Xiaoyang Zhao, Runwen Liu and Shuxin Zhong
Existing research suggests a positive relationship between firms’ research and development investments (RDIs) and their patenting performance (PP) according to assumptions of…
Abstract
Purpose
Existing research suggests a positive relationship between firms’ research and development investments (RDIs) and their patenting performance (PP) according to assumptions of linear productivity and homogeneous behavior. This study unravels the RDI–PP relationship by taking a strategic view to reveal its underlying mechanisms.
Design/methodology/approach
We study the effects of firms’ RDI on PP in the context of China’s listed firms in 16 patent-intensive industries, including the pharmaceutical, computer communication, electronic equipment and electrical machinery and equipment manufacturing industries. To test our hypotheses, we use panel data from 2010 to 2017. We apply generalized estimating equations to estimate our models.
Findings
The study finds an inverted U-shaped relationship between RDI and PP that arises from the transition of innovation portfolios and the strategic balancing of patenting costs and benefits. The study further examines two contingencies: (1) top management team (TMT) education level and (2) TMT compensation. It shows the turning point of the inverted U-shape shifts to the right when TMT education level is high; the curve flattens when TMT education level and TMT compensation are high.
Originality/value
We contribute to literature on innovation and appropriability strategy in three ways: First, we reveal the underlying mechanisms of the inverted U-shaped relationship between RDI and PP. Second, because previous research on appropriability strategies pays little attention to how innovation portfolios influence patenting decisions at the firm level, we provide evidence and insights on how the tension between exploitative and explorative innovations affects appropriability strategies. Third, we connect appropriability strategy literature with two streams of literature: corporate governance and upper-echelon theory.
Details
Keywords
The study aims to build upon the Resource-based view of the firm (RBV) and Dynamic Capability Theory (DCT) to perform a meta-analysis on the eco-innovation/SMEs’ sustainable…
Abstract
Purpose
The study aims to build upon the Resource-based view of the firm (RBV) and Dynamic Capability Theory (DCT) to perform a meta-analysis on the eco-innovation/SMEs’ sustainable performance relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
Employing a psychometric meta-analytic approach with a random-effects model, the study examines a sample of 134,841 SMEs covering 99 studies and 233 study effects. Subgroup and meta-regression analysis were used to test the study`s hypotheses in Comprehensive Meta-Analysis (CMA) statistical software.
Findings
Results unveil that the average impact of eco-innovation on SMEs` sustainable performance is positively significant but moderate. Moreover, it was found that eco-process, eco-product, eco-organizational, and eco-marketing innovations positively influence SMEs’ sustainable performance, but the impact of eco-organizational innovation is the strongest. Findings further reveal that eco-innovation positively influences economic, social, and environmental performance, but its effect on social performance is the largest. Moreover, our findings reveal that contextual factors, including industry type, culture, industry intensity, global sustainable competitive index, and human development index, moderate the eco-innovation/SMEs’ sustainable performance relationship. Lastly, methodological factors, namely sampling technique, study type, and publication status, account for study-study variance.
Practical implications
Our findings imply that investing in eco-innovation is worthwhile for SMEs. Therefore, CEOs/managers of SMEs must adopt eco-innovation initiatives by establishing a sustainability vision, developing employee environmental development and training, building a stakeholder management system, and promoting employee engagement in sustainability activities.
Originality/value
The study develops a holistic conceptual framework to consolidate the distinct types of eco-innovation and their association with the sustainable performance of SMEs for the first time in this research stream, thereby resolving the anecdotal results and synthesizing the fragmented literature across culture, discipline, and contexts.
Details
Keywords
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine how the number of short videos posted and the number of influencers employed, two important strategies in short video marketing, affect consumer behavior and how price discounts moderate the effects of influencer endorsement on consumer browsing and purchasing behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on the literature on influencer endorsement, this study used an ordinary least square model to empirically examine the two effects of endorsement strategies in increasing product traffic and sales for consumers at a short video app, Douyin (TikTok).
Findings
The results show that the number of short video ads produces the classic inverted U-shape for traffic and sales, and both effects were strengthened under a high discount condition. Whereas the number of influencers has a positive effect on traffic but produces an inverted U-shape for sales, both effects were undermined under a high discount condition.
Originality/value
This study is the first to explore the two distinct effects (repetition effect and diffusion effect) of influencer endorsement on browsing and purchasing behavior and theorize about the moderate effects of discounts on these effects.
Details
Keywords
Maïa Zanella, Naeem Ashraf and Zeeshan Mahmood
This paper aims to examine the integration of carbon accounting in the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector, focusing on its practical application in…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the integration of carbon accounting in the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector, focusing on its practical application in sustainability management through case studies of three live events organized by the event company (TEC) (pseudonym), a German event management firm.
Design/methodology/approach
An action research methodology was used, combining participant observation and secondary data analysis. Carbon emissions were calculated using the Myclimate Event Calculator, which provides a comprehensive assessment of event-related emissions.
Findings
The study identifies mobility and accommodation as the dominant sources of carbon emissions in the MICE sector, driven by travel logistics and energy-intensive hotel operations. Catering emissions are variable, with vegetarian menus and minimized food waste showing lower environmental impacts. The findings highlight the critical need for targeted interventions in mobility and accommodation, which collectively account for over 80% of the emissions in many events.
Practical implications
The research offers the practical use of Myclimate calculator in developing actionable insights to enable targeted strategies such as eco-certified accommodations, carpooling and optimized transportation logistics, leading to significant emission reductions and improved sustainability management.
Originality/value
This paper advances sustainability management accounting by demonstrating the practical use of carbon data in event planning, providing granular insights into emission drivers. The focus on small enterprises addresses a significant gap in the literature, demonstrating how resource-constrained organizations can adopt sustainability practices. The paper offers a replicable methodology for assessing event emissions, which enables planners to identify high-impact areas.
Details
Keywords
Zifan Shen, Yanlai Li, Shouyang Wang and Cuiming Zhao
Customer expectations and preferences may evolve as they experience more. This study aims to analyze the dynamics of customer requirements (CRs) as customer experience familiarity…
Abstract
Purpose
Customer expectations and preferences may evolve as they experience more. This study aims to analyze the dynamics of customer requirements (CRs) as customer experience familiarity increases, offering insights for enhancing product-service quality.
Design/methodology/approach
This study categorizes dynamic requirements into two conversion stages: from new to repeat customers and from repeat to frequent customers. First, crawl online reviews (ORs) and determine each review’s conversion stage. Second, identify product-service attributes from reviews and conduct aspect-level sentiment analysis. Then, examine each attribute’s trend direction and magnitudes in the two stages. Finally, a dynamic-trend importance-performance analysis (DTIPA) model is developed to analyze the dynamic requirements and provide strategies for optimizing product services.
Findings
This study identifies eight attributes of buffet restaurants with varying requirement change trends. In particular, customer attention to “waiting time,” “variety of dishes,” “cost performance” and “taste” decreases in the first stage. In the second stage, “environment” and “freshness” increase differently from the first. Satisfaction with “cost performance” increases in the first stage but decreases in the perception of frequent customers. Improvement strategies are also provided based on these trends.
Originality/value
Research on dynamic requirement trends based on ORs and customer experience familiarity is scarce, particularly in the context of buffet restaurants. Moreover, existing methods have their limitations. This study proposes a novel approach for the progressive exploration and extraction of evolving CRs from ORs. By incorporating the trend direction and magnitude of attributes’ importance and satisfaction, DTIPA is developed to form strategies for optimizing buffet restaurant product services.
Details
Keywords
Hongyan Wu and Fei Yu
This paper aims to study the impact of the interaction effects between live-streaming marketing and clothing type on consumers' intention to purchase clothing, and the mediating…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to study the impact of the interaction effects between live-streaming marketing and clothing type on consumers' intention to purchase clothing, and the mediating effect of internalization and identification on the relationship between them.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper conducts a scenario experiment to 486 consumers who had experience in purchasing clothing on the live-streaming platform and employs the analysis of variance, structural equation model and multivariate regression model.
Findings
Our findings reveal that professional live-streaming marketing (PLSM) can better stimulate consumers' intention to purchase formal clothing than entertainment live-streaming marketing (ELSM) does. Compared with PLSM, ELSM can better stimulate consumers' intention to purchase casual clothing. When PLSM promotes formal clothing, it triggers the internalization mechanism of consumers, so as to improve their purchase intention. When ELSM promotes casual clothing, it triggers consumers' identification mechanism, so as to improve their purchase intention.
Originality/value
This paper helps to identify the differences in the impact of different types of live-streaming marketing on consumers' intention to purchase different types of clothing, as well as the mediating role of internalization and identification mechanisms. This paper provides a theoretical reference for clothing firms to strategically select the appropriate type of live-streaming marketing.
Details
Keywords
Jungwon Lee, Jun Yu and Jae Hyun You
Drawing on the shopping goal theory, this study sets the following research questions. Research question 1: How do keyword characteristics of e-commerce platforms affect seller…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on the shopping goal theory, this study sets the following research questions. Research question 1: How do keyword characteristics of e-commerce platforms affect seller performance? Research question 2: Do these effects differ according to product type (utilitarian vs hedonic)?
Design/methodology/approach
Empirical analysis was conducted using a dataset of 24,907 keywords collected from 30 product categories on Amazon. Multi-level modeling was used to distinguish between product level and keyword level.
Findings
Regression analysis showed that keyword readability, customer characteristic keywords and brand characteristic keywords positively affect seller sales. The influence of these keyword characteristics on seller performance varied significantly across different product types.
Originality/value
The exploratory results of this study expanded existing studies by adding keyword characteristics to the factors that determine e-commerce platform seller performance and expanded the literature that mainly examines search engine keyword characteristics. In addition, by newly utilizing the LIWC (Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count) methodology, this study provided a novel contribution to the literature on keyword characteristics.
Details
Keywords
Amir Saber, Maedeh Jabbari, Fatemeh Sadeghi, Mohammad Saeed Gholami, Amir Bagheri, Satar Rezaei and Seyed Mostafa Nachvak
Examining the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) and expenses spent on food preparation on nutritional intake has always been one of the critical concerns for policymakers. This…
Abstract
Purpose
Examining the impact of socioeconomic status (SES) and expenses spent on food preparation on nutritional intake has always been one of the critical concerns for policymakers. This study aims to investigate the association between household food expenditure as well as SES and dietary nutrient intake in Kermanshah, Iran.
Design/methodology/approach
In this cross-sectional study, households were randomly selected from different strict in Kermanshah, Iran. Data were collected with an SES questionnaire, a demographic data collection form, a weekly food purchase checklist and a food record. The authors performed the analysis of covariance to determine the relationship of dietary nutrient intake of study participants across quintile categories of SES and total food expenses per day.
Findings
Out of 125 households, 119 households including 401 people finished the study. A significant association was observed between higher SES and higher intake of vitamin B2 (p-value = 0.03). Moreover, the household members at the top level of total food expenses per day had significantly greater dietary nutrient intake of energy (p < 0.001), potassium (p < 0.001), magnesium (p < 0.001), calcium (p < 0.001), zinc (p < 0.001), vitamin B2 (p < 0.001), B6 (p < 0.001), B12 (p = 0.002) and vitamin C (p = 0.04).
Originality/value
In our study, higher dietary nutrient intake was observed in the household members at the highest level of total food expenses daily as well as SES. Therefore, governments and policymakers should pay basic attention to optimizing food costs and improving the economic status of people.
Details
Keywords
This chapter examines the ‘West’ of the Compassionate Positive Applied Strengths-based Solutions (COMPASS) model and application of Positive Psychology to understanding and…
Abstract
This chapter examines the ‘West’ of the Compassionate Positive Applied Strengths-based Solutions (COMPASS) model and application of Positive Psychology to understanding and supporting desistance from offending behaviour. Positive Psychology, a field dedicated to the study of strengths, well-being and human flourishing, offers valuable tools for fostering pro-social change in individuals with a history of offending. Unlike positive criminality, which focuses on rehabilitative strategies within the criminal justice system, Positive Psychology emphasises enhancing overall life satisfaction through the cultivation of personal strengths and positive experiences. This chapter discusses the concept of well-being, the Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Accomplishment (PERMA) model and the Broaden and Build theory, highlighting their relevance to desistance. It also explores key skills and strengths, such as hope, character strengths and gratitude, that can support individuals in their journey towards a life free from offending. By integrating these principles, this chapter provides a framework for understanding how personal growth and positive psychological attributes can contribute to successful desistance and improved quality of life.
Details
Keywords
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the spatio-temporal dynamic characteristics and influencing factors of the coordination degree of the three systems of digital economy, energy and human habitat in Western China and to provide academic research support for promoting coordinated and sustainable development in similar regions of the world.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on system theory and sustainable development theory, this study primarily uses the coupled coordination degree model to assess the degree of coordination between the three systems.
Findings
The findings of this study indicate that: The three systems’ overall coordination is low. The distribution of the degree of coordination has spatial differences and its coefficient of variation is small. The probability of the coordination type changing for the better is greater than that of the opposite, and neighboring provinces interact with one another. The old-age dependence ratio, the resident population’s urbanization rate and public budget expenditure have the strongest gray association with the degree of coordination.
Practical implications
This study’s findings will be valuable for policymakers in developing policies to promote the coordinated and sustainable growth of the region’s digital economy, energy and human habitat. Additionally, the findings will aid in facilitating regional exchanges and cooperation to enhance the level of sustainable development.
Social implications
This study’s findings will contribute to increased social interest in coordinating sustainable growth in the digital economy, energy and human habitat.
Originality/value
This study examines the digital economy, energy and human habitat within the same framework and investigates spatial spillover effects using spatial Markov chains.