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The aim of this study was to investigate the role of immersive gaming on brand coolness and brand equity, with particular emphasis on fashion gaming collaborations. We used game theory as a theoretical framework to analyse immersive branding strategies and gain a deeper understanding of fashion consumers’ decision-making process in gaming environments. Gender, as a significant factor affecting gamers, has been studied as a moderator that impacts the overall proposed framework.

A quantitative method was used to assess the significance of relationships within the proposed model empirically. The partial least squares structural equation modelling technique was implemented to assess the relationships of the framework with a sample size of 160 active Malaysian gamers.

The findings indicate that brand equity is positively associated with perceived brand coolness. Furthermore, of the three core values of online games, perceived enjoyment is most strongly associated with perceived brand coolness, ahead of the values of self-expression and perceived emotional challenge. The results of the multigroup analysis further suggest that in the fashion industry, building brand equity through online games is strongly related to perceived brand coolness among female respondents, the role of perceived brand coolness being weaker among male respondents.

The study contributes to the existing literature by providing a deeper understanding of the impact of immersive gaming branding practices on the overall equity of the fashion brand. The results provide insight for fashion brand managers into the significant effect on consumer behaviour outcomes of fashion-gaming collaborations.

本研究擬探討身歷其境的遊戲體驗在品牌酷感和品牌資產上所扮演的角色; 研究特別強調裝扮遊戲的合作。研究人員以博弈論作為研究的理論框架,來分析沉浸品牌策略、和對時裝消費者在遊戲的環境中如何作出決策取得更深入的瞭解。研究人員探討了性別作為影響遊戲參與者的重要因素,這因素被視為為整個被提出的框架帶來調節的影響和作用。

研究人員採用定量方法進行研究,目的為於被提出的模型內之各種關聯的意義進行以經驗為依據的評估。研究人員採用了基於偏最小平方法的結構方程模型研究法,來對一個包含160名活躍的馬來西亞遊戲參與者的樣本進行框架的各個聯繫的評估研究。

研究結果顯示,品牌資產與品牌酷感成正相關; 而且,在網絡遊戲的三個核心價值中,感知享受與品牌酷感之間的聯繫最為強烈和密切,超過自我表現和感知情感挑戰兩者的價值; 多群組的分析結果更暗示了在時裝產業裡,透過網絡遊戲去建立品牌資產在女性回應者中是與品牌酷感有強烈密切的關係; 而在男性回應者中,品牌酷感所扮演的角色則較弱。

本研究使我們能更深入認識沉浸遊戲品牌的慣常做法如何影響時裝品牌的整體資產。研究結果為時裝品牌經理提供了啟示,使他們明瞭時裝遊戲的合作會給消費者行為產生重要的影響。

This study aims to examine the effect of social influence, environmental concerns and altruism on consumer purchase intention of eco-fashion (PIEF). In addition, this study, exploring the essential behavioral outcomes influenced in marketing, seeks to deepen the existing insight in this area.

To obtain the required data, the authors surveyed a group of people with previous experience in the purchase of eco-friendly apparel. The research hypotheses were tested using the structural equation modeling technique.

According to the results, social influence had the most significant impact on PIEF. Also, environmental concerns and altruism had a significant effect on PIEF. The results further indicated that eco-fashion purchase intention, in turn, influenced consumer willingness to engage in eWOM and pay a price premium.

The results of the present study guide marketing practitioners for the segmentation of target consumers, as the information on consumers’ natural needs and desires in a socio-cultural context is of significant use to fashion managers to understand their customers deeply. This information also helps them discover better ways of designing their marketing campaigns.

This paper contributes to research by advancing an understanding of how consumers make eco-fashion consumption decisions in purchasing apparel and provides businesses with managerial insights into devising marketing strategies to promote eco-fashion consumption, which facilitates fashion companies’ development of a sustainable fashion supply chain.

Este estudio examina el efecto de los factores influencia social, preocupación medioambiental y altruismo en la intención de compra de moda ecológica (PIEF) por parte de los consumidores. Además, este estudio, que explora los importantes resultados conductuales influenciados en el área del marketing, pretende profundizar en los conocimientos existentes en esta área.

Se encuesto a un grupo de personas con experiencia previa en la compra de ropa ecológica. Las hipótesis de la investigación se contrastaron con SEM.

La influencia social fue la que más influyó en el PIEF. Asimismo, la preocupación por el medio ambiente y el altruismo tuvieron un efecto significativo en el PIEF. Los resultados indicaron además que la intención de compra de moda ecológica, a su vez, influía en la disposición del consumidor a participar en el eWOM y a pagar un sobreprecio.

Los resultados del presente estudio orientan a los profesionales del marketing en la segmentación de los consumidores objetivo, ya que la información sobre las necesidades y deseos naturales de los consumidores en un contexto sociocultural es de gran utilidad para que los gestores de la moda conozcan en profundidad a sus clientes. Esta información también les ayuda a descubrir mejores formas de diseñar sus campañas de marketing.

El artículo contribuye a la investigación al avanzar en la comprensión de cómo los consumidores toman decisiones de consumo de moda ecológica en la compra de prendas de vestir y proporciona a las empresas ideas de gestión para diseñar estrategias de marketing que promuevan el consumo de moda ecológica, lo que facilita a las empresas de moda el desarrollo de una cadena de suministro de moda sostenible.

环境关注和利他主义等因素对消费者购买环保时装意向（PIEF）的影响。此外, 这项研究探讨了在营销领域有影响的重要行为结果, 试图深化这一领域的现有见解。

我们调查了一组有购买生态友好服装经验的人使用结构方程模型（SEM）方法对研究假设进行了检验。

社会影响对PIEF的影响最大。此外, 对环境的关注和利他主义对PIEF也有重大影响。结果进一步表明, 环保时装的购买意向反向影响了消费者参与eWOM和支付价格溢价的意愿。

且结果只限于环保时装消费。

本研究的结果为营销从业者提供了关于细分目标消费群体的指导。消费者在特定社会文化背景下的自然需求和欲望等信息对于时尚经理人深入了解他们的顾客来说有重要作用, 而这些信息也有助于他们探索更好地设计营销活动的方法。

为企业提供了设计促进环保时装消费的营销策略的管理建议。这促进了时尚公司发展可持续时尚供应链, 为该领域研究做出了贡献。

This study aims to explore the relationship between the objectives of Islamic banking, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in the South African context. Diving deep, this study also explores the relationship between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty.

Purposive and snowball sampling techniques were used, resulting in 163 respondents participating in this study. The data was collected using an online survey and analysed using a structural equation model based on the partial least squares method.

The results indicate that the construct related to the objectives of Islamic banking influences both customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. In addition, customer satisfaction is also found to influence a customer’s loyalty to the Islamic bank.

In South Africa, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first of its kind; thus, the results provide context-specific insights into the extant literature on Islamic banking for Muslims residing in a non-Muslim majority country.

This article revisits some theories and concepts of public administration, including those related to public value, transaction costs and social equity, to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of using artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms in public service delivery. The author seeks to mobilize theory to guide AI-era public management practitioners and researchers.

The author uses an existing task classification model to mobilize and juxtapose public management theories against artificial intelligence potential impacts in public service delivery. Theories of social equity and transaction costs as well as some concepts such as red tape, efficiency and economy are used to argue that the discipline of public administration provides a foundation to ensure algorithms are used in a way that improves service delivery.

After presenting literature on the challenges and promises of using AI in public service, the study shows that while the adoption of algorithms in public service has benefits, some serious challenges still exist when looked at under the lenses of theory. Additionally, the author mobilizes the public administration concepts of agenda setting and coproduction and finds that designing AI-enabled public services should be centered on citizens who are not mere customers. As an implication for public management practice, this study shows that bringing citizens to the forefront of designing and implementing AI-delivered services is key to reducing the reproduction of social biases.

As a fast-growing subject, artificial intelligence research in public management is yet to empirically test some of the theories that the study presented.

The paper vulgarizes some theories of public administration which practitioners can consider in the design and implementation of AI-enabled public services. Additionally, the study shows practitioners that bringing citizens to the forefront of designing and implementing AI-delivered services is key to reducing the reproduction of social biases.

The paper informs a broad audience who might not be familiar with public administration theories and how those theories can be taken into consideration when adopting AI systems in service delivery.

This research is original, as, to the best of the author’s knowledge, no prior work has combined these concepts in analyzing AI in the public sector.

We explore the impact of equity liquidity on a firm’s dynamic leverage adjustments and the moderating impacts of leverage deviation and target instability on the link between equity liquidity and dynamic leverage in the UK market.

In applying the two-step system GMM, we estimate our model by exploring suitable instruments for the dynamic variable(s), i.e. lagged values of the dynamic term(s).

Our analyses document that a firm’s equity liquidity has a positive impact on the speed of adjustment (SOA) of its leverage ratio back to the target ratio in the UK market. We also demonstrate that the positive relationship between liquidity and SOA is more pronounced for firms whose current position is relatively close to their target leverage ratio and whose target ratio is relatively stable.

This study provides important implications for both firms’ managers and investors. Particularly, firms’ managers who wish to increase the leverage SOA to enhance firms’ value need to give great attention to their equity liquidity. Investors who want to evaluate firms’ performance could also consider their equity liquidity and leverage SOA.

We are the first to enrich the literature on leverage adjustments by identifying equity liquidity as a new determinant of SOA in a single developed country with many differences in the structure and development of capital markets, ownership concentration and institutional characteristics. We also provide new empirical evidence of the joint effect of equity liquidity, leverage deviation and target instability on leverage SOA.

The study aims to examine how the information disclosed by the managers in the management discussion and analysis (MD&A) reports varies at the different levels of corporate performance.

To understand this quantile effect, first OLS technique was adopted and then, the quantile regression method was applied to explore the impact of MD&A disclosures on the firm performance across the lower and upper quantiles. The sample size for the study is 490 firms’ year observations for the period 2016–2022.

The results of the study demonstrate the negative but significant relationship between MD&A disclosures and corporate performance, supporting the two management strategies of “competitive disadvantage” in case of good performance and “management impression strategy” in case of poor performance. Furthermore, with other corporate governance variables, both the size of the board and the number of independent directors on the board are positively significant only in the case of the upper quantile indicating the heterogeneity in the relationship between the performance and the MD&A disclosures. Therefore, the overall findings of the study support that these results contradict the agency theory and the stakeholders’ theory as managers are not acting well as agents on behalf of the investors and work well only when they are controlled by the large board having more independent directors.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no study so far has incorporated quantile regression to assess the effect of MD&A disclosures on company performance at various levels of the firm performance, which gives more robust insights about the viewpoint of the managers on the different level of the firm performance. In other words, this study highlights the important information as to how the information provided in the MD&A reports varies as per the good or poor performance of the companies.

This study investigates how human resource training and development (HRTD) shapes workplace spirituality in higher education. It delves into key factors impacting spirituality among academics, such as colleague support and e-learning initiatives. Through analytical tools like percentage analysis and Garret ranking, it divides workplace spirituality in academia, exploring the HR strategies that induce it.

(a) Type of research – Descriptive research (b) Area of research – The present study is taken up by the academicians as a respondent in selected colleges in Salem district. (c) Sampling technique – Simple random method was adopted. (d) Sources of data collection – The study comprises mixed data method that both types of data were adopted. (i) Primary data – Researcher conducted data by selecting a representative sample of the teaching faculties from various institutions employed in higher education in Salem. (ii) Secondary data – It is mostly gathered through content found on websites. (e) Method of data collection – Structured questionnaires were employed in this research to acquire the data needed for the investigation. Every item it is rated through five-point scale of with 1 denoting “Strongly Agree” to “Strongly Disagree,” this includes questions about the job, coworkers, seniors and training. (f) Research tools used – Descriptive statistics, Friedman test and Garret ranking.

Findings highlight the significance of encouraging colleagues, workplace development and online learning in fostering workplace spirituality. Faculty encouragement emerges as the most impactful HR practice, while development initiatives improve the reputation of training for new aspects. Notably, online training significantly affects workplace spirituality, increasing the influence of cultural training.

Implications for future research arise, suggesting potential models for studying workplace spirituality in academia and sparking curiosity about the connection between HR practices and spirituality.

From a practical viewpoint, the study offers actionable insights for authorities to improve workplace spirituality by supporting colleagues and emphasizing growth strategies. It outlines clear steps for organizations to create more spiritually enriching work environments.

Socially, the study advocates for healthier work cultures that impact society's perspective on work–life balance and employee well-being. It promotes positive work environments that benefit both individuals and society.

This paper's originality lies in its focus on how HRTD contributes to workplace spirituality in higher education. It emphasizes supporting colleagues, fostering growth and utilizing e-learning, offering unique insights into spirituality at work. The methodology, using structured questionnaires and statistical analysis among faculty, provides a distinct approach to studying this area.

Authorities have set up numerous security checkpoints during times of armed conflict to control the flow of commercial and humanitarian trucks into and out of areas of conflict. These security checkpoints have become highly utilized because of the complex security procedures and increased truck traffic, which significantly slow the delivery of relief aid. This paper aims to improve the process at security checkpoints by redesigning the current process to reduce processing time and relieve congestion at checkpoint entrance gates.

A decision-support tool (clearing function distribution model [CFDM]) is used to minimize the effects of security checkpoint congestion on the entire humanitarian supply network using a hybrid simulation-optimization approach. By using a business process simulation, the current and reengineered processes are both simulated, and the simulation output was used to estimate the clearing function (capacity as a function of the workload). For both the AS-IS and TO-BE models, key performance indicators such as distribution costs, backordering and process cycle time were used to compare the results of the CFDM tool. For this, the Kerem Abu Salem security checkpoint south of Gaza was used as a case study.

The comparison results demonstrate that the CFDM tool performs better when the output of the TO-BE clearing function is used.

The efforts will contribute to improving the planning of any humanitarian network experiencing congestion at security checkpoints by minimizing the impact of congestion on the delivery lead time of relief aid to the final destination.

Coaching is a widespread form of human development that has grown considerably in recent years. However, it is not well understood in entrepreneurship and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and little is known about the success factors for coaching in SMEs. Thus, this article presents a theoretical framework for coaching SMEs. The paper reports on a study carried out to develop and validate a coaching model for entrepreneurship in SMEs.

A mixed methods approach was undertaken in SMEs in the Iranian pharmaceutical industry. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to confirm the samples and the model's dimensions.

The results show five chief constructs of the entrepreneurial coaching model. In particular, the authors determine the importance of early goal setting and identify the essential characteristics of an effective entrepreneurial coach.

Firstly, the data relied solely on the pharmacy industry in Iran, indicating a need for future studies to explore coaching programs across various industries and countries. Additionally, a quantitative aspect of the research involved participants answering questionnaires based on their perceptions. This subjective nature introduces a potential for inaccuracies in participants' perceptions and expectations. Furthermore, the inherent bias of program stakeholders may have led to exaggerated responses. To mitigate these issues, it would be beneficial to conduct experimental and longitudinal research, which could address these concerns more effectively.

By utilizing a theoretical framework, the authors goal is to define the essential features of coaching in SMEs and compare it to other developmental interventions to highlight both commonalities and distinctions. This approach addresses the recent suggestions in coaching literature to distinguish coaching practices tailored for particular groups, specifically entrepreneurs involved in SMEs.

This study contributes to understanding the essential features for successful entrepreneurial coaching in SMEs.

This paper aims to identify the effect of environmental management systems (EMSs), commitment to stakeholders and gender diversity on corporate environmental performance (CEP) and the extent to which an economic crisis moderates these relationships.

A regression analysis was conducted on a sample of 14,217 observations from 1,933 firms from 26 countries from 2002 to 2010. The estimator used is ordinary least squares with heteroscedastic panel-corrected standard errors (PCSEs), which allows us to obtain consistent results in the presence of heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation.

The results show that EMSs and stakeholder engagement are mechanisms that drive CEP but lose their effectiveness in times of crisis. However, the presence of women on boards has a positive effect on CEP that is not affected by an economic crisis.

The study has some limitations that could be addressed in the future. We present board gender diversity as a governance mechanism because its role is strongly related to non-financial performance. Future studies could focus on other corporate governance mechanisms, such as the presence of institutional or long-term investors. In addition, other mechanisms could be found that can counteract poor environmental performance in times of crisis. Finally, it might be useful to contrast these results with the crisis generated by the coronavirus pandemic.

The results obtained have important practical implications at the corporate and institutional levels. At the corporate level, they highlight, as essential contributions, that environmental management systems and stakeholder orientation are not effective in times of economic crisis, except for with the presence of women on the board.

Following the crisis, the European Commission has promoted gender diversity on boards as a mechanism to improve the governance of entities – improving, among other aspects, sustainability. In this sense, another one of the practical implications of the study is support for the policies that the European Union has implemented over the last two decades.

The paper analyses how a crisis affects the moral and cultural institutional mechanisms that promote CEP. Gender diversity on the board of directors not only promotes environmental performance but also appears to be a governance mechanism that ensures this performance in times of crisis when the other mechanisms lose their effectiveness. The study proposes specific policies that help maintain environmental performance in an economic crisis.