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Gamification unlocks unprecedented opportunities in healthcare, wellness and lifestyle context. In this scenario, by leveraging on such an approach, information technologies now enabled gamification-based mobile applications primarily employed in health and wellness contexts, focusing on areas such as disease prevention, self-management, medication adherence and telehealth programs. The synergistic integration of gamification-based methodologies in conjunction with the utilization of digital tools, (e.g. as for Internet of Things, mobile applications) for the realm of digital therapeutics (DTx), thus unveiled powerful approaches and paradigms, yielding innovative applications that, through the harnessing of sensors and software-based systems, transform healthcare maintenance, wellness and lifestyle into an engaging pursuit, as a game. This paper explores the factors influencing individuals' intention to autonomously utilize mobile gamification-based apps for self-care and wellness maintenance.

Through explorative research designs an experiment has been conducted among a sample of 376 participants regarding the use of a fictitious gamification-based DTx solution, consisting in a mobile app namely “Health'n’Fit”.

Findings from an experiment conducted with a sample of 460 participants shed light on the possible antecedents and consequents of gamification. Results of the SEM model indicate that customization (CU), trust (TR), mobility (MO) and social value (SV) are the main determinants, although at a different extent of the playful experience; Moreover, gamification positively impacts attitudes and, in turn, perceived usefulness, intention to use and behavioral intentions.

This paper offers a dual-pronged approach that holds practical significance in the realm of healthcare innovation. First, the authors delve into the antecedents shaping individuals' intention to engage with gamification-based DTx, unraveling the factors that influence user adoption. Beyond this, the authors extend their focus to the realm of healthcare service design. By harnessing the potential of gamification and technology, the authors illuminate pathways to conceptualize and create novel healthcare services. This work not only identifies the building blocks of user engagement but also serves as a guide to innovatively craft healthcare solutions that leverage this amalgamation of technology and gamification, contributing to the evolution of modern healthcare paradigms.

In a social context, the paper introduces pioneering technological synergies that merge gamification and DTx to enhance individuals' health and wellness maintenance. By proposing innovative combinations, the authors present novel avenues for promoting healthier lifestyles and behavior change. This not only underscores the potential of technology to positively impact individuals but also highlights the significance of aligning technological advancements with societal well-being. As the research advocates for these innovative solutions, it reinforces the importance of collaborative technological and marketing endeavors, ultimately contributing to the betterment of society as a whole.

This is the first paper exploring the combined effect of gamification and DTx, by shedding light on the peculiarities of both the antecedents of individuals' intention to use such combined technologies.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of digital transformation processes for food and beverage companies by investigating how the sustainability-related communication focus (low vs. high) in food waste fighting mobile applications' advertising campaigns influence consumers' intention to use such mobile app, via their environmentalism.

An experimental study has been conducted by using a fictitious mobile app named “Boxy Food!” among a sample of 408 randomly recruited international participants.

Findings reveal that the sustainability-related communication focus in such food waste-fighting mobile apps advertising campaigns (low vs. high) positively affects consumers' intentions to use such mobile apps through the effect of environmentalism. More interestingly, this effect increases in magnitude, becoming higher among those consumers who exhibit a high level of status consumption orientation explaining their behavior as an attempt to “be green, to be recognized from the others.”

This study suggests marketers and managers operating in the food and beverage sector how to design effective strategies to incentivize sustainable behavior through the use of new technologies, by leveraging consumers' individual differences, and specifically on their desire to be recognized as sustainable consumers.

This is the first study demonstrating how the combined effects of the sustainability-related communication focus (low vs. high) may incentivize the use of mobile applications for food waste fighting, by leveraging on consumers' looking to be recognized as green.

The purpose of this study is to review scholarly research on elderly consumers’ information processing and suggest implications for services marketing.

The review encompasses a five-decade period (1970–2018) of academic research and presents relevant literature in four main areas related to information processing: sensation, attention, interpretation and memory.

The study illustrates how each of the aforementioned phases of the information processing activity may affect how elderly individuals buy and consume products and services, emphasizing the need for a better comprehension of the elderly to develop effectual marketing strategies.

The study provides readers with detailed state-of-the-art knowledge about older consumers’ information processing, offering a comprehensive review of academic research that companies can use to improve the effectiveness of their marketing efforts that target the elderly market.

Food waste is increasingly becoming a major issue for retail companies. However, there is still limited knowledge of how new forms of collaborative consumption (CC) may impact firms' behavior. This paper identifies and examines how the enablers of food waste and firms' tendency to cooperate with their customers may affect the adoption of measures oriented to diminish waste reduction, as well as the use of mobile technologies.

A empirical study has been conducted on a sample of international firms operating in the food sector as retailers (i.e. restaurants, bar and catering services) or in similar activities (i.e. hotels and accommodations). The authors tested an empirical model aimed at revealing the possible mediating role of customer cooperation in affecting the impact of food waste enablers on (1) waste recovery measures and (2) the adoption of mobile technologies for food recovery.

The results of this study showed how customer cooperation mediates the impact of food waste enablers on the intention to use mobile applications for food recovery but not on the adoption of food recovery measures that, instead, mainly depends on waste causes internal to the firm.

This is one of the first studies that tries to identify and evaluate the impact of the different enablers of food waste on firms' pro-environmental behaviors. Interestingly, the authors show how customer cooperation is a decisive factor to promote new forms of CC in the food industry. Importantly, customer cooperation acts as a bridge between the drivers of food waste and a firm's intention to adopt measures against it. By actively involving customers, firms can gain insights, develop effective strategies and foster a culture of waste reduction that benefits both the business and the environment.

The present study aims to contribute to the growing cross‐national body of literature on work‐family conflict (WFC) and family‐work conflict (FWC) issues by examining the interrelationship of these constructs with other variables in the context of a transitional economy.

Data were collected using self‐report questionnaires distributed to retail salespeople in Hungary. Hypothesis tests were conducted using structural equation modeling.

The results revealed that WFC is strongly related to job stress, while FWC is not, and that job stress fully mediates the effect of WFC on turnover intentions. It was also found that self‐efficacy, as a moderator, heightened the positive effect of WFC on job stress, but attenuated the effect of FWC.

Future research could examine both the deleterious and beneficial effects of role identity spillover and include additional psychological work outcomes beyond turnover intentions. Assessing the impact of collective efficacy in addition to individual self‐efficacy is also warranted in future studies conducted in transitional economies, especially those with collectivistic cultures.

The authors' evidence that WFC is more strongly related to job stress than FWC underscores the need for retailers to implement progressive policies to create supportive work environments, which can reduce WFC and FWC. The finding of the contingent effect of self‐efficacy also has important implications for recruiting and training practices of retailers operating in transitional economies.

This study is among the first to compile the multiple theoretical rationales for the moderating effect of self‐efficacy and empirical evidence that it operates in opposite ways relative to WFC and FWC.

This study aims to investigate, by means of a balance sheet analysis, the equilibrium and capital, financial, economic and income dynamics of Italian wine producers, during and after the international economic crisis (2008-2017). Therefore, three research questions arise: What was the evolution of the main financial indicators and margins? Did the companies that survived the crisis increased their profitability? Have these companies changed their financial and economic balance sheets?

It was analyzed the balance sheets of a medium–large companies sample. The study describes the evolution of three income indices (return on equity compared to the average interest rate on government bonds, return on investment compared to the average rate on loans, return on sales), three asset margins (structural margin, net working capital and treasury margin) and four financial ratios (acid ratio, current ratio, leverage and index of financial dependence). The results were graphically represented, also with the use of interpolation curves.

After the crisis, the sector shows increasing profitability. However, from the balance sheet analysis and the trend of the financial indices, there is a strong imbalance and excessive levels of stocks. Furthermore, the debt situation is excessive: the predominant presence of third-party financing would require enormous recapitalizations and probably an increase in self-financing, which is possible thanks to the constantly growing profitability.

The study takes into consideration only the companies that survived the crisis, therefore, presumably the stronger ones. Moreover, more ratios should be considered to have a more complete picture. It is a uniquely quantitative study based exclusively on the balance sheets data that neglect other important economic factors.

Public policies could use this study for better intervention decisions in support of agricultural and agro-industrial activities. Credit policy above all should consider the results of this research, requesting urgent consideration of possible capitalization warranting the access to regulated financial markets. Besides, internal management may compare company outcomes with average sector outcomes to identify improvement prospects. These kinds of studies are advisable for education and training.

The careful economic and financial analysis of the sector favors the relaunching strategies of the Italian wineries in which many employees work. Supporting companies favors employment, constant incomes for workers’ families along the entire supply chain, from the production of grapes to consumption. A solid sector guarantees development and social and economic well-being.

The study contributes to the literature by providing a quantitative method of analysis of the sector, through the comparative information taken from the balance sheets. Therefore, it expands managerial and accounting knowledge on an important sector for the Italian and world economy.