Satinder Kumar and Sandeep Kumar
The study explores the impact of social media-induced social comparison on impulse travelling, drawing upon social comparison theory. It thoroughly examines the intermediary…
Abstract
Purpose
The study explores the impact of social media-induced social comparison on impulse travelling, drawing upon social comparison theory. It thoroughly examines the intermediary functions of fear of missing out (FoMO) and compulsive use of social media, alongside exploring the moderating impacts of self-esteem and self-control within this dynamic process.
Design/methodology/approach
To meet the objective, we conducted a survey of 382 social media users among Indian millennial tourists. The analysis has been done using SPSS (AMOS 24) and Process macro (model 1) for moderation effect. Purposive and snowball sampling techniques have been employed for data collection.
Findings
The results indicate a positive influence of social comparison on impulsive travel. Additionally, the findings suggest that FoMO and the compulsive use of social media serve as serial mediations on the link between social comparison and impulse travelling. Moreover, self-esteem has shown a negatively significant relationship between social comparison and FoMO. Furthermore, self-control has also been found to have a negatively significant effect on the relationship between FoMO and the compulsive use of social media.
Practical implications
The study’s findings offer valuable guidance for destination administrators. It suggests that administrators should refrain from engaging in aggressive and overly tailored marketing tactics. Instead, they should focus on sharing real and authentic stories that resonate with travellers, and administrators can mitigate the effects of social comparison and discourage impulsive travelling.
Originality/value
This study delves into an unexplored realm in digital marketing literature, shedding light on how social comparison on social media influences the impulsive travelling of Indian millennial tourists. This study is an inaugural attempt to formulate a theoretical framework within the scope of the tourism sector.
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Nguyen Hong Quan, Pham Thi Ha, Vi Thanh Tuan, Nguyen Hoai Nam, Le Thi Thuy Trang and Nguyen Truc Mai
This study aims to investigate the moderating role of e-trustmarks in the relationship between electronic word of mouth (eWoM), security, quality of information, and purchase…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the moderating role of e-trustmarks in the relationship between electronic word of mouth (eWoM), security, quality of information, and purchase behaviour of consumers on B2C e-commerce websites. The research was conducted in the context of emerging countries.
Design/methodology/approach
The research utilised partial least squares path modelling (PLS-SEM) to assess the model and its hypothesised relationships, drawing on data from a survey of 1993 consumers engaged in e-commerce websites with e-trustmarks. The study incorporated SOR theory, asymmetric information theory, and signalling theory.
Findings
E-trustmarks moderate the positive impact of eWoM, security, and quality of information on online trust. A moderating effect of e-trustmarks was also found, such that the positive association between purchase intention and purchase behaviour was stronger when e-trustmarks were higher.
Research limitations/implications
This study was conducted solely in Vietnam and focused only on a set of input variables without addressing specific industries or market segments. The research did not use demographic data, such as the age and income of the surveyors, to identify variations in the impact of variables on different target groups, indicating potential areas for future research.
Practical implications
Emerging countries should implement targeted policies regarding e-trustmarks and encourage businesses to adopt them to reduce information asymmetry in the online environment.
Originality/value
This study contributes to asymmetric theory and signalling theory by offering critical insights into how online businesses can make use of influence mechanisms in the model to ease asymmetric information. Integrating signalling theory and moderating e-trustmarks into the SOR model advances research on consumer behaviour in emerging countries’ e-commerce markets with asymmetric information.
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Vikas Gupta and Karishma Sharma
This study evaluates the relative preference for local foods among foreign tourists. It also assessed how the sociodemographic profiles of tourists influence their local food…
Abstract
Purpose
This study evaluates the relative preference for local foods among foreign tourists. It also assessed how the sociodemographic profiles of tourists influence their local food preferences.
Design/methodology/approach
This research utilized a mixed-methods approach. The initial qualitative analysis phase involved semi-structured, in-depth interviews with stakeholders in Fiji’s local food sector, providing feedback on tourists’ preferred dishes. In the second phase, 204 foreign tourists were surveyed through the location intercept approach at various local restaurants, street food joints and eateries across Fiji. The preferences of these foreign tourists for the local food were subsequently analyzed utilizing the analytical hierarchical process (AHP) model and Chi-square statistics.
Findings
This research identified 25 local food dishes most preferred by foreign tourists. A pairwise comparison matrix revealed that “Kokoda” was most preferred, while “Tuna Ika Vakalolo” was the least preferred, and the normalized matrix presented the estimated overall priorities of the local foods based on taste and flavor. Among all the factors analyzed for their potential influence on the local food preferences of foreign tourists, “education attainment” and “marital status” were found to have no significant influence.
Originality/value
This study highlights the varied local dishes preferred by tourists, assessed through the AHP model, and provides the sociodemographic factors influencing these preferences. By identifying and presenting local Fijian dishes across regions and examining sociodemographics’ impact on food preference, this research provides invaluable implications for significantly benefiting the local food vending sector.
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Vikas Gupta and Karishma Sharma
This research aims to assess the dimensions of local gastronomic image by identifying the vital gastronomic image traits utilised by foreign tourists for their evaluation of local…
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to assess the dimensions of local gastronomic image by identifying the vital gastronomic image traits utilised by foreign tourists for their evaluation of local foods while investigating any perceived disparities in the gastronomic image among Eastern and Western tourists.
Design/methodology/approach
It combined mixed-methods research involving 17 in-depth interviews with restaurant stakeholders in Fiji and analysis of responses from 221 foreign tourists using multivariate and descriptive statistical methodologies. A total of 25 local gastronomic image traits were assessed to understand tourists’ perceptions, which were further refined into foundational constructs through exploratory factor analysis.
Findings
Results highlighted that dishes like Kokoda, Palusami and Lovo are top favourites among both Eastern and Western tourists due to their less spicy nature. Findings also revealed that tourists positively evaluated four cognitive/perceptual dimensions of local gastronomic image: taste and freshness, culture and food authenticity, emotional food image, and quality and price value. Among all constructs, “freshness and taste” most significantly impacted foreign tourists’ satisfaction with their gourmet/culinary experiences, while “digestibility and nutritional value” showed the least value.
Originality/value
This research contributes to understanding how a destination’s gastronomic image influences tourists’ perceptions and how it can be effectively utilised to showcase the cultural uniqueness of destinations like Fiji.
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Hong Quan Nguyen, Phuong Thao Ha and Thi Thu Huong Doan
This empirical study aims to investigate how employee responses to corporate social responsibility (CSR) (i.e. perception of and participation in CSR initiatives) can affect…
Abstract
Purpose
This empirical study aims to investigate how employee responses to corporate social responsibility (CSR) (i.e. perception of and participation in CSR initiatives) can affect career adaptability in the Vietnamese service industry. Furthermore, the mediating mechanism of psychological capital (PsyCap) and the moderating role of moral identity are explored in this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
The target population for this study includes employees working for service enterprises in which CSR practices are conducted, such as tourism, hospitality, retail, education and others in Vietnam. The data from 685 responses were analyzed for measurement model analysis and structural model analysis using SPSS, AMOS and SmartPLS.
Findings
The findings of this study reveal that CSR perception and CSR participation have significant positive effects on career adaptability through PsyCap. This study also confirms that the positive association between CSR perception and PsyCap is more pronounced among employees with a higher level of internalized moral identity and symbolic moral identity.
Research limitations/implications
The collection of data involving multiple dimensions at once did not allow the study to accurately assess the effect of variables over time. Further studies that want to look closely at the impact of perception of and participation in CSR should collect data longitudinally and follow up the target sample over a period of time. Besides, moral identity is a context-dependent construct associated with various social and cultural institutions. Meanwhile, Western moral identity emphasizes individual-oriented morality; Eastern cultures consider a socially oriented person to be highly moral; therefore, this study’s findings might not be appropriate for Western culture. To enrich the existing CSR framework, future studies may attempt to unveil the intervening mechanism of other psychological factors, such as psychological safety, or explore the predictions for other career-related outcomes, such as career satisfaction in the CSR context. Finally, both CB-SEM and PLS-SEM methods can be combined to analyze complex models, especially high-order models.
Practical implications
By leveraging influence processes within the model, service managers can foster human resource development in the workplace by raising the active involvement of employees in CSR activities.
Originality/value
This research enriches the literature on CSR and employee-related outcomes by formulating a conceptual model focusing on employee responses to CSR as key antecedents. This study also contributes to the existing understanding of the CSR context by empirically investigating micro-level CSR in an emerging economy like Vietnam.
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Cong Wei, Xinrong Li, Wenqian Feng, Zhao Dai and Qi Yang
This study provides a comprehensive overview of the research landscape of Kansei engineering (KE) within the domain of emotional clothing design. It explores the pivotal…
Abstract
Purpose
This study provides a comprehensive overview of the research landscape of Kansei engineering (KE) within the domain of emotional clothing design. It explores the pivotal technologies, challenges and potential future directions of KE, offering application methodologies and theoretical underpinnings to support emotional clothing design.
Design/methodology/approach
This study briefly introduces KE, outlining its overarching research methodologies and processes. This framework lays the groundwork for advancing research in clothing Kansei. Subsequently, by reviewing literature from both domestic and international sources, this research initially explores the application of KE in the design and evaluation of clothing products as well as the development of intelligent clothing design systems from the vantage point of designers. Second, it investigates the role of KE in the customization of online clothing recommendation systems and the optimization of retail environments, as perceived by consumers. Finally, with the research methodologies of KE as a focal point, this paper discusses the principal challenges and opportunities currently confronting the field of clothing Kansei research.
Findings
At present, studies in the domain of clothing KE have achieved partial progress, but there are still some challenges to be solved in the concept, technical methods and area of application. In the future, multimodal and multisensory user Kansei acquisition, multidimensional product deconstruction, artificial intelligence (AI) enabling KE research and clothing sales environment Kansei design will become new development trends.
Originality/value
This study provides significant directions and concepts in the technology, methods and application types of KE, which is helpful to better apply KE to emotional clothing design.
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Caiting Dong, Xielin Liu and Si Zhang
Although the role of returnees is critical to firm innovation, the literature offers inconsistent findings regarding returnees' effect on firms' innovation performance. To…
Abstract
Purpose
Although the role of returnees is critical to firm innovation, the literature offers inconsistent findings regarding returnees' effect on firms' innovation performance. To reconcile this issue, the authors argue that taking the types of innovation into account – i.e. technical innovation and commercial innovation – is necessary. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine how firms led by returnees affect the relationship between research and development (R&D) input and above two types of innovation output, as well as the contingent role of political connections (PCs) and venture capital funding (VC funding).
Design/methodology/approach
This study empirically tested the hypotheses using a dataset of 54,617 firm-year observations for 18,475 Chinese firms in Zhongguancun Science Park (ZSP) from 2009 to 2014.
Findings
The results show that the positive effect of R&D input on technical innovation performance (TIP) is reinforced when firms are led by returnees, while the positive effect of R&D input on commercial innovation performance (CIP) is weakened when firms are led by returnees compared with those firms led by the local counterparts. The findings further show that returnee firms' positive effect on the relationship between R&D input and technical innovation performance is more salient for firms with more PCs but weakened for those with more VC funding.
Originality/value
This study enriches the research on returnee firms' advantages and disadvantages in transforming R&D input into innovation performance, and the findings highlight that firms led by returnees can increase R&D efficiency of technical innovation, but reduce R&D efficiency of commercial innovation. Moreover, this study offers a contingent view of political and economic stakeholders' roles in returnee firms' innovation, by revealing PCs help returnee firms to enhance R&D efficiency in technological innovation, while venture capital can hamper such R&D efficiency.
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Villy Abraham, Lior Solomovich, Noa Barnea-Levy and Josef Cohen
The present study explores the possible ramifications of insomnia and sleep quality on attitudes and expectations from a hotel accommodating guests suffering from insonia and poor…
Abstract
Purpose
The present study explores the possible ramifications of insomnia and sleep quality on attitudes and expectations from a hotel accommodating guests suffering from insonia and poor sleep quality.
Design/methodology/approach
The current study adopts a quantitative dominant (QUAN + qual) concurrent mixed methods design. 20 participants (11 women and nine men) aged 22 to 80 participated in the qualitative research. Purposeful sampling (n = 369) was employed to solicit participants for the quantitative phase of the study.
Findings
Findings suggest that subjective norm influence is significantly associated with service quality expectations and intentions to visit a hotel accommodating sleep-deprived individuals. Hotels accommodating such guests possess a substantial competitive advantage.
Research limitations/implications
While our study provides valuable insights, it is essential to note that the data was collected from a single country. Therefore, caution should be exercised when generalizing the findings to hotel guests from other countries. This highlights the need for future research to explore cross-cultural aspects of sleep disorders and their impact on the interaction between hotel service providers and guests.
Practical implications
The study results underscore the importance of understanding and addressing the unique needs of travelers’ with sleep disorders. They also emphasize the added benefit of better accommodating other guests who do not necessarily suffer from the disorder to enjoy substantially more sleep.
Originality/value
The extant tourism literature focuses on neurological disorders. However, the possible ramifications of insomnia and poor hotel sleep quality on travel, guest preferences, expectations and choices were mostly overlooked.
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Zhipeng Liang, Chunju Zhao, Huawei Zhou, Yihong Zhou, Quan Liu, Tao Fang and Fang Wang
The spatial–temporal conflicts in the construction process of concrete arch dams are related to the construction quality and duration, especially for pouring blocks with a…
Abstract
Purpose
The spatial–temporal conflicts in the construction process of concrete arch dams are related to the construction quality and duration, especially for pouring blocks with a continuous high-strength and high-density construction process. Furthermore, the complicated construction technology and limited space resources aggravate the spatial–temporal conflicts in the process of space resource allocation and utilization, directly affecting the pouring quality and progress of concrete. To promote the high-strength, quality-preserving and rapid construction of dams and to clarify the explosion moment and influence degree of the spatial–temporal conflicts of construction machinery during the pouring process, a quantification method and algorithm for a “Conflict Bubble” (CB) between construction machines is proposed based on the “Time–Space Microelement” (TSM).
Design/methodology/approach
First, the concept of a CB is proposed, which is defined as the spatial overlap of different entities in the movement process. The subsidiary space of the entity is divided into three layered spaces: the physical space, safe space and efficiency space from the inside to the outside. Second, the processes of “creation,” “transition” and “disappearance” of the CB at different levels with the movement of the entity are defined as the evolution of the spatial–temporal state of the entity. The mapping relationship between the spatial variation and the running time of the layered space during the movement process is defined as “Time–Space” (TS), which is intended to be processed by a microelement.
Findings
The quantification method and algorithm of the CB between construction machinery are proposed based on the TSM, which realizes the quantification of the physical collision accident rate, security risk rate and efficiency loss rate of the construction machinery at any time point or time period. The risk rate of spatial–temporal conflicts in the construction process was calculated, and the outbreak condition of spatial–temporal conflict in the pouring process was simulated and rehearsed. The quantitative calculation results show that the physical collision accident rate, security risk rate and efficiency loss rate of construction machinery at any time point or time period can be quantified.
Originality/value
This study provides theoretical support for the quantitative evaluation and analysis of the spatial–temporal conflict risk in the pouring construction process. It also serves as a reference for the rational organization and scientific decision-making for pouring blocks and provides new ideas and methods for the safe and efficient construction and the scientific and refined management of dams.
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Hung-Tai Tsou, Yu-Hsun Lin and Pui Yan Loo
Social live streaming services (SLSS) have infused gamification into interface design and feature applications. Firms adopt gamification mechanisms to win customer loyalty in the…
Abstract
Purpose
Social live streaming services (SLSS) have infused gamification into interface design and feature applications. Firms adopt gamification mechanisms to win customer loyalty in the live streaming and SLSS markets. Based on the mechanics-dynamics-aesthetics (MDA) framework and uses and gratifications 2.0 theory (UGT 2.0), this study aims to investigate the effects of game mechanics (mechanics) on enjoyment and user retention (aesthetics) through rewards and social interaction (dynamics) in the context of SLSS.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used an online survey via Google Forms, SurveyCake and social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Line to collect data from 232 SLSS users in Taiwan. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was adopted to analyze the data.
Findings
The results validated the relationships between game mechanics and dynamic elements (rewards and social interaction) that triggered aesthetic elements (enjoyment feelings) among users. In addition, users experienced a sense of enjoyment that led to usage retention when using the gamified SLSS. Further, this study found enjoyment crucial for users to stay interactive with gamified services.
Originality/value
Driven by UGT 2.0, this study closed the gaps by integrating the MDA framework into the SLSS context and better understanding how game mechanics are connected to rewards and social interaction, leading to enjoyment and user retention when using SLSS. This study provides fresh insights into gamification-oriented SLSS practices. It offers significant theoretical and managerial implications and provides guidelines for SLSS platform operators on fostering user retention.