Yu-Ching Chiao, Chun-Ju Huang, Chun-Chien Lin and Tang-Shun Chuang
This study aims to examine conditions in both inter- and intra-alliance contexts within an oligopolistic alliance industry operating across multiple markets. It focuses on how a…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine conditions in both inter- and intra-alliance contexts within an oligopolistic alliance industry operating across multiple markets. It focuses on how a focal firm’s optimal performance depends on nuanced evaluations of the trade-offs associated with coopetitive synergy, and on decisions about whether to collaborate or compete with its members.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors analyze the six leading global container shipping firms within two major alliances (The Grand Alliance and the New World Alliance) from 2003 to 2010, gathering 7,825 news articles from the Cyber Shipping Guide, a comprehensive global container shipping business database in Japan.
Findings
The findings reveal the following: (1) the focal firm cooperating with members of a rival alliance decreases the level of inter-alliance competition. (2) The focal firm cooperating with members of a rival alliance increases the level of intra-alliance competition. (3) Increased inter-alliance competition negatively impacts the performance of the focal firm. (4) Increased intra-alliance competition negatively impacts the performance of the focal firm.
Practical implications
Global container shipping firms should make optimal decisions about which firms to cooperate with, focusing on those that contribute to the focal firm’s overall synergies and thus performance.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature on coopetition in strategic alliances by extending the concept of dynamic coopetition to include strategic alliance groupings, and by examining how focal firm members cooperate in both inter- and intra-alliance contexts.
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Yu-Ching Chiao, Chun-Chien Lin and Chun-Ju Huang
This study aims to draw attention to the familiarity effect among international multimarket contact (MMC) firms on coopetition in the global container shipping industry and to…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to draw attention to the familiarity effect among international multimarket contact (MMC) firms on coopetition in the global container shipping industry and to better understand the contingency model of structural holes and in-degree centrality on joint price elevation actions and subsequent performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on competitive dynamics and the literature on networks, a panel data model is developed from 6,489 competitive and 7,146 cooperative actions of the top 21 shipping firms in 18 global arenas with a structured content analysis method being applied.
Findings
Stronger MMC by firms requires increased levels of cooperative actions to elevate prices. This coopetition relationship is enhanced or weakened when the focal firm occupies a higher level of structural hole or position of competitive in-degree centrality.
Practical implications
Shipping liners seeking to cooperate with joint action in oligopolistic markets are offered guidelines and strategies to increase their performance through their actions.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature on coopetition networks by further analyzing interfirm relationships and interactions that enhance performance, while exploring network positioning strategies to mitigate risks.
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This study of multinational companies in China focuses on the role culture plays in relationship cultivation. The author interviewed 40 participants from 36 multinational…
Abstract
This study of multinational companies in China focuses on the role culture plays in relationship cultivation. The author interviewed 40 participants from 36 multinational companies in China. The findings revealed that characteristics of Chinese culture, such as family orientation, guanxi, relational orientation (role formalisation, relational interdependence, face, favour, relational harmony, relational fatalism and relational determination) had an influence on multinational companies’ relationship cultivation strategies. Multinationals from Western countries were found, however, to be more persistent in maintaining their own cultural values in relationship building than multinational companies from Asian countries.
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Cheng Jen Huang and Chun Ju Liu
This study aims to ask two important research questions: “Do the investments of innovation capital and information technology (IT) capital have a non‐linear relationship with firm…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to ask two important research questions: “Do the investments of innovation capital and information technology (IT) capital have a non‐linear relationship with firm performance?” and “Does the interaction between innovation capital and IT capital have synergy effects on firm performance?”
Design/methodology/approach
The authors employ multiple regression models and add the squared terms of research and development (R&D) intensity and IT intensity to examine the non‐linear relationship between innovation capital, IT capital and performance. The research sample includes the top 1,000 companies in Taiwan.
Findings
The main findings of the study are that: innovation capital has a non‐linear relationship (inverted U‐shape) with firm performance; and IT capital has no significant impact on firm performance. However, after considering the interaction between innovation capital and IT capital, there is a positive effect on firms' performance.
Research limitations/implications
This study can be extended in the following ways: researchers can adopt panel data and use more representative measures to examine the dynamic relationship between intellectual capital and performance; and future research should seek to examine the interaction effects of other perspectives of intellectual capital to understand further the comprehensive influence on performance.
Practical implications
The research results suggest that more investment in intellectual capital is not always better. Companies should coordinate different perspectives of intellectual capital to improve firm performance.
Originality/value
This paper extends prior research's viewpoint and suggests the non‐linear relationship between innovation capital and performance with empirical evidence. The results can provide the reference for further research about the relationship between intellectual capital and performance.
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Linjuan Rita Men and Chun-ju Flora Hung-Baesecke
Academics and professionals across management and communication fields have increasingly recognized significant contributions of engaged employees to organizations. The purpose of…
Abstract
Purpose
Academics and professionals across management and communication fields have increasingly recognized significant contributions of engaged employees to organizations. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of communication channels, and communication attributes of transparency and authenticity on employee engagement in China.
Design/methodology/approach
A web survey was conducted with 407 employees randomly selected from a variety of medium-sized and large corporations in China.
Findings
The study results show that face-to-face interactions and social media are the most effective channels in building organizational transparency, authenticity, and engaging employees in China. Organizational transparency and authenticity demonstrate strong positive effects on employee engagement. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Originality/value
This study was among the first empirical attempts to examine the impact of corporate communication channels on employee engagement in China. It also contributes to the growing literature on corporate transparency and authenticity, two of the major communication trends identified in the twenty-first century.
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Rong‐An Shang, Yu‐Chen Chen and Chun‐Ju Chen
The purpose of this paper is to explore the social value of information in virtual investment communities and compare its effects with objective information value. A model…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the social value of information in virtual investment communities and compare its effects with objective information value. A model including information quality, social comparison, and herding orientation, and their effects on decision usefulness and member satisfaction, is proposed and tested.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey with a sample of 215 members of investment communities was conducted to test the proposed model.
Findings
The opinion comparison orientation of members and information credibility are positively related to their perceived decision usefulness and satisfaction. Consistency is positively related to decision usefulness, but not to member satisfaction. Members' herding tendency moderates the effect of opinion comparison orientation on decision usefulness and the effect of ability comparison orientation on satisfaction.
Research limitations/implications
The sample is small and not random. The proportion of students in the sample seems to be higher than it should be among virtual investment community members.
Practical implications
Investors should be careful regarding the social influences of their communities; the effects may not always be good for investment decisions.
Social implications
Virtual communities provide members with social comparison information, which may yield positive effects for members in inspiration, self‐improvement, and self‐enhancement.
Originality/value
The virtual community can be a forum where people gain information regarding others to satisfy their needs for social comparison. Virtual communities provide special social value for their members, even for those who do not interact with others by posting in the communities.
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Gomaa M. Agag, Mohamed A. Khashan, Nazan Colmekcioglu, Ahmed Almamy, Nawaf S. Alharbi, Riyad Eid, Haseeb Shabbir and Ziad Hassan Saeed Abdelmoety
Despite the increasing utilization of webpages for the purposes of information seeking, customers’ concerns have become a crucial impediment for online shopping. The purpose of…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the increasing utilization of webpages for the purposes of information seeking, customers’ concerns have become a crucial impediment for online shopping. The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of the effectiveness of web assurance seals services (WASS) and customers’ concerns on customer’s willingness to book hotels through perceived website trust and perceived value.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire was administrated to measure the study variables. Using partial least squares–structural equation modeling approach to analyze the data collected from 860 users of online hotel websites.
Findings
The results indicate that WASS influence positively on perceived website trust and negatively on consumers’ concerns. As well as, perceived value and trust play a mediating role in the link between WASS and consumers’ concerns and their intentions. Finally, perceived website trust and perceived value have greater effect on intention to book hotel for low-habit consumers.
Research limitations/implications
This study ignored the cross-culture issue as it concentrates on the customers from developing countries, so further research may need to compare between two or more than two samples from different societies that could give a significant insights. Second, this study stresses on the WASS to predict customers booking intentions that indicates significant results, so further research may need to examine the role of online reviews as a predictor of customers purchase decision as well.
Originality/value
To the authors’ best knowledge, this is the first empirical research that investigates and examines the influence of the effectiveness of WASS and consumers’ concerns on consumers’ intentions through perceived value and trust. This research also investigates the moderating role of habit in the link between perceived website, perceived value and consumers’ intentions.