Significant Moderating Effect Research Articles

Place attachment theory and virtual reality: the case of a rural tourism destination

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore from a place attachment (PA) theory perspective the extent to which and how, a fully immersive virtual reality (VR) experience enhances tourists’ attachment level on-site at a rural destination. Design/methodology/approach This study applied an exploratory mixed method approach. Respondents were tourists visiting the Lake District National Park who were asked to try a VR experience. In Study 1, interviews were conducted to explore new themes and to develop an enhanced PA framework in VR. Study 1 confirmed existing variables from the literature and highlighted new variables (themes) to be included in the new framework on how PA is formed. In Study 2, surveys were conducted, and the proposed framework analyzed using structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). To fully understand how VR had an impact on enhancing PA, the moderating effect of tourists’ pre-existing PA was considered. Findings The findings revealed “Accessibility”, “Memories” and “Increased Place Knowledge” as new themes (variables) and confirmed that these and established variables “Aesthetics” and “Presence” enhance PA, leading to increased loyalty. Significant moderating effects of existing PA were found. Practical implications VR serves as a complementary and substitutional tool for tourism. Tailored VR experiences for diverse tourist needs may enhance destination marketing and competitiveness. For tourists with low PA, destinations should focus on promoting activities and highlights to enhance engagement and the experiential understanding of the destination. For tourists with high PA, VR experiences should focus on providing a comprehensive view of the destination and unveiling new places. In both cases, the VR experience leads to deeper engagement with the destination and an increase in PA. Originality/value Research on the impact of VR on tourists’ PA is limited. To address this gap, this study’s theoretical contribution lies in developing and testing a PA framework within a VR and tourism context. This also includes the validation of new measurement items developed in relation to the new themes.

Exploring the Moderating Effect of Generational Status on the Link Between External Environment and Entrepreneurial Motivation of Indian Women Entrepreneurs

This study examines how external environmental factors affect the motivation of first- and second-generation women entrepreneurs in India, and how their generational status moderates this relationship. We used a survey design method to collect data from 459 women business owners in India, who were classified as first- or second-generation based on whether they were the first or second generation in their family to start a business. We employed the partial least-squares structural equation modelling method to test our hypotheses and evaluate our model. We found that external environmental factors, such as education and training, financial support, government policies and non-financial support, had positive effects on entrepreneurial motivation for both groups of women entrepreneurs. However, we also found that generational status had a significant moderating effect on the link between education and training and entrepreneurial motivation, but not on the other three external environmental factors. Specifically, we found that education and training influenced second-generation women entrepreneurs more strongly than first-generation women entrepreneurs. Our findings have important implications for management practice and policymaking, as well as for the literature on women entrepreneurship. We suggest that concerned authorities should develop differential strategies for first- and second-generation women entrepreneurs, taking into account their different responses to external environmental factors. We also suggest that future research should explore other internal and external environmental factors that might interact with generational status or other variables to shape women entrepreneurs’ motivation.

Do caring teachers protect African American youth with adverse adolescent experiences from risky behaviors?

The current study aims to fill the existing research gaps by investigating the role of teacher care in protecting African American adolescents in under-resourced neighborhoods from negative outcomes of adverse life events. The study included 638 adolescents from four under-resourced neighborhoods in Chicago's Southside who were assessed to determine the moderating role of caring teachers on the relationship between adverse adolescent experiences and risky sexual behaviors, substance use, bullying perpetration, and violent behaviors. Caring teachers had a significant moderating effect on the association between adverse experiences and both bullying perpetration and violent behaviors. Adolescents who perceived their teachers as caring showed lower tendencies towards bullying and violence, even if they had adverse experiences. These results highlight the crucial role of teacher care in supporting African American adolescents from under-resourced neighborhoods who have experienced adverse life events. It emphasizes educators' role in shaping our youth's future, especially those facing adversity and at a crossroads in their lives.

Influence of Higher Education E-Service Quality on E-Learning Student Satisfaction; As Moderated By Digital Literacy: A Mixed Method Research Approach

Introduction: This paper explores the impact of college e-service quality on student satisfaction in the context of the innovative practice of "Internet + Education" in order to research whether there is any difference in students' perception of college e-service quality under the influence of different levels of digital literacy. The research object of this paper is students of universities in Kunming, and the SERVQUAL model is extended. Among them, the independent variables are the five dimensions of e-service quality. The dependent variable is online education student satisfaction. The moderating variable is digital literacy. This research is based on relevant service theories. A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods is used. The results of the research show that the impact of service quality on college students' e-learning satisfaction is different under different levels of digital literacy. Objective: The research objective of this paper is to investigate the impact of the quality of e-services in higher education on student satisfaction in order to research whether there are differences in students' perceptions of the quality of e-services in higher education under the influence of different levels of digital literacy. Theoretical Framework: This research was expanded with the SERVQUAL model and followed the exploratory sequential mixed methods process of scientific investigation, from the initial selection of variables to the final discussion of recommendations and countermeasures. Method: In this study, the scientific survey process of exploratory sequential mixed methods was used to research the satisfaction of college students with online education based on the theory of digital literacy and service quality, using college students in Kunming, China, as the target of the survey, and a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods. Results and Discussion: The results of the analysis showed that the independent variable: the five factors of e-services (the higher, the higher the satisfaction of students. And under the moderating variable, digital literacy moderated all the other factors, only the relationship between responsibility and e-learning student satisfaction had no significant moderating effect. [synthesize the main results of the research]. In the discussion section, these results will be correlated according to the theoretical framework, highlighting the identified effects and relationships. This section also considers possible limitations of the research. Research Implications: 1. theoretical significance: by constructing a comprehensive theoretical model, this research aims to provide new insights into the field of e-learning. It not only helps to understand the impact of E-learning platform design and service quality, but also emphasizes digital literacy as an important moderating variable. 2. Practical significance: The research results will provide value to educational technology developers and educational policy makers, helping them to optimize e-learning platforms to enhance user experience and learning outcomes. Originality/Value: This research expands the SERVQUAL model by taking online education as the background, combining the actual situation of online education in China, and taking digital literacy as the variable. It allows colleges and universities to break through the original traditional education model. And lifelong learning and personalized learning are the focus of the reform of continuing education in colleges and universities. The results of this research will promote colleges and universities to continuously improve the quality of online education and provide reference for schools and teachers to carry out online education and continuing education.

Impact of the digital transformation of Chinese new energy vehicle enterprises on innovation performance

Digital transformation involves fundamental changes in business models, organizational structure, corporate culture, and even the way in which customers interact. Chinese new energy vehicle companies hope to achieve faster response speeds, greater operational efficiency, and better user experiences through digital transformation. Therefore, exploring how to successfully carry out digital transformation and its true impact on enterprise performance is of profound significance. The digital transformation of enterprises requires the embedding and absorption of network relationships to acquire and transform external resources and technologies, which further affects the innovation performance of these enterprises. This article introduces absorptive capacity as a mediating variable and network embeddedness as a moderating variable to construct a theoretical model, attempting to elucidate the mechanism of the impact of digital transformation on enterprise innovation performance. By combining theoretical and empirical analysis, the research hypotheses are tested, and the results show that 1. digital transformation (digital technology, digital products, and digital platforms) has a positive impact on enterprise innovation performance, 2. absorptive capacity plays a significant mediating role in the relationship between digital transformation and enterprise innovation performance, and 3. the embeddedness of network relationships has a significant positive moderating effect on the digital transformation of enterprises and their innovation performance. This article delves into an effective approach involving digital transformation, absorptive capacity, and enterprise innovation performance; analyses the moderating effect of network embeddedness; and concludes that the research findings have implications for the development of related research on digital transformation and enterprise innovation. The timely activities of enterprises to effectively carry out digital transformation, as well as the formulation of relevant policies, have positive significance.

Hydrological evolution and differential response of the eco-environment recorded in Lake Maozangtianchi, eastern Qilian Mountains, over the last 900 years

The Qilian Mountains (QLM) act as an “ecological security barrier” in western China, impacting the downstream ecosystems and water resource utilization. However, the hydrological evolution of the QLM during the last millennium remains controversial, and their ecological response to climate change is poorly understood. We present a pH record based on the brGDGTs (branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers) of a 14C-dated sediment core from Lake Maozangtianchi in the QLM. We combined this record with element contents determined by scanning XRF and grain size to reconstruct the summer monsoon precipitation variability over the last 900 years. We also reconstructed the history of eco-environmental changes from the total n-alkane contents. On centennial scales, local precipitation exhibited peaks during the intervals of 1100‒1300 CE and 1750‒2000 CE, as well as between 1400‒1750 CE. Additionally, abrupt decreases in precipitation occurred during the transition from the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) to the Little Ice Age (LIA) (1300‒1400 CE). This pattern coherent with other hydroclimatic records from the monsoonal margin of northern China, likely resulted from the combined impact of the El Niño‒Southern Oscillation on tropical Pacific sea-surface temperatures and the meridional shift of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. In addition, a coupled relationship between plant biomass in the Lake Maozangtianchi watershed and fluctuations in monsoon precipitation was observed, with higher plant biomass during 1100‒1200 CE, 1750‒1900 CE, and 1950‒2000 CE, and lower biomass during 1200‒1400 CE and 1900‒1950 CE. However, during 1400‒1750 CE, plant biomass exhibited a minor increasing trend, deviating from its usual correlation with monsoon precipitation. Despite precipitation usually being the primary climatic factor influencing plant biomass in the QLM, during the LIA, nutrients transported by dust and decreased evapotranspiration became pivotal in bolstering plant growth. Our research emphasizes the significant moderating effects of exogenic dust on vegetation changes in alpine ecosystems.

The contribution and interplay of implicit and explicit processes on physical activity behavior: empirical testing of the physical activity adoption and maintenance (PAAM) model

The adoption and maintenance of physical activity (PA) is an important health behavior. This paper presents the first comprehensive empirical test of the Physical Activity Adoption and Maintenance (PAAM) model, which proposes that a combination of explicit (e.g., intention) and implicit (e.g., habit,, affect) self-regulatory processes is involved in PA adoption and maintenance. Data were collected via online questionnaires in English, German, and Italian at two measurement points four weeks apart. The study included 422 participants (Mage= 25.3, SDage= 10.1; 74.2% women) from Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Canada, and the U.S. The study results largely supported the assumptions of the PAAM model, indicating that intentions and habits significantly mediate the effects of past PA on future PA. In addition, the effect of past PA on future PA was shown to be significant through a mediation chain involving affect and habit. Although the hypothesis that trait self-regulation moderates the intention-behavior relationship was not supported, a significant moderating effect of affect on the same relationship was observed. The results suggest that interventions targeting both explicit and implicit processes may be effective in promoting PA adoption and maintenance.

Meta-analysis of associations between five-factor personality traits and problematic social media use

AbstractThis meta-analysis quantified the relationship between the five-factor model of personality and problematic social media use and identified moderators of this relationship. The analysis used a random-effects model to calculate a correlation for each factor and included 113 samples, with a total of 53,913 participants, identified from systematic searches of four databases. Moderator analyses were used to investigate potential causes of heterogeneity. The meta-analysis found that high neuroticism (r = .21, p < .001, 95% CI [.19, .23]), low conscientiousness (r = -.16, p < .001, 95% CI [-.19, -.13]), low agreeableness (r = -.07, p < .001, 95% CI [-.10, -.05]), and low openness (r = -.04, p = .001, 95% CI [-.06, -.02]) were significantly associated with problematic social media use. Several significant moderator effects were found. The meta-analysis contributes to the understanding of the relationship between individual characteristics and problematic social media use and provides information that might be useful in preventing and treating this behaviour.

Are discounts useful in promoting suboptimal foods for sustainable consumption and production? The interaction effects of original prices, discount presentation modes, and product types

Though price discounting is becoming a common strategy to avoid food waste at the retail stage by inducing consumers to consider and purchase suboptimal foods, not all consumers accept and generate positive attitudes toward such products. This study builds on the findings in the literature and further explores which variables of discounts have interaction effects on suboptimal food purchases. Using a full factorial between-subjects experiment design, 624 valid sample data via situational questionnaires are collected for analysis and hypotheses testing. Our results show that the original price and discount presentation modes have interaction effects on consumer perceptions. The higher the original price of the suboptimal foods, the greater the positive attitude caused by the discount price on the label. Product types, ethical or not, are important variables in attitude toward and intention to choose suboptimal foods. If consumers are told that the suboptimal foods are ethical product types, their willingness to purchase improves. In addition, familiarity with expiration date-based pricing practices has significant moderating and direct effects. Different dimensions of price involvement, which is a kind of personality trait, lead to different consumer perspectives. The fresh insights and marketing implications generated from the findings of this study should form the basis for future studies and managerial decisions.

Effect of senior executives' overseas experience on corporate green innovation.

Against the background of increasingly severe environmental problems, green development has gained widespread attention, and green innovation has thus become crucial for enterprises. This study used 2007-2019 data from listed A-share companies in China to evaluate the effect of senior executives' overseas experience on corporate green innovation. The results showed that senior executives' overseas experience could promote green innovation in companies. This positive effect was more significant for private enterprises and high-tech enterprises, especially in eastern China. The CEO pay regulation have a significant negative moderating effect on this positive effect. This study enriches upper echelons theory and provides theoretical support for government agencies to accelerate innovative green development strategies. The results can also provide a decision-making basis for governments to formulate policies to promote enterprises' green development.

Towards more trusted virtual physicians: the combinative effects of healthcare chatbot design cues and threat perception on health information trust

ABSTRACT Although virtual healthcare assistants have been extensively adopted in the healthcare industry, users still question their reliability. Based on the Computers are Social Actor (CASA) paradigm, the current study conducted an experiment to examine how different chatbot design cues (Chatbot vs. Layperson vs. Doctor) affect users’ trust towards virtual healthcare assistants. Results indicate that the doctor-like design cues and bot-like design cues (vs. layperson-like design cues) elicited significantly greater perceived chatbot expertise, which enhanced users’ trust in health information. This study further found the significant moderating effects of users’ perceived threat on chatbot expertise and privacy concerns. Positive effects of the doctor-like design cue and the bot-like design cue on perceived expertise were found to be significant only for those whose perceived threat was high. Interestingly, the doctor-like design cues led to greater (less) privacy concerns when the perceived threat level was low (high). The findings provide human–computer interaction researchers and chatbot UX/UI designers with important theoretical and practical implications.

AI 추천서비스 기반 상품구매 경험자의 자기결정성이 소비만족 및 재구매의도에 미치는 영향

Background/Objec tives: This study explores the relationship between consumption satisfaction and repurchase intention within the context of artificial intelligence(Al) recommendation services, using three self- determination factors(autonomy, competence, relatedness). It further investigates the moderating influence of consumers' gender and age on these relationships. Methods: : An online survey was administered to consumers who had purchased products based on Al recommendation services within the past year. Data from 200 respondents were analyzed using SPSS and AMOS software. Results: 1) Autonomy and competence in self-determination had a significant positive effect on consumption satisfaction. 2) Self-determination did not significantly affect repurchase intentions. 3) Consumption satisfaction exhibited a positive effect on repurchase intention. 4) Age was found to moderate the relationship between self-determination, consumption satisfaction, and repurchase intention, with significant effects observed across age groups, except for individuals in their 20s. 5) Gender was found to have no significant moderating effect m the relationship between self-determination, consumption satisfaction, and repurchase intention. Conclusion/Implications: This study enriches the academic discourse on AI services by examining consumers' perceptions within the online shopping field in terms of self- determination. It elucidates the impact of self-determination on consumption satisfaction and repurchase intention. It also underscores the significance of consumers' competence in shaping the online shopping environment, offering practical insights for service enhancement.

The Impact of Trust in Platform Providers on User Participation and Economic Benefits in the Sharing Economy in Indonesia

This research investigates the effect of trust in platform providers on user participation and economic benefits in the sharing economy within the context of Indonesia. Utilizing a quantitative approach, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with Partial Least Squares (PLS) path analysis was employed to analyze data collected from a sample of 150 participants. The measurement model assessment confirmed the reliability and validity of the latent constructs, while the structural model estimation revealed significant positive relationships between trust in platform providers and user participation, trust in platform providers and economic benefits, as well as user participation and economic benefits. Mediation analysis further demonstrated the mediating role of user participation in the relationship between trust in platform providers and economic benefits. The moderation analysis did not reveal any significant moderation effects. Overall, the findings contribute to understanding the dynamics of trust, user behavior, and economic outcomes in the Indonesian sharing economy context, offering insights for platform providers, policymakers, and researchers.

Moderating Effect of Empowerment on Servant Leadership and Church Spiritual Growth

Purpose: This study entailed assessing moderating effect of empowerment on servant leadership and church spiritual growth. The general objective of the study was to establish how empowerment moderates the relationship between servant leadership and church spiritual growth in Pentecostal Churches in Kenya within the Nairobi metropolitan counties. The study delved on Pentecostal Evangelical Fellowship of Africa (PEFA); Kenya Assemblies of God (KAG), and Full Gospel Churches of Kenya (FGCK), all under the umbrella of National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK). The study was guided by servant leadership, empowerment and spiritual leadership theories which all indicate that servant leaders play a crucial role in empowerment of church members and consequently causing effect on church growth. Materials and Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used for the study and pragmatism was employed as a philosophical framework for the research. The study employed a mixed method approach with both quantitative and qualitative research methods in use and data collection undertaken through, questionnaires and interview guides. The target population constituted 2000 church pastors, elders as well as members from which a sample of 333 was obtained through purposive and stratified random sampling techniques in selected Pentecostal churches within Nairobi, Machakos, Muranga, Kiambu and Kajiado counties. The total response rate was 304 (91%). Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analysis, where Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 29 was used. On qualitative data, thematic analysis was carried out on two focus discussions groups to determine views of participants. Findings: Church members’ empowerment has no significant moderating effect in the relationship between servant leadership and church spiritual growth of Pentecostal Churches within Nairobi metropolitan counties of Kenya. The linearity test results for the relationship between spiritual growth and empowerment suggest a significant linear association, as indicated by the low p-values (all p-values are less than 0.05). The high F-value (197.904) and low p-value (0.000) suggest a highly significant linear relationship between Spiritual Growth and Empowerment. The Pearson's correlation coefficient (R) of 0.609 signifies a moderately strong positive relationship between spiritual growth and empowerment, indicating that as one variable increases, the other tends to increase as well. There is therefore a significant moderating effect of empowerment on servant leadership and church spiritual growth. On the research question that stated: “To what extent does Church members’ empowerment moderate the relationship between servant leadership and church spiritual growth of Pentecostal Churches within Nairobi metropolitan counties in Kenya?” Majority of participants agreed that church members’ empowerment moderated relationship between servant leadership and church spiritual growth pointing that training, involvement and sharing of responsibilities with church members by their leaders positively affected church growth both spiritually and numerically. Implications to theory, practice and Policy: The study supported servant leadership, empowerment and spiritual leadership theories. In addition, the study bridged a number of research gaps in area of servant leadership, empowerment and church spiritual growth indicated in the statement of the problem. The most noticeable gap is the contextual gap where many studies on church growth only delved on numerical growth and leaving out spiritual growth of which this study addressed. The study recommended that the church should put more emphasis on active participation of church members in decision making processes especially on provision of suggestion boxes within the church premises for this triggers church spiritual growth. The church was recommended to adopt servant leadership style and endeavor to empower the membership so as to realize church spiritual growth.

Do the firm characteristics moderate the nexus between the firm's sustainable practices and financial performance?

AbstractThe paper explores the partial and integrated influence of corporate sustainability practices on the financial execution of Indian‐listed firms. The study considered a sample of 569 listed firms, and the study period spans from 2010 to 2022. Using estimates of feasible generalized least square and quintile regression, the study finds a positive association between the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) score and the financial performance of firms. All the individual dimensions of the ESG score positively affect the firm's internal and external values. Environmental practices have the highest impact on improving balance sheet values through return on asset (ROA). In contrast, social practices have the highest impact on creating market value through Tobin's Q (TQ) compared with other dimensions. However, for large firms, excess investment in ESG may not support their balance sheet through ROA but generates market value through TQ. ESG disclosers negatively impact the internal earnings of firms that are financially inflexible but, in the aggregate, support the firm's market value. In addition, the study finds a significant moderating effect of size, earnings, value, and financial flexibility on the association between ESG scores and the financial performance of the firms.

The Link between Family Financial Socialization in Adulthood and Investment Literacy of P2P Investors

AbstractThis paper examines how family financial socialization in adulthood is linked to the development of investment literacy among individual family members within the context of innovative financial services, specifically peer-to-peer (P2P) lending. Our findings revealed that P2P lending investors engage in a moderate level family financial socialization suggesting that family, as a key financial socialization agent in childhood and adolescence, maintains its role in adulthood. Additionally, such investors possess a high-level investment knowledge, skills, and attitudes. Explicit family financial socialization has a significant and positive effect on the individuals’ investment knowledge, skills, and attitudes, while the effect of implicit financial socialization is significant but negative for knowledge and attitudes. Such findings suggest that family discussion among adult members result in higher, while observations of family members’ investment behavior led to lower investment literacy. Our study found no significant moderating effect of the strength of social ties indicating that dynamics of family relations neither strengthen nor weaken proximal socialization outcomes. The analysis of differences across demographic groups unveiled statistically significant distinctions concerning respondents’ gender, income, and education. These results provide important insights for stakeholders, underscoring the significant role family socialization in adulthood plays in shaping individuals’ investment literacy, particularly of those investing on P2P lending platforms.

An Empirical Analysis of the Moderating Effect of Organizational Context on the Relationship between Leadership Process and Effectiveness of Freight Forwarding Firms in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Highly competitive and fast shifting market conditions require business enterprises to possess superior organizational capabilities for success. Previous studies have identified persistent challenges including leadership processes and complex work environments as constraints to organizational success. The freight forwarding sector in Kenya grapples with challenges related to high operational costs, poor co-ordination, and rapid developments in information technology and related insecurity. Literature on organizational leadership has neither addressed nor empirically tested the dimensions of gauging effectiveness of freight forwarding firms. Specifically, there is lack of empirical investigation linking organizational context with leadership process and effectiveness of freight forwarding firms. This study sought to investigate the moderating effect of organizational context on the relationship between leadership process (tactical, strategic, and situational influence) and effectiveness of freight forwarding firms in Nairobi City County, Kenya. Through a mixed methods approach, the study adopted explanatory sequential design anchored on the Balanced Score Card model, Institutional Theory and Structuralism Theory. Target population was 400 freight forwarding firms practicing in Nairobi City County, from which 276 respondents were selected through stratified random sampling. Quantitative data was collected through questionnaires with a response rate of 84% while qualitative data was collected from 10 key informants through in-depth interviews. Descriptive statistics used were frequencies, means and standard deviation, while regression analysis was used to test the study hypotheses. Qualitative data was subjected to thematic analysis. Results established that organizational context has a significant moderating effect on the relationship between leadership process and firm effectiveness. With leadership process viewed through input > processing > output logic, the external environment provides streams of opportunities in terms of inputs, which firms can harness to create competitive advantage and effectiveness. Findings demonstrated the link between leadership process, organizational context, and effectiveness. Management should entrench effective leadership process through active deployment of appropriate influence strategies to generate key capabilities and conducive work contexts. Government policies should promote collaborative approaches among supply chain partners. The study recommends future research to expand the conceptual, methodological, and contextual scope for more representative conclusions. Keywords: Freight Forwarding Firms, Leadership Process, Organizational Effectiveness, Organizational Context

Advisor familiness and entrepreneurial orientation in the tourism industry: the moderating role of entrepreneurs’ gender, education, and age

ABSTRACT Countering the intuitive notion that family members contribute to the success of entrepreneurship in the tourism sector, we found that their involvement does not necessarily result in favourable outcomes from the angle of advice seeking. To uncover the effects of family members as advisors, we draw on the attention-based view of the firm to investigate the influence of advisor familiness on entrepreneurial orientation. We collected 447 valid responses from Chinese tourism entrepreneurs. Results from a hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed a significant and negative effect of advisor familiness on entrepreneurial orientation. Significant moderating effects were also detected from entrepreneurs’ gender, education level and age. Specifically, entrepreneurs’ age enhanced the negative effect whilst entrepreneurs’ gender and education level attenuated the negative effect.

Exploring STEAM teachers’ trust in AI-based educational technologies: a structural equation modelling approach

In the rapidly evolving landscape of education, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative tool with the potential to revolutionize teaching and learning processes. However, the successful integration of AI in education depends on the trust and acceptance of teachers. This study addresses a significant gap in research by investigating the trust dynamics of 677 in-service Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) teachers in Nigeria towards AI-based educational technologies. Employing structural equation modelling for data analysis, our findings reveal that anxiety, preferred methods to increase trust, and perceived benefits significantly influence teachers' trust in AI-based edtech. Notably, the lack of human characteristics in AI does not impact trust among STEAM teachers. Additionally, our study reports a significant gender moderation effect on STEAM teachers' trust in AI. These insights are valuable for educational policymakers and stakeholders aiming to create an inclusive, AI-enriched instructional environment. The results underscore the importance of continuous professional development programs for STEAM teachers, emphasizing hands-on experiences to build and sustain confidence in integrating AI tools effectively, thus fostering trust in the transformative potentials of AI in STEAM education.

Research on the impact of digital transformation on innovative high-quality development in the context of environmental regulation in agricultural enterprises

Digital transformation is an important strategic choice for agricultural enterprises to adapt to economic development in the new era. The innovation quality of patents with core technology and high commercial value is significantly higher than that of low-quality patents such as weak patents developed through technological imitation. This study investigates the impact of digital transformation on innovative high-quality development in the context of environmental regulation in agricultural enterprises for the timeframe from 2012 to 2020. The purpose of this study is to examine whether the goal of improving innovation quality can be achieved through digital transformation in agricultural companies. The results show that digital transformation can effectively promote the improvement of innovation quality in companies, and environmental regulation has a significant positive moderating effect on the relationship between them. “Violating agricultural operation” is a specific appellation for the diversified management of listed agricultural companies, and it is one of the management modes of agricultural enterprises. For listed agricultural companies, the greater the degree of enterprise diversification, the greater the degree of “violating agricultural operation”. The influence mechanism test shows that “violating agricultural operation” plays a part in mediating effect in the process of digital transformation promoting innovation quality improvement.