Significant Direct Influences Research Articles

Temperament and emotional overeating: the mediating role of caregiver response to children's negative emotions.

This study aimed to investigate the mediating effects of caregiver responses to a child's negative emotions on the associations between infant temperament and emotional overeating in preschool children. A sample of 358 children and their caregivers enrolled in the STRONG Kids 2 (SK2) birth cohort study (N = 468) provided data for this analysis. Caregivers completed questionnaires assessing child temperament at 3 months, caregiver response to negative emotions at 18 months, and child emotional overeating at 36 months. Structural Equation Modeling was conducted using the lavaan package in RStudio to test hypothesized models examining whether the relations between early temperament and subsequent emotional eating were mediated by caregiver responses to a child's emotions. Findings revealed that infant temperamental orienting/regulation predicted the later development of emotional overeating through supportive caregiver responses to a child's negative emotions. Lower levels of orienting/regulation were associated with greater emotional overeating, explained by less supportive caregiver responses to the child's emotions. Moreover, infant surgency had a positive direct influence on emotional overeating at 36 months. Both supportive and non-supportive caregiver responses to a child's negative emotions had significant direct influences on emotional overeating. The results highlight the importance of caregiver response to a child's negative emotions as a mediator between infant temperament and emotional overeating in preschool children. Intervention strategies can be implemented to support caregivers in adopting supportive responses to their child's negative emotions to promote healthy eating behaviors from early childhood. Future studies are needed to explore these pathways of influences throughout child development.

Leveraging Data Management Capabilities for Innovation Capabilities: The Moderating Role of Cross-Functional Integration

In today’s dynamic and competitive business environment, data are crucial for sustaining a competitive advantage. Organizations are also constantly seeking ways to enhance their innovation capabilities in order to stay ahead of the competition. One critical factor that has been identified as influential in enabling innovation are the organization’s data management capabilities. Past studies have found that cross-functional integration may enhance the impact of data management on innovation. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the influence of data management capabilities on explorative and exploitative innovation by considering the role of cross-functional integration as a moderating variable. This study used 116 data samples from medium and large companies across different industries in Indonesia. The PLS-SEM analysis was applied to test the research hypotheses. The results indicate that data management capabilities as a third-order construct, consisting of three dimensions, namely data governance, technology, and skills, have significant direct influences on explorative and exploitative innovation. This study demonstrated that cross-functional integration still plays an important role in amplifying the relationship between data management capabilities and innovation capabilities, especially in relation to explorative innovation.

Direct and Indirect Effects of Yield Contributing Traits in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

At the Field Experimentation Centre of the Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, 20 rice genotypes, including one check variety, were assessed in order to research genetic variability, heritability, genetic progress, correlation, and path coefficient for 13 quantitative features. In Kharif 2022, the experiment was carried out utilising a Randomised Block Design with three replications. Over the NDR 359 (check), BRRI DHAN-75 (26.133) and A.K.DHAN (23.067) demonstrated a greater yield. Number of spikelets per hill, Number of panicles per hill, Biological yield, Number of tillers per hill, Grain yield per hill, Harvest index, Panicle length, Test weight, Days to maturity, and Plant height all had high to moderate estimations of GCV, PCV, and Genetic Advance as Percent Mean. Estimates of heritability ranging from high to moderate, genetic progress for the quantity of spikelets per panicle, biological yield,plant height, and days to 50% blooming. At both the phenotypic and genotypic levels, grain yield showed a strong positive connection with biological yield, the number of spikelets per panicle, and harvest index. Harvest index and biological yield showed both genotypic and phenotypic positive significant direct influences on grain yield per hill. Thus, in the current experimental materials, these qualities are recognised as the effective and prospective for indirect selection for the increase of rice yield.

Perceived Support and Employee Creativity: A Moderated Mediation Model of Intrinsic Motivation and Gender Stereotype

With vast changes in the Indian higher education system, there is a strong need for higher educational institutes (HEIs) to learn, adapt and change. Creativity is hence deemed critical for HEIs to survive and to gain a competitive advantage. The present study examines three different types of perceived support (PS) through selected variables on employee creativity. The data collected from faculty members of three universities were analysed through structural equation modelling using the PROCESS macro approach. The results revealed significant direct influences of supervisory support and recognition on creativity. Faculty intrinsic motivation (IM) acted as a mediator in explaining the PS–creativity associations while gender stereotypes moderated the mediation effect of IM. The implications of the study for ongoing researchers and HEIs have also been discussed.

Consumers’ Experience and Satisfaction Using Augmented Reality Apps in E-Shopping: New Empirical Evidence

As more consumers adopt virtual try-on apps, shops can offer their goods at any time. Optimizing the online presence of e-tailers is based on technological advances, especially in mobile networks and augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) apps. This paper examines the factors influencing consumers’ experience and satisfaction using AR apps in makeup e-shopping. We employed constructs from models based on the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) paradigm as a starting point for our research. We added fit confidence, social value, and innovativeness, used in similar research on AR apps, to the continued usage intention, perceived utilitarian value, immersion, and perceived hedonistic value. Our research used the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach from SmartPLS 4 for an online questionnaire. We obtained that all parameters impact consumers’ intention to utilize AR applications. Considering the total effect (direct and indirect), the order of influence is as follows: fit confidence, innovativeness, immersion, social value, perceived hedonistic value, and perceived utilitarian value. This paper’s key findings demonstrate that social value, fit assurance, perceived utilitarian value, and immersion are the most significant direct influences on customer behavior using AR apps in makeup e-shopping.

Factors Affecting Preventive Behaviors for Safety and Health at Work during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Thai Construction Workers.

Occupational health and safety risks are of major concerns in construction industry. The COVID-19 outbreak provides an additional risk that could drastically affect the safety risks and health of construction workers. Understanding the factors that affect the health and safety of construction workers is significant in reducing risky behaviors and enhancing worker preventive behaviors. Via integrating the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) and the extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this study investigates the factors that affect preventive behaviors among construction workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangkok, Thailand. A total of 610 Thai construction workers participated in an online questionnaire survey, which consisted of nine factors with 43 questions. Structure equation modeling (SEM) was adopted to analyze the causal relationships among the latent variable. The SEM results indicated that organizational support and knowledge about COVID-19 had significant (p < 0.0001) direct influences on perceived vulnerability and perceived severity. In addition, perceived vulnerability and perceived severity had significant direct influences on perceived behavioral control. Perceived severity had significant (p < 0.0001) direct influence on attitude towards behavior. Moreover, perceived behavioral control and attitude towards behavior had significant (p < 0.0001) direct influence on intention to follow the preventive measure. Furthermore, the intention to follow the preventive measure had significant (p < 0.0001) direct influences on the COVID-19 preventive behavior. Of note, organizational support and knowledge about COVID-19 had significant (p < 0.0001) indirect influence on COVID-19 preventive behavior. The findings of this study may assist project managers/supervisors and authorities in the construction industry in understanding the challenge during COVID-19 and possible similar epidemics in the future. In addition, conducting effective strategies would improve construction industry safety and promote preventive behaviors among construction workers.

Deep vertical rotary tillage mitigates salinization hazards and shifts microbial community structure in salt-affected anthropogenic-alluvial soil

Soil tillage management is one of the major agricultural countermeasures to the ever-expanding soil salinization in arid and semiarid irrigated regions worldwide. However, how tillage implementations mitigate soil salinization hazard, improve soil quality and enhance microorganism function has not yet been clearly clarified. A two-consecutive-year field plot experiment with three tillage treatments, including CT (conventional rotary tillage, depth 25 cm), VRT (vertical rotary tillage, depth 25 cm) and DVRT (deep vertical rotary tillage, depth 50 cm), were conducted to examine the tillage effect on soil salinization and microbial communities. Dynamics of soil salinity (EC1:5), bulk density (ρb), saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks), organic carbon (OC), water-stable aggregates (WSA), and bacterial and fungal community structures were measured. The results indicated that, compared with the CT and VRT treatments, the DVRT treatment had lower EC1:5 and ρb, but higher Ks at 0–40 cm soil layers. The promoted salt leaching was mostly attributable to the improved soil porosity and permeability under the DVRT treatment. The DVRT significantly increased soil total OC and percentage of > 2 mm (WSA1) and 2–0.25 mm (WSA2) aggregates, but decreased that of 0.053–0.01 mm (WSA4) aggregates. Soil bacterial richness and diversity was negatively responsive to the DVRT, whereas fungal richness and diversity showed positive responses to the DVRT. The DVRT did not alter the dominant microbial phyla but changed their relative abundance. At the genus level, the DVRT shifted bacterial community from Vicinamibacterales and Lysobacter -dominated to Vicinamibacterales, Geminicoccus and Marmoricola -dominanted, and transformed fungal community from Mortierella and Chaetomium -dominated to Mortierella and Aspergillus -dominated. Moreover, seasonal changes also showed significant direct and interactive influences on the above edaphic properties and microbial communities. Edaphic properties including EC1:5, OC, ρb and WSA1 explained the causal connection among tillage practices and microbial richness, diversity and community structure. It was concluded that the DVRT mitigated soil salinization hazards by promoting salt leaching and improving macro-aggregates and organic carbon, and shifted soil microbial communities by evolving the microbes better adaptable to the changed microhabitats.

Indicators Affecting the Urban Resilience with a Scenario Approach in Tehran Metropolis

Urban resilience refers to the capacity of an urban system to fully recover from unforeseen calamities. This study aims to assess the physical resilience indicators used to measure urban resilience in Tehran, the political and economic capital of Iran, and to pinpoint the most significant direct and indirect influences on urban resilience. The research process divided into two parts. The environmental scanning approach (reviewing papers and published sources, interviewing specialists, and monitoring conferences) and the literature review were employed in the first part to compile a database of the key information on the elements impacting physical resilience. The most significant factors impacting physical resilience over the next ten years were requested to be identified by specialists and intellectuals in the second part. Finally, the MicMac program was used to analyze the data after 29 variables were specified in Delphi. In light of the trace-analysis-dependence diagram, which depicts the instability of the influential factors and the persistence of their impact on other variables, the results demonstrate that Tehran’s physical resilience is in an unstable condition. According to the results, the factors that have the maximum impact on other variables are granularity drivers, emergency evacuation capacity, rescue and security spaces (emergency, fire station, and police station), impermeability, rate of the amendment and retrofitting measures in the buildings of each zone, building age, and the compatibility of land uses. The variables that are most susceptible to change from other variables include the distribution status of dangerous land uses, the quality of the buildings, the rate of historically vulnerable buildings, the vulnerability of internal and external roads, the rate of improvements and retrofitting measures in buildings in each zone, as well as historically vulnerable historical buildings.

Structure Equation Model of Causal Factors Affecting Employees’ Performance in Modern Trade Organization

Employees’ performance depends on both internal factors and external factors that stimulate the willingness to work which drives organizational performance. The purposes of this study are to develop and investigate the consistency and conformity of the structural equation model of causal factors affecting the employees’ performance, and to analyze factors that affect employees’ performance in modern trade organizations. Indices were derived from revised literature and related research. This study used the case of 220 employees in a modern trade organization in Songkhla Province, Thailand to collect data. In addition, the data were analyzed by using structural equation modeling. The results demonstrated the structural equation model of causal factors affecting employees’ work performance in modern trade organizations and are consistent with empirical data. The result also indicated that loyalty and motivation had significant direct and indirect influences on employees’ performance in modern trade organizations. Additionally, loyalty is passed on to motivation as an indirect power in employees’ performance. These results carry implications for the ways to improve employees’ performance by increasing factors affecting it and finally, employees' performance will ultimately affect the organizational effectiveness and achieve of overall organizational goals.

THE PERCEPTION OF TRADITIONAL ULEMAS' BOARDING SCHOOL IN TASIKMALAYA IN RESPONDING TO MUI FATWA AND GOVERNMENT POLICIES DEALING WITH COVID-19 PANDEMIC

During the Covid-19 pandemic, ulemas from Islamic boarding schools in Tasikmalaya will be interviewed to learn about their views on MUI fatwas, government regulations, and health protocols. The COVID-19 pandemic has now reached every part of the world's population. Indonesia is a country that has been affected by the pandemic. The arrival of Covid-19 has fundamentally altered the course of human history. Not only in economic and social concerns, but also in religious concerns. The ulemas of Islamic boarding schools are the prominent figures with significant direct or indirect responsibilities and influences in the problem of addressing COVID-19. Interviews with Islamic boarding school ulemas in the City and District of Tasikmalaya serve as the data collection strategy for this qualitative study. This study indicated that ulemas at Islamic boarding schools have diverse perspectives on a variety of topics, including those relevant to MUI fatwas. There are those who fully embrace, socialize, and practice fatwas, while others accept and respect fatwas, as well as socialize them to the public, but believe they are not implemented and are not required to be practiced because they are not legally binding. The perceptions of other ulemas are to accept and respect the fatwas with no obligation to socialize and not necessary to practice them. Regarding government policies during the Covid-19 pandemic, they are divided into two perceptions, namely, fully supporting with notes as long as they are beneficial for the community. Health precautions were put into action during the COVID-19 pandemic, there are two responses: that the practice of health programs is viewed as a form of government obedience and also as an endeavor for health. In the meantime, there are also some clerics who argue that the practice of health protocol is only a tribute to the government.

Perceptions of police misconduct in Taiwan: does procedural justice matter?

ABSTRACT Police misconduct erodes police-citizen relations, which in turn, discourages people from cooperating with police. While a substantial volume of research has focused on how citizens’ demographics, media trust, and neighborhood context can exert an influence on perceptions of police misconduct, very little research has explored the impact of procedural justice in this regard. To fill in the gaps in this literature, the present study utilizes Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to examine factors affecting citizens’ perceptions of police misconduct in Taiwan. Data were obtained from a CATI telephone survey of 1,806 residents in Metropolitan Taipei in 2014. It was found that citizens’ primary concerns of police misconduct include the covering-up of misconduct on the part of powerful suspects/celebrities, followed by the abuse of power by legal authorities, and the discriminatory enforcement of regulations, respectively. The results revealed importantly that procedural justice, perceptions of crime prevalence, and gender had significant direct influences, whereas media trust, victimization, and involuntary contact with police only had indirect effects on citizens’ perceptions of police misconduct. Procedural justice was the most robust variable in predicting citizens’ perceptions of police misconduct.

Conceptualization and Examination of the Push-Pull-Mooring Framework in Predicting Fitness Consumer Switching Behavior

The purposes of the study are to (1) conceptualize the push-pull-mooring (PPM) framework in the context of fitness centers and (2) empirically examine how factors of push, pull, and mooring effects predict switching behavior. In Study 1, a qualitative method is used to unearth factors of push, pull, and mooring effects pertinent to fitness centers. To this end, a higher-order reflective-formative PPM framework is developed. In Study 2, a quantitative approach using two-wave survey data is undertaken to examine the PPM framework in relation to switching behavior. The results show the significant positive direct influences of push and pull effects on switching behavior. Mooring effects are found to negatively predict switching behavior and negatively moderate the positive relationships of push-pull effects and switching behavior. The findings theoretically and empirically support the conceptualization of the PPM framework and its direct and indirect influences on switching behavior.

Effects of gamified didactic with exergames on the psychological variables associated with promoting physical exercise: results of a natural experiment run in primary schools

ABSTRACT Background Exergames are a new socio-technological phenomenon consisting of digital motor games that aim to stimulate players’ motor skills. The physical-motor component of exergames has been well studied, but knowing more about their possible psychological effects in the school context is interesting to promote physical exercise practice. Gamification refers to the use of game-based elements in non-game contexts, whose aim is to motivate action by making activities more game-like. Gamification seems an innovative strategy to promote physical exercise habits at schools whose real effects are still poorly unknown. Physical education has significant direct and indirect influences on students’ physical exercise. Exergames and gamification are associated with psychological benefits related to physically active behaviour. Purpose The aim of this study was to analyse the effects of a gamified exergaming school intervention on the psychological variables associated with physical exercise (PEx) promotion. We hypothesised that the gamified exergaming school intervention will produce more achievement motivation, more enjoyment, a more positive attitude towards exergames, and more exergame and PEx intention in students. Participants and setting A natural experiment with a non-randomised controlled design. The participants were 417 Primary Education students (53.2% girls, n = 222; 46.8% boys, n = 195) recruited from two public and two non-public schools (control group, n = 191; experimental group, n = 226). Their mean age was 11.1 (SD = 1.7), and 50.4% of the sample studied Primary Education Year 6 (aged 10–11 years; n = 210) and 49.6% studied Primary Education Year 7 (11–12 years; n = 207). The control treatment (traditional didactic intervention) was designed based on usual didactic dance teaching in Spain. Another similar experimental treatment was designed as the control treatment, but with a gamified climate and an exergame (gamified exergaming intervention). The Just Dance Now exergame was used. The Mechanics-Dynamics-Aesthetics framework was applied to achieve mastery-oriented motivational climates and an inclusive gamified atmosphere for all student-player types. Moreover, to gamify each class the ClassDojo application was used. Data collection The students completed: the Achievement Motivation in Physical Education Test (AMPET); the Sport Satisfaction Instrument (SSI); the ‘Attitudes Toward Exergames’ scale; the ‘Exergame intention’ scale; the ‘Exercise Intention’ scale. Statistical analyses In order to test the research hypotheses, both study groups were compared using factorial ANOVAs 2 (time; pre-treatment condition vs. post-treatment condition) × 2 (treatment; traditional didactic intervention vs. gamified exergaming intervention). Findings As the analysis threshold was set at ≤0.0125 with Bonferroni adjustment, the results showed better positive gamified exergaming effects on enjoyment and attitude towards exergames. No interaction effects on achievement motivation, exergame intention or PEx intention were found. Conclusions This is the first study to examine an intervention combining Mechanics-Dynamics-Aesthetics (MDA) gamification framework as a didactic method and exergame as an educational resource, adopted as a strategy to promote the variables associated with encouraging PEx in primary schools. A gamified exergaming educational intervention might have some positive effects on variables associated with physical exercise promotion but its ability as an exercise promotion strategy is still unclear and future research should be conducted.

Effects of restriction of activities and social isolation on risk of dementia in the community.

Social isolation and emotional isolation, i.e. loneliness, have been associated with dementia or cognitive decline. In contrast, the relationship of restriction of physical and instrumental activities of daily living to cognitive decline and dementia has been less studied. We examined multiple quality of life (QoL) indicators, including isolation and restriction of activities, utilizing two validated scales in elders without dementia to determine their associations with cognitive decline and incident dementia that were followed longitudinally over 6 years. We comprehensively controlled for other symptom constellations, including depression and anergia. A large multi-ethnic prospective study was conducted in northern Manhattan, NYC. An ethnically diverse sample of 855 non-demented individuals at baseline participated. The following QoL scales were utilized: Restriction, Anergia, Isolation, Loneliness, and Affective Suffering. Both Restriction (HR = 2.22, 95% CI [1.42, 3.47], P < .001) and Isolation (HR = 1.78, 95% CI [1.17, 2.70], P = 0.007) were associated with episodic memory and incident dementia, controlling for age, sex, and education. Loneliness and Affective Suffering (depression) were not associated with these outcomes (P's > .1) with both Restriction and Isolation in the same model for the prediction of dementia, only Restriction remained significant (HR = 1.97, 95% CI [1.24, 3.14], P = 0.004). In cross-lagged panel analyses, Restriction and Isolation had reciprocal influences (P's < .001), indicating that Restriction at the previous time point influenced current Isolation. Importantly, Restriction (but not Isolation) and Selective Reminding total recall memory demonstrated highly significant direct and reciprocal influences over time (P's < .001). Restriction and Isolation were associated with incident dementia. Restriction played a more prominent role in its impact on memory decline. The development of these impairments in QoL, particularly Restriction, may provide warning signs of future cognitive decline and dementia and provide multiple and novel avenues for therapeutic interventions with the goal of delaying the development of cognitive decline and dementia.

Dominant roles but distinct effects of groundwater depth on regulating leaf and fine-root N, P and N:P ratios of plant communities

Abstract Aims As the determinant of water availability in drylands, groundwater plays a fundamental role in regulating vegetation distribution and ecosystem processes. Although considerable progress has been made over the past years in the relationship between environment stress and plant community-level traits, the potential influence of water stress induced by groundwater changes on plant community-level stoichiometry remains largely unclear. Here, we examined whether belowground and aboveground community-level stoichiometry responded differently to groundwater changes. Methods We measured nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations in plant leaves and fine-roots of 110 plots under a broad range of groundwater depths in a typical arid inland river basin. We examined the spatial patterns and drivers of community-level N:P stoichiometry in leaves and fine-roots. Important Findings Community-level leaf and fine-root N, P and N:P ratios were mainly determined by groundwater, vegetation types and species composition, among which groundwater played a dominant role. Groundwater indirectly regulated community-level N:P stoichiometry through affecting vegetation types and species composition. Vegetation types and species composition had significant direct influences on community-level N:P stoichiometry. Furthermore, groundwater depth had opposite influences on community-level leaf and fine-root N:P stoichiometry. Groundwater depth regulated vegetation types and further decreased leaf N, P but increased leaf N:P ratios and fine-root N. Groundwater depth had a positive indirect impact on fine-root P but a negative indirect impact on fine-root N:P ratios primarily by affecting species composition. Our findings indicate that groundwater rather than climate conditions effectively regulates community-level N:P stoichiometry, and below- and aboveground N:P stoichiometry has opposite responses to groundwater.

Predictors of use of digital technology for communication among older adults: analysis of data from the health and retirement study

PurposeThis study aims to examine the potential impact of eleven social and psychological factors – anxiety, closeness with family and friends, intellectual curiosity, life control, life satisfaction, physical health, religiosity, self-esteem, sociability, socioeconomic status and works status and demands – on the use of digital technology by older adults for the purpose of communicating with family and friends.Design/methodology/approachA path analysis, which uses ordinary least squares regression to examine relationships among variables, is used to perform a secondary analysis of data from the 2018 Health and Retirement Study. A correlation matrix, which displays the direct relationships among variables, is also incorporated.FindingsStatistically significant direct influences are revealed between the use of digital technology for communication and three factors: intellectual curiosity, self-esteem, and sociability. These three factors are themselves moderated by the influences of the remaining eight factors. While most factors relate to an increase in the adoption of social uses of digital technology, increased anxiety and increased work demands (for those who are employed) are related to decreased adoption, while increased religiosity has a mixed effect (reduced intellectual curiosity but increased sociability). These findings suggest a few avenues for identifying and intervening in the lives of physically and socially isolated older adults, by illuminating correlates of technology adoption.Originality/valueWhile many studies have examined factors that correlate to increased technology adoption, this study is original in that it focuses specifically on the use of digital technology for communication with family and friends (i.e. use of email, messaging, social media) while also focusing on social and psychological factors (many of which can be changed through intervention) rather than innate and uncontrollable factors like age, gender and ethnicity.

Built environment and early infection of COVID-19 in urban districts: A case study of Huangzhou

Since COVID-19 spread rapidly worldwide, many countries have experienced significant growth in the number of confirmed cases and deaths. Earlier studies have examined various factors that may contribute to the contagion rate of COVID-19, such as air pollution, smoking, humidity, and temperature. As there is a lack of studies at the neighborhood-level detailing the spatial settings of built environment attributes, this study explored the variations in the size of the COVID-19 confirmed case clusters across the urban district Huangzhou in the city of Huanggang. Clusters of infectious cases in the initial outbreak of COVID-19 were identified geographically through GIS methods. The hypothetic relationships between built environment attributes and clusters of COVID-19 cases have been investigated with the structural equation model. The results show the statistically significant direct and indirect influences of commercial vitality and transportation infrastructure on the number of confirmed cases in an infectious cluster. The clues ch inducing a high risk of contagions have been evidenced and provided for the decision-making practice responding to the initial stage of possible severe epidemics, indicating that the local public health authorities should implement sufficient measures and adopt effective interventions in the areas and places with a high probability of crowded residents.

Exploring the factors affecting customers’ intention to purchase a smart speaker

Although the sale of smart speakers is predicted to have a significant growth, the usage of smart speakers is not very popular in some countries and need further investigation. While the Bluetooth earphone and speakers are popular, the sales of smart speakers are challenging. Hence, the research purpose is to explore the determinants of the intention to purchase smart speakers and compare the differences between customers and potential customers. This study proposes ten hypotheses in a research framework according to the diffusion of innovation theory (DOI), task-technology fit (TTF), and perceived values. This study develops an online questionnaire to collect data from popular social networking sites. Finally, 249 valid responses collected from the website users are remained. The ten hypotheses are validated by using smartPLS software. According to the path analyses, five hypotheses were supported in potential customer group while only three hypotheses were supported in customer group. Users' perceived emotion-related value had significant direct influences on all customers' intention to buy smart speakers. Surprisingly, TTF was demonstrated to not significantly influence customers’ intention to purchase. The insights of the findings can be provided to smart speaker developers to design their products and sales strategies.

Diversity, Social Inclusion and Human Capital Development as Fundamentals of Financial Performance and Risk Mitigation

The objective of the research undertaken in this paper is to highlight the importance of gender and cultural diversity, social inclusion and both personal and professional development of the employees, in order to mitigate the risks faced by companies, such as to improve the profitability and, correspondingly, to increase their financial performance. The research methodology is based on two modern analysis procedures, namely: multifactorial econometric models, processed by robust regression with Huber and biweight iterations, alongside with structural equation models, configured to highlight global influences in a pre-settled frame of interdependencies among variables. The analysis is performed for a number of 1722 companies with the headquarters in Europe, using data extracted from the Thomson Reuters Eikon (2020) database. The results obtained highlight significant direct influences, both favorable and unfavorable, on the financial performance of European companies, generated by incorporating the fundamental elements and processes of human capital management, diversity and inclusion. At the same time, the empirical analysis reveals that there are risks related to the sustainability of the financial performance of the European companies, whose mitigation requires the adoption of complex strategies to reconsider the efforts of inclusion, but also of those dedicated to reduce the controversies regarding the diversity of personnel, wages, promotion and working conditions.

Assessment of heavy metal pollution and the effect on bacterial community in acidic and neutral soils

Abstract Mining activities have caused heavy metal pollution in Xikuangshan (XKS), China. This work aims to assess heavy metal ecological risk in XKS using a potential ecological risk (PER) index and detect the responses of the soil bacterial community under heavy metal stress at different pH levels. The PER index indicated that antimony (Sb), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As) posed the most serious ecological risk at the sampling sites. We compared the effects of heavy metals on the structure of the microbial community under acidic and neutral conditions. Our results suggested significant differences between microbial community responses to heavy metals in acidic and neutral soils. Zinc (Zn) and lead (Pb) were the main heavy metal factors affecting the bacterial community under acidic conditions, whereas the effect of Sb, As, and chromium (Cr) exceeded them in neutral soils. This was possibly due to the different characteristics of heavy metals and their interactions with soil properties. The main genus were positively correlated with Sb, As, Zn, Pb, and Cd in both acidic and neutral soils, which may due to increasing resistance under conditions of long-time pollution. The results of our structural equation modeling indicated that the variations in the bacterial community structure were mainly explained by heavy metals in acidic and neutral soils. The soil nutrients and pH also had significant direct influences on the bacterial community under neutral conditions, as well as indirect effects due to their impact on heavy metals in neutral and acidic soils. Several heavy metal-resistant bacteria can be used for remediation under acid and neutral conditions.