Analyzing the Key Drivers of Contractors’ Temporary Competitive Advantage in the Competition of International High-Speed Rail Projects

Qianwen Zhou,Xiaopeng Deng,Ruoyu Jin,Tengyuan Chang 대한토목학회 2019 KSCE JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Vol.23 No.11

After temporary competitive advantage (TCA) being proposed, this concept has received a lot of attention from academia and industry. For international high-speed rail (HSR) contractors, how to form their TCA and win out over the competition for new projects is crucial, while only a few studies focus on this issue. This research aims to develop a TCA system that reflects the characteristics of HSR contractors in the corporation and project levels. At first, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to explore and examine the key drivers and their relationships with contractors’ TCA. The results revealed that experience-mining advantage was the most critical factor of the six common factors. Next, common factors were divided into three dimensions and discussed in-depth, including resource-based TCA (i.e., technical resource and social image) which had the highest significance, followed by performance-based TCA (experience-mining advantage and risk-controlling performance), and action-based TCA (i.e., funding strategy and organizational management). Finally, two case study projects were selected to investigate the competitive situation between CRH (China Railway High-speed) and Shinkansen (Japan) in the international HSR market. This study not only provides suggestions for contractors to improve their TCA in international HSR projects, but also contributes to the theoretical framework for the TCA theory.

Developing the Framework of Tacit Knowledge Externalization in International Construction Projects

Qianwen Zhou,Xiaopeng Deng,Bon-Gang Hwang,Xianbo Zhao,Na Zhang 대한토목학회 2022 KSCE JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Vol.26 No.9

Although tacit knowledge management has gained increasing attention in international construction projects, little effort has been devoted to the externalization of tacit knowledge for project managers and members. This research aims to explore various factors that affect the process of tacit knowledge externalization (TKE) in international construction projects and analyze the influencing mechanism and degree of these factors on the externalization effect. Based on the comprehensive literature review and in-depth investigations, a theoretical model and ten hypotheses were established. Then, data collected from 302 respondents were used to test the model and hypotheses. The results indicated that the differences among project members (i.e., culture distance and knowledge distance) reduce members’ willingness to convert tacit knowledge, which negatively impacts the externalization effect. Furthermore, organizational management (i.e., organizational climate and incentive mechanism) plays an active role in increasing members’ externalization willingness. Incentive mechanism and information technology are beneficial to increasing the coding level of knowledge, which positively impacts the externalization effect. Moreover, a strong willingness to convert tacit knowledge helps enhance the coding level of knowledge, thereby improving the effect of TKE. This study advances previous research by developing a framework for TKE in international construction projects, thereby offering recommendations for project managers and members to promote the externalization process.

Fabrication of novel compound SERS substrates composed of silver nanoparticles and porous gold nanoclusters: A study on enrichment detection of urea

Li, Yali,Li, Qianwen,Sun, Chengbin,Jin, Sila,Park, Yeonju,Zhou, Tieli,Wang, Xu,Zhao, Bing,Ruan, Weidong,Jung, Young Mee Elsevier 2018 APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE - Vol.427 No.2

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>A new type of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate was fabricated through the layer-by-layer self-assembly of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs, av. 45nm in diameter) and porous gold nanoclusters/nanoparticles (AuNPs, av. 143nm in diameter). The development of the porosity of the AuNPs was investigated, and successful SERS applications of the porous AuNPs were also examined. As compared with AgNP films, the enhancement factor of Ag-Au compound substrates is increased 6 times at the concentration of 10<SUP>−6</SUP> M. This additional enhancement contributes to the trace-amount-detection of target molecules enormously. The contribution is generated through the increase of the usable surface area arising from the nanoscale pores distributed three-dimensionally in the porous AuNPs, which enrich the adsorption sites and hot spots for the adsorption of probe molecules, making the developed nanofilms highly sensitive SERS substrates. The substrates were used for the detection of a physiological metabolite of urea molecules. The results reached to a very low concentration of 1mM and exhibited good quantitative character over the physiological concentration range (1∼20mM) under mimicking biophysical conditions. These results show that the prepared substrate has great potential in the ultrasensitive SERS-based detection and in SERS-based biosensors.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> A new type of SERS substrate, consisting of silver nanoparticles and porous gold nanoparticles was fabricated. </LI> <LI> An additional enhancement contribution generated from the porous characteristic of gold nanoparticles. </LI> <LI> The substrates were used for the detection of a physiological metabolite of urea molecules. </LI> <LI> The results exhibited good quantitative character over all the physiological concentration range (1∼20 mM). </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>

A reagent-assisted method in SERS detection of methyl salicylate

Li, Yali,Li, Qianwen,Wang, Yanan,Oh, Joohee,Jin, Sila,Park, Yeonju,Zhou, Tieli,Zhao, Bing,Ruan, Weidong,Jung, Young Mee Elsevier 2018 Spectrochimica acta. Part A, Molecular and biomole Vol.195 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>With the explosive application of methyl salicylate (MS) molecules in food and cosmetics, the further detection of MS molecules becomes particularly important. Here we investigated the detection of MS molecules based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) in a novel molecule/assistant/metal system constructed with MS, 4,4′-(hexafluoroisopropylidene) bis (benzoic acid) and Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs). The minimum detection concentration is 10<SUP>−4</SUP> M. To explore the function of assisted reagent, we also referred another system without assistant molecules. The result demonstrates that SERS signals were not acquired, which proves that the assistant molecules are critical for the capture of MS molecules. Two possible mechanisms of MS/assistant/AgNPs system were speculated through two patterns of hydrogen bonds. The linker molecules acted as the role of the bridge between metallic substrates and target molecules through the molecular recognition. This strategy is very beneficial to the expanding of MS detection techniques and other hydrogen bond based coupling detections with SERS.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> A novel molecule/assistant/metal system was constructed to achieve the SERS detection of methyl salicylate. </LI> <LI> The intermolecular hydrogen bond was employed as the driving force to accomplish the assembly. </LI> <LI> The obstacle of non-adsorption of target molecules on substrates was solved through the hydrogen-bond-based assembly method. </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical Abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>

Interpretation of high resolution aeromagnetic data for structures study and exploration of polymetallic deposits in Kalatage area, eastern Tianshan (NW China)

Shaole An,Kefa Zhou,Jinlin Wang,Nannan Zhang,Shibin Liao,Qianwen Feng,Zhixin Zhang 한국지질과학협의회 2020 Geosciences Journal Vol.24 No.3

A high resolution aeromagnetic survey of Kalatage area was carried out, aimed at providing detailed geological structures information and guiding for further mineral prospecting. The recently acquired data was processed and interpreted to better understand the mode of occurrence of the Cu-Au polymetallic deposits and associated structural features. Several analysis techniques, such as reduction to the pole, spectral analysis, low-pass filtering, were applied to process the aeromagnetic data to understand the distribution of magnetic sources. The depth of magnetic sources was estimated by spectral analysis, and the shallower and deeper sources anomalies were analyzed. The Euler deconvolution, total horizontal derivative, tilt angle derivative and thetamap were used to study lineament structures. The new structural scheme was established by comparison of above derivative results and geological data of the Kalatage area. The results show that the study area is affected by sets of NWW-SEE/NW-SE, NNE-SSW/NE-SW and nearly E-W directions faults structures; various probable magmatic rocks may be the results of the ascent and intrusion of magma along these regional fractures in the process of large-scale and deep tectonic-magmatic activities. The polymetallic ore deposits are mainly distributed within the eastern portion of the study area and are confined probably along structure lineament suggesting that it is structurally controlled. Furthermore, the favorable area for mineralization was proposed. These analyses help the recognition of structure features of differing magnetizations, interpretation of tectonic evolution, which could have important reference for further mineral prospecting.

Quantitative Detection of Corroded Reinforced Concrete of Different Sizes Based on SMFL

Mao Yang,Jianting Zhou,Qingyuan Zhao,Qianwen Xia,Hong Zhang,Lifeng Wang 대한토목학회 2022 KSCE JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Vol.26 No.1

In order to solve the problem of quantitative detection of corroded reinforced concrete of different sizes, the quantitative detection experiment based on spontaneous magnetic flux leakage (SMFL) was carried out in batches. Electrochemical corrosion of 27 reinforced concrete specimens was carried out, and the SMFL signals of reinforcement were obtained by magnetic detection equipment. Four-dimensional magnetic indicators M1-M4 that can characterize the corrosion degree of the specimens were defined. The influence of different sizes on the magnetic indicators were analyzed. It is concluded that the thicknesses of the concrete covers affect the magnetic indicators by affecting the lift-off heights z. The influence of diameter of the rebars on the quantitative detection can be eliminated by describing the corrosion degree with the average cross-section loss rate α. The influence of length of the rebars on quantitative detection is not clear yet. Finally, Support Vector Machine (SVM) was introduced to establish a classification model of corrosion classes and magnetic indicators. Using the model to predict the corrosion classes of the specimens can achieve a high classification accuracy. The research provides a new method for the quantitative detection of steel corrosion.