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Online forums are becoming increasingly important in influencing customers’ buying decision process, hence understanding customers’ likelihood to rely on online forums while making buying decisions is of major concern for marketers. The companies should also be aware of how reliance-likelihood differs with the introversion/extraversion nature of customers. Using factor analysis as data reduction technique and classification and regression tree as machine learning technique, the current study categorizes customers and builds decision rules based on their self-perception related to their inter-intra communication comfort level (introversion/extraversion level). Based on customers’ self-perception of their inter-intra communication comfort level, four groups were identified as: Extroverts, Introverts, Socially Active and Vacillators. Analysis of the data collected from 209 respondents revealed that being socially active is a common trait for both introverts and extroverts in being influenced by online forums while making buying decisions. The current study will be useful for companies in understanding the effect of the level of introversion-extraversion in making customers more likely to be influenced by online forums for making buying decisions and hence will help firms in formulating more effective strategies and better predictive models related to online forums.

AbstractTechnology alignment in managing end-of-life products to overcome sustainability issues has drawn increasing attention in the food and hospitality industry. Recent literature on sustainable and agile practices in the food and hospitality industry recognizes the importance of reusing food waste materials at their end of life. The current study examines the mediating role that end-of-life food waste management plays in the relationship between agile practices and sustainable consumption and production from the viewpoint of food hospitality companies. The research employs a sequential mixed method design involving quantitative and qualitative analysis. The suggested model was empirically tested using information gathered from 298 respondents recruited through Prolific. After that, post hoc qualitative exploration was carried out by analyzing 24 interviews of the respondents identified out of the 298 respondents of the quantitative study. We discover that agile management practices are antecedents for responsible consumption and production. The findings highlight that food and hospitality firms must consider agile management practices to achieve more sustainable and socially responsible food waste management practices. Further, we find that information technology alignment is not a necessary condition to enhance or weaken the indirect effect of sustainable end-of-life (food waste) management between agile practices and sustainable consumption and production practices within the food and hospitality industry. This work advances theoretical and practical knowledge of conservation and natural resource management in the food and hospitality industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media apps are increasingly being used for boosting customer engagement, yet researches that identify the effect of AR face filter apps usage on customer engagement are scarce. Our study aims to analyse identity dimensions of Social Identity Theory (SIT) as motivators for AR face filter apps usage and their relation with Influence Value Customer Engagement (IVCE). Using the snowballing strategy, data was collected online from 406 respondents from the northern region of India. The collected data was used to develop an empirical model for testing the proposed relationships. Findings of analysis on the data indicated that affective identity has the maximum influence on customers' current and future usage of AR face-filter apps which consequently has a positive association with IVCE. The study is novel in its methodological approach depicting IVCE as a consequent rather than antecedent of customer usage behaviour and unearthing the influence of different identity dimensions of SIT on customers' AR face-filter apps usage behaviour. Usage of trendiness as a mediating variable further adds to the originality of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the enhancement of technological and strategic enablers for carbon‐neutral businesses (CNB) through artificial intelligence (AI)‐driven business model innovation (AIDBMI). Drawing upon the insights gained from the literature review, the study employs structural equation modeling (partial least squares structural equation modeling [PLS‐SEM]) as the methodology to examine the relationships between AIDBMI, technological enablers, strategic enablers, and the attainment of carbon neutrality. The sample size consists of 326 small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in the United States of America. The findings of this study affirm the significant positive relationships between AIDBMI and both technological and strategic enablers for CNB. The utilization of AI technologies proves to be instrumental in fostering the development and implementation of innovative business models that integrate sustainability practices and address environmental challenges. By leveraging AIDBMI, SMEs can harness technological advancements to adopt energy‐efficient processes, embrace renewable energy solutions, and implement effective carbon reduction strategies. Moreover, the study highlights the critical role of strategic enablers in driving the transition towards carbon neutrality. The alignment of sustainability goals with organizational strategies, stakeholder collaboration, and employee engagement emerge as pivotal factors in enabling SMEs to effectively utilize AIDBMI and leverage technological advancements to achieve carbon neutrality. The implications of this study contribute to the existing literature by highlighting the importance of technological and strategic enablers in creating CNB. By integrating AIDBMI, organizations can drive sustainable transformations, optimize their operations, and align their resource management with sustainable practices. These insights provide valuable guidance for SMEs, policymakers, and researchers seeking to foster sustainable practices, promote carbon neutrality, and contribute to the advancement of a low‐carbon economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and Objectives: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory condition, which is associated with increase in airway hyper responsiveness that leads to recurrent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing. Asthma is a very common respiratory illness, in which some of the disease related factors may increases the vulnerability to psychiatric disorders. This study was done to determine the prevalence of psychiatric co-morbidity in patients of bronchial asthma. Methodology: It is an observational study conducted in 110 follow-up patients of bronchial asthma attending respiratory medicine OPD at tertiary care centre in central India. Psychiatric co-morbidities are assessed by pre-designed short-structured questionnaire using Mini international neuropsychiatric interview. Result: Among 110 patients of bronchial asthma 28% had psychiatric co-morbidity mainly depressive episode (59%). A significant association is found between lower socioeconomic status (P = 0.01), duration of of active illness (more than 1 year) (P = 0.001), and age of patient above 60 years (P = 0.001) with psychiatric co-morbidity of asthma patient. Conclusion: Our study shows there is increased prevalence of psychiatric co-morbidities in patients of bronchial asthma, higher than the national average. The predominant psychiatric disorder seen is depressive disorder, so treatment of asthma should be a multidisciplinary approach including medical treatment of asthma and psychiatric evaluation to prevent psychiatric co-morbidity or its early management. This will greatly reduce the morbidity, visits to hospital, expenditure on treatment and thereby having better outcomes in our patients of asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Role of toothbrush in decreasing oral microflora. Aims: To evaluate the effectiveness and compare the negative oral microbial flora of dental plaque after the use of a self-contaminated multiple use toothbrush and that of a single-use toothbrush. Settings and Design: Sixty healthy individuals without any systemic conditions. Methods and Materials: The study conducted with 60 participants who were free from any systemic or oral disease and without any adverse habits. In these participants, plaque samples were collected after 1 month use of a self-contaminated multiple use toothbrush. Each participant was given a set of 30 new toothbrushes and a toothpaste tube and instructed to use one toothbrush everyday and discard it after use. The plaque samples were collected on seven days interval and cultured on Mitis Salivarius agar. The colonies were identified and their count was recorded. Statistical Analysis Used: Student t test was applied. Results: Streptococcus mutans, S. sanguis, S. milleri, and Candida were identified from the samples. A highly marked decrease in their numbers was found after the use of a single-use toothbrush over multiple use toothbrushes. Conclusions: As a self-contaminated multiple use toothbrushes can aid microorganisms to grow rapidly into the oral cavity, it may be preferable to change the toothbrush as frequently as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

e-Governance is the provision of all government services to citizens of a country with the use of technology. For the proper dissemination and use of services, Internet today has become an important element. To better provide these services, the government needs an idea about the usage level of these by different groups of customers. The paper analyzes the usage of amenities of government websites by Indians and aims at identifying if the use and satisfaction level with such sites are different based on customer demographic characteristics like gender, age, occupation, income, etc. The survey method of data collection using a formal questionnaire was used for conducting the study and the number of respondents were 200. The percentage of respondents showing a high usage of the e-governance sites was found to be 28.5 and the percentage of respondents satisfied with these sites was 33%. On analyzing the data, it was found that there is a significant outcome of all the four demographic variables, i.e., gender, occupation, age and income, on usage level of e-governance sites, while the satisfaction level with these sites was found to be significantly affected by gender, occupation and age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With rapid developments in information technology, the way in which the banks are reaching out to customers has changed. Banks all over the world are adopting multiple channel strategies. The right combination of banking channels can be arrived at only with a proper understanding of the preferences and perceptions of the consumers regarding the various channels of banking. The current study is undertaken to investigate the banking channel usage pattern of the Indian customers. The findings of the study show an increasing trend in the usage of mobile banking as a channel of banking, especially by the people in the age group of 46 to 60 years, with balance enquiry being the most common reason for using mobile banking. Accessibility is found to be the most important factor, whereas security is observed to be the least important in affecting customer's choice of a banking channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indian Railways is one of the largest railways network to be operated by a single government in Asia. Though Indian Railways has been enjoying the position of monopoly for decades, it faces increasing competition from the low-cost airlines and other modes of public transportation. The present study has been undertaken to find the satisfaction level of customers regarding the various services of Indian Railways like ticketing, platform, and journey. Primary survey method was used wherein data was collected via a formal questionnaire administered on a sample of 500. CSI was computed to find out the satisfaction level of customers. The major findings of the study depict that out of the various services considered; customers seem to be the most satisfied with platform services though even here the satisfaction level is not very high. Overall the satisfaction level of customers for all the services related to railways is roughly 50% which suggests that Indian Railways as a whole is not meeting the expectations of it's customers and consequently it can be inferred that changes are required in a number of areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]