Hasil untuk "Special types of environment"

K. Cummins

E. G. Neofitu

Topicality of the subject of researching the role and importance of digital services in development of economy in the Russian Federation is envisaged by the necessity to adapt to current conditions of global digital transformation, where digital technologies become a key factor of raising efficiency and competitiveness of the country on the world scene. Special attention is paid to the fact, how the development of digital services affects reduction of regional inequality and improvement of quality of life of the population in different parts of Russia. The goal of the article is to analyze the current standing and prospects of development of digital services in Russian economy. Various types of digital services (finance, logistic, medical, educational, etc.) were studied and their contribution to creating a comfortable environment for people and business was demonstrated. Discussion of the standing of digital infrastructure in the country is essential, which includes state investment into the sector. Competitiveness of Russia in the field of digital economy in comparison with leading countries of the world was analyzed. It was pointed out that Russia shows serious success in the development of digital technologies, especially in the field of storage and processing of big data. Statistic information was provided that testifies to the growth in market of digital services in Russia, which in 2023 made up about 3 trillion rubles and forecast annual rise of 15–20%. Attention was focused on analysis of factors promoting the growth of digital services, such as a rise in the number of Internet users, energetic introduction of automated state services and popularization of AI. The achievements of the leading companies of the sector, such ‘Yandex’, ‘VKontakte’, ‘Gosuslugi’, ‘Ozon’ and ‘Sberbank’ were discussed, as well as the development of cloud technologies, big data and AI. Within the frames of realizing the national project ’Digital Economy’ considerable funds are allocated to the development of infrastructure, training of highly-qualified specialists and support of home IT-companies. It is expected that by 2030 market of digital services will reach 8 trillion rubles and 5G network will be started in big and medium cities and provide further speeding-up of digitalization and create preconditions for developing smart cities. In conclusion the author highlighted the importance of digitalization for modernizing traditional sectors of economy, such as manufacturing, agriculture and trade, which could provide an opportunity to raise their productivity and competitiveness.

Congyuan Zhang, Jianping Chen, Ping Li et al.

Abstract In recent years, the application of real scene 3D technology has become widespread in urban planning and cultural heritage protection. However, there has been relatively little attention paid to the construction of real scene 3D models for special natural landscapes such as caves. Given the global distribution of karst topography and the large number of naturally developed caves with diverse types, unique landscape styles, and significant scientific value, this paper enriches the research in this field. By combining ground-based and aerial remote sensing techniques, and based on 3D laser scanning and photogrammetry, we have successfully constructed a real scene 3D model of the internal structure of a karst cave with a precision better than 4 cm. Utilizing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) oblique photography, we established a real scene 3D model of the external karst landform with a precision better than 2 cm. We also integrated the internal and external 3D models of the cave, developing a new, complete, and high-precision method for constructing real scene 3D models of karst cave landscapes. Furthermore, we proposed a method for texture reproduction in the dark environment inside the caves, enhancing the reproduction and visual appeal of the real interior. The establishment of high-precision real scene 3D models can not only serve as an effective tool for scientific research on caves but also, as replicas of the real world, play a crucial role in public dissemination and education, thereby enhancing public understanding of cave geological landscapes.

Alexander S. Ermilov, Olga A. Saltykova

The article discusses the methods of a priori statistical analysis used for predicting perturbed motion of aircraft in turbulent environments. Theoretical approaches such as the comparative method and mathematical modeling method are used to analyze the a priori analysis methods. The paper also utilizes statistical methods to evaluate the effectiveness of stochastic models to account for random perturbations caused by turbulence. Special attention is paid to the use of Bayesian analysis, maximum likelihood method and Monte Carlo method applied for probabilistic prediction of the aircraft trajectory. The presented models are illustrated with formulas that describe the dynamics of vehicle motion in turbulent conditions, including equations of motion based on Newton’s and Euler’s laws. The parameters that determine the dynamics of the perturbed motion of the aircraft in a turbulent environment, such as linear and angular velocities, turbulence intensity, aerodynamic forces, moments of inertia and meteorological conditions, are studied to evaluate the correctness of the calculations. This allows the effects of turbulence on the control and flight trajectory of the aircraft to be taken into account. The results of the study demonstrate the high accuracy of the proposed methods in predicting aircraft motion deviations and emphasize the importance of further development of computational approaches to integrate these methods into real-time control systems, especially for application in conditions of uncertainty and complex external influences. Further research could focus on improving the adaptability of models for different types of aircrafts, taking into account the optimization of computational methods to reduce computational complexity. This will make it possible to improve the efficiency of forecasts in a shorter time and reduce resource costs.

Jialong Wang

The article highlights the terminology, methodology and scientific-theoretical aspects of the problem of the formation of project-design culture of modern teachers of fine arts. The purpose of the study was to clarify the essence of the category “project-design culture” and to fix its functional role in the system of professional activity of modern art teachers. It has been proven that modern design, in its highly specialized definitional sense, is a project, artistic and creative activity directed and concentrated on the development of elements of the subjectspatial environment of people's life. A hypothetical position has been put forward that establishing a balance between the so-called “consumer” properties of the created objects and their aesthetic and cultural (artistic and artistic) coloring requires a certain level of project culture of specialists who create designer products. Systematization of the scientific positions of modern scientists and leading experts in the field of design made it possible to conclude that the project-design culture is the highest level of development of the project, design, and artistic-creative potential of the teacher-artist as a result of the designed object (according to the foundations of the methodology of technical aesthetics) as a special type of culture of professional (artistic and pedagogical) thinking. It is proved that in terms of the professional activity of teachers of educational art, the project-design culture is of great importance, taking into account the transformations of both the content of the professional training of future teachers-artists, and the vectors of their training for future professional activity in the field of modern art. It was determined that the project-design culture of a fine art teacher is a specific form of manifestation of mental-cognitive activity that integrates various thinking operations (manifestations of cognitive-intellectual activity) that integrates (combines) various types of thinking operations (cognition, elements of intellectual activity) that are focused on the formation of a special project idea, making optimal decisions within the scope of project-creative tasks, selecting adequate materials and methods of reflection and visualization, planning and forecasting of the artistic process in professional activity, taking into account the specifics of the project situation and the potential of technical aesthetics.

Yan Xiaoyu, Fan Jiatan

A great deal of research has been carried out on the sustainable use of urban underground space, among which the importance of urban underground public space to urban development has been well proven. However, at present, most of the urban underground public spaces are constructed with the goal of supplementing the surface business, which leads to a large number of unused underground public spaces and low utilisation rate. Spaces rich in thematicity tend to have a higher attraction to the public, but many studies at this stage focus on the improvement of the physical environment of underground spaces, and there are few assessments of the thematic shaping of underground public spaces. Therefore, this study adopts the importance-satisfaction (IPA) model and takes the underground shopping mall of Zilinan-Fountain in Guiyang's old town as the research object to examine the relative relationship between the importance level of each evaluation element and the satisfaction of the crowd, and then to derive the factors that need to be focused on improvement. The analysis shows that the restoration and construction of special thematic scenes, the types of thematic businesses, the regular organisation of thematic activities or curatorial exhibitions, the number of resting seats, the clarity of the main axis of the space, the monitoring of the regional traffic flow, and the size of the area of the shared gathering space are the objects that need to be highly paid attention to, and can be improved to perfect the thematic creation of the underground public space.

Asghar A. A. D. Hakro, Aijaz Ali Halepoto, Muhammad Soomar Samtio et al.

Alina Sorescu, M. Schreier

A. V. Loseva, V. S. Osipov

The article analyzes the foreign economic potential of Latin American countries in the context of its development in the last decade, characterized by significant global crises and geopolitical upheavals. Considering that Latin American countries are active participants in international relations, including with the Russian Federation, and also play a significant role in the international division of labor, we have set the goal of the study – to quantify the changes and the state of the main economic indicators that reflect both foreign economic and domestic processes in the leading countries of the region under consideration, which determine their foreign economic potential. To achieve this goal, traditional methods of scientific knowledge, analysis and synthesis, as well as methods of analytical tools for working with statistical data were used: tabular, graphical, coefficient method, analytical indicators of time series. Based on the results of the study, a number of patterns of recent years have been identified. In particular, the region under consideration experienced the colossal destructive impact of the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, however, under these conditions, it generally retained its position in the share of world GDP, which is demonstrated by the analyzed international statistics. According to the results of the analysis, it was noted that the realization of the potential of Latin American countries and the development of their economies is ensured through significant structural changes with priorities for such sectors as the agro-industrial complex and high technology, which largely provides prospects for further development of foreign economic activity and strengthening its position in world markets. The data of international statistics demonstrate the effectiveness of the efforts of the leadership of these states to reduce dependence on the export of the oil and gas industry and develop other types of economic activity. A special place in the economies of countries and their potential as a global supplier is occupied by the modernizing agro-industrial complex, and the tourism services sector plays a significant role. The development of enterprises in the field of information and communication services and digital technologies is assessed by experts as the potential for new positive qualitative changes both for the domestic economy and for international cooperation. However, despite the potential, the economies of Latin America are also subject to systemic problems, which are also clearly reflected in the statistics. The main ones are: corruption, which prevents the formation of a favorable market environment; the complexity of organizing business activities; negative investment flows reflecting capital flight; low standard of living of the population as a whole. As a conclusion, conclusions are drawn about the main systemic problems that prevent the countries of Latin America from realizing their socio-economic potential, as well as about the possibilities of foreign economic cooperation between the Russian Federation and them

Vincent D. Giacalone, C. Margaroli, M. Mall et al.

Neutrophils have a prominent role in all human immune responses against any type of pathogen or stimulus. The lungs are a major neutrophil reservoir and neutrophilic inflammation is a primary response to both infectious and non-infectious challenges. While neutrophils are well known for their essential role in clearance of bacteria, they are also equipped with specific mechanisms to counter viruses and fungi. When these defense mechanisms become aberrantly activated in the absence of infection, this commonly results in debilitating chronic lung inflammation. Clearance of bacteria by phagocytosis is the hallmark role of neutrophils and has been studied extensively. New studies on neutrophil biology have revealed that this leukocyte subset is highly adaptable and fulfills diverse roles. Of special interest is how these adaptations can impact the outcome of an immune response in the lungs due to their potent capacity for clearing infection and causing damage to host tissue. The adaptability of neutrophils and their propensity to influence the outcome of immune responses implicates them as a much-needed target of future immunomodulatory therapies. This review highlights the recent advances elucidating the mechanisms of neutrophilic inflammation, with a focus on the lung environment due to the immense and growing public health burden of chronic lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and acute lung inflammatory diseases such as transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI).

Cristina Maderuelo, J. M. Lanao, A. Zarzuelo

Enteric coating is a common procedure in the development of oral pharmaceutical dosage forms. The main advantage of enteric coating is that it protects the drug from acidic pH and enzymatic degradation in the stomach while protecting it from the undesirable effects of some drugs. There is certain controversy regarding the real influence of enteric coating on the bioavailability of many drugs. Various scientific articles have demonstrated an improvement in the extent of bioavailability of some drugs when enteric coating is used. In recent years, there have been many studies examining different formulation strategies for monolithic and multiparticulate systems, including different pharmaceutical oral dosage forms and delivery systems based on the combined use of enteric coating and other methods that improve the bioavailability of drugs administered orally. However, the real bioavailability, serum levels and therapeutic effect of these drugs may be influenced by gastrointestinal pH values, gastrointestinal environment, inter-individual or intra-individual variability in gastric emptying and gastrointestinal transit time, interpatient variability associated with the type of polymer used for enteric coating or other formulation variables. It deserves special attention to know the real influence of enteric coating on the bioavailability of new oral dosage forms.

Miguel Baltazar‐Soares, Kristien I. Brans, Christophe Eizaguirre

Abstract The impact of human activities on the global environment has increased to such an extent that the current geological era has been coined the Anthropocene. Studies dedicated to understanding the evolutionary consequences of human‐induced selection on all levels of diversity (species, populations, traits, genes) provide direct knowledge about the mechanisms underlying species' responses and their evolutionary potential. A better understanding of the effects of human‐induced selection is needed to leverage evolved mechanisms to develop appropriate conservation programmes to guarantee the maintenance of healthy systems. In this special issue, we focus on different types of human‐mediated selection pressures, from the direct harvesting of individuals (e.g. hunting, fishing), to the more pervasive effects of climate change. Contributions highlight the diversity of human‐induced selection pressures ranging from fisheries, trophy‐hunting, poaching and domestication to climate change, and pollution. With those, we question whether there are parallel evolutionary solutions across fisheries systems, whether hunting pressures alter population dynamics and population structure, and whether climate change is an evolutionary dead‐end. The contributions reflect the direction of travel of the field and the solutions to mitigate the impact of human activities.

Putu Risky Meliarini, Made Sudiarta, Lien Darlina

The purpose of this research is to determine the implementation of upselling as a strategy in increasing room sales at Alila Seminyak hotels and to find out alternative upselling strategies that should be implemented by Guest Relations Hosts in increasing room sales at Alila Seminyak hotels. The analysis technique used is the Sequential Exploratory mixed method design; Internal Factor Summary (IFAS) Matrix, External Factor Analysis Summary (EFAS) Matrix, Internal-External (IE) Matrix, SWOT analysis, and Quantitative Strategic Planning Matrix (QSPM). The analysis result of the IFAS matrix with the main strength is that the Alila Seminyak hotel has ten types of rooms that can support upselling activities to guests and can increase room sales, while the main weakness is the lack of providing special prices for guests who upselling. The analysis result of the EFAS matrix is that the main opportunity is the friendliness of the community, environment, and culture around the Alila Seminyak hotel, while the main threat is the tax policy that applies to tourists who are taken into consideration when wanting to upselling. Based on the results of the IE matrix analysis, the Alila Seminyak hotel is in the position of Growth Strategy (Cell II). The results of the SWOT analysis resulted in nine alternative upselling strategies, where three alternative upselling strategies were prioritized which were calculated by the QSPM matrix with a total TAS 232.64, 225.55, and 216.54.

Lyudmila М. Skripnik

In the 21st century in Ukraine, there is a large-scale information transformation in all spheres of life, including education. This is a century of large-scale and radical reforms and changes related to the modernization of state support for education and the emergence of new opportunities for the development of educational services. Now, education is the subject of special research in various fields of knowledge based on ICT. There is a growing number of various ranks employees who have the potential skills of consultants, teachers, coaches, advisors, etc., which in parallel can perform the functions of consultants in educational institutions. Therefore, in the modern world, consultation and consulting become relevant and important. The article considers the concepts of «consulting» and «information consulting»; it reveals the features of pedagogical counselling in modern educational activities. It was found that counselling (consulting) is a specially organized information interaction between the counsellor and those who need help to solve the problem and make positive changes in the activities of an individual or organisation as a whole. The necessity of the development of counselling in the field of education in the period of modernization and cardinal changes in society has been substantiated. The main purpose of consulting activities at educational institutions has been elucidated, which involves the dissemination and implementation in this process modern advances in science and technology, providing students and population with advisory services on the use of modern technologies and social development, giving consultations and support for various projects, raising the knowledge level and improving the practical skills of those involved in pedagogical interaction. The specifics, functions (consulting, scientific, research, mediation, training ones), role and main directions of development of consulting activity in educational institutions have been determined. Two primary areas that require the systematic use of consulting services in educational institutions have been analyzed, among them the methodological and career counselling. Pedagogical, socio-pedagogical, psychological and managerial types of educational consulting and related with them the informational, career guidance and reputation types of consulting have been characterized. Promising technologies that can provide full-fledged consulting services have been outlined. They cover computer-based pedagogical technologies and the ones that ensure the proper interaction of participants in the educational process. The difficulties and contradictions inherent in the stage of formation of the information and consulting environment of educational institution and the development of consulting services in the field of education have been considered.

W. T. Powers

Mahtab Mirzaeifar, Mohammad ali Abdolvand, Kambiz Heidarzadeh Hanzaee et al.

In this study, with a phenomenological approach, we seek to investigate and reconstruct the quality model of electronic banking services and its invisible aspects and diminish consumer losses with the possibility of vulnerability in the event of a corona pandemic. Based on existing theories and then focusing on the lived experience of individuals, this study tries to identify the dimensions, antecedents and, ultimately, the consequences of this phenomenon in the form of a model. Snowball sampling was carried out in the Tehran megacity, and data was gathered through a semi-structured interview with 25 participants. Through constant comparison of data; open, axial, and selective coding; as well as the analysis of relational content; concepts and themes were categorized. Data analysis showed that the quality of e-services has dimensions of efficiency, completeness of execution, ease of use and access, responsiveness, quality assurance, information, the attractiveness of use, security, emotional actions and functional value. Also, the antecedents affecting this phenomenon include previous experience, oral communication, organizational reputation, customer engagement, previous image, traditionalism and social responsibility, Finally, the consequences of this phenomenon include satisfaction and behavioural intentions. This qualitative study is one of the primary studies on older women's perceptions of the quality of e-banking services. Previous studies have not mentioned some findings of this study.   Keywords  Quality of electronic banking services, Vulnerable consumer, Phenomenology.   . Introduction Competitive environment requires companies to adopt a variety of strategies to cope with. Recent scientific and technological advances have made the market even more competitive for goods and services quality improvement (Rahnavard & Abbaspour, 2014). Moreover, history witnesses an unprecedented technological change in our lives more than at any time in the past, and these changes put more pressure on consumers (Bennett & Maton, 2010). In this competitive age, not only should service providers seek key features and apply them in their products and services, but they should also monitor the changes in consumers’ needs and the position of their products constantly (Tabatabaeenasab & Ebrahimpour, 2015). A group of factors is found to affect individuals attitudes to accept E-banking such as self-service technologies, (Chaouali & El Hedhli, 2019; Chauhan et al., 2019) demographic variables (Chawla & Joshi, 2017, 2018), subjective norms (Ting et al., 2016), the impact of oral advertisement (Mehrad & Mohammadi, 2016), electronic service (Ayo et al., 2016), etc. The banking sector is losing consumers’ trust which needs to be restored. Financial markets are also fraught with challenges with consumers especially the disruptive social conditions that cause widespread complications for everyone (Clifton, Fernández-Gutiérrez & Olalla, 2017). Furthermore, the potential damage to customers is quite high in this industry as customers may lose all their major assets (Ramsay, 2000). Thus, the financial behavior, determining whether vulnerable consumers like elderlies and people with disabilities, who may perceive themselves at lower socioeconomic status, are susceptible to behavioral biases and therefore less likely to profit in the electronic communication market, must be considered (Lunn & Lyons, 2010). Due to the need to identify different categories of users of electronic services in the current situation (the Coronavirus pandemic) and the inevitability of banking activities, vulnerable groups like female elderlies who are prevented from attending communities need higher attention.   Research Objectives This research aims to provide a detailed understanding of the needs and criticisms of vulnerable users and to investigate the precedents, consequences, and components of E-banking services. In addition, it tends to apply the findings to propose a model to reduce the damages.   Methodology The present study was conducted using a qualitative approach and phenomenological method. Data collection was carried out by in-depth interviews. The population of the study was selected using the snowball sampling method. Data analysis of this research based on Strauss and Corbin instructions includes three main stages of open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. Finally, the theory of qualitative model research is expressed.   Results Based on the data encoded from 25 interviews, some participants approved the theoretical findings of the quality of self-service E-banking. We also achieved the main influential concepts including traditionalism, and commitment. Concerning the dimension of self-service E-banking service, we have identified emotional actions and practical value as a new dimension to fill the gap in previous researches and provide the basis for future researches. The attractiveness dimension which was found in most online shopping studies was also found to be a self-service E-banking parameter, which is considered as one of the innovations of this study. The remaining components are supported by the literature and previous model.                                                    Discussion Given the rapid growth of technology and its application in people's daily lives and increasing competition in this field, identifying different types of behavior in customers and consumers and analyzing their psychological perception of quality leads to more effective marketing strategies. Since such services are designed for public use and the means of providing them are the same, it is important to consider the needs of customers who are more vulnerable to expand the use of these services. This is even more important since community health is at risk because of the Covid-19 pandemic and it makes it even more stressful for elderlies.   References Afshari, Z., & Rarmezani, F. (2006). Information Technology and Women's Employment. Journal of Women's Social and Psychological Studies, 1(1), 23-36. [Text In Persian] AL-hawary, S., Ibraheem, Sh., & Al-smeran, W. F. (2017). Impact of Electronic Service Quality on Customers Satisfaction of Islamic Banks in Jordan. International Journal of Academic Research in Accounting, Finance and Management Sciences, 7(1) , 170-188. Anderson, L., Mathras, D., J. Caselli, R. M., Kennedy, D., & L. Ostrom, A.(2013). The Effects of Consumer Vulnerability on Service Evaluations and Wellbeing Outcomes. Advances in Consumer Research , 41, 206-201. Bennett, S. J., & Maton, K. (2010). Beyond the 'digital natives' debate: towards a more nuanced understanding of students' technology experiences. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 26 (5), 321-331. Berg, L . (2015). Consumer vulnerability: are older people more vulnerable as consumers than others?. International Journal of Consumer Studies. Brenkert, G. G. (1998). Marketing and the Vulnerable. Business Ethics Quarterly: The Ruffin Series, 1, 7-20. Cartwright, p. (2015). Understanding and Protecting Vulnerable Financial Consumers. J Consum Policy.38(2), 119-138. Chaouali, W., & El Hedhli, K. (2019). Toward a contagion-based model of mobile banking adoption. International Journal of Bank Marketing. ‏ Chawla, D., & Joshi, H. (2018). The moderating effect of demographic variables on mobile banking adoption: an empirical investigation. Global Business Review, 19(3_suppl), S90-S113. ‏ Chawla, D., & Joshi, H. (2017). High versus low consumer attitude and intention towards adoption of mobile banking in India: An empirical study. Vision, 21(4), 410-424. ‏ Clifton, J., Fernández-Gutiérrez, M., & Garcia-Olalla, M. ( 2017) . Including vulnerable groups in financial services insights from consumer satisfaction. Journal of Economic Policy Reform, 20(3), 214-237. Dunnett, S., Hamilton, K., & Piacentini, M. (2016). Consumer vulnerability: introduction to the special issue. Journal of marketing management, 32(3–4), 207–210. Garín-Munoz, T., Lopez, R., Perez-Amaral, T., Herguera, I., & Valarezo, A. (2017).  Models for individual adoption of eCommerce, eBanking and eGovernment ~ in Spain. Telecommunications Policy ,43(1), 100-111. Georg, M., Graham, C., & Lennard, L. (2013), Consumer Vulnerability – Mainstream, not Marginal  . Centre for Consumers and Essential Services , 16-1. Glaser, B. G. & Strauss, A. L. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory, Aldine Publishing Company. Chicago. Hill, R. P., & Sharma, E. (2020). Consumer Vulnerability. Journal Of Consumer Psychology, 30(3), 551-570. Iqbal, M. S., Hassan, M., & Habibah, U. (2018). Impact of self-service technology (SST) service quality on customer loyalty and behavioral intention: The mediating role of customer satisfaction. Cogent Business & Management, 5(1). [Text In Persian] Kermani, M.,  Noghanidokht Bahmani, M., & Baradaran Kashani, Z. (2018).Qualitative Meta-Analysis of Two Decades of Research on the Empowerment of Rural and Urban Women in Iran. Journal of Women's Social and Psychological Studies, 16(2).  [Text In Persian] Kim, K., Gollamudi, S., & Steinhubl, S. (2017). Digital technology to enable aging in place. Experimental Gerontology, 88, 25-31. Lotfi, F., & Ghafari, L. (2008). Gender Differences In Incentives Of Electronic Shopping.Journal of Women's Social and Psychological Studies, 6(1), 7-33. [Text In Persian] Lunn, P., & Lyons, S. (2010). Behavioural economics and “vulnerable consumers”: a summary of evidence. London: Communications Consumer Panel. ‏ Malkovich, S. D., & Jelena. Katušić , G. (2015). Service Quality Measurement in Croatian Banking Sector: Application of SERVQUAL Model. Management international conference portoroz, Slovenia. Mehrad, D., & Mohammadi, Sh. (2016). Word of Mouth Impact on the Adoption of Mobile Banking in Iran. Telematics & Informatics, 34(7). [Text in Persian] Mohammadpour, A. (2014). Qualitative Research Method counter method 2, Second Edition, Tehran: Jameeshenaasan. [Text in Persian] Movahed, M., Hoseini, M. (2017). Exploring the Middle-aged women's strategies to deal with aging and age-related physical changes. Journal of Women's Social and Psychological Studies, 14(4), 7-42. [Text In Persion] Mun Yee, C., Chong Ket Yin, E., Sin Yee, K., Kok Wei, L., & Fatt, Y. W. (2015). Barriers Of Mobile Commerce Adoption Among Generation X In Malaysia. Bachelor Of Commerce (HONS) Accounting. University Tunku  Abdul Rahman. Nunan, D., & Di Domenico, M. (2019). Older consumers, digital marketing, and public policy: A review and research agenda. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 38(4), 469-483. Oni, A. A., Adewoye, O. J., & Eweoya, I. O. (2016). E-banking users’ behaviour: e-service quality, attitude, and customer satisfaction. International Journal of Bank Marketing. ‏ Rahnavard, F., & Abbaspour, B. (2014).  A QFD Application in Satisfying Customers' Exceptions in Higher Education. Management Studies, 11(42), 209-222. [Text in Persian] Ramsay, I. (2000). Access to credit in the alternative consumer credit market. The Office.‏. Rosenbaum, M. S., Guttmann, T. S., & Giraldo, M. (2017). commentary: Vulnerable Consumers in Service Settings. Journal of Services Marketing, 31(3), 1-10. Salomonson, E., & Salomonson, N.  (2019). Consumer vulnerability during mobility service interactions: causes, forms and coping. Journal of Marketing Management, 35(3–4), 364–389. Santos, J .(2003). E-service quality: a model of virtual service quality dimentions: managing service Quality. Journal of Service Theory and Practice, 13(3), 233-246. Shi, H. Y., Jing, F. J., Yang, Y., & Nguyen, B. (2017). The concept of consumer vulnerability: Scale development and validation. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 41(6), 769-777. Shivani Sothi, R., Lee, H., & Gledhill, A. (2019). Identifying and Responding to Consumer Vulnerability. Intergovernmental Group of Experts on Consumer Law and Policy (IGE Consumer). Shokri, E., Heydarzadeh Hanzaei, K., & Zaboli, R. (2017). A Phenomenological Approach toward Women' s Tendency to Online Shopping. Journal of Women's Social and Psychological Studies, 15(3), 69-100. [Text In Persian] Tabatabaeenasab, M., & Ebrahimpour, M. (2015). Designing Products by Integrating Kano and QFD Models Using TOPSIS: A Case Study of Cell-Phone, Innovation Management, 3(3) ,121-144. [Text in Persian] Teddlie, C.,  & Tashakori, A. (2017).  Foundations of mixed methods research: integrating quantitative, Tehran, Jahad daneshgahi. [Text In Persian] Ting, H., Yacob, Y., Liew, L., & Lau, W. M. (2016). Intention to use mobile payment system: A case of developing market by ethnicity. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 224, 368-375. Yaseen,S. G., & El Qirem, I. A. (2018). Intention to use e-banking services in the Jordanian commercial banks. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 36(1), 557-571. Zeithaml, V. A., Berry, L. L., & Parasuraman, A. (1996). The behavioral consequences of service quality. Journal of Marketing, 60(2), 31-46.

Steven Hartman, Serpil Oppermann

Irfan U. Jan

Fred Phillips, Jinwon Chang, Yu-Shan Su

Abstract Purpose Using general systems theory, we present a series of simulations that shed light on the viability of business strategies in stable and turbulent business environments. Special attention is given to the impact of efficiency versus flexibility on firm performance, and on what the simulations reveal concerning successful strategies in each environment and firm type. Design/methodology/approach Large-scale Monte Carlo simulations based on Ashby's Requisite Variety principle. Findings Efficiency and flexibility do not, in general, determine performance. However, certain strategies appear to be superior, and in turbulent business environments, efficiency and flexibility appear well correlated with firm performance. Research limitations/implications Implications and limitations of the Law of Requisite Variety for strategic analysis are set forth. Limitations stem from the simplifications needed for quantitative analysis, and lack of explicit consideration of competitors’ actions. Practical implications The simulations’ realism offers insights to strategists regarding the roles of efficiency and flexibility in firm performance. The quantitative approach provides unambiguous definitions for some terms used in strategy, sharpening concepts put forth by Ashby and by Ansoff. Originality/value A back-to-basics, systems approach to the simulations, using the venerable and general requisite variety principle as its basis, ensures sound analysis and appeal to readers who may come to it from diverse traditions of strategy theory. The quantitative simulation tool is made available for other researchers to test and extend.

Yiwei Chen, Hai Wang, Hai Wang

The Last-Mile Problem refers to the provision of travel service for passengers from the nearest public transportation node to the final destination. The Last-Mile Transportation System (LMTS), which has recently emerged, provides on-demand shared last-mile transportation service for passengers. We consider an LMTS that consists of two types of passengers, regular-type passengers and special-type passengers (e.g., seniors, disabled people). The valuation of the last-mile service for special-type passengers is statistically higher than the one for regular-type passengers. Passengers incur disutility from waiting for the last-mile service. In this paper, we explore two fairness guarantees on special-type passengers: (1) the fare for special-type passengers is restricted to be no higher than a given fraction of the fare for regular-type passengers; (2) special-type passengers cannot be served after regular-type passengers. We aim at understanding the role of these two fairness constraints on the LMTS operator's pricing and service priority policies, with the objective of maximizing either profit or social welfare. Our theoretical analysis and numerical experiments using real public transport data show that if passenger waiting disutility is negatively correlated with the last-mile service valuation, i.e., regular-type passengers are more sensitive to waiting time, then with both objectives, the LMTS operator always has incentive to charge special-type passengers no less than regular-type passengers and serve special-type passengers after regular-type passengers. This entails the necessity of enforcing the two fairness guarantees. In addition, even if passenger waiting disutility is positively correlated with the last-mile service valuation, i.e., special-type passengers are more sensitive to waiting time, the two fairness guarantees are still necessary under some market environments. These findings demonstrate the importance of fairness concerns in shared transportation systems.