Search results

Since the beginning of 2020, COVID-19 has dictated to the world what can be done or not. Log downs of countries, cities and businesses dominated the daily life of everybody. Especially the hospitality and tourism industry went through constant changes in rules and regulations. Tourists were not sure if they were allowed to travel or have to cancel their vacations. Hotels needed to be aware of COVID-19 registration and hygiene. In China, the Zero-COVID policies were wicked, strict and specific and should support daily businesses in the country. A specially used instrument was the variety of QR codes in place to prevent virus outbreaks and monitored tourism movements. For example, the city health QR code of each city/region in China, or the travel QR code to ensure safe travel. This chapter firstly looking into the ideas and policies behind the QR code system in China and secondly discovers through examples its efficiency. The final step is to propose a universal strategy on how QR codes and their policies can support safe and healthy hospitality and tourism recovery during the current pandemic crisis and protect tourists and the hospitality and tourism industry in future pandemic situations.

This study aims to investigate the impact of consumer ethnocentrism on consumers' evaluation of blockchain-based traceability information. It also examined how the use of quick response (QR) codes for traceability affects consumers' evaluation of traceable food products.

An online choice experiment was conducted to determine consumers' evaluation of the blockchain-based traceability of Feta cheese with a quota sample of 715 Greek consumers. Pearson bivariate correlation and mean comparison were used to examine the relationship between consumer ethnocentrism and QR use behaviour. Random parameter logit models were employed to examine consumers’ valuation of the examined attributes and interaction terms.

The results show that ethnocentric consumers are willing to pay more for blockchain-based traceability information. Ethnocentric consumers tend to scan QR codes with traceability information. Spending more time reading traceability information embedded in QR codes does not lead to a higher willingness-to-pay (WTP) for traceable food products.

The findings suggest that patriotic marketing messages can draw consumers' attention to blockchain-based traceability information. The modest WTP for and low familiarity with blockchain-based traceability systems raise the need for educating consumers regarding the benefits of blockchain in traceability systems.

This is the first study to provide timely empirical evidence of a positive WTP for blockchain-based traceability information for a processed dairy product. This study is the first to attempt to distinguish the effects of the intention to scan QR codes and reading information embedded in QR codes on consumers’ valuation of food attributes.

Fiat money production necessitates physical commodities, increasing costs and its flow is challenging to monitor, making it vulnerable to criminal exploitation. Cryptocurrencies offer decentralized solutions, but their decentralization has led to illegal activities. Current cross-border transactions face high costs, resource intensity and lack of instant currency transfers. Offline transactions are essential in unreliable networks.

Here, the authors proposed the methodology to perform offline transactions based on card, quick response (QR) code and a foreign transaction framework with universal identification (UID) to perform cross-border transactions using blockchain-dependent central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). Implications for the financial system are also analyzed.

The proposed CBDC framework reduces illegal transactions, corruption and the cost of producing fiat money; eases overseas transactions; and eventually increases international tourism, trade and business between countries. It also reduces the processing fees. Offline framework found useful for performing retail-level transactions.

The research methodology may face limitations due to diplomatic relations, political instability, sanctions and the need for robust offline transaction infrastructure.

The proposed CBDC framework simplifies debt and insurance management, tax collection, international trade, tourism and global stock market participation. However, implementing CBDCs in low-income countries presents challenges like extensive training, infrastructure and user acceptance issues.

The adoption of CBDCs can enhance financial stability by reducing corruption and illegal transactions through improved traceability and monitoring, thereby curbing activities like terrorism.

Common framework for foreign transactions is based on the UID, and offline transaction framework is based on the sender’s QR code for multiple user applications.

The flagship traceability technology is increasing transparency, social benefit and economic value particularly after the pandemic. There has not been much research on how information quality in transparency affects information usefulness and trust. The research model is built on the framework of transparency requirements and incorporates the usefulness of traceability information and trust.

Questionnaire survey was used for data collection. To evaluate the research model, structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed. Measurement invariance analysis was used to investigate variations in trust between groups.

The results show that transparency requirements including information relevancy, ease of manipulation and value-added information affect information usefulness. The usefulness of traceability information positively affects trust in producers. Information receivers who believe in the credibility of traceability information have a higher level of trust than those who do not.

The results have important theoretical and practical implications for academia and industry to devise strategies and policies on data-centric traceability systems.

Technological advancement has forced academic libraries to change their traditional services and routines by adopting emerging technologies to respond to the changing information needs of their users who are now more technologically inclined and prefer to access information remotely and in a timely manner. Smart technologies are the recent trends in academic libraries. This research aims to investigate the level of smart information service implementation at academic libraries in Jordan. It also aimed to investigate the correlation between the level of smart information services offered by the libraries and the level of digital competencies among the library staff.

This research is designed using survey design to collect comprehensive information from the study participants. A questionnaire was disseminated to 340 respondents, and 246 questionnaires were returned and were suitable for analysis with a response rate of 72.4%.

The results indicated a moderate level of smart information service offered by academic libraries, as well as a moderate level of digital skills associated with the advocacy of smart information services. The results also indicated a strong and positive relationship between the level of smart information services at the investigated libraries and the level of digital competencies among the librarians.

The findings will help other academic libraries understand how to respond to the emergent change in users’ information-seeking behavior by understanding their available human resources competencies and the requirement to undergo this emergent change.

This paper provides insights and practical solutions for academic libraries in response to global information trends based on users’ behaviors. This research was conducted in Jordan as one of the developing countries and hence it provides insights of the situation there. It will help academic libraries in Jordan and the region to handle and cope with the challenges associated with technology acceptance based on its staff level of digital competencies. The contribution of this research that it was done in a developing country where progress in the filed can be considered slow because of many factors, mainly economics, where institutions focus on essential library objectives, which are information resources development and databases subscriptions.

An interaction between emerging technologies (ETs) for facility management (FM) activities and stakeholder skills is necessary to promote the optimization of FM performance. Previous studies do not show strategies for the selection of ETs in FM considering the technological competencies of stakeholders. Thus, this study analyzes the interactions between ETs and FM from the perceptions of Brazilian professionals, identifying the most appropriate and effective technological solutions, based on a broad literature review.

The steps of the methodology are as follows: systematic literature review (SLR); detailing the ETs for FM; online questionnaire based on SLR findings; sample of Brazilian FM professionals; statistical treatment; and discussion.

Results indicate wireless sensor network, Internet of Thing, building information modeling and Big Data as ETs in FM with greater potential for optimization in the performance of FM activities, from survey respondents.

The scope of possible findings may have been biased, considering the small number of research participants and current transformations resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic (e.g. changes to standard operating procedures).

The results ensure greater security to facility managers in the effective implementation of ETs in FM activities.

The research explores the published studies and the consultation with Brazilian FM professionals in the selection of ETs.

The principal objective of this research is to delve into the intricate dynamics surrounding the contentious exploitation of incentive-based marketing tactics within online food delivery (OFD) services in Malaysia.

The data collection process involved the development of an online survey questionnaire rooted in quantitative research methodology. To ascertain a representative sample, a probability-based simple random sampling approach was undertaken, and the data was gathered using the Google Form survey tool. To empirically test the proposed model, data was collected from a sample of 350 participants. The hypotheses were evaluated using the PLS-SEM technique to scrutinize the relationships within the model and assess potential variations across different groups.

The results delineated that all the hypotheses were supported; however, Irritation was rejected and unable to have an influence on consumer attitudes and purchase behaviour towards mobile advertising.

By offering incentives, marketers can foster greater acceptance of advertising among consumers, thereby enhancing their engagement and interaction with mobile advertising in the OFD services.

The advancement of mobile technology has facilitated the emergence of innovative marketing tactics, enabling firms and brands to establish direct communication channels with prospective consumers.

This chapter takes an overview look at open digital infrastructures for financial services: what they are, why they are important for digital financial landscape, and thus why the central banks might need to take an active role to promote them. This chapter also reviews some concrete examples of open digital infrastructures in various jurisdictions to give some context.