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The growing popularity of online gaming emphasizes the importance of understanding how loyalty among online gamers can be strengthened. The goal gradient theory has not yet been adopted to examine how relationship characteristics (i.e., length, depth, and breadth) impact online gamer loyalty. Therefore, this study develops hypotheses based on that theory and uses structural equation modeling to test them. Responses from 5,144 online gamers were used for the analysis and the results indicate that relationship length, depth, and breadth were positively related to goal proximity (defined as the perception that a goal is close), which was further positively related to motivation to attain gaming goals, and consequently online gamer loyalty. This study is the first to explore-by using the goal gradient theoretical perspective-how relationship length, depth, and breadth are related to online gamer loyalty.

Purpose To examine how robot‐enabled focus on professional task engagement and robot‐reduced nonprofessional task engagement are related to nurses’ professional turnover intention. Design We adopted a two‐wave study design. Methods We collected the first wave of data in a large hospital in Taiwan during October and November 2019 and the second wave between December 2019 and February 2020. We used the data collected from 331 nurses who participated in both waves. Findings We found that robot‐enabled focus on professional task engagement is positively related to nurses’ overall job satisfaction and perceived health improvement. Robot‐reduced nonprofessional task engagement is positively related to nurses’ perceived health improvement. Both overall job satisfaction and perceived health improvement are negatively related to nurses’ professional turnover intention. Conclusions Robots’ ability to focus nurses’ efforts in professional tasks may help improve nurses’ health and overall job satisfaction, and by extension reduce their turnover intention. Clinical Relevance Nurse managers could suggest hospitals introduce robots, particularly those that can share nurses’ nonprofessional workload. This, meanwhile, could focus nurses’ efforts on professional task engagement.

PurposeOnline games are popular electronic commerce platforms in which gamers use avatars to interact with others. Avatar identification (the extent to which gamers regard avatars as an extension of themselves) is known to be related to online gamer loyalty. However, few studies have examined how avatars could be designed to enhance avatar identification and online gamer loyalty, indicating a gap. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to contextualize self-affirmation theory into online gaming contexts, identified key theoretical elements and examined how they are related to avatar identification and online gamer loyalty.Design/methodology/approachThis study surveyed 1,348 massively multi-player online role-playing game players, and their responses were analyzed using structural equation modeling.FindingsThe analytical results indicate that irreplaceability within a team and avatar customization are positively related to unique avatar image, while avatar customization is positively related to positive avatar image. Moreover, avatar physical attractiveness and avatar ability to achieve are positively related to positive avatar image. Both unique and positive images of an avatar (as perceived by the user) are positively related to avatar identification, and further to online gamer loyalty.Originality/valueThis study proposes new constructs: irreplaceability within a team, avatar ability to achieve, unique avatar image and positive avatar image. Such new constructs provide insights to aid electronic commerce managers in avatar design, thus instilling gamer identification with avatars, and thus loyalty.

Purpose Mobile instant messaging (MIM) apps could provide rich and instant information in employees’ communication. However, how media richness impacts MIM user loyalty is unknown. The purpose of this paper is to adopt media richness and social presence theories as theoretical foundations to address this insufficiency. Design/methodology/approach Collecting 247 responses from an online survey, the authors use structural equation modelling for data analysis and hypothesis testing. Findings The authors found that immediate feedback and personal focus are the main aspects of media richness that are positively related to social presence, relatedness need satisfaction and user loyalty to MIM. Originality/value This is the first study using two pertinent theories to explain how aspects of media richness affect user loyalty to MIM. The present findings suggest that firms developing MIM apps focus on immediate feedback and personal focus as effective means to encourage user loyalty.

Robots are introduced into health care contexts to assist health care professionals. However, we do not know how the benefits and maintenance of robots influence nurse-robot engagement. This study aimed to examine how the benefits and maintenance of robots and nurses' personal innovativeness impact nurses' attitudes to robots and nurse-robot engagement. Our study adopted a 2-wave follow-up design. We surveyed 358 registered nurses in operating rooms in a large-scale medical center in Taiwan. The first-wave data were collected from October to November 2019. The second-wave data were collected from December 2019 to February 2020. In total, 344 nurses participated in the first wave. We used telephone to follow up with them and successfully followed-up with 331 nurses in the second wave. Robot benefits are positively related to nurse-robot engagement (β=.13, P<.05), while robot maintenance requirements are negatively related to nurse-robot engagement (β=-.15, P<.05). Our structural model fit the data acceptably (comparative fit index=0.96, incremental fit index=0.96, nonnormed fit index=0.95, root mean square error of approximation=0.075). Our study is the first to examine how the benefits and maintenance requirements of assistive robots influence nurses' engagement with them. We found that the impact of robot benefits on nurse-robot engagement outweighs that of robot maintenance requirements. Hence, robot makers should consider emphasizing design and communication of robot benefits in the health care context.

Objective: The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether playing exergames can enhance quality of life among young adults and it examines the potential moderators. Methods: A 12-week randomized controlled trial was conducted. Quality of life was measured using the short-form 36-item version (SF-36) scale. All the participants were between 20 and 24 years old in Taiwan. Participants in the intervention group (n = 55) were asked to play exergames for 12 weeks, three times a week and 30 minutes at a time, while participants in the control group (n = 62) did not play exergames. The changes in the scores on quality of life between the beginning and the end of the 12-week trial were calculated. Independent t-tests were used to analyze the differences. Results: The intervention group participants experienced an enhanced quality of life in terms of physical functioning, role-physical (role limitations due to physical health), general health, and social functioning. Moreover, the intervention group participants who were not enthusiastic about exercisers experienced an enhanced quality of life in physical functioning, role-physical, and general health. The intervention group participants who attempted to control their weight experienced enhanced general health, vitality, and mental health. Conclusion: Playing exergaming could contribute to users’ quality of life in terms of both physical and mental health.

Purpose This study examined which aspects of professional commitment can effectively retain nurses in the nursing profession. Design, Settings, and Participants This study used a longitudinal design, simple random sampling, and two‐wave data collection to survey and follow up a representative sample of 579 nurses for 1 year in a major medical center in northern Taiwan. Methods Items measuring each aspect of professional commitment came from Meyer et al.’s scale. In the second wave, administrative data were culled to determine whether these nurses remain employed as nurses. Structural equation modeling is used to analyze the data. Results Analytical results indicate that continuance commitment predicts nurse retention in the nursing profession (path coefficient = 0.34, p < .01). Conclusions Institutional efforts to improve continuance commitment (e.g., improved salary structures and enhanced professional development opportunities) likely retain nurses in the nursing profession. Clinical Relevance The findings of this study indicate the importance of continuance intention in retaining nurses. Nursing managers who face staff retention issues may consider making efforts to improve nurse salary and employer‐sponsored benefits.

Purpose As technology-created gamers’ representations, avatars are influential in communication among online gamers. However, there is scant research on how avatars’ characteristics impact gamers’ friendly behaviour via avatars, i.e., avatar friendliness, and how avatar friendliness is related to online gamer loyalty. The purpose of this paper is to develop a research model grounded in the theory of embodied cognition to examine the impacts of perceived avatar appearance agreeableness, attractiveness and height on avatar friendliness and online gamer loyalty. Design/methodology/approach The authors collect 1,384 responses from online gamers and use structural equation modelling for hypothesis testing. Findings The authors find that perceived avatar appearance agreeableness and attractiveness are positively related to avatar friendliness, while perceived avatar height is negatively related to avatar friendliness. Avatar friendliness, in turn, is positively related to online gamer loyalty. Research limitations/implications This study assessed gamers’ perceptions using a cross-sectional design. Future works could use a big data approach to collect behavioural and longitudinal data. Moreover, future works could measure avatar height using pixels. Originality/value The authors contribute to the e-commerce literature by inventing the new constructs of perceived avatar appearance agreeableness and avatar friendliness, and conducting the first study of using avatar friendliness to explain the impacts of the three avatar characteristics on online gamer loyalty. The findings also provide novel insights for e-commerce managers to effectively build a loyal gamer base.

Purpose – Multiple adoption (the adoption of another auction site in addition to the present one) enables startup or non-leading firms to survive and grow by eroding the customer bases of market leaders. Thus understanding multiple adoption is important. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to propose and examines antecedents of user intention to adopt another online auction site. Design/methodology/approach – This study utilized a cross-sectional design and an online survey, obtaining 495 valid responses. Findings – Analytical results indicate that self-efficacy and inherent novelty seeking contribute to the intention to adopt another auction site. Moreover, transaction opportunities enhance the intention. Perceived network externality also increases the intention. However, perceived relational switching costs reduce such intention. Originality/value – This study is new in investigating why users intend to use another auction site and identifying the antecedents.

Using the five-factor model of personality and a previously theorized motivation typology, the authors investigated the relationship between personality and motivation for playing online games. The results indicated that openness was positively related to discovery and roleplaying motivation, and conscientiousness was positively related to escapism motivation. In addition, extraversion was positively related to teamwork motivation, and agreeableness was positively related to advancement motivation. However, neuroticism was negatively related to teamwork motivation. These findings have several implications and could provide further research directions.