bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Homotopic simulation of MHD bioconvective flow of water-based hybrid nanofluid over a thermal convective exponential stretching surface
Authors: Shamshuddin MD. , Saeed Anwar , Mishra S.R. , Katta Ramesh , Eid Mohamed R.
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Whilst a modest number of investigations have been undertaken concerning nanofluids (NFs), the exploration of fluid flow under exponentially stretching velocities using NFs remains comparatively uncharted territory. This work presents a distinctive contribution through the comprehensive examination of heat and mass transfer phenomena in the NF ND–Cu/H2O under the influence of an exponentially stretching velocity. Moreover, the investigation delves into the intriguing interplay of gyrotactic microorganisms and convective boundary conditions within the system.

Design/methodology/approach

Similarity transformations have been used on PDEs to convert them into dimensionless ODEs. The solution is derived by using the homotopy analysis method (HAM). The pictorial notations have been prepared for sundry flow parameters. Furthermore, some engineering quantities are calculated in terms of the density of motile microbes, Nusselt and Sherwood numbers and skin friction, which are presented in tabular form.

Findings

The mixed convection effect associated with the combined effect of the buoyancy ratio, bioconvection Rayleigh constant and the resistivity due to the magnetization property gives rise to attenuating the velocity distribution significantly in the case of hybrid nanoliquid. The parameters involved in the profile of motile microorganisms attenuate the profile significantly.

Practical implications

The current simulations have uncovered fascinating discoveries about how metallic NFs behave near a stretched surface. These insights give us valuable information about the characteristics of the boundary layer close to the surface under exponential stretching.

Originality/value

The novelty of the current investigation is the analysis of NF ND–Cu/H2O along with an exponentially stretching velocity in a system with gyrotactic microorganisms. The investigation of fluid flow at an exponentially stretching velocity using NFs is still relatively unexplored.
The effects of the theory of planned behaviour on the switching propensity of retail banking customers at different critical switching incidents
Authors: Georgiou Maria , Daskou Sofia , Anastasiou Athanasios , Siakalli Michailina
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The paper aims to explore the effects of the behavioural antecedents suggested by the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) (i.e. positive subjective norms, high perceived behavioural control and positive attitudes towards switching) on the switching propensity of retail banking customers at several critical switching incidents (CSIs) (i.e. events of unfavourable reputation concerning their current bank or favourable reputation concerning competitor banks, service failures, problems with charges and interest rates, herding behaviour, inconvenience, alternative banks' attractiveness and unethical bank practices).

Design/methodology/approach

A self-completed online survey was conducted among 324 Cypriot retail banking customers. For the data analysis, the researchers used principal component analysis (PCA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM).

Findings

The study revealed that the behavioural antecedents specified by TPB play different roles in various CSIs. Positive subjective norms may drive bank customers to switch at critical incidents such as: service failure, unfavourable bank reputation, alternative banks' attractiveness, inconvenience, favourable reputation of other banks and herding behaviour. High perceived behavioural control can lead to switching, only in the case of other banks' favourable reputation. Finally, positive attitudes towards switching may affect bank clients to switch in cases of service failure, unfavourable bank reputation, alternative attractiveness and inconvenience.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, no other previous research work has examined the interaction between the antecedents of switching behaviour (as specified by TPB) and switching propensity at different CSIs. The study addresses the gap of explaining the reasons for which, at similar incidents, some bank customers choose to switch to other banks, whereas others do not.
Understanding the process of a new product category from birth to maturity in the restaurant market: a knowledge evolution perspective
Authors: Rao Yong , Fang Meijia , Liu Chao , Xu Xinying
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This study aims to explore a new restaurant category’s development from birth to maturity, thereby explaining the rationale for category innovation strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a qualitative case study analysis of the New Chinese-style Fusion Restaurant category’s development from birth to maturity. Thematic analysis was conducted on data collected from semi-structured interviews and textual information.

Findings

A new restaurant category’s maturation is determined by the formation of society’s shared knowledge about the category’s crucial attributes, which is an outcome of market participants’ category-related social practices. The authors develop a novel, four-stage framework for the socialized construction of this shared knowledge: a knowledge creation (KC), knowledge diffusion (KD), knowledge integration (KI) and knowledge structuralization (KS). This knowledge evolution along this KC–KD–KI–KS sequence can holistically describe the category maturation process. This framework can help understand the rationale for a restaurant category’s maturation by analyzing the interrelationships among market participants’ social practices, knowledge-related activities and market development.

Research limitations/implications

This study explains how market participants’ knowledge-related activities facilitate a new restaurant category’s maturation. This can help restaurant managers cope with increasingly homogeneous competition by applying a category-innovation strategy.

Originality/value

This study extends product categorization research on restaurants by articulating a product category’s maturation process from a knowledge perspective.
How open innovation can help entrepreneurs in sensing and seizing entrepreneurial opportunities in SMEs
Authors: Usman Muhammad , Vanhaverbeke Wim , Roijakkers Nadine
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This study explores how open innovation (OI) can be instrumental for entrepreneurs in sensing and seizing entrepreneurial opportunities in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This study also illustrates how OI can help SMEs overcome the liability of smallness.

Design/methodology/approach

This is exploratory research using an inductive, multiple-case study approach. This study capitalizes on five in-depth case studies of European SMEs to explore a phenomenon using replication logic and provide a robust basis for theory building.

Findings

This study presents a holistic view of the OI process in SMEs and illustrates the crucial role of entrepreneurs. The study provides a better understanding of how OI can help entrepreneurs sense and seize entrepreneurial opportunities by envisioning venture ideas and implementing business model innovation through the management of innovation partners.

Originality/value

The study emphasizes two critical roles of entrepreneurs in implementing OI in SMEs. First, the entrepreneur can be the instigator of strategic change, and second, he/she can orchestrate the innovation network. The findings emphasize that OI helps avoid knowledge corridors at the venture idea stage, leading to a (re)structuring of the business model and the emergence of a network of innovation partners, which should be managed hands-on. This study discusses in detail the two crucial roles of entrepreneurs.
Brand engagement on social media and its impact on brand equity in higher education: integrating the social identity perspective
Authors: Perera Charitha Harshani , Nguyen Long Thang Van , Nayak Rajkishore
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The rapid adoption of social media has resulted in a fundamental shift in the way communication and collaboration take place. While social media is recognized as an important marketing communication tool, it has become overlooked how social media marketing activities (user-generated and firm-generated content) influence brand equity creation in the higher education sector. Drawing from social identity theory, this study identifies how higher education institutions develop customer-based brand equity using social media marketing and social brand engagement, taking cross-comparison between high and low subjective norms.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was used to collect data from a sample of 936 undergraduates of private higher education institutions in Sri Lanka and Vietnam. These data were gathered using purposive sampling, and in testing the hypothesis and structure among the variables, structural equation modeling was used to determine the relationship between the study variables.

Findings

For the conceptual framework, the authors found that the structural equation model complies with the empirical data. The structural equation model shows that social brand engagement mediates the relationship between user-generated content, firm-generated content and brand equity. Further, the subjective norms were found to moderate the relationship between user-generated content, firm-generated content and social brand engagement, highlighting that the lower the subjective norms the higher the influence on social brand engagement as students receive low pressure and influence from external parties.

Research limitations/implications

The study was conducted at private higher education institutes in Sri Lanka and Vietnam. Future research could benefit from the perceptions of undergraduates in public higher education institutes. Future researchers could widen the diversity of service settings in the sample and replicate this investigation to discover if the results are consistent across the whole services sector.

Originality/value

The current research contributes to the services marketing and branding literature in the higher education context. The paper presents the crucial elements in building brand equity for higher education institutes to fill the existing gaps in higher education branding literature. The findings of the current study provide strategies to improve the higher education sector.
Determinants of renewable energy production in emerging and developed countries
Authors: Elmassah Suzanna
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the interrelationships and elasticities between the production of renewable energy (RE) and three key variables: oil prices, gross domestic product (GDP) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

Design/methodology/approach

The research uses panel data and time-series analyses for 10 developed and 16 emerging countries for the period 1976–2018, to identify panel and country-specific elasticity of RE production and dynamic causal relationships between these variables. The study uses an autoregressive distributed lag model to determine the long- and short-run dynamics between RE production and the three variables in each country.

Findings

Results show a long-run elasticity between RE and GDP, and short-run dynamics between RE and oil prices and CO2 emissions in the developed countries. Whereas in the emerging countries category, there were long-run relationships between RE and GDP, CO2 emissions and oil prices.

Practical implications

Results of this study are in fact crucial and can be applied in the drafting of resilience policies to tackle energy vulnerability as well as sustainable growth. The study results will inform and guide governments on the right policies to stimulate RE production in their own countries in the interests of both their national security and sustainable development globally.

Originality/value

This paper attempts to contribute to the literature in at least two ways. First, research on identifying common determining factors, including socioeconomic factors, in both emerging and advanced economies is considerably scarce. Most of the previous research in this field has focused only on the absolute value of RE production in a particular geographical area. Second, many studies have focused on RE consumption. This research differs from them by focusing on the production of RE. Thus, the main contribution of this study is to fill these gaps. The study also presents novel empirical evidence to determine RE production elasticity from 26 countries.
Marital house and marriage: evidence from micro-level data
Authors: Yuan XiaoJun , Korkmaz Aslihan Gizem , Zhou Haigang
Published: October 2023

Purpose

In China, having a home before getting married is viewed as being a crucial indicator of the sincerity of romance. Despite recent increases in housing costs, men who have their homes ready for marriage stand out in the marriage market. This study aims to explore the association between readiness to marry, marriage age and the home that men purchase prior to marriage using the China Labor-force Dynamics Survey, the first countrywide follow-up survey with the theme of labor force.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors suggest new standards for determining the marital residence. In addition, contrary to the existing literature, which focuses on “Sheng Nu” (women who do not marry by the traditional marriage age in China), the authors focus on “Sheng Nan” (men who do not marry by the traditional marriage age in China).

Findings

The results show that men who own a house before marriage are reluctant to get married. The authors document robust evidence that the preexistence of the marital house decreases the willingness to marry and postpones the marriage date, regardless of location and time.

Originality/value

The authors document robust evidence that the preexistence of the marital house decreases the willingness to marry and postpones the marriage date, regardless of location and time.
Novel communication system for buried water pipe monitoring using acoustic signal propagation along the pipe
Authors: Farai Omotayo , Metje Nicole , Anthony Carl , Sadeghioon Ali , Chapman David
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Wireless sensor networks (WSN), as a solution for buried water pipe monitoring, face a new set of challenges compared to traditional application for above-ground infrastructure monitoring. One of the main challenges for underground WSN deployment is the limited range (less than 3 m) at which reliable wireless underground communication can be achieved using radio signal propagation through the soil. To overcome this challenge, the purpose of this paper is to investigate a new approach for wireless underground communication using acoustic signal propagation along a buried water pipe.

Design/methodology/approach

An acoustic communication system was developed based on the requirements of low cost (tens of pounds at most), low power supply capacity (in the order of 1 W-h) and miniature (centimetre scale) size for a wireless communication node. The developed system was further tested along a buried steel pipe in poorly graded SAND and a buried medium density polyethylene (MDPE) pipe in well graded SAND.

Findings

With predicted acoustic attenuation of 1.3 dB/m and 2.1 dB/m along the buried steel and MDPE pipes, respectively, reliable acoustic communication is possible up to 17 m for the buried steel pipe and 11 m for the buried MDPE pipe.

Research limitations/implications

Although an important first step, more research is needed to validate the acoustic communication system along a wider water distribution pipe network.

Originality/value

This paper shows the possibility of achieving reliable wireless underground communication along a buried water pipe (especially non-metallic material ones) using low-frequency acoustic propagation along the pipe wall.
A systematic literature review of authorization and access control requirements and current state of the art for different database models
Authors: Mohamed Aya Khaled Youssef Sayed , Auer Dagmar , Hofer Daniel , Küng Josef
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Data protection requirements heavily increased due to the rising awareness of data security, legal requirements and technological developments. Today, NoSQL databases are increasingly used in security-critical domains. Current survey works on databases and data security only consider authorization and access control in a very general way and do not regard most of today’s sophisticated requirements. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to discuss authorization and access control for relational and NoSQL database models in detail with respect to requirements and current state of the art.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper follows a systematic literature review approach to study authorization and access control for different database models. Starting with a research on survey works on authorization and access control in databases, the study continues with the identification and definition of advanced authorization and access control requirements, which are generally applicable to any database model. This paper then discusses and compares current database models based on these requirements.

Findings

As no survey works consider requirements for authorization and access control in different database models so far, the authors define their requirements. Furthermore, the authors discuss the current state of the art for the relational, key-value, column-oriented, document-based and graph database models in comparison to the defined requirements.

Originality/value

This paper focuses on authorization and access control for various database models, not concrete products. This paper identifies today’s sophisticated – yet general – requirements from the literature and compares them with research results and access control features of current products for the relational and NoSQL database models.
Understanding perceived risk factors toward mobile payment usage by employing extended technology continuance theory: a Vietnamese consumers’ perspective
Authors: Ha Minh Tri , Tran Khoa Tien , Sakka Georgia , Ahmed Zafar Uddin
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impact of perceived risk dimensions, confirmation, perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use on user satisfaction and their continuance intention to use mobile payments across Vietnam based on the extended technology continuance theory (TCT).

Design/methodology/approach

This study used an online questionnaire-based survey design to collect data from 417 respondents using judgmental and snowball sampling techniques. The respondents in this survey are personal users of mobile payments across Vietnam. Data analyses and hypothesis testing were carried out using the partial least squares structural equation modeling.

Findings

The findings demonstrate that physical risk, time loss risk, opportunity cost risk, confirmation, perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness are important elements influencing consumers’ satisfaction toward continuance intentions to use mobile payment services. Satisfaction is also significantly associated with continuance intentions to use mobile payments across Vietnam. Other relationships, including functional risk, social risk, financial risk and information risk are not significantly related to satisfaction. These results are expected to be useful for mobile payment service providers. Understanding the factors mentioned in this study enables mobile payment service providers to improve their offerings strategically and then motivate their clients to keep using mobile payments.

Originality/value

The work is among the very few bodies of empirical research to investigate the continuance intention to use mobile payments using the extended TCT by incorporating the various dimensions of perceived risk construct in the fintech sector to develop a research model for this study. Furthermore, combining with perceived risk dimensions, this study expands the TCT model’s mobile app to the fintech sector, and advances the understanding of the use of the extended TCT in the fintech sector and adds to the theory.
The moderating effect of supply chain collaboration on servitization
Authors: Ruiz-Alba Jose L. , Soares Anabela , Rodríguez-Molina Miguel Angel
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Supply chain collaboration (SCC) is an important element that contributes to enhanced performance. Nonetheless, there is still a need to understand its role in servitization implementation and outcomes. This study aims to address this gap by looking at the impact of SCC on servitization and performance when considering service levels (base, intermediate and advanced).

Design/methodology/approach

Following a quantitative research design, data were collected from firms in pharmaceutical sector.

Findings

Moderation effects were tested. Results suggest that SCC is a crucial moderator when it comes to the influence of service levels on servitization consequences and performance, particularly to advanced and intermediate services.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by providing further empirical evidence of the impact of intermediate and advanced services shedding light into the moderating role of SCC.
Alliance or joint venture? Decisions on autonomy versus dependence
Authors: Thelisson Anne-Sophie
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Strategic alliances play a key role in a company’s growth strategy. They are an alternative to the organic option of creating a new company from scratch and a less risky option than conducting a merger or an acquisition. For five years, most recently in 2022, the results of PwC’s 22nd Annual CEO Survey have shown that 40% of U.S. CEOs plan to enter into a new strategic alliance or joint venture to boost their company’s growth or profitability in the coming year. These operations demand a high level of trust, collaboration and equitable risk-sharing, as well as autonomy granted to both firms. Through an in-depth case study, this study aims to reveal how an alliance was formed between two companies, navigating between entrepreneurial experience and the co-construction of a network to share a technological tool.

Design/methodology/approach

The author conducted several interviews with one of the founders of Beta France, and the author had access to a large amount of information on the launch of the entrepreneurial project.

Findings

The author presents the reasons for Beta France to join a network of alliances rather than entering into a joint venture. In doing so, the author emphasizes the importance of independence between actors as a key element triggering innovation.

Originality/value

This study points out how a fintech startup opens up perspectives for new digital market participants. The author lists the risks that CEOs joining an alliance must be aware of, and the author details how to avoid falling into an asymmetrical alliance by keeping a center of expertise that cannot be duplicated by other partners.
Formal advisors and succession process in family firms
Authors: Wojtyra-Perlejewska Marta , Koładkiewicz Izabela
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This study explores the roles of formal advisors (FAs) in the succession process of family firms and the factors that determine them.

Design/methodology/approach

Data for this study were collected through interviews with 38 FAs, including lawyers, tax advisors, financial ad-visors and others.

Findings

FAs play multiple roles simultaneously in succession processes (both internal and external), which the authors call role hybridity. Among them, the authors differentiated roles, such as educators, sherpas, initiators, experts, managers, consiglieres and protectors. Additionally, the authors demonstrated that the critical factors shaping these roles are trust, communication, human capital and willingness to take on the role. To explain the role hybridity phenomenon, the authors used stewardship theory's assumptions and formulated propositions for further research.

Originality/value

This study provides insight into both internal and external succession processes from the perspective of various types of FAs. The authors indicate their roles and the factors that determine them.
On the relationship between corruption and bank lending activity: European evidence
Authors: Sol Murta Fátima , Gama Paulo M.
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to study the effect of country-level perceptions of corruption on commercial banks’ lending activity over the importance of loans and the quality of loan portfolios of banks in Europe.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses country-level perceptions of corruption scores from Transparency International, individual bank-specific data from ORBIS and macroeconomic data from the World Bank. The sample is composed of 640 commercial banks in 42 European countries from 2013 to 2019. The authors estimate, by pooled OLS, the relationship between corruption and the importance of loans and the quality of the banks’ loan portfolios. In addition, several robustness tests reinforce the results.

Findings

The results show that corruption negatively impacts the importance of loans in bank assets and positively impacts the proportion of bad loans. In addition, trade openness increases the weight of loans and the weight of nonperforming loans. Bank size, capital and risk also affect bank lending activity. Finally, European Monetary Union (EMU) membership reinforces the negative (positive) effect on loans (bad loans).

Research limitations/implications

The results highlight the importance of fighting corruption. Governments, regulators and banks benefit from pursuing transparency-oriented policies to decrease the perception of corruption and foster economic development.

Originality/value

The literature on the impact of corruption on bank lending activity focuses mainly on high-corruption countries. This paper studies the European case, scarcely investigated in the literature, in the aftermath of two international financial crises and when significant regulatory transformations in banking supervision were instituted in the EMU countries.
The moderating effect of corporate liquidity on the relationship between financial reporting quality and dividend policy: evidence from Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alsultan Abdulaziz , Hussainey Khaled
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of financial reporting quality (FRQ) on dividend policy. This paper also examines the moderating role of corporate liquidity on the FRQ–dividend policy relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample of this paper contains 113 non-financial companies listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange from 2003 to 2019 (1,675 firm-year observations). The authors use OLS regressions to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The authors find a positive relationship between FRQ and dividend policy. They also find that the positive effect of FRQ on dividend policy is not strengthened by the presence of corporate liquidity.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study offer implications for stakeholders, including investors and others in Saudi Arabia and other developing countries with comparable business environments. This is because of the significant impact of the dividend policy on a company’s value, as it is a crucial decision that involves distributing substantial amounts of money to shareholders on a regular basis and interacts with other critical decisions within the company. Therefore, the dividend policy has a crucial role in determining the company’s value, which is reflected in its stock prices.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study in Saudi Arabia that provides new empirical evidence on the impact of FRQ on dividend policy and the moderating role of corporate liquidity on this relationship.
Hey brand, let me take a selfie to get you out of the crisis
Authors: Raza Mohsin , Khalid Rimsha , Raza Hassan
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This study investigates the brand selfies that have the capability to help brands thrive through crises. The brand selfies spark a self-inferential process that makes customers feel connected to the brand and makes them biased toward a specific brand during an uncertain situation.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 166 questionnaires were analyzed through structural equation modelling (Smart PLS) and a niche group of young millennials from Thailand was selected based on their luxury items usage, frequency of visits to leisure spas and hotels, expensive car showrooms, branded jewelry stores and luxury watch shops.

Findings

The study highlights the emergence of brand selfies during the crisis and the priority given by customers as compared to brand-generated content or promotional campaigns. The results indicated a positive influence of brand selfies on brand preferences directly and through the mediation of brand signature.

Research limitations/implications

It is fascinating for brands that customers voluntarily include their products in their carefully crafted and staged selfies that deliver their image and massages as social signifiers during a chaotic situation.

Originality/value

The research classifies the impacts of brand selfies in the luxury, leisure and tourism market of Thailand and its assistance in thriving through crises. The study is one of the rare studies that present brand selfies as a hassle-free promotional tool for brand signature and a game-changing strategy to deal with crises.
Can human capital be transferred efficiently? Evidence from the F&B companies
Authors: Chiu Chia-Ning
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate publicly traded restaurant companies and food & beverage companies from 2014 to 2019 in Taiwan to explore their human capital efficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

According to the theoretical framework of human capital in micro and macro perspectives, the empirical model is built with two stages; the first stage is to examine the perspective of micro-level human capital theory through determining whether knowledge ability and working experience (proxies for micro-level human capital) can efficiently convert to employee-level output such as salary. The second stage is to test macro-level human capital theory through checking whether company inputs such as salary expenses and benefits expenditures can be efficiently transferred into enterprise annual revenues.

Findings

The results of this research reveal that the average efficiency score of stage 1 is 73.6% while that of stage 2 is 75.1%; this indicates that micro-level human capital has more room to improve than macro-level human capital. Meanwhile, the findings also demonstrate that there is negative relationship between efficiency score from stage 1 and turnover rate; this implies that companies with higher micro-human capital have lower turnover rates. Furthermore, there is significantly positive relationship between a company's efficiency score from stage 2 and its return on equity (ROE).

Originality/value

This study contributes to both academia and industry. From a theoretical perspective, the theory of strategic human resources management is applied through the methodology of production theory to examine human capital management efficiency in the restaurant and food and beverage industry. From a practical perspective, this study identifies the factors that assist the restaurant or food and beverage industry retain employees and gain a solid workforce, because manpower is the core resource for an industry and a country to grow sustainably.
Dietary and lifestyle indices for insulin resistance and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Momeni Aref , Razeghi Jahromi Soodeh , KazemiJahromi Mitra , Teymoori Farshad , Farhadnejad Hossein , Haghshenas Rouhollah
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of the empirical dietary index for insulin resistance (EDIR) and empirical lifestyle index for insulin resistance (ELIR) with the risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in Iranian adults.

Design/methodology/approach

In this case-control study, 120 cases of NAFLD and 240 controls aged ≥20 years were included. NAFLD was detected by a gastroenterologist using an ultrasonography test. The food frequency questionnaire was used to collect nutritional data and determine the score of EDIR in participants. ELIR was determined based on body mass index, physical activity and dietary pattern. The odds ratios (ORs) of NAFLD were reported across tertiles of EDIR and ELIR using a logistic regression test.

Findings

The mean±SD age and BMI of subjects were 41.8 ± 7.5 years and 27.4 ± 2.2 kg/m2, respectively. In the age and sex-adjusted model, the odds of NAFLD were increased across tertiles of ELIR (OR = 3.00; 95% CI: 1.63–5.55, Ptrend = 0.001). Also, based on the fully adjusted model, the odds of NAFLD were increased according to tertiles of ELIR (OR = 2.66; 95% CI: 1.38–5.10, Ptrend = 0.006). However, no significant association was found between the higher score of EDIR and odds of NAFLD based on the age and sex-adjusted model (OR = 1.18; 95% CI: 0.68–2.05, Ptrend = 0.52) and the multivariable-adjusted model (OR = 0.91; 95% CI: 0.48–1.70, Ptrend = 0.87).

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this was the first study to examine the role of the insulinemic potential of diet and lifestyle in predicting NAFLD risk. Our findings suggested that a lifestyle with a higher score of ELIR was positively associated with NAFLD risk. However, a diet with a higher score of EDIR was not related to the odds of NAFLD.
Hidden challenges: an invisible disabilities learning activity
Authors: Bérubé Nicole
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to describe an experiential learning activity designed to sensitize students to the prevalence and challenges of disclosing invisible disabilities in the workplace. It provides an impactful learning experience about a widespread phenomenon that receives little attention in textbooks.

Design/methodology/approach

The exercise assigns a hidden disability to some participants who interact with others who act as trusted friends. The interactions help participants develop their ability to interact sensitively with those who may have hidden disabilities. They explore the advantages and disadvantages of disclosing hidden disabilities at work. Guiding questions help focus deliberations during which participants consider the influence of their assigned role.

Findings

A plenary discussion follows where students share the outcomes of the simulation. Debriefing questions and suggested answers help instructors deepen student learning on the topic. A follow-up assignment allows participants to summarize personal learning about the subject and solidify the learning outcomes.

Originality/value

Most workers with nonapparent disabilities hide them, although disclosing them may help their employers provide helpful accommodations. This learning activity helps increase awareness and understanding of hidden disabilities in work settings and supports learning about disclosing and accommodating disabilities in the workplace. Instructors can use the activity to support understanding of employee rights, equity and accommodations in large or small classes, in-person or online, synchronously or asynchronously.
Revealing the archive, reckoning with the past: inclusive approaches to institutional history
Authors: Maksin Melanie , Bucher Debra J.
Published: October 2023

Purpose

In describing these projects, the authors hope to encourage academic librarians and archivists to participate in, and even facilitate, similar work at their own institutions. Although both of these projects began in the library and included readings and discussions related to library and archival practices, the most generative conversations rapidly shifted from “how should the library handle these materials?” to “what might this institution do to reckon with its history?” When traditional library practices were de-centered and community perspectives were sought on the college archive, the authors were able to have more inclusive, authentic conversations about the college's history and future.

Design/methodology/approach

This case study explores two projects undertaken at a liberal arts college: a working group and a credit-bearing course intended to reckon with racist, xenophobic or otherwise harmful materials in the college archive. Both projects were informed by the authors' engagement with Tema Okun's White Supremacy Culture and guided by inclusive pedagogies and practices that participants had explored in workshops and within the context of the college's Engaged Pluralism Initiative.

Findings

The working group and the course underscore the centrality of relationships, trust-building and time to the work of addressing difficult histories. The “campus-wide conversations” the authors had hoped to have about the college archive evolved into smaller spaces developed with intention and care. The diverse perspectives of working group members and students in the course demonstrate the value of bringing together viewpoints from outside the library and beyond institutional or disciplinary silos, to consider far-reaching systemic issues.

Practical implications

Many US colleges and universities have begun, or will begin, to investigate the myriad ways in which racism, racial exclusion, or racial violence have marked their institutions and how these troubled legacies persist in the present day. This case study proposes possible approaches that academic libraries and librarians may take to contribute to this essential work.

Originality/value

These two projects propose that work that typically happens solely within libraries and archives (cataloging and description of potentially harmful materials) or within institutional or disciplinary silos (reckoning with legacies of racism and bias) can be discussed, debated, and shared among the campus community. All of the participants in the working group and the course, regardless of their title, role, or academic credentials, bring necessary expertise and experience to these projects. Inclusive practices, when paired with grassroots energy, suggest ways in which a college archive can be used as a site of evidence, reflection, interrogation, and repair.
Search strategies in accessible tourism, barrier-free tourism, disabled tourism and easy access tourism literature
Authors: Leiras Ana , Caamaño-Franco Iria
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Research concerning the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in tourism activities began long before this field of study was formally named. This has led scholars to use a variety of expressions to refer to what is now known as accessible tourism (AT). Given that this diversity of terms can complicate locating relevant publications, this paper aims to examine the terminology used in the context of AT.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducts an exhaustive literature review and a statistical analysis of 613 documents collected from Scopus, published between 1984 and 2022.

Findings

The results suggest that, despite the widespread use of “Accessible Tourism” in recent literature, most papers published before 2010 cannot be retrieved using this term. Additionally, the longitudinal analysis of scientific production revealed four distinct stages based on the number of annual publications.

Research limitations/implications

This paper has limitations that could inspire future studies, such as relying solely on Scopus for data collection, including only academic papers, limiting the number of references and narrowing the search to specific terms. Future investigations could compare these findings using a greater amount of data collected from other databases (e.g. Google Scholar), including non-academic writings (e.g. newspapers and Webpages), exploring the efficiency of different search strategies (e.g. silver market) and delving deeper into the evolution of the AT discourse in society.

Practical implications

Policymakers and tourism stakeholders can leverage the insights of this paper to standardise their vocabulary in communication and operational strategies. Scholars can enhance the efficiency of literature searches and develop new lines of knowledge inspired by terms traditionally used to refer to AT.

Social implications

This paper encourages continued investigation into AT and underscores the importance of language in developing a more inclusive society.

Originality/value

This research pioneers the analysis of the evolution of AT synonymy by years, nations and authors. It provides evidence of how linguistic choices reflect changes in the social understanding of disability. This study proposes a framework to distinguish AT from other tourism models, facilitating unified communication among stakeholders. It presents strategies to improve efficiency in locating studies in the AT area and advocates for an inclusive society that uses language respectful to all individuals.
Influence of return convenience on young buyers’ repurchase intentions
Authors: Ahmed Waqar , Huma Sehrish , Ali Syed Umair
Published: October 2023

Purpose

With the growth in online purchasing, the return of distressed shipments also increased. The return experience of the online shopper has a huge impact on their next purchase decision-making. This explanatory research aims to identify and empirically explain factors related to the online buyer’s return experience that influence the repurchase intention of young buyers.

Design/methodology/approach

Primary data were collected from 235 active online young buyers who have experienced returning the goods through a structured questionnaire. Structural equation modeling is used for analyzing the data.

Findings

This study reveals that an online return policy leniency strongly supports service recovery quality, expected return convenience, buyer trust and satisfaction, which lead to repurchase intentions. Moreover, return satisfaction positively impacts repurchase intention while mediating young buyer trust.

Originality/value

This study is one of the few relevant pieces of research that would benefit e-tailers to improve their product return policy and compel young buyers’ intention to make a repeat purchase.
Unveiling power, or why social science's task is explanation
Authors: Go Julian
Published: October 2023

This short essay contends that sociology should devote attention to causal explanation in order to expose lies. It argues that lies about causes are common in society and social science is in a unique privileged position to offer social knowledge that can dispel such lies. Offering causal explanations is a vital task of this project.
Refining decomposition stage estimation: A study of seasonal insect composition and carcass weight change
Authors: Park Woong‐Bae , Park Jun‐Kyu , Do Yuno
Published: October 2023

In this study, we explore the interplay of seasonal insect assemblages and carcass weight change to refine the estimation of minimum post‐mortem interval (PMImin), a key variable in forensic investigations. By integrating these parameters, we shed light on their combined influence on decomposition stages, thus paving the way for a more robust method of PMIminestimation. Our approach relies on rigorous field studies examining pig carcasses across spring, summer and autumn, with comprehensive measurements of carcass weight and detailed documentation of insect succession. We observed distinct insect assemblages and weight‐change trends characteristic of each season, underlining the influence of seasonal variability on decomposition dynamics. To further enhance the reliability of our model, we combined the novel parameter of carcass weight change with the conventional total body score (TBS) method, ensuring a more objective assessment of decomposition stages. Although our study indicates promising advancements, it also acknowledges the limitations of using a single pig carcass per season, suggesting future research should incorporate larger sample sizes.
Burning question: Are there sustainable strategies to prevent microbial metal corrosion?
Authors: Wang Di , Zhou Enze , Xu Dake , Lovley Derek R.
Published: October 2023

The global economic burden of microbial corrosion of metals is enormous. Microbial corrosion of iron‐containing metals is most extensive under anaerobic conditions. Microbes form biofilms on metal surfaces and can directly extract electrons derived from the oxidation of Fe0 to Fe2+ to support anaerobic respiration. H2 generated from abiotic Fe0 oxidation also serves as an electron donor for anaerobic respiratory microbes. Microbial metabolites accelerate this abiotic Fe0 oxidation. Traditional strategies for curbing microbial metal corrosion include cathodic protection, scrapping, a diversity of biocides, alloys that form protective layers or release toxic metal ions, and polymer coatings. However, these approaches are typically expensive and/or of limited applicability and not environmentally friendly. Biotechnology may provide more effective and sustainable solutions. Biocides produced with microbes can be less toxic to eukaryotes, expanding the environments for potential application. Microbially produced surfactants can diminish biofilm formation by corrosive microbes, as can quorum‐sensing inhibitors. Amendments of phages or predatory bacteria have been successful in attacking corrosive microbes in laboratory studies. Poorly corrosive microbes can form biofilms and/or deposit extracellular polysaccharides and minerals that protect the metal surface from corrosive microbes and their metabolites. Nitrate amendments permit nitrate reducers to outcompete highly corrosive sulphate‐reducing microbes, reducing corrosion. Investigation of all these more sustainable corrosion mitigation strategies is in its infancy. More study, especially under environmentally relevant conditions, including diverse microbial communities, is warranted.
USE it: Uniformly sampling pseudo‐absences within the environmental space for applications in habitat suitability models
Authors: Da Re Daniele , Tordoni Enrico , Lenoir Jonathan , Lembrechts Jonas J. , Vanwambeke Sophie O. , Rocchini Duccio , Bazzichetto Manuele
Published: October 2023

Habitat suitability models infer the geographical distribution of species using occurrence data and environmental variables. While data on species presence are increasingly accessible, the difficulty of confirming real absences in the field often forces researchers to generate them in silico. To this aim, pseudo‐absences are commonly sampled randomly across the study area (i.e. the geographical space). However, this introduces sample location bias (i.e. the sampling is unbalanced towards the most frequent habitats occurring within the geographical space) and favours class overlap (i.e. overlap between environmental conditions associated with species presences and pseudo‐absences) in the training dataset.

To mitigate this, we propose an alternative methodology (i.e. the uniform approach) that systematically samples pseudo‐absences within a portion of the environmental space delimited by a kernel‐based filter, which seeks to minimise the number of false absences included in the training dataset.

We simulated 50 virtual species and modelled their distribution using training datasets assembled with the presence points of the virtual species and pseudo‐absences collected using the uniform approach and other approaches that randomly sample pseudo‐absences within the geographical space. We compared the predictive performance of habitat suitability models and evaluated the extent of sample location bias and class overlap associated with the different sampling strategies.

Results indicated that the uniform approach: (i) effectively reduces sample location bias and class overlap; (ii) provides comparable predictive performance to sampling strategies carried out in the geographical space; and (iii) ensures gathering pseudo‐absences adequately representing the environmental conditions available across the study area. We developed a set of R functions in an accompanying R package called USE to disseminate the uniform approach.