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In the UK signposting services can be developed as enhanced support for people with health and social care needs or service diversion to help primary and urgent care services manage their workload. This review considers these two conflicting purposes.

The review used a realist approach, initial searches to identify theory; we then selected 22 publications and extracted programme theories, from which we developed questions from three viewpoints: the service user, the front-line service provider and the commissioner. A rich sample of studies were found from purposive searching. To optimise the applicability of synthesis findings predominantly UK studies were included.

Users value signposting service that understand their needs, suggest a range of options and summarise potential actions. People with complex health and social care needs generally require extended time/input from signposting services. Front-line providers require initial and ongoing training, support/supervision, good knowledge of available services/resources and the ability to match users to them and a flexible response. Commissioned signposting services in England are diverse making evaluation difficult.

Meaningful evaluation of signposting services requires greater clarity around roles and service expectations. Signposting services alone fulfil the needs of a small number of users due to the unreconciled tension between efficient (transactional) service provision and effective (relational) service provision. This is underpinned by competing narratives of whether signposting represents diversion of inappropriate demand from primary care and other urgent care services or improved quality of care through a joined-up response encompassing health, social care and community/voluntary services.

Conceptual and empirical research over the past 20 years has moved the social media (SM) literature beyond the embryotic stage to a well-developed academic discipline. As the lead article in the special issue in the Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing on Cutting-Edge Research in Social Media and Interactive Marketing, this review and agenda article has two key goals: (1) to review key SM and interactive marketing research over the past three years and (2) to identify the next wave of high priority challenges and research opportunities.

Given the “cutting-edge” research focus of the special issue, this review and research agenda paper focused on articles published in 25 key marketing journals between January 2021 and March 2024. Initially, the search request was for articles with “social media, social selling, social commerce” located in the article title, author-selected key words and journal-selected keywords. Later, we conducted searches based on terminology from articles presented in the final review. In total, over 1,000 articles were reviewed across the 25 journals, plus additional ones that were cited in those journals that were not on the initial list.

Our review uncovered eight key content areas: (1) data sources, methodology and scale development; (2) emergent SM technologies; (3) artificial intelligence; (4) virtual reality; (5) sales and sales management; (6) consumer welfare; (7) influencer marketing; and (8) social commerce. Table I provides a summer of key articles and research findings for each of the content areas.

As a literature review and research agenda article, this paper is one of the most extensive to date on SM marketing, and particularly with regard to emergent research over the past three years. Recommendations for future research are integrated through the paper and summarized in Figure 2.

Consumer welfare is one of the eight emergent content areas uncovered in the literature review. Specific focus is on SM privacy, misinformation, mental health and misbehavior.

This study aims to examine the roles of corporate social responsibility (CSR), green innovation (GI) and knowledge management (KM) in boosting sustainable practices (SPs). It also investigates the mediating effect of green innovation and the moderating effect of KM in the relationship between CSR and SPs.

Using measurement scales adapted from existing studies, a quantitative methodology with causal and deductive reasoning was used on data from an online survey with 322 respondents in manufacturing firms in the United Arab Emirates.

There was no direct significant positive relationship between CSR and SPs; the mediating role of GI was evident, whereas the moderating role of KM was not present.

Only manufacturing enterprises are considered in this study, with a single geographical case study highlighting CSR efforts.

The findings reveal the positive influence of GI on CSR and SPs. This study contributes to the understanding of the influence of green processes and product innovation on applying social, environmental and sustainability practices to enhance the overall productivity, compliance, performance and well-being of the community.

This study collectively explores the causal relationships between these factors, besides offering new insights into the manufacturing industry in an emerging market.

This study aims to improve the mechanical properties of an object produced by fused deposition modelling with high-grade polymer.

The study uses an ensembled surrogate-assisted evolutionary algorithm (SAEA) to optimize the process parameters for example, layer height, print speed, print direction and nozzle temperature for enhancing the mechanical properties of temperature-sensitive high-grade polymer poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) in fused deposition modelling (FDM) 3D printing while considering print time as one of the important parameter. These models are integrated with an evolutionary algorithm to efficiently explore parameter space. The optimized parameters from the SAEA approach are compared with those obtained using the Gray Relational Analysis (GRA) Taguchi method serving as a benchmark. Later, the study also highlights the significant role of print direction in optimizing the mechanical properties of FDM 3D printed PEEK.

With the use of ensemble learning-based SAEA, one can successfully maximize the ultimate stress and percentage elongation with minimum print time. SAEA-based solution has 28.86% higher ultimate stress, 66.95% lower percentage of elongation and 7.14% lower print time in comparison to the benchmark result (GRA Taguchi method). Also, the results from the experimental investigation indicate that the print direction has a greater role in deciding the optimum value of mechanical properties for FDM 3D printed high-grade thermoplastic PEEK polymer.

This study is valid for the parameter ranges, which are defined to conduct the experimentation.

This study has been conducted on the basis of taking only a few important process parameters as per the literatures and available scope of the study; however, there are many other parameters, e.g. wall thickness, road width, print orientation, fill pattern, roller speed, retraction, etc. which can be included to make a more comprehensive investigation and accuracy of the results for practical implementation.

This study deploys a novel meta-model-based optimization approach for enhancing the mechanical properties of high-grade thermoplastic polymers, which is rarely available in the published literature in the research domain.

Applying resource-based view and the configurational approach theory, this study seeks to understand the moderating role of age and gender between human resource practices and employee competencies relationship.

43 food processing firms of India participated in the study. Applying multilevel approach, the responses of 295 human resource managers and 3,557 employees were used for the analysis.

The human resource practices–employee competencies relationship was stronger in the case of young employees. Furthermore, the relationship was better in case of male employees over female employees. The results urge for greater attention toward age and gender diversity issues while tailoring human resource practices for enhancing employee skills. This article contributes the human resource management literature by exploring the role of age and gender, which has been used as the control variables as the moderating variables for governing the human resource practices–employee competencies relationship.

Special focus can be placed on extensive custom in-house training and development activities. Proper division of work can be done for new employees and experienced employees depending upon their learning capabilities. The firms can do so by either implementing formal or informal organizational structures to achieve full gains. Firms should focus largely on narrowing the development practices adopted for diverse age groups of workforce population. The four practices proposed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (2006) for ensuring effectiveness of development practices and its impact on old age employee effectiveness and attitude should be put in practice.

The originality of this study lies in its exploration of the intricate interplay among age, gender and human resource practices in shaping employee competencies. By understanding how these factors interact within the human resource practices–employee competencies framework, this research offers a unique perspective on the evolving workforce dynamics. It goes beyond the conventional human resource management strategies to uncover nuanced insights, shedding light on tailored approaches that consider the specific needs and aspirations of diverse employees. This innovative perspective contributes to a more inclusive, efficient and adaptable work environment, enriching both the academic understanding of human resources and the practical implementation of strategies for contemporary organizations.