How does group-buying website quality for social commerce affect repurchase intention? Evidence from Chinese online users

PurposeThe success of social commerce group-buying information system (IS) is not a simple accumulation of functions, but a complex process of system integration that makes it difficult to design a high-quality website to improve the conversion rate of users has become a top priority for online companies. The purpose of this study is to further improve the IS success model to adapt to the new research scenarios and explore the boundary conditions between different satisfaction and repurchase intention.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, the users who have used the group-buying website quality for social commerce in the last 6 months are the objects of this study. Finally, 436 valid data were collected by questionnaire survey and analyzed by Smart PLS.FindingsThe results indicate that the four dimensions of website quality enhance consumers' economic satisfaction and social satisfaction, except that the path of system quality and social satisfaction is not significant. Economic satisfaction and social satisfaction also have a significant positive effect on repurchase intentions. Besides, the interactive effect of customer involvement and economic satisfaction has no significant impact on repurchase intention, but customer involvement plays a moderate role in the path of social satisfaction on repurchase intention.Originality/valuen order to make the IS success model better evaluate the characteristics of social commerce sites comprehensively, this present research introduces the measurement construct of interaction quality. Moreover, this study examines the effect of mechanism of economic satisfaction and social satisfaction on repurchase intention from the perspective of practical benefit and psychology. Finally, the boundary conditions of the effect of satisfaction on repurchase intention are explored.

The Factors Affecting Cooperation and the Moderating Effect of Technological Turbulence

This present study examines the effect of technological turbulence in driving cooperation, the role of non-economic satisfaction in mediating between focal constructs of relationship marketing (RM) with cooperation, and the effect of interpersonal commitment on interorganizational commitment. The findings show that high technological turbulence dampens the positive relationship of two focal constructs of RM, non-economic satisfaction mediates focal constructs of RM and cooperation, and interpersonal commitment influences interorganizational commitment. The study uses empirical data from business-to-business (B2B) ICT resellers in Indonesia to test the hypotheses developed. A structured questionnaire via an online platform is used as a research instrument with one hundred and one companies participating.

Effect of application of supply chain management practices on certified organic rice supply chain performance

This research is proposed to determine the impact of management on supply chain performance. A description analysis on each indicator’s constituent variables also carried out. Data obtained from farmer groups (Poktan), combined farmer groups (Gapoktan), organic rice farmer associations, distributors and retailers consisting of modern markets, supermarkets, and minimarkets were selected using snowball sampling method. A questionnaire was utilized to determine the perceptions of respondents. The limitation of the study was the involvement of only one area of certified organic rice producer, and several distributors and retailers who engaged in the organic sector following the supply chain flow. The analysis using partial least squares structural equation modelling obtained that the integration of suppliers has a positive significance on efficiency, responsiveness, flexibility, quality, and economic satisfaction, but it does not affect social satisfaction. Internal integration only significantly influences to quality. The integration of customer has a positive importance on efficiency, responsiveness, flexibility, and social satisfaction, but it does not affect the quality and economic satisfaction. Meanwhile, information sharing has a positive effect on economic and social satisfaction, but it does not affect efficiency, responsiveness, flexibility, and quality. Supplier integration was found to be a significant factor in supply chain management practices in influencing supply chains performance. This study authenticity is the use of measurement constructs that are adapted to conditions in the field to produce new empirical data about the relationship of management practices with supply chain performance in the certified organic rice products.

Linking individual and group motives for violent conflict

Research on the role of grievances in civil conflict is surprisingly inconclusive, with well-cited studies disagreeing on the relationship between perceived deprivation and violence. I argue that the role of grievances depends on an interaction between individual and group-level incentives. Individuals who perceive themselves as personally deprived are more likely to support or participate in anti-regime violence, but only if a successful rebellion would enhance their group’s power relative to the status quo. I test this argument in the context of Iraq’s sectarian civil war using data from a 2016 survey of 800 Baghdad residents. Using a list experiment to measure individuals’ willingness to consider violence against a government they feel is ignoring their needs, I find that minority Sunnis who are economically dissatisfied are significantly more willing to consider violence than similarly aggrieved Shias. However, as economic satisfaction increases, Sunnis’ propensity for violence decreases until it becomes indistinguishable from Shias’ propensity. These results clarify the joint impacts of vertical and horizontal grievances. Group inequality and individual deprivation are each necessary but not sufficient to fully explain individuals’ propensities for anti-state violence.

Comparing relationship of quality-satisfaction models: effects of B2B value co-creation

PurposeThis paper addresses both conceptual and empirical value co-creation and relationship quality in a triadic approach for a B2B industrial context by 1) reviewing the relationship quality concept when social and economic satisfaction are addressed separately and 2) testing alternative models of relationship quality and economic satisfaction when value co-creation is introduced.Design/methodology/approachTwo alternative models are developed where relationship quality is conceptualized as a higher-order multi-dimensional construct with three sub-factors: trust, commitment and social satisfaction. Data on the B2B relationship were collected from 77 partaking firms in the Spanish Furniture Market Observatory business panel, covering the manufacturer-retailer and manufacturer-supplier relationships for control and comparison purposes.FindingsUsing PLS-SEM, results reflect that social and economic satisfaction act differently in the B2B relationship. The effect of relationship quality on economic satisfaction is greater when value co-creation is introduced as a mediating variable, although this mediation is partial. Moreover, the mediating effect is greater in the manufacturer-supplier relationship than in the manufacturer-retailer one.Originality/valueThe paper reduces the conceptual gap between value exchanges in B2C and B2B contexts. It also introduces a less-common triadic approach along the supply chain for B2B industrial relationships. Evidence is provided on the importance of social satisfaction as an affective dimension of relationship quality and on the mediating role of value co-creation between relationship quality and economic satisfaction.

Power Imbalance and the Dark Side of the Captive Agri-food Supplier–Buyer Relationship

This paper highlights the dark side of power imbalance regarding its consequences in agri-food supplier–buyer relationships. We report on findings from two studies. The first study is based on a sample of 105 key informants, while study 2 is based on a sample of 444 key informants, all from the cocoa agri-food supply market of Ghana. While the first study focuses on the antecedents of power imbalance and its consequences, the second study explores the role of cooperatives/collective action in minimizing supplier exploitation. Data from these studies were analysed using the partial least squares technique (SmartPLS). Analysis of these findings shows switching costs’ impact on power imbalance to be curvilinear, while power imbalance has a curvilinear relationship with opportunism. The negative consequences of power imbalance are further exacerbated by dependency and the lack of joint action. Furthermore, we found the negative impact of power imbalance on financial performance to be stronger for non-cooperative members than for cooperative members, while, counterintuitively, we found the positive impact of economic satisfaction on financial performance to be stronger for non-cooperative members than for cooperative members.

Associations between defense mechanisms and life satisfaction among North Korean refugees

Background The present study investigated associations between defense mechanisms and life satisfaction among North Korean refugees living in South Korea. Methods A total of 178 North Korean refugees completed the Korean version of the Defense Style Questionnaire, a revised version of the Ways of Thinking of North Korean Defectors scale, the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale, and the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory. Multiple stepwise regression analysis was performed to investigate the defense mechanisms associated with North Korean refugees’ life satisfaction in South Korea. Results Among defense mechanisms, denial most strongly predicted higher overall and economic satisfaction among North Korean refugees living in South Korea (β = 0.145, p < 0.01; β = 0.137, p = 0.03, respectively) after controlling for age, gender, anxiety, depression, and number of traumatic events experienced. Furthermore, resignation predicted lower overall (β = −0.206, p < 0.001) and economic satisfaction (β = −0.134, p = 0.02). However, the association between resignation and life satisfaction was not significant after controlling for depression, anxiety, and number of traumatic events experienced. Conclusions Specific defense mechanisms such as high denial and low resignation were associated with life satisfaction in South Korea among North Korean refugees. Our findings suggest that refugees’ psychological defense mechanisms may affect their satisfactory resettlement.

A seller perspective on economic and non-economic satisfaction as precursors to formalisation, specific investments and dependence in business relationships

PurposeSeen from the seller's point of view, this study examines economic and non-economic satisfaction as distinct conceptual variables, and tests how the constructs relate to each other and to the business transactional cost variables of formalisation, specific investments and dependence.Design/methodology/approachData was collected from 213 key informants from Norwegian companies involved in business-to-business marketing. Structural equation modelling was used to test the posited hypotheses.FindingsThe findings show that sellers' economic satisfaction exerts a positive influence on non-economic satisfaction and on formalisation, while its posited influence on specific investments was not found to be significant. Formalisation was, however, not significantly influenced by seller non-economic satisfaction. Specific investment was positively influenced by seller non-economic satisfaction. The influence of formalisation on specific investments and dependence was significant. Specific investments were also found to be positively influenced by dependence.Research limitations/implicationsThe study reveals the importance of assessing both economic and non-economic satisfaction in trying to understand sellers' behaviour in business-to-business markets.Practical implicationsThe findings show the need for managers to ensure economic satisfaction, as its affects non-economic satisfaction.Originality/valueThis study contributes to a better understanding of satisfaction in business-to-business exchange relationships and its relationship with transactional cost constructs based on a seller's perspective.

Value Co-Creation and Satisfaction in B2B Context: A Triadic Study in the Furniture Industry

Research on Value co-Creation (VcC) has been more extensive in B2C (business-to-consumer) than in B2B (business-to-business) and mainly for service contexts, under dyadic approaches (supplier–client). Moreover, research has paid little attention to the impacts of VcC on Satisfaction in its duality: Social and Economic Satisfaction. As a novelty, this study examines VcC in B2B industrial relationships in the triad of supplier–manufacturer–client. A model proposes VcC as an antecedent of manufacturer’s Economic Satisfaction, with the mediating role of Social Satisfaction. The model is empirically contrasted for a sample of 77 firms from an industrial panel—the Spanish Furniture Market Observatory. The triadic approach is depicted with bi-directional relationships of the manufacturer with its main supplier and main client). Results evidence that VcC and Economic Satisfaction are greater in the manufacturer–main client relationship. Moreover, the manufacturer’s Satisfaction relies on its social dimension, which has a key role to produce Economic Satisfaction. Results also show asymmetry in the supply chain, different from those with the main supplier. Implications for managers invite to achieve a long-term VcC chain with all business partners, the focus being on manufacturer’s social dimension, so the triad supplier–manufacturer–client could be better aligned.

Loneliness, isolation and living alone associate with psychological well-being among the older adults in Taipei

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the clustering of loneliness, isolation, and living alone, the risk factors and the associations with psychological wellbeing. Methods: The data were from the 2019 Taipei City Senior Citizen Condition Survey collected by face-to-face interviews, which included aged 60 and above community-based and institution-based samples. The completed sample was 3,853 persons. Loneliness, isolation, and living arrangement were analysed by cluster analysis to define the Loneliness-Isolation-Living Alone clusters. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the related factors to LIL clusters. Results: Four clusters of the older adults were identified and named as following: Connected (44.1%), Alone /Institutionalized (9.2%); Lonely (10.7%); and Isolated (22.0%). Compared with the Connected cluster, the Alone/Institutionalized cluster was more likely to have higher education, more IADL difficulties, more diseases , lower economic satisfaction, more likely to be males, having no spouse, and no children; the Lonely cluster was more likely to poor self-rated health, lower financial satisfaction, feeling less age-friendliness, more likely to be older, female, and no spouse; the Isolated cluster was more likely to have lower education, reported poorer self-rated health, lower economic satisfaction, and being older. The Alone/Institutionalized cluster and the Lonely cluster had higher depressive symptoms; the Alone/Institutionalized, Lonely, and Isolated clusters reported lower life satisfaction and had higher risks of cognitive impairment. Discussion: Loneliness, isolation, and living alone jointly associate with psychological health and well-being. High risk older populations may need social care and encourage social participation to promote health and wellbeing.