Search Results (358)

This study examines the interplay among ICT skills, perceptions of employability, and entrepreneurial intention among university students, focusing on how generic and scarce ICT competencies influence their confidence in employment opportunities and their inclination toward entrepreneurial intentions. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behaviour, the study explores how digital competencies shape entrepreneurial attitudes, perceived feasibility, and behavioural readiness. A quantitative research approach was adopted, and data were collected using a convenience sampling method from 117 university students enrolled in ICT-related programmes. A reliability analysis, exploratory factor analysis, correlation analysis, regression analysis, and chi-square tests were used to examine the relationships among ICT skills, employability perceptions, and entrepreneurial constructs. Findings reveal that students possess strong generic ICT skills and high self-efficacy, suggesting confidence in their general capabilities and labour market readiness. However, scarce ICT skills were found to be unevenly distributed across departments and campuses, indicating disparities in access to advanced technical training. Regression results show that both generic ICT skills (β = 0.27, p < 0.01) and scarce ICT skills (β = 0.34, p < 0.001) significantly predict employability (R² = 0.29), while generic (β = 0.29, p < 0.01) and scarce ICT skills (β = 0.46, p < 0.001) significantly influence perceived feasibility (R² = 0.41). Furthermore, employability (β = 0.31, p < 0.01) and perceived feasibility (β = 0.25, p < 0.05) significantly predict entrepreneurial intention (R² = 0.27). The results also show strong entrepreneurial desirability among students, yet perceived feasibility remains comparatively low, highlighting a gap between entrepreneurial aspiration and perceived capability. Importantly, advanced ICT competencies strengthen students’ confidence in their ability to pursue entrepreneurial activities. The study concludes that strengthening scarce ICT competencies, experiential entrepreneurship education, and industry collaboration within higher education institutions is essential for enhancing graduate employability and entrepreneurial potential in South Africa. Full article

This study investigates the determinants of borrower repayment intentions in Marketplace Lending (MPL) platforms, focusing on the interplay between behavioural factors and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) awareness in the Hungarian context. A Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) approach was employed to analyze survey responses from 477 participants familiar with MPL platforms. The study integrates constructs from behavioural finance (Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Borrowing, Theory of Planned Behaviour) and ESG-related factors (Socially Responsible Investment Theory, Reciprocity Theory) to assess their influence on repayment intentions. Perceived Usefulness (PU) emerged as the strongest predictor of Repayment Intention (RI) (β = 0.554, p < 0.001), highlighting the importance of platform functionality. Socially Responsible Investment Theory (SRIT) also had a significant positive impact (β = 0.194, p < 0.01), suggesting that ethical lending practices enhance borrower accountability through reciprocity mechanisms. Conversely, Continuance Intention to Borrow (CIB) and Credit Risk Theory (CRT) showed no significant effects. This study contributes to the literature by bridging behavioural finance, credit risk theory, and ESG principles in FinTech lending, offering a novel framework for sustainable lending practices. Full article

Escalating environmental challenges have increased interest in understanding pro-sustainability behaviours (PSBs) within the built environment. Grounded in the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the Value–Belief–Norm (VBN) Theory, this study maps the global PSB research landscape and examines how cognitive, normative, and moral behavioural determinants are conceptualised. Employing the PRISMA framework and scientometric analysis using VOSviewer, the study analysed 22 key publications sourced from multiple academic databases. The findings indicate a steady growth in PSB research since 2017, with substantial contributions from Asia, particularly Malaysia and China. However, the literature remains theoretically fragmented, with limited integration of established behavioural frameworks. Eight categories of PSBs were identified, demonstrating how TPB constructs (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control) and VBN constructs (values, beliefs, personal norms) are reflected in stakeholder practices across the built environment lifecycle. The findings highlight conceptual gaps, notably the underutilisation of hybrid behavioural models, and emphasise the need for future research that enhances theoretical integration, interdisciplinarity, and geographical diversity. The study provides evidence-based insights to support policy, education, and industry efforts to strengthen PSBs in the built environment. Full article

This article examines the attitude–behaviour gap in sustainable consumption among young adults in Poland, focusing on the psychological and contextual mechanisms that hinder the translation of pro-environmental attitudes into everyday practices. The findings show that declared support for sustainable solutions does not translate into behaviour when decision costs are elevated, particularly in terms of price, limited availability of green alternatives and low label readability. Drawing on six focus group interviews and reflexive thematic analysis, this study identifies the dominance of transactional over normative factors, a reliance on simple heuristics (e.g., packaging material) rather than verified certifications, and the central role of habit and convenience in consumption choices. Interpreting these results through the Theory of Planned Behaviour, the analysis shows how price- and supply-related barriers reduce perceived behavioural control and undermine sustainable decision making. This article contributes to behavioural research on sustainable consumption by identifying key mechanisms underlying the attitude–behaviour gap in a Central and Eastern European context. Practical implications include simplifying environmental labels, low-cognitive-load consumer education and interventions that increase the accessibility and visibility of sustainable options. Limitations stem from the qualitative design and the urban profile of the sample, suggesting cautious generalisation and the need for replication using diverse populations and methodological triangulation. Full article

This study examined the relationships between norm perceptions about innovation, innovation source and customer satisfaction with sample data from small-scale hospitality businesses in Ghana. We adopted the quantitative approach and correlational survey design using sample data from 465 small-scale hospitality firms. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling was used to analyse the data. Measurement model classification and validation procedures comprised construct specification, indicator reliability assessment, internal consistency reliability, convergent validity (AVE), discriminant validity (HTMT and Fornell–Larcker), and collinearity diagnostics within the PLS-SEM framework. Results showed that a significant negative relationship exists between subjective norms about innovation adoption and customer satisfaction. This finding diverges from the Theory of Planned Behaviour because, contrary to its assumption that subjective norms foster positive behavioural outcomes, socially driven innovation in small-scale hospitality settings may encourage conformity-based decisions that undermine customer-oriented value creation. However, a significant positive relationship was found to exist between subjective norm perceptions about innovation adoption and innovation source. A significant positive relationship was also found to exist between innovation source and customer satisfaction. Innovation source positively mediated the relationship between subjective norm perceptions about innovation adoption and customer satisfaction. The study’s findings are relevant for owners and managers of small-scale hospitality firms seeking to align innovation decisions with customer needs, as well as for policymakers aiming to strengthen industry support systems. It offers insights into how social influences and innovation sources can be leveraged to enhance service quality and customer satisfaction in small hospitality businesses. Full article

Background: Theoretical frameworks are essential for understanding and predicting medication adherence behaviours. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) posits that behavioural intentions, shaped by attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control, are the proximal determinants of behaviour. This cross-sectional study examined associations between TPB constructs and antiplatelet medication adherence among Saudi patients following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 236 Saudi adults post-PCI at two tertiary cardiac centres in Riyadh. TPB constructs (attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, intention) were assessed using a validated questionnaire. Adherence was measured via the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8 (MMAS-8). Hierarchical multiple regression examined associations between TPB constructs and adherence, controlling for demographic and clinical variables. Results: The results demonstrated significant associations with adherence. In the final regression model, intention (β = 0.273, p < 0.001), perceived behavioural control (β = 0.189, p = 0.007), and subjective norms (β = 0.142, p = 0.038) were significantly associated with adherence. Attitude was not significantly associated (β = 0.087, p = 0.194). The TPB constructs explained an additional 18.7% of variance in adherence beyond demographic and clinical factors. Conclusions: The TPB provides a useful framework for understanding antiplatelet adherence patterns in Saudi post-PCI patients. These findings suggest that interventions addressing behavioural intentions, perceived control over medication-taking, and normative influences from significant others may potentially enhance adherence outcomes. Theory-informed nurse-led interventions incorporating strategies such as implementation intentions and family involvement are recommended. Full article

This study investigates how parents and students interpret and form continued engagement intentions with a radar visualisation tool designed to present multi-subject academic performance. While data visualisation is increasingly used in education, limited empirical attention has been given to whether parents and students, who share the same performance information but hold distinct roles, respond to visualised reports through similar behaviours. To address this gap, an interactive radar visualisation was developed to present secondary school students’ achievement across subjects with peer reference points. Drawing on the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) as an analytical framework, this study examines the determinants of continued intention to use the visualisation tool. Questionnaire data were collected from 706 parents and 264 students in a Macao secondary school. Structural equation modelling (SEM) revealed fundamentally different ideas of continued engagement. For parents, continued intention was significantly associated with performance expectancy (PE) and effort expectancy (EE), social influence (SI) and facilitating conditions (FC), suggesting the tool functioned as a decision support system for academic planning. For students, only social influence (SI) and facilitating conditions (FC) emerged as significant predictors, indicating that peer comparison and external expectations may not fit their needs. Parents also reported significantly higher continued intention than students. The finding extended UTAUT by demonstrating that core acceptance relationships are moderated by different roles, reframing technology acceptance in educational visualisation from system adoption to information interpretation. The study provides empirical evidence that visualised performance reporting functions not merely as a data display but also as a communication medium whose meaning is actively constructed by users. These insights highlight the need for role-sensitive design, emphasising actionable planning support for parents and personally meaningful, agency-oriented feedback for students, in order to foster productive home–school communication and sustained engagement with learning information. Full article

The highly competitive nature of the online food delivery (OFD) market faces a serious retention problem, with acquiring new users typically being much more expensive than retaining existing users. Traditional prediction methods that rely primarily upon static transactional metrics such as recency and frequency are often unable to capture the psychological ‘disconfirmation’ which occurs prior to churn. To fill this gap, this study proposes a framework based on Expectation-Confirmation Theory (ECT). Unsupervised K-Means clustering was employed to classify a simulated and filtered dataset with 1500 customer records containing behaviour, geography, etc. This framework also couples sentiment analysis from BERT, allowing it to identify psychological “silent” attrition. Heterogeneous cohorts, which exhibit different psychological antecedents (utilitarian versus hedonic), were identified. The empirical results of our analyses demonstrated that Random Forest Classifiers with segment-specific features outperform baseline transactional models (F1 = 0.76) with an F1 Score of 0.89. The visual analytic interface developed provides a holistic view of the consumption process than traditional prediction models, including prescriptive, automated segment-based mitigation strategies. Our findings contradict the assumption that the “frequency–loyalty” model applies to all users. High-frequency discretionary users are found to be elastic in terms of retention and will experience significant churn. By utilising the automated action log, managers can plan targeted, highly efficient retention strategies rather than blanket discounting approaches. Full article

This study examines whether moral identity, perceived environmental responsibility, and locus of control predict green consumption behaviour among young consumers. Adopting a quantitative approach, the study follows an explanatory research design grounded in the positivist paradigm. Primary data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire delivered to respondents aged 18–35 years. Descriptive statistics were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 30, while inferential analysis was conducted using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) via SmartPLS 4. The findings suggest that moral identity and perceived responsibility for environmental damage are significant predictors of green consumption among youth. In contrast, locus of control shows a weak, statistically insignificant association with green consumption behaviour. After controlling for demographic variables, including gender, age, race, education, occupation, and income, the results indicate that only education level and race make significant contributions to the model. Notably, the effect of moral identity becomes insignificant once demographic factors are considered, while locus of control remains insignificant. However, perceived environmental responsibility not only retains its significance but also demonstrates a strengthened effect on green consumption behaviour. These findings highlight the persistence of the attitude–behaviour gap in sustainable consumption among young consumers, particularly in rural contexts. The study contributes to the literature by extending the Theory of Planned Behaviour through the incorporation of moral and psychological constructs within a rural African setting. Practically, the study offers insights for policymakers, educators, and marketers, emphasising the importance of environmental education, moral reinforcement, and targeted behavioural interventions to enhance youth participation in sustainable consumption practices. Full article

Background: Ethical challenges in public procurement are often addressed through compliance approaches that stress rule awareness. These perspectives, however, offer limited insight into how ethical intentions form before professional practice. This study develops and empirically validates the Procurement Literacy Capability Theory (PLCT), which conceptualises procurement literacy as a sequenced, interdependent set of capabilities that produce ethical readiness. Methods: Survey data were collected from 776 undergraduates in procurement-related programmes at four accredited Ghanaian universities. Structural equation modelling tested capability interdependence, sequencing, and behavioural translation. Mediation was examined via bootstrapped indirect effects, with sensitivity analysis using reduced structural models. Results: The findings support PLCT. Digital and E-Procurement Literacy predicts planning and decision-making capability, which then predicts supplier and contract management literacy. This literacy strongly influences Ethical Procurement Practice Literacy, the strongest predictor of Ethical Behavioural Intention. Legal and policy knowledge literacy has no direct effect on ethical intention but acts indirectly through ethical procurement practice capability. Models excluding ethical practice capability have much lower explanatory power. Conclusions: Ethical Behavioural Intention in procurement is shaped by sequenced capability development and applied ethical competence rather than rule awareness alone, confirming ethical practice literacy as the central behavioural mechanism within PLCT. Full article

Homestay tourism is increasingly recognised as a pathway to sustainable tourism development, especially in community-based destinations. This study examines the roles of local community attitudes and environmental sustainability in shaping perceived value and tourist satisfaction within Nigerian homestay tourism. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from 386 homestay tourists across south-western Nigeria and analysed with Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results reveal that local community attitude significantly boosts tourists’ perceived value, while environmental sustainability positively influences both perceived value and tourist satisfaction. However, perceived value does not strongly predict tourist satisfaction, and the moderating effect of community attitude on the relationship between value and satisfaction appears weak. This study contributes to the literature by integrating and extending the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) beyond behavioural intention, demonstrating its relevance to understanding the formation of value–satisfaction in community-based tourism. It also challenges dominant tourism assumptions by showing that perceived value may serve as a supporting rather than primary determinant of satisfaction in rural homestay settings. In practice, the findings suggest that homestay operators and policymakers should focus on environmental sustainability practices and on enhancing experiential service quality, rather than relying solely on value-for-money propositions. By providing context-specific evidence from sub-Saharan Africa, this study advances sustainable tourism scholarship and offers strategic insights for inclusive rural tourism development. Full article

Chinese users possess unique service experiences and behavioural intentions for utilising car-sharing. Car-sharing services offer a variety of competitive car-sharing options and possess distinctive traits that merit exploration. This mixed methods study examines the factors influencing repurchase intention in China’s car-sharing market by combining qualitative insights with quantitative validation. Utilising the theory of planned behaviour and the technology acceptance model, we propose a framework wherein perceived ease of use, price consciousness, perceived security, perceived consumer effectiveness, and environmental concern directly affect repurchase intention, with service quality and perceived usefulness acting as essential mediators. Qualitative studies from 12 in-depth interviews indicate that user experiences are influenced by multifaceted convenience, pricing transparency, risk perception, and contextual usage patterns. A later quantitative analysis of 416 car-sharing service users was conducted utilising PLS-SEM. The findings indicate that perceived usefulness (β = 0.272, p < 0.001) is the most significant direct predictor of repurchase intention, followed by perceived security (β = 0.209) and environmental concern (β = 0.195). Service quality exerts a significant full mediating effect on the influence of perceived ease of use, and perceived security has a mediating effect on perceived usefulness (the direct effects of perceived ease of use and perceived security on perceived usefulness are not significant after including service quality as a mediator). The qualitative phase involved participants from eight major Chinese cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan, Wuhan, Changsha, and Zhengzhou), while the quantitative survey covered over 20 cities (including first-tier, new first-tier, and prefecture-level cities) via the Credamo platform, ensuring broad geographic representation. Significantly, price-quality beliefs do not substantially influence repurchase intention. This study contributes to the literature on the sharing economy by integrating technology, trust, and sustainability factors, providing practical recommendations for platform operators seeking to improve client retention in China’s competitive mobility sector. Full article

The global water crisis and the urgent need to transition toward regenerative economic models position the circular water economy as a strategic pathway for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6. While technical feasibility and engineering performance of water reuse technologies have been extensively documented, the socio-organisational and institutional factors conditioning their adoption by industrial and urban entities remain poorly understood. This study addresses this knowledge gap by examining how organisational resources, institutional frameworks, and psychosocial factors are associated with implementation outcomes of circular water economy practices. Using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEMs) on survey data from 150 organisational decision-makers across three Peruvian regions (Lima, Trujillo, and Cajamarca), we tested a multidimensional theoretical model integrating resource-based view, theory of planned behaviour, and institutional theory. Results reveal that external regulatory pressure (β = 0.345, p < 0.001), institutional framework quality (β = 0.287, p < 0.001), organisational resource availability (β = 0.273, p = 0.001), and pro-environmental organisational culture (β = 0.255, p = 0.013) show significant positive associations with technology implementation. Counterintuitively, individual attitudes exhibited a negative association (β = −0.350, p < 0.001), suggesting that favourable perceptions disconnected from organisational capacity may generate resistance rather than facilitate adoption. Implementation fully mediates all relationships with performance outcomes (R² = 82.3%), confirming its role as a critical bottleneck in the adoption process. These findings provide empirical evidence for prioritising institutional reforms and organisational capacity-building over awareness campaigns in water reuse promotion strategies, particularly in emerging economy contexts characterised by regulatory fragmentation and limited technical capabilities. Full article

The manufacturing sector drives industrialisation and contributes substantially to economic growth and employment creation. Despite this, it faces the challenges of diminishing size and lack of competitiveness, mainly due to operational uncertainty. The study developed an approach to managing operational uncertainty using Industry 4.0 and 5.0 technologies. It employed a multimethod quantitative design based on the post-positivist paradigm, with data collected from 22 experts and 262 responses from a manufacturing firms’ survey. The study employed an integrated fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) with partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The fuzzy DEMATEL results reveal that growing geopolitical tension, cost-of-living-driven consumer behavioural change, pandemic turbulence, lack of energy stability and security, and the entrenched power of large firms are causal dimensions of operational uncertainty. Industry 4.0 and 5.0 technologies, with capabilities for scenario planning and supply chain integration, flexible production and mass customisation, real-time system and process monitoring and response, root cause analysis, and sustainable solutions, can manage operational uncertainty. These technologies include artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), big data analytics, and, to a lesser extent, advanced robotics, blockchain, and augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR). This study advanced configuration theory and a new integrated methodology (fuzzy-DEMATEL-PLS-SEM-fsQCA) to develop solutions for sustained performance during operational uncertainty in manufacturing. This research offers valuable information to advance the subject, make meaningful changes in day-to-day manufacturing operations, and promote practical real-world problem solving. Full article

This study examined the psychology-driven decision-making dynamics of Millennial solo travellers in Asia, with a comparative focus on Thai and other Asian tourists. While the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) is widely applied in tourism research, prior studies may not fully address the attitude-mediated construct–intention gap, stage-based intention–behaviour variation, and post-intention outcomes. To extend this perspective, the study proposes the I-SMART Cognitive TPB Model, integrating temporal bias, loss aversion, narrative-driven information, Social Exchange Theory, the four-stage tourism life cycle, and post-intention marketing behaviours. Survey data from 800 respondents (400 Thai, 400 Asian) were analysed using structural equation modelling. The findings indicate that narrative information may play a stronger role in shaping attitudes among Asian travellers, whereas Thai travellers appear more influenced by time-based motivation. Pre-trip factors emerged as key contributors to intention formation in both groups, while post-intention patterns diverged: intention linked more strongly to satisfaction among Asian travellers and to revisit tendencies among Thai travellers. Theoretically, the study offers an integrated cognitive–behavioural model that complements TPB by incorporating bias-driven and stage-based mechanisms. Practically, the findings provide guidance for designing digital infrastructure, time-sensitive policies, and storytelling-driven marketing strategies tailored to Millennial solo travellers. Full article