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With the increasing awareness of health and the widespread adoption of social media advertising, health food advertising has become an important source of information influencing consumer decision-making. However, existing studies have primarily focused on the effects of attitudes or behaviors, with limited attention to the underlying psychological mechanisms. Therefore, this study applies optimal arousal theory to examine how expertise and trustworthiness in health food advertising influence consumers’ purchase intention through perceived information relevance. The findings indicate that both expertise and trustworthiness positively affect perceived information relevance, which in turn significantly enhances purchase intention. These results suggest that individuals tend to pursue an optimal level of stimulation, and when advertising information evokes an appropriate level of psychological arousal and aligns with personal needs, it is more likely to facilitate positive behavioral responses. In addition to confirming the importance of perceived information relevance, this study extends optimal arousal theory from the level of sensory stimulation to the cognitive level, thereby advancing the development of optimal arousal theory research.

This study aims to examine the effects of utilitarian and hedonic browsing on impulse buying tendency and the urge to buy impulsively in online shopping contexts. It further evaluates the mediating role of impulse buying tendency in this relationship. Drawing on Uses and Gratifications (U&G) theory and the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework, a conceptual model is developed. A questionnaire survey was conducted, and 393 valid responses from online consumers were collected. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the data and test the proposed hypotheses. The findings demonstrate that (i) hedonic browsing has a significant positive effect on impulse buying tendency, which subsequently increases the urge to buy impulsively; (ii) utilitarian browsing has a significant negative effect on impulse buying tendency and does not directly influence impulse buying urges; and (iii) impulse buying tendency plays a critical mediating role in transforming browsing motivations into immediate purchase impulses. These results suggest that impulse buying is not purely an immediate reaction but is shaped through underlying psychological tendencies. This study contributes to consumer behavior literature by extending the application of U&G theory in digital commerce contexts and provides practical implications for online platform design and marketing strategies.

This paper aims to examine the effects of leisure crafting on leisure satisfaction from a self-determination theory perspective. In this paper, it is also aimed to evaluate the mediating role of leisure benefits and the moderating role of work–leisure conflict within an integrated theoretical framework. We employed a quantitative analytical approach using structural equation modeling to test the proposed hypotheses and assess both direct and indirect relationships among the variables. A dataset of 325 hospitality industry newcomers in northern Taiwan was collected through a structured questionnaire and analyzed to examine the relationships among leisure crafting, leisure benefits, leisure satisfaction, and work–leisure conflict. Main findings of the study demonstrate that (i) leisure crafting has a significant positive effect on leisure benefits, indicating that proactive adjustment of leisure activities enhances psychological and social gains; (ii) leisure benefits significantly mediate the relationship between leisure crafting and leisure satisfaction, suggesting that psychological need satisfaction functions as a key explanatory mechanism; and finally (iii) work–leisure conflict negatively moderates the relationship between leisure crafting and leisure benefits, such that higher levels of conflict weaken the positive influence of leisure crafting on perceived benefits. Overall, the results extend the application of self-determination theory to the leisure domain and provide empirical evidence for the motivational mechanisms underlying leisure satisfaction in high work-demand contexts.

The widespread adoption of streaming services and social media has enhanced online spectators’ interactivity and immersion, yet it may also weaken fans’ willingness to attend games in person. Drawing on event system theory, this study examines how social media marketing activities and team identification influence intention to attend professional basketball games, with social presence serving as a mediating mechanism. Survey data were collected from 564 fans who had never attended a professional basketball game, and the proposed model was tested using structural equation modeling. The results show that social media marketing activities influence attendance intention only indirectly through social presence. In contrast, team identification not only directly predicts attendance intention but also exerts an indirect effect via social presence. Overall, the findings underscore social presence as a pivotal mechanism that converts online stimuli into intentions to attend live events and provide practical guidance for teams’ social community management and fan relationship strategies.

Green bonds are typically used for environmental protection projects. This paper explores the differences between general bonds and green bonds in Taiwan, as well as the impact of inflation. The findings are as follows: First, because green bonds support environmentally sustainable development projects, which require a longer time to realize their environmental benefits, they require longer repayment periods. Second, most green bonds have lower coupon rates than general bonds, indicating that investors are willing to accept lower interest income for the sake of environmental sustainability. Third, because green bonds invest in environmental protection projects with lower returns, investors also demand higher risk premiums due to relatively higher recovery risks. Finally, after inflation occurs, the increase in green bond coupon rates is less than that of general bonds. Inflation may have different effects on the dividend yields of individual companies, but there is no significant difference for the overall industry.

This study investigates the effects of perceived ease of use (PEU), perceived usefulness (PU), and trust (TR) on behavioral intention (BI) toward adopting multimodal explainable artificial intelligence systems in long-term care institutions. Specifically, it examines the mediating role of PU in the relationship between PEU and BI and further analyzes how TR moderates the relationships of PEU and PU with BI. Data were collected through an online questionnaire administered to nurses, care attendants, and administrators working in long-term care facilities in Taiwan. A total of 150 questionnaires were distributed, and 125 valid responses were obtained, yielding an effective response rate of 84%. ncluded a clear, non-technical explanation of what a multimodal explainable AI system is, to help readers who are not AI specialists better understand the core conce. The empirical results indicate that PU, PEU, and TR all have significant positive effects on BI. Moreover, PU partially mediates the relationship between PEU and BI, while the interaction terms TR×PEU and TR×PU significantly moderate BI: when trust is high, the effect of PU on BI is strengthened, whereas the effect of PEU on BI is weakened. These findings suggest that, in high-trust settings, long-term care professionals are more willing to tolerate system complexity if the system is clearly useful. Based on these results, the study offers managerial and policy implications for integrating smart technologies into Taiwan’s long-term care sector, emphasizing the importance of usefulness, usability, and trust in enhancing technology adoption. This research extends the Technology Acceptance Model by integrating trust, providing new insights for digital transformation in long-term care

Early childhood is a critical period for developing exercise habits, and parental involvement plays a decisive role in shaping children’s physical activity behaviors. Drawing on Expectancy Value Theory, this study examined parents of kindergarten-aged children across five constructs: Ability Expectation, Required Effort, Psychological Cost of Failure, Cost of Others’ Expectations, and Perceived Value. Results revealed a notable gap between the perceived importance and actual satisfaction of the Psychological Cost of Failure, indicating parents’ concern about potential frustration or pressure their children might face. In contrast, Perceived Value was consistently rated high in both importance and satisfaction, underscoring parents’ recognition of the social and emotional benefits of parent–child physical activities. These findings highlight the need for schools to provide emotional support and positive reinforcement in activity design.

Management often promotes internal competition as a means to enhance employee performance; however, the potential adverse effects are frequently neglected. This study investigates the relationships among competitive psychological climate, organizational deviance, moral disengagement, and felt trust. It explores how a competitive climate is associated with organizational deviance through the mechanism of moral disengagement and examines whether felt trust moderates this relationship. Surveys were administered in two phases to 279 full-time employees in Taiwan. Partial least square structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypothesized relationships. Our findings indicate that moral disengagement mediates the relationship between competitive psychological climate and organizational deviance. Furthermore, felt trust moderated both the direct and indirect relationships involving competitive psychological climate. The implication for management is that when employing internal competition to enhance performance, they should consider the potential for deviant behavior and whether it can be mitigated by moderators such as felt trust.

Shrimp fishing, a unique leisure activity in Taiwan, provides an important recreational option for local residents. Guided by self-determination theory, this study investigates how leisure motivation and leisure involvement affect perceived leisure benefits, with leisure satisfaction as a mediator. A survey from 359 shrimp fishing participants and structural equation modeling, results how that both leisure motivation and involvement positively influence leisure benefits, with leisure satisfaction acting as a partial mediator. Moreover, leisure motivation exerts stronger direct and indirect effects than involvement. These findings contribute to the literature by extending self-determination theory in leisure research and provide practical guidance for venue operators and managers in enhancing consumer engagement, improving service design, and sustaining cultural leisure industries.  

In the wake of the pandemic, countries worldwide have strived to revive their tourism sectors, with Thailand’s industry playing a crucial economic role. Grounded in Protection Motivation Theory (PMT), this study examines key psychological determinants of domestic travel intentions, including threat severity, response efficacy, and psychological resilience. Data from 509 Thai participants were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Results reveal that heightened threat perceptions significantly weaken travel intentions, while confidence in protective measures enhances willingness to travel. Psychological resilience mitigates perceived threats and strengthens the effect of response efficacy on travel intention. Surprisingly, anxiety did not significantly impact travel intentions. This study offers a holistic perspective on travelers' cognitive and emotional responses to health crises. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders to strengthen public resilience, foster trust in safety measures, and support sustainable recovery in the tourism sector.

The e-commerce experience has been transformed by artificial intelligence, which has also opened new avenues for customer communication through chatbots. This study aims to examine how chatbot characteristics influence continuance intention in e-commerce. Specifically, it explores how interactivity, compatibility, information quality, and service quality affect users' perceptions of chatbot usefulness and enjoyment. A quantitative approach using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed for data analysis. The main findings reveal that (i) information quality and service quality positively influence both perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment of chatbots, which in turn enhance continuance intention; (ii) compatibility positively affects perceived enjoyment but not perceived usefulness; and (iii) interactivity moderates the relationship between information quality and both perceived usefulness and enjoyment. This study extends the Technology Acceptance Model by incorporating service-related and interactive factors, contributing to the growing body of knowledge on consumer behavior and technology adoption in e-commerce. The findings offer valuable insights for chatbot designers, managers, and customer service practitioners.

Interactive technology has increasingly gained attention from both consumers and retailers, reshaping the shopping experience. Among these technologies, augmented reality (AR) has emerged as a powerful tool that enables businesses to engage customers in distinctive and immersive ways. Although several leading companies have developed dedicated AR applications or integrated AR features into existing apps, limited research has explored how AR in mobile shopping apps influences consumer attitudes and shopping intentions. This study examines the effects of utilitarian value (UV), hedonic value (HV), and symbolic value (SV) of AR on customer attitudes and intentions to shop via mobile applications. Based on empirical data from 389 respondents, the results reveal that UV, HV, and SV positively influence attitudes toward mobile app shopping. However, only HV and SV significantly impact shopping intention. Additionally, attitude mediates the relationship between the perceived values of AR and the intention to shop. These findings contribute to the understanding of AR’s role in mobile commerce and offer practical insights for retailers, managers, and AR designers aiming to enhance the customer experience through in-app AR features.

This study probes how mobile health monitoring contributes to health behavior change, with a particular focus on the roles of self-quantification and health consciousness. The findings indicate that mobile health monitoring effectively facilitates positive changes in health behaviors. Moreover, there is a significant interplay between self-quantification, mobile health monitoring, and behavior change—individuals are more likely to adopt healthier lifestyles when they can independently monitor and interpret their health data. Health consciousness further reinforces this relationship, as individuals with higher health awareness are more likely to transform data-driven insights into actionable and sustained health behaviors.

Against the backdrop of rapid advancements in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), ChatGPT has emerged as a representative application, drawing significant research interest in user behavior patterns. This study applies the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) Model to investigate the key factors influencing the adoption of ChatGPT among users in Taiwan. Using a cross-sectional survey approach, we recruited a sample of 454 Taiwanese ChatGPT users through social media and online forums. The study analyzed the impact of four key constructs—performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions—on behavioral intention and actual usage behavior. The results indicated that performance expectancy and effort expectancy play pivotal roles in shaping behavioral intention, while facilitating conditions significantly affect actual usage behavior. Furthermore, cultural background exerts a critical moderating effect on the influence of social factors. These findings highlight the unique characteristics of user behavior in Taiwan, provide practical insights for optimizing the design and promotion of GenAI tools, and offer valuable implications for technology adoption policies.

Hand-shaken beverages represent a unique business model in Taiwan. This study explores the impact of four dimensions of brand equity on consumers' word-of-mouth and purchase intention regarding hand-shaken beverages. A survey was conducted among hand-shaken beverage consumers. A total of 352 valid questionnaires were recovered, and the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results showed that consumers' perceptions of brand awareness, quality, and brand association affected word-of-mouth. These dimensions had an indirect impact on purchase intention through word-of-mouth, suggesting that when consumers develop an attachment to a brand, they engage in positive behaviors concerning the brand. However, due to the high homogeneity and lack of distinctiveness of Taiwanese hand-shaken beverage products, they fail to attract consumer loyalty.

Impulse purchases play a vital role in the sales revenue of shopping malls. This study utilized the Stimulus-Organism-Response framework to explore how shopping mall atmosphere stimulates consumer emotions, thereby impacting impulse purchase behavior. Structural equation modeling was employed for data analysis. The findings revealed that both positive and negative emotions can act as mediators in the process of forming impulse purchase behavior, albeit with distinct and sometimes antagonistic effects. This phenomenon is attributed to the differential impact of the service atmosphere on stimulating consumer emotions. Additionally, the study identified that only positive emotions can serve as mediators between spatial atmosphere and impulse purchases. In essence, stimuli in the shopping environment can influence consumer emotional responses, thereby prompting impulse purchase behavior.

This study examines the factors influencing continuance usage intentions in Vietnam’s online food delivery (OFD) market, using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) with health consciousness as a moderator. The research identifies that performance expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions are significant determinants of continuance usage intentions, whereas effort expectancy shows a minor role. The analysis highlights health consciousness’s critical role in moderating the effects of PE and SI on usage intentions, revealing that a higher level of health awareness leads to more stringent evaluations of OFD services. These insights suggest that OFD service adoption in Vietnam is greatly influenced by how well services align with health-centric consumer preferences. The findings advocate for OFD platforms to adapt their strategies to meet the health-oriented demands of the market, emphasizing quality and transparency. This research contributes to understanding technology acceptance by highlighting the complex relationship between traditional service evaluation metrics and individual health values in influencing consumer behavior in a rapidly digitizing economy.

The purpose of this study is to analyze whether there are differences in the impact of corporate social responsibility on its financial performance and stock performance in different industries. The research period is from 2016 to 2018. The samples are selected from the corporate social responsibility award-winning companies selected by Commonwealth Magazine and Vision Magazine, and the financial information comes from Taiwan Economic News (TEJ). The empirical results show that traditional heavy industries have been established for a long time and the equipment is relatively old, so it needs to pay a relatively high cost to improve. Therefore, in this type of industry, corporate social responsibility has a negative impact on its financial impact, and even if it is a reputation It has won the evaluation of the public, but its stock characteristics are not easy to fluctuate, so the impact on its stock performance is not significant. On the contrary, in the other two industries, corporate social responsibility will not burden its financial performance, but will positively help its stock performance. Among them, in the electronics industry, corporate social responsibility will positively help its financial performance. It may be that this type of industry has a relatively high bargaining power for products and relatively advanced technology, so it can transfer the cost of corporate responsibility invested to the selling price of the product.

This article investigates the impact of social influence on online food delivery (OFD) purchase behavior in Vietnam, specifically examining the moderating role of trust and physical obstacles during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 378 respondents participated in the research, and the findings highlight the significance of social networks and interpersonal relationships in the OFD market. Regarding the role of trust as a moderator, the findings highlighting the importance of building trustworthiness and credibility in the OFD industry. The findings suggest that physical obstacles, such as the closure of non-essential stores and social distancing measures, weaken the influence of social factors on consumers' behavior. These changes in individuals' lifestyles have introduced physical barriers to traditional dining experiences, consequently increasing reliance on online food delivery (OFD) services. Overall, this study contributes to the existing literature on consumer behavior and provides insights for industry practitioners and policymakers to develop effective marketing and communication strategies and support mechanisms to facilitate the growth and sustainability of the online food delivery industry in Vietnam.

This paper examines the protection against systemic risks of the financial and stock performance of firms in receipt of ‘corporate social responsibility’ (CSR) awards. The data we obtained from the Taiwan Economic Journal (TEJ) in 2016-2018, comprised of CSR-award-recipient firms (CSR firms) voted for by the Common Wealth and Global Views magazines, for a sample period running from the third quarter of 2017 to the third quarter of 2018. Our empirical results reveal that in terms of their financial performance, as compared to non-CSR-award-recipient (non-CSR) firms, CSR firms failed to demonstrate any better protection against systemic risks (such as the US-China trade war). However, the stock performance of CSR firms clearly provided better protection than that of non-CSR firms; the reason for this observation is assumed to be the higher operational costs faced by CSR firms seeking to continue to pursue their CSR goals when encountering systemic risks. Nevertheless, participation in CSR is found to have an insurance-like effect on firm value, which clearly helps to increase the confidence of investors and reduce stock volatility