Various COVID-19 vaccines are available across the world. However, short phases of clinical trials for emergency use and myriad rumors about and misinformation on vaccines spread through different media sources, induce confusion and trigger vaccine hesitancy behavior. Although clinical trials demonstrated promising results in the ability of vaccines to protect, social endeavor is required for vaccines to succeed. Mitigation of the pandemic is only possible through widespread acceptance of the vaccine. Thus, identifying the factors that impact vaccine intake is crucial. This study determined factors that affect intentions toward vaccination using a mixed-method approach, in which qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted together. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) is used in the quantitative study, and content analysis is employed in the qualitative study. The final sample of this mixed-method study consists of 568 participants for the quantitative study and 237 for the qualitative study. They were selected using an online questionnaire. Findings suggest that social, psychological, attitudinal, perceptual, and informational factors play a crucial role in shaping people's intentions toward vaccines, ultimately influencing their decision to accept or reject vaccination. Results of both the qualitative and quantitative studies, in parallel with each other, indicated similar barriers against and drivers toward vaccine intake behavior, providing strong insights into the reasons behind vaccine acceptance and hesitancy. Based on the insights gained in this study, a set of recommendations were compiled for policymakers.

How customers develop purchase intentions in online shopping has been an area of recent interest. In this study, we ask whether males and females leverage trust into and perceived reputation of online retailers differently in reporting purchase intentions. Drawing on the literature on differences in males and females in online shopping behaviors, we propose that females rely on reputation in developing purchase intentions whereas males rely on perceived trust in developing purchase intentions. In a sample of 727 respondents in Sweden, we find support for the proposed associations. Implications for online retailers are discussed.

The environmental and social responsibility of multinational enterprises (MNEs) has become a significant issue in recent years. As a result, MNEs can generate favorable attitudes and gain legitimacy among their culturally and socially diverse stakeholders in international markets by disclosing information about their CSR activities using various tools. This study considers the content of one type of these communication tools: the CSR report. However, for CSR information to be communicated efficiently, it must first and foremost be understandable and readable for MNEs' global stakeholders with different language skills and comprehension abilities. Through a content analysis of CSR disclosure of ten of the most sustainable MNEs, we aim to answer the question of whether they are readable or not among their international stakeholders. By using 14 readability indices, the results show that these reports are not readable enough for the international audience of the enterprises and that the extent of their syntactic complexity makes them difficult to comprehend.

Both practitioners and researchers are concerned about resource deficiencies on the planet earth and agree that circular business models (CBMs) represent solutions to move towards zero waste, improving environmental impacts and increasing economic profit. Despite all of the benefits of CBMs, the implications are not widely available, and failure rates are high. Thus, there is a need to identify the obstacles that stand in the way of CBM transition. This paper aims to identify the primary challenges of CBMs. Multiple case studies are employed, incorporating six companies and data gleaned from 17 in-depth interviews. Theoretical and managerial implications are described at the end of the study.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a cohesive overview of the available self-service and customer value literature, identify customer value in self-service kiosks (SSKs), and analyze this value from the customer experience perspective. Design/methodology/approach: The study comprises a systematic literature review of available works on customer value. Findings: The paper presents conclusions on the SSK’s technological forms, presence in industries, and conceptual state. The review also provides a cohesive inventory of customer value elements in SSKs. The in-depth analysis proposes two alternative models of the customer value creation process: linear and circular. Research limitations/implications: The study reveals gaps stemming from the inconsistency and fragmented nature of previous research on customer value in SSKs. The gaps are treated as opportunities for future studies. Practical implications: By identifying new sources of competitive advantage and new ways to improve customer service strategies and experience management, the findings support managerial decision making at the stages of considering, implementing, and improving SSK networks. Originality/value: This study is the first to systematically review and provide an inventory of customer value elements in SSKs. It, therefore, offers new perspectives on customer value creation using self-service technology.

Recasting prior work on return-policy and purchase intentions literature, through the lens of signaling theory and relational signaling theory, we posit that returns policy, as a market signaling mechanism, is a costly investment that online retailers make to not only support current transaction but also to signal commitment towards customer service. What outcome would such costly signal result into? Based on relational signaling theory, it promotes trust, that in turn, could enhance purchase intentions. With empirical data from 730 online consumers of fast-moving consumer goods in Sweden, the study finds that, after controlling for shoppers' age, education, income, gender, and frequency of online purchases, perceived consumer trust fully mediates the effect of perceived return policy leniency on purchase intention. Building on past research, we apply a different theoretical lens that connects costly signaling that drives relational signaling to foster customer trust to improve purchase intentions.

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to identify the impact of enterprise systems (ESs), in particular radio frequency identification (RFID) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, on supply chain management (SCM). The results of this conceptual paper demonstrate that ERP and RFID systems contribute to SCM by improving supply chain integration. Supply chain integration occurs to facilitate the flow of financing, products, and information throughout the chain. In this regard, ERP and RFID contribute to integration by enhancing the information flow across the supply chain. Design/methodology/approach - This paper proposes a conceptual model developed from the findings of literature review within the research domains of SCM, ESs, and supply chain integration. Findings - This conceptual study contributes to the existing theory by linking the concept of information technology, ESs to SCM. The conceptual model in this paper may provide insights for executives who wish to implement ERP or RFID systems in their businesses in order to achieve higher integration, both within internal sectors and also with supply chain partners. Originality/value - The findings in this study contribute to the theory base by linking the concept of information technologies, ESs to SCM. The conceptual model presented in this paper can provide insights for executives who wish to implement ERP or RFID systems in their businesses in order to achieve higher integration within internal sectors and with supply chain partners. This study offers new understandings by investigating the impact of ERP and RFID together on SCM.

Service-dominant logic (SDL) provides a conceptual understanding of and widens the view on value creation in service innovation for product-centric companies. However, empirical research linking SDL and service innovation is still limited albeit expanding. This study provides insights beyond existing discussions on product and service dimensions using the theoretical lens of the value logic perspective. More specifically, the purpose of this study is to examine how value can be understood, targeted, and created in the pursuit of service innovation by product-centric manufacturing companies. Building on a previous investigation of two multinational product-centric manufacturing companies, this paper identifies and develops a theoretical model to describe the space shift in service innovation with four different kinds of value logics, namely, product-based value logic, service-based value logic, virtual-based value logic, and systemic-based value logic. Using a digitalization-driven new service innovation, namely the My Control System, which is a web-based service delivery platform, this paper describes space shifts to enhance value through four value logics as efforts. Further, challenges associated with different value logics are described in terms of complexity traps and service gaps. The study also contributes to bridging the gap between SDL theory and practice by developing a midrange theoretical model for value creation as a specification and amendment to SDL that supports SDL-guided service innovation and servitization in practice.

The number of senior citizens is growing globally and governments are striving to find innovative solutions to deal with complex care demands of this part of the population. Technology has been an answer to this situation; however, it is very important that the elderly accept and actually use the technology. This paper empirically tests the senior technology acceptance model using the fsQCA method to analyse data with a sample of 811 seniors aged 60 and over living in Sweden. The results revealed that the necessary conditions for high “perceived ease of use” and “perceived usefulness” are gerontechnology self-efficacy, gerontechnology anxiety, and cognitive abilities; however, each of these is not sufficient on its own. Self-reported health conditions and physical function also play a peripheral role in achieving the desired outcome. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed at the end of the paper.