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The purpose of this paper is to assess the appropriateness of equal weights estimation (sumscores) and the application of the composite equivalence index (CEI) vis-à-vis differentiated indicator weights produced by partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

The authors rely on prior literature as well as empirical illustrations and a simulation study to assess the efficacy of equal weights estimation and the CEI.

The results show that the CEI lacks discriminatory power, and its use can lead to major differences in structural model estimates, conceals measurement model issues and almost always leads to inferior out-of-sample predictive accuracy compared to differentiated weights produced by PLS-SEM.

In light of its manifold conceptual and empirical limitations, the authors advise against the use of the CEI. Its adoption and the routine use of equal weights estimation could adversely affect the validity of measurement and structural model results and understate structural model predictive accuracy. Although this study shows that the CEI is an unsuitable metric to decide between equal weights and differentiated weights, it does not propose another means for such a comparison.

The results suggest that researchers and practitioners should prefer differentiated indicator weights such as those produced by PLS-SEM over equal weights.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to provide a comprehensive assessment of the CEI’s usefulness. The results provide guidance for researchers considering using equal indicator weights instead of PLS-SEM-based weighted indicators.

Drawing on the challenge–hindrance stressor framework and the “too-much-of-a-good-thing” principle, this study examined the curvilinear effects of two emic social challenge stressors (guanxi beliefs and participative decision-making (PDM)) and the moderating effect of an etic social hindrance stressor (perceived organizational politics) on Hong Kong and United States nurses’ job satisfaction.

A quantitative survey method was implemented, with the data provided by 355 Hong Kong nurses and 116 United States nurses. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the degree of measurement equivalence across Hong Kong and US nurses. The proposed model and the research questions were tested using nonlinear structural equation modeling analyses.

The results show that while guanxi beliefs only showed an inverted U-shaped relation on Hong Kong nurses’ job satisfaction, PDM had an inverted U-shaped relation with both Hong Kong and United States nurses’ job satisfaction. The authors also found that Hong Kong nurses experienced the highest job satisfaction when their guanxi beliefs and perceived organization politics were both high.

The results add to the comprehension of the nuances of the often-held assumption of linearity in organizational sciences and support the speculation of social stressors-outcomes linkages.

Managers need to recognize that while the nurturing and development of effective relationships with employees via social interaction are important, managers also need to be aware that too much guanxi and PDM may lead employees to feel overwhelmed with expectations of reciprocity and reconciliation to such an extent that they suffer adverse outcomes and become dissatisfied with their jobs.

First, the authors found that influences of guanxi beliefs and PDM are not purely linear and that previous research may have neglected the curvilinear nature of their influences on job satisfaction. Second, the authors echo researchers’ call to consider an organization’s political context to fully understand employees’ attitudes and reactions toward social interactions at work. Third, the authors examine boundary conditions of curvilinear relationships to understand the delicate dynamics.

Despite the significant interest from researchers and practitioners, the literature on project value measurement from the perspective of the customer is non-existent. This study aims to address this gap by developing and validating a scale to measure project value through a customer lens called the customer perception of project value scale.

A list of items was initially generated based on 762 sample responses through a systematic review of the literature and with the participation of specialists. Exploratory and confirmatory factorial analyses and structural equation modelling were used to develop and validate the scale.

The authors formulated a four-dimension scale. The dimensions used to measure the second-order construct are customer centrality, process, delivery and cost-benefit. This was validated using a nomological structure.

The non-consensual nature of what is value in projects restricts the results of this study to the context of a specific group of stakeholders only, that is, the consumers of the projects. The authors also see limitations in the absence of competing scales, which do not allow the comparison of the instrument with alternative measures.

This study allows project managers and other professionals to measure a project’s perceived value from the customer’s point of view and manage the improvement of this perception.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to propose a scale to measure project value, which advances the literature on project management and value and contributes to academic knowledge and practice by measuring project value from the customer standpoint.

The New York Times has suggested replacing sustainable fashion with responsible fashion, emphasizing the need for joint efforts by both individual consumers and retailers to take responsibility for their own decisions and actions. This study seeks to investigate the mechanism that activates individuals' personal social responsibility (PSR) and its association with their perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) from a responsible luxury fashion retailer.

An online experiment was conducted with a nationwide US sample of luxury consumers who were randomly assigned to either individuation or deindividuation groups. Covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) and multi-group SEM were employed to test the hypotheses.

Individuals' universalism positively affected PSR, which then enhanced their recognition of a responsible luxury retailer’s CSR and led to a greater willingness to pay a premium. More importantly, the positive effect of universalism on PSR was strengthened when consumers’ unique individuality, rather than their deindividuated state, was emphasized. Moreover, the moderating effect of individuation was indirectly transmitted through PSR to perceived CSR, hence reinforcing the relationship between PSR and CSR.

This study significantly advances existing scholarship on sustainable luxury retailing and adds rigor to deindividuation theory by demonstrating the central role of PSR and the moderating effect of individuation in enhancing recognition of a luxury fashion retailer’s CSR commitments. The findings provide luxury fashion retailers with communication and marketing strategies that highlight consumers' unique individuality to more effectively activate their sense of personal responsibility and thereby increase their recognition of the retailer’s CSR.

With the trend of adopting and studying artificial intelligence (AI) service robots at restaurants, the authors’ understanding of how customers perceive robots differently across restaurant segments remains limited. Therefore, building upon expectancy theory, this study aims to propose a trust-based mechanism to explain customers’ support for AI-based service robots.

For cross-segment validation, data were collected from online survey participants under the scenarios of experiencing AI service robots in luxury (n = 428), fine-dining (n = 420), casual (n = 409) and quick-service (n = 410) restaurant scenarios.

In all four segments, trust in technology increased willingness to accept AI service robots, which was then positively related to customers’ support for AI-based service robots. Meanwhile, customers’ AI performance expectancy mediated the relationship between trust in technology and willingness to accept AI service robots. On the other hand, at luxury, fine-dining and casual restaurants, males perceived a stronger positive relationship between trust in technology and AI performance expectancy. No generational differences were found in the four restaurant segments between trust in technology and AI performance expectancy.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first attempts in hospitality research to examine cross-segment validation of customers’ responses to AI-based service robots in the luxury, fine-dining, casual and quick-service restaurant segments.

The objective of this study was to examine the relationships among festival personality, satisfaction and loyalty. Also, the study further analyzed the moderation effect of involvement on the relationships between festival personality, satisfaction and loyalty.

The authors adopt a two-stage mixed-method approach. Through a list of brand personality traits from previous research and in-depth interviews with participants of a film festival, festival personality constructs were identified: exceptional, competent, reliable and cozy. The authors then analyzed an integrative model of festival personality, satisfaction, involvement and loyalty from the qualitative findings. A survey with a convenience sample of 279 film festival participants was conducted.

The findings suggest that festival personality influence satisfaction and loyalty. Furthermore, this study confirms the significant impact of involvement on the relationships between festival personality, satisfaction and loyalty.

This study enables authors to understand the festival personality from the perspective of the visitors and expands the theoretical understanding of how the personality of the festival affects the visitors. The findings of this study suggest that the festival personality can be predictors and determinants of participants' satisfaction and loyalty. Also, this is one of the first attempts to identify the effects of involvement on festival personality and its outcomes. Current research findings demonstrated involvement as a moderator variable in the relationships between festival personality and festival satisfaction and loyalty.

This study aims to examine investors' reactions to bad financial news (IRBFN) based on complex financial accounting disclosures (CFAD) as well as how investors' herding behavior influences investor reactions in United Arab Emirates (UAE) project-based organizations (PBOs).

The primary data collection was furnished via online questionnaires, and 310 completed questionnaires were analyzed using structural equation modelling (SEM), moderation analysis, multiple regression simulations and path analysis.

The study shows that four out of the five CFAD dimensions observed – investors’ relations (IR), board and management structure, transparency disclosure and other disclosure channels – have a direct influence on investor's reactions to bad financial news, with the exception of “external auditing and audit service”. In addition, investor herding has a moderation impact on the relationship between CFAD and IRBFN.

There is a possibility that the broad view of the results may be limited by the size of the research sample. The paper's findings should therefore be authenticated at an intercontinental level with the same conceptual framework in other nations.

The purpose of modeling stakeholders' decision-making process is to improve their decisions and to control their reactions that may negatively affect PBOs in the UAE.

This research contributes to planned behavior theory and agency theory in the UAE context, both of which are empirically tested.

Given the great upheaval in the international situation and the increasing operating risk in international business, research on corporate diplomacy is thriving. However, it still lacks clear conceptualization and operationalization. Based on social capital theory, our study conceptualizes corporate diplomacy as a three-dimensional construct and quantifies its distinct and combined impacts on multinational enterprises’ (MNE) subsidiary performance.

This research analyzes 134 responses collected from a questionnaire survey among key informants in Chinese MNEs using the regression method.

This research finds that corporate diplomacy is positively correlated with MNEs’ subsidiary performance. Specifically, compatriot-oriented diplomacy is the most effective, followed sequentially by host-partner-oriented and host-regulator-oriented diplomacy. In addition, compatriot-oriented diplomacy substitutes for host-partner-oriented diplomacy but complements host-regulator-oriented diplomacy in enhancing subsidiary performance.

Our research enriches the conceptualization and operationalization of corporate diplomacy and provides a nuanced view of its distinct and combined effects on MNEs’ subsidiary performance.

This study aims to examine the relationship between contextual factors and career exploration. Career adaptability mediates the relationship between social support, sense of belonging and career exploration.

This quantitative study involved 291 undergraduates recruited from two universities in China. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

The results indicated that social support and sense of belonging were positively related to career adaptability. Career adaptability was found to be a mediator between relational predictors and career exploration. Contrary to our hypothesis, the direct path from sense of belonging to career exploration was insignificant.

This study highlights the importance of career adaptability in connecting contextual indicators and career exploration in the Chinese context.

The combination of action and process has remained the attention of the psychology of entrepreneurship research. Moreover, special attention has also been paid to the whens and hows of entrepreneurial psychological training. Keeping this in view the current study has tested the impact of individual entrepreneurial orientation (IEO) training on small business entrepreneurial career resilience. Using action regulation theory (ART), a serial mediation model of IEO behaviour and entrepreneurial career adaptability is hypothesised.

This study used a longitudinal randomised controlled field experiment in which the data were collected at four points. A total of 546 small business owners from Lahore, Pakistan, participated in this research (training group = 265, control group = 281). The data were analysed using ANCOVAs and PROCESS Model 6.

The research has found that IEO training impacts the entrepreneurial career resilience of small business owners through the development of IEO behaviour and career adaptability.

This experimental inquiry is a novel attempt to extend the career-related outcomes of IEO training (career resilience) based on ART through the mediating role of IEO behaviour and career adaptability. In addition, it has tested the IEO training in the developing country of Pakistan, which is a relevant context for enhancing its socio-economic growth.