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1 – 10 of over 1000Wen Zheng, Senarath Dharmasena, Oral Capps Jr and Ramkumar Janakiraman
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors affecting consumer demand for and the effects on tax on sparkling and non-sparkling bottled water in the USA.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors affecting consumer demand for and the effects on tax on sparkling and non-sparkling bottled water in the USA.
Design/methodology/approach
Using nationally representative data from 62,092 households and tobit econometric procedure, conditional and unconditional factors affecting the demand for sparkling and non-sparkling bottled water were estimated.
Findings
The own-price elasticity of demand for sparkling and non-sparkling bottled water is −0.664 and −0.229, respectively. Coffee, fruit drinks, whole milk and tea are substitutes for non-sparking bottled water. Non-sparking bottled water, coffee, fruit drinks and whole milk are substitutes for sparking bottled water. Household income, race, region and presence of children significantly affect the demand for bottled water. A 10 percent increase in price due to a tax on bottled water decreased plastic use by 50 grams per household per year. This is equivalent to saving 9.5m pounds of plastic annually.
Research limitations/implications
Data used in this analysis only captured at-home consumption of bottled water by US households. While tax on bottled water may reduce the consumption of bottled water, it may increase the consumption of competitive beverages such as carbonated soft drinks or fruit drinks. Although the use of plastic with regards to water bottles may go down as a result of the tax, the plastic consumption could go up with regards to consumers’ increased purchase of other beverages. This might contribute net increase plastic bottle consumption, undermining the effects of a bottled water tax.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to look at demand and tax aspects with regards to disaggregated bottled water products.
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Tien-Chi Huang, Shin-Jia Ho, Wen-Hui Zheng and Yu Shu
The importance of multidimensional and engaging instruction for sustainable development goals (SDGs) in higher education cannot be overstated. Such instructions should motivate…
Abstract
Purpose
The importance of multidimensional and engaging instruction for sustainable development goals (SDGs) in higher education cannot be overstated. Such instructions should motivate students not only to memorize and contemplate these goals but also to actively participate in addressing SDG-related challenges. Consequently, this study aims to develop practical and appropriate instructional approaches to education for sustainable development (ESD) in higher education to enhance students’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviors concerning sustainability.
Design/methodology/approach
By using a quasi-experimental design, this ESD study was conducted at a university in central Taiwan. A total of 121 students from diverse academic backgrounds participated in the 16-week experiment, which was divided into three groups. Lecturing, thematic teaching and design-thinking strategies were applied to these respective groups.
Findings
The thematic-teaching and design-thinking groups displaying improved cognitive performance. However, the quantity results revealed that the design-thinking group surpassed the other two groups in sustainability knowledge, attitudes, behaviors and mind map tasks. The qualitative findings further indicated that design thinking – through multiple practical problem-solving activities – guided college students to think independently and sustainably, as well as enabled them to internalize the value of sustainable development. By implementing these effective approaches, the core goals of ESD-related personal and societal transformations may be realized.
Practical implications
This study proposed a goal-oriented ESD instructional model for educators, demonstrating the efficacy of design thinking in cultivating higher-order thinking and affection for ESD in students. Additionally, this study introduced an innovative evaluation approach – mind mapping – to the ESD domain, which may compensate for the limitations of the survey method.
Originality/value
This study provides empirical evidence for the effectiveness of design thinking and thematic-based pedagogies in sustainable development higher education. Additionally, it also offers a practical ESD instructional model with reference value for scholars and multi-domain instructors. Moreover, the study highlights that by examining organizational governance from the perspectives of design thinking and higher-order affection, sustainable and economic development need not be mutually exclusive concepts. Instead, pursuing SDGs can be viewed as investment opportunities for organizations rather than mere costs.
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Xianping Wei and Wen Jie Zheng
This paper aims to expand the application area of Inconel 718 alloy in marine environment, the sensitivity of pitting corrosion should be analyzed and discussed, especially the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to expand the application area of Inconel 718 alloy in marine environment, the sensitivity of pitting corrosion should be analyzed and discussed, especially the effect of block carbides.
Design/methodology/approach
Effect of carbides on the sensitivity of pitting corrosion for Inconel 718 alloy was carried out at 30°C in 3.5% NaCl solution using dynamic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and anodic polarization techniques. In addition, the initiation of pitting corrosion was investigated by immersion test in 0.05 M HCl + 6% FeCl3 solution.
Findings
As a result, the precipitation of carbides, as the initiation of pitting corrosion, increased pitting corrosion susceptibility, especially the block carbides could lead to deep-spalling. Within that process, temperature and potential acted as the main controlling factors, and the effect of the latter was more distinct.
Originality/value
The initiation of pitting corrosion was revealed by the immersion test. The mechanism of pitting corrosion was analyzed and discussed.
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Fangli Hu, Jun Wen, Danni Zheng and Wei Wang
This paper aims to introduce an under-researched concept, travel medicine, to the hospitality field and proposes future research directions. This paper also highlights the need to…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to introduce an under-researched concept, travel medicine, to the hospitality field and proposes future research directions. This paper also highlights the need to acknowledge the missing link between hospitality and medical science and encourages research on the health of hotel guests, especially those with mental disorders.
Design/methodology/approach
By synthesizing relevant literature, this study proposes a conceptual framework focused on identifying and filling knowledge gaps between hospitality and medical science. Pathways for empirical research on hotel guests’ travel health are suggested accordingly.
Findings
This paper reveals that the topic of travel medicine has been neglected in hospitality, especially in relation to vulnerable hotel guests. Additionally, this study suggests that researchers should move beyond the confines of social science and conduct interdisciplinary hospitality studies. In-depth analyses of hotel guests’ health and safety are also recommended.
Research limitations/implications
This conceptual piece serves as a “provocation” that is exploratory, thus laying a foundation for future interdisciplinary studies bridging hospitality and medical science. This paper offers practical significance for hospitality stakeholders (i.e. academics, practitioners, hotel guests and society) and also provides guidelines on how to create vulnerability-friendly hospitality environments.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study takes an important step toward interdisciplinary research between hospitality and medical science through the lens of travel medicine. This paper offers insight to bridge these disciplines and extend hospitality research into medical science. This paper further identifies an under-investigated topic and feasible research avenues that can offer timely solutions for hospitality academics and practitioners.
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Alei Fan, Sheryl F. Kline, Yiran Liu and Karen Byrd
Drawing on protection motivation theory (PMT) and expectancy theory, this study aims to investigate consumers’ lodging consumption intentions during a pandemic crisis.
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on protection motivation theory (PMT) and expectancy theory, this study aims to investigate consumers’ lodging consumption intentions during a pandemic crisis.
Design/methodology/approach
The research survey was conducted during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic (August, 2020) in the USA to investigate consumers’ lodging intentions amidst the pandemic crisis. PLS-SEM and multiple regression were conducted to explore answers to proposed research questions.
Findings
The research finds that, during the pandemic crisis, consumers’ lodging consumption intentions are subject to both their internal protection motivation evaluations and the external prevention practices implemented by the lodging facilities regardless of property types and travel purposes. Notably, the research finds that consumers are willing to make efforts and pay extra for a safe stay at lodging facilities.
Research limitations/implications
This research contributes to the literature regarding the applications of PMT and expectancy theory from a crisis management perspective, and it provides implications and guidelines to the crisis management practices in the lodging industry.
Originality/value
The current research examines the specific protection motivation appraisal factors and prevention practices significantly impacting consumers’ decisions in terms of willingness to stay at various lodging facilities (hotels and non-hotel homestay/short-term rental properties) for different purposes (business and leisure) and to pay premiums for a safe stay.
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Kai‐Wen Zheng, Chih‐Hung Tsai, Rong‐Kwei Li, Ching‐Piao Chen and Shih‐Chieh Tsai
As the flourish of today’s supply chain, the traditional model of replenishment will cause accumulation of excessive inventory to the retailers and customers, or cause shortages…
Abstract
As the flourish of today’s supply chain, the traditional model of replenishment will cause accumulation of excessive inventory to the retailers and customers, or cause shortages and inability to meet the demands. To solve this problem, Theory of Constraints (TOC) proposed the replenishment model of demand‐pull, combined with the establishment of factory‐warehouse to achieve performance improvement. In the absence of empirical research, this study applied the Bean Game developed by Dr. Goldratt to design a supply chain system for different scenarios, in order to allow players and managers better understanding and supporting the TOC replenishment method through the operations of the game.
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This study sets out to make in‐depth comparisons between major political campaigns in the UK and Taiwan, and generate contemporary insights into the creative development process…
Abstract
Purpose
This study sets out to make in‐depth comparisons between major political campaigns in the UK and Taiwan, and generate contemporary insights into the creative development process, the working relationships between campaign managers and professional agencies, and the “spin doctor” phenomenon, all through the eyes of very senior professionals.
Design/methodology/approach
Material gathered in “élite interviews” was subjected to interpretive analysis and synthesised with secondary data and the findings of an extensive literature review.
Findings
The putative Americanization of political marketing has not been as complete as some authors suggest, but one of its features was an important element in campaign development in both countries: the centrality of the party leader's persona in an image‐building strategy. The culture and history of the party were an important determinant of the style of the campaigns examined. It was generally agreed that political marketing and advertising have been strongly influenced by commercial branding, though important differences remain.
Research limitations/implications
Despite the richness of the data and the authority of the respondents, the small number of willing participants in the study limits the scope for generalisation.
Practical implications
The findings offer usable insights into the creative development process and the nature of client‐agency relationships, in political campaign planning.
Originality/value
The paper contributes the first expert‐insider perspective in published studies and commentaries concerning political marketing literature. It cuts across disciplines of political science, communication, management, marketing and advertising, and may contain lessons for marketing planners in other non‐commercial contexts.
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Shuhuan Wen, Xiaohan Lv, Hak Keung Lam, Shaokang Fan, Xiao Yuan and Ming Chen
This paper aims to use the Monodepth method to improve the prediction speed of identifying the obstacles and proposes a Probability Dueling DQN algorithm to optimize the path of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to use the Monodepth method to improve the prediction speed of identifying the obstacles and proposes a Probability Dueling DQN algorithm to optimize the path of the agent, which can reach the destination more quickly than the Dueling DQN algorithm. Then the path planning algorithm based on Probability Dueling DQN is combined with FastSLAM to accomplish the autonomous navigation and map the environment.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper proposes an active simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) framework for autonomous navigation under an indoor environment with static and dynamic obstacles. It integrates a path planning algorithm with visual SLAM to decrease navigation uncertainty and build an environment map.
Findings
The result shows that the proposed method offers good performance over existing Dueling DQN for navigation uncertainty under the indoor environment with different numbers and shapes of the static and dynamic obstacles in the real world field.
Originality/value
This paper proposes a novel active SLAM framework composed of Probability Dueling DQN that is the improved path planning algorithm based on Dueling DQN and FastSLAM. This framework is used with the Monodepth depth image prediction method with faster prediction speed to realize autonomous navigation in the indoor environment with different numbers and shapes of the static and dynamic obstacles.
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Štefan Bojnec, Imre Fertő and József Fogarasi
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impacts of institutional quality (IQ) in exporting and importing countries on agro-food exports from the world's leading emerging…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impacts of institutional quality (IQ) in exporting and importing countries on agro-food exports from the world's leading emerging economies: Brazil, the Russian Federation, India and China (BRIC countries).
Design/methodology/approach
Measuring is based on using the gravity trade model and econometric panel data analysis for the period 1998-2009.
Findings
Agro-food exports from the BRIC countries, particularly Brazil and China, have increased. The Russian Federation has experienced stagnating and volatile patterns. Brazil and India have strengthened market shares in the existing importing markets, while the Russian Federation has experienced severe deterioration. The export of existing products is more important than of new products. Agro-food exports are positively associated with IQ and the size of the gross domestic product in exporting and importing countries, but negatively with distance.
Research limitations/implications
Among IQ variables, the focus is on the indices of legal structure and security of property rights and freedom to trade internationally in agro-food importing countries and the BRIC exporting countries.
Practical implications
Different institutions and their quality can affect agro-food exports differently. The impact of institutions is not uniform across product groups.
Originality/value
This paper adds the impacts of IQ on agro-food exports. Except for processed products for final household consumption, agro-food exports from the BRIC countries are positively associated with the quality of the legal structure, the security of property rights and the freedom to trade internationally as IQ in exporting and importing countries.
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