Chung-Ju Huang, Chien-Chih Chou and Tsung-Min Hung
The purpose of this paper is to examine how the levels of athletic identity influenced the relationships among college experiences, career self-efficacy, and the career barriers…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine how the levels of athletic identity influenced the relationships among college experiences, career self-efficacy, and the career barriers faced by semi-professional student-athletes in Taiwan.
Design/methodology/approach
Survey data of athletic identity, college experiences (involvement in social, academic, career orientation activities, etc.), career self-efficacy, and career barriers (inherent difficulties in career exploration in a dual student-professional role) were collected from 345 varsity student-athletes in Taiwan sport universities. The conditional process analysis was conducted to test whether the mediating role of career self-efficacy in the association between college experiences and career barriers was dependent on athletic identity levels.
Findings
The results indicated that enriching college experiences contributed to fewer barriers regarding career exploration post graduation through high levels of career self-efficacy. Particularly for assorted and social experiences, the indirect effect reduced as the levels of athletic identity increased.
Practical implications
These findings may be applied to athletes who pursue early specialization and students who engage heavily in a specific sport or other co-curricular activities while neglecting the importance of scholastic learning and career exploration. Career counseling practitioners and sport psychologists are advised to take account of athletic identity and contextual specificity while providing career interventions to student-athletes.
Originality/value
This study extends the understanding of the impacts of athletic identity on college student-athletes’ career explorations within a specific sport context.
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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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Li-Shia Huang, Wan-Ju Huang and Hsiao-Yun Lin
Given the importance of third-party endorsements as external cues during purchase evaluations, the manipulation of endorsements may raise consumers’ suspicion and thereby reduce…
Abstract
Purpose
Given the importance of third-party endorsements as external cues during purchase evaluations, the manipulation of endorsements may raise consumers’ suspicion and thereby reduce the effectiveness of marketing messages. Consumers find it increasingly difficult to distinguish between authentic and biased brand reviews. This research conducts two experiments regarding brand rankings of third-parties in four industries. Study 1 aims to probes the interaction effect of persuasion knowledge and fairness of rating method (fair vs. unfair) on brand rankings’ credibility and brand image enhancement. Study 2 examines the interplay of dispositional persuasion knowledge and reputation of third parties (high vs. low).
Design/methodology/approach
This research builds on an analysis of data (Study 1, N = 122; Study 2, N = 123) from Taiwan, where brand rankings held by third-party organizations are regular. The hypotheses were tested using SPSS’s PROCESS macro.
Findings
Drawing on previous research of persuasion knowledge, the authors find that a fair rating method and a high reputation of third-party organization can mitigate the negative effect of persuasion knowledge.
Practical implications
The results of this research suggest that marketers need to manage third-party endorsements carefully. Consumer skepticism toward these endorsements (e.g. third-party’s brand rankings) can be weakened when persuasion attempt is considered appropriate.
Originality/value
This is one of the first efforts to empirically explore the influences of persuasion knowledge on third-party endorsements. The importance of this work is underscored by the fact that a growing number of third-party endorsements are sponsored or even manipulated by brand owners.
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Li-Shia Huang, Wan-Ju Huang and Yu-Han Wu
Food packaging pictures are one of the most important extrinsic cues for consumers to evaluate food products before purchasing. Over the past decades, marketers have used…
Abstract
Purpose
Food packaging pictures are one of the most important extrinsic cues for consumers to evaluate food products before purchasing. Over the past decades, marketers have used exaggerated pictures to attract consumers' attention, enhance their attitude toward a product and increase their purchase intention. This study examined the interplay of “puff-up” product picture, food type and picture type in influencing consumers' responses via persuasion knowledge.
Design/methodology/approach
The research comprises two 2 × 2 factorial experiments. Study 1 tested the interaction effect of puffery (high vs low) and food type (utilitarian vs. hedonic) on consumers' responses using two fictitious brands of prepared food, whereas Study 2 tested the interaction effect of puffery (high vs. low) and picture type (ingredients vs. cooked food) using a fictitious brand of Chinese delicacy.
Findings
Results demonstrated that the degree of picture puffery did not influence consumers' responses to utilitarian food and ingredient image. Conversely, consumers were sensitive to puffery when they see hedonic food and cooked-food image. Our findings also suggested that consumers' persuasion knowledge mediates the relationship between puffery and their responses.
Practical implications
The presented findings facilitate marketers to know consumers' attitude about food puffery pictures.
Originality/value
This research is one of the first efforts to empirically explore the influences of persuasion knowledge on food puffery pictures. The importance of this work is underscored by the fact that a growing number of visual exaggerations are adopted on food packaging.
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Stephen Chi-Tsun Huang and Tsui-Ju Huang
The purpose of this paper is to discuss four main research questions which are as follows: how does a consumer turn into a devoted fan? How does a devoted fan react to the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discuss four main research questions which are as follows: how does a consumer turn into a devoted fan? How does a devoted fan react to the expansion of a human brand? What kind of strategies does a devoted fan take when facing challenges encountered by a human brand? And are devoted fans homogeneous, or can they be further divided into different subgroups?
Design/methodology/approach
The basis of grounded theory process is intensive depth interviews with 14 devoted fans of a famous Taiwanese pop singer in a qualitative manner along with content analysis of messages from online fan clubs.
Findings
Using the metaphor of kingdom to parallel the phenomenon of fandom, the research also explicates the importance of initial brand position, and the construction and expansion from the core castle – the core positioning of the human brand – to become a kingdom where devoted fans swear to be loyal to the human brand and cross-buy the derivative products of the latter. Five fan’s subgroup and a theoretical framework are obtained.
Originality/value
The theoretical framework derived in this study explicates how consumers’ initial perceptions of the human brand are formed and reinforced and how they become different kinds of fans which in turn influence the strategies they take in the face of the expansion or withdraw of the human brand.
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Yuan-Min Lin, Hsuan Chen, Chih-Hsin Lin, Pin-Ju Huang and Shyh-Yuan Lee
The purpose of this study is to develop resin composite materials composed of polycaprolactone (PCL) acrylates and hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles for ultraviolet digital light…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to develop resin composite materials composed of polycaprolactone (PCL) acrylates and hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles for ultraviolet digital light projection (DLP) three-dimensional (3D) printing technique.
Design/methodology/approach
Two PCL-based triacrylates, namely, glycerol-3 caprolactone-triacrylate (Gly-3CL-TA) and glycerol-6 caprolactone-triacrylate (Gly-6CL-TA) were synthesized from ring-opening polymerization of ε-caprolacton monomer in the presence of glycerol and then acrylation was performed using acryloyl chloride. 3D printing resins made of Gly-3CL-TA or Gly-6CL-TA, 5% HA and 3% of photoinitiator 2,4,6-Trimethylbenzoyl-diphenyl-phosphineoxide were then formulated. The surface topography, surface element composition, flexural strength, flexural modulus, cytotoxicity and degradation of the PCL-based scaffolds were then characterized.
Findings
Resin composite composed of Gly-3CL-TA or Gly-6CL-TA and 5% (w/w) of HA can be printed by 405 nm DLP 3D printers. The former has lower viscosity and thus can form a more uniform layer-by-layer structure, while the latter exhibited a higher flexural strength and modulus after being printed. Both composite materials are non-cytotoxic and degradable.
Originality/value
This study provides a direction of the formulation of environment-friendly resin composite for DLP 3D printing. Both resin composites have huge potential in tissue engineering applications.
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Abstract
Purpose
Career plateau and employee silence are negative employee management phenomena that should be overcome but are challenging. However, relatively speaking, when employees reach a particular career stage, it is inevitable that the hierarchical plateau in the career plateau will occur, while the phenomena of employee silence have the chance to improve. This paper aims to study the influence mechanism of the career plateau on employee silence in an uncertain environment and then provides theoretical support for enhancing the organizational phenomenon of employee silence.
Design/methodology/approach
After considering the effects of career plateau and social desirability of employee silence, this paper obtained 313 samples based on the pilot survey, which were collected anonymously online and offline. Based on passing the data quality test, this experiment uses hierarchical regression, Bootstrap method, interaction graph and slope test to test the mediating variable
Findings
The results show a significant positive correlation between career plateau and employees' silent behavior. Affective commitment plays a partial mediating role between career plateau and employees' silent behavior. Organizational justice not only negatively moderated the relationship between career plateau and affective commitment but also negatively moderated the indirect effect of career plateau on silent behavior through affective commitment.
Originality/value
First, based on the theory of uncertainty management and social exchange theory, this paper develops a behavioral response to the organizational environment based on the principle of fair exchange when employees perceive an uncertain environment. This study innovatively applied the two theories together in one study, establishing a link between the two theories. Second, this study explores the influence of career plateau on employee silence and empirically tests the silent behavior based on the previous division of three dimensions of career plateau. The third study explores affective commitment, the black box of the relationship between career plateau and employee silence. This research also enriches the related research on affective commitment.
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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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Lijing Zhao, Shuming Zhao, Hao Zeng and Jingyi Bai
Drawing on identity theory and the symbolic interactionism perspective of identity theory, this study aims to construct a moderated mediation framework to test the effects of…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on identity theory and the symbolic interactionism perspective of identity theory, this study aims to construct a moderated mediation framework to test the effects of perceived overqualification (POQ) on knowledge sharing (KS) through professional identity threat (PIT) and the moderating role of coworkers' help-seeking behavior (CHSB).
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses a quantitative multistudy research design with a combination of a scenario experiment (Study 1) and a two-wave field study among 220 supervisor-subordinate dyads at a power company in China. Using analysis of variance, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and bootstrapping method, the authors validated the research hypothesis.
Findings
In the scenario experiment study (study 1), the authors find that POQ is positively related to PIT and that CHSB negatively moderates the positive impact of POQ on PIT. The field study (study 2) replicated the above findings and found that PIT mediates the negative effect of POQ on KS. In addition, CHSB negatively moderates the mediating role of PIT between POQ and KS.
Originality/value
First, the current study extended the nomological network of POQ research by examining its influence on employees' KS. Second, this study empirically investigated the mediating role of PIT, which provided a new explanatory mechanism for the influence of POQ. Finally, this study demonstrates the moderating role of CHSB—a situational factor that has been ignored in previous studies.
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Taleb S.T. Taleb, Norashidah Hashim and Norria Zakaria
This study aims to examine the effect of entrepreneurial resources on micro businesses and the mediating role of innovation capability in this relationship.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the effect of entrepreneurial resources on micro businesses and the mediating role of innovation capability in this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
A structured questionnaire was used to gather data for this quantitative study, which adopted partial least squares structural equation modelling to test the hypotheses on a sample of 455 women entrepreneurs in Malaysia.
Findings
The results reveal that entrepreneurial resources, particularly technical resources, positively and significantly affect innovation capability and enhance business performance. Furthermore, innovation capability mediates the relationship between entrepreneurial resources and microbusiness performance.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes theoretically by combining six entrepreneurial resources into a single framework in light of the resource-based view and finance-based theory. The results corroborate the effects of entrepreneurial resources on the performance of women’s micro businesses and the mediating role of innovation capability in this relationship. However, the cross-sectional design study limited this study’s ability to engage respondents in a more in-depth analysis of pertinent themes.
Practical implications
This research provides guidance and directions for business managers/owners and decision makers to adopt and improve entrepreneurial resources to achieve superior performance and competitive advantages. It presents evidence of innovation capability’s significant role in converting resources into innovative outcomes and creating value. Additionally, it is useful for policymakers to design development programmes for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in emerging markets.
Social implications
This study highlights the value of innovation with a variety of entrepreneurial resources for women business owners that significantly impact Malaysian employment and gross domestic product and may have a positive social impact by enhancing social life in local communities. The nation’s unique context of multiracial and ethnic groups reflects Malaysia’s truly Asian ethnic composition.
Originality/value
This study fills the research gap by offering empirical evidence of the mediating role of innovation capability in the link between entrepreneurial resources and microbusiness performance, thus significantly contributing to emerging markets worldwide, where women-owned micro businesses are increasingly generating value and employment.