Input Technology Research Articles

AI Chatbot, Human, and In‐Between: Examining the Broader Spectrum of Technology‐Human Interactions in Driving Customer‐Brand Relationships Across Experience and Credence Services

ABSTRACTAdvancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have driven companies to incorporate AI chatbots into service encounters. However, research exploring how to balance human and AI interactions in service encounters for brand‐building strategies remains limited. Grounded in social response theory and the attachment‐aversion model of consumer‐brand relationships, this study examines the effect of different service chat agent types (substitution chatbot, augmentation chatbot, and human chat agent) on brand usage intention, with brand‐self distance and consumer brand engagement as mediating mechanisms. Service types (experience vs. credence service) act as boundary conditions moderating the relationship between service chat agents and brand‐self distance. Through two experiments involving actual interactions with three types of service chat agents, the results show that substitution chatbots negatively influence consumers' perceived brand‐self distance, engagement, and usage intention across both service types. For experience services, augmentation chatbots lead to a closer brand‐self distance than human chat agents, enhancing consumer brand engagement and brand usage intention. While for credence services, augmentation chatbots perform comparably to human chat agents. The results offer guidance for service managers and policymakers on optimizing the balance between human and technological inputs to enhance customer‐brand relationships.

Investment Decision and Coordination of Fresh Supply Chain Blockchain Technology Considering Consumer Preference

In this paper, we study the decision-making and coordination problem of a two-tier fresh food supply chain consisting of a supplier and a retailer. Considering the influencing factors of consumers’ information preference, freshness, and misrepresentation, we construct a centralized decision-making model and a decentralized decision-making Stackelberg game model. We also analyze the changes in the equilibrium solution of the supply chain before and after the input of blockchain technology, identify the conditions for the investment in blockchain technology, and design a “cost-sharing + benefit-sharing” combination contract for the coordination of the blockchain. The results are as follows: Firstly, under decentralized decision-making, if the fresh supplier misreports the freshness of the product, it will mislead the retailer to increase the order quantity, and its own profit will rise. Therefore, the fresh supplier has the motivation to misreport freshness. However, the backlog of fresh products will eventually damage the retailer‘s profit, and the overall profit of the supply chain will also be damaged. Therefore, the increase in the profit of the fresh supplier is at the expense of the overall interests and stability of the supply chain. Second, when the investment cost of blockchain technology is within a certain threshold, it is feasible to invest in blockchain technology. Consumers’ preference for traceable fresh products will encourage the fresh supply chain to improve the level of information traceability and increase investment in blockchain technology. Finally, there are double marginal effects in the fresh supply chain under decentralized decision-making. The combined contract of “cost-sharing + revenue-sharing” can coordinate the overall revenue of the supply chain to the level of centralized decision-making. When the contract parameters meet certain conditions, Pareto improvement in revenue can be achieved for all parties involved in the fresh supply chain. The willingness of retailers to invest in blockchain technology will change with the change in contract parameters. When the proportion of retailers’ costs and the proportion of shared income are higher, the level of retailers’ investment in blockchain technology will decrease. Therefore, the interests of supply chain members need to be balanced in the process of contract coordination.

Blockchain’s role in operation strategy of power battery closed-loop supply chain

With the rapid development of the electric vehicle industry, the issue of recycling retired power batteries is becoming increasingly prominent. Considering the adoption of blockchain technology to enhance information traceability for retired power batteries, we construct three closed-loop supply chain decision-making models: a supply chain that does not adopt blockchain technology, a manufacturing enterprise that independently bears the input cost of blockchain technology, and a scenario which both manufacturing and selling enterprises jointly bear the blockchain technology input costs. Through the comparative analysis of the equilibrium solutions of these models, including the profits of each supply chain member, consumer surplus, environmental impact, and social welfare, it is concluded that the level of information traceability increases with the increase of the blockchain technology input cost-sharing ratio λ by the selling enterprise. However, there is a threshold for λ and λ cannot be infinitely increased. The profits of both manufacturing and selling enterprises increase with the adoption of blockchain technology, yet the ladder-utilizing enterprise achieves the highest profits when not adopting blockchain technology. Furthermore, the adoption of blockchain technology can increase consumer surplus and social welfare while reducing the impact on the environment. These studies provide theoretical guidance on both economic and social environment for the operation decision of each member in the closed-loop supply chain of power batteries.

Evaluation and External Driving Factors Analysis of Water–Energy–Food Resilience Security—Based on Spatial Durbin Model and Four Provinces Along the Yellow River

Research on water–energy–food security is crucial for ensuring the sustainable development of human society. Building on the water–energy–food theory and resilience concepts, a novel perspective termed “resilience security” was proposed. This differs from traditional approaches focused on coordination security and efficiency security. An indicator evaluation system consisting of 29 indicators was developed. Panel data from 2009 to 2022 in 40 cities across Shandong, Shanxi, Henan, and Shaanxi Provinces along the Yellow River were used to assess local water–energy–food resilience security. The nine external driving factors were empirically analyzed in different provinces using a spatial Durbin model. The findings indicate that: (1) over the 14-year period, the water––energy–food resilience security of the sample transitioned from a near-exposure state to an initial resistance state; and (2) over the 14-year period, administrative power, market power, resource flow capacity, population density, industrial structure, urbanization level, scientific and technological inputs, environmental governance inputs, and spatial geographic factors significantly influenced regional water–energy–food resilience security, with notable variations across provinces.

Industrial Basic Capacity Research: Theory and Measurement

This paper establishes a theoretical framework for understanding the connotations of industrial basic capacity. It employs models from economic growth theory to derive indices for assessing industrial basic capacity and exploring the economic correlations among its influencing factors. Additionally, it measures the industrial basic capacity indices of 17 subsectors across 9 major industrial countries from 2000 to 2020 using OECD data. The findings reveal that from 2000 to 2020, the Chinese manufacturing industry has surpassed the United States, becoming the global leader. Specifically, within the 17 subsectors, 9 are globally ranked first, with 7 nearing advanced levels, and only 1 facing relative backwardness. Chinese manufacturing industry’s enhanced basic capacity is attributed to advantages in cost competitiveness and scale. However, significant disparities persist in technological input and industrial linkages with advanced nations. The decline in basic capacity among developed countries stems primarily from diminished value chain profitability due to inadequate investment. Sustainable improvement in industry basic capacity necessitates concurrent advancements in value chain profitability, fixed asset investment, technological levels, industrial linkages, and market scale. Overreliance on cost advantages or advanced technology poses substitution risks. Moreover, this paper underscores the limitations of exclusively relying on current data to assess global industrial basic capacity, advocating for a greater historical perspective. To strengthen the Chinese manufacturing industrial basic capacity within the global value chain, the Chinese manufacturing industry must enhance technological inputs, reduce the operational costs of enterprises, and elevate the degree of openness.

Avian Responses to Different Grazing Management Practices in Neotropical Temperate Grasslands: A Meta-Analysis

Bird populations inhabiting the Rio de la Plata Grasslands in southern Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay are known to be affected by livestock grazing practices. Cattle grazing can lead to changes in bird assemblages by affecting the heterogeneity of vegetation structures. We conducted a meta-analysis using studies that reported bird richness and abundance under different grazing management practices. We compared ranches under continuous grazing management (control, CGM) to (1) ranches under technological inputs management (TIM, herbicides and exotic pastures) and (2) ranches under ecological process-based management (EPM), which include ranches that utilise controlled and rotational grazing. We used random effects multilevel linear models to evaluate grazing regimen impacts. Our results indicate a negative impact of TIM on both bird abundance and richness (mean ± SE: −0.25 ± 0.07 and −0.92 ± 0.10, respectively) since the use of inputs simplifies vegetation structure and results in the loss of ecological niches. Compared to CGM, the influence of EPM on total bird abundance appears to be more dependent on grassland height, as evidenced by a decline in short grasses and increase in tall grasses. Our meta-analysis suggests that EPM practices may be beneficial for the conservation of endangered tall-grass birds.

Jerusalem Artichoke: Nitrogen Fertilization Strategy and Energy Balance in the Production Technology of Aerial Biomass

Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus L.) is a plant with considerable potential for energy generation due to its rapid growth, high biomass yield, and resistance to environmental stresses. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of the nitrogen fertilization strategy on the yield and energy balance in the production technology of Jerusalem artichoke (JA) in a perennial cropping system. The article presents the results of a three-year experiment which was conducted in Poland to determine the effect of different N rates (0, 50, 75, and 100 kg ha−1) supplied with mineral fertilizers and liquid digestate on the energy balance in the production of JA aerial biomass. The experiment had a randomized block design with three replications. The demand for energy in JA cultivation reached 16.2–26.3 (year 1) and 2.9–14.6 GJ ha−1 (years 2 and 3). Energy inputs in the cultivation technology were reduced by 17–19% (year 1) and 35–47% (years 2 and 3) when mineral fertilizers were replaced with digestate. Jerusalem artichoke yields were lowest in the technology without fertilization (12.5 Mg ha−1 DM). Dry matter yield increased significantly (by 43–55%) after the application of 75 kg N ha−1, regardless of fertilizer type. The energy output of biomass peaked (230.1 GJ ha−1) in response to a mineral fertilizer rate of 75 kg N ha−1. In turn, the highest energy gain (218.5 GJ ha−1) was noted after the application of digestate at a rate equivalent to 75 kg N ha–1. The energy efficiency ratio was highest in the technology without fertilization (20.1) and after the application of digestate at a rate equivalent to 75 kg N ha−1 (19.7). Regardless of the factors that limit agricultural production, the energy balance of JA biomass production was most favorable when JA was fertilized with digestate at a rate equivalent to 75 kg N ha−1. The results of this study may pave the way for future research on novel agronomic strategies for sustainable bioenergy production, including nutrient recycling.

Modeling hydrogen markets: Energy system model development status and decarbonization scenario results

Hydrogen can be used as an energy carrier and chemical feedstock to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, especially in difficult-to-decarbonize markets such as medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, aviation and maritime, iron and steel, and the production of fuels and chemicals. Significant literature has been accumulated on engineering-based assessments of various hydrogen technologies, and real-world projects are validating technology performance at larger scales and for low-carbon supply chains. While energy system models continue to be updated to track this progress, many are currently limited in their representation of hydrogen, and as a group they tend to generate highly variable results under decarbonization constraints. The present work provides insights into the development status and decarbonization scenario results of 15 energy system models participating in study 37 of the Stanford Energy Modeling Forum (EMF37), focusing on the U.S. energy system. The models and scenario results vary widely in multiple respects: hydrogen technology representation, scope and type of hydrogen end-use markets, relative optimism of hydrogen technology input assumptions, and market uptake results reported for 2050 under various decarbonization assumptions. Most models report hydrogen market uptake increasing with decarbonization constraints, though some models report high carbon prices being required to achieve these increases and some find hydrogen does not compete well when assuming optimistic assumptions for all advanced decarbonization technologies. Across various scenarios, hydrogen market success tends to have an inverse relationship to success with direct air capture (DAC) and carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies. While most model-scenario combinations predict modest hydrogen uptake by 2050 – <10 million metric tons (MMT) – aggregating the top 10 % of market uptake results across sectors suggests an upper range demand potential of 42–223 MMT. The high degree of variability across both modeling methods and market uptake results suggests that increased harmonization of both input assumptions and subsector competition scope would lead to more consistent results across energy system models. The wide variability in results indicates strongly divergent conclusions on the role of hydrogen in a decarbonized energy future.

Strategies to reduce vaccine hesitancy in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic: scoping review

Objectives: to investigate evidence on effective strategies to reduce vaccine hesitancy in the general population in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: scoping review, carried out by consulting the MEDLINE databases (access via PubMed), Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus and the Virtual Health Library portal, according to the method proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute. Original productions, published between 2020 and 2023, were included. Results: this review consisted of twelve (12) studies, with a predominance of randomized controlled clinical trials (91.7%). Regarding the level of evidence, the majority of investigations classified as level II (91.7%) and regarding the quality of the evidence/strength of recommendation of the studies, most were classified as high level (66.7%). Final Considerations: strategies to promote health education and literacy, motivation and community awareness regarding vaccination, with greater technological input, proved to be effective for reduce vaccine hesitancy in the population.

Capital Inflow and Technical Efficiency: A Comparative Analysis Between India and China

This article empirically investigates the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on the technical efficiency of manufacturing firms in India and China. We apply the first-stage, stochastic frontier analysis (SFA), to the translog production frontier. The first-stage method estimates simultaneously consider exogenous technical efficiency determinants and translog production function factors. We take foreign ownership and foreign inputs as exogenous determinants of technical efficiency with control variables and foreign technology input in the production frontier. Empirical results find that foreign technology shifts the production frontier by enhancing productivity for Chinese firms, not for Indian firms. Furthermore, domestic firms which use foreign inputs and foreign firms are more efficient. JEL Classification: F14, O31, O32

In Code We Trust? Assessing Code’s Role as a Mediator of Power and Ethics Within Journalistic Practice

Coding, at its core, is an act of problem solving. Following this adoption and adaptation of journalistic code, the recent computational turn within newsrooms raises new questions about how and to what degree journalistic values are imprinted into code. Extending this line of scholarship, this special issue, “Opening the Black Box of Code in Journalism: Materiality, Manufacture and Methods,” studies journalistic code. Through the special issue, we explore how values embedded into code can amplify certain ideologies predominant in regions of the world where an emphasis on innovation and technological infrastructure can overshadow important social and cultural factors that shape journalism. The increased codification of newswork has also prompted introspection about the values inscribed into code by its creators, highlighting that these technological inputs are far from neutral.

Usage and preservation of Mizo traditional medicine by the people of Chungtlang Village, Mamit District, Mizoram.

Diversity, flexibility, easy accessibility, broad continuing acceptance in developing countries and increasing popularity in developed countries, relative low cost, low levels of technological input, relative low side effects, and growing economic importance are some of the positive features of traditional medicine. In rural India, traditional medicine continues to be the only available form of care. Many communities continue to treat patients using their old methods, unaffected by contemporary medical advancements. Due to their accessibility, affordability, and ease of use, tribal tribes prefer to utilize and consult their own traditional healers. These are likewise thought to be highly effective and without any adverse effects. This paper aims to identify various traditional medicines used for treating illness and infirmities, by taking accounts from the residents of Chungtlang village, Mamit District, Mizoram. The objective here lies in discovering traditional knowledge of medicinal plants and their uses for various infirmities.

Exploring the Impact of Financial Development on Water–Energy Efficiency in Western China

The western region of China is a fundamental ecological protection barrier for China. The conflict between regional economic development and ecological environmental protection has always existed in the region. This study first evaluated the water–energy efficiency (WEE) of 11 provinces in western China from 2011 to 2019 using the super-slacks-based model with undesirable outputs and analyzed their spatiotemporal characteristics. It then investigated the influence of financial development level on WEE. The results indicate that (a) the WEE in Western China was at a relatively low level, showing an upward trend from 2011 to 2016 and fluctuating after 2016; (b) financial development levels had U-shaped impacts on the WEE of Western China, which reduced at first and then rose; (c) increasing technological innovation capabilities and trade openness had positive impacts on WEE in Western China, while urbanization level had a negative effect on WEE; and (d) an examination of robustness using two different methods showed that the test results are consistent with the above conclusions. Therefore, this study has robustness. We also put forward corresponding policy suggestions, such as increasing financial support for clean and low-carbon industries, increasing input in science and technology, vigorously developing cleaner and environmentally friendly foreign trade, and implementing a new type of urbanization strategy, to promote the WEE of Western China.

Nexus between Climate Change, Technological Inputs, Energy Consumption and Cereal Production in India: An ARDL approach

Agriculture is vital to India's economy and food security but is highly vulnerable to climate change. This study examines the impact of rainfall, temperature, arable land, energy consumption, fertilizer, and technology inputs on cereal production in India from 1965 to 2018 using ARDL and Toda-Yamamoto Granger Causality techniques. Results show temperature negatively affects cereal production, while rainfall, arable land, energy, fertilizer, and technology have a positive impact. There is a unidirectional causal relationship between these factors and cereal production. The study suggests adopting modern technology, prioritizing organic farming, educating farmers, investing in agricultural R&amp;D, and developing sustainable irrigation infrastructure.

Measurement of Tourism Ecological Efficiency and Analysis of Influencing Factors under the Background of Climate Change: A Case Study of Three Provinces in China’s Cryosphere

Against the backdrop of climate change and the “dual carbon” goals, enhancing the ecological efficiency of cryospheric tourism is crucial not only for the high-quality development of the tourism industry itself but also for the protection of the ecological environment and the promotion of green sustainable development in the cryospheric region. In light of this, this study, taking climate change as its background and based on the perspective of carbon emission constraints, integrates multidimensional factors such as “climate change, carbon emission constraints, and cryospheric resources” into a unified measurement framework to construct a model for evaluating the ecological efficiency of tourism in the cryosphere. Specifically, the model considers inputs, expected outputs, and unexpected outputs. Subsequently, employing the super-efficiency slack-based measure (SBM) model, this study measures the tourism ecological efficiency (TEE) of three provinces (Xinjiang, Qinghai, Tibet) in the cryosphere from 2013 to 2021 and utilizes the Malmquist–Luenberger index and gray correlation model to reveal their dynamic changes, efficiency decomposition, and influencing factors. The results indicate that: (1) The overall mean of TEE in the cryosphere is between 0.2428 and 1.2142, Over the study period, the average annual growth rate and corresponding confidence interval were 14.74%, (−8.61%, 64.23%), showing a significant fluctuating growth trend. Among them, Xinjiang stands out, with its mean scores ranging from 0.2418 to 1.6229, surpassing the overall average level of the cryosphere. (2) During the study period, the overall dynamic efficiency of tourism ecology in the cryosphere increased by 21.54%, driven by the synergy of technological progress (TC), pure technical efficiency (PET), and scale efficiency (SE). For each province, the dynamic efficiency of tourism ecology has improved, but to varying degrees. (3) Regarding the driving factors of TEE in the cryosphere, each driving factor is closely related to TEE, ranked from large to small as follows: carbon emission structure, level of economic development, infrastructure, intensity of technological input, industrial structure, resource endowment, and environmental regulation. This article holds theoretical and practical significance for promoting the high-quality development of polar tourism and achieving synergistic progress between the economy and environment.

USING DATA ENVELOPMENT ANALYSIS TO EVALUATE THE EFFICIENCY OF EUROPEAN UNION COUNTRIES IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES

In an environment where international competitive conditions are becoming increasingly difficult in parallel with the changes in science and technology, the importance of developments in information technologies is increasing day by day. This study aims to specify the relative efficiency of European Union countries in the field of information technologies using Data Envelopment Analysis. In this direction, four inputs and four outputs are determined. According to both the CCR and BCC models, Austria, Croatia, Czechia, France, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain are the countries that cannot show 100% performance in obtaining information technology outputs with the information technology inputs determined in the study. While Belgium and Poland are effective in the BCC analysis, they are not effective in the CCR analysis. In this case, Belgium and Poland are technically effective in BCC analysis, but can not achieve scale efficiency. Input and output rates of inefficient countries are interpreted by comparing them with best practice benchmarks.

Assessment of Roof Tilt and Building Azimuth for Off-Grid Photovoltaic Power for Buildings in Metropolitan Lagos, Nigeria

The study determined optimum roof tilt and building azimuth for rooftop-based distributed photovoltaic (PV) energy generation in Ikeja, Lagos State, Nigeria as strategic technological input to alternative power generation and new housing development in Metropolitan Lagos. The energy planning &amp; foresight analysis methodology was used. The data were obtained via literature, Global Positioning System (GPS) systems, energy models and site visits; and comprised manual and satellite imagery, dimensions, roof angles and coordinates of the building structures in the study area (Rows between 0 – 60o, Columns between 0 – 180o; System sizes: 533 kW, 110 kW and 0.547 kW). The results showed solar array yield varied from 768,944 kWh per annum for a 500 kVA system to 780 kWh per annum for a 500 VA system. A five tier rooftop generation template of 245 MWp was consequently developed. Optimal roof tilt and building azimuth angles for the systems were estimated to be 5o and 180o respectively though combinations of azimuth and tilt angles not exceeding 30o tilt and 90o azimuth gave acceptable yields. The study concluded that the optimum roof tilt and building azimuth for rooftop-based distributed photovoltaic (PV) energy generation in the study area were strategic policy intelligence inputs for the renewable power generation and new housing development programmes of the Federal and Lagos State Governments.

Exploring the Chinese public's affective attitudes towards digital transformation in agriculture: A social media-based analysis.

This study utilizes natural language processing techniques and panel vector autoregression methodology, to delve into the perceived attitudes of social media users towards the digital transformation of agriculture, and to assess its impact on total agricultural output and agricultural science and technology inputs. Data related to agricultural digital transformation were collected from Sina Weibo using web crawlers. The SnowNLP model was employed to infer users' attitudes, encompassing both positive and negative aspects. Furthermore, the study delves into the specific themes capturing users' positive attitudes and explores regional variations in focus. The findings reveal a sustained increase in users' interest in agricultural digital transformation since 2013. Positive attitudes primarily center around green development, agricultural intelligence, and global cooperation and innovation. Moreover, the study establishes a significant positive impact of users' positive attitudes on both total agricultural output value and agricultural science and technology investment, highlighting the constructive influence of user support on the agricultural industry's development.

Impact of Integrated Pest Management Technology Input and Yield Disparities on Cotton Crop in Vidarbha Region of Maharashtra: Principal Component Approach

Impact of Integrated Pest Management Technology Input and Yield Disparities on Cotton Crop in Vidarbha Region of Maharashtra: Principal Component Approach

Influence of “the Belt &amp; Road Initiative” on regional logistics development in China based on DID model

As a booster of the national economy and a catalyst of industrial development, the logistics industry uniquely maintains stable economic operations and promotes industrial structural adjustment. The development of China’s logistics industry has broadened the international market and accelerated the exchange and cooperation of logistics industries between different countries. The “Belt &amp; Road Initiative” will continue to provide impetus for the development of China’s logistics industry, which can guarantee the infrastructure interconnection of the logistics industry and ensure the fundamental implementation of the initiative. Based on theoretical analysis and the panel data of 30 provinces in China during 2005–2020, whether the “Belt &amp; Road Initiative” had obvious policy effects on regional logistics development in China was analyzed. The empirical research results showed that the “Belt &amp; Road Initiative” could accelerate the high-quality development of the logistics industry in the provinces along the route during the research period. Industrial proportion, per capita GDP, import and export amount of goods, investment in fixed assets of the whole society, and science and technology input positively affected the development of regional logistics industries. The regression coefficient of the energy structure in the logistics industry was negative but not significant. The research results have important decision-making reference values in promoting the regional advantages of modern logistics industries, promoting the convenience of logistics trade, improving the scientific and technological level of the logistics industry, and using other exogenous policy variables to boost the high-quality development of modern logistics industries under the background of the “Belt &amp; Road Initiative”.