bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nrf2 Activator PB125®as a Potential Therapeutic Agent Against COVID-19
Authors: McCord Joe M. , Hybertson Brooks M. , Cota-Gomez Adela , Gao Bifeng
Published: May 2020

Nrf2 is a transcription factor that regulates cellular redox balance and the expression of a wide array of genes involved in immunity and inflammation, including antiviral actions. Nrf2 activity declines with age, making the elderly more susceptible to oxidative stress-mediated diseases, which include type 2 diabetes, chronic inflammation, and viral infections. Published evidence suggests that Nrf2 activity may regulate important mechanisms affecting viral susceptibility and replication. We examined gene expression levels by GeneChip microarray and by RNA-seq assays. We found that the potent Nrf2 activating composition PB125® downregulates ACE2 and TMPRSS2 mRNA expression in human liver-derived HepG2 cells. ACE2 is a surface receptor and TMPRSS2 activates the spike protein for SARS-Cov-2 entry into host cells. Furthermore, in endotoxin-stimulated primary human pulmonary artery endothelial cells we report the marked downregulation by PB125 of 36 genes encoding cytokines. These include IL1-beta, IL6, TNF-α, the cell adhesion molecules ICAM1, VCAM1, and E-selectin, and a group of IFN-γ-induced genes. Many of these cytokines have been specifically identified in the “cytokine storm” observed in fatal cases of COVID-19, suggesting that Nrf2 activation may significantly decrease the intensity of the storm.
Mathematical Model Based COVID-19 Prediction in India and its Different States
Authors: Singh Jaspreet , Ahluwalia P K , Kumar Ashok
Published: May 2020

By employing the successive approximation method to the real-time data of India and its different states, we have predicted the bounds of the spread of COVID-19 in India and its various states. The calculated lower and upper bound of patients (deaths) till 10th June 2020 comes out to be 79496 (3835) and 241759 (7045), respectively. States like Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu are the spike states as suggested by the range of expected COVID-19 patients and deaths. Impact of return of stranded pilgrims from Nanded (Maharashtra) has also been looked into in the case of Punjab. It has been found that Punjab may see ~ 5 times increase in the lower bound of expected patients till 10th June 2020 due to the return of pilgrims from Maharashtra. Our study provides an insight into the possible number of expected patients and deaths in near future that may be of importance for the respective governments to be ready with the appropriate preventive measures and logistics to put appropriate infrastructure and medical facilities in place to manage the spread of deadly virus and go down the flattening curve.
Dynamic protein quantitation (DyProQ) of procollagen-I by CRISPR-Cas9 NanoLuciferase tagging
Authors: Calverley Ben C. , Kadler Karl E. , Pickard Adam
Published: May 2020

The ability to quantitate a protein of interest temporally and spatially at subcellular resolution in living cells would generate new opportunities for research and drug discovery but remains a major technical challenge. Here, we describe dynamic protein quantitation (DyProQ) which is effective across microscopy and multiwell platforms. Using collagen as a test protein, CRISPR-Cas9-mediated introduction of nluc (encoding NanoLuciferase, NLuc) into theCol1a2locus enabled simplification and miniaturisation of procollagen-I (PC-I) quantitation. We robustly assessed extracellular, intracellular, and subcellular PC-I levels, by correlating to known concentrations of recombinant NLuc in the presence of substrate. Loss of collagen causes tissue degeneration whereas excess collagen results in fibrosis (often with poor-outcome) and is evident in aggressive cancers; however, treatment options are extremely limited. Using collagen-DyProQ, we screened a library of 1,971 FDA-approved compounds and identified 10 candidates for repurposing in the treatment of fibrotic and 7 for degenerative diseases.
Computational Study of Ions and Water Permeation and Transportation Mechanisms of the SARS-CoV-2 Pentameric E Protein Channel
Authors: Cao Yipeng , Yang Rui , Wang Wei , Lee Imshik , Zhang Ruiping , Zhang Wenwen , Sun Jiana , Xu Bo , Meng Xiangfei
Published: May 2020

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and represents the causative agent of a potentially fatal disease that is of public health emergency of international concern. Coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, encode an envelope (E) protein, which is a small, hydrophobic membrane protein; the E protein of SARS-CoV-2 has high homology with that of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus. (SARS-CoV) In this study, we provide insights into the function of the SARS-CoV-2 E protein channel and the ion and water permeation mechanisms on the basis of combined in silico methods. Our results suggest that the pentameric E protein promotes the penetration of monovalent ions through the channel. Analysis of the potential mean force (PMF), pore radius and diffusion coefficient reveals that Leu10 and Phe19 are the hydrophobic gates of the channel. In addition, the pore demonstrated a clear wetting/dewetting transition with monovalent cation selectivity under transmembrane voltage, which indicates that it is a hydrophobic voltage-dependent channel. Overall, these results provide structural-basis insights and molecular-dynamic information that are needed to understand the regulatory mechanisms of ion permeability in the pentameric SARS-CoV-2 E protein channel.
Analysis of High Molecular Weight RNA-induced silencing complex (HMW-RISC) in CD8+T cells identifies miR-7 as a modulator of T cell activation
Authors: Toivakka Matilda , Gordon Katrina , Kumar Sujai , Zamoyska Rose , Buck Amy
Published: May 2020

Increasing evidence suggests mammalian Argonaute (Ago) proteins partition into distinct complexes within cells, but there is still little functional understanding of the miRNAs differentially associated with these complexes. In naive T cells, Ago2 is found almost exclusively in low molecular weight (LMW) complexes which are associated with miRNAs but not their target mRNAs. Upon T cell activation a proportion of these Ago2 complexes move into a newly formed HMW RISC which is characterized by the presence of the GW182 protein that mediates translational repression. To identify the miRNAs expected to be potent in suppressing targets, we followed HMW RISC formation upon activation of CD8+T cells. We show that while most miRNAs distribute between HMW and LMW RISC in activated T cells, several miRNAs were dominant in one complex over the other. Among these, miR-7 is enriched in HMW RISC and inhibition of miR-7 upon T cell activation leads to increased production of IL-2 and expression of IL-2-regulated proteins including the α-subunit of the IL-2 receptor, CD25; transferrin receptor, CD71; and amino acid transporter, CD98, which are direct miR-7 targets. Our data support a model where recruitment of miR-7 to HMW RISC restrains IL-2 signalling and the metabolic processes regulated by IL-2 and thus modulates T cell activation.
Potent programmable antiviral against dengue virus in primary human cells by Cas13b RNP with short spacer and delivery by virus-like particle
Authors: Singsuksawat Ekapot , Onnome Suppachoke , Posiri Pratsaneeyaporn , Suphatrakul Amporn , Srisuk Nittaya , Nantachokchawapan Rapirat , Praneechit Hansa , Sae-kow Chutimon , Chidpratum Pala , Hongeng Suradej , Avirutnan Panisadee , Duangjinda Thaneeya , Siridechadilok Bunpote
Published: May 2020

With sequencing as a standard frontline protocol to identify emerging viruses such zika virus and SARS-CoV2, direct utilization of sequence data to program antivirals against the viruses could accelerate drug development to treat their infections. CRISPR-Cas effectors are promising candidates that could be programmed to inactivate viral genetic material based on sequence data but several challenges such as delivery and design of effective crRNA need to be addressed to realize practical use. Here, we showed that virus-like particle (VLP) could deliver PspCas13b-crRNA ribonucleoprotein (RNP) in nanomolar range to efficiently suppress dengue virus infection in primary human target cells. Shortening spacer length could significantly enhance RNA-targeting efficiency of PspCas13b in mammalian cells compared to the natural length of 30 nucleotides without compromising multiplex targeting by a crRNA array. Our results demonstrate the potentials of applying PspCas13b RNP to suppress RNA virus infection, with implications in targeting host RNA as well.
PSGL-1 inhibits HIV-1 infection by restricting actin dynamics and sequestering HIV envelope proteins
Authors: Liu Ying , Song Yutong , Zhang Siyu , Diao Min , Huang Shanjin , Li Sai , Tan Xu
Published: May 2020

PSGL-1 has recently been identified as an HIV restriction factor that inhibits HIV DNA synthesis and more potently, virion infectivity. But the underlying mechanisms of these inhibitions are unknown. Here we show that PSGL-1 directly binds to cellular actin filaments (F-actin) and restricts actin dynamics, which leads to inhibition of HIV DNA synthesis. PSGL-1 is incorporated into nascent virions and restricts actin dynamics in the virions, which partially accounts for the inhibition of virion infectivity. More potently, PSGL-1 inhibits incorporation of Env proteins into nascent virions, leading to loss of envelope spikes on the virions as shown by Cryo-electron microscopy and super-resolution imaging. This loss is associated with a profound defect in viral entry. Mechanistically, PSGL-1 binds gp41 and sequesters gp41 at the plasma membrane, explaining the inhibition of Env incorporation in nascent virions. PSGL-1’s dual anti-HIV mechanisms represent novel strategies of human cells to defend against HIV infection.
The impact of Google on discovering scholarly information: managing STM publishers’ visibility in Google
Authors: Kostagiolas Petros , Strzelecki Artur , Banou Christina , Lavranos Charilaos
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss Google visibility of five large STM publishers (Elsevier, Emerald Publishing, Springer, Taylor & Francis and John Wiley & Sons) with the aim to focus on and investigate various upcoming current issues and challenges of the publishing industry regarding discoverability, promotion strategies, competition, information-seeking behavior and the impact of new information technologies on scholarly information.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on data retrieved through two commercial online tools specialized in retrieving and saving the data of the domain's visibility in search engines: SEMrush (“SEMrush – Online Visibility Management Platform”) and Ahrefs (“Ahrefs – SEO Tools & Resources To Grow Your Search Traffic”). All data gathering took place between April 15 and the May 29, 2019.

Findings

The study exhibits the significance of Google visibility in the STM publishing industry taking into consideration current issues and challenges of the publishing activity.

Originality/value

This is a “new” trend, certainly of great significance in the publishing industry. The research is conducted in this paper and the theoretical background will be offered to the study of this issue.
Performance assessment of electronic theses and dissertations initiatives in Nigeria
Authors: Adetoro Salau Sadiat , Oyedum Georgina U. , Abifarin F.P. , Udoudoh S.J. , Alhassan Jibril A.
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the performance of electronic theses and dissertations (ETD) initiatives in the repositories of federal government-owned universities due to the poor global visibility of ETDs from Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

An explanatory case study empirical research method was adopted for the study. Using an adapted methodology of Ghosh (2009) and multiple data gathering techniques, data was collected based on the three domains of the network of excellence on digital libraries (DELOS) digital library reference model.

Findings

The ETD initiatives in repositories of Nigerian federal universities have not made remarkable progress as digital libraries based on policy, content and system architecture. The specificity of ETDs is not clearly stated in the policies where available. The repositories housing the ETDs are also not compliant with the open archive initiative-protocol for metadata harvesting framework.

Research limitations/implications

The study focussed on ETD initiatives in federal government-owned universities. Although the findings of the study are relevant to other institutions in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa. It cannot be used as a basis for the generalisation based on other performance metrics.

Practical implications

This research study concluded that electronic theses and dissertations in Nigerian institutional repositories are not well managed for effective service delivery and long-term accessibility. The ill-management of the ETD initiatives is the reason for the poor global visibility and accessibility of these research output from this part of Africa.

Originality/value

The study assessed ETD initiatives using constructs from a theoretical framework.
Positive crossover loyalty shifts or negative temporal changes? The evolution of shopping mechanism in the O2O era
Authors: Ha Hong-Youl , Kitchen Philip J.
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to examine how customers encounter consumption-based evolution between mobile and offline platforms together with temporal and crossover effects. Counter to research on customer satisfaction theory, which shows that satisfaction directly affects loyalty, the authors show that when shopping between mobile and offline platforms, customers differently evaluate loyalty compared to the traditional satisfaction and loyalty approach. Also, customers differently evaluate three types of service quality from online to offline (O2O) platforms and response dynamically to firm satisfaction and loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

This study tests temporal, carryover and crossover effects using longitudinal data sets.

Findings

From crossover loyalty shifts, the findings show that the relationship between offline provider satisfaction (OS) and mobile provider loyalty (ML) during consumption periods is consistently significant with similar impact. However, mobile provider satisfaction (MS) during the same periods does not impact offline provider loyalty (OL) in the same manner, but differs considerably in terms of pattern of influence. Specifically, the findings show that this crossover effect increases over time even though statistical impact is insignificant. Thus, the carryover loyalty shift has a positive impact when it originally occurs in the offline platform but differs significantly when it originates via the mobile platform. Practical implications – this study offers valuable guidance to managers on how O2O platform-centric firms try to enhance satisfaction with consumption system that links to three types of service quality and loyalty.

Research limitations/implications

This study offers valuable insights into offline and ML. This is seen, however, as an experimental study and further research using the same method would enable cross-cultural comparators.

Practical implications

Insights can be drawn from the findings, enabling comparisons relative to service quality-satisfaction-loyalty linkage across dual platforms. The idea of evolution and progression over time is particular pertinent to business practice assuming data sets are gathered, maintained and analyzed.

Originality/value

Insights can be used from the research findings, including but not limited to comparing the service quality-satisfaction-loyalty linkage across dual platforms and providing firms with an explanation of temporal evolution.
Is it my fault and how will I react? A phenomenology of perceived causes and consequences of workplace ostracism
Authors: Bilal Ahmad Raza , Fatima Tehreem , Imran Muhammad Kashif , Iqbal Kamran
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This exploratory inquiry sheds light on the nature of victim (i.e. provocative and passive) and specific work context in shaping the perceived causes and outcomes of felt workplace ostracism in teaching faculty of Pakistani higher educational institutions (HEIs) based on target-centric victimization framework.

Design/methodology/approach

This phenomenological research is based on data gathered from 30 ostracized teaching faculty members working in Pakistani public and private HEIs through in-depth semi-structured interviews. The interviews were tape-recorded, and transcription was entered in NVivo 12 Plus software to conduct thematic analysis.

Findings

This study found that provocative and submissive victim status, as well as the specific contextual factors in Pakistani HEIs (i.e. negative competition, cronyism, egoism and poor interpersonal relationships), is responsible for fostering workplace ostracism and yielding unique outcomes in each case.

Originality/value

This study has taken the scantly used target-centric victimization framework to distinguish the causes and consequences of workplace ostracism based on the nature of victim and work context in Pakistani HEIs .
BIM business value for asset owners: key issues and challenges
Authors: Munir Mustapha , Kiviniemi Arto , Jones Stephen , Finnegan Stephen
Published: May 2020

Purpose

There is a need to develop the understanding of asset owners concerning the constraints of building information modelling (BIM) implementation, and its subsequent value realisation activities in asset management (AM) cannot be overstated. This is because the life cycle cost of a built asset is three times more than construction costs and five times more than the initial investment outlays. Hence, this paper investigated and identified the key issues and challenges of realising BIM business value in AM.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopted an explorative and deductive approach. A qualitative four-stage research design strategy was adopted using 10 semi-structured interviews and document analysis to collect data. These were analysed through qualitative thematic analysis.

Findings

The study identified 15 key barriers and classified them from the perspective BIM governance dimensions, namely people, process and technology. Furthermore, the study identified that more process-based challenges are experienced than people or technology. Of the identified challenges, three are people-related, eight are process-related and four are technology-related.

Practical implications

The analysed results focussed on the development of the understanding of asset owners, policymakers and researchers regarding the complex challenges that hinder BIM utilisation and value realisation in AM. The findings of this paper support progress towards enhanced BIM adoption in the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry by highlighting the significance of the identified challenges, their nature (people-, process- or technology-based) and the resultant effect on BIM business value realisation during asset operations.

Originality/value

The original contribution of this study was the exploration and identification of the current challenges experienced by asset owners in implementing BIM during asset operations and how these affect the derivation of BIM business value.
The impact of employees’ perceived CSR on customer orientation: an integrated perspective of generalized exchange and social identity theory
Authors: Hu Bing , Liu Jing , Zhang Xiang
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Prior marketing and hospitality studies have largely ignored the role of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in shaping frontline employees’ customer orientation. This study aims to investigate the impacts of employee perceived CSRs on customer orientation in hotel industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Through an onsite data collection from 642 frontline employees of 14 hotels in China, the moderated mediation model that links frontline employees’ perceptions of internal and external CSR to person-organization fit, work engagement and customer orientation were validated with the bootstrapping procedures.

Findings

The results reveal that a higher degree of perceived internal and external CSR leads to greater customer orientation through work engagement, and these indirect effects will be stronger with comparatively higher person-organization fit levels.

Practical implications

By clarifying the connection between perceived CSR initiatives and customer-oriented behaviors, this study offers inspiration for hospitality managers to devise, allocate and leverage CSR investments, strategies and practices.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to verify a moderated mediation model that investigates the impacts of perceived CSRs (i.e. internal vs external) on customer orientation, which not only uncovers some neglected antecedents of customer orientation but also provides a more nuanced insight into perceived CSR-customer orientation linkages.
Skeleton-based STIP feature and discriminant sparse coding for human action recognition
Authors: P Ushapreethi , G G Lakshmi Priya
Published: May 2020

Purpose

To find a successful human action recognition system (HAR) for the unmanned environments.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper describes the key technology of an efficient HAR system. In this paper, the advancements for three key steps of the HAR system are presented to improve the accuracy of the existing HAR systems. The key steps are feature extraction, feature descriptor and action classification, which are implemented and analyzed. The usage of the implemented HAR system in the self-driving car is summarized. Finally, the results of the HAR system and other existing action recognition systems are compared.

Findings

This paper exhibits the proposed modification and improvements in the HAR system, namely the skeleton-based spatiotemporal interest points (STIP) feature and the improved discriminative sparse descriptor for the identified feature and the linear action classification.

Research limitations/implications

The experiments are carried out on captured benchmark data sets and need to be analyzed in a real-time environment.

Practical implications

The middleware support between the proposed HAR system and the self-driven car system provides several other challenging opportunities in research.

Social implications

The authors’ work provides the way to go a step ahead in machine vision especially in self-driving cars.

Originality/value

The method for extracting the new feature and constructing an improved discriminative sparse feature descriptor has been introduced.
How the operationalization of exposure impacts studies on direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs
Authors: Savelli Melanie R.
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Without having a shared operationalization of what constitutes a direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) exposure, it is impossible to accurately generalize findings about their effects. First, it needs to be established how the variables involved in exposures impact outcomes. This will allow for more accurate operationalizations.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 216 participants were recruited from Amazon’s Mechanical Turk and randomly assigned into one of four conditions to take an online survey. A 2 × 2 experiment (active/passive attention × low/high exposure) was conducted to determine if the level of attention, otherwise known as attentiveness, and the number of exposures impacted preferences for a fictitious prescription sleep aid.

Findings

Results indicated a significant difference among active and passive conditions such that active exposures resulted in stronger positive preferences.

Research limitations/implications

Studies using different operationalizations should not be aggregated for generalizations about the effects of DTCA of prescription drugs.

Originality/value

This paper urges researchers to clearly operationalize their definitions for “exposure” and to be hesitant about generalizing findings studies using different definitions.
Historical memory in the management of cultural security system of Russian society
Authors: Vodenko Konstantin , Rodionova Valentina I. , Shvachkina Lyudmila A. , Tikhonovskova Maria P.
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a model of management of cultural security of Russian society.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodological foundation of this research consists in comprehensive approach and activity approach, which make it possible to comprehend specific aspects of cultural security management as an element of the national security system. The research uses a riskologic approach, which reveals the nature of modern risks and threats to cultural security in the information society. A constructivist approach is used, from the perspective of which the interaction between cultural identity and historical memory of society is analyzed.

Findings

It has been found that historical memory is one of the factors that are able to ensure cultural security of society in the context of threats associated with the processes of cultural intervention, current geopolitical confrontation, during which information and psychological methods of destructive influence on the cultural identity of peoples are abundantly used. Therefore, in the system for managing cultural security of society, one should use a historical memory resource aimed at preserving the cultural identity of the people and transmitting it to the coming generations.

Originality/value

It has been substantiated that the growing geopolitical confrontation in the world and the crisis state of the spiritual realm of Russian society bring up the question of state responsibility for the cultural situation and the need to implement an effective national cultural policy. It has been established that only through the reliance on the cultural factor, crisis phenomena can be overcome and social stability and civil society consolidation can be achieved. The role of historical memory in the preservation of cultural identity of the people and ensuring cultural security of Russian society in the context of external and internal threats has been identified. In order to preserve and transmit historical memory, one should use all the structures responsible for the process of socialization of an individual: family, educational system, mass media, cultural establishments and leisure industry.
Research on power-law distribution of long-tail data and its application to tourism recommendation
Authors: Chen Xiang , Pan Yaohui , Luo Bin
Published: May 2020

Purpose

One challenge for tourism recommendation systems (TRSs) is the long-tail phenomenon of ratings or popularity among tourist products. This paper aims to improve the diversity and efficiency of TRSs utilizing the power-law distribution of long-tail data.

Design/methodology/approach

Using Sina Weibo check-in data for example, this paper demonstrates that the long-tail phenomenon exists in user travel behaviors and fits the long-tail travel data with power-law distribution. To solve data sparsity in the long-tail part and increase recommendation diversity of TRSs, the paper proposes a collaborative filtering (CF) recommendation algorithm combining with power-law distribution. Furthermore, by combining power-law distribution with locality sensitive hashing (LSH), the paper optimizes user similarity calculation to improve the calculation efficiency of TRSs.

Findings

The comparison experiments show that the proposed algorithm greatly improves the recommendation diversity and calculation efficiency while maintaining high precision and recall of recommendation, providing basis for further dynamic recommendation.

Originality/value

TRSs provide a better solution to the problem of information overload in the tourism field. However, based on the historical travel data over the whole population, most current TRSs tend to recommend hot and similar spots to users, lacking in diversity and failing to provide personalized recommendations. Meanwhile, the large high-dimensional sparse data in online social networks (OSNs) brings huge computational cost when calculating user similarity with traditional CF algorithms. In this paper, by integrating the power-law distribution of travel data and tourism recommendation technology, the authors’ work solves the problem existing in traditional TRSs that recommendation results are overly narrow and lack in serendipity, and provides users with a wider range of choices and hence improves user experience in TRSs. Meanwhile, utilizing locality sensitive hash functions, the authors’ work hashes users from high-dimensional vectors to one-dimensional integers and maps similar users into the same buckets, which realizes fast nearest neighbors search in high-dimensional space and solves the extreme sparsity problem of high dimensional travel data. Furthermore, applying the hashing results to user similarity calculation, the paper greatly reduces computational complexity and improves calculation efficiency of TRSs, which reduces the system load and enables TRSs to provide effective and timely recommendations for users.
Unravelling the relationship between response time and user experience in mobile applications
Authors: Yu Mengli , Zhou Ronggang , Cai Zhao , Tan Chee-Wee , Wang Huiwen
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This study examines the impact of response time on user experience for mobile applications and considers the moderating influence of gender and network environment on this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

An experiment was conducted with 50 young adults to evaluate their user experience of a mobile application that simulates variations in network environment and response time. User experience was evaluated based on the three constituent dimensions of tolerance, acceptance, and satisfaction.

Findings

Analytical results demonstrate that response time not only adversely affects user experience of mobile applications, but that this effect is not homogeneous across the three dimensions of tolerance, acceptance and satisfaction. The findings also illustrate that gender moderates the effect of response time on user experience, however, the negative influence is more salient for males than females, which is opposite to our hypothesis. The joint moderating influence of gender and network environment turned out to be partly significant.

Practical implications

By illuminating users' tolerance, acceptance, and satisfaction with varied response times, findings from this study can inform the design of mobile applications such that desired levels of user experience can be assured with minimum resources.

Originality/value

Although response time has been hailed as a key determinant of user experience for desktop applications, there is a paucity of studies that have investigated the impact of response time on user experience for mobile applications. Furthermore, prior research on response time neglects the multi-dimensional nature of user experience. This study bridges the above mentioned knowledge gaps by delineating user experience into its constituent dimensions and clarifying the effects of response time on each of these dimensions.
Getting closer by increasing distance: the dynamics of value creation spheres in health care logistics
Authors: Pohjosenperä Timo , Komulainen Hanna
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the dynamics of value co-creation in the context of health care logistics by focusing on the change in the value creation spheres of a logistics service provider and its customer organization.

Design/methodology/approach

The development of value co-creation between the two organizations was researched through a qualitative case study that focuses on a situation wherein the hospital’s central warehouse was moved to a more distant location. Data consist of the interviews and focus group discussions of both nursing staff and logistics managers before and after the change. The empirical results are reflected to service and value co-creation literature as well as to existing knowledge about health care logistics.

Findings

The new situation compelled the counterparts to plan more structured logistics service procedures, as there was no longer any possibility for nursing staff to pick up urgently needed items from the central warehouse. This strengthened the role of the joint value creation sphere and made it more visible during the change.

Research limitations/implications

The study contributes to the evolving research on health care logistics and connects it to timely service value discussion. This paper proposes that as the physical distance of service facilities increases, the joint co-creation sphere, interestingly, gets widened during the change.

Practical implications

Managerially, the study provides implications for how to develop health-care material logistics to provide more value for both the logistics service providers and their customers.

Social implications

Understanding value co-creation in health care logistics services supports care organizations in developing their processes toward better care for the patients. Thus, health care logistics research facilitates societies and health-care systems to reach their goals in terms of better service and lower costs.

Originality/value

This study presents an up-to-date example of value co-creation in the scarcely researched context of health care logistics.
Behavioral red flags of fraud: a gender-based ex post analysis
Authors: Sandhu Namrata
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This study aims to attempt a gender-based ex post examination of behavioral red flags of fraud exhibited by fraud perpetrators.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative data collected from semi-structured interviews were triangulated, quantified and subjected to statistical analysis to calculate the relative risk of exhibition of a behavioral red flag of fraud by a male/female fraud perpetrator.

Findings

This study reports the percentage of fraud cases in which male and female fraud perpetrators display particular behavioral red flags. The study also enlists the behavioral red flags likely to be more frequently exhibited by female fraud perpetrators relative to male fraud perpetrators and vice-versa.

Practical implications

Use of the results of this study in anti-fraud training is likely to make organizational fraud more susceptible to observation.

Originality/value

This study is unique because it is one of the very few studies that examine employee behavior as a potential fraud signal, establish gender distinction in behavioral red flags of fraud, and assess this phenomenon in a country other than a Western country.
Exploring citizens’ perceptions of country reputation
Authors: Mariutti Fabiana Gondim , Medeiros Mirna de Lima , Buarque Daniel
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate Brazilian residents’ internal perspectives in terms of their satisfaction with the country. The paper identifies the convergences and divergences among factors related to the reputation of Brazil.

Design/methodology/approach

Residents’ perceptions were investigated by combining measurement scales based on previous studies in the literature; thus, a survey of 236 Brazilian citizens was employed, followed by exploratory factor analysis.

Findings

Two factors related to country reputation were identified. Factor 1, residents’ perceptions related to their overall satisfaction with Brazil, shows that Brazilians like and respect the country yet have low levels of trust – this dimension involves place attachment because of its emotional influences. Factor 2, representing residents’ perceptions of Brazil’s reputation abroad, shows that Brazilians think the country has a moderately positive image but not a desirable and good reputation abroad – these results indicate the need for improvements through governmental efforts.

Research limitations/implications

As this study opted for a comprehensive sample and not for a stratified sample, it was not possible to explore specific aspects regarding each region (Midwest, North, Northeast, Southeast and South) of the country. This type of detail could be interesting due to Brazil’s diversity. To identify destination-branding opportunities, further study should investigate Brazilian regions or cities from the residents’ point of view.

Practical implications

Interdisciplinary debate is encouraged among scholars, consultants, businesses and government authorities involved on the reputation of a country.

Social implications

Showing how the population feels about the country may offer ways of thinking about how to improve the satisfaction of these “ambassadors” of the brand Brazil, which could have impacts in the foreign perceptions about Brazil.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the understanding of country reputation by exploring residents’ perceptions and roles related to their satisfaction and attachment to Brazil.
Faculty support and student engagement in undergraduate engineering
Authors: Wilson Denise M. , Summers Lauren , Wright Joanna
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This study investigated how behavioral and emotional forms of engagement are associated with faculty support and student-faculty interactions among engineering students.

Design/methodology/approach

Quantitative research methods were used to analyze survey data from 781 undergraduates in seven large undergraduate engineering courses. Linear hierarchical regression models were used to evaluate the relationships between demographics (gender, race/ethnicity, family education, US status and transfer status) and student engagement and between faculty behaviors and engagement.

Findings

Faculty support was consistently, significantly and positively linked to all forms of student engagement, while student-faculty interactions were significantly and positively linked to effort and positive emotional engagement and negatively linked to attention and (an absence of) negative emotional engagement. Gender, race/ethnicity, international student status and transfer status significantly predicted at least one form of engagement.

Research limitations/implications

Although this was a single institution study and cross-sectional, the findings suggest that faculty support and student-faculty interactions, while important for engagement, have different effects on different types of students. Faculty and teacher professional development efforts should raise awareness of these differences in order to enhance diversity and inclusion in engineering courses and curricula at all levels.

Originality/value

The analysis of behavioral and emotional forms of engagement represents more of a motivational lens on engagement in contrast to the traditional focus on time-on-task or time spent in fruitful educational practices, as is the norm with much of the engagement literature in higher education.
Facilitation fundamentals: redesigning an online course using adult learning principles and trifecta of student engagement framework
Authors: Leslie Heather J.
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The purpose was to describe the redesigning of an online course that utilized adult learning principles and a framework to engage students.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology used is a first person account from the instructor point of view.

Findings

Findings indicate that the teaching strategies used encouraged student engagement in the course.

Research limitations/implications

The research is limited to one course with less than 20 students.

Practical implications

Other online instructors can utilize teaching strategies used that promote engagement among students.

Social implications

This course is an example of a highly engaging online course. This shows that online courses can be engaging and satisfying for students.

Originality/value

This paper adds to the body of literature on what teaching strategies encourage students to engage online. It connects theories with real life examples that others teaching online can implement.
Investigating the factors driving adult learners' continuous intention to use M-learning application: a fuzzy-set analysis
Authors: Hossain Md Nahin , Talukder Md. Shamim , Khayer Abul , Bao Yukun
Published: May 2020

Purpose

In the era of m-learning environments, multiple factors have been considered to explain adult learners' continuance usage intention, but largely without considering the role of specific configurations of variables and how they may affect learners' intention. The purpose of this study is to show how cognitive need, subjective norms, perceived usefulness, satisfaction, confirmation, attitude and perceived ease of use combine to predict learners' frequent use intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

It is empirically validated through configurational analysis, using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) on 211 adult learners with experience in using Mobile learning applications (MLA).

Findings

The findings show learners' satisfaction of MLA usage combined with the cognitive need and attitude were found to be core conditions reinforcing learners' continuance intention.

Research limitations/implications

This study was conducted in the context of adult learners MLA whereby the motivations for continued usage and the nature of technological innovation could differ. In this regard, findings from this study may not be generalizable to other technological contexts.

Practical implications

In the planning and development of learning apps, software developers should pay attention to practical functions and extend key features that are frequently required for solving a problem using the new skill. On the marketing side, MLA companies should emphasize the full functionality of their apps to cater efficiently to the different needs and expectations of the learners.

Originality/value

This study contributes by extending existing knowledge on how cognitive need, satisfaction and attitude combine to increase or mitigate continuance intention to use toward the development of new configurational theories. This study fills the gap in the literature by introducing adult learners' continuance intention to use MLA and introducing through a methodological approach of fsQCA in adult learners' context.
Learning perspective on sustainable entrepreneurship in a regional context
Authors: Perez Nuñez Sylvia Mónica , Musteen Martina
Published: May 2020

Purpose

The aim of this study is to examine the role of learning in the opportunity discovery, opportunity exploitation and local embeddedness of sustainable ventures in an emerging economy.

Design/methodology/approach

We use a partially grounded approach to analyze three case of successful sustainable ventures in the Cali Baja gastro industry.

Findings

We find that sustainable entrepreneurs possess general knowledge of natural and communal environment along with compassion for the environment. However, it is the acquisition of a specific business-related knowledge that is the trigger for the formation of the first-person opportunity belief (i.e. confidence in the ability to exploit the sustainable business opportunity personally). Our analysis of also reveals several unique learning processes associated with opportunity exploitation and local embeddedness with a special focus on tradeoffs and compromises that are required given the tension between the sometimes conflicting goals of sustainable enterprises.

Originality/value

Our study adds to the literature on sustainable entrepreneurship by investigating the complex interplay between personal and contextual factors that unfolds over time as entrepreneurs conceive and then exploit a viable business opportunity that simultaneously addresses environmental and social goals.
Incubator networks and new venture performance: the roles of entrepreneurial orientation and environmental dynamism
Authors: Wu Wenqing , Wang Hongxin , Tsai Fu-Sheng
Published: May 2020

Purpose

This study analyses the relationship between the networks of business incubators (BIs) and new venture performance. It proposes an integrated model for identifying the influence of BIs' internal and external networks on new venture performance through the entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and environmental dynamism.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses multiple regression analysis on a sample of 205 new ventures in Chinese BIs.

Findings

Both the internal and external networks of BIs positively affect new venture performance and EO has a mediating effect in this relationship. Environmental dynamism plays a positive moderating role in the relationship between BIs' internal and external networks and EO.

Practical implications

Based on the results of this study, incubator managers should focus on creating internal and external networks and leveraging network embeddedness to influence new venture performance. Further, new ventures should focus on strengthening their EO and fully consider the impact of environmental dynamism on EO implementation.

Originality/value

To address the research gaps in understanding how BI networks can support new venture growth, this study integrates BIs' internal and external networks and explores their impacts on new venture performance using co-production theory and the resource-based view. It thus opens the black box on how BI's networks affect performance from the EO perspective. Moreover, this study fully clarifies chain relationships by identifying and analysing the moderating role of environmental dynamism.
How smart technologies can support sustainable business models: insights from an air navigation service provider
Authors: Fiorentino Raffaele , Grimaldi Francesco , Lamboglia Rita , Merendino Alessandro
Published: May 2020

Purpose

Although research on smart technologies explains their critical importance in sustainable business models (SBMs) (Mikalefet al., 2017), it remains unclear how organisations can embrace smart technologies to create and/or improve their sustainable business models. The purpose of this paper is to unravel and address the challenges of smart technologies to build and maintain a sustainable business model for organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

The research develops an empirical analysis through a case study approach. We have investigated the case of ENAV – an Italian air navigation service provider – and how this firm uses smart technologies in the creation of its successful SBM. After constructing a basic theory, the authors moved to evidence collection. The data analysis has adopted a qualitative approach based on a thematic analysis of the transcripts and related documents.

Findings

The findings from the case study support the idea that the business value and the strategic relevance of smart technologies still remain largely underestimated in SBM adoption (Mikalefet al., 2017). Case study findings suggest that until today smart technologies have played a minimal role in SBM adoption. However, the smart technologies show the potential to inform the SBM adoption process by contributing to corporate communication for external stakeholders and to the main dimensions of SBMs such as safety and security or the respect for social and environmental criteria in the supply chain.

Practical implications

This study seeks to support organisations and their directors to build and improve sustainable business models through smart technologies to maintain their competitive advantages. Specifically, our findings suggest that smart technologies can help organisations bridge the design–implementation gap of sustainable business models.

Originality/value

This research advances our understanding of the role of smart technologies by explaining how they can enhance sustainable business model adoption. Indeed, we offer a comprehensive view of the integration of insights from three different but related literature streams such as sustainability strategies, smart technologies and change management studies.