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Despite skepticism, consumers rely on online reviews for their purchase decisions. However, academics mostly argue that skepticism has an inverse relationship with consumer decision-making. This study aims to investigate the relationship among skepticism, reliance and consumer purchase decisions in an online review context. It also investigates the moderating role of review self-efficacy and regulatory focus in the relationship between skepticism and reliance on online reviews.

A survey with a nationally representative sample and two experimental studies are conducted.

Skepticism negatively affects consumers’ reliance on online reviews and reliance on online reviews mediates the relationship between skepticism and review-based purchase decisions. High review self-efficacy participants tend to rely more on online reviews than low review self-efficacy participants. Promotion-focused people rely more on online reviews than prevention-focused people, despite similar levels of skepticism.

The findings contribute to the skepticism, self-efficacy and regulatory focus literature. The general framework of the relationship among skepticism, reliance and purchase decision is also applicable in an online review context.

The results provide evidence of a stronger reliance on online reviews of high review self-efficacy and promotion-oriented consumers compared to low review self-efficacy and prevention-oriented consumers.

For half a century, psychologist Albert Bandura has worked to advance a cognitive interactional model of human functioning that emphasizes the role of cognitive and symbolic representations as central processes in human adaptation and change. In his seminal 1977 publication, Bandura emphasized that these representations – visualized actions and outcomes stemming from reflective thought – form the basis from which individuals assess their personal efficacy. An efficacy belief, he contended, is the “conviction that one can successfully execute the behavior required to produce the outcomes” one desires (p. 193). Efficacy beliefs serve as the primary means by which people are able to exercise a measure of control over their lives. During the next two decades, Bandura (1986, 1997) advanced his social cognitive theory, in which people are viewed as self-organizing, proactive, self-reflecting, and self-regulating rather than as solely reactive organisms, products of environmental or concealed inner influences. From this agentic perspective, people are seen as contributors to their life circumstances, not just recipients of them. In this way, people are “partial architects of their own destinies” (Bandura, 1997, p. 8).

The purpose of this paper was to systematically collect and review the research studies that provide empirical evidence regarding the existence of relationship between self-efficacy and knowledge sharing or influence of self-efficacy on sharing of knowledge.

The studies were collected through searching in Google Scholar, Scopus, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, LISTA (Library, Information Science and Technology Abstracts) and Web of Science. All types of studies, except books, were selected for review. Time limitation was not applied.

It can be concluded from majority of reviewed studies that self-efficacy influenced knowledge sharing. This systematic review also establishes that majority of reviewed studies confirmed existence of relationship (positive) between variables self-efficacy and knowledge sharing.

A language limit was applied, and only English language studies were reviewed.

This review is first of its kind that systematically collected and reviewed the studies that examined the relationship between self-efficacy and knowledge sharing. This paper is also first in terms of a study which systematically collected and reviewed studies that investigated impact of self-efficacy on sharing of knowledge. Findings of current research paper will be helpful for organizations striving to implement a knowledge-sharing culture. Similarly, this study will also help the readers in understanding the ways to improve their knowledge-sharing practices and learning.

The purpose of this paper is to consider the implication of self-efficacy training for international students (SETIS). International students faced various transitional challenges which also potentially attenuate their academic performance. Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) is sufficient in explaining this phenomenon as well as suggesting self-efficacy enhancement strategies.

This paper is a speculative viewpoint on the implications of SETIS. The author reviewed relevant literature and systematically constructing the SETIS based on the SCT. The SCT was used to design an appropriate training to help international students cope with transitional challenges which significantly attenuate their academic performance.

The SCT and self-efficacy theory were relevant in designing the training for international students. There are four key elements of the SETIS: goal-setting; effort explanation; modeling; and sharing and evaluation. The implementation of SETIS follows the common rule in conducting effective training including need assessment and post-training evaluation. Information from academic performance record, English as Second Language test score, General Self-efficacy Scale, Students’ Adaptation to College Questionnaire, and Focus Group Discussion is also necessary to justify the need for SETIS.

Despite theoretical evidence of the SETIS, further research is necessary to test the effectiveness of this training. Future study in this specific area should focus on examining the effectiveness of the training.

This paper addressed important issues in international education. A systematic effort in providing robust and theoretical-based training for international students is necessary. By considering the importance of self-efficacy and academic performance, this paper had begun an initial effort in designing training for international students who are struggling for a transitional challenge. Additionally, this paper provides a practical guideline in implementing SETIS.

The study aims were: (1) to replicate a previous study by the first author to confirm previous findings (internal validity) and to check construct validity of previously proposed information-behaviour profiles, (2) to compare the information processes used by students in parallel with requirements of early professional practice.

A replication study used the same questionnaire, delivered online to all 175 students across three years of a BSc adult nursing degree programme on one UK university campus. The survey included questions on information seeking processes, personality, approaches to learning and self-efficacy with information literacy. The literature review examined evidence around the transition from nursing student to practitioner and the Association for College and Research Libraries (ACRL) standards for nursing information literacy.

The response rate was 86/175 (49%). The result verified findings on the most frequent information processes and association between approach to learning and information literacy self-efficacy. The personality findings differed. Combining results for both studies helped confirm most of the information-behaviour profiles. Mapping the frequent information processes against requirements of practice indicated gaps, particularly around professional networking.

As both studies were carried out at one higher education campus, further research to assess external validity is required.

Information-behaviour profiles, plus the mapping, help librarians and tutors develop tailored information literacy support that is clinically relevant and support transition to practice.

Validated a set of information behaviour profiles for nursing students and linked these to the requirements of professional practice.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between two variables, self‐efficacy and job involvement, of internal auditors of companies. It also aims to explore its intervention on self‐efficacy and job involvement using organizational power as another variable.

A survey is conducted on 600 publicly listed Taiwanese companies that have subsidiaries in China. A total of 600 questionnaires are distributed to their internal auditors.

The results show that there is a significant and positive correlation between self‐efficacy and job involvement of internal auditors. Organizational control power does not exhibit intervening effects on self‐efficacy or job involvement.

This paper can offer a new perspective for managers of internal auditors because internal auditors' self‐efficacy can influence job involvement. Therefore, at the same time of supervising internal auditors, managers should not overlook the need to strengthen internal auditors' self‐efficacy.

Past discussions on internal auditors are widespread. However, the conclusion of this paper, which is focused on the exploration of the relationship between self‐efficacy and job involvement, can offer a different insight on the internal auditor domain.

This study aims to examine the impact of self-efficacy and reciprocity in predicting the organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) of hospitality employees and the moderating role of cultural values in the hypothesized relationship.

The proposed model of this study has been tested on the basis of the responses from 432 full-time employees who work at hospitality fields in South Korea. This study has conducted frequency, reliability, confirmatory factor, correlation analyses and structural equation modeling (SEM).

The empirical results indicate not only that self-efficacy significantly influenced reciprocity, consideration, civic virtue and sportsmanship but also that reciprocity had positive influences on the same virtues as well as conscientiousness. The moderating role of cultural values has also been investigated resulting in significant differences in six of the nine cultural values measured (i.e. power distance, uncertainty avoidance, collectivism I and II, assertiveness and gender egalitarianism).

From a practical perspective, the findings of this study yield several strategies relevant to hospitality employee development and training. Especially, the management in hospitality organizations needs to look at multicultural management and leadership styles within their own particular context.

Findings of this study suggest that both self-efficacy and reciprocity are important determinants of OCBs, and indicate the fundamental embeddedness of employment relations within the wider cultural value setting in non-Western contexts.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of culture on the sense of self-efficacy in teaching English as a Foreign Language of a group of university teachers in Vietnam. Research exploring the relationship between culture and self-efficacy is extremely rare despite the acknowledged importance of culture in the formation of self-efficacy beliefs.

This study took the form of qualitative research with diverse, data collection instruments: individual interviews, focus group discussions, observations and journaling.

Findings indicate that certain features of the Vietnamese cultural context impacted on the way the study teachers constructed their sense of self-efficacy. Specifically, under the influence of a Vietnamese sense of belonging, the study teachers tended to rely more on efficacy-building information from other people rather than from themselves. The perception of inequality in power may have heightened negative emotional arousal, thus contributing to a negative sense of self-efficacy among the teachers. The Vietnamese concept of face and the high status of teachers in the social hierarchy in part mediated teachers’ sense of self-efficacy.

The perceived burden of performing both parenting and teaching roles and responsibilities may have diminished the self-efficacy in teaching of female teachers.

The contribution and implications of the study are discussed.

This paper aims to examine relationships between attitude, self-efficacy and subjective norm with library patrons’ behavioural intention to use public computing facilities at a library.

Data were collected from 200 undergraduate students enrolled at a higher learning institution in the Federal Territory of Labuan, Malaysia, via a structured questionnaire comprising closed-ended questions. A structural equation modelling technique using Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) computer software version 21 was used to examine the stability of the model with the data and to estimate impacts among factors instantaneously.

The results show that library patrons’ behavioral intention to use public computing facilities at the library is widely affected by subjective norm factor, i.e. influence of the support of family members, friends and neighbours. Using public computers in a library helps them to be more independent in completing their assignments and conducting research collaboration, checking email messages, social networking and performing other online tasks.

The findings of this study provide a better understanding of factors likely to influence library patrons’ behavioral intention to use public computing facilities at a library. It also offers valuable insights into factors which university librarians need to focus on to improve library patrons’ behavioral intention to actively use public computing facilities at a library for quality information retrieval.

This study replaces perceived behavioral control with self-efficacy in the framework, as it overlaps with the concept of self-efficacy to provide more variance in behavioral intention to use public computing facilities at a library, which has been marginally researched in the Malaysian context.

Helping others use information and communication technologies (ICTs), such as mobile phones, can be beneficial for individuals and communities. In urban refugee communities, displaced and living far from home, collective behaviors with mobile phones can generate a sense of belonging. The purpose of this paper is to explore the potential for these offline behaviors to generate a sense of community among urban refugees.

Using quantitative evidence, the authors examined the relationship between collective behaviors, such as sharing or helping with a mobile phone, and sense of community. The authors analyzed survey data collected from urban refugees in Rwanda via multiple regression to test hypotheses related to the impact of collective behaviors on sense of community, as well as the mediating role of ICT self-efficacy and gender.

The findings suggest that collective behaviors with mobile phones have a positive relationship with sense of community, driven primarily by providing assistance as compared to sharing. ICT self-efficacy was positively related to sense of community. However, collective behaviors' impacts differed by gender, suggesting that social dynamics influence this relationship.

While the extant literature highlights the various roles of mobile phones in refugees' lives, less is known about the social aspects of use and its potential to help overcome isolation by fostering a sense of community. The authors extend this literature to a novel context (urban refugees in the Global South), testing a model that incorporates other factors that may play a role (e.g. self-efficacy and gender). These findings are valuable to urban refugees, due to difficulties in re-building a sense of community and increased ICT access.