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Market liberalization in emerging-market economies and the entry of multinational firms spur significant changes to the industry/institutional environment faced by domestic firms. Prior studies have described how such changes tend to be disruptive to the relatively backward domestic firms, and negatively affect their performance and survival prospects. In this paper, we study how domestic supplier firms may adapt and continue to perform, as market liberalization progresses, through catch-up strategies aimed at integrating with the industry's global value chain. Drawing on internalization theory and the literatures on upgrading and catch-up processes, learning and relational networks, we hypothesize that, for continued performance, domestic supplier firms need to adapt their strategies from catching up initially through technology licensing/collaborations and joint ventures with multinational enterprises (MNEs) to also developing strong customer relationships with downstream firms (especially MNEs). Further, we propose that successful catch-up through these two strategies lays the foundation for a strategy of knowledge creation during the integration of domestic industry with the global value chain. Our analysis of data from the auto components industry in India during the period 1992-2002, that is, the decade since liberalization began in 1991, offers support for our hypotheses.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between the dimensions of supply chain flexibility and firm performance in a sample of automotive suppliers. An empirical survey of a representative sample of 126 Spanish automotive suppliers during the months of September and October 2003 was conducted. Data was gathered through a mail survey to purchasing managers by using a structured questionnaire. Spearman correlation coefficients were used to analyze the relationship between the different supply chain flexibility dimensions, between supply chain flexibility dimensions and firm performance dimensions, and between supply chain flexibility dimensions and environmental uncertainty dimensions. A multivariate analysis studied the determinants of supply chain flexibility. The research has found a positive relation between a superior performance in flexibility capabilities and firm performance, although flexibility dimensions are not equally important for firm performance. On the other hand, the results show that companies enhance more the basic flexibility capabilities than aggregate flexibility capabilities.

In this paper, micro-size spherical silver particles were prepared by using a wet-chemical reduction method. The silver particles were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and a laser particle-size analyzer. The results indicate that different types and the content of surfactants can be used to prevent the accumulation, and control the morphology and particle size distribution, of silver particles. Moreover, the morphology of silver particles was changed from polyhedral to spherical when the pH was raised from 1 to 3. Under the optimal synthesis conditions (0.1 mol/L silver nitrate, 0.06 mol/L ascorbic acid, gelatin (5% by weight of silver nitrate), pH = 1), the micro-size spherical silver particles with diameter of 5–8 μm were obtained. In addition, the resistivity of conductive silver paste that prepared with the as-synthesized spherical silver particles was discussed in detail and the average resistivity of the conductive silver paste was 3.57 × 10−5 Ω·cm after sintering at 140 °C for 30 min.

As a necessary part of all electronic devices, equipment and systems, electronic components play a vital role in the global economy. Since the corrosion of a single electronic component may directly affect the normal operation of the entire electronic system, the failure of electronic components has now become the most important cause of electrical system failure and has become a major obstacle to China’s transformation into a scientific and technological power. Therefore, it is urgent to study the corrosion failure process of electronic components and the means of effective protection. In this paper, starting from the corrosion types and influencing factors of electronic components, especially chips, we introduce the influence of humidity, temperature, salt spray, and environmental particles, as well as the device’s own surface roughness, material adhesion, semiconductor materials, metal coupling system, and lead-free solder system on corrosion performance in the environment. Subsequently, this paper summarizes how to protect electronic components during processing, and sums up the types of electronic component protections, and the specific corrosion protection process for the three commonly used types of chips, namely, the indium antimonide InSb chip, the IC chip, and the Sn–Zn solder chip, for reference. Finally, future development trends in the corrosion protection of electronic components are anticipated and summarized.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the evolution of a supply network and the causes of network change and stability. It presents the study of a supply network of Delphi Braga (Portugal), one of the largest European plants producing car-radios, navigation system and other related products, in order to understand how it changed over time. The paper contributes to the understanding of network management. Design/methodology/approach The case study was carried out on a network of five suppliers of Delphi Braga adopting a relational view of networks meaning that both parties of the relationships were studied. Data and results are based on document sources and interviews with managers both from Delphi and the studied suppliers. Findings The causes of network change and stability are both exogenous and endogenous. They are multiple and have different impacts on network structures and processes. The paper analyses several causes of network change and their impact on the studied supplier network. Research limitations/implications The research is based on a single case study. Although the studied supplier network comprises several firms, it should be pointed out that each network has its own dynamics and structures. Therefore, though the paper makes a relevant contribution for network management, the results cannot be generalized for other networks and firms. Practical implications Managers should be aware of the dynamics of their supplier networks and understand the different impacts of both their firm’s decisions as well as the environment changes. By doing this, managers can anticipate changes in the structure and dynamics of their supplier networks. Originality/value This case study contributes to our current understanding of relationship development both at the dyadic and network level by analyzing the case of a supply network in a major European plant of car-radios and navigation systems. It discusses implications and proposes further research to advance knowledge on the topic of network change.

The overseas market expansion strategy is important for achieving competitive advantage and sustainable growth of global electronic component companies. Although the global electronic component market has grown rapidly recently, research focusing on the innovation strategy of global electronic component companies’ expansion into overseas markets is scarce. This paper defines the key factors that influence the success of a global electronic component company’s overseas market expansion strategy based on the Technology, Organization, and Environment (TOE) framework and quantitatively identifies the relative importance of factors at the technology, organization, and environmental levels through Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) analysis. As a case study, we analyze Samsung Electro-Mechanics, which has grown as a global electronic components company through an overseas market expansion strategy in recent decades. As a result of the analysis, among the three top factors defined as key factors, the technology factor was evaluated as the most important factor, and among the subfactors of the technology factor, “R&D Availability”, and “Production Availability” were analyzed as the most important influencing factors. These analysis results suggest that global electronic component companies can achieve successful results when they pursue overseas market expansion strategies by prioritizing technology development and focusing on growth strategies suited to the market environment. This study is meaningful as an academic study focusing on the overseas market expansion strategies of global electronic component companies and makes a practical contribution by providing management implications that can be taken by electronic component companies seeking to expand overseas markets.

The paper reveals the influence of Li, B and the composition of metal contacts on the processes of resistive switching in memristive structures M/NC/D/M. After field exposure in structures Cu/(Co.sub.50Fe.sub.50).sub.x(LiNbO.sub.3).sub.100-x/s-LiNbO.sub.3/Cu/sitall, Cu/(Co.sub.50Fe.sub.50).sub.x(LiNbO.sub.3).sub.100-x/d-LiNbO.sub.3/Cu/sitall and Cu/(Co.sub.40Fe.sub.40B.sub.20).sub.x(SiO.sub.2).sub.100-x/d LiNbO.sub.3/Cu/sitall at x < 13 was detected a residual voltage (up to 16 mV) due to the electromigration of Li ions, that leading to a \"reversible\" type of VAC hysteresis and instability of the time dependencies of induced resistive states. In the structures of Cu/(Co.sub.40Fe.sub.40B.sub.20).sub.x(LiNbO.sub.3).sub.100-x/s-LiNbO.sub.3/Cu/sitall, Cr/Cu/Cr/(Co.sub.40Fe.sub.40B.sub.20).sub.x(LiNbO.sub.3).sub.100-x/s-LiNbO.sub.3/Cr/Cu/Cr/sitall containing B, the residual voltage is reduced by formation of chemical compounds B with percolated Li atoms. When limiting the electromigration of Li ions, the main mechanism of resistive switching is the processes of electromigration of oxygen vacancies in the dielectric oxide layer. Suppression of residual voltage in the Cr/Cu/Cr/(Co.sub.50Fe.sub.50).sub.x(LiNbO.sub.3).sub.100-x/s-LiNbO.sub.3/Cr/Cu/Cr/sitall structure due to the introduction of a Cr buffer layer that does not dissolve Li leads to the absence of bipolar resistive switching in these structures.

The ferroelectric switching behavior of a metal–ferroelectric AlScN–HfO[sub.2] interlayer–metal (MFIM) capacitor was investigated at variable temperatures and compared with an MFM capacitor. Although the MFIM capacitor demonstrated an inferior remnant polarization (2P[sub.r] value of 74 µC/cm[sup.2]), it exhibited a reduced leakage current (×1/100) and higher breakdown field. The MFIM showed a stable change in 2P[sub.r] from room temperature to 200 °C and an enhanced endurance of ~10[sup.4] cycles at 200 °C; moreover, the leakage current was less degraded after the cycling tests. Thus, the ferroelectric AlScN with a thin HfO[sub.2] interlayer can enhance the reliability of ferroelectric switching.

This research article aims to improve the specific capacitance of DC-etched Al foil for Al electrolytic capacitors by forming an Al[sub.2]O[sub.3]-TiO[sub.2] composite anodic oxide film. DC-etched Al foils for aluminum electrolytic capacitors were immersed in a TiO[sub.2] precursor sol, followed by calcination and anodizing to manufacture a TiO[sub.2]-Al[sub.2]O[sub.3] composite anodic oxide film. TiO[sub.2] precursor sol–gel particles after calcination were analyzed by XRD. During anodization, the anode potential with time was measured by a digital meter. A scanning electron microscope, electrochemical impedance measurements, and a general digital LCR meter were adopted to explore the microstructure and property of the anodic oxide films. The specific capacitance for the TiO[sub.2]-Al[sub.2]O[sub.3] composite anodic oxide film and a pure Al anodic one is 3.013 μF/cm[sup.2] and 2.435 μF/cm[sup.2] at C[sub.60V], respectively. The thickness is 87.26 nm for the former and 177.65 nm for the latter. The results show that the TiO[sub.2]-Al[sub.2]O[sub.3] composite anodic oxide film is about 51% thinner than the single Al anodic film, accounting for a large improvement in specific capacitance. The formation efficiency of the pretreated sample is much higher than that of the blank sample, owing to the pre-deposited TiO[sub.2] layer and thermal Al oxide layer. However, the composite anodic oxide film’s specific resistance was reduced and its dielectric loss was also aggravated, resulting from the doping-introduced structural defects.