Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of cloud computing adoption in small and medium enterprises (SMEs), further, to measure the effect of cloud computing adoption on cloud-supported firm performance through enhancing organisational agility. Design/methodology/approach The research model is developed by combining two popular theoretical models, namely, the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) and the technology–organisation–environment (TOE) framework. Data are collected from 372 SMEs to test the model. The strengths of widely used structural equation modelling (SEM) are applied to analyse the data. Findings This study reveals that the significant predictors of cloud computing adoption are performance expectancy; effort expectancy; absorptive capacity; data security and privacy; and perceived trust. Also, cloud computing adoption positively influences firm performance directly and through organisational agility. The results of importance–performance map analysis indicate that effort expectancy falls in the critical zone, which needs to be improved. Originality/value This research is one of few that blends the strengths of UTAUT and TOE framework. The research outcomes yield noteworthy suggestions to cloud providers, managers and government policymakers on ways of motivating the spread of cloud computing in developing countries.

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to understand the mediating role of psychological need and immersive experience on graduates' skill gaps on massive open online courses (MOOCs) adoption intention.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed research model is developed by combining two popular theoretical models, namely, the self-determination theory, network externalities theory along technology adoption theory. Data are collected from 318 respondents to test the model. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is applied to analyze the data.FindingsThe study reveals that the sense of psychological needs and immersive experience mediates the influence of skill gap and social interaction on MOOC adaption willingness. However, immersive experience alone cannot influence adoption intention. Similarly, psychological needs cannot have a significant impact on adoption intention without the graduate skill gap.Originality/valueThis study specifically focuses on investigating the mechanism of how psychological needs satisfaction mediates the relationship between graduates' skill gap and MOOC adoption intention. The findings suggest us to develop a course that will increase learners employability skill. This study also contributes by incorporating the idea of immersive experience to facilitate improved virtual social interaction.

Based on Construal-level theory, this study hypothesized that self-actualization positively relates to employees’ taking charge, and self-actualization affects creative performance and normal performance through taking charge positively, but the effect is different. The authors selected a cross-sectional design to investigate interrelations amongst study variables at two different time points with the interval of one month, and surveyed 417 team members and 186 immediate team leaders in the banking sector in Pakistan. The authors used individual-level data to evaluate the validity and test the proposed relationships by using Mplus. They revealed that self-actualization affects taking charge positively, and taking charge mediated the relationship with the difference in effect e.g. taking charge has high effect on creative performance in comparison to normal performance. The outcomes carry important implications aimed at increasing high-level self-actualization that results in taking charge, and so on leads to creative and normal performance.

Purpose Drawing on social cognitive theory (SCT), this research aims to test the mediation of promotion focus motivation in between performance lower than expectations and innovative work behavior under the moderation of status hierarchy mutability. Further, low performance may also lead employees to counter-productivity through prevention focus. Thus, this study examines both sides of performance lower than expectations of the employee in the organization. Methodology The study considered a cross-sectional study and surveyed R&D departments of manufacturing firms located in China. In total, 340 employees in 65 teams participated in the survey. This study conducted a confirmatory factor analysis to test the reliability and validity of data and used hierarchical linear modeling to test the hypotheses via Mplus 7.3. Findings First, we reveal that employees’  performance lower than expectations is positively linked with promotion focus regulation. Second, the study’s outcomes reveal a positive indirect effect from employees’ higher status mutability in the group toward innovative work behaviour through promotion focus motivation. At last, the study identified that performance lower than expectations has a positive indirect impact on counterproductive behaviour via prevention focus. Practical Implications This research assists managers to understand the connection of stress between performances lower than expectations and the self-regulated motivation of the employee towards innovative behavior and counterproductive work behavior. Further, it recommends that leaders at different levels should understand that various reference groups inside and outside the organization pressurize employees’ cognition. Therefore, certain steps and policies (eg, sensitive training, annual performance appraisal, feedback) must be taken into consideration to handle such self-regulatory behaviors. Originality This study is the earliest to examine the performance expectations as an antecedent of innovative work behavior and counterproductive work behavior through regulatory focus.

The importance of emotional labouring and performance of frontline service employees, who in their boundary-spanning positions significantly affect service-rendering organisations’ efficiency by their direct communications with customers, continues to increase. However, it is still important to ascertain an efficient understanding of the comprehensive process including behavioural mechanism and a common perception of the rewards’ impacts on motivation and creativity. Therefore, guided by self-determination theory, this study examined the mechanism and boundary conditions between emotional labour and job performance (creative and task)–specifically, taking charge has been considered as a mediator and performance-based pay as a moderator in between relationships. The authors selected a time-lagged cross-sectional design to investigate interrelations amongst study variables at two different time points and surveyed 417 team members and 186 team leaders in Pakistan’s commercial banks. Findings were consistent with the assumed conceptual framework. For instance, deep-acting affected taking charge positively, surface-acting demonstrated a positive link with task performance and taking charge partially mediated the relationships between deep-acting and performances under boundary conditions of low performance-based pay. By summing up, the study adds to the literature and recommends managerial implications with a more affluent view of nomothetic linkage among frontline employees’ emotional labor, HR practices, and the service sector.