Patricia Vander Meer, Howard Poole and Thomas Van Valey
In the last decade, the academic library has been transformed into an environment which is heavily reliant on computers. At the same time, usage of academic computer applications…
Abstract
In the last decade, the academic library has been transformed into an environment which is heavily reliant on computers. At the same time, usage of academic computer applications elsewhere on campus has increased. This study was conducted to determine if there is a relationship between student use of a university library and student use of computers. Results of this study are reported, and implications for academic libraries in areas such as user education, information technology support and library/computer centre cooperation are discussed.
The purpose of this paper is to examine the direct and indirect effects of demographic factors on employee compensation, job satisfaction and organizational commitment in private…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the direct and indirect effects of demographic factors on employee compensation, job satisfaction and organizational commitment in private higher educational institutes in Bangladesh. Specifically, how do compensation structure and job satisfaction mediate in the link between demographic factors and organizational commitment? To answer this question, a theoretical framework using the theory of employee retention provided by Martin and Kaufman, as its basis was established.
Design/methodology/approach
Data (n = 515) were collected from faculty members of the private universities in Bangladesh. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data.
Findings
Findings indicate that though demographic factors have no direct impact on organizational commitment, they have indirect impacts on organizational commitment through the mediation of compensation structure and faculty job satisfaction. Besides, compensation structure also has a significant mediating role in the link between demographic structure and faculty job satisfaction.
Research limitations/implications
One possible drawback is the number of private universities from which the data were collected. In the sample used here, only 20 private universities were selected to conduct the survey. Besides, the study could not include public universities that are also a significant part and parcel of higher education in the country. So, if more private and public universities were taken into consideration to collect the data, the results might be improved. Thus, the usual cautions about overgeneralizing findings from this sample, to populations for which it is not strictly representative, apply.
Practical implications
From a practical perspective, as a cumulative body of work on organizational commitment, we will be better able to advise policymakers and educators on the elements they need to address to increase the longer engagement of the faculty members in their institutes. In this study, the one area of findings that may help policymakers and educators the most concerns compensation package that affects job satisfaction and organizational commitment. We found that demographic factors and compensation packages are the most important factors for the faculty members to impact on organizational commitment in this study.
Social implications
The social implication is that policymakers of the private universities can focus on fair justice in terms of demographic factors and compensation package for job satisfaction, motivation and organizational commitment of the faculty members in their universities.
Originality/value
The findings of the study are important for the policymakers of the higher education institutes.
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Investigates the differences in protocols between arbitral tribunals and courts, with particular emphasis on US, Greek and English law. Gives examples of each country and its way…
Abstract
Investigates the differences in protocols between arbitral tribunals and courts, with particular emphasis on US, Greek and English law. Gives examples of each country and its way of using the law in specific circumstances, and shows the variations therein. Sums up that arbitration is much the better way to gok as it avoids delays and expenses, plus the vexation/frustration of normal litigation. Concludes that the US and Greek constitutions and common law tradition in England appear to allow involved parties to choose their own judge, who can thus be an arbitrator. Discusses e‐commerce and speculates on this for the future.
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The aim of this study is to examine the structural relationship between Spector’s nine job satisfaction facets (supervision, nature of the work, communication, contingent rewards…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to examine the structural relationship between Spector’s nine job satisfaction facets (supervision, nature of the work, communication, contingent rewards, co-worker, fringe benefits, payment, promotion and operating procedures), organizational commitment facets (normative commitment, affective commitment and continuance commitment) and the influence of employees’ years of experience on satisfaction and commitment relationships. Owing to the nature of the industry, employee satisfaction, retention and commitment in Information and Communications Technology-Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (ICT-SME) is a matter of great concern.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 256 valid questionnaires were collected among employees of Information and Communications Technology-Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (ICT-SMEs) to evaluate the measurement and structural model using partial least squares path modelling approach.
Findings
The findings indicate that payment, promotion, fringe benefits, co-worker, communication, operating procedures and nature of the work are positively associated with affective commitment. Furthermore, payment, promotion, fringe benefits, supervision, contingent rewards, operating procedures and nature of the work have a positive relationship with normative commitment. Considering employees’ years of experience as a categorical moderating variable, the results of partial least squares multi-group analysis show how the discrepancies between employees’ years of experience influence their level of commitment.
Originality/value
This study reveals that employees’ affective and normative commitments are positively associated and their continuance commitment is contingent upon their affective commitment, and not normative commitment. There are only three factors, i.e. promotion, fringe benefits and operating procedures, that are conductive to employees’ continuance commitment. Contributions, implications and limitations of the study are discussed.
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Naser Valaei and Shokouh Jiroudi
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between job satisfaction and employee performance in the media industry as well as the role of demographic variables…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between job satisfaction and employee performance in the media industry as well as the role of demographic variables, namely, age, gender, income, marital status, and the level of education as categorical moderators on this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 220 valid questionnaires were collected from employees in the Malaysian media industry to examine the goodness of model fit, sign indeterminacy, measurement model, and structural relationships between constructs. Using partial least squares (PLS) path modelling, this study introduces a full-fledged structural equation modelling approach by applying ADANCO 1.1 advanced composite modelling and SmartPLS 3.2.3. PLS-multi-group analysis is applied to examine the heterogeneity of data and test the hypotheses on moderating variables.
Findings
Payment, promotion, supervision, operating conditions, co-workers, and nature of the work were found to be conducive to employees’ job performance, among which co-workers generated the highest path coefficient followed by operating conditions, payment, and promotion. Hypotheses on the relationships between fringe benefits, contingent rewards, communication, and job performance were rejected. Age, gender, and level of education were found as moderators to the relationship between facets of job satisfaction and employees’ job performance.
Practical implications
The results of importance-performance map analysis can help managers and decision makers to prioritize their actions. The findings show that co-workers and operating conditions have the highest importance and payment and contingent rewards have the highest performance on job performance in the media industry.
Originality/value
This study is among the few that investigates the relationship between job satisfaction and job performance in the media industry by considering demographic factors as the moderating variables. This study also contributes methodologically through the introduction of a synergistic PLS approach.
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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the structural relationship between online brand equity, brand experience, brand attitude, and brand attachment while considering the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the structural relationship between online brand equity, brand experience, brand attitude, and brand attachment while considering the moderating effect of store type (online stores vs app stores) and product type.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 459 completed online questionnaires were collected from experienced online (n=254) and app shoppers (n=205) to empirically test the proposed model. Partial least squares path modeling approach, a variance-based structural equation modeling, was performed to evaluate the measurement and the structural model.
Findings
The study’s empirical investigation validates the proposed model and implies that online brand equity, brand experience, and brand attitude explain 66 percent of variances in brand attachment. Partial least square-multi group analysis reveals that the type of store and product type are moderators to all the proposed relationships except the hypothesis on the relationship between online brand equity and brand attachment.
Originality/value
With the tremendous advancement of information technology that enables firms to deploy multichannel strategy in their core business activities, the role of brand in a multichannel retail environment has been ignored. This study is among several attempts to examine the role of brand among consumers experienced with online and app stores. The practical implications and limitation are discussed.
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Naghmeh Sabermajidi, Naser Valaei, M.S. Balaji and See Kwong Goh
Building on consumer socialization theory, the purpose of this paper is to examine antecedents and consequences of generating and sharing brand-related content on social media in…
Abstract
Purpose
Building on consumer socialization theory, the purpose of this paper is to examine antecedents and consequences of generating and sharing brand-related content on social media in a restaurant context.
Design/methodology/approach
A scale development process was undertaken to develop the scale for brand-related user-generated content (BRUGC). Then the authors tested the antecedents and consequences of BRUGC using 375 responses obtained through a mall-intercept survey. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling with AMOS.
Findings
Study findings revealed that age, time on Facebook, number of Facebook friends, Facebook usage intensity, and need for self-enhancement were key antecedents of both the generation and sharing of BRUGC. The results also indicated that gender, race and need for self-affirmation were not significantly related to generating and sharing BRUGC. Both generating and sharing BRUGC were positively associated with attitude and intentions toward the restaurants.
Originality/value
This study is the first to develop a BRUGC scale through a rigorous scale development process. It thus contributes to consumer socialization theory literature in considering social media as a socialization agent. The findings provide valuable insights for both academicians and social media managers and aid in enhancing BRUGC.
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Padmali Rodrigo, Hina Khan and Naser Valaei
Despite the plethora of research into country-of-origin (COO) effects, research that investigates the cognitive structures behind elite consumers' preferences for foreign brands…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the plethora of research into country-of-origin (COO) effects, research that investigates the cognitive structures behind elite consumers' preferences for foreign brands remains limited. Hence, this study aims to investigate the cognitive structures behind foreign brand preference among professional elites in Sri Lanka.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the means-end chain (MEC) theory as the theoretical lens and building on the findings of 30 laddering interviews (semi-structured), a survey was conducted among 311 professional elites to uncover the key elements of the cognitive structures behind foreign brand preference.
Findings
The findings revealed that the cognitive structures behind foreign brand preference are influenced by a bundle of brand attributes, brand consequences and personal values of elites', which significantly influence their attitudes towards foreign brands. Multi-group analysis further revealed that the relationship between brand attributes and attitudes significantly differs across Chinese and US COOs where the path coefficient is stronger for elites' preference for Chinese brands.
Originality/value
This study is the first of its kind to explore the COO effects on consumer cognitive structures. The findings contribute to MEC theory and shed light on the understanding towards elites' preference for foreign brands.
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Naser Valaei and S.R. Nikhashemi
The advent of media and technology has led to growing inclination among Generation Y (Gen-Y) consumers towards diverse fashion influences and they tend to dress either to fit in…
Abstract
Purpose
The advent of media and technology has led to growing inclination among Generation Y (Gen-Y) consumers towards diverse fashion influences and they tend to dress either to fit in with their peers or to articulate self-identity and conform to the society. This trend has become a fashion dilemma and the purpose of this paper is to leverage on this matter by investigating the factors influencing the Gen-Y consumers’ attitude and purchase intention towards fashion apparel.
Design/methodology/approach
A sample of 250 respondents is used to assess the measurement and structural models, by applying a partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) approach.
Findings
The results indicate that brand and self-identity are the factors that most shape Gen-Y consumers’ attitudes towards fashion apparel. Furthermore, brand, style, price, and social identity are the most influential factors of Gen-Y consumers’ purchase intention for fashion apparels. The findings also show that style, price, country of origin, and social identity are not relevant to Gen-Y consumers’ attitudes towards fashion apparel, and that country of origin and self-identity do not have any relationship with the Gen-Y consumers’ purchase intention.
Originality/value
This study is among the few attempts to investigate the Gen-Y consumers’ buying behaviour of fashion apparel based on the theory of planned behaviour, optimal distinctiveness theory, and social identity theory. PLS-multi-group analysis reveals that age, gender, and income are moderating variables of several proposed structural relationships.