bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cross-cultural comparability of customer satisfaction measurement – the case of mobile phone service providers
Authors: Wangwacharakul Promporn , Márquez Medina Silvia , Poksinska Bozena Bonnie
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Customers from different cultures might have different expectations and perceptions of quality, leading to different levels of satisfaction. Together with the construct and measurement equivalence issues of cross-cultural surveys, this raises the question of the comparability of customer satisfaction measurements across countries. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the survey method of anchoring vignettes as a tool for improving the comparability of customer satisfaction measurements across countries and to shed some light on cultural influences on customer satisfaction measurements.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the models of American Customer Satisfaction Index and European Performance Satisfaction Index, the authors designed and conducted a survey using the method of anchoring vignettes to measure and compare customer satisfaction with mobile phone services in four countries – Costa Rica, Poland, Sweden and Thailand. The survey was carried out with young adults aged 20–30 years, who were mostly university students.

Findings

This study demonstrates how anchoring vignettes can be used to mitigate cultural bias in customer satisfaction surveys and to improve both construct and measurement equivalence of the questionnaire. The results show that different conclusions on cross-cultural benchmarking of customer satisfaction would be drawn when using a traditional survey compared to the anchoring vignettes method.

Originality/value

This paper evaluates the survey method of anchoring vignettes as a potential quantitative research method for studying customer satisfaction across countries. The results also contribute to customer satisfaction research as these shed some light onto how culture influences customer satisfaction measurements. The practical implication for firms and managers is that allocating resources among different countries based on traditional customer satisfaction surveys may be misleading.
Obstacle detection based on depth fusion of lidar and radar in challenging conditions
Authors: Xie Guotao , Zhang Jing , Tang Junfeng , Zhao Hongfei , Sun Ning , Hu Manjiang
Published: June 2021

Purpose

To the industrial application of intelligent and connected vehicles (ICVs), the robustness and accuracy of environmental perception are critical in challenging conditions. However, the accuracy of perception is closely related to the performance of sensors configured on the vehicle. To enhance sensors’ performance further to improve the accuracy of environmental perception, this paper aims to introduce an obstacle detection method based on the depth fusion of lidar and radar in challenging conditions, which could reduce the false rate resulting from sensors’ misdetection.

Design/methodology/approach

Firstly, a multi-layer self-calibration method is proposed based on the spatial and temporal relationships. Next, a depth fusion model is proposed to improve the performance of obstacle detection in challenging conditions. Finally, the study tests are carried out in challenging conditions, including straight unstructured road, unstructured road with rough surface and unstructured road with heavy dust or mist.

Findings

The experimental tests in challenging conditions demonstrate that the depth fusion model, comparing with the use of a single sensor, can filter out the false alarm of radar and point clouds of dust or mist received by lidar. So, the accuracy of objects detection is also improved under challenging conditions.

Originality/value

A multi-layer self-calibration method is conducive to improve the accuracy of the calibration and reduce the workload of manual calibration. Next, a depth fusion model based on lidar and radar can effectively get high precision by way of filtering out the false alarm of radar and point clouds of dust or mist received by lidar, which could improve ICVs’ performance in challenging conditions.
How use of learning management system mediates the relationships between learner interactions and learner outcomes
Authors: Costley Jamie , Southam Ashleigh , Bailey Daniel , Haji Shaibou Abbdoulai
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Online learning and the use of technology-based learning management systems (LMS) are on the rise in higher education. The purpose of this study is to explore how the frequent use of these LMS mediates the relationship between three types of learner interactions and student outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

This was an exploratory study using surveys that collected information on students’ use of LMS, their interactions and student outcomes. The participants of this study consisted of 362 undergraduate students from a South Korean University who were taking online classes as part of their degree.

Findings

The findings support existing research that increased learner interactions have positive effects on learning outcomes. However, some of the positive effects were reduced when considering the effect of higher levels of LMS use. In particular, learner-to-learner interactions.

Research limitations/implications

This information will enable educators to identify, measure and evaluate their online courses and consider how to integrate LMS use effectively. Results imply that focus may need to be on how learner to learner interactions can be best supported through the application of LMS.

Practical implications

This information will enable educators to identify, measure and evaluate their online courses and consider how to integrate LMS use effectively.

Social implications

Learner-to-learner interaction through social networking platforms may be more beneficial in socially constructing knowledge than formalizing interaction through LMS.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the field of online learning by suggesting that the importance of some types of learner interactions may be overestimated in relation to the importance of LMS use.
The millennial customer journey: a Phygital mapping of emotional, behavioural, and social experiences
Authors: Mele Cristina , Russo-Spena Tiziana , Tregua Marco , Amitrano Cristina Caterina
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The wider possibility of connectivity offers additional opportunities for customers to experience value propositions. The online world is only one side of the customer experience. The integration of digital technologies, social presence and physical elements increases the complexity of customer journey. This paper aims to map the phygital customer journey by focusing on millennials.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopted a qualitative methodology to investigate 50 millennials from Italy. Millennials had to describe, in two phases, a journey they had recently made. First, they used sticky notes with no restrictions on expressing their feelings and structuring their CJ. Second, customers transferred the sticky notes’ contents, consider the information provided and map the journey with additional details using the Uxpressia software.

Findings

This paper frames the Millennials customer journey as a cycle of four moments: connect, explore, buy and use. Each moment enacts the customer experience as a mixture of emotional, behavioural and social responses. Online and offline interactions blur the boundaries between the physical and digital world (i.e. phygital): millennials move back-and-forth or jump from one action to another according to the evolving path of emotions and interactions.

Originality/value

The phygital customer journey provides an alternative understanding of customer journey occurring as a fuzzy process or loop. A phygital map develops as a circular path of moments seen as phenomenological microworlds of events, interactions, relationships and emotions.
Experimental evaluation of bond behavior in controlled, binary and quaternary concretes developed using SCMs
Authors: Dave Niragi , Guduru Ramesh , Misra Anil Kumar , Sharma Anil Kumar
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The consumption of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) has increased enormously in the construction industry. These SCMs are often waste materials or industrial by-products. This study aims to investigate the bond strength using reinforcing bars in Normal Strength Concrete (M20 grade) and High Strength Concrete (M40 grade), developed using SCMs and data was compared with concrete prepared with ordinary portland cement (OPC). The findings of the study will help in reducing the dependency on OPC and promote the utilization of waste materials in Construction.

Design/methodology/approach

In the present study, the bond behavior between the steel bars and the concrete was investigated in controlled, binary and quaternary concretes of M20 and M40 grades. Following the conventional procedures, samples were prepared and mechanical tests conducted (as per IS:2770–1 code for M20 and M40 grade concrete structures), which showed an improvement in the bond strength depending on the extent of overall calcium and silica content in these composite mixtures, and thus reflected the importance of vigilant utilization of used industrial waste in the OPC as a replacement without exceeding silica content beyond certain percentages for enhanced structural properties.

Findings

Experimental evaluation of bond behavior results showed a brittle nature for the controlled (OPC) concrete mixtures. While binary and quaternary concrete was able to resist the load-carrying capacity under large deformations and prevented the split cracking and disintegration of the concretes. Among different variations in the chemistry, for both M20 and M40 grades, the maximum bond strengths were observed for 10% Metakaolin + 10% Silica Fume + 30% Fly Ash + 50% OPC composition and this could be attributed to the fineness of the additives, better packing and enhanced calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H).

Originality/value

Quaternary concrete may be a future option in place of OPC concrete. Very limited data is available related to the bond strength of quaternary concrete. Experimental analysis on quaternary concrete shows that its use in construction can reduce both construction cost and a burden on natural raw materials used to make OPC.
Corporate social responsibility motives of Indian firms
Authors: Dixit Sushil Kr. , Verma Hemraj , Priya Samant Shant
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the motives of Indian firms for engaging with corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices and their interplay by using interpretive structural modelling methodology (ISM) and Matrice d’impacts croisés multiplication appliquée á un classment (MICMAC) analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

The research uses ISM and Matrice d’impacts croisés multiplication appliquée á un classment (MICMAC) analysis to find the structural relationship among the CSR motives of the Indian firms identified from the past literature and agreed upon by the experts.

Findings

The ISM model indicates that firms primarily engage in CSR either because of top management commitment to certain values, to meet the legal mandate or of the pressure from the NGOs. The top management commitment gives a strategic orientation to CSR, which results in community engagement by the firm as one of the important components of the strategy. The community engagement helps in engaging with its employees and investors along with finding sources of innovations, which, in turn, help the firm in engaging its customers, managing corporate reputation and getting a cost advantage. Collectively, these help them in improving their financial performance. However, the model highlights two autonomous sources, meeting legal mandate and pressure from NGOs also motivate firms to engage in CSR without having any strategic thought or engagement with its strategic system.

Originality/value

The study provides a comprehensive listing of CSR motives of Indian firms along with the structural relationships among the identified CSR motives. The model developed provides CSR professionals and policymakers an understanding of the primary CSR motives along with their driving power and dependence. This insight will help them in manipulating these motives for better CSR engagement by the Indian firms.
Optimal marketing policy for managing new generation products in the presence of forward-looking customers by considering product diffusion
Authors: Najafi-Ghobadi Somayeh , Bagherinejad Jafar , Taleizadeh Ata Allah
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The effect of customers’ forward-looking behavior on firms’ profit has been highlighted by many researchers and practitioners. This study aims to develop a mathematical model for new generation products to analyze the optimal pricing and advertising policies in the presence of homogeneous forward-looking customers. A firm that produces and sells a new generation product was considered. This firm aimed to determine the optimal pricing and advertising expenditure by maximizing the total profit.

Design/methodology/approach

The demand was presented as a diffusion model inspired by the Bass diffusion model. This paper used Pontryagin’s maximum principle to analyze the proposed model. The presented model was implemented in some numerical examples by proposing a heuristic solution method. Numerical examples confirmed the theoretical results.

Findings

This paper found a threshold on the optimal advertising policy depends on customers’ forward-looking behavior, advertising coefficient (both direct and word-of-mouth advertising) and discount rate. The funding showed that the optimal pricing path of the first generation was monotonically decreasing or increasing and, then, decreasing. Results revealed that, by increasing the customers’ forward-looking behavior, the firm should reduce the price and advertising expenditure. Also, the price was shown to be negatively affected by the discount rate and word-of-mouth advertising. The profitability will improve if the firm spends more budget on advertising by increasing the discount rate and advertising effectiveness. Further, when the word-of-mouth advertising effect is high, the firm should increase the advertising expenditure first and, then, decrease it.

Originality/value

Nowadays, forward-looking customers’ anticipation for releasing a new generation can harm the firms’ profit. In this regard, this research analyzed optimal pricing and advertising policies for a new generation product in a market populated by homogeneous forward-looking customers. To the best of the knowledge, this is the first study that investigated these two marketing policies jointly in the presence of forward-looking customers.
The effects of stereotype threat on Roma academic performance in Slovakia: role of academic self-efficacy and social identity
Authors: Slobodnikova Andrea , Randolph-Seng Brandon
Published: June 2021

Purpose

One of the goals of various European Union (EU) organizations (i.e. Roma and non-Roma nonprofits) is the integration of Roma into the educational system. A challenge for the educational systems of EU countries, therefore, is to determine how to support the academic performance of Roma. Understanding the positive and negative factors related to Roma’s academic performance and achievement is an important first step in increasing academic success among this minority group.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative experimental design was used both online and face-to-face to examine whether stereotype threat had an influence on the academic performance of Roma in Slovakia and second, whether such threat was moderated by social identification and academic self-efficacy.

Findings

The results showed that stereotype threat does influence Roma in Slovakia and there were direct effects of social identity and academic self-efficacy on academic performance of the face-to-face participants.

Originality/value

Consistent with stereotype threat theory, to the best of authors’ knowledge, this research is the first to show that a stereotype threat did harm the academic performance of the face-to-face Roma sampled. Further, although many studies have examined stereotype threat effects on academic performance, little is known regarding whether social identification and academic self-efficacy have an influence on such threats. The results of the study show that social identification and academic self-efficacy had a significant direct influence on academic performance.
Employee voice and perceived attractiveness: are less attractive employees ignored in the workplace?
Authors: Timming Andrew R. , Baumann Chris , Gollan Paul
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The paper aims to examine the effect of employees' perceived physical attractiveness on the extent to which their voices are “listened to” by management.

Design/methodology/approach

Using an experimental research design, the paper estimates main effects of employee attractiveness and possible moderating effects of employee race and gender as well as the gender of their “managers.”

Findings

The results suggest that, with few exceptions, more physically attractive employees are significantly more likely to have their suggestions acted upon by managers than less attractive employees, pointing to a powerful form of workplace discrimination. This finding holds across races, with more attractive white, black, and Asian employees exerting a more impactful voice than their less attractive counterparts, although the moderation appears to be stronger for whites than ethnic minorities.

Research limitations/implications

The results have important implications for the extant literatures on employee voice, diversity and discrimination.

Originality/value

This is among the first studies to demonstrate that less attractive employees suffer from an “employee voice deficit” vis-à-vis their more attractive counterparts.
The role of norms in predicting waste sorting behavior
Authors: Setiawan Budi , Afiff Adi Zakaria , Heruwasto Ignatius
Published: June 2021

Purpose

This study aims to examine the role of personal and subjective norms in predicting waste sorting, an increasingly relevant pro-environmental behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

This study obtained data from a sample of 300 respondents from three Indonesian cities. Purposive sampling was employed to obtain information from specific segments of Indonesian population. The analysis consisted of a two-stage procedure including confirmatory factor analysis and covariance-based structural equation modeling.

Findings

Results demonstrated that both subjective and personal norms significantly and directly predict waste sorting behavior (WSB) bypassing intention to behave.

Research limitations/implications

The fact that norms held by individuals are able to single-handedly drive pro-environmental behaviors implies that previous studies and social marketing campaigns may have overstated the role of intention.

Practical implications

In designing marketing communication programs promoting WSB, this paper argues that targeting normative tendencies of the audience may provide a more effective strategy than focusing on explicit pro-environmental intentions and attitudes of the public.

Originality/value

This study provided a new experimental test and confirmation of the role of subjective norms, the normative component of the theory of planned behavior and of personal norms, the normative component of the norm activation theory, in predicting WSB.
Toward a conceptualization of personalized services in apparel e-commerce fulfillment
Authors: Jain Sheenam , Sundström Malin
Published: June 2021

Purpose

Today, customers’ perceived value does not only depend on the products, but also on the services provided by a firm. In e-commerce, it is important to shift the focus beyond the product and discuss the value of personalized services in the context of e-commerce fulfillment. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is twofold: to develop a conceptual framework proposing satisfaction through personalized services as a middle-range theory; and to suggest foundational premises supporting the theoretical framework, which in turn shape middle-range theory within the context of apparel e-commerce fulfillment.

Design/methodology/approach

In this theory-driven paper, the authors apply the scientific circle of enquiry, as it demonstrates the role of theorizing with the help of middle-range theory and empirical evidence and as such provides a methodological scaffolding that connects theory formulation and verification. The authors synthesize literature related to customer perceived value (CPV) and satisfaction, followed by abduction focusing on understanding the empirical domain as it occurred in practice from company cases. The presented case studies are based on semi-structured interviews with three Swedish online retailers within the apparel industry. The theory-driven analysis results in suggestions of foundational premises.

Findings

Based on the theoretical foundations and empirical generalizations, three propositions are suggested. The premises regarding satisfaction through personalized service applied in the domain of apparel e-commerce fulfillment are: to ensure customer satisfaction requires a value co-creation perspective using data during the pre-purchase phase; to ensure customer satisfaction and retention require added-value perspective during the post-purchase phase of the shopping journey; and to ensure satisfaction and convenience require an added-value perspective at the last mile.

Practical implications

The apparel firms lose a substantial amount of revenue because of poor online customer satisfaction, leading to e-commerce not reaching its full potential. To enhance customer value, online retailers need to find a resort in advanced technologies and analytics to address customer satisfaction, and it is suggested that retailers shift their focus beyond the products and find ways to improve personalized service offerings to gain market advantage, improve fulfillment, drive sales and increase CPV.

Originality/value

To consider personalized services as a source for improving e-commerce fulfillment and CPV, the main contribution of this study is conceptual as it presents a theoretical model developed from general theory, middle-range theory and verified with empirical claims.
Strategic communication of EU CSDP missions – measuring the EU's external legitimacy
Authors: Molnár Anna , Takács Lili , Urbanovics Anna
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The European Union’s (EU’s) Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) has gained increasing attention as the EU faces new threats and challenges from its surroundings. As part of its CSDP, the EU currently runs six military operations and 11 civilian missions. This paper aims to analyze the EU’s social media use of four CSDP missions and operations running in two regions: in the Mediterranean and in the Western Balkans.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper has a mixed-methods research design. A computer-assisted content analysis was conducted to extract data on the Twitter communication of the chosen missions, followed by a quantitative analysis on which elements of the EU’s strategic communication can be identified. The timeframe for investigation was set up between 1 January 2019 and 31 August 2020.

Findings

Patterns of communication cannot be recognized either based on regional or on the civilian-military division. The strong connectivity with the accounts of other European actors and/or institutions is striking. This study finds that the concept of local ownership can be observed only at European level, local populations of the host countries are usually not targeted. Even though several elements of the EU’s strategic communication are recurrent on the missions’ official Twitter account, Twitter communication seems to be an intra-European communication tool.

Originality/value

The research revealed the main features of the Twitter communication of four CSDP missions. Due to the software-assisted methodology, measuring influence score was made possible, a feature that was still missing from academic literature regarding this specific area, the EU’s CSDP.
Local residents’ contribution to tourist experiences: a community perspective from Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany
Authors: Huber Dominik , Gross Sven
Published: June 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to increase the understanding of how local residents in tourism destinations perceive their role in the creation of tourist experiences.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative research was conducted with 16 local residents in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a tourism hotspot in Germany. The study used thematic analysis combined with qualitative content analysis to identify various themes associated with host–guest-based tourist experience creation.

Findings

Findings demonstrate how diverse local residents contribute to tourist experiences. A model was developed that suggests a distinction between active and passive contribution to tourist experiences. Only little evidence was found that the concept of co-creation plays a role in host–guest relationships, which contradicts other literature.

Research limitations/implications

The chosen qualitative research approach does not allow for generalisation of the research findings. The examination of perceptions raises epistemological questions.

Practical implications

This paper includes implications for improved internal marketing strategies and the involvement of local residents in tourism destination development.

Originality/value

This study contributes to knowledge by conceptualizing the role of local residents in tourist experience creation. The paper closes research gaps by using a qualitative study design in Germany to explore the underlying conditions that affect host–guest encounters to the discussion of tourist experience creation. Research findings may be adapted to other geographical or cultural settings with similar levels of tourism development.
Politics of scale: Colossal containerships and the crisis in global shipping
Authors: Leivestad Hege H⊘yer , Schober Elisabeth
Published: June 2021

This article addresses overcapacity and crisis in global shipping through the case of the HMM Algeciras, the world's largest containership inaugurated in 2020. When she left the South Korean shipyard where she was built, the HMM Algeciras (with a size of two soccer fields) could carry 24,000 twenty‐foot equivalent units (TEUs) across the world's oceans. By following the mega‐containership's links to two South Korean shipping companies, Hyundai Merchant Marine and Hanjin Shipping, and her connections to a southern European port, the authors unpack some of the current flip sides of global maritime shipping. In this article, the authors argue that the promise of profit and endless growth, which has led to overcapacity in global maritime shipping, is spurred on by what they call ‘false economies of scale’. Claims of the future profitability of colossal containerships are, they argue, state‐driven political performances of scale.
Plastic possibilities: Contrasting the uses of plastic ‘waste’ in India
Authors: Dey Tridibesh , Michael Mike
Published: June 2021

This article draws on examples of inventive plastic reuse from India and personal anecdotes of elders as an anthropological reflection on possible plastic futures. It sketches the large‐scale governmental reforms in the domain of municipal solid waste management, or MSWM (which, by legal definition in India, includes plastic waste). In this regard, it draws out some of the problematic socio‐political and environmental implications of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's ‘Clean India’ campaign, whose technocratic policy orientations towards standardized centralized MSWM echo his cultural nationalist agenda. These reforms contrast with home‐based re‐engineering methods and the redeploying of plastic discards (thereby making them notuner moton (‘like new again’), and their localized circulation through relatively local but uneven reputational and economic networks. Clean India sequesters and processes vast quantities of plastics through the wide‐ranging adoption of a waste‐to‐energy techno‐fix (in which plastics are incinerated). In contrast, the authors illustrate routine practices and relations whereby people reuse, repurpose and recycle plastics. While Clean India can detract from and disrupt these mundane practices and everyday relations, these are suggestive of alternative plastic futures – both socio‐material and environmental.
Gendered social practices in reproductive health: A qualitative study exploring lived experiences of unwed single mothers in China
Authors: Zhao Xiaoman , Basnyat Iccha
Published: June 2021

China's family planning policy has historically silenced the voices of women, especially unwed single mothers at the expense of their reproductive health and overall wellbeing. Further, reproductive decisions in China are closely intertwined with marriage decisions and intergenerational dynamics, highlighting the relevance of gender in women's reproductive health experiences. Chinese unwed single mothers are in particular penalized for violating the gendered social norms supported by the national reproductive policies. Drawing on previous work that calls on the need to explore gender system and its influence on health, this manuscript explores the ways in which gender norms are played out for the unwed single mothers within romantic and intergenerational relations, with impacts on their reproductive health and decision‐making. The findings show that reproductive decisions are interwoven with the fulfilment of other gendered identities, such as daughter, daughter‐in‐law and wife. Although the decision to go through unwed motherhood is reflective of their agency, the tie between childbirth and marriage does not allow the women to entirely break free from the social system. The findings also highlight the importance of considering the role of gender system that is played out within social relations, which in turn impacts the health of the women.
Long‐term care service mix in the Veterans Health Administration after home care expansion
Authors: Jacobs Josephine C. , Wagner Todd H. , Trivedi Ranak , Lorenz Karl , Van Houtven Courtney H.
Published: June 2021

Objective

To determine whether the Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) efforts to expand access to home‐ and community‐based services (HCBS) after the 2001 Millennium Act significantly changed Veterans' utilization of institutional, paid home, and unpaid home care relative to a non‐VHA user Medicare population that was not exposed to HCBS expansion efforts.

Data Sources

We used linkages between the Health and Retirement Study and VHA administrative data from 1998 until 2012.

Study Design

We conducted a retrospective‐matched cohort study using coarsened exact matching to ensure balance on observable characteristics for VHA users (n = 943) and nonusers (n = 6106). We used a difference‐in‐differences approach with a person fixed‐effects estimator.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

Individuals were eligible for inclusion in the analysis if they were age 65 or older and indicated that they were covered by Medicare insurance in 1998. Individuals were excluded if they were covered by Medicaid insurance at baseline. Individuals were considered exposed to VHA HCBS expansion efforts if they were enrolled in the VHA and used VHA services.

Principal Findings

Theory predicts that an increase in the public allocation of HCBS will decrease the utilization of its substitutes (e.g., institutional care and unpaid caregiving). We found that after the Millennium Act was passed, there were no observed differences between VHA users and nonusers in the probability of using institutional long‐term care (0.7% points, 95% CI: −0.009, 0.022) or in receiving paid help with activities of daily living (0.06% points, 95% CI: −0.011, 0.0125). VHA users received more hours of unpaid care post‐Millennium Act (1.48, 95% CI: −0.232, 3.187), though this effect was not significant once we introduced controls for mental health.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that mandating access to HCBS services does not necessarily imply that access to these services will follow suit.
Sense of place, shopping area evaluation, and shopping behaviour
Authors: van den Berg Pauline , Larosi Hamza , Maussen Stephan , Arentze Theo
Published: June 2021

In order to turn the trend of decreasing numbers of visitors in shopping areas, retailers seem to agree on the importance of creating experiences for consumers. Yet sense of place research focusing on shopping areas is limited and has not yet fully explored the extent to which sense of place is related to shopping behaviour within physical shopping areas. In this study, we used the concept of sense of place to study a consumer's experience in inner‐city retail environments. The main objective was to investigate (1) the relationship between shopping area evaluation and sense of place, (2) the relationship between sense of place and shopping behaviour, (3) the presence or absence of a relationship between shopping area evaluation and shopping behaviour, and (4) the moderating effect of personal and situational characteristics on these relationships. We estimate a path analysis model using survey data that were collected among 380 consumers in 3 shopping areas in the Amsterdam region. The findings suggest that sense of place is a better predictor of shopping behaviour than consumers' evaluation of shopping area characteristics. Therefore, it is important for retailers and shopping area managers to focus on creating a retail environment that stimulates formation of a sense of place.
Implementation of 3D conformal radiotherapy technology at the National Cancer Centre Mongolia: A successful Asia‐Pacific collaborative initiative
Authors: Koh Eng‐Siew , Gogna Nirdosh Kumar , Minjgee Minjmaa , Tsegmed Uranchimeg , Gonchig Odontuya , Vanchinbazar Enkhtsetseg , Erdenetuya Yadamsuren , Yap Mei Ling , Shelton Nikki , Ochoa Cesar , Ceylan Abdurrahman , Lowe Toby , Heng Soo Min , Scott Alison , Oar Andrew , Ward Iain
Published: June 2021

Introduction

Mongolia has a population of 3.3 million and is classified by the WHO as a lower middle‐income country. Cancer is now a major public health issue and one of the leading causes of mortality. Within the framework of an existing national cancer control plan, the National Cancer Centre of Mongolia (NCCM) aimed to implement 3D conformal radiation planning and linac‐based treatment delivery.

Methods

In 2018, an opportunity arose for collaboration between the Mongolia Society for Radiation Oncology (MOSTRO), the National Cancer Centre Mongolia (NCCM), the Asia‐Pacific Radiation Oncology Special Interest Group (APROSIG) of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists (RANZCR) and the Asia‐Pacific Special Interest Group (APSIG) of the Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine (ACPSEM) and radiation therapists (RTTs) from a range of Australian centres. We describe here the results to date of this collaboration.

Results

Despite a number of significant technical and practical barriers, successful linac commissioning was achieved in 2019. Key factors for success included a leadership receptive to change management, stable bureaucracy and health systems, as well as a synchronised effort, regional cooperation and mentorship.

Conclusion

Future directions for ongoing collaborative efforts include a continued focus on education, practical training in radiotherapy planning and delivery and postgraduate education initiatives. Radiotherapy safety and quality assurance remain an ongoing priority, particularly as technological advances are sequentially implemented.
DROP: Molecular voucher database for identification of Drosophila parasitoids
Authors: Lue Chia‐Hua , Buffington Matthew L. , Scheffer Sonja , Lewis Matthew , Elliott Tyler A. , Lindsey Amelia R. I. , Driskell Amy , Jandova Anna , Kimura Masahito T. , Carton Yves , Kula Robert R. , Schlenke Todd A. , Mateos Mariana , Govind Shubha , Varaldi Julien , Guerrieri Emilio , Giorgini Massimo , Wang Xingeng , Hoelmer Kim , Daane Kent M. , Abram Paul K. , Pardikes Nicholas A. , Brown Joel J. , Thierry Melanie , Poirié Marylène , Goldstein Paul , Miller Scott E. , Tracey W. Daniel , Davis Jeremy S. , Jiggins Francis M. , Wertheim Bregje , Lewis Owen T. , Leips Jeff , Staniczenko Phillip P. A. , Hrcek Jan
Published: June 2021

Molecular identification is increasingly used to speed up biodiversity surveys and laboratory experiments. However, many groups of organisms cannot be reliably identified using standard databases such as GenBank or BOLD due to lack of sequenced voucher specimens identified by experts. Sometimes a large number of sequences are available, but with too many errors to allow identification. Here, we address this problem for parasitoids of Drosophila by introducing a curated open‐access molecular reference database, DROP (Drosophila parasitoids). Identifying Drosophila parasitoids is challenging and poses a major impediment to realize the full potential of this model system in studies ranging from molecular mechanisms to food webs, and in biological control of Drosophila suzukii. In DROP, genetic data are linked to voucher specimens and, where possible, the voucher specimens are identified by taxonomists and vetted through direct comparison with primary type material. To initiate DROP, we curated 154 laboratory strains, 856 vouchers, 554 DNA sequences, 16 genomes, 14 transcriptomes, and six proteomes drawn from a total of 183 operational taxonomic units (OTUs): 114 described Drosophila parasitoid species and 69 provisional species. We found species richness of Drosophila parasitoids to be heavily underestimated and provide an updated taxonomic catalogue for the community. DROP offers accurate molecular identification and improves cross‐referencing between individual studies that we hope will catalyse research on this diverse and fascinating model system. Our effort should also serve as an example for researchers facing similar molecular identification problems in other groups of organisms.
Genomic insights into the adaptation and evolution of the nautilus, an ancient but evolving “living fossil”
Authors: Huang Zekun , Huang Wanlong , Liu Xiaolin , Han Zhaofang , Liu Guangjian , Boamah Grace Afumwaa , Wang Yi , Yu Feng , Gan Yang , Xiao Qizhen , Luo Xuan , Chen Nan , Liu Meng , You Weiwei , Ke Caihuan
Published: June 2021

The nautilus, commonly known as a “living fossil,” is endangered and may be at risk of extinction. The lack of genomic information hinders a thorough understanding of its biology and evolution, which can shed light on the conservation of this endangered species. Here, we report the first high‐quality chromosome‐level genome assembly of Nautilus pompilius. The assembled genome size comprised 785.15 Mb. Comparative genomic analyses indicated that transposable elements (TEs) and large‐scale genome reorganizations may have driven lineage‐specific evolution in the cephalopods. Remarkably, evolving conserved genes and recent TE insertion activities were identified in N. pompilius, and we speculate that these findings reflect the strong adaptability and long‐term survival of the nautilus. We also identified gene families that are potentially responsible for specific adaptation and evolution events. Our study provides unprecedented insights into the specialized biology and evolution of N. pompilius, and the results serve as an important resource for future conservation genomics of the nautilus and closely related species.
WildWID: An open‐source active RFID system for wildlife research
Authors: Rafiq Kasim , Appleby Rob G. , Edgar Jason P. , Radford Cameron , Smith Bradley P. , Jordan Neil R. , Dexter Cathryn E. , Jones Darryl N. , Blacker Amy R. F. , Cochrane Matthew
Published: June 2021

Radio‐frequency identification (RFID) tags represent some of the smallest animal‐borne technologies available. They are frequently used for understanding fine‐scale associations between animals and their environments. However, currently available devices are often prohibitively expensive or difficult to customise.

We present ‘WildWID’, an open‐source radio‐frequency identification system that can be used for detecting encounters between tags and loggers and/or integrated into more advanced experimental set‐ups for triggering audio or visual playbacks following the detection of RFID tag codes. WildWID systems can be made using commercially available components (costing ~$20 USD for tags and ~$60 for loggers) and can be customised to fit project and species‐specific needs.

WildWID tags have been deployed on a range of species including koalas Phascolarctos cinereus, lions Panthera leo and shy albatross Thalassarche cauta for a range of research topics, including the assessment of road‐crossing structures and species' responses to intraspecific competitors.

WildWID is a cost‐effective RFID system that can increase the accessibility of this technology for a wider range of researchers and study questions. Its use provides researchers with opportunities to mitigate ethical concerns, for example, by customising systems for species‐specific conditions, and its customisability extends the range of applications where RFID systems can be used by field biologists.
Marine artificial light at night: An empirical and technical guide
Authors: Tidau Svenja , Smyth Tim , McKee David , Wiedenmann Jörg , D’Angelo Cecilia , Wilcockson David , Ellison Amy , Grimmer Andrew J. , Jenkins Stuart R. , Widdicombe Stephen , Queirós Ana M. , Talbot Elizabeth , Wright Adam , Davies Thomas W.
Published: June 2021

The increasing illumination of our world by artificial light at night (ALAN) has created a new field of global change research with impacts now being demonstrated across taxa, biological ranks and spatial scales. Following advances in terrestrial ecology, marine ALAN has become a rapidly growing research area attracting scientists from across all biomes. Technological limitations, complexities of researching many coastal and marine ecosystems and the interdisciplinary nature of ALAN research present numerous challenges.

Drawing on expertise from optical oceanographers, modellers, community ecologists, experimental and molecular biologists, we share practical advice and solutions that have proven useful for marine ALAN research. Discussing lessons learnt early on can help in the effective and efficient development of a field.

The guide follows a sensory ecology approach to marine light pollution and consolidates physics, ecology and biology. First, we introduce marine lightscapes highlighting how these differ from terrestrial ones and provide an overview of biological adaptations to them. Second, we discuss study design and technology to best quantify ALAN exposure of and impacts on marine and coastal organisms including molecular tools and approaches to scale‐up marine ALAN research.

We conclude that the growing field of marine ALAN research presents opportunities not only for improving our understanding of this globally widespread stressor, but also for advancing fundamental marine photobiology, chronobiology and night‐time ecology. Interdisciplinary research will be essential to gain insights into natural marine lightscapes shaping the ecology and evolution coastal and marine ecosystems.
Mechanisms of angiogenic incompetence in Hutchinson–Gilford progeria via downregulation of endothelial NOS
Authors: Gete Yantenew G. , Koblan Luke W. , Mao Xiaojing , Trappio Mason , Mahadik Bhushan , Fisher John P. , Liu David R. , Cao Kan
Published: June 2021

Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a rare genetic disorder with features of accelerated aging. The majority of HGPS cases are caused by a de novo point mutation in the LMNA gene (c.1824C>T; p.G608G) resulting in progerin, a toxic lamin A protein variant. Children with HGPS typically die from coronary artery diseases or strokes at an average age of 14.6 years. Endothelial dysfunction is a known driver of cardiovascular pathogenesis; however, it is currently unknown how progerin antagonizes normal angiogenic function in HGPS. Here, we use human iPSC‐derived endothelial cell (iPSC‐EC) models to study angiogenesis in HGPS. We cultured normal and HGPS iPSC‐ECs under both static and fluidic culture conditions. HGPS iPSC‐ECs show reduced endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression and activity compared with normal controls and concomitant decreases in intracellular nitric oxide (NO) level, which result in deficits in capillary‐like microvascular network formation. Furthermore, the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP‐9) was reduced in HGPS iPSC‐ECs, while the expression of tissue inhibitor metalloproteinases 1 and 2 (TIMP1 and TIMP2) was upregulated relative to healthy controls. Finally, we used an adenine base editor (ABE7.10max‐VRQR) to correct the pathogenic c.1824C>T allele in HGPS iPSC‐ECs. Remarkably, ABE7.10max‐VRQR correction of the HGPS mutation significantly reduced progerin expression to a basal level, rescued nuclear blebbing, increased intracellular NO level, normalized the misregulated TIMPs, and restored angiogenic competence in HGPS iPSC‐ECs. Together, these results provide molecular insights of endothelial dysfunction in HGPS and suggest that ABE could be a promising therapeutic approach for correcting HGPS‐related cardiovascular phenotypes.
Environmental, social, and governance integration: the case of microfinance institutions
Authors: Ashraf Dawood , Rizwan Muhammad Suhail , L’Huillier Barbara
Published: June 2021

Microfinance institutions (MFIs) contribute greatly to sustainable development through microlending. This paper establishes a bridge between political stakeholder theory, social responsive theory, and institutional theory as applied to the functioning of MFIs. By establishing a nexus between these theoretical concepts, we investigate whether country‐level socio‐economic freedom, human development, and environmental issues affect the engagement and integration of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) activities by MFIs. Using a sample of 2,064 MFIs from 94 countries for the period 2007 to 2018, we find that MFIs from countries with higher socio‐economic freedom, coupled with higher human development, may adhere to superior ESG policies. We posit that this is due to pressure from stakeholders to incorporate the triple bottom line objectives of ‘profit, people, and the planet’. ESG integration is in line with institutional theory and enriched by political stakeholder theory.