ABSTRACT
Purpose>Prior hospitality studies have reviewed review trustworthiness and perceived price as predictors of restaurant selection. However, the impacts of these two factors may vary by sales promotion and customer types. This study aims to determine whether sales promotions and customer type are the key elements that facilitate behavioral intentions by moderating the linkage between perceived price and behavioral intentions as well as the linkage between online review trustworthiness and behavioral intentions.Design/methodology/approach>Analysis of the responses of 533 individuals familiar with the Michelin Guide for restaurants in Seoul provided evidence supporting a sales promotion theory wherein promotions signal benefits in consumers’ minds.Findings>The findings show that when perceived price is positive and the trustworthiness of online reviews is high, repeat customers prefer mixed coupons to price discounts. Notably, the results indicate that when the trustworthiness of online reviews is high, first-time customers also prefer mixed coupons to price discounts. Furthermore, the findings suggest that negative evaluations of perceived price increase the impact of mixed coupons by signaling to first-time customers that given restaurants’ offerings provide monetary benefits regardless of their intentions to revisit said restaurants.Research limitations/implications>The study findings provide insights that should help managers better understand various levels of promotion. Managers can design their pricing strategies to strengthen customers’ motivations to visit their restaurants – the very thing customers often seek in sales promotions.Originality/value>This study provides indisputable evidence for a sales promotion theory, wherein promotions signal benefits in consumers’ minds;however, it also shows that first-time and repeat customers do not respond equally to sales promotions.
ABSTRACT
Antibacterial filtration materials have been used effectively to control biological pollutants and purify indoor air. This study aimed to assess the antibacterial capability of three fiber filter materials treated with triclosan: glass fiber (GF), non-woven fabric (NF) and chemical fiber (CF). Triclosan was loaded onto the filtration materials by the impregnation method. The triclosan-treated filter materials exhibited antibacterial zones obviously: the average antibacterial bands against E. coli were 11.8 mm (GF), 13.3 mm (NF) and 10.5 mm (CF);against S. albus, they were 25.5 mm (GF), 21.0 mm (NF) and 23.5 mm (CF). The percent reductions of bacteria for the antibacterial air fiber materials treated with triclosan against E. coli were 71.4% (CF) and 62.6% (GF), while the percent reductions against S. albus were 61.3% (NF) and 84.6% (CF). These findings could help to reduce the transmission and threat of epidemic and purify the environment through the use of environmentally friendly antibacterial filter fibers.
ABSTRACT
The issuance of consumption coupons during the epidemic period to stimulate the economy must take full account of the level of probabilistic consumption and inventory optimization. In this paper, an improved minimum-cost maximum-flow model is constructed to dynamically adjust the inventory capacity of node enterprises with the change of probabilistic consumption level, and three scenarios are simulated by numerical assumptions. The results show that: (1) The model can better solve the problem of consumption coupons, probabilistic consumption and inventory optimization;(2) Consumer welfare remains unchanged, the largest number of government consumption coupons is issued, and the number of enterprise inventories reaches the lowest;(3) Enterprise inventories are minimized with different decisions on consumer probability consumption, and the government’s issuance of consumption coupons and the satisfaction of consumer demand have reached a dynamic balance. Corresponding suggestions are put forward, hoping to better help the government to implement the consumption coupons policy to stimulate the economy.
ABSTRACT
While the ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic affirms an urgent global need for effective vaccines as second and third infection waves are spreading worldwide and generating new mutant virus strains, it has also revealed the importance of mitigating the transmission of SARS‐CoV‐2 through the introduction of restrictive social practices. Here, it is demonstrated that an architecturally‐ and chemically‐diverse family of nanostructured anionic polymers yield a rapid and continuous disinfecting alternative to inactivate coronaviruses and prevent their transmission from contact with contaminated surfaces. Operating on a dramatic pH‐drop mechanism along the polymer/pathogen interface, polymers of this archetype inactivate the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus, as well as a human coronavirus surrogate (HCoV‐229E), to the minimum detection limit within minutes. Application of these anionic polymers to frequently touched surfaces in medical, educational, and public‐transportation facilities, or personal protection equipment, can provide rapid and repetitive protection without detrimental health or environmental complications.
ABSTRACT
Purpose>In the pandemic time, many local governments in China issue mobile coupons to citizens in order to boost economy via stimulating consumption. This study examines value drivers for consumers to use government issued mobile coupons (GIMCs), which differ from traditional ones issued by retailers, during the pandemic time in mainland China.Design/methodology/approach>Content analysis of 148 posts and 388 comments from Sina Weibo were performed to identify value-related antecedents of GIMCs' usage by consumers. Then, drawing on extant literature and based on the variables extracted from content analysis, a conceptual model was proposed addressing the determinants of value perceptions which motivate consumers to acquire and redeem GIMCs. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 510 citizens who used government issued m-coupons to verify hypotheses.Findings>The research findings show that functional value (driven by economic benefits, convenience and relevance), emotional value (driven by trustworthiness, competition and altruism) and social value (driven by social norms and social recognition) positively shape consumer's attitude toward GIMCs and their intention to use GIMCs. Also, it is found that functional value and attitude link is enhanced by consumer's utilitarian shopping motivation and weakened by hedonic shopping motivation. Hedonic shopping motivation enhances the relationship between emotional value and attitude.Originality/value>This research contributes to the theory development of coupon promotional tool by focusing on m-coupons issued by government (instead of retailers) under the pandemic background. Besides, it provides managerial insights for local authorities to design effective GIMCs policies.