Search Results (59)

This paper examines whether, and to what extent, social relations can be understood in terms of utilitarian exchange, or whether they are more adequately interpreted through the categories of solidarity and social love. More specifically, the article develops a critical analysis of reductionist theories of exchange by focusing on the relationship between young people, participation, and local communities in the inner areas of Molise, a region in southern Italy that is particularly marked by socio-economic fragility. Within this framework, the study adopts a qualitative research design, based on semi-structured interviews with 62 young people aged 16 to 34, introduced using a photo-elicitation prompt. The findings indicate that, despite experiencing the constraints associated with a limited availability of services, opportunities, and resources, people in these territories cultivate forms of relational well-being that cannot be reduced to a mere cost–benefit calculus. Rather, these relationships generate recognition, mutual support, and orientations towards the common good, through practices of care directed both towards the local territory and towards family ties. From this perspective, the paradigm of social love may provide a particularly successful interpretive framework for understanding youth solidarity and the persistence of community bonds within the contradictions of late modernity. Full article

Recreational fisheries are one of the most widespread forms of inland water use in developed countries, and they are increasingly being interpreted as a social–ecological system that integrates ecosystems, users, and governance structures. This study aimed to evaluate the perceived status of fish resources, the effectiveness of the management system, and the obstacles to developing recreational fisheries in Poland. The evaluation was based on a nationwide survey (CAWI, N = 1574). The results indicate a critical perception of both resource conditions and management performance. Institutional barriers were identified as the most significant. While environmental factors remain significant, their role should be interpreted within the broader context of governance effectiveness. The structure of motivations confirms the dominance of recreational and environmental functions over utilitarian and economic ones, highlighting the growing importance of cultural ecosystem services. The findings reveal a discrepancy between the evolving recreational aspects of angling and the existing management system, indicating an institutional mismatch that poses a significant challenge to sustainable water resource management. These findings align with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to water quality and ecosystem protection. While the study focuses on Poland, the identified challenges are not unique and are relevant to many countries undergoing similar transformations. The results emphasize the need for more integrated, adaptive, and participatory governance models. Full article

This study proposes a theological-orthodox reinterpretation of contemporary management concepts—particularly “value innovation,” the “blue ocean strategy,” and the E.R.S.C. matrix—within the framework of church administration. Starting from the premise that such concepts cannot be directly imported into the ecclesial context without distortion, the paper argues for their “theological translation,” whereby their underlying logic is reoriented toward the service of the person, communion, and oikonomia. The analysis demonstrates that church administration cannot be understood as a neutral technical system, but as a form of diakonia, intrinsically linked to the ecclesial nature of the Church as the Body of Christ. Consequently, “value” is redefined not in utilitarian or economic terms, but as concrete good: the protection of human dignity, the strengthening of communion, the accessibility of liturgical and pastoral life, and the responsible use of resources. Within this framework, innovation is understood as a Christ-centered renewal of administrative practices, while differentiation (“blue ocean”) becomes a form of service rather than competition. The E.R.S.C. matrix is reinterpreted as an ascetical discipline of discernment, guiding administrative decisions through criteria rooted in theological anthropology and ecclesial ethics. Furthermore, the study addresses the ethical meaning of surplus, the role of transparency, the integration of virtue and competence in organizational culture, and the transformation of communication from image management into truthful witness. Ultimately, the paper argues that authentic church administration is not defined by procedural efficiency alone, but by its capacity to manifest, through structures and decisions, the love of Christ in concrete institutional life. Full article

This research is interdisciplinary in nature and supports the process of selecting individual plants to achieve sustainable visual and ecological effects in the urban landscape. The importance of this study is further emphasised by climate change, which necessitates modifications to the existing selection of ornamental plants. These individuals must be capable of adapting to urban ecosystems in order to mitigate the impacts of climate change on humans and other organisms and to maintain a high level of biodiversity. Accordingly, this paper highlights, at the individual level, the significance of Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica (Thunb.) Lindl. ex Spach) as an element of urban green infrastructure in the Balkan Peninsula. Based on a real case study conducted over the period 2007–2025 and through an integrative approach involving 3841 phenological observations and climate parameters over 19 consecutive years, local phenological flowering patterns were identified, upon which the species’ functional potential depends. The key patterns and abundance of flowering are the result of interactions with daily maximum and minimum air temperatures and precipitation levels, as confirmed by correlations with percentile-based classifications of climatic variables for the study years. The statistical non-significance of the trends points to the influence of extreme climatic events but also to the adaptability of the selected genotype compared with other Japanese quince genotypes in the vicinity. Regression analysis determined the optimal daily air temperatures for continuous flowering during 2024 and 2025. The results confirm that the selected individual is sustainable, and it is, therefore, proposed for inclusion in the assortment of ornamental plants important for preserving ecosystem services in urban landscape design, particularly in view of its demonstrated utilitarian benefits. Full article

Emerging digital technologies are increasingly embedded in consumer-facing financial services, reshaping how users experience, evaluate, and engage with AI-mediated interactions. This paper investigates how the perceived sociality of AI Digital Human Advisors influences user experience in digital financial services. Sociality—defined as the extent to which users perceive an AI Digital Human Advisor as a socially capable actor (e.g., responsive, relational, and role-embedded) rather than a purely functional tool—was experimentally manipulated across four controlled behavioral experiments simulating interactions on financial platforms. The results from four controlled experimental simulations consistently demonstrate that, under controlled interaction conditions, high-sociality AI advisors significantly enhance both utilitarian and hedonic value. Social presence was found to partially mediate these effects, revealing the psychological mechanism through which social cues embedded in emerging AI technologies are transformed into experiential value. Furthermore, two boundary conditions were identified: communication style and usage context. Communication framed around task completion amplified the influence of sociality on utilitarian value, whereas interaction styles emphasizing social connection strengthened its effect on hedonic value. Likewise, purchase-related scenarios heightened functional perceptions, while browsing situations elicited stronger emotional responses. By situating AI Digital Human Advisors within the broader context of emerging digital technologies, these findings extend Social Response Theory into AI-mediated financial environments and provide insights into how technologically enabled social cues shape consumer experience and behavior in digital finance. Full article

Despite the significant potential of diverse natural, agricultural, cultural, and historical resources, Northern Kazakhstan, as well as the whole country, demonstrates the underdevelopment and unpopularity of agritourism and rural tourism. By Kazakh standards, it is characterized by relatively well-developed agriculture. At the same time, it is characterized by a monopolized rural labor market, lack of a service sector, low incomes, and progressive depopulation of the population. During the implementation of the research project, secondary data analysis (content, historical, statistical) were used. According to the study, the key factors determining the paradoxical underdevelopment of rural tourism and agritourism in a key agricultural region include the state policy of supporting agriculture, the conservatism of farmers, and passive rural stakeholder attitudes, which are influenced by the Soviet past. In addition, the lack of attractiveness of rural tourist and recreational resources in the eyes of travelers plays a significant role. To activate the tangible and intangible assets of rural areas in order to develop the tourism and hospitality industry, both administrative and utilitarian measures are proposed that can diversify the rural economy. This paper is not only a case study of tourism barriers in Kazakhstan, but a theory-informed diagnosis of rural modernization failure. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming customer experience management (CXM) by enabling real-time, data-driven, and personalized interactions across digital touchpoints, including chatbots, voice assistants, generative AI, and immersive platforms. This study presents a PRISMA-based systematic literature review of 59 peer-reviewed studies published between 2021 and 2026, examining how AI-enabled personalization, privacy concerns, and customer value interact within AI-mediated customer experiences. Drawing on the Personalization–Privacy–Value (PPV) framework, the review synthesizes evidence on how AI-driven personalization enhances utilitarian, hedonic, experiential, relational, and emotional value, thereby strengthening satisfaction, engagement, loyalty, and behavioral intentions. At the same time, the findings reveal persistent tensions, as privacy concerns, perceived surveillance, algorithmic bias, and contextual moderators—including generational differences, cultural expectations, and technological literacy—frequently constrain value creation and erode trust. The review highlights that personalization benefits are highly contingent on transparency, perceived control, and ethical alignment, rather than personalization intensity alone. The study contributes by integrating ethical AI considerations into CXM research and clarifying conditions under which AI-enabled personalization leads to value creation versus value destruction. Managerially, the findings underscore the importance of ethical governance, transparent data practices, and customer-centered AI design to sustain trust and long-term customer relationships. Future research should prioritize longitudinal analyses of trust development, demographic heterogeneity, and cross-sector comparisons of AI governance as AI technologies become increasingly embedded in service ecosystems. Full article

As chatbots are increasingly deployed to address service failures, understanding their role in facilitating consumer forgiveness has become essential. Several studies have compared consumers’ reactions to service recovery efforts conducted by a human versus a chatbot. Through three scenario-based experiments (total N = 1875) with Chinese participants, our study examines the interaction between service recovery agents (chatbot vs. human), types of consumer loss (utilitarian vs. symbolic), and service failure severity (low vs. high) in influencing consumer forgiveness. The results reveal that in cases of symbolic loss, consumers perceive humans—rather than chatbots—as more capable of providing emotional support during service recovery, thus promoting forgiveness more effectively. However, this discrepancy diminishes in the case of utilitarian loss. Our findings further suggest that the combined effect of service recovery agents and consumer loss on forgiveness is moderated by service failure severity. In the case of low-severity failures, recovery services provided by humans (vs. chatbots) are more effective in fostering forgiveness for consumers experiencing symbolic losses. However, for high-severity failures, regardless of the type of loss, consumers exhibit a higher level of forgiveness toward recovery services provided by humans. This research offers the following practical implications for managers dealing with service failures: strategic escalation to human agents is recommended for symbolic losses or high-severity failures, but chatbots represent a cost-efficient solution for utilitarian losses in low-severity scenarios. Full article

This study examines the psychological mechanisms underlying service stickiness during the mature phase of the AI subscription economy, with particular attention to the paradox of subscription fatigue. To enhance conceptual clarity, AI-driven stimuli—specifically Algorithmic Curation and Technological Fluidity—are defined as perceived attributes at the individual level. Employing the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) framework, the research explores how these perceived stimuli influence consumers’ internal states (Cognitive Efficiency and Serendipity) and subsequent behavioral responses (Service Stickiness). Empirical analysis using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) on data from U.S. subscription service users yields several theoretical insights. Cognitive Efficiency is identified as the primary driver of stickiness, indicating that, in the context of subscription fatigue, the utilitarian benefit of reduced cognitive effort surpasses hedonic enjoyment. Additionally, the study identifies a “Frictionless Trap,” in which excessive Technological Fluidity negatively affects Serendipity (β = −0.195), suggesting that an entirely seamless experience may create a filter bubble that limits unexpected discovery. As a result, Serendipity does not significantly affect stickiness in the aggregate model. However, post hoc analysis demonstrates that Serendipity remains significant for high-income users, while Cognitive Efficiency is most influential in high-frequency utilitarian contexts, such as food services. These findings indicate that sustainable retention depends on reducing cognitive load while intentionally introducing friction to preserve opportunities for discovery. Full article

Customer assistance (e.g., reviews and referrals) plays a vital role for catering merchants. This study investigates how handwritten (vs. printed) messages can enhance consumers’ intention to engage in such assistance activities in the context of food delivery. Using a multi-method approach (field and scenario-based experiments), we demonstrate that handwritten messages significantly increase customers’ willingness to provide assistance, an effect mediated by perceived interpersonal intimacy. Moreover, the impact of handwritten messages interacts with message content structure. The positive effect of handwritten typefaces is stronger for individual catering businesses than for chain restaurants, and more effective among hedonic customers compared to utilitarian ones. These findings offer practical guidance for service merchants on leveraging handwritten messages to foster customer assistance behaviors. Full article

With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, the deployment of social robots has significantly broadened, extending into diverse fields such as education, medical services, and business. Despite this expansive growth, there remains a notable scarcity of empirical research addressing the underlying psychological mechanisms that influence human–robot interactions. To address this critical research gap, the present study proposes and empirically tests a theoretical model designed to elucidate how users’ multi-dimensional perceived values of social robots influence their attitudinal responses and outcomes. Based on questionnaire data from 569 social robot users, the study reveals that users’ perceived utilitarian value, emotional value, and hedonic value all exert significant positive effects on active involvement, thereby fostering their identification and reinforcing attitudinal loyalty. Among these dimensions, emotional value emerged as the strongest predictor, underscoring the pivotal role of emotional orientation in cultivating lasting human–robot relationships. Furthermore, the findings highlight the critical mediating function of active involvement in linking perceived value to users’ psychological sense of belonging, thereby elucidating the mechanism through which perceived value enhances engagement and promotes sustained long-term interaction. These findings extend the conceptual boundaries of human–machine interaction, offer a theoretical foundation for future explorations of user psychological mechanisms, and inform strategic design approaches centered on emotional interaction and user-oriented experiences, providing practical guidance for optimizing social robot design in applications. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping customer service, with AI-powered chatbots serving as a critical component in delivering continuous support across sales, marketing, and service domains, thereby enhancing operational efficiency. However, consumer engagement remains suboptimal, as many users favor human interaction due to concerns regarding chatbots’ ability to address complex issues and their perceived lack of empathy, which subsequently reduces satisfaction and sustainable usage. This study examines the determinants of user attitude and identifies factors influencing sustainable chatbot use. Utilizing survey data from 735 Chinese university students who have engaged with AI-powered chatbots, the analysis reveals that four key motivational categories: utilitarian (information acquisition), hedonic (enjoyment and time passing), technology (media appeal), and social (social presence and interaction) significantly influence user attitude toward chatbot services. Conversely, privacy invasion exerts a negative impact on user attitude, suggesting that while chatbots provide certain benefits, privacy issues can significantly undermine user satisfaction. Moreover, the findings suggest that user attitude serves as a pivotal determinant in fostering both user stickiness and sustainable usage of chatbot services. This study advances prior U&G-, TAM-, and ECM-based research by applying these frameworks to AI-powered chatbots in business communication, refining the U&G model with four specific motivations, integrating perceived privacy invasion to bridge gratification theory with risk perception, and directly linking user motivations to business outcomes such as attitude and stickiness. This study underscores that optimizing chatbot functionalities to enhance user gratification while mitigating privacy risks can substantially improve user satisfaction and stickiness, offering valuable implications for businesses aiming to enhance customer loyalty through AI-powered services. Full article

This study explores how AI chatbot experiences on travel websites influence consumer engagement, with satisfaction from using AI chatbots as a mediating factor. Grounded in the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, the research shifts the focus from utilitarian models to examine how chatbot attributes—e.g., ease of use, information quality, security, anthropomorphism, and omnipresence—affect satisfaction of using AI chatbots and subsequent consumer engagement behaviours. Survey data from 519 Portuguese travellers were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The study contributes to theory by (1) demonstrating S-O-R’s advantages over utilitarian models in capturing relational and emotional dimensions of AI interactions, (2) identifying satisfaction with using AI chatbots as a pivotal mediator between AI chatbot experience and consumer engagement, and (3) revealing generational disparities in drivers of engagement. Notably, satisfaction strongly influences engagement for Generation X, while direct experience matters more for Generation Z. Millennials exhibit a distinct preference for hybrid human–AI service handoffs. The practical implications include prioritizing natural language processing for ease of use, implementing generational customization (e.g., gamification for Gen Z, reliability assurances for Gen X), and ensuring seamless human escalation for Millennials. These insights equip travel businesses to design AI chatbots that foster long-term loyalty and competitive differentiation. Full article

Cosmetics companies are increasingly integrating augmented reality and artificial intelligence technologies into products and services referred to as beauty tech; consumer perceptions of these solutions, however, remain understudied. Data generated via an online survey are implemented in a stimulus–organism–response framework, deduced from the beauty tech literature. Thereupon, the study identifies how interactivity, informativeness, personalization, and service quality of digital and physical beauty tech solutions for home use affect utilitarian and hedonistic values and the perceived risk factors among consumers. Via customer satisfaction, the effect of the value perception on the purchase intention and loyalty is considered. Results hint at strong effects of characteristics of the services and applications on the utilitarian and the hedonistic dimension of customer experience, which in turn strongly influence customer satisfaction. Perceived risk factors play only a marginal role. Only regarding the tested physical product does higher service quality add to the customer experience. Customer satisfaction in turn results in positive brand perception across different stages of the customer journey and leads to a higher purchase intention, positive brand advocacy, and a higher re-purchase intention. Consequently, well-designed solutions can generate higher customer satisfaction and loyalty on multiple stages along the customer journey. Full article

Considering the rapid increase in mobile payment usage, numerous big tech companies have added mobile payment to the primary services that their platforms offer. However, extant research predominantly treats this added service as a standalone offering and investigates user adoption and behavior for this service independent of the primary services. Recognizing this gap in the literature, this study considers the added service as part of an extended ecosystem and examines different motivations for using the primary service. Therefore, this study examines how different motivations for using social networking services (SNSs) shape trust in the extended payment service and ultimately influence behavioral intentions. Drawing on the schema congruity theory, we conceptualize trust as a multidimensional construct—distinguished between cognitive and emotional trust—and explore the impact of trust in the primary service on the use of an added service. Specifically, we analyze survey data of 478 users of South Korea’s leading SNS. The results reveal that both hedonic and utilitarian motivations positively influence emotional and cognitive trust, which, in turn, drive behavioral intention. However, hedonic (utilitarian) motivation exerts a stronger effect on emotional (cognitive) trust. Overall, the findings enhance the knowledge regarding trust formation in extended service ecosystems and offer insights for tech firms integrating financial services into their platforms. Full article