Applied Quantitative Analysis

The Impact of Social Media Marketing on Purchase Decision: Exploring the Moderating Role of Brand Awareness among Instagram Users

2025-10-22T21:07:37+07:00

The rapid development of digital technology has significantly transformed consumer behavior in accessing information and making purchasing decisions. Among various platforms, Instagram has emerged as a dominant medium where social media marketing (SMM) strategies are widely employed to reach and influence consumers. However, the effectiveness of SMM is not always straightforward, as its impact on purchase decisions can be strengthened or weakened by other factors, particularly brand awareness. Consumers tend to favor brands they recognize, making brand awareness a critical element in the decision-making process. This study investigates the influence of SMM on purchase decisions with brand awareness as a moderating variable. The population consisted of 1,196 customers of Teman Publikasi – Research Synergy Institute (RSI) within the period of November 2024 to April 2025. Using Krejcie and Morgan’s sampling table, 64 respondents were selected and surveyed with a Likert scale questionnaire. Data were analyzed through multiple linear regression and moderated regression analysis (MRA) to assess both direct and moderating effects. The findings reveal that the five SMM dimensions; entertainment, interaction, trendiness, customization, and word of mouth positively and significantly influence purchase decisions. Furthermore, brand awareness significantly moderates this relationship but in a negative direction, suggesting that higher consumer brand awareness tends to reduce the effectiveness of SMM strategies. This research contributes to the literature by offering empirical evidence on the dual role of brand awareness in digital marketing effectiveness. For practitioners, the study highlights the importance of designing SMM strategies that align with consumer familiarity to avoid diminishing returns.

Relationship of Remote Work Arrangements and Productivity of Accountants in a Philippine-Based Global Accounting Firm

2025-12-20T00:32:56+07:00

Work set-up plays a crucial role in determining employee productivity. This study assessed the relationship between remote work arrangements and productivity of accountants in a Philippine-based global accounting firm. Utilizing a descriptive-correlational methodology, data were collected through a researcher-structured questionnaire administered virtually to 60 randomly sampled accountants. Statistical tests including frequency, percentage, weighted mean, and Pearson correlation coefficients (r) were employed in the data analysis. The findings revealed that remote work arrangements enhanced accountants’ flexibility, work-life balance, employee well-being, and team communication, indicating that the firm’s remote work policies are effectively implemented and are aligned with employees’ needs. Furthermore, the study revealed that respondents can efficiently work, provide good quality output, and consistently meet deadlines, showing enhanced productivity. Consequently, findings showed a highly significant and positive relationship between all dimensions of remote work arrangements and productivity suggesting that offering flexibility and allowing employees to self-regulate and structure tasks independently results in efficient, accurate, and consistent output. Moreover, results revealed that problems including blurred work-life boundaries, isolation, miscommunication, and technological barriers are experienced when on remote work set-up. Theoretically, the study reinforces Self-Efficacy Theory, affirming that accountants’ productivity is influenced by the belief to successfully perform tasks remotely. Finally, the researchers proposed strategies to further enhance productivity during remote work set-up. This study can be used by corporate leaders to enhance internal policies on remote work arrangements, ensuring that policies support enhanced productivity.

Career Adaptability on Transferred Employees: The Role of Emotional Intelligence

2025-11-18T13:57:38+07:00

Career transitions, such as job transfers, present significant psychological and professional challenges for employees. A person’s career adaptability, which encompasses concern, control, curiosity, and confidence in managing career transitions, is crucial for sustaining performance and well-being in dynamic work environments. Emotional intelligence (EI) has been highlighted as an important aspect in allowing successful adaption during such shifts, as it enhances individuals' capacity for flexibility and self-regulation—core components of career adaptability. is described as the ability to notice, analyze, manage, and regulate emotions. Numerous studies have explored EI and career adaptability separately; limited research has specifically examined their relationship within the context of transferred employees. This study investigates the impact of EI on career adaptability among transferred employees—individuals who often face significant professional and psychological adjustments due to organizational relocation or role changes among employees of the West Java & Banten Regional Division of Perum Perhutani. Employing a quantitative approach with descriptive and verification analysis, data were collected from 77 transferred employees using structured questionnaires. EI was measured using Goleman's EI Theory, while career adaptability was tested using Savickas' Career Adapt-Abilities Scale. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 22.0. The results indicate that both EI and career adaptability levels are generally high among participants, with average scores of 82.4% and 82.9%, respectively. Regression study shows a moderate but statistically significant positive connection between EI and career adaptability, with EI accounts for 69.8% of the variance in career adaptability. These findings emphasize the significance of developing EI as a strategic asset in enabling employee transitions and improving adaptive career behaviors.

Human Capital Profiling in Education: Teachers’ Competence in Integrating AR Technology for Character Education Development

2025-12-07T03:13:53+07:00

Teachers represent the core human capital within educational systems, serving as the pivotal agents in embedding character education into early childhood curricula framed by the principles of child-friendly schools. This study aims to identify teachers’ competence following storytelling-based character education training and to examine their readiness to utilize Augmented Reality (AR) technology embedded in innovative storybooks as a medium for character formation among Early Childhood Education (ECE) students. Using a quantitative descriptive approach and cluster analysis, data were collected from ECE teachers who had completed training on storytelling and AR-based pedagogical practices. The descriptive findings reveal diverse levels of pedagogical knowledge, digital literacy, and creative implementation, while cluster analysis delineates teacher profiles based on readiness and competence dimensions. Grounded in Intellectual Capital Theory, this study conceptualizes teachers as strategic assets whose cognitive and relational capital underpin the effectiveness of educational innovation. Drawing on Experiential Learning Theory, the integration of AR storybooks is interpreted as a reflective and active learning process that enhances teachers’ capability to design meaningful, technology-enhanced learning experiences. The study contributes to the literature on human capital development in education by offering managerial implications for differentiated professional learning strategies that foster innovation capability and sustain intellectual capital growth in ECE institutions.

Defensive (Pseudo) Loyalty in Indonesian Textile Manufacturing: A PLS-SEM Study of Job Insecurity and Toxic Workplace Environment

2025-12-31T14:08:32+07:00

This study examines how job insecurity and a toxic workplace environment shape employee loyalty in Indonesia's textile manufacturing sector, where cost pressure and employment uncertainty are rising. A quantitative survey was administered to 189 permanent and contract employees using proportional stratified random sampling. Measures captured four dimensions of job insecurity, toxic workplace indicators (ostracism, bullying, and workplace harassment), and three loyalty facets (affective, continuance, and normative). Hypotheses were tested using PLS-SEM with bootstrapping. Job insecurity significantly and positively predicts empliyee loyalty (B = 0.550; t = 4.416; p<0.001). A toxic workplace environment also shows a significant positive effect on loyalty (B = 0.287; t = 2.169; p = 0.030). Together, both predictors jointly explain a substantial portion of loyalty variation (R² = 0.673), with job insecurity emerging as the stronger driver. These findings suggest that loyalty in this context may reflect defensive or pseudo-loyalty; employees remain and comply not primarily due to emotional attachment, but as an adaptive response to uncertainty, financial dependence, and limited job alternatives. The study contributes by reframing loyalty under stress as multidimensional outcome that can mask hidden disengagement. Practically, organizations should reduce insecurity signals through transparent workforce planning and credible development pathways, while strengthening psychosocial safety systems to mitigate workplace toxicity and convert "staying because I must" into sustainable commitment.

Public Trust and Governance in Driving Urban-Rural Economic Mobility through Licensing Ease

2025-12-31T09:43:59+07:00

Economic mobility between urban and rural areas is essential for regional development, particularly in Southeast Sulawesi. This study investigates the relationship between business licensing in the transportation sector, good governance, and public trust in enhancing economic mobility. Specifically, it examines how the ease of business licensing influences public trust (H1) and good governance (H2), and how public trust mediates the relationship between licensing reforms and governance outcomes (H3). Adopting a quantitative approach within a positivist paradigm, data were collected through surveys targeting stakeholders involved in transportation-sector licensing. The analysis utilized Structural Equation Modeling with the Partial Least Squares method (SEM-PLS) to test causal relationships. Results indicate that streamlined business licensing significantly improves public trust, thereby strengthening good governance practices. Furthermore, public trust serves as a mediating factor, linking licensing reforms to improved governance outcomes, underscoring its importance for effective policy implementation. These findings underscore the strategic role of licensing reforms in reducing bureaucratic barriers, enhancing transparency, and fostering public confidence—key drivers for urban-rural economic integration. For policymakers, the study highlights that optimizing licensing processes, strengthening governance, and building trust can facilitate investment, improve transportation infrastructure, and accelerate regional economic connectivity. Future research should examine the broader socio-economic implications of licensing system improvements across different sectors and regions to develop more comprehensive strategies for sustainable regional development.