This study sought an innovative quality management framework for Chinese Prefabricated Buildings (PB) projects. The framework combines TQM, QSP, Reconstruction Engineering, Six Sigma (6Σ), Quality Cost Management, and Quality Diagnosis Theories. A quantitative assessment of a representative sample of Chinese PB projects and advanced statistical analysis using Structural Equation Modeling supported the framework, indicating an excellent model fit (CFI = 0.92, TLI = 0.90, RMSEA = 0.06). The study significantly advances quality management and industrialized building techniques, but it also emphasizes the necessity for ongoing research, innovation, and information exchange to address the changing problems and opportunities in this dynamic area. In addition, this study’s findings and recommendations can help construction stakeholders improve quality performance, reduce construction workload and cost, minimize defects, boost customer satisfaction, boost productivity and efficiency in PB projects, and boost the Chinese construction industry’s growth and competitiveness.
With the popularity of smartphones, consumers’ daily lives and consumption patterns have been changed by using multi-functional apps. Convenience store operators have developed membership apps as a platform to promote their brands to consumers to create the benefits of “membership economy”. This study examined consumer behavior towards convenience store membership apps using UTAUT2. Consumers who have installed the convenience store membership apps were recruited as the target population. SPSS 23.0 was used to conduct item analysis and reliability analysis in the pretest questionnaires. The formal questionnaires were distributed online by convenience sampling method, with 375 valid questionnaires collected. Smart PLS 3.0 was conducted by analyzing the confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation model analysis. The results of the study, “performance expectancy”, “social influence”, “price value” and “habit” of convenience store member app users showed positive and significant effects on “behavioral intention”. “Facilitating conditions”, “habit” and “behavioral intention” have positive and significant effects on “actual use behavior”. “Gender” affects “habit” to have a significant moderating effect on “use behavior”. “Use experience” affects “habit” to have a significant moderating effect on “behavioral intention”. Based on the study results, the further suggestions of marketing management implications and feasible recommendations are proposed for convenience store operators to refer to in the implementation of membership app marketing management.
Despite being controversial, teacher tenure policies are understudied, particularly in higher education contexts outside the Western world. Using semi-structured interviews with 15 university faculty members, this study explored how tenure systems influence the teaching practices, motivations, and job satisfaction of language teachers in Macau's universities. It was revealed that Macau implemented competitive, “up or out” tenure policies that were based on research output. Faculty were anxious as vague expectations heightened research priorities over teaching quality and student support. Requirements also strained collegial relationships as faculty goals focused on promotion. Veteran professors demonstrated resilience, maintaining intrinsic motivation despite policies. They advocated improving policies by promoting transparency, balancing workloads, accommodating disciplines, and communicating effectively. Using empirical data, this study identifies key policy implications for supporting teacher motivation while balancing inequality constraints. It provides empirical insight into optimizing tenure for teacher engagement and fulfillment.
Cooperatives have become significant contributors to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals No. 1: No Poverty. Transitioning associations to cooperatives is crucial for promoting sustainable economic development, empowering communities, and enhancing collective well-being. This research assessed the readiness of Small-Scale Fisheries (SSF) communities in the Global South to form a cooperative. This research employed an exploratory research approach in six coastal Barangays of Batad, situated in the 5th District of Iloilo Province. The findings indicated that respondents have a slight level of awareness with regard to the advantages and economic advantages associated with becoming part of a cooperative. On the other hand, there was a clear difference in members’ perceptions of the benefits and financial returns that comes with belonging to a cooperative. According to the study, females are more likely to support the association’s move towards a cooperative structure, especially younger individuals. The main issue highlighted was the lack of skilled officers and inadequate resources and training for association members. A lecture on Cooperative Awareness and capability trainings on financial management, bookkeeping, and credit management should be organized in order to increase associations readiness to be a cooperative.
In a time of a growingly age-diverse workforce, modern organizations are facing the challenge of simultaneously maintaining job satisfaction for both younger and older workers. In that regard, this study aims to analyse and further explore the difference in job expectations of employees from the IT industry who belong to different age groups. Based on the extant literature, an appropriate research model was designed, which was subsequently tested using the data gathered through the surveys conducted over the past fourteen years. The research results show that the main difference between younger and older employees within the IT industry is related to professional and personal growth. Specifically, younger employees primarily look for personal development and rapid professional advancement, which are of minor importance to their older counterparts. Intriguingly, the obtained results showed no difference between the younger and older employees regarding the work environment, including its competitiveness.
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