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By integrating stimulus-organism-response theory and uses and gratifications theory, this study explored the salient gamification factors that satisfy the gratifications of conference attendees in the context of an event gamification mobile app and their relationships with conference engagement, continuance intention and word-of-mouth.

The questionnaire was developed in Qualtrics and administered on a gamification application called Goosechase during an annual hospitality conference. The proposed hypotheses were tested using the partial least square-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

The gratifications of social presence, education and entertainment through a gamification mobile app influences attendees’ engagement during the conference while achievement gratification does not. Positive effects of conference engagement on their continuous intention and WOM have been also validated.

By adopting a unique integrated approach that utilizes UGT and S-O-R framework, while considering conference engagement as work-related engagement, this study offers a fresh perspective on gamification apps and discusses its theoretical and practical implications in depth.

Off-premise restaurant service has a new addition – food delivery robots. This new technology and off-premise service, in general, has received little research attention, despite continued year-over-year sales growth for both carry-out and delivery. Therefore, this study aims to analyze off-premise service modes, including food delivery robots, for service quality gaps between consumer expectations and actual performance and among the various modes.

Performance of three off-premise restaurant service modes (robot-delivery, human-delivery and carry-out) were evaluated using a mixed-methods approach. Consumer expectations were ascertained about food- and service-related performance factors using a survey, and a field observation study was conducted to obtain actual performance data for these factors. Findings from both approaches were compared to identify gaps and differences.

For food-related performance, consumers reported lower expectations for food safety and food quality from robot- and human-delivered food; however, no differences were observed among the three modes in the field study. Consumers also expected lower service-related performance from robot-delivery for service efficiency and ease of use (than human-delivery and carry-out) and monetary value (than carry-out). Consumers deemed robots the most sustainable and human-delivery the most convenient compared to other modes – however, not all service-related expectations aligned with actual performances.

This study was the first to comparatively examine off-premise restaurant service. Identification of a missing link in service gap analysis was among the theoretical contributions of this study. Managerially, this study provides previously unavailable insights into opportunities for improvement for off-premise service and use of delivery robots.

This study aims to identify articles examining human-robot interaction and the effects of robotic systems on employment.

In this research, electronic searches were performed for articles published between 2000 and 2022 in Emerald, Springer, PubMed, Science Direct, Wiley and Google Scholar. In the searches of robotic systems with keywords such as “motivation, job satisfaction, job loss, performance, job giving,” 5 quantitative and 5 qualitative studies were included in the systematic review. The selected research was conducted using the Johanna Briggs Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies Checklist from the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical evaluation lists and the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Qualitative Research, depending on their type. The included studies are mostly on employee-robot collaboration.

Although the majority of the articles examined in this study are included in keywords or titles, it is determined that there is a gap in descriptive quantitative studies in the literature on the effects of employee-robot collaboration, robotic systems and robotic systems on variables such as motivation, job satisfaction, job loss, performance and employment, although they do not mention a framework that directly investigates human-robot interaction and the effects of robotic systems on employment.

There are several limitations in this study. One of them is that, although the databases are comprehensively scanned, only studies published in English between 2000 and 2022 are included in the systematic review. Another limitation is the heterogeneity between studies.

As a result of the authors’ findings, the practical effects of the research are reflected as follows: It serves as a guide for future studies to fill the gap in the field, especially for academics and researchers working in the field of social sciences on robotic systems and intelligent automations. In addition to the qualitative studies on this subject, there is a need for the use of robotic systems in the field of human resources and management and quantitative studies with more sample sizes, especially at the corporate (firms) and individual (employees) level. Considering that the number of studies on this subject is very insufficient, this research is important in terms of shedding light on future studies.

The authors believe that the impact of robotic systems on employment is one of the few conceptual articles that systematically examines 6 dimensions (job satisfaction, performance, job loss, employment, motivation, employment).

This paper aims to summarise the methods and main findings of a study of the environmental impacts of providing higher education (HE) courses by campus‐based and distance/open‐learning methods.

The approach takes the form of an environmental audit, with data from surveys of 20 UK courses – 13 campus‐based, seven print‐based and online distance learning courses – covering travel, paper and print consumption, computing, accommodation, and campus site impacts. Results were converted into energy and CO₂ emissions per student per 100 hours of degree study.

Distance learning HE courses involve 87 per cent less energy and 85 per cent lower CO₂ emissions than the full‐time campus‐based courses. Part‐time campus HE courses reduce energy and CO₂ emissions by 65 and 61 per cent, respectively, compared with full‐time campus courses. The lower impacts of part‐time and distance compared with full‐time campus courses is mainly due to a reduction in student travel and elimination of much energy consumption of students' housing, plus economies in campus site utilisation. E‐learning appears to offer only relatively small energy and emissions reductions (20 and 12 per cent, respectively) compared with mainly print‐based distance learning courses, mainly because online learning requires more energy for computing and paper for printing.

Assumptions were made in order to calculate the energy and emissions arising from the different HE systems. For example, it was decided to include all the energy consumed in term‐time accommodation for full‐time campus students while part‐time campus and distance learning students live at home, only requiring additional heating and lighting for study. Future studies could include more distance and blended learning courses offered by institutions other than the UK Open University and impacts other than CO₂ emissions.

Existing HE sustainability programmes should be broadened beyond considering campus site impacts and “greening the curriculum”. Indeed, were HE expansion to take environmental impacts seriously, then part‐time and distance education should be prioritised over increasing full‐time provision. This appears compatible with the Leitch Review of Skills on continuing education and training for the UK workforce.

The paper represents the only existing quantitative study of this issue.

This review investigates the extent and content of research into rural firm growth, and identifies and describes various approaches to studying firm growth.

The paper is guided by the systematic literature review framework which, combined with a qualitative assessment, ensures a rigorous review. An initial set of 200 peer reviewed articles was included in the review. During the quality assessment stage this set was reduced to 50 articles which were analysed in depth.

Three approaches to firm growth are identified and explored, focusing on the output, process and context of firm growth. The results further indicate increasing interest in rural firm growth and identify six themes constituting the research field.

Firm growth is advocated as a solution to development challenges, especially in rural settings. However, the firm growth literature is dominated by outcome-based research, often focused on technology-based businesses in dynamic urban regions, whose results are not easily transferable to rural contexts. This review contributes by mapping the current state of knowledge in the field, by articulating and discussing taken-for-granted assumptions with regard to firm growth and by identifying three approaches to firm growth, of which the context approach is the least common but which may prove valuable to further increase in the understanding of rural firm growth.

Corporate marketing is a marketing and management paradigm which synthesises practical and theoretical insights from corporate image and reputation, corporate identity, corporate communications and corporate branding, among other corporate‐level constructs. The purpose of this paper is to explain the nature and relevance of corporate marketing and to detail the antecedents of the territory.

Via the adoption of a quadrivium; a traditional classical approach to the acquisition of knowledge, the paper shows how organisations can be faced by Apocalyptical scenarios through a failure to accord sufficient attention to one or more dimensions of the corporate marketing mix; explains why the emergence of corporate level constructs such as corporate image, identity, branding communications and reputation represents, both individually and collectively, the Advent of corporate marketing; details the various integrative initiatives in corporate design, corporate communications and identity studies which, together with the incremental augmentation of the marketing philosophy, find their natural dénouement in the Epiphany of corporate marketing; and describes the 6Cs of the corporate marketing mix and reflects on possible future directions in organisational marketing.

The paper reveals the efficacy of adopting an organisation‐wide corporate marketing philosophy to management decision makers and scholars.

Drawing on the marketing/management theory of identity alignment policy the paper accords attention to each dimension of the corporate marketing mix and ensures that they are in meaningful as well as in dynamic alignment.

The practical utility of corporate marketing is explicated by making reference to case vignettes, and various marketing and non‐marketing literatures.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze and discuss the strategic positioning of associations that can be established between a corporate brand and entities in its surrounding network such as brands, product categories, persons, places and institutions.

A semiotic approach is used to describe image transfer processes between the corporate brand and other entities. The paper provides a structure to leverage the corporate brand in different product market contexts.

The paper offers the “corporate brand association base model” as a conceptual framework for brand‐to‐brand collaboration. The model structures how a corporate brand can develop more expansive brand architecture through transfer of image from sources of brand equity in the internal brand hierarchy and surrounding brand network.

A useful source for brand managers in the process of co‐positioning corporate brands and assessing risks, in relation to brands, product categories, persons and institutions. The framework will make it easier for brand managers to design strategic brand alliances.

The value of this study is that it has presented a model that adds depth and texture to the current academic discussion of corporate brand capitalization, by introducing a balance between in‐house leverage and external leverage of the corporate brand.

This paper aims to theorise the concept of corporate brand covenant.

Christian theology is drawn on to define and identify the source of the notion of covenant. Similarly, a review of the literature on the meaning and management of corporate branding is presented. Following a thorough review of the literature, the notion of a corporate brand covenant is conceptualised and discussed. This is firmly supported by a semiotic deconstruction of a corporate advertisement from HSBC.

Six important findings emerged from the study. The first is the Christian theological insight into the notion of covenant. This finding drew the attention of corporate branding academics to the source of this phenomenon. Second, a total of six cardinal principles (initial scenario; a covenanter, a covenant and a covenantee; the covenant is binding on all parties; the covenant is perpetual; the covenant is irreversible; the covenant stems from God and is then handed on to man) were proposed. Third, a template highlighting how the biblical covenant is managed was conceptualised. Fourth, six mandatory components of corporate branding: firm's personality; corporate positioning; interactions; corporate communications; stakeholders; corporate reputation/image; were identified. Fifth, an integrative framework highlighting the points of linkages between the biblical covenant and the corporate brand‐oriented covenant was developed. Sixth, a new definition of corporate brand covenant was suggested and supported by a semiotic deconstruction of HSBC's corporate advertising campaign.

There is little literature devoted to corporate brand covenant. The majority of works addressing this concept have done so anecdotally. Thus, by addressing this phenomenon via a Christian theological lens, the study solidifies the corporate branding literature, which at the moment lacks a strong foundation in social science theory.

Practitioners are encouraged to remember that the successful management of a corporate brand begins with a thorough understanding of what a corporate brand covenant means. An understanding of this concept will enable managers to define and deploy strategies that will promote corporate branding issues.

The paper extends the frontiers of existing anecdotal discourse on corporate brand covenant. In so doing, a fuller and more robust understanding of the concept of corporate branding among academics and practitioners is achieved.

UK government policy has emphasised the role of skills development and training as a means of improving productivity performance across all sectors of the economy. The purpose of this paper is to assess the appropriateness of this policy within the context of the construction industry, in light of the recently published statistics.

A trend analysis of construction productivity (measured by Gross Value Added/worker) and skills indicators (qualification attainment and training) was conducted over the period 1995‐2006.

There is inconsistency in the industry's productivity performance, despite the overall increase in qualification attainment levels and participation rates in training over the same period. However, the year‐on‐year change in the participation rate of training was not consistently associated with an improvement in productivity performance.

It is argued that the effective utilisation of skills rather than mere increase in the supply of skills is a key to bringing about productivity improvements. Indeed future policy makers decisions should focus on addressing other influences on productivity performance such as work organisation and management practice to support further development and progression of the UK construction industry.