Edoardo Ramalli and Barbara Pernici
Experiments are the backbone of the development process of data-driven predictive models for scientific applications. The quality of the experiments directly impacts the model…
Abstract
Purpose
Experiments are the backbone of the development process of data-driven predictive models for scientific applications. The quality of the experiments directly impacts the model performance. Uncertainty inherently affects experiment measurements and is often missing in the available data sets due to its estimation cost. For similar reasons, experiments are very few compared to other data sources. Discarding experiments based on the missing uncertainty values would preclude the development of predictive models. Data profiling techniques are fundamental to assess data quality, but some data quality dimensions are challenging to evaluate without knowing the uncertainty. In this context, this paper aims to predict the missing uncertainty of the experiments.
Design/methodology/approach
This work presents a methodology to forecast the experiments’ missing uncertainty, given a data set and its ontological description. The approach is based on knowledge graph embeddings and leverages the task of link prediction over a knowledge graph representation of the experiments database. The validity of the methodology is first tested in multiple conditions using synthetic data and then applied to a large data set of experiments in the chemical kinetic domain as a case study.
Findings
The analysis results of different test case scenarios suggest that knowledge graph embedding can be used to predict the missing uncertainty of the experiments when there is a hidden relationship between the experiment metadata and the uncertainty values. The link prediction task is also resilient to random noise in the relationship. The knowledge graph embedding outperforms the baseline results if the uncertainty depends upon multiple metadata.
Originality/value
The employment of knowledge graph embedding to predict the missing experimental uncertainty is a novel alternative to the current and more costly techniques in the literature. Such contribution permits a better data quality profiling of scientific repositories and improves the development process of data-driven models based on scientific experiments.
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Although previous studies have examined the influence of celebrity involvement in behavioural intentions, the role of celebrity dimensions such as attraction, self-expression and…
Abstract
Purpose
Although previous studies have examined the influence of celebrity involvement in behavioural intentions, the role of celebrity dimensions such as attraction, self-expression and centrality in influencing tourists’ intention in the context of developing countries such as Tanzania remains largely unaddressed. This study, therefore, examined the relationship between celebrity involvement and domestic tourists' intentions to visit tourist attractions, attitude being the mediating variable.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire was self-administered on a convenient sample of 279 domestic tourists in the Tanzania’s four largest regions, namely, Dar es Salaam, Mbeya, Arusha and Mwanza. Employing a quantitative research approach, structural equation modelling was performed to test the cause-and-effect relationships between celebrity involvement and tourists’ intentions before testing the mediating role of attitude in such a relationship. Confirmatory factor analysis was also performed to test the measurement models.
Findings
Attraction emerged to be the main determinant of the celebrity dimension that significantly influenced domestic tourists’ travel intentions, whereas attitude partially mediates such a relationship. Moreover, Bongo Fleva musicians, particularly Diamond Platnumz, one of the leading celebrities in this genre, were found to influence most of the respondents’ travel intentions – he posted a picture on his Instagram account of him touring the Serengeti National Park.
Research limitations/implications
The study focused on domestic tourists residing in four of the Mainland Tanzania’s largest regions, hence excluding those residing on the islands of Unguja and Pemba. Due to cultural differences, including the islands not only could unleash new perspectives on celebrity involvement dimensions but also could have introduced new determinants of travel intentions.
Practical implications
This study offers guidance to tourism businesses on designing their marketing campaigns that they should harness celebrity’s attractive qualities effectively. The focus should be directed not only towards linking destinations with celebrities but also on stimulating positive perception of those destinations, aligning with the attitudes of their followers.
Social implications
The study has set out a new perspective for researchers, practitioners and tourism businesses to refine their promotional strategies and for academicians to gain a deeper understanding of visitor behavioural intention dynamics.
Originality/value
This study has proposed and verified that attraction is a dominant determinant compared to self-expression and centrality in explaining tourists’ travel intentions and attitudes, which play a significant role in explaining such a relationship. Although the study employed a modified theory of planned behaviour in a celebrity involvement study, the findings have broadened the understanding and its applicability in the context of a developing country.
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Amir Hossein Ordibazar, Omar K. Hussain, Ripon Kumar Chakrabortty, Elnaz Irannezhad and Morteza Saberi
Supply chain risk management (SCRM) is a multi-stage process that handles the adverse impact of disruptions in the supply chain network (SCN), and various SCRM techniques have…
Abstract
Purpose
Supply chain risk management (SCRM) is a multi-stage process that handles the adverse impact of disruptions in the supply chain network (SCN), and various SCRM techniques have been widely developed in the literature. As artificial intelligence (AI) techniques advance, they are increasingly applied in SCRM to enhance risk management’s capabilities.
Design/methodology/approach
In the current, systematic literature review (SLR), which is based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method, we analysed the existing literature on AI-based SCRM methods without any time limit to categorise the papers’ focus in four stages of the SCRM (identification, assessment, mitigation and monitoring). Three research questions (RQs) consider different aspects of an SCRM method: interconnectivity, external events exposure and explainability.
Findings
For the PRISMA process, 715 journal and conference papers were first found from Scopus and Web of Science (WoS); then, by automatic filtering and screening of the found papers, 72 papers were shortlisted and read thoroughly, our review revealed research gaps, leading to five key recommendations for future studies: (1) Attention to considering the ripple effect of risks, (2) developing methods to explain the AI-based models, (3) capturing the external events impact on the SCN, (4) considering all stages of SCRM holistically and (5) designing user-friendly dashboards.
Originality/value
The current SLR found research gaps in AI-based SCRM and proposed directions for future studies.
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It is observed that bank transactions are at the top of the list as consumers' online transactions increase day by day. We assume that creating an emotion-rich experience will be…
Abstract
Purpose
It is observed that bank transactions are at the top of the list as consumers' online transactions increase day by day. We assume that creating an emotion-rich experience will be more effective in ensuring brand awareness, brand associations, perceived quality and brand loyalty, which affect the creation of consumer-based brand value. In this study, it is aimed to determine the relationship of the emotional brand experiences of internet banking users in the brands they use on creating consumer-based brand equity.
Design/methodology/approach
The data in the answers of 484 participants among the 504 people who filled out the questionnaire on social media with the snowball sampling method and were determined to have consistent answers and stating that they used internet banking, were analyzed by SPSS and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM).
Findings
The emotional experiences of internet banking users in Turkey with the internet brand they use have a relationship on all four dimensions (brand awareness, brand loyalty, brand associations and perceived quality) that make up consumer-based brand equity. In this study, the relationship was determined as brand awareness, brand loyalty, perceived quality and brand associations, respectively. The dimensions of the relationship of internet banking users emotional brand experience and consumer-based brand equity were supported.
Research limitations/implications
The research was carried out with internet banking users in Turkey. The results of this research can be compared with studies to be conducted in different countries and with different product brands. In addition, the level of contribution can be increased by investigating the emotional brand experience by comparing positive and negative emotions.
Practical implications
As online connection allowing instant access to unrecognized places and being able to reach brands from long distances instantly makes the emotional experience that can create emotional attachment between the brand and the customer, and brand awareness, brand loyalty, brand association and perceived quality, which are the dimensions of consumer-based brand equity affected by emotional experience, much more important. This importance is increasing day by day as the positive emotional experience to be created in banking services is directly related to access to money. Banking transactions are generally considered as cognitive transactions, and decisions are made and implemented within a cognitive context. However, the findings of this research suggest that decisions should be made and implemented that will enable consumers to gain experiences that can affect their emotions as well as their cognition.
Originality/value
Considering the importance of strategies and tactics that prioritize the creation of consumer-based brand equity in marketing theory, the importance of adding emotional brand experience to these strategies and tactics is supported by the results of this research as originality value. Although the effect of brand experience on consumer-based brand value has been widely researched in the literature, the fact that the effect of brand experience, especially emotional brand experience, on consumer-based brand experience in internet banking transactions has not been sufficiently researched and that this effect has been investigated specifically for Turkey, unlike the literature, increases the original contribution of the research.
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Rahabhi Mashapure, Brighton Nyagadza, Lovemore Chikazhe, Gideon Mazuruse and Precious Hove
The main purpose of this research is to investigate factors influencing rural women entrepreneurship development and sustainable rural livelihoods in Manicaland province of…
Abstract
Purpose
The main purpose of this research is to investigate factors influencing rural women entrepreneurship development and sustainable rural livelihoods in Manicaland province of Zimbabwe.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative research was conducted in Manicaland province in Zimbabwe. Data were collected through structured questionnaires from 400 women entrepreneurs in various sectors. The participants were in vegetable vending, operating clothing flea markets and cross border trading. A self-administered structured questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents. Structural equation modeling in SmartPLS version 3 was used to test the research hypotheses.
Findings
The study established that women entrepreneurship is driven by financial factors, positive environmental factors, positive psychological factors as well as positive sociological factors for a sustainable rural livelihood.
Research limitations/implications
It is clear that if the discovered challenges are not addressed, sustainability of women entrepreneurship will remain a dream.
Practical implications
The study came up with strategies for improving women entrepreneurship activities. Future research can be done in other areas of provinces to avoid generalization challenges.
Social implications
Many challenges hinder the sustainability of women entrepreneurship. Major impediments to women entrepreneurship comprises inadequate support from government schemes, patriarchal societal structure of the community, lack of relevant entrepreneurial knowledge to manage businesses, lack of collateral security to access funding, time limitation or role conflict to balance family pressures and business.
Originality/value
The study recommends proper entrepreneurship education and training, supportive government schemes and access to network affiliation/connection to sustain women entrepreneurship.
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Richard Kadan and Jan Andries Wium
Due to the uniqueness of individual construction projects, identifying the dominant risk factors is needed for risk mitigation in ongoing and future projects. This study aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
Due to the uniqueness of individual construction projects, identifying the dominant risk factors is needed for risk mitigation in ongoing and future projects. This study aims to identify the dominant construction supply chain risk (CSCR) factors, based on studies conducted between 2002 and 2022.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopts the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) procedure to identify, screen and select relevant articles in order to provide a bibliography and annotation of the prevalent risks in the supply chains. A descriptive analysis of the findings then follows.
Findings
The study’s findings have highlighted the three most prevalent risks in the construction supply chain (poor communication across project teams, changes in foreign currency rate, unfavorable climate conditions) as reported in literature, that project teams need to pay closer attention to and take proactive steps to mitigate.
Research limitations/implications
Due to limitations imposed by the chosen research methodology, tools, time frame and article availability, the study was unable to examine all CSCR-related papers.
Practical implications
The results will serve as a useful roadmap for risk/supply chain managers in the construction industry to take strategically proactive steps towards allocating resources for CSCR mitigation efforts.
Social implications
Context-specific research on the impact of social and cultural risks on the construction supply chain would be beneficial, due to emerging social network risk factors and the complex socio-cultural settings.
Originality/value
There is presently no study that has reviewed extant studies to identify and compile the dominant risk factors (DRFs) associated with the supply chain of construction projects for ranking in the supply chain risk management process.
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Saniye Yıldırım Özmutlu and Korhan Arun
The core objective of this research is to bridge the notable knowledge gap regarding the interplay between individual company supply chain resilience, digitalization and broader…
Abstract
Purpose
The core objective of this research is to bridge the notable knowledge gap regarding the interplay between individual company supply chain resilience, digitalization and broader logistics performance metrics. This involves a close examination of how digital practices and mindsets contribute to both proactive and reactive supply chain resilience, as well as the impact on overall logistics performance and the logistics performance index (LPI).
Design/methodology/approach
This investigation was carried out through a study of medium-high technology Turkish manufacturing companies, paying particular attention to their engagement with digital technologies. A comprehensive analysis of multi-source data from 403 Turkish manufacturing companies was conducted using path analysis via structural equation modeling, aiming to elucidate the dynamics between these variables.
Findings
The study unveiled a markedly negative correlation between supply chain resilience and logistics performance within the context of developing nations such as Turkey. It further illuminated how different facets of digitalization distinctly influence the nexus between proactive and reactive supply chain resilience and overall logistics efficiency in these regions. Notably, a digital mindset was found to weaken the association between proactive resilience and the LPI while exacerbating the adverse effect of reactive resilience on the LPI.
Research limitations/implications
The findings highlight the critical nature of strategic digital adoption and integration for bolstering supply chain resilience and logistics performance, particularly spotlighting the textile sector in developing countries. However, the study’s focus on Turkish manufacturing companies might limit the generalizability of the findings across different contexts and industries.
Social implications
By underscoring the importance of digital integration in improving supply chain and logistics operations, this research suggests pathways for enhancing economic stability and growth in developing nations, ultimately contributing to broader societal well-being.
Originality/value
This study contributes novel insights into the complex relationship between supply chain resilience, digitalization and logistics performance, particularly in the context of developing economies. Its examination of the differential impacts of digitalization dimensions on this relationship offers valuable perspectives for academics, industry professionals and policymakers aiming to optimize supply chain strategies in the face of global challenges.
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Ziqiang Lin, Xianchun Liao and Haoran Jia
The decarbonization of power generation is key to achieving carbon neutrality in China by the end of 2060. This paper aims to examine how green finance influences China’s…
Abstract
Purpose
The decarbonization of power generation is key to achieving carbon neutrality in China by the end of 2060. This paper aims to examine how green finance influences China’s low-carbon transition of power generation. Using a provincial panel data set as an empirical study example, green finance is assessed first, then empirically analyses the influences of green finance on the low-carbon transition of power generation, as well as intermediary mechanisms at play. Finally, this paper makes relevant recommendations for peak carbon and carbon neutrality in China.
Design/methodology/approach
To begin with, an evaluation index system with five indicators is constructed with entropy weighting method. Second, this paper uses the share of coal-fired power generation that takes in total power generation as an inverse indicator to measure the low-carbon transition in power generation. Finally, the authors perform generalized method of moments (GMM) econometric model to examine how green finance influences China’s low-carbon transition of power generation by taking advantage of 30 provincial panel data sets, spanning the period of 2007–2019. Meanwhile, the implementation of the 2016 Guidance on Green Finance is used as a turning point to address endogeneity using difference-in-difference method (DID).
Findings
The prosperity of green finance can markedly reduce the share of thermal power generation in total electricity generation, which implies a trend toward China’s low-carbon transformation in the power generation industry. Urbanization and R&D investment are driving forces influencing low-carbon transition, while economic development hinders the low-carbon transition. The conclusions remain robust after a series of tests such as the DID method, instrumental variable method and replacement indicators. Notably, the results of the mechanism analysis suggest that green finance contributes to low-carbon transformation in power generation by reducing secondary sectoral share, reducing the production of export products, promoting the advancement of green technologies and expanding the proportion of new installed capacity of renewable energy.
Research limitations/implications
This paper puts forward relevant suggestions for promoting the green finance development with countermeasures such as allowing low interest rate for renewable energy power generation, facilitating market function and using carbon trade market. Additional policy implication is to promote high quality urbanization and increase R&D investment while pursuing high quality economic development. The last implication is to develop mechanism to strengthen the transformation of industrial structure, to promote high quality trade from high carbon manufactured products to low-carbon products, to stimulate more investment in green technology innovation and to accelerate the greening of installed structure in power generation industry.
Originality/value
This paper first attempts to examine the low-carbon transition in power generation from a new perspective of green finance. Second, this paper analyses the mechanism through several aspects: the share of secondary industry, the output of exported products, advances in green technology and the share of renewable energy in new installed capacity, which has not yet been done. Finally, this study constructs a system of indicators to evaluate green finance, including five indicators with entropy weighting method. In conclusion, this paper provides scientific references for sustainable development in China, and meanwhile for other developing countries with similar characteristics.
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This study examines experiences and enjoyment of national parks in the context of Tanzania.
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines experiences and enjoyment of national parks in the context of Tanzania.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional design with quantitative and qualitative methods is applied. The study area is Nyerere National Park in Tanzania. Data collected from fully completed structured questionnaires by 360 domestic tourists are subjected to descriptive statistics and Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling analysis. Content analysis is used to analyze qualitative data.
Findings
The findings have revealed that there is a significant relationship between direct experiences and enjoyment of southern national parks among domestic tourists.
Research limitations/implications
The suggestion is for future studies to explore a longitudinal approach to determine the patterns of domestic tourists in reference to experiences and enjoyment of national parks so as to improve domestic tourism.
Practical implications
The practical implication is for the government, private sector and tourism stakeholders to improve infrastructure and conduct regular surveys and tour guide training.
Originality/value
This study examines experiences and enjoyment of national parks in the context of Tanzania and, specifically analyzes the relationship between direct experiences and enjoyment of southern national parks among domestic tourists in Tanzania guided by types of tourists’ theory.
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George Kofi Amoako, Theresa Obuobisa-Darko and Sylvia Ohene Marfo
The paper examines the role of stakeholders in tourism and hospitality industry to ensure sustainability. This study focuses on investigating how stakeholders view can influence…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper examines the role of stakeholders in tourism and hospitality industry to ensure sustainability. This study focuses on investigating how stakeholders view can influence business sustainability in the tourism industry in Ghana and Africa. The study also looks at the future of sustainable tourism activities in Ghana and Africa.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative approach was adopted and interviewees were purposively selected. Using the semi-structured interview 12 people were interviewed and NVivo used to analyse the data. The study was carried out in Accra the capital city of Ghana. Using the stakeholder based theory and resource based theory (RBT) the study addresses how sustainable competitive advantage can be developed.
Findings
Results shows how stakeholders involved such employees, government, community/society, private sector and individual shop owners perceive factors that enhance or limit progress in tourism. Some challenges they encounter include high level of illiteracy, lack of education for upcoming youth, low funding and publicity, lack of the enforcement of laws in the sector. The findings also indicated that to ensure sustainability in the industry the products should be unique, valuable, rare, non-substitutable and non-imitable and has to be advertised.
Research limitations/implications
Researchers encountered difficulties in eliciting answers from stakeholders who are experts and managers in the industry because of their busy schedules. The researcher admits that this research work which is carried out only in Ghana cannot be used to generalise an assumption for the entire industry sectors in Africa and beyond. The sample size could be improved and the study could be conducted in other African countries for the purposes of comparison.
Practical implications
This study reveals how stakeholders view developments in the tourism sector and this can be used as a guide in developing policies and marketing strategies in the tourism industry. Both theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.
Originality/value
Very little literature has been written on stakeholders' view on business sustainability in the tourism industry in Ghana. Moreover the use of stakeholder and resource based view theories application in developing competitive advantage in the developing country perspective is unique. The findings in no small way will somehow benefit the government and industry stakeholders by providing the latest views and perspectives in Ghana.