Hui Zeng, Hao Xu and Zhenpeng Yu
People’s economic behaviors are often embedded in their social networks. Based on social embeddedness theory, this study investigates how customers’ social network embeddedness…
Abstract
Purpose
People’s economic behaviors are often embedded in their social networks. Based on social embeddedness theory, this study investigates how customers’ social network embeddedness (structural and relational embeddedness) affects their online referral intentions through four studies.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopted a vignette experimental design and used both offline and online channels to collect data. The respondents were undergraduate students and consumers, covering different age groups and occupation types. We used the ANOVA and bootstrap methods of SPSS to conduct data processing and hypothesis testing.
Findings
We found that when fewer (vs more) people in a customer’s social network participated in reward referral programs (RRPs), the customer’s online referral intention was also lower because of higher perceived social costs and lower perceived control. However, when the tie strength, reciprocity and normative influence between customers and people who have participated in RRPs were high, customers’ online referral intention also increased, ignoring the influence of participants’ network size. In these relationships, perceived social costs and perceived control played important mediating roles.
Practical implications
The results provide practical implications for enterprises to develop efficient RRPs in the context of the increasing popularity of the mobile Internet and intelligent terminals.
Originality/value
This study offers insights into the influence mechanism of social network embeddedness on referral likelihood, contributing to the field of RRPs and social embeddedness theory.
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Salome Oyuga, Edward Godfrey Ochieng and Geoffrey Ngene
This paper investigates the moderating influence of cultural values on the relationship between governance and risk in large-scale infrastructure development projects. It…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper investigates the moderating influence of cultural values on the relationship between governance and risk in large-scale infrastructure development projects. It integrates cultural psychology theory into interactive governance theory as a moderator of managerial perceptions of external debt as an effective rule-based risk management framework for these projects.
Design/methodology/approach
Mixed method integrating quantitative analysis with qualitative insights based on a survey of managerial perceptions in large-scale renewable energy, road and rail projects in Kenya and linear regression was used to test the hypothesis.
Findings
Managerial perceptions of country risk, project-specific external debt structure, carbon risk and cultural values significantly influenced their infrastructure risk perceptions. Demographic factors such as gender, years of experience, project tenure, board membership and socio-economic settings moderately influenced these risk perceptions. With 597 responses, the study expands on interactive governance theory by showing that cultural values and certain demographic attributes among managers moderate their view of external debt as an effective rule-based risk management framework for large infrastructure projects.
Practical implications
Cultural values must be appraised when tailoring governance incentives to bolster managerial productivity and performance in mitigating risks in collaborative infrastructure projects.
Originality/value
This paper supports the hypothesis that cultural values moderate the interaction between governance and risk when the historical context incentivises managers to select defensive social learning techniques such as herding to avoid reputational performance risks in collaborative infrastructure projects.
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The aim of this paper is to investigate the factors that influence consumers’ intentions to buy green food and develop conceptual framework that combines Health belief model (HBM…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to investigate the factors that influence consumers’ intentions to buy green food and develop conceptual framework that combines Health belief model (HBM) and Norm activation theory (NAT).
Design/methodology/approach
The research used purposive sampling to collect primary responses from Indians and Lebanese in Ghana at restaurants and retail stores in Accra. Based on the NAT and HBM constructs, questionnaires were designed and distributed to 787 respondents. Data were analyzed using partial least squares and structural equation modeling to test the hypotheses developed through a literature review.
Findings
The findings showed that perceived benefit (PBN), perceived threat (PTT) and cue to action (CAT) are key factors that drive consumers’ intentions to purchase green food by Indians and Lebanese in Ghana. However, there are perceived barriers (PBB) that prevent individuals from buying green food, such as high prices, doubts about authorization and content, shortage of green food, inadequate selling techniques, supposed fulfillment and deficiencies. Therefore, more work is needed to address these barriers.
Practical implications
This research can be used to create advertising messages that emphasize the health and wellbeing benefits of environmental impact on communities, and stimulate customer motivation to purchase green food.
Originality/value
This is a unique study that combines HBM and NAT to investigate the factors that influence consumers’ intentions to buy green food among Indians and Lebanese in Ghana and developed a conceptual framework to offer valuable insights for marketing practitioners to develop effective marketing strategies to induce buying intentions towards green foods. The construct of NAT has been found as useful moderators of pro-environmental behavior.
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Muhammad Bilal Zafar, Mohd Fauzi Abu-Hussin and Ahmad Azam Sulaiman
Excessive digital consumption can lead to a blurring of boundaries between work and leisure. This paper aims to investigate the influence of digital consumption on the work ethic…
Abstract
Purpose
Excessive digital consumption can lead to a blurring of boundaries between work and leisure. This paper aims to investigate the influence of digital consumption on the work ethic among Muslims, integrating demographic variables like gender and marital status into the analysis.
Design/methodology/approach
Using data from the 7th wave of the World Values Survey, this study focuses on a subset of 12,979 employed Muslims to assess the relationships between their engagement with digital media and their work-related values. Multiple linear regression models are used to analyze the effects of various digital platforms, including mobile phones, social media and internet usage, on the perceived importance of work and related ethic principles.
Findings
The findings indicate a significant negative impact of over digital consumption on work ethic, suggesting that increased digital engagement and tech-overload may undermine traditional work values. The relationship persists in all models on success inclusion of control variables, which confirms the robustness of the relationship. However, this relationship varies among demographic groups, with males and singles being more susceptible to the negative impacts compared to females and married individuals.
Originality/value
The study contributes to understanding how digital consumption influences traditional work values and offers recommendations for balancing digital consumption to maintain a robust work ethic in modern digital societies.
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Yimer Mohammed, Merrill Warkentin and Tibebe Beshah
This study aims to investigate how cultural factors – specifically power distance (PD) and uncertainty avoidance (UA) – affect employees’ use of neutralization techniques to…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate how cultural factors – specifically power distance (PD) and uncertainty avoidance (UA) – affect employees’ use of neutralization techniques to rationalize deviant information systems (IS) behaviors. The goal is to enhance strategies for managing insider threats and improving security policies.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional survey was used to examine how national culture affects neutralization strategies related to IS misuse. A scenario-based survey was used to gather data from 292 employees, stressing four top ranked IS deviant behaviors in Ethiopian organizations. Using SmartPLS 4.0 software, the study validates measurement and structural models using partial least squares structural equation modeling. It then uses bootstrapping procedures to assess hypotheses that predict the use of justifications in situations of IS misuse.
Findings
The research finds that all four neutralization techniques – appeal to higher loyalty, claim of normalcy, defense of necessity and denial of responsibility – significantly predicted employees’ IS deviant use intention behaviors. PD and UA cultures also significantly influence IS deviant use intention, with neutralization techniques mediating this relationship, validating the model’s predictive relevance.
Research limitations/implications
The reliance on self-reported data and a cross-sectional design may limit the accuracy and causal inference of the findings. Additionally, the focus on Ethiopian respondents may restrict generalizability, highlighting the need for research in diverse contexts. Future studies could explore longitudinal or experimental designs and examine neutralization techniques and knowledge management to understand IS security.
Originality/value
This study introduces a novel model illustrating how cultural values, such as PD and UA, influence employees’ use of neutralization techniques to justify deviant behavior in Ethiopian organizations. It emphasizes the mediating role of these techniques and the need for culturally tailored anti-neutralization strategies and effective security awareness programs.
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Andrea Lučić, Nikola Erceg and Dajana Barbić
Children are beginning to socialize as consumers earlier than ever, highlighting the importance of their saving behavior as an effective form of consumer protection. The paper…
Abstract
Purpose
Children are beginning to socialize as consumers earlier than ever, highlighting the importance of their saving behavior as an effective form of consumer protection. The paper explored the influence of parents, peers, attitudes, knowledge, past behavior, allowance and self-efficacy on saving intention.
Design/methodology/approach
With the aim to explore a range of determinants of adolescent saving and to specify the potential mechanisms through which different determinants operate, we adopted a multitheoretical approach based on theories of planned behavior, consumer and financial socialization, and self-efficacy. The paper investigates the formation of the saving intentions on a sample of 1,476 children 10–15 years old in Croatia.
Findings
The results indicate strong importance of parental influence and self-efficacy, implying that saving intention among tweens requires a supportive family structure as well as beliefs in the tweens themselves that they are able to save money and face difficulties.
Originality/value
This paper investigates the very nature of saving intention formation at a crucial developmental stage; it investigates the interplay of mechanisms through which determinants of savings operate at that developmental stage; and it explores the age-variance of the mechanism and the interplay of relevant variables, shedding light on the nature of the mechanism of development.
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Yuanyuan Wu, Eric W.T. Ngai and Pengkun Wu
This study aims to investigate the impact of news quality on users’ risk perceptions toward online news and its subsequent influence on perceived believability and user engagement…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the impact of news quality on users’ risk perceptions toward online news and its subsequent influence on perceived believability and user engagement in sharing news. Additionally, we explore the moderating effects of fake news awareness and social tie variety.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing upon the social amplification of risk framework, this study investigates the relationship between news quality and users’ news-sharing behaviors, along with its underlying mechanism. An online questionnaire involving 399 eligible participants was employed for hypotheses testing, and the structural equation model served as the main analytical method.
Findings
The influence of news quality on users’ news-sharing behavior is sequentially mediated by risk perception and perceived believability. Individuals with a heightened awareness of fake news or a diverse social tie are more inclined to perceive greater risks associated with news-sharing behavior and question news authenticity.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the existing literature on users’ news-sharing behaviors by examining the influence of risk perception on the relationship between news quality, perceived believability and users’ news-sharing behavior. Additionally, it explores the moderating effects of fake news awareness and social tie variety. Our findings offer valuable insights into comprehending user inclinations towards news sharing and mitigating the dissemination of fake news.
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Edem Emerald Sabah Welbeck and Emmanuel Amemeotia Larbi
This study aims to assess the impact of sustainability consciousness, altruism and peer influence on sustainable consumption behaviour of young adults.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to assess the impact of sustainability consciousness, altruism and peer influence on sustainable consumption behaviour of young adults.
Design/methodology/approach
Structured questionnaires were administered to 452 undergraduate students attending public universities in the southern part of Ghana. Partial least square structural equation modelling was used to test and analyse the hypothesized relationships.
Findings
Findings from this study indicate that sustainability consciousness and altruism significantly influence sustainable consumption. The respondents also suggest that their association with peers does not significantly affect sustainable consumption. Finally, the outcome of the analysis revealed that altruism partially mediates the nexus between sustainability consciousness and sustainable consumption.
Originality/value
The research directs attention to how the behaviour of undergraduate students who are sympathetic to the environment may influence their consumption behaviours. This study also demonstrates that sustainability awareness and knowledge by individuals play a vital role in shaping consumption behaviour, which may ultimately preserve resources for future generations.
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A growing body of research suggests the detrimental impact animosity will likely have on destination image and intentions to visit. The purpose of this study is to conduct a…
Abstract
Purpose
A growing body of research suggests the detrimental impact animosity will likely have on destination image and intentions to visit. The purpose of this study is to conduct a state-of-the-art literature review to account for observed mixed findings by putting forth research propositions to be tested in future studies. This paper also aims to develop a future research agenda based on gaps identified in the literature.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic quantitative method is adopted to review the consumer animosity literature published in tourism journals.
Findings
This paper identifies several gaps in the literature and suggests several avenues for future research.
Originality/value
To the best of the author’s knowledge, this paper is the first to conduct a state-of-the-art review of the literature dating back to the seminal consumer animosity research conducted in a tourist setting in 2014.
目的
越来越多的研究表明, 敌意可能会对目的地形象和访问意图产生不利影响。本文的主要目的是进行先进的文献综述, 通过提出在未来研究中测试的研究命题来解释观察到的混合结果。本文还旨在根据文献中发现的空白制定未来的研究议程。
设计/方法论/途径
采用系统的定量方法来回顾旅游期刊上发表的消费者敌意文献。
研究结果
本文指出了文献中的几个空白, 并提出了未来研究的几个方向。
原创性/价值
据作者所知, 本文是第一篇自 2014 年在旅游学科中进行的开创性消费者敌意研究以来的文献回顾。
Objetivo
Un número creciente de investigaciones sugiere el impacto perjudicial que probablemente tendrá la animadversión en la imagen de los destinos y en las intenciones de visitarlos. El objetivo principal del presente ensayo es llevar a cabo una revisión bibliográfica actualizada que refleje los resultados mixtos observados, planteando propuestas de investigación que se pondrán a prueba en futuros estudios. El ensayo también pretende desarrollar una futura agenda de investigación basada en las lagunas identificadas en la bibliografía.
Diseño/metodología/enfoque
se adopta un método cuantitativo sistemático para revisar la literatura sobre la animadversión de los consumidores publicada en revistas de turismo.
Resultados
El ensayo identifica varias lagunas en la bibliografía y sugiere varias vías para futuras investigaciones.
Originalidad/valor
Hasta donde sabe el autor, este ensayo es el primero que realiza una revisión actualizada de la bibliografía que se remonta a la investigación seminal sobre la animadversión del consumidor realizada en un entorno turístico en 2014.
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Pilar Giráldez-Puig, Ignacio Moreno, Leticia Perez-Calero and Jaime Guerrero Villegas
This study investigates the relationships between environmental, social, and governance (ESG) controversies and insolvency risk in the insurance sector. Drawing from legitimacy…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the relationships between environmental, social, and governance (ESG) controversies and insolvency risk in the insurance sector. Drawing from legitimacy and stakeholder theories, the authors explore the impact of ESG controversies on insurers’ insolvency risk and the moderating effect of ESG practices on this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
This study utilises a dataset comprising 120 stock insurance firms spanning from 2011 to 2022. The authors employed system-GMM estimations to control for potential endogeneity and conducted several robustness checks.
Findings
ESG controversy positively influences insurers’ insolvency risk, with ESG practices mitigating these positive effects. The Governance (G) component of ESG practices plays a key role in counteracting the effects of ESG controversies on insurance companies’ insolvency risk.
Originality/value
This is the first study to investigate the direct relationship between ESG controversies and insolvency risk in the insurance industry. It underscores the critical influence of stakeholders’ perceptions of the company’s legitimacy, which is determined by the number of ESG controversies undertaken by the insurer company, on its insolvency risk. Additionally, by examining the three components of ESG practices individually, the authors offer insights into how managers can gain a competitive edge, particularly by utilising governance practices as safeguards against the adverse effects of ESG controversies on their financial risk.