Zhe Zhang and Chenyan Gu
Suning Group launched Suning.com when its chain stores were developing at the highest speed, realizing the transformation to an Internet retailer. Suning continued to follow the…
Abstract
Suning Group launched Suning.com when its chain stores were developing at the highest speed, realizing the transformation to an Internet retailer. Suning continued to follow the growth strategy of “Technological transformation and Smart Services”, and was renamed Suning Commerce Co. Ltd. It launched a business model of “e-commerce + stores + retail service providers”. Riding on the brand new O2O business model, Suning is thinking and practicing from simple donation to actual implementation, from constructing public welfare network to extending CSR ecosystem in a bid to advance towards deeper and more extensive Internet economy, and to create greater social value.
Bing Wu and Chenyan Zhang
– The purpose of this study is to design a trust-based knowledge-sharing framework based on the characteristics of the e-learning community.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to design a trust-based knowledge-sharing framework based on the characteristics of the e-learning community.
Design/methodology/approach
The interaction network is constructed to illustrate the relationships between knowledge-sharing agents and objects. Then, a trust evaluation method for knowledge sharing is proposed based on identified agent types and object types. Three sub-methods are included in the model to provide the trust-level references between agents.
Findings
This study develops strategies based on proposed diagnosis framework to improve the willingness of knowledge sharing in the e-learning community. Finally, the authors apply the proposed diagnosis framework to a case study in China to propose strategies for the development of inter-organization knowledge sharing via e-learning community.
Originality/value
Previous research on e-learning community strategies has generally suggested broad guidelines without diagnosing the current trust status. The purpose of this study is to design a trust-based knowledge-sharing framework based on the characteristics of the e-learning community.
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Chenyan Gu, Zhe Zhang and Yuansi Hou
To investigate the psychological mechanism of observational learning in the online retailing context, the purpose of this paper is to show how the psychological distance between…
Abstract
Purpose
To investigate the psychological mechanism of observational learning in the online retailing context, the purpose of this paper is to show how the psychological distance between consumers and products affects modes of observational learning.
Design/methodology/approach
Five experimental studies are conducted to test the hypotheses.
Findings
The findings show that which modes of observational learning are adopted by consumers is affected by consumers’ psychological distance. Specifically, when the psychological distance between consumers and products is proximal, consumers tend to adopt the termed adequate observational learning mode by considering the interaction of information about popularity and the breadth of appeal of a product to make purchase. However, when the psychological distance is distal, consumers would consider information of popularity and breadth of appeal separately without considering the interaction, termed as inadequate observational learning mode. The observed relationship between psychological distance and observational learning mode could be explained by the construal level.
Research limitations/implications
This research advances the observational learning and psychological distance literature by investigating the psychological mechanism behind observational learning modes. Limitations include the use of scenario-based experiments to test the hypotheses, investigation of a single product attribute (i.e. breadth of appeal) and assessment of popularity information by sales volume alone.
Practical implications
The current research provides a deeper understanding of consumer observational learning modes, which can help online retailers to develop effective product strategies and marketing tactics and, finally, achieve stronger competitive positions.
Originality/value
The present research contributes to the literature by examining the psychological mechanism involved in observational learning. This research distinguishes adequate and inadequate observational learning modes from the perspective of psychological distance.
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Yuan Sun, Chenyan Gu, Xinjie Zhou and Rong-An Shang
In the digital age, enterprise social media (ESM) use is becoming more prevalent in the workplace. The “group” function is a very important part in the use of ESM. This paper…
Abstract
Purpose
In the digital age, enterprise social media (ESM) use is becoming more prevalent in the workplace. The “group” function is a very important part in the use of ESM. This paper explores how the characteristics of employees' task requirements affect their group participation behaviors on the ESM.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on information processing theory, the authors establish a two-stage research model to explore the impact of task characteristics on employees' online group participation behavior in the context of ESM. Data were collected using a survey of 341 Chinese employees.
Findings
The results indicate that (1) task interdependence was positively correlated with participation in small closed groups; (2) task complexity was positively correlated with participation in small groups, large closed groups and open professional groups and (3) task non-routineness was positively correlated with participation in small groups, large closed groups and open professional groups.
Originality/value
This study builds on the literature on task characteristics, information processing theory and employees' online group participation behavior, contributing to the research on ESM in the field of information systems and providing guidance for enterprise practice.
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Chenyan Gu, Yunjie Calvin Xu and Minghui Yao
This study identifies a new type of advertising, sponsored ad forwarding, in microblog contexts. It tests the effectiveness of designs of a message with an ad with regard to…
Abstract
Purpose
This study identifies a new type of advertising, sponsored ad forwarding, in microblog contexts. It tests the effectiveness of designs of a message with an ad with regard to receivers who are purely online friends or offline friends.
Design/methodology/approach
In the main experiment, a three-by-two experimental design was employed. By random assignment, message senders forwarded an ad with either an other-oriented or a self-oriented message to a group of offline friends or purely online friends. In the control group, there was no message accompanying the ad. The data of 218 effective sender-receiver dyads were collected and compared.
Findings
The results show that a message with an other-oriented appeal is more effective than one with a self-oriented appeal for dyads with an offline relationship, and a message with a self-oriented appeal is more effective than one with an other-oriented appeal for dyads with a purely online relationship. Overall, the use of appeals significantly boosts ad effectiveness.
Originality/value
This study identifies a new type of marketing practice in social media, namely sponsored ad forwarding. It also proposes appeal orientation as a novel type of message content design. It shows how to apply the right appeal orientation to the right receiver groups, that is, offline or purely online friends.
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Chenyan Gu, Shuyue Jia and Xinsiyu Chang
As e-commerce platforms and merchants increasingly adopt promotion preannouncements, understanding their spillover effects on other products within and across brands is crucial…
Abstract
Purpose
As e-commerce platforms and merchants increasingly adopt promotion preannouncements, understanding their spillover effects on other products within and across brands is crucial. This study aims to comprehensively investigate these spillover effects to optimize the use of promotion preannouncements.
Design/methodology/approach
The study uses quantitative analysis of real-world e-commerce data and four between-subjects experiments to examine the spillover effects of promotion preannouncements.
Findings
Promotion preannouncements negatively impact products within the same brand and category, while positively influencing products in different categories. Additionally, preannouncements create negative spillover effects on products within the same brand echelon. Moreover, powerful brands are more likely to harm different-echelon products compared to weak brands.
Research limitations/implications
The experiment has its own limitations because there will be differences between the simulated scenario and the real shopping scenario. Considering the practical factors, randomized field experiments cannot be conducted at the e-commerce platform level.
Practical implications
The findings provide managerial insights on brands and merchants to arrange the preannounced products and products being sold.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the field of preannouncements by developing new knowledge through a combination of quantitative analysis using e-commerce data and experiments, capturing the novel phenomenon of promotion preannouncement and its spillover effects. We study the preannouncement phase of promotions, thus enriching the multistage research on promotions. In addition, this paper innovatively divides the spillover effects of promotion preannouncement into four components and uses brand echelon as a categorization factor.
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Lulu Peng, Jianchang Li, Tianhui Ren, Hua Wu and Chenyan Ma
The purpose of the research was to test whether the novel synthesized additive TEAT can be a substitution for the traditional additive ZDDP partly or entirely in mineral oil.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the research was to test whether the novel synthesized additive TEAT can be a substitution for the traditional additive ZDDP partly or entirely in mineral oil.
Design/methodology/approach
The extreme pressure, antiwear (AW) and friction reducing property of TEAT was examined, the tribological property of the combination of TEAT and ZDDP was also examined. The worn surfaces of the steel balls were observed using a polarizing optical microscope and x‐ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy.
Findings
The results show that: TEAT can enhance the PB value of the base oil obviously; TEAT shows better AW performance than ZDDP in high load and a wide range of concentration, it shows better friction‐reducing performance than ZDDP in high load and all the concentration tested; TEAT alone can provide a better AW and friction reducing property than ZDDP and the combination of TEAT and ZDDP; and the tribochemical reaction occurs between novel compound and metallic surface, generating sulfur containing layer mainly exists in the form of FeS.
Originality/value
These findings indicate that TEAT presents better tribological properties than ZDDP in a wide range of practical conditions. TEAT may be a substitute for ZDDP in the future.
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Aihui Chen, Yaning Chen, Ruohan Li and Yaobin Lu
Live-streaming e-commerce is becoming a new way for many consumers to shop. During the live broadcast process, the interaction between anchors and customers plays a decisive role…
Abstract
Purpose
Live-streaming e-commerce is becoming a new way for many consumers to shop. During the live broadcast process, the interaction between anchors and customers plays a decisive role on consumers' purchasing decisions. This study aims to explore how two types of interaction between the anchor and the customers (i.e. task-oriented interaction and relationship-oriented interaction) affect customers' purchase decisions.
Design/methodology/approach
The study establishes a model based on online trust theory and multi-sensor interaction theory. To validate the model, we carried out five simulated live-streaming events and collected data through a scenario-based survey of the viewers participating in the live-streaming (N = 244). Structural equation modeling was employed to test the hypotheses.
Findings
Both task-oriented interaction and relationship-oriented interaction have a positive impact on users' purchase decisions through the mediation of virtual touch, emotional trust and cognitive trust. Sense of power has opposite moderating effects on the impacts of relationship-oriented interaction on emotional trust and cognitive trust.
Originality/value
This study enriches the theory of live-streaming e-commerce by demonstrating the decisive roles of two types of anchor–customer interaction, the mediation roles of virtual touch, cognitive trust, and emotional trust in customer purchase decisions, as well as the moderating effect of sense of power on customer decision-making processes. The findings provide practical insights for anchors and live-streaming platforms about how they should arrange live-streaming content to enhance consumer purchasing decisions.
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Discusses the 6th ITCRR, its breadth of textile and clothing research activity, plus the encouragement given to workers in this field and its related areas. States that, within…
Abstract
Discusses the 6th ITCRR, its breadth of textile and clothing research activity, plus the encouragement given to workers in this field and its related areas. States that, within the newer research areas under the microscope of the community involved, technical textiles focuses on new, ‘smart’ garments and the initiatives in this field in both the UK and the international community at large. Covers this subject at length.
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Examines the tenth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects…
Abstract
Examines the tenth published year of the ITCRR. Runs the whole gamut of textile innovation, research and testing, some of which investigates hitherto untouched aspects. Subjects discussed include cotton fabric processing, asbestos substitutes, textile adjuncts to cardiovascular surgery, wet textile processes, hand evaluation, nanotechnology, thermoplastic composites, robotic ironing, protective clothing (agricultural and industrial), ecological aspects of fibre properties – to name but a few! There would appear to be no limit to the future potential for textile applications.