Yi Wu, Jiahui Wu and Yuanyuan Cai
This study aims to investigate whether brand positioning strategies influence individuals’ conformity in product choices and identifies the mediator and boundary condition of this…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate whether brand positioning strategies influence individuals’ conformity in product choices and identifies the mediator and boundary condition of this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
To test the hypotheses, three experiments were conducted, with data collected using an online platform.
Findings
The results indicate that local (vs global) brand positioning promotes consumers’ tendencies to conform in their product choice. Furthermore, this effect is sequentially driven by their perceived similarity with such positioning and the feeling of social connectedness. The influence of local (vs global) brand positioning on consumer conformity diminishes among consumers with a focus on similarity.
Originality/value
This study expands the consumer conformity literature by identifying a new antecedent of consumer conformity. It also introduces a novel downstream consequence of local (vs global) brand positioning on consumer behavior and provides a broader theoretical basis for understanding the psychological connotations underlying local (vs global) brands.
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Feier Yan, Fujin Yi and Huang Chen
This study investigates the effect of education on crop insurance knowledge within the context of noncompliance experiences. In addition, the study delves into the role of…
Abstract
Purpose
This study investigates the effect of education on crop insurance knowledge within the context of noncompliance experiences. In addition, the study delves into the role of government endorsement in education, which is instructive for the implementation of future insurance promotions.
Design/methodology/approach
The study designs a randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted in Jiangsu Province, China. A total of 518 sample farmers were randomly assigned to two experiments: The Education Experiment and the government’s Endorsement Experiment, respectively. After conducting a set of rigorous exogeneity tests, econometric analysis was conducted using baseline survey data and post experiment data.
Findings
Our results revealed that insurance education served as an effective tool in improving farmers’ insurance knowledge, especially their understanding of insurance mechanisms. However, this effect can be mitigated by the noncompliant insurance experience of farmers. Moreover, government-endorsed education proved to be more efficient in improving farmers’ insurance knowledge, thus highlighting the significance of building trust between insureds and insurers.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating that using a simple education tool, such as, brochures, can effectively improve farmers insurance knowledge. In addition, insurance mechanisms are now more urgently in need of universalization than policy information. Furthermore, by conducting the RCT, this study obtains unbiased causal inference on the effect of education on insurance knowledge and underscores the role of government endorsement in this process. In addition, the study illustrates the tradeoff between insurers’ efforts in enhancing education and regulating noncompliant insurance misconducts, which compromises education efforts. Overall, this study provides insights into the marketing strategies of insurers and government propaganda aimed at stimulating farmers’ incentives to purchase insurance.
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Although artificial intelligence (AI) is an essential component of hospitality in the technological empowerment era, AI’s effectiveness as an attraction in this context remains…
Abstract
Purpose
Although artificial intelligence (AI) is an essential component of hospitality in the technological empowerment era, AI’s effectiveness as an attraction in this context remains unclear. Grounded in Herzberg’s motivation theory and complexity theory, this study aims to explore configurational paths whereby combinations of qualities lead to success for different types of AI-themed hotels.
Design/methodology/approach
This study innovatively blends topic modeling and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to investigate configurational paths whereby combined qualities produce positive guest evaluations of 12 AI-themed hotels as evidenced by 7,431 customer reviews.
Findings
The results indicate that AI could serve as a “theme” to attract customers under certain circumstances. First, “attractive” and “must-be” qualities are first identified for different types of AI-themed hotels. Furthermore, 6, 15 and 15 configurational paths inspiring favorable guest evaluations of luxury-independent, budget-independent and chain AI-themed hotels, respectively. Technology-related qualities are found to be especially attractive for luxury-independent AI-themed hotels, whereas the role of technology is minimal for budget AI-themed hotels. The impact of technology is salient for chain AI-themed hotels when combined with other factors. In addition, the effect of price differs among the configurational paths for the three hotel types.
Research limitations/implications
This study expands the understanding of AI applications within the hospitality context by exploring the role of AI in AI-themed hotels and comparing its effectiveness in attracting customers across various hotel types. It also provides operational strategies for adopting AI for different types of hotels and for other hospitality and tourism sectors.
Originality/value
This study represents an early attempt to integrate topic modeling and fsQCA to clarify customers’ perceptions of AI-themed hotels and the combined impacts of various qualities. The findings expand on Kano’s model by classifying technology-related qualities into attractive qualities within AI-themed hotels.
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Sattar Khan, Naimat Ullah Khan and Yasir Kamal
This paper aims to examine the role of corporate governance (CG) in the earnings management (EM) of affiliated companies in family business groups (FBGs) listed on the Pakistan…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine the role of corporate governance (CG) in the earnings management (EM) of affiliated companies in family business groups (FBGs) listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX), using principal–principal agency theory.
Design/methodology/approach
The sample of 327 nonfinancial firms of the PSX, consisting of 187 group-affiliated firms and 140 nonaffiliated firms has been used in this study for the period of 2010 to 2019. The study uses different regression models for analysis, with robustness tests of various alternative measures of EM and FBG affiliation. In addition, endogeneity is controlled with the propensity score matching method.
Findings
The findings show that EM is less prevalent in affiliated firms compared to nonaffiliated companies. The results show a negative and significant relationship between FBGs affiliated firms and EM. Moreover, the results also show a positive relationship between EM and the interaction term of the CG index and group affiliation. It refers to the fact that effective governance cannot reduce EM in affiliated companies of FBGs as well as in the nonfinancial companies of the PSX. In addition, the quality of CG is higher in affiliated companies compared to its counterpart in nonaffiliated firms. The findings support the principal–principal agency theory that CG cannot mitigate the expropriating behavior of controlling shareholders against minority shareholders by reducing EM in emerging markets due to the ownership concentration phenomenon.
Research limitations/implications
This research study has implications for small investors, government agencies and regulators. The findings of the study show that CG code should make it mandatory for companies to reveal information about their complex ownership structure and ownership information about affiliated companies and directors. Furthermore, it is suggested to revisit the code of CG in the Pakistani context of principal–principal conflict instead of the agent–principal explanation of agency theory based on Anglo–Saxon countries.
Originality/value
This research study has contributed to the CG and FBG literature in relation to EM in idiosyncratic settings of Pakistan. One of the prime contributions of the paper is the development of a comprehensive CG index. This research study used detailed, manually collected novel data on affiliated firms of FBGs in Pakistan.
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Xiubin Gu, Yi Qu and Zhengkui Lin
The purpose of this study is to investigate the pricing strategies for knowledge payment products, taking into account the quality level of pirated knowledge products, in the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the pricing strategies for knowledge payment products, taking into account the quality level of pirated knowledge products, in the context of platform copyright supervision.
Design/methodology/approach
This study abstracts the knowledge payment transaction process and aims to maximize producer's revenue by constructing a pricing model for knowledge payment products. It discusses pricing strategies for knowledge payment products under two scenarios: traditional supervision and blockchain supervision. The analysis explores the impact of pirated knowledge products quality level and blockchain technology on pricing strategies and consumer surplus, while providing threshold conditions for effective strategies.
Findings
Deploying blockchain technology in platform operations can significantly reduce costs and increase efficiency. In both scenarios, knowledge producer needs to balance factors such as the quality of pirated knowledge products, the supervision level of platform, and consumer surplus to dynamically adjust pricing strategies in order to maximize his own revenue.
Originality/value
This study enriches the literature on the pricing models of knowledge payment products and has practical significance in guiding knowledge producer to develop effective pricing strategies under copyright supervision.
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Yi Nie, Lin Luo and Xiulin Geng
Green funds represent a hybrid approach that integrates both environmental and financial considerations. Firms also strive to balance social benefits with economic performance…
Abstract
Purpose
Green funds represent a hybrid approach that integrates both environmental and financial considerations. Firms also strive to balance social benefits with economic performance. This study aims to analyze how green fund shareholdings impact firms’ dual performance and explores the underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a sample of A-share companies listed on China’s exchanges from 2008 to 2022. A fixed effects model is used to assess the dual value of green funds in enhancing both environmental and financial performance while also exploring viable pathways to achieve a “win-win” outcome.
Findings
Green fund shareholdings significantly enhance both financial and environmental performance, with corporate reputation and corporate transparency acting as mediators. Media oversight and executive compensation positively moderate the relationship between green fund shareholdings and dual performance. In competitive industries, the influence of green fund shareholdings on environmental performance is more pronounced than their effect on financial performance. In the context of politically connected firms, green fund shareholdings have a reduced impact on financial performance, with no significant difference in environmental performance. In addition, the impact of green funds on ownership structure is heterogeneous, promoting dual performance in private firms but not in state-owned enterprises.
Originality/value
This study enhances the understanding of green funds’ dual investment logic, provides deeper insights into their role in fostering sustainable corporate development and extends the application of institutional logic in enterprise management.
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Jing Li, Rui Ling, Fangjie Sun, Jinming Zhou and Haiya Cai
This paper adds risk perception and personalized human-computer interaction to the technology acceptance model, and further analyzes the impact of personalized unmanned ride…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper adds risk perception and personalized human-computer interaction to the technology acceptance model, and further analyzes the impact of personalized unmanned ride hailing on users' behavior intention.
Design/methodology/approach
This study model was tested using a sample of 299 social media users from China and we apply structural equation modeling (SEM) to build the theoretical framework.
Findings
Our results show that perceived ease of use has a greater positive impact on behavior intention compared to perceived usefulness. In addition, we find that the impact of risk perception on behavior intention is manifested in a number of ways, including people’s risk perception of the new technology, people’s risk perception of data leakage, and so on. Finally, we find that users’ personalized human-computer interaction has a positive effect on their perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and behavior intention.
Originality/value
Our study contributes to illuminate the pivotal role of tailoring the human-computer interface to individual preferences and needs for ride-hailing platforms from the perspective of behavior intention.
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Lu Wan, Yanqi Fang, Nannan Ban, Guo Cheng and Guohua Huang
This paper aims to explore the relationship between digital transformation, international competition and productivity progress by examining the dual margins of export, thereby…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the relationship between digital transformation, international competition and productivity progress by examining the dual margins of export, thereby identifying the digital development pathway for key industrial chains within the context of regional medical and health cooperation.
Design/methodology/approach
By constructing models incorporating both the extensive margin and intensive margin, this paper delves into the reasons underlying changes in product trade value and variety within international market competition. Utilizing export data for medical products from China to Belt and Road Initiative partner countries spanning from 2007 to 2020, an industry–destination–time panel benchmark model is established to assess the impact of digital transformation on product expansion and international competition.
Findings
The findings reveal the following insights. First, digital transformation positively impacts the intensive margin of medical products, whereas it does not exert a positive influence on the extensive margin. Second, the impact mechanism test indicates that digital transformation fosters the intensive export margin by enhancing the technical efficiency of exports but exhibits an inverted U-shaped effect on technological progress. Third, digital transformation demonstrates a notable non-linear characteristic, with a substantial increase in the lifting effect once a certain threshold is surpassed.
Originality/value
While previous research has extensively explored the effects of digital transformation on export trade, this study uniquely integrates the concepts of the intensive and extensive margins of export, thereby enriching the research insights derived from existing literature. It focuses on the nonlinear effects and threshold dynamics of digital transformation, particularly in relation to total factor productivity. Additionally, the paper makes a contribution to the understanding of the Health Silk Road by incorporating the health index.
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Abstract
Purpose
On the premise of verifying whether the platformization organization of DEEs is born, this work aims to explore the evolutionary process of the organizational structure of digital entrepreneurial enterprises (DEEs) and to further reveal the drivers of organizational structure evolution from the perspective of data resources.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use a longitudinal two-case approach to analyze rich archival and interview data from two DEEs in China.
Findings
The findings reveal that the organizational structure of DEEs evolves from hierarchy, network and flatlization to platformization, that the drivers of evolution include building data flow channels, removing barriers of data flow and forming data rules. Meanwhile, the coordination devices in this process have gradually evolved from hierarchy to standard operating procedures, shared culture, norms, etc. to achieve a balance between commercial and creative success.
Originality/value
This work develops a framework for the evolution of organizational structure of DEEs from organization design theory lens and provide some management insights into the development of DEEs.
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Brad McKenna, Wenjie Cai and Hyunsun Yoon
Research into older adults' use of social media remains limited. Driven by increasing digitalisation in China, the authors focus on Chinese older adults (aged 60–75)’ use of…
Abstract
Purpose
Research into older adults' use of social media remains limited. Driven by increasing digitalisation in China, the authors focus on Chinese older adults (aged 60–75)’ use of WeChat.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used a qualitative interpretive approach and interviewed Chinese older adults to uncover their social practices of WeChat use in everyday life.
Findings
By using social practice theory (SPT), the paper unfolds Chinese older adults' social practices of WeChat use in everyday life and reveals how they adopt and resist the drastic changes in Chinese society.
Originality/value
The study contributes to new understandings of SPT from technology use by emphasising the dynamic characteristics of its three elements. The authors synthesise both adoptions and resistance in SPT and highlight the importance of understanding three elements interdependently within specific contexts, which are conditioned by structure and agency.