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Article
Publication date: 19 January 2023

Nidhi Singhal and Deepak Kapur

This study aims to understand the impact of underlying theme in the communication on social media on funding received by early-stage start-ups.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to understand the impact of underlying theme in the communication on social media on funding received by early-stage start-ups.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on empirical testing of data of 849 start-ups and more than 130K tweets. Machine learning (ML) model has been used for text classification of 130K+ tweets. Causal mediation analysis with bootstrapping is carried out for hypothesis testing.

Findings

Tweets addressing quality-related uncertainty are a predictor of amount of funds raised. Audience response acts as a mediator between tweets focusing on relational orientation and amount of funds raised.

Research limitations/implications

The authors advance signaling theory by theorizing and investigating the importance of signal content. Endogenous signal of quality directly influences the start-ups outcomes, while exogenous signal helps disseminate information and influence the success.

Practical implications

Entrepreneurs should put in concerted effort to reduce uncertainty about the start-ups. Value creation is a central concept for start-ups; however, communicating value should be the dominant part of social media strategy.

Originality/value

Computer-based language processing techniques have amplified the research focused on content. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first comprehensive study that explores underlying themes of communication of start-ups and their impact on acquiring funds.

Details

Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2053-4604

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 August 2023

Samira Boussema

This study examines the role of passion in gender-specific entrepreneurial responses in times of crises and how passion manifests itself in a digital environment. Entrepreneurial…

Abstract

Purpose

This study examines the role of passion in gender-specific entrepreneurial responses in times of crises and how passion manifests itself in a digital environment. Entrepreneurial passion feeds energy, tenacity, self-confidence and momentum, creating added value for a given economy.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach was used to conduct semi-structured interviews. To reach the research objectives, the author examined a sample of 22 female entrepreneurs and 19 male entrepreneurs in a comparative design.

Findings

The results obtained through a qualitative study prove that entrepreneurial passion is a driver of self-confidence for entrepreneurs. Moreover, the nature of entrepreneurial passion differs across gender in times of crises. Indeed, female entrepreneurs try to take their lives into their own hands by creating their own destinies. They have seized opportunities arising from purely technological progress to create their own businesses on social networks and solve the unemployment problem. Meanwhile, male entrepreneurs pursue opportunities based on market supply and demand to increase their market share and face a crisis.

Practical implications

These findings offer novel insights into research on social media entrepreneurs. This study could help new entrepreneurs highlight their abilities, particularly those that are most salient and central.

Originality/value

This study adds a new dimension to the literature on the role and nature of entrepreneurial passion in times of crises.

Details

EuroMed Journal of Business, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1450-2194

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 11 October 2023

Shahid Khan, Sumaira Rehman and Uzma Kashif

This research aimed to investigate the mediating role of social media engagement in the relationship between differentiation-oriented content and purchase intentions…

Abstract

Purpose

This research aimed to investigate the mediating role of social media engagement in the relationship between differentiation-oriented content and purchase intentions. Additionally, this research studies the moderating impact of entrepreneurial social media skills in the relationship between social media engagement and purchase intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

The research proposes a positivist research philosophy, deductive research approach and survey research strategy. Data were collected from followers of social media pages of small and medium businesses operating in the fields of groceries, food items, apparel and supplies in Pakistan. Respondents were selected randomly. The descriptive statistics were calculated first, followed by reliability and validity analysis as part of the measurement model. Finally, mediation and moderation analyses were run by using structural equation modeling.

Findings

Results of the study confirm that differentiation-oriented content has a positive relationship with purchase intentions and social media engagement mediates this relationship. Results further confirm that the social media skills of entrepreneurs moderate the relationship between social media engagement and purchase intentions.

Practical implications

From a practical point of view, this study will potentially help entrepreneurs in Pakistan unveil the undiscovered potential of social media and understand the importance of social media marketing campaigns in crisis situations. It will unlock the importance of entrepreneurial training and development to better adapt to the dynamic and vibrant world of social media.

Originality/value

This is the first study that investigates the relationship between differentiation-oriented content and purchase intentions. Additionally, the current study adds to existing knowledge by proposing entrepreneurial social media skills as moderators in the relationship of social media engagement with purchase intentions.

Details

South Asian Journal of Marketing, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2719-2377

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 3 August 2023

David Roca, Aina Suárez and Saraí Meléndez-Rodríguez

The scarcity of women in advertising creative departments has been reported globally, particularly in creative managerial roles. This study goes a step beyond this evidence since…

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Abstract

Purpose

The scarcity of women in advertising creative departments has been reported globally, particularly in creative managerial roles. This study goes a step beyond this evidence since this paper aims to test whether having at least one token woman in creative managerial positions (token+) may be associated with a larger presence of females in low-level creative jobs compared to creative departments led only by male creative managers.

Design/methodology/approach

A content analysis of the credit forms of 839 Spanish campaigns released in 2019 was conducted to determine the gender composition of 116 creative departments with more than three professionals.

Findings

Generalized Poisson Regressions indicated that when at least a token woman is present in a creative management role within agency networks, the number of females in low-level positions doubles with respect to creative departments led only by male managers. This relation was not found for independent agencies, though. The results are discussed under the lens of critical mass theory, attraction paradigm and homophily theory.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, it is the first time in the literature that the relation among the number of token+ advertising female creative managers and the amount of females in lower-level creative positions is tested. This research is also original because the sample is from a non-Anglo-Saxon country. Moreover, the use of the Generalized Poisson Regressions technique is another novelty of this paper.

Details

Gender in Management: An International Journal , vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2413

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 March 2024

Kyle Mulrooney, Karen Bullock, Christian Mouhanna and Alistair Harkness

This article examines challenges and strategies related to police relationships and engagement with rural communities in England and Wales, Australia and France. It aims to bridge…

Abstract

Purpose

This article examines challenges and strategies related to police relationships and engagement with rural communities in England and Wales, Australia and France. It aims to bridge a gap in knowledge around how police balance public demands with organisational and contextual constraints, exploring the role of communication technology in overcoming geographical and cultural barriers in rural policing.

Design/methodology/approach

The research draws upon 121 semi-structured interviews conducted across three distinct jurisdictions. In the United Kingdom and Australia, interviews were conducted via Microsoft Teams, while face-to-face interviews were conducted in France. Participants were recruited through the purposive sampling of police working in rural areas. The data were thematically analysed using NVivo Software.

Findings

Rural communities have low expectations of policing services, a consequence of geography, organisational structures and limited resource allocation. Building relationships can be challenging owing to isolation and terrain, the need for officers to have local and cultural knowledge, and difficulties in recruiting officers in rural posts. Technology-mediated communication has played a part in the solutions (e.g. social media). However, this may not always be suitable owing to limited connectivity, citizen and police preferences for communication and engagement, and the institutional and cultural nuances surrounding the application of technology.

Originality/value

This article provides empirical insights into the attitudes and experiences of rural police officers, highlighting the distinctive policing context and engagement needs of rural communities. The research underscores the necessity for contextually aware engagement. It suggests that while technology-mediated communication offers some solutions to spatial challenges, its effectiveness may be limited by access, generational preferences and the adaptability of police institutions and cultures.

Details

Policing: An International Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-951X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 April 2023

Deepak Doreswamy, Abhijay B.R., Jeane Marina D’Souza, Sachidananda H.K. and Subraya Krishna Bhat

Soft actuators using pneumatic-chamber (PneuNet)-based designs have been of interest in the area of soft robotics with scope of application in the area of biomedical assistance…

Abstract

Purpose

Soft actuators using pneumatic-chamber (PneuNet)-based designs have been of interest in the area of soft robotics with scope of application in the area of biomedical assistance and smart agriculture. Researchers have attempted to investigate multiple chambers in parallel to examine their deformation characteristics. However, there is a lacuna for investigation of the deformation characteristics of four parallel chambered soft actuators. The purpose of this study is to comprehensively investigate the different possible actuation scenarios and the resulting bending/deformation behaviours.

Design/methodology/approach

Therefore, in this study, a four-chambered PneuNet actuator is numerically investigated to evaluate the effects of pressurization scenarios and pressure levels on its performance, operating reaching and working volume.

Findings

The results of this study revealed that two-adjacent chamber equal pressurization and three-chamber pressurizations result in increased bending. However, two-opposite chamber pressurization reduces the bending angle with pressure levels in the lower pressure chamber. The maximum bending angle of 97° was achieved for single-chamber pressurization of 300 kPa. The two-adjacent chamber unequal pressurization can achieve a sweeping motion in the actuator along with bending. The working volume and reaching capability analysis revealed that the actuator can reach around 71% of the dimensional operating space.

Practical implications

The results provide fundamental guidance on the output nature of motion which can be obtained under different pressurization scenarios using the four-chambered design soft actuator, thereby making it a practical guide for implementation for useful applications.

Originality/value

The comprehensive pressurization scenarios and pressure level variations reported in this study will serve as fundamental operating guidelines for any practical implementation of the four-chambered PneuNet actuator.

Details

World Journal of Engineering, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1708-5284

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 24 July 2023

Robert Gandy, Peter Wolstencroft, Katherine Geer and Leanne de Main

The recruitment of undergraduate students within English universities is of vital importance to both the academic success and the financial stability of the organisation. Despite…

Abstract

Purpose

The recruitment of undergraduate students within English universities is of vital importance to both the academic success and the financial stability of the organisation. Despite the primacy of the task, there has been a dearth of research looking at related performance and how to ensure that the process is optimised. The purpose of this study was to investigate the degree of variation both within a university and between different universities. The reliance that individual programmes and/or universities place on the Clearing process is key; given its uncertainty, resource demands and timing shortly before students take up their places.

Design/methodology/approach

The Nomogramma di Gandy diagrammatical approach utilises readily available data to analyse universities’ performance in recruiting students to different programmes, and the degree to which they each rely of the Clearing process. Inter-university performance was investigated on a whole-student intake basis for a sample of English universities, representative of type and region.

Findings

The study found that there were disparate patterns for the many programmes within the pilot university and also disparate patterns between different types of universities across England. Accordingly, universities should internally benchmark their programmes to inform both strategic and tactical decision-making. Similarly, Universities and Colleges Admissions Service benchmarking inter-university patterns could inform the overall sector.

Originality/value

The approach and findings provide lessons for analysing student recruitment which could be critical to universities’ academic and financial health, in an increasingly competitive environment.

Details

Benchmarking: An International Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-5771

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 March 2024

Sihem Ben Saad

In the tourism industry, immersive technologies become increasingly vital, amplifying traveler experiences and industry growth. By studying “e-booking” applications prevalent in…

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Abstract

Purpose

In the tourism industry, immersive technologies become increasingly vital, amplifying traveler experiences and industry growth. By studying “e-booking” applications prevalent in hotels, this study aims to analyze the impact of integrating an anthropomorphic virtual agent (AVA) on user perceptions of humanness and service usage intent.

Design/methodology/approach

Two experiments were conducted to examine the effects of using an AVA and explain the psychological mechanism of how AVA’s attributes increase intention to use “e-booking” application.

Findings

The results highlight the positive influence of AVA on the intention to use. They illustrate the psychological mechanism of how AVA’s attributes (agency and emotionality) influence perceived humanness and intention to use. More specifically, the results indicate that perceived humanness mediated the effect of an AVA on intention to use.

Research limitations/implications

Further research should delve into additional capabilities related to humanness.

Practical implications

This study provides useful insights for hotels’ managers about incorporating AVAs in digital services to enhance the perceived humanness of AVAs. The findings suggest that such efforts could yield benefits, especially when they involve conveying that AVAs possess agency and emotionality.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first to investigate how AVA impacts hotel human–computer interaction. It examines agency and emotionality features on humanness perception and behavioral intent. It also guides successful digitalized hotel service development and design, expanding existing research on human–virtual agent digital services, which mainly focuses on superficial traits like face and gender.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 25 October 2023

Pathiranage Padmali Manesha Peiris, Ahu Tatli and Mustafa Bilgehan Ozturk

The aim of this study is to explore how women in Sri Lanka cultivate entrepreneurial personae to navigate the various gendered roles they situationally enact, as they attempt to…

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study is to explore how women in Sri Lanka cultivate entrepreneurial personae to navigate the various gendered roles they situationally enact, as they attempt to secure legitimacy and acceptance and overcome their otherness. Drawing on Goffman's theorisation of symbolic interaction, this study investigates how gender informs the performance of entrepreneurship in Sri Lanka. In this way, the study engages with the challenges women in the Global South navigate while undertaking entrepreneurship, and it contributes to the critical entrepreneurship literature on the intertwined nature of gender and entrepreneurship.

Design/methodology/approach

Following feminist standpoint epistemology (FSE), this qualitative study focuses on women entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka by examining the performance of entrepreneurship through 44 life history interviews (LHIs) and 40 Field Observations conducted over a seven-month period.

Findings

The findings reveal that women carefully cultivate entrepreneurial personae by striking a balance between entrepreneurial ideals and patriarchal social expectations around womanhood. The findings of the study present how the entrepreneurial personae are constructed by way of appearance, mannerism and setting, which presents opportunities for future research to explore the dramaturgical aspect of gender and entrepreneurship.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the growing body of feminist research surrounding women entrepreneurs, by drawing on insights from the lived experiences of women entrepreneurs in the Global South. This study also expands Goffman's theorisation of audience segregation and shows that a subject's understanding of the audience shapes their personae. A further contribution of this research is how space becomes an extension of the personae at play.

Details

International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-6266

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 March 2024

Sakshi Yadav, Shivendra Kumar Pandey and Dheeraj Sharma

This study aims to answer two significant questions: What are the relative consumer and firm-level effects of marketing through metaverse compared to conventional marketing…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to answer two significant questions: What are the relative consumer and firm-level effects of marketing through metaverse compared to conventional marketing endeavours? What are the current trends in utilizing the metaverse as reported in the recent literature?

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a systematic literature review methodology, using a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses flowchart to synthesize existing research. A total of 35 articles written in English were selected and analysed from two databases, Web of Science and EBSCO Host.

Findings

The findings indicate that consumer-level effects of the metaverse include consumer loyalty and brand attachment. The firm-level benefits are decentralization and cost reductions. The paper proposes a framework indicating variables that could attenuate or enhance the association between immersive components of the metaverse and their resultant effects.

Originality/value

This study contributes to understanding the role of metaverse in marketing practices related to the marketing mix components. The study conceptualizes a novel framework for the metaverse and its resultant effects.

Details

Management Research Review, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-8269

Keywords

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