MingDao University

About: MingDao University is a education organization based out in Bitou, Taiwan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Thin film & Coating. The organization has 557 authors who have published 903 publications receiving 17915 citations.

The influence of impulse buying toward consumer loyalty in online shopping: a regulatory focus theory perspective

Abstract: In this advanced information generation, more and more people are buying products on the Internet. Therefore, all kinds of different stimuli are likely to cause impulsive buying. However, existing researches regarding online impulse buying are mainly from the psychological state of the environment, which lacks research linking to customers’ personality characteristics. Furthermore, the sustainable growth of online shopping is largely attributed to consumers’ loyalty, and understanding consumer behavior is one of the keys to maintaining consumers’ loyalty. The regulatory focus theory is primarily a psychological theory that has been used to explain several aspects of psychology, such as persuasions and motivations. Based on the regulatory focus theory, this study proposes two personality characteristics: promotion focus and prevention focus, which affect consumer’s impulse buying, cognitive dissonance, and satisfaction, and finally, lead to consumer loyalty (attitudinal loyalty and behavioural loyalty). Data from 505 customers who bought clothes on the internet are collected to test the concept model, and the results indicate that customer satisfaction is the most important factor to affect attitudinal loyalty and behavioural loyalty, followed by the promotion focus. In addition, promotion focus is found to have the largest impact on customers’ satisfaction, followed by cognitive dissonance. Hence, it is very important for Internet retailers to develop and implement a proper product strategy to attract promotion-focused customers to increase impulsive buying and enhance customer satisfaction. Finally, apparel proprietors on the internet must reduce the customers’ cognitive dissonance in order to raise customer satisfaction, and then, promote customer loyalty.

Mechanical and corrosion properties of (Ti,Si)N coating synthesized by cathodic arc plasma evaporation

Abstract: Ti–Si–N coating is an alternative candidate to replace the conventional TiN coating especially for high temperature oxidation-resistance applications. Different (Ti,Si)N coatings were deposited on tungsten carbide (WC-Co) substrates by cathodic arc plasma deposition (CAPD) from TiSi alloy targets in a reactive nitrogen atmosphere varied between 0.13 Pa and 4.0 Pa. The nitrogen partial pressure has important effects on the deposition growth and microstructure of coatings. All our coatings presented hardness higher than conventional TiN coatings. It has been found that the microstructure, mechanical, and corrosion properties of the films were correlated to Si concentration in the coatings. The influences of increasing nitrogen partial pressure on the microstructure, mechanical and corrosion properties of the films lead to increasing Si concentration and decreasing grain size in the films. As the nitrogen partial pressure increased, the results showed that the hardness of the films ranged from 24–39 GPa, which were higher than that of TiN (21 GPa). The corrosion resistance of coatings tested in 1 N H2SO4 solution was confirmed that (Ti,Si)N coatings was better than TiN coating since the effect of Si add in TiN and more dense nano-crystalline structure formed. The results turned out that better mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of (Ti,Si)N coatings can be obtained in this study.

Effect of Biosolids and Cd/Pb Interaction on the Growth and Cd Accumulation of Brassica rapa Grown in Cd-Contaminated Soils

Abstract: Mixed metals in the cropped lands in central Taiwan contaminated about 230 ha. According to the Soil and Groundwater Protection Remediation Act (SGWR Act) of Taiwan, these lands were restored. However, some grains of paddy rice grown in these remediated soils still contained more than 0.5 mg Cd kg−1, which the Department of Health of Taiwan notified as the maximum allowable Cd content in rice. The suitability of planting edible crops in these soils is now in doubt. Brassica rapa is the crop most often sold in Taiwan's market and is planted in the interval between the first and second stages of planting of paddy rice, especially in central Taiwan where this experiment was conducted. A pot experiment was conducted using soils contaminated artificially with Cd or both Cd and Pb. The soil was then amended with 5% of biosolid and followed by planting of B. rapa. The objectives were to study the effect of biosolid amendment on the soil and the interaction between Cd and Pb on the growth of and Cd accumulation in B. rapa. Experimental result showed that the biomass and the accumulation of Cd by B. rapa were significantly increased in the biosolid-amended soils compared with the control. Lead has a synergistic effect on enhancing the accumulation of Cd by B. rapa grown in artificially Cd-contaminated soils.

Hydrocarbon degrading potential of bacteria isolated from oil-contaminated soil

Abstract: Three diesel-degrading bacterial strains, Alcaligenes piechaudii CC-ESB2, Gordonia hirsuta CC-GH1 and Rhodococcus ruber CC-RR1, isolated from an oil contaminated site were tested for their hydrocarbon degrading potential. Various traits include oxygen requirement, salinity tolerance, floating activity, cell surface hydrophobicity, emulsification activity, surface tension reduction and hydrocarbon utilization were tested for the exploration of oil degrading candidates. These parameters were assessed in this study which served as indicators for the bioremediation of contaminated soils, groundwater and marine environments.