Garima Malik, Debasis Pradhan and Bikash Kumar Rup
Extant literature shows that gamification is an effective tool for enhancing customer brand engagement. However, there is a need for a structured review of the literature on how…
Abstract
Purpose
Extant literature shows that gamification is an effective tool for enhancing customer brand engagement. However, there is a need for a structured review of the literature on how and to what extent gamification fosters customer brand engagement. This hybrid literature review synthesizes extant research on gamification and its impact on customer brand engagement.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on 45 articles drawn from 33 journals from the Scopus database. This article conducts a systematic review of theory, context, characteristics and methods employed in extant research, identifies contemporary themes and presents future research avenues. It also conducts a bibliometric analysis to identify the most prominent journals, authors, articles and themes.
Findings
This review identifies various patterns and trends of psychological capital research, and it unfolds four major themes – gamification and customer engagement, gamification and e-marketing, gamification and sustainable marketing and gamification and customer experience.
Practical implications
This review offers key insights into managerial implications.
Originality/value
It is one of the first endeavors to conduct a structured review of research related to gamification and customer engagement. It presents a conceptual framework that shows the relationships between gamification and customer engagement. This systematic review offers several future research agendas to spur scholarly research and presents key insights into the process of gamification in marketing to enhance customer brand engagement.
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Rajesh K. Aithal, Vikram Choudhary, Harshit Maurya, Debasis Pradhan and Dev Narayan Sarkar
The present study aims to understand small retailers' current use of various low-cost technologies and the factors responsible for small retailers' adoption. Furthermore, these…
Abstract
Purpose
The present study aims to understand small retailers' current use of various low-cost technologies and the factors responsible for small retailers' adoption. Furthermore, these factors of adoption were mapped back to beliefs within the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), and an attempt was made to understand if some of the beliefs dominated over the others and their implications.
Design/methodology/approach
The study takes a qualitative approach comprising in-depth semi-structured interviews and direct observation. The qualitative data were analysed through a thematic analysis to identify technology adoption factors.
Findings
Amongst the various technologies (mobile apps), payment and procurement apps were the most widely used. The authors identified eight factors influencing technology adoption: the top being customer demand for payment apps and convenience and cost-saving for procurement apps. The study also highlights the role of the dominant beliefs in technology adoption, which managers could use to improve adoption rates.
Research limitations/implications
The current study is a cross-sectional study and the sample was predominantly of grocery retailers, limiting the generalisability of the results.
Social implications
Small retailers face stiff competition from organised retail and e-commerce platforms which threatens small retailers' existence. Small retailers' survival is vital as many people depend on the small retail sector for livelihood. Increased use of technology seems the only way for them to stay competitive and increase profitability. The study's outcome could help increase technology adoption amongst small retailers and increase small retailers' competitiveness.
Originality/value
Despite the widespread presence of small retailers in emerging economies, few studies have examined technology adoption amongst them. This study is also the first to use the TPB theory in the small retailer technology adoption context.
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Atanu Manna, Subhajit Pahari, Debasish Biswas, Dipa Banerjee and Debasis Das
The study principally aims to investigate the relationship among work–life balance (WLB), job satisfaction (JS) and employee commitment (EC) among the railway staff by integrating…
Abstract
Purpose
The study principally aims to investigate the relationship among work–life balance (WLB), job satisfaction (JS) and employee commitment (EC) among the railway staff by integrating the social exchange theory (SET). The study also explores JS as a mediator in the context of the new normal.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed-method sequential explanatory design was utilized for this study. The research instrument was administered to 533 railway employees, using purposive sampling to ensure reliability and validity. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the quantitative data and measure mediation effects. Additionally, 15 interviews were conducted with employees from three job positioning groups (A, B and C) to gain further insights into commitment-related concerns.
Findings
The study found that WLB and JS positively influenced EC, with JS acting as a mediator between WLB and EC. Furthermore, factors such as fostering friendships among colleagues, effectively managing work–life integration and recognizing the importance of job roles were identified as crucial in enhancing the relationship between WLB and EC.
Originality/value
The study includes SET to examine the social exchange process while considering WLB benefits as a reward from the employer and EC as the outcome of this reward. This study contributes by examining the effects of COVID-19 on the railway industry and EC. The mixed-methods sequential explanatory design gave a comprehensive understanding of the relationships between WLB, JS and EC. The study’s implications highlight the importance of implementing supportive policies, such as flexible work schedules and a supportive organizational culture, to enhance employee commitment and reduce attrition rates. The study emphasizes the significance of prioritizing employee well-being to achieve organizational goals and enhance organizational commitment.
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Suddhachit Mitra and Amrita Sengupta
This case study introduces some elements of strategic management process that instils competitive advantage on an entity such as a higher educational institute (HEI). It…
Abstract
Learning outcomes
This case study introduces some elements of strategic management process that instils competitive advantage on an entity such as a higher educational institute (HEI). It endeavours to achieve the following goals: comprehend strategy implementation through the sustainability paradigm; demonstrate the concept of cost-benefit analysis in strategy; analyse the challenges to new product adoption; and deliberate on extension of the project to include newer areas for greening. Thus, students would be taught about strategy implementation through the sustainability paradigm: they would be introduced to the concept of cost-benefit analysis through an application of the concept in strategic decision-making; students would be taught the about the challenges in new product (such as greening equipment) adoption; and they would be guided to deliberate on the extension of the project in newer areas of greening.
Case overview/synopsis
Prof Atmanand, as the Director of MDI Murshidabad (MDIM), was combating the challenge of leading the campus of the fledgling institute in its initial years. It was May 2023. MDIM was a business school in West Bengal, India. Atmanand had formulated a strategy of “greening” of the campus using a solar lighting system and organic waste converter to start off. The first steps were initiated in early 2021. The possible gains from this move needed to be weighed against the possible costs. Possible benefits included reductions in electricity expenditure, easier conformation to contemporary waste disposal norms, better scores in HEI-ranking exercises and increase in brand value of MDIM. The principal costs were: capital expenditure, possible higher payback period and challenge in adoption of sustainability products such as organic waste converter. The case study engages the student to learn about competitive strategy design and implementation in an HEI, and the resulting challenges. The case study can consequently be used in a Master’s level course in strategic management (competitive strategy) in the context of sustainability management, or as a case in the elective sustainability management offered to the senior batch in the MBA curriculum. The case study weighs out the benefits of the “greening” programme at MDIM against its possible costs. The possible benefits were manifold: reduction in electricity bills, easier conformance to contemporary waste disposal norms and higher scores at HEI-ranking exercises, both at the national and the international levels. Some benefits were not so quantifiable, such as better “press”, and consequent increase in brand value of MDIM. Weighted against these were the costs, capital expenditure, possible higher payback period and lack of in-house operational expertise (such as mechanics). The decision is not easy; although there are numerical tools (indicated in the case), they must be supplemented with a holistic understanding of the context, and any decision to be taken would require a combination of qualitative understanding along with numerical indicators. The case also exhorts the reader to understand problems in adoption of sustainability products and attempts to look to the future in terms of managerial initiatives.
Complexity academic level
This case study is suitable for postgraduate level (MBA) and executive programmes.
Supplementary materials
Teaching notes are available for educators only.
Subject code
CSS4: Environmental Management.
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Mohammadamin Erfanmanesh and A. Abrizah
The Internet of Things (IoT) has attracted wide attention from researchers to address the potential of this technology in various industries recently. This study aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
The Internet of Things (IoT) has attracted wide attention from researchers to address the potential of this technology in various industries recently. This study aims to investigate different characteristics of worldwide research on the IoT using bibliometrics, network analysis and altmetrics. Growth of the literature, publication types, languages, publication countries and research subjects are addressed. The scientific and social impact of the journal articles has also been examined using citation and altmetrics scores.
Design/methodology/approach
The Scopus database was searched for articles indexed under the terms “Internet of Thing*” or “IoT” or “Internet of Everything*” or “Web of Thing*”, and a total of 13,725 articles from 2011 to 2016 were retrieved and analysed.
Findings
There was a continuous increase in the number of publications per year over the period, with a 6.7-fold rise in the number of publications, with the highest share of research output (4,989) published in 2016. Contribution of authors at the micro, meso and macro levels was analysed. About 89 per cent of total publications were the result of collaborative efforts, and Asia-Pacific was responsible for almost 53 per cent of world scientific production of IoT literature. Generally, the IoT research are found in publications concentrating on computer networks and communications, electrical and electronic engineering and computer science applications. The results also showed that the presence of IoT research on the social web is still low, with 6.8 per cent of total publications presenting some altmetric activity.
Research limitations/implications
The work reported is limited to only Scopus-indexed publications. While the search methodology aimed to be as inclusive as possible, it may not have captured all scholarly research output in the IoT world.
Practical implications
The findings of this study may help researchers understand the performance of IoT research from across the world and suggest directions for further research.
Originality/value
This paper reviews the literature of the IoT in past five years using rigorous bibliometric, altmetric and network analysis tools.