Piyush Sharma, Jackie Tam and Zhan Wu
The purpose of this special issue is to extend the growing research on the challenges and opportunities facing services marketers in an increasingly culturally diverse global…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this special issue is to extend the growing research on the challenges and opportunities facing services marketers in an increasingly culturally diverse global marketplace.
Design/methodology/approach
The nine papers included in this special issue use a variety of research methods (e.g. case study, experiments and surveys), participants (e.g. customers, employees and online panel members) and service settings (e.g. fast food, post office, weight loss, bank, home loan, personal fitness and offshore outsourcing).
Findings
All the nine papers highlight the importance of studying the unique perspectives of the customers and employees involved in intercultural interactions in diverse service settings in marketplaces and societies that are either already or have recently become multicultural.
Research limitations/implications
The findings from the nine papers have useful implications for future research on services marketing in multicultural markets, although these may not always be generalisable beyond the unique context of the studies reported in each of these papers.
Practical implications
All the nine papers also present some useful directions for services marketing managers in the multicultural markets, to help them understand and manage the expectations of their culturally diverse customers, as well as employees.
Originality/value
This special issue is unique because it is one of the first attempts to understand the unique challenges and opportunities for services marketers in the growing multicultural global marketplace, from a theoretical, as well as empirical, point of view.
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Piyush Sharma, Zhan Wu and Yong Su
The purpose of this paper is to address a long-standing gap in current research on intercultural service encounters, by exploring the direct and indirect roles of four personal…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to address a long-standing gap in current research on intercultural service encounters, by exploring the direct and indirect roles of four personal cultural orientations (PCOs) [independence, interdependence (INT), risk aversion (RSK) and ambiguity intolerance (AMB)].
Design/methodology/approach
A 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design with customers in two countries (Australia and China) using scenarios to manipulate service outcome (failure or success) and photos of foreigners as customer or employee to prime perceived cultural distance (PCD).
Findings
Customers with higher (vs lower) independence perceive greater interaction comfort, service quality and satisfaction (SAT) and are affected to a lesser extent by PCD and service outcome, but those with higher (vs lower) RSK or AMB perceive lower interaction comfort, service quality and SAT and are affected more strongly by PCD and service outcome.
Research limitations/implications
The authors used an “experimental” design with “imaginary” service scenarios to collect data in “two” countries using “four” PCOs for greater control in this paper, but all of these choices may restrict the generalizability of the findings.
Practical implications
Service managers need to look beyond visible cultural differences, such as ethnicity, nationality and language, and focus more on the invisible cultural differences in customs, values and norms, as reflected by the four PCOs in this paper.
Originality/value
The authors extend prior research on intercultural service encounters by exploring the moderating effects of PCOs on the influence of service outcome and PCD on interaction comfort, service quality and SAT.
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Chaktin Fung, Piyush Sharma, Zhan Wu and Yong Su
The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new conceptual model that incorporates internal service quality as a mediator between service climate and employee performance and two…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to introduce a new conceptual model that incorporates internal service quality as a mediator between service climate and employee performance and two personal cultural orientations (independence and interdependence) as the moderators of these relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey of 353 employees representing 19 different nationalities, working in 18 branches and offices of a multinational business-to-business (B2B) civil engineering services firm, spread across 14 countries.
Findings
All the hypotheses are supported. Specifically, internal service quality mediates the influence of service climate on employee performance and these relationships are stronger for employees with interdependent (vs independent) cultural orientations.
Research limitations/implications
This paper uses data collected from the employees in a single B2B firm in one industry (Civil Engineering Services) and focuses on a few key variables, which may restrict the generalizability of its findings.
Practical implications
The findings of this paper highlight the importance of cultural factors in building a service climate in multinational service organizations to help their employees work more effectively and efficiently with their colleagues from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Originality/value
This paper clarifies the relationships among service climate, internal service quality and employee performance, by showing that internal service quality mediates the influence of service climate on employee performance.
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Fang-Yi Lo, Yue Wang and Wu Zhan
The purpose of this paper is to establish the effect of top management team (TMT) cultural diversity on firm performance with a framework that considers such an effect from both…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to establish the effect of top management team (TMT) cultural diversity on firm performance with a framework that considers such an effect from both cost and benefit perspectives. The paper also examines whether and how diversity management mechanisms such as socialisation and tenure may moderate the effect of TMT diversity on firm performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing upon two competing perspectives of resource-based view (RBV) and transaction cost economics (TCE), this paper theorises and tests the potential positive and negative effects of TMT cultural diversity on firm performance with 442 publicly listed IT companies in the USA.
Findings
The results supported the RBV prediction that TMT cultural diversity enhances firm performance and socialisation strengthens the positive effects of a culturally diverse TMT on firm performance. However, tenure was not found to be important in promoting diversity gains or mitigating diversity costs. By showing clear support for the RBV prediction of the positive impact of TMT cultural diversity and refuting the TCE prediction of the potentially negative effects, this research strengthens the business case for embracing cultural diversity in TMTs.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the current literature by developing a more balanced framework to deepen our knowledge of how TMT cultural diversity may impact firm performance, and how the use of socialisation and tenure may moderate the TMT cultural diversity–firm performance relationship from both cost and benefit perspectives.
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Sadaf Javanmardi, Ehsan Javanmardi and Alessandra Bucci
This study examines the role of Virtual Reality (VR) in tourism marketing, analyzing its psychological effects, demographic differences and factors influencing adoption. It seeks…
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines the role of Virtual Reality (VR) in tourism marketing, analyzing its psychological effects, demographic differences and factors influencing adoption. It seeks to identify and measure the main drivers and obstacles to VR acceptance, improving predictions of adoption trends in tourism planning and experiences across various demographics.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employs a quantitative method, blending statistical analysis with Grey System Theory. It analyzes data from VR-experienced participants using ANOVA, regression models and dynamic grey relational analysis to produce actionable insights. Data were collected from July to September 2023 from participants experienced with VR in tourism.
Findings
User engagement, positive word-of-mouth and a desire for immersive experiences drive VR acceptance, especially among frequent travelers and tech enthusiasts. While VR can enhance trip enjoyment, its long-term impact varies. To increase VR adoption in tourism, strategies include targeting frequent travelers and online users, creating accessible and engaging content, leveraging positive feedback and partnering with influencers to develop interactive VR experiences that mitigate travel planning uncertainties and attract specific user groups.
Practical implications
The study demonstrates how VR can expand access to tourism for those unable to travel, enhance engagement and streamline planning. By leveraging VR in marketing, providers can create immersive, targeted content, reduce uncertainties, attract tech-savvy travelers and boost appeal through influencer partnerships.
Originality/value
This study pioneers the integration of Grey System Theory with traditional statistical methods to elucidate the dynamics of VR adoption in tourism. By uniquely combining ANOVA, regression models and dynamic grey relational analysis, it offers a precise model to interpret complex data, highlighting the nuanced effects of demographic factors on technology acceptance. This approach not only advances the analytical frameworks in tourism marketing but also provides critical insights into the demographic and psychological drivers of VR adoption.
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Zehui Zhan, Jun Wu, Hu Mei, Qianyi Wu and Patrick S.W. Fong
This paper aims to investigate the individual difference on digital reading, by examining the eye-tracking records of male and female readers with different reading ability…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the individual difference on digital reading, by examining the eye-tracking records of male and female readers with different reading ability (including their pupil size, blink rate, fixation rate, fixation duration, saccade rate, saccade duration, saccade amplitude and regression rate).
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 74 participants were selected according to 6,520 undergraduate students’ university entrance exam scores and the follow-up reading assessments. Half of them are men and half are women, with the top 3% good readers and the bottom 3% poor readers, from different disciplines.
Findings
Results indicated that the major gender differences on reading abilities were indicated by saccade duration, regression rate and blink rate. The major effects on reading ability have a larger effect size than the major effect on gender. Among all the indicators that have been examined, blink rate and regression rates are the most sensitive to the gender attribute, while the fixation rate and saccade amplitude showed the least sensitiveness.
Originality/value
This finding could be helpful for user modeling with eye-tracking data in intelligent tutoring systems, where necessary adjustments might be needed according to users’ individual differences. In this way, instructors could be able to provide purposeful guidance according to what the learners had seen and personalized the experience of digital reading.
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Xuepeng Zhan, Jianjun Wu, Mingzhi Wang, Yu Hui, Hongfei Wu, Qi Shang and Ruichao Guo
This paper aims to first apply more advanced anisotropic yield criterions as Yld91 and Yld2004 to spherical indentation simulations, and investigate plastic anisotropy identified…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to first apply more advanced anisotropic yield criterions as Yld91 and Yld2004 to spherical indentation simulations, and investigate plastic anisotropy identified from indentation simulations following different yield criterions (Hill48, Yld91, Yld2004) to discover laws. It also aims to compare the difference in plastic anisotropy identified from indentation on three yield criterions and evaluate the applicability of plastic anisotropy.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses indentation simulations on different yield criterions to identify plastic anisotropy. First, the trust-region techniques based on the nonlinear least-squares method are used to determine anisotropy coefficients of Yld91 and Yld2004. Then, Yld91 and Yld2004 are implemented into ABAQUS software using user-defined material (UMAT) subroutines with the proposed universal structure. Finally, through considering comprehensively the key factors, the locations of the optimal data acquisition points in indentation simulations on different yield criterions are determined. And, the identified stress–strain curves are compared with experimental data.
Findings
This paper discovers that indentation on Yld2004 is able to fully identify difference in equivalent plastic strain between 0° and 90° directions when indentation depth ht is relatively smaller. And, this research demonstrates conclusively that plastic anisotropy identified from indentation on Yld2004 and Yld91 is more applicable at larger strains than that on Hill48, and that on Yld2004 is more applicable than that on Yld91, overall. In addition, the method on the determination of the locations of the optimal data acquisition points is demonstrated to be also valid for anisotropic material.
Originality/value
This paper first investigates plastic anisotropic properties and laws identified from indentation simulations following more advanced anisotropic yield criterions and provides reference for later research.
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A mathematical model and numerical method for water flow and solute transport in a tidal river network is presented. The tidal river network is defined as a system of open…
Abstract
A mathematical model and numerical method for water flow and solute transport in a tidal river network is presented. The tidal river network is defined as a system of open channels or rivers with junctions and cross sections. As an example, the Pearl River in China is represented by a network of 104 channels, 62 nodes, and a total of 330 cross sections with 11 boundary sections for one of the applications. The simulations are performed with a supercomputer for seven scenarios of water flow and/or solute transport in the Pearl River, China, with different hydrological and weather conditions. Comparisons with available data are shown. The intention of this study is to summarize previous works and to provide a useful tool for water environmental management in a tidal river network, particularly for the Pearl River, China.
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For ranking aggregation in crowdsourcing task, the key issue is how to select the optimal working group with a given number of workers to optimize the performance of their…
Abstract
Purpose
For ranking aggregation in crowdsourcing task, the key issue is how to select the optimal working group with a given number of workers to optimize the performance of their aggregation. Performance prediction for ranking aggregation can solve this issue effectively. However, the performance prediction effect for ranking aggregation varies greatly due to the different influencing factors selected. Although questions on why and how data fusion methods perform well have been thoroughly discussed in the past, there is a lack of insight about how to select influencing factors to predict the performance and how much can be improved of.
Design/methodology/approach
In this paper, performance prediction of multivariable linear regression based on the optimal influencing factors for ranking aggregation in crowdsourcing task is studied. An influencing factor optimization selection method based on stepwise regression (IFOS-SR) is proposed to screen the optimal influencing factors. A working group selection model based on the optimal influencing factors is built to select the optimal working group with a given number of workers.
Findings
The proposed approach can identify the optimal influencing factors of ranking aggregation, predict the aggregation performance more accurately than the state-of-the-art methods and select the optimal working group with a given number of workers.
Originality/value
To find out under which condition data fusion method may lead to performance improvement for ranking aggregation in crowdsourcing task, the optimal influencing factors are identified by the IFOS-SR method. This paper presents an analysis of the behavior of the linear combination method and the CombSUM method based on the optimal influencing factors, and optimizes the task assignment with a given number of workers by the optimal working group selection method.
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Hannan Amoozad Mahdiraji, Hojatallah Sharifpour Arabi, Moein Beheshti and Demetris Vrontis
This research aims to extract Industry 4.0 technological building blocks (TBBs) capable of value generation in collaborative consumption (CC) and the sharing economy (SE)…
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to extract Industry 4.0 technological building blocks (TBBs) capable of value generation in collaborative consumption (CC) and the sharing economy (SE). Furthermore, by employing a mixed methodology, this research strives to analyse the relationship amongst TBBs and classify them based on their impact on CC.
Design/methodology/approach
Due to the importance of technology for the survival of collaborative consumption in the future, this study suggests a classification of the auxiliary and fundamental Industry 4.0 technologies and their current upgrades, such as the metaverse or non-fungible tokens (NFT). First, by applying a systematic literature review and thematic analysis (SLR-TA), the authors extracted the TBBs that impact on collaborative consumption and SE. Then, using the Bayesian best-worst method (BBWM), TBBs are weighted and classified using experts’ opinions. Eventually, a score function is proposed to measure organisations’ readiness level to adopt Industry 4.0 technologies.
Findings
The findings illustrated that virtual reality (VR) plays a vital role in CC and SE. Of the 11 TBBs identified in the CC and SE, VR was selected as the most determinant TBB and metaverse was recognised as the least important. Furthermore, digital twins, big data and VR were labelled as “fundamental”, and metaverse, augmented reality (AR), and additive manufacturing were stamped as “discretional”. Moreover, cyber-physical systems (CPSs) and artificial intelligence (AI) were classified as “auxiliary” technologies.
Originality/value
With an in-depth investigation, this research identifies TBBs of Industry 4.0 with the capability of value generation in CC and SE. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first research that identifies and examines the TBBs of Industry 4.0 in the CC and SE sectors and examines them. Furthermore, a novel mixed method has identified, weighted and classified pertinent technologies. The score function that measures the readiness level of each company to adopt TBBs in CC and SE is a unique contribution.