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Article
Publication date: 22 March 2024

Ruo-yu Liang, Yin Li and Wei Wei

Wearable health devices (WHDs) have demonstrated significant potential in assisting elderly adults with proactive health management by utilizing sensors to record and monitor…

Abstract

Purpose

Wearable health devices (WHDs) have demonstrated significant potential in assisting elderly adults with proactive health management by utilizing sensors to record and monitor various aspects of their health, including physical activity, heart rate, etc. However, limited research has systematically explored older adults’ continued usage intention toward WHD. By utilizing the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2), this paper aims to probe the precursors of elderly adults’ continuance intention to use WHD from an enabler–inhibitor perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

The research model was developed based on UTAUT2 and examined utilizing the partial least squares technique (PLS). The research data were collected through in-person meetings with older people (n = 272) in four cities in China.

Findings

Results reveal that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic values and perceived complexity are the positive predictors of elderly adults’ continuance intention to use WHDs. Technology-related anxiety and usage cost negatively influence the formation of older people’s continuance intention.

Originality/value

This work is an original empirical investigation that draws on several theories as guiding frameworks. It adds to the existing literature on the usage of wearable technologies and offers insights into how the elderly’s intentions to continue using WHDs can be developed. This study broadens the scope of the UTAUT2 application and presents an alternative theoretical framework that can be utilized in future research on the usage behavior of wearable devices by individuals.

Book part
Publication date: 16 May 2024

Guus Hendriks

China’s foreign aid efforts in Africa remain contentious. Chinese foreign aid tends to be different from “traditional” development assistance in that it frequently involves firms…

Abstract

China’s foreign aid efforts in Africa remain contentious. Chinese foreign aid tends to be different from “traditional” development assistance in that it frequently involves firms as the implementing agents of projects. Firms bring unique resources to public–private partnerships (PPPs) formed with government agencies, but their possible self-interested nature also gives rise to concerns over their development impact. Yet, on a larger scale, little is known about the characteristics of Chinese PPPs in foreign aid. Using project-level data available for 1,308 Chinese aid projects in 50 countries across Africa, the author characterizes the projects undertaken by firms and government agencies in a PPP and contrasts them to those executed by Chinese government agencies without firm involvement. This exploratory data analysis suggests that important differences apply, as Chinese PPPs tend to target different sustainable development goals (SDGs), work on the basis of distinct aid conditions, and implement projects that tend to be larger than those that are solely run by government agencies. Such observations raise important questions of an ethical, theoretical, and international nature, and warrant further research. The author develops a research agenda that aims at issues particularly important for business ethics scholars, organization theorists, and international business scholarship.

Details

Walking the Talk? MNEs Transitioning Towards a Sustainable World
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83549-117-1

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 April 2024

Niharika Mehta, Seema Gupta and Shipra Maitra

Foreign direct investment in the real estate (FDIRE) sector is required to bridge the gap between investment needed and domestic funds. Further, foreign direct investment is…

Abstract

Purpose

Foreign direct investment in the real estate (FDIRE) sector is required to bridge the gap between investment needed and domestic funds. Further, foreign direct investment is gaining importance because other sources of raising finance such as External Commercial Borrowing and foreign currency convertible bonds have been banned in the Indian real estate sector. Therefore, the objective of the study is to explore the determinants attracting foreign direct investment in real estate and to assess the impact of those variables on foreign direct investments in real estate.

Design/methodology/approach

Johansen cointegration test, vector error correction model along with variance decomposition and impulse response function are employed to understand the nexus of the relationship between various macroeconomic variables and foreign direct investment in real estate.

Findings

The results indicate that infrastructure, GDP and tourism act as drivers of foreign direct investment in real estate. However, interest rates act as a barrier.

Originality/value

This article aimed at exploring factors attracting FDIRE along with estimating the impact of identified variables on FDI in real estate. Unlike other studies, this study considers FDI in real estate instead of foreign real estate investments.

Details

Property Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-7472

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 April 2024

Chai Ching Tan, Mohammad Shahidul Islam, Rupa Sinha, Ali Elsayed Shehata and Kareem M. Selem

This paper addresses a crucial research need by examining the influence of compatibility, a pivotal design element for hotel concierge apps, on the socio-psychological dynamics of…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper addresses a crucial research need by examining the influence of compatibility, a pivotal design element for hotel concierge apps, on the socio-psychological dynamics of digital hotel guests. While prior research has examined the constructs, their application to digital concierge apps introduces a unique context. We posit that compatibility significantly influences central variables rooted in theory of planned behaviors (TPBs) and technology acceptance model (TAM), fostering positive usage intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

Analyzing data from 668 four-star hotel guests through PLS-SEM substantiates compatibility’s role, endorsing the theoretical amalgamation of affordance, TPB, and TAM frameworks.

Findings

Compatibility positively affected perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and attitude toward behavior. Besides, usage intention positively affected willingness to pay a price premium and revisit intention.

Originality/value

This paper adopts compatibility as a unifying force for integrating TPB and TAM; the predictive ability of digital concierges' usage intentions on revisit intentions to upscale hotels. Further, this paper is the first attempt to highlight employing compatibility as a pivotal design factor for digital concierge apps in the hospitality setting.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 January 2023

Chin Tiong Cheng and Gabriel Hoh Teck Ling

Increasing overhang of serviced apartments poses a serious concern to the national property market. This study aims to examine the impacts of macroeconomic determinants, namely…

Abstract

Purpose

Increasing overhang of serviced apartments poses a serious concern to the national property market. This study aims to examine the impacts of macroeconomic determinants, namely, gross domestic product (GDP), consumer confidence index (CF), existing stocks (ES), incoming supply (IS) and completed project (CP) on serviced apartment price changes.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve more accurate, quality price changes, a serviced apartment price index (SAPI) was constructed through a self-developed hedonic price index model. This study has collected 1,567 transaction data in Kuala Lumpur, covering 2009Q1–2018Q4 for price index construction and data were analysed using the vector autoregressive model, the vector error correction model and the fully modified ordinary least squares (OLS) (FMOLS).

Findings

Results of the regression model show that only GDP, ES and IS were significantly associated with SAPI, with an R2 of 0.7, where both ES and IS have inverse relationships with SAPI. More precisely, it is predicted that the price of serviced apartments will be reduced by 0.56% and 0.21% for every 1% increase in ES and IS, respectively.

Practical implications

Therefore, government monitoring of serviced apartments’ future supply is crucial by enforcing land use-planning regulations via stricter development approval of serviced apartments to safeguard and achieve more stable property prices.

Originality/value

By adopting an innovative approach to estimating the response of price change to supply and demand in a situation where there is no price indicator for serviced apartments, the study addresses the knowledge gap, especially in terms of understanding what are the key determinants of, and to what extent they influence, the SAPI.

Details

International Journal of Housing Markets and Analysis, vol. 17 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8270

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 February 2024

Jinhua Xu, Feisan Ye and Xiaoxia Li

This paper aims to empirically investigate the impact of the carbon intensity constraint policy (CICP) on green innovation.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to empirically investigate the impact of the carbon intensity constraint policy (CICP) on green innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

This study takes the implementation of the CICP as a quasi-natural experiment and uses a quasi–difference-in-difference method to investigate the impact of the CICP on firm green innovation from a microeconomic perspective.

Findings

The CICP significantly limits the quality of firms’ green innovation. Among the range of green patents, the CICP distorts only patents related to CO2 emissions. The inhibitory effect is more pronounced in non-state-owned enterprises and heavily polluting firms. R&D investment and green investor are identified as the main mechanism.

Practical implications

These findings provide evidence for the influence of the CICP on firm green innovation, which can guide policymakers in China and other emerging economies that prioritize carbon intensity constraint targets and the improvement of relevant auxiliary measures.

Social implications

Governments and firms should have a comprehensive understanding of environmental policies and corporate behavior and need to mitigate the negative impact through a combination of measures.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by providing additional empirical evidence regarding the two opposing sides of the ongoing debate on the positive or negative effects of CICP. It also provides new evidence on the policy effect of the CICP on firm green innovation, together with its mechanisms and heterogeneous influences.

Details

Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, vol. 15 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8021

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 May 2023

Cheuk Hang Au, Barney Tan and Chunmian Ge

The success of sharing economy (SE) platforms has made it attractive for many firms to adopt this business model. However, the inherent weaknesses of these platforms, such as…

Abstract

Purpose

The success of sharing economy (SE) platforms has made it attractive for many firms to adopt this business model. However, the inherent weaknesses of these platforms, such as their unstandardized service quality, the burden of maintenance on resource owners and the threat of multi-homing, have become increasingly apparent. Previous prescriptions for addressing these weaknesses, however, are limited because they do not account for factors such as compliance costs and information asymmetry, and tend to solve the problem on only one side of the platform at the expense of the others. By exploring the strategies deployed and actions undertaken across the development of Xbed, a successful accommodation-sharing platform in China, this study aims to explore an alternative solution that would overcome the aforementioned weaknesses without the corresponding compromises.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a case study consisting of secondary data and interviews with 15 informants who were representatives of Xbed's top management, organizational IT functions and its various business units.

Findings

The authors identified three inherent weaknesses that may be found in SE business models and how these weaknesses can be overcome without compromising other stakeholders through an auxiliary platform. The authors also discuss the advantages, characteristics, deployment and nature of auxiliary platforms.

Originality/value

This model contributes an in-depth view of establishing and nurturing auxiliary platforms to complement a primary SE platform. Owners and managers of SE platforms may use our model as the basis of guidelines for optimizing their platforms' development, thereby extending the benefits of SE to more stakeholders.

Details

Internet Research, vol. 34 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1066-2243

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 February 2024

Harshani Shashikala Wijerathna, Niluka Anuradha and Roshan Ajward

This study aims to explore the relationship between institutional and macroeconomic factors and corporate financial flexibility while also investigating the moderating impact of…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore the relationship between institutional and macroeconomic factors and corporate financial flexibility while also investigating the moderating impact of selected board governance mechanisms on this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample of the study comprises 174 firms listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange for a period of eight years, from 2014 to 2021. Data were collected from secondary sources, and both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques were used for analyses.

Findings

Corporate financial flexibility is notably affected by profitability as an institutional factor and by gross domestic product growth rate and banking sector development as macroeconomic factors. Furthermore, the relationship between a company’s profitability and corporate financial flexibility is found to be moderated by selected board governance mechanisms. However, these governance mechanisms do not influence the relationship between corporate financial flexibility and other institutional factors (i.e. other than profitability) and macroeconomic factors considered in this study.

Originality/value

This study adds a fresh perspective to the existing body of knowledge in the field of corporate finance by emphasizing the interaction effect of board governance mechanisms on the association between macroeconomic and institutional variables and financial flexibility of firms. The findings are expected to be useful for business decision-makers in managing their corporate financial flexibility effectively and maximizing the use of their financial resources.

Details

Journal of Asia Business Studies, vol. 18 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1558-7894

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 July 2023

Seng Cheong Cheah and Cheng Ling Tan

This study intends to examine the relationships between external knowledge sourcing (EKS), organizational ambidexterity (OA), and manufacturing performance (MP) in the context of…

Abstract

Purpose

This study intends to examine the relationships between external knowledge sourcing (EKS), organizational ambidexterity (OA), and manufacturing performance (MP) in the context of large manufacturing firms within a dynamic environment setting. The research framework and derived hypotheses are grounded in the knowledge-based view (KBV) and dynamic capability (DC) theories.

Design/methodology/approach

A self-administered online survey was used in this study to gather data. Respondents were the operation leaders representing large manufacturing firms. The collected data were screened for invalid responses, and hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling.

Findings

The study reveals that OA and EKS play key roles in achieving a better MP. Likewise, OA also mediates the relationship between EKS and MP.

Research limitations/implications

Cross-sectional data were collected from large manufacturing firms within five focus sectors in Malaysia. A similar study can be conducted with more sectors of different contexts to confirm the findings.

Practical implications

Knowledge is critical for the firm to react to environmental dynamism, and the ability to manage it ambidextrously will enable the firm to enhance its performance.

Originality/value

This study offers empirical insights from the perspective of the large manufacturing firms in Malaysia, which are undergoing an Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0) transformation. This study bridges the knowledge gap by revealing the value that EKS can facilitate MP, exploring OA as the prevalent factor and demonstrating how KBV and DC can be applied in this study.

Details

Benchmarking: An International Journal, vol. 31 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-5771

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 4 April 2024

Hugo Iasco-Pereira and Rafael Duregger

Our study aims to evaluate the impact of infrastructure and public investment on private investment in machinery and equipment in Brazil from 1947 to 2017. The contribution of our…

Abstract

Purpose

Our study aims to evaluate the impact of infrastructure and public investment on private investment in machinery and equipment in Brazil from 1947 to 2017. The contribution of our article to the existing literature lies in providing a more comprehensive understanding of the presence or absence of the crowding effect in the Brazilian economy by leveraging an extensive historical database. Our central argument posits that the recent decline in private capital accumulation over the last few decades can be attributed to shifts in economic policies – moving from a developmentalist orientation to nondevelopmental guidance since the early 1990s, which is reflected in the diminished levels of public investment and infrastructure since the 1980s.

Design/methodology/approach

We conducted a series of econometric regressions utilizing the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) model as our chosen econometric methodology.

Findings

Employing two different variables to measure public investment and infrastructure, our results – robust across various specifications – have substantiated the existence of a crowding-in effect in Brazil over the examined period. Thus, we have empirical evidence indicating that the state has influenced private capital accumulation in the Brazilian economy over the past decades.

Originality/value

Our article contributes to the existing literature by offering a more comprehensive understanding of the crowding effect in the Brazilian economy, utilizing an extensive historical database.

Details

EconomiA, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1517-7580

Keywords

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