Search results

1 – 10 of over 1000
Article
Publication date: 1 February 2023

Zhongju Liao, Chao Huang, Yubing Yu, Shufeng (Simon) Xiao, Justin Zuopeng Zhang, Abhishek Behl, Vijay Pereira and Alessio Ishizaka

This study aims to investigate the causal relationships within an experimental culture of improvisation capability and firm performance, following the logic of…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the causal relationships within an experimental culture of improvisation capability and firm performance, following the logic of “culture-capability-performance” and building on informal institution theory and dynamic capability theory.

Design/methodology/approach

Data was mainly collected via on-site questionnaires from firm managers, and 196 valid questionnaires were analyzed using structural equation modeling to test the relationship among experimental culture, improvisation capability and firms’ performance.

Findings

Trust and support had a positive impact on firm spontaneity, while the effect of action promotion and error tolerance was not significant. Action promotion, trust and support demonstrate substantial positive effects on the creativity of a firm. Both dimensions of improvisation capability positively and significantly influence a firm’s performance.

Research limitations/implications

The research respondents were firm managers. Cross-sectional data were used to analyze the model, which may cause common method variance. The research context was limited to China, and the generalizability of the results needs to be considered.

Practical implications

Firms can cultivate a culture of trust and support to enhance their spontaneity and improvisation capability. They can encourage cross-departmental communication, empower employees with autonomy in decision-making, provide appropriate resource support for employees’ decisions and use praise and reward incentives to spur further innovation achievements.

Originality/value

This study addresses the gaps in a firm’s improvisation capability within a Chinese market context by theoretically and empirically examining the role of experimental culture and assessing the relationship among each of the dimensions of improvisation capability in relation to firm performance identified in this study.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 27 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 May 2020

Chao-Chin Huang

While literature discussed value cocreation, most still has its focus from customer perspective, this study fills up this gap by focusing on supplier perspective. Second, prior…

Abstract

Purpose

While literature discussed value cocreation, most still has its focus from customer perspective, this study fills up this gap by focusing on supplier perspective. Second, prior works discussed the outcomes of cocreation; however, the process mechanisms are still under-explored, this study thus aims to explore these process mechanisms that drive value co-creation in the agro-food industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Case study is used as the method; specifically, six in-depth interviews on an agro-food company and its suppliers (i.e. farmers) are conducted, and data are analyzed using the grounded theory approach.

Findings

(1). Agro-food company and its rice suppliers invest different resource types and resource density, and the agro-food company is a main actor, i.e. resource investor and integrator; (2). While motivations of the agro-food company and farmers are different, they are mutually fit in the sustainability value; (3). Both parties share similar process mechanisms, i.e. co-production, senses of identification and trust, mutual interaction and information sharing and (4). Both parties thus have similar consequences, i.e. sustainability, codevelopment.

Originality/value

This study (1) proposes an innovative model of what and how values are cocreated, particularly in the agro-food industry; (2). uses three theories, i.e. input–process–output (I–P–O) model (McGrath and Kelly, 1986), service-dominant logic (SD-L) (Vargo and Lusch, 2004), cocreation design framework (Frow et al., 2015), to understand this phenomenon and thus demonstrates and enriches these three theories, particularly applied in the agro-food contexts; (3).offfers practical suggestions to agro-food firms and social enterprises, particularly those having food safety and environment issues.

Article
Publication date: 21 November 2018

Martha R. Crowther, Cassandra D. Ford, Latrice D. Vinson, Chao-Hui Huang, Ernest Wayde and Susan Guin

Older adults are at risk for developing metabolic syndrome (MSX). Given the growing rural older adult population and the unknown prevalence rate of MSX in rural communities, the…

Abstract

Purpose

Older adults are at risk for developing metabolic syndrome (MSX). Given the growing rural older adult population and the unknown prevalence rate of MSX in rural communities, the purpose of this paper is to assess the risk factors for MSX among rural elders.

Design/methodology/approach

Individuals aged 55+ from four West Alabama rural communities were assessed by an interdisciplinary healthcare team via a mobile unit (n=216). Descriptive analyses and analysis of variances (ANOVA) were conducted to assess the effect of gender, race and community on the number of risk factors of MSX among rural elders.

Findings

Results of a three-way ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between gender, age and community on the number of MSX risk factors [F (16,193)= 2.41, p <0.01]. Rural communities with lower social economic status (SES) and predominantly African American residents were at higher risk for developing MSX compared to communities with higher SES [F(3, 68) = 7.42, p<0.05].

Practical implications

Findings suggest low SES rural communities are at risk of developing MSX. Innovative approaches such as mobile healthcare delivery are crucial to providing quality healthcare and preventive health screens to underserved rural older adult communities.

Originality/value

Limited research is available on assessing rural midlife and older adults at risk for metabolic syndrome largely due to lack of communication or transportation infrastructure and their history of negative experiences with public institutions. This research demonstrates that these barriers can be addressed.

Details

Quality in Ageing and Older Adults, vol. 19 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1471-7794

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 August 2020

Kuo-Cheng Kuo, Wen-Min Lu, Qian Long Kweh and Minh-Hieu Le

This study aims to evaluate cargo and eco-efficiency of global container shipping companies (CSCs) and explore the determinants of the CSCs' efficiencies. While the former is…

421

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate cargo and eco-efficiency of global container shipping companies (CSCs) and explore the determinants of the CSCs' efficiencies. While the former is derived from the CSCs' operational perspective, the latter highlights environmental issue related to carbon emission reduction.

Design/methodology/approach

In the first stage, a two-stage double bootstrap approach of data envelopment analysis (DEA) is applied to derive bias-corrected cargo and eco-efficiency of the top ten global CSCs under the variable returns to scale assumption. In the second stage, ordinary least squares and truncated regression are applied to examine determinants of the CSCs' efficiencies.

Findings

The DEA results reveal that the cargo efficiency of the CSCs is higher than their eco-efficiency by about 2.6% under variable returns to scale in DEA. However, the bias-corrected results show that the difference is 2.9%. The overall average efficiencies suggest that the CSCs can improve their cargo (eco) efficiency by 6.9% (10.8%). In the second stage, the regression results show that the numbers of ship, return on assets and asset turnover ratio are significantly related to both cargo and eco-efficiencies, whereas the total fleet capacity positively affects cargo efficiency.

Research limitations/implications

The results of this study can help the inefficient CSCs make strategic decisions to improve their performance. For example, their business experience and capacity may be contributing to their efficiencies. However, this study only focuses on the container market among the three main markets, namely, dry bulk, wet bulk and container.

Originality/value

This study highlights an environmental issue in the shipping industry. While CSCs are operating their cargo efficiently in general, they should also put green initiatives into their business operations for the long-term sustainability.

Details

The International Journal of Logistics Management, vol. 31 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-4093

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 November 2021

Chao-Chin Huang

With the increasing numbers of the elderly people, the aging segment represents a potential huge market. While this trend is obvious, still little literature focuses on this…

1068

Abstract

Purpose

With the increasing numbers of the elderly people, the aging segment represents a potential huge market. While this trend is obvious, still little literature focuses on this group. The study thus fills up this gap. Furthermore, the study aims to examine the aging consumers' journeys from the lens of brand resonance pyramid and has its importance using context-specific theories to understand the elderly consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

Case study method is conducted using the in-depth interview to collect data and inductive method via MaxQda software to analyze. Two types of aging brand (i.e. age-denial and age-adaptive) are investigated (Moody and Sood, 2010). This study interviews 26 elderly consumers, among whom, 12 have experiences in sports gyms (i.e. age-denial) and 14 in hospital services (i.e. age-adaptive). The author also triangulates the results by interviewing two additional experts in these contexts.

Findings

The findings of the paper reveal that (1) brand functional benefit is important for both age-denial and age-adaptive brands while each has different dimensions. Brand experiential benefit (e.g. social, behavioral and intellectual experience) is important motivation for the age-denial brand and brand symbolic and brand psychological benefits are the emotional drivers for the age-adaptive brand. (2) Consequences of this journey include those, for example, brand satisfaction, brand loyalty, word-of-mouth and recommendation and (3) mediating mechanisms, e.g. brand sense of identification, brand psychological attachment and customization for both brand types, with exceptions of diversification and brand psychological attachment, and mutual interaction for the age-denial brand and doctor–patient relationship and consumer inertia for the age-adaptive brand. (4) The current study finds two new concepts for aging consumers, i.e. brand social experience in the age-denial brand and brand psychological benefit in the age-adaptive brand.

Research limitations/implications

(1) Results of the paper are context dependent and generalization issue might occur. (2) While it is analyzed using inductive method via MaxQda software, the interviewer's subjective bias might occur. (3) Interviewees are at their different life stages, i.e. early-old vs mid-old, and thus, these contextual factors might also influence the results.

Originality/value

(1) The current study explores the elderly consumers' experience journeys at three stages (i.e. pre-service, during-service and pro-service/loyalty loop) for age-denial and age-adaptive brands and deepen an understanding of this aging market; (2) offers practical implications to brands targeting at the elderly consumers, particularly the age-denial and age-adaptive brands; (3) uses customer journey theory and brand resonance pyramid as the lens to understand aging consumers, and results also partly echo with the theories and (4) explores two new concepts for aging consumers, i.e. brand social experience and brand psychological benefit, thus adding new dimensions to important constructs, i.e. brand experience and brand benefit.

Details

Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, vol. 34 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-5855

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 June 2017

Chao-Chin Huang

Prior studies on brand relationships tend to overlook the mediator(s) between the relationships between brand experience and brand loyalty. Hence, the main purpose of this paper…

14289

Abstract

Purpose

Prior studies on brand relationships tend to overlook the mediator(s) between the relationships between brand experience and brand loyalty. Hence, the main purpose of this paper is to examine these mediating roles of brand love and brand trust on the brand experience and brand loyalty relationships. While the literature does not examine the distinct dimensions of brand experience and brand loyalty, this study fills up this gap and examines their detailed dimensions and effects on brand loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 237 valid questionnaires on mobile phone brands were collected from respondents aged between 18 and 30, and analyzed using the partial least squares method.

Findings

Sensory experience is the major driver of brand love. Sensory experience mainly drives customers’ brand trust, while intellectual experience has no effects on brand trust. Brand love is the main mechanism in developing customers’ behavioral loyalty, so does brand trust in shaping their attitudinal loyalty. Brand love and brand trust have the mediating effects on the relationships between brand experience and brand loyalty.

Originality/value

It demonstrates two mediating roles of brand love and brand trust in the brand experience and brand loyalty relationships, and thus deepens the understanding of the processes in shaping customers’ brand loyalty. It departs from the prior works and examines the distinct dimensions of brand experience and brand loyalty, and thus presents a more detailed examination on these two constructs and their effects, than prior studies. It demonstrates the validities of the brand resonance model, the C-A-B and A-C-B models, key mediating variable model, particularly in mobile phone industry.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 55 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 6 June 2016

Jeremy Segrott, Heather Rothwell, Ilaria Pignatelli, Rebecca Playle, Gillian Hewitt, Chao Huang, Simon Murphy, Matthew Hickman, Hayley Reed and Laurence Moore

Involvement of parents/carers may increase effectiveness of primary school-based alcohol-misuse prevention projects through strengthening family-based protective factors, but…

2454

Abstract

Purpose

Involvement of parents/carers may increase effectiveness of primary school-based alcohol-misuse prevention projects through strengthening family-based protective factors, but rates of parental engagement are typically low. This paper reports findings from an exploratory trial of a school-based prevention intervention – Kids, Adults Together (KAT), based on the Social Development Model, which aimed to promote pro-social family communication in order to prevent alcohol misuse, and incorporated strategies to engage parents/carers. The purpose of this paper is to assess the feasibility and value of conducting an effectiveness trial of KAT.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was a parallel-group cluster randomised exploratory trial with an embedded process evaluation. The study took place in south Wales, UK, and involved nine primary schools, 367 pupils in Years 5/6 (aged 9-11 years) and their parents/carers and teachers. Questionnaires were completed by pupils at baseline and four month follow-up, and by parents at six month follow-up.

Findings

Overall KAT was delivered with good fidelity, but two of five intervention schools withdrew from the study without completing implementation. In total, 50 per cent of eligible parents participated in the intervention, and KAT had good acceptability among pupils, parents and teachers. However, a number of “progression to effectiveness trial” criteria were not met. Intermediate outcomes on family communication (hypothesised to prevent alcohol misuse) showed insufficient evidence of an intervention effect. Difficulties were encountered in identifying age appropriate outcome measures for primary school-age children, particularly in relation to family communication processes. The study was unable to find comprehensive methodological guidance on exploratory trials.

Research limitations/implications

It would not be appropriate to conduct an effectiveness trial as key progression criteria relating to intervention and trial feasibility were not met. There is a need for new measures of family communication which are suitable for primary school-age children, and more guidance on the design and conduct of exploratory/feasibility trials.

Originality/value

KAT achieved high rates of parental involvement, and its theoretical framework and processes could be adapted by other interventions which experience difficulties with recruitment of parents/carers.

Details

Health Education, vol. 116 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-4283

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 1 July 2014

Alexandra E. MacDougall, John E. Baur, Milorad M. Novicevic and M. Ronald Buckley

On many occasions, organizational science research has been referred to as fragmented and disjointed, resulting in a literature that is, in the opinion of many, difficult to…

Abstract

On many occasions, organizational science research has been referred to as fragmented and disjointed, resulting in a literature that is, in the opinion of many, difficult to navigate and comprehend. One potential explanation is that scholars have failed to comprehend that organizations are complex and intricate systems. In order to move us past this morass, we recommend that researchers extend beyond traditional rational, mechanistic, and variable-centered approaches to research and integrate a more advantageous pattern-oriented approach within their research program. Pattern-oriented methods approximate real-life phenomena by adopting a holistic, integrative approach to research wherein individual- and organizational-systems are viewed as non-decomposable organized wholes. We argue that the pattern-oriented approach has the potential to overcome a number of breakdowns faced by alternate approaches, while offering a novel and more representative lens from which to view organizational- and HRM-related issues. The proposed incorporation of the pattern-oriented approach is framed within a review and evaluation of current approaches to organizational research and is supplemented with a discussion of methodological and theoretical implications as well as potential applications of the pattern-oriented approach.

Details

Research in Personnel and Human Resources Management
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78350-824-2

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 May 2020

Haolong Chen, Zhibo Du, Xiang Li, Huanlin Zhou and Zhanli Liu

The purpose of this paper is to develop a transform method and a deep learning model to identify the inner surface shape based on the measurement temperature at the outer boundary…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a transform method and a deep learning model to identify the inner surface shape based on the measurement temperature at the outer boundary of the pipe.

Design/methodology/approach

The training process is assisted by the finite element method (FEM) simulation which solves the direct problem for the data preparation. To avoid re-meshing the domain when the inner surface shape varies, a new transform method is proposed to transform the shape identification problem into the effective thermal conductivity identification problem. The deep learning model is established to set up the relationship between the measurement temperature and the effective thermal conductivity. Then the unknown geometry shape is acquired by the mapping between the inner shape and the effective thermal conductivity through the inverse transform method.

Findings

The new method is successfully applied to identify the internal boundary of a pipe with eccentric circle, ellipse and nephroid inner geometries. The results show that as the measurement points increased and the measurement error decreased, the results became more accurate. The position of the measurement point and mesh density of the FEM model have less effect on the results.

Originality/value

The deep learning model and the transform method are developed to identify the pipe inner surface shape. There is no need to re-mesh the domain during the computation progress. The results show that the proposed method is a fast and an accurate tool for identifying the pipe inner surface.

Details

Engineering Computations, vol. 37 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-4401

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 July 2021

Arthur Huang, Ying Chao, Efrén de la Mora Velasco, Anil Bilgihan and Wei Wei

This study reviews existing research and current applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in the hospitality and tourism industry. It further proposes a new evaluation…

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Abstract

Purpose

This study reviews existing research and current applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in the hospitality and tourism industry. It further proposes a new evaluation framework to inform the susceptibility of AI adoptions.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a synthesis and evaluation study that qualitatively summarizes and presents findings on AI applications in the hospitality and tourism industry. Current AI applications are rated using a seven-dimensional framework based on Rogers' (2003) diffusion theory.

Findings

AI adoption susceptibility in the hospitality and tourism industry varies based on the type of AI. Search/booking engines, virtual agents and chatbots rank high in the adoption susceptibility.

Research limitations/implications

This study bridges innovation diffusion theoretical underpinnings and AI applications. The findings support researchers, developers and managers in evaluating the adoption susceptibility of AI technologies in the hospitality and tourism industry.

Originality/value

This paper is among the few that focus on assessing AI adoption susceptibility in the hospitality and tourism industry. This paper develops a theory-based framework for systematically evaluating AI innovations in hospitality and tourism.

Details

Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, vol. 5 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2514-9792

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 1000