Mumin Abubakre, Yiwei Zhou and Zhongyun Zhou
Very little or no study has explored the predictors of behaviour and traits that determine digital entrepreneurship (DE) success. In response, the purpose of this paper is to…
Abstract
Purpose
Very little or no study has explored the predictors of behaviour and traits that determine digital entrepreneurship (DE) success. In response, the purpose of this paper is to present a research model that takes information technology (IT) culture as a theoretical lens and personal innovativeness and experience in IT projects as theoretical constructs to predict behaviour and traits that explain DE success.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the literature review, the authors propose hypotheses and a research model. The authors tested the model using structural equation modelling (SEM), by surveying a sample of digital entrepreneurs operating in the Yabacon Valley, Lagos, Nigeria.
Findings
The results indicate that IT culture is an essential predictor of achieving DE success. The results also suggest that an entrepreneur's innovativeness in IT and experience in IT projects have significant negative and positive moderating effects on the relationship between IT culture and achieving DE success.
Research limitations/implications
This paper taps into a new setting – DE context – by exploring the moderation effects of an entrepreneur's innovativeness in IT and experience in IT projects on the link between their IT culture and achieving a successful DE outcome.
Practical implications
This model offers managers an understanding of how IT culture and personal innovativeness and experience in IT work together to achieve DE success. Meanwhile, it sheds some light on managers to treat individuals with different levels of experience differently.
Originality/value
The authors theorise IT culture, personal innovativeness and experience in IT and show their effects on DE success, thus making an essential contribution to the information systems (ISs) and entrepreneurship research and practice. Moreover, the authors provide a novel methodology to conceptualise IT culture as a second-order hierarchical reflective construct by giving evidence that partial least squares (PLS) path modelling can assess a hierarchical model with moderating effects. This study answers scholars' call to construct more accurate explanations of innovation outcomes in an increasingly digital world.
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Yiwei Zhao, Yindong Sun, Qianqian Zhou, Caiyun Cui and Yong Liu
The aim of this paper is to research the acceptance mechanism of building information modeling (BIM) technology and to explore the differences among…
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to research the acceptance mechanism of building information modeling (BIM) technology and to explore the differences among Architecture/Engineering/Construction (A/E/C) professionals with different individual characteristics. The proposed acceptance mechanism of BIM technology is intended to be used by industry stakeholders to propose decisions and measures, and improve the degree of BIM adoption.
Design/methodology/approach
Traditional hypothesis testing is adopted by the current study to empirically research the specific mechanism of A/E/C professionals accepting BIM technologies. In the one phase, a conceptual model based on technology acceptance model (TAM) and technology organization environment (TOE) theory was established and a large-scale questionnaire survey was conducted. In the other phase, structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze acquired sample data, so as to empirically test the validity of the proposed linkage.
Findings
The results show first that perceived ease of use has no significant influence on perceived usefulness, and perceived usefulness has no significant effect on behavior intention as well. Second, BIM technical features and government BIM policies have positive effects on perceived usefulness, BIM technical features and organization supports have positive effects on perceived ease of use. Third, the BIM acceptance mechanism of A/E/C professionals is diverse from respondents with different characteristics, e.g. regions and working time.
Originality/value
The authors highlight the large sample size, as well as the nationwide context, of the questionnaire survey. Meanwhile, acceptance differences among A/E/C professionals with different demographic characteristics have been clarified using profound data and t-test. The findings of this study enrich the research on the acceptance mechanism of BIM technology, and contribute to relevant stakeholders taking targeted measures to promote the effective application of BIM technology nationwide.
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Zongshui Wang, Wei Liu, Zhuo Sun and Hong Zhao
Building on social media and destination brand-related literature, this study aims to explore World Heritage Sites’ (WHSs) brand diffusion and formation process from long-term and…
Abstract
Purpose
Building on social media and destination brand-related literature, this study aims to explore World Heritage Sites’ (WHSs) brand diffusion and formation process from long-term and short-term perspectives, which includes brand diffusion, user-generated content (UGC), opinion leaders and brand events’ impact.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a mixed-method including text mining, keyword analysis and social network analysis to explore the brand formation process of four popular WHSs in Beijing, namely, the Palace Museum, Great Wall, Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven and more than 10,000,000 users’ data on Sina Weibo has been implemented to uncover the underlying social media branding mechanism.
Findings
The results show that the number of postings keeps in a stable range in most months, but, in general, there are no common rules for changing trends among the four WHSs; long-term high-frequency keywords related to history and culture account for a higher percentage; different kinds of accounts have varying impacts on information diffusion, in which media accounts lead to a bigger influence. However, more followers do not necessarily mean more interactions and most of the interaction ratio is much lower than 0.01000; brand events facilitate brand dissemination and have an impact on the creation of UGC.
Practical implications
This study is valuable for destination marketers to deeper understand brand diffusion and formation and provides valuable insights for developing effective destination marketing strategies.
Originality/value
Unlike previous studies that only concern a few parts of destination brand formation via social media (e.g. brand diffusion, brand events or opinion leaders’ impact), this study takes a more comprehensive perspective by systematically analyzing the brand formation process of WHSs on social media. By considering both long-term diffusion and short-term representative events, this study provides a more holistic understanding of the branding mechanism.
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Zhimei Lei, Shanshan Cai, Li Cui, Lin Wu and Yiwei Liu
Uncovering the relationship between Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies and circular economy (CE) practices is critical not only for implementing CE but also for leveraging I4.0 to…
Abstract
Purpose
Uncovering the relationship between Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies and circular economy (CE) practices is critical not only for implementing CE but also for leveraging I4.0 to achieve sustainable development goals. However, the potential connection between them – especially how different I4.0 technologies may influence various CE practices – remains inadequately researched. The purpose of this study was to quantitatively explore the impacts of various I4.0 technologies on CE practices.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed method consisting of a systematic literature review, content analysis, and social network analysis was adopted. First, 266 articles were selected and mined for contents of I4.0 technologies and CE practices; 27 I4.0 technologies and 21 CE practices were identified. Second, 62 articles were found that prove the positive influence of I4.0 technologies on CE practices, and 124 relationships were identified. Third, based on evidence supporting the link between I4.0 technologies and CE practices, a two-mode network and two one-mode networks were constructed, and their network density and degree centrality indicators were analyzed.
Findings
I4.0 technologies have a low application scope and degree for promoting CE. The adoption of a single I4.0 technology has limited effect on CE practices, and wider benefits can be realized through integrating I4.0 technologies. The Internet of Things (IoT), additive manufacturing, big data and analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI) are among the top technologies promoting CE implementation and reduction and recycling were identified as the main mechanism. The integration of these technologies is the most popular and effective. Twelve CE practices were identified to be the most widely implemented and supported by I4.0 technologies.
Research limitations/implications
First, only journal articles, reviews, and online publications written in English were selected, excluding articles published in other languages. Therefore, the results obtained only represent a specific group of scholars, which may be fragmented to a certain extent. Second, because the extraction of the impact of I4.0 on CE mainly relies on a manual literature review, this paper only provides the statistics of the number of publications involving relationships, while lacking the weight measurement of relationships.
Originality/value
A comprehensive, quantitative, and visual analysis method was employed to unveil the current implementation levels of I4.0 technologies and CE practices. Further, it was explored how different I4.0 technologies can affect various CE aspects, how different I4.0 technologies are integrated to promote CE realization, and how various CE practices are implemented simultaneously by I4.0 technologies.
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Liang Chen, Jingyuan Shi, Yu Guo, Pianpian Wang and Yiwei Li
The purpose of this paper is to explore and compare haze-related content between traditional and social media in China by applying agenda-setting theory and the extended parallel…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore and compare haze-related content between traditional and social media in China by applying agenda-setting theory and the extended parallel process model (EPPM). Specifically, this paper examines the correlation between the two forms of media in terms of the ranking of the attributes of haze (i.e. the EPPM components) and the interrelationships among the attributes.
Design/methodology/approach
Content analysis and semantic network analysis were employed to address the research aims.
Findings
The results revealed that more than half of the total messages on both types of media reflected the EPPM components, either threat or efficacy information. However, the imbalance between the threat and efficacy information was more prominent in the haze-related content presented in the People’s Daily than it was on Weibo. In addition, the results from a Spearman’s rank-order correlation and a quadratic assignment procedure (QAP) indicated that there was no significant correlation between the People’s Daily and Weibo in terms of the rankings of the attributes of haze (i.e. the EPPM components) or the interrelationships among the attributes.
Originality/value
This study is the first to apply a theoretical approach to examine and compare the nature of haze-related messages on traditional and social media.
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Yiwei Wang, Run Liu, Ruohan Sun and Zewei Xu
The paper aims to find the correlation between the microparameters and the macroparameters of the soil. The study aims to calibrate the macroscale and microscale parameters of…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper aims to find the correlation between the microparameters and the macroparameters of the soil. The study aims to calibrate the macroscale and microscale parameters of rolling resistance contact models to successfully apply the discrete element method to do some research of the geotechnical problem.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper opted for an exploratory study using the PFC3D to simulate the triaxial tests that include more than 50 cases and the coupling analysis method, which considering several effect of various factors.
Findings
The paper provides a quantitative relationship between the macroparameters and microparameters of the rolling resistance linear model and a method for fast calibration of macroscopic parameters is proposed and verified by a triaxial test example.
Originality/value
This paper provides the quantitative relationship of micro and macroparameters in the rolling resistance linear model by studying a single factor and considering the coupling effect of various factors and a fast method for the calibration of microparameters based on the rolling resistance linear model is proposed.
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Vincent Blijleven, Yiwei Gong, Afshin Mehrsai and Kitty Koelemeijer
Following positive results of Lean implementation in manufacturing environments, Lean has become an emerging philosophy for clients and suppliers of information technology (IT…
Abstract
Purpose
Following positive results of Lean implementation in manufacturing environments, Lean has become an emerging philosophy for clients and suppliers of information technology (IT) services. However, how to implement Lean in IT outsourcing relationships has been addressed sparsely in academic literature. The purpose of this paper is to investigate critical success factors (CSFs) for implementing Lean in IT outsourcing relationships. Key findings, implications and avenues for future research are discussed.
Design/methodology/approach
Six IT outsourcing relationships were qualitatively investigated by means of 36 semi-structured interviews. CSFs were identified based on interview transcription analyses, selection techniques and expert reviews.
Findings
In total, 16 CSFs for Lean implementation in IT outsourcing relationships are identified and described.
Practical implications
The CSFs presented in this paper indicate key areas that deserve managerial attention to steer Lean implementation efforts in IT outsourcing relationships in a favorable direction.
Originality/value
This study is the first to describe the phenomenon of “Lean IT outsourcing” and provides researchers and practitioners with a foundation to further examine Lean implementation in IT outsourcing relationships.
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Yiwei Su and Mingyu Tian
In this paper, the authors explore the consequences of showrooming and price matching strategy to combat showrooming under the consideration that brick-and-mortar (BM) stores and…
Abstract
Purpose
In this paper, the authors explore the consequences of showrooming and price matching strategy to combat showrooming under the consideration that brick-and-mortar (BM) stores and online retailers hold different costs.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use a duopoly model to analyze the impact of showrooming behavior on competition between a BM store and an online retailer with different types of customers and different costs. Then, they consider the price matching strategy that a BM store could employ to combat showrooming and explore the effect of such a strategy.
Findings
Showrooming behavior is detrimental to the profit of the BM store, and the online retailer suffers a loss of their profit unless the relative cost of the BM store is high and only part of the customers exhibit showrooming behavior. As the fraction of customers who seek price matching increases, profits of both the BM store and the online retailer initially decrease and then may increase, even if there is no showrooming.
Originality/value
Unlike existing studies that ignore different costs between online and offline retailers, the authors set different costs between the BM store and the online retailer to consider the effects of showrooming and price matching strategy.
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Saleh Shahriar, Sokvibol Kea and Lu Qian
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the major determinants of China’s outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) in the economies along the “Belt & Road” Initiative (BRI…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the major determinants of China’s outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) in the economies along the “Belt & Road” Initiative (BRI afterward). China works on to advance the agenda of the BRI both at home and abroad. The BRI is set up to promote connectivity in five key areas: policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, trade facilitation, financial cooperation and people-to-people contacts.
Design/methodology/approach
The existing literature is inconclusive with regards to the motives, patterns and determinants of the Chinese OFDI. The authors are, therefore, motivated to undertake this study to shed some new light on the influencing factors of the Chinese OFDI. The authors have made a unique data set that consists of China and its 64 partnering countries of the BRI over a time period of 12 years spanning from 2004 to 2015. This time period is chosen on the chief consideration of data availability. The authors have a balanced panel, and applied the gravity model in line with the theoretical arguments and econometric developments.
Findings
The paper assumes that China’s OFDI along the BRI was a function of gross domestic product (GDP), income per capita, distance and WTO. The findings showed that GDP, per capita income and distance were the key determinants of the OFDI. China’s entry into the WTO did not strongly affect the OFDI. China maintained a tradition of historical relationships along the BRI economies. After all, China is relocating its investment resources in line with the consideration of its partnering countries’ economic size, cross-border distance and per capita income.
Originality/value
This study is the first of its kinds to analyze the determinants of OFDI by means of gravity model. The authors have covered all the countries along the BRI. Hence, this paper aims to make a substantial contribution to the literature, both from a scientific and a policy perspective.
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Xingwen Chen, Jun Liu, Yiwei Yuan and Xun Cui
Previous research has yielded inconsistent findings of the effects that task conflict has on creative outcomes, with some research finding a negative relationship but others…
Abstract
Purpose
Previous research has yielded inconsistent findings of the effects that task conflict has on creative outcomes, with some research finding a negative relationship but others holding a positive or even no significant relationship. Drawing on the too-much-of-a-good-thing effect approach, this paper aims to investigate the curvilinear relations between task conflict and creative idea generation as well as the mediating role of task reflexivity and the moderating role of task complexity.
Design/methodology/approach
Two studies were carried out to test the proposed relationship. In Study 1, multisource and lagged data collected from 533 employees and 140 corresponding supervisors were used to test the curvilinear relationship between task conflict and creative idea generation as well as the moderating effect of task complexity. In Study 2, the authors extended the findings by exploring the mediating effect of task reflexivity using a matched sample of 350 employees and 99 corresponding supervisors.
Findings
Task conflict had an inverted U-shaped relationship with creative idea generation, and task reflexivity partially mediated this relationship. Besides, this association was moderated by task complexity such that the curvilinear relationship was more pronounced for tasks with lower complexity.
Research limitations/implications
This study was more or less contaminated by common method variance because some variables were derived from the same sources. Also, task conflict might be necessitated to differentiate and more situational variables should be considered to draw a complete picture.
Practical implications
Managers should undertake conflict management according to the levels of task conflict and task complexity. At a lower degree of task conflict, managers might motivate employees to think more about task-related issues; at higher levels of task conflict, managers should act as conflict mediators to reduce the underlying negative effects, especially for simple tasks.
Originality/value
These findings could help us understand the boundary conditions under, and the underlying mechanisms by, which task conflict has an impact on creative idea generation.