Privacy preserving data sharing method for social media platforms

Digital security as a service is a crucial aspect as it deals with user privacy provision and secure content delivery to legitimate users. Most social media platforms utilize end-to-end encryption as a significant security feature. However, multimedia data transmission in group communication is not encrypted. One of the most important objectives for a service provider is to send the desired multimedia data/service to only legitimate subscriber. Broadcast encryption is the most appropriate cryptographic primitive solution for this problem. Therefore, this study devised a construction called anonymous revocable identity-based broadcast encryption that preserves the privacy of messages broadcasted and the identity of legitimate users, where even revoked users cannot extract information about the user's identity and sent data. The update key is broadcast periodically to non-revoked users, who can obtain the message using the update and decryption keys. A third-party can also revoke the users. It is proven that the proposed construction is semantically secure against IND-ID-CPA attacks and efficient in terms of computational cost and communication bandwidth.

Value co-creation in business-to-business context: A bibliometric analysis using HistCite and VOS viewer

Abstract purpose

Value co-creation (VCC) recently displayed a significant increase in the frequency of publications in business studies and social sciences. Our study objects to explore the current state of VCC research in the business-to-business (B2B) context, principally in the marketing field.

Research design approach and methodology

This research article extracted research papers on VCC in the B2B context published in the last two decades through the Web of Science (WoS). Initially, we applied HistCite to determine the research dynamics of VCC articles and then VOS viewer to conduct bibliographic coupling and cartographic analysis. Furthermore, we found the most co-occurred keywords in the abstracts, titles, and keywords.

Findings

Our research explored that the United Kingdom was the most important country with 27 publications and 594 citations. Aarikka-Stenroos L was the most influential author, among his research is a systematic review which revealed that scholars of B2B journals adopted the term business "ecosystem" and studied the implications of ecosystem perspective in business and innovation networks and received the most citations. Industrial Marketing Management (IMM) was the most influential journal because it published 8 of the 10 most cited articles. One hundred and six out of 121 publications were in Business research and seventy-six were in management area, which made it the most hot and critical research area. Lappeenranta University was the most essential organization in VCC research based on the most records published and second-highest citations.

Research limitations/implications and future research

Four research streams have emerged which indicate the prominent role of VCC in the B2B context (1) VCC and relationships, (2) VCC and organizational capabilities, (3) VCC and actors' engagement at various platforms, and (4) VCC and processes. Our research paper provided a base for conceptualizing publications related to business, management, operations research management science, and social sciences interdisciplinary on VCC in the B2B context. Content analysis has revealed that research work on VCC in the B2B context is at an early stage in the marketing arena. Along with bringing some sort of consensus regarding researchers' opinion toward the nature and modality of VCC literature and process in the B2B context, we urge future research to focus on how relationships and their precursors can be efficiently utilized to co-create and enhance value within B2B interactions. We also request future research to focus on making the VCC process sustainable and viable both on a time and economical basis.

Practical implications

Organizations can involve customers and producers to work jointly to co-create value for their goods and services with negligible cost to achieve higher market shares and a competitive edge over rivals.

Originality/value

This might be the first bibliometric study conducted on VCC in the B2B context (there are some Bibliometric VCC publications, but they are not B2B-specific, our research is the first Bibliometric study conducted on VCC in the B2B context) in the marketing field and can expose novel avenues for future research.

Social Sensing and Individual Brands in Sports: Lessons Learned from English-Language Reactions on Twitter to Pau Gasol's Retirement Announcement

Pau Gasol announced his retirement on 5 October 2021. Subsequently, a number of users virtually reacted. Twitter is one of the most popular social media platforms, with more than 368 million active users, generating large-scale social data. This study used data from Twitter for analyzing social sensing related to an individual brand, Pau Gasol's retirement announcement, from a quantitative and qualitative content analysis perspective. Pau Gasol's farewell can be considered a unique event to which many people are emotionally attached, providing a great opportunity for understanding sports virtual ecosystems. A total of 2089 tweets in the English language were recovered from Tuesday 5 October 2021 at 3:00 to Thursday 7 October 2021 at 23:59, Greenwich Mean Time +00:00 time zone. During this time, posts were observed to be mainly influential during and right after Pau Gasol's ceremony. The tweets that created more impact were published by news sources or by sports reporters. Lastly, the themes that emerged showed that the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA were the two most important milestones in Pau Gasol's career. The data can be used to detect potential areas of controversy or other issues to be addressed in order to preserve the athlete's public image. These results are considered of interest for reaching better knowledge of sport virtual environments through social sensing, supporting the idea of users acting as sensors.

Health Information System and Health Care Applications Performance in the Healthcare Arena: A Bibliometric Analysis

There have been several studies centred on health information systems with many insights provided to enhance health care applications globally. These studies have provided theoretical schemes for fortifying the enactment and utilisation of the Health Information System (HIS). In addition, these research studies contribute greatly to the development of HIS in alignment with major stakeholders such as health practitioners and recipients of health care. Conversely, there has been trepidation about HIS' sustainability and resilience for healthcare applications in the era of digitalization and globalization. Hence, this paper investigates research on HIS with a primary focus on health care applications to ascertain its sustainability and resilience amidst the transformation of the global healthcare space. Therefore, using a bibliometric approach, this paper measures the performance of health information systems and healthcare for health care applications using bibliometric data from the web of science database. The findings reveal solid evidence of the constructive transformation of health information systems and health care applications in the healthcare arena, providing ample evidence of the adaptation of HIS and health care applications within the healthcare arena to the fourth industrial revolution and, additionally, revealing the resilient alignment of health care applications and health information systems.

Innovative online learning strategies for the successful construction of student self-awareness during the COVID-19 pandemic: Merging TAM with TPB

The ongoing Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic presents several challenges to the education system including technical, cognitive, managerial, and behavioral ones. As a result of these pressures, education systems are undergoing dramatic changes. The persistent state of the pandemic leading to anincrease in connectivity between teachers and students' devices, and the growth of online learning, is changing how students learn and the risks they have to manage themselves. The education sector typically employs some technical models to assess students' attitudes. Moreover, there is an ongoing intention to use online learning. In addition to technological factors, psychological factors were incorporated into the assessment. And intentions and attitudes are from a cognitive standpoint. Based on empirical research on online learning conducted among university students under epidemic normalization, the main goal of this paper is to examine the relationship between self-awareness and the willingness to use it continuously. During COVID-19 pandemic, the research framework created for this study was tested on 429 college students. The integrated Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model's hypotheses were empirically examined. It was found that self-awareness and the intention to use online learning during the epidemic are consistently related. Self-awareness profoundly and significantly impacts the decision to continue using online learning. The study's findings can gauge participants' intent to continue. This study's result can help assess the intention to continue to use online learning during COVID-19.This can help provide more valid assessment results beneficial for the management of online learning.

Building resilience in retail supply chains: Lessons learned from COVID-19 and future pathways

Purpose

This study explores the countermeasures taken by retailers to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on supply chain disruptions.

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses a multiple case study approach and undertakes 36 semi-structured interviews with senior management of the four largest retailers of the United Arab Emirates. The respondents were designated at different positions such as Vice President, Director and Project Manager.

Findings

Results reveal that retailers are employing six countermeasures to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on supply chains. Particularly, retailers are securing required demand, preserving cash flows, redirecting inventory, adding capacity to their distribution centres, becoming more flexible with their direct or third-party logistics provider and finally widening delivery options for their suppliers to mitigate the impact of COVID-19.

Research limitations/implications

This study has some limitations. First, the results of this study cannot be generalized to a broader population as it attempts to build an initial theory. Second, this study uses a cross-sectional approach to explore the countermeasures employed by retailing firms to mitigate the effects of COVID-19.

Originality/value

A notable weakness in a supply chain disruption literature is an unfulfilled need for research examining the strategies employed by retailers to respond to/address the challenges posed by COVID-19. Our study fills this gap.

Role of personal relationships in mitigating knowledge hiding behaviour in firms: a dyadic perspective

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the role of personal relationships (friendships) in mitigating knowledge hiding behaviour between managers.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a phenomenological methodology by studying seven UAE-based firms. Furthermore, 30 semi-structured (15 dyadic) interviews with senior managers are undertaken. The senior managers were chosen from multiple industries including plastic, frozen food, logistics, etc.

Findings

Based on 30 semi-structured interviews and comprehensive data analysis, results reveal that the development of personal relationships between managers results in higher interpersonal trust, mutual loyalty, higher cooperation, strong mutual goals and cultivation of reciprocity. The result further states that these factors diminish knowledge hiding behaviour between them.

Research limitations/implications

This study has some limitations. First, this study explores behavioural patterns concerning the United Arab Emirates culture only. Second, the results presented in this study should be quantitatively tested to demonstrate their generalizability.

Practical implications

Firms can use this study’s findings to understand how and why personal relationships between managers within firms diminish knowledge hiding behaviour.

Originality/value

There is a dire need for research exploring how knowledge hiding can be mitigated in firms. This paper addresses this gap by exploring the role of personal relationships in the knowledge hiding literature.

Understanding the implications of pandemic outbreaks on supply chains: an exploratory study of the effects caused by the COVID-19 across four South Asian countries and steps taken by firms to address the disruptions

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the disruptions caused to supply chains by COIVD-19 as well as steps/countermeasures taken by firms to address such disruptions.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs 46 semi-structured interviews with senior managers of the three buying firms, four distribution centers and four supplying firms based in four countries (Pakistan, Sri Lanka, China and India).

Findings

Results unveil that manufacturing firms are facing limited production and delays in procuring goods and services, while distribution centres are facing inventory shortages. Furthermore, supplying firms are facing increased lead times amid the COVID-19 outbreak. In addition, each affected entity has employed specific strategies to address these disruptions. For instance, manufacturing firms are refining their production schedules based on the inventory, getting better visibility to their suppliers’ performance and developing new inbound routes to meet the production challenges. They are also assessing the tier-1 supplier’s risk and activating the relationship with secondary suppliers to address the procurement issues. Second, distributors are modifying inventory policies to meet the inventory shortage. Finally, supplying firms are developing alternative outbound logistics to meet the growing demand.

Research limitations/implications

There are some limitations to this study. First, the results of this study cannot be generalized to a wider population. Second, this study explores the interpretations of senior managers based in four Asian countries only.

Originality/value

Our study contributes to the supply chain literature by exploring the disruptions caused by COVID-19 to the supply chain operations. It also contributes to theory and practice by articulating the strategies adopted by firms to address such disruptions. Firms can use the steps highlighted in this study to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the supply chain disruptions.

Does knowledge hiding undermine buyer-supplier relationship performance in supply chains? A dyadic perspective

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore how knowledge hiding affects buyer-supplier relationship performance in the supply chain.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a multiple case study methodology. Overall, 26 semi-structured interviews (13 dyadic interviews) with managers of buying and supplying firms (who have been a victim of knowledge hiding) were undertaken.

Findings

Based on comprehensive data analysis, results reveal seven factors that adversely affect buyer-supplier relationship performance (lack of trust, lack of cooperation and lack of commitment). In addition, results reveal that such factors reduced the firm’s business performance in terms of low-quality products, increased lead time and higher costs.

Research limitations/implications

This study has some limitations. First, the results of this study are not generalizable to a broader population. Second, this study explores behavioral patterns with respect to United Arab Emirates culture only.

Practical implications

Firms can use the findings from this study to understand how knowledge hiding in a buyer-supplier relationship adversely affects a buyer-supplier relationship performance.

Originality/value

A considerable weakness in buyer-supplier relationship literature is a need for a study examining how knowledge hiding harms buyer-supplier relationship performance in the supply chain. This paper addresses this gap.

Exploring potential implications of Belt and Road Initiative for supply chain resilience: a comparative study of five South Asian countries

Purpose

This paper explores the potential opportunities and challenges that Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) may bring for resilient supply chains.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs multiple case study methodology by considering five south Asian countries. Overall, 36 semi-structured interviews with supply chain managers from three supplying firms, two transportation centers and four buying firms are undertaken. Three supplying firms were based in Pakistan, providing cement and steel products. Simultaneously, two transportation centers were located in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, mainly engaged in cargo and freight handling. Finally, the buying firms were located in Mainland China and India, mainly constructing road and rail networks.

Findings

Our findings reveal both challenges and opportunities for supply chain resilience within the context of BRI. In particular, findings suggest that BRI can improve quality infrastructure, greater connectivity for logistics firms and enhance consumer markets. Conversely, BRI also poses challenges to supply chain resilience in managing large-scale logistics infrastructure and the potential conflicts between countries participating in BRI.

Research limitations/implications

As this study attempts to build a theory, its result should not be generalized to a broader population. Second, this study only explores BRI's implications for resilient supply chains within five South Asian countries.

Practical implications

Firms can use our study results to understand BRI’s implications for resilient supply chains. Particularly, it presents firms with the potential opportunities and challenges that BRI brings for resilient supply chains.

Originality/value

BRI has been the subject of much research in domains like political science, economics and law but its application to the supply chain resilience is rather scant. Our study, therefore, contributes to the emergent literature on supply chain resilience within the context of BRI by exploring its potential opportunities and challenges.