Cryptocurrencies as a financial tool: acceptance factors

Cryptocurrencies are a new form of digital asset that operate through blockchain technology and whose purpose is to be used as a means of exchange. Some, such as bitcoin, have become globally recognized in recent years, but the uncertainty surrounding cryptocurrencies raises questions about their intended use. This study has the task of investigating the different factors that affect the intention behind the use of cryptocurrencies by developing a new research model and using Partial Least Squares (PLS) to assess it. The results show that all the constructs proposed have significative influence, either directly or indirectly, on the intention behind the use of cryptocurrencies. The findings provide value and utility for companies’ and cryptocurrencies’ intermediaries to formulate their business strategies

Analysis of university professors in economic sciences: PMH scale and technostress as main antecedents of academic self-perception

In order to establish the relationship between the academic self-perception of university professors according to their gender, which takes into account the internal and external factors, such as technostress, the PMH scale (unidimensional Positive Mental Health Scale) and the factors that are related to an organization, which is understood to be a university, are the climate and the commitment of the professor, which are the constructs that were used in our research. The research was conducted by using a sample of 161 active university professors of economics from both sexes. The analysis of the results that were obtained were conducted via a mixed analysis using symmetric methodology (partial least squares structural equation modeling “PLSSEM”). In addition, a multigroup analysis (Partial Least Squares Multi-Group Analysis “PLS-MGA”) was performed according to the sex as well as asymmetric (Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis “fs/QCA”), which is where the different combinations of the antecedents that lead to the common result are established. Technostress is unequally related to the model variables. It is significant with respect to Academic Self-perception (AS), Organizational Climate (OC), and PMH-Scale (PMH), which even results in a positive relationship with OC and PMH This indicates that in academia certain levels of technostress can generate positive results. This fact is also demonstrated by the presence of the variable in the solutions that were generated using the asymmetric method. The demands of the new technological adoptions among university professorsare generating the modification of perceptions and therefore behavior. Therefore, it is necessary to control the level of technostress assumed by men from the teaching centers as well as regulating the technological contributions and their introduction in the classrooms. The study proposes a novel approach due to the implementation of a mixed methodology of analyses. Most previous analyses have focused on case studies or students. The conclusions are relevant for the necessary technological implementation in university classrooms

Intention to take COVID-19 vaccine as a precondition for international travel: application of extended norm-activation model

The COVID-19 pandemic is a serious threat to human health, the global economy, and the social fabrics of contemporary societies as many aspects of modern everyday life, including travel and leisure, have been shattered to pieces. Hence, a COVID-19 mandatory vaccination as a precondition for international travel is being debated in many countries. Thus, the present research aimed to study the intention to take the COVID-19 vaccine as a precondition for international travel using an extended Norm-Activation Model. The study model integrates a new construct, namely mass media coverage on COVID-19 vaccination as additional predictor of intention to take the COVID-19 vaccine. The survey data were collected from 1221 international travelers. Structural equation modelling shows a very good fit of the final model to the data; the conceptual model based on extended Norm-Activation Model was strongly supported. Awareness of consequences related to the COVID- 19 pandemic on individuals’ health has shown a positive effect on individuals’ ascribed responsibility to adopt emotionally driven (anticipated pride and anticipated guilt) pro-social behaviors that activate a personal norm towards altruistic and pro-mandatory vaccination-friendly behavior. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed

Influence of macroeconomic indices on European private labels

In this study, we have analysed the impact and evolution of some of the most important macroeconomic indices on market share and value of private labels. The originality of this paper is the linkage of macroeconomic variables of European countries and the evolution of private labels in these nations. This relationship may show the development of commercial distribution with regard to macroeconomic indices. A sample of 13 European countries and a period of 14 years have been collected, including data of private brands and macroeconomic indices. Panel Data analysis has been applied using SAS software. The percentage of female unemployment negatively affects the volume and value of private label, unlike male unemployment, which affects them positively. The GDP influences positively and slightly both the volume and the value of store brands. In addition, the fact that the percentage of urban population has a positive influence on the value of private brands but not on their volume is noteworthy. Last but not least, only the estimation of value of private label in Spain shows a significant positive increase in following years. Eight countries of the sample indicate the opposite trend

Regional analysis of the private label in online shopping

El principal objetivo de este trabajo es analizar el comportamiento regional del consumidor al adquirir un producto online con marca de distribuidor (MDD), basándonos en las relaciones de la MDD con respecto a la cuota MDD online por Comunidades Autónomas en España. En este estudio se analizaron un total de 17.484 compras online de MDD y 92.094 compras online de marcas de fabricantes. Con estos datos se han desarrollado modelos de regresión de clases latentes. Los resultados confirman que la relación entre importe de la MDD y las variables importe de la compra total, compra de productos sin marca y de marca de fabricante en el canal online varía entre comunidades autónomas, no siguiendo un mismo patrón para los usuarios online, aunque el medio sea el mismo.The main objective of this work is to analyze regional consumer behavior when purchasing a private label product online, based on the relationships of the PL with respect to the online PL quota by regions in Spain, assortment of online PLs and purchase online of PLs. In this study, a total of 17,484 online purchases of PL and 92,094 online purchases of manufacturers' brands were analyzed. With these data, latent class regression models have been developed. The results confirm that the relation between PL purchase amount and the variables total purchase amount, purchase of unbranded products and manufacturers brands in the online channel varies between regions, not having an equal behavior for all online users, even using the same retail environment

El Greenwashing o como destapar estrategias comerciales de ventas falsas que se apoyan en una filosofía "verde"

En nuestro trabajo partimos del estudio de la forma en que las empresas utilizan el Green Marketing en su estrategia comercial, y como lo “verde” se integra como una filosofía que está impregnada en la cultura empresarial de la organización. Partiendo de lo anterior, hemos descubierto que en muchos períodos esta estrategia verde es un argumento para obtener mejores resultados, más que una idea interiorizada en la organización, a esto es lo que denominamos Greenwashing. A lo largo del artículo hemos revisado la literatura que existe sobre el tema objeto de estudio, y como resultado hemos desarrollado un completo modelo teórico utilizando las variables más relevantes encontradas en esta investigación, y que mejor pueden estudiar este fenómeno del Greenwashing.In our work, we start from the study of how companies use Green Marketing in their business strategy, and how the "green" is integrated as a philosophy that is impregnated in the business culture of the organization. Based on the above, we have discovered that in many periods, this green strategy is an argument for better results, rather than an idea internalized in the organization, this is what we call Greenwashing. Throughout the article we have reviewed the literature that exists on the subject under study, and as a result we have developed a complete theoretical model using the most relevant variables found in this research, and that can best study this Greenwashing phenomenon

Elements of the communication mix: Teaching innovation applied to the introductory marketing subject

La innovación docente forma parte de la evolución del profesorado y como tal, se aplica en esta comunicación que forma parte del Programa de Formación e Innovación Docente del Profesorado 2021. Esta comunicación tiene como base la asignatura de Introducción al Marketing impartida en el doble grado de Administración de Empresas y en Derecho. Se ha partido de un modelo rígido e inflexible para finalizar con un modelo flexible y adaptado al tiempo medio de las sesiones. Los resultados obtenidos han puesto de manifiesto la importancia de una renovación metodológica para fomentar la implicación del alumno.Teaching innovation is part of the evolution of the teaching staff and, as such, it is applied in this communication, which is part of the 2021 Teacher Training and Teaching Innovation Program. This communication is based on the subject of Introduction to Marketing taught in the double degree of Business Administration and Law. It has started from a rigid and inflexible model to end with a flexible model adapted to the average time of the sessions. The results obtained have shown the importance of a methodological renovation to promote student involvement

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (3rd edition)

In 2008 we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, research on this topic has continued to accelerate, and many new scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Accordingly, it is important to update these guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Various reviews have described the range of assays that have been used for this purpose. Nevertheless, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to measure autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. For example, a key point that needs to be emphasized is that there is a difference between measurements that monitor the numbers or volume of autophagic elements (e.g., autophagosomes or autolysosomes) at any stage of the autophagic process versus those that measure fl ux through the autophagy pathway (i.e., the complete process including the amount and rate of cargo sequestered and degraded). In particular, a block in macroautophagy that results in autophagosome accumulation must be differentiated from stimuli that increase autophagic activity, defi ned as increased autophagy induction coupled with increased delivery to, and degradation within, lysosomes (inmost higher eukaryotes and some protists such as Dictyostelium ) or the vacuole (in plants and fungi). In other words, it is especially important that investigators new to the fi eld understand that the appearance of more autophagosomes does not necessarily equate with more autophagy. In fact, in many cases, autophagosomes accumulate because of a block in trafficking to lysosomes without a concomitant change in autophagosome biogenesis, whereas an increase in autolysosomes may reflect a reduction in degradative activity. It is worth emphasizing here that lysosomal digestion is a stage of autophagy and evaluating its competence is a crucial part of the evaluation of autophagic flux, or complete autophagy. Here, we present a set of guidelines for the selection and interpretation of methods for use by investigators who aim to examine macroautophagy and related processes, as well as for reviewers who need to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of papers that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a formulaic set of rules, because the appropriate assays depend in part on the question being asked and the system being used. In addition, we emphasize that no individual assay is guaranteed to be the most appropriate one in every situation, and we strongly recommend the use of multiple assays to monitor autophagy. Along these lines, because of the potential for pleiotropic effects due to blocking autophagy through genetic manipulation it is imperative to delete or knock down more than one autophagy-related gene. In addition, some individual Atg proteins, or groups of proteins, are involved in other cellular pathways so not all Atg proteins can be used as a specific marker for an autophagic process. In these guidelines, we consider these various methods of assessing autophagy and what information can, or cannot, be obtained from them. Finally, by discussing the merits and limits of particular autophagy assays, we hope to encourage technical innovation in the field

Análisis de la marca de distribuidor en el entorno online y offline

En el presente trabajo se estudia la marca de distribuidor desde varios puntos de vista. En primer lugar, investigando el ámbito offline, determinando algunos indicadores macroeconómicos y cómo pueden afectar estos a la variable analizada. En el mismo sentido, hemos estudiado la evolución a nivel nacional e internacional, siguiendo las últimas líneas de investigación en la materia, tanto en la marca de distribución como en su variante Premium (PPL). Una vez determinado donde se sitúa la marca de distribuidor en este ámbito, se ha estudiado el entorno online, donde hemos encontrado varios vacíos en la literatura, por lo que hemos focalizado nuestros esfuerzos a sentar los pilares para futuras investigaciones en la materia. Se han alcanzado los siguientes objetivos con las diversas investigaciones llevadas a cabo en esta tesis doctoral: 1. Estudiar la evolución internacional que ha tenido la marca de distribuidor. Muchas grandes cadenas multinacionales de distribución están encontrando en esta práctica el camino para el éxito y la expansión internacional. Para ello hemos utilizado datos macroeconómicos de la marca de distribuidor en países de Europa, Asia y América. 2. Analizar la relación entre varias variables macroeconómicas de diversos países europeos con respecto al valor y el volumen de marca de distribuidor alcanzado. Para dar respuesta a esta cuestión se estudia si el incremento del gasto en estas marcas por parte de los consumidores de varios países europeos en los últimos años, viene provocado por un empobrecimiento de la población (medido por el PIB y el porcentaje de desempleo), por una población más concentrada en las ciudades y, por tanto, con más fácil acceso a las grandes cadenas de distribución, o si realmente es una tendencia no relacionada con estos factores. 3. Determinar, teniendo a España como marco geográfico del estudio, si el surtido en marca de distribuidor puede ser considerado como un factor potenciador de diferentes variables comerciales como pueden ser la cuota de marca de distribuidor y las ventas en promoción. Se presenta en relación con este punto la evolución mensual del porcentaje del surtido en marcas de distribución desde diciembre de 2012 hasta diciembre de 2014. 4. Profundizar en la relación entre la marca de distribuidor en el contexto online con respecto a tres pilares claves, cuota marca de distribución online por Comunidad Autónoma en España, surtido de marca de distribuidor online y compra media de marca de distribuidor online. Para ello se han desarrollado modelos de regresión de clases latentes. 5. Examinar la marca Premium en distribuidores minoristas de alimentación en el canal offline y online, centrándonos en la calidad percibida, valor de marca, valor percibido, valor consciente y la imagen de marca. Realizaremos una aportación interesante en las investigaciones incorporando el estudio de la marca de distribuidor Premium en el entorno de las redes sociales

Private label and macroeconomic indexes: an artificial neural networks application

Retail companies operate with a private label assortment of 40–45% of their total assortment, which has led to a significant growth of private labels in recent years in their countries of origin; however, when retail companies decide to internationalize, it is important to know which macroeconomic indicators are more relevant when entering a new country or continent. For that reason, in this study we have as a main objective to establish which are the most transcendental macroeconomic variables for the volume and value of the private label. For this purpose, we have analyzed a total of 1400 samples, creating an artificial neural network (ANN). The results show that the most important macroeconomic indicator that must be taken into consideration above other macroeconomic indicators for retail companies to be successful within a country is the per capita debt. In addition, we have considered in this research that unemployment is not the most important primary indicator for the volume of the private label