Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis Research Articles

Research on Factors Influencing Enterprise Resilience from the Perspective of Capability —Configuration Analysis Based on fsQCA

The healthy development of the real economy is crucial for achieving high-quality development goals, maintaining economic stability, and enhancing international competitiveness. However, globalization and rapid changes in the market environment have introduced significant uncertainties, posing new challenges to enterprise operations. Consequently, improving enterprise resilience has become an increasingly important concern for managers. The 42 manufacturing companies that were the first to recover their performance from major impact events will become the research sample. The fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) method will be used to analyze the influencing factors of enterprise resilience from the perspective of capability. According to this analysis, there is a strong correlation between enterprise resilience and multiple indicators. Furthermore, combinations of different influencing factors can exhibit high resilience results. The analysis identifies three pathways: “efficient operation and resource buffer type,” “financial stability and leadership-driven type,” and “cash flow-driven type.” which provide a reference path for manufacturing enterprises to enhance their resilience. In addition, the conclusion indicates that innovation capability is not a necessary condition for affecting the resilience of enterprises. Only when z-score and managerial abilities complement each other can the resilience of the enterprise be enhanced.

Exploring the Routines from Fear of Missing Out to Cyberchondria via a Dual System Perspective

Drawing on the dual system theory, a configuration model for cyberchondria was proposed to explore the complex interplay between the individual characteristics, socioemotional system, and cognitive control system in causing cyberchondria. A questionnaire was distributed to users who have searched for health information on social media platforms. A total of 320 valid responses were collected. The fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) method was employed to analyse the data. Four equifinal configurations leading to cyberchondria were identified, with fear of missing out, perceived information overload, and perceived communication overload as core conditions. Additionally, one configuration leading to the absence of cyberchondria was identified. We further explored the configurations for the four sub-dimensions of cyberchondria. The results revealed four configurations for excessiveness, two for distress, one for compulsion, and three for reassurance. Four theoretical propositions leading to cyberchondria and its sub-dimensions are proposed. This provides a dual system perspective into how fear of missing out can evolve into cyberchondria and explains the complexities of cyberchondria between different individuals.

Achieving resident value co-creation in night-time leisure activities: Modelling and evaluating outcomes from a multi-sensory perspective

As the night economy contributes widely to cities, regions, and nations worldwide, resident value co-creation, has been a topic of significant interest. Although there is a growing interest in value co-creation, there is limited research on how multi-sensory stimulation affects residents engaged in night-time leisure. It is also unclear whether a place could instigate value co-creation with local residents by strategically selecting appropriate sensory stimuli, and if so, how. Using a mixed methods approach, this study draws on the sensory marketing framework to explore the process by which residents’ multi-sensory perceptions evoke emotion and subsequently influence value co-creation. The structural equation modelling indicated that multi-sensory experience, place identity and place dependence, positively impacted value co-creation, and results of the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis revealed 12 combined paths that could stimulate value co-creation. These findings provide actionable insights for DMOs to tailor sensory marketing initiatives, maximising resident value creation in night-time leisure.

Sustaining IT outsourcing performance during a systemic crisis: A configurational approach

The COVID-19 pandemic set off a systemic crisis that spread rapidly across the globe in early 2020, significantly affecting the outsourcing industry. Information Technology (IT) vendors as well as client firms found it challenging to maintain their performance levels. The Information Systems (IS) outsourcing literature, notably, had little insight to offer to client firms about effective IT outsourcing strategies for a systemic crisis. However, the literature did discuss two distinct yet interconnected logics for understanding IT outsourcing performance in non-crisis contexts. Whereas one logic revolves around the possession of strong internal capabilities, the other centers on the externalization of services. Building on this work, we develop a conceptual model to guide a configurational analysis centering on the sustenance of IT outsourcing performance during a systemic crisis. Based on the findings emerging from a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) of 200 companies across 13 countries, we theorize six organizational logics that client firms can consider to sustain IT outsourcing performance. These logics entail different combinations or configurations of client-firms’ IT outsourcing characteristics and the characteristics of the crisis faced. As systemic crises can engender more or less intense uncertainty, thus affecting the strategic options available to decisions makers, we also use our findings to theorize organizational logics that can enable performance sustenance during low, medium, and high severity crises. We discuss our research’s contributions to the IS outsourcing literature as well as its practical implications.

Exploration of multiple enhancing pathways of digital economy development of city clusters using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis

As a crucial catalyst for worldwide economic expansion, the digital economy (DE) has garnered widespread attention and has been regarded as crucial for the promotion of economic growth and innovation. The development of the DE brings both significant opportunities and challenges to city clusters. It enhances urban competitiveness, improves residents’ quality of life, and strengthens urban governance, which is of great significance for the development of city clusters. In this context, although previous studies comprehensively analyzed the advancement of the DE of certain cities and revealed their strategies, challenges, and successful experiences in the development of their DE, research on the determinants and enhancing pathways of the digital economy development of city clusters (DEDCC) is scant. As the core node of DE development, city clusters, as well as their potential and influence, cannot be ignored. Therefore, this study investigates the Shandong Peninsula Urban Agglomeration in China, constructs a theoretical analysis framework for the DEDCC, and utilizes fsQCA (Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis) to examine the complex causal processes of the DEDCC. The fsQCA method is utilized from a configurational perspective to explore the complex driving mechanisms of DEDCC. The objective is to investigate the pathways for enhancing DEDCC and provide insights for the DE development of other city clusters. Results reveal the following: (1) the reciprocal collaboration between market factors and fundamental factors should be examined to accelerate the high-quality DEDCC. (2) technological innovation (TI) capacity is a crucial determinant of the high-quality DEDCC. (3) the coordinated development of the market, the foundation, and TI should be prioritized to achieve the high-quality DEDCC.

Antecedents of Social Performance in Tourism and Hospitality Firms: The Role of Employee Resilience, Transactive Memory Systems, and Dynamic Capabilities

Tourism and hospitality firms generally recover from crises but the resources and capabilities they leverage to maintain social performance remain elusive. Embedded in the resource-based view of the firm, we argue that psychological resources, such as employee resilience, and knowledge embedded in teams, through a transactive memory system, as well as dynamic capabilities can sustain social performance during crises. We test this proposition on a sample of 350 UK tourism and hospitality firms that survived the COVID-19 pandemic. Results from partial-least square structural equation modeling and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis identify different combinations of employee resilience, transactive memory systems, and dynamic capabilities that can boost social performance. Theoretically, micro and meso-level organizational resources and capabilities are intertwined in shaping social performance during crises. Managerially, recommendations on how to improve employee resilience in a way that boosts team knowledge, dynamic capabilities and ultimately social performance are offered.

Antecedents of customer retention in the green hotel context: exploring the optimum combination of cognitive and affective factors

PurposeThe investigation on the complexity of customer retention towards green products/services requires more solid analytical approaches. This study evaluated the net effects of antecedents of customer retention and the validity of configurational causal recipes that lead to customer retention in the green hotel context.Design/methodology/approachThis study combined structural equation modeling (SEM), a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and a necessary condition analysis (NCA). An online survey was conducted in China to evaluate the green hotel consumption.FindingsResearch findings showed that cognitive factors (perceived health benefits, green product performance, responsible employee performance and green physical environment performance) and affective factors (emotional well-being, feeling of happiness, attractiveness of green product and feeling of pride), played a distinctive role in generating customer retention toward green hotel products. The NCA found no factor was essential in order to achieve customer retention, which indicates that green hotel performance and brand management should pay more attention to emotional factors alongside cognitive factors.Practical implicationsResearch findings provide significant managerial implications for improving green hotel services and business operations and enhancing consumers’ approach intention toward green hotel products.Originality/valueThis study adopted mixed approaches to investigate both the linear and nonlinear impacts of cognitive and affective factors that potentially lead to customer retention for green hotel products.

From Attraction to Retention: How Vlogger Attributes, Vlog News Content Quality, and Platform Features Affect Continuance Intention of Vlog News

In the digital media era, video blogs (vlogs) have become a crucial news platform, gaining attention for their personalized and interactive features. However, research has yet to fully explore the factors influencing sustained audience engagement with vlog news. Grounded in Media-system Dependency (MSD) Theory and Parasocial Interaction (PSI) Theory, this study examines key drivers of continuous user engagement, including vlogger attributes, content quality, and platform technicalities. A survey of 553 users, analyzed with Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) and Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), reveals significant effects of vlogger attractiveness and expertise, content’s entertainment and information quality, and the platform’s interactivity and fluency on PSI and ongoing viewing intentions. Additionally, the emotional bond between users and vlog news moderates the PSI and sustained viewing relationship. These findings enrich the media consumption framework and offer practical insights. Notably, the role of algorithmic content curation, enhancing media dependency and PSI through personalized content recommendations, is acknowledged.

Unraveling the complexity: Influential factors and trajectories of NGO advancement in China—A fsQCA analysis of 46 Cases

This study employs fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to examine 46 Chinese non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and identify the influential factors and developmental trajectories critical for NGO advancement. By integrating the AGIL functional analysis model, the research uncovers that no single factor—be it public expectations, digital technology, governmental support, cross-sector collaboration, key actors, or organizational culture—predominates in fostering advanced development. Instead, it is the combination of these elements that stimulates progress. Five unique pathways for NGO advancement are mapped: internal development, leadership-driven initiatives, strategic external support leveraging, societal adaptation, and an omnibus development approach. Cross-sector collaboration is highlighted as a pivotal factor that enhances NGO networking and facilitates resource sharing and co-creation of value. The study emphasizes the need for proactive public policy engagement, governmental acknowledgment, and fulfillment of public expectations. It underscores the importance of leadership and the cultivation of a robust organizational culture aligned with the entity's mission. This research enriches the theoretical understanding of NGO evolution and provides actionable strategies for NGOs to navigate the complexities of the social sector.

Unconventional philosophies and practices: Vietnamese family firm performance in multiple countries

ABSTRACT The diversity of business philosophies and practices across family firms suggests their performance is influenced by factors that can be hard to isolate or understand. Based on 215 observations of Vietnamese firms operating in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America, we use fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis techniques to discern the configurational relationships underlying their performance pathways. Of the 64 possible configurations, three pathways with a high consistency (95 percent) for high performance are distinguishable. These three pathways are characterized by varying degrees of family labor involvement, social network-based labor sourcing, and capital contributions from partners. They reveal how cultural factors, spiritual beliefs and practices, as well as the strength of firm networks influence the way these firms perform. Taken together, these insights offer valuable contributions to the theoretical understanding of family firm performance with practical and policy relevance.

What is the Recipe for High or Low General Trust?

This article investigates the determinants of general trust in a society. A novel method – fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) – is applied, which is consistent with the assumption that the recipe for high or low trust implies a combination of several conditions, and there can be different combinations that all produce the same outcome. It also relaxes the assumption of symmetry: conditions associated with low trust need not mirror conditions associated with high trust, with opposite signs. In this article, data about 79 countries are analysed using fsQCA in order to determine different combinations that would lead to low or high general trust. The results show that for general trust in a society, the Anna Karenina principle seems to apply: all high-trust societies are alike, but for low trust levels, there are many recipes.

Enhancing customer perception of co-production knowledge sharing: navigating scepticism and leveraging prosociality to unlock active feedback behaviour in co-creation

Purpose Drawing on the reciprocity principle of social exchange theory situated within Service-dominant Logic, this study aims to examine how customers’ perception of knowledge sharing in co-production, their inherent scepticism and prosocial orientation relate to their willingness to co-create and provide feedback on services. The authors also explored the interplay between these factors to identify conditions in configurations comprising scepticism, which may help navigate its adverse effects. Design/methodology/approach The authors surveyed 556 online and offline mobile payment service users. They used a combination of partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to assess the relationships among variables, and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to identify configurations associated with feedback behaviour. Findings The study determined that customer perception of co-production knowledge sharing is positively associated with willingness to co-create and feedback behaviour. Additionally, prosocial orientation positively affects this relationship, while scepticism has an adverse effect. Willingness to co-create mediates the relationship between customer perception of co-production knowledge sharing and feedback behaviour. The fsQCA findings revealed configurations for potentially navigating doubts regarding feedback. To encourage valuable customer feedback, businesses may consider promoting a collaborative and supportive atmosphere, emphasising shared advantages or building trust even among hesitant and doubtful individuals. Originality/value This study uniquely examines how both prosocial tendencies and scepticism relate to customer feedback behaviour in co-creation by using a hybrid PLS-SEM/fsQCA approach to identify co-existing conditions in configurations comprising scepticism that may help navigate its adverse effects and leverage customer feedback for business improvement.

The driving pathways for the construction of rural e-commerce entrepreneurial ecosystem based on the TOE framework

This research explores the driving pathways for building a high-level rural e-commerce entrepreneurial ecosystem, providing valuable insights for responding to global policies promoting rural entrepreneurship and innovation and accelerating rural industrial development. However, existing studies on the “rural e-commerce entrepreneurial ecosystem” lack in-depth exploration. Based on the CAS (Complex Adaptive System) theory and TOE (Technological, Organizational, and Environmental) framework, we conducted a comprehensive case study across 31 Chinese provinces, focusing on seven key indicators within three dimensions: technology, organization, and environment. Employing the Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) method, we examined key factors and driving pathways influencing the establishment of successful rural e-commerce entrepreneurial ecosystems in China. The main findings of this study are as follows: (1) The construction of a rural e-commerce entrepreneurial ecosystem is not driven by a single element but is the result of the combined effects of multiple facets and factors. (2) The number of leading agricultural enterprises and the establishment of e-commerce cooperatives are critical factors promoting the high-level construction of rural e-commerce entrepreneurial ecosystems. (3) Typical driving pathways for advancing the construction of rural e-commerce entrepreneurial ecosystems can be categorized into three types: technology-organization-government-driven, organization-environment-driven, and holistic synergy-driven. The research findings are instrumental in guiding the government to formulate systematic policies that support the development of leading agricultural enterprises and e-commerce cooperatives. Additionally, these policies should be tailored to the specific characteristics of different regions to create differentiated driving paths. Implementing these measures can effectively promote rural e-commerce entrepreneurship.

Robots and humans working together: factors influencing job pursuit in sustainable diverse hospitality environments

ABSTRACT This study aims to investigate the effects of personal innovativeness, information sharing, environmental, social, and governance sustainability, sustainable diversity, valence, and instrumentality on job pursuit intention in diverse hospitality environments where robots and humans collaborate, comparing prospective White and non-White employees. Drawing on sustainable diversity and inclusion theory, a framework incorporating these factors was developed and tested using Generalised Linear Modelling (GLM) and fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). GLM and FsQCA revealed that six independent variables are necessary for high job pursuit intention in White and non-White groups, while the two groups had notable similar but different configuration requirements regarding diversity and technology.

Innovation recipes for high use on four Fintech types: A configurational perspective

Fintech has attracted attention based on its fusion of technology and finance; however, how its elements should be combined and configured has yet to be explored. To fill this research gap, this study investigates specific and multiple configurations of Fintech attributes that lead to high use by adopting a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis. Based on the diffusion-of-innovation theory and the information systems success model, we develop a theoretical framework using three dimensions of Fintech: innovation, financial services, and information technology (IT). This study then explicates the complex nNar relationships among these three dimensions in the form of the conjunction, equifinality, and asymmetry of Fintech attributes to develop a better understanding of its use. This study provides specific configurations of these interactions among seven Fintech attributes based on four Fintech types (mobile payments, mobile remittance, peer-to-peer (P2P) lending, and crowdfunding). The findings indicate that IT plays multifaceted roles, varying from enabling to counterproductive, for all Fintech types. Our results offer guidance on effectively coordinating Fintech development and launching strategies to enhance its use in managerial practice.

Can digital platform empowers inbound and outbound open innovation? From the perspective of the innovation ecosystem

In the global digital economy, the use of digital platforms in supporting innovation across organizational boundaries has attracted more concentration. By using the fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis method, this paper examines survey data from 319 firms located in the Yangtze River Delta region in China. This paper investigates how digital collaboration capability, absorptive capability, digital platform, stakeholder pressure, and external support enable firms’ open innovation through a collaborative symbiosis. Findings reveal that although the above factors are not strictly necessary for firms to achieve high-level open innovation, they contribute to some degree. This paper identifies two comparable paths that facilitate inbound open innovation for firms: the “platform-enabling subject collaborative type,” which focuses on engaging relevant entities, and the “platform-enabling internal and external linkage-type,” which emphasizes integrating firms’ internal and external resources. In addition, a single path supports firms in achieving outbound open innovation, i.e., the “platform–external support collaborative type,” which relies on constructing digital platforms and obtaining external support. This paper offers some significant theoretical and managerial implications for firms, especially those in emerging markets, seeking to integrate into more innovation ecosystems and engage in open innovation through the use of digital platforms.

Institutional quality configuration for encouraging private capital participation in PPP projects: evidence from 36 belt and road countries

PurposeThis study aims to explore how institutional quality impacts private capital participation in large-scale infrastructure development, particularly in public–private partnership (PPP) projects, aiming to enhance incentives for private sector involvement.Design/methodology/approachBuilding on new institutional theory, a triangular theoretical framework was constructed to analyze the high participation of private capital in PPP projects, focusing on seven key institutional factors. Data from 1,319 PPP projects across 36 Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) countries from 2015 to 2020 were then analyzed using a combination of necessary condition analysis (NCA) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to evaluate the combined impact and interactions of these factors.FindingsResults indicate that high private capital participation does not hinge on a single institutional quality factor but results from the synergistic influence of multiple factors. The paths leading to high private capital participation can be categorized as regulatory-led, normative-cognitive synergistic, regulatory-normative synergistic and institutional failure-led. Among these, regulatory quality plays a central role in the regulatory-led; the synergy between political stability and voice and accountability is pivotal in the normative-cognitive synergistic, and the rule of law, in combination with voice and accountability, is essential to the regulatory-normative synergistic.Originality/valueThis research systematically examines the multidimensional impact of institutional quality, revealing how different institutional factors interact to influence private capital’s willingness to participate and behavior. It enriches applied research in institutional economics within PPP projects and provides a new theoretical perspective and methodological framework to the scholarly community.

Collaborative governance in action: driving ecological sustainability in the Yangtze River basin

Implementing a collaborative governance framework across administrative boundaries is crucial for preserving the Basin’s ecological integrity and mitigating institutional fragmentation. Based on 19 cases of inter-provincial collaborative governance of ecological environment in the Yangtze River Basin of China, this study uses the fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis method to explore the influencing factors and complex causal mechanism of the effect of inter-provincial collaborative governance. The results show that technology empowers relationship driving, institutions reinforce interactive driving, and internal and external interaction driving modes promote collaborative governance. Perceived factors are essential in motivating provinces to participate in collaborative governance. External factors play a hygienic role in collaborative governance, and internal factors play a motivated role. The roles of the two types of factors are separate but complementary. In view of this, government should attention to regional environmental concerns, ensuring consistent alignment of internal and external factors and fostering synergies to improve governance effectiveness.

Unraveling proxy wars: A comparison of state sponsorship decisions in Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen

This study aims to explain the pattern of state sponsorship of civil wars in Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen. Recent studies have improved our scholarly understanding of decisions regarding intervention and sponsorship. Yet, our understanding of state sponsorship decision in conflict that precedes an escalation remains limited. Herein, I develop a multicausal framework to analyze state sponsorship decisions, employing fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to account for state support. The results suggest novel insights into how strategic interests drive states to influence civil war dynamics for desired benefits. Contrary to conventional wisdom, bilateral rivalry alone does not guarantee a sponsorship decision. States tend to support when they perceive opportunities that are aligned with their economic interests or when countering transnational threats from violent non-state actors who are backed by another state. These findings elucidate how initial state sponsorship decisions might relate to conflict escalation over time.

Exploring the paradoxical use of ChatGPT in education: Analyzing benefits, risks, and coping strategies through integrated UTAUT and PMT theories using a hybrid approach of SEM and fsQCA

ChatGPT's impact on education is both significant and inevitable, presenting a paradox of threats and benefits. While studies have explored ChatGPT's usage, intention, and motivation, few have addressed its paradoxical use from a benefit-risk-coping perspective, leaving gaps in practical and theoretical solutions. This study integrates the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) to elucidate ChatGPT's paradoxical use in education. Using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and fuzzy sets Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA), it aims to provide insights and solutions for managing the benefits, risks, and coping mechanisms associated with ChatGPT in education. Hypotheses and propositions were tested on Taiwanese higher education users (N = 351). Findings from SEM confirm that the perceived threat of ChatGPT's severity decreases the intention to use it, while coping strategies such as self-efficacy and response efficacy strongly predict the intention to use ChatGPT. Additionally, the benefits of performance expectancy and task efficiency significantly increase the intention to use ChatGPT, which in turn significantly increases actual usage behavior. Findings from fsQCA reveal three configurations for both the usage and disusage of ChatGPT in education. The study identifies three constructs with necessary conditions. This research makes a significant theoretical contribution by integrating UTAUT and PMT into a unified framework to elucidate the paradoxical aspects of benefit-risk-coping in the use of ChatGPT. Practical implications for higher educational institutions and their scholars (e.g., students, lecturers, researchers) are also provided through confirmed solutions from the QCA model. These solutions offer strategic insights to leverage the benefits, identify the risks, and cope with the threats associated with using ChatGPT in education.