Self-emulsified waterborne epoxy hardener without acid neutralizers and its emulsifying and curing properties

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 223-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hao Yin ◽  
Yun Wan ◽  
Jinjun Zhou ◽  
Dewen Sun ◽  
Bo Li ◽  
...  

Purpose The purpose of this study is to prepare a new self-emulsified waterborne epoxy hardener which can emulsify the liquid epoxy resin in aqueous media without addition of acid neutralizers. Design/methodology/approach Two synthetic steps were adopted to prepare novel self-emulsified amine-epoxy adduct type hardener composition based on the reaction of a commercially available polyetheramine, bisphenol A epoxy resin and triethylene tetramine. The different factors affecting the synthesis of the waterborne epoxy hardener were explored by emulsifying and curing properties. The process and products were analyzed and confirmed by FIRT. Findings Compared to an introduction of polyether as a hydrophilic segment in previous literature, whose reaction required Lewis acid catalysts and strict control of the presence of water, the introduction of polyetheramine to obtain a novel self-emulsified waterborne epoxy hardener were concise and convenient by mere two amine-epoxy addition steps in this research. Moreover, the final product offered good film formation with a practical value of mechanical properties, glass transition temperature and water-resistant property. Practical implications The self-emulsified waterborne epoxy hardener can be used to prepare water-resistant waterborne coatings from liquid epoxy resins while also providing the option of zero VOC formulations. Originality/value Introduction of hydrophilic polyether amine to prepare self-emulsified waterborne epoxy hardener without acid neutralizers has not been systematically studied previously.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sucheta Agarwal ◽  
Veland Ramadani ◽  
Leo-Paul Dana ◽  
Vivek Agrawal ◽  
Jitendra Kumar Dixit

Purpose The ascent of women enterprising community (WEC) in a couple of decades draws the attention of various government and non-government bodies. Literature has mentioned various studies that focus on the factors affecting the success or failure of women entrepreneurs (WEs), but understanding of the ranking of the factors depending on the experiences of different WEs is needed. This study aims to identify the significant factors essential for the growth of WEC. Design/methodology/approach This study examines the factors through interview of 33 WEs having different entrepreneurial experiences (less than 1 year, more than 1 year but less than 10 years and more than 10 years of experiences) from different regions of Uttar Pradesh, India, and with the help of analytical hierarchical process, ranks the factors affecting the sustainable growth of WEs. Findings Through analysis, significant factors have been identified such as determination, education, entrepreneurial resilience, personal satisfaction and provide employment, and these factors have been analysed according to the different experiences of WEs. An investigation of ranking these factors of WEC, especially in the emerging nations, can assist policymakers in designing projects that improve the mindfulness associated with women enterprise and define the compelling methodologies. Practical implications The growth of the WEC is significantly affected by gender orientation ways of thinking as driven by entrepreneurship models. Originality/value This study gives a direction to policymakers by emphasizing on significant factors of various stages of enterprise development for the encouragement of WEs in the emerging economies.


2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anil Gupta ◽  
Nikita Dogra ◽  
Babu George

Purpose This study aims to identify factors affecting tourists’ intention of using travel apps installed in their smartphones. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was developed largely based on the available scales in the published literature. A total of 389 participants responded to the survey, out of which 343 valid responses were obtained for statistical analysis. Findings Significant predictors of smartphone app usage intention included performance expectancy, social influence, price saving, perceived risk, perceived trust and prior usage habits. Usage behavior was largely mediated by usage intention, except in the case of habits. Contrary to the expectation, factors such as hedonistic motivation, facilitating conditions or effort expectancy did not impact usage intention or behavior. Practical implications The study gives app developers vital cues on tourist expectations from the apps. Oftentimes, developers tend to focus entirely on the material utility of their apps, neglecting every other factor influencing use. One particular implication is that despite tourism being a hedonistic activity, travel app usage behavior is not a hedonistic activity. Originality/value This is one of the few studies to examine adoption of smartphone travel apps in an emerging economy context by using extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology framework with additional constructs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 668-688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulkader Kaakeh ◽  
M. Kabir Hassan ◽  
Stefan F. Van Hemmen Almazor

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of the following factors: image, awareness, Shariah compliance and individualism, on the attitude and intention of customers to use Islamic banking among Bank customers in UAE, and the mediating role of attitude in that model, using a theoretical model based on the multi-attribute attitude model, the theory of reasoned actions and the theory of planned behaviour. Design/methodology/approach The research will focus on surveying bank customers living in UAE. The researcher will use structural equation modelling to analyse the data. Findings Results show that attitude and awareness affect intention directly, while image, awareness, Shariah compliance and individualism affect attitude directly and intention indirectly mediated by attitude. Research limitations/implications The sample size includes 178 bank customers living in three cities in UAE, hence, the rest of the country is not included. Practical implications The research shows the importance of Shariah compliance, individualism and image on attitude and intention and provides suggestions for banks to benefit from these aspects to widen their customer base. Social implications The study provides an insight into individuals’ decision making and the importance of a social approach by banks when advertising. Originality/value The research is the first empirical attempt to test new factors affecting attitude towards Islamic banking in UAE.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shoaib Khan ◽  
Usman Bashir ◽  
Md. Saiful Islam

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the most important factors that affect the capital structure of commercial banks in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Design/methodology/approach This study uses annual data of 11 Saudi commercial, national banks listed on the tadawul Saudi stock exchange for the period 2010–2017. Data was collected from the banks financial statements, tadawul annual publications and Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority. By constructing a balanced panel, this study uses pooled ordinary least squares regression along with fixed effects and random effects to examine the relationship between the bank’s book leverage as the dependent variable and bank-specific explanatory variables that include profitability, tangibility, earnings volatility, growth opportunities and bank size, while controlling for macroeconomic conditions. Findings The findings of this study suggest that banks in Saudi Arabia are highly leveraged, endorsing the fact that the nature of banks’ business is different from non-banking firms. Earnings volatility, growth and bank size show positive and significant relations with book leverage. Profitability and tangibility are negatively related to the book leverage. Empirically, the explanatory variables profitability, earnings volatility, tangibility, growth and bank size have material effects on the capital structure decisions of Saudi commercial banks. In summary, the determinants of capital structure for Saudi banks are the same as those of non-financial firms but are distinctive in nature. Research limitations/implications An extensive study on all the banks operating in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is suggested. Practical implications The findings have practical implications for bank managers, which will help them to identify the bank-specific factors affecting the capital structure and choose the values enhancing optimal capital structure. The results of this study can assist regulatory agencies to formulate an effective regulatory framework. Moreover, the findings lay a foundation for the development of financial sector under the umbrella of the Vision 2030 program in the Kingdom. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to explore the factors affecting the capital structure choices of commercial banks operating in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Moreover, the findings of the study would prove useful in detailed studies of capital structure in the GCC countries as well.


2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 720-730 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Zolait ◽  
Nadeen Radhi ◽  
Muna Moahmmed Alhowaishi ◽  
Veera Pandiyan Kaliani Sundram ◽  
Lulwa Mohammed Aldoseri

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine whether Bahraini individuals accept e-health system and the prominent factors affecting e-health system adoption in Bahrain. Design/methodology/approach The authors adopted a quantitative and qualitative approach, i.e., a self-administered questionnaire, unstructured and a semi-structured interview, which were used to collect the data. A questionnaire was distributed to Bahraini residents selected randomly. The framework was based on the technology acceptance model (TAM) and theory of reasoned action (TRA). Important variables from both the TAM model and TRA theory were extracted and jointly used to build the research model. Findings The findings indicated that the most factors affecting e-health adoption are trust, health literacy and attitude. Additionally, people in the private and government sectors understand e-health benefits. Practical implications If healthcare professionals understand the factors affecting e-health system adoption from an individual and organisational perspective, then nurses, pharmacists and others will be more conscious about e-health and its adoption status. Originality/value E-health system adoption has become increasingly important to governments, individuals, and researchers in recent years. A novel research framework, based on TAM and TRA, was used to produce a new integrated model.


2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 215-237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Sormunen

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to provide insights into the perceptions and uses of qualified audit reports in financial statements of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). As there is a long-standing debate on the usefulness of auditor’s going-concern reports, this study aims to provide insights into the factors that affect how banks perceive and use going-concern reports. Design/methodology/approach – Semi-structured interviews with bank officers were conducted. Findings – The study findings demonstrated that bank officers considered that the going-concern report provided information, although they did not regard the information as being particularly useful. The main factors affecting the usefulness of information are use of other information sources and bank officers’ perceptions of auditing. Other factors are also presented and discussed in the current research paper. Practical implications – Regulators have taken the action to improve the auditor’s reporting model, and the findings provided by this study are important because they provide a deeper understanding of the perceptions and uses of audit reports from smaller companies. The study also contributes knowledge about the role of audit reports in the context of SMEs finance. Originality/value – This is one of the first studies to use a qualitative approach to examine factors that affect the use of going-concern reports.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ari Margiono

Purpose This paper aims to identify the paths of digital transformation followed by companies facing disruption and offer recommendations for executives for choosing the appropriate path. Design/methodology/approach This is a conceptual paper. Findings This paper identifies two paths of digital transformation. The offensive path is aggressive and involves the rapid acquisition of digital resources through portfolio investment and merger and acquisition tactics. The defensive path is relatively slow and relies on the organic growth of the digital capabilities of the incumbent companies over time. Research limitations/implications This paper identifies a number of potential factors affecting the choice of the transformation path taken by companies. Further studies can be conducted to investigate these contingent factors. Practical implications This study describes the strategic paths available in a digital transformation and identifies the conditions that might justify a particular approach. Originality/value This paper identifies two types of paths that are generally followed by companies aiming digital transformation – offensive and defensive. This aspect has not been studied in any other research work.


2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 252-268 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernest Kissi ◽  
Theophilus Adjei-Kumi ◽  
Edward Badu ◽  
Emmanuel Bannor Boateng

Purpose Tender price remains an imperative parameter for clients in deciding whether to invest in a construction project, and it serves as a basis for tender price index (TPI) manipulations. This paper aims to examine the factors affecting tender price in the construction industry. Design/methodology/approach Based on the literature review, nine independent constructs and one dependent construct relating to tender pricing were identified. A structured questionnaire survey was conducted among quantity surveyors in Ghana. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) examined the influences of various constructs on tender price development (TPD) and the relationships among TPD and TPI. Findings Results showed that cultural attributes, client attributes, contractor attributes; contract procedures and procurement methods; consultant and design team; external factors and market conditions; project attributes; sustainable and technological attributes; and TPI have a positive influence on tender price, whereas fraudulent attributes exert a negative influence. Practical implications The findings offer construction professionals broader understanding of factors that affect tender pricing. The results may be used in professional decision-making in the pricing of construction projects, as they offer clearer causal relations between how each construct will influence pricing. Originality/value This study adds to the body of construction pricing knowledge by establishing the relationships and degree of influences of various factors on tender price. These findings provide a valuable reference for practitioners.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas Wise ◽  
Jelena Đurkin Badurina ◽  
Marko Perić

PurposeMore research is needed to consider residents’ perceptions prior to hosting large-scale events. This paper contributes new insight on residents’ perceptions of placemaking analysed by considering awareness, enthusiasm and participation prior to hosting a large-scale event. Placemaking is becoming increasingly important and this insight can help planners understand how locals perceive change and event planning preparations.Design/methodology/approach454 residents of Rijeka, Croatia completed a survey (seven-point Likert scale) of 17 placemaking principles, asked in three ways: (1) how you feel; (2) how you believe people near you feel and (3) if you feel that planning/preparing for ECoC 2020 has made a difference. The data analysis considers socio-demographics and the significance of awareness, enthusiasm and participation as factors affecting residents’ perceptions of placemaking.FindingsThe study found respondents originally from Rijeka expressed statistically significant higher level of agreement. Where statistically significant differences exist, female respondents expressed statistically significant higher levels of agreement. For six statements, the distribution of results was not similar for all age groups. Awareness and enthusiasm seems to influence placemaking principles to a greater extent than participation in this study, but all have proven to have statistically significant positive impacts on the placemaking principles assessed.Practical implicationsPlanners need to focus on effective promotional activities aimed at awareness and enhance enthusiasm to help increase perceptions of placemaking and increase local quality of life.Originality/valueexplores perceptions of “self” and “how others feel” by assessing principles of placemaking associated with the case of Rijeka. This allows researchers to explore understandings of how people perceive the attitudes of their fellow residents.


2016 ◽  
Vol 36 (12) ◽  
pp. 1696-1718 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bart L. MacCarthy ◽  
Constantin Blome ◽  
Jan Olhager ◽  
Jagjit Singh Srai ◽  
Xiande Zhao

Purpose Supply chains evolve and change in size, shape and configuration, and in how they are coordinated, controlled and managed. Some supply chains are mature and relatively unchanging. Some are subject to significant change. New supply chains may emerge and evolve for a variety of reasons. The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature of supply chain evolution and address the question “What makes a supply chain like it is?” Design/methodology/approach The paper analyses and develops key aspects, concepts and principal themes concerning the emergence and evolution of supply chains over their lifecycle. Findings The paper defines the supply chain lifecycle and identifies six factors that interact and may affect a supply chain over its lifecycle – technology and innovation, economics, markets and competition, policy and regulation, procurement and sourcing, supply chain strategies and re-engineering. A number of emergent themes and propositions on factors affecting a supply chain’s characteristics over its lifecycle are presented. The paper argues that a new science is needed to investigate and understand the supply chain lifecycle. Practical implications Supply chains are critical for the world economy and essential for modern life. Understanding the supply chain lifecycle and how supply chains evolve provides new perspectives for contemporary supply chain design and management. Originality/value The paper presents detailed analysis, critique and reflections from leading researchers on emerging, evolving and mature supply chains.


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