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Although the literature on upselling has investigated different aspects of inducing upselling, there are limited discussions of the effect of past transactions on customers' acceptance of upsells. Building on the expectation-confirmation and reference dependence theories, this study utilized mixed-effect regression analysis to explore the extent to which customers' acceptance of upsells changes in response to their prior experience of unexpected gains via free upgrades. The results show that customers accept and spend more on upselling offers when they have experienced a free upgrade in a past transaction and that the effect of the free upgrade on upselling is positively moderated by the level of employee engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reflectively applies measurement tools to gage whether a renowned financier and champion of shareholder capitalism, in 20th century business history, might be categorized as a corporate psychopath. The article examines aspects of the career of the outstanding financial investment manager, Bernie Madoff. Psychopaths and corporate psychopaths are defined as background to the article. Gauges of corporate psychopathy and psychopathy are outlined which could be modified by market research companies to identify corporate psychopathy in organisations as a way of aiding investment decisions into such organisations. The current article concludes that insolvencies such as those at Madoff's investment company, have been distinguished by CEOs being present who were simultaneously the lauded agents of financial market capitalism and who embodied the traits of the corporate psychopath. The examination of potential corporate psychopaths using this historical methodology helps inform ideas about what the effects of psychopathic leadership may be within economies and gives new insights into the reasons for the greed, risk taking, and unethical practices found in financial markets. Findings support the accepted view that corporate psychopaths can be discovered in senior roles in the financial services sector. This current paper provides new avenues for research offerings from market research companies. For example, business to business researchers could undertake research to identify firms more likely to be longitudinally viable, sustainable and less likely to collapse (i.e., non-psychopathic firms). Investment companies like pension funds could use such research to identify firms that are less risky, more ethical, better led, and therefore safer to invest in. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cloud manufacturing is a manufacturing paradigm that integrates wide-area distributed manufacturing resources for distributed services over the Internet. Scheduling is a critical technique that determines the overall performance of a cloud manufacturing system. Robots are an important type of manufacturing resource in cloud manufacturing. Scheduling of robot production services is therefore an important research issue in cloud manufacturing. In cloud manufacturing, services can be selected at an enterprise level or a service level, which represents two types of ways of scheduling. Which way is better and how to select the optimal robot production services are issues that have rarely been considered. Recently, deep reinforcement learning (DRL) has been successfully applied to solving various scheduling problems from different fields. Given this, this paper investigates enterprise and service-level scheduling of robot production services in cloud manufacturing and explores the optimal ways and methods of scheduling with DRL. Deep Q-Networks (DQN) and its three modified algorithms, including Double DQN, Dueling DQN, and Average-DQN based on scheduling approaches are proposed. Effects of enterprise- and service-level robot production services selection methods in cloud manufacturing are studied. Comparative results indicate that overall the service-level selection method outperforms the enterprise-level method. The performance of the above-mentioned scheduling algorithms is further studied with the service-level selection method. Results indicate that the Average-DQN-based approach is able to generate scheduling solutions more efficiently and performs the best with respect to each metric. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How will structural change unfold beyond the rise of services? Motivated by the observed dynamics within the service sector we propose a model of structural change in which productivity is endogenous and output is produced with two intermediate substitutable capital goods. In the productive sector the accumulation of specialized skills leads to an unbounded increase in TFP, as sector becoming asymptotically dominant. We are then able to recover the increasing shares of workers, the increasing real and nominal shares of the output observed in productive service and IT sectors in the US. Interestingly, the economy follows a growth path converging to a particular level of wealth that depends on the initial price of capital and knowledge. As a consequence, countries with the same fundamentals but lower initial wealth will be characterized by lower asymptotic wealth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, we study multi-activity tour scheduling problems with heterogeneous employees in a service sector where demand varies greatly during the day. The goal is to reduce the overall over- and under- coverage. The shifts and breaks defined with variable starting periods and duration make the problem flexible and hard to solve. To address the problem, an integer programming (IP) model is first proposed. Due to the problem's complexity, it is impossible to solve instances involving numerous employees and activities in a timely manner. So we propose a heuristic method based on a large neighborhood search algorithm. A combination of context-free grammar (CFG) and resource-constrained shortest path problem is used to create weekly schedules. Moreover, we propose a constraint on task repetition that CFG is unable to express, so we incorporate an IP extension into our proposed algorithm. Importantly, our approach does not rely on any commercial solver like CPLEX. Computational experiments are carried out on the industrial and randomly generated instances to evaluate the performance of the exact IP model solved by CPLEX and the proposed heuristic algorithm. Results reveal that our method outperforms CPLEX in both solution time and solution quality in larger instances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper mainly studies the collaborative operation of a cross-border e-commerce supply chain composed of manufacturers, e-commerce platforms and foreign warehouses. Firstly, the decision models of transnational e-commerce enterprises based on decentralized, centralized, and hybrid modes are established. The sensitivity of the contract and each determining variable is analyzed using the simulation method. Through the joint contract of "revenue sharing + volume discount," the production efficiency of the enterprise and the logistics service of the international warehouse can be improved. The genetic algorithm combined with simulated annealing was adopted. Finally, a concrete example is given to verify the feasibility of the proposed method. The results show that the member departments can work together better under centralized decision-making compared to the decentralized management mode. Manufacturers to increase production capacity and improve the level of logistics services in overseas warehouses will help improve the profitability of cross-border e-commerce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digital transformation age introduces cybersecurity threats into the hospitality industry by increasing the exposure and vulnerability of hospitality firms' data and systems to hackers. The hospitality industry is a diverse segment of the service sector dedicated to the provision of services in areas such as accommodation, food and beverage, travel and tourism, and recreation, including hotels, restaurants, bars, travel agencies, and theme parks. Cybersecurity risks in the hospitality industry affect the data and systems of businesses such as accommodation, food, travel, and entertainment, primarily enabled by the industry's increasing digitization. This study aims to map the principal cybersecurity risks to the main stakeholders by proposing a novel Picture Fuzzy Sets (PFSs)-based Matrix of Alliances and Conflicts: Tactics, Objectives, and Recommendations (MACTOR) approach. The purpose here is to examine each stakeholder's position towards handling cybersecurity attacks and estimate the uncertain nature of personal judgments of industry representatives when stating their point of view. The research aimed to extract the triggering positions of the defined cybercrime risks to reach the root cause of these risks, as the point to try to mitigate first. Thus, this paper contributes to the literature in both theoretical and practical ways by proposing a new approach and by providing real industry officials' perspectives to solve the challenges. A hospitality practitioner can easily understand their position in this service network and take action to prevent such cybercrimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban high-density development has led to the emergence of complex three-dimensional pedestrian networks. As a crucial component of city centers, these networks significantly influence the spatial distribution of service industries. Understanding the correlation between pedestrian networks and service industry layouts is vital for effective planning and development. This study proposes a technical framework for analyzing the relationship between three-dimensional pedestrian networks and service industry layouts. Using the Xinjiekou central area in Nanjing as a case study, we constructed a three-dimensional pedestrian network model using the sDNA method. Focusing on catering formats, we introduced a method to study the spatial distribution characteristics of service industries in three-dimensional spaces and employed a graph convolutional network model to systematically analyze the correlation between pedestrian network closeness and betweenness with catering formats. The results indicate that pedestrian network closeness is significantly positively correlated with the number and average spending of catering formats, while betweenness shows almost no correlation. High-closeness areas, due to their traffic convenience and walkability, are more conducive to the concentration of catering formats and higher spending levels. Our findings provide valuable insights for catering format location decisions and the optimization of three-dimensional pedestrian networks, contributing to sustainable urban development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The business behavior towards innovation and its impact on the creation of new jobs of 113 firms in the Valencian Community (Spain) were analyzed between 2014 and 2020. The sample included manufacturing, services and trading enterprises; technological and non-technological companies; micro-, small, medium, and large enterprises; and locations across the entire geographical extent of the Valencian Community. The firms were divided into quartiles based on their level of employment growth, linearly correlating this variable with 14 innovation indicators for each of the resulting four groups, reflecting the innovative capacity of these firms. It was found that the factor linked to innovation capacity that most favors or drives business employment creation is co-operation with other companies, as it had a direct and significant relationship with the two highest growth groups (quartiles 4 and 3), with no negative relationship with either of the two lower growth groups (quartiles 2 and 1). This suggests that the public administration should increase efforts to create spaces for the exchange of ideas between companies and organizations to reduce unemployment levels. Overall, this study provides new insights into the subject, and its findings lead to the conclusion that firms with higher innovative capacity create more jobs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We depart from the classic bundling literature on single-unit purchases and develop a multi-unit demand model in which customers decide both the variety and volume of their purchased products. We integrate product bundling with two commonly used usage-based pricing schemes in the service industry, pay-per-use and subscriptions, and examine pricing tactics that span both variety and usage. Our model captures customers' diminishing margins of consumption, and we demonstrate an intricate interplay between product variety and usage that enriches existing results on the dominance of pure bundling over component selling in the classic single-unit demand model. Specifically, with multi-unit demands, component selling can outperform pure bundling under pay-per-use, whereas the reversal is true under subscriptions. We also analyze mixed bundling (on either variety or usage) and nonlinear pricing, and demonstrate how to leverage these more advanced pricing schemes for better revenues. Our results provide novel insights into firms' bundling strategies jointly on variety and usage. Collectively, they highlight the critical role of the customer demand model (single-unit vs. multi-unit) in driving monopoly firms' strategic choice of product (un)bundling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to investigate the effect of customer empowerment on their engagement on sharing platform in the retailing sector via the mediating role of service innovation and customer trust. This study utilized a quantitative design emphasizing mature theory research. The research sample consisted of 457 customers of sharing platform for the retailing sector, using a partial least square-structural equation model (PLS-SEM) for hypothesis testing. The result reveals that customer empowerment positively and significantly affects customer engagement directly and via service innovation as a mediating mechanism on the sharing platform. However, trust in the platform does not mediate this relationship. It is advisable to retailers on sharing platform to create a leading position in this market by enhancing customer engagement and promoting service innovation via customer empowerment. This paper develops a conceptual framework for customer engagement on sharing platform in the sharing economy via service innovation based on giving empowerment to customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the "dual carbon goals" and intensified international manufacturing competition, the green and high-end transformation of manufacturing is the direction for the industry's future growth in China. The study discusses the effect of producer service industry co-agglomeration and manufacturing on the transformation of manufacturing into being green and high-end. Firstly, we systematically elaborate on the mechanism of the collaborative promotion of high-end manufacturing by the service and manufacturing industries and propose research hypotheses. Based on the 2010 to 2020 Hunan Provincial Statistical Yearbook data, we used the coupling coordination model and entropy method to calculate the level of collaborative development between the manufacturing and service industry, as well as the level of green high-end development in the manufacturing industry. Lastly, the specific impact of the synergistic effect of the two industries on the green high-end transformation of the manufacturing industry was analyzed using the dynamic panel regression model. Results found that service industry manufacturing synergy has a noteworthy positive driving effect on the green and high-end transformation of manufacturing. However, the impact varies across different service industries and manufacturing sectors with different technological levels. We also provide some implications for improving transformation efficiency in the green and high-end manufacturing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on workplace bullying from the perpetrators' perspective is limited, leading to few interventions tailored to them. This gap stems from insufficient understanding of how organisational conditions and individual dispositions trigger or amplify perpetrator behaviour. To develop effective interventions in preventing bullying, perceived organisational factors were examined. This study, guided by the Job Demands–Resources (JD–R) model and the three-way model of workplace bullying (WB), aims to explore the effects of perceived (im)balances in the task or employee focus, social atmosphere (positive or negative), and hierarchical structure (high or low) in organisations on the incidence of WB, both in terms of perpetrator and target experiences. The research involved 1044 employees from multiple Spanish organisations and sectors: 51.7% in services, 24.6% in education, 14.5% in wholesale and retail trade, and 9.2% in manufacturing. The average age of participants was 35.43 years (SD = 10.9), with a female majority of 61.3%. Using a cross-sectional study design, the experiences of being a target and perpetrator were quantitatively assessed through validated WB target and perpetrator scales. Additionally, the study qualitatively examined employees' perceptions of their organisational context through free descriptions, using adjectives to depict their views. Correspondence analysis was employed to test the hypotheses, and the results affirmed them. The study found that perceived imbalances in organisational focus, social atmosphere, and hierarchy correlate with higher WB target and perpetrator reports, whereas balanced atmospheres correlate with no WB. This research underscores the significance of balanced organisational contexts in mitigating WB. It highlights a gap in the current literature regarding the broader organisational factors that influence bullying and advocates for a more in-depth understanding of these dynamics. Furthermore, it contributes to the existing body of knowledge by offering a comprehensive and harmonised approach to preventing WB, transcending isolated interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite its high share in national energy demand, the tertiary sector is an undifferentiated residual in the energy balances of most countries. To develop effective policy measures for enhancing energy efficiency, policymakers need a sound understanding of how the energy demand is structured. To date, only a few studies assess energy demand in the tertiary sector quantitatively. This paper aims to close this gap by introducing an integrated model that transparently breaks down the energy demand according to statistical subsectors, energy carriers and end-uses. The model combines a technology-based bottom-up with a top-down approach and applies it to a case study on Germany based on survey data from companies. Model validity is analyzed using a set of indicators. The results for Germany show that the model is consistent with the national energy balance showing an aggregate deviation of only 1%. The results for 2019 indicate that electricity demand in Germany's tertiary sector is dominated by lighting (35%), information and communication technologies (33%) and the provision of mechanical energy (9%), while fuel demand is mainly due to space heating (78%), followed by mechanical energy (15%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Three cases of outsourced facility management between national or international companies were investigated. • Safety management practices in outsourced facility management conform to those in safety critical industries. • However, the practice of review was not found, limiting learning. • Regulatory failures contribute to safety management challenges in outsourced facility management. Introduction: Outsourcing is a commonly occurring organizational activity, but one associated with negative occupational safety outcomes. Improving the management of safety in workplaces where contractors are employed is vital, but under-researched in the service sectors. The aims of this paper were to investigate both the practices and challenges of safety management in outsourced facility management (FM), an important global service sector. Method: Twenty-three semi-structured interviews were conducted with clients and contractors in three different FM outsourcing arrangements between large corporations in the UK. Data were thematically coded against frameworks derived from existing literature to identify deployed safety management practices and reveal challenges associated with safety management in these outsourced relationships. Results: Safety management practices in outsourced FM conformed to known practices clustering into four previously identified categories (planning, selecting, on-site working, and checking). A fifth category (reviewing) was not observed. Operating across national boundaries, applying national contracts locally, working with mandated KPIs, and contract specifications all created new challenges for safety management not previously reported. Other known challenges associated with economic pressure and disorganization were observed. Conclusion: Safety management practices observed in safety critical industries also apply in FM. However, the challenges of safety management in these three cases included regulatory failures that have not been routinely identified in other empirical studies of safety in outsourcing arrangements. Practical application: Adopting widely accepted safety management practices support safer working in outsourced FM and encourage cross-sector learning. New challenges for safety management noted here encourage consideration of unintended consequences of contract terms and conditions, require corporate agreement on how to ensure safety compliance when working transnationally, and a review of decision-making and processes and procedures to enable effective and safe working locally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to empirically validate the theories of missing linkages among major economic sectors (agriculture, industry and service) and jobless growth in the context of Indian economy using the RBI‐KLEMS database for the period 1980–2018. The study employs the ARDL framework to identify both short‐run and long‐run relationships between sectoral employment elasticity and sectoral share of value‐added with other covariates (specifically macroeconomic factors). Our empirical findings validate the prevalence of theory of missing linkages and jobless growth. Further, we found that weak linkages exist between agriculture, industry and service sectors. However, industry and services have strong interlinkages, whereas industry and agriculture have weak linkages, which leads to weak linkages between services and agriculture. Additionally, it was observed that macroeconomic factors do not exhibit a short‐term relationship with employment elasticities in explaining missing linkages. In fact, macroeconomic factors demonstrate a substantial long‐term association. Based on these interlinkages, the study proposes the potential for policies to stimulate growth across sectors. Nonetheless, policies aimed at improving the productivity of the primary sector remain a prominent solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research investigates the relationship between stablecoin usage and tax evasion. We present a model that includes variables related to transactions such as intensity, frequency, environment on-chain (P2P) vs. off-chain (IntraVasp), and company characteristics such as age, sector, and size. Our model was empirically tested using a logistic regression based on data from the Brazilian Federal Revenue Service (Receita Federal do Brasil (RFB)) in 2021. This novel approach aims to understand the tax behaviours associated with stablecoin use in corporate financial practices. Our results indicate that the intensity, frequency, environment of transactions (specifically IntraVasp and P2P transactions), age, sector, and size are factors significantly associated with tax evasion behaviour. However, we found no evidence to suggest that firms engaging in only P2P transactions have a higher propensity for tax evasion than those engaging only in IntraVasp transactions. Our findings reveal that younger and medium-sized companies with intensive use of stablecoin, with high stablecoin transaction frequency, engaging in IntraVasp and P2P transactions, and belonging to the service sector are more likely to evade tax. Therefore, our research provides a detailed understanding of how digital financial practices with crypto assets (blockchain-based technology) intersect with corporate tax strategies, which can offer valuable insights for regulators, industry practitioners, and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sharing economy is an economy that enables individuals to share their assets with or provide services to those in need through online platforms. Information asymmetry prevents consumers from effectively choosing the best service provider for their needs. Therefore, service providers should offer high-quality signals to address this problem. Unlike other studies, which have focused on platforms for sharing tangible assets (e.g., houses), in this study, we focused on platforms for sharing intangible assets (e.g., knowledge). Specifically, we adopted signaling theory to develop a research model for determining the internal and external signals that service providers should provide on their platforms to attract customers. Public data were collected from the Codementor platform by using Python web scraping. After rigorous data processing, the data obtained from 612 service providers were analyzed to identify key signals. Four crucial internal signals were identified: availability of follower information, availability of reviews, free trial, and service cost. In addition, two crucial external signals were identified: number of projects accomplished and endorsements from other websites related to mentor performance. Overall, our findings expand the application of signaling theory to intangible asset transactions and enable service providers to identify the essential signals that they should provide on their sharing economy platforms to increase the number of consumers interested in their services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine the mediating role of knowledge-sharing behavior (KSB) in the relationship between employee engagement and innovative work behavior (IWB). We collected 193 completed survey responses from employees working in the service sector in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Drawing on social exchange theory (SET), we employed hierarchical regression to analyze the research framework and the mediation effect. The primary findings indicate a significant positive association between employee engagement and IWB, as well as between employee engagement and KSB. Additionally, there is a significant positive association between KSB and IWB. Furthermore, employee engagement has an indirect effect on IWB via the mediating role of KSB. We recommend further research and practical investigation into how employee engagement contributes to enhancing knowledge-sharing behavior and IWB, ultimately improving organizational performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insurance companies are experiencing unprecedented growth due to several emerging technology functionalities that have transformed the industry's operations. Through the Three Horizons framework, this study explores the technical skills required to use artificial intelligence (AI) for the sustainability of insurance companies. Methodologically, it was carried out in two stages: First, defining the state-of-the-art, which included analysis of the current situation and studying technological surveillance. Second, technical skills and their strategic prevalence were identified for the design of each horizon. As a result, the adoption of AI in insurance companies allows them to transform their personal and data-intensive processes into engines of efficiency and knowledge, redefining the way companies in the sector offer their services. This study identifies the immediate benefits of AI in insurance companies. It provides a strategic framework for future innovation, emphasizing the importance of developing AI competencies to ensure long-term sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The FinTech market globally is emerging as an alternative to the traditional cash-driven economy. Although most of the population has adapted to the innovation that has taken place in the financial services sector, a substantial proportion of the population remains unbanked. It has a shallow awareness of the financial products and services available. Banks, financial service providers, investment advisers and business houses are attempting to adopt new technologies in collaboration with FinTech companies. Understanding consumer adoption and their experience of new technologies can help FinTech service providers integrate ideas and deliver seamless offerings. This article employs a systematic literature review of a total of 111 publications from 2016 to 2023 on the consumer adoption/acceptance of FinTech products and services. It identifies seven research clusters from the extant literature to note the trends in adoption and enlist the challenges faced by the usage of FinTech along with emerging trends in attention. The study used VOSviewer to provide the results of keyword analysis, world distribution and linkages of selected publications. The article explored the acceptance and reception of financial innovation in the past eight years as per the identified clusters which was shown by the increase in the number of publication's chart. It also contributes to the field by mentioning the benefits that have been reaped across industries and sectors with the adoption of FinTech by discussing the participation of authors in various clusters in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Portugal's tourism industry is essential to the nation's economy, significantly contributing to wealth creation and employment opportunities. However, the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 severely impacted this vital sector. The accommodation and food services were particularly hit, with many businesses facing widespread closures. By early 2022, Portugal's economy faced additional hurdles. Geopolitical tensions and rising inflation created further disruptions on a global scale, complicating the recovery process. Despite these obstacles, Portugal's accommodation and food services sector began to show promising signs of recovery. To gain a deeper understanding of these dynamics, this paper utilizes shift-share analysis to examine the postpandemic business landscape of Portugal's accommodation and food services sector, focusing on data from 2019 to 2022 for active businesses and the number of persons employed. This analytical method breaks down growth into national, sectoral, and regional components, providing a comprehensive view of the factors influencing recovery. The findings indicate that regional and industrial factors played a more significant role in driving recovery than national economic trends alone. Notably, regions such as the Algarve, Madeira, and Açores demonstrated remarkable resilience and growth. These areas benefited from their unique competitive advantages within the sector, which helped them navigate the challenging post-pandemic environment more effectively. The study's insights are invaluable for policymakers and investors. By understanding the importance of regional policies and innovation, stakeholders can make targeted decisions that enhance the sector's competitiveness and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Marketing of Scientific & Research Organizations / Marketing Instytucji Naukowych i Badawczych is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: Services organizations highly value proactive employees. Managers are interested in promoting frontline employees' proactive behavior because proactivity is crucial for organizational success. The mechanism of negative workplace gossip on workplace prosocial behavior is unclear. This research investigates the factors hindering this valuable behavior, specifically focusing on negative workplace gossip and employee anxiety, through the lens of the conservation of resources theory. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from a sample of 352 female frontline employees across diverse service organizations using a two-wave design. Statistical analyses were conducted using appropriate software (e.g., SPSS, AMOS) to test the hypothesized relationships. Findings: The study's findings reveal that negative workplace gossip reduces employees' proactive work behavior, and anxiety mediates the relationship between NWGS and proactive work behavior. Further, Neuroticism strengthens the relationship between NWGS and anxiety. These results offer a novel perspective on the detrimental consequences of gossip in services sector. Practical implications: Originality/value While research on negative gossip exists, this study specifically examines its impact on frontline service employees, a crucial but under-studied group in service organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on relevant research on the scheduling problem of home care appointments and path planning under time window constraints both domestically and internationally, this article considers the current situation of medical resource scarcity in the domestic home care industry and the characteristics of the home care industry that are different from general service industries. It proposes a clustering algorithm to study this problem and uses fuzzy time windows to describe customer needs under different task urgency. The practical results show that the proposed clustering algorithm can effectively analyze and solve the current development status and characteristics of the domestic home-based elderly care industry combined with a path planning scheme. Under the constraint of fuzzy time window, it studies the appointment scheduling problem under the conditions of determining service duration and fuzzy service duration, and finally proposes a solution method for the two types of problems, which has theoretical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

People with visual impairment in the public service sector face various issues and challenges in their work. Among the issues that visually impaired employees often face are transportation, skills and vocational training, education level, negative employer attitudes, lack of policy enforcement, and an environment that is not conducive to work. Besides that, visually impaired employees also have special needs compared to other workers. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore the needs of visually impaired employees in the public service sector. The design of this study is a case study using a qualitative method which is a semi-structured interview. This study was conducted around the Klang Valley area involving four informants consisting of three men and one woman. Interview recordings were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically. This study shows that there are three main needs for visually impaired employees in the public service sector, namely in terms of transportation needs, accessibility at work and convenience at work. Therefore, this study suggests that stakeholders take pro steps in meeting the needs of visually impaired employers in the public service sector so that their well-being can be improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employees currently face an increasingly demanding environment in terms of intrapreneurial behaviour due to the key role it plays in the survival of companies and the elimination of threats in the organisational environment. This paper investigates the antecedents of intrapreneurial behaviour in the service sector in southern Spain, analysing the relationships between it and authentic leadership, as well as the mediating role of practiced creativity, autonomy and meaningful work. This study uses a quantitative approach through the distribution of a questionnaire. A total of 333 employees completed the research questionnaire. The results show that although authentic leadership has a significant negative direct effect on intrapreneurial behaviour, it positively and significantly promotes it through practiced creativity and meaningful work. In contrast to the previous two mediations, the mediation of autonomy was not significant. This research provides empirical findings that can contribute to a better understanding of intrapreneurial behaviour by highlighting the importance of balanced, authentic leadership and offering guidance to organisations in designing a work climate that enhances organisational effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we construct heterogeneous agent general equilibrium models to investigate the relative importance of labor endowment in driving structural transformation. We aim to explore the following question: beyond the demand-side and supply-side structural transformation driving forces extensively studied in the existing literature, does labor, as a crucial endowment, play a pivotal role in facilitating structural transformation and the energy economy? In contrast to the prevalent partial equilibrium analyses, our study employs a general equilibrium framework to conduct a policy evaluation of college expansion, a significant policy that has altered the labor endowment structure in China. Our approach begins with developing a multi-sector model that integrates a nested CES production function and incorporates workers with different skill levels to assess the macroeconomic impact of college expansion on structural transformation. We calibrate the base model to reflect labor allocations across sectors and skill levels using the simulated method of moments (SMM), ensuring that the model-generated data align closely with actual labor allocation data. Utilizing this calibrated model, we perform counterfactual experiments to assess the impact and relative importance of the college expansion policy. Our counterfactual analysis demonstrates that the policy has resulted in an average decrease of 7.7% in labor allocation in the agricultural sector, alongside an average increase of 8.9% in the industry sector and 28.7% in the services sector. These results highlight the significant, yet often overlooked, contribution of labor in endowment-driven structural transformation. Furthermore, we extend the base model by constructing an industry-level heterogeneous agent general equilibrium model, enabling us to pinpoint which industries have developed as a result of the college expansion policy and recalibrate it at the industry level. This approach allows us to analyze the impact of changes in labor endowment on the energy economy. Counterfactual experiments conducted show that the college expansion policy has prompted a labor shift from industries with low energy efficiency and high pollution to high-end services. This macroeconomic pattern of structural transformation suggests that the college expansion policy has facilitated a transition toward a low-carbon economy by reducing dependency on high energy-consuming industries and promoting high-end services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Economics is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the current era, the government consistently emphasizes the pursuit of high-quality development, as evidenced by the ongoing increase in the tertiary industry's GDP share. As a crucial component of the modern service sector, logistics plays a pivotal role in determining the operational efficiency and overall quality of the industrial economy. This study focuses on constructing a Chongqing logistics express demand prediction index system. It employs an improved BP neural network model to forecast the logistics express demand for Chongqing over the next five years. Given the limited express demand data sequence and the normalized characteristics of the data, the selected training method is the Bayesian regularization approach, with the LeCun Tanh function serving as the hidden layer activation function. Additionally, a genetic algorithm is designed to optimize the initial weights and thresholds of the BP neural network, thereby enhancing prediction accuracy and reducing the number of iterations. The experimental results of the improved GA-BP network are analyzed and compared, demonstrating that the improved BP neural network, utilizing GA optimization, can more reliably and accurately predict regional logistics express demand. According to the findings, the forecast indicates that the logistics express demand for Chongqing in 2026 will be 2,171,642,700 items. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability has swiftly turned into a significant driver in the air conditioning industry, with many manufacturers focusing on sustainability integration within the sector. Given the fact that shipping has a tremendous impact on global energy consumption and environmental impacts, it is vital to integrate sustainability into company strategies so that sustainable growth can be achieved. This abstract takes into consideration the evolution of enduring competencies in Air Conditioner companies, particularly in India. Recent studies on HR competencies have mainly highlighted a few important competencies such as the adoption of energy-efficient technologies, environmental consciousness, Green HRM practices, and Corporate social responsibility (CSR). Challenges include the inability to devise resources, some resistance to taking up new technologies, and being out of sync with business strategies. The abstract highlights guidelines to overcome these barriers, including the incorporation of sustainability in organizational policies, raising industry-wide awareness, and providing expertise training in sustainable technologies. Through mastering these capabilities, air conditioning companies can improve the way their brand is perceived worldwide, become more environmentally friendly, as well as run leaner systems to support global sustainability goals. The implications of the review for educators, industry leadership, and policymakers in addressing air conditioning for a sustainable future are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores how digital servitization, which integrates technology-based services with traditional products, enables the transformation of industrial companies, making them more competitive. The provision of services supported by Industry 4.0 technologies significantly enhances the competitiveness of their traditional products. The analysis of 98 Spanish manufacturing companies shows that digital services increase their market performance. This work identifies the benefits and challenges of digital servitization and offers practical recommendations for adopting this strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper sought to analyze the behavior of regional economic disparities in regions by productive sectors in the geographic regions of Mato Grosso State in Brazil. For this, we used the methodological procedure based on the estimate of the Williamson Coefficient (Vw), using as a parameter the Gross Value Added (GVA) per capita for the economic sector and the resident population in the years 2002, 2010 and 2020. Furthermore, the GVA per capita of Mato Grosso State was used as a parameter to evaluate the intra-regional scenario. The results showed that the services sector presented the greatest regional convergence in the period between 2002 and 2020. The industrial sector is also moving towards greater regional homogeneity, however, with less intensity in some regions when observing the performance of the Vw. Regional differences were detected in the agricultural sector, with emphasis on the region of Sorriso, which presented the highest Vw significant value in 2020 in 2020. Furthermore, the regions of Cuiabá and Diamantino showed a moderate variation towards the highest regional divergence, that is, they are distancing themselves from the others in terms of homogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) spatial dimensions are witnessing paradigm shifts with the acceleration of digital transformation and adoption of disruptive technologies, emergence of Covid-19 which has triggered unexpected dynamics in the open system, erosion of brick-and-mortar paradigm in service sectors such as Financial Services and Information Technology, and blurring lines of locational advantages. Despite the intellectual continuity and diversity driving the premise of FDI-foreign location research stream, a comprehensive literature review of location attractiveness is lacking, especially in the context of the new norm. This paper systematically reviews the theoretical and empirical research on FDI location by content-analyzing 221 articles published between 1999 and 2023. Innovation, digital transformation, human capital, and knowledge-related assets are identified as the emerging trends and determinants influencing host-location attractiveness for FDI by MNEs in the new norm. This paper also provides recommendations for future research avenues aimed at enriching the body of knowledge in this research stream. Plain language summary: Whilst traditionally the offshoring spatial dimensions have been largely predictable, the emergence of Covid-19 and technology revolution has significantly altered the playing field. The traditional factors which influenced host location attractiveness in the past may no longer be applicable. There is an impending need to identify the determinants which are relevant and applicable in the new norm. Moreover, despite the intellectual continuity and diversity driving the premise of FDI-foreign location research stream, a comprehensive literature review of location attractiveness is lacking, especially in the context of the new norm. With these in mind, this paper systematically reviews the theoretical and empirical research on FDI location by analyzing 221 articles published between 1999 and 2023, to identify the emerging trends on what makes a location attractive for FDIs by MNEs. Through rigorous content analysis, the emerging themes and trends on locational studies were first identified, and subsequently these were linked to recent global phenomenon (Industry 4.0 led digitalization and disruptive technologies and ripple effects from Covid-19 pandemic) to draw implications on the critical factors which influence host-location attractiveness in the new norm. Based on the review, five key determinants were predicted to have a dominant influence: human capital investment, absorptive capacity, knowledge creation, innovation capability, and ICT infrastructure advancement. These factors can be exploited to create or upgrade competitive advantages in order to amplify host location attractiveness. Future research avenues are also recommended based on the findings from this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contrary to the production sector, the use of statistical quality control charts is quite limited in the service sector. In this study, it was investigated how and for what purpose different quality control charts can be used in the urban public transportation sector, which is one of the most important service sectors affecting the quality of life in a city. In this regard, Shewhart, EWMA and CUSUM control charts have been used to monitor the variables of the number of passengers on the bus in 715 trips of 55 days and the total number of boardings for 55 days on a sample bus route. The results show that Shewhart charts for tactical planning, EWMA and CUSUM charts for operational planning can be useful for quality monitoring and improvement in urban public transportation sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the adherence of food retailers, restaurants and hotels in Muscat Governorate to the precautionary measures to control the spread of COVID-19. This study found that only 18% of hotels implemented a Food System Management System (FSMS) while no restaurant or retailer implemented any FSMS. The majority of food retailers (89%) and restaurants (96%) did not conduct COVID-19 measures assessment while the assessment was conducted by 53% of caterers. All caterers assessed visitors/suppliers on COVID-19 symptoms and 94% of them kept details in a record book, followed by 96 and 76 %, respectively in retailers and restaurants. Safety distancing measure, signs, barriers and one-way system were implemented by different food establishments at different percentages. Covid-19 pandemic resulted in several changes in the food hygiene-related practices, such as hands sanitizing, wearing gloves and wearing masks. In conclusion, the overall adherence level of the food establishments toward health and symptoms monitoring, physical distancing, and face mask wearing was relatively high. The Era resulted in the introduction of hygienic practices that have been always recommended in the food service sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The domestic service sector in Argentina is significant for many women workers. It is a highly feminized sector, closely tied to caregiving, and extremely diverse due to the variety of tasks, work modalities, and hours involved. Performed behind "closed doors", this profession inherently faces challenges in unionization and collective organization. This article analyzes the experiences of organization and collective participation sustained through digital mediation by paid domestic workers. The study ethnographically examines two organizations in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires mediated by digital technologies: a small traditional union holding online assemblies via Facebook and a non-unionized workers' WhatsApp group. The common thread is that engagement and participation were made possible through the use of socio-digital platforms. Several questions are explored through participant observation in these spaces: How do workers experience participation in collective spaces mediated by digital technologies? What are the scope and limitations of using these platforms in their daily lives and union participation? What other forms of political-union participation exist in virtual interstices? The creation of political-union networks has great potential as they can alter workers' material conditions and defend their labor rights. They can also serve as spaces for recognition and self-valuation that transform how workers perceive themselves and their fellow workers as a collective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates corruption in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Using World Bank’s BEEPS IV and BEEPS V surveys, we investigate the degree of corruption in these countries for different industries. We focus on the manufacturing sector, the services sector, and the core sector, and focus on corruption related to customs/imports, courts, and taxes/tax collection. We find that the overall degree of corruption for all three sectors is somewhere between “seldom” and “never”. Our results show that, for all three sectors, the degree of corruption is the highest in taxes/tax collection and the lowest in courts. Again, for all three sectors, shareholding firms with shares traded in the stock market and limited partnerships suffer the most. While for the manufacturing and services sectors, larger firms suffer the most, for the core sector, medium-sized firms suffer the most. When we compare the manufacturing sector to the other sectors, we find that while the overall level of corruption is similar in the manufacturing sector and the other sectors, manufacturers face a higher degree of corruption in transactions related to customs/imports and taxes/tax collection when compared to the other sectors. We do not find any significant difference between the manufacturing sector and the other sectors with respect to the degree of corruption related to courts. Overall, our findings indicate that policymakers in the region need to protect manufacturers from requests/demands for additional payments or gifts by customs authorities and/or by tax collectors and auditors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The aviation business is well-known for its high dependability, and this article analyses and contrasts the employment characteristics in that sector with those in the general service sector. It emphasises the specific knowledge, abilities, and mental aspects needed for each industry. Because of its exclusive emphasis on resilience and proactive safety management, the aviation industry's high reliability organisation (HRO) operates differently from other HROs including healthcare, nuclear power, and chemical plants. The practical application of High Reliability Organisations Theory (HROT) in aviation is most prominent in air traffic control (ATC), where a major focus is placed on resilience engineering and methodical procedures to maintain high safety standards. While both sectors value efficient operations and satisfied customers, the aviation industry is more concerned with safety, technological know-how, and following regulations. In order to compare it with other industries, the article applies the Job Characteristics Model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transport demand has been increasing in most third-world countries. However, poorly maintained facilities and poor planning exposed pedestrians to hightraffic accidents. This paper aims to evaluate pedestrian facilities using the pedestrian level of service to enhance pedestrian safety in Addis Ababa. Relevant data was collected through field measurement and direct observation from 13 purposively identified pedestrian sites across the Piyasa to Bole bridge and Megenagna to Torihayloch road corridors. Pedestrian level of service derivation considered capacity, traffic, comfort, safety, and security conditions and their sub-components. The weight of each criterion and sub-factor was decided according to the Saaty scale using the judgment of experts under the analytical hierarchical process. The result of the study strongly stipulates the presence of the problem of pedestrian facilities in Megenagna, Mexico, Urael Church, and Golagol which can affect the level of pedestrian safety. However, Denibel City, Legahare, Torhayloch, and National Theater sites have scored better Pedestrian level of service for the walking population. Finally, the study recommended the requirement of prior attention for the sites with very poor and poor pedestrian levels of service by the concerned sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Religación: Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades is the property of Religacion: Revista de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The growth and sustainable development of companies depend on their ability to adequately and effectively identify and utilize innovative strategies. The aim of the study is to determine the results of the innovative strategy of international small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) in times of economic crisis. The research involved 360 owners and managers of international SMEs in the European Union. The study used tabular and graphical methods, surveys, questionnaires, and correlation and regression analysis. It was found that 82.7% of SMEs improved their production processes, while 62.8% implemented innovations by acquiring new products or equipment. It was established that 82% of enterprises implemented innovative strategies in the commercial or trade sector, 73.2% in the service sector, and 77.7% in other sectors. The models developed in the study contribute to the modern development of the economy since they analyze the relationship between innovative strategies and determinants affecting their successful implementation and implementation. Prospects for further research include analyzing the types of innovative strategies that prevail in the activities of international SMEs, as well as their size and sectors of activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the complex factors hindering entrepreneurial aspirations in Lebanon, focusing on the absence of a functional financial system and its impact on entrepreneurial intentions. Drawing on surveys conducted with 325 Lebanese participants across three generations, using ordinal regression, the research reveals crucial determinants of entrepreneurial intentions, emphasizing the roles of entrepreneurial attitude, the absence of banking sector services, optimism, risk propensity, and age. Positive attitudes and optimism correlate with stronger intentions; however, the weakened economic situation and lack of a functional financial system diminish this positive correlation. Demographic factors like gender and education do not significantly influence intentions. In addition, the study reveals differences in entrepreneurial intentions determinants across the three generations of X, Y, and Z. This study underscores the urgent need for financial system reforms in Lebanon to enhance stability while advocating for financial literacy programs and private sector initiatives to empower entrepreneurs and expand their businesses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]