{"title":"Digital transformation speed and firms’ ambidextrous green innovation: Do employee stock ownership and education levels matter?","authors":"Xi Zhong , Yanfeng Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103024","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103024","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the conditions under which digital transformation speed influences firms' ambidextrous green innovation, which is a dual capability encompassing both exploitative and exploratory dimensions of sustainable practices. Anchored in dynamic capabilities theory, we propose that accelerating digital transformation speed may erode firms’ dynamic capabilities—namely, their ability to sense, seize, and reconfigure resources—thereby exerting a negative effect on ambidextrous green innovation. We further argue that employee stock ownership fosters greater alignment between individual and organizational goals, thus mitigating the disruptive impact of digital transformation speed, whereas higher levels of employee education enhance cognitive and problem-solving capacities, enabling firms to better navigate the complexities arising from faster digital transformation speed. Drawing on panel data from publicly listed Chinese manufacturing firms over the period of 2015–2021, our findings substantiate the majority of our hypotheses. By delineating, for the first time, the intricate logical nexus between digital transformation speed and ambidextrous green innovation, this study makes a substantive contribution to the burgeoning literature on sustainable industrial transformation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 103024"},"PeriodicalIF":12.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144721712","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Do restaurant customers and owners differ in their preferences for serving robots? A choice experiment and latent class approach","authors":"Changeun Park , HyungBin Moon , Jungwoo Shin","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103026","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103026","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Serving robots are increasingly being adopted by restaurants to address labor shortages and improve operational efficiency. These robots offer a range of benefits to restaurant owners, including increased productivity and a novel customer experience. However, there are barriers to adopting these technologies, including the digital literacy gap, emotional resistance, and social concerns regarding the impact of automation. Nevertheless, most existing research has focused on customer acceptance of serving robots, overlooking the perspectives of restaurant owners, who are the actual decision makers driving their adoption. This study addresses this gap by analyzing the heterogeneous preferences of customers and restaurant owners regarding serving robot types. Using a discrete choice experiment (DCE) and latent class analysis (LCA), this study identified two segments in each group. Customers were technology-progressive (43.6 %) or technology-conservative (56.4 %); owners were interaction-oriented (60.3 %) or appearance-oriented (39.7 %). The results showed that customers generally prefer non-humanoid robots, whereas owners favor fixed-type or humanoid robots. Notably, customers were the least likely to accept humanoid robots, indicating a potential “uncanny valley” effect. These divergent preferences suggest that successfully introducing serving robots to restaurants requires a strategic alignment between customer experience and owner priorities. By comparing these two stakeholder groups, this study provides practical insights for restaurant owners and robot manufacturers seeking to facilitate the effective introduction of serving robots in customer-facing environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 103026"},"PeriodicalIF":12.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144738504","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Revolution, transformation, and emergence: The transmutation of emerging technologies in the Chinese context","authors":"Bowen Song , Danni Liang","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103022","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103022","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Emerging technology represents the future trajectory of scientific and technological innovation. Integrating existing theoretical perspectives with practical needs to advance such innovation remains a pressing yet unresolved issue in China. Drawing on results from a systematic content analysis, this paper develops a thematic framework of emerging technologies, outlining seven typical dimensions: novelty, uncertainty, widespread influence, rapid development, convergence, theoretical foundation, and territoriality, each embodying self-evolution and application effects. We further extend the discussion on the evolution of emerging technologies by constructing links between their typical attributes, developmental dimensions, and innovative concepts. Our findings reveal that the dimensions of emerging technologies vary across different development contexts and exhibit distinct stage-specific characteristics. Indeed, this thematic framework highlights the core concerns of innovation management research in China, and illustrates how innovation concepts evolve alongside environmental upgrading, transformation, and emergence. This study offers theoretical insights and practical guidance for advancing the national science and technology innovation system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 103022"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144702422","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Creating existential authenticity experience by combining technology capability with gamification in the metaverse: An affordance perspective","authors":"Xinyu Jiang , Junbin Wang , Nianqi Deng","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103019","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103019","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Games play a pivotal role in the strategic development of the metaverse. However, how gamified metaverse environments align with users' experiential needs remains unclear. Understanding the antecedents and internal responses that shape users’ intentions to engage with gamified metaverse platforms is critical for advancing the field. Grounded in affordance theory, this study empirically examines the interplay among technological capabilities, gamified interfaces, and user engagement, and explores their influence on existential authenticity, appraisal processes, and usage intention. Data from 314 participants were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Results indicate that both technological affordances (i.e., physical presence, social presence) and gamification affordances (i.e., achievement, identity, competition, self-expression) are effectively perceived by users. These affordances contribute to a sense of existential authenticity, which, in turn, drives both cognitive and affective appraisals. Ultimately, positive appraisals enhance users' intention to engage with the metaverse. Notably, affective appraisal significantly influences cognitive appraisal. These findings offer novel insights into the value drivers of gamified metaverse experiences.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 103019"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144696901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Industrial robots for a sustainable future: Uncovering the asymmetric effects of AI on ecological quality in G7 economies","authors":"Brahim Bergougui","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103021","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103021","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Artificial intelligence is increasingly recognized for its potential to enhance ecological quality by streamlining production processes, reducing environmental emissions, and improving ecological monitoring systems. However, the influence of artificial intelligence on ecological quality is neither uniform across different stages of technological adoption nor consistent across national contexts. The central objective of this study is to investigate the asymmetric and stage-specific effects of artificial intelligence adoption on ecological quality within the Group of Seven (G7) economies over the period from January 2000 to December 2019. Employing a novel multivariate quantile-on-quantile regression framework, this research examines how varying intensities of artificial intelligence adoption impact different levels of ecological outcomes. The results indicate that artificial intelligence exerts a modest positive effect on ecological quality during early stages of adoption, a more substantial effect during transitional phases, and a significantly positive influence at advanced stages of integration. To address endogeneity concerns—particularly reverse causality and omitted variable bias—this study utilizes an instrumental variable multivariate quantile regression approach, using lagged values of artificial intelligence adoption as an instrument. The findings are validated through robustness checks using kernel regularized least squares and standard quantile regression techniques. The results also reveal considerable variation across countries, highlighting the necessity for country-specific and stage-aware policy interventions. Accordingly, the study offers detailed, actionable recommendations tailored to the adoption stage of each G7 member to maximize the ecological benefits of artificial intelligence. This research provides a rigorous, causally grounded analysis of how artificial intelligence can be harnessed to advance environmental sustainability in highly industrialized economies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 103021"},"PeriodicalIF":12.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144724162","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yazeed Abdul Mumin , Paul Kwame Nkegbe , Shamsia Abdul-Wahab
{"title":"Returns to information infrastructure: Evidence on women economic empowerment in Ghana","authors":"Yazeed Abdul Mumin , Paul Kwame Nkegbe , Shamsia Abdul-Wahab","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103018","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103018","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Inadequate information infrastructure remains a major challenge to economic development in sub-Saharan Africa, and this situation is compounded by the footprints of the digital revolution which appear to be exacerbating the existing gender inequalities and divides. In Ghana, progress has been made in information infrastructure and women's human endowment. However, there are concerns about whether such improvements translate into improved women economic empowerment. We used the Ghana Living Standards Survey (GLSS) datasets, and the marginal treatment effects approach to examine the impact of information infrastructure on women economic empowerment. We find that having an information infrastructure in a community significantly increases women economic empowerment in general, but with higher effects of ICT centre and community radio station compared to internet café. Also, our estimates show that the availability of the information infrastructure benefits less endowed and marginalised women. This study sets itself apart from existing studies by considering the intragroup differences among women and impact mechanisms. The study also demonstrates the importance of support policies in stimulating the availability of the information infrastructure and its effect on women economic empowerment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 103018"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144713343","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hao He , Shizhen Bai , Chunjia Han , Mu Yang , Weijia Fan , Brij B. Gupta
{"title":"Beyond simple interaction: Uncovering the perception-interaction intrinsic mechanism of generative AI agents—A multi-modal big data analysis with PLS-SEM and fsQCA","authors":"Hao He , Shizhen Bai , Chunjia Han , Mu Yang , Weijia Fan , Brij B. Gupta","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103020","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103020","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) is increasingly being adopted across industries, yet existing literature has not fully explored the unique traits and the complex mechanism it introduces. To address this gap, this study investigates the unique characteristics of GenAI agents and their impact on user interaction behaviors. By analyzing user-generated text and AI-generated images from the Character.AI platform, we examine three key perceptual characteristics: social personalization, functional customization, and emotional affordance. Through multi-modal machine learning approaches combining Structural Topic Modeling (STM) and Facial Action Coding System (FACS), we propose the “perceived characteristics of GenAI agent-empathy-interactive willingness” (PCoGenAI-E-IW) theoretical model to explore how user perceptions transform into interactive behaviors. Furthermore, the PLS-SEM analysis and configurational approach identify 10 distinct variable combinations that influence users’ interaction willingness. The findings validate our multi-modal analytical framework while providing valuable empirical evidence for marketing strategy formulation, service experience optimization, and theoretical advancement in human-AI interaction research.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 103020"},"PeriodicalIF":12.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144721713","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The psychological mechanism of value co-creation with human-centred generative AI robot assistants","authors":"Zhaotong Li, Kum Fai Yuen, Chee-Chong Teo","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103015","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Human-Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI) interactions are receiving increasing attention in both society and academia, and GAI integration makes robot assistants more human-centred to better serve consumers. Understanding the value co-creation process between human consumers and GAI robot assistants is critical for the broader adoption of such technologies. This study seeks to investigate the psychological mechanisms and antecedent factors that underlie the human–AI value co-creation process, which has received limited attention in the literature. Accordingly, a theoretical model based on the Autonomy Competence Relatedness (ACR) model and Mind Perception Theory (MPT) is developed to examine the technological features and psychological factors that promote value co-creation. A survey was conducted in Singapore and collected 607 responses, which were analysed through covariance-based structural equation modelling. Survey results reveal that GAI robot assistant features (i.e., sensing autonomy, thought autonomy, action autonomy, personalisation, anthropomorphism, and interactivity) positively impact value co-creation through the mediation of consumers' psychological motivations, including perceived autonomy, competence, warmth, and relatedness satisfactions. By extending the ACR model with MPT, this study enhances the literature on human-GAI interactions, offering a novel understanding of the psychological factors driving value co-creation in human-centred GAI applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 103015"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144696384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Beyond the unfollow button: Navigating social media influencer boycotts in the digital marketplace","authors":"Ling-Yen Pan , Crystal T. Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103017","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103017","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Social media influencer (SMI) boycotts are instances in which the public withdraws its collective support for specific brands or individuals because of their violation of certain moral standards. Research on this phenomenon remains limited however. This study fills gaps in the literature by examining the dynamics of SMI boycotts, specifically their multifaceted actions, and exploring both dedication and constraint factors influencing boycott behavior. Using a sample of 724 respondents who reported having engaged in boycott behavior, drawn from the government-hosted Taiwan Communication Survey, collected through probability-proportional-to-size sampling, we analyze various real-world boycotts in Study 1. In Study 2, an experimental design, we investigate how violation context (health misinformation, financial deception, and intellectual property violation) and boycott size (small vs. large) affect boycott intentions. Our findings reveal that boycott size has differential effects across violation contexts, with financial deception having the strongest size effects, followed by intellectual property violation; health misinformation provokes minimal sensitivity to boycott size. This study enhances existing knowledge on boycott behavior within the framework of consumer participation facilitated by social media.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 103017"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144679597","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shayan Khan Kakar , Jing Wang , Noman Arshed , Nazir Muhammad Abdullahi , Javid Ali
{"title":"Navigating the nexus of renewable energy, industrialization, financial technology, and carbon emissions: An in-depth analysis and policy framework","authors":"Shayan Khan Kakar , Jing Wang , Noman Arshed , Nazir Muhammad Abdullahi , Javid Ali","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103016","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103016","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The debate over decoupling industrialization from carbon emissions has a long empirical history. This study posits FinTech as a potential decoupler. Focusing on the interconnections between renewable energy, industrialization, FinTech, and carbon emissions, the research examines how these factors interact in the context of escalating global environmental challenges. To explore these dynamics, the study employs principal component analysis (PCA) alongside an asymmetric panel quantile autoregressive distributed lag model with a pooled mean group specification (A-QARDL-PMG). The moderating role of FinTech is explored as a potential decoupler between industrialization and deindustrialization in relation to carbon emissions. A large body of evidence across all quantiles indicates that financial technology has the potential to boost economic growth and reduce carbon emissions, primarily due to its facilitation of access to sustainable activities. The study emphasizes the significance of green industrialization initiatives while analyzing the impacts of industrialization and deindustrialization on emissions. It further investigates the moderating effect of financial technology on industrial emissions and offers relevant policy recommendations. In addition, the study explores economic complexity and emission reduction across various quantile levels, providing insights potentially useful for future endeavors. This research aims to comprehend the intricate relationship between these components to identify sustainable ways for economic growth rather than focusing solely on short-term solutions. Regulations pertaining to industry transitions, governance of financial technologies, and the promotion of renewable energy development are highlighted.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"83 ","pages":"Article 103016"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144686001","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}