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In the era of digital intelligence, individuals are increasingly interacting with digital information in their daily lives and work, and a growing phenomenon known as digital hoarding is becoming more prevalent. Prior research suggests that humanities researchers have unique and longstanding information interaction and management practices in the digital scholarship context. This study therefore aims to understand how digital hoarding manifests in humanities researchers’ behavior, identify the influencing factors associated with it, and explore how they perceive and respond to digital hoarding behavior.

Qualitative research methods enable us to acquire a rich insight and nuanced understanding of digital hoarding practices. In this study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 humanities researchers who were pre-screened for a high propensity for digital hoarding. Thematic analyses were then used to analyze the interview data.

Three main characteristics of digital hoarding were identified. Further, the research paradigm, digital affordance, and personality traits and habits, collectively influencing the emergence and development of digital hoarding behaviors, were examined. The subtle influence of traditional Chinese culture was encountered. Interestingly, this study found that humanists perceive digital hoarding as a positive expectation (associated with inspiration, aesthetic pursuit, and uncertainty avoidance). Meanwhile, humanists' problematic perception of this behavior is more widely observed — they experience what we conceptualize as an “expectation-perception” gap. Three specific information behaviors related to avoidance were identified as aggravating factors for digital hoarding.

The findings deepen the understanding of digital hoarding behaviors and personal information management among humanities researchers within the LIS field, and implications for humanities researchers, digital scholarship service providers, and digital tool developers are discussed.

This study presents the impact of Economic Policy Uncertainty (EPU)-induced Trade Supply Chain Vulnerability (TSCV) on the Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in India by leveraging the World Bank Enterprise Survey data for 2014 and 2022. Applying econometric techniques, it examines firm size’ influence on productivity and trade participation, providing insights for enhancing SME resilience and trade participation amid uncertainty.

The econometric techniques focus on export participation, along with variables such as total exports, firm size, productivity, and capital intensity. It addresses crucial factors such as the direct import of intermediate goods and foreign ownership. Utilizing the Cobb-Douglas production function, the study estimates Total Factor Productivity, mitigating endogeneity and multicollinearity through a two-stage process. Besides, the study uses a case study of North Indian SMEs engaged in manufacturing activities and their adoption of mitigation strategies to combat unprecedented EPU.

Results reveal that EPU-induced TSCV reduces exports, impacting employment and firm size. Increased productivity, driven by technological adoption, correlates with improved export performance. The study highlights the negative impact of TSCV on trade participation, particularly for smaller Indian firms. Moreover, SMEs implement cost-based, supplier-based, and inventory-based strategies more than technology-based and risk-based strategies.

Policy recommendations include promoting increased imports and inward foreign direct investment to enhance small firms’ trade integration during economic uncertainty. Tailored support for smaller firms, considering their limited capacity, is crucial. Encouraging small firms to engage in international trade and adopting diverse SC mitigation strategies associated with policy uncertainty are vital considerations.

This study explores the impact of EPU-induced TSCV on Indian SMEs’ trade dynamics, offering nuanced insights for policymakers to enhance SME resilience amid uncertainty. The econometric analysis unveils patterns in export behavior, productivity, and factors influencing trade participation during economic uncertainty.

The purpose of this paper is to examine patient engagement in remote consultation services, an increasingly important issue facing Healthcare Operations Management (HOM) given the significant expansion in this and other forms of telehealth worldwide over the last decade. We use our analysis of the literature to develop a comprehensive framework that incorporates the patient journey, multidimensionality, antecedents and consequences, interventions and improvement options, as well as the cyclic nature of patient engagement. We also propose measures suitable for empirical assessment of different aspects of our framework.

We undertook a comprehensive review of the extant literature using a systematic review approach. We identified and analysed 63 articles published in peer-reviewed scientific journals between 2003 and 2022.

We conceptualise patient engagement with remote consultation across three key aspects: dimensions, process, and the antecedents and consequences of engagement. We identify nine contextual categories that influence such engagement. We propose several possible metrics for measuring patient engagement during three stages (before service, at/during service and after service) of remote consultation, as well as interventions and possible options for improving patient engagement therein.

The primary contribution of our research is the development of a comprehensive framework for patient engagement in remote consultation that draws on insights from literature in several disciplines. In addition, we have linked the three dimensions of engagement with the clinical process to create a structure for future engagement assessment. Furthermore, we have identified impact factors and outcomes of engagement in remote consultation by understanding which can help to improve levels of adoption, application and satisfaction, and reduce healthcare inequality. Finally, we have adopted a “cyclic” perspective and identified potential interventions that can be combined to further improve patient engagement in remote consultation.

This study investigates the mechanism of defensive word-of-mouth (WOM), which refers to consumers responding to unfair negative online reviews of a brand with which they identify.

Study 1 employs an experimental design that manipulates brand identification and the perceived fairness of negative WOM, using a gift card choice scenario to measure decision-making behavior. Study 2 involves a real event with Google reviews and follows a quasi-experimental design, manipulating identification with the university and using Google Maps star ratings to measure brand attitude.

Consumers with high brand identification are more likely to defend the brand when confronted with unfair negative WOM. However, they do not always exhibit defensive WOM in fair cases. Furthermore, the results show that the defensive WOM can strengthen consumers’ brand attitude and supportive behavior.

Encouraging defensive WOM by mobilizing brand advocates and highlighting the unfairness of negative WOM could be a practical strategy to defend the brand and minimize the risk of online firestorms. Notably, defensive WOM itself strengthens the relationship between consumers and the brand.

This study proposes a mechanism for the defensive WOM phenomenon and demonstrates that the rebound effect in brand attitude caused by negative WOM comes from consumers’ willingness to express defensive WOM. We draw on self-affirmation theory to address the gap in theoretical explanations for defensive WOM. This contributes to the literature on self-identity and WOM research by showing that consumers defend their identities through WOM communication.

The retail industry is experiencing a marketing transformation through the use of augmented reality (AR), particularly in beauty products. Customer engagement and integration with digital tools are critical tools to enhance positive predisposition toward their platform leading to better visibility. This study explores how user experience (UX) and interactivity (INT) influence attitudes toward AR applications, with a focus on the moderating role of cognitive enjoyment (CGE). Data were collected through online platforms from 310 young female students and professionals familiar with AR technology in online shopping. The analysis was performed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), with constructs adapted from established scales to fit the study's needs. Results indicate that positive UXs and high levels of interaction significantly enhance attitudes toward AR apps. Furthermore, CGE was found to be a significant moderator, amplifying the effects of UX and interaction on user attitudes. These findings extend existing theories of technological acceptance to the use of AR in retail, suggesting that enhancing UX and interactivity, while emphasizing the enjoyable aspects of AR, can foster more positive attitudes and potentially increase adoption rates. This study contributes valuable insights into the strategic use of AR technology in retail environments, offering implications for designers and marketers aiming to enhance consumer engagement through innovative digital tools.

The purpose of this study is to test whether presenting organizational change in a way that promotes the status quo will result in increased employee support for the change.

Using quantitative methodology, categorical data were collected through an online cross-sectional survey in which 222 adult respondents participated. The items used vignette-based question blocks with fixed response options. Item responses were analyzed using an exact binomial test – focusing on the relationship between status quo bias and other responses to change communications.

The findings demonstrated that status quo bias has an association with employee sensemaking. These results suggest that status quo bias can be utilized by organizational leaders and change practitioners to endorse change efforts. Furthermore, it not only appears that promoting what is staying the same but also including a small reason to justify the change can bring additional advantage. Advertising a vision of radical transformation is problematic as it may actually heighten employee resistance.

This research explores and presents a convergence between organizational change management and behavioral economics – specifically, status quo bias. No other comparable study collecting data across a number of organizational change themes and critiquing existing change management models could be found during the preparation of this research effort.

Far from being ‘a great equaliser’, the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated existing inequities and produced new ones. Yet, in the face of the multiple crises which the COVID-19 pandemic amplified, including a crisis of care, novel imaginaries and practices emerged to navigate the instability it wrought. For instance, although children were largely out of focus during the pandemic, when they appeared in discussions it was often along well-worn paths bound up in the chameleon-like figure of the child as the risk and at-risk. Yet by paying close attention to children's own experiences, we can see multiple examples of their care for and about Others. I make the case that this care was radical in the context of Coronavirus, not least because the tropes of the risky or at-risk child threatened to fracture possibilities of intergenerational solidarities necessary for navigating the pandemic and important for addressing widespread injustices.

The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework for the assessment of service quality of bus fleet services based on the service quality influencing factors. The paper also tries to evolve a quantitative measure for fleet service quality in the form of a fleet service quality index.

A graph theoretical approach is employed in this paper for bus fleet service quality assessment. Modelling of fleet service quality factors and their interrelations with due attention towards their structure is achieved through graph theory. A directed graph (digraph) of the service quality is developed, where its nodes represent factors influencing the quality while its edges show the degree of interrelationships. A matrix, which is equivalent to the digraph, is established that will generate a service quality function that will result in the development of a fleet service quality index (FSQI).

Attaining customer satisfaction through assurance of quality is the cornerstone of the existence and survival of any business organization, and bus fleet services are no exception to this. Several influential factors are there for the bus fleet service quality. This research paper has identified factors such as fleet management practices, operational characteristics, safety and reliability features, travel comfort, bus maintenance and environmental concerns that affect fleet service quality. Every factor is composed of distinct sub-factors. Furthermore, these factors are linked with one another. A higher value of the fleet service quality index indicates the adequate performance of the bus fleet service organization.

The methodology is useful for not only evaluating but also for comparison of service quality of different fleet agencies or organizations. The perceptions would be useful to the fleet service managers to create procedures and arrangements for improving the service quality.

The paper identifies various service quality factors of the bus fleet and an evaluation scheme for those factors has been developed. Based on these, a framework had been developed for the assessment of the service quality of different fleet service providers.

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the interest in the use of virtual reality (VR) for organizational collaboration has dramatically increased. However, empirical research on the optimal types of VR and avatar designs for effective collaboration remains limited. To address these gaps, this study investigates how VR types (immersive vs non-immersive) and avatar similarity (high vs low) impact collaboration performance, with a focus on the mediating roles of somatic, psychological and behavioral engagement.

Drawing on embodied cognition theory and grounded in user engagement theory, we developed a research model that delineates the factors influencing collaboration performance. This model was empirically tested with data collected from a laboratory experiment involving 195 participants, employing a 2 × 2 factorial design. The Engage VR was used for the experiment because it supports the same virtual environment for collaboration between immersive and non-immersive VR contexts. The data were analyzed at the team level (n = 65).

The results of this study reveal that both immersive VR and high avatar similarity significantly enhance collaboration performance by augmenting somatic engagement, which subsequently boosts psychological and behavioral engagement.

This research deepens the scholarly understanding of the intricate interplay among VR types, avatar design and user engagement. The study’s theoretical implications underscore the conceptualization of somatic engagement as a critical dimension of user engagement in virtual collaboration, enriching the extant literature on VR-based collaboration. It also provides pragmatic insights to enhance virtual collaboration in the workplace.

This study aims to explore experiences of the Framework for Integrated Care's team formulation process within a secure children’s home in northern England, from the perspective of care and education staff.

Four focus groups were facilitated, with a total of 25 participants. The focus groups discussed a number of key areas, including: staff experiences of team formulation; the usefulness of the process; the wider impact of the process; and ways the formulation process could be developed. The data set was analysed using Rapid Qualitative Analysis (Hamilton, 2013).

Six overarching themes and a number of accompanying subthemes were developed. The six themes were: (i) new ways of understanding; (ii) enabling communication; (iii) young person should be at the centre; (iv) practical considerations; (v) developing accessibility: a systemic lens; and (vi) developing the focus.

Ten implications for practice within secure children’s homes and wider establishments are outlined. These relate to various aspects of the formulation process, including the preparatory work, meeting attendance, the focus of the formulation and dissemination.

Research within the context of secure children’s homes is expanding and has included the direct involvement of young people. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study utilising a qualitative, focus group method to consider the experiences of team formulation from the perspective of the wider care and education staff team in a secure children’s home.