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Since its inception, virtual reality (VR) technologies have been widely applied in the tourism industry, given their competitive advantages in offering users a novel experience that makes an artificial environment or scene feel like the real world. As a result, VR has been reported as a highly sought-after technology, as it can offer a new way to engage tourists and enhance their travel experience. However, the adoption of VR by senior tourists (who are one of the potential groups of tourists) is still relatively low in the tourism context. Against this backdrop, this study aims to respond to the deficiency in the literature by examining the impact of barriers that contribute to senior tourists’ resistance and scepticism towards VR in tourism.

Using a cross-sectional approach, the data for this study was collected from 600 eligible senior tourists through survey questionnaires. To obtain valid and reliable responses, a purposive sampling technique with screening criteria was undertaken in this study. Upon data cleaning, the data analysis was performed on 546 samples using statistical software packages such as SPSS and the AMOS covariance-based structural equation modelling technique.

Grounded on the innovation resistance theory, the outcome of this study put forward the significance of technical and psychological barriers in explaining senior tourists’ resistance and scepticism towards the use of VR in tourism. In particular, perceived risk, perceived incompatibility, technology anxiety, inertia and a lack of human interaction were found to be associated with senior tourists’ scepticism and resistance towards VR usage in tourism. However, perceived complexity was not found to have a significant relationship with resistance. Moreover, both scepticism and resistance were reported to influence non-adoption intentions on VR.

This study is one of the few studies that examined the less explored territory of the tourism literature concerning the non-adoption of contemporary innovation (i.e. VR technology) for virtual tourism purposes. Moreover, this study also focuses on the perspective of senior tourists, which represents a promising market segment in the tourism sector. This study successfully contributed to the existing literature by offering empirical insights and highlighting the barriers that lead to users’ scepticism and resistance towards using VR for tourism, which could directly influence their non-adoption intention and the success of virtual tourism.

自问世以来, 虚拟现实 (VR) 技术已在旅游业中得到广泛应用因为它在为用户提供新颖体验方面具有竞争优势, 使人工环境或场景感觉像真实世界。由于VR可以提供一种新的方式来吸引游客并提升他们的旅行体验, 它被视为一项备受追捧的科技。然而, 在旅游背景下, 老年游客（潜在游客群体之一）对 VR 的采用率仍然较低。在此背景下, 本研究旨在通过探究导致老年游客对VR旅游应用产生抵制和怀疑的原因来回应文献中的不足。

基于横断面方法, 本研究通过调查问卷从600名符合条件的老年游客中收集了数据。为了获得有效和可靠的答复, 本研究采用了具有筛选标准的目的抽样技术。数据清理后, 本研究使用SPSS等统计软件包和基于AMOS协方差的结构方程建模技术对546个样本进行了数据分析。

基于创新阻力理论, 本研究结果提出了技术和心理障碍在解释老年游客对VR旅游应用抵制和怀疑的重要性。具体而言, 感知风险、感知不相容性、技术焦虑、惰性和缺乏人际互动被发现与老年游客对VR旅游应用抵制和怀疑有关。然而, 本研究并未发现感知复杂性与VR旅游应用抵制有显着关系。此外, 怀疑和抵制都会影响 VR 的不采用意图。

此研究是为数不多探索了旅游文献中关于未将当代创新（即VR技术）用于旅游目的研究。此外, 这项研究侧重于老年游客（作为旅游业中一个有前景的细分市场）的视角。本研究成功地为现有文献做出了贡献, 提供了实证见解, 并强调了导致用户怀疑和抵制将VR用于旅游的障碍。这些障碍可以直接影响用户的不采用意图和虚拟旅游的成功。

Desde sus inicios, las tecnologías de realidad virtual (RV) se han aplicado ampliamente en el sector turístico, dadas sus ventajas competitivas al ofrecer a los usuarios una experiencia novedosa que hace que un entorno o escena artificial parezca el mundo real. Como resultado, la RV se ha considerado una tecnología muy solicitada, ya que puede ofrecer una nueva forma de involucrar a los turistas y mejorar su experiencia de viaje. Sin embargo, la adopción de la RV por parte de los turistas senior (que son uno de los grupos potenciales de turistas) aún es relativamente baja en el contexto del turismo. El presente estudio se propuso responder a este déficit en la literatura examinando el impacto de las barreras que contribuyen a la resistencia y el escepticismo de los turistas mayores hacia la RV en el turismo.

Utilizando un enfoque transversal, los datos para este estudio se recopilaron de 600 turistas de la tercera edad elegibles a través de una encuesta mediante cuestionario. Para obtener respuestas válidas y fiables, se llevó a cabo una técnica de muestreo intencional con criterios de selección. Una vez depurados los datos y eliminados los sujetos no válidos, se procedió a su análisis en una muestra de 546 individuos utilizando paquetes de software estadístico como SPSS y la técnica de modelado de ecuaciones estructurales basada en la covarianza AMOS.

En el marco de la teoría de la resistencia a la innovación, los resultados del estudio ponen de manifiesto la importancia de las barreras técnicas y psicológicas para explicar la resistencia y el escepticismo de los turistas de la tercera edad hacia el uso de la RV en el turismo. En concreto, el riesgo percibido, la incompatibilidad percibida, la ansiedad tecnológica, la inercia y la falta de interacción humana se asociaron con el escepticismo y la resistencia de los turistas mayores hacia el uso de la RV en el turismo. Sin embargo, no se encontró ninguna relación significativa entre la complejidad percibida y la resistencia. Además, tanto el escepticismo como la resistencia influyen en las intenciones de no adoptar la RV.

Este estudio es uno de los pocos que examinan el territorio menos explorado de la literatura turística en relación con la no adopción de la innovación contemporánea (es decir, la tecnología de RV) para fines de turismo virtual. Además, esta investigación también se centra en la perspectiva de los turistas senior, que representan un segmento de mercado prometedor en el sector turístico. El presente estudio contribuye con éxito a la literatura existente al ofrecer una perspectiva empírica y poner de relieve las barreras u obstáculos que provocan el escepticismo y la resistencia de los usuarios hacia el uso de la RV con fines turísticos, lo que podría influir directamente en su intención de no adopción y en el éxito del turismo virtual.

The purpose of this paper is to extend the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology with psychological constructs, namely, perceived playfulness, mobile innovativeness in information technology and perceived expressiveness (PEX) to examine on the consumers’ intention to adopt mobile applications (m-apps) as another mean in purchasing tourism-related product and services via their mobile devices. The study also included gender as moderating variable.

Partial least square-structural equation modeling approach was adopted to test the research framework using 474 valid respondents.

The results demonstrated that only performance expectancy and PEX are non-significant with the intention to adopt. In addition, gender was found to have a moderating effect between social influence and intention.

The study has several useful implications for researchers, m-apps developers, travel-related organizations and even government agencies when rendering m-apps services and disseminating information to their potential consumers.

The study contributes to the growing literature on m-apps in tourism from a developing country’s perspectives.

The paper intends to examine mobile taxi (m-taxi) adoption, so as to close the gap in the current literature and clarify the behaviour of users by synthesising technological factors that are related to the characteristics of m-taxi applications with non-technological factors that are associated with the psychological characteristics of customers. The moderating effects of gender were also tested.

A self-administered questionnaire was adopted for data collection with 415 useable responses. The theoretical lens was tested via partial least squares-structural equation modelling. Additionally, state-of-the-art techniques such as permutation and multigroup analysis were applied.

Results indicate that social pressure, technology anxiety, effort expectancy, performance expectancy, and service and system quality are not significantly related to behavioural intention. Also, findings show no significant differences among gender in this study, which suggests that the model is invariant across gender groups.

This study provides a novel insight by taking a broader perspective of ride-hailing terminology by considering both taxis and private vehicles.

Soft total quality management (STQM) practices are essential for promoting value-added organizational citizenship behaviour (OCB) among employees in quality-focussed manufacturing firms. This study intends to investigate how STQM practices (empowerment, training, teamwork and involvement) affect OCB under the moderating influence of collectivism among employees for excellence in business performance using social exchange and social cognitive theories (SET-SCT).

A total of 245 useable surveys were gathered from manufacturers. Given the importance of the two-staged structural equation modelling–partial least squares–artificial neural networks (SEM-PLS-ANN) technique, this study used a two-staged SEM-PLS-ANN analysis to capture both linear and compensatory PLS models and nonlinear and noncompensatory ANN models.

The findings confirmed that empowerment, involvement and training had a significant impact on OCB. However, teamwork had no impact on OCB. Interestingly, collectivism was found to have a significant and positive moderating effect on training and OCB.

The study contributes significantly to the literature on TQM and human resource management. First, the study broadens researchers’ understanding of how to apply SET by including a collective value from SCT as positive reciprocity to foster positive workplace behaviour. Second, the authors offer a solid management strategy for organizations to assist them in understanding an STQM model that promotes OCB while including collectivism for superior business performance.

The deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in travel and tourism has received much attention in the wake of the pandemic. While societal adoption of AI has accelerated, it also raises some trust challenges. Literature on trust in AI is scant, especially regarding the vulnerabilities faced by different stakeholders to inform policy and practice. This work proposes a framework to understand the use of AI technologies from the perspectives of institutional and the self to understand the formation of trust in the mandated use of AI-based technologies in travelers.

An empirical investigation using partial least squares-structural equation modeling was employed on responses from 209 users. This paper considered factors related to the self (perceptions of self-threat, privacy empowerment, trust propensity) and institution (regulatory protection, corporate privacy responsibility) to understand the formation of trust in AI use for travelers.

Results showed that self-threat, trust propensity and regulatory protection influence trust in users on AI use. Privacy empowerment and corporate responsibility do not.

Insights from the past studies on AI in travel and tourism are limited. This study advances current literature on affordance and reactance theories to provide a better understanding of what makes travelers trust the mandated use of AI technologies. This work also demonstrates the paradoxical effects of self and institution on technologies and their relationship to trust. For practice, this study offers insights for enhancing adoption via developing trust.

This paper explores the reasons behind the slow uptake of mobile payment (m-payment) from a switching intention (SI) perspective. The antecedents of SI from cash to m-payment were explored using an integrated conceptual model of the push-pull-mooring (PPM) framework and the status quo bias (SQB) perspective.

A self-administered survey was used to collect data, which are empirically tested using SmartPLS 3.0.

The push factor was found to have an insignificant effect on SI to m-payment whereas the pull factor was significant. Furthermore, the results revealed that the two mooring variables have contrasting results as trust is not a significant determinant of SI to m-payment while perceived security and privacy (PSP) is. Additionally, all SQB-related relationships were found to be statistically significant

This study determined the factors that play vital roles in the consumers' decision-making to transition from cash to m-payment. This was done via a uniquely developed conceptual model that incorporated the PPM framework with the SQB perspective.

In today’s globalized and heavily industrialized economy, sustainability issues that negatively affect the human population and external environment are on the rise. This study aims to investigate a synergistic combination of supply chain management and quality management practices in strengthening the sustainability performance of Malaysian manufacturing firms.

A total sample of 177 usable surveys was collected. Given the contributions and acceptability of the artificial neural network (ANN) approach in evaluating the findings of this study, this study uses ANN to measure the relationship between each predictor (i.e. supply chain integration [SCI], quality leadership [QL], supplier focus [SF], customer focus (CF) and information sharing [IS]) and the dependent variable (i.e. sustainability performance). Via sensitivity analysis, the relative significance of each predictor variable is ranked based on the normalized importance value.

The sensitivity analysis indicates that CF has the greatest effect on sustainability performance (SP) with 100% normalized relative importance, followed by QL (75%), IS (61.5%), SF (57.3%) and SCI (46.7%).

The findings of this study have the potential to provide valuable guidance and insights that can help all manufacturing firms enhance their SP from the optimum combination of the selected SCQM practices with a focus on sustainability.

Emerging competitive dynamics demand small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to continuously comprehend and respond to changing market conditions by implementing effective soft total quality management (STQM) practices. Firstly, the study intends to identify the key STQM practices perceived to foster knowledge sharing (KS). Secondly, this study aims to investigate the impact of market turbulence (MT) on the interaction between STQM practices and KS among SMEs.

A total of 215 valid samples were analysed. Incorporating a two-hidden-layer deep artificial neural network (ANN) into SEM approaches allows for more in-depth testing and high prediction power. This study employs a two-stage PLS-SEM-ANN predictive-analytical technique to provide a more comprehensive analysis and significant statistical contribution.

The PLS-SEM-ANN analysis reveals that STQM practices including employee involvement (EI), employee training (ET), top management commitment (TMC) and employee teamwork (EM) are critical to boosting KS. MT, interestingly, moderates the relationship between EM and KS while negatively moderating the relationship between TMC and KS.

The study contributes to the knowledge-based view theory by demonstrating the importance of integrating STQM and KS among SMEs to thrive in today's dynamic market environment.

Given the acute competition between music-streaming platforms (MSPs), the purpose of this study is to identify the relational motivators of brand loyalty towards the MSP in terms of user-brand involvement, brand trust, brand engagement, brand recommendation and brand loyalty.

Cross-sectional quantitative data, gathered from a total of 340 eligible respondents via an online questionnaire survey, were empirically analysed and validated using a hybrid predictive-analytics structural equation modelling (SEM) and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) method.

The results of this study demonstrate that user-brand involvement promotes brand loyalty toward a MSP by fostering brand engagement, brand trust and positive word-of-mouth. SEM and ANN data comparison reveals good consistency.

The generalizability of the research outcomes may be constrained, as this study only considers the data from a single country (i.e. Malaysia) and one music streaming platform (i.e. Spotify). This study highlighted the relevance of user-brand involvement and non-core supporting services in the cultivation of brand loyalty, particularly their salient roles in promoting favourable attitudes and behaviours towards platform brands.

The insights produced can aid MSPs in devising better user retention strategies that can be used to maintain their competitive edge over time. The findings of this study made it abundantly evident that practitioners should facilitate more user-brand cooperative activities to encourage user-brand involvement and, ultimately, foster brand loyalty.

This study has addressed a major research gap by examining the relational roots of brand loyalty, which transcend the typical focus on transactional factors and technical lock-in. This study pioneered the investigation of brand involvement with user involvement.

Though Blockchain has been studied in numerous contexts, the understanding of the impacts of Blockchain in achieving competitive advantages remains unexplored. Many industries, organizations and firms are still in a “wait and see” mode. This study aims at examining the effects of the technological, organizational and environmental factors drawn from the TOE framework in generating competitive advantage.

A dual-staged deep learning structural equation modeling artificial neural network analysis was conducted on 211 samples of small and medium enterprises. Four neural network models were engaged to rank the normalized importance of each of the predictor variables.

The research model can expound 57.99 and 47.33% of the variance in Blockchain adoption and competitive advantage correspondingly. The study successfully identified nonlinear relationships. The theoretical and managerial contributions are useful to scholars and practitioners such as industrial players, investors, chief executive officers (CEOs), managers, decision-makers and other stakeholders that intend to use Blockchain technology.

Unlike the existing technological–organizational–environmental (TOE) framework that uses a linear model and theoretically assumes that all relationships are linear, this has been the first study, which has successfully validated that there exist nonlinear relationships in the TOE framework. Further, very little has been theorized on the impacts of Blockchain adoption on competitive advantage, especially in the context of SMEs. Therefore, this study is the first one to provide the necessary theoretical foundation that may further extend the current knowledge of Blockchain technology adoption and its impacts.