Service Consumers Research Articles

Actor opportunism, social capital and coping strategies in the sharing economy: drivers, outcomes and marketing implications

Purpose This paper aims to provide a conceptual understanding of the drivers and outcomes of actor opportunism in the context of the three key actors of the sharing economy – the service provider, the platform and the consumer. Design/methodology/approach The research uses a conceptual approach by drawing on literature from within and outside of marketing. Findings The current research introduces a conceptual framework of opportunism in the sharing economy with seven underlying propositions. The framework posits a U-shaped moderating effect of social capital for the relationship between opportunism and its drivers, actor vulnerability and asset specificity. Furthermore, a 2 × 2 matrix consisting of two types of opportunistic behaviors (active and passive) and two coping strategies by other actors (defensive and nondefensive) suggests that passive opportunism tends to lead to value codestruction independently of the coping strategies employed by other actors. Counterintuitively, the combination of active opportunism and defensive coping strategy presents an opportunity for value cocreation due to its potential to break up older structures and generate new ones. Research limitations/implications While our research provides a higher-level understanding of opportunism pertaining to platform, consumers and service providers in the sharing economy, future research could situate our framework within specific regulatory environments, incorporate the role of competitors and examine individual interaction effects between type of opportunism and coping strategies. Practical implications The framework enables service providers, platforms and consumers to identify drivers of opportunistic behaviors of their partners and discern instances in which opportunistic behaviors lead to value codestruction for all actors. Originality/value This research transcends prior work on the bright and dark sides of the sharing economy by identifying its dynamic nature and examining the contributing role of opportunism.

The superiority of feasible solutions-moth flame optimizer using valve point loading

The optimal power flow (OPF) problem deals with large-scale, nonlinear, and non-convex optimization challenges, often accompanied by stringent constraints. Apart from the primary operational objectives of an energy system, ensuring load bus voltages remain within acceptable ranges is essential for providing high-quality consumer services. The Moth-Flame Optimizer (MFO) method is inspired by the unique night flight characteristics of moths. Moths, much like butterflies, undergo two distinct life stages: larval and mature. They have evolved the ability to navigate at night using a technique called transverse orientation. This article presents a methodology for determining the optimal energy transmission system configuration by integrating power producers. The MFO, Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO), Success-history-based Parameter Adaptation Technique of Differential Evolution - Superiority of Feasible Solutions (SHADE-SF), and Superiority of Feasible Solutions-Moth Flame Optimizer (SF-MFO) algorithms are applied to address the OPF problem with two objective functions: (1) reducing energy production costs and (2) minimizing power losses. The efficiency of MFO, SF-MFO, SHADE-SF, and GWO for the OPF challenge is evaluated using IEEE 30-feeder and IEEE 57-feeder systems. Based on the collected data, SF-MFO demonstrated the best performance across all simulated instances. For instance, the electricity production costs generated by SF-MFO are $845.521/hr and $25,908.325/hr for the IEEE 30-feeder and IEEE 57-feeder systems, respectively. This represents a cost savings of 0.37 % and 0.36 % per hour, respectively, compared to the lowest values obtained by other comparative methods.

Эвакуация промышленности и гражданского населения на территорию Кузбасса в годы Великой Отечественной войны

The paper examines the process of evacuation of industrial facilities and civilian population to the territory of the Kemerovo region – Kuzbass during the Great PatrioticWar. The author provides information on the number of evacuated enterprises, and alsoclarifies their locations before and after the relocation. The largest industrial facilities in Kuzbass are highlighted, which were created even before the start of the war and were industrial sites for the commissioning of equipment from arriving factories. The evacuation of the civilian population in most cases occurred in clear dependence on the relocation of industrial facilities. In this regard, the author raises question about the number of evacuated citizens, both in the region as a whole and in individual cities and districts. Based on these statistics, it gives the percentage of the number of evacuees to the total population. In addition, based on archival documents, the author pays attention to aspects related to the evacuation process: reception and accommodation, medical and consumer services, employment. Also, the work highlights the difficulties that evacuated citizens had to face, as well as ways to solve them.

Household Waste Segregation in a Ward of a Budhanilkantha Municipality, Kathmandu, Nepal

The process of urbanization, which is perceived as a sign of progress, results increased number of households and their increased consumption of goods and services. This increases the volume of daily household waste which if not properly managed, can lead to various diseases and epidemics. Segregation of household waste into biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes can make household waste management easier as the biodegradable waste whose proportion is more than 60 % of the daily household waste, can be managed at household or local level. Similarly, a large proportion of non-biodegradable waste can be recycled. This would remove great burden faced by the distant landfill sites where urban wastes are disposed on a regular basis. A study done in a ward of Budhanilkantha Municipality, an urban municipality of Kathmandu valley, which involved 592 households showed that 65% of the total households practiced waste segregation. However, the practice of household waste segregation was not significantly associated with different levels of education status or the monthly income of the family. It was also not significantly associated with the presence of open area around the house.

Impact of digital financial inclusion on economic growth: a study on Bangladesh

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to find out the impact of Digital Financial Inclusion (DFI) on economic growth [(Industrial Production Index (INDP)] of Bangladesh.Design/methodology/approachUsing the monthly data over the period 2018 M12 to 2021 M12, this study applied the Auto-regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model to assess the effect of DFI indicators on INDP. The secondary data was collected from the Bangladesh Bank and CEIC Global Economic Data.FindingsThe study found that the majority of DFI indicators are positively associated with INDP. From the short-run ARDL, it is seen that one unit positive increase in Point of Sales Transactions (POST) can increase the INDP by 0.055 units. From the long-run ARDL, it is seen that POST and e-commerce transactions (ECOMT) have a significant positive impact, while Automated Teller Machine Transactions (ATMT) have a significant negative effect on INDP. One unit increase in POST and ECOMT increases INDP by 0.13544 and 0.11611 units, respectively.Research limitations/implicationsDuring the era of the fourth industrial revolution, the findings will be beneficial for policymakers, financial technology service providers, manufacturers, consumers, corporations and investors as they pave the way for a more inclusive approach to financial transactions for economic growth.Originality/valueThe study’s novelty is that it explored the influential DFI indicators and shed light on both short-run and long-run relationships between the indicators and macro-economy from the context of a developing nation.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-04-2023-0306

Shift in the Importance of Consumption of Professional Services and Investments (GFCF) for Manufacturing Industries by R&D Intensity in Advanced Economies

The research revealed and analysed a trend, between 1995-2020, of a declining gross fixed capital formation (GFCF) to domestic value added in gross exports (DVA in Gross exports) ratio in manufacturing industries for most Advanced Economies, which occurred on the backdrop of increasing of intermediate consumption of professional services. Our model proves the partial substitution of GFCF with intermediate consumption of professional services in Advanced Economies due to the change of production operating model (value chain management in manufacturing industries), which is evidenced by high influence of the combined factor on the DVA in Gross exports. This substitution facilitates the upgrading of value chain by creation of backward and forward linkages for manufacturing industries, depending on their R&D intensity. Systemic and long-term nature of changes may reflect potential paradigm shift in Advanced Economies' production operating models.

Participación de las mujeres en las pymes en América del Sur

The crises directly affect the problem of cash flow, as a result of the confinement experienced, the consumption of different products and services showed a tendency to decrease significantly, which had its impact on the financial issue, where the emergency measures were drastic to avoid massive infections, which on the other hand accelerated a great decline in small and medium-sized businesses, which has triggered an increase in unemployment and even their definitive closure. Under this context, in Ecuador, as well as in Mexico, Colombia and Peru, where business ventures have energized the local economy, it is important to determine strategies that help effectively confront crises, especially in the case of women entrepreneurs, so that they can achieve achieve economic stability with a view to its growth and leadership that in turn allows it to generate sources of employment, as well as repower its products and services, which is currently essential for a good quality of life in society, thus empowering women. The methodology applied is with a Mixed, non-experimental, descriptive-transversal and deductive approach. In this sense, it is a matter of research to provide the segment under study with adequate administrative, financial and control strategies; how to handle it and how they should be carried out in the face of the current situation, thus promoting empowerment in unprotected sectors and highlighting, above all, interculturality and diversity in the countries.

Impact of service innovation on consumer repurchase intentions - based on the intermediary role of live streaming and industry chain management

Service innovation significantly influences consumer repurchase intention through live streaming and industry chain management. Despite this impact, within the realm of cross-border commerce, e-commerce entities have often neglected to scrutinize the nexus between service innovation and consumer repurchase intention, resulting in a dearth of scholarly investigations on this subject. Accordingly, this study endeavors to establish a coherent conceptual framework elucidating the relationship between service innovation and consumer repurchase intention; Employing live streaming and industry chain management as mediating variables, the research conducts a comprehensive examination and analysis. One questionnaire was administered: Questionnaire was disseminated to 606 consumers engaged in cross-border e-commerce transactions. Utilizing SPSS26, questionnaire underwent correlation and multiple regression analyses. Findings underscore a positive correlation between service innovation and consumer repurchase intention. Moreover, service innovation exhibits a favorable association with live streaming and industry chain management, thereby exerting a positive influence on consumer repurchase intention. Consequently, service innovation plays a pivotal role in enhancing consumer repurchase intention, particularly when mediated by live streaming and industry chain management.

Consumer acceptance of social robots in domestic settings: A human-robot interaction perspective

Consumer acceptance of social robots in retail and service settings is an emerging field in marketing research. Social Home Robots (e.g., Jibo, Cozmo, and Kuri) serving various groups in domestic settings show significant retail and consumer service potential. However, most current research focuses on social robots that serve older or disabled individuals in domestic settings, leaving a gap in understanding consumer acceptance of Social Home Robots, particularly across different cultures. From the Human-Robot Interaction perspective, this article examines consumers' intentions to use Social Home Robots through a sequential mixed-method approach. Our findings indicate that consumers' intentions to use these robots are primarily influenced by key factors in Human-Robot Interaction: belief in social robot benefits, concern about privacy risks, trust, the robots' overall anthropomorphic design, and consumers' self-construal tendency. Furthermore, trust mediates the relationships between belief in social support, privacy concerns, independent self-construal, and usage intention. This study explores consumer acceptance of social robots serving diverse groups rather than special groups in domestic settings, contributing to the literature on social/service robots. It also offers business guidelines for designing and marketing Social Home Robots in retail.

Sustainable Agritourism for Farm Profitability: Comprehensive Evaluation of Visitors’ Intrinsic Motivation, Environmental Behavior, and Satisfaction

Unstable farm income and the desire to diversify revenue sources have increased the significance of agritourism as an alternative economic opportunity for farmers and ranchers. Agritourism integrates the top economic drivers—agriculture and tourism—and has been identified as a highly effective complementary business for farmers to generate additional income and mitigate the financial uncertainties associated with traditional farming enterprises. Visitors’ satisfaction is critical for operating a successful agritourism business, as it influences destination choice, consumption of products and services, and the decision to return. This study examined the relationship between agritourism visitors’ intrinsic motivation, environmental behavior, satisfaction, and intentions to revisit and recommend. With a total of 615 survey responses, the study reveals a significant relationship between agritourism visitors’ intrinsic motivation, environmental behavior, and satisfaction related to destination, risk, and food attributes. Furthermore, visitors’ overall satisfaction with these three attributes significantly influences their intentions to revisit and recommend the destination. The findings of this study will enable agritourism operators and policymakers to formulate appropriate policies for the sustainable development of this sector. Future promotional and educational tools could be developed based on these findings.

Investigating Factors Affect Perceived Value And E-Word Of Mouth (E-WOM) In Choosing Islamic Digital Banks

The Covid-19 pandemic has sped up the need for digitalization in doing daily activities including banking. Thus, banks is now in competition to give the best digital platform to serve their customers. One of the most effective form of promotion to introduce a new services is word of mouth. This study aims to investigate the effect of E-word of mouth (E-WOM) on customer decisions to choose an Islamic Bank: A Case Study of Indonesia’s Islamic Digital Banks. This research includes survey research by taking samples and using questionnaires as the main data. The study targetted 130 customers who have active accounts in the form of savings or time deposits. Primary data processing by factor analysis by testing the research model and the hypothesis of the relationship between variables, this processing uses smart PLS statistical software with the Structural Equation Modeling method with Partial Least Squares. The results of the analysis show that religious motivation and service quality have a positive effect on consumer ratings, where consumer ratings and service quality have a positive effect on E-word of mouth while convenience has no positive effect on consumer ratings and E-word of mouth on respondents. The current study contributes novelty to adjust the existing model with Islamic Digital Bank (IDB).

Impact of Chatbots on Satisfaction and Loyalty in Lima's Telecom Sector

The migration towards digital environments has transformed the expectations of consumers, who now not only look for quality products and services, but also convenience, personalization and efficiency in each interaction with the brand. This change presents significant challenges for companies, as they need to constantly adapt to meet their needs and thus maintain loyalty in a highly competitive market. The pressure to offer added value and maintain customer preference is intensified by the ease with which consumers switch to competitors. which drives companies to innovate and adapt AI such as chatbots, which could be the answer to this challenge. The objective of this research work is to know if the use of chatbots positively influences the satisfaction and perceived loyalty of consumers of telephone services, since in this case the speed, quality of the service and the customer's need for understanding. They are critical and represent a greater challenge to differentiate. The methodology used for this research maintains a quantitative, correlational, non-experimental approach. The type of sampling was non-probabilistic, and the strategy was snowball. The instrument used was a questionnaire with a sample of around 130 consumers in the city of Metropolitan Lima in Peru. The findings suggest that chatbots are not only innovative tools, but also strategic ones for telephone companies seeking to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. The implementation of appropriate chatbots can transform the customer experience, providing a more agile, personalized and effective service, thus seeing a close relationship between the dimensions of the chatbot with the satisfaction and loyalty perceived in consumers. In a world where these variables are key to business survival, chatbots represent an opportunity to create exceptional experiences. Uncover how cutting-edge AI chatbots are revolutionising customer satisfaction and loyalty in the competitive telephone service industry, offering transformative, personalised, and efficient interactions.

Perspicacity Customer Satisfaction of Online Banking: A Study in India

The usage of online banking by the banking sector has been expanding quickly as a practical and effective way to add value for customers. Faster and more dependable services for online consumers is one of the well-liked offerings from traditional banks. Online banking has the potential to draw in more clients to affiliated banks by taking use of the swift advancements in information technology. But the primary issue that providers of online banking are dealing with is that many bank customers are unwilling to use the services that are available for online banking. This occurred as a result of the fact that customers are still not satisfied with the services provided by online banking. A crucial component in assisting banks in maintaining their competitive advantages is customer satisfaction. Thus, the goal of this study is to identify and investigate the variables that affect customers' satisfaction with online banking. Customer satisfaction with online banking can be influenced by five factors: convenience, speed, security and privacy, web design and content, and service quality. 216 working adults who took part in the study were asked a series of questions (questionnaire), and their answers and comments on the aforementioned elements that affect customers' decisions to utilize online banking were very insightful. The study's findings revealed that the top three factors influencing consumers' satisfaction with online banking are ease of use, speed, and web design and content.

Consumer service modeling: the study of buyer’s queues in pharmacies

Consumer service modeling: the study of buyer’s queues in pharmacies

Digital Economy: Citizens Awareness and Expectations of E-Government in DRC

E-Government provides with e-services to enhance the way citizens can interact with government agencies. Citizens are first consumers of public services as users of the systems therefore it is important to understand their awareness and expectations before implementing new services. In this research, we have focused on e-DRC practices. The research used the mix method approach. The qualitative study was conducted through literature review. At the same time, the quantitative study was conducted through a survey with 858 answers from citizens. The survey results from citizens was interpreted and e-services of their interest was listed down. A total of 26 services were suggested by respondents and clustered into 15 categories.

Perlindungan Hukum Terhadap Konsumen Jasa Titip Online Dalam Hal Terjadinya Cacat Produk

The development of the online shopping system has given rise to new business opportunities, one of which is known as a buying and selling service. One of the risks for users of ticketing services is the danger of defects in products received by users of online ticketing services. Based on this, what is the legal protection form of consumers of online ticketing services in the event of a defect in the product received? And how are online delivery service business actors responsible for losses received by consumers for defective goods products. This research uses a normative type of legal research. There are two forms of legal protection for consumers of online ticketing services in the event of product defects received through online buying and selling services, namely preventive and repressive legal protection which can be seen in the provisions of the UUPK. The responsibility of online delivery service business actors for losses received by consumers for defective goods products, in addition to rights and obligations, there are also responsibilities that must be carried. This responsibility is part of a binding obligation in the activities of running a business.

The Role of Purchase Behavior in Consumers' Intent to Revisit and Recommend Coffee Shops in Manila: A Mediation Analysis

The study investigates the influence of purchase behaviour on customers' intentions to revisit and recommend coffee shops in Manila, utilizing a mediation analysis. In light of coffee shops' growing significance as social and recreational venues, this study attempts to comprehend the all-encompassing experience that fosters patron loyalty. The study specifically examines how characteristics such as product, service, price, and physical environment quality influence consumer satisfaction and buying behaviour. These factors then influence consumers' inclination to recommend and return. We employed a causal quantitative research methodology to gather data from 235 customers of coffee shops located in Metro Manila through a structured survey. We used a structural equation modelling technique known as partial least squares (PLS-SEM) to examine the correlations between the variables. The results indicate that the quality of the product and the pricing significantly influence customer satisfaction and purchasing behaviour, two major factors that determine intents to return and recommend. However, there was no substantial direct effect of either physical environment or service quality on purchasing behaviour, indicating the possibility of other factors at play. The study emphasizes how crucial it is to uphold fair pricing policies and excellent standards for products in order to increase client loyalty. It also emphasizes how intricate client experiences may be and how important it is for coffee shops to concentrate on the whole experience rather than just their product lines. For coffee shop owners and managers looking to improve consumer advocacy and retention in a cutthroat industry, the findings offer insightful information.

Promoting Consumers' Sustainable Consumption of Online Retail Cold Chain Logistics Services: Extended Applications of SOR and Cognitive-Affective-Conative Theories.

As food safety awareness rises and living standards improve, consumers have increasingly higher expectations for the efficiency and quality of cold chain logistics services. For cold chain logistics service providers, accurately understanding consumer psychology and enhancing their willingness to continue using the service-while guiding them to actively participate in green cold chain logistics practices-are necessary means to maintain competitiveness. Therefore, based on stimulus-organism-response and cognitive-affective-conative theories, this study constructs a three-stage model to explore the factors influencing consumers' continuous consumption of online retail cold chain delivery services. This study substantiates that consumers' intention to continue consuming proceeds through the following three stages: cognitive, affective, and conative. Specifically, the results indicate that consumer- and environment-oriented services significantly enhance consumer value and psychological empowerment, which further promotes their intention to continue using the service and participate in green practices. Moreover, psychological empowerment and perceived value fully and partially mediate the relationship between the two types of services and consumer sustainable consumption, respectively. These findings expand the research on cold chain consumption and deepen our understanding of how various factors influence consumer behavior.

Analisis Pengaruh Kualitas Produk dan Kualitas Pelayanan Terhadap Kepuasan Pelanggan Sule Tailor Karawang

This study aims to evaluate the impact of Product Quality and Service Quality on Customer Satisfaction at Sule Tailor. The evaluation of customer and production data over the last three months indicates a decline, triggering the need for more intensive investigation into the elements contributing to customer satisfaction. In this context, a more comprehensive understanding of marketing management, Product Quality, and Service Quality becomes the focus. This study adopts a descriptive verificative quantitative approach to verify the hypothesis concerning the impact of Product and Service Quality on Customer Satisfaction. The findings of this research show that both product and service quality and consumer satisfaction levels recorded Cronbach’s Alpha values exceeding industry standards, indicating that the measurement tool used has a high level of reliability. Initially, the data distribution was not normal; however, after adjusting for extreme values, the distribution became normal. There was no evidence of excessive correlation between the Product Quality and Service Quality variables. The multiple linear regression analysis results indicate that both Product and Service Quality significantly affect Customer Satisfaction. Based on the coefficient of determination, it can be explained that about 37.5% of the variation in Customer Satisfaction is caused by the Product Quality and Service variables. It was confirmed through testing using the F-test and T-test that there is a significant relationship between Product Quality and Service Quality.

Variasjonar i psykisk helsevern – status og forklaringsfaktorar

Introduction: Reducing unwanted variation is one of the goals of Norwegian health policy. We mapped variations among municipalities in Health Region West in the use of specialist health services that fall under the chapter on mental health care and substance use in ICD-10, and looked at various variables that may be related to these. Method: Data were retrieved from the Samhandlingsbarometer, an online open-source portal, and systematized by the authors. The annual rate per 1,000 inhabitants of hospital admissions and outpatient/day treatments per municipality was used as the result variables. Bivariate and multivariable linear regression were useful for investigating the association between independent variables and outcome variables. Results: The results showed large differences in the use of specialist health services in the municipalities, with a factor of 6.7 (hospital admissions) and 8.3 (outpatient clinic contacts). In adjusted analyses, we found that higher overall costs for health and care services in the municipalities were associated with fewer hospital admissions (β –.378 – 95% CI –.616; –.142) and fewer outpatient/day treatments (β –.541 –.649; –.323). The number of users in municipal mental health services was associated with more hospital admissions (β .514 .298; .726) and more use of psychotropic drugs in connection with outpatient/day treatments (β .485 .263; .703). Home-based care for younger inhabitants (< 67 years) was also positively associated with the use of both hospital admissions (β .494, .266; .724) and outpatient/day treatments (β .471 .239; .703). Both the prevalence of marginalisation (not in employment, education or training) and a high level of education were associated with higher use of outpatient clinics (β .355 .132; .577 and β .296 .064; .528), while a dispersed housing pattern was associated with fewer hospital admissions (β –.421 –.679; –.158) and outpatient day treatments (β –.386 –.627; –.145). The explained variance of the multivariable models was small to moderately high (R2 .07 – .51). Conclusion: Morbidity, use of resources for municipal health care, and sociodemographic differences are related to the rate of admissions and outpatient/day treatments. The findings do not unequivocally indicate that greater resource use in the municipalities covaries with less use of specialist health services, although some of the findings point in that direction. Relative inequalities in municipalities, where many inhabitants have a high level of education and where many experience marginalisation (not in employment, education or training) are associated with high consumption of specialist health services in mental health care. Keywords: practice variation, specialist health service, psychiatry, substance use treatment