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The chapter introduces digital food hubs as disruptive business models in the agri-food system shifting away from the unsustainable industrialized and conventional food sector and moving toward a re-localized food and farming pattern. They are new digital business models developed to support small and mid-size farms with a value focus, forming new ways to leverage the technology as a facilitator for coopetitive organizational forms. Indeed, they respond to a competitive strategy constituted by a “value strategy” oriented to the production and distribution of “shared value.” Second, they are based on an “organizational strategy” that shifts from individual competition to “coopetition” through the development of local “strategic networks” among small size producers. Central to the development of these business models is the digital disruption that has offered the space for the creation of unconventional exchange and transaction mechanisms distinguishing them from the already existing traditional ways of work. The agri-food markets exhibit structural holes that impede small farms from connecting with local consumers. This is due to a lack of material infrastructures and organizational forms on behalf of small farms that cannot reach the consumers, as well as the concentration of power in the hands of a restricted numbers of distributors, which causes the unequal redistribution of the economic value and impedes small farms accessing the food market. The advent of the digital technology is reshaping the market relationship by allowing out centralized intermediaries and creating new bridges between producers and consumers.

The provision of meals has long been regarded as an essential part of treatment of hospitalized patients complementing medical procedures and nursing management. Today, despite changes in the health-care landscape, which focused on improving the quality and efficiency of hospital care, malnutrition among inpatient was still a common worldwide concern.

This was a multi-centre, randomized study conducted in 21 study sites comprising 21 state and specialist government hospitals under the Ministry of Health, Malaysia. The sample size for this study was calculated with purposive sampling method, followed by proportionate sampling to determine the random sample size of each of the study sites. The total sample size required for this study was 2,759 subjects. A validated data collection form was used in the study.

Only 32.2 % and 37.6 % of subjects achieved adequate energy and protein intake, respectively, during their admission to medical ward. The study result showed that the overall mean energy and protein intake was 794.6 ± 487.8 kcal and 35.2 ± 24.3 g, respectively. The estimated energy (p = 0.001) and protein (p = 0.001) intake of all study sites was significantly lower compared to the adequacy value.

The adequacy intake in this study was only carried out in medical wards, thus reproducible result among other wards in different study sites could not be confirmed. Besides, this study assumed that the portion eaten by subjects during lunch and dinner was the same, and therefore, either one was recorded together with breakfast and either lunch or dinner to represent a subject’s daily intake.

This was the first nationwide study to report the adequacy of energy and protein intake of patients receiving therapeutic diets in the government hospital setting in Malaysia.

To achieve a high container handling efficiency at transshipment hub ports, there are a variety of scheduling problem as ship-to-berth assignment (BAP), container-to-yard arrangement (YAP), etc. As it is difficult to acquire the actual data of an existing terminal under various circumstances, this study aims to develop the time estimation model of container handling. Additionally, to achieve an efficient handling of containers at the yard, this study proposes the way to optimize the yard arrangement along with the berth allocation simultaneously by using estimated handling time.

To obtain the handling time based on various situations of the terminal operated, the discrete simulation model of container handling is constructed. The model to estimate the handling time of a quay crane assigned to a relevant ship by multiple regression analysis is developed. To find a feasible solution to minimize the total service time which includes YAP and BAP simultaneously, a genetic algorithm based on heuristics is developed.

The proposed regression model has high performance to estimate the time spent of container handling. In the total service time, the proposed approach outperformed the existing 2-step process approach.

As it is difficult to acquire the actual information of an existing marine terminal under various circumstances, the paper contains a regression model to estimate the container handling time based on simulation data, and the regression model is used in an optimization model to minimize the ship turnaround time.

High rate of accidents continue to plague the construction industry. The advancements in safety technologies can ameliorate construction health and safety (H&S). This paper aims to explore the use of emerging technologies as an effective solution for improving safety in construction projects.

Following a detailed literature review, a questionnaire survey was developed encompassing ten technologies for safety management and ten safety enablers using technologies in construction. A total of 133 responses were gathered from Malaysian construction practitioners. The collected quantitative data were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistical analyses to determine the meaningful relationships between the variables.

Findings revealed that the most effective emerging technologies for safety management are: building information modelling (BIM), wearable safety technologies and robotics and automation (R&A). The leading safety enablers are related to improve hazard identification, reinforce safety planning, enhance safety inspection, enhance safety monitoring and supervision and raise safety awareness.

Safety is immensely essential in transforming the construction industry into a robustly developed industry with high safety and quality standards. The adoption of safety technologies in construction projects can drive the industry towards the path of Construction 4.0.

The construction industry has historically been slow to adopt new technology. This study contributes to advancing the body of knowledge in the area of incorporating emerging technologies to further construction safety science and management in the context of the developing world. By taking cognisance of the pertinent emerging technologies for safety management and the safety enablers involved, construction safety can be enhanced using integrated technological solutions.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate factors that influence accounting students’ preference toward career paths. Career path refers to the choices of jobs and occupational positions an individual may choose to hold. Accounting students may choose to advance their career into one of the following areas: financial accounting, management accounting, taxation, auditing, finance, etc. According to past literature, choices of career path are influenced by intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, third parties, and career exposure.

A self-administered survey was used to collect data from students in a reputable private university in Malaysia. This university recruits a huge number of accounting students annually for its accounting program. A total of 306 questionnaires were collected for data analysis using statistical analysis system.

The findings of the study suggest that undergraduate accounting students are more influenced by intrinsic motivation and career exposure in selecting their career paths, whereas third parties and extrinsic motivation are less likely to influence undergraduate accounting students’ career choices.

The results, however, could not be generalized to all accounting students in Malaysia since the study was collected from only one private university in Malaysia and non-probability sampling technique was applied. The theoretical contribution of this study is the inclusion of new variables in the model.

Professional accounting bodies may benefit from the findings of this study as it may provide a basis in designing member recruitment strategies.

This paper fulfills an identified need to study how shortage of certain career path for accounting students could be resolved.

This study investigates drivers and dynamics of preferences for brand prominence among the Chinese little emperors (LEs) residing in the US, a unique but powerful consumer group with dual-cultural characteristics.

Using an online survey, the proposed model was tested with a convenience sample of the Chinese LE generation residing in the US

Susceptibility to normative influence was a significant cultural driver of conspicuous, social, and unique value perceptions of luxury consumption among the Chinese LE generation residing in the US Perceived conspicuous and social values of luxury consumption were the primary drivers of this group's brand prominence preference for luxury fashion bags. However, perceived unique value of luxury consumption did not necessarily lead these consumers to prefer prominent logos or marks on a luxury bag. Furthermore, sociodemographic factors (gender, age, and time lived in the US) significantly affected perceptions and preferences related to luxury consumption among this consumer group.

This study advances the luxury literature by examining the drivers and dynamics of brand prominence preference among the Chinese LE generation residing in the US By testing the role of different sociodemographic factors, we demonstrate heterogeneity within this group and the evolving nature of their perceptions and preferences related to luxury consumption as they are acculturated to Western culture. We used a convenient sample and focused on luxury fashion bags for measuring preference for brand prominence, limiting the generalizability of the findings.

Luxury brands should effectively convey conspicuous and social values in product designs, advertising and promotions as these values play integral roles in determining the Chinese LE generation's preference for brand prominence. Our findings also highlight the importance of fine-tuned approaches to different segments within the LE generation cohort.

This study fills several gaps in the luxury literature by empirically investigating various factors affecting preference for brand prominence among the Chinese LE generation residing in the US, an important but under-researched luxury segment.

Information and communications technology (ICT) offers enormous opportunities for individuals, businesses and society. The application of ICT is equally important to economic and non-economic activities. Researchers have increasingly focused on the adoption and use of ICT by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) as the economic development of a country is largely dependent on them. Following the success of ICT utilisation in SMEs in developed countries, many developing countries are looking to utilise the potential of the technology to develop SMEs. Past studies have shown that the contribution of ICT to the performance of SMEs is not clear and certain. Thus, it is crucial to determine the effectiveness of ICT in generating firm performance since this has implications for SMEs’ expenditure on the technology. This research examines the diffusion of ICT among SMEs with respect to the typical stages from innovation adoption to post-adoption, by analysing the actual usage of ICT and value creation. The mediating effects of integration and utilisation on SME performance are also studied. Grounded in the innovation diffusion literature, institutional theory and resource-based theory, this study has developed a comprehensive integrated research model focused on the research objectives. Following a positivist research paradigm, this study employs a mixed-method research approach. A preliminary conceptual framework is developed through an extensive literature review and is refined by results from an in-depth field study. During the field study, a total of 11 SME owners or decision-makers were interviewed. The recorded interviews were transcribed and analysed using NVivo 10 to refine the model to develop the research hypotheses. The final research model is composed of 30 first-order and five higher-order constructs which involve both reflective and formative measures. Partial least squares-based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) is employed to test the theoretical model with a cross-sectional data set of 282 SMEs in Bangladesh. Survey data were collected using a structured questionnaire issued to SMEs selected by applying a stratified random sampling technique. The structural equation modelling utilises a two-step procedure of data analysis. Prior to estimating the structural model, the measurement model is examined for construct validity of the study variables (i.e. convergent and discriminant validity).

The estimates show cognitive evaluation as an important antecedent for expectation which is shaped primarily by the entrepreneurs’ beliefs (perception) and also influenced by the owners’ innovativeness and culture. Culture further influences expectation. The study finds that facilitating condition, environmental pressure and country readiness are important antecedents of expectation and ICT use. The results also reveal that integration and the degree of ICT utilisation significantly affect SMEs’ performance. Surprisingly, the findings do not reveal any significant impact of ICT usage on performance which apparently suggests the possibility of the ICT productivity paradox. However, the analysis finally proves the non-existence of the paradox by demonstrating the mediating role of ICT integration and degree of utilisation explain the influence of information technology (IT) usage on firm performance which is consistent with the resource-based theory. The results suggest that the use of ICT can enhance SMEs’ performance if the technology is integrated and properly utilised. SME owners or managers, interested stakeholders and policy makers may follow the study’s outcomes and focus on ICT integration and degree of utilisation with a view to attaining superior organisational performance.

This study urges concerned business enterprises and government to look at the environmental and cultural factors with a view to achieving ICT usage success in terms of enhanced firm performance. In particular, improving organisational practices and procedures by eliminating the traditional power distance inside organisations and implementing necessary rules and regulations are important actions for managing environmental and cultural uncertainties. The application of a Bengali user interface may help to ensure the productivity of ICT use by SMEs in Bangladesh. Establishing a favourable national technology infrastructure and legal environment may contribute positively to improving the overall situation. This study also suggests some changes and modifications in the country’s existing policies and strategies. The government and policy makers should undertake mass promotional programs to disseminate information about the various uses of computers and their contribution in developing better organisational performance. Organising specialised training programs for SME capacity building may succeed in attaining the motivation for SMEs to use ICT. Ensuring easy access to the technology by providing loans, grants and subsidies is important. Various stakeholders, partners and related organisations should come forward to support government policies and priorities in order to ensure the productive use of ICT among SMEs which finally will help to foster Bangladesh’s economic development.