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This study aims to examine the interaction between different types of supply chain integration (SCI) and competitive strategies on firm performance.

The research method is quantitative. The study develops a structured model and a set of hypotheses based on the related theories. Empirical data is collected in a cross-sectional manner using an online survey to test the model and its hypotheses. The survey comprised standard scales to measure study variables. The scales had high reliability and validity and were commonly used in the literature. The study was conducted on Iranian firms working in steel and auto parts industries. Based on official reports, a total of 305 active companies were found in these two industries. Due to the small population size, all companies in the two industries were contacted for participation. Overall, 84 firms completed the survey. To test the research hypotheses, the authors used hierarchical regression analyses using SPSS 27 software.

Results showed that internal integration improves financial performance when firms follow a cost leadership strategy. Differentiation strategy and process integration interact positively and improve operational performance. Type of industry had no significant effect. The results add to the SCI literature by showing that a match between competitive strategy and integration type can influence both operational and financial performance. In total, firms should focus on the appropriate dimension of SCI based on their competitive strategy to improve the performance of the firm.

The impact of competitive strategy as a moderator on the SCI-performance relationship has not been widely addressed in the literature. In one study, Huo et al. (2014) investigated this relationship using data from 604 manufacturing companies in China. The results provided support for financial performance but not for operational performance. However, the influence of competitive strategies on the SCI performance may vary in different countries and contexts with dissimilar environmental, social and cultural characteristics. As several supply chain scholars have argued, understanding contextual conditions that influence the effect of best practices such as SCI on performance are critical

In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic has become one of the most impactful disruptions which has imposed high levels of uncertainty on supply chains around the world. Supply chain integration (SCI) is highly recommended as an underlying mechanism that can facilitate the development of resilience and robustness as two dynamic capabilities. They can in turn positively influence firm performance and success during the disruptive conditions of COVID-19 era. The study aims to examine whether SCI as an enabler of resilience and robustness can improve firm performance during COVID-19 pandemic.

A theoretical model is developed to elaborate the relationship between SCI dimensions, resilience and robustness and firm’s operational and financial performance during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey method is then used to empirically examine the model using a sample of 94 companies in the food industry in the province of Tehran, Iran, during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study makes several contributions. It provides a novel theoretical model on the relationship between SCI, resilience and robustness and firm performance and tests this model in a less-studied yet critical context (i.e. Iranian food industry) and during a disruptive era (i.e. COVID-19 pandemic).

The results support the positive effect of three SCI dimensions of internal, product and process integration on operational and financial performance during corona virus pandemic. Furthermore, internal and process integration have positive effects on resilience. Internal, product and process integration have positive effects on robustness. In addition, resilience mediates the effects of internal and product integration on both operational and financial performance, whereas robustness mediates the effect of internal and product integration on financial performance.

This study was conducted in the Province of Tehran. To test and generalize the results, it is recommended to conduct this study in other places and countries.

These results highlight the importance of SCI dimensions as vital enablers of resilience and robustness and their consequent impact on firm’s performance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Individual differences cause many differences in human behaviour, and the first source of these differences is personality. In various organisations, employees are encouraged to manage conflict through conflict management styles. The way people think can be an essential factor in their ability to conflict management. Difficult employees are individuals who constantly use problematic communication styles to express their feelings and thoughts to direct the behaviour of others. This empirical study aims to investigate the effect of thinking styles on individuals’ conflict management in dealing with difficult personalities.

To achieve the research purpose, a gamified situation was designed, and a survey was performed in laboratory settings and on an online platform. At first, participants’ reactions were measured in the simulated conflict management situation dealing with difficult personalities; subsequently, the dominant thinking style of participants was measured by the rational-experiential inventory (REI) and the cognitive reflection test. At the end, participants answered a series of demographic questions.

The collected data were then analysed by regression analysis. Based on the findings of this study, the rational thinking measured by the REI40 has a significant and positive effect on the performance of individuals in conflict management with difficult personalities in an organisational context; in other words, rational thinking leads to better performance in conflict management than experiential thinking.

The value of this article lies in the direct study of the impact of thinking styles on conflict management, which was done by focusing on difficult organisational personalities. Also, using gamification in research design is another research initiative.

In order to decrease patient waiting time and improve efficiency, healthcare systems in some countries have recently begun to shift away from decentralized systems of patient referral from general practitioners (GPs) to specialists toward centralized ones. From a queueing theory perspective, centralized referral systems can decrease waiting time by reducing the variation in the referral process. However, from a social psychological perspective, a close relationship between referring physician and specialist, which is characteristic of decentralized referral systems, may safeguard against high referral rates; since GPs refer patients directly to the specialists whom they know, they may be reluctant to damage that relationship with an inappropriate referral. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect upon referral behavior of a relationship between physicians, as is found in a decentralized referral system, vs a centralized referral system, which is characterized by an anonymous GP-specialist relationship. In a controlled experiment where family practice residents made decisions concerning referral to specialists, physicians displaying high confidence referred significantly fewer patients in a close relationship condition than in a centralized referral system, suggesting that for some physicians, referral behavior can be affected by the design of the service system and will, in turn, affect system performance.

The authors used a controlled experiment to test the research hypotheses.

Physicians displaying high confidence referred significantly fewer patients in a close relationship condition than in a centralized referral system, suggesting that for some physicians, referral behavior can be affected by system attributes and will, in turn, affect system performance.

The current study has some limitations, however. First, the sample consisted only of family practice residents and did not have the knowledge and experience of GPs regarding the referral process. Second, the authors used hypothetical patient case descriptions instead of real-world patients. Repeating this experiment with primary care physicians in real setting would be beneficial.

The study indicates that decentralized referral systems may act (rightly or wrongly) as a restraint on the rate of referrals to specialists. Thus, an implementation of a centralized referral system should be expected to produce an increase in referrals simply due to the change in the operational system setup. Even if centralized referral systems are more efficient and can facilitate the referral process by creating a central queue rather than multiple single queues for patients, the removal of social ties such as long-term social relationships that are developed between GPs and specialists in decentralized referral systems may act to counterbalance these theoretical gains.

This study provide support for the idea that non-clinical factors play an important role in referrals to specialists and hence in the quality of provided care, as was suggested by previous studies in this area (Hajjaj et al., 2010; Reid et al., 1999). The design of the service system may inadvertently influence some doctors to refer too many patients to specialists when there is no need for a specialist visit. In high-utilization health systems, this may cause some patients to be delayed (or even denied) in obtaining specialist access. Healthcare systems may be able to implement behavioral-based techniques in order to mitigate the negative consequences of a shift to centralized referral systems. One approach would be to try to create a feeling of close relationship among doctors in centralized referral systems. High communication and frequent interaction among GPs and specialists can boost the feelings of teamwork and personal efficacy through social comparison (Schunk, 1989, 1991) and vicarious learning (Zimmerman, 2000), which can in turn motivate GPs to take control of the patient care process when appropriate, instead of referring patients to specialists.

The authors’ study is the first examining the effect of social relationships between GPs and specialists on the referral patterns. Considering the significant implications of referral decisions on patients, doctors, and the healthcare systems, the study can shed light into a better understanding of the social and behavioral aspects of the referral process.

The purpose of this study is to analyse Peruvian cuisine in the context of visitors’ overall experience, focusing on the loyalty of tourists in terms of gastronomy, their satisfaction with the destination, and the overall image.

Data were obtained from tourists who visited Lima (Peru). Structural equation modeling was used to verify the hypothesized relationships.

The results obtained confirm that satisfaction and appreciation, such as quality, have a positive influence on tourists’ loyalty and, therefore, they recommend and express their desire to come back to this destination. The traditional gastronomy of Lima stands out as a prominent factor on overall experience.

This paper helps the managers of cities in their decisions to improve the satisfaction and seek loyalty of those who visit a city, emphasizes the role of gastronomy.

The results obtained in this research can be used for the establishment of new strategies for the promotion of the destination in terms of tourism and traditional food.

The gastronomy in Lima, (Peru) is recognized worldwide, as well as a stimulus for tourism because it increases the number of visits to the destination. Several studies carried out in these types of destinations have shown the existence of a relationship between gastronomy, overall experience, satisfaction and loyalty. However, there are no previous studies carried out in Lima that sustain this relationship. This work makes a contribution that completes the academic literature on the study of the emotional bonds between Peruvian gastronomy and the tourist who visits it and its behaviour.

In this chapter, the analysis-action nexus will be addressed by reviewing studies from across the chapters. The broad themes covered have included governance and sustainability, consumer benefits and experiences, and networking among entrepreneurs and associated opportunities. It is argued that addition to tourism intelligence often lies in improving communication, building trusted connections, and affirming local networks. A focus on the need for trust, the use of tools for insights, the value of identifying new trends, and understanding target markets, together with the usefulness of training and an appreciation of time, help smooth the journey along the long and winding road from analysis to action.

The present study aims to investigate the impact of the auditor’s opinion and internal control quality (ICQ) on future abnormal cash holdings for companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange (TSE).

Information about 216 companies in 2014–2021 was examined. This study used the absolute value of abnormal cash holdings to test the research hypotheses. However, future extra abnormal cash holdings and future deficit abnormal cash holdings were also tested. Modified multiple regression method and ordinary least squares (OLS) were used. The present study also applied the generalized method of moments (GMM) for endogeneity concerns.

The results showed that an unqualified audit opinion negatively and significantly affects a firm’s future abnormal cash holdings. Moreover, ICQ significantly strengthens the impact of an unqualified audit opinion on a firm’s future abnormal cash holdings. These results remained robust even after several robustness tests. This study tested the robustness of results through data division into the pre-COVID-19 and post-COVID-19 years. The test confirmed previous findings; however, the strength of these effects decreased in post-COVID-19 years.

Previous studies could not answer how an auditor’s opinion affects a company’s future abnormal cash holdings. Moreover, no empirical study has addressed the moderator role of ICQ in the relationship between unqualified audit opinion and future abnormal cash holdings. This study helps stakeholders evaluate the performance of firms more accurately, especially in any global health crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic and similar crises. Combined with the research findings from developed countries, this study can potentially contribute to the global community’s efforts in advancing international objectives.