Ana Valeria Calvo, Ana Dolores Franco and Marta Frasquet
This study aims to explore the role that artificial intelligence (AI) systems could play in configuring and enhancing the omnichannel customer experience (OCE).This paper aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the role that artificial intelligence (AI) systems could play in configuring and enhancing the omnichannel customer experience (OCE).This paper aims to pave the way to better understand the intersection between these two novel topics through perspectives and associated interpretations from managers', consultants' and consumers' beliefs, experiences and thoughts.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopts an explorative inductive design. Data from 41 in-depth interviews with high-level retail managers (12), AI consultants (3) and omnichannel consumers (26) was analyzed using grounded theory methodology.
Findings
The study's results revealed that, when AI systems are implemented in the omnichannel experience, some dimensions of the OCE change in relevance. The findings show that some OCE dimensions are easier to relate with experiential elements of the omnichannel experience, such as personalization, consistency and flexibility. In contrast, integration and connectivity are perceived as internal retailer capabilities that enable the omnichannel strategy. Consumers' data also show differences in the omnichannel customer journeys for the product categories of clothes, electronics and furniture.
Originality/value
This study presents insights on the impact of AI on OCE from top-retail managers', consultants' and consumers' perspectives. This choice allowed researchers to explore and uncover interesting intersecting points and examine issues related to omnichannel experience and AI systems implementation, providing guidance for future research.
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Ana Carolina Franco De Oliveira, Cristiano Saad Travassos do Carmo, Alexandre Santana Cruz and Renata Gonçalves Faisca
In developing countries, such as Brazil, the construction sector is consistently focused on the construction of new buildings, and there is no dissemination of the preservation…
Abstract
Purpose
In developing countries, such as Brazil, the construction sector is consistently focused on the construction of new buildings, and there is no dissemination of the preservation, restoration and maintenance of historic buildings. Idle buildings, due to the use and lack of maintenance, present pathological manifestations, such as moisture problems that compromise specially their thermal and energy performance. With this in mind, the purpose of this work is to create a digital model using terrestrial photogrammetry and suggest retrofit interventions based on computer simulation to improve the thermal and energy performance of a historical building.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed methodology combined terrestrial photogrammetry using common smartphones and commercial software for historical buildings with building information modeling (historic building information modeling (HBIM)) and building energy modeling (BEM). The approach follows five steps: planning, site visit, data processing, data modeling and results. Also, as a case study, the School of Architecture and Urbanism of the Fluminense Federal University, built in 1888, was chosen to validate the approach.
Findings
A digital map of pathological manifestations in the HBIM model was developed, and interventions considering the application of expanded polystyrene in the envelope to reduce energy consumption were outlined. From the synergy between HBIM and BEM, it was concluded that the information modeled using photogrammetry was fundamental to create the energy model, and simulations were needed to optimize the possible solutions in terms of energy consumption.
Originality/value
Firstly, the work proposes a reasonable methodology to be applied in development countries without sophisticated technologies, but with acceptable precision for the study purpose. Secondly, the presented study shows that the use of HBIM for energy modeling proved to be useful to simulate possible solutions that optimize the thermal and energy performance.
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Alfonso Valdez Cervantes and Ana Franco
Disruptive retailing technologies improve productivity and cost optimization, but there is a lack of academic literature about their effects on shoppers’ perceptions and…
Abstract
Purpose
Disruptive retailing technologies improve productivity and cost optimization, but there is a lack of academic literature about their effects on shoppers’ perceptions and behaviors. This paper aims to develop and test a conceptual model regarding the effects of retail technology on store image and purchase intentions and to measure how human interaction services (HIS) moderate this relationship. Two relevant retail technologies are explored.
Design/methodology/approach
The results of this study indicate that retailing technology has notable influences on consumer perceptions. Thus, shopping technologies improve store image perceptions and increase purchase intention, moderated by HIS.
Research limitations/implications
Future field experiments in actual stores should attempt to corroborate the results of this study and offer greater internal validity.
Practical implications
The results should help reduce retailers’ resistance to technology adoption. In-store technology can help retailers leverage their store image and increase purchase intentions. HIS could offer a bridge between consumers and new technology.
Originality/value
This paper is an original research paper, given that few research papers are experimentally based to measure consumer’s reactions to new technology implementation.
Propósito
Las tecnologías disruptivas de ventas al por menor mejoran la productividad y la optimización de costes, pero hay una falta de literatura académica sobre los efectos de estas tecnologías en las percepciones y actitudes de los compradores. Este artículo desarrolla y prueba un modelo conceptual de los efectos de la tecnología minorista en la imagen de la tienda y las intenciones de compra y mide cómo los servicios de interacción humana moderaron las relaciones. Este artículo explora dos tecnologías comerciales relevantes para investigarlo.
Diseño/metodología/enfoque
Un total de 480 personas participaron en los tres experimentos en un laboratorio y utilizaron las etiquetas electrónicas de estanterías (ESL) y el carro inteligente de la misma manera que podían usarlo en las tiendas.
Hallazgos
Los resultados indican que la tecnología de venta al por menor tiene influencias notables en las percepciones de los consumidores. Por lo tanto, las tecnologías de compra mejoran la percepción de la imagen de la tienda e incrementa la intención de compra moderada por los servicios de interacción humana.
Originalidad/valor
Es una contribución original porque pocos trabajos de investigación se basan en experimentos para medir las reacciones de los consumidores debido a la implementación de la nueva tecnología.
Limitaciones/implicaciones
Los experimentos de campo en tiendas reales deben intentar corroborar estos resultados y ofrecer una mayor validez interna.
Implicaciones prácticas
Los resultados deberían ayudar a reducir la resistencia de los minoristas a su adopción. La tecnología en la tienda puede ayudar a los minoristas a aprovechar su imagen de tienda y aumentar las intenciones de compra. Los servicios de interacción humana podrían ser un puente entre los consumidores y las nuevas tecnologías.
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Francisco Barros, Susana Aguiar, Pedro J. Sousa, António Cachaço, Nuno V. Ramos, Paulo Tavares, P.M.G. Moreira, Luís Oliveira Santos, Min Xu and Elsa Franco
Part of the runway at Madeira Airport is a platform above the sea at a 60 m height, supported by a series of frames. When aircraft land on this section, a load is exerted on the…
Abstract
Purpose
Part of the runway at Madeira Airport is a platform above the sea at a 60 m height, supported by a series of frames. When aircraft land on this section, a load is exerted on the structure, resulting in bending of the beams which constitute the frames. A vision-based monitoring system was devised and implemented to measure the deflection of the runway's beams when a landing occurs.
Design/methodology/approach
An area on the midspan of two beams, located on the area where aircraft are most likely to land, was prepared with a speckle pattern, and a camera was assembled above a column on each of the adjacent frames, enabling the computation of displacements using digital image correlation (DIC). The camera continuously acquires images of the monitored area and compares them to a reference using DIC. If a displacement is detected, a number of frames before and after this event are saved for further DIC processing.
Findings
The installed systems successfully detected several events corresponding to landings and, for each of those events, measured the deflection of the beams over time and computed displacement fields for critical images, with strain values obtained up to this point being too small to measure using the current system.
Originality/value
This work provides novel insights into the behaviour of a unique structure and constitutes the first use of a vision system in its structural monitoring operations. It is also a valuable development in the implementation of automated DIC monitoring systems in locations of difficult access.
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Enrique Carreras-Romero, Ana Carreras-Franco and Ángel Alloza-Losada
Economic globalization is leading large companies to focus on international strategic management. Nowadays, the assets referred to as “corporate intangibles,” such as corporate…
Abstract
Economic globalization is leading large companies to focus on international strategic management. Nowadays, the assets referred to as “corporate intangibles,” such as corporate reputation, are becoming increasingly important because they are considered a key factor for the viability of an organization, and companies therefore need to incorporate them into their scorecards for management. The problem is that their measurement is subjective and latent. These two characteristics impede direct international comparison and require demonstrating the accuracy of comparison via a minimum of two tests – construct equivalence and metric equivalence. As regards corporate reputation, construct equivalence was verified by Naomi Gardberg (2006). However, the subsequent studies did not address metric equivalence. Based on the results of a survey provided by the Reputation Institute (n = 5,950, 50 firms evaluated in 17 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia), the degree of RepTrak metric equivalence has been tested, using two different methodologies, multigroup analysis (structural equation model), and a new technique from 2016, the Measurement Invariance of Composite Model procedure from the Partial Least Square Path Modeling family. As one would expect from other cross-cultural studies, reputation metrics do not meet the full metric equivalence, which is why they require standardization processes to ensure international comparability. Both methodologies have identified the same correction parameters, which have allowed validation of the mean and variance of response style by country.
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Mauricio Carvache-Franco, Orly Carvache-Franco, Ana Gabriela Víquez-Paniagua, Wilmer Carvache-Franco and Allan Perez-Orozco
The objectives of this study were to (a) analyze the relationship between sociodemographic aspects and motivations in ecotourism and (b) identify the relationship between…
Abstract
Purpose
The objectives of this study were to (a) analyze the relationship between sociodemographic aspects and motivations in ecotourism and (b) identify the relationship between sociodemographic aspects and satisfaction and loyalty variables.
Design/methodology/approach
The research was carried out in the Arenal National Park and the Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge in Costa Rica, an ecologically important ecotourism destination. The sample consisted of 310 surveys obtained in situ. For data analysis, factor analysis and the multiple regression method were used.
Findings
The results show that younger tourists tend to be more motivated by self-development, whereas older tourists and lower-income tourists are more motivated toward strengthening interpersonal relationships with family and friends. In contrast, tourists with lower education levels are highly motivated by novelty, feel more satisfied with the visit and are more willing to recommend and say positive things about the destination. Besides, repeat visitors are most likely to return.
Research limitations/implications
The present study was limited by the timing in which it was carried out. Among the future lines of research, studies that address the relationship between sociodemographic variables in the different ecotourism segments should be conducted.
Practical implications
Regarding the practical implications, this study helps companies related to tourism to pay attention to the sociodemographic characteristics of tourists to design activities and services according to their motivations, satisfaction and loyalty. For younger tourists who are motivated by self-development, activities and services related to learning about nature can be planned to encourage their personal growth, new abilities and individual skills. Regarding elderly and lower-income tourists, who are motivated to be with family and friends, recreational activities to improve family and friendship relationships can be promoted.
Social implications
These findings will serve to plan attractions and services in protected areas, benefiting the destinations and the communities sustainably.
Originality/value
One of the contributions of this study is to find a negative relationship between the level of education and other variables such as satisfaction, intentions to recommend and intentions to say positive things about the destination. This research also identified a negative relationship between age and the self-development motivational dimension, a positive relationship between age and being with family and friends dimension, a negative relationship between income and being with family and friends dimension and a negative relationship between the number of visits and the novelty dimension.
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This study aims to present how an inter-organisational cooperation network can contribute to the competitive performance of higher education institutions (HEI) and also to…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to present how an inter-organisational cooperation network can contribute to the competitive performance of higher education institutions (HEI) and also to students’ academic performance. The intention is also to examine how knowledge-sharing processes should develop to meet the needs of maintaining cooperation networks.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopts a qualitative approach, using the case study (network) method. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews, group interviews and documentary analysis. The convenience sampling technique was used. Data analysis was carried out through a data triangulation process.
Findings
The general benefits arising from cooperation networks are encouraging. The HEIs improved not only through creating an environment that supports learning processes and knowledge-sharing efficiently, but also through cooperation between students and lecturers.
Practical implications
The cooperation network experience studied here can be used by other universities or HEIs as an approach/strategy to launch a cooperation initiative in order to increase levels of knowledge, learning, innovation and competitiveness. The results also help university or HEI leaders to understand the importance of academic cooperation networks, letting them form innovative teaching strategies that stimulate academic and competitive performance, as well as economic growth.
Originality/value
The central elements of originality lie in advancing a new vision of cooperation networks, creating a new, innovative framework that considers the dimensions presented from the theoretical and practical point of view. The framework helps to understand what is necessary for network cooperation to develop and create value for HEIs. Combining different perspectives of the cooperation network inevitably represents a significant innovation.