Search results

This research aims to uncover how the adoption process of a mobile payment solution unfolds in its local use. We examined micro-enterprises’ adoption of UPI-based payment system in India.

We employed an ethnographic approach to study the micro-entrepreneurs’ daily practice and adopted a relational ontology to conduct an “in-practice” enquiry of the UPI payment adoption process.

Applying the practice perspective of Technology Affordances and Constraints Theory, we found that UPI adoption was shaped through a dynamic interplay of emerging affordances and constraints. New features, such as All-in-one QR, enabled actions like cross-platform money transfer but also introduced challenges like fraud. Advancements in the technology addressed previous challenges but also created new hurdles. This cycle of evolving affordances and constraints within the contextual use of UPI payment technology shaped its adoption process.

The findings contribute to the existing body of mobile payment literature by elucidating the role of localized and ongoing enactment of affordances and constraints. Unlike existing adoption theories, using relational concepts of affordances and constraints revealed how the integration of mobile payment into practice leads to emergent use patterns and widespread adoption.

We emphasize the need for solutions that address localized challenges and contextual needs. The study advises policymakers to consider technology’s benefits and limitations in interventions.

The study offers a unique view on mobile payment adoption, highlighting the role of technological materiality and temporality. It reveals how the changing materiality of technology shapes the adoption process through localized affordances and constraints.

With the current developments within the sphere of Internet of Things (IoT) technology, many conventional articles are all being fitted with smart functionalities, ranging from chairs, beds, shoes and caps to underwear. Bags which are utility as well as fashion items have not been left out of this smart craze, albeit to a less popular degree. The purpose of this study is to fill the research gap on the subject of smart bags research and applications and to contribute to the general discourse on IoT.

This study adopts literature search and database review, concept mapping as well as synthesis methodologies. Relevant literature form databases such as Web of Science, Google Scholar and Bing Scholar were interrogated. Manual sifting was done to eliminate papers that do not fit the set inclusion criteria. Literature on smart bags was organized into structured frameworks using concept mapping methodology. Applying a synthesis methodology enabled an exploration of the different technological trends in smart bag research and their areas of application.

The study identified about 15 different smart bag applications and functionalities. Discussed in this study is a classification of bags based on a number of points such as way of carrying, size, utility and fabrication materials. Also discussed are the description of what constitute a smart bag, relevant technologies for smart bag design and engineering and subsequently the current trends in smart bag applications. This study also discovered that the air travel industry tend to have some difficulties with this smart bag technologies, specifically with their built-in batteries.

The results of this study will provide researchers and other stakeholders with key information about existing problems and opportunities in smart bag research and applications. This will go a long way to help in guiding future research as well as policymaking in smart bag design and application.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first review on the subject of smart bags even though smart bag research and commercial product design continue to gain momentum in recent years.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of titanium oxide (TiO₂) filler on the abrasive wear properties of bamboo fiber reinforced epoxy composites (BFRCs) using a Taguchi approach. The study aims to enhance the abrasive wear resistance of these composites by introducing TiO₂ filler as a potential reinforcement, thus contributing to the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly materials.

This study focuses on the fabrication of epoxy/bamboo composites infused with TiO₂ particles within the Wt.% range of 0–8 Wt.% using hand layup techniques. The resulting composites were subjected to wear testing according to ASTM G99-05 standards. Statistical analysis of the wear results was carried out using the Taguchi design of experiments (DOE). Additionally, an analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the influential control factors impacting the specific wear rate (SWR) and coefficient of friction (COF).

The study illuminates how integrating TiO₂ filler enhances abrasive wear in epoxy/bamboo composites. Statistical analysis of SWR highlights abrasive grit size (grit) as the most influential factor, followed by normal load, Wt.% of TiO₂ and sliding distance. Analysis of the COF identifies normal load as the primary influential factor, followed by grit, Wt.% of TiO₂ and sliding distance. The Taguchi predictive model closely aligns with experimental results, validating its reliability. The morphological study revealed significant differences between the unfilled and TiO₂-filled composites. The inclusion of TiO₂ improved wear resistance, as evidenced by reduced surface damage and wear debris.

This research paper aims to integrate TiO₂ filler and bamboo fibers to create an innovative hybrid composite material. TiO₂ micro and nanoparticles show promise as filler materials, contributing to improved tribological properties of epoxy composites. The utilization of Taguchi’s DOE and ANOVA for statistical analysis provides valuable guidance for academic researchers and practitioners in optimizing control variables, especially in the context of natural fiber reinforced composites.

This study aims to understand the kind of content and context that effectively create higher fan social media engagement (SME) through pre-match content posted by sports teams.

This research examines the effect of inspirational, informational, entertaining and warmth content appeal on affective and cognitive responses from fans in the form of likes and shares. Messages on X (previously Twitter), chosen as a representative social media platform, from the teams participating in the Indian Premier League, were analysed using regression models to validate the proposed model empirically.

For sports clubs, entertaining, warmth and inspirational content is more effective than information content in generating likes on social media. Content with high vividness is effective only for sports teams with high performance. Fans of low-performance teams exhibit higher responsiveness to content with inspirational appeal.

This research contributes to the sports marketing literature by examining the influential role of warmth and inspirational content in generating higher SME in the pre-match context.

This study provides prescriptions to sports clubs for leveraging social media platforms to engage their fans through appropriate content. Given the growth of sports leagues in developing and developed countries, this study provides guidelines to sports clubs for effective social media marketing.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first to integrate social identity theory and elaboration likelihood model theoretical frameworks to study fan engagement with social media content posted by sports clubs.