American Journal of Business Table of Contents for American Journal of Business. List of articles from the current issue, including Just Accepted (EarlyCite)
- Psychometric evaluation of technology adoption propensity (TAP) index within independent samples of Turkish individualsby Hakan Celik on September 6, 2024 at 12:00 am
The technology adoption propensity (TAP) index is a parsimonious yet robust tool for measuring an individual’s willingness to accept new technologies. However, further investigation is still needed to evaluate its merits in non-Western countries. With this task in mind, this study assesses the psychometric properties and predictive capabilities of TAP in Turkey. The researchers utilized an iterative process of forward-backward translation and three rounds of piloting to ensure the cross-cultural, conceptual and linguistic equivalence for the chosen tool. The final survey was conducted online on a convenience sample of 352 academics and in person for 2 other convenience samples that comprised a total of 259 municipal officers and 300 individuals. TAP’s four-subscale structure was confirmed by a principal component analysis (PCA), and A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) showed an acceptable fit across all samples. The total composition of the optimism, proficiency, dependence and vulnerability subscales was found to have adequate internal consistency and discriminant validity. Measurement invariance testing further demonstrated that TAP’s factorial organization was invariant across gender, age and income at configural, metric, scalar and strict levels. Finally, logistic and ordinary leas squares (OLS) regression analyses revealed that the TAP scores were predictive of prior technology adoption and use frequency. Although these results are still preliminary, the confirmation and replication of TAP in Turkey clearly suggest that TAP is a dependable tool for assessing technology readiness that can be utilized well across different cultures.
- Top management team regulatory focus and technological diversification: evidence from China’s high-technology firmsby Weiqi Zhang on September 5, 2024 at 12:00 am
This study aims to examine the impact of the regulatory focus of the top management team (TMT) members on the technological diversification of firms in high-technology industries based on the upper echelons theory and regulatory focus theory and explore the moderating effect of environmental uncertainty. This paper uses data on the Chinese Growth Enterprises Market Board (GEM)-listed companies from 2012 to 2016. The authors collected data on TMT regulatory focus from firms’ annual reports by Python programming. A fixed-effects model was used to test our hypotheses. Results indicate that TMTs with a high promotion focus are associated with greater technological diversification, while TMTs with a high prevention focus are linked to lower technological diversification. Moreover, environmental uncertainty amplifies the positive relationship between promotion-focused TMTs and technological diversification, while it diminishes the negative relationship between prevention-focused TMTs and technological diversification. This study is limited to high-technology firms listed on the Chinese GEM, which may restrict the generalizability of the findings. Future research could validate these results in different countries and industries to enhance their robustness. Additionally, this study focuses on the impact of TMT regulatory focus on technological diversification; future studies could explore its influence on other strategic decisions, such as digital transformation or innovation strategies. The results suggest that firms should carefully consider the regulatory focus of their TMT when making strategic decisions regarding technological diversification. Boards of directors should ensure that the TMT’s regulatory focus aligns with the firm’s strategic objectives, particularly in high-technology industries. Moreover, firms should adapt their strategies to the level of environmental uncertainty to better navigate the risks and opportunities presented by a dynamic market environment. Supportive evidence allows authors to discuss how our findings contribute to the upper echelons theory, as well as the emerging stream of firm technological diversification, which provided valuable psychological insights into the factors influencing TMT strategic decision-making. Meanwhile, this paper integrates the factors of the industry macro-environment to explore the changes in the TMT regulatory focus on firm technological diversification under different contexts.
- Consumer sovereignty: a systematic literature reviewby Shaheen Borna on July 31, 2024 at 12:00 am
The purpose of this study is to systematically review the existing literature on the concept of consumer sovereignty. By leveraging a systematic literature review using a data-driven approach and quantitative methodology, this study provides an overview of the intellectual structure of consumer sovereignty research. We explored the main topics that researchers tackled in consumer sovereignty research. Furthermore, we identified the theoretical lenses used in these studies. Finally, we proposed a research agenda to advance the scholarly debate on consumer sovereignty. Some limitations should be acknowledged. First, the study only studied and analyzed consumer sovereignty articles that were published in peer-reviewed academic journals. Second, our review comprised journals identified in Scopus. Third, in this study, we have taken into account only articles written in English. The authors expect the current review to significantly impact the identification of theories for the main trends in the academic analysis of consumer sovereignty and consumer behavior. This study is the first to provide an integrated view of the body of consumer sovereignty. This review provides a strong contribution to consumer sovereignty literature by recommending a new research agenda for the concept of consumer sovereignty.
- Employee-customer identification and service quality in the hospitality industryby Charles H. Schwepker Jr on July 18, 2024 at 12:00 am
This research seeks to better understand the impact of employee-customer identification on critical job outcomes such as customer orientation and commitment to service quality. A sample of 316 hotel/motel employees was used for the study. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Results show a positive relationship between ethical values person-organization fit and employee-customer identification indicating that when customer-contact service employees’ ethical values align with those of the organization, they identify with customers more closely. Results also suggest that when employees identify with customers they are likely to be more customer-oriented and committed to providing service quality. We learn how the relationship between employee and organization impacts employee-customer identification. Furthermore, we better comprehend the impact of employee-customer identification on critical outcomes in the hospitality industry such as customer orientation and commitment to service quality.
- Implementing organizational ambidexterity using the balanced scorecard in Puebla City’s hotel industry, Mexicoby Hassir Lastre Sierra on July 2, 2024 at 12:00 am
This paper investigates the effectiveness of the Ambidextrous Scorecard (ASC) in facilitating the integration of organizational ambidexterity in four-star Puebla City hotels for managing exploitation and exploration activities. It proposes an integrated approach to ambidexterity and introduces the ASC as a tool explicitly targeting hotels’ challenges and opportunities. The study analyzes survey data from 41 hotels (85.42% response rate). Our methodology involves a literature review, the Delphi technique for questionnaire validation, and data collection through Google Forms. Statistical tests confirm the reliability and validity of the approach for assessing the effective integration of exploitation and exploration activities. The paper highlights how the ASC promotes an integrated approach to managing both activities. By incorporating exploitation activities (cost reduction, strategic alliances), and facilitating exploration activities (process innovation, new market attraction), the ASC empowers hotels to streamline operations, develop novel offerings, and achieve enhanced operational efficiency and innovation. We acknowledge limitations due to its specific focus on the hotel industry in Puebla City, suggesting that the results may not be universally applicable. We recommended that further investigation be conducted into the application of the Ambidextrous Scorecard (ASC) across different sectors and regions to enhance understanding of organizational ambidexterity. Exploring the impact of integrating exploitation and exploration activities across corporate areas could offer valuable insights for implementing the ASC in diverse business settings. The paper indicates that hotels can achieve ambidexterity by integrating exploitation and exploration activities using the Balanced Scorecard. This approach enhances competitiveness, allowing hotels to anticipate and respond to market trends quickly. It highlights the significance of considering ambidexterity across all organizational areas to ensure sustained adaptability and performance in dynamic environments. This paper introduces the concept of integrated ambidexterity and the ASC as a novel tool for managing the balance between innovation and efficiency. The ASC transcends the hotel industry, potentially benefiting various service sectors by facilitating a more integrated approach to organizational performance.