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This paper focuses on the development of a distributed rapid prototyping system via the Internet to form a framework of Internet prototyping and manufacturing for the support of effective product development. The proposed methodology is targeted at a wide audience using a disparate range of computer systems to access remotely located rapid prototyping facilities via the Internet for prototype fabrication. The methodology is useful for both educational research for teaching evolving rapid prototyping technologies and remote scientific visualization. This approach is based on the merger of object‐oriented modular software architecture and client server communications for the remote control of rapid prototyping hardware (called fused deposition modeling) via the Internet. Other Web tools are used to allow the remote user to have higher interactivity with the server applications that have a direct link with the front‐end terminals controlling the rapid prototyping hardware.

Leveraging the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the stimulus–organism–response (S–O–R) theory, this paper aims to investigate how the utilitarian and hedonic factors in virtual reality (VR) technologies affect consumers' intention to travel in the endemic phase of COVID-19. At the same time, the study incorporated emotional engagement and two forms of trust as possible organisms for this model.

Through snowball sampling, data collected from 263 respondents were analysed using the partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).

The findings revealed that among the different forms of hedonic and utilitarian factors, all but perceived entertainment has a significant positive relationship to emotional engagement. Additionally, emotional engagement positively influences trust in the product and seller. However, the results show that only trust in the seller has a significant relationship with travelling intention. Predictive analysis shows that the model displays a strong predictive power.

This study differentiates from the existing literature by investigating the effect of VR technologies on the two different forms of trust and emotional engagement on travelling intention. This study extends earlier studies by supplementing the explanatory perspective with a predictive focus, which is particularly important in making sound recommendations on managerial decision-making.

This study's purpose is to propose an integrated model based on expectation-confirmation model (ECM), task-technology fit (TTF) model, and updated DeLone and McLean information system (IS) success model to examine whether quality factors and TTF as antecedents to physician beliefs can affect physicians' continuance intention of the cloud-based hospital information system (HIS) and performance impact.

Sample data for this study were collected from physicians at five hospitals in Taiwan. A total of 500 questionnaires were distributed, and 305 (61.0 percent) usable questionnaires were analyzed using structural equation modeling in this study.

This study verified that physicians' perceived information quality, system quality, general technical support service quality, and cloud storage service quality all positively caused their PU, confirmation, and perceived TTF in the cloud-based HIS, which together explained their satisfaction with the system, and subsequently led to their continuance intention of the system and performance impact.

First, IS-related and cloud-related quality factors are simultaneously taken into consideration within this study's research model, and empirical results reveal deep insights into quality evaluation in the field of physicians' cloud-based HIS continuance intention. Next, this study contributes to an understanding of TTF in explaining physicians' cloud-based HIS continuance intention that is difficult to explain with only their utilitarian perception of the system, and places emphasis upon physicians' perception of performance impact greatly driven by their perceived TTF and continuance intention of the system, thus the results can shed light on antecedents and outcome of physicians' cloud-based HIS continuance intention.

Following Cheng et al. (2012) and Tan et al. (2015), this paper aims to investigate how does the forward-looking information disclosure quality affect the investors’ decisions and then the investment efficiency.

The authors obtain the information disclosure quality rating data from the official website of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE), and firm financial information is mainly from the China Center for Economic Research (CCER) and China Stock Market and Accounting Research Database (CSMAR). The authors choose firms that publicly traded on the SZSE during the period from 2004 to 2010, and the final sample consists of 2,415 firm-year observations for 345 unique firms.

The authors find that a firm with a high information disclosure quality rating is trusted by investors more. Forward-looking non-financial information (FNFI) disclosure alleviates financial constraints and improves investment efficiency, including alleviating underinvestment and preventing overinvestment to a larger extent for firms with high information disclosure quality rating, especially for the firms rated A (excellent) or B (good) every year since 2001, when the rating began. Moreover, this study proves that investors trust the firms rated high more but do not guard against the firms rated low enough.

The authors only considered the quantity of FNFI disclosed by firms and ignored other characteristics of FNFI. Limited by the data of information disclosure quality rating, the research sample is just from the SZSE.

This paper extends the research of Cheng et al. (2012) and Tan et al. (2015) to show that one of the reasons behind the extant mix results of the relationship between FNF disclosure and investment efficiency is different information disclosure quality. High-quality FNFI disclosure can alleviate underinvestment and prevent overinvestment at same time.

There is significant amount of literature tackling different issues related to the port industry. The present chapter focuses on a single business unit of seaports aiming at the documentation of works related to container terminals.

An effort to review, collect and present the majority of the works present in the last 30 years, between 1980 and 2010, has been made in order to picture the problems dealt and methods used by the authors in the specific research field. To facilitate the reader, studies have been grouped under five categories of addressed problems (productivity and competitiveness, yard and equipment utilization, equipment scheduling, berth planning, loading/unloading) and four modelling methodologies (mathematics and operations research, management and economics, simulation, stochastic modelling).

The analysis shows that most works focus on productivity and competitiveness issues followed by yard and equipment utilisation and equipment scheduling. In reference to the methodologies used managerial and economic approaches lead, followed by mathematics and operations research.

In reference to future research, two fields have been identified where there is scope of significant contribution by the academic community: container terminal security and container terminal supply chain integration.

The present chapter provides the framework for researchers in the field of port container terminals to picture the so far works in this research area and enables the identification of gaps at both research question and methodology level for further research.

The purpose of this study is to propose an integrated model based on expectation-confirmation model (ECM) and technology acceptance model (TAM) to examine whether environmental, human, organizational and technology factors as the antecedents to physicians’ beliefs can affect their satisfaction and continuance intention of the cloud-based hospital information system (HIS).

Sample data for this study were collected from physicians at six hospitals in Taiwan. A total of 600 questionnaires were distributed, and 471 (78.5 per cent) usable questionnaires were analyzed using structural equation modeling in this study.

This study proposes a solid research model that is based on ECM and TAM, four types of factors, environmental factor, human factor, organizational factors and technology factors, as antecedents to physicians’ continuance intention of the cloud-based HIS have been examined. This study’s results strongly support the research model with all hypothesized links being significant, and control variables have no confounding effects on physicians’ continuance intention of the cloud-based HIS.

This study contributes to physicians’ continuance intention toward the cloud-based HIS based on ECM, TAM, technology-organization-environment framework and human-organization-technology fit framework, and reveals deep insights into the evaluation of determinants in the field of physicians’ continuance intention of the cloud-based HIS. Accordingly, it is particularly worth mentioning that IS and non-IS determinants are simultaneously evaluated and taken into consideration in this study’s theoretical development of physicians’ continuance intention of the cloud-based HIS to acquire a more comprehensive and robust analysis.

To propose a conceptual structural equation model to demonstrate the direct and indirect impact of supply chain participation strategy (SCPS), information technology application (ITA), manufacturing participation strategy (MPS) on customer satisfaction (CS) and organizational performance (OP) from a strategic perspective.

An empirical study is conducted through surveys of 109 senior managers from the top 800 manufacturing firms in Taiwan and the data collected are used to test the relationships expressed in the proposed structural equation model.

MPS planning plays a pivotal role in achieving OP in implementing the supply chain system. This demonstrates the strategic importance of integrating manufacturing (operations) with suppliers and customers in a supply chain system.

The current data were collected in Taiwan, and the distribution of the scale of the firms surveyed may be quite different from that in other countries. But it can be useful for managers' reference, especially for those whose firms are located in other countries where the circumstances are similar to those in Taiwan.

This application of conceptual structural equation model is a very useful source of information and a notice for managers to achieve greater success in implementing the supply chain systems.

This paper provides a useful conceptual structural equation model and points out a critical pivotal variable for managers to implement SCM more effectively to enhance the competitive advantage.

The purpose of this study is to propose a research model based on expectation-confirmation model (ECM) to examine whether interactivity and course quality factors (i.e. course content quality, course design quality) as antecedents to student beliefs can influence students' satisfaction and continuance intention of the cloud-based electronic learning (e-learning) system within the educational institution.

Sample data were collected from students enrolled in a comprehensive university in Taiwan. A total of 600 questionnaires were distributed in the campus, and 515 (85.8%) useable questionnaires were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Findings showed that students' perceptions of interactivity, course content quality and course design quality positively significantly contributed to their perceived usefulness, confirmation and satisfaction with the cloud-based e-learning system, which in turn directly or indirectly led to their continuance intention of the system. Thus, the results strongly supported the research model based on ECM via positioning key constructs as the drivers with all hypothesized links being significant.

This study identifies three factors (i.e. interactivity, course content quality, course design quality) as drivers from the learner perspective within the cloud-based e-learning environment, and links these factors to students' satisfaction and continuance intention of the cloud-based e-learning system based on ECM. It is particularly worth mentioning that the three drivers can serve as precursors for recognizing the determinants that are crucial to understand students' satisfaction and continuance intention of the cloud-based e-learning system. Hence, this study may provide new insights in nourishing the cloud-based e-learning continuance literature in the future.

The purpose of this study is to propose an integrated model based on expectation–confirmation model (ECM), flow theory and human–organization–technology fit framework to examine whether human, organizational and technology factors as antecedents to medical professionals' beliefs can affect their continuance intention of the cloud-based e-learning system.

Sample data for this study were collected from medical professionals at five hospitals in Taiwan. A total of 500 questionnaires were distributed, and 368 (73.6%) useable questionnaires were analyzed using structural equation modeling in this study.

Synthetically speaking, human, organizational and technology factors, as antecedents to medical professionals' continuance intention of the cloud-based e-learning system have been examined, and the results strongly support the research model with all hypothesized links being significant.

Particularly, it is worth mentioning that the application of capturing both ECM and flow theory for completely explaining three types of factors (i.e. human, organizational and technology factors) as external variables to medical professionals' cloud-based e-learning continuance intention is well documented, that is, information systems (IS) and nonIS determinants are simultaneously evaluated, and extrinsic and intrinsic motivators are both taken into consideration in this study's theoretical development of medical professionals' cloud-based e-learning continuance intention to acquire a more comprehensive and robust analysis.

The purpose of this paper is to highlight that Singaporeans are adopting the value of continuous effort and being resilient. Several explanations are put forth on why Singaporeans are resilient. That being the case, Singapore companies can also be said to be resilient.

Interviewing method.

Influenced by its geography, history and the value of achievement, Singaporeans and Singapore Companies are adopting “continuous effort” and “are being resilient” as the value they work and live by. Goal‐oriented, they do their homework, plan their work before plunging and work their plan.

Limitation: time and costs constraints, otherwise more interviewing sessions could have been held. Future research, if a budget permits, can employ more inteviewers.

Being resilient is an advantage, it can also lead to strengthen the Republic's economy. In business, being resilient is vital since it gives the people the necessary fighting power. However, it is said that any culture is dynamic, and events may change perceptions and values, and hence, a highlight on whether Singaporeans are, in fact, “becoming softer” is also discussed.

The article provides a new/continuing perspective on cultural value of resilience in Singapore.