Search results

The stabilization of earthen blocks improves their mechanical strength and avoids adobe construction erosion due to rainwater. However, the stabilization affects the thermal properties of the earthen blocks, and thus their capacity to provide adequate thermal comfort to occupants. This article examines the influence of cement and geopolymer binders on thermal comfort in compressed earthen buildings in hot and arid climates.

The test cell is on the building platform in Burkina Faso. The building is made of compressed earth blocks (CEB) consisting of laterite, water and binder. The thermal models of the building were implemented in EnergyPlus v9.0.1 software. Empirical validation is used to check whether the model used for the thermal dynamic simulation can reproduce with accuracy the thermal behavior in a real situation. The adaptive thermal comfort model of ASHRAE 55–2010 was used to assess thermal comfort in long-term hot and dry tropical conditions.

The results show that the CEB buildings remain hot despite the use of cement or geopolymer binder. Indeed, with both cement and geopolymer binders, on a daily basis, 19 h and 15 h are uncomfortable during, respectively, the hot and cold seasons. An increase of 1% in cement content raises the comfort hours by 9.2 h during the hot season and 11.7 h during the cold season. Hence, the comfort time varies linearly with the cement content in the building material. Moreover, there is no linear relationship between comfort time and geopolymer rate.

Complementary work should also assess the influence of stabilization on building humidity levels. In fact, earthen materials are very sensitive to outdoor humidity and indoor humidity affects thermal comfort even if it is not taken into account in the ASHRAE adaptive thermal comfort model.

The present study will certainly contribute to a better valorization of clay potential in countries with similar climatic conditions.

The use of geopolymer binder is a suitable ecological option to replace the cement binder. It is important to mention that nighttime comfort can be increased through passive strategies such as natural ventilation.

Most CEB material stabilization analyses including cement and geopolymer ones were mostly investigated at the laboratory scale and less at the building scale. Also, the influence of the binder rate on the thermal performance of buildings made of cement and geopolymer has not yet been assessed. This paper fills this gap of knowledge by assessing the impact of cement and geopolymer binder rates on the thermal comfort of CEB dwellings.

The authors construct two time-varying political connection (PC) indexes to measure a firm's political tendencies toward ruling and opposing parties and analyze whether a firm with ruling party tendencies obtains better bank loan contracts compared to the contracts obtained by a firm with opposing party tendencies and a firm with fixed PC tendencies.

Linguistic text mining is used to construct the two time-varying PC indexes from news sources that reflect the tone and frequencies of characteristic texts to determine a firm's tendencies to favor the ruling or opposing parties.

The results show that varying PC firms connected to the ruling party receive preferential loan contracts when their political tendencies increase but varying PC firms connected to the opposition party do not. In contrast, fixed PC firms gain similar benefits only when the connection is determined in the presidential election year but not in other years. Firms supporting two parties receive minimal financial rewards in terms of loan terms.

In past studies, once a firm is identified as having a connection with a political party, it is assumed to have PC throughout the sample period (i.e. fixed PC firms). The authors lift this assumption and examine how varying PC affect bank loan contracts. The two time-varying PC indexes can identify a firm's more immediate party tendencies and more precise effects of a firm's party tendencies on bank loan contracts.

This study proposes a hierarchic segmentation that develops a tree-based classification model and classifies the cases into groups. This allows for the definition of e-commerce user profiles for each of the groups. Additionally, it facilitates the development of actions to improve the adoption of the online channel that is in such high demand in the current pandemic COVID-19 context.

Regarding the created segments, two extreme segments stand out due to their marked differences and high volume. Segment 3 with 23% of the sample is the group with the most predisposition to use the online channel and is characterised by a high level of trust, more habitual use in comparison with other groups and the belief that its use implies high performance, which indicates they believe it to be useful, quick and helpful for more an effective shopping experience. The other extreme is found in segment 7. This group makes up 17.7% of the total and is the most reluctant to use the online channel. These users are characterised by the complete opposite: they have a low level of trust in this channel. However, the effort expectancy is low, i.e. they consider that the adoption of the online channel does not involve many difficulties in its learning and use. Nevertheless, they use it less regularly than the others.

Based on the conclusions reached in this study, in the current pandemic context in which consumer demand for online shopping channels for all types of products is on the rise, it is recommended that companies focus on the following aspects. It is essential to build trust with the user and show them the real benefits of e-commerce, how it would improve their life and why they should use it. Additionally, it is vital that the user perceives it as an easy procedure that does not require a significant learning curve. Other fundamental aspects would be to reduce any uncertainty the user might have about the online shopping process, to make it as easy as possible, and to design a simple, intuitive and user-friendly interface. It is also recommendable to manage data usage efficiently. To do so, the authors recommend asking the user for the least amount of information possible, offering a data protection policy and assuring them that their information will not be misused nor shared with third parties. All of this provides a series of facilities to modify the online shopping habits of users.

As in most of the research, this study presents a series of limitations that should be debated and that could open future lines of investigation. Firstly, regarding the sample used that was limited to two neighbouring countries with similar profiles a priori; it would be necessary to compare their possible cultural differences according to Hofstede's dimensions as well as increase the number of European countries being analysed to reach a more generalised conclusions. Secondly, the variables used are a combination of those derived from the UTAUT2 model and others suggested in the literature as decisive in technology adoption by users, in this sense other theories and variables could be incorporated to complete a more holistic model.

This work contributes in a general way to (1) analysing the intention to use e-commerce platforms from a set of antecedents previously defined by their importance, after a period of economic and social restrictions derived from the pandemic; (2) determination of customer segments from the classification made by the CHAID analysis; (3) characterisation of the previously defined segments through the successive divisions that were proposed in the analysis carried out.

Other fundamental aspects would be to reduce any uncertainty the user might have about the online shopping process to make it as easy as possible, and to design a simple, intuitive, and user-friendly interface. It is also recommended to manage data usage efficiently. To do so, the authors recommend asking the user for the least amount of information possible, offering a data protection policy, and assuring them that their information will not be misused or shared with third parties.

The results obtained have allowed us to establish predictive and explanatory models of the behaviour of the segments and profiles created, which will help companies to improve their relationships with online customers in the coming years.

本研究擬提出一個會發展基於樹的分類模型、以及會把案例歸入不同的類別的層次細分。這讓我們能為每個類別考慮到電子商務用戶輪廓的定義和解釋；這亦促進我們優化採用在線渠道的發展工作,而在線渠道於現時2019冠狀病毒病肆虐的情況下,實在供不應求。

就創設的細分而言,兩個極端的細分因其明顯的差別和大批量而顯得突出。佔樣本百分之二十三的細分3是擁有最大使用在線渠道傾向的細分,而細分3的特徵包括他們對在線渠道呈高信任度,比其他類別更習慣地使用,以及其相信使用在線渠道會帶來更高的績效,這表示他們相信使用在線渠道是有效的,是快捷的,是可幫助帶來成功的購物體驗的。另外的極端在細分7內發現。這類別佔整體的百分之十七點七,而他們是最不願意使用在線渠道的類別。這類別的特徵和前述的剛剛相反：他們對在線渠道的信任程度是低的,唯其努力期望是低的,也就是說,他們認為使用在線渠道是不會涉及很多在學習上或在實際應用上的困難。即使是這樣,他們較其他人卻較少使用在線渠道。

基於研究的結論,我們的建議是：於目前大流行肆虐期間,消費者對於以在線渠道網購各類商品的需求不斷增加,企業應聚焦以下的範疇：企業必須建立消費者對電子商務的信心,並為他們展示電子商務的真正好處；企業也必須使消費者明瞭電子商務如何能改善其生活,以及他們為何要使用電子商務。更重要的是使消費者覺得使用電子商務是輕而易舉的,又不涉及陡峭的學習曲線。凡此種種,就成為消費者改變其網上購物習慣的動力和誘因。至於其他基本的考慮,包括減輕消費者對使用電子商務的不確定情緒,使電子商務易於使用,以及設計一個簡易的、憑直覺能知曉的、方便使用的介面。另外,值得推薦的是、數據使用情況須有效地管理。為此,我們建議應儘量向使用者索取最低限度的資料,為他們提供資料保護政策,保證他們的資料不會被濫用或與第三者分享。

與其他大多數的研究一樣,本研究展現了一系列值得辯論的局限,而這些局限或許會開展未來研究的領域。首先,考慮到使用了一個局限於兩個以因及果演繹而成的、概況相似的相鄰國家為樣本,我們或許需要根據霍夫斯泰德文化維度理論對這兩個國家進行比較,以瞭解它們的文化差異；另外,為求能達致可普遍適用的結論,我們也需把被分析的歐洲國家的數目增加。其次,被使用的變數是兩組變數的組合,他們是從UTAUT2模型中取得的變數,以及在有關的文獻裡,就技術採用而言、使用者認為是重要的變數。就此而言,若其他的理論和變數能被包含其中,則達致的模型將會是一個更為整體的模型。

本研究就一般而言有以下的貢獻：(一) 、 在因大流行病而引起的經濟和社會限制實施時期後,研究人員分析人們如何從一套過去被認定是電子商務平台的重要前身而選擇使用電子商務平台,本研究對這方面的分析作出了貢獻；(二) 、本研究幫助確定從透過CHAID分析而來的分類中得到的顧客細分；(三) 、本研究透過進行連續分解、幫助歸納過去被認定的細分的特徵。

企業必須建立消費者對電子商務的信心,並為他們展示電子商務的真正好處；企業也必須使消費者明瞭電子商務如何能改善其生活,以及他們為何要使用電子商務。更重要的是使消費者覺得使用電子商務是輕而易舉的,又不涉及陡峭的學習曲線。凡此種種,就成為消費者改變其網上購物習慣的動力和誘因。至於其他基本的考慮,包括減輕消費者對使用電子商務的不確定情緒,使電子商務易於使用,以及設計一個簡易的、憑直覺能知曉的、方便使用的介面。另外,值得推薦的是、數據使用情況須有效地管理。為此,我們建議應儘量向使用者索取最低限度的資料,為他們提供資料保護政策,保證他們的資料不會被濫用或與第三者分享。

本研究所得的結果,讓我們可以建立多個模型、以預測並解說有關的市場部分的行為和被創建的消費者簡介,這會幫助企業改善它們今後與網上顧客的關係。

This study examines how informal business networks achieve marketing goals in socially uncertain contexts. Drawing from multiple historical sources, Shangbangs, a type of business network that thrived in pre-1949 China, are analyzed.

The Critical Historical Research Method (CHRM) undergirds a study of Shangbangs’ historicity (i.e. their socio-historically embedded multiplicity, including organizational forms, activities and connotations.

As informal regional, professional, project-based, special-product-based or mixed marketing networks, Shangbangs relied on “flexible specialization” and coupled multiple business needs to market goods and services, business organizations, specific social values and, when necessary, to debrand business rivals.

This analysis extends theories about marketing networks by probing their subtypes, diverse marketing activities, multipronged channels and relationship building with social entities (including underground societies, business associations and guilds) in response to pre-1949 China’s market uncertainties. Substantiating an alternative approach to “flexible specialization” and marketing innovations within the pre-1949 Chinese economy shows how a parallel theoretical framework can complement western-based marketing theories.

This first comprehensive analysis of Shangbangs, an innovative historical Chinese marketing network outside the conventional market-corporate dichotomy, can inform theory building for marketing strategy-making and management conditioned by social contexts.

This study aims to understand the utility of personas and illustrate, through a case study, how a persona-building exercise in a Community Based Prevention Marketing (CBPM) training of community leaders elicited important insights that complemented findings from ongoing formative research on vaccine hesitancy in the Hispanic/Latino population in the USA during COVID-19 pandemic.

An exploratory concurrent parallel qualitative study design compared three personas created by community-based organization members (n = 37) to transcripts from five formative research focus groups (n = 30) from the same project. All participants in this study were recruited by the National COVID-19 Resiliency Network as part of their capacity-building and formative research activities. Grounded theory guided the content analysis.

This study found personas and focus groups to be complementary. A high degree of co-occurrence was observed when investigating the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine under the categories of barriers, culture and communication. Between the two methods, the authors found strong associations between fear, disruption to the value system, work-related barriers, inaccessibility to health care and information sources and misinformation. Areas of divergence were negligible.

While personas provided background information about the population and sharing “how” to reach the priority population, focus groups provided the “why” behind the behavior, followed by “how”.

A community-driven persona-building process built on cultural community knowledge and existing data can build community capacity, provide rich information to assist in the creation of tailored messages, strategies and overall interventions during a public health crisis and provide user-centered, evidence-based information about a priority population while researchers and practitioners wait on the results from formative research.

This case study provided a unique opportunity to analyze the complementary effectiveness of two methods acting in tandem to understand the priority population: stakeholder-informed persona-building and participant-informed focus group interviews. Understanding their complementary nature addresses a time gap that often exists between researchers and practitioners during times of crises and builds on recommendations associated with bringing rigor into practice, promoting academic contribution to real-world issues and building collaborative partnerships. Finally, it supports the utility of a nimble tool that improves social marketers’ ability to know more about their audience for intervention design when time is of the essence and formative research is ongoing.

This study aims to observe people’s decisions to commit fraud. This study is important in the current time because it provides insights into the development of fraudulent intentions within individuals.

The information used in this study is derived from semi-structured interviews, conducted with 16 high-ranking officials who are employed in Indonesian local government positions.

The study does not have strong evidence to support prior studies assuming that situational factors or social enablers have direct effects on fraud intentions. As suggested, individual factors which are related to moral reasoning (moral judgment and rationalisation) emerge as a consequence of social enablers. The significant role of that moral reasoning is to rationalise any fraud attempt as permissible conduct. As such, when an individual is capable of legitimising his/her fraud attempt into appropriate self-judgement, s/he is more likely to engage in fraudulent behaviours.

This study offers practical prescriptions in guiding the management to develop strategies to curb fraudulent behaviours. The study suggests that moral cognitive reasoning is found to be a parameter of whether fraud is an acceptable option or not. So, an understanding of observers’ moral reasoning is helpful in predicting the likelihood of fraud within an organisation or in detecting it.

This study provides a different perspective on the psychological pathway to fraud. It becomes a complement work for the fraud triangle to explain fraudulent behaviours. Specifically, it provides crucial insights into the underlying motivations that lead individuals to accept invitations to engage in fraudulent activities.

This study explores how introducing a permissioned blockchain in a supply chain context impacts accountability relationships and the process of rendering an account. The authors explore how implementing a digital transformation impacts the governance of network transactions.

The authors mobilize 28 interviews and documentary analysis. The authors focus on early blockchain adopters to get an insight into how implementing a permissioned blockchain can transform information sharing, coordination and collaboration between business partners, now converted into network participants.

The authors suggest that implementing a permissioned blockchain impacts accountability across three levers, namely through the ledger, through the code and through the people, where these levers are interconnected. Blockchains are often valued for their ability to enable transparency through the visibility of transactions, but the authors argue that this is an incomplete view. Rather, transparency alone does not help to satisfy a duty of accountability, as it can result in selective disclosure or obfuscation.

The authors extend the conceptualizations of accountability in the blockchain literature by focusing on how accountability relationships are enacted, and accounts are rendered in a permissioned blockchain context. Additionally, the authors complement existing work on accountability and governance by suggesting an integrated model across three dimensions: ledger, code and people.

This paper aims to examine the existing literature on firms’ power through the lens of the supply chain and highlights some gaps that could be covered by future research.

This study uses a systematic framework-based review combining the insights of the antecedents, decisions and outcomes (ADO) and theories, contexts and methods (TCM) frameworks. The review was carried out using a sample of 108 articles published between 1984 and 2022 in 25 prestigious journals.

The ADO framework maps out the state of the art of the antecedents of power (i.e. sources and types of firm power), the decision to use power and the effect that exercising power over other firms may have on firm performance and the quality of inter-firm relationships. In addition, this framework highlights factors that mediate or moderate the decision to exercise power and the factors that mediate or moderate the outcomes of exercising power or power asymmetry. The TCM framework provides insights into the theories, contexts (i.e. countries, industries, level of analysis and sources of data) and methods used by the existing literature. The content analysis using the aforementioned frameworks provides the basis to elaborate propositions for future research on power in the supply chain from the perspective of gender differences.

This systematic literature review offers a comprehensive guide for researchers to understand the antecedents, decisions and outcomes of firm power in the supply chain, as well as the TCM used in the literature. The content analysis using frameworks provides a road map to investigate the proposed factors that might moderate the decision to exercise power and the outcome of exercising power or power asymmetry from the perspective of gender differences. In addition, based on content analysis, the authors make propositions about TCM that could be applied in future research.

From a practical perspective, this systematic literature review may help managers to better understand the sources and consequences of their firm’s power. This would allow managers to make better decisions when negotiating with their supply chain parties, which could potentially lead to better performance for their firms and the whole supply chain.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to conduct a comprehensive systematic literature review of the different dimensions of firms’ power in the supply chain.

This study aims to explore the gendered nature of housing insecurity by investigating how gender affects women’s experience moving from transitional to market housing. By describing women’s pathways out of supportive or transitional housing support, the authors show how patriarchal forces in housing policies and practices affect women’s efforts to find secure housing. The authors argue that gender-neutral approaches to housing will fail to meet women’s needs.

This study explores the narratives from women accessing support services in Halifax, Canada. The first author conducted deep narrative interviews with women seeking to move from transition to market housing.

This research sheds light on the effects of gendered barriers to safe, suitable and affordable housing; how women’s experiences and expectations are shaped by these barriers; and, how housing-based supports must address the uniquely gendered experiences women face as they access market housing. In addition, this research reveals the importance of gender-responsive services that empower women facing a sexist housing market.

Little research has explored questions related to gender and housing among those seeking to move from transitional to marker housing, and existing research focuses on women’s housing insecurity as it relates to domestic violence. The sample of women included those having housing insecurity for a variety of reasons, including substance use and young motherhood.

The increased importance of sports and athlete brands highlights the need for athletes to pay attention to branding as it has positive impacts. As athletes, Muslim women have not succeeded in building their brands. This study aims to understand the branding challenges facing Muslim female athletes and how to overcome them.

These branding obstacles and guidelines were explored using qualitative methods – specifically semi-structured interviews with Muslim female athletes and focus groups with experts. Data were analysed using open and axial coding to identify the codes.

The study identifies three major obstacles to branding by Muslim female athletes. Self-related obstacles, such as knowledge of brand building, social media, personal pressure and a lack of role models, impact the brand-building decision. Social-related (family and society) and sport-related obstacles (participation as women and as Muslims) further complicate this task. Experts provide additional insights regarding these obstacles, suggesting strategies to overcome them.

The research focuses on athletes from one geographical area and has limitations associated with using qualitative methods.

The study suggests how self-, social- and sport-related obstacles are faced by athletes. It provides suggestions for federations, sports codes and other stakeholders to support athletes to overcome these barriers.

This study expands the understanding of the struggles Muslim women face in building their brands as part of an under-represented group.