighting that cities with advanced ICT capabilities achieve higher levels of innovation at the same brokerage level. We discuss the implications of these findings for city policymakers and ICT firms.

Financing options for logistics firms considering product quality loss

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the impact of quality loss in transit on e-commerce supply chain pricing, production and financing decisions. Design/methodology/approach The authors consider a Stackelberg game model with a supplier, logistics firm and e-commerce platform. The logistics firm is capital-constrained and obtains funding from the e-commerce platform by debt financing or equity financing. Through backward induction, this paper first solves the equilibrium results under the two financing schemes and then reveals the financing preferences of all parties. Findings The results demonstrate that equity financing reduces financing costs and promotes production significantly. However, it may also lead to overproduction, particularly in markets with poor profitability and high cost factors. When the percentage of product quality loss is large, equity financing is preferable. With the increasing of transportation level, the benefits of debt finance are steadily growing. In addition, equity financing is the Pareto dominant scheme for all firms under certain circumstances. The extensions consider hybrid financing and another quality loss type. Practical implications The paper derives the equilibrium solutions and financing preferences, then specifies the threshold for applying financing schemes. Provide guidance for logistics firms’ finance model innovation and core enterprise involvement in the logistics industry. Originality/value The paper investigates how logistics firms’ financing strategies are impacted by product quality loss.

Impact of Digital Transformation on Green Innovation in Manufacturing under Dual Carbon Targets

The development of green innovation in the manufacturing industry is crucial for sustainability, as it can lead to significant environmental and economic benefits. Meanwhile, the impact of digital transformation on green innovation in the manufacturing industry has been proven to be significant in a previous study. To further explore the impact of digital transformation on the development of green innovation in the manufacturing industry under the dual carbon goal, this article selects data from Chinese A-share manufacturing listed companies from 2013 to 2022 as the observation sample, proposes research hypotheses based on stakeholder theory, and conducts empirical analysis. The results indicate that digital transformation can significantly promote the development of green innovation in the manufacturing industry, which is transmitted through corporate environmental responsibility. Corporate environmental responsibility plays a partial mediating role in the impact of digital transformation on the development of green innovation. Meanwhile, media attention can strengthen the positive impact of digital transformation on green innovation. In heterogeneity analysis, it was found that the higher the institutional shareholding and analyst attention, the more likely a company’s digital transformation can promote green innovation. In addition, by comparing and analyzing the data of the two years before and after the proposal of the dual carbon target, it was found that the incentive effect of the dual carbon target did not achieve the expected effect in this article, which may be related to the short time of the proposal of the dual carbon target and the impact of the epidemic.

How Does Green Bond Issuance Facilitate the Spillover Effect of Green Technology Innovation in Industry? Evidence from China

As the concept of balancing environmental protection and maintaining sustainable economic development has been widely recognized, the green bond is assuming an increasingly significant role within China’s financial market. We utilize the data from China’s A-share listed enterprises that issued bonds in the period 2010 to 2021 and try to examine whether and how green bond issuance facilitates the spillover effect of green technology innovation in industry. The results show that: (1) Green bond issuance can generate a spillover effect, greatly enhancing green technology innovation within the industry. (2) The spillover effect of green technology innovation from green bond issuance within an industry is more pronounced for state-owned enterprises, and relatively weaker for enterprises in Northeast China in the same industry. Relative to non-high-pollution industries, high-pollution industries reinforce the spillover effect. (3) Financing cost and agency cost are important influencing mechanisms for green bond issuance to improve peer enterprises’ level of green technology innovation. Overall, the results provide theoretical support for encouraging the market for green bonds to maintain their development over the long term and for effectively promoting the transformation of the economy and society to a green and low carbon one.

Can Stylized Products Generated by AI Better Attract User Attention? Using Eye-Tracking Technology for Research

The emergence of AIGC has significantly improved design efficiency, enriched creativity, and promoted innovation in the design industry. However, whether the content generated from its own database meets the preferences of target users still needs to be determined through further testing. This study investigates the appeal of AI-generated stylized products to users, utilizing 12 images as stimuli in conjunction with eye-tracking technology. The stimulus is composed of top-selling gender-based stylized Bluetooth earphones from the Taobao shopping platform and the gender-based stylized earphones generated by the AIGC software GPT4.0, categorized into three experimental groups. An eye-tracking experiment was conducted in which 44 participants (22 males and 22 females, mean age = 21.75, SD = 2.45, range 18–27 years) observed three stimuli groups. The eye movements of the participants were measured while viewing product images. The results indicated that variations in stimuli category and gender caused differences in fixation durations and counts. When presenting a mix of the two types of earphones, the AIGC-generated earphones and earphones from the Taobao shopping platform, the two gender groups both showed a significant effect in fixation duration with F (2, 284) = 3.942, p = 0.020 < 0.05, and η = 0.164 for the female group and F (2, 302) = 8.824, p < 0.001, and η = 0.235 for the male group. They all had a longer fixation duration for the AI-generated earphones. When presenting exclusively the two types of AI-generated gender-based stylized earphones, there was also a significant effect in fixation duration with F (2, 579) = 4.866, p = 0.008 < 0.05, and η = 0.129. The earphones generated for females had a longer fixation duration. Analyzing this dataset from a gender perspective, there was no significant effect when the male participants observed the earphones, with F (2, 304) = 1.312 and p = 0.271, but there was a significant difference in fixation duration when the female participants observed the earphones (F (2, 272) = 4.666, p = 0.010 < 0.05, and η = 0.182). The female participants had a longer fixation duration towards the earphones that the AI generated for females.

Revolutionizing the Digital Creative Industries: The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Integration, Development, and Innovation

Purpose - Artificial intelligence is profoundly transforming the digital creative industry, becoming a key force in industrial upgrading through technology integration, innovation drive and productivity improvement. Methods- This study uses a variety of methods, including literature review, questionnaire survey, in-depth interview and data analysis, to systematically examine the application effect of AI in the digital creative industry. The structural equation model is used to verify the hypothesized relationship, and the role of AI in promoting industrial integration, development results and innovation catalysis effect are comprehensively analyzed. Research results- The research that AI importantly promotes technological integration, development and innovation inside the digital creative industry, and improves the general overall performance of the industry. The path coefficient is incredibly substantial, and the model fit is good, which verifies the effective position of AI in industrial integration and development. The position of AI not only improves the competitiveness of the industry, but also provides robust support for the personalization and excessive quality of creative products. Originality- This paper demonstrates remarkable originality in theoretical framework construction, empirical data analysis, and exploration of practical challenges and this paper deeply analyzes the multiple mechanisms of AI in the digital creative industry, providing new ideas and specific quantitative evidence for research in related fields. Implications - Practitioners need to actively accept AI era, optimize creative workflows, and enhance production efficiency and constantly enhance their digital talents and cross-area information integration capabilities. Policymakers should formulate focused support policies to promote the vast application and deep integration of AI technologies inside the creative industries.

Advancing Sustainable Hospitality Education: A Systematic Literature Review

Global challenges such as climate change and social inequality have heightened the emphasis on sustainability across various sectors, with higher education institutions (HEIs) playing a pivotal role in fostering sustainable practices. This systematic literature review assesses the evolution of sustainable hospitality education (SHE) research over the past two decades, highlighting trends and identifying gaps to synthesize the current scholarly discourse. Using a comprehensive search strategy across multiple databases, we identified 39 key articles through a structured screening process. Our findings reveal that SHE is a dynamic and inclusive field, characterized by a diverse array of research methods, educational levels, and sample sizes. The analysis of delivery modes and subject domains underscores the importance of cross-domain issues in SHE research. The review concludes by proposing future directions for SHE, including the development of localized curricula, faculty development programs, and interdisciplinary research initiatives. It also emphasizes the need for longitudinal studies to assess the long-term impact of educational strategies on students' sustainability knowledge and practices. Implementing these recommendations will enable SHE to contribute significantly to the sustainable transformation of the hospitality industry and inspire educational innovation, advancing a greener and more equitable future.

Technology Focus: Field Development (September 2024)

As the industry progresses, the need for further collaboration is imperative on all fronts. Academic expertise, operational experience, and knowledge gathered through trial-and-error analysis must be meshed in order to achieve the optimizations that are increasingly needed with the depletions we experience in various fields globally. The challenges that we face as an industry will require development of new technologies, whether workflows or other innovative solutions, that we never thought possible because of the need for supporting infrastructure to address them. The challenges also require more closely coupled connections between stakeholders—the innovators in academia and industry and the doers who close the gap of technology deployment. Deployment requires taking the ideas and tried and tested opportunities to fruition, where the knowledge is shared and highlighted for our community at large. The three papers synopsized in this feature include a discussion of augmented depletion development, a technique in which openhole wells are drilled within the fractured network of a pad; an approach to well-path generation that relies on the collection of experienced-based constraints from each discipline to generate possible alternatives to the well path; and a multidisciplinary approach used to develop a presalt field offshore Brazil. The hope is that the technical articles in this feature can demonstrate to the reader the scope of collaboration and the effect of technical knowledge sharing that our industry currently enjoys—and requires. I hope they drive more questions and provoke further and deeper understanding of the content to the benefit of all. More importantly, I hope they highlight the complexity that is involved in addressing the industry challenges in field development and project management.

Navigating protection mechanisms and innovation models: A literature-based configurational framework of intellectual property strategies

This study constructs a configurational framework to examine the complex relationships of factors influencing firms' mechanisms in intellectual property (IP) protection within the dichotomy of open and closed innovation models. Our methodology synthesizes an extensive literature review to identify and explicate four configurations of intellectual property and innovation strategies: open/formal, open/informal, closed/formal, and closed/informal. These configurations reflect the multifaceted decision-making firms face in aligning their innovation models with suitable IP mechanisms. By integrating factors such as industry sector, innovation nature, market dynamics, and legal context, we offer a comprehensive framework that captures the strategic considerations of intellectual property management, highlighting the importance of various factors in shaping firms' protection and innovation decisions. Our findings propose a nuanced understanding of IP strategy selection, setting the stage for future empirical investigations to test and refine this framework across diverse industries and markets.

How Digitalization and Sustainability Promote Digital Green Innovation for Industry 5.0 through Capability Reconfiguration: Strategically Oriented Insights

As environmental pressures intensify and digital technology advances rapidly, many countries, including China, are looking to more effectively heed social and environmental responsibilities by effectively integrating digital technology with traditional industries. Digital green innovation is gradually becoming a necessary direction for enterprises in various countries as they strive for high-quality development. How enterprises can achieve digital green innovation through the duality of digitalization and sustainability has become a crucial research question. However, existing research rarely addresses the mechanisms that lead to the formation of digital green innovation within enterprises. This study uses a sample of 305 manufacturing enterprises in China. Based on strategic orientation theory, this study introduces the concept of digital sustainability orientation, integrating both digital and sustainability orientations. A model is constructed to examine the impact of digital sustainability orientation on digital green innovation in enterprises, analyzing the mechanism of action through the mediation of capability reconfiguration and the moderation of environmental scanning. The study finds that digital sustainability orientation significantly positively impacts digital green innovation, highlighting the integrated effect of digital and sustainability orientations. The findings indicate that digital sustainability orientation significantly positively impacts digital green innovation, whereas a single strategic orientation does not effectively promote digital green innovation; capability reconfiguration partially mediates the relationship between digital sustainability orientation and digital green innovation in enterprises; and environmental scanning positively moderates the relationship between digital sustainability orientation and capability reconfiguration and further influences the mediating role of capability reconfiguration. This study contributes to the advancement of digital sustainability theory in the field of digital green innovation; moreover, the results of this study offer significant practical insights for enterprises aiming to successfully implement digital green innovation.