Application of Structural Equation Modeling to Evaluate Service Quality of Sportswear Retailing

Structural Equation Modeling （SEM） used widely in sociology, economics and psychology is adopted. Based on data obtained from marketing research, and using statistical analysis software SPSSll. 0 and LISRELS. 7, Theory of Five Dimensions of service quality is proved to be suitable in sportswear retailing in China. It analyzes the relationship among five dimensions and puts them in order of importance as to service quality in sportswear retailing. Advices are given for sportswear retail companies to improve their .Service quality and enhance customer loyalty.

Analysis of Satisfaction with Business Cost in Shanghai Using Structural Equation Modeling Approach

Tracing the origins of business cost, to define the satisfaction assessment factors on the business cost in Shanghai was investigated in this paper. Arguing that these effects: a single low cost is not only the criterion determining satisfaction. Other important factors, such as enterprise internal cognitive attitude,stability of the external environment,the quality of perceptions of government services can affect satisfaction. Within structural equation modeling( SEM) approach, six sets of hypotheses are drawn up and tested with a sample of 338 enterprises using questionnaires. Additionally,the analyses of findings introduce the crucial importance of these features in the assessment of satisfaction with business cost in Shanghai. Finally, the results show that internal cognitive has a positive impact on satisfaction. Stability of the external environment has a significant relationship with the effectiveness of government services. Stability of the external environmeat and the effectiveness of government servises have a positive effect on satisfaction.

Structural Dimensions Analysis of Service Employees' Innovation Behavior Based on Structural Equation Model

In order to know about the essence of service employees' innovation behavior, the service employees' innovation behavior scale based on their unique characteristics is designed. Data were collected from high-star hospitalities. Through the issuance and the collection of questionnaires, the scale is verified to have good reliability and validity by SPSS software analysis. Meanwhile,the structural equation model( SEM) is suited for testing structural dimensions of service employees' innovation behavior. The results showed that service employees' innovation behavior could be decomposed into a four-dimensional structure,namely innovation orientation, ideas generation, innovation implementation and innovation practice. In addition,there are significant differences in service employees' innovation behavior about subjects' gender,position,education background and years of working.

Factors Affecting Quality of Equipment Maintenance Based on Structural Equation Modeling

Factors affecting equipment maintenance quality usually include personnel,equipment and facilities,raw materials and spare parts, craft, environment and quality management. These six factors affecting maintenance quality are not all the same degree. In order to find out which factor can influence equipment maintenance quality greatly and achieve sophisticated management,characteristic quantities of six factors are presented. A structural equation modeling( SEM) is designed using the six factors as latent variables and their characteristic quantities as the observed variable.According to the basic data obtained from the questionnaire survey,calculate the standardized regression weight by parameter estimation of the SEM. Then the key factors affecting the quality of the equipment maintenance are determined with the help of the standardized regression weight.

How Does Urban Shrinkage Affect Land Use Efficiency?A Case Study of Shrinking Cities in Northeast China

The effect of urban shrinkage has gradually become a new topic.Theoretically,urban shrinkage may exert great influence on land use efficiency(LUE)through various urban subsystems,but there is currently limited research examining these pathways.Using the Super-SBM-Undesirable model and the Structural Equation Model(SEM),this study calculates the LUE of shrinking cities in Northeast China and simulates the process of urban shrinkage affecting LUE.To quantify the process of urban shrinkage affecting LUE,three mediation variables,namely the economy,public services,and innovation,are used as latent variables to apply SEM.The results show that urban shrinkage will affect LUE through a direct path and indirect paths.In the direct path,urban shrinkage leads to an improvement in LUE.In the indirect paths,the economy and innovation will transmit the negative effect of urban shrinkage on LUE,while public services will reverse this effect.An important contribution of this study is that it quantifies the paths of urban shrinkage affecting LUE,thereby expanding the understanding of urban shrinkage effect and laying a foundation for the sustainable development of shrinking cities.

What are the underlying causes and dynamics of land use conflicts in metropolitan junction areas?A case study of the central Chengdu–Chongqing region in China

Land use conflicts(LUCs),as a spatial manifestation of the conflicts in the human-land relationships,have a profound impact on regional sustainable development.For China’s metropolitan junction areas(MJAs),the existence of“administrative district economies”has made the issue of LUCs more prominent.Based on a case study of the central Chengdu–Chongqing region,we conducted an exploratory spatial data analysis of the evolutionary process of regional LUCs.Furthermore,structural equation modeling was utilized to analyze the dynamic mechanism of LUCs in MJAs,with a particular emphasis on exploring the influences of administrative boundary.The results showed that from 2010 to 2020,LUCs in the central Chengdu–Chongqing region continued to worsen,and the spatial process conflict and spatial structure conflict indices increased by more than 30.0%.The intensification of LUCs in the central Chengdu–Chongqing region from 2010 to 2020 was mainly the result of the deterioration of conflicts in evaluation units with low conflict levels.LUCs in China’s metropolitan areas generally presented a circular gradient distribution,weakening from the core to the periphery,but there were some strong isolated conflict zones in the outer regions.LUCs in China’s MJAs were the result of interactions among multiple factors,e.g.,natural environment,socio-economic development,policy and institutional processes,and administrative boundary effects.Administrative boundary affected the flow of socio-economic elements,changing the supply-and-demand competition of stakeholders for land resources,consequently exerting an indirect influence on LUCs.This study advances the theory of the dynamic mechanism of LUCs,and provides theoretical support for the governance of these conflicts in transboundary areas.

Characteristics and drivers of the soil multifunctionality under different land use and land cover types in the drylands of China

The drylands of China cover approximately 6.6×106 km2 and are home to approximately 5.8×10^(8)people,providing important ecosystem services for human survival and development.However,dryland ecosystems are extremely fragile and sensitive to external environmental changes.Land use and land cover(LULC)changes significantly impact soil structure and function,thus affecting the soil multifunctionality(SMF).However,the effect of LULC changes on the SMF in the drylands of China has rarely been reported.In this study,we investigated the characteristics of the SMF changes based on soil data in the 1980s from the National Tibetan Plateau Data Center.We explored the drivers of the SMF changes under different LULC types(including forest,grassland,shrubland,and desert)and used structural equation modeling to explore the main driver of the SMF changes.The results showed that the SMF under the four LULC types decreased in the following descending order:forest,grassland,shrubland,and desert.The main driver of the SMF changes under different LULC types was mean annual temperature(MAT).In addition to MAT,pH in forest,soil moisture(SM)and soil biodiversity index in grassland,SM in shrubland,and aridity index in desert are crucial factors for the SMF changes.Therefore,the SMF in the drylands of China is regulated mainly by MAT and pH,and comprehensive assessments of the SMF in drylands need to be performed regarding LULC changes.The results are beneficial for evaluating the SMF among different LULC types and predicting the SMF under global climate change.

Trust beyond Technology Algorithms: A Theoretical Exploration of Consumer Trust and Behavior in Technological Consumption and AI Projects

In an era dominated by artificial intelligence (AI), establishing customer confidence is crucial for the integration and acceptance of AI technologies. This interdisciplinary study examines factors influencing customer trust in AI systems through a mixed-methods approach, blending quantitative analysis with qualitative insights to create a comprehensive conceptual framework. Quantitatively, the study analyzes responses from 1248 participants using structural equation modeling (SEM), exploring interactions between technological factors like perceived usefulness and transparency, psychological factors including perceived risk and domain expertise, and organizational factors such as leadership support and ethical accountability. The results confirm the model, showing significant impacts of these factors on consumer trust and AI adoption attitudes. Qualitatively, the study includes 35 semi-structured interviews and five case studies, providing deeper insight into the dynamics shaping trust. Key themes identified include the necessity of explainability, domain competence, corporate culture, and stakeholder engagement in fostering trust. The qualitative findings complement the quantitative data, highlighting the complex interplay between technology capabilities, human perceptions, and organizational practices in establishing trust in AI. By integrating these findings, the study proposes a novel conceptual model that elucidates how various elements collectively influence consumer trust in AI. This model not only advances theoretical understanding but also offers practical implications for businesses and policymakers. The research contributes to the discourse on trust creation and decision-making in technology, emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary efforts to address societal challenges associated with technological advancements. It lays the groundwork for future research, including longitudinal, cross-cultural, and industry-specific studies, to further explore consumer trust in AI.

Modeling of forest soil and litter health using disturbance and landscape heterogeneity indicators in northern Iran

This paper focuses on the indicators of soil and litter health, disturbance, and landscape heterogeneity as a tool for prediction of ecosystem sustainability in the northern forests of Iran. The study area was divided into spatial homogenous sites using slope, aspect, and soil humidity classes. Then a range of sites along the disturbance gradient was selected for sampling. Chemical and physical indicators of soil and litter health were measured at random points within these sites. Structural equation modeling(SEM) was applied to link six constructs of landscape heterogeneity, three constructs of disturbance(harvest, livestock, and human accessibility), and soil and litter health. The results showed that with decreasing accessibility, the total N and organic matter content of soil increased and effective bulk density decreased. Harvesting activities increased soil organic matter. Therefore, it is concluded that disturbances through harvesting and accessibility inversely affect the soil health. Unexpectedly, it was found that the litter total C and C:N ratio improved with an increase in the harvest and accessibility disturbances, whereas litter bulk density decreased. Investigation of tree composition revealed that in the climax communities, which are normally affected more by harvesting activities, some species like Fagus orientalis Lipsky with low decomposition rate are dominant. The research results showed that changes in disturbance intensity are reflected in litter and soil indicators, whereas the SEM indicated that landscape heterogeneity has a moderator effect on the disturbance to both litter and soil paths.

SEM-Based Method for Performance Evaluation of Wired LANs

For wired local area networks(LANs),their effectiveness and invulnerability are very critical.It is extraordinarily significant to evaluate the network performance effectively in the design of a reasonable network topology and the performance improvement of the networks.However,there are many factors affecting the performance of the networks,and the relation among them is also complicated.How to evaluate the performance of the wired LANs more accurately has been a heavy challenge in the network research.In order to solve the problem,this paper presents a performance evaluation method that evaluates the effectiveness and invulnerability of the wired LANs.Compared to traditional statistical methods,it has the distinct advantage of being able to handle several dependent variables simultaneously and tolerates the measurement errors among these independent variables and dependent variables.Finally,the rationality and validity of this method are verified by the extensive experimental simulation.

A Case Analysis of the Influencing Factors of Job Satisfaction of Licensed Pharmacists in Retail Pharmacies Based on SEM-Taking R Retail Pharmacy for an Example

Objective To explore the influencing factors on job satisfaction of licensed pharmacists in R retail pharmacy,and to provide a reference for improving the job satisfaction of licensed pharmacists in China.Methods Through literature research and satisfaction questionnaire,349 licensed pharmacists in R retail pharmacy were investigated.Then,the influencing factor equation model was constructed by factor analysis and structural equation method.Results and Conclusion The overall adaptation of the structural equation model was well established.The job satisfaction of licensed pharmacists in R retail pharmacy was closely related to interpersonal relationship,work characteristics,good management,salary and growth opportunity,and it was not significantly correlated with job environment.Therefore,work characteristics influenced most,followed by salary.Five key factors affecting the job satisfaction of licensed pharmacists in R retail pharmacy are summarized in this paper.It is suggested to adjust corresponding key factors such as work characteristics and salary,so as to improve job satisfaction of licensed pharmacists in the same industry.

Evaluation and Driving Force Analysis of Cultivated Land Quality in Black Soil Region of Northeast China

Cultivated land is an important natural resource to ensure food,ecological and economic security.The cultivated land quality evaluation(CQE)is greatly significant for protecting and managing cultivated land.In this study,320 counties in the black soil region of Northeast China(BSRNC)represent the research units used to construct the CQE system measuring the soil properties(SP),cultivated land productivity(CLP),ecological environment(EE)and social economy(SE).The total of 19 factors were selected to calculate the integrated fertility index(IFI)and divided into grades.Simultaneously,we used the coupling coordination degree model to comprehensively analyze the spatial pattern of the cultivated land quality(CLQ)in the BSRNC,and use the structural equation model(SEM)to analyze the driving mechanism.The results show the following:1)The CLQ of 262 counties in the BSRNC is in a state of coupling and coordination,and the coupling and coordination degree presents a spatial distribution pattern of‘high in the southwest and northeast,low in the northwest and southeast’.The coordinated development degree of 271 counties is between 0.4 and 0.6,which is in a transitional state between coordination and disorder.2)The CLQ in the BSRNC is generally good,with an average grade of 3.High-quality cultivated land accounts for 58.45%of all counties,middle-and upper-quality cultivated land accounts for 27.05%,and poor-quality cultivated land accounts for 14.49%.3)The SEM analysis shows that the SP,CLP,EE,and SE all influence the CLQ.Among them,the SP has the largest driving force on the CLQ,while the SE has the smallest driving force on it.The results confirm that the main factors affecting the evaluation results are crop productivity level,normalized difference vegetation index,ratio vegetation index,difference vegetation index,and organic carbon content.When implementing protection measures in counties with a low CLQ,considering a balanced coordination of multiple systems and reasonably controlling the quality degradation are important.This study provides the current situation and driving factors of the CLQ in the BSRNC and will play an important role in black soil governance and utilization.

Examining Antecedents and Consequences of Tourist Satisfaction: A Structural Modeling Approach

While the importance of tourist satisfaction has been recognized by academic researchers for at least four decades, adequate tourist satisfaction models have not been developed or validated. This study presents a tourist satisfaction model for a destination and explores the antecedents （tourist expectations, destination image, perceived quality, and perceived value） and the consequences （tourist complaints and tourist loyalty） of tourist satisfaction using Guilin for the case study. Structural equation modeling results support the tourist satisfaction model of tourist expectations, destination image, perceived quality, and perceived value as four key antecedents of tourist satisfaction, with tourist satisfaction having a negative effect on tourist complaints and a positive effect on tourist loyalty. Managerial implications are drawn from the study findings and suggestions are given for future work.

Study on Antibiotic Prophylactic Use Behavior and Influencing Factors of Livestock and Poultry Breeding Farms and Households from Risk Cognitive Perspective

Based on the theory of planned behavior( TPB),Taking 399 livestock and poultry farms and households in Shandong Province as samples,risk cognitive variables were introduced. Besides,with the aid of the structural equation model( SEM) and partial least squares method( PLS),through an empirical analysis on antibiotic prophylactic behavior of livestock and poultry breeding farms and households in the context of " antibiotic free" production,the response mechanism of " antibiotic free" production was explored. Results indicated that the use of antibiotic prophylaxis by livestock and poultry farms and households is still very common. In the observation samples,61. 4% clearly expressed they would use antibiotic prophylaxis; the understanding of hazard of improper antibiotic prophylaxis was inadequate,only 32. 3% breeding households believed that the overuse of antibiotic prophylaxis is the main reason leading to excessive drug residue in animal products. This study was in line with the process of deduction of TPB. The breeding households' reduction of antibiotic prophylaxis is influenced by their intentions,while the intention is influenced by the attitude,subjective norms and perceptual behavior control; different risks have different influences,but most risks have greater influence on perceptual behavior control,because the perceptual behavior control determines whether breeding households have the ability of implementing the corresponding behavior.

Comparative Study on FFE Activities Between Japanese and Korean NPD Project Success

This study shows the impact of fuzzy front end （FFE） phase during innovation process on new product development （NPD） project success in two East Asian countries--Korea and Japan was explored via employing comparative study. Authors decided to consider two East Asian countries＇ successful periods as comparison samples for the study of this issue. The 1980s are considered to be ＂golden age＂ of Japanese manufacturing firms when they were extremely successful on global market. Korean firms are enjoying competitive advantage in the late 2000s and the beginning of the 2010s. A conceptual model was developed based on previous research. The model was tested using data from 293 Korean manufacturing firms in the late 2000s and from 540 Japanese manufacturing firms in the late 1980s using structural equation modeling （SEM） technique. In both countries, the effect of intensity of planning on efficiency, prior to the development, was high. Moreover, effect of market uncertainties on effectiveness was significant. Therefore, effective initial planning and good analysis of market prior to the development have positive impacts on NPD project success. In the late 80s, in the period of stability of the economy in the world, the Japanese finns were successful concentrating more on FFE activities, such as market and technological research and initial planning. However, in the 2000s when the world economy started to change so fast and the demands for the goods change so fast, the Korean firms became more successful, thanks to flexibility in the system of NPD project strategies where system was not fixed to the initial plans but where the changes within the project execution phase were allowed. Thus Korean and Japanese firms had different strategies in NPD process in the two different periods. Japanese firms were concentrated more on FFE activities and tended to keep initial plans during development process, while the Korean firms were more flexible in project execution phase allowing dramatic changes to the initial plans.

Factors influencing academic library users' intention to use mobile systems: A comparison of current users and potential adopters

Purpose: The study intends to examine the factors influencing the behavioral intention to use academic libraries’ mobile systems from the perspective of current users and potential adopters, respectively. Design/methodology/approach: Our study investigates the mobile library system’s acceptance by using a context-specific extension of the theory of reasoned action(TRA) and the technology acceptance model(TAM), which includes such factors as mobile self-efficacy, personal innovativeness and perceived playfulness. Structural equation modeling was used to test the validity of the proposed model based on the empirical data which was collected from 210 questionnaire survey participants.Findings: The result shows that 1) for both current users and potential adopters, attitude toward use and subjective norm both have a significant and positive impact on behavioral intention to use; 2) perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are significantly correlated to potential adopters’ attitude toward use whereas perceived usefulness and perceived playfulness are significantly related to current users’ attitude toward use; 3) as for the comparison between the two groups of users, personal innovativeness not only affects perceived usefulness of both current users and potential adopters, but also affects potential adopters’ perceived playfulness positively. Mobile self-efficacy has a significant effect on perceived ease of use for both types of users.Research limitations: Although the sample size met the basic statistics requirements for the social research, the participants were mainly college students, and other mobile system users like faculty members and researchers were not investigated. In addition, some influencing factors, such as information quality, system quality and service quality were not considered in the research model.Practical implications: This study reveals main factors which influence both current users and potential adopters’ intention to use the mobile system, providing academic libraries withinsights into management strategies to offer customized mobile services to different types of users. Originality/value: Previous studies did not distinguish current users from potential adopters, which is not conducive for academic libraries to provide customized services and attract potential users. We presented an exploratory study to address this issue.

Consumer attitudes towards the mountain product label: Implications for mountain development

To protect and promote the originality and authenticity of mountain foodstuffs, the European Union set Regulation No 1151/2012 to create the optional quality term "mountain product". Our research aimed at exploring the attractiveness of the mountain product label for consumers, considering both attitude towards the label itself and purchase intentions. We propose a model to investigate relationships between four latent constructs-mountain attractiveness, mountain food attractiveness, attitude towards the mountain product label, and purchase intention-which have been tested, thus confirming the statistical relevance of the relationships. All 47 items selected for describing the latent constructs are suitable for this purpose. Ridge and LASSO results also show that 17 items of the first three constructs are relevant in explaining purchase intentions. Some contextual variables, such as age, income, geographical origin of consumers, and knowledge of mountain products and mountains for tourism purposes, can positively influence consumers’ behavior. These findings could support the design of mountain development strategies, in particular marketing actions for both the product and the territory.

E-Learning during COVID-19 Outbreak: Cloud Computing Adoption in Indian Public Universities

In the COVID-19 pandemic situation,the need to adopt cloud computing(CC)applications by education institutions,in general,and higher education(HE)institutions,in particular,has especially increased to engage students in an online mode and remotely carrying out research.The adoption of CC across various sectors,including HE,has been picking momentum in the developing countries in the last few years.In the Indian context,the CC adaptation in the HE sector(HES)remains a less thoroughly explored sector,and no comprehensive study is reported in the literature.Therefore,the aim of the present study is to overcome this research vacuum and examine the factors that impact the CC adoption(CCA)by HE institutions(HEIs)in India.The scope of the study is limited to public universities(PUs)in India.There are,in total,465 Indian PUs and among these 304 PUs,(i.e.,65%PUs)are surveyed using questionnaire-based research.The study has put forth a novel integrated technology adoption framework consisting of the Technology Acceptance Model(TAM),Technology-Organization-Environment(TOE),and Diffusion of Innovation(DOI)in the context of the HES.This integrated TAM-TOE-DOI framework is utilized in the study to analyze eleven hypotheses concerning factors of CCA that have been tested using structural equation modelling(SEM)and confirmatory factor analysis(CFA).The findings reveal that competitive advantage(CA),technology compatibility(TC),technology readiness(TR),senior leadership support,security concerns,government support,and vendor support are the significant contributing factors of CCA by Indian PUs.The study contends that whereas the rest of the factors positively affect the PUs’intention towards CCA,security concerns are a significant reason for the reluctance of these universities against adopting CC.The findings demonstrated the application of an integrated TAM-TOE-DOI framework to assess determining factors of CCA in Indian PUs.Further,the study has given useful insights into the successful CCA by Indian PUs,which will facilitate eLearning and remote working during COVID-19 or similar outbreak.

A Qualitative Study for Measuring Warehouse Performance Using Triangulation Approach

This research aims to validate a structural equation modeling （SEM） model for measuring warehouse performance using data from an international company in Australia （company G）. Moreover, a methodological triangulation method was also adopted to test whether different methodological approaches produce convergent findings about warehouse performance measurement （WPM）. These three different methods are the SEM model, the multiple case research study, and validation of the SEM model using data from 80 companies in Thailand and a company in Australia. With the results from the triangulation method, it is obvious that the SEM model can be used to measure the performance of warehouses in Thailand and Australia. Since the SEM model consists only of significant indicators, it is more appropriate than company G＇s scorecard. Furthermore, the SEM model can overcome the limitations of traditional models by allowing companies to compare their performance over time.

Relationships Among Personality, Physical Self-description, and Social Physique Anxiety

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among personality, physical self-description, and social physique anxiety in employees of a hospital in Yunlin, Taiwan. Questionnaires were submitted to 400 nurses and of which 386 were completed, resulting in a response rate of 96.5%. A sample of this size ensured the validity and reliability of the results. The data were analyzed using statistical analysis and techniques such as frequencies, means and path analysis using computer software SPSS for Windows 15.0 and LISREL 8.72. The results demonstrate （1） a significant, direct, and positive effect of personality on physical self-description; （2） a significant, direct, and negative effect of physical self-description on social physique anxiety; and （3） an indirect negative effect of personality on social physique anxiety through physical self-description. All paths in the model were significant （p 〈 0.05）. Analysis using linear structural relational model （LISREL） demonstrated the suitability of the framework and proved that the model used was applicable for this research. The results of this research will be used as a reference to develop strategies for human resource management in Taiwan Residents hospitals.