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1 – 10 of 150
Article
Publication date: 7 November 2023

Xiaosong Dong, Hanqi Tu, Hanzhe Zhu, Tianlang Liu, Xing Zhao and Kai Xie

This study aims to explore the opposite effects of single-category versus multi-category products information diversity on consumer decision making. Further, the authors…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore the opposite effects of single-category versus multi-category products information diversity on consumer decision making. Further, the authors investigate the moderating role of three categories of visitors – direct, hesitant and hedonic – in the relationship between product information diversity and consumer decision making.

Design/methodology/approach

The research utilizes a sample of 1,101,062 product click streams from 4,200 consumers. Visitors are clustered using the k-means algorithm. The diversity of information recommendations for single and multi-category products is characterized using granularity and dispersion, respectively. Empirical analysis is conducted to examine their influence on the two-stage decision-making process of heterogeneous online visitors.

Findings

The study reveals that the impact of recommended information diversity on consumer decision making differs significantly between single-category and multiple-category products. Specifically, information diversity in single-category products enhances consumers' click and purchase intention, while information diversity in multiple-category products reduces consumers' click and purchase intention. Moreover, based on the analysis of online visiting heterogeneity, hesitant, direct and hedonic features enhance the positive impact of granularity on consumer decision making; while direct features exacerbate the negative impact of dispersion on consumer decision making.

Originality/value

First, the article provides support for studies related to information cocoon. Second, the research contributes evidence to support the information overload theory. Third, the research enriches the field of precision marketing theory.

Details

Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, vol. 36 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-5855

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 October 2022

Maryam Gholami, Amir Hossein Mahvi, Fahimeh Teimouri, Mohammad Hassan Ehrampoush, Abbasali Jafari Nodoushan, Sara Jambarsang and Mohammad Taghi Ghaneian

This paper aims to study the application of high-tolerance and flexible indigenous bacteria and fungi, along with the co-metabolism in recycled paper and cardboard mill (RPCM…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to study the application of high-tolerance and flexible indigenous bacteria and fungi, along with the co-metabolism in recycled paper and cardboard mill (RPCM) wastewater treatment (WWT).

Design/methodology/approach

The molecular characterization of isolated indigenous bacteria and fungi was performed by 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA gene sequencing, respectively. Glucose was used as a cometabolic substrate to enhance the bioremediation process.

Findings

The highest removal efficiency was achieved for both chemical oxygen demand (COD) and color [78% COD and 45% color removal by Pseudomonas aeruginosa RW-2 (MZ603673), as well as approximately 70% COD and 48% color removal by Geotrichum candidum RW-4 (ON024394)]. The corresponding percentages were higher in comparison with the efficiency obtained from the oxidation ditch unit in the full-scale RPCM WWT plant.

Originality/value

Indigenous P. aeruginosa RW-2 and G. candidum RW-4 demonstrated effective capability in RPCM WWT despite the highly toxic and low biodegradable nature, especially with the assistance of glucose.

Details

Pigment & Resin Technology, vol. 53 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0369-9420

Keywords

Content available
Article
Publication date: 27 May 2024

Amy Leigh Rathbone, Laura Clarry and Julie Prescott

The purpose of this study was to develop a model of skilful surfing to aid understanding of how best to seek health information, online and offline, during pregnancy.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to develop a model of skilful surfing to aid understanding of how best to seek health information, online and offline, during pregnancy.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used an observational, descriptive design, using a purpose written questionnaire, factor analysis and structural equation modelling.

Findings

Analysis resulted in the factor loading of five components: online health information seeking behaviour, normalisation, offline support, trust and data saturation. These components were included as latent variables in an SEM to evaluate the credibility, and subsequently confirm the viability of the theory of skilful surfing.

Originality/value

To the authors' knowledge, this study is the first of its kind to successfully model and define what it is to skilfully surf health information online whilst pregnant, with empirical and theoretical underpinnings.

Details

Mental Health and Digital Technologies, vol. 1 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2976-8756

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 May 2024

Puneet Vatsa, Hongyun Zheng and Wanglin Ma

We analyzed the effects of different combinations of organic soil amendments (OSAs) and chemical fertilizers on agrifood production, focusing on banana yields in China, the…

Abstract

Purpose

We analyzed the effects of different combinations of organic soil amendments (OSAs) and chemical fertilizers on agrifood production, focusing on banana yields in China, the second-largest producer of bananas globally.

Design/methodology/approach

We computed these combinations by dividing the expenditures on OSAs by those on chemical fertilizers and called them OSA-CF ratios. First, we classified farmers based on quintiles of expenditures on chemical fertilizers. Then, we studied the association between OSA-CF ratios and banana yields for each quintile. We also considered an alternate specification in which farmers were grouped along the OSA-CF ratio continuum. The first group comprised farmers not using OSAs. Their OSA-CF ratio was zero. Farmers applying low, medium, and high OSA-CF ratios constituted groups two, three, and four; the groups were delineated based on the OSA-CF ratio tertiles, and the associations between tertiles of OSA-CF ratios and banana yields for each quintile were analyzed. The data used in this study were collected by surveying 616 households in three major banana-producing provinces (Guangdong, Hainan, and Yunnan) of China. Standard linear regressions and the two-stage predictor substitution method were employed to complete the analysis.

Findings

There were variations in the effects of OSA-CF ratios on banana yields obtained by farmers iifferent quintiles. For the first and second quintiles, low, medium, and high OSA-CF ratios improved banana yields relative to not using OSAs. For farmers in the first quintile using only chemical fertilizers, applying a low OSA-CF ratio was associated with an improvement of 792 kg/mu in banana yields. For their counterparts in the second quintile, the same transition was associated with a gain of 534 kg/mu. For the fifth quintile, comprising farmers spending 320 yuan/mu or more on chemical fertilizers, applying a high OSA-CF ratio instead of using only chemical fertilizers was associated with a 401 kg/mu decline in banana yields. Even so, for this group, no differences were observed between the yields of farmers not applying OSAs and those using low and medium OSA-CF ratios.

Practical implications

Banana farmers in southern China, using only chemical fertilizers, can improve yields by combining them with OSAs if their chemical fertilizer expenditures are less than 66.67 yuan/mu. Those using only chemical fertilizers and spending between 68 yuan/mu and 300 yuan/mu on them can maintain yields by applying OSAs in conjunction with chemical fertilizers. However, yields may decline for farmers using only chemical fertilizers and spending 320 yuan/mu or more on them if they incorporate OSAs such that the OSA-CF ratio reaches 0.78 or higher. Overall, combining OSAs with chemical fertilizers can improve yields while attenuating the adverse effects of chemical fertilizers on the environment. Policymakers should inform farmers of these benefits and accelerate the transition to sustainable agriculture through educational and awareness programs.

Originality/value

Farmers apply OSAs such as organic fertilizers and farmyard manure to adjust and remedy soil nutrition to improve farm productivity. However, little is known about how combining OSAs with chemical fertilizers affects banana yields. This study provided the first attempt to explore the associations between OSA-CF ratios and banana yields using cross-sectional data on farming households.

Details

China Agricultural Economic Review, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-137X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 June 2024

Mingyan Chen, Xingshan Zheng and Bingqing Wu

Integrating the reciprocity and equity lenses, this study explores the curvilinear relationship between leader humility and employee organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) by…

Abstract

Purpose

Integrating the reciprocity and equity lenses, this study explores the curvilinear relationship between leader humility and employee organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) by introducing psychological entitlement and perspective taking, and constructing a moderated mediation curvilinear model aiming to provide a more comprehensive understanding of why and how leader humility affects OCBs.

Design/methodology/approach

Using multisource, three-wave data collected from 261 employees and 55 supervisors in China, we adopted multi-level modeling analysis to test the moderated mediation curvilinear model that links leader humility to OCBs.

Findings

We found a curvilinear relationship between leader humility and psychological entitlement, and psychological entitlement mediated the curvilinear indirect relationship between leader humility and OCBs. Furthermore, employees' perspective taking buffered this curvilinear indirect effect.

Originality/value

Following social exchange theory and prior research discussing the potential benefits and drawbacks of leader humility, this study developed and tested a moderated mediation curvilinear model of the relationship between leader humility and OCBs. Our study thus provides a more balanced and dialectical perspective on understanding the effects of leader humility and enriching the leadership process model. This study also offers actionable strategies for leaders and organizations to optimize the benefits of humble leadership.

Details

Leadership & Organization Development Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0143-7739

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 October 2023

Zhihao Qin, Menglin Cui, Jiaqi Yan and Jie Niu

This paper aims to examine whether managerial sentiment, extracted from annual reports, is associated with corporate risk-taking in the context of Chinese companies. This study…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to examine whether managerial sentiment, extracted from annual reports, is associated with corporate risk-taking in the context of Chinese companies. This study expands the vein of literature on overconfidence theory.

Design/methodology/approach

By leveraging textual analysis on Chinese listed companies’ annual reports, the authors construct firm-level managerial sentiment during 2007 and 2021 to examine how managerial sentiment influences corporate risk-taking after control for firm characteristics. Corporate risk-taking is denoted by corporate investment engagements: capital expenditures and net fixed asset investment.

Findings

Results show that incentives for corporate risk-taking are likely to increase with the positive managerial sentiment and decrease with the negative sentiment in companies’ annual reports. Positive managerial sentiment is associated with over-/under-investment and low/high investment efficiency. Further additional tests show that the managerial sentiment effect only holds during low economic uncertain years and samples of private-owned firms. Furthermore, the robust tests indicate that there is no endogenous issue between managerial sentiment and corporate risk-taking.

Research limitations/implications

Annual report textual-based managerial sentiment may not perfectly reflect managers’ lower frequency sentiment (e.g. weekly, monthly and quarterly sentiment). Future studies could attempt to capture managers’ on-time sentiment by using media sources and corporate disclosures.

Practical implications

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first research to provide insights into supervising managers’ corporate decisions by observing their textual information usage in corporate disclosure. Moreover, the approach of measuring managerial sentiment might be a solution to monitoring managerial class.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature on accounting and finance studies, adding another piece of empirical evidence on content analysis by examining a unique language and institutional context (i.e. China). Besides, the paper notes that in line with the English version disclosure, based on Chinese semantic words, managerial sentiment in the Chinese-speaking world has magnitude on corporate decisions. The research provides insights into supervising managers’ corporate decisions by observing their textual information usage in corporate disclosure. Moreover, the approach to measuring managerial sentiment may be a practical solution to monitoring managerial class.

Details

Management Research Review, vol. 47 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8269

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 April 2024

Zhihong Tan, Ling Yuan, Junli Wang and Qunchao Wan

This study aims to investigate the negative interpersonal antecedents, emotional mediators and boundary conditions of knowledge sabotage behavior.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the negative interpersonal antecedents, emotional mediators and boundary conditions of knowledge sabotage behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors collected data from 275 Chinese employees using convenience sampling and snowball sampling across three stages. Subsequently, the authors used both hierarchical regression and bootstrap methods to test the proposed hypotheses.

Findings

The results confirmed that workplace ostracism has positive effects on employee knowledge sabotage behavior both directly and via employee anger. In addition, the authors found that employee bottom-line mentality (BLM) moderates not only the direct effect of workplace ostracism on employee anger but also the indirect effect of employee anger in this context. Employee conscientiousness moderates only the direct effect of workplace ostracism on employee anger and does not moderate the indirect effect.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study not only explores the influence of workplace ostracism on employee knowledge sabotage behavior for the first time but also elucidates the underlying emotional mechanisms (anger) and boundary conditions (employee BLM and conscientiousness) by which workplace ostracism influences employee knowledge sabotage behavior, thus deepening the understanding of how knowledge sabotage emerges in organizations.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 28 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 May 2024

Xiaoyu Xu, Qingdan Jia and Syed Muhammad Usman Tayyab

This study investigates augmented reality (AR) retailing and attempts to develop a profound understanding of consumer decision-making processes in AR-enabled e-retailing.

Abstract

Purpose

This study investigates augmented reality (AR) retailing and attempts to develop a profound understanding of consumer decision-making processes in AR-enabled e-retailing.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is grounded in rich informational cues and information processing mechanisms by incorporating the elaboration likelihood model (ELM) and trust transfer theory. This study employs a mixed analytic method that incorporates structural equation modeling (SEM) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to provide a complete picture of individual information process mechanisms in AR retailing under the tenet of ELM.

Findings

The SEM analysis results confirm the relationships between the central and peripheral route factors, information processing outcomes and eventual behavioral intentions. Moreover, all configurations revealed by the fsQCA include both central and peripheral factors. Hence, the dual routes proposed in the ELM are verified by using two distinct analytical approaches.

Originality/value

This study is pioneering in validating and contextualizing ELM theory in AR retailing. In addition, this study offers a methodological paradigm by demonstrating the application of multi-analysis in exploring consumers’ information process mechanisms in AR retailing, which offers a holistic and comprehensive view to understand consumers’ decision-making mechanisms.

Article
Publication date: 19 January 2023

Jun Yu, Qian Wen and Qin Xu

The purpose of this study is to empirically explore how firms configure centrifugal and centripetal forces in promoting breakthrough innovation (BI), thus improving their…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to empirically explore how firms configure centrifugal and centripetal forces in promoting breakthrough innovation (BI), thus improving their strategic performance (SP) in the artificial intelligence (AI) context.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applies the centrifugal and centripetal forces model to a survey sample of 285 Chinese AI firms. Fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and propensity score matching (PSM) are integrated to explore the configurational effects of three centrifugal forces—the autonomy of technical experts, knowledge search and alliance network—and two centripetal forces—strictness of organisational institutions (SOI) and human–human–AI collaboration (HHAC)—on BI, examining whether the configurations that enhance BI can further improve SP.

Findings

The results indicate that the strictness of innovation institutions (SII) and strictness of ethical institutions (SEI) are equally important for determining SOI. Three configurations can improve BI when SOI and HHAC are the core conditions; only one of three configurations can further improve SP significantly.

Originality/value

By introducing SOI composed of equally important levels of SII and SEI and HHAC, this research is one of the few empirical studies to explore the mechanisms behind the impact of centrifugal and centripetal forces on BI and SP, which may help researchers and managers address innovation challenges in the AI context.

Details

European Journal of Innovation Management, vol. 27 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1460-1060

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 May 2024

Yog Mishra and Anurag Singh

Loading the work on social capital theory, we have tried to check the influence of social currency (SC) on social media usage (SMU) and its subsequent impact on the brand…

Abstract

Purpose

Loading the work on social capital theory, we have tried to check the influence of social currency (SC) on social media usage (SMU) and its subsequent impact on the brand experience (BE). The study attempted to ascertain the mediation of loyalty (LT) between the SC and SMU as well as the moderation of perceived ease of use (PEU) in the SMU and BE relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected from 384 respondents employing snowball sampling technique by administering a questionnaire on seven-point Likert scale. The respondents were the active internet users, who devote the significant part of their daily routine to social media activities. Structural equation modelling was used to study the path of the considered variables.

Findings

The result of the study strengthened the findings of earlier studies on SC dimensions. This study elaborated about the positive impact of SC on SMU, SC on LT, LT on SMU, SMU on BE. The study also found the mediating effect of LT in the SC and BE relationship. The study did not identify a moderating role of PEU in the SMU and BE relationship.

Research limitations/implications

By taking into account SC, SMU, LT, PEU and BE, the study adds the knowledge to the social capital theory.

Practical implications

This study aids marketers in adjusting social media strategies for the effective use of SC aimed to deliver enhanced BE. Additionally, it demonstrates the value of customer LT in the context of SC and SMU by customers.

Originality/value

This study is among the few research on the SC of the Indian user and its impact on SMU and BE. Checking the mediation of LT and the moderation of PEU in the SC context makes this study novel and different from any study conducted earlier.

Details

Benchmarking: An International Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-5771

Keywords

1 – 10 of 150