Chenxiang Qian, Chih-Fu Wu, Zhenbo Zhang and Hsin-Yu Huang
The purpose of this paper is to explore current marketing communication mixes (MCMs) in two industries, electronics home appliance stores (face-to-face interaction) and remote…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore current marketing communication mixes (MCMs) in two industries, electronics home appliance stores (face-to-face interaction) and remote care (interface-mediated interaction), to propose marketing strategies from the perspective of service design and determine the relationships between service interaction patterns and MCMs in the pre-service phase.
Design/methodology/approach
Six industry experts in marketing were interviewed through semi-structured interviews, the topic of which focused on the details of five MCMs and their correlations were analyzed using a customer journey maps. Finally, the MCMs were further explored to verify differences in attractiveness to customers, respectively.
Findings
The result showed that the most attractive activity for the electronics home appliance stores customer is the promotion. And the four face-to-face service interaction patterns and MCMs exhibited a low correlation. In addition, the customers of remote care service argued that the personnel selling was the most attractive MCMs to them. For customers who utilize smart devices to communicate with advertisement exhibited the highest correlation coefficient.
Research limitations/implications
The limitation of this study is that the research only conducts interview research on two service industries.
Practical implications
This study was expected to develop improved marketing communication strategies to remedy the sales predicament induced by virtual channels and to increase people’s acceptance of remote care service.
Originality/value
The value of this paper is to analyze the correlation and difference of MCMs and service interaction patterns between electronics home appliance stores and remote care, and propose a structural model of MCMs for two different industries.
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Cheng-Kui Huang and Yu-Hsin Cheng
Digital transformation (DT) has great potential to improve operations and stimulate business growth. It has attracted widespread attention from businesses around the world…
Abstract
Purpose
Digital transformation (DT) has great potential to improve operations and stimulate business growth. It has attracted widespread attention from businesses around the world. However, firm performance in DT implementation (DTI) cannot be neglected. This study examines the benefits and costs of DT and its effects on operations and financial performance of DT.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the financial report data from S&P 500 firms, we measure the financial performance, productivity and market value of DTI with a baseline in 2020. In addition, we collect secondary data to construct linear regression models for three dummy variables, including DT adopters, first movers and better performers.
Findings
Empirical results demonstrate that digitally transformed firms are positively correlated with business performance, while the performance among first movers has a partially positive impact. DT has also had a significant impact on long-term performance as shown by our long-term observations. Empirical findings indicate that DT has varying impacts on organizational performance in different dimensions and provides DT target-setting guidance to enterprises.
Originality/value
There are no studies so far that could proffer certain evidence to reveal the influence of DTI on firm performance. Such evidence is necessary for managers to convince their investors and stakeholders to believe that DTI can create new revenue for enterprises.
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Hung-Chun Huang and Hsin-Yu Shih
This paper aims to provide a macro perspective on diffusion structure research, and to investigate the deep structure of international technology diffusion and structural…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to provide a macro perspective on diffusion structure research, and to investigate the deep structure of international technology diffusion and structural differences between technology diffusion networks. This work also provides an understanding of the nature of globalization. Globalization has highlighted changes in socioeconomics and is reshaping the world. However, when comparing endogenous factors, exogenous factors are complex and demonstrate themselves as network phenomena. These network phenomena compose themselves as neither sole nor independent units. Countries in the global network act interdependently, and heavily influence one another.
Design/methodology/approach
This study utilizes social network analysis to investigate the structural configuration of international technology diffusion. This investigation uses a sample of 42 countries over the period from 1997 to 2008. The data set contains two categories: bilateral trade flow and aggregate R&D expenditure. Meanwhile, this study uses block model analysis to reveal a network structure, which can precisely illustrate a global network configuration.
Findings
The findings not only illustrate the pattern change of diffusion from a cascade-like to radial-like structure, but also present the structural configuration of technologically advanced countries and their competitive positions.
Practical implications
In the shift to a diffusive structure, time and space are represented in new ways. Therefore, radial-like diffusion structure can provide some technological development approaches for countries interested in exogenous effects for technological growth and managing their international relation.
Originality/value
This study is the first to use a multilateral perspective and longitudinal data to examine a cross-country network structure, to provide an understanding of the nature of globalization, its conceptualization and how influence and effects are transmitted through the interconnectedness of international technology diffusion.
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Liang-Wei Kuo, Hsin-Yu Liang and Yung-Jang Wang
Building upon the framework of the tradeoff model of capital structure and motivated by the equity market timing theory, we examine whether equity misvaluation is a source of…
Abstract
Building upon the framework of the tradeoff model of capital structure and motivated by the equity market timing theory, we examine whether equity misvaluation is a source of adjustment “costs” that will affect a firm’s leverage adjustment speed toward target. We also investigate whether the quality of a firm’s long-term growth options will influence the decisions of managers to exploit the mispriced equity to converge to the optimum. Using a sample of listed Taiwanese firms during 1992–2014 and employing the market-to-book decomposition as developed by Rhodes-Kropf, Robinson, and Viswanathan (2005), we find that overleveraged and overvalued firms demonstrate faster adjustment speed than overleveraged but undervalued firms. Furthermore, controlling for the misvaluation status, high-growth firms converge to target faster than their low-growth counterparts. The effect of growth options on the relation between equity mispricing and adjustment speed does not mirror the effect of financing deficits. With the detailed financial information of the local companies across a rather long time series, this study provides incremental inputs to the literature of capital structure from the determinants of target leverage, the estimation of leverage adjustment speeds, to the identification of the sources of adjustment costs in an emerging market where institutional environment is strikingly different from the US.
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Vimal Kumar, Kuei-Kuei Lai, Yu-Hsin Chang, Priyanka Chand Bhatt and Fang-Pei Su
The evolution of technology has become the mainstream of the current technological innovation era. Technological change is organized in its unique pattern and a new approach that…
Abstract
Purpose
The evolution of technology has become the mainstream of the current technological innovation era. Technological change is organized in its unique pattern and a new approach that takes place in a systematic and selective manner. Such change is generally molded with the amalgamation of various factors, namely, economic, social or scientific and technological. This paper aims to focus on identifying technological trajectories in a technological ecosystem with the case of m-payment technology.
Design/methodology/approach
This study constructs a patent citation network for mobile payment service technology through patent citation data and identifies the main evolution process using the main path analysis of the network. The scope of this study focuses on key innovation using social network analysis and patent citation network, validated using the case of a mobile payment system and analyzing its technological trajectory.
Findings
Analyzing technology evolution provides a greater insight of the overall technology landscape to the researcher and practitioner. Analyzing the m-payment technology landscape gives three main categories of m-payment systems: the mobile financial transaction system), the payee mobile device payment selection system and e-wallet services.
Originality/value
The novelty of this research lies in the process of identifying technological evolution using social network and patent citation network analysis. The case of m-payment technology ecosystem is studied quantitatively which is not explored by previous researchers. This research provides a way to develop the main path technology of innovative products or services to identify technology evolution using the case of m-payment landscape.
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Kuei-Kuei Lai, Hsueh-Chen Chen, Yu-Hsin Chang, Vimal Kumar and Priyanka C. Bhatt
This study aims to propose a methodology by integrating three approaches, namely, internal core technology, external knowledge flow and industrial technology development to help…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to propose a methodology by integrating three approaches, namely, internal core technology, external knowledge flow and industrial technology development to help companies improve their decision-making quality for technology planning and enhance their research and development (R&D) portfolio efficiency.
Design/methodology/approach
The primary focus of this study is thin-film solar technology and patent data is retrieved from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) database. This study presents a methodology based on the proposed integrated analysis method, constructed with patent indicators, centrality analysis of social networks and main path analysis.
Findings
The results of this study can be itemized as – the core technological competency: companies involved in two specific technology fields have lower strength in R&D portfolio than leading companies with single-core technology. Knowledge flow: most companies in a network are knowledge producers/absorbers and technological development: diverse source and sink nodes were identified in the global main path during 1997-2003, 2004-2010 and 2011-2017.
Research limitations/implications
Latecomer companies can emulate leaders’ innovation and enhance their technological competence to seek niche technology. Using the global main path, companies monitor outdated technologies that can be replaced by new technologies and aid to plan R&D strategy and implement appropriate strategic decisions avoiding path dependency.
Originality/value
The knowledge accumulation process helps in identifying the change of position and the role of companies; understanding the trend of industrial technology knowledge helps companies to develop new technology and direct strategic decisions. The novelty of this research lies in the integrated approach of three methods aiding industries to find their internal core technical competencies and identify the external position in the competitive market.
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Yu-Hsin Chen and Ching-Jui Keng
The purpose of this paper is to develop an extended Push-Pull-Mooring-Habit (PPMH) framework in order to better understand users’ intention of switching from offline to an online…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to develop an extended Push-Pull-Mooring-Habit (PPMH) framework in order to better understand users’ intention of switching from offline to an online real-person English learning platform service.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on 301 valid responses collected from an online survey questionnaire, structural equation modeling was employed to examine the research model.
Findings
The causal model was validated using SmartPLS 3.0, and all study hypotheses were supported. The results show that push effects (learning convenience, service quality and perceived price), pull effects (e-learning motivation, perceived usefulness), mooring effects (learning engagement, switching cost and social presences) and habit effects (relationship inertia) all significantly influence users’ switching intentions from offline to an online real-person English learning platform.
Practical implications
The findings should help online English learning service providers and marketers to understand the intention of offline English learning users to switch to an online real-person English learning platform, and develop related theories, services and regulations.
Originality/value
The present study extends the prior research of an online real-person English learning platform by providing PPMH as the general framework and demonstrating its efficacy in explaining user switching intentions.
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Min Ching Chen, Tak-Wai Chan and Yu Hsin Chen
Podcasting is a new mobile technology application for language learning. Drawing upon the stimulus–organism–response model and the interest driven creator (IDC) theory from…
Abstract
Purpose
Podcasting is a new mobile technology application for language learning. Drawing upon the stimulus–organism–response model and the interest driven creator (IDC) theory from e-learning, this study aims to develop and test an integrative conceptual framework. This study investigates contextual and environmental stimuli effects (content richness [CR], self-directed learning [SDL] and situational interest [SI]) from a podcast English learning context on learners’ experience states (cognitive absorption [CA], pleasure [PL] and arousal [AR]) and their subsequent responses (continuance learning intention [CLI]).
Design/methodology/approach
Using 416 valid responses from five universities located in North Taiwan, data analysis is performed using a structural equation model.
Findings
The results show that most of the interest factor stimuli (CR, SDL and SI) have significant impacts on learners’ experiences (CA, PL and AR), which in turn affect their CLI.
Practical implications
The findings provide useful insights for English show podcasters and operators to invest in establishing learners’ interest factor and stimulating experiences to improve their CLI.
Originality/value
This paper contributes to a better understanding of students who use contextual factors of podcast English learning and how these factors influence their CLI via a framework of stimulus–organism–response and the IDC theory.
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The purpose of this paper is to apply what can be learned from the emergence of nature tourism to understand some current and future trends of tourism.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to apply what can be learned from the emergence of nature tourism to understand some current and future trends of tourism.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopted the evolutionary paradigm for investigation.
Findings
The emergence of nature tourism in early medieval China can be attributed to four major factors, including transformation of value orientations, seeking longevity, interest in suburbs and population migration.
Research limitations/implications
Historical studies help understand the current and future trends. When the contributing factors for nature tourism are linked to the contemporary world, it can be found that these factors are still playing a part in shaping tourism trends or patterns in their original or alternative forms. These trends or patterns are worthy of scholarly investigations.
Originality/value
This paper offers a comprehensive understanding of the origins of nature tourism.
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Yi-Shun Wang, Ching-Hsuan Yeh, Yu-Min Wang, Timmy H. Tseng, Hsin-Hui Lin, Shinjeng Lin and Min-Quan Xie
With the proliferation of virtual reality (VR) applications in electronic commerce, investigations on the effects of VR on consumer responses are important. The purpose of this…
Abstract
Purpose
With the proliferation of virtual reality (VR) applications in electronic commerce, investigations on the effects of VR on consumer responses are important. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of online presentation modes (i.e. situational VR, pure VR and picture) on consumer responses for three product types (i.e. geometric, material and mechanical).
Design/methodology/approach
This study conducted a 3×3 between-subjects experiment to validate the research model and hypotheses.
Findings
The results revealed that both the situational VR mode and the pure VR mode had a greater impact on product knowledge and purchase intention than the picture mode. The situational VR mode yielded a higher level of product knowledge and purchase intention than the pure VR mode although it was not statistically significant. Furthermore, the pattern of VR modes superiority was found to be consistent across geometric, material and mechanical product types.
Originality/value
This research study contributes to the VR literature by investigating a new type of VR: situational VR, and offering a more comprehensive picture of consumer responses to online product presentations. The authors then drew the implications from the findings to suggest guidelines for practitioners to efficiently allocate resources and maximize the effectiveness of online presentation modes.