Yaqin Yuan, Hongying Tan and Linlin Liu
This study aims to investigate the impact of digital transformation on supply chain resilience. Additionally, the paper examines the mediating effect of supply chain process…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the impact of digital transformation on supply chain resilience. Additionally, the paper examines the mediating effect of supply chain process integration as well as the moderating effect of environmental uncertainty in the relationship between digital transformation and supply chain resilience.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on digital empowerment theory, this study proposes a theoretical model. Using survey data collected from 216 enterprises in China, the study employs structural equation modeling to validate the theoretical model.
Findings
The results reveal that digital transformation has a significant impact on supply chain resilience. Three dimensions of supply chain process integration, namely, information flow integration, physical flow integration, and financial flow integration mediate the relationship between digital transformation and supply chain resilience. In addition, environmental uncertainty including market uncertainty and technology uncertainty positively moderates the relationship between digital transformation and supply chain resilience.
Originality/value
First, this paper provides empirical evidence on both the direct and indirect effects of digital transformation on supply chain resilience. Second, this paper enriches the understanding of how supply chain integration impacts supply chain resilience in the digital transformation era by adopting a more granular perspective of process integration rather than broad external and internal integrations. Furthermore, this paper extends the knowledge of the role of external environment in digital transformation and supply chain risk management by examining the moderating effects of market uncertainty and technology uncertainty.
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The significance of physician-user interaction has been widely acknowledged in offline and online healthcare consultation. However, limited attempts have been made to explore the…
Abstract
Purpose
The significance of physician-user interaction has been widely acknowledged in offline and online healthcare consultation. However, limited attempts have been made to explore the influence of physician-user interaction on users' perceived service quality (PSQ) in the mobile context. Based on the literature on physician-user interaction and media synchronicity theory, this study proposes a theoretical model where the interactive factors common across the offline, online and mobile context, i.e. physicians' informational support and emotional support, the interactive factors unique in the mobile context, i.e. physicians' response speed and voice service, and the interaction between the two categories of interactive factors predict users' PSQ in mobile consultation.
Design/methodology/approach
This study collects consultation records between 25,225 users and 738 physicians from a leading Chinese mobile consultation application, and employs linear regression to verify the proposed theoretical model.
Findings
Physicians' informational, emotional support, response speed and voice service are found to have significant positive impacts on users' PSQ. Besides, physicians' response speed strengthens the positive impacts of physicians' informational and emotional support on users' PSQ, while physicians' voice service weakens the positive link between physicians' informational support on users' PSQ.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the antecedents for users' PSQ in mobile consultation by identifying unique interactive factors in the mobile context, and highlighting the individual and interaction effects of different physician-user interactive factors. Besides, this study employs novel methods, which leverages text classification and text pattern recognition to more accurately depict physicians' online behaviors based on objective communication records.
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Hongying Tan, Umair Akram and Yujia Sui
Uncertain level discount (ULD) is a type of promotion combining regular discount (RD) with uncertainty. The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of ULD on consumers’…
Abstract
Purpose
Uncertain level discount (ULD) is a type of promotion combining regular discount (RD) with uncertainty. The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of ULD on consumers’ perceived quality compared with RD and to identify the relevant influencing mechanism and boundary for the effectiveness of ULD.
Design/methodology/approach
Three online experiments were conducted with 445 participants from China. First, experiment 1 compares the attractiveness of ULD and RD. Second, experiment 2 evaluates the impacts of ULD and RD on consumers’ perceived quality and clarifies the mechanism in this process. Finally, experiment 3 examines the moderating effect of product knowledge.
Findings
ULD has the same level of attractiveness as RD with equivalent expected discount value for consumers. Besides, consumers in ULD give higher ratings to product quality compared with those in RD, and the lower diagnosticity of price cues in ULD underlies the differential effects of ULD vs RD. Furthermore, product knowledge moderates the relationship between the two promotions and perceived quality.
Practical implications
The findings provide valuable guidance for managers to conduct promotional campaigns. ULD is an effective promotion to attract consumers to purchase with keeping consumers’ perceived quality high, and such effectiveness will rise for products that consumers are unfamiliar with. Managers can make rational use of ULD to achieve positive promotion results in both the short and long term.
Originality/value
Few studies pay attention to the long-term effects of the uncertain promotion. This research profoundly investigates the impact of ULD on perceived quality, which complements existing studies from a more integrated perspective that combines short- and long-term effects. Also, this research identifies the mechanism based on the cue diagnosticity theory and puts forward a new explanation for positive uncertainty in uncertain promotions. Finally, this research applies the impact of product knowledge on information process strategies into the uncertain promotion, which clarifies the utility boundary of ULD from a new perspective and offers a more comprehensive understanding for this promotion.
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Hongying Zhao and Christian Wagner
The purpose of this paper is to examine how different types of user experience in TikTok impact purchase intention via commitment to the influencer and commitment to the platform…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how different types of user experience in TikTok impact purchase intention via commitment to the influencer and commitment to the platform, with customer type included to determine moderating effects. Three types of user experience are considered: information experience, entertainment experience and parasocial-relationship-based experience.
Design/methodology/approach
This study collected 458 valid questionnaires from TikTok users, employing the structural equation modeling approach to examine the proposed research model.
Findings
Information experience, entertainment experience and parasocial-relationship-based experience are found to critically stimulate user commitment to the influencer and commitment to the platform, in turn driving TikTok-based purchase intention. Tests incorporating customer type reveal that commitment to the influencer more strongly influences the purchase intention of repeat customers, with commitment to the platform more likely to stimulate purchase intention among potential customers.
Research limitations/implications
On a theoretical level, the paper is among the first to examine TikTok-based user purchase intention with customer type as a moderator. On a practical level, the results can guide marketers to effectively promote products using TikTok and inspire TikTok managers to develop customized strategies to stimulate initial and repeat sales.
Originality/value
TikTok is moving to the stage of commercialization and monetization by introducing e-commerce features. Although this move should cultivate particularly fertile ground for companies to sell products, TikTok user purchase behavior has yet to receive sufficient research attention, with little currently known about their purchase motivations. The current study uncovers the significant antecedents of users' purchase intention through TikTok, and further reveals the motivational differences among potential and repeat customers.
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Hongying Zhao and Christian Wagner
Although the short-video-based application TikTok and its AI-enhanced technology have achieved enormous success and reshaped the user experience, few studies have focused on the…
Abstract
Purpose
Although the short-video-based application TikTok and its AI-enhanced technology have achieved enormous success and reshaped the user experience, few studies have focused on the user experience in the TikTok context. This study adopts a technology affordance theory lens to identify the main mechanisms contributing to the user experience in the short-video platform context while including user experience level and video length as moderating effects.
Design/methodology/approach
This study collected 401 valid questionnaires from TikTok users and used the structural equation modeling approach to examine the proposed research model.
Findings
Three technology affordances (perceived effortlessness, perceived recommendation accuracy, and perceived recommendation serendipity) contribute to TikTok users' optimal flow experience. Multi-group analysis results further indicate that individuals react differently to the same stimuli as their experience level increases. Finally, video length critically influences the impact of technology affordances on users' cognitive responses.
Originality/value
As a burgeoning industry, the mechanisms enabling short-video platforms to engage users remain unclear to practitioners and researchers. Thus, this study's technology affordance lens provides necessary insights into how TikTok's innovative and advanced technologies contribute to user flow experience from a context-dependent perspective. Furthermore, given that most existing studies have neglected possible variations in user preferences when investigating the effects of technology, this study enriches the existing literature by employing user experience level and video length as moderators.
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Vorawan Kanlayanasukho and Philip L. Pearce
This chapter explores the cultural interest and needs of Thai group tourists undertaking specific tours. The perspectives of a specialist Thai tour operator in choosing routes and…
Abstract
This chapter explores the cultural interest and needs of Thai group tourists undertaking specific tours. The perspectives of a specialist Thai tour operator in choosing routes and conducting tours for these tourists in Europe provide the basis for the points identified. The special appeal of themes linked to Thai life is emphasized. The development of a group travel itinerary is documented as a pragmatic exercise in matching the expectations and the spending power of the participants with the business goals of the tour provider. The wider pan-Asian implications of the work include the need for a high level of personal care and the necessity to explain and interpret often little understood historical facts.
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Hanan Alkatheeri and Syed Zamberi Ahmad
The purpose of this study is to explore the potential impact of blockchain technology on supply chain performance (SCP). This study further delves into the enablers of blockchain…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore the potential impact of blockchain technology on supply chain performance (SCP). This study further delves into the enablers of blockchain adoption (BA) in SCM and investigates both the direct and mediated effects of blockchain assimilation on garnering a competitive edge in the supply chain and bolstering innovation proficiency, ultimately enhancing SCP.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used a quantitative approach, leveraging partial least squares structural equation modelling. Empirical data were sourced from 500 validated data sets obtained through questionnaires.
Findings
The results indicate that technological readiness and knowledge sharing are key drivers for integrating blockchain into supply chains, with technology readiness displaying a substantially stronger influence. Furthermore, BA significantly enhances supply chain innovation capabilities (SCIC), competitive performance (CP) and overall supply chain efficiency. Notably, both SCIC and CP mediate and amplify the positive effects of blockchain on SCP, emphasising the vital role of innovation and competition in optimising the benefits of blockchain.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to bridge the gap in the literature connecting SCM and blockchain. The established model augments the theoretical discourse on the SCM-blockchain, offering scholars a validated framework that can be adapted and built upon in future studies.
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Shuo Wang and Bingwen Yan
China’s rural elderly care system faces significant challenges in addressing the needs of an ageing population, particularly in resource-limited areas. This study aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
China’s rural elderly care system faces significant challenges in addressing the needs of an ageing population, particularly in resource-limited areas. This study aims to critically examine the rural mutual aid elderly care model in China through the lens of active ageing principles. It explores how this model tackles elder care challenges in rural areas by emphasising health, participation and security, aiming to assess its effectiveness in reducing care costs while fostering self-reliance and mutual assistance.
Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative research methodology was used, focusing on document analysis to explore the rural mutual aid elderly care model within an active ageing framework. The study reviewed policy documents, academic literature and organisational records, using thematic analysis to understand the historical context, policy evolution and institutional support for this model.
Findings
The research identifies a significant shift from traditional passive care models to those grounded in active ageing principles. The rural mutual aid model, centring on health, participation and security, enables elderly individuals to engage in self-help and mutual assistance, thereby enhancing autonomy and reducing dependency. Key success factors include strong community networks and culturally resonant support systems. However, challenges such as resource limitations and regional disparities suggest areas for further improvement.
Research limitations/implications
The reliance on document analysis may not fully capture the experiences of elderly participants or account for regional variations in the model’s implementation. Future research could incorporate mixed methods, including interviews or case studies, for a more nuanced understanding of elderly care in rural China. The findings emphasise the need for scalable and adaptable policies to enhance the model’s effectiveness and support culturally appropriate care strategies.
Practical implications
The research presents significant implications for policymakers and practitioners regarding the rural mutual aid elderly care model. It emphasises the need for scalable policies that address resource limitations and enhance community engagement to improve care effectiveness. Key implications include promoting financial and social sustainability by fostering self-reliance among older adults, prioritising active ageing initiatives to enhance quality of life and community cohesion and adopting localised strategies that consider regional disparities. Moreover, these findings offer a blueprint for other countries facing similar ageing challenges, advocating for a culturally sensitive and community-driven approach to elderly care across East Asia.
Social implications
The study’s findings significantly impact how ageing is perceived and managed in rural Chinese communities. The shift from traditional, passive elderly care models to those grounded in active ageing principles reflects a societal transformation in valuing and supporting older adults. By promoting health, participation and security, the rural mutual aid elderly care model creates inclusive environments where the elderly actively contribute to their well-being and that of others. This approach challenges perceptions of ageing as a decline, fostering autonomy and meaningful engagement, ultimately reducing social isolation and enhancing cohesion through strengthened intergenerational relationships and shared responsibilities.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature by focusing on the rural mutual aid elderly care model in China through active ageing principles, addressing a notable gap in the non-Western application of these concepts. The findings offer valuable recommendations for policymakers and practitioners, emphasising community-driven approaches to ageing challenges in rural areas.