Web Aesthetics and Usability

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Constantinos K. Coursaris ◽  
Konstantinos Kripintris

Usability has been an essential component of the Web User Experience (UX) and a focal research topic. In recent years, the penetration of interactive technologies in all aspects of everyday life challenges the way UX is understood and designed. The past decade, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) scholars have been continuously attempting to introduce and explore new and non-traditional factors in the UX arena, such as aesthetics, emotions, affect, and trust. This study contributes to the field by exploring the relationship between aesthetics and UX; specifically the impact of the classical design element of white space on the perceived attractiveness and perceived usability of an e-commerce website. A between-subject research design involves the manipulation a website’s white space. Three different versions were constructed using 25, 50 and 75% of the white space, respectively. Findings offer support for the relationship between aesthetics and the perceived usability of a website. The study results suggest that the usability of a website is impacted negatively when white space increases over 50%. Practitioners should consider that in the context of eCommerce Web design, reduction of content and shrinking of visual elements, in favor of white space, is likely to negatively impact the usability of a website.

Author(s):  
Mohinder C. Dhiman ◽  
Abhishek Ghai

The paper has a two fold purpose - examine the impact of bar service operation practices (BSOP) on organizational performance (OP) and study the relationship between organizational performance and demographic variables. Based on a survey of 362 bar managers perceptions on the impact of bar service operation practices on organizational performance were assessed by 59 practices and 6 demographic variables. Bivariate test and ANOVA were employed to test the working hypothesis in the study. Results indicated that there is a positive relationship between the bar service operation practices and organizational performance. Further, the results indicate some practical and managerial implications to improve organizational overall performance.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 2407 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaffar Abbas ◽  
Qingyu Zhang ◽  
Iftikhar Hussain ◽  
Sabahat Akram ◽  
Aneeqa Afaq ◽  
...  

This current study is among the very few investigations, which seeks the relationship between knowledge management and sustainable organizational innovation in garment business firms. This investigation focused on examining how organizational learning mediates the relationship between knowledge management and sustainable organizational innovation. This research establishes that knowledge management and organizational innovation procedures are integral parts of the progress and survival of the organizations. The received data of this population reports on the garment firms, operating their businesses in Lahore and Gujranwala. The study applied a stratified random sampling method for data collection and employed structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the hypothesized relationships. The results specify that knowledge management shows a significant positive association with organizational learning, which in turn reveals a positive linkage to sustainable organizational innovation in SMEs of the garment industry. The study results also specify that organizational learning mediates the relationship between knowledge management and sustainable organizational innovation. This research survey identifies the significance of knowledge management and organizational learning in executing the process of organizational innovation, and it helps business managers to understand organizational learning as a mediator, which in turn indicates the benefits of knowledge management in achieving sustainable organizational innovation. This review provides an empirical indication of original data to investigate the linkage between knowledge management, sustainable innovation process, and organizational learning culture in the Pakistani garment sector. The generalizability of the study fallouts is restricted to the garment industry, and it offers valuable insights for imminent researchers.


2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuling Sun ◽  
Zehua Liu ◽  
Hui Yang

Although many studies have suggested that the relationship between different supply chain members significantly affects agricultural product quality, suppliers’ perceptions of fairness, which greatly influence their decisions on building the relationship quality, are often overlooked. Particularly, the empirical evidence to investigate the impacts of suppliers’ fairness on the relationship quality and the factors that affect the suppliers’ fairness is missing, and therefore this knowledge gap needs to be filled by new research. Herein, we conducted a survey of 450 agricultural product suppliers and systemically analyzed the impact of antecedents on fairness perception and the impact of fairness perception on relationship quality. In addition, we developed a structural equation model and found that information sharing and price satisfaction had significantly positive effects on procedural fairness and distributive fairness, respectively. Furthermore, our studies demonstrated that procedural fairness is more important in improving the relationship quality than distributive fairness. However, supplier dependence is another important impact factor, and it greatly decreases the positive effects of suppliers’ fairness on relationship quality. In summary, the study results provide several managerial implications and extend our understanding of the importance of suppliers’ fairness in the relationship quality, which involves product development with respect to the supplier’s performance.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongyi Shou ◽  
Jinan Shao ◽  
Weijiao Wang

PurposeAs a popular supply chain finance (SCF) strategy, reverse factoring has been widely adopted by buyer firms. However, the extant literature provides scant empirical evidence on the performance effect of reverse factoring. The purpose of this study is to seek to narrow this gap by empirically examining the relationship between reverse factoring and operating performance and the contingency conditions of this relationship.Design/methodology/approachBased on a sample of 167 announcements of reverse factoring implementation made by publicly listed Chinese manufacturing firms between 2014 and 2018, this paper employs a long-term event study approach to analyze the operating performance effect of reverse factoring as well as the moderating effects of production and innovation capabilities.FindingsThe event study results indicate that reverse factoring has a positive effect on buyer firms' operating performance in terms of cost efficiency and operating margin. In addition, both production and innovation capabilities positively moderate the relationship between reverse factoring and operating margin. However, neither of them moderates the relationship between reverse factoring and cost efficiency.Originality/valueThis is the first study that empirically examines the impact of reverse factoring on operating performance based on secondary data. Furthermore, it sheds light on the SCF literature by providing insights into the contingency effects of production and innovation capabilities, which also extends our understanding of the application of extended resource-based view in SCF research.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pınar Başgöze ◽  
Yaprak Atay ◽  
Selin Metin Camgöz ◽  
Lydia Hanks

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of reward structure on the customer's value perception of the program, loyalty to the program and loyalty to the firm.Design/methodology/approachA 2 (type of reward) x 2 (timing of redemption) between subjects experimental design was conducted. In addition, the indirect effect of the customer's value perception of the program on loyalty to the firm via loyalty to the program is tested with Hayes and Preacher's mediation procedure.FindingsStudy results indicated that type of reward has a positive impact on the perceived value of a loyalty program. Program loyalty mediates the relationship between the perceived value of the loyalty program and customer loyalty, as well as the relationship between type of reward and customer loyalty.Originality/valueThe findings of this study demonstrate the importance of the type and timing of loyalty program rewards on customer perceptions of the value of the loyalty program. In addition, this study is a step forward in providing a deep understanding of the impact of such perceptions on loyalty. These findings fill a number of research gaps and provide tangible guidance for practitioners.


Author(s):  
George Ditsa ◽  
Saleh Alwahaishi ◽  
Shayma Al-Kobaisi ◽  
Václav Snášel

Culture is thought to be the most difficult to isolate, define, and measure in the adoption and use of IT (Information Technology) (Hassan & Ditsa, 1999). Consequently, the impact of culture on the adoption and use of IT does not feature prominently in Information Systems (IS) literature. As cultural factors are important to the success of IT adoption and use, this research paper examines culture’s impact on the adoption and use of IT in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The results of the study were compared along eight cultural dimensions with a study on the adoption and use of IT in developing and developed countries. The results are also used to identify issues that concern the relationship of culture and IT and their implications for IT adoption and use in the UAE. The study results are further used to suggest ways of bridging the digital divide between the UAE and developed countries.


2011 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 12-24
Author(s):  
George Ditsa ◽  
Saleh Alwahaishi ◽  
Shayma Alkobaisi ◽  
Václav Snášel

Culture is thought to be the most difficult to isolate, define, and measure in the adoption and use of IT (Information Technology) (Hassan & Ditsa, 1999). Consequently, the impact of culture on the adoption and use of IT does not feature prominently in Information Systems (IS) literature. As cultural factors are important to the success of IT adoption and use, this research paper examines culture’s impact on the adoption and use of IT in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The results of the study were compared along eight cultural dimensions with a study on the adoption and use of IT in developing and developed countries. The results are also used to identify issues that concern the relationship of culture and IT and their implications for IT adoption and use in the UAE. The study results are further used to suggest ways of bridging the digital divide between the UAE and developed countries.


2019 ◽  
Vol 160 (5) ◽  
pp. 186-190
Author(s):  
Bernadett Borda ◽  
Attila Nemes ◽  
Csaba Lengyel ◽  
Tamás Várkonyi ◽  
Ferenc Rárosi ◽  
...  

Abstract: Introduction: Increase of liver function is one of the most common complications after kidney transplantation due to the use of immunosuppressive therapy and hyperlipidemia in addition to hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Method: Following the selection criteria (n = 59), the study is based on applied immunosuppressive therapy, baseline data of patients, further correlation between HCV and liver function deterioration. Patients were subjected to fasting laboratory examination to monitor serum electrolytes, uric acid and albumin levels. We looked at the effects of immunosuppressive therapy on the lipids (TG, TC, HDL, LDL) and liver enzymes (GOT, GPT, ALP, GGT). The analysis of the relationship between lipids and liver enzymes was also included in our study. Results: The data basics were not significantly different between the tacrolimus and the cyclosporine groups. In the laboratory results, Mg levels were significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.044). The impact of HCV on the liver function was significantly different on GGT (p = 0.008). We examed the lipids and liver function level between the tacrolimus and the patients receiving cyclosporine-based immunosuppression and the total cholesterol (p = 0.005) and GOT (p = 0.05) were significantly different between the two groups. Hyperlipidemia was associated with 26% of patients taking tacrolimus-based immunosuppression, and 89% of those receiving cyclosporine; the difference was significant (p = 0.002). Regarding the effect of hyperlipidemia on liver enzymes, ALP (p = 0.006) and GGT (p = 0.0001) were significantly higher. Conclusion: Increases in hepatic enzymes, ALT and GGT indicate the damage to hepatocytes. Beside the increase of liver function, which is the main risk factor in hepatitis on HCV soil, the applied immunosuppressive therapy and hyperlipidemia lead to degradation of allograft function and long-term graft loss. Orv hetil. 2019; 160(5): 186–190.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brett A. Dolezal ◽  
Eric V. Neufeld ◽  
David M. Boland ◽  
Jennifer L. Martin ◽  
Christopher B. Cooper

Although a substantial body of literature has explored the relationship between sleep and exercise, comprehensive reviews and definitive conclusions about the impact of exercise interventions on sleep are lacking. Electronic databases were searched for articles published between January 2013 and March 2017. Studies were included if they possessed either objective or subjective measures of sleep and an exercise intervention that followed the guidelines recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine. Thirty-four studies met these inclusion criteria. Twenty-nine studies concluded that exercise improved sleep quality or duration; however, four found no difference and one reported a negative impact of exercise on sleep. Study results varied most significantly due to participants’ age, health status, and the mode and intensity of exercise intervention. Mixed findings were reported for children, adolescents, and young adults. Interventions conducted with middle-aged and elderly adults reported more robust results. In these cases, exercise promoted increased sleep efficiency and duration regardless of the mode and intensity of activity, especially in populations suffering from disease. Our review suggests that sleep and exercise exert substantial positive effects on one another; however, to reach a true consensus, the mechanisms behind these observations must first be elucidated.


2013 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 504-510 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ofir Menashe ◽  
Eyal Kurzbaum

The bioaugmentation treatment approach presents both an economical and environmentally friendly solution for wastewater treatment. However, the use of exogenous bacterial cultures presents several limitations: negative interaction between microorganisms and adaptation to new physical and chemical composite environment. These selective forces create a significant challenge for the introduced culture to achieving the required biomass in order to conduct the target biological treatment. Small-bioreactor platform (SBP) technology is aimed at introducing exogenous bacterial culture with some protection to reduce some of the natural selection process. The current study was aimed at validating the use of SBP technology to improve biological treatment, especially during a stress period, by using macro-encapsulated bioaugmentation treatment. The study results indicate that the use of SBP technology elevates the stability of biological treatment, improving operational factors such as the reduction of foaming phenomena and sludge accumulation. Still, a significant study needs to be conducted to understand the potential of this technology; especially the impact on biological treatment by using different types of microorganisms for different types of wastewaters and the relationship between the biomass within the SBP capsules and the natural microorganisms.


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