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Corporate donation behavior sends two financial-related signals, i.e. sufficient cash flow and self-confidence in future earnings. This paper aims to investigate whether these financial-related signals released by corporate donation drive investors to make more optimistic forecasts about the firm’s future earnings per share (EPS) and whether this effect varies across different historical earnings trends.

This study is based on a controlled online experiment with 553 MBA students.

The results demonstrate that a financial signaling mechanism works, but it is moderated by historical earnings trends. When the earnings trend is always increasing, the more the number of financial signals received, the higher the investors’ EPS forecast; when the earnings trend is fluctuating (down then up or up then down), investors’ EPS forecast is higher when they receive financial signal(s) than when they do not, but no additive effect occurs from receiving one signal to two signals; when the earnings trend is always decreasing, investors’ EPS forecast is irrelevant to the number of financial signals received.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to experimentally investigate a possible mechanism to explain investors’ positive response to corporate social responsibility (CSR) (specifically, corporate donation) disclosures – the financial signaling mechanism. This study also extends the research on the impact of financial information on investors’ use of nonfinancial information by investigating the moderating role of historical earnings trends on the financial signaling mechanism of the CSR effect.

The proliferation of non-fungible token (NFT)-based crypto-art platforms has transformed how creators manage, own and earn money through the creation, assets and identity of their digital works. Despite this, no studies have examined the drivers of continuous content contribution behavior (CCCB) toward NFTs. Hence, this study draws on the theory of relational bonds to examine how various relational bonds affect feelings of psychological ownership, which, in turn, affects CCCB on metaverse platforms.

Using structural equation modeling and importance-performance matrix analysis, an online survey of 434 content creators from prominent NFT platforms empirically validated the research hypotheses.

Financial, structural, and social bonds positively affect psychological ownership, which in turn encourages CCCBs. The results of the importance-performance matrix analysis reveal that male content creators prioritized virtual reputation and social enhancement, whereas female content creators prioritized personalization and monetary gains.

We examine Web 3.0 and the NFT creators’ network that characterizes the governance practices of the metaverse. Consequently, the findings facilitate a better understanding of creator economy and meta-verse commerce.

We aim to provide a systematic literature review of the determinants and consequences of labor investment efficiency in an international context. First, we offer a theoretical discussion of labor investment efficiency, followed by an examination of its measurement. Next, we review the determinants of labor investment efficiency, categorizing them into firm fundamentals including financial reporting quality, governance and controls, corporate social responsibility/environmental regulation and macroeconomic determinants. Finally, we review the limited empirical literature on the consequences of labor investment efficiency. We also provide some suggestions for future research.

We perform a systematic literature review using the Preferred Reporting Items for a Systematic Review of Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines to examine archival studies investigating the determinants and consequences of labor investment efficiency. Using a Boolean search strategy on the Scopus and PRISMA selection criteria, we review 86 published archival research articles from 2014 to the end of August 2024.

Our review highlights that firm-level fundamental factors including financial reporting quality have profound implications for labor investment efficiency. Effective governance mechanisms also help mitigate agency conflicts and information asymmetries and alleviate labor investment inefficiencies. Furthermore, the influence of regulations including ESG-related regulations and macroeconomic factors play a crucial role in shaping labor investment decisions. We find very little research on the consequence of labor investment efficiency.

Our review has highlighted that well-functioning corporate governance tools are effective in mitigating inefficient labor investments. Stakeholders, therefore, should ensure that firms have effective internal governance mechanisms in place and that external governance regulations complement and where necessary act as substitutes for internal governance mechanisms to optimize labor investments.

To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first systematic review of extant research on labor investment efficiency. Our review highlights some research gaps, particularly about the consequences of labor investment efficiency and offers some suggestions for future research.

In recent years, there has been significant interest in adopting XR (extended reality) technologies such as VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality), particularly in retail. However, extending activities through reality-mediation is still mostly believed to offer an inferior experience due to their shortcomings in usability, wearability, graphical fidelity, etc. This study aims to address the research gap by experimentally examining the acceptance of metaverse shopping.

This study conducts a 2 (VR: with vs. without) × 2 (AR: with vs. without) between-subjects laboratory experiment involving 157 participants in simulated daily shopping environments. This study builds a physical brick-and-mortar store at the campus and stocked it with approximately 600 products with accompanying product information and pricing. The XR devices and a 3D laser scanner were used in constructing the three XR shopping conditions.

Results indicate that XR can offer an experience comparable to, or even surpassing, traditional shopping in terms of its instrumental and hedonic aspects, regardless of a slightly reduced perception of usability. AR negatively affected perceived ease of use, while VR significantly increased perceived enjoyment. It is surprising that the lower perceived ease of use appeared to be disconnected from the attitude toward metaverse shopping.

This study provides important experimental evidence on the acceptance of XR shopping, and the finding that low perceived ease of use may not always be detrimental adds to the theory of technology adoption as a whole. Additionally, it provides an important reference point for future randomized controlled studies exploring the effects of technology on adoption.

The main purpose of this study is to examine the effect of corporate digital transformation on bond credit spreads. Additionally, it also explores the two potential channels, information asymmetry and default risk, through which digital transformation can influence bond credit spreads.

We use the bond issuance data of Chinese listed companies over the period 2008–2020. Corporate digital transformation of these companies is measured with textual analysis of the management discussion and analysis part of annual reports. We employ a panel regression model to estimate the effect of digital transformation on bond credit spreads.

We find robust evidence that companies with higher digital transformation experience lower bond credit spreads. We further observe that credit spread reduction is higher for firms that are smaller, non-state-owned, have lower credit ratings and have less analyst coverage. We also find evidence that digital transformation reduces credit spreads by reducing the information asymmetry between firms and investors with enhanced information transformation mechanisms and lowering corporate default risk by strengthening operating efficiency.

To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first attempt to understand the impact of corporate digital transformation on bond credit spreads. Our findings help to understand the effect of digital transformation on firms’ credit worthiness and access to capital.

In recent decades, advancements in biosensors technology have made fluorescent biosensor pivotal for biomolecular recognition. This paper aims to provide an in-depth analysis of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) fluorescent biosensor detection technology for identifying Escherichia coli (E. coli), setting the stage for future developments in the field.

The review of literature on PCR fluorescent biosensor detection technology for E. coli over the past decades includes discussions on traditional biological fluorescent detection, quantitative PCR fluorescent detection and digital fluorescent detection technology.

Advancements in fluorescent biosensor technology enable precise measurement of fluorescent signals, and when integrated with microfluidic technology, produce compact, reagent-efficient digital sensor devices.

This paper provides a comprehensive review of recent fluorescent detection technology for pathogenic E. coli, assessing method efficiencies and offering insights to advance the field.

In the dynamic landscape of 2023, global challenges are amplified by escalating conflicts and the COVID-19 aftermath. Developing nations like Vietnam face a critical juncture, requiring diversified economies for enhanced livelihoods and poverty reduction. However, this growth necessitates increased energy consumption, potentially escalating carbon emissions. Green innovation (GI) emerges as a beacon of hope, offering products and services designed for a minimal carbon footprint. Beyond socio-economic advancement, GI aligns with sustainable development goals. This study aims to  examine the influence of knowledge management (KM) and digitalization (DG) on GI, particularly in sustainable competitive advantage.

Using structural equation modeling and drawing upon a survey administered to 301 Vietnamese enterprises.

The findings illuminate diverse underpinnings between green product and process innovation, unravel the intricate relationship between KM, DG and GI, and provide crucial insights for firms seeking sustainable competitive edges.

This multidimensional approach significantly enriches the understanding of these pivotal elements in contemporary business landscapes.

The purpose of this study is to examine the intricate dynamics within the hospitality service sector, which predominantly employs low-wage and low-skilled workers. These employees frequently encounter challenges related to breaches in their psychological contracts. Despite their critical role in customer service, their experiences are often overlooked in organizational inclusion research. We investigate the relationship between employees’ perceptions of organizational inclusion and their assessments of organizational ethical virtues (OEVs), considering the potential moderating effect of psychological contract breach. Furthermore, it explores how these factors influence customer- and organizationdirected organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs).

Our research design incorporates a two-stage moderated-mediation model to test our proposed hypotheses empirically. A two-source sample of 451 European hotel managers and employees extends the inquiry with the proposed model. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the proposed relationships.

Findings reveal that organization inclusion is positively associated with OEV and employee-perceived OEV mediates an indirect link between organization inclusion on customer-oriented OCB. Moreover, psychological contract breach (P CB) attenuates the association between organization inclusion and OEV at the first stage and OEV, and OCB at the second stage.

The findings robustly corroborate our proposed model. The study findings culminate in a discussion accentuating the extensive implications of our findings for both research and practicality within the hospitality sector. Anchored in empirical revelations, we delineate avenues for future exploration in this pivotal domain.

This paper aims to enhance our understanding of how organizational dehumanization affects employees’ creative performance. We propose the self-esteem threat as a mediator in the relationship between organizational dehumanization and employees’ creative performance. We also examine how work locus of control moderates the relationship between organizational dehumanization and creative performance.

Through convenience sampling, online and face-to-face surveys, multisource time-lagged data (N = 257) were collected from full-time employees and their supervisors in Pakistani organizations in the information technology, media industry and oil and gas sectors.

Organizational dehumanization negatively affects employees’ creative performance, and threats to self-esteem mediate this relationship. Work locus of control moderates the effect of organizational dehumanization on creative performance, and this negative relationship is attenuated when individuals have an external work locus of control.

This study provides novel insights into the process underlying the relationship between organizational dehumanization and creative performance by revealing the mediating role of threat to self-esteem and the buffering role of work locus of control.