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1 – 10 of 20Fangfang Hou, Boying Li, Zhengzhi Guan, Alain Yee Loong Chong and Chee Wei Phang
Despite the burgeoning popularity of virtual gifting in live streaming, research lacks an in-depth understanding of the drivers behind this behavior. Using para-social…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the burgeoning popularity of virtual gifting in live streaming, research lacks an in-depth understanding of the drivers behind this behavior. Using para-social relationship (PSR), this study aims to capture viewers’ lively social feelings toward the streamer as the key factor leading to the purchase behavior of virtual gifts. It also aims to establish a theoretical link between PSR and viewers’ holistic experience in live streaming as captured by cognitive absorption and aims to investigates the role of technological features (i.e. viewer–streamer and viewer–viewer interactivity, streamer-level and viewer-level deep profiling and design aesthetics) in shaping viewers’ experience.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on 433 survey responses, this study employs a combination of structural equation modeling and neural networks to offer valuable insights into the relationships between the technological environment, viewer experience and viewer behavior.
Findings
Our results highlight the salience of PSR in promoting the purchase of virtual gifts through cognitive absorption and the importance of the technological environment in eliciting the viewer experience. This study sheds light on the development of PSR in a technological environment and its relationship with cognitive absorption.
Originality/value
By applying PSR to conceptualize viewers’ perceived connection with the streamer, this study extends the research on purchase behavior in the non-shopping context by providing an enlightened understanding of virtual gift purchase behavior in live streaming. Moreover, by theoretically linking PSR with cognitive absorption, virtual gift purchase and technological features of live streaming, it enriches the theory of PSR and bridges the gap between the design practice of supporting the IT infrastructure of live streaming and research.
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Goitom Abera Baisa, Joachim G. Schäfer and Abebe Ejigu Alemu
This study aims to synthesize and analyze research on the Supply Chain Management Practices (SCMPs)-performance nexus, examine current knowledge, identify emerging trends, and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to synthesize and analyze research on the Supply Chain Management Practices (SCMPs)-performance nexus, examine current knowledge, identify emerging trends, and provide plausible suggestions for future research engagements in the manufacturing sector in the context of Developing and Emerging Economies (DEEs).
Design/methodology/approach
Following a systematic review approach, this study analyzed 20 peer-reviewed scientific journal articles published between 2007 and 2021. The study sample was systematically selected from the Web of Science (WoS) and Google Scholar databases, following strict evaluation and selection criteria.
Findings
Numerous dimensions of SCMPs have been considered in the extant literature; however, six have stood out as the most common. In addition, operational performance stood out as the most widely investigated measure in the SCM literature. Moreover, SCMPs have predominantly shown positive effects on performance outcomes. Methodological issues that future studies should consider are suggested.
Research limitations/implications
The sample size was not sufficiently large relative to the rule of thumb set in the literature because of the scarcity of studies in the manufacturing sector in the DEEs context. Despite these limitations, the results of this study provide crucial insights into knowledge and practice.
Originality/value
This review is the first of its kind to examine the SCMPs-performance nexus in the context of DEEs. Based on the findings of this study, future research directions are proposed.
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Julianna Paola Ramirez Lozano, Kelly Rojas Valdez and Juan Carlos Sosa Varela
This study aims to analyze the effects of microentrepreneurs’ knowledge transfer (KT) on personal improvement (PI) and business improvement (BI).
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to analyze the effects of microentrepreneurs’ knowledge transfer (KT) on personal improvement (PI) and business improvement (BI).
Design/methodology/approach
The study was developed in two stages: a literature review based on KT and the learning process in microenterprises to have managerial competence and PI and BI to acquire the managerial competence that entrepreneurs need. The second stage was constructing a structural model based on 107 questionnaires and bootstrapping of 5,000 replications of microentrepreneurs who went through a training program (quantitative) and a focus group (qualitative). This study had a mixed approach, exploratory scope and experimental design.
Findings
The research showed real evidence about the performance level of microentrepreneurs when they passed through the process of KT and its impact on PI and BI. This research considers their managerial competencies, and the findings show a relationship between the theory of individual and organizational learning.
Research limitations/implications
This study considered Peruvian microentrepreneurs who participated in a virtual training program that included several courses related to their current environments and topics of interest. The analyzed period covered the years affected by COVID-19.
Practical implications
The model reveals that KT is relevant to PI and BI. Performance was measured regarding growth, income, innovation, productivity and responsibility before and after the program.
Social implications
This research analyzed the need for training microentrepreneurs for personal and private reasons under a COVID-19 scenario to foster their businesses and assume financial responsibilities. This study considered Peru’s reality, a country in which 94.9% of companies are microenterprises. The study revealed that microentrepreneurs improved their personal and professional lives and addressed relevant social problems that affect their environments because of the KT effects.
Originality/value
This study bridges the gap in the literature on how the theory of KT can be applied to entrepreneurs. This study revealed significant findings in terms of PI and BIs. The impact of KT indicates the relevance of managerial competencies related to the performance level obtained in terms of growth, income, innovation, productivity and responsibility.
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GuangMeng Ji, Siew Imm Ng, Jun-Hwa Cheah and Wei-Chong Choo
Past research often relies on linear relationship assumptions from the perspective of managers when studying the relationship between attribute performance and satisfaction…
Abstract
Purpose
Past research often relies on linear relationship assumptions from the perspective of managers when studying the relationship between attribute performance and satisfaction. However, this study extracts tourists’ online reviews to explore asymmetric relationships and identifies island tourism satisfiers, hybrids and dissatisfiers.
Design/methodology/approach
The research uses 3,523 reviews from Tripadvisor to examine Langkawi Island’s tourist satisfaction. Latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) machine-learning approach, penalty–reward contrast analysis and asymmetric impact-performance analysis (AIPA) were employed to extract and analyse the data.
Findings
Langkawi’s dissatisfiers included “hotel and restaurant”, “beach leisure”, “water sport”, “snorkelling”, “commanding view”, “waterfall”, “sky bridge walk”, “animal show”, “animal feeding”, “history culture”, “village activity” and “duty-free mall”. Amongst these, five were low performers. Hybrids encompassed “ticket purchasing”, “amenity” “traditional food market” and “gift and souvenir”, all of which were low performers. Only one attribute was categorised as a satisfier: “nature view” which performed exceptionally well.
Practical implications
This study provides recommendations to enhance tourist satisfaction and address tourist dissatisfaction. The elements requiring immediate attention for enhancement are the five low-performance dissatisfiers, as they represent tourists’ fundamental expectations. Conversely, the satisfier or excitement factor (i.e. nature views – mangroves and wildlife) could be prominently featured in promotional materials.
Originality/value
This research constitutes an early endeavour to categorise attributes of island tourism into groups of satisfaction, hybrid or dissatisfaction based on user-generated data. It is underpinned by two-factor and three-factor theories.
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Riham Hassan Younis and Aiesha Elmeniawy
This research aims to offer and empirically examine a research model that includes extrinsic cues, attitudes and purchasing intentions for non-private-label (PL) buyers from a…
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to offer and empirically examine a research model that includes extrinsic cues, attitudes and purchasing intentions for non-private-label (PL) buyers from a developing economy perspective. It also seeks to test the moderating role of neophobia along with gender.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were received from 640 non-PL buyers via a cross-sectional online questionnaire. The study utilised structural equation modelling to examine the relationships among the study constructs.
Findings
Extrinsic cues, particularly perceived price and store image, along with attitudes, impact the intention to buy PLs. Furthermore, the moderating role of neophobia was supported.
Research limitations/implications
This study is limited to the Egyptian retail sector, so its findings reflect the degree of development of PLs in Egypt. Practical implications should be adopted for contexts with identical development levels.
Practical implications
Retail managers should focus on pricing promotions and enhancing their store image to appeal to non-PL shoppers. They should also consolidate their efforts to counteract neophobic tendencies among non-PL shoppers by maximising exposure to PLs and encouraging their trials.
Originality/value
This research offers empirical evidence of the role of neophobia, further enriching our understanding of Middle Eastern consumer behaviour and supporting the implications of extrinsic cues on PL purchase intention for non-PL buyers in developing economies. It supplements earlier research, which mainly focused on developed economies.
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Seoyoun Lee, Younghoon Chang, Jaehyun Park, Alain Yee Loong Chong and Qiuju Yin
This study examines how users' multidimensional representational fidelity factors affect sociability and cyberself engagement in the Metaverse platform; that is, how they interact…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines how users' multidimensional representational fidelity factors affect sociability and cyberself engagement in the Metaverse platform; that is, how they interact with newly defined self-images as their personas in the environments. It investigates how representational fidelity serves platform users to perform social roles and increase their sociability by establishing a new cyberself, thus influencing continuous platform use.
Design/methodology/approach
This study surveyed 314 users of the Metaverse platform Horizon, where users can create a virtual agent avatar, meet people in the same online environment in real time, and interact with a sense of three-dimensional immersion. Data were analyzed using partial least squares regression models.
Findings
User socialization significantly influenced the intention to use the Metaverse platform. Representational fidelity was a crucial variable for sociability, and activity representational fidelity was the most influential aspect among the four other elements. Platforms should consider how to enable users to create and use activities that faithfully represent their personas.
Originality/value
The novelty of this study is that it introduces representational fidelity based on representation theory into the context of virtual persona in the Metaverse platform. This study extended representational fidelity to the socialization perspective by utilizing the integrated model of user satisfaction and the technology acceptance model. Through the results, this study emphasized that users' sociability significantly influences their intention to use the Metaverse platform. Finally, this study provides a feasible guideline on how practitioners could design and strengthen their platforms so that users can represent their cyberselves faithfully.
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In an effort to position higher education institutions to survive in this fiercely competitive environment, the paper aims to identify the direct and indirect relationships…
Abstract
Purpose
In an effort to position higher education institutions to survive in this fiercely competitive environment, the paper aims to identify the direct and indirect relationships between higher education institutional positioning and exogenous factors (student engagement, employability, technology adaptation, teaching quality, and moral values).
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional data was collected from 1,015 students studying in the pre-final year of graduation or post-graduate course/program from various educational institutions that were shortlisted based on the Indian NAAC and NIRF rankings. Thereafter, robust assessment criteria of PLS-SEM were used for model assessment and computation of results.
Findings
The findings revealed that to develop the greatest platform for upcoming young talent, higher educational institutional positioning ought to be addressed as a priority, which in turn will result in better living standards for upcoming generations.
Research limitations/implications
Framing strategies for urban students can never match those living in rural areas, as they are deprived of money due to their level of upbringing from childhood, which creates a high difference in the psychological mindset of students while choosing a career path.
Practical implications
The higher positioning of educational institutions clearly reflects the authentic learning environment, with professionalism leading to better student engagement with best industry practice.
Originality/value
Research novelty is highlighted as a more focused and streamlined approach to students’ career development and institution branding by reanalyzing and grouping various concepts of institutional positioning into a single model.
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This study aims to explore the impact of experiencing virtual reality (VR) and three-dimensional (3D) printing during the design process on the creativity of interior design…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the impact of experiencing virtual reality (VR) and three-dimensional (3D) printing during the design process on the creativity of interior design students in a luminaire design project.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used the case-study approach within the context of a nine-week luminaire design project. Collected data included self-reported interest and engagement of students from a Qualtrics questionnaire and the ratings of their creativity via the Creative Product Semantic Scale (CPSS) with two judges.
Findings
Descriptive statistics from the Qualtrics questionnaire indicated an overall high level of student interest and engagement with the VR and 3D printing learning experience. Paired t-tests from CPSS ratings of the two judges showed a moderate increase in novelty and a significant increase in style with the introduction of VR and 3D printing technologies, respectively.
Research limitations/implications
Spearman’s correlations (rho) showed no statistical evidence for the relationships between CPSS ratings for creativity and students’ self-reported interest and engagement in VR and 3D printing learning experience.
Practical implications
Ample access time to VR technology and sufficient control over the 3D printing process are important for effective applications of Industry 4.0 technologies in organizations.
Social implications
This study dissected the confounding variables in its results as practical considerations for intergrading VR and 3D printing technologies for organizations in Industry 4.0.
Originality/value
This study acknowledged VR and 3D printing technologies as simulants for interest and engagement, which benefit creativity.
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Priyanka Gupta, Sanjeev Prashar and Chandan Parsad
This study differentiates pure impulse buying behaviour from suggestive impulse buying behaviour in using mobile shopping applications (apps). This study aims to assess the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study differentiates pure impulse buying behaviour from suggestive impulse buying behaviour in using mobile shopping applications (apps). This study aims to assess the moderating effects of instant discount and cashback promotional offers along with the mediating effects of impulse buying intention (IBI) and user satisfaction (US), using the app stimuli (performance expectancy, effort expectancy, layout, atmosphere, privacy and security).
Design/methodology/approach
The study was done in three stages: analysis of variance, followed by structural equation modelling (SEM) and paired t-tests.
Findings
The results showed that instant discounts and cashback offers are different from each other for the mediating variable IBI. The SEM results for pure impulse buying showed that, except for layout, the remaining variables have a positive relationship with IBI. For suggestive impulse buying, effort expectancy and layout were significantly related to both the mediating variables. Finally, pure and suggestive impulse buying behaviour showed significant differences.
Originality/value
Previous studies have looked into impulse buying in its generic sense and not through the “types” of impulse buying they were measuring. As impulse buying behaviour is a predominant theme for discussion today, marketing professionals and researchers must comprehend the impact of app stimuli in the context of select types of impulse buying behaviour.
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Bin Li, Jiayi Tao, Domenico Graziano and Marco Pironti
Based on the perspective of knowledge management capability, this paper aims to reveal the internal mechanism of the digital empowerment of mobile social platforms to improve the…
Abstract
Purpose
Based on the perspective of knowledge management capability, this paper aims to reveal the internal mechanism of the digital empowerment of mobile social platforms to improve the operational performance of Chinese traditional retail enterprises. Such improvements have crucial theoretical value and practical implications for Chinese traditional retail enterprises to achieve transformation and sustainable development.
Design/methodology/approach
This study applied the typical analysis method, selected China’s leading mobile social platform, WeChat, as a typical case, and observed and analyzed the public data of the traditional retail industry and social platforms and interviews with relevant enterprises. On this basis, this study used the inductive and deductive methods of qualitative research to conduct an in-depth analysis of the mechanism by which WeChat’s digital empowerment improves the operational performance of Chinese traditional retail enterprises. It also discussed the critical role and path knowledge management capabilities play in this mechanism.
Findings
This research demonstrated that mobile social platforms empower Chinese traditional retail enterprises to build diversified digital channels, enhance the knowledge acquisition capability of enterprises and thus improve their performance; empower Chinese traditional retail enterprises to build digital community networks, enhance the knowledge diffusion capability of enterprises and thus improve their performance; and empower Chinese traditional retail enterprises to integrate online and offline businesses, enhance the knowledge integration capability of enterprises and thus improve their performance.
Research limitations/implications
This study clarifies the internal mechanism of how the digital empowerment of mobile social platforms can improve the performance of Chinese traditional retail enterprises. This mechanism implies that knowledge management capabilities (knowledge acquisition, diffusion and integration capability) are the underlying logic for Chinese traditional retail enterprises to achieve higher performance levels. This has important practical implications for managers of Chinese traditional retail enterprises to leverage the digital infrastructure of mobile social platforms to achieve the sustainable development of enterprises.
Originality/value
This study provides an in-depth analysis of how the traditional retail industry uses digital social platforms to improve operational performance from the perspective of knowledge management capabilities, which can further promote the theoretical research and practical development of digitalization and knowledge management. At the same time, this study explored the research on the operational performance of Chinese traditional retail enterprises from the perspective of knowledge management capabilities and expanded the research on knowledge management in related fields. The authors have initially sorted out the impact of knowledge management capabilities on the operational performance of Chinese traditional retail enterprises in the digital era. This will help better understand the role and function of knowledge management in strategic transformation and expand the application of knowledge management theory.
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