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This paper assesses the direct influence of technology adoption on employee performance and the moderating role of coronaphobia. The need to address post-pandemic challenges that affect organisational members and hamper effectiveness and progress was the central motivation for the study. Although COVID-19 cases have declined, the psychological impact on employees remains a significant concern, particularly in sectors like banking, where customer interaction and technology adoption are integral to daily operations.

A dataset from a sample of 328 bank employees was gathered and analysed with the aid of Hayes Process Macros.

It was found that perceived usefulness and ease of use of technology both have a direct and significant positive effect on employees' performance and are moderated negatively by coronaphobia.

This paper adds value to human resource and organisational psychology literature as it explores an integrative model that addresses current workplace challenges. As a contribution to knowledge, the study validates TAM as a theory that can be used to explain the moderating role of coronaphobia on technology adoption and employees' performance in banks.

This study aims to provide a new perspective on the impact of mortality threats on consumer behavior through the lens of brand anthropomorphism. It examines the mediating effects of control and connectedness motives and the moderating effects of brand roles on the relationship between mediators and brand attitudes.

A preliminary study explored the relationship between pandemic-induced mortality threats and attitudes toward anthropomorphized brands. Study 1 investigated the underlying mechanism, and Study 2 examined the moderating effects of servant or partner roles. Study 3 confirmed the mortality threat effect on anthropomorphic brand attitudes in the absence of the pandemic.

The study revealed that mortality threats enhanced the desire for control and connectedness, which strengthened attitudes toward anthropomorphized brands. The results also indicated matching effects between the motivations for anthropomorphism and brand roles.

This research offers novel insights into the effects of pandemic-induced mortality threats and mortality threats in non-pandemic contexts on anthropomorphic motives. It highlights the influence of these psychological needs on consumer responses to brand roles and provides insights for brand management during a crisis.

Agency theory postulates that research and development (R&D) investments are subject to managerial discretion and thus may not enhance firm value as expected. The inconclusive empirical findings in the literature is a testament of that. This paper aims to investigate the interplay between board gender diversity (i.e. women on boards) and value relevance of firms’ effort to innovate as indicated by firms’ R&D investments.

Through a sample of 1,626 US-listed firms from the period 2004 to 2019, the authors examine whether board gender diversity promotes or hampers value relevance of firms’ efforts to innovate. The authors use ordinary least squares as the baseline model and address potential endogeneity through instrumental variable two-stage least square, and selection bias through Heckman selection model. Finally, the authors use the financial crisis of 2008 as a natural experiment to investigate the effect of board gender diversity during the crisis period.

The results show that board gender diversity positively moderates the relation between R&D and firm value. In times of financial crisis, R&D does not destroy firm value in firms with gender diverse board. The results are robust to measurement error, endogeneity issue, particularly simultaneity and selection bias.

The findings in this study have several practical implications. Firms that invest heavily in R&D should be mindful of gender diversity in their board recruitment strategies to enhance innovation outputs and firm value. Current and potential investors (i.e. shareholders) should take into consideration board gender diversity in their investment decision-making processes as the results show that gender diverse boards promote more effective governance, which, in turn, leads to better alignment of R&D investments with shareholder value. Regulators aiming to improve corporate governance policies should encourage gender diversity on the boards. The results align with global initiatives such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 5 on gender equality. Policymakers may use the findings in this study to advocate for more gender diverse governance structures within corporations.

This study investigates the role gender diverse boards play in creating value from firms’ R&D activities.

Sustainable management practices are crucial environmental initiatives implemented by manufacturing organisations to mitigate growing social and ecological problems and progress operational and economic successes. The theory of constraints highlights the essence of adopting sustainability practices, including green management, lean management, top management commitment and reverse logistics, to address production constraints and achieve manufacturing performance. However, more empirical evidence is required to determine whether sustainability practices affect manufacturing performance metrics in economies like Ghana. This research establishes whether adopting sustainable management practices impacts manufacturers’ operational and sustainable performance.

This deductive research adopts an explanatory research design. Survey data was administered to 285 managers in 5,329 manufacturing businesses in Ghana. The data was processed and analysed with SmartPLS4.1 and structural equation modelling.

Green management and top management commitment positively predict the performance aspects of manufacturing organisations in Ghana. Also, reverse logistics and lean management practices improve firms’ operational, social and environmental performance, except for economic performance. It is concluded that manufacturing businesses that embrace sustainable management practices can improve their performance.

Although the study’s objectives were primarily achieved, it was geographically restricted to Ghana, a developing country. Also, it was carried out within the boundaries of explanatory design and structural equation modelling.

It provides comprehensive information to assist owner-managers in prioritising heavy investments in appropriate sustainable management practices. It will also encourage them to develop a sustainability culture within their firms and supply chains to fast-track and sustain the adopted practices. These measures will enable manufacturing organisations to effectively handle growing sustainability problems to leverage their sustainable and operational performance.

This study analyses the interplay between sustainable management practices and manufacturing performance dimensions in a developing economy. Hence, the outcomes would serve as valuable guidelines for selecting relevant practices to foster sustainable production and meet performance objectives.

This study aims to understand how Gen Z consumers perceive fashion brands’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication through emotional appeals on Instagram and how such perception affects their overall behaviour towards the brand.

The study adopts a qualitative research approach through photo-elicitation and 14 semi-structured in-depth interviews with members of Gen Z, using one of the world’s largest fast fashion brands, H&M, as the study context.

It is increasingly difficult to capture the attention of Gen Z as they have become immune to the typical CSR messages despite attempting to appeal to their emotions. This makes CSR communication alone challenging in influencing brand perception. However, behaviour towards the brand, such as purchase intention, is not necessarily dependent on whether consumers are convinced of the brand’s CSR activities, as greater value is placed on fast fashion’s price and availability. For Gen Z, such elements surpass their concern for sustainable fashion. Since more emphasis is placed on neutral endorsers due to their trustworthiness, CSR efforts may be disseminated through such third parties to achieve desired outcomes.

Understanding consumers’ perceptions of the current CSR effort allows brand managers to reevaluate their CSR communication strategies to appeal to Gen Z and encourage positive brand behaviour.

Contrary to previous studies, which have focused on organisational outcomes, the study has in-depth explored consumers’ perception of CSR efforts on Instagram and the implications of such perceptions for long-term brand building.

The penetration of mobile social media has given birth to various online collective spaces (OCSs) within cross-functional project teams (CFPTs), which have significantly transformed knowledge sharing (KS) practice. While existing literature has endeavored a lot on KS factors within CFPTs, our understanding of KS in OCSs is limited, thus constituting the central of the present study.

Centering on communication visibility, the core feature of KS in OCSs, this study combines social power theory and knowledge governance theory to shed light on the influence of two agents, i.e. members in the OCS and the project team. Data were collected by administering a questionnaire survey to 205 project team members in China. Ordinary least squares regression and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) techniques are used to analyze the data.

The ordinary least squares (OLS) regression results suggest that expert power of oneself, formal knowledge governance mechanism (KGM) and group size positively influence both KS quantity and quality. Besides, hierarchical distance is found to negatively influence KS quantity, and informal KGM is found to positively affect KS quality. The fuzzy-set QCA results reveal three configurations sufficient for KS quantity and four configurations sufficient for KS quality. Notably, the combination of expert power of oneself, formal and informal KGMs is essential for both KS quantity and quality.

This study provides valuable insights into KS in OCSs by synthesizing multi-level contextual antecedents from multiple theoretical perspectives. The results of OLS regression and fuzzy-set QCA are discussed, offering a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms impacting KS. Ultimately, this study aims to offer guidance to managers on effectively facilitating KS within the contemporary digital era.

The surge of social media as a pivotal platform for individuals to access travel-related information has become increasingly significant. Drawing upon social-technical theory and weak tie theory, this study aims to delve into the antecedents and moderating variables shaping impulsive travel intentions within social media.

Data were collected from 696 Chinese social media users and travelers and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

The findings indicate that information quality and social network interaction significantly influence spatial presence, thereby increasing users’ impulsive travel intentions. The moderating roles of tie strength and face consciousness are confirmed. For travelers with strong ties, their spatial presence is impacted more by social network interaction. Conversely, for individuals with weak ties, spatial presence is more influenced by information quality. In addition, travelers with heightened face consciousness exhibit a diminished susceptibility to the influence of spatial presence on their travel intentions compared to those with lower face consciousness.

The study endeavors to extend the application of the social-technical theory in the domain of tourism social media marketing by examining the interplay of technological and social attributes on impulsive travel intention. It integrates weak tie theory into the socio-technical perspective, emphasizing the importance of weak ties in the social media environment and their influence on travel behavior. In addition, this study introduces face consciousness to the mechanism, seeking to broaden the research scope and capture the nuances of specific cultural contexts. The insights contribute valuable knowledge for destinations and tourism companies to optimize social media marketing.

社交媒体作为个人获取旅行相关信息的重要平台, 其影响力日益显著。本研究基于社会技术理论和弱关系理论, 探讨社交媒体中塑造冲动旅行意图的前因和调节变量。

本研究收集了696名中国社交媒体用户和旅行者的数据, 并采用偏最小二乘法结构方程建模（PLS-SEM）进行分析。

研究结果表明, 信息质量和社交网络互动显著影响空间存在感, 从而增强用户的冲动旅行意图。研究确认了关系强度和面子意识的调节作用。对于有强关系的旅行者来说, 社交网络互动对他们的空间存在感影响更大。相反, 对于有弱关系的个体, 信息质量对空间存在感的影响更为显著。此外, 面子意识较强的旅行者在空间存在感对其旅行意图的影响上表现出更低的敏感性, 相较于面子意识较低的个体。

本研究旨在扩展社会技术理论在旅游社交媒体营销领域的应用, 通过考察技术属性与社会属性对冲动旅行意图的相互作用。研究将弱关系理论融入社会技术视角, 强调了社交媒体环境中弱关系的重要性及其对旅行行为的影响。此外, 本研究引入了面子意识的机制, 旨在拓宽研究范围, 捕捉特定文化背景下的细微差异。研究结果为旅游目的地和公司优化社交媒体营销提供了宝贵的知识。

This study aims to investigate the micro mechanism of macro rheological characteristics for composite modified asphalt.Grey relational analysis (GRA) was used to analyze the correlation between macro rheological indexes and micro infrared spectroscopy indexes.

First, a dynamic shear rheometer and a bending beam rheometer were used to obtain the evaluation indexes of high- and low-temperature rheological characteristics for asphalt (virgin, SBS/styrene butadiene rubber [SBR], SBS/rubber and SBR/rubber) respectively, and its variation rules were analyzed. Subsequently, the infrared spectroscopy test was used to obtain the micro rheological characteristics of asphalt, which were qualitatively and quantitatively analyzed, and its variation rules were analyzed. Finally, with the help of GRA, the macro-micro evaluation indexes were correlated, and the improvement efficiency of composite modifiers on asphalt was explored from rheological characteristics.

It was found that the deformation resistance and aging resistance of SBS/rubber composite modified asphalt are relatively good, and the modification effect of composite modifier and virgin asphalt is realized through physical combination, and the rheological characteristics change with the accumulation of functional groups. The correlation between macro rutting factor and micro functional group index is high, and the relationship between macro Burgers model parameters and micro functional group index is also close.

Results reveal the basic principle of inherent-improved synergistic effect for composite modifiers on asphalt and provide a theoretical basis for improving the composite modified asphalt.

Return policy leniency is a strategic approach to managing product returns, as it affects the quantities of products sold and returned, as well as profitability. Despite its importance, little is known about the drivers of return policy leniency. This paper aims to fill this research gap by identifying the factors that explain the variation in sellers’ return policy leniency in the fashion industry.

Based on a novel, manually constructed dataset comprising the online return policy leniency of 208 USA-based fashion brands, the authors develop a multidimensional construct called the Return Leniency Index that captures the different attributes of return policy leniency. We analyse its antecedents using regression analysis with suitable proxy variables capturing six hypotheses informed by theory and real-life observations.

The results suggest that return policy leniency is reduced by supply chain leanness. On the other hand, counterfeiting concerns, online channel importance and asset intangibility positively impact return policy leniency. The findings are robust to several alternative regression specifications.

This paper presents a novel framework on the antecedents of return policy leniency, introducing a comprehensive measure that incorporates dimensions of time, monetary, effort and scope leniency. Using the USA fashion industry as its empirical context, it identifies statistically significant relationships between return policy leniency and various antecedents. The findings offer a foundation for future research and provide managers and policymakers with valuable insights into how companies design their return policies, thereby aiding the development and regulation of future return practices.

The paper aims to explore and explain sustainable behaviours in an organizational context using self-determination theory, suggesting that individuals are likely to be engaged in green practices when supported by their needs.

The study used three waves of longitudinal design, consisting of 702 executives in leadership roles across public and private companies with an average of 15–20 years of work experience. Professionals working throughout PAN India, the USA, Germany and Australia provided us with the data.

Green transformational leaderships play a pivot in fostering optimism in employees when recrafting their work. Employees being encouraged to evaluate their jobs within the organization’s capacity would bring meaningful change and envision a sustainable future. All the study hypotheses were supported, highlighting the importance of green-focused leadership with individual agencies in line with the organization’s green values.

Using sustainable practices advances organizations in providing green commitment through leadership. Implementing this in the organization can help achieve long-term success by ensuring sustainable practices are embedded in culture rather than a peripheral initiative promoting sustainable decision-making and behaviours.

The study provides insights into the factors influencing decisions to maintain and adopt sustainable practices by providing a deeper understanding of green behaviour change and strategies for promoting pro-environmental strategies in organizations.