The last decades have seen continuous increases in electronic commerce (e-commerce) and particularly mobile commerce (m-commerce). These sharp increases, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic, have led companies to become aware of the potential of this trade channel. This paper investigates the effects of antecedents on behavioral intention in m-commerce and the role of consumer satisfaction in the buyer decision process. In our investigation, we used the modified technology acceptance model (TAM). The research was conducted through a survey based on a self-administered questionnaire, with the data being analyzed by structural equation modeling and cross-tabulation. Following the investigation, we found that perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEU) positively influence behavioral intention. Consumer satisfaction also plays a significantly positive role in m-commerce actual use, influencing future behavioral intention. The results also showed that generational and gender differences strongly affect behavioral intention, with younger generations and male respondents being more inclined to use m-commerce.

Purpose Drawing on signaling theory, this paper aims to argue in favor of a “placebo outsourcing effect” (POE) consisting of a positive relationship between provider’s bluffing and customer satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach The authors applied prediction-oriented segmentation SEM on a dyadic sample of 171 outsourcing relationships. Findings The authors highlighted two segments that display a form of POE, representing about three-quarters of the customer-provider dyads. The first segment exhibits a positive relationship between the provider’s bluffing and customer satisfaction that is further strengthened by the provider’s reputation and customer’s operational capabilities, while for the other segment, the provider’s bluffing has positive interactions with both operational capabilities and outsourcing experience. These findings show that service providers have reached the bluffing proficiency that enables them to bluff customer firms with varying levels of operational capabilities and outsourcing experience by using the most appealing signals for every type of customer. Practical implications Based on the findings, the authors provided to customer firms extensive guidelines to avoid the POE by frustrating service provider’s bluffing proficiency. Originality/value This study’s originality resides in the amendment of the disconfirmation paradigm of satisfaction in the outsourcing context by introducing and testing the POE.

Healthcare managers consider the rewards and performances of employees as central elements of their activities due to the challenges caused by the phenomenon of healthcare employees’ emigrating to higher-income countries, which has reduced patient satisfaction and led to a negative image of hospitals. In this context, this paper analyzes how employee rewards influence the employees’ self-perceived performances in the hospital units of the emergency medical system in Romania. Using structural equation modeling, we analyzed the relationships between the investigated variables, showing that financial motivation and the recognition of employees’ merits are central to employees’ self-perceived performances. Ensuring equity also has a positive impact on how the reward package is established and managed. While financial rewards are the most important incentives to increase efforts to exhibit higher performances, recognition has a long-term motivational effect.

Intestinal/enteric heterotopia of the vulva is an extremely rare disease with only 3 cases described in the literature. We report here an unusual case of this disease occurring in a 26-year-old patient in a context of Crohn’s disease. To the best of our knowledge, such type of association has not been previously described. The potential origins of these lesions including metaplastic transformation, dysontogenetic changes, or epithelial colonic displacement/implantation are discussed.

During the operation of internal combustion engines the air-fuel ratio (A/F) is an important parameter which affects fuel consumption and pollutant emissions. The automotive oxygen sensor (Lambda) measures the quantity of residual oxygen in the combustion gases. Sensor degradation in time due to the exposure to high temperatures causes a distortion in controlling the A/F with the increase in gas emissions. In this paper an experimental stand is designed to test oxygen sensor degradation in laboratory condition. Four oxygen sensors were tested function of temperature and time recording their variation in resistance and voltage. The results showed similar values in the curves for all sensors tested.