Business, Economics and Management

Abstract: Eco-labels are a central tool of green marketing, used to communicate the environmental quality of products to consumers. This review asks whether they actually influence the green purchase behaviour of young Nigerian consumers, drawing on work on trust, greenwashing awareness, digital education, price sensitivity and product availability. Reading the evidence through the Theory of Planned Behaviour and Signalling Theory, the paper argues that eco-labels can shape purchase intention when consumers understand and trust them. However, intention rarely converts into purchase among young consumers facing limited label awareness, weak certification trust and price pressure. Evidence from South Africa, Ghana and Kenya points to the same pattern across African markets. Eco-labels work, in short, when they are clear, trusted and attached to affordable products. The paper calls for stronger consumer education, clearer certification, digital explanation, and regulatory action against misleading green claims.

Abstract: Interest in electric vehicles (EVs) is rising as the world shifts toward sustainable transportation, yet consumer adoption remains highly uneven, particularly in developing countries. This study examines how five dimensions of consumption value—functional, social, emotional, novelty, and conditional—influence consumer choice behavior toward EVs in Indonesia, while also testing the moderating role of infrastructure readiness. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected through an online survey with purposive sampling, yielding 455 valid responses. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to assess the measurement and structural models. The results reveal that functional, social, emotional, and conditional values significantly influence consumer choice behavior, whereas novelty value has no significant effect. Infrastructure readiness also significantly moderates most consumption values, with negative coefficients indicating that limited charging access and inadequate maintenance support weaken the positive impact of consumer values on EV adoption. The findings show that although consumers value performance, social image, emotional appeal, and situational factors, poor charging infrastructure hinders adoption. This study contributes to EV adoption literature by integrating consumption value theory with infrastructure readiness as a moderator. The results emphasize that developing charging infrastructure, expanding service availability, and maintaining supportive government policies are critical steps for accelerating EV adoption in emerging markets.

Abstract: This study examines how consumers respond to personalized advertisements that appear to be derived from prior conversations with generative AI assistants in social commerce settings. Drawing on privacy calculus theory, trust theory, and the stimulus–organism–response framework, the study investigates whether GenAI-based advertising personalization simultaneously creates perceived personalization value and privacy concern, and how these evaluations shape algorithmic trust and social commerce purchase intention. A scenario-based survey was conducted with 435 social commerce users in Jordan. Respondents evaluated a situation in which a product advertisement appeared to match a previous conversation with a generative AI assistant. The data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling with SmartPLS 4. The findings show that perceived GenAI-based advertising personalization increases both perceived personalization value and privacy concern. Personalization value strengthens algorithmic trust, whereas privacy concern weakens it. Algorithmic trust, in turn, strongly enhances social commerce purchase intention. The mediation results confirm that personalization value and privacy concern explain the dual effect of GenAI-based advertising personalization on algorithmic trust. In contrast, algorithmic trust transmits these effects to purchase intention. Transparency disclosure does not significantly reduce privacy concern, but it strengthens the positive relationship between personalization value and algorithmic trust. The study contributes to digital marketing and social commerce research by showing that conversational-AI-derived advertising data can be perceived as both useful and intrusive. That transparency may support trust formation without necessarily eliminating privacy concerns.

Abstract: The introduction of green cosmetics has undoubtedly captured researchers’ interest following the global surge in environmental awareness and sustainable consumption. However, consumers do not consistently opt for green products, causing businesses to approach green marketing from an opportunistic standpoint. This study explores consumer awareness of green cosmetics in South Africa and Zimbabwe, two emerging markets with contrasting economies. Using an exploratory qualitative design, data were collected through purposive sampling using in-depth interviews with six participants from South Africa and six from Zimbabwe. The findings reveal that participants in both countries prefer to receive information from reference groups and social media rather than from business advertisements. In Zimbabwe, lack of awareness and product availability hinder adoption, while South African consumers are guided by packaging cues and sustainability claims. In addition, limited production and product unavailability affect the purchasing of green cosmetics, as indicated by the participants in both countries. This study contributes to the limited body of knowledge on green consumerism in African markets by offering comparative qualitative insights from two contrasting economies and offers implications for marketers and policymakers promoting sustainable consumption.

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent to which tourists appreciate sus-tainable tourism and what effect eco-friendly practices have on the decision-making process of selecting a hotel. Through the use of large-scale analysis of online reviews of hotels and the application of sentiment analysis techniques, the research investigates the impact of environmental factors (e.g., energy usage reduction, minimizing waste, and promoting nature experiences) on customer perspectives and decision-making processes for lodging. This research adopts an approach that utilizes machine-learning based sentiment analysis as its source of understanding. The results of this research demonstrate that as more individuals become aware of sustainable tourism; however, sustainability often plays a secondary role in determining whether or not to stay at a specific hotel when compared to such lodging attributes, as comfort, price and quality service. Based upon these findings, this research indicates that while many tourists’ value sustainable tourism and make an effort to choose eco-friendly lodging establishments, the influence of sus-tainability on tourists' lodging decisions is not as strong as other attributes. These results indicate important implications for hotel managers that will help them to balance envi-ronmental stewardship with a competitive stance.

Abstract: Greenhushing—the deliberate under-communication of genuine sustainability achievements —has been examined almost exclusively from an organizational standpoint, leaving the consumer side of the phenomenon largely undertheorized. This study investigates how perceived greenhushing, defined as a consumer’s perception that a brand deliberately withholds information about its environmental performance, affects young consumers’ green purchase intention. Drawing on signaling theory, trust–commitment theory and attribution theory, a model is developed in which brand trust, perceived risk and consumer green skepticism jointly mediate the relationship between perceived greenhushing and green purchase intention, while environmental concern and trait-level green skepticism are positioned as moderators. The model is estimated with partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) on a sample of 404 young consumers in Vietnam. Perceived greenhushing significantly erodes brand trust (β = −0.535), elevates perceived risk (β = 0.571) and activates consumer green skepticism (β = 0.477). Among the three mediators, brand trust is the dominant pathway to green purchase intention (β = 0.444), whereas the skepticism pathway is non-significant (p = 0.093). The direct effect of perceived greenhushing on green purchase intention remains negative and significant (β = −0.152), indicating partial mediation. The findings extend signaling theory to the under-studied domain of communicative absence, sharpen the conceptual boundary between greenwashing and greenhushing at the consumer level, and offer specific guidance for sustainability communication in emerging-market consumer settings.

Abstract: One of the most important traditional dairy products in Kosovo is cheese. On the other hand, there are few data regarding the characterization and classification of cheese in Kosovo. The purpose of this paper is to identify and classify the varieties of cheese in Kosovo, depending on their physicochemical characteristics and properties. This paper collects samples of cheese from various regions in Kosovo and analyzes them regarding some of the most important physicochemical properties. The results showed that there are differences in their composition, which range from 42.5 to 74.5% in the moisture content, average 24.8% for the fat content of the cheese, and average 18.6% for the protein content of the cheese. There are differences about the kinds of milk used to produce these kinds of cheese, which are dominated by cow milk, followed by sheep, goat, and mixed milk. Cluster analysis grouped the cheeses into distinct categories corresponding to soft, semi-soft, and semi-hard varieties. As can be seen from the information provided above, one can notice that various kinds of cheese are available in Kosovo. Information provided above can be considered to serve as the scientific basis for standardization of traditional cheese products. Information provided above can be of major importance for quality control of cheese products in Kosovo.

Abstract: The competitive ground of digital visibility has moved twice in eighteen months. The first move was from the ten blue links to the AI-generated answer; the second, still in progress, is from the answer to the autonomous action. This article develops a framework that integrates three optimization disciplines emerging in response to that shift—Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), and Agentic Optimization (AgO)—under a single theoretical lens: delegated consumer–AI agency. Building on Puntoni et al.’s (2021) experiential perspective on consumer AI and Davenport et al.’s (2020) account of AI in marketing, we treat the AI assistant not as a channel but as a delegated decision-maker whose choices are governedby retrievability, attribution cost, and embedded brand associations. We argue that the central strategic risk of this transition is brand erasure—the systematic elimination of brand identity from synthesized answers and completed agentic actions—and we develop six propositions that link content and infrastructure choices to brand outcomes in this environment. We close with managerial implications for brands operating across the dual audience of human readers andmachine intermediaries, and a research agenda focused on measurement, audit methods, and governance.

Abstract: This study investigated the influence of marketing infrastructure and digital marketing strategies on the performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria, emphasizing the mediating role of digital transformation. While prior research has established the importance of digital marketing strategies in driving performance, much of the focus has been on large firms, with limited attention to SMEs and the transformative effects of digital transformation. To address this gap, data were collected from 400 SME managers and owners registered with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) through an online survey. The data were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings revealed that marketing infrastructure and digital marketing strategies do not directly improve marketing performance; rather, digital transformation serves as a critical mediator that enables this relationship. The study concludes that SMEs that embrace digital transformation, by integrating digital technologies across operations, achieve superior marketing outcomes, including enhanced brand awareness, customer acquisition, conversion rates, and customer satisfaction, ultimately leading to higher sales, profitability and and business sustainability.

Abstract: Generation Z, a cohort defined by digital connectivity, sensitivity to social influence, and environmental awareness, has attracted considerable scholarly attention in sustainable consumption research. Yet a persistent gap between their expressed pro-sustainability attitudes and actual purchasing decisions remains well-documented. This study examines whether Gen Z characteristics help bridge that gap by directly influencing sustainable purchase behavior and by moderating the role of purchase intention in that process. A quantitative design was employed using survey responses from 302 Gen Z consumers. The findings suggest that while Gen Z characteristics significantly predicted actual sustainable purchasing and purchase intention exerted a positive direct effect, the interaction between the two was negative and statistically significant. Conditional effects analysis further revealed that the influence of generational characteristics on purchasing behavior is stronger at lower levels of purchase intention and progressively weaker as intention increases. These results suggest that traits such as digital responsiveness, social embeddedness, and environmental orientation do not merely reinforce existing intentions but appear to compensate for their absence, activating sustainability-aligned behavior even when motivational commitment is limited. The study repositions the intention-behavior gap among Gen Z as something modulated by generational characteristics that drive purchasing behavior when intention alone falls short.

Abstract: Artificial intelligence (AI) is often employed in various sectors of e-commerce. Conse-quently, it becomes necessary to identify the impact of various parameters of the algorithm on buyer behavior. This study aims to investigate the impact of algorithmic anthropomor-phism, algorithmic transparency and perceived algorithmic fairness on buyer purchase intentions. In addition, this study has endeavored to establish the role of Technology Ac-ceptance Model as a moderating variable. A structured questionnaire was dispersed among 384 online buyers via Qualtrics. The proposed model was tested using PROCESS macro (Hayes, 2022) for mediation and moderation analyses. The results reveal that: (1) algorithmic anthropomorphism positively affects both algorithmic transparency and per-ceived algorithmic fairness; (2) algorithmic transparency has a significant positive effect on both perceived fairness and purchase intention; (3) perceived algorithmic fairness me-diates the relationships between algorithmic anthropomorphism and purchase intention, as well as between algorithmic transparency and purchase intention; and (4) TAM posi-tively influences purchase intention, though its moderating effect on the anthropomor-phism–purchase intention link is only marginally significant. These findings offer theo-retical contributions to AI-driven consumer behavior research and practical implications for the design of algorithmic e-commerce systems.

Abstract: The growing global concern for environmental sustainability has increased consumer interest in green cosmetics formulated with natural ingredients. However, this interest does not consistently translate into purchasing behaviour, highlighting a persistent attitude–behaviour gap. Drawing on the Attitude–Behaviour–Context (ABC) theory, this study examines how structural and economic constraints shape green cosmetics consumption in South Africa and Zimbabwe. A qualitative, exploratory design was employed, using semi-structured interviews with twelve female consumers (n = 12) across South Africa and Zimbabwe. Thematic analysis revealed that although consumers expressed positive attitudes driven by perceived health and natural benefits, these did not consistently result in sustained purchasing behaviour. Instead, contextual barriers, including high prices, limited product availability, and restricted access to retail and e-commerce infrastructure, significantly constrained consumption. Notable cross-country differences emerged. South African consumers demonstrated relatively stronger brand loyalty, supported by online access and retailer reward programmes, whereas Zimbabwean consumers were more likely to switch brands, rely on informal purchasing channels, revert to conventional products, or use home remedies. The findings underscore the dominant role of contextual factors in shaping behaviour in emerging markets. This study extends the ABC theory by demonstrating that structural constraints can override positive attitudes while offering practical insights for improving accessibility, pricing, and distribution to support sustainable consumption.

Abstract: Family firms are central to global economic stability and employment. Generational transitions, however, involve not only the transfer of leadership but also changes in organizational structures and culture. As digitalization becomes increasingly important for competitiveness, successors are introducing digital marketing practices that may influence organizational culture during leadership transitions. While previous research has examined digital transformation in family businesses, limited attention has been given to the role of digital marketing as a mechanism of cultural change during generational succession. This article addresses the question: How do second-generation successors use digital marketing practices to shape organizational culture during generational transitions in family firms? Drawing on practice theory and Schein’s model of organizational culture, the study explores how cultural change unfolds through everyday practices within organizations. The research employs a qualitative multiple-case study approach based on semi-structured interviews with representatives from 35 family firms in Latvia. The findings identify key digital marketing practices implemented by second-generation successors and illustrate how these practices influence organizational culture during the transition process. The results suggest that digital marketing can both reinforce existing organizational values and selectively reshape organizational identity and legitimacy. The study highlights digital marketing as a culturally legitimate tool through which successors can influence decision-making processes, coordination mechanisms, and authority structures during generational succession.

Abstract: This study investigates the influence of circular-economy transparency (CET) on re-sponsible purchase intention (RPI) within the electronics market, elucidating the mediating role of perceived green authenticity (PGA) and the boundary condition of greenwashing skepticism (GWS). We used PLS-SEM (SmartPLS 4) with bootstrapping to test direct effects, mediation, moderation, and moderated mediation on a cross-sectional online survey of 400 adult electronics customers in Saudi Arabia. The results indicate that CET positively predicts PGA and RPI, with PGA significantly enhancing RPI. This suggests that perceptions of authenticity convey a significant aspect of transparency's impact on responsible intentions. Nonetheless, GWS considerably diminishes the CET→PGA and PGA→RPI relationships and lessens the potency of the indirect CET→PGA→RPI pathway, indicating that skeptical consumers more rigorously disregard cues of transparency and authenticity. The model provides a strong description of the observed variance in both PGA and RPI, justifying its explanatory and predictive value. These results suggest that electronics brands and policymakers would do well to complement transparency programs with measurable, decision-relevant information disclosures and trust-enhancing procedures (e.g., traceability and third-party validation) in order to minimize distrust and enable responsible purchasing.

Abstract: This study investigates the influence of circular-economy transparency (CET) on responsible purchase intention (RPI) within the electronics market, elucidating the mediating role of perceived green authenticity (PGA) and the boundary condition of greenwashing skepticism (GWS). We used PLS-SEM (SmartPLS 4) with bootstrapping to test direct effects, mediation, moderation, and moderated mediation on a cross-sectional online survey of 400 adult electronics customers in Saudi Arabia. The results indicate that CET positively predicts PGA and RPI, with PGA significantly enhancing RPI. This suggests that perceptions of authenticity convey a significant aspect of transparency's impact on responsible intentions. Nonetheless, GWS considerably diminishes the CET→PGA and PGA→RPI relationships and lessens the potency of the indirect CET→PGA→RPI pathway, indicating that skeptical consumers more rigorously disregard cues of transparency and authenticity. The model provides a strong description of the observed variance in both PGA and RPI, justifying its explanatory and predictive value. These results suggest that electronics brands and policymakers would do well to complement transparency programs with measurable, decision-relevant information disclosures and trust-enhancing procedures (e.g., traceability and third-party validation) in order to minimize distrust and enable responsible purchasing.

Abstract: Purpose: This study aims to explore how sports businesses can be reimagined in the digital era by identifying key transformative indicators shaped by virtualization. Design/methodology/approach: The research is of mixed type (qualitative-quantitative). The statistical population of the qualitative section included all IT specialists in the sports industry and university professors with expertise in sports management and digitalization from executive and academic fields. Purposive sampling method was used to select the research samples. The sample size continued until theoretical saturation (15 people) was reached. In the initial stage, the data of this research were collected through semi-structured interviews with the selected samples. To ensure the validity, various methods such as tracking data over time (audit tracking) and consolidating the findings through repeated assessments of data and patterns were used. After the coding processes and identification of main themes and indicators, a questionnaire was developed to validate the extracted components. For qualitative data, content analysis was used, and in the quantitative phase, second-order confirmatory factor analysis was used using SPSS version 25 and Smart PLS version 3 software. Findings: Based on the findings, the foundations for developing digital business included business virtualization contexts, assumptions of the digital workplace in business; digital business processes included the efficiency of the virtual business system and business virtualization processes; digital business functions encompassed the development of digital business and the sustainability of the digital work environment. Also, the results of the validity and reliability analyses and confirmatory factor analysis of the research components indicated the appropriate validity of all items of the questionnaire obtained from the qualitative section. The examination of the indicators of the final research model also indicated the high validity of the model. According to other results, the desired model had appropriate fit indicators. This research provides a scientific and practical basis for policymakers and managers in the sports industry to better focus on advancing the virtualization and digitalization of sport businesses in their decision-making processes. Originality: This study advances a holistic framework for understanding the virtualization of sports businesses. Unlike prior work, it integrates technological, economic, and social dimensions, introducing new indicators for innovation and sustainable value creation.

Abstract: The growing presence of AI in academic marketing is reshaping the way HEIs (Higher Education Institutions) are engaging their stakeholders. The benefits that come from uti-lizing AI-driven elements to improve operational efficiency only come to fruition when stakeholders trust those integrated elements. The relationship between stakeholder per-ceptions and their confidence in decision making on AI-enabled marketing activities is examined by this study through the application of a multi-paradigm machine-learning framework. This study analyzed the responses of 200 stakeholders using a combination of survey data and provided greater strength to the findings by combining multiple respons-es. Five different paradigms were used: Linear Regression, Ridge Regression, Support Vector Regression, Random Forest, and Gradient Boosting to evaluate stakeholder data and predict their behavior. The results suggest that Ridge Regression provided the most stable baseline for prediction; however, the ensemble models were able to capture many critical non-linear dynamics that were overlooked by linear model approaches. Trust in AI tools and personalised advertising is a dominant factor in stakeholder confidence, where-as the institutional perception of stakeholders acts as a structural moderator. These find-ings provide empirical validation of the Trust-Tech Nexus and demonstrate that for stakeholders to fully realise the benefits of AI-driven personalised advertising, institution-al credibility is essential.

Abstract: Sustainability and healthy eating have emerged as key areas of interest and concern among younger generations in recent decades. Another prominent feature of this cohort is their increasing engagement with sport, both as practicing sport and as sport fan. Participation in sporting activities and enthusiasm for sports frequently align with the principles of sustainable and healthy living. Despite extensive theoretical interest and a growing body of research on young consumers’ concern for sustainability and balanced nutrition, the interrelations among these domains remain underexplored. The connection with sport engagement has received even less scholarly attention. This study investigates how sustainable and healthy eating (SHE) behaviors, together with sport engagement, influence advocacy for sustainable and healthy food practices among young Italian consumers. Drawing on the stimulus–organism–response (S–O–R) framework, we develop and test a structural equation model (SEM) using data from 206 respondents. The results reveal that the two main constructs (SHE and SPORT) play a significant role in fostering Gen Z’s advocacy for sustainable and healthy eating. Moreover, there are no significant differences among male and females. These findings contribute to consumer research on the interplay between sustainable and healthy lifestyle behaviors by identifying sport engagement as a novel and meaningful driver of consumer advocacy toward sustainable and healthy eating (SHE).

Abstract: Agritourism is an expanding form of experience-based rural tourism, yet limited empirical research explains how experiential marketing shapes perceived value and satisfaction in authentic farming contexts. Drawing on Schmitt’s Strategic Experiential Modules and the Memorable Tourism Experience (MTE) framework, this study develops and tests a structural model linking agritourism experience, perceived value, and satisfaction. Survey data from 398 visitors across twelve certified agritourism communities in Taiwan were analyzed using CFA and SEM. Results show that agritourism experiences significantly enhance perceived value and directly increase satisfaction, with perceived value exerting a strong mediating effect. The findings underscore the distinctiveness of agritourism, where authenticity, natural variability, and human–land interactions generate experiential outcomes not replicable in constructed tourism spaces. The study advances experiential marketing theory and offers practical guidance for rural tourism development.

Abstract: Against the sustained growth of China’s live streaming commerce, immersion is pivotal for consumer decision-making, yet existing studies overlook continuous moderators and systematic transmission mechanisms. Based on the SOR theory, this study explores how immersion influences purchase intention via trust, with shopping involvement as a moderator. Data from 455 Chinese live streaming shoppers were collected via Wenjuanxing and analyzed using SPSS 27.0, PROCESS macro, and AMOS 31.0. Results show immersion positively impacts trust, trust fully mediates the immersion-purchase intention link, and shopping involvement strengthens the immersion-trust effect for high-involvement consumers. This study enriches SOR theory’s application in digital consumption, offers marketers insights for immersive design and differentiated strategies, and contributes to sustainable consumption by reducing impulsive purchases through trust.