"Hotel customers' interactions with service robots are becoming increasingly common, raising questions about how these interactions impact their experience. To address this gap in knowledge, this dissertation develops and validates a novel robotic service quality (ROBOQUAL) scale. Drawing on social exchange theory, the study examines the reciprocal relationship between hotel customers and artificially intelligent service robots, exploring how robotic service quality influences customers' perceptions of experience quality, satisfaction, and word-of-mouth intentions. The research employs focus-group studies, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and partial least squares equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to develop and validate the ROBOQUAL scale."

Cette thèse explore la perception par les consommateurs de services offerts par des firmes organisées en réseau. De nos jours, les clients sont confrontés de plus en plus à des situations de service complexes bien différentes des situations simples analysées traditionnellement par le marketing et le management des services (un seul service délivré par une entreprise bien identifiée et choisie par le client). Les entreprises de services ont évolué vers des offres de plus en plus complexes et riches (« fleurs de services », « bouquets » ou « constellations ») dans lesquelles le client se voit proposer des offres intégrant plusieurs prestataires, parfois mal identifiables. Le choix du client gagne en simplicité mais perd en liberté et l'on sait peu de choses sur les conséquences que cela peut avoir sur son comportement ultérieur. L'hypothèse centrale est qu'à la suite d'une expérience de ce type de service, le client opère une synthèse en termes de valeur perçue du réseau, et que cela détermine largement son comportement ultérieur. Une enquête par questionnaire menée dans le contexte des alliances aériennes, confirme que cette hypothèse peut être acceptée. Les alliances globales formées par les compagnies aériennes constituent un terrain d'observation privilégié car les services sont offerts aux clients à la fois par des compagnies de transport indépendantes et par une organisation commune assurant la coopération et la coordination nécessaires. Le modèle d'équations structurelles estimé par PLS-SEM identifie en outre les déterminants de la valeur perçue d'une alliance dans le cadre de transports aériens de longue durée et permet de hiérarchiser leurs impacts respectifs. / This research explores the services offered by networked firms and the way in which they are perceived by the customers. Nowadays customers are facing more and more often complex service situations which drastically differ from the simple situations traditionally analysed by service marketing and management studies (a single service delivered by a well identified single firm deliberately chosen by the consumer). Service firms now propose more and more complex and enriched offerings (service "flowers", "bunches" or "constellations") grouping several providers, but among them some are hardly identifiable by the customer. Consumers' decision is made simpler but a part of their liberty of choice has been lost. Little is known about the consequences this can have on their future behaviour.The main hypothesis is that after experiencing a service delivered by networked firms, the consumers synthesize all their perceptions in terms of the perceived value of the network; furthermore, this assessment will largely determine their behavioural intentions. A quantitative survey shows that such a hypothesis can be accepted. This survey was conducted in the field of airline industry, aiming at multi-lateral airline alliances. This context is particularly appropriate to our subject because during such a travel, services are delivered to passengers by independent airline companies as well as by the common organisation in charge of the co-ordination and co-operation. The structural equations model tested using the PLS-SEM method also identifies the determinants of perceived value of an alliance in the specific context of long haul flights and their respective weights and contributions.

Submitted by Nadir Basilio (nadirsb@uninove.br) on 2017-08-04T15:30:37Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Daniel de Lima Pires.pdf: 2531713 bytes, checksum: a3a021ded760a9272ed689161eec2e85 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-04T15:30:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Daniel de Lima Pires.pdf: 2531713 bytes, checksum: a3a021ded760a9272ed689161eec2e85 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-15 / Software projects are increasingly prominent in today's organizational environment. Its use refers to increased efficiency, improvements in products and services, and also the technological strategy of organizations. They are technically complex, do not have physical limitations and are intangible, nevertheless they are very ambitious and surrounded by uncertainties. Software projects teams must deal with a large amount of information, in addition to making intensive use of knowledge of several areas simultaneously, and also must be skilled in communicating and coordinating their actions. In this dissertation, a quantitative approach research using Structural Equation Modeling with Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM) was carried out to evaluate the relationship between Teamwork quality and software projects success. The Teamwork quality is a construct that allows measuring the internal collaboration of the team within six dimensions: mutual support, contribution balancing, cohesion, communication, coordination and effort. Software projects success is a widely studied construct in the scientific literature, and in this dissertation was considered as composed of efficiency, impact on the consumer and impact on the team. The result obtained showed that the Teamwork quality exerts considerable influence on the software projects success, corroborating the results of previous academic research, and generating the knowledge that the collaboration should be fostered by the organizations in software development teams. In addition, as a contribution to practice, a model was proposed to evaluate the software project teams teamwork quality, aiming to increase the internal collaboration of the project team and, consequently, the success of the software project. / Projetos de software são cada vez mais expoentes no atual ambiente organizacional. Seu uso remete ao aumento da eficiência, melhorias em produtos e serviços, e também a estratégia tecnológica das organizações. São tecnicamente complexos, sem limitações físicas e intangíveis, não obstante são muito ambiciosos e cercados de incertezas. Assim, as equipes de projetos de software devem lidar com uma grande quantidade de informações, além de fazerem uso intensivo do conhecimento de várias áreas simultaneamente, e por isso devem ser hábeis na comunicação e coordenação de suas ações. Nesta dissertação foi realizada uma pesquisa com abordagem quantitativa utilizando Modelagem de Equações Estruturais com Mínimos Quadrados Parciais (PLS-SEM) para testar a relação da Qualidade do trabalho em equipe com o Sucesso dos projetos de software. A Qualidade do trabalho em equipe é um construto que permite mensurar a colaboração interna da equipe a partir de seis dimensões: apoio mútuo, balanceamento de contribuições, coesão, comunicação, coordenação e esforço. O Sucesso em projetos de software é um construto amplamente estudado na literatura científica, e nesta dissertação foram consideradas as dimensões: eficiência, impacto no consumidor e impacto na equipe do projeto. O resultado obtido mostrou que a Qualidade do trabalho em equipe exerce influência considerável no Sucesso dos projetos de software, corroborando os resultados de pesquisas acadêmicas anteriores, e gerando o conhecimento de que a colaboração deve ser fomentada pelas organizações nas equipes de desenvolvimento de software. Adicionalmente foi proposto, como contribuição para prática, um modelo para avaliação da Qualidade do trabalho em equipe para equipes de Projetos de software, visando o aumento da colaboração interna da equipe do projeto e, consequentemente do Sucesso dos projetos de software.

Bitcoin är en teknologi som har blivit allt mer etablerad i det svenska samhället. Trots att så pass många känner till teknologin är det fortfarande väldigt få som använder den. Denna studie ämnar undersöka vad som påverkar det svenska folkets acceptans av Bitcoin med hjälp av det teoretiska ramverket TAM, samt med tillägg för finansiell risk och med ett fokus på demografiska variablers (externa faktorers) påverkan på acceptansen. En kvantitativ surveyundersökning genomfördes genom en webbenkät, där totalt 204 respondenter deltog. Resultaten från enkäten analyserades med hjälp av dataanalysmetoden PLS-SEM vilket visade att upplevd användarnytta hade en signifikant positiv påverkan på en individs attityd mot Bitcoin. Vidare visade studien en signifikant positiv koppling mellan den upplevda användarvänligheten och den upplevda nyttan av Bitcoin. Dock fann studien att de testade externa faktorerna samt att tillägget av finansiell risk inte hade någon signifikant påverkan på resultatet. / Bitcoin is a technology that has become increasingly established in Swedish society. Despite the fact that so many people know about the technology, very few actually use it. This study aims to investigate what affects the Swedish people's acceptance of Bitcoin using the theoretical framework TAM, as well as with additions for financial risk and with a focus on the influence of demographic variables (external factors) on acceptance. A quantitative survey was conducted using a web survey, in which a total of 204 respondents participated. The results from the survey were analyzed using the data analysis method PLS-SEM, which showed that perceived usefulness had a significant positive impact on an individual's attitude towards Bitcoin. Furthermore, the study showed a significant positive link between an individual's perceived ease of use and their perceived usefulness of Bitcoin. However, the study found that the tested external factors and that the addition of financial risk had no significant impact on the result.

This research evaluates the technological, organizational, and environmental determinants of emerging technologies adoption represented by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) driving SMEs’ competitive advantage within a resource-based view (RBV) theoretical approach supported by the technological-organizational-environmental (TOE)-framework setting. Current literature on SMEs competitive advantage as outcome of emerging technologies in the technological, organisational, and environmental contexts presents models focused on these contexts individual components. There are no models in the literature to represent the TOE framework as an integrated structure with gradual levels of complexity, allowing for incremental evaluation of the business context in support of decision making towards emerging technologies adoption supporting the firm competitive advantage. This research gap is addressed with the introduction of a new concept, the IT resource-based renewal, underpinned by the RBV, and supported by the TOE framework for providing a holistic understanding of the SMEs strategic renewal decision through information technology. This is achieved through a complex measurement model with four level constructs, leading into a parsimonious structural model that evaluates the relationships between IT resource-based renewal, and emerging technologies adoption driving SMEs competitive advantage. The model confirms the positive association between the IT resource-based renewal and emerging technologies adoption, and between the IT resource-based renewal and SME competitive advantage for the SMEs managers model, with the SME owners model outcomes are found not being supportive towards emerging technologies adoption driving SME competitive advantage. As methodology, PLS-SEM is used for its capabilities of assessing complex paths among model variables. Analysis is done on three models, one for the full sample, with two subsequent ones for owners and managers, respectively, as SME decision makers, with data collected using a web-based survey in Canada, the UK, and the US, that has provided 510 usable answers. This research has a theoretical contribution represented by the introduction of the IT resource-based renewal concept, that integrates the RBV perspective and the TOE framework for supporting organization’s decision on emerging technologies adoption driving SMEs competitive advantage. As practical implications, this thesis provides SMEs with a reference framework on adopting emerging technologies, offering SME managers and owners a comprehensive model of hierarchical factors contributing to SMEs competitive advantage acquired as outcome of AI and IoT adoption. This research makes an original contribution to the enterprise management, information systems adoption, and SME competitive advantage literature, with an empirical approach that verifies a model of emerging technologies adoption determinants driving SMEs competitive advantage.

Research has validated the contribution of information sharing to performance improvement. It has also suggested that flexibility is a highly important competitive priority for those companies where demand is volatile. Several studies argue that flexibility has been recognized as a key enabler for supply chain responsiveness. However, the impact of information sharing on supplier flexibility is still unexplored, especially for the companies that operate in agile business environments such as in the automotive industry where flexibility is a strategic requirement to manage demand uncertainty. In agile supply chains, such as in the automotive industry, information sharing can play an important role in responding to demand variability. In such settings, the demand volumes generally fluctuate, and hence create production-scheduling problems for the upstream suppliers such as first-tier suppliers. Interestingly, the impact of demand fluctuations on suppliers is higher than that of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). The aim of this doctoral thesis is to investigate the role of information sharing between OEMs and first-tier suppliers, in enhancing supplier flexibility. Particularly, the research focuses on exploring the relationship between sharing demand schedules and inventory data, and volume and delivery flexibility. The questions on whether information sharing between OEMs and first-tier suppliers affect supplier flexibility remain unanswered. The following research questions have emerged:  RQ1: How does information sharing between OEMs and first-tier suppliers affect the latter's responsiveness to fluctuating demand? RQ2: What is the relationship between information sharing of OEMsʼ demand forecasts and inventory data, and suppliers’ volume and delivery flexibility? RQ3: What factors should OEMs consider to improve the sharing of demand forecasts with suppliers? The empirical part of this thesis comprises three individual studies that constitute the empirical foundations of the research problem. Each study analyzes one research question using its own methodological approach. Hence, different research methods for collecting and analyzing data were used to address the research questions. Applying different research methods is deemed advantageous because it allows for methodological rigorousness in this doctoral thesis. This thesis contributes to the body of knowledge in three dimensions—theory, method, and context. First, it contributes to the academic field of operations and supply chain management by developing a model to explain how information sharing could affect suppliers’ delivery performance. The model provides a measurement scale to measure the level of information sharing between OEMs and suppliers, and its impact on suppliers’ delivery flexibility. Second, this thesis contributes to the methods by using state-of-the-art techniques, which is partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) including consistent PLS, and applying advanced concepts to empirically test the proposed model. Third, this thesis has a managerial contribution to examine the concept of information sharing and flexibility at the supplier level. Investigating the problem at the supplier level may enable managers to improve short-term decisions, such as production scheduling decisions, internal production, and inventory processes, and evaluate collaboration practices with OEMs. This doctoral thesis is organized in a monograph format comprising five chapters: Introduction, Literature review, Methodology, Empirics, and Conclusion. As an outcome, several scientific articles have emerged from this thesis and have been submitted for consideration for publication in peer-reviewed journals and international conferences in the field of operations and supply chain management. These articles are listed and appended at the end of this dissertation. / <p>QC 20160302</p>

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Within the last decade there has been a significant increase in the range of Social Media tools that have become available. This has led to a significant increase in the use and popularity of Social Media within many aspects of everyday life, particularly within the UK and US. One of the areas in which there has been a rise in the use of Social Media is within Higher Education (HE). Within HE there have been reports that Social Media has been successfully utilized for teaching and learning, particularly in the case of blogs. Despite reportedly successful usage there has to date been relatively few empirical studies which have explored whether the use of blogs within teaching and learning leads to an increase in perceived learning by students. This research study therefore provides an empirical study of perceived learning by students when using blogs within teaching and learning in UK and US HE. This research study adopts a post positivist research approach and a quantitative research design method. Questionnaires have been utilised in order to explore student views of perceived learning when using blogs as a tool for HE teaching and learning within the UK and US. This study provides a framework for student use of blogs within HE teaching and learning and explores whether the use of blogs in this way leads to greater levels of perceived learning amongst students. The results of this research are analysed using PLS-SEM and have shown that the successful use of blogs for teaching and learning is complex. The results have demonstrated that students do report higher degrees of learning from using blogs within teaching and learning, however, this is influenced by the perceptions students hold relating to digital technology, teaching and learning, previous experience and expectations of blogging. The results of this study have implications for both HE teachers and HE students and provides a framework which can be used to help ensure the successful use of blogs when utilised for HE teaching and learning within the UK and US in the future.

Tourism social networking sites (SNSs) are websites that provide users with templates for describing their travel experiences and an infrastructure to share such travel posts with a network of like-minded individuals. Tourism SNSs represent an important advertising channel for the tourism industry, as they may assist travelers in selecting destinations and planning vacations on the basis of other travelers’ experiences, which may further stimulate travel and generate income for the tourism industry (Yazdanifard & Yee, 2014). User-generated content (UGC) in the form of travel posts is the core offering and key success factor of tourism SNSs. Travel posts constitute a valuable resource that attracts users to these websites, and they serve as a key data feed into the data mining process that is used to develop travel products on tourism SNSs. However, one problem with tourism SNSs is that their users, especially the new ones, do not publish their travel experiences on these SNSs as often as they do on traditional SNSs, such as Facebook. This may result in a lack of content and, therefore, a loss of potential consumers and, consequently, revenue. Therefore, a study on self-disclosure behavior in writing travel posts may contribute to understanding the reasons why this problem exists and help tourism SNSs improve their service accordingly. The author used multiple theoretical perspectives (social exchange theory and social cognition theory) to develop a comprehensive self-disclosure framework. The framework was tested by using a partial least squares based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) approach with data from 443 participants recruited from the two most popular Chinese tourism SNSs: Qyer.com and mafengwo.cn. The findings show that self-disclosure behavior on tourism SNSs was significantly affected by self-benefit, positive feedback from other users, social benefits, rewards, tourism SNSs’ security mechanism, and ease of use. However, habit and motive did not have a statistically significant effect on self-disclosure behavior. Moreover, self-disclosure behavior positively affected electronic word of mouth (EWOM) relating to the tourism SNSs. Finally, the findings have theoretical and practical implications, and the thesis ends with a discussion of the limitations of this study and suggestions for future research.

Although there is research about the use of enterprise resource planning (ERP) from a management perspective, the research is not clear as to whether the ERP benefits justify the costs, not only in dollars, but also in effort, from the end user's perspective. Using the theory of diffusion of innovation (DOI), the purpose of this quantitative research was to identify the set of postimplementation sustainability factors that maximized ERP user value, which are major issues for management, and measured their relative significance. The study's structural model incorporated the technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework, which is a conceptualization of the theory of diffusion of innovation, to predict the postimplementation sustainability factors from the ERP user's point of view. The partial least squares structure equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach provided the needed explanatory analysis to test the predictive power of the structural model. The target population was organizational employees who had used an operational ERP system for at least 4 years in the state of Colorado. A convenience sample of 163 cases responded to the online questionnaire. Hypotheses testing indicated that the independent variables of ERP information quality, ERP system quality, ERP knowledge and learning, shared beliefs, job relevance, and coordination significantly impacted the dependent variable ERP user value. The positive social change implications of this study include a better understanding of ERP postimplementation sustainability factors from the users' perspectives and their social impact on organizational performance, which could lead to increased employee effectiveness, productivity, efficiency, and individual satisfaction due to ERP usage.