Resistance to Change and Purchase Intention of Electric Vehicles: Empirical evidence from Vietnam

On the grounds that psychological factors are increasingly used to better explain the purchase intention of customers towards electric vehicles (EVs), this study aims to examine the critical but less explored roles of resistance to change and the need for uniqueness in the purchase intention of EVs besides other conventional factors such as perceived value or personal norms. In doing so, this study would help governments and managers introduce effective measures to persuade customers to change from traditional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) to EVs. Data was collected from 175 respondents in Vietnam and PLS-SEM was utilized to analyze the theoretical model. The results illustrate that resistance to change has a significant impact on the purchase intention of EVs. In addition, perceived value has the most significant effects on willingness to pay and purchase intention of EVs. The need for uniqueness also impacts purchase intention through the willingness to pay.

The Mediating Role of Electronic Performance Monitoring in the relationship between Personality Traits and Work Passion

This study aims to study the relationship between personality traits (conscientiousness and extraversion), electronic performance monitoring (EPM) and work passion. In addition, it investigates the mediating role of EPM between personality traits and work passion. Data was collected from 105 employees working in call centers throughout Pakistan. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), using SmartPLS 3.0, was performed to test the hypothesized model. The results showed that consciousness and extraversion have a positive impact on EPM and work passion. In addition, EPM acts significantly as a mediator between personality traits and work passion among call center employees. This is the first study that examines the mediating role of EPM in the relation between personality differences and work passion. The results of the study would help Asian human resources professionals effectively perform human resources functions, such as employee staffing, training, and performance management. Implications for managers and recommendations for future studies are proposed.

Employee External Communication Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis: Case-study of a State-Owned Company

A crisis can trigger employees to engage in external communication behavior. However, the inconsistency of the findings of studies on megaphoning behavior suggests the relationship depends on the type of crisis. With the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, this study aims to examine the influence of employee-organization relations and symmetrical internal communication on employee external communication behavior. Data were collected from 400 employees of a state-owned company in Indonesia and analyzed using PLS-SEM. The result shows that good relations between employees and organization can encourage employees to stand up for the company, reduce employee’s intention to share negative communications, encourage employees to recognize crisis as a serious problem, can make employees feel more involved and less constrained in resolving the problems. Employees who feel that they could recognize the crisis tend to spread positive information and restraint from sharing negative information. Meanwhile, those who feel that they were involved in the crisis and less constrained in solving the problem do not influence their interest in spreading positive or negative information. The study finds that symmetrical communication between employees and their companies may encourage employees to spread positive information, but it did not affect their interest in disseminating negative information. Keywords: Employee-

Influence of Environmental Concerns and Moral Obligation on Purchase Intention: Evidence from Cambodia

Environmental issues and sustainability have attracted considerable attention. The public have been asked to change their conventional consumption patterns and purchase behaviours. This study expanded the theoretical base of green purchasing by extending the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and essays a comprehensive research framework to identify the antecedents and mediators of green purchase intention (GPI). Smart PLS version 3.2.8 was employed to test the theoretical framework against 314 observations of customers who had bought green products in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The current study extended the framework of the TPB model, in which perceived moral obligation (PMO) is introduced as an antecedent of attitudes towards green products, subjective norms (SN), and perceived behavioural control (PBC) vis-a-vis GPI. The findings reveal that environmental awareness and environmental concerns have a significant and positive influence on SN, PMO, and PBC. They also show that consumers’ PMO has a positive and significant impact on customers’ perceived value, including perceived environmental value and perceived environmental image. Furthermore, SN, PMO, PBC, and customers’ perceived value have a significant effect on attitudes towards green products. Both customer’s attitudes and perceived value have a positive effect on GPI. Theoretical and managerial implications are provided.

Argument Quality and Review Adoption: Interaction Effect of Product and Review Type

Argument quality has become an important variable that promotes consumers’ decision-making based on online reviews. It has two dimensions, perceived informativeness and perceived persuasiveness. Adopting dual-process theory, this study examines the effect of these two dimensions of argument quality on review adoption. Moreover, it investigates whether the relationships between argument quality and review adoption differ based on product type and review type. According to the multi-group analysis result, for attribute-centric reviews, search products have a better fit than experience products in the relationship of perceived informativeness and perceived persuasiveness, also for the relationship of perceived informativeness on review adoption, while experience products have a better fit than search products for the relationship of perceived persuasiveness on review adoption. For benefitcentric reviews, search products and experience products have no significant difference in any of the relationships. Furthermore, the result reveals that perceived persuasiveness mediates perceived informativeness and review adoption. The findings contribute to the understanding of the information adoption model with different review types and product types and help shopping websites develop better strategies for product recommendation reviews.

The Integration of Self-directed Learning and Employee Competency in the 21st Century

The purpose of this paper is to examine the promotion of self-directed learning (SDL), a concept that can potentially increase employee competency in organisations. We present SDL as a pivotal 21st century skills that transforms traditional practices into competencies crucial for the success of an employee at the workplace. The paper utilised case studies, document analysis, and a systematic literature review to synthesise existing resources. A systematic review of 50 peerreviewed articles published in English-language Scopus indexed journals indicate the significance of promoting SDL in the 21st century workplace for employee competency development. The findings further highlight the practices that need to be integrated for SDL promotion in the workplace to enhance employee competency. Specifically, communication of a shared vision and knowledge among employees is essential to promote SDL. The literature suggests that SDL must be supported by employers and implemented in human resource development (HRD). The practical implications of this for Asian businesses is to introduce and inculcate SDL in organisational culture through a reward system and a conducive working environment. Overall, in recent years, researchers have recognised the critical role of SDL in the workplace in enhancing employee competencies by transferring the learning responsibility to employees.

Visit, Revisit, or Stay Longer? A Case of Emerging Tourism Destination

Despite substantial extant literature on tourists’ visiting behavior, little is known about the intention to visit, revisit, and stay longer in an emerging destination. Sarawak is an emerging destination that has demonstrated the capability to attract tourists from China. The present study lays the groundwork for the exploration of Chinese tourists’ main motives to visit, revisit, and stay longer in Sarawak based on push and pull factors. A qualitative research design was adopted, following which 355 interviews were conducted over two stages of data collection. All transcriptions were then analyzed using thematic analysis. The findings revealed three categories related to the intention to visit Sarawak, namely “China residents who have not been to Sarawak”, “China residents who have been to Sarawak”, and “China residents who consider having a longer stay in Sarawak”. In addition, the pull and push factors influencing their visiting intention were assessed. This case study offers an explanatory model that informs local stakeholders on the significant motivation factors that attract Chinese tourists to Sarawak. From a managerial standpoint, local agencies, tourism promoters, and marketers could expend more resources to advertise Sarawak’s attractions, such as ethnic food, festivals, multi-cultural heritage, adventures, and nature.

The Commitment of the Employee to the Supervisor and the Organization: The Role of Employee Competency and Downward Influence Tactics

Employee’s commitment is an important work attitude for an organization. Supervisors can play a role in increasing it by conducting downward influence tactics. This study examines the relationship between employee competency and downward influence tactics (consultation, ingratiation, and exchange tactics), the relationship between these tactics and employee’s commitment to the supervisor and the organization, and the mediating effect of these tactics on the relationship between employee competency and employee’s commitment. Data were collected from 203 non-managerial employees who work in various industries in Surabaya, Indonesia. We analyzed the collected data by using PLS-SEM. This study found that employee competency has a significant positive relationship with downward influence tactics (consultation, ingratiation, and exchange tactics). In addition, consultation and ingratiation tactics have a significant relationship with one’s commitment to one’s supervisor, but only consultation tactic has a significant relationship with organizational commitment. The consultation tactic has a mediation effect on the relationship between employee competency and organizational commitment, and the commitment to the supervisor.

Leveraging Design Thinking for Pharmaceutical Digital Marketing

Worldwide, the time spent online and in digital media has been increasing, thus becoming the primary source of health and medical information. This phenomenon is driving all business, including the pharmaceutical industry, in gearing toward digital marketing strategies. Developing countries like Thailand still extend existing laws to regulate digital media despite the differences with traditional media, and consumers face the risks of buying drugs illegally and products that overclaim despite stringent pre-approval regulations on drug marketing. This study utilizes design thinking as a human-centric research method to propose appropriate and practical digital marketing guidelines for the pharmaceutical industry, using 53 informants. The problems were that consumers face persuasive risks and the need for reliable sources of drug information. The current regulatory process places a high burden on regulators and the laws that enforce it. However, several new digital strategies such as unbranded information and targeted marketing are not covered by existing laws. Regulations on teleconsultation are also needed, but no legislation currently exists for such activities. And finally, experts have articulated four domains as follows: eRegulations, e-Information sources, and e-Consultation to provide easy access to professionals, and e-Ethics, a supportive mechanism toward ethical drug marketing

Building Sustainable Relationships: Service Innovation at the Pinnacle of Touristic Achievement

Asia Pacific is renowned as a travelling hot spot amongst both domestic and international tourists. With Malaysia as the focal point, and based on the foundation of Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR), this study aims to explore different routes undertaken by tourists towards both satisfaction and loyalty concerning the Malaysian tourism industry, following the impacts of service innovation and destination image. A self-administrated survey was conducted across 322 tourists. The significance of the hypothesized relationships was further tested by employing the AMOS’s structural modelling approach. Obtained results demonstrate that service innovation as a direct antecedent to destination loyalty, destination image and tourist satisfaction. Destination image also has a direct influence on destination loyalty. The mediating roles of destination image and tourist satisfaction between service innovation and destination loyalty were also established. The findings determined service delivery and innovation as more effective marketing tools to tourism practitioners for building brand reputation and tourists’ loyalty. Service innovation remains absolutely crucial in the competitive tourism marketplace to build and sustain tourist satisfaction and destination loyalty.