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The continuing development of digital technologies creates expanding opportunities for information transparency. Consumers use social media to provide online reviews that are focused on changing levels of consumer trust. This study examines the effect of perceived risk that prompts consumers to search for online reviews in the context of food safety.

Commitment-trust theory forms the theoretical lens to model changes in consumer trust resulting from online reviews. Consumer-based questionnaire surveys collected data to test the structural model, using structural equation modelling (SEM).

The findings show when consumers perceive high levels of risk, they use social media to obtain additional product-related information. The objective, unanimous, evidential and noticeable online reviews are perceived as informative to consumers. Perceived informativeness of positive online reviews is found to increase consumers trust and, in turn, increase their purchase intentions.

The findings contribute to the knowledge of online review-based trust literature and provide far-reaching implications for information system (IS)-practitioners in business.

The advent of digital technologies has ushered in a new era of quality management (QM) known as Quality 4.0 (Q4.0). The successful implementation of Q4.0 requires the involvement of both leaders and employees. Leadership plays a critical role in motivating employees involved in quality practices. However, the mechanisms by which leadership inspires quality professionals to engage in continuous learning and remain vigorous in their roles are not well understood. This study aims to determine the impact of Q4.0 leadership on thriving at work (TAW) among quality professionals and to identify the underlying mechanisms.

Utilising the identity theory and social identity theory, a multilevel TAW model was developed. This study surveyed 63 team leaders and 243 subordinates, who are quality professionals working for companies implementing Q4.0. Multilevel structural equation modelling (MSEM) was applied to assess the hypotheses.

The study finds that Q4.0 leadership enhances TAW among quality professionals. The linkage between Q4.0 leadership and TAW is mediated by work group identification (WGI) at the group level and job identification (JI) at the individual level.

Insights from this study will enable organisations to make informed decisions regarding the leadership styles that best support TAW among quality professionals. By understanding the mechanisms linking Q4.0 leadership to TAW, organisations can foster both WGI and JI, ultimately enhancing engagement and performance in quality initiatives.

This study offers a novel contribution to the QM field by examining the role of Q4.0 leadership in motivating and sustaining the engagement of quality professionals. Exploring the relationships between Q4.0 leadership, WGI, JI and TAW helps to deepen our understanding of how Q4.0 leadership can enhance TAW among quality professionals.

Whereas belongingness and its proximate constructs have been explored in various contexts, an understanding of what it actually is in organisational contexts remains elusive. This paper aims to explore employees’ experiences of belongingness at work to better understand what belongingness means in a work context.

Data were collected from in-depth interviews with 12 participants in the United States and New Zealand over two time periods. Grounded theory methodology was used to develop themes and categories to understand the structure of the data.

The data revealed an overarching theme of “self” represented by three categories: identified as the “unveiled-self,” the “relational-self” and “the seen-self.” The data further reveals how employees covertly survey the organisational environment for cues of belongingness and moderate their behaviour accordingly.

This study’s small, culturally homogenous sample may limit generalisability. Future research could explore cross-cultural differences in belongingness at work using diverse samples. Examining belongingness and self-concept could provide further insights into authenticity and fitting in at work.

Organisations should promote authentic interactions, meaningful recognition and psychological safety for self-expression. Informal conversations strengthen relationships, but efforts must feel genuine. Encouraging authenticity, recognising contributions sincerely and creating opportunities for organic social interaction can cultivate a culture of belonging.

The three dimensions of “self” illuminate the importance of authenticity, meaningful workplace relationships and recognition as unique components of belongingness at work.

The hoped-for “just recovery” from the COVID-19 pandemic has not occurred. This chapter examines socioeconomic disparities laid bare by the pandemic in the United States. They have left a marked impression, suggesting that the concept of “American exceptionalism” has negative as well as positive connotations especially when compared with other high-income countries. Strikingly, democracy is not delivering for many Americans, and yet that is not a new situation, as much scholarship shows. These findings challenge received wisdom about how this country is in the aggregate labeled “developed” when many Americans live in conditions similar to or worse than those the World Bank categorizes as “developing.” Against this background, the chapter assesses experiential learning models for engaging students on the SDGs to assess these disparities. While researching social justice gaps in Pittsburgh and Atlanta with Carnegie Mellon students, however, the lack of disaggregated data emerged as a human rights issue and major barrier to fulfilling the SDG principle to “leave no one behind” (LNOB). These findings suggest a paradigm shift is needed, using the SDGs to advance human rights, elevating socioeconomic rights, localizing issues, generating disaggregated data to drive policy recommendations, and scaling up the community of practice that is engaged in this paradigm shift. Field building these aspects of sustainable development has the possibility to positively shape policies, outcomes, and help this democracy actually deliver for all, not just for some. For the United States to lead and bolster human rights and democracy around the world, inequalities at home must be addressed.

This paper aims to trial a novel method of improving the performance of rail systems. Accordingly, an evaluation of rail system dynamics (SD) using discrete event simulation (DES) will be undertaken. Globally, cities and their transportation systems face ongoing challenges with many of these resulting from complicated rail SD. To evaluate these challenges, this study utilized DES as the basis of the analysis of Melbourne Metro Rail's SD. The transportation SD processes including efficiency and reliability were also developed.

Using DES, this research examines and determines the Melbourne Metro Rail's SD. Although the Melbourne Metro Rail is still in progress, the DES developed in this research examined the system requirements of functionality, performance and integration. As the basis of this examination, the Melbourne Metro Rail's optimization was simulated using the developed DES. As the basis of the experiment, a total of 50 trials were simulated. This included 25 samples for each of efficiency and reliability. The simulation not only scrutinized the SD but also underlined some of its shortfalls.

This study found that information and communication technology (ICT) was the pinnacle of system application. The DES development highlighted that both efficiency and reliability rates are the essential SD and thus fundamental for Melbourne Metro Rail system functionality. Specifically, the three elements of SD, capacity, continuity and integration are considered critical in improving the system functionality of Melbourne Metro Rail.

This particular mega rail infrastructure system was carefully analyzed, and subsequently, the DES was developed. However, since the DES is at its inception, the results are relatively limited without inclusive system calibration or validation process. Nonetheless, with some modifications, such as using different KPIs to evaluate additional systems variables and setting appropriate parameters to test the system reliability measures at different intensities, the developed DES can be modified to examine and evaluate other rail systems. However, if a broader system analysis is required, the DES model subsequently needs to be modified to specific system parameters.

Through evaluation of Melbourne's Metro Rail in the manner described above, this research has shown the developed DES is a useful platform to understand and evaluate system efficiency and reliability. Such an evaluation is considered important when implementing new transport systems, particularly when they are being integrated into existing networks.

Efficient rail networks are critical for modern cities and such systems, while inherently complex, aid local economies and societal cohesion through predictable and reliable movement of people. Through improved system functionality and greater efficiencies, plus improved passenger safety, security and comfort, the traveling public will benefit from the enhanced reliability of the transportation network that results from research as that provided in this paper.

This research paper is the first of its kind specifically focusing on the application of DES on the Melbourne Metro Rail System. The developed model aligns with the efficiency optimization framework, which is central to rail systems. The model shows the relationship between increased efficiency and optimizing system reliability. In comparison with more advanced mathematical modeling, the DES presented in this research provides robust, but yet rapid and uncomplicated system enhancements. These findings can better prepare rail professionals to adequately plan and devise appropriate system measures.