The impact of blockchain technology on the tea supply chain and its sustainable performance

Blockchain technology (BCT) has recently attracted interest from academics and practitioners. However, little is known about the benefits and impact of BCT on the tea supply chain and its sustainable performance. To bridge this gap, this study extends the resource-based view (RBV) and network theory (NT) by integrating BCT into the tea supply chain. We develop a conceptual model of a BCT-driven tea supply chain, which we analyse using a partial least squares regression-based structural equation modelling method with data collected from 305 experts in India. The findings show that the use of BCT has a significant positive effect on the tea supply chain; in particular, transparency and reliability are shown as the sustainable performance parameters. The implementation of BCT is a progressive paradigm shift that encourages actors to change their attitudes and become more competent in the tea sector. This study is the first report on integrating BCT into supply chains, contributing to the scant literature on this subject. Furthermore, our conceptual framework could help develop a more sustainable supply chain for the global tea industry

An integrated social network marketing metric for business-to-business SMEs

Social networks have been extensively studied in business-to-consumer (B2C) studies, but their effects in a business-to-business (B2B) marketing context are under-theorized. The study develops an integrated social network marketing metric (SNMM) for B2B small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Using the framework, the study establishes a theoretical link between behavioral reasoning theory (BRT) and marketing accountability theory (MAT). Data was collected from 254 B2B SME marketers in India through a structured questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews. At first glance, the missing link between SME performance and SNMM appears to be time, knowledge, and financial resources. SMEs that embrace innovation, proactiveness, and risk-taking can benefit from social media technologies. Thus, social networking has a direct, positive effect on SME growth. The implications for B2B SMEs’ SNMM studies are also discussed. Furthermore, the rationality of B2B marketing metrics has a tremendous influence on business success. Although the study has found a positive impact of SNMM on B2B SMEs success, further research is needed

Mobile apps for SME business sustainability during COVID-19 and onwards

Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) are struggling to cope with the business uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. This study examines how SMEs in developing economies have used mobile apps to improve their business efficiency during the pandemic. We aim to recognize effective measures and actions taken by SMEs that have turned to mobile-app-based business to improve their sustainability during the crisis. The study bridges a literature gap by extending the Theory of Consumption Values and the Theory of Planned Behavior to SMEs that incorporate mobile-app-based business. Data was collected from 343 SMEs from three Industrial Development Corporations (IDCs) in India. Using the covariance-based structural equation modeling method, we investigated the efficiency of a conceptual model of mobile-app-based business for SMEs. The results revealed that consumer choice behavior, perceived behavior control, subjective behavior control and attitude towards the mobile app all influence SMEs’ decision-making and business strategy. As such, SMEs need a powerful mobile-app-based business network to succeed in the entrepreneurial business process. Using instrumental variable analysis, we discovered that increased mobile app usage significantly improves SMEs’ long-term efficiency. The analysis provides several theoretical and managerial ramifications

Influence of blockchain technology in SME internationalization: Evidence from high-tech SMEs in India

This study examines the impact of blockchain technology (BCT) on small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) internationalization. Further, it examines how Amazon as a platform reframes the global partnership environment via the BCT network that enables Indian SMEs to operate globally. Data were collected from 291 employees at 43 high-tech SMEs in India. They revealed untapped interest in how Indian SMEs will use Amazon for global operations. Several factors, such as processes to strategize, synergize, and standardize, are described as needing to be addressed before SMEs can boost integrated business efficiency, especially with regards to marketing capacity, scale, scope, and financial performance. The study represents a critical theoretical contribution to Amazon-based global operations by developing the 3S Triangle Model, which could provide a basis for future business practice. Furthermore, the study defines and addresses the evolution of BCT that Amazon has used—and continues to use—as a global operations platform. At the convergence of BCT, Amazon, and global retail activities, we propose and advance an integrated model of BCT-driven global operations among SMEs that provides a holistic view of state-of-the-art practices and exciting avenues for future study

Bifurcation Phenomena in Two-Dimensional Piecewise Smooth Discontinuous Maps

In recent years the theory of border collision bifurcations has been developed for piecewise smooth maps that are continuous across the border, and has been successfully applied to explain nonsmooth bifurcation phenomena in physical systems. However, many switching dynamical systems have been found to yield two-dimensional piecewise smooth maps that are discontinuous across the border. The theory for understanding the bifurcation phenomena in such systems is not available yet. In this paper we present the first approach to the problem of analysing and classifying the bifurcation phenomena in two-dimensional discontinuous maps, based on a piecewise linear approximation in the neighborhood of the border. We explain the bifurcations occurring in the static VAR compensator used in electrical power systems, using the theory developed in this paper. This theory may be applied similarly to other systems that yield two-dimensional discontinuous maps

Inhomogeneous vortex-state-driven enhancement of superconductivity in nanoengineered ferromagnet-superconductor heterostructures

Thin film heterostructures provide a powerful means to study the antagonism between superconductivity (SC) and ferromagnetism (FM). One interesting issue in FM-SC hybrids which defies the notion of antagonistic orders is the observation of magnetic field induced superconductivity (FIS). Here we show that in systems where the FM domains/islands produce spatial inhomogeneities of the SC order parameter, the FIS can derive significant contribution from different mobilities of the magnetic flux identified by two distinct critical states in the inhomogeneous superconductor. Our experiments on nanoengineered bilayers of ferromagnetic CoPt and superconducting NbN where CoPt/NbN islands are separated by a granular NbN, lend support to this alternative explanation of FIS in certain class of FM-SC hybrids.Comment: 5 figure

Theoretical study of isolated dangling bonds, dangling bond wires and dangling bond clusters on H:Si(100)-(2×\times1) surface

We theoretically study the electronic band structure of isolated unpaired and paired dangling bonds (DB), DB wires and DB clusters on H:Si(100)-(2$\times$1) surface using Extended H\"uckel Theory (EHT) and report their effect on the Si band gap. An isolated unpaired DB introduces a near-midgap state, whereas a paired DB leads to $\pi$ and $\pi^*$ states, similar to those introduced by an unpassivated asymmetric dimer (AD) Si(100)-(2$\times$1) surface. Such induced states have very small dispersion due to their isolation from the other states, which reside in conduction and valence band. On the other hand, the surface state induced due to an unpaired DB wire in the direction along the dimer row (referred to as $[\bar{1}10]$), has large dispersion due to the strong coupling between the adjacent DBs, being 3.84$\AA$ apart. However, in the direction perpendicular to the dimer row (referred to as [110]), due to the reduced coupling between the DBs being 7.68$\AA$ apart, the dispersion in the surface state is similar to that of an isolated unpaired DB. Apart from this, a paired DB wire in $[\bar{1}10]$ direction introduces $\pi$ and $\pi^*$ states similar to those of an AD surface and a paired DB wire in [110] direction exhibits surface states similar to those of an isolated paired DB, as expected. Besides this, we report the electronic structure of different DB clusters, which exhibit states inside the band gap that can be interpreted as superpositions of states due to unpaired and paired DBs.Comment: 7 pages, 10 figure, 1 tabl

SIHR: Statistical Inference in High-Dimensional Linear and Logistic Regression Models

We introduce the R package \CRANpkg{SIHR} for statistical inference in high-dimensional generalized linear models with continuous and binary outcomes. The package provides functionalities for constructing confidence intervals and performing hypothesis tests for low-dimensional objectives in both one-sample and two-sample regression settings. We illustrate the usage of \CRANpkg{SIHR} through numerical examples and present real data applications to demonstrate the package's performance and practicality