Professional social networking sites (SNS) are widely employed by business individuals to build formal relationships, career opportunities, and professional development. While the…
Abstract
Professional social networking sites (SNS) are widely employed by business individuals to build formal relationships, career opportunities, and professional development. While the characteristics of professional SNS are generally different from other SNS, there is limited understanding of the determinants of users’ continued usage on this platform. The study addresses this research gap by developing a conceptual framework that relates perceived values perspective (utilitarian value, hedonic value) and sociability dimensions (social presence, social benefit, social support, and self-presentation) to continuance intention to use professional SNS. Data were gathered from a questionnaire distributed on LinkedIn and analyzed using PLS-SEM. The findings contribute to the emerging literature on the IS continuance domain, particularly in the area of professional SNS. Furthermore, the study can help professional SNS providers properly manage to retain existing users for sustainable business performance.
Details
Keywords
Grisna Anggadwita and Nurul Indarti
The academic literature on women’s entrepreneurship in the internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) continues to increase, possibly due to the enormous…
Abstract
Purpose
The academic literature on women’s entrepreneurship in the internationalization of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) continues to increase, possibly due to the enormous potential of women’s entrepreneurship to promote social empowerment and economic growth in a country. This study aims to systematically review existing research on women’s entrepreneurship in the internationalization of SMEs and provide a robust understanding of academic developments in this field. This study also aims to identify and explore key thematic areas within the research field related to women’s entrepreneurship in SME internationalization.
Design/methodology/approach
This study selected 62 articles retrieved from the four databases (Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCO and Google Scholar). Content analysis was conducted to identify key research issues and gaps, which were then mapped on cluster themes. VOSviewer was used to represent the research cluster themes visually.
Findings
This study identifies and discusses six research streams related to the concept of women’s entrepreneurship in SME internationalization: export behavior and gender in SMEs; entrepreneurship and country economic development; gender, innovation and performance in SME internationalization; women entrepreneurship in international business and management research; internationalization process of SMEs; and business experience and export experience. Some topics that emerged as potential for future research include personal and organizational dynamics, internationalization behavior, decision-making, adoption of strategies or technologies and orientation toward international markets.
Originality/value
This study offers valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders aiming to foster women’s entrepreneurship within the internationalization landscape of SMEs. The findings provide a roadmap for identifying underexplored areas in women’s entrepreneurship within SME internationalization, guiding future research initiatives.
Details
Keywords
Sandra Rodríguez-Alvarez, Laura del Río del Río-Fernández, Daniel del Río-Santos, Carmen de la Torre-Gamarra, Belen Levenfeld and Alejandro Varez
This study aims to develop a highly loaded filament with spherical metallic particles for fused filament fabrication (FFF) technology. The research focuses on optimizing powder…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to develop a highly loaded filament with spherical metallic particles for fused filament fabrication (FFF) technology. The research focuses on optimizing powder loading, printing parameters and final processes, including debinding and sintering, to produce successful metal parts.
Design/methodology/approach
The optimal powder loading was identified by measuring mixing torque and viscosity at various temperatures. The filament was extruded, and printing parameters − particularly printing speed to ensure proper material flow − were optimized. Different filling patterns were also examined. After printing, the polymeric binder was removed and the parts were sintered to form the final metal components.
Findings
The optimal powder loading was determined to be 55 vol.%. The best surface quality was achieved with an optimized printing speed of 5 mm/s. Parts printed with various infill patterns were studied for differences in open, closed and total porosity, showing a strong link between porosity and infill pattern.
Originality/value
This comprehensive study provides new insights into manufacturing metal parts using FFF technology. It fills a gap in the literature regarding feedstock viscosity and shear rate in highly loaded metal filaments during FFF. Additionally, it uniquely examines the open, closed and total porosity of metal parts printed with different infill patterns.
Details
Keywords
Viput Ongsakul, Pattanaporn Chatjuthamard, Pandej Chintrakarn and Pornsit Jiraporn
This study investigates how firm-specific exposure to COVID-19 influences capital structure choices, a topic of significant importance due to the pandemic’s unprecedented economic…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates how firm-specific exposure to COVID-19 influences capital structure choices, a topic of significant importance due to the pandemic’s unprecedented economic disruption. We leverage a novel text-based measure of firm-specific COVID exposure to explore these dynamics.
Design/methodology/approach
Our research adopts an innovative text-based approach to measure firm-specific COVID exposure, developed by prior studies, which analyzes earnings conference call transcripts using advanced machine learning algorithms. The analysis is based on a comprehensive sample of US firms spanning over 20 years. Various statistical techniques, including firm-fixed effects, propensity score matching, entropy balancing and instrumental-variable analysis, are employed to ensure robust results.
Findings
Our findings indicate that firms with higher COVID exposure significantly alter their leverage, favoring debt financing over equity financing. This effect is less pronounced in larger and more profitable firms as well as those more vulnerable to climate change risk. The unique impact of COVID on leverage is contrasted with other infectious diseases, which do not exhibit similar effects.
Originality/value
Our study’s originality lies in its application of a novel text-based metric, borrowed from existing research, to measure firm-specific COVID exposure, marking a significant advancement in the field. This method provides a timely and precise assessment of exposure, offering insights that traditional metrics cannot capture. It is the first study to document the significant role of COVID exposure in determining corporate leverage, enhancing the understanding of capital structure dynamics in the context of unprecedented global disruptions.
Details
Keywords
Behzad Foroughi, Mohammad Iranmanesh, Morteza Ghobakhloo, Madugoda Gunaratnege Senali, Nagaletchimee Annamalai, Bita Naghmeh-Abbaspour and Abderahman Rejeb
ChatGPT is a cutting-edge chatbot powered by artificial intelligence that could revolutionise and advance the teaching and learning process. Drawing on the technology acceptance…
Abstract
Purpose
ChatGPT is a cutting-edge chatbot powered by artificial intelligence that could revolutionise and advance the teaching and learning process. Drawing on the technology acceptance model (TAM) and information system (IS) success model, this study aims to investigate determinants of students’ intention to use ChatGPT for education purposes.
Design/methodology/approach
The partial least squares technique was used to analyse 406 usable data collected from university students in Malaysia.
Findings
The results confirmed the relationships between perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEU), attitude and intention to use proposed by TAM. PU and PEU are influenced by system quality. Surprisingly, trust in information moderates negatively the influences of PEU and PU on attitude.
Practical implications
The findings provide insight for higher education institutions, unit instructors and ChatGPT developers on what may promote the use of ChatGPT in higher education.
Originality/value
The study contributes to the literature by exploring the determinants of ChatGPT adoption, extending the TAM model by incorporating IS success factors and assessing the moderating effect of trust in information.
Details
Keywords
Lei Chen, Lihong Cheng, Yuxing Cheng and Xuesong Xu
This paper considers an e-tailer planning to distribute a product under one direct sales channel and multiple asymmetric agency platforms. Based on the multinomial logit (MNL…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper considers an e-tailer planning to distribute a product under one direct sales channel and multiple asymmetric agency platforms. Based on the multinomial logit (MNL) choice model, this study optimizes the pricing strategy and channel selection strategy to maximize the e-tailer’s profit.
Design/methodology/approach
A two-stage channel selection and pricing problem is formulated, where the profit-maximizing e-tailer first optimally selects a specified number of agency platforms from a set of alternatives to distribute the product and then determines the optimal prices in those channels.
Findings
An optimal pricing strategy is proposed to maximize the e-tailer’s total profit on multiple asymmetric channels. The results show that the e-tailer can obtain a higher profit by selling products on more asymmetric agency platforms. Moreover, an effective channel selection algorithm is provided to help the e-tailer optimally select the M agency platforms from N alternatives.
Originality/value
This study enriches the relevant research on multichannel selection and pricing by proposing an optimal pricing strategy and an effective channel selection algorithm. Evaluation results based on real-world industrial data show that the proposed optimal multichannel pricing strategy in this paper can significantly improve the profit of a real-world e-tailer compared to the e-tailer’s actual profit.
Details
Keywords
Imen Hamdi and Said Toumi
In the context of digitalizing the supply chain of different sectors, the blockchain technology (BT) is emerged and becomes one of the most interesting and debated research…
Abstract
Purpose
In the context of digitalizing the supply chain of different sectors, the blockchain technology (BT) is emerged and becomes one of the most interesting and debated research topics. A few years ago, this technology was implemented for the first time in the financial sector, which is currently extended to be used in many other areas, mainly the health-care sector. The success of this technology stems from its ability to enhance the performance, security, consistency of sharing medical data within the whole system and the analysis of medical records. Technically, the BT is defined as a decentralized digital ledger that records transactions between the stakeholders in a supply chain. Thus, they could gain better control and find severe mistakes and the unsafe ones in the medical field. The purpose of this paper is to address a preliminary study of the BT adoption in a real pharmaceutical supply chain (PSC) of the Tunisian case.
Design/methodology/approach
Indeed, the authors propose an interpretive structural modeling (ISM) combined with the cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) analysis. This methodology is known as an effective one used to identify the criteria that influence the implementation of the BT, analyze the relationships between them and delighting the most impactful ones.
Findings
The readiness criteria for the adoption of the BT for the considered system are identified which are 10 ones and the structural relationship between them is uncovered through many interviews with experts. Hence, the found results define the most crucial criteria that should be valorized amongst the other criteria.
Originality/value
The originality of this study stems from its theoretical and practical relevance regarding the potential of the pharmaceutical system and the importance of the integration of new technologies as the BT. The ISM-MICMAC approach seems to be very performant for such preliminary study of the BT adoption in the Tunisian pharmaceutical system.
Details
Keywords
Anand Thakur, Kavita Singla, Kamini Singla, Alisha Ansari, Ankita Mishra, Simran Kaur and Parwinder Kaur
This study aims to delve into the underlying factors that play a pivotal role in shaping effective digital marketing communication (DMC) to promote sustainability. Further, it…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to delve into the underlying factors that play a pivotal role in shaping effective digital marketing communication (DMC) to promote sustainability. Further, it explores the mediating effect of online customer experience (OCE) on the dynamic relationship between DMC and sustainable purchase intention (SPI) and the moderating impact of social media marketing activities (SMMAs) on the relationship between DMC and OCE.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on single cross-sectional survey, 300 responses from green apparel users are analyzed by using partial least squares-structural equation modeling to corroborate the relationships among DMC, OCE, SMMAs and SPI.
Findings
Perceived usefulness, ease of use, web attractiveness, hedonic motivation and subjective norms significantly impact DMC, which in turn positively influences OCE and SPI. Further, OCE significantly mediates the relationship between DMC and SPI, highlighting the crucial role of OCE. The moderation analysis shows that interactivity negatively moderates the DMC-OCE relationship, suggesting that excessive interactivity may diminish the OCE, while personalization and trendiness do not have significant moderating effects.
Practical implications
The findings provide valuable insights for marketers to align their DMC strategies with sustainable business initiatives to create a seamless online experience, thereby fostering SPI in the contemporary digital era.
Originality/value
While previous studies have examined aspects of these relationships separately, this study integrates them into a cohesive framework to provide a more holistic understanding of how digital marketing strategies can promote sustainability.
Details
Keywords
Mollie Appelgate, Lara Dick, Dittika Gupta, Melissa Marie Soto and Shawn Broderick
This research investigated how lesson study (LS) served as mathematics teacher educators’ (MTEs’) professional development. Using Wenger’s (1998) social theory of learning (STL…
Abstract
Purpose
This research investigated how lesson study (LS) served as mathematics teacher educators’ (MTEs’) professional development. Using Wenger’s (1998) social theory of learning (STL) framework based on communities of practice (CoP), the authors demonstrate how MTEs’ learning evolved throughout the LS process.
Design/methodology/approach
The four dimensions of Wenger’s (1998) STL (learning as belonging, learning as experience, learning as doing and learning as becoming) were used to systematically code MTEs’ written reflections across the phases of LS. A Pearson chi-squared test for association was run to determine significant relationships between phases of LS and the dimensions of MTE learning.
Findings
MTEs’ learning varied across the phases of LS. Learning as belonging was significant in the initial planning and implementation cycle phases. Learning as experience was significant during the initial planning and final reflection phases. Learning as becoming was significant in the implementation cycle phase.
Research limitations/implications
This study was limited to a group of five early-career MTEs who engaged in a modified LS process, which limits the scope of the findings.
Practical implications
Understanding how teachers learn through engagement in LS can provide insight into how to impact teacher learning.
Originality/value
It has been posited that one means of participant learning from LS is through the development of CoP. This paper explicitly considers the role of the evolving CoP by adopting Wenger’s (1998) STL as both theoretical grounding and an analytical approach to studying learning as members of a CoP engage in LS.