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1 – 5 of 5Youngtae Choi, Michael W. Kroff and Junga Kim
This paper aims to investigate how brands’ social media activities (credible content delivery, co-creation and responsiveness) impact brand advocacy. The paper also examines the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate how brands’ social media activities (credible content delivery, co-creation and responsiveness) impact brand advocacy. The paper also examines the influence of brand advocacy on purchase intentions of brand advocates and the moderating effect of the amount of time spent on Facebook on the relationship between brand advocacy and purchase intentions. Finally, the moderating effect of brand type (goods vs services) on the relationship between brands’ activities and brand advocacy is explored.
Design/methodology/approach
US adults who use Facebook as their primary social media platform participated in a survey via Amazon Mechanical Turk. Structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed hypotheses.
Findings
The three brand activities are positively related to users’ advocacy of brands toward other users. Brand advocacy also positively influences purchase intentions of brand advocates. The amount of time spent on Facebook moderates the relationship between brand advocacy and purchase intentions. The brand type moderates the relationship between co-creation and brand advocacy.
Originality/value
This study differs from the existing research, which has typically used a user-oriented perspective (e.g. impact of user motivations) to explain brand advocacy and has not considered the outcome of brand advocacy on the brand advocates’ purchase intentions.
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Junga Kim, Chunsik Lee and Troy Elias
Drawing upon the knowledge sharing model, the purpose of this paper is to identify personal and environmental antecedents to information sharing on social networking sites (SNSs…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing upon the knowledge sharing model, the purpose of this paper is to identify personal and environmental antecedents to information sharing on social networking sites (SNSs) and examines the interaction effects between the two factors.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected via online survey with college students. Hierarchical multiple regressions were performed to test hypotheses and examine research questions.
Findings
With regard to environmental factors, the more users perceive their audience to be a collection of weak ties, the more likely they are to share information on SNSs, independent of the size of their networks. Personal factors such as information self-efficacy, positive social outcome expectations, and sharing enjoyment feelings were found to be significant predictors of sharing activities. In addition, a significant interaction effect was found such that the effects of social outcome expectations on sharing activities on SNSs are manifested to a greater extent when users perceive their audience as weak ties rather than strong ties.
Originality/value
This study extends the knowledge sharing model literature by applying it to the SNS context and advances SNS research by taking into consideration both environmental factors and personal factors and their interactions.
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Construction is an information and knowledge driven industry. Construction firms all over the world are increasingly being challenged by high‐cost pressure, shortened project…
Abstract
Purpose
Construction is an information and knowledge driven industry. Construction firms all over the world are increasingly being challenged by high‐cost pressure, shortened project cycles and increasing competition. Within a business environment, where fast and reliable access to knowledge is a key success factor, the efficient handling of organisational knowledge is crucial. The purpose of this paper is to look at ways knowledge and expertise are managed in project‐based firms, based on three case studies. The knowledge management (KM) effort established in these cases studies is analysed. Finally, the findings from the case studies from the perspective of the construction firm are presented.
Design/methodology/approach
The research methodology of the study is that of interpretative case study and grounded theory based on a strong empirical foundation, on which new theoretical insight into KM as an autonomous action is developed. Case study research is one of the most widely‐used research designs in qualitative research. The grounded theory method develops theory from data collected through direct contact with research situations. The methodology looks at large, successful companies already using KM, which not typical companies, but which provide useful insights for others.
Findings
This paper analyses KM effort, based on three case studies and offers recommendations and insights for enhancing KM in construction firms.
Research limitations/implications
Construction firms need to be aware of the advantages of KM initiatives and practices. KM requires an environment that allows workers to create, capture, share, and leverage knowledge to improve performance. Firms are increasingly utilizing interdisciplinary organisational structures in which employees share knowledge and expertise within and between groups in order to cope with complex tasks.
Originality/value
This paper presents the findings from case studies of three large, high‐performing project‐based firms, involving exploratory, open‐ended interviews with managers at various levels, and identifies key KM implementation issues in construction firms; it also provides valuable insights and recommendations for enhancing the capture, sharing and use of corporate knowledge assets.
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Ghobad Behzadi Pour, Leila Fekri Aval and Parisa Esmaili
This study aims to investigate the fabrication of hydrogen gas sensor based on metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) microstructure. The palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) as gate metal…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the fabrication of hydrogen gas sensor based on metal–oxide–semiconductor (MOS) microstructure. The palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs) as gate metal have been deposited on the oxide film using spin coating.
Design/methodology/approach
The PdNPs and the surface of oxide film were analyzed using Transmission electron microscopy. The capacitance-voltage (C-V) curves for the MOS sensor in 1, 2 and 4 per cent hydrogen concentration and in 100 KHz frequency at the room temperature were reported.
Findings
The response times for 1, 2 and 4 per cent hydrogen concentration were 2.5 s, 1.5 s and 1 s, respectively. The responses (R per cent) of MOS sensor to 1, 2 and 4 per cent hydrogen concentration were 42.8, 47.3 and 52.6 per cent, respectively.
Originality/value
The experimental results demonstrate that the MOS hydrogen gas sensor based on the PdNPs gate, shows the fast response and recovery compared to other hydrogen gas sensors based on the Pd.
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Ali Faghani, Masoud Bijani and Naser Valizadeh
Many environmental problems are due to the unfavorable environmental intentions and cultural–behavioral weaknesses in the relationship between man and nature. This study aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
Many environmental problems are due to the unfavorable environmental intentions and cultural–behavioral weaknesses in the relationship between man and nature. This study aims to adopt an environmental psychological perspective to green intention (GI) and green behavior (GB) of agricultural students; to this end, protection motivation theory (PMT) was used as the core of the theoretical base.
Design/methodology/approach
This research method was based on descriptive–correlational and causal–relational analyses. The statistical population included agricultural students of Iranian universities with green university standards (N = 5,582). Out of the total population, 384 students were selected as the study sample. The research instrument was a questionnaire whose validity was confirmed using a panel of experts and the average variance extracted. Also, its reliability was verified by Cronbach’s alpha coefficients (0.61 ≤ α ≤ 0.92), principal component analysis and composite reliability index.
Findings
The results of structural equation modeling showed that the obtained model is able to explain 36.3% and 5.56% of GB and GI variance changes, respectively. In addition, the results revealed that GI has the greatest effect on GB (β = 0.362).
Research limitations/implications
It is worth to mention that according to the results, most of the independent variables, besides the direct effects they have on students’ GB, also indirectly affect this variable. This effect was performed through the key variable – GI. In other words, it can be concluded that the GI variable successfully mediates the effects of variables such as response efficacy (RE), self-efficacy (SE) and environmental norms (EN). Therefore, it is suggested that in the behavioral changes interventions in GB of agricultural studies, it should be considered that the presence or absence of GI can affect the actual behavior of individuals. In other words, it is recommended that to accelerate actual behavioral changes, behavioral interventionists should first focus on encouraging people’s GI.
Practical implications
It can be said that the conclusion of this research can provide a basis for the successful encouragement of students to GB. First, GI, as a key element, can mediate the impacts of variables such as RE, SE and EN on students’ GB. Second, PS only directly affects students’ GB. Third, RE has no significant impact on GB, but its effect on GI is significant. Fourth, RC affects students’ GI directly, without mediation. Fifth, SE and EN constructs affect students both directly and indirectly GB of students through GI. Knowing the location of the effect of these variables on each other and the role they have in explaining GI and GB of agricultural students presented some suggestions that can prepare the ground for further development of GB. Hence, managers, students, agricultural educators and other users can use these results to accelerate GB changes.
Originality/value
The conclusion of this research might provide a basis for the successful encouragement of students to GB. In interventions to change GB, it would be essential to pay enough attention to the fact that the presence or absence of GI might affect the actual behavior. It is suggested that behavioral interventionists focus on encouraging people’s GI so as to be able to accelerate the actual behavioral changes.
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