• Information Systems Review
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.115-136
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• 2017

Online communities have become substantial aspects of people's daily lives. However, only a few communities succeed and attract the majority of users, whereas the vast majority struggle for survival. When various communities coexist, important factors should be identified and examined to maintain attraction and achieve success. The concept of coexistence as been extensively explored in organizational ecology literature. However, given the similarities and differences between online communities and traditional organizations, the direct application of organizational theories to online contexts should be cautiously explored. In this study, we follow the roadmap proposed by Davis et al. (2007) in conducting agent-based modeling and simulation study to develop a novel theory based on the previous literature. In the case of two coexisting communities, we find that community size and participation costs can significantly affect the development of a community. A large community can attract a high number of active members who frequently log in. By contrast, low participation costs can encourage the reading and posting behaviors of members. We also observe the important influence of the distribution of interests on the topic trends of communities. A community composed of a population that focuses on only one topic can quickly converge on the topic regardless of whether the initial topic is broad or focused. This simulation model provides theoretical implications to literature and practical guidance to operators of online communities.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.119-138
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• 2016

Since the Industrial Revolution, which made the mass production and mass distribution of standardized goods possible, machine-made (manufactured) products have accounted for the majority of the market. However, in recent years, the phenomenon of purchasing even more expensive handmade products has become a noticeable trend as consumers have started to acknowledge the value of handmade products, such as the craftsman's commitment, belief in their quality and scarcity, and the sense of self-esteem from having them,. Consumer interest in these handmade products has shown explosive growth and has been coupled with the recent development of three-dimensional (3D) printing technologies. Etsy.com is the world's largest online handmade platform. It is no different from any other online platform; it provides an online market where buyers and sellers virtually meet to share information and transact business. However, Etsy.com is different in that shops within this platform only deal with handmade products in a variety of categories, ranging from jewelry to toys. Since its establishment in 2005, despite being limited to handmade products, Etsy.com has enjoyed rapid growth in membership, transaction volume, and revenue. Most recently in April 2015, it raised funds through an initial public offering (IPO) of more than 1.8 billion USD, which demonstrates the huge potential of online handmade platforms. After the success of Etsy.com, various types of online handmade platforms such as Handmade at Amazon, ArtFire, DaWanda, and Craft is ART have emerged and are now competing with each other, at the same time, which has increased the size of the market. According to Deloitte's 2015 holiday survey on which types of gifts the respondents plan to buy during the holiday season, about 16% of U.S. consumers chose "homemade or craft items (e.g., Etsy purchase)," which was the same rate as those for the computer game and shoes categories. This indicates that consumer interests in online handmade platforms will continue to rise in the future. However, this high interest in the market for handmade products and their platforms has not yet led to academic research. Most extant studies have only focused on machine-made products and intelligent services for them. This indicates a lack of studies on handmade products and their intelligent services on virtual platforms. Therefore, this study used signaling theory and prior research on the effects of sellers' characteristics on their performance (e.g., total sales and price premiums) in the buyer-seller relationship to identify the key influencing e-Image factors (e.g., reputation, size, information sharing, and length of relationship). Then, their impacts on the performance of shops within the online handmade platform were empirically examined; the dataset was collected from Etsy.com through the application of web harvesting technology. The results from the structural equation modeling revealed that the reputation, size, and information sharing have significant effects on the total sales, while the reputation and length of relationship influence price premiums. This study extended the online platform research into online handmade platform research by identifying key influencing e-Image factors on within-platform shop's total sales and price premiums based on signaling theory and then performed a statistical investigation. These findings are expected to be a stepping stone for future studies on intelligent online handmade services as well as handmade products themselves. Furthermore, the findings of the study provide online handmade platform operators with practical guidelines on how to implement intelligent online handmade services. They should also help shop managers build their marketing strategies in a more specific and effective manner by suggesting key influencing e-Image factors. The results of this study should contribute to the vitalization of intelligent online handmade services by providing clues on how to maximize within-platform shops' total sales and price premiums.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.35-51
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• 2021

Purpose: As the digital environment has expanded opportunity for consumers to acquire information from social media and social network services(SNS), With this environment, influencer has not only promoted products, but also participated in distribution and influencing on their followers. Despite the increasing interest in influencers, there has not been enough research on the structure of fashion influencer, relationship of immersion and purchase intention. This study examined the effects of fashion influencers' characteristics to the immersion of relationship with followers and purchase intention. Research design, data and methodology: For data collection, a pilot survey and the final survey were conducted. The pilot survey data was conducted to 50 female SNS users following fashion influencers. Based on the pilot tests, questionnaire was revised and the final survey was conducted online from august 22 to September 1, 2019 to female SNS users who have followed fashion influencer. A total of 408 data were collected, and exploratory factor analysis, correlation analysis, and structural equational modeling techniques were employed for the data analyses using AMOS 26.0 and SPSS 26.0. Results: First, five factors were extracted for the fashion influencers' characteristics: interactivity, similarity, reliability, expertise and attractiveness. Second, fashion influences' reliability, expertise, similarity, interactivity have a positive (+) effects on relationship immersion; however, attractiveness has no effect on relationship immersion with followers and fashion influencer. It was also determined that relationship immersion had positive (+) influences on purchase intention. The relationship immersion has been found to have a partially mediated effect and similarity has complete mediated effects between interactivity, reliability, and expertise of fashion influencers and purchasing intentions. In terms of fashion opinion leadership, it was found to have a significant influence on purchase intention only for low fashion leadership groups. Conclusions: The present study found the structural relationships among the influencer characteristics, relationship immersion and purchase intentions to provide framework for succeeding research. This research revealed academic association of intention of purchasing through use of fashion social media and fashion influencer marketing. The results also showed the practical implications that fashion influencers' expertise and reliability perceived by their followers are key determinants to success in influencer marketing.

• Asian Journal of Business Environment
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.1-10
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• 2024

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the essential factors contributing to the growth and success of smart cities, providing a comprehensive analysis of key elements that are crucial in fostering the development of smart cities. This study explored the impacts of technology-driven applications, corporate involvement, the role of experts, citizen co-creation, city-led strategy governance, and sustainable urban practices on overall attitudes towards smart cities. Additionally, the study examined the impact of overall attitude on the growth trajectory of the smart cities and satisfaction. Research design, data and methodology: To collect data, this study employed an online survey conducted by a reputable research organization. Data analysis involved the use of factor analysis, ANOVA, and regression analysis. Results: This study unveiled significant impacts of technology-driven applications, corporate involvement, the role of experts, citizen co-creation, city-led strategy governance, and sustainable urban practices on the overall attitudes. Furthermore, it demonstrated that the overall attitude significantly influences the growth trajectory of smart cities. Conclusions: This study identified key driving factors for smart city development, suggesting that the consideration of sustainable urban practices emerges as the most significant factor influencing the growth of the smart cities.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.1433-1436
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• 2016

Background: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), a major problem of health in Thailand, particularly in Northeastern and Northern regions, is generally incurable and rapidly lethal because of presentation in stage 3 or 4. Early diagnosis of stage 1 and 2 could allow better survival. Therefore, this study aimed to provide a distribution map of populations at risk for CCA in BuaYai district of Nakhon Ratchasima province, Northeast Thailand. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out in 10 sub-districts and 122 villages, during June and November 2015. The populations at risk for CCA were screened using the Korat CCA verbal screening test (KCVST) and then risk areas were displayed by using Google map (GM). Results: A total of 11,435 individuals from a 26,198 population completed the KCVST. The majority had a low score of risk for CCA (1-4 points; 93.3%). High scores with 6, 7 and 8 points accounted for 1.20%, 0.13% and 0.02%. The population at risk was found frequently in sub-district municipalities, followed by sub-district administrative organization and town municipalities, (F=396.220, P-value=0.000). Distribution mapping comprised 11 layers: 1, district; 2, local administrative organization; 3, hospital; 4, KCVST opisthorchiasis; 5, KCVST praziquantel used; 6, KCVST cholelithiasis; 7, KCVST raw fish consumption; 8, KCVST alcohol consumption; 9, KCVST pesticide used; 10, KCVST relative family with CCA; and 11, KCVST naive northeastern people. Geovisual display is now available online. Conclusions: This study indicated that the population at high risk of CCA in Bua Yai district is low, therefore setting a zero model project is possible. Key success factors for disease prevention and control need further study. GM production is suitable for further CCA surveillance and monitoring of the population with a high risk score in this area.

• Cartoon and Animation Studies
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• s.40
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• pp.367-395
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• 2015

Mobile games have taken 80% of the market sales in smart device application industry that is highly regarded as one of the fast growing pool of cultural content after the distribution of smart devices. One of the most successful mobile games after the smart device's appearance is . created by Gung-ho Online entertainment under Softbank Japan, has gained the sales revenue of one trillion dollars after its release in 2012, just after one year of its exposure to the market. The game also has been the top rank by Worldwide Mobile Game Revenues for 2years achieving 40 million downloads worldwide in 2015. However, there is no place for a Korean game in world mobile game sales ranks yet. Even though the mobile game industry has been expanding every year, Korean games are losing its places in the market. Therefore, the analysis of a successful game such as is vital for diagnosing Korea's game content and its lack of direction. This study utilizes K. Masanao's Matrix for Creating Profit System for analyzing 's factors for its success. First, the game has incorporated puzzle and RPG contents for creating a new genre, which led various age groups to play the game. Second, the developers have applied 'limited time' in-game festivals and collaborations between the game and famous contents such as God Festival and Character Draw system to increase the profit revenue. Third, the company communicated with on and off line players to seek their needs for developing the game's better development. Consequently, the three success factors of deduced from this study not only reflect the related researches and academic values, but also contribute for the search in finding better ways to developing game contents for Korean mobile game industry.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.393-406
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• 2017

A "Showrooming" phenomenon has emerged due to the rapid growth of the on-line shopping market and is associated with consumer shopping patterns. This phenomenon is resulted in new strategies such as the Omni-Channel strategy that are now being employed by the off-line retail industry to meet the needs of consumers who seek information on-line. In particular, human services provided in department stores (which still occupy an important place in the off-line retail industry) are reaching limitations in the ability to maintain consumers. This study provides basic data for the Omni-Channel strategy of domestic department stores by researching and analyzing Omni-Channel strategy cases in Manhattan. This study dissects and analyzes the "Showrooming" phenomenon and the development of the Omni-Channel strategy through a literature review as well as analyzes the Omni-Channel success case of Macy's department store. The findings indicate that the use of the Omni-Channel strategy by Macy's department store has solved the problem of "Showrooming," by integrating on-line and off-line shopping to provide an efficient and convenient shopping experience for consumers. The Omni-Channel strategy offers a means for off-line stores to connect to the online shopping behavior of consumers. The results suggest the need for an organic combination of on-line and off-line distribution channels to adapt to changes in consumer shopping patterns due to a recession in the domestic market.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.9 no.8
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• pp.19-27
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• 2022

Graduate well-being is foundational to academic success, and they are becoming more and more vulnerable. This is as they suffer from mental health challenges like anxiety and depression at rates six times higher than the general population. When the nature of their educational experience changes, such as when they had to stay in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, the stress on their mental health increases. The number of cases of emotional wellness among university students is considered a public health problem, but these young people often do not seek appropriate treatment. This study, therefore, aims to identify the influence of health behavior factors on graduate emotional wellness. This study used a questionnaire with a cross-sectional survey design. Questionnaires were distributed online to graduates from selected Private and Public Higher Education Institutions in Malaysia. The Partial Least Square Equation Model (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the results of the study. Overall findings indicate that the health behavior factors have a significant influence on graduate emotional wellness. The findings from this study will benefit the management, academics, counselors, and other entities, including the Students' Representative Council, in identifying ways to improve services and upgrade the necessary facilities to enhance the graduate's emotional wellness.

• The Journal of Society for e-Business Studies
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.65-82
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• 2020

Start-ups often use crowdfunding platforms such as Wadiz to get financing from corporate investors and general public. These platforms include functions to increase participant activity through the number of comments, interest and online word-of-mouth. This study aims to elucidate how these functions related to a participant activity exhibit mediating effects on a success of crowdfunding and an achievement rate of targeted investment amount. To this end, the individual variables such as progress period, target amount, venture company, experience of attracting investment, possession of intellectual property rights, a career of the representative and an award experience of the representative were classified into the project characteristics, the company characteristics and the representative characteristics through not only previous studies but also interviews with investment professionals and platform operators. Afterwards, this study went through an empirical verification process using a structural equation model that has both crowdfunding performance and participant activity, which is the independent and mediating factors of three perspectives, as well as the dependent variables. In other words, this study analyzes how the characteristics of three perspectives affect the participant activity and how the participant activity had the mediating effects on the crowdfunding performance. In addition, it derives how the analysis results mentioned above vary according to business types (internet services, culture/art, manufacturing/distribution) and investment styles (stock type and bond type). It is expected that this study will help not only in deriving the factors affecting the performance of an investment type crowdfunding but also in preparing the measures to increase a participant activity.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.10 no.10
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• pp.35-44
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• 2019

Purpose - This study focuses on the continuance intention of O2O fresh agricultural products e-commerce. By literature review, this paper looks through the classical theories which are often applied to study use behavior and continuance intention on the electronic commerce area. Ultimately based on the expectancy theory, Technology acceptance model, success model as well as trust model, a model of the continuance intention of fresh products O2O electronic commerce application is established. Research design, data, and methodology - Among users Chinese consumers have been chosen who have use experience as the research objects. From October 2, 2018 to November 2, 2018, 685 questionnaires in total were collected by the online release and collection. Expect for the negative questionnaires, the remaining 650 pieces of data are statistically analyzed. The collected data were firstly be analyzed by SPSS Ver. 25 on its frequency, reliability and exploratory factors. Then AMOS Ver. 25 is applied to the Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Discriminant Validity and hypothesis testing of the Structural Equation Modeling. Finally, the following research conclusions could be obtained from the hypothesis testing. Results - Firstly, in the extended IS model, quality factor for hypothesis testing, service quality, information quality and delivery quality have obviously present positive influences on satisfaction respectively. Secondly, in the hypothesis testing part of ECM-ISC model and UTAUT model, all hypotheses have presented accepted results. Especially from expectation confirmation to usefulness perception, the influence factor achieves 12.603, In the hypothesis of continuance intention, the influence factor of social influence on continuance intention is 7.748 and also it is the most remarkable one. Conclusions - The results show that the service quality of O2O fresh agricultural products e-commerce has the greatest impact on satisfaction, while the perceived usefulness of consumers has the most significant impact on O2O fresh agricultural products for sustainable use intention. This thesis makes up for the blank of O2O fresh food e-commerce for sustainable use intentions, and provides a theoretical basis for consumers' sustainable use behavior, and practical enlightenment for the sustainable development of O2O fresh agricultural products e-commerce.