Digital divide research has expanded beyond access to include disparities in skills and usage; however, the psychological factors influencing digital exclusion among blind users remain insufficiently synthesised. This scoping review aimed to identify psychological factors associated with the digital divide among blind users, examine methodological approaches used in this research area and document the measurement tools used across studies. Following Joanna Briggs Institute guidance and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses extension for Scoping Reviews reporting standards, four databases (Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Science and IEEE Xplore) were searched for peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2023. Using the Population–Concept–Context framework, studies addressing psychological factors related to the digital divide among blind users were included. After screening and eligibility assessment, nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Data were extracted and synthesised descriptively. Prominent psychological factors included perceived usefulness, digital self-efficacy, technological anxiety, trust issues, lack of digital literacy and motivational barriers. These were grouped into technical, psycho-social, techno-psychological and psycho-economic domains. Qualitative designs predominated, with surveys and interviews as the primary data collection tools. Psychological factors significantly shape digital participation among blind users. Addressing motivational, emotional and cognitive barriers, as well as structural barriers to accessibility, is essential to advancing equitable digital inclusion.
This study examines readers’ perception of quality and originality in AI-generated and human–AI collaborated Japanese literary fiction. Fifty-eight participants with backgrounds in creative writing ranked the endings of 25 stories across four conditions. In all cases, the first half of each story was authored by professional or amateur writers; the second half varied by condition: original human-authored text, zero-shot AI generation, AI generation with detailed prompt specification and human–AI collaboration combining multiple-shot prompting with human editing. Focus group sessions followed to explore the criteria underlying the ranking provided by participants. Human–AI collaboration received the highest mean quality rankings, followed by original human writing, detailed prompt specification and zero-shot generation. While the differences between conditions were small relative to within-condition variance, the contrast between human–AI collaboration and zero-shot generation was statistically significant. In addition to that, collaboration was rated highest in perceived quality but lowest in originality, a dissociation that previous research had not clearly identified: AI-assisted editing produces polished, coherent prose that readers find accessible, but at the cost of the stylistic expression that defines literary fiction. These findings suggest that the contribution of generative AI to creative writing is better characterised as a reduction of variance than a tangible elevation of quality.
Advances in technology have led to a new form of human interaction, especially with consumers. Faced with this change, companies have begun to adopt new practices and tools in a competitive environment. Thus, problem-solving in marketing is understood as a more dynamic form of interaction, with greater assertive impact, aimed at cost reduction, brand recognition and increased sales. However, significant challenges are posed by advances in emerging technologies, particularly generative artificial intelligence (GenAI). This article synthesises practitioners' and academics' perspectives on the use of GenAI by 'slave' in the context of advertising. These perspectives build a narrative about organisations' dependence on AI for co-creation and problem-solving. This research offers a significant and timely contribution to marketing practitioners by highlighting challenges and concerns in the current context and by reinforcing that dependence on AI can have consequences, including limitations on critical thinking and on the human co-creation process.
This research investigates the intersection of research productivity, library resource allocation and placement outcomes within top-ranked private B-schools in India. Using a quantitative approach and purposive sampling, the study analyses 12 elite private institutions ranked in NIRF 2025. Data were synthesised from institutional research and publication metrics from Scopus and Web of Science, benchmarked against globally recognised lists (ABDC, ABS, FT50 and UTD). The study reveals a strong positive correlation between library budget per capita and both research quality and median salary outcomes. Notably, institutions that prioritise high-impact ‘Quality Publications’ over the total volume tend to secure higher market valuations for their graduates. These findings offer a strategic roadmap for B-school administrators and researchers, proving that financial investment in academic infrastructure is not merely a cost but a driver of institutional prestige and student success.
Influencer marketing enhances brand visibility and shapes consumer decisions. With recent advances in technology, virtual (non-human) influencers have emerged alongside human influencers, raising questions about whether their impact on consumer behaviour differs. Using the stimulus-organism- response (SOR) framework, the study used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. Results show that human influencers hold an advantage over virtual influencers. Both positively affect brand love, which mediates their impact on brand advocacy, brand fidelity and electronic word of mouth (eWOM). This study offers insights for fast fashion firms on when and how to utilise human and virtual influencers effectively. This research pioneers the integration of human and virtual influencers within the SOR framework, offering a tested model that advances the understanding of how brand advocacy, fidelity and eWOM are shaped in the context of Instagram marketing.
