ICON International Journal of Management

Determinants of Occupational Loyalty among Guangdong University Teachers: Moral Leadership, Work Autonomy, Psychological Contract, and Work Stress

ZEYUAN ZHU — 2026-06-29

Within the framework of the "Double First-Class" initiative and ongoing reforms in higher education evaluation, the occupational loyalty of university faculty is closely linked to educational quality and the development of higher education. To investigate the mechanisms underlying this relationship, this study, grounded in the dual theories of Psychological Contract and stress interaction, employs a sample of 415 university instructors from Guangdong, China. It constructs an "antecedent-mediator-moderator-outcome" model and empirically examines the effects of Moral Leadership and work autonomy, the mediating role of Psychological Contracts, and the moderating effect of work-related stress. The results demonstrate that both Moral Leadership and work autonomy positively influence Psychological Contracts and occupational loyalty among university educators; the Psychological Contract partially mediates the relationships between these variables and occupational loyalty; and work-related stress negatively moderates the pathways from "Moral Leadership" to "Psychological Contract" and from "work autonomy" to "Psychological Contract," with more pronounced positive effects of Moral Leadership and work autonomy under conditions of low stress. This research enhances the theoretical understanding of occupational loyalty by integrating these two theoretical frameworks. It also provides practical guidance for higher education institutions to foster Moral Leadership, optimize the allocation of work autonomy, sustain Psychological Contracts, and implement targeted stress management strategies. The findings carry significant implications for advancing university faculty development.

From Simulation to Possession: Psychological Ownership and Impulse Buying in IP-Based Experiential Retail

Yitong Li — 2026-06-29

This paper analyzes the role of IP-based experiential retail settings in shaping impulse-buying intention, with psychological ownership as an important explanatory variable. Although previous studies have shown the significance of exposure to stimuli and emotional attachment as factors in the consumption of popular products, little effort has been made to examine the psychological processes that translate these inputs into purchasing behavior. Based on the psychological ownership theory, this paper argues that IP-based experiential simulation, including narrative-symbolic immersion, sensory-aesthetic involvement, and interactive involvement, enhances the development of ownership feelings before acquisition. Quantitative research based on purposive sampling of the consumers who visited the POP MART store at ICONSIAM in Bangkok. Four hundred and fifty questionnaires were sent out, and 412 valid responses were obtained to be analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that IP-based experiential simulation in the retail environment significantly increases psychological ownership, which, in turn, influences the intention to make impulsive purchases. Psychological ownership is considered a partial moderator of this relation. Moreover, flow experience enhances the impact of experiential simulation on psychological ownership and, consequently, on purchase intention. These results indicate that impulse buying in IP-based retail is not merely a stimulus-response but, critically, a behavioral expression of ownership. The study contributes to the literature by extending the psychological ownership theory to prepossession-experience contexts and by providing useful insights for designing immersive retail environments.

The Effect of Passive Social Media Use on College Students' Conspicuous Consumption Behavior

Long Kou — 2026-06-29

With the rapid proliferation of social media, college students’ usage patterns and their impact on consumption behavior have become a central focus of academic research. Drawing on Social Comparison Theory, this study investigates the relationships among passive social media use, status anxiety, conspicuous consumption, and social media use intensity. Data were collected from 401 college students through a questionnaire survey and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).The results indicate that passive social media use has a significant positive effect on college students’ conspicuous consumption. Status anxiety partially mediates the relationship between passive social media use and conspicuous consumption. In addition, social media use intensity positively moderates the effect of passive social media use on status anxiety, such that the relationship becomes stronger at higher levels of use intensity.These findings enrich the literature on social media use and consumer behavior and provide practical implications for guiding college students toward rational social media use, alleviating status anxiety, and reducing irrational consumption.

From Digital Connection to Consumption: How Emotional Attachment and Trust Mediate Purchase Intentions in Virtual Idol Live Streaming

Yuanfeng Cai — 2026-06-29

As virtual idols increasingly permeate the live-streaming e-commerce landscape, their influence on consumer behavior has emerged as a pivotal topic within digital marketing. However, empirical evidence on how emotional and cognitive mechanisms jointly shape purchase intentions in virtual idol contexts remains highly limited. This study investigates the complex mechanisms of virtual idol live-streaming by examining three core dimensions: physical attractiveness, technological realism, and social content value. By integrating emotional attachment and perceived trust as key mediating variables, the research empirically tests the pathway structure through which these factors drive purchase intentions. Data were collected via convenience sampling from 839 undergraduate students in Yunnan Province with experience in virtual idol live-streaming. The structural model was estimated and validated using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS 4.1.1.1. Findings reveal that purchase intentions in virtual idol contexts are shaped by a synergy of affective responses and cognitive judgments. Specifically, physical attractiveness does not directly influence purchase intention but operates primarily through the mediation of emotional attachment. Conversely, technological realism exerts both direct effects on purchase intention and indirect influence by bolstering perceived trust. Notably, social content value serves as the most critical driver, significantly promoting both emotional and cognitive mediators while simultaneously exerting a robust direct impact on purchase intention. These results suggest that while visual and technical elements are foundational, the social resonance and emotional bond established by virtual idols are paramount in driving consumer decisions in the digital economy. These findings not only extend the S-O-R framework into the domain of AI-driven marketing but also provide actionable strategic insights for platforms and brands seeking to optimize virtual influencer design and enhance young consumer engagement.

Examining Predictors of Job Retention Intention in Thailand: Evidence from Work-Life Balance, Job Autonomy, Compensation, and Leadership

Thanakrit Chongjaroenporn — 2026-06-29

Employee retention has become an increasingly significant concern for organizations seeking long-term sustainability and workforce stability in Thailand. While previous studies have explored various factors associated with employee retention, limited research has simultaneously examined the combined influence of work-life balance, job autonomy, compensation, and leadership within the context of the Thai workforce. Accordingly, this study investigates the effects of work-life balance, job autonomy, compensation, and democratic leadership style on job retention intention among Thai employees. This study adopted a quantitative research approach utilizing convenience and snowball sampling techniques. Data were gathered through an online questionnaire from 254 employees representing diverse industries and occupational backgrounds in Thailand. The collected responses were subsequently analyzed using Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression analysis with IBM SPSS. The findings indicate that compensation and job autonomy have significant positive effects on job retention intention, with compensation emerging as the most influential predictor. Conversely, although work-life balance and democratic leadership style demonstrated positive associations with job retention intention, their effects were not statistically significant. Overall, the proposed model accounted for a considerable proportion of the variance in job retention intention among employees in Thailand. This study contributes to the existing literature on employee retention by offering empirical evidence from the Thai context regarding the relative importance of compensation and job autonomy in shaping employees’ retention intention. In addition, the findings provide practical implications for organizations and human resource practitioners in developing retention strategies that emphasize equitable compensation practices and enhanced employee autonomy to promote long-term workforce retention.

Food Waste, Social Media, and Gen Z: A Recipe for Sustainable Consumption

Ariyaporn Sakulsom — 2026-06-29

This study examines how social media influences sustainable food literacy among Thai Generation Z. Utilising the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model, it investigates the impact of informational posts and influencer endorsements on attitudes toward sustainable food consumption, as well as the subsequent development of meal planning skills, food labeling comprehension, food storage knowledge, and the practical application of sustainability principles. Data were gathered through an online questionnaire distributed on social media platforms used by Thai Gen Z. The sample of 352 Gen Z participated in the online questionnaire process. The findings indicate that influencer endorsements significantly and positively shape attitudes, which, in turn, enhance all four dimensions of sustainable food literacy. Conversely, informational posts show no significant direct or mediated effects. These results highlight that relatable and credible influencers are more effective in promoting sustainable food practices among Gen Z than informational content alone, emphasising the power of culturally engaging, personality-driven communication. The study provides theoretical contribution by refining the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model in the context of social media’s influence on sustainable food literacy among Thai Gen Z. It fills a gap in the literature by differentiating the effects of two social media stimuli, informational posts and influencer endorsements, on attitudes and food literacy behaviours.

The Effects of Career Interest and Academic Self-Efficacy on Postdoctoral Job Satisfaction

Long Kou — 2026-06-29

The postdoctoral community plays a critical role in scientific innovation and academic development worldwide. This study examines how career interest and academic self-efficacy influence postdoctoral job satisfaction through the mediating role of career expectations and the moderating role of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) use. The analysis was based on secondary data obtained from the Nature 2023 Global Postdoctoral Survey conducted by Springer Nature, covering postdoctoral researchers from 93 countries. After data screening, 948 valid samples were retained for analysis. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to test the proposed hypotheses. The results indicate that career interest (β = 0.498, p < 0.001), academic self-efficacy (β = 0.574, p < 0.001), and career prospect expectations (β = 0.278, p < 0.001) positively influence postdoctoral job satisfaction. Furthermore, academic self-efficacy and career prospect expectations jointly form a significant chain-mediating mechanism between career interest and postdoctoral job satisfaction. Although the direct effect of generative AI use on job satisfaction was not significant, GAI positively moderated the relationship between career interest and postdoctoral job satisfaction (β = 0.087, p < 0.05). The findings extend the literature on postdoctoral career development and provide practical implications for research institutions seeking to improve postdoctoral satisfaction in the AI era.