Intermediate Variable Research Articles

The Role of Personal Traits in Financing Decisions: Emotional Biases as a Mediating Variable – An Empirical Study of a Sample of French Companies

This article discusses the advantages of behavioral methods in the field of corporate finance by examining three main variables: personal traits (narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism) as independent variables, financing decisions as a dependent variable, and emotional biases as an intermediary variable. This approach provides a different perspective from traditional rationality theories and allows for an analysis that can fill some of the gaps related to the financing structure of the company. In addition, this study aims to find a framework for reading the personal traits of managers and knowing their impact on financing decisions through emotional biases.

STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE OF MSME’s IN KUNINGAN REGENCY

This study examines the variables of Affiliate Marketing, Viral Marketing, Sales Volume, and Sales Performance. Conducted in Kuningan Regency, West Java, with a population of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the region, the number of research samples was 160. The type of research used is Quantitative Descriptive with Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) as the analysis model. The results showed a significant influence between Affiliate Marketing and Viral Marketing on Sales Volume. However, there is no significant influence between Affiliate Marketing and Sales Performance. In contrast, Viral Marketing is proven to have a significant influence on Sales Performance. In addition, Sales Volume is shown to have a significant influence on Sales Performance. The findings contribute to practical understanding for MSMEs and related parties in optimising marketing strategies, especially through SEM model analysis. This study also identifies the existence of indirect effects, showing that both Affiliate Marketing and Viral Marketing have an influence on Sales Performance through the intermediary variable of Sales Volume

Faktor Faktor Stress Teknologi Yang Mempengaruhi Kesalahan Data Rekam Medis Elektronik

Background: Errors in inputting medical record data are still found in health services. The phenomenon that occurs in the use of electronic medical records is still an obstacle for health workers due to the complexity of the system. So research to reduce errors in inputting electronic medical record data needs to be done. Aims: This study was conducted to examine errors in inputting medical record data. The error of medical record data is influenced by technological stress factors. In addition, technological stress which is a mediator variable is also influenced by three factors, namely technology that is realistically more advanced, compatibility and complexity. Methods: . Information collected through questionnaires distributed to health workers who meet certain criteria and using electronic medical records. A total of 200 individuals in the sample were selected, selected using nonprobability sampling techniques. To test the validity of the Strucktural Equation Model (SEM) Analysis used with the Amos method Results: The results of data analysis in this study show that technological stress has a positive impact on electronic medical record data errors. In addition, relatively more advanced technology and complexity also positively affect technology stress and compatibility negatively affect technology stress Conclusion: The application of technology for hospital administration must be easy to use without the need for more learning and compatibility between work, technology used, and people who use it to reduce stress on technology in order to facilitate the input of medical records.

Planned versus instinctive behaviour: The connection between personality and food waste

Personality may influence food waste through planned as well as instinctive behaviour. Considerable attention has been devoted to planned behaviour because instincts are difficult to measure using attitudes, behaviours, and intentions. Our study intends to include the instinctive side of behaviour. We used a survey of 339 Swiss households regarding the amount of food waste generated to explore the pathways of how personality influences food waste behaviour. A regression analysis showed that agreeableness and conscientiousness are negative predictors of the amount of food waste. However, the different behaviour of conscientious consumers can be explained by an intermediate variable, whereas the different behaviour of agreeable people can’t. This lacking link can be due either to missing suitable intermediate variables or to the role of instinctive behaviour.

Understanding the self-perceived customer experience and repurchase intention in live streaming shopping: evidence from China

AbstractAs an increasingly mature way of shopping in China, live streaming shopping still faces the problems of high return rates and low repurchase rates. Based on the expectation confirmation theory, this study uses structural equation modeling (SEM) to explore the repurchase intention of live streaming shopping(LSS)users. The results show that perceived interactivity, perceived quality and perceived value have a direct and significant effect on confirmation and customer satisfaction. Perceived discounts do not directly improve user satisfaction; they must pass through a complete intermediary variable of confirmation. In addition, we also verified that the degree of confirmation affects satisfaction, and satisfaction has an impact on repurchase intention. Finally, our model tested gender factors as a control variable and found that gender differences significantly impact consumers’ repurchase intentions. Considering these findings, we provide practical suggestions for retaining users and hopefully promoting the long-term development of live streaming shopping.

Digital economy, binary factor mismatch and sustainable economic development of coastal areas in China

In order to promote the sustainable economic development, it is critical employ the digital economy to solve the mismatch dilemma of land and marine factors in coastal areas. It analyzed the influencing mechanisms between the digital economy, land and labor factor mismatch and coastal economic sustainable development using network development and new economic growth theories. The intermediary and regulating effect models were used for empirical tests using panel data from 11 Chinese coastal provinces (city or district) between 2009 and 2018. Results found that: (1) Digital economy promoted the sustainable development of land and marine binary economies in coastal areas; (2) Digital economy improved the factor mismatch of land and marine binary economies, which further affected the sustainable economic development; (3) Market integration is conducive to alleviating land and marine factor mismatch and strengthening the optimization effect of the digital economy on the factor mismatch. This research provides a new perspective for clarifying the mechanism of the digital economy on sustainable economic development, as well as a reference for the realization of rational allocation of factor resources and sustainable economic development by taking factor mismatch of land and marine binary economies and market integration as the intermediary variables and regulatory variables.

Refining the causal loop diagram: A tutorial for maximizing the contribution of domain expertise in computational system dynamics modeling.

Complexity science and systems thinking are increasingly recognized as relevant paradigms for studying systems where biology, psychology, and socioenvironmental factors interact. The application of systems thinking, however, often stops at developing a conceptual model that visualizes the mapping of causal links within a system, e.g., a causal loop diagram (CLD). While this is an important contribution in itself, it is imperative to subsequently formulate a computable version of a CLD in order to interpret the dynamics of the modeled system and simulate "what if" scenarios. We propose to realize this by deriving knowledge from experts' mental models in biopsychosocial domains. This article first describes the steps required for capturing expert knowledge in a CLD such that it may result in a computational system dynamics model (SDM). For this purpose, we introduce several annotations to the CLD that facilitate this intended conversion. This annotated CLD (aCLD) includes sources of evidence, intermediary variables, functional forms of causal links, and the distinction between uncertain and known-to-be-absent causal links. We propose an algorithm for developing an aCLD that includes these annotations. We then describe how to formulate an SDM based on the aCLD. The described steps for this conversion help identify, quantify, and potentially reduce sources of uncertainty and obtain confidence in the results of the SDM's simulations. We utilize a running example that illustrates each step of this conversion process. The systematic approach described in this article facilitates and advances the application of computational science methods to biopsychosocial systems. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The characteristics of negative corona discharge and radio interference at different altitudes based on coaxial wire–cylinder gap

The corona discharge from transmission lines in high-altitude areas is more severe than at lower altitudes. The radio interference caused thereby is a key factor to be considered when designing transmission lines. To study the influence of altitude on negative corona characteristics, an experimental platform comprising a movable small corona cage was established: experiments were conducted at four altitudes in the range of 1120‒4320 m, and data on the corona current pulse and radio interference level of 0.8-mm diameter fine copper wire under different negative voltages were collected. The experimental results show that the average amplitude, repetition frequency and average current of the corona current pulse increase with increasing altitude. The dispersion of pulse amplitude increases with increase in altitude, while the randomness of the pulse interval decreases continuously. Taking the average current as an intermediate variable, the relationship between radio interference level and altitude is obtained. The result of this research has some significance for understanding the corona discharge characteristics of ultra-high-voltage lines.

Market Share Factors of Sharia Banks in Indonesia and Malaysia

Market Share Factors of Sharia Banks in Indonesia and Malaysia

Principal change leadership and e-learning effectiveness: The mediating role of teachers work commitment and attitudes toward change

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the principals' change leadership on the effectiveness of online-based learning with teacher work commitment and teacher attitudes towards change as mediator variables, which were approached quantitatively. The population in this study were principals and teachers of public elementary schools, with a total sample of 378 respondents. The analytical technique used in this study is the Structural Equation Model (SEM), with the help of the Amos 24.0 program. The results of the study show that the principals' change leadership has a direct effect on the effectiveness of online-based learning, as well as an indirect effect through teacher work commitment and teacher attitudes towards change. This research contributes both theoretically and practically, where the change leadership demonstrated by the principal can ideally encourage teacher work commitment and teacher attitudes towards change, which in turn can promote the effectiveness of the implementation of online learning, as an effort to meet the learning needs of students.

대학축구선수들의 지도자신뢰, 자아존중감, 성인지감수성과의 구조적 관계

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship among coach trust, self-esteem and gender sensitivity of university soccer players. Two hundred ninety five university soccer players completed questionnaires to analyze for the coach trust, self-esteem, and gender sensitivity. Analysis of frequency, confirmation factor, correlation, structural equation model and reliability verification were performed using SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 23.0. Coach trust had a positive effect on self-esteem. Coach trust did not have a positive effect on gender sensitivity. Self-esteem had a positive effect on gender sensitivity. It was found that self-esteem was as a mediator in the relationship between coach trust and gender sensitivity. The results of the study indicate that self-esteem is the mediation variable that affects the relationship between the player’s coach trust and gender sensitivity.

Knowledge-enhancing HR practices and sustainable competitive advantage: the mediating role of intellectual capital in knowledge-based firms

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between knowledge-enhancing HR practices, intellectual capital and sustainable competitive advantage in knowledge-based firms.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative approach was used to conduct the present study. The respondents were sampled from knowledge-based firms in Iran. Overall, 320 managers in 157 firms were selected using convenience sampling. A structural equation model was employed for testing the hypotheses.FindingsThe study confirmed that knowledge-enhancing human resource (HR) practices established a very strong connection with intellectual capital. The results further disclosed a positive relationship between intellectual capital and firms' competitive advantage. A mediated relationship between knowledge-enhancing HR practices and firms' competitive advantage through intellectual capital was also affirmed.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was conducted in knowledge-based firms in Iran, which limits the generalizability of the research findings. Therefore, future studies should be carried out with samples from other contexts. Moreover, as the study was cross-sectional, the causal relationships could not be inferred directly.Practical implicationsThe paper underscored the importance of intellectual capital in improving knowledge-enhancing HR practices and firms' competitive advantage. It suggests to human resource managers to make the organizational arrangements to design knowledge-enhancing HR practices, thereby developing the intellectual capital that brings competitive advantage to knowledge-based firms.Originality/valueThe results of this study contribute to advance research on the intellectual capital literature by trying to explain how intellectual capital as a mediator variable can influence the relationship between knowledge-enhancing HR practices and sustainable competitive advantage.

The Paper of How: Estimating Treatment Effects Using the Front‐Door Criterion*

AbstractWe illustrate the use of Pearl's (1995) front‐door criterion with observational data with an application in which the assumptions for point identification hold. For identification, the front‐door criterion leverages exogenous mediator variables on the causal path. After a preliminary discussion of the identification assumptions behind and the estimation framework used for the front‐door criterion, we present an empirical application. In our application, we look at the effect of deciding to share an Uber or Lyft ride on tipping by exploiting the algorithm‐driven exogenous variation in whether one actually shares a ride conditional on authorizing sharing, the full fare paid, and origin–destination fixed effects interacted with two‐hour interval fixed effects. We find that most of the observed negative relationship between choosing to share a ride and tipping is driven by customer selection into sharing rather than by sharing itself. In the Appendix, we explore the consequences of violating the identification assumptions for the front‐door criterion.

The Impact of Early Home Learning Environment and Preschool Quality on School-Relevant Language Proficiency in Primary School

ABSTRACT Using data from a longitudinal German large-scale study and structural equation modeling, this study investigated the effects of different dimensions of the early home learning environment (HLE) as well as the effect of language-related preschool quality at the age of 3 to 5 years on students’ later school-relevant language proficiency (as indicated by their school-relevant listening comprehension) in primary school (N = 316; M age in months at Grade 1 = 88.22, SD = 3.98). Results show significant direct effects of both the book exposure at home as well as of the language and literacy-related preschool quality on later school-relevant language proficiency, even when controlling for earlier language skills at preschool entry (age 3/4) and other relevant child (working memory, nonverbal cognitive abilities) and family-related (socioeconomic status) factors. Using child vocabulary and grammar at age 5/6 as mediational variables, the effect of the informal HLE was partially mediated through students’ receptive grammar skills. Our results underline the importance of early stimulating home and preschool literacy environments for students’ school-relevant language proficiency at the start of primary school.

Spatial effect of carbon neutrality target on high-quality economic development-Channel analysis based on total factor productivity.

This study utilizes panel data from 30 provinces in mainland China from 2011 to 2020 to investigate the impact of carbon-neutral development on economic high-quality development by constructing an economic high-quality development index and a carbon-neutral development index. Firstly, the study examines the effects of carbon-neutral development on economic high-quality development using baseline regression and spatial Durbin regression. The results indicate that carbon-neutral development has a positive direct effect on economic high-quality growth, but there are negative spatial spillover effects. Secondly, this study employs total factor productivity (TFP) as an intermediate variable in the mediation model regression. The findings demonstrate that carbon-neutral development significantly improves TFP, and the significant improvement in TFP promotes high-quality economic growth. Lastly, the study conducts regional heterogeneity analysis and finds a significant promoting effect of carbon-neutral development on economic high-quality development in the eastern and central regions of China, while it is not significant in the western region. Therefore, it is recommended that China, in the process of achieving carbon-neutral growth, consider the geographical connections between different regions to prevent negative spillover effects. Additionally, regional heterogeneity should be taken into account when formulating relevant policies to promote economic high-quality development.

Frailty mediated the association between tooth loss and mortality in the oldest old individuals: a cohort study.

Tooth loss is associated with increased mortality risk; however, the mechanism underlying this is still not clear. The objective of this study was to explore whether frailty mediates the association between tooth loss and mortality risk among the oldest old individuals. The participants were followed up from 1998 to 2018 in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS). Frailty was constructed following a standard procedure. Mortality, frailty, and tooth loss were applied as the outcome, mediator, and independent variables, respectively. The Cox model was fitted, including possible confounders, for causal mediation analysis. A total effect (TE), an average causal mediation effect (ACME), an average direct effect (ADE), and a proportion mediated (PM) effect were calculated. During the 129,936 person-years at risk, 31,899 individuals with a mean age of 91.79 years were included. The TE and ADE of severe tooth loss on mortality were 0.12 (95% CI: 0.08, 0.15) and 0.09 (95% CI: 0.05, 0.13); the ACME of frailty was 0.03 (95% CI: 0.02, 0.03) with 21.56% of the TE being mediated. This study illustrated that tooth loss is associated with mortality, and frailty appeared to mediate the relationship. It is recommended that oral health indicators and frailty status be incorporated into routine geriatric assessments to promote optimal oral health and non-frailty status.

The Effect of Perceived Ease of Use, Perceived Usefulness, and Social Media Marketing Toward Repurchase Intention Tokopedia Indonesian Consumer Through Customer Satisfaction

Currently, the development of e-commerce in Indonesia is experiencing the second fastest growth after Vietnam and is projected to continue to grow. Therefore, it is important for e-commerce to implement various strategies to attract customers to make repeat purchases and maintain their existence. This study aims to explain how the influence of perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and social media marketing on repurchase intention influences Tokopedia Indonesia’s customer satisfaction. The type of data used in this study is quantitative using the SEM-PLS method with a sample of generation Z research of Tokopedia consumers in Malang City. The results of this study show that there is a positive and significant influence on perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and social media marketing on repurchase intention through Tokopedia Indonesia’s customer satisfaction mediation variables.
 Keywords: perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, social media marketing, repurchase intention, customer satisfaction

Underlying processes in the Norwegian Universal Preventive Program for social anxiety

Objective: Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is among the most common, widespread, and incapacitating psychiatric disorders, also among children and adolescents. Although efficient treatments have been reported, few children and adolescents receive adequate treatment. A universal prevention program has been shown to be efficacious both among those with syndromal and subsyndromal social anxiety. However, few universal prevention investigations undergo testing of mechanistic hypotheses or how an intervention works across levels of social anxiety. This study aims to test and report the processes underlying the effectiveness of an RCT prevention program to reduce social anxiety in a population-based sample of preadolescents. Method: A parallel multiple mediator model was used to examine the mediation of outcomes from the Norwegian Universal Prevention Program for Social Anxiety (NUPP-SA) by five intermediary variables that well approximate established DSM-5 social anxiety disorder diagnostic criteria. The sample consisted of 1748 pupils between 11 years - 14 years (SD = 1.1) of age assessed twice during a one-year period. Results: The NUPP-SA works differently for the total sample compared to those with social anxiety disorder symptoms. Among the former, the NUPP-SA intervention works via public performance, avoidance, physical/cognitive, and assertiveness factors. For the latter, the NUPP-SA works via the public performance factor. The intervention did not work for either group via the social encounter factor. Conclusion: Universal prevention programs are essential for reducing the impacts of chronic disorders at the individual, institutional, and societal levels. The results from this study support the notion that many children with various levels of social anxiety can be impacted with a Universal prevention intervention program specifically aimed at reducing public performance anxiety.

The role of ethical leadership on employees’ behaviours and commitment to the organisation

Orientation: The rapid competition among companies puts pressure on managers to maintain their business’s competitive advantage. However, because of the massive competition and economic downturn during and after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, financial scandals occurred at a much higher rate than in the past. This phenomenon has caused organisational leaders to shift their focus from material concerns to ethical leadership contexts in the workplace. It has a strong correlation with employee attitudes.Research purpose: This research examined the effects of ethical leadership on work engagement and knowledge sharing, which influence job performance and commitment among employees to the organisations.Motivation for the study: Investigating the relationship between ethical leadership, work engagement, and knowledge sharing among employees in Indonesia can provide insight on strategies to enhance employees’ job performance and commitment to the organisation. It plays an important role in significantly obtaining organisational outcomes and goals.Main findings: A survey was conducted with 670 Indonesian government employees, and structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to validate the research framework. The results showed that ethical leadership significantly affects employees’ work engagement and knowledge-sharing, which further enhances employees’ job performance and commitment to organisations. Furthermore, the mediator variables partially mediate the relationship between ethical leadership and outcome variables (e.g., employees’ job performance and organisational commitment).Practical/managerial implications: The leaders of public organisations should address moral and rational concerns to improve service quality in society. Additionally, it should be centred on purifying employees’ and organisation leaders’ ethical concerns and communication patterns to promote society’s service quality.Contribution: The research outcomes provide insight into the fact that leadership style plays an important role in employees’ attitudes and commitment. Hence, the organisation leaders should apply it to enhance employees’ commitment to organisations and performance.

The Executive Wage Disparity and Corporate Performance

The connection between executive salary disparity and corporate yield has garnered a lot of attention since the continuous development of China's economic marketization, and some researchers have found a variety of economic consequence theories on the relationship between the two, however, there is still a lack of unified explanation between different theories. Therefore, by summarizing the three different theories on economic consequences in the existing stydies, this paper analyses the differences in their contradictory points, and accordingly explores the connection between the executive pay disparity and company success. The analysis finds that the "inverted U-shaped" theory is more supported from the point of overcoming the contradictions, i.e., the tournament theory and the behavioural theory have different scopes of application, so that both positive and adverse correlations between the executive wage difference and business performance exist, and the application of which should focus on the important moderating and intermediary variables in the relationship between the two to determine what stage it belongs to. This is a reminder that pay formulators need to work closely with the characteristics of the company to develop the pay gap that best suits them.