bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preoperative leukocytosis and postoperative outcomes in geriatric hip fracture patients: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Tang Stephen Pui-Kit , Moy Lok-Tin , Wan Keith Hay-Man , Wong Hing-Cheong , Wong Kevin Kwun-Hung , Wong Kam-Kwong
Published: May 2022

Background:

A growing amount of evidence has suggested an association between preoperative leukocytosis and postoperative complications across a variety of surgeries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of preoperative leukocytosis on the prognosis of geriatric hip-fracture patients after surgery.

Methods:

This retrospective cohort included 1007 patients age 65 yr and older who underwent surgery for hip fracture between January 2016 and December 2019 at a district general hospital. Outcomes measured included surgical-site infection and 30-day and 1-year mortality. A multivariate logistic regression model was constructed in order to test whether leukocytosis was an independent predictor of morbidity and mortality in hip-fracture patients.

Results:

After adjustment for covariates, leukocytosis was not found to be a significant independent predictor of poor outcome after geriatric hip-fracture surgery. Delay of surgery longer than 48 hr and dementia were found to be independent variables associated with increased risk of surgical-site infection. The predictors of 30-day mortality were male gender and the use of anticoagulant or antiaggregant medications, whereas male gender, delay of surgery more than 48 hr, dementia and hypoalbuminemia were associated with increased 1-year mortality.

Conclusions:

Preoperative leukocytosis was not associated with adverse postoperative outcome after geriatric hip-fracture surgery. The more reliable variables for prediction of surgical outcome in geriatric hip-fracture patients were delay in surgery, gender, hypoalbuminemia, dementia, and use of anticoagulant or antiaggregant medications.

Level of Evidence:

Level III.
Application of fresh frozen plasma transfusion in the management of excessive warfarin-associated anticoagulation
Authors: Luo Yuanyuan , Ma Chunya , Yu Yang
Published: May 2022

Warfarin is a commonly used oral anticoagulant. Patients with artificial valve replacement, atrial fibrillation, pulmonary embolism, deep vein thrombosis, and other diseases require long-term anticoagulant oral treatment with warfarin. As warfarin exhibits prompt action with long maintenance time, it has become a key drug for the treatment of patients at risk of developing thrombosis or thromboembolism. Warfarin is a bican coumarin anticoagulant, that exhibits competitive action against vitamin K as its mechanism of action, thereby inhibiting the synthesis of coagulation factors—predominantly the vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors II, VII, IX, and X—in hepatocytes. Long-term warfarin is known to significantly increase the risk of organ bleeding in some patients, while some patients may need to reverse the anticoagulation effect. For instance, patients scheduled for emergency or invasive surgery may require rapid anticoagulation reversal. During such medical circumstances, fresh frozen plasma (FFP) is clinically used for the reversal of excess warfarin-associated anticoagulation, as it contains all the coagulation factors that can alleviate the abnormal blood anticoagulation status in such patients. Accordingly, this article aims to perform an in-depth review of relevant literature on the reversal of warfarin with FFP, and insightful deliberation of the application and efficacy of this clinical intervention.
Risk factors associated with hemorrhagic cystitis after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Shen Biao , Ma Yueshen , Zhang Haixiao , Wang Mingyang , Liu Jia , Cao Jiaxin , Guo Wenwen , Feng Dan , Yang Donglin , Zhang Rongli , Chen Xin , Ma Qiaoling , Zhai Weihua , Feng Sizhou , Han Mingzhe , Pang Aiming , Jiang Erlie
Published: May 2022

Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a common complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The incidence is about 7% to 68%, and some patients have to suffer a long period of frequent, urgent, and painful urination, which brings great pain. This study aimed to analyze risk factors of HC and its effect on patient survival. We collected the medical records of 859 patients who underwent HSCT at our hospital between August 2016 and August 2020. Patients with and without HC were matched using propensity score matching at a 1:1 ratio based on sex, age, and diagnosis, and logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with HC. We used Kaplan–Meier curves to analyze the survival rates of patients in the HC and non-HC groups. We also analyzed the relationship between BK viral load and the occurrence of HC using receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis. After propensity score matching, there were 131 patients each in the HC and non-HC groups. In the HC group, 89 patients (67.9%) had mild HC (stage II°) and 43 (32.1%) had severe HC (stage III–IV). The median interval between stem cell transplantation and HC development was 31 (3–244) days. Univariate analysis indicated that donor age, hematopoietic stem cell source, HLA, acute graft-versus-host disease, busulfan, anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG), total body irradiation, cytomegalovirus (CMV) (urine), and BK polyomavirus (BKV) (urine) were significantly associated with HC. ATG, CMV (urine), and BKV (urine) were independent risk factors for HC based on the multivariate analysis. The Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed no significant difference between the HC and non-HC groups (P = .14). The 1- and 2-year survival rates in the HC group were 78.4% and 69.6%, respectively, and the corresponding rates in the non-HC group were 84.4% and 80.7%, respectively. ROC analysis indicated that a urine BKV load of 1 × 107 copies/mL was able to stratify the risk of HC. In conclusion, when the BKV load is >1 × 107, we need to be aware of the potential for the development of HC.
Critical Influenza and COVID-19—A Comparative Nationwide Case-Control Study
Authors: Larsson Emma , Eriksson Jesper , Eriksson Mikael , Oldner Anders
Published: May 2022

IMPORTANCE:

Refined knowledge of risk factors for critical influenza and COVID-19 may lead to improved understanding of pathophysiology and better pandemic preparedness.

OBJECTIVES:

To compare risk-factor profiles of patients admitted to intensive care with critical influenza and COVID-19.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS:

A nationwide retrospective matched case-control study, including all adults admitted to an ICU in Sweden with influenza or COVID-19 between 2014 and September 2020 and a matched control population (ratio 1:5, patients:controls).

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:

Admission to an ICU. The study included 1,873 influenza and 2,567 COVID-19 ICU patients, and 9,365 and 12,835 controls, respectively, matched on sex, age, and geographical region. Influenza patients were older and less likely male, and carried a larger burden of comorbidity and a higher Simplified Acute Physiology Score III score, whereas short-term mortalities were similar when compared to COVID-19 patients. The risk-factor profiles at ICU admission were largely comparable including socioeconomic, psychiatric, and several somatic variables. Hypertension was a strong risk factor in critical COVID-19 patients compared with influenza. Nonglucocorticoid immunosuppressive therapy was associated with critical influenza but not COVID-19. Premorbid medication with statins and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors reduced the risk for both conditions, the opposite was a seen for glucocorticoid medication. Notably, medication with betablockers, oral anticoagulation, and platelet inhibitors reduced the risk of critical COVID-19 but not influenza.

CONCLUSIONS:

The risk-factor profiles for critical influenza and COVID-19 were largely comparable; however, some important differences were noted. Hypertension was a stronger risk factor for developing critical COVID-19, whereas the use of betablockers, oral anticoagulants, and platelet inhibitors all reduced the risk of ICU admission for COVID-19 but not influenza. Findings possibly reflected differences in pathophysiological mechanisms between these conditions.
Exploring the Experience of Nurses in Providing Care to Patients With COVID-19: A Qualitative Study
Authors: SHAHOEI Roonak , NEMATI Syede Mona , VALIEE Sina
Published: May 2022

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused conflicts in the world health system. The role of nurses is prominent because of their close contact with patients.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of nurses in providing care to patients with COVID-19.

Methods

This phenomenological study was conducted in 2020. Purposive sampling was used and continued until data saturation. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 nurses at Tohid Hospital, Sanandaj, Iran, all of whom had experience providing care to patients with COVID-19. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological method.

Results

The participants included four men and 10 women. Data analysis revealed four main themes (14 subthemes) related to the experience of the participants in providing care to patients with COVID-19. These themes included (a) fear (fear of being infected, fear of being a carrier, fear of the disease, and high mortality of patients), (b) compulsion (compulsion to care, being under pressure), (c) distinct experience (need for self-care, working with personal protective equipment, and ambiguity in care/treatment), and (d) sacrifice (altruism, compassion, self-sacrifice, and being proud of yourself).

Conclusions/Implications for Practice

The experience of participants in caring for patients with COVID-19, in addition to the unique experience of care, was associated with fear, compulsion, and sacrifice. Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the unique experience of nurses serving in COVID-19 units, it is necessary to educate and support nurses to deal effectively with this situation.
BarberED then screened: Disrupting the colorectal cancer disparity in urban Black men
Authors: Sizer Wilhelmina , Conyers Yvette
Published: May 2022

Background:

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common diagnosed cancer among non-Hispanic Black people in the United States. Alarmingly, this population is also 40% more likely to succumb to the disease. Black men get diagnosed younger, present with late-stage disease, and have poor 5-year survival rates. In total, 42% of the racial disparity is due to differences in screening.

Local Problem:

In Rochester, New York, there are eight zip codes where less than 47% of the population completed CRC screening and six zip codes where men have 15% to 49% above expected cases of CRC.

Methods:

This qualitative improvement project took place in a barbershop in a zip code with subpar screening rates and higher-than-expected cases of CRC. Black men, 45–75 years of age, not current with CRC screening guidelines were recruited to participate after they received barber services. CRC screening was considered complete once a colonoscopy was scheduled.

Interventions:

Colorectal cancer education was provided by a nurse practitioner to barbers, who then provided education to their eligible patrons. After the education, patrons who decided to undergo screening were connected to a local gastroenterology group where a colonoscopy was scheduled.

Results:

Thirteen participants agreed to participate in the project. Nine participants scheduled CRC screening, and seven completed the colonoscopy evaluation.

Conclusions:

Barbers and nurse practitioners are an ideal partnership when seeking to disrupt the CRC health care disparity. Members of the Black community who may not routinely participate in preventive care can be innovatively educated to improve their health status.
Perceived Age and Personality Profiling after Orthognathic Surgery
Authors: Pourtaheri Navid , Peck Connor J. , Gowda Arvind , Parsaei Yassmin , Allam Omar , Patel Visha K. , Park Eric , Yu Jason , Lopez Joseph , Steinbacher Derek M.
Published: May 2022

Background:

Recent studies suggest that orthognathic surgery can improve facial age and personality profiling. The authors expand on these findings by assessing the role of patient facial profile and sociodemographics on perceived changes following surgery.

Methods:

Preoperative and postoperative images of 65 patients operated on by a single surgeon were randomly assorted and rated by 30 respondents. Patient facial profiles were categorized as convex, concave, or straight. Paired and unpaired t tests were used to assess differences preoperatively and postoperatively. Multivariate regression and post hoc receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were used to quantify the influence of various patient factors.

Results:

Significant decreases in perceived age were seen following orthognathic surgery overall (−1.31 years; p < 0.01) and in the straight (−1.10 years; p = 0.02) and convex (−1.80 years; p ≤ 0.01) subgroups. After controlling for patient sociodemographics, there were no significant differences in age change based on facial profile. Older age at the time of surgery was independently associated with greater perceived age changes (p = 0.04); older patients (>26.5 years, determined by receiver operating characteristic curve) experienced greater net decreases in perceived age in comparison to younger patients (−2.0 years versus −1.2 years; p < 0.01). Improvements were seen in overall attractiveness (p < 0.01) and in each tested personality characteristic following surgery (p < 0.01). These differences were not significantly associated with different patient sociodemographics or facial profile.

Conclusions:

The authors’ data add to the growing base of evidence that orthognathic surgery improves patient-perceived age and personality. Significant decreases in perceived age are more likely to be gained by patients undergoing surgery at an older age.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:

Risk, II.
Lentilactobacillus laojiaonis sp. nov., isolated from the mud in a fermentation cellar for the production of Chinese liquor
Authors: Zhao Qiuwei , Yang Suping , Bao Guanhui , Wang Wenzhao , Miao Liangtian , Wang Songtao , Shen Caihong , Li Yin
Published: May 2022

A novel Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped, non-motile bacterial strain, designated IM3328T, was isolated from a mud cellar which has been continuously used over hundreds of years for the fermentative production of Chinese strong-flavour baijiu. It is asporogenous, facultative anaerobic and does not exhibit catalase activity. Strain IM3328T can grow at pH 4.5–8.5 (optimum, pH 7.0), 15–45 °C (optimum, 37 °C), with 0–75% (w/v) ethanol with and 0–6% (w/v) NaCl. The API 50CH assay revealed that strain IM3328T can metabolize l-arabinose, d-ribose, d-xylose, d-glucose, d-fructose, d-mannose, N-acetylglucosamine, gluconate, methyl β-d-pyranoside, methyl α-d-glucopyranoside, methyl α-d-glucopyranoside and raffinose among the 49 studied carbon sources. Lactic acid, acetic acid, ethanol, isopentanol and butyl acetate are he predominant metabolites in the fermentation broth of strain IM3328T when cultured in liquid de Man, Rogosa and Sharpe medium under micro-aerobic or anaerobic conditions. The polar lipids of strain IM3328T consist of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, one unidentified phospholipid, two unidentified glycolipids and two unidentified lipids. The major cellular fatty acids (≥10%) consist of C16 : 0, C18:1 ω9c and summed feature 7. The cell wall contains ribose, glucose, galactose, lysine, alanine, glutamic acid and aspartic acid. The complete genome of strain IM3328T contains a circular chromosome of 1242019 bp with 1242 genes and 33 mol% G+C content. On the basis of the 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic tree,

Lentilactobacillus senioris

DSM 24302T (95.9% similarity),

Lentilactobacillus rapi

DSM 19907T (95.7% similarity) and

Lentilactobacillus parabuchneri

DSM 5707T (95.1% similarity) were chosen to compare with strain IM3328T to reveal the physiological differences. The low average nucleotide identity values (69.7–71.2%) between strain IM3328T and phylogenetically related reference strains demonstrated that this strain represents a novel species of the genus

Lentilactobacillus

, and the name Lentilactobacillus laojiaonis sp. nov. (type strain IM3328T=CGMCC 1.18832T=JCM 34630T) is proposed.
Undibacter mobilis gen. nov., sp. nov. isolated from an artificial wetland in Okcheon, Korea
Authors: Jung Gi-Yong , Nam In-Hyun , Kim So-Jeong
Published: May 2022

Strain GY_HT was isolated from an artificial wetland in Okcheon, Chungcheongbuk-do Province, Republic of Korea. Strain GY_HT was closely related to

Pseudolabrys taiwanensis

CC-BB4T based on 16S rRNA gene sequences (94.7 % similarity) and clustered within the family

Nitrobacteraceae

. Cells of the isolate were Gram-stain-negative, catalase-negative and oxidase-positive, and colonies were white or pale transparent. A flagellum was observed, and the isolate could respire both aerobically and anaerobically. Growth of GY_ HT was observed in the following conditions: 10–45 °C, pH 5–11 and 0–4 % NaCl. The optimal conditions for growth were 25 °C, pH 6.5–7.5 and 0.5–1.5 % NaCl. The major fatty acids were C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c (35.8 %) and summed feature 8 (C18 : 1
 ω7c/C18 : 1
 ω6c; 27.4 %). The major quinone was found to be ubiquinone-10. Diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine were the major polar lipids. The G+C content of the genome of GY_HT was 63.3 mol%. Based on its phylogenomic, physiological and biochemical attributes, strain GY_HT represents a novel species of a novel genus of the family

Nitrobacteraceae

. We propose the name as Undibacter mobilis gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain is GY_HT (=KCTC 62792T=JCM 32856T).
The influence of corporate governance and corporate social responsibility on corporate performance: an Iberian panel data evidence
Authors: Neves Maria Elisabete , Santos Adriana , Proença Catarina , Pinho Carlos
Published: May 2022

Purpose

The main goal of this paper is to study the influence of some corporate governance, corporate social responsibility (CSR), and corporate-specific characteristics on the performance of Iberian-listed companies.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve the paper's aim, the authors have used data from 33 Portuguese-listed companies, and 60 Spanish-listed companies, for the period 2011 to 2018. To test the hypotheses, the authors employed the generalized method of moments (GMM) estimation method, developed by Arellano and Bover (1995) and Blundell and Bond (1998).

Findings

The results point out that the performance determinants vary depending on the country under analysis and the variable used to measure performance. Despite being neighbors and historically commercially close, these countries have differences in their governmental, social and economic structure that lead to different stakeholder perceptions on the determinants of corporate performance. Specifically, when the authors use Tobin's Q as a market performance variable, board independence and the existence of a CSR committee have different signs in the two countries. The same happens when return on assets (ROA) is used as an accounting variable for internal management, implying that both, managers and potential investors of the two countries have different understandings about the variables that influence their performance.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to comparatively analyze the two countries of the Iberian Peninsula, analyzing the effect of corporate governance and social responsibility characteristics on the performance. The authors' results show that managers and potential investors have different points of view regarding the importance of corporate governance and social responsibility characteristics in corporate performance.
The impact of military expenditures on out of pocket healthcare payments: international evidence based on a dynamic panel data analysis
Authors: Grigorakis Nikolaos , Galyfianakis Georgios
Published: May 2022

Purpose

The empirical analysis dealt in this paper emphasizes on the impact of military expenditures on out of pocket (OOP) healthcare payments. A sizeable body of defence economics literature has investigated the trade-off between military and public health expenditure, by testing the crowding-out or growth-stimulating hypothesis; does military expenditure scaling up crowd-out or promote governmental resources for social and welfare programs, including also state health financing?

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, panel data from 2000 to 2018 for 129 countries is used to examine the impact of military expenditure on OOP healthcare payments. The dataset of countries is categorized into four income-groups based on World Bank's income-group classification. Dynamic panel data methodology is applied to meet study objectives.

Findings

The findings of this study indicate that military expenditure positively affects OOP payments in all the selected groups of countries, strongly supporting in this way the crowding-out hypothesis whereby increased military expenditure reduces the public financing on health. Study econometric results are robust since different and alternative changes in specifications and samples are applied in our analysis.

Practical implications

Under the economic downturn backdrop for several economies in the previous decade and on the foreground of a potential limited governmental fiscal space related to the Covid-19 pandemic adverse economic effects, this study provides evidence that policy-makers have to adjust their government policy initiatives and prioritize Universal Health Coverage objectives. Consequently, the findings of this study reflect the necessity of governments as far as possible to moderate military expenditures and increase public financing on health in order to strengthen health care systems efficiency against households OOP spending for necessary healthcare utilization.

Originality/value

Despite the fact that a sizeable body of defence economics literature has extensively examined the impact of military spending on total and public health expenditures, nevertheless to the best of our knowledge there is no empirical evidence of any direct effect of national defence spending on the main private financing component of health systems globally; the OOP healthcare payments.
The non-uniform relationship between CEO stock options and strategic risk-taking: the moderating role of firm performance
Authors: Zaiane Sedki , Dabbou Halim , Gallali Mohamed Imen
Published: May 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between stock options compensation and firm strategic risk-taking, employing a quantile regression (QR) model. This study aims to analyze whether the impact of stock options on firm strategic risk-taking changes across various quantiles and investigates the moderating role of firm performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on a sample of 90 French firms for the period extending from 2008 to 2019. To deal with the non-uniform association, the authors use a panel quantile method.

Findings

The results reveal that the impact of chief executive officer (CEO) stock options on firm strategic risk-taking varies across risk-taking quantiles. More specifically, the study’s results show a positive association at low quantile levels of strategic risk-taking, measured by research and development (R&D) and a negative linkage at high levels. The authors also find that firm performance moderates the impact of CEO stock options on strategic risk-taking.

Research limitations/implications

The non-uniform relationship between CEO stock options and firm strategic risk-taking shows that the weight of CEO stock options in the total compensation can be a major determinant of the firm's strategic risk-taking attitude.

Originality/value

This study extends existing research on executive compensation and strategic risk-taking. Thus, this study has the potential to help stakeholders, board of directors and regulators, who are attempting to understand how the compensation contract – in particular, stock option pay – is related to the risk behavior of the agents and guide them to structure the executive compensation in an optimal way.
Specifying, estimating and validating consumer eSports engagement composite model: a composite confirmatory approach
Authors: Abbasi Amir Zaib
Published: May 2022

Purpose

The present study aims to specify, estimate, and validate the composite formative model of consumer eSports engagement (CeSE) through utilizing the composite confirmatory analysis (CCA) methodological approach.

Design/methodology/approach

To validate the composite model of CeSE, we collected the data using the Mturk online tool from eSports gamers located in European countries. The partial least squares based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) approach was employed using SmartPLS to conduct CCA analyses.

Findings

Using CCA, the authors first evaluated the reflective constructs (three first-order dimensions comprising cognitive, affective, and activation) and found reliable and valid reflective constructs. The authors then proceeded to assess the composite formative model of CeSE at higher-order level and resulted that CeSE is a valid composite model. Besides, the nomological network of CeSE with technology acceptance variables (e.g. behavioral intention and usage behavioral were estimated and found significant results).

Originality/value

This study contributes to consumer engagement literature in many directions. First, this study applies consumer engagement scale in the eSports context (i.e. eSports game brands). Second, this study notably specifies, estimates, and validates CeSE as composite model comprising cognitive, affective, and activation factors as first-order reflective constructs and CeSE as second/higher-order formative construct. Third, this study applies CCA guidelines to establish the CeSE as a composite formative measurement model and make significant methodology contribution. Fourth, this study extends the TAM model via studying CeSE as an important determinant of behavioral intention to play eSports games, which in turn impacts on eSports gaming/usage behavior.
Board of directors and target price performance: evidence from Tunisia
Authors: Fredj Imen , Gana Marjene Rabah
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This article examines the link between the structure of the board of directors and target price accuracy using a sample of 51 listed firms on the Tunisian Stock Exchange over the period of 2011–2017.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, the authors used the generalised method of moments (GMM) model to control the endogeneity problem.

Findings

As a result, that model can serve as a signal in the forecasting process. The authors' results suggest that target price accuracy is negatively related to board independence, and dual Chief Executive officer (CEO). In addition, CEO compensation tends to exert a negative impact on target price error.

Practical implications

The authors' findings are valuable for common investors because the findings can be useful in enhancing their capital allocation decisions by assigning higher weights to forecasts issued by firms with strong corporate governance systems. The authors' study also has practical implications for managers and policymakers. Specifically, the evidence provided herein suggests that firms with strong corporate governance mechanisms enhance the accuracy of market expectations, alleviate information asymmetry, and limit market surprises, especially in a context characterised by weak investor protection. The authors' results highlight the advantages of strong corporate governance in improving a firm's information environment and, therefore, are useful for the cost–benefit analysis of improving internal governance mechanisms. Additionally, the authors' results may prove useful to investors who can rely on the information provided by analysts for well-governed companies.

Social implications

The authors' study contributes to the literature in both corporate governance and analysts' forecasts fields. The study provides additional evidence of the benefit of board quality attributes on target price accuracy in an emerging market characterised by high information asymmetry and weak investor protection. The authors' findings exhibit the effectiveness of board attributes in producing better financial information quality in Tunisia. This is useful for investors who may improve their capital allocation decisions by assigning greater weights to target price forecasts of companies with good governance quality, suggesting that good corporate governance is a credible signal of better financial information quality. These results have important implications for capital market regulators and corporate management in encouraging the implementation of good governance practices.

Originality/value

The authors attempted to assess whether corporate governance of listed firms are priced in the Tunisian context characterised by weak governance control and to highlight which mechanism is highly considered by independent financial analysts to build their forecasts.
Examining airline employees’ work-related stress and coping strategies during the global tourism crisis
Authors: Chua Bee-Lia , Al-Ansi Amr , Kim Seongseop (Sam) , Wong Antony King Fung , Han Heesup
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the theoretical relationships between job stressors, psychological stress and coping strategies in the context of the global travel and tourism crisis faced by the airline industry.

Design/methodology/approach

An online cross-sectional survey was designed to obtain empirical data from airline employees in South Korea and Hong Kong. A total of 366 airline employees participated in the survey through convenience sampling method.

Findings

The structural equation modeling findings indicated that work schedule and demand; job insecurity and financial concerns; and role conflict played a significant role in creating psychological stress, which, in turn, determined emotion-oriented coping. The influence of the identified job stressors on psychological stress was significantly different between South Korean and Hong Kong airline employees.

Practical implications

The study demonstrates ways in which airline employees react to stressful work circumstances to avoid loss of resources. Furthermore, it highlights the role that psychological stress plays in influencing airline employees to direct attention to emotion-oriented coping mechanisms.

Originality/value

In view of the immense impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global airline industry, this study expands the role of job stressors in a peculiar and unprecedented work environment in the airline industry and accentuates the varying effects job stress may have on coping strategies from the perspective of airline employees in an Asian culture.
Extending the theory of planned behaviour with application to renewable energy investment: the moderating effect of tax incentives
Authors: Daiyabu Yusuf Abdulkarim , Manaf Nor Aziah Abd , Mohamad Hsbollah Hafizah
Published: May 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to deploy and expand the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) model with application to renewable energy investment by incorporating the component of tax incentives (TIN). This will serve as an additional measure in understanding the conventional energy stakeholders’ investment intention into renewable energy in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

Data was collected from 357 individual key conventional energy stakeholders in Nigeria using survey questionnaires. The research model was tested using structural equation modelling.

Findings

The results from the study revealed the applicability of the TPB in predicting the conventional energy stakeholders’ investment intention into renewable energy. The result indicates that attitude and subjective norm are significantly associated with investment intentions.

Research limitations/implications

The outcome implies that the integration of tax incentives can improve the predictive power of the model as the introduced variable demonstrates a significant impact on the conventional energy stakeholders’ investment intention into renewable energy.

Practical implications

This study extends on the well-established TPB model by integrating tax incentives in understanding investment intentions and the outcome implies a significant association of tax incentives with investment intention and moderated the influence of attitude and subjective norm over the conventional energy stakeholders’ investment intention.

Originality/value

TPB has been widely deployed and even extended to predict intention in numerous fields of study. Available literature presents the lack of such empirical research that focuses on investment in Nigeria and specifically regarding energy investment. The outcome highlighted the significant influence of tax incentives, thus the need for policymakers to suggest and implement various tax incentives to attract private investment into renewable energy for electricity generation that will consequently assist in achieving SDG-7 and mitigate climate change.
Supply chains' sustainability trajectories and resilience: a learning perspective in turbulent environments
Authors: Sauer Philipp C. , Silva Minelle E. , Schleper Martin C.
Published: May 2022

Purpose

While various supply chain (SC) sustainability investigations exist, their connection to supply chain resilience (SCRes) remains largely unexplored. To fill this gap, the authors answer the question: “How do firms' sustainability actions affect their SCs' resilience and sustainability trajectories in turbulent environments?" by exploring the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted 10 case studies in five industries located in six European countries. A total of 19 semi-structured interviews and relevant secondary data were collected and analyzed in reference to SC sustainability learning and the literature on SCRes approaches (i.e. engineering, ecological and social-ecological).

Findings

31 SC actions referring to different sustainability dimensions were identified to map SCRes learning through a temporal, spatial and functional scale analysis. While five cases are related to an engineering approach focused on “bouncing back” to pre-pandemic goals, three cases were focused on “bouncing forward” as part of an ecological approach. Moreover, the authors identified the existence of two social-ecological resilience cases which developed long-term actions, updating functional set-ups transcending the SC level. The results furthermore illustrate an influence of the SCRes approaches on SC sustainability learning, generating three different paths: flat, flat ascending and ascending SC sustainability trajectories.

Research limitations/implications

The study develops an overview of the adoption of SCRes approaches due to temporal, spatial and functional scales, and their effect on SC sustainability trajectories through exploitation and exploration capabilities. Future research should elaborate on potential moderators in the proposed relationships.

Practical implications

A better understanding of the link between SC sustainability actions and SCRes will help practitioners to make better informed decisions in turbulent environments.

Originality/value

Unlike previous research, this paper provides empirical evidence on engineering, ecological and social-ecological SCRes approaches, as well as SC sustainability trajectories.
Interrogating the resurgence of administrative state: ideas and state capacity
Authors: Jha Himanshu
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Contemporary arguments around efficient public management (PM) envisage a limited role of the state for efficiency, effectiveness and austerity. On the contrary, the PM of the Covid-19 pandemic shows the significant role and depth of administrative state in multi-faceted ways. In this context, the purpose of this article is to examine the administrative role of the Indian state and the extent of its “stateness” in the PM of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

This article is a bifocal study of both the national and a single sub-national case. Following mixed qualitative methods, this article draws on government documents, interviews and recent media reports to examine the reemergence of a strong administrative state in India in the context of PM of the pandemic. This methodology allows us to go deep into the cases and provide a robust understanding of the underlying processes within the state that throw open some compelling insights on the PM of the pandemic.

Findings

This article shows the reemergence of a strong administrative state in multiple ways. It demonstrates that state’s administrative capacity is an outcome of both ideas within the state and its rationality that shapes policy strategies and planning. Further, a combination of learning, puzzling and powering plays a critical role in pandemic management. Exploring pandemic-induced state capacity in India sheds light on the administrative state’s emergence, extent and function in an emerging developing country setting.

Research limitations/implications

One of the major challenges of this study is the evolving nature of the pandemic. In this light, the study limits its focus to the earliest stage of the pandemic. Revisiting this paper in future would provide a more comprehensive picture. Furthermore, the study is limited to the national and a single sub-national case. This research will gain from including more sub-national and cross-country comparisons to test some of the conjectures presented in this paper.

Practical implications

This article shows that the state as a conceptual variable needs to be taken seriously to understand and explain the PM strategy, especially in times of crisis. It also persuades us to better understand the political power of “ideas” within the state to explain policy outcomes and evolving PM strategies.

Originality/value

This article seeks to push the frontiers of research on state capacity and PM by exploring how social learning and puzzling come together to consolidate policy paradigms. Through the lens of PM of the current Covid-19 pandemic by the Indian state, this article reflects on the reemergence of the administrative state. It examines the long-term ramifications of such a revival for both practice and theory of state capacity and PM in a large, diverse democracy, such as India.
The impact of cash saving on the food security status of smallholder coffee farmers: evidence from southwest Ethiopia
Authors: Dinegde Hawi Gemechu , Bekele Adugna Eneyew , Sima Akalu Dafisa
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Ethiopia suffers from structural food insecurity due to its low food production, low purchasing power, and climatic shocks such as drought. Coffee is Ethiopia's primary source of foreign earnings, and 95% of it is produced by smallholder farmers. Coffee also provide better income to smallholder farmers than other crops. However, it is unclear how much smallholder coffee producers participate in cash savings and if their savings help them attain food security. In this study, the authors aim to assess the impact of cash savings on the food security of smallholder coffee farmers in Ethiopia.

Design/methodology/approach

Using cross-sectional quantitative data from 336 randomly selected households and qualitative data from the local community, this study examines the impact of cash savings on household food security. Logistic regression and propensity score matching models were used to analyze the impact of cash savings on households' food security.

Findings

About, 43.5% of coffee farmers did not participate in cash savings during the study period, while 50.6% had no access to credit. The major factors that limit households' likelihood of participating in cash saving were the gender of household head and family size. Approximately, 38.4 and 27.1% of coffee farmers were food poor based on calorie intake and consumption scores, respectively. Households' participation in saving increases their ability to meet dietary energy requirements and consume diverse foods.

Originality/value

To the knowledge of the author, empirical studies that examined the impact of cash saving on the food security status of smallholder farmers in the study area are limited. Therefore, this study brings original contribution and fills research gap on coffee farmers' cash saving and food security; that received little attention from previous researchers in Ethiopia.
What social factors influence learners' continuous intention in online learning? A social presence perspective
Authors: Guo Qian , Zeng Qingfeng , Zhang Lanlan
Published: May 2022

Purpose

The perception of an inferior learning experience is the main challenge for online learning, which leads to higher dropout rates in online courses. The purpose of this paper focuses on investigating how the multi-dimensional construct of social presence would affect the behavior of online learners.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual model that describes online learner behaviors is proposed by including the four social presence variables, learning satisfaction and continuance intention, which is examined via the data collected by a survey of 237 online learners from a typical online learning platform in China. The relationships between variables were tested via structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results revealed that the intimate and immersive social factors have positive impacts on learning satisfaction, which in turn results in continuous intention in online learning. Thus, online learning platform providers should seriously consider building an intimate and immersive online environment for learners. Furthermore, this research provides a more comprehensive understanding of online learning from a social presence perspective for researchers and practitioners.

Originality/value

The study contributes to a better understanding of the social presence which is conceptualized as a four-dimensional construct, and shows how social factors influence learning satisfaction and continuous intention, providing a deeper understanding of the core relationship between social aspects and learning performance in online learning.
Expert-centric design inspection of branded apps: a close look at marketing and interface design features
Authors: Zhao Zhenzhen , Huang Zhao
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Although brands have developed mobile applications (apps) to offer consumers new experiences, low app usage numbers indicate the need to develop a systematic, practical evaluation framework for branded app design that specifies concrete design features.

Design/methodology/approach

An expert review provides an overview of the design of current branded apps. On the basis of an extensive literature review, this article classifies state-of-the-art design features for branded apps according to a proposed evaluation framework that includes human–computer interaction (HCI)–related and marketing-related evaluation criteria. In an application of these evaluation criteria, the authors evaluate 73 branded apps issued by 11 top fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) brands.

Findings

The expert review identifies strengths and weaknesses that are common to the design of current branded apps. These findings inform the set of design recommendations that this article offers, which includes 14 features common to all types of apps and 9 features specific to particular types of apps.

Practical implications

This research offers practical implications for app designers, who need to address design dimensions contained in the proposed framework including the HCI-related (mobile, social and user experience design features) and marketing-related (branding and customer relationship management design features) to create effective branded apps.

Originality/value

Design elements identified in prior literature remain abstract and do not prescribe a systematic or pragmatic approach to using them in practice. This study takes a multidisciplinary perspective (HCI, marketing and design science) to establish a practical evaluation framework for branded app designs.
A study on the relation between industry 4.0 technologies and gamification in e-learning
Authors: Oliveira Renata Pereira , Santos Igor Leão , de Souza Cristina Gomes , Reis Augusto da Cunha , de Souza Wallice Medeiros
Published: May 2022

Purpose

COVID-19 played a crucial role in the development and enlargement of learning via electronic media. Still, the recent fourth industrial revolution [Industry 4.0 (I4.0)] paved the road toward Education 4.0. In this regard, several research challenges arise, involving the preparation of gamification strategies in online learning environments. In this sense, this paper aims to investigate the relationship between technologies of I4.0 and gamification practices in online learning around the world. Specifically, to categorize the studies of the scientific literature in the area into knowledge domains and the mention of I4.0 technologies and to verify the relationship of these technologies with the different educational levels.

Design/methodology/approach

The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis protocol was used as a research method with 130 papers included for full content analysis and obtained from the Web of Science.

Findings

The leading I4.0 technologies mentioned in the analyzed papers were simulation, Internet of Things and augmented/virtual reality, in this order. Although there are more mentioned technologies, the domain of knowledge to be applied and the educational level interfere in choosing these pillars. With this, the main findings of this relationship were exposed in a singular, modern, active, realist, technological framework to demonstrate how I4.0 relates to the practice of gamification in online educational environments.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that brings together the relationship of gamification applied in e-learning with I4.0 technologies.
Economic resilience to the FDI shock during the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from Asia
Authors: Ben Romdhane Youssra , Kammoun Souhaila , Werghi Imen
Published: May 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the impact of economic factors on foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows into Asian region before and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used the generalized method of moments (GMM) technique to examine the impact of economic growth, domestic investment and trade openness on FDI in the Asian region, in two periods from 1996 to 2018 and from 2019 to 2020.

Findings

In the pre-COVID-19 period, the estimated result shows that the economic growth, domestic investment, imports and exports positively impact FDI. In the post-COVID-19 period, the FDI is influenced by the strength of the economic characteristics of the region. The main findings indicate that economic growth has a positive and significant effect on FDI inflows into Asia. The findings also show that the economic resilience to attract FDI in Asia is significantly affected by economic growth and positively affected by trade openness and government responses during the pandemic.

Originality/value

The study suggests the Asian governments increasing the domestic investment and improving the quality of trade openness.