Taiwan's Industry Research Articles

Circular utilization of discarded oyster farming bamboo scaffolding in pulp and papermaking

Oyster Farming is one of important fisheries and aquaculture industries in Taiwan. Each year, approximately 4000–5000 tons of discarded bamboo scaffolding (BS) used in oyster farming, are generated, so the treatment and utilization of BS should be taken seriously. This study evaluates the suitability of BS for pulp and papermaking by assessing the chemical compositions, microstructural, and fiber morphology. The pulping properties is investigated by soda pulping. The chemical composition of BS shows the potential for application in pulping. The BS microstructure shows that can enhance pulping reactions, while the fiber morphology indicates the possibility of producing high-strength paper. Through the pulping experiment, it demonstrated that BS is suitable for pulping with lower NaOH dosage and longer digestion time. The condition at 170 °C with 14% NaOH dosage for 90 min digestion has the highest yield. After refining the highest pulping yield BS pulp, it can improve the handsheet strength and bulk of the OCC-BS mixed pulp, which can achieve the strength property required for industrial paper. In summary, BS exhibits the potential for pulping application and produces a better paper strength than OCC pulp, exhibiting the feasibility of enhancing the circular utilization value of BS in Taiwan.

Technical efficiency of biosecurity and animal welfare in the Taiwan egg industry

ABSTRACT Despite the pivotal role of the egg industry in the food supply chain, the absence of regular surveys over the past decades in Taiwan has resulted in a dearth of national-level data. This study endeavours to address the research void surrounding biosecurity while scrutinizing the technical efficiency of egg producers in an environment where there is no mandate to phase out battery cage systems and farmers have the autonomy to adjust their feeding strategies. We employ the stochastic frontier analysis framework to analyse farm-level data derived from a 2020 national survey of the egg industry in Taiwan, which includes 547 commercial egg farms, with 519 still utilizing battery cages and 28 farms having transitioned into alternative systems to meet higher Farm Animal Welfare standards. Our findings reveal that egg farmers who prioritize the improvement of biosecurity demonstrate greater technical efficiency. When considering the rearing systems, there is no significant difference in egg production rates between conventional and alternative systems. However, conventional systems exhibit higher efficiency in terms of total output. In essence, elevating FAW standards does not exert a discernible impact on the productivity of laying hens. Instead, farms employing conventional systems attain greater output due to their higher stocking density.

Research on methods and strategies of green design carbon reduction for bicycle industry in Taiwan from perspective of product life cycle

Research on methods and strategies of green design carbon reduction for bicycle industry in Taiwan from perspective of product life cycle

Discussion on Solutions for Managing Better Industrial Zones with a Case in the North of Vietnam And Recommendation for Environmental Problems

Objective: This paper purpose aims to present discussion on solutions for managing better industrial zones with a case in the north of VIETNAM and recommendation for environmental problems. Method: Authors has uses experiences combined with observations, historical combined with dialectical materialism methods, as well as inductive and synthesis methods. Results: after 30 years of Doi moi period, the nation need to apply and develop suitable Law such as Law 2020 (Environment) to govern environment damages and requires clusters to follow a roadmap. Also, this paper shows the conservation of nature need to be kept with the development of clusters and the pollution of environment. And for managing better industrial zones in the North of Vietnam, we refer to experiences from Taiwan and other provinces in Vietnam such as Experience in building and developing Taiwan's Industrial Parks. Conclusion: According to regulations for industrial clusters we can understand that: first, we need to prevent loss from environment damages; Treatment of wastewater based on Law provisions; and Ensure ratio of green tree based on Law, then, Industrial clusters must have environmental protection infrastructure as prescribed. Last but not least, Then the Law 2020 (Environment) encourage investment according to law, and we need to design 1 person in charge of environment issues in clusters, as well as protecting environment according to relevant law.

Exploring the Perspective of Bank Employees on the Impact of Green Process Innovation and Perceived Environmental Responsibilities on the Sustainable Performance of the Banking Industry

This research employs a questionnaire survey to examine the influence of the late phase of the pandemic on the sustainability performance of the banking industry in Taiwan. This research focuses on the perceptions of bank employees and explores the mediating role of fintech adoption (FTA) and green finance (GF). A total of 325 valid responses were collected, and structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) AMOS.21 software was applied to analyze the overall model, while the SPSS.21 PROCESS (2017) was applied to analyze the mediating effects. The empirical findings reveal that green process innovation (GI) significantly affects both green finance and banking sector sustainability performance (BSP), perceived environmental responsibility (PER) positively influence GF and FTA, and both FTA and GF positively impact BSP; however, GI had no direct impact on FTA, and FTA had no direct impact on GF. In terms of the mediating effects, PER has a complete mediating effect on BSP through FTA or GF, while GF partially mediates the relationship between GI, PER, and BSP.

Analyzing the incidence of silicosis across various industries in Taiwan: a study of occupational disease surveillance by linking national-based workers’ and medicoadministrative databases

ObjectivesThis study aimed to establish an occupational disease surveillance system by identifying high-risk industries for silicosis in Taiwan using a national database linkage approach. MethodsThe study was based on a comprehensive analysis of benefit claims from the National Labor Insurance Research Database and medical records from the National Health Insurance Research Database between 2004 and 2020, providing coverage for more than 88.5% of the workforce and 99.9% of citizens. Silicosis was defined as having received compensation for labor insurance benefits or having received a diagnosis of silicosis (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision: J62 or International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision: 502). The study used the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities for industry-specific classification. Cox proportional hazard models were used to compare the silicosis incidence and risk among each industry and identify high-risk industries for silicosis. ResultsThis study analyzed 1466 cases of silicosis between 2004 and 2020 and found that 28 industries had incidence rates of over 40 cases per 100,000 workers, indicating more than double the risk of developing silicosis. Of these industries, 14 were considered high risk (relative risk of over four times). Among these, this study identified industries rarely mentioned in the past, such as wholesale of brick, sand, cement, and products, artistic creation, landscape construction, and materials recovery. Stratification by years of work experience reveals those industries such as quarrying of stone, sand, clay, and other mining, construction of buildings, landscape construction, site preparation, foundation and structure construction, building completion and finishing, manufacture of ships, boats, and floating structures, and plumbing, heat, and air conditioning installation display higher hazard ratios for individuals with <10 years of work experience. ConclusionsThe current surveillance system has identified certain industries that are at a higher risk of developing silicosis, which could be used for future occupational epidemiological surveys and targeted preventive measures in these sectors.

Food Waste and Environmental Sustainability of the Hotel Industry in Taiwan

There is an alarming surge in food wastage stemming from culinary practices and intricate cuisines despite technological advancements. The reduction in food wastage is a pivotal sustainable development goal, yet statistics indicate high levels of wastage. Scholars have investigated food waste extensively with a focus on the hospitality sector, which accounts for nearly 12% of total waste. Factors contributing to food waste have been examined, yet findings tend to be isolated and lack a holistic approach. Existing research leans heavily toward developed countries despite the issue being more pronounced in developing economies. Investigations into hotel-related food wastage in Taiwan remain scarce. Effective waste management can curtail expenditures and enhance brand reputation and underscore a commitment to environmental sustainability for hoteliers and culinary managers. This study offers actionable insights to guide sustainable development. The current research employs qualitative interviews and structured questionnaires with culinary experts and hotel management to decode intricacies of food wastage across procurement, inventory, and preparation in Taiwanese hotels. Utilizing the Analytic Network Process methodology, the research provides insights to guide hoteliers in achieving sustainable development goals.

How Taiwanese contract manufacturers initiate supply chain integration: the effects of bricolage, improvisation and environmental uncertainty

PurposeThis study aims to investigate how bricolage and improvisation increase the opportunities for supply chain integration of contract manufacturers. Connecting bricolage/improvisation with resource dependence theory offers an appropriate theoretical lens with which to understand the increasing focus on the view that bricolage and improvisation are feasible ways to create desired resources for contract manufacturers. Such resources can then enhance the autonomy of contract manufacturers in supply chain by building contract manufacturer–supply chain partner relationship interdependencies.Design/methodology/approachGiven that the primary focus of the study was whether and how contract manufacturers respond to resource constraints, namely, bricolage and improvisation and environmental uncertainty as a moderating effect of fastener contract manufacturers' supplier/buyer integration, only firms that had contractual agreements involving manufacturing services for original equipment manufacturer and/or original design manufacture data were included in this population. This study selected a population from a list of 674 fastener firms provided by the Taiwan Industrial Fastener Institute in 2020 using a mailed survey to test the hypotheses. By the beginning of 2022, 165 completed questionnaires were returned, and the total useable sample was 158.FindingsHypotheses are tested using 158 contract manufacturers of the Taiwanese fastener industry. Results show that bricolage can lead contract manufacturers to initiate supplier and buyer integration. The moderating effect of environmental uncertainty further strengthens the above positive relationships. Without the moderating effect of the environmental uncertainty, improvisation leads contract manufacturers to initiate only supplier but not buyer integration. However, when the moderating effect of environmental uncertainty is included, improvisation leads contract manufacturers to initiate only buyer integration.Originality/valueThis finding highlights the importance of the environmental uncertainty when contract manufacturers adopt bricolage/improvisation to initiate supply chain integration.

Understanding Taiwan’s offshore wind industry

Understanding taiwan’s offshore wind industry Here, Open Access Government speaks to Gwo-shyh Song, Chairman of MMA Global Aqua, and explores the challenges, successes and long term plans for the offshore wind power projects in Taiwan. Can you provide an overview of the current state of the offshore wind industry in Taiwan and its significance in the country’s energy transformation? Taiwan had no experience in offshore wind power development in the past. The offshore wind power industry includes wind farm developers, who conduct environmental assessments of wind farms, as well as wind turbine system suppliers, marine engineering companies, cable manufacturers, and wind farm operators. Therefore, the Ministry of Economic Affairs allows 100% foreign ownership to attract foreign investment and gradually increases domestic demand to cultivate local related companies in order to achieve the goal of offshore wind power localization.

Research on the Correlation between Industry 4.0 and Sustainable Development in the Machine Tool industry – Application of QFD and Fuzzy MADM methods

&lt;p&gt;Starting in 2025, Taiwan will introduce a requirement that listed companies with a paid-in capital of less than 2 billion NTD need to prepare a sustainability report. Most of the actual income scale of Taiwan&amp;rsquo;s machine tool industry falls within this range. In response to the requirement, the machine tool industry must reduce its impact on the environment and society and strike a balance while increasing economic returns. This is undoubtedly a major challenge for the machine tool industry, which is one of the most internationally competitive industries in Taiwan. If sustainable development (SD) can be successfully implemented, it will set a benchmark for Taiwan’s traditional industries.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The machine tool industry has continued to improve its industrial competitiveness in recent years, especially after Germany proposed the concept of Industry 4.0 in 2013, which accelerated the pace of industrial upgrading and transformation. Studies have shown that the adoption of Industry 4.0 technology can effectively enhance the sustainable performance of enterprises. Additionally, in the literature on SD, it has been confirmed that there is a significant positive relationship between corporate social responsibility and profitability.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;This study will propose a reasonable and feasible model framework to demonstrate the relationship between SD factors and Industry 4.0 technical indicators, aiming to identify the key Industry 4.0 technologies to improve SD. This study uses the Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method as the basic structure and adopts the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) of the Multiple Attribute Decision Making (MADM), the improved Fuzzy Extended Analytic Hierarchy Process (FEAHP), and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) for prioritizing performance index factors.&lt;/p&gt;

Retrospective on ESP Courses in the Global English Era

With the rise of the medical tourism industry in Taiwan and changes in the country's population structure, nurses are facing greater challenges than ever before. Both professional knowledge and English proficiency are indispensable. Various types of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses have emerged to assist healthcare professionals to build their English abilities and cope with the changing demands of their profession. However, related research indicates that the deficient state of English communication skills among nurses in Taiwan may hinder the country's ability to effectively promote medical internationalization and handle ongoing changes in its population structure. To effectively face this predicament, educators must re-examine the current design of ESP courses. Therefore, this article was developed to explore ESP courses from the three perspectives of language descriptions, needs analysis, and learning theories. Furthermore, the concepts and research related to these three perspectives, including the nurse-patient relationship, community of practice, situated learning, and English as a medium of instruction, were reviewed. Some insights into how these concepts may be applied to ESP courses are also proposed with the goals of better incorporating the needs of learners into course designs and placing learners at the center of language learning.

Empirical Study of ESG Score Prediction through Machine Learning—A Case of Non-Financial Companies in Taiwan

In recent years, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) has become a critical indicator for evaluating sustainable companies. However, the actual logic used for ESG score calculation remains exclusive to rating agencies. Therefore, with the advancement of AI, using machine learning to establish a reliable ESG score prediction model is a topic worth exploring. This study aims to build ESG score prediction models for the non-financial industry in Taiwan using random forest (RF), Extreme Learning Machines (ELM), support vector machine (SVM), and eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and investigates whether the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the accuracy of these models. The dependent variable is the Taiwan ESG Sustainable Development Index, while the independent variables are 27 financial metrics and corporate governance indicators with three parts: pre-pandemic, pandemic, and the entire period (2018–2021). RMSE, MAE, MAPE, and r2 are conducted to evaluate these models. The results demonstrate the four supervised models perform well during all three periods. ELM, XGBoost, and SVM exhibit excellent performance, while RF demonstrates good accuracy but relatively lower than the others. XGBoost’s r2 shows inconsistency with RMSE, MAPE, and MAE. This study concludes the predictive performance of RF and XGBoost is inferior to that of other models.

Transnational media production from the margins of “Cultural China”: the case of Singapore’s media producers

Transnational media production from the margins of “Cultural China”: the case of Singapore’s media producers

Profile of High-Risk Silicosis Industries in Taiwan---A Nationwide Analysis from 2004 to 2020

Profile of High-Risk Silicosis Industries in Taiwan---A Nationwide Analysis from 2004 to 2020

Emissions and energy/exergy efficiency in an industrial boiler with biodiesel and other fuels

Industrial boilers are significant equipment in industrial operations used to provide steam or heat for production. More than 80% of fire-tube boilers use heavy oil in small and middle industries in Taiwan. Due to biodiesel as a sustainable fuel, the objective of this study is to measure experimentally and evaluated energy and exergy analysis of the fire-tube boiler using biodiesel (BD), undistilled biodiesel (UB), low sulfur oil (LSO), and ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD), and the various mixing ratios of undistilled biodiesel and low sulfur oil (UB90, UB70, and UB50) to reduce emissions from fire-tube boilers. Results from BD and UB are comparable, and UB exhibited a high NOx reduction rate of 68.9% and a high SO2 reduction rate of 99.5% compared to LSO. The boiler that employed UB decreased CO2 emissions, NOx, and SO2 emissions. NOx emission increases with increasing LSO content. The boiler’s maximum energy efficiency when using BD is 86.6%, and the overall exergy efficiency is 44.8%. The boiler with UB70 had the lowest energy efficiency of 73.5% and the lowest exergy efficiency of 38.7% because of the increased heat loss. The Benefits of this study are not only for boiler applications but also for government policy references.

Resource Misallocation and Firm Dynamics: The Case of DRAM Industry in Taiwan

Resource Misallocation and Firm Dynamics: The Case of DRAM Industry in Taiwan

How is innovation empowered by design thinking for new product development? a case study in Taiwan

ABSTRACT Innovation is vital for sustainable competitiveness and a process that can be trained and managed. Design thinking is an effective approach that helps create innovative solutions and contributes to new product development (NPD). When applied to NPD, how the involvement and intensity of design thinking offers benefits to firms with distinct organisational cultures remained unclear. This study investigates the effect of the use of design thinking in NPD. A hybrid method approach is adopted. First, 35 senior managers from diverse industries in Taiwan are participated in a set of design thinking workshops hosted by the present study. The participants were interviewed after the workshops to investigate design thinking's influences on organisational creativity capacity. This study highlights two key successful factors to enable an effective NPD by design thinking: 1) clarifying bottlenecks against innovation and 2) establishing an open cooperate culture of innovation. Further, a quantitative study was conducted to validate the proposition, stating that by adopting design thinking, firms can improve their innovation in NPD. The correlation between design thinking and organisational culture by industrial types is examined.

Protecting well-being and performance after sickness presenteeism under demanding conditions: the dual effects of proactive personality and work reward as resources

ABSTRACT Based on conservation of resources (COR) theory, we tested a moderated mediation model of presenteeism. We hypothesized that heavy workload would precipitate sickness presenteeism, which would lead to elevated exhaustion and hampered job performance (mediation). We further hypothesized that proactive personality and work reward would mitigate the positive “presenteeism-exhaustion” and the negative “presenteeism-performance” relationships (moderation on the second-stage of the mediation). We conducted a two-wave panel study (with one year interval), collecting data from 218 employees working in diverse industries in Taiwan. We found significant moderating effects of proactive personality and work reward on the indirect effect of workload on job performance via presenteeism over the span of one year. Contrary to our hypotheses, workload related positively and indirectly (via presenteeism) to job performance, but only for those high in proactive personality and work reward. Although the moderating effects of proactive personality and work reward on the “workload-presenteeism-exhaustion” link were insignificant, results did support the buffering role of proactive personality on the positive relationship between presenteeism and exhaustion. Namely, this relationship was found to be positive only for employees with lower levels of proactive personality, whilst the relationship was not significant for employees higher in proactive personality. These results tentatively suggest that resources have different functions for the outcomes of presenteeism. The possibility to integrate the buffering role of resources against the deleterious effects of presenteeism with the enabling role of resources to support functional presenteeism is not only of theoretical interest, but also of important practical implications for better managing the presenteeism behaviour.

The Development of the Optimal Harvesting Model of an Offshore Fishery Supply Chain Based on a Single Vessel

This study delves into the offshore fishing industry in Taiwan, emphasizing the significance of the aquatic product market, supply chain development, and the maturity of cold chain technology. Taiwan’s geographical advantage of being surrounded by the sea provides a thriving environment for marine resources and migratory fish. This study is motivated by the increasing demand for diverse fish products, driven by the growing need for high-quality protein. Recognizing the importance of meeting this demand, this study aims to investigate the capacity of logistics systems and cold storage in the offshore fishery industry, particularly under conditions of uncertainty. To tackle the optimization challenges prevalent in the offshore fishery supply chain, this study employs the bat algorithm (BA), a metaheuristic algorithm inspired by the remarkable echolocation behavior of bats. Additionally, a systematic literature review methodology is utilized to gather relevant articles and establish a comprehensive understanding of the study domain. This study culminates in proposing an optimized fishing model for the offshore fishery supply chain, highlighting the significance of evaluating supply chain value from a management perspective and identifying existing deficiencies and bottlenecks in current research. By focusing on optimizing the offshore fishery supply chain, this study aims to enhance the industry’s efficiency and effectiveness, providing valuable insights and recommendations to improve the capacity of logistics systems and cold storage. Furthermore, this study presents the results of the BA, showcasing its effectiveness in approaching optimization challenges, thereby validating its utility for the offshore fishery industry. Sensitivity analysis reveals the potential for higher profits by raising the inventory limit of the manufacturer, enabling the supplier to provide materials to more profitable trading partners. While this study is based on a revenue and cost model, it acknowledges that the objectives and constraints would become more complex in varying logistic system circumstances. The future study aims to expand the scale of the model and incorporate practical cases to further enhance its applicability.

Effect of Exhibition Facilities, Professional Competence, and Green Procurement on Green Meeting, Incentive Travel, Convention, and Exhibition Industry Performance Measurement: A Case Study of the Exhibition Industry of Taiwan

In this study, a performance indicator scale was constructed to measure the performance of the exhibition industry, and a survey was conducted. The respondents were exhibition industry professionals, exhibitors, and their employees. A questionnaire containing the scale items was distributed to potential research participants, and 323 valid responses were obtained. Through a literature review, the relevant theories were compiled. Structural equation modeling was employed for analyzing the collected data. The exhibition hall facilities, marketing skills of organizers, environmental resources near the exhibition hall, knowledge and skills of exhibition industry professionals, and implementation of green procurement were all discovered to have significant positive effects on exhibition performance. The indicator scale was found to be appropriate for measuring exhibition industry performance. Therefore, it can be used as an indicator for measuring exhibition performance and for exploring the professional functions required from exhibition personnel. The findings also indicate that the implementation of green procurement can strengthen the value and significance of green exhibitions. On the basis of the results, suggestions are made regarding how the public sector can integrate stakeholders to further develop the exhibition industry. This study hopes to prompt the government to prioritize the active improvement of this industry.