Search Results (25)

With the growing global popularity of Android apps, ensuring their quality and reliability has become increasingly important, as low-quality apps can lead to poor user experiences and potential business losses. A common approach to testing Android apps involves automatically generating event sequences that interact with the app’s graphical user interface (GUI) to detect crashes. To support this, we developed ACE (Android Crawler), a tool that systematically generates events to test Android apps by automatically exploring their GUIs. However, ACE’s original heuristic-driven exploration can be inefficient in complex application states. To address this, we extend ACE with a deep reinforcement learning-based crawling strategy, called Reinforcement Learning Strategy (RLS), which tightly integrates with ACE’s GUI exploration process by learning to intelligently select GUI components and interaction actions. RLS leverages the Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) algorithm for stable and efficient learning and incorporates an action mask to filter invalid actions, thereby reducing training time. We evaluate RLS on 15 real-world Android apps and compare its performance against the original ACE and three state-of-the-art Android testing tools. Results show that RLS improves code coverage by an average of 2.1% over ACE’s Nearest unvisited event First Search (NFS) strategy and outperforms all three baseline tools in terms of code coverage. Paired t-test analyses further confirm that these improvements are statistically significant, demonstrating its effectiveness in enhancing automated Android GUI testing. Full article

To enhance the performance of online food delivery (OFD) services, it is essential to strengthen consumers’ intentions to use OFD apps, which are the core interface of this business. Accordingly, this study aims to identify the cognitive mechanisms that shape consumers’ intentions to use OFD apps and explore strategies to encourage their adoption. To achieve this, the study develops a research model that incorporates segmented dimensions of service convenience as key motivational factors, along with variables from the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). A survey was conducted among OFD consumers in China, and the proposed research model was empirically tested using data from 478 valid responses. The analysis revealed that all six dimensions of service convenience serve as significant motivational drivers of OFD app usage. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that consumers’ coupon proneness and user-generated online reviews have significant moderating effects that reinforce the mechanism by which consumers adopt and use OFD apps. The findings and implications discussed in this study are expected to provide valuable insights and practical guidance for formulating effective strategies to promote more active consumer engagement with OFD apps in the future. Full article

This study addresses a critical gap in understanding how mobile banking applications contribute to sustainable development by introducing a novel text mining framework to analyze sustainability dimensions through user-generated content. We analyzed 120,000 reviews from six major Turkish mobile banking applications using an ownership-sensitive analytical approach that integrates structural topic modeling with four sustainability dimensions (environmental, social, governance, and economic). Our analysis reveals significant institutional differences in sustainability approaches: government-owned banks demonstrate substantially stronger overall sustainability orientation (23.43% vs. 11.83% coverage) with pronounced emphasis on social sustainability (+181.7% growth) and economic development (+104.2% growth), while private banks prioritize innovation-focused sustainability. The temporal analysis (2022–2025) shows accelerating sustainability emphasis across all institutions, with distinct evolution patterns by ownership type. Institution-specific sustainability profiles emerge clearly, with each government bank demonstrating distinctive focus areas aligned with historical missions: cultural heritage preservation, agricultural sector support, and small business development. Mapping to Sustainable Development Goals reveals that government banks prioritize development-focused goals (SDGs 1, 8, and 10), while private banks emphasize innovation-focused goals (SDGs 9 and 17). This research makes three key contributions: demonstrating user-generated content as an effective lens for authentic sustainability assessment, establishing ownership-sensitive evaluation frameworks for digital banking sustainability, and providing empirical evidence for contextualized rather than universal sustainability strategies. The findings offer strategic implications for financial institutions, policymakers, and app developers seeking to enhance sustainable digital banking transformation. Full article

The innovative trend of “as a service” due to digital development and the rise of issues such as air pollution and traffic congestion led to the emergence of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) in the transportation sector. Companies and governments are experimenting to create a sustainable and efficient transportation future with MaaS. However, MaaS realization and business success from MaaS are still in their growing phase, making this study particularly relevant and timely. This study aims to identify the attributes of users’ selection of integrated mobility app services and the MaaS attributes that affect the behavioral intention to use through the mediation of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. This study marked four selection attributes—habit-congruence, information accuracy, relative advantage on efficiency, and IT system quality—for the integrated mobility app service, and 315 actual users of integrated mobility apps in Republic of Korea were sampled and analyzed. In terms of influence, information accuracy, relative advantage on efficiency, and habit-congruence significantly impacted perceived usefulness, in which habit-congruence had the most significant impact on perceived ease of use. In addition, habit-congruence and information accuracy were found to positively affect the behavioral intention to use, mediated by perceived usefulness and perceived ease. We also found that IT system quality was not a user selection attribute where this study was conducted. By providing empirical findings, this study can give management guidelines to companies and researchers in developing integrated mobility app service strategies to increase the number of users and maintain long-term customer relationships. Full article

The digital advancement of “as a service” models has led to the rapid emergence of mozbility as a service (MaaS) in transportation. This study aims to identify the motivational factors used among users of integrated mobility application services and empirically determine their attitudes regarding use and customer loyalty over the long term. To do this, four motivations for using integrated mobility mobile application services—social, habit-congruence, economic, and innovation acceptance—were identified. A total of 311 actual users of integrated mobility app services in South Korea were sampled and analyzed. Social motivation was found to have the greatest impact on positive attitudes and behavioral intentions to use integrated mobility apps. This is followed by habit-congruence motivation, which users perceived as essential for use determination. It was found that active users of integrated mobility apps, who have used them for years, have a positive attitude about them, viewing them as part of a regular transportation system of daily life rather than an innovative service. This study suggests practical implications for integrated mobility applications and service strategies for transportation-related governments and businesses. Full article

Background: Business continuity entails the potential negative consequences of uncertainty on a firm’s ability to achieve strategic objectives. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted business continuity due to lockdowns, travel restrictions, and social distancing measures. Consequently, firms adopted specific supply chain (SC) practices to effectively navigate this global crisis. Methods: This research adopted a stochastic approach based on Bayesian Networks to evaluate the implications of business continuity on firms’ decisions to embrace SC practices, focusing on omnichannel strategies, SC coordination, and technologies such as artificial intelligence systems, big data and machine learning, and mobile applications. Results: Our findings revealed that firms facing disruption in a single performance area can apply specific strategies to maintain resilience. However, multiple areas of underperformance necessitate a varied approach. Conclusions: According to our empirical analysis, omnichannel strategies are critical when disruptions simultaneously impact quality, inventory, sales, and ROI, particularly during major disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic. AI and big data become vital when multiple risks coalesce, enhancing areas such as customer service and supply chain visibility. Moreover, supply chain coordination and mobile app adoption are effective against individual performance risks, proving crucial in mitigating disruption impacts across various business aspects. These findings help policy-makers and business owners to have a better understanding of how business continuity based on performance resistance to disruptions pushes companies to adopt different practices including new technologies and supply chain coordination. Accordingly, they can use the outputs of this study to devise strategies for improving resilience considering their supply chain vulnerabilities. Full article

Educators rely on professional development to improve instruction. Research suggests that instructional coaching which utilizes specific coaching practices, such as classroom observation followed by debriefing and goal setting, and integrated strategies such as co-teaching, bring about significant change in instructional practices. The goal of this study was to gauge whether or not the use of a web-based data collection and coaching tool led to changes in focal classroom practices and whether or not improving those practices was, in turn, related to students’ academic and self-regulation gains across the prekindergarten year. To examine the implementation and impact of the coaching app, researchers conducted a cluster-randomized trial, comparing the classroom practices of teachers receiving business-as-usual coaching to those being coached with the app. Classroom observation data showed no significant differences in teachers’ practices across the school year, and student achievement did not differ between conditions. Qualitative data from coach interviews, however, revealed that coaches using the app were more likely to employ integrated coaching strategies associated with improving instruction. The lack of differences in terms of teachers’ practices and students’ assessment gains may be due to a lack of statistical power and inconsistent professional development implementation associated with ongoing disruptions due to the pandemic. Further research examining the effectiveness of educational technologies supporting professional development is needed. Full article

This study aimed to examine the impact of augmented reality (AR) on the purchasing behavior of Saudi customers using analytic–descriptive methods and data from a snowball sample of 812 online buyers. Positive correlations were found between AR factors (hermeneutic, embodiment, and background) and dimensions (quality, fun, and creativity) and the purchase experience. Young women aged 17–26 mainly use AR for buying clothes and accessories, and the majority of the sample shops are available locally through mobile apps. The findings indicate that AR has a significant influence on buying decisions and suggest its potential use in marketing communications. The results also reveal that gender, social status, education level, and monthly income have an impact on participants’ responses to AR, with women and those who are married having more favorable views. Clothing and accessories were found to be the most frequently purchased products through AR. There were no significant differences based on age or the number of family members. Participants reported positively about their AR experience, and their concerns and anxiety did not affect their purchasing experience. Based on the main study’s results, a number of recommendations can be made: Saudi businesses need to use AR in their marketing communication strategies to meet consumer needs and trends. To maximize the benefits of brand awareness, they should use AR techniques and adopt this technology for products that depend on design in their production. When using AR in general and in light of the theories that have been studied, it is important to think about the cultural traits and dimensions of Saudi consumers and conduct further exploratory research before implementation. Full article

The research was designed to contribute to scientific efforts in exploring the attitude of fashion stakeholders towards AI and its use in attaining sustainability in fashion industry. Although the role of AI in Fashion has been studied before, the aim of this research is to challenge and analyze the attitudes towards sustainable fashion of both stakeholders and consumers. The research considers the views of consumers, industry professionals and company shareholders on the role AI plays in pursuing ideas of Sustainable Fashion. Contrary to expectations, the companies with significant turnover did not show any greater awareness of the new trends in the fashion business. Furthermore, previous familiarity with the usage of AI did not prove to promote openness towards the recommendation of apps which use AI to promote Sustainable Fashion. The value of this research lies in the findings, which help provide a framework which can be used to change the viewpoint of the key market players. The crucial finding is that the AI approach on sustainability will influence both users (changing their purchasing decisions toward more sustainable choices if provided with a set of information on ecological impact, production choices), and corporate businesses (changing the overall business strategy, planning, marketing communication and production designs). The paper offers milestones for further research on synergies between AI, fashion industry lined with UNS SDGs and purchasing behavior. Full article

New technologies are supported by the global implementation of the internet. These improvements have deeply affected various disciplines of sciences and consequently changed services such as daily business, particularly health sectors. Innovative digital marketing strategies utilize the channels of social media and retrieved user data to analyze and improve relevant services. These multidisciplinary innovations can assist specialists, physicians and researchers in diagnostic, prophylaxis and treatment issues in the health sector. Accordingly, compared to recent decades, health decision makers are more accurate and trustful in defining new strategies. Interestingly, using social media and mobile health apps in current pandemics of SARS-CoV-2 could be an important instance of the key role of these platforms at the local and global level of health policies. These digital technologies provide platforms to connect public health sectors and health politicians for communicating and spreading relevant information. Adding influencers and campaigns to this toolbox strengthens the implementation of public health programs. In 2016, the WHO adopted a global program to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030. Recent constructive measures that have been used in the battle against COVID-19 could be adopted for the elimination of viral hepatitis program. The presented evidence in our narrative review demonstrates that the application of digital marketing tools to create campaigns on social media, armed with professional influencers, can efficiently consolidate this program. The application of different strategies in using these popular tools will raise the public awareness about viral hepatitis. Subsequently, the availability of an effective vaccine for HBV and antiviral medication for HCV can motivate the audience to take steps towards prophylaxis and screening methods against these infectious illnesses. The encouragement of health policy makers to apply digital communication technologies and comprehensive roadmaps to implement this global program will certainly decrease the burden of viral hepatitis worldwide. Full article

The banking sector has been considered as one of the primary adopters of Information and Communications Technologies. Especially during the last years, they have invested a lot into the digital transformation of their business process. Concerning their retail customers, banks realized very early the great potential abilities to provide value added self-services functions via mobile devices, mainly smartphones to them; thus, they have invested a lot into m-banking apps’ functionality. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought out different ways for financial transactions and even more mobile users have taken advantage of m-banking app services. Thus, the purpose of this empirical paper is to investigate the determinants that impact individuals on adopting or not m-banking apps. Specifically, it examines two groups of individuals, users (adopters) and non-users (non-adopters) of m-banking apps, and aims to reveal if there are differences and similarities between the factors that impact them on adopting or not this type of m-banking services. To our knowledge, this is the second scientific attempt where these two groups of individuals have been compared on this topic. The paper proposes a comprehensive conceptual model by extending Venkatech’s et al. (2003) Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) with ICT facilitators (i.e., reward and security) and ICT inhibitors (i.e., risk and anxiety), as well as the recommendation factor. However, this study intends to fill the research gap by investigating and proving for the first time the impact of social influence, reward and anxiety factors on behavioral intention, the relationship between risk and anxiety and the impact of behavioral intention on recommendation via the application of Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) statistical techniques. The results reveal a number of differences regarding the factors that impact or not these two groups towards m-banking app adoption; thus, it provides new insights regarding m-banking app adoption in a slightly examined scientific field. Thus, the study intends to assist the banking sector in better understanding their customers with the aim to formulate and apply customized m-business strategies and increase not only the adoption of m-banking apps but also the level of their further use. Full article

Marketers and advertisers ignore new technology and diverse marketing tactics when attempting to increase product exposure, customer engagement, customer behavior and buying intention in fashion accessory marketplaces in developing countries. This research sought to discover how the Augmented Reality (AR) experience influenced consumer behavior, buying intention and pleasure when purchasing a fashion item in developing countries. This study employs positivist ideas to investigate the connections between various factors, believing that reality is unwavering, stable, and static. Experiential marketing following stimulus exposure will gather cross-sectional data. The undertaken study has developed proper experimental design (within group) from business innovation models, for instance, uses and gratification and user experience models. User experience is disclosed by its four defining characteristics: hedonic quality (identification and simulation), aesthetic quality, and pragmatic quality. After encountering an enhanced user experience, users have a more favorable attitude about purchasing; in contrast, pleasure from using the application directly impacts buying intention. It was also shown that knowledge of AR apps impacts user experience and attitude. The novelty of this research is multifarious, for instance, the smart lab was used as a marketing technology to explore a virtual mirror of the Ray-Ban products. Secondly, the augmented reality experiential marketing activities have been developed by the developers as bearing in mind the four different aspects of the user experience—haptic, hedonic, aesthetic, and pragmatic. It should be functional, simple to learn and use, symmetrical, pleasant, and appealing, while fulfilling the unconscious emotional elements of a customer’s purchase. The research is the first known study in Pakistan to evaluate the influence of augmented reality on consumer proficiency and its consequent effects on attitude and satisfaction for fashion accessory brands. The research also advances the notion that application familiarity is the most important moderator between attitude and an augmented reality-enriched user experience, contradicting the prior studies, which focus on gender and age. This research has important theoretical implications for future researchers, who may wish to replicate the proposed final model in developed and developing countries’ fashion brands. This research also has imperative managerial implications for brand managers and marketing managers, who could include the recommendations of this study in their marketing strategies. Full article

This paper investigates how firms can enjoy a sustainable business even during the COVID-19 pandemic. The adoption of lean coordination mechanisms over the supply chain (SC) and lean approaches in omnichannel strategies can guarantee the business sustainability and resilience. Furthermore, we investigate whether business sustainability, along with digitalization through mobile apps, Artificial Intelligence systems, and Big Data and Machine Learning enable firms’ resilience. We first explore the background on the subject, identify the research gap, and develop some research hypotheses to be tested. Then, we present the data collection process and the sample, which finally consists of firms from different sectors, including retailing, electronics, pharmaceutics, and agriculture. Several logistic regression models are developed and estimated to generate findings and managerial insights. Our results show that a lean omnichannel approach is an effective practice to preserve production costs, SC visibility, inventory available over the SC, and sales. Furthermore, lean coordination with contracts can make a business sustainable by preserving quality, ROI, production costs, customer service, and inventory availability. Finally, firms can be highly sustainable through resilience when they engage in sustainable ROI, SC visibility, and sales; in contrast, the adoption of mobile apps worsens firms’ resilience, which is not influenced by Artificial Intelligence and Big Data and Machine Learning. Full article

Value co-creation by users in a virtual community is a key element to encouraging the community’s brand equity. This study analyzes the effect of the functional value provided by the virtual community on the two value-co-creation behaviors that occur within it: (1) self-value co-creation and (2) communal value co-creation. Through self-value co-creation, participants co-create value to their own benefit by becoming involved in co-designing their experience. By communal value co-creation, participants co-create value through evaluations, recommendations, and ideas that benefit others. This study also asks whether multichannelity—using various channels to access the virtual community (website and mobile app), as opposed to using a single channel (website or mobile app)—has a moderating effect on the relationships proposed between value co-creation and brand equity of the virtual community. The analysis is contrasted empirically for the virtual community Tripadvisor with data collected by a research institute via telephone interview. Confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group structural equation modeling techniques were used to assess the proposed model. The study enriches two significant lines of scholarly research, value co-creation and brand equity. It does so in multi-brand virtual contexts in which variety of service brands coexists with the brand of the virtual community, and with users who access the virtual community through one or various channels. The study also contributes to the formulation of business strategies oriented to increasing the brand equity of virtual communities. Full article

Branded apps are not only an important platform for enterprises and customers to have real-time interactions and communicate marketing messages, but also a new business model that encourages value co-creation between the two. In order to explore the impact of branded apps on customers, this study constructs a fuzzy multi-criteria decision making (FMCDM) analysis model, and it uses consistent fuzzy linguistic preference relations (CFLPR) to set up a symmetric pairwise comparison matrix, which greatly reduces the complexity and error rate of calculations. Empirical research findings show that brand experience attributes and the influence of brand experience on customer loyalty and satisfaction can be more accurately measured. As a consequence of this study, we show that, among the brand experience facets of two retail chain branded apps, behavioral experience is the most favored, while affective experience is the least favored. Furthermore, brand attachment and active participation should be strengthened to enhance customer loyalty. Through the analytical model employed in this study, enterprises can regularly monitor changes in the brand experience preferences of branded app users and evaluate app performance to flexibly adjust mobile device-based marketing campaigns and strategies. It can also aid enterprises in using mobile devices effectively to improve customer loyalty and address the issue of diminishing brand loyalty. Full article