Does perceived quality mediate the relationship between country of origin image and consumer buying behaviour in Nigerian hypermarkets?

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the country of origin image of a product and consumers' purchasing behavior in Nigerian hypermarkets, as well as the mediating role of perceived price in this relationship. The research considers four aspects of purchasing behavior: information search, product evaluation, purchase decision-making, and post-purchase behavior. A total of 1272 participants completed an online survey, and the data collected was analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results indicated that the country of origin image of a product has a significant and positive impact on consumers' information search, product evaluation, purchase decision-making, and post-purchase behavior. The study also found that perceived quality does not mediate the impact of country of origin image on information search and product evaluation, but it does play a significant and positive role in purchase decision-making and post-purchase behavior. As a result, it is important for Nigerian hypermarkets to be aware of the origin of the products they import, as importing from countries with a positive image can enhance their performance. Furthermore, perceived quality can mediate purchase and post-purchase decisions.

Empirical Investigation of Work-Related Social Media Usage and Social-Related Social Media Usage on Employees' Work Performance.

The trend of using social media in the workplace is now becoming ubiquitous. Along witbenefits, social media also has negative consequences. Employees use social media for both work and social purposes. Therefore, using a quantitative approach, this study explores the impact of work-related social media usage and social-related social media usage on employees' work performance. This study also investigates the mediating effect of extra-role behaviors on social media usage (professional and personal purpose) and work performance relationships. We examined survey data of 241 employees working in different organizations with the help of the partial least square (PLS) 3.0 version. Convenience sampling has been used to reach respondents. The outcomes of this study demonstrate that both professional and personal-related social media usage have a positive and significant impact on employees' work performance. This study also highlighted that extra-role behavior positively and significantly mediates the relationship between social media usage (work and personal) and employees' work performance. This study provides practical insights to managers, such as that, instead of banning social media usage in companies, there must be some limits and regulations for using social media that would facilitate firms to increase employees' engagement and productivity.

Myoelectric Responses of Lower-Body Muscles Performing Squat and Lunge Exercise Variations Adopting Visual Feedback With a Laser Sensor.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-over study. CONTEXT: The squat, single-leg squat, forward lunge, and reverse lunge are fundamental movements often performed in activities of daily living, sports competitions, and sport-specific training. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of visual feedback with a laser sensor (VFLS) versus a control condition on the myoelectric activity (surface electromyography [sEMG]) of the vastus medialis oblique (VMO), vastus lateralis, gluteus medius (Gmed), and erector spinae muscles during the performance of several squat variations with bodyweight. METHODS: Nineteen female college students (20 [2.5] y, 165.3 [10.2] cm, 66.4 [4.1] kg, 2 [1.2] y of resistance training experience) with a background in strength or sports training volunteered to participate in this study. Over 4 separate visits, subjects performed 2 sets of 10 repetitions of a squat variation exercise in random order (ie, squat, single-leg squat, forward lunge, and reverse lunge). The first set of a given squat variation condition was considered a control set, and then after 3-minute rest, a second set was performed with VFLS. RESULTS: Significant decreases in VMO and Gmed myoelectric activity were observed during the VFLS set versus the control set for the forward lunge exercise (P = .03). No differences were observed between the control set and VFLS set in the sEMG normalized signal for all muscles analyzed for the squat and single-leg squat, respectively. However, the sample entropy of the sEMG signal for the erector spinae became more irregular during the VFLS set versus the control set for the squat exercise (P = .01), whereas the Gmed presented a more irregular sEMG signal during the VFLS set versus the control set for the single-leg squat (P = .08). CONCLUSION: Laser sensor biofeedback may induce significant decreases in VMO and Gmed activation performing forward lunge exercise. Therefore, laser sensor biofeedback may induce a reduction in muscle activity of neutralizers muscles during a few squat bodyweight variations (bilateral, single-leg, forward, and reverse lunge).

Work Design: características da tarefa na perspectiva de gestores e não-gestores / Work Design: job characteristics from the perspective of managers and non-managers / Work Design: características de la tarea según la perspectiva de gestores y no-gestores

Na contemporaneidade, estudos sobre Design do Trabalho aumentam em relevância por ampliar conhecimentos sobre fatores de salubridade individual e organizacional. O estudo objetivou conhecer o Design do Trabalho na perspectiva de gestores e não-gestores, especificamente sobre as 'Características da Tarefa'. Estudo se caracteriza como quantitativo, tipo survey. Foi realizado em sete organizações públicas e privadas brasileiras. Foram participantes 1262 trabalhadores; destes, 18% eram gestores. Questões relativas a categoria 'Características da Tarefa' do Work Design Questionnaire foram utilizadas à coleta de dados. Como resultados encontrou-se que as 'Características da Tarefas' não são consideradas em sua totalidade, sob a mesma perspectiva de entendimento de gestores e não-gestores. Há diferenças entre ambos nas dimensões "Autonomia na Planificação do trabalho', 'Autonomia de decisão e realização', 'Variedade de tarefas' e 'Significado da tarefa'. Entretanto, gestores e não-gestores perspectivam a 'Identificação da Tarefa' e o 'Feedback do Trabalho' de modo semelhante.

In contemporary times, studies on work design increase in relevance by expanding knowledge about individual and organizational health factors. The study aimed to understand work design from the perspective of managers and non-managers, specifically about 'Job Characteristics'. This study is characterized as quantitative, survey type. It was conducted in seven Brazilian public and private organizations. Participants were 1,262 workers; of these, 18% were managers. Questions concerning the category 'Job Characteristics' of the Work Design Questionnaire were used for data collection. Its findings were that the 'Job Characteristics' are not considered entirely from the same perspective of understanding of managers and non-managers. There are differences between the two in the dimensions 'Autonomy in Work Planning', 'Decision and Achievement Autonomy', 'Variety of Tasks', and 'Meaning of the Job'. However, managers and non-managers view 'Job Identification' and 'Work Feedback' in a similar way.

En la contemporaneidad, estudios sobre Diseño del Trabajo aumentan su relevancia por ampliar conocimientos sobre factores de salubridad individual y organizacional. El estudio tuvo como objetivo conocer el diseño del trabajo según la perspectiva de gestores y no gestores, específicamente sobre las 'Características de la Tarea'. El estudio se caracteriza como cuantitativo, tipo survey. Se realizó en siete organizaciones públicas y privadas brasileñas. Participaron 1262 trabajadores; de entre ellos, el 18% eran gestores. Las cuestiones relativas a la categoría 'Características de la Tarea' del Work Design Questionnaire se utilizaron para la recolección de datos. Los resultados revelaron que las 'Características de las Tareas' no son consideradas en su totalidad, bajo la misma perspectiva de entendimiento de gestores y no-gestores. Hay diferencias entre ambos en las dimensiones "Autonomía en la Planificación del trabajo", "Autonomía de decisión y realización", "Variedad de tareas" y "Significado de la tarea". Sin embargo, los gestores y los no gestores tienen en cuenta la "Identificación de la Tarea" y el "Feedback del Trabajo" de manera similar.