bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An empirical investigation of consumer perceptions of online shopping in an emerging economy
Authors: Dang Van Thac , Pham Thuy Linh
Published: October 2018

Purpose

Emerging markets are showing rapid growth and retaining high potential for the adoption of e-commerce and online shopping. Among the many high potential markets in Asia–Pacific, Vietnam has had a rapid economic development with an average GDP growth rate of 6.19 percent for the last two decades. To tap the growing online market of Vietnam, the purpose of this paper is to draw on adoption theory and the technology acceptance model to investigate the interrelationships among consumer perceptions of web design, reliability, privacy and customer service and their effects on purchase intention.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were collected from 221 consumers in Vietnam. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data.

Findings

Empirical findings show that consumer perception of web design is positively related to perceptions of reliability, privacy, customer service and purchase intention. Consumer perception of reliability is positively related to perception of customer service but not to purchase intention. Consumer perception of privacy is also positively related to perception of customer service but not to purchase intention. Finally, consumer perception of customer service is positively related to purchase intention.

Originality/value

This study provides empirical evidence to understand the consumer perceptions of online shopping in the specific context of Vietnam. Findings of this study will benefit future researchers who will study consumer behavior in the e-commerce B2C industry, particularly those who are interested in the expanding e-commerce market in Vietnam. Furthermore, this study provides empirical evidence to assist business managers of domestic and foreign firms to further understand Vietnamese consumers. Knowledge of consumer behavior from the specific culture of a developing country may assist business managers advance their decision-making quality in developing markets.
Finding greener grass on the other side of hill
Authors: Kashif Muhammad , Fernando P.M.P. , Samad Sarminah , Thurasamy Ramayah
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The research concerning brand credibility of charity brands is scantly examined. The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating role of brand credibility within the customer-based brand equity model to investigate donor perceived brand equity of charity brands.

Design/methodology/approach

In a cross-sectional research design, a survey-based research strategy is followed to collect data from 448 active Muslim donors in Pakistan. The collected data are analysed by employing confirmatory factor analysis based on Smart PLS 2.0.

Findings

The results indicate that donor perceived brand association, brand awareness and brand loyalty strongly relate to perceived brand equity of charity brands. The brand credibility moderates the relationship between perceived quality, equity and brand loyalty, and equity paths.

Practical implications

The charity brands need to focus on building a strong brand image and reputation to uplift brand credibility which can be achieved by offering training programmes addressing various social causes such as HIV and Cancer prevention.

Originality/value

The proposed moderating effects of brand credibility and its application to charity brands operating in an Asian Muslim country context are unique products of this study.
A model-based approach for inspection of aeronautical multi-layered structures by eddy currents
Authors: Cung Long Thanh , Nguyen Nam Hoang , Joubert Pierre Yves , Vourch Eric , Larzabal Pascal
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to propose an approach, which is easy to implement, for estimating the thickness of the air layer that may separate metallic parts in some aeronautical assemblies, by using the eddy current method.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on an experimental study of the coupling of a magnetic cup core coil sensor with a metallic layered structure (consisting of first metal layer/air layer/second metal layer), which is confirmed by finite element modelling simulations, an inversion technique relying on a polynomial forward model of the coupling is proposed to estimate the air layer thickness. The least squares and the nonnegative least squares algorithms are applied and analysed to obtain the estimation results.

Findings

The choice of an appropriate inversion technique to optimize the estimation results is dependent on the signal-to-noise ratio of measured data. The obtained estimation error is smaller than a few percent, for both simulated and experimental data. The proposed approach can be used to estimate both the air layer thickness and the second metal layer thickness simultaneously/separately.

Originality/value

This model-based approach is easy to implement and available to all types of eddy current sensors.
Employee engagement for millennials: considering technology as an enabler
Authors: Jha Nivedita , Sareen Puja , Potnuru Rama Krishna Gupta
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The paper aims to highlight the challenges of engaging millennial workforce and proposing strategies to address this challenge.

Design/methodology/approach

It is a viewpoint paper that reflects the opinions of human resource (HR) practitioners across industries in India. The views were gathered through telephone and face-to-face interaction with the practitioners.

Findings

Harnessing technology appropriately can help managers gain overall engagement of millennial workforce in the organization.

Practical implications

HR practitioners can manage their millennial workforce better if they understand their characteristics and expectations.

Originality/value

The originality of this paper is that it identifies technology as a hindrance as well as an advantage to engage millennials. It suggests how technology can be harnessed to keep millennials engaged in the workplace.
Multi-objective optimal design of flexible-joint parallel robot
Authors: Lara-Molina Fabian Andres , Dumur Didier , Assolari Takano Karina
Published: October 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to present the optimal design procedure of a symmetrical 2-DOF parallel planar robot with flexible joints by considering several performance criteria based on the workspace size, dynamic dexterity and energy of the control.

Design/methodology/approach

Consequently, the optimal design consists in determining the dimensional parameters to maximize the size of the workspace, maximize the dynamic dexterity and minimize the energy of the control action. The design criteria are derived from the kinematics, dynamics, elastodynamics and the position control law of the robot. The analysis of the design criteria is performed by means of the design space and atlases.

Findings

Finally, the multi-objective design optimization derived from the optimal design procedure is solved by using multi-objective genetic algorithms, and the results are analyzed to assess the validity of the proposed approach.

Originality/value

An alternative approach to the design of a planar parallel robot with flexible joints that permits determining the structural parameters by considering kinematic, dynamic and control operational performance.
A gradient-based shape optimization scheme via isogeometric exact reanalysis
Authors: Ding Chensen , Cui Xiangyang , Huang Guanxin , Li Guangyao , Tamma K.K. , Cai Yong
Published: October 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a gradient-based shape optimization framework in which traditional time-consuming conversions between computer-aided design and computer-aided engineering and the mesh update procedure are avoided/eliminated. The scheme is general so that it can be used in all cases as a black box, no matter what the objective and/or design variables are, whilst the efficiency and accuracy are guaranteed.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors integrated CAD and CAE by using isogeometric analysis (IGA), enabling the present methodology to be robust and accurate. To overcome the difficulty in evaluating the sensitivities of objective and/or constraint functions by analytic method in some cases, the authors adopt the finite difference method to calculate these sensitivities, thereby providing a universal approach. Moreover, to further eliminate the inefficiency caused by the finite difference method, the authors advance the exact reanalysis method, the indirect factorization updating (IFU), to exactly and efficiently calculate functions and their sensitivities, which guarantees its generality and efficiency at the same time.

Findings

The proposed isogeometric gradient-based shape optimization using our IFU approach is reliable and accurate, as well as general and efficient.

Originality/value

The authors proposed a gradient-based shape optimization framework in which they first integrate IGA and the proposed exact reanalysis method for applicability to structural response and sensitivity analysis.
Construction and initial validation of the E-Work Life Scale to measure remote e-working
Authors: Grant Christine Anne , Wallace Louise M. , Spurgeon Peter C. , Tramontano Carlo , Charalampous Maria
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop and provide initial validation for the new E-Work Life (EWL) Scale. This measure assesses a range of theoretically relevant aspects of the e-working experience related to four main areas: job effectiveness, relationship with the organisation, well-being and work-life balance.

Design/methodology/approach

This study presents structured item development. Internal validity and reliability were tested on a sample of 260 e-workers (65 per cent female, age range 25–74). Correlations of the EWL scale with a measure of general health were tested on a subsample of 119 workers to provide initial evidence of construct validity.

Findings

Exploratory factor analysis supported a 17-item scale assessing four factors: work-life interference, productivity, organisational trust and flexibility. Individual well-being was measured and a pattern of significant correlations against four factors as indicators of general health were found, including mental health and vitality.

Research limitations/implications

A new sample would confirm the strength of the EWL scale alongside further tests of validity. Coping strategies related to the scale would aid mapping of individual competencies for remote e-working to promote e-workers’ self-management, management style and organisational policy.

Practical implications

The EWL scale helps organisations to evaluate and support the well-being of remote e-workers. It provides measurement on three levels: individual, supervisory and organisational, whereby practical strategies for improvement can be linked to the scale.

Originality/value

The EWL scale completes a gap in the research by providing a measure aiding organisations to evaluate and support remote e-worker well-being.
Facing disaster: the great challenges framework
Authors: Torres Phil
Published: October 2018

Purpose

This paper provides a detailed survey of the greatest dangers facing humanity this century. It argues that there are three broad classes of risks – the “Great Challenges” – that deserve our immediate attention, namely, environmental degradation, which includes climate change and global biodiversity loss; the distribution of unprecedented destructive capabilities across society by dual-use emerging technologies; and value-misaligned algorithms that exceed human-level intelligence in every cognitive domain. After examining each of these challenges, the paper then outlines a handful of additional issues that are relevant to understanding our existential predicament and could complicate attempts to overcome the Great Challenges. The central aim of this paper is to constitute an authoritative resource, insofar as this is possible in a scholarly journal, for scholars who are working on or interested in existential risks. In the author’s view, this is precisely the sort of big-picture analysis that humanity needs more of, if we wish to navigate the obstacle course of existential dangers before us.

Design/methodology/approach

Comprehensive literature survey that culminates in a novel theoretical framework for thinking about global-scale risks.

Findings

If humanity wishes to survive and prosper in the coming centuries, then we must overcome three Great Challenges, each of which is sufficient to cause a significant loss of expected value in the future.

Originality/value

The Great Challenges framework offers a novel scheme that highlights the most pressing global-scale risks to human survival and prosperity. The author argues that the “big-picture” approach of this paper exemplifies the sort of scholarship that humanity needs more of to properly understand the various existential hazards that are unique to the twenty-first century.
Numerical simulation for fluid droplet impact on discrete particles with coupled SPH-DEM method
Authors: Li Yanqing , Li Daming , Bie Shean , Wang Zhichao , Zhang Hongqiang , Tang Xingchen , Zhen Zhu
Published: October 2018

Purpose

A new coupled model is developed to simulate the interaction between fluid droplet collisions on discrete particles (DPs) by using mathematic function.

Design/methodology/approach

In this model, the smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) is used based on the kernel function and the time step which takes into consideration to the fluid domain in accordance with the discrete element method (DEM) with resistance function. The interaction between fluid and DPs consists of three parts, which are repulsive force, viscous shear force and attractive force caused by the capillary action. The numerical simulation of droplet collision on DPs presents the whole process of droplet motion. Otherwise, an experimental data were conducted to record the realistic process for verification.

Findings

The comparison result indicated that the numerical simulation is capable of capturing the entire process for droplet collision on DPs.

Research limitations/implications

However, based on the difference of experimental environment, type of the DP and setups, the maximum spreading dimeters of could not fit the experimental data exactly.

Originality/value

In sum, the coupled SPH-DEM method simulation shows that the coupled model of SPH-DEM developed an entire effectiveness process for fluid–solid interaction problem.
Causes of delay in Iranian oil and gas projects: a root cause analysis
Authors: Sweis Rateb , Moarefi Alireza , Amiri Mahmood Hosseini , Moarefi Soad , Saleh Rawan
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The international energy agency states that the world’s primary energy needs are expected to grow to 55 per cent until 2030. Therefore, oil and gas industry as the main energy source will be more crucial where building or advancing new capacities is required. Because the reports highlight the delay as a recurring problem, thereby, more in-depth investigation to find out the main contributing causes is needed.

Design/methodology/approach

Root cause analysis (RCA) was applied to identify, rank, analysis and categorize the main sources of this problem.

Findings

Based on RCA procedure; Pareto analysis showed that 84.7 per cent of the delay is because: the radar chart indicated no difference in perception of the participants regarding the importance of the root causes, correlation analysis suggested strong relationship among the participants and the cause-and-effect diagram emphasized more on operational, human and equipment categories, which in total account for 51.86 per cent of the delay.

Originality/value

The risk planners of large-scale projects can consider these root causes as the main items to analysis, monitor and control, as they are vitally important for project success.
Does human capital matter for reduction in energy consumption in India?
Authors: Akram Vaseem , Jangam Bhushan Praveen , Rath Badri Narayan
Published: October 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate whether improvement in human capital can foster energy conservation by reducing the energy consumption in India using annual data from 1980 to 2014. Further, this study examines the relationship between human capital and various forms of energy consumption such as electricity, coal, natural gas, hydrocarbon gas and petroleum consumption.

Design/methodology/approach

To attain the objective, the study investigates this relation through the auto-regressive distributed lag model (ARDL) technique to find a long-run and short-run relationship. Second, to check the robustness of the results, the authors use alternative econometric methods such as dynamic ordinary least squares and fully modified dynamic ordinary least squares.

Findings

The results reveal a negative relationship between human capital and energy consumption, which implies that improvement in human capital lowers the energy consumption and various forms energy consumption, except for petroleum consumption. The results derived from ARDL show that there exists a long-run and short-run association between human capital and energy consumption. The results are consistent across the econometric techniques.

Practical implications

Because G20 countries including India aim at reducing carbon emission to a certain level, this study provides an insight that by emphasizing on human capital, India can reduce energy consumption, which would foster energy conservation.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this the first study in India which attempts to examine the effect of human capital on energy consumption and its various forms.
Start-up motives and challenges facing female entrepreneurs in Tanzania
Authors: Isaga Nsubili
Published: October 2018

Purpose

Research on women-owned business is more extensive in developed countries than in developing countries and such one cannot compare the results. This paper aims to examine the motives of women in Tanzania (a less developed country) to start their own businesses and the challenges they faced in running their businesses.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on 400 response to a semi-structured questionnaire and in-depth interview with 20 female entrepreneurs. Subsequently, descriptive and factors analysis were performed to analyze the data

Findings

Based on survey responses, the primary reason for starting a business was to create employment for the woman herself. Other motives include supplementing income and enabling women to be able to do the kind of work they wanted to do. According to the factor analysis, female entrepreneurs are driven more by push factors than pull factors. The most serious problems faced by female entrepreneurs are lack of access to finance, gender-related problems and social and cultural commitments.

Research limitations/implications

The sample was selected from urban areas of only three regions, out of 26 regions in Tanzania. Researchers may extend the study to other regions; also, the non-probability sampling method used in this study essentially means that there is a limitation to the extent to which the research findings can be generalized to the rest of the population of female entrepreneurs in Tanzania.

Practical implications

Policy makers, financial institutions and all organization that have a stake on development on female entrepreneurs in Tanzania should design policies and programs that encourage and promote the creation and growth of businesses. Collective efforts from the government, public and private institutions and NGOs are needed to eliminate the challenges, especially gender-related problems.

Practical implications

By studying female owner-managers’ motivations and constraints, the author suggests that to a greater extent, gender-related problems, social and cultural commitments and access to finance and networks are the constraints faced by female entrepreneurs.

Originality/value

The research on female entrepreneurs in the context of Tanzania is scarce, this study responds to a need of better understanding women motivations and constraints. By studying these factors, this study shows that startup motives and constraints faced by female entrepreneurs are unique to different contexts.
Business survival and market performance through Lean Six Sigma in the chemical manufacturing industry
Authors: Muganyi Peter , Madanhire Ignatio , Mbohwa Charles
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The research paper aims to unveil the practical use of Lean Six Sigma and its effectiveness as a business survival strategic tool by a chemical product realization concern, as well as to establish the market and business performance impacts on the manufacturing entity.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study approach was pursued with a multi-national chemical manufacturing entity in South Africa. A comprehensive literature research was undertaken to establish the contemporary tools used for implementing Lean Six Sigma, and the classification and flow of tools and steps undertaken to ensure the successful and effective application of Lean Six Sigma in a manufacturing organization and the benefits derived. The critical success factors and reasons of ineffective use of tools are reviewed. To ensure that a comprehensive research was conducted which is relevant to the body of knowledge in engineering, recent articles on the application of Lean Six Sigma were selected and reviewed during the progress of the study to add impetus to the relevance of the findings.

Findings

The research findings were mainly based on the inferences obtained from a chemical product manufacturing concern in South Africa, to distinguish the efficacy and relevance of Lean Six Sigma as strategic business survival tool and imputing strategic resonance to corporate strategy.

Research limitations/implications

This research was limited to distinguishing Lean Six Sigma as a business survival strategic tool and an ultimate enhancer of market performance for a chemical product manufacturing entity. The implementation and evaluation of the Lean Six Sigma methodology as a business survival strategic and market performance enhancement option for the case study organization was entailed as the corollary of deductive resemblance to similar entities.

Practical implications

This study enables continuous improvement practitioners to evaluate the Lean and Six Sigma practices. The advantages posed by the simultaneous and optimized application of the two approaches versus individual application were assessed and verified to produce enhanced continuous improvement. This poses further challenges to scholars and academics to pursue further researches on the practicality of applying Lean Six Sigma as a strategic option.

Originality/value

The paper prompts the efficacy of well publicized methodologies and evaluates their implementation for strategic performance for manufacturing organizations. The practical application, constraints and resultant effects of deploying Lean Six Sigma were reviewed to give impetus to the methodology.
Consumer values, fashion consciousness and behavioural intentions in the online fashion retail sector
Authors: Kautish Pradeep , Sharma Rajesh
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the underlying relationships among two distinct forms of consumer values, namely, instrumental and terminal values, fashion consciousness and behavioural intentions in the context of online fashion apparel retail sector.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual model and subsequent measurement scale were developed, grounded on in-depth review of the extensive literature and validated with customers engaged in online shopping of fashion apparels. The model was empirically examined, and a total of 395 responses were gathered from an online survey administered at a northeastern university in India. The model was validated using structural equation modelling, and a two-step approach suggested by Anderson and Gerbing (1988) was used to evaluate the measurement and structural models for the research.

Findings

The results of the study indicate that instrumental and terminal values significantly affect fashion consciousness, and fashion consciousness has a significant impact on behavioural intentions as well. The research brings out that fashion consciousness acts as a partial mediator between instrumental/terminal values and behavioural intentions. It is noteworthy that compared to terminal values instrumental values display a greater influence on both the variables fashion consciousness and behavioural intentions.

Research limitations/implications

The conclusion of present research will notably assist the fashion retailers, online marketing researchers and experts understand the importance of terminal and instrumental values in increasing fashion consciousness, leading to strategically design campaigns for promoting and instigate consumers’ positive behavioural intentions in the best interest of the online fashion retail sector.

Practical implications

The study results provide suggestions for competitive marketing strategies for online fashion companies operating in the emerging markets like India.

Originality/value

The present study is first of its kind attempt to use Rokeach’s (1973) two-dimensional measure of human values, in order to discover the terminal and instrumental values relationship and their influence on fashion consciousness and behavioural intentions in the online fashion retail industry.
Solo travellers to city destinations: an exploratory study in Sweden
Authors: Abbasian Saeid
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to gain more insight into the phenomenon of solo travel to city destinations and attain more knowledge on the topic.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employed a questionnaire consisting of qualitative and quantitative items. In all, 21 individuals (12 women, 9 men) responded.

Findings

The most important reason for solo travel was their own free choice and in some cases, difficulty finding companions. Their activities at the destinations were mostly visiting attractions followed by visiting friends, shopping, walking, eating at restaurants, learning the language, working, etc. They mostly mentioned advantages but also some disadvantages with solo travelling. Their experiences, especially with the people in the host destinations, have been positive and they show overall satisfaction with their visit. A predominant share of the interviewees showed a kind of loyalty to one or more specific city destinations and wished to revisit them again and again.

Practical implications

The current study might have some implications for city tourism developers/destination developers, travel agencies, national or regional tourism boards and tour operators in major urban areas and cities. Especially, this study has a practical contribution to the city tourism practitioners and gives them more insight in what values, attitudes, perceptions, expectations and motivations the solo travellers might have before or while they visit their cities. The study also has implications for potential solo travellers seeking more knowledge and information on the issue.

Originality/value

The phenomenon of solo travel to city destinations is an unresearched topic in Sweden. This exploratory study is the first in Sweden to focus on solo travellers visiting city destinations.
Application of dynamic mesh technology in the oil film flow simulation for hydrostatic bearing
Authors: Zhang Yanqin , Zhang Zhiquan , Kong Xiangbin , Li Rui , Jiang Hui
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper was to obtain the lubrication characteristics of heavy hydrostatic bearing in heavy equipment manufacturing industry through theoretical analysis and numerical simulation.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper discusses the influence of oil film thickness variation on velocity field, outlet-L and outlet-R flow velocity under the hydrostatic bearing running in no-load 0 N, load 400 KN, full load 1,500 KN and rotating speeds of 10 r/min, 20 r/min, 30 r/min, 40 r/min, 50 r/min and 60 r/min, by using dynamic mesh technology and FLUENT software.

Findings

When the working table rotates clockwise, in the change process of oil film thickness, the fluid flow pattern of the lubricating oil at the edge of the sealing oil is the rule of laminar flow, and the oil cavity has a vortex. The outlet-R flow velocity becomes higher and higher by increasing the bearing load and working table speed, and the flow velocity increases with the decrease in oil film thickness; the outlet-L flow velocity increases with the decrease in oil film thickness under low rotating speed (less than 10 r/min) condition and decreases with the decrease of oil film thickness under high rotating speed (more than 60 r/min) condition.

Originality/value

The influence of the oil film thickness on the flow state distribution of the oil film was analyzed under different working conditions, and the influence rules of oil film thickness on the flow velocity of hydrostatic bearing oil pad was obtained by using dynamic mesh technology.
Finding the fuel of the Arab Spring fire: a historical data analysis
Authors: Ahner Darryl , Brantley Luke
Published: October 2018

Purpose

This paper aims to address the reasons behind the varying levels of volatile conflict and peace as seen during the Arab Spring of 2011 to 2015. During this time, higher rates of conflict transition occurred than normally observed in previous studies for certain Middle Eastern and North African countries.

Design/methodology/approach

Previous prediction models decrease in accuracy during times of volatile conflict transition. Also, proper strategies for handling the Arab Spring have been highly debated. This paper identifies which countries were affected by the Arab Spring and then applies data analysis techniques to predict a country’s tendency to suffer from high-intensity, violent conflict. A large number of open-source variables are incorporated by implementing an imputation methodology useful to conflict prediction studies in the future. The imputed variables are implemented in four model building techniques: purposeful selection of covariates, logical selection of covariates, principal component regression and representative principal component regression resulting in modeling accuracies exceeding 90 per cent.

Findings

Analysis of the models produced by the four techniques supports hypotheses which propose political opportunity and quality of life factors as causations for increased instability following the Arab Spring.

Originality/value

Of particular note is that the paper addresses the reasons behind the varying levels of volatile conflict and peace as seen during the Arab Spring of 2011 to 2015 through data analytics. This paper considers various open-source, readily available data for inclusion in multiple models of identified Arab Spring nations in addition to implementing a novel imputation methodology useful to conflict prediction studies in the future.
“I’m a stay at home businesswoman”: an insight into informal entrepreneurship in Jordan
Authors: Mehtap Salime , Ozmenekse Leyla , Caputo Andrea
Published: October 2018

Purpose

Women and disadvantaged minorities within emerging and developing economies often resort to business activity within the informal economy as a way to overcome various barriers and challenges to formal workforce participation. This paper aims to explore the characteristics, motives, barriers and challenges of female engagement in informal business activities in Jordan.

Design/methodology/approach

The qualitative analysis used in this paper is based upon empirical findings from semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 14 female informal entrepreneurs in Amman, Jordan.

Findings

The study revealed that informal female entrepreneurs tend to be both opportunity- and necessity-driven. Generating profit and contributing to the household income seems to be their main motive. Their businesses were funded either through personal savings or from their social network (e.g. husband, family and friends). Promotion of the business relied mostly on word-of-mouth or social media. High inflation, high competition, time pressures and lack of business skills were cited as the biggest challenges. Besides being content with the status quo, lack of knowledge about the procedures for registering a business and fear of bureaucracy were among the main reasons for not legalizing their activities.

Originality/value

There are very few studies that analyse informal micro-entrepreneurship in the Arab world, particularly in the Jordanian context, which is of growing interest due to low number of women in the workforce and the growing number of refugees in the country. This study therefore presents new knowledge around women’s informal micro-entrepreneurship in Jordan and provides recommendations for further research and policy-making.
Determinants of halal purchasing behaviour: evidences from China
Authors: Hong Meenchee , Sun Sizhong , Beg A.B.M. Rabiul , Zhou Zhangyue
Published: October 2018

Purpose

With a fast-growing Muslim population and consumer income, the demand for halal products by Chinese Muslims has expanded strongly. However, literature addressing Chinese Muslims’ consumption is limited, and their demand for halal products is little understood. This study aims to investigate what affects Chinese Muslims’ demand for halal products, with a focus on halal personal care products.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey of 500 respondents was conducted to collect cross-sectional data in northwest China. Data were processed and analysed with a logit model.

Findings

Apart from faithfulness, reliability of recommendations, product price, product availability and halal authenticity are most important determinants influencing the purchase of halal products by Chinese Muslims.

Research limitations/implications

In this study, the focus is only on Muslims from China’s Northwest. Due to various constraints, the cluster and convenience sampling methods are used.

Practical implications

The findings are invaluable for governments and industry bodies to form policies to better meet the burgeoning demand for halal products by Chinese Muslims. They are also very invaluable for producers and exporters who intend to penetrate the halal market in non-Muslim-dominant countries like China.

Originality/value

Studies on understanding the needs of Muslims in non-Muslim countries are limited. Given the sheer size of the Muslim population in China, understanding their demand for halal products and influential determinants concerning such demand adds to the literature and helps the industry to better serve and capitalise on the growing market.
Whistle-blowing intentions and behaviour in Ugandan public procurement
Authors: Tumuramye Brenda , Ntayi Joseph Mpeera , Muhwezi Moses
Published: October 2018

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the whistle-blowing behaviour in Ugandan public procurement by using whistle-blowing supporting institutions, procuring and disposing entity (PDE) ethical climate and whistle-blowing expectancy.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted using a sample of 118 drawn from a population of 179 central government (PDEs). Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires, resulting in 222 usable questionnaires from 70 PDEs, representing a response rate of 62.71 per cent.

Findings

The results reveal that the whistle-blowing supporting institutions and PDE ethical climate are significant predictors of whistle-blowing intentions and behaviour, accounting for 30.2 per cent of the variance. The authors therefore recommend that whistle-blowing supporting institutions, like the Whistle Blowers Protection Act, should be reviewed and strengthened to promote whistle-blowing intentions and behaviour. This could be done through reviewing the Act to make it enforceable, giving power to the whistle-blowers, strengthening policies, developing safeguards against retaliation by making every chief executive officer in the public sector accountable, increasing whistle-blowing incentives and providing whistle-blowing hotlines for anonymous whistle-blowers. PDEs should also create conducive ethical climates that encourage people to voice their concerns internally or externally, and ethical committees should be established within PDEs and other bodies such as the Inspector General of Government for ensuring that whistle-blowing systems are in place and promoted. There is a need to increase whistle-blowing expectancy through the effective handling of reported cases to their conclusion and the use of role models.
An experimental study into the effects of self-disclosure and crisis type on brand evaluations – the mediating effect of blame attributions
Authors: Hegner Sabrina M. , Beldad Ardion D. , Hulzink Ruth
Published: October 2018

Purpose

Brands facing a crisis have to decide whether to disclose crisis-related information themselves or to wait and take the risk that a third party breaks the news. While brands might benefit from self-disclosing the information, it is likely that the impact of crisis communication on customers’ evaluation of the brand depends on the type of crisis. This study aims to investigate the influence of type of crisis on the relationshp between disclosure and brand outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

A 2 × 2 between-subjects experiment with 180 Dutch participants was conducted.

Findings

Results show that self-disclosure of a negative incident positively affects consumers’ attitude, trust and purchase intention compared to third-party disclosure. Additionally, disclosure and crisis type interact. In times of a product-harm crisis, self-disclosure does not represent an advantage to third party disclosure, while in times of a moral-harm crisis disclosure by the brand is able to maintain customers’ positive attitude towards and trust in the brand compared to disclosure by a third party. Moreover, blame attribution mediates the effect of crisis type on brand evaluations.

Originality/value

Recent research indicates that self-disclosing crisis information instead of waiting until thunder strikes has beneficial effects for a brand in times of crisis. However, these studies use the context of product-harm crises, which neglects the possible impact of moral-harm crises. Furthermore, this study adds the impact of blame attributions as a mediator in this context.
Blending the past and present in a retro branded music concert: the impact of nostalgia proneness
Authors: Hallegatte Damien , Ertz Myriam , Marticotte François
Published: October 2018

Purpose

Retro branding is gaining unprecedented momentum. This study aims to empirically examine the moderating impact of nostalgia proneness on the relationship between retro branding and consumer behavioral intentions in the music industry. Nostalgia and retro branding are two paramount elements conceptually discussed in literature but rarely investigated together empirically despite their interconnections.

Design/methodology/approach

An experiment including four different scenarios blending retro and contemporary stimuli was conducted on 181 subjects. Two rock band variables were manipulated: song set list (i.e. list of songs) and band lineup.

Findings

The findings suggest that mixing the past and present for a retro brand impacts consumer behavior. A more nuanced explanation is suggested by showing that a retro brand has a strong effect on consumers’ intentions to attend and willingness to pay, but not on their WOM intentions, when these consumers are more prone to feeling nostalgia.

Originality/value

Nostalgia and retro branding appear to be interconnected concepts, but few studies have assessed how nostalgia proneness can impact consumers’ intentions toward a retro brand. Fewer have investigated consumers’ intentions toward an experiential, intangible retro brand.
Spam classification: a comparative analysis of different boosted decision tree approaches
Authors: Trivedi Shrawan Kumar , Panigrahi Prabin Kumar
Published: October 2018

Purpose

Email spam classification is now becoming a challenging area in the domain of text classification. Precise and robust classifiers are not only judged by classification accuracy but also by sensitivity (correctly classified legitimate emails) and specificity (correctly classified unsolicited emails) towards the accurate classification, captured by both false positive and false negative rates. This paper aims to present a comparative study between various decision tree classifiers (such as AD tree, decision stump and REP tree) with/without different boosting algorithms (bagging, boosting with re-sample and AdaBoost).

Design/methodology/approach

Artificial intelligence and text mining approaches have been incorporated in this study. Each decision tree classifier in this study is tested on informative words/features selected from the two publically available data sets (SpamAssassin and LingSpam) using a greedy step-wise feature search method.

Findings

Outcomes of this study show that without boosting, the REP tree provides high performance accuracy with the AD tree ranking as the second-best performer. Decision stump is found to be the under-performing classifier of this study. However, with boosting, the combination of REP tree and AdaBoost compares favourably with other classification models. If the metrics false positive rate and performance accuracy are taken together, AD tree and REP tree with AdaBoost were both found to carry out an effective classification task. Greedy stepwise has proven its worth in this study by selecting a subset of valuable features to identify the correct class of emails.

Research limitations/implications

This research is focussed on the classification of those email spams that are written in the English language only. The proposed models work with content (words/features) of email data that is mostly found in the body of the mail. Image spam has not been included in this study. Other messages such as short message service or multi-media messaging service were not included in this study.

Practical implications

In this research, a boosted decision tree approach has been proposed and used to classify email spam and ham files; this is found to be a highly effective approach in comparison with other state-of-the-art modes used in other studies. This classifier may be tested for different applications and may provide new insights for developers and researchers.

Originality/value

A comparison of decision tree classifiers with/without ensemble has been presented for spam classification.
Executive compensation and compensation risk: evidence from technology firms
Authors: Dunn Paul , He Zhongzhi , Trabelsi Samir , Yu Zhimin (Jimmy)
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to investigate factors that contribute to technology firms paying higher compensation than non-technology firms, and why the mix of compensation at technology firms is different than the compensation packages at non-technology firms.

Design/methodology/approach

This research used a sample of 1,009 firm-year observations for the five-year period from 2001 to 2005 and random-effects regression models.

Findings

It was found that the total compensation paid to the CEOs of technology firms is higher than the total compensation paid to the CEOs of non-technology firms, and that the value of the stock options granted to the former is greater than the value of the stock options granted to the latter.

Research limitations/implications

The results are largely consistent with the labour market efficiency perspective. The higher compensation paid to CEOs in technology firms seems to be commensurate with the higher compensation risk that CEOs in technology firms bear.

Practical implications

Compensation designers should consider both the benefits and costs of granting stock and stock options to executives. An increased portion of stock options definitely aligns the interests of shareholders and CEOs together, and could maximize the retentive effect if CEOs have a significant amount of their wealth in unvested in-the-money options.

Social implications

Consistent with the literature, a CEO could earn much higher pay if he or she also serves as the chair of the board of directors. Practically, firms do not require all governance mechanisms. They just require one set of suitable governance mechanisms.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to investigate factors that contribute to technology firms paying higher compensation than non-technology firms, and that do explain why the mix of compensation at technology firms is different than the compensation packages at non-technology firms.
CVaR-based risk assessment and control of the agricultural supply chain
Authors: Yan Bo , Wu Jiwen , Wang Fengling
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to establish an effective risk assessment approach based on the conditional value-at-risk (CVaR) in the agricultural supply chain.

Design/methodology/approach

This study analyzes and assesses the risks of breeding, processing, transportation and warehousing in the agricultural supply chain. The ordered weighted averaging operator is used to sort risk control factors according to their importance and determine the main risk indicators of an enterprise. The CVaR model is utilized to establish the risk loss function, and an improved genetic algorithm is employed to identify the optimal risk control portfolios in the case of the smallest risk loss.

Findings

Based on the approach, the optimal combination of risk control to minimize risk losses is determined. Results show that the proportion of capital investment in risk control differs at three confidence levels, and a large amount of money needs to be invested in the production process at the source. Thus, any attempt to control the risks inherent in the agricultural supply chain must begin with the production process at the source.

Originality/value

Supply chain risk management has become increasingly important and significant to the operation and production of enterprises in recent years. The proposed method to assess the risk in the agricultural supply chain can benefit managers in making smart decisions to control total risk.
Purchase experience and involvement for risk perception in online group buying
Authors: Li Weiwei , Yuan Yang
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The paper aims to explore the factors that influence the risk perception. The moderating roles of purchase experience and purchase involvement are also investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

The conceptual model is framed into the SOR (stimulus-organism-response) model, which was tested using data collected from the users of a leading group buying platform in China, with the help of LISREL.

Findings

The result indicates that both vendor- and intermediary-related factors exert negative yet significant influences on perceived risk. The relationships between vendor-related attributes and perceived risk are contingent on purchase involvement. The relationships between intermediary-related attributes and perceived risk are subject to purchase experience.

Originality/value

This study explores the moderating effects of purchase experience and purchase involvement based on the characteristics of group buying, demonstrating the differences from traditional online shopping.
Teaching evaluation and student response rate
Authors: Ahmad Tashfeen
Published: October 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to share the author’s viewpoint on how to increase student response rate in course evaluation surveys.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach is to highlight measures which increased student response rate in online surveys of the author’s teaching evaluation at The University of the West Indies, Jamaica.

Findings

This viewpoint suggests that student response rate to course evaluation can be improved by the lecturer’s effective communication. The examples of effective communication are given in this paper.

Originality/value

This work will encourage the lecturers to initiate more student engagement to improve response rate of their teaching evaluation.