Chinese Multinational Enterprises in Europe and Africa: How do They Perceive Political Risk?

The concept of political risk has been defined from the perspective of developed-country multinational enterprises (MNEs) and has mainly focused on the political and regulatory perils in developing host countries. However, we have limited understanding of how emerging market firms perceive political risk in international marketplaces. Adopting a case study method, we examine how Chinese MNEs perceive political risk when operating in developed and developing host countries, specifically, the European Union (EU) and Africa. Our findings show that Chinese MNEs regard their home-country origin and industry-specific restrictions as major political risks in the EU. By contrast, they consider the volatile political environment in some African countries as the main source of political risk. In addition to the sharp contrast in the political and regulatory environment between the EU and African states, Chinese MNEs commonly encounter political risks in both markets due to their own behaviour.     

Development of ethanolamine‐based ionic liquid membranes for efficient CO2/CH4 separation

This study is focused on the development of ionic liquids (ILs) based polymeric membranes for the separation of carbon dioxide (CO₂) from methane (CH₄). The advantage of ILs in selective CO₂ absorption is that it enhances the CO₂ selective separation for the ionic liquid membranes (ILMs). ILMs are developed and characterized with two different ILs using the solution‐casting method. Three different blend compositions of ILs and polysulfone (PSF) are selected for each ILMs 10, 20, and 30 wt %. Effect of the different types of ILs such as triethanolamine formate (TEAF) and triethanolamine acetate (TEAA) are investigated on PSF‐based ILMs. Field emission scanning electron microscopy analysis of the membranes showed reasonable homogeneity between the ILs and PSF. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that by increasing the ILs loading thermal stability of the membranes improved. Mechanical analysis on developed membranes showed that ILs phase reduced the amount of plastic flow of the PSF phase and therefore, fracture takes place at gradually lower strains with increasing ILs content. Gas permeation evaluation was carried out on the developed membranes for CO₂/CH₄ separation between 2 bar to 10 bar feed pressure. Results showed that CO₂ permeance increases with the addition of ILs 10–30 wt % in ILMs. With 20–30 wt % TEAF‐ILMs and TEAA‐ILMs, the highest selectivity of a CO₂/CH₄ 53.96 ± 0.3, 37.64 ± 0.2 and CO₂ permeance 69.5 ± 0.6, 55.21 ± 0.3 is observed for treated membrane at 2–10 bar. The selectivity using mixed gas test at various CO₂/CH₄ compositions shows consistent results with the ideal gas selectivity. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 45395.     

Learning through international acquisitions: The process of knowledge acquisition in China

Abstract and Key Results

Compact tunable microwave filter using retroreflective acousto-optic filtering and delay controls

Programmable broadband rf filters are demonstrated using a compact retroreflective optical design with an acousto-optic tunable filter and a chirped fiber Bragg grating. This design enables fast 34 micros domain analog-mode control of rf filter time delays and weights. Two proof-of-concept filters are demonstrated including a two-tap notch filter with >35 dB notch depth and a four-tap bandpass filter. Both filters have 2-8 GHz tunability and a 34 micros reset time.     

The Economies and Diseconomies of Industrial Clustering: Multinational Enterprises versus Uninational Enterprises

This study’s objective is to compare cluster economies and diseconomies for multinational enterprises (MNEs) and uninational enterprises (UNEs) within the London financial services cluster. In contrast to the implicit assumption of the cluster participation literature that the economies and diseconomies of clusters are valued similarly by all firms, we find that economies relating to social capital and labour market pooling are equally important to MNEs and UNEs, economies relating to local competition and diseconomies relating to congestion costs are more important to MNEs than to UNEs, and economies relating to the reputational effects of locating in a world-leading cluster and access to specialised suppliers are more important to UNEs than to MNEs. That MNEs and UNEs do not experience cluster economies and diseconomies in the same way indicates that both cluster participation theory and international business theory need augmentation to recognise that cluster incumbents benefit and suffer from cluster membership differently.     

The study of optical properties of In2O3 and of mixed oxides In2O3−MoO3 system deposited by coevaporation

A discussion of the optical properties of two systems of dielectric films i.e. In₂O₃ and of mixed oxides In₂O₃−MoO₃ system is presented. Film thickness, substrate temperature, annealing and composition (in molar%) have a profound effect on the structure and optical properties of these films. The decrease in optical band gap with the increase in film thickness of In₂O₃ is interpreted in terms of incorporation of oxygen vacancies in the In₂O₃ lattice. The decrease in optical band gap with the increase in substrate temperature and annealing of In₂O₃ thin films is ascribed to the release of trapped electrons by thermal energy or by the outward diffusion of the oxygen-ion vacancies, which are quite mobile even at low temperature. For the mixed oxides In₂O₃−MoO₃ system the results are found to be compatible with the reduction in the value of optical band gap of these materials as the molar fraction of MoO₃ increases in the In₂O₃ thin films and is attributed to the incorporation of Mo(VI) ions in an In₂O₃lattice that causes the indium orbital to become a little less tightly bound. The decrease in optical band gap of mixed oxides In₂O₃−MoO₃ system, with increasing film thickness is interpreted in terms of incorporation of oxygen vacancies in both In₂O₃ and MoO₃ lattice which are also believed to be the source of conduction electrons in In₂O₃–MoO₃ complex. The decrease in optical band gap with increasing substrate temperature and annealing of mixed oxides In₂O₃−MoO₃ system is due to the increasing concentration of oxygen vacancies, formation of indium and molybdenum species of lower oxidation state and indium interstitials. The blue colouration of mixed oxides In₂O₃–MoO₃ samples is due to the inter-electron transfer from oxygen 2p to molybdenum 4d level due to which Mo species of lower oxidation states are formed.     

Silicon Carbide-Based Remote Wireless Optical Pressure Sensor

Proposed is a silicon carbide (SiC) weak-lensing-effect-based wireless optical sensor that allows safe, repeatable, and accurate pressure measurement suitable for harsh environments. This completely passive front-end sensor design uses a remoted free-space optical beam that targets a single crystal SiC chip fitted as an optical window within a pressure capsule. With increasing differential capsule pressure, the SiC chip forms a weak convex mirror with a changing focal length. By monitoring the chip reflected light beam magnification, pressure in the capsule is determined. Using a 633-nm wavelength laser beam, the proposed sensor is experimentally tested at room temperature for 0- to 600-psi (0-41atm) differential pressures and a remoting distance of 2.5 m     

Hot corrosion behavior of double ceramic layered CaZrO3/Yttria‐stabilized zirconia coatings

A novel double ceramic layered (DCL) CaZrO₃/Yttria‐stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) was designed for improved service life against sulfate vanadate hot corrosion as compared with that of YSZ single layered coating. The hot corrosion behavior of DCL CaZrO₃/YSZ coatings was studied at 950°C after dry spreading 50%Na₂SO₄+50%V₂O₅ mixture onto a coated surface. The CaZrO₃ as the topmost layer in DCL CaZrO₃/YSZ coatings, served as a sacrificial layer during sulfate vanadate hot corrosion protecting the underneath YSZ coating. The corrosion reactions in this case were sluggish due to the initial formation of low melting point meta‐calcium vanadate (CaV₂O₆) that isothermally transformed to higher melting point calcium vanadates having higher calcia (CaO) content. The corrosion reaction products sealed the top surface, impeding the oxygen movement and eventually retarded the thermally grown oxide (TGO) growth. The sulfate vanadate hot corrosion life of the DCL CaZrO₃/YSZ coatings was observed to be more than double as compared with single ceramic layered YSZ coatings.     

Radon exhalation rate from the soil, sand and brick samples collected from NWFP and FATA, Pakistan

In order to characterise the building materials as an indoor radon source, knowledge of the radon exhalation rate from these materials is very important. In this regard, soil, sand and brick samples were collected from different places of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Pakistan. The samples were processed and placed in plastic containers. NRPB radon dosemeters were installed in it at heights of 25 cm above the surface of the samples and containers were then hermetically sealed. After 40-80 d of exposure to radon, CR-39 detectors were removed from the dosemeter holders and etched in 25% NaOH at 80 degrees C for 16 h. From the measured radon concentration values, (222)Rn exhalation rates were determined. Exhalation rate form soil, sand and brick samples was found to vary from 114 +/- 11 to 416 +/- 9 mBq m(-2) h(-1), 205 +/- 16 to 291 +/- 13 mBq m(-2) h(-1) and 245 +/- 12 to 365 +/- 11 mBq m(-2) h(-1), respectively.