The development teams who are geographically spread, culturally mixed and mainly depend on information and communication technology (ICT) for communication is defined as a global virtual teams ...(GVTs). Despite the advancement of technologies, achieving the efficient performance of GVTs remains a challenge. The reviewed literature has highlighted the importance of training and development, organizational commitment and motivation in enhancing the performance of GVTs. This study aims to identify the key performance indicators (KPIs), measures, and variables for assisting the GVT performance in global software development projects (GSD). In addition, this study aims to measure the GVTs performance involving online training and development, organizational commitment, and motivation in GSD projects. A survey was conducted among 103 respondents. Then, the performance measurement model (PMM) for GVTs in GSD projects was proposed based on the result of the survey. Finally, the project managers validated the study model. The proposed PMM includes four major components, namely performance measurement processes, mapping strategy for performance evaluation, measurements and performance analysis. The results showed the validity of the proposed model and confirmed that the PMM can assist project managers in measuring the performance of GVTs in GSD Projects.
Winning engaged consumers Bazi, Saleh; Hajli, Alireza; Hajli, Nick ...
Information technology & people (West Linn, Or.),
04/2020, Letnik:
33, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Purpose
Under the sunlight of social commerce, few concepts have blossomed like value co-creation. But when blurred strategies are implemented, the opportunity to wilt a brand is high. To avoid the ...miscues and the controversies, an ascendant step is to engage consumers with social commerce sites. The purpose of this paper is to propose three antecedents to engage consumers with social commerce sites, namely, social support, social commerce value and social commerce information sharing, and the effect of brand engagement on the intention of brand co-creation.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used survey data from 234 Iranians with experience using social commerce sites. Variance-based structural equation modeling using the partial least squares path modeling approach was adopted to analyze the structural model.
Findings
The authors found that social support, social commerce value and social commerce information sharing positively foster brand engagement. The study also revealed that brand engagement is a significant predictor of brand co-creation intention.
Originality/value
The study is the first study that considers and explains brand engagement from social support theory, social commerce value theory and social commerce information exchange. Also, the study shows how consumers can be an integral part of a brand. Unlike other studies which were done in industrialized countries, this study was employed in Iran.
Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is a very prominent environmental toxic agent. UVR has been implicated in the initiation and progression of photocarcinogenesis. UVR exposure elicits numerous cellular and ...molecular events which include the generation of inflammatory mediators, DNA damage, epigenetic modifications, and oxidative damages mediated activation of signaling pathways. UVR-initiated signal transduction pathways are believed to be responsible for tumor promotion effects. UVR-induced carcinogenic mechanism has been well studied using various animal and cellular models. Human skin-derived dermal fibroblasts, epidermal keratinocytes, and melanocytes served as excellent cellular model systems for the understanding of UVR-mediated carcinogenic events. Apart from this, scientists developed reconstituted three-dimensional normal human skin equivalent models for the study of UVR signaling pathways. Moreover, hairless mice such as SKH-1, devoid of Hr gene, served as a valuable model for experimental carcinogenesis. Scientists have also used transgenic mice and dorsal portion shaved Swiss albino mice for UVR carcinogenesis studies. In this review, we have discussed the current progress in the study on ultraviolet B (UVB)-mediated carcinogenesis and outlined appropriate experimental models for both ultraviolet A- and UVB-mediated carcinogenesis.
This study investigates the constructs and related theories that drive continuance participation in on-line communities from their intention and behaviour perspectives. The research uses theories of ...‘social support’ and ‘planned behaviour’ to propose a research model that drives continuance participation in on-line communities in Malaysia. The model reveals that the constructs perceived behavioural control, subjective norms, and attitude from the Theory of Planned Behaviour juxtaposed with social support constructs and a perceived value construct significantly influences on-line communities' continuance participation intention and behaviour. Using PLS–SEM to analyse data gathered in Malaysia, the research demonstrates that users' continuance participation is dependent on their intention and behaviour. The study also contributes to the understanding of individuals' use of on-line communities in the social commerce era.
•Continuance participation model for online community is developed.•Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) extends social support theory and perceived value.•Social support constructs influence post-adoption intention and behaviour.•Social support has a strong effect on continuance use intention.
Multidrug resistance (MDR) remains a major obstacle in cancer chemotherapy. The use of the dietary phytochemicals as chemosensitizing agents to enhance the efficacy of conventional cytostatic drugs ...has recently gained the attention as a plausible approach for overcoming the drug resistance. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a naturally occurring diet-based phenolic acid, ferulic acid, could sensitize paclitaxel efficacy in ABCB1 overexpressing (P-glycoprotein) colchicine selected KB ChR8-5 cell line. In vitro drug efflux assays demonstrated that ferulic acid inhibits P-glycoprotein transport function in drug resistant KB ChR8-5 cell lines. However, ferulic acid significantly downregulates ABCB1 expression in a concentration dependent manner. Cytotoxicity assay reveals that ferulic acid decreased paclitaxel resistance in KBChR8-5 and HEK293/ABCB1 cells, which indicates its chemosensitizing potential. Clonogenic cell survival assay and apoptotic morphological staining further confirm the chemosensitizing potential of ferulic acid in drug resistant KB ChR8-5 cell lines. Ferulic acid treatment enhances paclitaxel mediated cell cycle arrest and upregulates paclitaxel-induced apoptotic signaling in KB resistant cells. Hence, it has been concluded that downregulation of ABCB1 and subsequent induction of paclitaxel-mediated cell cycle arrest and apoptotic signaling may be the cause for the chemosensitizing potential of ferulic acid in P-gp overexpressing cell lines.
PurposeSocial commerce has seen a prosperous growth following the rise of social media, in particular, social networking sites have established novel ways to communicate and transact between firms ...and people. The rise of new technologies has also directed to changes in how entrepreneurs convey their business. Despite intensive social commerce research, the challenges of social commerce for entrepreneurs have attracted less attention and especially neglected the role of trust and satisfaction in electronic commerce.Design/methodology/approachThis research use a survey to collect data. The authors use structural equation modeling-partial least square (SEM-PLS) to analysis the data. This quantitative research provides new insights in the food industry.FindingsThis research thus provides insights into social commerce by analyzing the role of trust in the relationship between customers' social media activities and customers' satisfaction. The present study finds a mediating effect of trust in developing satisfaction. Social media activities facilitate a positive level of trust that in turn creates a satisfying environment for customers in social commerce. The research provides theoretical and practical implications at the end of the study.Originality/valueThe findings provide good knowledge for the food industry to stay connected with customers and develop their satisfaction.
Purpose
Developing countries are still challenged by infrastructural and cultural issues related to the adoption of e-commerce although with the emergence of social commerce, a new stream has been ...introduced. Iran is a developing country, in which the adoption of e-commerce by SMEs is challenged by such barriers; it is now applying models for the adoption of new technologies by SMEs.
Design/methodology/approach
This research attempts to develop a model, based on existing models of e-commerce, which can be applied in Iranian conditions. The study uses data gathered by a survey, together with existing models in this area, in order to propose a new model, which has been empirically tested.
Findings
The results of this research demonstrate that e-commerce barriers in Iran are related to a lack of awareness of the benefits of e-commerce adoption, as well as organisational issues related to its application. The paper also discusses the results and implications of this research, which can be applied to other developing countries. The paper also gives a better picture of Iranian market. Finally the paper discusses possible future directions of this research, as well as its limitations.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the theoretical basis of IS and e-commerce adoption studies by proposing and testing a pre-adoption model for e-commerce. The adoption of e-commerce in SMEs in Iran has not been substantially investigated. This is despite the fact that SMEs play an important role in all economies. The results demonstrate a significant relationship between organisational readiness and the adoption of e-commerce. It also shows that there is a positive relationship between awareness of e-commerce and its adoption.
Winning engaged consumers Bazi, Saleh; Hajli, Alireza; Hajli, Nick ...
Information technology & people (West Linn, Or.),
03/2020, Letnik:
33, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Purpose
Under the sunlight of social commerce, few concepts have blossomed like value co-creation. But when blurred strategies are implemented, the opportunity to wilt a brand is high. To avoid the ...miscues and the controversies, an ascendant step is to engage consumers with social commerce sites. The purpose of this paper is to propose three antecedents to engage consumers with social commerce sites, namely, social support, social commerce value and social commerce information sharing, and the effect of brand engagement on the intention of brand co-creation.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used survey data from 234 Iranians with experience using social commerce sites. Variance-based structural equation modeling using the partial least squares path modeling approach was adopted to analyze the structural model.
Findings
The authors found that social support, social commerce value and social commerce information sharing positively foster brand engagement. The study also revealed that brand engagement is a significant predictor of brand co-creation intention.
Originality/value
The study is the first study that considers and explains brand engagement from social support theory, social commerce value theory and social commerce information exchange. Also, the study shows how consumers can be an integral part of a brand. Unlike other studies which were done in industrialized countries, this study was employed in Iran.
PurposeThis study examines the impact of social media information sharing and usage on consumer beliefs particularly in the credibility of the information provided by e-commerce vendors, and consumer ...trust formation.Design/methodology/approachDrawing on trust through social media usage and surface credibility, the authors have proposed a research model to investigate consumers satisfaction on food and beverage (F&B) products. Empirical support for the research model was provided by using structural equation modelling using survey data drawn from Malaysian consumers with an account with Facebook.FindingsResults indicate that consumer participation in social media communities support higher levels of consumer trust and ratings of the surface credibility of information provided by an F&B vendor, and surface credibility also helped to develop consumer trust. Trust in the vendor also exerted a positive influence on consumer satisfaction with F&B product offerings. Results suggest that F&B that provide credible and transparent information regarding their branded products, enjoy increased levels of consumer trust, leading to higher levels of consumer satisfaction with their F&B consumption experience.Originality/valueThe result of this research contributes to social commerce branch of literature and has practical implications for practitioners in the F&B industry as a means to survival strategies to embrace critical and challenging period during an endemic, particularly. As such, this study analyses the relationship between social media usage, surface credibility, trust and satisfaction for developing consumer trust while managing enterprise social media.
Healthcare service institutions (HSIs) have sought ways to motivate patient loyalty in response to surging rates of medical tourism. Previous research indicates that Hospital Information System (HIS) ...is essential for HSIs to gather, measure, and analyze the massive amounts of data required to generate patient loyalty. There is currently no consensus on the factors that comprise HIS specifically geared towards motivating patient loyalty (HISPL). Furthermore, HIS requires full adoption by HSI staff to be effective. Thus, to reduce wastage of HSI resources, it is necessary to predict whether a given HIS specifically geared towards motivating patient loyalty is likely to be adopted. The purpose of this study is to reveal the factors that comprise HISPL and to modify the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model to help predict the likelihood of an HISPL to be fully adopted by HSI staff. The results revealed that pertinent HISPL factors are capability, configurability, ease of use/help desk availability and competence (EU), and accessibility/shareability (AS). Using these factors, the UTAUT model was modified to fit the specific needs of HISPL. The modifications are theoretical and will have to be validated in future empirical studies.