The information paradox suggests that the black hole loses information when it emits radiation. In this way, the spectrum of radiation corresponds to a mixed (non-pure) quantum state even if the internal state generating the black hole is expected to be pure in essence. In this paper we propose an argument solving this paradox by developing an understanding of the process by which spontaneous symmetry breaks when a black hole selects one of the many possible ground states and emits radiation as a consequence of it. Here, the particle operator number is the order parameter. This mechanism explains the connection between the density matrix, corresponding to the pure state describing the black hole state, and the density matrix describing the spectrum of radiation (mixed quantum state). From this perspective, we can recover black hole information from the superposition principle, applied to the different possible order parameters (particle number operators).

PurposeThe aim of this study is to explore the role and impact of action research in the adoption of circular economy strategies by a fashion retail brand. This exploration is motivated by the need to address the underutilization of action research in management studies, despite its potential to foster a deep understanding of organizational processes and to drive positive transformations. The study seeks to illustrate how action research can contribute to the practical implementation of sustainability initiatives, specifically within the context of new environmental legislation and growing demands for sustainable practices in retailing.Design/methodology/approachThis research employs an action research methodology, particularly suited to the retail field, where understanding and influencing organizational processes are key. Through a detailed case study of a fashion retail brand, the study illustrates how action research facilitates the adoption of circular economy strategies.FindingsThe findings of this study underscore the effectiveness of action research in implementing circular economy strategies within the fashion retail industry. Specifically, it highlights how this approach has led to the successful reduction of waste and reintegration of products into their lifecycle.Originality/valueThe originality of this study lies in its thorough application of action research to measure and refine the outcomes of circular economy strategies in retailing. This novel approach provides substantial insights into the potential of the circular economy to drive practical innovations in business practices within retail.

PurposeThis research focuses on common misconceptions about the factors driving women to purchase footwear impulsively. Its primary objective is to explore how emotional and social triggers specifically influence women's purchasing decisions, contrasting with the traditionally rational consumer models.Design/methodology/approachAn online questionnaire was administered to a sample of women, yielding 199 useable responses.FindingsThe findings reveal the key determinants of women's impulsive retail footwear purchases, which include self-regulation, hedonic motivations and the influence of the retail store environment. This research challenges the prevailing assumption that women's passion for shopping is driven solely by inherent characteristics and suggests that external factors substantially shape their impulsive buying behaviour. In summary, the stereotypical portrayal of women as compulsive retail footwear shoppers may result more from external stimuli and environmental factors rather than an intrinsic trait.Originality/valueThis study improves the existing knowledge of women’s impulsive buying behaviour by unveiling the determinants of women's impulsive footwear purchases and assessing whether prevailing stereotypes hold true.

This paper focused on the factors affecting consumers’ choice of flower shops for purchasing floral products by interviewing 11 heavy users of floral products based on the five consumption values. The research collected data on how and at what level these values may affect consumer consumption choices individually. The finding showed that the human touch from the retailer’s service (emotional value) is the most important for consumers for floral products consumption instead of product quality (functional value), which is generally considered the most influential value in consumers’ choice of tangible products. Various factors under each of the other three consumption values are also explored for consumer purchase of floral products.

“what heaven imparts to man is called human nature. To follow our nature is called the Way. Cultivating the Way is called education.”1 Thus say the opening sentences of The Doctrine of the Mean, a Confucian classic traditionally attributed to Confucius’s grandson Zisi. Neo-Confucianism, which was predominant in the Chinese intellectual world from the middle of the ninth to the seventeenth century, anchored the way of moral cultivation in following the heavenly-ordained human nature. As we can see in Matteo Ricci’s record of his 1599 debate on the good of human nature, the Jesuit missionary quickly realized upon his arrival in China how popular the issue of human nature was among the Chinese literati.2 In Chapter 7 of The True Meaning of the Lord of Heaven (1604), Ricci discussed at length the good of human nature. He insisted that our originally good nature is infected with disease3 and that overcoming self is a way to be rid of evil,4 but he did not give an explicit opinion on the Confucian teaching of following human nature found in The Doctrine of the Mean. That silence was to be broken very soon. In 1610, Ricci’s confrere and collaborator Diego de Pantoja coined [End Page 76] the phrasing “to overcome nature” as a way of presenting a Catholic response to the Confucian axiom “to follow nature is the Way.” Because the Jesuits started to establish Catholic missionary work in China at the end of the sixteenth century, Pantoja’s teaching was the first Catholic response to the Confucian axiom on human nature. Two decades later, the Jesuit Giulio Aleni gave this Catholic response a final form and proposed that “overcoming human nature is called the Way.”5 This article will investigate the transition from overcoming self to overcoming human nature in the work of early Jesuit missionaries in China and explore how Pantoja and Aleni taught “overcoming human nature” to further the uncontroversial issue of “overcoming self.” The exploration will consider both the Western and Chinese intellectual sources and backgrounds that shaped their teachings to illustrate the interaction of the two traditions in the early seventeenth century.

This article sets a theoretical foundation to transformative mixed methods research that is rooted in the critical theory of Habermas and Honneth. This addresses Habermas’s knowledge-constitutive interests and communicative action for redressing societal pathologies, and Honneth’s work on (mis)recognition, (dis)respect, and social justice. In doing so, the article argues for broadening the scope and embrace of mixed methods research, to go beyond being empirical research only or largely, and to include theorisation, critical theoretical discourse and its analysis, and ideology critique, as legitimate methods for (transformative) mixed methods research. The article makes a case for these methods as constituting important research methods in themselves in the portfolio of mixed methods research, moving the boundaries of mixed methods research beyond solely empirical studies, and providing emancipatory lenses and consciousness-raising in recognising that transformation takes many forms.

Integrating financial technologies with green initiatives is critical to the sustainable development agenda. This is particularly true for newly developed cities like Tongzhou, the sub-center of Beijing. To assess the adoption of green fintech in Tongzhou, this paper extends the Energy-Augmented Technology Acceptance Model (EA-TAM) to incorporate two green factors – environmental awareness and green knowledge. This paper applies structural equation modeling techniques to analyze data from 403 respondents who live, work, and/or study in Tongzhou and finds all hypothesized constructs significant. Since green knowledge is significant to the adoption of green fintech, this paper further divides the sample into a high-education group (162 respondents with university-or-above degrees) and a low-education group (251 respondents with post-secondary-or-lower degrees) to evaluate the impact of education. All the hypothesized factors are significant to the high-education group, but environmental awareness and perceived usefulness are insignificant to the low-education group. Hence, the results provide evidence that people in the newly developed city adopt green fintech due to their environmental sensitivity. The adoption of green fintech is more environmentally sensitive for people with high education levels.

AbstractThis research unveils to predict consumer ad preferences by detecting seven basic emotions, attention and engagement triggered by advertising through the analysis of two specific physiological monitoring tools, electrodermal activity (EDA), and Facial Expression Analysis (FEA), applied to video advertising, offering a twofold contribution of significant value. First, to identify the most relevant physiological features for consumer preference prediction. We integrated a statistical module encompassing inferential and exploratory analysis tools, which identified emotions such as Joy, Disgust, and Surprise, enabling the statistical differentiation of preferences concerning various advertisements. Second, we present an artificial intelligence (AI) system founded on machine learning techniques, encompassing k‐Nearest Neighbors, Support Vector Machine, and Random Forest (RF). Our findings show that the RF technique emerged as the top performer, boasting an 81% Accuracy, 84% Precision, 79% Recall, and an F1‐score of 81% in predicting consumer preferences. In addition, our research proposes an eXplainable AI module based on feature importance, which discerned Attention, Engagement, Joy, and Disgust as the four most pivotal features influencing consumer ad preference prediction. The results indicate that computerized intelligent systems based on EDA and FEA data can be used to predict consumer ad preferences based on videos and effectively used as supporting tools for marketing specialists.

Understanding how people embrace and adopt new regulations is crucial in today’s rapidly changing world. This study presents a fresh perspective by applying the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT-2) to investigate policy acceptance, and to validate a fundamental model for future research. More precisely, we employ the UTAUT-2 framework to examine how Macau residents perceive the “Northbound Travel for Macau Vehicles” policy, which permits vehicles with Macau registration plates to enter mainland China through the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. Utilizing structural equation modeling software (SmartPLS), we analyze data collected from respondents who have experience with the new regulation. Our findings demonstrate that Performance Expectancy (PE) and Habit (HB) significantly influence individuals’ intention to utilize the policy. Essentially, individuals are more inclined to embrace policies they perceive as advantageous and in line with their existing habits. Effort Expectancy (EE) and Facilitating Conditions (FC) did not significantly affect acceptance, possibly because participants were already familiar with the regulation and had sufficient resources available. Notably, while not directly linked to usage, Social Influence (SI) exhibited a high mean value, suggesting its potential role in policy acceptance when significant others adopt the policy. This pioneering research bridges the gap between technology acceptance models and policy studies, providing a comprehensive framework for evaluating acceptance factors in an evolving regulatory environment.

Researchers in business-to-business (B2B) sectors often assume that findings regarding country-of-origin (COO) effects on end consumers can be directly applied to the industrial marketing context. This tendency to generalize can result in an inaccurate understanding of how buyers perceive COO information in B2B scenarios. This study investigates the effect of supplier-country image on international customers’ perceptions of both perceived product quality and relationship quality in a B2B market environment. We further examine the consequences of perceived product quality and relationship quality on supplier awareness and customer loyalty. Data collected from 182 international B2B buyers in the Portuguese footwear, molds, and wood products and furniture industries were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results indicate that supplier-country image influences the relationship quality dimensions (trust, commitment, and satisfaction) and perceived product quality. Moreover, trust and commitment enhance customer loyalty, while trust and satisfaction leverage supplier awareness. In contrast, perceived product quality only influences customer loyalty, albeit to a weaker extent. Thus, relationship quality plays a more significant role than perceived product quality in influencing supplier awareness and customer loyalty in B2B environments. These results challenge the notion that the impact of COO on end consumers can be equally applied in B2B contexts, and they expand our understanding of how supplier-country image affects relationship quality in the industrial setting. Furthermore, they draw managers’ attention to the importance of mitigating a potentially negative COO image through measures aimed at improving relationships.