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This paper aims to examine small business’ participation in digital marketing and to integrate the do-it-yourself (DIY) behavior model and technology acceptance model (TAM) so as to explore the motivations and expected outcomes of such participation.

Data from 250 small business owners/managers who do their own digital promotion are collected through an online survey. Structural equation modeling is used to analyze the relationships between the models.

The results contribute to the understanding of small business’ digital marketing behavior by finding support for the idea that the technological benefits may not be the only motivators for small business owner/managers who undertake digital marketing. Moreover, and perhaps more importantly, the authors find that the DIY behavior model applies to small business owner/managers who must perform tasks that require specialized knowledge.

The limitations of this research are that the motivations to undertake digital marketing are limited to those contained in the DIY and TAM models, and the sample may not be representative of all owners and managers who perform digital marketing for their small businesses. Therefore, future research is needed to determine if further motivations to conduct digital marketing exist and whether other samples produce the same interpretations.

This study presents empirical evidence supporting the application of the DIY model to a context outside of home-repair and extends the understanding of digital footprint differences between large and small businesses.

This paper aims to examine the effects of consumers' perceptions concerning the ethics of online retailers on web site satisfaction and loyalty.

An online survey instrument was administered to a sample of 220 students who were enrolled in various business undergraduate classes at a mid size university located in the southwestern USA. Participants completed a questionnaire based on their latest online purchase. The measurement model and structural relationships were estimated using AMOS 18.

Non‐deception, fulfillment, and security are significant predictors of web site satisfaction. Only privacy is related directly with loyalty. While direct effects of fulfillment and non‐deception on loyalty are not significant; satisfaction mediates these relationships. Results provide a strong support for the web site satisfaction‐loyalty relationship.

Internet retailers must address ethical issues surrounding their web sites by protecting financial and personal information, delivering accurate products, and avoiding deceptive practices.

The current research is one of few studies in online retailing that examines the relationship between perceived online ethics, satisfaction and loyalty. By offering evidence to prior conflicting results in the literature, a strong association between what consumers perceive as ethical online retailing, their satisfaction and loyalty to online retailers was confirmed.

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of consumers' perception of online retailers' ethical behavior on consumer purchase and revisit intentions.

A sample of 259 online shoppers was employed to test the relationships between perceived ethics of online retailers and the intention to revisit and purchase. The measurement model and structural relationships were estimated using AMOS 18.

Results show that perceived ethics of an Internet retailer's website significantly affect consumers' trust and attitudes to the retailer's website that eventually have positive impacts on purchase and revisit intentions. Website trust was positively related to attitude toward the site. The results do not show support for a direct effect between perceived ethics and behavioral intentions, but attitude and trust toward the website mediate these effects.

The findings support the idea that despite the physical distance between online retailers and customer, behaving ethically has an effect on revisit and purchase intentions. This suggests that online vendors should invest in methods that strengthen consumers' trust of websites. To convey a sense of ethics of the website, websites should ensure that privacy policies are easy to understand, explain clearly how customer information is used, offer secure payment methods, display clearly the terms and conditions of the online transactions, fulfill the orders, and avoid deceptive practices and exaggerations of product characteristics.

Research integrating perceived ethical conduct of retailers and consumer behavior is still in the beginning, and has not explored all outcomes of perceived ethics. This study is an initial attempt to investigate the effects of perceived ethics of retailers on revisit and purchase intentions. This study contributes to the knowledge of consumer perceived ethics and behavioral intentions.

The following paper is a “Q&A interview” conducted by Joanne Pransky of Industrial Robot Journal as a method to impart the combined technological, business and personal experience of a prominent, robotic industry PhD-turned-entrepreneur regarding the commercialization and challenges of bringing a technological invention to market. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

The interviewee is Dr Howie Choset, Chief Technical Officer at the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute and Professor of Robotics at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU). Motivated by applications in confined spaces, Dr Choset created a comprehensive program in modular, high degree(s) of freedom (DOF) and multirobot systems. This research led Dr Choset to cofound three companies. In this interview, Dr Choset shares some of his personal and business experiences of working in academia and industry.

Dr Choset received his Bachelor of Science, Engineering (BSE) degree in computer science and his Bachelor of Science, Economics (BSEcon) degree in business from the University of Pennsylvania in 1990. Dr Choset received his Masters and PhD from Caltech in mechanical engineering and robotics in 1991 and 1996. Since 1996, Dr Choset has been a Professor of Robotics at CMU and Director of the CMU Biorobotics Lab. He is also the Director of CMU’s undergraduate major and minor of Robotics. Along with his students, Choset formed several companies including Medrobotics (2005) for surgical systems; Hebi Robotics (2014) for modular robots; and Bito Robotics (2017) for autonomous guided vehicles. In 2017, Choset co-led the formation of the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute, which is a $250m national institute advancing both technology development and education for robotics in manufacturing. Choset is a founding editor of the journal Science Robotics and is currently serving on the editorial board of International Journal Robotics Research.

Motivated by collaborating with his students and colleagues, Dr Choset continues to make fundamental contributions in design, motion planning, path planning and estimation with the goal of bringing the precision of computer science and applied mathematics to the realities and uncertainties of mechanical systems. Choset’s work has been supported by both industry and government. Medrobotics Corp., a medical robotics company based on Choset’s snake robots, has received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulatory clearance for both colorectal and otolaryngology procedures in the USA.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relations in the Marketing/Operations interface through the analysis of data of the operational reality of a Brazilian company with a low technological intensity. The study aims to quantify and determine the impacts of marketing decisions on delivery performance and on flexibility of the operations area.

A longitudinal case study was conducted and the variables used in the model were derived from established theories and were evaluated with artificial neural networks. The case of a food manufacturing company was selected to reflect the relations in the marketing/operations interface of a low technological intensity enterprise.

The results show that the decisions on Place/Channel, Price and Product dimensions of marketing exert a significant impact on flexibility and delivery performance of the operation area.

The findings of the case study cannot be generalised and the outcomes are specific to just one firm. However, the approach lends itself to replication, particularly within low technological intensity companies.

Prior studies have focussed on coordination among functional areas as marketing and operations at higher levels of abstraction. The study contemplate empirical propositions through the data analysis of a company with a low technological intensity that can be used to improve managers' decisions and alignment in the Marketing/Operation Interface.

The purpose of the present study is to identify and measure economically the losses related to inventory management in an oil refinery.

An exploratory case study was conducted to search for a better understanding of a phenomenon and its implications.

The results obtained based on the case study suggest the need to observe this phenomenon in other contexts and take managerial actions that will eliminate waste as one of the forms of generating value for the company. The results were related to each other and to the traditional metrics of inventory management and can be used as a base to improve mathematical and computational models for production planning and scheduling and also performance indicators.

No studies have been found that attempt to measure the economic losses derived from inventory management and their capacity in this environment.

The prevalence of individuals with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) being associated with terroristic threats, lone wolf terrorism or affiliating with terroristic groups is rare. This paper aims to discuss this issue.

However, several cases are presented, where individuals with autism are involved in making a naïve, empty terroristic threat or uttering serious serial terroristic threats. Other cases are also presented of individuals being at risk for an abduction or being used by a terrorist group, and finally committing an act of domestic lone wolf terrorism.

Essential to the analysis was establishing a functional connection between autism-based deficits and the terroristic threats, terrorism, and when to not criminalize naïve, empty terroristic threats or acts.

Currently, tools available to law enforcement and prosecutors exploit the vulnerabilities and liabilities which arise as a result of group interactions, a “preventive” approach to terrorism that is not applicable to the solitary, “lone wolf” terrorist. There has been relatively little research (including case studies) examining individuals with ASD who engage in terrorism. For instance, when dealing with an individual with ASD who is charged with terrorism, it is crucial to consider how the diagnosis of autism may have presented as a contextual vulnerability, and to make sure that justice, rehabilitation and management, are informed by an understanding of the person’s diagnosis of ASD.

This study aims to investigate how the “cooking holiday” concept can be used by tourism authorities and practitioners and, to that end, proposes a hierarchical framework for improving culinary tourism.

This study adopted the Delphi method to filter and verify the criteria, thereby constructing a hierarchical framework of cooking holidays in Taiwan. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was also applied to calculate the relative weight of each attribute and criterion, thus identifying their degrees of importance.

Four attributes (“local food,” “food trail,” “cooking experience” and “environment and atmosphere”) and 22 criteria were identified to comprise a cooking holiday experience framework. Research findings reveal “cooking experience” as the most crucial of the four attributes identified. Of the more numerous criteria, “ingredients with integrity,” “local features” and “diverse curriculum” were identified as the three most important.

The hierarchical framework of cooking holiday experiences can be used by tourism authorities and practitioners to enhance experiential quality for tourists and promote culinary tourism in Taiwan. According to the research findings, cooking class participants can concentrate on the “cooking experience” while emphasizing “ingredients with integrity,” “local features” and “diverse curricula” in the context of cooking holidays.

This study offers valuable insights and suggests directions for future research on culinary tourism. This study also offers a framework for developing cooking holidays.

本文旨在探究可以如何运用「烹饪假期」之概念, 藉由阶层架构之提出, 藉以提升美食观光。

本文运用德尔菲法筛选与确认台湾烹饪假期阶层架构之指标与建构。并以层级分析法(AHP)估算每一属性与指针之相对权重, 藉以确认相对重要程度。

烹饪假期体验架构系由四个属性（「在地饮食」、「产制体验」、「烹饪体验」与「环境氛围」）与二十二个指标构成。研究发现显示「烹饪体验」在于四个属性之中最为重要。多项指标之中, 「安心食材」「在地特色」与「多元课程」系为最为重要之三个指标。

烹饪假期体验之阶层架构可为观光主管机关与业者运用, 藉以提升游客之体验质量与推广台湾之美食观光。依据研究发现, 烹饪教室参与者可以专注「烹饪体验」, 并且强调「安心食材」、「在地特色」与「多元课程」之要素, 藉以发展烹饪假期。

本文提供具有价值之洞见, 可供美食观光未来研究之参考。本文同时提供一个可以用以发展烹饪假期之架构。

Este estudio tiene como objetivo investigar cómo se puede utilizar el concepto de “vacaciones de cocina” al proponer un marco jerárquico para mejorar el turismo culinario.

Este estudio adoptó el método Delphi para filtrar y verificar los criterios y construir el marco jerárquico de las vacaciones de cocina en Taiwán. El proceso analítico jerárquico (AHP) también se aplica para calcular el peso relativo de cada atributo y el criterio para identificar su grado de importancia.

Se identificaron cuatro atributos (“comida local”, “ruta culinaria”, “experiencia culinaria” y “entorno y ambiente”) y 22 criterios para comprender un marco de experiencia de vacaciones culinarias. Los resultados de la investigación revelan que la “experiencia culinaria” es el atributo más relevante de los cuatro identificados. De los criterios más numerosos, “ingredientes con integridad”, “características locales” y “currículum diverso” fueron identificados como los tres más importantes.

El marco jerárquico de la experiencia de las vacaciones de cocina se puede utilizar para que las autoridades y los profesionales del turismo mejoren la calidad de la experiencia de los turistas y promuevan el turismo culinario en Taiwán. Según los resultados de la investigación, los participantes de las clases de cocina pueden concentrarse en la “experiencia de cocina” y enfatizar los elementos de “ingredientes con integridad”, “características locales” y r“currículum diverso” para las vacaciones de cocina.

este estudio ofrece información valiosa, proporciona una referencia para futuras investigaciones sobre turismo culinario. Este estudio también ofrece un marco teórico, que se puede utilizar para desarrollar vacaciones de cocina.

This paper aims to identify the factors that motivate parents to adopt internet monitoring software (aka parental control software [PCS]) to curb problematic internet usage and safeguard their children online. By doing so, the authors are able to curb problematic internet usage and keep children safe online.

An online survey was conducted using a representative sample of 330 parents in the USA with children ages 10 to 15. Results were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

This research combines two theories, namely, technology acceptance model (TAM) and protection motivation theory (PMT) to factors that motivate parents to adopt internet monitoring software to help their children. Perceived severity, perceived vulnerability from PMT and personal innovativeness (PI) from TAM, which is related to self-efficacy and the belief that future technologies will require less effort to adopt, are key factors that influence parents’ perceived usefulness of PCS. Perceived usefulness and PI both positively predict parents’ purchase intention for internet monitoring software.

The study establishes that there are personal, technology and situational factors that motivate the adoption of PCS. These determinants have implications for how marketers identify potential users and how they might improve the promotion of internet monitoring technologies.

The paper extends the application of the technology acceptance model and PMT to predict technology adoption aimed at helping others. Findings show that personal and perceptual factors motivate parents’ adoption of internet monitoring software to curb problematic internet usage and keep children safe online. This paper is the first to combine the technology acceptance model and PMT to explain the adoption of software solutions to protect others online. By doing so, a more thorough account of parents’ technology adoption to protect their children is offered.