bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Captivity-induced behaviour and spatial learning abilities in an enigmatic, aquifer-dwelling blind eel,Rakthamichthys digressus
Authors: Vasan Tanvi , Das Prantik , Varma Vishwanath , Tiwari Anjani , Prakash Archana , Manilal Devika , Thomas Liju , Arjun C. P. , Philip Siby , Raghavan Rajeev , Binoy V.V.
Published: June 2021

We investigated the impact of captive life on behaviour and learning abilities in an enigmatic, aquifer-dwelling blind eel,Rakthamichthys digressus. Of eight major behavioural traits related to exploration and activity in a novel arena, four were significantly altered by life in captivity. While the startle response upon introduction into the arena and overall swimming away from the walls increased after captivity, inactivity exhibited immediately after the startle and the reaction to an external disturbance decreased. We also observed behavioural syndromes between ‘startle responses’ and ‘horizontal wall following’, and between ‘overall activity’ and ‘vertical wall following’; however, these behavioural syndromes were not altered by maintenance in captivity. Interestingly, this blind-eel failed to learn a simple spatial task in a Y-maze apparatus. Captive-associated behavioural changes inR. digressusmay influence their survival after reintroduction into natural habitats, and such changes must be taken into account while developing protocols for ex-situ conservation and subsequent release.
Shaping liposomes by cell-free expressed bacterial microtubules
Authors: Kattan Johannes , Doerr Anne , Dogterom Marileen , Danelon Christophe
Published: June 2021

Genetic control over a cytoskeletal network inside lipid vesicles offers a potential route to controlled shape changes and DNA segregation in synthetic cell biology. Bacterial microtubules (bMTs) are protein filaments found in bacteria of the genus Prosthecobacter. They are formed by the tubulins BtubA and BtubB which polymerize in the presence of GTP. Here, we show that the tubulins BtubA/B can be functionally expressed from DNA templates in a reconstituted transcription-translation system, thus providing a cytosol-like environment to study their biochemical and biophysical properties. We found that bMTs spontaneously interact with lipid membranes and display treadmilling. When compartmentalized inside liposomes, de novo synthesized BtubA/B tubulins self-organize into cytoskeletal structures of different morphologies. Moreover, bMTs can exert a pushing force on the membrane and deform liposomes, a phenomenon that can be reversed by light-activated disassembly of the filaments. Our work establishes bMTs as a new building block in synthetic biology. In the context of creating a synthetic cell, bMTs could help shape the lipid compartment, establish polarity or directional transport, and assist the division machinery.
Protein kinase J regulates Rv0642c expression and sensitivity to rifampicin of mycobacteria
Authors: Kumar Singh Diwakar , Tiwari Samir , Kripalata Kumari , Srivastava Kishore K.
Published: June 2021

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) persists for long-duration inside the human host in both active and latent form by modulating the immune response. The mechanisms employed by M.tb to survive inside the host and evade the host immune system need to be explored in greater depth for the rational design of novel treatment strategies. The phosphorylation and methylation of biomolecules need to be addressed in mycobacteria because it has an important role in infection establishment and persistence. In the present study, we elaxborate on the role of PknJ in the slow growth of BCG and its association with mmaA4 protein during extracellular and intracellular growth. The pknJ knock-out (KO) BCG has been used to decode the functional significance in mycobacteria. The mmaA4 expression and methyltransferase activity is decreased in knocked-out BCG strain (pknJ-/-) during extracellular growth, while mmaA4 expression and methyltransferase activity is increased during intracellular growth of mycobacteria. The knocked-out BCG strain is highly sensitive to the rifampicin antibiotics during extracellular growth in compared to control. A significant association of pknJ and mmaA4 was found in our studies during the growth and intracellular persistence of mycobacteria.
The U1 snRNP component RBP45d regulates temperature-responsive flowering in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Chang Ping , Hsieh Hsin-Yu , Tu Shih-Long
Published: June 2021

Pre-mRNA splicing is a crucial step of gene expression whereby the spliceosome produces constitutively and alternatively spliced transcripts that not only diversify the transcriptome but also play essential functions during plant development and responses to environmental changes. Numerous evidences indicate that regulation at the pre-mRNA splicing step is important for flowering time control, however the components and detailed mechanism underlying this process remain largely unknown. Here, we identified a previously unknown splicing factor in Arabidopsis thaliana, RNA BINDING PROTEIN 45d (RBP45d), a member of the RBP45/47 family. Using sequence comparison and biochemical analysis, we determined that RBP45d is a component of the U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (U1 snRNP) with functions distinct from other family members. RBP45d associates with the U1 snRNP by interacting with pre-mRNA-processing factor 39a (PRP39a) and directly regulates alternative splicing (AS) for a specific set of genes. Plants with loss of RBP45d function exhibit defects in temperature-induced flowering potentially due to the mis-regulation of temperature-sensitive AS by RBP45d and PRP39a of the key flowering gene FLOWERING LOCUS M. Taken together, we report that RBP45d is a novel U1 snRNP component in plants that functions together with PRP39a in temperature-mediated flowering.
Multi-objective worker allocation optimisation in a multiple U-line system
Authors: Chutima Parames , Chimrakhang Jurairat
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to evaluate two operational modes of the worker allocation problem (WAP) in the multiple U-line system (MULS). Five objectives are optimised simultaneously for the most complicated operational modes, i.e. machine-dominant working and fixed-station walking. Besides, the benefits of using multiline workstations (MLWs) are investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

The elite non-dominated sorting differential evolutionary III (ENSDE III) algorithm is developed as a solution technique. Also, the largest remaining available time heuristic is proposed as a baseline in determining the number and utilisation of workers when the use of MLWs is not allowed.

Findings

ENSDE III outperforms the cutting-edged multi-objective evolutionary algorithms, i.e. multi-objective evolutionary algorithm based on decomposition and non-dominated sorting differential evolutionary III, under two key Pareto metrics, i.e. generational distance and inverted generational distance, regardless of the problem size. The best-found number of workers from ENSDE III is substantially lower than the upper bound. The MULS with MLWs requires fewer workers than the one without.

Research limitations/implications

Although this research has extended several issues in the basic model of multiple U-line systems, some assumptions were used to facilitate mathematical computation as follows. The U-line system in this research assumed that all lines were produced only a single product. Besides, all workers were well-trained to gain the same skill. These assumptions could be extended in the future.

Practical implications

The implication of this research is the benefits of multiline workstations (MLWs) used in the multiple U-line system. Instead of leaving each individual line to operate independently, all lines should be working in parallel through the use of MLWs to gain benefits in terms of worker reduction, balancing worker’s workload, higher system utilisation.

Originality/value

This research is the first to address the WAP in the MULS with machine-dominant working and fixed-station walking modes. Worker’s fatigue due to standing and walking while working is incorporated into the model. The novel ENSDE III algorithm is developed to optimise the multi-objective WAP in a Pareto sense. The benefits of exploiting MLWs are also illustrated.
Thomas Cook(ed): using Altman's z-score analysis to examine predictors of financial bankruptcy in tourism and hospitality businesses
Authors: Goh Edmund , Mat Roni Saiyidi , Bannigidadmath Deepa
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Financial bankruptcy is inevitable in the tourism and hospitality ecosystem. Despite the pertinence of tourism and hospitality businesses going into bankruptcy, limited studies have investigated the early warning signs and likelihood of a financial bankruptcy occurring in tourism and hospitality firms. This study examined the predictive value of financial ratios as potential indicators in predicting bankruptcy among tourism and hospitality firms.

Design/methodology/approach

Altman's z-score bankruptcy prediction model was applied through five key financial ratios to predict bankruptcy of the Thomas Cook Travel Group over a ten year period (2008–2018).

Findings

The key findings of this study strongly suggest that besides the size and location of the firm, financial ratios are reliable predictors and play a pivotal role in predicting the bankruptcy of a tourism and hospitality business.

Practical implications

The paper provides key stakeholders to adopt checks and balances to identify financial distressed tourism firms through financial ratios.

Originality/value

This is the first academic paper to inspect the financial history of Thomas Cook Travel Group in a financial ratio context, particularly following the bankruptcy of the firm in 2019.
Lottery preference and stock market participation: evidence from China
Authors: Zhang Tingting , Wei Desheng , Liu Zhifeng , Wu Xihao
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This paper studies the effects of lottery preference on stock market participation at the macro level.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use the abnormal search volume intensity for lottery-related keywords from the Baidu search engine to capture retail investors' lottery preference. To measure stock market participation, they use five different macro-level measures from various angles. They perform the time series regression analysis in their empirical study.

Findings

First, the validation tests show that the lottery preference index in this study is reasonable. Further, the authors find that lottery preference increases people's propensity to enter and trade in the stock market. Besides, they find that the effect on trading behavior is asymmetric, that is, high lottery preference has a more significant impact on trading behavior than low lottery preference. However, lottery preference has no significant effect on the stockholding.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the growing literature that examines the determinants of stock market participation and the role of lottery/gambling preference in the financial market. It also provides direct and novel evidence for Statman's (2002) conclusions about the similarity of lottery players and stock traders.
Process voltage temperature analysis of MOS based balanced pseudo-resistors for biomedical analog circuit applications
Authors: Sharma Kulbhushan , Pathania Anisha , Madan Jaya , Pandey Rahul , Sharma Rajnish
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Adoption of integrated MOS based pseudo-resistor (PR) structures instead of using off-chip passive poly resistors for analog circuits in complementary metal oxide semiconductor technology (CMOS) is an area-efficient way for realizing larger time constants. However, issue of common-mode voltage shifting and excess dependency on the process and temperature variations introduce nonlinearity in such structures. So there is dire need to not only closely look for the origin of the problem with the help of a thorough mathematical analysis but also suggest the most suitable PR structure for the purpose catering broadly to biomedical analog circuit applications.

Design/methodology/approach

In this work, incremental resistance (IR) expressions and IR range for balanced PR (BPR) structures operating in the subthreshold region have been closely analyzed for broader range of process-voltage-temperature variations. All the post-layout simulations have been obtained using BSIM3V3 device models in 0.18 µm standard CMOS process.

Findings

The obtained results show that the pertinent problem of common-mode voltage shifting in such PR structures is completely resolved in scaled gate linearization and bulk-driven quasi-floating gate (BDQFG) BPR structures. Among all BPR structures, BDQFG BPR remarkably shows constant IR value of 1 TΩ over −1 V to 1 V voltage swing for wider process and temperature variations.

Research limitations/implications

Various balanced PR design techniques reported in this work will help the research community in implementing larger time constants for analog-mixed signal circuits.

Social implications

The PR design techniques presented in the present piece of work is expected to be used in developing tunable and accurate biomedical prosthetics.

Originality/value

The BPR structures thoroughly analyzed and reported in this work may be useful in the design of analog circuits specifically for applications such as neural signal recording, cardiac electrical impedance tomography and other low-frequency biomedical applications.
Exploring the motivations to participate in an online brand community: a study of 7–11-year-old children
Authors: Thomas Robert James , White Gareth Reginald Terence , Samuel Anthony
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to understand what motivates 7–11-year-old children to participate in online brand communities (OBCs). Prior research has concentrated on prescriptive product categories (games and gaming), predominantly adolescent groups and the social aspects of community engagement and actual behaviour within communities, rather than the motivations to participate with the OBC. This has ultimately limited what has been gleaned, both theoretically and managerially, from this important segment.

Design/methodology/approach

An interpretive, longitudinal position is adopted, using a sample of 261 children (113 male and 148 female) from across the UK, using event-based diaries over a 12-month period, generating 2,224 entries.

Findings

Data indicate that children are motivated to participate in a brand community for four reasons: to support and ameliorate pre-purchase anxieties, resolve interpersonal conflicts, exact social dominance in terms of product ownership and perceptions of product knowledge and to actively engage in digitalised pester power. The study also reveals that certain motivational aspects such as conflict resolution and exacting dominance, are gender-specific.

Research limitations/implications

Knowledge of children’s motivation to engage with OBCs is important for marketers and brand managers alike as the data reveal markedly different stimuli when compared to known adult behaviours in the field. Given the nature of the study, scope exists for significant future research.

Practical implications

The study reveals behaviours that will assist brand managers in further understanding the complex and untraditional relationships that children have with brands and OBCs.

Originality/value

This study makes a novel examination of a hitherto little-explored segment of consumers. In doing so, it uncovers the theoretical and practical characteristics of child consumers that contemporary, adult-focussed literature does not recognise. The paper makes an additional contribution to theory by positing four new behavioural categories relating to community engagement – dependers, defusers, demanders and dominators – and four new motivational factors which are fundamentally different from adult taxonomies – social hegemony, parental persuasion, dilemma solving and conflict resolution.
Stability analysis on the kerosene nanofluid flow with hybrid zinc/aluminum-oxide (ZnO-Al2O3) nanoparticles under Lorentz force
Authors: Zhang LiJun , Nazar Tayyaba , Bhatti M.M. , Michaelides Efstathios E.
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The flow and heat transfer of a hybrid nanofluid composed of kerosene and ZnO-Al2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) is investigated. The flow occurs over complex surfaces with stretching and shrinking features. The base fluid is electrically conducting, and an external magnetic field is added so that the nanofluid and the electric field are in equilibrium. Irrotational flow with viscous dissipation effects is considered.

Design/methodology/approach

The governing equations of the system are formulated, and a similarity transformation is used to convert the system of equations into ordinary differential equations, which are solved numerically. The friction coefficient of the flow and the Nusselt number are calculated for a wide range of parameters, and the results are presented in graphical form. In addition, dual solutions of the problem were noticed to occur for a certain range of the unsteadiness parameter. A stability analysis has been performed and presented to elucidate the behavior of these dual solutions.

Findings

For the solution of the upper branch, the velocity and temperature profiles of the nanofluid are enhanced by increasing the magnetic field parameter M, but the same variables decrease in the solution of the lower branch. The same trend is detected for the velocity of the fluid with the suction parameter. The temperature of the nanofluid decreases in both branches of the solution by increasing the Prandtl number. Similarly, they decrease with the suction parameter. The temperature of the nanofluid slightly increases in both branches of the solution by increasing the Eckert number. With the stability analysis the authors performed, it was determined that the solution is stable in the upper branch, but unstable in the lower branch.

Originality/value

The kerosene nanofluid with hybrid Zinc/Aluminum-oxide is presented for the first time in the literature.
Instability of hydromagnetic Couette flow for hybrid nanofluid through porous media with small suction and injection effects
Authors: Tiam Kapen Pascalin , Njingang Ketchate Cédric Gervais , Fokwa DIdier , Tchuen Ghislain
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate a linear and temporal stability analysis of hybrid nanofluid flow between two parallel plates filled with a porous medium and whose lower plate is fixed and the upper plate animated by a uniform rectilinear motion.

Design/methodology/approach

The nanofluid is composed of water as a regular fluid, silver (Ag) and alumina (Al2O3) as nanoparticles. The mathematical model takes into account other effects such as the magnetic field and the aspiration (injection/suction). Under the assumption of a low magnetic Reynolds number, a modified Orr–Sommerfeld-type eigenvalue differential equation governing flow stability was derived and solved numerically by Chebyshev’s spectral collocation method. The effects of parameters such as volume fraction, Darcy number, injection/suction Reynolds number, Hartmann number were analyzed.

Findings

It was found the following: the Darcy number affects the stability of the flow, the injection/suction Reynolds number has a negligible effect, the volume fraction damped disturbances and the magnetic field plays a very important role in enlarging the area of flow stability.

Originality/value

The originality of this work resides in the linear and temporal stability analysis of hydromagnetic Couette flow for hybrid nanofluid through porous media with small suction and injection effects.
How hotels adjust technology-based strategy to respond to COVID-19 and gain competitive productivity (CP): strategic management process and dynamic capabilities
Authors: Liu Chun , Yang Jingjing
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore how hotels evolve their dynamic capabilities to adjust their technology-based strategy to improve performance and to gain competitive productivity (CP) during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the aftermath.

Design/methodology/approach

In-depth interviews with hoteliers were conducted to unveil their dynamic capabilities amid the pandemic as regard adjustments and performance of self-service technology (SST)-based strategies. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.

Findings

Data analysis revealed four types of dynamic capabilities (i.e. sensing, learning, integrating and coordinating capabilities). Equipped with these capabilities, hotels made minor adjustments to their SST strategies. In general, during an economic downturn, hotels refrained from introducing new SSTs. SSTs introduced before the pandemic were used more frequently and received enhanced customer feedback. The findings further revealed that the factors influencing hotels’ application of SSTs before and after the outbreak of COVID-19 remained similar.

Originality/value

This is the first research integrating CP, dynamic capabilities and strategic management process to explain how hotels adjust technological strategies to recover in a suddenly changed environment. Such a framework enables scholars and practitioners from content-oriented and process-oriented perspectives to make quick but sound strategic management decisions in adapting to turbulent environments. This timely study enriches the expertise of using technology as a recovery strategy and contributes to future research on the practical application of SSTs and crisis management.
The influence of online customer reviews on customers’ purchase intentions: a cross-cultural study from India and the UK
Authors: Chatterjee Sheshadri , Chaudhuri Ranjan , Vrontis Demetris , Thrassou Alkis
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of online customer reviews (OCRs) and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) on customers’ purchase intention (PUI). This study also investigates the cultural differences between the customers in India and UK as regards the influence of OCR and customers’ PUIs.

Design/methodology/approach

This study has used socialisation theory, theory of reasoned action, congruity theory and expectation value theory, along with the existing literature to develop the conceptual model. The theoretical model has been validated using the PLS-SEM technique on a survey involving 305 and 280 respondents for India and UK, respectively.

Findings

The findings highlight that gender has no effect on UK customers’ PUIs, whereas age and gender have considerable impacts on Indian customers’ PUIs.

Research limitations/implications

The study only examines the cross-cultural difference between a European country (UK) and an Asian country (India). Also, since the sample size is low, the findings did not represent a generic view.

Practical implications

The proposed model has provided important inputs to the organisations to understand consumer behaviour particularly the study would help marketing departments to formulate their marketing strategies regarding OCR and customers’ PUI.

Originality/value

This study is unique in understanding the implications of OCR and their influence on customer purchase decisions of UK customers and India’s customers. This study also helps to understand the impact of age and gender on OCR and PUIs.
Incorporating LDA with LSTM for followee recommendation on Twitter network
Authors: Dib Brahim , Kalloubi Fahd , Nfaoui El Habib , Boulaalam Abdelhak
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to facilitate the task of finding appropriate information to read about, and searching for people who are in the same field of interest. Knowing that more people keep up with new streaming information on Twitter micro-blogging service. With the immense number of micro-posts shared via the follower/followee network graph, Twitter users find themselves in front of millions of tweets, which makes the task crucial.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, a long short–term memory (LSTM) model that relies on the latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) output vector for followee recommendation, the LDA model applied as a topic modeling strategy is proposed.

Findings

This study trains the model using a real-life data set extracted based on Twitter follower/followee architecture. It confirms the effectiveness and scalability of the proposed approach. The approach improves the state-of-the-art models average-LSTM and time-LSTM.

Research limitations/implications

This study improves mainly the existing followee recommendation systems. Because, unlike previous studies, it applied a non-hand-crafted method which is the LSTM neural network with LDA model for topics extraction. The main limitation of this study is the cold-start users cannot be treated, also some active fake accounts may not be detected.

Practical implications

The aim of this approach is to assist users seeking appropriate information to read about, by choosing appropriate profiles to follow.

Social implications

This approach consolidates the social relationship between users in a microblogging platform by suggesting like-minded people to each other. Thus, finding users with the same interests will be easy without spending a lot of time seeking relevant users.

Originality/value

Instead of classic recommendation models, the paper provides an efficient neural network searching method to make it easier to find appropriate users to follow. Therefore, affording an effective followee recommendation system.
Performance analysis of erosion resistant Mo2C reinforced WC-CoCr coating for pump impeller with Taguchi’s method
Authors: Singh Jashanpreet , Singh Jatinder Pal
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This study aims to deal with development and performance analysis of high-velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) thermally sprayed Mo2C-based WC-CoCr (tungsten carbine cobalt chrome) (Co-10% and Cr-4%) cermet coating deposited on the pump impeller steel 316 L.

Design/methodology/approach

In this work, a study was carried out by modifying the conventional WC-CoCr powder with a small addition of molybdenum carbide (Mo2C). Reinforcement was done by 1–4 wt.% addition of Mo2C feedstocks in WC-CoCr powder by using a jar ball mill process. The design of experiment was implemented for optimization of the percentage of Mo2C feedstock. L16 (4 × 4) orthogonal array was used to design the experiments for erosion output for the input parameters namely velocity, particle size, concentration and Mo2C proportion.

Findings

Results show that the Mo2C-based WC-CoCr coating provides better microhardness as compared to conventional WC-CoCr coating. The present study also reveals that the deposition of conventional WC-CoCr coating has improved the wear resistance of SS 316 L by 9.98%. However, the slurry erosion performance of conventional WC-CoCr coating was improved as 69.6% by the addition of 3% Mo2C.

Practical implications

WC-CoCr coatings are universally used for protecting the equipment and machinery from abrasion, erosion and corrosion. So, the 3% Mo2C-based WC-CoCr can be useful in power plants and various industries like mining, chemical, automobile, cementing and food processing industries.

Originality/value

A new HVOF coating has been developed by the addition of Mo2C feedstock in WC-CoCr powder (Co 10% and Cr 4%) and the percentage of Mo2C feedstock was optimized to improve the tribological behavior of WC-CoCr coating.
Multimodal cooperative learning for micro-video advertising click prediction
Authors: Chen Runyu
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Micro-video platforms have gained attention in recent years and have also become an important new channel for merchants to advertise their products. Since little research has studied micro-video advertising, this paper aims to fill the research gap by exploring the determinants of micro-video advertising clicks. We form a micro-video advertising click prediction model and demonstrate the effectiveness of the multimodal information extracted from the advertisement producers, commodities being sold and micro-video contents in the prediction task.

Design/methodology/approach

A multimodal analysis framework was conducted based on real-world micro-video advertisement datasets. To better capture the relations between different modalities, we adopt a cooperative learning model to predict the advertising clicks.

Findings

The experimental results show that the features extracted from different data sources can improve the prediction performance. Furthermore, the combination of different modal features (visual, acoustic, textual and numerical) is also worth studying. Compared to classical baseline models, the proposed cooperative learning model significantly outperforms the prediction results, which demonstrates that the relations between modalities are also important in advertising micro-video generation.

Originality/value

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study analysing micro-video advertising effects. With the help of our advertising click prediction model, advertisement producers (merchants or their partners) can benefit from generating more effective micro-video advertisements. Furthermore, micro-video platforms can apply our prediction results to optimise their advertisement allocation algorithm and better manage network traffic. This research can be of great help for more effective development of the micro-video advertisement industry.
Charting consumers' continued social commerce intention
Authors: Hu Xi , Chen Zhenjiao , Davison Robert M. , Liu Yaqin
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the factors influencing consumers' continued social commerce (s-commerce) intention and its underlying mechanism.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors define continued s-commerce intention as consumers' intention to continually participate in s-commerce activities, namely, requesting and sharing commercial information. Grounded in the motivation theory, perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment are identified in this study as the motives behind consumers' continued s-commerce intention. Given the indispensable social facet of s-commerce, the authors include social support as another critical social factor motivating continuance intention. Furthermore, users' perceptions are affected by prior s-commerce outcomes, which concern the effectiveness of the commercial information exchange process. Research suggests that in such a context, the result of communication is jointly determined by source credibility and interactive relationships amongst individuals. Whilst source credibility determines the usefulness of the information transmitted, a social interaction supports this process. Therefore, source credibility and social interactions are crucial to the outcomes of s-commerce, which, in turn, affect consumers' perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment and social support in s-commerce. Building on these arguments, the authors propose our research model and then test the hypotheses via a survey.

Findings

The authors find that consumers' perceived usefulness and informational social support of s-commerce directly affect their continued s-commerce intention. Moreover, perceived enjoyment leads to continued s-commerce intention via the mediation of perceived usefulness, whilst emotional social support influences continued s-commerce intention through the mediator of informational social support. In addition, source credibility is a significant antecedent of consumers' usefulness, enjoyment and social support perceptions, whilst a social interaction significantly impacts perceived enjoyment and social support.

Originality/value

Various consumer behaviours in s-commerce have been studied; however, the continuance intention to participate in the s-commerce activity remains unknown. This empirical study fills this research gap. Moreover, the authors initially reveal s-commerce participants' utilitarian orientation in the post-adoption stage: perceived usefulness and informational social support affect continuance intention more directly than perceived enjoyment and emotional social support. Further, prior studies on information systems continuance have mainly focused on technical features. By identifying the influence from social factors, i.e. social support, this work extends the literature on information systems continuance.
Obstacle negotiation analysis of track-legged robot based on terramechanics
Authors: Hongbiao Zhu , Liu Yueming , Wang Weidong , Du Zhijiang
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to present a new method to analyze the robot’s obstacle negotiation based on the terramechanics, where the terrain physical parameters, the sinkage and the slippage of the robot are taken into account, to enhance the robot’s trafficability.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, terramechanics is used in motion planning for all-terrain obstacle negotiation. First, wheel/track-terrain interaction models are established and used to analyze traction performances in different locomotion modes of the reconfigurable robot. Next, several key steps of obstacle-climbing are reanalyzed and the sinkage, the slippage and the drawbar pull are obtained by the models in these steps. In addition, an obstacle negotiation analysis method on loose soil is proposed. Finally, experiments in different locomotion modes are conducted and the results demonstrate that the model is more suitable for practical applications than the center of gravity (CoG) kinematic model.

Findings

Using the traction performance experimental platform, the relationships between the drawbar pull and the slippage in different locomotion modes are obtained, and then the traction performances are obtained. The experimental results show that the relationships obtained by the models are in good agreement with the measured. The obstacle-climbing experiments are carried out to confirm the availability of the method, and the experimental results demonstrate that the model is more suitable for practical applications than the CoG kinematic model.

Originality/value

Comparing with the results without considering Terramechanics, obstacle-negotiation analysis based on the proposed track-terrain interaction model considering Terramechanics is much more accurate than without considering Terramechanics.
Carbon disclosure, performance and the green reputation of higher educational institutions in the UK
Authors: Saha Anup Kumar , Dunne Theresa , Dixon Rob
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the carbon emission disclosures (CED) and performance of UK higher educational institutions (HEIs) and the associated impact on their environmental reputation. The paper argues that HEIs possess distinct characteristics that make comparisons with profit-oriented companies problematic and misleading.

Design/methodology/approach

The green score published by the People and Planet organisation provided the population for this analysis. All universities with a 2012 score were entered into the initial sample. The association between green reputation, CED and carbon performance was examined using a robust least squared regression model. The green score published in 2019 was then compared with this to confirm whether the findings still held.

Findings

CED, carbon emissions and carbon audit were found to have highly significant determinant relationships with HEIs’ green reputation status at a 1% significance level.

Research limitations/implications

The impact of CED and carbon performance indicators needs to have a clear relationship with reputation to motivate HEIs to act and disclose.

Originality/value

The study is distinct in investigating the impact of CED and carbon performance by UK HEIs on their environmental reputation. The study shows whether, and how, the HEI CED and carbon performances contribute towards their environmental reputation. HEIs have distinct characteristics from profit-seeking organisations and thus tailored research is required.
The old and the beautiful: senior women’s exposure to models in advertisements and the impact on their identity
Authors: Bourcier-Béquaert Bénédicte , Chevalier Corinne , Moal Gaëlle Marie
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This study aims to examine how exposure to female models in advertisements can create identity tensions in senior women and how they manage the comparison and develop different adaptation strategies to deal with these tensions.

Design/methodology/approach

This research is based on a qualitative approach involving 27 in-depth interviews with French women aged 60 to 79. Photo-elicitation with choice of models as reference points by respondents was used to capture comparison strategies with regard to models.

Findings

Interviews with senior women confirm that identity tensions due to appearance arise in the context of ageing, particularly when senior women are faced with advertising models. Three reactions of senior women to identity tensions are described, namely, avoiding comparison to protect the self, engaging in comparison despite its resulting devaluation of the self, proceeding to a positive comparison that reinforces their identity. This paper finds that comparison modalities are specific to each strategy.

Research limitations/implications

This research opens the way to further investigation, especially with regard to understanding social comparison mechanisms in an advertising context for senior women targets.

Practical implications

This paper raises awareness of the effects of senior women’s exposure to advertising on their self-perception in the context of ageing. It provides practical guidance to advertising professionals on the use of models in ads when targeting senior women and helps marketing managers in their communication strategies.

Social implications

This research reveals pronounced identity tensions in relation to appearance among senior women in the context of advertising exposure. By providing more diverse models, advertising representations could help to improve the identity perceptions of senior women.

Originality/value

Very few studies have hitherto investigated identity effects on senior female consumers of female model usage in advertising.
Work environment transformation in the post COVID-19 based on work values of the future workforce
Authors: Pataki-Bittó Fruzsina , Kapusy Kata
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to find out the future workforce’s work values and, based on them, to examine the work environment Generation Z are looking for in the situation of job search. Moreover, this study aims to provide ideas for organizations on how to transform the work environment for the post-COVID-19 era to attract and retain employees, especially the members of Generation Z.

Design/methodology/approach

The research design is based on the theory development method. Data were generated and collected from 28 focus groups and a survey (n= 773). First, initial coding was done with an affinity diagram, followed by the intermediate coding phase, when the authors compared the codings’ results and selected the core data. Finally, the advanced coding resulted in a work value model, which presents Generation Z’s core work value categories.

Findings

The paper presents a work value theory for Generation Z, which reflects their expectations of the physical work environment and the flexible work arrangements among the work values. To prepare for the post-COVID-19 era, this study suggests organizations applying hybrid working models.

Practical implications

Based on impacts and expected transformations in office work in the post-COVID-19 era, the paper calls attention to the critical management issues concerning Generation Z’s preferences and expectations.

Originality/value

The findings propose a broader work value theory approach that highlights the work environment’s convenience features and integrates values that support the employees’ desired lifestyle and well-being.
Benefit appeals and perceived corporate hypocrisy: implications for the CSR performance of fast fashion brands
Authors: Wei Xiaoyong , Jung Sojin
Published: June 2021

Purpose

When fast fashion brands launch corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, consumers may consider these brands to behave hypocritically as their business model is generally perceived as being inconsistent with sustainable practices. Built on construal level theory (CLT), this study aims to examine how the benefit appeals that are widely used in CSR initiatives affect perceived corporate hypocrisy and the CSR performance of fast fashion brands.

Design/methodology/approach

This study designed an online experiment with a 2 (fashion brand: fast fashion vs. unknown) × 2 (benefit appeal: self-benefit vs other-benefit) stimulus, using a virtual label named “Eco Care” for experimental manipulation. A total number of 298 Chinese consumers participated in the experiment and they answered an online survey.

Findings

It was found that the brand types (fast fashion vs unknown) and benefit appeals (self-benefit vs other benefit) did not elicit perceived corporate hypocrisy nor did them directly affect perceptions of CSR performance. However, there was a significant interaction effect of them. That is, fast fashion brand’s CSR performance was judged based on how the brand framed its sustainability claims. A fast fashion brand’s CSR label significantly increased hypocrisy perceptions when the label used a self-benefit appeal and the interactive effect of the fast fashion brand and the self-benefit appeal hindered the formation of a green brand image and brand purchase intentions.

Originality/value

This study adds a body of knowledge to the literature by examining the relationship between benefit appeals and perceived corporate hypocrisy from the perspective of CLT. The findings can help fast fashion marketers better understand the critical role of benefit appeals by acknowledging that the misuse of communication strategies may result in unfavorable consequences, thus ruining their efforts to improve their brand’s image.
Developing and testing a typology of brand benefit differentiation
Authors: Hem Alexander Farestvedt , Supphellen Magne
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to expand the notion of differentiation by developing and testing a typology of brand benefit differentiation.

Design/methodology/approach

Brand concept maps were used to identify three types of differentiation. The effects of the types of differentiation on benefit evaluation and brand attachment were tested in two follow-up studies using path analysis.

Findings

A comparison of the association maps of four international brands showed instances of all three types of benefit differentiation – categorical, graded and structural benefit differentiation. The tests of effects revealed that categorical benefit differentiation had negative effects, whereas structural and graded differentiation had positive effects on benefit evaluation and brand attachment, respectively.

Research limitations/implications

The findings suggest that other types of benefit differentiation are more important than uniqueness. Future research should test the relevance and usefulness of the typology for other brands and consumer segments.

Practical implications

The new typology opens new opportunities for the differentiation of brands. Brand managers should avoid a myopic focus on uniqueness. Rather, they should analyze networks of benefit associations in detail for all three types of differentiation identified in this research and strengthen the level of structural and/or graded differentiation.

Originality/value

This research demonstrates, for the first time, the importance of two types of differentiation other than uniqueness. It also supports previous studies showing the negative effects of uniqueness on variables related to brand equity.
Big data analytics capability as a mediator in the impact of open innovation on firm performance
Authors: Arias-Pérez José , Coronado-Medina Alejandro , Perdomo-Charry Geovanny
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Big data analytics capability (BDAC) is the ability of a firm to capture and analyze big data toward the generation of insights. The literature has mainly focused on analyzing the direct effects of BDAC on different aspects related to firm performance such as finances and innovation. However, the lack of works analyzing the intermediation role BDAC could play is noticeable, particularly in organizational situations that pose great challenges in terms of data processing. Thus, the aim of this paper is to analyze BDAC mediation in the relationship between open innovation (OI), particularly customer involvement, and firm performance (financial and non-financial).

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed model with survey data from a sample of 112 firms.

Findings

The results show that BDAC has a partial mediating effect on the relationship between OI and financial performance, and between OI and non-financial performance. Nevertheless, this mediation is greater in the first relationship.

Originality/value

The main contribution of the study is to offer a broader research perspective regarding the role of BDAC in the relationship between OI and firm performance. This study ultimately questions that research tradition in which this role has been reduced to that of a simple application of data analytics techniques. Instead, the results show BDAC is primarily an organizational skill that should be articulated with key processes, such as customer involvement, to maximize the financial and non-financial use of the large flow of data coming from the main OI activity of low and medium-technology companies.
Antecedents and consequences of corporate social responsibility: a meta-analysis
Authors: Santini Fernando de Oliveira , Ladeira Wagner Junior , Dalmoro Marlon , Matos Celso Augusto de
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This study aims to consolidate finds about corporate social responsibility (CSR) by conducting a meta-analysis. CSR is a topic present in both academic and practitioner discussions. Research has been conducted in different countries and contexts, using diverse methodological approaches. Consequently, there are different views about CSR and conflicting results.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper conducted a meta-analysis to analyse the constructs that are antecedents and consequences of CSR. This paper has also tested the moderating effects of theoretical, methodological and economic variables. The data analysis involved 66 studies, which generated 385 observations and an accumulated sample of 19,817 respondents.

Findings

The findings indicate that environmental concerns, market orientation and stakeholder pressure are the most relevant CSR antecedents. On the other hand, CSR has the strongest effects on organisational commitment, non-financial performance and customer purchasing intention. Also, firm size and cultural orientation were partially significant moderators on the relationships between organisational commitment, CSR and financial performance.

Originality/value

The meta-analytical approach allows for more accurate effect size estimations for each relationship analysed, as the meta-analytic method jointly evaluates the results produced by a great variety of studies performed in different contexts, making it possible to draw more accurate conclusions.