Search

Digitalization is constantly altering company paradigms and expanding cross-border supply chain prospects. Maritime transportation plays an increasingly essential part in the global supply network. Since maritime shipping services need to exchange a huge number of papers and paperwork across numerous companies, the usage of a unified platform for inter-organisational communication and information sharing is required. To develop an integrative, adaptive, and intelligent container booking system, a multi-agent architecture is designed in this article. The proposed architecture will aid the maritime industry in establishing real-time information interchange between autonomous agents, shippers, freight forwarders, and shipping lines. The process outlined in this paper reveals how the agents communicate with one another to resolve underlying inconsistencies. With the multi-agent framework, the article also presents a container slot optimisation problem considering market segmentation, different booking periods, heterogeneous containers and port congestion scenarios. Using this model the managers can find the booking limit for each type of containers and accordingly they can accept or reject the incoming booking requests. Furthermore, a simulated case study is also provided to validate the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has shown that racial discrimination is detrimental to the ethnic minorities in accommodation and hospitality sectors. However, whether racial discrimination happens during the stage of online booking before check-in remains unclear. Leveraging a natural experiment of the anti-discrimination policy implemented on Airbnb and face recognition techniques to identify the racial information of hosts and guests, this study reveals that racism from hosts against ethnic guests indeed exists during the stage of online booking. The results indicate that the monthly proportion of ethnic guests increases 5% after the launch of anti-discrimination policy. We also find that discrimination exists between ethnic hosts and ethnic guests, which was not documented in previous studies. Moreover, the anti-discrimination policy in relieving racism plays a bigger role among hosts with severe racial discrimination. These findings are critical for online booking platforms to set anti-discrimination policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growth of technology and easy access to the internet have led to an unparalleled boom in online booking. The uncertainty surrounding online travel purchases, however, still makes traveller's decision-making process very stressful. Hence, this study aims to identify and classify different factors that drive travellers' decision-making and actual behaviour. This study seeks to fill the void by systematically reviewing and synthesizing the online travel literature. The study utilizes the fuzzy-DEMATEL approach to identify, classify and analyse various factors to provide a comprehensive framework for understanding sets of factors driving travellers' decisions and their actual behaviour. The findings reveal that travellers' online travel purchasing behaviour is influenced most by their attitude, while social influence also emerged as a significant factor. This study provides key insights for academics, researchers and practitioners by identifying major factors and sub-factors, along with their causal interactions. This study is novel in its approach as it significantly contributes to existing knowledge by synthesizing the literature and employing the fuzzy-DEMATEL technique in categorizing the key factors that influence travellers' decision-making and actual purchase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on recent fieldwork from my doctoral research conducted with women readers over 3 months in the form of ‘domestic noir’ book clubs, this paper focuses on one of the women’s reading groups that was organized at the beginning of 2020. This study aims to understand women’s interaction, interpretation and experience with the crime subgenre read during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this book club, the domestic space became the focal point of the discussion on ‘domestic noir’ but also the participants’ experience of the pandemic. Domestic noir’s thematic portrayal of the dangerous and claustrophobic Gothic home, domestic violence as well as stereotyped femininity were highlighted during the discussions and functioned as a catalyst for exchanges of personal experiences of loneliness, gendered fears and burnout for the participants. The book club created community and solidarity with each other’s experiences, which raised their political consciousness through discussions. This article explores the ways in which participants read, discuss, construct and resist meaning making of domestic noir books. I argue that reading and discussing the domestic noir within these circumstances allowed participants to reflect on and relate to gendered experiences of the home, heightened gender inequalities and the fragility of women’s rights and positions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Issue Addressed: Patients with low English proficiency (LEP) often require interpreter services in health care, however, their usage remains low. This study aimed to explore the barriers to accessing interpreter services and suggests ways services can be improved in hospitals. Methods: We conducted focus groups with clinicians and a retrospective audit of patient records. The clinicians were recruited from the inpatient wards and Emergency Department in a Sydney hospital, August 2022. The focus group discussion explored clinicians' experiences using an interpreter, and ways to improve access to the service. It was recorded, transcribed and coded thematically using Braun and Clarke's (2006) 6‐step framework. The patient record data were linked with the interpreter service booking data to determine whether patients flagged as requiring an interpreter on admission were provided with the service. Results: Two focus groups were conducted with clinicians (N = 9 in total). Long wait times for telephone interpreters, an inflexible booking system, and low availability of in‐person interpreters were identified as the barriers. The COVID‐19 pandemic also impacted in‐person service provision. Conclusion: Some systemic barriers including an inflexible booking process and long wait times for immediate interpreter services were identified. The low use of interpreter services is attributed to the difficulties accessing the service and poor documentation in patient records. So What?: Greater availability of in‐person interpreter services, an upgraded booking system, and effective implementation the NSW Health Standard Procedures for Working with Health Care Interpreters will address some of these barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we explore the regulation of one-way station-based vehicle-sharing system (OSVS) through dynamic-hybrid parking reservation policies. We first propose a dynamic-hybrid parking reservation policy. This policy only requires trips with expected travel distances shorter than a specific threshold to make a parking reservation. The distance threshold varies with time. We develop a discrete event simulation model based on the O2DES (object-oriented discrete event simulation) framework to compare the dynamic-hybrid parking reservation (DHPR) strategy with the no-reservation (NR), static-hybrid parking reservation (SHPR) and complete parking reservation (CPR) strategies. Furthermore, we propose a simulation-optimization model and an Elitism-based Genetic algorithm with the optimal computation budget allocation to determine the fleet size, station capacity, and dynamic reservation distance threshold. The analysis of case studies of a real-world system indicates that DHPR is always superior to NR, SHPR and CPR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recommender systems are indispensable because they influence our day-to-day behavior and decisions by giving us personalized suggestions. Services like Kindle, YouTube, and Netflix depend heavily on the performance of their recommender systems to ensure that their users have a good experience and to increase revenues. Despite their popularity, it has been shown that recommender systems reproduce and amplify the bias present in the real world. The resulting feedback creates a self-perpetuating loop that deteriorates the user experience and results in homogenizing recommendations over time. Further, biased recommendations can also reinforce stereotypes based on gender or ethnicity, thus reinforcing the filter bubbles that we live in. In this paper, we address the problem of gender bias in recommender systems with explicit feedback. We propose a model to quantify the gender bias present in book rating datasets and in the recommendations produced by the recommender systems. Our main contribution is to provide a principled approach to mitigate the bias being produced in the recommendations. We theoretically show that the proposed approach provides unbiased recommendations despite biased data. Through empirical evaluation of publicly available book rating datasets, we further show that the proposed model can significantly reduce bias without significant impact on accuracy and outperforms the existing model in terms of bias. Our method is model-agnostic and can be applied to any recommender system. To demonstrate the performance of our model, we present the results on four recommender algorithms, two from the K-nearest neighbors family, UserKNN and ItemKNN, and the other two from the matrix factorization family, Alternating Least Square and Singular Value Decomposition. The extensive simulations of various recommender algorithms show the generality of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In railway stations, queues often form in front of the ticketing booths that provide ticketing services. Proper design of service systems is key to effectively managing these queues, as waiting time is a critical factor affecting customer satisfaction. This research focuses on optimising the location and configuration of queues in front of ticket booths to minimise waiting times and increase service efficiency. Passenger flow management at the station can be understood as the planning and implementation of the orderly movement of the crowd through the infrastructure. Using operational Markov chain analysis, we evaluate different queue configurations and the number of service providers in urban railway stations. The study specifically focuses on the case of the Poprad-Tatry railway station in Slovakia, where we propose the introduction of a common queue for all ticket booths. We propose the distribution of lines and their schedule, based on mathematical analyses, by creating designated service zones with a common queue in front of the ticket booths. The results show that this approach significantly reduces waiting times and improves overall system efficiency. This research focusses on solving the shortcomings in the design of queues in railway stations, specifically on the use of a common queue, thereby contributing to the improvement of passenger movement management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Computer und Recht is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objectives Methods Results Conclusions Klick is a clinic‐specific, digitally supported outpatient pathway of care for people living with HIV (PLWH). It involves a smartphone application (app) for PLWH to self‐manage their care, navigate access to the clinic and communicate with their healthcare provider. We present a patient evaluation of Klick.Patients use Klick to book/reschedule appointments, view laboratory results, request medication, access remote nurse‐delivered consultations and communicate with clinicians. In October 2022, Klick was evaluated by PLWH through a questionnaire and interviews.Between August 2020 and April 2024, 5859 patients had registered to use Klick; during April 2024 alone, 2509 (43%) used Klick. In October 2022, 1661 PLWH were invited to complete surveys, of whom 362 (22%) responded. These respondents were 95% (340/358) male and 84% (298/354) white, and 63% (227/359) were in the age range 41–60 years. Respondents felt Klick was easy to use (average score 4.3/5), and 92% thought having a clinic‐specific app was important/very important. Respondents valued the following app features as important/very important – online booking (93%); viewable results (94%); prescription requests (90%) – and rated their experience of using them highly – 91% for e‐booking and 91% for viewable results. A total of 93% said they would recommend Klick to friends and 82% rated Klick as above average/excellent.PLWH reported high levels of satisfaction using a clinic‐specific mHealth app to manage their HIV care and demonstrated sustained active use. Klick was rated easy to use, as helping to meet healthcare needs and as providing a superior experience for some aspects of care. Other HIV clinics or services managing chronic conditions could benefit from the adoption of personalized digital solutions to enhance patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many goods and services require the customer to be at home to receive the delivery. In the context of attended home delivery, customers can typically choose from a menu of delivery time slots. We consider the problem of dynamically managing the offered time slots and delivery bookings given the available fleet capacity. When multiple customers interact with the online booking system at the same time, this can lead to conflicts. Although managing such concurrent interactions is an important challenge in attended home delivery systems, it has not yet been addressed in the literature. We present a concurrency control strategy and several fast route planning approaches to manage time slots in real time. To combine fast response times with high quality slotting decisions, we introduce background procedures that use the time between successive order placements to improve the performance of the time slot offer and validation procedures. Our detailed computational experiments based on realistic instances provide insights into the effectiveness of our background procedures and the complex trade-offs between waiting times, valid orders, and invalid orders. We also discuss several relevant new areas of research in concurrency control for time slot management. Funding: This work was supported by the Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek [Grant 438-213-204]. It is co-funded by ORTEC B.V. and AH.nl. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigates the factors influencing tourists' online booking intentions. This study employed structural equation modeling to evaluate the online booking intentions of tourists after the second wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in India, extending the application of reactance theory in tourism and hospitality services. Mediation and moderation analysis facilitated the unfurling of direct and indirect linkages among the constructs. The findings suggest that online hotel reviews, perceived scarcity, and perceived enjoyment aggrandize tourists' perceived value quotients, escalating their online booking intentions. Besides, visual presentations improve the strength of the linkage, while perceived pandemic threat weakens the linkage between tourists' perceived value and online booking intentions. The research demystifies critical facilitators of tourists' perceived value and online booking intentions that may assist hotel owners in engaging potential tourists and maximizing their hotels' bottom line. The hotel industry lacks research on perceived scarcity, visual presentations, and perceived pandemic threat. This research adds to the body of knowledge by combining the abovementioned factors through a coherent theoretical framework. It makes prospective tourists cautious about COVID-19's virulence and the devastating consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In the era of new technological revolution, seeking to survive and guarantee business sustainability in their digital internationalization, enterprises choose to become environmentally oriented. The need for new green business models has become evident in recent years, and enterprises offer green services in creative and eco-friendly ways. However, does the display of a green label on hotels' websites really promote the eco-conscious tourists' online booking intention? This study aims to examine the impact of the perceived label on the online sustainable hotel booking intention of the eco-conscious tourists, using the foundations of signal theory. Design/methodology/approach: This study adopted a structural equation model to integrate several constructs with a sample of 349 validated responses. Findings: The empirical results highlight, the importance of the green label perception on the eco-conscious tourists' booking intention of online sustainable hotel and the role that green trust and green perceived risk play as a mediating variable between the perception of the exposed label and the booking intention. Indeed, when booking a sustainable hotel online, the tourists may be sensitive to the exposure of a green label. Therefore, this signal decreases the perceived risk of unsustainability and ultimately increases the trust in hotel's sustainability. Research limitations/implications: The first limitation is related to the sample employed in this study. Given that most of the participants were residents of France, the results of this study may not be generalized to the entire population. Secondly, a range of other factors can affect the eco-conscious tourists' intentions to book online a hotel with green label, such as their attitude, social media influence, tourists' satisfaction, etc. Indeed, other variables and/or signals could be adopted to study online booking intention in the pandemic era. Practical implications: In light of these results, theoretical and managerial implications are discussed. The findings make an important contribution to SMEs sustainability and internationalization by exploring new ties. This study considers how SMEs and specifically hotels start following green practices (e.g. adoption of an eco-label) relevant to their international environment where they operate and in response to global pressures. SMEs can survive better in the highly competitive global environment where they need to employ more green practices, however, managers should consider how green trust and green perceived risk can affect customer behavior. It also adds to the existing literature by dealing with customer perceptions about the green label of sustainable hotels and its subsequent effect on booking intention. Originality/value: This study had shown the importance of the display of green label on the eco-conscious tourist's online booking intention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiculturalism and cultural diversity permeate various sectors of society, including higher education. The educational policies implemented in this sphere appear to promote social and educational equality. The aim of this study was to examine this subject by analysing the affirmative action policy implemented in a Brazilian university. It sought to understand whether this policy has contributed to the access and completion of undergraduate programmes of black and mixed-race, indigenous and quilombola students. The analysis was conducted based on data relating to the access and dropout of students who enrolled in the university through the quota and reservation systems. Data were collected from university administrative datasets and a questionnaire administered to undergraduate course coordinators and students who had benefited from the policy in question and dropped out of university. The findings reveal, on the one hand, an increase in the intake of black and mixed-race, indigenous and quilombola students. On the other hand, a high dropout rate was observed among these students, which may raise the possibility that the policy in question is not completely successful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media have been developed as a vital source of information for millennials worldwide, including in India. The present study identifies the influence of the various social media traits on the perceived usefulness of social media by Indian millennials and its subsequent impact on their online accommodation booking decisions. A conceptual model based upon the Stimulus-Organism-Response model was proposed for the study that was empirically verified using sample data from 476 Indian millennial respondents with prior social media experience. The study reveals that Indian millennials consider the usefulness of social media as an essential factor in their online booking decision for hotel products and services. The usefulness of social media primarily depends upon various characteristics such as information quality, source credibility, visual presentation, perceived ease of use, perceived enjoyment, and perceived curiosity fulfilment. Further, the study results indicate that the relationships among these factors are moderated by gender. The present research work extends the extant literature by examining the influence of social media on the online booking decisions of Indian millennials. In addition, this study will give practical suggestions to marketers for addressing new markets through social media activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

E-reading has become more popular by making the number of book readers high in number. With online book reading websites, it is much simpler to read any book at any time by simply typing its name into a search engine. These websites offer free reading platform to users with unlimited number of choices without exceeding any rights. However, statistics reveal that reading is dwindling, particularly among young people. In this survey, we presented several existing approaches employed to design a book recommendation system from 2012 to 2023. Different types of datasets, used to extract information about books and users, in terms of features, source and usage were discussed. Six different categories for book recommendation techniques have been recognized and discussed which would build the groundwork for future study in this area. The issues related to book recommendation system was also briefly discussed. We have discussed on the performance analysis of various research works on book recommendation system. We have also highlighted the research concerns and future scope to improve the performance of book recommender system. We hope these findings will help researchers to explore more in book recommender systems particularly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population‐wide skin cancer screening is not currently recommended in most countries. Instead, most clinical guidelines incorporate risk‐based recommendations for skin checks, despite limited evidence around implementation and adherence to recommendations in practice. We aimed to determine adherence to personal risk‐tailored melanoma skin check schedules and explore reasons influencing adherence. Patients (with/without a previous melanoma) attending tertiary dermatology clinics at the Melanoma Institute Australia, Sydney, Australia, were invited to complete a melanoma risk assessment questionnaire via iPad and provided with personal risk information alongside a risk‐tailored skin check schedule. Data were collected from the risk tool, clinician‐recorded data on schedule deviations, and appointment booking system. Post‐consultation, we conducted semi‐structured interviews with patients and clinic staff. We used a convergent segregated mixed methods approach for analysis. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and data were analysed thematically. Participant data were analysed from clinic records (n = 247) and interviews (n = 29 patients, 11 staff). Overall, there was 62% adherence to risk‐tailored skin check schedules. In cases of non‐adherence, skin checks tended to occur more frequently than recommended. Decisions to deviate were similarly influenced by patients (44%) and clinicians (56%). Themes driving non‐adherence among patients included anxiety and wanting autonomy around decision‐making, and among clinicians included concerns around specific lesions and risk estimate accuracy. There was moderate adherence to a clinical service program of personal risk‐tailored skin check recommendations. Further adherence may be gained by incorporating strategies to identify and assist patients with high levels of anxiety and supporting clinicians to communicate risk‐based recommendations with patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utility vehicle express or locally known as UV Express is a key mode of transportation in Albay, Philippines, offers cost-effective connectivity between urban and suburban areas. Composed of vans operating point-to-point from terminals, it serves routes connecting Legazpi with surrounding municipalities like Tabaco, Ligao, and Polangui. Its affordability and efficiency cater to students and workers, supporting both educational and economic activities. However, challenges such as overcrowding, long waits, and inconsistent scheduling persist, highlighting the need for service improvements. This study aims to address these issues through design thinking process that includes identifying the issues and tracing its root causes through 5 Why Analysis. A proposed framework is developed to modernize UV Express operations by replacing manual processes with digital solutions like a Booking System, GPS tracking, and passenger feedback integrated into a mobile app. This initiative enhances operational efficiency, aligns services with evolving transportation trends, and fosters competitiveness. Moreover, it prepares UV Express for further advancements, including usability assessments through pilot testing of the mobile application in Albay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online travel booking has become increasingly popular; however, most travel websites do not yet offer voice interaction. This study introduces VoiceBack, an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven voice-based feedback system conceptualized to support both customers and online travel agencies during the booking process. It proposes a theoretically and empirically underpinned design concept that involves a voice user interface (VUI) for customer feedback. This feedback, collected by an AI agent, is analyzed and converted into actionable statistics, which are then presented to online travel agencies through a visual interface. The interface is designed to highlight problem areas and usability issues during the booking process. This study contributes to the field of human-centered AI, by offering insight into the complex process of designing and integrating voice, emotion, and feedback within user interfaces. This integrated approach can enrich the user experience of customers when booking travel online, and pave the way for more intuitive and responsive interaction designs in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of long waiting times for outpatients remains a prevalent problem in healthcare services, particularly in hospitals. This can be mitigated through the implementation of an effective patient scheduling system, such as an online or web-based scheduling system. However, such systems are not widely utilized and have not received significant attention in Indonesian healthcare services, especially in public healthcare services. This study aims to identify the advantages of an online reservation system and determine the influential factors for developing an effective outpatient scheduling system for patients. A literature review was conducted using a systematic approach, searching through databases such as PubMed, ProQuest, and Scopus for publications from the past 5 years. The initial search using keywords "online reservation" OR "web-based reservation" OR "appointment system" AND "outpatient" AND "waiting time" AND "hospital" yielded 85 relevant literature sources. The PRISMA framework was then applied to narrow down the selection to 9 relevant literature sources, which were reviewed in-depth. The findings revealed numerous advantages of implementing an online scheduling system, including increased patient satisfaction, enhanced patient-centeredness, reduced patient absences, decreased workload for doctors and medical staff, among others. This review suggests that there are numerous advantages to implementing online or web-based reservation systems, as well as various types of online scheduling systems that can be applied and implemented in healthcare services. Practical implications and suggestions for further research are also discussed in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ensuring fairness in the utilization of government-funded public facilities, such as co-working spaces, sports fields, and meeting rooms, is imperative to accommodate all citizens. However, meeting these requirements poses a significant challenge due to the high costs associated with maintaining digital infrastructure, employee wages, and cybersecurity expenses. Fortunately, Blockchain smart contracts present an economical and secure solution for managing digital infrastructure. They offer a pay-per-transaction schema, immutable transaction records, and role-based data updates. Despite these advantages, public blockchains raise concerns about data privacy since records are publicly readable. To address this issue, this study proposes a privacy-preserving mechanism for public facilities' reservation systems. The approach involves encrypting the reservation table with fully-homomorphic encryption (FHE). By employing FHE with binary masking and polynomial evaluation, the reservation table can be updated without decrypting the data. Consequently, citizens can discreetly book facilities without revealing their identities and eliminating the risk of overlapping schedules. The proposed system allows anyone to verify reservations without disclosing requested data and table contents. Moreover, the system operates autonomously without the need for human administration, ensuring enhanced user privacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transfer city is a key point in air-to-rail intermodal travel (ARIT) that directly influences the service level of the entire system. Although some studies have investigated factors that influence passengers' ARIT preferences based on subjective surveys, an in-depth understanding of their nonlinear and interactive impacts on passengers' actual behavior is still lacking. Using passengers' online booking data in China, this study implements an interpretable ensemble machine learning framework that incorporates decision-making theory to unveil feature importance and the complex nonlinear and interactive effects of various attributes on passengers' choice of transfer city in the crucial ARIT scenario. The results show that (1) the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) model achieves better performance in predicting ARIT transfer city choice than the conventional discrete choice model; (2) attributes related to intermodal services (e.g., ticket price, in-vehicle duration, transfer duration, quantities of flights and trains) are more important than personal demographic characteristics (e.g., age and gender); (3) factors related to service economy and efficiency display nonlinear impacts with fluctuations and critical thresholds; and (4) individuals with different characteristics present heterogeneous preferences for ARIT transfer cities. These findings can provide useful managerial implications for policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A myriad of types of artificial intelligence (AI) systems—namely AI-powered site search, augmented reality, biometric data recognition, booking systems, chatbots, drones, kiosks/self-service screens, machine translation, QR codes, robots, virtual reality, and voice assistants—are being used by companies in the tourism and hospitality industry. How are consumers reacting to these profound changes? This study aims to address this issue by identifying the types of AI systems that are used by tourists, the purposes they are used for in the present, and how likely they are to be used in the future. This study also aims to identify the types of emotions (positive vs. negative) that tourists associate with the use of AI systems, as well as the advantages and disadvantages they attribute to them. Considering the exploratory nature of the research, data were collected through an online survey shared on social media, which was available from September to December 2023. Results show that most respondents have already used several AI systems, assign more advantages than disadvantages to their use, and that the emotions they associate with their use are significantly positive. Moreover, compared to the small number of respondents (13.7%) who associate negative emotions with the use of AI systems, respondents who claim to feel positive emotions when using AI systems also evaluate them more positively in terms of their usefulness for tourism and hospitality. They identify more advantages, use a greater diversity of AI systems, and admit that they would use a more diverse range of AI systems in tourism contexts in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of digital technology has transformed business models and created new value for customers and restaurant owners. One of the challenges faced in the restaurant industry is related to queues and reservations. This research aims to investigate business design strategies that can be used by startups in the restaurant industry. In this study, two main approaches are used: lean startup and service design. Qualitative methods in the form of interviews and testing were conducted on restaurant managers and visitors in the city of Kediri with respondents from the millennial and Generation Z demographics. During the data collection phase, a comparison of existing reservation applications was carried out. It was found that reservation services are limited to large cities, presenting an opportunity and business potential for new startups. Interviews were also conducted to validate the queue problem experienced by both restaurant visitors and managers. The results showed that 91% of respondents stated that the queue problem is valid and important to resolve. Based on this data, the author attempts to outline a new startup business idea and reservation application as a solution using a lean canvas. The lean startup approach used in this research focuses on accelerating the creation of a minimum viable product (MVP) in the form of the reservation application Eat-Eat. The service design approach, through a service blueprint, was used to observe the business processes and interactions of the related stakeholders. The combination of these two methods complements each other and makes the offered MVP more aligned with customer needs and preferences. A mockup prototype of the Eat-Eat reservation application was created using Figma software and tested on 11 respondents to assess its usability. Using the system usability scale (SUS) method, an average final score of 88 was obtained, compared to the standard average SUS score of 68 set by Jeff Sauro. This means that the Eat- Eat reservation application prototype is acceptable and feasible to use. During interviews and testing, the author received a lot of positive feedback for the development and improvement of the application. In the final stage, the prototype, which has been refined through an iterative process and deemed feasible, will become the final application ready for launch. It is hoped that the results of this research will provide valuable insights for startup founders and co-founders to develop more effective business design strategies, creating more innovative, relevant, and sustainable products and services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the development and implementation of an integrated food commodities reservation and management system for the KASU Majlis Cooperative Society. Developed using PHP and MySQL within the XAMPP environment, this web-based system addresses inefficiencies in the existing manual process, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and member satisfaction within the cooperative society. This research identifies key challenges, such as delays and inaccuracies in processing requests and inventory management. In response, an automated system has been developed to modernize these processes. The key features include user registration, reservation tracking, and inventory management. The system allows users to confirm their details, view available commodities, reserve items online, check costs, and print reservation forms with email notifications sent upon request submission. These features ensure convenience, transparency, and efficiency. The system was designed using the waterfall model because of its simplicity and ease of implementation. Comprehensive testing was conducted to validate the reliability and performance of the system. The results from the implementation show significant improvements in request-handling accuracy and operational efficiency. Feedback from users indicates increased satisfaction owing to the user-friendly interface and timely updates of the system. The successful deployment of this system demonstrates its potential to enhance operational workflow, reduce waiting times, and improve communication between members and executive officers. This study offers a practical and scalable solution to common challenges in cooperative management, providing a foundation for future advancements in automated systems for similar cooperatives or organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores alternatives to terminating a franchise agreement when a franchisee is in default. It discusses contractual provisions that franchisors can include in their agreements, such as remedial training and restrictions on access to financial measures, to facilitate compliance and cure defaults. The article also examines the use of step-in rights, which allow the franchisor to assume operation and management of the franchisee's business under certain circumstances. It emphasizes the importance of considering statutory provisions and balancing legal and business factors when deciding whether to terminate a franchise agreement or exercise contractual alternatives to termination. The authors recommend including permissive provisions in franchise agreements that allow for the exercise of contractual alternatives to termination. [Extracted from the article]

An essential element of everyday is the digital presence of consumers in the Internet marketplaces. Moreover, social media platforms are becoming an important part of 21st century commerce and mark a modern way of doing business. Thus, being in a world that is evolving in terms of social media and digital marketing, this article delves into the significant impact of Bookstagram influencers on the visibility and popularity of books. In other words, this article aims to take a close look at the "Bookstagram Tour" phenomenon in Romania, analyzing how bookstagrammers can increase the recognition of a book through their platforms. Starting from an exploratory-descriptive research, we highlight the examination of interactions, post likes and engagement metrics of posts related to a specific online book tour. The study aims to quantify the influence of bookstagrammers in promoting literary content, marking that such a promotion technique succeeds, both in the short and long term, in strengthening the relationship between influencer and consumer and increasing the number of digital interactions. This exploration is key to understanding the changing dynamics of book marketing and readership in the social media age, where influencers hold substantial power in shaping public opinion and determining trends in the literary world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This techno-centric and too much busy day-to-day living style of citizens pressurizes the implementation of E-ticketing service to adapt with change. Thus, this study aims to examine the factors influencing railway passengers' E-ticketing service acceptance and usage intention in Bangladesh and to extend the widely used Technology Acceptance Model through inserting two new constructs. Design/methodology/approach: This paper employs structural equation modeling to test model's paths developed through theoretical research framework. Moreover, a structured questionnaire was administered at different railway stations in northern and western parts of Bangladesh to collect data. Total of 302 responses were considered for statistical analysis to test hypotheses after considering anomalies and outliers in raw data. Findings: The study results show that technology trust (TT) has the strongest impact on passengers' E-ticketing usage intention rather than perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness (PU). Meanwhile, the easiness of using technology to reserve tickets does matter to female passengers rather than male passengers wherein PU and TT do not do that. Originality/value: The findings of this study might be helpful for the railway authorities to improve the ticket reservation service quality online by developing the advanced booking application and minimizing the pressure on other transportation. Therefore, this empirical study will contribute to this domain for further study that ensures full satisfaction of passengers and uplift the railway passengers' usage intention for E-ticketing which then helps the government to implement the digitization slogan with efficiency and effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study investigated the influence of service quality factors on season ticket holder (STH) satisfaction and intention to renew their season tickets. The current study was particularly interested in exploring the unique contribution of the season ticket-specific service quality on STHs' satisfaction and retention in the context of professional sports. Data were collected from 646 STHs from a Major League Baseball (MLB) team using an online survey. The findings from the hierarchical multiple regression models confirm the influence of the STHs' team identification, three gameday service quality dimensions (game, facility, and interaction qualities factor), and the season ticket service quality (STSQ) on their level of satisfaction and intention to renew their season tickets. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that all groups of predictors contribute to predicting STH satisfaction and intention to renew, together explaining 42.4% and 34.7% of the variances in satisfaction and renewal intention, respectively. Results showed the importance of the season ticket service quality in satisfying and retaining STHs, even after controlling their team identification and gameday service quality. The findings of this study provide helpful tips for sport managers to ensure important service qualities and train their service employees accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the challenges faced by the European Commission in enforcing antitrust laws in digital markets with network effects. It emphasizes the role of National Competition Authorities (NCAs) and private claimants in complementing the Commission's efforts, but acknowledges the constraints imposed by EU regulations. The article also explores the Digital Markets Act (DMA) and its aim to harmonize regulatory solutions at the national level. It compares the DMA with the German Act Against Restraints of Competition (ARC) and highlights differences in obligations and enforcement. The article concludes by suggesting the need for a more consistent approach that embraces diversity before harmonization. [Extracted from the article]

Copyright of Umsatzsteuer-Rundschau is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The paper first presents a historical record of the caste system in India, shedding light on the socioeconomic disparities and discrimination that persisted for centuries. It then delves into the genesis and evolution of the Reservation System, highlighting its constitutional foundations and subsequent amendments. The paper outlines the intended goals of the Reservation System, emphasizing its role in promoting the social justice, equality, and empowerment of the marginalized communities in the society. The paper critically assesses the potential impact of a comprehensive Caste Census on the accuracy and relevance of reservation policies. An analysis of the implications of the Caste Census on the Reservation System follows, considering both potential positive outcomes and challenges. The study explores the prospect of identifying new beneficiaries who may have been historically excluded, as well as the risk of exacerbating social tensions or reinforcing stereotypes. The paper also investigates the implications for political representation, resource allocation, and the overall socioeconomic development of the marginalized communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Travelers nowadays expect to have a proper, constant, and free internet connection at their disposal almost everywhere, with the Wi-Fi service offered as a standard in tourist lodgings. Such is the importance of the service, that the issue of free internet access has become a crucial booking factor to be considered in the pre-reservation stage. The main working hypothesis argues that online booking platforms offer insights regarding the capitalization of internet connectivity in accommodation establishments as a free service. Focusing on a rural tourism destination, the Land of Maramureș, northern Romania as a case study, the paper proposes an empirical methodological framework designed in a GIS environment that concentrates on two key variables - the mobile aggregated signal coverage data in the study area as an independent variable, sourced from the map of mobile signal coverage in Romanian settlements developed by ANCOM (the National Authority for Management and Regulation in Communications) and the Wi-Fisecondary scores as the dependent variable, sourced from Booking.com score data to test the above working hypothesis. The testing of the working hypothesis was performed using spatial processing and analysis methods such Inverse Distance Weighted Interpolation (IDW) and Regression Analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has previously established that tourists assess "attributes' to appraise the value a hotel may offer before booking online. However, this rational approach overlooks the role emotions may play in the decision-making process. This research examines the positive emotion of hope. Study 1 involved an experiment of 259 North American tourists, confirming the causal relationship between "hope" and "perceived value". Study 2 involved an online survey of 418 North American hotel guests, demonstrating "brand knowledge" moderates the relationship between hope and guests' perceived value, leading to booking intentions. These findings contribute new knowledge for tourism practitioners and researchers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the domain of cognitive radio (CR), unlicensed users have the opportunity to efficiently use available spectrum bands without interfering with licensed primary users (PUs). Our study addresses the challenge of secondary user (SU) spectrum shortage due to high arrival rates of licensed users. We propose two models aimed at improving the average total waiting time for SUs in such scenarios. These models incorporate non-acquired and preemptive priority mechanisms within the M/D/1 model of a PU delay system. Through quantitative evaluations and Monte Carlo simulations, we evaluate the performance of these models. Our findings show significant improvements in average waiting time for both PUs and SUs, especially under the priority scheme. Furthermore, we explore these models in the context of real-time systems, considering the limited buffer capacity for both user types. This further improves the average waiting time for PUs and SUs in both priority schemes. Our contribution lies in providing effective solutions to mitigate SU shortages in CR networks, providing insight into priority-based approaches and real-time system considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Zeitschrift für das Gesamte Genossenschaftswesen is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

"My Heart Is Bound Up with Them: How Carlos Montezuma Became the Voice of a Generation" by David Martínez is a new study that explores the life and legacy of Dr. Carlos Montezuma, a Yavapai Native American. The book focuses on letters written between Montezuma and his Yavapai relations, shedding light on his commitment to land and water rights in Arizona and his evolving sense of family and place. Martínez challenges previous scholarly representations of Montezuma and highlights his advocacy work on behalf of the Fort McDowell and Gila River communities. The book offers a nuanced view of Montezuma's impact as an advocate, leader, physician, and writer, and emphasizes the importance of understanding Montezuma as part of a community of voices. [Extracted from the article]