Naser Valaei

Job satisfaction and organizational commitment: An empirical investigation among ICT-SMEs

Purpose The aim of this study is to examine the structural relationship between Spector’s nine job satisfaction facets (supervision, nature of the work, communication, contingent rewards, co-worker, fringe benefits, payment, promotion and operating procedures), organizational commitment facets (normative commitment, affective commitment and continuance commitment) and the influence of employees’ years of experience on satisfaction and commitment relationships. Owing to the nature of the industry, employee satisfaction, retention and commitment in Information and Communications Technology-Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (ICT-SME) is a matter of great concern. Design/methodology/approach A total of 256 valid questionnaires were collected among employees of Information and Communications Technology-Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (ICT-SMEs) to evaluate the measurement and structural model using partial least squares path modelling approach. Findings The findings indicate that payment, promotion, fringe benefits, co-worker, communication, operating procedures and nature of the work are positively associated with affective commitment. Furthermore, payment, promotion, fringe benefits, supervision, contingent rewards, operating procedures and nature of the work have a positive relationship with normative commitment. Considering employees’ years of experience as a categorical moderating variable, the results of partial least squares multi-group analysis show how the discrepancies between employees’ years of experience influence their level of commitment. Originality/value This study reveals that employees’ affective and normative commitments are positively associated and their continuance commitment is contingent upon their affective commitment, and not normative commitment. There are only three factors, i.e. promotion, fringe benefits and operating procedures, that are conductive to employees’ continuance commitment. Contributions, implications and limitations of the study are discussed.

Examining shopping mall consumer decision-making styles, satisfaction and purchase intention

Abstract Understanding consumer decision-making (CDM) styles is essential for market segmentation, positioning and crafting marketing strategies within a market. Few studies have examined the structural relationship among decision-making styles that consumers exhibit during mall shopping, level of satisfaction and purchase intention. The purpose of this study was to examine CDM styles as the antecedents and predictors of level of satisfaction and purchase intention. Based on the Consumer Styles Inventory, eight CDM styles that individual exhibit during shopping mall activities are proposed in terms of utilitarian and hedonic perspectives. We hypothesize these eight CDM styles as a set of predictors of customer satisfaction and purchase intention. A total of 327 valid paper-and-pencil questionnaires were collected from several shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Partial least squares (PLS) path modelling approach, a structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique was performed to test the proposed structural relationships. The empirical assessment supports that hedonic shopping styles consumers that exhibit high level of habitual, brand consciousness, fashion consciosness, recreational conscious style have lower levels of satisfaction and purchase intention during mall shopping while novelty and fashion conscious style consumers have lower level of satisfaction but do not unveil lower purchase intention. Utilitarian shopping styles consumers that exhibit high level of price conscious, confused by overchoice and high-quality conscious style have higher levels of satisfaction while impulsive/careless shoppers do not; and while price conscious, impulsive/careless, confused by overchoice consumers have higher levels of purchase intention but the high-quality conscious consumers do not unveil higher purchase intention. Further, there is a positive relationship between satisfaction and purchase intention. The practical and managerial implications are discussed.

Experienced international business traveller’s behaviour in Iran: A partial least squares path modelling analysis

Few researchers have examined travellers’ experience with destinations despite the importance of their attitudes, behaviour and perception in selecting destinations. Current study aims to examine the relationship between risk perceptions, motivation, information source, travel experience and destination image among experienced international business travellers in Iran. The total number of 234 valid questionnaires was collected from international business travellers and structural equation modelling was employed using partial least squares path-modelling analysis to assess measurement and structural model for reflective constructs. Our empirical results support the negative relationship between destination image and risk perception, travel experience and risk perception while information sources were found to be unrelated to travellers risk perceptions. The results further shown that information sources and destination image, information sources and motivation, motivation and travel experience and destination image are related. However, the partial least squares-multigroup analysis results reveal that the significance of path coefficients differs across various demographic subgroups. Moreover, our results support experience and risk perception as a second-order reflective construct. Practical and theoretical implications are discussed along with a discussion on research limitations.

Does Web 2.0 utilisation lead to knowledge quality, improvisational creativity, compositional creativity, and innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises? A sense-making perspective

ABSTRACT A few attempts were made to investigate how sense making is triggered through Web 2.0 utilisation and how it enables the accomplishment of key organisational outcomes. The objective of this research is to examine the structural relationship between Web 2.0 utilisation, knowledge quality (KQ) aspects, improvisational creativity, compositional creativity, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) innovativeness in an emerging market – Malaysia. Built upon sense-making theory, this study proposes that sense making is a progression of four formative constructs. Empirical analyses are based on a sample from SMEs’ top management (N = 358, response rate = 21%) using partial least squares approach. The findings indicate that Web 2.0 utilisation influences business entities’ sense-making activities in the way they realise the intrinsic value of knowledge and take action to apply the organisational knowledge. These sense-making activities are conducive to improvisational and compositional creativity of SMEs as well. Contributions, managerial implications, and limitations are discussed.

Full length articleModelling continuance intention of citizens in government Facebook page: A complementary PLS approach

The main purpose of this paper is to examine the continuance intention (CI) of citizens in following government Facebook page. Applying theories of expectation-confirmation, and information system success on a sample of 362 students in Malaysia, and using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), the study finds that CI and satisfaction of government Facebook page is contingent upon information quality (IQ) of the Facebook page per se. IQ is found as a second order construct of five first order factors: reliability, completeness, relevancy, timeliness, and understandability. Satisfaction of government Facebook page is also found as a partial mediator to the relationship between IQ and CI of following government Facebook page. In addition, applying PLS multi-group analysis, the results show that different government Facebook pages moderate the relationships between IQ and satisfaction of government Facebook page, IQ and CI of following government Facebook page as well as satisfaction of government Facebook page and CI of following government Facebook page. Satisfaction and continuance intention to follow government Facebook page is contingent upon information quality of the page.Information quality of Facebook page is a second order construct of five first order factors.Satisfaction of government Facebook page is a partial mediator.Different government Facebook pages moderate the structural relationships.A complementary PLS-SEM approach was applied to assess measurement and structural models.

Modelling continuance intention of citizens in government Facebook page

The main purpose of this paper is to examine the continuance intention (CI) of citizens in following government Facebook page. Applying theories of expectation-confirmation, and information system success on a sample of 362 students in Malaysia, and using Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), the study finds that CI and satisfaction of government Facebook page is contingent upon information quality (IQ) of the Facebook page per se. IQ is found as a second order construct of five first order factors: reliability, completeness, relevancy, timeliness, and understandability. Satisfaction of government Facebook page is also found as a partial mediator to the relationship between IQ and CI of following government Facebook page. In addition, applying PLS multi-group analysis, the results show that different government Facebook pages moderate the relationships between IQ and satisfaction of government Facebook page, IQ and CI of following government Facebook page as well as satisfaction of government Facebook page and CI of following government Facebook page. Satisfaction and continuance intention to follow government Facebook page is contingent upon information quality of the page.Information quality of Facebook page is a second order construct of five first order factors.Satisfaction of government Facebook page is a partial mediator.Different government Facebook pages moderate the structural relationships.A complementary PLS-SEM approach was applied to assess measurement and structural models.

CouQual: assessing overall service quality in courier service industry and the moderating impact of age, gender and ethnicity

Considering the moderating impact of age, gender and ethnicity on consumer behaviour, the purpose of this study is to investigate courier service quality elements and the impact of perceived service quality on overall service quality. A total of 561 valid questionnaires were collected to empirically assess measurement and structural model using partial least square (PLS) path modelling approach. Our results imply that promptness, safety and convenience are the main contributors while accuracy and tangibility do not positively contribute to perceived service quality. In addition, perceived service quality positively influences overall service quality and ethnicity moderates overall service quality but age and gender do not moderate overall service quality. This study is among a few attempts to examine courier service quality elements in Malaysia. Contributions, practical implications and limitations are discussed.

Branding in a multichannel retail environment: online stores vs. app stores and the effect of product type

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the structural relationship between online brand equity, brand experience, brand attitude, and brand attachment while considering the moderating effect of store type (online stores vs app stores) and product type.,A total of 459 completed online questionnaires were collected from experienced online (n=254) and app shoppers (n=205) to empirically test the proposed model. Partial least squares path modeling approach, a variance-based structural equation modeling, was performed to evaluate the measurement and the structural model.,The study’s empirical investigation validates the proposed model and implies that online brand equity, brand experience, and brand attitude explain 66 percent of variances in brand attachment. Partial least square-multi group analysis reveals that the type of store and product type are moderators to all the proposed relationships except the hypothesis on the relationship between online brand equity and brand attachment.,With the tremendous advancement of information technology that enables firms to deploy multichannel strategy in their core business activities, the role of brand in a multichannel retail environment has been ignored. This study is among several attempts to examine the role of brand among consumers experienced with online and app stores. The practical implications and limitation are discussed.

Measuring the Effectiveness of E-Wallet in Malaysia

In view of the promising growth of E-wallet in Malaysia, this study aims to discover the important factors influencing consumers purchase decision using E-wallet. Previous studies reveal that factors such as convenience, security, and cost saving influence consumers’ purchase decision using E-wallet. The survey questionnaire was developed and distributed to 230 respondents, out of which 222 valid responses were used for further statistical analysis. The result of this study indicated that convenience, security, and cost saving were proved to make significant influences on consumers purchase decision using E-wallet. The small sample size could limit the opportunity of generalization of the findings in this study, which future studies should seek to overcome. For practical implications, the use of E-wallet by the majority of respondents confirms that there is a great potential for future expansion of such payment devices in Malaysia.

Apps shoppers' behaviour and the moderating effect of product standardisation/brand recognition: a maximum likelihood estimation approach

The purpose of this study is to examine the structural relationship between subjective norm, attitude, intention, and behaviour via Apps and the moderating effect of product standardisation/brand recognition. Confirmatory maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) approach, a covariance based-structural equation modelling (CB-SEM) technique, was performed for assessment of the reflective measurements, structural relationship between latent constructs and moderation effect. A total of 340 online questionnaires (N = 340) was collected and the results support the structural relationship between the latent constructs and specify a valid model fit (positive and direct effects). In addition, multigroup moderation SEM analysis (critical ratio values) reveal that the degree of standardisation/brand recognition (standard vs. non-standard) moderates the structural relationships. This study provides a basic set of guidelines for the application of confirmatory MLE in the evaluation of direct effects (one tail hypotheses) and multigroup SEM analyses for moderation effects. Theoretical and managerial implications of the study are further discussed.