Search Results (154)

The growing challenge of disinformation in the digital age poses significant hurdles for NGO communication practitioners, particularly in engaging Generation Z. Low digital literacy among young individuals also offers an explanation for lower levels of civic engagement. This study explores young people’s perceptions of civic engagement and the effects of disinformation through qualitative focus group discussions. Eight focus groups comprising young adults were conducted to gather insights into their motivations, experiences, and perspectives regarding social and political issues as well as fake news combating strategies. Findings from this research will contribute to the existing literature on the relationship between youth, fake news, and civic engagement. The results indicate that youth primarily rely on social media for information, with Instagram emerging as a key platform for real-time updates. While participants recognise the importance of credible sources, many demonstrated superficial strategies for assessing reliability, such as evaluating the number of followers or brand reputation, which may leave them vulnerable to fake news. This tendency highlights a gap between formal digital literacy education and actual media consumption practices. Ultimately, the findings underscore the critical need for education and awareness to equip young individuals with the tools necessary to discern credible information and engage meaningfully in civic discourse, offering valuable insights for civic NGO communication strategies. Full article

This study explores how AI chatbot experiences on travel websites influence consumer engagement, with satisfaction from using AI chatbots as a mediating factor. Grounded in the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, the research shifts the focus from utilitarian models to examine how chatbot attributes—e.g., ease of use, information quality, security, anthropomorphism, and omnipresence—affect satisfaction of using AI chatbots and subsequent consumer engagement behaviours. Survey data from 519 Portuguese travellers were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The study contributes to theory by (1) demonstrating S-O-R’s advantages over utilitarian models in capturing relational and emotional dimensions of AI interactions, (2) identifying satisfaction with using AI chatbots as a pivotal mediator between AI chatbot experience and consumer engagement, and (3) revealing generational disparities in drivers of engagement. Notably, satisfaction strongly influences engagement for Generation X, while direct experience matters more for Generation Z. Millennials exhibit a distinct preference for hybrid human–AI service handoffs. The practical implications include prioritizing natural language processing for ease of use, implementing generational customization (e.g., gamification for Gen Z, reliability assurances for Gen X), and ensuring seamless human escalation for Millennials. These insights equip travel businesses to design AI chatbots that foster long-term loyalty and competitive differentiation. Full article

This study explores how Turkish Generation Z adapts their fashion consumption behaviours in response to economic crises, particularly focusing on involuntary anti-consumerism. Through a qualitative methodology using semi-structured interviews and purposive sampling, the research captures the coping strategies and emotional experiences of young consumers in Türkiye. A thematic analysis of fifteen interviews reveals an original “8Rs” framework—Reject, Restrict/Reduce, Reuse/Reclaim, Re-find, Reconsider, Re-framing Discounts, Re-direction of Resources, and Emotional Responses—that illustrates both behavioural and psychological adjustments under financial strain. Notably, the study introduces two novel concepts: “recession rush,” a calculated urgency to purchase before price hikes, and “re-direction of resources,” the reallocation of budget from other categories toward fashion purchases. By focusing on a geographically underrepresented context and a pivotal consumer segment, this research contributes new insights to the literature on anti-consumption, economic adaptation, and youth identity expression in crisis economies. Full article

This research examines the cognitive and psychological mechanisms underlying young adults’ reactions to ESG-labeled online advertisements, specifically resistance to persuasion and purchase intention. Based on dual-process theories of persuasion and digital literacy theory, we develop and test a structural equation model (SEM) of perceived greenwashing, online advertising literacy, source credibility, persuasion knowledge, and advertising skepticism as predictors of behavioral intention. Data were gathered from 690 Greek consumers between the ages of 18–35 years through an online survey. All the direct effects hypothesized were statistically significant, while advertising skepticism was the strongest direct predictor of purchase intention. Mediation tests indicated that persuasion knowledge and skepticism partially mediated perceptions of greenwashing, literacy, and credibility effects, in favor of a complementary dual-route process of ESG message evaluation. Multi-group comparisons revealed significant moderation effects across gender, age, education, ESG familiarity, influencer trust, and ad-avoidance behavior. Most strikingly, women evidenced stronger resistance effects via persuasion knowledge, whereas younger users and those with lower familiarity with ESG topics were more susceptible to skepticism and greenwashing. Education supported the processing of source credibility and digital literacy cues, underlining the contribution of informational capital to persuasion resilience. The results provide theoretical contributions to digital persuasion and resistance with practical implications for marketers, educators, and policymakers seeking to develop ethical ESG communication. Future research is invited to broaden cross-cultural understanding, investigate emotional mediators, and incorporate experimental approaches to foster consumer skepticism and trust knowledge in digital sustainability messages. Full article

In recent years, the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly transformed higher education, particularly among Generation Z students who are more open to new technologies. Tools such as ChatGPT are increasingly being used for learning, yet empirical research on their acceptance, especially in Hungary, is limited. This study aims to explore the psychological, technological, and social factors that influence the acceptance of AI among Hungarian university students and to identify different user groups based on their attitudes. The methodological novelty lies in combining two approaches: partial least-squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) and cluster analysis. The survey, based on the TAM and UTAUT models, involved 302 Hungarian students and examined six dimensions of AI acceptance: perceived usefulness, ease of use, attitude, social influence, enjoyment and behavioural intention. The PLS-SEM results show that enjoyment (β = 0.605) is the strongest predictor of the intention to use AI, followed by usefulness (β = 0.167). All other factors also had significant effects. Cluster analysis revealed four groups: AI sceptics, moderately open users, positive acceptors, and AI innovators. The findings highlight that the acceptance of AI is shaped not only by functionality but also by user experience. Educational institutions should, therefore, provide enjoyable and user-friendly AI tools and tailor support to students’ attitude profiles. Full article

As Generation Z gradually becomes the dominant consumer group, the catering industry, as a critical sector affecting people’s livelihood, warrants an in-depth investigation into its consumption decision mechanisms. This study, grounded in the online–merge–offline (OMO) context, empirically examines the impact mechanism of frontline employee service competence on the repurchase decisions of Generation Z consumers in the foodservice sector, while testing the mediating roles of customer satisfaction and brand trust, as well as the moderating effect of the OMO scenario. Data were collected via a survey of 326 Generation Z customers who consumed in integrated OMO dining environments. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed for the data analysis. The findings reveal that frontline employee service competence significantly and positively influences consumer repurchase intention and customer satisfaction, but does not have a significant effect on brand trust. Customer satisfaction fully mediates the relationship between employee service competence and repurchase decisions, whereas brand trust, despite having the strongest direct effect on repurchase intention, is predominantly shaped by systemic factors such as food safety and supply chain transparency, rendering its mediating pathway non-significant. Furthermore, the OMO context does not exhibit a significant moderating effect between employee service competence and customer satisfaction, nor between employee service competence and brand trust, reflecting that the current digital integration has yet to effectively address Generation Z’s core needs for privacy protection and emotional resonance. This study elucidates the “contact–cognition–behavior” pathway by which service competence influences consumer decision-making through satisfaction, while clarifying the systemic formation mechanism of brand trust. Based on these results, it is recommended that enterprises prioritize emotional service training for frontline employees to enhance satisfaction, build brand trust through ingredient traceability systems, and optimize OMO scenario design to better align with Generation Z’s expectations for emotional interaction. Full article

Tourism’s rapid growth has significant and negative effects on the environment, society, and economy. Sustainable tourism practices are essential in order to mitigate these effects. Virtual reality (VR) technologies offer the possibility of implementing sustainable tourism policies by providing immersive experiences that replace real ones. Moreover, VR can be a useful tool for the protection and promotion of cultural and natural heritage. The article discusses the potential directions for sustainable tourism using VR. This technology can reduce the burden on popular tourist sites without losing their value to visitors. Additionally, it can promote less popular destinations in the wider public awareness. A case study of the implementation of a virtual tour at the Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum in Khiva (Uzbekistan) is presented. The research method was designed to evaluate the acceptability of VR technology among a convenience sampling of n = 57 Gen Z consumers (university students 20–24 years of age), who completed interviews following their participation in a voluntary virtual walking tour. The research results suggest that VR can be an acceptable and useful tool for implementing sustainable tourism policies in the near future. Another conclusion is that virtual sightseeing should not fully replace onsite tourism. Full article

The introduction of mobile banking is essential in today’s financial sector, where technological innovation plays a critical role. To remain competitive in the current market, businesses must analyze client attitudes and perspectives, as these influence long-term demand and overall profitability. While previous studies have explored general adoption behaviors, limited research has examined how individual factors such as social influence, lifestyle compatibility, financial technology self-efficacy, and perceived usage cost affect mobile banking adoption among specific generational cohorts. This study addresses that gap by offering insights into these variables, contributing to the growing literature on mobile banking adoption, and presenting actionable recommendations for financial institutions targeting younger market segments. Using a structured questionnaire survey, data were collected from both users and non-users of mobile banking among the Gen Z population in the United States. The regression model significantly predicts mobile banking adoption, with an intercept of $-0.548$ ($p < 0.001$). Among the independent variables, perceived cost of usage has the strongest positive effect on adoption ($B=0.857$, $\beta =0.722$, $p < 0.001$), suggesting that adoption increases when mobile banking is perceived as more affordable. Social influence also has a significant positive impact ($B=0.642$, $\beta =0.643$, $p < 0.001$), indicating that peer influence is a central driver of adoption decisions. However, self-efficacy shows a significant negative relationship ($B=-0.343$, $\beta =-0.339$, $p < 0.001$), and lifestyle compatibility was found to be statistically insignificant ($p=0.615$). These findings suggest that reducing perceived costs, through lower fees, data bundling, or clearer communication about affordability, can directly enhance adoption among Gen Z consumers. Furthermore, leveraging peer influence via referral rewards, Partnerships with influencers, and in-app social features can increase user adoption. Since digital self-efficacy presents a barrier for some, banks should prioritize simplifying user interfaces and offering guided assistance, such as tutorials or chat-based support. Future research may employ longitudinal designs or analyze real-life transaction data for a more objective understanding of behavior. Additional variables like trust, perceived risk, and regulatory policies, not included in this study, should be integrated into future models to offer a more comprehensive analysis. Full article

Generation Z (Gen Z; born 1997–2012) is reshaping global tourism through digital fluency, ethical awareness, and a desire for authentic, sustainable travel experiences. This study surveys 413 Gen Z travelers across France, Portugal, Romania, and the USA to map their booking behaviors, information sources, transport modes, accommodations, dining practices, and leisure activities. The findings reveal a strong preference for independent online bookings and social-media-influenced destination choices (Instagram, TikTok), with air and car travel being used for long-distance journeys and walking/public transit being used for local journeys. Accommodation spans commercial hotels and private rentals, while informal, local dining and nature- or culture-centered leisure prevail. Chi-square tests were performed to identify differences between countries. To reveal distinct traveler segments and their country’s modulations towards sustainability, a hierarchical cluster analysis was performed. The results uncover four segments: “Tech-Active, Nature-Oriented Minimalists” (32.3% in France); “Moderate Digital Planners” (most frequent across all countries, particularly dominant among Romanian respondents); “Disengaged and Indecisive Travelers” (overrepresented in the USA); and “Culturally Inclined, Selective Sustainability Seekers” (>30% in France/Portugal). Although sustainability is widely valued, only some segments of the studied population consistently act on these values. The results suggest that engaging Gen Z requires targeted, value-driven digital strategies that align platform design with the cohort’s diverse sustainability commitments. Full article

Tourist satisfaction models typically assume that service performance dimensions carry the same weight for all travelers. Drawing on Bourdieu, we reconceptualize age, gender, and region of origin as demographic capital, durable resources that mediate how visitors decode service cues. Using a SERVPERF-based survey of 407 international travelers departing Quito (Ecuador), we test measurement invariance across six sociodemographic strata with multi-group confirmatory factor analysis. The four-factor SERVPERF core (Access, Lodging, Extra-hotel Services, Attractions) holds, yet partial metric invariance emerges: specific loadings flex with demographic capital. Gen-Z travelers penalize transport reliability and safety; female visitors reward cleanliness and empathy; and Latin American guests are the most critical of basic organization. These patterns expose a boundary condition for universalistic satisfaction models and elevate demographic capital from a descriptive tag to a structuring construct. Managerially, we translate the findings into segment-sensitive levers, visible security for youth and regional markets, gender-responsive facility upgrades, and dual eco-luxury versus digital-detox bundles for long-haul segments. By demonstrating when and how SERVPERF fractures across sociodemographic lines, this study intervenes in three theoretical conversations: (1) capital-based readings of consumption, (2) the search for boundary conditions in service-quality measurement, and (3) the shift from segmentation to capital-sensitive interpretation in emerging markets. The results position Ecuador as a critical case and provide a template for destinations facing similar performance–perception mismatches in the Global South. Full article

This study investigates Generation Z’s perceptions and behaviors regarding sustainable practices in the hospitality sector, with a particular focus on the gap between intentions and actual behaviors. A significant attitude–behavior gap emerges: while the majority (69%) reports adopting sustainable practices in daily life, only 30% actively reduce air travel. Through exploratory analysis, this study contributes to the existing literature by examining sustainability perceptions as key drivers in hotel selection, offering both theoretical and practical implications for the tourism industry. The data were collected through questionnaires and processed using descriptive and inferential statistics, specifically hypothesis testing tools. The findings indicate that while Gen Z exhibits strong environmental consciousness, economic constraints remain a barrier to sustainable choices. This research suggests that tourism companies need to develop targeted strategies to make sustainable options more accessible, considering both environmental sensitivity and financial limitations of the younger generation. This work addresses a notable gap in the tourism literature regarding travelers’ perceptions of sustainable practices, particularly focusing on Generation Z as an emerging market segment. Full article

Saccharomyces cerevisiae often undergoes strain degeneration during industrial serial subculturing, though this phenomenon remains understudied. This study first conducted strain screening and biological characterization through TTC (2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride) colorimetric assays, Durham tube fermentation gas production tests, and WL medium (Wallerstein Laboratory medium) cultivation. Subsequently, the changes in intergenerational biological traits after serial subculturing were investigated. Finally, transcriptomic analysis was employed to examine differential gene expression under high-glucose stress during continuous subculturing. The experimental results demonstrated that: (1) The S. cerevisiae QDSK310-Z-07 (GenBank: PP663884), isolated from farm soil, exhibited robust growth within a temperature range of 24–36 °C, with optimal growth observed at 28 °C. It thrived in a pH range of 4–5.5 and efficiently utilized various carbon and nitrogen sources; (2) After serial subculturing, the strain’s ethanol production capacity and fermentation rate partially declined and then stabilized, while maintaining strong tolerance to high ethanol concentrations and hyperosmotic stress; (3) Transcriptomic analysis revealed significant differential expression of genes related to lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and other pathways under high-glucose stress following continuous subculturing. These findings elucidate the biological trait variations in S. cerevisiae during serial subculturing and provide key metabolic regulation candidate targets for its long-term adaptive evolution under high-glucose stress. Full article

Emotional intelligence is a crucial determinant of socioemotional adaptation, psychological well-being and healthy habits in a population, although it has been barely studied in Generation Z. Therefore, the following research objectives were established: (1) to measure the levels of attention, clarity and emotional repair of Spanish university students in teaching undergraduates and (2) to design predictive models of emotional intelligence considering sex, anthropometric measurements, physical activity and the use of social networks as factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted with the involvement of Spanish teaching undergraduates. An online questionnaire integrating sociodemographic questions, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire Short Form, Trait Meta-State Mood Scale TMMS-24 and Social Network Addiction Scale SNAddS-6S were administered. University students exhibited higher levels of emotional attention (30.32 ± 6.08) than those of emotional clarity (28.18 ± 6.34) and emotional repair (28.51 ± 6.02). Most students use X, Pinterest, TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and WhatsApp most days of the week. There are positive relationships between attention and emotional clarity (r = 0.33; p ≤ 0.001), attention and emotional repair (r = 0.18; p ≤ 0.001) and clarity and emotional repair (r = 0.44; p ≤ 0.001). In conclusion, males have higher levels of emotional clarity and emotional repair, but females show higher levels of emotional attention. The model with the highest explanatory power is the one obtained for men’s emotional attention. Full article

In an increasingly digitalized marketplace, understanding Generation Z’s (Gen Z) online consumer behavior has become a critical priority, particularly in relation to newly launched technological products. Although online consumer behavior has been widely studied, a gap remains in understanding how the location of the e-shop (domestic vs. international) moderates this behavior. Addressing this gap, the present study adopts a quantitative, cross-sectional design with data from 302 Gen Z participants, using a hybrid sampling method that combines convenience and systematic techniques. A structured questionnaire, grounded in 19 well-established behavioral theories, was employed to examine the influence of six key factors, behavioral and attitudinal traits, social and peer influences, marketing impact, online experience, brand perceptions, and Gen Z characteristics, across various stages of the consumer journey. Moderation analysis revealed that e-shop location significantly affects the strength of relationships between these factors and both purchase intention and post-purchase behavior. Notably, Gen Z’s values and marketing responsiveness were found to be more predictive in the context of international e-shops. These findings highlight the importance of marketing strategies that are both locally relevant and globally informed. For businesses, this research offers actionable insights into how digital engagement and brand messaging can be tailored to meet the unique expectations of Gen Z consumers across diverse e-commerce contexts, thereby enhancing consumer satisfaction, loyalty, and brand advocacy. Full article

In the contemporary Chinese tourism market, Generation Z constitutes a key consumer segment whose environmentally responsible behavior (ERB) is crucial to achieving the sustainable development of destinations. Drawing on the self-regulation of attitude theory and the cognitive–affective–conative (CAC) framework, in this research, we examined the influence of emotional factors on ERB among Generation Z tourists. In particular, we investigated the effect of creative tourism experiences (CTEs) on ERB, with tourist engagement (TE) and place attachment (PAT) serving as mediators. Data from 639 valid online questionnaires were analyzed through structural equation modeling (SEM). The results show that CTE and TE significantly impact ERB, while TE and PAT mediate the relationship between CTE and ERB. Moreover, self-efficacy (SE) positively moderates both the direct and indirect effects. Given the limited integration of the self-regulation of attitude theory and the CAC framework in ERB research, these results provide novel insights and valuable recommendations for the sustainable development of creative tourism. Full article