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The authors propose an Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method for estimating a class of linear sum assignment problems (LSAP; the discrete case of the optimal transport problems). Prominent examples include multi-item auctions and mergers in industrial organizations. This contribution is to decompose the joint likelihood of the allocation and prices by exploiting the primal and dual linear programming formulation of the underlying LSAP. Our decomposition, coupled with the data augmentation technique, leads to an MCMC sampler without a repeated model-solving phase.

Considering both online and offline service scenarios, this study aims to explore the factors affecting doctors' intention to offer consulting services in eHealth and compare the factors between the free- and paid-service doctors. The theory of reasoned action and social exchange theory are integrated to develop the research model that conceptualizes the role of extrinsic motivations, intrinsic motivations, costs, and attitudes in doctors' behavioral intentions.

Partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was leveraged to analyze 326 valid sample data. To provide robust results, three non-parametric multigroup analysis (MGA) methods, including the PLS-MGA, confidence set, and permutation test approaches, were applied to detect the potential heterogeneity between the free- and paid-service doctors.

The results with overall samples reveal that anticipated rewards, anticipated associations, anticipated contribution, and perceived fee are all positively related to attitude, which in turn positively influences behavioral intention, and that perceived fee positively moderates the relationship between attitude and behavioral intention. Attitude's full mediation is also confirmed. However, results vary between the two groups of doctors. The three MGA approaches return relatively convergent results, indicating that the effects of anticipated associations and perceived fee on attitude are significantly larger for the paid-service doctors, while that of anticipated rewards is found to be significantly larger for the free-service doctors.

eHealth, as a potential contactless alternative to face-to-face diagnoses, has recently attracted widespread attention, especially during the continued spread of COVID-19. Most existing studies have neglected the underlying heterogeneity between free- and paid-service doctors regarding their motivations to engage in online healthcare activities. This study advances the understanding of doctors' participation in eHealth by emphasizing their motivations derived from both online and offline service scenarios and comparing the differences between free- and paid-service doctors. Besides, horizontally comparing the results by applying diverse MGA approaches enriches empirical evidence for the selection of MGA approaches in PLS-SEM.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate switching intention from traditional enterprise information systems (EISs) to private cloud EIS in large enterprises. The authors propose that the factors motivate and inhibit enterprises’ switching intention to private EIS by integrating technology–organization–environment (TOE) framework and two-factor theory.

A research model draws from TOE framework and two-factor theory. Data were collected from 227 top managers and owners of the enterprises in China and used to analyze 11 hypotheses.

The results show that the technological context (compatibility), organizational context (financial support) and environmental context (vendor support and industry pressure) significantly influence switching benefits while data security and costs significantly influence switching costs. Switching benefits and switching costs significantly influence switching intention.

Past studies have focused mainly on the adoption of cloud computing. However, few studies have addressed the switching issues, especially in large enterprises. The findings are useful to understand switching issues from traditional EIS to private cloud EIS for both researchers and practitioners.

The purpose of this study is to investigate multichannel integration of hotels and online travel agencies (OTAs) and to compare consumer behavior between China and Indonesia in the context of online to offline (O2O) commerce. We examine how the services, brand and market share of OTAs influence behavioral intentions in both online and offline channels. SERVQUAL, theory of reasoned action and the halo effect are integrated to develop the research model.

To investigate Chinese and Indonesian customers' experiences and behavioral intention of OTAs and hotels, the customers who booked hotels using OTAs were invited to participate in the questionnaire survey. This study collected 336 and 305 data from China and Indonesia, respectively. A partial least squares structural equation modeling technique was used to test and compare the research hypotheses and model between China and Indonesia.

The results compare the similarities and differences of cross-country customer experiences and behavioral intentions of OTAs and hotels. The effect of website service quality on online satisfaction, the effect of online satisfaction on offline confirmation and the effects of offline confirmation and booking intention on patronage intention are significant and positive in both countries. Website service quality is positively associated with booking intention for Indonesia but not for China. The relationship between perceived size and booking intention is significant for China but not for Indonesia. The findings provide insights into the development of O2O commerce for global markets and multichannel strategies between OTAs and hotels.

With the development of O2O commerce, increasingly more hoteliers are opening up online and offline sales channels by cooperating with OTAs. Although several cross-country studies have investigated consumer behavior or behavioral intentions, behavioral settings are based on online or offline channels rather than the integration of both channels. Although some research has studied the integration or competition of OTAs and hotels, none of these studies have investigated the issues from the perspective of country comparison. This study provides the understanding of how customers in different countries and with different backgrounds react to the same e-commerce development, especially the cooperation of OTA and hotels.

Switching to public cloud enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems not only provides financial and functional benefits to organizations, but also results in sunk costs of incumbent systems and uncertainty costs of cloud systems. The purpose of this study is to investigate the enablers and inhibitors concerning switching to cloud ERP systems at the organizational level.

Data were collected from 212 top managers and owners of the enterprises in Taiwan, and 10 hypotheses were examined using structural equation modeling.

Technological (system quality), organizational (financial advantage), and environmental contexts (industry pressure) are found to be the antecedents of switching benefits. Perceived risk of cloud ERP systems and satisfaction with and breadth of use of incumbent ERP systems are found to be the predictors of switching costs. Switching benefits positively affect switching intention, but switching costs negatively affect switching intention.

This study develops a theoretical model grounded in a set of theoretical foundations, including two-factor theory, technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework, information systems (IS) success model, and expectation confirmation theory (ECT). Two-factor theory is used to characterize switching benefits and costs that affect switching intention. Technological factors come from IS success model, and the factors affecting benefits are organized based on TOE framework. Sunk costs of incumbent ERP systems are developed based on ECT.

Different from previous studies on cloud computing adoption, this study provides insights into switching intention to cloud computing. The study also proposes an integrated model grounded in multiple perspectives to explain organizations' decisions to switch to cloud ERP systems. These findings help cloud service providers better understand how to promote cloud ERP adoption from technical, organizational, and environmental perspectives.

The solution of prioritization problem for budget allocation across road infrastructure rehabilitation projects is highly complicated. This complexity is often due to the contradictions exist in budget allocation process. Such process concerns allocation of rehabilitation funds across various road infrastructures and taking into account multiple evaluation criteria. Therefore, budget allocation is a complex process with too many contradictions in form of criteria or attributes. According to the Systematic Innovation methodology, solving a problem means removing a contradiction. This paper presents a decision support approach for management of budget in rehabilitation process of road infrastructure, introducing Applied Multi-Criteria Ideal Rehabilitation Model. To achieve this, with the help of multi-criteria decision analysis, the Degree of Ideality is introduced as a function of all criteria. "Ideality" is the measure of how close the system is to the ideal final result. If the useful feature improves or harmful feature lessens, the ideality improves. In order to maximize the Degree of Ideality in the proposed Model, contradictions and resources are identified and ideal final result is introduced. This will result in a simple mechanism for allocation of budget across all the road infrastructures need to be rehabilitated.

This paper aims to compare the reflow and Zn diffusion behaviors in Sn-Zn and Sn-8.5Zn-0.5Ag-0.01Al-0.1Ga (5E) solders during soldering on a Ni/Cu substrate under infrared (IR) reflow. The study proposes a model on the effect of various elements particularly Zn diffusion behavior in the solders on the formation of intermetallic compounds (IMCs).

The melting activities of two solders near their melting points on copper substrates are visualized in an IR reflow furnace. Reflowed solder joints were analyzed using scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.

Reflow behaviors of the solders are similar. During melting, solder balls are first merged into each other and then reflow on the substrate from top to bottom. Both solders show a reduced amount of Zn in the solder. Theoretical calculations demonstrate a higher Zn diffusion in the 5E solder; however, the amount of Zn actually observed at the solder/substrate interface is lower than Sn-9Zn solder due to the formation of ZnAg3 in the solder. A thinner IMC layer is formed at the interface in the 5E solder than the Sn-Zn solder.

The present work compares the 5E solder only with Sn-Zn solder. Additional research work may be required to compare 5E solder with other solders like Sn-Ag, SnAgCu, etc. to further establish its practical applications.

The study ascertains the advantages of 5E solder over Sn-Zn solder for all practical applications.

The significance of this paper is the understanding of the relation between reflow behavior of solders and reactivity of different elements in the solder alloys and substrate to form various IMCs and their influence on the formation of IMC layer at solder/substrate interface. Emphasis is provided for the diffusion behavior of Zn during reflow and respective reaction mechanisms.