Chang-Hua Yen, Sheng-Hshiung Tsaur and Chin-Ying Ho
The friendliness of a destination is a key factor influencing tourists' destination selection. However, few studies have explored the construct of friendly tourism destinations…
Abstract
Purpose
The friendliness of a destination is a key factor influencing tourists' destination selection. However, few studies have explored the construct of friendly tourism destinations. The purpose of this study was to establish a typological framework of friendly tourism destinations and compare older and younger adults' valuations of friendly destination attributes.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed-method approach was used; in-depth interviews were conducted with 18 tourism stakeholders. Content analysis of the collected data was performed to construct a friendly tourism destination framework.
Findings
The framework consisted of 37 categories, which were classified into six themes: transportation and infrastructure, friendly tourism environments, government policies and tourism promotion measures, tourism products and activities, tourism information services and friendly residents. Furthermore, survey data from 1,153 respondents in Taiwan revealed that older adults valued friendly tourism environments and friendly residents more highly than younger adults did.
Research limitations/implications
The participants were all from Taiwan; therefore, the results might not be applicable to tourists in other countries or regions. Furthermore, this study only compared the valuations of older and younger adults for the attributes of friendly tourism destinations.
Practical implications
Friendly tourism destination categories can provide a reference for tourists when making travel decisions. The framework provides destination marketers with a new tool for managing friendly tourism destinations. The findings can act as a reference for travel suppliers seeking to improve tourism-friendly services.
Originality/value
This study introduced a multifaceted framework for developing friendly tourism destinations from a holistic perspective. The results contribute to the tourism literature, revealing that younger and older adults have different valuations for the attributes of friendly tourism destinations.
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Job Maveke Wambua, Fredrick Madaraka Mwema, Stephen Akinlabi, Martin Birkett, Ben Xu, Wai Lok Woo, Mike Taverne, Ying-Lung Daniel Ho and Esther Akinlabi
The purpose of this paper is to present an optimisation of four-point star-shaped structures produced through additive manufacturing (AM) polylactic acid (PLA). The study also…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to present an optimisation of four-point star-shaped structures produced through additive manufacturing (AM) polylactic acid (PLA). The study also aims to investigate the compression failure mechanism of the structure.
Design/methodology/approach
A Taguchi L9 orthogonal array design of the experiment is adopted in which the input parameters are resolution (0.06, 0.15 and 0.30 mm), print speed (60, 70 and 80 mm/s) and bed temperature (55°C, 60°C, 65°C). The response parameters considered were printing time, material usage, compression yield strength, compression modulus and dimensional stability. Empirical observations during compression tests were used to evaluate the load–response mechanism of the structures.
Findings
The printing resolution is the most significant input parameter. Material length is not influenced by the printing speed and bed temperature. The compression stress–strain curve exhibits elastic, plateau and densification regions. All the samples exhibit negative Poisson’s ratio values within the elastic and plateau regions. At the beginning of densification, the Poisson’s ratios change to positive values. The metamaterial printed at a resolution of 0.3 mm, 80 mm/s and 60°C exhibits the best mechanical properties (yield strength and modulus of 2.02 and 58.87 MPa, respectively). The failure of the structure occurs through bending and torsion of the unit cells.
Practical implications
The optimisation study is significant for decision-making during the 3D printing and the empirical failure model shall complement the existing techniques for the mechanical analysis of the metamaterials.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, for the first time, a new empirical model, based on the uniaxial load response and “static truss concept”, for failure mechanisms of the unit cell is presented.
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This paper aims to examine the moderating role of customers’ regulatory focus on the relationship between progress level of goal pursuit and customers’ consumption behaviors in a…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the moderating role of customers’ regulatory focus on the relationship between progress level of goal pursuit and customers’ consumption behaviors in a retail setting.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from a loyalty program organized by a retail store selling cosmetic and skincare products. Loyalty program participants were given member cards endowed with different progress levels, and their consumption behaviors during the program period were tracked. Regulatory focus of program participants was also assessed.
Findings
Regression results show that prevention-focused customers are inclined to spend more money, accumulate more stamps and achieve more additional rewards when progress level is high rather than low. This pattern is reversed for promotion-focused customers.
Research limitations/implications
Future research may investigate the underlying mechanism by testing potential mediators. Researchers may also test the model in non-retail settings such as service industries.
Practical implications
The findings provide insights to firms regarding when and how to motivate customers with different regulatory orientations in loyalty programs.
Originality/value
This study examines the joint effect of regulatory focus and progress level on people’s consumption behaviors. The model was tested using actual consumption data collected in a retail setting.
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Shuk Ying Ho, Soon-Yeow Phang and Robyn Moroney
This paper aims to investigate the combined effect of two interventions, perspective taking and incentives, on auditors’ professional skepticism (hereafter skepticism) when…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the combined effect of two interventions, perspective taking and incentives, on auditors’ professional skepticism (hereafter skepticism) when auditing complex estimates. Specifically, this paper examines the different ways that perspective taking (management versus inspector) and incentives (absent versus reward versus penalty) combine to impact skepticism.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses an experiment with 177 experienced Big 4 auditors. The experiment used a 2 (management vs inspector perspective) × 3 (absent vs reward vs penalty incentives) between-subjects design.
Findings
In the absence of incentives, adopting a management perspective raises situational skepticism when measuring skepticism as appropriateness of management’s fair value estimate while adopting an inspector perspective raises situational skepticism when measuring skepticism as need for more evidence. The authors find some evidence that incentives complement perspective-taking by enhancing those aspects of skepticism for which perspective-taking performs poorly. When assessing management assumptions, auditors adopting an inspector perspective enhance their skepticism more substantially than those adopting a management perspective, and this enhancement is greater with rewards than with penalties. However, this study does not detect an interaction between incentive type and perspective-taking on auditor skepticism in relation to gathering additional evidence.
Originality/value
This paper extends the literature by shifting the focus from a single perspective to a comparison of two perspective-taking approaches and discusses how each of these approaches enhances different aspects of skepticism. This paper also illustrates the importance of the interplay between perspective-taking and incentives in enhancing auditor skepticism.
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Michael Ka Wai Lai and Amy Po Ying Ho
Whilst the majority of academic studies have focused on the for-profit business-to-consumer type of sharing economy, the community-based peer-to-peer sharing economy is…
Abstract
Purpose
Whilst the majority of academic studies have focused on the for-profit business-to-consumer type of sharing economy, the community-based peer-to-peer sharing economy is under-studied, particularly the role of social capital, which is essential to sharing behaviours. This paper aims to unravel the role of social capital in developing sharing communities, particularly as to how sharing can establish social capital and community building in community-based sharing economy projects.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper adopted a case study approach by selecting a local project in Hong Kong, which aims at achieving sharing community. A total of 10 in-depth interviews of major stakeholders were conducted, including founders, active and inactive members to explore how social capital is developed and its impacts on sharing community.
Findings
The research finding showed that social capital plays an important role in structural dimensions, on social ties building, cognitive and relational dimension facilitates and motivates sharing behaviour and trust, which are essential in building up a sharing community and in developing a sharing economy in Hong Kong.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to the current theoretical and empirical discussion that supplements the current study of the community-based sharing economy, from the perspective of social capital, in exploring how a sharing community can be developed.
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Ying Ho, Long W. Lam and Desmond Lam
This study aims to explore the influence of casino servicescape on unplanned gaming behaviors by examining the mediating role of casino customers’ perceived behavioral control…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the influence of casino servicescape on unplanned gaming behaviors by examining the mediating role of casino customers’ perceived behavioral control (i.e. perceived internal and external control).
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from 475 casino customers using street intercept survey. Multiple regression analysis was used to evaluate the mediating role of perceived behavioral control.
Findings
Results show a negative indirect effect of casino servicescape evaluation on customers’ unplanned gaming behaviors through perceived internal control. Moreover, casino customers’ perceived external control does not mediate the relationship between casino servicescape evaluation and unplanned gaming behaviors.
Research limitations/implications
Findings suggest that a favorable casino servicescape may enhance customers’ perception of control over their personal resources (e.g. skills and knowledge), which in turn facilitate self-regulation of their unplanned gaming behaviors. The findings are limited to Chinese casino customers, and researchers should further validate the results for non-Chinese casino patrons.
Practical implications
To casino operators, results suggest that the Friedman-style casino design (i.e. compact gambling areas and low ceilings) potentially encourages unplanned gaming behaviors of casino customers. From social-policy perspective, governments can create effective responsible gaming programs by enhancing casino customers’ perceived internal control.
Originality/value
This study illuminates the process that connects casino servicescape with unplanned gaming behavior by explicitly testing the mediating role of customers’ perceived behavioral control. Moreover, it examines unplanned gaming behaviors of leisure gamblers who represent the mass gaming population.
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Pamsy P. Hui, Jeanne Ho-Ying Fu and Yuk-yue Tong
Interorganizational collaboration has been a major source of exploratory innovation. Despite much research, the authors’ understanding about how partner cultural distance is…
Abstract
Purpose
Interorganizational collaboration has been a major source of exploratory innovation. Despite much research, the authors’ understanding about how partner cultural distance is harnessed for exploratory innovation is limited. The authors’ conceptual framework aims to address this gap by explaining the social-psychological processes between perceived partner cultural distance and exploratory innovation.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on research in organizational learning and culture mixing, the authors propose a multilevel model with two parallel processes – cultural brokering and cultural defense. If managers are engaged in the former and are protected from the latter, then the partnership will produce more exploratory innovation. Cultural brokering is encouraged by prompting a learning mindset, while cultural defense is preempted by dampening social categorization across organizational boundaries.
Findings
Cultural brokering can be encouraged by building operational-level managers' (OLMs') collaborative strength through developing a learning orientation, allowing them delivery for exploration, cultivating mutual trust with partners. Cultural defense can be preempted by protecting OLMs from intergroup anxieties through providing organizational support to the OLMs, bridging social categorization faultlines and setting shared collaborative goals. Whether an alliance can unleash its potential depends on not just how cultural brokering is enabled but also how cultural defense is curtailed.
Originality/value
This paper takes a microfoundational approach and considers micro-level processes in a partnership. Furthermore, the model takes the operational managers' perspective and defines culture at the organizational level. All these differences allow us to provide a nuanced picture of how diverse partnerships can be harnessed for exploratory innovation through a few easily-implementable measures.
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Hafiz Faiz Rasool, Muhammad Ali Qureshi, Abdul Aziz, Zain Ul Abiden Akhtar and Usman Ali Khan
This paper aims to improve the computational efficiency of higher-order accurate Noye–Hayman [NH (9,9)] implicit finite difference scheme for the solution of electromagnetic…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to improve the computational efficiency of higher-order accurate Noye–Hayman [NH (9,9)] implicit finite difference scheme for the solution of electromagnetic scattering problems in tunnel environments.
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed method consists of two major steps: First, the higher-order NH (9,9) scheme is numerically discretized using the finite-difference method. The second step is to use an algorithm based on hierarchical interpolative factorization (HIF) to accelerate the solution of this scheme.
Findings
It is observed that the simulation results obtained from the numerical tests illustrate very high accuracy of the NH (9,9) method in typical tunnel environments. HIF algorithm makes the NH (9,9) method computationally efficient for two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) problems. The proposed method could help in reducing the computational cost of the NH (9,9) method very close to O(n) usual O(n3) for a full matrix.
Research limitations/implications
For simplicity, in this study, perfect electric conductor boundary conditions are considered. Future research may also include the utilization of meteorological techniques, including the effects of backward traveling waves, and make comparisons with the experimental data.
Originality/value
This study is directly applicable to typical problems in the field of tunnel propagation modeling for both national commercial and military applications.
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This case study aims to examine the discourses of Early Children Education (ECE) curriculum and preservice teachers’ teaching practicum in Hong Kong to explore issues of…
Abstract
This case study aims to examine the discourses of Early Children Education (ECE) curriculum and preservice teachers’ teaching practicum in Hong Kong to explore issues of developing preservice teachers as leaders for their future career. Adopting the qualitative case study methodology, semistructured interviews and documentation were mainly used for data collection to address the following research questions: (a) To what extent are preservice teachers in ECE in Hong Kong aware of the needs of leadership development for their future career? (b) To what extent are the preservice teachers in ECE in Hong Kong able to be developed as leaders in the process of teacher education? (c) What are factors influencing the leadership development of preservice teachers in preschools in Hong Kong? Documents such as program handbooks, field experience handbooks, and student participants’ teaching portfolios were collected for analysis. Both teacher educators and preservice teachers were invited for individual interviews to reflect on their experiences of supervising or participating in teaching practicum. The findings revealed that both teacher educators and preservice teachers were aware of the importance of developing preservice teachers as leaders. The teaching practicum provided various opportunities for preservice teachers to develop leadership skills. However, personality and learning experiences provided in the curriculum will also impact on leadership development. This study also informs policymakers, curriculum developers, and teacher educators about possible curriculum changes and potentials of developing preservice teachers as leaders for their future career.
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Lily Orland-Barak and Cheryl J. Craig
This chapter restates the purpose of the three-volume series and discusses themes that reoccur in chapters and sections of Part B, which first appeared in chapters and sections of…
Abstract
This chapter restates the purpose of the three-volume series and discusses themes that reoccur in chapters and sections of Part B, which first appeared in chapters and sections of Part A of the series. While Part A of the three-book set focused on pedagogies of teacher selection, reflection, narrative ways of knowing, identity, and mentoring and mediation, Part B of the three-volume series centers on pedagogies of preservice teacher leadership, diversity, parents and family, social justice, and technology. Ideas having to do with traveling stories, the theory-practice split, and the praxical nature of pedagogies are taken up. To conclude, the model for traveling pedagogies, which was first proposed in Part A of the series, once again appears, with a few sub-themes added from International Teacher Education (Part B), which support the already identified framework in International Teacher Education (Part A).