Peter Yacob, Lai Soon Wong and Saw Chin Khor
The purpose of this paper is to study the extent of green initiatives within manufacturing SMEs, as well as the mediating effect of the owners/managers intention toward green and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study the extent of green initiatives within manufacturing SMEs, as well as the mediating effect of the owners/managers intention toward green and moderating effect of green technology adoption in building environmental sustainability in the context of the Malaysian manufacturing SMEs.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected through a survey questionnaire responded by 260 Malaysian manufacturing SMEs. The relationships proposed in the developed conceptual framework were represented through three hypotheses: there is a significant relationship between green initiatives and environmental sustainability (H1); intention toward green mediates the relationship between green initiatives and environmental sustainability (H2); and green technology adoption moderates the relationship between intention toward green and environmental sustainability (H3). SEM-AMOS nested model comparisons and mediating and moderating analyses were used to test the hypotheses.
Findings
This is the first research toward the green initiatives framework for the manufacturing SMEs. Till date, no framework is available which could guide researchers and practitioners of this high impact on the environment industry. The findings revealed that energy management, water conservation and waste management are related to environmental sustainability. On mediation analysis, it confirms that owners/managers intention toward green fully mediates the association of green initiatives and environmental sustainability. Finally, the moderation analysis revealed that green technology adoption does not have an influence on manufacturing SMEs environmental sustainability.
Practical implications
This study is expected to help both researchers and practitioners in terms of manufacturing and other industries who are serious toward environmental sustainability implementation and are looking for an appropriate mechanism. It offers a generalized environmental sustainability implementation linking SMEs owners/managers, green practices, green technology policy, process management and supply chain management.
Originality/value
This study is among the very first environmental sustainability implementation research works conducted in the Malaysian manufacturing sector, particularly, in relation to the green initiatives and “four pillars” of green technology policy that manufacturing SMEs in this country need to adopt to make their environmental sustainability a solid competitive vehicle for their development. The results have broader implications for all manufacturing SMEs, particularly in developing economies where the growth of manufacturing and the development of integrated environmental sustainability are key stages in economic development.
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The objective of this study is to investigate how country risk, different political actions from the government and bureaucratic behavior influence the activities in industry…
Abstract
The objective of this study is to investigate how country risk, different political actions from the government and bureaucratic behavior influence the activities in industry supply chains (SCs) in emerging markets. The main objective of this study is to investigate the influence of these external stakeholders’ elements to the demand-side and supply-side drivers and barriers for improving competitiveness of Ready-Made Garment (RMG) industry in the way of analyzing supply chain. Considering the phenomenon of recent change in the RMG business environment and the competitiveness issues this study uses the principles of stakeholder and resource dependence theory and aims to find out some factors which influence to make an efficient supply chain for improving competitiveness. The RMG industry of Bangladesh is the case application of this study. Following a positivist paradigm, this study adopts a two phase sequential mixed-method research design consisting of qualitative and quantitative approaches. A tentative research model is developed first based on extensive literature review. Qualitative field study is then carried out to fine tune the initial research model. Findings from the qualitative method are also used to develop measures and instruments for the next phase of quantitative method. A survey is carried out with sample of top and middle level executives of different garment companies of Dhaka city in Bangladesh and the collected quantitative data are analyzed by partial least square-based structural equation modeling. The findings support eight hypotheses. From the analysis the external stakeholders’ elements like bureaucratic behavior and country risk have significant influence to the barriers. From the internal stakeholders’ point of view the manufacturers’ and buyers’ drivers have significant influence on the competitiveness. Therefore, stakeholders need to take proper action to reduce the barriers and increase the drivers, as the drivers have positive influence to improve competitiveness.
This study has both theoretical and practical contributions. This study represents an important contribution to the theory by integrating two theoretical perceptions to identify factors of the RMG industry’s SC that affect the competitiveness of the RMG industry. This research study contributes to the understanding of both external and internal stakeholders of national and international perspectives in the RMG (textile and clothing) business. It combines the insights of stakeholder and resource dependence theories along with the concept of the SC in improving effectiveness. In a practical sense, this study certainly contributes to the Bangladeshi RMG industry. In accordance with the desire of the RMG manufacturers, the research has shown that some influential constructs of the RMG industry’s SC affect the competitiveness of the RMG industry. The outcome of the study is useful for various stakeholders of the Bangladeshi RMG industry sector ranging from the government to various private organizations. The applications of this study are extendable through further adaptation in other industries and various geographic contexts.
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Jun-Jie Hew, Lai-Wan Wong, Garry Wei-Han Tan, Keng-Boon Ooi and Binshan Lin
Given the emerging nature of integrating blockchain into food traceability systems, this study aims to investigate the intention to participate in a blockchain-based Halal…
Abstract
Purpose
Given the emerging nature of integrating blockchain into food traceability systems, this study aims to investigate the intention to participate in a blockchain-based Halal traceability system through a united model that consists of Halal orientation strategy, institutional theory and diffusion of innovation theory.
Design/methodology/approach
A sample that consists of 143 Malaysian Halal food and beverage manufacturers was drawn from Halal Malaysia Official Portal using the simple random sampling technique. The responses were collected from the key managerial personnel with experience and knowledge on the Halal supply chain using phone interviews. Subsequently, the partial least squares structural equation modelling approach was then used to analyse the theoretical model.
Findings
The manufacturers would go through a chain of the process before deciding to participate in the traceability system. Firstly, the manufacturers which practice a comprehensive Halal orientation strategy will be more perceptive towards the institutional pressures that demand them to participate in a traceability system. Secondly, in response to the pressures, the manufacturers would evaluate the technological characteristics of the system and subsequently develop their perceived desirability. Thirdly, the manufacturers with favourable perceived desirability shall decide to participate in the system.
Originality/value
This study advances the current literature of Halal supply chain, information systems, operations management and blockchain through an integrated model that could explain 73.19% of the variance in intention to participate.
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Lim Jin Wong, Pick Soon Ling and Tonny Heng Yew Ling
This study aims to investigate the impact of green image on student loyalty and to present a conceptual framework aimed at retaining current students and attracting new ones in…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the impact of green image on student loyalty and to present a conceptual framework aimed at retaining current students and attracting new ones in higher education.
Design/methodology/approach
After review of prior studies using green image to predict customer loyalty in non-higher education industries and student loyalty in the context of higher education, a conceptual framework is developed after identifying research gaps in two sets of literature.
Findings
Using stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) as a foundation, this study identifies core constructs in the green marketing perspective that may serve as predictors of student loyalty in higher education. A conceptual framework has been developed to examine the relationship between green image and loyalty of student in higher education, with student green satisfaction and institution reputation serving as mediators.
Research limitations/implications
This study is restricted to developing a conceptual framework and no empirical evidence has been presented. However, the conceptual framework developed in this study could facilitate the theoretical and practical implications for enhancing loyalty of students in higher education.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the extant literature in the green marketing realm by extending the green perspectives in the higher education context. This is one of the earliest conceptual papers to examine loyalty of students in higher education using green image. The conceptual framework could serve as the foundation for future research on enhancing loyalty of students in higher education.
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Lawrence W.C. Lai and Frank T. Lorne
The types of innovation considered to be Schumpeterian can be very broad. What is an innovation? According to The Advanced Learner's Dictionary (Hornby, Gatenby, & Wakefield…
Abstract
The types of innovation considered to be Schumpeterian can be very broad. What is an innovation? According to The Advanced Learner's Dictionary (Hornby, Gatenby, & Wakefield, 1973, p. 545), an innovation is “something new that is introduced.” This covers both inventions and their introduction. Thus, introducing methods to a new market can certainly be a form of Schumpeterian innovation. Schumpeter, however, distinguished innovations (innovators) from inventions (inventors) (Swedberg, 1991, p. 173). He considered innovations as the prime movers in the capitalist process. Johannessen, Olsen, and Lumpkin (2001) dwell on six measures of the “newness” of an innovation based on his interpretation of Schumpeter and others, but glossed over the distinction between innovations and inventions. What, then, was Schumpeter's original formulation?
Shi Yee Wong, Pick-Soon Ling, Ming-Lang Tseng, Ka Sing Ting, Wai Wah Low and Kwong Soon Wong
The recognition of housing as an essential requirement in enhancing the quality of life of an individual has increasingly captivated scholars’ interest, particularly within the…
Abstract
Purpose
The recognition of housing as an essential requirement in enhancing the quality of life of an individual has increasingly captivated scholars’ interest, particularly within the context of sustainability. However, the identification of suitable attributes of sustainable housing to be prioritized encountered challenges due to a lack of effective approach in addressing uncertainties and stakeholders’ interests. This study attempts to identify critical attributes of sustainable housing in rural areas and explore their interrelationships.
Design/methodology/approach
Six dimensions and 54 criteria are proposed and validated using the expert linguistic preferences through the Fuzzy Delphi Method. The Fuzzy Decision-Making Trial Evaluation Laboratory is also applied to determine the interrelationship between those attributes.
Findings
The result demonstrates that economic benefits strongly impacted social implications for sustainable housing. The top criteria, including government participation, reduced life cycle cost, environmental protection and local authorities’ participation, are considered to assist housing stakeholders for better sustainable practices.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies addressing the interrelationship among sustainable housing attributes through linguistic preferences in the context of rural areas.
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Ivan Ka Wai Lai and Jose Weng Chou Wong
Given the increasing number of travel restrictions, the COVID-19 outbreak has dealt a crippling blow to the hotel industry, and the crisis management practices supporting the…
Abstract
Purpose
Given the increasing number of travel restrictions, the COVID-19 outbreak has dealt a crippling blow to the hotel industry, and the crisis management practices supporting the industry needs are changing as the pandemic continues. This study aims to compare how the hotel industry has responded to this crisis at the initial stage and the pandemic stage.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from hotel managers in Macau in two occasions, namely, early February and early April 2020. Importance-usage-performance analysis was conducted to classify six categories of practices (pricing, marketing, maintenance, human resources, government assistance and epidemic prevention) into four executable crisis management strategies (priority, maintain, low priority and possible overkill) for each stage. Follow-up in-person interviews were conducted to validate the results of the study.
Findings
In the initial stage, priority strategies should be applied in all epidemic prevention, pricing and maintenance practices and in two governmental assistance and human resources practices. In the pandemic stage, all epidemic prevention practices remain at the priority quadrant, but two pricing practices are downgraded. Hotels tended to force labour into unpaid vacations (furlough) and postpone office and system maintenance. Governmental assistance should be at a low priority.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the knowledge of contingency planning for crisis management across crisis periods. It also demonstrates the processes of importance-usage-performance analysis for researchers to undertake further studies in tourism crisis management. Timely recommendations for governments and hotel industry stakeholders are provided to cope with this crisis.
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Lai-Wan Wong, Garry Wei-Han Tan, Keng-Boon Ooi and Yogesh Dwivedi
The deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in travel and tourism has received much attention in the wake of the pandemic. While societal adoption of AI has…
Abstract
Purpose
The deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in travel and tourism has received much attention in the wake of the pandemic. While societal adoption of AI has accelerated, it also raises some trust challenges. Literature on trust in AI is scant, especially regarding the vulnerabilities faced by different stakeholders to inform policy and practice. This work proposes a framework to understand the use of AI technologies from the perspectives of institutional and the self to understand the formation of trust in the mandated use of AI-based technologies in travelers.
Design/methodology/approach
An empirical investigation using partial least squares-structural equation modeling was employed on responses from 209 users. This paper considered factors related to the self (perceptions of self-threat, privacy empowerment, trust propensity) and institution (regulatory protection, corporate privacy responsibility) to understand the formation of trust in AI use for travelers.
Findings
Results showed that self-threat, trust propensity and regulatory protection influence trust in users on AI use. Privacy empowerment and corporate responsibility do not.
Originality/value
Insights from the past studies on AI in travel and tourism are limited. This study advances current literature on affordance and reactance theories to provide a better understanding of what makes travelers trust the mandated use of AI technologies. This work also demonstrates the paradoxical effects of self and institution on technologies and their relationship to trust. For practice, this study offers insights for enhancing adoption via developing trust.
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Chee Yew Wong, Christina WY Wong and Sakun Boon-itt
The need to integrate environmental management into supply chains has been recognized recently. Yet, there is a lack of theoretical ground and conceptual framework guiding such…
Abstract
Purpose
The need to integrate environmental management into supply chains has been recognized recently. Yet, there is a lack of theoretical ground and conceptual framework guiding such efforts to leverage resources and capabilities across supply chain partners. Grounded on stakeholder and resource orchestration theories, the purpose of this paper is to map the emerging practices, develops a theoretical framework, and proposes future research for understanding an emerging best-practice called “green supply chain integration” (GSCI).
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic literature review of 142 academic articles is conducted to ensure the process of framework development is auditable and repeatable. The article selection criteria are aligned with the review question ensuring that related theories and practices are identified and evaluated.
Findings
The paper illustrates how stakeholder and resource orchestration theories can be used to explain an integrative approach of environmental management in supply chains. The paper identifies four GSCI practices – internal, supplier, customer, and stakeholder GSCI. A theoretical framework and proposition also provide for new directions of research.
Research limitations/implications
The results of this paper are drawn from an extensive review of the existing literature and novel practices that have not been revealed and could have been missed. The emerging practices and theoretical framework can be used for further empirical investigation.
Originality/value
This paper integrates theoretical concepts and empirical findings from the disparate literature and identifies four emerging practices of environmental management by developing a theoretical framework and proposition for future research.
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Keng-Boon Ooi, Alex Koohang, Eugene Cheng-Xi Aw, Tat-Huei Cham, Cihan Cobanoglu, Charles Dennis, Yogesh K Dwivedi, Jun-Jie Hew, Heather Linton Kelly, Laurie Hughes, Chieh-Yu Lin, Anubhav Mishra, Ian Phau, Ramakrishnan Raman, Marianna Sigala, Yun-Chia Tang, Lai-Wan Wong and Garry Wei-Han Tan
The launch of ChatGPT has brought the large language model (LLM)-based generative artificial intelligence (GAI) into the spotlight, triggering the interests of various…
Abstract
Purpose
The launch of ChatGPT has brought the large language model (LLM)-based generative artificial intelligence (GAI) into the spotlight, triggering the interests of various stakeholders to seize the possible opportunities implicated by it. Nevertheless, there are also challenges that the stakeholders should observe when they are considering the potential of GAI. Given this backdrop, this study presents the viewpoints gathered from various subject experts on six identified areas.
Design/methodology/approach
Through an expert-based approach, this paper gathers the viewpoints of various subject experts on the identified areas of tourism and hospitality, marketing, retailing, service operations, manufacturing and healthcare.
Findings
The subject experts first share an overview of the use of GAI, followed by the relevant opportunities and challenges in implementing GAI in each identified area. Afterwards, based on the opportunities and challenges, the subject experts propose several research agendas for the stakeholders to consider.
Originality/value
This paper serves as a frontier in exploring the opportunities and challenges implicated by the GAI in six identified areas that this emerging technology would considerably influence. It is believed that the viewpoints offered by the subject experts would enlighten the stakeholders in the identified areas.