Purpose-Engaging Generation Z in the workplace remains a growing concern for organizations due to their distinct expectations for autonomy, psychological safety, and meaningful leadership. Addressing this challenge, the study examines how empathetic and inclusive leadership styles foster employee engagement, with job crafting positioned as a key mediating mechanism across two countries. Design/methodology/approach-Data were collected from 218 Generation Z employees across two collectivist cultures: Indonesia and India. The research model was tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), complemented by multi-group analysis to examine its robustness across different cultural contexts. Findings-Both empathetic and inclusive leadership significantly enhance job crafting and engagement. Job crafting also mediates the effects of each leadership style on engagement. These relationships were consistent across the Indonesian and Indian samples, with no statistically significant differences. Originality/value- This study extends leadership and engagement literature by integrating two relational leadership styles and positioning job crafting as a motivational bridge. It also offers cross-cultural evidence on how leadership can be tailored to meet the psychological needs of Generation Z in emerging economies.
Coal's conventional use causes environmental problems and threatens future energy security. This research presents a photothermal method for coal use, integrating a granular coal photothermal absorber into a solar thermal collector for solar water heater. This method offers a novelty in utilizing heat energy from coal, which is usually burned coal, but this photothermal method converts light into heat. Therefore, the photothermal method will not produce emissions and can be used repeatedly. The solar thermal collector combines a Fresnel lens and a parabolic reflector. Scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis shows the granular coal photothermal absorber's light-trapping carbon structure, with optimal sizes of 10-20 mesh generating temperatures of 378.15 K and an absorbance of 1.04. Thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry reveal a working temperature range of 336.31-684.31 K, with an optimal light-to-heat conversion temperature of 399.25 K, achieving 86.64% energy efficiency and 21.29% exergy efficiency. Performance tests show optimal solar water heater storage temperatures of 317.88 K and 316.75 K. The water temperature in the storage corresponds to the application of warm water bathing. The solar thermal collector's maximum energy and exergy efficiencies are 33.06% and 5.51%, respectively, with average efficiencies of 22.90% and 3.44%. The solar water heater system peaks at 27.85% energy and 5.90% exergy efficiency, with average efficiencies of 20% and 3.09%. This approach highlights potential sustainable energy use and reduced environmental impacts of coal utilization.
This study examines how customer incivility, career opportunities, emotional exhaustion, and schedule i-deals influence job satisfaction and turnover intention among frontline sales and collection employees in Indonesia's financing (multifinance) industry. Grounded in Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) and Equity Theory, the model positions customer incivility as a key social demand, career opportunities and schedule i-deals as resources, emotional exhaustion as a strain outcome, job satisfaction as the core attitudinal response, and turnover intention as the proximate withdrawal cognition. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey and analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) with LISREL 8.7 on responses from 438 employees across seven financing companies. The findings indicate that customer incivility and emotional exhaustion undermine job satisfaction and increase turnover intention, whereas career opportunities and schedule i-deals enhance job satisfaction; job satisfaction, in turn, reduces turnover intention and mediates the effects of key demands and resources on turnover intention. Practically, financing firms should prioritize customer-mistreatment controls, exhaustion prevention, credible career pathways, and negotiated schedule flexibility to stabilize frontline retention. (c) 2026 by the authors; licensee Growing Science, Canada
Indonesia faces significant environmental challenges, particularly evident in the disparity between expressed green consumption intentions and actual behaviors. Gen Z, known for their environmental awareness, is a key demographic to consider in addressing this gap. This study aims to comprehend the factors influencing green consumption behavior among Indonesian Gen Z. By examining the relationships between Green Marketing, Green Awareness, Media Exposure, and Green Product Accessibility towards Green Consumption, the research identify the key drivers for promoting sustainable consumption practices. A partial least squares-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyze the 388 data collected through survey distributed to Indonesian Gen Z. The finding of this research reveals that Green Marketing has the most significant influence on Green Consumption among Indonesian Gen Z, followed by Media Exposure and Green Awareness. Green Product Accessibility, despite its influence, exhibits the least significant impact on green consumption behavior within this demographic. Reliability measures confirm validity for all constructs. These findings support the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and highlight Green Marketing as a critical driver of sustainable consumption, offering insights for achieving the SDGs 2030.
Abstract This study examines how generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools, particularly ChatGPT (OpenAI), support student engagement, technology acceptance, and learning satisfaction in a creative higher education context. Drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and digital divide theory, the study investigates how individual attitudes toward AI and perceived access conditions jointly shape learning experiences in an AI-supported comic creation course. A total of 30 undergraduate students from art and non-art disciplines participated in a structured comic creation task involving AI-assisted narration, layout design, and image generation. Survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, reliability testing, and regression-based mediation and moderation analyses. The results indicate moderate levels of technology acceptance, perceived digital access, and learning satisfaction. Technology acceptance emerged as a strong predictor of satisfaction, while perceived digital access also contributed significantly to positive learning experiences. Moreover, perceptions of digital access partially mediated the relationship between technology acceptance and satisfaction. Academic background did not significantly moderate these relationships, suggesting cross-disciplinary applicability of AI-supported creative instruction. By integrating technology adoption and equity perspectives, this study contributes to a more nuanced understanding of student satisfaction in AI-enhanced creative education. The findings highlight the importance of aligning perceived usefulness and ease of use with equitable access conditions when designing AI-supported curricula. Implications are discussed for inclusive course design, creative pedagogy, and institutional strategies for the responsible integration of GenAI in higher education.
