Post-pandemic intention of the tourism and hospitality (t&h) industry employees towards the use of information technology

Purpose - The extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) (Ajzen, 1991) is used in this research to understand the post-pandemic behavioral intentions of tourism and hospitality employees in relation to their use of information technology. Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected using an online survey, and 449 responses were considered to meet the selection criteria. Structural equation model (SEM) is used to empirically test the proposed research model. Findings - The results of SEM show that all the variables of TPB (attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control) along with trust are positively associated with the behavioral intention of employees in T&H industry towards the use of information technology and the model has better predictive power. Originality/value- This study provided deep insights and outstanding contributions to the theoretical framework and proposed a model for post-pandemic employee behavioral intention regarding the use of IT. This study explores the factors that influence T&H employees’ postpandemic behavioral intentions regarding information technology use. It also explores and integrates the various benefits of information technology to T&H industry employees and provides insight to hotel employees, travel agents, tour operators, and other stakeholder

Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) Applications in Economics and Finance

This book includes the 14 articles accepted and published in the Special Issue “Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM): Applications in Economics and Finance” of the MDPI journal Mathematics, which encompasses a wide range of topics connected with the theory and applications of PLS-SEM methodology. These topics involve, among others, prediction of stock market investment intention, institutional quality and international competitiveness, governance paradigms and public innovation, information and communication technologies in the supply chain, influence of the ability to absorb information from the environment and proactivity on the company's results, quality management, effects of the corporate social responsibility on financial performance, resource management for the improvement of the healthcare system, and the application of maximum entropy bootstrapping to time series. It is expected that the book will prove worthwhile and helpful for those working in the area of PLS-SEM, regardless of the field of application (economics, finance, marketing, education or other). Applications of higher order constructs, mediating variables, multigroup analysis and the latest advances in applied methodology can all be found in this book

Design model for integrating learning management systems and massive open online courses on a digital e-Learning platform: implications for Zimbabwean universities.

Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Available affordances for learning provide opportunities for advanced technology-enhanced teaching and learning. Digital learning environments can make relevant learning content available to students using existing infrastructure. This creates an environment which requires different learning management systems (LMS) to interact with, and exchange information. Increasing use of mobile devices, digital learning platforms, LMS, and massive open online courses (MOOCs), has necessitated integration design approaches. However, ignorance of resources offered and discouragement and frustrations arising from the economic situation in Zimbabwe regarding regulated access to electronic services make automation of teaching processes a great challenge. In this thesis, a design model for integrating LMS and MOOCs on a digital learning platform is proposed. From an e-learning point of view, the study contributes to the working of e-learning management systems through automation process of uploading content to LMS. From a computer science point of view, the study contributes to software engineering principles where it puts together three different platforms; LMS, MOOCs and digital learning platforms under one design. Methodologically, the study uses design science research (DSR) framework with software modelling language to address challenges in teaching and learning. This study describes how the Technology Adoption Model (TAM) and Task-Technology Fit (TTF) model can be used together with DSR in relation to design model evaluation. A software modeling language was used to create the logical designs, which were evaluated using experimental design approach. Software engineering experts and lecturers were invited to validate proposed logical designs. The key deliverables of the study include requirements specifications for the design model for integrated learning management systems, as well as the logical designs for the design model. The design model, as per requirements specification and the evaluation thereof, are based on TAM and TTF. The hybrid model proposed was further validated using structural equation modeling via the partial least squares and path modeling. In our views, the interventions of integration work would support decision making, which influences choices made by policy makers when taking decisions about higher education technological infrastructure

Individual Innovativeness in Higher Education : Antecedents and Consequences

Today, intense competition among higher education institutions (HEIs) is ongoing to achieve cutting-edge publications, attain research funding, possess scientific patents, keep abreast of emerging technologies and adapt quickly to everyday changes. Innovativeness has become the buzzword in HEIs, especially in those seeking prosperity and advancement. Innovativeness here refers to the individual’s disposition to accept changes, try new experiences, deal with ambiguity, take risks and embrace novel ideas. In the digital age, staff members experience nonstop changes in their workplace environments and have no option but to welcome such changes with open arms. Otherwise, they will most likely get a warm job farewell party. Despite the obvious significance of individual innovativeness, there remains a paucity of evidence on the antecedents and consequences of individual innovativeness in higher education. Two aims were established for this doctoral dissertation. For one, the dissertation sought to investigate the psychological and organisational factors contributing to individual innovativeness. For the other, the dissertation pursued the examination of the consequences of innovativeness and provided evidence on whether models studied in business and management fields are also valid for the higher education context. This article-based dissertation consists of four publications. Each one forms a part of the whole project. Study I, which was dedicated to organisational factors, explored how staff members perceive the cultures and growth atmospheres and the relationship between them in their departments/schools. It also examined whether differences exist in cultural perceptions based on staff members’ demographic variables. Study II, which was dedicated to psychological factors, examined the roles of implicit theory and goal orientation as predictors of innovativeness. Study III investigated the interaction between psychological factors (implicit theory and goal orientation) and organisational culture in predicting innovativeness. Study IV had a twofold objective. It inspected the staff members’ usage of technological devices, Office 365 (O365) Cloud services and social media. It also set out to prove the power of individual innovativeness in predicting technology usage. The research followed a cross-sectional correlational survey design. A total sample of 742 staff members working at Tampere University participated in the research. Two online self-reported questionnaires were administered during the 2015–2016 and 2016–2017 academic years. We analysed the data employing basic and advanced statistics, including structural equation modelling (SEM) and multilevel Bayesian path analysis. The findings suggested that one’s goal orientations are most relevant in interpreting his/her innovativeness or willingness to change. More specifically, individuals adopting mastery goal orientations (focusing on learning and improving one’s knowledge and skills) are more likely to be innovators, whereas individuals adopting performance-avoidance goal orientations (avoiding looking incompetent and incapable relative to others) are less likely to be innovators. Furthermore, our findings indicated that the dominant perceived culture at Tampere HEIs is Clan culture, which is characterised by coherent relationships among staff members and considerable attention paid to their professional development and gratification. In addition, only the Clan and Adhocracy culture types were found to support professional growth. Contrary to previous studies, this dissertation showed that departmental culture had neither a direct effect on innovativeness nor a moderation effect on the relationships between psychological factors and innovativeness. In terms of consequences, the results showed that technology was satisfactorily used by the staff members, although their professional usage was less than their personal usage. Our findings also confirmed that innovativeness is a significant positive–albeit weak–predictor of staff members’ usage of devices, non-academic social media and institutional O365 services. Finally, the dissertation showed that academics who were earlier adopters of academic social media and commercial services were later adopters of institutional O365 services. The findings have a number of important implications for theory and practice. Theoretically, this dissertation is one of the first attempts to integrate implicit theory and goal orientation, together with organisational culture, into one model predicting innovativeness. The model is also among the few that employ a multilevel modelling technique, which is more appropriate for this kind of data. It is worth noting that the results of the multilevel analysis emphasised the essential role of goal orientations, but not implicit theory, in predicting innovativeness. These results call researchers to revisit the mediation role of goal orientation between implicit theory and human attributes, taking into account the nested structure of their data. Moreover, this dissertation calls for a re-examination of the role of culture, taking the type of institution into account (academic vs business). Practically, the findings suggest several implications for HEI administrators and practitioners. First, the dissertation draws the attention of managers in that by allowing the staff flexibility, discretion and autonomy, this implicitly guarantees their professional growth. Second, administrators and supervisors should stimulate staff members’ orientations towards mastery goals and inhibit their orientations towards performance-avoidance goals. For example, feedback and appraisal should be self-referenced rather than other-referenced based. The criterion for performance judgment should focus on efforts rather than ability. Third, HEIs should take wise and fast decisions about technology adoption because late adoption implicitly means that staff members will resort to other commercial alternatives.Nykyisin korkeakoulut käyvät kilpailua huippujulkaisujen aikaansaamiseksi, tutkimusrahoituksen hankkimiseksi, tieteellisten patenttien hallitsemiseksi ja uusien teknologioiden seuraamiseksi ja omaksumiseksi muutosten hallitsemisessa. Innovatiivisuudesta on tullut korkeakoulusektorilla iskusana menestyksen ja edistyksen etsimiseen. Innovatiivisuudella viitataan tässä yksilöiden alttiuteen hyväksyä muutoksia, kokeilla uutta, käsitellä epäselvyyttä, ottaa riskejä ja ottaa vastaan uusia ideoita. Digitaalisella aikakaudella henkilökunnan jäsenten kokemukset jatkuvista muutoksista ja niiden avoin hyväksyminen on muodostunut välttämättömyydeksi. Ilman myönteistä suhtautumista he tulevat todennäköisesti saamaan lämpimät läksiäisjuhlat omasta työstään. Yksilön innovatiivisuuden ilmeisestä tärkeydestä huolimatta korkea-asteella on edelleen niukasti tutkimusta yksilöiden innovatiivisuuteen vaikuttajista ja seurauksista. Väitöstutkimukselle asetettiin kaksi tavoitetta. Ensinnäkin tutkimus pyrki selvittämään niitä psykologisia ja organisationaalisia tekijöitä, jotka vaikuttavat yksilön innovatiivisuuteen. Toiseksi tavoitteena oli tutkia innovatiivisuuden seurauksia ja todentaa ovatko liike-elämän ja johtamisen aloilla sovelletut mallit valideja myös korkeakoulutuksen kontekstissa. Artikkeliväitöskirja koostuu neljästä osatutkimuksesta. Organisationaalisiin tekijöihin liittyvä tutkimus I selvitti, miten henkilöstön jäsenet näkevät osastonsa/korkeakoulunsa kulttuurin ja kasvun ilmapiirin sekä niiden väliset suhteet. Lisäksi selvitettiin sitä, ilmeneekö henkilöstön jäsenten kulttuurikäsityksissä eroja heidän demografisten taustamuuttujiensa perusteella. Psykologisiin tekijöihin liittyvä tutkimus II selvitti implisiittisen teorian ja tavoiteorientaation roolia yksilön innovatiivisuuden ennustajina. Tutkimus III tarkasteli psykologisten tekijöiden (implisiittinen teoria ja tavoiteorientaatio) ja organisaatiokulttuurin yhteyksien merkitystä ennustettaessa innovatiivisuutta. Tutkimuksella IV oli kaksiosainen tavoite. Se tarkasteli henkilöstön jäsenten teknologioiden, Office 365 -pilvipalvelujen ja sosiaalisen median käyttöä. Samalla myös testattiin yksilön innovatiivisuuden merkitystä teknologian käytön ennustamisessa. Tutkimus toteutettiin poikkileikkausasetelmaisena korrelaatiotutkimuksena. Tutkimukseen osallistui eri osatutkimuksissa yhteensä 742 Tampereen yliopiston työntekijää. Tutkimusaineisto kerättiin lukuvuosien 2015–16 ja 2016–17 aikana kahdella verkkokyselyllä. Tutkimusaineiston analyysissa käytettiin tilastollisten perusanalyysimenetelmien lisäksi edistyneempiä menetelmiä, kuten rakenneyhtälömallinnusta (SEM) ja monitasoista Bayesilaista polkuanalyysia. Tehdyt havainnot osoittavat, että yksilön tavoiteorientaatiot ovat kaikkein merkittävin selittävä tekijä yksilön innovatiivisuudelle tai muutostaipumuksille. Täsmällisemmin sanottuna yksilön soveltamat tavoitteiden hallintaorientaatiot (oppimisen ja tietämyksen sekä taitojen kehittämiseksi) ovat todennäköisempiä innovaattoreille, kun taas välttämisorientaation soveltaminen (vältetään epäpätevyyden tai kyvyttömyyden kokemuksia suhteessa toisiin) on vähemmän todennäköistä innovaattoreille. Lisäksi havainnot osoittavat, että hallitseva organisaatiokulttuuri Tampereen korkeakouluissa on ns. klaanikulttuuri, jolle ovat luonteenomaisia tiiviit ryhmäsuhteet henkilökunnan jäsenten välillä ja huomion kiinnittäminen henkilökunnan ammatillisen kehittymisen tukemiseen. Vastoin aiempia tutkimuksia tämä väitöskirja osoittaa, että osasto/tieteenalakulttuurilla ei ole sen paremmin suoraa efektiä innovatiivisuudelle, kuin kohtuullista efektiä psykologisten tekijöiden ja innovatiivisuuden välillä. Tulokset osoittavat, että henkilöstön jäsenet käyttivät teknologiaa tyydyttävästi, vaikkakin heidän ammatillinen käyttönsä oli vähäisempää kuin yksityinen käyttönsä. Havainnot vahvistavat myös sen, että innovatiivisuus on merkittävä positiivinen – vaikkakin heikko – ennustaja henkilöstön käyttämien teknologioiden, ei-akateemisen sosiaalisen median ja instituution Office 365 -palveluiden käytölle. Lisäksi väitöstutkimus osoittaa, että akateemisen sosiaalisen median ja kaupallisten palveluiden varhaiset omaksujat ovat myöhemmin myös instituution Office 365 -palveluiden omaksujia. Tutkimuksen havainnoilla on useita tärkeitä vaikutuksia sekä teorialle ja käytännölle. Teoreettisesti tämä väitöskirja on yksi ensimmäisistä yrityksistä integroida implisiittinen teoria ja tavoiteorientaatio yhteen organisaatiokulttuurin kanssa innovatiivisuutta ennustavassa mallinnuksessa. Malli on myös yksi harvoista, jossa on käytetty monitasoista mallinnustekniikkaa, joka soveltuu paremmin tämänkaltaisen aineiston analyyseille. On huomionarvoista, että monitasomallien analyysitulokset korostavat tavoiteorientaation keskeistä roolia, mutta eivät implisiittistä teoriaa innovatiivisuuden ennustamisessa. Nämä tulokset tarkentavat tavoiteorientaation välittävää roolia implisiittisen teorian ja yksilöiden attribuutioiden välillä ottaen huomioon datan sisäkkäisen rakenteen. Lisäksi tämä väitöstutkimus arvioi uudelleen organisaatiokulttuurin merkitystä ja pyrkii ottamaan huomioon instituution tyypin (akateeminen vs. liiketoiminta). Käytännössä havainnot antavat aihetta useisiin johtopäätöksiin korkeakoulujen johdolle ja toimijoille. Ensinnäkin väitöstutkimus kiinnittää huomion siihen, että henkilöstön joustavuuden, harkinnan ja itsenäisyyden salliminen tukee epäsuorasti heidän ammatillista kasvuaan. Toiseksi johdon ja esimiesten tulisi edistää henkilöstön suuntautumista kohti tavoiteorientaatiota ja vastaavasti ehkäistä heidän suuntautumistaan suorituksen välttämistä koskevia tavoitteita kohti. Esimerkiksi palautteen ja arvioinnin tulisi olla pikemminkin henkilöä itseään koskevaa, kuin muihin vertaamiseen perustuvaa. Suoriutumisen arvioinnin tulisi keskittyä myös mieluummin ponnisteluihin kuin kyvykkyyteen. Kolmanneksi korkeakoulujen olisi tehtävä viisaita ja nopeita päätöksiä teknologian omaksumisesta, koska myöhäinen omaksuminen tarkoittaa implisiittisesti sitä, että henkilöstön jäsenet mieluummin turvautuvat muihin kaupallisiin vaihtoehtoihin

Open Government Data to improve Public Service Quality: an empirical validation through a Structural Equation Model

2017 - 2018Objective: The thesis focuses on the concept of Open Government Data (OGD) as a new approach to the management of public administrations (Pereira et al., 2017; Wang and Lo, 2016; Zuiderwijk and Janssen, 2014; Attard et al., 2015; Chan, 2013), based on the use of technologies for data treatment capable of favoring the affirmation of logics characterized by transparency, citizens’ involvement and participation in the processes, activities and services of the public sector (Dawes et al., 2016; Gonzalez-Zapata and Heeks, 2015; Ubaldi, 2013; Shadbolt et al., 2012). In particular, the objective of the work is to deepen the aspects and conditions enabling the management of Public Administration (PA) according to the OGD, as well as the impact of this approach on the quality of the public service provided to the community. The choice to carry out this study arises from the consideration according to which in literature, to date, there is no organic nucleus of empirical research aimed at investigating the stimulating factors of the ODG and the concrete effects on the public service quality resulting from the implementation of such an approach in public administrations. Methodology: The work starts from the analysis of the state of the art dedicated to the methods of conducting public administrations. Specifically, through a chronological excursus, the main approaches to the management of the PA (such as the Bureaucratic Model, New Public Management, New Public Governance, New Public Service, Open Government) were analyzed to represent the paradigmatic evolution leading to the affirmation of the OGD. The most important aspects (constructs) emerging from the analysis of the literature were further investigated to verify the existence of possible relations of influence between them. To this end, for each of the identified constructs, several items were selected for the construction of a questionnaire, administered to a sample of 567 Italian citizens. The results emerged from the answers provided by the citizens allowed defining and testing a Structural Equation Model (SEM), aimed at providing empirical evidences about the facilitating aspects of the OGD and the effects of its adoption within the PA in terms of public service quality for the community. Results: The findings highlight the existence of some crucial aspects, sometimes undervalued within the PA, which should be taken into account for the proper management of public administrations according to the logic of the OGD, especially in a historical moment characterized by an increasingly felt need to manage huge amounts of data in a transparent, participatory and collaborative way. In particular, according to the results of the analysis, it is necessary to encourage the dissemination of data-driven culture at every level of society so that citizens can take advantage of the benefits deriving from a thoughtful adoption of the ODG in the PA. Implications: The work provides both theoretical and managerial implications. From a purely theoretical point of view, the thesis offers its contribution under a twofold profile: methodological and conceptual. Regarding the first aspect, the study brings to light the results obtained by testing a SEM, which represents a methodology particularly appreciated for the analysis of data in the social sciences (Hair et al., 2016; Kline, 2015), especially since it allows verifying the interrelations between latent (not directly measurable) variables (Heck and Thomas, 2015; Duncan, 2014); with regard to the conceptual profile, the thesis favors the enrichment of the literature through the analysis of an approach to company management in a sector in which the studies in this regard are still fragmented. Regarding managerial implications, the identification of the most incisive aspects in managing public administration according to the Open Government Data provides policy makers and public sector executives with valuable information for the development of policies and strategies capable of improving the quality of the service rendered to citizens. In particular, the usefulness of the thesis should be seen in the fact that, through an empirical analysis, the work offers ideas to optimize the allocation of human, economic, technological and temporal resources. In other words, in presence of limited resources, as traditionally occurs in the public sector, knowing the aspects toward which investment should be opportunely directed could generate a considerable advantage for public domain services’ recipients. Research limitations: The study follows a quantitative approach based on the test of a Structural Equation Model, defined through the administration of questionnaires. The choice to resort to questionnaires, if on the one hand allowed building a large sample (made up of over 500 citizens), on the other hand reduced the depth of the analysis, since it prevented from investigating with high degree of detail the thought of each citizen involved in the sample survey. For this reason, the thesis takes shape as a starting point for a future research project to be carried out by using additional qualitative and quantitative methods, to be applied by means of both traditional (such as interviews) and innovative (such as social media analytics) techniques. [edited by author]XVII n.s. (XXXI ciclo

Security Enhanced Applications for Information Systems

Every day, more users access services and electronically transmit information which is usually disseminated over insecure networks and processed by websites and databases, which lack proper security protection mechanisms and tools. This may have an impact on both the users’ trust as well as the reputation of the system’s stakeholders. Designing and implementing security enhanced systems is of vital importance. Therefore, this book aims to present a number of innovative security enhanced applications. It is titled “Security Enhanced Applications for Information Systems” and includes 11 chapters. This book is a quality guide for teaching purposes as well as for young researchers since it presents leading innovative contributions on security enhanced applications on various Information Systems. It involves cases based on the standalone, network and Cloud environments

Keterlibatan Konsumen Dalam Kebaruan Produk

Involvement is a key word in the context of product novelty, when businesses are required to become more competitive in product innovation. This point of view forms the basis for understanding the two concepts of business existence. First, the demand to develop new products is directed to product innovation because technology is increasingly developing. Novelty needs to keep pace with technological advances as well as be market-oriented. Second, the business builds a collaborative commitment with its customers. This indicates a position where the relationship with the market demands an equal role. Businesses no longer take distance in building relationships with their markets. Thus consumers will gothrough a dynamic process in the experience of using the product, and businesses will continue to consistently motivate consumer learning in the process of product novelty adoption. This study aims to explain consumer’s learning experience on product novelty from the process of consumer involvement in the holistic experience of responding to product novelty. A combined quantitative-qualitative approach (mixed-method approach) is applied. The quantitative approach was carried out using SEM analysis with the SmartPLS tool on 113 respondents, while the qualitative approach was carried out using the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) technique on participant narratives. Furthermore, from the two approaches, an integration process was carried out to find the grand theme of consumer learning experiences in the context of their involvement in responding to product novelty. Through this research, it can be seen that the product novelty learning experience is formed through initial involvement to recognize, andcontinued involvement in using the product. The product novelty learning experience is the involvement of consumers in realizing essential realities, practical realities, and contextual realities.&nbsp

Integrated Internet Marketing Communications for the Global Market: An Empirical Examination

Strategy formulation, strategy implementation, and performance of Internet (online) marketing communications (IOMC) by companies when they attempt to target, reach, and communicate with the global market (i.e., both domestic and foreign markets) in order to promote and sell products to the members of that market was the broad phenomenon examined. The specific focus was on the use of a globally integrated marketing communications (GIMC) approach with IOMC and the creation of the global Internet integrated marketing communications (GI-IMC) concept. Relevant theories and theoretical models were identified and leveraged to serve as the theoretical foundation for the general theoretical framework, the research program framework, and/or the hypothesized conceptual model created and/or empirically examined at least partially. They included: industrial organization theory, the resource-based view, and the strategic fit paradigm (environment-strategy coalignment). In addition, various relevant research streams and concepts were described and examined in detail. They included: IOMC, international Internet marketing, integrated marketing communications, GIMC, and Internet integrated marketing communications. The Market Orientation construct was the lone independent variable or construct included in the initial four-construct model empirically examined. There were three stages of data collection: (1) pre-test, (2) pilot test, and (3) main test. A convenience sample of 73 academics or industry practitioners was utilized for the pre-test in order to make modifications to the survey instrument for subsequent rounds of data collection. Samples of qualified industry practitioners were then obtained for the pilot test (n=70) and main test (n=400) from online respondent panels provided by third-party vendors. Results included the creation of two new theoretical constructs (i.e., Global Internet Integrated Marketing Communications and Global Internet Marketing Communications Performance) and the formulation and preliminary validation of their measurement scales (though the hypothesized measurement model lacked discriminant validity, which prevented testing of the hypothesized structural model). In addition, a statistically significant positive relationship was found to exist between the Global Internet Integrated Marketing Communications construct and the Global Internet Marketing Communications Performance construct in a final two-construct model proposed and examined through post-hoc analysis. Implications of this research for researchers and practitioners are provided, as are future research directions

Sustainability in International Business

In a context best characterized by uncertainty and volatility, it is necessary to rethink the key concepts and assumptions underpinning the broad debate on international business. In brief, the world is more interconnected than ever, yet—as the cases of COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine confirm—supply chains are not immune to developments in politics and society. Other factors weigh in on the analysis too. Moreover, as the context in which businesses operate is ever more competitive, traditional approaches to building a competitive edge and succeed in foreign markets need to be reconsidered. Talent management might be the missing link. Hence, this book makes a case for a more direct engagement of the research community with this topic