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The purpose of this paper is to analyze critically the evolution of educational reform in Thailand. Three major phases are identified. The special focus of the paper is an assessment of the third reform which began with the passage of the Office of the National Education Commission (ONEC) (2002).

The methodology for the study is mixed methods including document analysis, direct participant observation, and compilation of major statistical performance indicators from diverse sources.

The success of the most recent reform has been clearly mixed. Major structural and legal changes have occurred but overall system performance remains disappointingly low, despite large Thai educational expenditures as a percent of national budget and the presence of much impressive educational leadership talent. The paper identifies what is called the “Thai educational paradox”. The essence of the paradox is Thailand’s failure to achieve its educational potential. The paper identifies key factors explaining the paradox.

The paper has significant theoretical, policy, and practical implications. From a theoretical perspective, the study confirms the persistence of strong regional disparities and a lack of fiscal neutrality associated with a neoliberal model of capitalistic development. From a practical policy perspective, it is imperative for Thailand to improve the overall quality of its educational system and to reduce regional disparities. There have been numerous studies of each of Thailand’s three phases of reform, but this paper’s original contribution is its presentation of a historical, interdisciplinary, and integrated perspective on the evolution of educational reform and the many obstacles associated with its implementation.

Behavioral intention models are assumed to be universally applicable; however, recent criticisms have questioned their application among non‐Western subjects. It is argued that models that posit constructs that represent and measure the cultural nature of evaluative and normative latent constructs will best model intention formation in a culture. Thus, emic measures of etic latent constructs are required. A review of culturally‐influenced differences in reasoning processes between Chinese and Americans provides a theoretical basis to explore these models with samples from two cultures. Models considered Western, Oriental, and universal were compared with Hong Kong and US subjects. As predicted, the most Western model fit the USA data best and the most Oriental model fit the Hong Kong data best. Also as predicted, the measures of evaluation most representative of emic thought processes were most related to intention formation. Results suggest that the BI framework is applicable across cultures, yet must be operationalized with the distinctive thought processes of each culture in mind.

Bankruptcy is a financial failure of a business or an organization. Different kinds of bankruptcy prediction techniques are proposed to predict it. But, they are restricted as techniques in predicting the bankruptcy and not addressing the associated activities like acquiring the suitable data and delivering the results to the user after processing it. This situation demands to look for a comprehensive solution for predicting bankruptcy with intelligence. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

To model Business Intelligence (BI) solution for BP the concept of reference model is used. A Reference Model for Business Intelligence to Predict Bankruptcy (RMBIPB) is designed by applying unit operations as hierarchical structure with abstract components. The layers of RMBIPB are constructed from the hierarchical structure of the model and the components, which are part of the reference model. In this model, each layer is designed based on the functional requirements of the Business Intelligence System (BIS).

This reference model exhibits the non functional software qualities intended for the appropriate unit operations. It has flexible design in which techniques are selected with minimal effort to conduct the bankruptcy prediction. The same reference model for another domain can be implemented with different kinds of techniques for bankruptcy prediction.

This model is designed using unit operations and the software qualities exhibited by RMBIPB are limited by unit operations. The data set which is applied in RMBIPB is limited to Indian banks.

A comprehensive bankruptcy prediction model using BI with customized reporting.

Following the advancement of financial technology (FinTech) in modern society to assist investment decisions, robo-advisers had become widely used in mean-variance analyses to allow investors to formulate efficiently diversified investment portfolios. However, the concept of robo-advisers is new, and few studies have addressed issues related to them. To help readers to better understand robo-advisor adoption by a wide range of potential customers, this study explores integrated models of the attitudes (ATT) and behavioural intentions (BI) of users towards robo-advisors.

A survey was used to gather data to determine how the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) applies to robo-advisors. A total of 242 valid questionnaires were collected.

The results of our study show that performance expectations (PE), effort expectancy (EE), and social influences (SI) may have indirect influences on robo-advisor behavioural intention (BI) through attitudes. Furthermore, behavioural intention was also positively influenced by facilitating conditions (FC). Moreover, the investment to income ratio (IIR) moderated the relationship between the PE, EE, and SI influence on ATT. Additionally, experience is found to positively strengthen the relationship between EE and SI on ATT, and it moderated the relationship between FC and BI.

This research is expected to expand the use of UTAUT to tools in the field of financial investments and help financial sectors formulate suitable marketing strategies.

Due to the internationalization that has occurred during the past few decades, the living conditions of people around the island of Taiwan have gradually changed, especially their eating habits. Among them, the growth of the coffee market has been very significant. To date, many studies have been devoted to exploring the application of experiential marketing (EM) in a variety of industries. Many experimental results have proven that a positive brand image (BI) will lead to brand loyalty (BL). In services, the best at the practice of EM is Starbucks. Therefore, this paper aims to assess the role of BI in EM and BL for Taiwan’s most popular brand, Starbucks.

In the formal test stage, 225 questionnaires were given to respondents in Starbucks located in four districts (Da-An, Zhong-Zheng, Nei-Hu and Xi-Yin), which have many more stores than the other districts in Taipei City. Two hundred valid samples were obtained. This study used structural equation modelling (SEM) to validate the relationships among EM, BI and BL.

The findings show that EM cannot directly impact BL as expected, as it needs BI to do so. In other words, BI acts a complete mediator in the relationship between EM and BL.

In this study, BI acts a complete mediator. This means that if Starbucks expects to improve consumers’ loyalty to the brand, it only needs to rely on the good overall image of the brand. Facing such business style homogeneity, people need some available information to help them to execute their following purchase decisions. Though Starbucks can bring me to its locations, meaning that Starbucks has made its first move in comparison with other competitors, I still decide to leave without any impressive image of this brand. Accordingly, we can refer to BI as a powerful endorsement of a qualified relationship between EM and BL.

Compared to past studies on Taiwan’s/Taipei’s Starbucks, this paper simultaneously inputs EM, BI and BL into the model. Though Starbucks has achieved great EM success, this study finds that EM is no longer exclusive to BL, and BI is a powerful endorsement of a qualified relationship between EM and BL. For Starbucks, it must strengthen consumer perceptions of its BI to create customer loyalty.

While many companies begin to promote ethically produced products, much remains to be known about consumers' buying intention toward these products. This paper attempts to integrate the theory of planned behavior and the Hunt–Vitell theory of marketing ethics to explore the buying intention toward ethically produced food products in a developing economy.

Data were collected through a questionnaire survey in Bangladesh. Structural equation modeling technique was used to test the research model.

Research findings showed that deontological evaluation and teleological evaluation have significantly positive effects on perceived behavioral control and subjective norm. Perceived behavioral control, subjective norm, attitude, hedonic and utilitarian value have significantly positive effects on buying intention toward ethically produced foods.

The results are practically and theoretically meaningful because the integrated model holds well explanatory power to predict consumers' intention toward buying ethical foods and thereby understand consumers' ethical decision-makings.

Technology-mediated learning (TML) is gaining popularity among business organizations for upskilling their employees. However, high dropout rates have limited its effectiveness. Thus, we explore, if and how personalization of TML can improve its adoption and effectiveness in workplaces from the lens of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2) theory.

An exploratory sequential mixed-method design was used for this study. Study 1 included interviews (N = 27) of Learning and Development (L&D) leaders and employees (learners) of large global organizations, about their experiences with TML. Emergent themes led us to our research model, which integrates constructs of personalization, technology adoption and transfer of training (TT). In Study 2, a cross-sectional study was conducted. Data were collected from employees who have experienced TML (N = 406) and analyzed using PLS-SEM.

Findings suggested that personalization of TML positively influenced intent to use TML and transfer skills, thereby improving TML effectiveness and proving its relevance in workplaces. Precisely, personalized TML recommendations from managers impacted (1) behavioral intention (BI) and TT directly; (2) BI through performance expectancy (PE); (3) TT through social influence and BI individually; and (4) TT through PE and BI sequentially. Likewise, allowing employees the flexibility to choose TML based on their interests influenced (1) BI directly and via hedonic motivation (HM) and (2) TT via HM and BI individually and sequentially.

Using our model, L&D practitioners may design and personalize their TML ecosystems to foster adoption and transfer of training in workplaces.

Personalization of learning in workplaces has received scant attention; thereby, our study expands existing knowledge in this relatively nascent field of research.

This paper aims to investigate the factors that affect the acceptance of distance learning systems by university academic staff and students in Jordan. To achieve this objective, it has been proposed to examine the distance learning experience of Jordanian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) after the universities institution suspended face-to-face (traditional) courses delivery owing to novel Coronavirus’ (COVID-19) fears.

This study expands upon unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 by incorporating contextual variables such as trust (TR), autonomy (AUT) and compatibility (CMP). Data collection has been carried out through an online survey, which targeted participants at public and private universities during the crisis time of coronavirus. Structural equation modelling has been used to validate the proposed research model.

The outcomes revealed that performance expectancy, facilitating conditions, TR and AUT were the significant predictors of distance learning acceptance in both samples. By identifying the factors affecting the acceptance of distance learning systems, it will be more useful to offer better services of distance learning. This will also help to demonstrate that distance learning will be capable of delivering the educational aims of HEIs to areas where a pandemic outbreak in the Middle East.

Distance learning provides university students with quality education, engaging platforms and most significantly a safe teaching environment. The results and implications to both practice and theory are described.

This paper aims to carry out the research on the influence of ground effect on the performance of robotic fish propelled by oscillating paired pectoral fins.

The two-dimensional ground effect model of the oscillating pectoral fin without considering flexible deformation is established by introducing a two-dimensional fluid ground effect model. The parameters of the influence of ground effect on the oscillating pectoral fin are analyzed. Finally, the ground effect test platform is built, and a series of hydrodynamic experiments are carried out to study the influence of ground effect on the propulsion performance of the robotic fish propelled by oscillating paired pectoral fins under different motion parameters.

The thickness of the trailing edge and effective clearance are two important parameters that can change the influence of ground effect on the rigid pectoral fin. The experimental results are consistent with that obtained through theoretical analysis within a certain extent, which indicates that the developed two-dimensional ground effect model in this paper can be used to analyze the influence of ground effect on the propulsion performance of the oscillating pectoral fin. The experiment results show that the average thrust increases with the decreasing distance between the robot fish and the bottom. Meanwhile, with the increase of oscillation frequency and amplitude, the average thrust increases gradually.

The developed two-dimensional ground effect model provides the theoretical basis for the further research on the influence of ground effect on the propulsion performance of the oscillating pectoral fin. It can also be used in the design of the bionic pectoral fins.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of economic nationalism and consumer ethnocentrism in the form of country of origin (COO) cues specifically “Made in […]” and “Owned by […]” on the product judgement of bi-national wine brands (brands with multiple country affiliations). Further, the role of consumer product knowledge is examined as a moderator of these xenophobia attitudes.

A self-administered questionnaire was designed using established scales. A convenience sample was drawn from participants attending a major wine trade exhibition in Western Australia and university students. A variety of statistical techniques were used to analyse the data.

High levels of economic nationalism and anti-foreign sentiment was so strong that respondents did not want products that had any association with a foreign country, regardless of whether the products are directly or indirectly related to a foreign origin. This suggests that Australian consumers are not any more receptive to bi-national brands; as such domestic affiliations have not diluted the economic nationalistic sentiment. Further, results confirm that Australian consumers use COO cues as part of wine evaluations. Consumers with low product knowledge are likely to rely on extrinsic country cues to reinforce their brand evaluation, whereas consumers who are more knowledgeable are found to base evaluations on intrinsic attributes rather than extrinsic cues.

Only respondents from Perth, Western Australia were chosen, thus limiting the representativeness of the sample. Other cultural contexts and product categories based on a larger sample size should be investigated in the future.

This research provides useful consumer insights and new market entry implications in terms of advertising and branding strategies for international wine manufacturers and distributors who wish to expand globally. In addition, there are managerial implications for domestic market where local retailers, merchandisers, importers can avoid importing products originating from offending countries and take on opportunity to exploit and promote “buy domestic campaigns”.

Conceptually, this study extends the existing COO literature by introducing bi-national brands into the model; expanding on country of ownership appeals in evaluating bi-national brands; and identifying the correlation between the economic nationalism and consumer ethnocentrism constructs. Further, this research can significantly help wine marketers to develop more effective positioning strategies. It will also help in the development of pricing and promotional decisions.