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Prior research examining cultural effects on customer service expectations has primarily used more generic Western cultural theory on an aggregate scale or with only a single variable to draw conclusions on a customer’s underlying reasoning for buying a service. This study aims to focus on culturally distinct clusters within non-Western nations, specifically exploring within-cluster differences in service expectations within the Confucian Asia cluster.

This study developed a measurement model of Chinese cultural values and service expectations, consisting of a three and five-factor structure, respectively. Data from a sample of 351 diners were analysed using SmartPLS software. The data was compared with similar studies within the Confucian Asia cluster to understand the culture effect on service expectations and within-cluster variations.

The findings underscore the varying importance of cultural values in shaping customer service expectations, emphasizing their relative, rather than equal, significance. The study provides insights into potential within-group differences in customer service expectations within the same cultural cluster – without losing sight of the fundamental cultural heterogeneity of the Confucian culture.

Managers should leverage the distinct cultural values of their operating country to gain insights into diverse customer groups, predict their behaviours and meet their needs and expectations.

This study offers valuable insights to both service management scholars and practitioners by focusing on culturally distinct clusters of non-Western nations and exploring their effects on variation in service expectations within these clusters.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors influencing the development of social media marketing strategy in an international context. We specifically look at the potential drivers and barriers throughout the social media marketing strategy development process and how cultural differences shape social media marketing strategy decision-making among firms in international markets.

The study is conducted with an inductive research approach involving in-depth interviews with 32 firms from Finland, China and Brazil. Using inductive data analysis, we identify both internal and external factors that drive and hinder the development of firms’ social media marketing strategies. Moreover, we explore the essential elements in social media marketing strategy development based on the key practices observed among these firms, which enables us to conduct a comparative analysis of how cultural values influence the development of social media marketing strategies.

Our findings underscore the importance of both internal (i.e. resources and capabilities) and external (i.e. market-level and country-level) factors that influence the development of social media marketing strategy. Our analysis also unveiled four key practices throughout the social media marketing strategy development process: social selling, content marketing, risk management and relationship management. Additionally, we identified three distinct mindsets regarding firms’ social media selling objectives across companies in the three countries.

The comparative approach provides novel insight into firms' international social media marketing strategy. Our proposed conceptual model shows the development process of social media marketing strategy in the international context. The research propositions highlight the role of cultural values and open up new avenues for future research.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effect and mechanism of platform incentives on users’ knowledge collaboration performance (KCP) and the configuration leading to high KCP in online knowledge communities (OKCs) in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era from a cross-culture perspective.

A survey method and a standard questionnaire were applied. The data was analyzed using multiple regression and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis.

The results indicate that, for both kinds of users, self-enhancement and communication positively affect the KCP. User engagement significantly mediates the relationship between communication and KCP and knowledge absorptive capacity moderates the relationship between user engagement and KCP. In contrast, material incentive positively affects the KCP of Chinese users, while hurting the cross-cultural sample. And the promotion of KCP for cross-cultural samples does not require a higher engagement and knowledge absorptive capacity, while paying more attention to short-term interests, such as communication and self-enhancement.

The study only divides users into Chinese and cross-cultural foreign users, without a distinction between foreign users in different countries. In addition, the research is based on cross-sectional data and failed to try to explore the long-term effects of these incentives from the time dimension.

This study explores the incentive mechanism and configuration of OKC platforms to achieve high KCP for different users from a cross-cultural perspective. It provides new ideas and solutions for precise incentives for users of OKC platforms.

This chapter aims to identify the current challenges facing women entrepreneurs. Female entrepreneurship must be analyzed from a binary perspective: the position of women in society and the role of entrepreneurship in society. The study focused on women entrepreneurs in the European Union (EU). Considering the social-economic diversity in the EU, we evaluated the five economic systems. To highlight how these differences are manifested in the different systems, we considered for analysis one country belonging to each model, namely, Denmark for the Scandinavian system, Germany for the Continental system, Ireland for the Anglo-Saxon system, Spain for the Mediterranean System, and Romania, for the Catching-up system. The analysis considered women entrepreneurs in the labor market, female employment/management in the labor market, female entrepreneurs in the labor market, and female mentality regarding work and entrepreneurship.

This research aims to develop a conceptual framework that explores the influence of open-source software (OSS) on the sustainability of library services within the context of academic libraries in Bangladesh.

The study uses a comprehensive research methodology that includes literature review and analysis to construct a robust conceptual framework. This study investigates the various dimensions of OSS adoption and its impact on library service sustainability.

The research findings reveal the critical factors and mechanisms through which OSS can positively affect the sustainability of library services. This study identifies key drivers and challenges associated with the adoption of open-source solutions in the context of Bangladesh academic libraries.

The framework developed in this research offers practical insights for academic libraries in Bangladesh seeking to adopt OSS solutions. This study guides how to leverage these technologies to enhance the sustainability of library services in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

This study contributes to the academic literature by presenting a novel conceptual framework tailored to the unique context of Bangladesh academic libraries. This study adds value by addressing the specific challenges and opportunities related to OSS adoption and its implications for library service sustainability in this region.

Poor mental health in men and women is attributable to disparities in physical traits, social roles, power and health-seeking behaviours. This study aims to examine the gender differences in mental health among Pakistan and German university students and focuses on their right to seek mental health care.

Data on depression, anxiety and stress symptoms, as well as positive mental health (PMH), resilience, social support and life satisfaction, were gathered from Pakistani and German students.

In contrast to the Pakistani group, where no such gender differences were seen, women in Germany reported higher degrees of stress, anxiety and depression, as well as a lower level of overall good mental health. In comparison to German men and women, Pakistani women scored equally high on resilience. While gender had no bearing on life happiness in either Pakistan or Germany, women in both countries perceived more social support than men did.

The study’s strengths include its large sample size and battery of mental health measures. The results of partial weak measurement Invariance (MI) on the stress subscale underlined the importance of using MI in cross-cultural studies. The validity of a direct comparisons on sum score between different language versions or country samples shall be cautious. Still, there are limitations. Firstly, the authors did not differentiate gender and biological sex, and there was no group of non-binary gender. Pakistani (N = 1,840) and German (N = 7,890) students were in unequal numbers. Again, only university students were sampled, so the results cannot be generalised to older (probably less educated) populations. Self-reported data that mainly obtained via online survey were the third limitation. This design is cost-effective and easy to administer for cross-cultural survey research. However, social desirability and memory bias are common in self-report inventories. Fourthly, although English is an official language in Pakistan and the medium of instruction in education, the authors recommend future study to use questionnaires that have been translated and validated into Urdu (Pakistan’s national language) and investigate gender differences in a general population. Fifthly, this is a cross-sectional survey; the authors were not able to explore the causality or risk factors that contribute to the poor mental well-being in Pakistan students in general or the relatively worse mental health in German women. Future studies may investigate the mechanism behind the phenomena observed in this study with longitudinal or experimental design. Last but not least, Germany and Pakistan differ in so many different aspects from culture, religions and history to social structure and economic status, which make it hard to claim whether the observed differences were due to national differences, cultural differences, economic differences, gender inequality differences or other effects. It would be helpful for future studies to include more country samples with clear definitions of different “culture” aspects for a better understanding of gender differences in other countries and in different mental well-being constructs.

The current study is the first attempt to compare the gender difference patterns in positive and negative mental health between European and South Asian counties and focuses on gender-specific approaches. Although Pakistani university students reported in general worse mental well-being, the differences between the two genders in mental health (e.g. depression, anxiety, general PMH) were not as pronounced as in the German student sample. Gender comparisons in these mental health constructs would help to improve protective factors against mental illness and to develop appropriate management programmes based on cultural differences. The results suggest that the gender differences found in western countries cannot always be directly translated into the South Asian cultural framework. Our results also highlight the importance of improving the general situation of Pakistan (students) instead of focusing on one gender. At the same time, in Germany, prevention and intervention plans are more warranted for women. It could be that once the general situation in Pakistan is improved, the gender-related differences in mental health will be clearly observed.

These findings imply the significance of cultural context when inferring gender variations in mental health. Moreover, it supports the advancement of comprehensive policies to reduce gender-related mental health inequalities and focuses on the equal rights of men and women to get mental health care.

Effective teamwork is crucial for patient safety in healthcare. The TeamSTEPPS Teamwork Perceptions Questionnaire (T-TPQ) is a widely used tool for assessing teamwork perceptions. The T-TPQ has been adapted and validated for hospital setting use in several countries. This study aimed to translate and validate the T-TPQ into French for use among Tunisian healthcare professionals, enhancing teamwork assessment and patient safety initiatives.

A rigorous process ensured cultural and linguistic adaptation of the T-TPQ, including back-translation, expert panel review, and pilot testing. 459 healthcare professionals from four hospitals in Kairouan, Tunisia participated. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) compared the original five-factor structure with a revised structure based on exploratory factor analysis (EFA).

Both CFA models demonstrated good fit, with no significant difference between them (∆χ² = 22.51, p = 0.79). The original five-factor structure was retained due to its established theoretical foundation. The French T-TPQ exhibited strong internal consistency (α = 0.9). Two-way Random ICCs indicated fair to good test-retest reliability for all the five dimensions (0.633–0.848).

Several limitations should be acknowledged. The use of a questionnaire as a data collection tool is the source of a reporting bias, for fear of being identified or for reasons of “social desirability”. Nevertheless, this social desirability was minimal, as Baker et al. (2010) took steps to mitigate this during the instrument's development. Additionally, for assessing attitudes and perceptions, self-reported measures are deemed more effective, whereas objective measures are advocated for behavioral assessments. Furthermore, the participants were informed of the absence of good or bad answers, the importance of answering as closely as possible, and the confidentiality. Moreover, considering the data collection period, the COVID- 19 pandemic and its potential impact on recruitment, data collection, and participant responses. Although the sample size of 459 met the recommended criteria for conducting confirmatory factor analysis, as suggested by Bentler and Chou (1987) and (Floyd and Widaman, 1995), the COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges in recruitment. The increased workload and stress on healthcare professionals, coupled with staff redeployment and research restrictions within hospitals and care units, likely hindered achieving an even larger sample size. These circumstances also necessitated adjustments to data collection methods to ensure safety and adherence to pandemic protocols. This involved incorporating online surveys option with paper-based questionnaires and implementing stricter hygiene measures during in person data collection. Furthermore, the pandemic impacted the teamwork perceptions as significantly redefined the healthcare environment, placing immense pressure on professionals due to surging patient volumes, staff shortages, and the emotional burden of caring for critically ill individuals. This heightened stress and workload likely influenced teamwork dynamics, potentially fostering both positive adaptations, such as increased cohesion and support, as well as negative consequences like communication breakdowns and decreased morale (Terregino et al., 2023).

We outline significant practical implications for leaders in health care for improving teamwork and patient safety. Or, healthcare leaders can significantly enhance teamwork and patient safety by incorporating the validated French T-TPQ into their improvement strategies. This reliable tool enables the assessment of staff perceptions regarding teamwork strengths and weaknesses, specifically in areas like communication and leadership. By identifying these crucial areas, leaders can implement targeted training programs and interventions. In fact, the existing body of research consistently demonstrates the positive impact of team training interventions, on both teamwork processes and patient outcomes. These interventions have been shown to enhance teamwork skills (Baker et al., 2010; Thomas and Galla, 2013; Weaver et al., 2014). In areas such as communication, leadership, situation monitoring, and mutual support, leading to decreased mortality and morbidity rates (Weaver et al., 2014). Implementing team training programs fosters trust and collaboration around shared goals, contributing to a more effective and safer healthcare environment for both patients and professionals. Additionally, the culturally adapted T-TPQ not only benefits individual healthcare settings but also unlocks opportunities for broader research and collaboration on a global scale. By enabling cross-cultural comparisons and benchmarking, the T-TPQ can deepen our understanding of how teamwork dynamics vary across diverse healthcare environments and cultural contexts. This knowledge is invaluable for tailoring teamwork interventions and training programs to specific populations and settings, ensuring their effectiveness and cultural relevance. Moreover, integrating teamwork training into continuing professional development, interprofessional and medical education initiatives is crucial for cultivating collaborative competencies and building high-performing healthcare teams. Research has shown that interprofessional teamwork experiences significantly enhance collaborative competencies among nursing and medical students, emphasizing the importance of incorporating teamwork training early in healthcare education. This approach equips future healthcare professionals with the necessary skills to navigate complex team environments, ultimately improving patient care quality and mitigating workload issues that contribute to burnout (Simin et al., 2010; Ceylan, 2017; Fox et al., 2018).

The French version of the T-TPQ was semantically equivalent and culturally relevant with adequate test-retest reliability as compared to the English version, expanding its applicability and contributing to understanding teamwork perceptions in this context. The French T-TPQ offers a valuable tool for assessing teamwork, identifying areas for improvement, and implementing interventions to enhance teamwork and patient safety in Tunisia and potentially other French-speaking regions.

We aim to ascertain whether and how an individual’s social comparison affects their self-gifting motivations (SGMs).

We survey a North American sample comprising 619 Canadian and US respondents. We apply partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to examine relationships between social comparison, attachment orientation, parenthood, and self-gifting motivations.

We find that social comparison positively impacts self-gifting motivations. Additionally, we find that attachment orientation and parenthood can moderate social comparison’s impact on positively valenced SGMs and negatively valenced SGMs, respectively.

We elevate and expand existing scholarship on consumers’ self-gifting. Through the current study, we contribute new, empirical evidence illuminating how individuals’ attachment orientation (i.e. secure v. insecure) and parenthood status (i.e. parent v. non-parent) serve as agency-oriented moderators to temper social comparison’s influences on SGMs.

Drawing on the job demands-resources theory (JD-R), this study aims to discuss the relationship between paradoxical leadership and job crafting (approach and avoidance), considering the moderating role of overwork climate and organisational identification in two cultural context (China and Poland).

The research was conducted on employees from diversified organisations in two different cultural context: China (N = 408) and Poland (N = 400). Statistical verifications of the three-way interaction effect were conducted with Jamovi version 2.3 and multigroup analysis with SPSS AMOS version 29.

The results showed that employees who perceive high levels of paradoxical leadership and overwork climate as well as possess a high level of organisational identification engage stronger in job crafting, both approach and avoidance. Moreover, the results demonstrated that the dimensions of culture: individualism-collectivism moderate the relationship between the variables tested, in such a way that the relationship is stronger with the lower level of individualism.

This study has two limitations: its cross-sectional design and the use of self-reported questionnaire data.

The study expands knowledge of the relationship between paradoxical leadership and job crafting in two different cultural contexts.

This study explores the differences and similarities of work value profiles in samples of business students from four countries with markedly different cultures and labor markets.

We used multiple-group latent profile analysis (LPA) to explore the differences and similarities in work value profiles across cultures (n = 317 from Switzerland, n = 313 from Spain, n = 326 from the United States and n = 327 from China).

The latent profiles mostly show similarities across countries: the largest profiles are a want it all and a humble profile with overall high and intermediate levels in all work values. An overall low work value levels profile and one stressing high security and pay emerged in all countries except Switzerland. In the Swiss sample, two unique profiles emerged: the no status and freelancers profiles.

This study has implications for employee attraction, relations and career counseling with culturally diverse populations.

Studies on work values across cultures most often make direct comparisons between samples, which can lead to excessive emphasis on sometimes small differences. By first studying within-culture differences before comparing the results across cultures, we find that there may be more similarities than differences in work values across cultures and that cross-cultural differences may have often been overstated.