Search results

1 – 10 of 98
Article
Publication date: 20 October 2023

Kenneth Reinert

The aim of the study is to assess the extent to which Taoist philosophy offers thematic and ethical insights relevant to current global crises, including climate change, food…

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of the study is to assess the extent to which Taoist philosophy offers thematic and ethical insights relevant to current global crises, including climate change, food insecurity, renewed conflict and increased authoritarianism.

Design/methodology/approach

A critical review of specific verses from the Tao Te Ching and research sources relevant to them is carried out.

Findings

Taoist philosophy, of ancient origins, is surprisingly relevant to modern crises. While not offering definitive answers, it does provide thematic and ethical insights for reorienting governance in more productive ways.

Originality/value

While there is a large literature on Taoist philosophy itself, there is a paucity of research articles on the modern relevance of Taoist philosophy to pressing current issues. The article brings together and assesses these sources, considering relevant research.

Details

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, vol. 44 no. 1/2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-333X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 March 2024

Hongxiao Yu, Haemoon Oh and Kuo-Ching Wang

This study aims to examine the underlying emotional process that explains how context-specific stimuli involved in virtual reality (VR) destinations translate into presence…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the underlying emotional process that explains how context-specific stimuli involved in virtual reality (VR) destinations translate into presence perceptions and behavioral intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 403 potential tourists participated in a self-administered online survey after they watched a randomly assigned VR tour. The Lavaan package in R software was used to conduct structural equation analysis and examine the proposed theoretical framework.

Findings

The results reveal that media content consisting of informativeness, aesthetics and novelty was positively related to users’ sense of presence in a VR tour. The effect of media content on presence was partially mediated by emotional arousal.

Practical implications

Managers and VR designers can create an emotive virtual tour that contributes to the user’s sense of presence to promote attraction to the target destination. The VR content needs to be informative, aesthetic and novel, which can excite users during the VR tour, portray virtual destinations clearly and eventually influence potential tourists’ visit intentions.

Originality/value

Research on the emotional mechanism to generate presence is still in its infancy. This study integrates presence theory into a conceptual framework to explore how media content influences presence and decision-making through the emotional mechanism.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 May 2023

Fan-Chen Tseng, Pei-Hsun Emma Liu, T.C. Edwin Cheng and Ching-I Teng

This study intended to identify and categorize the drivers of using online English learning resources (OELR) and to understand OELR's impacts.

Abstract

Purpose

This study intended to identify and categorize the drivers of using online English learning resources (OELR) and to understand OELR's impacts.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted an online survey, obtained complete responses from 157 OELR users and used structural equation modeling (SEM) for hypothesis testing.

Findings

Most utilitarian and hedonic drivers lead to positive perceptions of OELR, which in turn positively contribute to continuance intention (CI). Two counterintuitive findings were obtained. First, functionality was negatively related to the perception of ease of use. Second, perceived ease of use (PEOU) was not related to CI to use OELR.

Practical implications

This study has implications as follows: (1) complexity of the functions of OELR may deter rather than attract users, (2) ease of use of OELR is not directly positively related to CIs and (3) users may seek practical benefits (utilitarian) and experiential learning processes (hedonic) when using OELR.

Originality/value

The authors' study has theoretical significance by being the first to caution that excessive functionality or complexity in assisting learning tools would likely hinder further use of OELR. The practical significance of this finding is that the finding highlights two factors (perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived enjoyment) that could effectively increase OELR use.

Details

Online Information Review, vol. 48 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1468-4527

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 March 2024

Ching Yin Ip

This study evaluated the effects of adherence to social missions and relational outcomes on willingness to pay for products from social enterprises.

Abstract

Purpose

This study evaluated the effects of adherence to social missions and relational outcomes on willingness to pay for products from social enterprises.

Design/methodology/approach

The study’s conceptual model was based on the social resource–based view. Three social enterprises in Taiwan were analysed, and the determinants of willingness to pay for products from these enterprises were investigated. An online survey was conducted, and 404 valid responses were collected and analysed using structural equation modelling. The moderating effect of sustainability orientation was evaluated using the multigroup method.

Findings

The results indicated that adherence to social missions was a critical predictor of relational outcomes and willingness to pay. In addition, sustainability orientation positively moderated the effect of relational outcomes on willingness to pay.

Originality/value

This study enriches the literature by applying the social resource–based view to the context of social enterprises. The study findings have key implications for managers and practitioners of social enterprises seeking to build relationships with stakeholders.

Details

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

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 February 2024

Md Shamim Hossain, Md.Sobhan Ali, Md Zahidul Islam, Chui Ching Ling and Chorng Yuan Fung

This study examines the impact of profitability, firm size and leverage on corporate tax avoidance in Bangladesh, an emerging South Asian economy.

Abstract

Purpose

This study examines the impact of profitability, firm size and leverage on corporate tax avoidance in Bangladesh, an emerging South Asian economy.

Design/methodology/approach

A balanced panel data of 62 firms from Dhaka and Chittagong stock exchanges in Bangladesh from 2009 to 2020 were used to run the regression. This study employed the fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) and dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) to examine the hypotheses.

Findings

The findings show that large firms positively impact corporate tax avoidance. Similarly, profitability and leverage are positively associated with tax avoidance, and the results are significant. Furthermore, the study conducts robustness tests that confirm the findings.

Research limitations/implications

The use of cash effective tax rate (ETR) to investigate firms’ tax avoidance practices poses some limitations, and the results should be interpreted cautiously.

Practical implications

The current study may help policymakers better enhance tax collection from business firms. The findings could serve as a valuable input for effectively monitoring tax collection from large profit-earning firms.

Originality/value

To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first historical attempt in Bangladesh to use panel data to examine the relationship between the firm’s level characteristics and corporate tax avoidance. Panel data often provides greater flexibility with large data, simplifying calculation and statistical analysis.

Details

Asian Review of Accounting, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1321-7348

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 November 2023

Chih-Hsuan Huang, Yii-Ching Lee and Hsin-Hung Wu

Medical staff's emotional exhaustion increases cynical attitudes and behaviors about work and patients and leads medical staff to become detached from work. This may decrease…

Abstract

Purpose

Medical staff's emotional exhaustion increases cynical attitudes and behaviors about work and patients and leads medical staff to become detached from work. This may decrease patients' trust and satisfaction and even endanger patients' lives. There is a need to examine the critical factors affecting the medical staff's emotional exhaustion by investigating its relationship with the patient-safety dimensions based on the safety attitudes questionnaire (SAQ).

Design/methodology/approach

A case study is conducted from the viewpoints of physicians and nurses to examine the relationship between emotional exhaustion and six dimensions of the SAQ from 2016 to 2020 from a regional teaching hospital in Taiwan. Linear regression with forward selection is employed. Six dimensions of the SAQ are the independent variables, whereas emotional exhaustion is the dependent variable for each year.

Findings

Stress recognition is the most important variable to influence emotional exhaustion negatively, while job satisfaction is the second important variable to affect emotional exhaustion positively from 2016 to 2020. On the contrary, working conditions do not influence emotional exhaustion in this hospital from medical staff's viewpoints.

Originality/value

This study uses longitudinal data to find that both stress recognition and job satisfaction consistently influence emotional exhaustion negatively and positively, respectively, in this five-year period. The third dimension to impact emotional exhaustion varies from time to time. Thus, the findings from a cross-sectional study might be limited. The authors' findings show that reducing stress recognition and enhancing job satisfaction can lead to the improvement of emotional exhaustion from medical staff's viewpoints, which should be monitored by hospital management.

Details

Journal of Health Organization and Management, vol. 38 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7266

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 December 2023

Ching Yin Ip and Chaoyun Liang

The present study surveyed consumers in Taiwan and Japan to analyse the influence of marketing mix on purchase intention and the willingness to pay for Taiwanese pork and to…

Abstract

Purpose

The present study surveyed consumers in Taiwan and Japan to analyse the influence of marketing mix on purchase intention and the willingness to pay for Taiwanese pork and to establish a marketing-oriented model of consumer behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 1,134 valid Internet surveys were collected, which included 526 Taiwanese respondents and 608 Japanese respondents.

Findings

An analysis of the results indicated that product quality constitutes the foundation of marketing strategies and significantly affects purchase intention and willingness to pay through physical evidence, promotional activities, place and price. Both physical evidence and product strongly affect the purchase intention of Taiwanese consumers, followed by price, whereas price and physical evidence significantly affect willingness to pay. For Japanese consumers, price, product and promotion strongly affect purchase intention, but place and physical evidence exert negative effects; by contrast, price and promotion significantly affect willingness to pay.

Originality/value

The results determined that a modified marketing mix should be applied for agricultural products. In the domestic market, marketing should promote the modernisation and scale of pork farms and possibly the brand value or market rarity. In international markets, particularly those of neighbouring countries, marketing should focus on the promotion of Taiwanese pork as a high-quality, reasonably-priced product with transparent product information and convenient purchase channels. This study contributes to the application of marketing theory to the market for staple foods by incorporating considerations for domestic and international markets.

Article
Publication date: 14 September 2023

Chia-Chang Huang, Ching-Jung Chung, Yi-Ting Wu, Po-Ting Hsu, Jen-Feng Liang, Ying-Ying Yang and Jie Chi Yang

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a digital medical library, including department-based electronic journal access, library training course participation and scholarly…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a digital medical library, including department-based electronic journal access, library training course participation and scholarly publications.

Design/methodology/approach

The data on full-text electronic journal access, participants of library training courses and scholarly publications were exported from a digital medical library database during 2017–2021. In addition, electronic journal access and library training courses were divided into high-level and low-level groups, while scholarly publications were divided into physician and non-physician groups.

Findings

The scholarly publications had a positive correlation to library training courses and electronic journal access. Furthermore, scholarly publications showed a significant difference between the high-level and low-level electronic journal access groups but not between the high-level and low-level library training course groups. Scholarly publications and electronic journal access had positive correlations for both the physician and non-physician groups. Scholarly publications and library training courses, and electronic journal access and library training courses had positive correlations only in the non-physician group.

Practical implications

The importance of electronic journal access for scholarly publications is suggested based on the findings of the present study. The training courses held by the medical library had a positive effect on scholarly publications for the non-physician group.

Originality/value

The current study provides insights relevant to the electronic journal access of library-supported scholarly publications among medical departments. These results can serve as a reference for medical library development planning and decision-making in the future.

Details

The Electronic Library , vol. 42 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0264-0473

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 June 2023

Pearl M.C. Lin, Wai Ching Wilson Au and Thomas Baum

Drawing on the mSERVQUAL model and spillover theory, this study aims to examine the mechanism through which food-ordering mobile app service quality influences users’ mobile app…

1727

Abstract

Purpose

Drawing on the mSERVQUAL model and spillover theory, this study aims to examine the mechanism through which food-ordering mobile app service quality influences users’ mobile app satisfaction, food satisfaction and repurchase intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

Online surveys were completed by 1,000 customers who used a food-ordering mobile app to order fast food on the day they completed the online survey. Structural equation modelling was then used to examine the proposed mechanism.

Findings

Results showed that the effects of food-ordering mobile app service quality on customer satisfaction (i.e. mobile app satisfaction and food satisfaction) and repurchase intention varied widely across service quality dimensions. Mobile app service quality had significant spillover effects on food satisfaction and repurchase intention.

Practical implications

Online food-delivery platforms should find the results insightful to better design their food-ordering mobile app. The findings can also assist restaurateurs and mobile payment companies with supporting the whole online food delivery process.

Originality/value

Rather than examining online food delivery service quality based on the service delivery process in the during-consumption stage or the service outcomes in the post-consumption stage, this study focused on the service quality in the pre-consumption stage to highlight the important role of online food delivery mobile apps. From a longitudinal perspective, this study drew on the associate network theory to explain the spillover effect of mobile app satisfaction in the pre-consumption stage on food satisfaction in the during-consumption stage and repurchase intention in the post-consumption stage.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 36 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 February 2023

Munwar Hussain Pahi, Umair Ahmed, Sohel M. Imroz, Syed Mir Muhammad Shah and Irene Seok-Ching Yong

The purpose of this empirical research was to investigate the individual effects of three dimensions of flexible human resource management (HRM) practices – skill flexibility…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this empirical research was to investigate the individual effects of three dimensions of flexible human resource management (HRM) practices – skill flexibility, behavioral flexibility and human practice flexibility on firm performance and to what extent these relationships are strengthened/weakened when there was the moderation of empowering leadership in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected from chief executive officers (CEOs) through a questionnaire survey method to test the hypothesized relationships. A final dataset of 315 valid responses was utilized for data analysis, and results were analyzed using the Smart partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique.

Findings

The findings revealed positive effects of skill flexibility, behavioral flexibility and human practice flexibility on firm performance. The moderating role of empowering leadership further strengthened the effects of employee skill flexibility and employee behavioral flexibility had on firm performance. However, empowering leadership did not pose any moderating effect on human practice flexibility and firm performance relationship.

Research limitations/implications

This paper offers implications for theories on HRM and leadership. It also provides valuable insights for organizations and leaders seeking to boost firm performance across SMEs.

Practical implications

This paper offers implications for theories on HRM and leadership and also contributes in the understanding of the modern managers.

Originality/value

This paper investigated the effects of flexible HRM practices on firm performance and the role of empowering leadership across SMEs in Bahrain. It also explored how the performance of SMEs can be improved using flexible HRM practices followed by the presence of empowering leadership.

Details

International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, vol. 73 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1741-0401

Keywords

1 – 10 of 98