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The purpose of the study is to investigate the financing channels and carbon emission abatement preferences of supply chain members, and further examine the optimal contract design of the retailer.

This paper develops a low-carbon supply chain composed of one retailer and one manufacturer, in which the retailer provides trade credit to the manufacturer. Considering the cap-and-trade regulation, the manufacturer with uncertain yield makes decision on whether to invest in emission abatement. There are bank loan and trade credit to finance production for the manufacturer and green credit to finance emission abatement investment. Meanwhile, the retailer may provide the manufacturer with three kinds of contracts to improve emission abatement efficiency, namely, revenue sharing, cost sharing or both sharing.

The results show that the retailer prefers to offer financing service at lower interest rate, but trade (and green) credit financing is always optimal for manufacturer and supply chain. The investment in emission abatement is value-added to all players. The sharing contracts offered by the retailer at lower sharing ratios can realize Pareto improvement of the system regardless of the financing scheme. However, comparing with the revenue or cost sharing contract, the existence of optimal sharing ratios makes the both sharing contract more favorable to the retailer.

The findings provide guidance for the emission-dependent manufacturer in financing and emission abatement decisions, as well as recommendations for the retailer to offer loan service and sharing contract.

This paper integrates green credit into bank loan or trade credit to analyze the financing decision of the manufacturer with uncertain yield and further considers the influence of three kinds of sharing contracts introduced by the retailer on improving operational performance.

Members in a supply chain account for corporate social responsibility (CSR) in different ways. This paper considers a socially responsible supply chain in which the manufacturer innovates in a sustainable product while the retailer exhibits CSR concerns. This paper aims to investigate how socially responsible behavior, namely, sustainable innovations or CSR concerns, affects the pure profit, environmental impact and social welfare, in such a socially responsible supply chain.

This paper first constructs an integrated case as a benchmark and then develops a Manufacturer-Stackelberg game in a decentralized scenario. The pure profit, environmental impact and social welfare are confirmed and analyzed in centralized and decentralized cases. Moreover, two unique coordinating contracts, i.e. wholesale price discount contract and revenue-sharing contract, are used in this socially responsible supply chain.

Analytical analysis shows that, under certain conditions, the optimal CSR strategies hold for maximizing pure channel profit, minimizing environmental impact and maximizing social welfare. Whether the performance in a centralized case outnumbers that in a decentralized case depends on the CSR concerns level and environment-friendly degree of the product. In addition, it is found that a wholesale price discount contract is better for the retailer whereas a revenue-sharing contract is better for the manufacturer in pure profit to improve coordinating efficiency.

These results can offer managerial implications to the socially responsible supply chain in terms of pricing decisions, CSR strategies and sustainability innovations. Specifically, under certain conditions, placing more CSR concerns level increases pure channel profit and the social welfare. A balance between the pure profit and the social welfare is hereby achieved for the two socially responsible individuals by designing a proper contract.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is among the first studies so far to combine the CSR concerns strategy and sustainability innovation into a socially responsible supply chain.

Despite better accessibility and flexibility, peer-to-peer (P2P) lending has suffered from excessive credit risks, which may cause significant losses to the lenders and even lead to the collapse of P2P platforms. The purpose of this research is to construct a hybrid predictive framework that integrates classification, feature selection, and data balance algorithms to cope with the high-dimensional and imbalanced nature of P2P credit data.

An improved synthetic minority over-sampling technique (IMSMOTE) is developed to incorporate the randomness and probability into the traditional synthetic minority over-sampling technique (SMOTE) to enhance the quality of synthetic samples and the controllability of synthetic processes. IMSMOTE is then implemented along with the grey relational clustering (GRC) and the support vector machine (SVM) to facilitate a comprehensive assessment of the P2P credit risks. To enhance the associativity and functionality of the algorithm, a dynamic selection approach is integrated with GRC and then fed in the SVM's process of parameter adaptive adjustment to select the optimal critical value. A quantitative model is constructed to recognize key criteria via multidimensional representativeness.

A series of experiments based on real-world P2P data from Prosper Funding LLC demonstrates that our proposed model outperforms other existing approaches. It is also confirmed that the grey-based GRC approach with dynamic selection succeeds in reducing data dimensions, selecting a critical value, identifying key criteria, and IMSMOTE can efficiently handle the imbalanced data.

The grey-based machine-learning framework proposed in this work can be practically implemented by P2P platforms in predicting the borrowers' credit risks. The dynamic selection approach makes the first attempt in the literature to select a critical value and indicate key criteria in a dynamic, visual and quantitative manner.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a complete theory of grey conflict analysis model based on grey game and the graph model for conflict resolution and also, to illustrate a case of “prisoner's dilemma” in the traditional grey game as an example.

Based on the theories of grey game and graph model for conflict resolution, this paper concentrates on the model of grey conflict analysis in a case of two players under the condition of symmetrical loss information. By analyzing decision makers, strategies, states, graph model and grey potential, and the number of decision makers' steps, the pure strategy Nash equilibrium is extended to grey potential‐general metarationality, grey potential‐symmetrical metarationality, and grey potential‐sequential stability. Meanwhile, the logical relationships between solutions are discussed. A specific case study is carried out to illustrate how the proposed grey conflict analysis model is used in practice.

The results in this paper indicate that more stable solutions are found when one considers the grey potential‐general metarationality, the grey potential‐symmetrical metarationality, and the grey potential‐sequential stability, and then solve the paradox of “prisoner's dilemma”.

This new grey conflict analysis model could be used to provide useful information for policy makers during existing conflicts or negotiations among parties or enterprises.

The paper succeeds in constructing a new grey conflict analysis model, in which the solution concepts are studied; and the two‐player grey game will be extended to n‐players in the near future.

The purpose of this paper is to summarize the progress in grey system research during 2000-2015, so as to present some important new concepts, models, methods and a new framework of grey system theory.

The new thinking, new models and new methods of grey system theory and their applications are presented in this paper. It includes algorithm rules of grey numbers based on the “kernel” and the degree of greyness of grey numbers, the concept of general grey numbers, the synthesis axiom of degree of greyness of grey numbers and their operations; the general form of buffer operators of grey sequence operators; the four basic models of grey model GM(1,1), such as even GM, original difference GM, even difference GM, discrete GM and the suitable sequence type of each basic model, and suitable range of most used grey forecasting models; the similarity degree of grey incidences, the closeness degree of grey incidences and the three-dimensional absolute degree of grey incidence of grey incidence analysis models; the grey cluster model based on center-point and end-point mixed triangular whitenization functions; the multi-attribute intelligent grey target decision model, the two stages decision model with grey synthetic measure of grey decision models; grey game models, grey input-output models of grey combined models; and the problems of robust stability for grey stochastic time-delay systems of neutral type, distributed-delay type and neutral distributed-delay type of grey control, etc. And the new framework of grey system theory is given as well.

The problems which remain for further studying are discussed at the end of each section. The reader could know the general picture of research and developing trend of grey system theory from this paper.

A lot of successful practical applications of the new models to solve various problems have been found in many different areas of natural science, social science and engineering, including spaceflight, civil aviation, information, metallurgy, machinery, petroleum, chemical industry, electrical power, electronics, light industries, energy resources, transportation, medicine, health, agriculture, forestry, geography, hydrology, seismology, meteorology, environment protection, architecture, behavioral science, management science, law, education, military science, etc. These practical applications have brought forward definite and noticeable social and economic benefits. It demonstrates a wide range of applicability of grey system theory, especially in the situation where the available information is incomplete and the collected data are inaccurate.

The reader is given a general picture of grey systems theory as a new model system and a new framework for studying problems where partial information is known; especially for uncertain systems with few data points and poor information. The problems remaining for further studying are identified at the end of each section.

Resilient health facilities, particularly hospitals, are critical for a responsive local health system in post-disaster settings. The purpose of this paper is to look at the experiences of two hospitals (public and private) in Tacloban City, Philippines in the aftermath of a super typhoon and their respective delivery of health services in such setting.

It described the impact of Typhoon Haiyan on health services delivery capacity and the factors instrumental in the resilience of the case hospitals. Lessons learned from the hospitals’ experiences, both at the level of the hospital staff and the institution, were also drawn. Disaster preparedness of case hospitals were assessed along several domains of resilience. Key informant interviews among stakeholders were conducted with key themes on disaster resilience extracted.

Disaster preparedness scores for case hospitals were different from each other and were reflected in their experiences of health services delivery in the aftermath of the disaster.

This study on hospital resilience of two case hospitals, in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, is exploratory in nature. The retrospective design of the study made it prone to recall bias. Further, the use of self-report measures for hospital resilience needs to be validated by more objective measures. The lack of baseline pre-disaster resilience indicators and the unpredictability of disasters could perhaps be addressed by a longitudinal study on hospital resilience in disasters in the future.

This study revealed several key findings. Some of the themes that emerged were: public health in disaster is the responsibility of both public and private hospitals; need for flexibility in disaster preparedness and planning, disaster resilience is an emergent process not a static construct, chaos results from zeal without coordination, and the need for integration of disaster preparedness in daily processes and structures of hospital facilities.

This paper aims to provide researchers and practitioners with an understanding of abusive supervision in the context of hospitality. It seeks to conduct a comprehensive review of the area and offer recommendations for future research by exploring the antecedents, consequences, mechanisms and designs of research on abusive supervision.

Content analysis was conducted to review and analyze studies on abusive supervision in the context of hospitality. Previous studies were searched in the EBSCO, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar electronic databases.

In total, 36 referred articles related to abusive supervision in hospitality were reviewed across four key areas, namely, antecedents, consequences, mechanisms and research design. After reviewing the research on abusive supervision in the context of hospitality, this paper offers future research directions with respect to research focus and research design.

This paper only included English articles from peer-reviewed journals on abusive supervision. The number of reviewed articles was relatively small. This limitation may have arisen because abusive supervision is a new research field and is still a sensitive topic.

The results of this study may encourage managers to minimize or even halt abusive supervision. From an organizational perspective, formal policies may be developed to regularize supervisors’ behavior. In turn, employees could use this paper to learn further about abusive behavior and how to handle it effectively.

The review highlighted the negative consequences of abusive supervision. Managers should urgently realize the seriousness of abusive supervision and develop effective policies to minimize its negative effect.

This paper contributes to the emerging literature on abusive supervision in the context of hospitality by identifying key research trends and framing the outlines of empirical studies. It identifies research gaps, and as the first review of abusive supervision in hospitality, it may encourage researchers to explore the topic on the basis of the characteristics of the sector and offer suggestions for future research.

The purpose of this paper is to introduce error ellipse into the bootstrap method to improve the reliability of small samples and the credibility of the S-N curve.

Based on the bootstrap method and the reliability of the original samples, two error ellipse models are proposed. The error ellipse model reasonably predicts that the discrete law of expanded virtual samples obeys two-dimensional normal distribution.

By comparing parameters obtained by the bootstrap method, improved bootstrap method (normal distribution) and error ellipse methods, it is found that the error ellipse method achieves the expansion of sampling range and shortens the confidence interval, which improves the accuracy of the estimation of parameters with small samples. Through case analysis, it is proved that the tangent error ellipse method is feasible, and the series of S-N curves is reasonable by the tangent error ellipse method.

The error ellipse methods can lay a technical foundation for life prediction of products and have a progressive significance for the quality evaluation of products.

This study aims to obtain the speed and angle during safe and comfortable standing of elderly people. With the advancement of society, it is becoming increasingly difficult for the elderly to sit-to-stand (STS) independently and comfortably in a safe and comfortable manner. Safety is essentially a prerequisite for the elderly to achieve a comfortable STS. The speed, angle and power of the STS process can all affect safe STS. From the standpoint of health-care delivery and administration, comfortable STS can be realized easily by addressing the safety issues during STS.

This paper summarizes the research progress on speed and angle during safe and comfortable standing of older people. The authors analyzed the speed and angle of the STS using the Vicon optical gait acquisition system and plantar pressure sensor to find the appropriate angle and speed thresholds.

The center of gravity movement is a prerequisite for the elderly to achieve a comfortable STS. The authors found that the standing speed during the STS process should not be higher than 103.8 mm/s so that the elderly can stand comfortably and safely (safe and dangerous speeds are 72.8 mm/s and 125.2 mm/s). The limitations of waist angle, waist angle speed and the acceleration are also obtained.

This paper analyzes and summarizes the research status of speed and angle during safe and comfortable standing of elderly people, which is essentially a prerequisite for the elderly to achieve a comfortable STS. These results can lay the foundation for the development of assistive devices and related technologies that meet the needs of older adults.

The purpose of this paper is threefold: to sketch the current policy context that frames the education of migrant children in Shanghai; to explore the work lives of school leaders in the privately owned but government-supported schools; and to understand the socio-cultural and educational factors that shape the leadership practices in these schools.

This paper drew from publicly accessible policy papers and interview data with four principals leading migrant children’s schools in Shanghai.

Migrant children’s schools have received increasing policy recognition and attention. Principals of these schools have strived to adopt various leadership strategies to enhance the quality of education as received by migrant children. However, due to the institutional barriers such as hukou, multiple challenges continue to face migrant children and leaders leading migrant schools.

This is one of the first few papers that collected data from principals leading migrant children’s schools. The paper contributes to further understandings about leadership in high-needs school context and about education quality and equity in relation to programme for international student assessment success in Shanghai.