Belém Barbosa

Abstract
PurposeWithin the sports industry, fan tokens have appeared as an instrument for fostering fan engagement and empowering them to participate in club-related decision-making processes via voting mechanisms (e.g. voting rights in decisions like the design of the equipment or the bus, and the ability to win rewards such as VIP experiences with the players).Design/methodology/approachDrawing on the technology acceptance model and consumer behaviour theories, a conceptual model was established to analyse the relationship of perceived ease of use, usefulness, and financial value, brand love, brand engagement, trust, social influence and its influence on the intention to purchase fan tokens. This study also analyses the generation of positive electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) derived from the intention to purchase fan tokens. To achieve the proposed objective, a quantitative study was conducted, collecting data through an online survey from football fans with an interest in fan tokens. The conceptual model was analysed using partial least squares (PLS) structural equation modelling (SEM).FindingsResults show that the financial perceived value was the dimension that most contributed to explaining the purchase intention. It was also found that perceived ease of use, trust in fan tokens and brand engagement positively influence the intention to buy fan tokens. Furthermore, findings demonstrate that purchase intention positively drives e-WOM, highlighting that fans' behavioural intentions extend beyond adoption to active digital advocacy.Originality/valueResults offer effective insights for both researchers and sports practitioners, while also presenting an original conceptual model applicable to diverse sports contexts and crypto assets-related research.

Abstract
The main aim of this chapter is to analyze the potential of the metaverse in the context of religious marketing. Positioned within the wider process of digitalization, the chapter examines how digital channels, from websites and social media to immersive environments, create opportunities for religious institutions to reach, engage, and involve their audiences. Several illustrations of uses of digital platforms, applications, virtual reality, and the metaverse are presented and discussed. Particular attention is given to the opportunities offered by the metaverse, while also acknowledging the challenges of adoption and the need for strategies aligned with institutional values and the expectations of faith communities. © 2026 by IGI Global Scientific Publishing. All rights reserved..

Abstract
Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) promises substantial productivity gains for organisations, yet unresolved questions about data management and privacy continue to shape managers' and employees' confidence. This study examines workplace adoption of GenAI and shows how trust, conditioned by perceptions of data-management integrity, information transparency, and privacy risk, influences acceptance. This mixed-method study tests, using a survey-based structural equation model plus interviews focused on managerial practices among daily GenAI practitioners, two core insights: (i) trust is the strongest predictor of intention to use GenAI, and (ii) trust depends chiefly on manager's and employees' belief that organisational data are handled reliably and objectively through management routines. Perceptions of transparency or privacy risk exert no direct influence on either trust or usage. Building on these results, the study delineates four managerial domains: data-management process, information transparency, privacy risk, and trust, alongside twenty future research questions designed to understand how GenAI is linked to managerial practices. For practice, the findings recommend monitoring, calibrated disclosure, and adaptive privacy protocols as concrete managerial levers to strengthen GenAI acceptance. The evidence highlights trustworthy data governance, not abstract explainability, as the foundation of sustainable GenAI adoption. The study also provides a roadmap of actionable management practices to guide its implementation in modern workplaces.

Abstract
Purpose Grounded in source credibility and the elaboration likelihood model (ELM), the current study examines the impact of influencers' credibility and consumer involvement on consumer attitudes and purchase intention, exploring potential changes in consumer behaviour before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the mediating role of consumer involvement was examined. Design/methodology/approach A repeated cross-sectional research design was applied to compare consumer behaviour at two different time points. Two sets of data (pre-pandemic, consisting of 297 participants and post-pandemic, consisting of 307 participants) were collected through an online survey among female consumers of beauty products. Findings The findings confirm the positive effect of influencers' credibility on attitudes and consumer involvement. Moreover, the findings highlight the direct impact of consumer involvement on consumer attitudes and purchase intention. In addition, the mediating role of consumer involvement is supported. The comparison between pre- and post-pandemic periods revealed that influencers' credibility demonstrated a weaker effect on attitudes towards influencer-endorsed products after the pandemic. Conversely, consumer involvement had a strong influence on attitudes toward influencer-endorsed products after the pandemic. Practical implications The findings, along with the comparison of the two data sets, provide theoretical and practical implications regarding the relationship between influencers' credibility and consumer involvement. Originality/value This study provides empirical evidence on consumer behaviour before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, using a repeated cross-sectional design to identify and compare changes in habits and attitudes across two distinct time periods.

Abstract