Journal of value creating in Business Management

Abstract Abstract The purpose of this research is to design a model for improving the behavior of Iranian handicrafts e-commerce customers with the approach of improving customer trust. According to its purpose, the research method is applicable, and mixed (qualitative-quantitative) in terms of its implementation, and descriptive-exploratory in terms of data collection in the qualitative part. The statistical population of the research in the qualitative part includes 19 Iranian experts, including university professors in the fields of marketing management, handicrafts and senior managers of companies that export handicraft products, who through non-random sampling in the form of snowballs, were selected for interviews. The statistical population in the quantitative section includes 11 Iranian university professors in the fields of marketing management, handicrafts and senior managers of companies that export handicraft products, who were selected using non-probability sampling. A semi-structured interview was used to collect information in the qualitative section. To analyze the data in the qualitative part, first, content analysis was used to code the interviews, and in the quantitative part of the research, the self-interaction matrix was used for interpretive structural modeling (ISM). In the qualitative section, 16 sub-themes and seven main themes (indices) were extracted. In the quantitative part, a four-level model was obtained, and the most effective indicator of this model is electronic communication and interaction with customers. Also, its most effective indicator at the seventh level is confidence in purchasing. Therefore, 5 other criteria also play the role of interface factors in this model. Extended Abstract Introduction Today, advances in science and technology and the development of new technologies have created new competitive conditions for production and service organizations, so that quality and customer satisfaction and trust are the most important factors in global competition. Attracting and retaining customers in an organization is a category that is affected by various factors and conditions inside and outside the organization, the importance of which varies according to the type of organization and from one organization to another (Nguyen et al, 2020). Trust is defined as the trust of one party (trustee) to another person (trusted or trusted third party) (Yeon et al, 2019). Trust plays an important role in interactions and is important for companies and for developing relationships with consumers (Astono, 2021). Trust is the consumer's belief that the transaction will be carried out according to the plan. The way customers think about trust can be one-dimensional or multi-dimensional (Papas, 2018). On the other hand, in the late 1990s, the Internet promoted the formation of e-commerce, and the development of information technology in the middle years has caused the rapid development of e-commerce in the past 20 years (Baylok, 2021). E-commerce and information technology (IT) have a positive relationship. E-commerce and information technology are measured by evaluating the value of their business; the more the company gains positive value and trust, the more buyers it attracts (Alam & Osly, 2021). Electronic commerce is a set of technologies, applications, and business processes that connect companies, consumers, and communities through electronic transactions and electronic commerce of goods, services, and information (Rafiah, 2019). Based on this, the current research is looking for an answer to this question: What is the model for improving the behavior of Iranian handicrafts e-commerce customers with the approach of improving customer trust? Theoretical Framework Customer trust There are many definitions about trust. The multiplicity of definitions of trust in the theoretical texts of the subject probably originates from two reasons; first, trust is an abstract concept and sometimes it is synonymous with concepts such as authenticity, trustworthiness, or reliability. Second, trust is a multifaceted concept that has different perceptual, sensory and behavioral dimensions (Latifi & Momenkashani, 2014).   electronic commerce E-commerce refers to a broader definition of traditional business, which, in addition to buying and selling goods and services, includes welfare services for customers, cooperation with business partners, conducting electronic learning, and conducting electronic transactions in an organization (Torban & Lonino 2020). Iranian handcraft Iran's handicrafts experts believe that handicrafts refer to a set of arts and crafts that mainly use local raw materials and carry out some of the basic production steps with the help of hands and hand tools. In each unit, the artistic taste and intellectual creativity of the manufacturer are manifested in some way, and this factor is the main distinguishing feature of such products from similar machine and factory artifacts (Kazemi, 2019). Zolfaghar Dolabi (2023) investigated the factors affecting customer loyalty and electronic trust in electronic commerce in Tehran Infrastructure Company. The results of the research in the Tehran infrastructure company showed that the quality of the user interface has a positive and significant effect on customer satisfaction and trust. The quality of information has a significant effect on customer satisfaction, but it does not affect trust. Keeping privacy and security is not important for customer satisfaction, but it is important for trust. Customer satisfaction and trust have a positive relationship with each other and mediate customer loyalty with the determinants of service quality. The results of regression analysis show that the dependent variable of e-commerce loyalty is influenced by e-customer satisfaction and e-trust. Sharifi & Mardani (2022) investigated the identification of the key success factors in e-commerce during widespread crises (the case study of DJ Kala online sales company). The findings of the research showed that besides paying attention to hardware and software factors related to information technology in e-commerce, paying attention to human factors can increase the efficiency of e-commerce even more. Research methodology The research method is applicable according to its purpose, and mixed (qualitative-quantitative) in terms of its implementation, and a qualitative part of the descriptive-exploratory type in terms of the data collection method. The statistical population of the research in the qualitative part includes 19 Iranian experts, including university professors in the fields of marketing management, handicrafts and senior managers of companies that export handicraft products, who were selected for interviews using non-random sampling in the form of snowballs. The statistical population in the quantitative section includes 11 Iranian university professors in the fields of marketing management, handicrafts and senior managers of companies that export handicraft products, who were selected using non-probability sampling. A semi-structured interview was used to collect information in the qualitative section. Research findings Analysis was used in the coding part of the content analysis; and in the quantitative part, the combined method of Dimetal and Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) was used. The findings from the qualitative part of the research showed that 16 sub-themes and 7 main themes (indicators) of the desired model were extracted using content analysis and interviews of 19 experts. In the quantitative part, a four-level model was obtained, and the most effective indicator of this model is electronic communication and interaction with customers. Also, its most effective indicator at the seventh level is confidence in purchasing. Therefore, 5 other criteria also play the role of interface factors in this model. Conclusion The current research has been conducted with the aim of designing a model for improving the behavior of Iranian handicrafts e-commerce customers with the approach of improving customer trust. The results of the present research are in accordance with the results of Zolfaghar Dolabi (2023), Hashempor (2023), Sharifi & Mardani (2022), Yazdi (2022), Jalali (2021), Sutia et al, (2020), Bozic & Kuppelwieser (2019), Nekooeezade & Amini (2019), Issam (2016). Zolfaghar Dolabi (2023) showed that the quality of the user interface has a positive and significant effect on customer satisfaction and trust. The quality of information has a significant effect on customer satisfaction, but it does not affect trust. Keeping privacy and security is not important for customer satisfaction, but it is important for trust. Customer satisfaction and trust have a positive relationship with each other and mediate customer loyalty with the determinants of service quality. The results of regression analysis show that the dependent variable of e-commerce loyalty is influenced by e-customer satisfaction and     e-trust. According to the results obtained from the research, it is suggested: 1- The development of Iranian handicrafts in the context of e-commerce should be considered as one of the important strategies to increase the market share of these industries, because unlike traditional retail, a craft e-commerce store can be up and running with just a few clicks. The e-commerce platform makes it easy and simple for craft business owners to create attractive and reliable sites with minimal effort. 2- Training and promoting the use of sales in the context of e-commerce by relevant organizations should be prioritized. Buyers search for the desired product in the e-commerce space for various reasons such as comparing prices, comparing brands, knowing the opinions of previous buyers, checking the amount of inventory and more. The only way to ensure potential buyers of your products is to have a persistent presence in the e-commerce space. Even if buyers are looking for the store's working hours or its address, access to the desired information through e-commerce is very important.

Abstract Abstract The purpose of this research is to investigate and prioritize factors affecting the success of e-commerce in small and medium-sized companies in Mazandaran province. The current research is applicable in terms of purpose, and descriptive-analytical in terms of nature and method. The statistical population of this research includes 15 experts with master's degree or higher, and at least 10 years of work experience in the relevant field and managers, and experts of small and medium companies in Mazandaran. Fuzzy Delphi method was used for review and prioritization. The best-worst method (BWM) was used to prioritize the factors and its components, and Lingo software was used for analysis. Effective factors include the components of 1- infrastructure (access to the Internet network, electronic storage of information, security systems and electronic payments), 2- payment system (payment authorization, various customer payment methods, settlement operations), 3- Knowledge and awareness (customer notification system, customer privacy consideration, company's response to customers' frequent questions), 4- Customer satisfaction (variety of products and advertisements, company's seasonal auctions, timely delivery of goods, building trust). The results show that the prioritization of factors affecting the success of        e-commerce, respectively, payment system, infrastructure, customer satisfaction, and knowledge and awareness gained the first to fourth rank of importance. Extended Abstract Introduction The emergence of the Internet has made it easier for newcomers to enter, and as a result, the number of competitors in various markets has increased. Advances in information and communication technology and the rapid expansion of the Internet have undergone many changes and transformations in various areas of human life, as well as in various business fields. Changes in the business environment are the main characteristics of this century (Taghavi fard & Abdoli Masinan, 2020). New technologies have transformed the way of providing customer service in today's organizations (Sanyayan & Sanyaei, 2016). The digitization of businesses has changed many traditional businesses to electronic businesses, and this issue shows the growth of e-commerce transactions in the world, and the new systems that are recently used in e-commerce by governments and private companies are among the most effective factors for success in electronic commerce (Singh et al, 2017). In e-commerce, the conventional meaning of economic benefits largely refers to customer retention on e-commerce platforms, discounts, advertizements, or other preferred activities (Liu et al, 2019). To measure success in e-commerce, it can be seen in customer satisfaction when searching for the desired product and buying online (Abdallah & Jaleel, 2015). Despite its advantages, e-commerce also faces challenges because changing people's habits is not an easy task. For example, researchers in e-commerce have mentioned the skills and techniques of gaining customer trust as an essential factor (Murphy & Tocher, 2011). Small and medium enterprises are a large part of industrial economies. Their growth and development is very important and many researches have been started to determine electronic business in small and medium companies. It is thought that the success of e-commerce in the small and medium sector will make the country more competitive, and this successful adoption and use of e-commerce technology is vital for survival. Therefore, the researcher is trying to answer the question: what is the evaluation and priority of factors affecting the success of e-commerce in small and medium enterprises of Mazandaran province? Theoretical Framework E-commerce success E-commerce is the use of computers in one or more networks to create and transmit commercial information, which is mostly related to buying and selling information, goods and services through the Internet. On the other hand, e-commerce has certain advantages over traditional business; e-commerce changes the way business is conducted and thus transforms traditional markets into new forms and creates significant changes in competitive conditions (Ebrahim Shamirani, 2015).   Customer satisfaction Satisfaction is wider than quality, and quality is considered one of the factors of creating satisfaction in customers. Satisfaction means the evaluation of customers about the product or service provided to whether it was able to meet the expectations of customers or not. In fact, customer satisfaction is the result of satisfying customer needs (Ahmadi et al, 2015).  Agheshlouei et al, (2023) investigated the presentation of a new business model to help entrepreneurs develop new businesses and e-commerce startups. The results of the research show that, in addition to improving the business model of Strowalder and Pignor, the business model presented in this study leads to a better understanding of the elements of the business model by entrepreneurs, and improves investment negotiations by creating convergence and common understanding of business concepts between entrepreneurs and investors. Using this business model, entrepreneurs focus on the value proposition in addition to the technical details. Atimehr et al, (2022) in an article entitled Development of the antecedent model of e-commerce success using structural equations and (IPMA) method, showed that among the explanatory variables of e-commerce success, the variable of electronic oralization has the most relative importance; while the customer support system variable has the least relative importance. Also, from the point of view of the respondents, it was found that the electronic satisfaction variable has the highest performance coefficient, while the customer support system variable has the lowest performance coefficient. Research methodology The current research is applicable in terms of purpose, and descriptive-analytical in terms of nature and method. The statistical population of this research includes 15 experts with master's degree or higher, with at least 10 years of work experience in the relevant field, and managers and experts of small and medium companies in Mazandaran. Fuzzy Delphi method was used for review and prioritization.   Research findings In order to prioritize the factors and its components, the best-worst method (BWM) was used, and Lingo software was used for analysis. Effective factors include 1- infrastructure components (access to the Internet, electronic information storage, security systems and electronic payments), 2- Payment system (payment authorization, various customer payment methods, account settlement operations), 3- Knowledge and awareness (customer notification system, customer privacy consideration, company's response to customers' frequent questions), 4- Customer satisfaction (variety of products and advertisements, Company's seasonal auctions, timely delivery of goods, building trust). The results show that the prioritization of factors affecting the success of e-commerce, respectively, payment system, infrastructure, customer satisfaction, and knowledge and awareness gained the first to fourth rate of importance. Conclusion The current research was conducted with the aim of investigating and prioritizing factors affecting the success of e-commerce in small and medium-sized companies in Mazandaran province. The results of this research are in agreement with the results of Agheshlouei et al, (2023), Atimehr et al, (2022), Lobel Trong Thuy (2021), Emami Meibodi (2021), Jalali (2021), Himanshu & Aggarwal (2019), and Choshin & Ghaffari (2017). Agheshlouei et al, (2023) showed that, in addition to improving the business model of Sturwalder and Pignor, the presented business model gives entrepreneurs a better understanding of the elements of the business model and improves investment negotiations by creating convergence and a common understanding of business concepts between entrepreneurs and investors. Using this business model, entrepreneurs focus on the value proposition in addition to the technical details. According to the present research, the following suggestions are presented: Employees should be trained to use internet networks better Creation of documents management and databases for electronic storage and security of information Appropriate pricing according to competitors' prices and establishing cost management Investment and innovation in the use of e-commerce in small and medium enterprises Collecting customer information considering their privacy for their satisfaction Dealing with customer criticisms and analyzing them Evaluating the use of e-commerce

Abstract Abstract The purpose of this research is to identify the key factors of success in e-commerce during widespread crises (the case study of digikala online sales company). The current research is applicable in terms of purpose, and descriptive-correlative in terms of the nature and method of data collection, and is specifically based on structural equation modeling. The statistical population of the current research is all the customers of digikala online sales company in Tehran who have made at least 2 online purchases from 2019 to the time of the research, and according to Morgan's table, 384 people were selected as a sample, and the sampling method is simple random. The collection tool in the current research was Sharma and Agarwal (2019) questionnaire which was distributed electronically among the sample, and data analysis was done by structural equation modeling in SmartPLS 3 software. The research findings showed that the quality of website services and customer support system according to the standard factor loading coefficients of 0.771 and 0.673, respectively, are more important than the personalization components and electronic word-of-mouth advertising with the standard factor loading coefficients of 0.608 and 0.517. The findings of the research showed that besides paying attention to hardware and software factors related to information technology in e-commerce, paying attention to human factors can increase the efficiency of e-commerce even more. Extended Abstract Introduction Internet-based technologies have enabled e-commerce companies to test different marketing strategies based on product information, advertising, and sales services. However, the performance of a website may be affected by these variables and any failure may rob customers' trust in these platforms, which in turn, leads to buyer dissatisfaction (Choshin & Ghaffari, 2017; Sing et al., 2017). The success of an e-business shows the satisfaction of customers who have experienced online shopping while browsing the website (Abdallah & Jaleel, 2015). Satisfaction is considered as the driving force of behavioral intention to repurchase. Many modifications have been reported in e-commerce success models, and one of them has been the considering of website service quality as the main independent variable (Lin & Fu, 2012). Consumer behavior research shows that: fear refers to the negative consequences of a specific event that may lead to changes in consumer behavior and attitudes (Solomon, 2017). As a result of the impact of the Covid-19 disease, consumers have increasingly turned to online shopping, accordingly, the Covid-19 pandemic has caused a change in consumer purchasing behavior, as consumers are afraid of contracting the disease (Laato et al, 2020; et al, 2020 Prentice). Therefore, according to the said material, the researcher is trying to answer the main question, what are the key factors of success in e-commerce during widespread crises (Case study of digikala online sales company)? Theoretical framework According to Molla & Licker (2001), the success of an electronic business system is completely dependent on the response that is created at the system's individual and organizational level. Then, they proposed the dimensions of success, namely "e-commerce system quality, content quality, consumption, trust and support". The fear of covid-19 increases the role of e-commerce because it increases social interaction and stakeholder participation in online buying and selling of products and services (Addo et al, 2020). Website service quality considered to be as a combination of information quality, system quality and service quality. The amount of website support to the customer during and after the sale of goods or services and its usefulness determines the success of the online platform. Personalization; The strategy adopted by online sellers is to proactively offer products/services to browsers based on their previous browsing patterns, and the provision of information by customers willingly (Bhati et al, 2017). A distinctive feature of electronic word-of-mouth (EWOM) is its rapid dissemination and scalability. This includes; an asynchronous mode of information exchange related to an online product/service, accessible to the interested browsers and buyers (Baek et al, 2017). Mark Peterson et al, (2021) paid for their research entitled sustainable marketing and consumer's support of sustainable business. This study includes an online survey and large-scale sampling in the United States (304 respondents) with data analysis using structural equation modeling. Three important findings of this study show that 1) consumers' intrinsic values ​​have the most positive effect on consumers' support of sustainable businesses, 2) next, attitudes toward corporate altruism, and 3) and then, concerns about corporate ethics; had the most effect. Assessing social justice and recognizing the contribution of business in improving the quality of life of the customer had no effect on consumers' support for sustainable businesses. Emami Meibodi (2021) conducted his research entitled the effect of effective management of e-commerce platforms and dimensions of responsibility on sustainable consumption during the pandemic disease (corona) (case study: online shoppers). The results of the research show that the perceived effectiveness of electronic platforms has a positive effect on economic benefits with the moderating role of the fear of the epidemic. Economic interest has a significant effect on sustainable consumption with the moderating role of epidemic fear. Responsibility has a significant impact on sustainable consumption. Also, according to the results of the research, the main suggestions of the research are to increase the perceived effectiveness of electronic platforms and interactive communication with online consumers. Also, companies not only offer online products and services, but also provide e-commerce platforms that include an online care center to ensure the health and safety of consumers. Methodology The current research is an applicable research from the point of view of the goal, and a descriptive-correlative research from the method used. The statistical population of this research is all the customers of online goods sales companies (Case study of digikala online sales company).Considering the large number of users and the high number of the target community; 100 thousand people have been considered. The way to choose the best option is to select the people who have made at least 2 online purchases from 2019 to the time of the research, and were selected to answer the questions of the questionnaire. The size of the population is unlimited and uncertain; therefore, based on Morgan's table, 384 people who have shopped online at least twice a year were selected as a sample in this research. The sampling method in this research will be random simple. Also, the method of distributing the questionnaire in this research is electronic. A research questionnaire (Sharma & Aggarwal, 2019) was used to collect relevant data. Discussion and Results In order to investigate the hypothesis of the research, the modeling of structural equations, the method of structural equation modeling with the help of spss software was used to test the hypotheses from inferential statistics. Then PLS software was used to test the hypotheses or the conceptual model of the research, and the results of the first hypothesis showed that this hypothesis is confirmed according to the standard coefficient of 0.771 and the significance coefficient of 5.966. It can be said that there is a relationship between the quality of website services and success in e-commerce (Case study of digikala online sales company). The results of the second hypothesis showed that according to the standard coefficient of 0.673 and the significance coefficient of 7.909, this hypothesis is confirmed. It can be said that there is a relationship between the customer support system and success in e-commerce (Case study of digikala online sales company). The results of the third hypothesis showed that this hypothesis is confirmed according to the standard coefficient of 0.608 and the significance coefficient of 4.205. It can be said that there is a relationship between personalization and success in e-commerce (Case study of digikala online sales company). The results of the fourth hypothesis showed that according to the standard coefficient of 0.517 and the significance coefficient of 13.702, this hypothesis is confirmed. It can be said that there is a relationship between electronic word-of-mouth advertising and success in e-commerce (the case study of DJ Kala online sales company). Conclusion The current research was conducted with the aim of identifying the key factors of success in e-commerce during widespread crises (Case study of digikala online sales company). This finding is in line with researchers such as Darvishi (2021), Abdolmaleki (2020), Nekoei (2021) Gazivand & Habibi (2020), and Jalali (2021); the quality of website services makes the online store accessible at any time and from any place; therefore, it facilitates referring new customers to the store. A high quality website service is a powerful sales tool and increases the value of advertising and can help the store connect with potential customers. In this way, the contact address of potential customers can be collected and letters or newsletters can be sent to them periodically. Satisfaction of customers with online shopping and the services provided by the website can increase and improve the amount of use of the services provided, and repeat the number of purchases. According to the results of the research, it is suggested to collect personal information of customers in order to provide purchase alternatives to each buyer. It also emphasizes the creation of content-based filters for preferences created by a particular user; which is tracked to provide suggestions to customers. It is suggested that reliable platforms for delivery of products and services be established as a strategic marketing direction to promote online transactions, to reduce the spread of the pandemic disease of Covid-19.