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This study aims to investigate the factors influencing the adoption of online pharmacies in Qatar using the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology-2 (UTAUT-2) framework. Specifically, this study examines the impact of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, hedonic motivation, habit, technology trust, perceived risk and users’ level of awareness of behavioral intention, which in turn affects the adoption of online pharmacies. Furthermore, this study explores the moderating role of word-of-mouth (WOM) recommendations on the relationship between behavioral intention and online pharmacy adaptation.

This study adopted a descriptive, quantitative approach to investigate the UTAUT-2 model in the context of consumers’ adoption of e-pharmacy in Qatar. Through convenience sampling, 455 responses were collected from regular customers accessing online pharmacy services. The data were analyzed using Smart-PLS 3.2 software to examine the hypothesized relationships.

The results showed that WOM recommendations significantly enhanced the relationship between behavioral intention and adopting online pharmacies in Qatar. This study identified the factors that may hinder or enable the adoption of online pharmacies, including performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, hedonic motivation, habit, technology trust, perceived risk and users’ level of awareness.

This study contributes to the existing literature on technology acceptance by extending the UTAUT-2 model and recognizing three additional variables (perceived risk, technology trust and technology awareness). These need to be investigated against UTAUT-2 variables to detect the significance of their impact on adapting the e-health concept in Qatar. The potential for cultural change to accelerate the adoption of online pharmacies is highlighted. Future research should explore the role of moral and cultural factors in technology adoption.

The results underscore the economic and social significance of e-pharmacy adoption, particularly within the context of a developing country. Considering the positive intentions expressed by individuals toward e-pharmacy, it becomes crucial for managers and decision-makers to make strategic choices to address any challenges that may arise. Policymakers are encouraged to enhance their services and implement various development initiatives to expand e-pharmacy accessibility and availability.

This study builds upon previous research on e-commerce in the pharmaceutical industry and provides a comprehensive understanding of customers in developing countries. Extending the UTAUT-2 model and identifying additional variables contributes to the knowledge of e-health concepts in Qatar. The findings have practical implications for developing strategies to promote online pharmacy adoption in Qatar and other countries.

This paper aims to explore the increasing importance of the intraorganizational dimension of the sales role (IDSR) based on service-ecosystem theory. Specifically, it examines how firms can improve interactions both internally and with external actors and stakeholders to both create and sustain advantageous “thin crossing points” (Hartmann et al. 2018). Academic research on sales ecosystems has yet to fully harness the rich insights and potential afforded by the crossing-point perspective.

After developing and unpacking the paper’s guiding conceptual framework (Figure 1), the authors focus on crossing points and the diversity of interactions between the contemporary sales force and its many stakeholders. They examine the sales literature, identify opportunities for thinning sales crossing points and propose dozens of research questions and needs.

The paper examines the importance of improving interactions both within and outside the vendor firm to thin crossing points, further develops the concept of the “sales ecosystem” and contributes a series of important research questions for future examination.

The paper focuses on applying “thick” and “thin” crossing points, a key element of Hartman et al. (2018). The primary limitation of the paper is that it focuses solely on the crossing-points perspective and does not consider other applications of Hartman et al. (2018).

This work informs managers of the need to improve interactions both within and outside the firm by thinning crossing points. Improving relationships with stakeholders will improve many vendor firm and customer outcomes, including performance.

Integrating findings from the literature, the authors propose a conceptual framework to encompass the entire diversity of idiosyncratic interactions as well as long-term relationships the sales force experiences. They discuss the strategic importance of thinning crossing points as well as the competitive disadvantages, even peril, “thick” crossing points create. They propose an ambitious research agenda based on dozens of questions to drive further examination of the IDSR from a sales-ecosystem perspective.

The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of supply chain (SC) partnerships on sustainable performance (SP) and investigate the potential mediating role of total quality management (TQM).

A total of 185 responses were collected from pharmaceutical industry employees. The research data were analyzed using the partial least squares structural equation modeling approach.

The results reveal that relationships with suppliers (RS), distributors (RD) and intermediaries (RI) have a direct impact on SP. In addition, this study found that TQM serves as a mediator between RS, RD, RI and SP. This study enhances the understanding of the significance of TQM, SC and SP in business environment development. The findings suggest that organizations in the Jordanian pharmaceutical industry should prioritize the enhancement of their RS, intermediaries and distributors to improve their SP.

By providing decision-makers with valuable information, this study enables them to identify and implement TQM and SC practices to enhance the SP of pharmaceutical companies in Jordan.

The purpose of this study is to increase awareness of current supply chain (SC) security-related issues by providing an extensive analysis of existing SC security solutions and their limitations. The security of SCs has received increasing attention from researchers, due to the emerging risks associated with their distributed nature. The increase in risk in SCs comes from threats that are inherently similar regardless of the type of SC, thus, requiring similar defence mechanisms. Being able to identify the types of threats will help developers to build effective defences.

In this work, we provide an analysis of the threats, possible attacks and traceability solutions for SCs, and highlight outstanding problems. Through a comprehensive literature review (2015–2021), we analysed various SC security solutions, focussing on tracking solutions. In particular, we focus on three types of SCs: digital, food and pharmaceutical that are considered prime targets for cyberattacks. We introduce a systematic categorization of threats and discuss emerging solutions for prevention and mitigation.

Our study shows that the current traceability solutions for SC systems do not offer a broadened security analysis and fail to provide extensive protection against cyberattacks. Furthermore, global SCs face common challenges, as there are still unresolved issues, especially those related to the increasing SC complexity and interconnectivity, where cyberattacks are spread across suppliers.

This is the first time that a systematic categorization of general threats for SC is made based on an existing threat model for hardware SC.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the technical-economic process efficiency of obtaining simultaneous lipo-soluble (LSF) and water-soluble (WSF) fractions from annatto seeds.

The batches of annatto seeds were submitted to the refrigerated solid-liquid extraction process in four stages: pre-extraction, aqueous extraction, separation by decantation and filtration. After that, LSF and WSF from annatto seeds were obtained. The process efficiency and the quality of LSF and WSF were analyzed in terms of average yield and bioactive compounds (bixin, norbixin, phenolics and flavonoids) and their antioxidant and antimicrobial activities. Furthermore, they were economically evaluated in terms of costs of manufacturing and profitability parameters.

The process was efficient in terms of overall average yield (LSF = 8.68% and WSF = 2.76%) (w/w) and in terms of quality, mainly with higher average yields of bixin (82.34% in LSF) and norbixin (29.59% in WSF) (w/w). The concentration of bioactive compounds in the fractions promoted an increase in inhibiting free radicals (DPPH* and ABTS*+) and in the ferric-reducing power (FRAP). LSF showed a minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.06 mg mL-1 for S. aureus and 0.13 mg mL-1 for S. Typhimurium and S. Enteritidis. The lowest manufacturing costs were obtained for the LSF due to its higher extraction yield compared to the WSF. Plants on an industrial scale of 100 and 1000 L were considered economically viable, with a return on investment of 5 and 2 years.

Thus, fractions (WSF and LSF) can be applied as natural additives, as sources of bioactive compounds for nutraceutical and/or pharmaceutical, and in the development of other innovative processes. These results have practical applicability for pharmaceutical and food industry.

1. Green processing of annatto seeds obtains fractions rich in antioxidant compounds.

2. Efficiently presents a high yield of bixin and other bioactive compounds.

3. Effective in concentrating compounds that inhibit microbial growth.

4. Fractions are more accessible sources of bioactive compounds for isolation.

5. Cost of manufacturing (COM) and profitability are studied.

Green processing of annatto seeds obtains fractions rich in antioxidant compounds.

Efficiently presents a high yield of bixin and other bioactive compounds.

Effective in concentrating compounds that inhibit microbial growth.

Fractions are more accessible sources of bioactive compounds for isolation.

Cost of manufacturing (COM) and profitability are studied.

In this chapter, we apply APPNIE to two case studies, BIOerg srl and LiMiX srl, which are innovative start-ups born in the Marche Region in Italy. The choice to analyse two companies in the same region is based on the fact that the surrounding ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurship has a strong impact on the birth and subsequent development of innovative start-ups. Using these two case studies, this chapter shows the differences between SWOT and APPNIE analyses.

Organizations have started using the metaverse to sell non-fungible tokens, execute engineering processes and conduct business meetings. A condition of creating value by moving business processes to the metaverse is acceptance of this technology. In business-to-business scenarios, internal employees and external partners may have different views on the topic but must agree upon new practices. Understanding common motivations and challenges associated with using the metaverse is crucial to its success.

The authors interviewed managers from a pharmaceutical company considering conducting meetings with clients in the metaverse. A series of 23 statements on reasons for (non)-use was generated. Twenty-five individuals (13 employees and 12 clients) then ranked these statements against each other, revealing what would drive or hinder their metaverse use. The authors compared these perspectives to identify common issues.

The authors identified four different views. Views 1 and 2 correspond to internal and external participants, while Views 3 and 4 correspond to external ones only. View 1 is skeptical and underlines the role of peers in acceptance. View 2 is a positive perspective centered on usefulness. View 3 is ambivalent and is centered on efforts required to use the metaverse. View 4 reveals a reversed perspective wherein using the metaverse is a low-effort activity.

This paper proposes a case study probing acceptance of a realistic business use of the metaverse. This paper identifies risks to mitigate and motivations to leverage when proposing metaverse usage in a business-to-business context.

This study aims to investigate the consumer behavior toward telemedicine services in India during the COVID-19 pandemic onset. With lockdown restrictions and safety concerns in visiting brick-and-mortar clinics or hospitals during the pandemic, Telemedicine had emerged as a potent alternative for seeking redressal to health issues. Based on theory and focus interviews with the telemedicine users, the researchers proposed a model to understand the intent and actual usage of telemedicine in India.

The cross-sectional study undertaken used a questionnaire designed on a seven-point Likert scale and administered to respondents with the objective of identifying the determinants of intent and actual usage of telemedicine services. Simple random sampling was used to collect primary data. The data was cleaned and finally a sample of 405 responses complete in all respects was considered for analysis. The questionnaire comprised of 34 items and following the recommendation of Hair et al. (2016), which says the minimum sample size in structural equation modeling should be ten times the number of indicator variables, a sample size of 405 was deemed adequate.

The research paper finds that performance expectancy, attitude, credibility and self-efficacy positively impact the intention of consumers to use telemedicine services. As the effort expectancy or risk perception toward telemedicine increases the intent and actual usage of telemedicine decreases. The intention to use telemedicine emerged as a strong predictor of the actual usage of telemedicine. Intent to use telemedicine was explained 81.4% by its predictors of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, attitude, risk, credibility and self-efficacy, and actual usage was explained 79.9% by its predictors. This study also reports that telemedicine was found to be popular among chronic as well as episodic patients though the preference was skewed in favor of the episodic patients. One of the advantages of telemedicine is its availability round the clock, and the study found that 8 a. m. to 12 noon time slot as the most preferred slot for seeking telemedicine services.

Chang (2004) opined that telemedicine can fulfill the needs of all stakeholders: citizens, health-care consumers, medical doctors and health-care professionals, policymakers, and so on. Considering the promise telemedicine holds, this realm must be studied and leveraged to the full potential. The study found that patients were using telemedicine even for their day-to-day aliments. This indicates a growing popularity of telemedicine and as such an opportunity for telemedicine companies to leverage it. In India, pharmaceutical companies cannot give commercial advertisements for medicines, and the same can only be sold through a registered medical practitioner’s prescription. As such there is total dependency on the medical practitioner for the sale of medicines. Telemedicine companies offer services of home delivering medicines clubbed with medical consultation thus giving them forward integration in their business models. Using telemedicine the patients had control over the timings of the services offered, and as such the waiting time to get a consultation and subsequent treatment was reduced considerably. Best medical advice from across the globe is available to the patient at less cost. Medical practitioners also stand to benefit as they can treat a variety of cases, collaborate among the medical fraternity and give consultation safely in case of fatal contagious diseases.

This study points to a definite growing popularity of telemedicine services not only in episodic patients but also chronic patients. Telemedicine with its unique advantages holds the promise to grow exponentially in the future and is a compelling health-care segment to focus on for delivering health-care solution to the geographically distant consumers.

Service–sales ambidexterity (SSA) offers sales managers crucial information about dealing with customer service failures through an effective management control system. This study aims to scrutinize the relationships among SSA, salesforce control system, salesperson’s role stressors and service recovery performance (SRP) in the business-to-business (B2B) context.

An analysis is conducted based on survey data collected from 586 B2B sales employees participating in an extensive survey. Structural equation modeling is used to analyze the proposed hypotheses.

Empirical findings suggest that behavior-based control harms SSA. On the other hand, outcome-based control has a positive impact on SSA. The research outcomes further disclose that SSA positively impacts salesperson role conflict and emotional fatigue, whereas emotional fatigue negatively impacts SRP. Salesperson resilience notably moderates the association between SSA and emotional fatigue.

The study addresses there is a dearth of research on SSA applying the sales management control system. When studying about ambidexterity in sales context, many supervisory styles have been explored; however, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first systematic attempt to understand how sales management control systems play a role in SSA.