Yongchang Jiang, Hejie Zhu and E. Bai
The existence of the advertising delay effect and its impact on supply chain operations have been demonstrated in the current study. Therefore, this study develops a timely…
Abstract
Purpose
The existence of the advertising delay effect and its impact on supply chain operations have been demonstrated in the current study. Therefore, this study develops a timely inventory control strategy for the fresh produce supply chain to address the advertising delay effect in the fresh produce supply chain.
Design/methodology/approach
This study proposes a game model based on the Nerlove-Arrow time delay differential equation and Pontryagin's maximum principle. Through comparative analyses of the optimal equilibrium strategies, the authors compare the optimal equilibrium strategies, product goodwill and optimal inventory trajectories for suppliers and retailers under secondary replenishment decisions and decentralized decisions.
Findings
The authors find that (1) Only when the sales cycle meets certain conditions can the overall profit of the supply chain under the secondary replenishment decision be greater than that under the decentralized decision. As the price markup coefficient increases, the total profit of the supply chain first increases and then decreases. (2) With the increase in the delay time, the replenishment quantity during the initial period gradually decreases. After the delay time elapses, the inventory depletion rate under secondary replenishment decisions is faster than that under decentralized decision-making. (3) Although there is a continuously increasing maximum value of product goodwill with the increase in delay time, it becomes difficult to achieve this value for longer delays.
Practical implications
The authors’ findings provide a theoretical basis for supply chain members of fresh agricultural products to select replenishment and inventory control strategies when adopting different levels of delay in advertising marketing.
Originality/value
Firstly, this paper explains the impact of advertising delay effect on fresh produce supply chain from a dynamic perspective, and secondly, it provides guidance on advertising formulation and inventory replenishment for fresh produce retailers under the influence of advertising delay effect.
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Amir Shariati, Cécile L’Hermitte and Nadia Millis Trent
This study aims to review the prepositioning of relief items literature through a decision-making lens to explore the decisions involved, the factors guiding them and the…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to review the prepositioning of relief items literature through a decision-making lens to explore the decisions involved, the factors guiding them and the influence of model design on these decisions. Despite their potential to inform decision-making, quantitative prepositioning models remain underutilised in practice. Understanding the foundational principles that shape model design and their connections to decision-making is crucial for effectively developing and implementing more practical models.
Design/methodology/approach
A systematic literature review was conducted, and 97 relevant papers were analysed bibliographically and thematically. The thematic analysis is guided by the value-focused thinking approach, which provides a structured understanding of the decision-making process by focusing on the decision makers’ values.
Findings
This study identifies key prepositioning decisions related to facilities, inventory and distribution. It highlights efficiency, effectiveness and equity as the main values guiding prepositioning decisions and examines the mutual influence of model design and decisions. Moreover, a decision-making framework for prepositioning problems has been developed, outlining key steps and relevant decisions.
Originality/value
This research provides novel insights into how the decision-making process regarding prepositioning is reflected in quantitative models. It helps researchers choose model designs that better align with decision makers’ priorities and requirements, increasing the models’ practicality. Additionally, it helps decision makers comprehend quantitative models and the reasons behind their mathematical complexities, ultimately improving the effectiveness of decision-making for prepositioning.
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Jiaojiao Xu and Sijun Bai
The critical chain project buffer monitor process addresses uncertainty and variability in project duration. However, classical buffer monitor methods only consider buffer…
Abstract
Purpose
The critical chain project buffer monitor process addresses uncertainty and variability in project duration. However, classical buffer monitor methods only consider buffer consumption, while the dynamic allocation of buffer zones and the buffer consumption trend of activities are ignored. This paper presents the innovative framework for dynamic monitoring of project buffer which covers the dynamic buffer allocation, predictive analytics of buffer utilization and a new monitoring technique based on control chart graph.
Design/methodology/approach
First, a dynamically buffer allocation model is framed, and buffer zones are given to the activities considering risks. Then, a predictive model amalgamating Bayesian Optimization, Convolutional Neural Networks, and Long Short-Term Memory networks (BO-CNN-LSTM) is framed. Finally, a new buffer monitor framework is constructed that takes into account historical information about buffer usage and utilizes two thresholds derived from control chart theory.
Findings
This approach is empirically tested on a representative agricultural website project in China. The results show that, first, the dynamic buffer allocation makes better use of the project buffer, reduces buffer waste and increases the possibility of timely completion of the project. Second, the BO-CNN-LSTM model predicts better than Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Grey Neural Network Model (GNNM), providing project managers with new management insights and perspectives. Third, the novel monitoring procedure makes the leveraging of historical data possible in the control of the schedule deviations, allowing for more timely interventions in the course of the implementation of the project.
Originality/value
A new project buffer monitoring method suitable for uncertain project environments is proposed.
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Everton Coelho, Mário Augusto and Pedro Torres
This study aims to clarify the influence of different CEO’s political orientation (liberal/conservative) and corporate political activity on ESG performance, considering…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to clarify the influence of different CEO’s political orientation (liberal/conservative) and corporate political activity on ESG performance, considering contingencies related to CEO attributes and corporate governance mechanisms.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a sample of 131 companies from the Standard and Poor’s 500 index, this study employs fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fs/QCA) to analyze combinations of conditions (i.e. configurations) that lead to greater ESG (i.e. environmental, social, and governance) performance.
Findings
Drawing on the upper echelon theory and the theory of social exchange, the findings show that different CEO’s political orientation (liberal/conservative) can contribute to ESG performance, depending on the combination of conditions. Furthermore, the results emphasize the importance of corporate political activity as a core condition to enhance ESG performance.
Originality/value
Taking a configurational approach, this study explores combinations of conditions that explain ESG performance, including CEO’s political orientation and corporate political activities as antecedent conditions. Unlike past research, this study examines possible complementarities between these two conditions and assumes that different CEO’s political orientation can have a positive influence on ESG performance, depending on the combination of conditions.
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Stephen Oduro and Alessandro De Nisco
Informed by the resource-based view of the firm, dynamic capabilities theory and contingency theory, this study examines the impact of Industry 4.0 (IR4.0) technologies adoption…
Abstract
Purpose
Informed by the resource-based view of the firm, dynamic capabilities theory and contingency theory, this study examines the impact of Industry 4.0 (IR4.0) technologies adoption on firm performance (FP) while accounting for the mediating role of innovation ambidexterity (IA) and moderating roles of contextual and methodological factors that drive the performance gains of the phenomenon.
Design/methodology/approach
A random-effect model in comprehensive meta-analysis (CMA) is used to synthesize 113 studies in 115 independent samples with 192,188 observations.
Findings
This analysis demonstrates that IR4.0 digital technologies are directly related to financial and non-financial performance, disclosing that the performance effect on non-financial is the largest. Moreover, there is a complementary partial mediation role of the impacts of IR4.0 on FP by IA. Furthermore, this focal relationship is moderated by boundary-spanning conditions: contextual factors – firm size, business type, economic development, industry sector and methodological factors – proxy of FP, sample size and study type.
Practical implications
The results imply that IR4.0 produces financial and non-financial benefits by enabling firms to develop dynamic capabilities like innovation ambidexterity, which informs managers and practitioners that unless IR4.0 technologies and IA strategies are combined together to generate superior FP, IR4.0, in and of itself, would produce a less positive impact on FP than the combined impact of IR4.0 and IA. Therefore, managers should focus on converting IR4.0 resources to dynamic capabilities like IA by leveraging open innovation strategies or building IR4.0-based coordination mechanisms by creating cross-unit business synergies.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors' knowledge, per the literature review, this is the first meta-analysis structural equation modeling study on the interplay between IR4.0, innovation ambidexterity and firm performance.
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Mohammed Arkan Sahib Tileal, Farzaneh Nassirzadeh and Davood Askarany
This study explores the relationship between state ownership and labour cost stickiness across strategic and non-strategic industries in developing economies. It aims to uncover…
Abstract
Purpose
This study explores the relationship between state ownership and labour cost stickiness across strategic and non-strategic industries in developing economies. It aims to uncover how non-economic considerations and sociopolitical objectives influence cost behaviour in state-owned enterprises (SOEs), particularly within strategic sectors.
Design/methodology/approach
The research employs data from 151 firms listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange from 2011 to 2021. Using multiple linear regression analysis with year and industry-fixed effects, the study investigates the impact of state ownership on labour cost stickiness, considering the moderating role of industry type.
Findings
The analysis reveals a significant influence of industry type on the relationship between state ownership and labour cost stickiness. SOEs exhibit higher labour cost stickiness, especially in strategic industries subject to greater public scrutiny and government intervention. These findings align with agency theory, highlighting how sociopolitical pressures shape SOEs’ managerial decisions and cost management strategies.
Originality/value
This research fills a crucial gap in the literature on cost behaviour in developing countries, emphasising the importance of industry-specific strategies in mitigating labour cost stickiness in SOEs. It provides new insights into how state ownership and sociopolitical objectives affect cost management, offering valuable implications for policymakers and managers in similar economic contexts.
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This study aims to examine the effects of dialect connectedness between the chairman and the chief executive officer (CEO) (DCCC) on the tunneling activities of controlling…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the effects of dialect connectedness between the chairman and the chief executive officer (CEO) (DCCC) on the tunneling activities of controlling shareholders.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses abnormal related-party transactions (ARPT) as a proxy for tunneling activities and traces dialects of chairmen and CEOs based on the respective birthplace information. Baseline results are examined using a fixed-effects model. The results remain robust when using the instrumental variable approach, propensity score matching (PSM) technique, changing the measurement of tunneling and Heckman two-step selection model.
Findings
The results show that DCCC reduces tunneling activities. This negative association is more pronounced for non-state-owned enterprises and firms whose chairmen and CEOs work in the respective hometowns. DCCC restrains tunneling activities through mechanisms by establishing an informal supervisory effect on CEOs because the CEOs fear reputational damage and strengthening cooperation between chairmen and CEOs. Further analyses suggest that this negative association is more significant when chairmen and CEOs are non-controlling shareholders, but the association is weakened during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis.
Originality/value
As dialect is a carrier of culture, this study's results imply that cultural proximity can replace formal mechanisms to enhance corporate governance.
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Mingyang Li and Yang Hu
This study examines the impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance on cross-region investment in China.
Abstract
Purpose
This study examines the impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance on cross-region investment in China.
Design/methodology/approach
This study utilized firm-level data from the China Stock Market and Accounting Research database covering 2009 to 2021, comprising 3,600 Chinese listed firms. Cross-region investment activities were measured using data on establishing subsidiaries across regional borders obtained from the TianYanCha website. Besides, this study also implemented the instrumental variables (IV) and difference-in-differences approach to address potential endogeneity issues. The panel Poisson and panel negative binomial models are used for robustness tests.
Findings
The findings indicate that companies with better ESG performance are more likely to establish cross-region subsidiaries, positively affecting cross-regional investment activities. Strong ESG performance reduces financing constraints, enhances information transparency and improves corporate reputation and resource allocation efficiency, thereby increasing cross-regional investment. Well-established ESG performance also helps overcome judicial barriers. Moreover, cross-region investments driven by ESG are less motivated by tax avoidance, pollution transfer and management self-interest.
Research limitations/implications
We focus on listed companies in China, which may limit the applicability of our conclusions to other regions. Our measurement of cross-region investment might also underestimate its extent due to diverse investment methods. We suggest two future research directions: first, studies could explore the future performance of ESG-facilitated cross-region investments; second, further analysis could assess whether corporate ESG performance effectively dismantles administrative barriers and mitigates market segmentation.
Originality/value
Under China’s distinctive market segmentation phenomenon, this study fills a gap by providing new causal evidence of the role of managerial performance in mitigating capital flow boundaries.
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Hualong Yang, Zhiying Cheng and Junjie Zhou
The online profile picture of a doctor serves as a pivotal source of visual information, playing a key role in shaping the doctor’s professionalism in the online health market…
Abstract
Purpose
The online profile picture of a doctor serves as a pivotal source of visual information, playing a key role in shaping the doctor’s professionalism in the online health market. Doctors can strategically curate the elements of their online profile pictures, such as attire and background, to either reinforce a formal image or craft a casual image, thereby influencing patients’ doctor choices. Despite this, the relative effectiveness of formal or casual images in swaying patient choices remains unclear. This study endeavors to bridge this knowledge gap.
Design/methodology/approach
This study tested the influence of a doctor’s attire and background in their profile picture on patient decision-making, with a focus on discerning variations in impact among patient groups differentiated by the severity of their illnesses (i.e. high-severity versus low-severity conditions). We formulated four hypotheses and tested them through an econometric analysis and a controlled laboratory experiment.
Findings
The empirical findings reveal that doctors’ formal profile pictures, characterized by formal attire and backgrounds, exert a more pronounced influence on patient choices than casual images. The severity of a patient’s illness positively moderated the relationship between formal images and patient choices.
Originality/value
These insights make a significant contribution to the understanding of patient behavior in selecting doctors within the online health market. Furthermore, they offer valuable guidance for doctors in optimizing their online profile presentation to better align with patient preferences and expectations.
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Weerapong Kitiwong, Thanu Prasertsoontorn, Ausanee Ratsamewongjan, Puritud Inya and Pornsit Jiraporn
As the debate over CEO duality’s impact on firm performance is still ongoing, the purpose of this study is to redefine CEO duality in Thai family firms and examine its impact on…
Abstract
Purpose
As the debate over CEO duality’s impact on firm performance is still ongoing, the purpose of this study is to redefine CEO duality in Thai family firms and examine its impact on the relationship between earnings management and firm performance.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a sample of 1,360 firm-year observations from listed firms on the Stock Exchange of Thailand. A fixed effect regression is used to obtain the empirical results. The results of this study are further validated using two-stage least squares estimation, subsample regression and an alternative measure of family firms.
Findings
This study finds that firms with CEO duality are more likely to engage in REM, supporting Agency Theory. However, family-controlled firms with CEO duality engage less in REM in pursuit of firm performance. This study’s findings highlight the potential benefits of CEO duality in family firms as a mechanism to support Socioemotional Wealth of the controlling family. Therefore, the mandatory ban on CEO duality may have unintended consequences for family firms.
Originality/value
This paper provides further evidence on the impact of CEO duality on the relationship between earnings management and firm performance in Thailand’s family-dominated stock market. A new definition of CEO duality is proposed, including firms where the CEO is related to the chair of the board. This boarder definition provides more comprehensive measurement compared to the traditional definition which may fail to capture the full scope of influence exerted by controlling family, as they may obscure CEO duality by appointing individuals with kinship ties to the CEO as the chair of the board.