This paper aims to explore how heads in South Korean workplace perceive the retirement preparation of older Korean workers and their roles in accordance with life design…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore how heads in South Korean workplace perceive the retirement preparation of older Korean workers and their roles in accordance with life design perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative in-person interviews were conducted with top leaders of 15 corporations in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and analyzed by using a conventional content analysis.
Findings
Top leaders in corporations consider that older Korean workers whose retirement preparation is their own responsibility have not been actively preparing for their postretirement life. Nevertheless, some of these heads are attempting to assist with career development or career transition. Some believe that older workers should work as long as they are capable and should be retained after the official retirement age.
Research limitations/implications
These exploratory findings are preliminary, and the top-down mechanism might work differently in a specific sector. Future research merits a large-scale investigation of each specific business.
Practical implications
It is implied that policy initiatives should support SMEs with subsidy programs for older workers’ employment, empowering longer working as healthy pathways to postretirement.
Originality/value
This pilot study indicates some degree of possible roles of top corporate leaders for workers’ retirement preparation in terms of career development and career transition and retainment of older workers.
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Keywords
Ge Li, Qiushi Kang, Fanfan Niu and Chenxi Wang
Bumpless Cu/SiO2 hybrid bonding, which this paper aims to, is a key technology of three-dimensional (3D) high-density integration to promote the integrated circuits industry’s…
Abstract
Purpose
Bumpless Cu/SiO2 hybrid bonding, which this paper aims to, is a key technology of three-dimensional (3D) high-density integration to promote the integrated circuits industry’s continuous development, which achieves the stacks of chips vertically connected via through-silicon via. Surface-activated bonding (SAB) and thermal-compression bonding (TCB) are used, but both have some shortcomings. The SAB method is overdemanding in the bonding environment, and the TCB method requires a high temperature to remove copper oxide from surfaces, which increases the thermal budget and grossly damages the fine-pitch device.
Design/methodology/approach
In this review, methods to prevent and remove copper oxidation in the whole bonding process for a lower bonding temperature, such as wet treatment, plasma surface activation, nanotwinned copper and the metal passivation layer, are investigated.
Findings
The cooperative bonding method combining wet treatment and plasma activation shows outstanding technological superiority without the high cost and additional necessity of copper passivation in manufacture. Cu/SiO2 hybrid bonding has great potential to effectively enhance the integration density in future 3D packaging for artificial intelligence, the internet of things and other high-density chips.
Originality/value
To achieve heterogeneous bonding at a lower temperature, the SAB method, chemical treatment and the plasma-assisted bonding method (based on TCB) are used, and surface-enhanced measurements such as nanotwinned copper and the metal passivation layer are also applied to prevent surface copper oxide.
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Jong Min Kim, Eunkyung Lee and Yeosun Yoon
Prior literature on online customer reviews (OCRs) suggests that individuals are socially influenced by information shared by others. Given that the online environment brings…
Abstract
Purpose
Prior literature on online customer reviews (OCRs) suggests that individuals are socially influenced by information shared by others. Given that the online environment brings together users from different cultures, understanding how users differ in their processing and generation of OCRs across cultures is imperative. Specifically, this paper explores how cross-cultural differences influence OCR generation when there are inconsistencies between recent and overall review ratings.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors employ an empirical study and an experimental approach to test the predictions. For the empirical study (Study 1), the authors collected and analyzed actual review data from an online hotel review platform, Booking.com. This was followed by an experimental study (Study 2) in which the authors manipulated the thinking style represented by each cultural orientation to further explain how and why cross-cultural differences exist.
Findings
The results show that compared with the review ratings of users from collectivist cultures, those of users from individualistic cultures are more likely to follow recent review ratings. Based on the experimental study, the authors further find that such cross-cultural differences in OCR generation are driven by differences in thinking style.
Originality/value
This research extends the literature by demonstrating the cross-cultural differences in individuals' herding tendencies in OCR generation. The authors also add to the literature by showing in which direction OCR herding occurs when there is a discrepancy between overall and recent review ratings. From a managerial perspective, the findings provide guidelines for online platforms serving the global market on predicting customers' OCR generation and constructing appropriate response strategies.
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The ongoing impact of COVID-19 and the subsequent perception of threat have shifted consumer perceptions and evaluations of service experiences. This paper aims to investigate how…
Abstract
Purpose
The ongoing impact of COVID-19 and the subsequent perception of threat have shifted consumer perceptions and evaluations of service experiences. This paper aims to investigate how customers’ service evaluation is shared as customer reviews following the pandemic and the heightened perception of threat. In doing so, this research particularly investigates the shifts in the textual contents of online reviews.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used the textual contents in the online reviews posted on Hotels.com for 1,497 hotels in New York City for empirical analysis. In total, 109,190 observations were used for the analysis.
Findings
By analyzing actual online review data from an online review platform for hotel services, this study finds that the text reviews generated after the pandemic outbreak tend to contain words with stronger negative emotions. In terms of the pronoun choice, this study further finds that the use of “I” increases while the use of “we” decreases.
Originality/value
This research adds to the existing literature on service evaluation and online customer reviews by showing that there are shifts in the expressions used to communicate service evaluation through online text reviews, including the degree of emotionality and pronoun usage. Because potential customers are likely to rely on online reviews for their own decisions, the findings suggest that it is important for practitioners to be aware of such shifts and respond accordingly.
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Zheyu Li, Muhammad Najib Razali, Hassan Gholipour Fereidouni and Yasmin Mohd. Adnan
The purpose of this study is to estimate different data models on house prices using statistical models and the variables which are controlled by real estate policy.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to estimate different data models on house prices using statistical models and the variables which are controlled by real estate policy.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used several statistical techniques, such as Vector auto-regression (VAR), Johansen co-integration and variance decomposition, which aim to assess the significant effect of macroeconomic factors on Chinese house prices.
Findings
The results show that land supply and other variables have negative effects on house prices. The results also indicate that financial mortgages for real estate have positive effects on house prices and the area of vacant houses as well as the area of housing sold.
Research limitations/implications
This study only covers three cities in China because of limitations of data for other cities.
Originality/value
This study proposes policy suggestions according to the empirical results obtained.
To date, only a limited number of studies have considered WhatsApp groups. The purpose of this paper is to focus on single WhatsApp groups and explore their special…
Abstract
Purpose
To date, only a limited number of studies have considered WhatsApp groups. The purpose of this paper is to focus on single WhatsApp groups and explore their special characteristics and dynamics. The present study used the social support perspective, Big Five model and narcissism paradigm to predict the level of participation in WhatsApp groups with these variables.
Design/methodology/approach
The research was conducted in Israel during the Spring semester of the 2017 academic year and encompassed 127 students. Researchers used eight questionnaires to gather data: a demographic questionnaire; a perceived social support questionnaire; three characteristics from the BIG5 questionnaire: extroversion, openness to experience and neuroticism; a narcissistic questionnaire; questions about WhatsApp usage; questions about one meaningful WhatsApp group; participation level in the meaningful group; and group importance.
Findings
The findings confirmed that psychological factors such as social support, extroversion and narcissism significantly predict the level of participation in WhatsApp groups. It was also found that age, the level of group importance, being the group’s manager, WhatsApp usage and group’s subject play an important role in the participation level.
Originality/value
These results affirmed the importance of psychological factors when exploring new technological platforms, as the paper proposes that individuals may behave differently in various technological environments due to their psychological characteristics. The study expanded current research about a popular communication tool, WhatsApp, by examining it within the special context of WhatsApp groups. This focus enables researchers to follow the special dynamics that take place in a new technological platform.