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This paper aims mainly at introducing applied statisticians and econometricians to the current research methodology with non-Euclidean data sets. Specifically, it provides the basis and rationale for statistics in Wasserstein space, where the metric on probability measures is taken as a Wasserstein metric arising from optimal transport theory.

The authors spell out the basis and rationale for using Wasserstein metrics on the data space of (random) probability measures.

In elaborating the new statistical analysis of non-Euclidean data sets, the paper illustrates the generalization of traditional aspects of statistical inference following Frechet's program.

Besides the elaboration of research methodology for a new data analysis, the paper discusses the applications of Wasserstein metrics to the robustness of financial risk measures.

The paper investigates the production inefficiency of the US electricity industry in the wake of restructuring and emission reduction regulations.

The study estimates a multiple-input, multiple-output directional distance function, using six inputs: fuel, labor, capital and annualized capital costs of sulfur dioxide (SO₂₎, nitrogen oxides (NO_X) and particulate removal devices, two good outputs – residential and industrial-commercial electricity and three bad outputs – SO₂, carbon dioxide (CO₂) and NO_X emissions.

The authors find that restructuring in electricity markets improves deregulated utilities' technical efficiency (TE). Deregulated utilities with below-average NO_X control equipment tend to invest less in these devices, but above-average utilities do the opposite. The reverse applies to particulate removal devices. The whole sample spends more on NO_X, particulate and SO₂ control systems and reduces its electricity sales slightly. Increased investments in SO₂ and NO_X control equipment do not reduce SO₂ and NO_X emissions, but expansions of particulate control systems cut down SO₂ emissions greatly. Stricter environmental regulations have probably shifted the production frontier inwards and the utilities farther from the frontier over time.

Restructuring and environmental regulations do not make all utilities invest more in emission control systems. The US government should devise other schemes to achieve this goal.

The paper unveils heterogeneous reactions of US electric utilities in the wake of restructuring and emission regulations.

This paper aims to provide insights into service innovation (SI) during the COVID-19 crisis and its potential impact on tourism development in the medium-to-long term. The pandemic had a devastating effect on the industry, requiring immediate mitigation. It is yet to fully establish the impact of SI in the face of the COVID-19 volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA). This study discusses the potential link between SI and COVID-19 crisis mitigation and offers recommendations for tourism recovery.

This paper synthesizes empirical evidence on post-crisis tourism SI using a theory-based general literature review approach.

COVID-19 crisis spun various forms of SI, which emerged as a conventional solution to crisis prevention, encompassing the management of crisis-time competitiveness, revenue deficits and risk perception. However, resistance to innovative services is linked to situational conditions.

COVID-19 is an unprecedented crisis. Therefore, this study serves as a primer for further inquiry into SI. For instance, areas such as governance in tourism innovation and consumers' inclination toward innovation-driven services are underexplored.

SI acts as a situational facilitator, but its characteristics can impede or facilitate adoption. Moreover, the irrelevance of innovations in some environments is evidenced. Thus, practitioners must adopt a responsive learning approach in SI adoption. To mitigate the COVID-19 impacts, reconfiguration in SI, recovery marketing strategy, knowledge gap and governance will be critical interventions.

This paper is one of the first comprehensive discussions on the potential role of SI in mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on the THI.

It should be noted that the (inland waterway transport) IWT in Ukraine currently is in its infancy in comparison with other land based transport means (rail and road) and with other countries that possess navigable rivers. This paper is an extension of the research initiated by Grushevska and Notteboom (2015) where the concepts of intermediacy and centrality were introduced in order to assess the role of Ukraine in the global and regional transport networks. The list of key obstacles for Ukraine’s intermediacy function included IWT related barriers such as: (i) deficient inland waterway infrastructure, (ii) high IWT costs (fees for bridges, locks etc.) and (iii) pilotage charges. To date the transportation to/from ports is mainly fulfilled by road or by rail based multimodal transport solutions. We present the unutilized potential of Ukrainian IWT that needs to be efficiently exploited for the benefit of the national economy and national transport system. This study intends to enrich the limited academic research on IWT systems in a transition stage, as exemplified by the case of Ukraine.

This paper aims to draw on the appraisal theory and the theory of self-brand congruence (SBC) to study the multidimensional emotion of brand pride. It conceptualizes and validates the relationship of brand pride with SBC, brand loyalty and oppositional brand loyalty and establishes the role of narcissism as a moderator.

Standardized scales, including a new brand pride scale developed by the authors, were used to collect data from 522 respondents. Covariance-based structural equation modeling was used to test the conceptual model. Multi-group moderation analysis tested the differences in the proposed relationship between high and low narcissists.

Results posit brand pride as a multidimensional construct with SBC as its significant antecedent. The findings also support most hypothesized relationships between brand pride and behavioral outcomes. In addition, the study confirms the moderating effect of narcissism on the relationship between brand pride dimensions and brand loyalty and opposition brand loyalty.

The study sample was from a developing nation – India. Similar cohorts from developing and developed countries could provide a unique cross-nation comparison.

The role of brand pride in impacting brand loyalty and oppositional brand loyalty has significant implications for practice. Marketing communication to inculcate brand pride among consumers will significantly impact the brand’s profitability.

Validation of SBC as a precursor to brand pride and the relationship of brand pride with brand loyalty and oppositional brand loyalty contributes significantly to branding theory and practice. This study also establishes narcissism as a moderator between brand pride and loyalty outcomes.

Este artículo se basa en la teoría de la valoración y la teoría de la congruencia de la marca propia para estudiar la emoción multidimensional del orgullo de marca. Conceptualiza y valida la relación del orgullo de marca con la congruencia de marca propia, la lealtad de marca y la lealtad de marca oposicional, y establece el papel del narcisismo como moderador.

Se utilizaron escalas estandarizadas, incluida una nueva escala de orgullo de marca desarrollada por los autores, para recoger datos de 522 encuestados. Para probar el modelo conceptual se tudio un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales basado en la covarianza. El análisis de moderación multigrupo probó las diferencias en la relación propuesta entre narcisistas altos y bajos.

Los resultados tudioes el orgullo de marca como un constructo multidimensional con congruencia de marca propia como su antecedente significativo. Los resultados también apoyan la mayoría de las relaciones hipotetizadas entre el orgullo de marca y los resultados conductuales. Además, el tudio confirma el efecto moderador del narcisismo en la relación entre las dimensiones del orgullo de marca y la lealtad a la marca y la oposición a la lealtad a la marca.

La muestra del tudio procedía de un país en vías de tudioes: la India. Cohortes similares de países en tudioes y desarrollados podrían proporcionar una comparación única entre naciones.

El papel del orgullo de marca en el impacto de la lealtad de marca y la lealtad de marca opuesta tiene implicaciones significativas para la práctica. La comunicación de marketing para inculcar el orgullo de marca entre los consumidores tendrá un impacto significativo en la rentabilidad de la marca.

La validación de la congruencia con la propia marca como precursora del orgullo de marca y la relación del orgullo de marca con la lealtad de marca y la lealtad de marca de oposición contribuyen significativamente a la teoría y la práctica del branding. El tudio también establece el narcisismo como moderador entre el orgullo de marca y los resultados de lealtad.

本文借鉴评价理论和自我品牌一致性理论, 研究品牌自豪感的多维度情感。它概念化并验证了品牌自豪感与自我品牌一致性、品牌忠诚度和反对性品牌忠诚度的关系, 并确定了自恋作为调节器的作用。

使用标准化的量表, 包括由作者开发的新的品牌自豪感量表, 从522名受访者那里收集数据。一个基于协方差的结构方程模型被用来检验概念模型。多组调节分析检验了高自恋者和低自恋者之间拟议关系的差异。

结果表明, 品牌自豪感是一个多维的建构, 自我品牌一致性是其重要的前因。结果也支持品牌自豪感和行为结果之间的大部分假设关系。此外, 该研究还证实了自恋对品牌自豪感维度与品牌忠诚度和反对品牌忠诚度之间关系的调节作用。

印度。发展中国家和发达国家的类似队列可以提供一个独特的跨国比较。

品牌自豪感对品牌忠诚度和反对品牌忠诚度的影响作用对实践有重大意义。在消费者中灌输品牌自豪感的营销传播将对品牌利润率产生重大影响。

自我品牌一致性作为品牌自豪感的前兆的验证, 以及品牌自豪感与品牌忠诚度和反对性品牌忠诚度的关系, 对品牌理论和实践有很大的贡献。该研究还确定了自恋是品牌自豪感和忠诚度结果之间的一个调节器。

The study aims to assess how corporate branding affects firm performance in the context of the Oman hotel industry, listed on the Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX).

This study approach was made by way of a mixed method. First, it examines qualitative and exploratory information collected from companies’ internet sites, audited annual reports (the financial year 2019) published in MSX, web searches and websites of companies and travel agencies from all the eight listed hotel companies in the MSX to examine the impact of corporate branding on firm performance proxied by return of assets (ROA) and return of equity (ROE) and secondly, it assesses the measurement and structural models by applying partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

The findings recommend that well-thought-out web marketing on corporate branding by hotel companies leads to firm performance. The findings indicate that corporate branding on travel agency websites and a company’s own website can help businesses become more profitable. In addition, there is a synergistic connection on corporate branding of the hotel industry, including the presentation of a novel hotel narrative, the conception of a cornerstone loyalty program, the demonstration of excellence in hospitality and service, information on timely amenities like Covid-19 safety measures and the use of technology and experiential elements through platforms like the company website or the website of the travel agent all essential to achieve firm financial performance. As per the importance–performance matrix map, websites of travel agents (agoda.com, booking.com and hotels.com) had the importance (agoda.com 0.616, booking.com 0.959 and hotels.com 1.036) to impact companies’ corporate branding and firm performance, whereas Google search shows a value of −1.954, which has no impact on companies’ corporate branding.

The study considered only one hotel/tourism industry to know the effect of corporate branding on firm performance. Further studies may be chosen on other industries needed to allow for generalization.

This study aims to provide insights into how the hotel industry can make use of corporate branding through the company website, Google sites and websites of companies’ travel agency by providing timely updated promotion, facilities, quality services and hygiene matters to enhance firm performance.

This study provides empirical evidence to find various factors of corporate branding of the hotel industry’s firm performance. In addition, the study offers valuable insight into the nonmonetary measures of achievements.